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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 2021

Sask. Federation of Police: Pierson’s death was the final straw Overcoming cancer. Survivor donates a symbolic bell to SJH. PAGE A3

Various first responders gathered in front of the Estevan Leisure Centre for Jay Peirson’s funeral earlier this month.

Blood clinics done. Estevan donors will now have to go elsewhere.

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Moment of Pride. Join us in celebrating the Farm Family of the Year.

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By Ana Bykhovskaia Jay Pierson’s death in early March has sparked a discussion in the community and with the Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers (SFPO).

Pierson's stor y of struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as the history of his battle with the Estevan board of police commissioners and Workers Compensation Board (WCB) attracted a lot of attention earlier, not only in the community but across Saskatchewan, mainly because of the decision of the board and the WCB to oppose Pierson when he sought benefits.

The Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench awarded Pierson, who dedicated more than 20 years of his life to policing in Estevan, with WCB benefits in June 2020. However, according to his family throughout that time, "Jay felt that the lack of support, both financially and with regard to his mental health struggles, took an enormous toll on his health and personal relationships,” his obituary stated.

Pierson died at the age of 49 due

to natural causes. His case raised a lot of questions both about the situation he found himself in, and about the relationship between the Estevan Police Service (EPS) members with Chief Paul Ladouceur and Deputy Chief Murray Cowan.

Casey Ward, the president of the SFPO, pointed out that despite the endless conversations about the role of mental health they don't see much being done by the EPS in that area.

"Our biggest frustration is we have a lot of people out there preaching mental health, especially the chief (Ladouceur) saying that they want to help their members. But here's a classic example of an officer who was struggling and continually appealing decisions. And (the chief was) thinking that an officer wasn't being truthful, even though three separate psychologists/psychiatrists had diagnosed him with PTSD,” said Casey Ward.

"Another frustration was that even during this whole process when the chief believed him or not, but at no time were additional resources

provided. Nothing was done to try to help this officer come back to work.”

He added that in most police services if a member is diagnosed with mental health issues and is struggling to receive workers compensation, the administration usually steps forward and often hires a lawyer to help that member out. That wasn't Pierson's case. The SFPO funded the judicial review, but by the time Pierson won benefits back, the damage has been done, Casey Ward said.

"We feel that the Estevan police really fell down on this. They didn't support (Pierson), they alienated him to the point where he just gave up," Casey Ward said.

Not only did Pierson have to publicly fight for help, but his example rather created an environment, in which members may feel discouraged to reach out for help.

At Pierson’s funeral, Mike Sinclair, former chaplain at the EPS and Pierson's friend, said: "Speaking directly to those who are in policing or emergency services ... I've heard that Jay maybe shouldn't have asked

for help. I'm here to challenge that unequivocally. Jay did the right thing when he began to feel himself struggle and asking for help. So if you are struggling in any way, reach out to someone."

However, Casey Ward said that with Pierson's example in hand not too many people would try explaining their situation to the administration.

"Officers have told me that they will not go to the Estevan Police Service, that they're struggling because they know they won't be believed.

They saw what happened to Jay," Casey Ward said.

"We lost an amazing person that 100 per cent could have been preventable, there's no doubt in my mind that if he would have got the support, if the chief and deputy chief would have believed him, that this would have happened. And I just don't think there's any way to fix this. And I don't think there's support of the chief in that organization," Casey Ward added.

Talking to Pierson's family and friends during the service Sinclair A2 » TALKS

Little star. Local young athlete is to be featured in Special Olympics’ campaign.

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A funeral procession was held in Estevan on March 19 for Jay Pierson. Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

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Talks have been ongoing since Pierson’s funeral « A1 suggested that it was the time to act.

“If you like me are trying to find a way to deal with all that stuff that is undone about this, I would ask you to find a way, write a letter, make a phone call, talk to anyone who will listen, and ask whoever has the authority to do so, to fix holes in our system.”

Several days after the funeral, Johanah Audet, a retired EPS member, publicly voiced her concern about the situation at the EPS through a social media post.

“I am concerned for any member who is currently struggling (or might struggle in the future) that they will suffer in silence because they feel they will be isolated, alienated or bullied by the very people empowered by the board,” Audet wrote in her post.

In an interview, she explained why she felt that she had to make the post.

'We have to regard Jay's death as more than just a sad and untimely event. We have to look at the why. It's too late to help Jay now, sadly, he's gone, but there are still 30 people in that building.

There are 30 people who … feel like they have nowhere else to turn, they feel like they're saddled with the burdens of the city and wanting to do a good job and wanting to maintain professionalism, but there's internal pressures in that building … What I've seen out of this administration over the last

seven years, was finding joy in the misery of others. And I worry who the next (target) will be."

Audet retired in 2013 before the current administration came in, but throughout the years she stayed in touch and remained informed about things happening at the station, and she pointed out that the work at the EPS has never been the way it is under the leadership of the current chief.

Barry Schulte, another retired EPS member, also had a tough experience with the service under the current administration and has been hearing a lot of nervewracking stories from the active members throughout the past seven years. He added that through his career he worked with different chiefs, but Estevan police was always a good place to work up until seven years ago.

At any service, the police chief is supposed to be a leader of the police department, well-respected in the community and amongst other police members. However, in 2020 Ladouceur was asked not to come to the funeral of former chief Del Block. The Pierson family also asked that the EPS administration would not attend the funeral and give no official statements around the funeral time.

After Audet's message went viral in the community, Mayor Roy Ludwig responded to it on behalf of the city council and the Estevan police board of commissioners.

"Please know that the board of police commissioners is committed to working closely with the membership along with the administration of the Estevan Police Service for the betterment of the organization and the city," Ludwig said. "As we move forward, the board of police commissioners is actively engaging with both the membership and administration to develop a full and complete understanding of the issues and concerns at hand.”

On March 24, Jay Pierson's sister Kelly Pierson, and his exwife Amanda Pierson published their response calling for more action and thorough investigation.

They also pointed out that by continuing to question the board's actions in Pierson's case, they are trying to ensure that other EPS members and their families won't face anything similar to what they went through. They would like to have a chance to share with the police board what Jay endured over the past four years to help ensure that other officers do not have similar experiences.

Ludwig said Kelly and Amanda Pierson have been invited to speak at the next police board meeting.

Both Schulte and Audet said that members still have a strong network and they all do their best to keep to the standard in their work. However, people interviewed for this article said that

there might be other "Jays" in the police building as of right now, and if nothing changes it is just a matter of time when someone else breaks down.

"My fear is that every person has a breaking point," Audet said.

Schulte, who got to work under Ladouceur's administration for about a year, said he put in his accumulated days off to retire earlier to make sure he didn't get into an open conflict with the chief.

What was a good place to work throughout most of his career, at that time became a memory.

Several interviewees described the environment at the EPS as "toxic," which decreases the chances that members, even if facing serious problems, will reach out or receive help. While there are many different stories about what's going on behind the police station walls, all of them overlapped in describing a lack of trust and support, fear and low morale among the membership.

In an email to the Mercury, Police Chief Paul Ladouceur said that processes exist within the organization for staff to address concerns. “ These processes inc lude discussions with administration, formal grievance processes and consultation with the association,” Ladouceur said.

“The administration and association meet regularly to discuss any concerns. The service does not

use social media or public venues to discuss or resolve any internal matters which may arise. As stated previously by the Estevan board of police commissioners, the board, association and administration have been conducting meetings to discuss any concerns.”

Casey Ward pointed out that it's the employer's duty to provide a safe and respectable workplace and assist the members if they're struggling. The police board’s appeal of Pierson’s case resulted in “distrust in the chief,” Casey Ward said.

"Ever y police association wants to be in good working relationship with management, because in the police world, we, police officers, just want to go out and serve our community and don't want to be worried about all those other things," said Casey Ward.

He added that Pierson's untimely death was the final straw for many EPS members.

"There's a lot of members there that are really struggling and hurting. They don't believe the chief will have their back at any time and will just basically make their life worse if they do come forward to try to ask for help. You can spend money on programs, but if you don't have your boss or your person that believes in you, that support, all the organizations, all those things aren't going to work because people aren't just going to sign up for them," Casey Ward said.

Carr believes carbon tax fight was right move Este van MLA L or i Carr says she was disappointed with the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision to uphold the federal carbon tax.

The governments of Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario had taken the federal government to court regarding the feds’ ability to impose a carbon tax on those

three provinces, since they don’t enforce one.

In a 6-3 ruling released Thursday, the S upreme Court ruled the feds did have the jurisdiction to force such a tax. Traditionally that would be provincial jurisdiction.

“If they had truly based their decision on facts and constitution, it should have

gone our way, but obviously they weighed other things into their decision making,” said Carr, who was hopeful they would base their decision on provincial jurisdiction.

Carr believes the fight against the carbon tax was the right move for the province. The federal carbon tax was the wrong approach to

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“It was really important for us to stand up for Saskatchewan and stand up for the people who live here. We don’t agree with the carbon tax, we still don’t agree, but this is the hand that we’re being dealt now, so we have to deal with it moving forward.”

Since the carbon tax was first imposed on Saskatchewan in 2019, she has heard nothing but opposition from people in Saskatchewan.

Carr said the provincial government will now bring in some of its own measures, a made-in Saskatchewan price plan, rather than adhere to the federal guidelines. Until then, Saskatchewan will have to continue to follow the federal carbon tax.

A Saskatchewan plan would need to get the green light from the feds.

“One of the things that the premier (Scott Moe) had talked about yesterday in his scrum is designing our own electrical generation and natural gas provincial greenhouse gas emission regulations,” said Carr. “And what that will help us do is it actually helps us have more control and flexibility on how the carbon tax revenue is distributed.”

The province has asked the federal government if they would make that retroactive to 2019.

The premier has also suggested submitting a proposal for Saskatchewan carbon pricing on the system for fuel, similar to what New Brunswick has done, and has received the green light.

“It would allow us to

Estevan MLA Lori Carr give an immediate rebate right at the pumps, instead of having some plan to rebate after the fact,” said Carr.

The provincial government remains adamant that a carbon tax is not in the best interest of Saskatchewan.

“We still don’t believe a carbon tax is the right way to be going. We believe that it’s ineffective. It penalizes people more than it helps them, and we’re trying to find the right balance for our ratepayers,” said Carr.

The province introduced Prairie Resilience: A Made in Saskatchewan Climate Change Strategy in 2017, as a pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Obviously we had to anticipate that there was the possibility of this decision coming down like this,

so I know that within (the Ministry of ) Environment and SaskPower and all of the different ministries, they’ve been working on some of this stuff for a just in case.”

She’s not sure how far along they are in the process, or when it will be completed, but she recognizes it would require a number of different ministries, including agriculture and energy and resources.

“If you think about it, the carbon tax literally touches every part of our lives, whether you’re going to the grocery store and buying groceries, or if you’re at the clothing store, picking up something for your kids, at one point in time, that goods that you’re buying have been transported, so there’s fuel that’s been involved.”

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Wanda Stang’s generous donation will allow cancer patients to celebrate after their final treatment

By David Willberg

There’s a long-standing tradition at the Allan Blair Cancer Centre in Regina, in which cancer patients will get to ring a bell three times after they are told they have no further treatments, and the cancer is out of the body.

Now, thanks to the generosity of local woman Wanda Stang, who is a cancer survivor, the cancer patients at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan will get a similar experience.

“When you’re ringing that bell, there’s something that comes,” Stang told the Mercury.

“It’s such a (wonderful) feeling.

You can’t express how it feels to ring that bell, because you’ve gone through so much. And this is closing of one chapter of your journey, and now you’re

going to start a whole new chapter.”

Stang recalled that when she first started receiving chemotherapy at the cancer centre, she saw someone ringing the bell. She asked what it was about, and they told her.

Since that time, she’s only seen one other person ring that bell.

“It gave me such hope, and there was so much happiness when that person rang that bell, from everyone in that cancer centre. And I thought ‘You know what? I could do that someday.’”

Stang was diagnosed with cancer in early 2019. At first it was difficult to get a diagnosis, and she became very sick.

Eventually she was diagnosed with colon cancer. A life-saving surgery occurred in Regina on

June 9, 2019.

On Aug. 11, her surgeon in Regina referred her to a colleague for surgery in Saskatoon.

She was booked for an operation, and it was a success.

When she received her cancer treatments in Estevan, she asked the nurses if she would be able to ring a bell at St. Joe’s. The nurses apologetically replied that there wasn’t such a bell available.

At that point, Stang said her family was going to change that by creating a bell and a plaque with a tribute to those who have gone through a cancer journey.

She had her final chemotherapy treatment on March 11 at St. Joseph’s. The bell was being made at that point, and it was rang for the first time by Stang on March 23, with her

The bell and plaque that are hanging in the hospital’s chemotherapy ward.

Photo submitted

husband Mike and all of the chemotherapy nurses present.

“I wanted to be the person to ring the bell in Estevan. It’s a new beginning. I’m sure they’re going to put it in the chemo room. I just want everyone to ring that bell. I’ve met so many beautiful people through there.”

When she rang it for the first time, it was absolutely beautiful, the “best sound ever,” she said.

The plaque has a couple of poems that reflect on the experiences of a cancer patient. It was completed by Steven Raymond, who is a paramedic with Estevan Emergency Medical Services.

A short verse and a long verse on the plaque are courtesy of the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency. When someone rings the bell in Regina, they usually recite the short verse. But when Stang rang the bell in Estevan, she read the longer verse.

Stang said they are so pleased with how the plaque and the bell turned out.

“I hope that bell gets worn out,” Stang said. “That’s all we want.”

The poems are about everybody, because each person matters, she said. Your whole attitude changes when you go through something like this, because you don’t sweat the little things any longer.

“People I didn’t even know have sent stuff to me, and I’m humbled and overwhelmed by the generosity of this place. I’m overwhelmed,” said Stang.

The chemotherapy area is a big part of the hospital, she said. Going to chemotherapy was like a spa day for her, because that’s how the staff made her feel.

“Every one of those girls at the front entrance there, at

Wanda Styre and her husband Mike with the bell and plaque that they donated to the chemotherapy ward at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Photo submitted the administration, made me feel special. And they started my day off. And they probably didn’t realize that. But how they talked to me, and their smiles, they always made me feel special.

