In the news today: Manitoba town to evacuate due to wildfire

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed…

Manitoba town to evacuate due to wildfire

The northern Manitoba town of Lynn Lake has issued a mandatory evacuation order as a nearby wildfire threatens to cause an imminent loss of power to the community.

The evacuation begins Friday, though officials haven’t provided a time for when residents must be out of their homes.

The town says that if wildfire activity affects Manitoba Hydro transmission lines, residents could see a power outage lasting at least one month.

Town officials also noted several other wildfires near Lynn Lake, including two blazes to the southeast that could cut off travel between Lynn Lake and Thompson.

A reception centre has been set up in the city of Brandon, more than 1,100 kilometres south of Lynn Lake.

There are 60 wildfires currently burning in Manitoba, 17 of which are classified as out of control.

Here’s what else we’re watching…

Professors want Palestinian student visas approved

A group of Canadian academics is calling on the federal government to speed up approvals of student visas for Palestinians after two students who were accepted at a Canadian university died before they could leave the region.

Ayman Oweida, chair of the Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk Network, said the two students, twin sisters, were killed in an airstrike in Gaza in December.

The Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk Network is a volunteer group of Canadian academics that helps connect Palestinian students at the graduate level and above to research projects in Canada.

But its work was set back by Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip. The Canadian government has no diplomatic presence there — which means students in the enclave have no way to register biometric data with the government in order to complete their visa applications.

The network says it has placed about 70 students in universities across the country, several with full scholarships.

Twain, boots and buckles set to launch Stampede

The Old West will be on full display as thousands clad in tassels, boots and buckles march through city streets today to kick off the Calgary Stampede.

Country superstar Shania Twain will saddle up and lead the parade on horseback before performing Saturday at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Stampede runs until July 13.

“I can’t think of a better parade marshal,” said Joel Cowley, the Stampede’s chief executive.

“We expect to see 300,000-plus lining the streets once again. What a great way to kick off the Calgary Stampede.”

People have traditionally arrived hours before the parade begins to get good seats.

Stampede Park has been busy for the past week as crews assemble midway rides and concession stands.

Pancakes flipped as politicos gather for Stampede

The first political pancakes were flipped Thursday as party leaders from around Canada gather for the Calgary Stampede — a can’t-miss event for politicos trying to shore up support for elections near and far.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek led an early morning crowd through a series of “yahoos” and donned aprons for the traditional flapjack toss that informally heralds the start of the rodeo that dubs itself The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.

The 10-day event is an annual staple for politicos of all stripes as they hit what’s commonly known as the summer barbecue circuit, with their own problems and goals simmering in the background.

“If you want to make national news in July, this is the place to do it,” said Lori Williams, political scientist at Mount Royal University in Calgary. “Everybody shows up.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to host a party fundraising event on Saturday with Energy Minister Tim Hodgson and Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski. Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is also hosting a Saturday barbecue.

B.C. field coroners, paid $32 an hour, seek raise

They work on gruesome scenes of death, sometimes traversing rough terrain to access bodies in various states of decomposition.

British Columbia field coroner Leena Chandi said the things that she and her colleagues encounter “are not what most people see, and nobody should have to see that.”

Yet field coroners say they are among the most underpaid workers in the province’s emergency services sector, receiving just over $32 an hour as they work on scenes that can be risky and stressful.

The province’s field coroners are now hoping to improve their situation, sending a letter to their bosses and members of the legislature in an “urgent” plea for an increase in pay that they say has stagnated for nearly a decade.

The letter, obtained by The Canadian Press, says field coroners — who differ from full-time investigative coroners — haven’t had a wage increase since 2016 and high inflation and the rising cost of living make the job unsustainable.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2025.

The Canadian Press