Your news this week: Fall into reading at Bruderheim - 8 Grandson Major Jr. property - 14 Stay In Focus with Lamont County - 16 OPINION: Not a vote to separate - 4
Proud to be an Independent CANADIAN Publication
FREE
www.LamontLeader.com
Vol. 22, No. 1 Wednesday, September 30, 2026
HAY DAYS A farmer looks like he is in his heyday, raking hay just outside of the Town Bruderheim, mid-September. See our special fall section in this week’s Lamont Leader. Crystal Moren photo
2 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Bruderheim Post Office storefront gets new life after summer storm BY MELISSA MACINTOSH-YOUNG
A mid-July wind and rain storm has led to an unexpected facelift for the front of Bruderheim’s post office. The Canada Post building’s old vinyl awning began coming apart during the strong winds, with several pieces blown off and shattered. However, the damage also revealed a bigger issue that had been developing for years. Local artisan Kale Kuzik said he and Matt Hotte, from Strong’s Garage, had noticed before the storm that the awning was leaning toward the road and looking worse for wear. They had even joked about it eventually falling off — a prediction that came closer to reality than expected. Once the damaged vinyl was removed and the structure was examined more closely, it be-
came apparent the awning’s frame, which was more than 35 years old, had sustained considerable moisture damage and structural rot in places. Rather than simply replacing the awning, the work uncovered the building’s original western false front underneath. Fortunately, the original stucco false front required only minor repairs before re-
Zazula, Anthony (Tony)
ceiving a fresh coat of paint. Kuzik took on the restoration work, bringing the historic storefront back into view and giving the familiar downtown building a much-needed refresh. What began as storm damage ultimately provided an opportunity to uncover and preserve a piece of the post office’s original character.
It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Anthony (Tony) Zazula of Lamont formerly of St. Michael on September 21, 2026, at the age of 61 years. Anthony is survived by his loving mother, Annie; sisters, Rosanna (Neil) Woitas, Christine, and Juliet; brother, Ted (Sue) nieces and nephews, Jon (Rachael), Alex (Sarah), Nick (Abi), and Lauren (Joel) great nephew, Jack; and numerous family and friends. He is predeceased by his father Henry. A Divine Liturgy will take place Wednesday September 30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Exaltation of the Holy Cross Ukrainian Catholic Church, Skaro, Alberta. Basilian Fathers officiating with interment to follow at St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church Cemetery, Limestone, Alberta. Vichnaya Pamyiat Donations can be made to the Limestone Ukrainian Catholic Church, Box 25 Wostok, Alberta T0B 4S0.
Bruderheim Post Office has been restored to its original look after a summer storm damaged the 35-year-old awning. Photo by Melissa MacIntosh-Young
Photos, memories, and condolences may be shared through www.parkmemorial.com. Park Memorial Lamont 780-895-2157 Family Owned Funeral Home Crematorium, Reception Centre
%2; /$0217 $% 7 % 5
WE ARE HIRING General Labourers
. * (QWHUSULVHV /WG LV KLULQJ *HQHUDO /DERXUHUV ZKR NQRZ KRZ WR ZRUN LQ WKH VKRS DQG LQ WKH ILHOG DQG SXOO WKHLU ZHLJKW 7KLV LV D KDQGV RQ SRVLWLRQ IRU VRPHRQH ZKR LV UHOLDEOH VDIHW\ PLQGHG DQG QRW DIUDLG WR MXPS LQ ZKHUHYHU QHHGHG
5HTXLUHPHQWV
x x x x x x
9DOLG &ODVV 'ULYHU¶V /LFHQVH ZLWK FOHDQ DEVWUDFW 2LOILHOG WLFNHWV SUHIHUUHG + 6 $OLYH )LUVW $LG &RQILQHG 6SDFH 7'* :+0,6 *URXQG 'LVWXUEDQFH HWF 0HFKDQLFDO DSWLWXGH DQG HTXLSPHQW WURXEOHVKRRWLQJ VNLOOV 3K\VLFDOO\ ILW IRU GXW\ DEOH WR OLIW OEV $PELWLRXV DEOH WR ZRUN ORQJ GD\V ZKHQ QHHGHG DQG KDQGOH FKDQJLQJ FRQGLWLRQV 6WURQJ ZRUN HWKLF DQG WHDP ILUVW DWWLWXGH
6FKHGXOH )XOO WLPH GD\V RQ GD\V RII
+RXUV $0 ± 30 EDVH KRXUV ZLWK RYHUWLPH DYDLODEOH GHSHQGLQJ RQ ZRUNORDG :DJH %DVHG RQ H[SHULHQFH
:H RIIHU VWHDG\ ZRUN KRPH HYHU\ QLJKW D JUHDW FUHZ RSSRUWXQLW\ WR OHDUQ DQG UXQ D YDULHW\ RI HTXLSPHQW DQG URRP WR JURZ 0LVVLQJ VRPH WLFNHWV" :H¶OO KHOS WKH ULJKW FDQGLGDWH JHW TXDOLILHG
7R $SSO\
3OHDVH VXEPLW \RXU UHVXPH RXWOLQLQJ H[SHULHQFH DQG TXDOLILFDWLRQV WR NJHQW #WHOXV QHW
The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026 - 3
($67 &(175$/ )$// 0$&+,1(5< &216,*10(17 $8&7,21
6DOH 6WDUWV RQ 2FWREHU WK
0LVFHOODQHRXV 5LQJ &ORVHV 2FWREHU WK 0DFKLQHU\ &ORVHV 2FWREHU WK 9HKLFOH 5LQJ &ORVHV 2FWREHU WK /XPEHU 5LQJ &ORVHV 2FWREHU WK 2QOLQH $XFWLRQ (DVW &HQWUDO 6DOHV <DUG /RFDWLRQ +Z\ 5JH 5G 0LOH (DVW RI +Z\ 6RXWK 6LGH RI WKH 5RDG ,QFOXGLQJ $Q $FUHDJH 'LVSHUVDO 6DOH IRU 'RXJ 2OVRQ RI 6W 3DXO $%
-' ):$ 7UDFWRU
-' ):$ 7UDFWRU
-' ZG 7UDFWRUV
.XERWD %; ):$ *DUGHQ 7UDFWRU
&DVH $JULNLQJ ZG 7UDFWRU
3UHPLXP 5RXQG %DOHV
6XSUHPH 7 6 $ 6LODJH :DJRQ
-' 6S 6ZDWKHU
1+ /: % :KHHO /RDGHU
,QWHUQDWLRQDO Z 0LOHV
/LQGH + 7 )RUNOLIW
&DW ' 1 'R]HU
0LWVXELVKL )* )RUNOLIW
-' * 7UDFNHG 6NLG 6WHHU
1 8 )XWXUH )7 6NLG 6WHHUV
7HUUDJDWRU 6 $ )ORDWHU 7UXFN
1+ 6' $ $LU 'ULOO Z 1+ 3 $LU &DUW
.XERWD %9 3RZHUELQG 5G %DOHU
1+ 5ROO %HOW 6SHFLDOW\ &URS 5G %DOHU
-' 6S &RPELQH %ORZQ (QJLQH
6HHG +DZN $LU 'ULOO Z 6HHG +DZN $LU &DUW
&RQYH\ $OO &67 & 7ULGHP 7HQGHU 7UDLOHU
/RGH .LQJ 7ULGHP %HOO\ 'XPS *UDYHO 7UDLOHU
,+& :RUNVWDUW 7 $ 3ORZ 7UXFN
'RGJH 5DP /DUDPLH [ 7UXFN
1+ 0L[HU 0LOO
3UHFLVLRQ 7 $ WK :KHHO /LYH 5ROO 7UDLOHU
:DEDVK 7 $ )ODW 'HFN 7UDLOHU
)UHLJKWOLQHU 7 $ &RQFUHWH 7UXFN Z <DUG %R[
-' = & =HUR 7XUQ 5LGLQJ /DZQ 0RZHU
2YHU /RWV RI 7UDFWRUV 7LOODJH +D\LQJ +DUYHVW (TXLSPHQW 3OXV +LZD\ 7UXFNV 7UDLOHUV &RQVWUXFWLRQ 6NLG 6WHHUV 1HZ $WWDFKPHQWV &DWWOH +DQGOLQJ 3DVVHQJHU 7UXFNV 6896 &DUV +ROLGD\ 7UDLOHUV $79 V %XLOGLQJ 0DWHULDOV /DZQ *DUGHQ 6XSSOLHV DQG 2YHU /RWV RI 0LVFHOODQHRXV
$OO LWHPV PXVW EH FRQVLJQHG E\ 2FWREHU WK DW S P WR EH LQFOXGHG LQ WKLV VDOH )RU 0RUH ,QIRUPDWLRQ &DOO
$OOHQ % 2OVRQ $XFWLRQ 6HUYLFH /WG +Z\ (DVW 5LPEH\ &DPURVH 7ROO )UHH a /LFHQVH 1R (PDLO DEROVRQ#WHOXVSODQHW QHW +RPHSDJH DOOHQROVRQDXFWLRQ FRP
)RU 0RUH ,QIR 3LFV 9LHZLQJ 7LPHV 7HUPV &RQGLWLRQV 3D\PHQW 2SWLRQV 3OHDVH 9LVLW 2XU :HEVLWH
4 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Opinion
Option two doesn’t mean separation but it could lead to a better country BY JOHN MATHER So, I recently found out that on March I will become a great, great uncle. When my sister, soon to be great grandmother, told me this I admitted to her it makes me feel old. Now, this newborn when it comes into the world will be living in Ontario so whatever happens in Alberta on Oct. 19 probably won’t affect him or her. But the decisions Albertans, and I stress Albertans, make at the voters booth on Oct. 19 will affect every life in this province in the near and long term future. Now of the ten questions on the ballot there are several on immigration issues. I suggest people vote their conscience on these. Personally I have no problem with immigration if done properly. Everyone everywhere was once an immigrant no matter how far back you go. Even our indigenous population, who famously lay claim to land ownership, had to come across the Alaska land bridge millennia ago which also makes them immigrants to the North American continent. These questions are really a matter of splitting hairs and yes some may come across to some as racists. As I say, vote your conscience. The next few are on constitutional matters. One involves abolishing the Senate of Canada. For me that is a no brainer. These Senators are appointed until the age of 75 and get a humongous annual salary which the average worker won’t see until they’ve worked for several years. But the Senators got these positions because they were toadies to the government of the day and the Prime Minister put them in the Senate to blindly support the government's positions and do the final pass through of Government policy. No wonder, Alberta Senator Paula Simons calls the referendum the “Noxious Nine.” She can see if the Senate was abolished, then her cushy salary would be up in smoke. And let’s look at many of those clambering for Albertans to vote to stay in Canada. They are former Federal MPs. They are living out their golden years on very cushy government pensions paid for by you and me, the Canadian taxpayers. How dare us lowly Albertans consider leaving Canada and putting those pensions at risk. And yet, as I’ve stated before, not one of the Stay in Canada crowd, lobbying for Alberta to pick Option One to question 10 on Oct.19, have once said if they are content with the way the Federal government has treated Alberta, and the West, over the past several decades.
CONTINUED And most certainly the harshest of the put down of Alberta and Western Canada happened during the past decade of Justin Trudeau’s so-called leadership. They lobby for Canada but don’t seem to have any voice when it comes to what brought this separation issue to the fore. Why has it come to this in Alberta? Well, because in many ways those wanting to stay in Canada were part of the problem. They were in positions of leadership and while they gave lip service to the problems and issues facing Alberta and the west, they were content to leave it at that. Make it look like they’re fighting for Albertans but really do nothing to change the status quo. They just slowly ride into the sunset while collecting that cushy pension. I love Canada. I have spent my full life in Canada, split between two provinces, Ontario and Alberta. But I will vote for Option two on Oct, 19. Why? Well, first because it doesn’t lead to separation. It leads to further discussion with Ottawa on the issues they have caused but see no real reason to resolve.
Yes, it could lead to a vote on separation, but that’s only if Ottawa doesn’t take the concerns of Alberta seriously. And a blanket vote to just stay the course and remain in Canada as it currently sits does just that. It gives the Federal government a pass and nothing will change. Option Two means Albertans are serious and Ottawa should pay attention. For 150 years we have lived under the BNA Act and then a repatriated our Constitution. And that Constitution is a living document which should be reviewed at least every decade. Just as technology evolves and workplace practices evolve, why does Ottawa think economies and people evolve only in Ontario and Quebec and not in the west. The provinces should be given more powers over how they govern and what they can approve to bolster each province's fortunes. The number of seats in parliament should better reflect the size of the provinces and elections should be timed so when the time zones west of Manitoba are still voting the outcome of a Federal election isn’t known. Continued on Page 15
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.
