Prairie Mountain Health reported at its annual general meeting, it posted a $34.2-million deficit last year – that’s a $1.3-million increase from the previous year. PMH says it spent more on overtime and paying agency nurses to fill vacancies. On the brighter side – 40 new doctors were found for the region, and work on Brandon hospital’s new critical care building is expected to be finished this winter.
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If you’re looking for current, trustworthy information about pregnancy and child-development, the province has announced a new website. Parenting in Manitoba features articles on topics including ‘safe swaddling techniques’ and ‘tips for starting solid foods’. Health officials say the site provides evidence-based information to counter a lot of inconsistent messaging on the internet.
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If you’re a parent you already know this…the littlest kids are very, very germy. A new study says children in pre-kindergarten and elementary school had the highest rates of virus detection compared to older students and staff. They can have up to 10 respiratory viruses a year as their immune systems adapt to infections.
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The federal Liberals are set to introduce tougher bail and sentencing standards for violent criminals and members of criminal organizations today. This should be welcome news to Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett who joined other provincial civic leaders this week in calling for tougher conditions. He said the same people are cycling through the system, reoffending with little consequence – and it’s time to put our communities first.
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Two people have been arrested in connection with a double-murder in Manitoba in back in June. A man and woman were found shot to death in Victoria Beach. RCMP have charged two men, aged 28 and 31, with second-degree murder. Police say the suspects and victims knew each other.
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Some thieves in Spain took the phrase ‘take a seat’ literally. Police arrested 7 people for making off with more than 1,100 chairs from outdoor seating areas at restaurants and bars in Madrid and another nearby city over two months. The plastic and metal chairs, usually left outside overnight, were worth about $69,000 dollars.
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The union for Canada Post workers has lost its challenge of a back-to-work order. The Government had ordered an end to a postal worker strike last December. The Canada Industrial Relations Boards dismissed the union’s
argument the back-to-work order was unconstitutional.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney gave us a preview of the November 4th federal budget at the University of Ottawa last night. He pledged ‘unprecedented’ investments in Canada and a plan to double the country’s non-U.S.
exports – but also said: prepare for some pain. The budget includes a plan to cut operational expenditures.
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You might have a battle switching jobs or finding stable employment in the next year. The Bank of Canada reports a large portion of businesses are taking a wait-and-see approach rather than investing in growing their operations and hiring new workers. They expect a weakening of demand for products and services.
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To try and get products to its customers faster, Amazon has unveiled some new tech. On Wednesday, the company showed off advanced eyeglasses for delivery workers that’ll replace bulky handheld GPS devices. The glasses have a small screen that gives turn-by-turn directions, scans package codes and takes photos for proof of delivery. Amazon also plans to implement an AI system and robotics in its warehouses.
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Donald Trump’s cola is now selling in the United States. He doesn’t have his name on it…yet…but following his demand earlier this year, Coca-Cola is now rolling out a soda that uses cane sugar, rather than high-fructose corn syrup. Trump’s Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Junior has aggressively advocated against the cheaper corn syrup. Some international versions of Coke already use cane sugar.
