The Biggar Independent Volume 115 Issue 19

Random Acts of Kindness promoting well-being ... Mental health advocate, DJay McGrath, right, hands out wristbands after talking to kids during the St. Gabriel School RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) Club’s Youth Kindness Conference at the Biggar Community, May 3. McGrath’s message, “It’s Okay to not be Okay” resonated with kids as they navigated their reality, learning the pitfalls of growing up, providing tools to help them as young kids - things that they will have as adults handling stress, dealing with each other, and making positive choices. The conference ran all day with McGrath and his substance abuse story, presentations by SGI, Landan Waite, and Allan Kehler, both mental health advocates. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)

--JUNE 7- 9, 2024--

Block Party - Kids Carnival - Fibre Fair Sidewalk Sale - Seller’s Market Want to sell something, tables are FREE is spot could be yours *948-3344* Better an Facebook!!

The Biggar School of Dance held their year-ending celebration at the Majestic Theatre, May 4 and 5. The annual recital is a recognition of the hard work dancers put in over the past year, artistically expressing themselves with a joy and athletic prowess that has shown the Biggar troupe to be an exceptional competitor at dance festivals around the province. (Independent Photos by Kevin Brautigam)

in honour of The King’s Coronation, recognizing significant contributions and achievements by citizens across Canada. Congratulations, Randy! (Submitted Photo)

RM of Biggar council minute highlights

The regular meeting of the RM of Biggar No. 347 was held March 19 at the municipal office at 9 a.m. Attending were Reeve Jeanne-Marie de Moissac, Councillors Melanie Peiffer, Dale Thomson, Mark Sagon, Greg Mundt and Brian Watson (Absent: Brad Poletz), Administrator Sandi Silvernagle, Assistant Administrator Maria Danychuk.

The following are some highlights of the meeting.

Council agreed that the meeting agenda for March 19, 2024 be adopted as presented with the addition of the 2024 Gravel Plan and the 2024 Employee Wage Increases.

Council agreed that the February 2024 Bank Reconciliation and Financial Statement be received and filed.

• Foreman Derek Custer attended the meeting at

Biggar RCMP Report

by Sgt. Dereck Crozier, Biggar Detachment

This past week, 48 occurrences were dealt with by the Biggar Detachment.

In that mix, eight warnings and 15 traffic citations were issued.

The most significant infraction was a $554 dollar fine to a 21-yearold female operating her 2023 White Dodge Durango more then 35 kilometres over the speed limit. Report of speeding semi’s tearing up and down Range Road 3120 in the RM of Perdue. A single vehicle collision was located near Springwater after the vehicle suffered serious frontend damage from hitting the ditch bottom and ripping through a fence. The vehicle operator

fled the scene, but left behind a white flat deck truck that was Frankensteined together with stolen parts; the investigation continues into its original identity. Complaint received of a person in a black pick-up hunting and shooting at ducks from their vehicle in the RM of Biggar. CN reporting increased activity of mischief and trespassing on their tracks in town, and CP reporting a person dressed in dark clothing jumping out of a box car and fleeing after the train had stopped.

Rose Hill Colony reporting a dark coloured Dodge stealing their enclosed trailer and diesel heaters. An abandoned stolen 2007 GMC Sierra out of Sas-

katoon was located after becoming stuck, later a report of an attempt to steal a farmer’s truck parked at the field edge, but with keys removed, the would-be thief failed at their ignition attempt. Eventually a suspicious male from Saskatoon, hitchhiking in the dark on the centre line of Highway 14 was reported, unable to prove a link to the activity in the area, his denial of the coincidence granted him a courtesy ride back to the city before he became a hood ornament as words of wisdom from Forrest Gump chime in the back ground. Take care out there!

Mother of the Year bingo for Prairie Branches ... Landis Community Complex was filled on the evening of April 29, when the Porter Community Club and Our Lady Of Fatima CWL Landis hosted a bingo Honouring all Mothers, with all the proceeds going to Prairie Branches. Door prizes, generously donated by local businesses, a table loaded with homemade baked goods and prizes donated by community members rounded out the evening. Myla Huber is pictured here with her blackout bingo prize winnings of a substantial grocery

Thank you again to the community members of Landis and surrounding areas for their ongoing support for Prairie Branches. (Submitted Photo)

9:17 a.m.

Council agreed that payments, online payments, online utility payments, Mastercard, monthly remittances, and February payroll in the amount of $783,682.47 be approved.

Council suspended the meeting to open a Public Hearing on the proposed Development and Building Permit Application submitted by Trent Wiesner and Anita Lepard. The Public Hearing was from 9:30 to 9:45 a.m. with no one in attendance.

Councillor reports for Divisions 1-6, Reeve report and Foreman’s report, all for March 2024, were presented and accepted.

Council appointed Reeve Jeanne-Marie de Moissac as the voting delegate for the RM for the April 10 SAMA (Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency)

2024 Annual Meeting.

Council agreed to offer to purchase 2.7 acres from Jeff and Sandi Kushner for $6,750.

Council agreed to tender the 1985 International S1754, the 1975 GMC fire truck, the 2014 Road Boss, the 1996 Retriever, the 1999 Handyhitch, and the 2012 Dodge one-ton.

Council approved the purchase of a new Cat 160JOY-BR grader, the trade-in of the 2019 Cat 140M3, the trade-in of the 2013 John Deere 870GP for the amount of $278,969.10 from Finning Cat. Payment to be made upon delivery in the Fall of 2024.

Until delivery, the RM will continue to use the Cat 140M3, purchasing an extended warranty for $6,890, to be reimbursed by Finning Cat in the Fall.

Council agreed to close the RM of Biggar

Reserve Account Member Number and transfer funds to a new account named “Springwater Reserve Account” under the RM’s Member Number with the same signers as other RM bank accounts and allowing online access.

Council agreed to offer to purchase 0.8 acres from CA Acres Inc. for the amount of $1,255.49.

• Councillor Greg Mundt left at 1:45 p.m., declaring a pecuniary interest.

Council approved Silver Eagle Excavating Ltd. to haul at least 30 miles of gravel at the price of $12 per loaded mile.

Council approved the purchase of 10,000 yards of gravel from Stacey Mundt Farms Ltd. and Jennifer Mundt Farms Ltd. for $13 per yard for a total of $130,000.

• Meeting adjourned at 3:39 p.m.

Record-breaking number of surgeries performed in 2023-24

Saskatchewan’s surgical teams achieved another record-breaking year for surgical volumes in 2023-24 surpassing the high volume recorded last year. More than 95,700 surgeries were performed between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, the highest annual surgical volume ever recorded.

“Our surgical teams are making significant strides in ensuring patients receive timely surgical procedures. Our government continues to make record investments in human resources to increase capacity in our surgical systems and address wait times,” Health Minister Everett Hindley said.

Almost 6,000 more surgeries were performed in 2023-24 than the previous record volume recorded in 202223.

