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Sons sue Nygard over ‘abuse’

Two of Peter Nygard’s sons have filed a lawsuit against their father claiming the Winnipeg fashion mogul paid a sex worker to rape them when they were teenagers.

The accusations from Nygard’s children — identified only as “John Doe No. 1” and “John Doe No. 2” in court documents — come to light as their father finds himself ensnared by mounting rape allegations.

The Free Press has identified both accusers in the case but is choosing not to name them to protect their privacy.

When reached for comment, Nygard's lawyer, Jay Prober, denied the accusations.

Max Parrot lands bronze but actor-turned-snowboarder Su Yiming takes big air spotlight

Su Yiming, a precocious Chinese teenager, truly exploded with supernova brilliance on Tuesday, writes Rosie DiManno.

Each of city's historic bridges has unique story

They span the muddy waters from which Winnipeg derives its name. They connect neighbourhood to neighbourhood. They’re a fundamental feature of our city.

Winnipeg has a reputation as a “River City,” but many don’t know the stories behind the bridges they use every day.

While a bridge may seem to be a boring piece of basic infrastructure, many of Winnipeg’s have fascinating histories that go back more than 100 years.

Granite housing project passes final council hurdle after appeal rejected

Critics of the proposed 12-storey housing project set for the parking lot of the Granite Curling Club were shut down at a city meeting Thursday as councillors allowed the development to proceed.

The 110-unit building at 30 Granite Way originally meant the loss of 45 of the 80 parking spots, which the long-running club said would ruin its financial viability.

In June, the city produced a plan to add parking spots around the club by removing a boulevard and adjusting spots at another parking lot, but the club’s management called the plan inadequate.

City council’s property and development committee discussed a number of proposed variances to the building plan Thursday, including allowing the building height to reach 126 feet even though regulations stipulate a maximum 100 feet, and shifts in the width of some parking spots allotted to the residential building and the curling club. Appeals against those changes, including those by management at the Granite Curling Club, were unanimously denied by the committee.

Six inquests called, including into death of homeless woman run over by cruiser

Manitoba’s chief medical examiner has called inquests into the deaths of six people, including a woman who was run over and killed at a homeless encampment at a Winnipeg park two years ago.

Dr. John Younes announced the inquests Thursday, noting such reviews are mandatory under the Fatal Inquiries Act. They will probe the deaths of four people following interactions with police, and two others who died while in custody.

Tammy Bateman, 39, died Sept. 2, 2024, when she was “run over by a police vehicle moving at a low speed” while “reportedly lying down on a gravel road” in Fort Rouge Park, Younes said.

“The medical examiner’s office was notified, and an autopsy was authorized. The immediate cause of death was determined to be multiple traumatic injuries due (to) pedestrian vs motor vehicle collision. The manner of death was accidental,” he said.

Tory meddling could cost MPI millions, boost Autopac rates

The Pallister government has directed Manitoba Public Insurance to give complete control of its future online product sales to insurance brokers, a move that could cost the corporation an extra $23 million over five years and boost Autopac rates, according to documents obtained by the Free Press.

The documents, which include emails, letters, briefing notes and presentations, show repeated interventions by the Progressive Conservative government on behalf of brokers and shed light on why the Tory-appointed MPI board of directors sought a legal opinion last year to clarify its rights and responsibilities.

The documents also reveal that the PC government directed MPI management last fall to extend the corporation's contract with brokers by two years to Feb. 28, 2021 at a remuneration rate MPI viewed as excessive.

MPI had first proposed a less generous package than the brokers had been receiving, and then offered zero per cent increases in the first two years followed by 0.75 per cent in Year 3, mimicking government policy on civil servant and Crown corporation employee pay. The brokers wound up receiving annual increases to their base $84.5 million compensation that are indexed to inflation (the Consumer Price Index, which rose 1.9 per cent in March compared to a year earlier ).