Development of Maamawi Park in Dauphin is being advanced by a $100,000 gift from the Province through the From the Ground Up - Safe Healthy Communities for ALL program.
The money is earmarked for the third phase of the project aimed at developing a new learning and activity centre promoting healthy recreaton, inclusion and reconciliation in the region.
“Strong communities are built around places where people can gather, learn, play and connect,” Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard said in announcing the grant, last week.
“Our government is proud to support Maamawi Park, because it creates a safe and healthy community space for everyone in Dauphin. This investment will provide new opportunities for families, children, elders and visitors to enjoy the outdoors, while deepening understanding of Indigenous history and culture in the Parkland region.”
This phase of the community-led project will expand recreation opportunities, while creating a safe, healthy and welcoming space for residents of all ages. The goal is to establish the first of four planned learning and story stations.
The activity station will be themed “the north” and will feature interactive play and exploration areas, Indigenous storytelling elements, public art, educational signage, landscaping and gathering spaces developed in collaboration with Indigenous partners.
Planned features include a bear tunnel play structure, cedar groves and shelters, musical play elements, Indigenous artwork and storyboards, as well as native plants and landscaping.
“This project reflects what makes the Dauphin area such a great place to live - people coming together to build something that benefits the whole community,” said Agriculture Minister and Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn.
“By investing in Maamawi Park, we are creating more opportunities for children and families to be active, supporting reconciliation through learning and understanding, and helping ensure Dauphin remains a safe, healthy and welcoming community for generations to come.”
The free and accessible learning centre is expected to serve not only the City of Dauphin and the Rural Municipality of Dauphin, but also the broader region and neighbouring First Nations communities.
“Maamawi means together, and that spirit has guided this project from the beginning,” said Larry Budzinski, a member of the Maamawi Park Steering Committee.
“The next phase will create a unique space where people can gather, play, learn and celebrate Indigenous culture together. We are grateful to the Manitoba government and all our community and Indigenous partners for helping bring this vision to life.”
The project is being led by Dauphin Recreation Services in partnership with the Anishinaabe Nations in Treaty 2 Territory, the Northwest Métis Council, the Dauphin Friendship Centre, the City of Dauphin, the Rural Municipality of Dauphin and other local organizations.
Dauphin Recreation Services is a non-profit organization led by a board of directors, funded jointly by the City of Dauphin and the RM of Dauphin. It manages facilities and parks that serve both municipal regions, including 11 parks inside the city and four parks in the rural municipality.
The From the Ground Up - Safe Healthy Communities for ALL program provides up to $100,000 to help non-profits, municipalities and northern affairs councils fund community revitalization, youth programs and capital improvements that strengthen local infrastructure and support vibrant community life.

The candidate list for the Oct. 28 general municipal and school board election has been set and ballots are being printed.
City of Dauphin
In the City of Dauphin, three people are vying for the mayor’s chair left vacant by the retirement of David Bosiak. Hopefuls include current councillor Steve Sobering, along with Keith Durston and Carter Taylor-Luke.
There are 10 people attempting to secure six council seats on the next City council. Incumbents Christian Laughland, Devin Shtykalo, Ted Rea and Randy Daley are all seeking relection and will be joined by new candidates, including Amanda Novak, Michelle Nyquist, Jason Alf, Michael Winters, Scott McCallum and Richard Mitchell.
RM of Dauphin
Voters in the Rural Municipality of Dauphin will not have to make any decision regarding the municipal council as all candidates are acclaimed.
Ernie Sirski will return for a second term as reeve, while incumbent councillors Ken Plustwa, Ken Shewchuk, Tammy Koshowski, Todd Boguski and Midge Sametz are also all acclaimed.
The RM will be short one councillor, however, as no one stepped up to take the seat left vacant with the retirement of councillor Ron Ryz.
MVSD
The creation of a new board of trustees for Mountain View School Division will involve elections in three of four wards.
Incumbents Floyd Martens and Scott Lynxleg have been acclaimed in Ward 1, while Ward 2 will see Kyle Lylyk and Mindy Rickards compete for one seat on the board.
