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After former Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan's departure from the position, the caucus has selected MLA Konrad Narth as interim Leader of the Official Opposition.
In the Party's news release, Narth says he is grateful for the trust and confidence of his colleagues, and thanked Khan for his service as Party Leader.
"Manitobans deserve an Opposition that not only holds their government to account, but listens to their concerns and is ready to offer them something better. That's our job," said Narth.
Khan announced Monday evening that he would be stepping back from his role in the Progressive Conservative caucus, but will continue to sit in legislature as an independent, one day before legislature returned for the fall session.
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The first Orange Shirt Day took place on September 30th, 2013. The day was made a federal statutory holiday in 2021. In the 5 years since it's official adoption by the Government, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has become something observed all across Canada, whether you're Indigenous or not.
Jessica Verhaeghe, Client Navigator and Intake Coordinator with West Region Tribal Council, said it's good to see how the day has grown over the years. Truth and Reconciliation is something that all Canadians should take part in, not just if you have connections to Indigenous communities.
"I think that it's so important for everyone to recognize. It honours the residential school survivors, their families, and the children who never returned home. To recognize it publicly, we take into consideration the tragic history and trauma, and the lasting intergenerational impacts," said Verhaeghe.
According to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, over more than 150 years, more than 150,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children were taken from their communities, and put in the residential school system. The first residential school opened in 1831, and by 1880, the Federal Government had started funding them. By 1920, the Federal Government made residential school attendance mandatory for Treaty-status children between 7 and 15, through the Indian Act.
Jarri-Ann Thompson, Dauphin Friendship Centre Events Coordinator, said the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation serves as a way to reflect on Canada's past treatment of Indigenous peoples and communities, and learn from history.
"It just reminds people of the history of Indigenous peoples across Canada, and what we want to change going forward, how we want to empower Indigenous people to bring back our culture, to just show people who have been systemically suppressed, that there's a better future out there, and we have to all work together to get there, and it starts here, it starts by doing events like Truth and Reconciliation," said Thompson.
At yesterday's Truth and Reconciliation event at Maawami Park, Knowledge Keeper Gail Welburn spoke to attendees, who were mostly kids from local schools. She said when approaching difficult topics like residential schools with children, it shouldn't all be bad - there should also be a message of hope. Especially with Dauphin being the site of a residential school, Welburn said the fact that we even have events to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation goes to show how far we've already come.
"I think it's important that the kids know stuff that's happened in Canadian history, but I also think that we need to leave them with some kind of hope, that this kind of event never happens in our society again...we're gathering on a day to celebrate hurts of a history, but we're doing it in a way where people, you can hear the laughter and the joy, and they're going to be playing games, and the children are going to leave here knowing what has happened, and work that in their future it doesn't happen again," said Welburn.
Throughout today, there are several events across the Parkland to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. More details can be found in our Community Calendar.
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A 75-year-old woman from Alonsa is the subject of a Silver Alert from RCMP.
Barbara Mack was last seen around 6 a.m. Monday, when she got into her vehicle and left without saying where she was headed.
Mack is 5'3", about 120 pounds, with salt and pepper hair. She wears glasses, sometimes uses a cane and recently received a black eye from a fall.
She is believed to be driving a 2019 Ford Edge, licence plate KAN 418, and is known to occasionally travel to Ste. Rose, Dauphin and McCreary.
Mack has memory issues and other health concerns, and h er family and RCMP are very concerned for her well-being.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call the Ste. Rose detachment at 204-447-3082, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477
UPDATE: RCMP have located Mack safely, and thank all involved parties for their assistance in locating her.
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In a news release, the Provincial Government announced plans to expand presumptive workers compensation coverage for firefighters, to make it easier for firefighters diagnosed with occupational illnesses to access benefits. The Province has not yet announced how they'll be improving the system.
Cam Abrey, Dauphin Fire Chief, said it's good news, but there are a few key things the Province should focus on.
"It was welcome news to hear that the Province of Manitoba will be doing something with improving our presumptive legislation for firefighting cancer, but it's still a waiting game to see exactly what that coverage will entail...we want to make sure that every firefighter, regardless of being a career position or a volunteer firefighter in a small community, that they're covered through Worker's Compensation Board, with less hassle than what folks have had to go through over the past 25 years since this legislation first came into effect," said Abrey.
Better coverage for volunteer firefighters was at the top of Abrey's list. Across Manitoba, there are 250 different fire departments - 246 of them are volunteer departments.
"So when you look at the other 246 fire departments in the Province of Manitoba, they are volunteer, or paid-on-call as we refer to them. So it would be great to have this coverage, because unfortunately in rural Manitoba, as a member of the fire department, you may go to every single call that comes in, and be exposed to traumatic scenes, carcinogens from the smoke," said Abrey.
Abrey said he would also like to see more uniformity when it comes to coverage, when you look at different jurisdictions. For example, for firefighters in Manitoba to get coverage for esophageal cancers, they need at least 20 years in the service, whereas other provinces vary, with some requiring 10 years, and some requiring 15. Plus, if you work for the specified number of years in one province then move to another, you won't qualify in the new province. Abrey said simple changes like that would go a very long way.
With Manitoba's firefighters set to get a small boost to looking after their physical health, it's important to look at mental health too. Manitoba's province-wide Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder coverage has been praised by many groups, and Abrey said it really makes a difference, especially in volunteer fire departments.
