Portage

If no political party is willing to say uncle, the drawn-out stalemate in the House of Commons is heading for an unprecedented situation that could amount to a tacit lack of confidence in the government, without anyone in Parliament casting a vote. 

The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois have already announced plans to try to bring down the government and trigger an election with a non-confidence motion at the next opportunity. But there's no telling when that opportunity will come, because the House has been gridlocked in a filibuster for more than a month.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government could have acted faster on reining in immigration programs, after blaming "bad actors" for gaming the system.

Trudeau released a nearly seven-minute video on YouTube Sunday talking about the recent reduction in permanent residents being admitted to Canada and changes to the temporary foreign worker program. 

Over the next two years, the permanent residency stream is being reduced by about 20 per cent to 365,000 in 2027.

Two men are to stand trial on human smuggling charges this week, almost three years after a family from India was found frozen to death on the border between Manitoba and Minnesota.

Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel and Steve Shand are accused of being part of a large operation that brought Indian nationals to Canada on student visas and then smuggled them across the United States border.

The men have pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to transport aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy.

Sunday, November 17th

A news release was issued Friday about the closure of Portage la Prairie Interior Mall. It goes into effect after the final day of this year, December 31.

The release stated that the property is currently listed for sale by the owner and future plans are unknown at this time. Colliers has been proud to manage the property for 25 years and will continue to manage the property. While the interior mall will be closing, Tim Horton’s and RONA, located in distinct units on site, will remain open.

Over the weekend more and more holiday decorations started to appear and in Winnipeg, the annual Santa Claus Parade was held with thousands in attendance.

For Portage la Prairie, the beloved Rotary Santa Parade of Lights is still a few weeks off (Friday, December 6th) but anticipation is starting to build. After several years of rerouted parades due to construction, this year’s event will return to its more traditional route down most of Saskatchewan Avenue, and organizers couldn’t be more excited.

The Throne Speech is set to be delivered at the Manitoba Legislative Building this Tuesday, and Portage MLA Jeff Bereza has some thoughts on what he'd like to see outlined.

AgSafe Alberta has added another level to its FARMERS CARE program.

Level 4 is now available at AgSafeAB.ca. 

This free program provides valuable safety information that agricultural producers can navigate at their own pace.

All levels of FARMERS CARE cover a wealth of valuable information in a condensed format, avoiding the major time commitment that typically comes with intensive safety courses.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ bid for a third Grey Cup in five years ended in heartbreak as the Toronto Argonauts delivered a commanding 41-24 victory in the 111th Grey Cup.

Toronto’s victory was led by backup quarterback Nick Arbuckle, thrust into the spotlight after starter Chad Kelly sustained a leg injury in the Eastern Final.

Arbuckle rose to the occasion, throwing for 252 yards and two touchdowns in a poised performance that belied his backup status.

After starting their baseball careers in Portage la Prairie, twins Matt and Lindsey Dahl have been announced as inductees into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame.

Matt says that the honour was quite unexpected.

"It was a surprise to me actually, but it was an honour to be considered for that. It's a game I love to play and I still love being around the game. To be recognized for the time I put in at the diamond is a great honour."