5038 - 50 Avenue Box 1079, Lamont, AB T0B 2R0 Phone: 780-895-2780 Fax: 780-895-2705 Email: lmtleader@gmail.com Published every Wednesday at Lamont, AB Serving the Communities of Andrew, Bruderheim, Chipman, Hilliard, Lamont, Mundare, RR 4 Tofield, Star and St. Michael
Kerry Anderson Publisher
John Mather Reporter
Melissa Young Reporter
Grant Johnson Reporter
Crystal Moren Office Manager Advertising Sales
Circulation Aileen Bilodeau Sylvia McDonald
Subscription Rates: Local: $40.00 per year USA: $96.81 Overseas: $187.25. Call to find out about our ONLINE SUBSCRIPTIONS
*Advertisements designed, set and produced by The Lamont Leader, as well as pictures, news, editorial content and other printed material are protected by copyright and may not be used without the permission of The Lamont Leader
Available online at www.lamontleader.com
and Facebook
The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026 - 5
FROM WHERE I SIT: Not Asking Too Much
BY HAZEL ANAKA Nearly two weeks into my first cold of the season, the best I can come up with for you this week is a motley collection of tidbits, advice, and observations. I can’t wait for the announcement that flu vaccines and any Covid booster is available; most likely in mid-October. Last year many suffered with a cold/bug/thingy that dragged on for months not weeks. While no vaccine can prevent every possible strain of every possible bug it can improve our chances of getting out unscathed or having fewer symptoms. If something is already making its rounds in September, we could be in for a long winter. Just sayin’. The head cold wasn’t bad enough for me to take to my bed; just bad enough to annoy the hell out of me. I do not like it when my head feels
heavy and block-like. Everything seems more laboured. Premier Eby of British Columbia called an early election for no reason other than baldfaced opportunism. He saw the Conservative Party imploding and pounced. As the most disliked premier in the country, he took a huge gamble and may live to regret it. He can’t seem to articulate a reason good enough to go to the polls two years early at the cost of multiple millions of dollars. In the meantime, the equally unpopular leader of the Conversative party resigned allowing many of the MLAs who quit under her leadership to return singing Kumbaya. Political pundits love this sort of drama. Equally, of interest is what Albertans will do on October 19th with our pop quiz of ten questions covering immigration, the constitution, and oh by the way, should we at some point in the future really ask you what you really think about the prospect of really leaving Canada. Honestly, this is such bulls#it. If Danielle Smith thought she could straddle both sides of the separation
debate and keep everyone happy, she guessed wrong. Her popularity numbers are dropping like a stone. Despite the artificial, contrived conditions that led to this steaming pile of doodoo, we still all need to vote. Don’t let apathy, overconfidence, or misreading of the tea leaves inadvertently lead to a result you don’t truly want. You’re probably old enough to remember the US Unabomber Ted Kazynski. He was a mathematics genius and a domestic terrorist who killed three and injured 23 during a 17year mail bombing campaign between 1978 and 1995. It was the longest and most expensive manhunt by the FBI. All these details came flooding back when I watched the Netflix movie Unabomber. I was unaware of the tests being done on and to him while he attended Harvard as a math prodigy at age 16. He was eventually diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic but one can’t help but wonder what role the testing and manipulation played in entrenching his beliefs at such an impressionable age. This would not be the
Lamont and Area
Church Directory LAMONT UNITED CHURCH 5306 - 51 Ave., Lamont, AB
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH SERVICES
780-895-2145
1st, 3rd, 5th Sundays @ 9:00 am
R EV. D IRK J ESSEN
Our Lady of Good Counsel, Skaro
SUNDAY SERVICES
St. Michael the Archangel, St. Michael
10:30 AM
Administrative Office: Our Lady of the Angels Parish 10004 ~ 101 St., Fort Sask. 780.998.3288 Email: olangels.ftsask@caedm.ca www.olafortsask.caedm.ca
CHECK OUT OUR NEW FACEBOOK PAGE!!
Everyone Welcome! AA Meetings Thursdays at 8:00 pm
2nd, and 4th Sundays @ 9:00 am
first time in history that humans were subjected to covert testing in the name of government or societal research. I’d also be interested in knowing how advanced diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia was back in the day. This was a disturbing but thought-provoking look back with no winners. I convinced Roy to look through cupboards and drawers to see if he has anything to donate. And this time he didn’t fight me on it. Instead, we have a big bag full of gently-used items to donate to a men’s shelter as winter approaches and several brand-new items to gift. This is a very satisfying exercise to go through. My turn is coming. I no longer need my ‘farm wardrobe.’ Some things have served me well and are too far gone to pass along so out those go. I’ve also been doing minor alterations to clothes I bought and never wore because they were too long or too baggy. I cut up unworn dresses for crafting purposes. Letting go is cathartic. If you planted any trees or shrubs this year, they likely got a great start with our
very rainy summer. Just be sure to check if they are still all standing at attention. Strong winds have forced us to stake new trees that were leaning badly. Roy uses ratchet straps that allow us to gently ease them back to perpendicular and adjust the tension as the season wears on. If you’re not actively harvesting take time to enjoy the season. This is a first for me. Taking my phone along on short walks around the yard has allowed me to capture some beautiful images of things that
CASH for GOLD & PAID SILVER
ALL JEWELRY, ALL GOLD & SILVER COINS Bars, Bullion, Ingots, Nuggets, Sterling Silver, Old & Broken Gold, etc.
BUYING ENTIRE COIN COLLECTIONS & OLD MONEY
TODD Covering ALL OF ALBERTA
Bruderheim Community Church 4904 Queen Street
normally escape my notice when living in overdrive. Our grandson Grady is still hoping to join the final roster of the Calgary Hitmen and so far, so good. He’s getting ice time and earned his first assist in the WHL. You can catch all WHL games free on YouTube. Positive thoughts and good wishes are always welcome. I hope your harvest is safe and bountiful, that your health is good, that you keep your mind active and your role in society as kind and fruitful as can be. That’s not asking too much, from where I sit.
780-796-3775
Bethany Lutheran Church 20577 TWP 550 Fort. Sask.
JOIN US
(7km East of Josephburg)
Sunday Worship 10:30 am
Pastor Rev. Jeff Dul Worship Service 9:30 am
All are Welcome!
(during service)
Check us out on Facebook
Lamont Alliance Church 5007 44 st., Lamont
780-895-2879
Sunday Service 10 am
J OIN US FOR SERVICES SUNDAY MORNINGS @ 10 AM Pastor Darren Anderson Check out: www.lamontalliance.com
780-998-1874
Sunday School Coffee after Service
Church Director y
$40
per month Call 780.895.2780
6 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026
The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026 - 7
8 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Federal Government invests more than 1 million dollars into farm safety programs BY GRANT JOHNSON
The band Probable Crisis was on stage at the Lamont Farmers’ Market on Sept, 23. The market was held in conjunction with the Lamont Community Awareness evening at Lamont's Community Hall. John Mather photo.
Metro Kalyn Library opens doors for Fall Into Reading Open House BY MELISSA MACINTOSH-YOUNG
The Metro Kalen Library in Bruderheim welcomed the community over the weekend for its first-ever Fall Into Reading Open House, giving residents an opportunity to explore the library’s programs, services and activities. The afternoon featured a variety of activities for all ages, including a used book sale, mystery book sales and crafts for children. Visitors were also able to learn more about the many resources and programs available through the local library. Library manager Emily Hurst said the open house was organized as a way to showcase what the Bruderheim library has to offer. “This is our first open house,” Hurst said. “We wanted to showcase all the activities that the Bruderheim Library does hold.” The library has also recently adjusted its hours, now open thirtytwo hours a week and opening later into the evenings to make its services more accessible to members of the community. In addition to its regular programming, the library now offers a craft evening on Thursdays. The program is open to anyone in the community who would like to come together, work on crafts and enjoy some time at the library. Expanding programming is also a focus for
the library moving forward. The library has set a goal of increasing its programs by 10 per cent by 2029, with the
aim of providing more opportunities for residents to participate and connect.
Bruderheim Library Manager, Emily Hurst, welcomes visitors to the “Fall into Reading” library open house held over the weekend. Photo by Melissa MacIntosh-Young
CASH C ASH ASH FFOR O R COINS OR COINS WANTED ROYAL CANADIAN MINT COINS, FRANKLIN MINT, US MINT, WORLD SETS ETC, COLLECTOR’S COINS, NUMISMAT ATICS, OLY LYMPIC COIN NS, OLD COINS, OLD $, GOLD COINS, SILVER COINS, BARS, INGOTS, JEWELRY, NUGGETS, STERLING SILVER & ENTIRE COIN COLLECTIONS! OLLECTIONS!
Call or text Todd d Numismatist/Gold & Silver Dealerr
780-504-7995 I MAKE FREE HOUSE CALLS ALL OVER ALBERTA TA+
The federal government is putting more than $1 million toward programs designed to make Canadian farms safer, including initiatives that could benefit agricultural communities throughout rural Alberta. Up to $1.07 million over the next two years will go to the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) to support safety campaigns, training programs and research aimed at preventing injuries to farmers, their families and agricultural workers. “A strong agricultural sector depends on the well-being of its workforce,” said Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald. “Reducing onfarm risks protects lives and builds a more sustainable future for Canadian agriculture.” The funding will support established pro-
grams such as Canadian Agricultural Safety Week and Kids FarmSafe Week, while also expanding CASA's BeGrainSafe program. That program is particularly relevant to grain-producing areas such as Lamont County. It provides education about the dangers of working around grain and trains local firefighters in grain-rescue techniques, where a person can become trapped and buried in flowing grain. The investment will also support new mental-health resources and safety tools for women working in agriculture, along with the collection of injury data to help identify ways to prevent future farm accidents. Farm work remains one of Canada's most dangerous occupations, although the number of a g r i c u l t u re - re l a t e d deaths has declined over the past several
decades. Federal figures show an average of 110 agriculture-related deaths each year between 1990 and 2005, compared with 70 annually between 2006 and 2020, a decline of about 36 per cent. Children and youth continue to be particularly vulnerable. Between 2006 and 2020, an average of nine children and young people died each year from agriculture-related injuries. For farming families in Lamont County, where children often grow up around tractors, livestock, grain bins and other farm equipment, the numbers serve as a reminder that safety needs to start early. CASA executive director Sandra Miller said continued investment and cooperation are needed to keep improving agricultural safety across the country.
The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026 - 9
T TEC PRO ! IDE R R YOU
780-992-1449 11213-88 AVE., FT. SASK.
GET AHEAD OF WINTER WITH THIS
S P O O KTAC U L AR S P ECI AL I N S P EC T I ON
Oil & Filter change, Replace Cabin Filter, Replace Air Filter, Anti Freeze Inspection & top up, Belts & Hoses Inspection, Brake & Suspension Inspection, Exhaust Inspection, Ghost Goblin & Vampire Inspection, Rotate Tires
ONLY $219.95! + gst
& shop su pplies
Most gas vehicles - some restrictions apply. Cannot be combined with any other offer.
Fort Saskatchewan store only Expires Oct 31, 2026
780-992-1449 look for our 1952 red bickle fire truck locally owned community minded family run
Some of the participants from the weekend’s sewing retreat proudly show a few of their projects. Photo by Melissa MacIntosh-Young
Bruderheim sewing retreat brings stitchers together BY MELISSA MACINTOSH-YOUNG
The Bruderheim Community Hall was filled with the sounds of sewing machines over the weekend as a group of local women gathered for a two-day sewing retreat. The retreat welcomed sewers of all skill levels, from those who have been sewing for years to complete beginners just starting out. Participants were encouraged to bring any sewing project they wanted to work on, making the weekend an opportunity to work on projects while learning, sharing ideas and connecting with others Organizer Katrina Holzhauer said the idea for the retreat came from wanting to create more opportunities for community members to come together. Holzhauer said, “The idea behind starting the sewing retreat was a hope that community members would meet others who are passionate and love to sew, whether it be quilting, clothes, or making bags. My retreat was designed I hope - to help introduce new sewers to the world of creating with fabric and to give them confidence
through connections. “In my experience local people are willing and able to help answer question and encourage other to continue on their sewing journey.” The retreat offered plenty of time for sewing, along with workshops, show-andtell opportunities, food and prizes. Participants could work at their own pace while visiting with other sewing enthusiasts and sharing their knowledge. For those new to sewing, the retreat also provided a welcoming environment to ask questions and learn from more experienced participants. Following the success of the September retreat, organizers are al-
ready planning another sewing retreat for midOctober. There are also hopes to offer several sewing retreats throughout the year.
Whether experienced or just learning how to thread a needle, the retreats are designed to bring people together— one stitch at a time.
WE ARE HIRING! Substitute Teachers & Substitute Educational Assistants
APPLY NOW! holdenra.ca • c.dey@holdenra.ca • 780-688-0232 www.holdenra.ca/our-staff/careers
A WORLD CL ASS COUNTRY CHRISTMAS PRODUCTION COUN COU STARRING
CCanadian Fiddle Champion
FEATU FEATURING HIS ALL-STAR BAND
Kendra (Woods) (Wood Norris • Champion Fiddler Steve Pi Piticco • The Telecaster Master Leo Stock • Champion Stepdancer
Thursday, November 12th - 7 pm Wainwright Communiplex Theatre 700 2nd Ave., Wainwright, AB
Thursday, November 19th - 7 pm Camrose United Church 4829 50th St., Camrose, AB
PER
$ 49 .50
TICKET
BUY TICKETS TODAY! Purchase online scottwoods.ca Call toll-free (credit card) 1-855-726-8896
BUYING O OLD J EWELRYY Rings, Chains, Charms, Brracelets, Brooches, Pendants, Necklaces, etc..
Vintage Jewelry | Gold Jewelry | Silver Jewelryy Brokken Gold & Coins Also buying Estate Collections.
Will Pick Up p!
Call or Text Tod dd
10 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Ten T Te Trruth hs About Community Newsp papers
Mass reach
High attention + emotional connection
Most trusted ad platform
1
3
6
Context drives advertising value
Local relevance
2
8
10 7
5 4
9
Print + e-edition + online strength
Trrusted T environment Newspapers support local buying
Yo Y ounger audiences continue to be engaged
aribbou ou Car
Brand-safe by consumer evidence
Publishing
Choose us s for your n next campa campaign aign
www.newsmediacanada.ca
Giving advertiserrs mass reach Newspapers are still a mass medium, delivering substantial reach across the Canadian market. Four in five Canadians continue to read newspaper content each week.
83% 3
Carribou
of Canadians read newspaper content each week.
