The Independent

Vol. 112 No. 02

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

Rack ‘em up . . . A grazing deer looks apprehensive having come through the hunting season unscathed. While the winter has not been particularly harsh, forging for food amongst the snow brings its challenges. This fella doesn’t seem to have too much trouble! (Independent Photo by Kevin

Brautigam)

16 pages

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THURSDAY, JANUARY

22 -- THE BIGGAR,SK SK THE INDEPENDENT, INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR,

With the holiday having passed into what we can only hope is a pleasant memory that is filled with the promise of a better 2021, the outdoors still beckons, giving us all a break from the dreary news cycle of pandemic and virus, riots and unrest. Take some time to get out, breath and enjoy!

(Independent Photos by Kevin Brautigam)

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK - 3

Town of Biggar Council Minutes The regular meeting of Biggar Town Council was held December 15, at 7:15 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Attending the meeting were Mayor Jim Rickwood, Aldermen Alan Boyle, Dakota Ekman, Nicole Hoppe, Kevin McNicholls, Edward Young, and Ivan Young.

Council resolved that the Town Foreman, Mark Haynes be authorized to purchase a new Roots 33 Blower replacement from Xceed Machine Works Inc. in the amount of $2,438.50 plus applicable taxes and shipping.

Council resolved that the following financial reports for November 2020 be accepted as presented: Bank Reconciliation; Statement of Financial Activities.

Council resolved that the General Accounts Paid in the amount of $86,278.74, and the General Accounts Payable in the amount of $112,268, be approved.

Council resolved that the following correspondence be accepted for Council’s information and filed: Saskatchewan In-Motion - GO Out and Play Challenge; Commissionaires - December 8, 2020 Bylaw Report;

Biggar Fire Department - October 2020 Payroll; SaskTel - Rural Fibre Initiative; Water Security Agency - Inspection Report.

Council resolved that the Town of Biggar enter into an agreement with the Biggar Rural District Fire Association with respect to the training grounds on Parcel CC Plan No. 102156588 Ext. 0.

Council resolved that the Town of Biggar renew the 2021 agreement with Loraas Recycling Environmental Services Ltd. for the biweekly curb side collection of residential and commercial recyclable materials as well as a clause to provide waste pickup upon four hour notice if the Town’s garbage truck is out of service.

Council resolved that the Landfill Supervisor Contract between the Town of Biggar and Helga Fellehner for the year 2021 be signed and approved.

Council resolved that the following building permit be approved upon payment of the prescribed fees: FWS Industrial Projects Canada Ltd. - New Viterra Grain Terminal (foundation only); Proposed Parcel V; Sub-

ject to compliance with the points noted in the Plan Examination Report from MuniCode Services Ltd. dated November 26, 2020.

Council resolved that the following be transferred to reserves for 2020: Curling Rink - $20,000.

Also, Council resolved that $16,000 be transferred from reserves for 2020 to the Lloyd Hock Park.

Council resolved that the following water and sewer transfer of arrears to taxes on December 31, 2020 be approved: Lot 10 Block 13 Plan D4770 (Dec. 31, 2019) $104.03; Lot 2 Block 19 Plan D4770 (Oct. 31, 2020) $47.74; Lot 11 Block 20 Plan D4770 (Aug. 31, 2020) $169.12; Lot 14 Block 27 Plan D4770 (Feb. 29, 2020) $119.02; Lots 1-2 Block 34 Plan G167 (Aug. 31, 2020) $53.33; Lot 24 Block 39 Plan G167 (Aug. 31, 2020) $55.

Council resolved that the Town of Biggar enter into a Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency Fire Dispatch Services agreement with Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency for the year 2021.

• Meeting adjourned at 8:33 p.m.

U go here, U go there . . . Biggar U11 coach, Matt Poitras gives his instructions to his socially distanced group of players, Saturday at the Jubilee. While no games are currently being played, local players are still hitting the ice for practice in limited numbers using staggered times, masked and distanced. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)

New venture for Credit Union Bill Hammel, CEO of Biggar and District Credit Union has confirmed that they will be launching a new business in Biggar in January 2021.

Biggar and District Accounting Services will operate from the offices located in the Rural Municipality of Biggar building at 201 Second Avenue West.

Biggar and District

Accounting Services will be a subsidiary wholly owned by Biggar and District Credit Union.

“Our board identified a need in the community for additional tax-planning and accounting services,” stated Hammel.

“This was a natural fit with our vision of providing full financial services for our members.”

Dylan and Amy Haynes

will manage the accounting firm. They are both Chartered Professional Accountants and have recently purchased a house in Biggar. Dylan and Amy have local ties and experience in agriculture, which will be an asset to the new business. They look forward to serving the accounting needs of our communities.

by Sgt Dean Kabaroff, Biggar Detachment Commander The Biggar RCMP responded to 30 calls for service in the detachment area over the last two weeks.

There were 44 vehicles stopped for driving infractions, resulting in 11 tickets and 22 written

warnings being issued.

Biggar RCMP and Rosetown Traffic Services over the last two weeks have charged five people with impaired operation of a motor vehicle. It is very concerning people in our area still choosing to drink and drive. RCMP will continue to make proactive patrols to try to keep our streets and roads safe. Four of the individuals charged were stopped in the surrounding RM’s.

Police will continue to be out actively patrolling and targeting impaired drivers in the RM’s and towns.

On December 22, 2020, Biggar RCMP, assisted

by Maidstone RCMP members completed two search warrants on properties in the RM of Biggar. Stolen property and firearms were seized and the investigation is ongoing. Charges have been laid against a male in their 50’s and a female in

her 20’s. Both are scheduled to appear in Biggar Provincial Court In April, 2021.

Biggar RCMP are requesting the publics assistance involving a hit and run that took place sometime in the early morning of January 9, 2021. A vehicle had driven into a fence causing extensive damage just off Triumph Road. Thankfully no livestock escaped. If anyone has any information regarding this damage they are asked to call the Biggar RCMP. Anyone with information regarding any unsolved crime is asked to contact the Biggar RCMP at 306-948-6600 or Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-2228477 or by e-mail. When using crime stoppers you will remain anonymous and you will not have to go to court. If your information leads to an arrest and conviction you will receive a cash reward.

Biggar RCMP report

Numbers for January 14 No injuries as Fire damages Main Street biz . . . Biggar Fire Department and EMS responded to a fire to E-Kay Enterprises Main Street and Sixth location, Tuesday afternoon. Some damage was reported to the building as smoke can be seen coming from the roof but, more importantly, no one was injured. (Independent

Photo by Kevin Brautigam)

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Opinions

4 - THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

Trump makes American “Grate” again on world stage The classless antics of the 45th President of the United States is making the world more than nervous, if not downright scared.

Coming at the time of a worldwide pandemic, Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud, about how he didn’t lose to Joe Biden and that it is all a conspiracy, well, turning on the TV last week to a news network was like watching a poorly scripted movie.

Cue Gerard Butler, ala, “Olympus Has Fallen”, strike a heroic pose, play some overly dramatic fluffy music. Only the villain of this pic turned out to be the President himself. Oh, crap! This is real! What a plot twist!

With Trump being called delusional in his claims of a conspiracy against him, I would argue he know full well what he is doing. He is desperately trying to stay in power and avoid prosecution when he finally leaves office.

That or Vladimir Putin gave his hacker elite marching orders to feed misinformation to Trump’s redneck supporters, having them gobble up conspiracy theories like an all-you-can-eat buffet, destabilizing a world power. Mission accomplished, Vlad.

