January 6 Lamont Leader

Your news this week: Christmas Eve horseback ride - 2 Virus, rain, create terrible year - 3 Surprise retirement drive-by parade - 6 OPINION: Pandemic of stupidity - 4

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Vol. 16, No. 6, Wednesday, January 6, 2021 www.LamontLeader.com

Lamont Fire Dept. Deputy Chief Russell Scott having some fun during Christmas Hamper distribution day in Lamont on Dec. 20. Lamont County Food Bank photo.

County of Lamont Food Bank volunteers prepare Christmas Hampers for pick up on Dec. 20. Donations and distributions were up substantially with over 1,000 kg more food taken in this year than last year. Over 40 more hampers were distributed. Photo: County of Lamont Food Bank.

Generosity propels Hamper Campaign to successful Christmas season

BY JANA SEMENIUK The County of Lamont Food Bank had a very successful Christmas Hamper drive this year in spite of COVID restrictions. Secretary Jody Zachoda said that while hamper requests increased substantially this year, so did the donations.

“People seemed more generous this year than any other year,” she said.

The organization saw 1,605 kg of food donated last year, but this year approximately 2,730 kg were donated.

“We had so much community support. A number of organizations collected food for us through their businesses,” said Zachoda.

In addition to food donations, cash donations were also up thanks in part to an online donation option offered for the first time.

“The cash donations were definitely up this year,” said Lamont County Food Bank treasurer Chris Mintenko.

“The online option is offered through a third party called Canada Helps, which processes the donations and issues tax receipts.”

While Mintenko could not offer a dollar amount, he added that approximately 10 of their cash donations came from the online option.

In terms of COVID restrictions, the number of volunteers the food bank uses were down this year.

“We had our regular volunteers, but we couldn’t use any other public help because of the restrictions,” said Zachoda. “The firefighters from around Lamont County helped out as they regularly do.”

Zachoda included that in addition to

an increase in donations, hamper requests were up as well.

“We normally will distribute 75–80 Christmas hampers and this year we distributed 125,” she said.

Zachoda attributed the increase partially to serving the town of

Dancers gather the most food

BY JANA SEMENIUK Xpressions Dance Studio, which operates from Bruderheim, used their dancers’ competitive nature to acquire a hefty amount of donated food totalling 358 kg to give to the County of Lamont Food Bank this year for their Christmas Hampers.

“This is the first year we have done it,” said studio owner Sherry Strickland by text. “It was a big success.”

Strickland said that knowing how hard COVID has been for some residents spurned her into action.

“It’s been a rough year for many families and we really wanted to help out,” she said.

Strickland added that her dancers are competitive and were missing out on competition because of COVID. As a result, she was hoping to harness that energy to use for the benefit of others.

“We run a club with some very competitive dancers who haven’t had the opportunity to use that energy for

about a year,” she said. “So, we divided them up into teams and had them compete against each other to see who could acquire the most food.”

She added that the club, which is home to approximately 23 young dancers, was happy to participate in some good-natured competition in order to help out.

“Even though they were teasing and bugging each other and having fun with it, they understood that the main goal was to help out families that needed support,” she said.

Jody Zachoda, secretary for the County of Lamont Food Bank, said she was amazed at the amount of food the studio donated.

“It was the largest single food donation we received from any one person or business this year,” she said.

Zachoda added that Mundare councillor Jason Kowal, came in close with his Stuff-A-Limo food drive which netted 336.7 kg.

Bruderheim (which normally does its own hampers at Christmas), as well as the pandemic.

“The Town of Bruderheim asked us late in the summer if we could take it over this year, and we said we would,” she said. “But we also saw a lot of firsttime recipients this year too.”

Bruderheim Chief Administrative Officer Patty Podoborozny stated that it made sense for the County of Lamont Food Bank to take over their Christmas hampers.

“Our community is a huge supporter of the food bank in Lamont County, so it made sense to team up with them on the hamper program,” she explained.

Zachoda said the pandemic has hit everyone differently and she doesn’t want people to feel badly for using the food bank at Christmas time.

“I know some people feel badly about using the food bank, but when it’s their first time it's like anything; sometimes you need to make a deposit and sometimes you need to make a withdrawal. When you are in a better place you can make a deposit. It evens out. The people who know what it's like to not have a lot are usually very generous people,” she said.

Christmas hampers contained food in addition to age-appropriate toys for the children and masks for each member of the family.