Pu ublish hing
www.a allcarib bou.com Why this matters to advertisers. Newspapers provide scale before targeting even begins. With 83% weekly reach, newspapers can deliver broad market coverage while still allowing campaigns to be refined by geography, format and audienc n e. Totum Research, Canadians 18+; wee e kly readership; January 2026; n=2404 online interviews
Newspapers deliver Close attention + Emotional connection The print effect: tangible formatss can mak ke advertising easier to process, morre e memora memo able and more emotionally positive. Neuromarketing research h* found physical media generated d 70% hig gher brand recall than digital media. m
a aribou Car
Publlishing
www.allca www allcaribou ribou.com com
Print is physicall, intentionall and personal. More than 60% say print feels more special than online content, 67% enjoy its physical feel and 60% turn to print to slow down**.
Physical y media required q 2 21% less cognitive effort to undersstand, helping messag ges process more easily. e Why this matters to advertisers. Unlike rapid scrolling, print creates a relaxed state of mind, resulting in attention, trust and emotional connection. Print does not just deliver an impression. Its tactility, credibility and slower reading mode can make brand experiences feel more personal, memorable and emotionally resonant. *Canada Post/True Impact, “Direct mail beats digital advertising…” (2015 5) **Title Media Survey 2025; Print Business, November 3, 2025
i
The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026 - 11
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
BOOKKEEPING
I&M
Tax and Bookkeeping Services
$45/ month - 1” ad!
~ Farms & Businesses ~ Excellent rates & bundled discounts
Start your ad today ~ call 780.895.2780.
Maria Stamati
4703, 51 Street Lamont, AB T0B 2R0
Phone:(780) 579-3883 Fax: (780) 579-3884 ImTaxServices@outlook.com
CUSTOM WORK
$90/ month - 2” ad! lmtleader@gmail.com
HANDYMAN
Trevor Mikolajczyk
CARPET CLEANING WE HAVE THE PERSON FOR THE JOB ~ 24/7
~ FENCING & FENCE REPAIRS ~ LANDSCAPING & YARD MAINTENANCE ~ CUSTOM BALING ~ TRENCHING ~ B O B CAT ~ D U M P T R U C K ~ C U S TO M M E TA L R E N O’ S mk98ltd@gmail.com ~ H A N DY M A N J O B S 780-975-8343 ~ B R U S H C U T T I N G ~ M O W I N G
<< NEW BUSINESS
HYDRAULICS
DAY CARE
CATERING Tom's Catering Serving Lamont and Surrounding Areas. Phone: 825-975-2223 Email: catering@tomscatering.ca Web Page: www.tomscatering.ca
CONCRETE
LAWN CARE ELECTRICAL (780) 226-4772 NOW BOOKING FOR: SUMMER S PRINGMAINTENANCE CLEAN UPS
RESIDENTIAL
COMMERCIAL
MASTER ELECTRICIAN
AGRICULTURAL
INDUSTRIAL
PERMITS TRENCHING
CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE
COMMITMENT TO SAFETY
FREE QUOTES PROJECT PRICING
780.521.6400 info@tywireelectric.ca
CUSTOM FENCING
tywireelectric.ca
ENTERTAINMENT
~ Aeration ~ Power Rake (de-thatch) ~ Weed Control & Fertilizing ~ Sod Edging DDITIONAL SERVICES ERVICES ADDITIONAL ~ Weekly / Monthly Lawn maintenance ~ Rototilling ~ Eavestrough cleaning ~ Exterior Window cleaning ~ Pressure Washing ~ Dump Runs SSERVICES OFFERED INCLUDE ERVICES OFFERED INCLUDE ~ Tree Trimming & Removal ~ Stump Grinding ~ Bobcat Services ~ Scrap Vehicle Removal
FULLY INSURED ~ BASED IN LAMONT
Serving Urban & Rural
Thank You to our advertisers, and readers. The Lamont Leader is proud to be the newspaper of the County of Lamont.
12 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
MECHANICAL Titan Repair Shop Best Prices. Best Services.
$45/ month - 1” ad!
$90/ month - 2” ad!
Start your ad today ~ call 780.895.2780.
lmtleader@gmail.com
780-579- 4400 CVIP Licensed
4715 51 St. Lamont, AB.
TitanRepairShop@yahoo.com
MONUMENTS
PROFESSIONAL LEGAL ISSUES? Ronald W. Poitras Barrister & Solicitor Serving Lamont and Area Since 1977 Wednesday 1:30 – 5:00 pm
Owners 780-918-7406 tom_gail@telus.net 5083 - 47 Avenue Lamont, Alberta T0B 2R0
by Appointment
780-895-2055
REAL ESTATE Shannon Kowal 780.920.3076
SEPTIC Elk Island Septic Cleaning.com (Div of Stadnick Contracting (2011) Ltd.)
Is now available for septic cleaning
Contact Brett : 587-991-0398 Ser vicing most of Lamont & Strathcona County
SCOTT ’ S SEPTIC SERVICE S E P T I C TA N K C L E A N I N G D O N E R I G H T
NEW SEPTIC PUMPS INSTALLED OVER 200’ OF HOSE MAY ~ END OF NOVEMBER
780.298.5480
Celebrating 100 Years!
Dominion Granite - Edmonton Value Monuments - Edmonton remco-memorials.ca
Melissa Hausser 587.873.7243 www.kowalrealty.ca Office 780.764.4007
TOWING 5004 50 Street, Mundare, AB.
PLUMBING REGULAR 24/7 TOWING
JMP Plumbing & Heating Ltd. Furnace & Hot Water Tank Replacement Plumbing - New Home Construction Air Conditioning - Gas Fitting - Gas Fire Places Garage Heaters - Service & Repair - Sheet Metal
FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS.
780-998-7668
Don’t think Towing – Think Titan!
ROOFING John Panek 780-999-2065
Event Tickets
PROFESSIONAL
Raffle Tickets
Motor Vehicle Accidents, Fatal Accidents, Wills, & More Elizabeth J. Tatchyn, B.A., LL.B BARRISTER & SOLICITOR By appointment only
etatchyn@biamonte.com Speaks Ukrainian * * Edmonton: 780-425-5800
Thank You for Supporting Local
CUSTOM PRINTING COMPETITIVE PRICING
jmpplumbing@live.ca Box 84, Lamont, AB T0B 2R0
at Smith Insurance Service, Main Street Lamont
PLUS equipment, sheds, antique/classic vehicles, RVs, and more!!
Par-Alta Services St. Michael, Alberta
Roofing Installation and Repairs
780-485-7175
50/50 Tickets Business Cards Invoice Books 780.895.2780 lmtleader@gmail.com
The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026 - 13
PRICING
CLASSIFIEDS
$20/wk for the first 35 words 45¢ for each additional word 4 Papers 16,000 readers ANNOUNCEMENTS ANNOUNCEMENTS
—————————Lamont County and area residents please note; As of October 1, 2026, the cost to recycle mattresses and box springs at the St. Michael Landfill will be $25.00 each. Terms of payment are cash or cheque. ——————————————— Veggies are Ready! Carrots, pickling cukes, tomatoes! East of Sedgewick, off Highway 13, turn north on RR122, then go north 3 miles. Helen Tanton - 780-888-6800 -—————————————— If anyone is wanting tomatoes, Brian's Greenhouse tomatoes are available at S & A Restaurant on Main St. Daysland now.
COMING EVENTS EVENTS COMING
—————————Fall Clothing Sale Friday, Oct. 2, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 3, 9 a.m. to Noon. Daysland United Church. ——————————————— There will be a Memorial service for Frank Fornal on Sunday, October 4 at the Viking Legion, at 1 p.m. ——————————————— Down and Dirty Art Club Fall Art Show & Sale Friday, October 9 5-8pm Golden Valley Church Viking, AB Join us for sparkling non-alcoholic wine and cheese and to view and purchase some art work. Accepting cash and cheque only. For more info, contact 780-787-2021 or 780-209-1791 -—————————————— Battle River 4-H Beef Club Organizational Meeting. Tuesday, October 13th, 6:30pm at the Lougheed Curling Club. Everyone Welcome! For more information please call Colton Jackson at 780-385-1128. -—————————————— Flagstaff Rural Crime Watch Rural Crime Symposium Thursday, November 5 Killam Community Hall Doors 5pm. Dinner 5:30pm. FREE DINNER for the first 150 registered guests. To register, go to https://shorturl.at/b9n9y Dinner is not mandatory, first speaker begins at 6:15pm.
NOTICES. EVENTS. ANNOUNCEMENTS. THANKS. MEMORIALS. SALES. RENTALS. REAL ESTATE. GIVE AWAYS. & MORE!
FOR SALE FOR SALE
—————————-
Fresh-baked homemade sourdough sandwich loaves. Made with care in small batches with quality ingredients. Perfect for morning toast, sandwiches, and easy family meals. Many flavours to choose from. Call 780-905-3533. Located in Viking -—————————————— For Sale: 1983 Ford F150 2wd pick-up, 106,000km, New tires, Battery & Inspection. $5,000. Ph: 780-888-2155. Leave message please. -—————————————— Brian has frozen black cherries for sale, $6 / lb or $10 / gallon. If interested, call 780-678-0053. Pick up location is six miles west of Daysland on Highway 13, then north on Range Road 172 a mile and a quarter. Second place on the east side of the road, blue sign 45529172. -—————————————— Aluminum wheelchair ramp. Mint shape. 20'x 20', 3'H x 3'W. Phone 780-895-7458 -—————————————— 300 gal and 500 gal fuel tanks with stands. 135 gall slip tank with 12v pump Dry split firewood Grain Aeration System (fan, heater, and screens) Call 780-688-2201 ——————————————— 4 month old hens; mixed breed. Australorp, Plymouth Rock, Columbian Rock hens. Started to lay eggs. $20 a bird. For more information phone or text 780.632.9881 36/39LL ———————————————
FOR RENT RENT FOR
———————— Large Two bedroom Suites in KILLAM. Parkview Manor. Clean and Quiet Building. Excellent Area across the Health Centre and steps from Public School. Available November 1. Email: management.parkviewmanor@gmail.com Phone: 403-605-5180
HELP WANTED WANTED HELP
———————— Flagstaff Kids Connection Daycare is looking for an individual to shovel the snow this winter in Killam, AB. All sidewalks, entryway areas, back alley parking area and a path to church so families can park at the church and walk over. Must be available to come and shovel when we get 2 inches or more throughout the season. Should have a criminal reference check with vulnerable sector screening. Pay will be discussed. Please send your resume to flagstaffdaycare@gmail.com -—————————————— Flagstaff Kids Connection Daycare in Killam, AB is seeking a passionate and dedicated EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR to join our team. As a Casual supply teacher, you will have the opportunity to support and nurture our young learners in a dynamic and collaborative environment. The ideal candidate should have a strong understanding of child development, be creative, and possess excellent communication skills. Must be a Level 1, 2 or 3 ECE teacher, with current Criminal reference check with Vulnerable Sector Screening, have current First aid/ CPR, food handling certificate and previous experience. We are looking for someone who is available to work flexible hours. If you are enthusiastic about making a positive impact on young children's lives and are committed to creating a supportive and engaging learning environment, we would love to hear from you. Please send us a message if you are interested in this rewarding opportunity. We look forward to discussing how you can contribute to our team and help shape the future of our children. Please send your resume to flagstaffdaycare@gmail.com
HELP WANTED WANTED HELP
———————— Town of Killam Poplar Grove Farms/ Killam Memorial Arena Now Hiring Part-time Arena Attendant • 20+ hours/week • Evenings and Weekends • Immediately until March Responsibilities: -General Custodial & Cleaning Duties: -Ice Maintenance Before and After Events -Zamboni Operation (Training Provided) -Other Related Duties as Assigned Qualifications: -Valid Driver’s Licence (Required) -Ability to perform Physical Work -Flexible Evening and Weekend Availability -Zamboni experience is an asset Submit your resume to: ckinzer@town.killam.ab.ca We thank all applicants, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted. -—————————————— Looking for housekeeper for cleaning on a monthly basis. Must be less than $25/hour. Call Brian at 780-678-0053
YOUR AD HERE!
MEMORIAL MEMORIAL ——————————-
Helen Bruha 1923 Oct 2, 2014 Frank Bruha 1910 Dec 4, 2003 Though absent you are always near, Still loved, still missed, still very dear. Your Loving Family TM39P
14 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026
PM Carney needs to explain his U.S. invasion talk
What motivated the prime minister to publicly raise a threat he says is extremely unlikely? (TROY MEDIA) Prime Minister Mark Carney has some explaining to do. On Wednesday, Sept. 23 he told the New York Times that he had examined the possibility that U.S. President Donald Trump might order military action against Canada, a scenario Carney described as an “extreme tail risk.” In plain English, he was talking about an event he considers extremely unlikely but serious enough to prepare for. Preparing for unlikely threats is part of responsible govern-
ment. Publicly raising the possibility that Canada’s closest ally might invade us is another matter. So why did Carney do it? Trump has given Canadians plenty of reasons to question our relationship with Washington. He has repeatedly talked about Canada becoming the 51st state and used tariffs and economic threats against us. But when asked directly in January 2025 whether he would use military force to acquire Canada, Trump said no. His preferred pressure,
he said, was “economic force.” Canada would be foolish to ignore Trump’s rhetoric and economic threats, but there is a big difference between an American president threatening Canada’s economy and an American president threatening to invade Canada. Canada and the United States are not simply neighbours. We have worked together through NORAD, the joint military command responsible for defending North America, since 1958. Carney is publicly discussing the
Well-known couple’s grandson to play for Major Junior Hitmen BY JOHN MATHER Grady Anaka, grandson of Leader columnist Hazel Anaka and Lamont County Division Four councillor Roy Anaka, has joined the Calgary Hitmen under a under a Scholarship and Development Agreement. The Hitmen first listed Anaka as a potential player in the spring of 2025 and he joined the club on July 5 of this year. He has appeared on the rosters for the Hitmen’s first three games of the regular season.. The Hitmen have won their first three
games of the 2026/27 season. Anaka played the past two seasons in Colorado with the Okanagan AAA program. The forward finished the 2025/26 season at more than a point a game pace with 26 goals and 30 assists for 51 points in 41 games. Anaka was an integral part to his team winning the 2026 USA Hockey Youth Tier 16U National Championship. In that tournament he had eight points in six games. The six-foot, 160 lb
Anaka, won high praise from Hitmen general manager, Cass Bruni. “We are excited that Grady has been chosen to come back to Alberta to start his junior hockey career,” Bruni stated. “He had an outstanding season with Okanagan, and was an impactful player for a team that won a national championship. “He is a smart twoway centreman that has a bright future in our league.” Anaka grew up in Sherwood Park before moving to Colorado.
