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CTV News
21 minutes ago
- CTV News
Folklorama 2025 kicks off at Assiniboine Park
German pavilion's band is performing on stage, during Folklorama 2025's kick off event. (Harrison Shin/CTV News) It's time for festivity. Folklorama 2025 officially launched Saturday with a vibrant kick-off event at the Lyric Theatre and Field in Assiniboine Park. The celebration was the only opportunity for visitors to see all 43 pavilions and their ambassadors gathered in one place. The event featured ethno-cultural performances, a children's area, food trucks and a pavilion expo. 'It's like having 43 different festivals all over the city — half in the first week, the rest in the second,' said Teresa Cotroneo, executive director of Folklorama. Cotroneo reflected on the festival's growth since its inception. 'It started with 21 pavilions in 1973. We're at 43 this year. From seven days to 14 days. From 71,000 attendees to over 300,000 visits annually,' she said. She added that Folklorama holds a special place in the hearts of many Winnipeggers. 'It's something that's really unique to Winnipeg. We're truly part of the fabric of the community,' Cotroneo said. 'It's important to a lot of people — everyone has a Folklorama story.' The 2025 Folklorama Festival runs from Sunday, Aug. 3 to Saturday, Aug. 16. Pavilions will be hosted across Winnipeg, and attendees are encouraged to consult the festival's travel guide for schedules and locations.


CTV News
21 minutes ago
- CTV News
Indigenous teams still in it to win it on Amazing Race Canada
The race is on! From hockey shootouts and chiseling ice sculptures, to roping tests and cracking riddles, the 11 teams on the 11th season of The Amazing Race Canada 2025 have been faced with many challenges—and it's just the beginning. On July 8, the series kicked off in Edmonton at the Commonwealth Stadium where the 2024 race winners were crowned. Three of the teams are comprised of six Indigenous people who come from communities across Canada. 'I think over the course of the series, we've seen more and more Indigenous teams on the show,' said Mark Lysakowski, co-chief content officer and executive producer. 'I think when the community sees 'Oh, I can go on the show and do well,' you think 'this can be for me'.' Grace Dove and Joe Syme are siblings from Prince George, BC, who are not afraid of being on screen. Grace has received the Canadian Screen Award nomination as an actress and has filled roles on The Revenant, Alaska Daily and How it Ends. amazing race canada Joe Syme and Grace Dove are siblings from Prince George, B.C., competing in season 11 of The Amazing Race Canada. (The Amazing Race Canada) Married couple Skylene and Blair Gladue, also known as 'Superfan Magoo' from Edmonton, hope their time on the show inspires Indigenous people by demonstrating strength, joy and perseverance despite being faced with difficulties. Superfan Magoo Amazing Race promo Skylene and Blair Gladue, also known as Superfan Magoo, on Season 11 of Amazing Race Canada. (Credit: Amazing Race Canada) The last Indigenous team, known as the Rebeccas, consists of Rebecca Merasty from Meadow Lake, Sask., and Rebecca Watt from Wrigley, N.W.T. The best friend duo are currently roommates in Vancouver. Their determination to win the race pays tribute to those who have played a pivotal role in shaping them into the woman they've become, they say. 'We were both raised in smaller communities and raised in the bush. I think, just that in itself, shaped us to who we are today,' said Watt. 'We're both very strong and very resilient individuals that honestly aren't scared of anything.' Watt describes Merasty as the more athletic one, but she too enjoys an active lifestyle with regular activities. 'Rebecca is more of an athlete than I am,' said Watt. 'I like to hike. I play whatever sports and do anything to get my body moving.' But no matter who is more athletic, the duo has been killing it. Amazing Race - The Rebeccas Best friends and roommates, Rebecca Merasty and Rebecca Watt, are competing on Season 11 of the Amazing Race Canada. 'The experience overall, honestly, is a once in a lifetime. I'm so grateful for the opportunity and to be able to do the entire time with my best friend,' Watt said. 'We had the best time. I couldn't have asked for a better person.' Each and every morning, the Rebeccas pray 'for a good day.' 'And to thank the Creator and (ask for the) backing of our ancestors and everybody that came before us. You know, to just push us through and get us to that next level, that next leg,' Watt explained. She is a strategic lead for mental wellness, and owner of the company Auntie's Insights. She works with youth through mental health and substance programming. The business was established in response to a gap for Indigenous youth in cities who were missing out on essential advice from aunties in the community. 'There was a gap just in a lot of the knowledge and teachings in terms of harm reduction and prevention education for youth under 12,' Watt said. The Rebeccas are hoping their participation in The Amazing Race Canada will encourage younger generations to embrace new experiences. 'It was so important for us to get out there and represent, not just Indigenous people and Indigenous women, but also just be that representation we didn't have as kids,' she said. From rugged coasts and busy cities, the remainder of the season will see contestants move across the country. 'My philosophy of this show is, yes there's tourism in every place we go, but I don't always want to show tourism… With everything that's happening in the world geopolitically and how people are traveling less, I think our show is a great show that lets people say 'hey there is still a whole massive country to explore',' Lysakowski said. One of the highlights will be when the contestants travel to the third coast—the Arctic Ocean. Watch The Amazing Race Canada Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, and the CTV app, and streaming next day on Crave. By Crystal Local Journalism Initiative Reporter,

CTV News
21 minutes ago
- CTV News
The Canadian passport continues to lose power, global ranking report suggests
The new Canadian passport is unveiled at an event at the Ottawa International Airport in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Canada's passport continues to lose power compared to other countries, according to the latest global passport ranking data. At last tally by the Henley Passport Index (HPI), a Canadian passport scored 184 points, meaning it allows travellers to visit that many global destinations out of a possible 227 without needing a visa. Canada is tied with Estonia and the United Arab Emirates for the eighth-strongest passport in the world, down from seventh, when the index was last updated. Since the beginning of the year, Canada's passport dropped an additional point, now totalling four points lost in the last decade, according to the index. The HPI regularly ranks 199 passports globally, drawing on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Alongside Venezuela, the United States, Vanuatu and the United Kingdom — Canada is among the countries with the fastest falling scores, according to the latest data published on July 22. According to a release from Henley and Partners, who manages the index, this represents a broader trend. 'Traditional mobility champions are losing ground in an increasingly multi-polar world,' the release notes. 'As emerging economies liberalize their visa regimes and invest in diplomatic capital, legacy powers like the U.K. and the U.S. appear to be retreating behind more restrictive entry policies.' The U.K. and U.S. have also dropped a ranking each in the global passport leaderboards since January, to sixth and 10th, respectively. The two countries were once the most powerful passports in the world — with the U.K. taking the top spot in 2015 and the U.S. doing so the year before. Now, the U.S. is on the verge of exiting the top 10 list for the first time in the index's 20-year history. Singapore, Japan and South Korea are currently in the top three spots, with 15 European countries following after. According to the report, the Asia-Pacific region is a leading driver of global travel. Demand for air travel saw 5.8 per cent growth over the first five months of 2025 worldwide, with some regional variations, while Asia-Pacific airlines saw 9.5 per cent growth, they note. 'Your passport is no longer just a travel document — it's a reflection of your country's diplomatic influence and international relationships,' Dr. Juerg Steffen, Chief Executive Officer at Henley & Partners, said in the release. 'In an era of growing inequality and mounting geopolitical uncertainty, strategic mobility and citizenship planning are more critical than ever.'