2 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Stubbs fumes as Liberals hike carbon tax

BY JOHN MATHER Lakeland MP Shannon Stubbs is upset with the Liberal move to increase the carbon tax which took effect January 1.

The federal carbon tax will climb by another $10 per tonne to $40.

Just over a year from now, it will again climb by $10 a tonne to $50.

From that point on, the tax will be hiked $15 every year, until it reaches $170 a tonne by 2030.

“As the first MP after the 2015 election to speak out against, and to launch a petition against the potential imposition of the carbon tax, I and all Conservatives continue to oppose it completely,” said Stubbs.

She added that during the 2019 election campaign, she warned the Liberals would raise the carbon tax beyond what they had originally planned for.

“We warned that the Liberals would hike the

carbon tax beyond their original plans. They said they wouldn’t, but not only are they raising it, they are actually planning to triple it. All Canadians should be extremely concerned about the way the carbon tax will increase costs for every good and product, and in every part of their lives, and should not accept the claim that rebates will ever fully compensate them.”

She added back in early December, the Conservative Party had put forth a motion to stop the Liberals from raising the tax, but the Liberals voted against it.

“They waited until the day after Parliament was out for Christmas to announce their intention to raise the carbon tax by more than 300 percent,” exclaimed Stubbs.

She said the carbon tax will make everything more expensive for everyone and add costs

for businesses that are already struggling.

“People in Lakeland have always urged me to oppose the carbon tax, and I will keep fighting against it.”

Canada’s agriculture sector is especially frustrated, given the amount of propane and natural gas many producers used in recent years to dry their crops, so that they could ship them to market. Some farmers were already paying thousands of dollars a month to dry their crops and those dryers ran steady, for months. Yet, throughout the debate, Federal Agriculture Minister Marie Claude Bibeau has claimed the added expense to farmers is not significant It’s that comment that angers people like farmer and longtime agriculture advocate, Cherilyn Jolly Nagel, president of the Western Canadian Growers

Association. “This is our Agriculture Minister, this is somebody who is a leader in the industry.

Somebody who we should be able to go to who has some experi-

ence, some knowledge, some perspective, some appreciation for the industry. To hear her say these words is disgusting. It makes me infuriated. All I can say is we

must do a better job explaining.”

“No matter which way we try to crunch these numbers, this $170 a tonne tax is not possible.”

Leona Artymko, 19, and her sister Marianna, 14, spent Christmas Eve riding their horses Fusion and Goldie through the streets of Chipman.

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The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January 6, 2021 - 3

Lamont County Reeve reflects on a forgettable year

This aerial shot shows extensively flooded fields in the St. Michael area of Lamont County in 2020. Overland flooding from torrential spring rains devastated crop lands and damaged County infrastructure in the first half of the year.

“... things were running along smoothly until this virus hit” - Reeve David Diduck

BY JOHN MATHER It’s a year Lamont County Reeve David Diduck has been glad to close the book on.

“Obviously, I think the main thing that affected us was that things were running along smoothly until this virus hit,” he said.

“I didn’t imagine, and I doubt our residents imagined, the impact it would have on our economy as a whole. From that perspective that was one of the main obstacles in 2020.”

“Things we took for granted suddenly didn’t exist anymore. I have to feel bad for our small businesses that were forced to shut down or operate on a reduced occupancy level. That will be hard to overcome.”

Following that, he points to the spring thaw and “devastating spring rains” that blasted the County.

“The thaw wasn’t so bad, but the rains that followed just really impacted our County infrastructure,” said Diduck.

He points out the rain devastated roads and drainage channels.

“A lot of our roads were flooded by water and a couple are still flooded,” he said. “And I apologize to those residents who are still impacted by this. It’s not something I’m happy about but hopefully we

can find a long time solution for it.”

He acknowledges some of the rural roads were still damaged from thaws two years ago.

“I think what we have determined is we’ve let our drainage systems get compromised by debris and grasses and the flow of water isn’t what it should be.” he explained.

The water, he points out, accumulates and that leads to overland flooding. Once that happens and water is sitting on both sides of the road, it compromises the base of roads.

“I think our objectives going forward are to work on improving the drainage systems, getting the water to go where it’s supposed to go and then start rebuilding the roads although this won’t be a quick process.”

The County has started moving toward this goal through their recent interim budget and the decision to rework the public works budget and do some priority planning in that area.

“Historically we used to concentrate on the road infrastructure. Now that’s definitely important and it would be nice to maintain to a successful standard, but until we fix the water issues, fixing a road as a short term solution isn’t the right way to go.”

