The Manitoba government is increasing funding for two cheer boards in the province ahead of the holiday season, Premier Wab Kinew and Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine announced today. “This year, we’re investing in Christmas,” said Kinew. “Manitobans who need a little extra help around the holidays rely on the good work of cheer boards and we want to make sure everyone has a happy holiday this year.” The Manitoba government is providing the Christmas Cheer Board of Winnipeg with $100,000 and Brandon-Westman Christmas Cheer with $25,000 for a total of $125,000 to help community-based organizations that deliver food and toys to families in need throughout the holidays. The Department of Families has also provided five staff to support the Christmas Cheer Board of Winnipeg as it accepts a growing number of hamper registrations for Winnipeg families. “I know first-hand what it means for a family to receive a hamper delivery during this time of year,” said Fontaine. “We’re doing what we can to make sure that holiday cheer is available to more Manitoba families by supporting the Christmas Cheer Board of Winnipeg and Brandon-Westman Christmas Cheer.” The premier encouraged Manitobans attending the Holiday Open House tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Manitoba Legislative Building and join in sharing the holiday cheer by bringing non-perishable food items for Harvest Manitoba. The Manitoba government will also be accepting cheques, addressed to Manitoba charities, at a number of locations set up for mail pickup during the postal disruption. A full list of cheque drop-off locations can be found at www.manitoba.ca/postaldisruption/.

Charges Upgraded On November 11th, 2024, at approximately 7:10AM, a 44-year-old male victim died from injuries he sustained from a fight that occurred on September 26th, 2024, at the Brandon Correctional Centre located at 375 Veterans Way. Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the victim. The victim, who was being held in custody, was seriously injured, unconscious and transported to the hospital on September 26th, 2024. He was then airlifted to Winnipeg’s Health Science Centre that night. Police reviewed the video surveillance and identified three accused suspects who attacked the victim – a 34-year-old male, and two 26-year-old males. All three suspects were initially charged with Aggravated Assault and were kept in custody. Since the death, the three male’s charges have been upgraded: - 26-year-old (now 27) charged with Manslaughter. - 26-year-old charged with 2nd Degree Murder. - 34-year-old charged with 2nd Degree Murder.

The Manitoba government is providing $500,000 to support a new 24-7 safe space in Brandon where Indigenous women, two-spirit and gender-diverse people at risk of harm can escape violence, build supportive relationships and help each other heal, Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine, minister responsible for women and gender equity, announced here today. “This new safe house will mean more beds and more space for Indigenous women, two-spirit or gender-diverse people who are unsheltered and at risk of harm who need help to stabilize their lives,” said Fontaine. “It will provide the safety, security and peace needed to help them on their path of healing and recovery.” The new 10th Street Safe House – also know as Franny’s Place – will include 10 bedrooms, bathrooms, a shared kitchen, laundry facilities and a living room and dining area. Residents will be able to engage in positive activities based on their interests including beading, cooking, baking, painting, growing plants, playing bingo and woodworking. This space will also offer a 24-7 drop-in service, providing outreach services, intake assessments and other supports for people awaiting placement in the safe house or another safe program. The site will be staffed 24-hours a day to provide Indigenous culturally based security, support and mentorship, the minister noted, adding the program is also supported by Keegawegeein (I’ll Help You), a volunteer committee of wise Indigenous women from the community who provide support rooted in the Seven Sacred Teachings. In partnership with the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) and the Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation’s Action Research on Chronic Homelessness, these safe houses provide increased prevention and protection for Indigenous women, two-spirit and gender-diverse people including those with illness or injury, physical or intellectual disability, cognitive impairment or brain injury, substance use/addiction, mental health concerns or acute safety concerns, such as domestic violence, human trafficking, court-mandated safety orders, recent assaults, death threat or other imminent risk of harm. “The MMF’s Southwest Region is proud to partner with the Manitoba government to ensure that there are safe spaces for vulnerable members of our community,” said Will Goodon, Housing and Property Management Minister, Manitoba Métis Federation. “The fact that this is a place where they can live in community, access the wisdom and support of other women, and obtain other services to help them rebuild their lives resonate strongly with the Red River Métis values and traditions that have made us strong. I commend the Manitoba government for their work in advancing these culturally focused spaces for women and gender diverse individuals.” The minister noted the Brandon safe house is part of Mino’Ayaawag Ikwewag, the Manitoba government’s new $20-million provincial strategy to support the safety, protection and empowerment of Indigenous women, girls, two-spirit and gender-diverse people. It honours Pillar 7: Housing, and Pillar 8: Justice and Safety in the strategy. Today’s announcement falls during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, an annual campaign running until Dec. 10 focused on a collective recommitment to protecting and empowering survivors while working toward a future free of gender-based violence, the minister said. To learn more about the Mino’Ayaawag Ikwewag Strategy, visit www.gov.mb.ca/wage/minoayaawag-ikwewag.html.

