Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 14, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba To subscribe call 204-697-7001 or visit winnipegfreepress.com/subscribe SUBSCRIBE TODAY A STRONG MANITOBA NEEDS STRONG JOURNALISTS LIKE KATRINA CLARKE W in ni pe g F re e P re ss is an in de pe nd en t p ub lis he r s er vi ng th e c ity of W in ni pe g an d su rr ou nd in g co m m un iti es . Th e o ld es t n ew sp ap er in W es te rn C an ad a, th e Fr ee P re ss h as b ee n pu bl ish ed s in ce 1 87 2 on Tr ea ty 1 lan d an d th e N at io na l H om ela nd o f t he R ed R iv er M ét is. Th e Fr ee P re ss c re at es s tro ng a nd t ru stw or th y jo ur na lis m t ha t is co m m itt ed t o tru th , tra ns pa re nc y an d de m oc ra cy . It is av ail ab le da ily o nl in e an d at t he n ew ss ta nd , wi th h om e de liv er y off er ed M on da y t o Sa tu rd ay . Th e Fr ee P re ss i s th e m os t re ad n ew sp ap er i n W in ni pe g wi th 39 7,0 00 a du lts e nj oy in g ou r sto rie s ea ch w ee k (V ivi da ta S pr in g 20 23 St ud y) . W ith t he b ig ge st ne ws ro om w es t of T or on to , t he F re e Pr es s wo rk s a ro un d th e clo ck to c ov er th e su bj ec ts th at im pa ct M an ito ba ns an d th eir co m m un ity . O ur M iss io n: O ur e di to ria l m iss io n is to st re ng th en so cie ty b y en su rin g th er e is a tru ste d, in de pe nd en t n ew s s ou rc e of in fo rm at io n th e pu bl ic ca n re ly up on to u nd er sta nd th e w or ld th ey li ve in , t o co nn ec t w ith th eir c om - m un ity an d to m ak e d ec isi on s a bo ut w ha t m att er s m os t t o th eir li ve s. O ur C om m itm en t: As p ar t o f i ts co m m itm en t t o ac cu ra cy an d ac co un ta bi lit y, Th e F re e Pr es s is a m em be r of th e Na tio na l N ew sM ed ia Co un cil a nd c om pl ies wi th th e e di to ria l g ui de lin es p ub lis he d by th e C an ad ian A ss oc iat io n of Jo ur na lis ts. Th os e gu id eli ne s c an b e f ou nd a t t he N at io na l N ew sM ed ia Co un cil ’s we bs ite , alo ng w ith o th er e di to ria l gu id eli ne s to w hi ch th e Fr ee P re ss m ak es r efe re nc e, an d at th e Ca na di an A ss oc iat io n of Jo ur na lis ts we bs ite . Th e Fr ee P re ss a lso a dh er es t o Ca na di an P re ss sty le an d sta nd ar ds . O ur n ew sro om p ra ct ice s re fle ct o ur c om m itm en t to a cc ur ac y an d in de pe nd en t re po rti ng . O ur r es po ns ib ili tie s on t hi s fro nt a re m an y. Th ey in clu de : id en tif yi ng d iv er se so ur ce s a nd en su rin g t he ir re lia bi lit y; ve rif yi ng fa ct s a nd d ist in gu ish in g t he m fr om as se rti on s; ex er cis in g ca re i n th e tre at m en t of a r an ge o f sit ua tio ns a nd sto ry el em en ts, in clu di ng tr ea tm en t o f e xp lic it or vi ol en t m at er ial ; ev alu at in g th e re lia bi lit y of in fo rm at io n, in clu di ng st at ist ica l i nf or - m at io n, su pp lie d by so ur ce s a nd th e g en er al pu bl ic; et hi ca l c ov er ag e o f y ou th an d ot he r v ul ne ra bl e i nd iv id ua ls; tra ns pa re nc y su rr ou nd in g on -lo ca tio n re po rti ng , us e of ey e wi tn es se s, an d liv e c on te nt ; di sti ng ui sh in g b et we en n ew s a nd o pi ni on ; di sti ng ui sh in g b et we en n ew s a nd co m m er cia l c on te nt ; en su rin g th at o ur r ep or tin g is in de pe nd en t o f b us in es s, po lit ica l, or o th er o ut sid e i nt er es ts; id en tif yi ng po ten tia l co nfl ict s of in te re st an d en su rin g th ey ar e r es ol ve d; ad dr es sin g cla im s of e rr or a nd p ub lis hi ng c or re ct io ns w he n er ro rs ap pe ar in st or ies . Re sp on sib ili ty fo r en su rin g th at th es e sta nd ar ds a re m et , a nd fo r en su rin g ac cu ra cy a nd i nd ep en de nc e, in clu di ng t ha t th e in du str y sta nd ar ds re fer re d to ab ov e a re fo llo we d, li es w ith th e P ub lis he r a nd th e Ed ito r. O ur te am o f p ho to gr ap he rs , w rit er s, co nt rib ut or s, an d ed ito rs fo llo ws th e e xt er na l s ta nd ar ds re fer en ce d