The Independent

Vol. 112 No. 03

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

Sun fall . . . The sun makes its way to the horizon, colouring the sky in brilliant reds and oranges, while the bleaker blues fill the winter landscape. We are just about out of January and the days are imperceptibly getting longer. Sooner than you think, we’ll be complaining about the heat! (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)

16 pages

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THURSDAY, JANUARY

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

Trees marked by snow grace the Lloyd Hock Park on Eight Avenue, an end result of the recent storm and blowing snow. While we still have a ways to go with Old Man Winter - a perhaps some cold days ahead - we are nearing the end!

(Independent Photos by Kevin Brautigam)

THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK - 3

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

Canada and Saskatchewan make $9.8 million investment into crop research Last Tuesday, Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food MarieClaude Bibeau and Saskatchewan’s Premier Scott Moe announced $9.8 million in funding for 39 crop-related research projects through Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Development Fund (ADF).

“Despite challenges caused by the COVID19 pandemic, Canada’s crop sector has continued to work hard to ensure Canadians and families

around the world have access to high-quality products,” Bibeau said.

“Investing in research helps producers grow the food the world needs in the most efficient and sustainable way possible.

These applied research projects will help producers innovate and create growth.”

“Saskatchewan’s agriculture sector has incredible growth potential and this targeted investment will help our producers and agri-businesses inno-

vate to continue to deliver what the world needs,” Moe said. “This investment supports the bold goals in the Saskatchewan Growth Plan that will see our crop production increase to 45 million tonnes, agriculture exports increase to $20 billion and value-added revenue increase to $10 billion.”

Support for ADF projects is awarded on a competitive basis to researchers looking to examine areas of importance to

Compromised health records a serious concern, say NDP The recent serious security breach for Saskatchewan’s e-health records highlights a failure to keep people’s personal health information secure and private, says the NDP. The government has been slow to identify and acknowledge the breach publicly and appear not to be pursuing any more information on who was affected.

“This is people’s personal and sensitive information,” said Official Opposition Health Critic, Vicki Mowat. “So far, we don’t know which individuals records were accessed, by

whom, and what might be done with them. Obviously there are serious gaps in our security systems that have to be addressed immediately, but it is also critical that Saskatchewan families are provided with a clear and accurate accounting of what personal health information is out there.”

The government recently announced a review of the governance management and program operations at eHealth but has given no indication that individuals affected by the province’s largest ever security breach would be

contacted. The government has said that a minimum of 547,145 files with people’s health records and personal information were accessed in the ransomware attack, but admitted that the number could be significantly higher.

“If someone has accessed my personal information, I’d want to know,” said Mowat. “This kind of breach leaves people open to identity theft and all sorts of fraud. The government has a duty to notify every person in Saskatchewan whose files were accessed.”

Saskatchewan producers.

In addition to funding provided by the federal and provincial governments, the following industry partners have contributed a total of more than $3.1 million in funding to these projects: Western Grains Research Foundation, Saskatchewan Alfalfa Seed Producers, Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission, Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission, Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, Alberta

Wheat Commission and Manitoba Crop Alliance.

“Sask Wheat has invested $12.9 million of producer funding through the ADF process since 2015,” Sask Wheat Chair Brett Halstead said. “The program provides opportunities for quality, innovative projects that will benefit Saskatchewan grain producers. The ADF funding process allows us to collaborate with other Prairie crop commissions, connect with researchers and fund projects that are developing crop varieties with greater yield potentials and resistance to common pests and envi-

ronmental stressors. The benefits of farmer-funded research goes beyond farm gate, increasing market opportunities for Canadian crops and leading to a stronger agriculture sector and provincial economy.”

The ADF is supported through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year, $3 billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the agriculture and agri-food sector. This includes a $388-million investment in strategic initiatives for Saskatchewan agriculture.

No games, but players still hitting the ice . . . Biggar Minor Hockey may not have game days, but they are still using the Jubilee Stadium for workouts and practices. Restrictions make it hard - distances, numbers and masks - but kids are still able to get a break from the COVID merry-go-round, getting in as close to normal a hockey season. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)

Saskatchewan gets top global ranking in international mining report

Province ranked first in Opportunity Index

Snow be gone . . . Town of Biggar crews have been out cleaning streets once again, making life a wee bit easier for motorists after the recent storm. Be patient, they will get to your street, and if you can, a pat on the back sure helps - we have a great group of folks making sure our town is easily accessible. (Independent Photo

by Kevin Brautigam)

Biggar Food For Thought Annual Report 2020

by Barb deHaan Biggar Food Bank had a busy year in 2020.

We packed 160 hampers, plus gave out 33 vouchers for groceries at Christmas time for totals of 280 adults, 130 children and 79 families.

The Food Bank received generous donations from various businesses in

town, the Biggar Health Foundation, churches and individuals, plus food drives by the air cadets and BCS 2000. The Food Bank could not function without the generosity of members of this community and the work of volunteers who shop and prepare these hampers each month.

The general public is invited to the Annual General Meeting on February 17, 2020, 10:30 a.m. in the board room at Tim Hammond Realty.

Feel free to call the Food Bank if you have questions or require assistance- 306-951-7510.

The 2020 edition of the Mining Journal Intelligence World Risk Report ranks Saskatchewan among the very top jurisdictions globally for doing business in the mining sector.

“This report confirms that Saskatchewan, through stable policies and regulation, has created among the strongest mining investment climates in the world,” Energy and Resources Minister Bronwyn Eyre said. “The mining sector plays a critical role

in our economic recovery, and we will continue to ensure that Saskatchewan is among the top international jurisdictions for investment in the exploration and development of minerals.”

Saskatchewan achieved the highest rating in the report’s Opportunity Index, a combination of perceived mineral potential and investment risk.

With respect to overall investment, Saskatchewan was one of only two jurisdictions that achieved the highest AAA rating.

The report looked at five major areas, including

Numbers for January 21 I18 - I27 - N44 - G60 - O67

legal, governance, social, fiscal, and infrastructure performance metrics.

The report, which is published in London, UK by an Australian-owned company, relied on survey responses from more than 900 mining sector professionals, combined with 10 metrics from established, risk-related indices in determining the rankings. The report ranks 111 jurisdictions across 83 countries.

Saskatchewan’s 10-year Growth Plan, released in November 2019, aims to attract further investment in the province’s world-class mining sector. Its targets include increasing the annual value of uranium sales to $2 billion, potash sales to $9 billion, and encouraging the exploration and development of strategic metals and minerals in Saskatchewan.

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Opinions

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

Why can’t Trudeau grasp what ‘conflict of interest’ means?

by Michael Taube Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been criticized for his seemingly cavalier attitude with respect to parliamentary procedure and taking ethical stands. The running joke has been that either he doesn’t know, doesn’t care or experiences things differently than others.

Here’s yet another example and it’s one of the strangest to date.

Trudeau, like many of his predecessors, conducts year-end interviews with the major TV networks. He goes on CBC, CTV and Global and discusses topical issues, policies and/or controversies.

Although there have been brief moments where the conversation gets animated, most questions tend to be of the softball variety and are easy to directly address or quickly deflect.

Yet the PM said something rather stunning and revealing during one of his year-end chats.

CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton broached the subject of the WE Charity scandal. She correctly pointed out Trudeau had “placed himself in a position of conflict at the cabinet table … knowing at least that your wife had been paid by the organization for speaking, your brother and your mother.”

Barton then asked Trudeau point-blank, “Do you have an ethical blind spot? How does this keep happening to you?”

Two good questions that demanded two good answers. They received nothing of the sort.

Trudeau responded by discussing how the Liberals promised Canadians they would “have their back” during the pan-

demic, which had nothing to do with her questions. When she asked for a tie-in, he argued the grant that WE Charity was going to administer would have played into this. Nice try but that’s nothing more than window dressing.

The PM agreed he should have “recused himself because of the optics and I’m sorry that I didn’t.” When Barton pointed out his blind spot had prevented students from getting this grant, he acknowledged this – and then tried to deflect by mentioning the introduction of the Canadian Emergency Student Benefit, which obviously isn’t the same thing.

Barton then asked Trudeau how he would prevent this scenario from happening again and whether “there is (Continued on Page 7)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME They MUST be signed, approximately 300 words in length and are subject to editing. Thank Yous will not be permitted in letters

Prairie provinces can thrive with greater Asian trade

by Alexandre Massaux, research associate, Frontier Centre for Public Policy.

