Continued calls for ceasefire in Gaza

Roughly 20 protesters stood on the Canadian National Railway tracks near Main Street and York Avenue at The Forks on Monday, Nov. 20. The group Queers for Palestine – Winnipeg said in a tweet that their five-hour blockade calling for a ceasefire in Gaza cost CN millions of dollars, disrupting the economy. CN has a partnership with Israel’s largest shipping company called Zim Integrated Shipping Services, which has seen increased blockades in Vancouver and Sydney, Australia.

Arlington Bridge closed indefinitely

On Tuesday, Nov. 21, the City of Winnipeg announced the indefinite closure of Arlington Bridge, effective immediately. Annual maintenance of the 111-year-old corroding steeltruss structure was a bandaid fix. City staff are completing an assessment to determine whether the bridge can be restored or demolished. For now, all drivers, pedestrians and cyclists must detour across the Canadian Pacific Railway yards via either the McPhillips Street underpass or Slaw Rebchuk Bridge on Salter Street.

Bombers lose the Grey Cup

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers lost 28-24 to the Montreal Alouettes in the 110th Canadian Football League championship on Sunday, Nov. 19. This was the Blue Bombers’ fourth consecutive year in the final and their second consecutive year losing with a close win in sight. The team finished 14-4 during their regular season and at the top of the CFL’s West Division. Sunday’s game was the Alouettes’ first Grey Cup win since 2010.

The Good Will says ‘see you later’

After nearly 10 years in the music and entertainment scene, the Good Will Social Club has decided to close its space on Feb. 1, 2024. This announcement has shocked its community, and people are flooding the comment sections on the Good Will’s social-media posts. The Good Will owners say they are ready to explore new possibilities outside of their current location at 625 Portage Ave. “This is not goodbye, but rather a ‘see you later,’” staff wrote in a post.

STBBI prevention and ongoing care

The federal government is investing nearly $6 million in seven community-based projects to address the rates of sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections in the province. These projects will promote testing to prevent new infections and provide ongoing care for people living with HIV, hepatitis C and other STBBIs. According to the province, there were 134 new cases of HIV in the first six months of 2023, compared to a total of 196 new cases for 2022.

Teach-in and discussion on Palestine and genocide

Members of the University of Winnipeg faculty will lead a teach-in and roundtable discussion “Palestine and Genocide: Reflections on Imperialism, Settler-Colonialism, and Decolonization” on Friday, Nov. 24. The event is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and will discuss “historical, critical, creative, visual, and theoretical” texts about Palestine and the Israel-Hamas conflict. U of W staff are speaking out about their academic freedom after the event drew criticism from Winnipeg South Centre MP Ben Carr regarding its potential to spur antisemitism and make Jewish students feel uncomfortable.

Published in Volume 78, Number 11 of The Uniter (November 23, 2023)