Westman

Brett Sabel of the Virden Oil Capitals announced he will be continuing his hockey and education at Marion University, NCAA - Division 3 for next season.

"I kind of grew up around Marion University," the 20-year-old Sabel said with a smile. "It's been a dream of mine to play there."

A strike by thousands of health-care workers in Manitoba has been called off after their union says it reached a tentative deal on a new contract. 

The Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals says the strike planned for today is postponed until workers can vote on the tentative agreement.  

The union says 7,000 of its members, including paramedics, physiotherapists, midwives and social workers have been without a collective agreement since last April.

Funeral For:  Waldie Klassen 
Funeral Date: March 13, 2025 
Waldie Klassen, 84, of Steinbach passed away Tuesday, March 4th at his residence. He is survived by his wife Levina, 2 daughters, 1 son, 2 sisters, 2 brothers, and their families.  
The funeral service for Waldie Klassen will be held Thursday, March 13th at 2pm at Birchwood Funeral Chapel. 
Donations may be made to Steinbach Youth For Christ. 
Arrangements by Birchwood Funeral Chapel, Steinbach.  

The Winnipeg Jets ended their three-game losing streak in convincing fashion Thursday night, securing a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.

Jets' power play back on track

Not only did the Jets return to the win column, but their league-best power play also found its form again after recent struggles. Winnipeg went a perfect 2-for-2 with the man advantage.

Mark Scheifele opened the scoring at 8:32 of the first period with a power-play goal. He finished the night with a goal and two assists.

A federal judge has dismissed a legal challenge of Justin Trudeau's move to prorogue Parliament, concluding the prime minister did not exceed the bounds of his authority.

Two Nova Scotia men had asked the Federal Court to declare the current suspension of Parliament illegal because there must be a "reasonable justification" for hitting the pause button. 

David MacKinnon of Amherst, N.S., and Aris Lavranos of Halifax sought an order setting aside Trudeau's January decision to advise Gov. Gen. Mary Simon to exercise her power to prorogue Parliament until March 24. 

The Manitoba government signalled Thursday it may curtail exports of hydroelectricity to the United States in response to tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, but stopped short of cutting back supply immediately or adding surcharges.

The NDP government issued a directive to Crown-owned Manitoba Hydro that says cabinet approval is now needed for any new major power purchase or export contract with bodies in the U.S., or any extensions or cancellations of existing deals.

The federal government is trying to secure extensions through to 2031 for its national $10-a-day child-care program ahead of an expected election, but is already facing a few snags.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday that 11 provinces and territories have agreed to extend the deals that give those jurisdictions billions of dollars to cut child-care fees for families.

Canada cannot go back to making families pay the equivalent of a mortgage payment for child care, he said.

The Healthy Lake Committee did it again!  Another successful ice fishing derby took place on the first Saturday in March. And even though the wind was brisk, the fishing was pretty good!

The Grand Prize winner of the quad was Mervin Waldner with his 101.5 cm northern pike.

In total 487 people were registered for the March 1st fishing derby, with a total of 104 fish registered through the Fish Donkey App.

In early March, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) will hold open houses in six communities in southwest Manitoba to give farmers an opportunity to learn first-hand about programs and incentives.

“We are providing nearly $12 million to Westman landowners in 2025 through voluntary programs that help make their farming operations more profitable and sustainable,” says Lena Vanden Elsen, DUC’s lead for conservation programming in Manitoba. “The open houses provide an informal way to connect with current and future partners.”

With temperatures consistently near freezing or warmer, and the snowpack melting, thoughts are quickly turning to another gardening season. Carla Hrycyna from St. Mary's Nursery and Garden Centre is getting ready for the return fo the Lawn and Garden Journal tomorrow morning (March 8th) at 9:15am. The weekly call in show on CJRB Radio 1220 gives you the opportunity to speak with Carla directly about any and all questions related to gardening and landscaping.