Letters to the Editor – Brandon Sun

Kinsmen Pool, located at 411 Park St., is Brandon's only outdoor public pool. (Submitted)

Council must exercise some fiscal restraint

1 minute read Friday, Mar. 13, 2026

I am writing regarding the proposal for the City of Brandon to borrow $6,061,000 to construct an outdoor aquatic facility.

At a time when the city is already facing financial challenges, it is difficult to justify adding millions more in public debt.

The proposed annual repayment of approximately $848,000 over 10 years represents a significant ongoing obligation that will ultimately be borne by local taxpayers.

Brandon is currently dealing with budget pressures and existing service demands.

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Time for some new voices in Turtle Mountain

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Time for some new voices in Turtle Mountain

2 minute read Friday, Mar. 13, 2026

Another option? In my opinion, yes!

I have lived in the rural riding of Turtle Mountain (formerly Arthur-Virden) for the majority of my life.

Turtle Mountain, by many, is considered a “yellow dog” riding.

This has always been a concern of mine. I do not carry a card of any political party. I have never donated to a political party or a campaign. I have never voted for the party. I am a centrist. I vote for the candidate that I think has the same values as I do. The candidate that lives in my riding and has a passion for my riding. The candidate that will strive to make our already amazing riding even better.

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Friday, Mar. 13, 2026

Visitors to Turtle Mountain Provincial Park take in an afternoon of fishing at Adam Lake in 2021. Eric Reder says the Manitoba government should invest more in its provincial parks and green spaces, as well as expand protected areas. (File)

MAGA provides loud, destructive lesson

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MAGA provides loud, destructive lesson

1 minute read Friday, Feb. 20, 2026

I am a Canadian with an American heritage on my paternal grandmother’s side (Nebraska).

I’m sad to say that Donald Trump will NEVER be prosecuted. He has too many Congressmen in his sphere of influence.

Even the Supreme Court has given him immunity from prosecution, so that basically settles it. Trump will simply pardon himself and everyone around him, as he has done with the Jan. 6 insurrectionists.

I also hate to say this, but MAGA Americans are too stupid to realize what exactly is happening. Trump was bad enough in his first term, and they invited him back into power? What did they expect? HELLO!

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Friday, Feb. 20, 2026

President Donald Trump speaks during an event on coal power in the East Room at the White House, on Feb. 11 in Washington. (The Associated Press)

Letter — Help us find a solution

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Letter — Help us find a solution

3 minute read Friday, Feb. 20, 2026

A growing concern for many Brandon families is the inequity between students who are bused to school and those who live within walking distance — particularly during the lunch hour.

Bused students benefit from structured supervision and consistent expectations throughout the school day. Meanwhile, many walking-distance students are expected to leave school property or rely on informal, volunteer-based supervision during lunch. This creates an uneven experience for students and raises real concerns about safety, consistency, and fairness.

Why does a student living 1.6 kilometres from school receive different opportunities than a student 1.59 kilometres from their school?

The lunch hour is not “free time” in the way it once was. It is a critical part of the school day. Properly supervised lunch periods help keep children safe, support positive behaviour and allow students to return to class regulated, focused and ready to learn. Research and lived experience tell us that students do better academically and socially when they have predictable routines, adequate supervision and a safe place to eat and decompress during the day.

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Friday, Feb. 20, 2026

A local parents group is inviting members of the public “who care about student safety and equity” to attend Monday’s Brandon School Division board of trustees meeting, which will take place at the BSD’s headquarters on Sixth Street. (File)

Transparency aids engagement

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Transparency aids engagement

2 minute read Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026

It’s no secret I attend many public meetings. It’s also no secret that I am critical and outspoken.

One may find it surprising that I agree with a great deal of the comments made by Courtney Kostesky, the CAO of Gilbert Plains, in her letter to The Carillon. Public employees shouldn’t have to walk on eggshells or be subject to violence when doing their jobs.

However, Kostesky’s recommendation that the public should “use proper channels” lacks nuance. When I look at the poor transparency of many of our local boards and councils, I see few accessible ways for the average citizen to engage.

