This is the third column in my series examining the City of Winnipeg’s 2026 budget. Today, we need to talk honestly about fire protection—because the numbers, the experiences, and the consequences can no longer be brushed aside with political spin. In a recent conversation with United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg President Nick Kasper, a troubling picture emerged. It’s one the city’s own audits have been warning about for nearly two decades. The city knows the solutions. They’ve