COVID-19 has driven consumers into the arms of big box stores and on-line giants.

According to a survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, 59 per cent of consumers say they are spending more there than at small businesses. 

Despite that, 87 per cent of Canadians say they wish they could do more to support small businesses in their community.

Jonathan Alward, the CFIB’s Director for the Prairie Region says there’s a way they can do just that.

“We need to all step up, work together if they can support local as much as possible this summer.   Whether you are talking about going out to eat with your family now or doing a staycation when you maybe would have traveled outside the province.   They really need our support and we need to help accelerate recovery to get people back to work and businesses back on their feet. “
 

CFIB has also brought back a contest to show support for local businesses.  

Alward explains, “We have phenomenal prizes lined up for the next month or so, customers who enter and thank a business or one of their favourites, you can win $2000 and gift cards from Scotia Bank, Mastercard, Ebay.ca and Dairy Queen and on top of that your favourite business also wins $10,000.”

The goal is to support small businesses as they negotiate the continued difficulties brought on by COVID-19.

The contest runs until July 25^th.  Go to SmallBusinessEveryDay.ca to send your message.

Yesterday, Vale announced a $150 million investment to extend current mining activities in Thompson by 10 years.

The Thompson Mine Expansion is a two-phase project. The announcement represents Phase 1 and includes critical infrastructure such as new ventilation raises and fans, increased backfill capacity and additional power distribution. Current production is predicted to increase by 30 per cent because of the improvements.

Mark Travers, Executive Vice-President for Base Metals with Vale said - quote - “The global movement to electric vehicles, renewable energies and carbon reduction has shone a welcome spotlight on nickel – positioning the metal we mine as a key contributor to a greener future and boosting world demand. We are proud that Thompson can be part of that future and part of the low carbon solution.”

Coupled with the announcement, Vale is continuing an extensive drilling program to further define known ore bodies and search for new mineralization holds the promise of mining well past 2040.

Dino Otranto, Chief Operating Officer for Vale’s North Atlantic Base Metals operations said - quote - “This 150 million dollar investment is just one part of our ambitious Thompson turnaround story. It is an indicator of our confidence in a long future for the Thompson operations.”

Early Monday morning, a 21-year-old Thompson man was assaulted and robbed at knife-point outside a business in the city.

RCMP arrived and the victim indicated a man and woman had taken his cell phone and jacket and then fled on foot.

RCMP Police Dog Services responded, and Police Service Dog Linkin began to track the suspects.

They were tracked down near the Millennium Trail and were arrested.

A 22-year-old man from Lac Brochet is charged with Robbery with a Weapon and Assault with a Weapon.   A 19-year-old woman from Nelson House is charged with Robbery with a Weapon.

They both remain in custody. The investigation is ongoing.

On June 26th, the North District Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team, along with the Manitoba RCMP Traffic Roving Unit, observed a man operating an all-terrain vehicle in a suspicious manner in Rossville in the community of Kinosao Sipi (Norway House Cree Nation).

Police stopped the man and, with the assistance of RCMP Police Dog Services, discovered approximately 67 grams of individually wrapped cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and an undisclosed amount of Canadian currency.

With the assistance of the Norway House RCMP, the 25-year-old man from Kinosao Sipi who was operating the ATV was arrested and is facing charges of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, and charges under the Highway Traffic Act.

A 30-year-old man from Kinosao Sipi who assisted the ATV operator in attempting to conceal the narcotics was also arrested, and is facing charges of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking and Possession of Property Obtained by Crime. 

Both men were released from custody and are scheduled to appear in court on October 7, 2021.

The investigation continues.

Around 8:30 Sunday morning,  Norway House RCMP received a report of a single-vehicle rollover on Provincial Road 373, located near the Sea Falls Ferry.

A southbound vehicle driven by a 53-year-old man from Norway House, left the roadway, entered the ditch and rolled.

The driver was not wearing his seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.  Two female passengers, a 22-year-old and a 20-year-old from Norway House, were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Norway House RCMP continue to investigate.

MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee is speaking out against the province’s Supported Guardianship Program.

The program was announced by Manitoba Families Minister Rochelle Squires earlier this month.

Settee expressed concern and said that the same policy that has devastated First Nation communities nationwide through the sixties scoop and the residential schools continues with this program.

