Local Black History Month events

In partnership with the Canadian Federation of Students Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association is hosting an evening celebration of Black history and culture on Friday, Feb. 10 at 5:30 p.m. The event will take place in the BIPoC Lounge, featuring live performances by Zuki, free refreshments, local African and Caribbean food, a photobooth and local vendors. Visit bit.ly/3I7hUNI for a list of more celebrations.

WPS wants body cameras for officers

Currently, there are no immediate plans to purchase body-worn cameras for police officers in Winnipeg. In June 2021, city council rejected a Winnipeg Police Service budget increase, which estimated 1,300 body-worn cameras to cost $7 million with an additional $4 million to annually maintain the technology. Manitoba is slow to roll out the use of this technology, which could provide greater accountability and transparency.

Chief Peguis statue at Legislature

A statue of Chief Peguis is expected to be completed by September 2024, which marks the 160th anniversary of his death. The monument will stand on the north lawn of the Manitoba Legislative Building to honour the first formal agreement recognizing Indigenous land rights in what later became Western Canada. The statue will replace the previous monument to Queen Elizabeth that protestors dismounted on Canada Day in 2021.

Feds give $500K to feasibility study

In a news release, the federal government announced $500,000 in funding for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) to study the feasibility of searching the Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of Marcedes Myran and Morgan Harris. The funding will support AMC collaboration with families, Indigenous governments, communities and organizations, members from the municipal, provincial and federal governments and the Winnipeg Police Service and RCMP.

Property-tax increase

The City of Winnipeg announced an $83 million operating deficit in 2022 due to a major loss in revenue, costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and snow- and ice-clearing services. Reflecting his campaign promise, Mayor Scott Gillingham says he is raising the property tax by 3.5 per cent annually between 2023 and 2026, and he is imposing a one-time frontage levy of $1.50 per foot. This means the City is set to collect $42 million from property owners for roads, transit and other services.

Funding for newcomer integration programs

The Province is allocating $7.1 million in the next fiscal year, up from $5.1 in 2022-23, to help newcomers integrate into Manitoban communities. The Province is providing $4 million to non-profits, community groups and organizations working with immigrants and focusing on social and mental-health services. Manitoba Start, a non-profit helping newcomers find employment, will receive $3 million, and SEED Winnipeg, a non-profit working to reduce poverty, will receive $100,000 for their Recognition Counts program.

Published in Volume 77, Number 18 of The Uniter (February 9, 2023)