AGENCIES INC.
Charmaain Snell, , InsuranceAdvisor schindel agenciees@outlook com
West Central Crisis & Family Support Centre
Free and Confidential Counselling Services
Programs:
• Mental Health & Addictions
• Family Support (FSW) & Diversion Support
• Family Violence Intervention (FVI)
• Rapid Access Counselling (RAC) for Children Youth/Caregivers
• Rapid Access for Counselling (RAC) for Adults
• Crisis Intervention & Debriefing
• Suicide Intervention & Suicide Impact Supports
• Sexual Assault Victim Support
• Trafficking Intervention
• Family Intervention Rapid Support Teams (FIRST)
• Client Advocacy
• Intimate Partner Violence Intervention
• Court Mandated Supports
The West Central Crisis & Family Support Centre’s mission is to provide support services to individuals and families experiencing trauma, violence, addiction, or crisis in their lives, as well as outreach programs to communities within our boundaries.
105 Colton Drive, Box 2235, Kindersley, SK. S0L1S0 Office Phone: 306.463.6655
Fax: 306.463.6410 crisis@westcentralcrisis.ca www.westcentralcrisis.ca
Richmound Raid Targets “Kingdom of Canada” Group
Romana Didulo and Ricky Manz face multiple charges
BY KATE WINQUIST
RICHMOUND — RCMP arrested 16 people, including self-proclaimed “Queen of Canada” Romana Didulo, in a large-scale raid on a decommissioned school in Richmound early Wednesday, September 3.
Police moved in around 4:30 a.m. with more than 30 vehicles, tactical units, drones, and police dogs. By 6 a.m., 11 women and five men were in custody. Officers also searched eight RVs on the property and seized four replica handguns but found no real firearms.
The operation followed an August 25 tip that a firearm was inside the school, bolstered by other intelligence suggesting risks to public safety. All 16 detainees were initially released the next day, but Didulo, 50, and property owner Ricky Manz, 61, were rearrested for breaching no-contact orders and now face multiple charges, including intimidation of a justice system participant.
In court Friday, Didulo challenged the court’s legitimacy before being ordered to stop interrupting proceedings. She remains in custody ahead of a bail hearing Monday, where she plans to represent herself. Manz, facing additional charges of assault and resisting arrest, is also scheduled for a bail hearing the same day.
Authorities say more charges are expected against other group members.
The arrests cap months of rising tension in Richmound, a community of 120, where residents complained of harassment and threats from Didulo’s followers. Health officials have since deemed the school uninhabitable, ordering all occupants out by September 5.
Securing North American energy dominance
Premier Danielle Smith will visit Colorado to advance Alberta as an energy partner, promote collaboration and reinforce Alberta’s role in North American energy security.
Danielle Smith
From Sept. 7–9, Premier Danielle Smith will be in Colorado to engage with senior U.S. officials and industry leaders to highlight Alberta’s competitive advantages in energy and our skilled workforce, and promote Alberta’s growing strengths in technology and innovation.
The Premier will host a business roundtable with U.S. industry representatives in energy, manufacturing, technology, financial services and more, to strengthen cross-border partnerships. During the mission, the Premier will also meet with agriculture and energy industry representatives and will deliver a keynote address to the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) Fall Board Meeting.
“When Alberta energy flows south, families and businesses on both sides of the border benefit. The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers and its members have been strong advocates for keeping Alberta energy moving freely to U.S. refineries. Alberta is driving innovation in emerging technologies like carbon capture, hydrogen and geothermal that are shaping the future of energy security. My message in Colorado is clear. Alberta is not just a supplier. We are a partner, determined to advance North American energy security and prosperity together.”
Danielle Smith, Premier
The AFPM is a leading trade association representing a membership of 450 energy companies across the U.S. The organization and its members have played a valuable role in advocating for the importance of continuing to receive Alberta crude to American refineries, and the devastating impact that energy tariffs would have on American jobs.
Mission expenses will be posted on the travel and expense disclosure page.
Quick facts
• The U.S. is Alberta’s largest trading partner, and Alberta is the second-largest provincial exporter to the U.S. after Ontario.
• In 2024, Alberta’s exports to the U.S. totalled $162.1 billion, accounting for 88.7 per cent of total provincial exports. The U.S. is also an important source of industrial inputs and consumer goods for the province.
• Bilateral trade with Colorado totalled more than $5.9 billion in 2024.
• Energy products accounted for about $133.4 billion, 82.3 per cent of Alberta’s exports to the U.S. in 2024.
• In 2024, Premier Danielle Smith and Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed a memorandum of understanding to align and improve regulation, enhance collaboration and increase information sharing on best practices in key energy and environmental areas including carbon capture, utilization and storage, methane emission reduction, hydrogen development and geothermal energy.
• Alberta is the top global supplier of energy products to the U.S., accounting for 56 per cent of all oil imports to the U.S. – twice as much as Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Iraq combined.
Romana Didulo
OPINION:
Why is western Canada being used as the sacrificial lamb?
BY JOAN JANZEN
A farmer said, “If partially sighted people want the right to drive combines, I’m not going to stand in their way.”
Not only do farmers need 20/20 vision, but they also need a firm grasp on vision for their future. The Saskatchewan Institute recently addressed one of the major challenges facing farmers.
In its ‘Saskatchewan Minute’, it reported: “China has imposed tariffs of up to 75.8% on Canadian canola seed. This is on top of the 100% tariffs already in place on canola oil and meal.”
This is significant because China imports massive amounts of canola oil and meal. “The worst part is the crisis wasn’t caused by Saskatchewan farmers, or by China; it was caused by Ottawa,” the Saskatchewan Minute report explained. The tariffs are seen as a response to Canada’s 100% tariffs imposed on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), which triggered retaliation from China.
