Government tells arts bodies to suspend cultural events funded by Russian state

Westman to lose sole medical oncologist

BRANDON — Western Manitoba is about to lose its only medical oncologist, leaving just 22 in the province — all of whom are in Winnipeg.

Brandon West MLA Wayne Balcaen raised the issue during question period Thursday, saying the departure of Dr. Brady Anderson will be a “major loss” for the region.

After four years working out of the Western Manitoba Cancer Centre in Brandon, Anderson’s last day will be Nov. 13.

“He literally sees hundreds of patients within the Westman area, and now those individuals will have to travel to Winnipeg to get that personal service,” Balcaen said, calling Anderson’s impending departure “catastrophic.”

Feds want cultural events linked to Putin paused

OTTAWA - Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez has asked arts bodies that get federal funding to suspend all cultural activities involving Russians linked to Vladimir Putin's regime in protest of his invasion of Ukraine.

Canadian Heritage has written to organizations receiving the department's funding, asking them to cancel tours and co-productions bankrolled by Russian or Belarusian state organizations.

The demand, issued last month, could lead to cancellation of exhibitions of art loaned from Russian galleries, as well as concerts, festivals, and theatre and ballet productions featuring Russian artists.

It warned that Canadian cultural organizations found to have ties with the Russian or Belarusian states will also no longer get government funding.

Behind the scenes at circus spectacle Odysseo, it's the horses who hold the reins

It’s almost 4 p.m. on a particularly steamy May afternoon and Cavalia Odysseo rider Chelsea Jordan is putting on her makeup in the back corner of the very humid artistic tent.

She’s already spent some time layering on foundation, and is now into the decorative portion of the 30-minute process, placing a pair of small gems on her forehead and enhancing her naturally sharp cheekbones with some extra contouring.

“This is the messy part of the business,” she jokes as she sticks on fake lashes over an eyelid covered in earth-toned shadow.

It’s odd that makeup is considered the messy part of the day when Jordan spends the majority of her time surrounded by horses, but as with most people involved in Odysseo, the glitzy and glamorous aspects of being a member of the largest touring production in the world aren’t nearly as fun as the time she gets to spend with her four-legged cast-mates.

Incoming councillor calls for safety improvements on Main Street

A newly elected city councillor has called for improvements to Main Street after a man in his 60s was hit and killed while in a crosswalk at Main and Jarvis Avenue.

Natalie Smith, who was elected Wednesday to represent the Mynarski ward, attended a small vigil at the site Friday afternoon.

“I walk through here, I bike through here and I have to drive through here. I know at this intersection, I have seen so many close calls,” she said, calling the area, which is north of an underpass, “poorly designed.”

She promised to ask city administration to look into ways to slow down traffic flow on Main Street.

A profile of one of Winnipeg’s worst-kept secret singer/songwriters

Roman Clarke lives in the last house on his street, with the silently shimmering Seine River as his next-door neighbour. Seated at the picnic table in his backyard are knee-high piles of snow. In the window sill by the front door rests a can of Labatt Blue, the leftover sips frozen by the mid-November chill.

Herd charge out of the gate

The Manitoba Bisons have designs on finding some sustained success this season.

A solid first step was taken Friday night, as the Bisons earned a hard-fought 83-70 season-opening victory against the cross-town rival Winnipeg Wesmen in Canada West women’s hoops action at the Duckworth Centre.

Fourth-year forward Anna Miko propelled the Bisons on the strength of an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Samantha Onyebuchi also supplied an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double.

“We’ve all basically played against each other for the last, what, six-ish years? So I mean it’s nice to come compete in university, but especially in their gym, it’s sweeter to get the win,” Miko said.