Thousands rally in Croatia after woman denied abortion

‘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.

Brian Bowman wins mayoral battle

In the end, it wasn’t even close.

A mayoral race that was supposed to be a head-to-head battle between privacy lawyer Brian Bowman and former NDP MP and MLA Judy Wasylycia-Leis turned into a rout on election night. Wasylycia-Leis, the experienced politician, had held what looked like an unassailable lead for months, but Bowman, the outsider who promised Winnipeggers a better, prosperous future, chipped doggedly away at it.

“I’m excited to tell you that positive change is coming to city hall,” Bowman told roaring supporters at the Inn At The Forks after making his way into the small ballroom accompanied by his wife and two young sons.

He said he hadn’t expecting such a landslide victory, but had believed that the campaign was building momentum.

Record number of women elected in Manitoba municipal elections

A record number of women were elected to municipal office in Manitoba in elections held across the province Wednesday.

The Association of Manitoba Municipalities said 213 of 339 women candidates were voted in, accounting for almost 25 per cent of elected municipal officials — up from 20 per cent in 2022.

Portage la Prairie Mayor Sharilyn Knox, who applauded the increase, said there has been progress to reduce barriers that impede women’s participation in local government, “but I don’t think we’re where we need to be yet.”

“I think representation matters. When women see other women sitting around council tables, chairing meetings and taking on leadership roles, it helps them see themselves doing the same thing,” she said.

Prairie opportunists are knocking and prime minister should answer the door

In preparation for Halloween, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe have spent an inordinate amount of time rattling their chains and howling like indignant spirits about the raw deal they are getting from the rest of the country.

In the wake of a federal election in which the governing Liberals failed to elect a MP in either province, Kenney and Moe are summoning apocalyptic visions of secession. We've heard a lot of that before but Western separatists, inspired by the Alberta and Saskatchewan first ministers, are warning everyone that this time it's serious.

Now, before anyone gets too spooked, it's important to remember that a good politician is — first and foremost — an opportunist. These are the folks with the pure political instinct to recognize a moment in which they can gain the upper hand and then seize on it like a ravenous dog on a bone. Imagine that, and you'll have a pretty clear picture of what Kenney and Moe are up to.

In short, the two premiers want two big-ticket items from Ottawa.

City rec facilities crumbling

Throughout Winnipeg, decades-old community assets — pools, arenas and recreation and leisure centres — are deteriorating so quickly that service disruptions are inevitable.

Meanwhile, the city’s community services department, which is responsible for managing those assets, operates with an annual deficit of roughly $80 million, meaning there are scant resources to do little more than bail water on a sinking ship.

Soon, Winnipeggers will have a choice: fewer community services or higher costs.

“It poses a huge challenge because we have very limited dollars that we have to invest in our existing facilities. We also have growing demands for new amenities in new areas. We have to be very strategic,” said Ken McKim, manager of asset management for the department.

2026 Winnipeg election results: Mayor and council

Complete results for the 2022 election races for Winnipeg mayor and city councillors.