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Assembly of First Nations (AFN) chiefs listen to delegates as they speak about resolutions at their Annual General Assembly in Winnipeg, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

First Nations prepare for historic meeting with Carney and the premiers

Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press 9 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 2:20 PM CDT

OTTAWA - Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak is feeling the weight of the moment as she approaches something her predecessors sought for years: a sit-down meeting with the prime minister and premiers.

"I look at some of our former leaders that had to really push and pull just to open these doors, and I wish they could see that today," Woodhouse Nepinak said recently between last-minute meetings with chiefs to prepare for the First Nations-First Ministers meeting in Ottawa on Monday.

"It is historic, but at the same time we don't want it to be one-and-done. We don't want it to fall flat and not offer hope again."

The meeting comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney works to speed up major project approvals and development — efforts some First Nations chiefs say threaten their rights.

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Ambassador of Cuba to Canada Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz prepares to appear before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Cuban ambassadors ask Canada to renew its rejection of U.S. embargo and fuel blockade

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Preview

Cuban ambassadors ask Canada to renew its rejection of U.S. embargo and fuel blockade

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 9:09 AM CDT

OTTAWA - Havana is urging Ottawa not to drop its public opposition to the decades-long U.S. embargo as Washington ramps up pressure on countries supporting Cuba.

"We are confident that Canada will stay with us, as they have done in the past," Cuban Ambassador to Canada Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz told The Canadian Press.

"The blockade and this intensification is, in practice, killing people."

The United Nations is set to vote next week on a motion Cuba has put forward nearly every year since 1992. It calls for the termination of "the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba."

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Updated: Yesterday at 9:09 AM CDT

Local

Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine: “I want families to know that we listened to every word that they said.” (Mike Deal/Winnipeg Free Press files)

Province backtracks, offers autism strategy for all ages

By Maggie Macintosh 4 minute read Preview

Province backtracks, offers autism strategy for all ages

By Maggie Macintosh 4 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 9:10 AM CDT

WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government has announced a U-turn that will ensure its autism strategy covers children and adults alike in response to community backlash.

Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine announced Friday that recent amendments to Bill 232 — which would have bolstered disability-related support only for anyone aged 17 and under — will be reversed.

“I want families to know that we listened to every word that they said,” she said at a news conference inside her third-floor office at the Manitoba legislature.

The Autism Strategy Act will require the government to create a policy to improve the screening and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and support research.

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Updated: Yesterday at 9:10 AM CDT

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PHIL.HOSSACK@FREEPRESS.MB.CA
Wheat board chairman Allen Oberg says farmers, not the government, decide the board’s future.

Final legal judgment rendered in Canadian Wheat Board saga

By Erik Pindera 3 minute read Preview

Final legal judgment rendered in Canadian Wheat Board saga

By Erik Pindera 3 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 10:00 AM CDT

WINNIPEG — A judge has thrown out a class-action lawsuit that sought damages for certain grain farmers in relation to the end of the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly by the federal government.

It’s the last of extensive litigation over the dissolution of the board.

Manitoba Court of King’s Bench Justice Chris Martin, in a decision this month, dismissed farmer Edward Andrew Dennis’s 2017 civil claim against the federal attorney general and G3 Global Grain Group, the successor to the wheat board.

The wheat board was created in 1935 as a voluntary marketing program and transformed into a compulsory marketing agency in which farmers were required to sell their wheat and barley to it.

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Updated: Yesterday at 10:00 AM CDT

Local

The Brandon Police Service crest. (File)

Brandon police pause use of Crime Stoppers

3 minute read Preview

Brandon police pause use of Crime Stoppers

3 minute read Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

Police services in Brandon and Winnipeg have suspended their use of Crime Stoppers after a significant data breach.

An activist group hacked and stole a massive trove of data from United States firm Navigate360 and the tip-management platform it operates last March, the CBC has reported. Crime Stoppers chapters in Canada and the U.S. use the platform to keep data anonymous.

More than 1.5 million tips submitted to Canadian Crime Stoppers programs over the last 25 years were exposed in the hack, along with unredacted personal information, the public broadcaster reported.

Crime Stoppers chapters collect what are supposed to be anonymous tips from members of the public on criminal activity, which are then provided to law enforcement, with cash rewards offered.

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Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

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Incumbent Brandon city councillors Heather Karrouze (from left), Tyson Tame, Jason Splett and Shaun Cameron. (Supplied)

Incumbents prioritize pathway lighting

1 minute read Preview

Incumbents prioritize pathway lighting

1 minute read Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

A quartet of incumbent councillors say they would prioritize more pathway lighting to improve resident safety if they are re-elected in next week’s election.

