Department Of Education Dept: The Department of Education's enrolment report released this week reports net growth of 1,354 students in public schools -- a growth of 0.8 per cent, after a net gain of 173 students last year ended 16 years of what appeared to be inexorably declining enrolment, according to Winnipeg Free Press. Statistics Canada has warned for years the declining birth rate would lead to annual dwindling numbers of students well into the next decade and a huge immigration wave has brought thousands of new children into Winnipeg schools and produced enrolment growth in the province's public schools for the second straight year. The immigrant-driven growth is predominantly in urban centres, including Brandon, Portage la Prairie and Steinbach, while most rural divisions continue to get smaller. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Gross Domestic Product Dept: According to draft Central Plan Bureau calculations, the deficit is currently at 4.5 per cent of gross domestic product the broadest measure of a country's economic output and will remain there next year if the government does not further rein in spending, according to Winnipeg Free Press. "These are tough numbers, but this is the new reality," Rutte said in a statement and tHE HAGUE, Netherlands - The Dutch government's budget deficit will bust European Union targets imposed to keep the region's economy under control, a government think-tank said Thursday, setting the stage for make-or-break negotiations between parties in the ruling coalition on how to cut government spending further. The leaders of coalition parties will meet next week at Prime Minister Mark Rutte's official mansion to hammer out a package of extra budget cuts to bring down the deficit to the EU-mandated level of 3 per cent of GDP. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Bodog Dept: The website's domain name was seized Monday and the indictments, which were returned Feb. 22, were unveiled Tuesday in Baltimore, prosecutors said, according to CBC. In addition to the 50-year-old Ayre, who was born in Lloydminster, Sask., prosecutors say the indictment names website operators James Philip, David Ferguson and Derrick Maloney and the gambling website Bodog has been shut down and four Canadians indicted, including founder Calvin Ayre, for illegal gambling that generated more than $100 million in winnings, U.S. federal prosecutors say. The indictments follow federal prosecutions last year of three of the biggest websites involved in online poker. More than 75 company bank accounts in 14 countries have been frozen, and authorities are seeking $3 billion in fines and restitution, in that investigation. Bodog gambling founder Calvin Ayre poses for a photograph after an interview at a Toronto hotel in July 2007. Ayre has been indicted in the U.S. for illegal gambling. Nathan Denette/Canadian Press (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Oils Neil Bardal Inc. Dept: The Spirit of Winnipeg awards were established three years ago to recognize businesses that exemplify innovation and entrepreneurship which help to define our city, the chamber said in a news release, according to Winnipeg Free Press. Small Business Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods a Oils Neil Bardal Inc. Funeral Centre Parenty Reitmeier, Inc and winnipeg Chamber of Commerce presents its Spirit of Winnipeg Awards Friday at a dinner in the Fairmont Hotel. The winners will be chosen from 18 finalists in six categories: (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Federal Prosecutors Dept: BALTIMORE - The sports gambling site Bodog has been shut down and four Canadians have been indicted, including founder Calvin Ayre, for illegal gambling that generated more than $100 million in winnings, U.S. federal prosecutors announced Tuesday, according to Winnipeg Free Press. Ayre, who's originally from Lloydminster, Sask., posted a statement on his website Tuesday saying that his company did not take bets in the U.S, where financial transactions involving online gambling service providers are illegal and bodog gambling founder Calvin Ayre poses for a photograph after an interview in his hotel room on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 in Toronto. The sports gambling site Bodog was shut down and four Canadians indicted, including Ayre, for illegal gambling that generated more than $100 million in winnings, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette The website's domain name was seized Monday and the indictments, which were handed down Feb. 22, were unveiled Tuesday in Baltimore, prosecutors said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Bruno Van Der Pluijm Dept: The land of chocolate, beer and waffles would like to expand its relationship with Manitoba, according to Winnipeg Free Press. "We want to take stock of where we are in terms of a bilateral relationship and see where we can take it to another level. It's mainly trade-related but it can also be in higher education. There are many areas where collaboration could be intensified," he said and bruno van der Pluijm, Belgium's ambassador to Canada, is in Winnipeg this week. Bruno van der Pluijm, Belgium's ambassador to Canada, is in town this week to do some fact finding and meet with Premier Greg Selinger, and representatives from industry and the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Gary Peters Dept: Gary Peters spent almost five hours at the Canada Border Services Agency offices in Mississauga, Ont., where he was questioned about the Montreal-based engineering giant's role in financing some of his international travels, according to Vancouver Sun. SNC-Lavalin announced earlier on Tuesday it had launched an independent investigation into $35-million worth of improperly documented payments related to construction projects "and certain other contracts" in the last quarter of 2011 and the Ontario private security contractor who helped dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's family flee Libya during last year's revolution was grilled by Canadian immigration officials Tuesday about his ties to SNC-Lavalin. Asked what the CBSA officers wanted to know about SNC-Lavalin, Mr. Peters replied: "What trips they paid for, how much they paid, who paid, who was the contact. That's what they were asking about that. How I got paid." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Meryl Streep Dept: Meryl Streep has won an Oscar for her role in The Iron Lady and Jean Dujardin picked up an Oscar for his role in The Artist, according to The Star. Plummer won the best-supporting actor prize tonight for his turn as a widower who embraces his homosexuality in Beginners and lOS ANGELES The Artist' won for best picture on Sunday at the Academy Awards. And at the age of 82, stage and screen legend Christopher Plummer finally has an Academy Award . (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

U.S. Attorney's Office Dept: Also indicted were three of Ayre's associates who, until last year, operated out of a Bodog-related office at 333 Seymour St. in downtown Vancouver, according to Vancouver Sun. The indictment was filed a week ago and unsealed by the U.S. Attorney's office in Baltimore on Tuesday. None of the four men has been arrested and internet gambling mogul Calvin Ayre, who taunted U.S. federal authorities from his luxury penthouse in Yaletown, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Maryland for allegedly running an illegal sports gambling enterprise and conspiring to launder money. They are Vancouver chartered accountant James Philip also a director of NovaGold Resources Inc. ; former controller and head of e-commerce David Ferguson, who commuted to Vancouver from his home in Kelowna but is now believed to be living in London; and media buyer Derrick Maloney. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Rustem Tursunbayev Dept: Rustem Tursunbayev, 49, was detained by Toronto police and the Canada Border Services Agency on Feb. 10 after Interpol issued a red notice which seeks an arrest for future extradition on behalf of Kazakhstan in July 2011. Tursunbayev had been living in a King City mansion with his wife and two children since 2009, according to The Star. We decided that we couldn t proceed until we knew how serious the condition was, he said. We can t really set a date until we know what the prognosis is. A former vice president of a Kazakh nuclear company accused of embezzling roughly $20 million from his government suffered a possible heart attack at Toronto West Detention Centre Tuesday, one day before he was to appear before a detention review. The hearing before the Immigration and Refugee Board is postponed indefinitely, said Tursunbayev s lawyer, Lorne Waldman. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.