The Manitoba government is launching an independent external review of the provincial Child and Family Services (CFS) funding and governance model to help strengthen the system, improve transparency and support better outcomes for children, youth and families, Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine announced.
“This review is about building a stronger system that helps keep children safe and supported while ensuring families, communities, and nations have the resources they need to care for their children,” said Fontaine. “Since the introduction of the Single Envelope Funding model, there have been dramatic changes to the child welfare landscape. This review responds directly to calls from Indigenous leadership and rights holders for greater transparency within the provincial system now and as they work to reclaim jurisdiction over child welfare.”
The current model was introduced in 2019, under the previous government, despite concerns raised by Indigenous leadership and rights holders and has never undergone a comprehensive review, the minister added. Since 2023, the Manitoba government has increased funding to the CFS system each year to respond to pressures identified by agencies and authorities, with more than $77 million in additional annualized funding across the CFS system.
As the child welfare system continues to evolve, the minister noted the CFS funding and governance model must support Indigenous-led care and the exercise of Indigenous jurisdiction over the well-being of children and families. A review will provide a clearer understanding of the needs and challenges within the current funding and governance model, while identifying what changes may be needed to better support children, families, caregivers and communities.
Under the current CFS governance structure, the Manitoba government provides overall policy direction and funding, while the four CFS authorities oversee and manage funding for their mandated agencies.
The Manitoba government will engage an external consulting firm selected through a competitive procurement process to undertake a review focused on:
•assessing funding supports and pressures within Manitoba’s CFS system;
•examining financial management and oversight practices throughout the system;
•reviewing governance structures as they relate to funding and accountability; and
•identifying funding and governance opportunities to support the return of Indigenous jurisdiction over child welfare.
Indigenous leaders and child welfare partners have called for a review of the model, and the minister noted that partnership will be an important part of the review process. CFS authorities, agencies and system partners, along with Indigenous leadership and rights holders, will participate in the review and contribute their perspectives and expertise.
The review is expected to begin later this year and take approximately a year to complete, the minister noted.

Cleaning Staff

Levi Layh, of 677 Russell, Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron in Russell, earned a staff cadet position in the Operations Department at Cold Lake Cadet Training Centre.
As part of their role, Layh first participated in on-the-job training to learn the safety requirements for the equipment and is now tasked with checking equipment because safety is a top priority of the Cadet Program.
As a cadet who wants to pursue a future career in teaching, Layh is already looking to develop instructional tools that will positively impact future staff cadets employed in the Operations Department. “My goal as a staff cadet is to develop systems for my position to make next year’s staff cadet’s job easier,” said Layh.

Read the whole story on page 7 of this week's Russell Banner.

The Inglis Fire Department’s fire chief Glen Gorda travelled to Brandon to pick up a Global Medic fire skid.
This self-contained unit has a 1000 L water tank, high-pressure pump and hose.
In addition, IFD was given 20 fire retardant coveralls. As one of the departments who volunteered to respond to the 2025 Manitoba Wildfires, the Inglis Fire Department was eligible to participate in this program provided by Global Medic, a Canadian-based charity, whose mandate includes equipping local departments for swifter and more effective wildlife frontline operations.
They and the RM of Riding Mountain West greatly appreciate being chosen as a recipient of these items that will help protect their fire fighters and increase their fire fighting capacity.

Last weekend, the Russell Golf Course celebrated their 100th anniversary.
After a day of golf amoung friends, the club members met again on the Sunday morning for a pancake breakfast followed by a speech by RM of Russell Binscarth councillor Brent Havelange and the cutting the official anniversary cake.
Councillor Havelange’s speeches are always a treat. This one, shown below, takes us through the history of the Russell Golf course. Thank you councillor Havelange for allowing us to pass this information onto our readers.
“My name is Brent Havelange I am a counselor, in the Municipality of Russell-Binscarth, also in attendance is my fellow councilor Barry Wishart and ex-councillor Ray Elliot, so on behalf of the municipality, I would like to congratulate the Russell Golf Course on its hundred-year anniversary.
That was all Joan Miller had asked me to say in our first meeting. But after a follow up meeting, she gave me five more chores and expanded this brief speech into the history of The Russell Golf Course.
So, if I see any rolling of the eyes ITS NOT MY FAULT...nor worries it will not last 20 minutes, no one here wants to hear my mumblings for that long.
This quarter section was originally owned by Mr. R. M. Anderson and was purchased for the price of $6000. Mr. Ken Reavie had indicated in a letter that the committee that was struck to negotiate for the purchase was not transparent about what they wanted the land for, fearful that Mr Anderson might raise his asking price if he had known the true purpose it was to be used for. Any councilors who have been involved in similar negotiations for the purchase of farmland in the municipality know what Ken is getting at.

Want to know more? Pick up this week's Russell Banner and get this story on the front page and page 2.

For the last eight years, the Pelly Trail Classic Soap Box Derby has been a favourite summer fun for the entire family. (Top centre) Modelled after old time community fairs, the derby gives kids of all ages (and their families) a chance to show off not only their mechanical creation skills with home-made derby carts but their driving skills down the steepest hill on Pelly Avenue. Participants can either rent a cart or buy it by the kit and build their own through Youth for Christ. Thanks to the efforts of dozens of volunteers helping with everything from the running the carts back up to the top of the hill, to face painting and the manning of the Pelly Classic food booth which served up home made burgers and cotton candy, or the climbing wall (top right) that comes from Madge Lake Bible Camp every year, the Soap Box Derby has been a favorite family fun day. Proceeds from the event go to Youth for Christ located on Russell’s Main Street. Turn to page 5 for more pictures of the event.