Council hears from resident who wants train whistles stopped BY JOHN MATHER During their regular Sept. 16 Bruderheim Council meeting a letter was read by Chief Administrative Officer Jana Semeniuk from a resident who complained about the noise made by train whistles. The resident complained that the whistle is blown through the community at all hours and wanted to know if they could be silenced as trains travelled
through the community. Following a meeting with two CN representatives in August, Semeniuk explained when and why the trains whistles were sounded as a train approached and traversed the community. She said, whistles were safety measures sounding 20 seconds before a train reached the crossing and by having the whistles it
relieved the community of any liability in the event of an incident. Semeniuk told council the Town would have to do an impact assessment before the whistles could be stopped and in speaking with other communities that had conducted such a study and a firm that conducted such studies, she said the costs would be in the $20,000 range.
possibility of military action by the country Canada has relied on for decades as the cornerstone of its continental defence. Earlier this year, Canadians learned that the military had modelled a hypothetical U.S. invasion. That may sound ominous, but militaries routinely consider unlikely scenarios as part of contingency planning. The exercise was conceptual and theoretical, not an actual military plan. But the military’s contingency planning is not the issue. Carney has now given that re-
mote scenario something it did not have before: the public attention of the prime minister himself. Carney’s remarks also came as he was arguing that Canada must reduce its economic and strategic dependence on the United States, including its reliance on American military technology. Portraying the United States as a potential military threat does, however, change the political calculation in Ottawa. Major shifts in defence, trade and foreign policy become easier to sell when they
can be presented as necessary to protect Canadian sovereignty. We don’t know whether that was Carney’s intention. But a prime minister should not publicly elevate the possibility of war with Canada’s closest ally without a compelling reason. If Ottawa has evidence suggesting the threat has become more serious, Carney should say so. If it doesn’t, he should explain what Canadian interest was served by putting such an extraordinary possibility into the public conversation.
Council approves space for proposed homeschool collective BY JOHN MATHER At their regular Sept. 16 council meeting Bruderheim Council received a letter from a resident hoping to set up a homeschool collective, and was seeking support from the town. In a letter, the unidentified resident said the Root & Rise HomeSchool Collective, if it was established, would be created to bring homeschooling families together through learning-focussed meetings for children grades 1 to 5. The resident said it was similar to a homeschool co-op with parents contributing in different ways. There could be hands-on science experiments, art projects, reading and writing activities, history and geography lessons, nature-based learning, educational games, and other activities, the letter writer wrote, and the person said they would also like to organize occasional field trips and special events as the group grows. Chief Administrative Officer Jana Semeniuk, told council they could consider a few options. They could rent out to the collec-
“When completed a joint safety inspection would be required with CN officials and then a by-law would have to be enacted,” she said. Upgrades, the CAO said could include the installation of crossing arms or fencing along the railway right-ofway both which would be expensive and could take more than a year to complete. She added even with crossing arms the engi-
tive the Karol Maschmeyer Arena Hometown Heroes Room at a cost of $75 for the day or $15 per hour; they could rent out the youth centre at the arena for $10 per hour or $45 per day. Semeniuk added council could also let the collective use the facility free of charge for three hours a week from October through January for 16 sessions, or they could provide a reduced rate for the rental of either the large room or the youth centre. Councillor Ryan McIvor felt it was great that the group wanted to provide such a service in the community. “I wish something like that had been available when my kids were attending school,” he said. Other councillors thought it was a good idea. McIvor made a motion to authorize the use of either the hometown heroes room or the youth centre free of charge for the 16 week period. Mayor Ron Ewasiuk wondered if there would be any maintenance cost and was told no. The motion was approved by council.
neers on the trains can still sound whistles if they determine there is a safety issue ahead of them. Deputy Mayor Arlie Young said he had paid attention to a train at the crossing that very day and they sounded the alarm for about five seconds three times as it approached the crossing. “Whatever we do the noise won’t stop,” he added. “If there’s no
whistle you still have the loud noise of the train and the ding, ding, ding of the bell as it moves through town.” “It’s loud, he added. “I get that the whistle is loud but it is necessary.” Semeniuk said they had only had one complaint when asked by Mayor Ron Ewasiuk. Council accepted the report as information.
The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026 - 15
Future of rural schools discussed BY GRANT JOHNSON
What should rural education look like five years from now? That was the question at the centre of a recent Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) initiative that brought students, educators, elected officials, school councils and community members together from Lamont, Mundare, Bruderheim and surrounding communities. The goal was to find ways to keep rural schools strong while ensuring students have access to the education, programs and opportunities they need without losing the close community connections that make smalltown schools unique. During the 2025-26 school year, EIPS held student forums at schools in Bruderheim, Lamont and Mundare, followed by a stakeholder forum on Feb. 24. Fifty-five people took part in the stakeholder discussion, representing schools, municipalities, school councils, students and community organizations. Participants identified close relationships, strong community involvement, smaller class sizes and personalized learning as some of rural schools' biggest strengths. They also identified challenges, including access to trades and advanced academic programs, extracurricular opportunities, transportation, enrolment, staffing and funding.
Rant Continued from Page 4
The Senate should be elected as former Premier Jason Kenney even put to a vote during his time as Premier. It didn’t lead to any change from Ottawa and now Kenney has velcro lips when it comes to discussing it. That speaks volumes or it should to Albertans. He’s protecting his pensions - not caring for Albertans. Currently there are several potential proj-
One senior high school student pointed to the difference in resources available at rural and urban schools, comparing the shop facilities at Lamont High School with the larger dedicated facilities at Bev Facey High School. Students also highlighted the benefits of smaller schools, including knowing their teachers, receiving individual attention and having a school environment that can feel less overwhelming. Eight areas for action The discussions identified eight areas where communities and EIPS could work together: • Community partnerships • Student retention • Programming • Student transportation • Staff recruitment and retention • Staff collaboration • Home-school connections • New sources of revenue Stronger community partnerships were identified as one of the most promising opportunities. The report suggests connecting schools more closely with local businesses, municipalities, service clubs, health-care providers, tradespeople and other organizations. These partnerships could provide mentorship, jobshadowing, work experience, equipment, facilities and career opportunities for students.
Transportation was another major concern. Getting students between rural communities for field trips, extracurricular activities and shared programs can be difficult and expensive. Ideas included sharing buses, sponsorships, carpooling and making better use of existing transportation resources. Keeping young people connected to their communities was also a major theme. Participants noted that schools are only one part of rural sustainability. Housing, childcare, transportation, employment and local services can all influence whether families choose to stay in the area. The vision is for rural schools to become even stronger community anchors, giving students quality education and career opportunities while helping them build connections to the communities where they live. EIPS is now reviewing the findings and moving toward the next phase, which will involve developing action plans around the eight areas identified. For Lamont County, the discussion is about more than schools. It is about how families, businesses, municipalities and community organizations can work together to build communities where young people can learn, grow and see a future close to home
ects which can benefit Alberta on the books. They are not shovels in the ground. They are proposed. I worry a blanket Stay in Canada vote will see those torn up and Carney will quickly revert to the second coming of Trudeau. Except that his company Brookfield will make money off it all. I want Alberta and Albertans to succeed. I want Canada to succeed. I’m not happy our
governments of the past has made it come to this but it’s time things were changed to put Albertans and the west on an equal playing field with Ontario, Quebec and the Laurentian elite. For that reason I will support Option Two. Let’s start the discussion by letting Ottawa know that we are serious. I don’t believe it will lead to the break up of Canada, it could lead to a more robust and prosperous Canada.
MINBURN COUNTY
• W4-14-51-10-SW County of Minburn 158.97 acres with 1500 sq ft bungalow, a 50’ by 140’ half heated shop and second yard with house. # 2 soil with 100 acres cultivated and 35 cultivatable acres in hay. Second yard rented for $1,000 per month. Price: $2,300,000
LAMONT COUNTY
• W4-19-54-26-NW 191073 TWP RD 545 Lamont County 158.9 acres with 140± cultivated and 10± grass with a 1960 3 bedroom 1 bath bungalow with 40’x 80’ pole shed. Price: $795,000 • W4-19-53-36-NE N ½ HWY 834 TWN RD 540 Lamont County 78.12 acres with 60± cultivated with the last 18 acres breakable. #3 Soil. The property is within commuting distance to Edmonton. Price: $310,000 • W4-18-53-19-SE Between HWY 16 and TWN RD 534 and RR 185 Lamont County 160 acres with 100± cultivated. #3 Soil. The property is within commuting distance to Edmonton. Price: $590,000 • W4-19-57-15-NW East Half Lamont County 78.01 acres with 45 acres ± in hay. Nice building site. Price: $265,000
CAMROSE COUNTY
• 17456 TWP Rd 472 Camrose County 10.28 acres with 2145.68 sq ft 4 bedroom 4 bathroom house with finished basement and an attached 2 car garage. 36 ft by 60 ft heated and powered shop with electric door, concrete floor and mezzanine, a 40 ft by 60 ft powered shop with doors on both side and tack room. Property is beautifully upkept and landscaped. Price: $1,050,000
STRATHCONA COUNTY
• Parts of SW and SE -7-53-22-W4 located at Highway 21 and Lakeland drive 63.62 acres of development land with Highway 21 exposure. The property is within the Bremner and local Employment Area ACP with expected future use of industrial. Price: $5,300,000
780-449-5622 | nhill01@telus.net www.hillrealty.ca
Norman Hill
Steven Hill
Kelly Dick
Lauren Hill
16 - The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, September 30, 2026
DEAN FAHNER PHOTO
The Community
Press (780) 385-6693
production.cp@gmail.com ads@thecommunitypress.com
L
THE LAMONT
EADER
Serving
(780) 336-3422
vikingreview@gmail.com ads@weeklyreview.ca
(780) 662-4046
adsmercury@gmail.com
Lamont
county
(780) 895-2780
lmtleader@gmail.com
Page 2 - 2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026
No rolling back the clocks this fall as Alberta will stay on permanent ‘Alberta Time’ Leslie Cholowsky Editor
Alberta has joined neighbouring BC and other regions in keeping daylight savings time year round instead of rolling back the clock an hour this fall to Mountain Standard Time (MST). Earlier in the year, Alberta adopted permanent Alberta Time (ABT), previously known as Mountain Daylight Time or MDT. That means that instead of rolling back to brighter mornings and earlier evenings this fall, we will transition into winter without that change for the first time in decades. Daylight Savings Time (DST) was formally introduced in Canada in 1918 as a way to increase production during wartime. After the war, it was abolished, but resumed again in WWII, at which time it was also used all year round. In September 1945, Canadians fell back that winter, to Standard Time, then resumed Daylight Savings in Springtime. At the time, the public wanted to return to natural solar schedules and standard winter time. A Gallup poll published in September 1945 stated that more Canadians wanted a switch to summeronly clock changes than in the previous two years, down by over 10 per cent of those questioned. Farmers have traditionally and consistently been the most critical of Daylight Savings, then and now. In 1945 well over half of all farmers wanted to stay on Standard time all year compared to not even 20 per cent of urban dwellers. After the federal mandate for everyone to use Daylight Savings Time ended after war, it was a decision left to municipal governments, but in some rare cases, meant that different businesses on the same street could be using different times. In 1987 official time zones and Daylight Savings Time were regulated by provincial and territorial governments. From 1988 to 2006, for the parts of Canada using Daylight Savings Time, clocks moved forward on the first Sunday in April and back on the last Sunday of October. Then in 2007 those dates shifted, from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday of November, extending MDT time. The shift was due to legislation in the US brought about in 2005, and the extra weeks in the spring and fall caused confusion for business between the two countries, because even then the US was one of Canada’s biggest trading partners. In 2021 a referendum was held in Alberta to adopt Daylight Savings Time permanently, which was defeated by less than one per cent, with 50.2 per cent against and 49.8 per cent in favour. The referendum did not give the option of permanent Mountain Standard Time, which some believed it would or should have. In contrast, in 2019, public consultation offered the choices of staying on a single time zone year-round, with discussion on both staying with Daylight Savings Time or returning to Standard time year round. In March 2026, following BC’s move to permanent Pacific Daylight Time, Premier Danielle Smith permanently adopted Mountain Daylight Time year round, characterizing it as “Alberta Time.” Also in 2026, BC, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories also chose to remain on DST year round, joining Saskatchewan and the Yukon, who stopped using Daylight Savings Time in 1966 and 2020 respectively. Ontario has passed legislation to enable a similar change, but is choosing to wait until neighbouring states actually make the same change.
