Red Deer Advocate, January 07, 2013

MASTER OF MISERY Ottawa’s Jeremy Hotz comes up with new laughs C5

UKRAINIANS CELEBRATE Orthodox Christmas C1

RED DEER ADVOCATE CENTRAL ALBERTA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER

BREAKING NEWS ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM

MONDAY, JAN. 7, 2013

NHL LOCKOUT ENDS WITH TENTATIVE DEAL BETWEEN LEAGUE, NHLPA

BY CHRIS JOHNSTON

PLAYERS GET READY B1

THE CANADIAN PRESS

Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

In this image from video, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman talks to media as Donald Fehr, executive director of the NHLPA, looks on in New York, early Sunday. A tentative deal to end the 113day NHL lockout was reached early Sunday morning following a marathon 16-hour negotiating session.

NEW YORK — An agonizingly long series of negotiations needed one final push. Spurred on by a tireless mediator, the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association worked through the night to finally set aside their differences and return hockey to the place it belongs.

On the ice.

It almost seemed too good to be true when word started to leak out early Sunday morning that a marathon 16-hour negotiating session had produced a tentative deal to end the 113day lockout.

But then Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr ap-

peared together to share the news.

“Hopefully, within a very few days the fans can get back to watching people who are skating — not the two of us,” said Fehr, the NHLPA’s executive director, looking as exhausted as everyone else in the bargaining room.

There is still plenty to do in a short period of time.

In fact, the sides continued hammering out the final details of the players’ new defined benefit pension plan even after the tentative deal was reached around 4:45 a.m. in a secondfloor conference room at a Manhattan hotel.

Please see NHL on Page A2

URBAN WILDLIFE

Wildlife helping keep city healthy DESPITE COMPLAINTS OF DAMAGE

BY LANA MICHELIN ADVOCATE STAFF From the snowy imprint of moose hooves to tiny zipper-like bird tracks, winter hiking trails in Red Deer offer plenty of visible reminders that we share our city with urban wildlife.

“The tracks are a good indication of a healthy environment,” said Ken Lehman, the city’s parks planning and ecology specialist, who believes the more biodiversity we maintain, the better our ecosystem.

However, “you don’t necessarily want those tracks in your yard,” he conceded — for no matter what time of year it is, Lehman regularly hears from residents with animal nuisance concerns.

Coyotes are sometimes blamed in the disappearance of small pets, noisy crows for strewing alleyways with household garbage.

A growing hare population can be held responsible for damaging trees and ornamental shrubs, and skunks can discomfort homeowners by breeding under porches and decks.

“We have actually gotten requests from people to remove all the skunks from the city — and first of all we can’t do that,” said Lehman.

The city only deals with beaver problems — provincial Fish and Wildlife officers handle the rest on a priority basis.

‘THE (ANIMAL) TRACKS ARE A GOOD INDICATION OF A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.’ — KEN LEHMAN, THE CITY’S PARKS PLANNING AND ECOLOGY SPECIALIST

“But I also have to remind people that even skunks have their place.”

He tells complainants that the musky mammals keep down the numbers of mice, voles and insect pests within city limits — as do crows and magpies.

“They have an essential role,” said Lehman, who likes to educate residents through the city’s website, which lists what homeowners can do to help preserve a natural balance.

For instance, many different shrubs can be planted that won’t draw large ungulates into yards.

Trees can be wrapped with wire mesh to prevent rabbit damage.

Bird feeders can also be caged off to stymie the unwelcome appearance of magpies. And pets can — and should — be kept on a leash so they do not threaten wildlife.

“There’s a proper way to keep these animals wild and not feed them so they are better adapted to survive,” he said.

Please see GEESE on Page A2

Photo by RANDY FIEDLER/Advocate staff

A mule deer doe bounds along Fountain Drive. It’s part of a small herd that makes its home between the Red Deer Golf and Country Club and Great Chief Park.

