The Biggar Independent Volume 115 Issue 12

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A Little Help ... The Jubilee Stadium has been a faithful friend over the winter months, hosting hockey, figure skating and recreational skating. With spring now sprung, the rink will new take a back seat to outdoor pursuits. Here, Biggar Central School kids take a final trip around the rink, Friday. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)

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e cost is only pennies a day and it’s better than Facebook

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Biggar U7 Nationals faced their biggest challenge last week ... their biggest fans: mom, dad, a few siblings and Olaf from Frozen fame. With the hockey season at an end for another year, the U7’s campaign was a series of smiles (a few frustrations!) as they forged friendships with teammates, learned fair play and the greatest game on earth. Until next season and the next challenges, the U7’s and all of Biggar Minor Hockey, had a great year!

Photos by Kevin Brautigam)

by

RCMP Report

Sgt. Dereck Crozier, Biggar Detachment

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all those that wished to celebrate. Good to see green drinks didn’t get the better of anybody.

Sixty occurrences were reported in the Biggar area this past week, with traffic related incidents being on the top, seeing 17 citations being issued and 15 warnings. Guess we can’t say those traffic officers don’t have a heart, things seem to be fairly even on both sides.

A Dodge SX reported colliding with a deer on Highway 376 near Arelee. Two vehicles meet unexpectedly in an alley in Biggar but were both drivable. And a snowmobile operator injured their leg near Springwater when a snow drift caught them by surprise. A vehicle trespassing at AGI Envirotank during nonbusiness hours was able to be tracked down to address the issue. Suspicious

vehicle in Perdue reported and was deemed nonsuspicious.

Two males reported with flashlights around an unoccupied home in Perdue. As well, two youth in Biggar ringing doorbells and running away then decided to add a third on another night, however throwing snowballs at windows, garnered a warning.

Dog complaint and neighbour concerns in Duperow, plus a couple of custody disputes reported, and a theft of jewellery by an employee from a moving company.

Two suspicious structure fires this past week in Biggar have prompted arson investigations. However, both are unrelated in nature, but specific to those involved. No advisory issue to the general public. Great work by our volunteer based firefighting team after a busy week.

Take care out there!

CORRECTION: Last week’s Independent contained an error on Page 3. We incorrectly titled the Town of Biggar’s Council minutes as the “RM of Biggar council minute highlights”. We apologize for the error.

Sask. invests $1 Million for skilled trades

The Government of Saskatchewan is investing an additional $1 million to increase the capacity for the development of skilled trades in the province.

This additional funding brings the total investment into the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) to $22.4 million in 2023-24, which supports apprenticeship training in trades such as construction electrician, plumber, sheet metal worker and much more.

“As Saskatchewan’s economy continues to grow, we are seeing a significant number of

capital projects underway or planned throughout the next several years, all of which will create more demand for skilled tradespeople in the province,” Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison said. “This additional funding will create more capacity in our training system, supporting the Saskatchewan Labour Market Strategy and ensuring Saskatchewan people benefit from the opportunities our economy is creating.”

Saskatchewan’s apprenticeship system is tied closely to employer demand, and as the economy grows, so too does demand for skilled

tradespeople. Enabling an agile and responsive training system is critical to ensuring Saskatchewan’s labour force can respond to employer needs. Since 2007, provincial funding for apprenticeship has increased more than 71 per cent and the additional funding will add 150 training seats to SATCC’s programming.

“We are thrilled the Government of Saskatchewan is providing this additional investment in support of our province’s apprenticeship and trade certification system,” SATCC CEO Jeff Ritter said.

“This funding will help us meet the growing

demand for apprenticeship training.”

Investments into the skilled trades in the province support the recently released Saskatchewan’s Labour Market Strategy, which outlines how the province is ensuring Saskatchewan has the labour force it needs to support employer demand and realize the potential of a growing economy. Investments into the SATCC create more opportunities for skilled trades training, enabling more people to get the skills they need to find meaningful employment and create a high quality of life in Saskatchewan.

Building construction increase shows provincial growth

Figures published Monday by Statistics Canada indicate that Saskatchewan ranks third in the nation for year-over-year growth in investment in building construction.

“These statistics are further proof that our investment friendly business environment and stable regulatory regime are leading to economic prosperity for the province,” Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison said.

“As our construction sector continues to flourish, Saskatchewan people are seeing the benefits of a strong economy with more added jobs, and how this economic strength leads to a higher quality of life for communities across our province.”

The latest data shows an 18.4 per cent (seasonally-adjusted) increase in investment in building construction for January 2024 compared to January 2023, which is third in the nation for growth in this category. The province also saw a 2.1 per cent (seasonallyadjusted) rise in month-

over-month growth from December 2023 to January 2024.

In total, $433.0 million was invested in building construction projects during January 2024. Investment in building construction represents the spending value on building construction in the province.

Saskatchewan had further positive data on the economic front with 18,700 new full-time jobs added in February 2024. The province now boasts the third lowest unemployment rate in the nation. This job growth was spurred on by the $12.4 billion in private sector capital investment that flowed into the province last year.

The province also recently launched Securing the Next Decade of Growth: Saskatchewan’s Investment Attraction Strategy, along with a new investSK.ca website. This brand new strategy and website will be tools for increasing further growth in Saskatchewan.

Bingo Numbers for MARCH 21

Biggar fire fighters battled a blaze just outside of Biggar on Highway 51, Friday. The home was lost in the fire. Fortunately, no one was hurt. (Photo for The Independent courtesy of Mat Harrabek)

Blaze destroys home ... An old home on Fourth Avenue West in Biggar was lost to an early morning blaze, Sunday. No one was injured in the fire. (Independent Photo by Dale Buxton)

Dear Editor,

In Canada, nearly 50 per cent of children live in a child care desert, meaning in an area where there are more than three children for every available spot in a child care facility.

While the Canadawide Early Learning and Child Care system has managed to reduce fees by an average of 50 per cent for parents, securing a spot for their child remains a significant challenge.

To ensure every child has a child care spot, three major barriers must be addressed: the labour crisis in the sector, the lack of infrastructure and the threat of privatization.

These are three different barriers, but they have one common solution: sufficient funding from the federal government.

Sufficient funding to recruit and retain staff by offering better working conditions and benefits, including access to a pension plan. Sufficient funding to eliminate child care deserts by opening new

public child care centres across the country. And finally, sufficient funding to build a strong and universal child care system, which will keep private companies at bay, because the education of our children is not a commodity!

The 2024 budget is an opportunity for the government to reaffirm its commitment to make the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care system a reality by investing a $7 billion to resolve the labour crisis in the sector and $10 billion to expand the early childhood education system.

This investment will enable child care workers to continue doing the work that they are passionate about, it will provide children with an opportunity to learn and thrive in the best possible environment and will give parents a chance to fully contribute to their community and our economy.

That is the virtuous circle of investing in our child care.

Ljiljana Knezevic Biggar

Budget will be all about appearance of solutions

We already know a bit of what’s in this 2024-25 pre-election Saskatchewan budget.

Premier Scott Moe took the “unusual” step of going to his public social media to tell followers an everyone else that the education budget will see a nine per cent or $180-million increase to $2.2 billion that will now see $350

million dedicated to dealing with the contentious issue of classroom size and complexity.