So what does that look like from a farmer’s perspective? Saskatchewan’s own Quick Dick McDick (aka Dickson Delorme), well known as a comedian, YouTuber, and most importantly, as a farmer, willingly shared his thoughts on the subject.
The Saskatchewan Institute summed up the situation, saying, “Ottawa has decided protecting Ontario and Quebec’s
It’s because we have all the commodities the government needs to use as bargaining tools
struggling EV industry is worth more than defending the canola industry.”
Quick Dick discussed why western Canadian grain growers are where they are. He told his listeners that Ottawa is protecting an industry that imports most of the components for EVs from China and then uses $80/hr union employee jobs to assemble those vehicles in Canada, and tries to force them on Canadians.
“The federal government has set a goal that by 2035, one hundred percent of vehicles sold must be EV, and any manufacturer that is in violation of this will be fined,” the YouTuber added. Nevertheless, the Financial Post reported EV sales in Canada dropped sharply in March of this year.
The Saskatchewan farmer asked another question, “Why is western Canada being used as the sacrificial lamb?” He followed with an explanation, “It’s because we have all the commodities the government needs to use as bargaining tools. And there’s no chance the
government will lose any voter support here, where canola is grown, because they don’t have voter support here in the first place. So what better commodity to use in a trade dispute? The government’s primary job once elected is to get re-elected.”
On the other hand, the YouTuber pointed out Bill C-202 was passed, protecting supply-managed farms which include dairy, poultry and eggs. “Do you want to guess where most of those farms are located in this country and how they vote?” Quick Dick asked.
Meanwhile, his listeners are cheering him on, mostly because he’s the first media personality who has provided an honest depiction of the circumstances.
Saskatchewan produces nearly half of Canada’s canola; more than 20,000 farmers grow it. It’s worth billions every year and is critical to the livelihoods of families. “It’s one of our largest markets,” Quick Dick said, “We exported $5 billion worth of canola last year to China. The canola industry is responsible for over 200,000 jobs, which is way more than the steel, aluminum and auto industries put together.”
Now it’s harvest time on the prairies, and some farmers have secured contracts. “But some people can’t store all their canola until prices get better. Some people need cash flow to pay for equipment and land,” Quick Dick reasoned.
“This is when you see what you’ve got for a yield and start marketing your product.”
To put this into perspective, he reported the numbers. On his farm, he grows 2300 acres of canola, which usually yields between 40 and 45 bushels per acre. “We lost $100,000 with the announcement of this tariff,” he concluded. “It’s long past time for the federal government to stop trying to support a non-existent EV industry using a western Canadian canola crop.”
One of Quick Dick’s listeners said, “I’m from Ontario, but I feel we need to work with all the provinces and do what’s best for each one, working with the strengths of each province to make Canada strong and free again.”
In a Canadian Press article, Chris Davison of the Canola Council of Canada said canola has been a profitable crop and his organization will try to ensure producers can find other markets, should problems with China persist. And the Premiers from Saskatchewan and Alberta are asking for EV tariffs to be scrapped to help normalize trade with China.
But I think Quick Dick spoke on behalf of all the grain growers in Saskatchewan and Alberta when he said, “Just let us do what we do and export it and get paid for it.” In other words, don’t stand in their way.
Pop89: A distance measured in stories
BY MADONNA HAMEL
I have been driving. A lot. Last Saturday, it took me fourteen hours to drive from Cortes Island on the west coast of BC to the Okanagan, where peaches fall from the trees in the summer heat. I began my day at 6 am, hiking through old-growth forest, up a rocky cliff covered in ancient moss, stepping over tree roots and giant black slugs, and down a gravel road to my car, parked overnight in the ferry lineup.
er, driving my brother’s truck and stalling halfway up the ferry ramp, terrified I was about to drift backwards into the brink or someone else’s vehicle. On endless ferry rides, my family has banked hours upon hours of weary musings, chirpy pep talks, sardonic reflections, and a litany of Hail Marys. This time, I was doing it alone, sleepy and stoking myself with coffee because the day’s journey had barely begun.
terious” part. Nope, my brother affirms, “poetry is not what I come to him for. “And he’s right - we come for the facts, an understanding of the mechanics of the brain.
not interested in the chink in the other’s armour, or their soft spots or hidden gifts. And they deny any blind spots on the seller’s behalf. They can create rather than decrease distances.
There is a story about that morning –how I decided, or rather my body did, that I should get headed back home to my garden, my writing and my sanctuary earlier than planned. The climax of the story is the emotional parting with my brother, knowing his memory is compromised and his future in the air. It is heartbreaking and darn nigh impossible to part with a loved one when you see them struggling to be brave and their fear, shimmering under the surface. But one thing I’ve learned about travel is not to prevaricate once you’ve made a decision, whether it’s to merge in a passing lane or take the next exit or leave early the next day.
After arriving on Quadra I drove across the island to make the next ferry off Quadra to Campbell River on Vancouver Island. There are many stories around that oft-taken route – in an ambulance with my brother, as a hitch-hik-
Dear Oyen Echo,
I read with great interest your report of the donation of a popcorn machine to the Oyen Museum, the donor being Eric Chrysler. I had not heard of Eric for many years, but I do remember him and his sister Budz, going to school at Youngstown.
