Cultural consultation gives Indigenous stories strength in Netflix’s new Little House on the Prairie

Through her work as an Indigenous consultant for film and TV, Julie O’Keefe, a citizen of the Osage Nation, has brought accuracy and authenticity to works such as Martin Scorsese’s 2023 crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon, the 2025 western miniseries American Primeval and, most recently, Rebecca Sonnenshine’s new adaptation of Little House on the Prairie.

But she doesn’t work solo.

“One of the things that I always say is, in any of these jobs that I do — whether it’s Shoshone and Paiute and Ute or Osage — I never come alone to this,” says O’Keefe, who grew up in Pawhuska, Okla., the heart of the Osage Nation, and is now based in Santa Fe, N.M. “I engage because those stories are so much richer with our voices added to it, and we know that.

“I’m sitting down with brilliant directors, brilliant writers, and I’m handing over pieces of history that they’re like, ‘How come nobody knows this?’ And the great part is, this is the time in history … people are really starting to get on top of wanting this for their stories, because it really wasn’t of any importance before.”

City has plenty of frozen dessert oases to discover

No matter the weather, ice cream is always a welcome addition to the day.

It’s a rite of passage as, at the slightest hint of a thaw, Winnipeggers descend in droves, heeding the siren call of institutions such as Sargent Sundae (2053 Portage Ave.) and Bridge Drive-In (766 Jubilee Ave. and 1680 Main St.) that slide open their shutters any time from late March to early April, ready to welcome dedicated connoisseurs seeking their first taste of the season.

We’re blessed with an abundance of ice-cream joints in this city, ranging from brick-and-mortar storefronts to mobile carts and pop-up stalls, all serving generous scoops of childhood faves alongside rather more innovative flavours.

With so many dairy bars and frozen dessert parlours dotted around, there’s no need to choose just one spot to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Together Project helps newcomers feel at home

When refugee families first arrive in Winnipeg they are plunged into an alien culture.

Often fleeing dangerous circumstances, discrimination or war, displaced families are forced to navigate bewildering societal norms and cultural expectations in an unfamiliar environment.

It can often feel utterly overwhelming.

And while government settlement agencies are an invaluable foundational resource, nothing can replace human connection and peer-to-peer guidance.

Gordie Howe bridge opens to cars after months of cross-border controversy

The Gordie Howe International Bridge opened to motorists Monday after months of controversy over financial aspects of the project.

Officials announced in a post on social media just after noon that the Howe family had crossed first, in honour of the bridge's Canadian-American hockey namesake.

Minutes later, another post marked the crossing of the first commercial truck, a vehicle from a trucking company in Tecumseh, Ont., that was carrying auto parts to Michigan.

As the sunny afternoon went on, cars and transport trucks brought a stream of inaugural crossings.

Anishinaabe Days teepee poles vandalized

An act of vandalism to a teepee at the Treaty One Development Corp’s Anishinaabe Days did not stop the celebrations from continuing over the weekend.

An eroding Winnipeg neighbourhood looks to new foundations

The lot Jesse Bettcher lives on in Winnipeg's North End used to be a pile of burnt rubble. Same with the one next door. And the one across the street. But he's now the proud owner of a two-storey house with blue-grey siding and white trim.

Young Quebec sailor, 17, aims to challenge gender stereotypes in sailing

MONTREAL - At 17, Jasmine Pernot is set to become the youngest skipper and one of only three women leading crews in Quebec's new offshore sailing race, hoping to show other young women they belong at the helm.

Jasmine Pernot will lead a crew of seven in the inaugural St-Laurent 400, a 400-nautical-mile race that begins in Tadoussac, at the mouth of the Saguenay River on Quebec's North Shore, on Aug. 6 and finishes in the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

"Everyone has been looking forward to this race because it's a format we haven't had yet in Quebec," Pernot said Thursday before a training session at the Deux-Montagnes sailing club, northwest of Montreal.

Unlike shorter races where crews return to shore at the end of the day, competitors will spend more than 24 consecutive hours at sea.

‘Bright’ future: RCAF chief says spike in defence spending is boosting flight times

OTTAWA - One year into her new job as commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Lt.-Gen. Jamie Speiser-Blanchet said she could see an immediate effect of the federal government's defence spending boost: RCAF pilots are spending more time in the air.

In a recent interview with The Canadian Press, Speiser-Blanchet also acknowledged that preparing the entire service for what she described as a rapid and "giant transformation" — rebuilding the whole plane while it's flying, so to speak — sometimes gives her pause.

"It's that pace of change sometimes that worries me a little," she said.

She said while she’s "very comfortable" with the decisions made preparing for modernization, it's "the thought that there's something we should be doing now to make sure that we're set up for success in the future and that we're missing it" that keeps her up at night.

