Out of control New Brunswick wildfire is manageable, say fire officials

Reynolds exerts ‘maximum effort’ to boost Winnipeg after quick meet with mayor

Ryan Reynolds wasn’t wearing his Deadpool suit, but that didn’t stop Mayor Scott Gillingham from wanting to talk about films with the Vancouver-born Hollywood movie star.

Reynolds, who appeared at IG Wealth Management's 100th anniversary celebration Wednesday at the RBC Convention Centre, took to social media afterward, sharing a photo of himself with Gillingham and trumpeting the province’s tax incentives.

“An incredible place to shoot,” the Instagram post read.

On Thursday, Gillingham said the actor, best known for portraying an irreverent, erratic anti-hero on the big screen, is a “really nice gentleman.”

Colman radiant in well-woven romance

There have been wicker-related films before. The Wicker Man from 1973 is a classic of folk horror. This bawdy, rowdy outing is more of a folk sex-comedy.

Adapted from a story by Ursula Wills by filmmakers Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer, Wicker is sometimes overly obvious in its satirical messaging. But like the wicker creation at its centre, Wilson and Fischer’s unexpected world is nicely crafted, the wonderful Olivia Colman weaving it all together with radiant, raunchy directness and real vulnerability.

In this feminist fable, set in some vague, peasanty time and place, Colman plays the ostracized, isolated Fisherwoman. Fisherwoman is either ignored or bullied by her fellow villagers, and in a community where the women are known as “Innkeeper’s Wife” or “Doctor’s Daughter,” perhaps the worst insult hurled at her is “Spinster.”

After a magical omen is dropped by her feet at a village wedding, Fisherwoman goes to the Basketmaker (Peter Dinklage), who has his own reasons for living alone at the edge of town, and orders up a husband.

Eadie faces crowded field — including former councillor — in bid for fifth term in Mynarski

The city’s most crowded council race has a little bit of everything: a long-serving incumbent, a former ward councillor in the 1980s, an unsuccessful candidate in the last municipal election seeking a rematch and three political newcomers.

Mynarski has long been led by Coun. Ross Eadie, who was first elected in 2010 and is seeking his fifth term. Five challengers want the job: Natalie Smith, who ran in the ward in 2022 and came in second, Terry Wachniak, Harold Brazil, Laurie Kozak and Ayaz Noor Mohammed.

It’s the city ward with the largest number of candidates this year.

Eadie describes himself as “a dancer, a singer and a city councillor” who has made inroads on garbage pickup, back-lane cleaning and earning the respect of his fellow council members by being the first Mynarski councillor to be appointed to executive policy committee, the mayor’s inner circle, in decades.

Krahn returns, Boyko primed to lead as University of Manitoba Bisons serves squad depleted of vets

Rowan Krahn has been told most of his career that he couldn’t do it. And recently, injuries wouldn’t let him.

For the first time in two years, Krahn gets to prove he can.

The Manitoba Bisons’ fifth-year outside hitter is undersized for his position.

It’s always been that way. Since he was a teen, talent evaluators have recommended that he play libero, a conventional position for a shorter player. That advice has largely fallen on deaf ears.

Chief medical officer quits, cites work environment ‘challenges’

Manitoba’s provincial chief medical officer is resigning from his position at Shared Health, citing the role’s demands and work environment challenges in an email viewed by the Free Press.

Dr. José François, who’s held the executive position since April 2024, sent an email to provincial medical specialty leads that said his final day will be Jan. 17, 2027, after he submitted his resignation Wednesday. Several other senior leaders have departed the provincial health authority in recent months.

“Serving in this role has been a privilege,” François, a longtime family physician from Ste. Anne, wrote in the email.

He said his “greatest pleasure” was working alongside and supporting an “exceptional group” of provincial medical specialty leads and chief medical officers.

Builder beefs up security after string of blazes

A Winnipeg builder said he’s had to beef up security around his developments after one of his projects sustained significant damage Wednesday in suspected arson cases.