I have sent a photo taken in the old school, which burned down Feb 2, 1956. It is of a curling team from the Youngstown school bonspiel, likely in1955. Local businesses donated the prizes to the Home and School for the
From Campbell River, I drove to Nanaimo - a route where three times my brother experienced sudden moments of sight like “a pool of water filling an empty pothole.” And every time we described the incident to the neurologist, he simply shrugged, as if there were no real explanation for it and no studies on that phenom, so, no cause for getting all excited. It’s not guaranteed it will ever happen again. Fine, I muttered to myself. It’s obvious I will need to spend the rest of my days driving my brother up and down the Island, courting moments of vision and hope.
The doc’s serious lack of bedside compassion irks me to no end, but my brother simply tells a story defending the neurologist: he’s probably autistic, not good at making friends. Then he discovered something that fascinated him – the mysterious workings of the brain. Only he’s far more comfortable with the “working” part than the “mys-
bonspiel prizes, and these lucky curlers have won Pyrex bowls, which are now collectors’ items. Left to right are Ida Lou Kleven, Walter Butler, Terry Logelin and Eric Chrysler. Walter was in high school, Ida Lou and Terry in Grade 5, and Eric, one grade ahead of them I think. This second photo is from the same time, with the winners receiving Winton cake plates (equally collectible now). The curlers are (tall) Jock MacKinnon, Ronnie McKeage, Robert Marks and Pat Gore. Eleanor Kreiser
403-527-5516 918 2nd Ave
Dunmore, AB
School Board Elections
The Prairie Rose School Division is a Local Government authority that will be conducting an election for seven (7) school trustees under the authority of the Local Authorities Election Act and the Education Act for the following wards:
Ward 1: Oyen, New Brigden, Acadia Valley, Jenner and area (1 vacancy)
Ward 2: Irvine, Schuler and area (1 vacancy)
Ward 3: Re dcliff/Dunmore (2 vacancies)
Ward 4: Ralston, Seven Persons and area (1 vacancy)
Ward 5: Bow Island, Burdett and area (1 vacancy)
Ward 6: Foremost and area (1 vacancy)
Candidates must drop off a prop erly complete d nomination package which includes a Criminal Re cord Che ck to the Prairie Rose office in Dunmore, no later than 12:00 PM on September 22, 2025. Ele ction day will b e held on Octob er 20, 2025 in conjunction with the Alb er ta municipal ele ctions.
Complete details, forms, and instructions for submitting a nomination package can be found on the Prairie Rose website under 2025 Trustee Elections or by visiting our office at 918 2 Avenue in Dunmore, AB. nd www myprps com/school-board-elect ions
I ask to look at the most recent catscan and have it explained to us. We learned that Doug’s temporal lobe is as damaged as the occipital, yet it was his eyesight loss that most concerned us all, being the most obvious new impediment. And so the front temporal took a back seat. The temporal is the shortterm memory lobe, as well as an emotion regulator, explained the neurologist. It’s responsible for sudden rages or despairs.
And its damage explains why, when listening to a story, Doug loses track of the protagonist. “He has lost the shortterm transference mechanism that takes the beginning of a sentence to its longterm conclusion.” That is to say: by the time you get to the end of a sentence, he’s forgotten the beginning of it. So speak in short, non-fragmented sentences. Like Hemingway. Short and sweet. And simple.
Of course, the stories we tell ourselves and the stories we tell about—and on— others can go in many directions. My biggest challenge involves not building my case every time I feel threatened by or suspicious of others. Not only are self-justification and rationalization stories usually just thinly disguised misery litanies, or full-blown conspiracy theories, they are just plain bad stories. They carry no mystery or paradox; they are
The Irish author Colm McCann recently spoke at a conference held at the Vatican. He said: “I don’t know where a story begins. But I do know that, for it to be born, one must be open. Open to contradiction. We live in a world sick with certainties. Everyone clings to iron certainties; everyone is always sure they know, sure they understand everything. Yet I think that the distance between two people is always only a story. And the essence of a story is to get some sort of truth where I acknowledge you exist and you acknowledge I exist, and that’s incredibly important. We don’t necessarily have to love one another, but if we fail to understand one another, each with the other, then we are doomed. That is why stories can wash the feet of the world.”
And, I am reminded of Cree writer Harold Johnson’s The Power of Story. In it, he reminded us that we each have a story to tell. It isn’t right or wrong, it is simply our story. This is the power behind 12-step groups, where we heal through stories of change. It was also the constant refrain of all the counsellors we met on our trip up and down Vancouver Island: “Do not isolate. We are meant to share our stories. We connect through story. We heal through story.” Stories of shared human experiences tether us to the world and to each other.”
TO THE EDITOR:
Riders, Stamps dominant in CFL’s West
BY BRUCE PENTON
Winnipeg is playing host to this year’s Grey Cup game but for the first time in six years, the Blue Bombers likely won’t be the West Division’s representative.
The Bombers won the Cup in 2019 and 2021 (2020’s game was cancelled due to COVID) and then lost three Grey Cup games in a row — 2022, 2023 and 2024. Finally getting to host the game for the first time since 2015 could be bittersweet for Bomber fans, whose team will likely be watching from the sidelines.
BY BRUCE PENTON Sports Columnist
The power in the West Division has shifted, thanks primarily to great quarterbacking play by Vernon Adams in Calgary and Trevor Harris in Regina. The Stampeders and Roughriders have been the class of the West through the first half, and it’s likely they’ll carry on to the division final in early November.
Trying to determine who’s the better team is tricky. The Stampeders are 2-0 against the Riders this year, including a 32-15 win in Calgary Aug. 23, but Saskatchewan held an 8-2 pre-Labour Day record through 10 games, one game up on the Stamps, who inexplicably lost twice to Eastern Division weakling Ottawa (3-8 record) and once to Montreal (5-6). Calgary coach Dave Dickenson evidently gets his team ready to play the crucial games and the Stamps let up somewhat when they’re facing inferior teams.