He also noted farmers

were seriously impacted by the flooding and Diduck points out it’s still the major industry in Lamont County.

“With the excessive rain and overland flooding probably about 35 per cent of the normally seeded lands didn’t get seeded and those that did get seeded were then hit with the additional rain, which reduced yields,” he said.

The unfortunate part of this he points out is right now the market has some of the most favourable prices that have existed in years.

“But when you go to your bins and knock on them and there’s nothing in them, it’s very disappointing because if you don’t have the product to sell, then it really doesn’t matter where the market price is.”

Yet, he acknowledges, the Lamont situation wasn’t shared province wide. Much of the agricultural sector in Alberta enjoyed a near boom year.

“We were one of five counties that declared an agricultural disaster,” he said. “And it was disappointing, but the balance of the province did seem to be a bumper crop. The unfortunate part is we didn’t participate and that created a lot of mental stress and anguish.”

He highlighted that local Lakeland MP Shannon Stubbs brought shadow agriculture min-

ister Lianne Rood to the area in the fall to tour the area and see the devastation firsthand and then, “they took that message of what they had seen back to Ottawa to report it firsthand. I was very impressed by that. For them to show the interest in this area... I think that was very good.”

Diduck also said one of the last difficult issues the County had to deal with in 2020 was the stance of the provincial government on its dealing with the oil and gas industry and its initial proposed changes to the taxation model review.

“They have financial issues they’re dealing with,” he said. “But they’ve downloaded a lot on municipalities.

We’re not sure what the benefit to us will be from the police funding model and we don’t know what the final taxation model review will look like.”

He added the non payment of property taxes by industry is an issue.

“It’s not just the oil and gas sector or abandoned wells,” he said. “But many industries due to the economic climate are unable to pay their taxes, and we have to navigate around this as we prepare our budgets and maintain our levels of service.”

He expects the upcoming year will present many challenges, because “we’re still

going to be dealing with the affects of Covid.

“How the County functions and levels of government funding will both be a challenge to us,” he said. “But we do want to maintain our same level of service but avoid any sort of property tax increase.”

He adds, that can be a challenge but they will attempt to reduce expenses rather than

instil a tax hike.

He adds they are working with industry and the environment department to get a processed water licence approved.

“If we can get that approved, it’s one of the factors we can use when working to convince industry to make Lamont County their home.”

Continued on Page 6

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY St. Michael Regional Landfill is accepting applications for a Full Time Equipment Operator.

Qualifications: This successful applicant will have a strong work ethic, experience operating equipment such as a tracked loader, packer, skid steer; mechanical aptitude and good communication and listening skills.

• Landfill certification is not required but would be an asset.

• This is a full time hourly rated position depending on qualifications.

• The selected candidate will be required to provide a criminal record check and a pre-employment medical.

• Wages based on qualifications and experience.

• Benefits are available.

All Applicants must possess a valid Class 3 License with air brakes. A driver’s abstract will be required prior to Employment.

Applications will be accepted until a qualified candidate is found.

The St. Michael Regional Solid Waste Commission thanks all applicants for their interest however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

St. Michael Regional Solid Waste Commission PO Box 308 Bruderheim, AB T0B 0S0 Email: smrlandfill@shaw.ca or Fax 780.796.2081

THE COUNTY OF LAMONT FOOD BANK CHRISTMAS HAMPER COMMITTEE Extends our heartfelt thanks to everyone in our County community who, in this most challenging year of COVID, helped us carry out our biggest (125) Christmas Hamper effort ever: • Our regular cohort of weekly volunteers, who never ask for recognition and who stepped forward with that extra effort needed to prepare for and on December 19-20; • Town of Lamont staff in the office and especially Leslie, Todd and caterer Chris at the Hall, whose wholehearted support is so essential every year; • Everyone involved with the giving trees: all those who hosted giving trees, those who bought gifts, and the cohort of volunteers who sorted and packed for hampers on December 19; • Fire & Rescue personnel from all corners of the County, who spent December 20 helping pack hampers, overseeing pickups and doing deliveries; • KC and staff at Lamont Foods, whose attention to detail and cooperation made the food order way less challenging; • And last, but most certainly not least, to the staff and students at Lamont, Bruderheim, Mundare and Andrew schools, and all the individuals and businesses whose donations of cash and food are essential to our County Food Bank.

Thank you, thank you all: may 2021 bring health and happiness to all.

