Portage

As wildfire smoke continues to affect communities across Manitoba, the Manitoba Lung Association is urging residents to take air quality warnings seriously and reduce exposure where possible.

Air quality poses real health risks

Wildfire smoke contains fine particles that can travel long distances and enter the lungs, even when the fire itself is far away. These particles can worsen existing conditions like asthma, COPD and heart disease.

Timothy Brown is the newly-appointed executive director of Prairie Fusion Arts and Entertainment in Portage la Prairie. Being an artist, himself, he's brining a vibrant blend of artistic passion and educational experience to his new position. He began his tenure on May 6 transitioning from Winnipeg’s art scene to lead our local cultural hub, emphasizing community connection and creative innovation.

An evacuation order for the Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet in eastern Manitoba has been partially lifted as officials say crews continue to make good progress battling a wildfire that forced close to 1,000 people from their homes.

A statement from Lac du Bonnet Emergency Management posted to Facebook on Sunday afternoon says the province's Wildfire Service has recommended reopening the southern section of the evacuated Wendigo region.

The post says people who live south of PR 313 between Urban Road and Belluk Road can now return to their homes.

Prime Minister Mark Carney reaffirmed Canada's "steadfast and unwavering support" for Ukraine in his first meeting with the country's president on Saturday in Rome.

His meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy was one of several sitdowns with world leaders taking place in the Italian capital, where Carney — a devout Catholic — has travelled to attend the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV. The Prime Minister is making a concerted effort to meet with other G7 leaders ahead of the global summit Canada is hosting in Kananaskis, Alta., next month.

The Portage Regional Recreation Authority (PRRA) is welcoming new changes to its operations department.

Two key positions have recently been filled, bringing experienced leaders to help guide the organization as it continues to serve the community.

Travis Vandenbrand steps into Facility Operations Manager role

Portage la Prairie is making a meaningful gesture of solidarity this summer — planting sunflowers for their bright, cheerful beauty, but also for their deeper cultural significance.

Residents of Portage la Prairie gathered earlier this week at the Portage Legion Branch #65 for a Will Planning seminar hosted by Joy Bowman, a nationally certified executor advisor and funeral pre-planning specialist. The event highlighted the importance of finalizing wills, arranging funerals, and easing the burden of loved ones, while raising funds for the Legion through attendee donations.

Immediate funeral decisions and executor challenges

Bowman stresses the urgency of funeral planning, noting families often face critical choices mere minutes after a death.

Cora Pohl runs the Portage Work Experience Program at the Portage Learning and Literacy Centre. The program helps people who face challenges finding work. It offers four weeks of paid training with certificates like First Aid and Food Handlers. After training, participants complete a 10-week work placement.

Program benefits for employers

We pay the employer back for wages up to minimum wage," Pohl says. "We also cover costs like work boots and background checks. There's no risk for the employer."

Prime Minister Mark Carney had a brief audience with Pope Leo XIV Sunday afternoon at the Vatican following the pontiff's inaugural mass in St. Peter's Square.

Carney was seated in the second row with his wife Diana for the mass, in a section amongst other world leaders and heads of state.

The prime minister, who is a devout Catholic, was one of the few world leaders to kneel during the blessing of the Eucharist, and was spotted at two instances taking a picture of the Pope on his phone to mark the occasion — before the mass started and after it had concluded. 

As the first Indigenous person ever to lead the federal department responsible for delivering services to First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Mandy Gull-Masty knows she has a daunting task ahead.

But the newly-appointed Indigenous services minister also knows what it's like to sit at both sides of the table — as a cabinet minister now and, until recently, as the grand chief of the political body representing 20,000 Cree people in northern Quebec.