Regional News-Optimist April 25, 2024

news-optimist Regional

Health care, cost of living concern CUPE

By Miguel Fenrich

Jalloh said, adding that increasing debt was also an issue.

Spring in Bloom

“That is not sustainable,” he added.

battle” between CUPE workers and the rising cost of living in Saskatchewan.

“The reason why we are here today [is to] join … the members who work in this region, both rural and urban, to sound the alarm about some of the challenges that we are facing in this province when it comes to recruitment and retention,” CUPE president Bashir Jalloh said at the rally gathered in North Battleford.

He said that in a recent CUPE survey with roughly 2,000 respondents, only 19 per cent of members described their financial situation as good. The combined 80 per cent that remained said their financial situation is poor or extremely poor.

“Our members, how they are coping with this? They are actually working excessive amounts of overtime, or some people have resulted in cutting back on their grocery bills, and some have [been] … cutting down their leisure activities. Some [are] actually postponing retirement,”

Jalloh added that he feels the government has focused too much on recruitment, rather than retention which is desperately needed in the province.

“If we want health care to be successful in this province, there has to be a deliberate action to invest in health-care workers. Because if we don’t do that, we’re going to lose people.

“So, what are we going to do to retain people to attract our young people, for them to have a career path in health care? The only way we’re going to do that is to focus on retention, increase the wages and working conditions for our members,” he said.

But in the recent budget presented in the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly March 19, he said there is little in the way of support.

“People need health care,” he added.

North Battleford LPNs speak out

In comments to the media, Bobbi Kanz, a licensed practical nurse (LPN) of 24 years who has spent most of her career working at BUH told reporters that she’s worried about increasing pressure on staff.

“The last few years were very hard on every-

body,” Kanz said. “And we still do not see the help that we need to get through our days. Health-care workers are given a choice, go to work [or] stay home with my family. We choose to go to work because, at the end of the day, somebody needs to be there to take care of all of your families.”

Allyson Hadley, who also spoke to the media said she’s the last senior LPN working on her ward and worries that without more support, workers will experience even more burnout in her field.

“I am the only laststanding senior LPN with the most experience in our ward. Everyone has kind of moved on and been burnt out,” Hadley said, adding that it was especially high during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“So, as we got through those three years, the morale went down … the burnout went up, the compassion fatigue went up, and then patient care suffered.

“So, when your nurses are burnt out, your patients see that and we’re in trouble.”

She added that she’s been at BUH for 12 years and with little increased financial support, coupled with the hiring of more contract nurses, who she

Continued on Page 2

NDP call on Jeremy Cockrill to resign

By John Cairns SASKTODAY.ca

The opposition New Democrats have called for the resignation of Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill on Monday, on the heels of a major verbal gaffe by Cockrill during a meeting with a mother whose daughter had recently died.

“Time and time again, Jeremy Cockrill shows that he lacks the empathy and

honestly needed to be the Education Minister,” said Opposition Leader Carla Beck at a news conference Monday in the Legislature building.

“For me, his treatment of Taya Thomas was the final straw.”

Beck was referring to a meeting Cockrill had last week at the legislature with Thomas, whose 13-yearold daughter Mayelle had died last December.

The topic of labour ne-

gotiations with the teachers was raised at the meeting, and a frustrated Cockrill had responded “what do they want me to do? Give up my first-born child?”

Cockrill did end up apologizing public for the remark in the Legislature and during a media scrum with reporters last Thursday, saying he knew he had made a mistake “as soon as the words came out of my mouth.”

Continued on Page 6

One of the first signs of spring in Saskatchewan, the prairie crocus, in full bloom. | Photo by Vicky Clayton

CUPE ‘sounds the alarm’

Continued from Front alleges are paid higher wages, she says she has to work overtime just to pay her mortgage, buy groceries or support her child.

“Here I am picking up overtime that I haven’t had to do in the previous nine years of my career.”

She said people need to be kept in the community.

“We are tired of seeing temporary lines, part timelines, casual lines … you need to have [a] permanent rotation so people can start families and build and buy homes and keep our wards running.”

She said that there is little movement among politicians.

“What happens when wherever you talk to the politicians, they always say, ‘Well, we’re working on the retention issue. We’re trying … to entice people to stay by building up the communities’ blah, blah, blah.”

Jalloh added again that the recent Saskatchewan budget did see a slight increase to health care, but that mostly it’s going to infrastructure and development. But he said there is not enough staff support.

“We cannot continue this.”

Perspective from the Ministry of Health

A statement from the Ministry of Health received by the News-Op-

timist April 23 said the provincial government remains committed to building and supporting a sustainable and responsible health system.

“A key priority for the Ministry of Health is to deliver the highest quality health care to Saskatchewan patients with our partners and service providers. We are investing $142 million in this year’s budget to support the Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan to recruit, train, and retain health-care workers,” read the statement.

Some of their recent initiatives include:

• 223 of the 250 new and enhanced permanent full-time positions targeted in nine high-priority occupations to stabilize staffing in rural and remote areas of the province (as of March 7, 2024).

• 305 hard-to-recruit positions in rural, regional and northern communities have been successfully hired as a direct result of the Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive.

• Creating 66 additional training seats in programs for registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses and other hard-to-recruit health-care professionals.

• More than 1,000 nursing graduates hired since 2022 (local and out-ofprovince as of March 7, 2024).

• The recruitment of 278 physicians to Saskatchewan from out of province since 2021. An additional 212 physicians have been hired from within the province during the same period.

“In total, nearly 100 positions have been successfully hired in North Battleford since our HHR Action Plan was introduced.”

The ministry added that educating domestic students remains a priority of their HHR Action Plan.

“There are many opportunities for our domestic students, including forgivable loans, bursaries, scholarships and added training seats for programs such as registered and psychiatric nursing. Eligibility for the Saskatchewan Loan Forgiveness for Nurses and Nurse Practitioners was expanded to include Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Yorkton and the Battlefords. Program graduates are also eligible for the Saskatchewan Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive of up to $50,000 for a three-year return in service.

“The Government of Saskatchewan is aware of the issues being raised by CUPE. However, contract negotiations are currently underway and it would be inappropriate to comment on the bargaining process.”

Those who braved the cold to march outside BUH April 17. | Photos by Averil Hall

CUPE president Bashir Jalloh shares a few words.

Above, Bobbi Kanz, an LPN with BUH adds her concerns to the conversation. At right, Allyson Hadley is the last senior LPN in her ward at BUH.

Vikings football players win gold in Germany

By Sherri Solomko Freelance Reporter

The One World Bowl for football is a tournament meant to bring countries around the world to compete in American football.

Two players from the Battlefords, and members of North Battleford Comprehensive High School Vikings, were part of gold medal wins with Team Canada at the event held in Germany.

The Sask Selects is formed from kids all over Saskatchewan. After returning from Germany, the Selects program is done for the season and all players have the opportunity to try out for future years.

Players must try out for the Sask. Selects in spring or summer and, if they make the team, and train, they will have the opportunity to be on the travel teams.

“It was overwhelmingly positive,” Keaten Osicki said of his experience.

“It will always be a great feeling for a chance to be able to represent myself, my province and country on a world stage.

Brandyn Schmunk, a junior who will move up to the senior football ranks next year, and Keaton Osicki, a senior, were part of the winning teams. Both players were representing Canada with the Saskatchewan Selects, based out of Moose Jaw. Canada won the One World Bowl football championship in both age categories, U14 and Varsity. Saskatchewan Selects is a winter football program that trains on weekends. They host one tournament in January, Battle of the Prairies, and also compete in an away tournament. In 2024, they competed in both Florida and Germany.

Being able to hoist a trophy alongside your teammates after defeating a strong American team, knowing you helped contribute to a win by giving it your all on that field gives you a great sense of accomplishment.”

Osicki is also looking to the future.

“You always like to take what you’ve learned and

Poundmaker woman sentenced to prison

Eight years for manslaughter in death of Kaylee Crookedneck

By Lisa Joy SASKTODAY.ca

A Poundmaker First Nation woman was sentenced on Thursday, April 11 to eight years in prison in the death of 32-year-old Kaylee Crookedneck from Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation.

Kiara Mooswa, 21, was handed 2,920, days in prison on a manslaughter charge. She was credited with 344 days remand credit.

Mooswa was also ordered to provide her DNA to the National DNA Data Bank and prohibited from owning firearms for life.

Mooswa’s co-accused, 34-year-old Janine Wapass from North Battleford, is back in provincial court April 24 for case management. She is also charged with manslaughter in Crookedneck’s death.

On June 16, 2023, just after 11 p.m., North Battleford RCMP responded to a report of an injured person outside a home on the 1400 block of 114th Street in North Battleford. RCMP officers arrived and provided initial medical assistance prior to EMS arriving, but

Crookedneck died at the scene.

Crookedneck was born in Loon Lake, according to her obituary.

She enjoyed cooking for her children and was always trying new recipes. She was always busy keeping her children entertained with crafts, cooking or exploring on walks to the park or going for bike rides. They were her whole reason for being and would do anything for them, continued her obituary.

Crookedneck, or Kah peh nekan nepowit iskwew, was learning and embracing her traditional cultural ways and was overjoyed when she and her children received their traditional names.

“Kaylee had an amazing sense of humour that she and her siblings all shared, when they all got together they were always laughing, joking or roasting each other,” said her obituary. “She was a very empathetic and loving person and would always give more than what she (could) afford to help out anyone who needed it, as that is how she was a person.”

Crookedneck’s wake and service were held on Onion Lake Cree Nation in June 2023.

apply it to your next chapter, whether playing in high school with the Vikings or whatever ventures to come my way. I love the game. Hopefully, these opportu-

nities can take it further than the high school level and allow me to play for many years to come.”

Brandyn fundraised throughout the year as well

as receiving a corporate sponsorship from Bralin.

“The experience was a great event to develop and learn new skills that I would have never learned otherwise,” said Brandyn Schmunk

“Those skills that I developed in Germany will help me compete at a higher level than I ever did previously when I go back to my school season. The trip was breathtaking in many different ways but the thing that stood out the most was the atmosphere around me.”

The championship also included teams from Denmark, Israel, Mexico, the United States and host Germany. It was played under American football rules.

$1 Clothing Sale back for a second year

Submitted

The $1 Clothing Sale is coming back to the Battlefords on May 3 (6 to 8 p.m.) and May 4 (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at Living Faith Chapel in North Battleford.

Every item of clothing (including shoes) is only $1. Organizers of the event reflect on the success of last year’s sale and say they are excited to see how this year’s event can once again bless many people in the community while raising money for a great cause.