In Ward 3, five candidates are hoping to secure one of two seats on the board. They include incumbents Sonia Blanc, Gabe Mercier and Jason Gryba, along with newcomers Wanda Sime and Matthew Bayduza.
With four seats open in Ward 4, incumbent Jarri Thompson is joined on the ballot by Dan McKay, Rigby Devos, Michelle Smigelski and Rodney Juba.
Lakeshore
In the Rural Municipality of Lakeshore, Richard Kachur has been acclaimed reeve and three councillors - Cherie Robertson, Diana McIntyre and Michael R. Brunen - have been acclaimed in Ward 2.
Voters, however, will have to choose three councillors in Ward 1 from a list of candidates, which includes Claude Hykawy, Crystal Charlebois-Fiddler, Teddy Sraybash and Rick Paradis.
Ste. Rose
In Ste. Rose, Robert Killam has been acclaimed as mayor, but there will be an election for council with six people looking to fill four seats.
Candidates include Shari Maillard, Julie Peloquin, Darrel Deslauriers, Joey Frobisher, Steven Hopfner and Ivan Worrall.
Mossey River
Mossey River Municipality will see elections held for reeve and urban council positions, while three rural councillors - Greg Boyko, Alden Zurba and Leon Bergen - have been acclaimed.
Reynold Sahulka and John (Jack) Fleming are vying for reeve, while Justin Barsewsky, Angel Johnson, Rodney Grahn, Sherry (Harrison) Lytwyn, Roger Pilon and Ivan Fleming are squaring off to become urban councillors.
Gilbert Plains
Election interest in the Gilbert Plains Municipality is high with numerous candidates in the running.
James Manchur and Larry Malowski will square off for the reeve chair, while council positions will be contested by Raymond Rodgerson, Craig Von Bargen, Carsten Dykun, Aaron Klepak, Lyall Bates, Kristen Rubeniuk, Brett Ewanyshyn, Charles Jeffers, Leanne McKay, Grant Pope, Aaron Dykun, Drisen Harapiak and Vern Ellis.
Ethelbert
Voters in the Municipality of Ethelbert will have some choices to make on polling day with a full slate of candidates seeking election.
Mike Semeniuk and Kevin Boese are seeking to become reeve, while hopeful councillors include Bruce Podolsky, Greg Woytkiewicz, Cory Chymy, Dusty Rushinka, Debbie Jodouin, Wayne Pitura, Richard Evans, Randy Hancharyk.
Voting day in the 2026 general municipal election is Oct. 28.

A successful fund-raising campaign has brought Countryfest Community Cinema back from the brink of financial disaster and has the organization excited about the future.
With customers slow to come back after the pandemic Countryfest Community Cinema launched a plan to raise urgently-needed capital, through a GoFundMe effort and a corporate fund-raising campaign, raising about 80 per cent of its $100,000 goal, said board chair Ron Hedley.
“We again got such good support,” Hedley said.
“I just appreciate how people have come and stepped up to help with the theater every time we ask.”
Hedley said the theatre has paid off in excess of $1.4 million from it’s mortgage in the 15 plus years it has been open, however, pandemic restrictions meant the organization had to drain its reserves to stay afloat during COVID. Getting the crowds back to not only cover operating cost, but to also build those reserves back up has been difficult.
“This is the second time where we said we’re kind of desperate right now,” Hedley said.
“It’s a tough market. We’re pretty self-sufficient, but we also know that we’re at the mercy of Hollywood and the movie quality. It’s going to be a struggle for a while, but we are holding our own.”
To help shepard the organization through the rebuilding, a new manager has been hired.
Angelena Neely brings a wealth of experience in the service industry, with staffing and running businesses.
“She’s been incredible so far,” Hedley said.
“So that combination, along with her excitement, has us feeling good.”
That does not mean the organization is resting on its laurels, Hedley said.
Although plans are still being worked out, Countryfest Community Cinema is planning a membership drive, selling monthly subscriptions to the theatre.