“You’d go in for bloodwork, you’d go into the lab, you’d get stuff done. You’d go in for all of these scans, and the pharmacists, everybody, it’s amazing how they treat you.

They go above and beyond, and people need to know that.”

She’s thankful for the support she has received, and she has an even greater realization of how precious life is.

“People have been so gracious. There’s nothing they haven’t done. Our home has been flooded with phone calls,

e-mails, cards, flowers, gifts of food, clothing, you name it.

People have brought it here.

And our whole family can’t thank people enough.There’s no word to say thank you, how we feel. And we just want to help wherever we can. And if anyone ever wants to talk about cancer, I’m very open to it.”

Prayer has been a big part of recovery as well, as Stang believes that if God leads you to it, He will see you through it.

She is now proceeding with caution, like any other cancer patient. Even though she has been told she doesn’t have cancer now, she will continue to receive scans every three months for the next few years, and then it will be every six months.

Southeast College to welcome first international students

By Ana Bykhovskaia Southeast College has been designated an international student learning centre.

It means that as early as fall 2021, the Estevan and Weyburn campuses may get their first international students, depending on the restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even though the final decisions were made recently, the process started a while ago.

"It was about 18 months ago, maybe even closer to two years, the college decided that they wanted to start the process to become a designated learning institution (DLI) to accept international students.

So we got busy and submitted an application to the Ministry of Advanced Education for DLI designation," recalled Jody Holzmiller, vice-president for training and education with Southeast College.

"Part of that process was to prove that we were prepared and equipped to accept international students, and then to lay out the plan to explain how."

The college had to develop a handbook specifically for international students. They had to illustrate that they had the appropriate resources such as the student advisor and others. They also had to name the designated programs that they would accept students in.

The application went in and was reviewed.

The final step was for the Ministry of Advanced Education to come to the college and do a site visit, part of which was an interview to follow up on their submitted application. After a long process, the college was approved and became a DLI. "It's very exciting for us to be able to open our doors to international students. And

we hope to start relatively small," Holzmiller said.

She went on to explain that the intent is to allow the college to gradually internationalize its programs.

"More than designating an entire program for international students, we would like to have international students interspersed with our domestic students in our programs," Holzmiller said.

Southeast College consulted with other institutions that have been and are currently having international programs, and they decided that they want to offer more than simple education to those students coming from other countries.

"We don't want our international students only to learn the curriculum, we want them to learn from our domestic students. And as importantly, we want our domestic students to learn from

our international students."

Holzmiller added that the designation also opens up new opportunities not only for the college but also for the labour market.

"Sometimes we have programs where there is a labour demand that doesn't have the requisite learner demand, the required number of students to run. So if there is international demand, in some instances, those international students may be the required number to help us fill and run that program."

The college plans on starting small, initially working with East India and the Philippines. They expect a few people to join their programs as early as 2021, which will allow for the first experience with international students.

And then in fall 2022, they hope to see more international students coming to the college.

Estevan's Southeast College campus, along with Weyburn's, is to invite its first international students.

File photo The labour market demand analysis resulted in business certificate and continuing care assistance being the two programs currently open for international students at the Estevan and Weyburn campuses.

The new development will potentially help to grow the population and meet the economic needs of the area

in the future.

While the college won't be responsible for the paperwork required by Immigration Canada, Holzmiller said they will assist international students with the process.

For more information, people can contact student and international student advisor Abbey Forseth at 306848-2302.

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A fight that had to happen If you were surprised that the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in favour of the federal government when it comes to the legality of the carbon tax, then you might be an eternal optimist, or you just didn’t grasp the long odds Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario were facing on this issue.

The Supreme Court handed down its decision last week. Six of the nine justices said the feds’ carbon tax is constitutional. Two were opposed. One had reservations.

Most people in Saskatchewan seemed to be hoping the court would strike down the carbon tax, and for good reason. As stated in this space before, if you support the federal carbon tax, then you don’t have the best interests of the province on this particular front.

The fight against the carbon tax was one that the province needed to adopt. The odds of victory were long; as was stated in the initial court hearings more than two years ago, emissions know no boundaries. That’s why the feds felt so comfortable imposing this carbon tax on Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario.

Does the carbon tax overstep federal jurisdiction when it comes to the provinces?

Absolutely. But it also reduces the ability of provinces to be competitive when it comes to industries affected by such a tax.

You can question the wisdom in this battle; after all, why channel taxpayer dollars

towards a fight when you’re almost certain to lose? But sometimes it’s nice for the affected industries and the companies and the workers to know that the government actually does have you back on a matter such as this, and the government isn’t going to roll over while the feds try to throw another impediment towards you.

It’s also an encouraging sign for potential investors into Saskatchewan that the government supports industries.

Now that the courts have handed Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario this defeat, we have to wonder what’s next.

The Sask. Party says they’re going to bring in their own price on fuel, rather than submit to the federal carbon tax. They believe their system should be enough to make the federal government happy.

Let’s be clear: if given the choice between a made-in Saskatchewan carbon tax and the one that the feds have force-fed on us, we’ll take the Saskatchewan option. The provincial government is going to have a better idea of what’s in our best interests than the feds; our provincial government is definitely going to have a better idea of what we need as opposed to a government led by Justin Trudeau.

Saskatchewan says their scheme would be similar to what was implemented in New Brunswick, which the feds approved. New

Brunswick’s concept gives motorist an immediate rebate on the tax at the pump.

Saskatchewan will also seek exemptions for different uses of fuel, including grain dryers used by farmers.

Investments into new technologies and next-generation technologies to combat climate change, such as carbon capture and storage, would be far more effective than a carbon tax.

Perhaps Trudeau needs to come out here and spend some time in Saskatchewan, so that he can see the myriad of initiatives that are happening in Saskatchewan to reduce our carbon footprint and to create a better environment. These initiatives are going to be far more effective than another tax that will punish hard-working people and reduce our province’s competitiveness.

Opponents of the carbon tax can cross their fingers that the Conservatives are elected in the next federal election, but even if the Tories do win, it’s likely to be a minority government, making it difficult to repeal the tax.

So we’re stuck with a carbon tax of some sort. For now, it’s the feds’ application. Hopefully, eventually, it will be a solution that is a little better for Saskatchewan.

But it’s going to have to be tough, and it’s likely going to have to escalate each year in an effort to keep the feds happy.

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As I was writing this, the Taiwanese Ever Given, a 200,000-tonne cargo ship that spans 400 metres, roughly the length of four football fields, was finally being first partially refloated and then freed.

The enormous mammoth got stuck in the Suez Canal and was blocking traffic. As of Monday, over 350 ships were waiting to transit the canal, which connects the Mediterranean and the Red Seas and is one of the main transportation arteries and the shortest maritime routes between Europe and lands lying around the Indian and western Pacific oceans.

The traffic there is heavy, and the volumes of goods going through this relatively narrow man-made waterway are hard to visualize. The Suez Canal accounts for over 15 per cent of the world shipping traffic, as it's the fastest seaborne route between Europe and Asia.

In one of the news articles, I read that traffic on the canal is worth $10 billion a day on average. For almost a week the canal was paralyzed, and the world was waiting and watching how they were trying to fix this multibillion-dollar mishap. Some ships were sent to go around Africa, taking a long and not-so-safe route, but that was just a temporary and pretty risky alternative to the Suez Canal. But many of them were simply stuck.

As I was looking through fascinating pictures of excavators, which look like toy terriers at the feet of an elephant, trying to free Ever Given, I was thinking about how this curious phenomenon resulted in a global transportation cataclysm.

I remember in high school, our history teacher was talking about the first Russian revolution of 1905-1907, when people were fighting against failing monarchy and demanding better conditions. Back then, the strike movement was one of the main and most actively used weapons, utilized by people in their fight for justice.

Ana Bykhovskaia Twenty Lines About…

The teacher then told us, 12-13-year-old students, that if the protesters would push a bit harder with the railroad strikes, they could have gotten the results they wanted in a matter of several weeks in 1905, which probably would have changed Russian history.

(Who knows, maybe even the USSR wouldn't be a thing then, but in history, there are no givens).

At that time, manufacturers, industry workers and all kinds of proletarians were striking all across the country. Farmers, who were badly lacking land, were their main ally. The intelligence also was supporting the working class, so lawyers, engineers, doctors, teachers and many other specialists went on strikes all over the country in those two years.

The country was convulsing. But all I remembered from that class was that if the railroad strikes would have lasted a notch longer, it all would be over in a matter of days. It simply would happen because already then, the country and all its citizens, especially those in the two capitals – St. Petersburg and Moscow – were dependant on supplies delivered from other regions and countries. And the capitals, traditionally, were the places where all big decisions were made. So once the transportation would fully stop and remain there for a while, according to the teacher, the country would descend into chaos, which would result in an earlier agreement, which also could have been more satisfying than what the protesters got after two years of resistance.

I guess we saw a similar effect to a smaller

scale in early 2020, when Canadian railroads were being blocked with barricades. As people were taking up their cause, the interruption to the supply chain very quickly started hurting many businesses across the country, which also immediately affects individual citizens.

The paralysis of the transportation system is a huge power. That was the lesson I learned back in school. And when I was reading about Ever Given, the Doomsday clock came to my mind.

Just a reminder, this past January world scientists decided to leave the hands of this symbolic clock at 100 seconds to midnight, which is as close to the civilization-ending apocalypse as they've ever been and the same time it was set at in 2020.

A year ago, the main concerns were sparking around a nuclear threat and climate change.

In 2021, the COVID-19 virus that so far killed over 2.8 million people, according to Worldometer, also became one of the big factors in that decision. And just as at the very beginning of the pandemic, the realization of how much we depend on the supply chain – which came back to me as I was going through numbers for economic losses and information about potential disruptions in shipments – gave me goosebumps.

Every so often I think that we are trying to take it slow and smart when it comes to the nuclear threat and climate change, we are doing our best to overcome the pandemic, and we focus on some global things. But sometimes something as simple as a major transportation disruption may become a tipping point, a point of no return in the deeply interconnected world.

Fortunately, this time the super ship was freed before creating any extreme issues, leaving the captain to deal with explaining how this awkward situation happened, and probably many people are like me, thinking of how fragile our system actually is.

OP-ED A5

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1339 Fourth St., Estevan, SK S4A 0X1 Office 306.634.1020 lynn.chipley@c21.ca www.century21.ca/lynn.chipley

| Wednesday, March 31, 2021 | estevanmercury.ca

Each office is independently owned and operated.

David Willberg Willberg’s World

Farming’s impact can’t be measured A few months after I moved here, I was assigned to cover the Estevan Farmer’s Day event, with the highlight being the Farmer of the Year Award presentation.

I didn’t really know much about that first event, but I was told the Farmer of the Year Award was a big deal.

Leo Seipp, a long-time farmer in the Estevan area, was the deserving winner.

It wasn’t long after that the award was renamed the Farm Family of the Year Award, reflecting the impact that others make in the success of a farming operation. After all, a successful farm isn’t just a one-person show; most successful farms, especially in this day and age, have the entire family involved.

Kids learn about the farm from an early age. They learn how to operate the equipment and tackle chores and work with the livestock, and their knowledge of the operation grows each year.

They know how to run the machinery long before they can legally drive. Being on the farm teaches young people work ethic and responsibility and pride in their work they won’t find elsewhere.

And behind every successful farmer you’ll find a hard-working, supportive spouse.

In 2004, the event switched to the Farmers’ Appreciation Evening, with the highlight being the Farm Family of the Year Award presentation.

Last year, of course, we didn’t get the Farmer’s Appreciation Evening or the Farm Family Award presentation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And since we’re still subject to all of the public health restrictions associated with the pandemic, we couldn’t have the Farmer’s Appreciation Evening, either.

But at least the organizers of the Farm Evening – the Estevan Chamber of Commerce and the Estevan Exhibition Association – were able to find a way to recognize the Farm Family of the Year Award this year.

They might not have had a banquet with 300 people present to salute the recipients, but it still worked having the presentation at the home of the recipients, the Emde family. If nothing else, the Emdes can say they had the most unique presentation since the award’s inception in the 1980s.

And the award’s selection committee certainly found a deserving recipient in the Emdes. Even though that award has been around for decades, there’s no shortage of deserving winners.

I’m not a farmer, but I’m certainly proud of my agricultural roots.

As I’ve documented before, my mom’s from a farming family, Leguee Farms, who have land adjacent to the grid road that runs between Fillmore and Cedoux. Leguee Farms won the Golden Sheaf Award (Weyburn’s equivalent of the Farm Family of the Year Award) in 2014. I’ll argue they should have won it years before, but much like the Estevan area, there’s no shortage of great farmers in the Weyburn area.

And, of course, my folks had a beautiful horse farm in Aldergrove, B.C., from September 1999 to January 2020. They worked hours each day on chores and other tasks associated with their property, and cared deeply for the horses.

When it was foaling season for our mares, they would wake up several times in the middle of the night to check on the expectant mother.

They rarely took holidays together for 20 years because someone had to look after the horses. At a time when most of their friends were thinking of travel and other joys of retirement, my parents were thinking of the group they called The Herd.

With as many as 17 horses during the thoroughbred racing offseason, The Herd was pretty big for two people on 4.3 acres of land.

Farming has obviously changed a lot since my grandfather Leguee purchased the land off the grid road outside of Fillmore in the 1950s. It’s changed a lot since my Uncle Russ moved into the homestead house in the 1980s. And it has changed a lot since my parents purchased their farm in 1999.

Through the experiences of my family, I know that farming is a year-round operation. Granted, there are times of the year that are busier than others (seeding and harvest can be frantic) but there isn’t a real down time. Many farmers don’t get to have hobbies.

It can be stressful. There isn’t much of a margin of error. And you have to grasp so many different things.

I know it’s not for me. But I can still have the greatest admiration for farmers.

Our farm families deserve so much respect, not just because of the food they grow for us and the impact they have on our economy, but all it takes to do their job.

And that’s why it’s important to give our farm families recognition.

Jarrett Daoust, BComm Consultant 231 12th Ave. Estevan SK Tel: 306-634-0800 Mobile: 306-471-7196 E-mail: jarrett.daoust@ig.ca

Jay Pierson’s family responds to remarks made by Mayor Ludwig The editor: Having had an opportunity to read Mayor Roy Ludwig’s remarks, the Pierson family would like to take this opportunity to respond and correct any misinformation presented.