He says the provincial government is giving the General Authority the red light to bypass their adoption act through this guardianship process. This means they do not have to notify First Nation leaderships about their members being adopted out. Settee says quote - “this practice is unacceptable to our First Nations.”

The Supported Guardianship Program is for children who are permanent wards or in cases where a Child and Family Services agency intends to seek a permanent order. Supported guardianship will have to be approved by the child’s culturally appropriate authority, according to Squires.

On June 28th,  Nelson House RCMP received a report of four missing fisherman from the community. They were last seen on June 25, 2021, when they departed for a camp located at Notigi, Manitoba, to engage in commercial fishing activities.

On June 26, a supply driver attended to the camp and noted nobody was around. On June 28, the same driver returned and did not see anybody or any new activity at the camp. It is unusual for the group to be out on the water this long without returning to camp, so the driver notified the RCMP that the men were missing.

The four missing fishermen have all been safely located. It appears their 18 foot fishing boat had broken down and the fishermen had made their way to a different camp in the area.
 

If you’re looking for a summer job, why not try for Canada’s best summer job?

That’s what Hipcamp Canada is offering to one lucky candidate. 

Here is General Manager for Hipcamp Canada, Tegh Singh Bedi, with the job description and the perks.

"We’re offering one winner to spend 40 days and 40 nights this summer adverturing across Canada camping and glamping at 20 of Hipcamp’s most beautiful properties along the way. 

And what makes this the best job in addition to the adventure and the fact that we also offer a stipend to cover both travel and food costs on a daily basis , we’re offering a $20, 000 salary."

Applicants should send their videos explaining why they would be the best fit for the job to canadas best summer job dot hip camp dot com as soon as possible to start earning votes. 

Bedi invites applicants who are over the age of majority in the province or territory where they live, to send in their videos saying why the job should be theirs.

Here he tells us how the successful candidate will be chosen.

"So how we split this up is 40 % creativity, 40 % technical or on-camera ability. Each of those will just be judged by the 90-second video they send in and 20 % of the selection elegibility will primarily be based on the votes that they are able to get.  

So we just really want them to go out and get their friends, neighbours, home town supporters to get as many votes as possible."

If you’re interested in applying, go to canadas best summer job dot hip camp dot com.

According to LifeWorks’ quarterly Financial Wellbeing Index, there is a growing need for reliable resources and tools to improve Canadians’ financial health.

Spokesperson Paula Allen, explains 28 per cent of working Canadians don’t have emergency savings, which will make it more difficult for them to withstand any kind of upheaval that impacts their finances.

Additionally, 26 per cent only have enough savings to cover a few months of essential expenses.

Here, Allen shares how Manitoba fares compared to the rest of the country.

"Manitoba really is coming around the middle of much lower scores in the Maritimes and we have a bit lower scores than Saskatchewan. Manitoba, like the rest of Canada , financial wellbeing has been impacted. So we’re seeing financial wellbeing being lower now than it was in our benchmark series which was prior to the pandemic. Manitoba is,  compared to where they were prior to the pandemic,  about middle of the road and that decline.

Allen says the recent index found having access to credible financial information leads to better a better financial wellbeing score.

The 37 per cent of respondents who said they relied on family members as their main source of financial information, 22 per cent that relied on friends, and eleven per cent that found information on social media had lower scores compared to people who said they counted on a financial advisor.

For more on the Financial Wellbeing Index, listen to the podcast here at thompsononline.ca.

The Canadian Mental Health Association with funding from the City of Thompson is once again running their Graffiti coverup program. 

Kerilyn Hale from the CMHA explains how the program benefits the work crew.

"It is a work program that is funded by the City of Thompson that supports individuals living with mental illness or mental health issues to gain social skills, interpersonal skills and work experience."

The program, which has operated since 2007, kicked off this week and usually continues into September.

According to law enforcement, graffiti sends the message that nobody cares, attracts other forms of crime and decreases feelings of safety.

Graffiti is also costly, resulting in reduced property values, business growth and tourism.

Hale shares how you can help.

"If you have graffiti on your property or you have seen locations in town, please give myself or Colin a call at 204 677 6050.  And it’s okay if you don’t know who owns the property, we will do all the research and contact them ourselves. And we always make sure we have permission to cover up graffiti before we do each job."

