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Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) held its 2021-2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) Wednesday.

Board Chair Lon Cullen spoke at the beginning of the virtual meeting and thanked their executive management team for their leadership, determination, and commitment over one of the most challenging years PMH has ever experienced. 

"To our staff, our local health-care heroes, there are not enough words to thank you for your contributions every day, especially during the trying and challenging times of the pandemic. Day in, day out, you ensure the best possible care and services [are] provided within Prairie Mountain Health," Cullen adds.

Cullen went on to say that their staff are the heart and soul of PMH, adding that their dedication and commitment to providing health care in the region is extraordinary.

CEO Brian Schoonbaert says that over the next year, the board and executive management team will continue to advance their regional strategic goals in coordination with their partners, Manitoba Health and Shared Health.

"And of course along with all of our stakeholders, including the communities we serve," Schoonbaert adds.

After Schoonbaert's remarks, a pre-recorded presentation titled "A Year in Review" was shown.

Following the video, Finance Committee Chair Brad Collett delivered remarks on the health region's finance team.

"During the fiscal year, we hired a new chief financial officer. His name is Dan McGregor... and he comes to us from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. Dan is extremely well qualified and does a tremendous job leading Prairie Mountain Health's finance team," Collett adds.

A full recording of the AGM can be watched here.

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Contributed by Nicholas Iatropoulos

Published: Oct 27, 2022 - 5:25 am

The 2022 Municipal Election is over, and David Bosiak has been elected Mayor of the City of Dauphin. It was a much better turnout than the 2018 election, as 2,694 votes were cast. Bosiak says he's looking forward to getting to work.

"Well, the first thing obviously is to meet with the new council, figure out who they will be, and make sure we're all on the same page. Then collectively get council and administration together to discuss what our priorities going forward are."

City of Dauphin Mayor

1. David Bosiak - 1995 votes
2. Kerri Riehl - 696 votes

City of Dauphin Council

1.  Christian Laughland - 1,418 votes
2. Steve Sobering - 1,363 votes
3. Kathy Bellemare - 1,309 votes
4. Randy Daley - 1,297 votes
5. Ted Rea - 1,187 votes
6. Devin Shtykalo - 1,176 votes
7.  Joe Houston - 997 votes
8. Jason Alf - 902 votes
9. Patti A. Eilers - 792 votes
10. Rodney P. Juba - 781 votes
11. Tamara Michele - 580 votes
12. Bev Sarkonak - 561 votes
13. Michael Winter - 529 votes
14. Ken Tarrant - 468 votes
15. Gerry Wieler - 388 votes
16. Sharon Riehl - 287 votes
17. Carter Taylor-Luke - 130 votes

The RM of Dauphin election was extremely close with just 75 votes separating Reeve candidates. Ernie Sirski has been elected as the Reeve of the RM and he says it's been a great experience.

"It's a truly humbling experience to be elected by your peers. You know municipal politics is interesting and exciting. It's an exciting effort to try and serve the people of this Rural Municipality, but I'm excited about it, I'm looking forward to it, and I hope I can serve the people of the Rural Municipality of Dauphin in the right way."

RM of Dauphin Reeve

1. Ernie Sirski - 458 votes
2. Tom Gibbs - 383 votes

RM of Council Council

1. Tammy Koshowski - 596 votes
2. Todd Boguski - 546 votes
3. Midge Sametz - 540 votes
4. Ron Ryz - 516 votes
5. Ken Shewchuk -  431 votes
6. Ken Plustwa - 426 votes
7. Jack Bremner - 413 votes
8. David Johnston - 349 votes
9. Darrell Inkster - 134 votes
10. Wilf Kachurowski - 130 votes

Municipal Election results across from The Parkland can be found right here, and full results from across Manitoba can be found here.

Details

Contributed by Sam Brownell

Published: Oct 27, 2022 - 1:06 am

Here are the Results for Municipal Elections across the Parkland Region.

Alonsa

Reeve - Tom Anderson (Acclaimed)

Council

• Ward 1 - Vacant
• Ward 2 - Tim Stott (Acclaimed)
• Ward 3 - Travis Turko (Acclaimed)
• Ward 4 - Mike Brown (Acclaimed)
• Ward 5 - Terry Dayholos (Acclaimed)
• Ward 6 - Logan Dumanske (Acclaimed)
• LUD of Alonsa - William Cabak (Acclaimed)
• LUD of Alonsa - Harry Harris (Acclaimed)
• LUD of Amaranth - Shirley Merke (Acclaimed)

Dauphin - City

Mayor - David Bosiak

Council

• Kathy Bellemare
• Randy Daley
• Christian Laughland
• Ted Rea
• Devin Stykalo
• Steve Sobering

Dauphin - Rural Municipality

Reeve - Ernie Sirski

Council

• Todd Boguski
• Tammy Koshowski
• Ken Plustwa
• Ron Ryz
• Midge Sametz
• Ken Showchuk

Ethelbert

Head of Council - Michael Goy (Acclaimed)

Council

• Kyle Lylyk
• Mike Moroz
• Mike Semeniuk
• Greg Woytkiewicz

Gilbert Plains

Reeve - Jim Manchur (Acclaimed)

Council

• Crystal Bates (Acclaimed)
• Todd Brinkman (Acclaimed)
• Trent Crowe (Acclaimed)
• Ryan Paziuk (Acclaimed)
• Grant Pope (Acclaimed)
• Craig Von Bargen (Acclaimed)

Grandview

Mayor - Lyle Morran

Council

• Rural - Clinton Myers
• Rural - Jeff Elliott
• Rural - Craig Clow
• Urban - Jim Winfield
• Urban - Tom Stirling
• Urban - Barry Bailey

Lakeshore

Reeve - Clayton Watts

Council

• Ward 1 - Richard Kachur
• Ward 1 - Shanna Cowal
• Ward 1 - Fred Schurko
• Ward 2 - Clayton Foster
• Ward 2 - Gavin Thompson
• Ward 2 - Michael R. Brunen Sr.

McCreary

Reeve - Rick Sonnenberg

Council

• Carey Conrad
• Donna Duggan
• Curt Janzen
• Larry McLauchlan

Minitonas - Bowsman

Reeve - Larry Mychalchuk (Acclaimed)

Council

• Derek Bartel
• Gary Bartel
• Byron Hardy
• Leanne Hutman
• Gale Wagner
• Leanne Hutman

Mossey River

Head of Council - Reynold Sahulka (Acclaimed)

Council

• Rural Ward - Barry Hepper
• Rural Ward - Larry Pascal
• Rural Ward - Greg Boyko
• Urban Ward - Riley Chartrand (Acclaimed)
• Urban Ward - Ivan Fleming (Acclaimed)
• Urban Ward - Angel Johnson (Acclaimed)

Mountain

Reeve - Keith Behrmann

Council

• Ward 1 - Wilmer Malcolm
• Ward 2 - Stephen Nadolney (Acclaimed)
• Ward 3 - Nestor Rizok (Acclaimed)
• Ward 4 - Jarrett Mosiondz (Acclaimed)
• Ward 5 - Arnie Pedersen (Acclaimed)
• Ward 6 - Brad Wyatt
• LUD of Pine River - Robert McKave
• LUD of Pine River - Leanne Marceniuk

Roblin

Head of Council - Robert Misko

Council

• Richard Dereniwski
• Chad Jones
• Gail Chescu
• Walter Hammond
• Trevor Kehrer
• Michael Friesen

Ste. Rose

Mayor - Robert Brunel (Acclaimed)

Council

• Steven Hopfner
• Robert Killam
• Ivan Worrall
• Shari Shankaruk

Swan River

Mayor - Lance Jacobson (Acclaimed)

Council

• Don Bobick (Acclaimed)
• Tracy Boychuk (Acclaimed)
• Corinna Medwid (Acclaimed)
• David Moriaux (Acclaimed)
• Tanya Powell (Acclaimed)
• Duane Whyte (Acclaimed)

Swan Valley West

Reeve - Bill Gade

Council

• Ward 1 - Byron Zbirun
• Ward 2 - Brad Kushniryk
• Ward 3 - Raymond RJ McGregor (Acclaimed)
• Ward 4 - Carrie Blosha
• Ward 5 - Terry Neely
• Ward 6 - Brian Burick
• LUD of Benito - Holly Kushniryk (Acclaimed)
• LUD of Benito - Joyce Readman (Acclaimed)

Details

Contributed by Sam Brownell

Published: Oct 26, 2022 - 8:00 pm

The day has finally arrived for Manitoba Municipal Elections. After months of campaigns, voters will be able to cast their votes for Mayor, Reeve, Councilor, and School Trustee from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. today. In Dauphin, voting for the city and R.M. is at the Dauphin Friendship Centre at 201, 1st Ave NE.

Both the City and RM of Dauphin have highly contested races, with David Bosiak and Kerri Riehl going head to head for Mayor, while there are 17 council candidates for 6 open spots.

The RM also has a race for the top position, as Tom Gibbs and Ernie Sirski are on the ballot for Reeve, and ten candidates will be looking to fill six spots on the council. A full list of candidates for the City and RM of Dauphin can be found here.

Here are a number of common questions that have come up as the election approaches:

What happens if you're in line when the polls close? While the polls are scheduled to close at 8 p.m. tonight, anyone in line, inside the building at that time will be eligible to vote, so if you're still in line at 8, make sure you don't leave the line.

What ID do I need to present to vote? You can either show one original piece of identification with your photo, name, and address, issued by a government agency, or Show two original pieces of authorized identification that together provide evidence of your name and current address. Both must have your name and at least one must have your current address.

I live in one municipality, and own property in another municipality. Can I vote in both municipal elections?  Yes, if you are qualified as a resident voter in one municipality, and are qualified as a non-resident property owner in another municipality, you can vote in both municipal elections.

For school division elections, if I don't reside in the school division, but own property - can I vote? No, for school division elections, you must be a resident of the school division to be eligible to vote. Non-resident property voters may only vote in municipal elections.

I own property in two wards in a municipality - Can I vote in both wards? No, you may only vote once in an election within a municipality. If you own property in two wards, you must notify the Senior Election Official of the ward where you would like to vote. If you do not choose a ward at least six weeks before Election Day, the Senior Election Official will choose one for you.

The provincial government has compiled a full list of frequently asked questions that can be viewed here. Tune into our Election Night Coverage starting at 7:30 p.m. tonight.

Details

Contributed by Sam Brownell

Published: Oct 26, 2022 - 5:30 am

The provincial government's looking for feedback on its Agricultural Crown Lands Program, and Manitoba Beef Producer (MBP) is hoping producers in the area will participate.

The survey is open until Friday, and it's a great opportunity for producers to bring issues to the forefront. MBP General Manager Carson Callum says it's an issue that producers have been facing for a while.

"This has been a contentious issue for MBP and many of our members over the last number of years since the modernization was put into effect, you know, a lot of detrimental changes happened. Really the current minister is looking to fix the issue."

This survey was going to be the main focus at the MBP District 13 Meeting that was postponed on Monday so Callum wanted to get the word out to producers before it was closed. That meeting has been rescheduled for November 7th at the Rotary Arena, and producers can register for it here.

"The deadline's looming here pretty quickly, so folks need to get their paper copy or do it online by the 28th. I strongly encourage folks that haven't taken part in it to do so, we need our voices to be heard, and we need as many numbers in the area of this particular topic to fill out the survey."

Callum says MBP is also available to help people out with the survey if they need a hand, as they know many producers live in areas with poor service.

"It's on the Engage Manitoba Website. We also have information posted on our website as well, and we encourage folks who have trouble filling it out online, they can call us at the office and one of my colleagues would help folks go through it and fill it out. Sometimes the Engage Manitoba Website can be confusing, especially if you're in a rural area with not great internet service, so if anybody needs assistance to complete it online, please call us here at the Manitoba Beef Producers office."

The survey can be found here, and Manitoba Beef Producers can be reached at 204-772-4542.

Details

Contributed by Sam Brownell

Published: Oct 25, 2022 - 8:40 pm

Broadband Communications North(BCN) serves over 50 rural, northern, and remote communities across the province, and they're expanding their services to Pine Creek First Nation and Lake Manitoba First Nation. Executive Director Jason Neepin says this new project is what BCN is all about.

"Broadband Communications North is an Indigenous-owned company. The board of directors is represented by the tribal councils within Manitoba. Our customers are Indigenous, they're the underserved communities in Northern Manitoba. The origin for BCN is through the Schoolnet Programs and the Telehealth Network, and over 20 years it's grown into one of Canada's largest Indigenous broadband networks."

