Leons Headlines Nov 26: The provincial & federal governments invest $28.5M in water & wastewater projects in Brandon & Boissevain as part of a nearly $77M provincewide infrastructure plan.
-Brandon School Division’s updated facility report shows that most of its 24 school buildings are over 50 years old, with an average age of 62.
-AgWest is nearing completion of its expanded Brandon facility, set to open January 1st, tripling its space and adding new jobs.
-Halfway there; MB & the federal government have created over 5K new child-care spaces since October 2023, with another 6K on the way, officials announced.
-After public outrage on social media, Premier Wab Kinew announced Tuesday Jeremy Bray, a Rivers man with spinal muscular atrophy, will continue receiving coverage for his costly medication.
-The U of W has unanimously voted to end President Todd Mondor’s term effective immediately, saying they want new leadership with a fresh strategic plan.
-Curling legend & veteran reporter Colleen Jones has died following a battle with cancer. She was 65.
-Jets travel to Washington tonight to face the Capitals.
HAPPY CAKE DAY! Happy Cake Day! Today we celebrate the desserts that make life sweeter and every occasion a little brighter. Whether you love chocolate, vanilla, or something wild and creative, there’s a perfect slice waiting for you. So treat yourself, grab a fork, and enjoy the most delicious day of the year!
Top 10 Cakes in Canada
- Chocolate Cake — Canada’s undisputed birthday and bakery bestseller.
- Ice Cream Cake (DQ style) — Hugely popular for birthdays, kids, teens, and summer; endlessly requested on Reddit.
- Carrot Cake — A Canadian staple with cream cheese frosting.
- Red Velvet Cake — Trendy, visually iconic, and consistently ordered.
- Cheesecake — Technically not a “cake,” but Canadians buy it like one; dominates restaurant dessert menus.
- Black Forest Cake — One of the longest-running favourites across the country.
- Nanaimo Bar Cake / Nanaimo flavours — Our most famous West-Coast dessert in cake form.
- Butter Tart Cake — Very Canadian, very beloved, especially in Ontario and Manitoba.
- Maple Cake — Gets a patriotic boost every fall.
- Vanilla or Pound Cake — Classic, simple, always sells.
Honorable Mentions include Funfetti Cake (kids’ birthdays, school parties), Tiramisu (not Canadian but widely ordered in restaurants), Lemon Cake and Strawberry Shortcake (popular in summer).
Top 10 Most Popular Cakes in Manitoba
(Based on Prairie buying habits + Reddit + bakery trends)
- Ice Cream Cake (DQ style)
Hands-down the number one birthday cake in Manitoba — kids, teens, adults, everyone. Always sells out on long weekends. - Chocolate Cake / Chocolate Fudge Cake
A Prairie staple for birthdays, potlucks, seniors’ gatherings, and literally every office event. - Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Extremely Prairie. Moist, dense, lots of cinnamon, often homemade or bought from Co-op bakeries. - Vanilla Birthday Cake / Funfetti
Massively popular with families — school birthdays, kids’ parties, daycare treats. - Black Forest Cake
Prairie classic. Shows up everywhere — Co-op, Smitty’s, restaurants, Ukrainian/Mennonite family gatherings. - Cheesecake (especially plain or strawberry)
Costco’s cheesecakes dominate Manitoba celebrations. Restaurants here push cheesecake HARD. - Lemon Cake
A quiet Manitoba favourite — especially among older Manitobans and summer barbecues. - Strawberry Shortcake / Strawberry Cream Cake
Especially big in summer and Mother’s Day. - Maple Cake / Maple Walnut Cake
Maple is a national flavour, but Manitobans especially love maple-walnut. Popular at fall suppers. - Ukrainian Honey Cake (Medovyk-style) or Honey-Cream Layer Cake
Not everyone knows it by name, but Prairie homes, especially in rural Manitoba, absolutely love honey-based layered cakes. Available in many local bakeries.
⭐ Honourable Manitoba Mentions include Poppyseed cake (huge among Ukrainian/Mennonite families), Boston Cream cake (very popular at Safeway/Sobeys), Red Velvet (popular but not top-tier in MB like in Ontario), Banana Cake (big in rural potlucks), Costco Tuxedo Cake (legendary) and Co-op slab cakes (the real heroes of Manitoba birthdays).
Campbell Soup responds to yesterday’s explosive report on VP comments. Campbell Soup has issued a response following the explosive report about controversial comments from a company VP. The company says it is reviewing the situation closely and plans to clarify what happened.
Canadian man wins $1M in the Lotto… and now may go to jail because of it. A Canadian man who won $1 million in the lottery is now facing potential jail time due to a legal issue tied to his win. What should be the happiest moment of his life has suddenly turned into a high-stakes courtroom drama.
Little Caesars opens first location with no front-end staff. Little Caesars has launched its first-ever location that operates without front-end staff, relying entirely on automated pickup and digital ordering. The company says this could become a model for its future stores.
WINTER RED HOT LAST-MINUTE ANNOUNCEMENT — Huatulco and Halifax!. A big last-minute travel surprise is here, with red-hot winter deals now available for Huatulco and Halifax. These offers are limited and booking fast, making it a rare chance for a quick winter escape.
https://ywgdeals.com/s/winnipeg-to-huatulco-mexico-356-to-486-roundtrip?
https://ywgdeals.com/winnipeg-to-halifax-nova-scotia-412-roundtrip?
SCIENCE — Adolescence lasts into your 30s?! New research suggests the human brain continues developing through five stages, with adolescence stretching into our early 30s. Scientists say this may change how we understand maturity, decision-making, and adulthood itself.
The Batman Effect. Scientists say people are noticeably more helpful in public when someone dressed as Batman is present, according to new research in npj Mental Health Research. Researchers believe the unexpected sight disrupts our mental autopilot, triggering more prosocial behaviour in everyday situations.
https://phys.org/news/2025-11-batman-effect-mere-sight-superhero.html
