Alberta chocolatier brings Canadian magic to Harry Potter baking show

Bombers continue to be a mystery

Not even Mike O’Shea can put his finger on the 2026 edition of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

At times, his team has resembled a flaming dumpster. At others — including Saturday’s crucial 33-28 victory over the Calgary Stampeders — it has looked like a legitimate Grey Cup contender.

Despite all the twists and turns, the Bombers are now in position to clinch a playoff spot this week if they can beat the first-place Edmonton Elks (12-4) at Commonwealth Stadium on Friday.

“Every year is different, but this one feels a little odd,” O’Shea said with a laugh after Tuesday’s practice at Fort Garry Lions Field.

Letters, Oct. 13

The major assumption Manitoba Hydro undertakes is the weather. Hydro projected a $214 million profit for the 2025-26 fiscal year. On Sept. 29, it reported a $446 million loss. It took on additional debt due to $751 million in operating losses. In addition, Hydro stated the fiscal results for 2025-26 were “significantly influenced by circumstances largely beyond Hydro’s control.”

Riding the Unity Bus to rally support for Canada in Alberta

It’s a chilly Thanksgiving Monday morning on the eastern edge of Alberta. A sharp wind nips at exposed skin and drab grey clouds hang low in the sky. Such weather does not encourage high spirits, but Unity Bus volunteers can’t afford to let theirs falter: in just one week, on Oct. 19, Albertans will vote on a historic question on whether to remain in Canada.

Low-cost grocery store initiative in Elmwood neighbourhood seeks to fill accessibility, security gap

A new grocery store in Winnipeg’s Elmwood neighbourhood aims to improve the lives of community members by offering food at low prices.

The Chalmers Neighbourhood Renewal Corp. recently opened the CHARM Hub. Located at 301 Ottawa Ave., the store offers canned goods, dry goods, dairy, frozen foods and a limited amount of fresh produce.

Food security has long been a priority at the renewal corporation, said executive director Leilani Esteban-Villarba. She described Elmwood as “a food desert” and noted one of the grocery stores nearest to the community her organization serves is more than a kilometre away.

“(The distance makes it) harder to access, and especially hard to access for people who have mobility challenges or who are older,” she said. “It’s hard to take a bus or take a cab or find transportation … and if you have children in strollers, it’s even harder.”

Alberta chocolatier brings Canadian magic to Harry Potter baking show

An Alberta chocolatier brought a distinctly Canadian flavour to the baking show "Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking," a magical experience she says taught her to think bigger.

Priya Winsor of St. Albert, Alta., a finalist on the show and the owner of Compass Chocolates, said the show pushed her well beyond her comfort zone, particularly when it came to constructing large-scale edible showpieces.

"It really gave me an opportunity to stretch my muscles and try something different—something bigger than what I thought I could do," Winsor said.

The Newfoundland-born chocolate maker grew up reading the Harry Potter books and watching the movies, so filming the Food Network show on the original movie sets in the U.K. felt surreal.

Herd ushers in new era of men’s hoops with roster of newcomers

The stage is new. The role, however, is a familiar one to Taven Vigilance.

For the first time since his days as a highly touted high school recruit at Oak Park, Vigilance will be asked to help drive the Manitoba Bisons offence this season.

An elevated role for the 6-7 guard, entering his third year comes as the Bisons turn the page to a new era of the men’s basketball program, having lost all five of its starters from a season ago.

Vigilance spent this summer honing his craft, knowing this opportunity was coming. He focused on his ability to dribble off a screen, in particular, which is a common demand of Bison ball-handlers who need to understand how to decisively read defenders off the pick.