Neepin says that the most important this is to get the best internet possible to remote communities, and they're going to continue working to try and improve the quality of the services they're able to offer.

"A lot of the fiber that we do have to communities is 1 Gigabit Per Second, whereas we would like to see at least 10 Gigabit Per Second. Ideally, we would like to have it like city internet at 100 Gigabit Per Second. So really we're dealing with one percent of the capacity of what the city has. We're making do with what we have, but we would like to be on equal footing."

Neepin says they've taken over the Pine Creek First Nation and Lake Manitoba First Nation projects from Clearsky Connections.

"We’ve taken over operations of their current agreements with Indigenous Services Canada and our expectation is that those two communities will be fully operational by the fall of 2023"

Details

Contributed by Sam Brownell

Published: Oct 25, 2022 - 5:53 am

The Manitoba Ag Days Gives Back Program is accepting applications for this year's grants, which are going to rural community fire departments across the province.

On top of their normal scholarships which are given out each year, Ag Days Gives Back will be giving eight, $2000 Community Safety Grants. Teresa Vallotton, the Communications Coordinator for Manitoba Ag Days, says fire departments were the perfect choice to go with this year's show.

"This year the show will be focusing on both physical and mental health. That's the connection that we wanted to pursue to support the fire departments this year. In the past, last year we had supported various community development projects, and two years ago we supported childcare centers. So as you can see we're trying to reach these funds into the community at large, and support the growth of those rural communities."

Vallotton says there are a few requirements for departments to be eligible to apply.

"These $2000 grants can be used for anything that the department wishes. So it might be something physical like equipment, or it might be something like training. That can all be outlined in the application. There is a requirement for an Ag producer to support the application, there's a requirement that there are community funds matching the request from Ag Days, and the Maximum project value is $50,000."

Everything you need to know about the Ag Days Gives Back Program, including the link to the application can be found here. The application deadline for this year's event is November 15th.

Details

Contributed by Sam Brownell

Published: Oct 25, 2022 - 5:50 am

The Dauphin RCMP say the second suspect in Friday's assault of one of their officers has turned himself in. The 16-year-old from Dauphin has been charged with resisting arrest and issued an appearance notice for a future date in Dauphin Provincial Court.

Around 1:30 on Friday, the officer spotted two suspects in an ongoing Possession of a Stolen Vehicle and Flight from the Police investigation. When he informed the pair they were under arrest, they started attacking him.

The officer used pepper spray, and with the help of a passerby, was able to take one suspect into custody, but the second was able to get away. The Dauphin RCMP thanks the public for their help with the investigation.

Details

Contributed by Sam Brownell

Published: Oct 24, 2022 - 3:15 pm

UPDATE: Environment Canada has ended the Winter Storm Warning that's been in effect since yesterday afternoon.

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Original article, posted on Oct 23, 2022, at 4:37 p.m. below:

Environment Canada has issued multiple winter storm warnings for Dauphin and surrounding areas.

They are currently in effect for many communities in the following areas:

• Dauphin - Russell - Roblin - Winnipegosis
• Swan River - Duck Mountain - Porcupine Provincial Forest

According to Environment Canada, hazardous winter conditions are expected.

They say that a Colorado Low moving through the eastern Prairies will bring a period of rain and freezing rain followed by heavy snow to parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba and that freezing rain will develop on Sunday night and then transition to heavy snow on Monday morning.

They also say that accumulating freezing rain is possible along both the Trans-Canada Highway and Yellowhead Highway corridors overnight and that anywhere between 10 and 20 cm of snow can be expected.

In addition, Environment Canada recommends postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve, since surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow, adding that people should prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions.

Details

Contributed by Nicholas Iatropoulos

Published: Oct 24, 2022 - 2:29 pm

On Friday afternoon, the Dauphin RCMP responded to a report of a stabbing at a residence in the city. Police attended the scene and found a male with non-life-threatening injuries.

51-year-old Roberta Simpson, from Dauphin, was arrested nearby and charged with aggravated assault. Simpson was released from custody and will appear in Dauphin Provincial Court at a later date.

Anyone with information regarding this, or any other crime, is asked to call Dauphin RCMP at 204-622-5020, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or provide a secure tip online here.

Details

Contributed by Sam Brownell

Published: Oct 24, 2022 - 9:07 am