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Ryden Hargreaves of the Brandon Bobcats leaps to put the ball over the net during a match against the University of Winnipeg Wesmen at the Brandon University Healthy Living Centre on Friday afternoon. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

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Byline or bot? AI-generated ‘journalists’ start to appear in Canada

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Preview

Byline or bot? AI-generated ‘journalists’ start to appear in Canada

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Updated: 10:44 AM CDT

OTTAWA - Quebec correspondent "Geneviève Tremblay" — who has been reporting on multiple news stories a day lately — seemed to be experiencing a glitch.

She wasn't the only one. All of We News’ reporters and editors seemed to be malfunctioning on Friday, sending out error messages whenever The Canadian Press tried to ask them questions via chat.

That can happen when your "journalists" are — like the virtual staffers at We News — just fake personas generated by artificial intelligence.

AI has infiltrated news media in Canada and around the world. In early September, Nunatsiaq News published a story about an AI persona posing as an Inuk journalist in Nunavut — one of many personas used to repurpose work from legitimate news sources, including The Canadian Press, for We News.

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Updated: 10:44 AM CDT

Local

From left, Quebec Solidaire co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal, Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, Coalition Avenir Québec Leader Christine Fréchette, Quebec Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime and Quebec Liberal Leader Charles Milliard pose prior to the start of a leaders debate in Montreal on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026. Quebec votes in a provincial election on Oct. 5, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Quebec political leaders make final pitch as election campaign nears end

The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Quebec political leaders make final pitch as election campaign nears end

The Canadian Press 4 minute read Updated: 3:47 PM CDT

MONTREAL - Quebec’s political parties are making a final push for undecided voters as the provincial election campaign enters its last weekend before Monday’s vote.

The leaders of the five main parties made multiple appearances in the province Saturday, appealing to voters in key regions as they sought to shore up support and make last-minute gains.

Coalition Avenir Québec Leader Christine Fréchette used a campaign stop in Saint-Hubert, south of Montreal, to urge voters to stick with what she called the CAQ’s “third way” between federalism and sovereignty.

For decades, she said, Quebecers were forced to define themselves politically as either federalists or sovereigntists, a divide the CAQ sought to move beyond when it came to power in 2018.

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Updated: 3:47 PM CDT

Local

911 outage caused by software glitch: Bell

By Chris Kitching 3 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

WINNIPEG — A 911 outage that affected Manitoba and four other provinces for about 90 minutes last month was caused by a software failure, according to Bell Canada’s report to a federal regulator.

An abridged version of the report, which was made public Friday, did not say how many callers were affected when Bell’s next-generation 911 platform stopped receiving new calls and transferring new calls to local 911 communications centres due to the glitch.

The outage, which lasted from 2:13 a.m. to 3:40 a.m. central time, was not caused by a cyberattack or any change activity, Bell said.

“Rather, the outage was caused by a latent software issue that triggered an unexpected condition in certain network components within the (next-generation 911) network,” Philippe Gauvin, Bell’s assistant general counsel, wrote in the report, which was published on the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s website.

Local

Canada Packers president Dennis Organ says the company’s first year was focused on building a successful standalone business while continuing to serve customers, communities and shareholders. (Supplied)

Canada Packers navigates challenging first year

By Abiola Odutola 3 minute read Preview

Canada Packers navigates challenging first year

By Abiola Odutola 3 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

Canada Packers has strengthened its business and laid the foundation for future growth during its first year as an independent company, president Dennis Organ told the Sun.

The Brandon-based pork producer, separated from Maple Leaf Foods in October 2025, established its own leadership, strategy, systems, culture and identity while continuing operations across its hog production farms and regional hog barns in southern and eastern Manitoba.

The company’s first year was focused on building a successful standalone business while continuing to serve customers, communities and shareholders, Organ said.

“Market conditions over the past year have been more challenging than we anticipated when we became a separate entity,” he said in an email. “Despite that, we continued to execute against our priorities, including increasing processing volumes, maintaining disciplined operations and strengthening the business.”

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2:00 AM CDT

Local

Veteran Progressive Conservative MLA Kelvin Goertzen said he’s seen both governing parties hit peaks and valleys. (Greg Vandermeule/The Carillon files)

Khan should’ve taken high road: Goertzen

By Carol Sanders 5 minute read Preview

Khan should’ve taken high road: Goertzen

By Carol Sanders 5 minute read Updated: 10:44 AM CDT

WINNIPEG — The veteran Progressive Conservative who championed Obby Khan’s leadership bid says the former Blue Bomber dropped the ball by dissing his Tory teammates before he stepped down.

“I wouldn’t recommend it, and I didn’t recommend it,” Kelvin Goertzen (Steinbach) said in an interview Friday.

Khan resigned as PC leader and quit the caucus Monday saying some members were secretly plotting his ouster, even after he won a confidence vote on Sept. 25.

