Safety a top concern for BSD trustee candidate

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/09/2025 (195 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In the weeks leading up to the Oct. 16 Brandon School Division trustee byelection, the Sun will interview the seven candidates on their platforms and why they are running.

Safety is a big concern for one candidate vying for the Ward 1 trustee seat in the Brandon School Division byelection.

Michael Grantham, 57, cited the sword attack at École secondaire Neelin High School in June that left one student injured as a reason safety is something he wants to address.

“Kids being safe and being able to feel that way and going to school is paramount,” Grantham said.

Grantham is facing Laura Armitage, Bonnie-Lynn Mills, Shawna Mozdzen, Eren Oleson, Himanshu Shah and Henry Sieklicki in the seven-person trustee race.

On the issue of safety, working cameras, safety officers and better-controlled school zones are items he’d like to see explored, Grantham said on Friday. He suggested educational assistants could double-up as safety officers.

“We have to slow down going through school zones. And I understand that signs are posted,” he said. “Do we make them more noticeable? Do we put lights on it so they’re flashing just to kind of give people that heads up again?”

Grantham moved to Brandon when he was in Grade 3 and has lived in the city ever since. He currently manages an insurance brokerage. He said running for trustee is “an opportunity to give back to my community.”

Banning books in school libraries is not something he agrees with, he said.

Alberta recently adopted a ban on books in schools that contain explicit images of sexual acts. That came after the provincial government had previously banned books containing sexual acts in a “written passage.” It was revised because the previous ban could include books like “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Godfather” and “1984.”

In 2023, the Brandon School Division rejected a request to review books that featured LGBTQ subjects of gender identity and sexual health. That was shot down after long debate that drew widespread criticism against the request from the community.

“I’m not a fan of banning books — information and knowledge is power,” Grantham said.

“Some of those kids that are wondering are curious, or don’t know if there’s others like them. Having those books and that information available, I, for one, feel is a good thing.

“I’m all about inclusivity and information being available.”

Grantham said he wants to make sure the division is open to newcomers, including helping when there’s a language barrier.

“Do we have the proper resources for a lot of the influx of new people that are coming in?” Grantham asked.

Grantham said he’s surprised seven candidates are running, but that he’s “optimistic” and “may the best candidate win.”

The byelection was triggered after Blaine Foley resigned in March. The byelection date is Oct. 16, with advanced polls open on Oct. 8 and 11.

The next general school board election is scheduled to happen just over a year later on Oct. 28, 2026, the same time as the municipal election.

» alambert@brandonsun.com