The Biggar Independent Volume 115 Issue 18

Jack Garton hit the Majestic Theatre, April 24 for the final show of the 2023/24 Biggar and District Arts Council concert season. Energetic and entertaining, Garton, along with drummer Jodie Ponto, guitarist Noah Walker, and bassist Steven Charles, was an impressive and satisfying conclusion to the eight-concert series, bringing a lot of buzz for the upcoming season. Garton’s show was combination story and musical revue, with the multi-instrumentalist getting laughs and setting toes tapping - a great end to the season!

(Independent Photos by Kevin Brautigam)

Prairie Branches will be hosting their annual fund raiser this Wednesday, May 8 at the Biggar Community Hall, honouring all Mom’s.

An important fund raiser for Prairie Branches, Mother’s will be pampered and treated to an afternoon of entertainment, tea, coffee and snacks, raffles, and bake table.

In the past, Mother’s from certain service groups were nominat-

ed for the yearly fund raiser. This year, Prairie Branches will be honouring all Mothers.

The tea is an important part of Prairie Branches.

Residents benefit with money raised going to summer holiday trips, family visits. Prairie Branches has been grateful for past support, and are hoping residents continue to champion the organization in their efforts to provide important necessities for their clients.

Biggar RCMP Report

by Cst. Chad Mehl, Biggar Detachment

Biggar RCMP had a busier week this past week, with a variety of calls including five finger discount reports throughout the Biggar and surrounding area.

There was a reported theft of utility gas from a residence in Biggar. In the Sonningdale and Eagle Creek RM areas,

Council minute highlights

The regular meeting of Biggar Town Council was held March 19 at 7:15 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Attending the meeting were Mayor Jim Rickwood, Councillors Alan Boyle, Dakota Ekman, Nicole Hoppe, Kevin McNicholls, Edward Young, and Ivan Young.

Council resolved that the minutes of the March 5, 2024 Regular Meeting of Council be accepted as presented.

Council resolved that

the minutes of the March 12, 2024 Committee Meeting of The Whole be accepted as presented.

Council resolved that the Community Development Officer’s Report to March 19, 2024 be accepted as presented by the Community Development Officer, Cassidy Burton.

Council resolved that the Town Foreman’s report to March 19, 2024 be accepted as presented by the Town Foreman,

Mark Haynes.

Council resolved that the following financial reports for February 2024 be accepted as presented: Bank Reconciliation. Statement of Financial Activities.

Council resolved that the General Accounts Paid in the amount of $77,986.56 and the General Accounts Payable in the amount of $106,619.55 be approved.

Council resolved that the following correspon-

dence be accepted for Council’s information and filed: SUMAssure - 2024 AGM Notice. SAMA - 2024 AGM Notice. New Beginnings Church - April 18, 2024 Invitation. Occupational Health and Safety - Inspection Report. SUMA - Upcoming Training Opportunities. SUMA - Convention 2024.

• Meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m.

The community has been very supportive of the event, and Prairie Branches is hoping that they will continue to do so. Prairie Branches will be accepting all financial donations for this worthwhile cause.

Prairie Branches Mother’s Day Tea is Wednesday, May 8 at 2 p.m. at the Biggar Community Hall.

there were two land locations and one cabin where thieves took a variety of power tools, two bar clamps with black piping, three farm forks for hay baling, a 100-gallon red skid tank, a 600-gallon water tank, diesel fuel, a pair men’s model 1034 and a pair of woman’s model 929 red Faber Northlander snowshoes, and a set of Black Diamond walking poles, model 30778. Thieves broke into outdoor sheds with locks to get to some of these items. As always, Biggar RCMP asking the public to be vigilant with suspicious vehicles and activity in their respective areas, and set up game cameras to potentially catch would-be thieves.

On the other side of the coin, a prank unexpectedly resulted in a call to police when the caller’s friend took a particular outdoor item belonging to the caller to entice the caller to keep his belongings locked up.

The caller, not knowing who took his belongings, reported a theft, and it was discovered it was a prank the whole time to teach a lesson about security and theft. The prankster remains “at large” and it is unknown when and how the caller will “one up” his friend on a return prank as it’s

a closely guarded state secret.

There were two reports of disturbances in the Perdue area at the Perdue School during evening hours. Abandoned vehicles were reported in the Eagle Creek and Highway 14 near Perdue areas. Also, in the Sonningdale area there was a minor, but reportable vehicular collision. Multiple complaints of suspicious persons were reported and all were successfully followed up with and ruled out as not criminal. A bicycle was turned into Biggar RCMP in which the owner is unknown. There was report of a mother with child crossing a sidewalk who were cut off by a passing motorist at an intersection in Biggar.

There were two reports of persons on the railroad tracks this week in the area at separate locations. The railroad companies consider the tracks to be private property as they are concerned with public access and railroad safety. Persons found on the tracks can be technically given a ticket for trespassing on private property. While its tempting to visit Thomas the Train, best to give him a wide birth and stay away from the tracks.

Block on spring tour ... Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek MP Kelly Block, left, talks with residents during a coffee stop at, ironically, Kelly’s Kitchen, April 24. The stop was a constituency tour of the area, hearing residents thoughts and concerns. (Independent Photo by Daryl Hasein)

Classic sign back at Leslie’s ... Dale Wylie waves atop a scissor-lift last week, putting the final touches to the refurbished Leslie’s Drugs sign. The long-time fixture to the Biggar business is a welcome sight, especially during evening hours as its neon lights are once again operational. (Independent Photo

by Dale Buxton)

by Bruce Dowbiggin, editor, Not The Public Broadcaster

The polls suck. His party is restless watching his constant gaffes. His NDP allies are similarly hoping he quits before he brings down their party, too.

The public now laughs at his Happy Ways demeanour and lush living on the public dime.

It seems inevitable that Justin Trudeau is at the end of his runway as prime minister of Canada. If the polls are right, he could experience one of the greatest electoral repudiations when the federal election finally happens. Just as he replaced the dour technician Stephen Harper, Trudeau will be dismissed by the public, seen as yesterday’s man.

In desperation, Trudeau has tried labelling his nemesis Pierre Poilievre as a Trump wannabe, a divisive altright force who would reverse the generous graft he’d bestowed on Canadians. His paid media have picked up the theme, calling Poilievre’s strategy “shameful” and “cynical,” and his “scorchedearth approach” is “contributing to a breakdown in overall faith in the system”.

You go with that.