Governments supposedly take budget leaks seriously. They make reporters and everyone else sign embargo forms before they get budgets a few hours before an threaten ramifications if any media outlet so much as releases the budget content a minute before the finance minister starts the budget speech in the chamber.

And when budgets are legitimately leaked, they have been known to hire private security to investigate which reporter’s door to knock on to “discuss” the leak - or so was my experience back in 2007.

One gets that budgets often contain tax changes that might give an individual or a company

a competitive advantage.

But for as important as any annual budget truly is, most of the budget general information is on how governments propose to spend our tax dollars in individual departments.

This is borne out by fact that politicians do talk about the budget in broad terms and have even taken to holding embargoed briefing sessions with some media members days in advance. They do this to spin their story of what they want us to believe a budget will accomplish.

In fact, like most bills or government policy, budgets are seen by those in power as another opportunity to make their case as to why they should remain in power.

So perhaps what Moe and his government

have been doing in the lead up the budget isn’t quite as “unusual” as they make it out to beespecially in an election year in which politics is all about making one’s case that government is addressing everyone’s needs.

Critical to that goal of the Saskatchewan Party to continue to govern - or at least, continue to govern with a solid majority - is dealing with those immediate problems before them.

The teachers’ strike is a problem - especially in urban settings where Sask. Party MLAs seem most vulnerable. If it drags on into the fall, it will become an even bigger problem if schools are shut down during the campaign.

With that in mind, the government is doing its utmost to apply pressure

to striking teachers ... or at least get the public on its side.

Immediately after Moe’s address, the government pushed Saskatchewan school boards to sign on to a multiyear funding agreement that calls for a minimum $356.6 million for additional classroom supports until 2027-28.

That amounts to $40.7 million a year more for “classroom supports” than in last year’s budget, plus another $4.9 million for pilot programs.

Of course, there are now other questions of whether it’s enough money, whether the SSBA was coerced into signing on and - perhaps most critically - whether this will be accepted by the teachers if the government isn’t willing to put it the STF contract.

This whole debate comes down to the teachers demanding classroom size and competition be in their contract and the government refusing to do so.

But from the Sask. Party’s perspective, it is clearly hoping that most voters will be satisfied that government has now said it has money set aside in the budget to address the education issues.

Similarly, the government has also been dropping hints that the budget has money set aside for crop insurance, nurse practitioners, more rural doctor and several other issues it deems of pressing concern to voters.

Maybe one single budget won’t change many people’s minds. But this pre-budget period sure seems like an attempt to do so.

Notable

Notes

Bob Mason

It was getting around to that time of year when I looked back at February’s calendar and wondered how in heck I ever put up with that winter of 1945.

Also, I was looking at a whole bunch of papers that had been stuffed into a box, and an address appeared.

Jean Francis Smith

Hearts Content Trinity

Bay Newfoundland

And they whole thing came together and reminded me once again about the Hochwald Forest!

If I remember right -

by Delta Fay Cruickshank for the Biggar Museum and Gallery They came seeking employment, adventure, and a better future for their children. It was

and how can anyone forget - that address is one from a fellow who gave it to me the day before he was KAed (Killed in Action) in the Hochwald.

“Hearts Content” is such a nice name, and “Trinity Bay” surely a place where all is peaceful and serene. And yet it is a reminder of an awful tale ... and there was that name, “Smith”!

I imagine that there are a great many “Smith’s” all over the world, and that almost seems to infer that they are just ordinary guys. Maybe they are, but to the folks back home who wait for their return, they are the most important people in the world!

Not wanting to trust my own recollections too much, and yet kind of wanting to “up” the memory of the guys who were killed or wounded there, I’ll mark down the following quotes about the Hochwald Gap from the pages of “The Guns

The Hochwald

of Victory” by George Blackburn.

“On the map of the gap is about a mile wide at its far eastern side but only 250 metres at its western mouth. Through it runs a railway rightof-way but not a road. General Simonds wants to secure the railway so that tracks can be ripped up and the firm roadbed used as a direct supply route for the upcoming battle for Xanten. It seems that two days ago, Second and Third Division and supporting armour, had been ordered to push on and clear the forest flanks of the Germans. However, before either Division got started, Fourth Armoured Division - that’s us! - were ordered to push along the railway line.”

First, the Algonquins and South Alberta Tanks, in support, tried it. They barely got started when they were forced back. Of the nine Sherman tanks and 12

troop carriers trying to do a “hook” through a railway underpass, only one carrier made it back. Then the Canadian Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (that’s us again!) tried it under cover of darkness. Some elements made it to the eastern end of the gap, but with dawn they were attacked with murderous fire from all sides, and although severely weakened by casualties, they could not be reinforced.

Still, the Lincoln and Welland Regiment was ordered to pass through them. The attack quickly petered out when all the tanks bogged down and foot soldiers came under drenching artillery fire.

Similarly, an attempt by the Lake Superior Regiment and Grenadier Guards ended in disarray. The Fourth Canadian Armoured Division, on February 27 and 28, lost more than 100 tanks.

And, I quote from The

Argyll and Sutherland history book:

“The day of 28th, February 1945 was glorious for the Argylls, and also terrible. It may seem wrong to apply the world “glorious” to such a nightmare of terror, blood, sudden death and slow death as “B” Company, and in somewhat less measure the other companies endured that day. But it was glorious, for at the Hochwald Gap, the most viciously defended bastion of the enemy defenses in the whole area, was still taken. The “Gap” was taken by the Argylls and it was held by them in defiance of probably the most determined enemy attacks launched against the Battalion!”

I don’t know whether a fellow should look on this stuff with some pride or not. Certainly, the men who fought against us had loved ones who worried about them just the same as ours did.

George Blackburn goes

Curthshill and Alert school districts

a hard life, and yet, so many never gave up and as their families grew, they remained in the area.

The only fruit the first settlers had were rhu-

barb and wild berries! Imagine no apples, bananas, or oranges ... ever! The new Town of Biggar had stores to buy canned fruit but there was little cash to buy

these treats.

Plus, do not forget how long and hard a journey in horse or ox cart would be to go from Curthshill area to Biggar. Depending how far you were from the school, Biggar could be up to 25 kilometres away, that is a long way by horse and cart! According to the internet, a horse and cart would walk about the same speed as a person walking. When was the last time you walked 25 kilometres to buy a treat?

Curthshill School was 16 kilometres north of Monarch, turn west for 6.5 kilometres, then about another kilometre south. Mr. Curths built it in 1914 on a hill on one of his quarter sections. It closed in 1957. The school year was 200 days, with long winter holidays and short summer holidays. There were no buses, so stu-

on to tell that he saw dead men in blue-grey uniforms scattered all over the forest area. I dunno ... we were sure kept busy patching our own fellows up!

The casualty list shows that the Argylls lost 18 killed and 91 wounded in those two days we spent in the forest in just a few hundred yards.

Compared to some other past battles, this doesn’t seem like very many, but it is more than enough to make Y.T. (Yours Truly) want to be a pacifist for the rest of his life!

Years from now, when strolling through the local cemetery, the reader, upon seeing a stone that says, “Bob Mason lies here,” is apt to remark, “That’s where old Bob Mason is buried. He was one of the guys who survived the battle of the Hochwald Gap. He must have been a wonderful guy!”

I’ve got news for you!

dents got there by horse or walked.

Harvey Moncrief just came in and gave me the location for the Curthshill School, NW 22-3715. Now the Singers own it.