In November, China and 14 Asia-Pacific countries including Japan and South Korea signed a free-trade deal covering 2.2 billion people and nearly 30 per cent of international trade.

This Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership shows that the Pacific region continues to reinforce its place as the world’s leading trade hub.

Canada and, more precisely, the Prairie provinces have to use the opportunities presented by the trade consolidation in East Asia.

The trading potential of the Prairies The Prairies have essential mining and agricultural sectors.

For Alberta in 2019, mining, quarrying, and

the

oil and gas extraction represented 16 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) and was the leading economic sector in the province.

For Saskatchewan, this sector produced 25.7 per cent of its GDP the same year, and agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting produced 8.8 per cent.

These primary sectors were fuelled by the diversity of resources in the soil of these provinces.

Moreover, the Prairies are competitive when it comes to investment and development. The Fraser Institute’s Annual Survey of Mining Companies ranked Saskatchewan the most attractive jurisdiction in Canada for mining investment in 2019. This survey also ranked Alberta and Saskatchewan as first and third Canadian provinces for mining policies’ attractiveness. This gives the Prairies crucial

assets to reinforce international trade.

Both Alberta and Saskatchewan are oriented towards international trade, mainly with the United States, but also East and South Asia.

In 2017, the oil and gas industry in Alberta and Saskatchewan was the single largest contributor to the export success of Western Canada (including Manitoba and British Columbia): 41 per cent of region’s exportation value came from this sector.

And 72 per cent of Alberta’s exports are related to minerals (including fuels) and 10 per cent to agriculture. For Saskatchewan, 24 per cent of its exports are crude oil, 22 per cent potash and 53 per cent agriculture products.

Asian countries as key trade partners Even if the U.S. stays the leading partner for exports from Alberta

($103 billion) and Saskatchewan ($16 billion), Asian countries are major destinations for Canadian exports.

For both provinces, China is the second trade partner at $4.26 and $3.1 billion, followed by Japan at $1.71 and $1.1 billion. India, Indonesia and Bangladesh are also significant destinations.

And for Alberta, exports to South Korea represent $1.25 billion.

The gravity centre of trade has shifted in the Pacific region. The biggest container ports are in Asia. Based on the World Shipping Council data, six of the top 10 ports are Chinese (seven if you include Hong Kong), one is in South Korea, and the second largest container port is Singapore.

Most of the top 50 ports in the world are on the Pacific Ocean: 17 are Chinese and three are Ameri-

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can. The Vancouver port is ranked 45th, making it the most important Canadian port.

World Shipping Council data also show that the most prominent maritime trade route is AsiaNorth America.

Towards an Asian freetrade policy Some policies have already helped trade between the Prairies and Asia.

The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership is a trade deal between Canada and Asian countries like Japan and Singapore, and Oceania (Australia and New Zealand).

It has opened new markets by eliminating tariffs on many sectors like agriculture, agri-food products and industrial goods.

Both Alberta and Saskatchewan have profited

from this freer trade for their key exports. Moreover, the Saskatchewan government will open trade offices in CPTPP countries like Singapore and Japan, and in India, another key market that’s not part of this zone. This initiative shows a real will to boost trade in the Asian world.

This agreement shows how sound policy can develop the Prairies’ trade and must be reinforced with deals with other countries.

With the COVID-19 recession and the expansion of Chinese influence in Asia and beyond, it’s urgent that Canada and its provinces take the initiative and position themselves in new markets.

People’s lives and work are suffering from the economy’s closure. It’s time to open it through robust export agreements.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

Notable Notes Bob Mason

People have made a lot of mistakes in the past, and, imagine are going to make a lot more in the future although I don’t know!

We have seen huge canals built to drain areas that were later flooded, and other canals to flood areas that were later flooded, and other canals to flood areas (see the Salton Sea disaster) that didn’t work out too good!

Even the complicated “studies” of our economics setups go wrong now and then. Huge factories are built and never produced anything, while others have produced, and found only a small market for their products.

The writer, or if you like, “Doomsayer”, of course is no exception, having made many a huge mistake himself. As a matterof-fact, there is a saying about making mistakes that sez “we learn from them”! Over the centuries stuff like: “Boy those rhubarb leaves look tasty, I’m going to serve some of them for greens!”

If making mistakes adds to our learning and “know-how” about things, you’d think Y.T. would be pretty smart, even a genius by now, eh?

Sorry! Although he has been through a few things in his extended lifetime,

he still hitches the “cart before the horse” now and then!

Ever since, as a Boy Scout, he was involved in that “canoe smashing” incident at Little Red River, north of P.A., he has realized that pushing on a rope doesn’t have much affect on where a big tree falls! All you can do is buy a few canoes!

Or, I’ll just backburn a little strip here, “I thot,” so that if my fire does get away it won’t burn the whole thistle-packed shelter-belt down!” Sorry again!

We have learned a little bit though from some of the mistakes we have made, like closing the pasture gate! We had quite a time rounding up that herd as they scattered all over our fields!

Or trying to go through a shallow slough at 30 miles per hour with the old car. There were no “splash pans” in those days! Or loaning a ten dollar bill to a guy whom you knew would never pay it back!

We’ve all made mistakes, and some of Y.T.’s are sure dandies. Some years ago when they presented him with that M.M., he had a choice of taking $100 now, or $5 per year for the rest of his life.

Being a dumb, poor at arithmetic Private, he took the $100, bought a wedding ring with it, and had one of the nicest families around! I’m not sure about his math but mebbe it can be explained by the fact that he, as L105485 Private Mason, R.G., had just come off of a job where you weren’t expected to live very long!

Maybe he can’t claim that one as a mistake, eh?

Mebbe the above-men-

Errata a la Y.T.

tioned, mixed-up stuff though, that in the misseems a little over-famil- take-making department iar to some people, and we are: “Also Rans!”

I suppose that they are!

I could make a few wiseBut Y.T.’s blunders have cracks here about some the advantage that possi- big-shots who made some bly The Independent will big mistakes, but as my mistakenly print some- life insurance policy isn’t time! There are a few hyp- paid up yet, mebbe I’d ocritical people amongst better not! us who often make misAnd we more or less takes to their advantage, uneducated types are and when found out will not alone on this misnever admit it! And they take making stage either. cover their tracks by The famous Winston passing the buck, using Churchill to the Dardaa lot of vague lawyer-like nelles during WW1 where language, and end up by they were slaughtered! saying “It’s not my fault!” And the also famous or “Bob did it!”

C.E.O. (Chief Executive (IE): When we were just Officer) of a big company young children one of the decided to not invest in neighbour’s sons threw a the manufacture of that rock in his mothers kitch- new fangled Velcro stuff! en window, then pointed Sorry, even the big-shots at Y.T. and said just that: make mistakes!

“Bob did it!” His mother One of the biggest mistook most of her wrath takes (if one calls it a misout on me, but I never take!) of Y.T.’s time, was saw that other kid again. in 1929 when the men Well, we never went over who knew, announced there any more! that all was well with When we were small and the world economy. For only went to Saskatoon years, no one seemed to about once every year, care or even think about Dad often pointed out to Genesis 41:14, and yet us a few abandoned build- for all this know-how, as ings north of the city.

Barry Broadfoot wrote, “Factoria,” he said, and we had “Ten Lost Years”! that was our introduction Computers aside, we to some of the big mis- can’t all know everytakes made in Saskatch- thing! ewan.

Sometimes a fellow can’t We often hear about the even make a decent misgreat success of some take anymore, without projects, but rarely about some young hacker pointthe blunders some busi- ing out that his computer nesses have made! “Fac- sez otherwise! toria,” is a good example Often Y.T. wonders of that, an enterprise that how many thousand was perhaps well thought out, except for one thing: “Big money” Politics and some of the messes it gets into, are another story. “The Royal Commission investigating the . . .” et cetera and 1/4 Page even et cetera . . . all fifty pages of it!

It’s almost nice to know

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years of mistakes “man” has made in his past.

Surely our ancient treeclimbing ancestors must have noticed that some branches were stronger than others! And if a million years of mistakes have become part of our heritage while computers don’t make any!, whatever will civilization do without them!

Just because little Bobby Mason (in Grade 1) scrawled 5+5=11 on his exam papers, our teacher marked an X beside it!

The start of a lifetime of

X’s, eh?

Mistakes, as we make them, are part of our life, I think! And I fear the computers that man was created with - our brainsare going to just dry up in our technical world and disappear!