Particular emphasis is being placed on hip and knee replacement procedures, which are among the highest-volume procedures in Saskatchewan. Annual volumes for hip and knee replacement procedures increased to nearly 7,100 in 2023-24 from nearly 6,300 the previous year. The volume of joint replacement procedures performed in this fiscal year (April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024) was 50 per cent higher than the pre-COVID annual volume, in 2019-20.

The wait list is also

trending down with about 4,600 or 14 per cent fewer patients waiting for surgery compared to March 31, 2023. From March 31, 2023, to March 31, 2024, the number of people waiting more than 18 months decreased by 67 per cent.

The 2024-25 budget provides an additional investment of $2.28 million to increase surgical volumes and further reduce wait times.

The Ministry of Health and the SHA have developed a strong plan to continue the momentum gained in 2023-24 into 2024-25. Strategies to increase surgical capacity include developing focused improvements on orthopedics, investing in health human resources and expanding involvement of private sector partners in surgical service delivery.

The SHA continues to make process efficiencies that directly contribute to the success of the provincial surgical program, including the

recently launched centralized referral intake for hip and knee replacements.

“These initiatives are helping to reduce wait times overall and, in the case of hip and knee replacements, providing access to the next available surgeon more quickly, while providing patients more choice in making decisions that work for them alongside their surgical team,” SHA Provincial Surgical Services Executive Director Cindy Graham said.

The Government of Saskatchewan continues to support all partner organizations. Publicly funded, privately delivered surgical providers have historically performed approximately 15 per cent of the total number of surgeries completed in the province each year. Since 2020, this increased to almost 18 per cent as providers were able to increase their surgical volumes to assist with the COVID backlog.

hamper.

Weekes receives King Charles medal ... Randy Weekes, right, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan and Biggar-Sask Valley MLA, receives the King Charles III Coronation Medal from Saskatchewan’s Lieutenant Governor Russ Mirasty recently. The medal is

Decriminalization won’t solve Canada’s drug crisis

by Doug Firby, former Editorial Page Editor, Calgary Herald

Canadian cities must do something to curb the alarming rate of deaths from lethal drugs like heroin, fentanyl, cocaine or methamphetamine. But the solution, if one is even possible, should not be through decriminalization.

As disastrous experiments in British Columbia and Oregon so starkly show, decriminalizing the possession of hard drugs has led to an increase in deaths and turned some city streets into hellish no-go zones for citizens who aren’t there to get a hit. If you’ve been to Portland recently, as I have, you’ll see portions of the downtown transformed into post-apocalyptic encampments of drug-addicted homeless people. Vancouver’s East Hastings, meanwhile, has been branded “Canada’s worst street.”

Yet, despite tales of horror from those two jurisdictions, the City of Toronto is pressing ahead with an application to Health Canada to be allowed to decriminalize possession of hard drugs. The obstinance of public health officials in that city has sent Ontario Premier Doug Ford into apoplectic fits.

Ford argued governments should instead invest in drug treatment centres.

“That’s what we should be doing. Not legalizing hard drugs. Like, you’ve got to be kidding me. Like, let-

ting people do cocaine, and crack and heroin? You’ve got to be kidding me,” Ford said last week. “I will fight this tooth and nail.” Toronto health officials are not wrong that addiction should be treated as a health issue, not a criminal matter. But there is an overpowering naïveté in the belief that decriminalization will, in itself, save lives. Portland’s experiment failed because officials didn’t do enough of the other things that must be done at the same time.

Portugal - the poster child of drug death reduction - provides an instructive example. In 1999, Lisbon was known as the “heroin capital of Europe,” and overdose deaths were averaging 360 a year in the country of 10 million citizens. Alarmed officials formed a multipartisan party coalition that backed sweeping change that redefined the problem of addiction. Through an eightpoint program, of which decriminalization was just one part, Portugal effectively altered the environment around drug addicts to change their behaviour.

The detailed strategy included shifting from court-based incarceration to custody in the Commissions for the Dissuasions from Drug Abuse (CDTs); creating mobile teams to deal with addicts on the street; staffing those teams with experts; creating ways to test and administer treatment;

decriminalizing (not legalize) possession of small amounts of drugs and encourage addicts to seek treatment or to face penalties; helping addicts find employment; tracking the costs of drug addiction, including the total cost to society; expand public education; and, giving treatment officials, instead of police officers, the power to make decisions about drug users.

The initial results were spectacular. By 2018, the number of heroin addicts in Portugal had dropped from 100,000 to 25,000. The country also achieved the lowest drug-related death rate in Western Europe, one-tenth of Britain and one-fiftieth of the U.S. João Goulão, a former family doctor who designed Portugal’s radical approach, was hailed as a genius.

Then things began to unravel. As the country struggled with budget deficits, Portugal reduced resources allocated to its programs, undercutting efforts to encourage addicts into rehabilitation programs. Drug dealers, meanwhile, continued to use Portugal as an entry point to import hard drugs into European Union countries.

Between 2015 and 2021, drug users in treatment declined from 1,150 to 352. Funding dropped from $82.7 million in 2012 to $17.4 million in 2021. Overdose rates have reached a 12-year high and have doubled in Lisbon since

go away.

But will all climatechange related issues disappear for Moe and his Saskatchewan Party government?

Well, that might be a totally different issue.

Premier Scott Moe’s fight over the carbon tax that the federal Liberal government argues is reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions may not get any easier. If federal Conservative Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre becomes prime minister, as the opinion poll suggest, some issues like the current fight over collecting the carbon tax for home heating on natural gas will

You will recall the federal Liberal government exempted the carbon tax for those that used more expensive oil home heating - a practice more common in Atlantic provinces that don’t have easy access to cheap hydroelectric home heating or cheaper natural gas we have here.

Where this issue became politically charged is when federal Rural Economic Development Gudie Hutchings acknowledged the policy change came after Liberal government backbenchers from Atlantic Canada lobbied the federal cabinet and further suggested that if

the West wanted policy change, maybe they should elect more Liberals.

That political remark gave Moe justification for the kind of political fight he relishes, soon declaring his government would defy the federal law and now collect the carbon tax on natural gas home heating. His government even changed the law to make the running and collection of carbon tax on home heating a ministerial responsibility, meaning that it would be the designated SaskEnergy minister (currently, Dustin Duncan) responsible for this seeming breach of the law.

This escalated a war of words and threats about the inappropriateness of politicians who swear oaths to uphold the laws breaking the law. In the most recent development, Prime Minis-

2019. Crime, often drugrelated, rose 14 per cent from 2021 to 2022.

“What we have today no longer serves as an example to anyone,” Goulão says.

As Gregory Shea, senior fellow at Wharton Center for Leadership and Change Management, writes: “To code the case of Portugal’s illegal drug initiative ... as a binary choice - in this case, to decriminalize drugs or not - misrepresents the change effort required and, consequently, how to sustain it... If you decriminalize and do nothing else, things will get worse.”

In short, decriminalizing hard drugs while failing to adequately fund other strategies will not only fail but, worse, will likely create an expectation that lifetime drug use is a right.

