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Winnipeg Free Press
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Uniquely Canadian': Stampede begins with parade led by country star Shania Twain
CALGARY – The Old West will be on full display as thousands clad in tassels, boots and buckles march through city streets today to kick off the Calgary Stampede. Country superstar Shania Twain will saddle up and lead the parade on horseback before performing Saturday at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Stampede runs until July 13. The 'Man! I Feel Like a Woman' singer, who was raised in Timmins, Ont., last took the stage at the Stampede in 2014. Twain, 59, is country music's top-selling female artist, according to Billboard. She is currently a judge on Citytv's 'Canada's Got Talent.' Her long string of hits includes 'That Don't Impress Me Much,' 'Any Man of Mine' and 'Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?' 'I can't think of a better parade marshal,' said Joel Cowley, the Stampede's chief executive. 'We expect to see 300,000-plus lining the streets once again. What a great way to kick off the Calgary Stampede.' People have traditionally arrived hours before the parade begins to get good seats. Stampede Park has been busy for the past week as crews assemble midway rides and concession stands. Gregg Korek with North American Midway Entertainment will be making his 49th appearance at the Stampede. He likens it to getting ready for the prom. 'We're just putting on the corsage right now,' he said. Growing up in Calgary, Korek joined the midway group as a teen. 'I always say I like all of our fairs exactly the same, but I like this one a little bit better because I'm a Calgarian.' Cowley said Stampede attracted almost 1.5 million visitors last year. Of that number, he said about 73 per cent were from the Calgary area. Another nine per cent were from Alberta and 10 per cent were other Canadians. The rest came from the United States or other countries. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. With Canadians unhappy about tariffs from the U.S., Cowley said domestic visitors could be higher this year. 'It is an international event, and I would think this year we would see a lot of Canadians looking for a Canadian vacation to come here to the Calgary Stampede,' he said. The first Stampede was in 1912, and Cowley said the event stays true to its agricultural roots. 'It's really something that needs to be experienced. At the heart of what we do is agriculture and Western heritage,' he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2025.


Hamilton Spectator
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Uniquely Canadian': Stampede begins with parade led by country star Shania Twain
CALGARY - The Old West will be on full display as thousands clad in tassels, boots and buckles march through city streets today to kick off the Calgary Stampede. Country superstar Shania Twain will saddle up and lead the parade on horseback before performing Saturday at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Stampede runs until July 13. The 'Man! I Feel Like a Woman' singer, who was raised in Timmins, Ont., last took the stage at the Stampede in 2014. Twain, 59, is country music's top-selling female artist, according to Billboard. She is currently a judge on Citytv's 'Canada's Got Talent.' Her long string of hits includes 'That Don't Impress Me Much,' 'Any Man of Mine' and 'Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?' 'I can't think of a better parade marshal,' said Joel Cowley, the Stampede's chief executive. 'We expect to see 300,000-plus lining the streets once again. What a great way to kick off the Calgary Stampede.' People have traditionally arrived hours before the parade begins to get good seats. Stampede Park has been busy for the past week as crews assemble midway rides and concession stands. Gregg Korek with North American Midway Entertainment will be making his 49th appearance at the Stampede. He likens it to getting ready for the prom. 'We're just putting on the corsage right now,' he said. Growing up in Calgary, Korek joined the midway group as a teen. 'I always say I like all of our fairs exactly the same, but I like this one a little bit better because I'm a Calgarian.' Cowley said Stampede attracted almost 1.5 million visitors last year. Of that number, he said about 73 per cent were from the Calgary area. Another nine per cent were from Alberta and 10 per cent were other Canadians. The rest came from the United States or other countries. With Canadians unhappy about tariffs from the U.S., Cowley said domestic visitors could be higher this year. 'It is an international event, and I would think this year we would see a lot of Canadians looking for a Canadian vacation to come here to the Calgary Stampede,' he said. The first Stampede was in 1912, and Cowley said the event stays true to its agricultural roots. 'It's really something that needs to be experienced. At the heart of what we do is agriculture and Western heritage,' he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .


Hamilton Spectator
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Ontario ombudsman says ‘growing crisis' in overcrowded jails undermines justice system
Ontario's ombudsman is urging Premier Doug Ford to address a 'growing crisis' in overcrowded jails with complaints skyrocketing 55 per cent and judges dropping or reducing charges against some inmates because of poor treatment and living conditions. The problems — including frequent lockdowns, three inmates in cells for two or bunking in broom closets, mould and getting the wrong medications — undermine the justice system, Paul Dubé said in releasing his annual report Wednesday, warning of the potential for bigger problems. 'If you keep raising the populations in a fixed amount of space and then you have staff shortages and there aren't enough people to adequately, safely run the prison, then you have lockdowns ... which leads to frustrations,' he told a news conference at the legislature. 'The cauldron starts heating up and the pressures build.' The latest investigation followed the Ministry of Solicitor General's two internal investigative Dubé's call for improvements follows an investigation he launched this month into a December 2023 incident at the Maplehurst Correctional Centre in Milton, where inmates were subject to a mass strip search by the institution's internal riot squad that has resulted in a host of lawsuits against the province. 'The conditions that we are seeing and hearing about in the correctional system not only fail to meet the basic expectations of fairness and dignity, but in some cases actively undermine the very principles of justice and human rights,' Dubé said. Ontario's Ministry of the Solicitor General is now investigating the December 2023 incident, 'This is a challenge that requires urgent attention and a long-term commitment to meaningful reform,' added the ombudsman, whose teams visited 12 jails, including Maplehurst, to see conditions first-hand. Solicitor General Michael Kerzner's office said it would 'review' the 103-page report. It has overseen internal investigations into the Maplehurst incident, but the results of those probes have not been made public. In Mississauga for a hospital expansion announcement, Ford told Citytv 'there's a process. They'll be held accountable, as simple as that.' New Democrat MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam (Toronto Centre) blamed a lack of resources for an overloaded court system, which leaves people accused of crimes stacking up in jails as they await hearings and trials. 'Over 80 per cent of the inmates are actually just waiting for trial,' she said. 'Making sure that we fund the court so it runs smoothly and efficiently, making sure we fund corrections so that we can reduce the overcrowding, all of that is going to make a huge difference in actually reducing the tension, the violence and the horrible conditions.' Complaints by inmates, their families and others to the ombudsman about jails soared 55 per cent to 6,870 last year — the highest number for any provincial service again last year. Dubé said his office has noticed the state of jails slipping for years. 'I will never, ever forget my visit to the Thunder Bay jail where the inmates were lined up on one side of the hallway and the correctional officers and staff on the other side. And they're both pleading with us to do what we could to bring change.'
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tracy Moore, 50, says there was a 'little bit of denial' when she started experiencing menopause symptoms: 'Hold on, I'm at that age...'
Less than two months after she was let go from Citytv, Tracy Moore found herself doing yoga in Costa Rica with a group of strangers. What began as an excuse to leave a cold Toronto winter to process a major career change in solitude quickly turned into a bonding experience that celebrated sisterhood, menopause and the idea that mid-life could be the perfect time to start all over again. The 50-year-old television personality is set to appear in a panel talk at the first Women's Healthy Living Show in Toronto this weekend for an unfiltered discussion about women's health. Yahoo Canada spoke to Moore ahead of the event to discuss navigating change, menopause and much more. In February 2025, fans were surprised when Citytv announced it was foregoing plans to create a new hour of Breakfast Television with Moore and Cheryl Hickey at the helm. The decision ended a 20-year relationship between the network and Moore, who had previously served as host of Cityline for 16 years. She addressed the news in a video posted to Instagram that was gracious and measured; it wasn't what you'd expect from someone who had just received career-altering news. Moore said the writing was on the wall when the network decided to cancel Cityline, she just didn't know when that chapter of her career would end.'I had many, many months to wrap my head around a new way of defining myself — and my friends and family did not. The viewers did not...,' she said, adding that the public's reaction to the news was overwhelming. "I was drowning in inertia. It was being bombarded with everyone's reactions. I feel very deeply. I was taking on people's disappointment, people's