Selinger to receive honorary doctorate from St. B university
Saint-Boniface University will award former premier Greg Selinger an honorary doctorate in recognition of his longtime commitment to French-language education and 'indelible mark' on Manitoba.
The honorary doctorate — the highest degree granted by the francophone university, the only one of its kind in western Canada — will be unveiled at a convocation ceremony on June 16. It is being conferred in partnership with the University of Manitoba.
Selinger, 74, served as the 21st premier of Manitoba from 2009 to 2016.
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Montreal Gazette
7 hours ago
- Montreal Gazette
Quebec adopts immigrant integration bill with model ‘distinct from Canadian multiculturalism'
Quebec Politics QUEBEC — Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge conceded Wednesday that Quebec's new immigration integration law may discourage some people from wanting to move to the province. Immigrants scouting countries should be aware that if they choose to come to Quebec, they cannot expect to find the same multiculturalism model that exists in other provinces, Roberge said. That system, he said, has been relegated to the 'limbo of history where it belongs' with the adoption Wednesday of Bill 84, an act respecting national integration. The legislation was voted into law by a vote of 86 to 27, with the Liberals and Québec solidaire opposition parties voting against it. Presented in January, the law obliges the state, its ministries, cities, schools and even community organizations staging festivals that receive public financial assistance to participate fully in the integration of new arrivals. For their part, immigrants are expected to respect a social contract between them and Quebec — to adhere to and respect Quebec's democratic values, to have a knowledge of Quebec and learn the French language if they have not mastered it on arrival. The law states French is the official and common language of integration, Quebec culture is the common culture, women and men are equal, and Quebec is a secular state. 'I can't say how (immigrants) will react,' Roberge said at a news conference after the vote. 'We are changing the contract; we are changing the way we explain our way of life here. 'Maybe some people who never thought about living in Quebec will say, 'Wow, I want to go there, I want to go to Quebec because it reflects my values.' 'Some people may say the exact opposite, that this doesn't fit with me. 'Do I really want to come to Quebec? I have no intention of learning French, I have no interest in learning about a distinct culture.' We'll see.' Roberge refuted accusations levelled by some groups that appeared during hearings into the bill that the exercise is designed to assimilate the cultural identity of new arrivals. Quebec welcomes about 50,000 immigrants every year. 'This is not an assimilationist bill because we say Quebec's culture is our common culture, we are proud of that and we want people to adhere,' Roberge said. 'But we want them to contribute. This word is very important. We want newcomers, everyone in Quebec, to contribute. 'We don't want to just assimilate them and forget who they are. We want them to bring something new. This is a huge part of what it is to be a Quebecer. Quebecers are open-minded.' Immediately after the adoption of the law, Roberge presented a separate motion in the legislature stating Quebec possesses its own model of national integration that favours cohesion and 'opposes isolationism and communitarianism.' It adds that Quebec 'affirms its national model of integration is distinct from Canadian multiculturalism.' The motion was adopted unanimously. The bill was amended along the way during the clause-by-clause examination process by legislators. It still says Quebec culture is the common culture, but that culture is no longer the 'crucible' that enables all Quebecers to form a united nation. It now says Quebec culture is the 'base on which all Quebecers build a united nation.' Another amendment expands the list of organizations the policy applies to. Initially it was government ministries, municipalities, state agencies and professional orders. Added now are colleges, private schools receiving public funds, universities and public daycares. Under the terms of the law, all now become 'engines' in the welcoming and integration process, Roberge said. 'We're changing the narrative. We're changing the social contract,' he said. 'We are returning Canadian multiculturalism where it should have stayed — that is to say, in the limbo of history. It is a model that has always been harmful to Quebec.' Roberge said the details of how the rules will be applied in those institutions will be spelled out in a new integration policy book the government will present within 18 months after consultations. Another clause that would allow the government to withdraw funding to groups organizing festivals that don't respect the integration rules remains, but it's worded differently. It now says an organization that wants to obtain financing for a festival must ensure its request is 'compatible with national integration and its foundation.' 'No organization will see its current funding cut in the middle of the year, but once we will have clarified things, then the articles will be enacted,' Roberge said. There remains only one reference to respecting the institutions of the English-speaking community, and it is in the preamble of the bill. In February, Roberge tangled with Quebec English School Boards Association president Joe Ortona over that decision. Ortona called on the CAQ to give formal recognition to the distinct culture of Quebec's English-speaking community, but Roberge made no changes to the final legislation in that regard. Roberge said he was puzzled by the Liberal and QS opposition to the bill, noting the two parties co-operated in the legislative process. Quebec's Liberals adopted their own policy last October favouring interculturalism, which is the basis of Bill 84. 'I don't understand,' Roberge said. 'They are against the law but were in favour of the motion. It's worse than the mystery of the Caramilk bar.' This story was originally published May 28, 2025 at 4:40 PM.
