A memorandum of agreement (MOA) has been signed to enable nursing staff from across the health system to be redeployed to areas of priority, as part of Manitoba’s response to the pandemic, including personal care homes, intensive care units (ICUs) and designated COVID-19 units. The agreement was announced today by Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen and Darlene Jackson, president, Manitoba Nurses Union. “Thousands of nurses working in personal care homes and hospitals across the province are making an enormous difference in our province’s fight against COVID-19,” said Friesen. “Our government’s top priority is ensuring patients and PCH residents are provided with the best possible care. Working with nurses, we are taking every possible step to meet the needs of Manitobans with COVID-19 in our PCHs and acute care facilities. This agreement also recognizes many nurses on the front-line of the COVID-19 response for their dedication, commitment and compassion at a critical time.” The MOA, signed today, permits health-care employers to make changes to nurse work assignments, work locations, schedules, shift patterns and/or hours of work in order to support the changing and evolving patient/resident care demands resulting from COVID-19. In consideration for this flexibility to meet changing needs, the agreement establishes allowances for nurses who are affected by a disruption in their normal work schedule, travel associated with a reassignment or for redeployment to a personal care home, intensive care unit or designated COVID-19 unit, and the nurses working together with redeployed and reassigned staff. The benefits also extend to nurses working in units or facilities where an outbreak of COVID-19 is declared. “Nurses have played a critical role on the front line of Manitoba’s pandemic response, and they have stepped up to the challenge, working countless long hours to provide quality care for patients and residents,” said Darlene Jackson, president of MNU. “Given the unprecedented circumstances we’re facing, we believe this MOA will support nursing recruitment and retention efforts in areas of significant need, and provide a clear process for redeployment that offers some security, certainty and recognition for affected nurses.” The MOA further establishes a COVID-19 northern allowance, including travel reimbursement, with compensation for staff redeployed to the north, as well as an allowance for current northern nurses who work in one community but pick up additional shifts elsewhere in the region. “Today’s agreement supports our efforts to increase and stabilize the health-care workforce that is supporting the needs of patients and residents in these priority areas,” said Lanette Siragusa, chief nursing officer, Shared Health. “It recognizes the dedication, commitment and sacrifices of nurses who are caring for our sick and our most vulnerable in personal care homes and in hospital, and who are adapting to changes in duties or work location in order to fight the devastating effects of COVID-19.” As part of any reassignment or redeployment, each individual nurse’s training and skill level, as well as the region in which they work, will be taken into account. Staff are assigned according to skillset and area of greatest need, and are provided with appropriate training and orientation to their new work environment and team. They are also provided with the necessary personal protective equipment for the setting in which they will work. The MOA is in place for the duration of the pandemic response. (Province of Manitoba News Release)

Manitoba RCMP have arrested a 24-year old male suspect from BC after officers executed a search warrant and turned up a handgun, drugs, and drug related paraphernalia. RCMP said on Nov 28, they executed the search warrant at a residence on Rosser Ave in Brandon & seized a loaded handgun, 189 grams of cocaine, cash & drug related paraphernalia. RCMP continue to investigate.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release Around 12:30 pm on Monday, an officer stopped a vehicle in the 1900 block of McDonald Ave that did not have license plates. The female driver did not have a valid drives license when questioned. She was removed from the vehicle along with two passengers. The female passenger, a 27 year resident of Waywayseecappo, was in possession of a quantity of methamphetamine. She was arrested for Possession of a Methampehtamine. The male passenger, a 33 year old from Waywayseecappo, was arrested on an outstanding warrant and was arrested. The female driver, a 25 year old from Waywayseecappo, had over 10 grams of methamphetamine and over $250 cash in her possession. She was arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine for Trafficking and Possession of Proceeds of Crime. All three subjects were released to appear in court in 2021.

Brandon Colouring Cheer is a local initiative to ensure that all people living within seniors' homes will be greeted with a coloured drawing to welcome the Holiday Season. Established by Brandi Palmer of Brandon, Manitoba - Brandon Colouring Cheer was set-in-motion to fulfill her ambition to make this Christmas Season just a little brighter and spread the love one page at a time. Leaving no one behind, what could be better for those feeling a little trapped and missing loved ones, than to open a colourful envelope filled with a child’s fanciful hand-coloured drawing. This Christmas, Brandi is determined to do whatever it takes to spread her coloured love and she needs your help. Pages for colouring can be downloaded on facebook.com/brandoncolouringcheer under the files menu, or they can be picked up at Direct Traffic at 1535 Fredrick St. just off Richmond Ave. Direct Traffic has also been kind enough to have a “Blue Tub” outside for convenient and contact-less pickup and drop off. If you have completed your works of art - please drop them off (as quickly as possible) in the “blue tub” in front of Direct Traffic. All colouring pages must be finished and dropped off to Direct Traffic (1535 Fredrick St - just off Richmond ) by 5:00 PM this Friday (Dec 4, 2020), so that we may adhere to and follow strict Covid 19 packaging protocols to keep everyone safe. C’mon Brandon Kids, Budding Artists & Moms, and Pops - Please help us share the love one page at a time & let our Brandon Seniors know we care and want them to feel included. (submitted)

For almost 110 years the Kullberg's Warehouse on the corner of 18th Street and Pacific Ave has stood the test of time.   Now this historic building will be demolished within the next few months to make way for the new 4 lane bridge to be constructed. According to the Manitoba Historical Society In 1908, Brandon was selected as the Western Canadian headquarters of the International Harvester Company of America. The firm manufactured and sold agricultural equipment such as harvesting machines, tillage and seeding implements, gasoline engines, and threshers. J. F. Jones, the general manager of the Canadian division of the company visited the city in April 1910, and was quoted in the Brandon Weekly Sun as stating that “Brandon has advantages here for distributing houses possessed by no other city in Western Canada. Situated as it is in the very heart of one of the richest agricultural districts in the world and with railway connections to all parts of the west, Brandon has exceptional advantages.” A five-storey brick building at the intersection of Pacific Avenue and 18th Street was built in late 1911 by the Winnipeg-based construction firm of Carter Halls Aldinger. The company remained at the site until at least 1959. The building was later used in a succession of ways, including a wholesale distribution warehouse (circa 1959), cold storage plant (1962-1967), and goose- and duck-processing plant (1969-1980s). In 1999, a Winnipeg development company sold the building to a local retail furniture store for use as a warehouse, after abandoning an ambitious $4-million renovation plan that would have seen the building turned into 43 upscale condominiums. The building continues to be used for furniture storage. (Photos courtesy of Kristine Davison)