Family fun at Two Hills School Christmas Concert

by Sonny Rajoo

The postponed concert of the Two Hills School due to COVID-19 was held last week, turned out to be a monumental success.

Participation by the various classes contributed to a most successful presentation.

While the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the lives of most people across the world the most important thing to remember is people are resilient.

The Two Hills Regional Chronicle seizes this opportunity to congratulate the staff and students who rose up once again to make the story of Christmas uppermost in the minds of our nation.

Hopefully, the effects of the pandemic are behind us and life will slowly return to normal.

January

• Canada joined the U.S. and Britain in ordering the families of its embassy staff to leave Ukraine.

• Health Canada approved Pfizer’s antiviral pill for COVID-19 for adults with mild or moderate cases of the virus who are also at high risk of becoming more seriously ill.

• Canadians were told not to take any non-essential trips to Ukraine. The change in risk level was due to the buildup of Russian troops near the country’s border. Canadians who were in Ukraine for non-essential purposes were being told to consider leaving..

• Canada offered financial help to the government of Ukraine.

• Canada’s top doctor said there were early indications that the current Omicron wave of COVID-19 had peaked nationally

• Russian forces escalated their attacks on populated urban areas of Ukraine.

• Alpine skier Mollie Jepsen captured Canada’s first medal of the Beijing Paralympics.

• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada was indefinitely extending its NATO military mission in Latvia.

• Health Canada approved the use of Moderna’s two-dose COVID-19 vaccine called Spikevax for children

March May

• New federal rules around handguns target law-abiding firearms owners instead of dangerous criminals.

• A cross-ministry action plan informed by the Child and Youth Wellbeing Review charts a path forward to support children and youth affected by the pandemic.

• Budget 2022 provides an additional $1.6 million to continue the provincial rollout of HealthIM, a digital tool to support police when responding to mental health crisis calls.

• Alberta’s government will ease restrictions around Edmonton International Airport while protecting the airport’s ability to operate on a 24-7 basis.

• Alberta’s government is supporting smart and digital technologies to boost production, reduce costs and create jobs in the agri-food sector.

July

• Starting July 28, Albertans 18 and older who self-identify as meeting the eligibility criteria for targeted prevention prior to an exposure can get the monkeypox vaccine.

• Premier Jason Kenney welcomes Pope Francis to Alberta.

• A diabetes working group is being formed to develop a comprehensive diabetes strategy for the province.

• Alberta’s government is supporting 78 road, bridge, community airport and water infrastructure projects that will create hundreds of jobs.

• Expanded availability of a second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine will provide Albertans with more choices about increasing their protection against COVID-19 based on their personal risk factors.

• Erin O’Toole was ousted as Conservative Party of Canada leader after 73 members of the Tory caucus voted to replace him.

• Canada won its first medal at the Beijing Olympics.

• Canada was moving troops out of Ukraine as worries grew of a Russia invasion.

• Canada won two more medals at the Beijing Olympics, putting the medal count at the Winter Games to 17.

• Health Canada approved the use of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine.

• Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault approved a controversial new oil project off the coast of Newfoundland.

• Canadian photographer Amber Bracken won the prestigious World Press Photo award.

• Canada pledged to send heavy artillery to Ukraine.

• A national Inuit organization endorsed a plan that aims to change Crown-Inuit relations.

• The upcoming natural gas rebate will support more than 1.6 million homes, farms and businesses facing high heating bills next winter.

• A strong end to the 2021-22 fiscal year moves Alberta forward with continued economic growth, lower debt and increased savings.

• Alberta’s government is investing $4 million to help get more Alberta kids and youth active.

• Alberta government’s new Community Policing Grant will help Indigenous and municipal communities develop a business case for their own stand-alone police service or a regional equivalent.

• Eligible school authorities will receive more funding to address high fuel costs for student transportation.

February April June August

• Strong economic activity this year will see Alberta make historic investments in savings and debt reduction.

• More than $11.3 million in funding will go to 25 projects to increase access to high-quality palliative care and ensure patients and families are treated with dignity and respect.

• A new prompt payment framework ushers in payment timelines and a dispute resolution process for Alberta’s construction sector.

• Albertans can soon start booking COVID-19 vaccine boosters for children aged five to 11, based on recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization and the Alberta Advisory Committee on Immunization.

• Cancer surgeries in Alberta are now at nearly 115 per cent of pre-pandemic volumes, with an increased number completed within clinically recommended time.