With the ever-increasing cost of living, to be able to purchase gently used clothing for only $1 provides an affordable option for the community, organizers say. Thanks to an outpouring

of community support, last year’s sale sold 3,700 items and gave away at least that amount after the sale. Organizers this year are hoping to exceed this amount.

The $1 Clothing Sale is also a great opportunity for anyone needing a little extra motivation to clean out their closets. Event organizers are seeking gently used clothing donations. Donation drop-off times at Living Faith Chapel are April 30 and May 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and May 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. (use the door access from the parking lot). If possible, please label the size of clothing in the bags being donated.

All proceeds from the sale go directly towards Safe Families Canada Bat-

Employee terminated

tlefords (SFCB). SFCB is an organization that works through the local church to engage Christian volunteers to provide support to families who are experiencing a crisis. Volunteers with SFCB host children in their homes, provide friendship and mentorship and create an extended family-like support system.

This year’s $1 Clothing Sale matching sponsors are Rooted Plumbing and Heating and Fortress Windows and Doors. These businesses have together committed to matching the first $2,000 of sales. Organizers urge community members to support the event by donating clothing or coming out to shop.

LSKYSD reports $15K loss

By Azure McGonigle SASKTODAY.ca

A Losses of Public Money report for the second quarter of the 2023-24

Living Sky School Division No. 202 fiscal year shows a loss of over $15,000 from the months September to

December 2022.

According to the report, it is alleged that a school employee misappropriated the funds in the amount of $15,152 during the above time.

The employee was terminated from their position and the matter was

reported to the RCMP.

The school division has since increased the frequency of internal audits and is implementing new online software for accepting fees and payments in order to reduce the volume of cash handled in the schools.

Brandyn Schmunk and Keaton Osicki won the One World Bowl football Championship in Germany for their age group. | Photo submitted

Gen Z’s affordability dilemma Opinion

By Anastasiia Bykhovskaia SASKTODAY.ca

“I really worry for the young generation. How can they afford anything in this day and age?” Many times, I’ve heard such questions as part of conversations about young people not being able to afford their first houses anymore, not only in money-juiced places like Vancouver or Toronto, but even here in Estevan or Saskatchewan in general. Inflation, the pandemic and economic recession are all to blame for our new reality.

My Boomer friends told me many times that they worry about the new generations since everything is so expensive now. Oftentimes people point out that the cost of living is so high that espe cially Generation Z or Zoomers (born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s) have a really hard time managing.

But is it indeed that, or is there more to the changing way of life we see with younger generations?

The recent research on American Zoomers shows that more and more young adults chose trades over college and university degrees.

Young Americans are turning away from traditional career paths, favouring jobs that offer more freedom and autonomy. Trades like plumbing and electrical work are gaining popularity as they provide opportunities without the need for extensive formal education or corporate barriers.

While the research explores the situation in the U.S., I notice similar trends in Canada – today’s young adults don’t want to simply be part of the system, they want to be valued by employers off the start, and they also want to have more freedom. The same applies to some millennials.

The consequences of economic crises and the pandemic have dashed the hopes of many older generations, such as millennials, for stable income and home ownership. This example, among other factors, led to disappointment in the idea of hard work paying off.

With this new generation, the traditional North American workaholism – which for decades was portrayed as the path to the American dream, and which distinguished this continent from the more laid-back old world – starts fading. To summarize, Gen Zs want to work to live rather than live to work, researchers note, which strongly differs them from many generations before them.

The first-generation immigrants were always the hardest at it. Those Polish, Ukrainians, Germans, Lithuanians and others working at the Taylorton Mine near Estevan didn’t have anything easy. I believe hardly any local millennials or Zoomers would survive life the way it was 100 years ago.

Boomers grew up with hard-work ethics inherited from their older generations that knew not only how to survive (a lot of them made it through two world wars) but how to find their way to strive.

I definitely don’t want to diminish the role of the latest economic changes as they certainly play a huge role in what anyone can and cannot afford today. No matter

which generation we belong to, we all feel it. (My latest shock: olive oil seems to become a luxury, sitting at around $20 on sale in at least one of the stores). We felt it before the pandemic, but those two years made it much tougher, and I’m afraid we are to feel more aftereffects for a while.

But since the way many people overcome economic challenges has changed, it’s also not fair to blame the results solely on the economy.

Look at young, first-generation immigrant families now. Some of them are two to three to five years into their Canadian journey, and believe it or not, they are buying their first houses. (Of course, not all of them, and unfortunately, not all of them will likely be successful in it, but some will succeed.)

As an immigrant, I can tell that those first years are more difficult for newcomers than they are for most families’ kids, graduating from school and starting an adult

Corrections

An error was printed on Page 5 in the April 18 edition of the News-Optimist. The City of North Battleford has never claimed that the stigma that haunts the Battlefords or associated crime are nearly mythological, nor did they say at the 2023 State of the City that residents could expect to leave conversations about crime in the past and the News-Optimist would like to apologize

Another error suggested the city wasn’t concerned about the Crime Severity Index from the 2023 State of the City until later in the year. The statement should have read as follows, “Despite the mayor’s previous comments and a decrease in the CSI statistics, the city didn’t seem as concerned with

life. Newcomers often face language barriers, have no real support system, have no clue about how the systems work here, have no credit histories or references, etc. There are a lot of challenges to overcome.

Nevertheless, I see some newcomers (not wealthy by any means, as all some of them brought was just a suitcase) buying into real estate. How? There are many factors to it, including the value of “home” for those who left everything behind for whatever reason. Those families I know work hard, work several jobs, and save all they can on the way to their dream. They live to work like previous generations did, and a lot of them end up where previous generations did as well.

So, while the economy definitely changed what people can afford these days and pushed many of us back in our plans and dreams, the changing values and approach to work also play a role in where Gen Zs are finding themselves.

the statistics as it had been in March,” and the NewsOptimist would also like to apologize.

A story that appeared on page one of the April 11, edition of the News-Optimist under the headline, “Exposing downtown North Battleford’s underbelly” should not have been published. Due to an internal communication oversight, the story quoted anonymous sources who were not properly vetted and who made allegations regarding gang activities in the downtown which included violence, prostitution, gang colours, and graffiti. While these sources are real, we did not take sufficient steps to corroborate their statements prior to publication. The News-Optimist sincerely regrets these oversights and apologizes to our readers and advertisers.

The Wokelessness

By R.H. Wood North Battleford

The budget has been but really hasn’t gone. It has not received a single word of praise as far as I have heard except from the lips of Chrystia and Mr. Trudeau.

To my mind the thrust to please the Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) and the GenZs (born between 1997 and 2012) is complicated and affects relatively few of the population in that segment and worst of all is not immediate in effect on the housing crisis. Sure, the budget is designed to encourage the young

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WoodPile

to save but inflation will negate any interest accrued on savings. These programs would only work if the government applied

matching grants as in education savings plans (RESPs) which of course would be inordinately expensive and out of the question but could be cynically mooted for the future.

Criticism of the capital gains tax increase has been particularly severe by those in finance and industry who claim it will negatively affect productivity and investment in this country and from abroad. Happily, or otherwise the increments do not affect me.

Chrystia deserves much magnified self-praise for keeping the deficit to just under $40 billion as prom-

ised. Even greater praise and perhaps future promotion, she is not everyone’s cup of tea, would be merited if the deficit had been zero. Dividing the $40 billion by 40 million means that the federal debt has increased by $1000 for every man, woman and child. The federal debt is $30,000 for each person i.e. $1.2 trillion divided by 40 million. The interest paid by us on the debt will be $60 Billion or $6 for every $120 or exactly five per cent per annum. This is a fair rate of return and everyone with spare cash should loan it to the government – don’t forget you will be taxed on your investment return.

Don’t forget also that Mr. T. senior took 20 years to increase the na-

Asking only for what they need

Dear Editor

I had thought that I wouldn’t have to write another letter on this topic.

One would think that by this time the minister of education would be fully aware of his role and responsibilities as the leader of education in this province. However, this does not seem to be the case. The minister of education appears not to understand that as minister he represents all the people of Saskatchewan, especially the parents and students in the province. He needs to realize that he should be working

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co-operatively and collaboratively to provide the highest quality of education possible for all the students of the province. His recent statement in reference to the bargaining process with teachers in which he said, “What do they want me to do? Give up my first-born child?”, reflects an attitude of arrogance. It appears that he thinks that he alone is the Ministry of Education and alludes that he would be giving up his own personal valuable resources if he provides additional funding to provide the services necessary to meet

the complex needs of the students today. Does he not realize that the real experts on education in the province, the teachers, are only asking for what they know is needed to perform their work effectively? The minister instead views it as a matter of the teachers wanting control.

There are other issues as well:

Dog whistle statements about how he will make certain that graduations go ahead; a disputed apology; letters to School Boards (who are supposed to be autonomous) enlisting them to support the gov-

Scream it loud: stop drug abuse before it begins

Dear Editor

After reading about all the problems the Battlefords region has with poverty, crime homelessness and racism I can just assume that there’s one solution. I’m not an expert in any field of mental health or anything, but I think people have to be out there screaming “stop the starting of illegal drugs in the

first place with children and adults.”

Scream this at daycares, scream this in parades, scream this in kindergarten, scream this in school, scream this in families, have parades flags, just stop the start. Experts could find ways to stop the start, show what can happen. Stop the start, that’s the only way

these things are going to be fixed. It would fix poverty; it would fix crime and homelessness. Scream louder, stop the start. Show the very young what can happen. Do not sugar coat it. Give our young new ways to deal with life. but stop the start!

Shelly Leite The Battlefords

tional debt eight-fold. His boy has only doubled it in eight years, and it continues to increase nicely. Were it not for inflation and dollar value decline and so far, inexhaustible taxation, the fiscal system would collapse – so quit complaining just dwell on the words “insolvent” and “bankrupt” and that the day of reckoning will come. For any out there who are troubled with high figures remember that one thousand has three zeros, one million has six zeros, one billion has nine zeros and one trillion has 12 zeros – who needs accountancy training? It is no comfort that Chrystia and Mr. T have had none.

All this talk about numbers makes my insomnia

worse. Over years of unexplained wakefulness, I have struggled to count sheep and have sought an alternative subject. Each night I count up to 1500 sheep. I now count houses, and this number approximately matches Mr. T’s forecast housebuilding rate – 1500 times 365 equals 3,832,500 over seven years. Counting houses, although not yet built, is much more restful than counting sheep – at least the houses stay still while those pesky sheep mingle about interminably.

Not being woke, I was curious to find out the meaning of “Millennials” and “GenZs”. I found that I am a World War 2 generation relic. This apparently explains my wokelessness.

ernment. We need to ask ourselves; i it appropriate for us to have a Minister of Education who in his mind equates himself with the biblical figure, Abraham?