A community with heart helps family with cardiac troubles

2012 IN WEATHER

Prairies’ seventh warmest summer since ‘49 recorded

GENETIC CONDITION AFFLICTS SUNDRE FAMILY

BY LANA MICHELIN ADVOCATE STAFF

‘THE LOVE AND SUPPORT AND DONATIONS HAVE BEEN AMAZING.’

A Sundre family struggling with genetic heart problems has found much to be grateful for as the community rallies to its aid.

“The love and support and donations have been amazing,” said Tracy Pusey, who has received tons of help after her husband, Chris Pusey, became disabled by a genetic condition that caused one side of his heart to expand

PLEASE RECYCLE

placed by another, with Chris’s heart worsening since May. The 48-year-old was only able to work intermittently at his job as an electrician throughout the summer and fall, and finally had to stop work in November.

If Canadians love anything, it’s talking about the weather.

So let’s take a walk down the meteorological memory lane and look back at 2012.

Canada-wide, last year ranked among the 10 warmest summers since 1948 in all but one of the country’s climate regions.

The Prairies, which includes Red Deer, ranked seventh warmest.

It was also wetter than normal across the country (four per cent above the 1961-90 normal).

Please see HEART on Page A3

Please see CENTRAL on Page A3

— TRACY PUSEY

and lose strength.

The same condition previously afflicted their young son, Carter, who had to have a heart transplant at the age of four months in 2010.

The three-year-old is now, thankfully, doing well. But Tracy said one worry had been dis-

WEATHER

INDEX

Sunny. High -4, low -8.

Four sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3,C4 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5,A6 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D1-D3 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D4 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C5 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-B6

FORECAST ON A2

BY PAUL COWLEY ADVOCATE STAFF

CANADA

WORLD

NEW $20-BILL THWARTING VENDING MACHINES

WILDFIRES RAZE HOMES IN TASMANIA

Thousands of vending machines still can’t digest those plastic $20 bank notes the government released two months ago. A6

Officials are searching for bodies among the charred ruins of more than 100 homes and other buildings destroyed by wildfires in the island state of Tasmania. A3

A2 RED DEER ADVOCATE Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

STORIES FROM PAGE A1

NHL: Still work to do Next on the agenda will be committing every legal point to paper in an agreeable manner and conducting ratification votes.

Both sides are in need of majority support among their memberships, and the still-to-be-determined timing of that process will determine if the shortened schedule ends up being 48 games or 50 games.

“We have reached an agreement on the framework of a new collective bargaining agreement, the details of which need to be put to paper,” said Bettman, the longtime NHL commissioner who presided over his third lockout.

“We’ve got to dot a lot of i’s and cross a lot of t’s.

There’s still a lot of work to be done but the basic framework of the deal has been agreed upon.”

At least some of the credit for that goes to Scot L. Beckenbaugh, a federal mediator who remained undeterred even though his previous experience with the two sides came during the previous lockout, just days before the 2004-05 season was cancelled.

It was Beckenbaugh who helped keep talks on track over the last week and set the table for the final breakthrough. According to sources, it was during a lengthy round of shuttle mediation on Friday where he was able to start pushing the sides towards the framework that ultimately shaped the deal.

But there was still a lot of work to be done when talks resumed around 1 p.m. on Saturday.

A key issue for players was the pension plan, which was eventually settled when the sides came to an understanding on how they would account for the future financial liability. That might be the biggest win for the players in a deal where they are seeing their share in revenue reduced to 50 per cent from a system where they received 57 per cent. “(The pension) was an issue for the players that this deal would not get done without,” said Winnipeg Jets defenceman Ron Hainsey, a key member of the negotiating committee. “I don’t think there’s any doubt that the pension is the centrepiece of this deal for the players.”

The NHLPA also held firm on a 2013-14 salary cap of US$64.3 million — the same level where it sat last year — and the league was willing to oblige since the players agreed to parameters that should limit frontloaded, back-diving contracts. A term limit of seven years was agreed to for free agents (teams can sign their own players for up to eight years), while a 35 per cent yearly variance in salary was put in place.

