Columns – Brandon Sun

$U.S. President Donald Trump holds a chart as he announces a plan for tariffs on imported goods during an event in the White House Rose Garden. (The Washington Post files)$

Time to explore new ways to deal with the U.S. and tariffs

By Robert Parsons 5 minute read Yesterday at 9:56 PM CST

Bravo to Ontario Premier Doug Ford, standing up for Canada.

The Ontario government’s advertisement which aired in the U.S., especially during the initial games of the World Series, was brilliant. It spoke directly to American citizens and was quintessentially Canadian: nothing but polite. It was effective, too. It did catch U.S. President Donald Trump’s ire, but given it was too close to home, using wise words by well-respected former president Ronald Reagan to raise serious concerns about tariffs.

Ford’s aplomb contrasts starkly with Prime Minister Mark Carney, who can be generously described these days as “elbows down.” Despite all the budget hubbub, Carney’s tactics with the U.S. appear protracted and ineffective, with “backing down” becoming his hallmark.

The European Union has a deal. Mexico has at least a partial deal. We do not. Some have blamed Ford for the suspension of talks, but U.S. officials confirmed the ad alone was not the cause, further indicating progress was slow. This undermines Carney’s claim that a deal had been imminent. The situation also perfectly suits Trump as we face a constant drip of job-loss announcements going south.

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Rushed legislation includes some surprising provisions

By Deveryn Ross 4 minute read Preview

Rushed legislation includes some surprising provisions

By Deveryn Ross 4 minute read Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025

On Wednesday of last week, Bill 48 — The Protective Detention and Care of Intoxicated Persons Act — was passed into law by the Manitoba Legislative Assembly. It was introduced on Oct. 2 and enacted little more than a month later.

Rushed legislation often leads to confusion among the public due to the limited opportunity for study, discussion and debate. That may be the case with respect to Bill 48.

Many in the media and public have focused on the legislation’s establishment of “protective care centres,” along with provisions that would authorize the involuntary detention of highly intoxicated persons for up to 72 hours (up from the previous maximum of 24 hours), but there is more to the bill than that.

In fact, it is fair to ask if how many MLAs and ordinary Manitobans had actually read Bill 48 prior to its passage. If they had, it is likely that far more questions would have emerged.

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Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025

Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith said Bill 48, the Protective Detention and Care of Intoxicated Persons Act, is meant to keep people safe. But a number of questions remain about the scope and potential consequences of the legislation, writes columnist Deveryn Ross. (Mike Deal/Winnipeg Free Press files)

Labour and immigration: it’s not so simple

By Cam Dahl 5 minute read Preview

Labour and immigration: it’s not so simple

By Cam Dahl 5 minute read Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025

Immigration is a hot-button political issue.

High unemployment rates for young Canadians, housing shortages, and skyrocketing rents have many politicians calling for dramatic changes to Canadian immigration policies. For example, some have been calling for an end to critical programs like the Temporary Foreign Worker program and slashing the number of new permanent residents.

The policy of the federal government from 2015 to 2023 was one of wide-open doors, with Canada admitting a record number of newcomers.

Facing housing shortages, rising rents, and high unemployment for youth and in some immigrant populations, Ottawa took a 180-degree policy pivot, cutting immigration targets. The targets for 2025 were almost 20 per cent below the 2024 levels with further reductions planned in the years to come. The initial allocation for the provincial nominee program was cut in half. These broad shifts do not serve the Canadian economy, nor new Canadians.

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Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025

Neepawa is undergoing rapid growth due to immigration and the hog industry. But as Cam Dahl points out, federal immigration rule changes could put that, and the growth of other communities, at risk. (Connor McDowell/The Brandon Sun files)

Rent control loopholes must be closed

By Jace Kettner 5 minute read Preview

Rent control loopholes must be closed

By Jace Kettner 5 minute read Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025

Amid an affordable housing and homelessness crisis, why has the provincial government gone back on its word to “make life more affordable for renters?”

The NDP ran for government in 2023 on a promise to “strengthen rent controls with legislation to protect renters from big rate hikes.” In fall 2024, the NDP government introduced a bill to do just this, but, surprisingly, let it die on the order paper.

Meanwhile, in the last three years, average asking rents have increased 27.1 per cent, the highest rate among Canadian provinces, skyrocketing beyond renters’ incomes.

