TC Energy dismantling camp at Oyen
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
The cancellation of the Keystone XL project is negatively impacting thousands of Canadians. Some of those Canadians were workers housed at the camp located at Oyen, Alberta. Calgary-based TC Energy estimates the cancellation will eliminate thousands of union worker jobs.
However construction workers on the pipeline became familiar faces in the small Alberta town of Oyen. One of the construction workers on the pipeline had been staying at the home of Oyen’s Mayor, Doug Jones. This employee, like so many others, was disappointed when the work was abruptly shut down.
Terry Cunha of TC Energy commented on the shut down. “The process will take a few months. We will be wrapping up construction activities. Activities along the right-of-way will include tie-ins, backfilling and clean-up of the 146 km of pipeline installed between Bindloss and Monitor in Alberta. We will also wrap up activities at our pump station sites. Following that, we will ensure that the installed infrastructure is safe and secure and that we properly demobilize from our
construction sites prior to the planned seasonal pause. We will also be returning with crews in the summer of 2021 to complete all clean-up and restoration work on the right-of-way.”
Meanwhile in Oyen, work crews continue to dismantle the pipeline camp on the west side of town. The modular suites are being separated and are being prepared for transport. Oyen business owners will surely miss serving the hundreds of tradespeople who had temporarily moved to the area to work on the project. Many business owners in Oyen are disappointed with the decision to shut down the pipeline, as it will also have a negative impact on their places of business. There is already considerably less vehicles parked downtown in Oyen since the project was cancelled.
Terry Cunha said, “Obviously, we are very disappointed by the decision, and have suspended activities. We would like to thank our supporters who share our disappointment, including our partners, the Government of Alberta and Natural Law Energy. We would also like to thank the labour leaders and regulatory agencies who helped advance the project.”
Rising commodity prices are good news for ag producers
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
After a long year in 2020, most people are looking for good news in 2021. Fortunately, agriculture producers on the prairies have been the recipients of some very good news, in the form of rising commodity prices.
“The price of commodities right now haven’t been this high in ages,” Laurie Kelly who farms in the Brock area, said. “It looks really good for locking prices in for next year’s crop.”
Canola prices have been steadily rising, with prices rising higher than they have been in over a decade. Government data reveals that Canada has already exported 33 percent more canola year-to-date over last year.
Commodity brokers say prices lasts year at this time were around $10, and now prices have reached $16 a bushel, which prices reaching as high as $16.25 a bushel. These unheard of rising prices are a result of China stockpiling canola oil and canola meal and other agricultural commodities during the pandemic.
Most farmers had sold over half their canola before the prices began to rise, but others who have canola remaining are able to cash in on the current high prices. However Canola prices aren’t the only commodity to rise 11 percent above the five-year average. The forecast is for spring wheat prices to do equally as well, rising 16 percent above the five-year average, and durum wheat is also seven percent higher than the five-year average. Feed barley, flax and oats are also seeing significantly higher prices. These prices cause producers to become more optimistic for the near future.
Alan Chiliak from Redwing Farms Ltd. near Oyen said, “When we get more for our products than we had anticipated, it really helps our short term management, as we now have surplus funds to maybe pay off some long-term debt, or maybe push up a planned capital purchase, or perhaps try for a bit more production next year with more inputs to produce a better crop. Many farmers look at opportunities like this to try to acquire more land so they can grow more, which leads to demand for farmland.”
On the other hand Chiliak noted these higher prices are usually followed by corresponding rising costs for the commodities farmers use in their production. He observed that higher grain prices almost always result in higher fertilizer and fuel prices, and often lead to lower prices for cattle, as grain is used to feed the cattle to finish weights.
According to the Farm Credit Corporation, commodity prices look promising for the short term as most major grains will continue to see strong prices in the first half of 2021, while harvest and weather events will determine prices during the last half.
Work crews continue to dismantle the pipeline camp on the west side of Oyen. The modular suites are being separated and prepared for transport.
| PHOTO BY DIANA WALKER
Just a gal from Glidden ...
Rest in Peace, Lovely Leora
KATE WINQUIST kate@yoursouthwest.com
I lost a friend this past week. Leora Schmidt passed away quietly in her sleep at the Maple Creek Long Term Care facility on February 28.
I met Leora back in 2018 when I started my job as Managing Editor for the Maple Creek News. To be truthful, it wasn’t an enjoyable first meeting. I had made the editorial decision to remove Leora’s column for a couple of weeks to make room for what I had considered “more important” news for the week. Leora called me up, and we had quite a lengthy conversation about the word of the Lord being the most important thing that I could have in the paper.
Now, I’m not sure if I was feeling pressure from a superior power or if I just wanted to make peace, but I agreed that I would continue to run the “The Living Word” column if space allowed.
As time went on, Leora stopped by the office to meet me in person, and we had a visit, and she asked if I could take a recent photo of her for the column as she “looked horrendous” (her words, not mine!)
