T8N Fall 2021 by T8N Magazine

FALL 2021 I t8nmagazine.com

ECO-RANCHING

Sustainability is Job 1

NEW & BREWING

Perks comes to St. Albert

CIVIC ELECTION STRATEGY Why the referenda were really added

SPECIAL OCCASIONS

Snacks to zest your home event

PET FOOD SAFETY

What regulations DON‘T cover

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T8N MAGAZINE

VOLUME 8 ISSUE 3 Fall 2021 PUBLISHER

EDITOR

Rob Lightfoot

Gene Kosowan

Contents

ART DIRECTION

Brenda Lakeman DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

B. Timothy Keith PHOTOGRAPHY

Brenda Lakeman CONTRIBUTORS

Gloria Loitz, Corbin Stewart, Shima Zonneveld OFFICE MANAGER

Janice Lightfoot CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES Image page 6 ©wip-studio/Adobe Stock Image page 7 ©siraphol/Adobe Stock Image page 7 ©DoraZett/Adobe Stock Image page 8 ©Tatyana Gladskih/Adobe Stock Image page 28 ©DD Images/Adobe Stock Image page 27 ©niyazz/Adobe Stock

ISSN 2368-707X (PRINT) ISSN 2368-7088 (ONLINE)

For editorial inquiries or information, contact T8N magazine at info@t8nmagazine.com. Have something to say? Letters, suggestions or ideas can be sent to letters@t8nmagazine.com. FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION Rob Lightfoot rob@t8nmagazine.com 780 940 6212 or visit t8nmagazine.com T8N magazine is published 6 times a year by T8N Publishing Inc. Copyright ©2021 T8N Publishing Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. Content marked by the Sponsored Content icon was produced in partnership between content producers and T8N magazine. PRINTED IN CANADA

T8N PUBLISHING INC PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT

Rob Lightfoot: rob@t8nmagazine.com

Conversations

City

22 THEN & NOW

The Trouble With Kibble How the lack of pet food regulations can play havoc with consumer safety

Culture 9

Alternative Fields An environmental business model benefits the Greener Pastures Ranching family farm

Paved with Memories The northeast section of St. Albert yields some fascinating local vanguards

24 MEET YOU THERE

Perking Up the Peeps A local coffee shop makes a difference in with its java and community spirit

Living

Spotlight

14 FOOD & GATHERINGS

26 Political Points to

Routines, Rituals and Celebrations

Easy edibles for the event of your choice

20 THE 8s

Creature Comforts Accessories and amenities for our favourite animals and animal lovers

Ponder

Blogger David Climenhaga assesses the provincial referenda and the federal election

Down Time 30 Ballot Brainbuster

Chase away that post-electoral stress with this nifty puzzle

CONNECT WITH US

/t8nmagazine

T8N Fall 2021 3

I FROM THE PUBLISHER I IN CASE ANYONE hasn’t noticed yet, T8N has

gone a bit animalistic this time. From fur and feathers to hooves and horns, we head down a trail where paw prints predominate. Why? Well, for openers, animals are cute. They’re also important to our livelihoods in many ways and we thought it worthwhile to explore a few of those. Our cover story on Greener Pastures Ranching, for instance, looks at how the Kenyon family takes care of Rob Lightfoot their livestock as part of a valuable food-producing industry, and to make sure it remains prosperous, they include a few practices of benefit to the environment. Read about their eco-friendly tactics on page 9. Animals are also a source of comfort and to that end, owners try to ensure they’re taken care of and properly fed. But performing the latter has created some confusion due to the lack of government regulation of pet food. The issue and what consumers can do are laid out on page 6. Elsewhere in T8N, we provide a few pet accessory options (page 20), before switching back to more human subjects of interest, such as snacks for special occasions (page 14), a new Perks café outlet in the city (page 24), street-naming curiosities in another part of St. Albert (page 22), and an interview with blogger David Climenhaga who provides a unique angle towards the upcoming civic election (page 26). From animals to homo sapiens, we’ve got all the bases covered. While you leaf through this edition, remember to take care of yourselves, each other and your pets.

