Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 3, 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press saturday july 3, 2004 a3 i would like Justice says Mother of Friendly fire victim by John Cotter after suffering through years of anguish Mary Anne Perry and her fam ily Are anxious to hear if the . Mili tary will finally punish the Pilot who dropped a bomb in Afghanistan that wounded her son Cpl. Brett Perry and killed four other Canadian soldiers. Perry said her heart Sank when the . Dismissed dereliction of duty charges last week against maj. Harry Schmidt. Now following Schmidt a appearance thursday before an administrative jus Tice hearing in Louisiana Perry must wait a Little longer to see if Justice will be served. We need a Little bit of peace she said from her Winnipeg Home yesterday. Its the same gut feeling that we be had throughout the two years. It just brings Back All the emotions ? in fact the whole incident. I would like Justice to be done. I would like some kind of clo sure on it. It is something that will never be forgotten. . . Bruce Carlson will decide what punishment Schmidt will face. He could impose everything from House arrest to a Fine of $7,500 can. No punishment or he could Rule that Schmidt will not receive any punishment at All. Schmidt was originally charged with manslaughter and aggravated assault for dropping a laser guided bomb from his fighter Jet on april 18, 2002, near Kandahar killing four and wounding eight Canadian soldiers who were con ducting live fire exercises. The troops were members of the Edmonton based Princess Patricia a Canadian Light infantry. Schmidt later said he released the bomb because he mistook the canadians gunfire for an attack from Taliban soldiers. A military investigation found that Schmidt should have flown out of the area. The soldiers killed along with Green were sgt. Marc Leger Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer and pet. Nathan Smith. Schmidt a lawyer Charles Gittins said he does to expect a Quick decision from the general. Survivors of the bombing and the fam Ilies of the victims should blame the Mil itary system that did to inform pilots that there was a live fire exercise going on in a combat area he said. ? Canadian press feeding the fowls is foul at beaches Public education program Aims to keep e. Coli Down by Mia Rabson m Manitoba a beaches Arent for the Birds and the province would like to keep it that Way. The Manitoba government hoping to avoid a repeat of last july when two of the most popular beaches on Lake Winnipeg were temporarily closed because of High e. Coli Levels in the water launched its new clean beaches program yesterday. The clean beaches program Aims to reduce Gull traffic by reminding Beach goers to not feed them and to not leave any garbage behind. Beach signs will be posted at most provincial and municipal beaches with tips and warnings about e. Coli. Conservation staff will also be at the largest beaches handing pamphlets to people before they hit the water. At the Beach we thought the Best Way to do this was to get it directed to people right at the Beach said conservation minister Steve Ashton. The Public information Campaign will Cost $25,000, which comes out of the $1 million in funding for Lake Winnipeg water Quality initiatives announced in May. Water testing found Gull fees was largely responsible for the High e. Coli Levels on both beaches. Ashton said burying garbage in the Sand is a particularly bad habit because gulls can still get to it and because e. Coli lives longer than usual in wet Sand. Just use Basic common sense Ashton said. He also said people need to remember the water is generally clean but its not treated drinking water and swallowing it is not recommended. Washing your hands after swimming and not going into the water if you re experiencing digestive or intestinal problems Are also advised. West grand Beach and Gimli Beach were closed for a few Days last july when the potentially deadly bacteria showed up in High concentrations. While High e. Coli Levels regularly close beaches in cities such As Toronto last summer was the first time it had happened in Manitoba in 10 years. Ashton does to want it to happen again. Our commitment is to clean up Lake Winnipeg Ashton said. Testing will continue he said testing of the water at the beaches will continue to identify further sources of the e. Coli. About $400,000 will be spent before the end of the year to test Beach water. National guidelines recommend people not swim in water where e. Coli counts exceed 200 bacteria per 100 my. The latest tests at West grand Beach showed e. Coli Levels to be 11 and at Gimli to be 15. Both beaches were tested june 29. The most common illnesses experienced by people who swim in e. Coli infected water include Eye nose and Throat infections and upset stomachs. The chances of getting sick from spending a summer swim Ming in water when e. Coli Levels Are at the 200 count Are Small ? about one per cent. E. Coli Levels on the beaches Are posted on the provincial website at . Westward trek celebrates Metis heritage horses carts wagons set out in mud this Summers 30-Day trek will by Alexandra Paul end in san Clara a Metis Community North of Roblin near the a group of Manitoba Metis and Saskatchewan Border. Its a per their supporters set out yesterday fact spot from which to launch the importance of the Metis to they re doing their own thing on a trek to Saskatchewan by red the final leg of the trek next year Prairie history. Chartrand said. River cart and covered Wagon. And reach Batoche in time for a similar trek in 2002 had Polit for the trekkers the ride is a the trip began in rain that Centennial celebrations in 2005, ical overtones. That time the red Celebration of the culture and an turned the Trail into mud. By late organizers said. River Wagon train started in Opportunity to experience on afternoon the red River Metis yesterday As a couple of dozen Pembina n.d., and ended at the older simpler Way of life How heritage group had Many kilo determined horsemen and Forks in Winnipeg As part of the Ever briefly. Metres to go to reach their Camp women rolled Over rough farm cultural activities surrounding Wade Hamelin vice president for the night in Starbuck. Roads their Wagon wheels the North american indigenous of the heritage group and a the trekkers some of whom clogged with Black Gumbo they games that year. Descendant of Hamelin Solomon were on horseback left St. Nor had a taste of what their ances emf president David Char a member of riels provisional Bert in the morning with five red tors endured. Trand said this years trek is Dif government said making the River carts and four covered that a Why we re doing it. Its Ferent. Its privately sponsored journey simply a fun event Means wagons. Their 800-Kilometre, a Celebration of our Metis her by the participants and has Gen people who Are not Metis can also two part journey will end next image to build red River carts rated Little publicity. Many take part. Many of the Partick summer in Batoche sask., in and to actually use them said Metis in Manitoba particularly pants own their own horses time to celebrate the Centenary Trail Boss Armand Jerome him those that Are politically Active which haul the carts and wagons. Of the famous Battle there. Self a Distant relative of Riel. Feel they be been left out of the during the next month 100 rid Batoche is a historic site for the carts Fly Metis flags. Only venture and Are offended As a ers Are expected to take part As the Metis. Its where the final Bat the flags of Manitoba and Canada result he said. The trek passes Spruce Woods the of the Riel rebellion was Are permitted to flutter beside there a a feeling ? we Are Carberry Neepawa Erikson fought and lost by the Metis in them. Metis and we Are being pushed Elphinstone and Binscarth before 1885. Metis Leader Louis Riel was the Manitoba Metis federa out. They Don to Tell us anything reaching san Clara in time for captured and later hanged for Tion would like to see the about what they re doing. Metis Days celebrations july 31. Treason for his efforts to Stab trekkers use their journey to they be isolated themselves. Lish Metis sovereignty. Make a political statement about from the Metis federation and ;