"So you never know what the next call is going to be coming in, whether it's a traumatic car accident, whether it's a nuisance alarm where somebody just burnt their supper and set off alarms in their home, or whether it's a fully-involved structure fire. So being an all-hazards approach, firefighters train for everything that they might be able to face, and it's hard to predict what that's going to be," said Abrey.
The Province also recently announced the creation of a new cabinet position - Minister Responsible for First Responder Initiatives. The role is currently held by David Pankratz, MLA for Waverly, and a former firefighter.
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Obby Khan is stepping down as leader of the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives.
Khan announced his decision on Monday evening at a news conference, adding he will also resign from the PC caucus on Tuesday and continue to serve as an independent MLA.
He said that despite winning a caucus confidence vote Friday by more than two-to-one, a minority of members lacking what Khan called “moral integrity” have since been working to undermine his leadership.
Once Khan leaves, the PCs will have 19 seats in the 57-seat legislature.
Premier Wab Kinew’s NDP will have 34 and the Liberals one.
There will be three Independents.
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Tomorrow is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a statutory holiday to recognize and remember residential school survivors and their families, and the lasting effects the system had on Canada's Indigenous communities.
There are two events today in Dauphin to mark the day. West Region Tribal Council is holding an event at the 8th Avenue Hall, which will include Indigenous vendors, a light lunch, and presentations. Jessica Verhaeghe, Client Navigator and Intake Coordinator, said it's an event that you should try to make it out to, especially if you're not Indigenous.
"I think it supports inclusion, I think that it's definitely good to come and learn, and all the knowledge we can get is best," said Verhaeghe.
The Dauphin Friendship Centre and Northwest Métis Council are hosting an event at Maamawi Park as well, including lunch, kids activities, and speakers. Jarri-Ann Thompson, Dauphin Friendship Centre Events Coordinator, said the day serves as a good reflection on Canada's history.
"It just reminds people of the history of Indigenous peoples across Canada, and what we want to change going forward, how we want to empower Indigenous people to bring back our culture, just show people who have been systemically suppressed, that there's a better future out there, and we have to all work together to get there, and it starts here, it starts by doing events like Truth and Reconciliation," said Thompson.
For more information about the events, and other events that'll take place tomorrow, details can be found on our Community Calendar.
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The annual Boyz and Bullz s event is set to return to the Eriksdale Arena this Friday night, as man gets set to go one on one with bulls in the most exciting eight seconds in sport.
The doors will open at 5:30, which is also the same time as the delicious rib dinner.
The show begins at 7:30, and Ben Kinkead with Crossfire Bull Riding says this year will see one of the strongest lineups of bull riders in the 26-year history of the event.
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From the start of their plans to expand into Riding Mountain National Park, Northgate Trails has had the goal of making sure their trails can be enjoyed by everyone. Now that construction is underway and going well, they're showing how committed they are to that promise.
Northgate and Riding Mountain National Park are using adaptive trail standards in the design and construction process, meaning they'll be wider than regular trails, have more manageable inclines and turns, and well-kept surfaces, to help eliminate any barriers people might have to using the trail network.
To better see their vision, Riding Mountain National Park hosted Lisa Franks, a 6-time Paralympic Gold Medalist. Her experiences helped Northgate and the Park find better ways to keep the expanded trail network inclusive to all users.
These adaptive trail standards don't just benefit people with disabilities affecting how they use the trails, they improve the experience for a wide variety of groups, like seniors, families with strollers, and new trail users.
Under the Accessible Canada Act, Parks Canada is working towards having all National Parks becoming barrier-free by 2040.
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Two days earlier this month, Dauphin RCMP conducted an operation targeting retail theft in the City, focusing on arresting prolific offenders.
During the two days, Dauphin RCMP made eight arrests related to retail theft, and gave out six tickets for trespassing, and two tickets for consuming alcohol in public, plus some traffic tickets and warnings.
Some of the arrests included a 33 year old Dauphin female, wanted on a warrant for residential break and enter, a 35 year old Dauphin male who breached court-ordered conditions prohibiting him from a local establishment after previous shoplifting incidents, and a Prince Albert, Saskatchewan couple who were arrested a theft, just hours after they were released from custody following a court appearance for weapons-related offences.
The Dauphin RCMP conducted this operation with assistance from the RCMP's Manitoba West General Investigation Section, Ste. Rose RCMP, and the Manitoba West District Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team.
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WeMB, formerly known as the Manitoba Women's Enterprise Centre, is bringing a Listening Tour Roundtable Discussion to the City of Dauphin on Tuesday, September 29th.
Kamryn Winters, Executive Director of the Parkland Chamber of Commerce, said it's a very valuable discussion for women entrepreneurs to attend, whether you're in a large or small business.
"It's basically like a tour where their invite all women entrepreneurs and women business owners, small business, large business, it doesn't matter, and they kind of all get together and chat about the struggles and things they're facing at this point in time, whether it's tariffs or just regular business struggles," said Winters.
It's a great way for Parkland area women-owned businesses have their voices heard. Winters said the Parkland often gets overlooked when it comes to meaningful solutions for problems businesses face, so it shows WeMB is actively advocating for women-owned Parkland businesses.
"It's great, I mean it's good that WeMB is putting a little bit of focus on the area which is nice, because I think Dauphin and the Parkland in general get overlooked so often, so this gives our Parkland business owners, they have a seat at the table right, so they can advocate for themselves," said Winters.
The event is set for 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM on Tuesday, September 29th. WeMB and the Parkland Chamber of Commerce ask you to register in advance if you plan on attending, you can register here.
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