Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 8, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba All Units Now Available Monthly Rate: $ 2200 plus utilities • 1160 sq ft living space with finished 280 sq ft garage • Spacious 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom floor plans • Attached garage with direct access to your home • In-floor radiant heating for year-round comfort • Covered back patio and relaxing outdoor space • No condo fees or unexpected, additional expenses • Snow removal / Grass cutting included • Wheel Chair Accessible • In-suite Laundry • Quartz Counter-tops • Stainless Steel Appliances • 24/7 security surveillance • Long-term leases • 30 Units available for lease Contact: info@falkidevelopments.com Tel: 204-407-6030 www.falkidevelopments.com 199 Centre Avenue West, Gimli Manitoba By Falki Developments OPEN HOUSE 1PM TO 3PM MARCH 8, 2025 Centre Street West 55 + Development A10 ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM MANITOBA will receive approximately $1 bil- lion from a class-action lawsuit that called for three major tobacco companies to compensate provinces and territories and ex-smokers across Canada. A spokesperson for Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said the money will be used to pay for can- cer treatment. “Every single dollar that comes to Manitoba as part of this settlement will go towards fighting cancer so more Manitobans can hear those four magic words: you are cancer free,” the spokes- person said in an emailed statement. A final court hearing was held Monday in On- tario for the Canadian Tobacco Proceedings, a series of lawsuits and settlements targeting the companies for smoking-caused medical problems caused by their products. Ontario Superior Court Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz approved the $32.5-billion plan in a rul- ing released Thursday. Anyone diagnosed with lung cancer, throat can- cer or emphysema/chronic obstructive pulmon- ary disease between March 8, 2015, and March 8, 2019, may be eligible to file a claim under the Tobacco Settlement Canada 2025. The settlement was proposed in October af- ter years of mediation between the companies — JTI-Macdonald Corp., Rothmans, Benson & Hedges and Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. — and their creditors, which include plaintiffs in two Quebec class-action lawsuits as well as provincial and territorial governments seeking to recoup smoking-related health-care costs. The suit called for the companies to pay more than $24 billion to provinces and territories over about two decades. Another $2.5 billion will go to compensate Canadian smokers not included in the lawsuits, and more than $1 billion will go to a foundation to fight tobacco-related diseases. Premier Wab Kinew has said the money Mani- toba receives from the settlement will be spent fighting the disease and supporting cancer pa- tients. The National Counsel for the Consortium of Provinces and Territories called the journey “long and gruelling.” “Tremendous damage was caused by the decep- tive marketing practices of the tobacco industry in the past. No amount of money can compensate for that. But thanks to the steely determination and commitment of our provincial and territorial government clients and citizens across Canada, there is now some measure of justice as well as a significant injection of much needed resources into our health system,” the national council said in a statement. — with files from The Canadian Press nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca NEWS I MANITOBA SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2025 T HERE was an unexpected series of events as the second session of Manitoba’s 43rd legislature resumed Wednesday, in the midst of a Canada-U.S. trade war instigated by U.S. President Donald Trump. Unprecedented moments, though, create unprecedented actions. At the top of the list was Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and his NDP cau- cus, unveiling a massive Canadian flag draped over the legislative building. Standing in front of it, one of the most diverse caucuses in Canadian history — including a majority from the LGBTTQ+, Indigenous and Black communities and women, all of whom have experienced a great deal of mistreatment in Canada — sang the praises of the nation. “Today all of us are patriots,” a smiling Kinew announced to much applause. “We will always be the true north, strong and free.” Most ironic was that Kinew and his caucus were standing precisely where another group of Canadians brandish- ing the flag stood two years before, chanting “freedom” while complaining about the nation’s COVID-19 health measures. The first First Nations premier of a province then championed Canada itself: announcing Manitoba’s support for federal counter-tariffs, calling on Canadians to fight like hockey players, and drink Canadian rather than Amer- ican alcohol because, in his words: “Canadian booze is way better than the American stuff.” Like I said, Wednesday was an un- predictable day at the legislature. In the midst of many surprises came another — this one on the other side of the political aisle. Standing in the legislature, Pro- gressive Conservative interim leader Wayne Ewasko offered an “uncondi- tional” apology for the refusal of his party to search a Winnipeg-area land- fill for the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran — two of four women murdered by a serial killer. “Honourable Speaker, our govern- ment erred,” Ewasko