Westman

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said Wednesday that China has executed four Canadians in recent months.

The minister said all four were "dual citizens" and were all "facing charges linked to criminal activities according to China, linked to drugs."

"This is an issue that I've been following very, very closely, personally, for months, and I've asked personally also (for) leniency," Joly said, adding former prime minister Justin Trudeau also urged China not to execute the Canadians.

As you're driving down country roads in the springtime you might happen to see the bright purple clover growing in the ditches, or the tiny wild yellow lady-slippers, or the striking bright oranges of wild tiger lilies or the soft violet wisps of the three-flowered avens, otherwise known as prairie smoke.  And of course, the softest purple of the prairie crocus often pokes their heads up in pastures while the snow is still on the ground.  Spring is coming and so are the native wildflowers of Manitoba.

With polls suggesting U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration's use of punishing tariffs are a top-of-mind issue for Canadians ahead of the upcoming federal election, Trump has now offered his thoughts on which political party he would rather work with.

"I'd rather deal with a Liberal than a Conservative," Trump said in an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham Tuesday.

During the interview he reiterated his call for Canada to become a U.S. state and his false claim that the U.S. subsidizes Canada by $200 billion a year.

The European folk tale, Stone Soup, shares the story of how some hungry travelers came to a village with only an empty pot. It would seem the villagers were unwilling to share from their food stores and so the travelers went to the river and filled the pot with water, and they added a stone.  Boiling the pot of water over the fire the villagers came and asked what they were making.  "Stone Soup!" was the answer. 

No matter when a Federal election is called, Portage-Lisgar M.P. Branden Leslie is ready to hit the campaign trail. 

"For me it's an opportunity to go door to door, and talk to as many people around the riding as I possibly can," he said. "We have offices in Winkler and Portage that are in the midst of being set up, and are going to be ready on day one whenever the writ is dropped."

When will election be called?

M.P.’s are slated to return to the House of Commons March 24th, but Leslie expects an election will be called before then.

Another funding commitment has been made towards a multi-million-dollar capital campaign by Cereals Canada. 

Cereals Canada says it is hoping to break ground this year on the construction of a new building in downtown Winnipeg. The organization says it is nearing the end of its lease in a building that is no longer able to meet its current and future goals. 

Their lease expires on March 31, 2027, and with this date now just over two years away, it says a new home is needed to continue to build on the vital work being done to advance the Canadian grains value chain.

The Manitoba budget to be released Thursday is expected to include help for businesses and new spending to create infrastructure jobs.

The spending plan will reduce the Health and Post Secondary Education Tax Levy -- commonly called the payroll tax -- for roughly 1,000 businesses, a government source told The Canadian Press.

Portage-Lisgar MP Branden Leslie is feeling optimistic Saturday's townhall in Altona answered some questions that area residents have been raising as the border security discussion continues to unfold. The Conservative MP hosted the townhall in response to inquiries that have been filtering into his office in recent months.

Arrest Warrant / New Charges

The Brandon U18 AAA Wheat Kings have punched their ticket to the league finals and as they await their opponent, one of their star forwards took some time to reflect on the playoff run to this point.

"We've been really good," 15-year-old Reid Nichol said about his team's play of late. "We've been staying out of the box as best we can, we've been getting pucks deep and doing the little things to win games."