A grinch was caught trying to steal Christmas at Shoppers Mall! On November 22nd, all was well in Whoville, Santa was expected to be in his throne to meet little ones and pose for pictures. Santa was gifted a golf cart from Glen Lea golf course to help him on his journey through Shoppers Mall, but that’s where things went wrong. A grinch stole Santa’s golf cart! The grinch and Max were seen tearing through Shoppers Mall on Santa’s golf cart, causing mayhem for any customers who happened to be in their way. Security could see the crowd growing anxious waiting for Santa to arrive and sprang into action. As the grinch attempted to overtake Santa’s throne he was arrested! Security was able to take back the golf cart, find Santa and peacefully bring him to his throne. Nice try grinch!

A new outdoor rink is going up at Brandon’s Community Sportsplex! During the 2023 budget deliberations, City Council asked for an outdoor rink in Ward 1. While the board system didn’t arrive in time for the 2023/2024 season, it will be ready to go for the 2024/2025 season. Photos courtesy of Denali Robertson Installation crews are on site installing the board system in the track infield, West of the Sportsplex, and we are asking the public to steer clear of it at this time. Once the rink is fully installed, staff will begin the process of building ice. Mother nature is the boss when it comes to outdoor rinks, so there is no identified opening date at this time. More details on the usage of this new amenity will be coming soon. In the meantime if you are interested in volunteering to maintain the rink throughout the season, please reach out to us at recreation@brandon.ca.

The Brandon Police Service is seeking the public’s assistance in locating this person who is “WANTED BY POLICE”: Colin PELLETIER FOR Theft Under $5000 & Fail to Comply with Probation.  On October 18th, 2024, Colin PELLETIER was caught on video surveillance stealing merchandise from a business located in the 900 block of 18th Street North. At the time of the theft, PELLETIER was on a Probation Order not to attend the business. PELLETIER’s whereabouts are unknown, therefore a warrant of arrest has been issued for Colin PELLETIER. CRIME OF THE WEEK for November 22nd, 2024 The Brandon Police Service is seeking the public’s assistance in solving a Mischief to Property.  On November 17th, 2024, a male was caught on video surveillance smashing out the window of a business located in the 600 block of Pacific Avenue. The suspect did not make entry and fled on foot prior to police arrival. ************** If you have information about this or any other crime you are asked to contact Brandon Crime Stoppers @ 204-727-TIPS (8477), www.brandoncrimestoppers.com or by texting BCSTIP+your message to CRIMES (274637).  Crime Stoppers does not subscribe to Call Display.  Your call is not recorded and your identity will remain anonymous.  Crime Stoppers will pay up to $2000.00 cash for information that leads to the solution of a crime.