The legs, that he was also created with, are already getting a little too weak to climb the mountains of our future! Modes of transportation, eh?

Mebbe it is a mistake to go on a long hike anymore! But if it is, golf course here I come!

21014ss0

to all the fantastic people who work in the agricultural industry we say thank you for the bountiful harvest

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

6 - THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK

Lucky cat survives a running washing machine

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This lucky cat survived the washing machine, while it was running.

The owner accidentally locked the animal in the machine.

Optimus Jack had crept into the washing machine while owner, Janae Blackman, 22, had her back turned. Oblivious to the fact that Optimus Jack has jumped in, she finished loading the machine and hit the setting for a 30-minute spin.

When Blackman heard a thud in the washer, she quickly stopped the

machine and rescued her kitty. She couldn’t believe it.

“I loaded the washer in the bathroom, then went to the kitchen but I heard a thud in the washer so I looked inside and he was in there scrambling around. I panicked and just thought ‘Oh my God, is this really happening?’”

“I’m just thankful we can stop the washing machine because not everyone’s washing machine does that but when I stop mine the water drains out. He’d only been in there for about a minute but it could have been a lot worse. I got him out,

examined him and dried him off.

“I just couldn’t believe it had really happened. I find comfort in laughing when things like this happen and he looked quite funny.”

Optimus Jack is only nine-months-old but he learned his lesson and hasn’t napped in the washing machine since.

Blackman is a disability mentor and business management student from New York, and said: “I’d had a busy day at work and was catching up on some laundry.”

That was how it all started.

“He hasn’t been in the

washing machine since.”

“He stares at it when a load is in and it looks like he’s thinking how evil it is. He’s definitely learned his lesson.”

She has since went to Facebook to share her story and it has of course went viral.

“I shared it to Facebook to raise awareness so people check their washing machines and the same thing doesn’t happen to them because I was lucky that I’ve got a washing machine that opens.

“I never expected it to go as viral as it did. One second I had 20 likes and the next I had 300, it was crazy.”

21014jj0

How to use the Internet more safely The world relies on computerized devices and the Internet is as much as ever.

As of the third quarter of 2019, there were more than 4.33 billion active Internet users, according to DataReportal.

That marked a 327 million user increase from the year prior. At 8.2 per cent, the growth of active Internet use is now eight times faster than the overall worldwide population growth.

The Internet is used for professional, personal and educational purposes. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the global reliance on the Internet. Without the Internet, it would be much more challenging for people to work and maintain connections with their loved ones during the pandemic. As more time is spent online, it is essential that all Internet users refresh their memories on safety practices.

• Secure your Internet connection. The first step toward safety is to use a secure connection. Your local Internet connection can be a weak point that allows data to be compromised. Use a password-protected router and Wi-Fi connection to improve security.

• Consider using a VPN.

VPN stands for “virtual private network.” When you use a VPN, it encrypts all data from the moment it leaves your computer, tablet or other device and enters the Internet.

It provides an extra layer against hackers, and also can provide secure access to the internet even if you are using public Wi-Fi. • Protect your passwords.

When creating passwords for accounts, do not share them, and also select unique, complicated passwords. Include a mix of numbers, symbols and letters. Avoid using the same passwords for multiple accounts. Longer passwords are always stronger; consider using a favourite quote or song line.

• Enable multi-factor authentication.

This

security feature makes accounts even safer by requiring an extra step before you can log into an account. One example of multi-factor authentication is the random generation of a code that must be entered in addition to the password before an account can be accessed.

• Be careful where you click. There are many lingering risks online, including viruses, spyware bots, Trojan horses, and phishing attacks.

Always think before opening attachments or clicking on links.

Remaining safe when using the Internet is even more important as professionals, students and the general public find themselves relying on online services more and more.

As more time is spent online, it is essential that all internet users refresh their memories on safety practices.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

Agriculture

Carbon Tax hit ing farmers Agriculture Calvin Daniels

by Calvin Daniels Love the concept, or hate it, and there seems little middle ground on this one, the federal carbon tax appears likely to stay in place.

Certainly opposition parties in Ottawa have suggested they would change the tax, but the longer it exists, the more difficult it becomes to eliminate.

And, of course the popularity of the tax ultimately is not a particularly good measure of whether it is a good, or bad one. If popularity were a measure of a tax’s worth income tax and the goods and services tax would long ago have gone off the books.

So, in terms of the carbon tax it is how best to operate within the parametres set out by the tax.

Therein lies some definite confusion because exactly what the carbon tax is supposed to achieve, and exactly how it is calculated is something that is far from easily understood. It’s a bit of a convoluted approach to

carbon being poured into the atmosphere where it can contribute to things such as global warming - itself something that is hotly debated by many.

In very general terms a carbon tax is a fee imposed on the burning of carbon-based fuels (coal, oil, gas).

The tax is seen as a way to force the reduction of fossil fuel usage which is attributed to climate change.

A carbon tax is a way to have users of carbon fuels pay for the suggested damage caused by releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

It is reasoned if the tax is high enough it will motivate a switch to clean energy.

In the process though it hits many industries hard, since alternate energy sources are not as easily accessed as one might think. The farm sector for example, doesn’t have a particularly viable option to diesel fuel when it comes to field operations which produce food for the world.

However, farmers argue it is also time farmers were compensated for the contributions they’ve made toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Most of that reduction has come from moving to less tillage which fees the carbon in the soil into

the air.

Provincial crop commissions and grower associations have been lobbying for a system that would recognize the contribution in a meaningful way.

During the recent Crop Production Week meetings, numerous provincial crop organizations were passing resolutions encouraging provincial and federal government to recognize environmentally friendly farming practices that help reduce carbon emissions.

The groups want a system which allows farmers to generate and sell carbon credits at rates that coincide with carbon pricing mechanisms already established by Ottawa.

The government of Alberta has had a provincially regulated carbon market in place since 2007.

Alberta farmers who comply have been creating and selling credits to carbon credit aggregators for more than a decade.

While the sale of carbon credits would generally seem to add yet more confusion to the overall carbon question, it does make sense if farmers must pay a tax for using fuels that contribute to the problem that they should also stand to benefit from actions they take which mitigate the problem too.

Why can’t Trudeau grasp what ‘conflict of interest’ means? (continued from Page 6

someone helping you see where the potential problems are?”

In spite of the “communications challenge … and optics challenge” this issue ultimately entailed, the PM said “there was no conflict of interest here, there was absolutely no conflict of interest.” He even doubled down and suggested, “there was no conflict here. There was no profiting from this situation.”

This entire exchange was absolutely mind-boggling. As critical as I and others have been of the prime minister, this may very well be the low point of his political career.

That’s saying a lot.

Merriam-Webster defines conflict of interest as a “conflict between

the private interests and the official responsibilities of a person in a position of trust.” While a conflict could be related to financial gain, it’s not limited to this one classification or transaction.

It could involve any situation where someone has something to gain – including titles, honours, social stature and, yes, optics.

Trudeau has separated optics from conflict of interest, for whatever reason. His strategy is to link conflict of interest with financial advantage or “profiting,” and point out that no such thing happened between the federal government and WE Charity.

Why is he doing this?

I have no idea. His defi-

nition is not only completely wrong, it’s incredibly narrow. If he can’t figure out that his family’s involvement, including paid speaking engagements, is not only bad optics but also a conflict of interest with the biggest red flag imaginable, then he really does have an ethical blind spot.

Trudeau needs to sit down with Canada’s ethics commissioner, Mario Dion, and get a clear definition of conflict of interest. Most of Canada’s former PMs, Liberal and Conservative, would have figured it out in a flash.

It appears Trudeau either doesn’t know, doesn’t care or experienced it differently.

Hmm. Where have I heard this before?

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

The Saskatchewan Traveller

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by Trudy and Dale market called Cj Market, Buxton Price: $35.28 plus offering gst per weekjust about Our adventure continues anything you need. There north on Highway 2, called are plenty of places to stay Talk to you later, and eat while in the area. the CamAm Highway.

Urlaknow Tyler, Advertising Consultant Did you that The region is truly an allthe CamAm Highway season playground. stretches north to Continuing north we south from La Ronge, come to the intersection Saskatchewan all the of Highway 264 and to the way to El Paso, Texas on entrance of Prince Albert the Mexican border. The National Park. If you have CanAm Highway is only never been inside the park 1,975.3 miles or 3,178.9 it is truly one of the nicest kilometres in length, that recreational facilities to would take a few days to visit in Saskatchewan. complete.

