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Red Deer Advocate TUESDAY, DEC. 9, 2014
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Flu shot rate up MORE THAN 100,000 DOSES ADMINISTERED IN SIX WEEKS BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF More Central Albertans are trying hard to keep the flu at bay. As of Nov. 29, almost six weeks into the annual immunization campaign, a total of 100,683 doses of influenza vaccine had been administered in the region. That compares to a total of 109,014 doses administered by the end of the almost 12-week immunization campaign during the 2013-14 flu season. “We are doing well compared to last year, but there are still a lot of people who haven’t taken ad-
vantage of the free vaccine. There’s always room for improvement,” said Dr. Ifeoma Achebe, medical officer of health with Alberta Health Services, Central Zone, on Monday. She said it’s difficult to know why more people are getting immunized. Maybe more people are thinking about ways to protect their health because of the recent international Ebola outbreak. But the more people immunized against the flu, the better the chance of decreasing transmission. “We haven’t peaked yet in terms of the flu season so people could still benefit from (immunization).” As of Nov. 29, there were 28 laboratory confirmed influenza cases in Central Zone. Three people were hospitalized, with no deaths.
Across Alberta, the number of confirmed cases has climbed to 578, with nine flu-confirmed deaths. In Central Zone, there has been one confirmed flu outbreak at a supportive living facility. Another two outbreaks, also at supportive living facilities, have yet to be confirmed as the flu. Achebe said the flu is still expected to peak shortly before Christmas. “Nothing is out of the ordinary but looking at the patterns from the other years, it’s beginning to build up and this is typically what we see in December, January.” Last season, Central Zone had 620 lab-confirmed flu cases and four influenza-related deaths. szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
GIVING TREE
CITY COUNCIL
Two-year pilot project aims to muffle noise BY CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF Red Deer is rolling out a pilot project that will eventually put up a roadblock to noisy vehicles in the city. In a 6-3 vote council approved a two-year pilot that will look at design options in neighbourhoods, launch a community awareness campaign and initiate an urban centre noise strategy with other municipalities in efforts to muffle the noise. Speaking in support of the pilot, Mayor Tara Veer said the city continues to feel pressure from the community to take action on this issue. It’s been on council’s agenda since 2005. Coun. Lawrence Lee, along with Councillors Tanya Handley and Paul Harris voted against the pilot. Lee said the project is a waste of time because it is an issue that should be dealt with on a provincial level because many other municipalities are struggling with it. He questioned the amount of time already spent on the project that brought no concrete solutions. He said the city needs to take a step back and advocate for a provincial strategy. Veer said Lee raised a good point about responsibility and the reason it is on council’s agenda is because it is a local issue that is not going away. She said every single Alberta municipality is struggling with it. Until the provincial government takes a position on after-market parts and decibel levels, the city has to deal with it for its residents. There are two pieces of legislation that deal with noise, which include the Alberta Traffic Safety Act and City of Red Deer Community Standards Bylaw. Director of Community Services Sarah Cockerill told council that vehicle noise is a complicated issue that is difficult to enforce. She said the available technology, the legislation and the courts are not often aligned, which makes enforcement challenging. She told council that staff has been researching the issue including looking at neighbouring municipalities for several years to come up with an enforceable Red Deer solution. Neither Edmonton nor Calgary have found solutions to crackdown on the noise of all vehicles in their cities. Cockerill said the city does not recommend altering the Community Standards Bylaw to set a limit on decibel levels until there is technology that supports a comprehensive vehicle enforcement strategy, not just for motorcycles. Instead the approved pilot calls for the city to continue to utilize the existing provincial and municipal legislation related to vehicle noise attenuation. The city will host “decibel reading events” twice during the year to allow people to come see where their items register and learn more about noise attenuation. The city will continue to monitor the area of the community with the most complaints and investigate design options such as the addition berms, high walls/fences and addition of trees shrubs. A report will come back to council in November 2016.
Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
West Park Middle School Grade 7 students Jacob Ayres, left, and Lucas Norris add some mittens, toques and socks to the schools Giving Tree in the library on Monday. The boys along with their classmates are collecting warm weather clothing which will be donated to the Safe Harbour Society and the Women’s Outreach next week.
Battle over GuZoo drags on before the courts BY MARY-ANN BARR ADVOCATE STAFF An attempt by two animal rights organizations to have a judicial review of the GuZoo’s operating permit has been complicated by the fact the zoo’s operator is now suing the government department that issued the permit. Voice for Animals Humane Society and Zoocheck Canada were attempting through the courts to have the zoo’s permit cancelled. The two organizations believe GuZoo has repeatedly failed to meet minimum standards as set out in the province’s Zoo Standards. Lynn Gustafson, the owner of the oft-criticized GuZoo Animal Farm near Three Hills, is now suing the province, alleging its zoo development plan was copied without permission. That action has thrown a wrench into the animals rights groups’ court proceedings, according to Tove Reece, executive director for Voice for Animals, based in Edmonton. Reece said they initially had a court date of Feb. 13 for the judicial review. But Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD) lawyers indicated they could not be ready for February because of GuZoo’s statement of claim, filed on Nov. 7. So now the judicial review is slated for Sept. 16, 2015, but GuZoo’s current zoo permit will expire before that, on March 31. Reece said it complicates things a bit, because their court fight is based on GuZoo’s current permit.
Please see COUNCIL on Page A2
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“It hinges a little bit on whether the government renews GuZoo’s licence in April. If they do, I think our argument still holds,” Reece said. However, if GuZoo does not receive a new permit for 2015 (it must apply each year), then it becomes a moot point, said Reece, although it’s possible GuZoo could make some changes and be issued a permit afterwards. Gustafson did not want to comment on his statement of claim against ESRD. “It’s better not to say anything,” he said. “I’m not going to comment.” The claim filed in Drumheller Court of Queen’s Bench starts out by stating: “The GuZoo intends to remain in operation for many years to come.” As part of the compliance of Alberta Zoo Standards, Gustafson states he submitted a Zoo Development Plan to ESRD in 2013. Gustafson believes the contents of his plan are strictly confidential “and highly sought after by animal rights terrorist groups.” When he submitted the plan to ESRD, which ultimately approved them, he said he indicated the plan could not be copied, the statement of claim states. Gustafson believes that ESRD made five copies of the plan, breaching a trust. In the claim, he wants $5,500 for every copy for a total of $27,500, made within 20 days of the statement of claim date, and after that, until the $27,500 is paid in full, $1,000 a day in addition. The lawsuit names the minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development and four ESRD employees.
Please see GUZOO on Page A2
Ottawa Jihadi isolated, kept to himself John Maguire, a former Ottawa man who appears in a new extremist recruiting video, seemed to lack close friends. Story on PAGE A5
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