congratulations, people's anger... I'm wearing it all. I just needed to sit on the couch and let it flow through me. Cry a little bit. Walk a little bit. Do all the things." I realized that there were a lot of people that were invested in my Moore A visit to her parents helped Moore understand the impact of her career; she was a trailblazing figure — the first Black woman to host a daytime talk show in Canada. "I realized that there were a lot of people that were invested in my career. There's aunts, uncles and cousins, and then there's visible minority communities," she said. "There's racialized people that were watching the show because they saw themselves reflected in a daytime show. They saw their people." Her father was the one who suggested she take a trip to get away and "gain some clarity." Moore remembered an invitation she received to Flip Flops and Hot Flashes, a menopause-focused yoga retreat in Costa Rica. She accepted the invitation on one condition: she did not want to have to be "on" for the group. Moore was on a mission to find her centre. She thought she was in need of solitude and peace. She was as the saying in reality TV goes, not here to make friends — even though that's exactly what happened. "I wanted to gaze at beauty — the sky, the trees the water,' she said. 'It turned int this incredibly bonding, beautiful, raw and authentic experience. It was a bonus, over and above anything I was expecting." Menopause and the realities of mid-life are topics Moore embraces discussing with her community of fans and followers. Her own journey with perimenopause began at 47, when she noticed her base temperature rising. "I used to be a cold girlie…I was always cold," she said. "Then all of a sudden I wasn't. It wasn't hot flashes, in general, I was hotter.' ...I thought to myself, 'Hold on, I'm at that age. This could be menopauseTracy Moore Initially, Moore said "there was a little bit of denial" about her symptoms. Although signs of perimenopause vary from person to person, there was one symptom that pushed her to visit her doctor. 'The biggest telltale sign for me was my inability to tamp down irritation," she said. "I'm the calm parent. I'm the patient one…. All of a sudden, I was the one arguing and so I thought to myself, 'Hold on, I'm at that age. This could be menopause.'" Moore began hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for progesterone and estradiol, which she said have helped manage hot flashes and other symptoms. The ability to talk candidly about women's health is something Moore said she had to fight for during her time on Cityline. There was an "unwritten rule" that menopause wasn't meant for daytime television, but a host in perimenopause meant the subject was unavoidable. "It's sort of a new generation and a new vibe," she said. "I think that people were willing to jump in and get into it." The push and pull behind the scenes was something Moore had been living with since she began working in television in 2001. Along the way, Moore said there were many times she had to make compromises and navigate micro-agressions over the way she styled her hair and what stories she wanted to feature. "I had to forgive myself constantly," she said. "I felt the burden of trying to make the show more accessible for more people and not just the Black community, but gay men and non-binary people. Everybody should be able to have a piece of the show and see themselves reflected in some way.... I felt the burden of trying to make the show more accessible for more peopleTracy Moore "Some days I thought to myself that I'm not supposed to be in media, because I think I'm too soft for this industry — and that was the wrong way for me to think. My sensitivity is the reason I was able to operate the way I was and reach the people I was meant to reach." The end of her time at Citytv presented an opportunity for Moore to take inventory of her hopes and goals for the future. She describes it as "divine" timing that she was let go from Citytv the same year she turned 50. In many ways, she's navigating her next steps with more than just her career in mind, it's something deeper. "There is a 'me' that exists outside of — I hate to call it this — but this 'circus' of being in a public-facing role. I have to refine and be 100 per cent sure of what and who I am," she said. "What do I really like? What do I really dislike? What do I actually want to do with my life?" I'm proud of myself, though, for walking myself through thisTracy Moore In addition to re-evaluating what she wants to create, she's also exploring how to participate in content creation without relying on social media for external validation. "I feel like that's always been my journey," she said. "You can't take all of those compliments that people are giving you to heart, because it means you also have to take all of the criticisms and all of the hate and all the vitriol to heart. "It's sometimes been a little bit sad, and it's sometimes been so happy," she said. "I'm proud of myself, though, for walking myself through this."
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tracy Moore, 50, says there was a 'little bit of denial' when she started experiencing menopause symptoms: 'Hold on, I'm at that age...'
