Mike Blume

The Liberal Party of Canada has won a fourth consecutive term in the 2025 federal election, while Conservative incumbent Branden Leslie retained his Portage-Lisgar seat with a commanding majority. He secure a return to Ottawa and the House of Commons with more than 69% of the popular vote in the electoral district, with over than 21,000 votes more than Robert Kreis who came in second.

A historic landmark event took place in the Dakota Plains First Nation on Wednesday, June 26. The City of Portage la Prairie gave an official apology on Dakota land to the First Nation in the community's arbour.

Premier Wab Kinew attended along with the entire Portage la Prairie City Council.

Portage Council also held an official council meeting that convened exactly at 5:16 p.m. where council voted to overturn a law that was created in 1911 in Portage la Prairie forbidding Dakota people to live in the City. The vote was unanimously in favour of overturning that ruling.

Portage-Lisgar MP Branden Leslie says it was a very interesting first few weeks in his career at Parliament. 

He notes it was memorable to have been walked in the House of Commons with Conservative party leader, Pierre Poilievre.

Leslie has been appointed to the Environment Committee.

"We're going to have an interesting meeting next week with the Premier of Alberta coming to discuss clean energy, and some of the changes that that level of government has made," says Leslie. 

It was a rough start and end to this long weekend for a few Portage la Prairie homeowners and Portage Firefighters. Two separate fires each affected adjacent properties. Portage City Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Norm Vuignier says two cruisers responded to the first fire early Saturday morning at 3:00 a.m. with four personnel, and the second early this morning at 7 a.m. 

"One was this morning just after 7 a.m.," says Vuignier. "Three trucks and nine members were dispatched. Both are currently under investigation."

The Made in Manitoba Expo is happening today in the MNP Building on the island in Portage la Prairie. 

Mary Buhler is with Poochie Paws Bakery being highlighted there. The business is just coming up to their one-year anniversary next month.

"A lot of our ingredients are homegrown," says Buhler. "For instance, we grow our own apples and I make my own applesauce as the ingredients in some of our our treats. Our oats come from the Manitoba area."

It's the last day of school before Christmas break, and North Memorial School in Portage la Prairie held its seasonal events for students and parents.

Principal Val Smith says their Christmas concert included students from kindergarten to Grade 6.