The school was the community gathering place - weddings, showers, dances, box socials and parties were held in the schoolhouse.

Alert School District

I remember Alice Ellis talking so fondly about this school. Alice went to this school. She was born in the area in 1918.

The information I got about this school district is from the book that Alice and Shirley Williams wrote, “Alert School District 647, Portrait of a Community, A Peek into the Past”. We have copies for sale in the museum.

The Alert School was formed on March 12, 1912. There were 28 pupils, from every grade. The teacher boarded

with a local family until a teacherage was built in 1930.

The children came to school by horse or by “shanks pony”. Who knows what this old saying means?

Declining enrolment caused the school to close alternately for some years. Students attended the Allanbank School until they were bussed to Biggar as the school district got bigger. By the 1930’s the school was finally closed for good and was auctioned off in October 1930.

The school was south and east of town in the Bear Hills, Township 34 and between R.13 and 14. Allanbank was further north. Rural schools had to be four miles apart at the time, a brisk walk to accommodate those who walked. Interesting, isn’t it? How many can walk four miles to school now?

MONDAY MARCH 25... e Annual Meeting of the Biggar & District Community Foundation, 5:30 p.m. at the Biggar Town O ce. e report of the auditor will be presented and remarks from the Board of Directors

“All interested persons are invited to attend”

First Alert School 1912-13, left to right, back row: Geneva Anderson, Jessica Anderson Ellen Striker (Shea) Maggie Belle Fisher, Delmar Fisher Ted Striker, Frankie Fisher, Bea Fisher, Edith Striker (McCarty) Front Row: Hazel Anderson, Bertha Striker, Art Pratt. (Photo for The Independent by the Biggar Museum and Gallery)

One of the first classes at Curthshill School, north of Biggar. (Photo for The Independent by the Biggar Museum and Gallery)

Ask The Money Lady

Christine Ibbotson

Dear Money Lady, I am a small business owner and took the CEBA loan (Canada Emergency Business Account Loan) because I couldn’t make the repayment date in January. Our business is still struggling. How can we increase our revenues?

Jake L.

Dear Jake, you are not alone. Many small business owners have had to resort to refinancing their CEBA loans.

There is now a financing extension until March 28, 2024, that includes the partial loan forgiveness portion. Outstanding loans can be converted to a threeyear loan at five per cent

for up to $60,000 with the term loan repayment date extended to December 31, 2026.

Let’s talk about why some businesses prosper and others don’t.

It may seem like common sense to some, but I am still surprised that some small business owners still believe that simply opening the doors and waiting for customers to come in, should be enough.

It isn’t.

If you’re not “shaking the bushes” you will never have your business really prosper. Yes, I know you have to find the right location, make the right business choices, and watch your bottom line, but I am not talking about the logistics of your industry. To really have a prosperous business, no matter what it is, you must get out there and increase sales. Good business owners don’t get ahead, but gutsy business owners do!

If you want something, you have to take the initiative and ask for it. No one knows how great

you are unless you let them know it. No matter how pathetic you are at making a sales call or pitching your products, doing it poorly is better than not doing it at all.

Suck up your fear and plunge ahead - just spit those words out. People will respect you for asking.

If you have to, write down your sales pitch and rehearse it beforehand, and then make sure you do it. Remember that getting out into the world primes your brain to be receptive to new ideas to grow your business. Opportunities will come up - guaranteed. Every time you put yourself out into the world to promote your business, new possibilities will appear.

Let me give you an example.

I have been getting my hair cut by the same person for the last five years but as much as I liked my young hairdresser, I really disliked the salon that she worked at. The owner was always miserable and seemed to never be glad you came

in. Lucky for me, my hairdresser decided to make it on her own and open her own salon.

Now don’t think she had a lot of money to do so. Her salon was cute, small, and very pink - a really special little place to get your hair done.

After only a year she had moved to a newer and larger upscale salon and had two other stylists working for her.

I asked her how she had done so well and what her secret was to being so successful. Of course she treated her existing customer base good, but she actively pursued new opportunities too.

How did she do this?

Well, she phoned retirement homes and offered to come in to provide a discounted “Day of Beauty” for their residents. This became so successful, she was invited back each month.

But that wasn’t all.

Coupons for resident family members, staff appreciation days and “cut and colour” days were all part of her sale

call promotions. She even went into high schools in her community offering special deals for their upcoming proms. The excitement and passion for her business was infectious as more and more people wanted to help her grow, just because she was genuine, kind and driven.

Don’t be afraid to wear your heart on your sleeve and be passionate about your business.

When you’re passionate - when you have energy and enthusiasm and a sense of commitmentpeople become instantly intrigued and even electrified by it, wanting to get involved and buy in.

Remember also, that people will do more things for you when they benefit from the arrangement. It’s just human nature. Growing your business is about satisfying your customer’s needs and listening for the clues to do this more often. In the beginning you may have to do things at a big discount to get in the door and sometimes you will

have to even offer your services for free.

Just chock it up as the cost of growing.

If you convince yourself not to get out there, not to make phone calls, or not to network for whatever the reason, (you don’t want to spend the time or money, or you think you will look foolish), write your excuses down on a piece of paper and stash it away for two days, then take it out. Realize that these actions are unproductive, absurd, and demonstrate your lack of commitment to your business and maybe your personal inner fear - then read this column again and get out there!

Good luck and best wishes!

Written by Christine Ibbotson, author, finance writer, national radio host, and now on CTV Morning Live, and CTV News @6, syndicated across Canada. Send your money questions (answered free) through her website at askthemoneylady.ca

5 ways to ensure a greater work-family balance

Individuals have to juggle many different responsibilities on a daily basis.

Those with full- or part-time jobs, children, spouses or partners, or aging family members that require assistance, will often find they are pulled in different directions.

In many cases, work takes priority over family time because people rely on their jobs for the income that funds their lifestyles. Rather than jeopardizing that income, certain individuals will make time concessions that favour employment over per-

sonal relationships and family time.

Recent data indicates that many people are trapped in unhealthy work-life balances and can’t find the time to unwind and enjoy themselves. 2,000 Americans were asked about stress at work and 60 per cent indicated that pressures and responsibilities of the workplace and home life do not have boundaries. Learning to balance work and life better may come from following these tips.

1.) Find more time. While there’s no way to add extra hours to the day, you can add extra

hours to your schedule. One way to do so is to wake up earlier or stay up later than the household. Some people prefer the quiet time to get things done while others are asleep. If you can afford to shave an hour from your sleeping schedule (provided you already are getting enough), this approach can make a significant difference.

2.) Limit distractions as much as possible. Distractions pull attention away from tasks and that can make it harder to complete jobs on time. Schedule tasks that require your utmost

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Rural Municipality of Reford No. 379 is now accepting applications for a seasonal maintenance employee

Duties include but are not limited to:

Blading, snow removal, mowing, road maintenance, installing culverts and signs, equipment maintenance and repairs. Successful applicants will be required to:

equipment, operate heavy equipment, operate two-way radios and other communication equipment, perform minor repairs to equipment, secure special attachments to equipment and must have a valid driver’s license. experience. a suitable candidate has been retained so please submit your resumes early. interview will be contacted.

concentration when others are not around. Perhaps this means coming into the office during off-peak hours or waiting until a spouse or the kids go to their respective places of work or school before you start on things that require greater concentration.

