Don’t keep flame burning for travelling troubadour

Police conduct code long overdue

It may come as a surprise to many that Manitoba does not have a province-wide code of conduct for police officers. Most other provinces do. Manitoba has had the authority under the Police Services Act since it was passed in 2009 to establish formal rules around policing activity, including mechanisms to respond to allegations of officer misconduct. For reasons neither the former NDP or current Progressive Conservative governments have explained, none was ever put in place.

What Manitobans are left with is a patchwork system that differs from one municipality to the next. It is neither open and transparent nor does it provide the public with an effective process to hold police officers accountable for their actions. Some allegations of non-criminal misconduct are heard by the province’s Law Enforcement Review Agency. However, most complaints made through LERA (a process that has been widely criticized as dysfunctional and ineffective), rarely receive full hearings and almost never result in officer discipline. Allegations of criminal behaviour are investigated through the province’s Independent Investigation Unit.

Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen says the province intends to create a new set of rules that will govern the conduct of all police officers in the province. The minister introduced Bill 30 last week, amendments to the Police Services Act, which among other things restates government’s ability to establish a province-wide code of conduct.

The wording in the bill is similar to what already exists in the act. The difference now, at least according to Mr. Goertzen, is there is a stated intention to move forward on creating a province-wide code, although it remains discretionary under the proposed legislation.

Today’s horoscope

MOON ALERT: After 3 a.m. there are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The moon is in Cancer.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Tread carefully when talking to family members, especially female relatives, as well as partners, spouses and close friends, because confusion is rampant. It’s easy to misunderstand someone. It’s also easy to innocently mislead people. Yes, it’s that kind of day.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

Trump touts USMCA win in state of the union

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump declared his scorched-earth political style an unmitigated success Tuesday in a fiercely partisan, made-for-TV state of the union speech that made it clear he expects to be back in the White House next year on the strength of the U.S. economy and his trade deals with Canada, Mexico and China.

Trump, addressing a joint session of Congress in the very chamber where House Democrats voted to impeach him less than two months ago, became only the second president in American history — Bill Clinton was the first — to deliver a state of the union while standing trial in the Senate.

Unrepentant, he pointedly refused to shake the offered hand of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the dais before singing the praises of what he billed as "the great American comeback," pointing to strong job growth, a soaring stock market and low unemployment as evidence of his leadership. And when he was done, Pelosi ripped up the speech in full view of the television cameras.

"America's enemies are on the run, America's fortunes are on the rise, and America's future is blazing bright. The years of economic decay are over," Trump declared, taking full credit for the country's "roaring economy," including what he billed as seven million new jobs and the lowest jobless rate in half a century — a "blue-collar boom" that he's counting on to help his re-election chances in November.

Manitoba Mounties face ‘pivotal moment’ in hiring, public expectations

OTTAWA — Manitoba RCMP are struggling with the national police force’s highest job vacancy rate, which criminologists link to the Mounties grappling with a change in public expectations.

A deep debt

The paddlewheeler from Minnesota nudged the shore of the Red River at the forks of the Rat River and lowered its gangplank. When my ancestors — the very first of a coming wave of international migrants — stepped onto terra firma, they had no idea of the history of the land on which they walked. They had been offered free land to till — 60 acres per family — and freedom to follow their Mennonite faith. Like their salvation, the land truly was free: free to them. But in both cases, it cost someone else dearly.

The Anishinaabeg were the caretakers of this corner of the country. The Creator of the land, Gitche Manitou from whom our province would get its name, had given The People everything they needed to live here. The rivers were given them to travel and to fish. The bizhiki and waawaashkeshi — buffalo and deer — were given them to hunt. And then, through a treaty that would be repeatedly eroded with time, the Anishinaabeg were told that the land was no longer theirs. Three years before the arrival of the Mennonites, they were told to choose a block of territory equivalent in size to… 60 acres per family. They chose two areas: the Roseau River and the Brokenhead First Nation Reserves.

From time to time in those early days, the Mennonite settlers were visited by hungry Indigenous visitors asking for food. The settlers had no idea that when they offered braut and vota to their guests, they were serving those who had once been lords of the land that bore these gifts; that by so doing, they were serving the One who had been Lord of Heaven, but came down to identify with the brokenhearted.

My feelings are deeply mixed. I am so thankful that 146 years after my ancestors landed here, I have a wonderful place I can call my home. Yet I am so sad that my gain came at such a loss to those entrusted by our Creator as stewards of the land. In planning our oxcart trip, I realized that the Red River Trail passed right through Roseau River First Nation. Could this be my opportunity to express my debt and gratitude? About 30 of us outsiders were graciously invited to have a ceremony with some Anishinaabe leaders on a piece of sacred ground right where the old trail crossed. With gifts and faltering words we visitors tried to describe what our hearts felt. Chief Craig Alexander humbly received what we had to offer and showered us with gifts and blessing in return. Afterwards we shared a feast of bannock, forma vorscht and stories. An old wall had started to crumble. Hugs, selfies and new bonds of friendship were filling the gap.

Revamped COVID ad campaign still misses mark

After two weeks of steady criticism about the wrongheadedness of its COVID-19 advertising campaign, Premier Brian Pallister has decided to make changes.

Gone is the preposterous "Ready, Safe, Grow" slogan that was featured on billboards and other advertisements. In its place, there is a more sober message that urges Manitobans to "Know the Facts" about the Pallister government's new pandemic response system.

Revealed a week ago, the new system assigns different colours (red, orange, yellow and green) and pandemic control measures to communities based on the prevalence of COVID-19. Green would allow us to live with very few restrictions; red would represent a return to near-complete economic shutdown.

The premier deserves credit for making the change, which could not have come easily given his legendary stubborn streak. However, there were very few people outside the Tory caucus and cabinet willing to defend the original campaign, which clearly implied that it was safe to get out and start priming the pump of the provincial economy. And for good reason.