WINNIPEG — The provincial government is being urged to call an inquest into the deaths of two people who had donated plasma at for-profit collection centres in Winnipeg.

Health Canada has promised to investigate the deaths, which occurred in October and January at two Grifols Plasma Donation Centres in Winnipeg.

However, the Manitoba Health Coalition said Health Canada licenses Grifols and it has a conflict of interest.

“We want as independent and (thorough) an investigation as possible for the loved ones of these Manitobans who died, to get real answers and so that harm like this doesn’t happen in the future,” coalition executive director Noah Schulz said at a news conference Friday.

EDMONTON — The final four Alberta recall petitions aimed at unseating United Conservative members of the legislature have failed.

Elections Alberta said Wednesday petitioners didn’t gather enough signatures to recall Justice Minister Mickey Amery, along with members Justin Wright, Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk and Ron Wiebe.

It means all two dozen petitions launched against Premier Danielle Smith and members of her UCP caucus since late last year have now fallen short or been withdrawn.

Less than 500 signatures were collected for the unsuccessful Amery petition of the more than 9,000 it needed — which represents 60 per cent of the votes cast in his Calgary-Cross riding in the 2023 general election.

MONTREAL — A Quebec Superior Court has ruled that it was inappropriate for the federal government to try to block publication of a court ruling in a case that has been shrouded in secrecy.

Federal Justice Department lawyers had argued that the ruling should remain secret to protect a police informant’s identity.

But Quebec Superior Court Judge Lukasz Granosik said that they had ”committed an abuse of process.”

The former informant is suing police officers, but all of the names of parties are redacted in a version of the ruling that was released on Wednesday.

Defence lawyer suggests fighting intensified after child hit

OTTAWA — Gun control advocacy group PolySeSouvient blames “weak political leadership” for what it calls “poor participation” in a federal compensation program for banned firearms.

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said Tuesday that gun owners had reported more than 52,000 firearms to the government with one week left to go in the program to provide compensation for banned guns.

That figure is well short of the 136,000 firearms for which the Liberal government set aside compensation money when the buyback for individual owners opened in January.

In a media statement issued Wednesday, PolySeSouvient said weak messaging about the program has failed to counter misinformation and disingenuous provincial manoeuvring.

MEN’S SOCCER

Rookie of the Year

Zach Lamb

Inspirational Award

Here is a look at Brandon Wheat Kings who are from Calgary and Hitmen who are from Brandon, courtesy of information available on hockeydb.com.

The players are sorted in order of when they started with the team, and divided by decade.

WHEATIES FROM CALGARY

Nick Johnson (2023-2026), Brett Wilson (2025-2026), Ryan Boyce (2025-2026), Merrek Arpin (2024-2025), Ben Binder-Nord (2024-2025), Marcus Nguyen (2024-2025), Ethan Eskit (2022-2025), Charlie Elick (2021-2025), Nick Jones (2021-2024).