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Winnipeg Free Press
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Trump's ostentatious vanity parade
Opinion One might be inclined to call it megalomania on the march. Or perhaps an atrocious acknowledgement of America's authoritarian advance. Or maybe just perversity on parade. However one chooses to describe it, in pithy alliterative terms or otherwise, the military spectacle U.S. President Donald Trump is throwing for himself this weekend in Washington, D.C. is nothing more or less than an ego-driven obscenity. The event, which is expected to include 6,600 armed forces personnel, 150 tanks, artillery and other fighting machines, and more than 50 aircraft, will wend its way along the north side of the National Mall early Saturday evening. It is being touted by the Trump administration as a commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the formal establishment of the U.S. Army. Alex Brandon / The Associated Press U.S. President Donald Trump Those same officials insist the fact the parade is taking place on Trump's 79th birthday is mere coincidence, and that this ostentatious display of military might — reportedly at a cost approaching US$45 million — is most definitely not the prideful president's taxpayer-funded birthday present to himself. A quick examination of this so-called anniversary celebration, however, suggests the pricey pageantry is likely more about the man than the armed forces institution. Plans to mark the army's 250th birthday have been in the works for a couple of years, but the massive parade was only added earlier this year, after Trump's return to the White House. His fascination with public displays of military might is well documented — he called the parade he witnessed during a 2017 state visit to China 'magnificent,' and described the Bastille Day event he observed the same year in Paris, which included a fighter-jet flyover complete with red/white/blue smoke trails, as 'one of the greatest parades' he'd ever seen. Trump was determined to have a parade of his own during his first term, but experienced military minds dissuaded him from such a gratuitous display. This time around, surrounded only by loyalists and lackeys, there is no such discouragement when Trump's vanity is aroused. Saturday's shameful stroking of the presidential ego will serve as the latest reminder of the president's obvious intention to style himself less as an elected democratic leader and more as an autocrat akin to the dictators — Putin, Xi and the like — he has openly admired. 'There's definitely a correlation between putting on a military parade and authoritarian regimes,' said Markus Schiller, CEO of the German-based aerospace and security consultancy ST Analytics. 'These parades are about sending a message to other countries and also to domestic political rivals.' Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. Coming, as it does, at the end a week in which Trump dispatched National Guard and U.S. Marine troops to Los Angeles — against the wishes of California's governor and L.A.'s mayor — to quell protests against his administration's deportation-focused raids and roundups, the parade is a very public, exceedingly explicit declaration that this president views America's military as a force whose duty is to him alone, and whose considerable might can be directed toward anything that resists Trump's increasingly authoritarian will. When asked about his decision to send troops to California, Trump responded, 'We are going to have troops everywhere' that protests against his government arise. And should someone have the temerity to protest the president's repugnantly self-aggrandizing misuse of military machinery, the message is clear: 'They will be met with very big force. … I haven't heard about a protest, but you know, this is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very great force.' Don't think of it as a parade, or even a pointless presidential birthday vulgarity. Think of it as the latest warning of American democracy's imminent demise.
Winnipeg Free Press
10-06-2025
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘It's a slower day': Flin Flon mayor
Favourable weather conditions and suppression efforts are helping firefighters make some progress or hold the line against some large, out-of-control fires in Manitoba. The largest blaze — about 307,781 hectares, or roughly seven times the size of Winnipeg, is burning close to several communities or areas in Manitoba, including Flin Flon and Sherridon, and across the border in Saskatchewan. 'It's a slower day,' Flin Flon Mayor George Fontaine said. 'It's not one of those big windy days, so it's giving people a chance to reorganize.' Officially known as fire WE017, the blaze was previously estimated to be about 140 kilometres long and five kilometres wide. Some fires in northern and eastern Manitoba have been burning for more than three weeks. The Manitoba Wildfire Service reported 25 active blazes Tuesday afternoon, down from 29 Monday. A provincewide state of emergency is in place until at least June 26. About 21,000 evacuees have registered with the Canadian Red Cross, making it one of the largest evacuations in Manitoba history. Parts of Whiteshell Provincial Park are scheduled to reopen to permanent residents, cottagers and commercial operators Wednesday. Fire EA063, situated along the Manitoba-Ontario boundary, remains out of control, but suppression efforts are holding the line, the province said. Crowduck Lake and Big Whiteshell lake will reopen at 8 a.m. Florence Lake, Nora Lake and Ophir Siding will reopen at 4 p.m. The areas have been closed since May 15. The province cautioned that anyone returning to the reopened areas should be prepared to leave again with little notice. The Mantario wilderness zone, including the Mantario Trail and Caddy Lake Tunnels, are still closed. Northeast Manitoba's fire danger was high to extreme, while low to moderate danger was reported throughout the rest of the province. A chance of rain in the North was good news, but it brought an increased risk of new fire starts due to lightning strikes. Manitoba's largest blaze, fire WE017, was burning north and west of Snow Lake, where a mandatory evacuation order went into effect Saturday. In a Facebook post, the town said Tuesday poor air quality, egress and medical resources factored into the decision to evacuate. The fire was about 30 kilometres from the town as of Tuesday morning, the post said. Crews have been clearing brush near assets including a hospital and wastewater treatment plant, and problem areas. Lori Forbes, the Rural Municipality of Kelsey's emergency co-ordinator, said higher humidity levels helped crews made good progress on a fire, known as WE023, north of Wanless. 'That doesn't mean these fires are changing. The ones that are keeping people out of their communities, they're still out of control,' she said. Fire WE023, measuring about 4,920 hectares, forced the evacuation of Cranberry Portage. Manitoba's firefighting effort was again bolstered by reinforcements from south of the border. Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. About 107 personnel, primarily wildland firefighters, were scheduled to arrive from the U.S. Tuesday to bring the total to about 282, said Tina Boehle, a spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. Reinforcements were arriving from Colorado, Oregon, South Dakota and Utah. Five elite U.S. Hotshot crews were fighting various fires in Manitoba Tuesday. Hotshot crews are typically assigned to the most challenging terrain or priority wildfires in the U.S. 'They can be self-sufficient for multiple days on the ground,' Boehle said. 'Usually, they deal with some pretty tough situations down here.' Chris KitchingReporter Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris. Every piece of reporting Chris produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