The premier states that he is pleased with the minister’s performance. Another biblical reference could be “oh my Lord.”

Les Hurlburt North Battleford

The Collective Impact Model explained

By Miguel Fenrich Editor

We’ll die without the bees, Manuela Valle-Castro told a group of six local leaders in the basement of the Don Ross Centre on March 7.

“We really understand this very Christian, ‘man has dominion over the land,’ as opposed to an Indigenous conception of interconnection, that we depend on the waters and the trees, and the land, and the bugs,” Becky Sasakamoose said.

Sasakamoose is the other co-facilitator for the trauma-informed antiracism workshop hosted by Battleford Regional Community Coalition (BRCC) — led by both mayors of the Battlefords, and five local First Nations — pushing to dismantle some harmful settler-based structures in the Canada and Saskatchewan, that they say are imbued with systemic racism.

After lunch during the day-long workshop on March 7, Valle-Castro noted that good intentions don’t always allow you to do the right thing. The goal with the Collective Impact model, is to transform the system because attempts to put bandages on the cracks, they say, doesn’t work.

Valle-Castro referenced things like multi-culturalism, diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, and reconciliation. But the fact remains, she said, that the number of Indigenous

people being incarcerated doesn’t change. The number of Indigenous dying because of bad health doesn’t change. Has the number of Indigenous children being apprehended changed? No.

“We have to think about what are the ways we go about this change?”

Incremental change in all these systems require institutions to have tools to look at themselves and each other.

“The Collective Impact framework … allows us look at complex social issues,” she said, noting that Medicine Hat, Alta, managed to essentially eradicate homelessness, creating a system in which government, community non-profits, and industry collaborated to eliminate homelessness.

“Because you need to bring all these systems together and create a common path for us to follow. A common path in which we have a shared understanding of what the problem is and what needs to change.”

The model is based on a handful of other models ranging from one that is used in Germany to ensure the public remembers The Holocaust, one based on the reconciliation process that happened in Chile post-military dictatorship or Apartheid in South Africa, and feminist academia research that shows the oppressed must be included in their un-oppression.

Five keys to the successful implementation across all sectors including, gov-

and ring buzzer.

ernment, charity and nonprofits organizations, businesses, and community groups, from the Stanford Social Innovation Review are:

A backbone organization that manages the collaboration of all the systems, like BRCC; continued communication between the organization; a culture of sharing; sharing measurements of success; and an accountability framework to ensure that organizations hold themselves to those standards while looking at outcomes and results.

“We need to really create a culture of sharing, collaborating, getting

Jeremy Cockrill

across those silos, renouncing competition, and supporting each other,” ValleCastro added.

But a huge part of success, is agreeing on what success would look like.

“Because when reconciliation was first out there, a lot of people took as a metric of success how many teepees they had done. For example, ‘we went to six powwows this year’ or ‘we put some Indigenous art in a room,’” Valle-Castro said, noting that it’s not a bad thing to do, but may not create change.

Can we turn ourselves and our systems into butterflies?

And this is the end goal of their plan, total transformation of the systems in the Battlefords. And this isn’t Sasakamoose’s or Valle-Castor’s first time here either.

They said they came last year to offer anti-racism training to the City of North Battleford, the Town of Battleford, and the five-member First Nations (Little Pine, Sweetgrass, Lucky Man, Moosomin, and Saulteaux, that form BRCC.

BRCC has engaged Sasakamoose and Valle-Castro to build the Collective Impact Model now being rolled out to businesses, non-profits, and other sys-

tems of power in the Battlefords to create lasting systemic change.

The model featured more anti-racism work throughout March, will feature mapping and planning exercises in April and May, and a final pledge signing ceremony in July on National Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

“Really it’s great for everybody because we know that change is going to come from [the] bottom up and top down,” Sasakamoose said.

“We want to be able to provide information for everyone everywhere … we want to become butterflies not just better caterpillars.”

‘Poor choice of words’ lands education minister in hot water

Continued from Front

“A really poor choice of words on my part. I apologized for that and I’m human, I made a mistake. It was a really poor choice of words on my part.”

When asked if he had apologized to Thomas herself, Cockrill said that he “apologized to her in the meeting I had the other day.”

But Thomas, meeting reporters alongside MLA Aleana Young on Thursday, disputed that account and said Cockrill didn’t apologize to her in their meeting.

“He did not apologize to me,” Thomas said. “I had a friend there who witnessed that. He did give me his condolences, but that he made that careless comment afterwards. So it does make me wonder if somebody like that is in charge of her children’s education, ultimately their future, and he can’t emphasize with just a regular person like me, it makes me wonder if he really can understand where the teachers are coming from.”

On Monday, Beck sided with Thomas’ account.

“Again, he was speaking to a mother, whose firstborn daughter had passed away just months earlier. And not only did that minister fail to apologize when he met with Taya on Tuesday, according to Taya he also lied about apologizing to her in that meeting. It should not be too much to ask to expect our elected leaders to live up to the values that we are proud to call Saskatchewan values: honesty, empathy, and accountability. This Minister has proven time and time again that he is simply not fit to be Education Minister and that is why we are calling on Premier Scott Moe to give him the boot.” Education Critic Matt Love pointed to a pattern of lying by Cockrill. “Not only did the minister lie about Taya, this minister was caught lying at his very first press conference within an hour of getting the job. He said at the time that every MLA had heard from constituents about the pronouns issue only to be proven wrong a few minutes later when Minister (Everett) stepped up to the mike and admitted he had not heard from a single person. The Minister then claimed to have heard from tens of thousands of people about the issue, when internal documents show he only received 18 emails. He then lied about STF leaving the bargaining table after 30 minutes when

video footage showed otherwise.”

During the Question Period that followed, Beck and Love took turns grilling both Moe and Cockrill but stopped short of accusing him of lying — something that would have drawn the wrath of Speaker Randy Weekes. In response, Cockrill again reiterated his apology for his remarks last week, as recorded in Hansard.

“I said on the floor of this Assembly last week, Mr. Speaker, it was a poor choice of words on my part, Mr. Speaker. When I met with Ms. Thomas last week, I had the opportunity to apologize for my poor choice of words directly to her in our meeting, Mr. Speaker. I apologized on the floor of this Assembly, Mr. Speaker.”

But Cockrill defended his government’s actions, and one point posed a question to Love on whether he would repeal Bill 137 — the parental consent bill.

“Absolutely, we’d build a parental engagement strategy to get parents involved in education. Absolutely,” replied Love.

In the Assembly, Moe made it known he would not demand Cockrill’s resignation.

”With respect to the question that the Leader of the Opposition has, Mr. Speaker, in light of what is a very poor . . . in spite of what was a very poor

choice of words by the Education minister, of which he apologized for, there is much that this Education minister is doing that is in the best interests of students and our classrooms and our teachers across the province, Mr. Speaker. And he retains the full confidence of myself, the full confidence of his cabinet, and the full confidence of his caucus, Mr. Speaker.”

In speaking to reporters afterward, Premier Moe reiterated he would not remove Cockrill.

“In spite of what is a poor choice of words, that many of us have made at some point in our life, either professionally or personally, I would say that the effort and advocacy that this Minister of Education has on this file most certainly continues to earn not only my respect, but my confidence in the work is doing.”

He pointed to Cockrill travelling the province and meeting with all 27 school divisions in their communities and having advocated for some of the largest increases seen operationally for education.”

As for the accusations against Cockrill by the NDP, Moe pointed to the Opposition having “called for the removal of every single education minister that we’ve had since 2007… accusations are just that, nothing more than accusations.”

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4 facts about administrative workers

mingly female. In North America, over 90 per cent of administrative professionals are women.

3. The average administrative assistant annual salary in Canada is $35,121. However, the most experienced workers can make over $47,000.

1. The demand for skilled admin workers is on the rise across Canada. In fact, 41,700 new admin jobs are expected to become available between 2019 and 2028.

2. Administrative assistants are overwhel-

4. The Canadian Certified Administrative Professional (CCAP) designation is a national accreditation and the highest industry standard for administrative professionals in Canada.

The administrative professional job has evolved over the years. The technology boom in the last decade has forced administrative workers to expand

This APW, thank an administrative professional in your life. You can do so by giving them a card, sending them a gift basket or offering them a gift card to an office store to upgrade their office supplies. APRIL

their skills. On top of managing memos, spreadsheets and budgets, admin workers must also now be proficient in countless online programs and software.

Thank You!

For everything you do and all your hard work

Full-Time

Kanaweyimik is offering a full-time

These days, many businesses have entire teams of multitasking administrative professionals that keep their offices running smoothly. Administrative positions vary and those that have them may be office managers, executive assistants or secretaries. However, regardless of their exact position, administrative professionals must demonstrate core competencies that include the following:

• Computer skills. Not only do administrative professionals need to be quick with a keyboard, they also need to be computer literate. Creating spreadsheets, word documents and presentations are all in a day’s work.

• Time management. It’s not uncommon for a secretary or administrative assistant to have many different tasks on the go at one time. The best will be able to prioritize and get everything done without breaking a sweat.

• Communication. Often working on the front line for an entire company, an administrative professional needs to be able to communicate with everyone, from CEOs and interns to suppliers and clients.

5 ways to thank administrative staff from a distance

With so many employees working from home, you may be wondering how to ensure your colleagues get the recognition they deserve during Administrative Professionals Week. Here are five ways to express your gratitude this year, from April 21 to 27.

1. CREATE A COMPILATION VIDEO

Ask each of your colleagues to record a personalized message and assemble the clips in a heart-warming video. This will show members of your administrative team that their hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.

2. DELIVER A GIFT BASKET

Contact local shops and producers to find out if they can put together an assortment of goodies to send to your colleague’s home. Think artisanal cheeses and chutneys, organic skincare products, craft beer and spirits or handmade candles and knitwear.

3. TREAT THEM TO A NIGHT IN

Many local restaurants, including some fairly upscale establishments, now offer delivery services. Send your colleague a gift card so they can enjoy a delicious at-home dinner. Consider dropping off a bottle of locally made wine to complete the meal.

4. FIND A FUN ONLINE CLASS

Give your colleague an opportunity to learn a new skill or pursue a hobby from the comfort of their home. Increasingly, local groups are offering virtual courses for activities that range from yoga and fitness to creative writing, cooking and professional development.

5. UPGRADE THEIR HOME OFFICE

Show your colleague how much you value their work by helping to make their home office a more comfortable, functional and welcoming space. Send them a gift card for a home office supply store in their area so they can get

exactly what they need.

Remember, even if you don’t see them in person every day, administrative professionals work tirelessly to keep your business running smoothly, and they deserve to be recognized for their dedication this week and throughout the year.

