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Bill 29, otherwise known as the Wildlife Amendment Act, is being introduced by the province.
The basis of the bill is to create a safer and more ethical hunting environment.
The provincial government consulted with First Nations and Metis communities on the changes.
Rochelle Squires, Minister of Sustainable Development, explains the reaction to the use of spotlights during night hunting.
“It’s certainly divided. There are some members who do not believe in the practice of blinding an animal in the dead of night and killing it because it’s an easy target. They do not believe in that practice and they do not want to see that practice continue. There are others who certainly do want to ensure that their rights are not eroded and I want to be very clear that our government take Indigenous rights very seriously. We have done extensive consultations and we’re going to be working with them on an ongoing collaborative process with our Indigenous leaders because we do believe that collaboration is the way to go to get the results we need.”
The bill introduces the use of permits to allow Indigenous people in the south to hunt at night and those in the north would not need a permit.
Night hunting is prohibited to those who don’t have treaty or first nation hunting rights.
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Gilbert Plains is going ahead with their initial plan to renovate the existing hall at a quoted price of approximately $1.1 million dollars.
The question of whether to go ahead or not, was asked of Council to decide after hearing what residents had to say at the public meeting last night.
Councillor Dwayne Sydor was opposed to the decision and he tells us his concerns.
“Well when we met two year ago, we were told at time that the renovations would cost $750,000. We got a grant based off of those numbers of $750,000. The municipality had a quarter of a million dollars and we applied for a $500,000 grant; $250,000 from the feds and $250,000 from the province. When we got the bids in for the quotes, it came in anywhere from $1.1 million to $1.6 million dollars; nowhere near the $750,000 that was quoted. We are approximately, if my math is correct, 46 percent over budget currently and we have yet to start the project.”
And he gives us his reason for voting against it.
“Just where does it end? I don’t see the money stopping. We’re renovating a very old building and I think it’s going to cost to repair a lot more and even more than that going forward."
Although Sydor is opposed to this plan, he does feel the community needs a hall.
Reeve Blake Price is relieved the committee can move forward before they lose the grant money and tells us the next steps.
“Now we have to work things out with the contractor. We have to get a contract in place. There are a few issues, I guess, that we have to get covered off in that contract so that we can move ahead without putting the ratepayers in some jeopardy over this project.”
The project must be completed before March 2019 to prevent the risk of losing a $500,000
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To ensure the prevention of zebra mussels spreading, Riding Mountain National Park is starting up their free boat inspections again.
Inspections at Boat Cove in Wasagaming started yesterday and go until June 15, Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and from Friday to Sunday at 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Summer inspection hours start on June 16 and go seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
At the East End boat launch, inspections will start June 22 and run from Friday to Saturday at 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
To date, 19 fines have been issued and 10 watercrafts seized due to failing to have an inspection done before entering waters at the Park.
A maximum fine of $100,000 can be issued for non-compliant operators.
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The MMF is going ahead with taking the province to court over Manitoba Hydro.
A meeting was held yesterday between MMF President David Chartrand, Crown Services Minister Cliff Cullen and Manitoba Hydro.
The focus of the discussion revolved around the $67 million dollar deal the Premier cancelled back in March.
The deal was to help support a transmission line to Minnesota, however Pallister felt it was more like persuasion money.
Chartrand said they’re going ahead with legal action because the provincial government is overruling the deal with hydro and it was legally binding.
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$40,000 has been set aside to build the new compost site for Dauphin.
After four years, the project was approved last fall and will be constructed in the landfill site.
Bill Brenner, City of Dauphin Public Works Manager, talks about the impact of the green waste bins on the project.
“We’ve been collecting those materials. We have a huge pile of compostable material at the disposal site right now and that stuff will all get moved into the compost site once it’s operational.”
The construction will begin sometime this summer.
The composted materials will be used within the city, but they hope to achieve a certain level of standard of compost before they consider what to do with the excess amounts.
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Local businesses came out to a meeting hosting by Riehl Securities yesterday to discuss the issues with shoplifters in the community.
Representatives from approximately 24 businesses asked questions of what more can be done.
They’re spending money on surveillance equipment as a form of loss prevention, but get frustrated when shoplifters are caught on camera and nothing gets done.
Kerri Riehl, from Riehl Securities explained that although the Crown doesn’t prosecute shoplifting cases, store can ban individuals from their store.
She also said the unfortunate part is some of these are repeat offenders who never get a criminal record, then can go apply to work with vulnerable people and put them at risk.
The biggest challenge is the loss businesses face when stuff gets stolen.
They have to recover the cost by increasing prices or cutting back on staff.
Another huge risk to businesses is the safety of their staff and customers. Riehl strongly recommended to business owners to not try to apprehend shoplifters. Some of them could be high, violent or suffering from a mental illness and having an episode. People must be properly trained to do security on this level.
A survey was handed out and businesses were to share their views on some of the options and express concerns they had with the issue.
Many showed interest in a local database identifying those who are caught shoplifting and are banned from other store.
Another meeting will be planned in the near future.
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Some changes to the original Gilbert Plains Hall Project will be brought up at a public meeting tonight.
Residents are invited to come to the hall at 7:00 in the evening to hear more about it.
The committee has to make some changes to the original plan of lifting the hall, fixing the foundation and building an addition for washrooms and a new kitchen.
They are faced with, building a new foundation, replacing the roof, and upgrading to Phase 3 power.
Reeve Blake Price, explains why in kind work is no longer an option, like what was discussed two years ago.
“Back at that point and time we talked somewhat about trying to phase this project and do a little bit more ‘in-kind’ work from within the community. It’s almost impossible when we are taking the roof off and lifting the building and putting a new roof on, you can’t really phase it, or that’s the way we feel today. So it will be a complete turnkey project.”
Currently the group has raised 70 percent of the money needed to finish the project and with the changes to the plans and the cost of inflation since the project was discussed two years ago, the committee is looking at an estimated cost of about $1 million dollars.
The committee is looking for feedback from residents and would like to take it to Council to make a decision. The longer it takes to make a decision, the greater the risk of losing $500,000 in federal funding, along with a few other grants.
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Alcohol can now legally be allowed at provincial campgrounds during the May long weekend.
The province is ending this ban for the first time since 1995.
The ban was established due to the outbreak of alcohol related incidents that would happen every May long weekend.
Since the ban, the numbers have drastically reduced, which is why the provincial government has lifted it.
Alcohol free camping will still be available at a number of provincial campsites.
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The Dauphin Fire Department is on scene putting out a fire that started in a wooded area, just north of Dauphin, off Road 108W.
Reports are that it rekindled from yesterday's fire at that location.
We will continue to follow this and have updates when they become available.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
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