YOUR CHRISTMAS HAMPER COMMITTEE

4 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Opinion A pandemic of stupidity breaks out

BY JOHN MATHER One has to wonder what our politicians use for brains at the Federal and Provincial level.

In the past year we have seen them do some of the craziest things. Several have shown lack of judgment that you wouldn’t expect from a six-year-old.

We’re in the midst of a pandemic, being told to hunker down; no non-essential travel, kids can’t go and play a game of shinny, curlers curtailed, group gatherings ground to a halt.

“We’re all in this together,” our politicians and health officials bleat.

“Flatten the curve,” they scream at us.

There are fines being levied for gatherings in groups!

And then to begin the New Year on the right note, we hear about our own little cabal of world travellers under the dome in Edmonton.

Several MLAs and high level staffers travelled to warmer foreign climates during the holidays.

And then after others across the country had been stripped of portfolios, or stepped down, our Premier Kenney stood before the media and lamely said, “Well, maybe I could have explained it to them better.”

How totally lame and lacking in both leadership and integrity.

Finally on Jan. 4, he bit the bullet and accepted some resignations and demoted the others.

“Over the weekend I have listened to Albertans who are sending a clear message that they want real consequences for these actions,” he said in a tweet.

In the reality of the political world he knew he was doomed if he didn’t do something.

It will be interesting to see given the bumps he has been generating along the trail with doctors, education funding, rural policing, and rural municipalities’ taxation model reviews, whether his government will be able to recover.

Question – why, at his Friday press conference, did he feel he should be clarifying “non-essential travel” as explained on the provincial website recommending against foreign travel.

“Non-essential” is this so hard to define? If not absolutely necessary … stay home!

I can’t travel, my neighbours can’t travel, but these paragons of virtue we have elected strut around foreign climates like peacocks.

It is not an honest mistake. It’s not, “well I didn’t break the rules.”

No, it’s leadership both moral and ethical!

Continued

CONTINUED Politicians of any stripe and at any level have been put in a position of responsibility and leadership. Now during a pandemic, governments are asking the general population to stay home and self isolate so we can get control of a pandemic which is killing people in large numbers.

Yet many politicians chose to flaunt those rules, thumb their nose at their constituents and travel to have a nice holiday vacation.

That was beyond shameful.

Resignations were the only thing to do. Otherwise the credibility of the entire government was gone.

Now, there were other parties leaping in to say look at us … we didn’t do this, or score political points with other lame gas-lighting postures.

The only thing that was wrong here was a total lack of ethics and common sense.

All these people who took these trips deserved the demotions they got.

Yes, they didn’t break any

rules by taking the trips and yes they are self quarantining on their returns from paradise.

But that’s still not the point is it?

It used to be that our politicians were respected in the community. They were leaders and the residents looked up to them and would expect them to provide good guidance when issues arose affecting the well-being of the province or country.

Not anymore. Just look at the leader of the federal Liberals.

Again, we’re in the midst of a pandemic! Our politicians both federally and provincially across party lines are telling us to stay home.

Christmas was celebrated by many this year, with grandparents not being able to visit with grandkids and parents separated from children at a time when families want to come together.

So where were some of our leaders, our politicians, those stalwarts of our communities?

Well the Ontario finance

minister was in Barbados, a Saskatchewan minister was in California selling his second home, and a Quebec cabinet minister was off gallivanting in a warm foreign climate.

Even the NDP got into the act stripping MP Niki Ashton of her portfolio after she travelled to Greece to visit an ailing family member. That one could possibly be condoned as essential, but those others travelling just to escape the cold or lie on a beach - well it’s just totally irresponsible. The same goes with two Liberal MPs who travelled to the U.S. to see ailing family members, while the public was told to avoid nonessential travel.

They voluntarily stepped down, falling on their own swords.

In Alberta they had to be dragged kicking and screaming.

What was it Forrest Gump said?

“Stupid is as stupid does.”

You know these people were elected by a majority.

What does that tell us?

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The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January 6, 2021 - 5

FROM WHERE I SIT: A Whole New Beginning

BY HAZEL ANAKA About that new mug shot of mine…how could anyone be expected to pick me out of a police lineup based on that old photo? I can practically count on two hands the number of people who’ve seen me in person since March. Slap on a mask and identification becomes damn near impossible.

In the old headshot taken in a house Greg no longer owns, I’m several years younger. It was also taken about three or four pairs of glasses ago.

But, by far the most visible difference is my hair.

