🌅 Westman Morning News Brief

⚡ Power Outage Affects Brandon’s West End

More than 700 Manitoba Hydro customers in Brandon’s west end were without power Thursday morning following an unplanned outage. Multiple traffic lights were reported out, with crews working to restore service. The cause remains under investigation.

🪖 Shilo Expansion a Key Part of Fawcett’s Vision for Brandon

Brandon’s future growth is front and centre in Mayor Jeff Fawcett’s re-election campaign, with a major expansion planned at CFB Shilo expected to bring significant economic and population growth to the region. The project could see roughly 1,000 soldiers added through the creation of a new brigade, making it one of the largest growth developments for Brandon and Westman in recent years.

🗳️ Election Race Set as Candidate Nominations Close

The nomination period for Brandon’s municipal election has officially closed, and one council seat has already been decided.

Ward 6 Councillor Bruce Luebke has been acclaimed after running unopposed, securing another term on City Council. Meanwhile, voters in all other wards will head to the polls, with Wards 3 and 4 featuring four-candidate races.

⚖️ Switched-at-Birth Manitobans Receive Compensation

Two Manitoba men who learned they were switched at birth more than 70 years ago have each received $250,000 from the provincial government.

Richard Beauvais and Edward Ambrose discovered the hospital error through DNA testing. Following a formal apology from Premier Wab Kinew in 2024, both men say they are thankful for the government’s acknowledgment and financial settlement as they continue to process the life-changing revelation.

🤖 AI Pioneer Warns of Global Risks

One of Canada’s leading artificial intelligence experts is calling for international safeguards around rapidly advancing AI technology.

Yoshua Bengio told the United Nations that artificial intelligence presents risks that cross national borders and require global co-operation. His comments come after a former researcher with OpenAI and Anthropic warned that some industry leaders believe AI could pose an existential threat within the next decade.

🚓 Long Plain Crash Leads to Impaired Driving Charges

A 25-year-old woman is facing impaired driving-related charges after Manitoba First Nations Police Service officers allege she fled from police and crashed in a field on Long Plain First Nation.

Police say the woman accelerated toward officers and drove away at a high rate of speed when they attempted to arrest her. The crash left her female passenger with a fractured back and other serious injuries. The investigation remains ongoing.

🚔 Dauphin Machete Incident Ends in Arrest

Dauphin RCMP have arrested a 39-year-old man following a disturbance involving a machete at a residence last week.

Police say the incident was contained without serious injuries, and charges have been laid as the investigation continues.

🍎 Food Bank Use Reaches Record Levels

Harvest Manitoba says food bank use has more than doubled over the past five years, with a record 61,188 Manitobans accessing food support in March 2026.

Nearly half of those relying on food banks each month are children, underscoring the growing need across the province as Harvest Manitoba marks its 40th year of service.