A great many boards do not publish audio/video recordings of their meetings. Some I know don’t publish agendas well enough in advance for members of the public to know what issues are coming forward. Some boards allow you to apply to be a delegation, but censorship is all too easy. Presenting to a board is not a right, but a granted privilege. Voicemails and emails are easily ignored.

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Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026

Gilbert Plains CAO Courtney Kostesky. She wrote a public letter in January complaining of how hostility is impacting governance in Manitoba, and called for citizens to be more constructive in their engagement, citing her own experience. (Supplied)

Letter — We’re stronger when we’re all together

4 minute read Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026

There are many people experiencing trauma in their lives for which they receive counselling, hormones, medications, sedatives. These are many people born with conditions or who develop them later in life, and even more people are traumatized from an event that has caused psychological coping difficulties, anxiety and depression.

People have side-effects and many people self-medicate. All people fall down, and somewhere along the way their situation consumed them, traumatized them or detrimentally set them back.

Everybody is going through something.

And that means the system of professional support is overtaxed and people can’t get the start-to-finish support they need such as diagnosis, coping skills and medication if necessary.

Preserving wetlands really in everyone’s best interest

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Preserving wetlands really in everyone’s best interest

6 minute read Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026

I recently read the Sun article, of Tuesday, Jan. 13, about the development plan which has been submitted for the South Village area, south of Patricia Avenue. Some claim this will be a real “win” for Brandon residents to have another large commercial area in the city. Maybe that is true, although others might argue that we don’t need even more retail outlets to stoke the consumption of even more consumer products that is fuelling increased household debt and environment degradation.

But let’s just leave that discussion for another day, because at issue in this plan is a much more immediate and specific problem. The city planner quoted in the article very correctly identifies that there are concerns about maintaining the integrity of the very large wetland on the development property. This is a Class 4 wetland, subject to special protections in provincial regulations.

Interestingly, in the current plan submitted by the developer, the word “wetland” barely appears. When it does it is quickly, rhetorically transformed into a “green space” that will host trails, play structures and benches, and will be carved up into a series of connected “naturalized storm water ponds.” While this is clearly a wetland, a sensitive and vital natural ecosystem, the site developer seems to see “green space” opportunity where they plan to “enhance the habitat and aesthetic qualities of the wetland” (a quote from the plan document).

What a wonderful vision, right? But let’s look at the reality obscured by the vision. The current plan proposes a “parks and natural area” of 55.1 acres, of which the wetland portion is part. Keep in mind, this includes all the recreational area they propose to create in the “green space.” Now consider that the wetland assessment that was part of an earlier planning phase for this same site (on file with the city) determined the area of the wetland to be 90 acres. That includes 35 acres of deep and shallow marsh zone (where you will find standing water most of the time) and 23.5 acres of what is called “wet meadow zone.” Already that is 60 acres in which if you go for a hike you will be walking in water or mud.

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Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026

A screenshot of a map of the South Village Neighbourhood in south Brandon. The red section will be developed for commercial uses. Orange is moderate-density homes, yellow is low-density homes and green is for a retention pond and green space. (Supplied)

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Orwell’s insights relevant today

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Orwell’s insights relevant today

2 minute read Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026

Minneapolis residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti were fatally shot by ICE and U.S. Border Patrol agents. President Donald Trump called Pretti an “agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist.” Without evidence, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller labelled him a “domestic terrorist” and a “would-be assassin.”

Notably, a frame-by-frame analysis by CNN shows that shots 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 were all fired while Pretti lay incapacitated on his back.

George Orwell, author of the dystopian novel “1984,” observed that “atrocities are believed in or disbelieved in solely on grounds of political predilection. Everyone believes in the atrocities of the enemy and disbelieves in those of his own side, without ever bothering to examine the evidence.”

In fact, Trump’s Department of Justice filed a motion challenging a judge’s order that barred the destruction of evidence in the Pretti case.

