Police arrest 10 people in Vancouver who joined Extinction Rebellion protest

Disturbing rise of the cult of hard-line anti-vaxxers

The serious long-term threat from this anti-vax cult is its ability to spread disinformation to their followers via social media and other outlets.

Hot topic: mayor considers max temp for rental properties

Mayor Scott Gillingham says he’s open to exploring a call to set a maximum temperature for indoor rental units.

“I think we should be looking at that, as far as what the specifics would be … (In) our overall body of work, recently, we have been addressing the heat and making sure people have places to get out from under the heat,” said Gillingham.

Tenant and environmental groups have called for a maximum indoor rental unit heat limit that doesn’t exceed 26 C. A city bylaw does require landlords to maintain a minimum daytime temperature of 21 C during cold weather.

Gillingham noted the city has added 24-7 safe spaces, extended spray pad hours, opened libraries as cooling spaces and added drinking water stations to provide relief on very hot days.

Owners of beloved Shawarma Time return with new eatery

Notre Dame Avenue is becoming a bit of a hotbed of new restaurants and food outlets.

Starting with the easternmost offering, there’s Altanour Restaurant and Deli, which has been open for about four months. It’s owned and run by Talal Dalank and his wife, Dounia, the former owners of Shawarma Time on Ellice.

Dalank, who immigrated to Canada from Lebanon about 26 years ago, made headlines in 2017 when he donated two days’ worth of his restaurant’s profits to the refugee centre Welcome Place, after being inspired by seeing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcoming Syrian immigrants with winter jackets.

When the Dalanks had to return to Lebanon to deal with a family emergency, they reluctantly sold Shawarma Time. However, the family maintained their residence in Winnipeg; on trips back to the city, Talal would frequently run into former customers who missed his food. When he was able to return, he and Dounia opened a new place. The menu is slightly expanded and also offers catering options, thanks to a larger kitchen in the simply decorated two-room restaurant.

Assiniboine Park has long provided visitors the chance to commune with nature

Here’s what I observed on a perfect spring day in Assiniboine Park last week: I saw people biking, jogging and walking their dogs (so many good dogs).

I saw the Assiniboine River at low ebb and perennial plantings in the English Garden pushing up toward the April sun.

I saw birdwatchers with binoculars, a group of 20-somethings playing cards, a man tossing bread to some chipper little ground squirrels, and a guy on a tricked-out three-wheeled cycle with a speaker blasting Don’t Stop Believing. This being Winnipeg, I also ran into my husband’s aunt’s best friend.

During the last year of COVID-19, as so many indoor places where Winnipeggers would normally gather were shut down, outdoor public spaces became crucial for mental and physical health. When time seems to have stopped, it helps to see the natural world continue its cycles. When life feels isolated, it’s reassuring to realize you’re still part of a larger community.

North and east to Hudson Bay: Port Nelson

Who in Canada doesn’t like the beaver? It’s a Canadian symbol that represents hard work and ingenuity and using the resources around you to build up what you need.

Western Canada was largely opened because of the value of a rodent.

From the 1600s on, it was the trading of beaver pelts for European goods that helped raise everyone’s standard of living. Two historic figures, Samuel Hearne and Matonabee, (who first met each other by accident west of Hudson Bay) epitomized this new era.

‘Sam’ came with the Hudson Bay Company to make profit for the investors, and ‘Mat,’ a chief of the Dene people, led young Sam across the west to introduce trade with his colleagues in the Athabaskan country. Mat became well known for his “portable trading posts” that he brought across the west.