Why is this happening?

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Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025

Jace Kettner writes that loopholes that allow landlords to get around the province’s maximum rent increase guideline need to be addressed by the NDP government. (The Canadian Press files)

Dr. Schipper’s philosophy of education

By Georgia Feng 13 minute read Preview

Dr. Schipper’s philosophy of education

By Georgia Feng 13 minute read Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025

Choosing a career is an inevitable part of growing up. When preparing for either post-secondary education or getting into the job market, this big step in life will bring more responsibility, require courage and build new skills. For some, this choice can be exciting and simple, while for others this could be the most difficult decision of their lives. There are thousands of professions that many people don’t even know about, and thousands of other professions that most people don’t care to explore more deeply. Academia is often one of those occupations that aren’t as commonly discussed. The Neelin Journalism Team had the chance to speak with 2007 Neelin graduate Adam Schipper, who is currently a part-time professor at Brandon University.

Q: Can you introduce yourself and your research?

A: My name is Adam Schipper, or Doctor Adam Schipper. I’m still getting used to that. I have a PhD in Philosophy. I teach Philosophy and English Literature at Brandon University online from Montreal, and my research is in the philosophy and politics of housework and domestic labour.

Q: Can you describe a typical day in your life?

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Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025

École secondaire Neelin High School graduate Adam Schipper shares what a life in academia is like as a Brandon University philosophy professor. (Submitted)

Advocating violence no way to respond to court verdict

By Allison Fenske 5 minute read Preview

Advocating violence no way to respond to court verdict

By Allison Fenske 5 minute read Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025

Recently, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that one-year mandatory minimum jail sentences for possession of and accessing child pornography (child sexual abuse and exploitation material) are unconstitutional.

In response to this ruling, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew appears to be calling for the extrajudicial killing of convicted offenders and encouraging vigilante justice saying “Not only should (you) go to prison for a long time, they should bury you under the prison. You shouldn’t get protective custody. They should put you into general population, if you know what I mean.”

Not only do these comments advocate further violence in prisons — threatening the life and safety of those working and incarcerated in these institutions — these comments are an affront to the administration of justice and rule of law.

Mandatory minimum sentences are a blunt legal tool that can prevent a judge from doing their job, which includes considering the individual circumstances of a case in arriving at a fit and proportionate sentence. Not only can mandatory minimums constrain a judge’s consideration of the circumstances of the accused, they can also limit deliberation about the harms to a victim or community in the specific circumstances of an offence. In the Supreme Court ruling that Kinew called “disgusting,” the only issue before the court was the constitutionality of the impugned mandatory minimum sentences. The specific sentences that had been imposed on the individuals before the court were not an issue on appeal.

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Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025

Allison Fenske argues why recent comments by Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew regarding the Supreme Court’s recent decision on mandatory minimum sentences for child pornography offences are unbecoming of a political leader. (The Canadian Press files)

Opposition’s complaints are no longer acceptable

By Deveryn Ross 5 minute read Preview

Opposition’s complaints are no longer acceptable

By Deveryn Ross 5 minute read Friday, Nov. 7, 2025

Thursday’s Brandon Sun presented an interesting contrast in perspective and attitude. On the opinion page, the editorial discussed several aspects of the Carney government’s Budget 2025 and ended with this conclusion:

“It is a reasonable fiscal plan — a credible first step by a new government and new prime minister — toward addressing the challenges of Canada’s current fiscal reality. It is worthy of Canadians’ support.”

On the front page of that same paper, however, was a report that began with this headline: “Westman MPs will vote against budget.” The report revealed that Brandon-Souris MP Grant Jackson and Riding Mountain MP Dan Mazier, both members of the opposition Conservative caucus, have already decided that they would vote against the spending plan.

At first, I thought this was another interesting example of how reasonable people can consider the same facts and yet arrive at very different perspectives or conclusions. As I thought about it, though, it struck me as evidence of a flaw in our model of government.

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Friday, Nov. 7, 2025

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In the absence of kindness

By John Simpson 6 minute read Preview

In the absence of kindness

By John Simpson 6 minute read Friday, Nov. 7, 2025

In September 2020, I presented a proposal to Brandon city council asking to change the name of Rosser Avenue.

