The Manitoba government is providing more than $349,000 from the proceeds of Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund to the Brandon Police Service (BPS) and Brandon Bear Clan for crime prevention and safety initiatives in the Brandon community, Premier Heather Stefanson and Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced here today. “The Brandon Police Service and the Bear Clan patrols have a strong reputation for being able to offer on-the-ground support, promote safety and deter crime,” said Stefanson. “Our government is pleased to provide this funding in Brandon for these important initiatives, which will help create safer streets for a stronger community.” Forfeiture funds result from seized assets used as instruments of unlawful activity or are proceeds of unlawful activity. Through the Manitoba government, the funds are allocated to programs, equipment and initiatives that support victims of crime, crime prevention in the community, and innovation and equipment for law enforcement agencies. “Our government supports front-line officers, emergency responders, and community groups that help provide safer streets,” said Goertzen. “Funding for the Bear Clan will broaden their reach to support more vulnerable Manitobans and the Brandon Police Service will receive new gear to help officers investigate violent crime and track down those responsible.” Criminal property forfeiture funds of $80,000 will be used by the Brandon Bear Clan to purchase a minibus to provide services over a larger area of Brandon, distribute supplies, and serve as a safe space for vulnerable residents to warm up in winter. “Brandon Bear Clan Inc. is very grateful for the funding that will allow us to increase support for community members and Brandon as a whole,” said Tammy Hossack, treasurer, Brandon Bear Clan Women’s Council. “A larger transport vehicle will allow us to expand patrols to areas of Brandon we are invited to and will provide a place to respectfully help community members out of the elements. We cannot express enough appreciation to the Manitoba government for this substantial grant.” BPS will use some of forfeiture funds to improve and increase tools available to its forensic identification unit, including over $64,000 to purchase new forensic evidence gathering equipment to better locate and capture trace evidence at crime scenes. In addition, the police service will invest $22,000 in remote-piloted aircraft technology to provide officers with enhanced search and rescue capabilities and improved ability to gather intelligence during critical incidents. “The funding allows our police service to purchase equipment and train our employees, outside of our regularly budgeted items, ensuring the BPS can continue to offer exceptional policing services to our citizens and those visiting Brandon,” said Chief Wayne Balcaen, Brandon Police Service. “The Manitoba government’s partnership with, and continued support of, the BPS year over year through criminal property forfeiture funding, helps solidify our mission of ‘Committed to Community Safety’.” The remaining $184,000 is being invested in other BPS programs, priorities, and equipment. Since its inception in 2009, the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund has distributed more than $26 million to communities throughout Manitoba. The program seizes and liquidates criminal assets, and redirects funding to projects and initiatives designed to protect Manitobans and enhance public safety. The funds are provided to organizations across Manitoba whose important initiatives continue to build community, prevent crime and invest in youth and support victims of crime, the minister noted. For more information about criminal property forfeiture, visit https://gov.mb.ca/justice/commsafe/cpf/index.html.

The City of Brandon Grants Review Committee is now receiving grant applications for the 2024 fiscal year from non-profit organizations operating a service within city limits.   Organizations requesting grants must meet the following criteria: Be a non-profit organization Clearly demonstrate that the organization is fulfilling a need in our community which is in line with the City’s mandate to provide social support and recreational, cultural, and youth services Include fundraising efforts as an important part of the organization's financial efforts Clearly demonstrate a financial need for the funds requested   Applications are required to be submitted online through the Grant Application Form. The deadline to apply is Friday, June 30, 2023, at 4:00 p.m.   Grant applications will be reviewed in the fall of 2023 by the Grants Review Committee, with recommended grant funding to be provided for City Council approval prior to its 2023 budget deliberations.  Approved grant funds will be issued following final approval of the Financial Plan in the spring of 2024.   The City of Brandon Municipal Grants Fact Sheet can be found on the City of Brandon website.  For more information, organizations may contact the Grants Review Secretary at 204-729-2296 or cityclerk@brandon.ca.

Grade 11 student, Antoni entered a National short video competition called #SharetheShorts, a youth video creation competition intended to promote organ donation awareness in Canada. The competition is sponsored by the Ajmera Transplant Centre for Living Organ Donation at University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto. The Ajmera Transplant Centre will use the content created to not only help raise awareness but also to "engage students and educators in the creation of engaging and informative content that will appeal to younger and more diverse audience, and to build a library of innovative short-form video content public awareness messages for participating partners, social media influencers and youth to share on social media." Many of the young creators worked collaboratively but Antoni chose to take on the challenge by himself and ended up creative a very emotional and impressive video called "The Gift of Life". Antoni is one of three winners in Canada and the only winner outside of Ontario/Quebec. The winners were awarded prizes for their creativity and remarkable help in raising awareness for organ donation. When asked why he wanted to participate, Antoni's response was "Although filmmaking is certainly a hobby and passion of mine, my primary ambition in life is to enter the medical field as a doctor. As a result, when I learned about the contest focusing on the medical field, I thought it would be an excellent combination of my interests in both film and medicine. Initially I thought about making more of an informational, documentary-type film/short video to focus more on the scientific aspects (perhaps interviewing an actual doctor or two)—which would be more suitable given my interests in medicine— but due to timing, I ended up with the less informational (and more emotional) film submitted." Ian Goodall-George, the Manitoba committee member, said "His video is amazing considering he has no personal connection with organ donation and very powerful which impressed the judges." To view Antoni's submission “The Gift of Life”, please visit: https://youtu.be/RvE7CTnt0Uk #SharetheShorts invites submissions year-round with mentorship and up to $30K in prizes available for the winning submissions. The next submission deadline is June 16th, 2023. Students, teachers, and guardians are invited to visit the #SharetheShorts playlist on the @GiveLifeUHN YouTube channel or email livingorgandonation@uhn.ca to learn more about how they can get involved in the competition

Assiniboine Community College has announced the next community sites to host the college’s rural rotating Comprehensive Health Care Aide (CHCA) program: Reston, Manitoba Birtle Collegiate in Birtle, Manitoba Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School in Brandon, Manitoba The certificate program will commence in all three sites on September 11, each with capacity for 22 students. “We are pleased to work with these communities, schools and Prairie Mountain Health to deliver this important program to students who may benefit from the access to training close to home,” said Mark Frison, President at Assiniboine. “The demand for skilled health care aides is high. We know this program will be able to help support this need in the province, while providing terrific career pathways for individuals to pursue.” The college connects with community and Regional Health Authority stakeholders regularly regarding requests for CHCA programs. The community sites announced today are a result of these consultations. The CHCA program teaches graduates practical skills to care for patients and to communicate in a clinical setting, while also learning how to help patients with their well-being and managing their health care environment. The college has a proven track record of delivering highly successful CHCA programs in other communities through the use of rural rotating sites, such as Souris, Carberry, Glenboro, St Pierre, St Malo, Crystal City, Virden, and a variety of First Nation communities. There will be an in-person information session for interested applicants in Reston on May 30 at 6 p.m. at 143 3rd Ave, Reston. For more information and to register, visit assiniboine.net/infosessions. Visit assiniboine.net/chca to find out more about the Comprehensive Health Care Aide program. Interested students can apply online at assiniboine.net/apply. Those interested in the high school sites in Birtle and Crocus Plains should speak to their school officials before applying.

After 15 + successful years in criminal mediation WestMan Mediation Services (WMS) is expanding into Civil Mediation.  Their civil mediation practice will focus on: Cohabitation and Pre-nuptial agreements Child Custody arrangements Separation agreements With Manitoba’s Family Law Modernization Act people are to resolve issues outside of the traditional court system (mediation) as it is viewed to be more fair, more economical and expeditious. The WMS team brings both formal mediation education and years of experience.  They have spoken nationally and internationally in mediation and restorative justice practices. This combination of theory and practice is unique to WestMan and makes Travis and Michelle fully qualified to get to a resolution quickly.  Their process is completely transparent to both parties in dispute and allows for open, fair, and respectful resolutions. What is mediation? Travis - Simply put, mediation is a negotiation between parties, assisted by a neutral. While the mediator is not empowered to impose a settlement, the mediator's presence alters the dynamics of the negotiation and often helps shape the final settlement. Why not just go to court and get it done? Michelle - Conducted properly, mediation can allow all parties involved to move away from legal concepts such as fault or blame and instead, allow for a sharing of people's perceptions and experiences and a determination of each party's actual needs and interests. What should I expect in mediation? Travis- During a mediation, both the parties and the mediator have certain responsibilities. The parties must attend, as requested, all mediation sessions and participate in the process in good faith. The mediator should remain dispassionate and avoid becoming partial to one party or view. Everyone should feel safe and all statements and disclosures made and information and documents provided to the mediator are confidential, subject to application of the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act. What makes WestMan Mediation different from others in WestMan? Michelle- We are proud to announce we are now accredited through the Alternate Dispute Resolution Institute of Manitoba Inc.  Further, we are the only accredited agency in WestMan that focuses on separation and child custody arrangements. If you have any questions Travis and Michelle encourage you to check with them to determine you rights and best way forward for your dispute. www.westmanmediation.ca or call Travis (204.724.4460) or Michelle (204.901.4901)