An enthusiastic group of first-year medical students from the University of Manitoba’s Max Rady College of Medicine will participate in Rural Week across the Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) region from May 25–29 and June 1–5.
Coordinated annually by the Department of Family Medicine, Shared Health (Manitoba Healthcare Providers Network), and Manitoba’s rural regional health authorities, Rural Week offers students valuable first-hand experience in rural and northern medical practice, while highlighting the benefits of living and working in these communities.
This year, Prairie Mountain Health is hosting 41 students across 14 communities, including Brandon, Carberry, Dauphin, Deloraine, Grandview, Hamiota, Killarney, Minnedosa, Neepawa, Roblin, Russell, Souris, Ste. Rose, and Virden.
The program introduces students to both the clinical and community aspects of rural healthcare, often their first exposure to rural practice. During the week, students will shadow physicians, connect with healthcare teams, and explore local services, while also engaging in community activities that showcase rural life.
PMH Associate Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kyle Conrad, a past Rural Week participant, understands the program’s impact. Dr. Conrad is also a family practice anesthetist based in Brandon, while also supporting Minnedosa, Neepawa and Northern Manitoba.
"My experience with Rural Week played a significant role in shaping my career. I clearly remember how welcoming the community was and how proudly they showcased the care and services they provide. That experience has stayed with me, and I’m proud to continue providing care in rural and northern Manitoba. Rural Week is an essential recruitment initiative—it’s about more than healthcare; it’s about the strength of our communities and the people who make them thrive."
PMH extends sincere thanks to physician preceptors, healthcare professionals, and community volunteers whose dedication makes Rural Week possible. The program’s success reflects the commitment and hospitality of participating communities.
Rural Week was introduced in 2003 as an optional experience within the University of Manitoba’s first-year medical curriculum and became a mandatory component the following year

By Terrie Welwood
Russell Banner
For Prairie Mountain Health, the region’s Recruitment and Retention Team it’s ‘all hands-on deck’ with their near constant search for doctors.
As such, the team partners with representatives from the province, region and individual communities to all work together to promote the benefits of living and working in rural Manitoba.
A very valuable part of this initiative involves the prospective physicians touring around various Manitoba communities. They will be arriving at those communities after their successful completion from the PMPH sponsored Medical Licensure Program for International Medical Graduates (MLPIMG) program.
In return for the regional sponsorship, MLPIMG doctors agree to practice in their respective communities for four years.
In Russell, councilors Wes Anderson and Brent Havelange toured Dr. Porimol Debnath around the area where he visited the health facilities here as well as several local attractions.
Dr. Debnath is hoping to be arriving in the first week of September and begin his medical practice in Russell, although, as that is dependent upon the completion of the necessary paperwork for licensing, the exact dates have yet to be determined.
His interest in general practice is conducive to the much needed medical doctor shortage across rural Manitoba.
Read the full story on the front page of this week's Russell Banner.

Russell Leisure Club was established in 1978 as a drop-in center for seniors. It is also the home for an office for the Senior Services of Banner County where seniors can feel comfortable attending to get use of services directed at senior citizens. Lifeline, assistance for completion of forms for government and so on, is provided by this office. The local Thrift Shop is also housed in the same building and is operational on three part-days a week, providing a place for seniors to work on a volunteer basis, and a place for the local communities to be able to purchase clothing and other goods at very reasonable cost.
The Club assists by providing a place that can be home for activities for seniors in the area to continue living independently and with dignity by allowing activities for recreation like line-dancing and yoga, dances, a place to play pool, and gather to play cards.
Annual memberships allow seniors to make use of the Centre to meet with friends, host meeting and activities and feel like a useful part of the community.
The Leisure Centre rents out the facility to individuals and organizations for various activities. Bingos and dances are also held as fundraisers.

By Skye Anderson
The Brandon Sun

ROSSBURN — The Crown is asking the court to sentence a Russell man who’s made repeated threats against police to two years in custody.
“The level of disrespect and contempt that he shows toward members of the community who are attempting to keep the rest of the community safe is certainly eye-opening,” Crown attorney Ron Toews said during Michael Man’s sentencing hearing in Rossburn provincial court on Wednesday.
Man, 46, was convicted of uttering threats after a trial and later pleaded guilty to three additional counts.
“These are not spurious or impulsive utterances or acts. These are comments that are made after careful contemplation,” Toews said.
The man’s lawyer argued that a time-served sentence, which is the equivalent of about 16 months, would be appropriate and still send a strong message to the community that threats will not be tolerated.
Russell RCMP received several complaints about Man sending threatening messages, including toward police, on Jan. 30, 2025.
One of the messages from Man said, “Typical worthless pig f—s in costumes came here to harass me for taking pictures. Next time that happens, I’ll wait for supper hour and kick in their door and get the whole family.”
On Sept. 8, 2025, a police officer received a chain of emails between Man and a Brandon Correctional Centre employee, in which Man made comments about his treatment while incarcerated in 2023.
One of the messages said, “I’m going to have no choice but to hunt the provincial and federal employees responsible for my stay.”
Toews said the use of the word “hunt” is “chilling in its darkest context,” as it invokes a narrative that often involves stalking, premeditation, planning, contemplation and preparation.
Saskatchewan RCMP contacted Russell RCMP on Nov. 6, 2025, and said they had been notified of threats that had been sent to Pattison Media.
In the email, Man said, “F— the police. Only good cops are dead cops. Nobody seems to want to release the details of the three pig f—s that violently assaulted me at gunpoint in the dark as vigilante justice.”
He continued by writing, “I know the RCMP member personally, and he’s going to find himself thrown through the woodchipper out on his front lawn.”
Toews described this threat as “very specific” and graphic in nature, which he said showed premeditation.
“Man engineers his language to maximize his psychological harm. He uses it to power his targets. He uses it to intimidate and to erode their sense of security within the community,” he said.
Toews said he hasn’t seen the slightest suggestion of remorse from Man, and he has a concerning lack of insight or self-reflection.

Read the full story on pages 1 and 7 in this week's Russell Banner.