Winnipeg’s top 5 stories of 2019

FILE PHOTO: Landscape featuring the skyline from Winnipeg, Manitoba. IanChrisGraham

Posted December 27, 2019 8:00 am.

Last Updated December 17, 2019 3:01 pm.

WINNIPEG – As the year comes to a close and we review all 2019 had to offer, we’re taking a look at which stories resonated most with our viewers and readers.

We took a look at analytics over the last year and compiled a list of the stories that were most popular.

Here’s a list of CityNews Winnipeg’s most-read stories of 2019!

1. Jane Philpott tells Maclean’s: ‘There’s much more to the story’

Jane Philpott listens to a questions during a news conference in Ottawa on Jan. 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Jane Philpott resigned from cabinet on Mar. 4 following the SNC-Lavalin fallout.

The then-Liberal-MP for the Ontario riding of Markham-Stouffville was one of two women whose government roles changed dramatically as a result of the scandal–Jody Wilson-Raybould was removed from caucus with Phillpot and lost her coveted justice portfolio when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled cabinet.

Philpott sat down with Maclean’s for her first interview following her resignation later in March, and told the magazine she believed that “there’s much more to the story that needs to be told” but that it couldn’t come out because “there’s been an attempt to shut down the story” — an attempt she attributed to Trudeau and his close advisors.

“I believe we actually owe it to Canadians as politicians to ensure that they have the truth. They need to have confidence in the very basic constitutional principle of the independence of the justice system,” she said.

2. Highly contagious virus found in Manitoba

Hundreds of Manitobans were possibly exposed to the measles from an international traveler over the summer.

In June, an infected Winnipeg man in his 30s arrived home after a trip to the Philippines, exposing people to the virus along the trail of places he visited upon returning home.

A study was released this past November that indicated infants are more at risk of getting measles than previously thought.

The findings debunked notions that babies are protected for much of their first year by maternal antibodies passed on through pregnancy.

In fact, Toronto researchers said the protection from their mother’s antibodies was gone for most babies by three months of age.

Babies typically don’t receive the measles vaccine until they are 12 months old. Children under five are some of the most at-risk people for contracting the disease.

3. Buffy Sainte-Marie gets songwriters Hall of Fame honour

Buffy Saint-Marie was recognized for her songwriting skills this year–being inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame at the SOCAN Awards in Toronto on April 1.

“I’m honoured to be recognized in the company of so many Canadian songwriters that have inspired me,” Sainte-Marie said in a statement.

“As a songwriter, I never set out to be courageous or political, I just wanted to tell my stories as authentically as possible, and bring light to the truth.”

Sainte-Marie’s 1964 peace anthem “Universal Soldier” was inducted to the same hall of fame in 2005.

4. Indigenous model becomes face of Nordstrom ad

Indigenous model Michaella Shannon’s face graced a massive billboard in downtown Toronto. She shared her story about overcoming adversity in a small town to seeing her face on a major billboard.

“I grew up in a small town so I did experience a lot of racism, a lot of bullying,” shared Shannon, who is from Saskatchewan.

“There were times that I was afraid to go to school because people would threaten to beat me up, use racial slurs, call me names. It was all degrading.”

She said for a long time she was embarrassed to be Indigenous, and she didn’t heal from those feelings until she turned to her culture.

In an interview with Breakfast Television, she praised Nordstrom for making history by hiring two Indigenous women for the ads.

“For myself, as an Indigenous woman, I didn’t have anyone in the mainstream media to look up to. So, it’s a first for many young Indigenous women to see and know that they can aspire to be part of the mainstream and chase their dreams and goals,” she said.

She said next on her to-do list, is working her way to being a TV host.

5. Does Scheer have ties to Trump?

Questions were raised this fall after Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer struggled to answer whether or not a Republican that worked on Donald Trump’s campaign was working on his campaign ahead of the federal election.

When asked point-blank at a media conference, Scheer tried to turn the tables by saying the campaign had lots of volunteers. His team eventually confirmed from the Trump campaign was working on Scheer’s campaign.

Scheer used the opportunity to take a shot at his opponent Trudeau, saying it was the Liberal leader who was playing by the U.S. political playbook.

Scheer would later resign as Tory leader months after losing the Oct. 21 election.

-with files from the Canadian Press

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