Provincial Budget | 2024-2025

$4.4 Billion for Capital Projects in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan’s economy and population are growing rapidly and with that growth comes a need for new, expanded and renewed infrastructure. The 2024-25 provincial budget invests a record $4.4 billion in capital projects to support classrooms, care and communities and meet the growing needs of Saskatchewan families and communities. Since 2008-09, our government has invested $47.2 billion in infrastructure projects that provide essential services for the province

For more information visit Saskatchewan.ca/budget

The Battlefords Art Club’s Instagram page highlights work from local artists who are members of the club. | Photo submitted

Art Notes

Insight into social media

By Rita St. Amant Battlefords Art Club

Rita St.Amant, formerly of Willow Bunch in southern Saskatchewan relocated to Wilkie last fall. Since moving, she became a new member of the Battlefords Art Club and has graciously volunteered her time to giving a basic session on the use of social media. Using Facebook and Instagram has become a mainstream way of using these platforms to promote our art or products.

We are now in a world of online marketing, and this is now one of the ways for artists to grow visually. These platforms are just not used for entertainment anymore. They are a marketing tool to reach potential clients around the world.

It was a good hashing session, with everyone at different stages and knowledge of how social media works.

Thank you to the Battlefords Art Club for allowing me to share.

Festival Fanfare Festival wraps up with gala performances Tuesday

St. Vital students Kaitlyn Falcon, Trinity Flammond, Ashton Buck, Carson Blais, Wacy Antoine and Corbin Fransoo participated in the Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival last week. | Photos courtesy Kelly Waters

By Kelly Waters Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival

The 2024 Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival is close to wrapping up but it’s not too late to catch the final piano classes held in Third Avenue United Church.

Piano classes Friday evening April 26, in Logie Hall starting at 7 p.m., will be an interesting evening with an accompanist 14 years and under class (Stefan Craib piano, Dylin Phommovong violin), piano duets with various age groups and three entries in the Family Music Instrumental Open Class. The final piano sessions are Saturday morning and afternoon in Logie Hall. Vocal classes opened during this week running Monday, April 22 to Wednesday, April 24.

Positive reports about the band sessions poured in from a variety of sources. The adjudicator, Mark Tse of Saskatoon adjudicated on-site at the festival venue

and travelled into schools workshopping with schoolbased ensembles. Committee president Katherine Funke Morin said, “We as a board really appreciated all the flexibility” of the adjudicator. Board member Karen Ulmer concurred that he “was an absolute delight to deal with — professional, organized, knowledgeable, kind and funny.”

Eric Cawood, a music teacher from St. Vital School in Battleford commented, “I’ve really enjoyed having Mr. Tse as an adjudicator at the Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival this year. He has been very positive and uplifting for the students. He unquestionably has great musical knowledge and is a pleasure to work with.” Cawood has been entering St. Vital School students into the festival for the past 20 years.

The celebratory Gala Awards evening at the Dekker Centre is Tuesday, April 30 at 7 p.m. Performances at the gala are

highlights from the festival chosen by the adjudicators. Awards and scholarships will be presented at the

gala award concert. Tickets are $10 for seniors, $15 for adults and children under 18 years of age free. Donors, sponsors, performers and volunteers are also free. Tickets for the gala may be purchased through the Dekker Centre or at the door that night.

The dates for the 2025 Battlefords District Festival are March 14 to 29.

“If I can play one note and make you cry, then that’s better than those fancy dancers playing twenty notes. I wanted to develop a guitar style where phrases and lines get there just in the nick of time, like with Curtis Mayfield and Steve Cropper. Subtleties mean so much, and there is a stunning beauty in them.” -Robbie Robertson (1943-2023)

week.

A recorder trio of St. Vital Grade 4 students Caleb Oborowsky, Jacob Picard, and Remy Scherman participated in the Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival during band

Beef cattle care code to be updated

Staff

The Canadian Cattle Association has initiated an update to the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle. The update will be guided by NFACC’s code development process.

The code development process includes a survey, launched at the outset of each Code, to capture topof-mind welfare concerns from any and all stakeholders. The input received will help the code committee understand the kinds of issues people wish to see considered in the update. Everyone is invited to participate; the survey for this code is available at www. nfacc.ca/codes-of-practice/beef-cattle.

“The safe care and handling of animals has al-

ways been a priority in our industry. This code update is welcome and brings the industry into better alignment with responsible practices, many of which have been implemented by our producers. We appreciate the process and industry input involved and look forward to promoting the updated Code of Practice to our producers when completed,” stated Nathan Phinney, president, Canadian Cattle Association. Canada’s codes of practice provide critical guidance for the care and handling of farm animals. They reflect our national understanding of animal care requirements and recommended practices and serve as educational tools, reference materials for regulations, and the foundation for farm animal care

assessment programs.

“The NFACC code development process is based on stakeholder commitment to ensure quality animal care standards are established,” said Hans Kristensen, chair of NFACC. “It’s about each of us taking responsibility – farmers, processors, food companies, consumers, and allied groups – moving beyond the hype and rhetoric and doing real things to support farm animal welfare.”

Five codes – beef cattle, equine, pig, sheep, and poultry – are being updated. The pullet and layer code is being amended. Visit www.nfacc.ca for more details and a timeline outlining the steps and progress made on the respective codes.

Tuck in the cuffs, spray on the repellent

Take simple precautions against ticks when enjoying time outdoors.

Some repellents may have age restrictions.

As temperatures start to climb, the Government of Saskatchewan is encouraging people to take precautions to reduce their exposure to tick bites and the risk of tick-borne illnesses when enjoying the outdoors.

“By taking simple precautions, we can protect ourselves and our families when enjoying time outdoors,” Medical Officer of Health Deputy Chief Dr. Julie Kryzanowski said.

“This includes being vigilant in wooded or grassy areas, even in your backyard and doing routine tick checks after being outside.”

To prevent tick bites:

• Wear light-coloured clothes so ticks can be easily seen.

• Wear pants, longsleeved shirts and shoes that do not expose your bare feet.

• Pull socks over your pant legs to prevent ticks from crawling up your legs.

• Use insect repellents that contain DEET or Icaridin. Apply repellent to clothes as well as your skin. Always read and follow the directions on the label.

• Shower or bathe as soon as possible after being outside to wash off loose ticks and inspect for attached ticks.

The risk of exposure to Lyme disease is low in Saskatchewan, as most ticks found in Saskatchewan are the American dog tick, or wood tick. This species is active from mid-April to the end of July and does not transmit Lyme disease to people.

Blacklegged ticks, which can cause Lyme disease, are rare in Saskatchewan, although they can be introduced by migratory birds in early Spring and remain active throughout Fall.

In 2023, for the first time ever, active field surveys detected the presence of male blacklegged ticks in Saskatchewan. However, there is no evidence of an established reproducing blacklegged tick population in the province at this time.

After hatching from the eggs, ticks must eat blood at every stage to survive. Depending on their stage in the lifecycle, ticks may be very small and hard to

see. When a tick is found, it should be removed immediately using fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Once the tick has been removed, wash the area with soap and water and then disinfect the area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or an iodine swab.

People can submit photographs of ticks found on humans or animals using the eTick online system at www.etick.ca to receive timely identification of the type of tick that attached to a person, pet, or livestock animal.

While awaiting identification results, keep the tick(s) in a secure container and store it in the freezer. eTick administrators may request that some ticks be submitted by mail for quality control purposes or further research. Ticks should not be submitted unless requested.

For more information on ticks and Lyme disease, including how to submit a tick for identification and testing, visit: saskatchewan.ca/lyme or https:// research-groups.usask.ca/ ticks/#Passivesurveillance.

Photo courtesy Eric Callbeck

Determining the carbon cost of cattle forage production: USask research

a single province is a new step forward in the literature.”

By Brooke Kleiboer USask

Raising a healthy cattle herd involves providing healthy and abundant plants for cattle to eat, a process called forage production.

Judson Christopherson, a graduate student at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), is investigating the levels of carbon emissions from the forage production process and how it affects the environment and economy. His research aims to develop better policies that support beef producers in their industry.

For the cattle industry, the world’s changing climate has become a major consideration for producers and consumers alike. Concerns about greenhouse gas emissions are often a topic of discussion in the Saskatchewan agricultural sector, especially as it relates to environmentally friendly and sustainable production practices.

Christopherson has dedicated his master’s project to determining the amount of carbon emissions produced in Saskatchewan from growing forage crops, and to developing an economic indicator of this

“A growing narrative amongst some academics and political figures has negatively portrayed beef production regarding environmental sustainability.”

Judson Christopherson

impact for practical use in policy development. The project is supervised by College of Agriculture and Bioresources professor and Agri-Food Innovation and Sustainability Enhancement Chair, Dr. Stuart Smyth (PhD).

“A growing narrative amongst some academics and political figures has negatively portrayed beef production regarding environmental sustainability,” said Christopherson, who is pursuing his master’s degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics through the USask College

of Agriculture and Bioresources. “Recent research discusses the importance that these emissions be viewed as a natural cycle, with methane being converted to carbon dioxide and then returned to soils via plant growth.”

Christopherson is in the early stages of his research, but initial results from reviewing recent research demonstrate that the soils used in forage production have high carbon storage potential – good news in that storing carbon in soil can lead to healthier plant production and keeps carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

Christopherson said his research is applicable to consumers, the general public, and to policy groups that seek to understand the environmental impact of beef production. The research will also serve as a great tool to help producers recognize how production autonomy, sustainability, and financial stability fit into their production processes.

“Paired with the limited use of agricultural inputs, tillage, and machinery, the carbon emissions from forage production appear to be low,” said Christopherson. “The net [carbon]

emissions from the forage production cycle represent a large portion of the total emissions of beef production, and furthering the understanding of this topic will add to the information available to consumers.”

Right now, Christopherson is focused on administering surveys to producers and gathering data that will document their forage production processes.

“This survey will gather information on every operation a producer performs in establishing, growing, maintaining, harvesting, and transporting a forage crop,” said Christopherson. “Additionally, the research focus on forage production as a standalone practice in

Christopherson notes that his research is unique in that it involves surveying beef producers directly and focuses on actual forage production, instead of relying on simulation models that are often inaccurate when compared to real-world production practices. He hopes that demonstrating how forage production relates to the economics and sustainability of the beef industry will help policymakers to develop a better understanding of this piece of the beef production puzzle in a way that benefits all.

After the survey portion of the research concludes in late 2023, next steps include “carbon model-

ling, correlating emission changes with changes in production practices, and providing an economic value” of the carbon stored and emitted from soils during forage production.

