Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 16, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba WINNIPEG NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL WNMF.CA JAN. 21 - 25, 2025 MICHAEL NESBITT PREMIER PATRON TICKETS $25 PASSES $89 SERVING MANITOBA SINCE 1872. FOREVER WITH YOUR SUPPORT. THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2025 WEATHER PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH -2 — LOW -3 COMMUNITY MAIN STREET PROJECT TO EXPAND SERVICES IN 2025 ABDEL KAREEM HANA / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS GAZA CEASEFIRE CELEBRATED Palestinians celebrate the announcement of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, Wednesday. See story on page A3 Canada united on tariff threat, except Alberta O TTAWA — The country’s premiers emerged from a key meeting about Canada-U.S. relations in Ottawa Wednesday with a message of unity and a pledge to stand together, with one exception: Alberta’s Danielle Smith, who said she cannot support any plan if energy export tariffs could be a part of it. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who chaired the first ministers’ meeting, said it was “highly productive.” “We have a shared sense of purpose, a shared sense of understanding and a commitment to stand together on a united path forward,” he said. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, who has long been a vocal critic of Trudeau’s Liberal government, began Wednesday by echoing Smith’s concerns that blocking energy exports to the United States would trigger a national unity crisis. After the meeting, he struck a diplo- matic tone. “Canadians can be thankful their 13 premiers, the prime minister and a few federal ministers are coming together not only to hash out what those dif- ferences might be, but to understand where we can come together,” Moe said. But as the premiers spoke to report- ers in Ottawa, Smith, who attended the meeting remotely while on vacation and didn’t take part in the press conference, took to social media to explain why she refused to sign a joint statement with her colleagues. “Alberta will simply not agree to export tariffs on our energy or other products, nor do we support a ban on exports of these same products. We will take whatever actions are needed to protect the livelihoods of Albertans from such destructive federal poli- cies,” said Smith. She added that Canada needs to “correct the misguided direction of this country” and focus on developing, upgrading and exporting oil and gas and other resources. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, chair of the Council of the Federation, said he respects that Smith is concerned with protecting Alberta energy but he be- lieves incoming U.S. president Donald Trump is trying to divide and conquer. “He’s coming full-tilt at Canadians as a whole, and that’s one thing we have to understand. We need to be united,” Ford said. Trump has threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods beginning on Jan. 20, inauguration day. While he initially said the tariffs were being imposed in response to drugs and illegal immigration crossing the shared border, he has since pivoted to citing the United States’ trade deficit with Canada. Senior government officials have previously said Ottawa is looking at imposing retaliatory tariffs on things like American steel, ceramics, plastics and orange juice. Trudeau said Wednesday he sup- ports the principle of a dollar-for-dol- lar response to the American tariffs, but said Canada must wait to see what Trump actually does next week before laying out a response. SARAH RITCHIE AND DAVID BAXTER Denies fault for wrongful convictions in 1973 slaying Province points finger at police KEVIN ROLLASON THE provincial government says it is not responsible for the wrongful convictions of two Indigenous men 50 years ago because its prosecutors didn’t know Winnipeg police officers had obtained false confessions. Lawsuits filed last year by Allan Woodhouse and Brian Anderson accused police officers and a Crown prosecutor of colluding to bring false evidence into the trial. In separate statements of defence filed last week, the province claims that’s not the case. The province admits the two men were victims of a “miscarriage of justice,” but says police, not provincial prosecutors, are the only ones respon- sible for investigating crimes and it is up to the federal courts to determine whether confessions are “voluntary and accurate.” “The plaintiff’s conviction was primarily caused by a false confes- sion unlawfully obtained from him by members of the Winnipeg Police Service,” the province claims in the documents. “The Government of Manitoba and the Attorney General for Manitoba had no knowledge of the falsity of the confession and bear no responsibility for the miscarriage of justice that it occasioned … the prosecuting Crown attorneys relied upon the information, records, evidence and other disclosure given to them by the members of the WPS in making the decision to charge the plaintiff. “Any loss or damage sustained by the plaintiff, as alleged, was caused or significantly contributed to by third parties for whom Manitoba is not responsible.” City accused of ignoring squatters in Wolseley camper THE landlord of a Wolseley property, his neighbours and even the local coun- cillor have repeatedly implored the City of Winnipeg to remove squatters who have been living in an RV that’s been parked behind his apartment since June — all to no avail. Firefighters were called to the site on Fawcett Avenue on Sunday and entered the camper, a neighbour said. She said its occupants use propane to heat the camper, which is behind a three-unit apartment building. “Somebody’s going to die here. It’s cold outside,” said a neighbour who didn’t want to be named by the Free Press. “Either the people inside (the apart- ment) are not letting these people come and live inside, or they’re renting it, I don’t know what’s going on.” She said she had repeatedly asked the city to intervene, beginning in June, because she believed the squatters had been involved in unsafe activities and she never expected the camper would still be in use in winter. She and other nearby residents, as well as Coun. Cindy Gilroy, say they’re frustrated because City of Winnipeg bylaw officers refuse to order the squatters to vacate the camper. The situation contravenes the city’s neighbourhood livability bylaw, which disallows a camper to be used as a residence unless it is parked in a campground. The owner of the building, who does not live on the property, said the camper belongs to a tenant and he con- firmed people were living in it. He said he is aware its use violates city bylaws and he has told the tenant multiple times to have the camper removed, but the tenant has refused to comply. He said bylaw enforcement was called to the building in November, but never followed up. “They came by, and they haven’t been by since … I’ve called them twice, and I haven’t even received a return call,” said the owner, who requested anonymity because he’s a corrections officer. The Free Press was not able to talk to anyone who lives in the camper. Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) said she’s “surprised” nothing has happened since she asked the bylaw office to get involved back in the summer. “I would hope that somebody is looking into this further, whether it’s the Winnipeg Police Service or the Winnipeg Parking Authority or bylaws. It’s been reported from a resident, it’s also been reported from the area councillor, so our bylaws should be followed,” she said. “Right now, it is in the middle of winter, so there shouldn’t be somebody living in a camper right now.” MALAK ABAS Oil-country premier demands energy off the table, other premiers urge provinces to stand together ● CANADA, CONTINUED ON A2 ● WRONGFUL, CONTINUED ON A2 ● SQUATTERS, CONTINUED ON A2 ● MORE COVERAGE ON A8 ;