ab ov e. If yo u ha ve c on ce rn s a bo ut e di to ria l c on te nt , p lea se s en d th em to ed ito ria lco nc er ns @ fre ep re ss .m b.c a. If yo u ar e no t sa tis fie d wi th t he re sp on se a nd w ish to fi le a fo rm al co m pl ain t, pl ea se v isi t t he N at io na l Ne ws M ed ia Co un cil ’s we b sit e at w ww .m ed iac ou nc il. ca a nd fi ll ou t th e f or m or ca ll to ll fre e a t 1 -8 44 -8 77 -1 16 3 f or ad di tio na l i nf or m ati on . Us e o f A lg or ith m s: Th e W in ni pe g Fr ee P re ss u se s a co m bi na tio n of h um an c ur at io n an d alg or ith m s to s ele ct a nd d isp lay n ew s co nt en t o n its w eb sit e an d ap ps as p ar t o f o ur eff or t t o im pr ov e r ea de r e xp er ien ce . W e w eig h wh at ou r ne ws ro om d et er m in es i s im po rta nt , th en w e co ns id er r ec en cy , so ur ce , a nd fi na lly w ha t is po pu lar w ith e ac h in di vi du al re ad er a nd ou r r ea de rs hi p as a wh ol e. Th e r es ul ts of th is an aly sis d et er m in e w hi ch sto rie s ar e di sp lay ed a nd i n wh ich o rd er . Th e W in ni pe g Fr ee P re ss do es n ot u se p er so na lly i de nt ifi ab le in fo rm at io n (P II) i n pr ov id in g co nt en t r ec om m en da tio ns . O pi ni on : Th e Fr ee P re ss w elc om es l et te rs a nd o pi ni on s ub m iss io ns f ro m re ad er s a nd th e p ub lic , a s w ell as fr om ou r r eg ul ar co nt rib ut or s. O pi ni on su bm iss io ns ar e i de nt ifi ed as su ch an d ty pi ca lly p ub lis he d on o ur ed ito - ria l a nd o pi ni on p ag es . Th e wo rk o f s om e sta ff co lu m ni sts a pp ea rs o n ne ws p ag es an d ca n be re co gn ize d as su ch . W e s tri ve to p ub lis h a r an ge of vi ew po in ts on su bj ec ts of in ter es t a nd im po rta nc e t o th e c om m un ity , wh ile re sp ec tin g t he ed ito ria l s ta nd ar ds o ut lin ed ab ov e. So ur ce s: Th e Fr ee P re ss o cc as io na lly p ro vi de s an on ym ity t o so ur ce s in ac co rd an ce w it h C an ad ia n P re ss a n d C an ad ia n A ss o ci at io n o f Jo u rn a li st s st a n d a rd s. W h e n w e d o so , th a t d e c is io n is m a d e i n c o n ju n c ti o n w it h t h e e d it o r F O R M A N IT O B A . F O R 1 5 0 Y E A R S . F O R E V E R W IT H Y O U R S U P P O R T . SE R V IN G W IN N IP EG A N D T H E W ES T SI N CE 1 87 2 ® T e l l i n g M a n i t o b a ’s S t o r i e s S i n c e 1 8 7 2 1 9 1 8 : Fr ee P re ss c ar rie rs w or ki ng d ur in g th e Sp an is h flu p an de m ic . – R epo rted in t he Ma nito ba Fre e Pr ess , 19 18. Sc an th e c od e t o s ee on lin e p ub lic ati on s. M a n it o b a’ s st o ri e s a b o u t lif e , w e lln e ss , lo c a l b u si n e ss , d ri n k n ’ d in e & m o re . R E A D N O W IN wi nn ipe gf re ep re ss. co m /fp -fe atu re s A S T R O N G M A N I T O B A N E E D S S T R O N G J O U R N A L I S T S L I K E K A T R I N A C L A R K E W i n n i p e g F r e e P r e s s i s a n i n d e - p e n d e n t p u b l i s h e r s e r v i n g t h e c i t y o f W i n n i p e g a n d s u r r o u n d i n g c o m m u n i t i e s . Th e o l d e s t n e w s p a p e r i n W e s t e r n C a n a d a , t h e F r e e P r e s s h a s b e e n p u b l i s h e d s i n c e 1 8 7 2 o n T r e a t y 1 A S T R O N G M A N IT O B A N E E D S S T R O N G JO U R N A L IS T S L IK E K A T R IN A C L A R K E TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2025 A8 ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM NEWS I CANADA / WORLD Harm reduction advocates hope high court will clarify Canada’s Good Samaritan law O UTSIDE a rural Saskatchewan elementary school on a fall mor- ning in 2020, Paul Wilson and three others parked their truck and called 911 as a woman they were with experienced a fentanyl overdose. When police arrived, paramedics were already treating the woman. A Mountie who responded to the scene smelled marijuana from the vehicle and noticed a baggie which looked like crystal meth on the ground out- side the driver’s side door. Wilson was arrested for drug pos- session, and a search later turned up a bag