Columns – Brandon Sun

Treating the fever while ignoring the infection

By Dr. Rafiq Andani 6 minute read Friday, Jun. 5, 2026

At any moment in Manitoba’s hospital system, three patients may be waiting.

One is in the emergency room, waiting to be assessed.

A second has been assessed, admitted to hospital, and is waiting in the emergency department for an upstairs bed.

A third sits upstairs in that hospital bed. Their acute problem has resolved, but they cannot safely go home because home care, supportive housing, rehabilitation or long-term care is not ready.

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In divided world, teachers must connect with each other

By Jordan Laidlaw 6 minute read Preview

In divided world, teachers must connect with each other

By Jordan Laidlaw 6 minute read Friday, Jun. 5, 2026

As an educator, I attest to the remarkable aspects of the teaching profession. Teachers truly have the capacity to be agents for positive change in this troubled world.

That said, a myriad of factors have left the teaching field in a global state of occupational precarity.

Factors include strenuous impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, inadequate funding and limited resources, escalating school violence, increased public surveillance as well as parental distrust often amplified by social media hostility.

While teachers’ primary responsibility is to teach, the profession is ever-evolving and more socially complex than is often publicly understood.

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Friday, Jun. 5, 2026

Opinion

Brandon Police Service members converge on a vehicle in downtown Brandon earlier this year. Deveryn Ross writes that when we feel overwhelmed by police reports, we shouldn’t look back on the past with too much nostalgia, since “it’s possible that the level of criminal activity in Brandon today is really no worse, and possibly less severe, than it was three or four decades ago.” (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun files)

Keep it real on Brandon’s crime

By Deveryn Ross 5 minute read Preview

Keep it real on Brandon’s crime

By Deveryn Ross 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 5, 2026

They call it “rosy retrospection” — a psychological tendency to remember the past more positively than it really was. Some experts suggest it serves a useful purpose in increasing self-esteem and sense of well-being, and may even make it easier for us to store long-term memories. Others say it is closely related to nostalgia, but involves perceiving the past as better than the present.

I was thinking about “rosy recollection” earlier this week, after reading several recent Brandon Police Service media reports that detail criminal activity in the city on a daily basis. The reports included the usual mix of drunk and disorderly conduct, shoplifting, breached bail conditions, assaults, break-ins and drug offences. They provoked the usual reaction — frustration and anxiety flowing from the perception that the nature and intensity of criminal activity in the city is way worse now than it was years ago.

The more I thought about it, however, I began to wonder if that perception was really true.

I was born and raised in Brandon. I fondly remember my classmates and teachers at Park, Earl Oxford, Neelin and Vincent Massey schools, playing on numerous sports teams and participating in several church and musical groups.

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Friday, Jun. 5, 2026

Opinion

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks in the Foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday. (The Canadian Press)

Poilievre might want to tone down his glee over slumping economy

By Dan Lett 5 minute read Preview

Poilievre might want to tone down his glee over slumping economy

By Dan Lett 5 minute read Thursday, Jun. 4, 2026

It was hard to pin down in exact terms the tone of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s comments.

Addressing reporters in Ottawa earlier this week, Poilievre was cranking up the political air-raid siren about a “devastating” report from Statistics Canada showing that the country’s economy had shrunk for two consecutive quarters.

Poilievre said the report confirmed there was a “Liberal recession,” a downturn caused by, and beyond the influence of, a Liberal government. The Tory leader also, without citing examples, complained that many other countries were introducing policies to avoid a recession while Canada was sitting on its hands.

“They’re (the Liberals) building a recession, and they’re building excuses,” Poilievre said later in the House of Commons as his party tried unsuccessfully to trigger an emergency debate.

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Thursday, Jun. 4, 2026

Opinion

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew (right) speaks as B.C. Premier David Eby listens during the closing news conference of a meeting of western premiers in Kananaskis, Alta., on May 26. (The Canadian Press files)

Indigenous defenders of national unity

By Niigaan Sinclair 5 minute read Preview

Indigenous defenders of national unity

By Niigaan Sinclair 5 minute read Monday, Jun. 1, 2026

On Sept. 18, 1813, British major-general Henry Procter started retreating from Fort Malden in Amherstburg, Ont., south of what is now Detroit, following the defeat to the Americans at the Battle of Lake Erie.

For Tecumseh, the Shawnee leader of the Indigenous allies, this was unacceptable.

In arguably the most remarkable speech of the War of 1812, Tecumseh told Procter that retreating would be like a “fat animal that carries its tail upon its back, but when affrighted, drops it between its legs and runs off.”

Tecumseh called on the British to fulfil their promise to stay alongside their Indigenous relations and face the invading American forces together.

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Monday, Jun. 1, 2026

Opinion

Prime Minister Mark Carney shakes hands with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in Calgary on May 15. (The Canadian Press files)

Four ways Ottawa and Alberta avoid accountability

By Aleksandra Mineyko 5 minute read Preview

Four ways Ottawa and Alberta avoid accountability

By Aleksandra Mineyko 5 minute read Monday, Jun. 1, 2026

I’m a pediatric neurologist. Over four months in 2026, I wrote 16 parallel letters via email to the Alberta and federal governments on eight public policy topics. The letters were individually written, evidence-based and non-partisan, but relevant to current political discourse in Alberta.

What I observed were four patterns that raised concerns about structural governance failure. Across all party lines and levels of government, elected officials and their offices appeared to avoid substantive engagement in a consistent and similar manner.

It’s worth understanding these patterns as the first step towards improving public trust in democratic accountability.

The parliamentary system in the United Kingdom has official guidelines describing this issue and a requirement for a substantive ministerial response within 20 working days.

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Monday, Jun. 1, 2026

Opinion

Russian President Vladimir Putin (rear, centre) attends a ceremony to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin wall in Moscow on May 9 during celebrations of the 81st anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany during the Second World War. (The Associated Press files)

Putin’s imperial dream is crumbling

By Kyle Volpi Hiebert 5 minute read Preview

Putin’s imperial dream is crumbling

By Kyle Volpi Hiebert 5 minute read Sunday, May. 31, 2026

Every May 9, Russia commemorates the defeat of Nazi Germany with a Victory Day parade in Moscow’s Red Square. But the 2026 edition wasn’t so grand. Fears of Ukrainian drone strikes caused sparse attendance. No military hardware was showcased.

The lack of pageantry points to a larger truth. Four years on, what President Vladimir Putin envisioned as a swift conquest of Ukraine has devolved into an epic quagmire.

Kyiv’s deft use of unmanned systems has brought Russia’s invasion to a standstill. Legions of military drones, in the skies and on land, form an impassable kill zone 10 to 20 kilometres deep along the front lines.

Such innovation is helping erase Ukraine’s manpower deficit. Meanwhile, Russia’s monthly casualties still number around 35,000. And that’s on top of the possibly 1.2 million killed and wounded since February 2022.

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Sunday, May. 31, 2026

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Opinion

Technology could help Canada address its $58-billion-per-year food waste problem. (File)

Smart sensors could help Canada tackle food waste

By Md Masuduzzaman and Elkafi Hassini 5 minute read Preview

Smart sensors could help Canada tackle food waste

By Md Masuduzzaman and Elkafi Hassini 5 minute read Sunday, May. 31, 2026

Each year, Canada generates roughly $58 billion in avoidable food waste, much of which is from spoilage that goes undetected until it is already too late.

With food prices rising by as much as 27 per cent over the last five years and supply chains under strain, Canada needs better ways to reduce this waste and safeguard the quality of perishable foods.

New digital technologies offer a promising solution. Small sensors and camera-based systems can help food producers and retailers spot spoilage earlier. At McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business, we are studying how image-based and sensor-based monitoring can improve freshness tracking and reduce spoilage.

INVISIBLE NATURE OF SPOILAGE

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Sunday, May. 31, 2026

Opinion

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith speaks during a news conference in Calgary, Alta. on May 22. Arguments around Alberta separation typically centre on the fairness of equalization payments, but the pro-unity side would do better to focus on the economic benefits of Confederation, Trevor Tombe writes. (The Canadian Press files)

How to actually fight separatism

By Trevor Tombe 5 minute read Preview

How to actually fight separatism

By Trevor Tombe 5 minute read 12:16 AM CDT

The debate over national unity in Alberta often focuses on the fairness of federal transfers: Is equalization broken? Is Quebec gaming the system? And so on.

These are real questions, and the formulas really are in need of reform. But this frames confederation as a financial ledger, where one side pays, and another receives. The argument is about how to divide a fixed pie.