Under the new CBA, no contract can include more than a 50 per cent difference in pay between any two seasons.

Perhaps most importantly for everyone who cares about the league — whether they’re fans, sponsors, players or owners — is that the agreement will run over 10 years through 2021-22, with an opt-out option after eight seasons.

So there will be labour peace for several years.

“Everyone is obviously relieved that it’s over and done with, for all intents and purposes, and we’re able to kind of move on to what we kind of enjoy doing a lot more than this,” said Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan, another player involved in talks.

The participation of NHLers in future Olympics will be decided outside of the CBA, according to a source.

Prior to reaching the tentative agreement on Sunday morning, the NHL was on the verge of cancelling a second season due to a work stoppage. The two sides were working against the clock after Bettman set a deadline of Jan. 11 to get a deal done to save a shortened season, which is expected to start between Jan. 15 and Jan. 19.

The lockout will cost the league between 480 and 510 regular-season games, depending on whether there is a 48- or 50-game season, but the most important number probably won’t be revealed for at least 18 months. The NHL was coming off seven years of record revenues when the last CBA expired, hitting a high-water mark of $3.3 billion last season, and it remains to be seen how quickly fans and sponsors will return when the puck is dropped again.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, the face of the sport, acknowledged as much a few hours after being awoken by a phone call from teammate Craig Adams with news of the agreement.

“Hopefully everyone comes back,” Crosby told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I understand people are frustrated. It’s more than understandable for people to be frustrated, I don’t blame them at all. I just hope everyone is excited by the news and by the idea of hockey being back. I’m sure there are a lot of happy people out there, but I understand there are those who are frustrated and discouraged.

“I understand it. I get that. I just hope they can find it in themselves to come back and support us.

Their support means an awful lot to us.”

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Photo by RANDY FIEDLER/Advocate staff

A pair of mule deer does make their way along Fountain Drive. They’re part of a small herd that makes its home between the Red Deer Golf and Country Club and Great Chief Park.

Many hoped the league’s lockout cycle would be broken when the entire 2004-’05 season was cancelled to get a salary cap. But it turned out the shared history of the parties, which also includes a strike in 1992 and a lockout in 1994-’95, was too much to overcome.

“It was concessionary bargaining right from the beginning,” said Doan.

The NHLPA membership hired Fehr out of retirement about 21 months before the CBA expired with the express purpose of getting the players a fair shake in these negotiations. And the union’s executive director made it clear that his players were still stinging after being locked out for an entire season just eight years earlier.

“Obviously, what happened in the last round of negotiations is the starting point for this round of bargaining,” Fehr told The Canadian Press just before formal talks began with the league at the end of June.

Negotiations got off to a rocky start.

The first offer tabled by the NHL on July 13 was intended to be a wish list for the sides to start from, but instead seemed to anger and galvanize the union membership.

In addition to proposing that the players’ share in revenue drop from 57 per cent to 43 per cent, the league suggested a range of changes to contract rules, including term limits of five years and an extended entry-level system.

It would be another month before the NHLPA delivered a counter-offer.

By then, it was already clear the sides were heading for another lockout once the CBA expired and when the moment of truth arrived on Sept. 15, they were nowhere near the bargaining table. Soon most of the news about the league was dominated by cancellation announcements — first a portion of the pre-season, then all of the exhibition schedule and eventually the first two weeks of the regular season.

The league eventually responded with an unexpected beefed-up proposal on Oct. 16 that offered an enticing carrot to players: The chance to save an 82-game season. It included a 50-50 split of revenues and required the deal to be signed within nine days.

“If we didn’t do it now, if we didn’t put an offer on the table that we thought was fair and could get us playing hockey ... then it probably wasn’t going to happen for a while,” Bettman said at the time. “It’s done in the spirit of getting a full season in.”

Fehr and the players didn’t blink. They returned 48 hours later with three proposals and an impressive roster of attendees, including Crosby and Jonathan Toews, and saw all three shot down by Bettman in a matter of minutes.

