Unconditional creature comfort helps us cope

Stampeding to Starlette’s

ELMA — Build it and they will come.

Lee and Star Giesbrecht are the owners of Starlette’s Burger Saloon, a western-themed, outdoor eating spot situated on the married couple’s 40-acre spread, immediately north of Elma.

Seated at one of a half-dozen picnic tables that dot the grounds, Star recalls a conversation she and Lee had prior to the May 2025 grand opening of their locale, which, with its weathered-wood exterior and rustic swinging doors, wouldn’t look out of place in an episode of Yellowstone.

Because they are “literally in the middle of nowhere,” Star says Lee thought it would be advantageous to mount a TV in one corner of the kitchen, for those occasions when they’d be twiddling their thumbs for hours on end, with little to do.

55th Folklorama kicks off

Photo gallery: 55th Folklorama kicks off

WestJet flight attendants on strike as union, airline fail to come to terms

CALGARY - WestJet's 4,400 flight attendants went on strike early Sunday morning, and the airline halted all flights on a busy summer travel weekend after the carrier and union failed to reach a new contract.

Both CUPE, the union representing the workers, and the airline announced the move after a strike deadline passed.

WestJet’s check-in assistance line was empty at Toronto's Pearson International Airport on Sunday morning, but there were many travellers about still looking for answers.

Carissa Fontaine and Karissa Sehn slept at the Toronto airport overnight after learning it will be at least a couple more days before they can get back to Saskatoon.

Giant Tiger decision creates giant void for desperate population

A lot of Winnipeggers may shrug, but the end of Giant Tiger’s downtown store is a giant problem for many of the people living in the centre of the city.

It would have been difficult for anyone going into or passing by the Canadian discount chain’s Donald Street and Ellice Avenue location Thursday to miss the red notices posted on the store’s windows advising it will close on Nov. 7.

According to a 2024 Downtown Winnipeg BIZ report, about 18,000 people live in Winnipeg’s downtown.

More than 60,000 people work there, and some days — when there’s a big concert or the Jets play at Canada Life Centre, for example — the number of people spending time in the area increases significantly.

WestJet and CUPE reach tentative agreement, ending job action, flight disruptions

CALGARY - WestJet and the union representing about 4,400 flight attendants reached a tentative contract agreement early Monday morning, ending a job action that halted flights across the country and left many travellers in limbo.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees said in a news release that the tentative agreement will be presented to its members for a ratification vote. In the meantime, both the union's strike notice and the company's lockout notice were being withdrawn and flight attendants would return to work.

"This tentative agreement represents meaningful progress," said Alia Hussain, president of CUPE local 8125, in the release, adding that the draft deal recognizes "more of the work cabin crew are required to perform and with general increases to compensation for that work."

"Most importantly, this agreement was achieved through collective bargaining at the negotiating table," Hussain said.