For more information or to report graffiti, call Kerilyn or Colin at 677-6-0-5-0.

The Canada Safety Council is reminding residents to keep cool during the summer months.

Spokesperson Lewis Smith says it’s important for people to be aware about the dangers of getting heat stroke.

Symptoms of heat stroke include headaches, dizziness, nausea, high body temperature, and the inability to sweat, which helps the body regulate its internal temperature.

Here Smith explains whose most at risk of experiencing heat stroke.

"The major group,  of course,  is older adults.  Folks who already have health issues at play including chronic illness, breathing difficulties, heart problems, infants and young children are also especially

susceptible. 

The reason being that a child’s head tends to be more open due to not having a full head of hair, in some cases,  or thinner hair than your average grown person makes it so the heat can impact more of a surface area on their body and heat up their smaller body which doesn’t quite have the ability to regulate itself internally yet to the same degree.

And last but not least, people who are active outdoors, people who work on construction sites for example."

Smith says anyone experiencing a heat stroke should call their local emergency number immediately.

Early Wednesday morning, cash and drugs were recovered by RCMP at a Thompson residence.

RCMP along with the Emergency Response Team executed a search warrant at the residence on Pipe Road.

As a result of this search, officers seized 274 grams of cocaine, 921 grams of cannabis, cash, cutting agents and drug related paraphernalia.

A 31-year-old man and 28-year-old woman, both from Thompson, were arrested and remain in police custody.

Thompson RCMP continue to investigate.

Don’t let reading take a vacation from your children’s activities just because school is winding up for the summer.

The Thompson Public Library invites kids to check out their Summer Reading Program.

This year’s theme is “Game On.” 

Trista Jensen from the Library has details on how kids can get their reading logs.

"We’ll be starting on June 28^th and then it will be ending August 31^st . So because we are only offering curbside , the reading logs can be requested curbside with their books or by facebook or email and we can send it."

The  Summer Reading program runs from June 28^th to August 31^st and is open to children up to 13 years of age.

The three age categories are 0 to 5, 6 to 9 and 10 to 13.     Reading logs can be returned in the drop box outside the library or by email.

June is Stroke Month, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation is stressing the importance of knowing the signs of a stroke.

Amanda Nash, a health promotion manager with the foundation, says approximately two thousand strokes occur in Manitoba, with the northern region having the highest stroke rate in the province.

Additionally, northern Manitoba has seen an increase in stroke rates for residents over the age of 40 in the last five years.

Nash says because of the prevalence of strokes in the region, it’s important for residents to know the signs and act accordingly.

“When somebody is experiencing a stroke , the great thing to remember is to act fast. And  F.A.S.T.  stands for face – is it drooping?  Arms – can you wave them?  Speech – is it slurred or jumbled?  And time –time to call 911or your local emergency number as soon as possible.

One third of Manitobans don’t know any signs of a stroke, 27 % can only name one and 27% can only name two of the three signs,  so we have a long way to go to recognize FAST.  Remembering that acronym can really help to beat stroke and make a safe difference.”

Nash says there are an estimated 62 thousand strokes in Canada in a given year and anyone is susceptible to one.

“We know the risk of stroke is high over the age of 55 but it can happen to anyone at any age, anywhere.   And, so knowing some of your risks can help you prevent that from happening or delay that from happening.  

We look at risk factors and there are some that we don’t have any control over. That’s  things like gender, age, family history or medical conditions, but the good news is that 80 % of premature stroke is preventable from lifestyle risk factors. So that would be things like healthy eating, being active, living smoke free and managing your stress.”

The City of Thompson and the United Steelworkers Local 8223 have ratified a new four-year contract.

The agreement is effective from March 1^st, 2020 and continues to February 28^th, 2024.

It includes a .75 per cent annual wage increase for 2021 and 2022 and a 1 per cent wage increase in 2023.     The agreement also designates National Indigenous People’s Day as a statutory holiday for union employees.

Mayor Colleen Smook said the City was proud to add this holiday and hoped it was an example to other municipalities and businesses across Canada.

Local 8223 represents nearly 100 municipal employees in a variety of fields and departments, including recreation, public safety, public works and city planning.

