Curling fling fizzles with awkward silence

Smith’s pretzel logic confuses

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith had both sides of her mouth working overtime on Aug. 30, when she spoke at an event in Calgary to commemorate Alberta Day, the annual celebration of the province’s entry into Confederation in 1905 (officially Sept. 1, it was celebrated on the weekend).

Smith’s comments — and the things she did not say — revealed a lot about the political tightrope the premier is trying to walk over the challenges currently faced by her province. At the top of that list of challenges is a persistent campaign to separate Alberta from the aforementioned Confederation. A campaign that Smith appears to both support and oppose, depending on which day of the week it is.

Her Alberta Day remarks were an excellent case in point.

Smith has decided that on Oct. 19, Albertans will vote on a series of non-binding propositions in a province referendum. One of those questions will ask Albertans whether they want to hold a referendum on separation, thus making this fall’s vote a “referendum on whether to hold a referendum,” as some observers have dubbed it.

Brewers question province’s plan for trade missions to open markets

INSTEAD of a travel itch, confusion and frustration have emerged among some Manitoba brewers while the province plans interprovincial trade missions for the sector.

The government has slated $500,000 for its initiative.

Work is just beginning. The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce and Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries have been tapped to assist.

Delegations may land in Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia or Ontario, a government spokesperson said.

FAQ: Winnipeg’s boil-water advisory

To boil water: Fill a pot with water from the cold-water tap. Heat it until bubbles come from the bottom of the pot to the top. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, let it boil for one minute (kettles with an automatic shutoff feature may not boil for a full minute).

Discourse we’d rather avoid

We have all been there. A colleague says something that bothers us. A manager is not addressing an issue everyone can see. An employee’s behaviour is becoming increasingly difficult. A misunderstanding has taken on a life of its own. Or perhaps we simply need to have a conversation that we know is going to be uncomfortable.

Our first instinct is often to avoid it.

Honestly, that instinct is understandable. Difficult conversations can make us nervous. We worry about upsetting someone, damaging a relationship, saying the wrong thing or making a situation worse.

Sometimes we tell ourselves the problem will resolve itself. We decide to wait for a better time. We send the email instead of having the conversation. We hope if we give it a little more time, somehow it will become easier.

Billboard evangelism may look outdated but group says it’s effective

Maybe you’ve seen them in Winnipeg — billboards that say things like: “Jesus is alive!” “Are you prepared to meet Jesus?” “After you die, you will meet God.” They include a phone number to call: 844-FIND-TRUTH.

There are two billboards in Winnipeg. One is on Henderson Highway in Elmwood. The other is on Balmoral Street, by Cumberland.

Have you ever wondered who is behind them, and why they do it?

You might be surprised to learn they are created and sponsored by an Amish/Mennonite organization called Christian Aid Ministries (CAM). Based in rural Ontario, the group is funded by Amish and some conservative Mennonite denominations and individuals.

Late, wet spring delays sporting events

Kent Kamenz has been the regional director for Slo-Pitch National in Manitoba for more than 20 years. But owing to the province’s never-ending winter, this season will begin later than in any other year he can recall (the 2020 pandemic year not included, of course).

Thanks a lot, Mother Nature.

“Truthfully, we were supposed to have our very first tournament this weekend. Obviously, that was cancelled about three weeks ago because we saw the writing on the wall,” Kamenz told the Free Press.

“So, this weekend and next weekend were supposed to be our first two weekends for tournaments, you know, get the teams out there and get them kind of ready for their leagues. We’ve obviously cancelled those two and now we’ve pushed everything back to May 14 and May 15 for tournaments.