The Riders’ Harris wasn’t deterred after the recent loss to Calgary, telling the Leader-Post “We’ve talked about our character all year, and so it’s time to put that on the table and show who we are. And we will. We’ll bounce back from this.”
Adams, meanwhile, has been a godsend for the Cowtowners. Although his
touchdown-to-interception ratio (14-8) isn’t as good as Harris’s (18-7), the two veteran QBs have given their teams a chance to win almost every time out. After six seasons in Montreal and two in B.C., Adams is enjoying his first year with the Stamps. Running back Dedrick Mills will easily surpass 1,000 yards rushing and receivers Dominique Rhymes and Jalen Philpot have shown to be dependable targets.
In Regina, Harris, who is with his fifth CFL team, has been a steadying influence as the Riders beat everybody except Calgary. A.J. Ouellette has carried much of the offensive load, averaging more than 70 rushing yards per game. Harris has had great aerial success, finding Dohnte Meyers for six touchdown passes through 10 games and KeeSean Johnson for another three.
Not surprisingly, the Riders and Stampeders are among the league leaders in team defence. Saskatchewan is No. 1, giving up 339 yards per game, while Calgary is fourth, allowing opponents to generate 359 yards per game. CFL fans are circling Nov. 9 on their calendars because that’s when Calgary and Saskatchewan are likely to meet in the Western final. The winner will go on to play for the Grey Cup and there’s a good chance one of the Stampeders’ alltime greats, quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, will be wearing black and gold for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in that game.
• Columnist Norman Chad: “Baseball’s No. 1 pitching prospect, 22-year-old Bubba Chandler, made his MLB debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He pitched four shutout innings of relief, allowing two hits. Chandler is seeking to become first pitcher in history not to allow a run
Nominations forms will be accepted at any Special Areas District Office during normal business hours until noon (12:00 pm) on Monday, September 22, 2025.
• Special Area No. 2 District Office Hanna, AB
• Special Area No. 3 District Office Oyen, AB
• Special Area No. 4 District Office Consort, AB Candidates are advised to make an appointment with authorized staff to ensure nomination papers can be received. For more information on nomination requirements, visit www.specialareas.ab.ca or contact Shyanne Jones, Returning Officer at Shyanne.jones@specialareas.ab.ca or (403) 854 -5601.
Shyanne Jones, Returning Officer
in his MLB career.”
• Steve Hofstetter, on bluesky, after the major Kelce-Swift engagement announcement:: “Congratulations to Travis Kelce on his latest championship ring.”
• Conor Orr of SI.com, blasting the Dallas Cowboys for their trade of edge rusher Micah Parsons to Green Bay: “The Cowboys are less a cogent franchise than a series of laughable gaffes layered atop one another like rickety sheets of plywood.”
• Jack Finarelli at sportscurmudgeon. com: “ The flurry of lime-green dildos arriving on the courts during WNBA games seems to have petered out … sorry, could not resist.”
• Greg Cote of the Miami Herald, in his annual NFL preview: “QB Aaron Rodgers will be about the same miracle worker for Pittsburgh as he was for the Jets. Meaning a lousy one.”
Amazingly, his ankle injury that had him on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list was also resolved and he began practicing with the team.”
• RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “The Nebraska State Fair broke a record for the longest parade of old tractors when over 1,100 showed up. In Canada, that’s just part of the last-minute Labour Day crowd at Mosaic Stadium.”
• Headline at the onion.com: “Record-Breaking Number Of Viewers Now Following WNBA Players Home”
• Another onion.com headline: “Scalpers Jack Up Price Of Colorado Rockies Ticket To $11”
• fark.com headline: “Patriots cut Peppers. Onions, sausages inconsolable.”
• Another one from fark.com: “One reason why your NFL team will disappoint in 2025. Jets fans: Wait a sec…only one?”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca
• Norman Chad again: “The New Orleans announced Spencer Rattler as their starting quarterback. Thoughts and prayers.”
• Jack Finarelli again: “Terry McLaurin got an extension that was to his satisfaction from the Commanders.
A large refund means you’ve been overpaying your taxes throughout the year.
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of encouragement far and wide, and delight in the bountiful harvest that they will surely bring.“
Ralph Marston
Education negotiations update: Minister Horner
President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner issued the following statement about contract negotiations with the TEBA and the ATA:
“Albertans have immense respect for the role teachers play in supporting students and building a caring education community. Alberta’s government remains committed to reaching a fair deal for our teachers.
“However, in a media statement last week, Alberta Teacher Association (ATA) President Jason Schilling stated, ‘talks are off until the Government shows it takes teachers’ concerns more seriously.’
“Over the summer, I met with my caucus colleagues to review and approve practical and constructive proposals that would hopefully lead to a tentative agreement with our teachers.
“On August 26, Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) proposed a settlement that agreed to provide the hiring commitment requested by the ATA - hiring 3,000 new teachers over the course of the three school years of the agreement. TEBA’s proposal additionally included a similar compensation offer that was previously recommended by the ATA to their members.
“Hiring 3,000 teachers would have cost about three-quarters of a billion dollars over the three
VIVA VITALITY:
BORDER KENNELS
years. According to the ATA themselves, it would have helped alleviate population growth and classroom complexity pressures, especially in elementary schools, something that teachers have said is a top priority for them.
“The cost of the current proposed deal over the full term, is over $2.3 billion, which includes substantial raises for teachers. While the general wage increase is 12 per cent over four years, just like the other negotiated deals with the nurses and public sector workers, over 95 per cent of teachers would receive more through market adjustments, depending on their region and role.