On the Cover Our photogenic bovine model is here to draw attention to Greener Pastures Ranching, a unique operation near Busby, Alberta. It’s where the Kenyon family holds court as they apply ecological techniques to their trade for the sake of environmental sustainability, which you can read about on page 9. Photo credit: Brenda Lakeman

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I CONVERSATIONS I

The Trouble With

Kibble

IT WOULDN’T TAKE long to com-

pile a list of all the ill effects of the global pandemic declared in 2020. Taking a bit more effort would be finding a few bright spots du ri ng th is hea lth c risis including an Abacus survey released in June that revealed

6 T8Nmagazine.com

one silver lining beneath those clouds of doom. It turns out that during quarantine periods, more than 900,000 Canadian households adopted a pet to help endure those lonely doldrums of isolation while offering their animal arrivals happy, welcoming homes.

Because of that spike, roughly one in two Alberta families now own a pet. With newbies in particular concerned about their domesticated animal’s welfare, it’s not surprising that they have questions about caring for the pets, especially regarding what to feed them without endangering their health. The problem is where to go for some straight answers.

How the lack of pet food regulations can play havoc with consumer safety

CFIA coverage

Industry fends for itself

Pet food regulations are covered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, especially imports, almost all of it from the U.S., which already has an extensive set of rules covered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In Canada, domestic pet food producers that export are subject to CFIA regulations regarding packaging and labeling.

In other words, the pet food industry is left alone to enforce itself. If a harmful product hits the market, companies have to take the initiative to publicly announce and carry out any recall measures. That lack of government support was put to the test in September when Mars Petcare Canada recalled some of its Whiskas dry cat food products after the manufacturer discovered they contained raw materials that failed to meet the company’s quality requirements. Retailers responded by pulling the items off the shelves.

What the CFIA does not cover is “domestic production and sale of pet food,” a stipulation in its Terrestrial Animal Products and By-products policy, which worries Susan Thixton, a pet food consumer advocate who has her own suspicions about that omission. “I can’t speak for the Canadian government,” said Thixton—who runs a website called Truth About Pet Food—via email. “But I suspect one reason would be the cost of regulation. Canada would have to start from square one, which would include writing labeling laws, manufacturing standards, nutritional standards, legal definitions of all ingredients (and there are hundreds), and on and on.”

Random correspondence of independent and chain-store pet food retailers in St. Albert revealed that recall notices come either from head office or the manufacturers themselves. Few of them were even aware of the lack of federal regulation concerning the products sold by the merchants, adding that recalls seldom happen. “I’ve been here almost 20 and there hasn’t been any recalls of any of the food that we carry,” said Kelly Weins, who manages a Mr. Pets franchise in St. Albert. Although she received a notice about Whiskas, it didn’t involve any products in the store’s

inventory. “We’re always on top of the food that we carry,” she added. “If something is recalled, it goes back to the manufacturer.”

U.S. enforcement more rigid Conversely, in the U.S., regulatory bodies like the FDA are far more powerful. In August, the agency threatened to level an injunction against Midwestern Pet Food over fatal levels of aflatoxins in a number of Sportmix products responsible for 130 deaths and 220 illnesses of dogs. The same company also reported the presence of salmonella in much of its lines of cat and dog food. The FDA also reported in August that Washington-based manufacturer Wet Noses National Treat Company recalled more than 50,000 packages of its Simply Nourish frozen dog food. The product contained extraordinarily high levels of Vitamin D, causing dogs to experience such side effects as vomiting, loss of appetite and weight loss. Although no reports of dog illnesses had surfaced, the company said a faulty vitamin mixer was to blame and had corrected the issue. T8N Fall 2021 7

In Canada, Thixton claims that any administration of requirements by the CFIA for domestic pet manufacturers doesn’t exist beyond the paperwork stage. She’s also concerned over the effects of how the industry will operate in absence of stringent regulations.

