According to a news release, WestJet will be increasing the number of flights that travel between Calgary and Brandon this summer. The new summer schedule will see the number of flights increase between the two cities from seven to eleven. WestJet also revealed plans to increase frequency from Calgary to Winnipeg as well as International flights from Calgary to Paris, Rome, & Cabo San Lucas. From yesterdays release. "WestJet continues to invest in YYC Calgary International Airport as its home base and expansion focus. It is Calgary's largest carrier and we are committed to facilitating their growth. These additional flights will serve more guests bound for more destinations, delivering recreational and business opportunities for our region," said Bob Sartor, President and CEO, The Calgary Airport Authority. WestJet first introduced Brandon to Calgary flights in 2013.

Portage la Prairie (Southport), Man. has been named by Assiniboine Community College as the next community to host the college’s rural rotating Practical Nursing diploma program. The program will commence there starting in September 2020 with capacity for 25 students. We are pleased to work with Southern Health-Santé Sud and the community to deliver this program,” said Suzanne Nicolas, Associate Dean of Health Programs at Assiniboine. “The demand for nurses continues to be strong across Manitoba, and we know this program will help to address the need for skilled graduates in this region. “Nurses are intrinsic to the health of our communities,” said Jane Curtis, CEO of Southern Health-Santé Sud. We are excited to host Assiniboine’s next rotating Practical Nursing program in Southport. This program will enable opportunities for new graduates to apply their training so that patients in the community are looked after with a high level of quality, effective, people-centred care. A request for proposals to host rural rotating sites was issued in October this past year with the college receiving seven submissions from communities and Regional Health Authorities. Proposals were evaluated based on criteria including labour market demand; health care partnerships, which primarily involve practicum placements for students; student demand; student experience and available training facilities. The college has delivered its Practical Nursing program through rural rotating sites since 1999. The college also has permanent Practical Nursing programs running at its campuses in Brandon, Winnipeg, and Dauphin. Applications for Assiniboine’s nursing program in Brandon and Dauphin are currently open and will remain open on an ongoing basis. Applications for the Winnipeg nursing program is currently closed as the waitlist there approaches two years. The demand for Assiniboine nursing graduates is high; 100 per cent of graduates surveyed from the 2018-19 academic year said they had jobs, making on average more than $47,000 a year. Since 1975, nearly 3,800 individuals have graduated from nursing programs offered by the college. In the past number of years, Assiniboine has delivered its Practical Nursing program in many communities across Manitoba including Russell, Melita, Peguis First Nation, Selkirk, Steinbach, Winkler/Morden, Arborg, Flin Flon, Beausejour, Killarney, Carmen, Boissevain, The Pas, Neepawa, Ashern, Deloraine, and Pine Falls. Applications to the Portage la Prairie offering of the program will open from May 4 to 22, 2020. All qualified applications received within that three-week window will be treated equally in a lottery system; however, those applicants living in a rural community within a 100-kilometer radius of Portage la Prairie will be given preference in the first lottery draw. Important updates, information, and checklists for prospective applicants are available at assiniboine.net/nursing. (Source:  ACC College News)

Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living is warning Manitobans of a possible phone scam involving Manitoba health cards. A member of the public received a call from an automated service asking for their personal information related to a problem with their health card. Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living does not use automated calls to contact the public about their health card. If you receive such a call, do not provide any personal information and report the call to the local law enforcement agency. For more information on what to do if you receive a fraudulent call, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s website at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm. (Source: Province of Manitoba News Release)

The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba held its annual shareholders meeting and director election at the Dome Building on Tuesday, January 28 and voted in a new board for the next year. Yesterday, Tuesday, February 4, the annual executive board meeting and election was held. Greg Crisanti will begin his term as President and Kathy Cleaver will fill the Vice-President position. “As the 61st President of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, I am very Honoured for the privilege to represent this amazing organization. The knowledge and strengths of our 39 Board of Directors and the amount of volunteer hours donated is simply outstanding! My focus for term as President is to continue what we do best, ensuring we bring smiles to many and the legacy of our great events are successful and financially rewarding. This commitment to our community can only be possible with strengthening the relationships of our neighbours at the Keystone Centre, support from great sponsors and assistance from all levels of government”. -Greg Crisanti, President Greg Crisanti, President Kathy Cleaver, Vice-President Brent Miller, Past-President Connie Bok Wayne Buhr Kevin Cameron Dallas Johnston Mitch Kaminsky Shirley Neudorf Angela Pearen Clark Swain Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Executive Board 2020/2021. Full list of directors available at www.provincialexhibition.com. (Submitted)

Maryland Park School is asking for help/input from their 2020/2021 students on choosing a school colour, identifying a mascot, and creating a school logo. The students/parents can participate by responding to the survey online or completing a paper copy, and creating a logo that could be used to represent our school. The online Survey can be found on our school website or by clicking here. A paper copy of the survey can be picked up from the Brandon School Division Office, and a copy will be sent home with each child who is registered at Maryland Park School for September 2020. Copies will also be emailed out to parents who have already provided their email through the Parents as Partners group. If you still don’t have access to the survey, please email us at marylandpark@bsd.ca and we will email you a copy. Deadline for submission is Monday, February 10, 2020 at 11:00 p.m. (Submitted: BSD)