Lake city extraordinaire

Although it’s the nearest eastward city, Kenora is so not Winnipeg.

Driving into its lake-embraced, pine-embellished hilly terrain, Margie and I saw three fawns, a fox and a bashful bear near the west side’s odd glacial “rock holes.” Plus, we encountered a 12-metre tall, green-striped muskie named Husky.

And one giant yellow spider. The eight-legged beastie is made from a Volkswagen Beetle, and grasps a wrench and a hammer while wearing a top hat made from an oil barrel. It’s nameless. How about, um, Bugsy?

The tourist information centre boasts North America’s biggest collection of — yes, you guessed it — outboard motors. Staff admitted, “Well, it used to be the biggest. It might still be the biggest not privately held.”

Air Canada targets global growth with new routes, while U.S. travel demand still sags

MONTREAL - Air Canada has embarked on a major expansion of its network overseas, announcing seven new routes in Europe and Asia for next summer.

Chief commercial officer Mark Galardo says the move signals a push to become a fully international carrier as the country’s largest airline aims to draw more on higher-margin globetrotters and less on purely domestic customers.

"We talked about an Air Canada that would be further transforming itself into a global airline — not just a Canadian airline, a true global airline — and be focusing on further building its long-haul network," Galardo said in a phone interview.

The build-out also comes as Air Canada and its competitors struggle to navigate fuel costs as the Iran war drags on, a prolonged plunge in Canadian demand for U.S. travel and the years-long closure of Russian airspace to Western airlines — a serious hurdle to travel between central and eastern North America and Asia, given the polar routes through Siberian skies.

Alberta’s Smith says Tennessee trip isn’t sending wrong message during trade war

CALGARY - Alberta Premier Danielle Smith denied suggestions Tuesday that her upcoming trip to Tennessee could be sending the wrong message amid a trade war between Canada and its southern neighbour.

"I hope no one's surprised to hear that I believe it's my job to continue reaching out at all levels to various influencers in the United States and get our message across that we have an incredible partnership," Smith told reporters at an unrelated news conference in Calgary. 

"It's an incredible economic partnership, trade partnership, defence partnership, and we want it to continue."

The premier is set to travel to Nashville later this week on a personal trip, and her office said she'll be taking time out to meet with the head of the city's chamber of commerce, state tourism commissioner Mark Ezell and the chief executive of a Nashville tourism marketing agency.

‘Evolving global context’: School boards across Canada cancel, tweak field trips

In Winnipeg, the Louis Riel School Board has cancelled trips to the United States since last October, after Ottawa posted a travel advisory warning Canadians that the U.S. government is no longer accepting gender markers.

StatCan figures show minor economic bump from FIFA World Cup soccer matches

OTTAWA - The Canadian economy saw only a modest boost from the FIFA World Cup in June, with some tourism-related industries even edging down slightly for the month, new figures released Friday showed.

Despite the influx of tourists and fans for the international soccer competition, accommodation services like hotels fell 0.7 per cent in June, Statistics Canada said. 

Air transportation also recorded a small contraction for the month, slipping 0.5 per cent compared with May, the agency said. 

Other hospitality and tourism-related industries reported small gains in June, with food services and drinking places — such as bars and restaurants — posting 0.6 per cent growth, according to Statistics Canada. 

Canada extends Ebola travel restrictions for another 30 days

Government officials say people from Ebola-affected countries will continue to be banned from entering Canada for another 30 days, prolonging the state of limbo for tens of thousands of people who have had their residency applications suspended since May. 

The extension means decisions on immigration and visa applications from residents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan will remain on hold until Sept. 28. People from those countries who already hold valid visas will also be barred from entering Canada. 

The government says the risk of Ebola in Canada is still low, but these measures are precautionary given the severity of the disease.

However, some public health experts say the decision is unjustified and "cosmetic," going against the guidance of the World Health Organization in favour of appearing to protect Canadians. 

Anti-immigrant speaker blocked from entering Canada in time for Hamilton event

OTTAWA - Austrian anti-immigrant speaker Martin Sellner says he was not granted an electronic travel authorization in time for a trip to Hamilton to speak at a nationalist conference.

In a video posted on X, Sellner says Canada not granting him permission to enter the country is political persecution, and said Canada is engaging in "silent, ethnic replacement" of its population.

He was scheduled to speak this weekend at a conference in the Hamilton area held by the Dominion Society, an organization advocating for a policy called remigration. 

