Slate of candidates who ran for city election reflects progress

“We teach our children kindness, respect, and inclusion. Shouldn’t we lead by example? Disagreement is part of democracy. Discrimination should never be.”

— Jay Mahida, unsuccessful candidate for school board trustee

I took a call to the newsroom several years ago from a person who was unhappy that some of the newcomers to our city objected to paying tax on items they were buying from the big box store where she worked.

It was at the start of what would be a sustained migration of people from China, Ukraine, Nigeria and parts of South America over the course of the next two decades to neighbourhoods across the city of Brandon. That growth was thanks largely to federal and provincial immigration programs, and the needs of local businesses such as Maple Leaf Foods, before it became the Canada Packers plant.

The lady was adamant that something must be done, and in our brief conversation she used language that was entirely inappropriate when talking about the newcomer population.

“Doesn’t the Sun do any investigative reporting? When will you look into this?” was the demand from the other side of the call.

Part of the problem, of course, was that many newcomers did not realize that the price tag on the item they were trying to buy was not the final price, and that they were also subject to GST and PST, which only show up at the checkout counter.

All people take time to get acclimatized to a new country and culture. She just wasn’t patient enough — or willing, perhaps — to give them the time to learn.

Thankfully, in the intervening years, Brandon has changed in numerous ways. It’s population has grown considerably, perhaps as fast as the growth it experienced at its birth — “always a city.”

There are cultures from all over the world that now call this city home — a fact reflected by the staff in our hospitals, the servers and patrons in our restaurants, those around the tables at Chamber of Commerce luncheons, the families in our places of worship, and now the candidates in our local elections. And it is my firm conviction that we are all the better for it.

However, while I am pleased to see that many of our newest citizens have been supported by the majority of us who grew up in this community and province, apparently not everyone has been so friendly or accommodating. And for at least a few of us, old prejudices still hold sway.

Mr. Mahida, for example, says that he had come across comments online suggesting people “shouldn’t vote for immigrants.”

Mahida, who finished ninth out of 10 candidates in the school board election, said that he has tried to stay positive, and that voters should instead just choose candidates on their character, actions and contributions. Yet it must be disheartening to be among those who did not manage a win — and even more so if there is a chance that racism may have played a part.

It is also true that no candidates from visible minorities were elected in the city’s municipal or school board election last week, in spite of the fact that there were seven visible-minority council candidates and two trustee candidates as well.

All 11 members of council elected on Wednesday are visibly white, as are seven of the eight school board trustees, with one Indigenous candidate, Shawna Mozdzen, re-elected to the board.

The situation prompted Brandon University Prof. Kelly Saunders to suggest that “systemic and structural racism” continues to play out across the country, even as some women are still facing an uphill battle getting elected as well. Note that only one of four women candidates for council were elected this year, this in spite of efforts by grassroots organizations like Her Seat At The Table that tried to interest more women candidates to run.

The fact remains that no community on earth is perfect, including Brandon. Our city remains a work in progress, and everyone has a part to play in making it work. But if we look a little more closely at the election campaign that has just ended, there are signs that not everything is as bleak as some might make out.

The Association of Manitoba Municipalities said that a record-breaking 213 women were elected to local office across the province, accounting for nearly 25 per cent of all elected municipal officials. That compares to 20 per cent in 2022 and 2018. While it may not be reflective of the situation in Brandon, it’s a step forward for the entire province.

It’s also a fact that Brandon enjoyed an unprecedented level of diversity in the 2026 municipal election, with half of Brandon’s 10 city wards with visible minorities on the ballot. Nearly a third of the new candidates running for council were new Canadians originally from Africa and South Asia, such as Ward 2 candidates Sonikile Tembo, Buchi Onuke, and Sunday Frangi.

While they did not win, together they earned a considerable number of votes — more in total than the eventual winner, Deveryn Ross. It’s also worth noting that all four candidates offered solid and thoughtful campaigns, something that can easily get lost in talk of racism and sexism.

There is clear evidence that things are changing in our community, and we urge those who ran this year to consider another run in the future.

Your diverse voices are exactly what our city needs. Just remember that time and change is on your side.

— Matt Goerzen, editor