Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 30, 2008, Winnipeg, Manitoba C m y k Page a4 a 4 Winnipeg free press tuesday december 30, 2008 top news Winnipeg repress. Com on december 18th 160 children from Winnipeg school divisions inner City District boarded signature vacations and sky service airlines Boeing 757 Enro Ute to the North pole and a Chance meeting with Santa Claus at 36,000 feet. The Winnipeg airports authority inc., signature vacations and sky service airlines teamed up to take the children on an experience of a lifetime. The children ranging in age from six to twelve were picked up from Victoria Albert and John m. King schools by Beaver bus lines and after visiting with santaus Reindeer jazz and Haley they were treated to a hot pizza lunch in the Winnipeg Airport observation lounge Courtesy of pizza hotline coca cola Perkins restaurant has Host and Dairyland. Immediately after being ushered through Security by Winnipeg Airport Gold wings and cadets from the 220 Squadron the kids were Given official Santa Wear which included Reindeer Antler head gear with Bells and White pompoms. Inside the plane All of the screaming and shaking was reminiscent of the White outs at the Winnipeg jets hockey games. Prior to Takeoff two Lucky students with one Friend each were taken to the cockpit to meet the pilots and learn about flying a plane. The students won a contest asking if you could give everyone in the world a Christmas present what would it be winners were Marc Valino from John m. King and Mason keeper from Victoria Albert. Mason says he would give everyone a Home while Marc says he would give free hugs. Takeoff was accompanied by ear shattering screaming As Many of the children had never been on a plane before. Once in the air Ace Burpee of hot 103 led the kids in laughter and in singing Christmas carols and chanting for Santa Claus. Suddenly the plane rocked from Side to Side and sky service Captain Jeff Armstrong announced he had spotted a Sleigh and Reindeer in the Vicinity and that something had landed on top of the plane. In the Wink of an Eye Santa Claus appeared aka Doug Speirs columnist with the Winnipeg free press with his trusty elf Eddie free press sports writer Gary Lawless. After lots of hugs and Candy canes it was time to head Home and upon arriving the children were met by waa representatives handing out Christmas gift bags. The flight is made possible due to the generosity of elves from Winnipeg airports authority inc. Waa and its Goldwing ambassadors signature vacations and sky service airlines 220 Squadron cadets International airline services Dryden air service nav Canada Canadian air transport Security authority catshot103, Fehr Way Tours & Beaver bus lines ltd., Perkins restaurant and bakery pizza hotline has Host Dairyland Eddie the elf aka sports writer Gary Lawless gets a big hug from the kids Assiniboine Park zoo coca cola and a few generous Anonymous elves. Who found it hard to believe that any of santaus elves could be that big. Beaver bus line Drivers Gord Kennedy Barry Odonnell and David Brown were on hand to transport the kids to and from their respective schools and the Airport. Winnipeg airports authority waa staff Kristen Mclure Florence Zirney and Sherr Welwood help dish out lunch. Teacher Chantel Eisbrenner and students from John m. King school get into the spirit of things As they prepare to Board tahe North pole express. Cadets from Squadron 220 were on hand to help move the school groups along in orderly fashion from Check in to boarding. Flight attendants from sky service airlines ready the plane. The weather was perfect for flying with Clear skies and no turbulence for the first time fliers. Sky service airlines Captain Jeff Armstrong and first officer Garry Wellstead show off the cockpit to contest Winner Marc Valino and his Friend Evan Hunter from John m. King school Ace Burpee of hot 103 leads a plane Load of screaming kids in singing Jingle Bells and other Christmas carols. Children wave their pompous and chant for Santa Claus at 36,000 feet. Santa Claus free press columnist Doug Speirs gets hugs from the students of John m. King and Victoria Albert schools and a Cadet from the 220 Squadron. W Winnipeg South my Rod Bruino Ogess pledge to reopen the contentious abortion debate in Canada Drew Strong reactions from abortion rights groups in the City monday. But Stephen harpers conservatives immediately threw cold water of Bruino Ogess proposal As the government reiterated its commitment not to reopen the debate. Throughout his political career the prime minister has been Clear on this Issue said Dimitri Soudas a spokesman for Harper. We will not introduce or support legislation on abortion. Bruinooge recently became chairman of an al party parliamentary caucus that opposes abortion. According to Media reports the secretive caucus plans to push for Laws to restrict abortions and remedy what it believes is insufficient legislation governing abortion in the country. I actually think its sort of sad said Madeline Boscoe advocacy coordinator at a omens health clinic in Winnipeg. I think it does say something that we always need to remember that sexual reproductive rights for women Are always vulnerable. Its hardly news that or. Bruinooge is politically and personally anti Choice and its hardly news that there Are folks from All parties who hold that personal viewpoint said clinic Community health Centre executive director Lori Johnson. They re certainly entitled to. That they ave formed a caucus its not newsworthy nor is it surprising. Johnson said she thought the my might have to answer to prime minister Stephen Harper for reviving the debate. Bruinooge could not be reached for comment monday. A spokeswoman said he was in Hospital with his wife Chantale who on