In British Columbia, Premier David Eby said he hopes other jurisdictions in Canada will learn from his province’s mistakes. While he maintains addiction should be treated as a health issue and not a criminal one, public consumption of illicit

ter Justin Trudeau said that while Saskatchewan people shouldn’t be penalized by receiving no carbon rebate or a reduced carbon rebate, he ominously wished Moe and the Saskatchewan Party good luck in their fight with the independent Canada Revenue Agency.

In turn, the CRA said it was preparing to audit the province for not paying its carbon levies. To that, Moe responded on social media:

“We are submitting the same amount of carbon tax on natural gas and electricity for residential home heating as the Trudeau government is collecting on home heating oil,” he said. “So we consider ourselves paid in full.”

It might be a popular response, given that no one likes Trudeau or the CRA. But most of us know we have to pay

drugs must have hard limits.

Do public health officials in Toronto understand all that is required for a decriminalization effort to succeed? It’s not clear that they do, nor that they have the ability to tap into the substantial resources required to reduce addiction. All levels of government need to be committed to this effort, not for one year or five years, but over the long haul. As in, quite possibly, as far into the future as we can see.

The federal government, which initially supported B.C.’s decriminalization experiment, has become more circumspect. Mental Health and Addictions Minister Ya’ara Saks told the House of Commons it’s too early to draw conclusions about drug decriminalization: “We’re still evaluating the data,” Skip the data and listen to the people across

the country who are fed up with witnessing the rampant consumption of hard drugs on the streets. It’s not the way any of us want to live, and it’s not the Canada we want to live in.

Provincial governments, notably Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, are also largely opposed to decriminalization. Other provinces say they have no plans to go there. And Conservative Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, our prime minister-inwaiting, has been outspoken against it.

So, with three levels of government at odds over decriminalization, the prospects of running a co-ordinated strategy that would mirror Portugal’s initially successful project couldn’t appear dimmer.

The real lesson from B.C.’s disaster is that if you’re not ready to go all in on doing it right, you are much better off not doing it all.

our taxes and that the CRA demands we do so.

Moe’s position that “we don’t believe there are any dollars owed” has little basis other than politics and moral arguments - arguments that the CRA won’t likely accept.

Nor will all of Moe’s other problems in a changing world demanding we burn less fossil fuel necessarily go away.

Consider the fact that the Sask. Party is slowly getting out of business of burning coal to produce electricity.

Last week, SaskPower and Crown Investment Corporation (CIC) Minister Dustin Duncan announced SaskPower and the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) would join a CANDU working group to share knowledge moving forward on the development of small modular reactors (SMRs).

It’s a good idea and it’s good that the government is taking it slow. The problem? Abandoning coal may mean a loss of jobs in the southeast - something of concern to Saskatchewan United Party leader Nadine Wilson.

“I’d also like to know if the Government of Saskatchewan is going to shut down coal, and how soon?” Wilson asked in the legislature.

“We’ll certainly be looking to ensure that we can run coal as long as possible,” Duncan responded in the legislature.

That seems inconsistent with the Sask. Party government’s longterm view on SMRs and maybe even its longterm fight over the best way to reduce carbon emissions.

But such fights may carry on for awhile.

Notable Notes

Bob Mason

I’m no connoisseur by a darn sight and not much of a drinker to boot.

As a matter of fact, according to some people I’m not much at anything. But expert or not, I feel called on to report this little incident which possibly only proves that a lot of peasants out on the lone Prairie aren’t connoisseurs either!

Years ago, Phyl and I had moved up to the

edge of town. We still farmed way up in the hills and my routine got to be that of a commuter.

Early breakfast at home, drive up to the farm, lunch at noon and then home late for supper.

Of course I always took along a gallon or so of drinking water as there were few wells in the hills.

I figured this was okay and it was for a while, but every now and then - because of the hills, I guess - my old ‘44 would heat up, and rather than let it burn up, I’d pour my precious drinking water into the radiator.

I did this quite a few times (at the expense of my own thirst!) and I guess I just didn’t realize how much the old tractor needed. But every now and again I’d come in for a late supper just

Connoisseur

famished for a drink!

Then the old farmbrain started working and working ... Aha! Eureka!

Every farmer knows that it is better for them to go dry than the tractor, so get something to drink that one wouldn’t use in his machine. Simple, eh?

I suppose that I could have gotten a case of pop of some kind, but one evening - very late - I called at the local bar and purchased a whole case of 24 beer.

Like I said, I’m not much of a drinker, so when the guy behind the bar said, “What kind?” I answered the first thing that came to mind: “Canadian!”

Being a kind of cheap old scoundrel, I filled an old cream can with water and left it at the

Employee Spotlight!

corner of the field for the tractor. The two-dozen “Canadian” I deposited in the tall grass behind the old shack at the Shannon’s. When Y.T. (Yours Truly) got thirsty out in the field, up he went and had a cold drink of beer!

This kept on for a few years and every spring I took a couple of dozen Canadian out. But, eventually we ran out of money, got a job on construction and rented out the land.

A couple of seasons later, a fellow approached me about cutting some sloughs on the farm for hay and I said okay. Along came a weekend, and I was home so I drove out.

It was a hot, hot day in September and he had his shirt off as he sweated away, forking hay.

Get to know your Town of Biggar Staff!

Doug Hawes, an essential piece to our Public Works Department, has been with the Town of Biggar for the last six years. Currently working as an operator, the best part of his job, according to his mom, is getting to work with life sized Tonka Toys!

When not cleaning streets, pushing snow, or fixing your water lines, you will find

Dougie shooting geese and catching fish. This might upset some people but his favourite fish to catch are Pike. However, we are in agreement that the only people who don’t like Pike are the ones who do not know how to properly fillet them!

Doug has two children, Isaac and Ellie as well as a dog, Lady. His pet peeve is “stupid people”,

complainers, and his Dad, according to his mom. A fun fact that she shared with us is that when he was little he used to pretend he was Atom Ant. Hawes has called Biggar home for all of his 39 years. His favourite thing about the community of Biggar is that it’s home.

Chef Dez on Cooking

Topping Up Your Spice Rack

We always make our own spice and herb blends in our house. These are three of our favourites that I know you will enjoy.

Taco Seasoning

“Why buy store-bought, when you can make it yourself? Taco Tuesday will never be the same again!”

2 tablespoons Mexican chilli powder.

5 teaspoons smoked paprika.

4.5 teaspoons ground cumin.

3 teaspoons onion powder.

2.5 teaspoons garlic powder.

1.5 teaspoons salt.

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper. Mix all ingredients together and store indefinitely.

Chili Rub Seasoning

“This rub is great on chicken or pork, but can be used on fish, beef, and/or vegetables too! I like it when making chicken or pork tacos.”

3 tablespoons Mexican chilli powder.

1.5 tablespoons dark brown sugar.

2 teaspoons garlic powder.

2 teaspoons smoked paprika.

2 teaspoons salt.

2 teaspoons ground cumin.

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper.

1 teaspoon dried oregano.

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Mix all ingredients together and store indefinitely. Makes approximately half a cup.

Italian Seasoning

“Great to keep on hand in your spice rack. Don’t use ‘ground’ herbs though.”

2 tablespoons dried basil.

2 tablespoons dried oregano.

