An integral role within the City of Brandon’s senior management team has been filled with the recent promotion of Mark Allard into the City of Brandon’s position of General Manager of Development Services, City Manager Ron Bowles has announced. Allard will oversee the City of Brandon’s Engineering & Water Resources and Planning & Building Safety Departments. Allard brings with him a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Manitoba and possesses a diverse skillset in several areas of development services. Allard has 30 years' experience with Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure and worked in Regional Operations before starting employment with the City of Brandon in August 2020 as the Director of Engineering Services. Development Services include city planning and land development, building inspection, asset management, municipal engineering, and utilities. “Mark is stepping into a big leadership role created when the prior general manager took over the City’s operations area,” states City Manager Ron Bowles. “We have numerous large-scale projects including the largest-ever, water treatment facility upgrade, and a highly active development and building industry. He is a strategic thinker whose skills will be a welcomed addition to the City’s senior executive team.” "I am excited for the opportunity to work with the staff of Development Services delivering sustainable growth and quality municipal infrastructure,” states Mark Allard. Allard began his role on Friday, February 24th and will work out of the A.R. McDiarmid Civic Complex at 638 Princess Avenue.

The Manitoba government is providing $2.1 million to Assiniboine Community College (ACC) to offer a one-time, 25-student cohort for its practical nursing diploma program in Neepawa, Advanced Education and Training Minister Sarah Guillemard and Health Minister Audrey Gordon announced today. “Our government continues to make strategic investments and work collaboratively with post-secondary institutions to help meet the need for nurse training in Manitoba and we look forward to welcoming these practical nurses into the profession,” said Guillemard. “Aligning Manitoba’s education and skills training systems with labour-market needs and economic priorities enhances the prosperity of our great province.” The Manitoba government plans to invest approximately $2.1 million of combined operating and capital funding in this important initiative, the minister said. “Investment in training practical nurses helps fulfil the Manitoba government’s goal to add 2,000 health-care providers as laid out in the Health Human Resource Action Plan,” said Gordon. “Getting more practical nurses into the health-care system means that more Manitobans will have access to care in hospitals and clinics.” The one-time offering in Neepawa will provide students with training close to home, allowing them to study, work and strengthen health care in the region, noted Guillemard, adding the investment aligns with Manitoba government’s Skills, Talent and Knowledge Strategy to increase post-secondary education participation rates for rural students. “We are pleased to be able to contribute to training people for careers in health care throughout the province. Nursing is Assiniboine’s largest single program and our graduates have a track record of getting jobs and staying in Manitoba.” said Mark Frison, president, ACC. “This welcome investment by the Manitoba government allows us to respond to needs in Neepawa and we look forward to working with the community to expand access in this growing region of the province.” Nurses from rural communities are more likely to stay or return to rural health settings and graduates of this program will be eligible to fill positions at the new hospital under construction in Neepawa scheduled for completion in 2025, added Gordon. At nearly four times the size of the existing Neepawa Health Centre, the new hospital will include: 63 acute care inpatient beds, an increase from 38 at the current site; an expanded emergency department designed to best practice standards that includes assessment and treatment rooms, a trauma room, stretcher bay and ambulance bay; and enhanced space for a number of programs such as surgery, diagnostics and palliative care, as well as various outpatient services including chemotherapy, ambulatory care and an eight-station dialysis unit. This investment aligns with the Health Human Resource Action Plan, which launched in November 2022 with a commitment to add 2,000 health-care providers, invest $200 million to retain, train and recruit health-care staff across the province, and eliminate mandated overtime.

There was a time when a federal Cabinet minister felt compelled to resign because of a food inspector failing to detect and prevent tainted tuna from entering the marketplace. You could easily argue that it is unrealistic for the senior elected official responsible for running a very large department from personally inspecting every tin of tuna to ensure it was free of contaminants. You could easily argue the inspector should have been held responsible, and maybe a supervisor in cases of gross negligence, and that the firings stop there. But no. John Fraser felt honour bound to fall in his sword and left the Cabinet table. Say what you will about politics, and politicians, but there was a time when ethics and reputation mattered. Fast forward 40 years, and you’d be forgiven for asking of you lived in the same democratic society. Now, at least in recent times, at least five government MPs have been caught in ethics violations, including the Prime Minister and his own Parliamentary Secretary. But they are sorry. Really double-dog sorry. They won’t ever do it again. Honest. They probably even took the time to have their communications teams draft those apologies for them, and practiced in front of a mirror. That’s how much they care. But resign? Laughable. There are differing schools of thought on how to deal with these situations. When Brian Mulroney was Prime Minister, several of his Cabinet ministers did resign when they were in the wrong, or took responsibility for faults in their department. While that was an honourable course of action, and in several cases, warranted, Mulroney later believed the resignations did more harm than good. So, in 1989, when Finance Minister Michael Wilson’s budget was leaked in advance of it being presented, Mulroney refused to accept Wilson’s resignation. Wilson was right to offer that resignation, as was the tradition when budgets were leaked to the press in advance of the Budget Speech. But Mulroney chose to stand by his minister and carry on. From that point on, slowly but surely, potholes which once proved fatal to politicians became survivable through excessive apologies and statements of regret. We have reached the point where the response isn’t, “I’m sorry”, but “So what?”. They get away with it because people aren’t paying attention, see it as a joke, and move on to what’s happened last night on Big Brother. So instead of Bev Oda having to resign her Cabinet post because she had the audacity to order a glass of $16 orange juice at the Ritz in London, we now have someone from the federal government booking a $6,000 per night hotel suite which came with a butler — without any consequences at all. I mean, there’s inflation and all. But there’s something fishy about all of that. Source: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/government-spent-nearly-400k-on-hotels-for-queen-s-funeral-including-6k-night-suite-1.6286113  

The Manitoba government is increasing municipal operating basket funding by 28 per cent providing an additional $47 million in the 2023 municipal fiscal year, Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson and Municipal Relations Minister Andrew Smith announced today. “Our government is listening. We are taking action and getting things done for the benefit of all Manitobans,” said Stefanson. “We recognize municipalities and communities across our province are facing significant pressures that impact the ability to deliver important projects and services Manitobans rely and depend on. This additional $47 million in unconditional funding will support municipal budgets for the 2023 fiscal year and beyond, and we are pleased to provide this much-needed certainty, now.” All municipalities will receive a minimum 24 per cent increase in 2023 to address inflationary impacts. With this increase of up to $47 million, the 2023 municipal operating grant will grow to $217 million from $170 million. “Our government recognizes that building stronger communities requires working collaboratively with municipal partners,” said Smith. “The significant funding announced today will become a permanent part of the unconditional operating funding base in future years and we are committed to taking steps to modernize the funding formula to support the unique needs of municipalities now and well into the future.” The City of Winnipeg will receive an additional $16.7 million in unconditional operating funding and an additional $13 million in transit operational funding. “A strong Manitoba depends on a strong Winnipeg, so I’m grateful the Manitoba government has recognized the need for more funding to support transit and other essential city services,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham, City of Winnipeg. “I look forward to further conversations with the Manitoba government about how we can work together to make strategic improvements to the funding framework.” The City of Brandon will receive over $2.3 million in new unconditional funding. “The City of Brandon is thrilled with today’s announcement from the Manitoba government,” said Mayor Jeff Fawcett, City of Brandon. “We commend the Manitoba government for taking this important step to support municipalities. As the second-largest city in the province, this new funding support will help the City of Brandon with long-term planning while helping us deliver the best services to our residents.” Smaller rural and northern municipalities will receive a range of increases as well as a guaranteed new base grant of $25,000 to reflect higher proportional financial challenges, Smith noted. “The Association of Manitoba Municipalities applauds the Manitoba government for ending the seven-year freeze on municipal operating basket funding by providing an additional $47 million in unconditional funding to municipalities,” said Kam Blight, president, Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM). “As inflation has significantly impacted municipal budgets and municipalities are not permitted to run deficits, this historic municipal funding announcement will help local councils respond to current financial pressures, build stronger communities and finalize local budgets with certainty.” “We applaud the new municipal operating funding model announced for Manitoba municipalities,” said Justin Johnson, CEO, Association of Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities (AMBM). “Their capacity will be strengthened in many ways and they will have greater latitude to implement their priorities. More than ever, the AMBM and its members are ready to continue the partnership with the Manitoba government to improve municipal services in both official languages.” The newly modernized grant formula is more transparent and streamlined, and includes a revised per capita calculation aligned with 2021 census data and a needs-based calculation that will be reviewed regularly, the premier noted. The Department of Municipal Relations will work with municipal stakeholders including AMM, AMBM, the City of Winnipeg and the City of Brandon to enhance the needs-based framework to inform future changes and improvements to municipal operating funding framework, noted Smith. The development of this framework will balance existing municipal financial need with municipal capacity to generate revenue, said Smith, adding the framework will also explore the basis for a funding escalator to assist municipalities in long-term fiscal planning.

As a result of community feedback, the age of our existing outdoor pool, and facility recommendations in the Recreation and Community Facilities Master Plan, the City of Brandon is exploring preliminary options for the development of a new outdoor aquatic centre in Brandon. In the fall of 2022, a survey was prepared in collaboration with MNP, which focused on identifying several design features. Over 2,700 survey responses were received. To make this outdoor aquatic centre possible, the City continues to need the public’s participation. A come-and-go open house will take place on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Cultural Resource Centre (638 Princess Avenue, Entrance B). MNP, who is hosting the open house, will be sharing feedback received on the survey results and asking for further input on the proposed design and location. Following the open house, information and an opportunity to provide feedback will be available on brandon.ca. Questions on the project can be directed to Heather Reimer, Manager of Recreation at h.reimer@brandon.ca.