June 11, 2020

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June 11, 2020

Locally Owned and Operated Celebrating Twelve Years of Community

VOLUME NO. 14 - ISSUE 23

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It’s Good To Be Back The Kyle Syrenne Skatepark in Martensville re-opened on Monday, June 8th and people of all ages were excited to see the fencing that had been keeping the park blocked from the public come down. The Skatepark was closed in March due to COVID-19 restrictions. Those using the park are reminded to continue to practice safe physical distancing and to be courteous to fellow riders. Pictured above: Andrei shows his skills. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger)

"Stay Sask Strong! We were a beautiful community before this and will continue to be one after this."

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SARCAN Reopens to the General Public Starting June 15th

Saskatchewan residents will soon have more room in their homes and a little more cash in their pockets as SARCAN Recycling is set to reopen its recycling depots to the general public on June 15th. Visitors to SARCAN’s recycling depots will notice some important changes to their recycling experience the next time they visit, as SARCAN is implementing new measures to protect the health and safety of its employees and customers. “As we eagerly begin to reopen our recycling depots across Saskatchewan, our top priority is maintaining the health and safety of our team of over 700 recyclers, our customers, and our communities,” said Amy McNeil, Executive Director of SARC and SARCAN Recycling. “Before we open our doors to the public, our teams have been working very hard to install new equipment and implement new procedures to ensure customers have a safe, efficient, and welcoming visit to SARCAN.” SARCAN’s new or expanded health and safety measures include: • Strict physical distancing measures, which includes floor decals to guide customers on where to stand; • Limits on the number of customers who can be inside depots at one time; • Employees acting as recycling guides at all locations to guide you through your return options and SARCAN’s enhanced safety measures; • Frequent cleaning and sanitization of frequently touched surfaces; • Physical barriers to separate customers from SARCAN employees at container chutes and at cashier stations; • Expanded personal protective equipment for employees; and • Hand sanitizer on site for customers to use to clean their hands as they leave the depot. A full summary of all of SARCAN’s COVID-19 safety measures can found on their website: www.sarcan.ca. SARCAN is expecting longer wait times than usual due to physical distancing and limits on customer capacity in its depots. Customers who are looking to avoid lineups during the busy summer months are encouraged to: • Use Drop & Go to skip the line and have the lowest contact and quickest visit to SARCAN possible; • Visit during less busy times, such as mornings and mid-week; or • Donate your containers to a fundraiser or bottle drive in your community. “We want to thank the residents of Saskatchewan for their patience during our closure, and for your continued patience with our teams of dedicated recyclers as we serve you during these busy summer months,” said McNeil. SARCAN Recycling operates 73 recycling depots in 65 communities across Saskatchewan, including its newest recycling depot in the City of Warman. SARCAN employs over 700 people, who together divert almost 50 million pounds of beverage containers, household paint, and end-of-life electronics from Saskatchewan’s landfills every year. In an effort to help minimize the spread of COVID-19 through Saskatchewan communities, SARCAN took the proactive step to close its recycling network on March 21st.

Council Discusses Tax Abatement Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