What makes them mad are Poilievre’s insouciant takedowns of Liberal hacks and media flacks, best epitomized by the apple-eating destruction of a lazy B.C. journalist out for a cheap score to raise his profile. A host of

self-appointed press figures lost their minds. “You are not supposed to treat interviewers this way!” Since that moment, Poilievre has repeated the formula on cabinet ministers and played-out press figures.

Leaving Liberals and their wind therapists in the press to wonder what Trudeau’s legacy will be in 10 or 15 years if he can’t control the messaging. Most look at the recent funeral for Brian Mulroney and the forgiving attitude of his former enemies. Indeed, those who watched Wayne Gretzky and others eulogize the 18th PM of Canada as a statesman assume that this charity will eventually be extended to Trudeau.

Sure, Justin told the UN his citizens are genocidal, installed felons to cabinet posts, applauded Nazis in Parliament and showered his pals with graft. But wasn’t Mulroney also found counting bribe money from paper bags in a hotel room? Surely the charity shown to Mulroney will also be extended to Trudeau in the fullness of time?

It would be if the media/government apparatus that existed in the Mulroney 1980s were the ones writing the epitaphs. “Let bygones be bygones.” However, this fantasy scenario misses the collapse of authority that the media/government apparatus has suffered over the past decade. A collapse Poilievre has

52 rural hospitals and the Plains Health Centre on the outskirts of Regina. Now, the NDP opposition is accusing the government of underfunding the health system to the point where temporary closures of emergency and non-emergency services, sending people out of province for surgeries, has become the norm.

What seems certain is that people want health care here at home ... or as close to home in this province as is reasonable.

That has pretty much been the last 40 years of politic debate in Saskatchewan, recently dominated by the Saskatchewan Party government noting the former NDP government closed

One gets the politics. But when you delve a little more deeply into the problem, it becomes rather apparent that underneath all the politicking and rhetoric is the reality of some tough problems in health care that aren’t easily solved by throwing money at the problems.

Let’s begin with the present-day temporary closures of emergency rooms and x-ray, lab or other services - 950 such temporary closures between August 2019

duly noted. While they rail against Poilievre’s dismissive attitude toward them, the Conservative leader understands the new dynamic where voters - especially the young - get their information from social media, not the scrum theatre of the past, engineered by politicians and the people who followed them. If Poilievre appears dismissive of their game, it’s because he knows they’re irrelevant to him.

This outrage from the Family Compact comes from people like the self-obsessed MSNBC staff who whined like babies at the thought of a GOP voice on their shows - an attitude parroted by their Canadian cousins fed money by the ruling class. No wonder Trudeau is rushing through laws to censor the Internet. X hates him and he knows it.

After years of toeing the line, however, influential journalists are suddenly recognizing the damage done by their obsessions - and the peril in which their business finds itself.

NPR Senior business editor Uri Berliner shocked many with his confession that Trumpobsessed NPR “lost its way when it started telling listeners how to think. Today, those who listen to NPR or read its coverage online find something different: the distilled worldview of a very small segment of the U.S. population.”

A segment so

and July 2023, affecting 53 facilities mostly in rural areas outside the larger hospitals, according to information gathered by the NDP opposition.

Most of these closures are the net result a severe staffing shortage of doctors, nurses and other health care providers. Health Minister Everett Hindley points to the government’s latest $140-million recruitment and retention action plan to create permanent and fulltime position across the province and especially in rural Saskatchewan.

“It’s working in our rural communities,” Hindley said in the legislature last week. “New hires are happening as a result of that.”

Unfortunately, many within the health system are saying the same thing people in need of the health system are

deranged by Trump’s election in 2016 that it fed phoney stories about Russiagate and Hunter Biden’s laptop to its audience over Trump’s term.

NPR’s managing editor for news dismissed revelations over Hunter spilling the beans on his dad: “We don’t want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories, and we don’t want to waste the listeners’ and readers’ time on stories that are just pure distractions.” We now know this senior journalist helped bury a generational story. Getting it deliberately wrong is bad enough, continued Berliner, but “What’s worse is to pretend it never happened, to move on with no mea culpa, no self-reflection. Especially when you expect high standards of transparency from public figures and institutions, but don’t practice those standards yourself. That’s what shatters trust and engenders cynicism about the media.”

is reaping the whirlwind in cables cut from the nightly Colbert Chorus of Insanity. A worried New York Times has tried a limited mea culpa on overselling the pandemic (one of their reporters claimed in 2022 that COVID had “racist” roots), but the stain of its irresponsible censoring of any critics endures.

As Berliner suggests, a population that understands the massive COVID deception is now dumping the news sources they long trusted. Hollywood, too,

observing - the solutions aren’t always working.

Recently, 49 emergency room nurses from Saskatoon’s St. Paul’s Hospital set a letter to a letter to Hindley on the unfairness, inefficient and expense of temporary travel nurses as a stopgap. “The agency nurses appear valued while they themselves are not,” the permanent nurses wrote of the travel or contract nurses.

Hindley explained he was “trying to balance the need for filling those vacancies over time and making sure that the existing staff do have the ability to have time off.”

But the NDP noted concerns from the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses that the average travel nurse salary is $289,256 a year - also three times that of permanent nurses that SUN say are now having trouble booking shifts and getting more

The Wall Street Journal has noticed: “... the newspaper’s problems go beyond young staffers who learned in college never to tolerate reasonable viewpoints. With general election season upon us, even middle-aged Timesmen are giving every indication that they’re planning to repeat all the mistakes they made covering the first Trump administration.”

In Canada, no one at CBC, CTV, the Globe and Mail, or the Toronto Star is even remotely

overtime.

Meanwhile, the amount the government is spending on this “temporary fix” of contract nursing that is supposedly related to 2020 pandemic cost the health system $59 million last year and is expected to cost $70 million in 2023-25, according to SUN’s numbers.

Similarly, the Sask. Party government is taking heat for the inability of this province’s health system to deal with either diagnostic mammograms to stop breast cancer or the hip and knee surgeries. The medium time for knee surgery here was 318 days compared with the 161-day national average. The solution from the government has been to ship people out-ofprovince to Calgary. For mammograms, that cost is 10 times as much as

close to owning up to their role in creating panic over COVID19 (one prominent reporter even received the Order of Canada for supporting lockdowns and vaccines). They have ceased reprinting Trudeaupian propaganda on the virus and the vaccines. But the silence on their enthusiastic support for closing of schools, the isolation of the dying and the firing of those reluctant to try untested vaccines speaks louder than any mealy-mouthed correction. So the next time the prime minister and his media pals try to portray the earnestsometimes plodding - messaging of Poilievre as a new Dark Age, consider the source. And then move into the future. Because it won’t be written anymore by the people who assume their infallibility.

if they would be done at home, say the NDP.