More cancellation announcements followed, including the Jan. 1 Winter Classic outdoor game between the Red Wings and Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium. The losses were mounting. Bettman told reporters that each day came at a cost of almost $20 million per day for the league.

The first true surge of optimism arrived during the first week of December, when Crosby and four owners, including Pittsburgh’s Ron Burkle, joined the process and brought a more conciliatory tone.

The first day of talks stretched past midnight and ended with NHLPA special counsel Steve Fehr calling it the “best day” of talks.

That was immediately followed by another

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lengthy session the following afternoon where proposals were exchanged and tempers were heated.

On the third day, it went off the rails.

Donald Fehr presented a new proposal, told reporters the sides were so close they were virtually on top of each other and then quickly returned to announce the league was pulling its latest offer from the table. Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly followed with an emotional 30-minute press conference, where the commissioner was asked about the possibility of losing a second season on his watch.

“Am I unhappy about the prospect? You bet I am,” said Bettman. “It’s absolutely something that torments me.”

The frustration was shared by everyone involved.

Crosby returned to a practice rink in suburban Pittsburgh, where he spent the majority of his time staying sharp during the lockout, and told reporters he wouldn’t re-enter negotiations.

The window to make a deal finally opened Dec. 27 in the form of a 288-page proposal emailed from Bettman to Fehr. In it, the league softened demands on contract lengths and salary variance, and reintroduced $300 million in deferred payments to help ease the transition to a system where revenues are split 50-50.

GEESE: ‘Don’t feed’ policy For the past few years the City of Red Deer has been discouraging residents from throwing bread crumbs at the Canada geese that arrive every spring at Bower Ponds.

The ‘don’t feed’ signs appear to be working, since gosling numbers have decreased — along with goose poop on the lawn and algae buildup in the water, said Lehman.

Although no studies have been done on wildlife within city limits, parks workers believe the deer and coyote populations have held steady — although the rabbit/hare count has grown due to a natural 10-year cycle.

If the hares get too numerous, there’s a chance the predatory population of coyotes will similarly spike for a few years, said Lehman.

But he believes it’s only a matter of time before both species naturally decrease — as has the number of urban skunks in Red Deer.

Skunks were at the height of their eight-year cycle three or four years ago, and their population has since dropped off — along with skunk-related complaints, added Lehman, who tends to hear more animal concerns from new neighbourhoods, “as we move more into their territory.”

But in the big scheme of things, he believes the majority of Red Deer residents appreciate occasional sightings of deer, foxes and hares within city limits. These glimpses usually come at twilight or daybreak, since most animals move at night.

“There are loads of wildlife tracks and it’s amazing to see how many critters are moving through the urban environment.”

For more information about coexisting with wildlife, please go to www.reddeer.ca, and then click on city government, city services, and parks department. lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com

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IN A HIGH -4

LOW -8

HIGH -4

HIGH -6

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REGIONAL OUTLOOK

Nordegg. Cloudy.

High zero, low -9.

Edmonton : Cloudiness. High -5, low -3.

Banff: Cloudiness.

High -4, low -9.

TONIGHT’S HIGHS/LOWS

Lethbridge: Sunny.

High 3, low -2.

FORT MCMURRAY

Grande Prairie: Cloudy. High -2, low -7.

Fort McMurray: Cloudy. High -6, low -10.

Jasper: Cloudy. High -3, low -9.

-6/-10 GRANDE PRAIRIE

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RED DEER ADVOCATE Monday, Jan. 7, 2013 A3

Wildfire casualties feared CAN’T BE RULED OUT AFTER AUSTRALIAN WILDFIRES DESTROY 100 HOMES AND BUILDINGS

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HOBART, Australia — Officials are searching for bodies among the charred ruins of more than 100 homes and other buildings destroyed by wildfires in the island state of Tasmania.

Acting Police Commissioner Scott Tilyard said Monday no casualties had yet been reported. But it would take time before officials were certain that no one had died in the blazes that have razed 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres) of forests and farmland across southern Tasmania since Friday.

