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City takes aim at urban raven population
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Residents are complaining By John Cairns
vens. He made clear they are seeking alternatives. “We think it’s unsafe having to do that,” said Patrick, who said they didn’t want to use guns in the city at all. He said they would like to talk about the problem with council at a future meeting, and set up a proper program to deal with the birds. It is too late for this year because the birds have already hatched, but the hope is to have something in place to deal with the ravens for 2021. It was Councillor Kelli Hawtin who raised the issue Monday, seeking a follow up to a similar concern raised by Councillor Kevin Steinborn at a previous meeting.
Staff Reporter
North Battleford city councillors once again voiced concern at their meeting Monday about the issue of ravens in the city. The black birds have been showing up more and more in the city limits, and residents have been voicing numerous complaints that have made their way to council. What’s more, the city’s animal control is running into its own issues dealing with the situation. City Manager Randy Patrick reported they are actually having to resort to using a pellet gun within the city limits to shoot at the ra-
Steinborn said he is still receiving plenty of complaints about the birds showing up in neighbourhoods. It was also noted they were a threat to other wildlife. “I’ve seen them with little baby robins, stuff like that,” said Steinborn. Patrick said the ravens are particularly noticed near restaurants, grocery stores and other large buildings, where they converge on food items dropped on the ground. They also congregate around garbage. It was noted the ravens were particularly noticed back in the days when there were larger open dumpsters situated in the alleys, but those have been replaced by the smaller black carts.
Is it a crow or a raven? According to www. audubon.com, ravens and crows overlap widely throughout North America, and they look similar. But with a few tips, you can tell them apart. Ravens are larger,
and they often travel in pairs, while crows are seen in larger groups. Also, watch the bird’s tail as it flies overhead. The crow’s tail feathers are basically the same length, so when the bird spreads its tail, it opens
like a fan. Ravens have longer middle feathers in their tails, so their tail appears wedge-shaped when open. Listen closely. Crows give a cawing sound. But ravens produce a lower croaking sound.
The wild rose may be Alberta’s flower, but Saskatchewan loves it, too. Finding beauty in nature is a favourite pastime for many during these times of COVID-19. Photo by Louise Lundberg
New McDonalds coming to 100th Street in NB By John Cairns Staff Reporter
The City of North Battleford has confirmed they are preparing for a new McDonalds restaurant location coming to 100th Street.
The news comes after the city announced work was commencing at the 100th Street intersection by A&W. The city reported a partial closure and limited access at that location, due to the installation of a turning lane and approach
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for a new McDonalds. The work is expected to take place from July 20 to Aug. 7 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Officials from McDonalds were contacted but had no comment by press time.
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Page 2 - The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020
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Accidentally shooting police officer a turning point for convicted drug dealer, court hears By Lisa Joy
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Shooting a police officer by mistake during a raid was a turning point for a man who always previously refused to cooperate with police. Mitch Alexander Hutchinson, 49, shot an RCMP officer as they surrounded a house getting ready to raid the rural property north of Biggar in the R.M. of Glenside during a drug bust. Federal Crown Prosecutor Kirsten Janis told the Saskatoon Provin-
cial Court on July 15 that Hutchinson – who has prior criminal convictions – always refused to talk to the police, never gave them information. But that changed after he shot an officer. The Saskatchewan RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit had surrounded a rural house May 14 and the officers in tactical gear were hidden from sight. It was dark, shortly after midnight. Hutchinson heard noises outside, and thinking it was a coyote, grabbed a rifle and pulled the trigger, shooting into
the blackness of the night. The bullet hit one of the officers. The officer was treated immediately for minor injuries, the court heard. Hutchinson surrendered shortly after, was arrested and provided a confession, said Janis. The confession and early guilty plea show “a certain degree of remorse,” Judge Marilyn Gray said before sentencing Hutchinson. In his confession, Hutchinson admitted that he sold drugs and it was his job to protect the rural house, which is owned by his co-accused. The court heard that around May 11 the police had information that drug activity was happening at the rural property north of Biggar. They conducted surveillance on the owner of the rural property and arrested him in Regina on May 13. The police then obtained a search warrant for the rural home. Hutchinson’s criminal record was entered into court, including convictions in 1991 in Red Deer, Alta., 1996 in Maidstone, Sask., and 2014 in Vegreville, Alta., which included
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a firearms prohibition. Defence lawyer Brian Pfefferle told the court that Hutchinson has struggled with addiction his entire life after having survived a “tumultuous childhood and upbringing.” He said Hutchinson is from Red Deer, Alta., spent the majority of his life there and worked in the oil patch after a childhood of poverty. Pfefferle told the court that when Hutchinson found out he had shot an officer that is when he “laid it all out” to the police, adding, Hutchinson wouldn’t talk to them before. Pfefferle said Hutchinson’s confession is a mitigating factor in sentencing, adding, “There is significant quid pro quo here.” During the police raid of the rural home May 14, police seized methamphetamine, fentanyl, GHB, Xanax pills and LSD. They also seized numerous weapons including a semiautomatic rifle, a shotgun, a sawed-off double-barrel
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
BEAT THE HEAT
SPRAY PARKS Kinsmen Park
Senator Herb Sparrow Park
Centennial Park
Daily
Daily
Daily
9 am - 8 pmrecommended 9 am - 8 pm It9 amis- 8 pmstrongly individuals Thethat City of North Battleford has been approved for the Provincial Disaster Please make applicationfollowand payments on our website the Assistance Program (PDAP). Get your posted COVID-19 City of North Battleford information guide and form for coverage guidelines posted www.cityofnb.ca/paynow Leisure Services at the parks from www.cityofnb.ca or at City Hall
It is strongly recommended that individuals
The City of North Battleford is encouraging individuals to make of alternative make application and payments on ourusewebsite methods. Avoiding a that visit individuals to City Hall minimizes the potential exposure of Itpayment is strongly recommended make application COVID-19 to City of North Battleford staff and residents. www.cityofnb.ca/paynow
and payments on our website
Please consider making payments by: www.cityofnb.ca/paynow
The City of North Battleford is encouraging individuals to make use of alternative payment methods. Avoiding a visit toindividuals City Hall minimizes theof potential exposure of The of North Battleford is encouraging to make use alternative payment • AtCity www.cityofnb.ca/paynow COVID-19 toaCity Battleford staffthe and residents. methods. Avoiding visitofto City Hall minimizes potential exposure of COVID-19 to City of • with a credit card orNorth debit Visa North Battleford staff and residents. Please consider making payments by: th st
• The secure drop box at City Hall, by the door closest to 13 Avenue & 101 Street Please considercheque makingorpayments by: (recipts provided upon request) • with money order • Atcash, www.cityofnb.ca/paynow • with a credit card or debit Visa • At www.cityofnb.ca/paynow ••By mail to POcard Box or 460, S9A 2Y6 with a credit debit Visa • The secure or drop box atorder City Hall, by theprovided door closest torequest) 13th Avenue & 101st Street • with cheque money (recipts upon • with cash, cheque or money (recipts provided request) th • The secure drop box at City Hall, byorder the door closest to 13upon Avenue & 101st Street ••Through your banking institution for your Taxes or Utilities with cash, cheque or money order (recipts provided upon request) • By mail to PO Box 460, S9A 2Y6 • with cheque or money order (recipts provided upon request)
• By mail to PO Box 460, S9A 2Y6 For any inquiry, call 306-445-1700. We are to assist you over the • with cheque orplease money order (recipts upon request) • Through your banking institution for provided your Taxes or happy Utilities phone. • Through your banking institution for your Taxes or Utilities For any inquiry,Battleford please call is 306-445-1700. We are happy to assist over theefforts in Theany City of North proud of our their you continued For inquiry, please call 306-445-1700. Weresidents are happyand to assist you over the phone. phone. protecting others from exposure and spread of COVID-19. The City of North Battleford is proud of our residents and their continued efforts The City of North Battleford is proud of our residents and their continued efforts in in protecting others fromfrom exposure andand spread protecting others exposure spreadofofCOVID-19. COVID-19. If you must visit City Hall please do the following If you must visit City Hall please do the following
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shotgun, a spent anti-tank weapons, a revolver and body armour. They also found $16,080 in Canadian currency, money counters, packaging for drugs, eight cell phones, computers and tablets. Hutchinson was charged with 18 offences and he pleaded guilty to possession of a loaded, prohibited firearm and possession of a firearm loaded with ammunition. He also pleaded guilty to four counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking fentanyl,
GHB, LSD and meth. Hutchinson was sentenced to a total of seven years in prison and given 95 days credit for time served in jail while waiting for his trial. The court ordered Hutchinson to provide a DNA sample and imposed a lifetime ban on owning firearms. He will also be assessed for addictions treatment and considered for transfer to Alberta to serve his sentence so he can be closer to his family support system.
Edmonton man appears in court for murder of Tiki Laverdiere By Lisa Joy
LEISURE SERVICES
An RCMP officer was shot at this rural home. The Saskatchewan RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit had surrounded this rural house May 14 and the officers in tactical gear were hidden from sight. It was dark, shortly after midnight. Mitch Hutchinson heard noises outside, and thinking it was a coyote, grabbed a rifle and pulled the trigger, shooting into the blackness of the night. The bullet hit one of the officers. The officer was treated immediately for minor injuries. Photo by Lisa Joy
Charles St. Savard of Edmonton appeared in North Battleford Provincial Court July 17 by telephone on first-degree murder and kidnapping charges in connection to the 2019 death of Tiki Brook-Lyn Laverdiere. St. Savard, 33, is the ninth person to be charged in Laverdiere’s death. He was arrested by Edmonton Police Service on July 10, 2020, and returned to North Battleford, where he remains in custody. Laverdiere, 25, was reported missing to the Battlefords RCMP on May 12, 2019, after her family last heard from her on May 1, 2019, when she sent a text message from North Battleford saying she wanted to return home to Edmonton. She was in North Battleford to attend a funeral. Laverdiere’s body was found in a rural area near North Battleford in June 2019. Brent Checkosis, 18, was sentenced on May 15, 2020, in Battlefords Court of Queen’s Bench, to seven years in prison for accessory after the fact to the murder of Laverdiere. In August 2019, two inmates stabbed Checkosis in the Saskatoon Provincial Correctional Centre. The stabbing happened in a high-security gang range of the correctional centre. In February 2020, inmates Jesse Edward Philip
McKenzie, 22, and Kihiw Jason George Fourstar, 19, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and possession of a homemade knife for a dangerous purpose in connection to the stabbing of Checkosis. McKenzie was sentenced to three and a half years concurrent to the time he is currently serving, less 147 days for time served. He was given three months concurrent for the charge of possession of a homemade weapon. Fourstar, on the charge of aggravated assault, was sentenced to three and a half years concurrent to the time he is currently serving, less 107 days for time served. He was also sentenced to three months concurrent for possession of a homemade weapon. The Crown dropped numerous weapons charges against Brent Checkosis in February 2020. The charges, stemming from other incidents not related to Laverdiere’s death, included three counts of possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose, three counts of carrying a concealed weapon, unauthorized possession of a weapon, careless use of a firearm, failing to comply with conditions and failing to appear in court. Mavis Takakenew was also sentenced on May 15, 2020, in Battlefords Court of Queen’s Bench to 18 months in prison on a charge of accessory to murder after the fact in the death of Laverdiere. Shayla Orthner, Danita
Thomas, both of North Battleford, Jesse Sangster, Nicole Cook and Nikita Cook of Edmonton, and Soaring Eagle Whitstone of Onion Lake Cree Nation, are all charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection to Laverdiere’s death. Nicole Cook is the mother of Tristen CookBuckle, 20, whose funeral Laverdiere travelled to North Battleford in April 2019 to attend on Thunderchild First Nation. Cook-Buckle’s body was found burned in a vehicle near Vegreville, Alta. on April 5, 2019. Hours before Cook-Buckle’s body was found, Edmonton Police responded to a call near 92nd St. and 110th Ave. and found blood on the ground behind the house, which DNA later showed was Cook-Buckle’s blood. An autopsy revealed CookBuckle’s death was homicide but police haven’t released the cause of death. The court imposed a publication ban on sentencing hearings for Checkosis and Takakenew until the trials of all the co-accused are finished. St. Savard made his first appearance in court North Battleford on July 13 and was remanded in custody. The matter was adjourned to give him time to get a lawyer. An agent told the court July 17 that Timothy Nolin will be representing St. Savard and the matter was adjourned until Aug. 28 in North Battleford Provincial Court.