CANADIAN PET FOOD INDUSTRY AT A GLANCE Retail sales of pet food in Canada has increased 5.8 percent in CAGR from $3.4 billion in 2016 to $4.2 billion in 2020 and is expected to increase in CAGR by a further 4.9 percent attaining $5.3 billion by 2025. Dog food was the largest pet food category with retail sales of $2.8 billion (65.4 percent market share) in 2020, while cat food was the second largest pet food category with retail sales valued at $1.4 billion representing a 32.7 percent market share in 2020. The five largest pet food companies in Canada controlled 52.0 percent of the retail market share in 2020. Pet food retail sales in Canada were distributed primarily through storebased retail channels (76.6 percent market share representation), while the remaining pet food retail sales were distributed via non-store retailing, e-commerce (21.7 percent market share representation) in 2020. In 2020, Canada exported $1.1 billion of pet food to global markets. There were 1,025 new pet food products launched in Canada between January 2016 and December 2020. 8 T8Nmagazine.com

“Pet foods in the U.S. are required by regulation to meet a minimum level of all the required nutrients in pet foods,” said Thixton. “In Canada, there is no such requirement. So a dog food could be marketed as being ‘healthy’ when actually it could cause health issues for the pet because it does not contain all the required nutrients the pet needs. Without labeling regulations, Canadian pet foods can make any label claims and mislead pet owners. A pet could get sick or die linked to the pet food, and there is no regulatory authority for veterinarians or pet owners to report the issue to.”

Owners get ill as well It isn’t just pets that are affected. People can also suffer from the medical consequences of tainted food when feeding it to

their pets. In 2020, several people including two Albertans became ill from salmonella found in two pig-ear products, Paws Up! and a Western Family brand—both sold at Canadian Tire and Save On Foods. After one person died and at least three others were hospitalized, Ontario-based supplier Master’s Best Friend yanked the items off the shelves. To be fair, the federal government did issue a consumer alert, albeit under the auspices of the Public Health Agency of Canada. Thixton suggests that pet owners do their own food research such as contacting manufacturers about a product’s content, nutritional value and any testing done before distribution took place. She even thinks households can make their own food as long as they follow a recipe that conforms to pet needs. But she thinks the big picture when it comes to beefing up regulations in the Canadian pet food industry is beyond the reach of consumers. “Unfortunately Canadian pet owners can do very little to assure the pet food is safe or assure the food provides their cat or dog with the proper nutrition it requires.” t8n

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ASSOC IATES

I CULTURE I

Alternative

FIELDS An environmental business model benefits the Greener Pastures Ranching family farm

CITY SLICKERS TEND to take for

granted the challenges faced by their more agrarian counterparts. After all, we urban dwellers have our own challenges balancing home and work lives, so it’s a relief that a trip to the local supermarket conveniently mitigates those complex juggling acts we undertake every day.

And for those who still have the notion that farm life is less complicated and more idyllic, Steve and Amber Kenyon might want to have a few words with you. The couple run a family farm they call Greener Pastures Ranching near Busby, Alberta and while it’s an occupation they likely wouldn’t want to trade for any other lifestyle out there, their agricultural tasks are far more numerous than getting products to market. T8N Fall 2021 9

10 T8Nmagazine.com

The big difference in how the Kenyons run their farm is their focus on ecology. These days, farmers have to take on a number of attributes from the insight of a lab scientist to the financial savviness of a corporate CEO. Throw environmental elements into the mix and the rural way of life gets a lot more complicated. But the Kenyons believe running their operation that way makes more sense. “We believe that for a business to be financially sustainable, it also needs to be environmentally sustainable,” says the couple on their website. “All of our business practices are built with this mission statement in mind.” One practice used frequently is rotational grazing management in which the farm’s cattle and pig livestock are moved from pasture to pasture to improve soil content, boost grassland carbon carriage capacity,

T8N Fall 2021 11

preserve wetlands and bolster animal health. They also avoid chemicals when it comes to feeding the animals and treating their immune systems. The result is a high-quality product rich in vitamins and nutrients that makes its way into supermarkets. Despite their busy schedules, the Kenyons still have time to write articles for agricultural trade publications and conduct speaking engagements and classes listed on their social media pages. That shared knowledge has in part contributed to a growing online fan base with more than 14,000 on Facebook and 1,100 on Twitter. It’s not only a way to pass on that knowledge, but ensures that future generations can continue in a career and a lifestyle that the Kenyons enjoy. t8n

GREENER PASTURES RANCHING CORRESPONDENCE 12 T8Nmagazine.com

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I FOOD & GATHERINGS I

Routines,

Rituals

and

Celebrations Easy edibles for the event of your choice

14 T8Nmagazine.com

BY SHIMA ZONNEVELD

WE ASSOCIATE CERTAIN seasons, moments

and events with specific food. Is there always the same cake at your birthday party or a particular breakfast that is paired with the first day of school? It is a privilege to have these routines and rituals embedded within our lives. Given the nature of the last year, however, we can still find comfort in knowing certain moments will be marked by a time-honoured meal, dessert or snack.