The gist was that in my opinion, and that of some others, change was warranted because the city’s main street was named for a man, a Confederate general, Thomas Lafayette Rosser, who came from a slave-owning family and who actively fought to preserve slavery during the American Civil War, and who in speeches freely trumpeted his bigotry to receptive audiences.

A man, who as the engineer responsible for advancing the CPR railroad through Western Canada, was fired for lining his own pockets, and who subsequently threatened to kill the man who fired him. It seemed reasonable to me, if somewhat presumptuous, that citizens of Brandon would not want their main street named for a blatant racist, thief and thug.

I was convinced that this was a question of morality and community integrity. It was clear, however, that I had touched a nerve. In response to my proposal, I was greeted with online insults and name calling, “stupid,” “snowflake” and “buffoon” were memorable among them.

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Friday, Nov. 7, 2025

John Simpson gave a detailed presentation Brandon city council in September 2020 on why he thought Rosser Avenue should be renamed. (The Brandon Sun files)

Child care is infrastructure, too

By Gordon Cleveland 6 minute read Preview

Child care is infrastructure, too

By Gordon Cleveland 6 minute read Friday, Nov. 7, 2025

Why is Prime Minister Mark Carney’s budget pressing the pause button on early learning and child care?

Carney believes he is “protecting” the $10-a-day child-care program — but with its substantial shortages and unsatisfied families, staying still means going backwards.

The budget says Carney will continue the child-care funding that was already committed before he became prime minister — around $8 billion per year that extends federal transfers to provinces and territories for five years, mostly for operating funding, but about $150 million per year for the next couple of years for capital. It also notes more than 900,000 children benefit from the $10-a-day program so far.

However, the Liberal electoral platform promised 100,000 new spaces by 2031 on top of the 250,000 already promised by 2026. It also promised good wages for early educators, expansion of child care in public infrastructure and linking child care with housing developments that receive federal funds. None of this gets so much as a mention in the budget.

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Friday, Nov. 7, 2025

A young girl plays at a CEFA (Core Education and Fine Arts) early learning daycare franchise, in Langley, B.C.
(The Canadian Press files)

Immigration policy a moving target

By Omid Asayesh 5 minute read Preview

Immigration policy a moving target

By Omid Asayesh 5 minute read Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025

With more than 85 million people naming it their top choice, Canada has become one of the most desired migration destinations in the world over the past decade.

Yet even in 2024, its highest year on record, Canada only admitted about 480,000 new permanent residents, a small fraction of global demand.

Despite earlier plans to increase admissions, the intake is now set to decline in response to mounting pressures on housing and public services. There has also been political pushback from opposition parties and segments of the public who argue that the government’s rapid expansion of immigration targets has outpaced Canada’s ability to absorb newcomers.

The challenge, however, is not how few people get in; it is how unpredictable the system has become.

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Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025

Oreo Amogu, 31, (left) receives a Canadian flag from Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham during a Canada Day citizenship ceremony in Winnipeg in 2024. (Winnipeg Free Press files)

Canada must transform its long-term care system

By Denise Suzanne Cloutier 5 minute read Preview

Canada must transform its long-term care system

By Denise Suzanne Cloutier 5 minute read Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025

With Canadians now living longer than ever, the question of who will care for them — and under what conditions — when they can no longer care for themselves has become one of the country’s most pressing issues.

According to 2021 census data, the population aged 85 and over and 100 and over are growing at rates much faster than other population cohorts.

And the reality is that the longer we live, the more likely we are to experience chronic, multiple and complex health conditions like hypertension, osteoarthritis, heart disease, osteoporosis, chronic pulmonary disease, diabetes, cancer and dementia.

While most older people will continue to “age in place” in their own homes and in relatively good health, about eight per cent, or roughly 528,000, will require the specialized care provided in long-term care (LTC) or assisted living facilities.

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Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025

While most older people will continue to “age in place” in their own homes and in relatively good health, about eight per cent, or roughly 528,000, will require the specialized care provided in long-term care or assisted living facilities. (The Canadian Press files)

Carney’s apology to Trump a long way from ‘elbows up’

By Stewart Prest 6 minute read Preview

Carney’s apology to Trump a long way from ‘elbows up’

By Stewart Prest 6 minute read Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025

Canadians have learned in recent days that Prime Minister Mark Carney did indeed apologize for an Ontario advertisement that used Ronald Reagan’s own words to correctly portray the late United States president’s views on the importance of free trade.

