Brandon Sun – Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada

Lawsuit against family doctor alleges substandard care

By Tessa Adamski 4 minute read Yesterday at 10:38 PM CDT

The estate of a Brandon man who died from esophageal cancer in 2025 is suing his former family doctor, alleging her lack of assessment led to a poorer prognosis and contributed to his death.

A lawsuit filed on behalf of Robert Janzen in Manitoba Court of King’s Bench on March 16 says Dr. Tharina Uys — a family physician in Brandon — failed to assess, care and treat the plaintiff “with the standard expected of a family practitioner practicing in Manitoba.”

None of the allegations has been proven in court and no statement of defence has been filed.

Janzen died on Jan. 4, 2025 at 80 years old. He had been a patient of Uys since August 2003, according to the statement of claim.

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Former nurse installed as Archbishop of Canterbury

By Alex Lambert 4 minute read Preview

Former nurse installed as Archbishop of Canterbury

By Alex Lambert 4 minute read Yesterday at 10:32 PM CDT

Local church leaders say the appointment of the first woman to head England’s Anglican church is welcome and overdue.

Sarah Mullally was installed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, the first woman to hold the title since the position was created in the year 597. The Anglican church split from the Catholic church in the 16th century.

For Anglicans in western Manitoba, the enthronement ceremony marked a good day for the church as a whole.

“I think it’s a great day in the church, it’s a great day for the Anglican communion, it’s a great day in the church in England,” Bishop Rachael Parker said Wednesday in an interview at St. Matthew’s Anglican Cathedral in Brandon, which is also the Anglican Centre.

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Yesterday at 10:32 PM CDT

Sarah Mullally sits during the enthronement ceremony installing her as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury at Canterbury Cathedral, England, on Wednesday. (The Associated Press)

Witnesses describe fight that led to fatal stabbing

By Skye Anderson 6 minute read Preview

Witnesses describe fight that led to fatal stabbing

By Skye Anderson 6 minute read Yesterday at 10:33 PM CDT

The brother of a man who was fatally stabbed in 2023 described the victim’s final words to him during a manslaughter trial in Brandon’s Court of King’s Bench on Wednesday.

“He asked me to take care of his sons for him, and that was his last words to me,” Elijah Mentuck, 19, said through tears.

Talisa Brandon, 27, is standing trial for manslaughter and aggravated assault after she allegedly stabbed and killed Tristin Beaulieu, 23, in Waywayseecappo and stabbed another man during the same altercation.

Beaulieu’s partner was the first witness to take the stand on Tuesday.

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Yesterday at 10:33 PM CDT

Exhibits address harmful impacts of colonization

By Tessa Adamski 5 minute read Preview

Exhibits address harmful impacts of colonization

By Tessa Adamski 5 minute read Yesterday at 10:39 PM CDT

Two new art exhibitions addressing the ongoing harmful impacts of colonization on Indigenous peoples are opening at the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba today.

The mixed media exhibition “Reconciliation, Resilience, and Red” by Brandon-based artist Justina McKay and a collaborative community installation titled “Tears of Truth” are open to the public starting at 5 p.m. in the Kayes Community Gallery.

There will be opening remarks from a knowledge keeper at 5:30 p.m.

The creation of McKay’s exhibition has “been a long time coming” and features 23 paintings and two beaded moss bags, which are used to keep babies warm in the Indigenous culture, she said.

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Yesterday at 10:39 PM CDT

Lucie Lederhendler, artistic director and curator for the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, hangs the “Tears of Truth” bead curtain exhibit on Wednesday in advance of tonight’s opening in the community gallery along with Justina McKay’s exhibit “Reconciliation, Resilience, and Red.” The bead curtain was created by Brandon-area students and community members as an intentional act of remembrance of those impacted by the residential school system. The opening reception for both exhibits takes place tonight at 5 p.m. (Photos by Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Alberta town restricts decorative flags, crosswalks

3 minute read Preview

Alberta town restricts decorative flags, crosswalks

3 minute read Updated: 9:47 AM CDT

Councillors in an Alberta town have become the latest community in the province to ban decorative flags and crosswalks from public land, a move that effectively forbids symbolic artistic statements, such as rainbow-hued Pride crosswalks.

It’s a decision opponents say is a step toward erasing the voices of marginalized communities.

On Tuesday, Didsbury councillors passed the “public spaces neutrality bylaw.” It restricts the town north of Calgary to only flying government flags and maintaining standardized road and crosswalk markings.

Didsbury, a town of 5,200, does not currently have special flags or crosswalks, such as those recognizing the LGBTQ+ community, First Nations or veterans.

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Updated: 9:47 AM CDT

People walk on a Pride flag crosswalk in Calgary in August 2019. An Alberta town has passed a bylaw that effectively bans such crosswalks from public land. (The Canadian Press)

Westman vet applauds efforts to improve rural care

By Connor McDowell, Local Journalism Initiative 6 minute read Preview

Westman vet applauds efforts to improve rural care

By Connor McDowell, Local Journalism Initiative 6 minute read Updated: 9:36 AM CDT

SOURIS — A Westman veterinarian is commending the province for efforts to improve Manitoba’s model of veterinarian care in rural areas.

A few problems with the current subsidized model make it hard to recruit veterinarians, invest in equipment, and create a good work-life balance, said veterinarian Haley Adams, who provides vet care in Souris and Boissevain. Adam’s comments to the Sun came during a meeting where she and other locals gathered in Souris to brainstorm solutions that will be reported to the provincial government.

The agriculture minister for Manitoba, Ron Kostyshyn, has asked for meetings to be held in rural Manitoba discussing the current veterinary care model. He has also asked that the feedback from Manitobans be built into an options report on how to improve the Veterinarian Services District and Veterinarian Services Commission model.

