PembinaValley

More people in northern Manitoba are leaving their homes as wildfires continue to threaten communities.

The roughly 600 residents of Cranberry Portage have been placed under a mandatory evacuation order because fires have knocked out power to the community -- a situation expected to last for days.

An evacuation of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, which started earlier this week, is ongoing and officials are expecting five flights to leave for Winnipeg by the end of today.

The beloved Teddy Bear Picnic is back in Morden, and has been moved to the Access event centre due to today's (May 31st) smoky conditions. The fun will be happening inside the Huron Arena from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., bringing families, stuffies, and local healthcare professionals together for an afternoon of fun, learning, and support for local programming.

Hosted by the Morden Family Resource Centre, the event serves as the Centre’s largest annual fundraiser. 

Funeral For:  John Friesen 
Funeral Date: June 2, 2025 
After a rich life, John Friesen, of Winnipeg, passed away at the age of 94 on May 24th, 2025.
He was predeceased by his wife, Charlotte Perry, his parents, Isaac and Maria Friesen, and two sisters and two brothers. He is survived by his stepdaughter, Lianne Perry, five sisters, and four brothers.

There's no rain in the forecast for Flin Flon, Manitoba, over the next week as crews there fight a wildfire that's raging nearby.

Temperatures throughout the weekend are expected to range from the low to high 20s, before cooling off.

Thousands have evacuated the northwestern Manitoba city, including municipal government officials and health-care professionals.

Flin Flon mayor George Fontaine said on Friday that unless things changed, the fire was projected to take chunks out of the town.

Wildfire smoke has again drifted into much of Southern Manitoba, and that's prompted Environment Canada to issue Special Air Quality Statements for almost all of the province.

As wildfires continue to ravage parts of Manitoba, communities across the province are stepping up to support those affected.

The Canadian Red Cross is coordinating relief efforts, providing essential aid to evacuees and assisting in recovery operations.

In the Pembina and Red River Valleys, while the immediate threat of wildfires remains low, the community feels the impact deeply. The spirit of solidarity is evident as neighbors come together to support fellow Manitobans in need.

Ottawa probably can't help overhaul how municipalities raise funds in the near future, because the federal government is now focused on major, nation-building projects, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday

"We're building on what has worked. We're learning lessons from what hasn't," Carney said at an event held by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

The group represents cities and towns that have lobbied Ottawa for years to give them more independent means of financing their operations.

The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations says she doesn't blame First Nations leaders who are voicing frustration with governments promising to fast-track development in their territories in the name of national unity.

"I don't blame them. They're frustrated and they're being disrespected," National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said Wednesday morning.

"If we're not at the table making these decisions right off the bat, this is what happens and it causes the Canadian government more problems later."

Winkler's Mayor is reminding city residents, who count a four-legged friend as a member of their family, about the importance of cleaning up after them.

"We have a lot of animals in our community, and people are generally quite good when they're taking them for walks and cleaning up after them," started Mayor Henry Siemens. "But there are times when people forget, or don't feel like it, and it's horribly frustrating for those people who are walking afterwards and either step in it or run into it."

After being voted out of the Southeast Manitoba Hockey League, the Ste. Anne Sr. Aces filed a complaint with Hockey Manitoba in hopes of overturning the decision and be allowed to play in the 2025-26 season.

Back on May the 4th, Aces President and Head Coach Kevin Lansard was informed while at a league meeting that the original six teams of the SEMHL held a vote and ousted the Aces on the heels of St. Anne claiming their third straight league championship.