Brandon Sun – Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada

Ashley Sullivan of the 18U Brandon Volleyball Club hammers the ball over the net during BVC’s match against the 18U Providence Jr. Pilots White in the BVC 16U/18U Girls Classic at the Brandon University Healthy Living Centre on Friday. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

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Three years for vicious beating of BU student

By Skye Anderson 5 minute read Preview

Three years for vicious beating of BU student

By Skye Anderson 5 minute read Yesterday at 11:23 PM CDT

A man was sentenced Thursday to three years for his part in a violent robbery near Brandon University that left a woman with a broken jaw and “raised alarms” on the BU campus.

Mackenzie Swain, 19, previously pleaded guilty in Brandon provincial court to the charges of robbery and breaching his probation order.

The Crown asked for a sentence of four years for the robbery and a further 30 days for the breach, while defence argued for a sentence in the range of time served, which is the equivalent of 684 days, to three years.

Defence asked that the 30 days for the breach be served concurrently.

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Yesterday at 11:23 PM CDT

The front doors of the Brandon courthouse on 11th Street. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun)

Dauphin urges province to reroute highway

By Alex Lambert 5 minute read Preview

Dauphin urges province to reroute highway

By Alex Lambert 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 11:28 PM CDT

The City of Dauphin is calling for the Manitoba government to reroute the provincial highway running through its downtown in a bid to revitalize the area and make the road safer.

Council members passed a resolution Monday asking the province to move two blocks of highways 5A and 10A from Second Avenue Northwest to First Avenue Northwest.

“There are two blocks that we want to make more pedestrian friendly, and in addition to that, we want to make it a really more attractive area for people to come and spend some time,” Martijn van Luijn, the city’s economic development manager, said on Friday.

A provincial spokesperson told the Sun on Friday that the government supports the change in principle.

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Updated: Yesterday at 11:28 PM CDT

An aerial view of the City of Dauphin. Second Avenue Northwest — currently designated as highways 5A and 10A — is pictured in the middle. (Submitted)

Trump administration expands trade probes to more countries, including Canada

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Trump administration expands trade probes to more countries, including Canada

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 4:07 PM CDT

WASHINGTON - The Trump administration has expanded its trade investigations to 60 countries, including Canada, in an effort to shore up the U.S. president's tariff policies.

"We are trying to move very quickly," United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNBC Friday. "We are trying to move in a matter of months."

Greer's office announced Wednesday that it was launching investigations of excess industrial capacity in the European Union and a handful of other countries under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

A Thursday evening news release from the office expanded the list of countries targeted by the investigations, citing forced labour.

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Updated: Yesterday at 4:07 PM CDT

President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House, April 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

AgWest ranked among continent’s top AGCO dealerships

By Abiola Odutola 4 minute read Preview

AgWest ranked among continent’s top AGCO dealerships

By Abiola Odutola 4 minute read Yesterday at 11:30 PM CDT

AgWest Ltd. has been recognized as one of the top-performing farm equipment dealerships across the continent, earning a spot in AGCO Corporation’s Circle of Excellence for 2025.

The recognition places AgWest 15th among AGCO dealerships across North America, marking the second consecutive year the company has received the honour.

AgWest is an agricultural equipment dealer with branches in Brandon and seven locations across Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

The feat reflects the dedication of the company’s employees, chief executive officer Neil Douglas told the Sun on Friday.

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Yesterday at 11:30 PM CDT

AgWest Ltd. chief executive officer Neil Douglas says the recognition reflects the dedication of employees working across the company’s operations in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. (Supplied)

Parents push earlier literacy screening in BSD

By Abiola Odutola 4 minute read Preview

Parents push earlier literacy screening in BSD

By Abiola Odutola 4 minute read Yesterday at 11:34 PM CDT

A group of parents is urging the Brandon School Division to take additional steps to ensure every child learns to read successfully.

Representatives from Caregiver Advocates for Literacy Equity appeared before the division’s board of trustees on Monday to outline three key requests aimed at improving early literacy outcomes for students.

The group’s efforts are part of a broader campaign across Manitoba to raise awareness about literacy challenges and promote evidence-based reading instruction, Michelle Depner, one of the representatives, told the board.

