Michael Blume

The federal government has committed to plant two billion trees over 10 years. 

Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South and parliamentary secretary to the minister of environment and climate change Terry Duguid announced Manitoba's multi-year tree-planting agreement Wednesday afternoon. He notes this benefits from a federal contribution of $8.85 million under the 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program. 

Premier Heather Stefanson was in Portage la Prairie Tuesday to announce plans moving forward to bring a first in Canadian industry to our area, and boost our local economy as well as help decrease greenhouse emissions.

Premier Heather Stefanson was in Portage la Prairie today to announce plans moving forward to bring a first in Canadian industry to our area, and top boost our local economy as well as help decrease greenhouse emissions.

Portage-Lisgar post-by-election celebrations took place Monday night at Branden Leslie's office in Portage la Prairie. Larry Maguire, Member of Parliament for Brandon-Souris, introduced Leslie to cheering supporters. 

A University of Wisconsin River Falls professor and seven of her students have given back after learning about the former residential school in Portage la Prairie.

National Indigenous Residential School Museum executive director Lorraine Daniels received a call from Kirsten Lindbloom, who originally hails from Portage la Prairie and now teaches at the UWRF, and says the team south of the border is giving the Museum a community garden.

(Title of this story has been changed in consideration of the local family at request of Museum)

Kirsten Lindbloom is a professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin in River Falls but was born in Portage la Prairie. She says circumstances allowed her to connect some dots from her childhood, and she realized that her grandfather, W.C. Warren, was the principal of the Portage Residential School in 1958. 

The school has since been converted to the National Indigenous Residential School Museum and is a work in progress.

The Association of Manitoba Municipalities is encouraging municipalities to send in their concerns.

Executive director, Denys Volkov, says resolutions are one of the ways the Association hears from its members throughout the year.

The Prime Minister of Canada paid a visit to Portage la Prairie Wednesday afternoon to help launch the campaign office for Portage-Lisgar Liberal candidate, Kerry Smith.

Justin Trudeau arrived just before 1 p.m. to a closed meeting with Liberal volunteers.

The leaders of Manitoba's three big political parties discussed and debated a variety of topics at the Provincial Leaders Forum hosted by the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) at its recent 2023 Spring Convention in Winnipeg. President Kam Blight says Premier Stefanson, NDP Leader Wab Kinew, and Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont were present.

"It was quite exciting," notes Blight. "We feel very fortunate that all three leaders agreed to be a part of this great event."

An Oak Bluff resident has stepped up to the plate to submit her name for the nomination for the Conservative nomination in Portage-Lisgar, following Candice Bergen's exit from her role as MP. Rejeanne Caron made the announcement this week. 

"I am a mom of a 12-year-old girl," says Caron. "I'm a wife. My husband's retired from the RCMP and I live in Oak Bluff. I am a police officer with Winnipeg Police Service for my 29th year now and I'm still active. I am on the streets, I'm working in West District and I'm responding to 9-1-1 calls."