Some sleep experts, in an article published in Time Magazine this spring, say “DST, a season when we wake up in the dark, before dawn has broken, and then must suffer interminable evenings when the sun - like a dinner guest who has lingered long past the cigars and port - is still hanging about.” Also after BC’s decision to stay on DST earlier this year, the CBC reported that “Scientists over the world have been warning about the negative health and safety implications of permanent daylight saving time and have been advocating for permanent standard time instead,” said Myriam Juda, an adjunct professor and sleep researcher at Simon Fraser University. On Standard time, the sun reaches its highest point at noon, no matter what the season. Changing that can disrupt our circadian clocks, the thing that regulate sour sleep schedule, experts say. “Morning light helps set the timing of melatonin release later in the day. Without it, people may feel more alert at night and more fatigued during the Continued on Page 7
2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026 - Page 3
AI is transforming agriculture Technology has revolutionized global agriculture. Automation has changed the agricultural sector, and those changes might have arrived in the nick of time. The global population is projected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that food production has to increase by at least 70 percent to keep up with demand. In order to address the deficit without exhausting the Earth’s finite resources, many farmers are seeking help from artificial intelligence (AI). AI offers farmers additional perks as well. Precision agriculture Precision is a notable benefit of utilizing AI within the agricultural sector. By using AI-powered sensors and satellite imagery, farmers can monitor crop health by looking at each and every plant instead of inspecting by the acre. According to a report by MarketsandMarkets, a revenue impact and marketing consulting firm, the market for AI in agriculture is expected to grow from $1.7 billion (the figure in 2023) to $4.7 billion by 2028. Precision helps to keep plants strong and weed-free. AI-driven “see-and-spray” technology utilizes computers to identify weeds among crops and apply herbicides only to those weeds. This reduces blanket-spraying an entire field, which is a waste of resources. Research published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry indicates that this AI-guided tool can reduce herbicide use by up to 90 per cent. This reduces costs to farmers and benefits local ecosystems. Risk management Weather across the planet has featured an uptick in volatile, unanticipated conditions. This can make planting even more challenging for farmers. AI models can process decades of historical weather data, soil conditions and atmospheric changes to offer predictive analytics that help the agriculture industry. By using predictive AI tools, farmers can determine optimal planting windows to maximize yield, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute.
In addition, AI algorithms can predict outbreaks of pests and diseases before farmers notice them on their own. Multispectral imagery from drones can detect crop stress caused by nutritional deficiencies or fungus days before a human might recognize such indicators. By catching things early, farmers can reduce risk of a poor crop and financial losses. Automation Agricultural labour shortages are forcing farming operations to seek alternatives to get the job done. The American Farm Bureau Federation notes that farm
labour has become more expensive and it’s harder to find workers who want to do the arduous tasks often required of them. AI-driven robotics and autonomous tractors guided by GPS can help fill the void. These devices can work through the night, preparing soil, harvesting crops and performing other vital tasks. AI continues to be integrated into the agricultural sector. In order to maintain food security and mitigate labor shortages, farming operations are using technological tools to bridge gaps and improve efficiency.
Honouring the Hands that Harvest the Crops
www.briltd.com PARTS • SALES • SERVICE PRECISION AG
1 877-913-3373 Find us on social media
Excellent for clearing dust ou equipment from y your
765 CFM Cordless Blowers
WINTER IS COMING! Also works great for easy snow removal We Carry Fire Retardant Coveralls In-Store! Drug & Alcohol Testing services available
Call Colin 780-842-0399 for more info, or stop by On Line Locators 5001 - 48 Ave., Sedgewick, AB OPEN Monday thru Friday 8 am - 4 pm
Page 4 - 2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026
Seeds of Change: Farming Through the Ages Janet Olson Staff Reporter
Holden area resident and farmer Kevin Komarnisky, his wife Anna-Mae, and son Ryan recently reflected on farming through the years with the Tofield Mercury. “I started farming when I was 15 years old and still going to school,” recounts Kevin. “I made a deal with my dad, and he told me that I could farm that quarter of land the way I wanted, but I had to help him with the rest.” Kevin started grain farming and ended up buying one calf. “I got this heifer and from there, got a calf, and then I had three, five, seven, and then Dad just finally said we would just mix the herd together. We had 26 cows at the time.” Anna-Mae added that she brought five heifers when she and Kevin married. When asked when he knew he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, Kevin recalls, “I knew I was going to be farming right from when I was a kid. I would get off the bus – Mom would make me change my clothes – then I would go out in
the field to find Dad and ride with him on the tractor.” “Grandpa moved here in 1905 from Ukraine and bought this quarter in 1925 for $1760 from Canadian Pacific Railway,” says Kevin. “Part of the stipulation when purchasing was that he had to break at least five acres for three years, to have a total of 15 acres.” When asked if he would do it all over again, Kevin did not take long to say that he would. Like his father, Ryan knew from childhood that farming was in his future. He remembers the excitement of learning each new task, especially operating the sprayer and combine for the first time. He is hopeful that his own son will continue the legacy and, given his enthusiasm around the cows and equipment, it looks promising. Both generations recall when GPS came onto the landscape. “It changed everything,” said Kevin. “You don’t need to turn the steering wheel now; just tell it where you want it to go and lock it on-line. A lot of guys used it for spraying.
Wishing the best for the farmers during this harvest season!
Village of Ryley 780-663-3653 • www.ryley.ca We are grateful for local farmers and their dedication ~ have a safe harvest. From Richard, Tyler, Christine, Dave, Kyle, Trevor & Kelly
780-663-3583
There was no way to see where you had been. Guys used to float a tire on the end of the boom to leave a mark in the field so you would know where you had been. Then they came out with foam markers for a while that would drop like soap so you knew where to go.” Kevin noted that farms are much larger today. “Back then, a quarter section was often all a person farmed. No one went to town for milk; families milked their own cows and gathered eggs from their chickens. Farms used to be much smaller – one farmer might buy a thrashing machine, but he did not have enough guys to do it, so then maybe five farmers
would get together and take turns to do everyone’s crop. Farmers still help each other.” Both generations emphasized how farming is passed on down through the generations, and that is how most people end up in farming. Added to that is the challenge for someone looking to make a fresh start in farming, given the costs of machinery, land, etcetera. “Dad was a big farmer with 1,100 acres,” says Kevin. “Not every farmer has someone to pass the farm onto when they pass away – often times local farmers pick up some of the land and get bigger themselves,” added Ryan. When asked for any
advice they would give to someone looking to get into farming, Kevin says that if someone is looking for a 9-5 job, farming is not it. It can involve 16-18 hour days, especially during busier times like springtime and harvest. But a big perk is being your own boss. Ryan emphasized the importance of giving it
a good solid try before deciding if farming is for you. When asked what her favourite part of farming is, Anna-Mae talked about how she has always loved living on a farm. “It is peaceful and quiet. There are neighbours you can talk to, and everyone knows everyone.”
JANET OLSON PHOTO
Holden-area farmer Kevin Komarnisky bales hay.
Wishing our farmers a safe harvest! 5407 - 50 St. 780-662-3269
Wishing our local farmers a safe harvest!
THANK YOU! Mayor Hall and Council
Tofield Car, RV, & Truck Wash RV Storage available 780-838-2991 Purchase or reload your gift card $50 = $10 bonus $100 = $20 bonus $200 = $50 bonus
Bring this coupon to take advantage of this promo! Ends Oct 31, 2026!
2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026 - Page 5
Scenes of harvest in Lamont County CRYSTAL MOREN TOP PHOTOS
WE HAVE THE PERSON FOR THE JOB ~ 24/7
~ SNOW REMOVAL
Harvest season is underway in Lamont County as Mark Starko brings in the wheat crop on a beautiful September day. MELISSA MACINTOSH-YOUNG PHOTO
BUSINESS FOR SALE
ELK ISLAND SEPTIC CLEANING
Servicing Lamont County and Strathcona County. Turn key operation; 100+ advertising signs hung on power poles throughout both counties, promoting business name and phone number with hundreds of repeat customers. Work-ready septic truck with active business and equipment package; set up for year-round operations. 2005 INTERNATIONAL 4300 Septic/ Vacuum TRUCK Current rebuilt Detroit 466 diesel engine; Approx. 1000 km Approx. 50 hours on rebuild, 405,000 km on truck. Km’s and hours are going up as business is busy and wheels are turning. Standard Eaton 6 speed transmission. Single axle ideal for getting into tight spaces. Pre DEF. New EGR, windshield, and brakes. New clutch one year ago. Rubber approx. 85%. Motor and injectors include 1-year warranty as of Aug 2026. All mechanical work with documentation and receipts done by Major Overhaul and Equipment in Sherwood Park. CVIP up to date and current til end of May 2027. Pump & Tank: Wallenstein pump, new veins one year ago. Brand new (April 2025) 2,250G tank, with one tank baffle built by Township Energy from Leduc. 120’ of 3” hose. Heated valves for cold-weather/ year round operation. This truck is ready for work and comes equipped for septic operations. Major component replacements and newer pump & tank make this a great option for someone looking to add a dependable septic truck to an existing operation, or start a business. Serious inquiries welcome. Additional photos, specifications, invoices and maintenance information available upon request.
Asking $150,000 +gst Brett Stadnick 587-991-0398
~ FENCING & FENCE REPAIRS ~ LANDSCAPING ~ YARD MAINTENANCE ~ CUSTOM BALING ~ TRENCHING ~ B O B C AT ~ D U M P T R U C K ~ CUSTOM METAL RENO’S ~ HANDY MAN JOBS ~ BRUSH CUTTING ~ MOWING Trevor Mikolajczyk 780-975-8343 mk 98 lt d@ g ma il.co m
Page 6 - 2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026
Prepare your home for the winter months Heidi Reist Staff Reporter
Autumn is here and winter isn’t that far off. Ensuring that your home and property is ready will not only save you money, but provide peace of mind. First, it is recommended to clean out eavestroughs. Buildup in gutters could cause water to be diverted to other areas of the home and cause extensive damage. Empty and store all outdoor water hoses, as any remaining water inside a hose could cause water lines to freeze. Ensuring that your furnace is ready is essential before the cold weather hits. This includes checking and replacing the filters if necessary, and checking
for moisture inside the furnace. If any dust is spotted, it may be a good idea to the air ducts cleaned. If there is any uneasiness about the functionality of a furnace, fall is the time to get an inspector to check it out, as wait times get progressively longer closer to winter. In the event of extreme cold temperatures, pipes have a tendency to burst. To prevent this, it is recommended to seal any leaks around indoor plumbing. Letting taps consistently drip during extreme temperatures also helps prevent water from freezing inside the pipes. To keep your home more airtight, it is recommended to seal any drafts with window
Wishing our local farmers a safe harvest, thanking you for your dedication.
seals and draft stoppers for doors. For fireplace owners, experts want to encourage everyone to have them cleaned and inspected before the first use. Fall is also a great time of year to check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, which involves testing the batteries and removing any buildup of dust. In the event of a power outage, an emergency kit is a musthave. Kits should include three days’ worth of food and bottled water, and flashlights. Kits should be lightweight and their location made known to everyone in the household. Winter may not be a season that many look forward to, but simple
checks and prep work
should make it easier to
deal with.
Wishing our local farmers a safe & bountiful harvest this fall! Ryley, Alberta 780-663-3828 www.cleanharbors.com
Billy Teefy 780-288-7172 • HOME MAINTENANCE
• PAINTING • RENOVATIONS
Thank You Farmers for your hard work & dedication.
Serving Beaver County, Camrose, Edmonton, Strathcona County
BLR Services Inc. - Licensed Heavy Duty Mechanic Mobile & Shop Services Agriculture - Construction - Tractor/Trailer - Skidsteers I am available to help you keep all of your machinery running smoothly.
780.688.3928 www.holden.ca
JAE AG Ventures Ltd Boss Feeds Mineral Tubs, Tarus Losse Mineral & Net Wrap Dealer
Call Bryan @ 780-686-6344
Get an early start
Thank you to the farmers and wishing you all the best during the harvest season!
JUSTIN EWASIUK - Holden, AB Phone: 1-780-603-7997 Email: JAEAGVENTURES@outlook.com
We would like to wish the farmers all the best during harvest season!
on your Christmas shopping! 780-243-3206 Located 1 KM West of Tofield on Hwy 14
2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026 - Page 7
Combines run day and night to finish harvest JAN BERGSETH PHOTO
From all over the Flagstaff region, farmers can be seen running their machinery long after the sun has set and under the light of the moon, as they hurry to finish harvesting their crops before more moisture comes along to halt operations. A slow start after some rainy cool weather put crops behind, but the most recent crop report from Alberta Agriculture, issued Sept. 22, says, “Regional harvest progress of major crops has progressed farthest in the South and Central regions at 63 and 44 per cent complete.” That’s a huge jump from just a week earlier when just 29 per cent of the crop had been harvested. Winter wheat is reported 99.5 per cent done, but Canola sat at just 14.9 per cent last Tuesday.
Alberta Time Continued from Page 2
day,” Myriam Juda, an adjunct professor and sleep researcher at Simon Fraser University, told the CBC She added that teenagers are particularly affected because their sleep patterns already tend to shift later. The US tried a permanent time shift to DST in 1974, but changed it back quickly. The two-year experiment was meant as an energy saving response to
the then global oil crisis. Initially, the support for full time daylight savings time hovered around 80 per cent. By the time the first winter on DST had ended, public support had dropped to less than 50 per cent. Some of the reasons full-time DST was rejected then included dark winter mornings, with sunrise not coming until 8:30 or 9 a.m. in the winter, which forced children to walk to school or wait at bus stops in pitch-black darkness. Parents, teachers, and workers strongly opposed the dark mornings,
Thank You to our Loyal Customers!
leading the experiment to end after the first full winter. In 2023, a similar “Sunshine Protection Bill,” almost passed in the US, but critics led opposition and it was not successful. In general, sleep scientists advocate for the adoption of permanent standard time, but that remains unpopular due to the loss of extra sunlight hours during the summertime. For Albertans, while it’s being touted as a permanent change, Premier Smith has said that only time will tell if it’s the
right call. She says Albertans should try it out for at least a year before deciding how they feel about it. She told CTV in the spring that she expects Albertans will prefer later winter sunrises over the incredibly early summer under permanent standard time. “I think on balance they would probably agree with the majority that daylight savings is the way to go.” Smith said that if she’s wrong, it’s possible the government could put the decision to a vote in 2027.