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The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020 - Page 3
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Capitol Theatre reopening this week By John Cairns Staff Reporter
After a long shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Capitol Theatre North Battleford has announced it will be re-opening for movie showings starting this week. On their Facebook page, the theatre announced they have booked some classic re-released movies that will be shown on Tuesdays and Fridays. A number of local sponsors have come forward to support the
movie showings. The plan is to show one movie at a time at the Capitol Annex, with showtimes on Friday nights, Tuesday matinees and Tuesday evenings. Admission will be by donation to a charity of the sponsor’s choosing. Their first sponsored movie starting on Friday will be The Avengers, sponsored by Gold Eagle Gas Bar. Donations will be going to The Lighthouse Serving the Battlefords. Ticket are not available on their website, but can
be reserved Tuesdays and Fridays during their showtimes or by stopping in on Saturday during their Vendors Alley/Popcorn sales. More details can be found on Magic Lantern’s website at www.rainbowcinemas.ca . Future movies listed on the website include Labyrinth on July 31 and Aug. 4, Inside Out on Aug. 7 and 11, and Bohemian Rhapsody on Aug. 14 and 18. Several more sponsors have been announced for the movie nights and
those confirmed include Armoury Brewing Company, Battlefords Pride, the Battlefords North Stars, Downtown North Battleford, Great Canadian Oil Change and the NB Parttime Fire Fighters Association. Due to the province’s gathering restrictions, there will be reduced seating capacity and social distancing at the Capitol. According to their Facebook post, those out on a date can sit together, but there will be three empty seats
between those individuals and the next group of patrons in the cinema. Cleaning will go on before, during and after the movies, and anyone who is sick is asked to stay home. The screenings will be the first at the Capitol since mid-March, when theatre chains across North America were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is still not known when the Capitol’s five screens will be fully open again for new releases. Right now, cinemas across
North America are struggling with a lack of new product from the Hollywood studios due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the United States. Blockbusters planned for spring and summer release have been pushed back, in some cases multiple times. The latest setback was announced Monday with reports that the Warner Bros. release Tenet, directed by Christopher Nolan, has been pushed back indefinitely from its planned Aug. 12 release date.
Recycling contamination still a topic at City Hall By John Cairns Staff Reporter
The City of North Battleford’s crackdown on contamination in the blue bins was back up for discussion at a meeting of council Monday. Counsellors heard from Aaron Beres, general manager of Loraas, about the recycling program. Loraas has been collecting items from the blue bins for curbside recycling, but contamination has been a big issue for them lately. He reported that during the COVID-19 pandemic, they noticed contamination rates on all the curbside recycling programs had “gone up dramatically.” The contamination was a result of unacceptable items like food, diapers, plastics, glass and other
items being placed in the blue bins. The city has been on an enforcement blitz, issuing fines for contaminated bins, because of the amount of materials from the blue bins that were being diverted from recycling and going straight to the landfill. Beres reported that they contacted Tammy MacCormack, environmental manager, on March 31 to let her know they were receiving a lot of material from North Battleford from the city collections that was diverted into waste. What was happening was that because of contamination, basically all their recycling loads were going to the landfill. “This type of contamination spoils the whole load,” said Beres. “It creates a situation where for
almost all the material that we’re collecting from the blue cart, it’s ending up going to the landfill because we couldn’t salvage it.” He described North Battleford as the “most proactive” in the province in dealing with the situation by doing inspections and bylaw enforcement. Beres said what they’ve seen is a “real change” noticed from the middle of June in terms of contamination rates coming down. “It’s getting to acceptable levels,” said Beres. Some numbers were presented: from the week of May 4-8 in “Zone A”, contamination rates were recorded at 100 percent. But for the same zone June 29-July 3, after the enforcement crackdown went into effect, contamination rates were down each day to 30,
Aaron Beres, general manager of Loraas, met with North Battleford city council virtually Monday. Screenshot by John Cairns
20, 30, 40 and 15 percent. “Zone B” posted similar declines as well, with contamination down to between 15 to 35 percent daily during the week of July 6-10, down from the 40-to100 percent contamination seen between May 11-14. As well, it was noted that diapers and food waste had been coming out of the
recycling stream and the contamination was now “dry” items such as furniture or basketballs, which Loraas could deal with. “The vast majority of material that we’re collecting is getting recycled,” said Beres. In general council was happy to see the contamination numbers come
down. “I think as a city we want to get the recycling program right,” said Bater. As for why the rates were so high during the pandemic to begin with, Beres thought it might have been due to lack of capacity in the black garbage carts. “We definitely saw a surge in the residential materials.” Later on in the meeting council discussed a related issue: inquiries from landlords about whether they could opt out of participating in the recycling program. While there was a lengthy discussion, in the end council made no final decisions on that topic, as some further information is still to be provided from administration.
Battleford designated for PDAP disaster relief By John Cairns Staff Reporter
Flooded-out residents of Battleford who suffered damage in the recent rain
storm will be able to access relief from the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program. Mayor Ames Leslie confirmed at Monday’s
town council meeting that Battleford’s application has been approved by the province. The town has been designated an eligible area under the program. Battl-
eford made that application following a special meeting of council July 13. This means town residents will be able to apply to cover uninsurable losses
under that program, in relation to damage from the heavy rain event on July 7 and 8. Details on how residents can apply are now posted
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MEEP funding confirmed for Battleford By John Cairns Staff Reporter
The province has confirmed that several Battleford projects have been approved for funding under the provincial Municipal Economic Enhancement Pro-
gram. Seven projects are now officially going ahead under the program and they are as follows: the 35th Street overlay for $241,400, sidewalk development for $76,500, industrial drainage project for $19,400, a multipur-
pose pathway for $76,000, arena upgrades for $97,000, a new playground for $83,000, and water and waste water lines at the campground for $43,273. These were among 139 projects approved in the batch of MEEP approvals on July 6.
at www.battleford.ca. Local residents have until Jan. 8, 2021 to apply. Residents can also call Town Hall at 306-937-6200 if they have any questions.
Another 303 approvals were announced on July 22, bringing the grand total to this point to 497 projects for $38 million. As well, the deadline for municipalities to apply had been extended from July 17 to July 31.
• City gets further financial update on COVID-19 • NB approves MOU with RM for services in Sask. Hospital area • Building permits much better in 2020 so far in NB • City changeover to advanced metering happening this year
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Page 4 - The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020
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Commentary
Canada’s foreign policy needs a course correction
The commentaries offered on this editorial page are intended to provide thought-provoking material for our readers. Contributors’ articles, cartoons or letters do not necessarily reflect the opinion of any Regional News-Optimist staff.
We can’t simply watch global events unfold. We have a valuable contribution to make and we’re up to the challenge By Constantine Passaris
Professor /University of New Brunswick
Canada’s foreign policy has strayed from its traditional path, losing the traction it once had on the world stage. Canada’s last two attempts to secure a seat as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council failed. Our international standing as a neutral middle power and an honest broker has lost its shine. Our reputation has slipped with many developing countries. Our foreign policy is in urgent need of a reset. It’s time to reclaim Canada’s traditional place as a major global player. We need to up our game as global advocates for fairness, equitable treatment and human rights. We need to stand out as role models for the elimination of racism and discrimination. With the world facing a myriad of political, social and economic problems, the global stage needs more Canada, not less. But it also needs a Canada that speaks with old-fashioned Canadian identity. That identity once garnered the admiration of the international community of nations because Canada spoke from collective experiences and foundational values. Our experiences as a colony of France and Britain contributed to our savoir faire on global issues. Colonial rule also gave us a special diplomatic currency with developing countries. Those experiences have allowed Canada to be an honest broker and peacemaker in international disputes. They allowed us to be a trusted neutral arbitrator in conflicts between superpowers and the developing world. Canada’s iconic image on the global stage was reflected in our core values, our humanitarian outreach and our diplomatic integrity. When Canada spoke, diplomats around the world listened. Canada was widely acknowledged for punching above its weight on foreign policy. Continued on Page 5
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Appeal to a province
Saskatchewan, we need you – again! By Dr. Barb Konstantynowicz Early into the pandemic – you, the citizens of Saskatchewan – responded to the call of the premier and front-line workers, including physicians, and stayed home, washed your hands, and physically distanced. It was because of your commitment to these public health measures and genuine care of others that the worrying first wave of COVID-19 we all anticipated in the spring didn’t come to be. But like everywhere across the globe we are seeing the silent, lurking and near instantaneous impact and spread of COVID-19 on populations. We just had our highest daily number of COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan since the start of the pandemic. The number of cases that don’t have identifiable links is also growing. The cost of illness and the cost to our economy demand that we must all do what we can to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. On behalf of the physicians of Saskatchewan, I am calling on you to increase your defence against this virus. Stay home as much as possible, keep your social interactions limited and avoid large gatherings, and continue to wash your hands frequently throughout the day. We also need you to wear a mask whenever physical distancing is not possible. Now that the Saskatchewan Health Authority has opened up testing, we strongly encourage all Saskatchewan citizens to seek testing immediately upon onset of symptoms. Although we are in the hazy days of summer and fall seems far away, it isn’t. Flu season is soon upon us and frankly, the combined impact of influenza, respiratory illness and COVID-19 worry the medical profession.
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We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. Nous reconnaissons l’appui financier du gouvernement du Canada.
Living during a pandemic is hard on all of us. The day a vaccine is available can’t come soon enough. But until it does, we the physicians of Saskatchewan need you to do everything you can to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep you and your loved ones safe. If you can, please wear a mask when physical distancing is not possible. Wash your hands frequently. Limit your social interactions. Stay home wherever possible. Test immediately upon the onset of symptoms. We are not out of the woods yet. Together we can stay safe. Be kind to others and yourself. Dr. Barb Konstantynowicz, a Regina family physician, is president of the Saskatchewan Medical Association.