3.) Figure out your home priorities. Schedule your home priorities just as you would work meetings and other responsibilities. While you may not be able to attend every sports practice or game, make it a point to get to as many events as possible. Put it in the calendar or planner as a must-do.

4.) Maximize your PTO. Chances are you are entitled to a certain number of days off. Do not squander the opportunity to use these days. It will not make you a hero if you give up on

time off. Map out priorities for the next couple of months and see where your time away from work will be needed. Then utilize PTO for these events as well as vacations.

5.) End work at a certain time. There is a saying that “work expands to fill the time allotted.”

It’s easy to let work infiltrate home time especially for those who are remote workers. Set a distinct end time for the

job and reinforce it by turning off your computer or other devices, or physically lock the door to your office. Schedule tasks directly after work that are important to you, so you won’t be tempted to continue working.

Finding work-life balance can take time and require breaking established habits, but it is one way to reduce stress and feel more personally satisfied.

Asquith Council news for March 2024

Asquith Town Council held its regular council meeting on March 12.

Attending was Mayor Gail Erhart, DeputyMayor Jackie Stobbe, and Councillors Darcy Stack, Pete Heck, Cecilia Mryglod, Jodi Nehring, and Wade MonksJanzen. Also attending was C.A.O. Kathy Picketts and Office Assistant Kaila Montgomerie.

The meeting was called

to order by Mayor Erhart at 6:56 p.m.

A resolution was made to accept the council minutes from the February 14, regular council meeting.

Council made a motion to accept the February 2024 financials and February 2024 bank reconciliation as presented to them at the meeting.

Accounts Paid in the amount of $33,146.69

and Accounts Payable of $27,434.60 was accepted as presented. Spring is here and of course with spring comes issues of water and drainage. It is suggested that all residents ensure that there are no ice dams on their roof tops and that their eaves troughs are working correctly and that they are pointed away from the foundation of the home.

Learning to balance work and life better may come from following these tips. (Submitted Photo)

Agriculture

Calvin Daniels

by Calvin Daniels

When you farm in east central Saskatchewan any news regarding the Port of Churchill has to be of interest.

While the port has long been over looked as a port from which to export grain, proponents of the facility will point out for a chunk of the Canadian grain growing land base, Churchill is the shortest overland access to water.

The problem however is that Hudson Bay on which the port sits is covered by ice for months each year, and that of course shortens the possible export season.

As a result the port has had a very up and down history.

It was built in the late 1920s by the federal government of the day and began exporting grain shipments in 1931, following a six-year project to build the railway

Port of Churchill receiving upgrades

to connect Hudson Bay to other points in the country. The first ship to import cargo through the port was the British freighter Pennyworth in 1932, according to Wikipedia.

Through the following decades the port has been at times promoted extensively, in particular by the Hudson Bay Route Association - Willis Richford of Norquay, Saskatchewan was an impassioned proponent for years - and at other times the port has been basically mothballed and forgotten.

For years now the port has been basically ignored, well at least until very recently.

Suddenly there has been an announced injection of cash which has re-ignited optimism the port might finally achieve the success some like Richford have always felt was possible.

Recently Manitoba premier Wab Kinew announced $60 million in provincial and federal funds to get the Hudson Bay Railway between The Pas and Churchill back up and running reliably, as well as upgrade the port.

That brings combined federal and provincial investment in the port up to $293 million since 2018, according to a Glacier FarmMedia at producer.com

The new dollars however do not appear driven by a vision of Canadian grain flowing north to the port, even if it is the shortest overland route for producers like those in east central Saskatchewan or neighbours across the Manitoba borders.

There is obviously limited interest from grain companies to use the port since the major players own facilities on the West Coast or Thunder Bay. So the push to divert grain northward will be slow in coming, if it ever happens.

The current funding is more about northern economic opportunities - mining and forestry opportunities which are seen as essential to development of the north.

But, the new money and the upgrades it will fund, at least crack the door open once more in terms of the port as an export option for Canadians grains.

by Trudy and Dale

Buxton

This has been a great day of travel as we get into the northern wilderness of Manitoba - our next stop is in the community of The Pas.

The Pas name comes from a Cree word “W’passkwayaw” meaning “wooded narrows”. The community itself sits on the the junction of the Saskatchewan, Pasquia and Carrot rivers. It is a natural centre of activity in the region with a town population of about 5,500 people and a rural

population of another 5,700.

The Pas is only 35 kilometres from the Saskatchewan border and is considered “The Gateway to the North”. It features a multiindustry community with agriculture, forestry, commercial industry and tourism as the main parts of the economy. The largest employer comes from a paper mill located in the town.

The roots of The Pas goes back into the early 1700’s when Fort Paskoya was built by the French and Canadian traders, but it is believed that the “Swampy Cree” peoples had occupied the area for as long back as 4,000 thousand years according to archaeological evidence that has been uncovered.

The Pas First Nations Band was established with the signing of the Treaty 5 back in the late 1800’s. Today the Opaskwayak Cree Nation is located on the north banks of the town The Pas.

One of the most notable people to come from The Pas is Duncan Mercredi who moved to The Pas when he was 16, eventually becoming very well known for his poetry and writing.

Another notable was the explorer Henry Kelsey who was posted at the York Factory

“Adventure Territory” The Pas, Manitoba

along the shores of the Hudson Bay, and from there began his exploring with The Hudson Bay Company as he travelled by canoe to the spot in the late 1600’s to where The Pas is now located. Kelsey was the first European to come to this spot - he originally named it “Deering’s Point”.

The Pas is also known for the “Trappers Festival” in the winter and the dog sled races. The Trappers Festival is the longest running winter festival in Manitoba.

The Pas has lots to offer in way of recreation in both summer and winter.

While cruising around the community you can notice the influence that the Hudson Bay Company had on the town as well as the nicely painted murals on a lot of the building in the

business district.

Here is a couple of fun facts about Manitoba. Did you know that Manitoba has more curling rinks than Ontario and Quebec combined? Also, did you know that Winnipeg was named after a black bear named “Winnie” and that black bear was the inspiration for “Winnie the Pooh”? One more neat fact about Manitoba is that the illustrator for the character “Snow White” grew up in Gimli and that character was based on a waitress who he met in Winnipeg.

Not far from The Pas is the Rocky and Clearwater lakes which is said to be the clearest lakes in Canada.

If you are into the history they have a great museum that includes many artifacts from around the area.

Stay tuned as we continue our way up into Northern Manitoba.

The Pas, Manitoba

One last sled ride for the year… Springwater was the place for the latest snowmobile rally. It was a very nice day; however a lot of the snow had disappeared during the previous warm week. Officially there were 42 registered sleds that participated in the rally. The rider hand winners were 1st place Hailey Frushtuk, 2nd Place Jordan Schneider and 3rd place was Reid Wolf. Money raised from the rally goes to the Springwater community Hall. Thanks to Route 51 for lunch and holding the registrations. (Independent photo by Dale Buxton)

The embarrassing picture

Newspaper editors have a wicked sense of humour. I think it’s probably because they have to deal with the same routine news stuff day after day, week after week, and year after year.

For weekly publications, it’s always pictures of Boy Scout jamborees or kids hockey games, who won the darts tournament at the local Legion, the local 4-H club winners, who won free oil changes for a year at the local garage, the local slow-pitch scores, and so forth.