Like millions of women I chose the pandemic to transition to grey.

Between the early shutdown of salons and the fact that no one would be seeing the unfortunate growing out period, the time seemed right. My stylist says my salt and pepper ratio is about 85

or 90 percent platinum.

I’ve learned the purple shampoo that counteracts the yellowing can be too much of a good thing. We’ve all seen women of a certain age whose hair has a decidedly blue or purple cast. I like the money I’m saving by not ‘doing’ my roots every five weeks. I also like the authenticity of ‘what you see is what you get.’

The photo shoot did not go without a hitch.

Roy has neither the skill or patience of Hilary but did try hard. Didn’t help we did this indoors under artificial light…at least that’s my story and I’m sticking with it. He’d take a bunch of shots, both with and without a mask, because someday I imagine we’ll be free of them. I’d look them over and cringe. Thanks to the beauty and fashion industries most of us have a warped and unhealthy belief in what is considered youthful, beautiful, acceptable.

The fact it is artificial, scarring, dishonest, irresponsible, unrealistic, and profit-driven doesn’t make it any less prevalent or painful.

But I digress. Given that I’m a product of

societal beliefs, I looked the shots over with a critical eye. Speaking of eyes, in some I swear I looked cross-eyed, which I’m not. When I smiled, which is my inclination in photos, the crows’ feet took on a life of their own. I noticed one eyebrow seems higher than the other. I understood, yet again, why women wear bangs…to hide the furrows in the forehead.

The size of the bags under my eyes seems to depend on how rested I am. In some shots, I saw my mom and sisters’ facial expressions. These three apples didn’t fall far from that tree. And while I’d bet my last dollar none of you have ever wondered why my neck is so short, it annoyed me no end that it seemed shorter than usual. (No doubt, you’re pre-occupied analyzing and hating your own shortcomings.) By trying portrait mode and moving back from the overhead lighting, some of the shadows lessened.

After narrowing the shots down to two or three semi-acceptable ones and changing from a creased cloth mask to the papery blue one we all know, I texted them to

Fort RCMP add domestic violence co-ordinator

BY JANA SEMENIUK During the Dec. 8 Lamont town council meeting, Inspector Mike McCauley, from the Fort Saskatchewan RCMP, gave a policing update which included that a new position was created this year.

“I’m very excited to speak to our new position which is a Domestic Violence Co-ordinator position,” he said. “It’s a corporal position that was created thanks to a budget approval last year from the city of Fort Saskatchewan. It will benefit not only Fort Saskatchewan but rural areas too.”

McCauley went on to describe what the new position will encompass.

“The new co-ordinator will be a subject matter expert in the domestic violence field and do

quality of assurance, providing a high level of offender and victim management, providing training and partnerships as well as taking over the high-risk files and providing the expert investigative piece,” he said.

McCauley added that the position has been filled from within the detachment.

“That position has been filled by Corporal Jennifer Brown from within our detachment.

She has nearly 18 years of policing experience and has been an excellent resource to our detachment,” he said.

McCauley then provided an update on the number of current staff working at the detachment.

“Right now, we are fully staffed with the

exception of two vacancies. One of our experienced police officers is being trained as we speak and should be here at the end of the month,” he said. “We will be running a promotional competition for one corporal vacancy which will get us back up to full staff.”

McCauley added that there are three ‘soft’ vacancies.

“Soft vacancies, in my terms, are people who are off long term for injuries or illnesses,” he said.

McCauley also spoke to the provincial staffing numbers.

“In terms of provincial policing numbers, which is what your town contributes to, all eight positions are full and our two pubic servant positions are full as well,” he said.

Hilary. I listed all the flaws. “You’re being too hard on yourself” was her reassurance. So, kids for better or worse, what you see is what you get. *** Before I close, I must add my five cents worth to the fray. When will people in positions of power and influence get it through their thick, arrogant skulls that their behaviour is subject to constant and critical scrutiny and they are held to a higher standard? Having to issue a public apology for anything is never a good thing and quite often

something they don’t recover from. Because, I’ve been around a minute or two, I’m not surprised by the hypocrisy of the politicians and bureaucrats who traveled over the holidays despite the pleas of health experts to avoid unnecessary travel. I know it will disillusion and disappoint some, anger and enrage others. It will surely confirm the shabby opinion most people hold about the powerful and privileged among us. Oh, and make it considerably harder to convince Joe and Josephine Public

that making sacrifices and following the rules is still the right thing to do.

