Code Red

Code Red 

By: Kiersten Garbutt 

With the increased number of positive Covid cases in Manitoba, we should take some time to remind ourselves about proper social distancing methods. We know that all of Manitoba has entered code red and we all need to be extra careful. Remember that code red entails mandatory masks in all public places and your ‘bubble’ should only consist of people living in your household. Remember that going out is not a need. 

Masks are a crucial step in lowering your chances of spreading the virus. Remember that the mask will not necessarily keep you safe from others that do not wear a mask, but they will protect others around you! Do not be selfish and protect the community! You never know who is more prone to getting the virus so it’s better to be safer than sorry. Plus, you can get a mask anywhere nowadays and you can find lots of different fun patterns. 

A little reminder to stay six feet away from people that have not been in your bubble. The only way we are going to get through this virus is by being kind and working together as a community. Your decisions do affect others drastically. 

Also, it is important to note that if you are a potential Covid case, you have been told to stay home by public health officials, you go over the limit for public gatherings, or refuse to wear a mask you can get fined up to $1296. So stay safe and stay home!

MEDIA RELEASE: Canadian Mental Health Association expands BounceBack® across Manitoba Funding from Bell Let’s Talk supports increased access

MEDIA RELEASE: 

Canadian Mental Health Association expands BounceBack® across Manitoba

Funding from Bell Let’s Talk supports increased access

Winnipeg, November 18, 2020 – Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Manitoba and Winnipeg today announced the expansion of CMHA’s BounceBack® program, thanks to a donation from Bell Let’s Talk. BounceBack is currently offered in select areas with support from the Interlake-Eastern Health Region, the Winnipeg Health Region and grants from RBC Foundation and the Winnipeg Foundation. The additional donation from Bell Let’s Talk will provide access to this evidence-based program for more Manitobans throughout the province.

“CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg is pleased to expand this service when so many people are struggling with their mental health. COVID-19 is here now, but the mental health impacts will last long after the pandemic is over. We know from experience that BounceBack can unlock the door to new skills and a better quality of life,” said Marion Cooper, Executive Director, CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg.

BounceBack is a free, guided self-help program effective in helping adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stress or worry. Through telephone coaching and a selection of skill-building workbooks to choose from, participants can customize their own program, learn ways to overcome their symptoms and improve their mental well-being now and in future.

“Bell Let’s Talk is proud to help CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg offer the BounceBack program to more Manitobans as the demand for virtual mental health supports increases as a result of COVID-19,” said Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell Let’s Talk. “Through the expansion of the BounceBack program across the province, CMHA is supporting Manitobans now in this time of crisis and uncertainty in communities across the province and into the future.”

Based on cognitive behavioural therapy, BounceBack has been shown to reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms by 50% at program completion. The donation from Bell Let’s Talk has enabled CMHA to leverage existing expertise in BC, Manitoba and Ontario where the program is already funded by governments and donors, to expand the impact of this evidence-based program to more Canadians.

Available to Manitobans in English and French, the program is free to all participants and will be delivered by coaches who are extensively trained and overseen by clinical psychologists. Participants can be referred by a primary care provider or choose to self-refer as long as they’re connected with a primary care provider, giving Canadians more choice in accessing support from home.

Bell Let’s Talk funding has supported the creation of a national website and toll-free number where Canadians can learn about BounceBack and find out whether it is right for them. For Manitoba residents interested in registering for the program, please visit cmha.ca/BounceBack.

About Bell Let’s Talk

Bell Let’s Talk promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns like Bell Let’s Talk Day and significant Bell funding of community care and access, research and workplace leadership initiatives throughout the country. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

About the Canadian Mental Health Association in Manitoba

Founded in 1918, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is the most established, most extensive community mental health organization in Canada.  CMHA Manitoba was incorporated in 1952 and has a provincial presence with branches and offices in Thompson, Swan River, The Pas, Dauphin, Portage la Prairie, Selkirk and Winnipeg. CMHA provides rights protection and advocacy, diverse programs and resources that help prevent mental health problems and illnesses, support recovery and resilience, and enable all to flourish and thrive. We work to improve the lives of all Manitobans through leadership, collaboration, and continual pursuit of excellence in community-based mental health and addiction services. To learn more please visit mbwpg.cmha.ca

Winter Effect on COVID-19 Spread

Winter Effect on COVID-19 Spread

Written by Moses Aisida

About a year after the initial outbreak of COVID-19, there has been a drastic change in peoples' lives around the world. The initial spread rapidly moved across countries, cities, towns, and smaller communities. About 53.5 million people in the world have been infected with the virus, resulting in over 1.3 million deaths. In Canada, close to 300,000 infected persons have led to about 11,000 deaths. Manitoba, currently in Code Red level lockdown due to the rapid increase in cases, has had about 140 deaths and around 10,000 infected persons, making it one of the worst-hit provinces per capita. Early stages of the virus spread had resulted in lockdown or restriction procedures across the country and the world in general. Therefore, this effectively reduced the rate of infection worldwide over the summer periods, and some scientists attributed that drop in infection rates to the high summer temperatures. If this is true, it poses an interesting question - will the infection rates increase over winter, with an increase in cooler weather, making the pandemic worse?

Well, COVID-19 is a disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome, and its symptoms and mode of transmission are similar to influenza (commonly called the flu). The flu typically peaks in infection levels around the colder months of the year. And this can be due to a lot of factors, one of which is the adaptability of the virus. By forming a gel-like membrane around itself, the virus gets protected from the cold. Also, with low humidity in the winter time, the viral droplets stay longer in the air, increasing the risks of infection. The weakening of the immune system, due to low levels of Vitamin D in the winter time, plays a massive role in virus transmission. Due to the similarities between the flu and COVID-19, it is safe to assume that as we approach winter, COVID-19 infection rates will sky-rocket across countries of the world.

Evidence of this increase is becoming more visible daily as many countries and cities across the world are currently experiencing a second wave of COVID-19 infections.

This graph displays the number of active cases in Canada from March, 2020 to November, 2020. It is clear that there was a spike in the number of people infected as we approached fall, and this rapid increase is not slowing down as we hit the early stages of winter. Manitoba has already had to go on ‘Code Red’ in an attempt to control the alarming rate of infections in the province.

COVID-19 is a new and evolving virus that has swept across the world, causing a global pandemic. The behavioral patterns and evolution extent of the virus are still unclear, and scientists are still not able to accurately predict its weaknesses or limitations. However, if the similarities with influenza (flu) – as well as the recent surge in new cases in Canada – are anything to go by, the pandemic is set to get worse in the next few winter months. Can winter be any less inconvenient?

CODE RED FOR ALL OF MANITOBA: What does this mean?

