Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - February 11, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba SIT. SWAB. SEND. WILL YOU SIT WITH US? 1-855-952-4325 / ColonCheck FEB 14-23 FÉV SERVING MANITOBA SINCE 1872. FOREVER WITH YOUR SUPPORT. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2025 WEATHER SUNNY. HIGH -20 — LOW -28 ARTS I LOVE TO READ MONTH RECOMMENDATIONS / C1 Trump orders 25% tariffs on steel, aluminum KELLY GERALDINE MALONE WASHINGTON — Donald Trump has signed executive orders to slap 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States, including Canadian prod- ucts, starting March 4 — the same deadline given to Canada to con- vince the U.S. president to halt his plan for across-the-board duties. “It’s a big deal. This is the be- ginning of making America rich again,” Trump said as he signed the executive orders in the Oval Office. The orders remove the excep- tions and exemptions from Trump’s 2018 tariffs on steel, which exclud- ed Canada and other countries from the duties. Monday’s orders also increased aluminum tariffs to 25 per cent from 10 per cent, which was what he’d set them at in 2018. In a post on X Monday evening, Industry Minister François- Philippe Champagne said steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada would be “totally unjustified.” “Canadian steel and aluminum support key industries in the U.S. from defence, shipbuilding, energy to automotive,” Champagne said. The minister said the govern- ment is consulting with its inter- national partners, adding that its response will be “clear and calibrated.” “We will continue to stand up for Canada, support our workers, and defend our industries as we have always done and always will,” he said. Monday’s move marks anoth- er escalation in Trump’s rapidly changing geopolitical agenda that’s charting America on a new course for foreign policy and trade. The president also suggested he would also announce “reciprocal tariffs” later this week. It’s all happening one week after Trump temporarily paused plans to slap Canada and Mexico with 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs and a lower 10 per cent levy on Canadian energy. Trump delayed those levies until at least March 4 in response to border security commitments from both countries, saying it would al- low time to reach a “final economic deal.” Would-be assailant in Holy Ghost Parish incident charged T HE Catholic priest, wearing deep- green vestments, makes his way to the front of the church while chanting prayers in Polish, bowing a knee before climbing the two steps to the altar. Without warning, a bald man in a bright yellow jacket and sneakers strides purposefully towards the cler- ic and, with a knife in his right hand, lunges, attempting to stab him. The cleric screams, turns and flees. The attacker turns, plunges the knife into the altar table and quietly walks to a chair and sits down before several parishoners — including an off-duty RCMP officer — attending Sunday mass at Holy Ghost Parish calmly approach and detain him. No one was injured in the shocking scene that played out at the North End church, captured on a 50-second video recorded from the livestream of the service. It’s the latest in a recent, disturbing number of incidents involving houses of worship in the inner city, sanctuar- ies previously spared of the violence and other social ills that have forced church officials to increase security measures. Winnipeg Police Service spokes- woman Const. Dani McKinnon said nothing specifically appeared to pre- cipitate the attempted assault on the 38-year-old priest at about 6 p.m. “This was extremely unexpected. We don’t often hear of acts of violence occurring within places of worship in Winnipeg,” McKinnon said Monday. “Police do not believe that the accused in this matter regularly attended the church or was part of the congregation, so it is more disturbing in that a motive hasn’t been estab- lished or may not until (the charges proceed to) court.” The pastor told police he did not rec- ognize the suspect, McKinnon said. “He seems driven in the video, he seems to know where he wants to go with the assault,” said McKinnon. “The pastor, he essentially stepped off the line of attack and saved him- self.” McKinnon said it’s “a bit of a mira- cle” that no one was hurt and that the RCMP officer was among the parish- ioners at the Selkirk Avenue house of worship. ERIK PINDERA CHRISTINNE MUSCHI / THE CANADIAN PRESS STAR POWER SET FOR FACE-OFF Team Canada players (from left) Connor McDavid, Sam Reinhart, Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby talk on the bench during their first practice in Montreal on Monday ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey tournament. Canada faces Sweden in the opener Wednesday / D1 ● TRUMP, CONTINUED ON A2 ● ATTACK, CONTINUED ON A2 Priest dodges knife attack during Sunday mass ● MANITOBA REACTION / B5 NDP to announce inquiry into scandal-ridden police HQ project AN inquiry into the scandal-plagued construction of the Winnipeg Police Service headquarters will be launched today, the Free Press has learned. Government sources confirmed Premier Wab Kinew will announce the hiring of Winnipeg labour lawyer Garth Smorang as chief commissioner, as well as the terms of reference that will guide the inquiry. Smorang will be authorized to “inquire into the affairs of the City of Winnipeg and determine if any mea- sures are necessary to restore public confidence in the ability of the city to implement large-scale, publicly funded construction projects.” He will have the ability to review “the dealings of previous elected officials, including the mayor, and senior employ- ees of the City of Winnipeg, including the chief administrative officer.” Smorang, who will be asked to complete his work by Jan. 1, 2027, has a budget of $2 million, the sources said. The inquiry fulfils a pledge made by Premier Wab Kinew shortly after the NDP won the October 2023 election. At that time, Kinew said Manitobans need- ed answers to “factual questions” about the downtown HQ project and the roles played by Sam Katz, who was mayor at the time, and Phil Sheegl, who was the city’s chief administrative officer. Government sources, whose names are being withheld because they are not authorized to speak publicly, con- firmed that Smorang, an experienced lawyer who has won several landmark cases for Manitoba unions, will head the commission. Smorang helped the Canadian Auto Workers Union win a $6-million judgment for bargaining in bad faith against Buhler-Versatile, a tractor manufacturer that bought the company during the strike. He was also the lead counsel for the University of Manitoba Faculty Association which, in 2017, won a $17-million judgment against the Progressive Conservative government for secretly influencing contract talks between the union and school. In his new assignment, Smorang will be charged with finding closure to a scandal that — despite being more than 10 years old — is plagued by unanswered questions, including why none of the major players was charged. DAN LETT ● INQUIRY, CONTINUED ON A2 ;