On Tuesday, Khan lashed out in a CJOB interview, naming the alleged plotters, saying constituents deserved to know which of their elected representatives “lacked moral integrity.” Khan told the Winnipeg Free Press he was “deeply emotionally hurt,” and felt stabbed in the back.

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Updated: 10:44 AM CDT

Local

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES

Quarterly reports from Manitoba Health listed 121 critical incidents in 2025.

Critical health-care incidents down in 2025

By Chris Kitching 4 minute read Preview

Critical health-care incidents down in 2025

By Chris Kitching 4 minute read Updated: 10:53 AM CDT

WINNIPEG — The number of critical incidents reported within Manitoba’s health-care system declined again in 2025, with delays, gaps and “missed opportunities” among the most common circumstances of deaths or injuries.

Quarterly reports from Manitoba Health listed 121 critical incidents, including 32 deaths, in hospitals, personal care homes and other settings, down from 134 incidents in 2024, when 32 deaths were also reported, and 166 incidents (42 deaths) in 2023.

“We’d obviously like to see those at zero,” said Jason Linklater, president of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, which represents more than 7,700 allied health workers.

“It’s good that they’ve come down. What we really want to see is those numbers drastically reduced overall, and I just fear that’s not going to happen until staffing is dealt with.”

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Updated: 10:53 AM CDT

Local

A map showing the boundaries of Ward 1. (City of Brandon)

Shaluk challenges Karrouze for Ward 1 seat

By Alex Lambert 6 minute read Preview

Shaluk challenges Karrouze for Ward 1 seat

By Alex Lambert 6 minute read 12:14 AM CDT

Until election day, The Brandon Sun will be running profiles on each of the city’s 10 electoral wards, asking candidates to identify the most important problems facing their ward.

Incumbent Ward 1 Coun. Heather Karrouze — who faces Ron Shaluk in the Oct. 28 election — says she wants to see more traffic calming measures along Braecrest Avenue to improve pedestrian safety.

Karrouze, 65, said there has been a lot more development near the road in recent years but safety features haven’t kept pace, despite improved pedestrian crossings with flashing lights being installed.

“Although we have a path on the south side, it is human nature to take the easiest, quickest route home, and so we see a lot of pedestrians walking along the north side of Braecrest where there is no sidewalk,” she said.

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12:14 AM CDT

Local

The municipality says some focus areas may be targeted at first to trap beavers, and then efforts will be guided by tips and complaints. (Mikaela MacKenzie/Winnipeg Free Press files)

Oakland-Wawanesa to hire trapper to cull beavers

By Connor McDowell Local Journalism Initiative 2 minute read Preview

Oakland-Wawanesa to hire trapper to cull beavers

By Connor McDowell Local Journalism Initiative 2 minute read 12:14 AM CDT

A licensed trapper is expected to start catching beavers in Oakland-Wawanesa this year to reduce the rodent population in the municipality.

Council voted at its Aug. 18 regular meeting to hire a beaver trapper for a set price per year. CAO Joni Swidnicki said the work is expected to cost about $2,500 per year and the municipality is currently working on an agreement with a trapper.

“It’s just a case that there are a number of areas where, even though you destroy the dam at one point, they’re right back at it again a day or two later,” Swidnicki said.

“So (there needs to be) somebody to actually do some extermination.”

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12:14 AM CDT

Local

Flowers bloom outside Brandon City Hall. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun files)

Five debates on tap for councillor, mayoral candidates

1 minute read Preview

Five debates on tap for councillor, mayoral candidates

1 minute read 12:09 AM CDT

Brandon residents hoping to hear from municipal candidates before the Oct. 28 election will have the opportunity during five upcoming debates.

The debates — set for Oct. 14 and 21 for councillor candidates and Oct. 16 for mayoral candidates — will be held at Lorne Watson Recital Hall inside Brandon University.

The public debates are being organized by The Brandon Sun, BU and WCGtv.

The first two debates on Wednesday, Oct. 14 will bring together councillor candidates from Ward 5, Ward 2, Ward 3 and Ward 8.

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12:09 AM CDT

Local

Dennis Rome is seen in 2020 with an unrelated petition. Rome, a former councillor in Oakland-Wawanesa who opposed the bylaw earlier this year, said he is not surprised that the Manitoba Municipal Board sided with the municipality. (The Brandon Sun files)

Nesbitt public works shop to break ground this month

By Connor McDowell Local Journalism Initiative 4 minute read Preview

Nesbitt public works shop to break ground this month

By Connor McDowell Local Journalism Initiative 4 minute read 12:07 AM CDT

The Municipality of Oakland-Wawanesa will move forward with a new public works shop this year at a cost of $833,702 by introducing a temporary tax on properties.

The public works shop, a 60-by-100-foot structure planned for 54 Main St. in Nesbitt, is expected to break ground this month, CAO Joni Swidnicki said in an interview on Friday.

The project will be funded by a $76.83 special tax on each taxable parcel annually from 2026 to 2035.

The shop will be built through the winter and is anticipated to be completed in March 2027, Swidnicki said.

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12:07 AM CDT