Women’s Memorial March

On Feb. 14, thousands of people across Canada marched in honour of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people for the annual Women’s Memorial March. In Winnipeg, the march started at 5 p.m. outside the Winnipeg Art Gallery. The healing walk included drummers, throat singers and dancers, followed by a sacred fire to remember those who are missing or have died as a result of violence.

Next-generation 911

The city is proposing upgrades to Winnipeg’s 911 services that would allow first responders to access a person’s precise location and enable callers to send videos, photos and texts during emergencies. Under the municipal preliminary budget, released Feb. 7, the city hopes to add a $1 fee to people’s monthly bills starting July 1 to fund the “next-generation 911.” The province must approve the city’s plan first.

City to close public pools

The city’s preliminary budget includes a proposal to replace or decommission 20 outdoor wading pools and open 10 new splash pads over the next six years, costing a total of about $20 million. Four wading pools are expected to close this year at the Cordova, Bronx Park, Valour (Clifton site) and Turtle Island community centres. These pools will be replaced with splash pads.

Supervised consumption sites in review

The province is reviewing a proposal by Indigenous-led healthcare and harm-reduction groups about opening a supervised consumption site downtown Winnipeg. Between January and October 2023, 355 Manitobans died from drug-related overdoses, and 418 deaths were recorded in 2022, according to data from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The Indigenous-led organizers and supporters continue to educate and push for a site to open.

Indigenous Wellness centre opening soon

Pimicikamak Wellness Centre, on the former site of The Balmoral Hotel at the corner of Balmoral Street and Cumberland Avenue, will open in a few weeks. The centre, which includes 45 hotel rooms, will temporarily house members of northern or isolated First Nations who have medical appointments in Winnipeg. The centre plans to use their basement to offer meals, programming and a daycare.

Five suspicious deaths in Carman

On Feb. 11, a woman and her three children and niece were killed in Carman, Man., 75 ki- lometres southwest of Winnipeg. The RCMP said the accused is the woman’s partner who has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder. All of the relatives lived together in the small community.

Published in Volume 78, Number 18 of The Uniter (February 15, 2024)