News briefs

Rob Ford wants video released
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford recently asked that Toronto police make public a video that allegedly shows him using crack cocaine.
Ford has not admitted to using crack, but said on a Toronto radio show that releasing the video is “the right thing to do,” and also promised to explain the contents of the video once it is released.
Ford maintains that he does not have a drug or alcohol problem, despite facing criticism earlier this year after multiple instances of public drunkenness.

Visionary Conversations: Bullying
Last week, U of M president David Barnard hosted the latest installment of the Visionary Conversations speaker series.
The talk was entitled “Sticks and stones: Are we a society of bullies?,” and featured U of M professors Sandy Hershcovis (Asper) and Donn Short (law) on a panel along with Ron Weston, chief superintendent of the St. James-Assiniboia school division.
The U of M partnered with CBC Manitoba for the event, and featured live streaming audio on the CBC website, as well as questions posed to the panel from Twitter users.

Winnipeg Zoo takes in polar bear orphan
A polar bear cub found wandering alone near Churchill is now being housed at the Assiniboine Park Zoo.
The area was searched for a female bear to no avail, according to zoo representatives, who also noted that there are no recorded instances of orphaned bears surviving without their mothers for any substantial length of time in the wild.
The acquisition comes shortly after another Churchill polar bear moved in at Assiniboine Park – on Oct. 9, the zoo welcomed the bear, now named “Storm,” which made headlines for attacking a man earlier this year.
Storm and the cub remain under a standard-procedure 30-day quarantine.