For hip and knee surgeries, the solution is a $6-million contract with the private Surgical Centres Inc. whose parent organization, Clearpoint Health Network of Calgary contributed $14,000 to the Sask. Party.

Suffice to say, the complex problems and solutions in health care go well beyond political rhetoric of underfunding, privatization and closure.

We have gone from the $3.2 billion spent on health by the NDP government in their last 2007-08 budget to the $7.6 billion the Sask. Party government is expected to spend in 2024-25.

Yet problems remain and government struggles to find solutions beyond spending more each year.

Notable Notes

Bob Mason

Some people relax over a game of cards, reading a book or watching TV. Other listen to the music they like or relax in a hundred different ways.

On an army route march - with full pack - the order often came: “Take Five!” And it was these times that we looked forward to ... sitting down and leaning back, letting the pressures of the day go on by. Some guys really enjoy

hunting. One of my cousins was just that sort of guy!

Every fall when the farm work slowed down some, he’d take off for a few days and go hunting. I forget how old he was when he finally fell over but those long walks through the bush, doing what he felt like doing, certainly stretched out his “allotted time” a bit!

Not only did his “Hunting Holiday” supply meat for the table and sometimes mitts and moccasins, but he really valued those little forays that gave him a chance to prove that he could “get by” in his chosen way of life.

Books have been written and thousands of tales told about the skill - or lack of it - in hunting. And it would be a little silly of me to pretend that my “nimrodian” experiences remote-

ly resembled “skill” of any kind.

Incidentally, for all that I claim hunting to be really relaxing for some people, it sure never was for me. Maybe because some of us became the “game” at one time in Europe during the Second World War! But like it or not, we did have a few hunting and sometimes humorous adventures that are marked down in my old journal under “H”.

To you, they might seem kind of boring but sometimes when I look them up I have to laugh.

Hunting with Vic Lecoq:

So we’re striding through the bush when we meet this conservation type.

“By gosh, Mr. Lecoq,” says the game warden. “Your supposed to be wearing white or red coveralls when you’re

Innovation Saskatchewan Invests $170,000 in R&D crop pathogen testing

Innovation Saskatchewan is investing $170,000 in two industry-led research and development (R&D) technologies through the Saskatchewan Advantage Innovation Fund (SAIF) and Agtech Growth Fund (AGF).

These dual R&D grant programs accelerate the commercialization of game-changing technologies in agriculture, mining, energy, manufacturing and health care and help bring them to market.

“Saskatchewan companies are leaders in innovation and the advancement of cutting-edge technologies,” Minister Responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan Jeremy Harrison said. “The SAIF and AGF programs support companies in our province’s core sectors to accelerate their technologies, driving job creation and economic growth.”

SAIF and AGF funding will support two innovative companies in the spring 2023 cohort as they accelerate their R&D projects and commercialization efforts:

• BrewNature Composting - Developing a modular composting technology capable of reducing composting times from three months to five days ($95,000 in SAIF support).

• PathoScan Technologies - Developing a rapid crop pathogen diagnostic technology. PathoScan’s in-field device will be capable of detecting pathogens in as little as 45 minutes ($75,000 in AGF support).

BrewNature specializes in converting organic household, commercial and agricultural waste

into nutrient-rich compost 95 per cent faster than traditional methods. The SAIF funding will be used to advance BrewNature’s technology and enable it to upscale its operations, enhance its composting processes and develop innovative solutions for organic waste management.

“By leveraging SAIF funding, BrewNature aims to have a significant impact on mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with organic waste decomposition and promoting sustainable practices in waste management,” Brew Nature CEO and founder Babak Roshani said. “We are excited about the environmental benefits of our composting technology and its impact on and contribution to the circular economy.”

BrewNature also recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding at COP28 with an UAE-based company to introduce and advance innovation in composting technology.

PathoScan enables farmers to perform pathogen tests for any crop with its userfriendly testing kits that deliver fast, accurate and cost-effective results while ensuring a seamless user experience. The AGF funding will help refine this technology through comprehensive field testing to ensure its device is robust and effective under different agricultural conditions.

“The AGF funding and support from Innovation Saskatchewan will catalyze our mission at PathoScan to empower

hunting.”

He’s right! The rest of us are all dressed up as hunters. Vic is only wearing a dark jacket and pants.

What to do?

Right on the spot, Vic undresses and pulls his fleece-lined underwear on over his other clothes - I wonder if anyone ever took a picture of that! I can still see those spindly legs striding through the bush!

Hunting with Old John Daniels:

John came from the Sturgeon Lake reserve, and went hunting with us one time. A couple of well-heeled hunters from PA were almost aghast when John showed them the two rounds he had for his old rifle ... after all, he only wanted to shoot two animals!

Under “H” in that old book, I find that Oscar Gillette and I followed a track through deep snow in the bush until it disappeared entirely.

Then we realized that it wasn’t a deer track

farmers with immediate, in-field crop disease diagnostics, drastically reducing response times and safeguarding livelihoods,” PathoScan founder Tayab Soomro said. “By minimizing crop losses due to disease, PathoScan will help sustain the agricultural economy, ensure food security and foster a more sustainable approach to farming.”

The announcement took place in Regina at Ground Truth Ag, a Spring 2022 recipient of AGF funding for its automated grain grading technology, which significantly improves the process of obtaining and grading grain samples and delivers accurate and consistent results that eliminate discrepancies and save time and money for farmers.

“AGF funding helped us significantly speed up the development time of our automated grain grading product by allowing us to add infrastructure, advance field testing and enhance our academic partnerships,” Ground Truth Ag CEO Kyle Folk said. “We were able to get to market faster and with a more complete product.”

Since 2012, SAIF has committed over $14.7 million in 59 projects, resulting in more than $50 million in private investment and $103 million in post-project investment. Similarly, since AGF launched in 2020, the program has invested over $4.4 million in 23 projects, resulting in more than $19.4 million in private investment and $25.3 million in post-project investment.

at all but a weasel that got tired of jumping and finally burrowed through the snow instead!

The Great White Hunter: We called him that because he shot at a deer from 10 feet one time ... and missed!

The One-Day Sergeant: In Shilo, Manitoba at the army training base, a Sergeant gave me his uniform and name so I could attend a social thing in his place while he went hunting deer out in the “area” with a Bren gun! [Editor’s Note: The Bren gun - a light machine gun - at the time fired .303 British ammunition from a 30-round magazine, 500-520 rounds/minute practical or 120 rounds/ minute sustained]

At another time many years ago, one of the family men was conservation officer up north. He was snowmobiling through the bush one day when he stopped to talk to a hunter.

