Pieces of Brandon residential school to be left in Rome

Two government bills left on table as NDP ends third year of term

Year 3 of the NDP government’s four-year mandate ended Thursday with more than 50 bills expected to become law and two that didn’t make it to the finish line.

“We’re on the final stages of passing 52 amazing bills,” government house leader Nahanni Fontaine said after the final question period of the 43rd legislature.

Most were passed before the house rose for the summer break, including getting rid of the provincial sales tax on pop, chips and packaged foods that took effect July 1. A handful of health-care bills that aim to restrict mandatory overtime, create a patient safety charter, establish nurse-to-patient ratios and do away with sick-note requirements for employees — unless they miss more than seven consecutive days or 10 in a year — were also passed.

Under rules of the legislature, the Progressive Conservatives held back three government bills until the fall session to allow for further debate before passage by the NDP majority Thursday. The most contentious was Bill 13, the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act, that aims to strengthen renter protections and increase maximum fines for landlords in breach of the act.

Pieces of Brandon residential school to be left in Rome

ROME — When Jade Harper of Peguis First Nation came to Rome to help make a documentary about the First Nations delegation meeting the Pope this week, she knew what she needed to bring: a brick.

Not just any brick. One from the former Brandon residential school attended by her grandmother and other relatives.

The documentary filmmaker visited the site of the old school in 2015. While there, she felt compelled to take some small pieces of the structure with her.

“I didn’t know why back then,” Harper said, adding she’s held on to the items for seven years.

‘Women were shortchanged.’ Why bobsledding’s idea of equality doesn’t add up

When female bobsledders pushed for an Olympic four-woman event, they got a solo discipline instead: monobob. Now they’ll race for the same number of medals as men, but with fewer sledders. Not the progress they were looking for.

Longtime councillor Eadie ‘knew it was going to be close,’ but expected to finish on top in Mynarski

Ross Eadie knew his re-election bid would be close, but he didn’t anticipate losing in the neighbourhoods where he grew up.

The 16-year Mynarski councillor, who was defeated Wednesday by political newcomer Natalie Smith, said Thursday the result was difficult to accept because some of his strongest losses were in Luxton, St. John’s Park and surrounding neighbourhoods.

“I knew it was going to be close,” Eadie said. “But I thought it was going to be close with me in first place.”

“I really lost it where I live. So that’s the worst part of it.”

MMF teams with Babcock for aviation takeoff

Métis leadership’s hopes are flying high: the Manitoba Métis Federation aims to be the province’s next aerial firefighting contractor.

On Thursday, the MMF unveiled a business it’s launched with Babcock Canada, a mammoth aviation and engineering company.

The pair signed a memorandum of understanding and committed to work together long-term.

“What better connection would you want?” Chartrand said. “It’s (the) perfect partnership.”

‘All females are at risk’: serial sex offender released from prison

Law enforcement are warning the public that a dangerous sex offender with a lengthy history of abusing women is expected to live in Winnipeg after his release from prison.

Douglas Wayne Bowman, 62, left prison on Thursday after serving a lengthy sentence for two sexual assaults he committed at knifepoint, said the Manitoba Integrated High Risk Sex Offender Unit, a joint force of the Winnipeg Police Service and RCMP that keeps an eye on certain sex criminals.

Bowman was handed the 14-year sentence in 2018, less six years time served, and designated a dangerous offender. Criminals deemed dangerous offenders are given indefinite federal sentences until parole officials decide it is safe enough to release them.

Now that he’s leaving prison, Bowman will be subject to a 10-year long-term supervision order, which allows corrections and parole officials to continue to monitor him in the community even though his sentence is complete.