2 tablespoons dried rosemary.

2 tablespoons garlic powder.

1 tablespoon dried thyme.

Combine all ingredients together and keep in a sealed jar. Makes approximately half a cup.

Send your food/cooking questions to dez@chefdez.com or P.O. Box 2674, Abbotsford, B.C., V2T 6R4. Chef Dez is a Food Columnist, Culinary Travel Host and Cookbook Author. Visit him at chefdez.com

“Hello!” I said.

“By Gosh, it’s hot!” he exclaimed. “I’d give anything for a cool bottle of Boh right now!”

I sympathized with him about the heat and the lack of drinking water up in the hills, when suddenly the memory of my old predicament occurred.

“Y’know,” I consoled him. “There just might be a bottle or so of beer up at the house!”

Away I went. Sure enough, deep down in the tall grass behind the old shack were two bottles of beer that I hadn’t used the last year

I farmed. The labels had washed off into the faded old box marked, “Canadian” but I took the beer down to him anyway. He pried the top off one with a pair of pliers he had in his pocket and guzzled the contents down. “Boy, does that stuff ever hit the spot!” he exclaimed. I drove off in a hurry! That beer had sat out in the tall grass of the hills for two years, and it wasn’t even his brand! But like I said at the start, I’m no connoisseur anyway!

Ask The Money Lady

Dear Money Lady Readers:

Sometimes people hit their “wall of resistance” and want to quit, especially now in a down turned economy. Is your dog sick, kids sick, you’re sick? Your car broke down, you’re too tired? Honestly, the world isn’t interested in the “storms you’re encountering,” they only care if you brought the boat!

The reality is the world is pitiless to your problems.

I know that sounds harsh but, it’s so true. If you want to be in business for yourself or to keep your job, you have to keep your promises, even when it’s hard to do so.

You must show up for work, even when you don’t feel like it. You must serve your clients, markets, and sell your products and services, maintain your web site, write your blogs, post

on Facebook and other social media, go to networking meetings, pay your bills, save money, pay your mortgage, take care of your kids, feed your pets, ad infinitum. Then rinse and repeat. Suck it up, buttercup! All the excuses in the world won’t excuse you from your responsibilities. If you fail to run your business profitably and responsibly - well, your business will fail.

The fact is, everyone cries in the night, has a sick relative, a career failure, gets overcommitted, or runs out of time or money. Your job is to manage it. It’s human nature to want to “drop out” on something. Success takes work. We all know: “If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.”

Here are the top five ways to not hit your work-resistance wall:

1.) Choose to work with clients and partners that are respectful, kind, and helpful. It’s impossible to stay happy when surrounded by angry, whiny, and complaining people.

2.) Don’t overwhelm yourself with too my projects. You can’t be happy when you’re too tired.

3.) Pick a niche market and grow your business

in it.

4.) Know your limitations. Not everyone can be number one. Smaller can be happier.

5.) Live within your means or create better means. Always keep a budget for business and life.

Here are the top five ways to not hit your liferesistance wall:

1.) Watch the news in small doses (not every day). If it’s on TV, it’s going to be negative and depressing.

2.) Love people more. Everyone secretly wants more love from you.

3.) Have a passionate hobby and make time for it (something separate from your daily routine).

4.) Do something fun every season. Go on an adventure, camping, dancing, walk around a museum, go to the opera, or have people over for a special dinner.

5.) Limit your mindless social media consumption and limit the comparisons to others. This habit lowers your self-esteem, your selfworth, and your selfconfidence.

The ultimate purpose in life is to be happy.

The ultimate purpose of our spirit is to help others to be happy too.

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

FOR SALE BY TENDER

5) 1999 Handyhitch

6) 2012 Dodge 1 Ton

• 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.

Christine Ibbotson

1) 1985 International S1754

2) 1975 GMC Fire Truck

3) 2014 Road Boss 4) 1996 Retriever

2012 Dodge 1 Ton

1999 Handyhitch

Agriculture

Calvin Daniels by Calvin Daniels

Have you ever wondered what would happen if we had true worldwide free trade in agricultural commodities?

I suppose it is ultimately an exercise in fantasy because politics and nationalism being the forces they are not likely to ever completely stop meddling in trade as a way to gain favour at home, or as a way to fire a salvo in political battles with other nations.

If I think back to social studies and history classes in school many, many years ago, I recall the teacher suggesting Canada would do quite well if the world simply let countries that produce something best be allowed to do it.

On the surface that is rather a reasonable vision.

For example does it make sense to try and grow wheat by reclaiming desert?

Certainly that would make little sense if trade flowed unencumbered,

Free Trade may not be so free

but the reality is that in our increasingly volatile world there is risk on relying on another country for your food supply.

We in Canada look south and there sits the U.S. and we tend to think that country is a stable trade partner.

But, is that assured in a world where you still have the loose cannon that is Donald Trump eyeing the presidencyperhaps from a jail cell.

Then mix in some of the 1950s legislation being enacted in several southern states which makes one wonder how those powder kegs might play out.

And, just how ‘good neighbour’ will the U.S. be if they ever need our water, oil with any level of urgency?

Ultimately, the U.S. is as ‘me first’ a nation as any.

Back to the original question. It is one we need to realize would mean the world would

have to have evolved, and areas such as Eastern Europe and swaths of Africa would be allowed to produce as they could with access to technology and that elusive free trade.

It would seem reasonable that North America might find that it is not as perfectly situated geographically if trade became truly free.

Then too one might have to factor in the impact of climate change moving forward.

And, if climate change continues, and we as humans have a negative role, what will that mean to export transportation?

Granted, this is all very speculative questioning, and the aforementioned volatility of the world makes knowing what might happen tomorrow difficult, but it is interesting to think about a long held vision might be less wonderful than we would hope.

Mon-Fri 9am-12pm & 1-4pm

Toll Free: 1-877-948-4880

Phone: 1-306-948-4880 Fax: 1-306-948-4882

Attention: Janet

Please proof and get back to me by return email.

Thanks, Urla

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

by Trudy and Dale Buxton

We continue from Provost heading west on Highway 13, coming to the intersection of 13 and 41. We decide to swing left and come into the community of Czar.

Sporting an interesting name, Czar was mostly settled in the early 1900’s by immigrants of Russian decent. They felt the name Czar would make the settlers feel like they were at home. Czar, a name used for Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers in Russia, was incorporated in 1917 mostly a farming village

of around 200 people. Today’s population remains around 250 people with strong farming and ranching roots. The town slogan is “Where Cowboys Reign” to go along with their strong roots in agriculture.

Situated on Highway 41, better known as The Buffalo Trail. The 686 kilometre long trail starts at the U.S. border and extends just north of Bonnyville, Alberta. The highway received its nickname, the Buffalo Trail, because Highway 41 follows the approximate route of

the early bison herds that travelled from the America into northern Alberta.

Back on Highway 13 we continue west to the Village of Hughenden.