It risks making the “we’re all in this together” catchphrase just so much bullshit and no one I know has any patience left for more of that.

So, despite the crappy example set by some, let’s try to hang in there a little longer doing the hard but necessary stuff.

Let’s spit in the eye of the beauty industry. And let’s honour all the lessons we learned through the trials of 2020. 2021 is a whole new beginning, from where I sit.

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6 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Chipman postmaster retires after 21 years

BY JANA SEMENIUK The streets of Chipman were alive on Christmas eve with music, cheering and honking from the long line of vehicles slowly parading past the local post office in a show of gratitude for retiring postmaster Carol Stribling.

Stribling, who retired on Christmas eve after serving the community’s postal needs for 21 years, felt surprised and emotional at the display.

“I have no words,”

said Stribling. “I had absolutely no idea. My heart feels overwhelmed.”

Chipman resident Lana Zipps, a close friend of Stribling, felt something needed to be done to show Stribling how much the community will miss her.

“Carol has done so much for this community,” said Zipps, “She has done so much volunteer work and really brought people together.”

While COVID restric-

tions meant a retirement party was out of the question, Zipps had another idea.

“I thought we have to do something. I’ve had this idea for a while for something special. We can’t have a retirement party for her, so what’s the next best thing?” said Zipps.

Zipps then contacted reinforcements.

“I called the Chipman Players, which she has been a member of for years, and the AG

Society and it just took off from there,” she said.

At least 20 vehicles coasted by the post office to say goodbye to Stribling who stood in front waving to each one.

The local fire department was on hand to ensure safety during the parade.

Stribling added that she has plans for more volunteer work in her retirement.

Chipman Postmaster Carol Stribling, who retired on Christmas eve after 21 years, stands on the street in front of the Chipman post office with a handmade sign given to her in honour of her retirement. Stribling was treated to a surprise drive-by parade of cars honking and waving on her last day with Canada Post. Photo: Jana Semeniuk

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A drone, used to make a promotional video for the Andrew School, flew over the town’s historic grain elevator Dec. 18 as a school bus was driving by.

Virus and flooding Continued from Page 3 He adds the licence allows the County to draw a regulated amount of water from the North Saskatchewan River so a steady source can be supplied to industry where it can be used and then cleaned and returned as either water or steam.

“We’re also hoping Cenovus will make a final investment decision which would add a lot of employment to the area.

If that decision is made favourably, then we may get some other players to locate in Lamont as well.

Diduck hopes a decision may be made in the first quarter of the year.

He is also holding out hope for the Industrial Heartlands hydrogen project moving ahead.

“The Heartland can be a key player in the hydrogen strategy for Canada,” he said. He pointed out after participating in the hydrogen study with the Federal government and the Heartland Association, the response was very supportive of Alberta.

He said as the hydrogen sector is developed it could again lead to additional industry locating to Lamont County.

“You know 2020 wasn’t the best of years,” said Diduck. “But if the weather stayed like it is right now for the farmers I wouldn’t complain. We have a light snow cover, and good moisture in the ground. We always have to be optimistic.

“As with any other year we look forward to the New Year. I’m sure we’ll rise to the challenges and work our way through this thing.”

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE

Canadian Prairie Pickers are once again touring the area!

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The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January 6, 2021 - 7

Alberta Midland receives $5 million investment from feds

BY JOHN MATHER The federal government has thrown a bone to Lamont County and Alberta Midland Railway by investing $5 million into the railway’s Terminal Project just west of Lamont.

Alberta Midland has been doing construction on the yard to connect it to the CP line which runs to the north of the terminal. Alberta Midland is already connected to the CN line where it stores trail cars for companies operating in the Alberta Industrial Heartland.

“I think this is great news for the County,” said Lamont County Reeve David Diduck. “I mean how often does the Federal government send money to Western Canada.”

“I think this is a great positive for our area.”

Diduck said having both the CP and CN rail lines connecting in Lamont County is one of the bigger economic advantages for the county.

“It gives us total North American rail coverage,” he said. “And even the oil from Cenovus, I believe, travels by rail through Chicago. We’re

well positioned.”

Construction of the AMRTA expansion started in the summer of 2020 after moving through a Subdivision and Development Appeal Board process earlier in May. At that hearing a couple of restrictions were placed on the $11 to $12 million expansion, when the company was told they would have to build a berm along the east side of the property to obscure sight lines and noise travelling to a neighbouring farm.