And much of the separatist case in Alberta rests on the claim that the federation does not deliver enough value to justify membership.

This isn’t new, of course, and is a common feature of regional disputes throughout Canada’s history. But the value of Canada’s federation is not only in the financial transfers it moves between governments. It is also in the economic union itself.

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12:16 AM CDT

Opinion

Drought-stricken wheat stands next to parched soil in a field near Macksville, Kansas, on May 16. (The Associated Press)

The world’s breadbaskets are vulnerable

By Ekamjot Dhillon 6 minute read Preview

The world’s breadbaskets are vulnerable

By Ekamjot Dhillon 6 minute read 12:16 AM CDT

Agriculture today is a massive, globally interconnected industry. That interconnectivity has brought jobs and varied foods to people who might not otherwise be able to access them.

However, like many other industries today, agriculture is dependent on a small number of key regions that support a vast network.

What made the modern food system seem resilient was never abundance alone. It was geography. Regions like the North American Prairies, Ukrainian Steppe and northern India grow much of the crops that feed humans and livestock.

The system works because crop failures are expected to be local, not simultaneous. If one breadbasket region fails to produce one year, another could cover the shortfall. The Earth itself provides a kind of buffer, but that buffer is thinning.

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12:16 AM CDT

Opinion

Former Chinese basketball player Yao Ming (right) speaks, accompanied by William Li, founder and CEO of Chinese automaker NIO, after Li introduced the company’s latest luxury electric NIO ES9 SUV in Beijing, China on May 27. Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to electric vehicles, Keyvan Hosseini and Dawn-Marie Walker argue. (The Associated Press files)

The electric SUV boom is a problem

By Keyvan Hosseini and Dawn-Marie Walker 5 minute read Preview

The electric SUV boom is a problem

By Keyvan Hosseini and Dawn-Marie Walker 5 minute read 12:15 AM CDT

Governments and car manufacturers sell electric cars as the future of green transport. But a less visible trend is challenging this story: many electric cars are getting bigger.

The International Energy Agency recently reported that larger models, including sports utility vehicles (SUVs), are taking up a major share of electric car markets.

In China, electric SUVs accounted for more than 60 per cent of electric car sales in 2025. In Europe, SUVs accounted for almost 75 per cent of electric models in 2025. In the U.S., the figure was even higher, at more than 85 per cent.

SUV emissions are now so large that, if all SUVs were a country, they would be one of the world’s five biggest CO₂ emitters. The problem with SUVs is not only their tailpipe emissions. It is also their size, weight, cost and the way they reinforce car-dependent lifestyles.

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12:15 AM CDT

Opinion

Celebrate diversity on Race Unity Day

By Madeleine Brown 3 minute read 12:14 AM CDT

Race Unity Day falls on June 8 and is an annual celebration dedicated to promoting harmony among all races. This day is a wonderful reminder that no matter what race you are, we can all co-exist happily. It encourages everyone to embrace their unique differences and adopt a respectful and inclusive society.

Race Unity Day was started in 1957 in the United States by the Bahá’i National Spiritual Assembly. This Assembly was founded in 1909 and was a nine-member council that was responsible for co-ordinating, guiding and reviving the affairs of both the local spiritual assemblies and the Bahá’i community’s individual members in the country. The Bahá’i understood that racism was a barrier to peace, so they created this day to promote racial unity.

Race Unity Day is celebrated globally. Although Bahá’i National Spiritual Assembly created the holiday, it is not a religious holiday or a Bahá’i event. The day is celebrated as a universal call to unity and is meant to recognize and appreciate everyone’s diversity, making the world a more inclusive and better place.

This year, on Race Unity Day, you can celebrate by educating yourself and others: read books and watch videos that explore different cultures and the history of race relations. You can also support diverse communities, engage in meaningful conversations surrounding race, advocate for change, and celebrate cultural diversity, attend cultural festivals or try new cuisines.

