Portage

Former Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard wants charges of sexual assault and unlawful confinement stayed because of police bungling.

His lawyer, Gerri Wiebe, told court Monday that police failed to keep records of the complainant's first interaction with officers nearly 30 years ago, undercutting Nygard’s right to a fair trial.

"I would say that you ought to find that the loss of these two police files were due to unacceptable negligence," Wiebe told provincial court Judge Mary Kate Harvie.

The federal government says it plans to launch a public registry to keep Canadians in the loop on its growing use of artificial intelligence.

"We are seeing a lot more activity across departments and agencies," Stephen Burt, the government’s chief data officer, told The Canadian Press.

The federal government says it has found almost 500 ways to streamline regulations and cut costs following a 60-day red tape review exercise.

Departments and agencies have published reports identifying measures to make them more efficient and eliminate complicated or redundant regulations or processes.

Examples include a Canada Border Services Agency proposal to end the rule requiring that travellers arriving in Canada only on their way to another country, be examined by the agency before making their way to their departing flight.

A new poll suggests 44 per cent of Canadians want to see the temporary foreign worker program scrapped as the country grapples with high unemployment, especially among young people.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre recently proposed eliminating the program in response to high youth unemployment. The unemployment rate for people aged 15 to 24 hit 14.6 per cent nationally in July, according to Statistics Canada data.

A Manitoba grand chief says better cell coverage could help responses to emergencies such as last week's mass stabbings on Hollow Water First Nation.

Grand Chief Jerry Daniels of the Southern Chiefs' Organization says First Nations deserve connection to emergency services the same as other communities.

The first-ever Best Buddies Friendship Walk in Southern Manitoba took place this past weekend in Portage la Prairie.

Tara-Marie Hall was one of the organizers, and says the turnout was great. 

"We had a really good crowd. It was a nice distance, and everybody had fun. We had the juggler with us, and everybody was cheering other people on, especially at the finish line. So, it was a big team effort."

Federal, provincial, and territorial agriculture ministers are gathered in Manitoba this week for critical discussions on the future of Canadian agriculture. The meetings, which wrap up Tuesday, come at a time when global trade disruptions, domestic infrastructure needs, and food security are top of mind for producers and policymakers alike.

Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald says the meetings are an opportunity to listen to regional concerns and collaborate on national solutions.

As federal, provincial, and territorial agriculture ministers are meeting in Winnipeg this week, the future of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is drawing renewed attention. While the Conservative Party has proposed eliminating the broader program, both farm leaders and Conservative MPs are emphasizing that agriculture will remain exempt.

Keith Currie, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), stressed the importance of the program to the sector.

Conservative Agriculture Critic John Barlow and Canadian Federation of Agriculture President Keith Currie are calling on the federal Liberal government to approve the emergency use of strychnine as a way to deal with the increased number of gophers or Richardson’s ground squirrels (RGS) across the Prairies.

 A vibrant new hub for recreation and community connection is officially open in Portage la Prairie, as the Peony Farm Community Park celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday, September 7th.

The event drew approximately 75-80 people, beginning with a "learn to play pickleball" activity on the park's new multi-use court before community representatives took to the stage to thank those who made the project possible.