There are many godfathers in music. The Godfather of Rock? Well, there’s the King, Elvis Presley, but Chuck Berry is probably a more accurate choice…the Godfather of Funk and Soul? James Brown. The godfathers of hip-hop? DJ Kool Herc was the O.G. Run-D.M.C. should be in there, too, along with Afrika Bambaataa, Spoonie Gee, and Fab 5 Freddy. How about the Godfather of Punk? Iggy Pop, no question. But what about the Fathers of Punk? I’m going to say that title belongs to Ramones, period, full stop, end of discussion. Wait: back up. In the early 1800s, an American pioneer named John Chapman travelled from Massachusetts, collecting seeds from Pennsylvania cider presses, and for the rest of his life, he planted thousands of apple trees through what is now Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Chapman was given the nickname “Johnny Appleseed” because wherever he went, apple trees sprouted in his wake. In the mid-1970s, the Ramones—four middle-class kids from Forest Hills in Queens—began to have the same effect with a new style of rock and roll known as “punk.” Whenever they played a town on one of their endless tours, new bands would inevitably start popping up just a few days later. What began as a cartoonish attempt at making goofy bubblegum pop music—think of what The Beach Boys might sound like if they sniffed glue and took a lot of meth—the Ramones stumbled on something profound and eternal. It was all a big, happy, dumb accident. The Ramones had no idea they were about to change the world of music. They were just four regular guys who wanted to rock in the most basic way. They certainly accomplished that—but they also reminded everyone that when it comes to the power and joy of rock, sometimes “less” is “more.” They gave rock ’n’ roll a much-needed kick in the ass, and it took a long time for them to be recognized for what they gave us. They got punk going on both sides of the Atlantic. The guys who would eventually become The Clash worshipped them. The Sex Pistols took cues from them. They’d go on to be an influence on hardcore, metal, thrash, grunge, and every flavour of guitar-based alt-rock. Fans include Nirvana and Foo Fighters, Metallica, Soundgarden, Pixies, Faith No More, Beastie Boys, Pearl Jam, The Strokes, The Offspring, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns N’ Roses, Motörhead, Green Day, Blink-182, Rancid, Fall Out Boy, and hundreds—probably thousands—of others. This (2026) is an important year in Ramones history. It’s the 25th anniversary of Joey Ramone’s death, the first member of the band to leave us. It’s the 30th anniversary of the last Ramones show, and it’s the 50th anniversary of the release of their debut album. Let’s cover all of that with this triple tribute to one of the greatest and most important bands in the history of rock. Songs heard on this show (all by the Ramones except the last one):

• • Sheena is a Punk Rocker

• • Judy is a Punk (demo)

• • Beat on the Brat

• • Blitzkrieg Bop

• • Teenage Lobotomy

• • I Wanna Be Sedated

• • Do You Remember Rock’n’Roll Radio?

• • Chinese Rocks

• • Anyway You Want It

• • U2, The Miracle of Joey Ramone

Here’s Eric Wilhite’s playlist. The Ongoing History of New Music can be heard on these stations:

• • 102.1 The Edge/Toronto – Sunday night at 7pm

• • Q107/Toronto – Sunday night at 9pm

• • Live 88-5/Ottawa – Saturdays at 9am and Sundays at 6pm

• • 107.5 Dave-FM/Kitchener – Sunday nights at 11pm

• • FM96/London – Sunday nights at 8pm

• • Power 97/Winnipeg – Sunday nights at 10am and 10pm

• • 107-3 The Edge/Calgary – Sundays at 10am and 10pm

• • Sonic 102.9/Edmonton – Sunday at 8am and 8pm

• • The Zone/Victoria – Sunday at 9am and 9pm

• • The Fox/Vancouver – Sundays at 10am and 10pm

• • The Goat Network/Interior BC

• • WAPS/WKTL The Summit/Arkon, Canton, Cleveland, Youngstown – Mon-Fri at 9pm

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Our lesson on radio frequencies continues. We’ve looked at FM, AM, longwave, and shortwave. What else is there?

Well, there’s DAB, which stands for Digital Audio Broadcasting. It’s a standard used in Europe, Asia, and Australia that, in some countries like Norway, has replaced AM and FM altogether. On the radio spectrum, it gets 175.928 to 239.200 MHz, which puts it slightly above standard FM radio.

