Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 30, 2008, Winnipeg, Manitoba C m y k Page b2 b 2 Winnipeg free press tuesday december 30, 2008 City Winnipeg repress. Com m Ore than 80 students took Over the legislature monday to debate current affairs in the 87th Winter session of youth parliament of Manitoba. But even with a handful of hot issues on the Agenda the Young crowd resist throwing jokes and poking fun at each other in the houses Blue chamber on monday. The speaker jokingly threatened to drop the pants of a member whose pointing hand gestures were not allowed and the Deputy speaker was frequently referred to As the Man who brought sexy Back. Young men in collared shirts striped ties and blazers slumped Back in their oversized leather recliners As colleagues took a stand on foreign Aid and Trade policy Public transportation safety drug prevention and food safety. Others sat Cross legged with their hands cupped around their chins. Young women in Pencil skirts and sweater vests addressed the crowd from their concave desks or cheered on their fellow debaters. Volunteer pages passed notes around the room bowing frequently. The youth parliament of Manitoba is a Model parliament program for youths aged 16 to 20. Its Winter session ends today. Premier Amy Dhillon 23, said the organization proves Young people Are interested in politics and modern Day issues. Everything you do is affected by government and politics so they care in the same Way As everybody else does said Dhillon who has taken part in the program for eight years. I just dont think they re interested in the conventional Way. Most students get involved with school groups or Volunteer in the Community instead of joining political parties Dhillon said. John Szilagyi 20, said he enjoys creating outlandish measures to stir up debate. His latest proposition mandatory searches for All Public transportation users caused firs year debaters to come out of their shells he said. If everyone just stood up and said what they actually believe in we could get issues resolved a lot faster Szilagyi said. His second Bill since joining five years ago was inspired by this Summers greyhound bus incident in which a Young Man was killed near Portage la Prairie. Last year Szilagyi said his Bill proposed that a Concrete Wall Block off the u. S. Border to Stop terrorists from entering the country. When things Are less serious its easier to talk about issues he said. Kiran Dhillon 20, presented her fourth Bill this year. She argued that a ranking system would Stop Canada from wasting foreign Aid and Trade relations on countries that ignore human rights and democracy. Hill ones past Bills focused on Domestic violence sexually transmitted infections and drinking and driving. Any time that you can get up and speak about something that you care about something that you put some work into and researched thatus a great experience she said. Its great seeing backbench ers have an opinion on your ideas even if they dont agree. Since 1922 the youth parliament of Manitoba has Given students the Chance to develop their Public speaking and debating skills while walking in the shoes of a provincial la. Students who apply Are chosen by a youth committee that organizes the entire program. Former notable participants include past Winnipeg mayor Bill Norrie University of Winnipeg president Lloyd Axworthy and former my Bill Blaikie. Deyra. Fontaine free press. My. Ca k Risti Hall was in the wrong place at the wrong time an innocent victim stabbed to death by strangers while standing at a Winnipeg bus Stop. Now the 33 year old woman who allegedly triggered the july 2007 attack has walked free after the crowns Case against her collapsed in court. Provincial court judge Marvin Garfinkel dismissed a second degree murder charge on monday following a week Long preliminary hearing in which a key witness dramatically changed her Story. She is relieved Sheds been exonerated defence lawyer Martin Glazer told the free press outside court. His client had always claimed she was innocent and pointed the Finger of blame at her 16 year old daughter and 15 year old Niece. In fact the two teens pleaded guilty to their roles last year the daughter getting a four year youth sentence for murder the Niece a two year penalty for manslaughter. Sheds always maintained that it was her daughter who was the violent one said Glazer. His client was granted bail following her arrest Only to be charged with a breach. She has been in custody since september but was to be released monday evening. Her daughter admitted to stabbing Hall seven times in the Chest outside a West Kildonan apartment Block. Hall 36, suffered massive blood loss and died in Hospital. The victim was survived by two daughters aged 13 and 17, and a granddaughter born just weeks before her death. On the night of the killing the teen and her Cousin were drinking and consuming anti depressants when her drug addicted Mother called from a crack House saying she was in trouble and needed help court was told at the sentencing hearing. The teen grabbed a knife from the Kitchen drawer and headed out to the st. Johns Avenue apartment Block. She was Able to get her Mother out of harms Way but the real trouble began As they got outside. Hall was standing on the sidewalk waiting for a ride. She was not connected to the earlier incident involving the teens Mother and had never seen or met the accused when she was suddenly attacked without warning or provocation. She was an innocent bystander Crown attorney Susan Baragar said. The teen killer has a troubling background and was three months pregnant at the time she stabbed Hall to death. She gave birth to a daughter while in custody Only to have the baby immediately seized by child and family services. Glazers client had been accused of getting into a verbal dispute with Hall shortly before she was attacked. But a crack addicted Crown witness who lives in the same Block recanted those claims during the preliminary hearing leaving no direct evidence linking the woman to the slaying. Her Story changed 180 degrees said Glazer. My client always maintained she was inside the apartment Block when the stabbing occurred. As Well the Young girl refused to come to court and testify against her own Mother he said. Glazer said his clients Case shows Why preliminary hearings Are a valuable part of the Justice system and should be maintained. Manitoba Justice officials have talked about reducing or eliminating prelims and have in recent years authorized More direct indictments where an accused goes directly to trial. Had there not been a prelim my client would Likely have sat in custody another year or longer said Glazer. Wow. Mikeo crime. Com bystander cleared of murder charge drug addicted witness recant testimony by Mike Mcintyre students lock horns in mock debate youth parliament held in legislature by Deyra Fontaine Winnipeg Gas recyclables Are about to find out How Ordinary garbage is treated. T he 200 tonnes of Blue Box materials the City hauls away each Day Are headed to a different destination the Brady Road Landfill site in Winnipeg Gas South end. The City will stockpile recyclable materials at the Landfill for about two weeks a senior official said monday until a machine at Winnipeg Gas intercity recycling facility run by International paper co., is repaired. The machine much like a Straw Baler on a farm compresses paper cardboard plastics everything but Glass and Metal into packages that can be easily transported and sold. It has failed Darryl Drohomerski Winnipeg Gas manager of solid waste services said of the 45 centimetre wide Hydraulic Cylinder that compresses recyclable materials once they have been sorted. Its been leaking for about a month kind of slowly Drohomerski added. Just before Christmas the Seal popped on it. As a result the machine which normally pushes out 15 Bales of compressed recyclables an hour can Only produce about two or three Drohomerski said. Its a vital cog to the system Drohomerski said of the compressor that has stopped working. You can do everything else manually if you needed to. T he breakdown meant the tube will be replaced a month ahead of schedule but the repairs could still take up to two weeks to Complete. Joe. Paraskevas free press. My. Ca Joe Bryksa / Winnipeg free press the 87th Winter session of the youth parliament of Manitoba is Well underway in the House of the Manitoba legislature monday. Blue Box goods stored until Plant repairs done by Joe Paraskevas it. Gov. John Harvard wants to remind Manitoban that the traditional new years levee wont be held Jan. 1. Instead Harvard is inviting the Public to join him at government House for the annual social event on May 23. New years levee delayed until May a 02_ dec 30 08. Ind b2 1 2/ 29/ 08 8 42 08 pm ;