WINNIPEG — Manitoba’s “Steeltown” may be the first community in the province to take a hit in the Canada-U.S. trade war after President Donald Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum take effect Wednesday.

People in Selkirk — a city of 15,000 with a steel industry that employs 800 — are getting nervous, said MLA Rick Perchotte, who has lived there 40 years.

“They’re extremely concerned that everything they’ve worked for could be lost very quickly in a very short period of time, which may cause them to look in other countries for employment and having to turn their back on Selkirk and Manitoba,” the Progressive Conservative MLA said Friday.

While the federal government rolled out a $6.5-billion aid package to support Canadian businesses through the trade war on Friday, the provincial government hasn’t said how it plans to support Manitoba workers, Perchotte said.

WINNIPEG — More than 7,000 public health workers who went to bed Thursday night expecting to be on picket lines Friday morning went to work instead.

Marathon bargaining between the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals and the province produced a tentative agreement at about 4 a.m.

MAHCP president Jason Linklater said strike action is on hold until union members — including physio and occupational therapists, dietitians, medical technicians, pharmacists and social workers — receive information about the tentative deal and are able to vote on it.

“It was a very late night,” he said Friday. “After bargaining for a total of 11 months, we reached a tentative agreement. “We will present this offer to the membership and they will be the ones who decide whether they will ratify or reject.”

WINNIPEG — The long lines of passenger and commercial vehicles at the Canada-U.S. border south of Emerson had just started to return after the desolation of the pandemic.

“Trucks would be lined up by the dozens, sometimes by the hundreds, and that’s standard down here,” said Simon Resch, owner of the Emerson Duty Free shop, on Friday.

But now, ever since U.S. President Donald Trump started a trade war, which sparked patriotism north of the border and a rallying cry to shun the States, the all-too-familiar deserted-town feeling has returned.

The duty-free store, which relies on southbound traffic, has experienced a massive drop in sales.

WINNIPEG — RCMP said late Friday that human remains found in the Prairie Green Landfill are those of slaying victim Morgan Beatrice Harris of Long Plain First Nation.

A government news release says the Harris family has been notified and the province asks that the family’s privacy be respected.

The remains were located during a humanitarian search for the remains of Harris and Marcedes Myran at the landfill north of Winnipeg on Feb. 26.

The news release said Harris’ remains are one of two sets recovered in the search and further information would be provided when it becomes available.

WINNIPEG — It’s been a season of firsts for the Winnipeg Wesmen.

A first-year head coach. The first time they’ve held the No. 1 seed in the Canada West playoffs. The first time hosting final four weekend.

Now, the Wesmen will play for conference gold for the first time in program history.

A strong collective offensive effort that saw three different players reach double digits in kills earned the Wesmen a 3-1 (25-22, 26-24, 22-25, 28-26) triumph over the Saskatchewan Huskies in the Canada West men’s volleyball semifinal at Duckworth Centre on Friday.

WINNIPEG — Thousands of public health-care workers could be on the picket lines for the first time in three decades if last-minute negotiations fail to reach an agreement Friday morning.

Jason Linklater, president of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, which represents 7,000 allied health workers, said Thursday that the final issues to resolve in the last hours of bargaining were retention and recruitment, including salary proposals.

“We’re going to continue to work towards a deal that meets the needs of allied health professionals right to the 11th hour, if necessary,” Linklater said.

“I will to the last moment remain hopeful we can get a deal in place.”

WINNIPEG — A battle over funding has resulted in dozens of Métis and Michif child and family services workers receiving layoff notices.

The Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union says 44 workers with Métis Child and Family Services and 21 with Michif Child and Family Services received the notices Thursday. The union represents 220 members at Métis CFS and 110 at Michif CFS.

Union president Kyle Ross said the cuts won’t just affect workers, but the families and youth who need their help.

“These people look after vulnerable youth, vulnerable families, who need the extra support,” Ross said.

A group of properties around Sixth Street North in Brandon is being considered for affordable housing projects by Habitat for Humanity. The designs are not final yet, but the properties for each home are so far planned to be 25 feet wide. Incorrect information appeared in Thursday’s Brandon Sun.