Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 30, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2025 A2 ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM W HILE the message “might is right” grows louder in the United States, Canada must lean into global unity and international law, Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations said at a stop in Winnipeg Wed- nesday. Bob Rae kicked off the University of Manitoba’s 40th annual J.W. Dafoe Political Studies Students’ Conference with a public lecture. This year, the two-day conference focuses on the United Nations. Rae took attendees through the UN’s 80-year history before remarking on the world body’s current state. He later answered questions from Lloyd Axworthy, Canada’s former foreign af- fairs minister, and the audience. Rae pointed to the recent election of United States President Donald Trump: Trump has taken to economic force and spheres of influence, Rae said. The American leader has enacted a 90-day pause on foreign development assist- ance and has ordered the administra- tion to review programs. Recently, Trump unveiled a two- stage tariff plan against Canadian goods. It follows his threats of a sweep- ing 25 per cent tariff. “We built a relationship with the United States that was supposed to be based on the rule of law and not the rule of force,” Rae told a crowd at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. “We both recognized … that it was in our mutual interest to do so. “That’s the same basis on which we have built all of the fragile structures that bring together the rule of law and bring together our ability to say we are responding to a difficult world.” Amid the global climate — Rae cited Trump and President Vladimir Putin in Russia — Canada must say it won’t take the global powers’ spheres of influence, Rae said. “We believe in a world where the rule of law means something, where the in- stitutions we have built are worth sav- ing.” The United Nations is not perfect, but it’s worth believing in, Rae under- scored. It was built on a system of inequality; five of the world’s most powerful countries have veto powers over the security council. The UN must respond to the con- flict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo more effectively, among other things, Rae noted. However, Canada can both support the United Nations and ask it to do bet- ter, he said. His speech was delivered as leaders anticipate a reduced United Nations budget, should the United States pull its funding. Rae shared his concern that a fixa- tion on Canada’s relationship with the United States will divert attention from other issues such as climate change and the world’s ability to fight the next pan- demic. He urged Canada not to go “quiet- ly in the night,” but to join in the fight against oppression. A Congolese audience member questioned Rae about the dissatisfac- tory response from the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of the Con- go. Rae shared that by responding with fellow UN members, the international organization is learning how to do things differently and committing to change. It’s a reason to continue sup- porting the UN, Rae said. Axworthy noted countries have sub- stantially reduced their budgets for diplomacy and non-governmental or- ganization civil activity. It has contrib- uted to a leaching of human rights cap- acity, he said. Axworthy is slated to participate in a question-and-answer conference event this afternoon. Peacekeeping and the United Nations’ future are among scheduled panel discussions. gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com NEWS VOL 154 NO 68 Winnipeg Free Press est 1872 / Winnipeg Tribune est 1890 2025 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 CEO / MIKE POWER 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 “The biggest implication to the problems in Manitoba is that when peo- ple are playing on these online sites, you’re funnelling money into offshore companies, these monies that would be more rightfully served to serve Mani- tobans,” Sul told the committee. “I think the second aspect is con- sumer protection. So when you think about the risks that people don’t under- stand about when you deposit money into an account in Antigua, Malta or Gibraltar, and you run into some diffi- culties with the organization and how you get your money back,” he said. Revenue from Winnipeg casinos in- creased by $16.7 million during the last fiscal year to a record $246 million. Sul told the committee the appeal of traditional scratch tickets continues to decline. In 2023-24 the share of the profit of the Western Canada Lottery Corp. considered to be part of the lottery operating segment was $53.5 million, a decrease of $6.9 million. The Crown corporation will work with WCLC to explore how to revive the old-school gambling cards, Sul said. In terms of cannabis, sales contin- ue to grow in the province. Revenue jumped $22.7 million to $153 million in 2023-24 and the number of private retailers increased to 205 from 177. Sul said when the industry was established it was able to compete with a street value of $10 per gram of dried cannabis. Today, the catalogue price of cannabis is around $2 per gram. “That kind of helps attract the cus- tomer,” he said. With edible forms of cannabis rapid- ly expanding and retail stores continu- ing to see strong sales, the president said it’s up to the consumer as to when the industry would stop growing. The 2023 strike cost the Crown cor- poration $10 million, Sul said. Revenue