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Headline: Full tile image double: Transit turmoil frustrating bus riders

'There’s actually a joke out there that ‘not in service’ is the most common bus (route) that the city has'

Malak Abas 4 minute read Monday, Dec. 19, 2022

This Just In

Headline: Full tile image single tile: Transit turmoil frustrating bus riders

'There’s actually a joke out there that ‘not in service’ is the most common bus (route) that the city has'

Malak Abas 4 minute read Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022

A spectral spin on the culinary reality show

Eva Wasney 5 minute read Preview

A spectral spin on the culinary reality show

Eva Wasney 5 minute read Tuesday, May. 23, 2023

The elevator pitch: local ghost-kitchen purveyors convene in a haunted house to have their cooking judged by a hungry spectre.

Oh, and there are also paranormal experts, familiar monsters and just a hint of bike theft.

It’s a deeply weird, multidimensional concept that a Winnipeg film production company has turned into a very real television series available now on Bell FibeTV.

Ghost Kitchens is a four-part reality cooking competition/supernatural history show created by Folks Films, a studio founded by siblings Laina and Taylor Brown. Pushing the bounds of possibility was a driving force behind the pair’s first foray into entertainment TV.

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Tuesday, May. 23, 2023

Folks Films

Ghost Kitchens host Angie St. Mars gets in the spirit.

‘Still a little shaken’ after arson

Chris Kitching 5 minute read Preview

‘Still a little shaken’ after arson

Chris Kitching 5 minute read Tuesday, May. 9, 2023

Braden Hopkins was in a deep sleep when he and his wife were awakened by strangers banging on their bedroom window and front door at 4 a.m. Monday.

When they opened the door, the startled parents saw the orange glow of a raging fire that had been deliberately set by someone who doused their vehicles with a liquid accelerant.

“The guy at the door was saying, ‘Fire! Fire! Your garage is on fire!’” Hopkins told the Free Press Tuesday. “We have (three kids). We had to get them out as quickly and safely as possible.”

The 31 year old, who lives in the Rural Municipality of St. Andrews just north of Winnipeg, doesn’t know why the family’s vehicles were set on fire.

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Tuesday, May. 9, 2023

A St. Andrews family was forced to move a burning car away from their home after it was set on fire in what RCMP believe was a random arson May 8, 2023.(Supplied by Braden Hopkins)

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Woman who alleges family physician sexually assaulted her testifies

Dean Pritchard 5 minute read Preview

Woman who alleges family physician sexually assaulted her testifies

Dean Pritchard 5 minute read Monday, May. 1, 2023

A Manitoba woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by her family physician says she felt it was her “duty” to come forward after learning other women had gone to police with similar claims.

“Before that, I thought I was alone,” the woman testified Monday at the trial of Dr. Arcel Bissonnette.

Bissonnette, 63, is accused of sexually assaulting five female patients during medical examinations at the Ste. Anne Hospital and Seine Medical Centre.

Court heard all five women stepped forward after police issued a media notice in November 2020 announcing his arrest on charges involving six other female patients.

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Monday, May. 1, 2023

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Dr. Arcel Bissonnette arrives at the Law Courts for the first day of his trial in Winnipeg on Monday. He is accuesd of sexually assaulting five female patients.

Former finance minister loses federal nomination bid

Carol Sanders 4 minute read Preview

Former finance minister loses federal nomination bid

Carol Sanders 4 minute read Monday, May. 1, 2023

Too much baggage and not enough of organization likely led to the political downfall of a Manitoba cabinet minister who quit his post to seek the federal Conservative nomination in Portage—Lisgar, experts say.

Cameron Friesen lost the nomination April 29 to Branden Leslie, who will now carry the federal party banner in the yet-to-be-called byelection.

Portage—Lisgar is a Tory stronghold. Its most recent MP, Candice Bergen, held the seat from 2008 until resigning in February. Bergen is now co-chair of the provincial Progressive Conservative party’s 2023 election campaign.

“Our campaign message was about experience, results and deep roots in the riding,” Friesen said in a social media post after losing the nomination Saturday.

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Monday, May. 1, 2023

Cameron Friesen (Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Connor knows what he has to do

Jeff Hamilton 7 minute read Preview

Connor knows what he has to do

Jeff Hamilton 7 minute read Wednesday, Apr. 26, 2023

LAS VEGAS — There are few things Kyle Connor loves more than scoring goals.

The Winnipeg Jets forward is pretty darn good at it, too. He has scored at least 30 goals in nearly all of his six seasons in the NHL, including a career-high 47 goals last season. The only year he didn’t reach the mark came in the shortened, 56-game campaign in 2021 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in 26 goals.

In fact, since joining the NHL full-time in the 2017-18 season, only six players have more goals than Connor’s 207, including Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin (264), Toronto’s Auston Matthews (259), Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (257), Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl (256), Boston’s David Pastrnak (242) and Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (209).

“Winning is the most important thing but it’s definitely great if you can combine the two,” Connor told the Free Press following practice Wednesday. “If you look at Game 3, with the crowd at home and we’re going into overtime, it’s every kid’s dream of scoring an overtime winner. Everyone in this locker room loves to score goals and takes pride in it. For me, it’s definitely up there.”

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Wednesday, Apr. 26, 2023

Lucas Peltier / The Associated Press

Jets’ sniper Kyle Connor takes a shot on Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Laurent Brossoit in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series in Las Vegas.

U of W hoops coach joins Sea Bears

Joshua Frey-Sam 3 minute read Wednesday, Apr. 26, 2023

All hands on deck

Jeff Hamilton 6 minute read Preview

All hands on deck

Jeff Hamilton 6 minute read Sunday, Apr. 23, 2023

The Winnipeg Jets lost more than just a lead in their playoff series during Saturday’s loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Trailing 2-1 in the best-of-seven battle against the top seed in the Western Conference is a big enough hole to climb out of but they’ll have to do it without Josh Morrissey, their best defenceman and arguably their best player. That makes it an even taller, some might even say impossible, task.

The Jets don’t have time to feel sorry for themselves, not with a critical Game 4 to be played at home Monday night. With Morrissey out it’s on the rest of the team to make up for the loss.

“His mentality. His swagger. His vocal leadership on the bench and in the locker room. All that stuff will be missed,” said Jets defenceman Neal Pionk on Sunday. “It will be a next-man-up mentality, we’ll have to take a little bit more from everybody, because I don’t think one guy can fill those shoes. He’s been our best player all year, so we’ll have to pick up that slack.”

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Sunday, Apr. 23, 2023

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey, left, appeared to injure his right knee when it hit the left knee of Vegas defenceman Zach Whitecloud just minutes into the game Saturday. (Paul Vernon / The Associated Press files)

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Health union says impact of looming strike ‘huge unknown’

Erik Pindera 3 minute read Preview

Health union says impact of looming strike ‘huge unknown’

Erik Pindera 3 minute read Friday, Jun. 2, 2023

As the strike deadline approaches for thousands of allied health-care workers in Manitoba, their union and Shared Health underscored the point that emergency services will not be affected.

However, the union president said such a strike has never happened, so the potential impact is unknown.

“A strike in allied health has never been tested, as far as I’m aware. So, the exact impact is a huge unknown, and that in itself to us is very concerning, and should be very concerning to the public as well,” said Jason Linklater, president of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals.

The union has set a strike deadline of June 15 at 8 a.m., which would affect 6,500 workers — lab techs, pharmacists, rural paramedics, addiction counsellors, midwives and respiratory therapists — who work at 200 sites across Manitoba. They have been without a contract for five years, during which time their wages were frozen.

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Friday, Jun. 2, 2023

Medical laboratory technicians Holly Johnson (left) and Sarah Peters were among the more than 100 Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals who rallied on legislature grounds May 16 amid protracted contract negotiations with Shared Health. (Tyler Searle / Winnipeg Free Press)

NDP, tory leaders hit Manitoba byelection campaign trail

Katie May 4 minute read Preview

NDP, tory leaders hit Manitoba byelection campaign trail

Katie May 4 minute read Friday, Jun. 2, 2023

A pair of federal party leaders were in Manitoba on Friday, campaigning with local candidates ahead of upcoming June 19 byelections.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh both stopped in the capital city and were headed to the Winkler area to back their parties’ candidates in the Winnipeg South Centre and Portage—Lisgar ridings.

Both described the Liberal minority government as “out of touch” and made their pitches for how they’d each lead the country, if elected to do so.

In Winnipeg South Centre, a seat the Liberals have held for the better part of three decades, Poilievre was showing support for Conservative candidate Damir Stipanovic.

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Friday, Jun. 2, 2023

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was in Winnipeg Friday.

