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Kinsmen Santa Tour kicked off on weekend with South Hill appearance

Hundreds of supporters line the streets to catch glimpse of Santa and Mrs. Claus - and offer donations to the Moose Jaw and District Food Bank Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

The first nights of the Moose Jaw Kinsmen Santa Claus Tour made their appearance on the weekend and by the look of things, it was evident the whole project is going to be a huge hit this year with two more tours still yet to come.

The event - which sees Santa and Mrs. Claus joined by the Moose Jaw Police Service, Moose Jaw Santa and Mrs. Claus react as the Mosaic Fire Department Place Christmas tree is lit up to kick off and members of the the Kinsmen Santa Tour.

Kinsmen Club for circuits of neighbourhoods throughout the city - kicked off on Saturday night with the first tour through South Hill. The Tour is replacing the wildly popular Santa Claus Parade, which was sidelined this year due to the COVID-19.

Youngsters and their parents watched from their homes and

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Santa and Mrs. Claus wave to youngsters looking on from their homes and the sidewalk as the Kinsmen Santa Tour makes its way through South Hill on Saturday night.

lined the sidewalks to get a glimpse of Santa and Mrs. Claus, with many also offering bags of non-perishable goods as a donation to the Moose Jaw and District Food Bank. People can still place food donations in bags on curbside in front of their house, where they will be collected and donated.

The Kinsmen have broken the city into four quadrants, with each tour beginning at 6 p.m. The next night of the Tour will take place Saturday, Dec. 5 and cover from 9th Avenue Northwest to Thatcher Drive, the fourth night on Sunday, Dec. 6 will cover everything east of 9th Avenue Northwest to the Trans Canada Highway.

Those wanting to catch Santa at the perfect time can follow on the interactive map that can be found on the Kinsmen Facebook Page.

On Saturday night before the first tour the official ‘Light’s On’ ceremony at Mosaic Place also took place.

For updates on the parade and other information on the event, be sure to follow the Kinsmen Facebook page. And be sure not to miss out on your chance to see Santa this year!

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PAGE A2 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

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Hillcrest Church to hold drive-thru nativity production in December Jason G. Antonio With pandemic restrictions limiting gathering sizes, Hillcrest Apostolic Church plans to hold a drive-thru nativity using actors and technology to tell the story of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Hope Has Come! is a live nativity from Dec. 10 to Dec. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Hillcrest parking lot. While the church is not asking for donations, anyone who wishes to offer a financial gift is encouraged to give to the food bank or Joe’s Place Youth Centre.

This is the first year that Hillcrest Church has done something like this, explained co-ordinator Daycee Richardson. Normally the organization would hold different Christmas events for groups such as women and children, but that can’t happen this year due to the pandemic.

“We tried to come up with something creative that would be safe and fun and hopefully not jeopardized by shifting health guidelines and that would be open to the whole community,” she said.

Hillcrest Church normally works with Joe’s Place Youth Centre on projects, so after the youth-focused organization held a successful drive-by superhero event in May with volunteers in costumes, church organizers realized they might be able to pull off something similar.

Volunteers with Hillcrest Church help put together props for the drive-thru nativity that will be held in mid-December. Photo courtesy Hillcrest Apostolic Church Nativity organizers are encouraging families to visit the church’s website at hillcrestmj.com before the event to download an audio file onto their smartphones or tablets. Upon arriving on-site, families should enter through the Heritage Inn parking lot, which is being used as a staging area. They will then proceed into the

church parking lot and drive around the building while taking in the performance.

The nativity will feature live actors, animated displays and lights to help tell The Greatest Story Ever Told. Richardson said she hopes live animals will be part of the production, an aspect that organizers are still working out. She also hoped that

there would be good weather those three nights.

“We’re very excited,” she continued, before explaining that the church wanted to include immigrants new to the community. So, the audio file that the church put together can be heard in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.

Organizers believe it should take families about 15 to 20 minutes to experience the entire drive-thru nativity.

“There will be some very creative ways to tell the story (with) some of the costuming and stuff that I think will be really fun,” said Richardson.

“We also felt like it would give some of our volunteers an outlet in a season when lots of kids are in drama productions in the fall in school (and) in school Christmas programs. And those just aren’t options this year. So for some of our families, they are very excited to get to come and be in costume … and participate that way,” or work in pre-production on costumes or set design.

Added Richardson, “We just want to make it a fun experience for all ages (and make it) something that’s easy to participate in. It’s free and we hope it will be a real hit with the community.”

Western Development Museum wins Governor General’s award for Doukhobor Living Book project Moose Jaw Express Staff

A Western Development Museum project aiming to preserve the history of the Doukhobor people in Saskatchewan has won a prestigious award for its comprehensive body of work.

The Saskatchewan Doukhobor Living Book Project was recently honoured with the 2020 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive!, an honour celebrating excellence in education and public programming about Canada’s history and heritage.

The Saskatchewan Doukhobor Living Book Project was on display at the WDM Saskatoon in 2019. The exhibit helped preserve the oral history and spiritual traditions of the Saskatchewan Doukhobors through the creation of an immersive audio/visual soundscape. The soundscape documented a typical Doukhobor 'moleniye' (prayer service) as practiced by Saskatchewan's Independent Doukhobors.

It also captured the oral history of Doukhobor elders and explored how the community has evolved since first immigrating to Saskatchewan 120 years ago. Along with the soundscape the exhibit featured artifacts from the WDM collection and the local Doukhobor community.

The Independent Doukhobors' unique approach to 'cultural harmonization,' which allowed them to integrate socially, economically and politically while retaining key features of their religious beliefs and cultural practices, may help us to better understand and support other ethno-religious minority communities in our prov-

A scene from the Doukhobor Living Book Project. WDM photo. ince and beyond.

"We are honoured to have been chosen as this year's winners of the Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Museums which recognizes our work in preserving and making accessible intangible cultural heritage in Canada through a unique partnership between members of the Doukhobor community, the University of Saskatchewan, and the Western Development Museum," said WDM Curator Dr. Elizabeth Scott, who worked on the project alongside founder and manager of Spirit Wrestler Productions Ryan Androsoff and University of Saskatchewan assistant professor of History Dr. Ashleigh Androsoff.

The Governor General's History Awards were created in 1996 and celebrate the very best in Canadian achievements to ensure our national past has a vibrant presence in our society today. The awards are administered by Canada's National History Society.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A3

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Farm & Food Care Sask. conference goes online to share about food production Larissa Kurz

The 6th annual Farm & Food Care industry conference took to a virtual platform this year, with an estimated 400 attendees tuning in for a series of informational sessions offered by agriculture experts.

The theme of this year’s gatherings was Cultivating Trust, and the FFC invited two guest speakers to talk about topics that are affecting the food production industry this year: the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories, and the rising question about how methane gas from the livestock industry might be affecting climate change.

FFC also shared a year in review from their own operations and announced the winner of this year’s Farm & Food Care Champion Award, with FFC executive director Clinton Monchuk ending the afternoon by sharing that this year's conference was one of the most well-attended iterations yet.

Debunking misinformation about COVID-19 and other myths Timothy Caulfield, a University of Alberta professor of health law and science policy and expert on debunking social media myths, offered his expertise on how people can navigate the wildfire spread of misinformation that many have termed an “infodemic.”

“There’s conspiracies and misinformation everywhere,” said Caulfield. “And it makes it hard for people to know how to live a healthy life.”

Caulfield is the author of several books about debunking science myths and conspiracy theories, which he said are largely being shared through social media and are often popularized by celebrities.

He mentioned several well-known topics of concern, including the rising fear of chemicals, the push to eat “natural” or try

unproven health hacks, conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and the ongoing debate about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in terms of food production.

He shared studies that showed people who get their news primarily through Twitter or Facebook are more likely to be misinformed, and that individuals who have a higher trust in scientists and practice active critical thinking skills are less susceptible to misinformation.

Caulfield offered some advice to those looking to determine whether what they’re seeing could be misinformation, and it centred on critical thinking.

Untrue theories often have questionable sources or holes in logic, said Caulfield.

Some focus largely on anecdotal evidence rather than scientific proof, and use buzz words to stir up emotion or aggression.

He recommended individuals take the time to look into theories and claims they see before sharing on social media, and seek out confirmation from accredited sources.

He also encouraged people to take the time to debunk untrue information when they see it, to help others spread the correct information as well. His advice was to share some credible sources, point out gaps in logic, and to do so in an authentic and credible tone.

“The reason there is misinformation out there is because people are spreading it,” said Caulfield. “So if we can just nudge people to pause, to reflect for a moment, they’re less likely to spread misinformation.”

Livestock and solving climate change Dr. Frank Mitloehner, a professor and air quality specialist in the Department of Animal Science at the University of California, was the second presenter at

the conference, and he took to the screen to discuss greenhouse gas emissions in North America and how they affect climate change.

Mitloehner began by debunking the idea that the food production industry is a large contributor to the methane gas emissions in Canada in the U.S. He shared that agriculture-related emissions total about nine per cent in the U.S., while emissions from transportation and electricity generation total about 28 per cent each.

“Anything that contributes to the emissions of carbon dioxide or methane or nitrous oxide is under the gun right now,” said Mitloehner. “Fossil fuels are really the main culprit by far, as any serious climate scientist in the world would attest to, but people who are anti-livestock will tell you it's particularly methane produced from livestock.”

Methane gas has the shortest life-span of the three greenhouse gasses, said Mitloehner, and can actually leave the atmosphere eventually, unlike carbon dioxide or nitrous oxide.

The focus on the livestock industry as a contributor has been exaggerated, said Mitloehner, but that’s not to say livestock producers are not responsible for some

methane emissions.

Reducing methane emissions on a global scale is certainly required from all emission sources, said Mitloehner, as a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions has shown a “strong decrease in warming” in the atmosphere.

Mitloehner said he has seen a lot of dedication from the livestock industry to do their part. In reducing emissions, and shared a few ways that producers can continue to do so.

Improving productions can have a direct effect, said Mitloehner. Producers can reduce their emissions by focusing on improving animal density, fertility, health and genetics within their herd — all of which can be impacted by switching to a more energy dense feed, for example, or other measures to reduce the number of animals needed for one kilogram of meat product.

Farmers who also replace diesel with natural gas as an energy source for their vehicles can reduce emissions even further, as evidenced by producers in California who have seen a 25 per cent reduction in methane emissions through their efforts encouraged by the state.

Decreasing greenhouse gas emissions will decrease the rate of warming, said Mitloehner, which will be beneficial in the long run in managing the effects of climate change.

“Because we are reducing methane from our atmosphere to increase cooling on the methane side, we can counteract the warming caused by nitrous oxide and CO2,” said Mitloehner. “Overall, that can lead to a situation where we are moving toward climate neutrality.”

Farm & Food Care Sask. recognizes chicken farmer with annual award Larissa Kurz

For the fifth year in a row, Farm & Food Care (FFC) Saskatchewan has selected one producer in the province to be the recipient of the Farm & Food Care Champion Award.

The Champion Award recognizes a member of the Saskatchewan agriculture community who has engaged with consumers to share information and build public trust about agriculture. It is awarded in consideration of several components, including advocacy, communication and leadership.

“Nominees have used their skills to help inform consumers or correct misinformation about production practices and have done a measurable job of promoting this great industry,” said Clinton Monchuk, FFC Saskatchewan’s executive director.

This year, the panel of judges has selected chicken farmer Tiffany Martinka as the 2020 recipient of the FFC Champion Award.

Martinka and her family own and oper-

Chicken farmer Tiffany Martinka is the 2020 recipient of the Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan Champion Award. (supplied) ate a grain and broiler chicken farm in northeast Saskatchewan, and she works closely with the Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan, FFC Saskatchewan and Canadian Food Focus to share with consumers about where their food comes from.

She is a participant in the Chicken Farmers of Canada’s Young Farmers program,

and she keeps a strong social media presence where she shares about food safety, production practices and the challenges of being a producer with her followers.

Martinka regularly hosts virtual farm tours by Facebook Live, showing what life as a chicken farmer is like, and she uses her social media to invite questions and open dialogue from her followers about farmers and food production.

She also keeps up a blog and participates in webinars and educational appearances to spread information even further.

“I feel so honoured to have been selected for this award,” said Martinka, in her acceptance speech. “It can take a lot of work to create content and open up about your farm and family life, [and] I believe we belong to one of the greatest industries in the world and we have some of the best people who belong to this industry, and we have such a good news story to tell in agriculture, so I feel compelled to share

Thank you for your continued support!

Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season!

that story, and I want to share the beauty of the family farm with everybody.”

Martinka’s efforts have made her a leader in the farming community and provided a face for producers that encouraged others to share their stories, said Kim Hill of the Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan.

FFC Saskatchewan created the Champion Award to recognize the hard work that industry leaders do to promote agriculture and interact with consumers about food safety, as less than 3 per cent of Canadians have a direct connection to the farm.

“Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan is pleased to recognize champions like Tiffany for our annual award,” said Monchuk. “Consumers today have very few opportunities to visit farms or speak directly to farmers, and that means that the work that Tiffany does to share her story is vital to building public trust in Canadian food. We’re very proud of the amazing farmers this award recognizes.”

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PAGE A4 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Phone: 306.694.1322 Fax: 888.241.5291 32 Manitoba St. West, Moose Jaw SK S6H 1P7 www.mjvexpress.com

Publisher: Robert Ritchie - rob@mjvexpress.com Editor: Joan Ritchie - editor@mjvexpress.com Sales: Wanda Hallborg - sales@mjvexpress.com Bob Calvert - sales@mjvexpress.com Gladys Baigent-Therens - Sales2@mjvexpress.com Steve Seida - Special Sales Thank you to all the contributing writers, without your time and support, the paper would not look the same.

Send your stories, events and pictures to; Joan Ritchie Ron Walter Joyce Walter

editor@mjvexpress.com

Jason Antonio Larissa Kurz

Randy Palmer Dr. Steven Heidinger Wanda Smith

A couple weeks ago we published a small piece on our online daily MooseJawToday.com regarding snow pushed up on sidewalks by city crews.

The article appeared on November 18th and is as below: “Snow pushed on sidewalks by snow-clearing city crews unacceptable senior says Joan Ritchie A resident in Moose Jaw located EDITOR on the 950 block of Coteau St. W reached out to Moose Jaw Express/ MooseJawToday.com regarding their dissatisfaction with City Hall regarding snow removal and had hoped for an earlier resolve to the problem by the city themselves.

Last week, the day before Remembrance Day, the resident said that the city ploughed this street and pushed all of the snow onto the sidewalk in front of the residences. The resident is a senior and told the Express that she called the city regarding this situation last Thursday, Nov 12 to complain that this was unacceptable. They then called again on Friday, November 13th to make a complaint and the person spoke to an individual who said they would attend to the situation.

Again, a call was made to City Hall this week on Tuesday and still there has been no resolve to this issue. The problem being the city cleans the streets and pushed the snow onto the sidewalk where residents are required to keep the sidewalk clean or otherwise be fined according to bylaw https://moosejaw.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/BylawNo.-5514_-Clean-Sidewalks-Bylaw-1.pdf This senior feels this is simply unacceptable, who also mentioned there are a number of aged individuals on this street that find it difficult to move the snow off.

We are all wondering why this situation is taking a full week to address or resolve when this person afore mentioned saw city snow cleaning crews on streets very close by?

It is very unfortunate that citizens of Moose Jaw who pay taxes feel disregarded by city hall in their complaints after numerous calls, and feel the only recourse is to air their problems with the city publicly.”

In the photos that were posted alongside online, it is evident that the snow was pushed onto the sidewalk by the crews and didn’t just fall there from heaven during the snowfall a few days prior.

In regards, a regular critic of our publications continually posts remarks on our online daily MooseJawToday.com to most city-related articles.

Just this past week this individual again made random absurd comments stating, “Yes, let’s go there. In that case let’s all get our residential sidewalks cleared from the city,” inferring to this post a few days earlier.

I’m sure there are many in the community, if not most people and not only seniors that would agree that when it is the city crews that push up the snow onto the sidewalks, they should also be the ones to remove it! It should not be left to the homeowner to deal with.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

Send your letters to the editor to: letters@mjvexpress.com or 888-241-5291 All columns, letters to the editor and editorials are solely the personal opinions of the writers themselves and not necessarily the opinions of The Moose Jaw Express.

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The Moose Jaw Express reserves the right to refuse, classify, revise or censor any ads for any reason in its sole discretion. This paper may include inaccuracies or errors.

The Moose Jaw Express does not under any circumstances accept responsibility for the accuracy or otherwise of any ads or messages in any of the publications editions.

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Report from survey suggests more community garden awareness

By Ron Walter - For Agri-Mart Express

AGRIMART

EXPRESS

A survey on home gardening shows one in five Canadians started to grow a gar-

den for food this year.

And two-thirds of the new gardeners were influenced to start by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The survey on attitudes to gardening by Dalhousie University Agri-Food Analytics Lab and Angus Reid also shows most home gardeners have a university degree/ certificate/diploma.

The Prairies and British Columbia have more home gardeners than not while Ontario is almost 50-50.

The highest proportion of new gardeners this year was in the Atlantic provinces with 23.7 per cent new at the venture.

Eighty-five per cent of those surveyed had concerns about food affordability caused by the pandemic with

consistent agreement by gardeners and non-gardeners.

Fifty-two per cent were concerned about food shortages caused by the pandemic.

Almost one in five gardens are grown on balconies with the highest rate — 13.3 per cent — in Quebec.

Only 1.7 per cent were able to grow their monthly fruit and vegetable needs from their garden, so grocery stores have no worry from garden competition.

Just over half of gardeners grow at home because the food is safer while more than two-thirds find gardening relaxes them.

A report from the survey recommends municipal governments increase awareness of community gardens in their communities and suggests studies to discover the level of interest in community gardens.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

Food survey runs on fake meat product regulations

By Ron Walter - For Agri-Mart Express

How to label fake meat in the grocery store and butcher shop is the subject of an online survey by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Running until Dec. 3 the survey wants input on consumer familiarity with plant-based meat products and what label information is important to potential buyers.

Government information indicates that 40 per cent of Canadians are trying to place more plant-based foods on their plates.

Sales of plant-based protein products increased seven per cent in Canada in 2016-17.

The CFIA news release said food and drug regulations require simulated meat and simulated poultry products be clearly labelled and meet requirements for composi-

tion and fortification.

The agency is looking at regulations on these simulated products, as well as tofu burgers and soy patties.

These regulations are to ensure consumers don’t mistake the products for real meat.

Survey respondents will be asked if such products as lentil burgers, simulated pork sausage and beef flavoured vegan burgers should meet vitamin and mineral standards as real meat.

The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association is among agricultural organizations that have asked the term meat not be allowed for simulated meat products.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

COVID-19 outbreak confirmed at Providence Place

By Moose Jaw Express staff

An outbreak of COVID-19 has been confirmed at Providence Place, although how many people have been affected is unclear.

In an email to the Moose Jaw Express on Nov. 24, executive director Georgia Hutchinson explained that an outbreak was declared on Nov. 20. Since that time, the organization has been closely monitoring all employees and residents for possible symptoms.

“We have confirmed cases of residents and employees connected to Providence Place. We are taking all the necessary and precautionary measures to ensure the ongoing health and safety of our residents and employees,” she said. “The situation at Providence Place is evolving and we are not commenting on specific cases or case numbers at this time.”

The organization is working with the public health, infection control and the medical health officer on this sit-

uation, Hutchinson said, adding Providence Place understands and appreciates the challenges that residents and their families are facing in this situation.

According to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, in non-household settings, an outbreak is confirmed when two or more people test positive for COVID-19.

Sask. government limits sports, restaurant and venue capacities Larissa Kurz The provincial government has implemented more enhanced public health measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the province, which came into effect on Nov. 27.

The new measures are focused on public spaces and activities, including entertainment venues, sports clubs, fitness facilities and restaurants.

All restaurants and licensed establishments in the province will be limited to seating only four customers at a table and maintaining a distance of at least two metres between tables with a barrier, three metres without.

The 10 p.m. curfew on liquor service is still in effect and restaurants will now be expected to collect guest information from all patrons.

Public health is also limiting the maximum capacity of people in public spaces back to 30 people for any public venues who are currently allowed to host up to 150 people.

This includes all indoor event gatherings like weddings, conferences or funerals, as well as for entertainment venues, casinos or bingo halls, movie theatres and places of worship.

Gatherings of any size that include individuals beyond the immediate household are currently not encouraged

by public health.

Large retails stores, including malls, must limit their capacity to 50 per cent and enhance the expectation of mask use and other mitigation measures.

All team sports activities are also cancelled, including recreational leagues for all age groups. Athletes under the age of 18 may continue practicing or conditioning skills in groups of eight for fewer, while wearing face masks and practicing physical distancing.

The mandatory mask order is also expanding, with people required to wear face masks in all indoor fitness areas excluding aquatic activities, in all common areas of businesses and workplaces even if the public does not have access, and in all common areas of correctional facilities.

All students, employees and visitors in schools and day cares are now required to wear masks, with only children aged zero to two years old exempt.

All of these measures, including previously announced measures, are in place until Dec. 17 when public health will reevaluate.

Premier Scott Moe stated that the new measures are meant to further avoid a full shutdown of services like the province underwent in the spring.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A5

BIZWORLD

By Ron Walter For Moose Jaw Express

Rare earth deposits offer Canada a bargaining chip in trade negotiations

Trade experts in Canada are worried the new American president and his party will continue policies that make export access south of the border difficult.

Of particular concern: fear that silly tariffs imposed by Trump will stay, and a Buy American policy Biden and the Democrats promised.

To avoid these obstacles Canada needs bargaining chips. The rare earth mining industry offers Canada a bargaining position.

Northern Ontario, Northern Saskatchewan and the Territories are a treasure house of these minerals.

Rare earths are vital to high technology and especially the electric vehicle industry, smart phones, and renewable energy.

Commercially-viable deposits of rare earths are, well, rare. China produces the vast majority of many rare earths and has been buying rare earth companies around the globe.

The situation is so worrisome the United States announced plans for a deal with Canada to develop rare earth resources here.

That is the bargaining chip. Go easy on Canada or face us selling off to China. We don’t have a national industrial policy to develop them. We nearly always sell them to owners from other countries.

One of the Canadian rare earth companies needing assistance is Avalon Advanced Materials. CEO Don Bubar has been exploring and promoting the operation for about 20 years.

In that time Avalon has found six rare earth and mineral projects that cover a range of things from lithium tantalum, niobium, cesium, indium and germanium to zirconium.

Three of these projects are advanced to mineable or near mineable status.

Foremost among these is the Separation Rapids lithium deposit north of Kenora,

Ont. The preliminary economic assessment envisions a 20 year mine life producing 86,000 tonnes a year with a capital cost of $77 million.

Global lithium production in 2019 was 77,000 tonnes. Separation Rapid would not flood the market. Growth of electric vehicle use and lithium batteries is eating supplies. Elon Musk is worried about having enough lithium for production run of his cars.

Avalon has a ready-to-mine deposit of rare earths and zirconium on the east end of Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories since 2013.

In northern Ontario, the company has an advanced deposit containing cesium, tantalum and lithium.

Near East Kemptville, N.S., a preliminary economic assessment sees a tin and indium mine costing $31 million and operating 19 years.

A feldspar deposit in Northeastern Ontar-

io is ready for development.

Financing is an obstacle to any mine developments by Avalon. The company has 374 million shares outstanding with 20,000 shareholders in Canada, United States and Germany.

At seven cents a share, raising the 25 per cent equity needed to finance a mine will dilute current shareholders terribly.

The company needs a partner or forgivable injection of capital. As it stands Avalon is a strong candidate for a take-over likely by a foreign company.