Police have concerns for about 100 people reported missing. Tilyard said 11 teams were searching ruins in places including the small town of Dunalley, east of the state capital of Hobart, where around 70 homes were destroyed.

“Until we’ve had the opportunity to do all the screening that we need to do at each of those premises, we can’t say for certain that there hasn’t been a human life or more than one human life lost as a result of these fires,” Tilyard told reporters.

Three fires continued to burn out of control in southern Tasmania and in the northwest Monday.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who flew to Tasmania on Monday, warned that New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state, was about to move into a period of extreme heat Tuesday when the wildfire risk would be high.

“We live in a country that is hot and dry and where we sustain very destruc-

Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A charred vehicle sits near the remains of a destroyed home following a wildfire east of the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, Australia. Crews battled dozens of wildfires amid scorching temperatures across the country on Saturday. tive fire periodically,” Gillard told reporters. “Whilst you would not put any one event down to climate change ... we do know over time that as a result of climate change we are going to see more extreme weather events and conditions.”

New South Wales Rural Fire Ser-

vice Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said more than 90 wildfires were blazing across the state Monday and warned that conditions would worsen on Tuesday. No homes were currently under threat.

“It is going to be very hot and very dry. Couple that with the dryness of

the vegetation, the grassland fuels, the forest fuels and those strong winds that are expected tomorrow,” he said.

The temperate across much the state was expected to reach 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) while winds were expected as high as 80 kilometres an hour ( 50 miles an hour).

FROM PAGE A1

HEART: Drug therapy tried first

CENTRAL ALBERTA: Started warmer but at a cost Here in Central Alberta, last year started off warmer than normal, but we paid for it in the fall.

Daytime highs were above average for the first four months of 2012, Environment Canada Red Deer records show.

A rainy spring and early summer then gave way to about 10 weeks of glorious weather. But by late October, the honeymoon was over.

The daytime high dipped below 0C on Oct. 21 and stubbornly stayed below freezing for the rest of the month, leaving trick or treaters bundling up for Halloween.

The third week of October saw the first major snowfalls of the season as well.

“So that’s when your winter started,” said Environment Canada meteorologist John McIntyre.

The last three months of the year stayed mostly colder and snowier than usual.

Overall in 2012, Central Alberta produced its usual grab bag of meteorological tricks, but produced little for the record books.

A Jan. 4 high of 10.2C matched the record high for that day but fell short of the record for the warmest January day on record, 10.9C set on Jan. 11, 1987.

The coldest day of the winter, -34.6C on Jan. 18, never came close to the -45C record set in 1950, although it did prompt an Environment Canada cold weather warning, thanks to a windchill of -45C. Likewise, a big 20-cm dump of snow on March 9 created the usual road mayhem but set no record.

March was a case of good news, bad news. Average daytime highs of -2.1C were two degrees better than normal.

However, the 41 cm of snow that fell on the city for the month was well above the 18-cm average.

The wet spring continued into April with 44 mm of precipitation compared with the 22.6-mm average.

May rainfalls were also above average, as were those

Contributed photo

Friends, relatives and neighbours in Sundre joined forces to help get the Pusey family through a difficult Christmas. in June, which is typically the rainiest month with average rainfalls of 92.1 mm.

“Farmers like that. If they don’t get those June rains, they’re in trouble,” said McIntyre.

Summer produced some scorchers, but again nothing for the record books.

Red Deer came closest on July 8 when the mercury rose to 29.1C, just shy of the 29.4C benchmark set in 1964.

The following day, the temperature broke through the 30C mark, hitting a high of 31C, although still nearly three degrees short of the 1968 record.

There was also the usual assortment of severe thunderstorms producing twisters and tornadoes. In June, a tornado tossed around cattle sheds east of Bashaw and in July, small tornadoes were reported on different days south of Olds and in Endiang, near Stettler.

July was also much wetter than usual with 123.4 mm of rain, compared with the 93.1-mm average.