Like them or not, America is a top of the heap, world leader. When there is trouble, the rest of the world asks where America stands.

With a significant heap of trouble in America, the United Nations hasn’t made a peep. Gives you an idea who runs the UN, don’t it? But if this happened in a Third World country, the U.S. would be on the soap box, demanding democratically decided election results stand. Instead, Donald incites a riot, and Republican party members and staffers are jumping ship, vainly trying to distance themselves from the “Orange” flames of a self-destructing narcissist.

At the time of writing this little treatise, I’ve never been a big fan of “Big Brother” or reality TV shows, but I have watched nearly every episode of “President Donald Trump”. I’ve vomited, felt guilty, showered in a vain attempt to wipe the shame away. But damn, that season ender on last week? Wow! Knew something big was coming, but that . . . Geez!

I’m just hoping there isn’t a sequel. Maybe North Korean Dictator Kim Jong-un will guest star.

Let’s hope this Trump thing is finally cancelled.

K.B.

Letter to the Editor: Dear Editor, Fear destroys reason When we crossed the border coming back into Canada in April, 2020 we were told that we had to self isolate for 14 days, and if we didn’t comply, we could be fined one million dollars.

The officer was a very congenial young man, and he voluntarily admitted that it sounded “crazy”. I actually laughed.

How many people could pay a million dollar fine?

This seemed extreme, and a red flag was hoisted in my mind. Obviously, the statement by the border patrol officer was meant to instill fear into our hearts. We all know how the story progressed over the following months.

Many people have figured out what is really going on, but there are still plenty of others that have bought into the government narrative. Now, we are entering into the New Year 2021. In spite of the government’s effort to suppress alternative narratives, there is plenty of other good medical advice being offered by medical professionals across Canada and around the world.

It amazes me that many people trust the government with their health more than a practicing physician. The red flag in my mind has now become a huge waving creature.

Fear destroys reason, is a truism on display across the country. We have people screaming at each other over masks. Canadi-

the

an citizens are treated as criminals for not wearing a mask, for having more than the allotted number of people over to their house, for walking their dog in the park, for skating and playing a game of hockey on an outside rink, for feeding the poor.

Huge retail outlets are allowed to remain open, but the small businesses are closed. Church attendance is restricted. You can fly across the border, but you cannot drive your vehicle across. The vast majority of deaths have been in care homes, yet the entire population is placed on lockdowns.

Common sense has left the country.

The testing method they are using is not accurate.

It was never meant to test for viruses.

Dr. Malthouse from British Columbia says that the RNA swab that they take from your nose is magnified about 40 times until they can match the sample of RNA in your nose with the RNA of the coronavirus. If they find even a trace of corona, they will give a positive result for COVID-19.

This is very misleading as these people are not sick and definitely not contagious, and yet it is counted as a case of COVID-19. So, the number of COVID-19 cases is very misleading.

Knut Wittkowski, head of Biostatistics Epidemiology and Research Design at Rockefeller University says influenza cases are being counted as COVID-19.

So, let’s get rid of the fear factor and start using some common sense to resolve the problem. First of all, looking at the statistics, there is no pandemic.

Statistics Canada shows the following: every year 70 to 80 thousand people die of cancer in Canada; every year approximately 50 thousand die of heart disease; approximately 20 thousand die of influenza and other respiratory diseases. We had about 15 thousand deaths from COVID-19. But with doctors being told to put COVID-19 on many death certificates that were not necessarily caused by COVID-19, we have to wonder at the accuracy of these numbers. Also, there is a financial incentive for hospitals regarding COVID-19 cases and deaths. Secondly, accord-

ing to many doctors, there are several cures for COVID-19. Thirdly, 98 per cent of people who get COVID-19, recover.

Google Dr. Richard Bartlett, one of hundreds of doctors who is glad to share his experience with curing COVID-19.

Let’s stop the fear and get back to living our lives.

The federal government has waged psychological warfare on the Canadian people, not to protect us from COVID-19, but to see how far they can push the Canadian people into subservience. This is not a conspiracy theory, the PM said COVID-19 has given him a chance to reimagine Canada. His vision for Canada is a socialistic/communist government…the “Great Reset.”

The majority of Canadi-

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Publications Mail Registrations No. 0008535 Published by THE INDEPENDENT PRINTERS LTD. and issued every Thursday at the office of publication, 122 Main Street, Biggar, Saskatchewan, S0K 0M0 Publishers - Dale and Trudy Buxton Editor - Kevin Brautigam Composition - Fallon Neugebauer

ans have no desire to live in a socialist society, but if we don’t wake up very soon and start realizing that all these restrictions have nothing to do with COVID-19, but instead these restrictions are preparing the people for a society that says, “How high?” when the government says, “jump!”

Have you wondered why some of the government officials took vacations outside of Canada at Christmas? Think about it. Is it because they know the truth about this “pandemic” so they have no fear?

Educate yourself. Do your own research. The main stream media is bought out so they will not tell you anything different than what they are told. It could be that we are entering the time

described in Revelation chapter 13: 12-17. The global system is pushing its agenda to set up a one world religious-political system which would require all people to follow their rules and religion. Do not be afraid, think for your self. Be reasonable and use common sense.

Our biggest fight is not against a pandemic, but against tyranny and power, against control, against the loss of freedom. I will end with a quotation that is written in the “ancient book”, Isaiah 59:14: “Justice stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and honesty cannot enter.”

Find the truth. The truth will set you free and fear will be cast out.

Marjorie Fortney, Biggar

www.biggarindependent.ca

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P. O. Box 40 Biggar, SK S0K 0M0

COPYRIGHT The contents of The Independent are protected by copyright. Reproduction of any material herein may be made only with the written permission of the publisher.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Biggar Independent invites the public to participate in its letters to the Editor section. All letters must be signed.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.

THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK - 5

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

Robert Mason - B.N.E. (Cum Laude) Notable Notes Bob Mason

This idea may seem a little odd to some people (a lot of folks think every thing I say is odd anyway!), but after having looked through a lot of the books scattered around my desk, and having sat on “Coffee Row” quite a bit, the idea of being an “expert” on anything sure doesn’t appeal to me at all!

After having spent most of his life at half a dozen things and trying to make a living, Y.T. (Yours Truly) has become what is known as a “Jack of all Trades, yet (sorry about this!) “Master” of none!

It has always bothered him too, that most people seem to know more about everything than he does. Being the shy retiring type that everyone knows he is, he usually just stands back and lets the “experts” have their “heads”.* This, of course always makes him look a little dumber than usual! Darn it! I’ve gotta stop making those self-incriminating comments, eh?

Being a kind of “Old School” type, a lot of our modern technology is way over Y.T.’s head, and although without a doubt there are some people who know how a lot of their stuff works, I’ll bet there are a lot more who know that it just works . . . Period!

Y.T. just stands back and sez things like, “I didn’t know that” not too smart an expression, eh?

If Y.T. could fix a CD player or an iPod by using

a piece of haywire, he could claim a little “know how”, but (sorry again) I’m afraid a lot of young people don’t know what haywire is, let alone fixing something with it!

Expertise-wise, there are sure a lot of different things for a fellow to look at and choose what he wants to be especially proficient in, so Yours Truly looked and thought then looked and thought again. But he couldn’t see anything that he figured he might excel at!

Of course he thought about his writing, but because his old typewriter is busted and his own scribble leaves a lot to be desired, he more or less just threw up his hands!

All of us want to be noted for something . . . anything . . . and although in his own eyes he is a great guy, I’m afraid that far and wide he isn’t an expert at anything!

