‘Creative way to make a point’: Alberta premier defends using slap meme of actor

Despite midterm setback, Trump remains defiant

One might have thought Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections, which saw the Democratic party regain majority control of the House of Representatives, would have sufficiently humbled President Donald Trump to prompt a prudently tactical muting of his usually raging rhetoric and perhaps even a more conciliatory approach to governing.

One could not possibly have been more completely, categorically and comprehensively incorrect.

Mr. Trump was in full battle mode on Wednesday, engaging in angry confrontations with media members during a briefing in the East Room of the White House and then later effectively firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions and installing as his interim replacement a loyal underling who, prior to joining the Trump administration, was an occasional news-network commentator who described in several television interviews the strategy he would use to shut down the Russian-collusion investigation of special counsel Robert Mueller.

The day started with the ever-combative Mr. Trump declaring Tuesday’s electoral result — in which Republicans slightly expanded their majority in the Senate — as “very close to ­complete victory.” After mocking several defeated Republicans whose losses he attributed to their failure to “embrace” him and his policies, Mr. Trump took questions from the media, and the event slid quickly into utter chaos.

Pallister leaving future of bills to new premier

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister says he is prepared to be replaced within a matter of weeks and is leaving the fate of major education reforms and other proposed legislation in the hands of his successor.

"I'm working on the assumption that the (Progressive Conservative) executive council will make a decision to have a leadership vote at some point in the next few weeks," Pallister said Monday in his first comments to the media since he announced Aug. 10 that he would not seek re-election.

The party executive was to meet Monday night to start laying out the rules and a date for a leadership convention.

The only declared candidate so far, former health minister Heather Stefanson, has said she wants to scrap an education bill that would eliminate elected English-language school boards. The proposed legislation, which would also centralize governance of schools, has been widely criticized in Winnipeg and rural areas.

RRC shelter support worker program grads seek to make difference in lives of province’s most vulnerable

Pauline Pollard didn’t hesitate when asked what advice she would give her teenage self, a pregnant young mother of one in an abusive relationship.

“Leave sooner,” she said, citing everything she’s learned over the last 25 years, including at Red River College Polytechnic’s shelter support worker program.

The 43-year-old said she has “a lot of compassion” for women of all ages who find themselves stuck in unsafe situations.

It’s far easier in retrospect to see the warning signs, noting that in her case, an ex-boyfriend started confiscating her clothes and makeup before his controlling behaviour escalated to physical violence.

Transit driver, supervisor assaulted in separate incidents

TWO people are facing charges after Winnipeg Transit employees were assaulted in separate incidents within a 10-hour span Tuesday.

A 51-year-old man is accused of randomly throwing a beer can at a driver while exiting a bus at Dunkirk Avenue and Kingston Row at about 6 a.m.

The driver was bitten while trying to restrain the suspect, police said. A man was charged with assault and held in custody.

A supervisor was punched in the face at about 3:40 p.m., by a rider who refused to pay bus fare at Main Street and Pioneer Avenue, police said.

Beijing behind the scenes: On women’s hockey’s biggest stage, it’s not just the players under pressure

Alex Clarke of Weyburn, Sask., is a Canadian linesperson who isn’t part of Team Canada at the Olympics.