Third-year Brandon University students are enjoying a bit of the brisk outdoors this week as they work on a class project with the help of Winnipeg artist, Chris Pancoe. Lisa Wood, Assistant Professor of Visual and Aboriginal Art at the University said that they are working in collaboration with Winter Garden and Pancoe to develop a unique snow carving. “Specifically, my 3D Design class has been prepping for making snow sculptures by thinking about making public art and sculpting maquettes in preparation for these snow forms,” said Wood. The project just got underway today and work will continue until Wednesday when they plan for it to be complete. The students are working on the corner of 18th Street and Princess Avenue. The sculpture is based on an abstract design created by one of the students. Pancoe looked at all the work and decided what would work best for a snow sculpture and for sculpting, especially for those who have never done it before. “We are really happy to have Chris here, he’s done a lot of work for Festival du Voyageur, he was part of the team that made Anish Kapoor’s warming hut called “Stackhouse” in Winnipeg last year and is a well-known ceramic based artist,” said Wood. We’ll be sure to snap a picture of the finished artwork and post it right here on bdnmb.ca. Good luck to the students in creating their art!

The Westman Multicultural Festival takes place this weekend (February 1-3, 2018) in Brandon at various locations throughout the city.  This year's festival includes two new Pavilions: India & Mexico,  The Metis Pavilion will be returning after taking a brief hiatus for one year.  A map of the pavilions can be found at this link. English: Victoria Inn (3550 Victoria Inn) Entertainment includes cover band the Beetles and the Village Green Morris Dancers. The menu includes “Authentic English Pug Grub” like bangers & mash with veggies and gravy, meat pies,  apple crumble and custard, and blackberry crumble and custard.  A number of English beers, cider, martinis & English cocktails will be among the alcohol served. Honduras: Ukrainian Reading Hall (1005 Assiniboine Ave) Pupusas & Baleadas are on the menu and alcohol is not served.  This will mark their 3rd year participating in the festival.  Performers in colorful costumes serve as the entertainment every hour with each show lasting 24 minutes. India: North End Community Centre (1313 Stickney Ave) This year will mark their first year at the festival.  Entertainment includes various types and ages of dance groups. Butter Chicken with Rice and Naan, Chickpea curry with Rice and Naan, and Gelabi are the featured eats.  While they will not serve alcohol there will be a selection of soft drinks. Ireland: Clarion Hotel & Suites (3130 Victoria Ave) One of more popular Pavilions they serve a wide array of alcohol including beer (Guinness, Harp, Kilkenny, + more), whiskey (Bushmills, Jameson, + more) and liquor (Bailey’s Irish Cream, Irish coffee, Rum, Vodka).  Irish Stew, scones & biscuits and a variety of desserts will be available if you get hungry while watching the live music and dance offered at this Pavilion.   Metis : WMCA (205-20th Street) In their first year back, after taking a brief hiatus for one year, they will be serving up an extensive menu of food items including: bannock, bison stew, elk smokies, bison smokies/burgers and rice pudding.  The Metis Pavilion will offer a variety of Metis Culture through the sharing of traditional music, dance, & food. Mexican: Brandon Shrine Club (1110 McTavish Ave E) "The Mexican Pavilion will showcase the Mexican culture with traditional dancers, music and cultural displays".  Entertainment is coming all the way from Cancun, Mexico for this event.   Traditional food and drinks like pozole soup, tamales (pork / chicken), tacos (veggie / beef / pork), Mexican beer, classic margaritas, and tequila shots will be served throughout the three days. Philippine: St. Mattews Church (403-13th St) "The Philippine/Filipino Pavilion will be the mirror of the Filipino culture and traditions, a showcase of talent in music and dance."  In addition to  dance performances a band will also be performing at the end of each hour to give you a taste of Original Filipino Music.  Alcohol will not be served however they do have a really extensive food menu to chose from including: Pancit (stir-fried noodles with chicken & veggies), Chicken Adobo (chicken cooked in vinegar and soy sauce), steamed rice, spring rolls and for dessert Buko Pandan (dessert with coconut, jello, tapioca pearls and milk). Scottish: Victoria Inn (3550 Victoria Ave)  Haggis Pie with Neeps & Taties (turnips & potatoes) and meat pies are on the menu as well as a shortbread for dessert.  The Scotch Corner Bar will be serving Scottish beers & whisky.  Entertainment includes solo and band performances, rock bands, and traditional dancers.  Now in their 14th year in the festival the Scottish Pavilion will have you tapping your toes to the lively tunes of the fiddle, and singing along to some old favourites. Ukrainian: Ukrainian National Home (1133 Stickney Avenue) Who doesn't love perogies, borscht, cabbage rolls, and koubassa?  Entertained scheduled for the weekend includes 100 Dancers from Brandon Troyanda School of Ukrainian Dance, The Stykalo’s & Co., Ukrainian-Canadian Association Tryzub & other bands to be announced.  They will also be serving alcohol including beer and vodka imported from the Ukraine as well as vodka, rye, rum, scotch, beer, wine & coolers. For additional information on the festival please follow this link.    

