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The case of former junior hockey coach Graham James has been adjourned until next month.  A lawyer for the convicted sex offender appeared briefly in a Winnipeg court where the case was put over to May 26^th.  James is facing 9 charges that date back to 1979 , and include sexual exploitation, sexual assault and gross indecency. 

About 600 members of the Roseau River First nation are heading home after Ottawa told them the major flood threat has passed.  About 800 people were evacuated from the reserve over the weekend as water levels rose and threatened to cut road access.  Meantime, the province says the water in the Assiniboine river near Portage la Prairie, is running at one and a half times more, than the volume compared with the 1976 flood.

Well about 8 hours after the royal wedding, another spectacle will take place down in Florida, as the space shuttle Endeavour will take off on its final flight.  The original Canadarm will be on the shuttle for its last trip into space before heading for retirement at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.  The VIP list for the blastoff includes President Barrack Obama and his family.

New polls this morning suggest the NDP are closing in fast on the Tories and leaving the Liberals behind as Monday’s federal election, is now just around the corner.  In fact pollster Allan Gregg says he’s never seen anything like this ever before.  The survey shows Stephen Harper’s Conservatives are sitting at 35 per cent, with the NDP only 5 points behind at 30, and the Liberals down to 22 per cent. 

Wednesday’s fierce southern storms have taken a toll on Alabama.  Authorities say 210 people have been confirmed dead in the state so far.  In all, at least 297 people were killed across 6 states.  U.S. President Obama plans to visit the particularly hard hit city of Tuscaloosa, Alabama later today.

Donald Trump on fire last night.  The billionaire used a 30 minute speech in Las Vegas last night to insult America’s leaders, calling them all “stupid people.”  His speech even included a tirade of profanity.  Trump by the way says he’ll make a decision soon about running for president.

A massive search is still underway for victims of the deadliest string of tornadoes to hammer the U.S. in almost 40 years.  At least 297 people were killed in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia and Kentucky.  But hardest hit was Alabama, where more than 200 are dead as hundreds of buildings were simply obliterated.

That elevator free fall incident at a Winnipeg school which injured 2 people, is now spurring a change in safety regulations.  A police resource officer and a custodian at Children of the Earth High School were taken to hospital after an elevator lift suddenly dropped one storey, while they were in it.  The elevator apparently hadn’t been inspected since 1988, because it was designed for people with disabilities.  But current rules say it didn’t have to be.  Labor Minister Jennifer Howard says that’s not right, and ordered an overhaul of regulations to make sure lifts for people with disabilities are inspected annually.

So the province has decided to join the fight to stop the eastward march of the mountain pine beetle.  The tiny bugs have devastated forests in B.C. and Alberta, and are now expected to spread east and eventually cover most of the country. 

A city police officer and a custodian were injured after an elevator suddenly plunged at a school.  The 2 men were taken to hospital on stretchers from the Children of the Earth High School.  They were moving a book case in the elevator when it dropped from the 2^nd floor, landing on the concrete first floor.  Police say both men are in stable condition.

A proposed new Manitoba law would require that defibrillators be installed and maintained in high traffic public places like schools, airports and rec centers.  Health Minister Theresa Oswald says cardiac arrest can strike quickly and without warning, but access to a defibrillator can dramatically increase the odds of survival.

Out on the campaign trail yesterday, Jean Chretien showed that he still has the stuff to get Liberals cheering and chuckling.  The little guy from Shawinigan was a big hit as the ex prime minister joined leader Michael Ignatieff in a last minute boost before Monday’s election.  Chretien had a Toronto crowd roaring as he mocked Tory spending plans and took shots at the NDP’s recent surge in the polls.  Meantime, Prime Minister Harper decided to go after Jack Layton in rallies yesterday.  While Layton told an Edmonton rally last night that his attacks will be leveled against health care wait times, doctors shortages and seniors poverty.

Hotels and restaurants along Florida’s Space Coast are hoping for record crowds this week to watch the space shuttle Endeavor’s final launch.  In fact, most hotels are already sold out in advance of Friday’s liftoff.  President Barack Obama and his family will be there, as will shuttle commander Mark Kelly’s wife, Arizona Congresswoman, Gabby Giffords.  She arrived at Cape Canaveral yesterday…and has been recovering since that January assassination attempt.