told the house. “We lost our way in regards to empa- thy and also lost our way in regards to closure being brought forward to the families of the victims … We will … be better as a party moving forward, and you have my word on that.” The apology came as a surprise, in particular, to members of the Harris and Myran families, who told media they were not informed ahead of time. The statement’s merits were ques- tioned by Cambria Harris, daughter of Morgan Harris. “I’m questioning why this apology was released publicly,” Harris said in a video statement. “I wonder if it was because they were generally sorry or if it was just to save face because they were wrong and our families were right (about performing a search) from the very beginning.” Last week, two sets of potential human remains were discovered at Prairie Green Landfill. Late Friday night, the province released that one of those sets of remains were Harris. In other words, the Conservatives were wrong to refuse to search. An apology — in fact, many — is warrant- ed. No one except the families of the victims get to determine whether the PCs can adequately address the harm created from one of the most racist policy decisions in modern Manitoba political history. Manitobans, meanwhile, have every right to ask questions about this unex- pected move, like: why is this “uncon- ditional apology” coming now? Is it only to “save face”? Also, why is such an important state- ment being made by an interim leader and not the party’s new leader, who will be selected April 26? Shouldn’t Manitoba’s new PC leader be the one who would want to vow to “do better”? And, more broadly: Why is the deci- sion not to search for the remains of Indigenous women continuing to lead to splits among Manitoba Progressive Conservatives? From the end of the 2023 provin- cial election campaign, high-profile members of the PC party, like former deputy premier Rochelle Squires and party organizer David McLaughlin, have condemned the decision to not search for Indigenous victims of a serial killer. Now count Ewasko, a 15-year veter- an of the party, in that group. I can’t tell you what the next leader of Manitoba’s PC party believes in. Both candidates, Obby Khan and Wally Daudrich, made no statement to endorse the apology. Khan even seemed to infer the apol- ogy was Ewasko’s personal decision: “Our interim leader has spoken and his comments are clear on (where) he stands.” It’s rare in politics to see parties switch allegiances and focuses — but this is an unprecedented time in Man- itoba. On one side of the provincial political spectrum exist now a group of leaders, who have been historically marginal- ized in Canada, celebrating Canadian freedom, hockey and booze. On the other side exist a group of Canadians, who ran a remarkably racist and anti-Indigenous provincial election campaign, debating amongst themselves how to build relationships with First Nations people. It’s an astonishing and interesting time in this province’s politics. niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca Patriotic pageantry and astonishing apologies CAROL SANDERS MANITOBA’S blueprint for the coming fiscal year will be unveiled March 20. It will address “health care, the econ- omy and actions to combat tariffs,” a media bulletin said Friday. Finance Minister Adrien Sala will deliver his budget in the middle of a Canada-U.S. trade war, with economic uncertainty surrounding on-again, off- again tariffs imposed March 4 on Can- adian goods imported to the U.S. On Wednesday, 25 per cent tariffs on aluminum and steel are set to begin. A 25 per cent levy on most other goods and 10 per cent on energy im- ported from Canada are expected to take effect on April 2 after U.S. Presi- dent Donald Trump paused the tariffs he had imposed on March 4. Until the tariffs are cancelled, Pre- mier Wab Kinew has vowed to keep U.S. tariff countermeasures in place. On Thursday, Kinew said he is consid- ering more actions that Manitoba may take. The province hasn’t said yet how much countermeasures might cost or what it’s willing to spend to shore up the economy that will take a hit because of tariffs. For now, the Manitoba government is deferring payroll and retail sales taxes for three months, pulling U.S. booze from Liquor Mart shelves and looking at how it may use Manitoba hydroelec- tricity exports to the U.S. as “leverage” in the fight with the much larger oppon- ent south of the border. The March 20 budget will show what the province is prepared to spend fight- ing the trade war while it tries to fix health care, make life more affordable and keep its promise to balance the books by the end of the Kinew govern- ment’s first term. Manitobans will be able to watch the presentation of Budget 2025 live at news.gov.mb.ca. It will be held two days after the provincial byelection in Transcona, on March 18, to replace NDP MLA Nello Altomare, who died on Jan. 14. Ad- vance voting in the constituency begins March 8. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca Provincial budget set for March 20 NIIGAAN SINCLAIR OPINION JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Premier Wab Kinew speaks about Manitoba’s response to the U.S. government tariffs outside the legislature Tuesday. Right: Wayne Ewasko, interim leader of the Progressive Conservatives, offers an ‘unconditional’ apology for the refusal of his party to search a landfill for the remains of two women murdered by a serial killer. Manitoba expects $1B from tobacco settlement NICOLE BUFFIE ;