Councillors Heather Karrouze, Shaun Cameron, Jason Splett and Tyson Tame — who currently represent wards 1, 4, 8 and 10, respectively — issued a joint press release Thursday identifying where they would like to see additional lighting.

Karrouze called for more lighting on three paths at the Riverbank Discovery Centre. Cameron said he’d like more lights along 34th Street and Pacific Avenue, and both Splett and Tame said they’d like to see lighting along Patricia Avenue.

“The city is currently undertaking work to look at lighting standards,” the release said.

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Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

Local

The Mitchell family, along with friend Trevor Ellis, stand in costume surrounding their favourite tombstone on Friday. (Photos by Connor McDowell/The Brandon Sun)

Cedar Hollow scares up food donations

By Connor McDowell Local Journalism Initiative 4 minute read Preview

Cedar Hollow scares up food donations

By Connor McDowell Local Journalism Initiative 4 minute read Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

The Cedar Hollow Scare Away Hunger haunted house continues to grow in southwest Brandon as it returns for its fourth Halloween season.

The hosts, Mike and Carla Mitchell, have secured almost double the number of scare actors, added four new “chambers” of horror, and have set their fundraising goal at 3,000 donated food items to meet or surpass last year’s total.

“We have really expanded — we are much bigger this year,” Carla said.

“It’s nice. The more you get, the bigger you grow, the more you can do.”

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Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

Local

Premier Wab Kinew speaks during the NDP’s Westman Gala in Brandon on Thursday evening. Kinew said the party’s Westman candidates will “try and repeat the magic” of last year’s Spruce Woods byelection, when NDP candidate Ray Berthelette came within 70 votes of Progressive Conservative Colleen Robbins in a traditionally PC area. (Alex Lambert/The Brandon Sun)

Kinew delivers election-style speech at gala

By Alex Lambert 3 minute read Preview

Kinew delivers election-style speech at gala

By Alex Lambert 3 minute read Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

Premier Wab Kinew went into election mode on Thursday evening, highlighting the strengths and momentum of his party’s candidates while touching on a variety of other topics during the NDP’s Westman Gala in Brandon.

Kinew started his election-style speech by revisiting the close result the party received in Spruce Woods in last year’s byelection, when candidate Ray Berthelette came within 70 votes of Progressive Conservative Colleen Robbins in an area that historically sees strong PC support.

“Seventy votes — pretty darn close. You’re the man, Ray,” Kinew said during his 21-minute speech at the Keystone Centre’s MNP Hall in front of a crowd of about 300 politicians, business leaders and community members.

“And thanks for opening up people’s minds to show them what’s possible in southwestern Manitoba,” Kinew said.

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Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

Local

Brandon company named top MSP finalist

2 minute read Preview

Brandon company named top MSP finalist

2 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 9:48 AM CDT

Brandon’s myITsource has been named among 10 Canadian finalists in the 2026 managed service providers Titans of the Industry Awards.

The third annual awards recognize leading managed service providers for innovation, client outcomes and community leadership across the United States and international markets including Canada, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

The company was nominated for overall industry leadership and community commitment.

The recognition reflects the passion and hard work of the team, myITsource managing partner Sean Dandy said.

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Updated: Yesterday at 9:48 AM CDT

Local

Tim Daigle, Creation Nation Makerspace co-ordinator, moves a wheelchair through the room filled with other donated medical equipment that will one day be refurbished by volunteers and resold at a discounted price. (Rylee Gerrard/The Brandon Sun)

Makerspace takes on medical equipment

By Rylee Gerrard 3 minute read Preview

Makerspace takes on medical equipment

By Rylee Gerrard 3 minute read Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

The Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation is expanding its Creation Nation Makerspace by launching a new program to repurpose gently used medical equipment.

The new program will refurbish used equipment such as crutches, wheelchairs, walkers and other non-electronic medical equipment, and resell them at a discounted cost.

While the program isn’t fully operational yet, the organization already has a stock of medical gear from community members, basements and hospitals, said BNRC executive director Karra Burney.

“By donating it here, it’s going to get back into the hands of someone in need at a small fraction of the cost, and we’re keeping it in rotation where it’s not going to just be a piece in a landfill,” Burney said.

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Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

Local

The Brandon University campus. (The Brandon Sun files)

BU receives $591K in federal research support funding

2 minute read Preview

BU receives $591K in federal research support funding

2 minute read Friday, Oct. 23, 2026

Brandon University has received $591,354 in funding from the federal government’s Research Support Fund for the 2026-27 fiscal year.

The contribution increased by 6.1 per cent from the $557,284 received last year.

The fund is a permanent initiative designed to help post-secondary institutions offset the indirect costs of managing federally funded research.

It is administered jointly by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

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Friday, Oct. 23, 2026