CODE RED FOR ALL OF MANITOBA: What does this mean? 

By: Maria Garcia Manzano, Assistant Editor-in-Chief 

As of Thursday, November 12th, all of Manitoba was placed under Code Red of the Pandemic Response. This is a result of many Manitobans being unable to follow fundamental guidelines to limit the increase and spread of COVID-19 cases within the province. Dr. Roussin said in the November 10th news conference, due to Manitobans not listening, over 2,000 cases emerged during that week. Thus, further actions are needed to protect Manitobans and protect the health care system from being overwhelmed. The guidelines may seem extreme to some; however, this is the consequence of not listening to the more lenient guidelines. 

Yes, the new guideline list seems long and lonely. However, these precautions are being taken in order for schools and childcare centres to remain open safely, and while many parents may feel scared to send their children to school, it is ultimately providing children with a sense of normalcy amidst these unprecedented times. If parents feel their child is at risk under Code Red, some schools are willing to resort to remote learning for the families that require it. 

For the small to medium sized businesses that will close as a result of the new guidelines, the Pallister government will be providing some financial relief through the new Manitoba Bridge Grant. This grant will provide $5,000 before Christmas to businesses, Not-For-Profits, and charities that apply and qualify for it. An additional $5,000 will also be given in the New Year. Furthermore, there will be changes made to the pre-existing Manitoba Gap Protection Program -- instead of receiving conditional loans which are expected to be repaid by the business owners that applied for them, these will now become provincial grants instead. Thus, they will not have to repay the province if they have received Federal COVID-19 support. 

      For more information go to: https://manitoba.ca/covid19/programs/ 

The following are the Code Red guideline implementations that will last for the next two weeks, although Dr. Roussin admitted that it is more likely to be four weeks:

• Social gatherings are not permitted, and social contacts must be reduced to one’s household.

• Retail businesses listed as critical services, such as grocery stores and pharmacies, can continue to operate at 25 per cent capacity.

• All personal service businesses, including hair salons, barbers and sites offering esthetic services, must close.

• Religious and cultural gatherings must close or be provided virtually.

• Gyms and fitness centres will close.

• All recreational activities, sports facilities, casinos, museums, galleries, libraries, movie theatres and concert halls must close.

• Schools remain open and operating under Code Orange guidelines.

For more information on Code Red visit: https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/restartmb/prs/system/red-critical.html 

Brandon residents may think, “We are part of PMH region, and our case numbers are not skyrocketing. Why should we be forced to endure Code Red regulations?” To answer your concerns, yes Brandon and the PMH region have done a good job in lowering our case numbers by following guidelines. However, we must fall in line with the new health restrictions because test positivity has increased across all jurisdictions, meaning that COVID activity is on the rise all across the province. A province wide approach is what is needed to succeed in lowering the number of cases across Manitoba. We have closed the province in this way before and saw success in declining case numbers, we have to do it again and we will once again see success.

WINNIPEG BECOMING CODE RED ON PANDEMIC RESPONSE

WINNIPEG BECOMING CODE RED ON PANDEMIC RESPONSE

By: Maria Garcia Manzano: AEIC of The Quill 

On Friday October 30th Manitoba announced a record of 480 new cases of COVID-19. Three new deaths were also added to the increasing death count in Manitoba and it now sits at 65. Of the 480 new cases the Winnipeg Region accounts for 309 of them, 10 of the 480 come from our region Prairie Mountain Health. Due to the increase in cases in Winnipeg, they will be moved to code red of the pandemic response system. Dr. Brent Roussin is hoping that the most restrictive level of the pandemic response will force Manitobans to drive the ever-growing curve of Covid-19. The rest of the province will also move to code orange as the province tries to decrease the number of cases. 

How did Winnipeg get to Code red and what does its implementation look like? What does this mean for Brandon? These may be questions you are asking yourself. To answer your questions, Winnipeg is on the code red pandemic response because:

1. There has been extensive community transmission of COVID-19 occurring and is not contained.

2. There are widespread outbreaks and new clusters that cannot be controlled through testing and contact tracing.

3. The virus is being transmitted at levels that public health and the health system deem concerning or critical.

*This was taken from the MB Pandemic Response website: https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/restartmb/prs/system/red-critical.html 

The Winnipeg Region has been reckless and as a result the uncontrollable spread of Covid-19 now roams throughout the city. Now at the most restricted level of the pandemic response Winnipeg will be force to go into lockdown. This means that they will see social gatherings being restricted to 5 people, restaurants and bars close their dine in services, retail spaces being reduced to 25% capacity, Sports and recreation programming being suspended, Gyms and fitness centers reduced to 25% capacity and mask wearing mandatory even while working out. These are just a few examples of the restrictions that will become fully effective November 2nd. 

Many more restrictions could take place and a complete list can be found at: https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/restartmb/prs/system/red-critical.html 

What does this mean for Brandon? As mentioned before the rest of the province will be implementing the orange code. Brandon has already been here, and although many individuals complained about the mask mandate imposed on all public indoor places, Brandon as a whole saw its implementation decrease the number of cases being reported. Thus, we can do it again. We will also see a reduced social gathering capacity and restaurants and retail spaces will reduce capacity to 50%. Furthermore, if the Winnipeg region does not get a handle on their surge of cases and their hospitals begin to run out of room in the ICU, they will begin to transfer patients to Brandon. In case you hadn’t notice our hospital is ill-equipped to handle the surge of new cases. 

Wear a mask, wash your hands, limit the times you go into stores and limit your circle of friends. If we do this, if we put more effort into driving the curve down, we will succeed. Our province used to be one of the few that had double digit case numbers, we had a single digit death count. Now, we have been careless and we must now face the consequences.

Photo Credits: Google Images

Halloween Costumes to Avoid in 2020 (and Why)

Halloween Costumes to Avoid in 2020 (and Why)

By: Mallory Johnson, Reporter

While there are many great costume ideas for Halloween this year, there are also many that are NOT so great. Before I go any further, I want to put in place a trigger warning for the mentions of racism, ableism, anti-Semitism, police brutality, animal cruelty, sexual harassment, body shaming, and eating disorders. I found these costumes through research and my own opinion. 

Starting off, please avoid any culturally insensitive costumes, including: First Nations costumes, ANY costume that includes blackface, or in general any costume that mimics another culture that is not your own. This is racist, because at the end of the day you can take off the costume and the makeup, but the people you are dressing up as cannot. 

Next, please avoid dressing up as a police officer, a prisoner/criminal, or anything related to the Black Lives Matter movement. This goes along with my previous point, at the end of the day you can take off the costume, but the people impacted by police brutality cannot. Also, the Black Lives Matter movement is not a trend. 