losses were calculated to be about $20 million but were offset with savings on labour costs and benefits to unionized employees. Operating expenses, which rose $23.6 million over the previous fiscal year to $262.6 million, were affected by higher employee costs related to new collective agreements. nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca TRENDS ● FROM A1 It claims the numbered company undertook several steps in anticipation of the land deal, including submitting applications to the City of Winnipeg, hiring engineers and technical experts and entering into commercial agreements with neighbouring landowners. SCO’s development corporation replied to the countersuit with a statement of defence in August 2024. It admitted Daniels had obtained a personal mortgage for a condo from a corporation related to the numbered compa- ny, but said the grand chief was approached first. It denied Daniels defaulted on the mortgage. “In any event … the details of Grand Chief Daniels’ per- sonal mortgage with a non-party to this litigation are wholly irrelevant,” the statement of defence said. The statement denies Daniels said he could influence the land deal. The claims haven’t been tested in court. The SCO website says it formed its development corpora- tion in 2018, shortly after Daniels was elected grand chief. It’s intended to “enhance the economic base” of its 33-mem- ber First Nations in southern Manitoba and create employ- ment for their citizens. Provincial records show the Manitoba Companies Office disbanded the corporation in March 2024, after it failed to file its annual returns two years in a row. Daniels is listed as the director of the development corporation. Multiple sources told the Free Press Daniels was involved in an altercation outside a bar in downtown Ottawa on Dec. 3. He later issued a public apology and said he would seek treatment for alcohol use. Chief Cornell McLean of Lake Manitoba First Nation was temporarily named acting chief, until Daniels was reinstat- ed as leader this month. SCO welcomed Daniels back in a post on social media on Jan. 23, saying his “commitment to advancing the goals of our SCO Nations, chiefs, and SCO staff remains unwavering.” The day after his reinstatement, Daniels announced SCO chief executive officer Joy Cramer and chief operating officer Jennifer Rattray had been placed on leave. Ryan Bear, was appointed as acting CEO, said an internal memo obtained by the Free Press. Bear is listed on SCO’s website as chief executive officer of its development arm. On Wednesday, a spokesperson for SCO declined to comment about Daniels, the litigation and the departure of senior staff members. SCO is involved in a $200-million development project to transform the former Hudson’s Bay Co. building in down- town Winnipeg. The Free Press has requested comment from all three levels of government, which have each contributed funding and tax incentives to the project. At an unrelated news conference, Premier Wab Kinew said he had no personal knowledge about the allegations circling around Daniels and therefore could not comment. “Southern Chiefs Organization is somebody that’s a valued partner for us,” he said. Chris Minaker, the director of policy, planning and exter- nal relations for Prairies Economic Development Canada’s Manitoba region, said The Bay project is a “transformation- al development in the heart of Winnipeg’s downtown” and “an example of economic reconciliation.” He did not comment on Daniels. The City of Winnipeg similarly declined to comment, but confirmed there have been no changes to its commitment to support the redevelopment. tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca HEALTH support workers are upset they’ve had to vote overwhelmingly to go on strike under an NDP government, little more than a year and a half after doing so under the Tories. Allied health workers represented by the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals have voted 96 per cent in favour of a strike mandate. They voted 99 per cent in favour of a strike mandate in 2023, after working five years without a contract. No strike date has been set. The union says retention, understaff- ing, increasing workloads and the lack of competitive wages are some of the main issues in both the current labour negoti- ations and the earlier ones. “I think that 96 per cent shows that profound level of disappointment,” said union president Jason Linklater on Wed- nesday. “I think what sticks out the most to me is it indicates a profound lack of trust. The health minister has publicly stated that retention is the most important step in fixing allied health. A vote like this indicates that there is not a belief that there’s an intention here.” Linklater said the negotiations which have led up to the strike vote are particu- larly upsetting because they were hoping the government of Wab Kinew would be different than the Brian Pallister and Heather Stefanson governments. “This is probably the most disappoint- ing part for everyone,” he said. “This is the identical situation we were in with the previous government, in that Shared Health has a complete inability to fix anything if resources are not made available by government. “Manitobans deserve better, they were promised better, and I think our message here is that it is not too late to turn the bus around and start making right decisions and start caring for the people who care for Manitobans.” The union represents more than 7,000 workers in more than 50 professions in- cluding rural