Canada has a number of other rare earth explorers in the same boat as Avalon.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

Moose Jaw Co-op to merge with Genesis Co-op in January Larissa Kurz

Moose Jaw Co-op Marketplace on 1st Avenue North. (photo by Larissa Kurz)

After a positive vote from the board of directors for both co-operatives, the Moose Jaw Co-op and the Genesis Co-op are set to amalgamate into one large organization after the New Year.

Member meetings on Nov. 16-17 showed a positive vote to combine the two co-operatives, which will come into effect following Moose Jaw Co-op’s year-end on Jan. 31, 2021.

“We look forward to creating an even stronger foundation of community involvement and service with our new

Sukanen Museum volunteers kept occupied while museum closed to visitors

By Ron Walter - For Moose Jaw Express

Although the Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village and Museum was closed to the public this year over the pandemic, the site was active with volunteer work.

The need for so much sanitizing and the cost caused the decision to stay closed once health regulations allowed opening, said President Gord Ross.

“We had some inquiries about whether we were open.”

He’s hoping regulations ease for opening by next May. “It’s mostly open air. Social distancing is easy to do. It’s up to the government.”

Museum volunteers did a lot of work from routine maintenance to new projects.

“We got a lot of things done that wouldn’t have gotten done if we had visitors.”

Among them was work to repair the old church that was moved in and set on timbers 50 years ago with no eavestroughs.

The outer timbers had rotted over the years and the floor heaved, requiring rehabilitation.

The CNR railway station from Baildon has been partially closed as the lathe and plaster was falling down. The main floor walls were torn apart and replaced with drywall. Work started replacing the lathe and plaster upstairs, which has been closed to the public.

“We didn’t say no if someone had a project. They’d run it by us (the board) and we let them run with it.”

Even with extra project expense “we didn’t have to dip into our savings. This wasn’t a death knell for us.”

The museum received a $7,500 grant from the government, a $3,000 donation and $6,000 in vehicle storage fees.

Development of the $80,000 shop continued.

Looking ahead, Ross thinks the museum won’t be able to proceed with the popular antiques and collectibles show in March.

The event is a major fundraiser for Sukanen.

“I’m hoping we can hold one or two antiques and collectible days on the grounds, even if we have to stagger tables around the grounds. There is a lot of interest in antiques and collectibles.”

New artifacts have found their way to the museum with the closing of the Stoughton Museum near Weyburn. The museum closed when there wasn’t enough interest to renovate the building that was falling down.

The Sukanen Museum hauled several loads of artifacts from Stoughton after families that had donated items showed no interest in taking them back.

The prize artifact was a six-foot long home built mini steam tractor.

“It was certified to run. We can get it certified again.”

In the meantime “we might run it on air.”

An old fancy counter, once used in a Tuxford store, was acquired and redone to be placed in the pharmacy.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net

friends in Wilcox and Avonlea,” said Geoff Anderson, general manager of Moose Jaw Co-op, in a press release.

“This co-operation amongst our co-operatives will ensure our members are well served, for many years to come.”

Genesis Co-op serves the area about 45 minutes south of Moose Jaw, with locations in Wilcox and Avonlea, and currently operates cardlock services, convenience store, agronomy site, agro centre and lumber divisions.

Employees in both co-operative will con-

tinue to have employment, said the press release, and the amalgamation will offer new career opportunities for staff.

Moose Jaw Co-op and Genesis Co-op also agree that the amalgamation will allow both co-operatives to be more competitive, offer a wider variety of products and improve on the equity program for Co-op members.

The joined co-ops will form a new board of directors and operate under a new name once the amalgamation comes into effect, which has yet to be decided.

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PAGE A6 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

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CP Holiday Train still on track to support Moose Jaw Food Bank this holiday season Larissa Kurz

Although Moose Jaw residents won’t have their chance to huddle out in the freezing cold December air waiting for the CP Holiday Train to roll into town this year, the annual charity campaign is still looking to support food banks across Canada in much the same way as usual.

Instead of the usual train stop, the Holiday Train At Home will be hosting a live-streamed virtual concert on Dec. 12 showcasing headlining performers Serena Ryder and the Trews, as well as Jojo Mason, Logan Staats and Kelly Prescott.

The heartwarming part of the tour is still going forward as well, as the Holiday Train will still be donating $1.24 million to all of the food banks that would normally benefit from the train’s tour and CP is encouraging communities to make donations to their local food bank as well.

"We're just going to do our best to have another successful food drive because our Food Bank definitely needs everyone's help this year, so we want to make sure we can make it happen again," said local CP support services supervisor Gabrielle Belanger.

In partnership with CP Rail and Golden West Radio, Moose Jaw Co-op is once again running its Good Buy to Hunger campaign in support of the Holiday Train and the Moose Jaw & District Food Bank.

Just like any other year, customers can purchase a pre-packaged bag of non-perishable food during checkout at the Co-op Marketplace for $10, which will be stockpiled until the end of the campaign before being moved to the food bank — with the help of the Moose

The Holiday Train rolled to a stop in Moose Jaw last year to an enthusiastic crowd.

Jaw Fire Department, as usual.

Each bag contains items like pasta, soup, beans, juice, stuffing and canned veggies, with a total value of about $18. Every customer who donates to the cause will be offered a chance to enter this year’s draw, which has two gift baskets up for grabs instead of train tickets.

People can also always donate to the Moose Jaw Food Bank directly, with either cash or food donations, and the Co-op welcomes local businesses to once again get involved in the campaign if they’re able.

"We really have to [keep it going] and I'm so grateful that the Co-op and the radio station can again join forces to

make this happen, because we need a little normal and this is one way we can do it," said Belanger. "And I just want to thank everybody for their past support, and this year we need to come together even more to help fill the shelves of our local food bank."

Moose Jaw closed out last year’s tour with an impressive showing of generosity. The Moose Jaw Co-op sold over 1,430 bags of food, and the city totalled the largest amount of food donated out of all the train’s Canadian stops and the second-largest amount in all of North America.

Belanger, the Co-op and the Food Bank are all hoping to once again see Moose Jaw’s giving spirit this year — especially as many folks are in need of the Food Bank’s services.

“I didn’t understand how giving this community is until I recently came back, and I’m constantly in awe of the generosity and the drive the community has to help those in need,” said food bank development manager Jason Moore, adding that he’s looking forward to seeing Moose Jaw work it's magic again.

The Co-op Good Buy to Hunger campaign launched on Nov. 21 and will continue until Dec. 10.

The Food Bank can also accept monetary donations online through its website, which issues a charitable receipt, and encourages anyone with questions to reach out at 1 (306) 692-2911.

For more details on the Holiday Train at Home concert, visit cpr.ca/holidaytrain to learn more.

SEIU-West reaches tentative agreement with SAHO after three years bargaining Larissa Kurz

SEIU-West and the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) have tentatively reached a collective bargain agreement after three and a half years without a ratified contract.

The two organizations now have 60 days to ratify the agreement, and SEIU-West members will meet through video and teleconference to review before proceeding to vote to accept the terms offered.

“Bargaining in the midst of a worldwide pandemic has been challenging. For the SEIU-West bargaining committee, ensuring the work our members do on the front line of this pandemic is recognized has been our priority,” said SEIU-West president Barbara Cape, in a press release.

SEIU-West represents 11,500 members working in numerous health care roles, including clerical and administrative, maintenance, laboratory and diagnostics, patient care and therapy, and more.

Union members have been without a collective agreement since March 2017, and have been very vocal about facing issues that have been exacerbated by new pan-

demic safety measures now in place.

“Unfortunately, this agreement cannot by itself address the critical understaffing situation in the sector,” said Cape. “We need real collaboration between government, the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the Unions so we can make substantial improvements in the system.”

SEIU-West members recently underwent a series of public protests across the province, including a picketing event outside of several Moose Jaw care homes in September, to call on the government to invest in front line service.

If ratified, this agreement will be the fourth collective agreement between unions and the SAHO since the provincial health authorities amalgamated into one.

“I am very pleased to see the collaborative efforts made by both parties to reach an agreement providing stability in important health services during this challenging time of a pandemic,” said Health Minister Paul Merriman, in a provincial press release. “SEIU-West members are highly valued members of our health care teams and are relied on by Saskatchewan residents and I would like to thank

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SEIU-West members outside of Crescent View Clinic in Moose Jaw in September. (photo by Larissa Kurz) them for their dedication.”

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Sask. Union of Nurses reaches tentative contract agreement with province

Larissa Kurz The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses tered nurses, nurse practitioners and reg(SUN) and the Saskatchewan Association istered psychiatric nurses in the province. of Health Organizations (SAHO) have The last contract between SUN and the reached a tentative collective agreement health authority expired in March of 2018. following two years of negotiations.

“I am genuinely pleased to see a successDetails of the new contract, which has yet ful negotiated settlement with our largest to be ratified by both organizations, can- health union providing further stability as our health system faces this pandemnot be released yet.

“I am certain registered nurses will wel- ic,” said Health Minister Paul Merriman. come this good news – especially during “Thank you to both SUN and SAHO Inc. these unprecedented times,” said SUN for their collaborative efforts and dediPresident Tracy Zambory, in a press re- cation to achieving this tentative agreelease. “This tentative agreement will no ment.” doubt be a huge weight off the shoulders The announcement follows closely after of registered nurses, providing them with SEIU-West announced it had reached a much-needed stability and security in the tentative agreement with the SAHO on face of a global pandemic.”

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MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A7

Wallace Stegner House writer residency starts GoFundMe after COVID-19 struggles Larissa Kurz

The Eastend Arts Council is looking for help from the community to keep the Wallace Stegner House and its residency program afloat after a barrage of struggles this year.

The Stegner House was once the childhood home to Pulitzer-Prize winning author Wallace Stegner, although for the last 30 years the house has hosted over 270 writers and artists through a unique residency program.

Maintained by volunteers from the community, the Stegner House is one of the first residencies of its kind in Canada and one of only six community-operated artist/ writer residencies located in the home of a renowned writer still in use.

But the Stegner House has reached a critical point, as the hidden jewel is in need of financial support due to a list of reasons.

Artist or writer residencies are not eligible for operational funding, said the Eastend Arts Council, and the combined problems caused by COVID-19, the cancellation of the non-profit’s annual fundraiser and a necessary roof repair have prompted them to seek help elsewhere.

The Stegner House has launched a GoFundMe campaign, seeking $50,000 to cover the maintenance and administrative costs of the historical residence, subsidize residency fees for artists and writers and complete repairs on the heritage property.

“Wallace Stegner House provides... the quiet community in which to work in solitude and silence and in a landscape of great beauty... [it] provides a service not only to the community, and to the artists, but also to this country for it is artists who define and describe it and thus make it real,” said founder and renowned author Sharon Butala.

“Without additional funding, and after thirty very suc-

The Wallace Stegner House, in Eastend, Sask. (photo: Dean Bauche) cessful years, the House could disappear.”

The Stegner House has provided inspiration to many artists over the years, including Stegner himself who wrote his novel Wolf Willow based on his experiences as a child in Eastend.

Stegner was a very well-known writer and environmentalist, who often traced his inspiration as a writer back to the time he spent in southern Saskatchewan.

Following his passing, artists in the community saw an opportunity to continue his legacy by restoring his childhood home into the creative space it is now.

“Imagine how gratified [Wallace Stegner] was to know that his childhood home in Eastend had become and continues to be three decades later a refuge that might

Writer and environmentalist Wallace Stegner lived in the house for several years during his childhood, and accredited much of his inspiration to the experiences he had in southern Saskatchewan. (supplied) ease some of [the] harsh practicalities for successive generations of artists,” said daughter-in-law Lynn Stegner, shared through the House’s GoFundMe page. “There is no other like the Stegner House Residency program.”

The GoFundMe for the heritage home has reached just over $17,000 at the time of publishing, and organizers are encouraging residents to continue to donate in support of the unique cultural residence and share the details of the House’s need on social media.

To donate to the Stegner House, visit the “Stegner House Need Your Help!” campaign page on GoFundMe’s website, or check geographyofhope.ca for more information on the residency program and the house’s history.

Sask. shelters to receive more COVID-19 funding from provincial government Larissa Kurz

Several emergency shelters in the province will receive new COVID-19 funding from the provincial government to help alleviate current pressures in providing support services for their clients.

The Government of Saskatchewan has pledged an additional $171,000 in funding for shelters that serve clients referred through income assistance programs. The Ministry of Social Service is providing approximately $4 million in annual funding, before this new addition.

This includes Riverside Mission in Moose Jaw and its partner organization Souls Harbour Mission in Regina, as well as the YWCA Regina, The Lighthouse Supported Living in Saskatoon and North Battleford, YWCA Cold Weather Shelter

Riverside Mission on Manitoba Street East. (file photo)

in Prince Albert, Salvation Army in Regina and Saskatoon and the Lloydminster Men’s Shelter.

The funding will be in addition to pandemic response supports announced back in April, which offered an increase of $171,000 at that time as well.

The increased financial support is to help shelters meet the extra cost pressures brought on by the pandemic, to improve client and staff safety.

“A number of sectors have needed a helping hand during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Social Services Minister Lori Carr, in a press release. “We continue to support Saskatchewan’s emergency shelters that have done incredible work to adjust and respond to COVID-19.”

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The Knights of Columbus will once again he holding their annual Keep Christ in Christmas lighting contest this year.

Keep Christ in Christmas lighting contest searching the best home Christmas light displays Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

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For many folks in Moose Jaw, the Christmas season offers an opportunity to do a bit of temporary exterior decorating -- and the city wouldn’t look the same during the holidays without their efforts.

The Knights of Columbus Father Gilpin Council will once again be looking to reward those who put maximum effort into their Christmas light displays this year, with their annual Keep Christ in Christmas Lighting contest set to officially take place on Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m.

So get those lights up, those nativity scenes on display and show your Christmas spirit the best way possible!

“We’re going to have three judges in three different vehicles, they will drive to the contest entries, fill out judging forms and then all the forms will come back to me, the totals will be tallied up and the winners notified,” said contest organizer Pat Meuse.

Normally, the tour would feature one vehicle with the judges, but avoiding risk during the pandemic will necessitate the small change. The winners will receive a certificate, and the top three will receive cheques for $75 for first place, $50 for second and $25 for third.

LETTER TO THE

EDITOR

The hope is that with the COVID restrictions, Christmas lights will be a little more extravagant this year given extra amount of time for decorating. And ideally, there will be plenty of entries, too.

“It all depends, some years we’ve had as many as 12 entries and some years we’ve had two,” Meuse said. “It’s totally up to the people and we do have some of our Knights keeping an eye out, if there’s something really nice we’ll drop a letter off in their mailbox saying ‘your house looks nice, here’s an entry form, you should enter’.”

To be sure, some folks put plenty of effort into their displays - Meuse points to one home that even features a sound show, complete with an FM station folks can dial into and watch the lights in synch with the music.

“There are always some really nice displays, so we’ll be looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with,” Meuse said.

To enter the contest, visit mjknights.ca and fill out and submit the entry form found at the bottom of the website, or simply give Meuse a shout at (306) 6928111 for more information.

Send your letters to the editor to: letters@mjvexpress.com or 888-241-5291

All columns, letters to the editor and editorials are solely the personal opinions of the writers themselves and not necessarily the opinions of The Moose Jaw Express.

GI

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We all want to feel safe, but at what price? At the price of losing civil liberties? At the price of the government having control over whether you can open your business or not? At the price of stopping you from crossing Provincial borders? At the price of denying children school and closing of universities, the very places where doctors and nurses train to keep you healthy? At the price of not being able to visit family members? At the price of the government telling you how many people can come to your wedding or go to your funeral?

How long are you willing to pay such a price? A year? Two? How about forever? Are you willing to pay that price, endlessly? Because, guess what, viruses are with us all the time and have been with us since time immemorial, as are countless other maladies that make us "not safe". Living life is inherently risky, now and forevermore. Therefore, governmental control and loss of basic freedoms for your "safety" forever is a legitimate ideology.

Just to be "safe" are you willing to live in a police state where the government can make any law and do anything they want, without limit, and deny civil liberties all under the banner of

keeping you "healthy"? To what end? To live a life of freedomless, powerlessness, and a life of obeying authority telling you what is good and not good for you?

Have we forgotten the simple fact that our mortality rate for each and every one of us is 100%? Have we forgotten that our death is absolute and that how we live is every bit as important as how long we live, even more so?

Emiliano Zapata said, "I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees." Yes, it was a war he was fighting, and the war was against oppression and against the denial of freedom.

Benjamin Franklin said it best, "Any society that will give up a little liberty to gain a little security will gain neither and lose both."

Indeed, safety is an overall good thing, but not at any price. Giving our freedom away is a very high price to pay for questionable safety.

Covid-19 has removed freedom from our lives.

I wonder what the next virus will be....

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

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Moose Jaw Humane Society stepping up for Transition House on Giving Tuesday now to Christmas Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

After all the support the local community has given the Moose Jaw Humane Society over the years, they’re now looking to do their part and help make the holidays that much brighter for Moose Jaw Transition House.

That’s what Giving Tuesday is all about, and the local animal shelter is taking the spirit of the day and extending it from now until just before Christmas.

The Humane Society will be collecting gently-used purses and filling them with items those using Transition House might not consider for themselves. The idea being that even a few bottles of nail polish, some body spray and nice socks might be enough to help make Christmas just a little bit better for someone who has found themselves in need of Transition House’s services.

“People can donate gently used purses, and if they want to donate new items, they can… just some things that would be nice and the ladies in those situations might not be purchasing for themselves,” said Amanda Tetarenko with the Moose Jaw Humane Society.

“The Transition House does a wonderful job of providing for them and takes care of their basic needs, so we wanted to go just a little bit above that and supply something that’s a little bit more of a luxury item.”

Rather than capping the project on the actual Giving Tuesday, which falls on Dec. 1 this year, donations will be gathered until sometime closer to Christmas and then given to the charity as gifts for their clients.

The list of things to be considered includes the aforemen-

tioned items along with hand cream, new costume jewellery, chocolates, notebooks, fabric masks, sanitizer, lip balm, nail files, gift cards and just about anything you’d think would be a nice fit for the project.

All items can be dropped off at the Humane Society, which is open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

Giving Tuesday is in its eighth year and is designed as a follow-up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

“It’s actually a global fundraising event, it takes place all over the world,” Tetarenko explained. “The idea is after those two days of get, get, get, get, Giving Tuesday is a day to give back, and it takes place the first Tuesday after Black Friday.”

The Humane Society took part in the event last year and bagged groceries at Safeway for a full day. With COVID-19 putting the kibosh on anything like that this time around, they decided something a little different would work out just as well -- and when the Transition House came up as an option, plans quickly fell into place.

As for the ‘why’ the Humane Society is doing this, well, you only have yourselves to thank.

“It’s a chance to give back to the community because they support us so well,” Tetarenko said. “We get a lot of support from the community and it’s fantastic, and by all means continue the support, but for Giving Tuesday we decided we would step back from asking for donations and turn toward helping others in the community.”

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PAGE A10 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Ontario hockey club honours fallen Snowbird’s memory with team name change

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The Junior A hockey club in Quinte West, O.N., temporarily changed its name for a recent game to honour the late Captain Jennifer Casey, a Halifax native and member of the RAF Snowbirds who previously lived in the city.

On Nov. 27 when the Trenton (Quinte West) Golden Hawkes took the ice against the Wellington Dukes, the team was instead sporting a new set of custom jerseys and played as the Trenton Snowbirds.

The new jerseys were coloured red, white and blue in honour of the Snowbirds and Casey’s name on the back, alongside the player’s designated number. They will be later auctioned off with all proceeds going to support a scholarship in Casey’s name.

“The Trenton Junior A Hockey Club is honoured to be named after Canada’s original aerobatics team, the Golden Hawks. It is only natural we honour the current aerobatics team, Captain Casey, and Operation Inspiration,” said Trenton director of operations John McDonald, in a press release prior to the game. “This game would not happen without the Casey family, the Golden Hawks aerobatics team, 431 Squadron in Moose Jaw, CFB Trenton, former Golden Hawk Dan Dempsey, and jersey designer Dave O’Malley.”

Casey resided in Quinte West for six years, from 2012 to 2018, where she worked in radio at Quinte Broadcasting before beginning her career in the military. She served as a public affairs officer at 8-Wing Trenton and with the CF-18 Demo Team before moving on to join the Snow-

like us on ! @mjminutemuffler

LOCAL UPDATES AND NEWS 24/7 Your connection to the world The custom jerseys designed by Dave O’Malley for the Trenton Golden Hawks during their tribute game for Capt. Jenn Casey. (supplied)

Capt. Jennifer Casey, public affairs officer with the RCAF Snowbirds based out of 15 Wing Moose Jaw. (supplied) birds in Moose Jaw in the same position.

Casey was taking part in the national Operation Inspiration tour this summer when the Snowbird she was in went down in Kamloops, B.C. The special hockey game welcomed a special set of political and military dignitaries to drop the puck and share videos honouring Casey, with the pre-game ceremony and game itself aired live on TV, online and by radio.

“We would like to thank everyone involved in creating this beautiful jersey and event. Jenn was a lifelong hockey fan, especially junior hockey. From her hometown Halifax Mooseheads, to rooting for Canada at the World Juniors, to following her beloved Montreal Canadiens, hockey was a major part of Jenn’s life,” said Casey’s mother Rose and stepfather Rob, also in a press release.

“Jenn touched a lot of hearts during her time in Trenton, like she did wherever she went. Whether it was working in the radio newsroom, running in a relay, travelling to airshows, or being in the Snowbirds, Jenn gave it her all.

We can remember her by bringing the values she lived by to what we all do: play your best game, honour your teammates, respect your competitors, have fun and try to bring joy to whatever you do,” they said.

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The results should not have been surprising, but I was disturbed to discover myself in the basement, in the rear end of public opinion about a serious matter at this time of year.

Questions in the survey asked about an unusual topic, that being fruit cake, or as we call Joyce Walter it in this house: Christmas For Moose Jaw Express cake. It is never, ever referred ronjoy@sasktel.net to as “festive cake.” The cake is baked to enjoy at Christmas and therefore, it is called “Christmas cake.”

Back to the survey, undertaken by a marketing firm to determine for a client whether it should or should not bother putting Christmas cake products in a prominent place on retail shelves, and whether commercial Christmas cakes should be given shelf space a month or two before Christmas.

One thousand persons were interviewed, perhaps in person, perhaps by telephone (did I hang up before fully understanding this was not a scam topic?), perhaps by mailin ballot.

By studying the results, the client would have been advised to save the precious shelf space for other products, maybe soap powder or an extra supply of bathroom tissue or even sanitizing supplies.

Broken down, the survey found only 18.79 per cent had a favourable opinion about fruit cake: 8.08 per cent liked it; 4.08 per cent considered it a favourite food at Christmas; 3.35 per cent had a family recipe that had been passed down; and 3.28 per cent admitted proudly they had made a fruit cake.

I am in this low percentage, agreeing 100 per cent with the comments offered in favour. Consider that a minority report on all matters relating to Christmas fruit cake.

The majority was decisive: 14.99 per cent flat out rebuked fruit cake, saying they don’t like it; 14.12 per cent had never tried fruit cake; 9.02 per cent would never buy it; 7.5 per cent were wasteful, saying they would throw away these cakes that are made with very expensive ingredients; 7.13 per cent said it is the worst Christmas food in existence; 5.2 per cent want to know the ingredients before taking a sample; 4.66 per cent only eat a slice to be polite; and 3.2 per cent said if they received a cake as a gift, they would save it and re-gift it to someone else.

Most distressingly is the comment from 4.8 per cent of the surveyed who said they have never tried fruit cake but still make fun of it. Shame on them for forming an opinion without considering both sides of the topic.

Anyone with mathematical skills will realize these figures don’t add up to 100 per cent, making it a less than scientific study. But those against fruit cake are clearly in the majority and we don’t have to wait for recounts to determine the outcome.

