www.crowsnestpassherald.ca • 403-562-2248 •passherald@shaw.ca
March 18, 2020 ~ Vol. 90 No. 11 $1.00
Crowsnest Pass
Herald Serving the CnP SinCe 1930
festival time David Selles photo
Finley Wilmot performed Different (Honk) for his musical theatre performance at Crowsnest Community Christian Centre during the Crowsnest Pass Music Festival on Monday, March 9th. More festival photos on page 12.
HosPital
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looking BaCk
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2 – crowsnest PAss HerALD – Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Update given on local medical care and hospital future 150 people gathered at the Elk’s Hall to discuss the future of doctors recruitment and retention DaviD SelleS Pass Herald Reporter
Crowsnest Medical Clinic held an information session at Elks Hall on Wednesday, March 11th. The session provided local residents a chance to hear what is being done
in the wake of cuts to local healthcare. Dr. Kara Powell, who has been practicing in the area for the last few years, says these cuts will hurt the Pass in multiple areas. “ When I think about what I want to see the community of the
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Crowsnest Pass looking like in five years I think of a vibrant community that's growing and has great health care and schools along with lots of recreational opportunities. I really think that the current cuts are threatening all of that. Our wages our being cut but there are more cuts than that really. For the rural doctors we get other things too. We get paid for being on call at the hospital. That means we stay in town, we don't go away some days so that if something happens we're there to be called into the hospital. They don't want to pay us for that anymore.” In the short term, Dr. Powell says that residents will notice some unfortunate changes. “We'll probably have shorter appointments at the clinic and we'll probably have longer waits.” Dr. Powell says there will also be other challenges coming for residents. "Some of you probably lost your family doctor recently and I'm afraid to say it's probably going to get worse because it's not going to be easy to recruit people to work here with these cuts. There are no longer the financial incentives there were." Dr. Powell also says she’s worried about potential layoffs. “I'm worried that we'll have to lay off some staff at the clinic as our doctor numbers decrease and our income decreases.” Dr. Powell also took time to talk about other
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cuts that the Crowsnest Pass could see. “There are the cuts going towards the hospital. In a small community we rely heavily on the few services that we have. We have a great clinic that I'm proud of; we have a great hospital that I'm really proud of too. We have some great services that we offer like surgeries; our 24-hour emergency department and we have labour and delivery. I think we do a great job with providing personalized care to our patients because when you come, we know you and you’re not just another person.” While the local hospital won’t be closing, Dr. Powell says she’s been told that it may be reconfigured. “Minister Shandro has told us that we will not have hospital closures but they will be reconfiguring the hospitals. I'm only speculating what the reconfiguring means but I feel like our labour and delivery is at threat, our surgical programs are at threat and our night services to emergency are at threat as well.” While the fact the local hospital won’t be closing is a positive, Dr. Powell says those reconfigurations can still hurt the community. “All of you know the horrors of driving in the winter here. Who wants to be sick in the middle of the night in the winter and have to drive to Lethbridge or Calgary to receive medical care when you're sick? It's not a good option for any of us. It's not what I would want to see if I moved to this community.”
Mayor Painter also spoke at the session and says he is proud of the current healthcare offered in the area and is determined to help keep it at this level. “It's of my opinion that our community is lucky to have such a great healthcare facility and great healthcare professionals. A lot of communities don't have a hospital. I think our community is blessed that we have great healthcare. There are some concerns. We are losing some doctors and we need those doctors to service our population. We're an older community and we need the doctors. We need these doctors in our community. I think everyone would agree we'd rather have good healthcare here than have to go out to find it elsewhere.” Mayor Painter also asked residents in attendance to consider joining the Oldman River Health Advisory Council as a way to make their voice heard in the future of health in the Crowsnest Pass. A letter was also read from Dr. Penner who was unable to attend the information session. In her letter, Dr. Penner stated that "local medical staff continue teaching medical students and residents as we view teaching as a prime method to recruit future colleagues." During the session, residents were updated on what the Crowsnest Medical Clinic is doing to try and limit the cuts in the area. Currently, the clinic is working with local government, communicating
with provincial and federal governments and is providing information and asking community members for help as well. The main way community members are able to help will be signing and personalizing letters that will be hand delivered to MLA Roger Reid and Minister Shandro on March, 27th. Anyone who would like to sign a letter can do so at the Crowsnest Medical Clinic or find the letter online on the Crowsnest Medical Facebook Page. Other ways the public can help in this process is by telling the government that you value time with your doctor and ask them to get back to negotiations so that savings can be found that don’t harm rural patient care. Community members are also encouraged to let representatives know how valued 24/7 emergency and obstetrical care are in the community. People can do this either in their personalized letters or by contacting MLA Roger Reid and Minister Shandro directly. The other way people can get involved is by letting Council know if anyone is interested in serving on the local Rural Health Professions Recruitment Committee and residents can also submit an expression of interest to serve on the Old Man River Advisory Council. Anyone looking for more information or to watch the entire information session can do so by going to the Crowsnest Medical Clinic Facebook Page.