Planning a getaway this fall or winter? Make sure you have someone checking your home regularly to keep your insurance coverage in force. Call us to learn more!
From Stefan Cloutier, Manager, and the Staff
THE
JAMES AMES
Great Northern Grain
INSURANCE GROUP
Killam, Alberta
780-385-3622
888-385-3654
www.tjig.ca
Page 8 - 2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026
Thank you Producers and all of those who support and serve our Farming communities & families!
2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026 - Page 9
Preserving Harvest: a taste of fall in every jar Melissa MacIntosh-Young Staff Reporter
There is something about the arrival of fall that brings many of us back to the kitchen. As gardens are harvested and the days become shorter, kitchens begin to fill with the familiar sights and smells of preserving season. Tomatoes are picked before the frost, onions are pulled from the garden, and shelves are cleared to make room for rows of colorful jars. For generations, canning was an important part of preparing for winter. Families preserved whatever the garden produced, ensuring that summer's bounty could be enjoyed during the long, cold months ahead. But canning was about more than simply putting food away. It was often a family affair. Grandmothers passed recipes to their daughters and grandchildren. Friends gathered to peel, chop and stir. Recipes were shared over cups of coffee, and many were never written down at all. Instead, they were remembered by heart—a little more sugar here, another spoonful of spice there. Even today, there is something satisfying about seeing a pantry filled with homemade preserves. Each jar represents time spent in the kitchen and a connection to generations before us. One traditional favorite, particularly among families with Maritime roots, is Chow Chow. Unlike some versions that contain a variety of vegetables, this old-fashioned Maritime recipe keeps things simple, using green tomatoes and onions along with vinegar, sugar and pickling spices. Chow Chow is a sweet-and-tangy relish that is commonly served alongside hearty meals and is especially good with baked beans, meats and other comfort foods. The recipe below comes from an old cookbook recipe, handed down from family members, and it is a perfect way to use those green tomatoes that remain in the garden when the growing season comes to an end. Old-Fashioned Chow Chow Maritime This recipe makes approximately four pints. Ingredients • 5 1/2 lbs. green tomatoes, stem ends and cores removed, sliced • 1 1/2 lbs. onions, cut up • 1/3 cup coarse pickling salt
CE CHAN S! LAST ICKET T Y U TO B -3982
63
780-3
• 3 1/3 cups granulated sugar • 4 1/2 tbsp. mixed pickling spice, tied in a double layer of cheesecloth • 2 tsp. turmeric • 2 cups white vinegar Directions Layer the tomatoes with the onions and salt in a large saucepan. Cover and let stand on the counter overnight. The next morning, drain well. Add the remaining ingredients. The vinegar should just be visible through the mixture. Too much vinegar will result in excessive juice. Heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer, covered, for two hours, stirring occasionally. More turmeric can be added for color and more sugar can be added to taste. The original recipe recommends tasting a spoonful and adjusting the seasoning as desired. Spoon the hot Chow Chow into hot, sterilized pint jars, filling to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of the top. Place sterilized metal lids on the jars and secure with the bands. The original recipe also suggests that, for added assurance against spoilage, the filled jars may be processed in a boiling-water bath for five minutes. Makes approximately 4 pints. Whether you make Chow Chow every fall or are trying it for the first time, preserving is about more than the finished product. It is about carrying on traditions. It is about remembering the smell of vinegar simmering on the stove, the sound of jars being sealed and the satisfaction of looking at a counter covered with colorful jars at the end of a long day. And months later, when winter has settled in and the garden is nothing more than a memory, opening a jar of homemade Chow Chow brings a little piece of fall back to the table. Some traditions are worth preserving - and this is certainly one of them.
Jars of homemade Chow ready for the winter months
Thank You farmers, for your hard work - have a safe harvest!
LAMONT 780-895-2389 VEGREVILLE 780-632-6772 WAINWRIGHT 780-842-4408
CONSORT ST. PAUL VERMILION
403-577-3899 780-645-4465 780-853-5196
Page 10 - 2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026
Scenes from harvest in the region KARI JANZEN PHOTOS
We would like to take this time to thank all the farmers in our region, and wish them all a wonderful year.
2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026 - Page 11
Persistent rain puts damper on harvest Heidi Reist Staff Reporter
This year has proved to be a battle of the elements for Alberta farmers as persistent rain has resulted in delays for fall harvest. After some drought years, areas within Beaver County received over 700 millimetres (mm) of rain, 250 mm of which came in June, smashing a 112-yearold record when Beaver County received 216 mm of rain. The overland flooding caused by the unprecedented amount of rain led Beaver County to declare a state of agricultural disaster in July. The results of the deluge of rain meant that over the summer there was a lot of stand-
ing water in the fields, which resulted in crop flooding and poor germination. The excessive moisture made it difficult to spray the crops, which allowed for weed infestations, which, in turn, lowered crop yields. The struggle to get the seeds in the ground at the start of the season, due to the lack of persistent sunshine, resulted in the crops being at least two weeks behind what would normally be seen at this time. Farmers are saying that canola crops are especially bad this year, as they are usually the last fields to be planted due to their shorter growing season. The tiny canola seeds did not have the time
and conditions needed to fully germinate. The crops that were able to be established early and planted on higher ground did very well
comparatively. Some benefits of the rainy season meant that fields of hay grew really well with the extra moisture, although at
John Daoust Shingle Co. 780-662-4901
REALTOR® Phone: 780.863.6562 janetolson.ca
Wishing our farmers a safe harvest !
From the APA AUTO PARTS STAFF...
Wishing our Local Farmers A Safe & Productive Harvest! APA, working hand in hand with the local farmers!
5315 50th St. Tofield, AB 780-662-3212
Busy B
A shout out to all the local farmers have a safe harvest!
fore the snow falls, many are keeping their fingers crossed in hopes that the weather remains warm and dry for as long as possible.
Good luck to farmers during their harvest!
We wish the farmers all the best during their harvest!
5023 52 Ave., Tofield 780-662-3988
the same time making it a struggle for the cut hay to become dry enough to bale. As farmers race to get the crops in the bin be-
Wishing all of the local farmers a safe harvest.
North store 780-662-4116 South store 780-662-4325 Wishing all the farmers and gardeners a successful harvest!
Volunteers Welcome!
5102 50th St., Tofield 780-662-4014
Claystone is proud to support the agricultural community. www.phoenixrealtygroup.net “Where dreams find their address”
780-668-7305
ʸ˔˖˛ ˬ˘˔˥ʟ ˪˘ ˟˘˔˦˘ ˟˔ˡ˗˦ ˡ˘˫˧ ˧ˢ ˧˛˘ ˟˔ˡ˗Ѓ˟˟ ˧ˢ ˧˛˘ Beaver Heritage and Agricultural Society to plant crops that are used to fund the Ryley Pool. This $1 lease contributes $75,000 per year thanks to the volunteers who help with planting and harvesting the crop.
dynamitecory@icloud.com
May your harvest honor the earth and bring warmth to your home.
Thank you, Farmers claystonewaste.com
Page 12 - 2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026
Prairie company that supplies US military joins Canada’s new drone program Sonal Gupta Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
As Canada races to build its domestic defence industry, a drone maker that usually supplies the US military is getting its first real test with the Canadian Armed Forces. Draganfly has been selected by the federal government to supply surveillance drones to the Canadian Armed Forces under a procurement plan worth up to $50 million across all six suppliers, company’s CEO Cameron Chell said in an interview. Draganfly’s contract comes after Canada increased defence spending by more than $9 billion for 2025–26, the largest annual increase in generations. Total spending topped $63 billion, reaching NATO’s 2-percent target for the first time since the late 1980s. Now, the new contracts, worth up to $50 million, are expected to increase the number of drones currently deployed by Canada’s military by about 10 times. Draganfly plans to supply a low-cost surveillance drone called the Astiia UAS that uses cameras and sensors to gather information for military units. It’s about one foot square, can fly for 20 to 40 minutes and is designed for missions within five to eight kilometres. Already deployed and tested over Ukrainian battlefields, the Astiia is not designed to drop explosives or crash into targets, Chell said. Drones could help Canada monitor its vast northern territory and maintain a stronger presence in the Arctic. Draganfly sold its first commercial drone to the RCMP in 1998, Chell said. Since then, it has primarily worked with American defence contractors and supplied drones to the US Army, Air Force and Navy. For years, Canada’s defence market was small, and there was little government money available to buy the kind of equipment Draganfly makes, Chell said. But that
is changing as the federal government increases defence spending and works to strengthen Canada’s ability to design, manufacture and maintain military equipment at home, he said. “We have to stand on our own two feet,” he said. “We cannot rely on the United States to be that for us.” The deal with Draganfly is part of a broader defence plan announced last week, when Canada and Ukraine signed a declaration for a 100-year partnership focused on defence, trade, energy and critical minerals. The two countries say they want to combine Ukraine’s battlefield experience with Canada’s manufacturing and technology industries. The Canadian Armed Forces currently has about 2,000 drones. The federal government says it will need millions in the years ahead and is creating a national online marketplace where individual military units can find drones and other equipment from nearly 400 Canadian suppliers. Draganfly’s five-year agreement requires a supply of small, low-cost aircraft that military units can use to scout nearby terrain with cameras and sensors. The federal government will begin with 100 systems and have users assess their performance. The government has the option to purchase up to 4,900 more drones. Five other Canadian suppliers in Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick also have contracts for surveillance drones and ground vehicles that operate without a driver. The military will test whether the drones are reliable, easy to use and simple to maintain, Chell said. The process will also test whether Draganfly can produce drones at the scale Canada may eventually need. “A lot of people can build 10 drones that work pretty well,” he said. “But when you have to build 10,000 of them, all of them have to work perfectly.” The government is prioritizing lowercost systems because drones can be lost
Wild Rose
during operations, Chell said. The aircraft could be sent over contested terrain to gather information, even when there is a chance it may be shot down. “They lose that drone, no big deal, they send another one,” he said. Draganfly has also worked in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion, delivering humanitarian supplies, supporting mineclearing efforts and developing drones.
Chell said the work helped shape the Astiia’s design for battlefield threats, including radio-frequency jamming and efforts to shoot drones down — conditions that can’t be fully replicated in a laboratory. The company’s Canadian manufacturing operations are in Saskatoon and Burnaby. It plans to open an Alberta facility, likely in the Edmonton–Calgary corridor, by late 2027 and also operates facilities in the US.
2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026 - Page 13
New license plate promotes conservation berta Conservation Association. Purchasing these licence plates will help fund critical conservation work such as restoring habitats and monitoring wildlife as well as advancing research. “Alberta’s wildlife and wild places are a source of pride for people across our province. This licence plate gives Albertans an innovative, simple, and visible way to support conservation while celebrating one of our most iconic species. Every plate sold helps protect habitats and keeps our fish and wildlife populations healthy for future generations," Todd Loewen, Minister of Forestry and
Vanessa Poitras Staff Reporter
A new conservation licence plate is now available for Albertans to purchase as of Sept. 1. "Proceeds from sales of the new plate will be directed to the Alberta Conservation Association, a trusted organization with a long history of stewardship, habitat restoration, wildlife research and support for sustainable outdoor activities across Alberta," a media release from the Government of Alberta said. The cost of the specialty plate is $75, with $55 going straight to the Al-
Parks said. "The plate features an iconic painting of two of Alberta’s famous bighorn sheep with Mount Lougheed in the background. The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep is Alberta’s provincial mammal and one of the province’s most recognizable and celebrated species. Artwork for the plate is based on a commissioned piece by Alberta artist Desmond McCaffrey," stated the media release. Albertans have the opportunity to
show their pride and support conservation efforts across the province with this licence plate. "By choosing this specialty plate, drivers can proudly contribute to safeguarding Alberta’s diverse ecosystems and the species that call them home. With each plate purchased, Albertans are helping ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy the breathtaking landscapes and wildlife that define the province," the media release said.
Holden, Alberta 780.688.2203
Conservation licence plate. PHOTO PROVIDED
)$// 0$&+,1(5< &216,*10(17 $8&7,21 :H DUH QRZ DFFHSWLQJ /LVWLQJV IRU WKLV 6DOH $Q\ LWHPV SUHOLVWHG E\ 6HSWHPEHU WK ZLOO EH LQFOXGHG LQ RXU 6DOHV 3RVWHUV 1HZVSDSHU 5DGLR $GYHUWLVLQJ :HE 3DJH 6RFLDO 0HGLD
0 Holden Out 320 Acres For Sale October 22, 2026 from 9-10am
Holden, AB
$OOHQ % 2OVRQ $XFWLRQ 6HUYLFH /WG +Z\ (DVW 2൶FH 7ROO )UHH 5LPEH\ 2൶FH (PDLO DEROVRQ#WHOXVSODQHW QHW :HEVLWH ZZZ DOOHQROVRQDXFWLRQ FRP /LFHQVH 1R
PA 3
/RFDWLRQ +Z\ 5JH 5G 0LOH (DVW RI +Z\ 6RXWK 6LGH RI WKH 5RDG 3KRQH 2൶FH $DURQ 2OVRQ $OOHQ 2OVRQ
R C
EL
S
6HOOLQJ (TXLSPHQW WR DOO IRXU :HVWHUQ 3URYLQFHV 1RUWKHUQ 86$
Selling Farm Land, It’s All We Do $2 ,3 0
$XFWLRQ 6WDUWV 2FWREHU WK &ORVHV 2FWREHU WK WR WK
R
SL
+:< ($67 6$/(6 <$5'
Viking Three Stars 479 Acres For Sale July 7, 2027 from 9-10am info@clhbid.com 1 866 263 7480
Viking, AB
Page 14 - 2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026
Shop Your Essentials!