Having almost given up on that “expert” chase, he relaxed. A little bit and thought about his golf game (well, it is getting onto spring, eh?) and wondered a little how that great golfing “expert” Tiger Woods is enjoying things.

After comparing Tiger’s game to mine for a moment, and wondering if Y.T. will ever be able to call these “expert” guys by their first names, he decided, “Oh, Heck!” and picked up a Robert Service book lying on his desk.

Let others sing of gold and gear, the joy of being rich; But oh, the days when I was poor, a vagrant in a ditch!

When every dawn was like a gem, so radiant and rare, When I had but a single coat, and not a single care.

These great writers don’t very often get credit for being philosophers

and yet they are! Phi- pert, and a bit sorry for losophers sit and think the people who profess to and probe conditions in know the score? an effort to get a better I supposed that the understanding of things, satisfaction we all seek while writers sit and can be improved a bit by think and probe things in knowing and having a lot, order to construct a bet- but the ordinary, modter sentence. And often erate, average, mediocre, they end up with a com- compliant person (that’s mon thought! And Ser- the rest of us!) have the vice really believed what above advantage to get he wrote! along. And that is what “And so, frail creature makes life worthwhile! of a day, let’s have a good Like the old adage sez, time while we may!

“It’s the doing of things And do the very best we that counts the most” can to give one to our felMebbe the annular rings low man! on Y.T.’s trunk are beginI’ve come to know that ning to show a bit here by storing health is far bet- these off-beat ideas, but ter than storing wealth! after checking a bit he And smug success has finds that most of us have little worth, besides the to accept B.N.E.! People simple joys of earth! are people, no matter Sure, the above lines how intelligent or influwere written by a great ential they seem to be. author! And sure, he A friend of Y.T.’s was became famous! But after speaking at a Rotary Club he wrote the lines above convention in Saskahe just disappeared and toon, and as Y.T. wanted became a citizen of the to hear what he had to world like you and I . . . say, he asked Harry Haye Just like you and I! (the then president) if he And suddenly I knew could go in. that I had found what “To be a member of the I was looking for! Y.T. Rotary Club,” Harry sez, just sat and smiled. Now “you’ve got to be outabout being a “Bachelor standing in your field!” of Non-Expertism, eh? I “I’ve been outstanding could imagine it all . . . in my field every sumRobert Mason, B.N.E.! mer!” I told him, “waiting Pretty good degree, for my crop to come up!” okay? Surely Y.T. could He laughed (even my qualify for that honour! family doesn’t laugh at Like mentioned at the top that joke) and took me in of this column, “This may to sit at his table! seem a little odd to some”, Penrose and Y.T. shared but the more Y.T. sat back a slit trench in the Hochand thought about it, the wald Forest! “The army more it appealed to him! took me on as an expert I don’t know how the degree-giving people are going to feel about this kind of thing, but to come of us (mostly me!) it darn near makes sense! And it sure points out that anyone with a B.N.E. after there name is someone who mebbe doesn’t know very much but is willing to attack the problems of life with what they do know.

1/4 Page Actually Y.T. is kind of proud of being a non-ex-

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photographer,” he wailed, “and here I am in the bloody infantry, carrying a rifle and scared half to death!”

I don’t have any idea where Pen is now I’m sure his picture is on the wall of some big photographic company boardroom!

But boy was he ever glad that low-class Y.T. was there when he got hit the next day! Y.T. wasn’t even a stretcher-bearer, let alone an “expert” one, but he did make-do with what he did have! *An old horse drivers expression!

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

6 - THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK

Days Before Today Excerpts from The Independent, complied

by The Biggar Museum and Gallery 107 years ago: 1914 – New Bank Building Completed. (That was the Canadian Bank of Commerce, now occupied

by Designs by Ann).

102 years ago: 1919 – Soldier Boys Returning (and the Spanish Flu came with them).

79 years ago: 1942 –

Sugar rationed each person 12 ounces per week. (The Second World War was on, and food was getting rationed, but to me 12 ounces sure seems like a lot of sugar to eat in a week, times have really changed).

70 years ago: 1951 – New telephone exchange at 125 Second Avenue East, Biggar using dial phones.

61 years ago: 1960

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Town’s taxable assessment nears $2 million at year end.

49 years ago: 1972 – Recreation committee discuss concept of recreation complex.

All the information in Days Before Today come from, the “Historical Timeline Biggar Saskatchewan, 1913-1960” and from Biggarencyclopaedia. wikifoundry.com.

Naked fugitive rescued in Australian mangroves I don’t know how it is living in Australia.

From the other side of the globe, it seems like a continent where you can’t mess around.

The sum of my knowledge regarding Australian life comprises seeing Crocodile Dundee in my childhood, pictures on Reddit of giant insects, and the season of wildfires that almost wiped out koalas.

It’s a desert of poisonous, vicious animals surrounded by an ocean filled with teeth. But the people who live there seem to get into hijinks.

I guess if you’re used to surfing with great white sharks, shaking deadly spiders out of your shoes, and having pythons falling through your ceilings, every day is an adventure.

Take, for example, Luke Voskresensky. He’s a 40-year-old fugitive who cut off his electronic monitoring device and disappeared into the bush last week. He was out on bail

for a litany of charges, including armed robbery, aggravated assault, and stealing. I have no experience with either the Australian outback (except for the Bloomin’ Onion) or prison. It’s a tossup, which I’d rather do.

But you have to assume Voskresensky had some prior knowledge about prison, which is why he gave it a shot living off the land.

Based on how it ended, things couldn’t possibly have gone the way Voskresenky wanted out there in the great Australian wilderness.

Cam Faust and Kev Joiner heard Voskresenky’s cries for help in the mangroves outside the Northern Territory city of Darwin. They discovered the fugitive while they were setting crab traps.

He was in a “nest” on tree branches about a meter above crocodile-infested waters. Dirt, mud, insect bites, and cuts covered his body.

By his own account, he

survived for four days, living off the land-eating snails. Oh, and he was naked, his clothes sacrificed for “bits and pieces along the way,” according to the Associated Press.

Did he - did he eat his clothes?

Bless the Australians’ laissez-faire approach to really bizarre circumstances. Joiner reasoned about his discovery of the man, “We thought he just must have had a big night after New Year’s and got lost and done himself a mischief in the bush.”

Joiner and Faust helped the man into their boat.

They figured he wasn’t long for the world if they left him behind. Faust gave Voskresensky the shorts he was wearing and a beer.

“He looked like he needed a beer, although he was in a bad way.”

From this story, it’s impossible to tell if Australia is fantastic or terrifying. Probably both.

Social distancing is now in fashion. . . literally

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Scroll through your For You Page on TikTok, and a weird theme appears of people monetizing just about anything – muscular guys chopping wood, hippies repotting plants, Millennials lipsynching.

Something about people in their cluttered bedrooms, making a living without succumbing to a souldraining retail job, is charming.

But it’s also concerning that this is all the fruit late-stage capitalism has to bear. So is it anyone’s fault that someone is selling “crop tops” made from public transportation seat covers? It seems more like this was the inevitable destiny of our consumer-worshipping culture since the creation of money.

The story comes from Depop, a “social shopping app” that I don’t understand at all.

You can sell your used designer clothes, your label, your local train line’s label, whatever.

The Twitter account Depop Drama reports on all the wild stuff people find on Depop that falls far outside the designer fashion realm.

For instance, a dead frog someone discovered in the pocket of pants they purchased.