I wouldn’t just receive columns from Leora; she would sometimes send me an email to see how I was doing or comment on a particular photo I had taken that she enjoyed. One thing that she did regularly was send me an inspirational quote. They always made me smile as I read them, knowing that she probably put a lot of thought into what she was sending.
After I announced that I was leaving Maple Creek to start my newspaper in Kindersley, Leora came to the office. She brought me a going away gift - a beautiful handcrafted wooden pencil holder that I keep on my desk to this day. I told Leora that I would keep in touch, and she graciously offered to keep sending me columns to spread The Living Word with readers in west central Saskatchewan.
Once I was settled in Kindersley, I received the following email from Leora:
Dear Kate,
I offer you something daily that you cannot see. I have a daily prayer list, and your name is on it. You said you weren’t very religious...That’s OK. God isn’t through with any of us yet. He has a plan for each of us whether we recognize it or not. Lots of times we operate blindly without recognizing that He is at work.
Frankly, from my observation of your departure from Maple Creek News, it would appear that that whole experience was to expel you to move--for whatever reasons that may not even be known now. Thankfully, you had the initiative and the know how and the courage to take a giant step. And it appears to be one that is appreciated by many and hopefully maintains and picks up momentum.
Now you know that I claim to be both religious and spiritual and find that’s what makes me flourish. So I’ll close with a verse that fits those who seek to be on a path that pleases God: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according
to his purpose” Romans 8:28. You may not acknowledge that you are on that path, but I believe you are heading there! The verse means that if we seek to be in God’s will that ALL things will ultimately turn out for good. The bad experiences push us away from ultimate failure and dangerous paths, and move us into more productive and satisfying ventures. At least that’s how this person interprets it after living many years claiming it as a truth!!!
All the best,
Leora
I enjoyed receiving emails from Leora, even if we would get into a discussion about a particular editorial cartoon! Leora and I didn’t always agree on everything, but she never judged, still seeing the good in everyone. She wrote hundreds of columns; all neatly put in her binder. She had specific messages for different occasions. She called me a couple of weeks ago from the hospital and told me that she wasn’t doing well and she wanted to send me as many columns as she could before she went to meet her Saviour. Her daughter phoned me yesterday to tell me news of her passing. I am going to honour Leora’s wish and continue to run her columns
when space allows. I know that she did have a following, and I will do my part in supplying “The Living Word.” I figure it can’t hurt. Rest In Peace, Lovely Leora. You were one of a kind.
Lela “Leora” (Pangburn) Schmidt Oct. 19, 1930 ~ Feb. 28, 2021 (age 90)
Oyen Weekly Briefs
BY DIANA WALKER fwalker1@telus.net
We received word of the death of former Oyenite Lynne Baisley, 76, of Sherwood Park on February 26, 2021, following an aneurysm. Lynne began working at the Big Country Hospital as a staff nurse in 1983 and became LTC unit manager when Rita Torrence in about 1985. In 1993, she was manager for northern Medicine Hat when we became regionalized and had lost our administrator. She kept this position until she retired about 2006-2007 and moved to Lethbridge. Condolences
to her family.The community, especially Oyen Lodge residents and staff, were saddned to learn of the death of Kimberly Ann Hope (Bryant) Stucki of Alsask in Big Country Hospital on February 27, 2021, at the age of 58 after a valliant battle with cancer.
Congratulations to Kalsey Fraser, shopper at Oyen Ag Foods who became the sixth and final online winner of 1 year of free groceries (valued at $5200) in the Great Grocery Giveaway 2021.
Appreciation to FCSS for the goodie bags left in our rooms at the Oyen Lodge. These deeds are a pickup to us in these trying times.
On Wednesday, February 24, we residents received our Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine shots. Great job by the nurses in caring for our needs. The second shot will be given in the first part of April. It’s with great sadness that we announce the passing of Kim Stucki of Alsask, our former laundry lady. She was always so cheerful and always spoke to everyone each morning. She will be missed by staff and residents in the Oyen Lodge.
March 8-14
Congratulations to Chase Dziatkewich who won $2,000 and Colin Wilson who won $1,000 in the recent raffle held by the Oyen & District Curling Club.
The mobile units continue to be loaded and hauled from the pipeline camp on the west side of Oyen.
Residents of the Extended Care Unit, Oyen Lodge and life-leases have now received their first COVID shots. Watch next week for more details.
