Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 22, 2024, Winnipeg, Manitoba BUILDINGACOMMUNITYOF INCLUSION A gift to the DASCH Foundation helps build and inspire a community of inclusion where people with intellectual disabilities are valued and enabled to live to their full potential. dasch.mb.ca foundation@dasch.mb.ca (204) 992-9678 A2 ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM NEWS I TOP NEWS FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2024 VOL 153 NO 112 Winnipeg Free Press est 1872 / Winnipeg Tribune est 1890 2024 Winnipeg Free Press, a division of FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership. Published six days a week in print and always online at 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2X 3B6, PH: 204-697-7000 Interim CEO / DARREN MURPHY Editor / PAUL SAMYN Associate Editor Enterprise / SCOTT GIBBONS Associate Editor News / STACEY THIDRICKSON Associate Editor Digital News / WENDY SAWATZKY Director Photo and Multimedia / MIKE APORIUS NEWSMEDIA COUNCIL The Winnipeg Free Press is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to determine acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please send them to: editorialconcerns@freepress.mb.ca. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the website at www.mediacouncil.ca and fill out the form or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information. 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Call or email before 10 a.m. weekdays or 11 a.m. Saturday City: 204-697-7001 Outside Winnipeg: 1-800-542-8900 press 1 6:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.; 7 a.m. - noon Saturday; Closed Sunday TO SUBSCRIBE: 204-697-7001 Out of Winnipeg: 1-800-542-8900 The Free Press receives support from the Local Journalism Initiative funded by the Government of Canada While the father’s concerns have been “duly noted” the division has decided to extend “its full support towards the use of this process, ensuring adherence to all relevant legislation,” RETSD superintendent Sandra Herbst wrote in an email to the father, obtained by the Free Press. “While it is acknowledged that no explicit verbal threat was articulated… the presence of a replica weapon brought onto school premises initiated the process — a process whose purpose is to gather information before determining the necessity for further action or consequences,” she wrote. The father will be allowed to sub- mit a written response objecting to the assessment and explaining his interpretation of the incident, and the letter will similarly be attached to the student’s permanent file, Herbst added. The man disputed the school’s defi- nition of an imitation weapon, asking them to explain how the item created by his son meets such criteria. The Free Press asked similar questions of division officials, who did not provide a clear answer. “The division cannot discuss the particulars in relation to any specif- ic assessment or student,” Herbst said in an email statement. “School and divisional personnel have met with the concerned parent and continue to remain willing to meet to address these matters directly.” Herbst stressed the risk assess- ment is not a disciplinary measure and does not negatively impact a student’s academic record or future opportunities. The superintendent reiterated support for the assessment protocol, saying it ensures all potential risks are addressed in a formal, thorough and complete way. The father argued the policy should be reviewed, warning its definition of a weapon is too vague and misapplication could be harmful to children and families — particularly for those who are neurodivergent. tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca TOY ● FROM A1 SUPPLIED A River East Transcona School Division student made a craft out of Popsicle sticks to mimic a video game character he likes. The division confiscated it over staff concerns it was a mock weapon. An early estimate suggests it would cost about $20 million to $50 million to close the concourse, though council voted to complete a more thorough assessment of that cost, and the steps required, before the 2025 budget process. City officials are expected to pre- pare for the street-level reopening by July 1, 2025. The city expects to devote $13 million to the “initial opening de- sign and construction” and defer some road projects to pay for it. Some delegates at Thursday’s coun- cil meeting questioned why council would make such a quick decision to close the concourse, before the full impact is studied. “We’ll all have to wait until after you vote to close it to find out what it would actually cost… We know nothing that we need to know about the ramifica- tions of closing it,” said Judy Waytiuk. Waytiuk noted she has a vested inter- est in opposing the concourse closure, since her late partner, Bruce Head, created the 127-metre-long concrete artwork that covers the inner wall of the circular walkway, which would be difficult to save on its own. She stressed maintaining public infrastructure is a primary role of city council, including the concourse. A member of the trucking industry said he fears large trucks could lose some access to the intersection, which is a key part of many different routes. “We’re not specifically against open- ing the barricades… Our concern is keeping Portage and Main open in all directions to trucks because conceptu- al designs do not make that clear,” said Aaron Dolyniuk, executive director of the Manitoba Trucking Association. Debate over pedestrian access at the intersection has raged on for many years. In a 2018 plebiscite, 65 per cent of Winnipeggers voted “no” to reopen- ing the intersection to pedestrians, which was cut off in 1979 after the underground concourse opened. Wyatt said the city shouldn’t pursue a reopening unless a second plebi- scite with the same question finds the majority of Winnipeggers now support the change. “I’m not going to vote to open Por- tage and Main, absolutely not, without there being another plebiscite (to) let the citizens of Winnipeg decide,” said Wyatt (Transcona). He also expressed safety concerns, suggesting pedestrian access will re- sult in an increase in crashes, causing injuries and even deaths. While the mayor said he was opposed to reopening the intersection during the last election campaign, Gillingham said the latest information, especially the cost to fix the concourse, led him to change his mind. Eadie (Mynarski) supported pedes- trian access but opposed the concourse closure. “I’m definitely not for closing the concourse. It’s existing infrastructure, just like the Arlington Bridge (that should be maintained),” he said. Meanwhile, Browaty said an amend- ing clause, which requires the cost and traffic impacts of closing the con- course to be studied, helped lead him to support the slightly altered motion. That comes despite his long-standing opposition to opening the intersection to pedestrians. “Even though I’m still against 24-7 (pedestrian) crossings and I don’t think spending $13 million to rush the opening for next year is the best plan, I do think… getting that amendment is important enough (to vote for this),” he said. The North Kildonan councillor said pedestrian crossings should be assessed over the first 12 to 18 months after the reopening. “If it doesn’t work out… perhaps (in the) longer term, we look at putting weekday rush-hour bans on pedestrian crossing,” said Browaty. The mayor said he’s committed to consulting with the trucking industry, property owners at the intersection and businesses in the underground concourse about the changes, noting any spending to actually close the con- course would still require city council approval. “Council has to make hard decisions from time to time. There are times… when we have to make a decision about whether we’re going to continue to in- vest in an asset or whether or not we’re going to say it’s time to decommission an asset,” said Gillingham. Council’s decision also directs city staff to consult with the Winnipeg Arts Council about the public art in the concourse. joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca X : @joyanne_pursaga The two families are beginning to know each other, and it has been a posi- tive, emotionally charged experience, said Beauvais’ daughter Taryn. “No one is losing anything by this, but our family is just expanding and growing, and we’re just looking for- ward to the future and getting to know each other even more,” she said. “This has been a really beautiful blending of families, and everyone is so loving and everyone just has the biggest hearts.” Lawyer Bill Gange, who represents both men, was scheduled to meet with provincial justice officials late Thurs- day afternoon and intended to discuss possible reparations for the hospital error. The men should be entitled to a fi- nancial settlement, but there is no legal recourse at the provincial level, Gange explained previously. The statute of limitations on cases such as this one has expired. “Given the very heartfelt speech that the premier gave, I am confident that we’ll be able to work something out,” Gange said. Kinew said the province will be there for Beauvais and Ambrose to support next steps, when it is appro- priate. “It’s words and actions from here on in, so what those actions look like, we’ll come to a shared understanding with Ed and Richard,” the premier said. The government is open to looking at possible systemic problems that contributed to children being switched at birth in the past, he added. “We’d want to figure out where we go from here and ensure that those steps are taken today but, of course, to do right by anyone who’s been harmed in the past,” he said. There are two other known cases of babies switched at birth in a Manitoba hospital. Garden Hill residents Luke Monias and Norman Barkman received an undisclosed amount of compensation after DNA tests proved in 2015 they were switched at birth at the federally run Norway House Indian Hospital in 1975. Leon Swanson and David Tait Jr. were also sent home with the wrong parents that year, DNA revealed in 2016. — with files from The Canadian Press danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca BARRICADES ● FROM A1 APOLOGY ● FROM A1 MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Edward Ambrose wipes his eyes as he and Richard Beauvais hear Premier Wab Kinew’s apology in the chamber at the Manitoba legislature. ;