Taking its name from the Hughenden Manor which was the home of Benjamin Disraeli, a British statesman and the Earl of Beaconsfield who eventually became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Hughenden has a current population of around 200 people. For such a small community, Hughenden has lots to offer in the way of recreation. There is a golf course, hockey and curling rink, bowling alley, parks and an RV Park - lots to offer in the little community.

Next up we come to the community of Amisk, which is the Cree word for Beaver. The community was first surveyed by the Canadian Pacific in 1906 which was the same year that settlers from Scandinavia and Great Britain arrived on the scene.

Amisk does proclaim to have the oldest public library in all of rural Alberta, being set up in the early 1900’s. It remains a central point

for the community. The current population is around 220 people and mainly an agriculture community.

One interesting fact about Amisk is that the streets were named by Charlie Phipps who was a stone mason from Ontario who took up settlement just south of the village. Phipps built a stone house in 1906 for a friend, a stone house that is still standing today. While no one is living in the home, it is a reminder of the community’s storied past.

Next up down the road we come to the Town of Hardisty.

Named after Senator Richard Hardisty, the town began life in 1906 as a hamlet and a very important railway centre. The community became a town in 1911 and has a current population of around 550 people.

Hardisty is in the Battle River Valley and is mainly known as a pivotal petroleum hub in this part of Alberta where you will find production of a vast supply of heavy crude.

Stay tune next week as we continue with Hardisty and beyond.

Old Stone House in Amisk, Alberta

“Welcome To Czar,”

Remember When

Keith Schell

If there was ever a club out there for people who occasionally did dumb things, I would probably get elected president of our local chapter.

The Dumbass club would probably have a vast world-wide membership and encompass people from all walks of life.

You know who you are.

That being said, it was a quiet spring family Saturday in the mid1980’s. I was chilling at home and not really doing anything.

It was shopping day and we needed groceries, so Dad drove Mom into town and dropped her off at the grocery store to get the weekly shopping done. Dad had to go someplace else to do something so when Mom was done shopping she was just going to call me at home from the store and I would go into town and pick her up.

I was at home when the

The maddest I’ve ever seen Mom

phone rang. Mom was done grocery shopping in town and needed me to pick her up. I had my own car at the time and said I would come in and get her.

I drove the eight miles into town and swung past the grocery store.

When I got to the grocery store, I began driving around looking for a spot close to the store exit to park the car.

There was none.

Because I think I had tunnel vision focused solely on looking for a parking space, I did not see my Mother waiting on the sidewalk by the store exit with a cart full of groceries. And because I did not see her and thinking she was not done shopping yet, my Mother watched open-mouthed from the grocery store sidewalk as I drove right past her and went back home without her!

When my Mother got over her initial shock and went back into the store to use the pay phone, the cashier who had just rang her out and witnessed the whole thing unfold asked her in disbelief, “Did Keith actually go back home

without you?”

Apparently, the answer was a very terse “Yes.”

A little while after I got home, the phone rang. I answered it. On the other end was my Mother, madder than a wet hen, calling me from the grocery store pay phone and ordering me to get my butt back into town and pick her up at the grocery store!

Oops.

As I drove back into town, I knew my Mother was ready to clobber me. In fact, I remember wondering how long I was going to live after I picked her up. This time, when I got back in to the grocery store I saw my Mother fuming on the sidewalk with the cart full of groceries and I finally found a spot to park the car.

As we silently loaded the groceries into the trunk of the car, I knew by the look in her eyes I was going to get it good just as soon as we were no longer in public view. And as soon as we got in the car and pulled away from the grocery store I sure heard about what I did all the way home!

I’ve seen my Mother get mad at me on numerous

occasions over the course of my life, but never as mad at me as she was on that day. And I really can’t say I blame her.

Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Agriculture is marking 15 years of highly successful work by agriculture extension services that continues to provide producers with relevant, timely information to help ensure the profitability and sustainability of their operations.

Since 2009, teams of extension specialists throughout the province have worked directly with farmers and ranchers, as well as with producer groups and industry agrologists, to ensure they have access to the agronomic and business support they need, when they need it.

“It has been 15 years since we reopened the remainder of the extension offices, which were closed by the previous government of the day,” Agriculture Minister David Marit said. “The goal has always been to ensure that we are providing the right services to our

agriculture producers in the best way possibleat the community level, where producers live and work.”

The establishment of the regional offices in 2009 created an increased presence in rural Saskatchewan to refocus previous services back on meeting the needs of primary producers, with each office staffed by a complement of agriculture specialists in livestock and feed, crops and irrigation, programs, range management and agri-environmental areas. There are approximately 45 extension specialists in total based in regional offices in 10 communities across Saskatchewan, with the Agriculture Knowledge Centre (AKC) in Moose Jaw serving as a call centre and first point of contact for program and service inquiries from farmers, ranchers and

agribusinesses.

In the past year alone, the AKC and regional offices responded to nearly 12,000 inquiries through telephone, e-mail, text, office visits and farm calls. Among the variety of activities and services they carried out in 2023-24, extensions specialists:

• Provided 214 technical, informational and program-related presentations at extension events, industry meetings and schools and conducted lectures at the University of Saskatchewan on topics such as seeding marginal acres and forages and crop disease identification and management;

• Organized or partnered on 57 virtual, in-person

don’t know how I could have missed seeing my Mother on the sidewalk with a cart full of groceries. I guess I was so zoned in on finding a parking spot I didn’t see the forest for the trees, as it were. And I went right past her.

A little while ago, I asked Mom if she remembered this happening and she had forgotten about it completely. Being the one yelled at back then, I never forgot it and I smile about it now. With loved ones, the passage of time can turn most memories into pleasant ones.

So, fellow manly dumbasses, the moral of the story is: Don’t forget to pick up the women in your life, be they wives, daughters, or mothers, wherever they are. Because if you do forget, you’ll hear about it bigtime afterwards!

All the men out there know exactly what I mean.

(Love ya, Mom! Happy Mother’s Day!)

Agriculture extension specialists commemorate 15 years of regional services for producers

and hybrid extension events, attracting roughly 6,500 participants; and

• Received 763 applications, fielded nearly 300 inquiries and completed 48 program audits for the Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program alone.

Enabling producers to remain competitive, sustainable and profitable is central to Saskatchewan’s key long-term economic growth targets for 2030, some of which rely on agriculture. The Growth Plan goal of increasing the value of agri-food exports to $20 billion has already been surpassed years ahead of schedule, with $20.2 billion in 2023.

