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The Manitoba government has launched a new campaign with hopes of increasing staffing at hospitals across the province.

The goal is to lure health-care workers, specifically nurses and physicians, from the United States. 

The campaign was launched in Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, with emphasis on Manitoba's inclusive health-care environment, the benefits that come from working in a public system and the opportunity to live in an affordable province with vibrant communities.

Winnipeg is currently under an air quality warning as the winds have shifted and are pushing the smoke from wildfires over southern Manitoba. 

"The air quality health index is 10 or higher in most of the region," says Dave Carlsen, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (EC). "This is the forest fire smoke coming from northern Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan."

With the threat of wildfire growing closer to Snow Lake, Manitoba, residents are being encouraged to prepare to evacuate.

A 48-hour evacuation alert was issued on Tuesday morning, with the evacuation being voluntary at this time.

Residents who choose to leave can take pull-behind equipment, such as trailers, boats and campers. However, if a 24-hour evacuation alert is issued, this will no longer be permitted.

A Winnipeg charity is dedicated to helping men after they come out of the correctional system to show them there is hope after prison.

"Future Hope is a non-profit, charity organization, and we've been around for 24 years now," says Next Step Coordinator at Future Hope, Kim McIntyre-Leighton. "Our main reason for existence is to help men who are leaving the federal correctional system, and helping them reintegrate into the community after being incarcerated."

Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu on Wednesday called on Canada Post and the union representing 55,000 postal workers to return to the bargaining table and hash out terms for binding arbitration, with the two sides still far apart on key issues.

In a social media statement Wednesday, the minister also asked the Crown corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) to continue to work toward a deal outside of that process.

Safeguards have been written into the government's border bill to ensure civil rights and due process are upheld in proposed immigration regulations, Immigration Minister Lena Diab said Wednesday.

Critics and advocacy groups are calling the wide-ranging border security legislation a threat to civil liberties in the immigration and asylum system.

One proposed change in the legislation would prevent people from making asylum claims if they've been in Canada for more than a year.

A Winnipeg church is hosting a worship evening this weekend in hopes of encountering the presence of God. 

"This Saturday, at 7 p.m., we're having our 'Encounter Night'," says Dylan Chambers, the lead pastor at Believer's Church. "This is something we do once a month. The agenda, the motive, the whole goal is encountering the presence of God."

This monthly event began in January of this year, after the staff realized that hosting something like this once a month could offer more intention. 

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Psalm 62:8

You and I could name things, specific things that we've gone through in the last several years that make no logical sense whatsoever...but that's OK. We can't figure them out.

But let me assure you, God is at work doing His mysterious plan (mysterious to us), which defies human logic.

So quit trying to make it humanly logical. Trust Him...

Do you realize what a peaceful life you can live if you decide to live like this? Do you realize how relaxed you can be, how free of stress?

Honestly.

The government's reply to the throne speech was adopted in the House of Commons Wednesday. 

It was adopted "on division," meaning no recorded vote was held. It does not need a vote in the Senate.

Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Steven MacKinnon said on social media that the adoption of the speech sets the stage for a "strong and focused agenda."

"We have a clear mandate to deliver on priorities for Canadians and build a strong Canada — and we're going to do just that," MacKinnon said.