On the night table

Rain causing poor harvest conditions for farmers

BRANDON — Farmers are dealing with poor harvest conditions owing to the high amount of rain this month.

Brandon had received 74.7 millimetres of rain by Sept. 15, a spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change Canada said Wednesday. The amount is equal to 173 per cent of average rainfall for Brandon.

The wet conditions are causing crop loss and delays in harvesting, several Westman farmers said this week.

“At this point, it (could be) six figures of loss. And that all happens in days,” Cassandra Lepp, a Rivers-area wheat and canola farmer, said. “We have good crops out there, and they are disappearing.”

Online fundraiser for ‘polite, modest farmer’ facing firearms charges sending message, neighbour says

Thousands of dollars have been raised to help cover the legal fees of a Manitoba man charged after he allegedly fired a gun at thieves during a theft on his farm in August.

On the night table

Ensign BroderickSinger-songwriter (Toronto)

I just finished Miriam Toews’ All My Puny Sorrows, which blew me away. I had two brothers; one died when I was young, and the other is much older than me and moved out when I was young. The book spoke to me about family, and Yoli’s connection with her sister, this amazing artist, going against the grain in this small village. The notion of family was so strong and portrayed in such a beautiful way, and it’s something I didn’t really experience. The notion of death, which permeates the book, also resonates with me because one of my brothers died when I was young. It hung over our family; it was always an unspoken thing. The language Toews uses is so beautiful — it resonates so clearly. It’s not convoluted and it’s not obtuse — it’s just there.

CEO, philanthropist Doug Harvey has died

Doug Harvey, a Winnipeg business titan and philanthropist, has died after battling cancer for more than a decade.

Harvey gave millions of dollars to Winnipeg organizations while he was CEO of DLH Group, a nationwide network of businesses that support heavy duty truck and trailer users.

Loren Remillard, CEO and president of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, said the business community is mourning the loss of the influential businessman who helped shape Winnipeg.

“We are a transportation and logistics hub in Winnipeg and it was partly the result of geography, and a big part because of leaders and visionaries like Doug Harvey,” he said.

A distant island and a European border

It’s at roughly 80°49′35″ North latitude and 66°27′30″West longitude. It’s Hans Island, an island that’s split between the Kingdom of Denmark and Canada.