Moving on, please do not dress up as a Trump supporter, a terrorist, Harvey Weinstein, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a member of the KKK, any politicians, a Nazi, or Anne Frank. These people need to be taken seriously, as they have greatly impacted people’s lives, and should not be treated as some silly Halloween costume for one night. 

Please do not go as a sick person, a mentally ill person, a national tragedy, or the COVID-19 pandemic for Halloween this year. The pandemic has taken a serious toll on everyone, and it has killed hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, meaning that it must be taken very seriously. Also, it is ableist to make a joke of sick/disabled people in general. 

Finally, please avoid dressing in body shaming and objectifying costumes, as an eating disorder, animal cruelty, sexual harassment, as a homeless person, as a character from The Handmaid’s Tale, or a recently deceased celebrity. 

In general, please try to avoid any insensitive or offensive Halloween costumes this year. Your motivation to dress up as someone or something should not be as a joke or to make fun of that person or thing. Remember that if you are going out to celebrate Halloween, to wear a mask! 

Happy early Halloween!

Borat’s Back in New Sequel! But will the Comedic Kazakh Cause Problems?

Borat’s Back in New Sequel! But will the Comedic Kazakh Cause Problems? 

By Zach Roozendaal, Contributor

All the way back in 2007 a journalist from Kazakhstan with a lime green mankini, grey suit with a green striped shirt, beige tie, and thick black head of hair and moustache made his way over to the United States to film a documentary meant to showcase the lifestyles of Americans to help educate the people of his country.

            That journalist caused quite a stir with his racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, and sexist antics. His name was Borat Sagdiyev, and he has returned for a second outing, despite the fact that times have changed and his antics may be a career ender in multiple ways.

            Now, Borat isn’t actually a real person, nor is he from Kazakhstan. He is a persona of British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, who first debuted on the British political criticism sketch comedy series “Da Ali G Show”. He was featured in the segment known as “Borat’s Guide to Britain” where he would try and document the lifestyles and culture of those from the UK. Eventually, the character was introduced to American audiences through a revived version of the series for HBO with all new segments of him in the USA. But he got the most attention when he gained a film of his own, titled “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” and it involved him traveling across America while filming a documentary with his ‘producer’, Azamat Bagatov (played brilliantly by comedian Ken Davitian). In the movie, Borat decides to go to America after seeing an episode of Baywatch in his New York hotel room and gets the idea to go to California in an attempt to marry one of the show’s lead actresses, Pamela Anderson.

            Multiple issues came with the film, with Borat being used as a tool to try and highlight the ridiculousness of all forms of prejudice, and that it’s fueled by both ignorance and indifference, according to Sacha Baron Cohen. The bumbling, socially awkward, but kind hearted reporter was retired shortly after his theatrical debut. Subsequent lawsuits followed from the comedic depictions of some of the individuals who appeared in the film, including a driving instructor and a few college students, as well as the Romanian village of Glod which was used for all the shots of “Kazakhstan” and whose citizens were featured and labeled as Kazakhs. The use of Glod was due to Cohen being issued a ban from Kazakhstan’s government leaving him unable to film there, although it was later lifted.

            Borat’s interactions were seemingly filled with an innocence despite the uncomfortable and awkward nature of his comments in everyday conversations. I’ll be leaving out some of the more R rated comments but some of his most mild ones are praising his hero, “Anti Jew Warrior Melvin Gibsons” (Mel Gibson), the Australian born Hollywood actor and director of “The Passion of the Christ”, and also Sagdiyev saying that he is a big fan of George W Bush and his “Strong father Barbara”, as well as his love of America and stating in most interviews that he needs to use the restroom despite already being on air. Also, if he is interviewed by a woman, Borat asked when the actual interviewer was going to arrive, before proceeding to act surprised that women can do interviews, and saying “In my country we say to let a woman be a journalist is like to let a monkey fly a plane, very dangerous, high five!”. He also frequently brings up his hatred of his deceased ex-wife and half-sister Oksana, with Sagdiyev even describing the following in an exchange with David Letterman:

David: Now you said you were married?

Borat: Yes, but my wife is dead.

David: Oh well I’m sorry to hear that.

Borat: HIGH FIVE!

            Borat expresses his love of taking photos in women’s restrooms, having a sister who works in the adult pleasure industry, as well as having a son named Huey Lewis and a daughter-in-law, along with a grandchild whom he hopes to sell to Madonna, and a mentally disabled brother which he refers to with a less politically correct phrase, who had a lobotomy/exorcism to remove a demon from his brain by inserting the tooth of a red haired woman, causing the demon to curse his brother Bilo with brain damage.

In the age of social media, where a single Tweet is all it can take to potentially get someone blacklisted from Hollywood, Cohen said in past interviews that it would be impossible to make a sequel to Borat, and because with the way technology and social media are and how recognizable the character is, trying to go undercover and surprise people the way he did on “Da Ali G Show” and in the movie wouldn’t work. It was widely considered that Cohen’s 2009 film “Bruno” about his gay Austrian fashion model persona of the same name, was intended to be at least a partial sequel to Borat, since both share similar elements of Cohen baiting unsuspecting people into interacting with his strange and offensive persona.

Borat has popped up a few times since then though, with him appearing on an episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in 2015 to promote Cohen’s latest film at the time, “Brother’s Grimsby”, and then again during a 2018 segment to participate in “midterm election tampering” as Cohen was appearing on the show to promote his latest series “Who is America?”

Needless to say, it almost looked as though the character was going to be gone for a while, but almost 2 years after his last appearance, Cohen was spotted back at the end of August with a camera crew following him while in character as Borat, driving around Los Angeles in a yellow pickup truck. Allegedly, a sequel was filmed in secret during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On October 1st though, an official teaser for the film had been uploaded to YouTube and got over 1.4 million views in a span of only 10 hours. The trailer includes a small monologue by Borat Sagdiyev, stating that 14 years ago, he made a movie for his home country, but instead of educating them it just brought great shame to Kazakhstan, but now he has been sent back on a secret mission to make a new film and give an update on American culture and the state of politics and life, and what has changed since his last film.

The biggest issue seemed to be Borat being widely recognizable, as mentioned earlier. They do address this in the movie, and Borat attempts to deal with his fame the only way he feels fit: to disguise himself as an American and try to change his appearance to throw people off so he could avoid recognition. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kazakh and his daughter were able to have a blast across the USA with very great success!

The film has been titled “Borat Subsequent Movie film: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” and the film itself is set to be released on October 23rd and will feature Borat quarantining with rednecks, visiting a costume shop, having a fake wedding, learning how to play golf, crashing a speech from Mike Pence, and attempting to auction off his daughter for marriage to Donald Trump’s family, and lots more!

But until then, feel free to watch the original as it was good and, if anything, I hope that this sequel will truly live up to the standards the first film has set.