“Ask people to step up. That won’t be any big fund-raising campaign, but more about the same way you pay for Netflix or Amazon or whatever. That would be $20 to $25 a month that goes to the theater,” Hedley said, adding he would hope to sign up 200 to 300 people.
“I think it’s very attainable, because people have always stepped up to help.”

For more than a quarter century the humble little tab found on the top of aluminum drink cans has meant freedom for young Manitobans facing mobility challenges.
The Tabs for Wheelchairs program began in the spring of 1998 when Holy Cross School in Winnipeg began saving tabs. By fall of that year, there were another seven schools that joined the cause.
The first specialized wheelchair was presented in the spring of 2000 to Carly, a five year old with cerebral palsy, who needed a specialized wheelchair to attend Kindergarten.
After the presentation was picked up by media outlets, participation in the program exploded and now there are approximately 200 schools and 300 business and organizations which collect the tabs across the province.
Locally, the Tabs for Wheelchairs initiative is championed by Rachel Goy
“For myself, I know personally how important it is for a child to have the proper equipment to meet their daily challenges, so I have been collecting tabs for this program for a very long time,” Goy said.
“Over the years, I didn’t always know where to leave them, so while I was employed with Dauphin Co-op, I decided to become more actively involved in the program. I started promoting the Tabs for Wheelchairs program through Co-op and I asked that collection bins be located at two of the stores. Then I began bringing bags of tabs to Winnipeg whenever I was making that trip.”
Recently, Goy accepted a sizeable donation of tabs from the family of eight-year-old Olivia Morrisseau, who lives with cerebral palsy.
The condition, Olivia’s grandmother Connie Morrisseau said, means that things most people take for granted, such as walking, talking or even putting on shoes takes Olivia a little longer to accomplish. She added the challenges have taught her granddaughter creativity and perseverance.
As Olivia grows, those challenges will increase, and that is why Connie decided to get more involved with the program.
“Five years ago I decided that I would collect tabs for a wheelchair,” she said.
“My thought then was that someday Olivia may need one to keep up with her friends when there is outings at school. Olivia loves being around her friends.”
Just recently, Olivia received her first wheelchair, a loaner from Specialized Services for Children and Youth (SSCY) through the Manitoba Possible Wheelchair Program.
“So Olivia and I would love to give back. Although she didn’t receive her wheelchair through tabs, it’s something we wanted to do,” Connie said.
“We collected two water jugs full of tabs. So many people have cheered Olivia on, family, friends and teachers, now Olivia and I want to be the people doing the cheering for someone else. Kindness doesn’t require running fast, or lifting heavy boxes. It just requires an open heart and this describes Olivia to a tee.”
The collection was not something the two undertook on their own as an army of family and friends joined the effort.
In fact, Olivia’s great aunt Talinna Kuchma from Sydney, B.C., was home for a visit and paid extra for her flight in order to transport a suitcase full of tabs.
“Last summer, I had the privilege of my granddaughters Leia and Amelia visiting from Europe. When they watched me removing the tabs from all the cans that came through the house, they asked why I was taking them off. I explained that I had a great niece, Olivia, who had cerebral palsy. I explained to them that what they find easy to do, she struggles with,” Kuchma said.
“I also explained that at some point there was a very good chance she would need a wheelchair and by saving these tabs it helped to supply wheelchairs. The girls are both very loving and empathetic, and immediately took on the cause on Olivia’s behalf. They are collecting them in England and Germany and sending them to me whenever somebody comes to visit. So some of the tabs that have been brought today are from them.”
Goy explained payment for the tabs has varied from 30 cents to 65 cents per pound, depending on the value of aluminum at the time.
There are approximately 1,500 tabs in a pound. The purchase of a $6,000 wheelchair requires approximately 14 million tabs, or about 9,500 pounds. For a $10,000 wheelchair, it’s approximately 24 million tabs, or about 16,000 pounds, she said.
Despite those large numbers, almost 70 chairs have been presented since the program began. The chairs are presented in June each year during an assembly at the Holy Cross School gymnasium.
