Corporation's Layoffs Will Affect Farmers

The provincial government has announced up to 40 layoffs could be coming to those that work with the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC).

MASC looks after farmers, they’re there if farmers are having problems with crops, predators, and they also send out the adjusters that make sure the farmers get paid the insurance they need to continue. The corporation also does agriculture research.

Michelle Gawronsky, the president of the MGEU, says the layoffs will affect farmers all across the province.

“They’re (The provincial government) in the process of having to hire adjusters because we know, for instance, one of the adjusters said to me, there’s 60 thousand acres right now that haven’t been adjusted from last year to allow those farmers to carry on this year. So that work alone needs to be done. We know they’re hiring students right now because there’s so much work, it’s springtime, it’s farming time this is our farmers’ time to be able to get their work done.”

Gawronsky worries that if there aren’t enough people available to do the MASC’s work the farmers will be negatively impacted.

“If the farmers hurt, that’s the bread and butter for Manitoba, they feed all of us. We need to respect and support our farmers as much as we can.”

The province and the MGEU haven’t had much dialogue on the situation. Gawronsky says they received a call saying there’d be layoffs, at least 12 or 13 regardless of what happens, but the workers could stop 10-38 layoffs if they agree to take unpaid days which would equate to a 15 per cent pay cut.

Gawronsky says that’s the only option they’ve been given, get laid off, or take unpaid days.

“They were given a week to make a decision and what are you going to do? Do you guys want to take layoffs and not have a job or do you want to take a 15 per cent cut in pay? That’s what they’ve been offered.”

Gawronsky doesn’t know if the layoffs are permanent either.

The MGEU has sent Minister Pedersen a letter including their main concerns by this move:

- The fact that significant layoffs or work reductions are being imposed at a time when staff continue to face demanding workloads. Demand for MASC services has not declined due to the pandemic - this is why MASC has been hiring new adjusters in communities across Manitoba;

- The fact that there is enough work for MASC to see a need to hire summer students while still pressing its permanent workforce to accept layoffs or work reductions;

- The unreasonable timelines to respond to employer demands, particularly given the challenges of consulting workers who are spread out across the province at a time when in-person local meetings are not possible; and

- The negative impact that the proposed layoffs or work reductions will have on the important services provided by MASC to Manitoba farmers at a time when they face great market uncertainty.

The MGEU is calling on Minister Pedersen to reverse the requirement for the MASC to reduce workforce expenses by 20 per cent.

No response has been received.

Gawronsky says the goal is to make sure our farmers are supported and these people have jobs.

“Let’s sit down and talk about this and figure out how we best move forward, that we can ensure that Manitoban farmers are going to be kept alive and well and are going to be supported here. If there’s a need for 12 (layoffs), then why are we doing 40? And if we’re doing 40 then why are we hiring students? Is this about money or is this about the services and is this about keeping our economy strong and keeping Manitobans working? Those are what we’d like some answers to.”

Gawronsky is asking Manitoba farmers to contact their MLA to try and get answers. Gawronsky would love to hear from anybody who gets an answer from their MLA.

Details: Contributed by Isaac Wihak; Published: May 15, 2020 - 8:35 am

The coronavirus has changed a lot of long weekend plans for people this year.

So we went out in Dauphin and asked Parklanders what their plans were for the long weekend.

Gord from Ethelbert plans to “just stay home and stay safe. Probably have a family barbeque with the wife and kids.”

Darien from Ebb and Flow will “probably drive around, maybe go sightseeing.”

This weekend, Valerie from Dauphin is “gonna try to start up my garden.”

Maggie from McCreary has a couple of ideas. “I’m going to clean up my yard and barbeque.”

Jean from McCreary will “stay home and likely work in the garden.”

Whether you’re staying home and doing some barbequing and gardening or heading out to drive around and see the sights of the Parkland, tune in to CKDM on Monday for the All Request Mayday Monday from 6 am to midnight!

Details: Contributed by Isaac Wihak; Published: May 15, 2020 - 7:38 am

Liquor Mart
Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m. — 8:00 p.m.

Sunday 11:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.

Monday (Victoria Day) 11:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.

The Dauphin Marketplace Mall
Friday & Saturday are regular hours, 7:00 a.m. — 8:00 p.m.

Sunday & Monday (Victoria Day) hours are 9:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m

Grocery Stores
Safeway is open on Monday (Victoria Day) from 9:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.

Co-op Grocery Store is closed on Monday (Victoria Day)

Post Office
The post office will be closed on Monday, May 18th for Victoria Day.

City Hall
Dauphin City Hall will be closed on Monday (Victoria Day).

Garbage & Recycle Pick-Up
Regular Garbage and Recycle collection will proceed.
The City of Dauphin’s Waste Disposal Site is also closed on Monday for Victoria Day.

The RM of Dauphin offices are going to be closed on Monday.

The Dauphin Vet Clinic
The Dauphin Vet Clinic will not be open Monday (Victoria Day) and remains temporarily closed over the weekend during the COVID situation.
The Clinic will reopen Tuesday with regular hours 9:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: May 15, 2020 - 5:01 am

During Victoria Day Long Weekend, you should keep in mind that visitor services and vehicle access at Riding Mountain National Park are still suspended.

All services and facilities such as washrooms, the playground, beaches, parking lots, and picnic shelters remain closed. All events, group and interpretive activities remain suspended until further notice. As well, boating and fishing are prohibited in all national park waters until further notice.

On Thursday, Canada’s Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson revealed Canada's 38 parks and 171 historic sites will soon be restarting some operations.

Beginning June 1st, some trails, day-use areas, green spaces and recreational boating will be available at national parks, historic sites and waterways, and national marine conservation areas.

Camping is still off limits until at least June 21 — at which point the government will reassess whether to move forward with reopening camping services.

Riding Mountain National Park officials say more information about the June 1st resumption plans will be announced next week.

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: May 14, 2020 - 7:41 pm

On Sunday, May 10, at approximately 4:15 a.m., Manitoba First Nations Police Officers responded to a residence on the Waywayseecappo First Nation after a caller reported an intoxicated male was assaulting people.

Upon their arrival, the suspect fled the scene while the victim was treated at the Russell hospital.

Officers would then receive another call that the male had returned to the residence. This time, officers were able to arrest a 26-year-old male from the Waywayseecappo First Nation.

He is now facing the following charges:

Assault x2
Assault with a Weapon x2
Uttering Threats
Failing to Comply with an Undertaking x2
Failing to Comply with a Release Order

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: May 14, 2020 - 4:41 pm

Premier Brian Pallister announced that the Manitoba government is introducing additional temporary orders to extend deadlines, social service, and child-care provisions, and reduce municipal government regulatory burdens to help address the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Due to the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are instituting new emergency orders to allow for greater flexibility during this time and give Manitobans the time they need to work around the interruptions this pandemic has caused,” said Pallister.

A state of emergency has been declared by the powers set out in Section 10(1) and 10(2) of The Emergency Measures Act.

The additional orders will ensure continued access to services for Manitobans during the state of emergency in Manitoba due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as

Extending deadlines to apply for the 2019 farmland school tax rebate and to appeal tax assessments to the earlier of Sept. 21, 2020, or the end of the state of emergency associated with COVID-19.
Providing exemptions to current license requirements for child care so that early childhood educators can offer child care in their homes and in the community for families who need it during the current state of emergency.
Suspending municipal by-elections during the current state of emergency, as well as reducing municipal council meeting quorum requirements to provide greater flexibility for local governments.
Temporarily suspending meeting provisions for condominium corporations, co-operatives, corporations, and credit unions and introducing measures to allow electronic attendance, delivery of notices, and voting by other means.
Introducing temporary suspensions for in-person commissioning and witnessing provisions related to oaths, affirmation, statutory declarations, health-care directives, powers of attorney, land titles documents, and wills.
Temporarily suspending feeds for marriage fees, licences and marriage commissioners if the person has an expired licence issued after Dec. 19, 2019.