Odd couple finds happy ending in ‘furever’ home

Graham McDonald 3 minute read Preview

Odd couple finds happy ending in ‘furever’ home

Graham McDonald 3 minute read Friday, Jun. 2, 2023

Cats and dogs don’t normally make for best friends, but sometimes opposites attract.

Such was the case with Scooby and Siren, a cat and dog pair at the Winnipeg Pet Rescue Shelter. Both animals started life off on a difficult foot, er, paw.

“Scooby came in in really, really horrific condition. He had hardly any hair on him… you could count every rib on him. He was in rough condition, but he sure made a beautiful recovery,” says Carla Martinelli-Irvine, executive director of the shelter.

Siren was taken in as part of a litter of six kittens, but even though all his siblings were adopted, he wasn’t.

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Friday, Jun. 2, 2023

SUPPLIED

Although offers came from across the country, ultimately the due was adopted by a young couple from Winnipeg, Frances Halas and Jordan Bowman.

New chief justice of Manitoba Court of Appeal

1 minute read Preview

New chief justice of Manitoba Court of Appeal

1 minute read Friday, Jun. 2, 2023

The province has a new top judge for its highest court.

Marianne Rivoalen, a judge of the Federal Court of Appeal, has been appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as chief justice of the Manitoba Court of Appeal.

“She is a respected member of the legal community and brings a wealth of legal experience. I am confident Chief Justice Rivoalen will be a great asset to the people of Manitoba,” Trudeau said in a statement Thursday.

Rivoalen replaces Richard Chartier, who retired in October.

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Friday, Jun. 2, 2023

Marianne Rivoalen (Federal Court of Appeal / Twitter)

Parties cap legislature session with parting shots

Danielle Da Silva 6 minute read Preview

Parties cap legislature session with parting shots

Danielle Da Silva 6 minute read Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

Manitoba’s two main political party leaders got in one final dig before hitting the campaign trail Thursday afternoon, as the legislative session wrapped with a reminder to members to clear out their desks and say their goodbyes.

Following a question period dominated by the Opposition blaming the Tory government for the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals setting a June 15 strike date, NDP Leader Wab Kinew offered a few surprise words of thanks to Premier Heather Stefanson.

“Serving as the leader of the official Opposition has been the great honour of my life and there’s no opportunity to serve as Opposition leader unless there is a government to oppose,” Kinew said, acknowledging Stefanson made history by being the first woman premier in Manitoba.

“It’s always nice to end on a good, positive note… It sets the tone as we move into a wonderful summer, as we’re going to be out on the campaign trail,” Stefanson replied.

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Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

“It’s always nice to end on a good, positive note… It sets the tone as we move into a wonderful summer, as we’re going to be out on the campaign trail,” Premier Heather Stefanson said.

Fort Gibraltar events on hold until engineer issues report

Maggie Macintosh 5 minute read Preview

Fort Gibraltar events on hold until engineer issues report

Maggie Macintosh 5 minute read Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

Fort Gibraltar is closed and upcoming events are on hold pending an engineer’s report after a section of the historical site’s elevated walkway collapsed under the weight of students and a teacher during a school trip Wednesday.

The Seven Oaks School Division redirected two groups that were scheduled to visit Whittier Park – a popular destination for students of all ages, wedding parties and history buffs – on Thursday.

Owing to the uncertainty at the venue, the classes changed their plans and went to Kildonan Park instead, said superintendent Brian O’Leary.

Festival du Voyageur, which maintains and operates the trading post, declined to comment on how many field trips had been planned for June.

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Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

DAVID LIPNOWSKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

An elevated walkway at Fort Gibraltar collapsed during a school field trip, causing 17 children, and an adult to be taken to hospital Wednesday.

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Research project digging in to reasons young adults don’t want to stay in Manitoba

Gabrielle Piché 5 minute read Preview

Research project digging in to reasons young adults don’t want to stay in Manitoba

Gabrielle Piché 5 minute read Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

Symone Bartley might drive an hour to Toronto or Canada’s Wonderland in nearby Vaughan for the weekend.

She can trek Algonquin Provincial Park on Sunday and make the two-hour drive home to Barrie by evening to wind down for the start of another work week as a paralegal.

“I packed up and I left,” said Bartley, 24. “Ontario has… more schooling, more cities… more job opportunities.”

She swapped Manitoba for its eastern next-door neighbour in 2018, for post-secondary education.