06-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Manitoba premier eyes northern development that could include a pipeline
WINNIPEG – Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew promoted his province Friday as the route for a future trade corridor, which could include a pipeline, in order to get goods from Western Canada to overseas markets. 'The politics are (that) something needs to get built in Western Canada. I think everybody understands that,' Kinew told a breakfast meeting of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce. 'And if you've been following the news, B. C.? Ontario? Maybe. We'll see. But Manitoba's open for business, and I think in time Manitoba will show itself as a path to getting natural resources to tidewater across Canada.' The Alberta government has been pushing for a pipeline across northern British Columbia, but the idea is not supported by the B.C. government. Kinew said Manitoba is looking at boosting shipments through Hudson Bay, currently served by the Port of Churchill, which is ice-free for only a brief period every year. There have been calls for a second port on the bay, further south at Port Nelson, combined with more rail service and a pipeline, in order to boost exports to Europe and other destinations. Kinew said he's open to different options, but the private sector has to put forward ideas. A trade corridor could ship Manitoba's low-carbon hydroelectricity westward to the other Prairie provinces, he said. And a pipeline heading the other direction is a possibility. 'What is the product that makes sense? Are we going to be looking at liquefaction and then maybe it's a (liquefied natural gas) thing?' Kinew told reporters after his speech. 'Are we looking at oil and gas projects? Are we looking at something novel like green hydrogen or maybe a potash slurry? These are the things that we can signal to the private sector we're open to having a discussion about.' Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. Pipeline development in the north could face opposition from environmentalists and others. Much of the area near the coast of Hudson Bay is protected, including Wapusk National Park. Kinew also told the business crowd Friday his NDP government is finalizing a memorandum with British Columbia to cut trade barriers between the two provinces. Similar to a recent deal with Ontario, it's aimed at allowing more goods and services to flow freely. Kinew said it will give Manitobans access to another big Canadian market. Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged to break down internal trade barriers by Canada Day, and Ontario, Nova Scotia and other provinces have been working on reciprocal agreements. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2025
Winnipeg Free Press
28-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
The community is not just the majority
Opinion Know your audience — every member of it. The City of Winnipeg is planning to remove its parking purchase stations, making those who want to park in the downtown use a smartphone app instead. But what if you don't have a smartphone? You can buy vouchers for parking in a limited number of locations — hardly an ideal solution. What's also important to think about in that equation is not who, like you, has a smartphone and the ability to use a parking app, but those who don't — and what it would mean to them. BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS The City of Winnipeg will remove its parking pay stations between July 2 and Aug. 31. That's worth thinking about, not only for parking, but even as people think about the future of the public service of Canada Post. Our national mail carrier is once again in labour trouble — and critical financial trouble as well — and is shedding users as a result of the variety of hurdles it's facing. As customers leave, the financial picture grows even more dire. An industrial inquiry into the service has come up with a variety of potential solutions to the fiscal problems, among them, ending daily delivery to residential customers (but keeping it for commercial customers). The belt-tightening would mean more community mailboxes, different delivery schedules and a resumption of small postal office closures, among other things. On the face of it, it probably looks attractive. After all, much more written communication is dealt with now over email than with paper, envelopes and stamps, and the vast majority of Canadians would probably respond to the loss of door to door delivery with little more than a shrug: flyers and direct advertising mail probably outnumbers arriving first-class mail by a handy margin. But that's not the case for everyone. There is still a significant minority that depends on paper mail as a public service — and just like removing credit card access to parking stations — see a critical loss in losing regular mail service. The national mail carrier for Denmark and Sweden, PostNord, plans to stop all lettermail in Denmark by the end of 2025, because users are dwindling and most services — including government services — are primarily available digitally. But that leaves a remarkable number of Danes — 270,000 people, or 4.5 per cent of the population — who still depend on lettermail out in the cold. As The Parliament Magazine points out, 'this includes the chronically ill, the elderly and people with disabilities. These groups are already at risk of social isolation, and cutting mail service could add one more factor.' Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. The effect is much the same as the fallout from Winnipeg's parking app decision — yes, you can go to one of three locations and buy paper parking vouchers, so there is at least lip service to a workaround. But that hardly provides an equal opportunity of access to everyone who may need to park at places like the downtown Manitoba Clinic for a diagnostic medical procedure. Instead, the marginalized, quite simply, grow even more marginalized. And feel even more like they are not considered as a part of decisions that are meant to reflect the needs of the entire community, not simply what is the majority of a community at any given time. There's a clear message in that about lettermail, and about parking apps, and about any number of other decisions that may be made with the majority in mind, and the minority ignored. When you make changes to a public service, you have to consider not only the people that are happy to be under the new umbrella, but also the number that you're leaving out in the rain. Access means that you don't build more hurdles for those who already have them. The community is everybody.