Letter
Going where the masks are
Dear Editor It is incomprehensible that owners and managers who operate retail businesses do not require every staff person who interacts with customers to wear a mask. There are a very few which do and Sobeys is one. We are not aware of any other grocery store which does. Sobeys is now our grocery store of first and (we plan) last choice. Harvey Walker Battleford Gordon Brewerton Senior Group Publisher
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The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020 - Page 5
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Hoarding By Helen Row Toews It’s been a bit tricky to come up with fresh ideas for columns during this COVID-19 business. There’s not much to write about when you spend your day hunched over a computer, or crawling through the garden weeding carrots. With that in mind, perhaps you’ll forgive me when I tell you that this week’s thoughts were triggered by that wellknown show, Hoarders, which can be seen on the A&E network. It features a team of experts who have limited time to help people deal with extreme hoarding issues. One such episode follows a man who took up residence in a garden shed after being evicted from his home by roughly 2500
rats. Can you believe it? I haven’t seen the story, but I can picture this unfortunate fellow clutching the only items he was allowed to take: a change of socks and a faded picture of dear old mom, as, against his will, he is borne prostrate from the premises on the shoulders of several hundred vermin and tossed to the curb. Then, I envision the assembled rats dusting themselves off, marching back inside and slamming the door. Sort of like when the family cat threw Fred Flintstone out of his own house and locked it behind him. While it couldn’t be said that my childhood home was spotless, it was reasonably tidy when my brother and I were kids, so when Mom and Dad decided to clear the attic of
Foreign policy needs correction Continued from Page 4 It started with John Peters Humphrey, a law professor at McGill University who was tasked by Eleanor Roosevelt to write the first draft of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Then came Lester B. Pearson, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his peacekeeping model in the Middle East that helped defuse the Suez Crisis. It included Pierre Elliot Trudeau’s unconventional diplomatic outreach to China and Cuba. Also of note was Brian Mulroney’s relentless pursuit of sanctions against South Africa that ultimately resulted in the
demise of apartheid. Canada was also instrumental in establishing the International Criminal Court, and proposed the treaty to ban antipersonnel landmines and the United Nations Responsibility to Protect initiative. We need to reclaim our place through a renewed and innovative foreign policy that reflects our foundational Canadian values. It must underscore our commitment human rights and trumpet our constructive engagement in global affairs. This foreign policy would embrace the diversity that created in Canada a country of the world and
everything that had been stored there for the past 40 years, and drag it downstairs to be sorted, things got messy. Old cream cans, trunks of clothes, and shabby winter boots were deposited in the kitchen. Framed paintings of English relatives, boxes of chipped dishes and a battered tricycle littered the living room. As more and more junk arrived, Dad began piling
it high, being careful to leave a narrow trail open to facilitate movement throughout, especially to important places like the bathroom and refrigerator. Brother Bill and I enjoyed this strange system of trails through the rubbish that had appeared in our otherwise empty living space, and happily played games amongst it—until someone knocked at the door. We stopped in stricken
the world within a country. Navigating the contemporary geopolitical landscape isn’t going to be a walk in the park. The future is unfolding in a very tumultuous, unpredictable and uncertain manner. But never have the stakes been so high. We can’t simply watch global events unfold. We have a valuable contribution to make and we’re up to the challenge. The appointment of Bob Rae as Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations is an opportunity for our foreign policy to undergo a course correction. COVID-19 has forced us to embrace a model of governance that redefines federal-provincial relations – call it a collaborative confederation. This model resonates with our ambition for a renewed
foreign policy. It allows the provinces to become partners in shaping our foreign policy. Provincial governments face hot-button issues directly related to Canada’s foreign policy. These include the reopening of the CanadaUnited States border, the sale of our natural resources around the world, addressing climate change and diversifying our international trading partners. Canada’s effective diplomatic engagement is directly linked to our domestic prosperity. We are a trading nation and our foreign policy empowers the provinces to succeed in international trade. Our success at
silence. Who could it be? Perhaps it was people needing directions, or a salesman that would get no further than the doorstep. But no. Our eyes widened with horror as the local Anglican Church minister paced majestically (or so it seemed) into our midst and stood gazing about him in open-mouthed amazement. Acting as though nothing were amiss, our parents invited the man to sit down a spell and have a cup of tea. Thus, the reverend and his sombre black trench coat trailed through the confusing maze, and sat gingerly on a chair my father hastily swept clean of assorted debris. He denied thirst when offered a beverage, and conversation was strained as he peered at us over several dead plants, a stiffened pair of cowhide chaps made in 1897, and an enamel chamber pot that perched
precariously on our coffee table. “There’s just one thing,” I said, as the door closed behind the man and we all breathed a sigh of relief. “Did you guys look at the pamphlet he left behind?” I held it on high for everyone to read the title of next week’s sermon. “Cleanliness is Next to Godliness” it proclaimed with confidence. “We’re in trouble,” Bill muttered.
creating jobs, growing our provincial and national economies, and maintaining our standard of living are direct reflections of the efficacy of our foreign policy. Most countries scrutinize the character, integrity and ethics of our foreign policy before signing on to new trade agreements. Canada’s foreign policy needs to reflect our status as a non-aligned middle
power with considerable empathy for global grievances and support for international aspirations. We need to rediscover that our diplomatic strength lies in our soft power, which embraces our principled approach and the power of persuasion. Dr. Constantine Passaris is a professor of Economics at the University of New Brunswick.
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Page 6 - The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020
Regional News-Optimist
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Like clouds in the sky, July is floating by By Sherri Solomko Correspondent
Weather has been the big story in July with a hail storm west of town causing some damage July 4 and a heavy rainfall July 8 wreaking havoc with flooding, tree damage and the like. Just four days after that intense rain, we got over an inch within a couple of days and the fore-
U
nity News
cast was calling for more. While no one wants to discredit rain, everyone was hoping for a little more presence from Mr. Sun. It has been a quiet July
Wild lilies, otherwise known as Saskatchewan’s provincial flower, are abundant around Senlac. This stem had five blooms, something the photographer had never seen before. Photo submitted
in Unity, largely because some of our usual activities like the pool or a full slate of ball events are no longer part of our landscape. However, residents are making the most of it, using the paved paths throughout town, enjoying the parks, golfing, shooting some hoops or continuing to improve and maintain their yards and gardens. U16 and U18 softball teams are making their best of their shortened season. The U18 and senior Cardinals are midway in their shortened season. A first on the diamonds was a fastball game played featuring the U19 girls’ softball team matched up against the U18 boys’ baseball team. The baseball boys pulled out the win on this one. Remember, there will be no local paper July 31 and Aug 7. I hope to keep you all informed in this column on what is happening in Unity. Unity welcomes student resident medical physicians on a rotating basis from now for approximately one year. The partnership of Downtown Medical Clinic, the Town of Unity and the Unity Healthcare Foundation were thankful for the donations from community to set up the accommodations for these folks.
This unique Canada flag created by pallets greets those who are driving into Unity. Photo by Sherri Solomko
The Unity airport was a busy place starting the first week of July, as it was temporary home to the spraying operation that took place covering approximately 75,000 acres. Residents could hear the planes often and others drove out
ber, that while social media may help reunite lost pets with their people, problem resolution rarely comes from a Facebook post. Here’s hoping this finds you all safe, healthy and socially distanced. Until next week ...
Trial for man charged with violent home invasion in Unity delayed By Lisa Joy
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter 20074DE0
to the airport to see the action first hand. Loose dogs have been an ongoing topic of conversation. The local paper carried some information from the town’s bylaw officer and how and where to report concerns. Remem-
A trial for a man charged in a violent home invasion in Unity has been adjourned again. Drayden Clinton, 25, of Macklin, was scheduled to stand trial in North Battleford Provincial Court July 17. It was also previously scheduled for June 22, 23 and 24 but was adjourned to July. The pandemic has caused countless delays because of reduced court services. Court cases must be heard within 18 months after charges are laid or they risk being dismissed after the Supreme Court ruled in 2016 that provincial cases must be heard within a certain time frame. Police arrested Clinton in January 2020 after
raiding his home. He is charged in connection to a Unity home invasion and a break-in at a home in Macklin. He is charged with unlawful confinement, assault with a weapon, uttering death threats, carrying weapon for a dangerous purpose, wearing a mask in the commission of an offence, possessing ammunition while prohibited, possessing brass knuckles while prohibited, possessing Mace while prohibited, possession of property obtained by crime, break and enter and commit robbery, commit bank card fraud over $5,000 and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. Clinton’s co-accused Tenielle Heitt, 31, of Unity, is charged with unlawful confinement, break and
enter, possession of property obtained by crime, uttering threats, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Heitt had an appearance in North Battleford Provincial Court July 20 to elect how she wants to be tried. She was initially scheduled to appear in Unity Circuit Court but it remains closed due to the pandemic. Heitt entered a not guilty plea and elected to be tried in provincial court. Her trial is scheduled for Dec. 14 in North Battleford Provincial Court. Clinton is scheduled to appear in North Battleford Provincial Court on Sept. 14 to speak to the charges connected to the breakin at a home in Macklin. Clinton’s trial on the charges connected to the Unity home invasion is rescheduled to Sept. 14.
Re-opening guidelines for yard sales, door-to-door activities Saskatchewan continues to progress through Phase 4 of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan. Starting July 21, modifications come into effect for: • Drive-in theatres: reducing distance between vehicles to two metres, down from five metres. • Retail guidelines, libraries and places of worship: reducing the length of time that returned or donated items must be held to 24 hours, down from 72 hours. • Fitness facilities: per-
mitting 24-hour access to fitness facilities, and ensuring registration of guests to facilitate contact tracing, if required. • Campgrounds: laundry facilities are now able to open following new guidelines for safe operation. • Yard and Garage Sales: All individuals must observe gathering sizes outlined in the current Public Health Order and ensure that physical distancing can be maintained. Guidelines include height-
ened sanitation, signage that encourages distancing, and advice around payment options. Sales must be held by a single household—group events are not permitted at this time. Door-to-door Canvassing and Sales Physical distancing is to be maintained when visiting a residence and between volunteers/staff. Guidelines include frequent hand hygiene and no sharing of common materials including pens, pencils and promotional materials.
Regional News-Optimist
The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020 - Page 7
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Borden School students earn various awards
Kayla Petersen Owner / Broker
Wally Lorenz
Brett Payne
Owner / REALTOR®
Owner / Branch Manager
Elaine Elder
Dorothy Lehman
Shawna Schira-Kroeker REALTOR®
REALTOR®
REALTOR®
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Nicole Lovell
Owner/ REALTOR®
Shane Murdoch
REALTOR®/Assoc. Broker
REALTOR®
Randall Cote
REALTOR®/Assoc. Broker
2198 Douglas Avenue, North Battleford 3,596 sq. ft. 4 5
2119 102nd Crescent, North Battleford 1,142 sq. ft.
Marlene Kotchorek
3
Located on a quiet crescent this 1142 sq ft bi-level is move in ready! Many upgrades and recent renovations make this the perfect choice for your next home. Kitchen has recently been renovated and is spacious and bright. Patio doors lead to the large deck and a beautifully landscaped yard. Perfect for family gatherings and BBQs this summer! The living room has new laminate flooring and features large windows letting in plenty of natural light. There are 2 bedrooms on the main, but easily turned back into 3. Master bedroom has a 2pc en-suite. Large family area and another bedroom and bath in the lower level. Single attached garage. Call today for more information.
MARLENE KOTCHOREK MLS®SK814332 $289,900
Rare opportunity to own this grand home in the Battlefords! This home is a one of a kind and the moment you enter the foyer with its marble floor and spiral staircase you will be amazed at the charm and sophistication. With over 3500 sqft just on 2 levels plus the basement this home is perfect for entertaining! There is a formal living room, cozy family room with fireplace and large bright kitchen featured on the main floor. As well as main floor laundry, 2 half baths and a sauna. The second story has a large master with walk in closet and large 4pc en-suite. There are 3 more bedrooms, another full bath, plus an amazing office or den with a gorgeous wood fireplace, also beautiful built-ins and a wet bar. The lower level features a wet bar with built in cooler, games area and wood burning fire place, plenty of room for family and friends! There is an upper balcony from the second level as well as a large brick patio accessed from the kitchen or family room. Double attached garage that is insulated and heated. So call for a showing today!
$699,000
KAYLA PETERSEN MLS®SK812876
RS TO MO SE TIV LL! AT ! ED
projects like this. Together, we’re helping to build into and improve our communities for today and into the future.” The giving program is administered by Federated Co-operatives Limited on behalf of more than 160 independent retail cooperatives across Western Canada that form the Cooperative Retailing System. For more information about Co-op Community Spaces or to view the complete list of 2020 funding recipients, visit www.communityspaces.ca.
www.remaxbattlefords.com
1772 110th Street, North Battleford 720 sq. ft. 3 2
92 28th Street, Battleford 1,431 sq. ft.
4
3
Close to the Comprehensive High School and city recreation facilities. This home having 2 plus 1 bedrooms has had a lot of TLC with a number of upgrades over the past 6 years including all main level windows, kitchen cabinets and contour tops, bath tub surround and fixtures, H/E furnace, water heater, back yard fencing on two sides, 14 x 16 deck, shingles (2yrs) insulation and vinyl siding. The dirt from the exterior concrete basement walls was removed, weeping tile placed next to the footings and the exterior concrete walls were water sealed and then backfilled. This home is move in ready, give us a call for a showing.
Driving by captures your interest, stepping inside definitely heightens your senses! Very intriguing is this recently constructed (2014) bi-level situated to advantage in the Town of Battleford. On the main floor there is a homemaker’s dream kitchen with an abundance of Kitchen Craft cabinets with quartz counter tops, pots and pans drawers and a large peninsula for a work area. It has a very open floor plan with the kitchen/dining room and living room all open. There are 3 bedrooms on the main floor with a large ensuite and walk-in closet off the master. The lower level reveals an abundance of natural light as it is a walk-out. The large open rec room is complemented with with a gas fireplace. There is also a guest bedroom and another bathroom. Once you make your way outside you will be amazed at the well manicured yard and views of the Sask. River Valley. If that is not enough there is also an Arctic Spa hot tub new in 2019. There is a double attached garage with direct entry. Come and take a good look you will not be disappointed.
