Overreaction may just push past, present closer

Danger in viewing world through blue-coloured glasses

One evening earlier this year, a man died on the street in a major United States city. His death would make history, and although much has been said about it since, it’s worth pausing for a moment to review how the first draft of that history was written, because what it says — and what it doesn’t — delivers a stark lesson.

The scene, as laid out in that first draft, begins when someone calls police to allege that a non-violent offence has been committed. Police state they are “advised,” presumably by the caller, that “the suspect was sitting on top of a blue car and appeared to be under the influence.”

Read this next part carefully, because this is what that first draft of the story says happens next.

“Two officers arrived and located the suspect, a male believed to be in his 40s, in his car. He was ordered to step from his car. After he got out, he physically resisted officers. Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress.

Cycling-plan foes unite

A trio of city councillors is proposing to gut the pedestrian and cycling strategy.

Couns. Russ Wyatt, Jeff Browaty and Jason Schreyer want to see the budget scaled back from its proposed $334 million to $55 million; the number of downtown protected bike routes cut in half; all references to sidewalk snow clearing eliminated and the document classified as a "guideline" rather than city council policy.

"We have to do what we feel is right in representing our constituents and bringing forth their concerns," Wyatt (Transcona) said following a special meeting Tuesday of the East Kildonan-Transcona community committee.

The cycling and pedestrian strategy is a 20-year blueprint for expansion of pedestrian and cycling pathways across Winnipeg, which is going to council for approval at its July 15 meeting.

Maggie Macintosh

Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Winnipeg Free Press. Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative.

Pandemic point man didn’t resign, exactly

The rumours of Paul Beauregard's demise appear to have been greatly exaggerated.

Email inboxes and phone lines were burning-hot Thursday morning with the news that Treasury Board Secretary Beauregard — arguably the most powerful bureaucrat in the Manitoba government and the point man for the province's pandemic response — had resigned his post while the province is still very much in the grips of a public-health crisis.

Beauregard is a controversial figure who been caught up in a scrap with the Opposition NDP over allegations he was improperly involved in the awarding of a contract to Bell MTS, his former employer. The political battle prompted Beauregard to file an unprecedented harassment and bullying complaint against an NDP MLA.

But even with all of Beauregard's baggage and the myriad problems with Manitoba's pandemic response, changing leadership mid-crisis would be a horrible blow to a government already suffering from a deficit in public confidence.

Free Press invests $10 million in new presses

As it marks its 150th anniversary this year, the Free Press Tuesday signaled its commitment to the future with the announcement that it is investing $10 million in new presses and mail room equipment.

Mind the age gap: only 56 per cent of Manitobans 80-plus have had first vaccine dose

An estimated 24,000 Manitoba seniors over the age of 80 have yet to get a single shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, even as the age criteria for the life-saving jab is poised to dip below age of retirement.

As of Thursday, at least 30,950 Manitobans 80 or older had received one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. According to population data from Statistics Canada, that’s about 56 per cent of that age group.

“The more we can bring the vaccine to the people, as opposed to bringing the people to the vaccine, that’s going to be the best for those oldest age groups and, in particular, the ones who have not been vaccinated already,” said Prof. Michelle Porter, director of the University of Manitoba Centre on Aging.

“It’s not because they’re hesitant. It’s not because they don’t want the vaccine. It’s all of these other logistical issues that are preventing them.”