W OW
!
780-385-3644
ESSENTIALS Pedialyte Oral Tylenol Cold, Kids & Hydration Solution Children & Infant Motrin, Benylin Powder Sticks or Cough Syrup, Aveeno Freezer Pops Body Wash & Lotion, Listerine Check In Store OFF for Details!
LAWRENCE SARAFIN SARAF SARAFINCHAN FIN
20%
Flyer Prices in effect Friday, Oct 2 to Thursday, Oct. 8 Robax Platinum, Robaxacet, or Robaxisol Caplets
Budding Ideas Paw Prints Available! Boxx 35 780-3 B 780-385-2004 Pilot Truck Service 780-385-3976 780-385-3771
Nosh & Co Nuts & Mixes 200-250g or Jar 525-600g
$499
18s Selected Types
Agriculture Heavy Equipment Hauling
Pringles Chips
$1249
148-156g
780-385-2004
$299
Check Out our Kit FORESTBURG Products, Beauty Products, Appealing to All Ages!VET CLINIC .
K
780-385-3598
, AB T0B 4N0 T0
780- 89-3774
Sedgewick
99¢780-582-3560 Enters Hay Tool Market! $19 9
Killam, Alberta
Serving Town & Country since 1962
780-385-3014 780-582-3970
Open Hours: 9-6 Mon thru Fri, 9-4 Saturday & Closed Sunday.
A three bladed disc is just one of the many features on our disc mowers which allow for a third less load per blade an
ea
780-
-2527
T h aJOIN n$75 k yG o uCUS Fa r m s fo r CG ROW I N GOUR o u r l oFARMERS! c a780-385-3598 l communities! INerTHANKING 780-374-3939 780-3 IFT
ERTIFICATE
UPCAKES
WILD ROSE
Flagstaff Family & Community Services Cro-West
Killam Construction &
“We appreciate our farmers!”
780-385-3771
780-385-3976 780-3
Forster Feeder n off Hardisty Chris’s Waterwell Town Manufacturing Ltd. Servicing & CHRIS CULSHAW
KILLAM FAX: 385-3166
Forster Hydrovac Service
Box
LIQUOR KILLAM 780-385-0949 780-385-3165 7 80-385-3771 7 80-385-3976 780-385-2283 7 8 0 8 8 8 2 3 4 9 780-888-3623 78080-582-3560 www.ampedenergy.ca CROWESTDIRTWORKS@GMAIL.COM $25 G IFT CERTIFICATE GIFT CARD Dirtworks Ltd
780-385-3050
Losness Robuck Drilling Trucking (780) 386-3764 Ltd. www.losnessdrilling.com www.losnessdrilling.com
Killam General Insurance Alberta Registries Agent Box 369, Forestburg
Hoss, Tracey, & Staff
Sedgewick, AB
Killam, Alberta
www.briltd.com 780-385-3598 780-385-3949 780-3 780-384-3065 780-374-3939 (780)-582-3560 384-3932 Open Daily 11am - 8pm Killam
$40 G IFT CARD
New Skid Steers!
$25 G IFT CERTIFICATE Shelcraft Town of Hardisty Dagwood’s ANDREASSEN Woodwork Auto & Diesel BORTH An Independent Business Serving Independent Agri-Business
9-6 Mon - Fri, LAW 9-4 OFFICE Saturday
STORE HOURS:
Mon. - Fri. 8 am - 6 pm Sat. 9 am - 4 pm Closed Sunday Sun. Noon - 4 pm
780-374-3939
Killam Office 7 80-385-3598 (780) 385-3670
5515 - 51 Ave. GIFT B ASKET
Town of Hardisty GIFT CERTIFICATE
Daysland, D Daysland l d Alberta Alb t
(Hwy 13) Killam (780) 385-2227 780-888-2349
(1997) Ltd. Repair
Killam, Alberta Hardisty, Alberta
7780-888-2349 80-385-2344
ELECTRIC LTD.
Killam, Alberta 780-385-3652 780-385-3563 780-888-3623
Coutts Home Hardware
Forestburg, Alberta Toll Free 1-866-582-3556 780-888-3623
Your HOME Appliance Store 780-385-3642
780-374-2107
780-
2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026 - Page 15 Mostly warm, sunny weather over the past week has aided farmers in getting a good chunk of their harvest done. Pictured is a field near Tofield as the trees show the quick transition to fall. LISA KUFLAY PHOTO
5108 - 50 Ave., Daysland | 780-374-3786
To those that work In acres, not in hours..... We are proud to support you!
All Your Product Needs
Authorized Dealer For
Your One-Stop Shop for the Parts and Products you need!
•Schumacher (Guards & Sections) • Tines • Chopper Blades • Floating Pumps • Banjo Fittings • Bearings • CabCAM • Crop Lifter • Combine Canvas • Baler Belts • Roller Chain
For all your crop input needs
Combine Canvas
Killam - 780-385-2230 Forestburg - 780-582-3887
AG OEM LED Lights
• Feeder Chain • PTO Parts • Tilage & Harrow Parts • Disc Blades • 3 Point Hitch Parts • Turbo Drum • Combine Drum & Parts • Header Teeth & Parts • Agricultural OEM LED Lighting • LED Light Bars • Cleaning Supplies
Turbo Drum
• HOME HARDWARE PRODUCTS (ELECTRICAL PLUMBING HEATING)
• Small Motors • Sprayer Parts • RV Parts • Netwrap & Baler Twine • Grain Bags • Rubber Tracks & Bogey Wheels • Welding Supplies • Air Seeder Hose • Industrial Hose • Smoker Pellets
Cab Cam
780-374-3786
PTO Parts EMERGENCY AFTER-HOURS SERVICE CALL 780-226-7278 (226-PART)
To those who work in acres, not hours We thank you!
From Flagstaff County Council and Staff
Page 16 - 2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026
Farmer harvesting quarter section for foreign aid program John Mather Staff Reporter
If field conditions were right Lamont area farmer Robert Hennig is going to harvest his grain crop for the Canadian Food Grains Bank. “Hopefully we’ll get out Friday or Saturday,” he told the Leader Sept. 24. “It all depends on the weather conditions.” He was harvesting a quarter section at the corner of Hwy 29 and Hwy. 855, north of Mundare.In a. Update Sept. 28, he said he hadn’t yet been able to get on the field and hoped to get out later this week. Hennig said his family would be harvesting the field and donating to the food grains bank for the first time. “We have contributed before but this is
the first growing project we’ve undertaken.” He said the federal government offered a financial match for the crops harvested. Last year he said the government supplied $20 million for the foreign aid program. “You can deliver your grain to the elevator and instruct them that it’s for the food grains bank,” Hennig said. “Additionally you can seek out some sponsorship from seed or fertilizer suppliers and raise funds for the food grains bank that way.” He said the harvest crew would be about six people running three combines. Canadian Food Grains Bank is a partnership of 15 Canadian churches and church-based agencies working together to end global hunger.
Ryan Warawa, Riley Warawa and Justin Warawa enjoyed dinner in the field during harvest on Sept. 15 delivered by Tina Warawa. Tina had been talking to residents at the Andrew Rainbow Club’s peroghy dinner when she decided to purchase some meals for her relatives.
Have you eaten today? Thank a Farmer! Purple Scissor Campbell Campbell KILLAM MAXIM McLennan PLUMBING & HEATING McLennan KILLAM, ALTA.
Chrysler • Dodge • Jeep
Killam ✦JEEP CHRYSLER DODGE Big Town Dealership, CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM
Killam, AB
780-582-3539 Toll Free 1-877-385-2331
5009 - 49 Ave. Forestburg www.campbellmclennan.com
AUTOMOTIVE LTD.
s
780-385-3791
Killam, Alberta
Vaughn Prichard
7 80-385-3644
780-385-3562
Killam, Alberta
Along Hwy 13, 4951 51 Ave.
Make Daysland Your Home!
www.Daysland.com 780-374-3767
VILLAGE OF FORESTBURG
780-384-3504 www.sedgewick.ca
Murray Prichard
Mayor, Councillors, and Staff
780-582-2220
780-582-3668
Budding g Ideas Paw w Prints Dan & Kathryn Fee Village of Lougheed www.villageoflougheed.com Killam, AB AquaAltaLtd@gmail.com 7780-385-3014 80-88 8 9-3774 780-386-3970 780-888-5381 • Backhoe Services, Trenches & Digging
780-385-3977
Budding FORESTBURG Sedgewick Providence VIKING VET T CLINIC HOME Ideas Place HARDWARE
Place “For allAging your in floral needs.” DIESEL REPAIR & PARTS Daysland, AB LTD.
We salute our Agricultural Producers!
Wild Rose
Killam, AB Dr. Jeff Serfas 4841 47th St., Sedgewick Main Street, Killam 5002 - 47 Ave. Sedgewick 780-384-4100 780-385-7827 Flagstaff Family & 780-336-3123 780.384.3528 flagstaff.ab.ca 7780-374-2527 80-385-3014 7 80-582-3970 7 80-3 -2527 You’re at home here. 780-384-3606 Community Services
2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026 - Page 17
VANESSA POITRAS PHOTO
A beautiful view at Black Nugget Lake Park in Beaver County.
LISA KUFLAY PHOTO
This coyote was spotted in a farmers field in the west end of Beaver County.
KC
• Tofield 780-662-0165 • Mundare 780-764-2238
• For all your eye care needs • Evening and weekend Appointments Available Book online @ WWW.TOFIELDEYECARE.COM TEL: 780-662-0104 5024 51 Ave., Tofield AB
Wishing the farmers the best during their harvest!
Beaver County Seed Cleaning would like to wish the farmers a safe harvest season!
Wishing Farmers a Safe and Successful Harvest for 2026!
780-662-0330 VANESSA POITRAS PHOTO
Five bees hanging out on this sunflower.
Phone: 780-688-3917
• Holden, AB
Page 18 - 2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026
Blue Cross coverage changes for users on Oct. 1 Anna Smith Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Upcoming changes to health coverage co-ordination may result in private maximums being reached sooner. An email sent to Alberta Blue Cross members detailed upcoming changes to coverage, following the upcoming implementation of further aspects of the Health Statutes Amendment Act, or Bill 11. The changes as they apply to the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act are scheduled to be implemented Oct. 1 following earlier changes that came into effect Sept. 1. These notably included physicians being able to operate within both the public and private health-care systems. Upcoming changes affect how group, personal and governmentsponsored benefit plans work together, Alberta Blue Cross says. Most notably, it establishes that in the event a patient has both a private plan, such as group benefits provided by an employer or a personal plan, as well as a government sponsored plan, the private plan must be billed first. “Government will become the payor of last resort, meaning a claim must first be submitted through any eligible private coverage before public coverage may apply,” said Alberta Blue Cross. Currently, the government is first payor for some programs, such as Coverage for Seniors, while being last payor for a variety of other programs for
low-income individuals. After the changes, the Government of Alberta-sponsored programs, Non-Group Coverage and Coverage for Seniors, will become last payor for certain benefits. While precise benefits depend on the program, this could include prescription drugs, land ambulance services, home nursing
care, chiropractic services, prosthetic and orthotic benefits, hospital accommodation, mastectomy prosthesis and clinical psychological services. Those who only have private coverage and those who only have government-sponsored coverage are not expected to see any meaningful change. Those with both may
reach the annual plan maximums on employer group or personal benefits plan sooner, greater reliance on public coverage once those maximums are reached and out-ofpocket costs for expenses that are not covered by either private or public coverage. The legislation also requires employers to maintain coverage for
Viking Meats
780-336-3193
• Groceries • Fresh Produce • Dairy • Meat Counter • Custom Sausages • Fireworks •
Farmers continue to provide inexpensive and abundant food for Albertans through their modern production technology. We celebrate with pride in the accomplishments of our local farmers.
prescription drugs and select services for active employees aged 65 or older, including ambulance services, clinical psychological services, home nursing care and chiropractic services. Alberta Blue Cross says it will provide updates as more details on
the implementation of the legislation become clear. The Medicine Hat News reached out to the Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services on Tuesday for comment but has not yet received a statement.
IRMA
We salute farmers of today and tomorrow because they keep us fed. Without farmers and farming industries we would not be provided with the great variety of food we enjoy today.
Thank You
From Management, 0 ûČ & Board of the Irma Co-operative Association 780-754-3654
IRMA INSURANCE SERVICES FARM - AUTO - HOME - COMMERCIAL
Saluting our farmers!
Your Independent Insurance Broker.
Ph: 780-754-2121 Fax: 780-754-2239 Email: irmainsurance@baughan.ca
Viking Insurance Viking Registries 780-336-4711
Thanks to all our Farmers! We salute the dedicated men and women of our agricultural industry. Their commitment to produce a thriving variety of crops and livestock requires long hours, risk and hard work. Our hats go off to you! ~ Staff and Management
Farmers, thank you for all that you do!
