Opinion
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Insufficient funds
One of the two public tennis courts a block from my downtown apartment has been missing a net since the fall. This was a more pressing issue in October, when temperatures were above freezing and the surface was still playable – but just barely.
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Breaking through the Saint-Boniface ceiling
I couldn’t wait to leave Saint-Boniface behind me when I was growing up. Yet I’m still very much nestled within its confines, not for want of trying.
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The obituary from Hell
While editing local news stories for this week’s issue of The Uniter, I was distracted by a news alert on my phone. I usually pay these no mind when I’m deep in production of the paper, but the photo in my peripheral vision caught my eye. The long hair and dark eyes were unmistakably those of comedian and actor Richard Lewis.
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The spectre of stagnation
Across several countries, the subject of retirement has come front and centre in political discussions. Last year, for instance, French President Emmanuel Macron introduced a law raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. As the French so often do, the public met the law with widespread protest.
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A possibility, not a destiny
Somewhere in storage, my sister-in-law has boxes of baby clothes stashed away for my future daughter. This hypothetical child and all her accoutrements also occupy space in other people’s minds.
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What the history of streetcars tells us
I often see people commenting on photos of Winnipeg in the 20th century on social media. Many of these comments express yearning for a time when Winnipeg was a multi-modal city.
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Please read responsibly
In order to write the news, you also have to read the news.
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A tale of two sports cities
On Jan. 31, Winnipeg Blue Bombers fans were greeted by a cryptic Instagram post showing a fur coat and cowboy hat hanging on an armoire. The only word in the post was “soon.” Bomber fans knew this could only mean one thing.
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The changing nature of education
Every year, the University of Winnipeg (U of W) welcomes more than a thousand new students. For students, starting university can signify a new chapter filled with glee. For institutions, these are fresh minds to educate.
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Farm, table, landfill
As the total at the grocery register seemingly climbs every week, many Canadians are looking to save money however they can. Buying discounted food close to its expiration date could help shoppers avoid sticker shock while even unintentionally reducing carbon emissions.
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Bogus budget
On Feb. 7, Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham released the city’s preliminary budget for 2024 to 2027. Frustratingly, it’s the work of a city hall still dedicated to protecting the interests of wealthy property owners at the expense of the poor and working-class people who actually need help.
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Turbulent takeoffs
Over the past couple of years, I have come to the conclusion that flying is the worst way to travel.
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What’s post-Soviet life like?
Growing up in a post-Soviet country was an interesting experience. One of the things I remember is just how empty our apartment was.
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A call against brutality
January 2024 is coming to an end, and, already, the Winnipeg Police Service has killed another person.
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On becoming a jock
As a kid, I enjoyed playing volleyball in gym class and tag on the playground as much as I enjoyed videogames and history class. I didn’t participate in many extracurricular activities and didn’t come from a sporty household, but during this period, sport and play were synonymous, and one’s social class was rarely equated with athletic performance.
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Financial shame in a vibecession economy
Money shame keeps me up at night, so I find myself going to the gym more, and more, and more. I hit the bag to stop thinking about the gnawing feeling in the pit of my gut. I spin furiously to squeeze every drop of anxiety out of my pores. I lift heavy to get strong enough to build a fortress around me. “This is good for my mental health,” I think.
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The cheque’s in the mail
If you’ve read the news in the past week, you may have heard that Canada Post is in crisis. On Jan. 16, the Crown corporation announced that it's selling off its IT and logistics departments to private companies. The move is financially motivated – Canada Post reported a loss of over half a billion dollars in 2022.
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A marketing ‘mastermind’
With 2023 finally in the rearview, it appears that it was a year brimming with reimaginings. Pop-culturally, the year felt bombastic, an undeniable response to years shrouded in uncertainty and despondence.
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Cleaning with care
The process of cleaning has always been an integral part of my life. Many of my earliest memories are shaped by the scents, sights, sounds and sensations of cleaning. I can vividly recall the feeling of my mother’s cloth-brandished hand reaching from behind me to wipe my perpetually snot-covered face – an act I vehemently rejected.
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First left-wing mayor rode anger toward streetcars to office
A day before the November 1922 Winnipeg civic election, mayoral candidate and alderman J.K. Sparling ran an ad in the Manitoba Free Press attacking his opponent S.J. Farmer.