Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 1, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba KILDONAN PARK GOLF COURSE R E D R I V E R C H I E F P E G U I S T R A I L M A I N S T P E R I M E T E R H W Y R I D G E C R E S T A V E S C O T I A S T H E N D E R S O N H W Y KILDONAN PARK River Ridge I 204.202.1793 WORRY FREE LIVING! Get Ready For on the Historic Red River Age-In-Place Living 50 Ridgecrest Avenue, Winnipeg, MB • Weekly Dance Parties • Transportation for Scheduled Outings and Medical Appointments • 24/7 Care & Support All the Independence with a little Extra Care & Support At Your Service: • Weekly Light Housekeeping • Staff 24/7 • Pet Friendly • Wellness Checks • Home-Cooked meals in our Full Service Dining Room • Month to Month Leases Gracious Retirement Living Assisted Living Join Our Waitlist Today! Call Lori at PROUDLY CANADIAN www.allseniorscare.com Where Caring is Our Number One Concern™ When you give to your community foundation you’re working with others who are passionate about making Winnipeg the best it can be. Stronger Together! Learn more at wpgfdn.org In 2024, thanks to more than 8,400 gifts from donors, we granted $91.6 million to 1,100 charities. WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM ● A17 NEWS I CANADA / WORLD SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2025 WHO says water contamination is suspected in one of the Congo villages struck by illness BASANKUSU, Congo — Authorities investigating the deaths of at least 60 people in northwestern Congo suspect the water source in one of the areas may have been contaminated, the World Health Organization said Friday. But the agency said it’s too early for any definitive conclusion. Doctors are investigating more than 1,000 ill- nesses that emerged since late January in five villages in Congo’s Equateur province, where high rates of malaria have complicated efforts to diag- nose the cases and where officials have said they’ve been unable so far to confirm the main cause. WHO emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan said during an online briefing Friday that for one of the villages there is “a very strong level of suspi- cion of a poisoning event related to the poisoning of a water source.” Ryan did not clarify whether he was referring to contamination by accident, negligence or delib- erate action. He also did not identify the village where the poisoning was suspected. Illnesses were first detected in late January in the village of Boloko after three children ate a bat and died within 48 hours. Twelve cases and eight deaths in total have been recorded in Boloko, with no new cases recorded since January, officials say, adding that nearly half of deaths there oc- curred within hours of the onset of symptoms. — The Associated Press Supreme Court dismisses appeal from Saskatchewan government OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada has dismissed an appeal from the Saskatchewan government over a lawsuit alleging a Métis organization wasn’t consulted over uranium explor- ation permits. The unanimous ruling issued Friday lets Métis Nation Saskatchewan pro- ceed with its legal action against the province, after permits were granted more than three years ago in northwest Saskatchewan near Patterson Lake. The court says it was not an abuse of process for Métis Nation Saskatchewan to sue the province on the issue. “Although abuse of process is pos- sible in proceedings involving Indigen- ous litigants, the unique context of Ab- original rights litigation must always be borne in mind,” the decision says. Métis Nation Saskatchewan filed a claim in 2021 against the prov- ince, arguing it had Aboriginal title and rights to the land where NexGen Energy Ltd. received the permits. Saskatchewan argued the claims were an abuse of process, as Métis Nation Sas- katchewan has other lawsuits against the province over consultation issues. A Court of King’s Bench judge sided with Saskatchewan and struck portions of the lawsuit, but Métis Nation Sas- katchewan sought an appeal and had the entire action reinstated. The province challenged that ruling in the Supreme Court, but it was also dismissed. Métis Nation Saskatchewan’s other lawsuits include one filed in 2020 al- leging the province has a duty to con- sult the organization on land title and commercial harvesting rights. The other legal action from 1994 seeks declarations of Aboriginal title and commercial harvesting rights on the land in the province’s northwest. In 2005, a judge stayed the decision on that case due to Métis Nation Saskatch- ewan not disclosing certain documents. The organization can apply to the courts to lift the stay, but it has not done so. “The fact that there are two or more ongoing legal proceedings which in- volve the same, or similar, parties or legal issues, is in itself not sufficient for an abuse of process,” the decision says. “There may be instances where mul- tiple proceedings will enhance, rather than impeach, the integrity of the ju- dicial system, or where parties have a valid reason for bringing separate, but related, proceedings.” Hilary Peterson, the head legal offi- cer with Métis Nation Saskatchewan, said the decision gives it the right to challenge specific cases where it be- lieves consultation was not done. “We have really clear direction that this is not an abuse of process, that it is not a duplication and, in fact, it’s our right to do so,” she told reporters in Saskatoon. The Saskatchewan government said in a statement that it respects the decision. “While the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, it also recognized Saskatch- ewan’s concerns about having to argue the same case twice,” it said. “The matter will now return to the Court of King’s Bench to determine next steps.” — The Canadian Press JEREMY SIMES First official report found serious investigative errors following the accident Riots follow massive demonstrations over Greek rail disaster A THENS — Riots erupted in the Greek cities of Athens and Thes- saloniki on Friday during mass demonstrations commemorating the deadly train accident in the small town of Tempi near Mount Olympus in 2023. Towards the end of a gathering of more than 170,000 people in Athens, demonstrators threw Molotov cocktails towards the special police units pos- itioned around the parliament. There were also riots in Thessaloniki. Police described the rioters in Ath- ens as between 500 and 700 “radicals.” Police fired tear gas and used water cannon. There were 20 arrests and 70 people were taken into custody. Thirteen people, including police offi- cers, were taken to hospital with injur- ies, according to ERTnews, which cited rescue workers. The injuries included burns and respiratory problems, but none of the victims were in critical con- dition. The predominantly peaceful nation- wide strikes and demonstrations were directed at the government. People are demanding clarification of the circum- stances surrounding the accident in Tempi, to the south-west of Thessalon- iki, in which 57 mainly young people lost their lives. The police estimated that several hundred thousand people took part in the demonstrations nationwide. Trade unions and opposition parties are accusing the government of a cov- er-up. Many people are demanding that politicians take responsibility. Demonstrators held up placards with slogans including “no cover up” and “we won’t forget anything.” This week, the first official report by the Air and Rail Accident Investigation Authority was presented. It highlighted the dire state of Greece’s railways and found serious investigative errors following the acci- dent. The crash site was not properly mapped and fire services, rescue teams and police failed to coordinate effectively, the report found. It gave no insight, however, on suspi- cions levelled by families of the victims that the freight train had been illegally transporting flammable hazardous ma- terials. The government has rejected these accusations. The authorities and the judiciary are conducting independent investigations, but they are taking a long time due to the enormous amount of evidence, the government has said. The demand for political accountabil- ity is putting increasing pressure on the conservative government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. In a rare show of unity, Greeks from across the political spectrum joined the protests and strikes on Friday which crippled transport services and shut- tered government offices and schools. Unlike in previous protests, many self-employed people and private busi- nesses also participated, with numer- ous tavernas, cafés and supermarkets shutting their doors. Church bells rang out in many communities. — dpa ALEXIA ANGELOPOULOU AND TAKIS TSAFOS THANASSIS STAVRAKIS / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A hooded protester throws a stone against riot police at the Greek Parliament in central Athens, Greece. Friday marked two years since a deadly rail disaster that has also triggered hundreds of other demonstrations and a general strike. ;