“As a cattle producer, I am driven to ensure the practices implemented on our operation uphold environmental sustainability while driving economic success,” said Christopherson. “Beyond this, I strive to tell the story of our ranch and operations like it to uphold the reputation of Saskatchewan’s agriculture industry and foster the growth of the most sustainable agriculture sectors across the globe.”

The research has been supported by the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association.

Saskatchewan Forage Council welcomes new executive director

Staff

The Saskatchewan Forage Council has announced Shelanne Wiles Longley has assumed the role of executive director. With a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree, Wiles Longley brings extensive experience in administration, finance, board governance and strategic planning to her new position, according to a SFC press release. Her career path has included work with government,

agricultural not-for-profits, environmental stewardship and water and rangeland management. She and her family operate a family farm near Ogema, where she will manage SFC from a home office.

“We’re very pleased to welcome Shelanne as our executive director,” said SFC president Jeremy Brown. “She has the background and business experience that will help us guide the Saskatchewan Forage Council into the future, bringing a new perspective to strategic direction and expanded opportunities. We are continually looking for ways to best serve our members and the provincial forage industry.

“We have greatly appreciated the astute management of Shannon McArton over the last five years,” continued Brown, “and are pleased to have a smooth transition as we continue our work.”

Climate change has arrived, water is where it reveals itself

By Chris Putnam USask

University of Saskatchewan researcher Dr. John Pomeroy (PhD) says the ways we’re managing water resources will no longer cut it.

The Prairies are entering another year of a multiyear drought, with soil moisture, snowpacks and streamflows at levels far below normal in many areas. An exceptional earlyMarch snowstorm lessened the drought but was not nearly enough to overcome it.

Climate change has arrived, and water is where it reveals itself.

“We’re seeing new climates emerging in Western Canada and we don’t fully understand them yet and what they’ll mean. We will have to adapt very quickly in how we manage water and manage every aspect of our lives,” said Pomeroy, the Canada Research Chair in Water Resources and Climate Change and Director of the Global Water Futures program at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).

The drought in Saskatchewan isn’t the worst on record, but the scale of it is exceptional; drought persists from the Prairies

to the North, and through the boreal forest across much of Canada.

“Having a northern drought associated with a prairie drought is quite rare. That didn’t happen back in 2001. And even in the Dirty Thirties, farmers were able to move up into the Peace River District or Northern Saskatchewan and find areas with adequate moisture. They wouldn’t be able to now,” said Pomeroy.

The Prairies and the Rockies rarely share a drought, so rivers tend to be high when the land is dry. But in 2024, critically low snowpacks in the mountains foretell a spring trickle instead of a torrent.

“We have to realize that for the South Saskatchewan River, 99 per cent of the water that reaches Saskatoon comes from Alberta, and anywhere from 60 to 80 per cent of that water is mountain snowmelt coming through. So what happens in those mountains completely determines our water availability for Saskatchewan,” Pomeroy said.

The glaciers, whose meltwater provides a safety net in times of drought, continue to shrink.

“They can’t carry on like that forever. So we just have a few decades left of

that glacier contribution on the North Saskatchewan and it’s pretty well minimal now on the South Saskatchewan,” Pomeroy said.

Pomeroy—director of the USask Centre for Hydrology and a distinguished professor in the College of Arts and Science’s Department of Geography and Planning—is one of the world’s most accomplished snow hydrologists.

“The university is absolutely committed and devoted to finding solutions to these problems. We’re working on all these issues and I think that will provide tremendous benefits to Saskatchewan.”

Dr. John Pomeroy

The USask water scientist expects that this drought, like all droughts,

will end. In fact, climate models predict an increase in precipitation for the Prairies and the Rockies over the long term. The Saskatchewan River will continue to flow, even if it sometimes runs low in late summer.

But in a Western Canada coping with climate change, droughts will be more severe, rainstorms will be more intense, and plentiful water will no longer be taken for granted.

Water resources in Saskatchewan are crucial not only for households and agriculture, but for mining, electricity generation and maintaining ecosystems such as the Saskatchewan River Delta—along with the livelihoods of the Indigenous communities who depend on them.

That means we need to start having difficult discussions at the provincial, national and international levels about how water resources are managed and about who gets water when there isn’t enough to go around, Pomeroy insists. It will take federal leadership to ensure that all voices are brought to the table, including Indigenous communities whose water rights have frequently been disregarded.

“We’re going to have to co-operate much more on water because we have shared water resources,” said Pomeroy. Scientific research like that underway at USask will be essential. Improved water predictions will give decision-makers lead time on water management de-

cisions. A better understanding of the needs of ecosystems will inform how much water is needed to sustain fish, muskrat and other animal populations.

The new USask-led Global Water Futures Observatories is providing much-needed scientific data. This network of early warning observation stations gathers and organizes sophisticated information on prairie soil moisture, lakes, ponds, forests and snowpacks, and on upstream mountain snowmelt and glacier water supplies using state-of-the-art hydrometeorological and water quality sensors.

As Pomeroy sounds the alarm, he is also resolute that there is a way forward.

Canada’s dams and reservoirs could be used in a co-ordinated way as valves to adjust river flows. Crop irrigation can be made more efficient and new crop varieties can be developed to grow in drier conditions. With some changes in practice, snow and evaporation on farmers’ fields can be better managed.

“The university is absolutely committed and devoted to finding solutions to these problems,” said Pomeroy. “We’re working on all these issues and I think that will provide tremendous benefits to Saskatchewan.”

News-Optimist file photo

History-making hockey official a proud farmer

By David Wilberg

Alex Clarke describes herself as a farmer who was kicked in the knee by a cow, was forced to give up playing hockey, had a chance encounter with a hockey leader and worked her way up the hockey officiating ranks.

She has become a trailblazer in the sport.

But she’s also a wife and a mom who loves agriculture and wants people to enjoy the process of where they are going.

Clarke was the guest speaker at the Estevan Farmers’ Appreciation Evening on Thursday night. A last-second substitute after the scheduled speakers had to back out.

Clarke reflected on her experiences in which she became the first female official in the Western Hockey League (WHL), one of the first in the American Hockey League (AHL) and is now calling games in the newly-formed Professional Women’s Hockey League.

She has been a referee and a linesman at many games in the Estevan area over the years, and she was also picked to officiate at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

“I’m definitely not used to clapping, I’m more used to booing,” said Clarke to laughter from the audience.

When she’s not at the rink, she serves as a relationship manager with Farm Credit Canada and resides with her husband and their two children at their farm near Griffin.

Clarke was raised on a mixed operation near Drake, and moved to Weyburn at the age of 15 to play hockey with the Weyburn U18 AAA Gold Wings program for three years. When she finished university, she returned home to the family farm for a short time, but was looking for a way to stay involved in the game.

“I was … drafted to play professional women’s hockey in what was the CWHL [Canada Women’s Hockey League], but I was nursing a bit of a knee injury which, coincidentally, happened from a cow that kicked me, and I didn’t rehab it properly, so I ended up choosing not to pursue professional hockey because my knee wasn’t up for the task.”

In the fall, she started working for FCC, and a short time later, had a chance encounter with the head of officiating for Hockey Saskatchewan. He encouraged her to become a referee because she could skate and had played the game at a high level. She worked her way up through the ranks and decided she wanted some-

thing more with officiating. She reached out to the director of officials at the WHL, which she admits was frowned upon, and asked how she could improve to officiate in the league. The two met and she was given a tryout game in September 2021.

Before the game, the WHL sent out a press release celebrating her accomplishment as their first-ever female on-ice official. She continues to officiate for them.

“I didn’t follow the process that all of the guys follow, I didn’t follow the process that they told me I was supposed to follow. I just followed my own process, and that’s OK,” she said.

When she officiated a tournament in Beijing a few years ago, she was 22 weeks pregnant. But she needed that competition on her resumé if she wanted to participate in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

“There’s goals that you can have, and there’s so many different paths that you can take to get to those goals,” she said.

Had she not enjoyed the journey of getting to the Olympics, she would have been disappointed with the end result of the Games, as COVID-19 restrictions were still in effect, which created a very different experience.

“Whether it’s with the

farm, whether it’s with family, whether it’s with something you’re passionately pursuing, just be very, very wary that we don’t get so focused on where we’re trying to go that we don’t love the whole process of getting there,” she said. She recognizes from her time growing up on a farm, and now residing in the

Griffin area, that everyone has to wear many hats to make the farm succeed and for the community to thrive.

Clarke reminded the crowd that they shouldn’t be afraid of failing, because “failing forward” can help them grow and improve as people.

“If we try something

Wilds Window

new, and it doesn’t achieve the same results that we wanted, it doesn’t get the yields that we wanted, it doesn’t get whatever we wanted, that’s OK, because we learned something, we grew from it, maybe we got decent yields, maybe we didn’t, but we’re not going to make that same mistake again,” she said.

Snapped this fuzzy little friend shortly after the snow started melting. Spring has sprung! The mallards and geese are returning but the squirrels never left. Thank goodness for that. Get outside and soak up some of those rays, North Battleford. It’s going to be a great summer. | Photo by Blake Fiest

Sask Wheat allocates nearly $3M to future of the wheat sector

SASKTODAY.ca

The Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (Sask Wheat) has invested nearly $3 million over five years into 13 projects through the Canadian National Wheat Cluster (Wheat Cluster).

The Wheat Cluster projects will address common issues and challenges producers face, from developing varieties that use inputs and nutrients efficiently to developing durum varieties that are more tolerant to environmental stressors. A vital element of each project is keeping the sector competitive and economically viable. Each project focuses on this component and the Government of Canada’s climate change priorities.

“Our investment in plant breeding and research will keep wheat production in Saskatchewan sustainable and profitable,” said Sask Wheat Chair Jake Leguee, who farms near Fillmore. “It is important for industry and government to work together and for each to commit funding to develop improved varieties and conduct necessary research into diseases and pests.”

“This partnership between government and industry will improve the competitiveness of our sector, allowing farmers to meet the needs of global customers and capture market opportunities.”

Below are the projects funded by Sask Wheat, in-

cluding the researchers and Sask Wheat investment.