Cereal News
GET NOTICED
Dry Country Gas Co-op
ANNUAL MEETING
Thursday, March 25, 2021 1:00 pm
Dry Country Gas Co-op Back Shop
Areas Up For Election •Consort • Oyen • Sedalia
COVID protocols will be in place Masks are Mandatory
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Proposed Area Structure Plan: Oyen
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Proposed Area Structure Plan: Oyen Railyard Industrial
Pursuant to the Municipal Government Act (MGA), The Town of Oyen has given 1st reading to Bylaw 876-21, a draft Area Structure Plan (ASP) with the purpose to guide and direct future development infrastructure in the area. The vision for the area is a thriving industrial area that capitalizes the connection, as shown on ‘Schedule A’ below:
Reported by Maxine Girletz 403-664-0513
Happy birthday to Beau Olds, Clint Olsen, Mitch Rohrbach, Jody Rude, Kim Dziatkewich, Ryan Jonasson, Brooke Olsen, Deana Clarkson, Deanna Knauft, Jensyn Duque, Kim Rude, Remington Armstrong, Stephen Fryer, Laurel Robbins, Aiden Olsen, Cassidy Griffith, Aaron Shier, Chad Olsen, Freda Knauft, Ron Rosine, Aubrey McMane.
Happy anniversary to Whitney and Kyle Weir.
Acadia Valley NEWS
March 3, 2021
Pursuant to the Municipal Government Act (MGA), The Town of Oyen has given 1st reading to Bylaw No.876-21, a draft Area Structure Plan (ASP) with the purpose to guide and direct future development and infrastructure in the area. The vision for the area is a thriving industrial area that capitalizes the rail connection, as shown on ‘Schedule A’ below:
A public hearing for Bylaw No. 876.21 will be held in The Town of Oyen Office at 201 Main Street, Oyen, Alberta on March 18, 2021 commencing at 6:30pm. Council will hear from any person claiming to be affected by the proposed bylaw.
A public hearing for Bylaw No. 876.21 will be held in The Town of Oyen Office at 201 Main Street, Oyen, Alberta on March 18, 2021 commencing at 6:30pm. Council will hear from any person claiming to be affected by the proposed bylaw.
Reported by Yolanda Kuhn yakuhn@hotmail.com call or text 403-664-0582
Spring is in the air and the days are getting longer. It’s been melting quite a bit this week. The outdoor rink is now closed for the season.
Many locals 75 and over have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine this past week. Reminder that anyone born 1946 and earlier is eligible for the vaccine now. You can book online at www.ahs.ca/updatebooking or call Health Link at 811.
The Acadia Municipal Library is open: Tuesdays 1:00pm-7:00pm, Wednesdays and Thursdays 3:30pm6:30pm. Call 403-972-3744 for curbside pickup, including children’s books, paper backs, dvd’s, audio books and much more!
The Ice to Dice Fundraiser is well underway. By the time you’re reading this it will be finished. I will report all the winner’s in next week’s news. This month’s 50/50 was $335 and Dean Loran was the winner. We will be selling 50/50’s again this month. The next draw will be made April 5th. You can
In light of COVID-19, in order to protect the health safety and well being of the public and our employees, The Town of Oyen is providing three methods for participation:
In light of COVID-19, in order to protect the health safety and well being of the public our employees, The Town of Oyen is providing three methods for participation:
get your tickets at The Store, Skappak’s Farm Supply or from a Rec. Club member.
Congratulations to Vida Vansickle who won the Crossroads Beef Expo Raffle. She chose the cash prize of $2,000 rather than use the $3,500 certificate toward the purchase of an animal from one of the Expo exhibitors.
1. Virtually. If you wish to make a verbal presentation virtually. you will need to register by 4:30 p.m. March 18, 2021 by contacting the office at 403-664-3511 or by email at townoffice@townofoyen.com. You will be given a time slot to make a presentation to council. If you attend the hearing virtually without pre-registering, you may be required to wait until other presentations are over before commenting yourself.
1. Virtually. If you wish to make a verbal presentation virtually. you will need to register by p.m. March 18, 2021 by contacting the office at 403-664-3511 or by email townoffice@townofoyen.com. You will be given a time slot to make a presentation council. If you attend the hearing virtually without pre-registering, you may be required to until other presentations are over before commenting yourself.
Thank you to the Oyen Evangelical Missionary Church for their generous donation to Warren Peers School’s hot lunch program.
Sending thoughts and prayers to Bruce Dillabough who is in Calgary hospital having heart surgery after suffering a heart attack earlier this week. Also thinking of Louise Niwa who is recuperating at home with a broken leg and ribs after an episode with a cow last week.
2. In person. If you wish to make a verbal presentation in person you will need to register by 4:30 p.m. March 18, 2021 by contacting the office at 403-664-3511 or by email at townoffice@townofoyen.com. You will be given a time slot to make a presentation to council. If you attend the hearing in person without pre-registering, you may be required to wait until space is available in council chambers to ensure adequate social distancing.
2. In person. If you wish to make a verbal presentation in person you will need to register by p.m. March 18, 2021 by contacting the office at 403-664-3511 or by email townoffice@townofoyen.com. You will be given a time slot to make a presentation council. If you attend the hearing in person without pre-registering, you may be required to until space is available in council chambers to ensure adequate social distancing.
Thanks for reading this week. I will end with a quote from Dr. Suess, “Oh, the things you can find, if you don’t stay behind.”.