monday was in labour with their second child. According to a Winnipeg free press online poll As of late monday afternoon 78 per cent of respondents said the Federal government should not reopen the abortion debate while 21 per cent believed it should. More than 2,600 people took part in the non scientific poll. Not everyone opposed Bruino Ogess plan. I definitely think that people need to think More about this about what it really is said Natalie Colton a spokeswoman for league for life Manitoba. Colton believes the government should step in and give women who Are pregnant an alternative to abortion. I think it abortion is kind of a last desperate resort for women and they dont know where to turn she said. University of Manitoba political sciences professor Paul Thomas said Harper will Likely try to steer Clear of hot Button issues Over the next few months but will have to avoid alienating his More conservative supporters for whom the abortion debate is important. However Thomas said Bruino Ogess comments Arentt Likely to get him into trouble so Long As the discussion stays within the caucus process and does not launch a private members Bill. With files from Cameron Maclean Lindsey. Wiebe free press. My. Ca excerpts from some of the e mails sent to the free press in Light of Rod Bruino Ogess pledge to revive the abortion debate i dont think this qualifies As an Issue that maps get to decide for canadians. This should have been made Clear at election time. I have voted for Rod had he mentioned his stand on the Issue. This will help me in future elections. I will question the candidate More thoroughly and i will advocate for making maps accountable on these types of ideological issues. Very disappointed. Rod is out of touch Claudia Mackay i for one was greatly heartened to read that Rod Bruinooge wants to reopen the abortion debate. Perhaps one of the most promising parts of this article was the statement that there Are supporters from every party in the pro life caucus. Its time that canadians realize that this is not an Issue that can be clearly divided along political party lines. Rather the Issue for Many canadians hopefully of any political Stripe is one of rights for the unborn truly the most innocent and defenceless members of any society. Gloria Fligg the debate should not even be considered. If Bruinooge did not have this initiative in his Campaign for election then he should resign for misleading the voters. Ron Sprague i am a 65 year old Mother of three. I am not a silent majority. Absolutely no one male or female has the right to dictate to a female whether she should continue a pregnancy against her will. How dare any person take away the right of body from another. Or. Bruino Ogess remarks insult the intelligence of the majority of canadians especially women and our supreme court. Obviously the Man does not think a woman capable of making her own decisions and certainly he has no respect for our Federal court of Law. Judith Topolnitski i think that this is another example that shows just How out of touch the rank and file of the conservative party Are with the majority of canadians who dont want this Issue reopened. Its easy for men to say that we Are pro life or pro Choice since none of us will Ever get pregnant. If you Are a woman get pregnant and Are pro life its very simple dont get an abortion if you dont want one. Thatus your right but dont try to Force your own beliefs onto others in your situation who do want to get an abortion. Kyle Dell i am incensed to think that this subject of abortion is aglow again. A woman has the right to choose and we dont need some politician telling us what to do with our body. The politician who proceeds to go Forth and promote this policy will not get my vote. Audrey Vail i do not approve of the conservative party opening up the subject of abortion rights for women. Most canadians agree it is the Choice of the woman whether or not she wants a child. It is not up to them or anyone else to make that decision. There Are far too Many neglected and unwanted children in our country now we do not need to Force women to have children they do not want or Are not capable of supporting or caring for. I am the Mother of six grown children five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. I love All of my family and believe that All children should be wanted and cared for. Joan Boldt kindly Tell Rod Bruinooge to mind his own business. My body is my body and he has no right to Tell me what i can or cannot do with it. Any decisions made with regard to this topic Are made within the family Home not by the government. Or. Bruinooge certainly has the right to his say when it affects his family and Only his family. Why dont or. Bruinooge and the other maps concern themselves with what is happening with the Economy not what goes on in the privacy of Canadian Homes. Avrian Boroditsky dear or. Bruinooge we were appalled to read that you intend stirring up the pot again re the pro life Issue. We have gone around and around on this Issue for years and thought it had been settled. Not everybody shares your fundamentalist viewpoint on this Issue obviously. We believe that it is the right of the individual to choose. With All of the problems going on in the world we would like to think that you could find something More constructive to do with your mandate. After All you Are paid by the taxpayers and we have already made our Choice. Please give it a rest. Bob & Norma Beckingham bid to reopen abortion Issue stirs juror Harper spokesman pans tory a pcs proposal by Lindsey Wiebe what free press readers Are saying. Phil Hossack / Winnipeg free press archives clinic is Lori Johnson says conservative my Rod Bruinooge could face Stephen harpers ire. A 04_ dec 30 08. Ind a4 12/ 29/ 08 7 36 21 pm ;