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The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair is going digital with a new app to make this year's experience more engaging.
General Manager Ron Kristjansson says they partnered with a company called Numnu to create the app. It's one of the first fairs in Canada to try this out.
“It’s going to be exciting to see how that works. It’s something that we’ve worked hard to try and build over the last few years.” Kristjansson continues, “Fairgoers want to be able to pull up their phone and figure out where to go. That’s what we’ve got for you now.”
Some of the things visitors can use the app for include skip-the-wait mobile ordering and the event map and schedule.
Marc Chriqui, founder and CEO of Numnu says, “Guests will enjoy a convenient mobile experience that will allow them to discover, experience, and share what the fair has to offer, benefiting them, the organizers, and exhibitors.”
There’s a lot to see in this modern show, like Empress Arabian Stallion, Thriller Trick Riders, and even a Craig Douglas Comedy Juggler.
“Every day will be changing up the performances. So what you see on Wednesday will be just a little bit different then what you saw on Monday and that type of thing. It’s something that lots of families come. There’s a fiddle contest Wednesday night if that’s what people are inclined to,” said Kristjansson. “You could spend easily a couple of days and see all kinds of things.”
Gates open at 8 each day and go until 8 at night. The fair runs starting today and goes until Saturday.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
But not the kind with snow, Dairy Queen is making its long-anticipated open this morning at 10.
They would have liked to have the parking lot paved by the time they opened but they didn’t want to stall the opening, so the parking lot will be finished in a few weeks.
Eric Rochefort, franchise developer for Dairy Queen Canada, says they’re expecting a pretty busy opening tomorrow.
There will be a special deal for the first 100 people that go to DQ. They have a grand opening event planned in a week and a half.
They already have created 40 jobs in the local market and they’re still looking for more people. If you’re interested bring your resume to DQ and they’ll take a look at it.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
The federal government is excluding broadcast media from the journalism support tax credits announced in Budget 2019.
Only newspapers are eligible for the new tax credits for news and journalism.
According to the Reuters Institute’s 2018 Digital News Report, more than 75 per cent of Canadians get their news from television and radio, while only 31 per cent cite newspapers as their primary source.
“Canadians want to be informed and they want a diversity of trusted, quality news sources from which to choose,” said Lenore Gibson, Canadian Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors chair. “The federal government’s exclusion of broadcasters —the preferred source for news among Canadians — is arbitrary and unfair policy."
Canadians place a high value on local news and are concerned about the decline of journalism according to Nanos polling. More than two-thirds (70%) of Canadians agree their MP should work to keep local broadcasting strong. The majority of Canadians polled say local broadcast news is valuable. Also, a majority of respondents agree that their local broadcast news contributes to making their community stronger.
“If the government is truly committed to recognizing the vital role media plays in helping citizens make informed decisions, it must find a way to include radio and television news outlets in this tax credit regime,” said Gibson.
The tax credit was announced in the 2018 Fall Economic Statement.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
With spring break here, people are hitting the highways and will probably come across a semi.
Jim Campbell from First Class Training Centre says large trucks have four blind spots that small vehicles should avoid. They include right in front and on the sides from the mirror to the drive tires.
“One of the bigger pet peeves for a lot of drivers are people hanging in right behind the trailer. The old saying that if you, as a car driver, cannot see our mirrors, well then we obviously can’t see you. So that’s a major blind spot.”
He also warns never to cut off a semi. Their stopping distance is a lot farther and takes a lot longer to stop safely.
“We cannot stop like you can in a car. It takes a lot of time and distance to be able to stop properly and safely. We’re dealing with a lot of weight. We’re dealing upwards of 80 thousand plus pounds.”
If space opens up beside a semi when they are planning to turn, small cars are told never to sneak in.
“A lot of drivers will require what we call a button hook turn where we are going to need some of that left lane as well to swing wide enough to make that turn. If that little gap opens up between the curb and the trailer, don’t try and race it. Don’t try and squeeze in there and beat the truck. Because that’s where a lot of accidents happen.”
Campbell says to be patient and give drivers the space they need to make the turn safely.
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The Manitoba Government is finalizing the selection process for their second phase of retail cannabis stores.
Their goal is to have a non-medical cannabis store available within a 30-minute drive for 90 per cent of Manitobans within 2 years of legalization.
In July 2018, 100 applicants pre-qualified for a future opportunity to operate a cannabis retail store in Manitoba.
Approved applicants will be able to proceed to open a store in one of seven communities.
Altona, Flin Flon, Lac du Bonnet, Niverville, RM of Russell-Binscarth, Swan River, and Virden are the locations poised to receive a cannabis retail store.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Just after 1 this afternoon, Thompson RCMP responded to a vehicle-pedestrian collision.
Upon arrival on Provincial Road 391 near Thompson, officers located a male who looked to be in his 40’s, lying on the roadway.
He was pronounced deceased on scene.
It is believed the man was struck by a vehicle, but the vehicle didn’t remain at the scene.
Thompson RCMP and Forensic Collision Reconstructionists continue to investigate.
The RCMP are asking anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has any information to call the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6911, call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
After almost a year since the incident, the sentencing hearing for Jaskirat Singh Sidhu happened today at a Melfort, Saskatchewan courtroom.
Sidhu received an eight-year sentence for running a stop sign in his semi-truck, colliding with the Humboldt Broncos team bus, killing 16 people and injuring 13 others
The crown wanted a 10-year sentence.
Due to the sentence being longer than 6 months, Sidhu won't be able to appeal being deported when he's finished serving the sentence.
In January, Sidhu pleaded guilty to all 29 charges filed against him, 16 counts of dangerous driving causing death and 13 counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
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Chinese importers are unwilling to purchase Canadian canola seed.
While there was some initial optimism that trade concerns could quickly be resolved, discussions to date have not indicated any immediate resolution is possible.
“We’re disappointed that differing viewpoints cannot be resolved quickly,” says Jim Everson, president of the CCC. “Under the circumstances, Canadian canola seed exporters who normally ship to China have no alternative but to supply customers in other countries who value high-quality Canadian canola.”
The Canadian canola industry says they have made every effort to meet the requirements of customers and their governments around the world.
“Canadian canola is of the highest quality because of our world-class quality assurance systems,” says Everson. “We have a long-standing history of delivering on quality and reliability. We will continue to provide our customers with high-quality canola and promote stable trade based on science.”
China has been a significant market for Canadian canola, with around 40% of all canola seed, oil and meal exports. Canola seed exports to China were worth $2.7 billion in 2018.
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The federal government’s budget has plans to give money directly to municipalities.
Dauphin will see the impact of the government’s decision to increase the transfers of the municipal gas tax.
“Every municipality in Manitoba will benefit, including yours. You will receive 466 thousand dollars more in a onetime top up this year,” said Minister of International Trade Diversification Jim Carr.
The budget also promises to extend high-speed internet to northern and rural communities.
Carr says the government is determined to close the gap. “It will be that kind of investment that really does change people’s lives. When you can instantly access the world that’s out there it just positions us to have so much more knowledge and there for so much more capability.”
The government promises that by 2026, 96 per cent of Canadians will have access to high-speed internet.
On the canola issue with China, the federal government is treating the canola issue with China as a science-based issue. Carr says Canada is pushing to solve the economically important problem, but China has yet to provide evidence to back up the claims.
“I understand the anxiety being felt by producers. We will take it day by day. we’re doing all we can to determine what the problem is or is not. We will continue to be very aggressive and working with officials at the scientific level to understand the nature of the issue. And until they producer the evidence then there’s not much we can do about solving a problem they have not yet defined.”
Chinese officials allege they detected hazardous organisms in one of Canada's largest grain producer shipments.
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People in Dauphin have wanted to do something about the increased crime.
Tammy Hossack, with the Brandon Bear Clan Patrol, says in Brandon they’ve been running since summer of 2017 and they started because of violent situations occurring in their downtown.
As a community, they thought they could help make the community safer, build relationships and help people out.
They start their patrols at the friendship centre and patrol two nights a week because they are a smaller community than Winnipeg.
In the winter they load up a vehicle with supplies and drive around Brandon giving people mitts, toiletries and food.
Bear Clan Patrol was started in Winnipeg in the ’90s and the Tina Fontaine incident reinvigorated the movement.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Therae Racette-Beaulieu was in Minnedosa court today for shooting an RCMP officer back in August.
The crown wants the court to give Racette-Beaulieu 20 years for shooting Cpl. Graeme Kingdon in the head. The defence council is arguing for 16 years.
During today's hearing, family members, neighbours, RCMP officers, and the victims gave accounts for how the incident has affected their lives.
The August 29th incident started when Racette-Beaulieu and three others stole a truck, leading to the incident where he shot Cpl. Kingdon.
In January, Racette-Beaulieu pleaded guilty to attempted murder, breaking and entering, stealing firearms, and theft of a motor vehicle.
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