Basil Pesto Here’s a delicious way to celebrate in the simplicity of whizzing up fresh basil with a handful of other ingredients resulting in a delicious pasta topping, a bright sandwich condiment or quite frankly a tasty, fresh “eat off the spoon” pesto! ¼ c. toasted pine nuts ½ tsp. ground pepper 1 ½ c. fresh basil, loosely packed ¾ tsp. kosher salt ⅓ c. grated parmesan cheese ⅓–½ c. olive oil (Depending on how it is being used, more olive oil is better for pasta; less olive oil is better for sandwich spread.)

In a food processor, add in the first five ingredients and give it a quick process. Add in two tablespoons of the olive oil and blend. Add in the remainder of the olive oil and run the food processor until all ingredients are mixed well. This recipe freezes really well for up to three months.

T8N Fall 2021 15

Caramel Oat Squares These squares are always a hit as an after swim snack or a class snack break. This recipe makes a full nine-by13-inch pan of squares and they freeze beautifully for making ahead preparation! 50 caramels, 1½ bags ½ c. whipping cream, 33% Milk Fat 2 c. old fashioned oats 1½ c. all-purpose flour ½ c. whole wheat flour 1 c. brown sugar, loosely packed 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. kosher salt 1¼ c. unsalted butter, cold and cubed 1¼ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a nine-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper leaving overhangs on each side. Spray the pan with non-cooking spray if there’s any exposed pan.

16 T8Nmagazine.com

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, stir together the caramels and the cream until melted, set aside. In a food processor, add the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Pulse a few times to combine. Add in the butter while the processor is running until the mixture contains coarse crumbs. Pour half of the dry mixture into the lined pan and press evenly. Bake for 20 minutes or until colour starts to develop around the edges. Let this cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the cooled crust and then pour the caramel mixture in an even layer (as even as you can get) over top of the chocolate chips. Finally, distribute the remainder of the crumb mixture on top. Using your fingertips, press down over the entire surface of the oat layer. Bake until the top has colour and the caramel is bubbling, 20–25 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into squares and enjoy or pop into the freezer for enjoyment later!

Homemade White Loaf The aroma of bread baking is such a familiar feeling of family, generational history, and Grandma’s kitchen. Pair a warm slice of bread with homemade strawberry jam and just enjoy that moment and all that came before.

Homemade Vanilla Strawberry Jam This homemade jam can be made with the first strawberries of the summer season. However, during any other season, feel free to use any strawberries for this recipe. 4 c. hulled strawberries 1 c. white sugar ⅔ c. vanilla sugar 1 vanilla bean, broken into 3 pieces ¼ c. lemon juice

In a medium sauce pan, put half of the strawberries, the white sugar, the vanilla sugar, the vanilla bean and the lemon juice. Set aside. In a blender, puree the other half of the strawberries and add to the pot. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Turn the heat down and continue to simmer the mixture. While the jam is cooking, stir occasionally (squishing some of the strawberries, depending on how smooth you like your jam) for 15–20 minutes or until the mixture reaches 224°F on a thermometer. Remove the sauce pan from the heat and let cool slightly. Divide jam between glass jam jars, pop the lid on and into the freezer to enjoy later. Definitely leave one jar in the fridge to enjoy with a slice of homemade bread!