Less than two months after she was let go from Citytv, Tracy Moore found herself doing yoga in Costa Rica with a group of strangers. What began as an excuse to leave a cold Toronto winter to process a major career change in solitude quickly turned into a bonding experience that celebrated sisterhood, menopause and the idea that mid-life could be the perfect time to start all over again. The 50-year-old television personality is set to appear in a panel talk at the first Women's Healthy Living Show in Toronto this weekend for an unfiltered discussion about women's health. Yahoo Canada spoke to Moore ahead of the event to discuss navigating change, menopause and much more. In February 2025, fans were surprised when Citytv announced it was foregoing plans to create a new hour of Breakfast Television with Moore and Cheryl Hickey at the helm. The decision ended a 20-year relationship between the network and Moore, who had previously served as host of Cityline for 16 years. She addressed the news in a video posted to Instagram that was gracious and measured; it wasn't what you'd expect from someone who had just received career-altering news. Moore said the writing was on the wall when the network decided to cancel Cityline, she just didn't know when that chapter of her career would end.'I had many, many months to wrap my head around a new way of defining myself — and my friends and family did not. The viewers did not...,' she said, adding that the public's reaction to the news was overwhelming. "I was drowning in inertia. It was being bombarded with everyone's reactions. I feel very deeply. I was taking on people's disappointment, people's congratulations, people's anger... I'm wearing it all. I just needed to sit on the couch and let it flow through me. Cry a little bit. Walk a little bit. Do all the things." I realized that there were a lot of people that were invested in my Moore A visit to her parents helped Moore understand the impact of her career; she was a trailblazing figure — the first Black woman to host a daytime talk show in Canada. "I realized that there were a lot of people that were invested in my career. There's aunts, uncles and cousins, and then there's visible minority communities," she said. "There's racialized people that were watching the show because they saw themselves reflected in a daytime show. They saw their people." Her father was the one who suggested she take a trip to get away and "gain some clarity." Moore remembered an invitation she received to Flip Flops and Hot Flashes, a menopause-focused yoga retreat in Costa Rica. She accepted the invitation on one condition: she did not want to have to be "on" for the group. Moore was on a mission to find her centre. She thought she was in need of solitude and peace. She was as the saying in reality TV goes, not here to make friends — even though that's exactly what happened. "I wanted to gaze at beauty — the sky, the trees the water,' she said. 'It turned int this incredibly bonding, beautiful, raw and authentic experience. It was a bonus, over and above anything I was expecting." Menopause and the realities of mid-life are topics Moore embraces discussing with her community of fans and followers. Her own journey with perimenopause began at 47, when she noticed her base temperature rising. "I used to be a cold girlie…I was always cold," she said. "Then all of a sudden I wasn't. It wasn't hot flashes, in general, I was hotter.' ...I thought to myself, 'Hold on, I'm at that age. This could be menopauseTracy Moore Initially, Moore said "there was a little bit of denial" about her symptoms. Although signs of perimenopause vary from person to person, there was one symptom that pushed her to visit her doctor. 'The biggest telltale sign for me was my inability to tamp down irritation," she said. "I'm the calm parent. I'm the patient one…. All of a sudden, I was the one arguing and so I thought to myself, 'Hold on, I'm at that age. This could be menopause.'" Moore began hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for progesterone and estradiol, which she said have helped manage hot flashes and other symptoms. The ability to talk candidly about women's health is something Moore said she had to fight for during her time on Cityline. There was an "unwritten rule" that menopause wasn't meant for daytime television, but a host in perimenopause meant the subject was unavoidable. "It's sort of a new generation and a new vibe," she said. "I think that people were willing to jump in and get into it." The push and pull behind the scenes was something Moore had been living with since she began working in television in 2001. Along the way, Moore said there were many times she had to make compromises and navigate micro-agressions over the way she styled her hair and what stories she wanted to feature. "I had to forgive myself constantly," she said. "I felt the burden of trying to make the show more accessible for more people and not just the Black community, but gay men and non-binary people. Everybody should be able to have a piece of the show and see themselves reflected in some way.... I felt the burden of trying to make the show more accessible for more peopleTracy Moore "Some days I thought to myself that I'm not supposed to be in media, because I think I'm too soft for this industry — and that was the wrong way for me to think. My sensitivity is the reason I was able to operate the way I was and reach the people I was meant to reach." The end of her time at Citytv presented an opportunity for Moore to take inventory of her hopes and goals for the future. She describes it as "divine" timing that she was let go from Citytv the same year she turned 50. In many ways, she's navigating her next steps with more than just her career in mind, it's something deeper. "There is a 'me' that exists outside of — I hate to call it this — but this 'circus' of being in a public-facing role. I have to refine and be 100 per cent sure of what and who I am," she said. "What do I really like? What do I really dislike? What do I actually want to do with my life?" I'm proud of myself, though, for walking myself through thisTracy Moore In addition to re-evaluating what she wants to create, she's also exploring how to participate in content creation without relying on social media for external validation. "I feel like that's always been my journey," she said. "You can't take all of those compliments that people are giving you to heart, because it means you also have to take all of the criticisms and all of the hate and all the vitriol to heart. "It's sometimes been a little bit sad, and it's sometimes been so happy," she said. "I'm proud of myself, though, for walking myself through this."