To all members of the public. Please note that Fantin’s Funeral Chapel (A Division of 1323095 Alberta Ltd.), is committed to the health and welfare of the community and is implementing additional safeguards within our facility and the venues that we will be hosting in regards to funeral services and celebrations of a life. More frequent disinfection of our facilities and equipment will be made including pens for signing the register book, all surfaces of public contact, air purifiers will be present and arrangements can be made via telephone and internet should people choose. For those not in attendance of a funeral service, memorial cards can be mailed out or NOTICE passed on. In accordance with the request made by the Alberta Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, we will refrain from arranging funeral services when CROWSNEST PASS MUSIC FES CROWSNEST PASS MUSIC FESTIVAL CROWSNEST PASS MUSIC FESTIVAL the excess of 50 people as a congregation is anticipated until the pandemic threat has GRAND CONCERT GRAND CONCERT passed. As most funerals are less than this capacity, there should be no adjustments GRAND CONCERT in arrangements but we strongly recommend all receptions and luncheons following Due to Alberta Health Services public health restrictions regarding Mass Gatherings, the service be deemed private family and close friends. therestrictions Music FestivalDue Committee hasMass decided to postpone the Grand Concert scheduled to Alberta Health Services public health restrictions regard Due to Alberta Health Services public health regarding Gatherings, In consultation with various agencies and carefully considering the health and safety for this Friday, March 20, 2020. Music Festival Committee haswe decided to postpone the Music Grand Festival ConcertCommittee scheduled has decided to postpone the Gr of our community, Fantin’s Funeral the Chapel wants to reassure families that will continue to provide the opportunityfor to gather and honour a loved20, one2020. and proceed for adjudicator this Friday, March 20, 2020.and Provincial recommendations Participants receiving recommended scholarships this Friday, March will be notified by their teacher or a board member. These recommendations will be posted in with funeral services as we know this is an important step in the healing process. local newspapers and on social media once all recipients have been notified. Please contact our office should you have further questions or concerns. Participants receivingrecommendations adjudicator recommended scholarships Participants receiving adjudicator recommended scholarships and Provincial Respectfully, We would like to congratulate all participants for wonderful and thank These rec will be notified by their teacher orperformances a board Darrell M. Sydora/Manager will be notified by their teacher or a board member. These recommendationstheir will be posted in member. them, along with their teachers, all volunteers and sponsors, for another successful Music Fantin’s Funeral Chapel newspapers on (TBD) social media once local newspapers and on social media onceFestival! all recipients been notified. Our planlocal ishave to have a concert at a and later date to showcase some ofall therecipients have tel. (403) 562-8555 exceptional talent from Festival week so please stay tuned! www.fantinsfuneralchapel.ca
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We would performances like to congratulate all participants for their wonder We would like to congratulate all participants for their wonderful and thank them,for along with their teachers, all volunteers and sponsors, f them, along with their teachers, all volunteers and sponsors, another successful Music Festival! Our plansome is to of have Festival! Our plan is to have a concert at a later date (TBD) to showcase thea concert at a later date (TBD) to
Wednesday, March 18, 2020 - Crowsnest PAss herAlD - 3
In the lIne of fIre Between March 9 and March 16, Crowsnest Pass RCMP responded to a total of 38 calls for service including the following reported incidents. One (1) assault, one (1) break and enter (residential), one (1) theft of motor vehicle, one (1) theft, four (4) other criminal codes, one (1) other provincial statutes, three (3) driving complaints, thirteen (13) motor vehicle collisions, four (4) assistance to general public, one (1) suspicious occurrence, one (1) abandoned vehicle, two (2) assistance to other agencies, three (3) false alarms and two (2) municipal bylaws. Shots Fired Complaint On March 9th, 2020, there were complaints of shots fired in Coleman. Police responded and located a heavily intoxicated male. Investigation revealed that shots were not fired. A 48-year-old female was charged with mischief and released on Documents for Pincher Creek Court.