And now, before I bid you farewell, I’ll leave you all with my final thought. When a person from a foreign land visits another country, cultures may clash but who is wrong in those situations? The visitor for not understanding the customs, or the host for not being more sympathetic of the knowledge gaps and cultural differences?

Well, that’s all. Remember to sanitize or wash your hands when you are in an area with lots of high touch surfaces, wear a mask when required, social distance as much as possible, and stay home if you’re not feeling well because you aren’t doing anyone any favours if you don’t.

Until next time, stay safe out there, ladies and gentlemen. This is Zach Roozendaal, signing off. Goodbye for now!

Young Nigerians Protest to EndSARS

Young Nigerians Protest to EndSARS

By Moses Aisida

While the SARS virus, COVID-19, has ravaged through the world in 2020 - killing millions, and crippling economies - the people of Nigeria have unfortunately been battling a worse SARS for far longer. 

What is S.A.R.S? An acronym for Special Anti Robbery Squad - a unit of the Nigerian Police Force tasked with combatting armed robbery, cultism, and kidnapping – that is the sole operation of SARS or was as at the time it was established in 1992. Over two decades of operation and the unit has gone rogue – adopting the most inhuman methods of torture, maiming, injuring, kidnapping, killing innocent citizens, and engaging in the most dastardly form of human right abuse. As the years go by, the level of impunity and gross misconduct in this dreaded unit has skyrocketed. SARS, created to curb armed robbery, have become the robbers and kidnappers themselves. Nigerian youths (teenagers and young adults) have been the ones mostly on the receiving end as they have become targets for these trigger-happy officers. SARS officers often profile young people, forcibly unlock their smartphones, arrest them unlawfully, and lay charges against them for extortion. 

What has the government done? Over the years, the Nigerian government has benefited immensely from the actions of SARS as the unit has been weaponized for political errands, intimidation, or witch-hunting. Therefore, there has been a reluctance to probe, reform, or even stop them. The stance of the government has given this unit more courage to mete out evil and wickedness against young Nigerians. At times when tensions had risen over killings, the government had promised to reform, probe, and even dissolve the unit. These promises have never been actualized and have been seen as a political ‘chess moves’ by the government to ease tension until things return to the status quo.

Tension finally exploded on Tuesday, 6th October, when another case of SARS killing triggered a nationwide protest by the youths calling for the rogue unit to be abolished, supported by a social media hashtag – #EndSARS. Till this moment, the protests have been going on peacefully, with embittered youths displaying placards and marching to strategic government institutions to state their demands. As a show of support to the protesters, a Nigerian feminist organization called Feminist Coalition set up a crowdfunding platform to help supporters with protest items like food, water, placards, drinks, ambulances, private security, and even legal support for wrongfully detained protesters.

 There has been a need for more outcry on social media platforms because the local media houses have been reluctant to cover protests and have even gone as far as posting fake headlines siding with the government. Despite the protests, the police have continued to harass citizens and unlawfully arrest peaceful protesters. The government has also employed the services of sponsored thugs to injure protesters and disrupt their gatherings. Since the series of protests began, over ten peaceful protesters have lost their lives to the police and sponsored thugs, yet, this has not deterred the protesters from speaking up with their demands, which is to see an end to SARS and police brutality in Nigeria.

Want to know more about this SARS, their atrocities, and the movement against them? Want to read the personal experiences of the victims of SARS? Check out feministcoalition2020.com, endsars.com, CNN, Aljazeera, or follow the hashtag #EndSARS on Twitter and Instagram. Be informed, lend your voice against human right violation. Speak up!

Photo by Olayinka Tobi (Novographer), a Nigerian photographer

MOVING FORWARD WITH ONLINE LEARNING

MOVING FORWARD WITH ONLINE LEARNING

By MOSES AISIDA

It is indeed strange times in the world today and even so at Brandon University with the ongoing pandemic spreading in great numbers. Learning has taken a new and unfamiliar turn as we round up the first month since the resumption for the fall semester. With the school taking the step of shutting down almost all physical classes and implementing online learning for the term, students have had various experiences and opinions about online learning. Change demands adaptability, and with adaptability comes difficulties. Online learning has come with obstacles, and challenges, ranging from access to a stable internet connection to navigating some of these online platforms, technical issues, and many more bumps. Students have had varying experiences with the new system. While online learning has made it easy for people with stage fright to make presentations with less fear, it has also impacted the social lives of students in classes by limiting physical interactions, which is key to mental development. 

What does the future hold? Uncertainty with its timid, shaky hands. On Wednesday, 30th September, the university announced that the Winter Term would be taken online, much like the ongoing fall term. A lot of students have been questioning the school's plan for the next semester, and its decision to continue online was well received. This decision is far from being unexpected when you observe the recent rollercoaster spike and fall of COVID-19 cases have occurred. One can say it is probably the best option health-wise and would most likely remain so unless a vaccine magically appears in the next few months – even then, it would take a few more months for it to be available to the entire willing populace. 

So, what are the consequences of this decision? As much as the positives are huge, what tiny aspects could be affected negatively? Firstly, the social state of students could worsen – as winter is widely known to create social barriers, limit interaction, and reduce outdoor social gatherings. Also, it could become more difficult for students who are already finding it difficult to adapt to the new system this term. Self-management is the major challenge that students currently face from online learning – trying to motivate themselves to study in a distracting environment. The decision to continue online will see some students getting motivation challenges, and this could lead to other more severe consequences like the loss of interest in studying, bad grades, dropping out of school, frustration, anger, and even depression or worse. While the winter term online learning may see a lot of students adjusting and thriving, it may see some others crashing, burn, or struggle. One thing is sure - the winter term would be a test of mental fortitude. 

How can we make things easier? The university would do well to improve access to psychological/mental help. Helping students mentally through these frustrating times might be the key to academic excellence. Also, allowance should exist for students who are not as quick to grasp this new structure. Students should also be ready to be challenged and try to remain motivated. Doing group studying on platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams can be a fun way to combine study with interaction. All parties have to work hand in hand to make sure we all come out of this strong. Like Robin S. Sharma said, “Change is hard at first, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end.” 

Stay strong, we are all in this together.

an empty Brandon University on Thursday 10th October, 2020. Photo by Moses Aisida

US President and First Lady Test Positive for COVID-19

US President and First Lady Test Positive for COVID-19

By Zach Roozendaal

In the year of 2020, many notable figures have come down with COVID-19, from athletes like Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz, to actors like Tom Hanks and Idris Elba. Even key political figures and world leaders, such as our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie, and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

And with the USA being a COVID-19 hotspot for many months, one could only hope for the safety of the citizens within its borders. Even the president himself did seem to have anxiety about getting the virus himself, and early this morning, the announcement was made via the official twitter account of Donald Trump himself, that he and First Lady Melania Trump had officially tested positive for COVID-19.

As mentioned before, Trump is certainly not the first world leader to have contracted the virus, however due to his age, it’s a significant concern that it may seriously affect his health. To some, they might tell you that this is karma exacting its toll on him for not taking more precautions, for others it’s just an unfortunate turn of events, but Donald mentioned in the post that he doesn’t intend to let this be the end for him.

Now I’d like to point out right now that normally, especially within the past year or so, I’ve tried to take more of a neutral stance politically, as I see both sides as being flawed and both hypocritical and quick to believe anything that panders to their views without showing scepticism.

But regardless of political beliefs, wealth, or religious views, everyone is human, and to say that it’s a good thing that he has Coronavirus isn’t okay. He is still a person, maybe one I don’t agree with on everything, but that doesn’t make him any less of a human being. He may not be everyone’s favourite person, but to wish something like this on him isn’t anymore okay than some of the negative things he’s done.

By no means am I saying I support him, but I don’t like seeing people in pain or suffering, even if they’re republicans backed by controversial groups. People are people, there is no red or blue states, just the people who live there and call it home. Not everyone will agree on everything, but I think we can all agree that hopefully like lots of people, he and his family will be okay.

Senior Whitehouse Aide Hope Hicks had come down with the virus, and shortly thereafter Donald Trump did too. He is now set to spend a few days at a military hospital. He is currently fatigued and has taken an experimental antibody injection, according to Trump’s doctor. The Whitehouse has said that the visit is simply a precautionary one. He is staying at the Walter Reed National Military Hospital, which has been equipped with a specialized office space for the president to go about his many tasks.

In a short video taped before departing via helicopter to the hospital, Trump gave the following statement:

            "I think I'm doing very well, but we're going to make sure that things work out."

The United States has been criticized for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many saying that the necessary precautions weren’t taken and the rules weren’t strict enough, even stating that the divisiveness over mandatory mask policies, social distancing and staying at home wasn’t taken seriously by officials, and even giving into threats and bribes from people like Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO and billionaire who threatened legal action and to pull all Tesla production from the state of California if the precautions weren’t lifted by the state government. Easy for him to say, while he sits in his rocket with his rich friends ready to go to Mars.

 In any case, Donald and Melania are doing their best to make it through it, and although to some it’s an opportunity in their eyes to make jokes or even point out the irony of the situation, for this journalist, all I wish is to see that him and his family are safe and healthy, even though I’m not much of a fan of his campaign or policies.

Stay safe out there, and take care of each other, and remember to practice social distancing, frequent hand washing and hand sanitizer use, abide by mask policies, and to stay home and get tested if you even feel slightly unwell. I’ll leave you all with one last thought.

Good isn’t something a person is, it’s something they do.

Until then, I’m Zach Roozendaal, signing off.

Goodbye for now.

Brandon University Participates in Orange Shirt Day This Week

Brandon University Participates in Orange Shirt Day This Week

By Ronnie Kayla Neiman

On the 30th of September, Brandon University will be participating in Orange Shirt day. They are asking everyone to show support by wearing and orange shirt, and in other ways such as using and orange background on Zoom. There are also other ways to show your support by using various resources supplied by the university that have been gathered to to teach the legacy of residential schools. 

The use of orange shirts to commemorate this part of history comes from the story of six-year-old Phyllis (Jack) Webstad who had her new and shiny orange shirt taken from her at residential school. Her story can be found on the Orange Shirt Day website. 

Wearing Orange shirts, or using orange in some way on Wednesday, even for those working from home, doing online classes, and seeing fewer people than usual, can still send an amazing and powerful message of reclaiming what was forcefully taken from a people and a culture. Orange shirts are available from the BU bookstore and can be ordered online. 

Though, wearing orange is only one way for people to participate. According to university’s website, Brandon University has also put together a number of other activities and resources so that everyone can learn more about the legacy of residential schools, including one that was right here in Brandon.

Here is what you can do on Wednesday:

• Wear your orange shirt!

• Change your Zoom background. BU has created a custom Every Child Matters background for your online meetings. The image can be downloaded on the BU website.

• Take part in new learning. The BU Library has created a number of “libguides” which are curated links to current and accurate resources to help guide your learning:

◦ Orange Shirt Day LibGuide

◦ Brandon Indian Residential School/Brandon Industrial Institute

◦ Indigenous Resources

• Post your own reflections. BU has created an online ‘bulletin board’ space for you to share your own thoughts on Orange Shirt Day, and where you can take a photo of how you are acknowledging Orange Shirt Day. Post your reflections using Lino. We have multiple copies of a book, “Speaking My Truth” as a gift for some of those who participate.

Downtown Brandon Street Faces Possible Name Change

Downtown Brandon Street Faces Possible Name Change

By Ronnie Kayla Neiman

Shortly after the riots and protests surrounding the death of George Floyd in the US, Brandon citizens began a protest of their own. One of the streets in which protest marches took place was in downtown Brandon. This street was Rosser Avenue and as one of the first main streets Brandon had it is a street that holds a number of businesses, such as banks, the bus transit terminal and the Town Center shopping mall. 

This street was named after a man who played a large part in the Canadian Pacific Railroad. By researching the background behind the Rosser name the Brandon Sun found that the soldier the avenue was named after not only fought on the southern pro-slavery side during the American Civil War, but furthermore his family was recorded as having thirteen slaves on their Texas farm in the 1850 census. It’s also pointed out in the document that Rosser was fired from the railway for colluding with land speculators to profit off of land sales during the construction of the railway. His termination ultimately led to an incident where he challenged his former boss to a duel outside of a Winnipeg hotel in 1882. 

Ultimately the article in the Brandon Sun gives more background research to support its claim that Rosser Avenue should have a name change. It also gives a number of excellent suggestions as alternative names for the downtown street. The article also provides several names of alternative people for whom the street should it be renamed after. These names include people such as Tommy Captain, Doris Pratt (after the beloved Sioux Valley elder who died last year), Billy Beals (after the first Black resident of Swan River who helped create the Big Woody School District), Tommy Prince (after the Indigenous war hero from Brokenhead Ojibwe Nation) and Viola Desmond (after the Black Nova Scotian civil rights activist).

Brandon City Council will be given a presentation on why a local thinks Rosser Avenue should get a name change at Monday’s meeting. The online petition from earlier in the summer fell short with only 308 out of 500 signatures. Right now there doesn’t seem to be many things we can control or do freely with the quarantine during the pandemic but this is something that we can help to have heard and enact meaningful change. 

On the Future of Discrimination and Racism

On the Future of Discrimination and Racism

By N. Monk, Futurist and Philosopher

     The discrimination in the future will no longer just be about human versus human but also human versus machine because of a strong bias to humanity's species superiority. In the maybe not so distant future, A.I. might finally pass the Turing test or gain full sentience. However, despite that happening we have a long history of treating the other with contempt. Consciousness or sentience is one of the main things that makes humans the top animal on the planet. If another form of life with sentience appeared it would put what humanity is into question.   

Consider this quote by Alan Turing, the father of modern computers. “You like strawberries. I hate ice-skating. You cry at sad films. I like ice cream. What is the point of different tastes, different preferences if not to say that our brains work differently, that we think differently. And if we can say that about one another why can’t we say the same for brains made of copper and metal?” This is a good argument in favour of machine thinking. I agree with Dr. Turing that whether machines can think is a stupid question. Of course, they can think.

If our thinking machines gained sentience, a few problems may arise. Do they receive the same basic human rights that we do? Do they have to obey humans? Would these sentient machines be allowed to do any job they wanted to? These kinds of questions have yet to be answered fully. If the machines do have to obey humans than people are already assuming, they are the superior race. If one were to deny the machines the opportunity to get a job as a teacher or other jobs to have some humans always in the field this too would be an example of favouring or giving privilege to one form of life. It is obvious that denying at least the basic human rights is also favouring the human species.

To end specism towards machines in the future it would need humans to relinquish their control over them completely, and this is not something I can imagine anyone doing at all. Imagine you have a calculator that is sentient, and you want it to do 345*746 but it tells you it does not feel like doing that. You would likely decommission this calculator or find another one. Decommissioning this calculator could be considered murder even though most people would think otherwise. Similarly, if sentient androids were walking down a street and it did not do what someone told it to do, people would smash it to bits, which is also a form of murder, but once again most people would not consider this murder at all.

Given how current racism is addressed and treated it is highly likely this attitude will carry over for machines, and history will repeat itself. However, I hope that we have progressed far enough to solve that problem before it occurs by solving the current issues plaguing our society. 

Pandemic Campus Status: Phase Blue

Pandemic Campus Status: Phase Blue 

By Ronnie Neiman

Even before the influx of COVID-19 cases in Brandon, the university made the decision to make the wearing of masks in campus buildings mandatory. Each building is covered with posters that are stating this fact. Wearing masks is part of the help to reduce viral transmission and to keep each other safe. Brandon University requires that everyone will be wearing a face mask whenever indoors on campus, especially when you could be in the company of other people. 

Cloth, reusable masks will be made available to all faculty and staff, as well as students required to be on campus. Masks will be distributed by the Deans/Directors. Despite the benefit of wearing masks to prevent transmission, physical distancing should still be practiced by all on campus. To keep apart at least a distance of 2 meters. Also wash your hands as often as possible and use hand sanitizer. 

There are arrow stickers on the floor of campus buildings, helping to indicate ways to create physical distancing. Not all buildings will be immediately accessible to students but can be made available after speaking to the dean and/or director of that building. 

Faculty and Staff have also made changes to accommodate the unique situation by making their classes and services available in a more digitally focused format. Zoom and Microsoft teams are the mediums of choice. Most of the classes offered at Brandon University this semester is offered only online but a number of labs are required to be done in person on campus. 

Going to school, even with these precautions, is still frightening. The university continues to  offer services to students such as writing and math peer tutors, and counselling. Good luck to you all this semester and remember to stay safe.

Website Manager 

The Board of Directors and executive staff of The Quill are actively seeking candidates for the position of Website Manager for the 2020/2021 academic year. The Website Manager is responsible for overseeing The Quill’s website and online presence. Duties include posting edited articles to the website on a weekly basis as well as managing The Quill’s online surveys. The Website Manager will also write an online exclusive article every week and work to promote The Quill’s digital presence. The successful candidate will possess some experience in website design and development. 

This is a casual, paid position. The current renumeration for the Website Manager is $150.00 a month from September 1st to April 30th. Individuals interested in applying for the Website Manager position are encouraged to send their resumes and any questions they may have to The Quill’s editorial team at eic.thequill@gmail.com Deadline to apply for the position of Website Manager is March 31st at 4:30 p.m.

Now Hiring!

Looking for an exciting an rewarding job on campus?

The Quill is currently seeking candidates for the position of Advertisement Manager. The Advertisement Manager is responsible for actively seeking and establishing connections with the local business community. The Advertisement Manager will fully explain the benefits and opportunities of advertising with The Quill to all perspective organizations and work towards securing advertisement sales for the newspaper. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills and have experience in sales. 

This is a casual, paid position. The Advertisement Manager will make a 15% commission based on the total advertising fee for any contracts they secure. The successful candidate must be able to start as soon as possible. There is no deadline associated with this job advertisement as the position will remain open until filled. 

To apply please send your resume and any questions you may have to The Quill’s editorial team at eic.thequill@gmail.com 

View fullsize

 Pop culture references aside, this time of year is when Homecoming happens at the university, and boy is it an exciting time for alumni. People of various ages are coming back to see how things have changed and get nostalgic and maybe have their jaws drop when they realize a coffee shop now replaces the SUDS bar. But hey, if the alumni want some Bailey’s in their coffee, no problem, they’ve got you covered.

 Homecoming is an important time of year for many, because it means going back a reliving fond memories from years ago, and taking in all the beauty of their surroundings and appreciating the opportunity to see it all again. There’s opportunities to revisit old friends and share stories of what’s happened in the years that have gone by since they left here, and the opportunity to make some new ones and learn lots about the people who work hard to make sure students like myself get the best help and education possible.

View fullsize

 For some, it’s a chance to catch up and rekindle friendships hidden away by time, and for others old rivalries will flare as they discuss whose sports predictions have been right and wrong for the Stanley Cup or Super Bowl for the past years, or to get into heated debates about who had better outfits, who had the best cars, but all that seems to be overshadowed by the main focus. Coming back to a place where they felt at home. Whether they made a journey hundreds of miles to Canada from another country and came here alone, or if they were like me, just hopping on a bike for 20 minutes to get to their classes, it all seems to be the same for some.

View fullsize

 Some may sit back and enjoy a beer with their fellow sports enthusiasts, while some may share stories of what concerts they’ve been to and the music they listen to, others may brag about careers and money, there’s also the ones who may just discuss the issues facing society currently and go on long winded rants about the problems with the next generations, perhaps there’s a few who might discuss how they wish a fraternity or a sorority had been here while they were attending, or maybe even a small group who just sit down by themselves and grab a coffee and a copy of the Quill, and sit down and get comfortable to enjoy some relaxing time and enjoy the nostalgia.

 Regardless, it’s going to hopefully be a little less snowy outside, because it’s a little too soon for it to be this freezing cold outside where your hands turn more red than a bad sunburn. To those returning for homecoming that happen to be reading this, I hope you have fun and that this homecoming is as good as ever for you. I hope you’re enjoying that coffee as you relax and have some soothing time reading your copy of the paper.

View fullsize

Trump Whistle Blower Situation Rapidly Evolving into Big Problem

45th United States President and business tycoon Donald Trump has been finding himself in a very difficult and tricky situation this past few weeks. By now, most of you have likely heard that Trump’s personal attorney/Nosferatu cosplayer Rudy Giuliani has been under investigation for having helped in a money laundering scheme involving two men from Ukraine, who were arrested after being found with suspicious one-way plane tickets to Ukraine at a New York airport. The two men, according to Trump, are people he had never met before, however photographs of these Men with Giuliani, Donald Trump Jr, and even with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have surfaced, with some of these photographs being discovered on the Facebook accounts of the two Ukrainian men. The amount of money funneled is said to be between $300,000-$400,000 US.

 Someone with inside information from the Whitehouse has seemingly been giving detrimental bits of information regarding illegal and shady business deals, that could even result in impeachment. The media has been eating this story up, and Trump is locked in an infamous feud with them that seems to be ongoing. “Fake News” is one of those phrases he’s liked to use a lot before, but he’s seemingly shifted towards a new saying which he prefers, “Corrupt Media.”

 The story has gained international attention and is just one of a number of things that has been speculated to become the downfall of Trump and the thing that begins his impeachment. Late night television is something that Trump isn’t a fan of either, and the comedians hosting those shows are no stranger to that. John Oliver of HBO’s Last Week Tonight has been referring to this incident and the Russian hack of the 2016 election as “Stupid Watergate” an obvious reference to the Watergate scandal that saw former US President Richard Nixon on the verge of impeachment, until he resigned. As Oliver describes, Stupid Watergate has all the potential ramifications and consequences of Watergate, but basically everyone involved is stupid, hence the name Stupid Watergate.

 Saturday Night Live kicked off their 45th Season making references to this, and it’s been the topic of discussion, with the often politically centered Cold Opening sketches having had actor Alec Baldwin returning to his mock oval office and toupee with his hilarious impression of Donald Trump. In the premiere, they mocked Rudy Giuliani’s involvement, with Giuliani appearing on CNN discussing sensitive information with Trump over the phone while live on air, and then William Barr and Trump discussing the situation, and even Kim Jog Un, asking for advice. They even Mocked Kanye West, who is a notorious fan of Trump, and showed him with the “Black Wack Adoos Club” alongside Don King with him leaving Trump’s side, due to the impeachment, and to see Terrence Howard on the roof with an umbrella attempting to “Disprove Gravity.” The next week, Ferris Bueller actor Mathew Broderick appeared as Mike Pompeo to discuss the impeachment situation with Mike Pence.

 Trump of course is not happy with the portrayal and as per usual is quick to take to twitter and criticize them and anyone who seems to have anything critical to say about him. If he does get impeached, then being the butt of a few comic’s jokes may be the least of his concerns. There are seemingly two whistle blowers at play here, and Trump is desperate to find the traitors who have been spilling secrets or lies. I’ll leave it up to you to decide what’s real and what’s not, as anything political is something to be taken with a large grain of salt.

 Not only that, but Trump has also been online publicly asking for the assistance of China and Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden, the son of former Vice President and Democratic Party frontrunner Joe Biden who Trump has also asked for an investigation into. Initially, the whistleblower had mentioned a phone call that took place in July of this year where Trump had called the Prime Minister of Ukraine to ask for assistance in investigating Biden. He requested that the PM discuss the matters with Rudy Giuliani and William Barr.

 The events were later confirmed by a transcript of the phone call released by the Whitehouse, although it was non-verbatim, so not word for word, summarizing what was said. Since them, it’s been defensive comment after defensive comment. Trump had this to say about the initial phone call:

             “We don't want our people like Vice President Biden and his son [contributing] to the corruption already in the Ukraine.”

 While it’s unknown how long it could take for the events to snowball into an impeachment hearing, this is just one of many scandals that the president has been seemingly caught in the middle of. Whether he’s guilty or not, an investigation will likely take place to see what exactly has taken place, and though things have looked like the would end badly for the President in the Past, now he’s probably going to be in more hot water than before. Whether or not he ends up being impeached, resigning or being beaten in the upcoming election remains to be seen. Until then, he’s once again front and center on the world’s stage, waiting for the next attack on him.

Remembering Our Angels And Increasing Pregnancy Loss Awareness

Tens of thousands of families all over the world are devastated each year by the death of their baby. The grief of these families and the value of their babies’ lives are very rarely acknowledged. In 1988, US President Ronald Reagan declared October as a month to recognize the unique grief of bereaved parents in an effort to demonstrate support to the many families who have suffered such a tragic loss. Promoting awareness of pregnancy and infant loss not only increases the likelihood that grieving families will receive understanding and support, but also results in improved education and prevention efforts which may ultimately reduce the incidence of these tragedies. While that was in the States, in Canada, we have legislation as part of the legislation in 2008.

The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba created Bill 226. This bill proclaims October 15 in each year as "Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day".

In Manitoba, the not for profit organization Manitoba Angel Dresses aims to help these grieving parents and families by donating hand sewn gowns, bonnets (which are either sewn or knitted), a blanket, and a keepsake for the parents to remember the small life that was lost much too soon.   

View fullsize

Photo Credit: Kelly Michaluk

The effects of loss are variable for each individual and family unit who experiences bereavement; common effects include, however are not limited to: depression, anxiety, changes in relationships, development of unhealthy coping mechanisms, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. These effects, amongst others, are often underestimated, misunderstood, and otherwise overlooked by health care professionals, friends, and even family members, especially when concerning pregnancy loss related bereavement and subsequent grief.

View fullsize

Photo Credit: Henrik langer

The Manitoba Angel Dresses are holding three information booths before the new year. The first one will be October 19th, followed by one on November 29th and December 9th at the Shoppers mall here in Brandon. The booth will be open between 10am and 5pm. It will also be fundraising through their Angel Dresses Calendars, which can be bought for $10. The calendars showcase the amazing talents and dedication of the volunteers. 

Any questions can be asked at these booths and if you wish to volunteer for the organization, you can fill out a form at the booth or the information can be discovered at their website or Facebook page. 

www.manitobaangeldresses.com 

@manitobaangeldresses for Facebook

info@manitobaangeldresses.com 

Mid-October Snow Storm

Thanksgiving weekend certainly started out interestingly with Brandon’s first snowfall… which turned into a storm rather quickly. 

On Wednesday, a Colorado low-weather system moved into Manitoba from the United States. It has wreaked havoc by downing power lines and tree limbs across the province, from the southwest corner into the Red River Valley and northwest toward Berens River and into Saskatchewan. Meanwhile Brandon didn’t get hit by the worse of the storm until Friday. 

Before that we only had a little snow that barely covered the still very green grass. Now, on Monday October 15th, Thanksgiving Day, we have a thick layer of snow covering our lawns and roads.   

View fullsize

pc: cbc news

Power outages across Manitoba became an issue through out the storm and still is in some areas. Despite the efforts by Manitoba Hydro, the number of customers without power was up and down Friday. By 7 p.m. Friday night, Manitoba Hydro reported almost 50,000 customers were in the dark with roughly 14,000 outages in Winnipeg alone. That's as wet snow and gusty winds take a toll on tree branches and the powerlines. 

Brandon wasn’t as badly affected as the Winnipeg area. The state of emergency declared Saturday by the Premier, allows Manitoba Hydro to invoke its ‘mutual aid’ agreements with neighbouring Canadian and U.S. utilities for support and additional materials such as poles, overhead wires, and equipment. This is the first time Manitoba Hydro has asked for mutual aid from other utilities and it is an indication of the unprecedented level of damage crews are discovering as they gain access to impacted areas of the province. The storm conditions also made it difficult for hydro workers to get to the areas affected. 

The snow wasn’t easy to clear either. Interestingly enough, if it had been minus 20 degrees, the snow would have been easier to clear by plow but the weather over the past few days has been quite warm, just above or just below freezing which made the snow wet and dropping in clumps. 

Water levels on Manitoba's Red River have been rising on both sides of the Canada and U.S. border and are now higher than they have been since record keeping began back in 1971. For the first time ever in the fall season, the Red River Floodway has been put into use with the heavy rainfall amounts expected through the weekend and into the week.  

View fullsize

pc: kai neiman

This unusual early winter storm has created a number of issues and closed almost all highways but by Thanksgiving many highways have reopened, roads have been plowed and many have had their power restored. 

And that is something to truly be thankful for. 

Town Hall

Calling all students!  Calling all students! Today from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. a town hall will be hosted on campus. Here, students and faculty have the opportunity to meet and greet the candidates that are running in this years federal election for the riding of Brandon-Souris. As many of you may have noticed, the federal riding that Brandon belongs to is far larger than our provincial ridings. Indeed, there are three different ridings covering Brandon and the surrounding area in provincial politics but only one when it comes to federal affairs. The riding of Brandon-Souris is quite large, especially when compared to the size of ridings found in Winnipeg and the Greater Toronto Area. However, despite its large size, the riding of Brandon-Souris has only around 60,000 eligible voters. As university students, many of you are included in that 60,000. It is fundamentally important to vote, either on election day or at one of the advance polls. However, voting should not be some menial task where you close your eyes and pick a candidate randomly. Voters should be educated on what each party and candidate stands for, as well as what they plan to do should they be elected. This town hall presents a perfect opportunity to get out and meet your local candidates. Below are a few summarized details about each candidate for the riding of Brandon-Souris in the 2019 Federal Election. 

Larry Maguire is the incumbent Member of Parliament for Brandon-Souris and represents the Conservative Party of Canada. He was first elected in a by-election in November 2013 and was elected to Parliament in the federal election of October 2015. Larry grew up in Souris and has lived in the Westman riding ever since. He holds a Diploma in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba and comes from a farming background. Some important priorities for Larry and the Conservative Party, should they get elected, include repealing the carbon tax, removing GST off home heating bills, enhancing Registered Education Savings Plans and tackling rural area crime. 

The Liberal Party of Canada has chosen Terry Hayward to run with their banner in the riding of Brandon-Souris. Terry was born and raised in Brandon and graduated from Harrison High School. He has been in the agriculture industry for over 35 years. During that time, he served in the public eye as a Canadian diplomat in both the United States and New Zealand. For Terry Hayward and the Liberal Party of Canada, its all about the middle class. If elected, they plan to straighten gun control by banning assault style weapons in Canada. Other priorities include fighting climate change by planting two billion trees and banning single use plastics as well as attracting clean technology companies. 

Many students in Brandon have come to support the NDP. The New Democratic Party has selected Ashley Duguay as their 2019 candidate. Ashley grew up in a military household and traveled across the country. If elected as Member of Parliament for Brandon-Souris she plans to fight for a minimum wage of $15.00 an hour. Other priorities include a universal pharmacare program, where the cost of prescription drugs is fully covered by the federal government. Ashley believes that medications are fundamental to the well-being of Canadians and therefore should be the responsibility of the government, not the average consumer, to cover the cost. 

With the increased attention on environmental policies, it comes at no surprise that the Green Party of Canada is gaining support across the nation. Here in Brandon-Souris, the Green Party has selected Bill Thiessen as their 2019 candidate. Bill and the Green Party  are fundamentally focused on combating climate change. They want to move Canada away from fossil fuel dependence. If elected, they will lower the voting age to 16 years old, mandate that public interest comes before government confidentiality and eliminate the first past the post electoral system. Other priorities include implementing a committee to review Member of Parliament’s salaries and budgets.

A relatively new party, the Peoples Party of Canada was founded by former Conservative MP and federal minister Maxime Bernier. Tabling a more populist platform, the Peoples Party is seen as an alternative to the Conservative Party. Rob Lussier is the 2019 candidate for Brandon-Souris. Rob was born in Winnipeg but was raised in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Ever since the age of 13 Rob has been involved in the army. He ended his military career in Shilo as the commanding officer of 2520 RCACC after 32 years of service. Rob and the Peoples Party want to reduce immigration levels and focus on skilled immigrants if elected. Other priorities include ending official multiculturalism and supporting the veterans. 

The Christian Heritage Party is also running a candidate in Brandon-Souris for the 2019 federal election. Rebecca Hein is the local candidate and has been involved in politics since an early age. She even served as the volunteer coordinator for a federal election campaign back in 2015. If elected, Rebecca is elected she plans to fight the carbon tax and defund the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. She also would want to see abortion delegalized and freedom of speech rights increased. The Canadian Heritage party is also planning on replacing the Indian Act is elected. 

Finally, there are also two independent candidates running for the federal seat of Brandon-Souris. They are Robert Eastcott and Vanessa Hamilton. Rob is running as an independent candidate because he believes the people of the riding deserve change. 

Vanessa is a former city councillor. She’s no stranger to politics and says she is running as an independent because the majority of Canadians do not belong to a federal party. She believes an experienced, independent voice is needed here. 

The town hall will be held today (Tuesday, October 15th) in Harvest Hall from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. There is no charge to attend the town hall, meaning we have no excuse to not get politically involved in our community!