Depop Drama shared the post for a “crop top” that bore a remarkable similarity to the seat covers from Chiltern Railways in the UK. The covers wrap around the train seats and advise passengers to leave seats open for the sake of social distancing.

The crop-tops of Depop are the same electric blue, feature the same text, and include the Chiltern Railways logo.

True to Depop form, the post isn’t without gratuitous nipple and typos, offering a “social distance children railway” crop top instead of Chiltern Railways.

If crop tops are your thing, it’s not a bad one? The seller mentions they’ve got a few of them so they can

make different sizes.

There has to be some craftsmanship involved; the post’s model is not the same size as a train seat. Which, based on Depop Drama’s tireless reporting, isn’t necessarily the strong suit of sellers on the app.

Check out this headband with pipe cleaner worms superglued on it, for example.

You can’t hate on people trying to make money in a world where it gets harder to get by every day. Somehow Chiltern Railways caught onto the viral tweet. They chimed in via Twitter to let people know they passed the post along to the “appropriate team.”

Can you imagine getting an e-mail letting you know someone stole the pandemic seat covers to sell as crop tops, and now it’s your job to stop that from happening?

Based on the subtweets reported, maybe the railway should look into a new merch line, “Kinda cute, where’s the link?”

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

Agriculture

THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK - 7

Supply and Demand affected by politics

Agriculture Calvin Daniels

by Calvin Daniels When it comes to international trade trying to understand how the intricacies of trade work is frankly impossible, at least for a neophyte like myself, although I try.

At the heart of trade one hopes the key principle of supply and demand remain a foundational concept.

The greater the demand for a product and the lower its supply, the higher the value of that product should be. If 10 countries seek to buy a shipload of wheat but there is only enough supply for six ships, it stands to reason the countries wanting the wheat will pay more to ensure they get one of the six.

Of course the opposite is true as well. The same 10 countries are shopping for wheat and there are 15 shiploads to be sold, they are going to be a thrifty lot in terms of what they are willing to pay.

One would also hope to an extent the marketplace would operate in such a way to allow the lowest cost for producers to do their thing. That seems to be the logical approach, although this is the principle that often hits some serious bumps in the road.

It is all well, and good, to turn to a low cost producer half a world away for commodities, but in a world where there are often disruptions to supply, weather disasters, wars, political change all posing possible issues, that low cost of production supply is not always secure.

And, of course one best be aware of why one country is lower cost in its production than another. If they achieve a lower cost based on more lax safety controls, or on blatantly unfair and unsafe work conditions, the price may still be deemed too high

to pay.

That is why key commodities, milk and flour coming to mind for the North American pallet, are often seen as important to maintain with a country’s own borders to ensure some supply is maintained. We in North America may not see that as critical but in Europe where the ravages of two world wars are still keenly remembered, or Africa where civil strife is often rampant, home production is more keenly pursued.

Of course any trade principle goes by the wayside when governments become involved.

In Canada we should expect that trade with our neighbour the United States is about as straight forward as loading a truck and heading south to a market.

But that is certainly not the case. There have been trade challenges over wheat and pork and soft wood lumber that have dragged on for years over the past 25-years.

And now the U.S. International Trade Commission has announced an investigation into Cana-

dian blueberry imports.

The Trade Commission launched the investigation in September following reports that U.S. farmers are being hurt by

cheaper imported berries from Canada - which suggests low cost production is not a key to trade, at least blueberries.

And so the mystery

of trade continues with politics and domestic food security ultimately trumping a more common sense approach.3 col/6

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Call the HealthLine - 811 if you are experiencing symptoms and require medical advice For the latest information on COVID-19 visit www.saskatchewan.ca/COVID19 Public inquiries may be emailed to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca For general not health-specific inquires related to COVID-19 call 1-855-559-5502 The Business Response Team can be reached at 1-844-800-8688, emailing support for business@gov.sk.ca or by visiting www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-businesses Information on support for workers who have had their employment impacted by the current economic situation is found at www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-workers

Randy Weekes MLA for Biggar-Sask Valley randyweekes.mla@accesscomm.ca / 306-948-4880 / 1-877-948-4880

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8 - THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

The Saskatchewan Traveller

by Trudy and Dale Buxton Our journey continues in Rosthern.

Some of the interesting attractions in Rosthern is the Seager Wheeler Nation Historic Farm, which depicts an early 1900’s farmyard with a video presentation upon arrival and appropriate buildings and animals.

Another attraction is the Station Arts Centre and Tea Room, which is a vibrate, multifaceted art centre which is currently operating out of the 1902 train station. The centre showcases many art pieces from local and Canadian artists as well as a 160 seat theatre.

If your into some historical sites there is the Batoche National Historic Site that is a short drive northeast on Highway 225.

Batoche offers a glimpse into the historical battle between the Metis/First Nations and General Middleton’s Canadian forces. Open June to October.

Did you know that the Canadian Red Cross was started at the battle of Batoche by Sterling Ryerson.

We continue north on the Louis Riel Trail to the community of Duck Lake.

Duck Lake was thought to get its name from the abundance of migratory ducks on the nearby lake.

It was very important in the late 1800’s as it housed the Northwest Mounted Police and was the start of the historic Carlton Trail. There is so much history in the area. The settlement was moved half mile from the lake in order to be part of the railway system. The railway brought a large influx of immigrants, mainly of Doukabour heritage.

Duck Lake was incorporated as a town in 1911 and has a population of around 750 people.

On March 19, 1885, Louis Riel declared the existence of the new

Building Mural at Duck Lake.

Provisional Government of Saskatchewan.

Following that declaration, the Canadian government sought to reassert their control on the territory. On March 26 you had the “Battle of Duck Lake” between the government forces from Fort Carlton and the Metis.

The town has numerous murals on its buildings depicting the old times.

Duck Lake is also the home of famous artist Glen Scrimshaw; his works can be seen at the Interpretive Centre.

Continuing north on the trail we get to the crossroads of Highway 2 and Prince Albert.

Prince Albert is the third largest city of Saskatchewan, and is commonly known as the “Gateway to the North”, originally the area was named “Kistahpinanihk” by the Cree meaning “sitting pretty place”.

In 1866, Reverend James Nisbet arrived into the community to establish a mission for the Cree. Nisbet

named the mission after Albert, Prince Consort and husband to Queen Victoria who had died in 1861. The name stuck as Prince Albert.

At one time Prince Albert was the capital of the District of Saskatchewan in the late 1800’s until Saskatchewan became a province in 1905, and Regina became the capital.

Prince Albert has been represented by three prime ministers of Canada: Sir Wilfrid Laurier the seventh prime minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King the 10th prime minister, and John Diefenbaker the 13th prime minister.

Prince Albert is rich in history and recreation, there are many things to do , like going to a museum or playing a round of golf.

Prince Albert also has a vast theatre community to showcase its wide culture, a great place to visit.

Stay tuned for more adventures.

Church and graveyard at Batoche.

THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK - 9

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

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Biggar and District Credit Union and Biggar and Landis Insurance Services Regional Manager in Landis, Ian Hawkins, right, hands Glenn Harris of the Landis Curling Club a cheque for $365. The donation was raised as part of the Credit Union’s “Casual for a Cause” fund. (Submitted Photo)

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Diane Larouche Ellard of the Biggar and District Credit Union and Biggar and Landis Insurance Services, left, hands Biggar Food For Thought’s Barb deHaan a cheque for $570. The money was raised as part of the Credit Union’s “Casual for a Cause” fund raiser. (Submitted Photo)

Craziest 2020 conspiracy theories

Things got a little wild this year. COVID, the election, wildfires, murder hornets -- it all added up to people turning to social media and internet message boards for answers.