The casualty count continues to rise from last night’s fierce storms that obliterated large chunks of land in the southern U.S.  The death toll is at least 85 in 5 states, including 61 in Alabama alone.  And those numbers are likely to increase after daybreak.   

One day before they tie the knit, Prince William and Kate Middleton say they’ve been deeply touched by the affection they have felt from many people since their engagement.  Their wedding program, released today, offered thanks. 

Premier Greg Selinger along with U.S. Ambassador David Jacobson, took aerial tours of the flooding in Manitoba yesterday.  Jacobson says the Red River near Morris looks like one of the Great Lakes, and he says his heart goes out to people affected by the flood waters. 

Well it may soon become easier for non union hourly wage earners to balance work and family needs.  Provincial legislation introduced last week would allow employers and individual employees to enter into written, flex time agreements.  The agreements could be used to allow workers to make up time when attending a school meeting or driving a parent to a medical appt.  It could also allow them to work 4-10 hour days instead of 5-8 hour shifts.

The city has officially opened the door to expressions of interest from the private sector on the redevelopment of the Polo Park stadium property.  Officials say they hope to secure a purchaser for the entire site, and it’s accepting these expressions of interest until June 3^rd.  Construction of the new Bomber stadium near the U of M is well underway and is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2012 CFL season.

With the campaign for next Monday’s election now into the home stretch, NDP leader Jack Layton will begin his day with a trip to Montreal.  As some polls show his New Democrats gaining support in Quebec, Layton is trying to win more than just the 1 seat Quebec seat his party captured in the last election in 2008.  Prime Minister Harper meantime will also be out looking for votes in Quebec, before heading to Ottawa this afternoon.  And Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff will take his campaign to Vancouver before coming back to Winnipeg for a 3^rd time late today.

Ukraine is asking for money on this, the 25^th anniversary of the world’s worst nuclear disaster.  On this day in 1986, a reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes.  Today, the Ukranian president appealed for money from around the world, to help build a new cover for the damaged reactor.

Sony has taken the wraps off its answer to Apple’s iPad.  It’s a tablet computer with a 24 centimeter screen.  Sony says the device, code named S-one, will go on sale worldwide by the end of this year.  So far though, no word on how much it’ll cost ya.

Flood officials in Manitoba suggest there’s a ray of hope as river levels in many areas are now on the way down.  Provincial officials say flooding that’s still on the way can, and will be, handled by the our flood defenses.  But that being said, officials still warn it could be June before water levels in some parts of Manitoba drop to normal levels.

Okay they’re good for the environment, but are they safe?  Well for the first time ever the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety down in the U.S., decided they would test the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf.  Well the results are now in, and both cars, got the top safety ratings for things like front, side and rear impact crashes….as well as roll over protection.

They’ve caught some…..but not all.  Authorities in southern Afghanistan say they’ve re-captured 65 of the inmates who escaped yesterday from a prison in Kandahar City.  That leaves more than 400, many of them Taliban fighters, still on the loose after escaping through a 300 meter tunnel. 

A group of people coming out of a nightclub this weekend, had some pretty sore eyes, this after cops say a man opened fire with a can of pepper spray.  An 18 year old man is now facing 6 counts of assault with a weapon and criminal negligence causing bodily harm.

Well there’s some good news for areas of the province threatened by rising rivers.  An ice jam has begun to move on the Saskatchewan River near The Pas….dropping water levels.  Also the forecast for the Red River has been revised, and the crest is not expected to exceed 2009 levels in most places. 

Emergency Measures Minister Steve Ashton says damage from this year’s floods could be in the tens of millions of dollars.  Ashton says that’s because water has been a problem in so many areas of Manitoba, and has damaged so many roads. 

Polls suggesting the NDP is gaining some popularity has got the Conservatives making a few changes.  With one week until voting day, Prime Minister Harper is expected to focus his campaigning on ridings the Tories lost by narrow margins in the last election.  Today, Harper will visit a couple of Ontario cities where the NDP won the riding, and the Tories came second.

Not the news people in the region wanted to hear.  Almost 500 prisoners have escaped from a prison in Kandahar City in southern Afhanistan.  And most that took off, are Taliban fighters.  Officials say the inmates got out through a long tunnel that was dug over the past 5 months from outside into the prison.  So far, Afghan forces won’t say how they failed to notice the digging of that tunnel.

