This week’ s news focused heavily on the tragic murder of Winnipeg transit driver Irvine Fraser, as well as the influx of refugees crossing the US-Canada border at Emerson.

Missing Persons Alert

Christine Wood

The parents of a missing Manitoba woman renewed a plea for help Friday — which happens to be their daughter’s 22nd birthday. Sunday will mark six months since Christine Wood went missing. “We’re waiting for her every day and every second for her to call us,” said Melinda Wood, Christine’s mother.

“I wish I could hug her, tell her ‘happy birthday,’ I love her,” Melinda said on the phone from Oxford House.

The Wood family has searched tirelessly for their daughter who vanished on Aug. 19 in Winnipeg. But so far, their search hasn’t been successful. The Wood family told CBC their daughter came with them from Oxford House to Winnipeg to help a family member attend a medical appointment.

When Melinda and Christine’s father George returned home to their hotel room, Christine was gone. “I think of her all the time, wondering where she is, if she’s OK,” Melinda said.

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection also put out another call for help finding Wood on social media Friday. “My heart breaks for them,” said Michelle Ham, who works in the centre’s child safety division which is behind the website missingkids.ca, where Wood is featured. Ham said staff at the centre continue their efforts to find Wood — something she hopes gives some reassurance to Wood’s parents, who are now back in their home community of Oxford House.

“The search continues even when they’re at home,” Ham said. Ham said the centre has ads with a picture of Wood’s face on billboards across Canada. “Nothing’s going to slow down,” she added. Melinda said her family plans to return to Winnipeg when the weather warms up to continue their search for Christine. She begged anyone who may have seen her daughter to call police. “We want to know if she’s OK.”

Poverty & Community Outreach

• Hockey passion leads to new purpose for soldier with PTSD: CBC
• Katherena Vermette on capturing the brutality and beauty of Winnipeg’s North End:CBC
• When war came to Winnipeg: Winnipeg Free Press
• All dressed up and ready to graduate: Winnipeg Free Press

Gender & Sexuality

• Save the date: Steinbach Pride posts invite for 2017 parade, reminder for local politicians: CBC, Winnipeg Free Press

Refugees & Race

• ‘It really disturbed me,’ says Wolseley resident after hate crime targets neighbourhood:
  CBC
• Refugee board expands as claimants spike: Winnipeg Free Press
•  Refugee claims at Canada-U.S. border have doubled over past 2 years: CBC
• U.S.-Canada pact could split kids from families fleeing to Canada: refugee group:CBC
•  Winnipeg charities appeal for financial help to support refugees: CBC
• Premier dials up Ottawa on refugee influx: Winnipeg Free Press
• Premier says Manitoba will ‘absolutely’ help refugees: CBC
•  Desperation Trumps Danger: Winnipeg Free Press
•  ‘Don’t put your life at risk,’ U.S. Somali leaders warn asylum seekers: CBC
• College of Family Physicians calls for review of Safe Third Country Agreement: CBC
• Grocery guide shows newcomers where to get a taste of home: CBC
• Newcomer centre has no more room for border-crossing refugees: CBC
• Salvation Army centre offers 30 beds for refugee claimants coming to Manitoba: CBC

• Asylum seekers keep first responders busy in Emerson: Winnipeg Free Press
• Minneapolis woman shocked friend walked to Canada: CBC
• At least 22 more asylum seekers, baby, cross into Manitoba Sunday: CBC
•  ‘Someone is going to slip through’: Worry grows over influx of asylum seekers: CBC
• Emerson community response ‘almost seamless‘ dealing with 21 asylum-seekers over the weekend, reeve says: CBC
• No asylum seekers cross border Sunday: Winnipeg Free Press
• Somali community warns asylum seekers not to make journey through Emerson: Winnipeg Free Press
• RCMP bracing for more border crossers amid community concerns: CBC
• Eight more asylum seekers cross into Emerson: Winnipeg Free Press
• ‘We don’t know what the numbers are going to do’: Warmer weather could bring more asylum seekers: CBC
• Manitoba premier says security his 1st concern with refugees entering province:CBC

Environment

• ‘Amazing dog lovers’ come together to offer vet services for First Nations dogs: CBC
•  Non-profit group hopes to grow composting pilot project across city: Winnipeg Free Press
•  Council must get the ball rolling on organic recycling: Winnipeg Free Press
•  Organic waste plans thrown out: Winnipeg Free Press