I will now concede to the majority opinion, but that hasn’t changed my own personal preferences regarding Christmas fruit cake.

I’ve been convinced of the value of Christmas cake since decades gone by when I helped my Mother mix her cakes then waited patiently to lick the spoons and then for the cakes to be baked. That first tiny slice was worth the wait — a month or so of more anticipation until the cakes were cut and shared with friends and family over the Christmas season.

If I could change anything about those cakes made by my Mother, it would have been to have thicker slices cut, and more of them retained for our household.

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A11

Vigil outside Moose Jaw Pride honours Transgender Day of Remembrance Larissa Kurz

It was a chilly day to be outside, but members and volunteers at Moose Jaw Pride faced the cold to take part in an all-day vigil to raise awareness about violence against transgender people around the world.

The vigil is this year’s acknowledgment of Transgender Day of Remembrance, a world-wide memorial that occurs on Nov. 20 every year to honour and remember all transgender people whose lives have been lost to transphobic or gender-based violence in the past year. It also serves as the conclusion to Transgender Awareness Week.

“Transgender Day of Remembrance first started in 1999, after the murder of a transgender woman named Rita Hester in Massachusetts,” said Cole Ramsey, vice-chair and gender diversity representative at Moose Jaw Pride.

“And the result was not just that her friends and community were struggling to seek justice for her murder, but it was also to get media and police to talk about her life in a respectful and factual manner.”

LGBTQ+ organizations across the world noworganize memorial services every year on this date, which is also when the Trans Murder Monitoring project shares the names of all the transgender people reported murdered in the past year.

The transgender community faces statistically higher rates of violence, poverty and mental health concerns, with an estimated two-thirds of transgender people experiencing depression or other mental illnesses. They are also four times more likely to attempt suicide than other demographics and are often denied services or are victims of violence and discrimination due to their identity.

As both the TMM project and Moose Jaw Pride shared, the number of transgender victims of violence is actually much higher than the collected data shows, as many incidents go unreported.

“News about [transgender people] is often not covered

Cole Ramsey, pronouns they/them, of Moose Jaw Pride was among one of the many individuals who joined in the public vigil for Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20. in mainstream media or it's only covered by LGBTQ+ specific media, and when it does reach the media, often the only thing that does appear in the news is our deaths,” said Ramsey. “So this is the time of year when we try to make people aware of what’s happening, so hopefully we can change the negative circumstances for the better.”

Moose Jaw Pride usually hosts a formal memorial service on Transgender Day of Remembrance, during which they read out the names of all those individuals, to recognize the community’s loss and respect those who have been lost.

Due to pandemic concerns, the non-profit agency decided to take a new direction with this year’s memorial and host a public seven-hour vigil outside of the Moose Jaw

Pride office to show respect for transgender rights.

“It will be a small display, where we have a bit of information set up on a table where people can see it as they go past [or we can] talk and answer questions or provide more information,” said Ramsey, just before the vigil began Friday.

Volunteers from Moose Jaw Pride and from within the community stood outside of Rainbow Retro Thrift Shop on Main Street from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., burning candles for all the lives lost.

The public was encouraged to stop by and interact with whoever is standing vigil, as the other large part of Transgender Day of Remembrance is to draw attention to the continued need to advocate for the rights and safety of transgender and LGBTQ+ people.

“I think we can’t really say we’re honouring them if we’re not doing anything to change the circumstances that ultimately resulted in their death, so raising awareness with the public is a huge part of that,” said Ramsey.

Commemorating Transgender Day of Remembrance was an important tradition for Moose Jaw Pride to continue, said Ramsey, as it serves as a more somber reminder of the reality that many individuals still face.

“Confronting transphobia in the world is something that I think should be part of everyone’s life, and it really comes down to not just the grand gestures but everyday interactions with the people around us,” said Ramsey.

“So it's really important to understand what transphobia is [and] speak out against it, against the disrespect and dehumanization and negativity that created difficulties and endangers transgender people’s lives.”

Rainbow Retro Thrift Store, which is also the office for Moose Jaw Pride, is located at 345 Main Street North and, as Ramsey noted, has an open door for anyone seeking more information about the LGBTQ+ community.

Ceremony at Sask. legislative building celebrates Holodomor Memorial Day Larissa Kurz

A candle and wheat to honour victims of the Holodomor in 1932-33. (Shutterstock)

Potato chips sent to Moose Jaw recalled due to glass in bags

By Moose Jaw Express staff

Potato chip company, Miss Vickie’s Canada, is recalling certain Original Recipe kettle-cooked chip packages sent to stores — including in Moose Jaw — due to the possible presence of glass in the bags.

The company issued a recall on Nov. 3 after discovering that glass pieces had made their way into 630 bags of Original Recipe chip bags. The recall was initially issued for Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada before the business learned the chip bags had also been distributed to Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Consumers are being encouraged not to consume the chips, while retailers, restaurants, and institutions are told not to sell or use the recalled product.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to other product recalls. If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated food recall warnings. The federal agency is also verifying that the food industry is removing the recalled product from the marketplace.

While Miss Vickie’s Canada has said it has not received any customer complaints about the products sent west, the CFIA said on its website that there have been reported injuries associated with the products from the original Eastern Canada recall.

Customers who purchased the chips are not to eat them and either throw them out or return to the place of purchase for a full refund. The bags all come from one SKU of 0 60410 04667 8, so customers should look at the “guaranteed fresh” dates and “manufacturing codes” to identify the bags, the company said. Information on the affected chips is available on the CFIA’s website at inspection.gc.ca/eng/.

A ceremony held at the Legislative building in Regina on Nov. 24 honoured those who perished during the Ukraine famine, an annual tradition in Saskatchewan every November to celebrate Holodomor Memorial Day. Holodomor Memorial Day is a national holiday that falls on Nov. 28 this year, and a private memorial took place earlier to commemorate the lives lost during the Holodomor.

Saskatchewan-Ukraine relations liaison Nadine Wilson laid flowers in honour of the victims at the foot of the memorial state in Wascana Park, which is a copy of Petro Drozdowksy’s “Bitter Memories of Childhood” that was put up in 2015.

“It is important to recognize histori-

cal tragedies like Holodomor, to honour those who have suffered and those who were lost,” said Wilson, in a press release.

“By remembering the history of Ukrainians and shining light on their stories, we grieve the mistakes of the past and move forward embracing the Saskatchewan value of inclusion.”

“Holodomor” means “extermination by hunger” in Ukrainian, and refers to when the Soviet Union imposed a man-made famine in 1932-33 that led to the deaths of an estimated 1 million people.

Saskatchewan was the first place in North America to recognize this event as a genocide in 2008, after passing The Ukrainian Famine and Genocide (Holodomor) Memorial Day Act.

PAGE A12 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

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Salvation Army kicks off 2020 Kettle Campaign Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

Residents can expect to hear the jingle of handbells for the next few weeks as the Salvation Army’s Kettle Campaign is now in full ring — er, swing.

The organization kicked off the campaign at the Co-op grocery store on Nov. 27. Two ladies from the Red Hat Society served as the first volunteers and Mayor Fraser Tolmie dropped in the campaign’s first money.

The Kettle Campaign runs from now until Dec. 25.

Other kettle locations include Walmart, Superstore, the downtown liquor store, the Salvation Army Thrift Store on First Avenue Northeast and the Town ‘n’ Country Mall.

Besides the kettles, the Co-op is also supporting the Salvation Army’s Christmas hamper program by providing $1,000 worth of gift cards. Program participants can use the cards to purchase groceries over the Christmas holidays.

Last year the non-profit distributed more than 500 hampers and over 1,000 toys.

This year it expects those numbers to increase dramatically, based on what other Salvation Army outlets are seeing elsewhere.

The Salvation Army has changed how it approves applicants looking to be recipients of the Christmas hampers. People will have to submit an application to be

considered eligible, while Salvation Army staff will interview them at the downtown location — 175 First Avenue Northeast — from Nov. 16 to Dec. 11.

These changes have also affected how it gives out toys, explained Cadet Lester Ward. This year parents will have to pick up the toys at the Salvation Army Church on Wintergreen Drive. Since pandemic restrictions prevent touching of the objects, volunteers will lead parents to the age-specific table and they can point to a toy they want. The volunteer will pick it up and hand it over.

This also gives parents a choice, added Cadet Almeta Ward. This method is different, but it has worked in other locations in Canada.

When asked what she thought about the Kettle Campaign’s launch, Mrs. Ward replied, “Excited! Very excited! I love Christmas. I like the opportunity that we have to help people — and children.

“Children are near and dear to my heart.

And to think that a child could wake up on Christmas morning and not have toys, I don’t want to think about that,” she added. “So I am just asking the public, if you are able to bring a toy so that on Christmas morning, the child will be able to get up and be excited because there is something there for them,” that would be great.

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Cadet Lester Ward (left) speaks during the Salvation Army Kettle Campaign kickoff at the Co-op grocery store on Nov. 27. Also pictured are Cadet Almeta Ward and Red Hat Society members Shirley Terry and Deb Turcotte. Photo

by Jason G. Antonio The Salvation Army — just like the community — has faced a challenging year, but the organization appreciates all the support that residents provide, said Mr. Ward.

The Kettle Campaign is not just about the Salvation Army, but instead, it is really about proclaiming the love of Jesus Christ in the community, he continued.

“Anything at all that the community can reach the public and allow people to know that there’s hope and that they’re cared for, then we would love to journey and be a part of that,” added Mr. Ward.

Residents have many opportunities to support the Salvation Army’s Christmas campaigns. In partnership with the Moose Jaw Warriors, Mosaic Place held a toy drive from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Nov. 30.

That is followed by a toy drive at Murray GM on Dec. 1, and a two-day toy drive at Canadian Tire from Dec. 3 to 4.

A toy drive is also taking place in Assiniboia on Dec. 5 at the Red Apple store. Besides toys, a percentage of all sales will be given to the Salvation Army for families and children.

From The Kitchen

S a l a ds to st a r t or finish a family meal

By Joyce Walter For Moose Jaw Express

Research shows salads have been around for much longer than any of us can remember.

In fact the Oxford Dictionary of Food and Drink in America says the finest vegetable creation was enjoyed way back in the Roman Empire. It first appeared in the form of raw leafy vegetables covered in salty, oily dressing. The word salad comes from sal, the Latin word for salt.

Despite the unfavourable feelings of some diners towards salads, this part of the menu comes in many different combinations, some meant as a main course while others could be considered a dessert course.

This week’s recipes come from the cookbook, The Heart of Our Home, the Walters Family Cookbook, published by friends of our family.

•••

Spicy Taco Salad

1 lb. ground beef 1 head lettuce, shredded 1-15 1/2 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 small can sliced black olives, drained 3 tomatoes sliced 4 green onions, chopped 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 2 avocados, mashed 1/4 cup oil 1 cup sour cream 1 tbsp. chili powder 2 tbsps. lemon juice 1 tbsp. sugar 1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce 10 oz. pkg. tortilla chips salt and pepper to taste

Brown and cook ground beef in a large skillet. Drain and cool.

Toss together beef, lettuce, beans, olives, tomatoes, onions and cheese.

Set aside.

Combine avocados, oil, sour cream, chili powder, lemon juice, sugar, pepper sauce and salt and pepper. Mix well

then toss with ground beef mixture. Add chips and toss lightly. Serve immediately.

Serves four.

•••

Pretzel Salad

Bottom layer: 2 cups broken pretzels 3/4 cup butter, melted 1 tbsp. sugar Middle layer: 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 12 oz. tub Cool Whip 1 cup sugar Top layer: 2 small pkgs. strawberry Jello powder 2 cups boiling water 20 oz. pkg. frozen sliced strawberries For the bottom, mix together the pretzels, melted butter and sugar. Pat into the bottom of a 9x13 inch cake pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 8 minutes. Cool.

For the middle layer, mix the cream cheese, Cool Whip and sugar together until creamy then spread over the cooled pretzel crust.

For the top, add boiling water to the Jello powder and stir until Jello is dissolved.

Add the frozen strawberries and stir. Refrigerate just until Jello begins to gel. Do not allow it to solidify. Pour over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until completely set. Serve on lettuce leaves.

•••

Rice Salad/Dessert

2 cups cooked rice 2 cups pineapple chunks 2 cups whipped cream 1/2 cup sugar maraschino cherries Add pineapple chunks to the cooked rice and mix in the sugar. Fold in the whipped cream and mix until combined with rice and pineapple. Top with cherries and chill.

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A13

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PAGE A16 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

He Also Served . . .

a short story by George Pratt, Submitted by Jeffery Hawke, Moose Jaw “Our kids are being homeschooled and we are learning about the history of our family WW2 and German sub u-190.We are hoping to share the story with elderly people at homes to help with public speaking and to share this cool story about the unconditional surrender of German sub u-190. The story is a story about my grandpa Jim [Hawke] who passed away October 2019.

“I think it is important to remember how we got here.”

Arriving late at the Suncoast Singers fall concert one evening in 2008, I was greeted by the mellow bass voice of a male soloist emanating from the auditorium.

It was far from the black gold of Robert Merril but it was rich and altogether pleasant: “Panus angelicus, Fit panis hominum; Dat panis coelicus . . . the angelic bread becomes the bread of men . . . “ Worming into my seat, I was astonished to recognize the singer—a local ‘go-to’guy known for his genius with marine mechanical problems. I had visited him several times in his little shop near Madeira Park. Totally out of context, here hewas, singing in Latin, the Panis Angelicus, the famous St. Thomas Aquinas hymn.

This man was born James Edgar Hawke, at Dauphin, Manitoba, an incredible eighty-eight years before— and he had a story to tell.

Just after the outbreak of WW2, Jim’s innate understanding of machinery landedhim a job as a powerhouse engineer for Dominion Electric, which later became Saskatchewan Power. But as the war entered its darkest days, particularly on theNorth Atlantic, where Canadian convoys were being decimated by wolf packs of German submarines, his thoughts turned toward serving his country. So it was that in June of 1942, Jim left his home in Winnipegosis and trekked to Winnipeg to join the Royal Canadian Navy. The very same month, submarine U-190 was launched at Bremen, Germany, destined to join the wolf packs making life hell for the convoys in the North Atlantic.

Because of his mechanical experience, the RCN immediately sent Jim to Halifax for training in shipborne engineering.

His first assignment upon graduation was to head for the wartime shipyard at Penetang, Ontario, to join the crew of newly-built Fairmile 051, a small vessel used for coastal patrol submarine hunting. His particular duty was very agreeable—the care and keeping of the Fairmile’s two 640-HP Holscott engines. It was candy for Jim Hawke. He remained aboard for a stint of patrol work off Gaspé but before long, his civilian power station experience was recognized and it got him pulled off sea duty to transfer to St. John’sNewfoundland, where an engineer was needed to maintain the dockyard naval base.

A dashing naval career in a warship at sea was effectively grounded on the rocks.

Resignedly, he accepted his lot, perhaps thinking of the words of the great somewhat lacklustre career. By 1945, with the war nearing its end, she had managed to sink only one allied ship, a relatively barren record for the Kriegsmarine. However, with cessation of hostilities imminent, she did up her score by torpedoeing HMCS Esquimalt just off Halifax Harbor, a very sad day for the Canadian Navy. A week later, her orders came to surrender to the Allied Forces and after jettisoning her munitions, U-190 was summarily boarded and escorted in to Bay Bulls, a harbor a few miles west of St. John’s.

St. John’s was in a frenzy of celebration with a riot of signals flying off to the fleet to trigger the winding down process from six years of war. Immediately the U-190 arrived in Bay Bulls, new orders came for Jim. They were simple: Head out to Bay Bulls and live aboard the German submarine U-190 while you get it up and running, cleaned and prepared for sea.

He could not have been more startled if they had drafted him to Antarctica. He did not know that the Admiralty had already made plans that the U-190 should go on a tour up the St. Lawrence river to be shown off to a war-weary population as a war prize.

The Admiralty had cobbled together what was to become the new ship’s company for the U-190—a captain and executive officer and a handful of ratings trained in the technical skills they judged would be required to operate a submarine. Thus, along with several other engineer mechanics, Jim arrived at Bay Bulls and with some trepidation, all headed up the gangway to go aboard. None among them had ever been aboard any submarine, never mind a German one.

The vessel was ghostly quiet as they clambered uncertainly below decks and began floundering around in the dark to see what a submarine was all about. Jim’s orders were to get the engines up and running and there was nothing for it but to get started. But start where? In time, the electrical crew got some light on the subject, to reveal a bewildering jungle of valves and gauges and control handles that were incomprehensibly tagged in German; it may as well have been Swahili.

After some furtive poking around, one of Jim’s mates discovered a technical manual, notated in German of course, but with typically precise schematic drawings of the control systems. On examination, Jim could readily see that the multi-colored control lines snaking off everywhere about the boat, were tidily matched to the drawings. A picture truly was worth

a thousand words—language became redundant. Hydraulics were hydraulics, electrical current was electrical current.

Crawling along the control lines with a flashlight and the manual in hand, Jim slowly acquired an understanding of what controlled what. After a few days, the mystery of how to breathe life into submarine U-190 began to unravel.

This knowledge in hand, he turned to the main engines, which, enemy-conceived or not, he had to admit were masterpieces of technical excellence—two 9-cylinder MAN diesels of 460 HP each. Jim knew that diesels behaved like diesels whether they are on a Canadian Navy Fairmile 2 or a German submarine—if fuel is present in the cylinders, they will start up if they can be cranked over.

“Hmmmmm. OK—so how do I crank them?”

There was an obvious electric generator linked to the engines. Clearly its purpose was to charge the huge bank of batteries below the gratings upon which Jim was standing—OK so far. On further examination, Jim discerned from examining the control system that the current the generator sent in to charge the batteries could be made to flow back the way it came— and this would drive the generator as a motor.

“Of course! That’s it! The main diesels can’t be used while the submarine is submerged, so they drive the boat with the generator—clever! Hmmmmm . . .”

Poking around a little more, he was able to discern that the levers right there at hand were a simple dual clutch system that would tie either the main diesels or the electric motor to the drive-shaft.

“Sooooo . . . hmmm. . . so . . . if I throw that switch and redirect the power back to that generator from those batteries—the generator should then start up like any electric motor . . . yeah, that’s gotta be it . . . and if I then throw this clutch to connect the generator to those main diesels . . . it would crank them over. Bingo!”

Checking for current and fuel was again, an elementary task. Just to be sure he had it all right in advance of pushing any buttons, Jim checked and re-checked all the boat’s systems. It was fortuitous that he did, for he discovered that the lower control valves associated with the ballast tanks did not seem to be in their correct positions.

“Hmmmm . . . seems to me those valves should be closed . . . .’ Suspicious, he pondered their probable function for a few minutes. Then ‘Aye-yi-yi-yi-yi . . .” as the realization came to him that the German crew had opened the lower dive valves as a parting shot before being taken off the boat. if Jim or any of his mates, in fiddling with the unfamiliar controls, had experimentally opened the upper dive valves,

U-190 would have sunk before they could scramble out of her. Fortunately, it was a simple enough glitch to put right. Relieved, Jim locked the valves closed and pronounced U-190 ready to start up.

The startup was an anti-climax. When the switches were thrown, the generator whined to life like any electric motor.

Engaging the clutch, the great diesels began to crank over, slowly at first, and then as each cylinder in turn began to fire, sprang to life and ticked over like a great thundering Swiss clock. U-190 was up and running and would now be officially commissioned as a vessel of the Royal Canadian Navy. Jim Hawke, who had become resigned to doing his duty ‘standing waiting’ had finally ‘done his bit’ in the unlikely theatre of the engine room of an enemy submarine. “ . . . O res mirabilis, Manducat Dominum Pauper, pauper, servus, et humis . . .”

The final verse of the Angelicus floats out over the hushed hall. The audience is captivated by the lyrics and by the brown velvet voice of this fine and gentle man with silvered temples. They cannot know of the bell-bottomed jack-tar with greasy hands, serving his country in the most unlikely way, in a war now fast fading into the realm of the long ago and far away.

Prologue: When all was shipshape, Jim Hawke and his mates crewed the U-190 to St. John’s where they spent some weeks cleaning her up for the coming tour. Four experienced submariners from the Royal Navy joined the ship’s company there, men whose supercilious attitude soon had them disliked by one and all. Jim was happy to decline the victory tour and take his discharge from service before the U-190 set off on her show voyage. She went firstly to Halifax and then up the St. Lawrence River to Montreal, with stops at Quebec City and a number of other small ports.

Upon her return to the coast it was decided by the Admiralty to use her for a target in a gunnery exercise at sea off Halifax. In retrospect, it was an ill-advised decision, for she would have been a remarkable addition to any marine museum today. She didn’t last long in what was planned to be a day-long naval gunnery event; she was struck by the first rocket fired from a supporting aircraft and turned up her bows and sank in twelve minutes.

End of game. Oh, yes, before towing her out to be sunk, they did take the periscope off her and it resides to this day in the ‘Crowsnest’ a Canadian Naval Officers’ Club in St. John’s, now a public historical site.

Jim Hawke, at 90 years of age at the time of this writing, works daily in his little machine shop at Madeira Park. He is fit and alert and never without a challenging mechanical project on hand. On the final day I interviewed him, he was fabricating a flexible-shaft polishing outfit for his grand-daughter’s jewellery enterprise.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A17

MJPS arrest suspect in early morning gunshot incident on South Hill The Moose Jaw Police service arrested a man in connection to the shooting that occurred early in the morning on Nov. 18 in the South Hill neighbourhood.

Just before 6 a.m., police responded to a call reporting several gunshots in the area around the 1200 block of Vaughan Street.

After searching the area using police members, K-9 members and drone technology, the MJPS determined that three vehicles had been shot with a gun.

Larissa Kurz Video evidence was obtained showing a session of a dangerous weapon, unauthopossible suspect and a vehicle leaving the rized possession of a firearm, possession area. Police declared the area safe follow- of a firearm in a motor vehicle, and two ing their initial investigation. counts of possession of a firearm while Dustyn Halyk of Moose Jaw was arrest- being prohibited. ed later that day, after MJPS executed a While searching the residence, police also search warrant at a residence on the 1200 recovered a loaded sawed-off shotgun, block of 9th Avenue Northeast. which they don’t believe was the firearm Halyk is in custody and has appeared be- used in the shooting, and arrested Chris fore a judge. He has been charged with Waffle of Moose Jaw on several charges. one count of discharging a firearm, pos- Waffle has also appeared before a judge

and has been charged with possession of cocaine for purposes of trafficking, possession of methamphetamine for purpose of trafficking, possession of a dangerous weapon, careless storage of a loaded firearm, and possession of an unauthorized firearm.

Both men remain in custody. Police continue to investigate the incident.

TRADING THOUGHTS

By Ron Walter For Moose Jaw Express

Some thoughts for the new council from a veteran reporter/observer The newly-elected city council has four years ahead with three new members and a second term mayor.

Yours Truly has some sugby Ron Walter gestions for the deliberations; suggestions based on 54 years of covering council for a newspaper, mentoring others, or close observations, of experience with at least seven city managers.

There were times when I spent almost as much time at city hall as some lazy councillors did.

You are representing the public, not your own interests or biases. Try and ensure that business is done in public and not behind closed doors. That is not always comfortable when discussing thorny issues. Voters deserve to know what’s going on.

Encourage public participation and feedback. To this end consider re-building the economic development committee and the municipal planning commission to engage voters in commenting on and recommending policy.

City administration convinced the previous council to abandon these two bodies in what was a consolidation of power by city managers.

One suggestion, if the economic development committee is revived, instead of the previous composition of a cross-section of the community, stock the committee with people showing real interest in development.

