Truth and Reconciliation Week events are underway in Brandon. This afternoon at 2:00 pm, a community teepee raising will be held at the Brandon Riverbank Discovery Centre – and on Monday, you can take part in the Orange Shirt Day Walk that’ll start at the Riverbank and make its way to the site of Brandon’s former Residential School. Monday is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which is also a statutory holiday in Manitoba.
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Manitoba NDP MP, Leah Gazan, is pushing forward with legislation that would outlaw attempts to deny or downplay the harms caused by residential schools. More than 150-thousand Indigenous children were forced to attend the government-funded, church-run schools where many faced physical and sexual abuse.
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Brandon’s new Minor Injury and Illness Clinic opens this afternoon at 2:00 pm at 144 6th Street. Health-care staff will support various illnesses and injuries from fractures and sprains to rashes, eye infections – and coughs and colds. You can book an appointment or walk-in.
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The Manitoba NDP say they’re more than halfway to their goal of hiring 1,000 health-care workers. While some groups are applauding the news that 873 workers have been added – others say it’s a drop in the bucket.
Meantime, a promise to add 400 news doctors has come up short – since April, 116 have been hired.
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One in four Manitoba workers can be classified as working poor. A new report says over 171,000 workers were earning less than a living wage of $19.21-an-hour in 2023. In Brandon, the living wage is now $15.69. Manitoba’s
minimum wage is set to increase next week to $15.80-an-hour.
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A couple of developments are in the works along the Trans-Canada Highway in the Brandon area. At Highway 21, Sioux Valley Dakota Nation has plans for a motel, gaming centre, and other businesses – and at Highway 10 – Trans-Canada Brewing Company is planning to build a taproom, restaurant and retail store.
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and the warm weather this week is expected to continue through most of the long weekend. The warm front stretches from northern Saskatchewan to Lake of the Woods – and will keep temperatures in the upper 20’s for Saturday and Sunday. By Monday, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, showers are being forecast.