If you are looking 1/4 Page Travelling northward for a very nice driving you soon notice where the experience you can forest starts and prairie do the â&#x20AC;&#x153;loopâ&#x20AC;? which ends. consists of traveling from The first community we Christopher Lake on come upon is the Village Highway 263 into the park of Christopher Lake. and out on Highway 264.

Christopher Lakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main The scenery is spectacular industry is tourism as it and you never know what is nestled in the Boreal kind of wildlife you will Forest of Lakeland area. see.

It is home to about 300 While in the park a stop year-round residents and at Waskesui is a must. has a variety of activities Waskesui has a fantastic to do in Christopher Lake beach to lay about and and nearby Emma Lake, enjoy a bright sunny day. summer and winter.

It is a year round It is a favourite community with many destination for many activities, whether summer lake goers, a enjoying a day in a hot must when checking out tub or going on a crossthe area beaches. country ski in the winter.

If needing supplies, Waskesui is registered check out a true country as a hamlet and has a year round population of under 50. There are three marinas to get a boat and enjoy some fantastic

fishing on the lake. In the evening you can enjoy live threatre.

If you are into golfing, Waskesui has one the best golf courses in Saskatchewan, and home to the annual â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lobstickâ&#x20AC;? which attracts golfers from all over Saskatchewan, and you have to be on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Listâ&#x20AC;? in order to play.

Did you know that you can hike to the site of famed conservationist Grey Owl who lived on Ajawaan Lake with his

wife, daughter and two beavers. This site has been turned into a interpretive centre. Just outside of the park there is Elk Ridge Resort, home to another spectacular golf course which consists of 27 holes of championship golf.

Elk Ridge is also a year round playground with many activities to enjoy all year a spectacular dining room to further enhance your experience.

Stay tuned for adventures.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s It?

DÄ&#x201A;ĹŹÄ&#x17E; Ä&#x201A; Ä&#x161;Ĺ?ÄŤÄ&#x17E;Ć&#x152;Ä&#x17E;ĹśÄ?Ä&#x17E; Ĺ?Ĺś Ç&#x2021;ŽƾĆ&#x152; Ä?ŽžžƾŜĹ?Ć&#x161;Ç&#x2021; Ä&#x201A;ĹśÄ&#x161; Ç&#x2021;ŽƾĆ&#x152; Ä?Ć&#x152;Ä&#x17E;Ä&#x161;Ĺ?Ć&#x161; ƾŜĹ?ŽŜÍ&#x160;

Ă&#x160;Ă&#x201E;Ă?ÂŽÂ&#x2014;Â&#x203A;Ă&#x2122; Â?Â&#x203A;Â&#x2018;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x192;ÂŽĂ&#x201E;ÂŚ Â&#x192; Â&#x2014;ÂŽĂ&#x2122;Â&#x203A;Â&#x2018;ĂŁĂ&#x160;Ă&#x2122; Biggar & District Credit Union will be accepting nominations for vacant positions on the Board of Directors from February 4 - 18, 2021

&Ĺ˝Ć&#x152; žŽĆ&#x152;Ä&#x17E; Ĺ?ŜĨŽĆ&#x152;ĹľÄ&#x201A;Ć&#x;ŽŜÍ&#x2022; Ç&#x20AC;Ĺ?Ć?Ĺ?Ć&#x161; Ç Ç Ç Í&#x2DC;Ä?Ĺ?Ĺ?Ĺ?Ä&#x201A;Ć&#x152;Ä?ĆľÍ&#x2DC;Ä?Žž Ĺ˝Ć&#x152; Ä&#x161;Ć&#x152;Ĺ˝Ć&#x2030; Ĺ?Ĺś Ć&#x161;Ĺ˝ Ć&#x161;Ĺ&#x161;Ä&#x17E; Ĺ?Ĺ?Ĺ?Ä&#x201A;Ć&#x152;Í&#x2022; >Ä&#x201A;ĹśÄ&#x161;Ĺ?Ć? Ĺ˝Ć&#x152; WÄ&#x17E;Ć&#x152;Ä&#x161;ĆľÄ&#x17E; Ć&#x152;Ä&#x201A;ĹśÄ?Ĺ&#x161;

The Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s it? lady managed to stump you all again! In all fairness though, it was a busy month, what with Christmas and new restrictions.

Maybe a lot just forgot to come in and fill out a ballot!

So, we are leaving this item up for another month. So, what is your guess on what this item is . . . any guess, come on in to our safe environment and fill out a ballot. You could win a whole bag of Biggar goodies!

THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK - 9

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

French woman has been fighting the government for three years to prove she’s not dead If you were to visit Jeanne Pouchain, she would probably treat you with all due hospitality.

The 58-year-old, from the town of Saint-Joseph near Lyon in central France, might show you her extremely fluffy cat and serve you tea, a glass of wine, or whatever the French traditionally serve their guests.

But above all, you would have no doubts that Pouchain is very much alive.

That seems like a strange point to make, but her story just goes to show how you shouldn’t take even something so obvious for granted.

You see, according to the French authorities, Pouchain is dead, deceased, an ex-cat owner. Based on official records, she is no more.

That is, of course, not actually the case but good luck convincing the French state of the fact.

Pouchain has been trying to get herself relisted among since 2017, to no avail.

“I have no identity papers, no health insurance, I cannot prove to the banks that I am alive . . . I’m nothing,” she said.

Indeed, life as one of the living dead is even worse than what zombie movies would have you believe.

Anything that requires official identification is no longer on option for you.

Pouchain can’t have a functional credit card – not that she’d need one since all her bank accounts have been closed due to her supposed demise.

She doesn’t have a driver’s license, a passport, nothing.

As far as authorities are concerned, Pouchain no longer exists.

Her bizarre zombie status got its start more than a decade ago. Back then, Pouchain was a private business owner managing her own company.

In 2004, she had to let one of her employees go, reportedly due to her business losing a major contract. Perhaps there was something fishy going on, as that same year an industrial tribunal ordered her firm to

pay the fired employee $17,000 in damages.

In any case, that was the judges’ decision. However, as the penalty was imposed on Pouchain’s company, not her person, the court ended up not enforcing the ruling when Pouchain didn’t pay sum.

Five years later, in 2009, the ex-employee sued Pouchain again. This time, though, the case got thrown out of court.

After that, though, is when the story starts getting in weird. In 2016, a French appeals court ordered Pouchain’s son and husband to pay the outstanding damages bill.

That was because the court had become convinced that she was dead.

The ex-employee told the industrial tribunal that her ex-employer had not answered her letters and had supposedly past on.

In November 2017, Pouchain’s name was struck from all official records.

She was now officially dead, and so her nightmare began.

Naturally, Pouchain hasn’t taken such an outlandish court decision sitting down – or laying in a coffin. After all, the judges ruled her to be dead without any due process or investigation.

“I went to see a lawyer who told me it would be quickly resolved as I had been to my doctor who certified that I was very much still alive,” Pouchain said.

But as it usually goes with bureaucracy, resurrecting Pouchain wasn’t as easy as she and her lawyer thought. As a court of law had declared dead, a simple doctor’s not didn’t have the authority to bring her back to life.

Sylvain Cormier, Pouchain’s lawyer, is just as flabbergasted as she is that nobody thought to check whether or not his client was still alive.

“It’s a crazy story. I couldn’t believe it. I never thought that a judge would declare someone dead without a certificate,” Courmier said.

“But the plaintiff claimed Mrs. Pouchain was dead, without provid-

ing any proof and everyone believed her. Nobody checked,” he added.

Just this week, Pouchain and her lawyer attempted to bring her back from the grave. They accused the ex-employee of fabricating Pouchain’s death in order to get the outstanding damages compensation from her heirs.

The ex-employee’s lawyer, on the other hand, argued that Pouchains had faked her own death so she wouldn’t have to pay. If that is true – and we’re not saying it is – Pouchain clearly didn’t think such a ploy would backfire this badly.

“It’s time someone said ‘stop’. If I don’t fight nobody is going to fight for me,” Pouchain lamented.

“My husband’s grandmother is 102. She has lived through many things, including the war, but she says she’s never suffered anything as hard as what I’ve been through,” she added.

Being mistakenly removed from the ranks of the living sounds unbelievable, but it’s actually much more common than you might think. In the U.S., for example, more than 12,000 people are wrongly declared dead every year, according to the Smithsonian Magazine.

The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) has maintained the Death Master File since 1980.

Since then, more than half a million Americans have found out in the middle of an ordinary day that they’ve supposedly passed on.