Administration told council the existence of this committee made keeping potential investment projects secret. In other words, give managers all the power.

We saw how that worked when the city manager wasted 18 months secretly working with a developer on a housing project in Wakamow — not to mention how much money the developer wasted. Had the project been mentioned to council or an economic development committee no

time would have been wasted as the contentious nature became clear.

Pretty well everybody running for council promises to attract more development and to eliminate waste.

Learn that city councils have limited scope to attract development. Realize that councils for the last 55 years have been cutting waste/fat. The cuts are approaching the bone.

Be skeptical of your administration and managers. Question their information.

They have their own agendas, whether it be getting their job done as easily as possible or putting their own stamp (bias) on city operations.

As administrators, the tendency is to avoid controversy or sweep it under the rug.

Be wary of administrators who have had many previous short term jobs. For they may be career hoppers, building a resume for a future dream position. They are more interested in looking good than in the city’s long term interests.

Be wary of administrators who have held

the position for a long time. They tend towards taking less risk and making their job easier, such as holding half as many council meetings.

Some administrators are manipulative.

Some try and tell council what to do instead of providing options.

Don’t depend too much on long time council members for advice. In my experience long term councillors tend to become part of the woodwork and slavishly follow administration’s ideas.

Be aware that being a councillor is more than attending a meeting every two weeks. If you do it right this will be like another full-time job. Earn your salary and that big increase Good luck and, as they say in show business, break a leg.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

LETTER TO THE

EDITOR

New City Council Needs to Communicate One of the civic needs I heard from many candidates in our recent municipal election was better communication from City Hall and City Councillors. Now the question is, will the City and councillors deliver? The last Council failed us miserably.

I would hope the new councillors would make themselves available to all media so we have an understanding of what is happening behind the walls at City Hall. After all, City Hall sets fees for property taxes, water, sewer, waste collection, roads and so on that affect all of us.

There are many of us who would like to stay informed, but when elected officials fail in their responsibility to communicate, local citizens don’t really know what is going on. Perhaps that explains in part the poor turnout on Election Day. New Councillors, please remember print media reaches a lot of people in our community and should be a communication tool that is utilized because many of us do

not use social media. Someone needs to inform the communications people at City Hall about this since they dropped the ball a long time ago.

As City Council members you have a responsibility to communicate with all citizens through all local media. That includes print, electronic and even postal mailings.

New councillors let me encourage you to get off to a good start with your communications with our citizens. Don’t hide behind in-camera meetings, but remember who your represent and make yourself available to local media. Get to know the reporters in the community. To some this would be a novel idea, but to people who live in our city it would be an indication you haven’t forgotten who voted you into office.

We hope to hear from you and see your picture in the paper before you start campaigning for the next election.

A.W. Allan

Send your letters to the editor to:

letters@mjvexpress.com or 888-241-5291

All columns, letters to the editor and editorials are solely the personal opinions of the writers themselves and not necessarily the opinions of The Moose Jaw Express.

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PAGE A18 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

City Hall Council Notes NOT HAPPY - MAKE A COMPLAINT

If you have a viable complaint against the City of Moose Jaw, please make your voices known to the Ombudsman’s office in Saskatchewan.

Ombudsman Saskatchewan promotes and protects fairness and integrity in the design and delivery of government services. They take complaints about provincial government ministries, agencies, Crown corporations and many health entities. They also take complaints about municipal entities.

Ombudsman Saskatchewan offices are located at 150 – 2401 Saskatchewan Drive Regina

Sask. S4P 4H8. Back in July the Ombudsman was Mary McFadyen; she can be reached by phone at the Regina office at (306)787-6211, Fax 306.787-9090 or e-mail ombreg@ombudsman.sk.ca. Let them know how you feel and get them to investigate.

Council moves to dissolve scandal-plagued DFFH corporation Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

After seven years of operation, the scandal-plagued Downtown and Soccer/Field House Facilities Inc. (DFFH) board — which oversaw Mosaic Place and Yara Centre — will soon cease to exist as an entity.

During its Nov. 23 executive committee meeting, city council voted unanimously to authorize city administration to liquidate and dissolve the DFFH by 2021.

Three city councillors will be appointed to the DFFH board of directors for a term ending Dec. 31 to help shut down the corporation, while city administration will send a statement of intent to dissolve to Information Services Corporation. City hall will also distribute the property of DFFH per the corporation’s bylaws; Mosaic Place will continue to operate as normal.

Council and city administration must also complete several other steps to liquidate and dissolve the DFFH, including repealing the bylaw that authorized the city manager to manage DFFH and repealing a bylaw that created the DFFH. City administration is expected to bring forward new bylaws to repeal the old bylaws during the Dec. 7 regular council meeting. Some of the new bylaws would then

take effect immediately after council passes them.

The recommendations that council approved during the executive committee must be approved during the next regular meeting to be official.

Council discussion Dissolving the DFFH is a necessary and legislative situation, said Coun. Heather Eby, but she regretted that this had to happen since she was at the council table when DFFH was formed.

“We worked very, very hard to set up a board and have it in place,” she continued. “There’s so much history. But for me, it’s a very disappointing result as what began with great promise and great initial success.

“That first board was the strongest board that I have ever sat on in the 11 years I have been in this position,” Eby said. “This hurts my heart to do this. I know all the history; I know what’s happened … . This is a very disappointing end to something that should not have ended this way.”

Eby added that she hoped Spectra Venue Management Services — which now oversees Mosaic Place — could get the building back on track.

DFFH background Council created a bylaw to create the DFFH on Feb. 11, 2013, and continued using the organization to operate Mosaic Place, a council report explained. Following the DFFH general manager’s departure in 2016, council resolved to amend the bylaw and reduced the board composition to three elected members from council and the non-voting director from the parks and recreation department.

Following an internal investigation in 2018, the municipality decided to remove the elected members, dissolve the board, and install the city manager to oversee the management and direction of DFFH personnel and operations. This occurred after council passed a bylaw on Aug. 15, 2018.

In September 2019, the municipality hired Spectra — a private management company — to oversee Mosaic Place. This includes purchasing, payroll, security, crowd control, repairs, preventative maintenance, janitorial services, promotions, advertising, box office, admission procedures and general user services.

Mosaic Place needing $1M in yearly subsidies doesn’t shock councillor Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

The City of Moose Jaw will provide Mosaic Place with $1 million in subsidies by the end of 2020, which one city councillor says was predicted would happen years ago.

Mosaic Place’s finances were part of the third-quarter report that city administration provided to city council during its Nov. 23 regular meeting. The overall report looked at municipal finances from July 1 to Sept. 30 and the year-to-date picture.

For the third quarter, Mosaic Place — which Spectra Venue Management Services operates — had a deficit of $55,750, while year-to-date (YTD), the building has a deficit of $703,776. Spectra had projected the overall deficit to be $582,638.

Meanwhile, the balance sheet showed Mosaic Place has a deficit of $703,835 in current retained earnings.

In reviewing the balance sheet, Coun. Heather Eby said she was reminded of creating budgets for Mosaic Place as a member of the Downtown Facility and Field House board. The thought among board members then was that the building would need roughly $1 million a year.

“We tried to sell that and prove that and make that case many years in a row, to no avail,” she added. “Now here we are at $1 million. I know it’s a different year … (but) the cat came home to roost.”

The municipality had budgeted around $526,000 this year for the building, but has provided $345,560 so far and is expected to give another $614,835 before January, finance director Brian Acker said. These payments will be reconciled at year-end and added into the overall subsidy of roughly $1 million.

He noted that Spectra has run Mosaic Place at a deficit since taking over in September 2019. One reason for the negative retained earnings, he added, is because the municipality hadn’t provided the building operator with all of its subsidies to bring it to balance.

There were two concerts there in mid-March, which were the last events Mosaic Place held before the pandemic shut down everything, including hockey games, explained city manager Jim Puffalt. All of that caused revenues to drop “right off the table,” while expenses also decreased to some degree.

The municipality had to lay off some employees but brought them back in the fall to install the ice, he added.

General manager Ryan MacIvor will have to answer whether Spectra is working with its partners on a recovery strategy, Puffalt told Coun. Crystal Froese. Right now, city administration is waiting to hear from the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the provincial gov-

ernment about whether hockey will return in January. In the meantime, the building is open and groups are using the ice.

“The news that there is a possible vaccine is promising,” he continued. “The news that the WHL is proposing to start in January is promising. The future is looking good, but … it is a very, very, very tough year, especially when running (recreational) facilities … .

“There is a cost to keeping buildings open that we minimized in the summer. But when facilities reopened, there were expenses such as cleaning and extra work for spacing. It’s fairly detailed.”

Derek Blais, director of the parks and recreation department, echoed Puffalt’s comments, noting there were several reasons for less revenue. These include reduced attendance due to capacity issues, extra cleaning as required by the province, and even the cost of those cleaning products.

“It’s been trying times and we’re working our way through it,” he added. “There are still a lot of people accessing the facility in a safe manner and we continue to provide that service to them.”

School divisions get OK for next phase of South Hill project Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

Both Moose Jaw school divisions can proceed with the next phase of the joint-use school project as long as they address expected traffic issues near the site, city council has decided.

The boards of education for Holy Trinity Roman Catholic School Division and Prairie South School Division and the Ministry of Education provided city hall with a traffic impact assessment (TIA) analyzing what effect the new school is expected to have on the Westheath neighbourhood.

As part of a memorandum of understanding, the municipality has full discretion to determine whether the results are favourable for development at this location.

During the Nov. 23 regular meeting, council voted 6-1 to let the educational organizations proceed with an amendment to the concept plan for phases 5 and 6 to include the new joint-use school, while recommending that the parties incorporate strategies to mitigate the extra traffic expected at the new school.

Coun. Kim Robinson was opposed.

The TIA — which the Moose Jaw Express reported first — proposed two layouts on which to situate the 10-acre school site in phases 5 and 6 in Westheath. The report also concluded that Wellington Drive as a collector roadway and the area transportation system could accommo-

date the extra traffic the school will generate.

Peak disruptions in the neighbourhood are expected from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m.

The assessment also proposed that mitigation strategies be used to minimize traffic disruptions to the surrounding residential areas. Those strategies included: • Encouraging traffic to circulate in a counter-clockwise direction along Wellington Drive to minimize left turns entering and exiting the school site; • Separating the pick-up and drop-off areas for buses and private vehicles; • Separating the traffic paths for pedestrians, bicycles, private vehicles and buses to minimize conflict; • Providing signage and markings to alert drivers of school crossings; • Encouraging more walking, bicycling and carpooling • Staggering operating hours to minimize traffic volumes during peak hours.

Since council has determined that the TIA results are favourable for this location, the next step is to amend the Westheath concept plan, a council report explained. This includes additional background work for servicing the area and engaging the residents about their preferred design for the school site.

Once this work is complete, the school divisions and

ministry must submit the amendment to city council for approval to replace the existing plan.

Besides the TIA report, the initial 2018 concept plan for phases 5 and 6 for Westheath was also included in the council package.

The concept plan noted that based on the sale of 138 single-family lots and four townhouse units, the municipality had expected to net $2.11 million. The municipality figured the estimated revenue per family lot to be $14,168 and the estimated revenue per townhouse lot to be $39,657.

However, that overall financial figure could change since the traffic assessment report presented two configurations that reduce the number of residential units. The first option suggested there could be 109 family lots and 16 townhouses, while the second site option suggested there could be 105 family lots and 16 townhouses.

This means, based on the revenue per family lot and townhouse lot, the city could receive between $2.12 million and $2.17 million if all those lots sold.

The Moose Jaw Express will have a separate story about the discussion council had on this assessment report and some pushback from one resident during the meeting.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A19

City Hall Council Notes

Get even more local news online at:

New sign at North Service Road could address safety issues Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

Better directional signage could be coming to the North Service Road to help motorists merge more safely onto Highway 1 when attempting to drive west.

The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure contacted city administration in April about installing enhanced signage to encourage vehicles heading south on Ninth Avenue Northwest to turn west onto the service road and use the on-ramp to access Highway 1 westbound, a city council report explained.

The ministry indicated that southbound vehicles on Ninth Avenue Northwest were not using the on-ramp.

Instead, they were travelling south to the Highway 1 and Ninth Avenue Northwest intersection and then performing a southbound to westbound turn at a stop sign when there is no acceleration lane.

Directing these vehicles to the on-ramp access where vehicle acceleration is possible would provide better traffic flow and safety, the ministry added.

City hall’s department of engineering services asked the ministry to provide a site plan and signage details for consideration. On Aug. 31, the ministry provided the information and said it could pay for and install the sign if the municipality approved it, the report said.

The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure has inspected the area and advised that the sign would be under the municipality’s jurisdiction, while the ministry would be responsible for the west end of the on-ramp to the west end of the railway tracks.

The ministry plans to install the signs using its resources, although an installation date has not been confirmed

A map shows where the new sign would be installed (yellow dot). The green line is the North Service Road while the blue lines are Highway 1. At that corner is also A&W and the truck stop. Photo courtesy City of Moose Jaw yet, the council report added.

A similar motion to install enhanced directional signage on the North Service Road before and after Ninth Avenue Northwest and Highway 1 intersection with information about the distance to merge came to city council on Dec. 16, 2019. However, council voted to refer the issue to ad-

ministration pending a report about jurisdictional and funding issues.

Council discussion During the Nov. 23 regular meeting, city council voted unanimously to receive and file the report. “It’s really good to see that they’re going to do this, and hopefully that will make it work a little better, especially considering all the semis that have been crossing over,� said Coun. Crystal Froese. “That will make it a little bit safer intersection, although there’s more that can be done in that area.�

This particular sign being proposed is not going to solve how people access the highway safely, said Coun. Doug Blanc, who worked for the Ministry of Highways for years. Instead, he suggested that a sign needs to be installed in that area forcing motorists to use the service road.

City hall has been communicating with the province about this area and signage in general in the community, said Mayor Fraser Tolmie. Another area that needs better signage is the entrance to Manitoba Street from the east, especially since that part of the municipality is changing, while the potential for business growth is there.

Tolmie said that he agreed with Blanc, noting his family was driving on the highway recently when they met a semi-truck coming at them in the wrong lane. This shows it’s not just signage that’s the problem, but that motorists need to pay attention. “We need to ensure we are doing our part and that drivers are doing their part,� he added.

Crosswalk lights for Iron Bridge could be installed next spring Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

Next spring, a new roadside crosswalk flasher could be installed near the Iron Bridge neighbourhood entrance, making it easier for residents to access that area.

The City of Moose Jaw’s engineering services department plans to construct the crosswalk flasher on Simcoe Street’s north side since this location offers good sightlines that allow vehicles to come to a stop, a city council report explained. The stopping sight distance of 200 metres is also considered adequate at the current road speed of 60 kilometres per hour.

According to city hall, the project was initially to have occurred by February but was delayed to sometime in the spring, after the contractor had supply issues acquiring the materials.

During the Nov. 23 regular meeting, council voted to receive and file the report about this project as part of the public works advisory committee minutes. The report will likely come back in the new year for approval.

The municipality has been working with Traffic Solutions Consulting Ltd. to provide design and construction oversite for this project, explained the report. The consulting firm has provided construction drawings and a report that outlines the thinking behind the crossing

selection.

In that report, the firm reviewed and compared two types of crosswalk flashers: roadside and overhead.

The roadside flasher was considered inexpensive, with a construction cost of $27,000, had a shorter installation time of one to two days, was suitable for the road speed, was suitable for two-lane roadways and could satisfy the sight distance.

The overhead flasher was more expensive, with a construction cost of $40,000, took three weeks to install, was suitable for the road speed, was more suitable for multi-lane roads and could be seen much further away. “The roadside crosswalk flashers appear to be the more favourable option, mainly due to lower construction costs and shorter construction time ‌ ,â€? the report said.

If a 200-metre sightline is provided, the flashers would satisfy the decision sight distance criteria, which allow alert, competent drivers to come to a quick stop under ordinary circumstances, said the report. The design criteria are useful in situations such as: • Complex interchanges and intersections; • Locations where unusual or unexpected manoeuvres occur;

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• Locations where significant changes to the roadway cross-sections are made; • Areas where there are many demands on motorists’ decision-making capabilities from road elements, traffic control devices, advertising, and other traffic; • Construction zones.

For the proposed Iron Bridge Drive and Thatcher Drive crosswalk flasher project, criteria one, two and four exist.

This means the decision sight distance needs to be met since there are offsetting intersections, unusual or unexpected manoeuvres, and multiple road and traffic control device elements, said the report.

The flashing amber lights would be mounted 3.5 metres above the ground, making them visible more than 200 metres away in both directions on Thatcher Drive, the report added. These sightlines would also meet the decision sight distance criteria. Moreover, the speed limit could remain at 60 km/h.

NOTICE THE TAX ENFORCEMENT ACT TREVOR ITCUSH TAKE NOTICE that the Village of Marquis intends to be registered as the owner under the above Act of the land described as LOT 22-BLK/PAR 1-PLAN P3838 EXT 0, Title No. 141883230; LOT 23-BLK/PAR 1-PLAN P3838 EXT 0, Title No. 141883241.

The municipality claims title to the land by virtue of an interest based on the tax lien registered against the existing title to the land in the Land Titles Registry as Interest Number 186233317, 186233283 and you are required to TAKE NOTICE that unless you contest the claim of the municipality or redeem the land pursuant to the provisions of the above Act within six months from the service of this notice on you and, subject to the further provisions of The Tax Enforcement Act, a certificate of title will be issued to the applicant and you will thereafter be forever estopped and debarred from setting up any claim to, or in respect of, the land.

The amount required to redeem the land may be ascertained on application to the Clerk, Treasurer or Administrator of the municipality. For any questions about the tax enforcement process please contact TaxService at 1-877-734-3113.

Dated this 26th day of November, 2020.

Gwen Johnston, Treasurer Village of Marquis

PAGE A20 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

City Hall Council Notes Former school trustee asksJasoncouncil to reject report about new school G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express Former school board trustee Jan Radwanski believes a report analyzing the possible traffic impacts near the proposed joint-use school uses old data and wants city council to reject the document.

The results of the traffic impact assessment (TIA) were hampered by data from the City of Moose Jaw that was 10 years old, which the report consultants even indicated limited them, Radwanski — a former trustee with Prairie South School Division — told council during its Nov. 23 meeting. This limited the report, which contradicts the memorandum of understanding between the city and the school divisions.

Furthermore, the consultants pointed out accounting firm KPMG overlooked the Official Community Plan (OCP) and made wrong assumptions when it suggested Westheath was a greenfield site and could be developed near a traffic corridor, he continued.

“This particular site I don’t think was screened properly, (and) in my opinion, may not be a proper site for a 1,000plus (student) school,” said Radwanski, especially since it’s nowhere near city-owned playgrounds.

The 10-acre site will need the necessary drop-off and pick-up locations for 750 bused or driven students, 125 parking stalls for staff, and other safety measures, making this project is too large for the neighbourhood to absorb safely, he stated.

Instead, Radwanski suggested that the school divisions use the Ministry of Education’s money to rebuild schools on South Hill since the infrastructure already exists.

Another issue the report raised was how the existing roadways didn’t have sufficient capacity for the proposed traffic, he continued. KPMG assumed this was the safest site since the existing roadway infrastructure had been completed for residences.

The consultants did suggest mitigation measures to handle the additional traffic on Wellington Drive, but Radwanski wondered if that street would have to be turned into a one-way. He pointed out there could be ramifications for dropping off and picking up 1,000 students on one two-way collector street.

Providing locations for pick-ups and drop-offs would reduce space for playgrounds, he continued. Although the report suggests students should walk and bike more, some youths would have to travel 20 blocks and cross several arterial roads. Moreover, bike lanes in Moose Jaw are almost non-existent.

“I ask that you reject this limited TIA as required and that council should develop — in conjunction with the school boards — a concept plan for a school this size and see whether it does fit on South Hill,” remarked Radwanski, who noted there was never any public review session for this particular site.

“Our children are our greatest resource, and educating them in safe, accessible locations is paramount,” he added.

When asked by Mayor Fraser Tolmie, Radwanski acknowledged that he voted against the project, while one Moose Jaw trustee recused himself and the other three Moose Jaw trustees voted in favour.

“We live in a democratic society and the majority voted in favour of that school (project) … ,” Tolmie said, adding it was also important to know how the Holy Trinity board voted.

In response, Catholic board chair Joann Blazieko said all trustees voted in favour. She noted trustees had worked on this project for a while and the chosen location also surprised them.

Prairie South board chair Robert Bachmann pointed out Radwanski had enough opportunity as a trustee to provide feedback as part of the democratic process, while he now can comment as a resident.

“This report that is before you very clearly states a positive impact, that the traffic impact assessment does not communicate any major issues,” said Bachmann, before asking council to accept the report so the process can proceed and public consultations can happen.

Councillors debate whether Westheath is the right location for new school Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

While most city councillors think a new school on South Hill is a good idea, some believe the proposed location is just not

the right site.

City council received an assessment report during its Nov. 23 regular meeting

that summarized what effect the additional traffic that the joint-use school would generate could have on the Westheath neighbourhood.

Council eventually voted 6-1 to let both Moose Jaw school divisions and the Ministry of Education proceed with an amendment to the Westheath concept plan for phases 5 and 6 to include the new joint-use school, while recommending that the parties incorporate strategies to mitigate the expected extra traffic.

Coun. Kim Robinson was opposed.

Council discussion “I’m still struggling with this. I don’t believe the site is the right location,” said Coun. Dawn Luhning.

However, because the ministry and boards of education for Holy Trinity Roman Catholic and Prairie South school divisions decided Westheath was the location they wanted, “it’s unfortunate” that they dropped this decision onto the municipality without including council in the decision, she continued.

“If we’d been included in the planning, I would feel better. But taxpayers will be the ones holding the bag to build more roadways over there,” Luhning said. “… something about it is telling me it’s not the right location.”

She added that she would vote in favour now since a revised concept plan must come back and public input must be sought before the next steps can occur.

Coun. Crystal Froese also expressed misgivings about the location, which she’s had since the beginning. Specifically, she was concerned about what the Official Community Plan says about placing schools closer to parks.

She pointed out that Sunningdale was the last new school built in Moose Jaw and a neighbourhood sprouted up around that area. She said she would vote in favour since she wanted the public to give input. “(The school is) definitely for South Hill residents, but it is a school for the city,” Froese said. “Children all over the city can actually go to the school … our stu-

dents deserve a brand-new school and all the amenities and wonderful things that will come from this school that will benefit everyone.”

Another issue from the assessment report that caught Froese’s attention was how traffic mitigation measures focused on the school’s immediate area. She had hoped the report would show the ripple effect on the entire southwest corner of the city since there are limited access points and it is far from arterial roads.

Safety concerns It’s great that the ministry and school boards will pay the applicable development levies, said Coun. Heather Eby. She is happy with the agreement, although she was also worried about what the report would say. She has always been in favour of the site and doesn’t want to hold up the project.

“I took a walk out there. It will change the neighbourhood and traffic patterns, but that’s not any different than anywhere else in the city,” she continued.

She added that while some people have safety concerns about dropping off kids at the new school, she noted one of the most dangerous places is in front of Empire and Riverview schools.

Mayor Fraser Tolmie agreed with Eby, saying he drives down Coteau Street every morning and sees parents unloading their kids even though that road is busy.

While Tolmie thought the current school buildings are beautiful and he appreciates their historical value, they were built when there were no buses and most students walked. Now, society had changed and modernized with more vehicles.

Tolmie added that he had faith in both school divisions to facilitate the new joint-use building.

Most people in Westheath with whom Coun. Jamey Logan has spoken are supportive of the school location, he said.

Also, he believes the collector roads and area streets will handle the extra vehicles well.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A21

City Hall Council Notes City administration to blame for not fixing bridge, families argue Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

City administration is to blame for refusing to address the Seventh Avenue Southwest bridge, which means city council should do the legally and morally correct thing and override that inaction, two families argue.