3. Written. Participation in the public hearing portion of the meeting can be done through written submissions via email at townoffice@townofoyen.com. Written Submissions must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. March 18, 2021. Submissions will be read out by staff and must be able to be read within the five-minute time limit. Submissions may also be mailed or dropped off at The Town of Oyen office in advance of the Public Hearing. The Municipal Development Plan Bylaw No. 876-21 can be reviewed online at https://www.townofoyen.com/town-of-oyen-area-structure-plan/ or copies may be picked up at The Town of Oyen Office 201 Main Street, Oyen, Alberta T0J 2J0 from 8:30- 4:30 pm.
Railyard
OPINION
CHECK IT OUT with Joan Janzen
Should we allow censorship to transform our culture?
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
This saying aptly describes today’s version of free speech: “I love free speech. I also love ignore, mute and block.”
Recently I read the book “Slanted” by Sheryl Attkisson, who is an award-winning journalist, who worked at CNN for years, before having her own news outlet called “Full Measure”. She describes her show
as old-fashioned news reporting, something that is more and more difficult to find.
Unlike this column, which is an ‘opinion column’, news outlets are given the task of giving people information.
However, Attkisson says it’s not easy being a reporter who reports on stories that powerful interests want to shape, controversialize or even hide.
Attkisson admits such reporters may very well be shunned by their colleagues, labeled conspiracy theorists by special interest groups and social media mobs might get people to rally against the reporter and his or her story. Their news bosses, who don’t want to deal with the backlash from powerful people, may choose to replace them with more compliant employees.
Although it doesn’t sound like an appealing job for anyone, Attkisson notes the need for this type of reporter is greater than ever as North Americans are looking for information they can trust.
Attkisson repeats a comment by Mark Levin, author of ‘Unfreedom of the Press’, who noted young journalists are taught to think of themselves as activists. This
results in it appearing logical to shape their reporting so as to convince the public to think the “right” way.
The “Slanted” author notes what is taking place is not just a transformation of the news industry, but simultaneously the transformation of politics, society and culture. She sees the same efforts to censor, control and manipulate information in the news industry, also taking place in federal agencies, corporations and organizations.
Even more alarming, those who report wrong doing inside their organizations, are silenced and punished, even though the wrong doing may harm others. However messages that promote the narrative are repeated through every means possible.
Attkisson deduced that eventually information dictators hope to control information to such an extent that censorship will no longer be needed. The next step would be for people to
automatically self-censor their thoughts and words, falling in line with what they know is allowed to be said and to be thought.
As an old-fashioned journalist, Attkisson hopes information will continue to be accessible in many forms, and we will be invited to use our brains to form our own conclusions, feel out our positions, and even argue and debate.
Surely such a quest for knowledge and free thought is a much more appealing alternative than repeatedly being told what is the correct way to think and speak, through every platform our culture has to offer.
You can contact me at joanjanzen@yahoo.com
Civil Defence Museum to conduct tours in May
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
A group of dedicated individuals are devoted to preserving history. More specifically, they want to keep the story of the Canadian Forces Station at Alsask alive and well. Fred Armbruster is the founder and executive director of the Canadian Civil Defence Museum and Archives (CCDMA).
In 2018 this group took over the last standing intact radar tower in Canada, after it had been unattended since the early 1990’s. At that time pigeons which had taken up residence, needed to be evicted before the site was opened up to the public in 2019.
A white radar dome in a fenced compound is one of the very prominent structures of the former Canadian Forces Station at Alsask. The tower, which was designed to measure distance of the aircraft, was originally one of three towers in CFS Alsask. It was built in 1961, as part of a network of radar installations meant to serve as an early warning system against Soviet bombers. The other two towers detected the height of incoming aircraft. The information was then fed to a nearby ground-to-air radio site where it Could be relayed to fighter
jets dispatched to intercept the threat.
We will be conducting tours and events this year from May through October. For tour dates and schedule, we suggest following our Facebook page, or check our website civildefencemuseum.ca/cfs-Alsask-tour-dates-andevents
“As the founder of the museum, my motivation is preserving and sharing this important part of our Canadian Cold War history,” Armbruster said, and continued to further explain.
“The project is extremely costly and time consuming. We have a number of fixed costs that donations and sponsorships cover. The additional costs of restoration and upgrading the site for a more of an interpretive experience is all dependent on the donations we receive as we are not funded by any level of government. So, in essence, the donors are directly reflected in the project by seeing the level of success.”
Armbruster said the project will always be on-going to ensure a new experience every time the public comes to visit. This work is dedicated to the men and women who dedicated their careers to watching the skies to keep Canadians and Americans safe.
PHOTO COURTESY CANADIAN CIVIL
Report from Battle River - Crowfoot MP Damien Kurek
4945 - 50 St. Camrose, AB T4V 1P9
Text 403-575-5625 or toll free 1-800-665-4358
Email: damien.kurek@parl.gc.ca or social media @dckurek
Trudeau’s Gun Hypocrisy
Canada’s Conservatives have been working hard to fight the Liberals’ flawed firearms policies. In this column, I want to bring you up to date with the most recent developments. Many of you will recall that last year the Liberals introduced an Order In Council (OIC) banning 1,500 firearms without debate, stating that legislation would soon follow. However, it was not until last month that Liberal Public Safety Minister, Bill Blair introduced Bill C-21, making a series of changes to firearms laws in Canada.
