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Winnipeg City Councillor Markus Chambers has been named as the city's newest Deputy Mayor.
This comes after Vivan Santos' removal from the position after previously refusing to disclose her vaccination status.
Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman says he respects Santos’ right to keep her health information private, but he has been forced to remove her from the role.
Santos was noted as being the only Winnipeg Councillor not vaccinated earlier this year.
Mayor Bowman mentioned that City managers are working on a possible vaccine mandate for staff.
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- Contributed by Noah Fuchs
Construction has begun in Gilbert Plains as the community looks forward to having its very own Splash Park.
President of The Gilbert Plains Splash Park Initiative Committee, Kimberly Perih, talks about the process,
"It's been a long time coming, that's for sure, we've working as a group of four, just all donating our time and efforts and everything like that, and we've done it over the course of 4 years."
Perih visualizes the project's completion,
"We are hoping that by next spring, whenever the weather is permitting, we will be able to open it up and use it at its full capacity."
She carried on to outline where the construction is currently at,
"Last week, we removed the current wading pool, and we started construction just yesterday, and they are going to be pouring all the concrete and doing all that work and getting everything together."
Kimberly says the project's total cost is roughly around 425k, noting the naming rights have been purchased and that the official name will be announced later.
Once the splash park is complete, the committee will be handing over responsibility to the Gilbert Plains Municipality to maintain it.
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- Contributed by Noah Fuchs
The Manitoba Pandemic Sick Leave Program is being extended.
The program provides employers with up to $600 per employee for up to five full days of COVID-19 related sick leave.
This includes leave for testing, vaccinations, vaccine side effects, self-isolation, or caring for a loved one with COVID-19.
The eligibility period was to run until September 25th, but is now extended to October 23rd.
The online application is available here.
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- Contributed by Trillian Reynoldson
Although vaccines are not mandatory at Brandon University, one college at the University is making sure that all members are fully vaccinated.
At the BU School of Music, proof of full vaccination is required immediately from all students, all faculty, and all staff. Access is granted only to those who have uploaded proof of full vaccination to the university’s new online vaccine portal.
Accommodations will be made for those who are not yet vaccinated or who cannot prove their vaccination status.
Proof of a negative COVID-19 test from within the previous 72 hours will be required for unvaccinated people seeking to access the music building. Test results can also be uploaded to the online vaccine portal.
Brandon University aims to have everyone on campus vaccinated by the end of October.
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As Canadians gear up for a federal election, many want to see change as we come out of the pandemic.
CKDM spoke with MMF's President David Chartrand about the upcoming election.
The President outlined key Métis issues and stresses the importance of having your voice heard.
"I think for the MMF citizens across this province, it's essential that we get our voices heard, our issues heard. We did our own surveys to get their opinions and views of what the parties were; it's very clear that a lot of citizens are very concerned about identity theft of our nation's identity being stolen from eastern Canada and that is a big issue for them. They talked about health care as a very big issue," said Chartrand. "We are right now negotiating with the Liberal government's new health legislation. It will be the first of its kind in Canada, where the Métis have been completely left out since the 1979 policy and before. Health Canada had no relationship with the Métis and no responsibility. It was provincial jurisdiction."
The Métis won that argument in the supreme court of Canada, and Chartrand says that the Prime Minister is now committed to health legislation that will include the Métis, First Nation, and Inuit together.
Chartrand also noted that the MMF came up with 15 priorities based on their surveys to share with the federal parties.
He says they received responses from the NDP, Liberals, Green party and Conservatives on these issues, but the Conservatives response was discouraging:
"It was very telling that the Conservative party did not plan to address Métis issues cause we are mentioned twice under the indigenous commitments, but there is nothing attached to it just by name, so we are scratching our heads wondering what's this supposed to mean. It just goes to show why elections are important." Chartrand carried on. "All of a sudden, you look at the platforms and the key issues people are telling us when we were are seeing them in villages or seeing them somewhere when we bump into them or hearing them from the phone calls or letters and emails. There issues will be, right now, non-existent in the conservative platform, so how do we convince the conservatives to address it if they are successful in winning this election? How again will they deal with the Métis platform when they are not committed to it."
Mr. Chartrand voiced his opinion on people who disrespect politicians, specifically referencing the incident on Labour day when protestors at a rally in London, Ontario, threw rocks at Justin Trudeau.
"This country should never allow what's taking place where people are stoning our prime minister, throwing stuff at him, cursing woman and people of colour publically, that should not be allowed in Canada, I don't care who you are, I don't care what prime minister is in place, I don't think anyone should be allowed to get away with that."
Along with offering rides, helping locate polling stations, and providing impartial information about parties and their platforms, the MMF will be incentivizing voter participation through draws and prizes.
Every Métis voter that stands outside a polling station that takes a photo of themselves going to vote or their mail-in ballot will be entered to win one of five PS5s or the grand prize of a brand new Chevy Spark.
Lastly, the Manitoba Métis Federation President emphasized that individuals and families should look at each party's platform and choose a party that best represents them and their needs.
Canadians will head to the polls on September 20th.
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- Contributed by Noah Fuchs
Those who would like to vote in advance this election can do so starting Friday.