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Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press files

Around $429,000 of provincial cash is being spent in the hope of understanding why Manitoba regularly sees a net loss of young adults, and how to reverse the situation to attract and retain them.

Chief vows to trim police budget

Erik Pindera 5 minute read Preview

Chief vows to trim police budget

Erik Pindera 5 minute read Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

Winnipeg’s police chief said the service should be able to cut spending, as per the city’s demand, but he couldn’t specify by how much.

The projected police budget deficit is $12.8 million.

A city council finance committee report, based on data until March 31, 2023, suggested Winnipeg will finish the year with a $27-million deficit, the bulk of which is due to losses from city emergency services.

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service expects to end the year $7.4 million short, largely due to firefighter overtime and workers compensation bills.

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Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES

Winnipeg Police Chief, Danny Smyth.

Friday night preseason tilt last chance to impress Bombers’ brass

Jeff Hamilton 7 minute read Preview

Friday night preseason tilt last chance to impress Bombers’ brass

Jeff Hamilton 7 minute read Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will go with a roster full of mostly fresh faces for their preseason finale after playing a majority of its veterans in last week’s opener.

The Bombers welcome the Saskatchewan Roughriders to town Friday night in what will be the team’s final tuneup before the regular season gets underway with a home date against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on June 9.

The lineup against the Roughriders will feature some experienced Bombers, but is made up mostly of rookies and newcomers trying to carve out a spot — either on the active roster or practice team. Final cuts will be made Saturday.

“Be right and make plays,” Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said when asked what players can do to make a final strong and lasting impression. “Show a high degree of physicality — all the stuff we like from football players.”

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Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

BROOK JONES / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Jobs in the Bombers lineup and on the practice roster will be on the line when the Big Blue take on their Prairie rivals from Saskatchewan on Friday night.

New tech to make provincial election appearance

Katie May 3 minute read Preview

New tech to make provincial election appearance

Katie May 3 minute read Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

Provincial election results are expected to be announced more quickly after polls close this fall, thanks to electronic vote counting.

Elections Manitoba is using the technology for the first time in the 2023 provincial election.

Instead of going into a regular ballot box, votes will be put through a counting machine at advance polling stations and on election day (expected Oct. 3). The machines could cut in half the time it takes to count, verify and report the election results.

Shipra Verma, chief electoral officer for the province of Manitoba, said it typically takes three or four hours to count the ballots, on average. This year, it is expecting the manual count to be wrapped up in one or two hours. Many of the ballots will be counted by machines.

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Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

Shipra Verma, Chief Electoral Officer, Elections Manitoba (Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Severed lines ignite St. Norbert fire

Kevin Rollason 2 minute read Preview

Severed lines ignite St. Norbert fire

Kevin Rollason 2 minute read Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

A St. Norbert homeowner didn’t dial before he dug — twice.

Instead, because no inquiry was made for Manitoba Hydro to come out and mark where the underground natural gas and electrical lines were located, an excavator cut through both Wednesday at about 11:50 a.m.

The result was natural gas escaping from the broken pipe, the cut hydro line creating an electrical spark, the gas igniting and a fire erupting, summoning both utility and emergency crews to the scene.

“Thankfully, no one was hurt,” Manitoba Hydro spokesman Bruce Owen said Thursday. “We squeezed the pipe to shut the escaping gas off and we repaired the pipe and the electrical cable.”

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Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

SUPPLIED

An excavator cut through underground natural gas and electrical lines on Wednesday, creating an electrical spark, the gas igniting and a fire erupting.

Jones on the hot seat against Roughriders

Taylor Allen 5 minute read Preview

Jones on the hot seat against Roughriders

Taylor Allen 5 minute read Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

Josh Jones will need to have one heck of a performance Friday night if he wants to remain with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The 22-year-old quarterback is in a battle with fellow rookie Tyrrell Pigrome for the team’s third-string job but already finds himself as the underdog.

Pigrome won over a lot of people last week in the club’s preseason opener in Edmonton by completing two-of-four passes for 43 yards, while leading the club with 71 rushing yards on five carries, and scoring a pair of touchdowns with his legs.

Jones, who started five seasons at NCAA Division II UNC-Pembroke, took the reins on the final two drives but wasn’t able to make the same splash in the 25-23 victory.

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Thursday, Jun. 1, 2023

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Blue Bombers QB Josh Jones knows he needs to impress in Friday’s game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

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