4 budget-friendly ideas to explore the world without leaving home

Travelling can be a thrilling adventure, but you don’t always need to leave your home to explore the

around you. If you can’t make it to your dream destination this year, here are four ideas to experience new destinations from the comfort of your own home. Cook it up

One of the best ways to get to know a place is through its food. So, for a creative way to expand your horizons, choose a recipe from your

dream locale. You may have to buy some new ingredients, but there are endless amounts of free recipes online. There’s sure to be one you can enjoy, no matter your cooking skills. Your library may also have some fresh cookbooks for you to try out. Fuel the fantasy Once you’ve enjoyed your meal, maybe get cosy on the couch with a movie or television series set in another place, from a Canadian independent film to a hit series from overseas. Embracing

entertainment with a serious sense of place can be transporting. Audiobooks, podcasts and local music let you experience places in an intimate way. And books offer that power too, so pore through your library’s collection for your favourite genre set in a new-to-you place. Learn online

Whether it’s a history lecture, a language lesson or an art workshop, take a virtual course for a deep dive on just about any place. Massive open online courses, known

as MOOCs, are free and wide-ranging, so see what you can find. Many museums and historic sites, including many across Canada, also offer immersive virtual guided tours on their web sites. Get historical History provides some context for why things are the way they are today and helps you understand a place better, even if you haven’t been there (yet). And it doesn’t have to be boring or expensive. For example, you can immerse yourself in

a creative non-fiction option like Parks Canada’s ReCollections podcast with episodes on some of the most significant historic sites in Canada from coast to coast, such as the

Fortress of Louisbourg in Nova Scotia or Dawson City, Yukon. You can find it wherever you get podcasts or at parks.canada.ca/ recollections

DIY investing 101: How to get started

Self-directed or do-ityourself (DIY) investing is an approach where you manage your investments yourself, giving you autonomy and control over what you buy and sell, and when.

There are plenty of DIY or self-directed investing platforms on the market, but Canadians may lack the necessary knowledge and support to set, track and achieve their financial goals. However, DIY investing apps are designed to help investors set financial goals and then build the confidence to achieve them.

Here are some tips to help you get started.

Start investing as soon as you’re ready

Smaller investments (less than $100 per month) are a great way to start. Many types of low-cost investments allow you to invest your money slowly over time, which works especially well if you’re working toward long-term goals. Set investment goals and stick to your plan

Investment goals are unique and specific to you, so they vary from one investor to the next. But every investor should be thinking about the end at the beginning.

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•

•

•

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A common misconception is that an investment goal needs to be a purchase, like a car or a house. But investing goals can also be monetary goals, such as having a regular stream of money coming in.

There are a few common questions you’ll want to ask yourself when goal setting: What is your time horizon? Are your goals short (one to two years), medium (two to five years) or longterm (five-plus years)? Are your goals fixed or flexible?

How you answer these questions will impact how you invest.

Know what kind of investor you are before you start

Before you start investing, you’ll want to determine your risk tolerance, which is how much you can afford to lose without impacting your financial wellbeing, combined with how comfortable you are with taking risks in general.

Additionally, consider diversifying your investments across different asset classes to help mitigate risk. Diversification is an investment strategy where the investor’s portfolio contains

various assets that aligns to their risk profile. A diversified portfolio contains a mix of investments (i.e., stocks, commodities, bonds, et cetera) that may react differently to the same economic event.

Do your homework

There’s a lot of information - and misinformation - out there when it comes to investing. It can be overwhelming for new investors to sift through the noise, so it’s important to do your homework first.

It’s time to ditch the whiteout in Winnipeg

Penton On Sports

Hey, Winnipeg Jets fans, it’s time to lose the ‘whiteout’ approach to your team’s National Hockey League playoffs. It’s not working. In fact, it seems to be more of a jinx than anything else.

The idea of the ‘whiteout’ - having all 15,000 fans wear white garb to home games to create some sort of powerful mystique to help their team defeat the opposition - has been about as successful as someone trying to sell broccoli-flavoured bubble gum. White is associated with pale; pale

is associated with death; dying in the playoffs is what the Jets have done far too often lately. How about a red-out? A blackout? Even a green-out might work. Green suggests vibrancy and growth, and the Jets definitely need a growing number of playoff wins. During his decade or more of pro golf dominance, Tiger Woods wore red on Sunday because psychologists suggested red is an aggressive colour and opponents could be intimidated. White is blah. What colour is the flag one waves when surrendering? White, of course.

Face it, Jets’ fans. White is not working. The whiteout approach to playoff games began as a marketing ploy in 1987 but to say it’s getting as stale as white bread left out overnight is an understatement. And while we’re talking about white this and white that, can the NHL powersthat-be not arrange for the Jets to wear their

white sweaters while their fans are coated and sweatered in white up in the pews? When the Jets bowed out of this year’s playoffs, they wore blue jerseys in their 6-3 loss to Colorado while the Avalanche wore white. Seemed inappropriate. While the Jets played at a .695 percentage pace on home ice during the regular season, they have not come close to that kind of success in the post-season. Blame it on the white. Since 2015, when the whiteout fad started to reach its zenith, the Jets are a horrendous 6-15 on home ice in playoff games. They were 1-2 this year, which snapped a seven-game homeice losing streak. You’d think with that kind of failure, some marketing expert would say, ‘hey, maybe we should lose the white.’

Next year, Jets’ fans, let’s go red. A bullfighter uses a red flag to get the bull supercharged and snorting. Maybe red throughout the Canada

Life Centre will add a level of aggressiveness and speed to the Jets that will make them unstoppable. The people in the stands who shell out big bucks to watch their loveable Jets should be reminded that a heart - the symbol of love - is almost always shown as bright red. If you really love your Jets, ditch the white. Leave white for the bride’s wedding day dress and for the colour of the rice on your next Chinese food takeout order.

It’s not working as a winning hockey gimmick.

• Super 70s Sports: “The NCAA transfer rules are insane. I used to think ‘one and done’ was stupid but ‘one here, one there, one there, and one there’ is infinitely worse. These kids are moving around more often than a lefthanded relief pitcher.”

• Phil Mushnick of the New York Post: “How’d you like to be a CBS News-Tokyo employee, recently laid off in order to cut costs while CBS

pays Tony Romo $180 million to call half-ayear’s NFL games?”

• Bob Molinaro of pilotonline.com (Hampton, Va.): “The NBA may survive the absence of LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry from the remainder of the playoffs as long as Charles Barkley makes it to the studio on time.”

• Vancouver comedy guy Torben Rolfsen: “Ferrari signed a massive title sponsorship deal with HP. So expect to start seeing their race cars constantly overheating.”

• Canadian satirical website The Beaverton, before Game 7: “Hardworking Leafs tie up series, maximize how sad fans will be when they still lose.”

• Another one from the Beaverton: “Loblaws promises to lower grocery prices as soon as Leafs win three rounds in the playoffs.”

• RJ Currie of sportsdeke. com: “The Canucks won the final two games against Nashville by scores of 2-1 and 1-0. I tuned in to some hockey games and two soccer matches broke out.”

• Another one from Currie: “How can you tell it’s springtime in Canada? The snow has melted and the Leafs have been falling.”

• Headline at fark.com: “Falcons tried to get back in top 10 after drafting Penix, perhaps to grab J.J. McCarthy.”

• fark.com again: “LeBron is starting to concede that the only way he’ll play basketball with his son is at a local rec league at the Y.”

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

• Bob Molinaro again: “Virtually every TV highlight from baseball’s spring training is a long ball, as if that’s all the game is about. That would be like daily NBA highlights of nothing but dunks and threepointers. Uh, never mind.”

How to tell if you have arthritis in your hands and fingers

If you’re feeling aches and pains in your hands, it might not just be fatigue.

Different kinds of arthritis affect the hands and fingers differently.