Although the Pierson family would like to believe the mayor and the board of police commissioners’ intentions are genuine and heartfelt, the evidence is to the contrary given Jay and his family’s experience over the past four years.

It is our opinion that Estevan City Police Chief Paul Ladouceur and Deputy Chief Murray Cowan did not support Jay with regards to his mental health. In addition to being unsupportive, we feel that these two men went out of their way to discredit Jay and his career.

Rather than taking a proactive stance and offering help to Jay in his time of need so that he could focus on his treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the actions of the administration debilitated him further.

The administration forced Jay, who was already dealing with so much, to defend himself, and his diagnosis, in order to receive Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) benefits which were essential to support his family.

It is our opinion that this attack targeted Jay’s character and mental health diagnosis and not only stripped Jay of his identity and dignity, but also played a significant part in Jay’s inability to “get well.”

Given the administration’s prolonged and unrelenting attack on Jay’s reputation, it is hard for us, as Jay’s family, to believe that the board of police commissioners was not aware of the actions of Chief Ladouceur and Deputy Chief Cowan. Therefore, it is our request that there be a formal process outlined as to how the police board plans to investigate these transgressions against Jay. In addition, Jay’s family would like to have a chance to share with the police board what Jay endured over the

past four years to help ensure that other officers, and their families, do not experience what Jay and his family have gone through. It is quite shocking to us that the administration and the board were unaware of the symptoms of PTSD and what had transpired over the last four years in regards to Jay’s treatment by the chief and deputy chief. Perhaps for the good of the rest of the Estevan Police Service, education is this area could be instituted.

The Pierson family is typically very private but the untimely and tragic loss of Jay has compelled us to speak out.

We feel that for there to be complete transparency in this matter, we also included the Estevan Mercury as it is the Pierson family’s opinion that the community of Estevan has a right to know where we stand.

We look forward to a response.

Kelly and Amanda Pierson Estevan

Jay Pierson was everything good about law enforcement The editor: In the last few weeks, residents of Estevan – and people across the country – have dealt with the passing of someone who was one of the best citizens our city had to call our own.

Jay Pierson touched more people’s lives than we will ever realize, as a friend, a relative, an acquaintance, a police officer, a board member and an advocate. Every story that has been told since his passing has, at its core, been the same.

These stories speak to his friendliness, his dedication, his love of his son, his commitment to his job, his love of music, his love of sports and his support of the underdog. They also speak of his struggles, his fight through post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), his ongoing mental health journey, the profound changes in his personality and most upsetting – his mistreatment by the very people he needed in his corner to fight for him.

In a day and age when the world is torn between love and hate of police officers, Jay Pierson was everything

good about law enforcement. He was a shining example of the brotherhood of law enforcement that always has each other’s back. The fact that at least two prominent members of his brotherhood failed him so spectacularly in his last few years is disgusting.

These officers thought they knew better than mental health professionals.

When the courts ruled in his favour, they still considered appealing the case instead of stepping up and supporting their member.

And for what? What could possibly be gained by appealing the ruling? They had already done their best to tear him down, they had already gone against the words of medical professionals, and now they know more than the courts? All of this would be hard to digest for any one person on this journey, but knowing it about someone who – prior to his illness – was the best of the best in humanity, is appalling.

Like many, there are obviously concerns about the members remaining in our community. What happens should another officer face a PTSD diagnosis?

Will they be left without the support needed? How will they be treated in the face of the same things that affected Jay’s life so profoundly? And what about our community? Should you, or me, or anyone else suffer a mental health episode that needs the involvement of law enforcement, led by people who so easily left one of their own in his time in need, what happens to us regular people? If the leadership can’t back one of their own, to me it sends a huge warning sign to every other resident of Estevan.

The loss of a good human being is hard even in the most normal situations. The loss of someone who suffered, someone who tried to fight his demons, someone who fought through the courts, someone who was abandoned by the very leadership tasked with supporting him is needless and heartbreaking.

That’s not leadership. It shouldn’t take the profound loss of someone like Jay for us demand changes. Jay deserved better. Estevan deserves far better.

Kyla Deatherage, Estevan

Fundraiser will support Envision The Envision Counselling and Support Centre is once again going to be part of the 50-50 for a Cause fundraiser.

The grand prize winner will take home up to $30,000.

The amount for the grand prize will be based on how many tickets are sold.

The draw is through support with Golden West Radio.

Tickets for the 50/50 remain the same price as in previous years: $20 for one or a bonus pack of six for $100.

Envision will be selling tickets

on location at sites announced

by Golden West Radio, or you can safely buy tickets through e-transfer.

If you opt for e-transfer, please include your name, phone number, email address, and funds to envisionraffle@ gmail.com, or head to Envision Counselling’s website for details to purchase with e-transfer.

Ticket sales begin April 1 with the deadline to purchase tickets at 6 p.m. on April 15 and the grand prize draw on April 16. An early bird draw for $500

will be on April 9.

All of the funds raised through 50/50 for a Cause will go towards continuing valuable

programs that began during the pandemic shutdown and are still urgently needed in southeast communities in 2021.

Have a story idea?

Email David at editor@estevanmercury.ca

We are pleased to welcome Jarrett Daoust & Twyla Hanson to the IG Wealth Management Saskatchewan South Region team

Twyla Hanson

Consultant 231 12th Ave. Estevan SK Tel: 306-634-0800 Mobile: 306-421-3842 E-mail: twyla.hanson@ig.ca

A6 March 31, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

Oxbow’s school shifts to remote learning Students at the Oxbow Prairie Horizons School are spending the final week before spring break learning remotely.

In an email to the Mercury, the South East Cornerstone Public School Division said the school, one of the largest in the division, will move to remote learning from March 30 to April 1. Classes are scheduled to return on April 12, following spring break.

March 29 was a transition day, as staff prepared to move to online delivery. Synchronous learning schedules were shared with families and students on Monday as well.

There are no scheduled classes for the pre-kindergarten children.

The Grade 6 class, already on remote learning, had classes online Monday as they had their transition day earlier.

There have been four people in the school while infectious, Little said. Extensive contact tracing has occurred with those four cases.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority has declared an outbreak at the school. There needs to be at least two cases for an outbreak to be declared.

The situation at the school is part of a recent increase in

COVID-19 cases in the area.

Mayor Dale Pierce said everyone is taking the situation in the town seriously due to the increase in cases, possibly more seriously than at any point in the pandemic.

“Now that it is in Oxbow, in multiple numbers, I think everybody’s realized just how fast it can spread and how important it is to follow the guidelines,” said Pierce.

The town hasn’t been supplied with any details about the first case, including the exact date of diagnosis. Nor have they been told how many cases have been diagnosed in the town.

Start

The town office and the RM of Enniskillen office have been closed to the public until further notice. Pierce said they will remain closed until the town’s caseload is under control. All public buildings, including the Memorial Hall and the Oxbow Public Library, are also closed. The library will still be available

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for the air cadets, the archery club and two karate clubs.

“It has affected quite a few people,” said Pierce.

Outdoor parks are open, but the town encourages extra caution and ongoing sanitization of hands.

Public Health held a mobile COVID testing clinic at the Memorial Hall on March 26.

No change in operations at ECS after positive COVID-19 test A case of COVID-19 has been diagnosed in an individual attending the Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) – the first at the school in several months.

In a letter sent to parents Saturday morning, director of education Lynn Little said the individual is considered to have been infectious while attending the school. As of Monday afternoon, there were no changes to operations at ECS. “We are working closely with Public Health staff to ensure necessary measures are in place to protect all students and staff,” Little wrote in the letter.

Public Health will be contacting parents and guardians of students and any staff, visitors and volunteers who may have been in close contact with the individual.

A close contact is someone who has been within two metres of the positive person for an accumulated 15 minutes.

“If you do not hear from them, your child has not been exposed because of the measures that are in place,” Little wrote.

The school division reminds everyone entering schools to monitor for any signs or symptoms of COVID-19.

They can refer to the daily self-assessment checklist. The school division asks people to complete this before attending school each day.

The school division says it will continue to provide ad-

Buy Grow Sell

for curbside pick-up services.

The town’s museum and friendship centre are closed, as are some facilities not operated by the town, such as a fitness centre and the Expressway Family Centre.

The Memorial Hall includes a few businesses and a dance studio that rent space in there, and it’s a meeting place

ditional information to parents and guardians as it is available.

Cornerstone has also provided more information on rapid COVID-19 testing in schools.

In a correspondence sent to parents, Little noted that on March 22, the Government of Saskatchewan issued a media release regarding the provision of 100,000 rapid tests for schools throughout the province.

The testing kits allocated to SECPSD have been received and are being stored in the school division’s central warehouse. They are not being stored in any school facility.

School divisions have been asked to work with local medical health officers to determine processes for the deployment of rapid tests. The process will include a qualification of when tests might benefit a specific school or community. Therefore, they will not be deployed to all schools, only

those where they are warranted for a specific period.

“There have been many questions and concerns regarding process and consent. Please be assured that when a process is developed, it will be shared prior to any implementation,” Little wrote.

The school division said no child will be tested without the expressed written consent of their parents. The school division will not be determining who will or will not be tested, and there will be no negative repercussions for children whose parents do not provide consent.

This is strictly a parental determination. Rapid testing is not a requirement for school attendance.

The division says it understands and appreciates that these are challenging circumstances and wish to assure the public that they will continue to work diligently to create a safe learning environment.

Estevan Market Mall presents your

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Estevan and District Music Festival 50/50 Lottery Tickets Purchase your SMFA tickets at: https://smfa5050.ca/ Prize: 50% of sales to maximum of $50,000 Only 20,500 tickets sold Draw Date: June 6, 2021 @ 6:00 p.m.

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BUSINESS A7

Each office independently owned and operated

IT TAKES MORE THAN A SIGN!

Josh LeBlanc

REALTOR® (PART-TIME)

306-421-6778

| Wednesday, March 31, 2021 | estevanmercury.ca

www.joshleblanc.ca

Community markets in downtown Estevan are set to start the first Thursday of May

By Ana Bykhovskaia Estevan is going to see a new exciting activity coming downtown.

The Estevan Downtown Business Association, Coldwell Banker Choice Real Estate and The General Store, have announced that community markets will start taking place downtown as soon as May. The place and time are already arranged; now it's all about who is to participate in the event.

"We already have vendors registering. We're very excited," said Josh LeBlanc with Coldwell Banker Choice Real Estate.

While the hope was to get the initiative going last year, the pandemic put it on pause. But this time the

downtown community is set to make community markets a success.

"Now that we have a better understanding of what it is that we have to do, we're excited to get things rolling," LeBlanc said.

The first community market will invite shoppers to come check it out on the first Thursday in May, which is May 6. Markets will keep going every week on Thursdays from 6-9 p.m., up until the last Thursday of August.

"We encourage people to come downtown. There's lots of parking in the other parking lots and on the street. So come down, take a look at all the vendors, check out the other shops that are downtown. We're going to have food trucks, we'll have everything there. And we

have all the other restaurants downtown that we encourage people to check out as well," LeBlanc said.

The parking lot behind the RBC Royal Bank was chosen as a location for community markets for now.

"If it grows, then we'll have to engage in some discussions with the city about possibly closing off the street or something like that. But we don't know how big it's going to be; we hope to have all the vendors registered by mid to the end of April, so we know how big we have to be and if we do need to make any other additions or alterations to the site."

So far there are about 10 vendors that have registered.

The community markets welcome any kind of business.

Culinary month to focus on popular breakfast dish The City of Estevan has revealed the focus of its next culinary month promotion will be a popular breakfast dish.

In a news release, the city said culinary months celebrate the local food story “one delicious bite at a time,” and this month is for those people who eat breakfast any time of the day. April will showcase farmers, ranchers, local restaurants and cafés of the food we have right here in Estevan.

The competition for April will be to find Estevan’s favourite eggs benedict recipe.

“Nothing brings people together quite like a good meal; if you like to eat, then this feature is for you,” said Rebecca Westling, destination marketing and communications consultant for the City of Estevan. “Just pick a participating restaurant or café and ask for the EggsBennyMonth feature, order, enjoy and vote for your chance to win a $500 Shop Estevan gift certificate.”

The program will kick off April 1 with customers purchasing a $15 featured item from participating restaurants, where they will be given a ballot code to vote for their favourite.

There are three categories to choose from: presentation and appearance, originality and uniqueness, and overall taste.

At month’s end, one random voter will be chosen to win a $500 gift certificate to Shop Estevan, and the three winning restaurants in each category will win $200 dollars to donate to their charity of choice.

The #EggsBennyMonth participating restaurants are Black Beard’s Restaurant, Eleven 24 Social House, Fired Up Grill, Humpty’s Family Restaurant, Michael’s Coffee Shop & Bakery, The Flats Eatery + Drink, the Tower Café and the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course Clubhouse.

Full program details can be found online at www.estevan.ca.

Community markets will take place at the parking lot behind the RBC Royal Bank on Thursdays starting in May. "We're looking for ever yone, so if they're the typical Farmers Market-style type of vendor, where it's baking, produce, canning, all of that, we're very excited to have those types of vendors. We're also looking for artisans, artists. We're also looking for people who have produce once that part of the time rolls around. So we're really open to anyone," LeBlanc said.

Traditional brick and mortar businesses are also more than welcome to apply and join the community market.

"What we're trying to do here is we're trying to create an event for the residents of Estevan. We're trying to support small businesses

the best we can, and our goal with these markets is to help them be exposed to the public and let people get to know who's behind the face of the businesses and hopefully they can make some sales at the same time," LeBlanc said.

There are a few options for vendors to join the initiative.

"There are many different options for vendors to be.

We have a one-time rate, so if they want to pay weekly, then that is $25. If they want to register for a month, that's $75. And if they want to register for the whole season, that's $240," LeBlanc noted.

He added that the application process is pretty straightforward. With any

questions or to get an application form, people can reach out to L eBlanc at 306-421-6778, visit the Estevan Downtown Business Association Facebook page or email at josh@cbchoice.ca.

LeBlanc also extended his gratitude to everyone who's been helping with the project.

"Thank you to everyone that's helped us get to this point thus far. Thank you to the Downtown Business Association, The General Store and Coldwell Banker Choice Real Estate for stepping up as well to the business improvement district for working with us on using that spot and to the City of Estevan for being so accommodating."

