Red Deer 1913 — 2013 Create Celebrate Commemorate
WILD WIN
VALENTINE’S DISHES
Minnesota dumps Calgary 2-1 in a shootout B4
Loaded with chocolate B1
CENTRAL ALBERTA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER
BREAKING NEWS ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM
TUESDAY, FEB. 12, 2013
ECONOMIC SUMMIT
Chamber wary of sales tax BY LAURA TESTER ADVOCATE STAFF It’s too early to tell whether a provincial sales tax would do anything to lessen Alberta’s financial troubles, said the president of the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce on Monday. Gayle Langford was reacting to news about whether Alberta should implement a new sales tax, a main focus of the Alberta Economic Summit hosted by Premier Alison Redford and the Progressive Conservative government on the weekend. A few key leaders from Red Deer were invited by local MLAs. Chamber executive director Tim Creedon attended Saturday’s event. Langford issued a statement on Monday to say that while the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce is in favour of good fiscal management and economic development, it is too early to determine whether a sales tax is the right way to achieve these things. Several business people, including George Gosbee, CEO of investment firm AltaCorp Capital, and Jack Mintz, director of University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, expressed support for a provincial sales tax. Mintz said the university would be releasing a report that would discuss how a sales tax might be used to overcome shortfalls and insulate against the peaks and troughs of resourcebased revenue. “We are eager to see this and other research on the issue,” said Langford. “This issue is complicated by the need to diversify our energy markets and reduce the discount on our energy products going into the United States.” Langford said that while the chamber would like to see a balanced budget, they believe this will likely require a multi-pronged approach. “We know that the government is nowhere near a decision on this issue and there is a clear need for much more research and debate.” Joel Ward, president of Red Deer College, said the summit will not have any impact on the upcoming provincial budget on March 7. He said the summit of about 300 people appeared to have three camps — people who want spending cuts similar to the Premier Ralph Klein era of the 1990s; adding a sales tax, a surtax, graduated income tax or return of health-care premiums; having no cuts and instead add more money into health and education and introduce a sales tax or some kind of consumption tax. “What I learned is that the government will take a bit of a balanced approach in going forward,” said Ward. “I don’t think anything learned by the government will be taken into consideration for this coming budget. It’s really about what we might do going forward.” Economic summit attendees also saw the need for Alberta to diversify its market, particularly when the demand for oil and gas is declining in the United States, said Ward. “It was clear from all the discussion from government, industry and business that they see post-secondary (institutions) as part of the solution going forward,” he said. Economic panellists suggested that applied research is particularly important because it will help industry and businesses to take products to market or create new ones, Ward said. Post-secondary institutions like Red Deer College are also vital in addressing a trades labour shortage. ltester@reddeeradvocate.com
PLEASE RECYCLE
Contributed photo
Colleen Baradoy of Raven bonds with the calf moose that was pulled from a fishing hole in Adams Lake, south of Red Deer, on Friday.
Moose calf’s death probed CIRCUMSTANCES OF RESCUED ANIMAL’S DEATH UNCLEAR BY CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF Two days after a moose calf was rescued from a Central Alberta lake, the young animal is dead. Alberta Justice and Solicitor General’s Office, which oversees Alberta Fish and Wildlife, is investigating after receiving two differing reports of the calf’s death from the public. Brendan Cox, a public affairs officer, said the department received a call Monday indicating the moose may have been killed illegally. On Sunday, the officers received a report the moose had died of natural causes. Colleen Baradoy of Raven, whose house overlooks Adams Lake, said she woke up on Sunday morning to see a trail of blood
where the animal was dragged. “We could see she was shot and gutted on the spot,” said Baradoy. “And then he hauled her away.” On Friday, Baradoy and her painter, Harvey Von Hollen of Red Deer, and others pulled the young moose from a fishing hole in Adams Lake, south of Red Deer. The calf moose was believed to have been in the water for about five hours. After the rescue, neighbours gave her food and water while she rested. Baradoy said she stayed close to the hole most of Friday and only ventured a short distance away. On Saturday, the calf was resting near the hole again but in a different spot. Baradoy said the calf did not seem like she was suffering on Saturday. She said a neighbour called her a few times after the rescue, indicating
the moose should be shot because it wasn’t doing well. Baradoy said she is devastated because she and her husband bonded with the animal. “I am really mad,” said Red Deer painter Harvey Von Hollen, who was one of the volunteers who were part of the rescue. “They should have let nature take its course or let Fish and Wildlife make the decision.” Moose hunting ended on Nov. 30. Hunters must have a special licence to hunt moose within the season. Violators may face hefty fines and possibly jail time for poaching or hunting outside the season. Cox said if it is authorized by the Fish and Wildlife officers, someone can euthanize an animal out of season if it is in distress or suffering. crhyno@reddeeradvocate.com
Villa Marie will be ready to take all comers BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF About 50 of the 100 beds at Villa Marie — a new seniors facility in Red Deer — may be available for dementia care when it opens at the end of the year. In addition to the two specialized dementia units with a total of 24 beds, there will be other areas of the building that will be secured for residents’ safety, said Truman Severson, vicepresident for innovation and business development with Covenant Health, on Monday. “We will be ready for whatever type of resident Alberta Health Services needs us to look after,” Severson said. “We’re looking to secure potentially 50 per cent of the building.” Work on the facility, which will allow seniors to age in place without having to move as their care needs increase, began last May in Clearview Ridge on 4.6 acres of land west of 30th Avenue and south of 67th Street. It is directly south of Clearview Market, a new commercial centre under development. The province is working with Covenant Health to build the facility in Red Deer, and another one in Calgary, that will be demonstration models for the new concept in care.
WEATHER
INDEX
Mainly sunny. High 2. Low -3.
Four sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3,C4 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D1-D4 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D5 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C5 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4-B6
FORECAST ON A2
SENIORS CARE
Photo by RANDY FIEDLER/Advocate staff
A worker erects scaffolding on the southeast corner of the new Villa Marie seniors care facility Monday. Severson said construction of Villa Maria was about 40 per cent complete as of the end of January. “The framers should be finished all of their work within the next two weeks
and some of the work has already started on the interior of the building.
CANADA
BUSINESS
A CANADIAN POPE?
WESTJET GOING REGIONAL
Canadian Marc Cardinal Ouellet is being touted as one of the likeliest candidates, perhaps even the favourite, to succeed Pope Benedict XVI, who announced he would resign on Feb. 28 due to his declining health. A6
Please see FACILITY on Page A2
Canadian passengers flying in Western Canada will see some relief from rising airfares this summer as WestJet’s new Encore regional services takes flight in June, analysts say. C3