Once again, the City of Martensville held their monthly Committee of the Whole meeting virtually via Zoom. The meeting took place on Tuesday, June 9th and included a number of items on the agenda. The first order of business was a delegation from Sgt. Curtis Little, the Martensville Detachment Commander of the RCMP and Sgt. Deon Marquis, NCO i/c of the Warman detachment. The report provided to Council included statistics from April and May of both 2019 and 2020. The report showed a decrease in complaints for April from 192 in 2019 to 97 in 2020, with both years seeing 5 Criminal Code charges and 1 Provincial traffic charge being laid. May saw a slight increase from last year with 178 in 2019 and 183 in 2020; however, in 2019, there were 21 Criminal Code charges laid, with 22 Provincial traffic charges, and 2020 had 7 Criminal Code charges and 28 Provincial traffic charges. Next, City Manager Scott Blevins discussed an update to a Development Incentive Policy that was first approved in 2019 by Council. The update was created to improve the wording of the current policy, which would in turn make it more clear. City Clerk Carla Budnick spoke to Council regarding the 2020 Municipal Election that will be taking place this fall. Currently, plans are still in place for the election to take place as scheduled, therefore Council was asked to appoint returning and assistant returning officers, as well as remuneration for those working in the general election. Council was also asked to approve the use of mail-in ballots. Council received a request from the Royal Canadian Air Cadet 574Dakota Squadron for a one-year $150 sponsorship, which would be given as an award to the Cadet who has represented the Squadron in the effective speaking program. Although the Cadets will not be holding their Annual Ceremonial Review this year, they will still be handing out awards. Lastly, Council discussed an economic tax incentive for Kabo Homes, who plan to build a two-bay industrial building at 101 9th Street North of approximately 2370 square feet. The building would have an estimated value of $400,000, and therefore be eligible for a two-year tax abatement, which would commence in 2021. Council will meet on Tuesday, June 16th for their next meeting. More information on meetings and agendas can be found at www.martensville.ca. To attend meetings virtually, contact the City Clerk at (306) 931-2166. LEFT: Kabo Homes put in a request for a two-year tax abatement for an approximately 2400 sq. ft building on 9th Street North.

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martensville messenger - JUNE 11, 2020 - Page 3

Civic Services During the COVID-19 PandemicWhat you Should Know!

City Hall has reopened to the public; however with some guidelines currently in place. Continue to utilize online and contactless options when possible. Please do not visit City Hall if you are feeling unwell, experiencing flu-like symptoms or have been in contact with someone who is presumptive or tested positive for COVID-19. See more about the Reopening of City Hall on Martensville.ca. Current Status of Public Facilities as of June 10th: Martensville Athletic Pavilion - Closed City Hall- Open - June 10th Northridge Centre - Closed Heritage Centre - Closed Sports Centre - Closed Wheatland Regional Library (located in the Civic Centre) - Closed City Staff are available to work with the public via phone or email. Questions or inquiries can be directed to City Hall via phone (306-931-2166) or inquiry@martensville.ca during this time. Residents and Customers are requested to carry out transactions electronically such as online banking, preauthorized payments or TIPPS. Cheques may also be dropped off in the drop slot at City Hall. After Hour Water and Sewer Emergencies - should still be directed through the Emergency line at City Hall, (306) 931-2166, ext.1. Protective Services - There are no changes in duty or status to Protective Services such as the RCMP, Martensville Fire Department, and Ambulance Service. Water and Sewer - These services remain unimpacted and unchanged, including water quality testing. Meter reading will continue to take place under the Read/Estimate schedule; however, staff will not be doing reads of meters located inside of homes or occupied buildings. In these cases, estimates will be taken or reads can be provided into City Hall. In respect to water and sewer emergencies, city staff will not be able to enter resident homes at this time and private contractors should be considered. The City of Martensville will no longer charging interest on water and sewer accounts indefinitely to assist residents impacted by COVID -19 impacts. Water Meter Read/Estimate Schedule - Normally the Read/Estimate Schedule that takes place from October-April would be completed and the entire City would have water meter reads completed by City of Martensville Meter Readers. However due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Water Meter Read/Estimate schedule will extend into May and the foreseeable future. Garbage and Recycling - Services remain in place and on schedule with no anticipated service delays at this time. Organics collection has also commenced. Road Maintenance - will continue as required and is not expected to change at this time. Playgrounds and Sports Fields - Playgrounds will open June 12th. Sports Fields are also closed until at least June 30th. These areas may have signage and/or be taped or quartered off with tape or barricades. We ask that the public please remain out of these areas. Trails and passive park spaces remain open for use, but we continue to urge residents to incorporate safe practices. Utility and Property Tax Updates - The City has implemented a number of measures to assist property owners and businesses during the pandemic, currently in place: * Interest charges on utility bills will be suspended until November 1, 2020. * Water service will not be discontinued due to non-payment or overdue account status. * The deadline for property tax payments will be extended from July 31 to October 30, 2020. * All interest charges on property tax owing will be suspended until November 1, 2020. * Business license renewal notices will be delayed until normal operations resume - all expired business licenses will remain valid until further notice. Stay Informed! -The City of Martensville has created a dedicated webpage to provide information, updates and additional resources around the COVID-19 pandemic. This page is accessible through the homepage at Martensville.ca. Please continue to follow us, media sources and information from the Province of Saskatchewan for the most current information around updates or new measures for the prevention of the spread of COVID-19.