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Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026

This photo, provided by The Royal Mint on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, shows a portrait of George Orwell and a new £2 coin. (The Royal Mint/PinPep via AP)

PM trying to get things done

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PM trying to get things done

3 minute read Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026

Economic recovery is never an “overnight” miracle brought on by a newly elected government.

Mark Carney is probably one of the most intelligent financial minds of our time, and is dealing with the Trump era tariffs the only way he can — finding new markets.

It’s critical for our population (working class) that businesses have markets for their products — otherwise, layoffs occur. Yes, layoffs are happening already because of the Trump effect. Imagine how bad it would be if Mark Carney just sat in his office and did absolutely nothing.

That isn’t happening — he’s not on a world tour holiday at taxpayer expense like the uninformed claim. They’ve been brainwashed by extreme right media and political leaders like Pierre Poilievre. They accept anything that reinforces that narrative.

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Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026

Prime Minister Mark Carney makes his way to question period on Parliament Hill on Tuesday. (The Canadian Press)

Why Manitoba Jobs Agreement matters

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Why Manitoba Jobs Agreement matters

3 minute read Monday, Feb. 2, 2026

When I read the recent comments from the Christian Labour Association of Canada about the Manitoba Jobs Agreement in the Jan. 30 Brandon Sun article, “Union criticizes contract for school projects,” I could not help but shake my head. I was angry and as a worker and “union guy,” I found them downright offensive!

The idea given that workers should have this “choice” to accept lower wages and less benefits is outrageous and completely misses the point of what unions are truly supposed to be about. Unions are supposed to raise the bar for the working class on wages security and safety.

As it is known historically, construction contracts are usually and almost always awarded to the lowest bidder. Now this means to get the lowest bid companies will squeeze wages, offer next to no benefits, and let standards slide. At least the worker has a job, right?

This race to the bottom is exactly what unions and workers have spent generations pushing back on, and why the Manitoba Jobs Agreement truly matters. It ensures there are some guardrails in place. It standardizes employment terms on major public projects, which include wages and benefits so that they line up with the building trade standards and ensures that Manitobans are the ones doing the work. Remember this is our tax dollars being spend.

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Monday, Feb. 2, 2026

Premier Wab Kinew greets workers before a press conference on the Manitoba Jobs Agreement in Winnipeg on Monday. (Mike Deal/Winnipeg Free Press)

Standing up for Wowchuk

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Standing up for Wowchuk

5 minute read Monday, Feb. 2, 2026

I really don’t want to post anything about politics on social media. But in this case, I feel compelled to support Rick Wowchuk.

I wonder if Premier Wab Kinew is aware that this project was approved by the Progressive Conservatives when they were last in power. Does he understand that the MLA of Swan River was very involved in securing funding and supporting this project through it’s stages, until completion?

Kinew publicly says, “$16.6 million of your money invested into the build …” and he goes on to say, “it’s your money, it’s not the PCs’, it’s not mine, it’s yours.” This makes absolutely no sense. It emphasizes that he should not be interfering with the guests that can or can not speak. He should let the people responsible for the event choose. Let the MLA who helped secure the money and work toward the cause speak. Let the local MLA speak on behalf of the voters that elected him into his constituency.

Anyone involved in politics (or anyone with common sense) understands that this is common practice to ask your local MLA to speak at a function such as this. If it’s “yours,” then let those people choose who can speak. Kinew has no jurisdiction or right to call the school board and tell them who can and can not speak, and then days later make a ludicrous comment, “that is your money.” Absolutely embarrassing as an elected official to make such a statement.

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Monday, Feb. 2, 2026

Swan River MLA Rick Wowchuk was scheduled to speak at the Swan Valley Regional School last month, but was advised the day before that Premier Wab Kinew’s staff had insisted that he was “not to speak” at the event. (The Canadian Press files)

Why you should care about wetlands

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Why you should care about wetlands

3 minute read Friday, Jan. 30, 2026

On Tuesday, Jan. 13, an article by Alex Lambert appeared in The Brandon Sun about a new development proposal for an area south of Brandon that is called “South Village.”