“Last week, I shared the first quarter fiscal update and economic statement and mentioned that 2025 has brought its share of challenges for everyone. We are now forecasting a $6.5 billion deficit, our first deficit in five years. Considering our fiscal update, making room for $750 million was not going to be easy, but we were committed to reaching a fair deal for teachers and stability for students and families.
“The headline on a news release from the ATA says public education is at risk due to bargaining impasse. The ATA’s bargaining team can solve this impasse. Refusing to bargain now is not an effective labour relations strategy and is unfair to all teachers across Alberta.
“While union leaders reconsider their tactics, TEBA remains ready to return to the table to secure a fair agreement. Our government is committed to a responsible outcome that balances the needs of teachers, families and taxpayers alike.”
Commuting safely to school
BY ANDREA KLASSEN
School is back in session, which means school zones are active once again. In many communities, these have transitioned to year-round playground zones. For those that haven’t, it’s a good reminder to slow down and stay alert for the increased presence of pedestrians, cyclists and school buses.
If you have school-aged children who bike to school, ensure they understand proper hand signals for navigating roadways and are following traffic signs and laws. By law, anyone under the age of 18 must wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet.
Before your child heads off to school, check the ABCs of their bicycle:
A is for Air
• Squeeze the tires to ensure they’re firm. The recommended PSI is usually listed on the tire sidewall.
• Look for damage such as cracks, bald spots or loose threads that could lead to air loss or require replacement.
B is for Brakes
• Squeeze the brake levers to confirm they engage properly and stop the wheels when the bike is pushed forward or backward.
• Ensure there’s a gap between the lever and handlebars, and that the lever snaps back into position when released.
C is for Chain, Crank, and Cables
• Make sure the chain moves freely, isn’t rusty, and doesn’t hang too low or make odd noises when pedaling backward.
• Wiggle the crank arms (where the pedals attach) to check for side-to-side movement.
• Inspect all cables for kinks or breaks.
If your child walks to school, talk to them about staying alert, and review these pedestrian safety tips:
• Wear bright-colored clothing to increase visibility, especially on dim mornings or in poor weather.
• Avoid distractions like phones or headphones, especially when crossing roads or railways.
• Stick to sidewalks and use marked crosswalks.
• Look in all directions before crossing streets, roadways or railways.
• Review the safest walking route with your child. If they commute alone, walk the route with them beforehand to build confidence.
• Even though the speed limit is reduced to 30 km/h in school and playground zones, children should remain vigilant and make eye contact with drivers before crossing.
If your child rides the school bus, remind them to look both ways before crossing the street to board. Even if the bus’s stop sign is extended and lights are flashing, they should confirm that all vehicles have stopped. Children should never run after a bus; school bus drivers may not see them.
These simple tips can help ensure your child travels safely to and from school, contributing to an injury-free school year.
Andrea Klassen is a Health Promotion Facilitator with Primary Care Alberta’s Population Health Promotion Program.
Nate Horner
Fire Restriction throughout the Special Areas
Effective Thursday, September 4, 2025, a Fire Restriction is in place throughout the Special Areas.
This restriction applies to all outdoor fires, except for gas/propane BBQs and campfires in designated camping areas, unless specifically posted.
Any existing Controlled Burns may be suspended or cancelled. New Controlled Burns are not approved until the Regional Fire Chief or Regional Deputy Fire Chief has contacted the ratepayer directly to approve or deny the request.
Learn more at https://www.albertafirebans.ca
We are back to school at Assumption! What a great two days … we had our welcome breakfast for students, bus drivers and subs … Opening Mass, blessing of playground, classrooms and Grade 3 Bibles. Here we go! Off to a great start!
Alberta RCMP issues 1661 tickets over Labour Day long weekend
EDMONTON — From Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, your Alberta RCMP conducted enhanced traffic safety enforcement across the province, resulting in1661 traffic safety infractions.
Of the 1661 tickets issued, 789 were for speeding, 34 for distracted driving, and 19 for not wearing a seatbelt.
Additionally, 99 impaired drivers were removed from the roads. 70 drivers received Immediate Roadside Sanction (IRS) FAILs and 19 received IRS WARNs.
Unfortunately, over the long weekend, there were 54 collisions which caused injuries, resulting in 4 deaths.
“Fatal motor vehicle collisions are often avoidable,” says Sgt. Darrin Turn-
bull, Alberta RCMP Traffic, “and we are reminded of this every long weekend when lives are lost due to factors such as drugs, alcohol, and speeding.”
Your Alberta RCMP is urging everyone to remember that there is no reason to get behind the wheel if you are impaired. If road conditions are unfavourable, consider delaying travel until they improve, and always give yourself extra time to get where you are going.
Traffic safety is a shared responsibility. Call 911 if you observe dangerous driving.
For more traffic safety information, follow us on Facebook @RCMPinAlberta and X @RCMPAlberta
Elementary Home Room Teacher
Substitute Teachers
Non-Certificated Classroom Supervisors
Relief Education Assistants
TO
For more information, contact Clarence Pereira at cpereira@redeemer.ab.ca or 403-938-8562
To apply, please visit the Careers page on the Christ The Redeemer Catholic Schools website
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ideas. Let them know they’re heard and that you take them seriously.
2. Think about development. Employees often quit because of a lack of advancement opportunities.Therefore, provide training so your employees can develop their potential,avoid boredom and take on new challenges.
3. Offer benefits. Ask your employees what your company could improve and add these to their benefits and perks. For example, you could include group insurance,paid holidays, yoga classes, flexible working hours and telemedicine.
4. Get out of the office. Create opportunities for your employees to socialize and have fun in a context that doesn’t revolve around work. Use the opportunity to celebrate their successes.