These developments highlight a number of troubling trends about the way the Liberals approach both firearms and public safety. Before addressing some of the specifics of Bill C-21 I want to talk about this hypocrisy. This was highlighted on January 27th of this year, when the Liberal Party voted against Conservative Bill-238. This particular bill would have increased penalties against those who use an illegally smuggled firearm for the purposes of committing a crime. Then, on February 18th, two days after the new firearms bill was introduced, Liberal Justice Minister David Lametti introduced Bill C-22, an act that makes a number of changes to various
laws in Canada but, most notably eliminates mandatory minimums for the commision of a crime using an illegally obtained firearm.
There are many troubling aspects to Bill C-21. First, they have not and seem unable to even define what an “assault style” firearm is and are misleading Canadians when they conflate this with firearms used in the military that have been illegal in Canada for decades. But it’s clear, Liberals don’t care about evidence-based policies, as is proven by the banning of certain gun “replicas” that will include pellet, air soft, and paintball guns.
Additionally, this C-21 allows a Court to revoke someone’s ability to own firearms based on a simple complaint with no opportunity for the accused to defend themselves. This also lays the groundwork for a “buyback” program for those banned guns but does not outline costs. And with few details, will allow municipalities to ban handguns, something that is clearly provincial jurisdiction.
Conservatives will stand up for law abiding firearms owners by taking politics out of firearms classification, repealing both the firearms
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
By
Robert Blagen Youngstown, AB • 403-779-3859
CREATING MONEY
Money has generally been created on the backs of the hard working people, but now it seems there are many ways to create money. Of course, banks have been the main way, because they could always lend out many times the amount of money they had in their coffers and charge interest for it. Now we have the Bitcoin currency which is valued at one trillion dollars plus, and of course there are a half dozen other crypto currencies that have started up. Then we have the Stock Market that can make billions overnight and sometimes lose just as fast.
Now Trudeau and Biden have learned that you can print money when you need it. Biden just wrote a cheque for about a two trillion dollars and he probably will have to write a few more before the Pandemic is over. Trudeau is just a small player, as he has only written a few billion so far. Now people are worried that it’s going to be our our grandchildren’s grandchildren that will have to pay this off. This is BS, because why should anybody have to pay off something that was created out of “thin air”. Pay it back with the same “thin air”. Maybe if we are able to get some smarter people in Ottawa, they will figure out that they need to print the money to run our infrastructure on!
OIC, Bill C-71 (a backdoor gun-registry passed by the Liberals in 2018) and Bill C-21. We will target the real criminals by addressing the illegal smuggling of weapons used to commit crimes and restore mandatory prison times for offenders using illegal firearms in the commission of a crime.
It is frustrating that while upstanding citizens who follow the rules are targeted by the Liberals, the real lawbreakers are given a break. This is especially troubling when we see record rates of rural crime in East Central Alberta. You can count on Conservatives to fight these measures, expose the Liberal hypocrisy on firearms and public safety, and bring common sense to the public safety discussion in our nation.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this column, you are encouraged to write MP Kurek at 4945-50th Street, Camrose, Alberta, T4V 1P9, call 780-608-4600, text 403575-5625, or e-mail damien. kurek@parl.gc.ca. You can also stay up to date with Damien by following him on social media @dckurek. If you are in need of assistance regarding a Federal Government program, or need assistance and don’t know where to turn, feel free to reach out to Damien’s office.
There sure are a lot of mixed feelings and opinions being expressed on the state of the Pandemic situation and how its being handled these days. With all the conflicting information being put out there by all the experts, it’s sure easy to see why there is such a separation in the population. I sure wouldn’t want to be the one having to navigate through it all and make those very important and controversial decisions. The one thing that I see very clearly is that there is no possible way to please everyone!
I sure hope everyone is enjoying the nice temperatures. A welcome change from the cold snap
we had. It even looks like it might stick around for the next couple of weeks. We sure won’t have much snow left if any if that is the case.
If anyone sees smoke north of town one day this week, don’t be alarmed, the town will be burning some dead tree trimmings.
Be sure to check out the great pictures that
Sibbald Area News
Congratulations and hugs are sent to Chad and Jeri (Smith) Samoisette on the birth of their first child, a son, Jaxon Ray, who arrived on February 16/2021. Bill and Kim Smith are delighted with this new little bundle of love too.
Kyla Munroe is off on a new adventure as she accepted a temporary job in Calgary. This position in transfusion medicine will teach her about equipment, techniques, and help her to gain valuable experience. Auntie Rita’s home is a happening place with Kyla staying there, and Jackie, as she continues her studies in physiotherapy.