We will never see DAB radio in North America. We tried to implement it in the early 2000s, but there was little appetite for the kind of investment it required. Instead, we got HD-Radio, a digital signal which basically hitchhikes on what’s called the “sidebands” of standard AM and FM frequencies. It hasn’t really taken off, but chances are you have HD-Radio in your car.

One more radio story next time.

© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Manitoba’s nursing regulator publicly apologized on Wednesday for its role in discriminating against First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in the health-care system.

The College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba hosted a ceremony including Indigenous advocacy groups, health-care organizations and other regulatory partners on the same day it says the province has proclaimed Indigenous Nurses Day.

“To all First Nations, Inuit and Métis, we affirm our deep sorrow for the harms that you and your ancestors have experienced, and the intergenerational effects that our actions and inactions have caused or contributed to. We realize we have much work to do, and that an apology alone is not enough to affect change,” said Deb Elias, the regulator’s registrar.

Elias went on to say that the apology is “long overdue” and that despite there being ample documentation of systemic racism affecting Indigenous patients and nurses working in the system, the college has failed to address the issues with the level of urgency required to make change.

“(The apology) is the first step to acknowledging essentially the truth of what’s happened and what continues to happen, knowing that we need to have concrete actions moving forward,” Elias later said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

The college’s role is to ensure that the more than 15,200 registered nurses and nurse practitioners in the province are qualified to provide safe and ethical care.

Elias said these health-care workers have significant power and influence in the health system, and they should be providing inclusive and culturally safe care.

Research has shown that systemic racism has led to barriers in care and some patients choosing not to seek medical help. In some cases, it has resulted in fatalities.

Brian Sinclair, an amputee, died in 2008 after waiting 34 hours in a Winnipeg emergency room. An inquest into the First Nations man’s death found that medical staff assumed he was intoxicated. A report issued by a group of doctors later said his death was a result of racism.

The college created an Indigenous advisory group last fall to help develop a reconciliation action plan that would include adding more Indigenous staff and voices to its operations.

Elias said the college hopes to release the plan by the end of this year.

She said the college has heard from non-Indigenous nurses that there is an appetite for more training on First Nations, Inuit and Métis culture and traditional healing practices, and that the regulator is willing to push the envelope on this.

The regulatory body has also heard from some Indigenous nurses who have felt discriminated against in the public system and have chosen to work within their own communities, where they feel more safe.

“Today was emotional for many of us,” said Caroline Chartrand, a senior nurse adviser at the health organization Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin. “As First Nations nurses, we have been advocating for change, cultural safety and accountability for a very long time.”

First Nations groups commended the apology but said it must also lead to concrete change.

“We are here to ensure this moment results in meaningful system change that protects First Nations people from further harm and creates accountability across health-care regulation,” said Michelle Monkman, interim chief executive officer of Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin. “Public health and safety must benefit everyone equally, including First Nations citizens.”

The apology should also encourage the wider health system to learn about shared history between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and the effects of systemic racism on the well-being of First Nations people, said Monkman.

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said the apology is an important acknowledgment of First Nations people’s experiences within health-care systems and institutions in the province.

The group said it’s important that there is support for First Nations nurses, health-care professionals and students.

“Reconciliation is not a single moment or statement,” said Grand Chief Kyra Wilson.

“It is ongoing work grounded in truth, accountability and building relationships based on respect.”

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Manitoba is looking at having a commissioner or regulator enforce its proposed ban on social media and artificial intelligence chatbots for children under 16.

Premier Wab Kinew said Wednesday the commissioner or regulator would work to convince tech companies to get in line, and steep fines would follow if that advice goes unheeded.

“If you have a willing dance partner, so to speak there, then it can be a back-and-forth about how we’re going to improve the technology so that those harms are not being visited on young children,” he told reporters.

Kinew announced last month there would be a ban to prevent children from certain online platforms. He made it clear Wednesday that a lot of details have yet to be worked out.

Drafting legislation would take time, and it could be next year before measures are in place, the premier said. The legislature is set to break for the summer in less than three weeks.

Federal Culture Minister Marc Miller said last month that Ottawa is seriously considering a national social media ban for children, and some other provinces are also looking at the idea.

Some critics have said the federal government is best positioned to enact a ban.

Kinew said he’s willing to work with Ottawa and other provinces, but Manitoba has jurisdiction in areas including consumer protection.

One possible step, he said, could see tech companies required to have protection for children included in their terms of service with customers.

Rules surrounding business practices could also be involved.

