CBO confirms hack, says it has implemented new security measures

Manitoba teen’s assault conviction overturned

A six-year-old girl’s account of being sexually assaulted by a teenage boy at a park was enough to convince a Manitoba provincial court judge to convict the teen. But the judge’s comments about playground sand were enough for the province’s top court to overturn the conviction.

In a decision that shows how difficult it can be to secure a conviction in sexual-assault cases involving child victims, the Manitoba Court of Appeal has reversed the guilty verdict and ordered a new trial for the then-17-year-old male, who had been convicted and sentenced to probation for sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching.

Two out of three judges on the appeal panel decided there was a “miscarriage of justice” because the provincial court judge made legal errors in his analysis of the evidence — namely, whether the accused was telling the truth when he talked about the consistency of sand in the park where the girl was playing.

A third judge disagreed, writing in a dissenting judgment released earlier this month that the teen’s conviction should have been upheld. 

Winnipeg's civil war: The battles waged in the General Strike continue today

At about 2:20 p.m. on June 21, 1919, a lone streetcar rattled down Main Street toward Portage Avenue with a few passengers aboard.

There was nothing to suggest it would trigger events leading to monumental social and legal changes for generations to come in Winnipeg and well beyond its borders.

A horde descended to block the streetcar’s path. In their anger, they rocked it off its tracks and set it aflame.

A century later, the indelible image is a part of the city’s DNA; the defining moment of the Winnipeg General Strike, the greatest labour movement in Canadian history.

Klein’s entrance adds spark to ho-hum mayoral race

Until this week, Winnipeg’s mayoral race looked less like a democratic contest and more like a coronation.

It appeared Mayor Scott Gillingham was a shoo-in to win a second term. There were no obvious challengers with the political profile, organization or credibility to make his re-election bid uncomfortable.

That changed Tuesday: Kevin Klein is back.

The former city councillor and provincial cabinet minister is launching his second campaign for mayor, turning what looked like a sleepy election into something that resembles an actual race.

Seven Oaks tour blends ghastly theatrics and local history

History buffs and ghostbusters will be exploring one of Winnipeg’s oldest homes and grounds by candlelight this weekend.

“Spirits of Seven Oaks brings together two things already woven into the place: history and haunting. You’re not just going to hear history, you get to walk through it,” says Tracey Turner, curator and manager of Seven Oaks House Museum.

For more than a decade the national historic site has hosted similar events during the early autumn lead up to Halloween. In the past, the first half, which takes place in rooms throughout Seven Oaks House — the oldest standing home in Winnipeg — were led by a museum interpreter, while the outside portion is led by Matthew Komus, author of Haunted Winnipeg and Haunted Manitoba.

“With ghost stories, I’ve always been interested in tying it to the place,” says Komus, whose book Haunted Winnipeg is now in its ninth printing. “It’s part of who we are. That’s something that we really focus on. Most of the stories we talk about, it’s about a rural settlement. We’re on the estate, though a lot of it is a neighbour.”

O’Shea stands by his plan

Mike O’Shea would do it again.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ head coach began his end-of-season press conference Friday explaining what he would’ve done differently in the club’s 41-24 loss to the Toronto Argonauts in the 111th Grey Cup.

“I’d use the challenge flag earlier. Call a time-out. Check on the guys more during the game. Say something differently… I don’t know. Those kinds of things, for sure,” he said ro begin the 30-minute question period at Princess Auto Stadium.

What O’Shea omitted from his list of potential do-overs was the decision to put quarterback Zach Collaros back in the game after he left in the third quarter with a deep cut on the index finger of his throwing hand that required five stitches and left him hardly able to grip the ball, a decision that has been heavily scrutinized in the days following the team’s third consecutive loss in the championship.

Original Sorrento's restaurant still flinging pizzas, pastas after 45 years

The original Sorrento's Italian restaurant is still flinging pizzas, pastas and parmigiana more than 45 years later.