Seasonal camping fees in Manitoba’s provincial parks will increase this year, depending on the park and campsite.

Fee increases will range from $33.60 to $186.90.

The province said today the most popular campsites that offer showers, washrooms, firewood and a season that extends to Thanksgiving will pay the highest fees.

The province said despite the increase, Manitoba's camping and reservation fees remain one the most affordable in the country.

The 2013 Seasonal Camping Package and Application Form is now online. The deadline is Feb. 8.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/Camping-fees-to-go-up-this-year-at-provincial-parks-187909281.html

The province is set to expand its financial support of True North Sports & Entertainment with a gaming centre linked -- literally and physically -- to the MTS Centre.

A new gaming centre, currently under construction on the northwest part of the second floor of cityplace, will be owned by True North, owners of the Winnipeg Jets, and operated by Manitoba Lotteries.

"This gaming centre is a result of the province's promise to provide gaming revenue support to the MTS Centre," said Susan Olynik, vice-president of corporate communications and social responsibility for Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries.

"The revenue that will be earned is to support the MTS Centre mortgage."

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/winning-bet-for-arena-188009911.html

The concept of restaurant patios on city sidewalks in Steinbach is being given one more year to prove itself. City council met in committee Tuesday night to review the trial policy which has mainly been used by Sawney Beans.

Mayor Chris Goertzen says the majority of council likes the idea of these patio establishments downtown but also noted a couple of concerns need to be addressed.

"Council felt very strongly, and this was completely around the table, that, if we are going to proceed with having patios on our right-of-ways, we want to make sure there's a stronger enforcement of the No Smoking Policy, also making sure that the design of the patios takes into consideration the drainage in the area, making sure that nothing is hindered when it comes to drainage."

Some councillors noted the temporary sidewalk that was built in the curb lane in front of Sawney Beans caused ponding of water in the area.

http://www.steinbachonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33112&Itemid=100413

OTTAWA - Cash-strapped Parks Canada is stuck between a rock — or is that Rockies? — and a hard place.

The federal agency is currently consulting the public on a long list of proposed fee hikes for the country's national parks and historic sites, pointing out that the rates have been frozen since 2008 and costs are on the rise.

But at the same time as fees are going up, many services are in decline following $29.2 million in announced budget cuts over the next three years and the resultant 600 jobs lost across the system.

Over the weekend, so-called "Occupy Winter" protesters gathered in some national parks across the country to demand a return of winter services that were abruptly shut down this year. Visitors are left to guide themselves at some historic sites, and visiting seasons have been shortened.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/parks-canada-proposes-fee-hikes-in-wake-of-government-budget-cuts-187948241.html

Canadian airports are still using the so-called naked full body scan images being removed from airports in the United States because the three-dimensional images are considered too revealing.

But that could eventually change, said Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) spokesman Mathieu Larocque.

CATSA is currently testing automated target recognition software on the scanners, he said.

"It essentially generates just a stick man image … that will highlight an area of the body that could need more inspection, like the ankle, for example, or the elbow," said Larocque, who is based in Ottawa.

"We don’t have a specific timeline for potential deployment, but this is something that we’re looking at," he said.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2013/01/22/nb-airport-body-scanners-images.html

MINNEAPOLIS - Delta Air Lines is hinting that its frequent flier program will increasingly favour big spenders over travellers who simply rack up miles.

Such a change would generally reward business travellers, who often fly on short notice on more-expensive tickets, versus leisure travellers who might fly long distances but often on cheaper fares.

Air travellers have long complained that a $700 ticket buys them a seat next to someone who might be riding on a fare sale for, say, $200. More and more, the airlines are steering greater rewards to the traveller who spend more.

Delta announced last week that in 2014 frequent fliers will need to spend at least $2,500 to qualify for the lowest level of elite status. Previously, they could qualify on miles alone. The highest level of elite status will require spending $12,500.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/travel/delta-air-lines-hints-at-frequent-flier-changes-focusing-more-on-spending-less-on-miles-187954071.html

Complete: WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and his wife are personally welcoming surprised tourists to the White House.

First dog Bo joined the welcoming committee Tuesday as Obama decided to spend part of the first full workday of his second term chatting up people taking the White House tour.

Mrs. Obama put out word about their surprise receiving line in the Blue Room by tweeting: "Shhhh! Barack, Bo and I are about to surprise folks on (at)WhiteHouse tours! I love doing this."

Visitors congratulated Obama on the inauguration, chatted about the weather and admired Bo. Most got hearty handshakes; a few got hugs.

Discussing Monday's fairly mild weather for the inaugural, Obama told one guest, "We dodged a bullet."

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/travel/obama-spends-part-of-his-first-workday-of-2nd-term-welcoming-tourists-to-the-white-house-187954631.html

(A complete article published originally in the WFP, Jan.  '67)

A chilly group of about 60 people arrived at the Manitoba Legislative Building here Saturday after a journey over a bulldozed hydro-line trail and demanded a new road from the provincial government.

Sponsored by the Thompson Chamber of Commerce and headed by its president Don Johnson, the group presented a brief to Premier Duff Roblin and several MLAs asking "construction of Highway 6 from Grand Rapids to Ponton" or if "absolutely impossible we ask that improvements be made to the existing seasonal road over which, we have travelled."

Construction of the highway would cut 250 miles from the present Thompson-Winnipeg journey.

The question had been debated Friday in. the Manitoba legislature, with Elman Guttormson (L — St. George) claiming that construction of the highway would save transportation costs for materials bound for the Nelson River power project and would also open new land for development.

Gordon Beard (PC — Churchill) agreed the road was a necessity but said it should not have priority over a road at Lynn Lake.

Saturday, Mr. Johnson told the government that it should make a centennial project of building the road from Grand Rapids to Ponton to "bring us closer to the rest of the province.  Mr. Premier, we ask you to remove the burden of distance which isolates and insulates us from the rest of Manitoba.  The road will act as an elixir … it will do much to improve the attitude of us new northern Manitobans so few of whom can bear the isolation and the long bitter winters unrelieved by many social amenities taken for granted by urban dwellers."

Mr. Johnson said the road would provide opportunities for increased mineral exploration, easier exploitation of forests, development of commercial, fishing and of tourism.

"We are linked with the, south but we are 700 miles from Winnipeg... The completion of this missing link will tie us to the, remainder of the province, provide a market for the agricultural products of the farming communities south of Gypsumville, and the cost of living in northern Manitoba will be reduced as a result of the lower transportation costs."