Alberta Midland has the capacity to currently store more than 600 cars on 16 storage yard tracks with a loop connected to the CN Rail tracks on Range Road 201 just north of Highway 15.

Construction of the terminal began in 2016 and it became operational in 2017.

The company announced plans and received development permits to expand its operation in early 2020 to connect to the CP tracks to the north of its existing site which will allow it to store an additional 450 railcars on 37,275 feet of new track.

Pandemic cancels Ukrainian New Year’s feast at St. Michael

BY JOHN MATHER Ukrainian Christmas Eve, Christmas and even the popular New Year’s Eve will be quietly marked in individual households this year because of Covid 19.

“There will be nothing this year,” said Mae Adamyk, a volunteer who usually helps organize a feast at St. Michael Hall.

“Christmas Eve would be Jan. 6, with Christmas the next day, and then New Year’s Eve would be Malanka on Jan. 12.

“We always had 350 people in the hall,” she said. “We’re famous for it. We’d have a contingent from Calgary... there were people from Saskatchewan.

“It was great food, great fun and a great tra-

dition. We always had good skits. And this year ... nothing.”

She said the event brought the community together to help prepare the meal.

“It took more than two weeks to make the meals,” she said. “We had people waiting to be called and it brought us all together as a community.”

She said this year it’s hard on the widows who would come out and help because they have nothing to do and can’t get out and socialize.

In Mundare, the Ukrainian Christmas and New Year are celebrated at the church, but again because of the Covid there is nothing this year.

An aerial shot of the north end of the Alberta Midland Railway Terminal shows the new connection tying into the CP line near Range Road 201, bottom of right of photo. A berm was put in place along the east side of the property, left, to act as a buffer for a neighbouring farm.

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8 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January 6, 2021

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The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, December 23, 2020 - 9

From the Files of The Lamont Leader January 31, 2006

County opens doors to heritage buildings Photo is of the Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church (Spas Moskalyk) located at NE 36-16-W4 Range Road 160 South on Twp Rd. 540.

Lamont County has been working with Alberta Community Development, Historical Sites Services, identifying, protecting and preserving its heritage resources.

Project Manager Tina Hunt and consultant Judy Larmour have eliminated 7,500 documented structures in the county down to 20.

Because there are 47 churches in Lamont County, the most per capita in the world, most of the designated buildings will be churches.

TOWING & TRUCKING

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PROFESSIONAL

SEPTIC SERVICES

Motor Vehicle Accidents, Fatal Accidents, Wills, & More

• Sand, Gravel & Top Soil • Loading & Hauling • Landscaping • Excavating • Demolition Ph: 780-895-2349

Elizabeth J. Tatchyn, B.A., LL.B BARRISTER & SOLICITOR

C u s t o m O r d e r with The Lamont Leader

By appointment only

at Smith Insurance Service, Main Street Lamont etatchyn@biamonte.com Speaks Ukrainian Edmonton: 780-425-5800 * *

LEGAL ISSUES? Ronald W. Poitras Barrister & Solicitor Serving Lamont and Area Since 1977 Wednesday 1:30 – 5:00 pm

by Appointment

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10 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January 6, 2021

The

CLASSIFIED AD RATES $10.75+gst first 25 words 39¢ each additional word PICTURE BOLD $10.00 $5.00 WEEKLY REVIEW Ph. 780-336-3422 Email: vikingreview @gmail.com TOFIELD MERCURY Ph. 780-662-4046 Email: adsmercury @gmail.com LAMONT LEADER Ph. 780-895-2780 Email: lmtleader @gmail.com

HEATED CANOLA buying Green, Heated or Springthrashed Canola. Buying: oats, barley, wheat & peas for feed. Buying damaged or offgrade grain. "On Farm Pickup" Westcan Feed & Grain, 1-877-250-5252. tfnp _____________________

FOR FOR RENT RENT 2 bedroom house in Sedgewick.

Large fenced yard and shed. No smoking.

Pets negotiable. $1,100/month includes utilities. $1,000 DD. Contact Ian at 780995-6146 tfnp ___________________________ 1 Month Free Rent Apartment for Rent in Killam. Large, clean, non-smoking. Call Chuck at 780263-7290 tfn ___________________________ 3 Bedroom Townhouse for rent in Viking, AB. $950/mo. including utilities. Available now. Call 780563-0191. tfn

_____________________

SERVICES SERVICES

SERVICES SERVICES

2016 Chev Silverado 4x4 double cab, many options, 189,800 kms $14,500 includes GST. Please call 780-608-9024 (in Tofield). ___________________________ Round bales for sale, Brome hay, stored under cover, no rain. Call 587-990-1003 ___________________________ Market Hogs and Sausage Sows Available: Live, Dressed, or Packaged ready for your freezer.

