Women's History Month · October 2026 · Part Three

Elsie Bear's story reminds us that history isn't shaped only by political leaders, celebrated authors or people whose names appear in textbooks. 

Sometimes, it's shaped by a woman who opens her door, puts another plate on the table and asks what she can do to help.

And perhaps that is Elsie Bear's greatest legacy: she showed how one person's generosity could become an entire community's strength.

She was involved in organizing the Selkirk Friendship Centre in 1967 and became active in the Manitoba Métis Federation from its early years, as well as the Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres, the Indigenous Women's Alliance and numerous other community organizations.  Her work was particularly important during a period when Métis people were organizing to strengthen their communities, advocate for their rights and ensure their voices were heard. Elsie believed in getting involved, and she encouraged others to do the same.

Women's History Month · October 2026 · Part Two

Marie Rose Delorme Smith witnessed the transformation of the Canadian West, from the era of buffalo hunting and the fur trade to the modern Prairies. In 2022, the Government of Canada officially designated her a Person of National Historic Significance, recognizing her contributions as a Métis rancher, homesteader, medicine woman and author.

But perhaps her greatest legacy lies in the stories she left behind. Without women like Marie Rose, much of what we know about the everyday experiences of Métis families, particularly Métis women, might have been lost.

She lived through history, helped shape it, and then made sure future generations would have a record of what she had seen.

Women's History Month · October 2026 · Part One

Annie Bannatyne was a prominent woman of Red River, born around 1830 at Fort Garry, in what is now Winnipeg. 

Annie McDermot grew up in one of the most prominent families in the Red River Settlement. She was well educated and, in 1850, married Andrew Graham Ballenden Bannatyne, a businessman who would become an influential figure in the community.  But Annie was far more than the daughter and wife of successful men. She was a leader in her own right.

A writer, Charles Mair had written disparaging remarks about Metis women and Red River society, and Annie was not having it ...

Of all the stories in Silent as the Wild, Silent as Love may be the most unsettling. Owls are famous for their extraordinary ability to fly quietly. Their specialized feathers help reduce the sound of their flight, allowing them to approach prey with remarkably little warning.

My Great Horned Owl doesn't initially see himself as dangerous. In his own mind, he is fascinated. Then enamoured. Then devoted. But is he? 

Mountain lions - cougars - as we call them here in British Columbia, are extraordinarily elusive. They can live surprisingly close to people while remaining almost completely unseen.

Even now, when I walk through the forest near home, I sometimes find myself looking up. Not because I actually expect to see a cougar perched on a branch above me, but because once you know they may be there, the forest feels a little different.

Amazing Race Canada 2026 - 

Four Teams. Three Spots.

This week's episode, appropriately titled “It's Math Time,” took the final four teams through Winnipeg and Gimli, Manitoba, with one very simple, and horrifying, equation:

Four teams.

Three spots in the finale.

One team going home.

Unfortunately, we now know which team that was.

Sacha and Sébastien.

Rio de Janeiro wasted no time introducing itself. It was vibrant, noisy, colourful, and occasionally soaking wet. But never boring. Here’s how we spent four memorable days in this extraordinary city.

Traveling Brazil from north to south gave me a deep appreciation for just how many Brazils exist within one country,  shaped by geography, history, culture, and rhythm. Even when illness or logistics got in the way, the experience was rich, layered, and unforgettable.