August proved a little hotter and slightly drier than normal with no fewer than 13 days where highs topped 25C. The heat wave continued into September. That month, temperatures averaged 21C, nearly four degrees higher than normal, and on Sept. 9, the city basked in a 27.7C day.

But it came to an end in October, when the average high was nowhere near normal at 6.3C, versus the 11.4C average.

November, with an average high of -2.5C, was colder than the 0.4C average and slightly snowier.

There was less snow in December, but temperatures remained below average.

So, what’s in store for 2013?

McIntyre said long-term projections are calling for normal temperatures and precipitation through the first half of this year for the entire Prairie region, including Red Deer.

“We’re kind of in a neutral position here. So, it should be a nice, good spring coming up. There’s nothing outlandish going on there.”

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A hotter and drier summer than normal is projected, although be warned: long-term forecasts are notoriously difficult to nail down.

And even if the trend to above-normal temperatures occurs, it doesn’t mean every day will be a beach day.

“There’s three months (of summer), so if you say above normal there’s still going to be below-normal days in it,” he said.

But here’s to hope. pcowley@reddeeradvocate.com

44336A7-18

On Friday, January 4, it was incorrectly stated in the Red Deer Advocate that Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten RegistraƟon for the 2013-2014 school year would begin on Monday, January 7. In fact, registraƟon for these programs in Red Deer and Rocky Mountain House begins on Wednesday, January 16.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have cause you. For informaƟon on Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten registraƟon in our Catholic schools, please visit our website at www.rdcrd.ab.ca.

44490A7-9

At one point, Chris dropped 35 pounds in three weeks, as his heart began to fail, said Tracy, who was alarmed to see her husband showing similar symptoms as when Carter was in heart failure.

Both were breathless and retaining fluid.

“Sometimes I feel like I’m living Groundhog Day,” said Tracy, referring to the movie in which characters experience the same things again and again.

“It’s all been emotionally overwhelming at times.”

The genetic condition — dialated cardiomyopathy — caused Chris’ mother to die prematurely in her 50s.

While the Pusey’s daughter five-year-old, Olivia, also carries the defective gene, so far, her heart is fine.

Tracy said Chris might only have about 10 more years to live if doctors performed a heart transplant, since the results for adults have briefer benefits than for children.

“He’s so young that they want to hold off as long as they can.”

Physicians are first trying a drug therapy, requiring Chris to regularly have his progress monitored at a Calgary hospital.

If the meds fail, the next step would be implanting a “ventricular assistance device” to take some of the pumping pressure off his heart.

Tracy doesn’t know how her family — including two older children from a previous marriage — would have gotten through the holidays without community support.

Friends and relatives came through with Christmas presents and groceries. They also started an on-line auction in which the public can bid on donated items, with the proceeds going to the Pusey family. (The website is www.facebook.com/ groups/576769352348612/).

The Sundre community assisted Tracy, a bus driver for the Chinook’s Edge School District, in financing a small vacuum truck so she can supplement the family income by flushing out and delivering fresh port-a-potties to work sites.

As well, relatives helped her and her four kids get part-time janitorial and sand-bag filling work for a pipeline company.

Tracy sometimes hears the comment, “You guys must feel so cursed,” but she believes everything hangs on having a positive outlook.

“Not only is medical science made such great advances, compared to what our parents could have expected . . . but look at all the love and support we’re getting. It’s really taken the financial pressure off.” lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com

A4

COMMENT

» SEE MORE ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM

Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

Driving a slippery slope Given the amount of snowfall so far this winter in Central Alberta, municipalities should soon start bracing for the annual winter tradition of snow removal complaints from taxpayers.

Then when spring thaw sets in, municipalities can contend with complaints of potholes, ruts and general lousy driving conditions.

RICK It seems to be ZEMANEK a losing battle no matter what time of year for counties, villages, towns and cities trying to keep motorists happy. That’s particularly true given that some motorists seem to demand perfect driving conditions, regardless of the circumstances.

