It’s getting colder now, and to try and get unhoused people off the streets, a temporary overnight drop-in centre has re-opened in Brandon. Life Journey’s, which has space for 25, reportedly had more than 60 people using the facility last weekend. Last fall, a homelessness count in the city identified 229 people without housing – up by 100 compared to 2021.
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The Manitoba government is hoping a new incentive program for developers will be a step towards reducing chronic homelessness in the province. The $176-million program provides refundable tax credits for the development of both private and non-profit rental units.
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Canada’s job market bounced back slightly in October. The national unemployment rate fell for the first time in three months to 6.9% as 67,000 jobs were added to the labour market. The wholesale and retail trade sector saw the most growth – while construction lost about 15,000 jobs.
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Brandon will be filled with New Democrats this weekend – the party is holding its convention at the Keystone Centre. Members will debate policy resolutions, elect a president and treasurer – and Premier Wab Kinew will deliver a leader’s report. They’ve also got a gala party planned for Saturday.
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One of the bills that passed before the end of the latest Manitoba legislative session was one to end ‘Deep-fake’ videos. These use AI to create realistic, but false images or videos of political candidates. The bill would fine people up to $20,000 a day if the false info is not taken down.
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There were some extra parts tightly packed in a TV that was on its way to a northern Manitoba First nation. Thompson airport officials called RCMP Monday about a suspicious package. They found a TV stuffed with 446 grams of cocaine worth over $222,000 dollars. A 55-year-old woman from Bunibonibee Cree Nation faces charges.
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If you’ve ever wanted to own a vintage Hudson’s Bay blanket, you’ll soon have a chance. The company is putting 52 blankets, including two dating back to 1900, up for sale later this month to help repay its creditors. The first online sale runs from November 12th to December 4th.
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Peloton is recalling 50,000 of its popular indoor bikes in Canada over concerns the seat post can break and cause injuries. The breaks have been reported by users who are taller than five feet 10 – and weigh more than 250 pounds. No word about any injuries in Canada – while there were three in the U-S.
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Some Canadian travellers heading to America could see cancelled flights and delays in the coming days – a ripple effect caused by U-S airlines cutting flights by 10% at the country’s 40 largest airports. The American government ordered the cutbacks for safety reasons, as air traffic controllers are showing signs of strain during the government shutdown after working weeks without pay.
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Some new inductees into the National Toy Hall of Fame are ‘Battleship’, ‘Slime’, and best-seller ‘Trivial Pursuit’. It was invented in 1979 by Canadian journalists Chris Haney and Scott Abbott who eventually sold the rights to Hasbro.