Call 403-882-2421 or text 403740-3645 _____________________

SPRUCE POINT PARK ASSOCIATION is seeking to fill the p o s i t i o n of: PARK MANAGER. Spruce Point Park Campground and Marina is located on Lesser Slave Lake approximately 285 kms northwest of Edmonton, AB near Hamlet of Kinuso. Now accepting applications for the period of May 1st to September 30th, some flexibility on September end date.

For complete package and details call 780-775-3805 or email sprucepointpark@gmail.com. Closing date: January 31st, 2021 or until suitable candidate is found. ______________________ LAND FOR SALE LAND SALE

Roy's Handyman Services.

Flooring, trim work, basement finishing, decks, fences, kitchen cabinet installs and carpentry work.

Call 780-662-0146 or 780-232-3097. ___________________________ Shane’s Stucco & Drywall Service Shane Hollar Stucco (Traditional & Acrylic), Drywall, Stone, Textured Ceilings, Tile and Spray Painting 780-336-4832 shanes.stucco@gmail.com ___________________________ Carpet and upholstery cleaning - residential and commercial.

Truck mount unit, sewer backup, and flood cleaning. Auto and RV cleaning. Call Glenn and Cindi Poyser, Fancy Shine Auto and Carpet Care at (780) 384-3087 ___________________________ Town & Country Guardian Drugs - Killam

Painting

HIP/KNEE REPLACEMENT. Other medical conditions causing TROUBLE WALKING or DRESSING? The Disability Tax Credit allows for $3,000 yearly tax credit and $30,000 lump sum refund. Take advantage of this offer. Apply NOW; quickest refund Nationwide: Expert help.

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HELP HELP WANTED WANTED APIARIES OF ALBERTA are looking for Five Apiary Technicians $17-$19/hr depending on experience for full time (40+hrs/wk) employment March thru October 2021. Must have a min of 3 years (seasons) working fulltime on Canadian style commercial apiary in the minimum capacity of Apiary Assistant.

Gerard 780-662-4449 RR4 Tofield, AB. gsieben@mcsnet.ca ___________________________ Vegreville Family Dental, located next to the Boston Pizza in Vegreville is looking for a very enthusiastic Registered Dental Assistant to join our team on a part time or full time basis. Our practice is committed to and focused on providing excellent quality patient care. We are looking for someone who is professional, reliable, possesses excellent interpersonal skills, is warm and friendly with patients. We offer competitive wages commensurate with experience as well as a great and friendly work environment! Travel or relocation assistance will be considered for the suitable candidate. If this opportunity sounds interesting to you, please apply to vegredental@gmail.com.

DUCKS UNLIMITED CANADA has for sale 4 project lands in Beaver County.

Land locations are: SW27-50-16-W4, SE 18-49-14 W4M, S½ 3-46-11 W4M and NW 32-47-13 W4M. Call Brent Thygesen, b_thygesen@ducks.ca or 780 678-0150. ______________________ REAL REAL ESTATE ESTATE VERY INEXPENSIVE 2 QUARTERS OF PASTURE LAND, Central SK, for sale. 8 other good quarters may be available.

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HELP HELP WANTED WANTED

Hay for sale. Alf/Tim/Br/Cw mix Rounds $50. 2019 Rounds $35.

Small square shedded bales $6.

Majority no rain. Phone 780-9424107 late evenings. ______________________ HEALTH HEALTH

FIREARMS WANTED FOR FEBRUARY 20th, 2021 LIVE & ONLINE AUCTION: Rifles, Shotguns, Handguns, Militaria.

Auction or Purchase: Collections, Estates, Individual Items. Contact Paul, Switzer's Auction: Toll-Free 1-800-694-2609, sales@switzersauction.com or www.switzersauction.com. ______________________ FEED SEED FEEDAND AND SEED

_____________________

Lamont

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______________________ COMING EVENTS COMING EVENTS

_____________________

EADER

Serving

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L

THE LAMONT

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DO YOUR PART TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 •WEAR A MASK •SANITIZE •SOCIAL DISTANCE •STAY HOME IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING ANY SYMPTOMS

The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January 6, 2021 - 11

12 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January 6, 2021