In all cases, the pain can burn, ache or feel sharp and restrict your range of motion, making daily tasks more difficult. Your hands and fingers may also feel stiff, especially in the morning.

Discover the telltale signs of arthritis and how to tackle it head-on.

Signs of arthritis in the hands and fingers:

• Osteoarthritis: swelling and twisting of joints at the bottom of the thumb,

Sleep is more than just rest - it’s your body’s ultimate repair session, boosting immunity and revitalizing you from head to toe.

And for people living with arthritis and chronic pain, there is a vicious cycle in which pain causes stress, prevents good sleep and leads to more discomfort.

Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to reclaim peaceful nights and set yourself up for sleep success. Here are six tips to help you catch more Zs: Limit screen time

the middle knuckles and the knuckles closest to the fingertips.

• Rheumatoid arthritis: pain, swelling and inflammation in the knuckles closest to the palm of the hand as well as the wrist.

• Psoriatic arthritis: swelling in the entire finger or across multiple fingers.

If you’re experiencing signs or symptoms of arthritis, speak with your health-care provider and get diagnosed promptly. Your health-care provider may perform a variety of tests and exams to assess your symptoms and rule out

other forms of hand or finger pain, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. How to protect your joints:

• Take breaks to avoid holding your hands in the same position for long periods of time.

• Spread out fine-motor tasks over several days instead of one.

• Use both hands to perform tasks and lessen pressure on a single hand.

• Slide objects across a counter or table instead of gripping or lifting them.

• Use assistive devices and kitchen tools that are easy to grip.

• Opt for large handles on toothbrushes, writing utensils and other household items.

• Replace doorknobs and taps with lever-style handles.

• Prop up a book or tablet to read rather than holding it.

It’s also possible to strengthen your hands and fingers by doing “range of motion” exercises, which can be found online through Arthritis Society Canada. Try applying mineral oil to your hands, putting on a large pair of rubber dish gloves and immersing your hands in a pan of hot water while you go

through the exercises for five minutes or so.

If self-care strategies aren’t enough to deal with pain from arthritis in your hands and fingers, talk to your health-care provider about other options, such as prescription medications, therapies or surgical options. Check your symptoms and learn how you can manage joint pain at arthritis.ca/ symptomchecker

6 tips to improve your sleep

Exposure to blue light from electronic devices tricks our brains into thinking it’s daytime and delays the production of melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep. Unplug at least one hour before bed to reclaim your natural sleep rhythm. Improve your environment With age comes an increased sensitivity to noise, light and movements, causing disruptions in your sleep cycle. Invest in a supportive mattress and pillows, try ear plugs or

eye masks, and avoid sleeping with pets to create your optimal sleep sanctuary. Get moving

Exercise is a key component of good sleep, boosting adenosine activity in the brain which supports your sleep drive, and releasing endorphins which boosts your mood. Exercising for 20 to 30 minutes four times a week can help you sleep well at night and feel good all day. Watch what you drink Avoid caffeinated beverages or snacks

after 4 p.m., as caffeine can keep you stimulated and awake past your bedtime. And while alcohol is a depressant that technically relaxes you, consuming it will disrupt and reduce the quality of your sleep. If you’re thirsty towards bedtime, limit yourself to light sips of water to avoid multiple visits to the washroom throughout the night. Plan your routine Establishing a structured bedtime routine with a checklist of to-do’s can help you get into bed on time.

However, if you end up going to bed late, try to wake up at the same time in the morning. It’s better to feel tired for one day than to alter your regular sleep schedule. Mind the meds Some medications used to treat arthritis pain are stimulants, so it’s preferable to take them in the morning rather than before bed. Follow your pharmacist’s recommendations on when to take prescribed drugs for best results.

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HAULING

ARIES –

Mar 21/Apr 20

Aries, it’s challenging for you and a romantic partner to get together this week and that may lead to stress. Over time you will be able to reconnect and get things back in sync.

TAURUS –

LIBRA –

Sept 23/Oct 23

Libra, you may be inclined to protect loved ones from the truth this week, but they need to hear all of the details in this instance. Break any news to them gently.

SCORPIO –

Oct 24/Nov 22

CAPRICORN –

Dec 22/Jan 20

Capricorn, misinformation may be spreading around you and it can be tempting to add your own input to the discussions. Make sure your contributions can be backed up.

AQUARIUS –

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, normally you are very open, but all of your communication channels seem to be blocked of late. Don’t be too hard on yourself as things will return to normal soon enough.

GEMINI –

May 22/Jun 21

Gemini, if a family member has been in a bad mood or is feeling unwell, it is up to you to get to the root of the situation. Provide whatever assistance you can.

CANCER –

Jun 22/Jul 22

Sask.

SERVICES Naty/Michael…

Scorpio, you are a workaholic by nature, but when fatigue hits you this week, you’ll need to step back and give yourself time to rest. There’s a lot coming your way soon enough.

SAGITTARIUS –

Nov 23/Dec 21

A person who is no longer in your life may be on your mind a lot these days, Sagittarius. Cherish the fond memories you have of this person and don’t worry about being preoccupied.

Cancer, you may feel like you don’t want to get involved if a friend or colleague is in trouble. But this person can really use your help at the moment and you should step up.

LEO –

Jul 23/Aug 23

Don’t let your career get sidetracked by gossip and office politics, Leo. You should stand up for yourself if others are speaking poorly about you. Avoid getting involved in gossip.

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

VIRGO –

Thanks Urla

Aug 24/Sept 22

Jan 21/Feb 18

You are finally putting some of your longstanding plans in motion, Aquarius. However, this week you may receive some information that might delay progress.

PISCES –Feb 19/Mar 20

Someone may try to mislead you with some inaccurate information this week, Pisces. Conduct your own research and you’ll get all of the details you need for to draw your own conclusion.

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, what seems to be bad news about your financial situation may not be as bad as it once appeared. Double-check the details before you become panicked.

REFLECTIONS

by Pastor Dale Worrell, Biggar United Church

What does love ask of us?

Love asks that we be patient and kind as we build an inclusive faith community. That we abandon arrogance, that we risk new things, that we do not delight in the failings of others, that we rejoice in discerning and living God’s truth.

Love is strong! It believes and hopes and endures.

But sometimes even love falters.

Then we forgive and accept forgiveness, so that love may be renewed. Sustained by God’s Spirit, three things abide within and among us, faith, hope and love

and the greatest of these is love.

As we gather this Mother’s Day to celebrate our families, we find joy in the loving relationships among us. This Sunday we worship in music and prayer, the God who loves us with a maternal love, a love beyond anything we could ask or imagine, or hope for!

We give thanks for those who bless us with their caring and concern. We celebrate mothers, those who mother and all who have mothers, through birth, adoption, fostering, or simply by being taken under the wing of someone with a kindly mothering soul.

Yet for some this day is hard, this day brings

grief for many reasons, and we need to reach out and enfold these people into the care and grace of our community.