“Look sonny,” says the

hunter. “You shouldn’t be driving that snowmobile in the bush ... someone might mistake you for a moose!”

“Oh,” says Gene as he zipped down his coveralls to show his uniform underneath. “Would you mistake me for a moose?”

I understand that he let him keep his rifle!

A further entry under “H” reads “Weak Bladder”. I guess that we’ll look at that one another time!

Some day in the future, someone will maybe throw that old ledger out, but every time I open it, it brings back a lot of memories!

Of course “H” doesn’t just include hunting! There’s a couple of pages there that remind me of other stuff, all the way from “Half-inch Man” to “Hypochondriac”.

But those are stories for another time. Sometime, maybe, if we last that long!

Saskatchewan’s retail trade growth leads nation

Statistics Canada released retail trade figures, April 24, for February 2024 which places Saskatchewan second in the nation for both month-over-month and year-over-year growth.

The province saw retail trade increase by 3.9 per cent, or more than three times the national average, in February 2024 compared to February 2023, with the total value reaching $2.1 billion (seasonally-adjusted). Retail trade also went up by 1.7 per cent per cent (seasonally-adjusted) in February 2024 compared to January 2024. This places Saskatchewan well above the national decrease of negative 0.1 per cent.

“The continued growth in retail trade is indicative of the overall strength of the province’s economy,” Trade

and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison said. “These numbers, along with another record-breaking year of exports, is a clear sign that Saskatchewan is open for business. This success creates jobs and opportunities for the people who call this province home.”

The Monthly Retail Trade Survey compiles data on sales, including e-commerce sales, and the amount of retail locations by province, territory and selected census metropolitan areas from a sample of retailers.

Retail sales is a measure of total receipts at stores, or establishments, that sell goods and services to final consumers.

The announcement builds on further encouraging news for the province on the

economic front. The Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership recently released their State of Trade report which shows that Saskatchewan reached several export milestones in 2023. This includes agri-food exports totalling over $20.2 billion and agricultural equipment exports of nearly $835.0 million. Both figures represent record exports in their respective categories.

To spur further economic growth, 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 attracting investment into Saskatchewan.

NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL

Rural Municipality of Biggar No. 3 47

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll of the Rural Municipality of Biggar No. 347 for the year 2024 has been prepared and is open to inspection in the office of the assessor from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. on the following days: Monday to Friday, from April 24th to May 27th, 2024

A Bylaw pursuant to section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment is required to file his or her notice of appeal, accompanied by a $200.00 appeal fee which will be refunded if the appeal is successful, with: The Assessor, Rural Municipality of Biggar No. 347, Box 280, Biggar, SK, S0K 0M0, by the 27th day of May, 2024 by 4 p.m

Dated this 24th day of April, 2024.

Sandi Silvernagle, Assessor

Ask The Money Lady

Christine Ibbotson

Dear Money Lady,

My wife is one of those USA residents who has lived in Canada as a permanent resident since 1968 and never filed a U.S. tax return. We were told that it wasn’t necessary if you didn’t earn income and weren’t living in the U.S. Also, we had no idea that our children, who are dual citizens due to their mother, were also required to file taxes every year even though they have never lived or worked in the USA. What do we do now?

Ken W.

I feel for you Ken. This is a very difficult situa-

tion, one that I know a lot of dual Canadian and American citizens living here in Canada may also be worried about.

If you never plan to go back to the U.S. to live or work, if you have a home here in Canada, work in Canada, have investments, RSPs, TFSAs and kids in school; why are you keeping your U.S. citizenship? I know, it’s a lot easier to travel using your U.S. passports; but keeping it so it’s easier to travel to Florida or Arizona in the winter, just doesn’t make sense.

The USA is one of the few countries in the world that make their citizens claim 100 per cent of their worldwide income, which is not the case in Canada. So, if you have RSPs/RIFs and TFSAs, as a dual citizen - they are not tax exempted.

Also, if you hold title to any properties in Canada, for example, a primary residence (that as a Canadian, would be

tax exempted when you sell it) you will owe capital gains tax to the IRS.

If you have a U.S./ Canadian citizenship, please make sure you file taxes in both countries. If you do not have a social security number for the U.S., you will need to apply for one first and then file your tax returns.

Make sure to transfer all ownership of any Canadian assets over to a non-US resident, (preferably your spouse). Speak to a U.S. taxation lawyer for assistance and once you have settled with the IRS, consider renouncing your citizenship if you plan to stay in Canada.

Now I’m not saying that all dual citizenships are bad. It’s totally fine with many other countries around the world; countries that don’t base their taxation on worldwide income.

For example; let’s say you were born in Australia, Germany, India

or maybe the UK - you can have dual citizenship, and live and work here in Canada. You’re totally fine to keep both citizenship status and you’re not required to report your income or file a second tax return in those countries, (only the country of residency).

Filing two tax returns is a space unique to the USA. Taxation in Canada is based on local and resident income. So, what qualifies you as a resident of any country?

Well, you have to spend more than 183 days a year in most countries to be considered a resident, and this brings up a unique opportunity for those who love to travel. There is a foreign earned income exclusion that applies to all countries that don’t use worldwide income (so, the USA is not included).

Basically, if you keep moving, never spending more than 183 days a

year in any one country, you never become a tax resident and are not subject to any tax reporting. This is a great option for perpetual travellers who might split their time between Europe, Canada, Asia or even South America.

There’s a little snag with this proposition if you find this appealing, and that is your citizenship with Canada.

Countries will attempt to tax based on citizenship and especially if you’re using their healthcare system. So, if you really want to be “free as a bird” then you must give up your Canadian citizenship and become a permanent resident of a country with a territorial tax system (for example: Panama). I’m using Panama as an example because they only tax based on local income and that’s what you want.

You can become a permanent resident of Panama with an investment

of only $20,000 and you only have to spend a few days there every year. Because you don’t make an income in Panama, you now have no tax hit, and you’ll be free to travel the world as a nomad, earning income in other countries, as an independent contractor, tax free.

Of course, you’ll have to get healthcare coverage, but other than that, you’re set. This idea is not for the faint of heart, but certainly something to consider if you want to travel.

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

6 tips for planning a graduation party

Graduation season is a festive time of year.

Each year, graduating students close a notable chapter in their lives.

But as one chapter closes, another opens.

Many families commemorate graduation with a celebration. Planning a graduation party requires some work, but the efforts can be well worth it in the end.

