The Canadian Press

A 101-year-old message has been discovered by workers removing the base of a former statue in front of the Manitoba legislature.

Workers have been removing, piece by piece, the large base that held a statue of Queen Victoria. The statue was toppled last year by protesters. Its head was removed and thrown in the nearby Assiniboine River. The base is being removed to make way for a replacement.

All-star linebacker Adam Bighill has signed a two-year contract extension with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The 34-year-old Bighill was scheduled to become a free agent in February 2023.

Bighill will return to Winnipeg for a fifth season and his 11th in the Canadian Football League. 

He led the Blue Bombers in total defensive plays in 2022, with 72 tackles, two sacks, one interception and one tackle for a loss.

He was named a West Division All-Star for the eighth time in his career and a CFL Players’ Association All-Star for a fifth time. 

The inquiry into the Liberal government’s historic choice to invoke the Emergencies Act to quell weeks-long demonstrations against COVID-19 mandates last winter is now moving into its public policy phase.

The Public Order Emergency Commission is expected to hear this week from about 50 experts who will share their perspectives on the use of the Emergencies Act, including whether it needs updating.

An RCMP officer in Manitoba is facing assault charges after the province's police watchdog completed its investigation into a woman who was injured while in custody. 

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba says their investigation determined there are reasonable grounds a criminal offence occurred. 

The unit was notified this past July that a woman was treated for a broken nose and wrist after she was held in Portage la Prairie, Man., west of Winnipeg. 

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have started assembling their forces for a run at a fourth straight Grey Cup appearance.

The Blue Bombers announced Saturday that they have signed all-star defensive end Willie Jefferson to a one-year contract extension. Jefferson was set to become a free agent in February.

The six-foot-seven, 242-pound Jefferson is a four-time CFL all-star and was named the league's outstanding defensive player in 2019.

the native of Beaumont, Texas, was named a West Division all-star in 2022 after leading the club with seven sacks.

Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says the previously announced one million units of imported kids' pain relievers are starting to arrive on pharmacy shelves, while an additional 500,000 units have been ordered and are expected over the next few weeks.

A separate shipment of kids' pain relievers from Australia are headed for hospitals and domestic production has ramped up, Duclos said at a news conference Friday morning. 

Rookie netminder Harrison Meneghin made an impressive 36 saves as the Lethbridge Hurricanes used an early lead to defeat the WHL-leading Winnipeg Ice 2-1 on Tuesday.

Tristan Zandee and Tyson Zimmer scored for Lethbridge (12-9-0-1). Brayden Edwards recorded two assists.

Ty Nash replied for Winnipeg (20-2-0), which had its 15-game winning streak snapped. Mason Beaupit stopped 37-of-39 shots.

Zandee opened the scoring with a power-play marker 6:14 into the first. Zimmer doubled the Hurricanes' lead at 18:20 of the frame.

Manitoba's chief public health officer will take part in a telephone town hall tonight to answer parents' questions as the number of children with respiratory viruses climbs.

Dr. Brent Roussin says health officials will also stress the need for preventive action such as getting flu shots and washing hands.

Roussin says the province is being hit by three viruses at once: COVID-19, the seasonal flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Another year, another coach of the year honour for Mike O'Shea of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

O'Shea claimed the award for a second straight season Thursday at the CFL awards banquet.

The native of North Bay, Ont., guided Winnipeg to a league-best 15-3 record this season and a second straight first-place finish in the West Division.

Winnipeg will cap its campaign facing the Toronto Argonauts in the Grey Cup looking for a third straight CFL title.

Toronto's Ryan Dinwiddie was the finalist.

More to come. 

The federal government has formally banned the top echelons of the Iranian regime from Canada, with a new, rarely used designation now in place that allows border agents to deny foreigners access to the country.

Federal cabinet ministers confirmed during a virtual press conference on Monday that the measure brought in through the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act promised more than a month ago has now come into effect.

It also allows Canadian authorities to investigate any Iranian officials who are already in Canada, the ministers confirmed.