Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 31, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba A2 ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM NEWS FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2025 VOL 154 NO 69 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. 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INSIDE Arts and Life C1 Business B5 Classifieds D8 Comics C5 Diversions C6,7 Horoscope C6 Miss Lonelyhearts C6 Movies C1-3 Music C3 Opinion A6,7 Real estate B8 Sports D1 Television C4 Weather C8 COLUMNISTS: Tom Brodbeck B1 Dan Lett B3 READER SERVICE ● GENERAL INQUIRIES 204-697-7000 CIRCULATION INQUIRIES MISSING OR INCOMPLETE PAPER? 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 “Even though she was living in the same community, (Skye) still cut off that contact with me and my partner and my family,” Goosehead said. “We did send messages to see her and she would not respond to us.” Goosehead said Skye struggled with alcohol use in the past, but had seemed to get the issue under control. The grandmother was already caring for Jessiah’s older sister — the daugh- ter of Jessiah’s biological mother — when the toddler was placed in her care, she said. “I figured that, because she was doing so good and getting her other grandchildren back, that Jessiah would be good there as well; that she would be safe there.” Goosehead said she does not know what led to Jessiah’s death. Police said they were alerted by nursing station staff after the toddler was pronounced dead. Investigators executed a search warrant on her grandmother’s home the following day. An autopsy in Winnipeg Monday confirmed the toddler died as a result of a homicide, police said. “It’s heartbreaking and if I didn’t say people were emotional, crying … I’d be lying, because it’s been very, very difficult,” said RCMP major crimes Sgt. Laura LeDrew, who is leading the investigation. “It’s pretty raw for us investigators, and we’re just trying to get through and make sure there’s justice for the little one. She was a beautiful, sweet little creature, from all the pictures we saw.” LeDrew said RCMP have informed child and family services about the slaying and are working with child welfare officials during the investiga- tion. The girl was not under CFS care, LeDrew confirmed. She would not say whether the girl had been abused or whether there were issues with domestic violence or other problems at the home. “This little girl had been taken care of wonderfully for a period of time and was very well-loved by many people, and that probably gives me, personally, and our team, a little bit of relief,” said LeDrew. She would not say how the girl was injured, including whether a weapon was involved. RCMP are not certain when the girl was injured. Investigators looked at photographs and spoke with neighbours, nurses and the girl’s family members. “We were able to uncover some other evidence through other means and it painted quite a clear picture for us of exactly what happened, but it does involve a lot of different moving parts,” said LeDrew. LeDrew said Bloodvein is a small community where people tend to know each other. “This is disgusting in any sort of community. I don’t think anyone imagines this happening to a child, but I don’t know how the community’s going to move forward from some- thing like this,” said LeDrew. “It’s kind of unimaginable — the people all do know one another.” Bloodvein Chief Lisa Young, who is related to Jessiah, sat by Gooseh- ead’s side as she spoke with reporters Thursday. Young was among the first to learn about Jessiah’s death, and broke the news to Goosehead last week, she said. “We are saddened by this tragic loss, and we are here to be as support- ive as possible,” she said, speaking on behalf of the community. Jessiah’s family lit a sacred fire in Winnipeg in her honour on Saturday, and it burned until Tuesday, Gooseh- ead said. The grieving aunt is making ar- rangements for the toddler’s funeral. She said Jessiah was an intelligent, vibrant girl who loved music and dancing. “That’s something that we did. I would blast my music and she would just dance,” she said, wracked with sobs. Jessiah had two siblings on her mother’s side, and five from her fa- ther. She was the youngest child in the family, Goosehead said. Court records from 2022 show Skye has four adult children and was car- ing for two young grandchildren. The little girl’s slaying marks the first homicide of 2025 in Manitoba. The First Nation is about 285 kilome- tres north of Winnipeg, on the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg, on the Bloodvein River. About 1,100 people live there. The remains of another First Na- tions girl, Xavia Butler, were found in a barn in the Rural Municipality of Grahamdale in June. RCMP have said the death of the one- or two-year- old girl was being investigated as a homicide. No charges have been laid to date. In February 2024, a Wasagamack First Nation woman was charged with second-degree murder in the death of a one-year-old boy. Jayna Knott, 26, was remanded in custody. — with files from Dean Pritchard tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca TODDLER ● FROM A1 MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Bloodvein Chief Lisa Young, Jessiah’s aunt Roberta Goosehead, and Goosehead’s mother Kimberly Scott (from left) speak to the media about the death of the two-year-old, on Thursday. Lutnick told senators Wednes- day that Trump’s threatened 25 per cent across-the-board duties would be an emergency measure to achieve border security — and could be followed by more tariffs in the future. Lutnick said he believes Canada and Mexico are “acting swiftly” on border security “and if they exe- cute it, there will be no tariff and if they don’t, then there will be.” LeBlanc met Lutnick at Mar-a- Lago late last year after he and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau travelled there for a dinner with Trump a few days after he made his initial tariff threat. LeBlanc’s office said the video was sent along with a “personal message” to add context on Cana- da’s work to shore up the border. The spokesperson said the mes- sage was not part of any official communication plan. The minister will meet with Lutnick but not until after his nom- ination is confirmed. LeBlanc’s outreach comes as Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is in Washington, D.C. con- necting with American officials and lawmakers. On Thursday, she was set to meet Republican senators Pete Ricketts and Lisa Murkowski and Democrat senators Tim Kaine and Maria Cantwell. Public Safety Minister David McGuinty and Immigration Minis- ter Marc Miller were travelling to Washington Thursday for meet- ings with various senators and members of Trump’s team. The three ministers could also meet with Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan today, but a meeting has not been finalized. Trump didn’t implement the du- ties on his first day back in office, as he’d vowed to do, but later said they’d hit both countries on Feb. 1. The illegal traffic of drugs and people over Canada’s border is miniscule compared to the traffic over the U.S.