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Thursday, October 24, 2019
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“Where the difference is worth the drive” “Where the difference is worth the drive”
Rosemarie Falk runs away with the race 79 per cent of the vote By John Cairns Staff Reporter
Her victory was nothing short of massive. With only a few advance votes left to count, results in the riding have Rosemarie Falk winning with a stunning 79 per cent of the vote with 27,784 votes. Marcella Pedersen of the NDP was running a distant second with 3,947, or 11.2 per cent; Larry Ingram of the Liberals was running third with 2,225 for 6.3 per cent, Jason MacInnis of the People’s Party received 647 for 1.8 per cent, and David Kim-Cragg of the Green Party finished fifth with
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586 votes for 1.7 per cent. For Falk it was a far better showing than even her 2017 byelection win, when Falk took 69 per cent of the vote. Her win Monday made history as the biggest landslide victory in Battlefords-Lloydminster since the riding was created in 1997. Her margin of victory was bigger than the population of the entire Battlefords put together, a staggering 23,837. As big a margin as it was, it wasn’t the biggest in the country. Some other Saskatchewan Conservative candidates managed to top 80 per cent of the vote as the Conservatives racked up a massive victory in the province of Saskatchewan, sweeping all 14 ridings.
Feature
A Walk With Cancer Pages 26, 27
Re-elected Conservative MP Rosemarie Falk talks to reporters in Lloydminster after her massive win. Her margin of victory was a staggering 23,837. Photo by John Cairns
Battleford homicide under investigation Police believe there are three individuals involved
Special Elizabeth Manley Page 17
Among the ridings that went Conservative was Regina Wascana where Liberal Ralph Goodale lost his seat after 26 years. But the national results told a different story as Justin Trudeau and the Liberals took a minority government with 157 seats. The Liberals grabbed an early lead from the Atlantic returns and built on it with wins in Ontario and Quebec, and never looked back. The national result meant Falk’s election night gathering at the Sawmill Restaurant in Lloydminster was a subdued one, as bigscreen TVs relayed the election results from across the country. Continued on Page 2
Staff RCMP Major Crime Unit North as well as other specialized RCMP units continue to investigate the homicide of 27-year-old Ryan John Gatzke that occurred in the early hours of Oct. 18 in the town of Battleford. Based on the information gathered, Saskatch-
ewan RCMP confirm Gatzke was the victim of a homicide. At this time, police say they believe three individuals are involved in Gatzke’s murder. Police say some members of the public may have crucial information or evidence that can help police identify individuals involved and determine the
circumstances that led to Gatzke’s death. Officers are asking anyone who was in the area of the 100 block of 26th Street West in Battleford between the hours of 12 a.m. and 2 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 18, for any information concerning what may have been observed to be suspicious or out of the ordinary. This
information could include unfamiliar vehicles, loud noises or suspicious person or activity. Police consider the homicide to be an isolated incident and do not believe there is a threat to public safety related to this incident. The RCMP has thanked residents and motorists in the Battleford community
for their patience, their cooperation and for giving officers the space required to conduct a thorough investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Battlefords RCMP at 306-446-1720 or to contact Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS or www. saskcrimestoppers.com.
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