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Provincial Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced that livestock producers who have been affected by dry pasture conditions can apply for funding to support water access and management under Ag Action Manitoba.

The announcement comes after over a dozen RM’s in the Parkland and Interlake regions declared states of agricultural disaster. The RM’s were hoping for quick action by both the federal and provincial governments.

Eichler said the province recognizes that many producers are feeling the effects of a dry summer and that they may require additional assistance to secure a safe and reliable water source for their livestock.

Funding is provided through the Managing Livestock Access to Riparian Areas beneficial management practice (BMP).

Projects eligible for the funding include:
-drilling new or deepening existing wells, test hole drilling, screening, casing, well caps and related activities;

-installing water pumps and required plumbing components and related activities, such as professional and contractor fees;

-constructing new or rehabilitating existing dugouts including professional and contractor fees; and

-establishing alternative watering system equipment and permanent fencing to restrict livestock access to surface water and dugouts.

To be eligible, applicants must complete an environmental farm plan (EFP) that will help manage risk on their farm, related to water quality and supply, soil health, air quality, and biodiversity.

Producers have until November 1st, 2020, to submit their EFP statement of completion.

Applications will be accepted and reviewed until Oct. 11. The province said priority will be given to producers in federal tax deferral areas, as identified under drought watch.

Details

Contributed by Josh Sigurdson

Published: Sep 13, 2019 - 5:00 am

Newly re-elected Premier Brain Pallister says that a decision on the fate of Swan River MLA Rick Wowchuk will be made soon.

When asked about Wowchuk’s future in caucus, Pallister said that will be decided when caucus meets in a couple of weeks.

He wouldn’t elaborate if he wanted Wowchuk to remain in caucus or not.

“That’ll be a caucus decision. I’m not trying to prejudice the decision,” said Pallister. “A caucus membership is a decision caucus should make, not the leader.”

The membership decision follows the findings of an internal investigation found that Wowchuk violated the legislative assembly’s respectful workplace policy multiple times with his former constituency assistant, including an incident where Wowchuk showed her a picture of naked women.

Wowchuk has since apologized and said he deeply regretted his actions.

Despite the results of the investigation coming out five days before election day, Wowchuk was re-elected with more than double the vote total of his opponents combined.

If Wowchuk is removed from caucus, he would be the second PC Party member expelled in less than a year.

Former Emerson MLA Cliff Graydon was removed from caucus in October 2018 after it was alleged he made an inappropriate comment to a legislative staffer.

Details

Contributed by Josh Sigurdson

Published: Sep 12, 2019 - 9:59 am

The New Beginnings Daycare in Ochre River is open.

Liza Hess, the vice-chair of the daycare, has more.

“So we’ve been, in the past two years, in the process of getting the daycare up and running, getting our licensing, fundraising so we can open a facility in the Ochre River School. So, we were excited to open the doors, September 3^rd was our 1^st opening day. We have three full-time staff working in the centre, where there is 9-12 kids fulltime every day.”

Right now there is some space open at the daycare but it depends on the scheduling of the child. If you’d like to see if your scheduling works, you can email them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Hess says securing the operating grant was their toughest hurdle.

“So we could actually get up and running, cause without that, then the doors wouldn’t be able to open. As far as the support of the community, it’s been phenomenal, and the volunteers and the opportunities we were given, with Co-Op Fuel Days, the municipality and the village making a very generous donation is what’s made it so we can open our doors today.”

Hess is grateful for the opportunity to do the project, the staff at Ochre River School, and she’d like to thank their staff and director for all the work they’ve done to make the daycare a success.

Details

Contributed by Isaac Wihak

Published: Sep 12, 2019 - 5:00 am

Voter turnout for Tuesday’s provincial election was below the percentage of voters who went out and cast their votes in the 2016 election.

According to unofficial results from Elections Manitoba, voter turnout was 55.4 percent.

That number is two percent short of the turnout in 2016, where 57.4 percent of eligible voters cast their votes.

The decline in voter turnout comes after there was an increase in advance voting numbers. Elections Manitoba said that, including absentee and homebound votes, there was a total of 113,605 advance votes during the 2019 advance voting period compared to the 110,000 votes cast in 2016.

While voter turnout may have been down provincially, the turnout in the Dauphin riding was very similar. In 2016, 61.85 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots and in 2019 that number was 61.6 percent.

Elections Manitoba officials say that, historically, non-voters tend to be younger. In 2016 for example, 70 percent of eligible voters between the ages of 18 and 29 identified as non-voters.