GLEN PETERSON INDUSTRIAL PARK Looking for a great location with ample space to develop or expand a commercial business? Look no further than Glen Peterson Industrial Park in Estevan!

Through Estevan Economic Development, eligible businesses can qualify to purchase a one dollar lot. Situated in Estevan, these lots are fully serviced by city water and sewer and have access to high-speed Internet via fibre optics directly to the premises.

With the proximity to the Southeast College, local retail sector, and residential subdivisions, these lots are ideal for businesses of any kind.

Each application would be considered on a case by case basis by council and the economic development board.

Address:

Legal Location: Dimensions:

Parcel Area:

Status:

Zoning:

515 Bourquin Road

Lot 6 Block 503 Plan 101998851

90.03 x 75.15m

0.676ha. (1.67 ac.)

Serviced, but undeveloped

Industrial, under review

524 Bourquin Road

Lot 3 Block 503 Plan 10998851

90.03 x 77.11m

0.694ha. (1.72 ac.)

Serviced, but undeveloped

Industrial, under review

516 Bourquin Road

Lot 2 Block 502 Plan 101998851

99.1 x 111.91m

1.109ha. (2.74 ac.)

Serviced, but undeveloped

Industrial, under review

523 Bourquin Road

Lot 7 Block 503 Plan 101998851

90.03 x 75.15m

0.677ha. (1.67 ac.)

Serviced, but undeveloped

Industrial, under review

531 Bourquin Road

Lot 8 Block 503 Plan 101998851

75.17m x 90.03m

0.672ha. (1.66 ac.)

Serviced, but undeveloped

Industrial, under review

For more information, call Richard Sadick at 306-634-1800

A8 March 31, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

Estevan saw its last mobile blood donor clinic, but there are other options to give

By Ana Bykhovskaia

For a long time, mobile blood donor clinics have been coming to Estevan about four times a year. Before the pandemic, they would easily hit the target of about 96 donations, sometimes seeing up to 120 people coming through the doors of the Estevan Leisure Centre to become a donor.

W hile the pandemic slowed everything down, the latest clinics still saw as many people showing up to donate blood as the staff could get through, while keeping everything sanitized and ensuring people were distanced.

"We've always had very strong participation and support from the community members with our blood donor clinic. Estevan has a very strong donor base. It was very uncommon for us not to hit our target," said Jennifer Dareichuk, associate director of donor relations with Canadian Blood Service, in an interview with the Mercury.

On March 23, Estevan

A mobile blood donor clinic was in Estevan for the last time on March 23. Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia saw its last mobile blood donor clinic. It was again well attended with a lot of first-time donors participating. Many other communities across Saskatchewan and all over the country also had their last mobile clinics recently. The decision to cut the number of mobile clinic destinations was made on the federal level, and wasn't based on participation, according to Dareichuk.

"In terms of performance and community support, it

The Estevan Mermaids synchronized swimming organization would like to acknowledge a grant received from the Federal Government of Canada. Our swimmers were facing a loss in pool time due to the restrictions placed on the number of athletes allowed to practice at one time. The money we received allowed us to book additional pool times for our athletes. Nous reconnaissons l’appui [financier] du gouvernement du Canada.

was extremely strong (in Estevan). And that was not a factor … It has happened in a variety of communities all across the country.

"We take a look regularly at how we manage the blood supply, and we find ways to align the supply with demand and look at ways to continuously improve our operations.

So, decisions about where we hold donor events is done on a national basis. We look at a number of different factors.

Some of them include the units that we collect, our labour and transportation costs, any logistical challenges that we might encounter with having events, the distance from a community to our collection hub and our production facilities.

“Also, we look at the need to operate an efficient blood system, knowing that we are publicly funded."

Dareichuk went on to explain that the distance between Estevan and their hub in Regina was a factor in this decision, along with some logistical challenges they had with operating mobile beds. "(There are) two com-

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ponents to this. One is that over the last number of years, we've been shifting where we collect blood, we've been shifting from mobile health more to our fixed sites. We've been slowly making this shift for a variety of reasons. One is that … we're publicly funded, so we're always looking for ways to ensure that we … improve efficiency within our operations.

“And it's more costly for us to run mobile donor events, compared to donor events that are fixates because we don't have to travel.

"The other part behind that shift is that we also have greater control and stability with the collections that we make at our fixed donor centre. The closest fixed donor centre is Regina, so we've been trying to increase our collections there, because it's within our control, we see less volatility and it's more efficient."

While several sites across Saskatchewan lost their mobile clinics, Dareichuk said it's been a gradual move and they did some changes to ensure that they still can keep up with the need for blood in

the province.

"When we make those decisions and we conduct those reviews, we make sure that if we are going to leave a mobile community, we have enough supply coming in to meet the demand to ensure that we're not affecting hospitals and patients. That's always top of mind when we're making these decisions. So when you look at places that we're not going to do anymore, those collections are going to be coming from somewhere else throughout the organization and across the country," Dareichuk said.

While there will be no more blood donor clinics coming to the Energy City, Estevan donors will still have other options. Weyburn will still see their clinics coming on a regular basis at this time. People from Estevan would need to adjust their Canada Blood Service profile settings online or by calling 1-888-2-DONATE to be notified about the events in Weyburn and to be able to book their appointments.

The other option is Regina's clinic, which is open

four days a week WednesdaySaturday. People would need to make an appointment there, but Dareichuk said they usually have spots available within a couple of days.

"If people are travelling to the city, we encourage them to go to blood.ca or download our GiveBlood app. It's very convenient to see what appointments are available and if there's an appointment available, they can book immediately, and come to our donor centre."

Dareichuk said they are always grateful for all the support they saw from Estevan in the past and probably will see in the future.

"We definitely have heard from the donors and understand the disappointment, but I just wanted to be clear, they really have supported us over the years and we've really appreciated that support. We understand that this is disappointing news for them. We appreciate the commitment that they have shown and for the ones that can continue to remain involved with us, we really appreciate it."

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Deep Earth Energy Corp. successfully completes 53-day geothermal production and injection test Deep Earth Energy Production Corp. (DEEP) has announced that it has successfully completed Canada’s first large-volume production and injection test on its 100 per cent-owned geothermal power project.

This test was required to acquire the reservoir data needed to finalize the well design for Canada’s first 20-megawatt commercial geothermal power facility.

Supported by Natural Resources Canada, this technical achievement reinforces that DEEP is positioned to help Canadians meet climate obligations under the Paris Agreement as well as reach the new policy goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

“By addressing concerns about climate change and creating new clean-tech jobs, DEEP’s leadership is committed to serving Canada’s national interest,” the company said in a news release.

For Canada to meet its climate and carbon goals, the nation needs new clean technologies and sources of energy. A strategic source is geothermal energy, DEEP said in the news release. The company is focused on developing geothermal in southern Saskatchewan because the region’s unique geology hosts high temperature and highvolume fluids exceeding 120 C required for power generation.

Testing to date has demonstrated that the optimum design for this first geothermal facility would generate 20MW of baseload power, or enough for 20,000 households. This energy project is supported by a highly streamlined regulatory environment thanks to Saskatchewan’s 60 years of oil and gas development and over a century of mining operations,

including world-leading uranium and potash operations.

The amount of power to be produced is four times the initial estimate of five megawatts.

DEEP will sell power to SaskPower under Canada’s first geothermal power purchase agreement signed in 2017 as well as offer direct industrial heating opportunities.

Geothermal is baseload clean energy that delivers power around the clock. It has the smallest environmental footprint of all renewables and does not disrupt animal migration or cause bird mortality.

Compared to intermittent forms of renewable power like wind or solar, geothermal provides constant baseload capacity offsetting more than double the greenhouse gas emissions of wind and does not require natural gas back up.

“Geothermal power is safe and reliable and will have an important role in Canada’s new energy future,” the press release said.

DEEP is the foremost geothermal power project in Canada with the capacity for sizable and scalable economic baseload power generation.

The project is utilizing Canada’s world class oil and gas technology and expertise – unleashed for the first time on renewable energy.

This means new jobs for oil and gas workers in Saskatchewan. The completion of this field test reinforces DEEP’s leadership in this new Canadian clean energy industry and DEEP’s capacity to successfully complete construction of its first power facility by 2023.

The test duration was 53 days and produced 89,112 cubic metres brine from the Border-5HZ horizontal well

(announced Nov. 24, 2020), injecting into Border-1 and Border 3 vertical wells. Despite the harsh Saskatchewan winter conditions, the field operations were executed with minimal downtime.

Well performance from the horizontal well and both injection wells were as anticipated and demonstrated reservoir continuity. This test provides the dataset required to finalize the design parameters of the well field to determine the lateral length of the horizontal wells, well completion design, and the distance necessary between producers and injectors to maintain reservoir pressure.

It is also important to prevent thermal break-through that could cause declining power output over time.

Feasibility engineering is expected to be completed

by April 30 by Calgary-based Enerpro Engineering. GeothermEx (a Schlumberger Company) will complete the third-party bankable feasibility report allowing DEEP to secure project financing for construction commencing in the fall of this year.

The objectives of the flow

test were to: Test reservoir pressure response, permeability and porosity; Confirm the Border5HZ Horizontal well productivity index (PI); Perform a long-term flow test at a rate of ~20 per cent commercial production rates of 100 l/s and monitor far field reservoir pressure response and depletion; Test for preferential flow paths that could lead to premature thermal breakthrough; and Test reservoir brine and

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during the test. Fluid and gas samples were taken during production and analyzed to quantify the reservoir fluid geochemistry and entrained gas composition for final design.

The DEEP team persevered through challenging Saskatchewan winter weather conditions that saw temperatures dip to below -30 C, and a powerful windstorm in order to accomplish this complicated geothermal resource test. All objectives were successfully met in this landmark first-inCanada achievement.

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Far field reservoir pressure response was monitored using downhole pressure-temperature gauges in observation well Border-2B, located approximately 700 metres south of Border-5HZ. Downhole and wellhead pressures and temperatures were monitored at the production well and injection wells

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A10 March 31, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

Local Catholic Church celebrates an innovative year while welcoming the Easter season

By Olivia Grandy St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church has remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Their goal has been to spread hope while making worship accessible for everyone.

The Mercury spoke to Maureen Daoust, who is the pastoral council chairperson. She explained how this past year has been a sometimes challenging but always rewarding journey for the parish.

They recently celebrated the achievements of this journey.

"There are a lot of people who are maybe feeling down or negative about COVID, and we made a distinct choice to be positive and to celebrate all of the things that we were able to do and that we were able to remain open," Daoust said.

Throughout the pandemic, adoration became a key practice of worship for the parish because it was possible to enforce restrictions and follow guidelines easily.

They have also found ways to use technology to establish a sense of community.

"We created a com-

St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church looks forward to welcoming back parishioners this Easter. munications committee. We were able to create some videos throughout various liturgical seasons within our parish. Those were shared.

We have an email list of about 400 families that we reach out to every week."

The church has continued to prioritize being able to celebrate sacraments throughout COVID, especially the anointing of the sick, a crucial last step for many.

Daoust shared that any21041AA2 21041AA3

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one who cannot attend an inperson service can participate in online masses and receive a weekly message from the archbishop through Regina's Archdiocese. Parishioners also have access to a digital platform called formed.org, where they can sign up to receive resources to help them on their faith journey.

Fortunately, the Gov-

ernment of Saskatchewan has recently reduced restrictions for places of worship.

St. John the Baptist Church has been able to have a maximum of 150 parishioners attending in-person services.

Daoust would like to assure people that the church's staff members are doing everything possible to create a safe environment.

"We are following all of the Saskatchewan Health Authority guidelines and the ministr y restrictions that are being placed upon us. Enhanced sanitization is taking place. We're not exceeding the numbers that we're allowed; all of our pews are marked, we have ushers that specifically seat people, and contact tracing is taking place."

The parish looks forward to seeing ever yone back throughout the Easter season, a deeply meaningful time for Catholics.

"This week is Hol y week, and we have some Easter celebrations and Easter services coming up. We thought that maybe we could spread some hope, joy and positivity."

Daoust would like to acknowledge the vital work that has made the success of their parish possible throughout this time.

"A big shout out to

CLUES ACROSS 1. __ fi (slang) 4. Former CIA 7. Parts per billion (abbr.)

10. Fermenting vat 11. News organization 12. Paddle 13. Agent in alchemy 15. Small amount 16. Wholeness 19. Suppliers 21. Type of head pain 23. Canadian province 24. Jiminy is one 25. Shelf 26. Diarist Frank 27. Honored 30. Boat race 34. Cash machine 35. Linguistic theory (abbr.)

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Father Sathi Antony. He has increased the number of masses to meet the needs of people during special liturgical seasons. We acknowledge his superhuman efforts and what we call true discipleship and leadership for our parish."

The past year's accomplishments have been the result of the outstanding support within the parish's community.

"It's definitely been a team effort. Our parish staff have been instrumental. Connie Wheeler, our pastoral assistant, has been right beside Father through it all, too, supporting him and our parish. Everyone has been pitching in and pulling together to make sure that it's safe."

The parish would like to thank their parishioners for their generous continued financial support. Many people began donating electronically throughout the pandemic. Consequently, the year ended well financially for the church.

Anyone interested in attending mass can sign up on the parish website, the Facebook page or by calling the parish office. You can find in-person mass times for upcoming Easter celebrations on the church's website.

CLUES DOWN 1. Shorttail weasel 2. Type of sword 3. A way to acquire 4. Peddled more 5. Relaxing place 6. A small carrier attached to the side of a motorcycle 7. Decanting 8. For all ills or diseases 9. Building material 13. “Much __ About Nothing” 14. Type of Buddhism 17. Refers to something unique 18. Thus far 20. Make angry 22. Greek mythological character 27. Used on driveways 28. Relating to the ears 29. Doctors’ group 31. Chinese philosophical principle 32. Stomach 33. A particular period 37. Coin of ancient Greece 38. Place to clean oneself 39. One of the Great Lakes 40. Ruled 41. State of being free 42. Fe 43. Soup cracker 44. Escorts 47. Credit term 48. Institute legal proceedings against 49. Put within 51. New Jersey is one 52. Red deer 53. Type of whale 58. Swiss river

www.estevanmercury.ca

March 31, 2021 A11

Farm Family of the Year - 2021 Emdes have had a long and successful history in farming in the Midale area

From left, Dallas Toles holding son Brigden, Chelsea Toles, Kyler Emde holding son Kolter, Sarah Emde, daughters Adriah & Georgia in front, Brody & Dakota Dreher, Lana & Ron Emde, Kendall & Shawn Eggum. Photo by Kelsey Dawn Photo and Design

By David Willberg

The Emde family can vouch for the importance of family in a successful farming operation in the 21st century.