Unlike in Pouchain’s case, most of these mistakes have no malicious previous employees behind them. The most common cause seems to be a simple typo when a dead person’s social security number is entered into the Death File.

Imagine that. One small typing error and your entire life is gone, at least from the official record.

Who knows, it could even happen to you.

When was the last time you checked whether you’re still alive?

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10-THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

Chef Dez on cooking – Honey Garlic Hot Wings for Super Bowl Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner, and although I myself am not a big sports fan, one cannot help but being inundated by the media that this annual game day is fast approaching.

Chicken wings are an extremely popular appetizer, and the price

of ones that are already “flavoured and cooked” compared to raw ones is drastic.

Half the fun is creating something from scratch and nothing is more satisfying than hearing someone say, “Wow, have you tried these wings?

They’re incredible!” The other half of the fun is in all the money you will save. I have been asked many times about the preparing the perfect hot wings, and so today I will share my personal favourite recipe with you.

The only ingredient that

may seem foreign to you is “sambal oelek”. It is a crushed chili product that comes in a liquid/paste form that is basically a re-hydrated form of the dried crushed chilies you have on your spice rack.

It can usually be found in any major grocery store

down the Asian food aisle or imported food aisle.

I hope these wings will enhance your game watching enjoyment along with your other snacks and appetizers. I will, at least, be tuning in to watch the half-time show. Enjoy . . .

Chef Dez on cooking Chef Dez

Honey Garlic Hot Wings

Recipe created by Chef Dez (chefdez.com). “The best of both worlds – Honey Garlic Wings and Hot Wings all in one.” Make sure you serve these with napkins!”

Directions

Ingredients One cup liquid honey; One head of garlic (eight to 10 cloves), crushed; Three to four tablespoons sambal oelek; One tablespoon chili powder; One teaspoon ground cinnamon; Zest from two limes, finely chopped; Juice from two limes; Dash of ground cloves; Dash of ground nutmeg; Salt and pepper; 2 kg chicken wings; One to two tablespoons cornstarch; Three tablespoons beer.

1.) Mix all of the ingredients together (except for the wings and the cornstarch) in a bowl. Put the raw chicken wings in a large freezer bag and pour this mixture onto the wings. Seal the bag and distribute this marinade around the wings thoroughly. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least two to four hours.

2.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

3.) Lay the wings in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining marinade into a pot.

4.) Bake the wings for approximately 25 to 30 minutes until cooked through (internal temperature of 71C or 160F). While the wings are baking, bring the marinade to a full boil over medium-high heat and let boil for approximately one minute, stirring constantly.

5.) After the wings have baked, drain the excess liquid from the baking sheet into the marinade in the pot, while keeping the wings on the baking sheet.

6.) Mix the cornstarch with the beer until completely dissolved. Stir this cornstarch mixture into the hot marinade. Bring this back to a boil, stirring constantly, and it should transform into a thick sauce almost resembling a paste.

7. Distribute this thickened sauce onto the wings evenly. Return the wings to the oven and broil until the sauce has browned slightly, and caramelized onto the wings.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Chef Dez is a chef, writer, and host. Visit him at chefdez.com. Write to him at dez@chefdez.com or P.O. Box 2674, Abbotsford, B.C., V2T 6R4.

High school evacuated after student brings in radioactive dinner plate It’s never a laughing matter when a school gets evacuated. That means lives are in danger, and not just any lives – the lives of children.

But out of all the reasons for a school to trigger evacuation procedures, we’re ready to bet nobody saw this one coming.

The Haddon Township High School – in Haddon Township, New Jersey – had all students and staff pulled out today on January 8. The cause of the evacuation order was the presence of radioactive materials in the school.

Apparently, one student brought in uranium. That just blows your mind on so many levels. How did a high school kid get their hands on uranium? Why did they bring it to the school?

Luckily, it turns out that the student wasn’t actually trying to nuke the school. It’s a one big mess, for sure, but no one tried to intentionally hurt anybody.

And with that, let’s get into the story.

On the morning, around 11:15 a.m., the students and staff at the Haddon Township High School received orders to immediately

leave the building, the Haddon school district’s superintendent Robert J. Fisicaro told Courier Post.

“We learned that a student had brought into the school a potentially dangerous substance,” Fisicaro said.

“Local police, fire, and a hazardous materials (hazmat) team arrived on the scene and immediately investigated the situation, and secured the building,” he added.

A hazmat team combed the school through room by room, while other rescue personnel tended to the evacuated students and staff. After a while, officials declared that it was safe to return to the school.

“There appears to be no danger to the public as a result and all agencies have since departed from school grounds,” the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office said.

Luckily, no one got injured in the rush out of the building – or got radiation sickness.

The hazmat team even identified and removed the offending object from the building.

And this is where it all gets weird. While Fisicaro would not confirm what

the radioactive material was, news outlets have through interview discovered that the culprit was a dinner plate.

You see, in the 1950s, we had already figured out how to make a nuclear bomb. But people weren’t all that sure about the effects of radioactivity, and everybody thought that the future would be nuclear.

Enter Fiestaware, a still active dinnerware manufacturer.

They apparently thought at the time that it would a swell idea to glaze plates with uranium oxide.

And that’s what they did. Yes, the material’s radioactive.

Apparently a student – who has been granted anonymity for understandable reasons – received a Geiger counter as a Christmas present.

To test the gadget, the student and his parents went to buy a Fiestaware plate from an antiques store. These plates are still sold perfectly legally, so it seemed like the easiest avenue to get something radioactive.

Lo and behold, the plate set the Geiger counter off. Excited about the discovery, the student decided to take the plate

to school so science teachers could use it in experiments.

“He’s not trying to blow anything up. He just likes science,” the student’s parent said.

The student brought shards of the plate to his school on Monday, January 4. But the hazmat alert wasn’t triggered until today when a school administrator realized that “holy moly, this thing’s radioactive!”

The student himself was “thankful for the abundance of caution shown by first responders.”

The plate was in the school for a full work week.

That said, it’s not like the plate was an actual hazard to anybody.

According to the student, the hazmat officials contacted a scientist, who confirmed the plate is perfectly safe to keep in a home environment.

It would’ve been a different story if someone had ingested any particles from the plate. Look, don’t ask us how that would’ve happened, but it was a concern authorities had.

The school probably didn’t want the plate back in the science classroom, though.

Women were fined for driving five miles for a walk

Both Jessica Allen and Eliza Moore, 27, were shocked when the Derbyshire Police handed them big fines for walking to the Foremark Reservoir.

Each drove alone to reach the secluded area and thought maybe something happened because they noticed a lot of officers in the car park.

Police informed them that they were in breach of U.K. strict lockdown rules. Also, because they were carrying peppermint teas, their “walk” actually constituted a picnic rather than a socially distanced walk.

According to Derbyshire Police Chief, Rachel Swann, the decision to fine the women has actually been reversed.

“I can confirm that a review into fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued by my officers last week has been completed,” she said in a statement.

“Two fixed penalty notices that were handed to two women who had

travelled to Foremark Reservoir on Thursday have been withdrawn and we have notified the women directly, apologizing for any concern caused. I support the fact that the officers were trying to encourage people to stay local to prevent the spread of the virus.”

“We have been working hard to understand the ever-changing guidance and legislation and to communicate this to our officers in a way that makes it clear what is the right course of action to take.”

She also said that because of the lack of clarity regarding the government guidelines, the rules were up for some interpretation.

“At present there is no clear limit as to how far people can travel to exercise, but government guidance strongly requests people do not leave their local area,” Chief Constable Swann said.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

Sports

THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK - 11

Quarterbacks dominate NFL spotlight

Penton on sports Bruce Penton

The state of the National Football League, where the quarterback is king, is in good shape.

Almost guaranteed for the February 7 Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida, is a classic quarterback matchup.

The crop of young QBs is strong, and seemingly expanding every year.

The crop of old guys, stars destined for the Hall of Fame, is slowly eroding, but their skills remain at a high level.

This year’s playoffs featured four quarterbacks among the best the game has known - Tom Brady,

Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Phillip Rivers.

The latter was the first to be eliminated, as his Indianapolis Colts were beaten by Baltimore Ravens, led by one of the most exciting of the newcomers - Lamar Jackson. Brees, who will retire to a job in a TV broadcast booth, was sidelined the next week, losing to Brady and his Tampa Bay Bucs.

Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City Chiefs is the most prominent member of the new breed. The QB’s resumé already includes a Super Bowl title and a league MVP crown, and it’s likely more of each will accumulate before he calls it a career. Jackson, meanwhile, also has an MVP title, and is arguably the most exciting player wearing an NFL uniform today.

This year’s playoffs also featured two quarterbacks just beginning to post gold stars on their resumés.

One is Buffalo’s thirdyear pro Josh Allen, and the Bills are riding his

skills towards becoming an NFL power.

Whether that manifests to a Super Bowl appearance this year or down the road remains to be seen, but if Allen were to guide the Bills to a Super Bowl title, there would be immediate talk of a statue in his honour.

The Bills, of course, are known infamously as the team that made it to the Super Bowl four years in a row, from 1991-94 - and lost four years in a row.

The second is another third-year player, Baker Mayfield of Cleveland, who led the Browns to their first playoff victory since 1995.

The Browns, who beat Pittsburgh 48-37 Jan. 10 in a wildcard game, fell in the next round to Mahomes and the Chiefs.

Mayfield statue plans, however, are still in the formative stage on the shores of Lake Erie.

Super Bowl 55 is still more than a week away, but the storylines are guaranteed to be intriguing. Brady on his

home field? Rodgers making Green Bay fans forget about Brett Favre?

Mahomes cementing his status as today’s No. 1?

Allen breaking through?

No matter how it shakes down, it will be a classic.

• Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: “Jim Harbaugh has reached an incentive-laced contract extension to coach Michigan football coach through the 2025 season.

No truth to the rumour that Ohio State boosters bankrolled the whole thing.”

• Janice Hough at leftcoastsportsbabe.com, on the James Harden trade to Brooklyn Nets, coached by Canadian Steve Nash: “Harden, Irving and Durant in the same locker room?

I really like Steve Nash.

And hope his insurance has good mental health coverage.”

• Bob Molinaro of pilotonline.com (Hampton, Va.): “The Nets have brought together an amazing array of starstudded head cases. If I

were rookie coach Steve Nash, I’d add two shrinks to my staff - one for the players, one for myself.”

• Comedy writer Brad Dickson of Omaha: “Charles Barkley said pro athletes deserve preferential treatment when it comes to getting the vaccine. Personally, I think the vaccine should be distributed based on a person’s form when driving a golf ball.”

• Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg: “The Tampa Bay-New Orleans playoff game featured quarterbacks Tom Brady and Drew Brees, aged 43 and 42 respectively. You (could have placed) a bet in Las Vegas on which one is the first one to walk into the huddle and say, ‘Now why did I come in here?’

• Jack Finarelli, at sportscurmudgeon.com, on the James Harden trade to Brooklyn: “We will soon find out if James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant learned their lessons about ‘sharing with others’ in

kindergarten.”

• Dwight Perry again: “News alert: This just in: NBA rejects Nets’ desperate request to play games using three basketballs.”

• Phil Mushnick in the New York Post: “The practical subtitle for HBO’s tellmost documentary on Tiger Woods would have been ‘What TV and Other Media Knowingly, Dishonestly Ignored for 25 years.’”

• Former Raiders’ exec Amy Trask, in The Athletic, on how nervous she was about becoming a CBS TV contributor: “I went to our producer and I said, ‘Look, there is a really, really good chance I’m going to throw up all over myself when we go live. His face just lit up and he said, ‘That would be great content.’”

• Wizards guard Bradley Beal, to reporters, on his team’s floundering start: “At this point, we can’t guard a parked car.”

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

Australia nearly executes pigeon for the sin of being American It’s not every day that a state issues a national death warrant on a single bird. But Australia is a place where rules of normal life don’t apply.

Meet Joe, a pigeon named after the U.S. President-elect Joe Biden.

Yesterday, on January 14, Joe was sentenced to death.

Joe had done nothing wrong – he hadn’t pecked the prime minister or pooped on some cherished national landmark. No, his only crime was that people thought he was American.

Luckily for Joe, the question of his nationality was cleared before his blatantly xenophobic execution could take place. In the light of all the facts, it had been proven beyond reasonable doubt that he is indeed a fullblooded ‘Strayan.

But why on Earth did Australia want Joe dead?

Wouldn’t they be more interested in eradicating any of their more pressing wildlife issues, like the spiders or the snakes or any number of other things out to get you?

Let’s find out how Joe

landed on the death row.

Our story begins last year, on December 26. That’s when Kevin Celli-Bird, a resident of Melbourne, discovered Joe in his backyard.

He seemed like an ordinary pigeon, apart from one thing. Joe had an identity tag on his leg.

This is where his troubles took off. Joe’s leg tag suggested that he was a racing pigeon and that he was registered to an owner in Alabama.

Based on the ID tag, Joe had last been seen in Oregon in October 2020.

That would’ve meant that he had by some miracle crossed the entire Pacific Ocean and landed in Australia.

Somehow, Australian authorities were made aware of Joe. And they didn’t like what they heard one bit.

You see, Australia has incredibly strict biosecurity laws. Bringing any animals to the country without a proper permit is simply not allowed.

“Birds arriving from outside Australia can carry a range of diseases of concern for domestic

birds - including our $3.7 billion poultry industry, pet birds as well as our unique native birdlife,” Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment says.

So, it seemed that Joe was an illegal alien on Australian soil. And to put it mildly, the Australian government was not about to stand for that.

In fact, Australia’s Prime Minister Michael McCormack straight up said Joe was about to get a trip to the executioner’s block.

“If Joe has come in a way that has not met our strict biosecurity measures, then bad luck Joe, either fly home or face the consequences,” McCormack said.

The DEWA showed a bit more tact in its response.

The agency isolated the bird for further investigation and said it was cooperating with Celli-Bird, Joe’s finder.

Still, they weren’t exactly working toward saving Joe’s life, either.

Not all officials believed it was right to execute Joe, either. Andy Meddick, a lawmaker in the state of

Victoria where Joe was found and a member of the Animal Justice Party, called for a pigeon pardon.

“Should the federal government allow Joe to live, I am happy to seek assurances that he is not a flight risk,” Meddick said according to AP News.

Celli-Bird also thought that executing the beautiful pigeon he’d found was simply wrong.

“I thought this is just a feel-good story and now you guys want to put this pigeon away,” he said. “It’s not on, you know, you can’t do that, there has got to be other

options.”

Being a man of action, Celli-Bird took it upon himself to find those other options. Since Joe’s leg tag was American, he decided to contact the American Racing Pigeon Union.

Their response saved Joe’s life. It turns out that Joe was not American at all.

“The pigeon found in Australia sports a counterfeit band and need not be destroyed per biosecurity measures, because his actual home is in Australia,” the ARPU said on its Facebook page.

“It is a disappointment that false information spreads so quickly, but we are appreciative that the real pigeon did not stray from the U.S.” Celli-Bird was happy with the result, but felt that he may need to come up with a new name for the bird.

“I might have to change him to Aussie Joe, but he’s just the same pigeon,” Celli-Bird said.

Luckily Joe got his due process and wasn’t wrongfully put to death.

But how he ever got the fake American leg tag remains a mystery.

12 - THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK

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~Brian and Cathy Fick~

Cell: 306-948-7524

Licensed Journeyman Adrian de Haan

306-948-5291

PLUMBING & HEATING Sewing & Embroidery Custom Embroidery t +BDLFUT t 8JOETVJUT t 4IJSUT t )VOUJOH (FBS Teams, Corporate and t #VOOZIVHT t $BQT Personal Attire t 5PRVFT t #BHT

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HEALTH/WELLNESS

Biggar, Sask.

Journeymen Plumber, Gas Fitter, & Electrician on staff

306-717-2818

www.madgesaskrooďŹ ng.com Biggar, Sask.

AUTOMOTIVE

M & N REPAIR Open Monday-Friday Mike Nahorney, Journeyman

Co-Ed Fitness Centre Healthy Lifestyle Weight Loss Personal Training Fitness Classes

â&#x20AC;Śowned and operated

by Brett Barber

Housing for families and seniors Rent based on income

102 - 3rd Ave. W., Biggar

Call: 306-948-2101

www.newuďŹ tness.ca

306-948-9750

HEAVY TRUCK & AUTO Repair TIRES BOATS & RVs FULLY MOBILE MECHANIC

SGI Safety INSPECTIONS

104 - 6th Ave. East, Biggar, Sask.

Southeast entrance of Nova Wood Bldg.