The Internet, long may she reign, is exceptional at making us feel smarter than we are. Type a question into Google; 90 seconds later, you’re an armchair expert about that weird mole on your arm, the electoral college, or the mating cycle of giant pandas.

But there’s no governing body for the Internet, so just anyone with a dialup connection and some heartfelt beliefs can put out content. The result is some wild conspiracy theories that took hold in the public zeitgeist.

COVID-theories The world hasn’t had to deal with a global pandemic in the past century, so, understandably, people are having a hard time wrapping their minds around disease transmission. There’s

been a litany of theories about the source and the cure.

5G Caused the Pandemic The pandemic coincided with the roll-out of 5G Internet, which will support everything from driverless cars to mobile gaming. The increased towers, while an eye-sore, aren’t reprogramming our RNA to make us sick.

Bill Gates Created COVID to Implant Us with Microchips I’d argue that if you have a Social Security number, a cell phone, and a credit score, a microchip won’t track you more than you already are. Still, there aren’t tiny microchips inside the COVID vaccine.

If that technology existed, they’d market and sell it like everything else.

You Can Cure COVID Yourself People are doing some zany things to “cure” COVID on their own, like gargling with bleach and taking malaria medication. The best treatment is good prevention, you know?

Wear a mask.

Bigfoot Lives in Washington State Because of COVID, more people are spending more time outdoors. Which is great, except they’ve left behind record amounts of trash and chaos because this is why we can’t have nice things.

While they’ve been destroying the natural world, they’ve also spotted Bigfoot more than ever before; there are thousands of reported sightings in 2020. Although maybe it’s just bedraggled environmentalists hauling garbage bags filled with litter.

We’re Living in a Simulation This conspiracy theory is nothing new, but after the announcement of murder hornets this year, it seems like someone’s loading up the program with absurd challenges for us.

It’s not just Internet extremists who subscribe to the theory; some of the world’s most brilliant minds put it at 50/50 odds we’re inside a simulation.

10-THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

DraftKings bet on people wanting to bet on drone races

Biggar Food For Thought wins photo contest . . . Biggar Food For Thought is the winner of Rosetown/Kindersley radio’s “Light Up the Night” contest. The winning picture was sent in by Cherry from Biggar, and from an online poll, Biggar’s Food For Thought came out the winner, nabbing a $500 donation. Congratulations! (Independent Photo by Daryl Hasein)

Biggar Legion donates to Food For Thought . . . Biggar Food For Thought’s Barb deHaan accepts a cheque for $1,000 from Biggar Legion President Dale Buxton. The money came from the Biggar Legion’s annual Poppy Fund. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)

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Have you ever heard that saying about how gamblers will bet on anything? There’s a major sports book taking bets on aerial drone races and they think gamblers will be lining up.

Recently, DraftKings said it was taking bets for the championship of the Drone Racing League (DRL).

In Colorado, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Tennessee, and West Virginia, it’s legal to bet on the league’s drone races.

There are regulatory approvals pending in several U.S. states as well.

“The sky is now the limit for DRL fans to get skin in the game, and we’re thrilled to partner with DraftKings to transform our high-speed race competition into the ultimate sport to bet on,” Drone Racing League President Rachel Jacobson said.

“The opportunity for us to elevate our engage-

ment through all forms of gaming and gambling will only increase as mobile betting becomes more adopted across the country.”

Pre-flight shows were hosted by the sports book and the league Friday night on Twitter, ahead of the races that happened this past weekend. The pre-flight info came from expert sports betters and top drone pilots educating fans on how to participate.

The championships events began Saturday.

All races have been virtual this year, in a simulation in which real-life drone physics was incorporated.

It also hosted live drone racing in venues like the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the Alexandrra Palace in London, and an auto-museum in Munich.

There’s a market for this type of betting according to DraftKings, who offered

free-to-play contests on drone races last year.

They wanted to gauge the interest and reported that the response was 30 per cent higher than usual for a new sport on the betting platform.

There have been more than 150,000 entries to these free contests so far. The same as major league football, baseball, and basketball, gamblers could make bets before the races as well as during them.

Consumer research shows that drone race fans are three times more likely to place a bet than major sports fans, and are 90 per cent more likely to be interested in sports betting than the average sports fan.

The drone league was founded in 2015 and is a privately owned New York company. They have held events in six countries.

Coping with stress during uncertain times Stress can affect people’s lives at any moment.

Some say that a certain measure of stress can be a good thing that pushes individuals to try their best to overcome obstacles.

However, chronic stress is potentially dangerous for the mind and body.

2020 has been a stressful year for many people. A global pandemic that emerged in late 2019 and continued into the new year brought with it many changes - some of which are unprecedented.

Concerns about the COVID-19 virus, unemployment, reduced wages, and uncertainty about the future has left many people feeling adrift.

According to the American Psychological Association’s Stress in America survey, the average reported stress level for adults in the United States related to the coronavirus pandemic is 5.9. When asked to rate their stress level in general, the average reported stress for American adults is 5.4. This is higher than the average stress level reported in 2019, which was 4.9, and marks the first significant increase in average reported stress since the survey began in 2007.

Pandemic stress mixed with existing stress may require additional coping techniques.

• Turn negative thinking into positive thinking.

The occasional pep talk can help people manage

their stress. Rather than saying “Everything is going wrong,” tell yourself “I can handle this, I have done it before.” Find the silver lining in situations and they may not feel so stressful.

• Take things one step at a time. Getting ahead of yourself by looking too far into the future can compound stress. Focus on the here and now.

Make to-do lists and take situations as they come day by day or hour by hour. Situations are often fluid, so worrying about something that is weeks away is often fruitless.

• Exercise regularly. Find opportunities to exercise.

The Mayo Clinic says exercise in almost any form can act as a stress reliever. Physical activity can release your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries.

Exercise also can mimic the effects of stress, helping to condition the body to its effects and buffer the cardiovascular, digestive and immune systems from negative effects.

• Seek out social support.

Chances are someone you know also is experiencing increased stress loads.

Find the time for conversation, video chats or safe, socially distanced meet-ups with friends.

Each person can share their unique frustrations and collectively you can work through the stress.

• Don’t drown in perfectionism. Trying to be mistake-free can trigger anxiety and stress.

Being perfect is impossible and everyone makes mistakes. According to Psych Central, mistakemaking can lead to growth and experience, while perfectionism may staunch growth because a person is too afraid to take chances. Not every decision you make will be ideal, but each is a learning experience.

Stress is something most people come up against in their daily lives, perhaps more so than ever this year. But stress can be wrangled and minimized.

Caption: Pandemic stress mixed with existing stress may require additional coping techniques.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

Sports

THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK - 11

NHL vs. The Virus: Which will win?

Penton on sports Bruce Penton

Hockey is to many Canadians as breathing is to the average human, so it’s not surprising that there is great joy across the land now that the National Hockey League has - hold your breath!

- returned to a regular (or, more appropriately, irregular) season of league play.

It’s a risk, of course, with the coronavirus still raging, and the NHL trying to make a go of it without the protective confines of a bubble, which was used so successfully last summer in two Canadian centres and resulted in the Tampa Bay Lightning

winning the Stanley Cup. It won’t be so easy this year. While players, coaches, team executives and media members were last summer restricted to ‘the bubble,’ with little or no chance of the virus causing infections, there is no such protection this year. The NHL brass has divided the 31 teams into four divisions (each with a forgettable corporate name - the Scotiabank North, for example) and plans to play a 56-game schedule with normal travel between cities.

