Hundreds of nurses rallied at the Manitoba Legislature Wednesday to tell the NDP government they’re frustrated with a lack of progress on fixing the health-care system. The government says it’s hired nearly 600 new nurses, but the nurses union says there’s no difference in workloads, wait times are up – and workplace violence is increasing.
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The province is considering lowering the age for children to get vaccinated against measles as more cases of the disease are showing up. There have been a total of 20 confirmed and four probable cases since February. Right now, children a year and older are eligible for two doses of the measles vaccine.
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To try and pay down a $2.2-million water and wastewater department deficit, the City of Brandon is raising average household rates by $11.78 a year. To manage costs, the city recommends enrolling in monthly water billing, which offers a 20% discount on administrative fees.
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Brandon police are investigating the stabbing of an officer at the Correctional Centre on Monday. A 47-year-old man was reportedly stabbed twice in the back by a 41-year-old male inmate. The victim suffered non-life threatening injuries. The suspect faces several charges.
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No charges will be laid after a man died in 2023 after apparently taking drugs while in Brandon police custody, this from the Independent Investigations Unit, the province’s police watchdog. Police had searched the man and his cell twice after he was seen lifting a mattress, but found nothing. He eventually told an officer he had taken an ounce of meth. He died a short time later in hospital.
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Tourism Westman has extended the deadline to nominate a person, business or event for this year’s ‘Tribute to Tourism Awards’. There are 10 categories including Brandon Event of the Year. The deadline to nominate is now May 16th. The awards will be handed out at a June 11th gala at The Backyard on Aberdeen.
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Canada’s premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet in Saskatoon June 2nd to discuss making the country stronger. Carney says this means launching big nation-building projects and removing internal trade barriers. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says one of the province’s priorities is developing critical minerals infrastructure. He calls Manitoba the “Costco of critical minerals.”
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Okay, so why doesn’t Brandon have an actual Costco? The city’s economic development director, Gerald Cathcart, addressed that question in council this week saying the city’s population, while growing, is not big enough –
there’s a lack of serviced land, and if a Costco were to open in Brandon – there’s a danger it could do some real damage to local retailers.