• Towards ClimateSmart, Resilient Wheat (Dr. Curtis Pozniak, University of Saskatchewan)$216,918

• The Role of Wheat Growth Habit in Reducing GHG Emissions and Fostering Climate Resiliency without Compromising Yield, Quality and 4R Principles (Dr. Brian Beres, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)$130,996

• A Prairie Assessment of Nitrogen Stabilizers and Split Fertilizer Application in Sustaining Spring Wheat Yield, Protein and Production Economics While Reducing Nitrous Oxide Emissions (Dr. Mario Tenuta, University of Manitoba) - $203,470

• High-Quality Wheat Germplasm Development to Mitigate Climate Change Risks and Promote a Clean Environment (Dr. Santosh Kumar and Dr. Richard Cuthbert, AAFC) - $864,562

• Economic Growth in Canada Through the Development of Durum Cultivars that Address Climate Change, Environmental Sustainability, and Agri-Food Resilience (Dr. Yuefeng Ruan, AAFC)$415,087

• Cultivar Enhancement Through the Application of Biotechnology (Dr. Firdissa Bokore, AAFC)$218,116

• Integrated Approaches to Develop Climate Resilient Canada Prairie

Spring Red Wheat Cultivars for Western Canada (Dr. Harpinder Randhawa, AAFC) - $31,157,

• Winter Wheat With Enhanced Economic, Environmental, and Ecological Sustainability for Western Canada (Dr. Harwinder Sidhu, AAFC)$161,006

• A Dual-Pronged Approach to Mitigate Fusarium Head Blight and DON Production (Dr. Gopal Subramaniam, AAFC) - $236,246\

• Gene Editing to Accelerate Delivery of Improved Genetics (Dr. Andriy Bilichak, AAFC) - $106,917

• Sustainable Control of Wheat Diseases Through Marker-Assisted and Resistance Gene Discovery (Dr. Colin Hiebert, AAFC) - $110,414

• Wheat Midge: Enhanced Surveys, Wheat Resistance Traits and Midge Genetic Variation to Preserve the Sm1 Gene (Dr. Tyler Wist, AAFC) - $45,294• Developing Weed-Suppressive No-Till Wheat Systems with Reduced Glyphosate Use (Dr. Charles Geddes, AAFC)$219,453

The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) is a collaboration between Sask Wheat, MCA and Alberta Grains. The CWRC is aimed at improving the net relative profitability of wheat for western Canadian farmers and will administer the Wheat Cluster. More information can be found at wheatresearch.ca.

Seed-borne pathogen study invites producers

Staff

Each year, the Saskatchewan pulse and cereal commissions partner with commercial seed testing laboratories to complete an annual survey of seedborne pathogens measured on seed grown in Saskatchewan during the previous season.

All labs that offer seed testing services to Saskatchewan growers are invited to participate in the annual survey with anonymous reporting of results

amalgamated by crop district from all participating labs.

Interim seed quality data, collected from the time of harvest to the end of December, are summarized and communicated to growers, agronomists, researchers and industry during the winter months, ahead of the next crop season. These interim results provide insights into seed quality trends and identify potential hotspots for seedborne pathogens across the province.

A final summary of results, including data from seed samples analyzed after the interim results, is reported at the end of May. This final summary is submitted for publication in the Canadian Phytopathological Society Canadian Plant Disease Surveys. This publication of the provincial survey provides a record of seedborne pathogen trends in pulse and cereal crops and allows for continued tracking of diseases over time.

Photo by Irina Iriser/Unsplash

Maymont Dance Club final recital

By Elaine Woloshyn Correspondent

Was this our last raging snowstorm for our unpredictable spring weather?

Every bit of moisture is greatly appreciated although driving on icy roads in April isn’t desirable. It’s a given that the snow melts quickly in warmer weather.

Condolences to the Primeau and Church families on the recent passing of Rita Primeau. She graduated from Mayfair Central School in 1985. Her parents are Naomi Primeau of Speers and Albert (deceased in 2022). Rita’s husband is Ken Church of Vawn.

I had the pleasure of attending two dance recitals this past weekend.

Saturday, 13 hours after I returned from Arizona, I saw my 11-year-old granddaughter Keri Sevick performing with all the other eager members of Maymont Dance Club. The title for the show was Last Curtain Call” as it was decided to fold up after some

30 years due to low enrolment. It was an emotional afternoon for the dancers and especially some parents. Some children started dancing at age three and over the years have collected many awards from various dance competitions. Dancing to Ukrainian music on Sunday, April 21 by the Hafford Ukrainian Cheremka Dancers was also delightful to see. This club has over 30 members and is going strong. This club also attended various competitions during the season. A big thank you to the parents and others who diligently drive them and have money to pay for their lessons and other costs. There is nothing better than seeing kids involved in extracurricular activities outside of school.

Nothing like having our local Whitkow population grow. Congratulations to first-time parents Shannia Kosolofski and Rylee Bexon on the birth of their son April 17. Also, congrats to my neighbour Shirley Goyan as a first-time great-

Hafford Ukrainian Cheremka Dancers on stage April 21.

grandma. Shannia’s mom

Rachel from Vernon B.C. is here to assist for a few weeks.

For women who want to rejuvenate their bodies and their souls book a place at “Spiritwood Friends Spring Awakening Wellness Retreat “ at Ness Creek near Big River. This is a three-day retreat which has sacred ceremonies and focuses on healing, yoga and many other interesting topics. It starts at 3 p.m.

Friday, May 3 and runs until Sunday, May 5. Instructors from Wilkie Wellness Centre in Regina are hosting this in the peaceful boreal region. Go online to check on the instructors Samantha Wilkie and Sydney Walter.

Songbirds have returned for nesting, dandelions are making an appearance, crocuses sprang up three weeks ago and the grass is getting greener. Spring is a wonderful time of the year.

Maymont Dance Club members on stage: back row - Tacoa Mcbain, Kendall Scott (instructor), Emmerson Voegeli, Brooklyn Large, Jayden Caldwell; second from back - Madison Lamothe, Delilah Beaudi, Madelyn Perehudof, Sophia LavioletteFletcher; Aleyna Marion-Prescesky; third row from back - Alivia Caldwell, Payton Gray, Keri Sevick; front row - Alina Schultz, Blake Loessin and Sienna Kormish.

| Photos courtesy Jessica Gray

Marina project catches community’s interest

By Eric Callbeck Meota

Here we are in early spring. The geese are back in full force and we had an occasion to be awakened by a crow. The bedding plants are poking through the soil and I have heard of someone doing spring seeding near Provost.

Every once in a blue moon, we get to witness an engineering project that stretches our imagination. The Niedermaier family project is just that. They have taken a raw basic design and are making it work. They have managed to struggle through a lot of red tape to make their marina complex close to reality.

The walls, all 3,000 feet of them to date, are composed of heavy 20foot wide flange posts

interlaced with cement panels.

Excavation of the swim-

Bresaylor Happenings

ming pool will occur after the upper walls are secured with cement. The model showhome is taking shape. As in the rest of the project, the novel design shows a portal with garage doors on

opposing walls.

Some lots are designed primarily for camper trailers so the Niedermaiers have designed this multimillion dollar project to suit a wide market. They have used primarily local contractors.

They say hiring locally has paid off in labour availability as well as travel-related costs. They commend the quality of work as well as the lack of labour interruptions.

Tyler, my major communicator and site manager,

mentioned all building criteria as well as unforeseen costs will be fully disclosed at the time of purchase. It’s good to see this family business from northern Saskatchewan, take on a project of this size and in running it so well.

Activities for the week saw a good turnout for canasta and bridge. Lucille Gregoire and Vern Iverson topped the Tuesday bridge scores. Second were Gerry Craig and Albert Blais and third were Etta Meisner and Fraser Glen. Jean

Lawes and Fraser Glen were first in Thursday bridge. Mary Phelps and Gerry Craig were second. Norwegian Whist top score was by Bev McCrimmon. Sadie Horrel was second and Charlie Horrell, third. Canasta HF winners were Cora Christianson and Eric Callbeck. Second were Gail Hilderman and Stella Rendle. HKF first was by Bev McCrimmon and Vivianne Lesko. Second were Marion Ottas and Linda Ard and third, Vern Iverson and Bob Lesko.

Museum looks forward to an exciting year

By Vicki Dutton

Bresaylor Heritage Museum

Bresaylor Heritage Museum’s annual general meeting was held April 14 at the Paynton Seniors’ Centre.

The board proudly reflected on the museum’s 40th anniversary, a momentous occasion that was celebrated with over 100 attendees. The legacy of Joe Sayers, whose collection formed the foundation of the museum, was remembered. The contributions of Velma Foster, the curator and founder, and long-term directors Margaret Currie, Marie Ferguson, Helena Caplette, Marion McDougall and Margaret Webb were also acknowledged.

received the museum has decided to offer to host tours by arrangement. On July 28, potluck Sunday, guests will be invited for a driving tour. The committee wel-

comed two new board members, Elaine Brau and Kathy Park.

The board has an ambitious list of accomplishments for 2024, including a new website.

Visit us on Facebook. The museum will be open by appointment for the summer of 2024 and Bob’s Historic Driving Tour is available by arrangement https:bresaylormuseum.ca.

Judy Tomanek heads Action Now board

Bob Peterson organized and narrated the tour of local historical points of interest.

The tour was so well

One of the year’s highlights was the successful historic walk, organized in collaboration with the Saskatchewan History and Folklore Society. Hugh Henry led the walking group, which chose a different place to walk in Saskatchewan. This engaging event allowed participants to delve into the rich history of our community.

Fay Taylor, Stella Ewanchuk, Ruth St Marie, Donna O’Connor, Margaret Fedun and Les Lehman were guests of honour at North Battleford Action Now Senior Citizens’ birthday celebration in April. | Photo submitted

Submitted

Action Now Seniors

The Action Now Senior Citizens Centre held its annual meeting March 18 with 18 members present. A new president and vicepresident were elected by the nominating committee.

The executive includes president Judy Tomanek, vice-president Sadie Green, treasurer Stella Ewanchuk and secretary Dianne Cain. One new board member, Charles Horrell. was elected and will replace Dave Manegre who served as director for the past three years. He passed away after a brief illness. We miss him very much, especially at our Friday evening Kaiser tournaments.

Action Now seniors and guests gathered to cel-

ebrate the birthdays of fellow members who turned a year older in March and April.

Taking their place at the birthday table were Fay Taylor, Stella Ewanchuk, Ruth St Marie, Donna O’Connor, Margaret Fedun and Les Lehman. A potluck meal shared with birthday cake, strawberries and ice cream topping it off. The afternoon was hosted by Ruth Bilanski who introduced the head table noting that Les was like a rose among thorns. No offense intended ladies.

It is rare to have the presence of a mother and daughter at our birthday table but this month there were Stella Ewanchuk and her daughter Donna O’Connor. Congratulations to all.

The afternoon continued with games of Kaiser and cribbage with 28 members taking part followed again by coffee, tea and goodies. Nobody went home hungry.

The fundraising project of selling co-op gift cards is going well with $1,600 raised so far with the hopes of reaching the goal of $2,000 soon. Thanks to everyone who purchased cards and to the sellers who are helping Action Now continue to maintain a building and facilitate programs where seniors can come to socialize and enjoy others.