Well if you are a gold investor….you’re probably wearin a pretty big smile today.  After ending last week a record high, gold jumped another 15 dollars in trading this morning.  That means, an ounce now costs well over 1500 dollars.  Traders say gold is seen as a safe haven during troubled times.

She’s made an amazing recovery…and now, U.S. Congresswoman, Gabby Giffords will be attending her husband Mark Kelly’s space shuttle launch in Florida this week.  It’ll be the first time that Giffords has traveled since she was shot in the head in Tucson, Arizona more than 3 month’s ago.  Endeavour is set to blast off this Friday afternoon for its final mission.

On the campaign trail today….Prime Minister Harper and Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff will both begin their days in Ontario.  Meantime, NDP Leader Jack Layton’s will spend the day looking for votes in New Brunswick and Quebec.

Up and up it goes…..the price of gold continues to soar on world markets.  In fact, it’s up another 15 bucks in overseas trading this morning.  That means, to buy yourself an ounce, it’ll now cost ya 1,518.00 dollars.

One of Charlie Sheen’s goddesses has hit the road.  Former porn star, Rachel Oberlin apparently dumped Sheen via a text this weekend.  But, keep in mind she’s done this before.  Back in March, Oberlin also walked out and away, but turned around and came back a couple of days later.

And the family adventure, “Rio” is number one at the box office for the 2^nd straight weekend.  The talking birds edged out Tyler Perry’s “Madea’s Big Happy Family” opened a close second.  And “Water for Elephants” premiered in third place. 

And Mel Gibson says he doesn’t care if he ever acts again.  Gibson told an interviewer this weekend that he could “easily not act again…it wouldn’t be a problem.”  As for those infamous tapes of him screaming at his ex girlfriend, Gibson said he was angry at himself for that.  But he also said what happened, he felt, was a personal betrayal.

They say it’s the only way to control them.  Government officials plan to collect and then destroy the eggs of Canadian geese in the south part of the city this spring.  They say the bird population is so high its affecting traffic safety along Kenaston Boulevard.

A jury has found that 21 year old man guilty of a shooting at a birthday party that left 3 people dead, and 3 others injured.  Colton Patchinose was convicted of 3 counts of first degree murder and 3 counts of attempted murder.  Jurors only needed a few hours to reach that verdict.  As we told you yesterday, Patchinose did admit to the killings but said they weren’t pre-meditated, so he shouldn’t be charged with 1^st degree murder.

This news will make at least a few parents happy.  The province has announced funding for 25 more daycare centers.  Premier Greg Selinger says with the announcement yesterday, the government has now surpassed its 2008 goal of creating 35 new childcare centers within 5 years.

More than a hundred people have now been added to the list of those displaced by flooding in Manitoba.  That now brings the total to 866.  Most were moved as a precaution because road access is at risk of being lost in some areas.  More than 500 municipal roads have been affected by flooding this year, which officials say is far more widespread than in 2009, the last big flood.

Now here’s a donation !  Yahoo Japan says somebody has bid 73 million dollars for a crystal piano put up for auction by a Japanese heavy metal band member, to raise money for tsunami and quake relief.  Yahoo has now suspended the auction as it confirms whether the offer is actually a serious one.

Well with just 11 days to go before Election Day, 4 of the federal party leaders will be campaigning in vote rich Eastern Canada today.  Prime Minister Harper will be in St. John’s, then in Sydney, Nova Scotia for a big rally tonight.  Liberal boss Michael Ignatieff will be in Montreal before holding a live Facebook chat with youth this evening.  And NDP leader, Jack Layton will be in Toronto and then Brampton for a rally tonight.

Probably a good idea !  This country’s nuclear power plants are under review to ensure they’re as ready as possible in the event of a potential disaster.  The move was sparked by what’s happening in Japan.  The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has now set up a task force to evaluate things like plans, procedures and guidelines that we have, for dealing with severe accident scenarios.

Chalk one up for Chuck.  Prince Charles has now entered the record books for spending the longest time as heir apparent to the British throne.  The 62 year old prince achieved the milestone yesterday, at which time he’d been next in line for 59 years, 2 months, and 14 days.  It’s a good bet that Charles will extend that record, since his mother, Queen Elizabeth is still in good health, and will celebrate her 85^th birthday today.

