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February 2nd is known as World Wetlands Day and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is joining in the celebration.

The organization has partnered with thousands of Manitobans to conserve wetlands on their property. Since 1938, over 700,000 acres of wetlands have been set aside for conservation in the province. Despite this, DUC notes that the southwestern portion of Manitoba still sees significant wetland loss every year.

This year, DUC is providing just over 15-million dollars in financial incentives and programs to encourage landowners in the province to conserve wetlands. Part of those incentives includes average payments of $100,000 to landowners who commit to protecting their wetlands.

Some of the benefits that wetlands bring is an increase in pollinators in farm fields which leads to better pollination and higher yields. Wetlands can also host insects that prey on common crop pests such as flea beetles in canola. They can also be home to many species of birds and other animals that you don't commonly see or could be endangered or at risk of becoming endangered.

All the contact information and a map of DUC's target landscapes in Manitoba, click here.

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Update posted on February 1st, 2023 at 4:12 p.m. below:

According to the RCMP, 12-year-old Zoey Shorting from Little Saskatchewan First Nation has been safely located.

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Original article posted on January 27th, 2023 at 9:36 a.m. below:

Gypsumville RCMP are searching for 12-year-old Zoey Shorting of Little Saskatchewan First Nation, who is missing. She was last seen leaving her residence in Gypsumville around 11 in the evening on Monday, January 23rd. Zoey is described as 5 foot 3, 100 pounds, with long brown hair and hazel eyes.

It is believed that she could be in the Winnipeg area. Police and family are concerned for her well being and anyone with information is asked to call Gypsumville RCMP at 204-659-2682. More information from the RCMP is below:

Gypsumville RCMP searching for missing 12-year-old

On January 24, 2023, at 12:20 am, Gypsumville RCMP received a report of a missing 12-year-old girl.

Zoey Shorting, 12, of Little Saskatchewan First Nation, was last seen leaving her residence in the community at approximately 11pm on January 23rd, 2023.

Officers and her family have been actively looking for Zoey since she was reported missing, but have not been able to locate her.

Zoey is described as 5’3” tall, 100 pounds, with long brown hair and hazel eyes.

It is believed she could now be in the Winnipeg area.

Police and family are concerned for Zoey’s well-being. If you have information, please call Gypsumville RCMP at 204-659-2682, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

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The Member of Parliament for Portage-Lisgar, Candice Bergen, has resigned her seat in the House of Commons.

Bergen has held the seat since 2008, and she served as the interim leader for the Conservative Party and the Leader of the Opposition from February to September 2022. Before that, Bergen had served as the deputy leader of the Conservative Party since September 2020.

Bergen had announced in the fall that she wasn't going to run in the next federal election, but the riding will now need to hold a bye-election to fill the spot. Manitoba Finance Minister Cameron Friesen announced last week that he was resigning as an MLA to run for the federal Conservative nomination in Portage-Lisgar.

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The Fisher Branch RCMP has made an arrest after a stabbing, standoff, and arson on Peguis First Nation.

Officers responded to a report of a stabbing at a residence on Peguis First Nation at around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 29th. They found a 53-year-old man who was taken to a Winnipeg hospital with serious injuries.

Officers immediately began searching for the 46-year-old suspect who was known to the victim. Around 4:00 p.m. the following day, officers found the suspect at a residence in the community, but he barricaded himself inside with a firearm.

RCMP contained the area, and called the Emergency response team to the scene, but shortly after they noticed smoke coming from the home. Police then called both the Fire Department and EMS to the scene.

While firefighters worked to put out the blaze, officers found the suspect laying on the ground just outside of the house, and he was put under arrest without incident. EMS treated the suspect on the scene, and then he was transported to the hospital where he was later released back into police custody.

Wescott Sutherland is charged with Aggravated Assault, Assault with a Weapon, Arson, Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose, and Theft of a Motor Vehicle. Further charges may be pending in relation to the firearm. Sutherland remains in custody and the investigation continues.

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Health Canada is recalling almost 130,000 Helly Hanson sweaters and hoodies because of flammability concerns. They say people should immediately stop using the clothes and contact the company for a product replacement credit.

Helly Hanson reported that 128,680 of the products were sold in Canada from August 2019 to 2022, but as of January 9th this year there have been no reports of incidents or injuries connected to the products.

The full list of recalled products and instructions on what to do if you have one can be found on Health Canada's website.

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The Manitoba Government has changed the way that angling licences will work going forward, making the process more streamlined and modern.

Greg Nesbitt, the Minister for Natural Resources and Northern Development made the announcement today, saying in a news release that they've heard the complaints about the licencing process from Manitobans, and this is concrete action responding to the issues that have been brought up.

“As part of Manitoba’s Recreational Angling Strategy, modernizing regulations will further improve the vibrant recreational angling opportunities in the province while enhancing the protection of valuable fish stocks.”

Starting April 1st, 2023, the following changes are coming into place:

  • there will be a single, annual angling licence for each residency type, that will replace the former “conservation” and “regular” licence categories;
  • a new one-day angling licence will be available;
  • seniors, active military members, and veterans living in Manitoba will no longer need an angling licence and will simply need to show acceptable identification to conservation officers upon request;
  • allowing open fishing year-round for certain abundant species coupled with enhanced sustainability measures;
  • introducing increased protection for large spawning fish and for certain species to protect high-value fish;
  • amending ice fishing shelter requirements; and
  • creating consistent residency definitions for anglers, hunters and trappers.