2020 Tax Notice Error- Penalties

The Notices for the 2020 Tax Notices were recently delivered to property owners, however there is an error in respect to the ‘Penalties on unpaid current taxes’. The 2020 Tax Notice should read, Penalties on unpaid current taxes will Commence November 1st at 1% per month. We apologize for confusion around this error. If there are questions about this, assessment, taxation or ways to pay your taxes, please contact City Hall or visit us on Martensville.ca.

Organics/Green Bin Program and Pick-ups The City of Martensville offers a Green Bin program through Loraas Organics. This service is by subscription only. If you are interested in enrolling, please contact City Hall to sign up for this service. Pick up of the Green Bins has commenced with regular scheduled bi-weekly collection alternating between North/South Martensville and running from May until the end of October Pick-up take place on Tuesdays. The pick-up schedule can be viewed at Martensville.ca For information or to sign up for this program contact the Utility Clerk at City Hall

Sewer System Flushing - Underway for North of Main Sewer Lines The City of Martensville Water and Sewer crews are flushing the sanitary sewer mains on all sewer lines north of Main Street along with a few areas south of Main Street.

Flushing will continue daily until completion. This is a regular preventative maintenance activity that must be conducted to ensure the sewer system is operating efficiently. In most cases there is no disruption to homeowners, however, it is recommended that the following precautions are taken to prevent possible inconvenience in your home: • Close the lids on all toilet bowls when not in use • Insert drain plugs in all sinks and bathtubs when not in use • If you have a backwater valve installed in your house, ensure that it is free of debris and operating properly • Cover or cap your basement floor drains. • If odours are present in your home, it is advised to flush toilets, run some water through various drains (including floor drains) and open windows. Visit Martensville.ca for more information about this program.

Still Plenty to Do!- Martensville Mood Boost Thanks for everyone taking part in the Martensville Mood Boost Activities! Our weekly theme for June 8 – 12 is Arts Week, and from June 15 – 19 our theme is Wilderness Week! Find more details on the City of Martensville Facebook Page, and our Mood Boost Group page to see what’s coming up!

June-July Council Meeting Dates

Please Note: The upcoming Council Schedule may be subject to change based around any potential new developments around the COVID-19 Pandemic. Anyone interested in attending is strongly encouraged to contact the City Clerk prior to planning to attend. Regular Council Meeting- June 16th Committee of the Whole- July 14th Regular Council Meeting- July 21st The Regular Council Meetings are located at Martensville City Hall Council Chambers. Martensville City Hall - 37 Centennial Dr. S. All meetings commence at 5PM. Those wishing to address or do a presentation to Council must be placed on the agenda. To be placed on the agenda please contact the City Clerk’s office at City Hall or visit the website for details. The full Council and Committee of the Whole Schedule can be obtained at martensville.ca

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Liquidation Shopping Option Now Available to Martensville Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger

Who doesn’t love finding great deals on high quality items? Local business owners Heather McLeod and Alisa Borowsky came together with the idea of a liquidation store that could provide those options to local residents, and since Martensville currently doesn’t have a lot of retail options, they thought it would be a good fit for the community. Finding a location was a bit frustrating as the one they initially found, they were unable to have because of zoning restrictions. “That was the biggest hurdle we had as we had looked at another location in town and were told that it wasn’t zoned for the type of business we were setting up so that was a little frustrating as it was in a great commercial location. It all worked out in the end when we found the building we did, that allowed us to have a showroom store front setting as well as warehouse space that accommodates large truckloads of shipments we will be receiving,” stated McLeod. They will have a wide range of products available, and are hoping to have a little bit of something for everyone. “We are going to continue to bring products in that everyone needs, making it easy to pop in for a last minute birthday gift or just being the first stop for customers that are looking for that special piece of furniture for their home,” added McLeod. The two women are amazed at how quickly products have been leaving the store since opening on June 1st. “We plan on bringing in a new shipment once a month, ensuring there is always new and exciting items for customers to see each time they visit. We have had very positive feedback about the current products and suppliers we currently carry,” McLeod explained. From furniture and rugs to small home goods, bedding, toys and appliances, you can find a wide variety of these great quality items at amazing deals. Their suppliers are mainly The Shopping Channel, Wayfair, and Amazon. They will also be able to have a selection of tools to purchase as well as apparel and foot wear. A popular athletic clothing line brand called One Tooth Apparel will be coming in from Target as well. They plan to continue with orders from Wayfair and Amazon as well as trying out a shipment from Target. In keeping with the COVID-19 restrictions, they have hand sanitizer mounted on the wall and ask all customers to use it as you enter the store. They also have disposable masks available free of charge to anyone that requests one. “We have a tap feature on the point of sale machine and the

Building

machine is wiped down after being used if it is necessary for the customer to touch the keypad. Our store is a little cozy in some areas so we do ask customers to maintain safe social distancing measures, and so far everyone has been amazing! Staff routinely wipes down surfaces that are frequented to maintain a healthy environment for everyone,” said McLeod. They will be showcasing certain items each week where they will run a promotional special, which will be posted to their Facebook page. If you have any questions about the store, you can call (306) 242-0251, or Facebook: ‘Martensville Liquidation’, or by email at martensvilleliquidation@gmail.com. When asked how she felt about the experience so far Heather stated, “We are so humbled by the amazing support the community has shown us already, especially during this challenging COVID-19 time. Local small business owners have not only reached out and promoted us through their own social media accounts but have stopped into the store and made purchases for themselves and their families. We are truly grateful and plan to pay it forward!” Their hours are Monday - Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday - Sunday from 10-2. Hours of operation may change in the future depending on demand and feedback from the public as well as COVID-19 restrictions, but any changes will be updated on their Facebook page. Come check them out at 111 9th Street North.

Business & Professional

601 Centennial Dr. S. 601 Centennial Dr. Martensville, SK S. Martensville, Phone: 306-934-6610 601 Centennial Dr.SK S. Phone: 306-934-6610 Fax: 306-934-6602 Martensville, SK 601 Centennial Dr. S. 306-934-6602 601 Centennial Dr. S. E-Mail: Phone: 306-934-6610 Martensville, SKFax:mbhs@sasktel.net Custom Window Packages available, Martensville, SK E-Mail: mbhs@sasktel.net Phone: 306-934-6610 Fax: 306-934-6602 Labour Included! Phone: 306-934-6610 Custom Window Packages available, Fax: 306-934-6602 Fax: 306-934-6602 Labour E-Mail: mbhs@sasktel.net Come see us forIncluded! your hardware, Custom Window Packages available.E-Mail: mbhs@sasktel.net Store Hours:

601 Centennial Dr. S. Martensville, SK 601 Centennial Dr. S. Phone: 306-934-6610 Martensville, SK Fax: 306-934-6602 601Phone: Centennial Dr. S. 306-934-6610 E-Mail: mbhs@sasktel.net Martensville, SK Fax: 306-934-6602 Phone: E-Mail: 306-934-6610 mbhs@sasktel.net Store Hours: Fax: 306-934-6602 Mondaymbhs@sasktel.net - Friday 8:00 am - 6:00 pm E-Mail:

