Vol. 103 No. 23
MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2012
Biggar, Saskatchewan
www.biggarindependent.ca
20 pages
$
1.25 tax included
Weekes lands Cabinet posting expanding to the distant reaches of the province. Biggar MLA Randy Week“They can certainly be es will see his workload part of the answer in increase with his rural and remote recent posting Saskatchewan, and as Minister revery much so the sponsible for Rumining sector,” he ral and Remote said. “We need to Health. make sure there The new asis adequate health signment came care in those areas on May 25 as Pre- Randy Weekes for the people of the mier Brad Wall north, also in indusreorganized his cabinet. try, mining and oil.” The new posting will place First elected in 1999, Green Thumbs . . . St. Gabriel School kids exercise Weekes alongside newly Weekes took over the Gov- their green thumbs, Friday, at Biggar Greenhouse. appointed Health Minis- ernment Whip position in Owner Blair Carruthers, right, watches as the kids plant, ter, Dustin Duncan, who 2007. will be responsible for the “I was just a child when I all the issues that relate complex health ministry overall health file. was elected,” joked Week- to health care in general, is akin to drinking from “I’ll be responsible for es. and of course, my par- a fire hose. At over 40 per working on those issues The cabinet posting has ticular areas of rural and cent of the budget, health and concerns that relate meant a busy week with remote health.” care in Saskatchewan to the unique challenges briefings. Learning the vast and is always a hot election of health care delivery in “Yesterday [May 28] was rural and remote parts of really the first day on the Saskatchewan. Remote job, and so Minister Dunbasically means the far can and I had a tour of the north,” described Weekes. Health Ministry. We spent The new portfolio takes the day meeting the folks by Kevin Brautigam facility west of Biggar, on a greater importance in the Health Ministry of The Independent around Oban - we’re still with the mining sector and going over the areas of Construction will begin negotiating with the inopening more operations responsibility,” he related. shortly on a new 30,000 tonne terested parties as to the in the northern reaches of “The Deputy Minister and high throughput,inland ter- exact site,” explained Jim Saskatchewan. his staff will be giving us minal west of Biggar. Vancha, Customer Service “When he [Premier Brad more detailed briefings “Parrish and Heimbecker Manager for Parrish and Wall] asked me to join over the next few days so will be building a new high Heimbecker, Limited. cabinet, my responsibility we can get up to speed on throughput grain handling The site makes sense would be rural and remote health, but basically how to address the concerns and problems with hospitals closing, either permanently or on a part-time basis, how to keep the “H” up on the highways and have an emergency service open 24/7.” Doctor retention and shortages are a problem that must be addressed, Weekes says. “We’re going to be looking at numerous things, but obviously utilizing locums and nurse practitioners to fill in part of those needs, and emergency services and health in rural areas in general.” STARS, Weekes adds, is Bullish . . . A pro rider takes his eight seconds in the hot seat, Thursday in another big piece of the Asquith during the Aaron Roy PBR Invitational. Check out the ‘Gallery’ section at puzzle, a new tool that will biggarindependent.ca this Wednesday for video of the event! (Independent Photo by see greater use, especially Daryl Hasein) with mining operations
by Kevin Brautigam of The Independent
touring them through the business, showing them how a cutting goes to a colourful thing of beauty. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
topic. “It’s the biggest item in the budget, so from the importance of health care to the citizens of Saskatchewan, it’s a very
important file. I look forward to the challenge, and working with Minister Duncan.” In the coming weeks and
…see Weekes, pg 3
High throughput slated for area as both CN and CP lines meet, and the grade level is favourable. “That will allow us access to both rail lines, and then as well, we are going to be selling grain condos,” added Vancha. The new facility will add to the local economies of Biggar and surrounding area. Similar sized facilities have employed 10 to 15. Along with their families, that pumps more into the economies of Biggar and Landis. “It’s also going to be fullservice, so we’ll also handle crop inputs, fertilizer. The plan is also to have a staff agronomist,” he said. Crews that will build the facility over the upcoming year will also pour cash into local economies. As soon as negotiations are completed with the railways, construction will start, getting operations up and running very quickly. “The plan is to take delivery of grain by fall of 2013.” Roughly a year ago, a local farmer group pur-
sued the notion of a high throughput facility. That is now a reality with the Jim Parrish and Vancha Heimbecker deal. “Really what’s happened with Parrish and Heimbecker is that they have a facility in Saskatoon. I think what happened is that the city said ‘It’s time to move’, because it’s right downtown. So, they were moving anyway, and they met with a group of farmers who were looking for a terminal - it just fit together.” Parrish and Heimbecker, Limited is Canadian- and family-owned, with a storied history dating back 100 years. Headquartered in Winnipeg, the company delves into many areas: flour milling (owning a facility in Saskatoon), a feed division (New Life Feeds), animal and nutrition feed products, crop input services, a grain asset network, trading and merchandising, transportation and logistics.