God’s grace is like that of a loving mother. You know you’ve messed up. You know that Mom loves you. You are afraid of disappointing her because you want her to keep loving you. Summoning your courage, you share with her what you did, and you apologize. You turn to her and expect to discover disappointment but instead, God holds you, whispers into your ear with firm determination, “I love you, no matter what”

That’s when we feel the kiss on our cheek, the sign of God’s forgiveness

and unconditional love.

Free us, loving God, to perceive your whispers of direction. Open us, motivating Spirit, to act with compassion saturated with love. Equip us, living Christ, to go into the world to make a difference in your name. In all we learn, in all we embrace, and in all we do, may we know we are not alone, for you are with us always. Blessings to all of you from all of us. Amen.

JUST SEND US YOUR DOCUMENTS AND LET US PRINT THEM FOR YOU.

If you have lost a loved one and would like to display a Memorium for that person we can help do that.

cost is only $25 for a display Contact us at

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It is with great sadness, we the Shewchuk family, announce the passing of Elmer Shewchuk of Sherwood Park, Alberta (formerly Macklin, Saskatchewan). Elmer unexpectedly passed away on April 08, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta while he was in the hospital. A funeral mass for Elmer’s family and friends will be scheduled at a future date to mourn his passing, celebrate his life and pray for his soul.

DIELLE ANN MARTIN

July 31, 1992 - April 30, 2024

With heavy hearts, the family of Dielle Martin announces her passing on April 30, 2024. A Celebration of Dielle’s life will be held Friday, May 17, 2024 at 11:00AM at the Biggar Community Hall in Biggar, SK. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to Dielle’s daughter, Evva Nicole Johnson (donor information will be posted in the days to follow). A full obituary will appear at a later date. Arrangements entrusted to Gerein Funeral Service.

OBITUARIES

GLENN GOETZ

October 08, 1947 - May 03, 2024

Glenn was born in Biggar, SK on October 8, 1947 and passed away on May 3, 2024 in Biggar, SK at the age of 76. Glenn married Linda “Kathy” Whitford on June 6, 1970. Together they raised 3 daughters Nadine, Corie and Jamie.

Left to cherish his memory are Linda “Kathy”, his wife of 53 years; his daughters Nadine (Kevin) Hawreschuck and their family Tiana and Austin, Corie (Lee) Phipps and their children Parker and Nixon; Jamie (Brad) Bosovich and their boys Dawson and

Daimen; his sister Dianne Bayet and her children Cindy, Darcy and family; Kim (Tim) and family Darcy, Crystal, Lucas and Landin.

Glenn was predeceased by his parents Martin and Lena; his uncle Fred; in-laws Reg and Dora; and grandparents Hans and Martha.

A Celebration of Glenn’s life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to STARS Air Ambulance. Arrangements entrusted to Gerein Funeral Service.

PAULINE ANN KUSHNER

May 30, 1940 - April 21, 2024

Pauline Ann Kushner was born on May 30, 1940, in Wilkie Saskatchewan to Nicholas and Teresa Kobelsky.

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Pauline grew up on the family farm near Landis, SK with 10 brothers and sisters, it was truly a busy house! Pauline worked at the Biggar Union Hospital as a nurse’s aide then married and farmed NE of Biggar, Saskatchewan. Paulines garden was the envy of the community, and she was a great neighbor, always there to lend a helping hand.

Pauline was no stranger to work…trucking grain, feeding cattle, pulling calves and having her kitchen look like a processing factory for jams, jellies, fruits and baking fresh bread daily. Pauline welcomed two sons to the world Darren (1966) and Dale (1969) whom she loved, cherished, protected and taught the ethical value of an honest day’s work.

Pauline retired to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan where she enjoyed many days of fishing, dancing, golfing, and always socializing with friends and family and of course, attending as many garage sales as she could! In 2019 her sons moved her to Red Deer, AB to be closer to them

and her grandchildren.

Faith was important to Pauline. Her funeral was at the Landis Catholic Church on April 27, 2024.

Pauline took a very active role in her grandchildren’s lives. They were the light of her life. Pauline was a great Mom, but an even better Grandmother who knew how to spoil each grandchild in a very special way.

Leaving behind to mourn Pauline are sons Darren and Dale (Lesia) and grandchildren Nicholas (son of Darren), Zachary (Rachel) and Jaclynn (children of Dale). She is survived by her brothers and sisters Edith Danderfer (Andrew deceased), Bob Kobelsky (Ida), Wilma Sizer (Bruce), Jerry Kobelsky (Julie), Mildred Affleck (Gary deceased), Norm Kobelsky (Ellie), and Ken Kobelsky (Delores). She is predeceased by her parents Nicholas and Teresa Kobelsky and twin brother Paul Kobelsky (Karen), sisters Donna Moyer (Ron deceased) and Margaret Impey (Myles).

Pauline had a special place in her heart for her many nieces and nephews.

Pauline will be greatly missed by many.

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 St.Pauls Anglican Redeemer Lutheran 205 4th Ave. E 319 7th Ave. E MAY 12, ST.PAULS ANGLICAN MAY 26, ST.PAULS ANGLICAN

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 Leave Message

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH SATURDAY SERVICES BIBLE STUDY 10:00a.m. CHURCH SERVICE 11:00a.m. 320 - 6th ave.east contact: 306-951-8445 3 abn www.amazingfacts.org

It’s a Birthday Celebration for Glenn Williams

Celebrating his 90th Birthday May 17th, 2024

315 - 7th Ave. West

Come and Go Event

Starts at 2:00 p.m. Please no gifts your presence only required

A huge thank you to Marjorie, Paul, Connie, Karen and Tammy for all your work to makemy 95th birthday tea a huge success. Also to the many relations and friends who came from far and near. It was great to see you all. Thanks for the flowers, gift card and all the cards and good wishes.

You made it a great day to cherish. Thank you to New Horizons for your generous help.

Thanks to all of you. You made my day so memorable.

God Bless Emily

Deck tech: Tools for designing your dream deck

Virtually everything in life can now be achieved with just a few clicks or swipes, including planning a new deck.

If you’re looking to update your outdoor space, expert assistance is available at your fingertips via a computer or mobile device. Thanks to advancements in rendering technology and user-friendly interfaces, there are lots of great tools and resources online to help guide you through the deck design and planning process from inspiration to installation. Visualize the possibilities

Every great outdoor space starts with a vision. Apps can allow homeowners to explore

design possibilities by experimenting with decking shapes, colours and railing combinations against the backdrop of their own homes. Users can sometimes order decking samples right from the app. Design from your desktop

Once you’ve envisioned your new deck, bring it to life using an online deck design tool - no engineering or architecture degree required. Desktop programs offer the ability to create multilevel decks and non-traditional layouts customized to your home’s dimensions and populated with specific decking and railing products. Some programs also

automatically generate material lists along with cost estimates and printable renderings to share with your contractors. Calculate costs

To ensure your deck dreams remain within reach, make use of online material and cost calculators. These tools provide valuable guidance in the early planning stages to help you manage expectations and make informed decisions. Rough cost-estimates for materials can be determined based on deck size, substructure needs, and the decking and railing products being considered to give planners a solid starting point for budgeting.

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