Singalong sessions are enjoyed by many of our members and we thank Roger and Linda for the wonderful entertainment

21033AA6

The walls of the new marina being constructed at Jackfish Lake are composed of heavy 20-foot wide flange posts interlaced with cement panels. | Photos courtesy Eric Callbeck

The 3,500-pound pre-stressed panels were fabricated in North Battleford and trucked out to the marina site.

The marina project’s showhome is taking shape. This shows a portal with garage doors on opposing walls.

The 3,500-pound pre-stressed panels were fabricated in North Battleford and trucked out to the marina site.

Bresaylor Heritage Museum will be hosting district tours this summer. | Photo submitted

SCHMEICHEL: Dale Roderick 1949 - 2024 Dale Roderick Schmeichel passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, after a lengthy battle with a neurological brain condition.

He was predeceased by his parents, Ewald and Alvina Schmeichel and two brothers, Wayne and Rudy Schmeichel.

Dale is survived by his common law spouse, Audrey O’Reilly; two sons, Curtis (Cyndy) and Kelly (Chelsie); six grandchildren; two brothers, Francis Schmeichel (Kathy) and Arnold Schmeichel (Judi); two sisters in laws Doris Schmeichel and Maggie Pyne; and numerous nieces and nephews; as well as a large circle of friends. Memorial Service will be held at New Hope Lutheran Church, 370 McIntosh Street North, Regina, SK on Friday, May 24, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. with reception to follow. The Memorial Service will be livestreamed. Interment will be held at St. Andrew’s Anglican Cemetery, Porcupine Plain, SK on Monday, May 27, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. Luncheon will follow. Donations in memory of Dale may be made to Saskatchewan NDP, www.saskndp.ca/dale or to Harbour Landing Village, 4000 James Hill Road, Regina, SK S4W 0N1. To view the livestream of the service and to leave an online message of condolence, please visit www.speersfuneralchapel.com.

SCHMIDT: Mr. Garry Schmidt passed away with family by his side on Sunday, April 14, 2024, at the age of 80 years. A Private Family Service will take place at a later date.

Garry is lovingly remembered by his wife Carolyn; children: Sherry Schmidt, Cathy Rexin (Kevin), Robbie (Lynette) Schmidt, Kelly Schmidt (Ian); grandchildren: Kyle Bandur, Lindsay Beaulac (Charles), Brian Gabrysh, Kristina O’Clery, Joelene Prescesky (Brennan), Jaylene Grando (Adam), Sydney Schmidt, Treyton Schmidt, Kelon Schmidt, Tyler Hillacre; 11 greatgrandchildren. Arrangements have been entrusted to Eternal Memories Funeral Service & Crematorium - Trevor Watts Funeral Director.

InLovingMemoryof JanetM.Bear

March22,1965-April12,2019

She'sinthesun,the wind,therain,she'sin theairyoubreathewith everybreathyoutake. Shesingsasongof hopeandcheer;there's nomorepain,nomore fear.You'llseeherin thecloudsaboveand hearherwhisperwords oflove.You'llbe togetherbeforelong; untilthen,listentoher song.

-Lovealways,Ron,Sam,Audrey,Greg,andDeanna

InLovingMemoryof NicoHawryliw

January16,1992-April30,2011

Whenyouaresorrowful,look againinyourheartandyou willshallseethatintruthyou areweepingforthatwhich hasbeenyourdelight.

-KhalilGibran

Wishingyouwerehere!

Mom,Dad,Jane,Mitch, Nico,Andi,HayesandBanks You

Notice of Preparation of Assessment Roll

RM of Blaine Lake #434

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the R.M. of Blaine Lake No. 434 for the year 2024 has been prepared and is open to inspection in the office of the assessor from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. on the following days: Monday to Thursday, April 29 to May 29, 2024. A bylaw pursuant to section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.

Any person wishing to discuss the notice of assessment or potential appeal may contact the assessor at the R.M. of Blaine Lake No. 434, Box 38, 118 Main Street, Blaine Lake, SK S0J 0J0. A notice of appeal must be filed with the Secretary of the Board of Revision, ADR Saskatchewan Centralized Board of Revision Inc., PO Box 328, Nokomis, SK S0G 4R0 by the 29th day of May, 2024. The assessment appeal fee of $300 is to be made payable to the RM of Blaine Lake No. 434, PO Box 38, Blaine Lake, SK S0J 0J0. If the appeal is successful, the appeal fee will be returned.

Dated this 26th day of April, 2024.

Linda Klimm, Assessor.

NOTICE OF Preparation of Assessment Roll

HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS

R.M. of Medstead No. 497 battlefords

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the R.M. of Medstead No. 497 for the year 2024 has been prepared and is open to inspection in the office of the assessor from 8:30 a.m. to Noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the following days: Monday to Friday, April 26th, 2024 to May 27th, 2024. A bylaw pursuant to Section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.

Any person who wishes to discuss the notice of assessment or potential appeal may contact the assessor at the RM of Medstead No. 497, Box 12, Medstead, SK S0M 1W0. A notice of appeal, accompanied by a $50.00 appeal fee which will be returned if the appeal is successful, must be filed with the Secretary of the Board of Revision, Western Municipal Consulting, Box 149, Meota, SK S0M 1X0, by the 27th day of May, 2024.

Dated this 25th day of April, 2024.

Christin Egeland Assessor

Notice of Preparation of Assessment Roll

Rural Municipality of Douglas No. 436

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll of the Rural Municipality of Douglas No. 436 for the year 2024 has been prepared and is open to inspection at the office of the Assessor of the municipality, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday inclusive, April 29, 2024 to May 29, 2024; excluding holidays.

A Bylaw pursuant to section 214 of the Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices sent as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment is required to file his or her notice of appeal, accompanied by a $ 200.00 appeal fee which will be returned if the appeal is successful, by the 29 Day of May, 2024, to:

Mike Ligtermoet

Secretary of the Board of Revision

Nor Sask Board Services

642 Agnew Street

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan S6V 2P1

Darrin Beaudoin, Assessor Rural Municipality of Douglas No. 436

P.O. Box 964, Speers, Sask. S0M 2V0

306-246-2171

Dated at Speers, Saskatchewan this 23 day of April, 2024

Motor scrapers, dozers, excavators, rock trucks, packers; wide range of machines.

Lots of work all season. Camp/R & B provided. Competitive wages. Valid drivers license req’d. Send resume and work references to: Bryden Construction and Transport Co. Inc. Box 100, Arborfield, SK S0E 0A0; Fax: 306-769-8844 Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca

I’m a two year old Shepherd cross that just loves to cuddle! If you want a loyal and handsome man in your life, then look no further! He has been in the shelter for 120 days!

2 years 11 months Male. He has spent 275 days at the shelter! I am a staff favourite and I love to please people. I am a happy and loving dog, who is always excited to greet people, and just want some love.

battlefordshumanesociety.com

Notice of Preparation of Assessment Roll Village of Mervin

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the Village of Mervin for the year 2024 has been prepared and is open to inspection in the office of the Assessor from 8:30 am – 4:00 pm on the following days:

Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday

April 26, 2024 – May 28, 2024

A Bylaw pursuant to section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the Assessment Notices have been sent as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal against their assessment is required to file their Notice of Appeal with: The Secretary of the Board of Revision, Marlene Hassard, Western Municipal Consulting Ltd, Box 149, Meota, Sask. S0M 1X0 by the 28th day of May, 2024. Any appeal must accompany a fee of $50.00 per property addressed to the Village of Mervin, which will be returned if the appeal is successful.

Dated this 26th day of April, 2024

Assessor

2024 ASSESSMENT NOTICE Village of Speers

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll of the Village of Speers for the year 2024 has been prepared and is open to inspection at the office of the Assessor from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., on the following days:

Monday and Tuesday, April 25, 2024 to May 27, 2024.

A Bylaw pursuant to section 214 of the Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices sent as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment is required to file his or her notice of appeal, accompanied by a $400.00 appeal fee by May 27, 2024 to:

Mike Ligtermoet

Secretary of the Board of Revision

NorSask Board Services

642 Agnew Street

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, S6V 2P1

Dated at Speers, Saskatchewan this 25th day of April, 2024.

Denise Bernier, Assessor

Village of Speers

P.O. Box 974, Speers, Saskatchewan, S0M 2V0

Notice of Preparation of Assessment Roll Village of Ruddell

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the Village of Ruddell for the year 2024 has been prepared and is open to inspection by contacting the Assessor of the municipality at 306-827-7874 or by emailing ruddellsask@gmail.com for an appointment, on the following days Monday and Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from April 29, 2024 to May 29, 2024; excluding statutory holidays.

A Bylaw pursuant to section 214 of the Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices sent as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment is required to file his or her notice of appeal, accompanied by a $ 100.00 appeal fee which will be returned if the appeal is successful, by the 29 Day of May, 2024, to:

Mike Ligtermoet

Secretary of the Board of Revision

Nor Sask Board Services

642 Agnew Street

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan S6V 2P1

Darrin Beaudoin, Assessor Village of Ruddell

P.O. Box 7, Ruddell, Sask. S0M 2S0 306-827-7874

Dated at Speers, Saskatchewan this 23 day of April, 2024.

NOTICE

The Tax Enforcement Act

CINTHIA STEPHANIE JOY GRAINGER

TAKE NOTICE that the Town of Hafford intends to be registered as owner under the above Act of the land described as LOT 1-BLK/ PAR 4-PLAN N2670 EXT 22, LOT 2-BLK/PAR 4-PLAN N2670 EXT 23, Title No. 141655800, 141655811.

The municipality claims title to the land by virtue of an interest based on the tax lien registered against the existing title to the land in the Land Titles Registry as Interest Number 181225201, 192874720 and you are required to TAKE NOTICE that unless you contest the claim of the municipality or redeem the land pursuant to the provisions of the above Act within six months from the service of this notice on you and, subject to the further provisions of The Tax Enforcement Act, a certificate of title will be issued to the applicant and you will thereafter be forever estopped and debarred from setting up any claim to, or in respect of, the land. The amount required to redeem the land may be ascertained on application to the Clerk, Treasurer or Administrator of the municipality. For any questions about the tax enforcement process please contact Taxervice at 1-877-734-3113.

Dated this 25th day of April, 2024.

Devan Shorrock, Treasurer Town of Hafford

be contacted.

Responsible for providing financial, administrative, and clerical services in Accounts Payable and Utility Billing.

• Preparing utility billings as per town policies and bylaws.

• Ensure GL and utility accounts are balanced.

• Prepare disconnection notices and manage delinquent utility accounts.

• GL Accounts receive and verify invoices, prepares batches for data entry, enters invoices into the system.

• Prepare cheques for signatures and mailing purposes.

• Communicate effectively as a front-line customer service representative.

