Red Deer 1913 — 2013 Create Celebrate Commemorate
FIERCE RIVALS U.S. wins gold in latest clash with Canada in women’s hockey B4
ACCIDENTAL RACIST Paisley, LL Cool J collaboration stirs up controversy C6
CENTRAL ALBERTA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER
BREAKING NEWS ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 2013
HEARTBREAKING LOSS IN OT
Regional sewer line meeting next week BY PAUL COWLEY ADVOCATE STAFF Central Alberta politicians will meet with Transportation Minister Ric McIver next week to press for money to complete a regional sewer line. Area representatives were dismayed last month when the province balked at covering the full $20 million cost to complete the Olds-to-Red Deer sewage project, based on a funding model that saw the province pick up 90 per cent of the cost and municipalities 10 per cent. McIver offered communities $10 million, which was rejected by the South Red Deer Regional Wastewater Commission, which is overseeing construction of the line. Mayor Jim Wood and Coun. Dave Hoar, who is the county’s representative on the commission, will be at the Alberta legislature with other mayors and councillors on April 17 to make their case. “The message is that this particular project is very important to the region,” said Wood on Tuesday, adding it is important both from health and economic development standpoints. “We have started a project that needs completion.” The sewer line was originally expected to cost $107 million and under the Alberta government’s Water for Life Strategy was to be funded in the 90/10 arrangement. Since construction started in 2009, costs have climbed to around $130 million because of inflation, route changes and a decision to stretch the build out over more years. The commission claims the province was aware of cost increases, but until the recent provincial budget had assured communities the previous funding split would be maintained. Wood said municipalities are not in position to take up the financial slack. “It’s extremely important to recognize these costs would be an extreme burden on municipalities.
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Photo by ASHLI BARRETT/Advocate staff
Forward Joel Hamilton of the Red Deer Rebels collides with Victor Rask of the Calgary Hitmen during the fourth game of the series at the Enmax Centrium on Tuesday. The Rebels lost 3-2 in overtime. See related story on page B4.
Cash seized, driver arrested during traffic stop BY ADVOCATE STAFF Police have seized more than $300,000 and arrested a motorist after a driver was pulled over on Hwy 2 near Olds on Monday. An estimated $300,000 to $500,000
was seized and the driver arrested under Criminal Code proceeds of crime provisions. Shortly after 2 p.m., an patrolling RCMP vehicle stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. A Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) investiga-
tion ensued, with police dog Gus utilized. The search of the vehicle turned up several large sealed bags of Canadian currency. The driver was subsequently arrested and the money was seized.
Farmers protest genetically modified alfalfa BY LAURA TESTER ADVOCATE STAFF More than 80 protesters marched in downtown Red Deer on Tuesday over the introduction of genetically modified alfalfa in Ontario that they say will hurt organic farmers and their consumers nationwide. As part of a Canada-wide protest, the group marched from City Hall to Red Deer Conservative MP Earl Dreeshen’s office about 10 blocks away. Carrying placards that read Protect Our Pollinators and I Love Family Farms, the group wanted to show the public why the issue is so important. The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, which promotes food sovereignty and democratic decision-making on science and technology issues, recently released a report documenting how genetically modified (GM) alfalfa will contaminate non-GM alfalfa and hay crops if released in Eastern Canada. Large-scale agricultural companies Forage Genetics International and Monsanto want to introduce it. Joffre-area organic beef and pork producer Blake Hall said it’s critical that the federal government stop GM alfalfa. If introduced, it would be the
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first GM perennial crop introduced in Canada. “Because it’s a perennial and it’s pollinated, it’s been proven that spreading is inevitable and will make its way to Western Canada,” said Hall, a youth advisor for the National Farmers Union. Hall has been organic farming for four years and over that time, he’s seen demand increasing for clean, local food. “It’s not just farmers here, but eaters and co-producers that are wanting food that isn’t genetically modified,” said Hall. Hall said it will impact his business because certification is required for organics. It will also have wide effects on conventional agriculture, both for the export markets and with crop rotations. The GM alfalfa would spread through spilled seed. “Hay is harvested late and when it’s already gone to seed, it can spread that way,” said Hall. “And because it’s pollinated with bees, those pollinators will spread pollen from a GM plant to a field that may not have that tracer gene in it and will propagate it that way.”
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WEATHER
INDEX
60% showers. High 6. Low -2.
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Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
A group of about 100 people marched on City Hall in Red Deer Tuesday to protest the introduction of genetically modified alfalfa being introduced into Canada. The rally made its way from City Hall to Red Deer MP Earl Dreeshen’s office. ALBERTA
BUSINESS
REDFORD LOBBIES FOR KEYSTONE
FROM SIDELINE TO TRACK
Alberta Premier Alison Redford says she’s not a proponent of any individual resource project, even as she’s working the Washington corridors of power this week in favour of the Keystone XL pipeline. A3
Less than three years ago, Murray Roddis was begging his way onto the paddock at the Edmonton Indy. Today his company is sanctioned as a technical inspections team for the Indy-Car Series. B1