A 26 year old Minnesota man has been charged with identity theft for allegedly hacking into Facebook accounts and stealing photos of women, and then posting those on sexually explicit web sites.  Authorities say he reset passwords and pretended to be the account holder, even contacting the persons friends to get more information and more pictures.  The sad part for the women affected is, police say there’s nothing they can do to get the photos taken down from the various triple X websites.

A Winnipeg jury will begin deliberations today into whether a 21 year old man planned to fatally shoot 3 people at a birthday party, or, if he did it on the spur of the moment.  Colton Patchinose has admitted to gunning down the 3, and seriously injuring 3 others, during a March 2008 house party.  But he has plead not guilty to 1^st degree murder, saying the shootings weren’t pre-meditated. 

Emergency Measures Minister Steve Ashton says Manitoba will be dealing with the legacy of this year’s flood long after the rivers crest and the water drenching a lot of the province, disappears.  Water levels will be at least as high as they were in 2009, and that flood caused 70 million dollars in damage…..a bill Ashton says will be much the same this year.

Workers are frantically trying to sandbag around a sewage lift station in the small town of Melita as floodwaters have created a state of emergency.  A town spokesperson says if flooding knocks out the sewage system, the whole town will have to be evacuated.  Apparently, original water predictions for Melita were much lower, so everybody’s out there has been taken by surprise.

And then there was one.  The 2^nd of 3 winning ticketholders for last Friday’s 50 million dollar Lotto Max jackpot has come forward to claim his cheque.  A Toronto janitor who came to this country from Ghana 20 years ago, collected his 16.6 millin dollar share at the Ontario lottery office yesterday.  John Addo says he couldn’t stop crying when he realized he’d won.  Addo has been working 7 days a week for an industrial cleaning company.  Something he says he may look at cutting back on.

Well with less than 2 weeks to go before Canadians head to the polls, the mud slinging is increasing on the campaign trial.  The parties are now accusing each other of illegal lawn sign tampering, a smear campaign and nasty prank calls.  Several Liberals in Ontario and right here in Manitoba say residents have been receiving harassing phone calls at late hours by people claiming to work for the Liberals.

You know you’re big when.  President Barack Obama will visit Facebook headquarters in California today.  That’ll make him the first sitting head of state to visit the home of the social media powerhouse. 

Hard to believe but….it was exactly a year ago today that the worst offshore oil spill in America’s history, began in the Gulf of Mexico.  Vigils are scheduled in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida to mark the spill, triggered when an oil rig burst into flames while drilling a well for BP.  2 days later of course the rig toppled into the Gulf and sank.  Over the next 85 days, 780 million liters of oil spewed from the well, before it eventually was capped. 

And this my friend’s would be my worst nightmare !  Bees swarmed an elderly couple at their South Texas ranch, killing both and injuring their son.  Sheriff’s deputies say the ranch owner was spraying insecticide on a bee’s nest when they decided to attack. 

Well the numbers are actually pretty good.  Officials say so far this year, only 6 homes in the province have actually been flooded.  700 others have been evacuated, but most, as a precaution.  The province says flood protection systems like dikes and river diversions, have for the most part, done their job.

A completely unscientific pre election survey has found that the Conservatives have the sexiest supporters in the country.  The survey done in Toronto last week, showed the NDP has the sexiest female supporters, while most of the best looking men are Liberals.  But overall, it was the Conservative supporters who came out on top with a combined average attractiveness score of 51.5 per cent.  The survey was done by the speed dating company, FastLife.ca.

The first of 3 wining tickets for Friday’s 50 million dollar Lotto Max jackpot, have been cashed in.  Jon Hines, a retired petro chemical worker from Sarnia, Ontario showed up with his family yesterday to collect a 16.6 million dollar cheque.  The father of 2 says he started crying when he realized he’d won, and celebrated by ordering a pizza.  The holders of the other 2 winning tickets….one sold in Toronto…the other in Quebec….have yet to come forward.

Political leaders are bouncing around the country like pinballs as they try to score points in borderline ridings in the final 2 weeks of the campaign.  Stephen Harper starts his day in NDP country, Thunder Bay…and will finish the day in Quebec.  Michael Ignatieff will bring his campaign back to Winnipeg today, before heading off to Brampton, Ontario.  And NDP leader, Jack Layton will spend his day in Ontario, starting this morning in Toronto.