For interested applicants, You may send in your resume to oyenmed@telus.net or drop it off at the Oyen Medical Clinic Subject: Reception Job
Employee retention also depends on effective recruitment.Therefore, use a specialized agency to start your talent search today.
Application Deadline: August 29, 2025
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Telecommuting has become increasingly popular in recent years. It allows companies to recruit qualified talent across the globe. If your company is about to welcome a new telecommuting employee, here’s how to do it.
• Talk about the company. Describe the company’s mission, values and other information to help the employee develop a sense of belonging.
• Present your tools. Familiarize the employee with the tools, software and online platforms the company uses daily.
• Offer mentoring. Ensure the new employee knows they have someone they can
lean on and contact if they need help.This will help them feel at ease.
• Introduce the team. Set up a video chat to introduce the entire team.You can reserve extra time for the employee to get to know the colleagues they’ll be working with directly.
• Follow up. Make sure the new employee receives feedback from their immediate colleagues in the first few weeks to help them adjust.The recruit should feel free to ask questions without fear of judgment.
Are you looking for telecommuting employees to join your team? Do business with a recruitment service.
Looking out for neighbours demands a better vaccination approach — NDP health critic
THE MACLEOD GAZETTE
By: George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The province should protect its citizens from COVID-19 and other infectious diseases by leveraging a help-thy-neighbour morality rooted in rural Alberta, the NDP’s health critic says.
But instead, the United Conservative Party of Alberta (UCP) have doubled down on an anti-science tack that jeopardizes the health of at-risk Albertans and doesn’t make long-term financial sense, Sarah Hoffman said in an interview last week.
Danielle Smith and her party have failed to use Alberta’s public health system to properly promote vaccinations, Hoffman said. With the current call for bookings for the latest COVID-19 vaccines, the government is taking another step backwards by making the jabs less accessible.
Widespread vaccination reduces the spread to those at risk, Hoffman said.
“I grew up in a really small town in northern Alberta, and the number one value I was taught there was take care of your neighbours. We’re all one community, and we succeed and suffer collectively,” she said.
“I love those values. And those are, I believe, Alberta values.”
Hoffman’s comments follow the government’s announcement of the next round of COVID-19 shots, delivering the newest iterations of the vaccine into Albertans’ arms starting in October. Most Albertans who choose the shot will now pay an administration fee of $100.
Jabs will be available at health clinics but no longer at pharmacies. The admin fee will help cover the cost of the vaccine, which the federal government has stopped absorbing. Older versions aren’t available anymore.
In a statement emailed to The Gazette, the Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services said science and economics are on its side.
Says the statement: “Alberta’s decision to adjust the COVID-19 immunization program is grounded in responsible, evidence-based planning. Historically lower vaccine uptake, the need to align supply with actual demand, and the importance of reducing waste have
The Oyen Law Office of Niblock & compaNy llp will be open commencing at 1:00 p.m. For appointments call 1-800-245-9411 or 1-403-526-2806 Oyen Law Office #215C Main Street (South side of Lijdsman Insurance) Wills & Estates Real Estate General Matters
ASHLEY D. HERRMANN in attendance on Wednesday September 17 & October 15
KIPLING B. WEISE in attendance on Wednesday, September 3, October 1, October 29 & November 26
A fresh dose is drawn into a needle before someone’s arm gets jabbed. Most Albertans will pay $100 the next time they receive a COVID-19 vaccination.
all informed this approach.”
From 2023 to 2025 in Alberta, more than 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been discarded at a cost of nearly $180 million.
“With the federal government no longer providing COVID-19 vaccines, Alberta is now managing its own supply to ensure it is used where it has the greatest impact — protecting those at highest risk while maintaining a sustainable program,” says the statement.
The ministry said that “based on the latest guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization,” universal COVID-19 vaccination is “not recommended.”
But the words “not recommended” aren’t used in the NACI’s actual guidance. It says most Canadians “may” get the jab, and higher risk groups “should” do so.
Included in the should category for at least one shot a year are all Canadians 65 or older. The province has decided, however, that only lower-income Albertans in the age group — those who receive the Alberta Seniors Benefit — get the shot for free, unless they qualify for some other reason.
Also eligible for a free COVID-19 jab are:
• residents of continuing care homes and seniors supportive living accommodations
• home-care clients
• health-care workers
Notice of Nomination Day
Local Authorities Election Act (Section 26)
MUNICIPAL DISTRICT OF ACADIA NO. 34 PROVINCE OF ALBERTA
Notice is hereby given that Nomination Day is September 22, 2025 and that nominations for the election of candidates for the following offices will be received at the location of the local jurisdiction office set out below within the period beginning on January 1, 2025 and ending at 12:00 noon on Nomination Day.
COUNCILLORS - FIVE (5) VACANCIES
Dated at the MD of Acadia, in the Province of Alberta, this 22nd day of August, 2025.
Kenton Irvine-Peers, Returning Officer
• individuals six months of age and older with underlying medical conditions and compromised immune systems
• individuals experiencing homelessness.
“Analyses from NACI, supported by similar studies from Canada, the U.K., and the U.S., show that vaccinating low-risk individuals, including healthy non-seniors and children, is unlikely to prevent enough severe illness or hospitalizations to justify the cost,” the ministry statement says.
Adriana LaGrange, the minister of primary and preventative health services, was not available for an interview. However, in the government press release announcing the rollout she’s quoted as saying: “We are striking a balance between protecting vulnerable Albertans and preventing vaccine wastage. We remain committed to ensuring Albertans who are at a higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 have access to vaccines.”
For the 2025-26 season, about 485,000 doses have been ordered to support the targeted COVID-19 immunization program. Last year, 13.7 per cent of Alber-
tans received a COVID vaccination, the government release says.