WALLY LORENZ MLS®SK793335
BRETT PAYNE MLS®SK805286
$175,000
$519,900
Days Beach, Jackfish Lake
Need more room? Then check out the 5 acreages located behind Days Beach, Jackfish Lake. Sask. Power and Sask. Energy easement will be at the back of the property and the Interlake water will be at the front of the property. There will be a common driveway between A, B, C, D and E will have its own. GST and Water levy is included in the price. Seller is getting a road built to access the properties and I was told there is no time limit on building.
4
2
Double titled lot (can be sub-divided into 2 lots) located only a hop, skip and jump to the lake. Do not miss this opportunity for year round living. Located at the north end of Jackfish Lake it has lots of grass area for kids or pets to play in the fenced back yard. This home has a very spacious and open floor plan, 4 bedrooms in total plus 2 full baths. Upper level boasts a covered deck overlooking the lakefront properties and a great view of the lake. Very quiet get-a-way. Call now for your personal view of this very affordable home.
SHANE MURDOCH/ELAINE ELDER MLS®SK810516 $249,900
!
SHANE MURDOCH/ELAINE ELDER MLS®SK811269 $119,900
671-681 Aqualane, Aquadeo
1,700 sq. ft.
ED
For six years, Co-op has been helping to build places for everyone – including new funding for the Radisson Recreation Association. This year, Co-op is providing $121,000 to upgrade recreation facilities in Radisson, including improvements to an outdoor pool, hockey rink and baseball diamonds. “We are so excited to be awarded this grant. Our projects include a new heating system with heat exchanger. This unit will be used for the swimming pool in summer months and the skating rink in the winter season. We will be rebuilding our last ball diamond and upgrading the concession booth, as well as completing the upgrades in the swimming pool building. It has been a roller-coaster of emotion. This grant is huge for our community. We can’t thank-you enough,” said Linda Hosegood, VicePresident of Radisson Recreation Association. Co-op Community Spaces has been developed to help protect, beautify and improve spaces across Western Canada. In 2020, the program is providing $1 million to 17 communi-
ty projects from Vancouver Island to Manitoba. Since 2015, Co-op has donated $9.5 million to 132 projects. “We’re excited to help fund these recreational facilities through Co-op Community Spaces. Investing in our community is a value of our co-op, and we’re proud to be part of this program that’s investing in projects to improve communities across Western Canada,” said Mike Nord, General Manager of Discovery Co-op. “We’re happy to partner with community groups on
Each Office Independently Owned & Operated
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Submitted
(306) 446-8800
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Co-op donates $121,000 to Radisson for recreation enhancements
1391 - 100th Street. North Battleford, SK
LLE
then thanked everyone for coming and for the many useful and beautiful gifts of clothing, books, diapers, gift cards and cash. Some of the Borden School award winners for 2019-20 are as follows: Grade 11 - Emma Usselman, honour roll; Grade 1 - Max Gunsch, most improved; Grade 10 - Sadie Funk, honour roll with distinction ; Grade 9 - Jack Donegan, highest overall academic average, honour roll with distinction, academic award for band;
MARKETING YOUR PROPERTY TO THE WORLD
SE
B
orden& Radisson
DO NLY
Winning the 50/50 at the Borden Farmers Market on July 10 was Diane Tracksell ($25) and on July 17 it was Rachel Sutherland ($26). There were three more vendors July 17 – Martha and Ruben Rempel with vegetables and baking, Natalie Gramiak with vegetables and Proctors from Langham with honey. A baby shower for Ella Gayle, daughter of Jessie Wensley and Mike McLaughlin, was held outdoors at the acreage of Mel and Jean Brooke just outside of Borden on July 18. Everyone wore masks and stayed the social distance apart while Jessie opened the gifts. She
of the Battlefords
LAN
Correspondent
Grade 3 - Eva McQuarrie, citizenship award; Grade 9 - Owen Dyck, co-recipient junior boys’ volleyball player of year, junior male athlete of year, honour roll with distinction; Grade 10 - Wyatt Dyck, senior male athlete of year, honour roll; Grade 1 - Jade Matt, honour roll with distinction; Grade 6/7 - Darbi Werezak, most improved student; Grade 6 - Talon Cheney, leadership award; Grade 9 - Sydney Schmidt, junior female athlete, junior volleyball award, honour roll; Grade 7 - Anna Gough, citizenship award; Grade 11 - Levi Gough, citizenship award; Grade 2 - Hope Gough, citizenship award; and Grade 9 David Gough, honour roll with distinction.
ANNUAL MEETING ANNUAL MEETING
TUESDAY, AUGUST 18,18, 2020 TUESDAY, AUGUST 2020 Dueto to COVID-19 COVID-19 restrictions ourour AGMAGM Due restrictions will be be held viavia Zoom. will heldvirtually virtually Zoom. Registration open 4 - 410,- 10, 20202020 Registration openAugust August Formore more information information about thethe meeting and to For about meeting and to register, please visit: register, please visit: www.discoveryco-op.crs www.discoveryco-op.crs - BoardofofDirectors Directors Report of Directors - Board Report - Election - Election of Directors - FinancialStatement Statement - Audit Report - Financial - Audit Report --Bylaw BylawChanges Changes
RE
By Lorraine Olinyk
Shell Lake Acreage, RM of Spiritwood
292 3rd Street, Battleford 1,176 sq. ft.
3
2
Take a look at this 1176 square foot home on the outskirts of Battleford but still within town limits. This property is located on the old number 4 highway across from the old land titles heritage building site. Upstairs you will enjoy the view of the back yard from both the living room and the bright kitchen and dining area. Also on the main level is a four piece bath, two large bedrooms, and main floor laundry. The lower level offers a walk out to the back yard through a huge family room, a three piece bath, a bedroom, and an office/den. This home is heated with in floor heating and air is circulated with the air exchanger system. Outside you will find a 6800 gallon pond and water fall system, a 24x26 foot heated garage, and a play structure for the kids. All appliances remain and school bus service is available. Seller will offer a $1000.00 decorating bonus to be administered by the lawyer on possession. Call today for more info.
SHANE MURDOCH/ELAINE ELDER MLS®SK789952 $249,900 RM of North Battleford Acreage 1841 sq. ft.
2,062 sq. ft.
3
3
Custom built log home situated on 13.48-acre acreage conveniently located only 1.5 miles from Memorial Lake Regional park, and the beautiful 18-hole golf course providing you the ability of enjoying the close proximity to the lake but having your own private space to enjoy all 4 seasons. Home features 3BD, 3BA, open concept floor plan, screened in sunroom off the kitchen making it a perfect space for you to spend extra hours outside without having to worry about bugs, or the weather elements. South facing windows allowing plenty of natural light, giving it an open and airy feeling. Master bedroom on the main floor is spacious with garden doors leading you to the west facing wrap around covered deck. The front of the house has a gorgeous covered veranda allowing you to bask in the nature that surrounds you. Detached 24X32 garage/shop, firepit area, raised garden boxes, low maintenance landscaping and a private well. Home comes wit all appliances and is move in ready. Call today for more information.
SHAWNA SCHIRA-KROEKER MLS®SK797672 $398,000 #6 5364 Progress Street, Macklin
3
4
1,212 sq. ft.
2
1
MLS®SK799626 $599,000
MLS®SK803934 $187,900
DOROTHY LEHMAN 306-441-7782
NICOLE LOVELL 306-753-7337
2180 Douglas Avenue, North Battleford
309 Strange Street, Cut Knife
1,346 sq. ft.
2
2
2,961 sq. ft.
5
4
MLS®SK810533 $299,000
MLS®SK790701 $268,500
DOROTHY LEHMAN 306-441-7782
NICOLE LOVELL 306-753-7337
Page 8 - The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020
Regional News-Optimist
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For more local news see www.newsoptimist.ca/news/news-local
Call ahead to borrow Meota library materials By Lorna Pearson Correspondent
The library is open again, at the regular hours, but you must phone to order books, and then when they come in Sandy Rayner will call you and will meet you at the door with your order. Outbreaks of the virus have been reported in the Hutterite colonies at Biggar, Perdue and other locations in the southwestern part of the province. Just when we thought we were doing pretty good, this happens. It makes more it more important to have people mind the restrictions when it may be in their area. The spring growth has the hedges looking great, but some are growing over the sidewalks and are in need of trimming back. That is the land owner’s responsibility. Many have taken care of it already and this is appreciated by anyone who walks. There were three more bigRegional old rotting maple trees News-Optimist
M
eota News
taken down on 1st Street East this week. Trees have a lifespan, and these must be nearing 100 years old. The chance of one blowing over onto a building or vehicle makes them dangerous. An article on Facebook tells of the many ways a cashless society would affect our lives. The Pizza Hut has moved to credit card payments, only, since the pandemic set in, as an example. Choosing to tip would become a thing of the past, with the tip added onto your bill, no doubt, as is already done in many places. There would be no money to go in the grandkid’s birthday cards, no envelopes at church, no bribing children to do chores and earn money in any way. One could go on for hours on how it would af-
fect our way of life. I can’t see it ever happening, in my day. The bridge games started up again with all wearing masks, following rules and regulations. July 2 there were three tables. First were Anna Waldbillig and Eric Callbeck. Second were Margaret Dyck and Dave Creegan. July 9 there were 14 players. In A status, David Sharpe and Vern Iverson were in first place. Anna Waldbillig and Eric Callbeck were in second and third were Margaret Dyck and Fraser Glen. In B status were Anne Crozier and Cletus Scherman. July 16 there were three tables. First were Vern Iverson and David Sharpe and second Jackfish Lake has been busy with boats at Meota. Here a beautiful sailboat were Anna Waldbillig and appears. Photo by Lorna Pearson Eric Callbeck. The village summer River City Plumbing and been empty for some time start being used. jobs have been filled by Heating for $26,850, and being fixed up and reWinter in New ZeaKatherine Schlapkohl and was approved. paired for summer use. land has had some weather Lance Alm. The transfer Real estate business A drive around the vil- cold enough to make ice site position has been taken seems to continue through- lage is pretty right now on ponds, a rare occaby Richard Buck, starting out the village. For sale with the many flowers in sion there. Pictures show May 16. The one quote for signs are going up and bloom and gardens grow- the children playing with the new boiler for the com- coming down. It is good ing so fast. New potatoes sheets of ice, a novelty to munity complex was from buildings are the treat, as Thursday, they them. www . n e w to s o see ptim i s t . c a that have Thelatest Battlefords, July 9, 2020 - Page 3
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TheBattlefords, Battlefords,Thursday, Thursday,July July23, 9, 2020 - Page 9 3 The
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Page 10 - The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020
Regional News-Optimist
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30,300 More Jobs as Saskatchewan Re-Opens Saskatchewan had one of Canada’s strongest rates of job growth in June as more of the economy re-opened and the province continued its strong recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about our plan at Saskatchewan.ca/reopen. Hon. Scott Moe, Premier
MLA for Rosthern-Shellbrook scottmoe.mla@sasktel.net 1-855-793-3422
Herb Cox
Randy Weekes
MLA for The Battlefords herbcox@sasktel.net 306-445-5195
MLA for Biggar-Sask Valley randyweekes.mla@accesscomm.ca
1-877-948-4880
sports
20200617_News Optimist Ad_Jobs.indd 1
Races heating up in NSRBL
By John Cairns Staff Reporter
With the North Saskatchewan River Baseball League now into its third week, some races have emerged in the two divisions.
By John Cairns Staff Reporter
It was Saskatchewan’s bid to be a CFL hub that was the main subject at the premier’s COVID-19 update on Tuesday. Questions on the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ bid for Mosaic Stadium to be the locale for the CFL to hold all its games in 2020, and about the province’s commitment of $3 million if successful, dominated the news conference. That bid drew plenty of interest from reporters in the room and on the phone line about how a Saskatchewan-based CFL hub would work, and what health protocols would be put in place. But midway through the news conference, news broke that in fact Winnipeg was awarded the Hub by the CFL on a tentative basis, pending final approval of health and safety officials. When informed of this news by a reporter on the line, Premier Moe snapped his fingers and shook his head. While expressing disappointment, Moe was supportive and said he wanted a strong CFL for the Riders to play in for the “next 110 years.” “If we have to go to Winnipeg to get our Grey Cup, we’ll go do that,” said Moe.
MLA for Cut Knife-Turtleford larrydoke@sasktel.net 306-893-2619 16/07/2020 15:47:34
In the East, Standard Hill Lakers are ahead with a 5-0 record, two games ahead of the Battlefords Trappers at 3-2. The North Battleford Beavers follow at 3-3. In the West, the race for first is tight between
Riders CFL ‘hub’ main subject at COVID-19 news conference The province’s pledge to support Saskatchewan’s hub city bid had earlier come under quick scrutiny at the news conference. Premier Scott Moe was asked right away whether their $3 million commitment was the best use of public money in a pandemic, and he also asked why the government was able to quickly find money for the Riders when they weren’t able to find money for some of those other requests. Moe responded the reason the province was supportive was because of the economic benefits of the bid. “We are trying to recover our economy in Saskatchewan,” said Moe. He pointed out that having a hub in Regina would fill some hotels and be a boost to the local and provincial economy. Moe did acknowledge challenges with their bid, noting that international flights are a challenge to Regina. “And that’s something we continually need to work on for the benefit of Saskatchewan people, not just for this particular bid.” But he emphasized “none of this moves forward” without the support of the federal government. “The federal government ultimately has a
Larry Doke
decision to make before I think there is any hub city activity that does occur.” When asked about concerns from the public about players flying in to Saskatchewan and possibly “put at risk” the progress in fighting COVID-19 by bringing the virus in, Moe replied those were valid concerns. He pointed to the work of Dr. Saqib Shahab and his office to ensure safe parameters were put in place to ensure the individuals coming are quarantined and are in a bubble, and are not putting the general public or one another at risk. “Wherever this hub city occurs ... I think it’s fair to say that the risk needs to be minimized as much as it can be,” said Moe. Dr. Shahab noted the general quarantine rules for international travel applied, but also pointed to the exemptions in place for truck drivers and the oil and gas sector as examples. He emphasized the best option was to have two weeks quarantine before engaging in any play, but added if there’s any federal exemptions that are approved, then it would be to “remain in the bubble” for that period of time and minimize any contact with the host community.
the Kindersley Stallions and Lloydminster Twins. Kindersley leads at 4-0, while the Twins are 4-1. Looking at scores from the latest games, on Sunday the Beavers beat the Meadow Lake Sox 4-3. On Tuesday there were
four games: Standard Hill won their fifth straight beating the Trappers 6-5, the Beavers beat winless Mervin 8-4, the Twins hammered the Unity Cardinals 13-4 and the Stallions beat the Unity Junior Cardinals 6-2.
Border City was scheduled to take on the Jr. Cardinals Wednesday. There are more games on the schedule, including three Thursday contests: Mervin at Standard Hill, Border City at Unity, and Kindersley at the Twins.
Words of
Cheer
Level 7 in 2021 By Rhea Good
In October 2018, the International All Star Federation (IASF), the world wide governing body for cheerleading, announced the addition of Level 7. The United States All Star Federation (USASF) was formed in 2003 by various cheerleading competition companies to act as the national governing body for all star cheerleading. The main objective was to create a standard set of rules for judging that would be followed by all competitions sanctioned by the USASF. Meanwhile, cheerleading coaches organized themselves for the same purpose, to standardize rules for competitions. The organization of coaches called themselves the National All Star Cheerleading Coaches Congress (NACCC). In 2005, the USASF absorbed the NACCC and used the expertise of the coaches to serve as their rule making body. In 2006, the USASF expanded its mandate to create the International All-Star Federation (IASF), the first international governing body for cheerleading. The rule system for the Levels 1-6 is democratically regulated by the IASF. The six level system existed for at least 13 years. Then the announcement about Level 7! How did they do that? emember the movie “Spinal Tap”? The lead guitarist, Nigel, had an
This photo shows a pyramid that defies gravity! Holding two feet in one hand is called a cupie. So, let’s call this pyramid a double-double-cupie 2-2-1. Photo submitted by Rhea Good
amazing amplifier for his guitar. Nigel explained that when his squealing guitar solo needed a little push to reach the next level, he would turn the amp from the normal maximum of volume 10, up to Level 11. The camera zoomed in to reveal the existence of the 11th notch on the volume control. With every new season, the USASF brings new changes, the majority of which are minor tweaks to the rule structure. The biggest change the USASF has made is to move Re-
stricted 5 to Level 5, level 5 is now renamed to level 6, and level 6 named up to “Level 7.” Level 6 will introduce free-flipping inversion skills like rewinds. Toe pitch, leg pitch or similar type tosses are allowed in initiating free flipping skills in Level 7. Level 7 teams were scheduled to compete for the first time at Cheerleading Worlds in April 2020. Due to COVID, the world premiere of Level 7 is postponed until next competition season in spring 2021.
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The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020 - Page 11
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Municipal improvements mean higher taxes By Elaine Woloshyn Correspondent
Wild prairie summer weather is always a lively topic of conversation. Years ago a family friend from Spain couldn’t figure out why this was such a conversation piece. I guess in Spain the weather never seems to change. I told her we like to talk and, to break a social barrier, this topic pops up automatically. Robert Dyck, a 58-yearold farmer from Radisson, died June 18 from a heart attack. Our condolences to his two daughters who live in the Mayfair area ‑‑ Mandy Dyck (Riley Van Nortwick) and Jenn Lange (Joseph). His four grandchildren will miss their grandpa, as he loved to interact with them. Farmers markets are popular. Joan Dzialo of Rabbit Lake, with the interest of others, now hosts a Saturday market on Main Street. There is a selection of baking, clothing, fish bait and numerous other items of sale. At Chitek Lake, where I have my cabin, but hardly get to it, there is a farmers market Saturdays from 8 a.m. to
1p.m. at VP Storage lot. The vendors always do better when near or at a lake in summer because of cabin owners and campers. Meeting Lake Regional Park is approximately six miles from Rabbit Lake. Many people from near Kindersley/Kerrobert area have RV trailers on lots purchased in Mullingar a few years ago , which is also close to the park, so take in that market. Big break-ins again this past weekend in the Denholm, Ruddell and Maymont districts. How is it these gangsters are so brave? They target communities located on a busy twinnied highway. The incidents weren’t even very late at night, according to a Ruddell resident, who promptly called the RCMP. Cabin owners and permanent residents of Chitek Lake have seen tremendous increases in property taxes. Two years ago a new sewage lagoon update project
Celebrating 60 years of marriage July 9 – Ruth and Paul Bilansk of Alticane.
and wasteland treatment upgrades totalling $3.3 million were undertaken. The fully operational upgrade will improve the environment. Saskatchewan and Canadian governments each contributed $1.1 million and the owners the rest through their tax bills. There is a reduced walleye limit on Chitek Lake. The limit is three and only one may exceed 55 centimetres. Small lakes north of Chitek ‑‑ Huard, Shell, Otter, Deer, Bug, Fish, Poplar Ridge Buck and Island lakes ‑‑ all report fair to excellent fishing. There way fewer campers this summer. While driving in Chamekese Resort campsite, I counted 10
camping units and this site has about 60 beautiful sites nestled in large spruce, pine and poplar trees. Chitek Lake’s Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church is closed because of COVID-19. If one chooses to drive 12 miles to Leoville, service is at 9 a.m. Sunday, but call Adele Craswell at 306-960-0882 before making an appearance or Father Peter at 306-344-7867. In his parish, Spiritwood is approximately 30 miles from Chitek and the Sunday mass is scheduled for 11 a.m., but the same rules apply before planning to attend. They actually prefer outsiders call a couple days in advance to keep the numbers
Anne and Orville Pollard, who farmed east of Mayfair before retiring to Saskatoon, celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary June 17. Photos submitted
within limits. To be married for 60 years is a big feat. Ruth and Paul Bilanski at Alticane reached that milestone July 9, but did not celebrate lavishly because of the pandemic.
But to be married 73 years is incredible. Anne and Orville Pollard, who farmed east of Mayfair before retiring to Saskatoon, celebrated June 17. Congratulations to both families.
Turtleford, Mervin receive funding for traffic safety By Becky Zimmer
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Turtleford, as well as the RM and Town of Mervin, are among the 50 Saskatchewan communities benefiting from SGI’s Provincial Traffic Safety Fund. The fund is investing $550,000 province-wide.
Solar-powered speed signs south of Turtleford will help improve speed management, said Ryan Domotor, the RM of Mervin’s administrator. These signs are more effective, he said, because it is a more visual representation of someone’s speed. “When you see that flashing light showing you
that you’re speeding, it just draws more attention than just seeing the sign. The sign says 50 kilometres an hour but if you see that flashing and show you’re going 62 or 65. More people slow down when they see them.” Coming to Turtleford the speed limit is 50 km/ hr on the municipal road followed by a residential
area and the Lions Park. The signs will be installed sometime in August, Domotor said. The Town of Turtleford has previously installed coming into the town from the west on Highway 303. Mayor Doug Ask said it worked well on raising awareness of the 50 km/hr speed zone as you enter the town, especially with that
road being busy with oil truck traffic. The town collects data from the sign and sends it to the RCMP. The Traffic Safety Grant will go towards putting more signs up along Highway 26 enter Turtleford from Eston where there are crosswalks. “We thought if we
could get a sign on each side of those crosswalks somewhere on the highway there, that makes long that bunch coming from that way.” With a population of 500 and not a large tax base, Ask said, any grant that they can apply for is beneficial to their community, including the Traffic Safety Grant.
We’re HERE because YOU’RE here.
Laboratory Booking Appointments – Frontier Mall North Battleford In an effort to ensure safe and adequate physical distancing for clients at the laboratory in North Battleford, appointment bookings are encouraged and can be made by contacting 306-446-6648 Monday - Friday 7:30 am to 4:00 pm.
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Page 12 - The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020
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LOCAL MATTERS. Remember that time when sponsored your Church fundraiser?
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Remember when provided free pizza to your son or daughter’s soccer team when they won the championship?
Neither do we! Local Businesses and their owners are the heart of our town. They live here. They play here. They invest here. They need our support, now more than ever.
Whenever Possible – Shop The Battlefords!
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The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020 - Page 13
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Larry Doke reflects on nine years as MLA for Cut Knife-Turtleford By John Cairns Staff Reporter
With the end of the session on July 3, Larry Doke has bid farewell to the legislative assembly after nine years as MLA for Cut Knife-Turtleford. Doke is now back in his constituency of Cut KnifeTurtleford where he looks forward to serving out his final weeks as MLA until the provincial election. “I’m happy with the accomplishments that we’ve been able to make over the last nine years,” said Doke, who spoke to the NewsOptimist recently about the wrap-up to the session. “I don’t mean just me — I mean the people in the constituency and me as the representative.” “We’ve been able to get some projects done and I’m quite happy with that. One being, of course, the passing lanes out of North Battleford to Cochin... and then the full complement of doctors throughout the constituency and many other areas of road work.” Doke had a variety of roles during his time in the Legislature, including serving in Cabinet as Minister of Government Relations and Minister responsible for First Nations, Métis and Northern Affairs during the period of the Sask. Party leadership race in 2017-18. A particular highlight was his involvement with the Pacific North West Economic Region, where he served as a one-year President of that organization. “I got involved in PNWER in 2013, and I was the president last year — of course, we had our big summit in Saskatoon. I really enjoyed my time in PNWER. Even in 2013 when I started as opposed to now, the accomplishments that we’ve done in the Pacific Northwest with trade across the borders, dealing with COOL (labelling) with cattle, cybersecurity — the list goes on and on,” said Doke.
