JONES A GAMECHANGER
OILERS CAN’T SOLVE STINGY CAPITALS
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Red Deer Advocate TUESDAY, NOV. 24, 2015
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MLA killed on icy Hwy 2
DECKING THE HALLS
BY THE CANADIAN PRESS RED DEER — A Conservative member of the legislature has been killed, apparently after stopping on an icy central Alberta highway to help a motorist whose car had flipped in a median. C a l g a r y Mayor Naheed Nenshi issued a tweet on Monday night confirming that Manmeet Bhullar, 35, had died. RCMP did not identify Bhullar but issued a news MANMEET BHULLAR release about the death of a 35-year-old man on Monday afternoon on the Queen Elizabeth II Highway north of Red Deer. RCMP said a vehicle lost control and rolled, and two other vehicles stopped on the shoulder of the highway to assist. A semi-truck then lost control and struck the rear of the first vehicle, then continued into the median and struck the driver and sole occupant of the second vehicle, who was standing in the median. RCMP said the man was seriously injured and taken to hospital but later died of his injuries. A winter storm hit much of Alberta on Monday, resulting in icy roads and blowing snow. Interim federal Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose tweeted her condolences, saying “we have all lost a friend.” Nenshi said he was “devastated to hear of the death of my friend and incredible public servant.” He called Bhullar “a true warrior for fairness and justice, a big man with a giant heart …”
Please see BHULLAR on Page A2
Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
Diane Yake of Red Deer County works to decorate her Christmas Tree at the Festival of Trees at Westerner Park on Monday. The tree entitled ‘Winterfest’ is decorated with 49 handmade and knitted doll outfits she has worked to complete over the last two years. A number of events are planned beginning Wednesday and running through the weekend at the 22nd annual fundraising campaign in support of the Red Deer Regional Health Foundation. To date the Festival of Trees has raised almost $12 million for the foundation. Public events at the Festival of Trees run Thursday, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. See related story on page B1.
Homes needed for refugees BY CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF Catholic Social Services is urging residents to open their doors to Syrian refugees. The agency tasked with settling the government-sponsored refugees in Red Deer and Edmonton is seeking volunteers and accommodations. Some 200 will arrive in Red Deer for a new start by year’s end and some 1,500 in Edmonton. The federal government will release the detailed plan to take in 25,000 Syrian refugees across Canada today. Jason Gariepy, Catholic Social Services spokesperson, said the agency has been in similar situations with groups fleeing their home countries because of war including the Hungarians in the 1950s, the Chileans in 1973 and the Vietnamese in the 1980s.
“Every decade it seems there is a refugee crisis of some sorts,” said Gariepy. “Catholic Social Services has always been able to manage that need. This is going to present some interesting challenges but we are very confident that we are going to be able to accommodate the people that are coming.” But Red Deer-Mountain View MP Earl Dreeshen is concerned about the pressure the sudden influx of people will have on local agencies. “There are a lot of other things that are required as well,” said Dreeshen. “You have to find schools. You have to find health care. You have to find all the other types of services. The community has to be ready in that way as well. The housing aspect of it is uptmost on everybody’s mind. Until the plan comes out, there’s still going to be nervousness associated with it.” The housing application form has
been on the organization’s website for about a week. Gariepy said he did not have concrete numbers but there has been strong support. He added it is difficult to say how much housing is needed because the agency does not have the specific number of refugees are coming. “We know there are more opportunities today then there were a year or two years ago,” said Gariepy. “We are just working hard to identify all the options so we can get the best fit. Not just finding housing but housing that best matches the need.” Gariepy said people can help the refugees, not just the Syrians, in other ways through its homework and cultural link programs. He said volunteers do not necessarily have to have a second language. He said they will match talent to an opportunity.
Please see REFUGEES on Page A2
Plan will boost province’s image as an environmental leader BY PAUL COWLEY ADVOCATE STAFF The province’s climate change strategy was probably necessary but it comes at a cost, says the Red Deer and District Chamber of Commerce. “Although we were a leader in many Major oilsands ways on the environment front, with the player mulling perception surround- plan A5 ing our industry it needed that little extra boost,” said Reg Warkentin, the chamber’s policy co-ordinator. “The climate-change plan seems to be improving that overall image of what we’re doing as environmental leaders.” In unveiling her strategy on Sunday, Premier Rachel Notley made clear it was aimed at improving the image of Alberta’s energy sector, particularly the oilsands. The rejection of the Key-
WEATHER Snow. High -7. Low -21.
FORECAST ON A2
CLIMATE-CHANGE STRATEGY
‘I THINK THE BURDEN WILL BE BORNE LARGELY BY THE SMALL GUYS. I THINK THAT WILL HURT A LITTLE BIT AND WILL BE PRETTY CHALLENGING, ESPECIALLY AT THIS TIME.’ — REG WARKENTIN, POLICY CO-ORDINATOR, RED DEER AND DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE stone XL pipeline by the U.S. was influenced by the “dirty oil” tag attached to the oilsands. “I think that social licence is the biggest thing to getting these pipelines built. That’s the biggest constraint to our energy market right now,” said Warkentin.
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“If it’s going to fix that problem, in the end, I think it’s going to be a big win.” Warkentin credits the NDP for getting major industry players on board, many of whom took the stage with her as the plan was announced. “You knew it was something they
were all looking for and they knew it was something that had to be done.” The plan though comes with a hefty price tag, which will be borne by Alberta’s taxpayers, including its small businesses, which are the economy’s biggest job creators. It is estimated the $20 a tonne carbon tax in 2017 will cost the average household $320. The following year, when the tax increases to $30 a tonne, households will fork out $470 more in extra fuel and heating costs and other expenses. While some relief has been promised for low- and middle-income earners, small businesses may have to absorb all those new costs themselves. “I think the burden will be borne largely by the small guys. I think that will hurt a little bit and will be pretty challenging, especially at this time,” said Warkentin.
Please see STRATEGY on Page A2
Even McDonald’s is closed’ Belgium is the birthplace of surrealism, but there is an otherworldly feeling in Brussels after three days of the highest terror alert. Story on PAGE B10
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