Things like these are the lifeblood of the weekly newspaper, all very nice and wholesome, and certainly very newsworthy for the average small town. And it makes the readership happy. After all, everyone likes to see their picture in the local paper.

But all these things might become very routine and humdrum over time for an editor who might like to sink their teeth into something a little more substantial on occasion.

So the times when an editor does come across something a little out of the ordinary they can use, I imagine they do so quite gleefully.

For better or for worse, they say timing is everything. And that’s very true in the newspaper business.

For a newspaper photographer, taking a picture at just the right time and in just the right way can produce a classic photograph of awardwinning proportions.

Or, by the same token, taking a picture at just the wrong time and in just the wrong way can similarly produce a classic picture with unexpectedly humorous results.

Before I moved to the

city for work, I was a member of our local small-town badminton club, playing every Wednesday evening throughout the winter.

Our local newspaper back then decided to do a human interest story on the badminton club, a kind of ‘what’s happening around town’ feature in an attempt to garner more interest and possibly draw more members into the club. A reporter was sent out to take a few candid snapshots of the action at the club one Wednesday evening.

The reporter spoke with the convenor of the club and then went around the gymnasium and took various action shots of different matches from different angles. I noticed the reporter but didn’t pay much mind to him and just kept on playing my matches.

The next week when we brought our local newspaper home from town, our Mother sat down in the living room and started to read it in a quiet moment.

Was there a photo of the local badminton club in the paper that week? There sure was.

Did they print the picture of the classic flattering action shot or the smiling group picture of the entire club assembled in one spot?

No.

Our Mother burst out laughing and called me over to look at the newspaper. She told me I was in a picture. I knew what the picture was probably about. Hey, I got my picture in the paper this week playing badminton! COOL!

I looked at the picture. The badminton club photo our local newspaper ultimately printed that week, for all the town to see, was an action shot of a heated game in the foreground of the picture. But in the background of the shot was myself playing in my own match. The action in my game had stopped momentarily and I had to call a temporary ‘time out’ to adjust my personal accoutrements.

And there, in the background of that newspaper picture, as plain as day for the entire town to see, was me pulling a wedgie out of my crotch.

I was mortified. OMIGOD! When everyone sees that picture, the whole town is going to think I’m ‘lousy’!

If our Mother was any indication of the general reaction to that picture, I’m sure that anyone who knew me got a bit of a chuckle out of seeing that photo when it first came out.

Looking at me with a smile, our Mother asked me if I wanted to save the picture. Still embarrassed, I gave her an emphatic “NO!” and I threw the picture in the trash. Out of all the multitude of action shots taken on that night, our local newspaper editor, in his evil infinite wisdom, decided to go with the one-and-only picture of me in the background pulling my unmentionables out of my nether regions. Sigh. And while it was a lessthan-flattering shot, I still got my picture in the paper that week so I guess I can count that as a win, I think. Hey, even though I didn’t think so at the time, any publicity is supposed to be good publicity, right? Maybe so, maybe not. I’m still kind of on the fence over that one.

With hindsight and maturity, I actually wish now I would have saved that picture. It would be good for a laugh nowadays had I kept it. When I have the inclination, I might have to go through the town news archives someday to see if I can actually locate that picture.

So beware the newspaper editor with the wicked sense of humour. You never know what kind of picture they might put in the paper at your expense. But keep your sense of humour about the whole situation and save your picture should it happen to you. You will survive the embarrassment and it will pass. And down the road you will have a good chuckle when you look back at it.

After all, as we get older it’s kind of nice to reflect at times on the things that happened to us when we were younger and enjoy the occasional good laugh!

Your car makes a humming noise when accelerating

While driving, you hear a low-pitched hum.

As you accelerate, the noise gets loudermaybe it sounds like an airplane taking off - but after a certain speed the volume is consistent.

When you make a turn, the noise gets louder; but if you turn the other way, it disappears.

What it could mean:

This is most likely a wheel bearing noise. It’s one of those car sounds that’s often mistaken for an engine noise, and one way you can tell is to watch your RPM gauge.

As you accelerate, the RPM and speed gauges rise. Coast at a set speed, let off the gas pedal and watch the RPM gauge drop. If the noise is still there, it’s definitely not coming from the engine. Your car makes a droning noise

This droning noise doesn’t change pitch or volume while turning, but it’s louder as you accelerate.

What it could mean:

This noise may be coming from your tires - particularly if they’re old or of poor quality. It could also be a sign that you have feathered tires - a term used to describe tires with treads that are wearing unevenly. In turn, feathered tires could be a symptom of a worn suspension component, causing tires to hop up and down

Car Sounds Decoded

as you drive rather than rolling smoothly down the road.

You car makes highpitched squealing noise

Do you hear a highpitched squeal, or perhaps even what sounds like a bird chirping when you first start the engine?

What it could mean:

Your car’s serpentine belt is likely worn or cracked. Some vehicles have multiple belts including a separate one for your air conditioning. If you hear this noise only when you turn on the air conditioning, you’ll know there’s an issue with that belt. It’s also possible that the belt doesn’t have enough tension (either the tension needs to be adjusted or the belt tensioner is worn). If there’s not enough tension, the belt is slipping. Ever hear tires squeal on asphalt when someone does a burnout? It’s the same idea.

Your car whines while you’re making a turn

What it could mean:

You’ll hear a highpitched whine if your vehicle has hydraulic power steering and you “lock” the steering wheel by turning it to the point at which it doesn’t turn anymore. This strains the power steering pump, and if you hold this position for more than a few seconds, you risk damaging the pump. Back off about an inch from the lock position to

ease the increase in pump pressure, and the noise should disappear. If you hear a constant whine, your pump is probably already damaged.

Your car makes a clicking noise while turning

When you turn one way, you hear a clicking noise. It’s cyclical, so the noise speeds up as your wheels go faster or slows down if you’re reducing your speed during the turn. The noise isn’t necessarily there when you turn the other way.

What it could mean:

These car sounds are likely coming from your CV axle. This happens when the CV axle shaft boot is torn and leaks grease. Without grease, the components become dry and start making a clicking sound. If there’s no damage, your technician could replenish the grease and replace the boot. Otherwise, the CV axle should be replaced. Your car makes lowpitched clunks and rattles

You may hear lowpitched clunks or rattles as you drive, especially over bumps.

What it could mean: These car sounds aren’t usually cyclical, so you can rule out the wheel and tire system. There are numerous components in your suspension system including ball joints, stabilizer links, and coil springs. One thing’s

for sure, if you have a suspension noise that suddenly disappears, there’s a good chance the component is broken and disconnected from the rest of your car.

Your car makes light grinding or squeaking noises

What it could mean:

A light grinding or squeaking whenever you brake is almost always because of poor or worn braking materials. If caught early enough, your technician will be able to service your brakes - a process that might involve cleaning, lubricating and adjusting the materials. Some brake pads have “squealers” - a piece of metal that rubs against the brake rotor once the pad material gets low. If you hear this cyclical

noise even while driving, your brakes may need replacing.

Your car makes a rumbling noise

At idle, you hear a rumbling noise. As you accelerate, the noise gets louder and pretty soon you can’t even hear the radio or your passenger talking.

What it could mean:

The exhaust system in your vehicle is made up of multiple pieces attached together, as opposed to one long pipe. You may have an exhaust leak at a gasket or in one of the exhaust component, such as the flexpipe, resonator or muffler. Depending on where it’s leaking, the exhaust may be repaired. If that’s not feasible, you’ll need to replace the leaking component.