Jim and Deb Thorn, Tim and Corrine Avery and their two children, and the families’ legal counsel David Chow appeared during city council’s Nov. 23 regular meeting. They requested that council reopen one lane of the bridge — the west side — before Christmas as a short-term solution to access their properties.

The families also urged council to repair the three broken pilings next summer and restore the structure to its 2015 condition for minimal cost and start planning to replace or upgrade the bridge within the next decade.

The families have engaged with city administration since April 2019 about the bridge but have received no support. The Moose Jaw Express detailed the families’ plight in a multi-story series this past summer.

Doing what’s right The families used the bridge for 20 years, but since 2015, they have had to drive two kilometres through Valley View Centre (VVC) property to access their properties, said Deb Thorn. They initially had to move heavy barricades at the entrance to VVC, while recently, they have had to unlock and open a metal gate.

Council should reopen the west lane to local traffic since ice jams did not damage those pilings in 2015, she continued. This move would be a quick and cheap fix, while it would also eliminate the municipality’s liability should emergency personnel need to reach that part of Wakamow Valley.

“I know city administration has applied considerable pressure on the former and current owners of Valley View, to get them to agree to legal and physical ac-

Deb Thorn (second from left) speaks to council about the Seventh Avenue Southwest bridge. In the background at left is Jim Thorn, while at right are Tim Avery, his wife Corrine, and their kids Evan and Tara-Jean. Photo by Jason G. Antonio cess that crosses the Valley View lands as shown (on the maps),” Thorn said.

City hall proposed creating a gravel road between buildings through an unlit back lane that would lead to the locked gate, she pointed out. Had city administration been successful with this “undesirable” action, this might have negated the city’s legal responsibility to reopen the bridge.

“City administration seems determined to thwart our efforts to reopen the bridge regardless of the facts or doing what’s morally correct,” said Thorn. “We are done with city administration’s delays … and secret meetings about us without us.”

Thorn then played a video of a family member attempting to open the locked gate during the recent blizzard.

“It’s time for the City of Moose Jaw to do what’s legally and morally right,” she added.

A lack of municipal services The damaged bridge not only prevents friends and family from reaching the homes, but it also increases the stress of daily living by reducing municipal services, said Tim Avery. This has also forced the Averys to have friends and

A map shows the route that the Thorn and Avery families must travel every day to access or leave their properties.

Photo courtesy the Thorns/Averys family pick up their two children on the bridge’s north side to get them to school.

Many residents have used that area to walk after the bridge was “temporarily” closed six years ago, he continued. This stresses the Thorns and Averys since they have to be more alert when driving through the valley to access their properties.

He remarked that access to one’s property is a right and should not be blocked by poor infrastructure or poor planning.

“Two years of trying to resolve an issue and six years for damaged infrastructure is not acceptable in any case … ,” added Avery. “This is a serious problem that needs to be dealt with now, and no more waiting and no more delays.”

The legal perspective The City of Moose Jaw has not committed any money to fix this bridge during the past six years, while it has deferred responsibility for too long, said Chow, whom the families hired in January after getting nowhere with city hall.

Chow summarized the promises and commitments that the mayor and city administration made to the families about fixing the bridge that never came to fruition.

Meetings with municipal officials occurred in January and in April, with no

A picture shows which lanes the families want city hall to open. Photo courtesy the Thorns/Averys results. The families were forced to speak to council behind closed doors in May, which also produced no results. They later learned that administration would bring a report about the bridge to council, but it would be discussed in-camera.

“We were promised many times by administration that they would come back to us,” said Chow.

However, that didn’t happen, and the families contacted city hall again on June 25.

City administration said an update would come by late July, but nothing did.

They reached out to city clerk Myron Gulka-Tiechko in September and learned there was nothing new. In October, the group contacted Gulka-Tiechko and learned the report had been presented to the executive committee behind closed doors. The families were not allowed to see it due to sensitive information.

Chow thought city hall could remove that information and give the families a redacted version.

“We don’t need to see that information, but we do need to have a transparent discussion about what it will take to restore the use of the Seventh Avenue Bridge,” he added. “Many of you campaigned on public accountability. I implore you to hold administration accountable on this matter.”

New councillors appointed to boards to fill vacancies Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

City councillors Jamey Logan, Doug Blanc and Kim Robinson might be the new faces around the table, but they’re already being appointed to boards and committees to help fill vacancies.

During the Nov. 23 regular meeting, council unanimously voted to appoint Logan to the Moose Jaw Exhibition board and special needs advisory committee,

Blanc to the public works, infrastructure and environment advisory committee, and Robinson to the parks, recreation and facilities advisory committee and investment committee. Each man’s term of office will commence Nov. 23 and conclude Dec. 31 or until a successor is appointed.

In December, all council members will have the chance to determine which ad-

visory, association or third-party boards and committees they want to be appointed going into 2021.

Vacancies still exist for city council representatives on several boards and committees, including parks, recreation and facilities advisory committee; public works, infrastructure and environment advisory committee; special needs advi-

sory committee; investment committee; and Moose Jaw Exhibition board.

Mayor Fraser Tolmie and councillors Heather Eby, Crystal Froese and Dawn Luhning are currently appointed to advisory, associated, or third-party boards and committees until Dec. 31, or until a successor is appointed.

Property rezoned so building can offer hair and massage services Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

A property on Caribou Street West that was initially zoned as commercial before being rezoned as residential is now being rezoned back to commercial.

During the Nov. 23 regular council meeting, city council voted unanimously to approve an application to rezone 319 Caribou Street West to C1 neighbourhood commercial district from R2 medium density residential district.

City administration will now prepare a zoning amendment bylaw and issue a public notice about this change to the property. The bylaw will then come back to council for approval.

Coun. Heather Eby recused herself from the vote since she co-owns the property

with her husband, Gerald.

While the Ebys wanted the property rezoned to C1B mixed-used neighbourhood commercial district, city administration recommended that the property be rezoned to C1 neighbourhood commercial district instead due to the land uses listed and permitted in each district.

The Ebys submitted a letter to the City of Moose Jaw on Nov. 2 asking that this property be rezoned.

They explained that they have owned the property since 2017 and bought it as an apartment building. The building was originally home to Brothers’ Confectionary on the main floor and was zoned commercial until 2014 when it was renovated

and turned into an apartment building.

The upstairs was always an apartment.

The Ebys want the property zoned back to commercial since they want to turn the ground floor into a location for a hair salon and massage therapy centre for their daughters, their letter said. They pointed out that while the 300 block Caribou Street West is zoned R1, commercial properties are also on the 200 and 400 blocks of that same street.

For example, on the same side of the street as the building, there are six garages and a parking lot for the First Free Methodist Church. There is a property lot nearby with a small shop, while there is only one house on the street.

“This is not a typical residential neighbourhood block. And as noted, it was a commercial property for approximately 30 years up until six years ago,” the letter said.

Few renovations would be required to convert the space into a salon, although some adaptations would need to be made to satisfy the National Building Code, the Ebys added. There is also plenty of parking nearby, both on-street and a driveway adjacent to the building.

The next regular council meeting is Dec. 7.

PAGE A22 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

City Hall Council Notes

Consultant to review if Hillcrest Sports Centre worth saving Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

With the main tenant of Hillcrest Sports Centre finding a new home, an opportunity has arisen for community groups to relocate to a building with plenty of space.

Gymtastiks informed the City of Moose Jaw on Oct. 20 that, due to tough economic times and the building’s uncertain future, the group was terminating its lease as of Jan. 1, 2021, and moving elsewhere.

The municipality entered into a lease agreement with the Gymtastiks on Oct. 16, 2011, for the building’s exclusive use. The organization paid an annual rental fee of $1 and could sub-let the building to third parties to generate extra revenue to manage the centre’s operations.

Since then, the tennis club and a baseball academy have become sub-tenants, while Hillcrest Golf rents space year-round.

City council discussed the lease termination and the building’s future during the Nov. 23 executive committee meeting. Council learned that city administration plans to have a consultant assess the building’s condition soon, with an assessment report to come to council in December.

A council report explained that since no extra funds have been requested in the 2021 budget to operate the centre, a plan is needed since the municipality will be responsible for its costs on Jan. 1, 2021.

City administration estimates that $40,000 to $50,000 in

rental revenues would be needed for a balanced budget.

Building condition The city constructed Hillcrest Sports Centre in 1968 and completed roof repairs in 1995 and 1996. Many of the main mechanical and electrical systems are original and past usefulness, a council report explained. Small additions have been made, such as a golf shop, a golf maintenance building and storage buildings.

The municipality last assessed the building’s condition in 2002, which means information about the centre is dated, Derek Blais, director of parks and recreation, told council. The consultant will assess the building’s condition and air quality to ensure it remains useable. If it can’t be saved, then city hall wants to know how many years are left.

Gymstatiks — which has a membership between 500 and 1,000 participants — has made many improvements since 2011, he added. Now that the organization is leaving, six new community groups — along with the tennis and baseball clubs — have inquired about taking over the lease.

Council discussion The concrete floor at Hillcrest Sports Centre is allegedly in good condition, and with concrete expensive to pour, the building could house the ever-popular pickleball, said Coun. Heather Eby. Furthermore, she knows some ser-

vice groups are looking to share space, so the potential exists for them to move there.

“Right now, with all the schools unavailable, there are a lot of groups looking for space to be active,” she added.

“I think it is so important that as a council that we provide those options to people. Not just for physical health, but mental health is important (as well), that they can get out and do as much as they can.”

Coun. Jamey Logan wondered how leases would look in the future and whether there would be one anchor tenant or whether city hall would handle many different leases.

It’s important to have a prime tenant willing to lease to other organizations — as Gymtastics did — to maximize the building’s use, said Blais. Similar examples of sub-letting include Ross Wells Field and Hamilton Flats.

“While I like to support user groups and eight different folks that want to be part of it, I would hazard a cautious with long-term leases because of what will happen when COVID goes away,” said Logan. “Suddenly, those folks are allowed to get back into schools and gymnasiums for $20 a night compared to $1,000 a month.”

That’s an issue the parks department is handling, said Blais. Many leases have had annual renewals, but the department likes to have five-year agreements with options to renew twice more.

City hall frustrated with province’s inconsistent pandemic messaging Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express City administration is frustrated with the provincial government’s inconsistent messaging around its latest pandemic restrictions, especially with measures that affect on-ice activities.

The province announced on Nov. 25 that all team sports activities are cancelled, including recreational leagues for all age groups. Athletes under age 18 may continue practising or conditioning skills in groups of eight or fewer while wearing face masks and practising physical distancing.

City hall officials discussed the province’s poor consultation efforts on Nov. 26 after the first 2021 budget deliberation meeting finished.

“There’s lots of impacts when team sports are impacted,

and we’ve been scrambling — not like crazy, but very efficiently to get in contact with our user groups and determine the impacts,” said city manager Jim Puffalt. “The biggest impact for us is team sports has been postponed for three weeks.”

Some good news, though, is Moose Jaw Minor Hockey has said it will continue with eight people on the ice, he continued. City administration is unsure how much space or ice time will be required, so it’s waiting to see what plan the hockey organization puts together.

City administration has also spoken several times with Mosaic Place about arena usage across the community.

Once the municipality better understands how much ice will be needed, it will inform residents. Puffalt didn’t think there would be enough ice rental time to keep open all four arenas in the short-term.

Another issue that frustrates city hall is conflicting information about swimming pools. The limit was reduced to 30 people, which Puffalt indicated made keeping the building open since “the costs were going to be extreme.”

However, city hall later learned that number might increase back to 100 people.

Puffalt commended Derek Blais, director of the parks and recreation department, and his team for keeping the pool open with the 30-person limit.

Swimming lessons have been tentatively postponed, but there is conflicting information about that as well, said Blais. However, city hall should receive answers soon about whether those can continue.

Meanwhile, city administration is waiting to hear from groups that use the Yara Centre and their plans to continue. That building provides more flexibility — especially

with 30 people — since there is plenty of space and a walking track.

City council and city administration do support the province’s announcements, but it “does make it extremely difficult” without advance notice about certain restrictions, said Puffalt.

“We know it’s difficult on everybody, and certainly we ask for the province to give us a little bit more heads-up if possible so that we can work our way through this,” he added. “Scrambling to make decisions is not always the best answer.”

Having only eight youths on the ice could affect user groups’ bottom line, said Coun. Heather Eby. She wondered if they would have to pay more for ice time with reduced numbers.

It will cost the municipality just as much to keep the arenas open for those groups, said Puffalt. City hall can’t afford to offer a price discount since minor sports are already heavily subsidized. It must cover its costs somehow, especially if groups plan to practise.

Minor hockey uses 84 hours of ice time a week, so if they can’t use that, then city hall wouldn’t charge them and could temporarily close down one of the arenas, he continued.

“It’s six of one and half-dozen of another,” Puffalt remarked, adding there are still electrical costs and maintenance of ice plants. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense to shut down the ice for three weeks and then reinstall the sheets again.

Puffalt added that everyone should continue to follow pandemic measures.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A23

Wakamow Rotary Club returns with annual Christmas tree lot fundraiser Larissa Kurz

There’s snow on the ground and many folks are ready to take a trip to the annual Christmas Tree Stand from the Wakamow Rotary Club, which opened up on Nov. 26.

The local group is all set up and ready to spread some holiday cheer with this year’s selection of Christmas trees, which rotary club member Glenn Hagel is excited to once again see go home with some excited customers.

The annual tree lot has once again be taking over a corner of the Moose Jaw Co-op Marketplace parking lot, located on 1st Avenue Northwest. It features a selection of premium fresh-cut balsam, fraser fir and spruce trees to fit into any home.

The tree lot is a beloved tradition for both the city and the Rotary Club, said Hagel, as the tree lot serves as both a happy holiday service for local families and a well-supported fundraiser for the organization.

“For a lot of our customers over the years, it's special for them. We see people every year because they know we get good trees and they know the money they’re paying for their trees goes to a good cause,” said Hagel. “It's really a nice win-win Christmas combination for everybody.”

The Wakamow Rotary Club and the Kiwanis Club have run the tree lot fundraiser in partnership for many years, with the Rotary Club taking full responsibility for the event six years ago.

All of the proceeds from the tree sale go directly back into the community through the Rotary Club, supporting numerous

Wakamow Rotary Club members Dave Kettlewell (L) and Dave Bowler (R) on opening day of the club’s 2020 Christmas tree stand. local projects and a handful of international ones that are close to the non-profit group’s heart.

This includes local projects like the summer literacy camps from the Moose Jaw Literacy Network, Hunger in Moose Jaw’s lunch program for students and the Kids Ink workshop at the Saskatchewan Festival of Words.

The Wakamow Rotary Club also offers post-secondary scholarships for students

ATTENTION Moose Jaw & District Seniors

We care about our seniors and want to protect them, because of that we have decided

To Close: Friday, November 27th Until Further Notice (Office will be open from 9:00am - 2:00pm) Monday through Friday

to purchase Turkey Dinner Tickets or to contact Moose Jaw & District Seniors Call: 306-694-4223 or Email: mjsenior@sasktel.net

and a youth leadership award every year and they support larger projects on the international stage, like helping low-income children attend school in Guatemala and a world polio eradication program.

“We list all of the volunteer projects we support, both locally and internationally, on the receipts so [our customers] know that along with a really good Christmas tree, they’re doing something to make the world a better place as well,” said Ha-

gel. “We’re very much kid-oriented, and it's important that the things we choose to support or be involved with [support kids].”

Hagel also noted that while this year’s tree lot will be business as usual, it will also be following all of the recommended safety precautions to help keep everyone safe from COVID-19.

Staff on the lot will be wearing masks and following safety procedures, like maintaining distance and using sanitation methods, and customers are asked to wear their own masks or use one of the masks provided to them when they visit.

“It is extremely important to us that people can count on it being a safe environment, so no one feels unsafe when they’re out looking for the right tree,” said Hagel.

Following opening day, the Rotary Club’s tree lot will be open Mondays to Fridays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. until Dec. 15 — or until the trees are gone, which Hagel anticipates will be fairly quickly.

“We really do encourage people to come early to find the perfect tree for the perfect spot in their home,” said Hagel. “I think the chances are pretty good that we will sell out earlier than usual this year, [with] so many people likely staying at home for Christmas.”

Hagel encourages residents hankering for a Christmas tree that also supports their community to consider stopping by the lot earlier rather than later.

Christmas

Turkey Dinner

Sunday, December 13th 5:00pm - 6:00pm Pick Up or Delivery

Tickets $13.00 - Members $15.00 - Non Members

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For more information or to purchase tickets: Call 306-694-4223 or email: mjsenior@sasktel.net

PAGE A24 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

SHA looking at service slowdowns to adjust to rising COVID-19 case needs Larissa Kurz

Saskatchewan Health Authority CEO Scott Livingstone opened a press conference on Nov. 26 by addressing how the province’s rapid rise in positive COVID-19 cases is causing the health authority to escalate its response.

“This has real consequences, both for COVID response but also non-COVID services in the health sector,” said Livingstone. “When our workload increases, particularly when it increases quickly, we are required to redeploy staff and disrupt other services.”

The SHA is reporting a large strain on resources, as high case numbers are requiring increased staff to support testing, contact tracing and providing service care.

COVID-19 in ICUs have increased five-fold over the last month, said a press release, with ICU capacity across the province at over 100 per cent. There are only three ICU beds left empty in the province currently.

If cases reach the forecasted peak, the SHA predicts it will need to create around 200 more beds for COVID patients than currently exist outside of Regina and Saskatoon, increasing capacity by 449 per cent.

A strain on staff is also occurring, as the health authority works to support staff cohorting and maintain outbreaks in long term care facilities, as well as redeploy resources

when staff have to isolate after potential exposures.

The average number of contacts stemming from a single positive case has decreased slightly as of late, said Livingstone, but contact tracing staff are still seeing an overload of work to keep up with efforts.

Contact tracing staff will need to increase to continue to support the current rate of positive cases, to increase contact tracing efforts to efficiently handle up to 450 cases a day.

The SHA has already been adjusting services as needed to manage the need, including using surge spaces, converting hospitals into COVID-only spaces, and putting a temporary pause on admissions in some areas.

The health authority’s response so far has been working, said Livingstone, but further readjustments to the Readiness Plan are becoming necessary to continue to adjust to the surge.

Targeted service slowdowns are on the horizon, to help redeploy staff to priority areas, and the SHA is in the process of adding more staff to the province’s contact tracing capacities.

“Scaling up on this level is a significant challenge, so we need the public’s help to ensure we do not face the

exponential growth in cases going forward that would strain our ability to scale up on the timelines required,” said Livingstone.

Resource redeployment will focus on supporting testing, contact tracing and providing services to vulnerable populations.

The SHA is looking to ramp up testing to provide more than 4,000 tests a day by late December, which could involve drawing in outside organizations or nursing students from the University of Saskatchewan to help with contact tracing efforts.

The health authority also indicated that utilizing the two field hospitals currently set up would only be considered as a last resort, like if cases returned to the 400-a-day range for more than a week.

The field hospitals at Evraz Place in Regina and Merlis Belsher Place in Saskatoon would expand capacity by another 300 beds, if activated.

More information on the SHA Readiness Plan can be found at saskatchewan.ca, and regular updates on service disruptions at SHA facilities are available at saskhealthauthority.ca under the Service Alerts tab.

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MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A25

Charity gift campaign spreading Christmas spirit to both seniors, shelter animals this year Larissa Kurz

Earlier this fall, Ashley Armstrong wasn’t sure if she would be able to host the annual Christmas Spirit for Seniors gift program in Moose Jaw due to the uncertainty of the pandemic, but the community has pulled through in making the campaign happen — and it’s evolving into something bigger.

Armstrong has organized the gift-giving campaign for five years running, where she collects donated gifts from the public to distribute to seniors in participating care homes who otherwise wouldn’t be receiving a gift during the holidays.

This year, after some serious thought and anxiety about how to administer the project safely during a pandemic, Armstrong is happy to announce that not only will the Christmas Spirit for Seniors event still be going forward, it will also be expanding to include Christmas Spirit for Critters, a new gift campaign in support of the Moose Jaw Humane Society.

“We’re a big town, not really a city, and I’ve always thought that people come together as soon as they find out they can help. They’re there in big ways and it’s pretty heartwarming and I’m proud to be from Moose Jaw,” said Armstrong.

She put together the new program for shelter animals weeks ago when it looked as though the seniors gift program wouldn’t be able to move forward, said Armstrong, but a change in circumstances has made both possible this year.

“The community is super engaged,” said Armstrong. “We weren’t going to do it, but the amount of people who were really pushing and saw the need for the senior’s program, I think it's important that a big thank you goes out to them.”

Armstrong shared the details for both programs, as well as the heart-tugging stories that inspired her to create them.

How things will work this year Christmas Spirit for Critters is a new version of Armstrong’s original gift campaign, inspired in memory of her nephew Chase who very recently passed away.

“He was an animal lover, beyond an animal lover, and he just had a heart for all sorts of animals,” said Armstrong. “When we couldn’t do the seniors [program], I wanted to honour his memory and make sure we gave the animals some extra love.”

People are invited to purchase an item from a wish-list of gifts — which includes things like pet food, blankets, toys, laundry detergent, and so on — or a gift card to Pet Value to donate to the Humane Society for the holiday season.

Once purchased, the items or gift cards can be dropped off at either Sahara Spa, Pet Value or at Gary Overs Kenneling & Obedience, where volunteers will lat-

Ashley Armstrong organizes the Christmas Spirit for Seniors gift campaign every year, and this year she’s added onto the program to include the Moose Jaw Humane Society. (supplied) er collect them to deliver to the Humane Society.

“Each location has a poster, that has a wishlist of what the Humane Society would prefer, [and] it's just a list of things they need most,” said Armstrong. “We’re hoping these donations can offset some of their costs so they’re not using the funds from [big fundraisers] to purchase little things, so they can focus more of that money raised on medical health or other things like that.”

The Christmas Spirit for Seniors campaign will also be running simultaneously, in much the same way as previous years.

Anyone interested in taking part can stop

by Sahara Spa to sign out a gift tag, each of which has a location code, the first name of a senior and a gift request.

Armstrong encourages people to add a few extra things to their gift, like warm slippers or candies, before wrapping the gift and returning it to Sahara Spa to be delivered by volunteers on Christmas Eve. Anyone signing out a gift tag will have to leave a name and phone number, as well as follow all the COVID-19 safety precautions inside Sahara Spa while visiting.

The campaign was inspired by Armstrong’s late brother Craig, who was very passionate about supporting seniors.

“He had a huge heart for seniors,” said Armstrong. “I remember Christmases long ago where we always went to one of

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the care homes to visit our great-grandpa, and often times he would stop just to talk with other seniors if he saw them and they were alone. He just always wanted them to know people cared about them.”

Donated gifts and items for both campaigns have to be brought into the dropoff locations by Dec. 18, said Armstrong, which is a little earlier than usual but for good reason.

All of the donated items will be isolated for several days after Armstrong picks them up from the drop-off locations, to reduce the risk of exposure before she delivers them to their intended recipients.

Expanding the project for the future The donated gifts have always been well received, said Armstrong, who worked with seven different care homes last year to deliver over 130 gifts to local seniors.

She’s hoping to fill just as many gift tags this year as well, as more care homes approach her to take part in the program as things progress.

“None of these [senior] homes are anticipating that any of the families can come visit their loved ones at Christmas this year, so they’re trying to have these gifts there to have an actual Christmas party for the seniors,” Armstrong.

She’s grateful for Moose Jaw’s continued enthusiasm to keep the program going, especially as she feels this year is an important year to be running something like the Christmas Spirit programs.

