Mar. 16, 2023

Submitted

Rivers Banner

Present in Office: Chairperson, Dennis Hemrica; Councillor, Diana MacDonald; Bob Good; ACAO, Iris Vercaigne; and Kenton LUD Manager, Marty Sigurdson.

Chairperson Dennis Hemrica called the meeting to order at 9:06 a.m.

Bob Good/Diana MacDonald

That the Minutes of February 16, 2023 be hereby adopted as presented.

Carried

Business Arising From Minutes: None

Correspondence: None

Financial Report

Diana MacDonald/Bob Good

That the Feb. 2023 Kenton LUD Financial Report be hereby adopted as presented. Carried New and Other Business

• Green Space - Committee member Bob Good shared that the WSS Committee would like to relocate the three garden boxes from the United Church to the Green Space on the west side of the municipal office. Administration will also share this information to the Kenton Community Action Committee.

• Green Team - LUD Manager Marty Sigurdson shared that an application for the 2023 Green Team has been received.

• 2023 Animal Vaccination Clinic - LUD Manager, Marty Sigurdson shared that Virden Animal Hospital will contact the Kenton office with an available date to hold a Vaccination Clinic.

• Kenton Snow Removal

(Chairperson Hemrica) - The Kenton LUD Committee discussed snow removal procedures and concerns regarding icy streets. Administration will open a Service Tracker item for Cornwall St., south of Woodworth Avenue.

WSS Report - Committee member, Bob Good shared that the WSS Coordinator organized a St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon.

Open Forum: None Next Meeting Date –Apr. 20, 2023, at 9am at the Kenton LUD Council Chambers.

The meeting adjourned at 9:55am

ONLINE ONLY FARM RETIREMENT AUCTION FOR RUDY AND MARION USICK

ERICKSON, MB

SOFT CLOSE WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 2023 AT 7:00 PM

For on-line bidding and pictures, visit www.gartonsauction.com

TRACTORS AND VEHICLES: International 4366 4wd tractor, 7226 hrs; Intl 2200 FEL; 6’ bucket for Intl FEL; Ford 7600 tractor, hd 3-pt hitch; Intl 684 tractor, tires exc cond; GMC 2500HD gas truck, 191,000km; older vehicles for parts;

FARM AND HAYING MACHINERY: 1984 International 1480 axial flow combine, straw chopper, 810 6-belt pickup; 1979 Versatile 400 19’ hydrostatic swather, pickup reel, cab, etc; 50’ Laurier 4-bar tine harrows; CaseIH 5000 Vibra chisel w/mounted 3-bar Morris harrows; 39’ International 645 Vibra shank cultivator w/mounted harrows; 10’ Rome hd tandem offset disc; 6’ steel swather roller; land roller with tires, water fill; West Field TR100 series swing-auger grain auger, 10” by 60’, 540PTO; Gehl 865 forage harvester, swath header, knife sharpener, hydraulic hitch swing; variety of hopper bins; 15’ truck frame hydraulic dump box; tri-axle hay trailer; Big Chief 14’ silage dump wagon; Linden hydraulic post pounder; 3-prong round bale fork, and more.

Submitted

By Zach Fleisher

As the old adage goes, budgets are not only a financial blueprint for a government’s plan but also demonstrate their choices and values.

Manitoba’s universities have been under attack by the Manitoba Government. Since the 2017 budget, funding below the rate of inflation has resulted in a substantial revenue shortfall. After years of freezes, this year’s budget saw an across-the-board increase of 11.7 percent in funding for postsecondary education. While this is a substantial increase, it still leaves the sector with $48 million less than it would have had the government increased funding at the rate of inflation since 2017.

This year’s budget also saw an unequal distribution of this funding, with the University of Winnipeg receiving a 20.2 percent increase, 10.8 percent for the University of Manitoba, and 10 percent for the Université de St. Boniface. Brandon University received only 3.5 percent increase in the provincial grant.

As the only university outside Winnipeg, Brandon University can and must play a crucial role in post-secondary education. An accessible university that provides educational opportunities for Manitobans is crucial in ensuring the vitality of rural Manitoba. With such an unfair share of funding, Brandon University will struggle to keep up with the recent inflationary pressures. This leaves faculty, students, staff, and the wider Brandon community in jeopardy.

With a small budget compared to Winnipeg and Manitoba, an increase to the operating grant at Brandon University would be comparatively affordable for a government that has now found funding for a wide variety of other sectors. In its 2022 budget, Brandon University received just under $41 million in funding from the provincial government; an increase of 3.5 percent provides an additional $1.4 million to the institution. In contrast, a 10.8 percent increase to the grant at the University of Manitoba provides that institution with an additional $37.8 million in funding – a figure that equates to 90 percent of Brandon’s 2022 grant in its entirety. A funding increase in line with other institutions would allow

Manitoba Pork commits $150,000 to Harvest Manitoba

Submitted

By Joey Dearborn

Last evening at its annual banquet, Manitoba Pork announced a commitment of $150,000 over three years to Harvest Manitoba. This financial support will be used to supply rural food banks with freezers and ground pork that will help provide essential nutrition for those in need.

“While our job is to provide high-quality, affordable protein to the world, Manitoba pork producers are also committed to helping ensure food security here at home,” said Rick Préjet, chair of Manitoba Pork. “We are proud to partner with Harvest Manitoba, a remarkable organization that will help us connect with communities across the province and ensure that those who are experiencing food insecurity have access to highquality protein from right here in Manitoba.”

Through this collaboration, Manitoba Pork’s investment will go toward purchasing freezers and ground pork for 15 to 20 food banks in rural centres. This approach will provide food banks with the opportunity to expand their food offerings to patrons and ensure that they receive a food item that is always in short supply – a complete and nutritious protein.

Harvest Manitoba feeds more than 90,000 Manitobans per month, including hungry chil - dren, hardworking families, and struggling adults. Harvest collects healthy and nutritious food for Manitobans who need support, is the fourth largest distributor of its kind in Canada, and the only provincial food network in the province.

“Manitoba Pork is an important and valued partner of Harvest,” said Vince Barletta, President & CEO Harvest Manitoba. “The freezers and ground pork will allow food banks across Manitoba to provide nutritious protein to Manitobans in need. The ongoing and sustained support of Manitoba Pork helps Harvest keep up with the unprecedented demand for food across our province.”

Brandon University to recruit and retain professors and staff across all of its faculties, ensuring stability for years to come.

Simply put, bringing the funding increase for Brandon University to 10.4 percent (the middle ground between the Universities of Manitoba and St. Boniface) would provide BU with an additional $4.2 million. That’s only an additional $2.8 million increase from the current budget grant provided or 0.01 percent of the total provincial budget.

Budgets are about choices, and by not increasing the grant at Brandon University, the Manitoba government has made its choices clear.

Choices to invest in every university- if that University is in the City of Winnipeg.

Choices to tell young people in Westman that their institution closer to home doesn’t deserve funding increases as those in Winnipeg and will be forced to move to Winnipeg for the programs they need.

Choices to say that we value education, but not in rural Manitoba.

Choices to say that while the federal government increases equalization payments to Manitoba by over a billion dollars or 16.8 percent, those living in rural Manitoba shouldn’t share in that investment.

It is curious why the Manitoba Government has increased funding for higher education in an election year after years of funding cuts and rising tuition fees.

It appears those pursuing post-secondary education living outside of Winnipeg are being treated unfairly. Will they choose to prioritize Brandon University?

That’s the $2.8 million dollar question.

Zach Fleisher is the coordinator for the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations (MOFA).