Four generations of Emdes have been involved with farming in the Midale area, and a fifth one might yet find its way into the industry as well.

Ron and Lana Emde are still at the helm of the operation, known as Emde Land and Cattle, and all four children and spouses are involved in the operation in some way.

The Emdes are the latest recipients of the prestigious Farm Family of the Year Award. The prestigious honour was presented Tuesday afternoon at the Emde farm site.

The Emdes were selected to win the Farm Family honour in 2020, with a presentation to happen in late March during the

Estevan Farmer’s Appreciation Evening banquet. But the event, presented by the Estevan Chamber of Commerce and the Estevan Exhibition Association, was cancelled, as the COVID-19 pandemic struck Saskatchewan just a couple of weeks before the banquet.

So the decision was made to have the Emdes receive the recognition for 2021 instead. And since the Farmers’ Appreciation Evening won’t happen this year, either, it was decided to present the award at the Emde farm instead.

The farm’s history The Emde family’s history in farming in Saskatchewan started with Ron’s grandfather Wilhelm (Bill) Emde. Wilhelm was born in Germany in 1889, and when he was 14, he moved to South Dakota to farm with his uncle. Ron, Lana and their family aren’t sure when Wilhelm came to Canada, but Wilhelm

married Ron’s grandmother Clara in 1915, and settled on a homestead just outside of Midale.

They worked together on the farm, and remained there except for about three years when they moved to Manitoba due to drought. Wilhelm and Clara eventually returned to the homestead and retired in 1956.

Ron’s father Willis grew up farming alongside Wilhelm. In 1956, Willis and his wife Hazel moved to the family farm, and in 1959, they purchased a different farm, which is on land they still own.

Ron was the youngest of Willis and Hazel’s four children.

“Ron farmed with his dad and his brother (Alan) for quite a few years, and also worked in the oilfield,” said Lana.

The family has a large operation, including grassland. Not only do they have land

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around Midale, but they also farm in the Griffin, Halbrite and Benson areas. Their homestead is about eight kilometres west of Midale.

Canola, wheat, durum, soy beans, barley and lentils can all be found on their land.

They also have a cow-calf operation with some steers.

While they farm a lot of land, the land that they have acquired over the years was offered to them. They have never tried to outbid someone else on owning land.

Ron says they want to see the next generation succeed in farming.

“We believe the young people have just as much right to expand their farms as we do, just as we expanded a number of years back when farming wasn’t as lucrative and people didn’t want the land,” said Ron, who noted A12 » FAMILY

A12 March 31, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

Family and staff a big part of operations « A11they have passed up land over the years so that neighbours could secure it.

Camelina oil is also part of their crop rotation, so Ron and Lana furthered their expansion by becoming co-founders of The Three Farmers in 2011. The Saskatchewanbased company has quickly expanded into producing not only camelina oil, but also chickpea, pea, and lentil snacks.

A changing industry When Ron’s father started farming, he had about 800 acres of spring wheat.

“Way back then, there was no fertilizer use, and now we continuous crop. We seed the whole farm. We fertilize the whole farm,” said Ron. At one time, half the farm would be summer fallow, Ron said. They would only crop it every other year. Farming has become more advanced and there are more ways to save money so they aren’t wasting fertilizer, seed and chemical.

Ron says that Willis would claim that there will never be another generation that will see more changes than Willis and Clara’s.

“He went from the horse and buggy when he was a kid to the automobile to seeing them put a man on the moon – a man walking on the moon – and before he passed away, the tractors had auto-steer; they were driving themselves down the field,” said Ron. There will be further advancements in technology, but changes in Willis Emde’s generation were major ones.

The advancements in farming have added more planning and taken some of the guesswork out of the industry, said their daughter Chelsea. The Emdes are big supporters of soil testing, and if you’re not taking care of that foundation, you’re taking a larger risk with what you’re doing.

“There’s lots of things that farms can do to build a strong operation,” said Chelsea.

The impact of family and staff

Their daughter Chelsea Toles, her husband Dallas and son Brigden live near Halbrite and farm land that they have built a home on. Chelsea received her agronomy degree in college and is currently applying her education working on the farm as an agronomist.

Chelsea and Dallas both assist with harvest on the farm in the fall and Chelsea helps her parents with crop planning and field management throughout the summer.

Another daughter, Kendall, and her husband Shawn live at Mainprize Regional Park and both work for their family farms.

They are expecting their first child this spring.

With Kendall’s diploma in agri-business, she utilizes it by bookkeeping for the farm. She also assists in the field, and farms her own land with her parents.

Kendall and Shawn have their own farm, S.K.E. Acres Ltd. They have purchased their own land and plan to continue buying and renting more land to expand their own operation.

A third daughter, Dakota, and her husband Brody are living south of the main farm in the Bromhead area at Brody’s family’s homestead. Dakota has her own photography business, which comes in great use during the annual harvest photo shoot. During harvest, Dakota helps with harvest meals.

Brody started working for the farm in high school and has become a key asset to the team with his mechanical knowledge over the last eight years.

Their son Kyler, his wife Sarah and their children Adriah, Georgia and Kolter live on the homestead. Ron and Kyler started Kyron Trucking together, and Kyler recently took full ownership of the company. Kyron Trucking can be seen on the highways hauling fertilizer, grain and cattle for input suppliers, grain elevators and local farmers.

A13 »FARMING

Harvest is always a busy time for Emde Land and cattle, which is a large farm in the Midale area. Photo by Emde Photography

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While there might occasionally be dark clouds over the Emde farm, the operation has a bright future. Photo by Emde Photography

www.estevanmercury.ca

March 31, 2021 A13

Farming brings a lot of joys for Emdes « A12 Kyler continues to work for the family farm, and has picked up his own land to farm with his wife and family.

Ron and Lana noted that Kyron Trucking is a big part of their operation, because it keeps their workers employed in the winter months. They have nine fulltime employees.

“A lot of farms lay off most of their men in the winter, and we try to keep them all employed,” said Ron. “That’s why we do the customer grain and fertilizer hauling and livestock to keep four or five of our guys around in the winter.”

They even have a health plan for their employees and their families, which they have had for years.

“Our men are dedicated to us. We have very good employees,” said Ron. “We cannot say enough about our employees, how dedicated they are to the farm, and how they fit right in, just like it’s their operation.”

The Emde Land and Cattle employees care about the seeding rates and depths, and how much fertilizer they’re applying and how much chemical they’re using.

Many of their employees who work on the farm are

relatives, and those who aren’t family members become like family to the Emdes.

At harvest over 20 people come together throughout the season to do their share for the farm from combining and trucking, to meal deliveries and part runs.

Ron says he can’t give his wife enough credit for how she’s backed the family over the years. She has never questioned the equipment they wanted to buy, the land they wanted to take on or the crops they wanted to grow.

“She’s the rock of the whole family and the whole operation,” said Ron. Lana was a co-owner of Carl Brady Trucking out of Halbrite until she retired.

The business was founded by her mother and father in 1968. After 36 years of working in the family business, Lana turned her full attention to the family farm.

She runs equipment in the spring and fall, and manages the office work.

She says it’s “awesome” to keep the Emde farm within the family. After growing up in an oilfield family, she was used to seeing a fleet of trucks instead of a herd of cattle.

It helps that she knew

Kyron Trucking, owned by Kyler Emde, is an important part of the Emdes farm operation.

Photo by Emde Photography how to drive a truck when she moved to the farm, so she hauled grain. And she has driven other equipment on the farm.

“Since I came to the farm, I’ve really enjoyed it.

We’ve been able to raise our kids here, and it was important to me,” said Lana.

When she wanted to spend time with her father in oilfield, she had to go into the truck and be with him

Emde Land and Cattle does their best to keep pace with changes in farming technology.

Photo by Emde Photography

CONGRATULATIONS to the Farm Family of the Year!

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out there.

But with a farm, they would have a lot more family time, and nobody is worried about having kids out there.

“I can’t say enough good about farm life,” said Lana.

“It’s been an awesome life for me. Working together, Ron and I do everything together. We’ve always been that team that it didn’t matter what I was doing, Ron could do whatever I could do in the house, and I could do whatever he could do in the field.

“Raising our kids, they all learned to drive at a young age, and they all can run the equipment. I don’t think there’s a piece of equipment that most of our kids can’t run at any time. And that comes from Ron and I being

out there together most of the time.”

The joys of farming Ron said he loves the lifestyle associated with farming. He worked in the oilfield for 25 years, but the farm was always in his heart.

“It ’s a great place to raise a family,” he said. “It teaches good work ethic. I always said that … ‘if you’re going to hire a farm kid, they’re going to know how to work.’”

There’s also the peace of mind associated with living in the country. Yes, he has to start work at 5 a.m. a lot of days, but it’s calm and peaceful, and you don’t have the hustle and bustle of city life.

Chelsea spent a few years in Saskatoon while A14 » FARMING

ratulation g n o s to the C FARM FAMILY OF THE YEAR

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A14 March 31, 2021

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Farming with family is a rewarding experience studying at the University of Saskatoon to obtain her agronomy degree, with a minor in agriculture business.

After spending five years working for Eggum Seed Sales, which is based out of the Midale area, she decided to return to work on the farm after her son Brigden was born.

Chelsea said she loves the versatility of the industry.

There’s more than one way to farm. You can go from conventional to organic.

“There’s no wrong way to do it,” Chelsea said. “The farming technology and advancements in science have turned farming into an industry that requires multiple team members to succeed.”

A good farming operation needs those who have a good understanding of mechanics and technology, and they need those that are good in the office or are booksmart.

You also need those with agronomic education to un-

derstand what’s going on in the field and how to handle any problems.

“You also need those caretakers that keep everybody running throughout the year, like our cooks,” said Chelsea.

Chelsea is proud to see the way in which her siblings have been involved in the farm.

“Kyler has been working on the farm since he could walk, and he’s never left,” said Chelsea. “I think if you made him leave, that wouldn’t go over well. He lives and breathes the farm.”

It’s rewarding to continue to farm with the family, she said. Everyone has been included very well. Even though her parents have the final decision on everything, they’re very good at including the children in the family’s decision.

They’ll sit around the dinner table a few times throughout the year to dis-

The Emdes love the rural lifestyles and the opportunities to see some unique things, such as wildlife.

Photo by Emde Photography cuss their goals for the farm and how they should manage it throughout the season – looking at risk factors, and how they can do things better from agronomic, economic and other perspectives.

“It just encourages us all to be on the same page and

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to be included in all the farm decisions,” said Chelsea.

Another generation of farmers might be part of the operation one day. Their oldest grandchild is six years old, and a couple of the younger grandchildren have taken an interest in tractors and cows and everything else associated with the farm.

Community involvement The Emdes also take a big role in the community.

Lana has been part of a lot of boards. She was on the school board for 10 years when her kids were in school, and she worked with the catering club and taught Sunday school.

The family constantly supported fundraisers.

Prior to COVID-19, the civic centre held a fundraiser named More 2000, which featured an auction and a supper.

The Emde’s would host achievement days for the

local 4-H club at their farm.

And they have been part of councils for rural municipalities.

“As a family, it seems like we’re always doing something community-wide,” said Lana.

They might always have something on the go with the farm or with their families, but they also always have time for their community, which makes the Emdes the embodiment of a modern farm family.

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Bruins react to the cancellation of the SJHL season

By David Willberg Six games.

That’s all that the Estevan Bruins and most of the other teams in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League played in the 2020-21 season.

The SJHL season came to an end on March 22, when the Saskatchewan Health Authority denied the league’s bid to have a bubble in Weyburn that would have seen seven of the league’s 12 teams play an abbreviated schedule over several weeks.

Sask. Health cited COVID-19 spread with variants of concern as the reason.

The bubble would have been similar to the one that has been happening in Regina for the seven teams in the Western Hockey League’s East Division. Players and other people involved with the teams would have been limited to their hotel rooms and the arena where games are played.

Estevan was among the seven teams who agreed to be part of the bubble. The Weyburn Red Wings, Flin Flon Bombers, Kindersley Klippers, Melfort Mustangs, Humboldt Broncos and Nipawin Hawks were also committed.

The Battlefords North Stars, Yorkton Terriers, Notre Dame Hounds, La Ronge Ice Wolves and Melville Millionaires said no to participating.

Sask. Health had previously said no to the league resuming its season with teams playing at home, but with no fans in the stands.

The Estevan Bruins 2020-21 season is officially over, after the SJHL did not receive approval for its bubble proposal. File photo Bruins head coach and general manager Jason Tatarnic, who was part of the league’s return to play committee, was surprised with the decision.

“We pretty much mimicked the Western Hockey League agreement,” said Tatarnic. “The only difference is we were in hotels instead of dorms.”

The league would have fully occupied one hotel, and left one floor open for the public in another. Tatarnic said it sounded like that was a sticking point for Sask. Health, but he believes it could have been quickly resolved.

“There might have been a few pieces that we had to fix in our proposal, but nothing major. Nothing we couldn’t have fixed,” he said.

The Health Authority did tell the SJHL that it could submit another proposal in two or three weeks, but the league felt it didn’t make sense due to timelines.

The return to play committee was an interesting process, Tatarnic said. They asked president Bill Chow a tonne of questions.

“You understand it’s not something that happens overnight. You have an appreciation for the process that Bill Chow had to go through.”

There was speculation early on that Estevan would be a hub city instead of Weyburn.

The local business community was very supportive of the concept.

“It was great to see how

passionate the business community is here. That was an eye-opener, that’s for sure.”

It was going to cost more than $70,000 per team to have a hub city, but that was before player contributions. There would have been a 50-50 split between teams and players.

Tatarnic suspects that timing of the surge in variant cases was a factor in Sask. Health’s decision. After several weeks of low case counts, the South East sub-zone that includes Weyburn has seen a recent increase in cases, including some variant cases.

The players would have faced a stringent quarantine schedule. Many had already been isolating at home in the hopes the SJHL bubble format

would be approved.

When they arrived at the hub centre, they were to be tested. And after they went to their room to isolate for five days, they would be tested again.