More information about fishing in the province and Manitoba's Recreational Angling Strategy can be found on the province's website.

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The United States is filing another formal dispute over what it considers a failure from Canada to live up to its trade obligations to American dairy farmers and producers. This is the second time the U.S. has launched such a dairy-driven escalation, formally known as a dispute settlement panel, in less than two years.

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai says the new panel is necessary because Canada has so far refused to take the steps necessary to properly address the first one. That panel ruled in December 2021 that Canada was indeed violating the terms of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement with the way it was allocating import quotas for U.S. dairy products.

U.S. trade officials and dairy industry advocates say a large share of those quotas were being allocated to processors rather than producers.

The U.S. says the federal government amended its policies, but that the new procedures remain "inconsistent'' with the terms of the agreement, known as USMCA in the U.S. and CUSMA in Canada.

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Manitoba's largest First Nation has become the province's first to take control of its child welfare system.

Peguis First Nation, Peguis Child & Family Service Agency, and the federal and provincial governments have all signed the agreement known as the Peguis Act, which gives the first nation control over its own children.

During his opening remarks at the ceremony, Chief Glenn Hudson of Peguis First Nation says it's about time this happened, and it really makes you think of all of the people that came before.

"For me, I thought of my Dad, I thought of my Grandparents, I thought of my Grandmother. When you think of those people, and what has happened in their history, and I know many of you that are here have had a tainted history in terms of Child and Family, and even beyond that, the Residential School process, you know that's where a lot of this began."

Federal Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu represented the federal government at the signing in Winnipeg today, and she says the agreement is a new way of thinking about how to help people stay together.

The Peguis First Nation is one of just over two dozen communities to have notified Indigenous Services Canada that it intends to handle its own child and family services.

A full video of today's ceremony can be found on the Peguis First Nation Facebook page.

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Your annual chance at booking a camping spot in Riding Mountain National Park (RMNP) has been pushed back a little bit, and it will look slightly different.

Parks Canada announced that the reservation system they use for bookings is moving to a new platform. They recommend that by Sunday, February 26th, you should log in to your existing account and take note of any sites you have reserved in the past. That data will no longer be available after that date.

The system will then be under maintenance from February 27th to March 2nd, and you can make a new account starting March 3rd.

Bookings in Manitoba for RMNP begin on Monday, March 27th at 8am. Click here for more information. If you prefer to make a booking for a camp spot by phone, you can call 1-877-737-3783.

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Four New Cabinet Ministers were sworn in this morning, while six had changes made to their portfolio, as Premier Heather Stefanson shuffled her cabinet. Over the past few months, several MLAs, including five cabinet ministers, have resigned or announced they won't seek re-election this October.

Among the MLAs that aren't running again, there were four current Cabinet Ministers including Deputy Premier Cliff Cullen, Municipal Relations Minister Eileen Clarke, Government Services Minister Reg Helwer, and Minister of Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations Alan Lagimodiere.

Finance Minister Cameron Friesen announced last week that he is resigning to run for a seat in the House of Commons. He'll be running in the Portage-Lisgar riding which is currently held by Candice Bergen, who announced in the fall that she won't be seeking re-election.

The newly appointed ministers are:

  • MLA for Seine River Janice Morley-Lecomte: Minister of Mental Health and Community Wellness
  • MLA for Radisson James Reitsma: Minister of Consumer Protection of Government Service
  • MLA for Fort Whyte Obby Khan: Minister of Sport, Culture, and Heritage
  • MLA for Kirkfield Park Kevin Klein: Minister of Environment and Climate

The following ministers had changes made to their portfolios:

  • MLA for Spruce Woods Deputy Premier Cliff Cullen: Minister of Finance
  • MLA for Agassiz Eileen Clarke: Minister of Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations
  • MLA for Red River North Jeff Wharton: Minister of Economic Development, Investment, and Trade
  • MLA for Fort Richmond Sarah Guillemard: Minister of Advanced Education and Training
  • MLA for Waverley Jon Reyes: Minister of Labour and Immigration
  • MLA for Lagimodière Andrew Smith: Minister of Municipal Relations
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Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) has a new President as Jill Verwey was elected at last week's annual meeting.

Verwey has been involved with KAP for eight years and served as a Vice President for the last five. She's also been involved in the agriculture industry for her entire life.

"I was brought up actually on a farm in the Neepawa area, and took some agricultural education through the U of M, I received a diploma in agriculture. I was involved in ag-financing, and then, later on, settled down with my husband in Portage, and we farm south of Portage in part of a four-generation family farm there."

Verwey is the first female President in the organization's history and says while it is a milestone, she feels very comfortable on the board.

"We have a number of women that sit on the board. It's certainly a milestone having a woman take over that role but feeling very comfortable working with the board that I have been for the last number of years."

Verwey takes over the position from Bill Campbell, who served a maximum of four, one-year terms in the position.

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