“We share the same hope — that every child in Brandon School Division learns to read well. Not just some children, every child,” Depner told trustees.

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Yesterday at 11:34 PM CDT

Andy and Michelle Depner of Caregiver Advocates for Literacy Equity present three requests aimed at improving early literacy outcomes for students to the Brandon School Division board of trustees at its Monday meeting. (Abiola Odutola/The Brandon Sun)

Man sentenced to 24 years in prison for sex crimes

By Skye Anderson 3 minute read Preview

Man sentenced to 24 years in prison for sex crimes

By Skye Anderson 3 minute read Yesterday at 11:33 PM CDT

A man who sexually abused three young girls and made child sexual abuse material of them was sentenced to 24 years in custody in Swan River provincial court on Tuesday.

The offender, 44, previously pleaded guilty to three counts each of sexual interference and making child sexual abuse material (CSAM), along with single counts each of possessing CSAM and accessing CSAM.

The court ordered a publication ban on any information that could identify the victims, including the offender’s name or any information that could identify him.

Crown attorney Sam Levkov and defence lawyer Jesse Blackman jointly recommended a sentence of 24 years.

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Yesterday at 11:33 PM CDT

Aggravated assault; repeatedly paid for sex

2 minute read Preview

Aggravated assault; repeatedly paid for sex

2 minute read Yesterday at 11:32 PM CDT

Aggravated assault

A man is charged with aggravated assault after he allegedly attacked an 18-year-old woman on Thursday.

The woman was transported to the hospital, where she remained in serious condition on Friday, the Brandon Police Service said in a news release.

Police arrested the 20-year-old man and held him in detention cells.

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Yesterday at 11:32 PM CDT

The Brandon Police Service station at 10th Street and Victoria Avenue. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun files)

Royal MTC play combines love and hockey

By Tessa Adamski 4 minute read Preview

Royal MTC play combines love and hockey

By Tessa Adamski 4 minute read Yesterday at 11:31 PM CDT

A small cast with the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre has been breaking the ice by taking its show “Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad” on a regional tour to rural communities across Manitoba and northwestern Ontario.

The cast has been on tour since Feb. 20 with an upcoming show in Brandon on Sunday at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. The show was previously performed in communities across Westman, including Minnedosa, Deloraine, Souris and Dauphin.

The play follows two lonely single parents who meet and fall in love while watching their kids play a season of minor hockey.

The “incredibly touching and heart-warming script” is written by the late Canadian playwright Michael Melski and is about people finding community and learning how to love again, said Royal MTC director Matthew Paris-Irvine.

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Yesterday at 11:31 PM CDT

The play “Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad” is coming to the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium in Brandon on Sunday night. (Leif Norman)

Byram acclaimed to run again for Tories in Agassiz

1 minute read Preview

Byram acclaimed to run again for Tories in Agassiz

1 minute read Yesterday at 11:30 PM CDT

Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative party has nominated another Westman MLA to run in the next provincial election.

On Thursday, the Tories announced the acclamation of Agassiz MLA Jodie Byram along with party leader and Fort Whyte MLA Obby Khan and Lac du Bonnet MLA Wayne Ewasko.

As well, Portage la Prairie MLA Jeff Bereza was nominated for his riding on Friday, the Tories said.

Westman MLAs Greg Nesbitt (Riding Mountain) and Colleen Robbins (Spruce Woods) were nominated earlier this week.

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Yesterday at 11:30 PM CDT

Byram acclaimed to run again for Tories in Agassiz

Woman charged in Swan River home invasion

1 minute read Preview

Woman charged in Swan River home invasion

1 minute read Yesterday at 11:25 PM CDT

A Swan River couple were threatened at gunpoint in their house during a home invasion on Wednesday night.

RCMP were called to the couple’s home on First Avenue South at about 10:15 p.m.

The couple, both in their mid-60s, were inside when they heard a knock on the front door, but before they could open it, a man and a woman in masks burst into the home and pushed their way past them, Mounties say.

The woman allegedly threatened to shoot the couple if they didn’t follow their orders, stole the female resident’s wallet and some acetaminophen pills, before the robbers left.

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Yesterday at 11:25 PM CDT