But a bit of caution to those complaining. This year might bring a whole

INSIGHT

new focus to the issue of maintaining roads, if the Supreme Court of Canada has its way. And it won’t come without a price, possibly a hefty one, for municipalities and taxpayers.

In August 2004, two Ontario teen sisters, admittedly speeding down a hilly, rural road near Oshawa with three other friends at night, met with calamity.

One of the sisters believed an oncoming vehicle was in their lane and swerved into the ditch, leaving she and her sister quadriplegic.

Shannon and Erica Deering sued the City of Oshawa and the Township of Scugog for $30 million, claiming the municipalities were negligent in maintaining Coates Road in a safe-driving condition — never mind that they were speeding.

The Supreme Court of Canada has now agreed with a lower court ruling that the city and township were at fault — and that could force municipalities across the country to spend millions on the upkeep of rarely-used roads or face similar lawsuits.

Taken to the extreme (and one should always figure in the extreme

when it comes to lawsuits), this could be a serious financial blow to rural Canada.

And with the ever-expanding village, town and city limits encroaching into rural areas, the ruling also gives rise to the debate about who is responsible for the upkeep of what roads.

As well, old roads that were once used only by farmers are facing increased pressure from commuters.

Three months after the Ontario crash, Coates Road was painted with a centre line and the speed limit was reduced from 80 km/h to 50 km/h.

While one of the sisters was ejected from the vehicle, there was no mention in court about seatbelts being used.

In the end, Oshawa and the township were found two-thirds at fault, while the driver was deemed to be responsible for one-third of the cause because she was speeding.

There was also no mention in the ruling that she intentionally drove into the ditch.

The high court ruling sets a precedent that could lead to more lawsuits against municipalities in Canada.

While the settlement was kept confidential, the Deerings’ lawyer, Roger Oatley, said the ruling also states municipalities “have to take reasonable steps to assess the safety of old rural roads and do their best to bring them up to modern standards.”

That could be prohibitively expensive for many municipalities.

Larry Ryan, an insurance representative in Oshawa, said “the portion of the blame in this case could open the doors to future cases . . . ” where municipalities will bear at least some of the blame.

“We’re concerned about the increase in these claims,” Ryan said.

“Municipal insurance premiums will increase, and ultimately the municipal property owners, the taxpayers, are going to bear the brunt of this.”

The ruling could also require the courts to determine a framework for deciding when a road is safe or not, it has been suggested.

At the end of this slippery road could be huge costs for everyone.

Rick Zemanek is a former Advocate editor.

Public health care as an economic asset ROAD TO REVIVING CANADA’S SLUGGISH PRODUCTIVITY MAY LEAD TO AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OR AN OPERATING ROOM

BY CY FRANK SPECIAL TO THE ADVOCATE The road to reviving Canada’s sluggish productivity may lead straight to an emergency department, or an operating room, or even an immunization clinic.

Sound implausible? Only if you consider public health care from the tired and usual point of view — which is that it is a consumption good, sucking everlarger amounts of money out of a shrinking taxpayer pocket.

But if you can accept the notion that public health care, if optimized, could be an investment good yielding future wealth as opposed to a consumption good using up current wealth and resources, the road to reversing our productivity slide seems suddenly to be freshly paved.

Let’s take a progressive look at public health care.

Health care is a form of human capital. Considered in the broadest sense, health care encompasses public education and prevention services, as well as the delivery of care when illness strikes. As such, it is actually one of society’s critical means of keeping our population productive.

The correlation between health and productivity has been illustrated in different ways. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research estimated the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 took US$3.6 billion out of Canada’s GDP and

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one per cent off its economic growth. Imagine the consequences — both economic and human — had SARS gone unchecked.

More recently, the Fraser Institute estimated that work-time productivity losses due to long waits at hospitals and to see specialists cost the Canadian economy C$1.08 billion in 2011. The cost tripled to $3.29 billion when time outside of the working period was included.

These examples are at the system level. Think of the value impacts, as well, at the individual level: having a worn out joint replaced or having a heart attack treated can allow people to remain productive for years beyond what would have been their original ