The Brandon Shoppers Mall will re-open today after a fire closed the building Monday morning. The exact cause is still under investigation, but officials say the fire was contained to a wall inside Hair Today Mall Barbers. The fire created smoke inside the mall and activated the sprinkler system which forced an evacuation. Businesses with exterior doors were allowed to re-open later yesterday afternoon.
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Mail is set to begin moving again today after a month-long strike by postal workers – but expect delays. Canada Post says they won’t receive or pickup new products until Thursday, and will start accepting new international mail on December 23rd. Delays could extend into January.
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The federal government delivered its fall economic statement yesterday amid the drama of finance minister Chrystia Freeland’s resignation from cabinet. It reported a $61.9-billion deficit – higher than the government’s pledge of $40-billion. And largely unaddressed in the statement was Donald Trump’s threat of significant tariffs on Canadian imports.
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Manitoba is on track to end the fiscal year with a $1.3-billion deficit – a $500-million increase. Finance Minister Adrien Sala says the biggest driver of the increase were health-care costs – but there were a couple of other pricey factors: a decision to offer a provincial gas tax holiday, which usually brings in around $340-million annually, and new public sector contracts with substantial pay raises.
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The Manitoba government is spending $658,000 to upgrade the province’s recreational winter trail system. In Westman, the North Mountain Riders will receive $100,000 to maintain snowmobile trails in the Porcupine Mountains northwest of Brandon. A new Manitoba Winter Trails Day is to be celebrated on February 8th.
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Regions around the world, including in Canada, have lost weeks of winter ski, skate and snow days each year due to climate change. A new report from non-profit Climate Central says in the past 10 years, those days have been
replaced with rain, melt and mud. They say the loss of winter days also impacts animals that rely on the snowpack and ice for shelter.
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Canadian hero Terry Fox will become the new face of the next $5-dollar bill. The Bank of Canada opened nominations to replace Sir Wilfrid Laurier on the bill nearly five years ago. The annual Terry Fox Run raises millions every year for cancer research.
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Health Canada is warning that balloon-blowing kits sold on Amazon can cause hallucinations. The kits consist of a short plastic straw and a solvent mixture, where children can form balloons and bubbles, but the chemicals
used can cause euphoria, hallucinations, and dizziness after extended use. So far, no injuries have been reported.
