Bard to the bone

The rules are set and the candidates are ready: Your guide to the Conservative leadership race

Patrick Brown’s official entry into the Conservative leadership contest on Sunday will add another candidate for the party’s third race in five years as it struggles to find a boss — and a direction — that it will bring it back to government.

Bard to the bone

During the course of a roughly 80-minute performance of Shakespeare’s Villains, Ric Reid, a veteran of the Shaw Festival, called for his line about 10 times.

This ShakespeareFest production from Ontario’s Krakt Theatre has a flying-by-the-seat-of-its-pants quality, not just from Reid’s inability to do the material off-book. (On the opening night Wednesday, lighting cues seemed like afterthoughts.)

Director (and former Winnipegger) Kelly Daniels had to scramble to find a home for this show after losing its berth at the King’s Head Pub (which the program still lists as the location). The Saddlery on Main may lack the King’s Head’s atmosphere of homely, beer-soaked grunge, but it has the all-important quality of feeling like the kind of establishment where an actor — in the immediate proximity of both Royal MTC’s John Hirsch Mainstage and the Tom Hendry Warehouse — might go loudly off on the subject of the Bard and his most colourful cads.

This particular rogue’s gallery was assembled by actor-playwright Steven Berkoff, who carved out a villainous specialty for himself in the late 1980s in films such as Beverly Hills Cop and Rambo. Berkoff’s acting experience was largely nurtured on the English stage, where he got to know Shakespeare’s characters intimately, either by playing them or watching the work of master interpreters such as Sir Laurence Olivier.

Despite liquor-store attack, MLL won’t discuss safety changes

More than two months after rampant and unobstructed liquor store thefts began making headlines in Winnipeg, the provincial Crown corporation is remaining tight-lipped about what – if anything – has been done to address the situation.

On Monday, days after another liquor mart security guard was assaulted by thieves, a Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries spokeswoman said progress has been made on arresting those responsible for the uptick in thefts.

However, she declined comment on whether any policy changes have been implemented to better protect staff and deter would-be thieves.

“More than 20 top offenders who are responsible for committing thefts at our Liquor Marts have been arrested,” said MLL communications officer Susan Harrison in a written statement.

Conservatives urge Wagner to investigate judge vetting

OTTAWA — The federal Conservatives are asking Canada’s top judge to investigate whether Liberal MP Jim Carr and his wife have compromised the selection of Manitoba judges.

However, Carr said Wednesday, the process is based on merit, because an independent committee comes up with the short list of candidates.

“It’s merit-based by virtue of the judicial committee, but ultimately governments have to make these decisions,” the Winnipeg South Centre MP told the Free Press. “There is no partisan politics involved, and the appointments that have been made to the court have been very good appointments.”

Leaked emails obtained by the Globe and Mail showed Tuesday that Carr and his wife, Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Colleen Suche, disagreed with then-justice minister Jody-Wilson Raybould over the selection of a handful of candidates for Manitoba courts in 2018.

Four years on, future of 24 Sussex uncertain

OTTAWA - Nearly four years after Justin Trudeau opted not to move into the prime minister's official residence over concerns about its crumbling state, the building remains vacant — except for staff who continue to use the kitchen to prepare meals for Trudeau and his family.

And it appears no decisions will be made on the future of the residence until well after the fall federal election.

The federal Conservatives accuse the Trudeau government of dithering over "critical" upgrades to the stately yet run-down home, and needlessly costing taxpayers more money in the process.

At the same time, none of the main federal party leaders appears willing to opine on whether the building should be torn down or renovated, or whether they would live in the residence if it were upgraded.

Manitoba MP’s future in the House uncertain over vax status

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says unvaccinated MPs are leaving their constituents in the lurch by pushing back against a COVID-19 immunization mandate on Parliament Hill and virtual sittings.

Meanwhile, the only Manitoba MP to not disclose his vaccination status is headed to Ottawa, amid debates over whether to allow the unvaccinated to take their seats in the House of Commons.

“It is puzzling to me that there are people out there who think, just because they are members of Parliament, they do not need to keep themselves their loved ones, or their constituents safe, when the vast majority of Canadians have done the right thing,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters Thursday.

He noted that just outside the parliamentary precinct, people need to show proof of vaccination to enter a restaurant under Ontario rules. Trudeau argued it only makes sense to have the policy for the chamber.