There is a possibility Larry Doke might decide not to pack it in on politics after leaving the Legislature. “We’re having a tough time right now because we won’t be having a summit this year. It was supposed to be in Big Sky, Montana, but we’re going to do it virtually. We have about 20 working groups, so each working group is going to have a webinar. So that’s what will happen this year and then we will go back to Big Sky next year as long as COVID(-19) is under control. “Even as we speak today, I was on a conference call a little bit earlier here. We are lobbying the US government not to put tariffs back on aluminum. We’ve got a voice right at the White House, so we were able to get our message across there. “Of course, border crossing right now is a big issue but we’re not going to have any border crossing until it’s absolutely safe. There’s some repercussions on that, especially in BC where you have the tourism trade, especially with the ships and everything like that. It’s really taking a hit... I think the US would like to open up on their side, but Canada, we’re being a little bit safer here. So between the five provinces and the three provinces and two territories, we’re able to get our message across. We’re able to work on things like transportation, getting grain to market, potash, or whatever it may be. We take a bipartisan approach on everything, so we have a very strong voice both in Ottawa and in Washington.” In the legislative session that just wrapped, Doke chaired the human services committee, which received
estimates for social services, education, health care and advanced education. Doke said the committee had “probably one of the biggest portfolios there to get through estimates for the budget. So we did all of that. I was quite pleased with all that, it was very cordial between the ministers and the opposition.” As for the day to day sitting of the legislature during the three week sitting in June and July, Doke made clear he was far from impressed. “I’m going to speak honestly — I was very disappointed,” said Doke. “I felt that the NDP put the pressure on us to go back in to session— we did that. The questioning day to day was extremely weak. Even the Premier’s estimates — very weak. You know, I am a firm believer of a ‘good debate makes for good decisions’ and it was very poor debate. I was truly disappointed... “There was a lot of ‘going back in time 10 years ago’ over whatever. It didn’t deal with the current issues... lots of personal attacks, lots of questions, but no real answers from the opposition about what they would do. And I get that they’re the opposition, but day after day after day does nothing coming out of there so I was very disappointed in that. “Historically, it has been pretty good over the years, but I don’t know whether it was just leader Mr. (Ryan) Meili or because of the COVID(-19) situation, but I found that part very very weak.” When asked if the NDP were playing politics during that sitting, Doke re-
Larry Doke
sponded “absolutely.” “They were off the mark 100 per cent. They didn’t get to why we were there — they wanted a budget, we put the budget out. There wasn’t a lot of questions about the budget. I just found it ironic,” said Doke. “I think they were more focused on making it political, you know, with an election coming up... I don’t think it shone too well on them.” As for the NDP’s call to reconvene in September just before the election: “That’s just not going to happen. It was hard enough to do the three weeks, we did it. We put together what he said we would do. We did the budget, we did the estimates, did all the committee work, so we got all that done. There’s no more to talk about. I guess the talking will be done at the polls.” Doke said he is happy to be leaving the Leg on his own terms. “I didn’t lose an election or anything, so I’ve got peace with that.” While his time at the
Leg is at an end Doke will continue on as MLA until the Oct. 26 provincial election is called. He expressed confidence that Sask Party nominee Ryan Domotor, who is chief administrative officer with the rural municipality of Mervin, will hold the seat for the party in the coming election. He called Domotor “very knowledgeable of the Municipal Act and municipal affairs, along that line, so he’s going to be a great asset, especially for us in the Northwest.” Summing up the past nine years in the Legislature, Doke said the following: “It’s nine years, but for me this ends up being 30 years of municipal and provincial politics when this term is done in October. “So, yeah, it’s been a long time as a previous North Battleford councilor ... I ran in the 2003 election, I was nominated in 2002, so it’s been a long grind. I’ve had some health issues over the years, but we’ve gotten through that. I’ve been just extremely
honoured and humbled by my constituents. You know, I’ve always had an open door policy. If anybody phones me, I always call them back, whether I know it’s not going to be a good phone call, but it doesn’t matter. I called everyone, and my staff in Maidstone there were exceptional. We never refused a call. “The amount of people that we’ve been able to help really gives you a good feeling inside. You don’t always get the answer they want to hear, but for the most part people just want to be heard and like I say, they may not like the answer but at least if you give them an answer I think people are satisfied.” He thanked the people who supported him through the last two elections. “All the people that supported me through the two elections — you know, the first election I remember in 2011 we had 120 volunteers working on that election. That was incredible. I couldn’t believe it, it was unbelievable. And the same the second go, too. We had a huge campaign team and they’ve been very very loyal. I thank them dearly as much if I can, and of course my family especially my wife (Valerie), I couldn’t have done any of this without her support so it’s been very, very good.” “Looking to the future, you know my fishing and my golfing have slipped over the years so I’ve got to get that back. Probably a little bit of travelling once COVID-19 settles down, we get a vaccine and we can move forward on that.” There is also a possibility Doke might decide not to pack it in on politics after leaving the Legislature. “I live in the resort village of Metinota and I’ve had quite a few calls about whether I would run for mayor here, so I haven’t made my mind up on that ... You never know. I’m thinking about it, I’ll put it that way.”
For more local news see www.newsoptimist.ca/news/news-local
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KOVALSKY: A Mass of Christian Burial for Marguerite Louise Kovalsky, resident of North Battleford, beloved wife of Edward Kovalsky, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 23, 2020 from Notre Dame de Lourdes Roman Catholic Church with Father Cuong Luong as Celebrant. Vigil of Prayer will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening from Notre Dame de Lourdes Roman Catholic Church. Donations in Marguerites memory are requested to the Battlefords Humane Society, Box 645, North Battleford, SK S9A 2Y7. For those wishing to leave condolences you may do so at www.eternalmemoriesfuneral.ca. Funeral Arrangements have been entrusted to Robert MacKay of Eternal Memories Funeral Service (306 446 4200).
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DIMMICK: With great sadness, the family of Donald Arnold Dimmick announces his passing at the River Heights Lodge March 15th, 2020. Funeral will be July 25, 2020 at the Don Ross at 2:00 p.m. Born to Annie and Frank (Smitty) Dimmick Dec 18, 1936. Second oldest to siblings Gordon, Vivian, Cecil, Eilean and Doug. He was preceased by his father, mother, first wife Margaret, second wife Joyce, grandson Justin, sons-in-law John and David, also by brother-in-law Grant and nephew Gregorie. He is survived by his son Brent and grandsons Devyn, Jaryd and Travys, his daughter Karen and grandson Jesse. His sister Vivian (Jim MacIntosh), brothers Cecil (Audrey) and Doug (Donna), sister-in-law Marj, and the extend Lowe and Schultz families. __________________________________________________ Kathleen Atton Kay Atton passed away peacefully, with family by her side, at her home in Cut Knife, SK on July 13, 2020 at the age of 93. Born November 17, 1926 in the farm home of Edward and Mary Morgan of the Moon Lake District, (Rural Saskatoon) Kay had three brothers, Henry, Jack and Ed and three sisters, Cissie, Margaret and Georgina whom are all deceased except Georgina (Morris) Taylor of Tisdale, SK. and Ed’s wife Iris Morgan of Saskatoon. Kay attended Moon Lake School to grade 10. The last two years were taken at Nutana Collegiate in Saskatoon. She worked for $25.00 a month as a maid at St. Paul’s Hospital to pay for books. After summer school she taught at Riding Hill School. During this time she met Murray Atton who had just returned from six years in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Three of those years were active duty overseas. Who could resist a good looking man in a uniform, fighting for our Country? Not Kay. They were married September 26. 1946 and were invited by Murray’s dad to live on the family homestead of Frank Atton who had suddenly died in December of the same year. There were some tough years, but they kept farming and along the way had four children Lynn, Lyle, Donna and Cindy. The kids graduated and went off on there own adventures. Murray and Kay moved into Cut Knife in 1987 and celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1996. Before Murray’s death they were able to travel to Hawaii, England, United States and coast to coast in Canada. They visited all their children who had spread out and lived in Quebec City, QC, Thompson, MB, Bradford, ON, and Louisville, KY. Mom never discouraged us from spreading our wings. Kay will be terribly missed by her son Lynn (Therese) Atton, Quebec City, QC; her son Lyle Atton, Gallivan, SK; her daughter Donna (Doug) Lindner, Bradford, ON; and her daughter Cindy Heupel, Cut Knife, SK. She also leaves to mourn six adult grandchildren; Andrew (Tanya) Atton, of Calgary; Steven (Phuong) Atton, of Calgary; Sonia Atton, of Quebec City; David (Emily) Atton, of Quebec City; Krista (Denver) Smith, of Bradford; Kurtis Lindner of Bradford, and special friend (Martina). Kay also leaves seven great grandchildren; Morgan, Kayel, Elizabeth, Susanna, Samuel, Felix and Emmersyn. Kay was predeceased by her husband Murray in 2002; son-in-law Anton (Tony) Heupel in 2003; and daughter-in-law, Audrey Atton in 2018. A graveside memorial service will be held 2:00 pm, July 16, 2020 at the Rockhaven Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Sallows & McDonald Wilson & Zehner Funeral Home 306-445-2418. Condolences to the family can be offered at www.sallowsandmcdonald.com
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1-844-453-5372 OBITUARIES BERTSCH: Frank Michael Bertsch passed away Saturday, June 20th, 2020 at his residence surrounded by his loving family after a brief battle with cancer. As per Frank’s wishes, no funeral services will be held. Frank will always be loved and cherished by his wife Margie; sons Dustin, and Derek (Pamela) and children Kaine, Toryn, and Sydney; his sisters Clem (George) Hood, Dianne (Larry) Taylor, and Marlene Caron (Albert); brother in-law Doug (Claudette) Shaver; as well as nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Frank is predeceased by his parents John and Annie Bertsch; and his parent’s in-law George and Margaret Shaver. Frank’s family wish to extend their most heartfelt thank you to Dr. Campbell, the Palliative Care staff at Battleford’s Union Hospital, and to Battleford’s Home Care for their immense care and compassion of Frank. Condolences for the family may be left at www.SallowsandMcDonald.com.
DAY: It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Elizabeth Ann (Betty) Day nee Price. Betty was born on April 15th, 1933 in North Battleford and died on July 7th, 2020 at the Battlefords District Care Centre in Battleford, Sask. Betty grew up in North Battleford and met Jack while she was working at the Dominion Cafe in 1952. They wed on September 18th, 1954 and lived in various places over the next few years including Prince Albert, Saskatoon and North Battleford. They grew their family with Brian, Cyndi, Gail and Tim. They built their dream home at Pelican Point in 1983 and settled there except for a few years in Ft. McMurray. Betty loved fastball, bowling, golf, reading and playing cards. As a young woman of sixteen, she played on Airport Red Socks women’s Senior B softball team from 1948 - 1949. The team won the Provincial Championships and Betty was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame on October 5, 2002. She loved to travel with Jack and they enjoyed trips to the lower United States, Alaska, the Philippines as well as Canada from coast to coast. She worked hard at various restaurants then moving on to Safeway where her till was always busy as she was well loved by her customers. Betty loved her life at the lake and enjoyed when family and friends would pop in for a visit. Due to health issues, she moved to the Battlefords District Care Centre in November of 2018. She was well cared for and enjoyed her visits with family. Betty was predeceased by her parents Charles and Hazel Price as well as all of her 11 siblings and son-in-law, Terry. She is survived by her loving husband Jack, son Brian (Cara), Anna, Greg and Sean, daughter Cyndi, Meghann, Erin and Brenna, daughter Gail (Ken) and son Tim (Linda), Nicole as well as numerous great grandchildren, great, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. The family would like to thank Brenda Charabin and the staff of Ward 4 of the Battlefordds District Care Centre for the loving care they gave to Mom. We would also like to thank Bob MacKay and the staff of the Battlefords Funeral Service and Eternal Memories Funeral Service. __________________________________________________
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NOTICES / NOMINATIONS
PUBLIC NOTICE
Village of Meota Public Notice – Zoning Bylaw Amendment
NOTICES / NOMINATIONS
NOTICE
The Turtleford Summer Cattle Show Committee has postponed the 2020 show due to Covid-19. Stay healthy everyone. See you in 2021! NOTICE OF POLL NOTICE OF ADVANCE POLL MUNICIPAL BY-ELECTION RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF BLAINE LAKE #434 PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that a vote will be held for the Election of: Councillor for Division 3 The Advance Poll will take place on: Saturday, August 22, 2020 from 10:00am to 4:00pm at 107 Main Street, Blaine Lake, SK (the Senior’s Centre) Election Day will take place on: Wednesday, August 26, 2020 from 9:00am to 8:00pm at 107 Main Street, Blaine Lake, SK (the Senior’s Centre) I will declare the results of the voting at the Municipal Office on the 27th day of August, 2020. Dated this 23rd day of July 2020. JENNIFER GUTKNECHT Returning Officer
ANNOUNCEMENTS
battlefords humane society
SINCE 2008
Tender bids due in October, early offers will be reviewed.