Several local young people were very busy on February 20 with Beef Expo at the Crossroads Centre in Oyen. Brandt Lyster, Joelle and Olivia Mundt, Cash, Coleman, and Cooper Norris, Sydnee Pedersen, and Danica and Dylan Woods were all showing cattle. A good crowd attended, as well as others through live feed on FaceBook. Congratulations to all participants, as showing cattle takes a lot of time. A big thank you goes out to all organizers and helpers for this event too.
Is there anyone else flipping through
Hi Kate,
I certainly enjoyed your road trip article about Sibbald, Oyen, Sedalia, New Brigden and Esther. Esther is my home town, born in Oyen and lived and farmed at Esther until 2003.
You asked everyone, where to next? My suggestion would be Marengo, Hoosier, Loverna and Fusiler. There is an amazing amount of history there also. We lived halfway between Esther and Loverna, so they were both our hometown.
Once again, I enjoy your penning.
Thank you, Ron Parks
have been hung up in the cafe. There are some wonderful framed reprints of historical photos of the area depicting life back in the day. A wonderful addition to the decor. I am of the understanding that credit goes to Eleanor Kreiser for sharing her digital files of the historical photos and to Prairie Song Photography for the framed reprints.
By Lee Switzer
the pages of seed catalogues and planning their flower beds or gardens? I can’t wait to dig in the soil and play in my yard. I love the longer days. The sun is packing some heat and you can feel spring is in the air. Of course, I realize that cold snaps and more snow are part of this package, but the seasons are changing.
Congratulations to Oyen Public School Fundraising Society on their very successful online auction held in February. This auction raised $12,735.00 which will benefit the staff and students of OPS in so many ways! I was amazed by the donors creativity and wide assortment of items put up for auction. Your generosity was wonderful. To all the bidders and the ones who took home items, wow, thank you for your support. I had fun bidding on items and watching how bids were going. A great idea that had so much support from Oyen and surrounding areas. Very well done indeed.
I hope the curling fans are enjoying their fix with the Scotties and the upcoming Tim Horton’s Brier. Take care everyone.
NHL’s best? We’ll have to wait until summer
Canadian hockey fans are blessed with the best of the four National Hockey League divisions. Those who can’t get enough of puck play are offered televised action almost every night, and most of it features teams in the Scotia North Division, where the likes of Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Mark Scheifele, Johnny Gaudreau and Brock Boeser frolic and make life miserable for goaltenders.
While the high-scoring games featuring explosive offences are exciting to fans, it’s difficult to look into a crystal ball and see what will transpire once divisional champions are determined this summer and crossover playoff action begins.
For instance, how will the high-scoring, wider-open play of the Canadian champion compare to a tighter-checking, lower-scoring team representing, say, the MassMutual East Division, where Boston Bruins, Washington, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and the Islanders are battling it out for supremacy? How will it work against the winner of the Discover Central Division, where the two Florida teams, the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, and Carolina appear to
be the division’s powers? And how about the Honda West Division, where Vegas and surprising Minnesota are off to great starts?
The unique scheduling of this COVID-19 season creates a lot of mystery as to where the power actually lies. Because teams play only within their division — and won’t meet any other team until this summer’s playoffs — the NHL’s overall power rankings are impossible to determine.
For instance, how would the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs (16-4–2 on Feb. 27) fare against the Panthers (13-4-3)?
Maybe Florida’s record is glittering because they play an extraordinary number of games against weak teams, such as Detroit and Nashville. On the other hand, the Leafs overload on Ottawa, Vancouver and Calgary and have padded their win totals as a result.
Where do the Boston Bruins stack up in the overall scheme of things? The Bruins were 115-2 on Feb. 27 and in a near dead heat with Washington and three other teams. The weaker teams in that group — the Rangers, New Jersey and Buffalo — have been instrumental in the leaders’ gaudy record.
How
BLANKET ALBERTA
AUCTIONS
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*March 15-21 March Madness Online Timed Auction. *March 20 Auto & RV - Live Webcast; *March 27 Consignment Auction - Live Webcast. Gateway Auction Services, Redcliff, AB; 403378-4664 or 403-594-9995.
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BUILT WITH CONCRETE
would West-leading Vegas (11-4-1) fare if the Golden Knights faced a road trip taking them to, for example, Toronto, Boston, Philly, Tampa and Florida? We’ll never know.
Things will get interesting in late May or early June when each division determines its own champion and the four survivors get together to fight over the Stanley Cup. It will take us that long to discover where the true power lies. Meanwhile, keep those red lights flashing in NHL rinks across Canada. It’s been fun.
• Jack Finarelli, at sportscurmudgeon.com, on Urban Meyer being hired as coach of Jacksonville Jaguars: “In his seven years at Ohio State, Meyer’s teams lost a total of nine games. If his first year with the Jags results in the Jags losing fewer than nine
games, he might be the Coach of the Year in the NFL.”