Here are six tips for planning a graduation party.

Start early with planning Graduation season is a busy time of year. Many notable events take place in spring. In addition to graduation, Mother’s Day, weddings, communions, make up many people’s spring social schedule. Each of these special events will be competing in a relatively small window of time for the same vendors and

services in various communities. Set a date for the graduation party as soon as possible so that all other components of planning can fall into line. Also, it would be wise to send out invitations well in advance so guests can plan ahead and make it to the festivities.

Set a budget

Graduation season can stretch families’ budgets. Graduation caps and gowns, travel, gifts, and special occasion attire will need to be to purchased. It is important to budget accordingly if you plan to throw a party. Budget will dictate whether yours is a large affair or something more intimate. Realistically assess what you can afford before you make any promises. Plan easy food options Food is not the focal point of a graduation

party like it is during a wedding reception. Therefore, hosts have more leeway with the menu when planning a graduation party. Choose finger foods and others that can be grabbed and eaten on the go, as people will want to mingle and have time to congratulate the graduate. Choose the right venue Budget may dictate the type of venue. Having a graduation party at home can work, provided you have the space. If your graduate has requested a theme, then the party location can align with that theme. For example, a luau theme may work best around a pool or at the beach. If you will be hiring entertainment, make sure there is enough space and electrical hook-ups for equipment as well. Give neighbours a heads-up if you’ll be hosting at

home.

Consider an open-house event

Various graduation parties may be going on at the same time, particularly on weekends. Consider an open time frame for guests to drop by and then leave when they desire. This makes it easy for the graduate’s friends to stop by when

they can, rather than having a fixed schedule for the party. Personalize decorations Set the party apart with some personalized decorations that fit the theme. This can include using school colours, photography, the graduate’s name, or specific quotes or interests of the graduate on banners

and more. Personalized decorations also mean that the grad can save something to serve as a memento of this exciting time in his or her life. Graduation season is on the horizon, and it’s best to start thinking about parties as soon as possible.

How to choose the perfect barbecue for you

Barbecue season is here, and there are many options to consider when choosing the perfect grill for your next meal. Here’s a guide to help you choose the best grill for your space.

Multifunctional

“A surprising trend is that people now have more than one barbecue in their yard, just like how they have multiple appliances in their

indoor kitchen,” says Janna Millious, barbecue merchant. “For smaller backyards, we’re seeing increased interest in modular grills with a pizza oven, storage, foldable side tables and a griddle top for entertaining, which is great for a group teppanyaki night or for a fun breakfast.”

Natural gas

One of the most widely

used grills; the natural gas grill connects to the gas line on the exterior of your home, eliminating the need for propane tanks. While natural gas doesn’t burn as hot as propane, it can be more cost-effective and it offers a constant flow without the need to refill your tank.

Propane

Propane tanks can be refilled and are portable,

allowing more freedom in where you place the barbecue in your yard.

Charcoal

Charcoal grills are heated using briquettes. When burned, they turn into embers, giving you an even, hot grilling surface that produces a smokier flavour. Charcoal grills are often portable as well and they can be used in a variety of scenarios - from your

backyard to a picnic in the park.

Wood pellet

Wood pellet grills are some of the most versatile barbecues on the market because they can be heated to a variety of temperatures, making them an ideal grill, barbecue or smoker.

They’re often cylindrical in shape and burn foodsafe wood pellets to create heat.

Electric

Electric grills are small in size and run completely on electricity, making them the ultimate portable grilling surface if there’s somewhere to plug it in. You won’t get the full, smoky, barbecue flavour that you would from a traditional fire grill, but they can be used almost anywhere.

Agriculture

Calvin Daniels by Calvin Daniels

While I would not suggest anyone trust a post on social media as fact without delving into the statement further with some research, there are times something gets posted that is at least worth a moment’s pause to consider.

As I readied to write this week’s column I happened upon a post which wondered with some amazement how we have become a culture that considers Twinkies, cocoa puffs and Mountain Dew safe, but raw milk and compost grown tomatoes unsafe.

Like most things on social media the statement is a bit simplistic in as much as there is good reason milk has been pasteurized for decades, and one should hold some trust in processed foods following rules established by bodies which monitor such things.

That said there is a kernel of truth in the statement too, one which alludes to how disconnected we are from our food sources.

There is a concern that many are increasingly concerned about how farmers produce food and question whether they are producing food

Ag myths should be cause for discussion

safe to put on the dinner table.

Fertilizers and crop protection products are seen as dangerous bugaboos by many.

Of course we don’t want wheat grown with ergot because farmers have no access to fungicides.

And, we don’t really want meat from sick livestock on the barbecue either, so vaccines and antibiotics used ethically are not a great evil.

Of course questioning food is not wrong either, if one researches carefully and trusts the best science since it’s the only option in ultimately determining food safety.

And, when asking questions about one’s food, it should certainly include processed foods, because something like microwaveable bacon, and seemingly indestructible Twinkies at least warrant a closer look by common sense at least.

The answer should be to get back to having greater control of our food source.

Maybe a front lawn where we work to kill every weed - often with chemicals - is not the answer.

What if the patch of land grew our potatoes?

What if we forgot an ornamental shrub for a fruit tree?

Maybe our second vehicle sits outside so - in forward thinking communities at leastwe can have a few laying hens for eggs?

Could we create ‘mini co-ops’ where a few buy a sow that a farmer raises, so the participants get a side of pork each year as part of ‘membership’?

Our food is important, and we need as much control as is reasonable to each individual. And, of course ask questions, but always be aware of the source of any answer offered.

ESTIMATES IN BIGGAR! We’ve been working with Fred & Patsy at Spyder Autobody for the past 3 years, and will continue servicing the Biggar community with mobile SGI appraisals I-Car Gold Class and OEM Certified Technicians Consumer Choice Award Winners 12 Years Running Certified Aluminum Repair / Hail Repair Experts

• Courtesy cars available • Free pickup and delivery 2326 Avenue C North

Filipino culture on display at Biggar Lodge ... Filipino workers headed by CCA/Recreation Staff Florame Gallardo showcased the Filipino Culture at the Lodge during the Celebration of Filipino/Philippines Month this April. The residents loved the Filipino food and music, and learned the history of the Philippines. (Submitted Photos)

5 bucket-list worthy places to visit in Canada

While many of us jump at the chance to travel outside our borders, Canada remains a spectacular place to explore, with a diverse and far-reaching history.

Here are five must-see destinations to add to your bucket list. How many have you visited?

