Massive airport coke bust

On Feb. 27, Canada Border Services Agency announced a record-breaking cocaine seizure at Winnipeg Richardson International Airport. On Feb. 9, border officers investigated two unclaimed suitcases at the airport. They contained 60 individually wrapped packages of cocaine with an estimated street value of $9 million. The cocaine, with a combined weight of nearly 75 kilograms, is the largest airport drug bust ever in the Prairie region.

Changes to nursing requirements

Manitoba’s provincial government announced on Feb. 28 that it is amending regulations to make it easier for former nurses to return to work in the province’s public healthcare system. The move aims to address the province’s nursing shortage, created by former premier Brian Pallister, who cut hundreds of nursing jobs in a failed attempt to reform the province’s hospitals.

Former Blue Bomber Craig Roh dies

The family of former Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive end Craig Roh announced that the footballer died on Feb. 26 after an 18-month battle with Stage IV colon cancer. Roh played with the Bombers in 2018 and ’19, winning the Grey Cup in his final season. A GoFundMe to cover medical expenses and education for Roh’s son can be found at bit.ly/3v11hzg.

Dry winter spells drought for province

A lack of precipitation in the winter of 2023-24 is already having environmental impacts on Manitoba. Morden, a city of 10,000 people in southern Manitoba, has declared a state of moderate drought, with their drinking-water reservoir already running low. An article by CBC meteorologist Ri- ley Laychuk says the Pembina Valley region has received less than half of its regular amount of winter precipitation.

Weidman Warehouse destroyed by fire

Fire destroyed yet another historic Winnipeg building when the Weidman Warehouse burned down on Tuesday, Feb. 27. The building, constructed in 1910, was designed by prolific architect Max Blankstein for Weidman Brothers wholesale grocers. Fire crews said that falling temperatures hampered fire-fighting efforts. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

MP Blaikie resigns

Daniel Blaikie, the NDP mem- ber of Parliament for Elmwood-Transcona since 2015, announced on Wednesday, Feb. 28 that he will be resigning from his seat effective March 31. Blaikie is shifting from federal to provincial politics, where he will work as Premier Wab Kinew’s senior advisor on intergovernmental affairs. He previously served as the NDP’s finance critic in Parliament.

Published in Volume 78, Number 19 of The Uniter (February 29, 2024)