“It means even more to me this year, with COVID and the financial struggles that a lot of people and businesses in our city have been struggling with, to see that they’re still putting a hand out [to others],” said Armstrong. “It's pretty incredible.”

If this year’s dual program goes well, Armstrong is already looking ahead and imagining keeping both holiday gift campaigns available.

With a Facebook group already set up for Christmas Spirit for Seniors, Armstrong is planning on creating a second group for Christmas Spirit for Critters so the community can choose which program — or both — to support.

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PAGE A26 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

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Moose Jaw Minor Hockey disappointed but understanding about upcoming shutdown Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

There was a sense of it being only a matter of time, and that time came last week with the Government of Saskatchewan announcement that sports throughout the province would be shut down due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak as of nov. 27; it came with a sense of disappointment and simple resignation for many local organizations, including the Moose Jaw Minor Hockey Association.

“I think we sensed something was coming down the pipe here soon enough,” said MJMHA president Chris Flanagan, who saw the group’s hundreds of players suddenly sidelined with the decision.

“It is what it is, we’ve worked hard with Moose Jaw Minor Hockey, our board of directors, our parents, our players, our volunteers, everybody put everything into it. We followed all the protocols we could, we went over and above to make sure we were safe in the rinks and unfortunately it wasn’t good enough right now… We’ll take some time here to regroup, get healthier and stronger and be ready to hit the rinks when they open back up.”

The shutdown became inevitable as the province continued to see increased numbers of COVID cases over the last couple of weeks, including more than 150 a day since Nov. 14 and an all-time high of 429 on Nov. 21.

Fortunately, Moose Jaw hockey teams had escaped the scourge that had caused the cancellation of games in leagues all over the province.

“In Moose Jaw, we’ve been fortunate,” Flanagan said. “I think that goes to show the type of volunteers we have in our organization, if someone was sick, they stayed home.

Nobody broke rules just to make sure they were at the rink. Everyone took it seriously in our organization and we’re very thankful for that. There weren’t any cases on teams in Moose Jaw, everyone was doing their part to stay safe.”

The new shutdown comes at a time when hockey leagues were well into their regular seasons all over the province and that’s something that makes it that much tougher compared to when the first COVID-19 closures took part in the spring.

“Things were just starting to get going here, everyone was playing games in our house divisions and our Tier teams were playing games,” Flanagan said. “At the end of the day everyone was working as hard as they could and it’s been great to see kids at the rinks, enjoying something in these stressful times in the world.”

There is a bit of potential good news teams may be able to still practice in small groups, which could keep youngsters occupied as things continue to develop on the pandemic front. Locally, the MJMHA is waiting for guidance from the Saskatchewan Hockey Association as to what may be done, and regardless of the decision they plan to do everything possible to put safety first.

“I’m going to assume something will come out here

There won’t be any hockey games played at Moose Jaw rinks at least until mid-December after new restrictions were put in place by the Saskatchewan government. shortly just to see how we can move forward,” Flanagan said. “We just want everyone to know that we’re going to try our hardest at the minor hockey board level to keep the kids on the ice. We’ll have to work with the city of Moose Jaw as well and the Sask Hockey Association as well to see how this is going to look moving forward for the next three weeks here until Dec. 17.

“We’re at a standstill again, and that’s unfortunate, but as long as everyone stays safe that’s the most important thing.”

Not done yet: Moose Jaw Minor Hockey putting together modified NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING schedule to keep kids on ice Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

Annual Meeting

Players in the Moose Jaw Minor Hockey Association will be back on the ice shortly if everything goes according to plan for the local organizing body.

The MJMHA announced Friday afternoon that plans were rapidly coming together to create some sort of practice schedule that would allow the hundreds of players currently in limbo to at least have some ice time during the Saskatchewan government’s COVID-19 three-week restriction period.

“The plan we laid out, essentially what we did was take the provincial guidelines and we’re following them 100 per cent,” said Moose Jaw Minor Hockey president Chris Flanagan. “We don’t want to sway from them at all because they’re there for a reason and our kids need to be as safe as possible in the rinks. So we’re following all the guidelines and implemented some other ones ourselves that we believe will help the kids stay even safer on the ice.”

Under the SHA guidelines, groups of eight players and two coaches will be allowed on the ice for practice sessions through Dec. 17. Face coverings will be required for everyone in the building, including everyone on ice. Three metres of distancing must be followed, including on ice. A maximum of 30 spectators will be allowed, and contact tracing will be mandatory.

The local organization was one of the first in the province to announce they were going forward under the new restrictions and have been quick to offer advice to other minor hockey groups looking to do the same.

“We wanted to get it out quick as we could

just to keep the kids engaged in the game and on the ice,” Flanagan said. “Safety is the number one priority, everyone is slowing down to make sure everything is correct and we’ll see everyone else rolling out with plans in the next couple days. It just takes a bit of time to get going.

“Hockey is a huge family across the province, if another association needs help or has questions, we’re there to help them and they’re there to help us. We’re all working on this together.”

The main goal now is to finalize a schedule that accommodates every team from house to Midget AAA across the five rinks in the city and 15 Wing.

“We’re going to offer the kids as much ice as we can throughout the week while sticking within our training group of eight kids plus a coach or two,” Flanagan said.

“Things will look different, it’s kind of a logistical nightmare to get all these kids on the ice, but everybody is going to sacrifice a bit of ice time so we can get everyone an opportunity to practice.”

That schedule is expected to come out at some point this weekend, Monday at the latest, if everything goes according to plan.

“We’ve been working on it for the past 24 hours and are just waiting to move forward with it… we’re just making sure everything is right moving forward and our plan is up to the standard of public health and the business response team. Once we get the green light, we’ll move forward.”

For the latest information, be sure to stay up to date by following the Moose Jaw Minor Hockey Facebook page.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A27

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Hockey Harvest Lottery hits $220K, early bird draw held Saturday Ticket number E-103466 wins set of five Saskatchewan Western Hockey League team jerseys Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

The Hockey Harvest Lottery is already going to make Christmas brighter for one lucky winner.

And one ticket holder -- E-103466 -- has received an early present: a full set of Saskatchewan Western Hockey League jerseys.

The winner of the early bird draw on Saturday afternoon won the prize, which includes a jersey from each of the five teams in the province -- the Moose Jaw Warriors, Prince Albert Raiders, Swift Current Broncos, Regina Pats and Saskatoon Blades.

The lottery itself officially crossed the $220,000 mark on Saturday, meaning the winner of the draw will receive over $110,000 -- and there’s still a month to go before the draw is made. Great Western Brewing donated $75,000 to get things off to a good start.

This set of jerseys could be yours if you had the winning ticket from Saturday afternoon’s draw.

The other half of the draw proceeds will be split equally among the five WHL Saskatchewan teams to support their educa-

tion funds Tickets will be available for sale online through each team’s website, along with

WHL.ca.

Prices are as follows: • 1 ticket for $20; • 5 tickets for $50; • 20 tickets for $100; • 150 tickets for $500; • 500 tickets for $1000.

Tickets are available for purchase to anyone over the age of 19 that is physically in the province of Saskatchewan at the time of purchase, regardless of their home residence. Ticket sales close on Sunday, Dec. 20 at 11:59 p.m., with the Grand Prize draw taking place on Monday, Dec. 21 at 1 p.m. in Saskatoon.

Hockey Harvest Lottery rules and regulations can be found at www.whl.ca/ hockeyharvestlotto. Jackpot updates and Hockey Harvest Lottery news will be available daily on Twitter at @HockeyHarvest.

PAGE A28 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

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Disappointment and resignation: Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre dealing with shutdown Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

If there’s one thing local sports organizations can take to heart with the looming COVID-19 shutdown in Saskatchewan, it’s that Moose Jaw wasn’t part of the problem.

That includes the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre, which had become such a safe zone for the sport that provincial qualifiers and Sask Curling Tour events were taking place every weekend, drawing players from all over the southern portion of province to the one rink that seemed untouched by the virus.

In spite of all that, province-wide is province-wide, and even sports organizations with impeccable records dealing with the virus will now find themselves out of action for at least the next three weeks.

“We just have to wait, I guess, shut down and wait until December 17,” said Mosaic Place curling programmer Rhonda Wenarchuk. “There’s not much else we can do.

We’ll just take a pause and rest and that’s about it.”

The local situation adds a bit to the frustrating aspect of the whole thing -- despite having close to 310 members playing seven days a week across multiple leagues at the local rink, there were no cases of COVID-19 reported, and no game or league night cancellations due to an outbreak.

Curlers took all the precautions they could at the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre, but in the end, the province-wide shutdown made the local rink’s closure inevitable.

“Zero, we had none here.” Wenarchuk said. “Our guidelines were pretty good, we have some good protocol and guidelines in the club and the curlers really followed them closely, because they know what’s happening. So

there were none that I heard of, anyway.”

That wasn’t the case elsewhere.

Multiple Sask Curling Tour events on both the men’s and women’s side of play saw tournaments end prematurely or outright cancelled even before the current massive outbreak hit the province. And just a few days ago, both the Regina Callie and Highland were forced to shut down for at least a week after exposures in their facilities.

“I think we had one of the better (situations) in the province,” Wenarchuk said. “It was pretty straightforward and I think the curlers felt pretty safe as well… but with the Highland and the Callie shut down for a couple weeks, that wasn’t good, and it makes it tough all the way around for curling and sports right now.”

As of right now, and as of Friday, things may be shut down for games, but depending on further guidance from the provincial curling body and government, practices for players under the age of 18 may be able to take place. That, of course, is still up in the air as decisions continue to be finalized.

Until then, the MJFCC played out league games until the end of last week, and that’ll be that.

“We just wait and see right now, pretty much, that’s all we can do,” Wenarchuk said.

Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre decides to maintain shutdown in face of government restrictions Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

21012uu1

Like every sports organization currently active in the city, the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre had hoped to find a way to work within the restrictions announced by the Saskatchewan government to stem the COVID-19 pandemic.

Initially, the belief was things would face a hard shutdown as of Nov. 20, but when information released shortly after the initial announcement by the government indicated that limited activities could take place -- but under severe restrictions -the local group was quick to take a look at how things might work.

But in the end, it all proved to be just a bit too onerous.

“With the new restrictions, under 18 could play but we could only have eight curlers out there at a time,” Mosaic Place curling programmer Rhonda Wenarchuk said in an e-mail to Curl Moose Jaw members, referring to the eight people total allowed on ‘the cold side of the glass’, not just per sheet. “Everyone had to keep three metres apart on the ice which is very hard to maintain. And we want to make sure that everyone was safe and healthy.

“So the decision has been made to just put curling for all ages on a pause until Dec. 18th.”

There is some good news, though.

Even though the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre will be shuttered for the next three weeks, the plan is to get back up to full speed as soon as things re-open. That includes making up all games that are missed between now and then, and even squeezing in an extra week of play between Christmas and New Years to help accommodate that plan. Games in the stick and afternoon leagues will be made up in January, and with bonspiels cancelled for the foreseeable future, Saturdays will be used to help make up missed contests.

“We are hopeful that this pause for the 3 weeks will slow down the virus,” Wenarchuk said. “We want to keep everyone safe and as healthy as can be so that we can return to play.”

More information, including updated schedules, will be released closer to the return date.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A29

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Fred Sasakamoose, one of first Indigenous players in NHL and former Moose Jaw Canuck, dies at age 86 Randy Palmer

Tributes poured in from the National Hockey League and throughout the hockey world after news that Fred Sasakamoose, one of the first Indigenous players in the NHL, had died at the age of 86.

He had been recently hospitalized for treatment for COVID-19.

Sasakamoose was born in Debden, Sask. on Dec. 24, 1934. He would play four seasons with the Moose Jaw Canucks of the Western Canadian Junior Hockey League, emerging as one of the league’s top players and catching the eye of the NHL in his final season after putting up 31 goals and 57 points in only 34 games.

He was signed by the Chicago Black Hawks and played 11 games but was held without a point.

It was after his playing career that Sasakamoose became a true legend.

Returning home to the Ahathkakoop First Nation, Sasakamoose was a tireless advocate for sports in the community as he sought to give other the same opportunities - and as William Douglas of NHL.com pointed out in his article, that led to “tournaments, leagues and sports days followed as a result of these initiatives, as well as the Saskatchewan Indian Summer and Winter Games.”

Sasakamoose also served on the NHL Diversity Task Force, as well as the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, a fitting role given his status as a survivor of the residential school system.

Saskamoose was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and was a regular guest of NHL teams after. He was named to the Order of Canada in 2017.

You can read Douglas’ full tribute at NHL.com.

Fred Sasakamoose died at the age of 86 on Nov 24.

Kohl scores first two goals of Sask Female U18 AAA Hockey League career Moose Jaw Minor Hockey product playing rookie season for Prince Albert Northern Bears Randy Palmer

It only took four games for Moose Jaw Minor Hockey product Jasmine Kohl to score her first goal of her Sask Female U18 AAA Hockey League career.

And it was such an enjoyable moment, she decided to add her second goal only a handful of minutes later.

Kohl, 15, is suiting up for the Prince Albert Northern Bears in the Sask Female AAA Hockey League this season. The Bears were in action in North Battleford against the Battleford Sharks on Sunday afternoon when the rookie forward hit the twine twice in the second period.

Even though the two markers came just over seven minutes apart, her mindset for the goals changed dramatically even in that short span of time.

“The first goal was kind of a shock at first, because this whole team is new to me, but the second one came I felt like I just started playing more like myself,” Kohl said from Prince Albert. “I feel like I’ve been developing a lot, and these past couple games have been more of a good feeling.”

Kohl scored her first goal from in close, going to the net and knocking home a rebound off a shot from linemate Sophia Zuck with 9:12 remaining in the second period.

Goal number two came off a feed from the wing into the slot from Zuck, and Kohl got a quick shot off to beat the Battlefords goaltender.

It was all part of a three-goal period for the Bears, who would go on to a 9-5 win.

Of course, that will be the last game for Kohl and her new team for the next three weeks, as the Saskatchewan government has shut down hockey and all sports in the

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Moose Jaw’s Jasmine Kohl scored the first two goals of her Female U18 AAA career over the weekend. province until Dec. 17. Still, the experience of playing AAA - and in a league with players a few years older than her - has been a positive one.

“At first it was a bit of a change, but you move on and get used to it,” Kohl said. “My billet family is great and all the girls are nice, it’s pretty good here.”

Kohl played last season with the South East Gold Wings in the Sask Female U15 AA Hockey League, and would

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lead the team in scoring with seven goals and 12 points in 23 games.

The difference in the two leagues is a common one, similar to what you’d hear from a Western Hockey League Moose Jaw Warrior making the jump to pro.

“I think the biggest difference is the pace of the game, not so much the skill,” Kohl said. “Just the overall pace is that much faster, you have to make your decisions quicker.”

Once things get going again, Kohl hopes to continue her rapid growth in the league, and ideally keep racking up wins with the storied Bears franchise.

“Our team is pretty good, we have a lot of good players, great teammates, we work well together, too. It’s nice,” she said. “I just want to become a more confident player and develop all my skills. But mainly just to become more confident in myself and my playing ability and become a great teammate.”

Kohl isn’t the only Moose Jaw product seeing action in the league.

University of Saskatchewan Huskies commit Larissa Bohlken is in her fourth season as a defenceman with the Regina Rebels and has two assists in four games so far.

She’s joined on the Rebels blueline by one of the youngest players in the league in 14-year-old Brooklyn Nimegeers.

Nimegeers has an assist through her first four contests.

Ellie Gauvin is in her third season in the SFAAAHL, her second with the Notre Dame Hounds. A defenceman, Gauvin has a goal and two points to open the campaign.

Your Health and Safety is Important to Us

We’ve invested in the systems and equipment to keep our community safe. Regular disinfecting is performed in our offices, shop, service counter and showroom, including the steering wheel, door handles, shift lever, wiper and turn signal stalks, door armrests, grab handles, and seat adjusters in every car we service.

306-691-0080 888 Main Street N

PAGE A30 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

SUNDAY EVENING

SportS HigHligHtS e

Monday

FOOTBALL Friday

6:00 p.m. TSN College Football Louisiana at Appalachian State.

7:15 p.m. TSN NFL Football Buffalo Bills at San Francisco 49ers.

Saturday 6:30 p.m. WXYZ TSN College Football Teams TBA.

Sunday 7:15 p.m. TSN NFL Football Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs.

7:20 p.m. WDIV EDACC NFL Football Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs.

THURSDAY EVENING 3 CBKFT 5 CFRE 6 CKCK 7 WEATH 8 WDIV 9 CBKT 11 WWJ 12 WXYZ 13 CTYS 19 TSN 20 NET 25 EDACC 26 W 29 ENCAV2 33 CMT 35 TLC 38 DISC 41 COM 42 TCM 47 AMC 48 FSR 55 CRV1 56 CRV2 57 CRV3 58 HBO

7:00

7:30

7:00

7:30

5:00 p.m. NET Premiership Rugby (Same-day Tape) D

WINTER SPORTS Saturday

4:00 p.m. CBKT FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup: Moguls.

Patrick Mahomes leads the Kansas City Chiefs against the Denver Broncos Sunday on TSN.

MOVIES

SPECIALS

8:00

8:30

SPORTS

9:00

9:30

10:00

10:30

MOVIES

8:00

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Misplays Strongest Sportsnet Central (N) Pokerstars Caribbean Primetime Cash Cab Big Bang etalk (N) “Coming Home for Christmas” (2017) Neal Bledsoe “The Christmas Club” “Family for Christmas” (2015) Lacey Chabert. › “Love the Coopers” (6:15) ››› “The Game” (1997) (:25) ››› “Premium Rush” (2012) Black Sails “XIV.” King King Raymond Raymond King of Hill King of Hill Frasier Frasier 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way “Never Stop Fighting” 90 Day The Family Chantel (N) 90 Day Lone Star Law Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail Aussie Gold Hunters Highway Thru Hell Big Bang Big Bang Goldbergs Fresh-Boat Seinfeld Seinfeld Goldbergs Sheldon ›› “Moonfleet” (1955, Action) (:45) ›› “Africa Screams” (1949) “King Solomon’s Mines” ››› “Scrooged” (1988) Bill Murray, Karen Allen. ›› “Fred Claus” (2007, Comedy) Vince Vaughn.

(6:00) NHRA Drag Racing Lucas Oil Summernationals. Drone Racing Drone Racing (6:35) ›› “Wendy” (2020, Adventure) “Ailo’s Journey” (2019, Documentary) “Impractical Jokers” (6:55) ››› “The Kid Who Would Be King” (2019) ››› “Joker” (2019) Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz. (:05) “Carmine Street Guitars” (2018) ›› “Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch” (2018) ››› “Thunderball” (6:50) “The Wrong Patient” (2018) Enthusiasm The Flight Attendant The Flight Attendant

SATURDAY EVENING 3 CBKFT 5 CFRE 6 CKCK 7 WEATH 8 WDIV 9 CBKT 11 WWJ 12 WXYZ 13 CTYS 19 TSN 20 NET 25 EDACC 26 W 29 ENCAV2 33 CMT 35 TLC 38 DISC 41 COM 42 TCM 47 AMC 48 FSR 55 CRV1 56 CRV2 57 CRV3 58 HBO

Sunday

District 31 Infoman (N) 100 génies Enquête (N) Le téléjournal (N) The Wall (N) Neighbor The Unicorn Evil “Vatican III” Global News at 10 (N) Station 19 (N) Grey’s Anatomy (N) Sheldon B Positive Law & Order: SVU (6:30) Evenings With Kim MacDonald Planet Evenings With Kim MacDonald The Voice (N) Law & Order: SVU Transplant “Orphans” (N) News J. Fallon Coronation Family Feud Dragons’ Den Dragons’ Den (N) The National (N) Sheldon B Positive (:01) Mom The Unicorn Star Trek: Discovery (N) Two Men Late-Colbert Station 19 (N) Grey’s Anatomy (N) A Million Little Things (N) News J. Kimmel Let’s Make a (:01) Mom black-ish (N) A Million Little Things (N) Paramedics: Paramedics: TBA To Be Announced SC With Jay NHL Classics NHL Classics Sportsnet Central (N) Plays-Month Misplays To Be Announced Corner Gas (6:00) “Paper Angels” “The Christmas List” (1997, Drama) Mimi Rogers.

Saved-Bell Saved-Bell “Mr. Peabody” ›› “Hector and the Search for Happiness” (2014) ››› “Goon” (2011) King King Raymond Raymond King of Hill King of Hill Frasier Frasier Dr. Pimple Popper Dr. Pimple Popper (N) When Skin Goes Wrong Holiday ER Bad Chad Customs (N) Street Outlaws: Fastest in America Kentucky and Wyoming face off. (N) Big Bang Big Bang Goldbergs Fresh-Boat Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld ››› “Baby Face” (1933, Drama) ››› “Employees’ Entrance” (1933) ›› “Blessed Event” ›› “All I Want for Christmas” (1991) Thora Birch ››› “Scrooged” (1988) Bill Murray, Karen Allen.

NASCAR Gander RV NASCAR Greatest Races: NASCAR From Oct. 30, 1999.

12 Dates of Christmas (N) 12 Dates of Christmas (N) 12 Dates of Christmas (N) The Flight Attendant (N) (:15) ››› “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” “Superintelligence” (2020) Melissa McCarthy.

“Easy Land” (2019) Mirjana Jokovic. (:35) “The Rest of Us” (2019, Drama) ›››› “Goldfinger” (6:45) “Lucky Day” (2019) Luke Bracey. (:25) McMillion$ Enthusiasm Industry “Sesh”

FRIDAY EVENING 3 CBKFT 5 CFRE 6 CKCK 7 WEATH 8 WDIV 9 CBKT 11 WWJ 12 WXYZ 13 CTYS 19 TSN 20 NET 25 EDACC 26 W 29 ENCAV2 33 CMT 35 TLC 38 DISC 41 COM 42 TCM 47 AMC 48 FSR 55 CRV1 56 CRV2 57 CRV3 58 HBO

RUGBY

7:00

7:30

MOVIES

8:00

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SPORTS

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9:30

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10:00

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L’autre midi à la table d’à Les Misérables (N) Enquêtes à Morecambe Téléjour.

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Kid of the Year (N) To Be Announced 48 Hours Two Men Two Men (6:30) College Football Teams TBA. (N) News ThisMinute Hudson & Rex “Christmas on the Vine” (2020, Drama) Julianna Guill. Fail Army Fail Army (6:30) College Football Teams TBA. (N) SportsCentre (N) NHL Rewind Game 6. From May 1, 2006.

Sportsnet Central (N) Pokerstars Caribbean Corner Gas Pop Life The Original Santa Claus Parade (N) Cardinal “John & Lise” “USS Christmas” (2020) Jen Lilley, Trevor Donovan. “A Timeless Christmas” (2020) Ryan Paevey.

(6:35) ›› “Paul” (2011) Simon Pegg. (:20) ›› “The Cable Guy” (1996) “Man on the Moon” The Office The Office The Office The Office The Office The Office The Office The Office Welcome to Plathville Welcome to Plathville Welcome to Plathville Welcome to Plathville North Woods Law North Woods Law North Woods Law North Woods Law Big Bang Big Bang Friends Friends Friends Friends Friends Friends ›››› “The Maltese Falcon” (1941) Mary Astor ›››› “The Thin Man” (1934) William Powell. ››› “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (:15) “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” NASCAR Gander RV NASCAR NHRA Drag Racing Lucas Oil Summernationals.

“Bernie the Dolphin” (:15) “Bernie the Dolphin 2” (2019) Kevin Sorbo. ›› “The Hunt” (2020) (:15) › “Miss Bala” (2019, Action) Gina Rodriguez. ›› “Everybody Knows” (2018) Penélope Cruz.