Goy was lucky enough to attend the ceremony in 2024 where she met the two recipients and their families.
“It was an incredible and heartwarming experience,” she said.
“The bags of tabs are lined up along the walls. There are stacks of them everywhere and it is a pretty impressive sight to see.”
While Goy is no longer employed at Dauphin Co-op, the business remains as a drop off location for tabs for those wanting to contribute at both the Food Centre in Dauphin, and the Home and Agro Centre in Ste Rose. There are also collection containers at all schools in Dauphin, as well as Ste Rose School and the Watson Arts Centre.
Tabs can be removed from drink cans, canned fish, canned pet food and other food products. Any color of tab can be used, Goy said.
Since October of 2022, Goy has delivered more than 1,400 pounds of tabs to the Tabs for Wheelchairs Program. That’s approximately 2.1 million tabs.
“Removing and collecting the tabs is such a simple thing to do. I really appreciate that so many people are helping out, because every tab counts,” Goy said.
“So if you are having a gathering, a wedding, a backyard bonfire, please remember this important program and save those tabs.”
Anyone wanting more information on the program, or wanting to arrange a dropoff of tabs, can call Goy at 204-572-5102.
Fun facts about the program
• Donations of $20 or more can receive tax receipts.
• Tabs drop-off location and where all the tabs are bagged by the individuals at the Day Program is at Trailblazers Life Choices Inc. (1069 Autumnwood Drive).
• Western Scrap Metals Inc. (18 Sutherland Ave.) has a running account, so that any scrap brought in (any size from cans to old refrigerators) can be donated directly to Tabs for Wheelchairs.
• Wesman Salvage in Brandon (855 49th St. East) does exactly the same thing as Western Scrap Metals Inc.
• Average prize of wheelchairs is $4,000 - $6,000.
• YRC Freight transports all tabs from Holy Cross School to Western Scrap Metals Inc. every June at no cost to the Tabs for Wheelchairs program
• In 2018, the program received a generous donation of $30,000, which was used to purchase extra specialized wheelchairs for seven young people in Manitoba
• St. Boniface Bag Co. donates all the white bags.
• HT Mobility Medical (451 Henderson Hwy) is where all the wheelchairs have been purchased.
• Record single-year haul - a recent single-year drive brought in 23.5 million tabs (460 bags) collected by 188 schools.

It has only been operating for a week, but operation of the temporary emergency department at Dauphin Regional Health Centre has been smooth.
“Any little challenge that has come up, we’ve been able to quickly work together to find solutions,” said Prairie Mountain Health chief executive officer Treena Slate.
“Thanks to the excellent planning that went into establishing the ER in Dauphin with the concerted efforts of our clinical teams, the physicians and nurses, and support staff and the lab and diagnostic staff, everything has gone very well.”
The idea of temporarily rebooting emergency medical services in the existing space came up late in the process of evaluating options, Slate added, which included evaluating other spaces, as well as the use of trailers and tents.
Once the idea of moving back into the main floor of DRHC was identified, everything came together quickly.
“Our contracting partners informed us that we might be able to access and energize undamaged air handling units on the roof of the emergency department. Once we found out that it was going to be a possibility to use the actual emergency room space, we were very excited about that,” Slate said, adding the advice was received in mid-August.
“We quickly came together to get plans in place to make it happen. So, it’s just tremendous that we were able to achieve that.”
The project was possible due to recent renovations on the emergency department, which included new, dedicated air handling. However, Slate stressed the solution remains a temporary one as much of the infrastructure for that newer part of the building was submerged in flood water in the basement and damaged.
“But fortunately there was several air handling units positioned on top of that newer part that we were able to tie power into,” she said.
“We’re still dealing with temporary power. It’s not generator power, it’s directly from Hydro, but it’s shunted more temporarily into the building than the permanent structures will be. If you look at the outside of the building, you’ll see some cabling going up to the air handling units.
“That was all done in recent weeks. So, it’s just amazing what the electrical engineers were able to accomplish, and the contractors, the construction company, and the mechanical engineering people, as well.”
