Eight Winnipeg teens leave high school with hopes, dreams and an uncertain, AI-flavoured future

Same as the gen-Zers who came before them, this year’s Grade 12 graduates were raised online and offline.

What sets the Class of 2026 apart is how it has been forced to reckon with the post-pandemic panic about student screen time.

In middle school, these students were told they could socialize only on digital playgrounds. After COVID-19 restrictions eased, a school cellphone ban was brought in. On their way out, they were assured future Manitoba children wouldn’t be able to access the same social media and artificial intelligence-powered chatbots they grew up with.

This group, born into an era of tech optimism, is the first to have had access to AI chatbots in all four years of high school.

Zebra mussels found in Lake of the Prairies

Lake lovers in Manitoba are worried the detection of zebra mussels in Lake of the Prairies could result in restrictions that give the local economy a rough ride.

Environmental officials have found samples of zebra mussels in the larval stage in Lake of the Prairies, a manmade reservoir on the Assiniboine River that straddles the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border.

Multiple zebra mussel veligers were detected in the lake as part of Manitoba’s routine monitoring program, and corroborated by followup sampling, said the provincial environment department on Friday.

All boats and any water-related equipment of any kind used on the Lake of the Prairies, also known as the Shellmouth Reservoir, must be decontaminated before being used on another body of water, officials said.

The Bird River offers prime kayaking conditions in late spring

A two-hour drive northeast of Winnipeg, the lower Bird River is a popular draw for whitewater enthusiasts.

The water moves fast and the hazards — rapids, rocks and technical drops — are challenging.

This is not a beginner-friendly run. Paddlers need to keep their wits about them as they roll through Class 1 to 4 rapids.

The Bird River, flowing through the traditional territory of the Sagkeeng First Nation, stretches from the Ontario border, through Nopiming Provincial Park, before reaching the Winnipeg River, east of Lac du Bonnet.

Environmental groups wanted to see clear decarbonization commitment in pipeline plan

OTTAWA - Environmental groups say they wanted to see a more concrete commitment to decarbonization in the proposal put forward for a pipeline to the B.C. coast backed by the Alberta and federal governments.

Representatives from both the Pembina Institute and Clean Prosperity said Friday the proposal should have included a solid commitment to finalizing the Pathways carbon capture project.

"I think it's time to completely discount the notion that the Pathways project is an actual real project that's going to contribute to emission reductions," Chris Severson-Baker, the Pembina Institute's executive director, said in an interview from Calgary.

"I actually think that the prime minister putting as much stock in it without putting any conditions on proponents to actually do it will finally expose it for what it is."

Anti-coal mining petition led by musician Corb Lund fails in Alberta

EDMONTON - A petition led by country musician Corb Lund to ban new coal mining on the eastern slopes of the Rockies has failed.

Alberta's election agency announced Friday that Lund's petition didn't gain enough verified signatures to move it forward.

Lund, in a statement, said it appears roughly 35,000 signatures were rejected by Elections Alberta, and he has "grave concerns" about the fairness of the process.

"We are simultaneously shocked by this outcome, yet, unfortunately, not surprised, given the continual government rule changes and roadblocks we have faced throughout this campaign," he said.

Governing by gimmick

We all know that politicians can be opportunists sometimes, not necessarily for venal reasons like personal financial gain, but to win the hearts and minds of voters.

So, for example, if the current zeitgeist is all about the escalating cost of living, the opportunist politico will miraculously find ways to look as if they’re doing something to address the problem, when what they’re really offering is a flashy gimmick.

I am referring, of course, to our very own provincial government which seems to have become very skilled in the art of governing by gimmick.

It all began with the gas tax holiday — an action touted as relief for a general public facing ever rising prices at the gas pump. In the end that “solution” cost the government more than $340 million in revenue, and for those of us without combustible engines, provided exactly zero in savings.

World gets glimpse of its climate future

Midway through 2026, two major climate dynamics are emerging in parallel. One is a mass rollout of renewable energy. The other is an ominous El Niño brewing, likely to soon trigger fierce weather extremes.

Plan for 24 Sussex Drive makes sense

It has, for more than a decade, been this country’s highest-profile vacant dwelling.

Prior to 2015, however, 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa had been the official residence of Canada’s prime ministers for more than 60 years, an address whose mention conjured notions of prestige and distinction akin to those associated with 10 Downing Street in London or the White House in Washington, D.C.

After years of deferred maintenance and, one might argue, outright neglect, the 35-room mansion that was home to every prime minister from Louis St-Laurent to Stephen Harper is no longer fit for human habitation. Among the concerns that led Justin Trudeau to opt not to live at 24 Sussex — choosing instead to dwell at nearby Rideau Cottage — were a leaky roof, cracked windows, failing plumbing, faulty wiring and the presence of asbestos in the structure’s 160-year-old construction materials.

Current Prime Minister (and non-Sussex resident) Mark Carney thinks it’s time for 24 Sussex to reclaim its status as the PM’s official residence. Last Friday he unveiled plans for a massive redesign and renovation plan and a fundraising campaign that will invite Canadians to contribute to the project.

New Kevin Walters Plaza graced by art with heart

Tears fill the eyes of an Ojibwa sculptor from Peguis First Nation as he talks about the spiritual journey and deep friendships that came out of creating his first public art piece.