with guns, false identity docu- ments and a quantity of “apparent drugs.” Wilson was convicted on multiple gun charges in 2022, but the Saskatch- ewan Court of Appeal found the drug possession arrest was unlawful under Canada’s Good Samaritan law, which is meant to shield people from arrest after they seek help for someone in medical distress. The thorny legal questions raised by the case are now set to be tested in the Supreme Court of Canada, and harm reduction advocates say the case will determine the future of the current Good Samaritan law. The hearing Tuesday will hear argu- ments on the powers of police to arrest people at the scene of a drug overdose, and whether the 2017 law, known as the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, is clear about those powers. Lawyer DJ Larkin, executive direc- tor of the Canadian Drug Policy Co- alition, said Monday that Wilson and others with him “did the right thing” by calling for medical help, likely sav- ing the person’s life. Larkin said the Good Samaritan law is supposed to immunize people from arrest for calling for help for those experiencing an overdose, and a coalition of drug policy groups is intervening in the case to provide the court with a “path” to clarify the law’s public health purpose. “These laws need to be clear and easily understood. If anyone (is) need- ing to take action in an emergency, they need to know the risk they face,” Larkin said. “You shouldn’t need a law degree to understand what will hap- pen if you call 911.” The groups, including the Harm Reduction Nurses Association and the Association of Addiction Workers of Quebec, held a briefing Monday to outline their role as interveners in the case and to highlight the legal issues at play. They claim the high court’s deci- sion will have national ramifications for people who call 911 for overdoses and whether they’re safe from arrest if they remain at the scene. Corey Ranger, president of the Harm Reduction Nurses Association, said the organization provides nalox- one training for overdose prevention, telling those they train that the Good Samaritan law will protect them from arrest at the scene of an overdose. “We tell people that you must stay with the person who overdosed, that leaving them behind is a risk for death,” he said. “If our education has to change … we’ll see a lot more people abandoned at the scene of an overdose.” Ranger and Larkin said the groups are intervening in the case, fearing that a lack of clarity in the Good Sam- aritan law will cause people to delay or avoid calling 911 for overdoses, or leaving the scene in fear of being ar- rested when police arrive. “If we want fewer workers find- ing people dead in tents, alleyways, public restrooms, then we must not compromise on the Good Samaritan provision,” Ranger said. Lawyer Maxime Bedard said the “primary question” the high court panel will have to answer is whether police can legally arrest people for simple drug possession at the scene of an overdose, as Wilson was in 2020. Wilson was arrested for the offence, but not charged with drug possession, though police used the initial arrest as a pretext for the search that turned up the guns that led to the firearms charges. Larkin said the groups hope the Supreme Court’s decision in the case will provide a “guiding light” to courts across the country. “The court has the opportunity to decide this case in a way that provides a beacon for other courts so that we can prevent harm, so that we can save the lives of our loved ones and our community members,” he said. — The Canadian Press DARRYL GREER Canada settles lawsuit by military members who alleged racism in uniform OTTAWA — The federal government has settled a class-action lawsuit with military members who were subjected to racism during their time in the Armed Forces. The settlement is worth up to $150 million, and individual payments will range from $5,000 to $35,000. The claimants are people who served in the Canadian Armed Forces between April 1985 and Jan. 10, and experienced racism while in