Visiting Vimy: A personal reflection on patriotism
We've posted reviews of every play. Find an index of our reviews here, sortable by title and by star review — or if you prefer a bit of serendipity in your review perusal, scroll through 15 pages of reviews in our fringe section (plus profiles, previews and daily happenings). COMING UP
The intricacies of Indian status, as defined by Ottawa, can be difficult to navigate. However, what is clear is access to treaty rights for many future First Nations children is threatened by a section of federal legislation called 'second-generation cut-off.'
Investigative reporter Marsha McLeod explores efforts to repeal the policy, which has been described as discriminatory and assimilationist.
While forest fires rage across Western Canada, a group of experts huddle in a small office in Winnipeg keeping tabs on everything.
Their work is a complicated, highly co-ordinated administrative dance involving partners from around the world.
Reporter Nicole Buffie goes behind the scenes at the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre as Manitoba grapples with one of its worst wildfire seasons on record.
Since the mid-2000s, entertainer José 'Pepê' Cortes has held down a Las Vegas-style residency at the Pony Corral Restaurant & Bar three nights a week, entertaining riverside patio diners with toe-tapping favourites.
Feature writer David Sanderson profiles the longtime fixture of Winnipeg's musical scene.
Jose 'Pepe' Cortes on the patio at the Pony Corral on Pembina Highway, where he performs summer evenings. (Brook Jones / Free Press)
In sports, the second half of the American Association of Professional Baseball league picks up Thursday after the all-star break, with the Winnipeg Goldeyes hosting a season-long seven-game homestand at Blue Cross Park. Zoe Pierce catches up with the Fish Thursday in the four-game series opener against the Chicago Dogs, teeing up the team's hunt for a place in the post-season.
And the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are on the road Saturday in a Grey Cup rematch against the Toronto Argonauts. Joshua Frey-Sam brings the action from the sidelines and the storylines to follow as the Blue and Gold try to get back on a winning streak in Week 8.
Rita Menzies, who died in June at age 82, led one of the most august careers in Manitoba's arts sector. She was Manitoba Chamber Orchestra's most formative general manager (a position she held for 25 years), the 'saviour' of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, where she solved a $3-million deficit in one year as its interim leader, and a key leader of a number of other arts organization.
Conrad Sweatman talks to her friends, family and peers for this week's Passages profile. ONE GREAT PHOTO
A work crew installs scaffolding for the Gimli International Film Festival screen at the beach on Lake Winnipeg Tuesday. The festival, celebrating its 25th anniversary, began today and ends Sunday. See our story. (Don Gislason photo)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
10 hours ago
- CBC
Punjabi-language theatre group offers pathway to confidence for Parc-Ex immigrants
When Gurdeep Khinda moved from India to Montreal 30 years ago, he thought his dream of becoming an actor on stage was over. He was too busy navigating his new life and there weren't any theatre groups in the city catering to the Indian community at the time. Decades later, he's booked the entire week off work to prepare for his upcoming performance on Saturday — when he'll embody Indian anti-colonial revolutionary, Udham Singh. "This is my priority," said Khinda. "When I was a child I said, 'OK, one day I'm going to be on the stage.' Then some people say it's impossible. I say, 'OK … but I will make it possible.'" He is part of a Punjabi-language theatre group, the Centre for Performing Arts, born out of the Parc-Extension neighbourhood and formed by husband and wife duo Gaurav and Nitu Sharma who both have professional careers in the theatre and movie industries. Khinda attended one of their plays three years ago and immediately decided to sign up. This will be his second performance with the group. "This is what I was looking for," he said. Saturday's cast is composed of 20 immigrants from India, most of whom are first-time performers. They're interpreting the play Ram Mohammad Singh Azad: The spirit of freedom at La Sala Rossa in the Mile End neighbourhood Saturday at 5 p.m. It will be subtitled in French and English. Gaurav Sharma had the idea of introducing recent immigrants to the theatre space while he was giving workshops on workers' and tenants' rights as a community organizer with the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC). He said he hopes that by