Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 4, 2022, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A1 O TTAWA—Canada tightened itseconomic chokehold on Russianoligarchs Thursday as it opened its arms to Ukrainians fleeing the war on their country by relaxing immigra- tion rules. The government announced Ukrain- ians can find a safe haven in Canada using expedited temporary visas for emergency travel, while it ratcheted up economic pressure on Russia by boot- ing it and its ally, Belarus, off its most favoured nation list of trade partners. That now subjects their exports to 35 per cent tariffs, said Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland. Until Thursday, the only other coun- try that did not enjoy that preferred trading status with Canada was North Korea, she noted. Freeland said that will increase the pressure on Russia’s oligarchs, whom she called the “sycophants” and “en- ablers” in President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle who have lived luxurious lives in the West. “Members of the Russian financial elite may believe that their close ties to Western boardrooms and yacht clubs will protect them. But they’re wrong,” she said. “They have enjoyed a pretty fabu- lous lifestyle in the West with yachts and mansions and having their kids at the fanciest universities and private schools. And what we’ve done with these measures, much more forcefully than the Russian elite anticipated, is we have said, ‘You know what, you have to pick sides.’” Freeland announced new sanctions against 10 executives with Gazprom, a major Russian state-owned energy company, and Rosneft, Russia’s leading oil company. Freeland said that brings to 1,000 the total number of people and entities sanctioned, or in the process of being sanctioned, by Canada since Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. “We’re showing that there are con- sequences. And it’s very important for Russia to understand that these conse- quences will become more and more severe,” she said. “Watch this space: there’s a lot more to come.” Freeland said the brainstorming of her fellow G7 finance ministers and other Western allies to find new, cre- ative ways to inflict economic pain on Russia has been driven by the heroic efforts of Ukrainians to repel their massive military opponent over the past week. “That incredibly brave, incredibly spirited resistance has inspired the West,” she said. “You could say maybe the West — Western democracies —maybe we were kind of losing our mojo. You know, we were getting a little bit cyn- ical about whether democracy really works,” Freeland added. “Seeing the Ukrainians stand up and say, ‘We may be smaller than you, you may have a fierce army that is bigger than ours, but we will not submit,’ I think that that is what has been trans- formative.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada and other close partners are calling for Russia’s suspension from Interpol. “We’re supporting this because we believe that international law enforce- ment co-operation depends on a collect- ive commitment to the Universal Dec- laration of Human Rights and mutual respect between Interpol members.” The government is taking steps to help Ukrainians who have chosen to flee by providing fast-tracked visas for an unlimited number of those who wish to come to Canada to work, and then return home when it is safe, said Immigration Minister Sean Fraser. He said these visas will take just weeks to process, instead of the usual year. CINEMA CITY NORTHGATE NOW PLAYING Watch film trailer visit:UNSILENCEDMOVIE.com SCU.MB.CA/MYSAVINGS GICRate Special 24 -MONTH 2.30%* *Rate subject to change. GICs require a $500 minimum deposit. FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2022 FOR MANITOBA. FOR 150 YEARS. FOREVER WITH YOUR SUPPORT. SERVING WINNIPEG AND THE WEST SINCE 1872 The ® INSIDE NOT GUILTY Officer involved in Breonna Taylor raid found not guilty on charges he endangered neighbours / A14 PIANO FORTE Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra doubles up on piano power / D1 STATE OF DEBATE Proposed byelection forum stumbles over controversial candidate / A4 WEATHER SNOW. HIGH -8— LOW -9 Canada expedites temporary visas for Ukrainians WAR IN UKRAINE MIKE BLANCHFIELD AND LAURA OSMAN A woman in a motorized wheel- chair was punched in the face in a random attack in downtown Win- nipeg’s skywalk system, reigniting concerns about safety and security in the elevated corridors. The woman, who is in her 70s and uses portable oxygen, was attacked from behind by a stranger inside the walkway near the Canada Life Centre and Cityplace at about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, police said. “This was clearly an unprovoked attack,” Winnipeg Police Service spokeswoman Const. Dani McKin- non said Thursday. The woman, who regularly stops by restaurants and stores in buildings linked to the network, suffered a facial injury and broken eyeglasses. Police believe she has been released from hospital. Security interrupted the assault and alerted police, who arrested a suspect walking through Cityplace a short time later. A 28-year-old man, who was re- leased on an undertaking as per the Criminal Code, is facing a charge of assault causing bodily harm. He is known to police, said McKinnon. The daylight attack triggered shock and outrage among people who live and work in the city’s downtown. It happened just steps from a security booth, at a time of day when many people are using the skywalk to go to work, although there has been less foot traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic. People who work in Cityplace said the woman passes through the building on an almost daily basis, and often stops to speak to employ- ees, friends or other people she recognizes. A security guard said the woman decorates her wheelchair (others said based on the season, using Christmas ornaments in Decem- ber, for example) and plays music in the skywalk. Woman in wheelchair assaulted in skywalk CHRIS KITCHING ● UKRAINE,CONTINUEDONA2 ● SKYWALK,CONTINUEDONA2 A proposed civic recreation strategy with $426 million in capital projects is facing plenty of criticism at Winnipeg city hall, triggering calls to scrap or pause the process. The strategy was created to guide recreation priorities for 25 years and pitches a major 10-year investment in arenas and aquatic, community and lei- sure centres, along with outdoor pools and spray pads, beginning in 2024. However, one city councillor fears the proposal to improve recreation access and address aging facilities would pretty much “ignore” his Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood ward. “I think that entire plan needs to be scrapped and we need to do it as a coun- cil, not as a public service,” said Coun. Kevin Klein. “This is ludicrous and it should be… stopped immediately.” Coun. Brian Mayes said he’s con- cerned by some apparent shifts in rec- reation priorities within the strategy, which don’t match approved capital budget forecasts. For example, he said council had planned to spend $1 million on plans for an East of the Red Rec Plex, while the strategy calls for a $2-million study and $80 million to build the facility. “This calls for $82 million... That is an important project but why are the staff seemingly trying to rewrite the budget a few months after we passed it?” said Mayes (St. Vital). He said he was pleased to see fund- ing for a southeast community centre in the Bonavista neighbourhood includ- ed in the long-term plan, but fears the city would stretch its debt load too far by making all of the investments. “It’s creating expectations that we will be unable to fulfil,” he said. The city would take on $212 million of additional debt by 2027 to cover the new costs, according to a public service report. While the municipal govern- ment could apply for funding from senior governments and other partners to support the projects, few details are noted about that option. Citing cost as one key concern, Coun. Sherri Rollins said she’ll move to delay the recreation strategy, as well as a separate 25-year strategy for parks. “The strategies contain inadequate economic and financial information... The unrealistic 10-year (capital spend- ing) timelines and associated budget impacts don’t even consider Winnipeg’s debt room,” said Rollins (Fort Rouge- East Fort Garry), the chairwoman of council’s protection, community services and parks committee. She’s also concerned some council- lors feel their wards are not well-rep- resented. $426-M rec strategywill wreck finances, some councillors say JOYANNE PURSAGA PIA The Orch is d wit Woo / MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Yvette Emond fills up Thursday, paying nearly $1.64 per litre, in Winnipeg. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and uncertainty over oil supply has gas prices shooting up everywhere. ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE Gas prices skyrocket, expected to climb as Putin’s war rages / B4 New sanctions imposed on Russia, ‘sycophant’oligarchs ● REC,CONTINUEDONA2 A_01_Mar-04-22_FP_01.indd 1 2022-03-03 10:36 PM ;