Okay this news just a little scary.  The FAA down in the States has suspended yet another air traffic controller and a manager…this time in Cleveland.  The FAA says the controller was watching a DVD and his microphone was inadvertently transmitting the soundtrack for several minutes…which prevented him from hearing incoming radio calls.  This news comes on the heels of 5 other reports of controllers falling asleep on the job at other airports across the U.S.

Where’s the beef?!  A law firm has withdrawn its class action lawsuit that was trying to force Taco Bell from calling the meat it serves, “beef.”  The suit had alleged that the chain’s seasoned beef, was actually a meat mixture with binders and extenders.  (whatever the heck those are !) 

Again a mix of good news and bad, on the flood front today.  The good?  The last of the ice jams on both the Assiniboine and Red Rivers are now gone.  The bad?  There is still plenty of overland flooding.  And yesterday, the main roadway to the U.S., highway 75, was closed.  Truckers who normally take the road say detours are going to cost millions of dollars in extra fuel, and they’re hoping 75 won’t be shut for long.  The crest date for both rivers by the way, is still expected sometime at the end of this month.

City police used their new helicopter to track down an alleged armed suspect who fled on a bicycle.  Officers say they were responding to a several reports of Saturday night of a person riding around town with a gun, but when they tried to stop him, he took off.  The managed to track him down from the air, and they say he tried to ditch the gun….which was later found.  The 18 yea old man is now facing numerous charges.

Education Minister, Nancy Allen has announced money to help teachers make their lessons greener.  Allen say 140 thousand dollars is going to Winnipeg’s Fort Whyte park.  They’re proposed Arctic Science Experience Center is getting 50 thousand of those dollars.  The program hopes to set up distance education links with the icebreaker, Amundsen and with schools in Greenland.

Some alarming news from a new international study, which has found that the Canadian arctic coastline is eroding faster than anywhere else in the world.  Scientists suspect the gradual washing away of thousands of kilometers of northern shoreline is speeding up, with the Beaufort Sea coastline retreating faster than any other in the north. 

It was a weekend of some wild storms down south.  North Carolina’s governor plans to tour more hard hit areas today, where deadly tornado’s did a ton of damage.  The storm pummeled both cities and remote areas across the south, killing at least 45 people in 6 states…and nearly half of those deaths were in North Carolina alone.

Readings from robots are telling the tale from inside the crippled Fukishima nuclear power plant.  The robots found that radiation levels in Units 1 and 3, are still too hot to handle for humans.  And officials say it could be 6 to 9 months before they’re able to get inside to really fix things.

Singles website, Match.com says the system’s still not perfect, but the online dating service will begin screening its users against the national sex offender registry.  The decision comes after a California woman sued the site, claiming she’d been sexually assaulted by someone she met through Match.com

Out on the campaign trail today….both the Tories and the Liberals will be in the Northwest Territories.  Both Prime Minister Harper and Michael Ignatieff will be in Yellowknife this morning, before Harper heads to Thunder Bay, Ontario.  Meantime, NDP leader, Jack Layton will be campaigning in Quebec today.

The heat is on for crews scrambling to build higher dikes along the Assiniboine River, where water is spilling over the river’s banks.  Officials say the dikes upstream from Winnipeg were built above record flood levels, but, back then, the river’s crest was free of ice.  This time around, an ice jam is making water levels higher.  So far, this year’s flood has seen more than 680 Manitobans leave their homes for higher ground. 

Audiences flocked to theatres this weekend to see the fine feathered friends of “Rio.”  The movie about birds on a Brazilian adventure had the best opening of any movie so far this year, pulling in an estimated 40 million dollars.  “Scream 4” debuted in 2^nd spot, followed by the movie, “Hop.”

Legislation that would make landlords more accountable for illegal activity on their property has been introduced by the province.  Bill 16 includes amendments that would expand the type of illegal activities that law enforcement authorities could bring before the courts.  That means, if the charges are proven, buildings where things like drug trafficking and prostitution happen, the building could be seized. 

A former mail carrier who worked in the city’s east end is facing charges this morning for the alleged theft of tens of thousands of dollars worth of mail.  The 45 year old carrier was based out of the Nairn Avenue distribution center.  His 46 year old wife is also facing a charge of possession of property obtained by crime.  The alleged thefts of people’s mail took place between January 2010 and mid February of this year.