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ENSVILLE RT Nmbhs@sasktel.net SVILLE E T MA E-Mail: R BLDG AEN Monday am - 6:00 pm Store 8:00 Hours: M N S E T ISaturday S L--LFriday V BLDG T R I& LLEV R A E A 9:00 am - 5:00 pm pmFree Local Delivery! Monday Friday 8:00 am - 6:00 Store Hours: MM BLDG BLDG & Closed Sundays Saturday 9:00 am pmpm Free Local Delivery! Monday - Friday 8:00 am- 5:00 - 6:00 HOME SUPPLY Dental & &SUPPLY Closed Sundays Free Local Saturday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Delivery! HOME Free Local Delivery! HOME SUPPLY Closed Sundays Phone 306-934-6610 HOME SUPPLY FREE Local Delivery Hardware Free Local Delivery! FREE Local Delivery FREE Local Delivery Hardware Phone 934-6610 Hardware Free Local Delivery! Free Local Delivery! 934-6610934-6610 Phone 601 Phone CENTENNIAL DRIVE SOUTH Custom Window available, building, andPackages paint supply needs.

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ABOVE & BELOW: Martensville Liquidation offers a wide variety of home decor options, furniture, small applicances, toys and much more.

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Store Saturday 9:00Hours: am - 5:00 pm Monday -Closed Friday 8:00 am - 6:00 pm Sundays Saturday am - 5:00 pm Store 9:00 Hours: Closed Monday - Friday 8:00Sundays am - 6:00 pm Saturday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Closed Sundays

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martensville messenger -JUNE 11, 2020 - Page 5

MHS Graduating Class of 2020 Celebrates Milestone in Unique Way Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

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The Martensville High School (MHS) graduating class of 2020 will be celebrating their achievement in a different style this year due to restrictions that have been put in place following the COVID-19 pandemic. Because all of the regularly scheduled events had to be cancelled, the Principal of MHS, Paul McTavish, put out a call to the families of the graduates to see if there were any parents willing to meet and brainstorm ideas on alternate plans to celebrate the class of 2020. From there, a group was created that worked together to find a safe way for students and spectators to take part in their special day. “We aligned the plan with the province’s ‘Guidance on Car-Based Drive-In Events’ guidelines. Our plan was quickly approved by the Saskatchewan Health Authority. We took our plan to the City of Martensville Council, and they have been tremendously supportive. They approved our plan and have donated funds towards our fireworks,” Jennifer Meikle, a member of the MHS Grad 2020 Parent Group, explained. The plan that is currently in place consists of a fireworks show, which will take place on June 25th in Kinsmen Park followed by a Grad Procession on June 26th at 6pm (route can be seen on the poster to the left). Numerous steps are being taken to ensure the safety of everyone. The route for the procession was purposefully made to be long to allow for many families to watch, and still be able to maintain physical distancing. The Grad Parent Committee is also asking those that will be attending the procession to physically distance themselves, and are confident that it will be an event that everyone will enjoy and people will take the necessary precautions. Additionally, there will be limits on the vehicle occupancy and hand sanitizer in each vehicle. Students will arrive in their chosen vehicle with their extended household contacts and the grads are not allowed to switch vehicles or pass items between vehicles. “The grads will be sent a health checklist days before the procession and they are to answer and determine if they are healthy enough to participate. We will supply masks, gloves and vests for our volunteers to help manage and mark the procession,” said Meikle. There will also be photographers on site who will be in charge of taking pictures for all as an effort to limit families taking pictures near the high school so they can avoid having people congregate in the same space. “We are doing our very best to meet the criteria of the Saskatchewan Health Authority to keep this event a positive, healthy and safe celebration for all.” Many students were upset that they would not be able to attend a grad ceremony, as that is a tradition each year; however Meikle noted that having spoken to a few of the graduates, they seem to be “excited to have something unique to mark this milestone in their life. It provides them an opportunity to see each other again and I know the girls are excited to show off those dresses! Many students have committed and I am hopeful that we can get all, if not most of the grads to make this celebration complete.” Not only were students upset about the changes that took place this year, but the parents felt it as well. Having watched their children put in years of work towards this momentous occasion and then to be unable to watch their child receive their diploma was a tough pill to swallow. “The last few months have been difficult. My graduating daughter is my youngest and therefore my children’s school days are over. I have loved every track day, sports event and three-way conference. I was really excited about the final few months and we have been very excited about grad, and the thought of not marking the occasion did not feel ok at all,” said Meikle. In addition to the fireworks and the procession, Meikle added that the staff at MHS is also putting together a virtual grad, which she is looking forward to watching. “We appreciate the work and time that it takes to put together a virtual ceremony. It will be part of our family celebration that day and the fact that we will see the students and celebrate with fireworks is definitely something to look forward to and to be proud of.” “It has been a pleasure to work with such an enthusiastic, helpful and devoted group of parents. It has been a team effort and I am very proud of the plans and all the details thought of by this group to put this event together. I am looking forward to the night and marking this important milestone in our kids’ lives. I am also thankful to our High School staff for their virtual grad, our RCMP and Fire Departments who will lead and conclude our procession, our City Council and their support along with the support of a great community, who I know will be out to cheer on our kids (physically distancing) as they make their way through town as the Graduating Class of 2020!”