embodying freedom fighters and learning about India's history of activism, the cast members will feel more confident to demand for their own rights be respected in every aspect of life. Play details important story in Indian history, say actors The play tells the story of Udham Singh, who on March 13, 1940, assassinated Sir Michael O'Dwyer, the former lieutenant-governor of Punjab, at the time a province of British India, to avenge the victims of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre 20 years earlier. That day, British troops opened fire on a crowd of unarmed Indian civilians who had gathered at a large enclosed garden. British estimates set the death toll at 379 while others say upward of 1,000 people were massacred. During his trial, Singh took the name Ram Mohammad Singh Azad to represent a unified India which, at the time, was struggling for independence. He was executed by hanging in 1940. It's an important story Sharma, Khinda and other adults learned growing up in India. Khinda plays Singh when he was in London, where the assassination took place. Sharma plays the younger version of the character in India. Sharma said it's important for people to know about their history. "We have the technology but we forget the history," he said. Theatre as a tool for reconnection Ashpreet Kaur plays the role of a freedom fighter in the play. It's a story she's well familiar with, having learned it from her grandparents. Her husband plays the hangman. "It's a very emotional story," she said, adding that she wants to give it 100 per cent. For the last three months she's been practising her lines and choreography during her lunch breaks and attending rehearsals at the Aréna Howie-Morenz after her work shift. It's her first time acting but she says she's not nervous and is eagerly awaiting Saturday. "When we are children we have some hobbies, but when we are grown up we just forget about them because of stress or other activities," she said, with the help of a fellow cast member who translated for her. Mostafa Henaway, another community organizer with the IWC, said the play offers its members an opportunity to express themselves, adding that too often immigrants tend to lose themselves in the turbulence of moving and surviving in a new country. "To me it's always the hardest part when dealing with a lot of people that we work with," he said. "It's not the status or the wages or what takes place in the work, but people making sacrifices their whole lives and then further sacrificing themselves." Nitu Sharma says she's already preparing for their next production in October. That will be the sixth play her group stages since she and Gaurav arrived in Montreal in 2019. Khinda will be on the stage again.
Winnipeg Free Press
18 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Bombers announce Grey Cup Week headquarters
The 2025 Grey Cup Festival is rapidly taking shape with the announcement of several new events set to take place at the newly named PlayNow Grey Cup HQ at the RBC Convention Centre. Jennifer Thompson, executive director of the Grey Cup Festival, highlighted the importance of having a centralized approach to the festival. 'PlayNow Grey Cup HQ will be the beating heart of Festival Week — a one-stop destination for fans looking to experience the best of what the Grey Cup has to offer,' Thompson said. 'From coast-to-coast culinary creations and iconic Canadian music, to unforgettable team parties and a gala celebration like no other, we're proud to create a space that reflects the spirit, diversity and energy of the CFL and its fans.' MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Winnipeg Football Club president and CEO Wade Miller said Thursday that the club has already seen strong interest in recent weeks, confirming that 50 per cent of festival tickets for many of the events have already been sold. From Thursday, Nov. 13, to Saturday, Nov. 15, the downtown venue will host a series of adult-only events, including a new culinary experience, a gala, and an expanded concert series. Rheanne Marcoux, VP of marketing and communications for the Grey Cup Festival, emphasized the unique vision for Winnipeg's hosting duties, noting unlike previous years, the festival is being organized and executed internally. The organizing committee has taken notes from the last few Grey Cups in an attempt to identify best practices, prioritizing accessibility and visibility. 'We didn't want people to feel like they had to travel around the whole city to go from event to event,' Marcoux said. 