Westman

Alleged members of an Indian gang and its leader have been sending shivers down the spines of members of the South Asian diaspora in Canada for years, says a city councillor in Richmond, B.C.

Kash Heed said the Bishnoi gang, led by Lawrence Bishnoi, gained notoriety and instilled fear among Indian Canadians well before the RCMP accused the syndicate this week of orchestrating violent crimes on Canadian soil.

There was no clear winner in Saturday's British Columbia election, but the leader of the B.C. Conservatives says the province's political landscape has "changed forever," after his party pushed the incumbent New Democrats to the brink.

Neither party won enough seats to claim a majority, and vote counting was set to continue Sunday, with Premier David Eby's NDP in striking range of a minority government if he gets the co-operation of the Greens, who won two seats.

Potential recounts mean it could be next week before the winner is decided.

The Mark Humphries Orchestra will be performing at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium in mid-November, this in support of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum located just north of Brandon.

The benefit concert will feature Big Band music from the 1940's with instrumental and vocal performances from Humphries and musicians from across Westman, as well as from eastern Saskatchewan.

Humphries has been sharing his love of orchestral jazz and swing music since a teenager back in his home country of England.

Executive Director of Samaritan House Ministries, Barb McNish, says she can't say thank you enough times for all the generous donations over the past year, and for future donations.

“Maybe we can’t afford a monetary donation, maybe we can,” shares McNish. "But even if you’d like to help by giving $5 a month, just to support an agency of your choosing, it is helpful because if you have ten people doing that, it adds up."   

The 2024 Baseball Manitoba Awards Banquet was held Saturday night in Brandon. Ally Neufeld of Boissevain was named the 16U Female Player of the Year. Neufeld played for the 18U AA Brandon Knights and went to the Nationals with both the 16U Provincial team and the Provincial Senior team. Dale McKinnon of Deloraine was inducted into the Baseball Manitoba Honor Society. Red River Valley was selected the Region of the Year.

Funeral For:  Jacob Wiebe 
Funeral Date: October 23, 2024 
Jacob Wiebe, 96, of Winkler formerly of Miami, passed away Thursday, October 17th at Salem Home. He is survived by his wife Annie.  
The funeral service for Jacob Wiebe will be held Wednesday, October 23rd at 1pm at Morden Sommerfeld Mennonite Church with burial at Reinland Mennonite Church Cemetery, Schanzenfeld.  
Viewing will be at Wiebe Funeral Home, Winkler Tuesday, October 22nd from 1 to 6pm and at the church prior to the service. 

Memorial For: Margaretha Braun nee Hildebrand 
Memorial Date: October 23, 2024 
Margaretha Braun nee Hildebrand, 96, of Winkler formerly of Lowe Farm, passed away Friday, October 18th at Boundary Trails Health Centre. She is survived by 3 daughters, 1 son, 1 sister, 1 brother and their families. She was predeceased by her husband Ed, her parents, 1 son, 1 son-in-law, 2 sisters, 5 brothers, stepmother and parents-in-law. 

Funeral For:  Susan Gerbrandt 
Funeral Date: October 26, 2024 
Susan Gerbrandt, 105, of Winnipeg passed away Sunday, October 13th at Pembina Place Personal Care Home. She is survived by 3 daughters, 1 son, 4 sisters, 1 brother, and their families. She was predeceased by her husband Henry and 7 sisters. 
The funeral service for Susan Gerbrandt will be held Saturday, October 26th at 11am at Bethel Mennonite Church, 465 Stafford Street, with burial at Sage Creek Cemetery. 
Donations may be made to Canadian Mennonite University. 

The executive team from the Assembly of First Nations will meet in the coming days to discuss how to proceed with new negotiations for a child welfare reform deal after chiefs voted against the government's proposed $47.8 billion agreement at a meeting in Calgary Thursday.

AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, who had helped negotiate the deal and pushed for it to be approved, was blunt in her assessment of the outcome in her closing remarks to the special chiefs assembly Friday.

Here's a look at some of this week's top news photos as selected by editors.

B.C. NDP Leader David Eby is seen through a bus windshield as he arrives for a campaign stop in Nanaimo, B.C., Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck