Brandon Minute: New Doctor, Volleyball Championship, and a School Division Budget

Brandon Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Brandon politics

This Week In Brandon:

• There will be a City Council Meeting this evening at 7:00 pm. The agenda includes some zoning amendments, a discussion about naming a public lane Lee Lane, and a presentation regarding 2025 Two Spirit and Transgender Day of Visibility.
  
  
• Dr. Muhammad Khan says he is happy with his decision to move to Brandon in early 2025, where he’s already seeing 25 to 30 patients a day in his first month at the local clinic. Despite initial concerns about the demand for his services, he quickly learned about the significant shortage of doctors in the community. However, Khan found the immigration process challenging, citing lengthy paperwork and delays as obstacles to addressing the urgent need for physicians. Recruiting foreign-trained doctors is expensive and time-consuming, with Brandon Clinic spending $10,000 per attempt and waiting up to 18 months for work permits - even though there is clearly demand!
  
  
• Brandon University will host the U SPORTS Men's Volleyball Championship for the first time from March 21st to 23rd, 2025, at the Healthy Living Centre. This tournament will feature the country’s top eight teams, with the Brandon Bobcats aiming for a national championship on their home court. The Bobcats have a strong volleyball history, including multiple U SPORTS medals and two Canada West titles. This year marks 20 years of Brandon University Bobcats volleyball in the Canada West conference. CBC Gem will broadcast the event.

Last Week In Brandon:

• The Brandon School Division has approved a $146.2 million budget for 2025-26, marking a 5.9% increase from the previous year. The budget includes a 6.78% property tax hike. To address financial constraints, class sizes will increase for Grades 4-12, though early education class sizes remain unchanged. Trustees expressed frustration over limited provincial funding, with only $2.7 million of discretionary funds provided to cover rising costs. Despite concerns over staffing reductions and service gaps, all trustees supported the budget.
  
  
• The Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba hosted "The Right to Be Known", an international art project focused on human rights and visibility. The initiative, which began at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, features a growing mosaic of 600 individually painted tiles, with Brandon participants contributing 120 pieces. Organized by Brandon University’s philosophy department and supported by global collaborators, the project aims to amplify marginalized voices through community art. Facilitator Bruno de Oliveira Jayme emphasized the power of collective storytelling in fostering dialogue on justice and recognition. The initiative will continue expanding, bringing its message to more communities in Manitoba and beyond.
  
  
• Behlen Industries, a steel building manufacturer in Brandon, said they are focusing on domestic production and sales to minimize the impact of potential US tariffs. The company’s only US export, a potato storage structure, could be severely affected if a 25% tariff is implemented, but they are optimistic that domestic demand will help mitigate the impact. As trade uncertainty continues, Canadian consumers are increasingly interested in buying Canadian-made products, which has benefited Behlen. Experts suggest that this could be a catalyst for Canada to boost its own resources and diversify its markets beyond the US. While businesses like Behlen are adjusting, the ongoing tariff threat creates significant uncertainty for industries reliant on cross-border trade.