Landmarks Unique and iconic Winnipeg locations By: Alison Gillmor Posted: 11:05 AM CST Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021

Health minister won’t remove WRHA board chair for travelling during pandemic

Health Minister Heather Stefanson said the province has no plans to rescind the appointment of the chairman of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority board of directors after he travelled to Arizona earlier this month.

Stefanson neither directly criticized nor defended the actions of Wayne McWhirter at a press conference Wednesday.

Instead, she said that chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin, Premier Brian Pallister and others have "been very clear that now is not the time for non-essential travel" and that McWhirter would be expected to "properly isolate" on his return home.

"At this time we are not looking to rescind his appointment, no," Stefanson said when asked by the Free Press.

Landmarks: Unique and iconic Winnipeg locations

Landmarks is a monthly feature in which columnist Alison Gillmor explores unique and iconic Winnipeg buildings and locations.

Legal aid underfunding violates Charter, lawsuit claims

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association is taking the provincial and federal government to court, alleging that decades of underfunding for criminal legal aid violates Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

“Whether you are rich or poor should never determine whether you are found guilty of a crime,” Shakir Rahim, co-counsel in the case and director of the CCLA criminal justice program, said in a news release.

“Legal aid is supposed to protect that principle, ensuring that every person receives adequate legal representation.”

Funding for legal aid is woefully insufficient and has been for decades, the non-profit organization said.

Jeff Browaty to remain councillor in North Kildonan

Long-standing incumbent Jeff Browaty will remain councillor of the North Kildonan ward, earning 73 per cent support.

Andrew Podolecki, Browaty’s lone challenger, was running against the councillor for the third time in the north Winnipeg ward. He finished the race a distant second with 27 per cent support, a five per cent increase from 2018's election.

Browaty has already served 16 years on council, filling roles on numerous committees, including sitting in the mayor's inner circle as a member of the executive policy committee. He is currently council’s finance chairman.

Browaty counts road maintenance as a top priority and has spoken out against imposing large tax increases. He suggests the city refocus its priorities on key municipal responsibilities; ideas he’s floated include not expanding recreational services and not spending city money on items that fall primarily under provincial jurisdiction, such as housing.

Broadway Social: when public art gets it right

Great civic sculpture does something to us.

It might delight or irritate, intrigue or confuse. It can make us stop, look up, move closer. Sometimes we wonder who approved it, who paid for it, or what on Earth it is supposed to be. We photograph it, argue about it, give directions by it. Eventually, the best becomes part of a city’s mental map.

Indifference may be the one response it cannot afford.

I have been thinking about this since spending time with Broadway Social, Eduardo Aquino’s remarkable public sculpture on Broadway, directly across from the Fort Garry Hotel.