Winnipeg Free Press
26-05-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘An execution, plain and simple': man who killed neighbour sentenced to life
A Manitoba man convicted of murdering a neighbour allegedly caught stealing from him on his rural property has been sentenced to mandatory life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years. Eric Wildman, 38, was convicted of first-degree murder following a jury trial earlier this year for the June 2021 killing of 40-year-old Clifford Joseph. 'The facts are horrific and whatever version of facts the jury accepted, it amounts to an execution, plain and simple,' said King's Bench Justice Rick Saull. JASON PARKS / PICTON GAZETTE FILES Eric Wildman leaves the Picton, Ont. Superior Courthouse in November 2024, where he was found guilty of attempted murder of an Ontario police officer prior to his first-degree murder conviction in Manitoba. Wildman's sentencing was adjourned following the February jury verdict in part for the preparation of victim impact statements, but none were ultimately provided to court. Wildman and Joseph lived on neighbouring properties near Stead, about 90 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg. Prosecutors argued Wildman caught Joseph stealing a winch from his property in the early hours of June 7, ran him down with his vehicle, breaking his jaw, leg and ribs, then moved him to a bushy area a few kilometres away, where he shot him at least two times, including once in the back of the head. Wildman called RCMP from his mother's Winnipeg home on June 9 and claimed that on the night of Joseph's disappearance, he had been staying at a friend's home, a claim the friend later refuted, jurors heard. Investigators found Wildman's Chevrolet Impala outside another friend's house in Winnipeg. Inside the car, police found an empty gun case and a receipt from an auto parts store dated June 9, where jurors heard Wildman had purchased a hood and replaced it in the parking lot. Prosecutors alleged Wildman replaced the hood to cover up the damage that occurred when he ran over Joseph. After RCMP towed Wildman's vehicle, he called Mounties from his mother's home to report a handgun missing from his Stead property. Prosecutors allege Wildman knew police would have found the gun case in his car and claimed it was stolen to divert suspicion. SUPPLIED Clifford Joseph, 40, was killed by his neighbour in June 2021 in what a judge described as a horrific execution. Police told him he was a suspect in Joseph's killing and to stay where he was. Instead, Wildman took a taxi to the airport, rented a car and drove to Belleville, Ont., where police arrested him June 18. Jurors were not given details about Wildman's arrest, which came after he shot at police who were executing an arrest warrant at the home where Wildman was staying. Last November, an Ontario jury convicted Wildman of one count each of attempted murder and possession of a restricted firearm with readily available ammunition. He was sentenced in March to 10 years in prison Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. Wildman testified at the Ontario trial, claiming he thought police were home invaders and that he was protecting himself. 'If ever there was post-offence conduct that would suggest somebody's… guilty of the charges, this is pretty convincing,' Crown attorney Chris Vanderhooft told Saull on Monday. 'It's as if the murder wasn't bad enough, he could have killed police officers, too.' Wildman's Ontario sentence will effectively be served concurrent to his murder sentence and have no impact on when he is eligible for parole, court heard. Wildman will be eligible for parole in June 2046. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES After Manitoba police told Wildman he was a suspect in Joseph's death, Wildman fled to Ontario, where he was ultimately arrested. Wildman first stood trial for Joseph's killing in 2023, but it ended in a mistrial after defence lawyer Martin Glazer fell ill and was unable to continue. Dean PritchardCourts reporter Dean Pritchard is courts reporter for the Free Press. He has covered the justice system since 1999, working for the Brandon Sun and Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 2019. Read more about Dean. Every piece of reporting Dean produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
