Latest news with #Manitoba
CBC
5 hours ago
- General
- CBC
Eastman Pride helps bring celebrations to rural Manitoba communities this summer
Several first-time Pride events are coming to rural Manitoba communities this summer, as a local group works to spread the message of Pride throughout the province, and into places where they believe it's needed now more than ever. "It's something that I think has been a long time coming in our area," said Kathy Majowski, one of the founding members of Eastman Pride. "It's very exciting." On Sunday, Eastman Pride will host the Beau-Head Pride Celebration, the first Pride event to take place in the town of Beausejour. It will include community members from the neighbouring rural municipality of Brokenhead and beyond. The group is also hosting or supporting Pride events this summer at Powerview-Pine Falls (which happened earlier this month), Pinawa, the rural municipality of Whitemouth, Lac du Bonnet and Victoria Beach. Eastman Pride was founded with the goal of bringing Pride events to more communities in the Eastman region, Majowski said. She also has a personal reason for wanting to see Pride events in small and rural communities. "I live in Tyndall, and my daughter is part of the queer community and she's a teenager, and we've always enjoyed going to the Pride Winnipeg events and participating in that," she said. "But having something closer to home was important for me, for her to see that it's not just Winnipeg where she belongs. It's across our province that she is welcome." Majowski said she knows many young members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community struggle to find acceptance and a sense of community in rural areas, and they're often forced to deal with negative comments and prejudices. "Those negative voices by far are in the minority, but they can be very loud and they can be very ugly," Majowski said. "So when the youth hear that, that can be a big motivation for our group." The group was also inspired to organize as many Pride events as possible in the area after a woman who was trying to organize Pride events last year was publicly criticized by some community members at a public council meeting, Majowski said. "There were some people that came to that meeting that were against it, and they essentially intimidated that individual, and they didn't feel safe hosting that event after that meeting," she said. "That was our last straw. When we heard about that, we were like, 'Yeah, we need to do this.'" She stressed those negative comments came from community members and not from members of council, and she did not want to say where in Manitoba the incident happened. "The councils themselves have been overwhelmingly supportive," Majowski said. Pinawa Coun. Michael King attended a Pride event that was held in Pinawa on Sunday, and he hopes to see more public figures show up at these kinds of events. "I thought it was just important, with some of the rhetoric going on, to show solidarity with the queer community and just with all people," King said. "It sends a message that it's a safe community and accepting community, so I just wanted to be part of that." King said it was also important for him to take his young son to the event, in part due to some of the negative rhetoric about the 2SLGBTQ+ community that he sees being increasingly targeted at boys and men online through algorithms and social media. "There were a bunch of kids there. My son went, and a bunch of his friends were there, and I also thought it was good there were a lot of men there," he said. "I think that for men, when it comes to being an ally, just be compassionate to people and let them live their lives. It's really not that complicated. "We can treat everyone with dignity and respect. I don't think that's super radical." This weekend's Pride event in Beausejour will have volunteers from the Winnipeg River Area Lions Club helping out. "The Lions are all about inclusivity. Everybody is welcome and everybody is treated equally," Winnipeg River Area Lions Club president Leslie Joyce said. "And we focus on marginalized people. We're looking for where we can bring people in and improve their quality of life." The local Lions Club has been very impressed with the work and the passion of the members of Eastman Pride in setting up this year's events, she said, and she feels the group's mandate and their work ethic fits well with what the Lions Club is trying to do in eastern Manitoba communities. "The more I attend those meetings, the more I see the passion of the individuals who want to make a difference and who want to create a safe space," Joyce said. "So yeah, as Lions, this just fits perfectly with what we believe." Sunday's Pride event in Beausejour is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. at the Train Whistle Park. Those taking part will do a walk around the town, and return to the park for a community barbecue and celebration that will feature speakers, live music and activities for people of all ages.
CBC
5 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
Suspended lawyer banned from filing appeals in Manitoba after 'multitude of meritless' motions: decision
A lawyer previously suspended from practising after being deemed incompetent has now been barred from starting or continuing proceedings in Manitoba's appeals court without permission from a judge, after being deemed a "vexatious litigant." That decision follows a history of Vibhu Raj Jhanji bringing what the Court of Appeal of Manitoba called "a multitude of meritless appeals and motions," including challenges of a decision to suspend him from practising law, a related human rights complaint and a separate lawsuit about a failed real estate transaction. A vexatious litigant is, by definition, someone who repeatedly files unfounded legal actions for improper purposes. "Mr. Jhanji asserts that he is not vexatious, as he has simply taken proceedings and sought remedies that are available to him at law and under the court rules," the June 19 decision from three appeals court judges said. "His position is that the [Law Society of Manitoba] is 'flouting the law' and has had its decisions 'rubber stamped' by the courts." Meanwhile, the appeals court found Jhanji's actions met "most, if not all," elements needed for the legal test it used to determine whether proceedings should be deemed vexatious. That includes starting multiple proceedings to relitigate matters that have already been decided, referring back in written materials to identical or nearly identical grievances from prior hearings and appeals — including allegations of bias against appeals judges — and trying to have lawyers for the law society and other responding parties disqualified, the decision said. It's also "objectively clear that the proceedings will not result in the relief sought," the decision said, adding Jhanji has tried to have unsuccessful appeals heard again and appealed unsuccessful chambers motions. Jhanji, who practised law in India for over two decades, was found incompetent to practise in Manitoba in January 2020, after a Law Society of Manitoba review found significant gaps in his knowledge of Canadian law. That decision also raised concerns about how he was ever allowed to practise in Manitoba in the first place, given his level of incompetence. He was later given a suspension of no less than three years, with the suspension extending indefinitely until he could establish his competency to practise. As of Friday, his status with the Law Society of Manitoba was still listed as suspended. 