Opinion

The exterior of B.C. Place stadium in Vancouver is shown earlier this month amid preparations for the FIFA World Cup, which begins on June 11. Despite world crises, Canadians’ desire to travel remains strong and that will include trips to Vancouver and Toronto to attend World Cup games and festivities. (The Canadian Press files)

World forces haven’t deterred Canadian travellers

Moira A. McDonald, Ann-Kathrin McLean, Oreoluwa Adeniyi and Shimaya Sureshbabu 5 minute read Preview

World forces haven’t deterred Canadian travellers

Moira A. McDonald, Ann-Kathrin McLean, Oreoluwa Adeniyi and Shimaya Sureshbabu 5 minute read Friday, May. 29, 2026

Last year was one of Canada’s strongest tourism years on record. The sector generated nearly $60 billion in revenue between May and August 2025, a six per cent year-over-year increase, according to Destination Canada.

Several forces drove that surge, including a continued post-COVID rebound and persistent trade tensions between Canada and the United States that encouraged Canadians to explore the nation’s provinces and territories.

In a recent speech to the Liberal National Convention, Prime Minister Mark Carney pointed to last summer’s numbers as evidence of national momentum.

But the fuel crisis and inflation means that the tourism records may not be broken as easily in 2026 as they were in 2025.

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Friday, May. 29, 2026

Opinion

A view of the City of Brandon’s council chambers in January during the first of two full-day budget deliberations at city hall. Deveryn Ross writes there's a lack of transparency at city hall that makes it difficult for citizens to understand the tax increases they've been hit with. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun files)

Too little tax transparency at city hall

By Deveryn Ross 5 minute read Preview

Too little tax transparency at city hall

By Deveryn Ross 5 minute read Friday, May. 29, 2026

By now, most Brandon home and/or business owners have received their 2026 property tax bills. For many of us, the opening of the envelope and first cautious glance at the size of the payment has become a painful, traumatic and confusing experience.

It’s painful for me because the property taxes for my home have increased by 22.5 per cent in the past two years. That’s after the education tax credit, and despite the fact I have done nothing during that time frame to increase the value of the property. I suspect the situation is similar for many of you.

It’s traumatic because very few Brandonites, certainly not those who are living on fixed incomes, have experienced a similar-sized increase in their income over the past two years. That means that the higher taxes are taking a greater portion of the funds property owners rely on to feed their families, heat their homes and pay for their prescription drugs.

I have no doubt that some in our community feel they can no longer afford to remain in their homes, yet they can’t afford rental accommodation either. They are being squeezed financially by city hall — by both higher property taxes and skyrocketing water rates — and that is forcing them to make tough spending choices regarding which bills they pay, what they eat and whether they take their medicine.

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Friday, May. 29, 2026

Opinion

The sun rises behind tankers anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Qeshm Island, Iran, last month. (The Associated Press)

The supply chain loop that broke the world

By Behrouz Bakhtiari 5 minute read Preview

The supply chain loop that broke the world

By Behrouz Bakhtiari 5 minute read Friday, May. 29, 2026

It took only five days after the attack on Iran by the United States and Israel in late February for Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital energy and maritime chokepoints.

Describing the waterway as a place where Iran and the U.S. flex their muscles doesn’t tell the whole story. The story did not start on March 4, when Iran closed the strait with a combination of asymmetric naval tactics, geographic control and maritime blockades. It was years in the making.

Understanding why the strait stayed open for so long, and why it’s not open now, requires thinking not in terms of current entities but in terms of loops.

THE LOOP THAT KEPT THE PEACE

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Friday, May. 29, 2026

Opinion

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith answers questions at a news conference in Calgary, on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Todd Korol

Referendum rhetoric threatens Constitution and treaty rights

By Gina Starblanket and James K. Rowe 6 minute read Preview

Referendum rhetoric threatens Constitution and treaty rights

By Gina Starblanket and James K. Rowe 6 minute read Friday, May. 29, 2026

Alberta will hold a vote this fall on whether to pursue a referendum on separation from Canada. The situation might seem comical if it weren’t so dangerous — both for the majority of Albertans who don’t support separation and for Indigenous treaty people, whom Premier Danielle Smith has accused of undermining the democratic process.

When the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and Blackfoot Confederacy won a joint court case earlier this month, effectively arguing that a separatist referendum would contravene their treaty rights, it prevented Smith and her government from putting separation directly on the ballot.

In light of Justice Shaina Leonard’s decision, Alberta separatists and their enablers, including Smith, are now being forced to reckon with the inconvenient reality that Indigenous Peoples have inherent and treaty rights that predate the formation of Alberta itself. These rights transcend Alberta’s borders.

SETTLER COLONIAL BORDERS

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Friday, May. 29, 2026

June 8, 2026

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