“Once they received a second negative test, we could practise. And then after we go through the practice stage, and we would be tested again after six days. And then after you received a negative test, you could go into the competition stage.”

The league respected everyone’s decision whether to be part of the hub. If there was a positive case in the practice stage or the competition stage, the team would have to quarantine for 14 days, forcing them to miss two weeks of games or nearly half the competition.

“There was some possible scenarios that could pop up and be pretty impactful on your financial situation going into it.”

For the team’s 20-year-old players – defencemen Austin King-Cunningham, Devan Harrison and Kade McMillen, and forwards Eddie Gallagher, Ryder Pierson and Tanner Mortenson – it was particularly tough to have a six-game season with no playoffs. They didn’t have closure for their junior hockey career.

Pierson, an Estevan product who spent all three years of his junior hockey career in the Energy City, said he wasn’t surprised with the decision by Sask. Health.

“As it kept dragging on, I think everybody’s hopes started to get less and less as it kept on

going. But it’s definitely still a shock when you get the official word that you won’t be going.”

The players had been doing what they could to be ready for the start of the season, by spending time with just their families and their close contacts.

Pierson was ready to go into the bubble.

“I think everybody did the best they could. You can only put your life on pause for so long, but everybody was doing everything possible that they could to be ready to go if we got the go-ahead.”

He says it seems like yesterday that he arrived at the Bruins fall training camp in 2018, doing everything he could to make the team. The team’s thrilling overtime win over the Humboldt Broncos in Game 7 of the SJHL quarterfinal series in 2018 was the highlight of his time with the club.

A sold-out crowd of 2,662 fans attended the game at Affinity Place.

Pierson is looking forward to going to the school and beginning his life after hockey. He hopes to attend the University of Saskatchewan.

Now the Bruins attention will turn towards the 2021-22 season and the 2022 Centennial Cup national junior A hockey championship, sponsored by Tim Hortons, which is slated to be in Estevan.The 2021 tournament, slated for Penticton, B.C., has been cancelled. Hockey Canada has yet to officially update the status of the 2022 tournament.

Young athlete to be in the spotlight in April A young Estevan athlete is going to be in the spotlight throughout April, thanks to an initiative involving Sobeys and Special Olympics.

Emily Meili, age six, will be featured at the Sobeys in Estevan and elsewhere in the province in April, and in advertising for her efforts to promote a healthy lifestyle.

The promotion will discuss how she is staying healthy and active at home; the Active Start program for children with an intellectual disability who are ages two to six; what she loves and misses about Special Olympics; and how her involvement in the Special Olympics, and sports in general, has changed her life.

Her parents, Conrad and Kandyce Meili, said Special Olympics Saskatchewan sent a request to Special Olympics Estevan, looking for some athletes to submit information for this opportunity.

“We submitted a few athletes, and they chose Emily,” said Kandyce.

Since COVID-19 came to Saskatchewan a year ago, she has been eating lots of fruits and vegetables, playing outside with her brother and

sister, and participating in dance parties.

“We turn on Mini Pops dance parties on YouTube, and her and her brother and sister dance to them on YouTube,” said Kandyce.

The videos of the sibling dance parties have been sent to family and friends, and they loved the footage.

Her parents believe it has been very important for her to stay active during the past year.

“Kids with limited mobility definitely have a harder time with weight challenges and activity level, so for her to continue on being active, for her health, has been good,” said Kandyce.

The Active Start program has helped her become more confident in her skills and develop her skills such as running, jumping and throwing. And she gets to spend time around other kids in Special Olympics.

Her favourite sports are anything with activity.

She loves dancing and the obstacle courses set up at Special Olympics, and playing What time is it Mr. Wolf, which is a game for kids.

“She’s been involved in soccer and really enjoyed it,

and baseball is another one that she really likes,” said Kandyce.

Once she sees her profile in the Sobeys store in

Estevan, Kandyce expects it will sink in with Emily how special this is, but she’s excited to have this opportunity.

“It’s a bit of a culmina-

tion for Special Olympics in general, in the scope of how long Special Olympics has been around versus how long youth activities have been around,” said Conrad.

“It’s nice to have some provincial recognition on a bit of a larger scale, and just how big the movement has been in Estevan, compared to other places. “ We’ve had a lot of athletes, we’ve had a lot of turnout, we’ve got a lot of great volunteers. We’ve had community support. These things are all locally ac-

knowledged readily.”

Getting an athlete locally selected means a lot as far as reinforcing how important it is for kids to start early with being active.

Special Olympics has worked with S obe y s to develop a nutrition guide, interactive programming and lesson plans created by registered dieticians, which has been activated in several markets, working directly with Special Olympics athletes and their families to activate virtual programming options.

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Donation for new play structure in Royal Heights A new play structure is going to be added at Royal Heights Veterans Memorial Park next year.

Estevan city council gave the green light at its meeting on March 22 for a new pillow bouncer apparatus to be added to the park. In a letter to council, Rod March, the city’s manager of parks and facilities, said that recently a local business owner approached the city and offered a donation towards the bouncer.

It’s not clear whether the donor would want their name attached to the structure.

March wrote that other areas that have this amenity generated only positive feedback. He has contacted the manufacture, and the cost of the item, including delivery

and supply, is approximately $15,000.

In speaking with the manufacturer, March said he is confident that the city can install the item in-house.

But there would be a cost to the city to complete the site preparation, electrical needs, lighting, security fencing and ongoing maintenance.

The sponsor is offering $10,000 for the bouncer; the estimate to have this amenity fully operational will be approximately $27,000.

The item is not included in the 2021 budget, as the offer for sponsorship came to the city after budget submissions for this year.

“It is a new item, stemming from the generosity of an Estevan business owner, which we always appreciate.

If it were to proceed, it will undoubtedly be a valuable and popular feature enjoyed by many patrons in the park,” said March.

Council lor Rebecc a Foord said it’s great to see that businesses and others want to put their hard-earned money in the community.

But she also wanted to know how it would affect the city’s insurance, because it’s a new facility.

March replied by saying they would have signage regarding the risk of the bouncer, but he said this would likely be one of the safer structures in the city because he compared it to “a big pillow.” * * * C o u n c i l l o r L i n d s ay Clark wants to see a plan to

improve some of the residential roads in the city.

Speaking during the inquiries portion of the meeting, Clark said he would like to see council begin to improve residential streets. He asked for city manager Jeff Ward and department heads to bring council members up to speed regarding potential roads to be resurfaced over the next few years.

“I’d like to see if we can begin the process to start in the next budget cycle, and in closing I’d just like some preliminary information brought

to council that could lead to us setting priorities and seeing the challenges, both financial and structural, that we’ll see in Estevan,” said Clark.

Mayor Roy Ludwig suggested the city could come forward with a list of some of its worst streets and how to address them.

Clark said the previous five months have been interesting and informative, and he has seen what the previous council has taken on with debt reduction and the shift in the primary water source,

among other things. * * * The fuel tender for 2021-2024 was awarded to the Southern Plains Co-op.

It will cost the city $1.06 for unleaded fuel and $1.07 for diesel from the cardlock. * * * Foord and Councillor Shelly Veroba brought forward issues with people cleaning up after their dogs.

It’s been a problem in parks, they said, and they hope people will do their part to clean up after pets, because it makes for a cleaner city.

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Gerald Fuglerud picked up discarded masks from around Walmart on Saturday. Members of the Estevan Patriots and other volunteers were out on Saturday, picking up discarded masks that were left in ditches and boulevards from four areas in the community. More than two dozen people met up at the Wylie-Mitchell building in central Estevan and then fanned out to four different locations in the community: the Southern Plains Co-op’s Estevan grocery store, Clifton’s No Frills, the Estevan Comprehensive School and Walmart. They picked up 1,055 masks. Some of the volunteers also picked up gloves and other debris that had collected during the past few months.

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SENIOR LIVING A17 | Wednesday, March 31, 2021 | estevanmercury.ca

Women of Estevan: A story of women’s rights from the perspective of Estevan’s 103-year-old Blanche Keating

By Ana Bykhovskaia A lot has changed over the past 100 years, especially when it comes to women's rights and their position in society.

The Mercury decided to wrap up our Women of Estevan special section with the story of Blanche Keating, an outstanding local woman who was born a year after Saskatchewan recognized women's right to vote in the provincial and federal elections. While Keating's parents were very progressive for their times, kids still firsthand experienced many of the changes in the communities around them and witnessed a long-term process of the world opening up and becoming more and more inclusive.

Keating was born and raised in the Weyburn area. The family had seven children – six daughters and a son. Life wasn't easy, the farmhouse didn't have many amenities and the family didn't have much money, but the parents knew that all of their kids had to have an education.

"We were progressive …

We lived on a farm, and we were one of the few families that went on for education.

But my dad and mom were very determined that the girls needed something, that they could look after themselves if they had to … So we all knew that we were expected to go ahead and get (some education)," Keating recalled.

The basic education the children received wasn't focusing on gender differences. Kids went to a country school three kilometres away from home.

There was one classroom for 20 children from Grades 1-10.

One teacher. There was no room or time to distinguish between girls and boys, educating them according to what then could have been observed as more useful skills based on the gender of a student.

W hile all kids went through the same curriculum, Keating recalls that when she was fresh out of school, women's career opportunities were limited, as they weren't allowed into many fields perceived as men-prerogative.

"There were no women doctors that I knew of," Keating said as an example.

More women started pursuing careers starting in the 30s, but for a while, they still didn't have too many options.

"For women, it was mostly nurses, teachers and secretaries … Or else otherwise, you worked in a hotel or restaurant," said Keating, adding that housework was still a popular path for many women.

Some people that graduated high school around Keating's time went beyond and received further education.

Not every family could afford education in the ’30s when there were hardly any jobs available. In Keating's case farming helped a lot. Her oldest sister, born in 1909, went into nursing.

The next sister also followed these steps, so did some of their cousins. With financial support from older siblings, Keating chose a different path, which still aligned with the women's field at that time. "(In the mid-30s) I went to commercial school (in Regina) for a year and I got my certificate to be a secretary, a stenographer. But there was no work," recalled Keating. "I

came home and got only one interview and that's all. I had no work and I wasn't doing anything, so my mother suggested, 'Why don't you go into teaching?' There were openings.

That's why I became a teacher."

Teacher's training back then took only one year, and soon Keating started teaching in a country school.

She said there was no pressure anymore for young women to get married, but youth prevails, and she met her husband-to-be soon after she started working. She was boarding at his cousin's place, when they got to know each other in the late ’30s and then started their own family.

Keating says that it felt that the society she knew changed significantly with the war.

"I think the change was really during the Second World War. There were no people for the jobs with the young men all going to war. So women had to go into those spots. And that's what kind of opened up more women to different careers."

The war changed the vision of women as well. Girls at Keating’s house weren't allowed to swear, tell filthy jokes or read filthy books, and her father-inlaw was disgusted by women smoking. These standards weren't completely dissolved by the war, but things that weren't acceptable for women before started becoming normalized to the same point, as they were normalized for men.

The family moved into Estevan during the boom in the 1960s, when the area was flourishing. Keating noted that with women's involvement in all spheres significantly grow-

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school and retired from teaching in 1982, ending a career she enjoyed.

"It was enjoyable work. It wasn't like a teacher nowadays that is rushed off their feet. You just simply taught and that's it ... I had my family at that time, and I think because of having your own family you understood children more."

If Keating's family could come together for a reunion these days, there would be about 130 people present – a group that also tells the history of changes in society.

During her time, Keating was rather an exception when it came to education, but nevertheless, girls in her family finished school and then went through certification to pursue popular "women's" careers. Already for her daughters, it was a norm to go to university, thus widening up their opportunities. And Keating's grandkids and great-grandkids are now becoming architects, engineers and anything else they want, rarely facing the gender-related inequalities in the world of the workforce and in life.

Terry, Hanna, Blanche, Brenda and Kevin Keating gather for a photo prior to Blanche Keating's 100th birthday. File photo

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ing in the ’30s and ’40s, by the time they moved to Estevan it was already a common thing to see females working the same jobs as men.

While in many areas, there was a wage imbalance, Keating said the Saskatchewan teachers' union achieved guaranteed minimum wages for all teachers, thus making it more equal for all employees.

The world kept changing, and Keating's family kept growing. They raised 11 children. After moving to Estevan, Keating switched to elementary

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Flashback – Wednesday, March 30, 1977 Cheers Cheers to the people who have written letters to the police chief and the deputy police chief, asking for their resignation. Their treatment of Jay Pierson was disgusting and they should both terminate their employment with the Estevan Police Service.

Cheers to Paul Twietmeyer for the beautiful mural that he created for the front of the Carlyle Memorial Hall. It’s important that we continue to recognize the efforts of front-line health care workers.

Cheers to Estevan businesses that support other Estevan businesses.

Cheers to the Estevan Patriots for getting out and cleaning up the discarded masks (and other debris) in the city. But you have to wonder why people are so lazy that they don’t put their masks in the garbage when they’re finished with them.

Cheers to the Estevan Fire Rescue Service for their dedication to the community. Four calls in a 12-hour span last week is a pretty demanding schedule for a paid, on-call department.

Cheers to the Estevan Wildlife Federation for finding a way to salute its award winners for 2020.

Just because you can’t recognize them during an awards banquet doesn’t mean you can’t salute them in some way. And a lot of people were out hunting and fishing last year.

Cheers to SaskPower employees for battling gusting wind, blowing snow and cold weather Tuesday morning to return power to Mercury office, so we could make sure that you get your paper in time.

Jeers Jeers to George Foord on his letter to the editor in a recent edition of the Mercury, regarding it being time to lift restrictions. His comments are short-sighted and dangerous. Money is not as important as lives.

Jeers to the two females in a black Chev truck that was turning east by Fas Gas on Friday night around 9:30 p.m. Not only did they almost hit another vehicle, they went down Sixth Street on the wrong side of the street.

Jeers to the provincial government for not giving the green light for the SJHL to have a season within a bubble. The proposal met all the requirements but the government still said no.

CROSSWORD ANSWER

To submit a cheer or a jeer, please email it to dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca, or visit www.estevanmercury.ca.