'Frivolous' lawsuit, human rights complaint Among the frivolous legal actions detailed in the appeals court's June decision was one Jhanji filed against defendants including the Law Society of Manitoba after the court dismissed challenges of his suspension. That claim was later struck, with a judge describing it as an abuse of court process and a "frivolous and vexatious" attempt to relitigate a suspension that was already upheld several times, the decision said. Jhanji then filed an appeal, along with a motion that tried in part to have the law society's lawyers disqualified. The motion was dismissed — a decision he also appealed. Both those appeals were dismissed, as was a motion for a new hearing, and the court moved to declare Jhanji a vexatious litigant, the decision said. Around the same time, Jhanji also filed a complaint against the law society with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, "alleging systemic bias and that it discriminated against him because of his nationality" during his disciplinary hearings. The commission declined to investigate, saying it lacked jurisdiction and the matter had already been determined by the courts. The commission also concluded the complaint was "frivolous and vexatious," the appeal court decision said. Jhanji then sought a judicial review of the commission's decision, which was dismissed — prompting him to file another appeal. 'A now familiar pattern' In November 2020, Jhanji also filed a separate statement of claim naming himself and a numbered company he's the sole director of as plaintiffs in connection with a failed real estate transaction, the decision said. Jhanji ended up being struck as a plaintiff in that case and barred from representing the numbered company. He appealed and moved for a stay of proceedings, which was dismissed. In the meantime, the deadline for filing an appeal brief also passed, resulting in the appeal being deemed abandoned, the decision said. Jhanji then filed a motion before another judge to extend the time he had to file the brief. It was dismissed, and he appealed. He also brought a motion seeking measures including disqualification of law society counsel and a notice of contempt being issued against them. That motion was also dismissed, then appealed, the decision said. Jhanji's real estate claim ended up being struck — a decision appealed and dismissed by "yet another" judge — then appealed again, the Court of Appeal decision said. In July 2024, Manitoba's chief justice denied a motion to give Jhanji permission to represent the numbered company on its three related appeals. Other appeals related to that matter were also dismissed — and in "a now familiar pattern, Mr. Jhanji filed a motion for a rehearing of these appeals," which was also recently dismissed, the appeal court decision said.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Winger from West St. Paul chosen 13th overall by Detroit Red Wings in NHL draft
West St. Paul's Carter Bear began his professional hockey journey Friday night when he was chosen by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2025 National Hockey League entry draft. A six-foot-tall forward who played left wing for the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League, Bear was selected with the 13th overall pick, making him the first Manitoban to be drafted. Bear led the Silvertips with 40 goals and 42 assists last year, despite playing only 56 games when his season was cut short by an Achilles injury. Bear was born in Winnipeg, but his parents are from Peguis First Nation. Shortly after he was chosen, the Southern Chiefs Organization sent its congratulations via social media, describing it as "a historic and proud moment for Carter, his family, and his Nation." The Winnipeg Jets held the 28th overall pick in the draft, where they took Swedish defenceman Sascha Boumedienne, who played much of his junior hockey in the United States, including last season with the Boston University Terriers. The six-foot-two Boumedienne scored three goals and added 10 assists in 40 games last year with the Terriers, advancing all the way to NCAA Frozen Four, where they were beaten 6-2 by Western Michigan in the championship game. The draft's first piece of Manitoba content came earlier in the first round, when lanky centre Roger McQueen was taken 10th overall by the Anaheim Ducks. The six-foot-five McQueen was a bit of a question mark going into the draft, after missing parts of the past two seasons with a back injuries. But when he did play, the Saskatoon-born forward showed a deft scoring touch, racking up 31 goals and 40 assists over 70 games in the two seasons combined.
CTV News
12 hours ago
- Climate
- CTV News
‘It's just pure adrenaline': storm chasers kept busy across the prairies
CTV's Daniel Halmarson takes a closer look at tornado season in Canada, and if extreme weather will hit Manitoba this summer.
CTV News
12 hours ago
- CTV News
Lawyer found guilty of 17 counts of misconduct: Law Society of Manitoba
A Manitoba lawyer has been found guilty of 17 counts of professional misconduct by the Law Society of Manitoba, with disciplinary measures to be decided at a later date. The decision dated June 20, 2025, found Paul Sydney Vyamucharo-Shawa breached the Law Society of Manitoba's Code of Professional Conduct following hearings that spanned eight months. A three-person panel found the 67-year-old sole practitioner guilty of offences such as breach of integrity, failure to treat the court with 'candour, courtesy and respect,' recording conversations with clients and other lawyers without their consent, and sending abusive or offensive correspondence. 'The panel cannot escape the very distinct impression that Mr. Vyamucharo-Shawa, to this day, lacks insight into the impact his behaviours and his words—spoken or written—have on others in the profession with whom he deals with on a daily basis,' reads part of the 78-page decision. The charges come after three citations were filed against him between 2022 and 2024, pertaining to a fee dispute with a former client, a real estate transaction and a litigation matter. Several of the charges pertain to letters he sent to a Court of King's Bench justice and the society, including asserting that the justice was 'continuing to hog and not doing the needful' and was engaging in 'needless improper interference with access to justice.' Vyamucharo-Shawa was previously suspended from practising law for six months in 2019 after pleading guilty to five counts of professional misconduct, according to files with the Law Society of Manitoba. In 2008, he also pled guilty to four charges of professional misconduct, and in 2000, he pled guilty to nine charges of professional misconduct—with multiple charges relating to misappropriation of nearly $20,000 from a trust account. In 1999, he accepted a formal caution for breaching a trust condition. The latest decision says the discipline committee administrator will be contacted to arrange a date for a hearing on sanctions.
