The Social Page

‘Strong sense of unity’

Manitoba government and business leaders are rallying behind Prime Minister Mark Carney’s plan to fight back, after a sudden collapse of trade talks between the U.S. and Canada sparked a new salvo of U.S. tariffs on some Canadian goods.

On Saturday, after Carney vowed to respond with retaliatory tariffs, Manitoba premier Wab Kinew said his government stood “100 per cent” behind the prime minister’s plan to respond to what Kinew called U.S. president Donald Trump’s “unjustified and immoral” tariffs.

“History will not be kind to Donald Trump, so we should never appease him,” Kinew said. “We should fight back, which is what Canada is doing today.”

Kinew met reporters for a brief news conference at the legislature on Saturday afternoon, about an hour after finishing a call with Carney and the other premiers. There was a “really strong sense of unity” on that call, Kinew said, and emphasized that he backs the federal decision to “walk away from what would have been a bad deal.”

The Social Page

Celebrating WestlandThe Westland Foundation celebrated 25 years of inner-city youth achievements with its inaugural Scholars’ Reception on Feb. 13 at the Millennium Library. The event recognized Westland Scholars’ achievements and their contribution to the foundation’s growth. Created in 1993 to help a group of inner-Winnipeg school parent councils and area organizations raise $10,000 to fund summer school recreation play programs, the Westland Foundation is a volunteer-based and non-profit organization dedicated to empowering inner-Winnipeg youth through post-secondary education. The Westland Foundation Education Fund program works to raise sufficient funds to underwrite the first year of post-secondary studies for inner-city Winnipeg students. For more information, visit westlandfoundation.ca.

Here I AmSarasvàti Productions hosted two performances of Here I Am in celebration of International Women’s Week at the Asper Centre for Theatre and Film at the University of Winnipeg on March 9. Here I Am featured a diverse lineup of monologues by Canadian playwrights, as well as performance pieces by local creators and performers. Founded in Winnipeg in 2000, Sarasvàti aims to inspire artists and audiences through the use of theatre and by providing a place where artists can develop and showcase their skills and celebrate their creativity. For more information, visit sarasvati.ca.

Free Press literary editor picks noteworthy Canadian fiction and non-fiction titles to watch for this fall

For many book lovers, summer means relaxing at the beach, in the backyard or at the cottage with fun, warm-weather page-turners — easy-going romance novels, gripping thrillers or even a dishy biography.

And some may long for the summer months to slow down, fall books season always offers up some of the most compelling reads for bookworms.

Here are 10 works of fiction and 10 non-fiction titles from Canadian authors slated to be published in the coming months — from Olympians to separatists, draft dodgers, plutocrats, prime ministers, bird-men and beyond, the characters in these forthcoming titles run the gamut.

FICTIONEliza Sunshine

Provincial teacher watchdog releases names, details in three disciplinary matters

An Interlake teacher with a history of “intimidating” outbursts has been ordered to participate in counselling and study anger-management strategies after he made a child cry.

Swede leads Manitoba Open, Winnipegger sits 33rd

From Lars-Erik Sjoberg to Thomas Steen to Viggo Bjorck, there’s no shortage of Swedish athletes who have quickly become fan favourites here in Winnipeg.

Daniel Svard is hoping to add his name to the growing list.

Although he wields a golf club and not a hockey stick, the 23-year-old from Stockholm is opening plenty of eyes this week at Elmhurst. He carries a two-shot lead into Sunday’s final round of the Manitoba Open, looking to close out his first professional victory in his just his fourth career tournament.

Svard fired a six-under 66 on Saturday to move to 14-under through 54 holes of the PGA Tour Americas event.