Statistics Canada reported in June that, for the first time in more than 20 years, Manitoba gained more people from other provinces than it lost during the first three months of 2025. The agency noted its quarterly demographic figures are preliminary and subject to updating.

A political analyst said there is a lesson to be learned for governments from the migration numbers. “I think the cautionary tale is that before jumping on the facts put out … one needs to reads the cautions,” Dr. Christopher Adams, an Adjunct Professor of political science at the University of Manitoba, said.

To read the full article, please visit Canadian Press.

Faculty of Arts: What degree and program are you graduating with?

Emma Winram: A Bachelor of Arts in English, with a minor in philosophy. I chose this program because I’ve always loved reading English literature and philosophical texts, and I wanted to improve my writing and argumentative skills at the university level. It also complements nicely with my wish to attend law school. One key piece of knowledge I will take away from my studies is learning to critically analyze texts, arguments and other forms of media I face in my everyday life.

Did you explore any writing opportunities outside of class?

I worked for The Manitoban as a copy editor this past year, working late nights preparing the paper for print and editing/fact-checking articles every weekend—it was an unforgettable experience. I also had the privilege of attending NASH87: Canada’s Largest Student Journalism Conference in Hamilton, ON in February where I met enthusiastic student journalists and professionals. It was an amazing networking experience. My time at The Manitoban improved my writing skills significantly, allowing me to formulate better essays for my classes and build communication skills that will stick with me for the rest of my life.

Were you involved in any student groups?

I was involved with the University of Manitoba Pre-Law Society for a few years and served in multiple roles. This year I served as Vice President. Through hosting many events like law student/lawyer panels, networking events and free LSAT prep workshops, we were able to bring our membership up from 40 members in September to around 300 by April! The connections and the skills I have built from being a part of this club have made my undergraduate experience invaluable.

Describe a challenge you encountered during your undergrad?

A challenge I dealt with was making sure to manage my time efficiently while prioritizing my mental health. Being so involved on campus and juggling my schoolwork was a lot to fit into my schedule. I kept reminding myself that this work would pay off in the end and that my busy schedule was only temporary. It helped that I had good friends who were also a part of the teams I was involved in, and I had endless support from my family. I would not have been able to do it all without them.

Any big plans for after graduation?

I have been chosen as one of six people for the Manitoba Legislative Assembly Internship Program for the 2025/26 year, starting in September and running until June. My duties as an intern will be receiving assignments and direction from my assigned Caucus. Some of the tasks I may be performing are short and long-term research projects, writing briefing papers, handling constituency matters, writing questions for Question Period, and other clerical tasks. There is also an academic component where I will be attending seminars and writing a research paper. I hope to understand the process of passing a Bill more extensively and be involved with the process as that will only help me in my planned future legal career here in Manitoba.

Winram will convocate along with fellow Faculty of Arts undergraduate students in two ceremonies on June 4, 2025.

Learn more about the departments of English, Theatre, Film & Media and Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts.

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UM Bisons are at the centre of it all, making a difference here in Manitoba and around the world. 3058 degrees are being awarded at Spring Convocation 2025 (over 620 are from the Faculty of Arts), bringing the total number of UM graduates to 4200 so far this year. Many of these new alumni will stay in Manitoba, supplying high-demand skills to the labour market and contributing to UM’s $7.3 billion economic impact on our community.

Editor’s note: Faculty of Arts students have been selected for the Manitoba Legislative Assembly Internship Program almost every year since its inception. Since 1985, over 200 individuals have served as Legislative Interns, with many going on to careers in law, senior levels of the Civil Service, public advocacy groups, the business sector, NGOs, academia and elected officials.

Finance Minister Adrien Sala says the increased deficit in the mid-year fiscal update is partly due to overspending in health care.

Jim Toth on 680 CJOB invited Asper School of Business professor of finance, Dr. Yik Au on his show this week to discuss if the provincial deficit is manageable and as the government said this week, they will be able to achieve a balanced budget in a couple of years?

To listen to the full conversation, please follow the link to 680 CJOB. 

“I’m still not clear on the budgetary path that they claim that they’ve set for themselves and how they’re going to get there,” Paul Thomas, professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Manitoba, said Tuesday.

The government’s fiscal update, released Monday, showed spending is forecast to end up $475 million over budget, driven primarily by health costs. That has increased the projected deficit for the current fiscal year to $1.3 billion, up from the $796 million originally predicted in the spring budget.

To read the entire article, please follow the link to The Canadian Press. 

“What type of doctors would want to be leaving? It could be those who are involved in reproductive rights, angry at living in Trump’s regime, especially after the Supreme Court decision to reverse Roe v. Wade. That might be one dynamic,” said Christopher Adams, an adjunct professor of political studies at the University of Manitoba.

Roe vs. Wade was the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case that established a constitutional right to abortion; the Republican-majority court overturned the ruling in June 2022, turning the authority over to states, many of which have since made abortion illegal.

To read the entire article, read it out here: Winnipeg Free Press.

“I just go back to the idea that we should have more information about places that are taking care of our kids than places that are making our pizza,” said Dr. Neil McArthur, director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba. He was referring to public health violations being readily available to Manitobans.

“There’s clearly a breakdown in transparency in a field where there needs to be transparency.”

McArthur said while the additional trackers could demonstrate the province is doing a good job of monitoring potentially problematic facilities, failing to provide the information means the public is unable to assess their value.

To read the entire article, please follow the link here with the Winnipeg Free Press.

The beginning of October meant the wage grew 50 cents to $15.80 per hour.

The increase is part of a formula set out by provincial law that ties minimum wage increases to the rate of inflation during the previous calendar year.

“That just means as the cost of goods and services that we buy, like housing and groceries go up, the minimum wage goes up by the same overall percentage,” said Jesse Hajer, an economics and labour studies associate professor at the University of Manitoba.

To continue reading the story, please visit CTV Winnipeg.

To read the full story, please visit the Winnipeg Free Press.

“He was definitely the inspiration for this,” said Brandon Trask, an assistant law professor at the University of Manitoba. His peer-reviewed “Role Call: Can a Backbench Legislator Practice as a Criminal Defence Lawyer? A Legal Ethics Analysis” appeared in the Manitoba Law Journal online before the NDP announced Monday it was dumping Wasyliw from its caucus.

Trask said NDP caucus chair Mike Moyes’ statement that day explaining that the lawyer was getting the boot because of his association with the lawyer for convicted sex offender Peter Nygard is “problematic” and “unfortunate.”

To read the full story, please visit the Winnipeg Free Press. 

“They seem to want to be responsive to any group that comes along and says, ‘We’re experiencing economic hardship,’ or ‘We’re entitled to more benefits than this.’ So how they respond to the claims on the public purse and achieve a balanced budget by 2027 is hard to see at this point,” said Paul Thomas, professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Manitoba.

To read the story, please visit Global News Winnipeg.