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Page 6 - JUNE 11, 2020 - martensville messenger

Provincial Politics with

Murray Mandryk

Business Support Becoming Biggest Challenge We are winning the battle to flatten the curve, but may be losing the battle to re-launch the economy. The latter is the next great fight for Saskatchewan. There were 14 recoveries and no new cases on the day this column was written, reducing known active cases in the province to a mere 33 - the lowest total in two months. The majority of those cases (23) were in northern Saskatchewan, but so confident was the provincial government and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) that the La Loche outbreak is under control that the province announced the removal of travel restrictions. As for the rest of the province, COVID-19 has become non-existent or virtually non-existent - one case in southern Saskatchewan, no cases in central Saskatchewan, four cases in Regina, three cases in Saskatoon and two in the north. All this is good news two weeks after May 19 Stage Two opening of more retail businesses and the May long weekend - time enough for any transmitted cases to start showing up. While Premier Scott Moe and Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab are still offering an abundance of caution about the potential for community outbreaks, all this points to success in the COVID-19 battle. Sadly, this was also a day in which the Country Thunder - the music festival once known as the Big Valley Jamboree - was officially cancelled. There are the Riders and then there is “Craven” when it comes to events that somehow seem to unite left and right, north and south and rural and urban in this province and as we approach three months of virtual shutdown, we sure could use a party. That it was cancelled for this year was expected because this is clearly a Stage-Five event in Moe’s fivestage Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan. The frightening reality is that while we are moving towards the re-opening of bars and restaurants in the more advanced stages, we are months away from such events with massive crowd gatherings. They may not happen this year and it’s our inability to deal with this - and the thousands of other small economic disruptions in our economy - that may now be surpassing the virus spread as the biggest problem for the Saskatchewan Party government. To its credit, Moe’s administration set out with a cautious and methodical re-opening plan that it’s managed to smoothly roll out dispute bumps in La Loche and Lloydminster. That there have been so few major deviations from the plan or spikes in COVID-19 cases as a result of it speaks to the plan’s success. But what the government needed to recognize is that the course it plotted would require a major public investment because of the length of the shutdown. It is recent government spending support where it may also be accused of being overly cautious. While there’s been a $2 billion investment in highways and other infrastructure buildings, such high volume spending may be categorized as long-term investments rather than dollars being efficiently spent for immediate needs. When it comes to the immediate needs, the Saskatchewan government has been criticized for having among the lowest per capita spending in the country for food bank and shelter support and while the Sask. Party government was quick out of the gate with its Small Business Emergency Payment Program (SBEPP), the $50-million program has quickly drawn fire for being too small and not providing needed second payments to some forced to endure this lengthy shutdown at the potential costs of their livelihoods. One gets the criticisms of adding to public debt or that the federal government’s Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) is just too easy to access, but the longer the COVID-19 shutdown continues, the more the more help is required. That is now the big challenge.

