Some people forced from their homes by wildfires in the RM of Alexander in eastern Manitoba are being allowed to return home, but they face a two-hour evacuation notice, if necessary. The Lac du Bonnet fire is being held, while the Nopiming fire is still out of control. It’s destroyed 20 cabins and homes and 19 seasonal structures. In Westman, the wildfire near The Pas is listed as being held.
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There’s a petition calling for Parks Canada to allow motorized watercraft on Clear Lake this summer, and it’s already garnered more than 2,000 signatures. After promising to allow boats on the lake this season, Parks Canada decided against it because of zebra mussels, and locals say this will devastate their businesses. They say the solution is inspection and education – not a full ban.
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Some Manitoba homeowners have not received a promised $1,500 tax credit on their annual bills, and the NDP government is putting the blame on municipalities. They say homeowners needed to register their properties
as their primary residence to get the credit, and some municipalities did a poor job of communicating this. The province is working to fix the problem, but there’s no word on when people can expect the money.
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Unionized workers with Manitoba’s Metis and Michif Child and Family Services have secured wage parity with other agencies through binding arbitration. Workers will see around a 14% pay increase. The new four-year
agreement is retroactive to February 1st, 2023.
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Canada Post workers are set to walk off the job at midnight on Friday – but not all services will be suspended. During the previous strike last November, assistance cheques were delivered including Employment Insurance,
Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security and the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program. Mail and parcels will not be delivered – and no new items will be accepted until the disruption is over.
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The provincial government is introducing a new math curriculum to teach high school students about financial literacy. The compulsory program, to start in 2027, will teach Grade 9 students hands-on math like how to budget, and how to save for the future. It’ll also better prepare them for pre-calculus, chemistry and physics courses.
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The western premiers, including Manitoba’s Wab Kinew, are to meet in Yellowknife today for a two-day conference. The annual meeting comes two weeks before the premiers gather with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Saskatoon. On the agenda this week – arctic sovereignty, energy security, international trade, emergency preparedness, housing, economic corridors and tariffs.
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Canadians have more trust in Prime Minister Mark Carney now than they did in former prime minister Justin Trudeau after he was first elected. A new poll says Carney has come out of the gate, after the election, at a 52% trust level. Trust in Tory leader Pierre Poilievre has stalled at 38%.
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Scientists have identified biological markers that can indicate higher or lower intake of ultraprocessed foods – which are linked to a host of health problems. The foods: sugary cereals, sodas, chips, frozen pizzas and more are created through industrial processes using additives. The new test is way more accurate than relying on asking people what they ate during a certain period.