With this big hurdle out of the way, PMH can now start to focus on returning other services to the community.
Saying she wants it all, right now, Slate knows that is asking a bit much under the circumstances, given the situation.
“We know that there’s limitations, given that we’re dealing with limited power sources and still most of the air handling units for the building were damaged and have to be replaced. So, there’s limited capacity, with what we have and with what was not damaged, what can we do? I think that’s the question right now,” she said.
“We’re looking at what else can be accessed on that main floor space as a starting point. We still need our elevators in service, so that we can access our upper floors. Several of our elevators actually have to be replaced, which is going to take a little while. So we’re looking at all possible solutions.”
Those solutions might included repurposing space on the hospital’s main floor into interim care space, she added.
In the meantime, a mobile CT scanner is on its way and should be operational by the end of the month, however, while the MRI is located on the main floor of the facility, there is not a sufficient enough power supply to get it operational.
“We’re exploring every option and we’ll know more in the weeks to come from the engineers involved on what might be possible. But we definitely want to get that going as soon as we can, for sure,” Slate said.
Work is also underway to move care services such as dialysis and cancer care closer to home, especially considering winter is approaching and travel will be difficult for patients, she said, adding PMH hopes to make some announcements soon.
In the meantime, clean up continues in the crawl space of DRHC, while restoration work is underway in other parts of the basement.
A timeline for the complete reopening of the facility remains elusive.
“But we are working actively with our contractors to get that as soon as we can. We want to know more than anybody what we can open next,” Slate said, adding endoscopy is high on the list of priorities.
“We keep working and haven’t slowed down our pace on this at all just because the emergency department is open. Everything is still in action. We’re still working really hard to get some solutions to open more services as soon as we can,” she said, adding parts are being ordered and will be installed as they arrive.
“I know (having the hospital closed) creates so much concern for folks, especially those who have limited access to transportation. We recognize that and it causes lots of angst for us as a service delivery organization not having all the inpatient bed capacity that we’re used to in Dauphin.
“I just want to reassure the public that all emergency room services that normally were available in the Dauphin ER are available right now in the Dauphin ER.”

When you want to know how people are doing, the logical thing to do is ask them.
That is exactly what the Manitoba Progressive Conservative caucus did during a three-day visit to Dauphin last week.
“Anytime we can get out and meet the great people of Manitoba, it’s well worth it and Dauphin, with all the stuff they’ve gone through in this last year here with the flood and the hospital, it’s great to get the caucus out . . . and hear from them what their concerns are,” said party leader Obby Khan.
“When you get 20 MLAs up here and all of the staff, it’s a great time to get out and meet people in Manitoba. So, I take full advantage of it as a leader and I’m really enjoying our time up here.”
Following a meeting with area municipal councils and community organizations, as well as some good old fashioned door knocking, Khan said it was clear what is forefront in the minds of community residents.
“The issues, they cover a wide range, but they’re all focused on the same thing. They’re all on the flood and what this government is doing to help, the delay in response and action from this government when the premier promised that he will help every Manitoban,” Khan said.
“So people are really concerned about that, that the premier said he’ll leave no Manitoban behind and they feel like they’re being left behind.”
Public safety and crime was another major theme, the same as it is across the province.
“I was actually shocked to hear from the chamber and a few other organizations that that was their number one concern after dealing with the floods, crime and safety in Dauphin and surrounding communities,” he said, which ties in with uncertainty around the future of Dauphin Regional Health Centre.
“People are tired of announcements. They want action. So, although the ER is opened, they want to know when surgeries could be back online, when people will be able to receive chemotherapy, when the MRI machine will be operating. People want answers, they don’t want empty announcements. That’s the overarching message I take away, dealing with the floods and just empty announcements.
“When are they going to build the jail like they promised? When are they going to tackle the real problems that they’re having in the community? So that’s been the reoccurring theme is that people don’t want announcements, they want action.”