4– 4½ c. all-purpose flour 1 tbsp. sugar 2¼ tsp. kosher salt 1 package or 2¼ tsp. instant yeast 2¼ c. lukewarm water

Using a piece of parchment and a small amount of butter, grease the inside of two loaf pans, set aside. Save the buttery parchment for rubbing the cooked loaves at the end. In the bowl of a stand mixer (with dough hook attachment), add the flour, sugar, salt and yeast. With the mixer running on low, slowly pour in the water watching for the dough to pull together to form a sticky ball. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and cover with a damp tea towel. Place the bowl in a draft free or warmer part of the kitchen. Let it rise for one and a half hours or until the dough looks roughly double in size. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly flour the work surface. Scrape the dough ball out of the bowl and onto the floured surface. Divide the dough into two pieces and work with one portion at a time. Using your hands, cup and rotate the dough, gently forming it into a round ball (This is a no knead bread so do the cup and roll approximately five to eight times). Next shape it into a loaf and put in the prepared pan. Then do the same with the second piece of dough. Place the two loaf pans by the warm stove and cover with a damp towel. Let them rise again for 30 minutes. Bake the loaves for 15 minutes. Then turn down the oven temperature to 375°F and cook for another 20 minutes. The loaves should be golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on with either your fingers or a knife. Tip the loaves out of the pans onto a cooling rack and rub the top of each loaf using the buttery piece of parchment from pan preparation. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

T8N Fall 2021 17

Sesame Chicken Salad Give this salad a try and incorporate it into the start of your family’s repertoire of recipes.

Salad

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 c. cabbage (napa, green or purple-all are delicious), shredded

a pinch of sugar, kosher salt and pepper

1 pepper (red, yellow or orange) 1 head of romaine lettuce, shredded 2 chicken breasts, sliced (either from a rotisserie chicken or barbequed with olive oil, salt and pepper) ½ c. toasted almonds, slivered or sliced 1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds (white or black) a handful or more of chow mein noodles

18 T8Nmagazine.com

Dressing

2 large carrots, grated or shaved using a vegetable peeler

2 tbsp. rice vinegar

In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients excluding the chow mein noodles and lightly toss. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together and toss into the salad until everything is coated. Finish with the handful of chow mein noodles and serve!

Pumpkin Spice Cakey Cookies Pumpkin everything and anything signals the fall season for a lot of folks. These cookies are no different! They are a spicy, warm treat for the start of the season. Pair them with vanilla cream cheese icing and you may start getting requests!

each tray for 15–20 minutes until the cookies are starting to brown around the edges. Cool completely. While the cookies cook and cool, cream together the ingredients for the icing using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with an extra bowl. Set aside.

Once the cookies are completely cool, they can be topped with icing. You can also flip the cookie over and ice the bottom and then add another cookie for a sandwich style treat. t8n

1½ c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. kosher salt 2 tsp. chai spice blend ½ tsp. grated fresh nutmeg ½ c. room temperature, unsalted butter 1 c. white sugar ½ c. brown sugar 1 c. fresh or canned pumpkin puree 1 room temperature egg 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing 1 x 8 oz. package of room temperature cream cheese 5 tbsp. softened, unsalted butter 2 vanilla beans, split and the seeds scraped out 2 c. icing sugar (Sometimes this measurement might need more to thicken the recipe, add up to ¼ c.)

Line two baking sheets with either silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and the two sugars until fluffy. Add the pumpkin, egg and vanilla and mix again. Add in the dry ingredients, the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, chai spice, and nutmeg. Turn the mixer on and combine the ingredients until everything is incorporated. Using a cookie scoop or a table spoon, portion out your cookies, nine per tray. Bake

T8N Fall 2021 19

Creature

I THE EIGHTS I

PET OWNERS EVERYWHERE will

tell you how their domesticated wonders are an amazing source of comfort, so it makes sense to return the favour. Whether your precious pet has feathers or fur, shells or scales−or if you know an animal lover worthy of a gift that accentuates those affections−we’ve compiled a list of items that we’re sure will help spread the love around the household. t8n

3 20 T8Nmagazine.com

Comforts

Accessories and amenities for our favourite animals and animal lovers

1 “Royalty No. 2” limited edition

10-inch-by-10-inch linocut cat print by Heather Simonsmeier, $32

2 Willam Rae Designs wood sign from The Makers Keep, $40

3 Super Soft Anti-Anxiety XXL pet

bed (for pets 100+lbs) from Millie & Max Petco, $145 (other sizes available)

