Food for thought when it comes to dating game

Can Brazil’s Lula best Bolsonaro’s backers?

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is in search of his fourth non-consecutive presidential term since 2002 (and after a stint in prison for corruption) as the Workers’ Party spear-carrier, had once pledged that he would not seek a second term this time around.

But time in office and a fondness for political power have a way of changing minds.

Many prognosticators had predicted that Lula would win easily in any head-on contest with hard right Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro — the eldest son of former disgraced president Jair Bolsonaro, who was given a 27-year sentence of house arrest for plotting a failed coup attempt in 2023.

Not so fast. (The first round of the Oct. 4 presidential election, unless one candidate can eke out a majority, will most likely require a second run-off vote on Oct. 25.)

McKeever wins historic 16th Paralympic gold medal

BEIJING - Brian McKeever of Canmore, Alta., along with guide Graham Nishikawa, has won gold in the men's para cross-country middle distance vision impaired race at the 2022 Winter Paralympics.

The victory was McKeever's 16th gold medal and tied him with Gerd Schoenfelder of Germany for the most titles by a male winter Paralympian.

McKeever beat out Sweden's Zebastian Modin and Ukraine's Dmytro Suiarko in a time of 33 minutes, 6.6 seconds to win his historic gold.

The 42-year-old has won 20 Paralympic medals over the course of his career.

Manitoba announces $832-M deficit — in line with previous projections

Manitoba’s audited public accounts for the last fiscal year show the province is “moving in the right direction,” NDP Finance Minister Adrien Sala said Monday.

The provincial deficit for fiscal 2025-26 was $832 million, nearly half the $1.67-billion deficit forecast in December, and in line with the $794-million estimate in Budget 2026.

“I’m particularly proud of this final result, (given the potential) implications of tariffs on our economy, the worst wildfire season in 30 years — which resulted in significant emergency expenditures — and, of course, a significant drought,” Sala said at a news conference.

The province reported revenues of $25.1 billion and expenses of $25.9 billion, resulting in the $832-million deficit. Manitoba’s net debt is $36.5 billion and costs the province $2.3 billion a year in debt-servicing charges.

Who will vote for trees?

In July 2026, Terrasse-Vaudreuil, a small Quebec town, made international headlines.

And no, it wasn’t the result of murder and mayhem or a catastrophic flood. The headlines were about a remarkable resolution passed by its town council, making Terrasse-Vaudreuil the first city in the world to recognize the rights of trees.

The town’s resolution, based on a Universal Declaration of the Rights of Trees crafted in France, recognizes that trees are living beings which have the right to exist, thrive and receive protections under the law.

I was blown away when I heard about it. I was even more impressed when I read the words of the town’s mayor, Michel Bordeau, who affirmed that trees were not merely the backdrop for his community. They were “indispensable allies for our health, our climate resilience and our quality of life.”

Councillor facing sex charges running for re-election

A Winnipeg city councillor who faces sexual assault charges says he is running for re-election.

A day before Tuesday’s deadline, Russ Wyatt registered to run in the Transcona ward where he has served five terms and to which he was first elected in 2002.

“After much reflection, I have decided to stand for re-election in the Winnipeg municipal election,” Wyatt said in a statement Monday.

“Time and time again, I have stood up to the powers that be, and they would love to get rid of me. But I see the mess this city is in today, with the disastrous new bus routes, ever rising water bills, developer largesse, and poverty in our streets,” he said.

Thomas Giroux