Information like that gathered in Dauphin last week, informs the PC strategy as it goes forward in attempting to find practical solutions to the challenges Manitobans are facing, Khan said.
And the challenges are the same across the province, Riding Mountain MLA Greg Nesbitt said.
“No matter where you go, cost of living is a big thing, affordability. People are having trouble putting groceries on the table, saving money, things like that. Young people are having trouble saving money to make down payments on houses and things like that,” he said.
“So, we’ve got to get the economy moving, that’s what we’ve got to do. The economy has been stagnant under Wab Kinew, nothing’s been happening.”
Manitoba has so much untapped potential, Khan added, but the NDP government doesn’t seem to support development.
“What has our premier done in the last year and a half? He said no to a pipeline in the south that Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta said yes to. He said no to a $4 billion investment in the province of Manitoba. He has said no to every major project. There’s not one major project in this province happening right now,” Khan said.
“And there’s nothing on the horizon in real terms other than the talk of Churchill, which, although I think most Manitobans and we agree is an amazing aspiration to work towards, but it’s not going to help people today put food on the table. That’s the reality of the world we live in and the premier doesn’t live in that world.”
And while effecting change can be difficult from the opposition side of the Legislature, Khan promised he will continue to hold the premier and the government to account on the issues which matter most - the economy, health care, public safety and more.
“What I can hopefully get him to do is admit the truth to Manitobans, that he has failed them on every single one of his promises,” Khan said, adding he hopes last week’s caucus retreat in Dauphin sends the message that his party is looking out for them.
“The Parkland plays a key role in Manitoba’s growth and economic success. But it’s not enough to just say that. We have to make sure that local communities actually see themselves as partners in Manitoba’s prosperity, and that no one is getting left behind.
“Dauphin families have been hit from all angles over the past few months - a shuttered hospital, devastating flooding, tariffs, and so on. Our Progressive Conservative team wants to show these families that we are here for them every step of the way.”

While an emergency call prevented him from walking councillors through it, Dauphin fire chief Cam Abrey submitted his report outlining the first seven months of fire department operations to City council at its Aug. 31 regular meeting.
From Jan.1 to July 31, DFD responded to 171 calls for service, about an eight per cent increase over the same time period in 2025.
The report indicated that false alarms remain the most frequent reason the department is dispatched with 51 incidents - 30 per cent of calls - during the first seven months of the year. Motor vehicle collisions continue to be the second largest volume of calls with 33 received so far in 2026, which amounts to 19 per cent of dispatches.
Structure fires accounted for 12 per cent of responses, while outdoor fires made up six per cent, kitchen fires four per cent, EMS lift assists five per cent and carbon monoxide alarms at three per cent.
The catchall category of “other”, at 17 per cent, saw an increase over previous years.
“This category typically includes incidents such as hazardous materials, elevator rescues, items that don’t necessarily require a category of their own as there are not very many in a typical year,” the report read.
“For this report, however, we included the calls related to the flooding of July 1, that DFD responded to.”
During that one day, DFD responded to 18 separate incidents, 13 of which were specifically for callers reporting flood related incidents. The remainder were for lift assists, downed hydro lines, mutual aid assistance and the evacuation of Dauphin Regional Health Centre.
When broken down by jurisdiction, 87 per cent of all calls -148 in total - were responses inside the city - including all vehicle collision responses regardless of where they occurred. The city has always paid for the motor vehicle collision response regardless of the location, the report said, as the fire chief looks after any eligible claims with Manitoba Public Insurance.
Twelve per cent of all dispatches were in the RM, while mutual aid calls accounted for one per cent of responses.
Broken down further, 2,511.5 firefighters hours were expended on city responses, about 74 per cent of all hours recorded. Again, those numbers include all hours spent on vehicle collision responses, regardless of where they occurred, the report said.
When it comes to staffing, Dauphin Fire Department currently boosts its highest membership in several years, Abrey indicated in his report, with 16 members participating in level I firefighter training this fall.
On the flip side, however, Abrey indicated the department lost one of its captains as Cameron Popiel resigned from the department as he is relocating to Brandon.