Hoursâ&#x20AC;Ś Monday - Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

306-948-3408

ROSETOWN DENTAL

115 - 1st Avenue West Rosetown, Sask.

OFFICE HOURS

Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Phone:306.882.2123 New Patients Welcome!

Dr. Krista Maedel & Associates

SERVICES

GALLARDO Liner

Passenger Services 122 Main St. - Biggar Depot Macklin to Saskatoon & towns in-between Kindersley to Saskatoon & towns in-between

Special Event, Airport Service or DoctorĘźs Appointments

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HAULING

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MADGE ROOFING INC.

701 - 4th Ave. E., Biggar

Owners/Operators â&#x20AC;˘ Dallas Young â&#x20AC;˘ Claude Young

306-948-3389

ROOFING

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 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

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Ph: 306-948-5133 306-657-8999

hauling with step-deck or highboy semi-trailers â&#x20AC;˘ also buying and selling 2 col/6 straw and forage â&#x20AC;˘ also Machinery Hauling

Dan â&#x20AC;˘ 306-948-7843

Biggar, Sask.

Naty/Michaelâ&#x20AC;Ś

OPTOMETRISTS

223 Main Street Biggar

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Dr. Kirk Ewen Dr. Michelle Skoretz Doctors of Optometry

306-948-2183

Email: hrbbiggar@sasktelnet Website: www.hrblock.ca

LEGAL SERVICES In BIGGAR

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

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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 Hoursâ&#x20AC;Ś

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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CANCER – Jun 22/ Jul 22 Aries, you will get great Cancer be careful with satisfaction from various the way you behave and activities this week. Therepresent yourself this week. fore, fill your schedule You just don’t know who with plenty of things. Take2 col/6 may be watching what you initiative and invite friends do. Keep a low profile. along for an adventure.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 TAURUS – Apr 21/ Receiving mixed messages, Leo? Enlist a trusted May 21 DB Brett…

SAFETY advisor to help you sort Take care of yourself BRETT’S DECORATING & DESIGN SERVICE through the hazy level of this week, Taurus. PracticPrice… inches 1ST AID2.5 communication that is coming self-care may mean = $201.50 s FLOWERS ing your way. Another perbooking a spa treatment plus gst per 6-month prepaid TRAINING s CUSTOM WEDDING or simply catching up on a spective is handy.

DECORATING & EVENTS 1st Aid commitment. training on-line little rest and recuperation.

VIRGO – Aug 24/ s RENTALS… 4ENTS

or classroom. $120 "OUNCY #ASTLE GEMINI – May 22/ Sept 22 Re-Certs Please$85 get back to me with Jun 21 Virgo, this week the Canadian Red Cross changes/corrections by return A few different scenarios stars may be playing tricks For More Info: 102 - 3rd email this morning. on you.

You may stumble may play out in the days to dale@dtjssb.ca Ave. West, come.orThey may be greatly though a few things, but it Biggar, Sask. influenced by how you won’t take long to get back Thanks Urla 951-7700 newufitness@sasktel.net interact with other people, on the right path.

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REAL ESTATE

Shoreline Realty

Cari Perih REALTOR®

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Dave Molberg

Farm & Acreage Salesperson (306) 948-4478 dave.molberg@hammondrealty.ca HammondRealty.ca

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LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

23 Libra, as soon as things get serious this week, you may be ready to make a fast exit. It’s better if you stick around and lend your opinion to the situation at hand.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/ Nov 22 A lot of unknown factors have been slowing you down over the last few weeks, Scorpio. Now that you are no longer impeded, you can put a plan in motion.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 You may get caught up in some conflicts that you’re either not ready for or have no interest to deal with, Sagittarius. Take it all in quietly for now.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Don’t try to rationalize the feelings that are moving through you this week, Capricorn. There is no right or wrong way to feel.

Acknowledge the emotions as they come.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/ Feb 18 Aquarius, do not hide your feelings in a particularly moving situation. Others will empathize with you and appreciate your emotional honesty.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 This week you may want to get away from it all to have a different perspective on your life, Pisces. You may travel even further than first imagined.

14 - THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK

REFLECTIONS

Independent Classifieds

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

New Years Resolutions

by Sue Bernier for the Biggar United Church

Un-unh. Not going to happen. You can’t make me. I will not make New Years Resolutions; only to break them with in the next few days if not hours.

Don’t get me wrong, I used to make resolutions but always forgot about them and didn’t go to the gym, drink less Starbucks nor lose that extra weight. When I did remember my resolutions only to realize that I missed a couple of months, I felt bad about myself.

Until . . . I heard a sermon about how much God loves us as we are.

Wow, what a message; God loves me for me; grey hair, wrinkles, and all.

“The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life” (Job 33:4). “I will praise thee; for I am i fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works.” (Psalm 139:14).

So God made me; He made me won-

derfully and marvellous. How can a New Year’s resolution improve on that?

I don’t believe God makes mistakes so I don’t see the need to make New Years resolutions to improve oneself.

But what if we made life resolutions instead - resolutions to change the way we live within the world, not just ourselves. What if we resolve to be a better friend; a better steward of the gifts given to us; to be a better listener to the whispers God has for us. What if we witness more; lend a helping hand; care for our neighbour.

Look into the mirror through God’s eyes and see that you are wonderfully and marvellously made. You won’t feel the need to make New Year’s resolutions. God loves you just the way you are!

Blessing for a safe and healthy New Year

St. Gabriel Roman Catholic Church Father Edward Gibney 109 - 7th Ave. W, Biggar 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.

Deadline for &ODVVLÀHGV is Monday at 5 p.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

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 Service…11 a.m.

LAND FOR SALE Farm Land For Sale

NE1/4 36-35-12-3 1 mile west of Perdue 125 cultivated acres 35 pasture with spring water, Contact Don Wilkinson

LAND FOR SALE R.M. OF ROSEMOUNT No. 378 NE 25-36-16-3 Assessment 32,400 NW 25-36-16-3 Assessment 124,300 SW 25-36-16-3 Assessment 146,400 SE 26-36-14-3 Assessment 148,400 NE 26-36-14-3 Assessment 157,400 SW 36-36-16-3 Assessment 160,200 SW 14-37-16-3 Assessment 186,600 SE 14-37-16-3 Assessment 176,500 Highest or any offer will not necessarily be accepted.

Tenders will be considered for individual parcels or in combination. A non-certified cheque for 10% of the purchase amount must accompany the tender.

Kindly contact Busse Law only if questions.

Please submit tenders to BUSSE LAW 302 Main Street, Box 669, Biggar, Sask S0K0M0 Phone: 306-948-3346; Fax: 306-948-3366 Email: receptionbusselaw.net Closing date: February 19, 2021 at 5:00 pm

For Rent Central Park Place

has apartments for seniors available in Biggar.

Call 948-3901 or 948-7824

Charter/ Sherwood Apartments in BIGGAR

1 or 2 bedroom, heat and water supplied, wired for cable TV and satellite systems, laundry facilities, appliances, some suites with dishwahers, air conditioning, parking with plug-ins.

For more information call: Risa Management at 306-665-2300 or Andre at 306831-4430

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

Glen Shockey On Jan 10 2021, our amazing and courageous f a t h e r passed away surrounded by his loving family and beautiful partner Doreen Hewitt in the home he so proudly built in 1976. On his own terms he bravely and peacefully made his way onto his next journey.

Dad was born in Delisle on May 17, 1928, the second child of eight siblings, born to Elmer and Barbara (Deane) Shockey.

After growing up on the farm, Dad moved to Saskatoon and began working at the Water Treatment Plant where he remained for 38 years until retirement. As a result of his work ethic, integrity and belief that one needs to stand up for what they believe in, Dad became president of their union and eventually Superintendent in his final years. Both as a co-worker and boss, he was remembered for his sense of humor, fairness and honesty.

In 1953 Dad married Joyce Colborn and had 3 children together. Despite their parting after 24 years, they were able to build a friendship for the sake of their family and remained close friends until Dad’s passing.

Dad married Vera “Helene” Armstrong in 1981 and they were happily married until her death in 2001. Following Helene’s passing, he formed a close bond with Mona Davidson and they were dance partners and remained dear friends until her passing in 2018.

Dad’s love of the country and gardening had him remain at Helene’s family farm

by Perdue until moving into Saskatoon with Doreen in January 2018. Even after moving, he made frequent trips back to make sure his farm cats were fed.

Dad was an avid baseball player and celebrated his proudest achievement as pitcher for the Saskatoon Ambassadors when they won the provincial title in 1962.

