Portage

A canoe, soon to be filled with flowers, is now part of Portage la Prairie’s growing downtown beautification efforts.

The newest addition to the west end of Saskatchewan Avenue West is a joint project between the Holiday Avenue Project committee and the local Manitoba Métis Federation chapter.

Lori Carlson-Judson, a member of the Holiday Avenue Project executive, says the canoe is their second installation of its kind. The first installation took place on the east end of town.

Motorists in Portage can soon show their support for the fight against prostate cancer with a new specialty licence plate from Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI).

The Ride for Dad plate was officially unveiled during the annual Ride for Dad event in Winnipeg on May 31 and will be available to the public starting July 14.

The plate can be ordered through Autopac brokers or any MPI service centre.

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.

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. 

Marc Garneau, the first Canadian in space who went on to become a high-profile federal politician, has died at 76 years old.

MPs rose for a moment of silence in the House of Commons tonight at the request of government whip Mark Gerretsen.

Garneau was a pioneer in Canada's space program.

He later entered politics, serving as a Liberal member of Parliament for a Montreal-area riding between 2008 and 2023. 

He held many cabinet positions in Justin Trudeau's government, including Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Transport.

Portage la Prairie City Councillor Joe Masi has been re-elected to the Board of Directors for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), continuing his role as Manitoba’s voice in national municipal discussions.

Now heading into his third term, Masi says the FCM board advocates for municipalities across the country, making sure local priorities are heard when it comes to federal policies and funding.

A stretch of 2nd Street Southwest in Portage la Prairie is temporarily closed due to construction.

The city says the closure began at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, June 4.

The affected section runs from Saskatchewan Avenue West to the back lane behind it.

The intention is to have the road reopened by the end of the day on Monday, June 9.

Motorists are encouraged to find alternate routes during this time.

Captain Jon Phipps, a helicopter instructor at 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (CFFTS) in Southport, found himself thrust from the routine of training into the heart of the Manitoba wildfire crisis this past weekend.

Alongside fellow aviators, he piloted a CH-146 Griffon helicopter on a critical mission, airlifting evacuees from the fire-threatened northern Manitoba community of Pukatawagan to safety.

Manitoba RCMP say they’re seeing an uptick in calls for service in communities housing wildfire evacuees, including Portage la Prairie, Thompson and Dauphin.

About 260 people forced from their homes in northern Manitoba arrived in Portage late last week, with some later relocated to other communities.

Two sections of Highway 350 west of Portage la Prairie were recently affected by poor road conditions, but both have now reopened to traffic.

Southern section reopens after muddy conditions

The stretch of Highway 350 between MacGregor and Road 60, located south of Highway 1, was temporarily closed due to soft, muddy surfaces and rough patches that made driving unsafe.