Opinion – Brandon Sun

The Manitoba Hydro Brandon Generating Station off Victoria Avenue East. Three combustion turbine units will be built at the station to help power the province, but Scott Blyth says leaders need to reconsider the project. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun files)

Brandon gas turbine project the wrong choice

By Scott Blyth 4 minute read Yesterday at 10:50 PM CST

In these times of misinformation, disinformation and, let’s face it, not providing enough information, I pose the question, “Why would our government want to increase the supply of a substance that will kill us?”

No, I’m not talking about fentanyl. I’m talking about natural gas. Let me explain.

Manitoba Hydro, which also controls Centra Gas, is proposing the building of three gas turbines in Brandon. The cost: $3 billion.

Now, natural gas is 95 per cent methane. Methane is a fossil fuel, which poses a threat to the health of our planet, to human health and to our financial health as well.

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A plan for war, but none for peace

4 minute read Preview

A plan for war, but none for peace

4 minute read Updated: 9:40 AM CST

“Wars begin when you will, but they do not end when you please.” – Niccolò Machiavelli

Those words were written more than five centuries ago and yet, as we will likely see in the coming days and weeks, they are just as relevant today.

Friday night’s attack on Iran by American and Israeli military forces has killed several senior leaders of the nation that is regarded by many as the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism — politicians and clerics responsible for the deaths of thousands of people within Iran and around the world.

Few will be saddened by their deaths, but we should mourn the many civilians, including children, whose lives have reportedly been lost, both during and after the weekend’s attacks. And we should be gravely concerned that the conflict will continue, and perhaps even escalate, at the cost of even more lives.

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Updated: 9:40 AM CST

A plume of smoke rises after a strike in Tehran, Iran, on Sunday. Donald Trump and his administration should consider that it is generally a bad idea to start a war unless you have a plan.(The Associated Press)

Canada, India hit reset button on their relationship

By Saira Bano 5 minute read Preview

Canada, India hit reset button on their relationship

By Saira Bano 5 minute read 2:00 AM CST

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to India marks the most consequential step in years to rebuild Canada–India relations after the diplomatic rupture in 2023 over allegations linking Indian agents to the killing of a Canadian Sikh activist.

The visit signals a deliberate shift from crisis management to economic statecraft.

In Mumbai, Carney announced that Canada aims to conclude a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India by the end of this year, with the goal of doubling two-way trade by 2030. The message was pragmatic: the two countries may not always agree, but engagement must continue.

FROM RUPTURE TO RESET

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2:00 AM CST

Dancers perform as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives in New Delhi, India on Sunday, a visit that marks a significant step in the reltionship between the two countries. (The Canadian Press)

Why don’t we legalize, regulate and stigmatize drug use?

By David McConkey 4 minute read Preview

Why don’t we legalize, regulate and stigmatize drug use?

By David McConkey 4 minute read Yesterday at 11:07 PM CST

The violence in Mexico following the killing of the head of a drug cartel illustrates again the failure of the War on Drugs. Drugs are more plentiful and deadly than ever. Drug dealers are more powerful and violent than ever. And harm reduction measures like more needle disposal containers in our community signal the acceptance of widespread drug use. But we can delve into our history to discover better models. These involve legalization, regulation and stigmatization.

So first, we citizens must call out our political leaders for pretending that the War on Drugs can succeed. Last week, the provincial NDP government and the federal Liberal government announced a new drug trade task force. The provincial Conservatives said that this was just a recycling of their ideas. But the justice minister proclaimed that this task force would finally “really go after those organized crime groups.”

Yet the NDP, in a policy statement a few years ago, said the opposite. The party interviewed “experts across both health care and the justice system.” Assured anonymity, these individuals spoke freely. The conclusion: the “War on Drugs has been shown to be counterproductive and has actually coincided with an increase in drug use.”