Your car sounds like an unbalanced washing machine

While driving, you hear a wobbling noise - like an unbalanced washing machine on the high spin cycle. What it could mean:

If you hear this sound, pull over right away, and check your wheels and tires. You may have loosened wheel nuts, which could result in the wheel falling off, or low tire pressure, which puts you at risk for a tire blowout. If your wheel nuts are loose, jack up your car slightly to take some of the weight off and use the lug wrench to tighten the wheel nuts. If the tire pressure is low, either fill it to the proper specification or swap it out with the spare tire.

If you remember the discontinued Cinnamon Spread from years ago then you will love Cinnawin!! Homestyle Cinnamon Spread made right here in Saskatchewan. Get yours at the Independent

Penton

On Sports

Based on historic results that show Canada has won 36 world titles, 25 more than the next-best country, Canada’s Brad Gushue, who defeated Saskatchewan’s Mike McEwen for the 2024 Brier title, should win this year’s men’s world curling championship in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.

Based on recent history, however, the odds-on favourite to win the event that starts this weekend would be Niklas Edin of Sweden, who has won four of the past five titles.

But based on current excellence, the favourite should be Italy’s Joel Retornaz, who skips the No. 1-ranked team in the world. And if recent play in the Grand Slam of Curling events should be considered, watch out for Bruce Mouat’s Scottish entry. Then there’s the U.S., which won the Olympic gold medal in men’s curling in 2018 and will send veteran John Shuster to this year’s worlds. And if home-ice advantage is at all a factor, then watch out for the Swiss entry skipped by Yannick Schwaller.

In other words, it’s wide open.

No easy games at men’s world curling

The oddsmakers in Vegas would be perplexed about setting gambling lines, but one thing is for sure: The curling talent gathering in Schaffhausen should guarantee a great event.

Gushue will wear Canada’s colours for the sixth time, and third straight. The game hasn’t been kind to him at the worlds, however, with only one championship to his credit. But he is the most experienced Canadian skip and with rink-mates Mark Nichols, E.J. Harnden and Geoff Walker, a podium finish is almost guaranteed. Besides his lone world championship, Gushue also has three runnersup finishes - all to Edin, which is the foundation for one of the sport’s great all-time rivalries.

Retornaz won four bonspiels this season, three on the Grand Slam circuit in Canada and one in Europe, the Baden Masters. Winning the world title this year would be an astounding accomplishment, considering Italy is one of five countries to have never won at the world level (Germany, Denmark, Finland and France are the others).

As well, the next Winter Olympic Games will be held in February, 2026, in Milan, Italy, and what a special treat it would be for Retornaz to represent his country knowing he has a world title on his resume.

Scotland and Sweden can never be counted out at the world championship. Edin has won six world championships and Mouat, the Scottish

Biggar Bowl weekly scores

Monday Adult Mixed

rep, is the defending world champ. (Strange how Scotland picks its representative: Mouat lost in the semi-finals of the Scottish championship, eventually won by Ross Whyte, but Scottish Curling decided that Mouat should represent the country at the world event.)

And if the Swedish, Italian, Scottish, Swiss and American competitors weren’t enough to give Gushue sleepless nights, rinks representing South Korea and Japan have been showing great improvement in recent years.

It’s a wide-open competition, and Gushue is 43 years old and nearing the end of his dominant days, so Canadian curling fans will be rooting for him to add one more title to his

resume.

• RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “Sabres No. 1 goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was listed as day to day with a lower body injury. I haven’t seen that may Ks connected to one name since Roger Clemens was pitching for the Red Sox.”

• Another one from Currie: “Metro UK reports Thai veterinarians removed 915 coins from a zoo sea turtle, which couldn’t swim due to the weight. It’s a rare case of actually having too much money to stay afloat.”

• Comedy writer Gary Bachman: “Watching hockey makes me hungry. Every time icing is called I crave cake.”

• Retired NBA great Shaquille O’Neal: “I don’t believe in pressure. Pressure is when you don’t know where your

next meal is coming from.”

• Comedy writer Brad Dickson of Omaha: “Mike Tyson is going to fight Jake Paul. And I thought Biden vs. Trump was depressing.”

• Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe. com: “Linebacker Eric Kendricks turned down the SF 49ers to join the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent. Money? Or does Kendricks just like to have his Februarys off?”

• Janice Hough again: “Rob Manfred almost makes me do the impossible - miss Bud Selig.”

• Political insider George Conway, on reports that Jets’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers may be the VP choice for thirdparty candidate Robert Kennedy, Jr: “Are you suggesting that RFK Jr.’s campaign could end with a bad pick?”

• Super 70s Sports, quoting record-breaking punter Dave Jennings of the New York Jets: “I’d like to thank my quarterbacks for (playing awful) on third down pretty much my whole career, I couldn’t have done it without them.”

• Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun, in honour of St Patrick’s Day: “My all-time list of Patricks: Patrick Mahomes, Patrick Roy. Patrick Kane. Dan Patrick. Patrick Ewing. Patrick Chan. Pat Riley. Craig Patrick. Lester Patrick.”

• Another one from Super 70s Sports: “On this day in 1994, the Penguins score a big win on ‘Davy Crockett Coonskin Cap Night’ - hang on, being told that’s just Jaromir Jagr’s hair.”

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

Sask West Hockey League This Week

by Phil Heilman

The Sask West Hockey League (SWHL) finals opened Friday night in Wilkie as the one-seed Outlaws hosted the two-seed Kindersley Klippers, and in a twist fit for a WCW show at the Omni Theatre, it was the Klippers coming away with a 4-3 victory. Kindersley leads the best of five series 1-0.

No scoring was recorded in the opening frame, with Klippers goaltender Logan Drackett nailing up the plywood and keeping the Outlaws snipers at bay. Eventually, on the power play in the early stages of the second, Brett Boehm would score to put the home team up 1-0., but Troy Boisjoli responded

just three minutes later to tie it up. The Klippers barrage would continue as Kyle Donaldson scored to put Kindersley up 2-1. Damon McKenzie and Jonny Calkins added to the lead within minutes of each other. Wilkie stepped up their game immensely after a subpar 40 minutes, but it felt like too little, too late. Rick Cey would score two goals to bring the Outlaws deficit down to 4-3 but it was as close as they would get.

Drackett stopped 45 of 48 shots in the win, while Jared Herle took the loss, stopping 15 of 19 shots.

Game 2 of the SWHL finals took place Sunday evening at the West Central Events Centre,

with the Outlaws winning in convincing fashion 6-1. The series is now tied at 1. Ryan Keller and Brock Harrison opened the scoring for the visitors early, and with the huge difference in shots, helped lead their team to a 2-0 lead after one period. In the middle frame, Rick Cey would extend that lead before Lane Gilliss would cut it back down to two. Brett Boehm’s power play marker at the mid point of the period gave Wilkie the 4-1 lead, which held until the second period buzzer went. In the third, Cey (short handed) and Derek Keller would add some insurance.

Jared Herle stopped 27 of 28 shots in the win,

while Logan Drackett stopped 48 of 54 shots in the loss.

In Provincials, the North Champions Wilkie Outlaws will face the Kyle Elks of the Sask Valley Hockey League in the Senior ‘C’ Provincial final. The South Champion Elks have the hammer in the best of three series.