~ Irma Mayor, council, staff and residents
2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026 - Page 19
Rural voices drive grants supporting targets of family violence George Lee Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
New grants worth $15 million to help address family violence have arrived on the scene because of wise counsel from rural Alberta, the minister of children and family services says. Emergency family violence shelters in small-town Alberta “created the impetus” for the three new funding streams, Searle Turton told this reporter. “They were looking for more innovative grant streams, ones with flexible options to meet their specific geographic concerns,” he said. Turton’s comments came a day after a Sept. 2 announcement of staggered closing dates for applications under grants the province teased in July. First up is a $4-million envelope called the Facility Grant Pilot Program, with money available for upgrades and maintenance of eligible women’s shelters for roofing, heating and ventilation projects. Applications for the capital grants close Sept. 29. Requests for new or increased dollar support to “adapt to changing community needs and strengthen services” are supported through a new operational fund that sets aside $5.1 million. Applications close Oct. 6. And the Regional Collaboration and Innovation Grant, worth $5.8 million in total, supports projects over two years to help groups build partnerships, improve coordination and develop innovative emergency family violence services. Applications close Oct. 15. The new grants are part of an advancement of Alberta’s 10-year strategy to end gender-based violence. Released in May 2025, it’s putting more than $188 million this fiscal year towards expanding prevention efforts and increasing access to supports and services. The funding includes more than $93 million for the prevention of family and sexual violence, supporting women’s shelters and sexual assault centres. Children and Family Services supports 31 women’s emergency shelters, 19 second-stage shelters, two alternative service delivery models, five fee-for-service shelters in First Nations communities and the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters. The ministry also recently provided funding for 15 sexual assault centres
and their umbrella group, the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services, along with eight child advocacy groups. The three new streams follow a rocky reception to a needs-based assessment system, which the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters said in late May reduced funding for over a dozen shelters, most of them rural. The province then course corrected with the announcement of $700,000 in transitional funding to give service providers — many in less populated centres — extra preparation time. The minister said the government has been working on the shift to needs-based funding for three years and that the shelters knew it was coming. “There also came questions about specific concerns and challenges in rural areas that are not the same as the ones in the large urban areas of Calgary or Edmonton,” said Turton, who represents Spruce Grove-Stony Plain. Flexibility for regional collaboration is big for the shelters, because often they don’t have the traffic or money on their own for the tools or service to meet all needs. “I'm very thankful that our ministry at this time has been able to help provide these options for rural
All the Best for 2026 Harvest!
shelters.” Turton said recent changes in his ministry’s approach have been groundbreaking and are getting attention from other provinces. “This is probably the largest transformation and addition of improvements in family violence, sexual assault and child advocacy centres that we have had in decades,” he said. Although the results of the changes haven’t been fully measured, the province does know that increasing numbers of Albertans are using the services. “Instead of just having silos for different agencies around the province, we are now truly supporting a spectrum of care that residents are able to access,” Turton said. “We realize that there's a lot more that can be done, but because of our efforts there are a lot of Albertans being looked after that otherwise would not have had the opportunity to access these services,” he added.
7 8 0 . 9 9 2780-992-1449 . 1 4 4 9 Celebrating 11213 - 88 Ave 11213-88 Ave Fo r t SasFort. katc heSaskatchewan wan 14 years!
THANK YOU FARMERS! REGULAR 24/7 TOWING
PLUS equipment, sheds, antique/classic vehicles, RVs, and more!!
780-998-7668
Don’t think Towing – Think Titan!
Mayor, Council & Staff
Thank You to all of the local farmers. Have a safe harvest. T h a n k Yo u f a r m e r s , have a safe and productive har vest!
Wishing our local farmers a safe and successful harvest this fall.
Starting October 19th, 2026
THANK YOU FARMERS LAMONT
5109 50 Ave
780-895-2454
5030 50 Ave, Lamont, AB
780.895.2411
ALL THE BEST TO OUR FARMERS, HAVE A SAFE & SUCCESSFUL HARVEST
780.702.9880
185053 18553 Township Road 562
HOURS: Tuesday - Saturday 9 - 4:30 pm
www.stmichaellandfill.ca
CLOSED Sunday, Monday and all statutory holidays
Page 20 - 2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026
Unnecessary barriers removed for farmer water management Janet Olson Staff Reporter
In news for Alberta farmers, the province is restoring private property rights by removing unnecessary regulatory barriers that limit how farmers manage water on their own cropland. These changes are in direct response from the concerns of Alberta farmers and agricultural organizations. In a recent news release, Grant Hunter, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, said: “Farmers should not have to spend thousands of dollars and wait for government KARI JANZEN PHOTO
approval to carry out routine work on their own land. We are restoring private property rights and getting government out of the way where it doesn’t need to be. These commonsense changes will save farmers time and money and give them greater control over how they manage their own property.” Under the existing system, routine farming activities that affect temporary or seasonal wetlands may require regulatory approval. The new approach will remove approval and replacement requirements for specified farming activities on private cropland. Water managed
under these exemptions must remain on the farmer’s property, helping protect neighbouring landowners and downstream infrastructure. Where water could affect downstream landowners, their consent will be required. The new exemptions will apply to specified agricultural activities on private cropland, including cultivating, direct seeding, spraying, surface water draining or ditching, and infilling involving ephemeral water bodies and temporary and seasonal wetlands. “Farmers care about wetlands, the environment, and the wildlife that lives on the landscape. Water, in wet
years like this year, can have a detrimental and long-term impact through flooding and erosion. These management changes will allow farmers to protect our soils while continuing to provide habitat for birds, mammals and other species,” said Andre Harpe, chair, Alberta Canola. “Respect for property rights means trusting landowners to responsibly manage their land, and Alberta farmers have demonstrated that responsibility for generation,” said Peter J. Dobbie, KC, farmers’ and property rights advocate of Alberta.
KARI JANZEN PHOTO
LISA KUFLAY PHOTO
A bull moose was running down the road in the west end of Beaver County.
2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026 - Page 21
We thank our local farming community!
Thank you farmers, we wouldn't be here without you!
Lougheed, AB 780-386-3755
Alberta Producers Feeding the World
Main Street Lougheed, AB 780-386-2254
Business for Sale - Inquire if Interested!
Dylan Hogstead & Staff Serving all of Flagstaff County Located 4602-50 St. Sedgewick 780-384-3535
From seeding g to ship pping pp g g,,
Thank you, Farmers It can ttake k years off effort ff t and d planning l i tto b build ild a productive farm. Many exist today only because they have been passed from one caring generation to the next. It is our pleasure to pay tribute to the stability of our farming community and to those who have worked so hard to make it successful.
DAYSLAND PHARMACY Daysland, AB (780) 374-3900
IT IS OUR PLEASURE TO
SERVE ALL AREA FARM FAMILIES.
WE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AND WISH YOU A SUCCESSFUL HARVESTSEASON !
Viking, AB 780-336-4944
Strome Seed Cleaning Plant We Appreciate Your Business! Contact us with all of your marketing marketing, seed cleaning cleaning, and upgrading needs!
780-376-3573
We’ve watched farming advance from ploughs to precision combines. Across a century of agriculture, one thing hasn’t We know relationships are the cornerstone of our business; we’re proud to be part of the informed decisions on your farm.
Find us at
www.PARRISHANDHEIMBECKER.com
Dakota Crop Inputs Sedgewick, Alberta
Viking Grain and Crop Inputs
780-384-2265
780-336-2413
Page 22 - 2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026
40 years on, killing of Alberta woman remains unsolved Brook Wagner Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Forty years later, still no one has been arrested in the killing of a young Alberta woman who was strangled in an Edmonton motel room. Melodie Riegel was 19 when she died. A chambermaid found her body on Sept. 21, 1986 in Room 320 of the former Pan American Motel in Edmonton’s Kingsway area. An autopsy showed she had been strangled. The motel has since been torn down. Riegel grew up in Medicine Hat. She had been taking a hairdressing course in Calgary, a friend says. Melodie was last seen around 10 p.m. on Sept. 20, 1986, in central Edmonton. Whoever rented her room used a false name. Police
say it was registered to a “Bruce Stevens,” who claimed to be from Grande Prairie. Investigators believe the name was invented, and that the man’s hometown claim was false, too. He had checked in at 11 p.m. the same night Riegel went missing. Rigel, who was commonly called “Tasha” by her friends, stood roughly 5-foot-2, weighed 100 pounds and had blonde hair. When she vanished, she was wearing a purple leather jacket, a blue and black turtleneck sweater, blue jeans and white boots. Police released that description, along with the colour of her clothing, hoping someone would remember her. The case is still open. The Edmonton Police Service lists it as unsolved on its cold case website. There has been no arrests in the four decades since. Police reopened the file in 2011, on the 25th anniversary of the killing. A renewed appeal often helps,
Detective Howie Antoniuk said at the time. “A plea will always bring in tips,” he said. “I’ve been on this unit for four years and every time there’s a plea or a mention of something happening on a file, it inevitably jogs people’s memories.” The case drew new attention again Monday, the 40th anniversary of Riegel’s death. A friend named Marina remembered her as a gentle and kind. “She was very sweet,” Marina said. Riegel once looked after her young son for a whole summer while she worked. Marina also criticized the original investigation. “I was furious with EPS as they did not do a good investigation,” she said. Anyone with information can call the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Police ask that tips include file number 86-154600.
Melodie Riegel
Salute to Agriculture!
with a big A strong harvest is transforming the local landscape into a sea of large hay bales. KARI JANZEN PHOTO
(780) 583-2476
24 hour emergency service
Proud to be Part of the Community! Maximize your profit this winter… Book a fall herd health visit.
FARMERS
Discuss preventative medicine and herd management while preg checking your herd.
Iron Creek Veterinary Hospital For all your pet and livestock needs
Sedgewick, AB
780-384-0003
Happy Harvest to all of our local Producers!
mike@bullheadenviro.com
2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026 - Page 23
Former US ambassador implores Canadians to take advantage of trade strife David Boles Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Canada's former ambassador to the United States says this country simply cannot "ride out" the current trade strife with the United States. Kirsten Hillman built her speech around this message in Edmonton on Thursday, Sept. 10, at the 2026 Alberta Industrial Heartland Association annual conference, a gathering of major players forming the industries that make up the business area in and around the Alberta capital. "You're exactly what our country needs right now," said Hillman, who served as the country's ambassador from 2020 to February 2026. "You're exactly the kind of example that should be set." Canada's economic relationship with the United States played a major role in shaping the conference's tone, with former natural resources minister Seamus O'Regan attending with a message calling on Canada to embrace the moment. The United States and Canada have been locked in a trade dispute, one that dates back to American President Donald Trump's re-taking office in January 2025 and almost immediately levying tariffs on Canada. Trade tensions were heightened recently when the two sides broke off talks on a new deal, leading each side to accuse the other of sabotaging the agreement. The Trump administration responded by angrily levying more tariffs, leading the Carney Liberal government to retaliate with dollar-for-dollar levies. "This is not necessarily an adminis-
tration that is deeply wedded to the facts of our relationship," said Hillman bluntly. The Industrial Heartland is described as the third-largest industrial cluster on the planet, with one of its biggest developments being the Meta AI data centre. Meta, the California-based tech conglomerate that owns Facebook and Instagram, is spending $13 billion to build the data centre, which is one of many going up in the area. The Edmonton area is also home to multiple pipelines and energy infrastructure, which is Alberta's primary economic driver. That infrastructure is also responsible for providing most of the oil and gas in the United States. According to data from the Business Council of Alberta, the United States receives around four million barrels of crude oil from Canada. President Donald Trump and his Republican administration have frequently stated that they want business to be done in America, something Hillman says offers Canada a unique opportunity to seize. After her speech, Hillman sat down for a fireside chat in which she addressed Alberta's economic drivers and their importance during this dispute with the United States. "This is why resilience remains important," she said. "And this is why I think what you guys are doing here is so important with finding other options and continuing to make yourself as indispensable as possible to our biggest customer." While Hillman noted the importance of being a stable, trusted partner to the United States, the attentive audience taking in her every word also absorbed
her message about how a united Canada navigates its relationship with a more transactional United States of America. "This will come to pass," said Hill-
man. "When will it? I do not know. But it will only come to pass, I think, when on the U.S. side, that those kind of terms can never be acceptable." -St. Albert Gazette
Lougheed Co-op Seed Cleaning Plant P.O. Box 123, Lougheed, AB,T0B 2V0 Manager: Jeremy Simpson, 780-386-3771 Email: lscp@xplornet.com Website: lougheedprocessing.ca
RETAILERS FOR: 403-443-2577 780-777-5885 780-385-5330
PEDIGREED SEED FOR SALE Wheat: AAC Brandon AAC Hodge AAC Hockley AAC Wheatland AAC Starbuck
Barley: AB Cattlelac CDC Fraser Esma Peas: AAC Carver
Oats: CDC Arborg
Seed Treating Available
Page 24 - 2026 CARIBOU PUBLISHING FALL SECTION, September 30, 2026
JANET OLSON PHOTO
HEIDI REIST PHOTO
KARI JANZEN PHOTO
VANESSA POITRAS PHOTO
KARI JANZEN PHOTO
Economy Concrete Farmers are our bread and butter.
Thanks for all you do!
Thank you to the farmers for all their hard work and late nights to put food on our table!
Wishing the best for our farmers during this years harvest!
780-662-2600
BP s Glass
780-884-5698 5204 – 50 St. Tofield, AB
780-662-0085
Thank you farmers! Ryley Sausage wishes you all the best this harvest season!
Holden Country Bottle Depot 780-688-3378 • 780-632-9313
Phone: 780-663-3990
Best wishes to the farmers during harvest!
RYALTA INDUSTRIES LTD. 5105 - 50 St. Ryley
780-663-3759 Working together with the local farmers to help bring in the harvest.
All the best this fall! THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATRONAGE
Coyote Auto Salvage
Wishing our farming community a safe and productive harvest season!
Quality and Service I would like to buy your unwanted vehicles. Competitive prices paid.
(780) 289-8147
Email: coyoteauto@hotmail.com
Wishing the farming community an abundant harvest!
Tofield Bottle Depot would like to wish the farmers a great harvest season!
Hours of Operation Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
780-662-4400
Best wishes to farmers during their harvest! From Trevor & Staff at Tofield, Camrose & Wetaskiwin SHAREK ENTERPRISES
We are located at 5304 - 56 St. We sort your bottles!
780-662-3936