CURLING CLASSIC WRAPS UP
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SWEET AND DELICIOUS HALWA
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Red Deer Advocate TUESDAY, OCT. 27, 2015
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Record deficit expected ALBERTA BUDGET BY THE CANADIAN PRESS EDMONTON — Alberta’s NDP government is set to reset the economic game plan Tuesday, choosing from a menu of unpalatable alternatives brought on by a core economy deep in the dumper of low oil prices “We’ve got a budget billions of dollars (in) the hole,” Finance Minister Joe Ceci said in an interview.
$10M settlement reached with Malley clients
“We have a fiscal structural problem in this province that needs to be repaired and we’re starting to take steps to do that.” The budget is the centrepiece of a fall legislature session that begins Monday. The budget is expected to feature the biggest deficit in Alberta’s history. Ceci has already projected it will be just under $6.5 billion. On top of that, there are expected increases in capital spending for a province squeezed in the vise of a growing population, thousands of private-sector job layoffs, and shrinking revenues. Ceci said it will be a longer-term blueprint to create jobs, grow the economy, and balance the budget by 2020 while protecting core services in areas like
health and education. The government has already signalled it will continue debt financing for capital construction that began under the Tories and is projected to $31-billion by 2019. “We want to see if we can … bring in some programs and capital programs that will help stimulate the economy,” said Ceci. But Ceci said the government is looking for places to cut without sacrificing critical front-line jobs, like teachers and nurses. “We’re going to get the rate of program growth under control,” he said.
Please see BUDGET on Page A2
NEW EXHIBITS AT KERRY WOOD NATURE CENTRE
BY MURRAY CRAWFORD ADVOCATE STAFF A settlement topping $10 million has been reached in the class action lawsuit against a financial advisor in jail for the bombing death of a former client. Currently serving a life sentence for a first-degree murder conviction, Brian Andrew Malley, 58, of Innisfail, was also one of the defendants in an $80 million class action lawsuit from his former clients. Malley, his wife Christine and the two companies they administered and directed — Assante Wealth Management and Assante Capital Management, were all the subject of the lawsuit launched in 2012. A recently reached settlement of $10 million is now open for former clients to apply for a share of the money. The suit alleged Malley “disregarded the stated investment goals of the class members … engaged in a one-size fits all investment strategy for the class members that was wholly unsuitable for the investors and … acted in his own best interests which were in conflict with the interests of his client class members.” The settlement is not an admission of liability, wrongdoing or fault on the part of the defendants, who continue to dispute the allegations of the suit. For the settlement to be implemented the class action has to be certified and the agreement must be approved by the court. The approval hearing is scheduled for Nov. 30, 2015 at the Red Deer court house, 4909 48th Ave. Malley’s financial management was also at the centre of a murder trial earlier this year. He was convicted of first-degree murder in the November 2011 bombing death of Victoria Shachtay.
Please see MALLEY on Page A2
Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
Ryan Cross of Brothers Installations of Edmonton works at installing a mural in the new exhibits gallery at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre on Monday. With construction of the renovated gallery space complete over the next two weeks, finishing touches will be installed along with the exhibits themselves. A grand opening of the new space is scheduled to take place Nov. 13.
Council endorses plan for south entrance into city OPTIMISTIC THAT HWY 2 AND GAETZ AVE. INTERCHANGE PROJECT IS IN BUDGET BY CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF City officials are hopeful a project to upgrade the south entrance into Red Deer is inked into the provincial budget. On Monday, council endorsed Alberta Transportation’s revised plan to upgrade the Hwy 2 and Gaetz Avenue interchange. The new plan proposes a single lane north bound exit from Hwy 2 that ultimately provides three lanes into the city – two lanes northbound onto Gaetz Avenue and one lane onto 19th Street and Taylor Drive. The city has been working with the province on the issue since 2010 after a functional planning study was conducted in 2009. Alberta Transportation’s original plan did not receive council approval because of concerns around the configuration, trail access and losing entry points into the city. City manager Craig Curtis said the new design is a significant improvement for the interchange south of the city. “It will provide for a better entrance into the city past the Westerner and it will also provide for an
WEATHER Clearing in the morning. High 4. Low -8.
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overpass that will bring traffic into the west side of Hwy 2 into the slow moving lane,” he said. “Presently it leads into the fast lane causing a potential conflict between slow moving and fast moving traffic. It’s a major safety concern.” Mayor Tara Veer said the plan has some substantial improvements from what the city was presented with in 2010/2011. Council was pleased that the new plan calls for more substantial directional signage into the city from all directions on the highway. “That interchange is one of the highest areas of safety concerns both for the city and the county,” said Veer. “Our citizens engage in the weave with highway traffic but also for citizens throughout Alberta. We know it is a priority for Alberta Transportation as it should be because of the significant safety concerns caused by an urban level of speed and competing with highway levels of speed at the interchange.” The plan leaves the door open to build a singlelane south bound flyover from Gaetz Avenue onto Hwy 2 to allow for future expansion of two lanes. It will also leave space for future trail connections underneath the structures at Hwy 2A (Taylor Drive). Curtis said in the future there will likely be some adjustments to the whole traffic situation on the east
side of Hwy 2. He said at least this will build the major piece of bridge infrastructure which is critical to resolving the traffic concerns on the west side. Veer said the province is fully aware of the importance of having this project on the books in time for the 2019 Canada Winter Games. She said the project will likely be deferred to beyond 2019 if it does not make the provincial budget. “We cannot be pre or mid construction in 2019,” said Veer. “If construction is deferred and continues to be deferred because of the provincial economy then I think the city reserves the right to comment on the needs of the day. We are looking at a project that is four or six years out. The position of the council of the day may change.” The city will also be keeping an eye on the budget for other key infrastructure projects including capital for a new courthouse, a decision on municipal land holding, funding for Red Deer College’s Gary W. Harris Centre for Health, Wellness & Sport and funding allocation to repurpose the Red Deer nursing home site for senior housing. crhyno@reddeeradvocate.com
Community mailbox program suspended Door-to-door delivery will stay for now as Canada Post temporarily suspended the community mailbox program Monday. Story on PAGE A5
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