Liberal Government Should Have Been More Prepared for COVID-19 Submitted by Kelly Block - Member of Parliament for Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek

The arrival of the coronavirus to Canada has exposed our country’s unpreparedness to deal with a pandemic. This is especially true when it comes to the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile (NESS) which was woefully understocked with the basic health supplies needed to protect Canadians. It’s not like the government didn’t have warning. The Liberals should have learned from the SARS outbreak in 2003 and the MERS outbreak in 2012. But they didn’t. Despite this, in early February, the Government of Canada shipped 16 tonnes of personal protective equipment to China from our NESS. In April, CBC reported that two million N95 masks and 440,000 medical gloves were thrown into a landfill in 2019 when this government made the decision to shut down an emergency stockpile warehouse in Saskatchewan. Kelly Block Shockingly, when COVID-19 hit Canada, the NESS did not have the personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary to equip our medical professionals, not to mention workers in long-term care facilities and other important sectors of our economy. As a result, Canadians were vulnerable. In order to make up for their mismanagement of the NESS and unpreparedness in general, the Liberals have scrambled to buy massive quantities of PPE by building a supply chain in China. China is a major manufacturer of PPE . . . both real and counterfeit. It was in this “basket” that the Liberals decided to place all their hopes. In the mad scramble to obtain PPE, the Liberal government contracted numerous suppliers whose manufacturing is in China. Unlike other countries, Canada’s government was slow to take the dual approach of finding supplies in China as well as developing domestic capacity. Months after the need was apparent, the Liberals started to take limited steps to engage potential domestic manufacturers. However, these limited steps didn’t help Canadians when the need was the greatest. In what appears to be a lack of trust in the federal Department’s ability to address the needs of their provinces, some provincial governments abandoned the federal procurement process and undertook procurement of PPE on their own. Unfortunately, anyone concerned about the federal Liberals’ strategy has been proven correct. Using the N95 respirator mask as an example, the Liberals ran up the number of ordered N95s. However, ordering something is not the same thing as owning it. By their own numbers, the Liberal government had ordered 150 million N95 masks. By mid-May the government reported that it had received less than 12 million masks. However, testing of these delivered N95 masks from China revealed that almost 82% did NOT meet the acceptable standard for N95 masks. Additionally, the Liberal government has now downgraded the number of ordered N95 masks from over 150 million to just over 100 million. This government lost 50 million masks in half a month, largely due to canceled or amended contracts based on suppliers’ poor quality of product or inability to fulfill the order. During a pandemic, the only thing worse than not being protected is believing you are when you’re not. The Government of Canada should be focused and must succeed when it comes to protecting Canadians. Yet, through this pandemic, it has failed. Canada deserves better. Canadians deserve a government that is focused not just on the appearance of taking action - but on tangible and real results. Kelly Block is the Member of Parliament for Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek. Since November 2019 she has served as the Conservative Party’s shadow minister for Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Letter to the Editor The Martensville Messenger welcomes letters to the editor for publication. Letters must be signed and a phone number and/or email address included so the writer’s identity can be verified. ALL letters are the opinion of the writer and NOT the Martensville Messenger. We reserve the right to edit letters for length, clarity or compliance with the current standards of public taste. Submit your letter to news@martensvillemessenger.ca or mail to Box 333 Martensville, SK S0K 2T0.

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Game On – Summer of Fun Reading!