Indigenous

• ‘These women are loved’: Winnipeg March remembers missing and murdered Indigenous women”: CBC
•  Vigil to remember Cooper Nemeth 1 year after disappearance: CBC
• Manitoba night hunter defends tradition handed down through generations: APTN
• Manitoba fight over spotlighting a non-starter a province over in Saskatchewan:APTN
• Indigenous water solutions: 2 steps forward, 1 step back: CBC
• TRC reports on residential schools posted online: Winnipeg Free Press
• No details on fate of two-thirds of First Nations schools: Winnipeg Free Press

Justice

• ‘Kill her and be done with it’: MP behind anti-Islamophobia motion reads out hate mail: CBC
• Parents plead for help on missing woman’s 22nd birthday: CBC
• Sandy Bay chief at loss for words after years-long delay in lawyer criminal investigation: CBC
• First Nation chief calls for charges against lawyer who overcharged residential school survivors: CBC
• Residential school survivors reimbursed for high legal fees: Winnipeg Free Press
•  Get out, run, run’: Gun scare chases crowd from Winnipeg hockey arena:CBC, Winnipeg Free Press, APTN
• Assault-spree accused vowed to ‘behave‘: Winnipeg Free Press
•  Retired soldier charged with sex assault at CFB Shilo: Winnipeg Free Press
• Man charged in murder had ‘a very scary streak‘: former partner: CBC
• Mother of Tim McLean says Vince Li’s absolute discharge is ‘a great injustice‘: CBC
• ‘I see him when I close my eyes’ says father of 20-year-old who died in police custody: CBC
• Second suspect in custody for shots fired in HSC’s coffee shop: Winnipeg Free Press
• Winnipeg mother facing abduction charges to stand trial in the summer: Winnipeg Free Press
• Winnipeg man arrested after 3 bank robberies: CBC
• DNA results were ‘unreliable and flawed,’ expert at Candace Derksen retrial says: CBC, Winnipeg Free Press
• Top DNA expert has ‘no confidence‘ in DNA results linking accused killer to Candace Derksen’s murder: CBC
• Grant’s defence hammers away at DNA evidence: Winnipeg Free Press
• Man dies while in police custody, IIU investigating: Winnipeg Free Press
• Court of Appeal reviewing 30-year-old murder conviction: CBC
• Men wanted for late-night Starbucks hospital shooting arrested: CBC

• Bus driver dies after stabbing at University of Manitoba: CBC, Winnipeg Free Press
• Murder suspect in bus driver’s death has long criminal record: Winnipeg Free Press
• Transit safety a longtime concern and drivers want action: Winnipeg Free Press
• Police source describes what‘s believed to have happened before bus driver killing: Winnipeg Free Press
• Rally for slain bus driver demands protection from ‘heinous attacks’: CBC
• ‘Enough is enough’: Winnipeg Transit operator says more safety training needed: CBC, Winnipeg Free Press
• Colleague remembers slain Winnipeg Transit driver as ‘my Superman’: CBC
• Bus drivers fear for safety after deadly Winnipeg Transit attack: CBC
• A silent late-night ride on a bus to madness: Winnipeg Free Press
• Man charged with murder in attack on Winnipeg Transit driver: CBC
• Winnipeg Transit drivers raising funds after colleague killed in on-the-job attack: CBC
• Are shields the answer? Fatal stabbing has bus drivers calling for safety barriers: CBC
• ‘It could have been me,’ Winnipeg bus driver says after colleague’s death: CBC

Politics

• 5 things to know about the Commons motion on Islamophobia: CBC
• Letter calling for removal from police board shouldn’t have gone public right away, Browaty says: CBC, Winnipeg Free Press
• Mayor’s cabinet calls for public inquiry in wake of Winnipeg police HQ ‘secret commission‘: CBC
• Councillors question push for inquiry: Winnipeg Free Press
•  Province noncommittal on factor of cost for corruption inquiry: Winnipeg Free Press
•  ‘Why did we buy this place?’: Condo owners want developer to fix problems in new build: CBC
• Child benefit shows Manitoba’s income divide: Winnipeg Free Press
• Rookie senator questions language used by Manitoba colleague: Winnipeg Free Press
• Axworthy promoted to highest level of Order of Canada: Winnipeg Free Press
• Political primer: How much do the Canadian and U.S. systems differ?: Winnipeg Free Press
• Pallister’s deep cuts will shock economy, academics warn: Winnipeg Free Press
• Mayor Bowman drafts request for public inquiry into police headquarters project: Winnipeg Free Press

Cultural

• Winnipeg’s Ethiopian community honoured with new achievement awards: CBC
• Louis Riel Day festivities saved by Metis Federation, St. Boniface Museum partnership: CBC

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