-The Manitoba Government is ending its relationship with dozens of companies that supply the health-care system with agency nurses. On January 15th, the province will only work with 4 private agencies, instead of nearly 80, to fill vacant shifts at public health care facilities. Manitoba’s Health Minister said “scaling back the number of agencies would give the province more control, as for-profit agencies are squeezing the public system for millions of dollars”.
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-City staff are returning to work 2–years after an explosion forced the closure of a Brandon complex. The City of Brandon says its Civic Services Complex is reopening to the public Thursday. It’s been closed since a natural gas line explosion Sept. 7, 2023, sent one employee to hospital and caused major damage to the building. The city said the 900 Richmond Avenue East complex houses its Brandon Transit, building maintenance, fleet services, risk management, streets and roads, and underground utilities departments. It said some services may only be available by phone or online as the departments begin transitioning back.
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-Manitoba Hydro denies negligence for the explosion of the Civic Services complex in Brandon, according to court documents filed in December. Hydro says the City of Brandon exaggerated damage to the facility, September 7, 2023. The Brandon Sun says The City claims Manitoba Hydro overpressured the buildings gas system, as a gas meter was installed just 2 days before the explosion, sending one city employee to hospital. None of the allegations has been proven in court.
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-Brandon’s only Venezuelan residents are welcoming the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro by the U-S Saturday. 3 residents spoke to The Brandon Sun saying this arrest represents accountability after years of hardship. Family members still living in Venezuela are also cautiously optimistic. Maduro and his wife appeared in a New York Courtroom yesterday, pleading not guilty on terrorism and drug-trafficking charges and also faces prosecution for accusations of participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy.
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-A Former Sioux Valley Dakota Nation chief’s attempt to nullify November’s election results in court has been thrown out. Vince Tacan filed a Court of Kings Bench challenge on November 27th. The Brandon Sun says Tacan was asking the court to invalidate Jennifer Bone’s victory as elected chief, claiming ballot boxes were compromised.
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-Former NDP MLA Mark Wasyliw has filed a defamation lawsuit against Premier Wab Kinew. Wasyliw says his reputation and character was damaged as Kinew and 2 of his colleagues associated him with convicted criminal
Peter Nygard. He says Kinew used that as an excuse to kick him out of the party. A statement of claim filed in the Court of Kings bench was filed December 23rd, 2025.
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-Brandon University recently adopted a new grade change policy. This policy requires more information and more people to be involved in the grading process. The policy follows backlash from a 2021-2022 incident, where a former University Dean overrode a students’ failing grade with an A plus. This policy was approved December 16th.
