The Winnipeg Police Service recently announced its annual school safety patrol awards.

Every year, patrol groups across Winnipeg are judged on their ability, professionalism and technique while on patrol by the School Engagement Section of the Winnipeg Police Service. In 2026, there were approximately 7,000 student patrols across the city.

The city-wide award winning schools are as follows:

1st Place – Clifton School (1070 Clifton St.);

The East Kildonan-Transcona community committee held a regular meeting on June 1.

During the meeting, plans for an 89-unit multi-family development on Plessis Road, south of Dugald Road, were laid over until the June 22 meeting, as Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona) requested more landscaping along the north, east, and west sides of the property, increased privacy fencing, and a new, more colourful pallet with regard to the buildings themselves.

Meanwhile, plans for a new, eight-unit apartment building at 621 Pandora Ave. W were also discussed. The site currently features a one-storey, single-family dwelling with a detached garage built in 1953. The matter was also laid over until June 22, with Wyatt again asking for more landscaping and an updated colour pallet.

“I’m sure he will fill the building up, even if it is more vibrant colours,” Wyatt said. “I think folks would appreciate that, especially since it is most likely to be younger people living here … Let’s look at some new and innovative colours.”

Champlain CC to hold summer jamboree on June 13

Champlain Community Centre (282 Niverville Ave.) will hold its annual summer jamboree on Saturday, June 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

According to the centre’s website, the event will include a bouncy castle, activities for kids, local entertainment, food for purchase, a 50/50 draw, a vendors’ market and a community yard sale.

Visit champlaincc.ca for more information.

The Riel community committee held a regular meeting on June 2.

The committee approved plans for 301 Archibald St. — the site of local non-profit Centre Flavie — in the St. Boniface ward. The applicant is seeking to build a detached storage garage at the site. The St. Boniface-based centre provides essential household goods and supplies to many local families daily.

The committee also approved plans for a property in the proximity of Aubert Street in St. Boniface, relating to a building earmarked for a multi-family building.

Plans were also approved for 195-275 Gypsum Dr. in St. Vital., relating to a multi-family residential development in the Sage Creek neighbourhood.

As another school year comes to a close, students, educators and families across Transcona are looking ahead to a well-deserved summer break.

This time of year always feels special to me. As a former educator and vice-principal, I know how much hard work, care, and dedication goes into every school year.

That’s why supporting education continues to be one of our NDP government’s top priorities. In Budget 2026, we announced an additional $80 million in funding for Manitoba schools, increasing funding above the rate of inflation for the third year in a row. These investments will help support classrooms, technical vocational education, school operations, and our Universal School Nutrition Program that help students succeed every day.

I’m also proud that our government continues to invest in childcare and early learning. This year, Manitoba is opening 21 new childcare centres and adding more than 2,300 new childcare spaces to help support families across the province. We are also continuing to support early childhood educators through increased wages and investments in growing the workforce. Early learning programs play such an important role in helping children build confidence, curiosity, and a strong start for the future.

After reading the recent article by Gregory Mason in the Free Press touching on young people starting out in the world and the topic of children, it prompted a reaction I had to chime in on.

Education is one of the most important privileges we have in this country that can aid in shaping a person’s future, thus creating a path for good jobs and opportunities to live the dream of either surviving in this all expensive world or maybe someday owning a car, home, etc. Some young women are delaying the start of a family not only because they are continuing their education or establishing their careers, but for other important reasons. Women are becoming wise to the fact that in the past they were expected to give up their jobs or careers and become the main caregiver to the children while the partner kept on their career path as usual. In some cases, women have to start all over again at an older age because of various family breakdowns. The task of caring for the children and refreshing their education at the same time is a daunting endeavor.

Women can lose their jobs because of pregnancy, they can be ridiculed in the workplace for becoming pregnant. They may get set back in the workplace once returning from maternity leave. Finding a daycare is a nightmare. Sometimes getting kids to and from school is a challenge. When the children are sick, it’s mainly the mother who misses work to tend to them. The workload at home is mainly picked up by the mother. In fact, most things involving the children are. In some cases, the time spent child rearing, providing lesser or no financial contribution and generally just being the main caregiver are ridiculed by the partner as never being good enough. Unless there is the perfect partner who is willing to really understand the dynamics of a family, why would women ever want to enter into motherhood?

Most of us — specifically females — are all hoping current and future generations will shift into a truly equal family dynamic to make the experience of having children joyful for all. Families are not the same as the old days, and the phrase “the good old days” can seriously die forever. That joke is not funny and never was. Hopefully, the human species is evolving enough to allow all families the experience of enjoying what the feel good movies portray, thus eliminating all family dysfunction going forward.