In Senior ‘D’, the Macklin Mohawks knocked off the Delisle Bruins 3-0 in game two of the best of three North finals. The Mohawks move onto the Provincial final where they face the South Champion Redvers Rockets of the Big Six Hockey League. The Rockets have the hammer in the best of three series.

Tuesday Night Mixed

Thursday Afternoon Seniors

Ladies High Single - Leisha Derosiers 240. Ladies

High Triple - Marilyn Miller - 514. Mens High

Single - Jason Raschke - 262. Mens High TripleJason Raschke - 687.

Ladies High Single - Anissa Silbernagel 217. Ladies

High Triple - Anissa Silbernagel 553. Mens High

Single - Joseph Silbernagel 227. Mens High Triple - Joseph Silbernagel 565.

Ladies High Single - Ann De Bussac 187.

LadiesHigh Triple - Bonnie Roesch 469. Mens

High Single - Greg Love 172. Mens High TripleGreg Love 492.

YBC Bowlasaurus - Benjamin Olson 101. Pee Wee

Single - Owen Smith 120; Double - Owen Smith 190. Bantam Single - Peter Olson 140; TriplePeter Olson 370.

Junior Single - Jesse Bourk 171; Triple - Jesse Bourke and Dominic Raschke 451. Senior High Single - Kiersten Raschke 216; High Triple - Noah 617.

Bruce Penton

Chicago set to go ... The cast of New Creation Community Players’ upcoming Chicago, go through a dress rehearsal, Sunday at the Majestic Theatre. Set to play this Thursday to Sunday, the play should be a huge hit. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)

ARIES –

Mar 21/Apr 20

Aries, this week you need to get back to business, especially if hobbies or other interests have been taking up much of your time lately. Avoid distractions at all costs.

LIBRA –

Sept 23/Oct 23

Libra, over the next few days you may receive some offers from employers or entrepreneurs that seem very appealing. Before you jump into something new, do your homework.

CAPRICORN –

Dec 22/Jan 20

Capricorn, take ownership of any actions that may have put you into a strained relationship with those close to you. Admitting mistakes is the first step in mending fences.

TAURUS –Apr 21/May 21

You may be excited about new prospects that are on the horizon, Taurus. With so much change coming, it can be exciting to see what lies in wait.

GEMINI –May 22/Jun 21

Gemini, you may discover that you are devoting a lot of attention to others of late, sometimes cutting into your own needs. Be attentive and caring, but pay attention to your own needs as well.

CANCER –

Jun 22/Jul 22

SCORPIO –

Oct 24/Nov 22

Scorpio, it will become obvious how others rely on you for advice and to get jobs done correctly. All of that responsibility can put extra pressure on you, so take it all in stride.

SAGITTARIUS –

Nov 23/Dec 21

This week you may discover that people are flocking to you left and right, Sagittarius. You will not have trouble making new friends if you so desire.

AQUARIUS –Jan 21/Feb 18

Aquarius, you may only now be getting to those resolutions you made a few months ago, but better late than never. Focus on projects around the home that will revitalize your spaces.

PISCES –Feb 19/Mar 20

Physical activity can do wonders for you, Pisces. If you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed or even tired, take a walk or hit the gym for some exercise that can alleviate many symptoms.

Cancer, if you check the calendar lately you are bound to find a number of dates are filled. You may want to consider slowing down; otherwise, you may prematurely burnout.

LEO –

Jul 23/Aug 23

Leo, if expenses and finances have been troubling you of late, you can breathe a sigh of relief when things lighten up this week. Right now you are in a good spot financially.

VIRGO –Aug 24/Sept 22

Virgo, you will need to uphold your end of the bargain for the time being as others are counting on you delivering. You cannot dodge any responsibilities right now.

31. Recesses

32. W. Pacific island group

33. Tolkien character

35. Ancient symbol co-opted by the Nazi party

38. Pioneer

41. Scribe

43. Painted a bright color

44. Lowest members of British nobility

45. Actress Thurman

46. Type of sugar

47. Crest of a hill

49. N. American people of British Columbia

56. Device

Jewelry

9. Hospital employee (abbr.)

12. Nonsense (slang)

13. Town in Galilee

17. Value

19. A fake name

39.

42.

20. Sheep in their second year

21. Town in Surrey, England 25. Appropriate for a particular time of year

3 quarter sections of farmland for rent south of Biggar.

half section in RM of Biggar and

quarter section in the RM of Marriot.

SE 03 34 14 W3

SW 03 34 14 W3

57. The Mount Rushmore State

E-MAIL

The family of Bryan Keith Donahue are saddened to announce his passing on March 11, 2024 at the age of 86. Bryan was born on the Nimmo homestead in Keppel on December 31, 1936. He was the eldest of four children born to Dorothy (nee Nimmo) and Royden Donahue. They lived on the homestead and then in the Valley Centre before moving to Biggar. His early life was spent helping on the family farm, leaving school early to do so. He painted trucks at his Dad’s IH dealership and was quite talented. He married Marilyn (nee Ross), on August 26, 1961. They lived in Edmonton briefly while she attended college, and he studied to get his Grade 12 equivalency.

Bryan loved his Kubota tractor and spent many hours mowing and rototilling, and more recently used it as a main mode of transportation around the farm. Bryan and Cathy continued to live on the farm in Perdue until his health concerns made is necessary to move to a house in Biggar in October 2023. Bryan passed at his home, as he had wanted. His family will miss his independent spirit, his wit, and his love and support.

Bryan took over the Ross family farm at Perdue in 1964 when Marilyn’s parents retired. They renovated the old Eaton’s catalogue farmhouse and turned it into a welcoming home. Later, they sold the old farmhouse, and built a new bungalow of which he was very proud.

When time permitted, Bryan enjoyed going to the lake, camping with friends, skiing in the mountains, and visiting. He especially delighted in spending time with the babies and little kids in his life. He contributed to the community through his volunteer work with the Perdue Arena (old and new) and the Perdue Complex.

After Marilyn’s passing in 2001, Bryan married Cathy (nee de Bussac) in 2002. During their 21 years together, Bryan and Cathy enjoyed watching their grandchildren in sports, music, dance, drama and other school activities, camping, caring for the farmyard, and visiting.

by Marjorie Fortney, Seventh-day Adventist Church

And there was war in heaven, Michael and His angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was there place found any more in heaven. And the dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation

12:7-9 (KJV)

The phrase, “which deceiveth the whole world” should be somewhat concerning to all people, but especially to Christians.

How will he accomplish his goal of deception? Well, what was the war in heaven about?

Lucifer was created a perfect being, with freedom of choice, like every

other created being. He became focused on his beauty and his position, and began to entertain the thought that he could be God. He also had in his mind that he would do things differently than God. He had his own ideas of how to govern the universe, and he began to stealthily spread his ideas among the angels, and he managed to deceive a large number of them.

He then challenged God in open rebellion. There was war in heaven and Satan lost.

We know for sure that Satan and his angels are real.

They are spirit beings so we cannot see them, but they do have the capacity to reveal themselves as angels of light or any other masquerade they choose. He is busy deceiving most of the world, including millions of Christians.

