Can’t lose with warm welcome for neighbour

Max youth sentence for boy in liquor store robbery

A 15-year-old boy has been handed a maximum youth sentence of three years custody and community supervision for a violent liquor store robbery a judge says impacted not only the people he attacked, but the entire city.

“This is the type of incident likely to cause some Winnipeg residents to pose the question to themselves whether the city is as safe as they thought it was, or, if this could happen in the middle of the afternoon in a busy shopping mall, is anybody safe anywhere in the city?” provincial court Judge Dale Schille said Tuesday.

“The impact of these offences is not restricted to the individuals involved, it has impacted the community in a broader way,” he said.

The boy previously pleaded guilty to five counts of robbery, three counts of assault, and one count each of mischief and uttering threats in connection to the robbery last November at the Tyndall Market mall Liquor Mart and the mayhem that followed.

Canadian figure skating coaching couple boasts astonishing 11 Olympic ice dance teams

The post-career success of Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon has been nothing short of dazzling and surely immensely lucrative.

No timeline to reopen city-owned fitness facility in North Kildonan after mould discovery

A city-run fitness centre that suddenly closed for repairs last October lacks a set date to reopen, while an investigation on how best to fix it is underway.

Peguis Trail Health and Fitness Centre in North Kildonan was first expected to welcome visitors back within a few weeks when it shut down due to plumbing problems on Oct. 28.

But in February, the city’s website noted a much later reopening date of Oct. 2 after mould was discovered when crews attempted to upgrade the floors.

The city has since hired a consultant to assess the site’s condition, determine what repairs must be done and estimate how much the work would cost, including mould abatement.

Finland's leaders call for NATO membership 'without delay'

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland’s leaders said Thursday they’re in favor of rapidly applying for NATO membership, paving the way for a historic expansion of the alliance that could deal a serious blow to Russia as its military struggles with its war in Ukraine.

The dramatic move by Finland was announced by President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin. It means that Finland is all but certain to join NATO, though a few steps remain before the application process can begin. Neighboring Sweden is expected to decide on joining NATO in coming days.

“NATO membership would strengthen Finland’s security. As a member of NATO, Finland would strengthen the entire defence alliance,” Niinisto and Marin said in a joint statement. “Finland must apply for NATO membership without delay. We hope that the national steps still needed to make this decision will be taken rapidly within the next few days.”

The Kremlin reacted to the development a few hours later, saying that Finland’s move to join NATO won’t help stability and security in Europe. Finland shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) land border with Russia.

O'Brien grateful for journey to Tokyo Paralympics

Kate O'Brien is taking more than a silver medal away from the Tokyo Paralympics.

The track cyclist says the Games have also showed her just how little separates elite Para athletes from their able-bodied counterparts.

“All athletes are the same. And all humans are the same," she told The Canadian Press in a phone interview from Tokyo on Tuesday. "There doesn’t need to be as much of this division between able-bodied and Para. Because having a knee injury is not different than being paraplegic and yet, somehow, we still put them into different categories.

"Being here with other Para athletes has shown me how friggin' fast they are at what they do.”