The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020 - Page 15
Public Notice is hereby given that the Council of the Village of Meota intends to adopt a bylaw under The Planning and Development Act, 2007, a bylaw to amend Bylaw No. 08-2015, known as the Zoning Bylaw (ZB). INTENT: The proposed amendments would: remove the permit fee exemption for accessory residential uses; defer local development appeals matters to governing legislation; remove restrictions: on fence heights in side and rear yards, building heights, site coverage, and accessory building/use sizes, for all lands within the Village; remove the Residential Mobile Home District – RMH from the ZB entirely; remove the modular dwelling width to length ratio, allow more flexible regulation for lots abutting streets on both front and rear lot lines; a couple of headings would be re-labelled to achieve consistency throughout the ZB allow mobile homes as a discretionary use in the Future Urban Development District – FUD; and alter/replace definitions relevant to the above related to “sites” and “accessory”. AFFECTED LAND: All lands within the Village would be affected by the proposed amendments. REASON: Council is considering the amendmenst to allow more regulatory flexibility and lot development options for existing and new development specifically with respect to building and fence heights, site coverage, building width to length ratios, accessory buildings, and where sites abut two streets. PUBLIC INSPECTION: Any person may inspect the bylaw at the Village of Meota office Mon. – Thurs. 8 AM – 4 PM excluding noon-hours and statutory holidays. Copies will be available to the public at a cost; free digital copy through email by contacting the Village office. PUBLIC HEARING: Council will hold a public hearing on August 6, 2020 from 7:30pm – 8:00 pm at the Village office located at 302 2nd Avenue, Meota, SK, S0M 1X0, to hear any person or group that wants to comment on the proposed ZB amendment. Council will also consider written or emailed comments received by the undersigned by August 06, 2020. For additional information, please contact (306) 892-2277 or vmeota@sasktel.net. Issued at the Village of Meota this July 20, 2020. Julie Malenfant - Administrator Village of Meota
If you want to drink, that’s your business. If you want to stop, we can help.
CALL ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS 306-446-6166
How lucky is your birthday? Buy a ticket and find out. Make sure your birthday and those of your family are entered in our prize draw! Buy a ticket, pick a date, one winner! Tickets $20.00 and win a birthday party on us valued at $600.00. ONLY 365 TICKETS SOLD. Draw made Dec. 31, 2020.
Call the Animal Shelter 306.446.2700
for more information and tickets. Lotto License SR19-3803 NOTICES / NOMINATIONS
RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF MEOTA NO. 468
Public Notice of a Subdivision for Intended Discretionary Use & Zoning Bylaw Amendment Public notice is hereby given that pursuant to section 55 of The Planning and Development Act, 2007, that the RM of Meota No. 468 has received an application of proposed subdivision for a discretionary use. The application includes the creation of one (1) parcel for the intended use of single-parcel residential within the SE ¼ Section 19-47-16-W3M near Sleepy Hollow, represented by the proposed Parcel F, as shown on the accompanying plan. The proposed subdivision is located within the A1 – Agricultural Zoning District, however due to density requirements the proposed subdivision requires a Zoning Bylaw amendment to rezone to LR2 – Lakeshore Residential District.
INTENT: The proposed amendment is to accommodate the rezoning of a residential subdivision within the Municipality. AFFECTED LAND: The affected lands by this amendment are lands lying within the proposed subdivision shown in the included map that lay within the jurisdiction of the RM of Meota. REASON: To amend the Zoning Bylaw District Map to accommodate the proposed subdivision. Rezone the proposed subdivision from the A1 – Agricultural District to LR2 – Lakeshore Residential District. PUBLIC INSPECTION: Any person may inspect the proposed bylaws at the RM office between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily, excluding statutory holidays. Draft copies of the proposed bylaw are available from the RM office (hard copy at cost). The RM office is located at 300 1st Street East, Meota, SK, S0M 1X0. A digital copy of the draft amendment and proposed subdivision map are available for viewing at: www.rmmeota468.ca ->Community->Public Notices PUBLIC HEARING: Council will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, August 5, 2020, at 1:00 PM in the RM office to hear any person or group that wants to comment on the proposed amendment and subdivision. In light of the COVID-19 crisis, please contact the RM office prior for protocol for in-person representation. If you wish to comment on this proposal, please do so in writing prior to Friday, July 31, 2020, to Box 80, Meota, SK, S0M IX0 or by email to info468@ sasktel.net or robin@northboundplanning.ca. For additional information please contact the Municipal Planning Office at (306) 397-1000 or at robin@northboundplanning.ca. S. Yvonne Prusak, BASc, MA, MCIP, RPP Municipal Planner July 14, 2020
Page 16 - The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020
Late model, clean CAT, JD equip: winch, dump, gravel trucks and trailers. Both camp and shop locations; R & B provided. Wage negotiable. Clean drivers abstract a must. Send resume and work references to: Bryden Construction Box 100, Arborfield, Sk. S0E 0A0; Fax: 306-769-8844 Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca
LAND FOR SALE 20074CB0
SALE OF LAND BY PUBLIC TENDER
4 DAY UNRESERVED SALE!
5 LOCATIONS! - August 18 Estevan, & Kindersley, SK - August 19 Blackfalds, AB - August 20Edson, AB - August 21 Grande Prairie, AB The sale will include: combo unit drilling equipment, dual generator units, combination generator units, environmental combination units, communication towers, cell boosters, light towers, support units, safety equipment, surface drilling equipment, trucks, construction equipment, office trailers, jobsite trailers, fire trucks, shale bins, flock tanks, cement bins, 400bbl tanks & shop equipment.
SALE OF LAND BY PUBLIC TENDER Municipal Act, 2015
P P EN EN EM OYM T EM OYM T PL PL EN EN EM OYM T EM OYM T PL PL EN EN EM OYM T EM OYM T PL MEN MPL MEN EM OEverything E ,re looking Y Y T you T L LO for N P P E EN is in the classifieds! M M M M E E Y Y LO ENT LO ENT P P M M
P EM PL EM PL EM PL EM PL EM L MP
RESORT VILLAGE OF COCHIN Take Notice that tenders are invited for the purchase of the lands described below and will be received until 4:00 p.m. local time on August 11, 2020, at the Resort Village of Cochin Municipal Office, 1006 Highway 4 North, Cochin Saskatchewan. Box 160 Cochin, SK S0M 0L0, cochinadmin@sasktel.net Description of Lands: Parcel Number: 136190921 Quarter Section: SW 13 - 48 - 17 - W3 Number of Acres: 31.51 Parcel Number: 136190909 Quarter Section: SW 13 - 48 - 17 - W3 Number of Acres: 1.63 Parcel Number: 136190910 Quarter Section: SW 13 - 48 - 17 W3 Number of Acres: 28.64 Parcels will only be sold together, the highest or any bid not necessarily accepted. Tenders must be submitted in written form. Except as follows, the municipality makes no representation regarding the title to, crown interests, road access, environmental contamination or any other matters relating to the lands to be sold. Responsibility for ascertaining these matters rests with the potential purchasers. Any interests of the Federal or the registration of the tax deed. This sale is governed by the Municipal Act, 2015 and the Municipal Tax Sales Rules made under that Act. The successful purchaser will be required to pay the amount tendered plus accumulated taxes and any taxes that may be applicable. The Municipality has no obligation to provide vacant possession to the successful purchaser.
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The Clark’s Crossing Gazette is accepting resumes for the immediately available full-time position of Production Co-ordinator. For full details, email Angela at aheidel@ccgazette.ca.
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NEWS-OPTIMIST Serving the Battlefords since 1908
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Rural Municipality of Eldon No. 471
Licensed Pest Control Officer Wanted The R.M. of Eldon No. 471 is accepting applications for a “Licensed Pest Control Officer”. Interested individuals to submit resumes with 3 references and remuneration expected no later than 12:00 noon, August 11, 2020 to: R.M. of Eldon No. 471 P.O. Box 130, Maidstone SK SOM 1MO Fax: (306) 893-4644 Email: rm471@sasktel.net Information on licensure and duties available at www.spcoa.org the Sask Pest Control Officers Association website. Only those applicants being interviewed will be contacted.
Waiter Waitress/ Supervisor Position Must be Available Days, Evenings and Weekends Reliable We Will Train Apply in Person with Resume (No phone Calls Please) 2401 99 St, North Battleford
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The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020 - Page 17
State of the City address raises $2,500 for The Lighthouse By John Cairns Staff Reporter
The State of the City address held in March ended up raising a considerable sum for The
Lighthouse Serving the Battlefords. It was confirmed in correspondence from The Lighthouse to the city that they had received $2,500 from that event, which
took place March 2. The event was the first State of the City address to be organized jointly by the city and The Lighthouse. The city also received correspondence from
Catholic Family Services at Monday’s council meeting, thanking them for the $2,500 in funding they received from the city for 2020.
Battleford may resume live meetings By John Cairns Staff Reporter
The Town of Battleford is looking at resuming live council meetings starting next month. At Monday’s meeting, Mayor Ames Leslie said the town was considering holding a “full-fledged inperson council meeting as a trial” next month, prior to resuming their two-meet-
ings-per-month schedule in the fall. The plan is to hold the meeting at Alex Dillabough Centre on Aug 17. The large venue is considered suitable to accommodate the gathering and social distancing requirements still in place. The province has allowed gatherings of upwards of 30 people to resume indoors as part
of Phase Four Part Two of their Re-Open Saskatchewan plan. The meeting at Alex Dillabough Centre would be open to the public to attend, provided that gathering restriction is met. Council has been meeting remotely via the Microsoft Teams platform. A limited number of officials including the mayor, director of finance and some
council members would be in attendance at Town Hall, while other town officials and councillors participated using videoconferencing technology. More details are expected closer to Aug. 17 on whether the live meeting will indeed go ahead as planned, or whether it will once again be a virtual meeting as before.
SHA says possible COVID-19 exposure in Cut Knife The Saskatchewan Health Authority is issuing an advisory after confirmation that an individual who was at a business in Cut Knife tested positive for COVID-19 during the time when they were likely infectious. Anyone who attended the business during the listed times below should be self-monitoring for symptoms for 14 days after their visit or seek a testing referral by contacting HealthLine 811. For infor-
mation on self- monitoring please go to saskatchewan. ca/covid19 and click on the About COVID-19 link. This applies to individuals who were at the following establishment: Country Roads Motor Inn - Dining area only, Cut Knife – July 13, 14, 15, 16 from 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. This public health alert is being issued as a precaution. We know that COVID-19 is easily transmitted and want to ensure
residents are aware if they have been at this business during the listed times. As of July 14, COVID-19 testing is available to anyone, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not. The public is reminded that during the COVID-19 pandemic it is important to take precautions to protect yourself, your families and everyone who lives in the community. This includes physical distancing to maintain a 2-metre separation at all times, frequent
hand washing, and selfisolating if you are sick. It is also important to adhere to public health orders and municipal government guidelines, including limiting your social circles and not attending large gatherings. COVID-19 is still present in Saskatchewan and we all have a responsibility to minimize the spread of the disease. Together we can make a positive difference and keep our communities safe.
News ‘n’ views from Baljennie is currently seeking a
RETAIL FLOORING & BLIND SALES ASSOCIATE. We are willing to train
Salary is dependant on experience.
