Good morning!
New boss of Manitoba RCMP: We begin the day by introducing you to Scott Kolody, the new commanding officer of the RCMP in Manitoba. Motivated to join the force after seeing the officers with the RCMP Musical Ride when he was a boy, Kolody now leads more than 1,000 members in communities across the province. He spent two decades policing in Alberta before moving to Manitoba in 2004, and has served as East District commander and has led both the force’s community, contract and aboriginal policing and the integrated proceeds of crime section. He promised he and several members will attend the first-ever Steinbach Pride March, calling it a celebration of “diversity and inclusion.” READ MORE
Your forecast: The possibility of a thundershower tonight and the risk of another Wednesday afternoon are the only blemishes on an otherwise stellar seven-day weather forecast from Environment Canada, which includes a near perfect Canada Day long weekend. The day begins with plenty of sunshine and the temperature could hit 27 C this afternoon, however, there’s a 60 per cent chance of rain tonight. The sky clears overnight and we’ll see a bright Wednesday morning, but clouds roll in late in the day and we could get a quick shower or two. Expect blue skies and temperatures ranging from 21 C Thursday to 30 C on Sunday and Monday.
In case you missed it
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John Paul Ostamas
Killer never getting out: A Winnipeg man who beat three other homeless men to death was slapped with the stiffest court sentence in Manitoba since the death penalty was abolished in 1976. John Ostamas, 40, was given three consecutive life sentences with no chance of parole for a total of 75 years. He pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder last month for the three murders in April 2015. In each attack, Ostamas beat and stomped a heavily intoxicated individual — one in a bus shelter, one in a back alley and a third in a parkade. READ MORE
No altering CPP deal: The money men in Manitoba have proposed some changes to the new national agreement to enhance the Canada Pension Plan, but Ottawa won’t buy in. On Monday, Premier Brian Pallister and Finance Minister Cameron Friesen made several new proposals, included indexing the $2,500 death benefit that is paid to the estate of a deceased CPP contributor to inflation and ensuring widowed seniors don’t see guaranteed income supplement payments clawed back when they receive CPP survivor benefits. But Canada’s finance minister, Bill Morneau, said no changes will be made. READ MORE
Up next
Help stop gang threat: The Winnipeg Police Service is holding a Gang Awareness Information Night this evening, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the North Centennial Community Centre (90 Sinclair St.). It’s an informative session to encourage people to become more proactive in keeping gangs and guns out of their neighbourhoods.
Probing deaths of youths: Inquest jurors examining the deaths of seven youths who moved from remote northern First Nations communities in Ontario to go to high school in Thunder Bay report their findings today. They will decide how the aboriginal youths died and make recommendations to avoid further tragedies.
Around the water cooler
Sir Elton John
Ballerina, you must have seen her: They’ll have to incorporate “Tiny Dancer” in there, right? The Royal Winnipeg Ballet will take part in a five-night run of performances next March that will interpret the songs of Elton John and Bernie Taupin. The performance “Love Lies Bleeding” blends 14 songs from one of pop’s most famous musical partnerships with the grace and energy of Jean Grand-Maître’s ballet, and will run March 1-5 at the Centennial Concert Hall. READ MORE
MacLean officially back in: Veteran hockey broadcaster Ron MacLean will return to the “Hockey Night in Canada” host chair, while George Stroumboulopoulos is out. Scott Moore, president of Sportsnet and NHL properties, said hardcore hockey fans never warmed up to Stroumboulopoulos, who had signed a five-year deal in 2014 to be host. He is leaving Sportsnet “to explore new creative opportunities.” READ MORE
Saskatoon wants Howe Bridge: Saskatoon city council has voted in favour of naming one of its bridges after NHL legend Gordie Howe. A motion was tabled Monday to have the Circle Drive South Bridge named in honour of Howe, who was born in Saskatchewan. He died earlier this month at the age of 88. Council will now ask the Howe family for its approval. READ MORE
Trending now
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Actress Carrie Fisher jokes around with Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) between takes on the set of the 1980 film �The Empire Strikes Back.
#MyGreatIdeaIn4Words: Here’s the pitch, all over Twitter — “Give me your money,” “Be kinder than necessary,” “Get some more coffee,” and, crucially, “Let the Wookiee Win.”
#GrowingUpWithMyName: People dreading being called on in school, because the teacher can’t pronounce their name; having strangers make up more “easily” remembered names because the original is apparently too difficult to pick up; and other microaggressions and frustrations of having a name that isn’t, apparently, Jim or Sally.
On this date
On June 28, 1961: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that police had laid charges against an electrical contractor in the death of a young boy. The contractor had installed electric wire in his strawberry bushes to keep birds away; the boy, who was a neighbour, touched the wire and died of electrical shock. In Europe, the president of the European Common Market told Great Britain it would have to accept the ECM “as it stands” if it wanted to become a full member. The Arab states opposed Iraq’s claim it could annex Kuwait.
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