Westman

As Canadians prepare to head to the polls in one of the most consequential federal elections in recent memory, the Brandon Chamber of Commerce is proud to share this Special Federal Election Edition of The Glance.

This issue is dedicated to amplifying the voices of the candidates running in the Brandon–Souris riding, featuring their unedited responses to a series of questions focused on topics including:

• Business growth

• Economic recovery

• Development Opportunities

Funeral For:  Frank R. Froese 
Funeral Date: April 24, 2025 

With the federal election just days away, farmers and ranchers had the opportunity to hear directly from political parties about their agricultural policies.  With the federal election just days away, farmers and ranchers had the opportunity to hear directly from political parties about their agricultural policies.  The Canadian Federation of Agriculture held their National Agriculture Leaders Debate last week. The debate on Thursday featured representatives from the Liberal, Conservative, NDP, Green, and Bloc Québécois parties. 

Dangerous Driving / Assault with a Weapon

On April 19, 2025, shortly before 7:00 pm, police responded to a report of an altercation near the 2200 block of Rosser Ave.  The investigation revealed that a 53-old-female intentionally drove a vehicle on a sidewalk which resulted in striking a pedestrian.  The pedestrian was not injured.  A 16-year-old male passenger in the vehicle shot at another individual with a BB gun.  Police stopped the vehicle nearby and arrested the occupants.

Funeral For: Edna Friesen (nee Wiebe) 
Funeral Date: April 26, 2025 
Edna Friesen (nee Wiebe), 78, of Manitou passed away Thursday, April 17th at Boundary Trails Health Centre. She is survived by her husband James, 2 daughters, 1 son, and their families. 
A memorial service for Edna Friesen (nee Wiebe) will be held Saturday, April 26th at 2pm at Morden Alliance Church with burial prior to the service at Manitou Cemetery. 
Viewing will be at Wiebe Funeral Chapel, Morden Friday, April 25th from 7 to 9pm. 

Funeral For:  Jacob Wiebe 
Funeral Date: April 22, 2025 
Jacob Wiebe, 80, of Winkler formerly of Mexico, passed away Friday, April 18th at Salem Home. He is survived by his wife Aganetha Wiebe (nee Enns), their children Henry (Susanna) Wiebe, Isaak (Anna) Wiebe, Jake Wiebe, Agatha (George) Krahn, Katharina (Isaak) Bergen, Aganetha (Jacob) Krahn, Mary (Peter) Neufeld, as well as 38 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren. He was predeceased by 2 children in infancy, and 1 grandchild.

The Conservatives and NDP spent the weekend hunting votes in British Columbia — a key late-campaign battleground that one pollster says may offer Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre his best shot at victory.

Both Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh addressed Canadians' cost-of-living concerns at campaign events in B.C. on Sunday.

Singh was asked if he was advocating strategic voting to shore up the party's flagging support against possible Conservative inroads in the region.

Pope Francis will be remembered by Canadian Catholics as a progressive leader whose approach to the papacy helped usher in a new era of Indigenous relations and make the church more responsive to its rank and file.

The Vatican says the pontiff died Monday at age 88.

Francis was the global leader of Canada's most popular organized religion. Nearly 11 million Canadians identified as Catholic in the 2021 census, second only to those without a religious affiliation.

A Candidates Debate will be taking place this week Wednesday evening at the Evan's Theatre at Brandon University for the federal elections Brandon-Souris Riding.  This is a collaboration between the Brandon University, the Brandon Sun and they'll be streaming through Westman Communications Group on WCGTV. 

The Candidates Debate takes place on April 23rd from 7:00-9:00 pm at the Evans Theatre, Brandon U.

Brandon U spokesman, Grant Hamilton, says the candidates do not get to review the questions before the debate.

Last month, Canadian canola producers were hit with retaliatory tariffs from China, with 100% tariffs affecting exports of canola oil and meal. As Canada exports 90% of its canola production, the stakes are high for our approximately 40,000 canola producers.

Close to $5 billion of canola products are sent to China each year with the majority being seed.