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As cattle producers across Manitoba get ready for another winter, their situation is looking much better than this time last year.
After the drought in 2021, a feed shortage across the prairies was a big issue, and as the province saw large snowfalls well into the spring, the problem was amplified. However, after a much better growing season this year, Manitoba Beef Producers General Manager Carson Callum says producers are in a better spot.
"Feed supply is looking a lot better, I know there's probably certain inputs that are still challenging to find, or certain minerals, or vet drugs, or things like that that have been sort of a compounding issue over the last couple of years. But in terms of just general feed supplies, a lot better situation that we saw, in particular, related to last winter."
Callum says that just because one issue isn't as bad doesn't mean there are other issues that haven't come up.
"A general issue that is a challenge in many sectors, including the beef sector, is just the cost of inputs. Whether that's sourcing feed or sourcing any sort of input for your operation it's just gone up so drastically. Yes, the commodity price of live cattle has improved, but probably not to the rate we need it to as an industry to remain profitable."
Callum says the cost of production is something that producers are trying to manage, and coming up with other ways to lower the cost of production.
Manitoba Beef Producers is hosting its AGM and Presidents banquet on February 2nd and 3rd, 2022, and they'll be accepting resolutions for consideration until 9 a.m. on Friday, January 27th. You can find more information about the meeting, including how to register and submit a resolution here.
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- Contributed by Sam Brownell
The man accused of killing 24-year-old Rebecca Contois, a member of O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation, has now been charged with three more homicides.
35-year-old Jeremy Skibicki was charged with three more counts of first-degree murder by the Winnipeg Police Service today. Skibiki was originally arrested on May 18th when he was charged with first-degree murder in relation to the death of Contois.
Police now believe he is responsible for the deaths of 39-year-old Morgan Beatrice Harris, and26-year-old Marcedes Myran, both members of Long Plain First Nation, as well as a fourth victim who remains unidentified at this time. Police believe the fourth victim is an indigenous woman in her 20s.
The murders happened between March and May of this year. Skibicki remains in custody.
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The snow just keeps piling on as we get closer to the calendar start of Winter.
Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for several regions including Dauphin - Russell - Roblin - Winnipegosis.
10 to 20 centimeters of snow is expected in a system that is to start with light snow and intensify later in the day today (Thursday). A low-pressure system is developing near the U.S. border and most of the snow is supposed to fall tonight and into tomorrow morning.
The snow is expected to taper off midday tomorrow (Friday). The full warning can be found here. You can also view the Parkview Auto Glass road conditions to find out what the roads are like if you plan on heading out anywhere.
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- Contributed by Alec Woolston
The Angel Tree Program, which ensures children in the Adopt-a-Family Program get a gift each Christmas, is looking for donations of money/gifts, and volunteers to sit at the Angel Tree at the mall.
The Angel Tree and Adopt-A-Family programs work together with the food bank to form Dauphin's Community Christmas Program and there are 238 people registered this year according to Robin Gambler, Coordinator at the Dauphin Friendship Centre (DFC).
Volunteers are needed to sit at the Angel Tree inside the Dauphin Marketplace Mall to collect gifts in person. If any gifts come in, all you will have to do is phone the maintenance crew at the mall who will then collect the gifts and store them until they are picked up by the DFC. You can sign up at the mall or call the Friendship Centre at 204-638-5707.
If you would like to donate cash, gift cards, or unwrapped new toys, you can drop them off at the DFC during regular hours. They also accept donations via e-transfer to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The Christmas hamper giveaway day is coming up soon on Friday, December 18th.
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Bill C-288, which was introduced by Dauphin - Swan River - Neepawa MP Dan Mazier has made even more progress.
The bill would amend the Telecommunications Act and require Canadian internet companies to provide Canadians with accurate and transparent information regarding the internet services they pay for. MP Mazier first introduced the bill in June, and he says there's still work that needs to be done.
"It'll have to go through committee, and it's going to have to go come to parliament for another vote, and then back into the senate, so there's still some mechanical stuff to do, but this is a major hurdle, especially the way the vote turned out. There was basically no opposition to putting this bill through parliament and through the exercise. That's very positive news, so everybody wants to work on this."
During Bill C-288's final hour of debate in the second reading, MP Mazier talked about its importance.
“Connectivity is essential to the safety of our communities, to the economic growth of rural regions and to the accessibility of services like education and health care. Canadians should know what they are paying for before they purchase an internet service, not after.”
Bill C-288 will now move to the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology to be further studied. Once the bill makes it through the committee stage, it will be sent back to the House of Commons for further votes. If the legislation passes these required stages, Bill C-288 will be sent from the House of Commons to the Senate, where it will move through the same stages of the parliamentary process.
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A group on Sandy Bay First Nation is working to bring a Bear Clan Patrol to the community. Bear Clan Patrol was started in Winnipeg and has since spread to Brandon and, more recently, Portage la Prairie.
In its mission, Bear Clan Patrol works to provide restoration and maintenance of harmony within the community by promoting and providing safety, conflict resolution, mobile witnessing and crime prevention, maintaining a visible presence on the streets, and providing an early response to situations.
After a call on social media for more to be done about crime and addiction on Sandy Bay First Nation, Candace Roulette decided to try and bring a Bear Clan Patrol to the community.
"I took the initiative to create presentations inviting the Bear Clans from Winnipeg and Brandon, to come out to our community to do these presentations on how we can develop these organizations as well, on our first nations, and I've got a lot of support backing this up because it's much needed in our community."
Roulette says other First Nations have reached out to her, asking to be involved when the presentations happen.
"The Ebb & Flow community and Lake Manitoba Community also reached out to me, asking me to send them an invite, because we as First Nations people are dealing with the same issues. It's not only first nations people, so I'm trying to get our local communities as well to come out and support and give ideas on how we can better the future, of future generations."
Anyone looking for more information about the project can reach out to Candace Roulette on Facebook, or by phone at (204) 249-0628.
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The City of Dauphin says there's a delay in the day 1 garbage pickup today, and residents in the north section of Day 1 should leave their garbage bins out this evening. The city says that mechanical issues have caused the delay, and they apologize for any inconvenience.
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Manitoba Hydro is planning on pulling back on its General Rate Application with the Public Utilities Board.
Hydro was originally seeking rate increases of 3.5% in the 2023-24, and 2024-25 fiscal years, but they'll now ask for 2% increases in each instead. Hydro will still seek confirmation on the 3.6% interim rate increase that came into effect in January 2022.
Hydro President and CEO Jay Grewal said the significantly lower rate request is due to the Manitoba government’s decision last week to reduce what it collects from Manitoba Hydro annually in provincial debt guarantee and water rental payments.
“The reduction announced by the government will help keep rates low for customers, and that’s great news when we know many customers are struggling with the cost of living,” says Grewal. “It also gives Manitoba Hydro the ability to start to reduce our debt while making investments in our system so our customers get the service they demand."
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The Brandon Police Service(BPS) has wrapped up an investigation that lasted more than a year and led to the arrest of 10 people in the city.
The BPS Special Release states that the group of drug traffickers would import large amounts of cocaine into Brandon from Ontario and British Columbia. The BPS investigation, named Project Banish, started in September 2021 and involved a number of units across law enforcement agencies.
Last week, the BPS executed eleven search warrants; six at residences in Brandon, one at a residence in Meadowbrook Village, one at a Brandon business, and three on vehicles. The following was seized as a result of the warrants.
- In excess of 9 kilograms of cocaine –Street value over $900,000
- Over $450,000 in cash
- 2 stolen handguns and a .30-06 rifle
- A ballistic vest and multiple other prohibited weapons
- A 2011 Lincoln MKS
- A 2003 Harley Davison motorcycle
- A 2003 Victory motorcycle.
The BPS Arrested the following individuals, and they have all appeared in court on the charges, although no charges have been proven at this time.
- Logan Bickerton (male age 27) Possession of Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking, Trafficking Cocaine, Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime, Conspiracy to Traffic a Schedule 1 Substance and to Possess Proceeds of Crime over $5000, Possession of a Firearm Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized X2, Possession of Restricted Firearm Obtained by Crime.