The Manitoba government has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to curb the use of private for-profit nursing agencies in the health-care system as part of a multi-pronged approach to increase the number of public nurses working in health care and reduce mandatory overtime rates for those nurses, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced today. “The previous government’s health-care cuts created a cottage industry of private for-profit agencies,” said Asagwara. “These agencies benefited from a situation where nurses had gone too long without a contract and in frustration left the public system. These for-profit companies perpetuated a cycle of burnout and mandatory overtime that hurt patients and exhausted nurses, all while they raked in revenue. While we’ve taken many steps to staff up the front lines, treat nurses with the respect they deserve and change the culture throughout the system, this is another important step. We’re saying enough is enough. It’s time to stop giving for-profit health care the advantage.” In the past, Manitoba has held hundreds of distinct contracts with more than seventy private for-profit agencies with little-to-no policies on how to limit those agencies’ impact on the nurses working in the public system or the rates they charge to publicly funded service delivery organizations, noted the minister. This RFP will support work to reduce the number of contracted agencies at prices that ensure the majority of health-care funding is directed to public front-line workers and their patients. “This is a crucial step in preventing for-profit businesses from exploiting both financial and human resources,” said Darlene Jackson, president, Manitoba Nurses Union (MNU). “The Manitoba Nurses Union, under the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, has been advocating for this change for years.” The rampant use of private agencies served to exacerbate pressures on front-line staff and was a key factor in the government’s contract with Manitoba nurses, noted the minister, adding the RFP is a step forward in the government’s commitment to reduce mandatory overtime rates for nurses working in the public health system. The first step was to ban service delivery organizations from signing new agreements with private agencies, the minister noted. The Manitoba government, in partnership with MNU, also worked to expand a travel nurse team that offers the flexibility many nurses are seeking and has directed service delivery organizations to make joining the travel team as seamless as possible. The nursing contract incentivizes those working with private agencies back into the public system by offering to accept them at their previous seniority level. The province has also taken steps to hold agencies accountable to patient care by ensuring they assign nurses with the right training and skills to work in whatever unit needs coverage, added the minister.

Possess Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose / Possession of Prohibited Weapon On December 3rd at 11:43AM while patrolling in the 100 block of 5th St, a vehicle with unregistered plates was spotted by a BPS member. A traffic stop was conducted in the 500 block of Princess Ave and the driver wasn’t able to produce identification. A throwing style knife was seen on the floor and through further search of the vehicle a pair of nun chucks were located as well. The 25-year-old male is from Ontario. He was held in detention cells with court in the morning on December 4th, 2025. Drive While Suspended / Failure to Comply with Undertaking / Resist Arrest On December 4th at 1:15AM police conducted a traffic stop in the 200 block of 15th Street with a Manitoba plated truck. A 35-year-old male driver tried fleeing on foot. He was apprehended a short distance away and was combative and resistant. The male was found to be a suspended driver and bound by an Undertaking with a No Contact Condition of the passenger in the vehicle. Both the driver and passenger were arrested, held in BPS detention cells and will attend court in the morning on December 4th, 2024.