• RJ Currie of sportsdeke. com: “An ESPN talking head called one of Rob Gronkowski’s nightclub partying videos, ‘Just a man living the American dream.’ Which in Gronk’s case appears to be life, liberty and the pursuit of happy hour.”
• Chris Calarco, commenting on a Facebook page for Buffalo fans, after the Sabres got shut out at home for their fourth straight loss: “I bought a cardboard cutout to honour my aunt who passed away. Can I come pick it up so she doesn’t have to watch this any more?”
• Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: “The NBA issued warnings to the Lakers’ LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma for violating the anti-flopping rule in a game against Memphis. Hey, if the league is really all that worried about flops … disband the Timberwolves!”
• Patti Dawn Swansson, aka the River City Renegade, on whether melting ice that caused the Vegas-Colorado outdoor game at Lake Tahoe to be delayed eight hours cost the NHL some money: “(If it did) they can just take it out of the slush fund.”
• Swansson again, on Mike Babcock returning to his roots by agreeing to be head coach of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies: “How fitting that an old-school coach would return to his old school.”
• Good idea from Bob Molinaro of pilot online.com (Hampton, Va.): “Any NBA player who complains that a colleague was snubbed in the All-Star selection process must name the player he’d remove from the team.”
• Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg: “There has never been any money in underestimating Tiger Woods. If anyone can come back from this, it is him. Having said that, if Tiger Woods ever drives a car himself again, his manager should go to jail.”
• Headline at Fark.com: “Patrick Mahomes welcomes first child, Sterling Skye Mahomes, expected to play against Tom Brady in about 20 years.”
• Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com, on the sun wreaking havoc on the NHL outdoor games at Lake Tahoe: “So add to 2021 insanity … a major professional sporting event postponed because the weather was too good?” Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca
Blanket classified ads are produced through a joint agreement by The Oyen Echo and the Alberta Weekly Newspaper Association (AWNA). They appear in all 90 AWNA members’ community newspapers for $269. ($299 for Employment Opportunity, also posted on AWNA Careers online) for the first 25 words, $8 for each word over 25 (+GST). To place a blanket classified call THE OYEN ECHO 306-463-2211.
POSTS. Barns, Shops, Riding Arenas, Machine Sheds and more, sales@ integritybuilt.com; 1-866974-7678; www.integritybuilt.com.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
BLANKET THE PROVINCE with a classified ad. Only $269 (based on 25 words or less). Reach 90 weekly newspapers. Call NOW for details. 1-800-282-6903 Ext 225; www.awna.com.
FREIGHTLAND CARRIERS, a tri-axle air ride flatdeck carrier is looking for Owner/Operators to run Alberta only or the 3 Western Provinces. Must have own plates, insurance & WCB. Truck gross revenue is an average of $16,000/month. Call 1-800-917-9021 or email: dispatch@freightland. ca.
LIVE-IN CAREGIVER for Senior in lakefront home near Fort St. John. Private accommodation. All aspects of personal care. $3,000/month. Free room and board. Contact: susanmariebitner@gmail.com.
FEED AND SEED
ALBERTA FEED GRAIN: Buying Oats, Barley, Wheat, Canola, Peas, Screenings, Mixed Grains. Dry, Wet, Heated, or Spring Thresh. Prompt Payment. In House Trucks, In House Excreta Cleaning. Vac Rental. 1-888-483-8789.
CERTIFIED SEED. - WHEAT
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HEATED CANOLA buying Green, Heated or Springthrashed Canola. Buying: oats, barley, wheat & peas for feed. Buying damaged or offgrade grain. “On Farm Pickup” Westcan Feed & Grain, 1-877-2505252.
FORAGE SEED FOR SALE: Organic & conventional: Sweet Clover, Alfalfa, Red Clover, Smooth Brome, Meadow Brome, Crested Wheatgrass, Timothy, etc. Star City, SK. Birch Rose Acres Ltd. 306-921-9942.
HEALTH
GET UP TO $50,000 from the Government of Canada. ALL Ages & Medical Conditions qualify. Have a child under 18 instantly receive more money. CALL THE BENEFITS PROGRAM 1-800-211-3550 or send a text message with your name and mailing address to 403-980-3605 for your FREE benefits package.
HIP/KNEE REPLACEMENT. Other medical conditions causing TROUBLE WALKING or DRESSING? The Disability Tax Credit allows for $3,000 yearly tax credit and $30,000 lump sum refund. Take advantage of this offer. Apply NOW; quickest refund Nationwide: Expert help. 1-844-453-5372.
LAND FOR SALE VERY INEXPENSIVE 2 QUARTERS OF PASTURE LAND, Central SK, for sale. 8 other good quarters may be available. Requires fencing. Great hunting $74,900. Call Doug at 306-716-2671.
PERSONALS
HI TRACY YOUGER. I would love to hear from you or from anyone who knows her. Phone Collect, Carrie, 1-780-835-4695.
