The Christie's Office Plus building on Pacific caught fire earlier today.   The fire started just before noon and spread to other neighboring downtown buildings.  At least four buildings in Brandon's downtown caught fire including Massey Manor and the Cold Beer Store at the corner of 5th St and Rosser Ave. The City of Brandon has released a statement on their Facebook page asking people to stay away from the immediate area of the fires and let the firefighters do their job.  According to the statement "Fire Dept officials have confirmed that embers from the downtown fires are drifting a significant distance & creating potential for additional fires." Thank you Chris Drover, Ron Fourre, Tyler Plante, and Caitlyn McFaddin for the photos.

Brandon, MB – With the current unseasonably dry conditions being experienced in Brandon, officials with Brandon Fire & Emergency Services would like to remind residents of the City’s strict burning policies. As per City of Brandon Fire Prevention Bylaw No. 7200, the only open burning allowed within the City of Brandon is that within fire pits or appliances accompanied by an authorized permit. Brandon Fire and Emergency Services would also like to advise the public that until further notice, the use of open fire pits in the City’s public parks is prohibited out of an abundance of caution. Should a resident not have an open fire permit and wish to obtain one, applications can be found on the Brandon Fire & Emergency Services’ website at http://brandonfire.ca/resources/open-fire-safety. Applications can also be obtained from Brandon Fire & Emergency Services’ Firehall No.1 or Firehall No.2 (located at 120 - 19th Street North or 1301 - 13th Street, respectively) seven days a week between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.  There is absolutely no cost to obtain a permit, however, prior to issuing of a permit, an application must be completed in full and an inspection of the proposed site /appliance by a member of Brandon Fire and Emergency Services is required. If not approved within thirty days, a new application must be submitted. If a citizen is found burning without a permit, they WILL be issued a fine, without warning, of UP TO $1,000 for each offence. When using any approved fire pit, citizens are reminded to abide by the bylaw’s key requirements, including that of keeping the size of the fire to a minimum, ensuring the spark arrestor is in place, supervising the fire at all times, and ensuring a source of water is located nearby in the event the fire requires extinguishing. More information on open fire safety can be found at the above web address. Residents with approved outdoor fire pits are reminded to be “Good Neighbours” and ensure that any smoke from their fire pit does not directly drift into their neighbour’s yards. The City of Brandon and Brandon Fire and Emergency Services thanks residents for their cooperation in ensuring that spending time outdoors this summer is a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

Brandon Police Service Media Release At approximately 6:30 p.m., Police received a report that a boy was being chased by other children near a school on Queens Avenue. Officers located the children and learned that during the dispute one of the boys pulled out a can of “bear spray”. The 14-year-old male youth was arrested for Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose. He was released from Police custody and is scheduled to attend Court in June. There were no report of any injuries.

The City of Brandon is inviting the community to view conceptual designs for an active transportation/pedestrian corridor proposed to take the place of the former 8th Street vehicle bridge at a public open house.  The open house will be held on Thursday, May 17th (3 p.m. or 5:30 p.m.) at the North End Community Centre. If you attend you will get to see the three options presented for conceptual design & view 3D renderings of the City's current proposed choice.

The Manitoba government introduced Bill 29 – the wildlife amendment act (safe hunting and shared management), which would create a safer and more ethical hunting environment for all Manitobans, Sustainable Development Minister Rochelle Squires announced today. “We have seen deaths, serious injuries and far too many close calls as a result of unsafe night hunting practices in Manitoba,” Squires said.  “We also know blinding an animal in the dead of the night for the purpose of an easy kill is neither safe nor sustainable.” Some practises of night hunting, particularly spotlighting – a practice that shines a bright light into an animal’s eyes to paralyze it – would be regulated under this bill, added Squires.  The bill would regulate night hunting to ensure the sustainability of Manitoba’s big game population. In addition to redefining night hunting, this bill would ensure that for the third year in a row the government would be increasing resources and providing better tools to the province’s conservation officers to keep Manitobans safe from dangerous and illegal hunting practices, the minister noted. The bill would take into account and respect the constitutionally protected right of Indigenous hunting at night, while balancing the priorities of public safety, ethical treatment of animals and conservation, Squires said, adding the proposed legislation was prepared after extensive consultations with Indigenous communities and representatives, various rural municipalities, agricultural producers, and wildlife groups and organizations representing hunters and outfitters. “Manitoba recognizes the constitutionally protected right of Indigenous hunting at night, which is why our government undertook an extensive consultation process with First Nations and Métis communities, Indigenous organizations, elders and non-Indigenous hunters, and their respective organizations to fully inform the development of this legislation,” said Squires.  “This bill carefully balances hunting rights while making public safety a top priority.” Safe hunting, land access and shared management were consistent themes raised throughout the consultation and engagement process with stakeholders.  The proposed legislation would allow Indigenous hunters to exercise their right to hunt at night in designated areas by obtaining a night hunting permit.  The creation of this no-cost night hunting permit would allow an Indigenous harvester to exercise the right to hunt, but focus the activity in areas where the risk to landowners or their property is minimized.  Night hunting would only be allowed if the hunt does not threaten the viability of the species being hunted. “Night hunting is a dangerous practice.  It’s not ethical and it’s not fair to the animal.  I welcome changes to make it safer and more respectful,” said Nancy Nepinak-Mckay, an elder from the Pine Creek First Nation. In addition, the legislation would allow the province to create shared management committees, bringing Indigenous communities, landowners, hunters and outfitters together to make recommendations for conservation and management of wildlife in areas of concern.  It also proposes a process to foster relationships and mutual understanding between Indigenous harvesters and private landowners to improve land access for Indigenous hunters to harvest on private land during the daylight. “Our government is working to advance reconciliation, by fostering mutually respectful relationships between the Crown and Indigenous peoples, between Indigenous and non-Indigenous harvesters as well as private landowners,” said Squires.  “But I want to be clear.  Our priority here is the safety of the Manitoba public.  I believe this bill strengthens that safety while respecting traditional rights.” It is imperative to move this proposed legislation forward during this current legislative session in order for it to take effect in time for the next hunting season, Squires noted. “I urge all parties to support this important bill, which provides a mechanism for all parties to work collaboratively to promote and protect the right to hunt for subsistence, and enables all parties to move forward together by developing processes and regulations to sustain quotas, and manage wildlife,” said Squires.  “This bill must balance rights of Indigenous peoples with wildlife management and sustainability.  However, of paramount importance is the safety of Manitobans.  I think we have achieved that balance.”