Break-in On March 9th, 2020, there was a complaint of break and enter into a garage in Coleman. A male suspect was arrested and held for JIR hearing. He was later released on documents for Pincher Creek Court. Traffic Stop On March 11th, 2020, during a traffic stop at the Burmis Scales, a 37-yearold female from Elk Valley was charged with driving while unauthorized. Suspicious Phone Calls On March 12th, 2020, a complainant received two suspicious phone calls saying his Visa was compromised from an overseas purchase. The complainant checked his Visa online and there were no transactions. Theft On March 13th, 2020, there was a complaint of theft of a 2006 Yamaha Raptor from an acreage in Burmis. The theft occurred within the past ten
~ rCMP news ~
days. Found bikes turned into Crowsnest Pass Bylaw Be aware of a new scam. Victims get phone calls from someone pretending to be from Service Canada or another government agency, saying their social insurance number (SIN) has been blocked, compromised or suspended. The call might be one of the latest variations on caller ID in which fraudsters disguises the number seen on the ID display in order to trick victims into answering phone. The person will ask for SIN and other personal info, such as date of birth, address, etc. Victims who provide personal info are at risk of identity fraud. Also, Do not say yes to any questions if you are unsure of who is calling as people can use voice recognition to access other information. Anyone with information regarding any crime is urged to contact the Crowsnest Pass
The Simple Raven’s Post by Avner Perl
Health and Money We trust our leaders, doctors, teachers, mechanics, and many other people who specialize in things we can’t all know. I say it quickly, but my life depends on trusting the right people. When the people I trust disagree, I don’t have the expertize to determine who is right. This is the case now, and the walls are closing in. I am facing a situation where the medical profession and others who sustain me are on a collision course with the government, and all choices are grim. There is a deadly virus knocking on the door and I am at the top of the high-risk group. I am desperate to retain or even improve the available medical care. The world’s economy is breaking down thanks to a lack of leadership from the one superpower in the world and “when the parents are away the kids play.” Saudi Arabia and Russia are flooding the world with cheap oil and bankrupting everyone else including Alberta. I have only limited knowledge of economics. All I know is that when many people are producing things and selling them to each other everyone is doing OK. Places that have many people doing it are most prosperous. If we stop the economic activity and it's not replaced, we end up with a great depression. Our productivity is just as important as our consumption. Even before the health scare, we were heading in the wrong direction. In my desperate attempt to figure out what is going on, I turned to an article by a University of Calgary professor, Lindsay Tedds. She has been noticing the effects of the reduction of exchange with China causing a slowdown. Now, with the “oil wars”, she calls the situation a blood bath. She says we need leadership from Jason Kenney, which we haven’t seen. This is surprising when it comes from the heart of the Conservative bastion, Calgary. I attended a public meeting about Health Care here in Blairmore. This is rural southern Alberta. The same sentiment was expressed by all who commented aside from one. People are upset that basic government services are being cut and that they gave the money from it away as tax cuts, which didn’t come back as investments. Even the editor of this newspaper suggested that we must fight back and spread the word “to five more people.” I felt elated. The wonderful community that I chose to live in is sticking together ready to fight for its life. Austerity can be a good thing if governments go overboard spending tax dollars without providing services to people. Here we are witnessing the opposite. Billions
RCMP Detachment at 403562-2867, or Crimestoppers to remain anonymous at 1-800-422TIPS. Reminder to residents of computer scams, credit cards scams, Grandparent scams, Revenue Canada scams asking for money or cash cards and saying warrants out for arrest, do not give out personal information to persons you don't know. DO NOT OPEN EMAILS if you are suspicious of its origin. Do NOT purchase gift cards for payment to Revenue Canada. Do not send monies to person claiming you have won a prize and need to send money for delivery. Crime mapping is available online to residents who are interested can login online at Municipality of Crowsnest Pass website (RCMP crime map for Crowsnest Pass). Crime mapping shows property crimes that occurred within the past two weeks in our area.
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of dollars were given away as tax cuts and are made up by shrinking services. Physical Responsibility means governments acting business like and providing more for less. I would like my MLA to take the following message to our provincial government. Dear Honourable Premier. We all know that privatizing any aspect of our health care will cost more and leave the poor with less care. Please finance our good system adequately so we will not lose any more much-needed health care professionals. By reducing staff, you can not provide more jobs. You will receive help from the Federal Government, ensure that it goes to those who need it, not to investors and corporations. The bulk of caring for Albertans will naturally fall on the women, so we want you to help them if they stay home. The drop in oil prices will have an adverse effect on many Albertans, mostly on young men. We will need to sustain them through a period of retraining that your government is most likely going to implement soon. Please negotiate with Ottawa to provide both. If we don’t maintain activity in our economy soon, the negative effects of losing health care workers, oil workers and education staff will spread throughout Alberta. We have worked hard and suffered a lot to build this province, (before your time) and we don’t want to see it becoming a ghost province. You and your team are our chosen leaders and we hold you responsible to get us out of the present crisis. This is your chance to come up with creative solutions and show true leadership. We can’t afford leaders who only specialize in fighting other leaders. It is time to build, not to blame. At a time like this when a pandemic may come, I expect my leaders at all levels, to show preparedness. Nothing may happen or something could. Do we know what to do if people get sick and electricity, internet, water, and food chains stop working? I searched for information from my premier. One message said that he will delay the medical layoffs and reduction in doctors pay until after the pandemic scare. Really? Another Tweet talked about hereditary chiefs and a BC gas pipeline. Am I imagining this? Do we have enough beans and rice and a way to get it to isolated people? Are we ready to take care of the oil workers who will be out of work when our oil is sold for $5.00 a barrel? Above all Mr. Premier, please realize that oil is on its last legs and not because of environmentalists but because of capitalist dictators using the market. People suspect that viruses, including the coronavirus, thrive in warmer temperatures. That is why they go for warm human bodies. People are concerned. If and when the ‘stuff’ hits the fan, are we just going to give speeches about how Trudeau failed us? Sir, roll up the rim, and you see, angry farmers, ranchers, miners, seniors, mothers, and all who are not “investors” which you value so much. We are all investors who invested their lives in this province. We all must live even when crude prices hit bottom, when the Market dictates that it will. Dear elected leaders, we need to see leadership. My next column could be full of praise and good news. There is always hope. Here is a link to my blog: https://thesimpleravenspost.blogspot.ca/ Feel free to check other articles and comment.