The Bank of Canada has cut its key interest rate by 25 basis points – it’s now sitting at 2.75%, the bank’s seventh straight rate cut. The central bank’s governor says while Canada’s economy had entered 2025 on ‘solid footing’ –
Trump’s tariffs pose a new challenge and inflation will likely increase in the coming months.
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The U-S/Canada trade war could drive up health-care costs and disrupt the medical device supply chain – on both sides of the border. A new report says vital tools like pacemakers, diagnostic imaging, and orthopedic implants
could all see drastic increases in prices and supply disruptions. Canada gets 40% of its medical devices from the U.S.
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While a new poll shows the Conservatives huge lead over the Liberals has evaporated – just one point separates them now…the Tories are way ahead in online engagement. A study found Conservative MP’s collected 61% more
‘likes, shares and comments’ than both Liberal and NDP MP’s combined. A big reason could be Conservative voices are being amplified on ‘X’ – the platform owned by Donald Trump’s ally Elon Musk.
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Brandon School Division trustees voted this week to cancel all school-related travel to the U.S. over concerns about the on-going trade war and possible safety issues. They also approved the 2025-26 budget which calls for
a 6.78% property tax increase – or about $121 more a year for a property assessed at $300,000.
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About 500 workers at three Manitoba child and family services agencies are set to strike March 25th. They’re employed at Metis Child, Family, and Community Services, Michif Child and Family Services, and Southeast CFS. The main issue is equal pay for equal work.
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Westoba Credit Union, which has several branches in Brandon, has been named a Top Manitoba employer for a third straight year. Criteria for the award includes employee communications, professional development
and community involvement. Westoba employs about 200 people in Manitoba.
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The Manitoba government has introduced a bill that would require landlords to compensate tenants forced to evacuate their buildings because of safety reasons. Among other things, the legislation calls for refunding advance rent payments, as well as covering reasonable moving expenses. The government says landlords need to keep their buildings up to code.
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Online retailer Amazon has joined Canadian Tire and Bass Pro Shops, and agreed to halt all shipments of machetes and other long-bladed weapons to Manitoba. Last December, the province brought in new rules to limit sales to minors after a series of assaults involving machetes.
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Airport security officials in the U-S have seen travelers try to conceal knives and other weapons on their person, in their shoes and in their luggage…but last week, they encountered a first; a Pennsylvania man with a turtle down his pants. The red-ear slider turtle was 12 centimeters long and wrapped in a small blue towel. It’s not clear if the turtle was the man’s pet – or why he had it in his pants.