The Kinsmen Pats were the champions of the Tom Thumb Hockey League in Estevan for the 1976-77 season. Front row, from left, coach Bob Kvamme, David Reid, Jeff Stephen, James Prette, Aaron Mickel, Duncan Kennedy, Michael Chamney and coach Graham Reid. Back row, from left, Blaise Kirchgesner, Aaron Rookes, Lyle Grube, Todd Shirley, Garnet Kazuik, Collin McKersie and Dave Kvamme.

The power of kindness This article is about one of the most important and powerful attitudes in the word of God. Put into practice, this quality could change all your relationships for the better. What is this most outstanding concept? Kindness.

At first glance, kindness does not seem like a big deal. In fact, it is a concept that we teach to children. You go to pre-school and kindergarten, at least in part, to learn how to share and be kind to others. However, kindness is not childish.

Kindness is the starting point of every Godly action. It was God’s kindness that motivated him to save us (Titus 3:3-7). Kindness is the evidence that God’s Spirit lives in us (Gala-

Tim Pippus of the Estevan Church of Christ tians 5:22-23). Ultimately, “God’s kindness leads you towards repentance” (Romans 2:4). Kindness is powerful.

Several years ago, Sara and I got a dog. I do not like dogs, but I like Sara and she wanted one, and so Murphy came to live with us. When Murphy was being bad, I would try to force him to behave. I was not mean, but I was strict.

If he pulled on his leash,

I would pull him the other way to show him who was in charge. W hen he was barking, I would go out and tell him to be quiet, but I would leave him outside. On the other hand, Sara played with him and gave him treats. When he was doing something that he should not be doing, she would patiently train him to be better.

Who do you think Murphy loved? Whose dog was Murphy? Murphy tolerated

me, but he loved Sara. Her kindness did much more than my strictness.

If you want to influence someone, kindness is the place to start. If you would like to change the culture of your workplace, school or family, lead by being kind. If you want to draw someone closer to God, then start where God always starts, with kindness.

There is one disclaimer: if you are in an abusive or toxic relationship, you do not need to be kind; you need to seek other forms of help. Otherwise, your kindness will be used against you. However, in healthy circumstances, kindness can work wonders.

Being kind is not childish. It is Godly and powerful.

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We are so very grateful for our family, friends and community at this time.

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CLASSIFIEDS A19 | Wednesday, March 31, 2021 | estevanmercury.ca Obituaries

Bernadette Gabriel Thievin nee Dubreuil, endearingly known to family and friends as 'Dedette', died peacefully on March 7, 2021 in Medicine Hat, Alberta. She was 95.

Dedette was a lifetime resident of Saskatchewan. Due to COVID limitations, a memorial service will be scheduled at an indeterminate date and will be announced accordingly. As a follower of Christ, a funeral mass will be celebrated in Stockholm, Saskatchewan where she will be buried next to her best friend and lifetime companion, Aime Thievin, who predeceased her in 1986.

Born in Saint-Front, Saskatchewan in 1925, Dedette was the ninth and final child of Rose Montes and François Dubreuil. She attended Newdale country school near her parents' farm in the Rose Valley area, but her real education in life likely began at age 11 when her father died and she assumed a role of enormous

responsibility.

There are few love stories that rival Dedette’s. At 18 she was engaged to a boy who’d stolen her heart when she was 9. Aime Thievin left for Europe to fight in WW2, and after their exchange of more than 500 letters and the arrival of VE Day, he returned in 1945 to marry the girl of his dreams. They had 10 children and 27 grandchildren. And they remained deeply in love to the end. At the time of her passing, three successive generations had enriched her life with a total of 76 grandchildren to further her remarkable legacy.

Dedette was also predeceased by all eight of her brothers and sisters and by three of her own sons, Thomas, Francis, and Marcel. She is survived by seven remaining children, Richard (Estevan, SK), Denis (Quadra Island, BC), Jim (Quadra Island, BC), Charlotte Neyedley (Gerald, SK), Marie Blaquiere (Charlottetown, PEI), Dianne Cropp (Medicine Hat, AB), and Jacqueline Boake (Duff, SK).

Over the years, Dedette and Aime raised their large family in three places—at their farm near Benson, SK until 1955, in Estevan where they owned and operated a service station until 1967, and at Maple Grove, a summer resort in the Qu’Appelle Valley until 1978 when they retired to the nearby community of Stockholm, SK. Dedette was an extraordinary woman, wife, mother, and grandmother, genuinely loved by everyone who knew her. She made the world a better place, unfailingly giving every moment of her life to others, and her integrity will never be surpassed. Now her work on earth has finished. Her next assignment comes with a bonus, a reunion with family and friends she has painfully missed. Her newest mission takes her to a wonderful place where she will dance the polka as though she were 20 and bake hearty loaves of bread with unwavering amour de la vie. An eternity of love awaits her, and she is guaranteed the music and the laughter she deserves.

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1-844-453-5372 Career OppOrtunities

Olivia W. Hirsch 2015 – 2021 Olivia passed away peacefully in her parents’ arms, surrounded by her family on Monday, March 15, 2021 at her home after a courageous battle with DIPG. Olivia’s memory will forever be cherished and remembered by her family; parents, Aaron and Jen Hirsch; siblings, Colby and Bridget; grandparents, Stanley and Marcia Hirsch, Timothy Mayert and Anne Maillet; great grandparents, Irene Roy, Eleanor Mayert and Ken Campion; Aunts and Uncles, Kara (Monty) Blomberg, Tony (Katherine) Trush, David (Janit) Trush and Kevin (Jessica) Trush; cousins, Brayden, Morgan, Rylie, Cole, Brody, Fiona, Sheldon, JJ, Josie, Hailie, Christina and Christopher as well as many honorary aunties, uncles, cousins and good friends.

In lieu of flowers, Olivia’s family asks that donations may be made to the Liv Like a Unicorn Foundation which is a non-profit organization whose objective is to raise funding critical to DIPG research and trials.

To find out more, please visit https://www.livlikeaunicorn.org Hall Funeral Services is caring for Olivia’s family – Yvonne Clark, Funeral Director.

In MeMorIaM

Feed & Seed

HIP/KNEE Replacement?

Bernadette Gabriel Thievin

In MeMorIaM

Farm ServiceS

HealtH ServiceS

Notices / NomiNatioNs Advertisements and statements contained herein are the sole responsibility of the persons or entities that post the advertisement, and the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association and membership do not make any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or reliability of such advertisements. For greater information on advertising conditions, please consult the Association’s Blanket Advertising Conditions on our website at www.swna.com.

FORAGE SEED FOR SALE: Organic & conventional: Sweet Clover, Alfalfa, Red Clover, Smooth Brome, Meadow Brome, Crested Wheatgrass, Timothy, etc.

Star City, SK. Birch Rose Acres Ltd. 306-921-9942.

HEAVY DUTY MECHANICS & 1A TRUCK DRIVERS REQUIRED: Late model, clean CAT, JD equip; winch, dump, gravel trucks, and trailers. Both camp and shop locations; R & B provided Wage negotiable.

Clean drivers abstract a must.

Send resume and work references to: Bryden Construction Box 100, Arborfield, Sk. S0E 0A0; Fax: 306-769-8844 Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca

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In Loving Memory of Anita Brokenshire 1966 - 2018 It’s hard to believe three years Have passed since you’ve been gone.

You touched so many lives.

Just knowing your dad is with you now eases the pain.

You both left so suddenly with out a chance to say good-bye.

Deeply loved and missed and forever in our hearts.

Your loving family

Richard Heidinger Passed away March 31, 1996 25 years have passes.

We know you’re our guardian angel, you’ve been there always to protect your family so many times.

We know you treasured your children, Benita, Ken and Kelly Grandchildren Jenna, Shelley, Danielle and Stephanie and now great grandchildren Sophia, Kase and Trak We know how you enjoy having Brother Joe by your side.

We know we will all be together again some day.

Dorothy Heidinger and family

Feed & Seed

is looking for a FULL TIME COOK

Class 1 Owner Operators needed to haul bulk liquid products throughout MB, SK, AB and the Northern United States.

Duties: Prepare and cook complete meals or individual dishes and foods.

Experience: 3 years Wage: $15/hour

We offer dedicated dispatch, well maintained equipment serviced at our own facility, modern technology, pension and health care benefits.

Send email to Jason Fang at jennyk8889@icloud.com

Loaded & empty miles paid!

Phone: 204.571.0187

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RESUMES: Email: recruiting@ renaissancetrans.ca Fax: 204.727.6651 Online Application: www.renaissancetrans.ca

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“Your ears deserve an audiologist” #5 - 418 Kensington Ave. (Across from Walmart)

306-636-EARS (3277)

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• • • • •

Brochures Business Cards Invoices Oilfield Ticket Books Envelopes

• • • • •

Flyers Posters Menus Programs Labels

• • • •

Raffle Tickets Booklets Cheques whatever you need printed!

If you need it printed on paper, we can do it!

306-634-2654

A20 March 31, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

SRI HOMES’ Estevan Facility SHELTER HOME SYSTEMS is currently accepting applications for

PRODUCTION WORKERS • Required Immediately

Duties include:

• Assembling and installing modular components Send, fax, e-mail or drop off resume to:

H

O

M

E

S

SHELTER

Box 845 #200 Hwy. 18 West, Estevan, SK S4A 2A7 Fax: 306-634-7597 jobs.shelter@gmail.com www.shelterhomes.ca

Apollo Electric & Controls LP We are a locally owned electrical & controls company based in

Job Posting for Temporary Full-Time Seasonal Labourer This is a Union position and rate of pay will be as per Union Contract. Tentative employment period is from April 19th to October 31st, 2021. Normal hours of work are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday commencing at RM of Coalfields Shop located in Hirsch.

Qualifications: • Must be able to work with other employees in a team environment • Must be punctual and responsible • Must submit to and pass a Drug and Alcohol Test and a Medical/Physical Examination Must possess a valid Driver’s License, Class 3 or Class 1 License preferred • Ability to operate truck with standard transmission • Experience operating equipment such as a skid steer, tractor, mower, or other equipment will be considered an asset • Valid safety tickets for WHMIS, TDG, First Aid and Ground Disturbance will also be considered an asset • Be prepared to work at various jobs as delegated by the RM Foreman in a manual labour environment Applications close Friday, April 9, 2021 at noon.

For more information please contact RM Foreman, Marty Johnson at 306-461-6650. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

Please submit resumes, including certifications, references, valid Driver’s License, Driver’s Abstract and Criminal Record Check to the RM Office by mail, email, fax, or in person at: 423 Main Street, Bienfait. Indicate ‘Temporary Full-Time Seasonal Labourer Opportunity’ on your submission.

RM of Coalfields No. 4 423 Main Street, PO Box 190 Bienfait, SK S0C 0M0 Email: rm.04@myaccess.ca

southeast Saskatchewan and southwest Manitoba that offers its

LAND FOR SALE BY TENDER

employees competitive wages, great benefits, with opportunities

R.M. of Coalfields #4

for employee ownership and advancement.

The Company: Apollo Electric & Controls LP is committed to product & service driven solutions that will reduce client costs and deliver the next generation of one stop electrical, PLC, controls, and instrumentation solutions for our customers.

• Our company is positioned for growth, offering excellent employee advancement & training opportunities • We believe in providing best level customer service at competitive pricing The Position: Full-time, permanent Journeyman/Apprentice electrical or instrumentation person possessing strong oilfield and/or industrial electrical experience, knowledge or experience with PLC/controls/instrumentation, Excellent customer service skills, and a willingness to contribute in a team environment with great learning opportunities.

The Location: Apollo Electric & Controls LP is based in Estevan, Saskatchewan offering positions throughout our trade region of southeast Saskatchewan and southwest Manitoba.

NE 09-03-04-W2 – Parcels #108085361 & #108046290 NE 10-03-04-W2 – Parcel #108085383 only NW 10-03-04-W2 – Parcels #108085372 & #108046324 SW 10-03-04-W2 – Parcel #108046313 NE, NW, SW 10 have been farmed as a field.

Prefer to sell as a package, however tenders may be submitted for one or all parcels.

Interested parties should submit tenders ON OR BEFORE April 9, 2021 addressed to:

The RM of Souris Valley #7 Requires a Fulltime Seasonal Grader/ Equipment Operator Potential start date of middle/end of April, 2021 Wage will be based upon experience We thank all applicants for your interest, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Please forward your resume by e-mail to rm07@sasktel.net, by fax 1-306-456-2480, by mail to Box 40, Oungre, SK S0C 1Z0, OR in person to the RM Office.

Deadline to apply is 3:00 p.m.

Monday, April 12, 2021.

Kohaly Elash & Ludwig Law Firm LLP 1312 – 4th Street, Estevan, SK S4A 0X2 (306) 634 – 3631

Deep learning experiences through early coding & STEM based learning environment

All tenders must be in writing, without conditions, and must be accompanied by a deposit of $5,000.00 per quarter (1/4) section payable by certified cheque to:

d s ol ear y 21e5 , 20 r ill b ber 31 f w r o hild ecem egiste c r r eD ou e to for t If y r be he tim rten a l o , t a g oo on s wi der Sch No Kin ary's M St.

Kohaly Elash & Ludwig Law Firm LLP in trust.

Deposits for all rejected offers will be returned forthwith after April 9, 2021

Why Should You Apply?

• Top industry pay • Great benefits • Bonus incentive program • Opportunity for employee ownership • Opportunities for on-the-job training • Opportunity for advancement Benefits: • Extended health care

ST. MARY'S SCHOOL

Land transaction to close between April 9, 2021 and April 30, 2021.

Highest or any tender not necessarily accepted.

All existing oil and gas surface leases will be reserved indefinitely by Vendor and successors.

Kindergarten Registration Completed registration packages can be returned to the school via email at office.stmarys@holyfamilyrcssd.ca

Vendor will not accept bids for the oil and gas surface leases.

• Life insurance • Vacation & paid time off Applicants can apply by email to careers@apolloec.ca

For land particulars, please call Ramona Quinn 306-486-4908.

Job Posting Job Title: Location: Closing Date:

Willyour yourchild childbe be5 Will 5years oldon onor or years old before 31? before December December 31?

IS&T Field Support Analyst Estevan, SK April 5, 2021

Job Overview Reporting to the Lead, IT Business & End User Services, the successful candidate will provide operational support to Kingston Midstream’s corporate, field and SCADA/ICS environments. This field support role will be exposed to all facets and functions of IT operations and will be responsible for supporting end user computing devices, meeting room technologies, Microsoft 365 services, servers, networks, IT security and field communications.