Automation reaches new heights on farm

LANGHAM, Sask. — The thousands of farmers from across the Prairies who flock to the annual Ag in Motion show every July seem oblivious to the possibility the technology on display could one day replace many of them.

Families with children in tow, Hutterite colony workers, grandparents and young couples just starting out roamed through the 600 or more exhibitor displays, amazed at how everything about farming just keeps getting bigger, more efficient and increasingly more automated.

It’s now possible to seed using a 100-foot-wide drill — a 12-foot jump over the widest available a few years ago — provided the farmer can afford a tractor with enough horsepower to pull it. Those sell for around $850,000 and up.

Granted, the number of farms with enough acres to justify that kind of width and drawing power is still relatively small, but farms continue to grow. And it’s no secret the number of people who have the interest, skills and financial wherewithal to run them continues to shrink.

Vacant Bay store on road to redevelopment, St. Vital Centre owner says

Entertainment attractions are coming to fill the former Hudson’s Bay space in St. Vital Centre.

Montreal-based real estate firm Leyad, the south Winnipeg mall’s owner, says it is finalizing an agreement for the vacant property. Further details should appear in the next couple months, said president Henry Zavriyev.

“We’re looking at what other types of experiences we can bring to the mall that aren’t just typical retail,” he said during a visit to Winnipeg this week.

“We want to create an experience where you can just come to the mall, hang out here for hours, no matter if you’re a kid, an adult, a retiree.”

Cleanup squad makes positive waves across city

The period after the snow melts isn’t when Winnipeg is at its most attractive.

As months of hidden trash and accumulated waste emerge, streets and sidewalks across the city quickly become covered in litter.

But Take Pride Winnipeg’s latest litter index has found the city looks cleaner than it did earlier this spring. Every area of Winnipeg showed improvement.

The organization’s overall litter index score dropped from 5.92 after the snow melted to 3.47 in its latest assessment. The index measures litter levels on a scale of one to 10, with one representing a perfectly clean area and 10 representing the worst levels of litter.

Giant metal roosters spread autism acceptance in Maine after town zoning spat

OGUNQUIT, Maine (AP) — Giant metal roosters are popping up on lawns in and around a community in southern Maine and as far away as New Zealand in support of a 6-year-old autistic girl and her love of the colorful creations.

David and Sara LeBlanc had a rotating display of the roughly 6-foot-tall (1.8-meter-tall) ornaments decorating their Ogunquit lawn until officials in the small coastal town deemed them to be impermissible advertising for their attached restaurant, The Omelette Factory.

The couple initially resisted the town's removal order, insisting the roosters were meant to comfort their daughter Pyper, not advertise their business.

“Roosters don’t lay eggs,” David LeBlanc told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Bookman brings roving kiosk of literary treasures to fringe

Every superhero has a true identity: Superman is Clark Kent, Captain Canuck is Tom Evans and Wonder Woman is Diana Prince.

Sea Bears Dance Crew takes athleticism to the next level

Many grow up believing dance can only be a hobby and never a career. The Sea Bears Dance Crew defies the notion by showing there can be a professional side of dance in Winnipeg.

Tasha Farmer and Kersey Sarao lead a team of 18 dancers from different backgrounds and styles. Together, they create a high-energy game-day experience — one that encourages everyone in the arena to get up and boogie.

Farmer started dancing at a young age, experimenting in all that was offered.

“I trained in ballet, lyrical, hip hop, musical theatre — every single style you can think of,” she said.

Nearly one in four watercraft fail inspection during roadside blitz to prevent aquatic pests

More than 120 watercraft failed a roadside inspection over the weekend aimed at slowing the spread of aquatic invasive species, including zebra mussels.

Blueberry First Nations says native plant orchard to help restore B.C. industry sites

FORT ST. JOHN - A First Nation in British Columbia says a new native plant orchard established in its territory could help reclaim and restore thousands of industrial sites around northeastern B.C.

The Blueberry First Nations near Fort St. John unveiled the orchard last week, and Chief Sherry Dominic said it will produce native plants for sale to industry partners in the oil and gas sector, as well as Indigenous communities.

The nation says in a statement the garden will eventually have 1.7 million seedlings from a representative supply of grasses, shrubs, wildflowers and trees to reflect various layers of a healthy forest system.

"So, eventually, (the orchard) will be putting the land back to its natural form," Dominic said in an interview.

Parents praise water-safety education

Winnipeggers at Kildonan Park Pool were offered education about water safety on Sunday and one parent who had a previous drowning scare said the lessons could save a life.

One of several events this summer hosted by the Manitoba Coalition for Water Safety as part of National Drowning Prevention Week, the poolside event saw volunteers from the Lifesaving Society educating people on things like how to throw a rescue line and how to “swim to survive” which requires participants to fall in a pool, tread water for one minute and then swim 50 metres to safety.

