About 500 residents of Pimicikamak Cree Nation will begin heading home today, more than three weeks after a nearby wildfire forced evacuations. The community, however, is still under a state of emergency. Meanwhile, residents from Cranberry Portage began returning on Saturday morning.
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As residents of Cranberry-Portage and Pimicikimack begin returning home, we can expect the wildfire season to stretch into the fall. Weather experts say Manitoba will probably see above-normal temperatures this summer,
increasing the risk of fires. In fact, they say temperatures will be about a degree or two above normal across the country through August.
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The Brandon Parent Council Collective wants to see school lunch programs, which have become increasingly important, run as a basic service by the division rather than by volunteers. The group reportedly says volunteer turnover is high, and they’re often asked to manage complex student needs with no training, authority or administrative support. The division promises to respond at a future meeting.
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The quick response between Neelin High School’s resource officer and staff likely prevented more injuries at the Brandon school last week when a teenager attacked another teen with a sword. The suspect was quickly subdued. In the wake of this incident, the premier is reportedly calling on Winnipeg School Division to re-introduce uniformed police in schools, but that could take some more study. A survey in 2022 found students in Winnipeg’s north-end and Core saw police in schools as scary, distressing and intimidating.
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Hundreds of people took part in Saturday’s Pride rally and march in Brandon, and over a thousand attended the Pride in the Park celebration. Organizers say it was one of the city’s largest Pride turnouts. The event also highlighted the ongoing need for legislation that protects marginalized communities, and the importance of year-round support for LGBTQ2S+ Manitobans.
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Since the province expanded eligibility for the measles shot last month, due to a growing number of cases, about 450 children under the age of one have received the vaccine. There have been 98 confirmed cases in Manitoba
this year. Measles is a serious concern, and especially dangerous for pregnant people and newborns.
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Health Canada has recalled a baby toothbrush sold in Dollarama stores across the country due to a possible choking hazard. The Oracare Baby Brush has a manufacturing defect that can cause the toothbrush to break into two pieces. Dollarama says it’s no longer importing or selling the product.
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Eligible Canadians can begin applying for the Canada Disability Benefit as of June 20th. The new benefit, part of the federal government’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan, aims to provide financial support to Canadians living with disabilities. The maximum amount is $2,400 annually.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney is to meet this morning with U-S President Donald Trump at the G7 summit in Alberta. The meeting comes weeks into regular calls and text messages between Carney and Trump as they try to resolve an economic brouhaha caused by Trump’s various tariffs. Carney is also leading discussions today on safety issues and artificial intelligence, while meeting with leaders from places including Japan, France and Italy.
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A coastal Newfoundland town besieged for decades by the fetid stench wafting from an abandoned fish-sauce factory has finally received good news – the province will pay to clean it up. More than 100 oozing vats of fermenting fish remain in the crumbling building in St. Mary’s – and liquids from broken tanks have created a putrid stew on the floors. In the summer, folks stay indoors lest the smell gets in their hair and clothes.
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The Universal live-action adaptation of “How to Train Your Dragon” soared to number one at the box office this weekend. The film about a young Viking named Hiccup and a dragon called Toothless took in a strong $83.7-million. Rounding out the top 5 were Disney’s ‘Lilo & Stitch’, ‘Materialists’, ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ and John Wick spinoff ‘Ballerina’.