Players will be coming and going from their homes, interacting with wives and children, and almost certainly leading to a number of cases of COVID-19. One player with the virus and not showing symptoms could, in theory, infect his entire team, creating logistical problems of gigantic proportions. Shortly after training camps began, in fact, COVID-19 outbreaks were reported with Dallas Stars and Caroline Hurricanes.

On the other hand, it

might just work with just a few blips. The NHL has been in regular consultation with the National Football League, which played its 256 games within its planned 17-week window, on how to smoothly run a full schedule while a global pandemic continues to rage.

It could work for the NHL. What it will take, though, is millions of dollars for regular testing and contact tracing, and total commitment from players and team officials. A goalie mask takes on a whole new meaning this year.

The NFL wasn’t without its problems. Most teams had minor outbreaks, some more serious than others. The Denver Broncos played one game without a legitimate quarterback, and the Cleveland Browns played their second-last game with all their starting receivers on the sidelines.

The NHL is almost certain to experience similar minor breakouts, so

schedule flexibility will be important. Could a 56-game schedule be reduced to 48 games?

Sure it could.

Could the last day of the regular schedule, May 8, suddenly become May 21? Yes, if required.

With the COVID-19 vaccine starting to be distributed, there is hope that this global health disaster may fade away in 2021.

Navigating the complicated period ahead for the NHL will be challenging, but not impossible.

• Patti Dawn Swansson, aka the River City Renegade: “It’s going to be weird seeing Zdeno Chara in Washington Capitals garb this winter. It’ll be kind of like Pope Francis holding mass in Wrangler jeans, Tony Lama snake skin boots and a Stetson instead of his robe and pointy hat.”

• Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: “Thanks to COVID-19, this Dec. 31 in Times Square will mark the first time in 113 years that there won’t be any New Yorkers on hand to witness a ball getting

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dropped. In other words, no different than a Jets home game in 2020.”

• fark.com, after reports the Yankees were considering signing Yasiel Puig: “Yanks: Y’know, we haven’t signed a fullblown head case since what … A-Rod? Rickey Henderson? Clemens?

We’re due.”

• Another one from fark.com: “The NHL announced that each division will have sponsor names this year. NFL expected to follow suit, starting with the Waste Management NFC East.”

• Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg: “The Chicago Bear lost to the Green Bay Packers 35-16. It was sad when Bears coach, Matt Nagy, called the NFL offices and asked them to find him 20 more points.”

• RJ Currie of sportsdeke. com: “P.K. Subban and Lindsey Vonn have called off their engagement.

I doubt PK is the first hockey player to get cold feet.”

• Patti Dawn Swansson again, on the Vonn-Sub-

ban split: “Hard to figure.

After all, P.K. is one of the NHL’s most notorious divers. And now he’s not willing to take the plunge?”

• Headline in the Washington Post, after the Eagles pulled starting QB Jalen Hurts in the final quarter, cementing a win and playoff berth for WFT: “Tanks for everything.”

• Eagles tackle Lane Johnson, to the Pat McAfee Show, on why he probably won’t be watching the NFL wild-card games: “As a football player, it’d be like a cop coming home watching ‘COPS’.”

• Jack Finarelli of SportsCurmudgeon.com, on rumours the moribund Lions might be looking to trade QB Matthew Stafford: “I do not know if (Detroit) fans should be thrilled about that or not, but I think Matthew Stafford should be elated.”

Care to comment? E-mail brucepenton2003@ yahoo.ca.

12 - THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK

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MADGE ROOFING INC.

701 - 4th Ave. E., Biggar

Owners/Operators • Dallas Young • Claude Young

306-948-3389

ROOFING

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

306.237.7671

TROY MAY, owner/operator

Ph: 306-948-4430 or 306-948-4460

rod.campbell@sasktel.net

117 - 3rd Ave. W.,

Fax: 306-237-TROY email: tmay@hotmail.ca

(New Horizons Bldg) Biggar

Rockin D Trucking & Cattle

210 - 616 Main Street Saskatoon, Sask.

S7H 0J6

Super B outďŹ ts hauling grain and fertilizer in Alberta and Saskatchewan

• Cattle Hauling with 21 ft. gooseneck trailer • Grain Hauling • round and large square bale

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hauling with step-deck or highboy semi-trailers • also buying and selling 2 col/6 straw and forage • also Machinery Hauling

Dan • 306-948-7843

Biggar, Sask.

Naty/Michael‌

OPTOMETRISTS

223 Main Street Biggar

This is what I worked up for the Business & Professional section in Box 580 Biggar, SK paper, 6 month commitment for $161.20 plusSOK gst OMO

Dr. Kirk Ewen Dr. Michelle Skoretz Doctors of Optometry

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LEGAL SERVICES In BIGGAR

Every Tuesday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Attention: Deanna Steven

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&P the next 52 weeks (year) f Biggar Professional Building, hours, as per phon Criminal Law been sent Bill has 223 Main St., Biggar Commercial Law Franchise Advertising Pay For appointments‌ Real Estate Law #102 - 9622 Wills and Estate Law - 42 Avenue, 1-855-651-3311 and AB T6E 5Ya Edmonton, our lawyers, 3 col/6 Phone: 780-448-2166; Jason Peszko Attention: Karen Fax:Lisa 780-438-1233; Watson email: CSC-Edmonton.ac Logan Marchand BLANKET Here is a draft30ofminutes Businesscould & Professional change ad for y Bailee Massett tomorrow, February 23, then theto ad would your life!!! look forward assisting you start o CLASSIFIED and can be contacted at:

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INSURANCE

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SEED CLEANING Ăż Auto & Home Insurance Ăż Farm & Commercial Insurance Ăż Health & Travel Insurance Ăż Life Insurance & Investments Ăż Farm Succession & Estate Planning Ăż Notary Publics Biggar OfďŹ ce Hours‌

Mon. - Tue, Thur - Fri 8:30am - 5pm Wednesday, 9:30am - 5pm

304 Main St., Biggar Phone: 306-948-2204 Toll Free: 1-855-948-2204

Landis OfďŹ ce Hours:

Mon.-Tue, & Fri., 8:30am - 4:30pm Wednesday, 10:00am - 4:30pm

Thursday CLOSED

100 - 2 Ave. W., Landis Phone: 306-658-2044 Toll Free: 1-855-658-2044 nd

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WYLIE SEED &

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For all your Cereal and Pulse Cleaning Call: Bill: Dale:

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CORPORATION Barristers & Solicitors Consultant

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P

Tel: 9 9 Pl 9 W

for any 9 Pl Â… OK Â… M Â… M withou

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ARIES – Mar 21/ Apr 20

CANCER – Jun 22/ Jul 22

Be aware of the impact Cancer, someone draws words can have, Aries. You a proverbial line in the may think what you’re sand and challenges you to saying is innocuous, but it take action. This can be a really can do harm without conflict for you, especially 2 col/6 intent. Be conscious of if you’re not yet ready to what you’re saying. make a move.

TAURUS – Apr 21/ 21 DBMay SAFETY Brett…

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REAL ESTATE

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Try not to nitpick your actions, Virgo. Once you make a decision, stand by your choice and defend it.

Typically your gut and your mind do not steer you in the wrong direction.

THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK-13

LIBRA – Sept 23/ Oct 23

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20

You may need to put rational on the side and be a little reckless in the days ahead, Libra. This may cause some temporary disarray, but take a chance.

Emotions may cloud your judgment, Capricorn.