“Cam came to DFD in March 2018 and quickly rose through the ranks attaining his level I and II firefighter qualifications, as well as completing a number of other training seminars,” Abrey wrote in his report.
“He was promoted to lieutenant in 2022 and then captain in 2025 and will definitely be missed by all.”
Training
At the end of July, DFD celebrated Ryan Murray, Nicholas Shmon, Jesse Shuttleworth, Samuel Smith, and Oleksiy Vlasov after they successfully completed level I firefighter training. As a result, the department now has 24 members with level I and/or II certifications.
The department has also hosted some training seminars on behalf of the mutual aid district including school bus rescue training, May 29 to 31, involving local firefighters, as well as firefighters from Ethelbert, Roblin and Swan River.
On Aug. 28 and 29, 24 firefighters from across the mutual aid district took part in a heavy rescue seminar, learning skills required for incidents involving larger vehicles such as tractor trailers and other motor vehicles.
A number of other specialized programs are planned for the coming months including Critical Incident Stress Management, Fire Department Safety Officer, Fire Ground Management, and other seminars related to operating department equipment.

Years of neglect and missed opportunities to improve the country’s criminal justice system under successive Liberal governments has left Canadians vulnerable, Larry Brock told a small crowd assembled at a townhall gathering in Dauphin, Aug. 18.
The Brantford-Brant South Conservative Party of Canada member of Parliament joined local Riding Mountain MP Dan Mazier at Aspen Lodge for the information evening.
“Crime is increasing and it’s more profitable for low risk, bigger reward now these days,” Mazier said in introducing Broack, who was a longtime Crown attorney before entering politics.
“Criminals know we’re very vulnerable. We’re by ourselves at night, especially on rural properties. There’s no one around, so we’re easy to pick off.
“Things are happening here and and this is why I thought it was a pretty important reason to have a a townhall on on crime.”
Political ideology, Brock began, has nothing to do with a desire for community safety. Regardless of of their political bent, he stressed every Canadian wants to live free of fear about home invasions, property thefts, or the safety of their children at playgrounds and community centres.
“That is the reality of most Canadians right now after 11 years of failed criminal justice policy,” Brock said, adding Dauphin is a bit of an outlyer in that regard, the result of the good work of local police and Crown attorneys, who he had the opportunity to speak with.
“I was actually impressed with the things that they are doing to ensure that you are raising your families and living in a peaceful neighbourhood. Now, we’re all going to have some issues . . . but of all the police services I have spoken to across this country and crown attorneys I’ve spoken to across this country, I think you can take credit for the hard work that those two institutions are doing to keep you safe. Because it’s not the case in many places.”
Canadians deserve a federal government which does everything possibile to keep them safe, which Brock said is a federal government’s overarching priority. But that has not been happening.
“Notwithstanding that for the last five years, they have heard an earful from your premier, Mr. Kinew, from your MP, from MLAs, from mayors of Manitoba, other premers across the country and provinces and territories, police chiefs, presidents of police unions and victim advocacy groups that have been coming to Ottawa consistently over the last five years asking the government to do their number one job,” he said.
“Regardless of who’s in government, that is their primary responsibility.”
Recent Statistics Canada data shows that crime is decreasing overall, but when you take a closer look at the numbers, Brock said serious and violent crimes are actually on the rise.
“While the national picture may say we’re becoming a more safer country, when you take a look at the actual specific offenses, it paints a different picture,” he said.
“Violent crime is still on the rise. In Dauphin, according to your Crown attorney, homicides are exploding in Dauphin, attempted murders are exploding in Dauphin, weapon offenses, gun offenses are exploding in Dauphin.”
It is well known that most criminal offenses are committed by a small number of prolific offenders, who are continually treated with kid gloves and easily get released on bail with very few conditions, Brock said.
“Then ultimately breaches those conditions, doesn’t live up to their promise, and ultimately gets sentenced and receives a sweetheart sentence,” he said
“That’s what’s happening. I’m hearing from victims, I’m hearing from police officers that that is what’s happening and that’s why we are losing trust and confidence.”