uniform. Anyone eligible for the settlement has the option of getting a personalized letter of apology from the chief of the defence staff. The settlement also includes a pledge to make systemic changes to the Armed Forces’ culture. In a written statement, Defence Min- ister Bill Blair says racism in the work- place erodes the cohesiveness of an effective military and says he’s pleased the settlement was approved by the Federal Court. “Our institution supports this settle- ment as it demonstrates the commit- ment to ensuring that we provide our CAF members with a psychologically safe and inclusive workplace, where one can reach their full potential,” Blair said. The Canadian military has also been sued by its members over sexual mis- conduct and discrimination against LG- BTTQ+ people. In 2019, the Canadian government settled a $900-million class-action law- suit with veterans and military mem- bers who experienced sexual miscon- duct in the Armed Forces. More than 23,000 people have re- ceived compensation in that claim. Survivors of the LGBTQ Purge set- tled a lawsuit with the government in 2018 for $145 million. A separate group of military mem- bers and veterans have sued the Armed Forces, alleging they faced discrimina- tion and stigmatization because of their mental health. The Federal Court also approved an $817-million settlement last year with veterans whose disability pensions were not properly calculated. — The Canadian Press SARAH RITCHIE Hurricane-force winds cause widespread damage in Alaska city ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Thousands of residents across Alaska’s largest city were still without power Monday, a day after a powerful storm brought hurri- cane-force winds that downed power lines, damaged trees, forced more than a dozen planes to divert, and caused a pedestrian bridge over a highway to partially collapse. A 132-m.p.h. (212-km/h) wind gust was recorded at a mountain weather station south of Anchorage. Just north of the city, a 107-m.p.h. (172-km/h) gust was recorded in Arctic Valley, and within the city a 75-m.p.h. (121-km/h) gust was recorded. Hurricane-force winds start at 74 m.p.h. (119 km/h). A large low-pressure system in the Bering Sea brought the high winds, moisture and warmer than average temperatures — in the low 40s F (slight- ly over 4.4 C) — to Anchorage on Sun- day, said National Weather Service me- teorologist Tracen Knopp. In Anchorage, Steven Wood and his family were watching the winds blow things around the yard after they finished breakfast Sunday morning when they saw their neighbour’s roof partially blow off and head right to- ward them. “All of a sudden, I see the roof start to peel off, and all I can yell is, ‘Incoming! Everybody run!’” he told Anchorage television station KTUU. The roof hit a window in Wood’s home, sending broken glass all over the house. “It’s down the hallways, down the stairs and it actually separated the drywall in the bedroom it hit so hard,” he said. The high winds are suspected of con- tributing to the partial collapse of a pedestrian walkway over the Seward Highway, a major thoroughfare and the only road leading south out of Anchor- age. There were no injuries when the side fencing and roof of the bridge fell onto the four-lane divided highway on Sun- day. Traffic was rerouted and crews removed the debris. “The winds were the leading cause, but our bridge engineers will be out there today and may be able give us a more comprehensive analysis of what happened,” Alaska Department of Transportation spokesperson Shannon McCarthy said. Three passenger jets, nine cargo planes and one U.S. Air Force plane could not land Sunday in Anchorage because of the winds. McCarthy said all were diverted to Fairbanks, about a six-hour drive north of Anchorage. The state transportation department also oversees airports in Alaska. Residents were beginning to clean up after the winds scattered trash bins and other debris throughout the city, toppled or damaged trees, and downed power lines. — The Associated Press MARK THIESSEN ;