When no longer playing, he switched to coaching Glenda in softball.

He was highly involved in the establishment of the Saskatoon Riversdale constituency and was humbly proud that he was on the committee that approached a young lawyer by the name of Roy Romanow to run for the NDP party. They became very dear friends and Roy describes Dad as the most influential person of his political career.

Roy speaks of his admiration for Dad’s wisdom, leadership and passion for what he believed in. And how Dad’s friendship and advice got him through many tough times.

We learned so much from Dad just watching how he lived his life. When asked about the secret to longevity he always said, “never stop moving”. Dad spent many days on the Oasis golf course in Perdue and was so proud of the day he shot his age (84).

He loved golfing with his family and during our final game with him this summer, stood up to the final tee and bombed one straight down the middle for all of us to see. It was a magical moment none of us will forget.

He had many hobbies over the years including carpentry, woodcarving, hunting, fishing and gardening but what he loved most was dancing. Right up until the pandemic he and Doreen danced numerous times a week, often travelling around the province.

BIGGAR INDEPENDENT ONLINE

www.biggarindependent.ca

THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK - 15

OBITUARIES Dad was such a beautiful dancer and Diane and I cherished every dance we had with him, knowing one would be our last.

Every Christmas right up until he moved off the farm in 2018, Dad would deliver a goodie bag filled with homemade fudge, poppycock and peanut brittle. He was something special.

Dad was such a good man and set a great example for so many. His work ethic was second to none in everything he did and he was always willing to lend a hand. And those hands help build many, many houses over the years.

As a father he was strict but fair and oh so much fun. He loved to tease and was known for the twinkle in his eye and quick wit and loved it when someone had a good comeback.

We have such great family memories of time spent at the Shockey farm and at the lake fishing, camping and waterskiing.

Dave has so many fun stories about his hunting adventures with Dad, his uncles and later Shorty Lander and Gary Taylor, two of Dad’s best buddies.

He was loved and respected by so many as was evident by his life long friends, close family and dancing community. Dad was so proud of all of his children and grandchildren and loved the closeness of our family. He spent many hours sitting in the stands cheering on his children and grandchildren in their sports.

We will never forget the fun of when Dad on his return from a hunting trip, chased us around the house pretending to be a monster and giving whisker rubs when he caught us. And taking the “hilly way” home from the Shockey farm with our family singing songs together. We can still hear Dad’s deep baritone voice singing John Brown’s Body.

Dad lived a humble but full life right until his end with his sharp mind and sarcastic wit fully intact. What an incredible 92 years worth celebrating!

We love you Dad/Grandpa and it gives us peace to know you are pain free and Dancing In The Sky. Glen’s family would like to express their appreciation to Dad’s family doctor at the Community Clinic who worked so hard to relieve Dad’s pain. Also to the doctors and nurses on the 3000 flex unit who cared for him during his final week. They showed such kindness and compassion for Dad, recognizing the special man he was.

A celebration of Dad’s life will be held at a later date. Have your dancing shoes ready!

Glen is survived by his loving partner Doreen Hewitt (and her family), his children Diane Jalbert (Rene), Glenda Bell (Lorne) & David Shockey (Heidi).

Grandchildren Clint Young (Christin, children Claire and Connor), Nicole & Allison Jalbert (Josh, daughter Paisley), Kellen (Amanda), Adam (Hope) & Matthew Bell, Brittany (Julian), Briana (Reid) and Thea Shockey.

Stepchildren Allan Armstrong, Cheryl Lebel & families Brother Cliff (Sylvie), Sisters Norma Colborn (Keith), Eleanor Ryan and Shirley Shockey (Harvey) plus many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents Elmer & Dean Shockey, wife Helene, brothers Melvin, Gerald, Hal & Verne, sisters in law Jackie, Joyce (Jo) & Lil, brothers in law Howard Ryan & Ron Kowalski In lieu of flowers, donations in Dad’s memory can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society or Saskatoon Community Clinic.

William (Bill) Stanley Ernest Ewald Redlich 1936 - 2020 McCarty Ernest Redlich, age 84, passed away on June 19, 1927 – Dec. 5, 2020

With sadness the family of William (Bill) McCarty announce his peaceful passing in the early morning of Dec.5, 2020 in the presence of his children Carson and Laura, at the age of 93 years.

Bill is survived by children, Debra Stefanuk (Bill) family Sean, Nicole children (Kacee, Grayson), Josh; Carson McCarty (Cindy) family Allie (Justin) children, (Avery, Emily), Kaila (Jim) Children (Tucker, Olive); Laura Suter (Boyd) family Lyndsey (Wade) children (Bennett, Emma), Draiton, Jared; Audrey Ochs (Leon) family Morgan, Lisa (Chris) child (Declan) Derek, Kate; mother of his children Dorothy (Oesch) McCarty; sisters Ethel, Lois, brothers Bob, Roy, Pat, sisterin-laws, nieces and nephews.

Bill was born June 19, 1927, the third child of Stan and Edith McCarty’s family of ten, at Bents, south of Biggar, Sask. He attended Alert School until grade 8, ferrying his siblings back and forth by horse and buggy. At fifteen Bill started working at Palo Salt Mine with his dad. He was big for his age and they had him driving a cat before he had a license. From there he went out to the northern Alberta oil rigs.

Bill also owned and operated a garage with his brother-in-law Lester Gendreau in Bawlff, Alberta. When the garage sold, he bough an auger rig and along with his brothers Ford and Bob, drilled for mineral samples. On Oct. 23, 1957 he married Dorothy Oesch and together they raised four children on the farm south of Biggar.

He worked his own land with a variety of livestock. Also worked as a farmhand and a well driller with Frank Kolberg. He could witch a well and find water with a willow stick or crowbar. Next he spent time driving a school bus. In 1967 he started with the Town of Biggar where he wore many hats. Bill drove a garbage truck, snowplow and worked at the pool. His favorite job was working at the hockey rink where he made fine ice with his beloved crew of rink rats. Bill loved to fix and mend things. He retired from the Town of Biggar in 1992.

Bill spent his retirement cutting grass and planting trees on his farm. He loved to go fishing even though he never caught anything. He liked to visit with his family and could tell good tall tales. Almost daily he drove to town for coffee at Turbo or Kelly’s. He was rough around the edges and invented a few swear words. He played a mean game of King’s Corner and loved to dance especially the polka. He travelled to Mexico, Palm Springs and Alaska with his friend Ken Gidluck.

The family would like to thank the staff, nurses and Dr. Anton Muller at Biggar & District Long Term Care Home and Hospital for their excellent care. Request any donations in remembrance go to the Care Home Leisure Fund.

Bill will be missed and remembered by family and friends. Cremation will take place with a celebration of his life at a later date.

Gerein Funeral Service entrusted with arrangements: 1-306-948-2669, info@gereinfuneralservice.com www.gereinfuneralservice.com

December 24, 2020 at St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon.

He is survived by his children, Lora, her 2 children and 3 grand children, Ramona , her 3 children and 3 grandchildren and 1 great grand child ,Danny, 1 daughter and 3 grand daughters, Tina, 3 children and 2 grand children, Michael, 4 children and 6 grand children, and Joe. He is also survived by his sisters Alma, Irene, Irma and Edna, and by brothers John, Luther and Karl. He is predeceased by his sister Myrtle.

Ernest was born in Rosetown, Sk. He was raised on the farm near Biggar and went to school at the Orban School. He quit school in grade 3 to work on the farm. On October 18, 1961 he married Margaret Catherine Selkirk who is the mother to their 6 children.

His life and pastime was building his farm and family. That is what made him proud.

He was a Lutheran Church member.

He loved spending time off with his family, fishing and camping at the lake and going to visit his sister's in BC. He never complained no matter how hard times.

He never complained or stopped loving farming. He would say, “that's ok ..things will be better” . He also enjoyed sitting on the front step having a beer and watch the lightning and thunder storms. He was always talking about the weather. He was a kind and loving man and always helping others when he could.

We remember all of us in the car on the way to town singing to the radio, or summer holidays when his sisters and their children came to visit the farm. He would show them how hard he had worked over the year to build his farm. He was so proud of the farm Grampa and Grandma had given him and all of the happy times we spent together. He loved his family.

Condolences for the family may be left at www.saskatoonfuneralhome.com Arrangements are entrusted to Saskatoon Funeral Home (306) 244-5577

auth. by Chief.Agent@MaverickParty.ca

16 - THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

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