Try to look at a situation clearly so you can weigh-in in an impartial manner so you have no regrets.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18

You may think you have the perfect plan laid out, Scorpio. However, doubleor even triple-check all of your data. Doing so will provide reassurance.

Sometimes the best things that happen to you can occur in the most unlikely of places, Aquarius. Always keep your eyes open and ready for surprises.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, what you expect to happen this week may turn out to be the opposite of what actually happens. Be prepared for any scenario to come your way.

PISCES – Feb 19/ Mar 20 Don’t fret if you don’t think the same way as another group of people, Pisces. This week you will more fully develop your perspective.

14 - THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK

REFLECTIONS

God is Near Us, and Listening

by Fr. Edward Gibney St. Gabriel Roman Catholic Church

We have all heard the scriptural narrative about how Jesus walked out on the water to assist his friends who were caught in a boat during a storm.

It's most obvious message is the knowledge that when we are in difficulty, Jesus comes near to us to help us and to ease our fears.

But there is one line from that narrative that seems to be out of place.

We are told that he came toward them walking on the seas, but that, “He intended to pass them by.”

Why was this? Why did Jesus choose to pretend to ignore his friends in their fears and delay his saving help?

Simply put, he did this so that the disciples, and us, might fully feel the need of his help, and earnestly request it and understand the need for it.

There are a lot of people in the world that are questioning why God has allowed the coronavirus to cause such suffering, but there are two things that we should understand about the virus in relation to God. Firstly, God did not bring this virus into the world, nor is it some sort of punishment on humanity. Even though many have lost their way and have lived sinful lives, God does not punish the innocent with the guilty. And secondly, because God gave humanity free will, He limits his intervention in the world to defend that free will, and so He is holding back altering the situation regarding the virus. Therefore, we can see that God is not responsible for the virus nor negligent in not eradicating it.

But that does not mean that God has not used this worldly catastrophe to express, to his children, their need for his help. This is a time when God expects his children to recognize their inability to address this situation on their own, to increase their prayer to the Lord, and to place their trust in God. This pandemic has separated a great many people from their usual source of closeness to God, the Church Liturgy and the Community of believers supporting each other in the Church.

But in these times when it seems that God is distant or perhaps even has passed us by, it is now, more than ever, that we need to be making our requests for God's help and intervention.

As much as God may appear to be ‘passing us by,’ in our current sufferings, he is, in fact, walking close by us, waiting to hear our prayers and requests, so as to alleviate our fears.

May God Bless you and keep you safe.

Independent Classifieds

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

BIGGAR INDEPENDENT ONLINE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

OBITUARIES

www.biggarindependent.ca

THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK - 15

COMING EVENTS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2021: DONOR CHOICE Annual meeting at 7:00P.M. At New Horizons Hall.

Donors Choice Board Members and a Representative from local organizations The family of Lee wish to announce supported by Donors Choice please, she left us to be with our Lord on please attend. We need your support.

January 6th, 2021.

Please respect all Covid-19 rules, social Lee was born on July 22nd, 1929 distancing, wear MASKS. to Amalia & Camillo Pellegrini of 2C3 Saskatoon, SK. For Rent NOTICE She is survived by; brothers, Ab and Ron Pellegrini; sister Maria Central Park Specht; sister-in-laws, Dode & Pearl Place Silvernagle; brother-in-laws, Ron has apartments for Silvernagle (Jen); numerous nieces & seniors available HELP STOP THE nephews; in Biggar.

SPREAD OF FAKE NEWS! Her family; Donna Gidluck (Dennis), Wayne Call 948-3901 Silvernagle (Maryann), Ken Silvernagle (Wendy), Butch or 948-7824 The global COVID-19 pandemic means Silvernagle (Shawna), Sherri MacAuley (Greg), Nicole learning how to ;QT^MZVIOTM# [Q`\MMV OZIVLKPQTLZMV \_MV\a Ă…^M OZMI\ Charter/ SPOT fake news has never been more Sherwood OZIVLKPQTLZMV Ă…^M OZMI\ OZMI\ OZIVLKPQTLZMV 4MM _I[ important. predeceased by; husband John; both parents; brother, George; Apartments in Protect yourself BIGGAR in-laws, Steve De Bussac, Gabe Silvernagle, Barbra Bowker, with media literacy 1 or 2 bedroom, Ed Silvernagle. in 4 simple steps. heat and water Her joys in life were 1st and foremost her Religion and her supplied, wired Watch the video at SPOTfakenews.ca family. Her garden was her passion. She tackled many crafts for cable TV and and sewing. She always welcomed you with a drink of tea and satellite systems, laundry facilities, some goodie. Lucky day was homemade buns.

Lee, a daughter of Italian immigrants, grew up and was appliances, some BELIEVE IT? schooled in Saskatoon, She moved to Biggar to work at SaskTel suites with dishwahers, air conDon’t fall victim to and met and married the love of her life, John Silvernagle. ditioning, parking sharing fake news Even when she was busy raising their six children, she worked with plug-ins. about COVID-19 online. at a variety of jobs. She is remembered by many as the For more inforfriendly face behind the desk at Biggar Union Hospital where mation call: Risa Learn the four Management at simple steps that she worked for 30 years. will help you Since retirement, she continued an active life. As a CWL 3 0 6 - 6 6 5 - 2 3 0 0 SPOT fake news or Andre at 306online. member she delivered meals on wheels, helped with Diamond 831-4430 Lodge birthday parties, catering and funeral lunches, In Watch the video at SPOTfakenews.ca addition, she looked after CWL ticket sales during the fall draw, attended all CWL meetings, sings in the choir, visits shut-ins and sewed baptismal bibs.

In the wider community she belonged to New Horizons, Deadline enjoys bowling in the senior league, gardens, and participated for in the senior exercise group.

She spent quality time with her grandchildren and great &ODVVLĂ€HGV grandchildren. Lee enjoyed travel and recently travelled to is Italy with family.

Monday We know Lee to be a kind, understanding and loving person at who is a wonderful example of an active involved volunteer.

St. Gabriel’s CWL was pleased to nominate Lee for the Senior 5 p.m.

Volunteer Appreciation Award.

Gerein Funeral Service entrusted with arrangements.

1-306-948-2669; ; info@gereinfuneralservice.com www.gereinfuneralservice.com

Lena Louis Laura Silvernagle (Pellegrini)

MEMORIAM James K. McKay

June 10, 1932 - January 15, 2019 His tender heart stopped beating, Two willing hands are still.

The one who loved us deeply, Is resting at God’s will.

Until we meet again

Missed and dearly loved

by Annette and Family

John Cormier

In loving memory of a husband, father and grandfather who passed away January 19, 2016 No length of time, no lapse of years Can dim our dear one’s past, For loving thoughts still hold him dear, And will while memory lasts.

Ever remembered and loved by Chris, Marie and Jason (Cameron and Anastesia) Cecile and Blair (Erika, Lauren, Elias and Josephine); Suzanne and Jon

St. Gabriel Roman Catholic Church 109 - 7th Ave. W, Biggar Father Edward Gibney Parish Phone: 306-948-3330 SATURDAY MASS TIME • 7:00 p.m.

SUNDAY MASS TIME • 11:00 a.m.

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Landis SUNDAY MASS TIME • 9 a.m.

Presbyterians, Anglicans and Lutherans will be suspending in person worship for December and January due to the rise in COVID cases. For more information/pastoral services, phone Cindy Hoppe at 948-2947 or John Bennett at 948-2852.

BIGGAR ASSOCIATED GOSPEL CHURCH Sunday Worship at 10:30 a.m.