The Wheatland Regional Library is once again offering the free TD Summer Reading Club, but this year the program will be entirely online. It’s designed to inspire kids to explore the fun of reading their way – the key to building a lifelong love of reading. Readers and parents/guardians of pre-readers will be able to register online through the Wheatland Regional Library website, or download a new reading tracker app, called Beanstack, and register through it. As the days blend together, and sometimes it’s hard to differentiate between school and no school, the summer reading club casts itself as purely fun! To kick off the merrymaking, Wheatland Regional Library is hosting some Zoom entertainment. On Thursday, June 18, at 11AM, Sprinkles the Clown will perform “Red Ridinghood’s Magical Adventures” live via Zoom. Harpist ABOVE: Chris Lindgren Harpist and Storyteller and storyteller Chris Lindgren will follow up on Thursday, June 25, at 11AM with “Chris Lindgren: Tickle Trunk of Tales, Tunes & Tricks.” On July 9, again at 11AM, Sprinkles LEFT: Sprinkles the Clown the Clown will do a live performance of “Miss Muffet’s Mixed up Nursery Rhymes.” The theme this year is “Game On,” and the summer reading club partipants can bring some structure to their free form summer of fun by creating and personalizing an online notebook, and logging their reading. It’s not a test or a competition – nobody except the reader is keeping score. Kids can feel part of a broader community of over 2000 public libraries across Canada by voting in the “Battle of the Books,” and reviewing books to help other readers like themselves across the country find the perfect book. The TD Summer Reading Club also offers weekly trivia, jokes, colouring pages, as well as a chance to read an original web comic. Wheatland Regional Library readers are encouraged to visit their app/play store and download the free Beanstack app, select “Wheatland Regional Library” as their library, and get started earning virtual prizes and chances for super duper raffles. TD Summer Reading Club website offers access to many free ebooks on that theme. These ebooks and picture ebooks can be enjoyed by countless simultaneous readers across Canada. Wheatland Regional Library offers a robust selection of ebooks and audio for children from online platforms including Tumblebooks, Libby/Library2go, BookFlix, and Hoopla. All details about accessing the Summer Reading Club may be found on the Wheatland Regional Library website. Our programs are not just for kids, this year, Wheatland Regional Library is offering a region-wide Adult Reading Challenge. Some may wonder, why quantify leisure reading at all? Perhaps the most intuitive reason is that adding some structure to your reading life can be a way of making sure that you actually read. Donalyn Miller, a reading ambassador and the author of two books about reading habits, asserts “the only difference between a non-reader and a reader is that a reader has a plan for future reading.” Wheatland Regional Library hopes that the reading app can help make reading more fun for all ages. And, although this reading challenge is designed for adults, anyone may participate. Exclusively Sold Through This summer participants in the TD Summer Reading Club will be Rob Friesen rewarded with a special Wheatland Regional Library “Brag Tag” celebrating reading. There will also be a couple benchmarks throughout 306-221-9350 the summer when readers can redeem rewards for more brag tags. There are some very compelling arguments for establishing a joyful, www.realestatesk.ca relaxing reading habit during these unpredictable and unprecedented rbfriesen1@gmail.com times. All of us, even very young children, have worries and feel stress. Our bodies respond to being exposed to stress, and when we feel especially powerless, the consequences of the stress response can increase. The good news is that this can be reversed by doing positive things that make us feel better. Now is the time to institute a new routine in your life and set aside a bit of time each day for reading in a comfortable setting, preferably outdoors, weather permitting. Develop, or recapture, a sense of peace by escaping into a good book. Reading for pleasure helps shift our brains and can help mitigate or offset the consequences of the stress response. The Reading Agency, a U.K. charity whose mission is to get everyone "reading their way to a better life", promotes reading as therapeutic for isolation-induced loneliness. Reading for pleasure also has social benefits, and can help us feel involved with a broader community. Immersive reading for pleasure is when a reader is totally engaged or lost in a book. It develops the capacity to engage and immerse oneself, visualize meanings, relate to characters, and participate in making meaning. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Susan, the Program Manager with Wheatland Regional Library at programmanager@wheatland.sk.ca.

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