Impossible to backpedal to buddy situation now

Winnipeg Comedy Festival weekend lineup

TODAY’S LINEUP

Got Land?

First Nation, Inuit and Métis performers express solidarity via humour

Featuring: Host Janelle Niles with Gerry Barrett, Savannah Erasmus, Don Kelly, Nelson Mayer, Keith Nahanee and Clayton T. Stewart

Israel: the new political divide?

Abdul won and Avi is thrilled.

Federal NDP Leader Avi Lewis emerged from electoral hiding to tell us how it is “exhilarating to witness” a “wave of progressive populism” in the United States. He was referring to the upset winner of Tuesday’s heavily-watched Michigan Senate primary race, Abdul El-Sayed, who barely prevailed over his establishment opponent for the Democratic nomination.

Premier Wab Kinew’s favourite New Democrat (after himself) steadfastly hesitates to take a risk and run for a House of Commons seat in a byelection to kickstart Canada’s version of progressive populism. No hesitation, though, in Lewis immediately basking in the reflected glory of those international comrades and fellow travellers who do.

Writing about the state of Canada’s New Democrats feels like a hate crime — you hate wasting your time — and this is no exception. A better story is what’s driving this modest but undeniable political movement in U.S. politics and whether it might gain traction here in Canada.

From Instagram to Inkster: Industrial setting an unlikely spot for young chef's Filipino fusion

The roots of RJ Urbano’s culinary journey are hidden in the name of his restaurant, Crème DeL’Essence.

The 25-year-old chef began selling custom ice cream from his parents’ house — unusual flavours such as salted-caramel Oreo, matcha green tea and Vietnamese coffee — as a side gig while he worked full-time in the kitchen at 295 York (the high-end downtown resto that’s now Carne Italian Chophouse).

“It started off with a few friends at first and then it started blowing up on Instagram, because that’s how social media is, right?” Urbano recalls, chatting after lunch hour at his Inkster Boulevard restaurant.

“It was just crazy. It was mid-winter — January or February — and people would be lining up at the door for the ice cream. We would have random people knocking at the door (of our house). And sometimes I wouldn’t be there, so sometimes my parents would end up doing it for me.

Revamped COVID ad campaign still misses mark

After two weeks of steady criticism about the wrongheadedness of its COVID-19 advertising campaign, Premier Brian Pallister has decided to make changes.

Gone is the preposterous "Ready, Safe, Grow" slogan that was featured on billboards and other advertisements. In its place, there is a more sober message that urges Manitobans to "Know the Facts" about the Pallister government's new pandemic response system.

Revealed a week ago, the new system assigns different colours (red, orange, yellow and green) and pandemic control measures to communities based on the prevalence of COVID-19. Green would allow us to live with very few restrictions; red would represent a return to near-complete economic shutdown.

The premier deserves credit for making the change, which could not have come easily given his legendary stubborn streak. However, there were very few people outside the Tory caucus and cabinet willing to defend the original campaign, which clearly implied that it was safe to get out and start priming the pump of the provincial economy. And for good reason.

Bach says Russia ban is to protect athletes, not punish them

The truth is that many of the ingredients that led to Jason Kenney’s demise are — at least so far — winning staples of the ongoing federal Conservative leadership campaign, Chantal Hébert writes.

Cinderella story continues, Sea Bears bounce Bandits in Conference Final

Just days ago, the Winnipeg Sea Bears were at rock bottom.

The losses had piled up, and the star talent had dwindled. The noise around the club grew, and the confidence from outside the building faded by the day.

Players and coaches alike conveyed the belief that persisted internally, but you wouldn’t fault some fans if those words fell on deaf ears.

Less than a week later, the undermanned and underestimated Sea Bears find themselves two wins away from the tippy top of the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s mountain after a second-straight convincing playoff victory, this time a 107-96 decision over the Vancouver Bandits in the Western Conference Final at the Langley Events Centre in British Columbia on Saturday.