One of his strongest

Bryan is lovingly remembered by his wife of 21 years, Cathy; daughters Erin (Murray) and their children, Mandy (Aaron) and family Addy and Dex; Zoë (Wren) and Danica; Joanne (Wayne) and their children Shane (Sarah) and family Leo; and Aidan (Danielle); Kerry (Troy) and children Taryn and Hilary; Cathy’s sons, Todd (Heather) and their children, Josh (Emily), Nathan, Blake and Cohen; Chris (Rhonda) and their children Bryn (Bryce) and Grady (Jayden); Ian (Erin) and their children Garrett (McKenna) and Andon (Amy); mother-in-law Yolande; and siblings, Marlene and Dennis. Bryan was predeceased by his first wife Marilyn (2001); and brother Terry (2022).

A Celebration of Bryan’s life will be held Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 2:00p.m. at the Perdue Recreation Complex. In lieu of flowers, donations for Bryan may be directed to The Perdue Recreation Complex or the Perdue Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Gerein Funeral Service.

deceptions is that the Bible is not a book of absolute authority, and a lot of it is just myth and interesting stories, like the story of creation, and the flood of Noah.

In some instances, the Bible is considered hate speech. Satan is very good at getting people to believe things that are not true.

Right now, he is doing a bang-up job demolishing individual freedom of conscience with the phrase, “for the common good”. The problem is who defines what the “common good” is suppose to be. If the common good transgresses someone’s conscience that is not good; because we all stand before God as individuals. That is why Martin Luther stood as the power of one at the Diet of Worms.

Friends, I pray that we will study the word of God with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and

THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK - 15

St. Gabriel roman CatholiC ChurCh 109 - 7th Ave.W, Biggar Father Edward Gibney

Parish Phone: 306-948-3330

Saturday Mass.......7:00p.m.

Sunday Mass....... 11:00a.m.

our lady of fatima CatholiC ChurCh, Landis

Sunday Mass.......9:00a.m.

Presbyterians, Anglicans and Lutherans

Worship - 10:30

St.Pauls Anglican Redeemer Lutheran 205 4th Ave. E 319 7th Ave. E MARCH 24, ST. PAULS ANGLICAN

MARCH 31, ST.PAULS EASTER WORSHIP APRIL 14, REDEEMER LUTHERAN

Rev. Daphne Bender Pastor’s cellular Phone: 1-306-621-9559 Office Phone: 306-948-3731 (Messages are forwarded to Pastor’s phone immediately)

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

Sunday Service 10:30 a.m.

All are welcome to come and join us

Biggar United ChUrCh

REGULAR SERVICES

SUNDAY 11:00 am Pastor Dale Worrall Inquires Call Church Office 306-948-2280

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SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

SATURDAY SERVICES

BIBLE STUDY 10:00a.m.

total surrender to God’s will so that we will not be among those who are deceived by Satan.

The war will end soon as described in Revelation, chapter 19, verse 11 states: And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He does judge and make war. Verse 19: And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army.

The Man on the white horse wins, hands down!

CHURCH SERVICE 11:00a.m. 320 - 6th ave.east contact: 306-951-8445

3 abn www.amazingfacts.org

NEW BEGINNINGS CHURCH

...In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope...1Pe 1:3

You are Invited

Sunday Tea and Coffee -10:15am Worship - 10:30am NEW HORIZONS 117 3rd Ave. W, Biggar

For more info - Philip Watson - 250-487-8476

New bear spray regulations to take effect in Saskatchewan

by Scott Boulton

New provincial regulations will restrict the possession of capsaicin-containing wildlife control products, otherwise known as “bear spray”, in public urban spaces in Saskatchewan. The regulations will also prohibit defacing or altering bear spray to hide or disguise

Attention: Janet

the product’s identity. Those charged under the regulations could face potential fines of up to $100,000.

wildlife in the course of their employment or recreational activities.

Please proof and get back to me by return email.

Thanks, Urla

“Over the last few years, there have been thousands of public disturbances involving bear spray across the province,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre said. “These new regulations will improve public safety and provide police and wildlife officers with more options to seize and charge people in possession of bear spray, including in shopping malls, movie theatres, urban parks, and on exhibition grounds.”

The province pointed out some pieces of their new legislation:

• The regulations will apply only to public urban areas, not rural or northern areas where bear spray is typically used for safety purposes.

• The regulations will not apply to those, including conservation officers, hunters, and hikers, who require protection from

• People will be permitted to transport bear spray from a retail location to a place where it can be lawfully stored (eg., a private home) or lawfully used (eg., a camping trip).

• Lower capsaicinconcentration products (such as “dog spray”) will not apply under these regulations.

• The regulations also do not apply to retailers or impose additional recordkeeping or identification requirements.

“These regulations are designed to ensure individuals who require bear spray for legitimate safety purposes are not impacted,” Corrections, Policing and Public

Safety Minister Paul Merriman said. “Law enforcement will have the authority to identify and seize the product from any individual violating the regulations, which may also lead to charges.”

“The SACP is in support of any legislation that curbs the illegal use of a product for anything other than its intended purpose,” President of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police Chief Richard Lowen said. “We have seen far too many instances where capsaicin products (bear spray) have been used to commit offences, such as robberies, and this new legislation will provide police an additional tool to help reduce victimization.”

Reverse mortgages explained

As long as there have been homes for sale, there have been financial vehicles designed to alleviate some of the financial pressures associated with owning a home.

A reverse mortgage is another way homeowners can borrow money based on the value of their homes, but it doesn’t need to be repaid as long as those individuals are still living in their residences.

Eligibility and basics

The Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Advice says a reverse mortgage is an option for those age 62 or older who can borrow money based on their equity, or how much money one could get for the home if sold after what is owed on the mortgage is paid off. At least one owner must live in the house most of the year. Reverse mortgages may be paid as a cash lump sum, as a monthly income or as a line of credit that enables the homeowner to decide how much is desired and when.

Determining eligibility

There is a misconception that a loan that requires no monthly repayment of principal or interest will not come with any eligibility

considerations. Premier Reverse Mortgage says there are some things to know before doing reverse mortgages. To prevent homeowners using reverse mortgages to avoid downsizing due to financial shortcomings, certain eligibility parameters must be met, including a credit history analysis, income requirements, age requirement, and property stipulations. These criteria may differ from lender to lender.

Differences between traditional mortgages and reverse mortgages

Unlike a traditional mortgage where payments are made to principal and interest and the balance goes down over time, with a reverse mortgage, borrowers do not make any payments right away. The loan balance goes up over time and the loan is repaid when the borrower no longer lives in the home. The homeowners or their heirs will eventually have to pay back the loan, usually by selling the home. However, as the loan balance increases, the home equity decreases with a reverse mortgage. This can affect a surviving spouse or other family

members. The FTC advises homeowners to confirm the reverse mortgage has a “nonrecourse” clause, which means that the borrower or the borrower’s estate cannot owe more than the value of the home when the loan becomes due and the home is sold.

Additional considerations Due to fees and other requirements, a reverse mortgage may be a more expensive way to borrow money. Other ways to borrow against equity may be a better fit, such as a home equity line of credit. Furthermore, since reverse mortgages are for older adults, scams are prevalent. Some include contractors who approach seniors about getting a reverse mortgage to pay for repairs, or scams targeting veterans.

Borrowers considering reverse mortgages should first speak with a qualified financial planner. Homeowners in the United States can access information through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. All options, costs and interest rate information should be confirmed before signing on the dotted line.