Canada Post recorded a loss before tax of $315 million in the third quarter of 2024 as strong revenue growth in Direct Marketing did not make up for a decline in Parcels results. An increasingly crowded and highly competitive ecommerce delivery market continued to impact Parcels results in the third quarter of 2024. While Transaction Mail volumes continued to erode, revenue rose due to a regulated stamp rate increase. Direct Marketing revenue and volumes experienced robust growth. The Corporation’s $315-million loss before tax in the third quarter widened by $25 million compared to a loss before tax of $290 million in the third quarter of 2023. In the first nine months of 2024, Canada Post recorded a loss before tax of $345 million, compared to a loss before tax of $651 million in the same period of the prior year. The nine-month results improved compared to the previous year due to dividend income received from the divestitures of SCI Group Inc. (SCI) and Innovapost Inc. (Innovapost) in the first and second quarters, respectively, of 2024. Canada Post will record another significant loss in 2024, the seventh consecutive annual loss for the Corporation. Canada Post’s revenue in the third quarter declined by $15 million, or 1.0 per cent, compared to the same period a year earlier. For the first nine months of 2024, revenue fell by $63 million, or 1.3 per cent, compared to the same period of the prior year. In the third quarter and the first nine months of 2024, total cost of operations increased by 0.4 per cent and 1.4 per cent, respectively, compared to the same periods of 2023. The increase was mainly due to higher employee benefit costs driven by lower discount rates, which was partly offset by a decline in non-capital investments. The Corporation recorded a loss from operations of $313 million in the third quarter, compared to a loss from operations of $291 million in the same quarter a year earlier. For the first nine months of 2024, Canada Post’s loss from operations was $803 million, compared to $662 million in the same period of the previous year. The loss from operations excludes any dividends or income from the divestitures. Parcels In the third quarter of 2024, Parcels revenue fell by $46 million, or 5.8 per cent, as volumes declined by 6 million pieces, or 9.6 per cent, compared to the same period of 2023. A highly competitive and demanding parcel delivery market continued to negatively affect results for the line of business. A decline in fuel surcharges tied to market rates also negatively affected Parcels revenue. Growth in ecommerce returns, as well as improved service performance in key markets, helped partially mitigate the volume and revenue decline. For the first nine months of the year, Parcels revenue fell by $133 million, or 5.5 per cent, as volumes fell by 12 million pieces, or 6.0 per cent, compared to the same period of the prior year. Transaction Mail In the third quarter, Transaction Mail revenue increased by $7 million, or 1.3 per cent, as volumes declined by 33 million pieces, or 6.6 per cent, compared to the same period a year earlier. While Transaction Mail volumes continued to erode, revenue increased compared to the same quarter of 2023 due to a regulated postage rate increase that took effect on May 6, 2024. For the first nine months of 2024, Transaction Mail revenue was flat, as volumes fell by 63 million pieces, or 3.7 per cent, compared to the same period of 2023. Direct Marketing In the third quarter, Direct Marketing revenue rose by $21 million, or 9.0 per cent, as volumes increased by 201 million pieces, or 22.1 per cent, compared to the same period of the previous year. For the first nine months of 2024, revenue increased by $63 million, or 9.1 per cent, as volumes rose by 556 million pieces, or 19.7 per cent, compared to the same period of 2023. New business and higher sales for the Canada Post Neighbourhood Mail™ service positively impacted results. However, digital alternatives continued to negatively impact sales of other Direct Marketing products. Group of Companies1 The Canada Post Group of Companies recorded a loss before tax of $252 million in the third quarter, compared to a loss before tax of $217 million in the same period a year earlier. Purolator Holdings Ltd. recorded a profit before tax of $62 million in the quarter, compared to a profit before tax of $68 million in the same period of 2023. For the first nine months of 2024, the Group of Companies recorded a loss before tax of $281 million, compared to a loss before tax of $442 million in the same period of 2023. Purolator recorded a profit before tax of $182 million in the first three quarters of 2024, compared to a profit before tax of $201 million in the same period of the prior year. Proceeds from the divestitures of SCI and Innovapost helped improve the nine-month results for the Group of Companies compared to the prior year period. In the first half of 2024, Canada Post and Purolator divested 100 per cent of the shares of two subsidiaries: SCI, a leading Canadian third-party logistics provider, and Innovapost, the Group’s shared-services provider in information technology (IT). Canada Post is transforming its IT model to focus its business on its core mandate of providing a modern postal service to Canadians. Background  The Canada Post Group of Companies’ operations are funded by revenue generated by the sale of its products and services, not taxpayer dollars. For the third quarter of 2024, the Canada Post Group of Companies consisted of the core Canada Post segment and its wholly owned subsidiary Purolator Holdings Ltd. For the year-to-date period of 2024, the Group consisted of the Canada Post segment and its wholly owned subsidiaries Purolator, SCI Group Inc. (up to March 1, 2024), and Innovapost Inc. (up to April 15, 2024).

As part of the RCMP's ongoing efforts to be transparent and accountable to the communities we serve, RCMP officers in Manitoba will start using body-worn cameras. The use of these cameras will be complemented by a digital evidence management system that will be used to store and manage body-worn video. The following detachments will be the first to receive the cameras: Steinbach - November 22, 2024 Portage la Prairie - December 4, 2024 Amaranth - December 4, 2024 Treherne - December 4, 2024 East St. Paul - January 7, 2025 Grand Marais - January 7, 2025 Selkirk - January 7, 2025 St-Pierre-Jolys - January 22, 2025 In total, between November 22, 2024, and April, 2025, it is expected that over 490 Manitoba RCMP officers in 44 detachments will be equipped with body-worn cameras. This will include detachments that provide policing services to Ebb and Flow First Nation, Peguis First Nation, Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, Chemawawin Cree Nation, O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation as well as a number of other First Nation communities. All other detachments throughout Manitoba will have body-worn cameras and the digital evidence management system rolled out to them in a phased approach over the course of the next 18 months. Body-worn cameras can help increase trust between police and the communities they serve because the video evidence collected will provide an independent, unbiased, and objective way to capture interactions between the community and police officers. It will also help resolve public complaints more quickly, and improve evidence gathering. RCMP officers will usually be wearing their body-worn cameras on their chest and the public will know it's recording when a red light is visible and flashing below the lens of the camera.