SERVICES
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GET BACK ON TRACK! Bad credit? Bills? Unemployed? Need Money? We Lend! If you own your own homeyou qualify. Pioneer Acceptance Corp. Member BBB. 1-877-987-1420. www.pioneerwest.com.
Classifieds The
FOR SALE
FOR SALE: MF 220 Tractor w/ 3 pt. hitch. 25 HP. Excellent condition. Great tractor for yard. Call Brent (403) 6648256. MR29p
WANTED
Looking for Dad’s old Buffalo Coat. Worked on CNR railroad in 1950s. Heavy coat with large bone buttons. Great sentimental value! Larry Dziuba @ (403) 808-6932.
HARDY
BAISLEY - It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved mother and grandma, Lynne Baisley, who passed away peacefully surrounded by family at the University of Alberta Hospital on Friday February 26, 2021, at the age of 76 years. Lynne will be lovingly remembered by her sons John and Scott and their families; Dawn, Trina, Amanda, Jordan, Kaitlyn, and Paige; her sister Lizanne and brother-in-law Patrick and their children Kathy, James, Deanna, Maggie, and their families; her cherished partner Stan and his family, Doug and Colleen. Lynne was predeceased by her loving husband Doug
and their son Michael. Mary Lynne was born to Elizabeth (Simonson) and James McKenna on October 22, 1944 at Saint Joseph’s hospital in Hamilton, Ontario. She grew up on different RCAF Stations from Ontario to Alberta, and back East again. Her elementary schooling took place on bases in Ontario. She spent her high school years at Marymount overlooking the falls in Niagara, and finished with Saint Joseph’s Convent in North Bay, Ontario. Lynne went on to complete her Nursing at Saint Joseph’s in Kitchener, Ontario. Doug Baisley was stationed in Penhold, Alberta and on his days off would drive his motorcycle nonstop from Alberta to Ontario to see her. They were engaged in Kitchener, married there, and honeymooned in Niagara Falls. Lynne and Doug had three sons and continued to live in various RCAF Stations until Doug’s retirement where they settled into Oyen, Alberta. In Oyen, Lynne was proudly promoted to Director of
Health for Palliser Health Authority and continued nursing until her retirement. Upon retiring she moved to Lethbridge to be near Lizanne and Pat, where they enjoyed life on the golf course and walking along the river paths with their pups Darbie and Lola.
Lynne volunteered her time at the Lethbridge Humane Society for many years. She attended church and volunteered anytime a family was in need. She was the most giving woman; always volunteering her time and donations to local charity groups, families in need, and numerous animal organizations around the world.
Her family will be holding a memorial service at a later date. In lieu of flowers, we know Lynne would love for you to consider donating to the Lethbridge Humane Society or another worthy cause.
We would like to thank the nurses at the University of Alberta Hospital who cared for Lynne with kindness and compassion during her time there.
Cherishing the Memories of Tanya July 18, 1979 March 3, 2011
It has been 10 years since you left us, and time seems to have stood still
But what will always be- are the memories cherished in our hearts
We remember your beautiful smile and your cheery laughter, your greetings of a Hug and a kiss your beautiful scrapbooked albums of family & friends loving all your animals but most of all we have your children who bring out the best of you for all the world to see and in our solemn quietude, we will always hear an ANGELs voice singing sweetly clear.
Cherishing you forever & always,
All our love, Mom & Dad, Tara & Jeremy, Paisley & Kinsley
Tisha & Mike, Rylee & Hattie, Mihayla, Rowenna & Tavynn, Grandma Hugs & Kisses
SACRED HEART RC OYEN
1st Friday 6:30 p.m. Mass & Adoration at Sacred Heart Church. Rest of the Fridays at the Extended Care unit 6:30 pm Sunday Mass at 11:00 a.m. Cell 403-795-6912. shcoyen@telus.net
OYEN EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH
Meeting IN PERSON again on Sunday mornings at 10 AM for Sunday School and 11 AM for the Worship Service. The service may still be viewed live on Facebook and later in YouTube.
XOXOXOXOXOX Till we meet again
We are so appreciative and would like to say a big “Thank You” to Big Country Hospital and Dr. Muller and all the other doctors, as well as the LTC, Dianne and staff and nurses who took care of Lloyd’s wife and our mom, Maxine Westerlund. We are so thankful to Kim Walker of Macleans Funeral Home and her staff.
- Lloyd Westerlund
Shane and Teena Westerlund family Heather Westerlund family
SPECIAL AREA NO. 3
This is to notify you with respect to a decision of the Development Officer, whereby a development permit has been issued authorizing the following:
Special Areas Land Use Order provides that any person claiming to be affected by a decision of the Municipal Planning Commission may appeal to the Development Appeal Board by serving written notice of appeal to the
ST. MARY’S RC, ACADIA VALLEY
Thursdays 10:00 a.m.
Sunday Mass 9:00 a.m. Rectory 403-664-3603. newtonrodrigues17@outlook.com