Jon Gerrard – MLA River Heights and Manitoba Health Critic was in Brandon this evening hosting one of a series of public meetings to listen to Manitoban’s regarding their opinions of the health care system.  The meeting was attended by Westman residents, including Len Isleifson – MLA Brandon East. Gerrard presented a brief summary of the 2016-2017 health budget; which was set at $ 5,997 million, and went underspent by $115 million.  Expressing that a problem with this under spending was that funding fell short in critical areas such as mental health. The meeting then focused on open questions, concerns and discussion stemming from the following three questions:  What is working well? What is not working well? What needs investment to improve? There was broad concerns brought forward at the meeting.    A resident listed off the current and planned closures of 18 rural ambulance stations specifying the increased times that it would take a person in need of emergent care to be transported to centers that are open with professionals present. Another resident brought up that in urgent situations that it was not clear on which emergency room would be open between three, in opposite directions, when seeking care. Gerrard highlighted the viewpoint that in the concept of shared services within Regional Health Authorities that when funding for acute care and preventative are within the same sphere; that acute will always win. Residents highlighted the need for front-line staff needs, education, information and more face to face time with their health care providers. Gerrard offered that with a complex system like health care in Manitoba it is important to look at each of the pieces and the importance of being active in the areas of keeping people well.   He concluded the meeting with giving opportunity and making note of each attendee’s perspective on where primary focus should be directed in our provincial health care system.

Brandon University invites interested members of the community to a night of celebration for a research project on sustainable post-secondary education for Indigenous communities in remote locations. The project, “Mino Bimaadiziwin: Reconciliation in Action,” brings together researchers from BU and the University of Manitoba and was recently awarded a prestigious Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Grant in the amount of $2.5 million. This research project closely follows the call to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to “ensure that Aboriginal peoples have equitable access to jobs, training, and education opportunities in the corporate sector, and that Aboriginal communities gain long-term sustainable benefits from economic development projects” and also aligns with BU’s commitment to First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities. It will bring postsecondary education into communities that lack programming due to their remote location. First Nations students participating in the project will be able to attend entry-level certificate programs on sustainable housing design, Indigenous food systems and adult education in their communities. Rather than learn entirely from a classroom, students will directly address the systemic problems in their communities through supported projects-based learning, building 12 sustainable houses in Island Lake, Manitoba, over the six years, and introducing food security programs to alleviate the problem of unreliable food access in the region. For more information on the research project, see ecohealthcircle.com. Please join us at 7:30 p.m., in He Oyate Tawapi (Ceremony Room) in the Health Studies Building and meet community representatives from Wasagamack and Garden Lake, and Dr. Shirley Thompson, Project Leader, from the University of Manitoba, and Dr. Wilder Robles (Rural Development), Dr. Patricia Harms (History) and Dr. Serena Petrella (Sociology), Brandon University partners. The ceremony will be followed by a wine reception and refreshments.

If you happen to have been following the second-degree murder trial of Raymond Cormier, the man accused of killing 15-year-old Tina Fontaine, you’ll know that the trial came to an end yesterday afternoon. What you may not know is that local lawyer Andrew Synyshyn is co-counsel to Winnipeg lawyer Tony Kavanagh, a defence team that was brought together to the case through Legal Aid. The jury trial began on January 29 in Manitoba’s Court of Queen’s Bench and was expected to last for five weeks, but with defence closing arguments heard on Tuesday afternoon, the case wrapped up earlier than expected. Synyshyn graduated in 2010 from the University of Manitoba with a law degree. He’s been practicing for seven years (called to the bar in December 2011) and opened his own firm, AJS Law, just over one year ago in Brandon. “Our practice focuses on criminal defence and child protection law. One of the reasons why I started my own firm was to make sure that everyone who wanted or needed representation could get it,” said Synyshyn. This defence team has been working on the case for over a year and a half, but now it’s up to the 11-person jury to decide on whether Cormier is guilty or not. Synyshyn said that this is the highest profile case that he’s been involved with directly. When AJS Law opened in December 2016, the firm started with Synyshyn and office administrator Danielle Guenther. However, they’ve since grown; lawyers Melania Cannon and Jennifer Janssens, as well as legal assistant Kristen Thomas are now part of the team.

Twenty years ago, Brandon School Division launched a breakfast program in just three early years schools. Today, it has evolved into a breakfast and snack program that reaches into 18 Brandon and Shilo schools. Nutritious breakfast cereal, milk, juice, fruit and snacks are served to any student who wishes to attend, without cost or eligibility criteria. Program Co-ordinator, Angie Williamson says, "on average we serve 300 students a day." January saw a total was 5879 student meals served. The program is funded through a national program called Food For Thought and is similarly run in communities across Canada. It also receives funding from sponsorship and donations locally, including corporate sponsors like Maple Leaf Foods. Brandon's breakfast program is also getting a boost this week from the patrons of Prairie Firehouse. Prairie Firehouse (637 Princess Avenue, Brandon) is hosting a beer tasting event where each food course will be paired with a specially selected beer from Beaus All Natural Brewing. Tickets are $65 and must be purchased in advance of the event. The dinner takes place at 7pm on Thursday February 22nd. Call or stop by for more information. To learn more about this impactful breakfast and snack program in our schools, visit www.brandonsfoodforthought.com.

On Saturday morning, the resident of a home in the 200 block of 5th St reported a break in to his residence and theft of three bicycles.  The home had been damaged in a house fire earlier in the week and while the resident was away from the home, suspects broke in and stole a child’s Spiderman “chopper” style bicycle, a white BMX bicycle and a 21 speed yellow and black mountain bicycle.