“Mainly, what I’m taking away from today, is that I am glad that the rural municipalities and the province are acknowledging that something does need to change,” Adams said. “I think this meeting was well timed, in that we really need to look at the structure of this model.”

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Updated: 9:36 AM CDT

The Souris Veterinary Clinic is one of roughly two dozen clinics in Manitoba operated under a Veterinary Services District model. The model is being reviewed this year as the Minister of Agriculture, Ron Kostyshyn, looks for potential updates to the 50-year-old system. (Connor McDowell/The Brandon Sun)

Councillors to discuss Saskatchewan water problem

Connor McDowell, Local Journalism Initiative 4 minute read Preview

Councillors to discuss Saskatchewan water problem

Connor McDowell, Local Journalism Initiative 4 minute read Updated: 10:25 AM CDT

Councillors and other stakeholders from western Manitoba are set to discuss the flow of spring runoff from east Saskatchewan into Manitoba, during at a meeting on March 27.

The meeting of the Saskawatchewan-Manitoba Drainage and Watershed Management Committee will be hosted in Virden to discuss the ongoing runoff issue that damages infrastructure along the border with Saskatchewan — due to water surging when the snow melts. Riding Mountain West Reeve Grant Boryskavich said he is looking forward to the start of consultations.

“This is the very first meeting,” Boryskavich said. “I hope there’s some good dialogue on it and we can come to some type of agreements on drainage and what’s happening on the Manitoba side.”

The meeting represents a positive step, Boryskavich said, though he also noted that he does not know what to expect from the meeting as it will be the first.

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Updated: 10:25 AM CDT

Water pours through a road in the Municipality of Russell-Binscarth in the spring of 2025. The municipality had the road excavated so that water could flow past without causing serious damage as it moved from Saskatchewan to the Assiniboine River. A meeting in Virden on Friday will bring together local councillors and stakeholders to discuss the issue moving forward. (File photo)

RCMP seek public’s help to find missing Langruth girl

1 minute read Preview

RCMP seek public’s help to find missing Langruth girl

1 minute read Yesterday at 10:37 PM CDT

Mounties are asking for the public’s help in finding a 13-year-old Langruth girl who was last seen early Tuesday morning.

Amaranth RCMP received a report on Tuesday that Cleora Roulette was missing.

Roulette was last seen at her residence in Langruth at 4:30 a.m., RCMP said in a news release. Mounties said the girl may be in Portage la Prairie or Ebb and Flow First Nation.

Police said they are concerned for Roulette’s well-being and described her as four-foot-10 with a slim build and straight brown hair. The girl has braces and wears false eyelashes, the release said.

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Yesterday at 10:37 PM CDT

Karla’s continues to evolve after 20 years

By Abiola Odutola 4 minute read Preview

Karla’s continues to evolve after 20 years

By Abiola Odutola 4 minute read Yesterday at 10:37 PM CDT

Karla’s International Foods is marking a milestone after two decades in business.

Owner Karla Ortega said the business reflects both the evolution of Brandon’s multicultural community and the resilience of a small, family-run enterprise.

Originally from Mexico, she arrived in Brandon in February 2006. One month later, she and her husband opened the doors to what would become a staple in the city’s downtown.

“It was not even planned like this,” Ortega told the Sun. “I couldn’t work at the time because of my paperwork, so my husband started the business and I just helped him. But then it became everything.”

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Yesterday at 10:37 PM CDT

Karla Ortega, owner of Karla’s International Foods in Brandon, at her Rosser Avenue store on Tuesday.
(Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Virden home broken into four times in three days

By Tyler Searle 2 minute read Preview

Virden home broken into four times in three days

By Tyler Searle 2 minute read Yesterday at 10:37 PM CDT

WINNIPEG — Police have three suspects in custody after a rash of break-ins targeting a home in rural Westman.

Mounties in Virden launched an investigation earlier this month after learning a home in the Rural Municipality of Wallace-Woodworth was broken into four times over the course of three days, Manitoba RCMP said in a news release Wednesday.

The owner lives in Winnipeg, but frequently visits the western Manitoba community, located about 70 kilometres west of Brandon. He reported the first break-and-enter on March 7, when numerous items were taken from the home, police said.

The homeowner was waiting at a friend’s house for police to arrive when the home was broken into again and more items were taken. The homeowner spent the night at a relative’s house, intending to return to the home the following day to finish securing it. That’s when they discovered a third break-and-enter had been attempted, RCMP said.

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Yesterday at 10:37 PM CDT

An RCMP collar tab pin is seen in Edmonton, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Let’s do Something — March 26, 2026

22 minute read Preview

Let’s do Something — March 26, 2026

22 minute read Yesterday at 10:28 PM CDT

TODAY

• Noon — Westman 365 Cancer Care Support Group meets the fourth Thursday of each month at noon at the Centre For Hope, located in Western Manitoba Cancer Care (300 McTavish Ave.) Providing information sessions to help cancer patients, caregivers and those who love them, navigate their cancer journey. For more information call Ron at 204-728-9728, Darlene at 204-761-8570 or Anne 204-728-9958.

• 1:30 p.m. — Taoist Tai Chi meets every Thursday afternoon at Trinity United Church (1515 Sixth St.) until 3 p.m.

• 2 p.m. — Galaxy Psychic and Crystal Fair in the banquet hall at the Victoria Inn (3550 Victoria Ave.) from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday; Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Entry fee is $10 and ticket is good for the weekend; ages 12 and under, free. Some of Canada’s top psychics, vendors, door prizes, beautiful crystals and handmade jewelry.

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Yesterday at 10:28 PM CDT