Today is National Indigenous Peoples Day, and there are a number of COVID-friendly events planned to commemorate the day.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak has the yard, window, and balcony decorating contest, a scavenger hunt, the seven teachings booths, a bannock making contest, among other activities throughout the day.

There’s also a livestream residents can view on the MKO National Indigenous Peoples Day Facebook page.

Meanwhile, the Keewatin Tribal Council will have a dedication ceremony for the 215 children discovered at a former residential school site tonight at 10:30, which will be broadcast here live on 102.9 CHTM.

Then to cap off the day, KTC will have a fireworks display at 11 p.m. at city hall, which can be viewed at a great distance to ensure people can enjoy the show without breaching public health orders.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak is hosting a virtual festival next week to celebrate and empower youth as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

The focus of the festival, called Honouring the Gifts: MKO Youth Cultural Celebration, is to showcase the talents of those ages twelve to 17 from MKO communities in various categories.

Those include arts and crafts, dancing, music, photography, videography, and regalia and beadwork.

There are also contests ongoing that youth can enter for prizes, which are open until June 20^th.

For more information on the festival, visit mko nation DOT com SLASH honour the gifts.

The CFIB welcomes the Manitoba government’s reopening plan, though it is hoping the province releases more details leading up to July 1^st so independent businesses can be better prepared.

Jonathan Alward, a regional director with the federation, says they’ve been pushing the province to come up with a reopening plan so businesses can have more clarity on what they can expect in the future.

Alward states the while the CFIB agrees with the metrics of going by vaccination rates, the plan itself is lacking details.

He explains while the province will hopefully be reopen at 25 per cent by Canada Day, the plan doesn’t provide specifics on factors such as capacity both indoors and outdoors for patio seating in restaurants and the one person per household limit in establishments.

Alward goes on to say the CFIB is working with the province to ensure that information can get to businesses in advance so that they can prepare for the reopening.

A medical officer of health with the Northern Health Region says the COVID-19 campaign vaccine has been going well in the north.

Doctor Michael Isaac explains the region as a whole is seeing the test positivity rates going down as the month progresses, though it varies from community to community.

Isaac says the NRHA is slightly ahead of the rest of the province when it comes to uptake of two doses of vaccine.

He states having both doses of the vaccine is imperative considering the prevalence of Delta variant cases, which has appeared in all Manitoba health regions.

For the full update with Isaac, listen to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee says he’s outraged after the Winnipeg Sun published an opinion piece downplaying the negative impacts residential schools have on Indigenous people.

The article by former judge Brian Giesbrecht titled “Some questions about Kamloops”, says it’s “time to move on” from the news that 215 children were discovered in unmarked graves at a former residential school site in BC.

In letter to the Winnipeg Sun’s editor-in-chief, Settee says Giesbrecht also suggested that the children in unmarked graves may have died from the flu or tuberculosis, and adds these types of articles give people permission to -quote- “ignore the atrocities experienced by Indigenous children in these schools”.

He goes on to shame both Giesbrecht and the Winnipeg Sun, and that MKO will not be working with the newspaper until they are willing to publically retract and issue an apology for publishing the article.

In her latest report, Thompson MLA Danielle Adams highlights some of the things that happened during the spring session at the legislature.

Adams writes the NDP introduced a number of petitions that called on the government to take action on issues such as homelessness, rural broadband, Manitoba Hydro, and healthcare.

She adds her party was able to delay the passage of five different bills until the fall session, which include Bill 64, also known as the Education Modernization Act, the Labour Relations Amendment Act, and the Protection of Critical Infrastructure Act which would not allow protests at locations like railroads and hospitals.

Adams says the NDP was able to pass a few of their private members bills.

Those include Bill 223, The Spirit Bear Day Act, which designated May 10^th as Spirit Bear Day in honour of Jordan Anderson, a Manitoba First Nations child who died while the provincial and federal governments fought over who would pay for his health care needs.

Another is Bill 213, The Reporting of Supports for Child Survivors of Sexual Assault Act, which will help northern children who are victims of sexual assault access the care they need closer to home.

Manitoba Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Jazz Atwal reported 222 net new cases of COVID-19 this afternoon. That brings the five day test positivity rated to 10.6 per cent. 

He also reported two additional deaths in the Winnipeg region.