L’Anse aux Meadows

Visit this breathtaking World Heritage Site, which rests at the tip of Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula, to tour the archeological remains and experience a reconstruction of a thousand-year-old Norse encampment dating back to the Viking Age. You’ll be walking in a place immortalized in the Icelandic sagas 500 years before the next Europeans arrived on this continent, all set against a rugged backdrop of icebergs, whales and moose. Enjoy archeological artifacts, expert tours, geocaching and even an escape room.

Gwaii Haanas

Immerse yourself in Indigenous culture, surrounded by rich rainforests, and an ocean teeming with life in Gwaii Haanas on the beautiful islands of Haida Gwaii, the homeland of the Haida Nation.

After you’ve made a reservation and obtained

a trip permit, embrace your sense of wonder at the national park reserve and heritage site. The remote chain of islands is roughly 170 kilometres off the coast of northern British Columbia or 700 kilometres north of Vancouver. Get an intimate view of nature and wildlife from the seat of a kayak or take a guided tour to witness the power of ancient Haida village sites. Spot the carved poles lining the beach at SGang Gwaay and notice the remains of multitiered longhouses at T’aanuu and other historic communities. The Haida have called the 150island archipelago home since time immemorial.

Grosse Ile

For over a century, Grosse Ile was the gateway for millions of European immigrants on their way to new lives in North America. Walk in their footsteps at this historic quarantine island, just 50 kilometres downstream from Quebec City, where incoming ships - and people - were inspected in an effort to prevent the spread of diseases. Tour the island by bike or trolley, check out the medical quarantine station from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and pay your respects at the memorial

for the thousands of Irish immigrants who died there.

Louisbourg Prepare to be wowed at the expansive 18thcentury French fortress on the coast of Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island. Painstakingly reconstructed between the 1960s and the 1980s, the bustling town is brought raucously to life every summer by costumed Parks Canada

interpreters who play music, bake fresh bread and showcase what life would have been like for many of the residents. While you’re sampling an 18th-century meal or exploring the town, you can also learn about the Mi’kmaq traditional territory it sits on. Recent research has revealed the lives of enslaved people who lived at the fortress, such as Guineaborn Marie Marguerite

Rose, the first known Black businesswoman in Canada.

Dawson City Once called “the Paris of the North,” this unique Yukon town was the heart of the Klondike Gold Rush in the late 1890s. Today, it’s home to five national historic sites. Hike the Discovery Trail, explore local engineering feats and admire historic buildings, including one

that used to be a brothel. You’ll get to know the cultural and economic fabric of the time - and just have fun. With a vibrant arts and culture scene, lively tours of the town and plenty of nature adventures, there’s something here for everyone. In the summer you’ll bask in the midnight sun, and in winter, you might just catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

FOR SALE BY TENDER

• All sold as is. For pictures and information please contact the office at (306) 948-2422. Tenders may ONLY be submitted by:

• Mail to the Rural Municipality of Biggar No. 347, P.O. Box 280, Biggar, SK, S0K 0M0. Must be sealed with the words “Equipment Tender” marked on it.

• Hand delivered to the RM office, 201 2nd Avenue West, Biggar, SK. Must be sealed with the words “Equipment Tender” marked on it.

• Email submission of bids will be permitted. However, the RM of Biggar No. 347 cannot guarantee confidentiality of e-mailed documents and the Bidder assumes all risks associated with these forms of communication. Electronically submitted bid files shall be named: “Equipment Tender” and can be sent to: rm347admin@sasktel.net

• With all submissions, please indicate what item you are bidding on. Highest or any tender not necessarily accepted.

• Tenders must be received in the municipal office by: 3:00 p.m. Friday, May 17, 2024. No tenders received after this time will be considered.

• Tenders will be opened on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in the council chambers.

Winning tenders will be contacted Wednesday, May 22, 2024.

Biggar bowler takes Bronze at Nationals ... Cassandra Raschke (front row, left) is a two-time National winner. Raschke took home the Bronze from the recent competition at the Canadian competition as a member of Team Saskatchewan. Congratulations! (Submitted Photo)

Golf needs a Scheffler Grand Slam run

Penton On Sports

Televised golf is losing viewers. That is a fact, offered up after every tournament.

Theories are varied: Fans are turned off by the fight between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. Too much money is spoiling the game. Tiger Woods, the game’s biggest draw for the past two decades, is nothing more than a sad, ceremonial golfer these days.

But my theory is that the drama normally associated with professional golf has been muted by the recent success of Scottie Scheffler in the men’s game and Nelly Korda on

the Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association tour. Both are lacking outgoing personalities. About as exciting as a wet washcloth. Dull. But there is one solution on the men’s side. Viewership would skyrocket if Scheffler were to threaten to win the Grand Slam, an accomplishment never achieved in the modern era - winning the Masters, the PGA, U.S. Open, and the Open Championship (known as the British Open to many) in the same year. Historically, golf’s only ‘grand slam’ winner is Bobby Jones, the storied Atlanta amateur who won in 1930 what were considered the four major tournaments of his day - the U.S. Amateur, the British Amateur, the U.S. Open and the Open Championship. Woods in 2000 finished fifth at the Masters and then won the next three majors, and then won the Masters in 2001 for the ‘Tiger Slam.’ He held all four majors’ trophies at one time, but they weren’t all won in one

calendar year, so it didn’t count.

Scheffler might threaten to do it this year.

It seems that everyone else is playing for second place when he tees it up at a PGA event. He has won four tournaments in his last five starts and finished tied for second in the fifth, missing a six-foot putt on the 72nd hole that would have put him into a playoff with Stephen Jaeger at Houston.

Were he to win the PGA at Valhalla in Kentucky May 16-19, a few more casual viewers would be sure to tune in for the U.S. Open at Pinehurst in June. If Scheffler were to get three in his holster heading into the Open Championship in July at Scotland’s Royal Troon, viewership would explode.

On the women’s side, Korda has been even more dominant. She has won five consecutive tournaments, including the first major of the season, the Chevron Championship.

Korda, whose sister

Jessica is also an LPGA player and whose brother Sebastian is a world-ranked (26th) tennis player, joins two of the LPGA’s all-time greats, Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam, as the only ones to win five consecutive tournaments.

Meanwhile, Scheffler will take some time off before the PGA as his wife Meredith is about to give birth to the couple’s first child. Winning at Valhalla would give him Woods-like media attention and also ramp up Grand Slam talk.

Not to mention giving a big boost to TV ratings.

• Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe. com: “Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard to get final Team USA spot for this summer’s Olympics. Cool, but so who’s everyone’s best guess to replace Kawhi when he gets injured?”