4 Cat Grass from Salisbury at Enjoy, $4.99

5 “I Wuf You” Card and “You’re

T urtley Awesome” cards by IM Paper Co, $5.50 with “Cat Lady” card by Jaybee Design, $5 from The Makers Keep

6 Mr. Birds Spring Fruit Cottage

from Backyard Birds Nature Shop, $15.99 each

7 Handmade Biothane 25mm wide

dog collar, $32 and 19mm wide heavy leash, $37 from Dog Walkies (other sizes available)

8 All Decked Out “Fur-Mama” mug from The Makers Keep, $25

8 T8N Fall 2021 21

I THEN & NOW I

Paved with

BY GLORIA LOITZ

The northeast section of St. Albert yields some fascinating local vanguards

MEMORIES

IN THIS FINAL instalment of

Edward Way

Escallier Place

T8N’s look at St. Albert’s street names, we journey back in time to learn about the various chapters of historical people who contributed to the character of the city. These are but a few of the roads named in their honour visible on street signs in the neighbourhoods east of St. Albert Trail and north of the Sturgeon River.

This has been thought to be named after Edward Van Lersberghe, who immigrated to Villeneuve in 1920 with his wife Maria after his three brothers had already settled in the area. The couple farmed throughout the Great Depression on a few different plots of land and eventually retired in St. Albert.

French widower Hippolyte Escallier arrived in St. Albert before 1917 and brought his three grown children with him. One of them, Blanche, married a man named Michael Hogan and went on to teach school in Legal.

A secretary for the City of St. Albert, Kathy Evans earned the distinction of a street name in her honour. A highly respected administrator, she started off in the engineering department and then transferred to the city transit sector.

Bellerose Drive This drive was named in honour of Octave Bellerose, son of Oliver Bellerose, whose family settled near the Sturgeon River after moving from Quebec in 1833. Octave was known as one of the best horsemen around and established a school on his farm in 1886. A decade later, the Métis Association elected him president; much of his time was spent lobbying the federal government for the issue of transcripts beholden to Métis children.

Eastbrick Place At one time, several locals worked for this brick foundry, which warranted a road to be named after it.

EMBER CRT.

STOP

22 T8Nmagazine.com

Evans Place

Everitt Drive Harry Keith Everitt was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and a councillor in Sturgeon County. Born in 1923, he became an MLA in 1959 and served his constituency for three terms. He died Aug. 26, 2015 at the age of 92.

Étoile Crescent North

Emery Court Sister Zoe LeBlanc Emery was one of the three Grey Nuns who arrived in St. Albert in 1863. Under her charge, the Grey Nuns established a hospital, orphanage, boarding school and a home for the elderly. She worked as a nurse and a teacher until her death in 1885.

The St. Albert Star was a bilingual newspaper also known as L’Étoile de St. Albert, which inspired this stellar street name. It operated in the city from 1912 until 1914.

gold and struck it big-time up north.A return trip to the Yukon the next year saw him experience a fatal affliction of typhoid fever. Unfortunately, all his gold earnings went towards his funeral. All that was left were Ouelette’s clothes, which the priest who administered the funeral brought back with him to St. Albert, where he shared the bad news with his family.

Sturgeon Road St. Albert’s first settlements were along the Sturgeon River and it played a vital role in transportation, water and sustenance through fishing. The first bridge in St. Albert was built on the Sturgeon River. t8n

Olivier Close Olivier Bellerose, father of Octave Bellerose, settled River Lot 35 to have 13 children while working for the Hudson’s Bay Company. The Bellerose family eventually accumulated ownership of roughly 2,000 acres of land on both sides of the Sturgeon River.

Onesti Place The widow of Archangelo Onesti, Catherine, donated a church bell in 1887. This street is named in honour of her donation.

