Portage

Classes are back in session for the 2024-25 school year, with a noticeable difference across Manitoba schools: a provincial government-imposed ban on cell phones.

Camille Sanderson teaches Grade 7 at La Verendrye School and says cell phones were certainly becoming a hassle to deal with during the previous school year.

United Way West Central Manitoba has kicked off its Portage la Prairie campaign, aiming to support eight local agencies while providing some services of their own.

In 2023, United Way was able to raise over $185,000. Those funds were split among the Bear Clan, Service for Seniors, Family Resource Centre, CMHA Central, Big Brothers Big Sisters Central Plains, CFS Central, Sunset Palliative Care, and the Portage Learning and Literacy Centre.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU) has investigated an incident concerning the Manitoba First Nations Police Service (MFNPS) in Sandy Bay First Nation.

The incident occurred during an arrest in which a police dog bit a man who was a suspect.
 
On September 27, 2023, the Manitoba First Nations Police Service informed the IIU about an incident on September 26.

Bill C-379 was defeated on September 18 in its second reading in the House of Common; Yeas: 149, Nays: 170, Paired: 2.

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Members of Parliament from across the country gathered Wednesday for their regular weekly caucus meeting. Portage-Lisgar MP Branden Leslie noted it was nice to get back to the office. He mentioned the day was set for a vote in Parliament on one of his colleague's pieces of legislation, Bill C-379, aimed at ensuring repeat offenders remain behind bars.

There's some good news for Canada's pulse sector as industry representatives gather this week in Winnipeg for the Annual Pulse and Special Crops Convention.

India announced late last week that it would once again extend the timeline for duty-free imports of yellow peas until December 31st, 2024.

India originally lifted the duties on pea imports on a temporary basis in December of 2023 and has continued to issue temporary extensions since then, while the import duty exemption on lentils is in place through March 31, 2025.

With fall right around the corner, MacGregor and the Heartland Recreation Commission gave residents another reason to appreciate the warm weather.

The weekend kicked off with their annual Fall Fest on September 14. Karla Gurke, recreation director and facility manager of the Heartland Recreation Commission, says attendance was low to start, but that quickly changed.

P&H Milling Group, a division of Parrish & Heimbecker Limited, have started construction on a new, state-of-the-art flour milling facility in Red Deer County. 

A sod-turning event earlier this month marked the start for the $241 million facility which will have the capacity to mill an estimated 750 metric tonnes of wheat daily from Western Canadian farmers.

More than a dozen soldiers were sent to hospital this afternoon after an accident at a military base in Quebec.

Capt. Hermione Wilson, a public affairs officer with the Canadian Armed Forces, says the accident took place at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier.

Wilson says the accident in the base's training area involved two armoured vehicles.

She says civilian and military emergency services responded immediately to the scene.

Wilson says 16 members of the 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group were taken to local hospitals with minor injuries.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has confirmed he will ask the other opposition parties to bring down the Liberal government next week with a non-confidence motion.

A Conservative spokesperson said the motion will simply say the House has no confidence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government.

Now that the NDP has ended the supply-and-confidence deal with the Liberals, the minority government needs to shore up support from opposition parties on a vote-by-vote basis.

Portage la Prairie native Troy Flamand, known for his deep-rooted connection to the area, is celebrating a milestone year in his music career. From his early days with the local band Antic to his current role as a sought-after guitarist, Flamand's journey has been nothing short of remarkable.

Flamand reminisced about how his music career started, describing how his high school band, Antic, made waves in Manitoba and how local support helped pave his way.