• Super 70s Sports: “Sometimes Larry Bird would just haul off and punch lousy white players for perpetuating harmful stereotypes.”

• Janice Hough again:

“The NFL formally reinstated five players today who had been banned indefinitely for gambling violations in 2023. Wonder what were the odds?”

• Comedy guy Steve Burgess of Vancouver, on the eve of the CanucksPredators NHL playoff series: “Vancouver doesn’t churn out insipid, formulaic country music, so I don’t see why Nashville should dabble in hockey.”

• Jon McCarthy of Sun Media on Jason Day’s clothing choices at the Masters: “Day’s oversized pants nearly had him cleared for takeoff during Thursday and Friday’s blustery conditions.”

• A note from Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: “If you’re scoring at home, Scottie Scheffler has made more than twice as much money ($16.25 million) in his last five tournaments than Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus combined to make during their entire PGA Tour careers.”

• Phil Mushnick of

the New York Post: “Listening to ESPN NHL studio man P.K. Subban - career ‘lower-body injury’ inflictor - discuss dirty plays that warrant fines or suspensions was a bit like hearing Matt Rempe complain of a headache.”

• RJ Currie of sportsdeke. com: “Kellogg’s has sued tennis pro Thanasi Kokkinakis to stop him using the handle Special K. Ranked 277th, Kokkinakis isn’t special - a flake maybe, but not special.”

• Steve Simmons of Sun Media: “Bobby Orr is the greatest hockey player I’ve ever seen. My dad told me Ted Williams was the greatest hitter ever. Many insist Tom Brady is the greatest of all-time. That’s a touch of overkill for one city.”

• Simmons again: “What do Pete Rose, The Guess Who, Alex Mogilny, Supertramp and Leo Cahill have in common? All of them should be in the Hall of Fame.”

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

Biggar Taekwondo athletes medal

Biggar Taekwondo did extremely well at the Fire and Ice tournament this past weekend in St. Albert, Alberta. With over 700 competitors, Biggar took 10 medals, with everyone in the club bringing home a medal. Marissa Carter (not pictured) brought home bronze in patterns. Chloe Hebert a silver in sparring. Sasha Toderovic a bronze in sparring and gold in high kicks. Harjap Thandi brought home gold in sparring. Jackson Quessy a bronze in patterns. Lydia Huber a bronze in patterns. Ibadat Thandi a bronze in sparring and gold in patterns. Nash Wheaton silver for sparring. Everett Dowson a gold for high kicks and a gold for sparring. Hayden Westgard got gold for patterns and silver for sparring. Congratulations! (Submitted Photos)

Bruce Penton

Business & Professional …

Business & Professional …

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Therapy - Supplements

Ideal Protein Clinic

Mail orders welcome.

Monday – Saturday 9:00 – 6:00 306-882-2220 rosetownnatural@sasktel.net www.rosetownnaturalhealth.com

HAULING

ARIES –

Mar 21/Apr 20

Aries, your friends have stepped up to support you, and it is time to get together and enjoy one another’s company. Think about an activity that everyone can get behind.

TAURUS –

LIBRA –

Sept 23/Oct 23

Someone in your life who has not always been on your side has been changing his or her ways lately, Libra. You may want to reevaluate the relationship soon.

SCORPIO –

CAPRICORN –Dec 22/Jan 20

Capricorn, is your schedule flexible right now? Try to rearrange things to take advantage of some lastminute recreational opportunities. You deserve to have more fun.

306.237.7671

Troy May, owner/operator Fax: 306-237-TROY email: tmay@hotmail.ca

Super B outfits hauling grain and fertilizer in Western Canada

102 - 3rd

Apr 21/May 21

Taurus, the people around you may work more slowly than you, so you will likely need to be patient this week while working on a particular project. Eventually things will work out.

GEMINI –

May 22/Jun 21

Gemini, exercise caution when dealing with people who promise big returns on your investments right now. Avoid financial dealings with anyone you have not fully vetted.

CANCER –

Jun 22/Jul 22

Sask.

SERVICES Naty/Michael…

Oct 24/Nov 22

Scorpio, you have been working hard to avoid conflict with someone close to you, but it could start to feel like more effort than you can care to keep up.

SAGITTARIUS –

Nov 23/Dec 21

An interesting travel opportunity is coming your way, Sagittarius. When the news arrives, take advantage of it and start planning your itinerary.

Cancer, some people around you would like to use flattery to get you to do what they want. However, you are too savvy to fall for people who may be guiding you in the wrong direction.

LEO –

Price… 2.5 inches = $201.50 plus gst per 6-month prepaid

Jul 23/Aug 23

Loved ones and friends in your life deserve your time and energy right now, Leo. Figure out a way to cut down on hours spent on the job this week.

Please get back to me with changes/corrections by return email this morning.

VIRGO –

Thanks Urla

Aug 24/Sept 22

AQUARIUS –Jan 21/Feb 18

Aquarius, you may be feeling moody and introspective right now. Take time to evaluate your dreams and the thoughts going through your head. There may be common threads.

PISCES –Feb 19/Mar 20

Don’t let some ambiguous feedback adversely affect your mood, Pisces. You will never be able to please everyone, so focus on those people who are on your side.

Appointments

PHONE......306-951-0078 or 306-951-0098

Housing for families and seniors

This is what I worked up for the Business & Professional section in back of paper, 6 month commitment for $161.20 plus gst

Virgo, things going on in your life right now may be a bit more confusing than you anticipated. It can be stressful, but with some assistance from others you will get through the situation.

SILVER EAGLE is looking for a Semi-Truck Driver to haul gravel

Applicant needs to have a Class 1A Driver’s License with a clean abstract. If you are interested please phone Chris at 306-948-6997 for more information

by Father Edward Gibney, Biggar/Landis Roman Catholic Church Ascension and Pentecost

After the many weeks of Lent, then the celebration of Holy Week with the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus, and the celebration of Easter, we approach the culmination of this season of our Christian Year.

Soon we celebrate Jesus’ Ascension, His return to His Father in Heaven; and Pentecost, when Jesus sent the Holy Spirit into the world, the acknowledgement that God never abandons us. And of course, the world is blessed with the Holy Spirit to guide us and to strengthen our

Tired of running out of ink.? WE CAN HELP JUST SEND US YOUR DOCUMENTS AND LET US PRINT THEM FOR YOU. It’s that time of the year. Your Donations are needed for the ght against PROSTATE CANCER. Help us with that ght Call 948-3344, e Independent or E-Transfer to dale@dtjssb.ca

faith. The Holy Spirit is with us to make it possible for us to be God’s presence in the world. St. Teresa of Avila prayed, “Christ has no body but yours.