“There’s been some reporting that some platforms appear to know that it’s young kids using their product and tailor the algorithm to kids … that seems like an unfair business practice,” Kinew said.

Also to be worked out is how a provincial ban might stop children from passing themselves off as older or living elsewhere. People can use a virtual private network, or VPN, to appear to live in another province or use someone else’s information to set up a social media account.

An Ohio man was recently arrested on charges of luring a 10-year-old Manitoba girl into sending explicit images. An affidavit filed for an arrest warrant in the case says the girl had used an older relative’s cellphone and created a Snapchat account.

A provincial ban could simply make adults more alert to the impact of social media on children, Kinew said.
The Opposition Progressive Conservatives accused the NDP premier of making a splashy announcement with no firm plan to enact it.

“He wants to get out of the gate, steal the limelight, pretend like he has a plan,” said Tory Leader Obby Khan.

The Tories asked questions on the topic in the legislature Wednesday on behalf of a group of Grade 9 students watching from the public gallery.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

The president of a union that recently helped Uber drivers ratify a contract in Victoria, B.C., says he was contacted by contract delivery drivers in Saskatoon who walked off the job last week over what they deem unfair and unsafe working conditions.

Dozens of drivers contracted by contract delivery company Dragonfly, which handles packages for companies including Amazon, walked off the job last Friday, demanding better pay rates, more consistent scheduling and safer working conditions.

Now, these workers say they are looking to form a union to increase their collective power and negotiate better working conditions with Dragonfly.

“There is no benefit or any rights for us. So that’s why we are fighting,” said delivery driver Amrit Singh.

Barry Sawyer, national president of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Canada, says the striking workers reached out to Local 1400 in Saskatoon and to the union’s national office as their job action continues for its sixth day.

“We’re looking for ways that we can help these workers,” Sawyer told Global News in an interview.

Just last month, around 1,000 Uber drivers in Victoria, represented by UFCW Local 1518, ratified their union contract after nine months of bargaining with the company, something Sawyer said marks the first traditional collective agreement for those drivers in the country.

“We met in Victoria every time at a bargaining table, and our side was on one side of the table, Uber’s manager on the other side, and we worked through all the things that we were able to get on behalf of these drivers,” said Sawyer.

Setting up a union for gig drivers comes with many challenges, from addressing differences in bargaining demands to the difficulties of rallying precarious workers, whose membership commonly fluctuates and who lack a typical office space, said Sawyer.

Singh says he was recently let go as a driver for Dragonfly, a decision he learned of via a WhatsApp message. But it was not from the company itself, but instead from his “independent delivery contractor,” referred to as an IDC, that is hired by Dragonfly.

Dragonfly operates by letting individuals and companies sign up to become IDCs, allowing them to hire and manage a team of drivers. Singh said these individuals are their primary point of contact for receiving work and even determine their wages.

“They are just using like IDC as a middleman to just deny us our rights, our benefits, everything,” Singh told Global News, adding that when drivers attempt to contact Dragonfly, their requests are shut down.

“Whenever we raise our voice, they just say, ‘You don’t work for us.'”

Dragonfly confirms in a statement that it does not employ delivery drivers but instead works with independent delivery companies that manage drivers.

“These independent delivery companies are responsible for driver hiring, scheduling and compensation, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations,” Dragonfly said in a statement to Global News.

This business model is increasingly common in the gig economy, said employment lawyer Lior Samfiru, adding that workers hired by subcontractors are often referred to as contractors rather than employees, which impacts their legal rights.

“The reality is that a lot of these subcontractors who then hire the employees are not equipped to deal with employees because they’re really small operations themselves,” Samfiru said, adding that these business models also often lack accountability as they pass on responsibility to the next line of contractor.

While progress is being made in places such as Victoria with its Uber contract, Samfiru says non-unionized drivers should still be careful when striking, as they do not have the same rights as unionized strikers and could face legal dismissal.

“So the risk here is that for any individual, especially these Dragonfly contractors, if there are other people willing to do the job, Dragonfly and the other contractors can hire those other people and the individuals on strike will lose their jobs,” he said.

“As a strategic measure, it’s very problematic and may not be something that results in the improvement that they want, just because they may ultimately lose their job.”

However, legal options, like going through the Ministry of Labour, are still on the table.

“You can’t be punished for standing up for your legal rights to the extent that the company is breaching those rights. But you have to show, not that the company is not treating you well, you have to show that the company is actually doing something illegal,” said Samfiru.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Police in Montreal are asking potential victims to come forward after a 72-year-old man was arrested and charged with multiple sexual offences.