Of the new cases, 126 were in the Winnipeg region with lower numbers in other regions, including 27 in Northern health.

Of the total 53, 872 reported cases, 3, 490 are considered active, 49, 293 people have recovered, and 276 are in hospital. 63 patients are in intensive care and 30 are in care outside the province. 

Atwal says statistics show things are gradually improving, so it’s going to take some time as cases are one thing to drop down. However hospital ICU numbers will take some time to drop down as well. 

He adds Manitobans will still need to be cautious about having too many interactions for the next couple weeks. Atwal notes the province does have a reopening strategy, but that’s based on limited interactions between individuals.

A total of 1, 003, 678 doses of vaccine have been administered in Manitoba. Eligibility for second doses has been expanded to include individuals who have received their first dose on or before May 6^th.

Manitoba Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin reports case numbers continue to drop and our vaccine numbers continue to increase so they are in a position to slowly ease some of the restrictions regarding outdoor gatherings effective 12:01 AM Saturday for two weeks. 

He says they will include those provisions for outdoor gatherings with up to five people in public and on private property so for private residences outside you can have up to five visitors.

However they should be from no more than two households, and this is in addition to those who already reside at that household and for public spaces you can meet up to a total of five individuals.

These are the only changes that will be occurring at this time and the other restrictions will remain in place.

Roussin adds we must continue to ease pressure on the health care system by following health orders and getting vaccinated.  He said the province will continue to consider lifting other restrictions.

The Manitoba government is launching a new province wide lottery that will award nearly $2 million in cash and scholarships this summer to encourage people to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible. 

The President of Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Manny Atwal says all Manitobans aged 12 and up who have received at least one dose of vaccine on or before August 2^nd will be eligible for the first draw and all aged 12 and up who have received two doses on or before September 6^th will be eligible for the second draw. 

Atwal explains for those who are 18 and older, each lottery will award three prizes of $100, 000 each in the Winnipeg Health Authority and a single $100, 000 prize in each other Regional Health Authorities. 

He adds each lottery will include ten draws for $25, 000 scholarships for young people aged 12 to 17. 

There will be a process to drop out of the lottery that will be available very soon.

Once immunized, people will be entered into the lottery.  More details will be provided in the coming weeks at protectmb.ca/lottery.

On June 4 at approximately 10:55 pm, RCMP executed a search warrant at a residence on Mcleods Island, in the Cross Lake area.

Officers seized approximately 10 grams of individually wrapped cocaine, a large sum of Canadian Currency and drug paraphernalia.

A 45-year-old male from the Cross Lake area, is facing charges of Trafficking, Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking and Possession of Property Obtained by Crime. He is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 27 in Thompson.

Cross Lake RCMP continue to investigate.

The ALS Society of Manitoba is hosting their annual Walk for ALS later this month.

The walk will be held on June 19^th, and is the organization’s major fundraiser to help fund their support programs and important research to help find the cause and a cure for the neuro-muscular disease.

Diana Rasmussen, the executive director of the ALS Society of Manitoba, says there are an estimated three thousand Canadians living with ALS, with four hundred people in Manitoba. Visit alsmb.ca for more information.

Hear the full interview with Rasmussen on Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

LifeWorks, formerly known as Morneau Shepell, says its report shows that almost half of working Canadians surveyed want mental health support, but affordability of those services is a barrier for some.

Spokesperson Paula Allen explains only 54 per cent of respondents felt they didn’t need support, 31 per cent have taken steps to improve their mental health, and another 14 per cent haven’t taken the steps but would like to.

Allen says within that last group, 30 per cent reported that affordability of care is their greatest barrier to mental health improvement, followed by 29 per cent saying they had no energy to seek care, 27 per cent reporting uncertainty about the proper care for their needs, and 24 per cent stating they had no time.

She adds that getting a COVID-19 vaccine would improve Canadians outlook for the future based on the report with 31 per cent, followed by the country reaching herd immunity at 24 per cent.

For the full interview with Allen, catch Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

The Thompson RCMP are seeking the public’s assistance in locating 40 year-old Sean Clayton Colon of Thompson, who currently has multiple warrants for his arrest.

Colon is described as being approximately 5’10 and 200 pounds with black hair and blue-green eyes.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Sean Clayton Colon is asked to call the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6911 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

Pride North of 55 has some COVID-friendly events planned for Pride Month in Thompson.