“No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.” Jesus left us the Holy Spirit, so that we could be the reflection of God in the world.”

In this time of the Ascension and Pentecost, we see Jesus go away, and yet He is still nearby, and we are supposed to carry on His ways. A good analogy is expressed in the image of when the sun is set-

ting and how bright a glow the sun has, on the horizon.

Yet at the same time, the moon is also starting to rise.

At first you do not notice the moon because the sun is so bright, but as the sun sets, the sky gets darker, the moon becomes more obvious, and we focus our attention on it, for it is still receiving the sun’s light. The sun continues to shine on the moon, illuminating it and reflecting heat upon us, for we are dependent on the moon for its role, reflecting the sun’s light and heat on the world.

In a way, that is what Pentecost, and our relationship with God, is all about.

God is always close by, shining on each of us and we are called to radiate with the Glow of God; with the Glow of our Faith. Even though He is not with us, God is nearby giving us the light, and it is important for the world that we continue to radiate that light.

Without that radiated light of God, made present in the world by His followers, the world would be a cold and dark place.

May God Bless you and protect you!

OBITUARIES

June 29, 1937 - April 12, 2024

It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of our Dad, Husband, Grandpa, Papa, Brother, Uncle, and friend to many, on Friday, April 12, 2024. He will be sadly missed by his loving and devoted wife, Fern Margaret Sawchuk; his children Enola Bell (Kevin Bell); Donald Sawchuk; his grandchildren Morgan and Payton Bell; his brother Henry Sawchuk (The late Marilyn Booth); sister Bettie (Wally) Sutter; along with many nieces and nephews who were dear to our family.

Bill was predeceased by his loving mother and father, Lazor and Alexandria Sawchuk; his sister Marie (Dave) Friesen; half-brother Peter (Nettie) Kitay; half sister Ruby (George) Woytuck; we least not forget his Son Bruce William Sawchuk. We miss Bruce every day, but he is never forgotten. Bless his soul! Bruce is survived by his three daughters Harvest, Aspen and Evan.

He loved his way of life and was an example of a hard-working man, dedicated, caring soul to all who had the opportunity to know and love him. Bill was loved and respected in the farming communities, whose friendships he cherished and respected. He was a religious man, reading the Bible daily passages every day. He loved his game shows and crossword puzzles. He had a brilliant memory and mind right up to his last days. Bill and Fern were married just shy of 61 years.

We would like to thank the staff and Physicians at the Royal University Hospital for his care during his final days. Lots of times they would mention that he had a “Farmer’s Heart” and we are very proud of that!

Our Dad was born on his family farm by Perdue, SK and lived there his entire life, just shy of 87 years of age. Bill and Fern were married on November 16, 1963 on a beautiful, warm and sunny day in Biggar, SK. Bill knew from a very young age that he wanted to be a farmer. Not just a farmer, but also talented and gifted in many other ways of life. Grain farming and raising cattle just to name a few. He enjoyed cars, snowmobiling (fixing many others in his shop), welding and getting creative with the lathe, he had that special touch. When he was younger, he played softball as the back catcher for the Perdue Ball Team with his good friends in the area.

Many memories included lake time at Loon Lake, SK waterskiing, fishing, camping and making breakfasts over the fire Bill had a big appetite, fast metabolism, and a sweet tooth, loving his ice cream in the evenings. And as you all know, the “occasional smoke break”. Bill and Fern enjoyed watching the Toronto Blue Jays and Winnipeg Jets games together.

Mom was born on May 14, 1929 in Handel, Saskatchewan. Later, the family moved to a farm at Andrew, Alberta.

School and farm work kept mom busy. In 1952 she married the love of her life, Emil Lehnert. They raised six children on their farm near Landis. Mom’s life was blessed with Faith and Love. She loved her family, friends, garden, flowers, animals, birds, fishing, phone calls, card playing, bingo, casino and visits from her grandchildren. Mom was a great cook - no one left her home hungry.

A Private Service was held at Wheatfield Cemetery on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 2:00PM. His wife, children and grandchildren were by his side every step of the way. A big thank you to Gerein Funeral Service and Beautiful U Flowers from Biggar, SK for helping with all the arrangements.

A special thank you to Ken Davidson who spoke on short notice and delivered a beautifully composed sermon which our Dad would have loved! And not to forget Nick Scharf who acted as a pallbearer and friend of the family, you were so appreciated. Donations may be made to the Wheatfield Cemetery or Jim Pattison’s Children’s Hospital.

“Your memory is our dearest inheritance” We will always remember you Papa, because there will never be another one to replace you in our hearts and the love we will always have for you! May you meet up with Bruce in Heaven, he will be waiting for you with open arms and a big hug!

“God’s garden must be beautiful, he always takes the best! Part of us went with you, the day God called you home.”

Arrangements entrusted to Gerein Funeral Service.

MARY ROSE LEHNERT

May 14, 1929 - April 16, 2024

Dad passed away in 2003. Mom continued to live on the farm until she become ill last summer. She passed away suddenly in the Biggar Long Term Care Home on April 16, 2024. Mary is lovingly remembered by her six children and their families, Vernon and children Jennifer, Christina, Aimee and Heather; Judy (Dan) and children Ryan, Kim and Stacie; Erwin (Jill) and children Jonathan and Matthew; Steve; Rick; Jackie (John) and Jaydon; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; brother Martin (Gayle) and daughter Marla.

She was predeceased by her husband Emil in 2003; and parents Mike and Annie.

Tributes, Biggar Long Term Care Activities Fund or The MS Society

In memory of Mom, we ask that you considered making a new friend or doing an act of kindness.

Eternal Peace Our Anchor and Angel!

“Thank You” to all personnel at Biggar Health Care Centre, Biggar Long Term Care Home, Home Care and Sunshine Family Care Home, for your compassionate care for Mom. Thank you to Father Gibney and Gerein Funeral Service for your guidance. Thank you to all whom participated in Mom’s beautiful Celebration of Life. Heartfelt thanks for the prayers, visits, calls foods, gifts, cards, hugs and support shown to our families. God Bless!

Mary Lehnert and Family

Mother’s Day Tea

WEDNESDAY MAY 8, 2:00pm at the Biggar Community Hall sponsored by Prairie Branches Enterprise. Enjoy entertainment and snacks, raffles, and bake table! Funds raised support the residents of Prairie Branches. Everyone is invited to attend. Silver Collection.

Happy Birthday to this young lady, Emily Liska, who turned