Ashley Shepherd said she and her six-year-old son Logan, who was taking part in some of the exercises Sunday, had a close call at Birds Hill Park in 2024, with the incident happening in seconds.

She recalled how she turned around to help her young daughter who had lost her footing. A second later, her son fell off a floaty into the water and was quickly swept away. She went after the boy in a flash, but found herself tangled in seaweed and panicked, going under herself, a nearby couple coming to their rescue.

Indigenous drum group celebrates sisterhood, solidarity

Aliyah Yellowback wants a seat at the drum circle.

There are differing Indigenous teachings and perspectives on whether women should join in, but the 16 year old has found a spot around a big drum inside a welcoming community at St. John’s High School.

“I automatically get goosebumps and shivers in me — it’s such an empowering feeling,” Aliyah said as she described what it’s like to perform her favourite song with drum group Leading Lynx (Niighani Bezhew in Anishinaabemowin).

“Strong Woman Song really resonates with our drum group because we are strong women. We are resilient, we are powerful and when people hear our voices, I feel like they can feel that, too.”

Remains of dinosaur skull found in B.C. campground belonged to T. rex ‘great-uncle’

The remains of a dinosaur skull found in British Columbia campground belonged to a tyrannosaur that was lighter and faster than its more famous relative, the T. rex, say the authors of a new study.

University of Alberta and McGill University researchers studied the cast of a partial skull impression that was left about 76 million years ago and discovered it belonged to a horned dinosaur known as Gorgosaurus.

Their findings, published in the journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology last month, give new insight into a species that once roamed what is now Western Canada, said lead author Colton Coppock from the University of Alberta.

"We were able to identify (Gorgosaurus) based on a unique set of characteristics on this impression," Coppock said.

Restorative justice program helps newcomers find their way

The Masjid Bilal is a chunky grey building just off Logan Avenue surrounded by warehouses and railyards. It looks more like a bunker than a mosque.

But on a summer Friday afternoon, its green-and-white carpeted interior is humming with activity. Two men in white robes and flat woolen caps are seated on the carpet poring over a copy of the Qur’an. A few young boys dodge through hallways, poking curious noses into open doors. At the back, next to a table piled with prayer mats, two girls in hijabs share schoolyard gossip. In the kitchen, women are cooking up pots of rice and chicken for people who will soon arrive for Friday prayers.

The Masjid Bilal is a community hub for members of Winnipeg’s African diaspora as well as Muslims from many other countries.

It’s also home to the Bilal Community and Family Centre, an innovative, community-centred nonprofit that is meeting vital needs for newcomers in this city.

Easing the transition: Newcomer fair helps people find community, belonging

Under a hot Saturday sun at Freight House Field in Winnipeg’s Centennial neighbourhood, children bounced on inflatable castles, families lined up for food, and the sounds of cultural performances carried through the crowd as newcomers to Winnipeg gathered for an annual celebration.

“We’re all trying to build a relationship together.”

That was the message from Clayton Sandy on Saturday at Winnipeg’s Newcomer Welcome Fair, where he shared Indigenous teachings and helping newcomers better understand the history of the land they now call home.

Hosted by Immigration Partnership Winnipeg and community partners, the fair, now in its 10th year, brought together more than 30 settlement organizations, employers and community groups to help newcomers access services, explore job opportunities and connect with their new community.

Lemonade Stands for Hope raises funds for CancerCare Manitoba

It’s hard to miss the bright yellow balloons on the lawns of many Winnipeg homes this weekend.

Over in St. Vital, those balloons marked the spot of nine-year-old Myla and seven-year-old Elsie’s first-ever lemonade stand, where the sisters are spending a sunny Saturday morning serving cups of lemonade to neighbours and raising money for CancerCare Manitoba.

Their stand is one of more than 300 taking place across the province this summer as part of Lemonade Stands for Hope, a CancerCare Manitoba Foundation campaign supporting local cancer research and patient care.

“It’s summertime, and we thought, why not take advantage of the hot weather and do something good for CancerCare?” said their mom, Monica de Leon.

A Life's Story: Advocate Lucien Loiselle celebrated the French connection in Manitoba

A pillar in the local French community, Lucien Loiselle wanted francophone culture to be shared as widely as possible.

“I remember him telling us to be proud of being francophones and of our culture, to never let anyone speak negatively of francophones or make fun of the French language,” said his middle son, Richard, who shares his father’s passion for French language and culture and served for 20 years as the French language services co-ordinator for Manitoba Health.

“He helped us appreciate and keep francophone music, movies, books and comic books in our lives,” eldest son Michel added. “I have an MP3 player full of French music, and shelves loaded with French-language comic books.

“I passed that love on to my five kids, one of whom works in French media and another who intends to become a teacher in the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine.”