Marie-France Kenny, Regional Media Advisor for Elections Canada says that people can find out where to vote on their voter information card, which they should have received in the mail, or online.
Kenny says that there are a few reasons that someone might not receive a voter card.
“If you moved it’s possible that we don’t have your new information, and that the voter information card was sent to your old address. So you would need to update the registry if you changed your name or you moved.”
Voters can update their information here by September 14th at 6:00 p.m., or at the polls.
She adds that if you recently turned 18 or if you’re a new Canadian citizen you would have to register to vote.
“There’s still time to do that. You can do it online before September 14th at 6:00 p.m., and you can register at the advance polls or regular polls.”
Advance voting is taking place from Friday, September 10th to Monday, September 13th.
Election day is on September 20th.
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- Contributed by Trillian Reynoldson
Agriculture In The Classroom (AITC) has a lot of things going on this school year.
Executive Director Sue Clayton says that AITC is constantly adding new things to the website that was launched in the spring.
“We’re launching a new program this fall called Follow the Farmer, and registration for that will be open for that starting on the week of September 20th, which also happens to be farm and food awareness week in Manitoba. So Follow the Famer is a virtual farm tour targeted at grades 3 to 6 students.”
Clayton is also hoping that AITC can return to Manitoba Ag Days in person this year.
“So far we’re planning on an in-person show, and that’s a program targeted at grade 7 and 8 students, and we also have a virtual program that we’re launching for Manitoba Ag Days.”
AITC also plans to launch a Manitoba seed kit during Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month in March.
Click here to see more resources that AITC has to offer.
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- Contributed by Trillian Reynoldson
Friday is World Suicide Prevention Day, and Dauphin’s Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention Committee is hosting a community walk.
Eleanor Snitka, who’s on the committee, says that this will be a good day to raise awareness and talk about mental health.
“I think especially in these times of COVID, people are feeling isolated as it and for many people who have their own mental health distress and they might feel isolated at the best of times, now it’s even worse.”
The walk starts at Vermillion Park at 10:30 a.m. on Friday.
“We’re going to end up at the Dauphin HERO Club, they’ve agreed to open up their hotdog cart on that day, and we’re going to give people a hotdog and bottle of water when they’re finished their walk.”
Participants of the walk are invited to share their stories of loss or of recovery.
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- Contributed by Trillian Reynoldson
Manitoba RCMP has arrested an 18-year-old man connected to a pair of swatting incidents in the United States.
On Aug. 17th, the RCMP was contacted to help an Investigation in the U.S. where heavy police resources were sent to the scene of two non-existent crimes.
In both swatting incidents, the U.S. police agencies said they received 911 calls from a man claiming to be armed inside a school and ready to start shooting.
It was later determined by RCMP and Winnipeg police that the calls were coming from a home on Fisher River Cree Nation.
According to the initial Investigation in Tennessee, the phone calls originated from Manitoba.
RCMP raided the home on Aug. 30th and seized electronic items.
The suspect was taken into custody and later released, with a pending court date of Dec. 7th on Peguis First Nation.
“Swatting” is when a person fakes an emergency to provoke the police and draw police presence.
Police continue to investigate.
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- Contributed by Noah Fuchs
Mental Health, Wellness, and Recovery Minister Audrey Gordon announced Wednesday that Manitoba is launching a social impact bond, partnering with the Reh-Fit Centre and Victoria General Hospital Foundation to support women’s heart health.
A social impact bond is an innovative social policy tool that brings together government, the private sector, not-for-profits and other stakeholders to deliver effective solutions focused on prevention.
Gordon explains the decision for this:
“Women experience heart health differently from men, and rates of heart disease in women come at a significant cost to society and the individuals involved. Women may not prioritize their health above the health of others, and signs of heart disease often go unrecognized. Our government’s fourth social impact bond offers a much-needed tailored approach that aims to reduce the risk of heart disease among women in Manitoba and support post-pandemic efforts to increase physical activity levels.”
Gordon noted circulatory diseases are the leading cause of death and a leading cause of hospitalization in Manitoba, and approximately six percent of Manitoban women have heart disease.
A 2017 study commissioned by Manitoba Health and Seniors Care found the cost of treating individuals with heart disease is six times greater than individuals with general medical needs.
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- Contributed by Noah Fuchs
According to the provincial dashboard, there are 52 new cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba today.
Of today’s cases:
- Two are in the Prairie Mountain Health region
- Four are in the Interlake-Eastern Health region
- Six are in the Northern Health region
- 26 are in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region
- 14 are in the Winnipeg Health region
Dauphin still has two active cases of COVID-19 in the city.
The numbers of active cases in other Parkland health districts are:
Riding Mountain (0), Swan River (0), Duck Mountain (1), Porcupine Mountain (4), Agassiz Mountain (2), Asessippi (2), Little Saskatchewan (0), Whitemud (1). Brandon has two active cases.
In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has three active cases. The Fisher/Peguis district has seven active cases.
The current five-day test positivity rate is 2.8 percent provincially. 2,079 laboratory tests were completed yesterday.
There are 438 active COVID-19 cases in the province.
31 Manitobans are hospitalized, including nine Manitobans in intensive care units with active
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- Contributed by Noah Fuchs