Chairperson Harlie Pruder explains some things that are planned include the painting of the rainbow crosswalk Jun. 5 and the raising of the pride flag at city hall on Jun. 7.

There will also be a Community PRIDE Garbage clean-up on June 12^th, a celebration of two-spirit and Indigenous queer people on June 21st, and a Pride Parade on June 26^th.

For more information on Pride Month in Thompson, listen to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

100 Women Who Care Thompson have picked the Thompson Seniors Community Resource Council as the recipients of their quarterly donation.

The council plans to use the funding to provide COVID-safe, one-on-one digital training to seniors and elders so that they can stay connected with family and friends.

The next 100 Women Who Care meeting will be on September 8^th.

For more information about the organization, visit 100womenthompson.com.

On June 3, 2021, at approximately 5:45 am, a security guard was conducting patrols in a residential development area when he observed smoke emanating from an older building nearby.

Officers were contacted and attended the scene along with the fire department who immediately began to extinguish the blaze.

The fire was eventually extinguished but not before the structure suffered extensive damage. The cause of the fire has not been determined but arson is suspected.

If you have information in regards to this fire, please call the Cross Lake RCMP at 204-676-2600, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Cross Lake RCMP along with the Office of the Fire Commissioner continue to investigate.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister says about 70 per cent of eligible Manitobans have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, but the challenge is the other 30 percent. 

He announced the next phase of their campaign, which includes ProtectMB incentive grants. 

Pallister explains they’re going to offer up to $20, 000 in financial support per organization, group or business to work with them in low uptake communities. 

Funding for programming could include many different things such as outreach staffing, contacting, supporting clients to get vaccinated, communications material and it could even include community level incentives like meals.  He advises interested applicants are encouraged to register now for an information session at ProtectMB.ca.

They will also expand their advertising campaign, create a Campaign Advisory Committee and expand vaccine access.

A memorial to honour the lives of the 215 children that were recently discovered at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, BC will be taking place here in Thompson.

MKO is organizing the memorial, which will be tomorrow afternoon at 1 at the Thompson Urban Aboriginal Strategy’s Residential School Monument at the Miles Hart Bridge.

MKO encourages Thompsonites to attend the event, and all attendees are reminded to follow the COVID-19 restrictions.

The memorial will also be available to view on mkonation.com.

Unlike in past years, CAA Manitoba’s Worst Roads Campaign saw some representation beyond the perimeter.

While Winnipeg’s Taylor Avenue nabbed the top spot as the worst road in Manitoba, a number of provincial highways followed behind.

CAA Manitoba’s Community Relations Officer Heather Mack explains while northern roads didn’t garner enough votes to make it into the top ten, there were a number of roads in and around Thompson that were nominated.

Those include Westwood Drive, Thompson Drive, and Provincial Road 391.

Mack goes on to say CAA hopes to see more votes from Northern Manitoba next year so that the company can lobby for better road infrastructure.

Listen to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon for the full interview.

Manitoba Public Health reported 226 net new cases of COVID-19 this afternoon, bringing the five day test positivity rate to 12 per cent. 

They also reported three new deaths, all in the Winnipeg Health Region. 

Of the new cases, 168 were in Winnipeg with lower numbers in other regions, including 13 in the Northern Health Region. 

Of the total 51, 316 reported cases, 4, 333 are active, 45, 927 individuals have recovered, and 305 people are in hospital with 72 in intensive care.  Variants of concern reported total 11, 204, with 2, 594 of them active.

The Thompson/Mystery Lake District has two active cases.

Following the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the site of a former residential school in British Columbia, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak’s Grand Chief encourages Canadians to continue the conversation about the legacy of residential school.

In a press release, Garrison Settee says First Nations continue to feel the impacts of residential school within their own families and communities, and hopes the families who lost their children at the Kamloops Indian Residential School can find some closure and healing.

Settee adds Manitoba has its own dark past of burying children in unmarked graves at residential schools, citing the Turtle Crossing Campground in Brandon, where the Brandon Residential School was once located.

He goes on to state MKO will continue to honour residential school survivors and remember the children who lost their lives while attending those schools, and urges residents to keep learning about this part of Canadian history.