The organization's website describes its policy objectives as wanting to strip upwards of two million people of permanent residency and deporting five to nine million immigrants.

Officials say 24 Canadians missing after flash floods in Nepal and China

Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government is closely following the situation in Nepal and China after two dozen Canadians were reported missing in flash flooding in the region.

Officials in Nepal said Wednesday that 24 people from Canada were among those missing in the flash floods in a border area of Nepal and China.

Police in Nepal reported at least 157 dead and hundreds of tourists, workers and others are unaccounted for. China's state broadcaster CCTV reported at least three dead and 265 missing in the Tibet region's Gyirong County.

Carney said all Canadians in the region should sign up for Registration of Canadians Abroad, a free service that lets the federal government contact and assist citizens during an emergency in other countries.

Business, sports and festivals draw tourists to Montreal in a record-breaking season

MONTREAL - Business events, sports competitions and festivals are helping Montreal tourism numbers soar this summer.

The city is on track for a record-breaking season, according to numbers from the May to July period collected by non-profit organization Tourisme Montréal.

The organization's CEO credits the plethora of activities and events drawing people to Montreal in the summer, from music festivals and sporting competitions to history and food.

“We say Toronto is the downtown of Canada, (but) Montreal is the playground of Canada. People come here to have fun,” said Yves Lalumière, president and CEO of Tourisme Montréal.

Many Canadians don’t know federal travel advisories can void their insurance: survey

OTTAWA - Most Canadian travellers don't understand that Ottawa's travel alerts can void their travel insurance and don't know how embassies can help them while abroad, says a new survey commissioned by the foreign service.

"Awareness of consular services exists, but familiarity is often self-described as low or partial," says a report submitted to Global Affairs Canada in March.

The report found few Canadians proactively seek out safety or health information when planning trips.

The department paid market research firm Strategic Counsel to survey 1,850 Canadians in January on what they know about consular services and the advisories and information Ottawa publishes to help people prepare for travel.

WestJet flight cancellations tapering off as airline ramps back up after strike

Flight disruptions at WestJet appeared to be tailing off Tuesday as the airline ramps up following a brief work stoppage over the long weekend.

Data from aviation analytics company Cirium showed 16 WestJet flights scheduled for Tuesday had been cancelled, as of 4 p.m. ET.

That comes after more than 300 flights were cancelled Monday, or around 62 per cent of those scheduled, despite the carrier reaching a tentative deal early that morning with the union representing its 4,400 flight attendants.

WestJet has said a full return to normal operations will take time as the airline resumes flying and repositions its aircraft and crews.

What travellers should know about navigating WestJet strike disruptions

HALIFAX - Thousands of passengers are trying to navigate the cancellation process as WestJet halts hundreds of flights due to a strike by its 4,400 flight attendants. 

The airline operates more than 600 flights per day and says the travel of 250,000 people could be cancelled during what is a long weekend across much of Canada. Here’s some things to know if you’re caught in the middle of the disruption. 

What happens if my flight was cancelled before the strike?

Barry Choi, a personal finance and travel expert, says if WestJet cancelled your flight before the strike officially began on Sunday morning, federal compensation rules apply and travellers within North America could be in line for as much as $1,000, depending on the length of the delay. Additional compensation may be required for flights to other destinations, such as Europe, where regulations differ.

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.

WestJet cancels flights as Sunday strike deadline looms

TORONTO - Some travellers headed into the long weekend on edge, as WestJet began its first round of cancellations ahead of a possible strike by flight attendants.

The airline announced early Saturday morning that 81 of the day's scheduled flights were scrubbed. 

The company said the move was meant to prevent crew and passengers from getting stranded, and travellers should check their flight status before leaving for the airport. WestJet said the route with the highest number of cancellations was Toronto to Vancouver, with four.

The bulk of the cancelled flights were for Saturday, with more coming on Sunday and Monday.

Rushing to Rushing River

Every summer, Manitobans go rushing to Rushing River. I told Margie, “And that explains the name!”

Although 240 kilometres from Winnipeg, Ontario’s small Rushing River Provincial Park reports 51,000 annual visits by ’Tobans, about two-thirds of total entries. On some days, I’ve only seen Manitoba vehicles in the campground.

Yup, my new pastime is vacationing to survey licence plates.

This boreal beaut awaits down Ontario Highway 71, shortly after the Trans-Canada Highway’s clever sign explaining “Large vehicles need more room” — and after the intersection where Margie yelled, “Stop! A turtle is crossing!”