The lowest turnout on record for a provincial election in Manitoba happened in 1941 when only 50.5 percent of eligible voters went to the polls.

Details

Contributed by Josh Sigurdson

Published: Sep 12, 2019 - 5:00 am

General Motors has issued a recall for nearly 3.8 million large pickup trucks and SUV’s in Canada and the U.S due to a problem with the brakes.

The recall covers the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra models from 2014 to 2018,

Also in the recall are the 2015-2017 models of the Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon, Chevy Suburban and Chevy Tahoe.

According to GM, 310-thousand of the affected vehicles are in Canada.

The issue is that, as it ages, the pump in the power-assisted brakes can put out less vacuum power than needed, resulting in increased stopping distance and an increased risk of a crash.

GM has said that even with the problem, the brakes continue to function and exceed the requirements of the appropriate federal motor vehicle safety standard.

They add that the repair is quite easy and can be done quickly. Anyone who has been issued a recall notice can contact their local dealership for the simple repair.

Details

Contributed by Josh Sigurdson

Published: Sep 11, 2019 - 1:34 pm

On Sunday, at approximately 7:15 pm, RCMP responded to a break and enter at a business on Main Street in Roblin. A male and female suspect gained entry to the business by breaking the lock on the door. They took some opioids and then fled in a vehicle. The suspects were captured on video and the business owner immediately posted the photos to social media.

The next morning at approximately 1:00 am, a citizen in Yorkton recognized the suspects from the video being shared on social media, and called the RCMP.

Yorkton RCMP arrested 49-year-old Gerald Ainsworth, from Midland, Ontario, and 42-year-old Ronni Chartrand from Swan River.

Both suspects have been charged with multiple offences including Break and Enter, Possession of a Schedule I substance (Opioid), Possession of Stolen Property, and Possession of a Weapon.

RCMP continue to investigate.

Details

Contributed by Josh Sigurdson

Published: Sep 11, 2019 - 1:20 pm

In a quick turn around from the Manitoba provincial election, there's another one to look forward to.

This morning at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked Governor General Julie Payette to dissolve Parliament.

Canada’s 43^rd general election is on October 21^st.

This election looks to be a tight race between Trudeau’s Liberals and Andrew Scheer’s Conservatives.

Due to Canada’s new fixed date election rules, this Sunday would’ve been the latest the campaign could be called.

The 2015 election had a 78-day campaign which is the longest in modern Canadian history.

Details

Contributed by Isaac Wihak

Published: Sep 11, 2019 - 10:35 am

The West Nile virus season this year in Manitoba resulted in no human cases being reported.

A provincial spokesperson said this stat is in line with what’s been happening across Canada and the U.S, with both countries seeing low years for West Nile.

There were 32 reported human cases of West Nile in the province in 2018 and 5 in 2017.

Similar low years in Manitoba occurred in 2010 and 2011.

West Nile cases are determined by environmental factors like temperatures and mosquito populations. Manitoba experienced low numbers this year due to the cool spring and dry conditions through the summer.

80 percent of those exposed to West Nile will not develop or will have very mild symptoms. Though it is believed that exposure to West Nile is thought to give immunity, it can fade as time goes on. West Nile has been in Manitoba since 2002, but people should not expect that they are immune and should continue to take precautions.

Details

Contributed by Josh Sigurdson

Published: Sep 11, 2019 - 5:00 am

The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba was re-elected with a majority government last night, taking 36 seats. The NDP won 18 seats, and the Liberal Party won 3.

It took about an hour and a half after polls closed for the Dauphin constituency to be decided.

Darcy Scheller, with the NDP, took an early lead as the results were coming in, at one point leading by 140 votes. Brad Michaleski then started to take over the polls, and in the end, finished with over half of the votes. He ended up with 4,799 votes (50.5%), while Darcy Scheller received 4,023 (42.4%), and Cathy Scofield-Singh got 674 votes (7.1%). 

Details

Contributed by Isaac Wihak

Published: Sep 11, 2019 - 4:59 am

10:30 Update:

Thanks, everyone for tuning in to 730 CKDM and 730ckdm.com for tonight's election coverage. Once again to summarize in Dauphin, Brad Michaleski, the PC candidate has been re-elected. The other major ridings in our area saw the PC's win all of them. Rick Wowchuk in Swan River, Eileen Clarke in Aggasiz, Greg Nesbitt in Riding Mountain, and Derek Johnson in Interlake-Gimli.