Ouellette Place Pierre Ouellette arrived in St. Albert in 1887, where he married and had five children. In 1898, Ouellette left to mine for

T8N Fall 2021 23

I MEET YOU THERE I

Perking

the Peeps

A local coffee shop makes a difference with its java and community spirit BY CORBIN STEWART

FOR MILLIONS OF Canadians, a

cup of coffee is a morning ritual. Others not content to brew up a cup at home opt for local coffee shops which attract patrons with the wonderful aroma of contrasting coffee beans being grounded. There’s an intimate and welcoming feeling when you walk into such an establishment that truly ca res about its c ustomers. At Perks Coffee House, they capture this vibe perfectly. 24 T8Nmagazine.com

Operating since 2013 from its first location in Spruce Grove, Perks Coffee House opened its fourth location in St. Albert during the summer. Walking into the narrow cafe with a jagged counter from end to end, patrons get an intimate example of coffee culture with brown and cream-colored walls that resemble their favorite wake-up concoction. And the venue, which can seat at least a dozen folks, offers three flatscreens of what’s available, from soup and sandwiches to a wide array of coffees available.

It’s no coincidence that every Perks location exudes similar atmospheres. It’s one of many perks at Perks, which owner Ken Turlock says was born out of his love for coffee and community. “Loving coffee myself, I always found that it was inconsistent wherever you went,” said Turlock. “We wanted to create something where people come in and always get a great cup of coffee.” With two outlets in Spruce Grove, a drive-through in Stony Plain and the recent St. Albert addition, Turlock and co-owner Shantelle Lewis technically

have a chain-like operation going on. But the spirit behind the spots is anything but corporate. “The idea was for people to invest in a company that invests in the community,” says Turlock. Their coffee beans come from Coffee Concept, a roaster from Calgary that uses traditional cultivation methods in order to provide the freshest and most eco-friendly coffee around. All of Perks’ coffee is Rain Forest Alliance Certified, meaning the farmers who create the beans practice sustainable agriculture methods. In addition to the coffee, Perks’s tea is all organic and farm fair trade. Perks would likely earn social brownie points for the organic and fair trade components, but what really makes the operation stand out is the double-decker bus it uses as a food truck for up to 20 events a year. Turlock was long interested in an antiquated vehicle for mobile functions and when he saw the broken-down 1962 Bristol Lodekka public transport vehicle in a Kijiji ad in 2014, he realized it was a sure-fire way to attract attention from the rest of the competing food truck fleet.

T8N Fall 2021 25

“It was something that we thought would be unique to serve coffee out of,” he said about the bus, which has helped develop a novel revenue stream for Perks in the food truck circuit. But after Turlock paid $500 for the crimson double-decker, it took a year of renovations and considerable sweat equity to get the vehicle in shape just in time for the Farmers Day Parade in Stony Plain in 2015.

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Even with the lockdown surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Perks has continued to be so popular due to its online ordering options, supportive customers and the socialization aspects that are inherent in coffee shops. “It’s about treating themselves to something special every day,” says Turlock. “The customers are what truly makes us unique.” t8n

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I SPOTLIGHT I

Political to POINTS

Ponder BY GENE KOSOWAN

T R A D I T I O N A L N E W S PA P E R REPORTERS tend to be a rather

skeptical lot. Then there are veterans like former Globe and Mail and Calgary Herald scribe David Climen haga , who ad mits has grown somewhat contemptuous about the electorate that puts successful candidates into positions of power. “I think fairly cynically now that people in Canada actually want to be lied to by politicians,” said Climenhaga, who these days writes a popular blog called Alberta Politics. “If you tell them that this is bad news and you have a decision to make in that we can’t do what we want to do without making some sacrifices, they’ll just go to the guy who will tell them you can have it all.”

Blogger David Climenhaga assesses the provincial referenda and the federal election

That’s a fairly sobering perspective on national politics, especially during the frenzy of what’s turned out to be a hotly-contested federal election. “It’s a moving target as all elections are. I think the Liberals made some assumptions when they locked themselves into it,” said Climenhaga about the federal election which saw the Liberals win, albeit fail to get a majority government.