The province has the ability to revoke any of the above orders sooner than stated if it deems necessary.

You can read more into the orders at COVID-19 orders.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: May 14, 2020 - 3:55 pm

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister believes the province needs additional support to enforce COVID-19 measures.

That’s why he’s announced today the province will be designating additional government officials to enforce emergency public health orders, in order to ensure we “have the capacity for enforcement — if necessary — to help keep Manitobans healthy and safe and keep our COVID curve flat.”

The Additional Enforcement Personnel Regulation — enacted under The Public Heath Act — will give the following government officials power to enforce public health emergency orders:

• safety and health officers under The Workplace Safety and Health Act;
•   inspectors under The Liquor Gaming and Cannabis Control Act;
•   public health officers appointed under The Public Health Act;
•   park patrol officers under The Provincial Parks Act; and
•   public health officers within Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development including food safety inspectors, animal health inspectors and animal protection officers.

Provincial park patrol officers will now also be able to enforce public health emergency orders, alongside Manitoba Conservation officers.

The province says education and warnings will be the main priority, and issuing tickets is being considered a last resort.

To report non-compliance of public health orders, you can call the Manitoba Government Inquiry line at 204-945-3744, (toll-free) at 1-866-626-4862 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: May 14, 2020 - 1:43 pm

For the 2nd straight day, public health officials announced there were no new cases of COVID-19 identified in Manitoba.

One case previously considered probable has now been ruled out, bringing the total number of confirmed and probable cases down to 289.

The case that’s been ruled out was associated with the cluster at a trucking company in Brandon. With that case now ruled out, the number of cases associated with that cluster is down to 10.

There are currently 30 active cases in Manitoba; four people are in hospital and one person is in intensive care.

There have been 7 deaths attributed to the virus in Manitoba.

Beginning today, Manitobans experiencing flu or cold-like symptoms no longer require a referral from Health Links — or their family physician — before heading to a community site for COVID-19 testing.

Anyone with symptoms is encouraged to use the online screening tool to determine whether they meet the necessary criteria to be tested.

For more information and to access the online screening tool for COVID-19, click here.

For up-to-date information on testing criteria and community screening sites, visit here.

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: May 14, 2020 - 1:20 pm

Officials with the federal government say they’re ready to gradually re-open national parks.

The sites have been closed since mid-March to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Canada’s Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says our national parks will soon be restarting some operations.

Beginning June 1st, some trails, day use areas, green spaces and recreational boating will be available at national parks, historic sites and waterways, and national marine conservation areas.

For an update on camping resuming in our national parks — you’ll have to wait until at least June 21 — when the government says they will reassess whether to move forward with reopening campsites.

What does this mean for Riding Mountain National Park? Park officials will be sharing more information about resumption plans next week.

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: May 14, 2020 - 12:22 pm

Celebrating National Nursing Week has looked much different this year.

Manitoba Nurses’ Union (MNU) President Darlene Jackson says employers, unions, and the general public have had to get creative to show their appreciation given the circumstances.

She says there have been some issues with food donations, because most of it can’t come into the building without being wiped — but there have been plenty of kind gestures from people showing their appreciation.

“We actually had a lady who makes and decorates cookies donate them to nurses and St. Boniface. She’s now on a project baking cookies for other healthcare facilities in Winnipeg.”

The MNU president has seen lots of pictures in windows, notes in windows; thanking nurses as front line providers.

“It’s all over Facebook, people chiming in saying thank you. I think it’s especially poignant right now.”

Jackson thinks this week should also be an opportunity to call attention to the challenges facing Manitoba nurses. “We are in a nursing shortage," she said, adding "the College of Registered Nurses just released their registration numbers from this year. Registration has dropped off again like it did last year.”

The MNU president says it’s difficult to recruit nurses, but in her own experience, it’s been one of the most rewarding decisions she’s ever made.

“It’s an amazing profession. It’s something I chose to do, and I honestly have to say it’s probably the best decision I’ve made in my entire life to go into nursing. It’s been so rewarding.”