Holmes to tackle aboriginal housing

WINNIPEG — Celebrity contractor Mike Holmes is about to wield his hammer to improve some of Canada’s aboriginal housing.

Holmes and the Assembly of First Nations are working on a pilot project to build new housing units and retrofit some existing homes on a reserve.

They are also planning to set up a centre where aboriginal community planners can learn how to build sustainable and environmentally friendly housing.

Holmes says he wants to help address the “neglect and poor conditions for housing” in many First Nations communities.

A location for the project, which was announced at the assembly’s annual meeting in Winnipeg, is to be chosen in the next few weeks.

The renovation guru and his team tackle shoddy workmanship in people’s houses on a weekly television show on HGTV called Holmes on Homes.

Bieber to take on Shaq

TORONTO — Four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal has found a worthy new adversary: 16-year-old Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber.

The Stratford, Ont., teen idol will appear in the next season of Shaq Vs, which will debut Aug. 3 on CTV.

The reality show features the seven-foot-one, 325-pound O’Neal taking on various celebrities and athletes at their chosen professions.

The six episodes of the series — executive produced by Victoria hoopster Steve Nash — will also feature a New York cook-off with daytime talk show host Rachael Ray, a golf match with former NBA MVP Charles Barkley and an eating contest with hot dog-consuming champ Joey Chestnut.

O’Neal will also take on comedians Penn and Teller, boxer Shane Mosley and NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Arcade Fire to stream gig on YouTube

TORONTO — Arcade Fire is inviting all their fans worldwide to an upcoming gig at Madison Square Garden.

The Montreal indie-rockers have announced that the Aug. 5 concert will be streamed live on YouTube.

A rep for the band confirmed on Wednesday that the show will in fact be accessible to Canadian fans on the video-sharing website.

The band will release their third album, The Suburbs, on Aug. 3. The album will come with eight different — though fairly similar — covers.

Drake wants to play Obama

TORONTO — Drake’s not going to let his Canadian citizenship keep him out of the White House.

The Toronto rapper and former Degrassi star says he’d be interested in returning to his acting roots to portray U.S. President Barack Obama in a future biopic.

“I hope somebody makes a movie about Obama’s life soon because I could play him,” the 23-year-old told Paper Magazine.

“Anytime I see him on TV, I don’t change the channel. I definitely pay attention and listen to the inflections of his voice.

“If you ask anyone who knows me, I’m pretty good at impressions . . . . I’m not in the study mode because nobody’s called me about anything, but I just pay attention so when the day comes I’m not scrambling to learn how to speak like him.”

Drake released his debut LP, Thank Me Later, in June.