There has been tremendous growth in the online casino sector world over in the past one decade, and the Canadian market hasn’t remained untouched. The figures released by the Canadian Gaming Association revealed that the Canadian online gaming industry’s purchased services amounted to $ 14 billion, and the gross output was $ 31 billion for the year 2016. These numbers were projected to increase in the coming years. Constantly increasing popularity of mobile gaming and online casinos has certainly given a major boost to the Canadian online casino industry. If we talk about the best online casino Canada has to offer today, there’s not just one, but quite a substantial number of them that are giving popular land casinos like Sand Hills, a run for their money. Absence of centralised regulatory standards Canadian Government has so far taken a decentralised approach as far as gambling regulation is concerned. This has enabled every Canadian province or territory to determine its own laws at the state level. The province of Québec continues to be the biggest and longest-established iGaming hub in Canada. It was the first one to grant online gambling casino licenses to operators. Many other states are taking a cue from Québec, and are increasingly relaxing their existing gambling laws, to benefit from the investment opportunities offered by the iGaming industry. Rapidly catching on the action The territories of Manitoba, Alberta and Ontario are working overtime to relax their online gambling laws, to facilitate easy operations of online casinos from their areas. They’re well aware of the lost revenue to unauthorized iGaming; a major chunk of business is going to the regions outside of Canada. The Canadian online casino industry has been growing at such a pace that new brick-and-mortar casino projects are also being rejected amid concerns about their potential profitability, considering the fierce competition offered by the online market these days. A grey area There is plenty of uncertainty around the legalisation of Canadian online casinos, and this can prove to be a problem for the Canadian players. For instance, owing to non-centralised licensing and hazy laws, many innocent online players might find themselves inadvertently flouting the laws, having no protection in case anything goes wrong. Regardless, the only way is up It goes without saying that it’s only in the best interest of the Canadian government to clear a great deal of confusion that surrounds the online casino industry. As with anything associated with the Internet, it is only inevitable that the legislation would always lag a little behind the ground situation, as lawmakers normally struggle to keep pace with the emerging technologies. However, as the Canadian iGaming market continues to be neglected by the government agencies, despite being immensely lucrative, a good number of Canadian online casino players as well as operators still find themselves in legal grey areas, something that’s not doing anyone any favours. Whatever might happen, it cannot be denied that the Canadian online casino industry will only continue to grow in the future. The advancements in the virtual reality and mobile technology will be successfully incorporated in the online casino industry, and it’s highly likely that those virtual platforms would slowly and gradually replace the brick-and-mortar establishments.

The 40 is taking it back to the 90's with Wannabe - A Spice Girls Tribute Presents: Spice World 20th Anniversary!! Soo tell me what you want, what you really, really want........The band has sold out various venues already and made a huge hit in Winnipeg, let's show them some Brandon love! "When it comes to celebrations, epic dance parties and conjuring up serious 90's nostalgia, no one does it better than the darlings of Toronto's cover-band scene. This 11-member outfit is a staple in venues, festivals and soft seaters across Canada." Tickets will be sold starting January 25, 2018 at 10am at the Front Desk of the Trails West Inn OR The 40 bar (cash only). Advance tickets are $20 +GST and they will sell until they are SOLD OUT! Doors open at 8pm and the show starts at 9pm! The show is 18+ only show, please have ID's ready at the door, no refunds for paid tickets.

Are you looking forward to getting out on your own and renting an apartment or perhaps you’re wanting to sell your home and move into a rental property so that you have more freedom to travel. Whatever the reason, if renting is the right choice for you, then it’s a good idea to do your homework and find out what your rights are as a tenant. Often, it’s a case of if you don’t ask, you don’t know. However, having that little bit of extra information before you sign a rental agreement can give you peace of mind and help you to manage your expectations should situations arise. Regulations related to tenant and landlord rights are governed in Manitoba by the Residential Tenancies Branch. Some of the basic rights that tenants have under the Residential Tenancies Act are: The unit must be made available to the tenant on the scheduled move in date. The tenant should receive a written receipt when the rent is received showing the amount paid, the date and the address of the rental unit. Essential services such as heat, electricity, as well as hot and cold water, must be provided. A landlord must provide 24-hour written notice to enter your unit unless it is an emergency. The space that you are renting must be kept in good repair and meet provincial health guidelines, as well as housing and safety standards. You have the right to quiet enjoyment of your rental unit and not be disturbed by people living in your building or your landlord. The landlord must investigate complaints of disturbances or risks of safety to the residents. You have the right to be notified of any rent increases with a minimum of three months notice. Beyond these rights protected by the Residential Tenancies Branch, each building or community may also have their own rules to help ensure the enjoyment of residents in their homes. Such rules can include having a non-smoking environment, the use of gas grills, quiet hours and restrictions on pets. Of course, with the impending marijuana legislation, property managers and landlords may be reevaluating rules that they already have in place. Ideally, when you start your search for a rental unit, it is important to ask questions and research what rules are implemented for the building or community that you’re considering. This may help you to determine if the space is indeed conducive to your personal lifestyle.   Vionell Holdings Partnership (VHP) provides rental housing and property management for an array of residential and commercial customers, including Condominium Management. VHP currently has over 3,000 units under management in Manitoba.