-Mexico border. Still, Canada moved rapidly to appease Trump’s concerns with a $1.3-bil- lion border security plan. There are additional helicopters and drones in the sky above the border and officers with canine units on the ground. Provincial governments have also boosted border resources. In response to questions about a report in the Globe and Mail that said the federal government sent packages of video clips to Trump and his team, McGuinty said sharing video with the U.S. is not uncommon. “It is likely to help show the in- vestments that we’re making and that they’re working,” McGuinty told reporters Wednesday. Canadian officials are likely well aware that the president has an affinity for images and videos. It was reported during the first Trump administration that the president preferred his briefings short and full of photos, videos and graphics. During his first administration and throughout his campaign last year, Trump often repeated lines from conservative Fox News hosts. His new secretary of defence, Pete Hegseth, is a former Fox News personality. Premiers have taken advantage of the president’s viewing habits. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have made numerous appearances on Fox programs in an attempt to talk Trump out of hammering Canada with tariffs. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said Canada has had some success in making its case in direct con- versations with state and federal lawmakers. “But there’s one person, in particular, whose mind we need to have land in a favourable direction for Canada,” Kinew said, alluding to Trump without saying his name. Kinew, a former broadcaster himself, said there’s value in sell- ing Canada’s border security plan through easily consumable images and videos. “If you see me or (Saskatchewan Premier) Scott Moe standing along a border with conservation offi- cers, and if there’s a Black Hawk helicopter landing somewhere near Emerson playing on TV, I think that helps strongly to make the case with the United States of America that we are taking border security seriously,” he said. — The Canadian Press NDP leader vows to force spring election, urges recall of Parliament amid tariff fight OTTAWA — NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh vowed Thursday to force an election at the end of March, when Parliament is scheduled to return. But even as he doubled down on his pledge to help topple the Liberal govern- ment, Singh called on that government to recall Parliament early to work on legis- lation to prepare for a possible tariff war with the United States. “We will be voting against the govern- ment at the end of March,” Singh said at a news conference in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. He repeated that line several times when pressed by journalists on the tight timeline. Singh has been calling for Parliament to reconvene early to rush through sup- ports for workers who would be affect- ed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened 25 per cent tariffs. “We will be voting against the govern- ment and there will be an election in the spring,” he said. “But before that time, there will be two months. Is the Liberal government proposing that we do noth- ing for two months?” All three main opposition parties have said they intend to bring down the gov- ernment in a confidence vote at the earli- est opportunity. Parliament is prorogued until March 24 as the Liberals choose a new leader to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, whose party continues to lead in national polls, has also demanded that Parliament return immediately as Canada faces down Trump’s threats. Singh stood with union leaders and unionized steelworkers Thursday mor- ning to announce an NDP “Buy Can- adian” policy to respond to Trump’s threat of economically damaging tariffs. Singh said Canada should overhaul its procurement rules and bar American companies from all federal government procurement contracts if Trump follows through on his tariff threat. “We need to make sure that we’re fa- vouring Canadian companies that pro- duce the things that we need in our own country,” Singh said. Just before the 2019 election, Singh called for changes to federal procure- ment rules to force the government to buy more of what it needs from Canadian firms. Liberal leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland also pitched a “Buy Canadian” plan earlier this week. She said Ottawa should bar Americans from non-defence-related government procurement contracts in response to Trump’s tariffs. Singh’s policy would bar American firms from bidding on Canadian defence contracts as well — although a party spokesperson said exemptions could be made for items that aren’t built in Can- ada. Trump’s nominee for commerce secre- tary, Howard Lutnick, told a Senate hear- ing on Wednesday that Canada could face emergency tariffs at first, with the prospect of more to come down the road. Trump threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico as early as Feb. 1 if they don’t step up border security. That led the Lib- eral government to quickly produce a $1.3-billion border security plan. As Canada is hoping to stave off po- tential tariffs, Newfoundland and Lab- rador Premier Andrew Furey says the province is preparing for any potential response. At a news conference in St. John’s, N.L., on Thursday, the premier said the province plans to present a “buy in New- foundland and Labrador, buy in Canada campaign.” He said signs and stickers could be placed next to local products in grocery stores. Furey said the federal government needs to come up with a “robust” plan to support impacted workers. “I would like to see a COVID-style relief package that is responsive to the needs of the industry with also the in- dustries that are adjacent,” Furey said. “They need to step up.” — The Canadian Press KYLE DUGGAN TRUMP ● FROM A1 ALEX BRANDON / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS U.S. President Donald Trump says the tariffs ‘may or may not rise with time.’ ;