Super in-tents Colourful folk festival campground a hive of creative activity By: Eva Wasney Posted: 10:04 PM CDT Thursday, Jul. 9, 2026

Mayor’s flip-flop a welcome effect of campaign

Trees may not have a vote, but they are poised to become among the biggest winners from this fall’s municipal elections in Winnipeg.

At the start of the week, things didn’t look good for Winnipeg’s tree population. City staff issued a report recommending city council reduce the 2026 urban forest renewal program and divert the money to improvements to the Assiniboine Park Conservancy’s Journey to Churchill exhibition.

The recommendation was triggered by a directive from the provincial government to take the same sum of money out of a strategic infrastructure fund it provides to the city to support the conservancy exhibit. This left the city with a $1.2-million hole in its infrastructure program. Staff felt the money could come from the tree-planting budget.

Mayor Scott Gillingham — who is running for re-election this fall — initially endorsed the recommendation when it was put before the executive policy committee (which he chairs) earlier this week. Seventy-two hours later, however, Gillingham was having second thoughts.

An evening in the emergency room

This situation needs immediate intervention. Anything less means nothing.

Indigenous theatre founder gets nod for prestigious prize

For her work as the founding artistic director of Oshkagoojin Indigenous Theatre for Youth, Winnipeg’s Nova Courchene has been named the recipient of one of Manitoba theatre’s highest honours for emerging arts leaders.

Since 2023, the Cherry Karpyshin Arts Management Prize has been given out by Prairie Theatre Exchange to early-career or aspiring arts managers. Named for PTE’s longtime general manager, for whom the company’s mainstage is also named, the Cherry Prize is accompanied by professional supports and a $2,500 cash award.

Meaning “new moon” in Anishinaabemowin, Oshkagoojin runs a variety of initiatives in Winnipeg, including the teen-focused Rising Voices, the middle years Growing Voices, and the early years Young Voices programs. Through storytelling, movement, narrative games and guided play, the Young Voices program introduces Indigenous children aged five through nine to the fundamentals of collaborative and co-operative theatre with a curriculum devised through a cultural lens.

“As I continue to grow Oshkagoojin Indigenous Theatre for Youth, I look forward to strengthening the organization’s capacity, sustainability, and national reach so that more Indigenous young people can access theatre, cultural learning, and artistic leadership opportunities in their own communities,” says Courchene in a release. “I believe that when Indigenous youth are empowered to tell their stories, entire communities benefit, and I am excited to continue building these pathways for future generations.

Banned drunk driver in crash charged with getting behind wheel again

A Winnipeg man who served time for drunkenly slamming a minivan into an off-duty police officer riding a motorcycle in 2023 is accused of getting behind the wheel, despite court orders.

Braedon Lee Gordon, 25, is charged with one count of driving while prohibited for an incident on March 2. His next court date is later this month.

Dan Léveillé, a veteran Winnipeg Police Service constable who was left with life-altering injuries in the June 14, 2023, collision, said he was not surprised to learn of the new charge.

“This is just another one of those stories, where a habitual, repeat offender is charged for the same offence. After having served time, his behaviour continues,” said Léveillé.

Burger-slinger brings Minnedosa its own version of a sloppy classic

MINNEDOSA — It could have been his chili-smothered secret.

One of the first things Zac Easton did four years ago after he and his wife Cass became the latest set of owners of the Dari Isle Drive-In, a seasonal, 70-seat restaurant that has operated in Minnedosa since 1965, was introduce a fatboy hamburger to the menu.

The 31-year-old grew up in Westwood. As an homage to the burger haunts of his youth — iconic spots such as the Burger Place, Nick’s Inn and the Dairi-Wip Drive-in — he was excited to show off his version of the Greek-style favourite at their new premises.

The interesting thing was, many of the people from the southwestern Manitoba town didn’t have a clue what a fatboy was, and those who ordered it that first summer assumed it was the Eastons’ own creation.

Carney’s pick for Manitoba senator called a curious choice

Manitoba’s newest representative in the Senate only moved to the province in 2019.

Unlike former Manitoba Senate candidates, Geeta Tucker hasn’t known this province for very long — and that’s raised the eyebrows of some experienced politicians and academics.

Retired Manitoba senator Don Plett said he hadn’t heard of Tucker until this week. The Conservative said he has nothing against her personally, but he questioned whether she knows Manitoba well enough to represent its interests in the chamber of sober second thought.

“I think it is imperative that you have strong roots to the region you’re representing,” Plett said Wednesday.