paramedics, respiratory therapists, mental health clinicians and lab and imaging technologists. It took 15 months of negotiations and a strike deadline before a six-year agree- ment was reached in 2023, after five years of working without a contract. That contract, settled just weeks before a provincial election, included a general wage increase of 8.35 per cent and other improvements. Kathleen Cook, the Progressive Con- servative health critic, said the 96 per cent strike mandate “is a clear reflection of this government’s failure to deliver the relief and respect they promised to health-care workers. “The reality is simple: the NDP has no credible plan to fix the staffing crisis in health care. Front-line workers are burn- ing out, and instead of real solutions, this government offers empty promises and delay tactics. “The NDP needs to stop making ex- cuses and start fixing the crisis they claimed they could solve.” When asked about the strike vote, Kinew said he’s hoping for a deal. “We’ve been staffing up, I think every- one who has been working in health care sees that and that’s the first step to fix- ing health care,” he said. “Allied health workers are super valu- able. I hope they notice that I try to say allied health all the time, when we’re talking about health care staffing, and that’s just one small example of the em- phasis and the respect that we put in for the work that they do.” A Shared Health spokesman said it “is committed to the successful negotiation of a new and fair collective agreement for our province’s professional technic- al/paramedical sector employees.” The spokesman wouldn’t comment publicly about negotiations. “We remain at the bargaining table and continue to work towards a new col- lective agreement for all of these valued staff.” kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca Health workers’ strike vote shows ‘profound level of disappointment’ with NDP KEVIN ROLLASON THE Northern Health Region’s plan to bolster safety in the Thompson hospital, following a gun incident in its chapel on Christmas Eve, has upset nurses, whose union says it won’t address the problem. Raj Sewda, the CEO of the health authority, issued a directive that the Thompson General Hospital be locked down each evening at 7 p.m., as of Jan. 21, at all access points, including ele- vators and stairwells, but not the main doors to the emergency room. The memo, which the nurses union released Wednesday, was issued after an incident in which a suspect pointed a gun at a nurse and later fired it. No one was hurt and the suspect was arrested. Manitoba Nurses Union president Darlene Jackson said nurses had taken such measures before the memo was issued, although she didn’t know the ex- act timing. “This memo makes no sense to me at all,” she said Wednesday. “I don’t think it’s going to change what’s happening in the hospital in Thompson. The incident with the gun … happened at 4 o’clock in the afternoon … weapons are coming into the facility at all hours.” Jackson said the incident and CEO response demonstrate the urgent need to boost funding to increase security measures at hospitals across the prov- ince, especially the addition of institu- tional safety officers and a weapons scanner program. The officers are on duty at Health Sciences Centre, St. Boniface Hospital, Victoria Hospital, Brandon Region- al Health Centre and Selkirk Mental Health Centre. Long Plain First Nation safety offi- cers are stationed at Portage la Prairie’s hospital three nights a week as part of a pilot project. A weapons scanner has been installed at the emergency room entrance of HSC and will be rolled out Feb. 7. Jackson said she believes the govern- ment recognizes there’s a safety issue at hospitals. “It’s putting the employers (the health regions) in a position where they’re scrambling to provide safe facilities and to come up with ways to make fa- cilities safer, but with no funding to do anything different than lock a door,” said Jackson. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said Wednesday the province is working with health-care sites, including Thomp- son’s hospital, to make institutional safe- ty officers available and to better under- stand specific security needs. “We’re working with the regional health authority to roll out institution- al safety officers and increase and im- prove safety and security measures for Thompson,” the minister said. “What I’ve asked of Shared Health’s lead on this is to engage First Nations, to engage community, and to engage leaders to take steps … in a way that is appropriate and meets unique needs.” The minister did not say whether funding for the safety officer program will be increased. A spokesman for Shared Health re- fused to say how much money has been allocated to the institutional safety offi- cer or weapons detector programs an- nually. He said the agency is in discussions about security initiatives with health regions, facilities and the provincial government. A spokeswoman for the Northern Health Region said it is working with the province to implement safety meas- ures in northern health facilities. – with files from Chris Kitching erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca Thompson hospital lockdowns inadequate protection: nurses union ERIK PINDERA MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES SCO Grand Chief Jerry Daniels DANIELS ● FROM A1 UN ambassador preaches global unity against backdrop of Trump GABRIELLE PICHÉ SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador to the UN ;