We can acknowledge the complexity of the problem of drug addiction. There will be no ideal solution. And let’s acknowledge the stated good intentions. Many proposals have been advocated. These include ramping up the War on Drugs, decriminalization, legalization, harm reduction and compulsory and voluntary treatment. All these ideas have been advanced with the aim of helping those addicted and increasing the well-being of the general society.

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Yesterday at 11:07 PM CST

Bear Clan members gather needles and drug paraphernalia during a patrol of Winnipeg’s North End in March 2023. (File)

Total lunar eclipse of the heart

By Abby Wronowski 4 minute read Preview

Total lunar eclipse of the heart

By Abby Wronowski 4 minute read Yesterday at 10:53 PM CST

Tomorrow is a day to mark in your calendars and spend some extra time admiring the sky because it is the designated date for the total lunar eclipse of 2026.

A lunar eclipse is an infrequent occurrence that happens when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and Moon, casting a special shadow onto the lunar surface and causing the moon to emit a reddish orange glow. Lunar eclipses occur under very specific factors, such as only happening when the moon is in its full phase, combined with the correct alignment of the orbital planes between the sun, Earth, and moon.

Solar and lunar eclipses are often mistaken for each other, and many people do not know the difference between the two. Solar eclipses happen when the moon is between the sun and Earth and casts a dark shadow on Earth. Solar eclipses happen typically every year and a half. Solar eclipses are the eclipses that are damaging to the naked eye, and when trying to watch them, eye protection is strongly advised. The biggest difference between lunar and solar eclipses is in a solar eclipse the sun appears darker, and in a lunar eclipse, the moon appears darker. Solar eclipses are also rarer than lunar eclipses.

Lunar eclipses have a scale used to classify lunar luminosity during an eclipse. The scale has five different categories and was created by Andre Danjon, a French astronomer. The scale is referred to as the Danjon Scale. L=0 is the first class to the Danjon Scale, where the eclipse is dark and it is tricky to identify the moon. L=1 happens when the eclipse is still dark, but the Moon will have a dark brown or grey hue to it. In L=2, the Moon will be a shade of rusty or deep red. For L=3, the moon is a brick-red colour. L=4 is the last class in the Danjon scale, wherein the Moon appears as a bright copper-red or orange colour. Eclipses that appear in this class are a result of the low atmospheric density.

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Yesterday at 10:53 PM CST

A Lunar eclipse is shown behind the Golden Boy at the Manitoba Legislature in September 2015. A lunar eclipse will happen early Tuesday morning, and Abby Wronowski recommends getting up to witness the spectacle. (John Woods/Winnipeg Free Press files)

A timely push for more women on city council

5 minute read Preview

A timely push for more women on city council

5 minute read Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

Many Brandon residents may not be aware of this fact, but this past January marked a very special anniversary when it comes to the city’s election history.

Rhoda E. Power had been a teacher in Brandon at Assiniboine School on 13th Street North between 1917 and 1919 before moving to Minnedosa around 1921. As outlined by Manitoba writer Christian Cassidy in his history blog West End Dumplings, Rhoda met and married George A. Tennant, a CPR brakeman, before moving back to Brandon in 1935.

This was around the peak of the Great Depression, and the city itself was suffering from lack of cash and services.

“The city cut many services to the bone, or did away with them altogether, and was living on lines of credit just to pay the bills for their massive Depression relief costs,” Cassidy wrote.

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Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

Visitors mingle at the Her Seat at the Table open house at The Backyard On Aberdeen in Brandon on Wednesday evening. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

‘AI factories’ serve as cautionary tale

By Joel Trenaman 5 minute read Preview

‘AI factories’ serve as cautionary tale

By Joel Trenaman 5 minute read Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

Alongside the rapidly expanding use of AI in everyday life, there’s a growing awareness that the technology also comes with extreme, big-picture threats to the things we need more: fresh water, affordable clean energy and a healthy information ecosystem.

Data centres housing the racks of computer servers that enable virtual assistants, software tools and other AI uses, are being planned and built around the world. In Manitoba, two firms recently partnered to purchase land in Île-des-Chênes, planning a hyperscale facility, and at 141 hectares (350 acres), the site would be among the largest in the world.