Winnipeg Free Press
9 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Political tensions real, but when chips are down Canadians, Americans show up for each other
It's an odd contradiction. One day, we're in a full-blown trade war with the United States, boycotting American whiskey and throwing around retaliatory tariffs like poker chips. The next, we're welcoming U.S. firefighters with open arms to help battle raging wildfires in northern Manitoba. This is Canada-U.S. relations in 2025. On one hand, we have tit-for-tat tariffs on steel, aluminum, lumber and other goods. On the other, we have boots on the ground — Americans working shoulder to shoulder with Canadians, risking their lives to protect our communities from natural disaster. American fire crews prepare to leave the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Thursday morning to help battle the province's wildfires. (Province of Manitoba) It's a jarring contrast, but it reveals something deeper about the true nature of our relationship with our neighbours to the south: when push comes to shove, ideology takes a back seat to humanity. Let's rewind. When President Donald Trump reignited his tariff playbook earlier this year — slapping duties on Canadian imports ranging from paper products to maple syrup — Canada responded in kind. Ottawa announced retaliatory tariffs, and province, including Manitoba, didn't hold back. In a highly publicized move, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries announced it would no longer stock American-made alcohols, including some popular Tennessee bourbons and California wines. The ban remains in effect. There's been a wave of similar symbolic boycotts across the country. Cities are pulling back from U.S. construction contracts. Local officials are urging consumers to 'Buy Canadian.' Many Canadians are refusing to vacation in the U.S., even for weekend getaways. Nationalism has found a new rallying cry. And who can blame them? Trump's America-First approach has always played well with parts of the Republican base, but it comes at a cost to long-standing trade partners, such as Canada. Jobs are at risk. Exporters are left scrambling. And everyday consumers are caught in the crossfire. But just as the rhetoric ramps up in press conferences and policy briefings, something remarkable unfolds on the ground. As fires raged across northern Manitoba in recent weeks, threatening dozens of communities and displacing more than 18,000 people, Canada could rely on its old friend — the United States (and others) — for help. Approximately 100 firefighters and 25 managerial or support staff from the U.S. arrived Thursday to help extinguish the flames. About 110 more American firefighters are expected next week. No conditions. No political games. Just help. It's not the first time, of course. Canada and the U.S. have a long history of mutual aid during wildfires, floods and other natural disasters. The agreements are baked into our shared protocols and border pacts. They're largely immune to whatever political storm is brewing in Washington or Ottawa at the time. When the Fort McMurray fires devastated Alberta in 2016, for example, American crews came north. Canadian crews returned the favour during catastrophic wildfires in California. This is what neighbours do — they help each other in times of crisis. What this juxtaposition reveals is a deeper truth often lost in the political noise: real people — firefighters, volunteers, displaced families — don't live their lives according to tariff schedules or party platforms. When disaster strikes, ideology melts away. What matters is compassion, co-ordination, and trust. The people fighting fires in northern Manitoba don't care whether their counterparts voted Democrat or Republican. They care about containing the blaze, saving homes and making sure everyone gets out safely. That kind of co-operation can't be legislated or sanctioned. It comes from a bond far deeper than economics or trade agreements. It's rooted in a shared history, a cultural closeness and the lived experience of two nations that, for better or worse, are joined at the hip. So where does that leave us? We're clearly in a period of strained political relations with the U.S., fuelled by the unpredictable and narcissistic behaviour of a deranged American president. Trade fights are real, and the consequences affect livelihoods from places such as Winnipeg and Flin Flon. Wednesdays Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences. But let's not let the politics define the entire story. Because on the ground, when lives are on the line, the Canada-U.S. relationship still works. In fact, it thrives. Maybe we should take a page from our own emergency playbook. If we can collaborate so effectively during wildfires — sharing resources, respecting protocols and trusting each other's expertise — why can't we bring that same spirit to trade talks and economic policy? It's tempting for politicians to rally around a common enemy, especially when that enemy is conveniently located just south of the border. But the real world is messier. The same country that imposes unfair tariffs is also the one helping douse the flames in our backyard. In the end, maybe the best measure of a relationship isn't found in balance sheets or tariff lists. Maybe it's found in the way people show up for each other — when it really counts. Tom BrodbeckColumnist Tom Brodbeck is a columnist with the Free Press and has over 30 years experience in print media. He joined the Free Press in 2019. Born and raised in Montreal, Tom graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and commerce. Read more about Tom. Tom provides commentary and analysis on political and related issues at the municipal, provincial and federal level. His columns are built on research and coverage of local events. The Free Press's editing team reviews Tom's columns before they are 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.
Toronto Star
15 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Red Cross closes Niger offices and foreign staff leave after junta's expulsion order
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The International Committee of the Red Cross announced the closure of its offices in Niger and the departure of its foreign staff, four months after the ruling junta ordered the organization to leave the country. The ICRC confirmed the closure and departure in a statement on Thursday. 'We reiterate our willingness to maintain constructive dialogue with the authorities of Niger with a view to resuming our strictly humanitarian protection and assistance activities,' Patrick Youssef, the ICRC's regional director for Africa, said in the statement. In February, Niger's Foreign Affairs Ministry had ordered the ICRC to close its offices and leave the country. No official reason was given for the military junta's decision to shut down the organization's operations in the country at the time. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The ICRC said it had been in dialogue with Niger's authorities since February to understand the reasons for their decision and provide any necessary clarification but that these efforts were unsuccessful. On May 31, Niger's junta leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani, justified the ICRC expulsion on Nigerien state television, accusing the organization of having met with 'terrorist leaders' and funding armed groups. The ICRC refuted the accusations in its statement on Thursday, saying that dialogue with all sides in the conflict is necessary to carry out its humanitarian mandate and that it 'never provides financial, logistical, or any other form of support' to armed groups. The humanitarian organization had been active in the West African country since 1990, mainly helping people displaced by violence by Islamic extremists, food insecurity and natural disasters. According to the organization, it provided humanitarian aid to more than 2 million people in Niger. Niger's military rulers took power in a coup two years ago, the latest of several military takeovers in Africa's Sahel, the vast, arid expanse south of the Sahara Desert that has become a hotspot for extremist violence by militant groups. Since the coup, Niger has pulled away from its Western partners, such as France and the United States, turning instead to Russia for security. Last November, the country's military junta banned the French aid group Acted from working in the country amid tensions with France.