- Scott Bickerton (male age 29) Possession of Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking, Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime, and Conspiracy to Traffic a Schedule 1 Substance and to Possess Proceeds of Crime over $5000.
- Troy Bickerton (male age 32) Possession of Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking, Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime Exceeding $5000.
- Barry Bickerton (male age 58) Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000.
- Angela Bickerton (female age 54) Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000, Conspiracy to Possess Proceeds of Crime Over $5000.
- James Reid (male age 30) Possession of Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking, Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime, Conspiracy to Traffic a Schedule 1 Substance and to Possess Proceeds of Crime over $5000.
- Calvin Vermette (FLEURY Male age 52) Conspiracy to Possess Proceeds of Crime Over $5000, Possession of Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking, Conspiracy to Traffic a Schedule 1 Substance.
- Mitchell Brownlee (Male age 34) Conspiracy to Possess Proceeds of Crime Over $5000, Conspiracy to Traffic a Schedule 1 Substance.
- Tyler Henderson (Male age 40) Possession of Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking, Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime, Conspiracy to Traffic a Schedule 1 Substance and to Possess Proceeds of Crime over $5000.
- Craig Crofton (Male age 55) Possession of Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking and Conspiracy to Traffic a Schedule 1 Substance.
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The Manitoba Farmer Wellness program has only been around since March, but it already started to see an uptick in use.
The program offers six free counseling sessions to farmers across the province and their family members. The program has four councilors with a background in agriculture, which Vice Chair Roberta Galbraith says is a very important aspect.
"Farmers in other jurisdictions, and here, have said it just makes such a difference not having to retell your story over and over again when you say, I'm a Farmer, they get it. They understand the sort of cyclical nature of farming, and some of the isolation that might go on with living where you work, and being out in the country. Long hours, high prices, low prices, whatever, they just kind of get it, and you don't have to try and teach this councilor about what it is you have to do."
Galbraith says that this year was a good time for the program to start, as there was a lot of uncertainty with the growing season.
"This year was a very challenging year. Being a farmer myself, the spring was very stressful, and then it gets more stressful in the fall because you're running up against fall weather, short growing season, and short days."
The program's website, manitobafarmerwellness.ca, makes it really easy to choose a counselor and get connected.
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A group of Dauphin Students is using their love of Minecraft to help others learn about the game.
Judith Cooper is a teacher at Ecole MacNeill and during the pandemic, she got certified as an official Minecraft International Coach. That inspired a group of her students to complete a boot camp and get certified as Student Ambassadors.
Harris McMaster, Connor Shanowsky, Riley Karpiak, Lael Kang, Andrew Bereza-Moss, Jack Yakimishen, and Tega Poast are the Ambassadors. Even though many have since moved on to Mackenzie Middle School, the group still returns to Ecole MacNeill to help teach others.
The group has also teamed up with the Dauphin Public Library, to offer Minecraft University to others who don't have the opportunity to learn about it at school. Cooper says that Minecraft University is a great opportunity for students to learn about the game.
"Minecraft University is sort of just mini-lessons, mini sessions, showing kids who may or may not have the ability to do it at home, or at school, and just giving them tips, and the ambassadors are in charge of that."
The group held its first Minecraft University session at the Dauphin Public Library on Friday with students from Barker, Smith Jackson, Henderson, and a student from Grandview says, Cooper.
"We are the second cohort within Canada, the other cohort that I know of is in Toronto. So these kids, my ambassadors, they are official representatives of Minecraft education."
Library Director Alison Moss says she hopes this leads to more technological opportunities at the library.
"I believe libraries should be a technological hub in our communities. We are interested in hearing about what people want to learn and experience at the library. We have been experimenting with a 3D printer and plan to run workshops. We are also applying for grants to bring Virtual Reality to the library – I hope that one day you will be able to experience these cutting-edge technologies during a visit to the library."
Anyone looking for more information on the program can reach out to Judith Cooper at Ecole MacNeill, or Alison Moss at the Dauphin Public Library.
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