Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - February 04, 2014, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE B3 winnipegfreepress. com CITY WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014 B 3 We are Here for You! FA M I LY SE RV I C E S . Have you just moved? . Have you recently had a baby? B U S I N E S S S E RV I C E S . Are you a new business? . Have you just appointed a new executive to your team? We come bearing gifts! Call us today at 204- 956- 4033 www. welcomewagon. ca OPPOSITES ATTRACT - THE COLLABORATIVE WORK OF DIANA THORNEYCROFT AND MICHAEL BOSS THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS & FIRST FRIDAYS PRESENT F R I D AY | F E B R U A RY 7 $ 28 PER PERSON PLUS TAX Call 204- 697- 7069 to reserve your spot 237 McDERMOT AVE. First Friday's tour of the Exchange District art galleries and studios 6: 00 PM 3 Course Dinner 7: 45 PM Includes Coffee/ Tea ART TALK ART WALK Diana Thorneycroft is known for shocking audiences with her exploration of controversial subjects. Michael Boss is known for his compassionately rendered religious icons. What happens when these dynamic artists collaborate? Join host Sarah Swan as she examines this unique artistic partnership. For more information contact Michelle at the Winnipeg Free Press Phone: ( 204) 697- 7215 or michelle. racicot@ freepress. mb. ca Looking for extra cash to pay down bills? Become a part- time carrier for the Winnipeg Free Press! �� Earn $ 650 to $ 750 per month �� Average Route: Monday through Saturday, 3: 30 A. M. to 6: 00 A. M. ( 2.5 - 3 hours daily) �� Gas allowance per kilometers used ( over and above your earnings!) �� Easy Money ormation c 20 email: racico �� Optional Carrier Insurance �� Great way to get in shape �� Perfect job for students �� Must have a vehicle and valid driver's license in order to apply S E L K I RK C H E V R O L E T . B U I C K . G M C RIGHT PRICE, RIGHT SERVICE, RIGHT NOW! Stk.# 134856 $ 47,777 2013 ENCLA VE CXL PREMIUM A WD GM EXECUTIVE DRIVEN DEMO msrp $ 60,015 150- 115 Vermillion Road Winnipeg, MB R2J 4A9 204.257.4426 | nemeth@ mts. net Nothing says beauty and sophistication like a diamond, and nothing says diamonds like Maple Leaf Diamonds T A WOMAN cleared of manslaughter, arson and conspiracy charges in connection with a fatal fire in Winnipeg's Point Douglas area must serve a 12- month conditional sentence for possession of an explosive substance. Suzanne Eckstein, 48, learned her fate Monday in the Court of Queen's Bench, where the Crown revealed it always had very little - if any - evidence against her for the death of Kenneth Dunn, 19, or the house fire that killed him. Dunn died in a June 29, 2008, house fire at 138 Lorne Ave., and Eckstein was later arrested in New Brunswick and accused of killing him. She was in a relationship with Dunn's father, George Dunn, at the time of the fire. He owned the house where the victim died in the early- morning blaze. The only evidence prosecutors had against Eckstein was a purported statement made by the victim to his brother, who would have been the witness to testify to what the statement was, Justice James Edmund was told. However, a preliminary hearing showed the man's evidence came in very low on the credibility scale, Edmund was told. The Crown would have had to try to get " double hearsay" before the court at a trial - no easy legal feat. " That presented great hurdles to the Crown right from the beginning," a Crown attorney told Edmund. To this day, it's difficult to say how the house fire was ignited. There were up to four jerry cans of gas at the house, with George Dunn testifying they were there to fill up derelict vehicles to move them from the property, Edmund was told. Eckstein admits to possession of the explosive substance by virtue of knowing the jerry cans were there, but she has always maintained her innocence in setting the blaze. She and George Dunn were at a hotel celebrating their engagement when she learned of the fire, court heard. " This case is basically not provable as ( to) who or what caused the fire," defence lawyer Martin Glazer said. Eckstein, given she had only been common- law with George Dunn for a few months, wasn't entitled to receive a dime of any insurance payout, said Glazer. " Kenneth should not have died in that fire - that's not right," Eckstein told court. " I loved Kenneth." Edmund agreed " powerful obstacles" existed in the Crown's case, and approved the plea deal and resulting conditional sentence. Eckstein has been on bail without issue since a few days after her arrest. She is not a danger to the public, Edmund said. james. turner@ freepress. mb. ca THE Bipole III Coalition filed its submission Monday with Manitoba's Public Utilities Board calling for a " slowdown" of Manitoba Hydro's plan to build two new generating stations. The coalition says the plan to build Keeyask and Conawapa will cost $ 34 billion. The PUB's review of Hydro's plan is to begin March 3. The needs for and alternatives to ( NFAT) hearing is scheduled to end May 3. The PUB is to issue its report to the Manitoba government by June 20. The coalition says Hydro's growth forecast, the basis of its expansion plan, is overstated and does not reflect Manitoba's future demand for electricity. " Using Hydro's own records, the coalition's submission demonstrates that Hydro's load forecast does not properly reflect the flattening of load growth in Manitoba over the past eight years," the group said in a news release. " It is also out of line with forecasts of modest load growth in the U. S. including the northern regions into which Hydro exports electrical energy." The Crown power utility said it needs to build the Keeyask and Conawapa generating stations in the next decade not only to meet the province's energy needs, but to meet demands south of the border and to the east and west. The Selinger government has said domestic demand is forecast to rise 80 megawatts a year. Hydro's plan calls for the start of construction of the 695- megawatt Keeyask generating station in June 2014, with the first turbine to start spinning by 2019. That's to be followed by construction of the 1,485- megawatt Conawapa generating station, with a 2026 in- service date. The forecast price tag for Keeyask is $ 6.2 billion and Conawapa is estimated to cost $ 10.2 billion. There will be an additional cost of running a transmission line to the Minnesota border. The coalition said it proposes a more reasonable load forecast that better reflects current energy trends in Manitoba and the northern regions of the U. S. " With the more defensible forecast, the coalition demonstrates that the in- service date for the next generation plant could be delayed until at least seven years," it says. Hydro and the NDP argue export sales will rebound when natural gas prices rise and more coal- fired power plants in the U. S. either close or switch to natural gas. - staff 12 months for having gas cans Cleared of manslaughter in fatal fire By James Turner Group's submission urges ' slowdown' in Hydro dams KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Fun on ice Skaters enjoy a game of shinny on the hockey rink at The Forks. Temperatures are expected to remain fairly cold over the next couple of days. B_ 03_ Feb- 04- 14_ FP_ 01. indd B3 2/ 3/ 14 9: 41: 32 PM ;