Hoffman, the member for Edmonton-Glenora, believes the UCP was motivated by politics to make changes in the way Albertans get their COVID-19 vaccination shots. The premier’s initial announcement came in the lead-up to three provincial byelections, and the party needed to re-engage some of its base, she said.
“This is absolutely going to have a negative impact on the health and well-being of Albertans,” she said. “If they actually wanted to be responsible financial stewards of this province, they would make vaccines, which are about prevention, more readily available, and they would entrust public health officials to share that information with Albertans.”
She continued: “I still believe that vaccinations are an individual choice, but I feel like it’s government’s responsibility to lay out the facts and the evidence and make it as easy as possible for people who want to make that choice. And we’re not getting that from Danielle Smith and the UCP.”
The ministry said that “charging for vaccines is not unusual in Alberta or across the country.” Shots to protect against respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, and shingles are publicly funded for higher-risk groups while other eligible adults can buy them.
“The same principle applies to COVID-19,” says the emailed statement. “By targeting publicly funded doses to those most vulnerable and allowing others to access vaccines for a fee, the program protects Albertans while maintaining a sustainable, responsible approach.”
RSV immunization is available to Albertans over aged 70 at no cost and to other Albertans for a charge.
The flu vaccine remains free for everyone.
NACI updated its recommendation regarding the minimum interval between COVID-19 vaccine doses to three months from six to allow for better timing flexibility. Alberta is now following the three-month recommendation.
All Albertans can use the vaccine booking system at alberta.ca until Sept. 30 to register for COVID-19 immunizations. Those who pre-order will receive a text or email notification in October to book an appointment and confirm eligibility.
Those who don’t pre-order by Sept. 30 can still book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment once vaccines become available in October. Online booking also allows Albertans to look further ahead and pre-order for 2026-27.
We were cool. What happened??
BY KEITH SCHELL
Back in high school, we either thought we were cool or were desperately trying to be. In reality, we were just a bunch of insecure, awkward kids entering adulthood, trying to act cool, funny, or desirable to the opposite sex. But many of us were generally too scared to actually interact with them in any meaningful way. Some kids dated, and some didn’t. When I went off to college, I thought everything would change, but all I found were other students in my new classes trying to be cool as well. Using the example of the ‘Happy Days’ TV sitcom, I was hoping to find coolness, but I was definitely never ‘Fonzie’ cool because my regular uncool self always kept getting in the way. I was more like ‘Richie’ cool, which was really not cool at all! Instead of a motorbike, which I would be too chicken to ride anyway, I had a second-hand car. Instead of a black leather jacket, I bought a blue leather college jacket with the name of my college on the back, only to later discover that the jacket I bought was the last jacket the student store had left in my size, and it was only still there because it was last year’s style! Not exactly the epitome of cool.
The old land yacht I drove back and forth to college back then just had an uncool AM-FM radio in it, so a buddy of mine came out to our house one weekend to show me how to install my brand new eight-track tape player underneath the dashboard and hook it up to the two stereo speakers we put in the back window of my car. Now we’re approaching cool! When I stuck my first 8-track tape in that player and my favourite rock ‘n roll tunes started blaring out, I thought I was the King of Cool as I drove down the highway heading back to college. Little did I know.
But as you get older, the battle to stay cool is generally a losing one.
When my youngest brother got married, he was no help to maintaining coolness whatsoever. When he and his wife had kids, they bought the ultimate automotive symbol of uncool: the minivan. Very necessary for hauling a growing family around, but still very uncool.
Once, on a family visit to his place, I went out one afternoon cruising with my brother in his minivan (we actually had to go to the store to get some milk), and he said to me, “How about some tunes along the way?” COOL! Let’s get this van a-rockin’! So he took out a rock and roll CD, popped it in the player, and cranked up the music. Maybe there was some hope here for coolness after all.
It was only when the song started playing that I
realized that the only CDs he had in his kid-friendly minivan were the Sesame Street versions of famous rock and roll songs! We were rockin’ down the road loud and proud to the song ‘Letter B’, the Sesame Street version of the famous Beatles song, ‘Let it be’. Sigh. I don’t think the babes were very impressed with us when they saw us rolling up to the stoplight.
In one particular episode of ‘The Simpsons’, Abe Simpson hit the coolness issue right on the head: In a flashback sequence when a teenage Homer told his dad he had lost his cool and wasn’t ‘with it’ anymore, Abe replied, “I used to be ‘with it’. And then ‘it’ changed! Suddenly, what I was with wasn’t ‘it’ and what was ‘it’ was weird and scary!” And then he pointed a finger at teenage Homer and warned him, “IT’LL HAPPEN TO YOU!”
And it did. It happened to all of us.
So why did it happen?
The simple answer is: because we grew up. As soon as you become an adult and begin to assume adult responsibilities, you lose whatever cool you have left. The moment you start to become more concerned about how your lawn looks over how your hair looks, you have finally lost the last of your cool.
I don’t want to be uncool! But over time, like the gradual erosion of a rock face by a running stream, your coolness leaves you bit by bit as you age. If possible, I’d like to try to keep a little bit of coolness as I get older. I don’t want to be the old guy in the neighbourhood who the kids run up to my door, ring the bell, and run away! (But I guess it could be worse. At least there haven’t been any flaming bags of dog doody on my front doorstep on Halloween.)
Nowadays, I just want peace and quiet. Quiet gatherings are fine, but I don’t like the neighbors having loud parties in their backyard. And I sometimes watch ‘Vision TV’, the unofficial ‘Old Fogey’ station of Canadian television (Moses Znaimer can dress up his Zoomer station all he wants, but it’s still uncool ‘Old Fogey’ TV and I’m happy watching that).