312 - 8th Ave.W. and corner of Quebec St., Biggar

BIGGAR UNITED CHURCH 907 Quebec St./corner Turnbull Ave., Biggar

No services January 3 Services resume January 10 Services 11 a.m. Covid 19 Guidelines Apply

Masks Required

INQUIRIES CALL CHURCH OFFICE 306-948-2280 LEAVE MESSAGE

Seventh-Day Adventist Church

SATURDAY SERVICES

Contact: 306-948-2481 www.amazingfacts.org

Church Service‌11 a.m.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

FINANCIAL SERVICES OFFICER/INVESTMENT SPECIALIST Looking for a challenging career in a growing organization?

Biggar & District Credit Union requires a self-motivated individual to grow and develop member relationships. The primary responsibilities of this SRVLWLRQ DUH WR DQDO\]H RXU PHPEHUVŇ‹ LQYHVWPHQW QHHGV DQG DVVLVW WKHP in getting the products and services best suited to them.

Required qualifications may include a combination of administrative experience and post-secondary education in the fields of business, commerce or retail. The successful candidate must possess strong teamwork and people skills, attention to detail, and able to deal with change. A mutual fund licence is also required and may be obtained on-the-job.

Why work here? We offer a competitive compensation structure, 8% matched superannuation, and comprehensive group bene fits, with a Health Care Spending Allowance. You would work with a committed team in a challenging, rewarding and fun environment. Career advancement opportunities and continuous learning and development also make this a great place to work!

Biggar & District Credit Union proudly supports the communities we serve and it is our people that make this happen. If you would like to be part of our team, please submit your resume by January 22, 2021 to: Biggar & District Credit Union P.O. Box 670 Biggar, SK S0K 0M0 Phone: 306-948-3352 Fax: 306-948-2053 Attention: Human Resources Email: cathy.hicks@biggarcu.ca We appreciate the interest of all applicants; however only those under consideration will be contacted.

16 - THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

Moon disappeared 1,000 years ago – scientists now know why The sun comes up during the day, and the moon – in one of its varying phases – replaces it at night. That’s just how things are and nothing will change that.

Or so you might think.

But around a thousand years ago, something quite unusual happened.

There was no moon. Or if it was visible, it was dim and dark, a far cry from the usual shining light of the night sky.

We know this because records from people who witnessed it firsthand have been preserved to this day. For example, in May 1110, one English observer wrote: “On the fifth night in the month of May appeared the Moon shining bright in the evening, and afterwards by little and little its light diminished, so that, as soon as night came, it was so completely extinguished withal, that neither light, nor orb, nor anything at all of it was seen.�

What particularly mystified the ancient scholar was the fact that apart from the moon, the sky on that particular night was otherwise perfectly normal. “All the night was the firmament very clear, and the stars over all the heavens shining very bright,� he noted.

But wouldn’t this just be a regular lunar eclipse?

It doesn’t seem so, as records – and modern science – show that during an eclipse, the light

reflected by the moon is still somewhat visible.

In a nutshell, the moon just suddenly disappeared. It clearly came back afterwards, but the phenomenon has puzzled scholars and scientist throughout the ages.

So far, there has been one generally accepted explanation for the moon suddenly going on vacation. According to scientists, the explanation was found in an Icelandic volcanic eruption.

In southern Iceland sits the volcano Hekla, also known by the lovely nickname of Gateway to Hell.

In 1104, Hekla decided to live up to its name and erupted.

From the gates of hell spewed forth fire and brimstone, together with an enormous cloud of sulphuric gases. According to this theory, the sulphuric particles belched out by the mountain traveled up into the stratosphere.

Eventually, they floated back down to Earth, but not without darkening the skies for months, or even years. Scientists have dated ice cores – samples of glacial ice containing these sulphur particles – from Greenland and determined that their age correlated with the eruption of Hekla.

And thus, the mystery is solved. The moon disappeared because a cloud of volcanic material obscured it.

Or that’s what they thought.

Recently, this theory has been

debunked.

New research has shown that dating of the analyzed ice cores was off by seven years for the first millennium CE, and by up to four years after the year 1100. “A prominent discovery arising from this revised ice-core dating is a major and hitherto unrecognized bipolar volcanic signal with sulfate deposition starting in late 1108 or early 1109 CE and persisting until early 1113 CE in the Greenland record,� the researchers say.

There’s a lot of incomprehensible scientific detail that goes into the ice core dating. But the bottom line is this — Hekla’s eruption could not have been the cause of the vanishing moon.

The years just don’t line up.

So if Hekla didn’t hide the moon for sight, what caused it? An alien mothership hovering between the Earth and the moon.

Well, no, it’s nothing quite so wild. According to researchers, the most likely cause is still a volcanic eruption.

They say that, although they haven’t found any records of other atmospheric phenomena associated with volcanoes going boom. “We note that no other evidence of volcanic dust veil, such as a dimming of the sun, red twilight glows and/or reddish solar haloes, could be found during our investigations for the years 1108–1110

CE,� they say.

Despite the lack of historical record, the sulphur deposits in the ice and all other evidence point at a volcano. But which volcano was it?

New research hints that we might have to travel East halfway across the world to find a culprit.

While they can probably never be sure, scientist now believe Mount Asama, a volcano in Central Japan, belched forth the moon-obscuring cloud.

The volcano underwent a months-long eruption in 1108 – just two years before strange things started happening in English skies. “There was a fire at the top of the volcano, a thick layer of ash in the governor’s garden, everywhere the fields and the rice fields are rendered unfit for cultivation. We never saw that in the country. It is a very strange and rare thing,� a Japanese statesman wrote in his diary at the time.

Other research methods, such as tree ring verification and further historic documentation, show that from 1109 to 1110, Japan faced a difficult time. The air grew cold and crops failed – all signs that point to a volcanic cloud blogging sunlight.

History also shows that starting 1109, crops started failing in Western Europe as well. The situation got so bad that a famine broke out.

Putting this all together behind the moon Jim Reiter, MLA that indicates that a massive Rosetown-Elrose vanished from England’s Constituency volcanic eruption – per- skies.

215 Main Street, Rosetown haps that in Japan – Monday It seems everybody – Friday, 9:00 – 5:00just caused wild fluctuation forgot ever happened Tel: it 306-882-4105 in the climate. This erup- and Fax: we’re just now find306-882-4108 tion was also most likely ingTollout it again. free;about 1-855-762-2233 E-mail: jimreitermla@sasktel.net Box 278, Rosetown SK S0L 2V0 Please call with questions or concerns

0$,1 675((7 81,7 526(72:1 6. 6 / 9 .(//< %/2&.Ÿ3$5/ *& &$ Ï .(//<%/2&.03 &$ Ï Ō Ō

Jim Reiter, MLA

Rosetown-Elrose Constituency 215 Main Street, Rosetown Monday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Friday, 9:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5:00 Tel: 306-882-4105 Fax: 306-882-4108 Toll free; 1-855-762-2233 E-mail: jimreitermla@sasktel.net Box 278, Rosetown SK S0L 2V0 Please call with questions or concerns

Working with the local communities, Mid-Sask helps address the needs of local business through: â&#x20AC;˘ A combination of localized long range strategic planning â&#x20AC;˘ Counseling and business development â&#x20AC;˘ Financial assistance up to $150,000 to small, medium sized business and entrepreneurs Mid-Sask Community Futures 500 Progress Avenue, Box 176 Outlook, SK S0L 2N0 P: 306-867-9566 Fax: 306-867-9559 https://cfsask.ca/mid-sask