City police have charged an 18 year old male with criminal negligence causing death and dangerous driving causing death, after a woman was hit and killed walking at a crosswalk on Henderson the other day.  Cops say they’re investigating whether 2 vehicles had been racing before the accident happened.  The 22 year old victim was rushed to hospital in critical condition, but died from her injuries.  Officers say the crosswalk lights were flashing at the time.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy says the U.S., Britain and France will not stop the military campaign in Libya until Moammar Gadhafi leaves.  At the same time though, Sarkozy says the goal is to protect civilians, not remove Gadhafi. 

The Japanese government is ordering Tokyo Electric Power to pay 12 thousand dollars to each household forced to relocate because of radiation leaking from the company’s damaged nuclear power plant.  That means roughly 48 thousand households will be eligible for what’s being described as the first round of compensation.  But some of the victims are complaining that the payments are not enough to cover their losses and extra expenses.

The oldest man in the world has died.  Officials at a retirement home in Great Falls, Montana says Walter Breuning passed away of natural causes at the ripe ole age of 114.  So now, the oldest person title goes to Besse Cooper of Georgia…who is 26 days younger than Breuning.

Well Charlie Sheen’s “Violent Torpedo of Truth” tour wasn’t exactly winning in Toronto last night.  The reaction to his stage show was mixed at best, with some audience members walking out.  But there were others who said the show was awesome.  Sheen’s only other Canadian date will have him in Vancouver on May 2^nd.

Provincial flood officials are warning people to not get complacent.  The crest of the Red River is still a couple of weeks away, and Emergency Measures Minister, Steve Ashton says, it could be equivalent to the flood of 2009.  That of course was the 2^nd worst flood in 150 years. 

Could it be???  The days of the good ole soap opera are over?  Well 2 of the best known soaps on t.v. have now been cancelled.  ABC says “All My Children,” will go off the air, some 41 years after its debut.  And the network says “One Life to Live” will only last until January, after a run of 43 years.  Officials say ratings for daytime soaps have been continually falling as many of the women who made up the audience, are now in the work force.

Details are still pretty sketchy, but we can tell you that a body was found in Osborne village yesterday.  It was discovered after cops got a call about a body in a shed just off Osborne street on Gertrudge.  So far, all that police will say is that the death is suspicious and it does appear the body has been there for quite some time.  An autopsy to determine the cause of death, is currently underway.

Vince Li could soon be getting more freedom….if you can believe it.  Li was the guy who killed and beheaded fellow passenger, Tim McLean on a Greyhound bus back in 2008.  He was later found not criminally responsible for the death, and moved to the Selkirk mental health center.  After a review last year, Li was granted escorted time outdoors.  Now, the question is…what further privledges will Li get after this year’s review is done.

Through rain, through sleet, through snow…but not through a strike.  Hundreds of Canada Post workers took a strike vote in the city yesterday.  The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has been negotiating with the post office since November without reaching a deal.  They say frustration with a new mail delivery system is the main sticking point.  If the workers decide to walk, the earliest they could do so would be May 24^th.

Foreign Ministers from NATO’s 28 members, including Canada’s Lawrence Cannon, are meeting in Berlin today to talk about what to do in Libya.  Topping the agenda this morning is the effort to enforce a U.N. mandated, no fly zone over the country.  3 weeks of airstrikes, some by Canadian forces jets, have done little stop Moammar Gadhafi’s forces, and France has said that NATO must step up its game.

The operator of Japan’s crippled nuclear power plant admits surging radiation levels and rising temperatures at one of the reactors…is a troubling sign.  Workers are trying to figure out how to pull damaged spent fuel rods out of a storage pool at the Number 4 reactor, without further radiation leaks.

Well at last count, about 400 Manitobans have fled their homes so far because of spring flooding, or fears of flooding to come.  ¾ of those who’ve left are from the Peguis First Nation, north of Winnipeg.  Also a record number of Manitoba highways, 55 in fact, have now been affected by flood waters. 

Well the federal leaders may have been a little more animated in their French debate, but the messages and jabs were similar to Tuesday’s English version.  Last night’s encore saw Prime Minister Harper come under attack over corporate tax cuts, the gun registry and the Tories crime agenda.  But it was questions about Quebec’s place in this country, that provided the most fireworks.  Both Harper and Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff said nobody wants to return to constitutional battles, which Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe took issue with.