In the middle of this parcel of land is a 90-acre class IV wetland. Since European settlement, wetlands were seen as wastelands. Here on the Prairies when agriculture became the driving economic force, wetlands were seen as a barrier to growing crops, a feature having a negative impact on the livelihood of most farmers. Wetlands were seen as land you couldn’t farm and therefore in need of being drained or filled in so you could grow crops.

Since European settlement, it is estimated that we have lost up to 70 per cent of the wetland areas here in Manitoba. We have drained and/or filled in wetlands in order to build communities and homes, shopping centres, roads, and to expand cropland. This activity was viewed as progress.

You may be asking, why should I care about wetlands? If landowners want to drain them or fill them in, that’s not my problem. It turns out it could be your problem; it could be everyone’s problem.

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Friday, Jan. 30, 2026

Letter — Why this budget matters for Brandon’s future

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Letter — Why this budget matters for Brandon’s future

5 minute read Friday, Jan. 23, 2026

It’s budget time at the City of Brandon. Unfortunately, the public discussion of the city’s budget often gets reduced to a single number — what’s the percentage increase?

At one level, this is understandable. But budgets are really about priorities. So, I wanted to take a moment to communicate directly with you, as your mayor, about the budget choices I’ve supported and the ones I will support in this upcoming budget.

First and foremost, know that I respect your tax dollars and approach all city spending with the reverence it deserves. Even when difficult decisions are necessary, we need to keep the ability of Brandonites to pay in mind.

Tax increases in the past couple of years have been more elevated than previously. There’s a reason for that — for too long, the investments Brandon needed simply weren’t made.

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Friday, Jan. 23, 2026

“Even when difficult decisions are necessary, we need to keep the ability of Brandonites to pay (taxes) in mind,” Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett writes. (Alex Lambert/The Brandon Sun files)

Letter — Brandon’s mayoral candidates need to try harder

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Letter — Brandon’s mayoral candidates need to try harder

2 minute read Friday, Jan. 16, 2026

“We weren’t going to do 13 per cent a year, it’s just not palpable. We’re trying to get this to where it is palpable. We know we’re going to put ourselves in a better position going forward at around that seven.”

— Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett

“The key is to move taxes forward at a responsible level. Talking about 10 or 11 per cent increases is unattainable. We need to be realistic about what we need, what we want, and what we can afford. I am thinking this year … probably around six to seven per cent.”

— Len Isleifson

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Friday, Jan. 16, 2026

Stand up to Trump already

6 minute read Preview

Stand up to Trump already

6 minute read Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026

Archimedes, the Greek mathematician and physicist once said, “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.” So to speak, Donald Trump has done just that. He has single-handedly leveraged the world into chaos.

Two more tankers seized by the U.S., this time in international waters, it again crosses another precedent-setting boundary line. No pun intended. No one is effectively trying to stop these international law breaches by Trump.

The U.S. has previously stated that it will not tolerate the export of goods to countries it believes will benefit its enemies.

This really means any trade deal Prime Minister Mark Carney is trying to re-establish with China. Goods coming in or out between Canada and China, no doubt. Meaning in actuality, any deals that any Western Hemisphere country that the U.S. believes is a threat to them. Meaning not just militarily, but economically.

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Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., on Saturday as Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens. (The Associated Press files)

Taking issue with Daudrich’s comments

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Taking issue with Daudrich’s comments

2 minute read Friday, Jan. 2, 2026

Having read the story and the comments from Wally Daudrich, a possible candidate to represent the riding of Turtle Mountain, I was amused and somewhat perplexed by some of the statements he made to the press concerning oil development in southwestern Manitoba and equalization payments.

Currently, Manitoba’s crude oil production is equivalent to approximately 43 per cent of the province’s refined petroleum products requirements. (Source: Manitoba Government website.)

To quote Mr. Daudrich, “I don’t see why Manitoba is burning a single drop of oil or using natural gas from outside Manitoba.” Unfortunately, I certainly do see why Manitoba imports oil from other jurisdictions. It’s called math.

We don’t produce nearly enough oil and natural gas locally, and what is produced is already under contract to the companies working in the oil field.

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Friday, Jan. 2, 2026

March 20, 2026

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