Goldfinger (:45) ››› “Thunderball” (1965) Sean Connery, Claudine Auger.

“You Only Live Twice” His Dark Materials His Dark Materials His Dark Materials His Dark Materials

3 CBKFT 5 CFRE 6 CKCK 7 WEATH 8 WDIV 9 CBKT 11 WWJ 12 WXYZ 13 CTYS 19 TSN 20 NET 25 EDACC 26 W 29 ENCAV2 33 CMT 35 TLC 38 DISC 41 COM 42 TCM 47 AMC 48 FSR 55 CRV1 56 CRV2 57 CRV3 58 HBO

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District 31 La facture “Les 3 p’tits cochons 2” (2016, Drame) Paul Doucet. Le téléjournal (N) NCIS (N) FBI “Liar’s Poker” (N) FBI: Most Wanted (N) Global News at 10 (N) The Voice (N) Big Bang Big Bang (:01) Big Sky (N) Big Bang etalk (N) (6:00) Evenings With Kim MacDonald Evenings With Kim MacDonald The Voice (N) Transplant “Relapse” (N) Transplant News J. Fallon Coronation Family Feud Standing Standing Creek Mr. Bean The National (N) NCIS (N) FBI “Liar’s Poker” (N) FBI: Most Wanted (N) Two Men Late-Colbert The Bachelorette (N) (:01) Big Sky (N) News J. Kimmel The Bachelorette (N) (:01) Mom Mom Brainfood The Bubble The Bubble SportsCentre (N) SportsCentre (N) Rugby “Conor McGregor: Notorious” (2017) Sportsnet Central (N) “Conor McGregor” Primetime Cash Cab Big Bang etalk (N) In the Dark (N) Transplant “Relapse” (N) “Good Morning” “Christmas on My Mind” (2019) Ashley Greene.

“Christmas Waltz” (2020) (6:35) ››› “Little Miss Sunshine” (:20) ››› “The Wedding Singer” ››› “Die Hard” (1988) King King Raymond Raymond King of Hill King of Hill Frasier Frasier My Big Fat Fabulous Life My Big Fat Fabulous Life Welcome to Plathville (N) My Crazy Obsession Gold Rush: Pay Dirt (N) Gold Rush (N) Gold Rush: The Dirt (N) Reclaimed (N) Big Bang Big Bang Goldbergs Fresh-Boat Friends Friends Friends Friends ››› “A Christmas Carol” (1938) ››› “David Copperfield” (1935, Drama) W.C. Fields. ›› “Snow Day” (2000) Chris Elliott, Mark Webber. ››› “The Polar Express” (2004) Michael Jeter Motorcycle Race Motorcycle Race (6:10) ››› “Parasite” (2019) (:25) “Impractical Jokers: The Movie” ›› “The Hunt” (2020) (:05) ›› “Wendy” (2020, Adventure) Devin France. › “The Goldfinch” (2019, Drama) Oakes Fegley.

(6:45) ›› “A Dog’s Way Home” (:25) “Easy Land” (2019) Nina Kiri “Live and Let Die” (1973) (6:15) ›› “Hyena Road” (2015, War) (:20) McMillion$ Enthusiasm “40 Years a Prisoner”

WEDNESDAY EVENING 3 CBKFT 5 CFRE 6 CKCK 7 WEATH 8 WDIV 9 CBKT 11 WWJ 12 WXYZ 13 CTYS 19 TSN 20 NET 25 EDACC 26 W 29 ENCAV2 33 CMT 35 TLC 38 DISC 41 COM 42 TCM 47 AMC 48 FSR 55 CRV1 56 CRV2 57 CRV3 58 HBO

SPORTS

9:00

District 31 Discussions “Junior majeur” (2017, Drame) Nicolas Canuel.

Le téléjournal (N) Private Eyes I Can See Your Voice (N) Bull Global News at 10 (N) Big Bang Bob Heart All Rise “Bad Beat” (N) Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang etalk (N) (6:00) Evenings With Kim MacDonald Evenings With Kim MacDonald The Voice The top 9 artists perform. (N) (:01) Nurses “Incoming” News J. Fallon Coronation Family Feud Murdoch Mysteries The Fifth Estate (N) The National (N) Neighbor Bob Heart All Rise “Bad Beat” (N) Bull Two Men Late-Colbert To Be Announced The Good Doctor (N) News J. Kimmel “Deliver by Christmas” (2020) Alvina August.

Mom Mom Brainfood (:15) NFL Football Buffalo Bills at San Francisco 49ers. (N) SC With Jay Bundesliga Soccer Sportsnet Central (N) Pokerstars Caribbean Primetime Cash Cab Big Bang etalk (N) Criminal Minds The Voice (N) (6:00) “Christmas Joy” “Christmas Under the Stars” (2019) Jesse Metcalfe. “Nashville Cmas Carol” (6:35) ››› “The Goonies” (1985) ››› “Attack the Block” (2011) “Battle: Los Angeles” King King Raymond Raymond King of Hill King of Hill Frasier Frasier HEA Strikes Back! (N) The Family Chantel (N) The Family Chantel (N) I Love a Mama’s Boy Bering Sea Gold (N) Alaskan Bush People (N) Highway Thru Hell (N) Homestead Rescue Seinfeld Corner Gas Goldbergs Fresh-Boat Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang ›› “Crashing Las Vegas” (1956) ›› “Blues Busters” (1950) › “Crazy Over Horses” ››› “Scrooged” (1988) Bill Murray, Karen Allen. ››› “Gremlins” (1984, Fantasy) Zach Galligan.

NASCAR Gander RV NASCAR Gander RV NASCAR “Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw” (:25) › “Holmes & Watson” (2018) “Untouchable” (2019) (6:45) ››› “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019) ›› “Black Christmas” (2019, Horror) Funny Men ››› “First Man” (2018, Biography) Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy. “Diamonds Are Forever” (6:35) “Ice on Fire” (2019) (:15) Mel Brooks: Unwrapped Enthusiasm His Dark Materials (N)

TUESDAY EVENING 3 CBKFT 5 CFRE 6 CKCK 7 WEATH 8 WDIV 9 CBKT 11 WWJ 12 WXYZ 13 CTYS 19 TSN 20 NET 25 EDACC 26 W 29 ENCAV2 33 CMT 35 TLC 38 DISC 41 COM 42 TCM 47 AMC 48 FSR 55 CRV1 56 CRV2 57 CRV3 58 HBO

8:30

Découverte Bébéatrice Tout le monde en parle (N) Téléjour.

Security NCIS: New Orleans NCIS: Los Angeles (N) NCIS: Los Angeles (N) News Supermarket Sweep (N) Who Wants to Be Weakest Link (N) Goldbergs Goldbergs (6:00) Evenings on The Weather Network Evenings on The Weather Network Football (:20) NFL Football Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs. (N) News Santa Claus The Great British Baking Show (N) British Baking The National (N) 60 Minutes A Holly Dolly Christmas NCIS: Los Angeles (N) NCIS: Los Angeles (N) Joel Osteen Supermarket Sweep (N) Who Wants to Be Card Sharks “212” (N) News ThisMinute Simpsons Bless Burgers Family Guy Card Sharks “212” (N) Paramedics: Bridging (:15) NFL Football Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs. (N) SC With Jay Super League Chelsea vs West Ham United.

Sportsnet Central (N) Bundesliga Soccer Football (:20) NFL Football Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs. (N) Corner Gas “Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy” (2019) “Christmas in Evergreen: Bells Are Ringing” (2020) (5:50) ›› “Robin Hood” (:15) › “Legion” (2010) Paul Bettany, Lucas Black.

“Exodus: Gods” Raymond Raymond Raymond Raymond The Unicorn The Unicorn The Unicorn The Unicorn 90 Day Fiancé “Episode 1” (Season Premiere) (N) I Love a Mama’s Boy (N) Welcome to Plathville 100 Days Wild (N) Alaska: The Last Frontier (N) Lone Star Law (N) (6:00) ›› “Fred Claus” Friends Friends Friends Friends Friends Friends ››› “The Seven Year Itch” (1955) Tom Ewell ››› “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” (1953) ››› “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” (1987) ››› “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” (1987) Drag Racing NASCAR Gander RV NASCAR Gander RV 12 Dates of Christmas 12 Dates of Christmas The Reagans (N) Shameless Dragon Ball (:25) “Racetime” (2018) Noel Fisher ›› “Escape Room” (2019, Horror) Christmas Creed II (:45) ››› “Green Book” (2018) Viggo Mortensen.

“On Secret Serv.”

Elvis (:20) Elvis Presley: The Searcher His Dark Materials Euphoria (N)

MONDAY EVENING 3 CBKFT 5 CFRE 6 CKCK 7 WEATH 8 WDIV 9 CBKT 11 WWJ 12 WXYZ 13 CTYS 19 TSN 20 NET 25 EDACC 26 W 29 ENCAV2 33 CMT 35 TLC 38 DISC 41 COM 42 TCM 47 AMC 48 FSR 55 CRV1 56 CRV2 57 CRV3 58 HBO

MOVIES

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District 31 L’épicerie Les enfants de la télé (N) Rire Le téléjournal (N) S.W.A.T. “Fracture” (N) I Can See Your Voice SEAL Team (N) Global News at 10 (N) The Masked Singer (N) Conners Goldbergs For Life (N) The Amazing Race (N) (6:30) Evenings With Kim MacDonald Captured! Evenings With Kim MacDonald Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical! (N) Nurses “Incoming” News J. Fallon Coronation Family Feud “Rock N’ Roll Christmas” (2019) Beverley Mitchell.

The National (N) The Amazing Race (N) SEAL Team (N) S.W.A.T. “Fracture” (N) Two Men Late-Colbert The Great Christmas Light Fight For Life (N) News J. Kimmel Chicago Med Chicago Fire Chicago P.D. Brainfood All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite (N) SportsCentre (N) SportsCentre (N) Hockey Sportsnet Central (N) World Cup of Hockey Primetime Cash Cab Big Bang etalk (N) L.A.’s Finest Goldbergs Goldbergs (6:00) “Let It Snow” “Christmas in Homestead” (2016) Taylor Cole.

“The Angel Tree” (2020) ›› “A Cinderella Story” (7:55) ›› “You’ve Got Mail” (1998) Tom Hanks.

“Right Kind Wrg” King King Raymond Raymond King of Hill King of Hill Frasier Frasier My 600-Lb. Life Erica regrets not keeping a promise.

My 600-Lb. Life “Erica, Part 1” To Be Announced Egypt’s Unexplained Files Moonshiners (N) Mysteries of the Deep Big Bang Big Bang Goldbergs Fresh-Boat Friends Friends Friends Friends ››› “The Day the Earth Stood Still” (:45) ››› “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” (1958) 3 Worlds ›› “To Grandmother’s House We Go” (1992) ›› “Fred Claus” (2007, Comedy) Vince Vaughn.

Drone Racing Drone Racing Motorcycle Race Motorcycle Race (6:55) “Paws P.I.” (2018) Neal Genys. (:25) “Puppy Swap: Love Unleashed” “A Dog’s Way Home” (6:50) ››› “Dark Waters” (2019) Mark Ruffalo. ›› “A Dog’s Way Home” (2019) The Hustle (6:20) “The Assistant” (7:55) ››› “The Kid Who Would Be King” (2019) “Man With Golden Gun” (6:45) “Come to Daddy” (2019) (:25) McMillion$ Enthusiasm Alabama Snake (N)

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A31

FREE PERSONAL CLASSIFIEDS AT:

AUTOS

For Sale 2013 Chey Trax AWD, excellent condition, low kms $9,500.00 call 306-631-7698 AUTO PARTS

4 sale: 4 cooper discoverer AT3 XLT LT 275/65R20 tires as new $1300 or BO 306-313-0324 Briercrest.

Back issues of AUOTOMOBILE and ROAD AND TRACK, 2005 - 2009. Free. Call 306-692 -5465.

MOTORBIKES & SNOWMOBILES For sale: One 2006 snowbear trailer 4 by 8 ft. New take off sides. Wired with lights. Ph 972-9172 TOOLS & EQUIPMENT For sale: Kawasaki 3200 watt generator w/ invertor, used approx 3 hours, on wheels w/ custom cover, asking $650.00.

Ph 693-2028 For sale: 7-1/2 ft shulte front mount snow blowers 540RPM with fit any tractor. Phone 306693-4321 or 306-690-7227 For sale: 1 new digial clamp meter. Ph 972-9172 For sale 71/4 Black and Decker circular saw and Workmate. $25 and $20. 16” Skilsaw Tile saw call Al 631 0833 Large selection of pipe clamps, $15 pr. 5 palm sanders, flat circular and contour, $10 to $25 ea. Call 6310833.

FOR RENT MOVE-IN READY large furnished basement suite; ALL UTILITIES

INCLUDED; (no extra cost for wifi internet/max tv & netflix :) Includes off-street parking. Available December,2020 #MooseJaw #PetsAllowed Call or text 306-630-9264 Adults only 2 bedroom 780 sq ft apartment recently painted and up graded. Oak cupboards, new bathroom fixture, carpets in bedrooms. Has stove, fridge & microwave $750 per month plus $750damage deposit.

Must have references. No pets, smoking or parties. Utilities included except power. Close to bus stop. South hill location.

Contact306-693-3727.

For sale: Camera’s one DXG518 Digital camera with book & CD tape. One Olympus with book.

One Stepone polaroid land camera. Phone 306-972-9172 Rosewood Co-op housing has 2-2 bedroom suites available for couples 50 years and older,#140 High St E. Moose Jaw. Call 306-692-2200 or 6920179 or email rosewoodhousing @sasktel.net. Check our facebook page.

For rent: Clean 3 bedroom mobile unit. 2 full bathrooms 1200 sq ft. NE moose jaw. Efficient wood burning stove with window door. 1 storage shed.

Fenced in yard. No pets. Damage deposit required. No pets, no smoking. 306-692-6844 MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

3 books - How to play guitar $10. - Call 692-5091 REAL ESTATE House for sale: med size house, large lot, large deck. Playhouse

and swing set. Need to sell, owner ill. 630-9036 or 6302417 COMPUTERS & TECHNOLOGY iPhone 6+ protective cases - $3 for all 3 306-681-8749 MISCELLANEOUS How to learn the alphabet/ or teach it wooden 5x7 inches. $5.

Call 306-693-4497 2 coca cola curtain/towels 26x21”. Bill is marked at 5 cents. Make an offer. Call 306693-4497 Ladies size 8 felt pac winter boots. Very nice condition $15.

Call 6310833

For sale: Antique carousel puzzle. 550 pieces. $10. Call 6925091

For sale: Hardcover “A day in the life of Canada” book $20.

Call 692-5091

Assorted clive cussler books $2 each - soft cover; $5 each hardcover. Call 692-5091 Eaton’s toronto 1916 box. 6934497.

5 seashells from the island of Bermuda waters $5. Call 306-

693-4497

Assorted VHS movies with wooden stand $35. Call 6925091 HOUSEHOLD ITEMS

New Chrome bathroom stand $18. Call 692-5091 Five large cooking items. 3 fripans one is cast iron, 1 meyer steel soup pot with lid. 1 steamer pot with lid. $10.00 for all.

Call 693-4497.

One large blue Pyrex bowl.

Made in USA. $4. Call 306693-4497 Coca cola glass marked collectible $10.00. Call 306-6934497 For sale: 1 - Dirt devil ultra vision vacuum cleaner. 306-9729172 For sale: new corded Remington shaver micro flex with pop up trimmers. Got new in Sept 2019 used twice. Ph 972-9172 For sale: 2 electric clock’s westslot. 1 Mastercrafters. Ph 9729172 For sale: Black & decker toaster. 1 med roaster. Ph 972-9172 For sale: A maple wooden table (70”) with 6 chairs and 2 pc hutch. 630-2417 CHILDREN’S ITEMS

For sale: New winter parka.

Boys size 14 to 16 large $30.

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For sale: Knitted doll - $15. Call 692-5091

Cute and clean stuffed animal $10. Call 692-5091 CLOTHING For sale: Helly-Hansen ski-doo suit for extreme conditions work wear, approx size #42 XL/TG. Asking $300.00. Ph 306-6932028 WANTED Wanted: Gently used good quality tread mill and recumbant bike. Call Pauline. 306631-3816 Looking for a Stanley bench plane used. 306-690-9153 Wanted to buy: Hardy boys books. Call Eldo at 306-6929276 afternoons or evenings Looking for any size of batteries for automotive/ garden tractor that are no longer good 306681-8749 Tractors. I pay cash for tractors up to 50 HP running or not, and 3 point hitch equipment. Call or text 1-306-641-4447 I am looking for a lever or pump 22 rifle, and a smaller 22 bolt action rifle in either 22LR or Magnum. Call or text 1-306641-4447 Free pickup of your unwanted snowblowers, tillers, generators, ice augers, chainsaws, or any other yard and garden equipment, in Moose Jaw and area. Call or text 1-306-6414447 I am looking for a John Deere LA tractor or parts, in any condi-

tion, Call or text 306-641-4447 Wanted a Stihl Chainsaw running or not. Call or text with model number to 306-6414447 Wanted, I am licensed gun buyer paying cash for unwanted guns and ammunition, Moose Jaw, Regina, and surrounding area. Call or text 306-6414447 Wanted, looking to furnish a 2 bedroom suite, need 2 double beds, with or without mattress, 2 nightstands and lamps. Some type of couch and chair, maybe a reclining chair, end and coffee table, end table lamps. Smaller kitchen table and chairs. Give me a call with what you have, if you can get it to the curb I will haul it away for you call 306692-2393.

SERVICES Will do general painting & contracting. Interior & exterior. Free estimations. 30 years experience. Phone 306-972-9172 Will fix & sell Lewis Cattle Oilers.

Ph 972-9172 Junk to the dump in and around Moose Jaw- $40/load and up 306-681-8749 Will pick up, move, haul and deliver TVs in and around Moose Jaw - $30 and up 306-6818749 Will pick up move haul and deliver appliances anywhere in and around Moose Jaw $40 and up 306-681-8749 HELP WANTED Help wanted: Business/ Christian Evangelizing partner. Male, female or family: To eventually own and operate a second hand/ flea market business out of a downtown store and evangelize a salvation healing and deliverence ministry. If you are dedicated, Holy Spirit filled, Born-again Christian, give me a call. Please; only serious enquiries. 306-684-1084 Wanted: By weekly house cleaner. What do you charge?

Do you supply the cleaning products? Or do we? Do you have references? Phone 306692-1331.

Mid-year deficit forecast lower Larissa than budgeted, says finance minister Kurz The provincial government released the 2020-21 MidYear Report and deputy premier and finance minister Donna Harpauer says the data shows a lower deficit than anticipated.

The forecasted deficit is expected to total $2 billion, or $381.5 million lower than budgeted.

Revenue is projected at $14.2 billion, an increase of $503.5 million or 3.7 per cent from budget. The report credits this increase to higher federal transfers, Government Business Enterprise net income and non-renewable resource revenue.

A $41.2 million decrease in tax revenue is expected, as a result of the reduction in the small business tax rate.

Expenses are forecast to be $16.2 billion, an increase of $122 million or 0.8 per cent from budget. This is due to

WORKFORCE CONNECTOR To Book Your Help Wanted Ad

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increases for the health, education, municipal and tourism sectors, as well as lower-than-budgeted pension and crop insurance claims expenses.

“As reflected in these latest forecasts, our government is managing the province’s finances carefully through the pandemic,” said Harpauer, in a press release. “The midyear update also includes $260 million of contingencies to cushion against potential pandemic-related revenue and spending shocks over the remainder of the fiscal year.”

Expenses from election commitments by the Saskatchewan Party total $91.7 million, and a $160 million expense contingency is still in place.

Public debt and net debt are both down, according to the report, with Saskatchewan’s net debt-to-ratio is estimat-

ed to be 19.6 per cent — one of the lowest expected in Canada.

Saskatchewan also has the second-highest credit rating in Canada and had the lowest unemployment rate in the country in October, only slight down from pre-pandemic unemployment levels.

“Saskatchewan’s economy has performed better than originally anticipated in the June 2020 budget,” said Harpauer. “Real GDP is forecast to decline 5.0 per cent, compared to a decline of 6.3 per cent forecast at budget.

Saskatchewan’s unemployment rate was the lowest in Canada in October and total employment, on an unadjusted basis, is nearing pre-pandemic levels. As a result, our planned path to balance in 2024-25 is unchanged.”

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MOOSE JAW, SASKATCHEWAN

PAGE A32 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Festival of Words outlines approach to hosting in-person festival this summer Larissa Kurz

After a successful virtual event for the Saskatchewan Festival of Words this past July, the team of organizers are already making plans to return to the in-person iteration of the popular literary festival.

Through social media, the Festival of Words shared some of the ways they are approaching plans for this year’s event, to hopefully host sessions in a pandemic-safe way.

The three potential venues for the upcoming festival are • the open-air Crescent Park Amphitheatre, for reading sessions and kids activities as well as the Teen Read Out; • the Mae Wilson Theatre, for panels, inter- The Festival of Words may be back to in-person events this July, views and the entertainment events like the but it still won’t quite look like this scene from the 2019 Readconcert and poetry slam competition; ception event. (file photo) • the Library Art Museum Theatre, for larger reading sessions.

The Festival also plans on streaming all of the events hosted at the Mae Wilson online, for added accessibility.

All venues will follow some strict rules, including proper social distancing between guests and repeated sanitation after every event.

Sessions will be limited to one hour, to eliminate the need for intermissions or breaks and limit people from moving around in the spaces too much. There will also be no paper materials handed out during sessions, to limit contact.

Capacity at the festival sessions will also be different this year, with only a limited number of Festival passes available and no walk-in availability at any sessions — which means anyone interested in attending the Festival will have to purchase a pass and register for their sessions in advance.

It will also depend on how many guests are attending in groups within their social bubble, versus individually, as that would change Organizers can’t say just yet how many passes will be available this year, as capacity limitations will depend on the public health restrictions in place closer to July.

Of course, all of the plans taking shape could be pushed aside if the situation in the province changes drastically, said organizers.

Safety is a top concern once again this year, and the Festival is also preparing to switch to a virtual platform again if necessary. That decision will be made in April, if needed.

With the beginnings of their plan laid out organizers are welcoming Festival guests to weigh in on the precautions currently being considered through an online survey available here, or by contacting the Festival office at admin@ festivalfowords.com or at 1 (306) 691-0557.

Public Library still offering no-contact curbside pickup on demand Larissa Kurz

Although the Moose Jaw Public Library has reopened it's doors to allow patrons inside the building, the library is reminding patrons that staff are still offering the option of curbside pickup when loaning out materials.

Curbside pickup was the first phase of reopening for the MJPL earlier this summer, and staff are keeping up the service to allow patrons who are sticking close to home to still be able to loan out library materials.

Patrons can still place holds on items either online in the library catalogue or by contacting the library directly, and staff are also on hand to help make recommendations, for those who are looking for favourite authors, genres or other specific items.

Curbside pickup is also now available on demand, which means patrons can select their loan items and call the

TRINITY UNITED CHURCH 277 Iroquois St W Moose Jaw, SK Next Service: Dec. 6, 10:30am Rev. Doug Shepherd

NEW LOCATION

Lorem ipsum

St. Barnabas

library to arrange a pickup with as little as 30 minutes’ notice.

For those who are asking staff to select some recommended items, the library said it will have those ready within 24 hours.

Curbside pickup is still occurring on the loading dock on the north side of the MJPL building, and staff are able to load items into patrons’ vehicles if they are unable themselves.

Loan periods are still extended to four weeks, and drop off can also be done with no contact on the north side of the building.

Overdue fines are still suspended, and patrons are encouraged to hold off on returning items if they are feeling unwell.

To loan out materials from the MJPL, including books, DVDs, CDs, and video games, patrons can place their 60 on Athabasca Street East holds the online catalogue, or contact the MJPL at 1 306-692-0533 (306) 692-2787, by email at ask@moosejawlibrary.ca, or Minister: Rev. Jim Tenford on Facebook.

Music Director: Karen Purdy The MJPL is currently open Mondays through Saturth , 2017 Sunday, May days from 10 a.m. to 14 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m.

Service 10:30am to Worship 5 p.m. & Sunday School

St. Andrew’s United Church

Traditional Anglican Church 1102-3rd Avenue N.W. Moose Jaw

(Corner of Hall Street & 3 Avenue N.W.) rd

60 Athabasca Street East 306-692-0533 Minister: Rev. Jim Tenford

Sunday Service 10:30 am Coffee & fellowship after the service

As of November 22nd and including December, 2020

For more information call: 306-691-2715 or visit our website

Due to the recent Covid 19 cases, St. Andrew’s will not be holding Sanctuary Services.

Rev. Jim Tenford will be continuing Sunday Services on YouTube and Facebook

All Are Welcome!

www.saintbarnabasmoosejaw.ca

Music Director: Karen Purdy • Choir Director: Jenna Nash

E-mail: st.andrews.mj@sasktel.net Facebook: www.facebook.com/StAndrewsUnitedChurchMooseJaw Website: http://standrewsmoosejaw.ca

On the Front Porch

by Wanda Smith

Divide and Conquer

Here in southern Saskatchewan, it is my prayer we are still hanging onto those foundational truths that make for strong communities! Specifically, what I want to pour my heart out about today is the necessity of being there for your neighbor. I’m sure you’ve seen it... there is a diabolical attempt from the evil one, the pit of hell, Satan or however else you’d like it put, to divide us. From the beginning of time, the enemy of our souls has sought to divide husband and wife, brother against brother, neighbor pitted against neighbor and more. Satan is a deceiver.

He is a liar. He tries all kinds of approaches and “new� tricks of the trade to slide his divisiveness in.

I’ve seen an increasingly alarming trend to become offended, to turn on people, to be quick to judge or gossip about others. The Word of God says: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.� (2 Timothy 3:1-5) God did not create us to be an island. He did not create us to be alone. He has created us to have fellowship, to build relationships, supporting each other, helping each other; celebrating together, grieving together. Anything that would challenge that goes against the purest form of humanity that we have. Relationships. They are essential. “And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. And let us not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.� Hebrews 10:24,25 In this very challenging time, we have to be purposeful to be a blessing to our neighbors and loved ones. Renewing our mind to The Word of God is imperative; we must not get caught in the narrative that is swirling around us. Let’s keep our hearts in check. Do we put our needs before someone else’s? Do we get offended easily?

Jealous? Are we accusatory? Spreading gossip or a false witness? We need to turn away from the lawless deeds of darkness. If we partner with any of these symptoms, we build a stronger demonic stronghold in the spiritual atmosphere. Let’s push back the darkness and allow the fruit of the Spirit to flow. Let’s pray: Father God, in this very challenging time when we are being controlled from having the freedom to worship, gather, and recreate and more, give us insight into how to build relationships with those around us. We partner with You! We declare The Blessing of the Lord over our neighbors. We pray for peace in our communities. We release hope into the atmosphere. We release the Love of Jesus to spread and fill in the places of deep need. Amen! Let’s get creative to prevent further divisiveness in our communities and instead spread hope, love and peace to our world around us! “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.� Matthew 22:37-39 The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

Birthdays, Anniversaries, & More!

Place an ad celebrating your special event in the Moose Jaw Express!

- As low as $50 a week.

Call 306-694-1322 or Stop by our office at 32 Manitoba St. W. Today to book your space!

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A33

ROBBINS, GLORIA MAY Gloria May Robbins (nee Ziola) age 85 years of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, passed away on Saturday, November 7th, 2020. Gloria was born on February 22, 1935, on the family farm near Margo, Saskatchewan.

She married Stuart Robbins on May 30, 1957. Gloria received her nursing training in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and worked on the Surgical Floor of the Providence Hospital in Moose Jaw, retiring in 1990. She was predeceased by her husband Stuart, in 1999. She will be sadly missed by her son Grant (Wendy) Robbins and granddaughter Amanda; her son Heath Robbins, grandson Eric and granddaughter Amy. A Private Family Service will be held at a later date. Flowers are gratefully declined. As an expression of sympathy, donations in Gloria’s name may be made to the Moose Jaw Humane Society (1755 Stadacona St W, Moose Jaw, SK S6H 7K7). In living memory of Gloria, a memorial planting will be made

by Jones - Parkview Funeral Services. Please sign the memorial register at website: www.wjjonesandson.com or www.parkviewfuneralchapel.ca (Obituaries).

Blake Seebach - Funeral Director

In Loving Memory of Martha Witt August 26,1922 to December 3, 2015 Our love for you shall never fade Instead it grows each day.

With the memories we shared, And all the love and care, We wish that you were here today.

But now you are in a better place.

Rest In Peace : Love Otto, Bonita, Ivy and Inez and Families.

MOOSE JAW

EXPRESS.COM NO READERS LEFT BEHIND

Obituaries & Memorials 3.3" X 4" in Full Color

Picture included Approx. 200 words – $100 Additional Inch – $25/inch Email: mjexpress@sasktel.net

(306) 694-1322

Please include the Moose Jaw Health Foundation in your estate plan to help your community for generations to come.

Please contact us for more information.

Moose Jaw Health Foundation 55 Diefenbaker Drive Moose Jaw, SK S6J 0C2 Phone (306) 694-0373

www.mjhf.org

Warriors’ King ready for first round of Memorial eCup Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

The draw is set, the games are a go and the first-ever Canadian Hockey League Memorial eCup kicked off this past weekend.

The tournament -- which will be played online on the Playstation 4 version of the popular NHL 21 video game

by EA Sports -- will feature players from all 60 CHL teams and four special guests playing through a single-elimination tournament until Dec. 17.

Moose Jaw Warriors defenceman Cory King will represent the local WHL franchise, and will have the eyes of the entire team on him as he takes Kyrell Sopotyk of the Kamloops Blazers in the first round of the event on Dec. 5 at 4:40 p.m. All games will be broadcast on Facebook Live and Twitch, and fans can follow along on social media at #KiaCHLeCup. And you better believe his teammates have let King know they’ll be tuning in.

“A few of them have been texting me already, grilling me and saying I better perform, but we’ll see how it goes,” King said from his home in Souris, Man. “They’ll be giving me the gears before the game, for sure.”

King ‘earned’ the right to represent the Warriors by showcasing his skills on the Warriors U.S. bus trip last season -- he joined with Cade Hayes to defeat Ryder Korczak and Calder Anderson in one particular skillfilled match-up.

Despite that defeat, Anderson was going to originally represent the Warriors in the tournament, but at the time the event was announced he was still committed to playing with the Neepawa Natives of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, meaning there was potential to run into a conflict with practice and game schedules.

That put the spotlight on King, and he’s looking forward to the opportunity to put himself to the test next weekend.

“It’s really good because everyone is getting bored with nothing happening right now, so it’s good that they have something going on to keep everyone interested… it’s really cool that it’s Canada-wide too,” he said.

So, down to the nitty gritty.

King has confidence in his ability to put up a few wins in the draw if things go his way, even with the level of unknowns involved. But he’s under no illusion that things will be easy.

“Oh, I think I’m pretty good, but it’s tough to say,” he said. “I hope I can win a few at least. I bet there are some guys out there who are pretty good.”

As one might expect, King has played the NHL franchise on various systems throughout his years growing

Moose Jaw Warriors defenceman Cory King will take on Kyrell Sopotyk of the Kamloops Blazers in the first round of the Memorial eCup contest. up. Most of that time was spent taking on his brothers in house, though, and not as much online.

He just picked up a copy of the game recently and has been honing his skills since.

“I’ll have to get some practice in before the big day,” King said. “It’s pretty much the same as NHL 20, though, so it should be okay.”

And if things go as well as he hopes?

“If I can win a few, it’s going to be lots of pressure as I get close to the end,” he said. “There are lots of teams, though, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

King isn’t the only player with Warriors connections taking part in the event. Brandon Wheat Kings forward Luka Burzan faced off against Jacob Santerre of the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in his first round match (Nov. 28, 4:05 p.m.) while Regina Pats forward Carson Denomie battled with Carter Murchison of the QMJHL Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (Nov. 30, 6:25 p.m.).

With a victory, King will face the winner of the game between Majid Kaddoura of the Prince George Cougars and Jaylen Luypen of the Edmonton Oil Kings.

All games will be broadcast on Facebook Live and Twitch, and fans can follow along on social media at #KiaCHLeCup.

Healthy and Safe Communities A Message from Moose Jaw’s Community Response Committee

Several organizations in Moose Jaw and District have joined together to ask all organizations to do their part in following the recommended health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and help keep our organizations safe. We have heard the calls to action from health officials, medical experts and doctors – we all must do our part.

Organizations in Moose Jaw started reopening, and have continued, with an abundance of caution – for good reason. Staff and clients, along with the support of the general public, have been working tirelessly to follow the public health guidelines, including: creating alternative

programming, promoting safe distancing, reducing numbers, limiting close contact activities, increasing cleaning measures and hand washing, and wearing masks. We do all of this because our priority is to provide a safe and supportive environment.

With increasing rates of community spread and rising cases throughout the province, we do not want our organizations to have to close again. We all need to do our part to ensure we have safe and healthy communities that support and wrap around the staff and clients in our care.

Together we can reduce the spread – let’s all do our part to keep Moose Jaw safe!

23rd Annual Mourning Star Christmas Service for the Bereaved Tradename for W. J. Jones & Son Ltd & Parkview Funeral Chapel

Jones Funeral Home 106 Athabasca St E 306.693.4644

Parkview Funeral Chapel 474 Hochelaga St W 306.694.5500

Will be available ONLINE beginning December 3rd at 7:00pm On the website homepage of wjjonesandson.com

Going ABOVE and BEYOND expectations is what sets us apart

PAGE A34 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020

COVID-19 restrictions & Upcoming Events in Moose Jaw The Moose Jaw Public Library: is still offering virtual programming to the public. Children’s programs also returned in November, registration required. Teen events are hosted on Discord and adult events on Zoom, and the links to join events can be found on the library’s website. Upcoming events include:

postponed until Jan. 29;

For information about the status of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan, or for more information on symptoms and preventative measures, visit saskatchewan.ca/COVID19.

• Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan with Laura Bartlett on Dec. 3 at 2 p.m.;

Riverside Mission: The annual Christmas meal at the shelter will be on Dec. 22 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and will be provided as a take-out meal to go.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority is currently recommending:

• Teen Virtual eBook Club on Dec. 17 at 4 p.m.

The following is a running list of groups, businesses, and organizations that have implemented COVID-19 precautions due to concerns about COVID-19. Moose Jaw Express staff will be updating this list as needed.

If you would like your notice or event added to this list, contact us at editor@mjvexpress.com.

Current Public Health Orders:

• residents maintain a minimum of two meters distance when in public; • adhere to hand-washing protocols sanitation measures in public spaces;

and

• self-monitor for the development of COVID-19 symptoms and contact HealthLine 811 if any appear; • maintain a close household bubble to help reduce the spread of the virus and aid with contact tracing procedures.

Face masks are now mandatory in all indoor spaces across the province, including fitness facilities and workplace areas not accessible to the public, as of Nov. 27.

Public health has also placed a restriction on the number of individuals allowed to gather in private residences at this time, with a cap of five people.

Families of more than five may not have any visitors from outside the household.

Public venues are limited to a max of 30 people and all sports activities are cancelled for all age groups. Large retails stores, including malls, must limit their capacity to 50 per cent and enhance the expectation of mask use and other mitigation measures.

Visitors are also currently not allowed at SHAoperated facilities in the province, with the exception of compassionate care reasons, and masks are required in all areas of SHA facilities.

Changes in Organizations:

Businesses

The Anavets Club: The 2nd annual 50/50 fundraiser raffle is now going on, with a draw date of Dec. 5. Tickets are $10 and offer a chance to win up to $5,000. To purchase tickets, visit 279 High Street West on Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays between 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., or call 1 (306) 692-4412 or 1 (306) 681-5998.

Moose Jaw Legion: The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 59 Moose Jaw lounge hours are now listed as Mondays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m. Face masks are mandatory.

Upcoming activities at the Legion include: • Veteran’s morning coffee: Monday to Friday at 10 a.m.; • curling , darts and shuffleboard currently suspended; • Meat draw fundraiser: Saturdays at 3 p.m.

Membership renewal for 2021 is due by Dec. 31.

A Christmas fundraiser for the Legion will be drawing on Dec. 18, for a range of penny parade prizes donated by local crafters and businesses.

Tickets are $1 each and can be purchased by visiting the Legion Lounge at 268 High St W or contacting the Legion at 1 (306) 692-5453.

The Cosmo Senior Citizens’ Centre has some upcoming events taking place weekly in November, including: • Mondays: pickleball at 9:30 a.m.; shuffleboard at 1 p.m.;

• JJ Shipler’s show on Dec. 5 has been cancelled.

Ticket holders who had purchased tickets for the events above will be contacted.

Knights of Columbus Father Gilpin Council #9760: The annual Keep Christ in Christmas Lighting contest is occurring this year, with judging taking place on Dec. 19 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Entry forms are available at mjknights. ca or by contacting Pat Meuse at 1 (306) 6928111. There is no charge to enter and prizes will be awarded for the top three entries.

Humane Society: The annual Santa photos for pets event has been cancelled this year.

Moose Jaw Kinsmen: The annual Santa Claus Parade will be touring four individual neighbourhoods this year, instead of the usual Main Street parade. Two tours have already taken place on weekend but two more still to come: • 9th Avenue Northwest to Thatcher Drive are on Dec. 5 at 6 p.m.; • and east of 9th Avenue Northwest to the TransCanada Highway on Dec. 6 at 6 p.m.

Winter Markets from the Moose Jaw Homegrown Farmers Market have been cancelled.

The Christmas Tree Sale from the Rotary Club of Moose Jaw Wakamow began on Nov. 27 in the parking lot of the Moose Jaw Co-op Marketplace on 1st Avenue Northwest. Trees will be available until Dec. 15, or until supplies last.

Photos with Santa Claus will be returning to the Town n’ Country Mall until Dec. 24.

The 50th annual Canadian Western Agribition in Regina has been postponed until Nov. 22-27, 2021. An alternate online competition will take place instead.

& • Tuesdays, except the first one of the month: The annual Teddy Bear & Toy Toss with the

Please be sure to check with individual businesses, organizations and public spaces about specific COVID-19 precautions that they may have in place.

Riverside Mission is now providing daily lunch service from 11 a.m. to noon in addition to supper service from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., both of which are in take-out form. The shelter is not taking leftover food donations or clothing donations at this time, and men’s emergency shelter capacity has been reduced from 10 beds to 4 beds only available to Saskatchewan residents.

Starbucks locations in Saskatchewan have changed to a grab-and-go service model, with stores open for customers to enter and place an order but all seating areas considered off-limits.

The 2020 WHL Cup has been cancelled.

Upcoming Events:

• Digital Dungeons & Dragons on Dec. 1, Dec. 8 and Dec. 15 at 7 p.m.;

• Jeffery Straker: A Very Prairie Christmas on Dec. 1-2 has been postponed until January;

Grief Support groups from Jones-Parkview Funeral Services are moving to Zoom for the time being. For the link to attend any of these groups, contact Della Ferguson at dferguson@sasktel. net.

pickleball at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.;

• Wednesdays: TOPS meeting at 8:30 a.m.; pickleball at 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.; shuffleboard at 1 p.m.; • Thursdays: line dancing at 10 a.m.; pickleball at 1 p.m.; • Fridays: pickleball at 1 p.m.

A Take Out Beef Supper from Cosmo Senior Citizens’ Centre will take place on Dec. 6, featuring beef, veggies, potatoes, a wheat salad and a lemon dessert. Cost is $17 and preordering is required by calling the office at 1 (306) 692-6072 on Monday through Thursday between 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery: • Marsha Kennedy: Embodied Ecologies opened on Oct. 9 and remains until Jan. 10.

• Moose Jaw Art Guild: Visions 2020 exhibition will be available to view in the lobby from Nov. 27 until Jan. 10.

Moose Jaw Cultural Centre: • JJ Voss with special guest Joel Stewart at the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre on Nov. 19 has been

Moose Jaw Warriors and the Salvation Army will take place on Dec. 1, with supporters invited to bring their toy donation to Murray GM between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. for an individual toss with COVID safety measures.

Mourning Star Christmas Ceremony from Jones-Parkview Funeral Services will take place on Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. online through the funeral homes website, wjjonesandson.com.

Hope Has Come: A Drive-Thru Nativity Experience at the Hillcrest Church will be displayed on Dec. 10-12 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

CP Holiday Train at Home is hosting a live streamed concert for the annual campaign on Dec. 12, featuring Serena Ryder, the Trews, Jojo Mason, Logan Staats and Kelly Prescott.

The Moose Jaw Co-op is running its Good Buy to Hunger campaign leading up to the concert, selling pre-packaged food bags at the Co-Op Marketplace in support of the Moose Jaw & District Food Bank.

Hockey Harvest Lottery tickets are available to purchase until Dec. 20, from any WHL team website. The grand prize draw will take place on Dec. 21 at 1 p.m.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020 • PAGE A35

of moose jaw

140 Main St N | 306-694-5766

Beth Vance

Katie Keeler REALTOR ®

REALTOR ®

(306) 631-0886

(306) 690-4333

Built in 2017, open concept design on main floor.

Large windows in living room, spacious dining area, adjoining kitchen. Ample cabinets, s/s appliances, pantry and island. Entertaining size deck off kitchen.

Lower level developed. Detached double garage.

Move in ready! Big old home waiting for its new family!

3 bedroosm, 2 bathrooms! Large front entry. Hardwood floors throughout most of main floor. Formal dining with patio doors to deck. Large living room opens to den.

Basement partially finished. Fenced yard!

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Sonya Bitz

(306) 631-8069

(306) 631-8471

REALTOR ®

REALTOR®

Market Place REAL ESTATE

1140 4th Ave NW

1406 Grandview St W

1534 Vaughan St

1085 Maplewood Dr

306-694-4747 324 Main Street N. Moose Jaw, SK

$169,900

Derek McRitchie

REALTOR ®

Amber Tangjerd

REALTOR ®

E.G. (Bub) Hill

REALTOR ®

Bill McLean

REALTOR ®

(306) 631-1161 (306) 681-9424 (306) 631-9966 (306) 630-5409

2+1 Bedroom Home with 2 and a Half Baths, Kitchen Area with separate Dining Rm. Spacious Foyer / Entry, Living Rm with Decorative Fireplace. Upper 2 bedrooms, Master Bedroom and 3 piece Bath. Addition on Main Floor, back Family Rm Area with Gas Fireplace and Full 4 piece bath, backyard is zero scape, so not much lard maintenance for a potential buyer. Deck Leading off back patio doors and family room addition.

House has Metal roofing, addition is Asphalt Shingles.

$299,900

3+2 bedroom home Recent updates apv Furnace and Central Air, Water heater Central Vac main floor large master bedroom with a walk in closet, 4pc bath, kitchen with over the range microwave, built in dishwasher and fridge and stove laundry room, living room and 2 additional bedrooms. Downstairs an oversized family room, 2 additional bedrooms, 4 pc bathroom and mechanical room/storage area to keep all your treasures. The garage is 24' x 24' and is heated.

$265,000

Check more Moose Jaw Homes, Rentals and Real Estate at:

into your life!

$479,900

Looking for a move-in ready home? From the flooring to light fixtures and from the shingles to the siding this house has been extensively renovated over the past 5 years and meets all the needs for a new family or someone looking to downsize. Newer fence in the back yard. Newer 24'x10.6' deck. Driveway has been widened and new sidewalks installed. Single car garage built in 2016. If your looking for a turn key home, make arrangements to view this house.

1600 sq ft home. Outside is landscaped front and back with Underground Sprinklers, Large Deck off Back Patio Doors, Fenced,main floor features a spacious open concept Living Rm, Dining Rm, Kitchen with Dark Maple Syle Cabinetry, Island and Walk-In Pantry. 3 Bedrooms, 2 Full 4pc Baths. Master Bedroom with Large Walk-in Closet. Main Floor Laundry, Large Entry Lower Level Family room with fireplace 2 more Bedrooms, 4pc Bathroom.

www.moosejawrealestate.net

LOCAL UPDATES AND NEWS 24/7

605A Main St. N., Moose Jaw, SK - (306) 694-8082 Royal LePage Landmart Would like to annouce that

Laural Hunt

Has joined our sales team!

Your connection to the world

Laurel would like everyone to know that she has joined the team at Royal LePage Landmart. She is ready to help people with all their real estate nees and looks forward to seeing past clients. If you’re thinking of Selling, Buying or Investing in Real Estate give Laurel a call at:

(306) 630-3910

No open houses for Moose Jaw realtors, but modern technology making a difference Online viewings and information proving to be a popular alternative in the era of COVID-19 Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

With the Saskatchewan Realtors Association announcing on Nov. 19 that open houses in the province had been paused until at least the new year, it could have been a cause for major concern for those looking to buy or sell a home in Moose Jaw. But the move isn’t expected to prove all that problematic.

With modern technology and basic home viewings able to be conducted almost entirely online in many cases, the open house has become a less important part of the home sales process.

Derek McRitchie of Ottawa Real Estate is one local realtor affected by the decision and pointed out that open houses are just one tool in a full box of options to help buyers and sellers these days.

“The open houses, they’re not as popular as they used to be, but they’re still

there and this does change things a bit,” McRitchie said. “But it still feels normal to be shutting that down. You don’t want to be inviting people into spaces… if someone wants to buy a house, it’s probably best if they just look privately online anyways.”

That’s the key - online listings are a primary feature on every realtor’s website these days, giving buyers a chance to check out a home without having to set foot in the building. That’s largely due to the increase in photo quality and the ability to easily peruse dozens of photos quickly.

“The photograph quality is so much better, back then you might have one exterior photo and it wasn’t that legible,” McRitchie explained. “But now the photo quality is really good and we can put a lot of pictures of both the interior and exte-

Even with the Saskatchewan Realtors Association pausing open houses in the province until the new year, home buying will continue to use modern technology to help the process along. rior online. Then people can look in the comfort of their own home and then set up a private showing.

“So it’s almost a sign of the times, it’s been going that route. But at the same

time, when you’re trying to do anything you can to help someone sell their house, an open house is one of the tools. With everything that’s happening, taking that away is probably for the best right now.”

Private viewings with one or two people are still a go, naturally. But that comes with all sorts of safeguards, including signing off on buyer client waivers, masks, sanitization everything one might expect in such a situation.

It’s with a focus of keeping people - both realtors and customers - as safe as possible while still maintaining the ability to do business.

“It’s lucky with those tools we’ve gathered in the last few years, without them I’m not sure where we’d be, it would be a lot tougher for sure… the way things are changing has certainly helped,” McRitchie said.

Mike Botterill 306-631-9663 | Brenda McLash 306-630-5700 | Dave Low 306-631-9201 | Jim Low 306-631-7340 | Jennifer Patterson 306-684-9267 | Ken McDowell 306-631-4624 Marlene Williamson 306-631-7508 | Patricia McDowell 306-631-4188 | Shauna Audette 306-631-0960 | Carmen Davey 306-631-9217 | Julie Davidson 306-631-5099 Larry Mathieson 306-631-1493 | Greg Boyle 306-631-1374 | Twyla Tondevold 306-631-6895 | Chris Harden 306-630-6570 | Kelly Whelan 639-999-0439

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the advantages of working with an

PAGE A36 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, December 2, 2020