T8N Fall 2021 27

“Timing is everything and timing is kind of out of your control if you’re running a political party’s campaign.” Meanwhile in Alberta, an election is at least two years away, but that’s not stopping the incumbent UCP government from taking up real estate on ballots to be cast for municipal elections taking place across the province Oct. 18. Besides selecting from candidates seeking offices for mayors, councilors and school board trustees in their respective

communities, Albertans will also be asked to select a nominee for the Senate and respond to referendum questions concerning the federal equalization program and Daylight Saving Time. On the surface, the referenda appears to be a way for Alberta Premier Jason Kenney to gauge how Albertans feel about the issues, particularly on equalization. Since becoming Premier, Kenney has railed against the program, arguing the province hasn’t been getting its

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fair share of transfer payments. While no fan of the UCP, Climenhaga has some admiration for the government’s savviness in adding the referenda to municipal ballots, hinting that the tactic might encourage conservative citizens to select local leaders more sympathetic to Kenney’s mandates. “It's a fairly clever strategy to get provincially-motivated voters to vote in municipal elections that typically have a low turnout, where a bunch

WHAT ELSE IS ON YOUR MUNICIPAL BALLOT? Citizens eligible to vote in Alberta’s municipal elections will see two referendum questions on their ballots when they head to the polls Oct. 18. Put forth by the provincial government during the summer and each requiring a “yes” or “no” vote, the questions are: 1. Should section 36(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982 — Parliament and the government of Canada’s commitment to the principle of making equalization payments — be removed from the constitution? 2. Do you want Alberta to adopt year-round Daylight Saving Time, which is summer hours, eliminating the need to change our clocks twice a year?

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Also included on the ballot will be a list of Alberta-based candidates seeking nomination for the appointment to the Senate of Canada. Seven candidates have registered to be considered for nomination (Erika Barootes, Pam Davidson, Randy Hogle, Duncan Kinney, Mykhailo Martyniouk, Jeff Nielsen, Sunni Sookram), although the Prime Minister is not legally bound to select the winning nominee to fill the one Alberta seat available. Source: Elections Alberta

of right-wing voters could make a big change,” he said. “I don’t know if their supporters are going to be animated by the referendum about equalization based on large part that they don’t understand how equalization works.”

“Clearly the referenda were added to animate [the UCP] base, to get urban voters particularly in Calgary to vote against Nasheed Nenshi because they had a well-moneyed crowd of developers there who just hate Nenshi,” he said. “Then Nenshi spoiled it by deciding against running for another term as mayor.”

“If I think things are going pretty badly for a political party that I support or sort of support, I don’t try to gloss it over,” he said. “I’ll try for an accurate description of what I think is happening or an interpretation of what I think is happening. I have an ideological point of view, but I try to explain that clearly.” t8n

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How Climenhaga’s theory play out with Nenshi’s absence is a matter of speculation as are the outcomes of municipalities further north. Edmonton will be choosing a new mayor after left-leaning Don Iveson decided against throwing his hat into the ring for a fourth time. In Parkland County (which includes the city of Spruce Grove), Mayor Rod Shaigec has also opted against running for re-election. At press time, four candidates were running for mayor including incumbent Cathy Heron. Besides covering elections as a journalist, Climenhaga is no stranger to the political process having run unsuccessfully twice for a City Council seat in St. Albert, where he currently lives. These days, much of his time is spent in another office as a communications adviser for the United Nurses of Alberta. He writes his Alberta Politics column during his downtime, which gets an annual average of 1.5 million page views. That’s not including the exposure he gets from websites like Rabble and The Tyee, which regularly runs his pieces.

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Climenhaga argues that the UCP added the referenda to unseat more liberal incumbents, especially Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, whose polling numbers remain positive during his third term in office. But his support of public transit and opposition to sprawling and pricey urban development have been contentious issues among deep-pocketed conservatives seeking a right-wing challenger to unseat Nenshi.

An NDP follower, Climenhaga makes no bones about his left-leaning perspectives, although he adds that he tries to be civil in the arguments he makes in his articles.

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I DOWN TIME I

Ballot Brainbuster STEPHEN LEACOCK, one of Canada’s greatest humourists, described the act of

voting as exercising one’s franchise. Now that the federal election is over, here’s a chance to exercise your grey matter instead. Get those writing instruments ready and see how many words you can find hidden in this matrix. And if you get them all, you could be a candidate for a prize simply by notifying us on Name: Created with TheTeachersCorner.net Word Search Maker Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #T8N. t8n

Election

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T8N Fall 2021

Articles inside

The Trouble With Kibble

THEN & NOW

Political Points to Ponder

MEET YOU THERE

The Trouble With Kibble