Based on the release of an innovation report and statements by the premier, the provincial government is eager to roll out the welcome mat. That would be a mistake. While we don’t know every detail of the planned centre here, what we can see is the consequences other “AI factories” are now having across Canada and around the world.

AI is arguably the most power-hungry technology ever created. From a question to a bot to generating a video, AI uses tens to thousands of times more electricity than the web or software. Like electricity generation, data centre usage is measured in megawatts (MW). The project reportedly seeks to grow to 500 MW, accessing Manitoba Hydro’s nearby high-voltage line and adding gas turbines.

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Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

Massive new data centres have massive new needs, both for electricity can for water. But are they worth the cost? (The Associated Press files)

How Canada‑Cuba relations must navigate U.S. embargo

By Luiz Leomil 6 minute read Preview

How Canada‑Cuba relations must navigate U.S. embargo

By Luiz Leomil 6 minute read Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

The United States government recently announced it will allow companies to resell Venezuelan oil to Cuba amid a severe fuel shortage on the island. Earlier this year, the U.S. cut off oil shipments to Cuba from its main supplier, Venezuela, after American forces abducted that country’s president.

Cuba’s ambassador to Canada, Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz, recently told Canadian MPs on the House foreign affairs committee that the U.S. was “suffocating an entire people.” He was referring to the decades-long American embargo against Cuba, which has become even more severe in recent weeks.

In his remarks, Diaz also urged Canada to follow through on a promised aid package to Cuba. Canadian officials have committed to sending an additional $8 million, which will be channelled through international aid organizations operating in Cuba.

This represents a modest and indirect commitment, especially in comparison with the initiatives undertaken by other countries. Mexico has sent more than 2,000 tons of direct humanitarian aid while continuing diplomatic talks on resuming oil supplies, and other countries in the Global South are reportedly preparing similar, more tangible responses.

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Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

A man walks past Canada’s embassy in Havana, Cuba, in a 2018 photo. Canada was one of the few U.S. allies to maintain diplomatic relations with Cuba following the 1959 revolution that overthrew the U.S.-backed regime. (The Associated Press files)

A party at odds with Canadian values

By Deveryn Ross 5 minute read Preview

A party at odds with Canadian values

By Deveryn Ross 5 minute read Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

As support for the Conservative Party of Canada continues to fall in public opinion polls, and Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre’s hopes of ever becoming prime minister continue to fade, the obvious question to ask is why this is happening, just weeks after Poilievre received a resounding vote of confidence at the party’s national convention.

Some may suggest the latest polling numbers, which have the Liberals soaring in support across the country and the Tories sliding, merely reflect the normal “ups and downs” of polls between elections. Others may argue the results are distorted by the toxic actions of the Trump administration, with the Tories paying a political price.

Still others will say, and many will agree, that the decline in support for the Tories is the logical consequence of anxious Canadians coming together at a precarious time in the nation’s history, with Mark Carney’s Liberals being the beneficiaries of that reality.

Those are plausible explanations, and each may reflect the view of a segment of Canadians, but there is another factor that undoubtedly impacts the fortunes of the Conservative Party. That is the nature of the party itself and how it is perceived by voters.

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Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre delivers his keynote address at the party’s national convention in Calgary in January. Deveryn Ross writes that while Poilievre is often blamed for the Conservative party’s problems, “the reality runs much deeper than that.” (The Canadian Press files)

Pandering to the U.S. bad look for Poilievre

5 minute read Preview

Pandering to the U.S. bad look for Poilievre

5 minute read Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026

“Canada’s prosperity and security are inseparable from a stable relationship with the U.S. And that is why we should not declare a permanent rupture with our biggest customer and closes neighbour in favour of a strategic partnership for a new world order with Beijing — a regime the prime minister himself said was the biggest threat to Canada just a year ago.

— Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre, Feb. 26.

The leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition really needs to read the room.

And no, I don’t mean the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto, where Poilievre made the comment above on Thursday morning.

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Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026

March 2, 2026

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