review
weyburn Vol.114 No. 51 - Weyburn, Saskatchewan Wednesday, December 18, 2024 - 16 Pages
Wrestlers compete
Christmas performances
Weyburn wrestlers brought home medals from a tournament in Saskatoon. Page 6
Check out our holiday greeting section. Pages 8-13
Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40069240 Publication Mail Registration No. 09093
$1.25 (Includes GST)
Plan a safe ride home!
No progress on help for ailing Weyburn individual, says NDP
Singing of ‘The Littlest Reindeer’
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Students at Legacy Park school sang about saving Christmas once again, in the musical “The Littlest Reindeer”, with two performances last Tuesday for parents and the community in the school gym. This was one of four musicals presented by Legacy Park classes, directed by Holly Butz.
Enbridge pledges to ‘continue the conversation’ By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca A revised plan for building 47 wind turbines in the RMs of Weyburn and Griffin was presented by representatives of Enbridge to the public at a town hall meeting on Thursday evening at McKenna Hall, with just over 200 people attending and bringing questions and concerns. With a moderator roving with a microphone and fielding the questions, Enbridge had project representatives along with professionals who could handle issues relating to studies, the environment, health and safety raised by those in attendance. Among the changes made to the proposed project was a relocation of some of the turbines to a less-populated area of the RM of Griffin, increasing the setback from turbines to 1,500 metres, and using an aircraft detection sys-
tem to activate flashing lights on the top of the towers. It came out in the course of the meeting that this setback applies for neighbouring properties of those who are not signing agreements with Enbridge, while those who have agreements can voluntarily allow turbines as close as 500 metres. “Our whole project is an evolution,” said Sam Munckhof-Swain, director of economic and community partnerships with Enbridge, noting the process they want to follow is to present a proposal, get feedback from the community, make adjustments to the proposal and present those changes to the public for more feedback. The company has adjusted the time frame after finding out many people felt this project was being rushed, and indicated the earliest construction would start will be 2026,
with the aim to be operating by 2027. They’ve also changed the radius of notification to five kilometres, after initially starting with two kilometres around a given site of a turbine. When challenged on this, Munckhof-Swain said this was their normal operating parameter for a project in Alberta, and hadn’t realized at first the RM had a five-km radius requirement for notifications. A concern was raised about the STARS air ambulance, if one was called out to the area in the event of a serious injury, and whether STARS would bring a helicopter in where there were wind turbines located. Munckhof-Swain answered that Enbridge is a big supporter of STARS, and they spoke to the air ambulance agency about their proposal, and said, “They do not have any concerns about where the
Updated info provided by Enbridge on project
turbine towers are located.” Another resident challenged this later in the meeting, and Enbridge r e p r e s e n t a t iv e Ke i t h Taylor noted they spoke directly to pilots and a director of STARS on the issue, and said they can get their assurances in writing if necessary. The company reps were asked repeatedly about how they notified people about their meeting, and Munckhof-Swain made assurances they will do what they can to improve that. He pointed out the various ways the company used to notify people, and noted that they can always be reached via email and their website if people have comments, concerns or questions. A resident asked if they are able to get a referendum on the turbine project, if they would abide by it or fight it in court. Continued on page 3
By John Cairns, SaskToday.ca The opposition New Democrats are accusing the Sask Party government of withdrawing its support for a Weyburn man struggling with health challenges. Fred Sandeski was struggling to afford to pay both for end of life care and for rent. The NDP Seniors Critic Keith Jorgenson had said Fred and his wife Teresa had tried reached out to the government for answers and had gotten nowhere. Then after the issue was raised in the Legislature, Minister of Health Jeremy Cockrill “acted shocked,” said Jorgenson, and said he would immediately reach out. “When the cameras were rolling, the government said it would fix this problem, but as soon as the cameras were turned off, and the media interest subsided, Fred was once again left on his own,” said Jorgenson. Wey bu r n - B e n g o u g h MLA Mike Weger took issue with the claims by Jorgenson, noting Cockrill was not shocked as he and his staff kept the minister updated as to the Sandeskis health and situation, and the Ministry is working with the couple to provide for their needs. Jorgenson told reporters that afterwards Sandeski received one call from the ministry, from a ministerial assistant, telling him the minister would make it right. “Then, after all the stories were published, the government officials told
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Many Weyburn area residents attended the open house and town hall meeting hosted by Enbridge on Wednesday evening at McKenna Hall, with several staff and professional experts on hand to field questions on the proposed wind turbines.
Fred that shockingly he is not yet sick enough to require end of life care,” said Jorgensen. Jorgenson also noted that after that call from the ministry, all contact between the Sandeskis and the government was initiated by the Sandeskis, and that there had been no concrete action taken. “Fred’s doctors have given him just weeks left to live. The Sask. Party has turned their backs on a dying man. It’s the same old Sask. Party. We’re talking about end of life care that only cost $45 a day. This is the care that was promised when the cameras were rolling. It’s care that the Saskatchewan people are frankly entitled to. Friends and neighbours in Weyburn shouldn’t have to hold fundraisers, so Fred can die with dignity. Saskatchewan seniors like Fred helped build this province, and they deserve to age and die with dignity.” A community fundraiser was held for the couple on Friday evening, with music by the Weyburn band, Assorted Nuts, along with a silent auction. The proceeds from that event were presented to Fred on Tuesday afternoon. Right now Fred is in hospice, and his wife recently had surgery, said Jorgenson, who noted a private citizen in Weyburn has stepped up to help pay for his care on a day-byday basis. After checking on Fred’s situation on Monday, Weyburn-Bengough MLA Mike Weger said Fred is in fact not in hospice but is in respite care at the Weyburn Special Care Home. In regard to Fred only having weeks to live, Weger said, “From my conversations with Fred it appears he has been defying the odds and is at end stage COPD but he isn’t ready to die. … Myself and my CA have been in contact with Fred and Fred also mentioned that he has had further communication with the Ministry of Health to provide a few alternatives to pursue to obtain financial assistance.” Jorgenson adds that two separate things are at play here. “One is that a family… has a dying family member, and I think we can all kind of put ourselves in that position where we think of saying goodbye to someone that we care for. One thing that should not be on our mind when that’s happening is worrying about how you’re going to pay for it.” Continued on page 2