The problems, Brock maintains, began when Justin Trudeau rose to power and gutted a “tough on crime” system developed under Stephen Harper.
“His mandate was law and order. He introduced a whole host of changes to the Criminal Code of Canada to make us a safer country. In fact, our crime rate was at its lowest in this country under his leadership in 2015,” Brock said.
Then along came Trudeau, Brock said, who oversaw, in his estimation, the most fundamental shift ever in Canada’s criminal justice system.
Brock said Trudeau ushered in the “prinicple of restraint” through Bill C-75, which guided judges to “release the accused at the earliest opportunity on the least restrictive conditions.” That was followed by the elimination of mandatory minimum senternces.
This year, Bill-C14, Bail and Sentencing Reform Act, which came into force last month further eroded the system, despite Opposition efforts to improve the legislation.
“We had close to 35 amendments to Bill C-14 to make it stronger, to make it better, to make it more responsive to make it better, to provide better protections for victims and communities, and it was shot down by the Liberal government,” Brock said.
“I fought like hell, as did Dan, as did our entire party to warn the government.”
While effecting change is difficult in opposition role, Brock said, those improvements will be part of a comprehensive justice strategy when the CPCforms government.
“When we form government, Pierre Poilievre has a plan, a plan that I’m working on right now in terms of policy ideas to implement as a campaign pledge when it comes to criminal justice issues. He’s got a plan for the first 30 days, the first six months, the first year of implementing the suite of changes,” Brock said.
“In fact, what he said very clearly in the 2025 campaign is if he was granted the privilege of being the prime minister of our country, this country would see the biggest sweep of changes that this country has ever seen.
“We need an overhaul. We need a paradigm shift that puts community safety and victims first and not accused. Our job is to ensure that the accused have a fair trial. Our job is not to make it simpler and easy for them to ply their trade and to terrorize communities across this country. That is our plan.”

Work is well underway on upgrades to the City’s Active Transportation Route along Mountain Road North.
Three blocks of the bike path - from River Avenue to Davidson Avenue - are being moved from the roadway onto a widened sidewalk following the boulevard.
The city’s focus on active transportation reflects a desire to create a cycling culture, which revolves around the Northgate trail system and feeds tourism in the future.
Mountain Road, mayor David Bosiak said, is an important part of the overall vision.
“When we contracted with urban systems to facilitate our active transport plan for the whole city, one of our priorities was we wanted to connect all of the schools and our major public facilities, parks and stuff like that,” Bosiak said.
“So we’ve always thought that Mountain Road is a tremendous spine of the system to get people going north and south.”
Other existing trails, such as the Kingsway Trail and a planned trail along Whitmore Avenue, branch off for east and west travel and spawn other active transportation routes, such as the Allen Dowhan Campus Connector.
“If we’re trying to create a bike culture up at Northgate and in Riding Mountain National Park, we have got to, by extension, do it in town. It’s got to be a complete culture of active transport, so, that’s what this is.”
City council, Bosiak said, has committed to spending up to $500,000 annually on active transportation and the work on Mountain Road will be completed in phases, along with other active transportation developments.
“We’re spending about that amount on a number of things, because we’re finishing the Al Dowhan trail to the college. We’re spending with urban systems on the design of the Whitmore Avenue Trail that’s going to go from AC towards Main Street and we’re going to spend some money this year on that first piece of the Mountain Road connection,” he said.
Bosiak added work on moving the bike path off the roadway will be done in phases as infrastructural renewal takes place along the street.
“It’s always been a plan to get that bike path off of the street,” Bosiak said, adding the former city council spearheading the Mountain Road bike path made the decision to develop the on-street option based on logistics and funding.
“They got a little grant and that’s all that they could do. That’s all they did and that’s all we got.”
Bosiak added he has heard complaints about the project and the decision to spend money on the upgrades.
“Give us the benefit of the doubt and comment on this when you see it done, Active Transportation Routewhen it’s complete. Not before it’s even started,” he said.