Westman

Operation While Impaired / Operation with Equal to or Exceeding 80mgs% / Flight from Police / Highway Traffic Act violations X5

The head of an Ottawa-based Canadian Army regiment has been temporarily removed as part of an investigation into alleged online behaviour that the commander of the army says disgraced the military.

The commanding officer of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa has been removed from his post in connection with a probe into the "Blue Hackle Mafia" social media group, Lt-Gen Michael Wright said in a statement to army ranks Wednesday and shared with The Canadian Press Thursday.

Systematic government collection and analysis of data about mysterious sightings in the sky could help Canada better prepare for incidents like the sudden appearance of several high-altitude balloons over North America two years ago, says a report from the federal science adviser.

One of the balloons, which wafted above western Canada in early 2023 before being shot down off the U.S. coast, apparently originated from China and carried sophisticated equipment.

The balloon episodes generated intense public speculation before fading from the headlines.

Close to 13,000 people in Manitoba were out of their homes Thursday due to wildfires, but hundreds were finding space in hotels rather than in congregate shelters, the province said.

Since Monday, officials said they've found spots for 705 more people in hotels, while others are staying with family and friends or in one of four shelters in Winnipeg.

As of Wednesday night, there were about 7,000 evacuees in hotel rooms and about 1,200 in shelters, a government spokesperson said. 

Ten hotels were added to a list of 58 across the province already offering rooms.

Lemonade stands will be popping up across the province this weekend, starting today in support of the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation.  Their summer campaign, Lemonade Stands for Hope, launches today to officially kick off the summer start to lemonade season.

However, some communities got a head start on raising funds and awareness for CancerCare.

The Mid-West Arts Council held their annual Car Show & Shine in Hamiota this past week and raised awareness and funds for CancerCare Manitoba at the same time through their Lemonade Stands for Hope efforts.

The search of a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two slain First Nations women has concluded with a new search soon set to begin at a different site for another victim.

The Manitoba government announced Thursday that crews finished looking last week through the Prairie Green landfill, just north of Winnipeg, for remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran. They were among four First Nations women murdered by serial killer Jeremy Skibicki in 2022. 

"Together, we brought Morgan and Marcedes home," Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said in a social media post. 

The Province announced an additional investment of $1.2 million to the electronic monitoring program adding an additional 100 GPS trackable ankle monitors to the current 100 already in use. 

Now, a total of 200 ankle monitors will be in use to supervise offenders on community-based sentences and release orders to ensure they comply with court-imposed conditions. Electronic devices and monitoring services with a global positioning system (GPS) tracking allow law enforcement to be notified of an offender’s location in real time and issues alerts if they enter a prohibited area.

Hold onto your hats, the Manitoba Stampede and Exhibition is back. Running July 18 to 20, Morris is once again hosting the only professional rodeo on Manitoba’s leg of the Canadian Tour circuit, and it’s shaping up to be a record-breaking weekend of thrills, community spirit, and cowboy grit.

Mike Williams, President of the Manitoba Harness Horsemen, found Harness racing thanks to his wife’s family bringing him to the Carman Fair more than 40 years ago. 

"I made my first $2.00 wage on a horse called Shirley’s Tango, paid $2.60 to win, and I've been hooked ever since." 

The All Canada Classic Sheep Show returned to Brandon this past weekend, bringing together sheep producers from across the country to showcase breeding stock and connect with fellow industry members.

With about 250 sheep for sale and attendees from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, the event marked a milestone for the national sheep industry.

A local success story

Brandon last hosted the national show in 1981, and the event remained here for three years before moving westward across the country.