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10:00 Update:

Taking a look at the popular vote for the provincial election, the PC’s have received 49.01 per cent of the vote, the NDP has 29.96 per cent of the vote, the Liberals have 14.18 per cent, the greens have 6.16 per cent, and .69 per cent of the vote has gone to other parties.

So far 309, 880 votes have been counted, province-wide.

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9:35 Update:

The Dauphin Constituency has been called, Brad Michaleski, the PC candidate has been re-elected.

The other major ridings in our area have been called with the PC's winning in all of them. Rick Wowchuk in Swan River, Eileen Clarke in Aggasiz, Greg Nesbitt in Riding Mountain, and Derek Johnson in Interlake-Gimli.

Brian Pallister has been re-elected as premier with a majority government and Wab Kinew has been re-elected in his riding.

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9:15 Update:

In Dauphin, PC candidate Brad Michaleski is leading the Darcy Scheller and the NDP by 337 votes after 26 out of 74 polling stations have been counted.

In Swan River, it has been called that Rick Wowchuk, with the PC’s, has been re-elected.

In Aggasiz, it has been called that Eileen Clarke, with the PC’s, has been re-elected.

In Riding Mountain, it has been called that Greg Nesbitt, with the PC’s, has been re-elected.

Finally, in Interlake-Gimli, it has been called that Derek Johnson, with the PC’s, has been re-elected.

Brian Pallister and the PC's are being projected to win with a majority government.

It has been called that Wab Kinew has won in his riding of Fort Rouge.

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8:55 Update:

In Dauphin, the NDP is leading the PC's by 134 votes after 10 polling stations have been counted.

In Swan River, 8 out of 70 polling stations have had their results counted and the PC leads the NDP by 156 votes.

In Aggasiz, it has been called that Eileen Clarke, with the PC’s, has won.

In Riding Mountain, it has been called that Greg Nesbitt, with the PC’s, has won.

Finally, in Interlake-Gimli, the PC leads the NDP by 4 votes after 1 polling station has been counted.

Brian Pallister and the PC's are being projected to win with a majority government.

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8:38 Update:

Polls are slowly updating, to start in Dauphin, the NDP is leading the PC's by 140 votes after 4 polling stations have been counted.

In Swan River, 3 out of 70 polling stations have had their results counted and the NDP leads the PC by 52 votes.

In Aggasiz, 2 out of 60 have been counted with the PC leading the NDP by 125 votes.

In Riding Mountain, 5 out of 81 have been counted with the PC leading the NDP by 88 votes.

Finally, in Interlake-Gimli, the NDP leads the PC's by 1 vote after 1 polling station has been counted.

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8:21 Update:

Josh Sigurdson is at the PC Headquarters in Dauphin. He spoke to MLA candidate Brad Michaleski about how he's feeling tonight.

"Feeling pretty good. We've had a very busy month, really a busy summer overall and we've been getting good feedback right across the constituency. But yeah, tonight feels pretty good."

Results are starting to trickle in, stay tuned for the latest updates on both 730 CKDM and this story.

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8:00 Update:

The polls have closed and we now await the results.

Stay tuned to 730 CKDM and this story where we'll have the most up to date information about the ridings that matter the most to you.

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7:30 Update:

We are now live on 730 CKDM with Alec Woolston and James Blake for live election night coverage.

For the most up to date information listen in, or refresh this story.

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Tonight at 7:30 tune in to 730 CKDM for live up to the minute election coverage of the provincial election with James Blake and Alec Woolston. Check back to this story for updates as they happen on all the ridings that matter to you. The local candidates are:

Dauphin:

Brad Michaleski – PC Party of Manitoba

Darcy Scheller – Manitoba NDP

Cathy Scofield-Singh – Manitoba Liberal Party

Swan River:

David Teffaine – Manitoba Liberal Party

Shelley Wiggins – Manitoba NDP

Rick Wowchuk – PC Party of Manitoba

Agassiz:

Hector Swanson – Manitoba Liberal Party

Kelly Lagaspi – Manitoba NDP

Eileen Clarke – PC Party of Manitoba

Liz Clayton – Green Party of Manitoba

Riding Mountain

Jordan Fleury – Manitoba Liberal Party

Wayne Chacun – Manitoba NDP

Greg Nesbitt – PC Party of Manitoba

Mary Lowe – Manitoba Green Party

Interlake-Gimli

Mary Lou Bourgeois – Manitoba Liberal Party

Sarah Pinsent – Manitoba NDP

Derek Johnson – PC Party of Manitoba

Dwight Harfield – Manitoba Green Party

Details

Contributed by Isaac Wihak

Published: Sep 10, 2019 - 4:30 pm