Okay, I finally admit it: in reality, I was never cool. I was just me. And it’s getting worse as I get older. Most of my life I was just kind of the ‘Switzerland of cool’, neutrally straddling the fence of cool with the pinky toe of one foot in the land of coolness and the other foot completely stuck in the quagmire of total nerd-dom!
So, I guess the moral of the story is this: if you have to be something, the best thing you can ultimately be is to be yourself. In Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’, Polonius once said to his son Laertes, “To thine own self be true”. And he was absolutely right. Being yourself is the only way to go.
Later, uncool cats! I’m going to go and watch Vision TV.
And like me, if you’re never going to be cool, just do the best you can.
Keith Schell
Family budget: 6 tips for surviving rising prices
From food and rent to gasoline and electricity, families must juggle increasing costs in every facet of life. A few simple, practical strategies can help you keep on track with your budget. Here are six you can try.
1. Analyze your finances. Every month, create a detailed list of your income and expenses. Creating a clear picture of your financial situation is the starting point for better management of your family finances.
2. Set priorities. If you need to adjust your budget, separate essential needs, such as housing, food and medication, from discretionary expenses, such as leisure activities, outings and travel.
3. Make smart choices at the grocery store. Use flyers to find the best deals, compare prices and choose store brands. Cooking meals instead of buying ready-to-eat options can also add up to significant savings.
ALSASK
- Drop in Pickleball every Tuesday 8:00 PM at the Alsask Rec Centre. All ages are welcome.
CEREAL
- Monday Night Bingo (except holidays) at the CJ Peacock Centre. Doors & Concession open at 6:30 PM. Bingo starts at 7:30 PM
- Cereal Cottages Coffee on Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:30 AM
- Quilting Club weekly Wednesdays 10:00 AM - 4 PM at the CJ Peacock Centre.
- Cereal Playground most Tuesdays 10:00 AM at the CJ Peacock Centre.
EMPRESS
- Empress & District Fine Arts, Culture and Leisure Society Craft Mondays 1:00 PM at Empress Community Hall Craft Room. Everyone is welcome and coffee is always on!
- Empress & District Fine Arts, Culture and Leisure Society Crib Wednesdays 7:00 PM at Empress Community Hall. $5 entry fee. $1 for each hand scoring
4. Automate your savings. Set aside money for unexpected expenses by arranging automatic deposits into a savings account. This small step can save you a lot of trouble down the road.
5. Cancel unnecessary subscriptions. Review subscriptions to streaming services or other platforms that you rarely use. Cancelling these can free up extra funds in your budget.
6. Renegotiate your insurance fees and other service plans. Compare offers
from multiple companies for your car, life and home insurance, as well as your internet or cell phone services. A renegotiation could reduce your monthly payments considerably.
Finally, don’t hesitate to get the whole family involved. Talking about money in a positive and transparent way helps establish healthy financial habits from an early age. Be a role model for your children!
19 goes into the loonie pot. All monies will be paid out at end of evening. Great opportunity to see old friends and make some new ones.
- Empress & District Fine Arts, Culture and Leisure Society presents Snarples Thursdays 7:00 PM. No entry fee. Great opportunity to see old friends, make some new ones and learn a new card game. Empress Community Hall (314 Centre St.)
- Game Night Saturdays at 7:00 PM at the Community Hall. Come join us for a night of fun and excitement. Play games and hang out with friends and family.
- Empress & District Fine Arts, Culture and Leisure Society Garden Market Saturdays 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM until September 6. Breakfast served 9-11 AM or lunch from 11-2! Buy/Sell Local. Promoting local gardeners, artisans, crafters, bakers.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
• Empress & District Historical Society Whistle Stop Supper presenting Sleepless Nights (Classic Country & Rock) Empress Train Station. Only 60 tickets
available. Advance tickets $50. Bar Opens 5:30 PM Supper 6:30 PM. Cathy (306) 628-7042, Rachel (403) 6645164, Laura (403) 580-7088.
OYEN
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 16, 23, 30
• Oyen United Church Coffee Time 10:00 AM (202 - 1st Avenue East). Contact Virginia Schroeder at 403-664-3987 or pioneerpastoralcharge@gmail.com for more information. All are welcome!
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
• Fun Night for members and their guests at Oyen and District Seniors Recreation Centre 7:00 P.M to Midnight. Games and Socializing. BYOB and snacks. Call Lynda 403-664-0908 or Beth 403-6642462 for more information.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
• In-Person Referee Clinic. 2013 birth year and older can register. First time officials need to complete the online course prior to the in-person clinic. For info and registration call Wonona Makranoff 306-460-4489.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8
• Regular Pot Luck and Meeting for Oyen
and District Seniors. (50+) at Oyen and District Seniors Recreation Centre. This will be the ANNUAL Meeting. Pot Luck at 6:00 PM and Meeting at 7:00 PM. Call Lynda 403-664-0908 or Beth 403664-2462 for more information.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15
• Floor Curling at Oyen and District Seniors Recreation Centre.begins for the season for Seniors (50+) at 1:00 PM. Floor Curling continues on each successive Wednesday through Oct, Nov, Jan, Feb, Mar, and Apri. with new rinks being drawn up each Wednesday. Call Heather at 403-664-3854 or Beth 403664-2462 for further information.
- Oyen Town Council meet 2nd Tuesday of every month 6:00 PM in Council Chambers.
- Community Choir every Wednesday at 7:00 PM in the Evangelical Missionary Church.
- Oyen United Church Coffee Time every Tuesday at 10:00 AM. All are welcome!