The subtext to such an apology is clear: “Sorry Ontario accurately described Ronald Reagan’s stand on free trade, Mr. President. We understand those words hurt your feelings and challenged your version of the truth, which of course is unacceptable. We promise we won’t let the facts get in the way of our relationship again.”

Last spring’s election was all about building insulation to Trump, using phrases like “Elbows up” and “Canada Strong.” But the attitude of both the federal government and the Official Opposition, then and now, has often been conciliatory to the point of obsequiousness.

Far from elbows up, Canada too often seems to have no elbows at all.

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Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025

United States President Donald Trump looks toward Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as they raise their glasses during a toast at a working dinner in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Oct. 29. (The Associated Press)

World Series anthem outcry ignores truth of lyric change

By Niigaan Sinclair 5 minute read Preview

World Series anthem outcry ignores truth of lyric change

By Niigaan Sinclair 5 minute read Monday, Nov. 3, 2025

On Oct. 27, in front of 11 million fans who watched Game 3 of the World Series, Toronto singer JP Saxe did what is now a fairly common act during his rendition of the Canadian national anthem.

He changed one word, replacing “Our home on native land” rather than using the official version: “Our home and native land.”

It’s far from the first time someone has done this.

In 2023, at the NBA all-star game in Salt Lake City, Toronto R&B singer Jully Black did the same thing.

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Monday, Nov. 3, 2025

The Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers listen to the singing of the national anthems ahead of the first inning in Game 3 of the World Series playoff in Los Angeles on Oct. 27. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press files)

The Blue Jay fan’s guide to dealing with despair

By Craig Greenham 5 minute read Monday, Nov. 3, 2025

The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. This tidy maxim has been used for years to describe sports outcomes.

This polarized expression, however, oversimplifies fan reaction to events like the Toronto Blue Jays’ World Series loss, ignores the complicated emotional terrain of fandom and fails to recognize the psycho-social forces at work.

So, why are so many Canadians so deeply invested in the Blue Jays?

Fans develop parasocial relationships with players, teams and even broadcasters — evident in the outpouring of emotion surrounding Jays’ announcer Buck Martinez’s cancer journey — through repeated media exposure.

Schooling you on how to rock

By Alexis Grimeau 3 minute read Monday, Nov. 3, 2025

Major productions are a big part of the high school experience, and this year, École secondaire Neelin High School has the honour to be the first school to bring Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “School of Rock” to the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium. This production will run Wednesday to Friday, with each show starting at 7 p.m. Tickets will be going for $25 for adults, $20 for students and seniors, and $15 for children under the age of 12.

When asked, staff involved in the production all highlighted the dedication and effort the students gave the production on top of keeping up with all their school work and other extra-curricular activities.

Mike Leach, our stage crew manager, said: “Some days stage crew are doing 14-hour days, and they put in the least number of hours.” He also talked about how fun it is to be a part of the stage crew with them overseeing starting and ending the show, and the backgrounds including all the props. He highlighted how stage crew are like ninjas due to them changing scenery and props all without being seen.

Tiffany Devlin, our hair and makeup manager, pointed out that while the hair and makeup crew don’t put in the most hours of work, they still have very early mornings and are what helps start the show.

‘Demonstration effect’ needs boost from communities

By Georgia Teare and Laura Misener 5 minute read Preview

‘Demonstration effect’ needs boost from communities

By Georgia Teare and Laura Misener 5 minute read Monday, Nov. 3, 2025

By age 14, girls drop out of sport at twice the rate of boys in Canada.

Sport can boost young people’s physical health, mental well-being and social skills, and fewer girls participating means more of them are missing out on these benefits.

But with women’s sports surging worldwide, closing Canada’s gender gap in participation is closer than ever before.

The solution, however, isn’t just more equipment or facilities — it’s showing them who they can become. Canadian Women and Sport’s recent Rally Report reveals that girls and women participate at disproportionately lower rates than boys and men, and that a lack of role models is a key driver of this gap.

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Monday, Nov. 3, 2025

November 13, 2025

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