Officers say Daniel Rochefort was arrested May 7 on allegations including luring and making child sexual abuse material.

Additional charges of sexual assault, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching were laid May 11 following an investigation by the force’s sexual assault unit.

Investigators believe Rochefort may have had other victims, with alleged incidents dating from 2007 to 2026.

The suspect is accused of contacting victims through mobile apps and social media platforms, including Instagram and Snapchat, using the aliases “dannyrock16752” and “dannyrock201721.”

Rochefort is described as a white man, five feet, eight inches tall and weighing about 77 kg, with white hair and blue eyes. Police say his appearance has changed over time and have released two photos to aid identification.

Anyone who believes they may have been a victim, or who has information, is urged to contact police or reach out anonymously through Info-Crime Montréal.

Authorities say the case has been taken on by Quebec’s coordinated response to serial crimes, overseen by the Sûreté du Québec, to help identify potential victims and pool investigative resources across jurisdictions.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Lane Hutson’s elevated play hasn’t come as a surprise to those around him.

The slippery second-year defenceman’s stellar playoff performance for the Montreal Canadiens is the product of an obsession that rarely shuts off, something teammate Noah Dobson sees every day.

“Any chance he gets, he’s doing something involving hockey,” Dobson said from the Canadiens’ dressing room this week. “He’s back there stick-handling, shooting pucks all day, every day. It’s impressive.

“He’s got the love for the game. He’s always working on it and doesn’t seem to get tired, ever.”

Hutson is regularly one of the first players on the ice for practice, and even sneaks in skating sessions on Canadiens off days. That includes the holiday break, as Hutson and teammate Ivan Demidov played shinny with a group of kids on an outdoor rink in Montreal’s Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood this past Christmas Eve.

As the Canadiens battle the Buffalo Sabres in the second round, Hutson is putting that bottomless tank of energy — and his elite instincts — on full display for the broader hockey world.

The 22-year-old American seems to pop up everywhere in the series, with Montreal and Buffalo tied 2-2 in their best-of-seven matchup heading into Game 5 on Thursday night in Buffalo.

Though the Canadiens lost 3-2 in Game 4 at home, Hutson logged a game-high 28:02 of ice time — more than three minutes above the next closest player — and picked up an assist to become just the third Canadiens defenceman in the past 30 years to reach the 10-point plateau in a single post-season.

In Game 3, he expertly took advantage of a stick-less Jordan Greenway to set up Cole Caufield for a power-play goal. But perhaps the biggest play of the man advantage came moments earlier when he hustled to keep the puck in the zone — and keep a group of tired penalty killers on the ice.

“Sometimes you just get a bounce,” said the soft-spoken Hutson, often reluctant to talk about himself. “Luckily I did.”

But teammate Kaiden Guhle, along with everyone watching, knew there was little luck involved with that play.

“He’s got an unreal motor, never gets tired. He never gives up on plays,” Guhle said. “He’s always trying to make an impact in whatever way he can, if it’s making the pass to Cole or keeping that puck in at the blue (line). He’s just got such a high motor and such a high compete level.

“That’s what makes him so great.”

Guhle added that effort extends beyond the offensive zone, despite what some might assume given Hutson’s five-foot-nine, 162-pound frame.

The blueliner has had to prove doubters wrong due to concerns about whether he could defend at his size, falling to 62nd overall in the 2022 NHL draft despite being the highest-scoring defenceman on that season’s U.S. National Development Team.

“He’s not just an offensive defenceman. He defends hard and he defends well,” Guhle said. “For a small guy, I think he’s improved so much at defending.

“You watch him in a game, he never gets beat really, rarely, out of the corner. One-on-one battles, he wins all those battles.”

GOING DOWN EASY

Buffalo has taken a stunning 25 minor penalties (some offsetting) over the past three games and put the Canadiens on the power play seven times in Tuesday night’s win.

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff blamed his players for failing the “discipline test” in a fiery post-game press conference, but also suggested the Canadiens embellished to draw calls.

“It’s a time of year where a player is going to do his best to make whatever call it is seem like it’s almost the end of the world,” Ruff said, pointing to what he considered soft penalties assessed to Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin.

Ruff doubled down Wednesday when asked whether he’d noticed any trends in the Sabres’ penalties.

