Bomb unit sweeps Canada Post depot, no suspicious package found

Winnipeg emergency crews were called to another Canada Post depot after a report of a suspicious package on Wednesday.

The depot, at the corner of Nairn Avenue and Panet Road, was evacuated shortly after 8:30 a.m.

The bomb unit, with bomb-detecting dogs, swept through the building and gave the all-clear after 11 a.m.

By 11:30, emergency crews were packing up to leave but a spokesman for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers said some employees have decided to go home for the day, citing stress.

Todd Jarema, the CUPW regional representative, said a lot of workers are scared by the recent spate of suspicious package calls.

Emergency crews have been responding to calls all week, since last Friday's law office bombing that seriously injured Maria Mitousis.

Two other packages were detonated through the weekend and police say they were all sent through Canada Post.

• Winnipeg mail bombs, suspicious packages alarm postal workers

At least four suspicious packages were reported on Monday alone, including one at city hall and two on Canada Post depots (Wellington Avenue and McDermot Avenue). Those reports, as well as another on Donald Street, turned out to be false alarms.

Guido Amsel, 49, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, one count of aggravated assault, and a number of charges related to the possession of explosives.

Jarema told CBC News that police have provided Canada Post with a list of addresses that might have a connection to Amsel, and to treat anything with those addresses as suspicious.

The union wants all depots to be swept by the bomb unit to make certain no other packages exist, now that Amsel is in custody.

"Over the course of the week there has been, thankfully, false alarms. But I think it's part of due diligence to make sure the workers are safe and the public is safe," Jarema said.