A California farmer is giving away tons of nectarines that he’s not allowed to sell

Thousands of visitors have flocked to Cesar Mora's farm in central California this week to gather free nectarines.

He's giving his harvest away rather than watching it rot as he's locked in a legal battle with a company that claims exclusive rights over the variety of white nectarine he grows. He's shared more than 100,000 pounds (45,359 kilograms) since Monday.

“It was really just a thought of not wasting a perfectly good product,” Mora said. “It does make a grower feel good, being able to share my fruit with people and see their immediate reaction that they love it. It’s a little bit of good in this tough situation that I’ve been dealing with.”

The legal dispute highlights the tension that can emerge between farmers and the plant breeders and large industrial food marketers that create new varieties of plants and obtain the exclusive rights to sell them.

WFPS responded to record number of medical calls in 2025, annual report shows

Firefighters and paramedics in Winnipeg responded to a record number of medical calls in 2025 as the city’s struggle with addictions-related calls persisted, according to a first-of-its-kind annual report published Thursday.

There were 136,198 total incidents and 114,700 medical-related incidents attended to by the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service in 2025, the highest number on record, said the WFPS report.

Out of those medical incidents, 61,356 resulted in response from both fire and emergency medical services, another 26,732 were handled by ambulance-based paramedics and 22,586 by firefighter-paramedics without assistance from an ambulance.

“We’ve got rising demand. It’s recognized, we’re working on plans for the future here, in terms of future budgets and what is needed to protect our city,” WFPS Chief Christian Schmidt said Thursday.

Harm-reduction efforts may often seem imperceptible — but it’s the only way to lasting change

To live in Winnipeg now is to become entirely too skilled at looking away from what we cannot bear to see: the tents, the tarps, the man lying face-down on the street.

Author George Toles on daily writing and keeping his eyes open

Since 2008, George Toles has not missed a single day of prying original prose from his mental file cabinet.

Philippines President Marcos says ‘we share the same aspirations’ as Canada

VANCOUVER - The leaders of Canada and the Philippines signed agreements Thursday on energy, natural resources, labour and tourism, as the countries reinforced their shared priorities and hope for a trade deal.

"We share the same aspirations, in terms of what we would want to achieve in the world," Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told reporters in Vancouver, during the first visit to Canada by the Philippines' head of government in more than a decade.

Prime Minister Mark Carney had invited Marcos to visit Canada as the two countries aim to have a bilateral trade agreement concluded by the time Carney heads to Manila for a November summit.

Marcos will be chairing the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a bloc with whom Canada is also undergoing trade negotiations.

Green light for Greenlight: Pembina, partners go ahead with gas plant for data centre

CALGARY - Pembina Pipeline Corp. and two partners have given the go-ahead to the Greenlight Electricity Centre, a natural gas plant serving a data centre customer.

Pembina, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners and Kineticor Asset Management expect the cost of the project to come in at $4.6 billion. The 932-megawatt plant would be built in Sturgeon County, part of Alberta's Industrial Heartland region north of Edmonton, with startup targeted for the second half of 2030. The companies have permits that would allow them to double capacity down the line.

Data centres house the computer hardware required to power various tech applications, and their scale has ballooned with the boom in artificial intelligence and cloud computing. The province and companies did not identify the data centre customer they're serving.

Alberta has been actively trying to court so-called hyperscale developers, like Meta and Google, to set up shop in the province, but its electricity grid currently does not have enough capacity to accommodate several such projects. So Alberta is prioritizing projects that build or contract their own power generation.

Mosquito surge expected after heavy rainfall

Winnipeggers may want to keep the bug spray close at hand.

Intense rainfall in recent weeks has created ideal conditions for mosquitoes to breed across Winnipeg, including in backyards where standing water can quickly become a source of larvae.

“With all the rain we’ve received, I fully expect to see an increase,” entomologist Taz Stuart said.

Just over two weeks ago, Winnipeg was pummelled with more than 122 millimetres of rain.

Shipping rates soar as retailers race to beat looming Trump tariffs

MONTREAL - Christmas is coming early this year. And it’s pushing up shipping rates.

A glut of early wholesale orders for everything from holiday decorations to home furniture has propelled maritime shipping costs to four-year highs as a result of tariff uncertainty and the Iran war, with potential repercussions for consumers.

Industry specialists say retailers and importers — especially in the United States — are rushing to book shipments to get ahead of a potential fresh round of U.S. tariffs on scores of countries that's expected near the end of July.

The surge in demand is boosting seaborne transport prices across the globe.

Fear of retaliation in care homes is a very real thing

Here’s something we don’t talk about enough: the fear people have that if they complain about how their loved one in a nursing home is treated, the treatment will only get worse.

My mother lives in a retirement home. Many of my friends also have parents who rely on strangers for some aspect of their care. And in conversations we’ve had, it is quite common to hear someone say, “Of course we don’t want to complain, because it might backfire.”

Human nature is what it is. No one likes criticism. So, if you complain that your father’s meals are never hot or that your aunt’s clothes are always soiled, you are never sure what the reaction will be. One person might take a complaint in stride and try to do better, while another person might feel affronted and lash out in some way — perhaps by deliberately treating your loved one poorly.

It’s a crap shoot for seniors in care and their families, and it’s a troubling one.