“I know Montreal’s got a good power play but I think they’re going down easy,” he told reporters, before adding that every team does it. “It’s part of the playoffs. It just is. You know how important a power play can be … you got to be careful with your sticks. If they have a chance to make the play look worse than it is, they’re going to.”

Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis wouldn’t comment on Ruff’s view of things, but said he felt the calls had been fairly even on both sides.

FREAKISH BOUNCE

Thompson scored on what seemed like a one-in-a-million chance when his dump-in ricocheted off the stanchion by the Zamboni door and banked in off Jakub Dobes’s right leg to tie the game 2-2 on Tuesday. The Canadiens, however, have seen weird bounces from that left corner before.

“It’s not the first time. We’ve talked about it,” said St. Louis post-game, laughing. “It’s funny because we talk about it. He got caught because he came out once, and now he doesn’t go out anymore when the puck goes (in the corner). And now I think if he had gone out that time, I don’t think the puck would have gone in. What can you do?”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

While some municipalities across Alberta have chosen to maintain their integrated fire and emergency services with a new provincial funding model, Lethbridge’s city council has decided to reject the province’s proposal.

On Tuesday, council voted 7-2 against a motion brought forward by councillor and current acting mayor Jenn Schmidt-Rempel to rescind a March 24 vote that was unanimously in favour of rejecting the provincial Ground Ambulance Service Agreement.

This means the previous vote remains the official stance of council.

The City of Red Deer and Strathcona County both chose to continue funding operations of their own integrated services, while Spruce Grove and Leduc took a similar route to Lethbridge.

“This motion was to say no, we’re not accepting what the province is putting forward to us. Simple,” said Lethbridge Mayor Blaine Hyggen.

He, along with several other Lethbridge councillors have remained adamant they support the current, 114-year-old fire/EMS model.

However, they want to find a way to keep it without increasing taxes, which the new proposal would require — or at least the city would need to find the money somewhere else, if not through taxation.

“I want to keep this service in the community — that’s the plan moving forward. I think we can do that,” said Hyggen.

The issue has become a hot topic within Lethbridge, leading to some allegedly nasty emails sent to city councillors.

According to councillor and current deputy mayor Rajko Dodic, he’s been pressured significantly to vote a certain way.

“Someone actually said that not voting in a certain way, or not to maintain integrated services would perhaps be akin to, or could be in their opinion, maybe, maybe not, attempted murder,” said Dodic after the council meeting on Tuesday.

He says this was why he, at the start of council recognition statements, took aim at certain messaging.

The statement he made was, “my recognition is to the five integrated fire/EMS services in the province that didn’t play the ‘people will die card’ when the province announced a reduction in funding for ambulance services.

“The decision not to fearmonger demonstrated class to me.”

That short speech was instantly met with jeers from those in attendance at council chambers.

Immediately afterward, Dodic said it wasn’t the best thing for him to have said, but as a passionate person, it came out.

“Probably, I shouldn’t have done it. I definitely didn’t mean it as a slight of fire (and EMS) integrated (services). It was a personal moment of mine and I couldn’t handle it,” said Dodic.

While it was a vocalization of his frustration, Dodic wasn’t alone in calling out certain behaviours.

“For lack of better words, the slamming of EHS employees, where some work within our community, with some saying they aren’t qualified — we need to do better,” said Hyggen.

The mayor went on to say online comments can also affect his and other councillors’ family lives.

Local IAFF 237 firefighter union president Brent Nunweiler didn’t comment on any angry emails, but did say he knows the community has been rallying to tell council they want the integrated services to remain in place.

“We’ve heard from the community what they value. They value the integrated system, they understand what’s at risk here,” said Nunweiler.

“They’ve let council know over and over again through phone calls, through emails, through letters that they value this system.”

He did admit the sudden price increase announcement, which came on March 13, did leave Lethbridge councillors between a rock and a hard place.

“We’ve been doing this for 114 years. (The community) sees the value, they understand what we provide to them. They’re not willing to let that go — they’ve let council know and they’ve put them in a difficult spot.”

Schmidt-Rempel and councillor Belinda Crowson were the two who voted to rescind the previous motion.

Schmidt-Rempel says what is now the official stance of the city may not pay off in the end.

“Right now, what we’ve done and what (Tuesday’s) motion means is that we’re gambling on the province to come to negotiate with us. I don’t know that we can gamble on that,” said Schmidt-Rempel.