Position Responsibilities • Develop and maintain credible and effective working relationships that demonstrate an understanding of business problems, IT strategies, issues and priorities • Install, configure, maintain, troubleshoot and support desktop hardware, software and critical technology including field communications • Perform on-site and/or remote analysis, diagnosis, and resolution of complex technology problems; recommend and implement corrective solutions • Administer and provide support to Microsoft 365 services, including SharePoint, Teams and InTune • Partner with the Infrastructure, Control Center Operations and vendors to support SCADA/ICS Environment • Provide IT training to end-users; ensure successful use of IT equipment • Create and/or facilitate documenting business/technical processes and support documentation • Follow and promote IT standards, policies and procedures • Support critical services through 24x7 on-call rotation • Travel to field sites within SE Saskatchewan and Manitoba, including remote rural field sites and SCADA/ICS environments Skills and Qualifications • Post-secondary degree or diploma in Computer Science or related IT discipline • Minimum 10 years of industry experience in IT Systems, support, deployment, and associated functions • Proven client computing experience, including desktops, laptops, tablets, multifunction devices • Working knowledge of Microsoft 365 with a focus on SharePoint Online, Teams, and OneDrive • Working knowledge of networking concepts, protocols and services including routing, switching, TCP/IP, MPLS, VLAN, DNS, DHCP, VPN • Experience supporting field operations, specifically PLC, SCADA/ICS, radio and wireless communications • Proven experience documenting business requirements, system design, test cases, production changes, along with developing end-user training and reference materials • Effective verbal and written communicator; with the ability to communicate with individuals at all levels of technical and non-technical skills • Works well under pressure, time constraints with the ability to prioritize competing priorities • Demonstrated ability to self-manage, self-motivate with eagerness to learn • Thrive working in a high performing, team-oriented, dynamic and evolving IT team environment • Possess valid drivers’ license and a clean drivers’ abstract We thank all interested candidates; however, only qualified candidates will be contacted, please submit your resume to Careers@kingstonmidstream.com

To register your child for Kindergarten, please visit our website at https://st-marys.holyfamilyrcssd.ca & download a registration package, or contact Andrea McClelland at the school (306)-634-3541

WE ARE HIRING A FULL TIME OFFICE MANAGER AT OUR ALAMEDA, SK LOCATION Double Diamond Farm Supply is an independent, locally owned, full service crop production retailer located in SW Manitoba and SE Saskatchewan.

Position Description

• Manage incoming calls to the office and other reception duties.

• Manage all aspects of accounts receivable including invoicing, payments on account, monthly statements and all filing.

• Manage daily inventory.

• Help with any special projects as required.

Requirements

• Individual must be highly motivated and have the ability to work well independently and as part of a team.

• Time management and communication skills are an asset.

• Valid driver’s license and good driving record required.

Interested applicants can apply to

Tyson Dmytriw

306-485-9788 tyson@doublediamond.mb.ca * Position to begin ASAP *

www.doublediamond.ca

@DoubleDiamondAg

www.estevanmercury.ca

March 31, 2021 A21

Dennis Moe joins Sask Realtors Builders’ Hall on commercial assessment. While chairperson for all these committees, he also served as a member of many other local and provincial committees and task forces.

Moe’s career in organized real Dennis Moe, who was a long- estate was spotlighted with his work time Realtor in the Estevan area, is on the organizational review task going to be posthumously inducted forces. In 2000-01 he led an initial into the Saskatchewan Realtors As- attempt to amalgamate local boards sociation (SRA) Hall. and associations into larger regional “The SRA Builders Hall in- entities. However, it was not until the cludes only the highest level of excel- next organizational task force was lence and contribution in the real es- created in 2006 that consolidation tate industry. The 2020 SRA Builders began in 2007 under his chairmanHall inductee made an outstanding ship. contribution to the development of This amalgamation created the organized real estate and the real Southeast Regional Council as part estate industry in Saskatchewan,” the of the Association of Regina Realorganization said in a release. tors (ARR) Inc. Others soon took Moe started his real estate similar initiatives in having their career in 1991 and was immediately local board form their own regional involved in association work, sitting council and eventually join the ARR. on either the Estevan Real Estate The SRA says this was an extremely Board or the board of directors of the important step towards provincial Saskatchewan Real Estate Associa- amalgamation. tion (SREA) until his death in 2009.

Moe served as inaugural chairDuring his time on the SREA person of the Southeast Council Board, Moe chaired the executive until his death. Since then, Moe has committee, the finance committee received the Canada Mortgage and and the government relations com- Housing Corporation Distinguished mittee. He also chaired two organi- Realtor Award for Saskatchewan zational review task forces, one on the and was awarded an Honorary Life sale of provincial lands and another Membership in the SREA.

By Brian Zinchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, and David Willberg

Dennis Moe The SREA noted, “Amazingly, Dennis accomplished all this while being a broker and the top producing agent for the city of Estevan for nearly all the years he sold real estate.”

Dale Ripplinger, past-president of the Canadian Real Estate Association, sat on several boards, committees and task forces with Moe. “I can honestly say that in every instance Dennis was a deep thinker who appreciated and understood the broad implications of decisions and always acted in the best interest of the organizations he served.”

Ripplinger said he and Moe

came on the board of the Saskatchewan Real Estate Association at the same time, and they became friends.

The Builders Hall is a continuation of a Regina association. It was started by the association of Regina Realtors years ago, and when the local boards amalgamated into the Saskatchewan Realtors Association, the Builders Hall continued.

“This would actually be the first induction … since we amalgamated provincially. So Dennis is actually the inaugural inductee into the provincial Builders Hall.”

Ripplinger said he nominated Moe because he believes Moe was a worthy candidate. There is a selection process, and not everyone who is nominated gets inducted.

“He did an awful lot for our association, not just as president of the provincial association, because there’s been many of those, but he distinguished himself by the level of commitment, the level of involvement with the association,” said Ripplinger.

It’s difficult to explain the work that Moe did and how important it was, but it showed a level of commitment to the industry.

Moe’s induction into the Builders Hall reflects his work with the

boards than his acumen as an agent, although Ripplinger recognizes Moe was a successful Realtor.

“There’s always a greater respect within the industry when somebody as busy and as successful as Dennis still takes the time to involve themselves with industry work in the association.”

Lorna Pylychaty, who worked with Moe at Century 21 Border Real Estate and at RE/Max for nearly 10 years, was pleased to hear he would be recognized.

She described him as a really good mentor. If you didn’t know the answer for something, you turned to Moe, and he knew it or who to call to find out.

And she marvelled at how he was involved in organized real estate throughout the year.

“His entire career was all about selling and promoting the industry.

Everywhere he went, everybody knew him,” said Pylychaty.

Moe also was a big part of the community. He volunteered with numerous organizations and a number of different causes. He was elected to Estevan city council in 2003, finishing first in the councillor race, and was re-elected in 2006. He remained on council until his death.

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A22 March 31, 2021

www.estevanmercury.ca

As conditions remain favourable for fires, fire department sees an increase in calls The Estevan Fire Rescue Service (EFRS) responded to multiple calls of a different nature late last week and into this week.

On Friday members responded to a fuel spill, occurring in central Estevan at a gas station, in which a dispenser nozzle had leaked a substantial amount of fuel.

Estevan Fire Chief Dale Feser praised the gas station staff for doing their best to prevent fuel from leaking into the storm sewer system.

"A little bit of extra absorbent material was spread down in the area. Crews ensured that the leak had stopped at the gas pump assembly itself and turned the scene back over to the crew, with the recommendation that they hire a technician to fix the pump nozzle that was leaking before putting it back into service," Feser said.

Later that day, the EFRS

crews were also called to a wildland fire southeast of Estevan at the U.S. border. The fire spread over to the American side, and the North Portal International Fire Department, along with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and other agencies were also on the scene ensuring the fire was brought under control.

"We just wanted to thank all of our emergency services and people that were out there that were assisting in bringing this under control," Feser said.

Hot works or welding that was being done at the site resulted in some sparks which started the dry vegetation on fire. Feser reminded the public that if they are doing any hot works, metal grinding or even simply operating the equipment out in the fields, they should be extra cautious and make sure they immediately call 911 if a fire

occurs, so firefighters could respond promptly.

The next call for the fire department came in on Saturday just before 11 p.m. Fire crews responded to a backyard fire occurring in the south part of Estevan.

"Crews arrived on scene to find that there was a portion of the fire pit as well as some fencing and some wood for the fire pit that had started on fire. There were some quick-thinking neighbours that actually saw the flames, reported it in by calling 911 and then went into the home to wake up the homeowner, as he had actually gone to bed and gone to sleep prior to the fire igniting," Feser said.

Neighbours also managed to keep the fire under control with the help of a garden hose, and firefighters ensured complete extinguishment upon arrival. The investigation showed that the fire

pit wasn't fully put out, and ambers from it started nearby vegetation on fire.

"We are ver y thankful for those quick-thinking neighbours.

They did an excellent job in alerting 911 and the people on the property, as well as keeping the fire at bay until the fire department's arrival.

"Just a gentle reminder that you always want to make sure that when you are operating a fire pit, number one, you do have a fire pit that's licensed within the city of Estevan; and two, at the end of the night when you want to extinguish your fire pit, you always want to apply water in great amounts. You apply water, stir, apply more water, stir some more, and then make a third application of water to ensure the complete extinguishment has occurred in the fire pit," Feser said.

At 2 a.m. on Monday, Estevan

firefighters responded to a deck fire in the southwest area of the city. The fire started at a flower planter and spread over to the fence that the planter was hanging on, affecting a bit of the siding. The homeowner quickly alerted 911 and started pouring water, and fire crews ensured that no hot spots were remaining.

The investigation found that a cigarette butt discarded into the planter caused the fire. Feser reminds the public that planter soil is high in nitrate, which is combustible and can start on fire.

There were no fire bans in effect in the EFRS response areas as of Monday, but Feser said that if weather conditions continue, they may start imposing fire bans.

He also asked the public to avoid burning anything in the next few days as a high-wind weather warning is in effect.

City Hall: 1102 4th Street 8 am to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1800 Leisure Office: 701 Souris Avenue 8 am to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1880

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AQUA AWE 9:15 am - 10:00 am 10:15 am - 11:00 am

AQUA AWE 9:15 am - 10:00 am

AQUA AWE 9:15 am - 10:00 am 10:15 am - 11:00 am

AQUA AWE 9:15 am - 10:00 am

AQUA AWE 9:15 am - 10:00 am 10:15 am - 11:00 am

A.I.S. 11:15 am - 12:00 pm

A.I.S. 11:15 am - 12:00 pm

A.I.S. 11:15 am - 12:00 pm

A.I.S. 11:15 am - 12:00 pm

A.I.S. 11:15 am - 12:00 pm

LANE SWIM 12:15 pm - 1:00 pm 1:15 pm - 2:00 pm 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm

SURF & SWIM 3:00 pm - 3:45 pm

PRIVATE BOOKING

LANE SWIM 12:15 pm - 1:00 pm AQUA AWE 1:15 pm - 2:00 pm A.I.S. 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm SURF & SWIM 3:00 pm - 3:45 pm

LANE SWIM 12:15 pm - 1:00 pm 1:15 pm - 2:00 pm 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm

SURF & SWIM 3:00 pm - 3:45 pm

PRIVATE BOOKING

PRIVATE BOOKING

PUBLIC SWIM 6:15 pm - 7:30 pm

LANE SWIM 12:15 pm - 1:00 pm AQUA AWE 1:15 pm - 2:00 pm A.I.S. 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm SURF & SWIM 3:00 pm - 3:45 pm

PUBLIC SWIM 6:15 pm - 7:30 pm

CLOSED

LANE SWIM 8:00 pm - 8:45 pm

LANE SWIM 9:00 pm - 9:45 pm

LANE SWIM 8:00 pm - 8:45 pm

9 am - 9 pm

9 am - 9 pm

6 am - 10 pm

6 am - 9 pm

6 am - 10 pm

SPIN 6:10 am - 6:50 am GRIT 9:10 am - 9:50 am EASY STRETCH 10:10 am - 10:50 am SPIN 12:15 pm - 12:45 pm SPIN/CORE 5:10 pm - 6:10 pm

GRIT 6:10 am - 6:50 am SPIN 6:10 am - 6:50 am 9:10 am - 9:50 am 10:15 am - 10:55 am 5:30 pm - 6:10 pm 6:30 pm - 7:10 pm

Don’t see what you are looking for?

Do you have an idea for something we should try?

Please contact the Program Manager at 306-634-1880.

We would love to hear your ideas!

CORE BARRE ABOVE 9:10 am - 10:15 am 10:30 am - 11:10 am SPIN 5:30 pm - 6:10 pm

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LANE SWIM 12:15 pm - 1:00 pm 1:15 pm - 2:00 pm 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm

SURF & SWIM 3:00 pm - 3:45 pm

PRIVATE BOOKING

LANE SWIM 9:00 pm - 9:45 pm

SPIN 9:10 am - 9:50 am 10:10 am - 10:50 am

SPIN 6:10 am - 6:50 am 9:10 am - 9:50 am 10:15 am - 10:55 am 5:30 pm - 6:10 pm

SPIN 6:10 am - 6:50 am 9:10 am - 9:50 am 10:15 am - 10:55 am 5:30 pm - 6:10 pm

PRIVATE BOOKING

GRIT 9:10 am - 9:50 am 11:10 am - 11:50 am

EASY STRETCH 10:10 am - 10:50 am

Saturday, Apr. 17

CLOSED

LANE SWIM 12:15 pm - 1:00 pm PUBLIC SWIM 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm

PRIVATE BOOKING

PUBLIC SWIM 7:15 pm - 9:00 pm

6 am - 9 pm

6 am - 9 pm

GRIT 6:10 am - 6:50 am 9:10 am - 9:50 am

SPIN 9:10 am - 9:50 am

EASY STRETCH 10:10 am - 10:50 am GRIT 11:10 am - 11:50 am

Schedule Subject to Change. Please visit www.estevan.ca for updates on closures and cancellations. Proper footwear and exercise wear is required to participate. Please note during school breaks, (Teachers Convention, Spring Break and Christmas Break) Fitness, Aquatic Centre and Arena schedules may vary. Please visit our live schedules at www.estevan.ca