The Wrap: Tree faceoff, Indigenous identity policies, rail strike and McGroarty traded
Plus: Get Ready with Iliza Shlesinger

Two Transcona neighbours are unhappy after the City of Winnipeg ordered them to remove garden boxes and face ornaments from their boulevard trees, or face fines.

One woman built a garden box around her American elm’s base five years ago to protect the roots from her lawnmower and city-operated snowplows that nick the trunk every winter. She and her neighbour installed face ornaments on the trees just for fun.

A city arborist visted Wednesday to let both know their “tree defacement” had to go.

Nicole Buffie talks to the neighours, the city and an independent arborist about the faceoff over their elm trees.

Indigenous academics and artists are calling on the University of Winnipeg to take swift action to address an open identity fraud case and update campus hiring policies so applicants who say they are First Nations, Métis or Inuit back up their claims.

U of W has long relied on academics to self-identify and used an honour system.

Last summer, the university launched a working group to recommend new policy, procedures and an implementation plan to mitigate Indigenous identity fraud. The committee is expected to release a detailed report this fall.

Canada’s two biggest railways are preparing to get trains running again after Ottawa said it would step in to end a bitter labour dispute.

Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. locked out 9,300 engineers, conductors and yard workers after the parties did not agree on new contracts before deadline.

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon says the federal government is asking the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order a return to work and to impose binding arbitration.

Late Thursday, CN said it has ended its lockout of workers and would immediately begin a recovery plan. CPKC says it’s also preparing to restart operations.

Rutger McGroarty, selected by the Winnipeg Jets 14th in the 2022 NHL Draft, was shipped to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday in exchange for Brayden Yager, the Penguins’ 14th-overall pick in 2023.

McGroarty recently finished his second season with the University of Michigan and indicated to the Jets he didn’t plan to sign with them. He didn’t have a reason, said Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff.

Hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe look at the intriguing one-for-one swap of potential young impact forwards that is sure to be debated for years.

Iliza Schlesinger, the prolific American comedian known for, as she puts it, “animal noises and sounds and astute observations, with a little bit of reflection about getting older,” is bringing her act to Winnipeg this Saturday, Aug. 24.

Schlesinger spoke to Jen Zoratti in advance of her date at the Centennial Concert Hall to talk about what’s involved in refining a new hour, Instagram brain rot and millennial nostalgia. Taping a new special is like crystallizing ideas in amber, Schlesinger said, comparing the process to wine.

“I hate to say it’s like a bottle of wine, but it is. It just happens to taste that way on the day that you drink it, but next year it will be different.”