'Once you're there, you're in the thick of it. But we also don't want anybody to be able to go anywhere in the city during Grey Cup week and not know that the Grey Cup is happening.' A significant addition to the festival lineup is the CIBC Taste of the CFL, scheduled for Nov. 14. This inaugural culinary event, inspired by Winnipeg's 'Taste of the Blue Bombers,' will feature top chefs from each CFL city. These chefs will compete by creating their interpretations of game-day cuisine, which fans can then sample and vote on. The Coors Light Concert Series and team party rooms will also be a central feature, offering three nights of entertainment, all of which are accessible with a single three-day social pass. Passes are available for purchase starting on Friday at 10 a.m. for $99, plus taxes and fees. Each evening will have a distinct theme and headline act: Thursday, Nov. 13 — Manitoba Night will feature The Watchmen. Friday, Nov. 14 — Kitchen Party Night will showcase Alan Doyle. Saturday, Nov. 15 — Country Night will be headlined by The Reklaws. (Note: these passes do not include access to the Brad Paisley concert, with those details to be released separately.) Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. The festival will also host the Grey Cup Gala on Nov. 15. Organizers described it as a departure from a traditional formal dinner, promising lively entertainment and an engaging atmosphere. Tickets for the gala can be purchased individually or for tables of 10. Winnipeg Football Club president & CEO Wade Miller said they've already seen a strong interest in recent weeks, confirming that 50 per cent of tickets for many of the new events have already been sold through early access given to corporate partners and season ticket members. As for the Grey Cup game, 90 per cent of tickets have already been purchased. Further details regarding additional events, artist announcements and ticket sales information are expected to be released in the coming weeks. For ongoing updates and to purchase tickets, visit the official website Jeff HamiltonMultimedia producer Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University's journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff. Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Free Press Head Start for July 24, 2025
A mix of sun and cloud, with a few showers this morning and a 30 per cent chance of showers late this afternoon. Risk of a thunderstorm late this afternoon. Hazy. High 25 C. Humidex 28. UV index 7 or high. What's happening today Raven's End Books (1859 Portage Ave.) hosts The Spec-Fic Midsummer Spectacular from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and will feature a discussion on horror and speculative fiction by Susie Moloney ( A Dry Spell , Things Withered ), S.M. Beiko ( Scion of the Fox , the Brindlewatch Quartet series), Free Press reviewer Keith Cadieux ( Donner Parties and Other Anti-Social Gatherings ) and Ottawa's James K. Moran ( Fear Itself ). Moloney will also serve as host; there's no charge to attend. Susie Moloney (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press files) Today's must-read Manitoba optometrists have been refusing to handle urgent cases out of frustration with the provincial government, which hasn't signed a deal with them in years. Since March, the optometrists have referred all non-routine eye care cases, as well as patients who had surgery within the past three weeks, to the Misericordia Eye Clinic. They've been directed to do so by the Manitoba Association of Optometrists. The result is that Manitobans are taking the brunt of the job action because the clinic has become jam-packed with patients, forcing the clinic to scramble and enlist the help of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority to find more staff. Kevin Rollason has the story. Since March, Manitoba optometrists have been refusing to handle all non-routine eye care cases out of frustration with the provincial government, which hasn't signed a deal with them in years. (Pat McGrath / Free Press files) On the bright side Mohamed Al Yaser (left), Mohamed Gashoot (centre) and Nathaniel Gomes work to dissect a heart as part of the Biomedical Youth Program Summer Camp at the University of Manitoba Bannatyne Campus Wednesday. Approximately 100 students from Grades 6 to 12 — guided by U of M student volunteers — participated at no cost. (Mike Deal / Free Press) On this date On July 24, 1963: The Winnipeg Free Press reported in Moscow an East-West treaty outlawing the testing of nuclear weapons above ground was reported completed and would likely be initialed the next day. An Ontario legislative committee probing the cost of consumer credit found some mortgage rates as high as 21 per cent and some lending rates as high as 87 per cent. Read the rest of this day's paper here. Search our archives for more here. Today's front page Get the full story: Read today's e-edition of the Free Press .