She says that, similarly to the IAFF, she believes people want to keep the integrated services, no matter what.

“We heard loud and clear from our residents that it’s an investment they are willing to pay for.”

According to Nunweiler, the average household would see an increase in taxes of about $10 per month to maintain the integrated services under the new provincial proposal.

Now that the ball is in the province’s court, so to speak, Schmidt-Rempel says trust in council may have been lost by the community.

“I think we’ve lost a lot of leverage and I think we’ve lost a lot of faith from our residents. How do they believe us and what we want to hear from them going forward?”

EHS-Alberta told Global News in a statement the city officially has until May 31 to make a decision.

“Should they choose not to enter into a sole source agreement at this time, ground ambulance services in Lethbridge will be included in the RFEOIQ (Request for Expression of Interest and Qualification) process, which the City of Lethbridge is welcome to participate in. We will work with the City of Lethbridge to ensure continuity of ground ambulance throughout the RFEOIQ process.”

This means that if the City maintains its current stance after the month is over, the ground ambulance services will be put up for bidding.

The City can still bid in an effort to keep the current service, as well.

EHS-Alberta also says it will guarantee high-quality services are maintained if the integrated service is lost.

Right now, the current contract with Lethbridge’s integrated service runs until the end of September.

“We’ll continue to put our lives on the line for this community,” said Nunweiler.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Organizers of the Canadian Grand Prix say they’re ready for their new, earlier slot on the Formula One calendar, even if it raises the possibility of overlap with a Montreal Canadiens playoff run.

Formula One has rescheduled the Montreal race from mid-June to May 24 in order to reduce travel and environmental impact by moving the event closer to the Miami Grand Prix.

Canadian Grand Prix spokesperson Sandrine Garneau says staff were able to start mounting the track facilities in the fall instead of the spring to accommodate the earlier date.

She says the weather in late May traditionally hasn’t been much colder than in June, but organizers are also making sure hospitality structures are suited for either extreme heat or cold, rainy weather.

The earlier date also raises the possibility of an overlap with the NHL playoffs, if the Canadiens advance past the Buffalo Sabres to the Eastern Conference Final.

Garneau says she’s hoping as a fan that the Habs win, but admits that having both events in Montreal at the same time would raise logistical challenges that organizers are already readying for.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2026.

 

© 2026 The Canadian Press

There are signs of regrowth and rebuilding on Wendigo Road in Lac du Bonnet, Man., one year after a devastating wildfire tore through the area.

Many cottages on Wendigo Road have been rebuilt or are in the process of being rebuilt.

Sylvio Allard’s family has had a cottage in the area for 17 years. Their cottage was lost in the wildfire last May.

“It was pretty shocking because we had just finished renovating our cabin,” Allard told Global News.

“It was brand new from top to bottom and we had just started enjoying it and then the next thing you know, it’s gone.”

Allard has already rebuilt the boathouse and intends on starting to rebuild the cabin this summer.

“It’s exciting. It’s nice to see that everybody is starting to build back in the area,” he said.

The wildfire on May 13, 2025, moved rapidly and left behind a swath of destruction.

“The fire was moving close to two km/h and the fire conditions were extreme. The wind was blowing at 50 to 60 km/h,” Lac du Bonnet fire chief Earl Simmons said.

“Extreme winds, low humidity, high temps in the 30s… Perfect recipe for disaster.”

Dozens of homes and cottages were destroyed and it also brought unthinkable tragedy. Couple Rich and Sue Nowell lost their lives in the wildfire, unable to escape the flames.

Flags were lowered to half-mast in the community on Wednesday in their honour.

“We haven’t forgotten,” Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet reeve Loren Schinkel told Global News.

“Those material items can be rebuilt, but you can’t bring back Richard and Sue Nowell. So it’s important that they be remembered.”

The bridge on Provincial Road 313 has also been renamed the Susan and Richard Nowell Memorial Bridge in honour of the couple.

The RM of Lac du Bonnet has also hired a consulting firm to conduct a wildland fire study and risk assessment of the area. Simmons says it will look at ways to reduce the fire risk through management of deadfall and vegetation, building codes, clearing areas around structures, and public education. A final report is expected in the fall.

“I think it’s a wake-up call for everybody to start thinking not so much about the fires, but what we can do beforehand to prevent that from happening in the first place,” Simmons said.

“We were prepared, we had a great program, we had everybody trained,” Shinkell said. “But after something like this, there’s lessons to be learned.”

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.