Muppets return, murder meets comedy and more

Signs the Carney approach is working

It was, if nothing else, a glowing review in trying times.

Matt Winkler, the editor in chief emeritus of Bloomberg News, spoke last week on Bloomberg Business News Daily about a recent Bloomberg analysis of the performance of the Canadian economy, and this country as a target for investment

“This is one of the greatest periods for overseas investment in Canada that we’ve seen in the century, and it may be unprecedented, because we have to wait for the rest of the year. … Money is pouring into Canada like we have not seen from everywhere. Stocks and bonds are the obvious beneficiaries,” Winkler said. He argued that Canada is both liked and seen as reasonable.

“The point is… Canada since Mark Carney became prime minister in 2025, has outperformed everyone in America and also the Eurozone and anywhere in the world. The 10 largest stock markets in the world, Canada appreciated the most, more than 40 per cent. … Its bond market is also doing great, partially because the inflation rate in Canada, unlike the Eurozone or America, is actually trending lower, and is outperforming both the Eurozone and the U.S.”

All eyes on Brachetto ahead of Downs’ yearling sale

While Brachetto is at Woodbine attempting to become the first Manitoba-bred horse to win the King’s Plate on Saturday, a yearling colt out of his winning half-sister Aramon will be busy preparing to strut his stuff in the annual Manitoba CTHS Yearling Sale on Thursday.

And whether his famous relative wins or loses the 167th running of the $1-million event, he is sure to attract much attention.

Owned and bred by Manitoba veterinarian Dr. Ross McKague and wife Brenda, Brachetto became one of three Manitoba-breds to win a graded stakes when he claimed the Marine Stakes (G3) at Woodbine on June 27. The others were million-dollar earner and 2018 Canadian Champion Older Mare Escape Clause, bred by Cam Ziprick and Arnason Farms, and Misty Drone, bred by Phil Kives, who won the 1986 Comely Stakes at Aqueduct in New York.

Named Catawba, Brachetto’s relative is Hip no.7 in the yearling sale, and joins 47 others that will be offered at 3:30 on Thursday at the sales pavilion in the Assiniboia Downs backstretch. There will be others attracting attention too, including Hip #12, a half-brother to Escape Clause by Speculating; Hip #18, who is out of multiple champion mare Hidden Grace, and also sired by Speculating; and Hip #34, a gelding named No Bro by top Manitoba sire Nonios out of local overnight stakes winner Purrsistent.

It’s one thing to climb aboard rail-relocation train, quite another to pay for the ride

Anyone who wants a brighter, safer, healthier future for the city of Winnipeg should really want the renewed hopes of rail relocation to finally become reality. And the sooner, the better.

Premier Wab Kinew announced Wednesday the province was going to forge a plan to relocate the Canadian Pacific Kansas City central yards and many of other the lines that run through Winnipeg to a bypass that runs around the city.

This “plan to design a plan” strategy was devised by a task force headed up by former federal MP and cabinet minister Lloyd Axworthy, who in 2024 was given a two-year mandate to find the best way to rid the city of some or all of its rail infrastructure.

For the record, Kinew and Axworthy said a relocation would likely take 20 years to complete, which makes this week’s announcement an important statement of intent, but little more. The sobering reality is that this promising idea has been proposed by political leaders, and then abandoned, for decades.

Muppets return, murder meets comedy and more

What’s old — careers, love, Muppets, childhood homes and friends — is new again in this new batch of viewing recommendations.

● Wonder Man Series premières all eight episodes today on Disney+

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays Simon, a young actor trying to land his big break.

En route to trying out for the newest superhero movie, he meets Trevor (Ben Kingsley), who is hoping for a career revival. But a funny thing happens en route to their being considered by “legendary director Von Kovak” (Zlato Buric), who is himself straying from art house films in search of viral fame and relevance.

‘No CUSMA, no booze-ma’: Kinew

With the next round of tariffs set to hit Canadian goods next week, and a new report suggesting Manitobans could be severely impacted if the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement on trade breaks down, Premier Wab Kinew pledged Wednesday to keep working with the U.S. ambassador — and keep American booze off Manitoba shelves, for now.

Manitoba prepares project pitches for investment summit

Powerhouse investors may hear pitches on Manitoba mines, silica sand projects and a massive greenhouse during Canada’s first major investors summit.

The Manitoba government is finalizing its list of projects to pitch at the Canada Investment Summit next month.

“The conversations that’ll be had… will be about investments in the billions of dollars,” Premier Wab Kinew said Friday.

“It’ll be one step among many that we take to build a bright future in Manitoba.”