Apply by appointment or email to Roddy at 306-445-1221 or cjvcarpet@sasktel.net 2741-99th Street / North Battleford
By Dorothy M. Mills Correspondent
Belated birthday greetings go out to Margery (Smith) Jenny of Edmonton, Alta., on the celebration of her 107th birthday on June 5. Margery is formerly from Baljennie. She and her husband, William Smith, ran a farm in the local area of Baljennie. They raised a family of three boys and one girl. Margery was a great gardener and ha a beautiful yard of flowers and ran a greenhouse for a good number of years. She supplied many people with her plants ad flowers. She was also an active hairdresser and gave hot
B
aljennie
curler perms to many ladies of the area. The youngest son, Gordon and Jean Smith, still run the farm. My deep sympathy goes out to the family of Inez Nordstrom of the Battlefords area on her passing July 10. Inez was born in Italy on Dec. 26, 1924 and was 96 years old. She came to Canada at the age of two and settled in the Livelong area. She was a school teacher for a few years. Then she got a job at
the North Battleford NewsOptimist as a lifestyles editor and columnist for news from areas reporting from the country. She was a wonderful person and was so much help on my news reporting from Baljennie. She was missed by all when she retired several years ago. The funeral service was held at Notre Dame de Lourdes Roman Catholic Church in North Battleford and burial too lace at the Woodlawn Memorial Gardens. The crops are looking so lush and green with fields all sporting their bright colours to make the whole countryside look like a huge patchwork quilt.
Gardens are doing well and there have been a lot of pretty flowers in bloom. Vegetables will soon be ready. The early ones have been well used and enjoyed. We had some perfect rainfalls to keep everything growing. It’s a hard job to keep up with the lawn mowing. So far we have done well not to have some of the wicked storms. We did get some heavy rain, some flooding basements and high winds. The haying season has started up and some bales are being made to feed the livestock when our winter comes.
Maidstone Museum News
Museum open by appointment By Dorothy Schwartz Correspondent
Maidstone Museum members met at the museum July 13 observing appropriate distancing. Our museum opened for
guided tours on July 18 and 19 and, for August, tours will be by appointment on Thursdays and Fridays. Hours are 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Appointment numbers are 306-903-8818 and 780871-3656.
Any assistance repairing the roof on the police building would be appreciated. There are also broken windows needing replacement. To help with this, call Bill McGilvery or Rodney Marfleet. Do-
nations to either of these projects would be appreciated.Tax receipts can be obtained through the Town Office in lieu of the museum. Next meeting is Aug. 17 at 7 p.m.
Page 18 - The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020
Regional News-Optimist
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Let me open new doors for you Yesterday, I told Ed, my old neighbour in Saskatchewan, that I am going to explore having personal branding. I got the idea from a realtor who sent me an email with his brand. He signed his name Ross Smith Realtor – “Let me open new doors for you.” I thought his slogan as a real estate agent was catchy. I decided that I should have a snappy motto myself like, Ray Maher – “The bald old guy.” Ed, of course, rained on my enthusiasm. He said that anyone with an eye could see that I am both bald and old. He is sure a slogan should be unique and give the
N
eighbourly Advice
According to Ed By Raymond Maher
www.accordingtoed.com
revraymaher@accesscomm.ca promise of something worth considering. Ed suggested a brand for me, Ray Maher - “Leave him in the garden.” I told Ed I was looking at some mottos on my computer for myself. He rejected the mottos I liked ‑‑“Dreamer of the Impossible,” “Seeker of
the unknown.” “Everyone at your age is into napping and do not know if they are dreaming or awake in their favourite chair unless they fall out of it,” Ed scoffed. Sometimes Ed is not ready for progressive thinking. Through the years, I have had to be patient with him about
anything new. There are many Christian mottos, taglines, or brands, such as, “My Saviour is tougher than nails,” “God loves each of us as if there was only one of us.” “Let go and let God” ‑‑ John Wesley’s motto for Christian living is well known, “Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, To all the people you can as long as you can.” I searched scripture to find out how Jesus branded himself when he was here on Earth. Here are the results of how Jesus labelled himself. John
6:48, “I am the bread of life.” John 8:12, “I am the light of the world.”John 10:9, “I am the door/gate.” John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd.” John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life.” John14:6 “I am the way, and the truth and the life.” John 15:1, “I am the true vine.” Jesus is much more than his labels. He came down from heaven to give himself as the living bread of heaven. He did this so we could receive eternal life through the spiritual food of His body and blood given and shed for us sinners. Jesus promises that whoever follows him will never walk in darkness
but will have the light of life. Whoever is a sheep of Jesus will have life to the full, for his sheep are safe going in and out to pasture. For Jesus, their good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He knows his sheep, and they know him. Jesus promised, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” As the way and the truth and the life, only Jesus leads his followers to the Father in heaven. In our lives, we can do nothing fruitful unless we remain living branches in Jesus, our vine.
Worship Together Spend some quality family time together. Worship at the church of your choice. Our community has a number of churches and a variety of denominations for you & your family.
(RC) St. Joseph Calasanctius Parish 1942 - 98th Street, North Battleford, SK S9A 0N4
TerriTorial Drive alliance church
306-446-1695
PASTOR: Rev. Phinh Do
DAILY: Tues., Wed., Thurs. & Fri. - 9 a.m. unless otherwise noted WEEKEND MASS TIMES: Saturdays - 7:30 p.m. Sundays - 9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church
ANGLICAN PARISH Rev. Trevor Malyon
1401 - 98th Street, North Battleford, SK
SUNDAY SERVICES CAN BE SEEN ONLINE AT
306-445-5901
St. Georges Anglican Church Battleford Facebook St Paul’s Anglican Church North Battleford Facebook Battle River Parish YouTube channel CJNB Radio 1050AM Sunday mornings 7:45-8:30am Contact: 306 445 4155 stpaulnb@sasktel.net
Reverend George Yando Sunday Services 10:30 AM Everyone Welcome
Hope Mennonite Fellowship 1291 - 109th Street, North Battleford
Battlefords Grace Community Church
Pastor Gerhard Luitjens & Abel & Sonya Zabaleta (Mission Partners)
191 - 24th Street W., Battleford, Sk. 306-937-7575
SUNDAY - 11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Pastor: Bill Hall
WORSHIP SERVICES - 11 a.m. Sunday
Church Phone 306-445-4181
Everyone Welcome
Living Water Ministry
Sr. Pastor Brian Arcand Pastor Anand George Phone: 306-445-3803 Cell: 306-441-9385 Fax: 306-445-4385
All Saints Ukrainian Catholic Parish
902 - 108th Street, North Battleford DIVINE LITURGY Sundays & Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. Contact: Fr. Ivan Derkach 306-937-3767 or 306-317-8138 Social Distancing Protocol in effect.
Battleford United Church 52 - 4th Avenue West Battleford, SK
306-937-3177 Rev. Gayle Wensley
SUNDAY SERVICES 11:00 a.m.
Third Avenue United Church Rev. Dexter van Dyke Sunday Worship, Youth Groups and Bible Study Groups are cancelled until further notice.
Everyone Welcome www.thirdavenueunitedchurchnb.ca Email: thirdaveunited@sasktel.net
Battlefords Cowboy Church Services 1st & 3rd Thursday of each Month
Battleford Legion Hall 7:00 p.m. PASTOR - Rick Martin
1371 - 103rd Street (Use East Door)
LIVING FAITH CHAPEL
1372 102nd St 306-445-3009
ROMAN CATHOLIC ST. VITAL’S Phone 306-937-7340 PASTOR - Fr. Sebastian Kunnath
Maidstone/Paynton United Church of Canada Phone: 306-285-3823 Contact: Don Retzlaff
Services: First & Third Sunday 10:30 a.m. Church & CE Wing: 306-893-2611 For booking the Wing: 306-893-4729
Sunday Services 10:30 am Various Weekly Programs www.livingfaithchapel.ca
Battlefords Seventh-Day Adventist Church
11 - 18th Street, Battleford, SK
Saturday Evening Mass - 5:00 p.m. Sunday Mass - 10:30 a.m.
Sunday Evening Service 7:00 p.m. Bible Study Wednesday 7:30 p.m.
1702 - 106th Street, North Battleford
Come Join Us Sundays at 11:00 am Loving God Growing Together Serving Others Phone Church: 306-445-4818 Fax: 306-445-8895 Email: tbcnb@sasktel.net www.trinitybaptistchurch.ca
Pastor James Kwon
Corner 16th Ave. & 93rd Street, North Battleford
Phone 306-445-9096
Saturday Services Bible Study - 10:00 a.m. Worship Service - 11:00 a.m.
Regional News-Optimist
The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020 - Page 19
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devanobe@gmail.com
(Liability Insurance)
www.dreamrealtysk.com
J&D Roofing
“Quality “Quality that that doesn’t doesn’t cost, cost, itit pays” pays”
Serving the Battlefords & Area...Locally Owned & Operated SERVING THE AREA... “Quality thatBATTLEFORDS doesn’t cost,& it pays” Locally owned306-937-2083 & operated Dion BelRose Licensed, WCB Coverage • Fully Insured
Insurance Claims Locally Owned & Welcome Operated Rooftop Snow WCB ESTIMATES •Removal Fully InsuredAvailable FREE
ESTIMATES 306-937-2083 DISCOUNT FREE ESTIMATES Call Dion or Pat 937-2083 AVAILABLE
Call DionFREE or Pat
SENIOR
Licenced/Insured WCB A263327 ELECTRIC CONTRACTOR
REALTOR
Ag Services • Solar • Residential Commercial • Maintenance
Ltd.
Janaya Pollard REALTOR®
Kevin Ryhorchuk
306-441-8727
306-441-4162 janayapollard@gmail.com www.dreamrealtysk.com
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
REALTOR
Jeff Schommer
Ltd.
306-481-4892 schommshandymanrenos@yahoo.com
Have a "To-Do" List? We Will Take Care of it! GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Derrick Shynkaruk General Contractor
• New Construction • Renovations
306.441.1980 306.445.3144
djshynkaruk@gmail.com
TREE SERVICES
Raymond Oleshko Tree Services
• Tree Removal
• Trimming & Pruning • Stump Grinding • Fully Insured
PHONE 306-481-4465
TREE SERVICES
Kaley Knight REALTOR®
306-386-7832
kaleyeknight@gmail.com www.dreamrealtysk.com
THIS SPACE CAN BE YOURS!
60’ BOOM TRUCK
I CM TREE SERVICE + PLUS
306•386•7259 306.386.7259
Call the Certified Professionals Today
www.newsoptimist.ca Call 306.445.7261 ask for Candace for more information
Five Star Safety Rated Excellence
• Ticketed Tree Climbers • Tree Trimming • Tree Removal CERTIFIED ARBORISTS • Stump Grinding FULLY INSURED
(Liability Insurance)
www.newsoptimist.ca
Page 20 - The Battlefords, Thursday, July 23, 2020
Regional News-Optimist
w w w. n ew s o p t i m i s t . c a
Flooring SALE BATTLEFORDS
CENTRE
Sun’s Out Savings are in! STONE COMPOSITE VINYL PLANK FLOORING KANGA BACK CARPET
2
$
as low as
29
SQ. FT.
OUTDOOR CARPET 6 colours to choose from
1
$ 29 SQ. FT.
start ing at
SHEET VINYL FLOORING as low as
99
¢
SQ. FT.
OUTDOOR TURF 3 colours to choose from
99
¢
SQ. FT.
2
$
69
SQ. FT.
LAMINATE FLOORING as low as
1.
$
69
SQ. FT.
DROP & GO VINYL PLANK 5 ML
2
$
79
SQ. FT.
DON’T PAY FOR UP TO 6 MONTHS or 0% INTEREST FOR UP TO 24 MONTHS Sale ends 5:00 p.m. August 5, 2020
We are your Insurance Specialists. We are ready to serve you on all your Insurance needs.
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Summer Hours
Monday - Saturday 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. SUNDAY & HOLIDAYS 12:00 - 5:00 p.m.
battlefordsflooring@sasktel.net Battlefords flooring centre www.battlefordsflooringcentre.ca