• Receive funds and prepare receipts for tax and utility accounts, pet licenses, general transactions.

• Working with detailed, highly complex and sensitive materials on a regular basis.

• Ability to work with extended periods of sitting, working in a busy environment with frequent interruptions, must be able to multi-task.

• Grade 12 and some post-secondary courses in the field appropriate to the position is an asset.

• Minimum one (1) year experience in a municipal environment is an asset.

• Experience in computer programming and software including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Vadim.

• Must be bondable.

• The Town offers a comprehensive-defined benefits and pension plan.

• Permanent Full-Time position.

• Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

• This position is open to both male and female candidates.

• This is a Union Position, per CUPE Agreement.

• Salary: $25.05/hour.

Interested candidates can apply by submitting a cover letter, resume, references online to:

CAO Landon Chambers at: admin@battleford.ca

Dated this 15th day of April 2024.

Editor/Reporter Wanted

If you are a good writer with a strong sense of curiosity and a love of meeting people and telling their stories, we want to hear from you. The Regional News-Optimist has an immediate opening for a dedicated and enthusiastic full-time reporter/editor. Our small but mighty newsroom is responsible for delivering solid news coverage and compelling photos to the Battlefords region, and working to find stories that matter to our readers.

The ideal candidate will be a self-starter, a person who’s not afraid to go the extra mile to capture and tell human-focused stories.

We’re looking for someone who can:

• generate story ideas

• write up to 10 stories a week (sports, news, and features)

• take compelling, eye-catching photos

• be a team player who is flexible to changing work needs

Qualifications:

• a driver’s license and working vehicle

• proficiency in English and CP style

• adherence to journalistic ethics

• ability to write accurate and fair stories to deadline

• computer skills

• a post-secondary qualification in journalism or a related field would be an asset

• basic knowledge of Photoshop and InDesign would be an asset

• possess excellent communication skills

Deadline for applications is May 3rd, 2024

We thank all applicants for their interest. Successful candidates will be contacted to set up an interview. If this job seems right for you, please email your resume, writing and photography samples and references to:

G

ord Brewerton

Vice-President and Group Publisher

Email: gbrewerton@glaciermedia.ca

JOB OPENING

Lots of variety in this position! We will train.

• Filling propane cylinders

• Chainsaw and small motor repair

• Maintaining rental equipment

• General cleaning and building maintenance

• Mechanical experience is an asset but not a requirement

Drivers licence is required

Apply in person with resume to:

Hagen ...................................North Battleford

Donna Hickson .....................................North Battleford

Lana Hickson ........................................North Battleford

Charlotte Lahti ......................................North Battleford

Walter T. Nelson ....................................North Battleford

Al Gotto .................................................North Battleford

Jacquelyne Byers .................................North Battleford

David W. Shury,...............................................Battleford

Dean M. Williams ..................................North Battleford

Darlene Bird..........................................North Battleford

Jeannette F. Brick............................................Cut

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the R.M. of Redberry No. 435 for the year 2024 has been prepared and is open to inspection in the office of the assessor from 9:00 a.m. to Noon and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on the following days: Thursday to Monday, April 25 to May 27, 2024, excluding statutory holidays.

A bylaw pursuant to section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment or classification is required to file his or her notice of appeal, accompanied by a $ 200.00 appeal fee which will be returned if the appeal is successful, to The Assessor, R.M. of Redberry No. 435, P.O. Box 160, Hafford, Saskatchewan S0J 1A0, by the 27th day of May, 2024. Dated at Hafford, Saskatchewan this 23th day of April, 2024.

Borden and District News

Bingo continues in Radisson

By Lorraine Olinyk Correspondent

The Borden Friendship Club held their final bingo for the season Wednesday, April 17 with a good turnout. The games for $15 were won by Gerry Wainwright (2), Mel Brooke(2), Jean Brooke, Florence Neufeld, Arnold Meister, Lorraine Olinyk and Eleanor Walton. The jackpot of $80 was played until there was a winner and this went to Lorraine Olinyk. Bev Assman and Martha Rempel supplied lunch that was sold at the break. If you still want to play bingo, Radisson seniors play twice a month on Mondays at 7 p.m. in the Goodrich Centre — April 29, May 13 and 27.

Upcoming at Borden

April 25 is the Friendship Club potluck supper, annual meeting and local talent to entertain, all in the Club Room starting at 5:45 p.m. The club is inviting other towns for supper and entertainment Friday, June 7 and members are to let Lorraine Olinyk know by May 24 if they are coming to it or not. Cost for members will be $15 and $20 for non-members. Langham, Radisson and Maymont will be invited. The club is invited to Radisson June 12 and members can also let Lorraine know by June 1. Radisson seniors hold a pancake breakfast the last Saturday of every month with the next one

April 27 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Goodrich Centre. Everyone is welcome.

April 27, there is a vaccination clinic for pets and horses by the Community Centre from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m

The Borden Dance Club recital followed by a dance and social is also April 27.

April 29, the Borden Fire Department is holding an open house with hot dogs, burgers and beverages. Meet the current members and tour the fire station, fire truck and ambulance. There will be an equipment demonstration. This is an opportunity for people to ask questions and maybe find out if being a firefighter is right for you as they always need more

members.

St. John’s Anglican Church hosted Celtic Country musicians for a gospel music service April 21. Bob Wardhaugh played piano, Ed Neufeld guitar and Archie Wainwright helped with the singing. Athletics Canada has had three athletes ranked first in NCAA Track and Field all in the same season. Earning this placemet was Savannah Sutherland of Borden for her 400-metre performance. Christopher Morales Williams of Ontario and Rowan Hamilton of British Columbia were the other athletes named. Savannah attends the University of Michigan on a track and field scholarship.

Action Now Seniors

Continued from Page 18 and delicious food they provide twice a month at our centre. Many members and others look forward to those afternoons.

The 2024 SSFA 55+ senior provincial games, being held in North Battleford in June, are a good opportunity for us to get out there and show our talents, make new friends and have a great time.

Action Now is open all year round so don’t forget to stop in and join us Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m. and Fridays from 6:30 to 10 p.m. We will be having another birthday dinner in June and a picnic in July.

Mother and daughter combo Stella Ewanchuk (seated) and Donna O’Connor at the Action Now Senior Citizens Now birthday celebration.

Talance Kalmakoff earns Athlete of the Year

By Kathy Utri

Joyce Richard passed away in Maidstone Health Complex April 14 at the age of 80 years. Sincere sympathy is extended to Don, her husband of 63 years, sons David (Marife) and Jerry (Charlotte), 14 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, four siblings and many friends. Joyce grew up in Lilydale District and attended school there. She later worked as a nurse’s aid for many years. Joyce was one of the founding members of Maidstone and District Historical and Cultural Society and was an original acting curator of the museum. She was an avid collector and decorator. A family service will be held at a later date.

Congratulations to Talance Kalmakoff of Maidstone on being named 2024 Athlete of the Year in the sport category of Rivers West District for Sport, Culture and Recreation awards. At her most recent competition at Val SaintCome Ski Resort north of Montreal, Talance came in 29th in singles and 19th in duals. This was her first senior nationals. She had a solid performance considering the Canadian 2026 Olympics athletes were also competing there. Did you know there are over 6,500 volunteer 4-H leaders in Canada? The 4-H Canada Leadership Summit 2024 was held in Vancouver. B.C. April 12 to 14, providing workshops and learning opportunities for leaders from across the country. Among several award recipients was Mary-Ann Carson of Maidstone who was presented with a Lifetime Honorary Member award by 4-H Canada board chairman David Hansen and Canadian CEO, Hugh Maynard. Congratulations again, Mary-Ann. At long last, Maidstone Legion Club Room’s Chase the Ace draw has rewarded faithful and ever-hopeful Boone (Doug Wichman). He won $564 but didn’t find the Ace of Spades, leaving behind the $9,120 jackpot. What an exciting loss! Thursday, April 25 is the last draw night for this season so a regular draw will be made and if that lucky person can’t locate the ace, draws will contin-

4-H Canada board chairman David Hansen, left, and CEO Hugh Maynard present an Honorary Lifetime Member award to Mary-Ann Carson. | Photo submitted

ue until someone wins the jackpot which is expected to be about $10,000.00 (the highest ever). On the heels of that excitement is the Cornhole Tournament on Saturday, April 27 with the final 50/50 draw for this season.

Maidstone Bowling Awards took place on April 20 with about 40 people attending. After an abundant potluck supper, awards and draws were done with results as follows. Business League first winner’s plaque – Making

Waves, last place Skunk Plaque – Intercore. Highest scores across all the adult leagues: Men’s High Single – Jeff “Turkey” Watt 308, High Triple – Matt Sayers 703, High Average – Matt Sayers 200; Women’s High Single – Melissa Paton 266, High Triple – Melissa Paton 631, High Average –Shirley Brown 177. Youth Bowling: Senior High Single 254, High Triple 663 and High Average 183 – Noah Schempp; Junior High Single 231, High Double 374 and High Aver-

age 141 – Ben Foster; Bantam High Single – Turner Pauls 140, High Average – Anna Foster 122.

The raffle basket was won by Brianna Jesse and Matt Sayers won $60 in the 50/50. The annual general meeting wrapped up in the evening. One new member was welcomed to the board and it was decided to do the pancake breakfast on Canada Day. While bowling alley hours have yet to be decided now that leagues are done, staff can be reached by phoning the bowling alley at 306-8934439 or Dusty at 306-8953515 or by sending a message to the bowling alley via Facebook messenger. Thanks to Dusty for helping with information this year.

Pie bingo was held at Waseca Community Centre last Sunday. With five in our group, we were lucky to take home several goodies and even two pairs of handmade slippers. Thank you to workers Curtis, Claire and Sandra for a fun afternoon. Thanks also to Maidstone Gully 4-H for donating pies, Elemental Essences, Deb Chapman and Gloria Ford for the

blackout prizes and all who came out to support the centre. Remember to bring the family for Mother’s Day Brunch (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) with door prizes and wagon rides by Do It Again Ranch. Everyone welcome. (adult $10, age 10 and under $5.)

The annual communitywide garage sale for Maidstone and surrounding areas will be on Saturday, May 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To register your address for the sale, contact Chantal Koski on Facebook or by email at chantalslaney81@gmail.com.

Earth Day was officially April 22 but in reality, every day is Earth Day. At this time of year, when everything is awakening from the cold of winter, it’s easy to think of ways to help our environment. Do your part to protect our natural resources for generations to come.

Reminders:

Saturday, April 27Bloomer’s Greenhouse opens for the season at 10 a.m. (610 - Railway Ave., Maidstone)

Tuesday, April 30Maidstone Disc Golf starts at 7 p.m. at Delfrari Park.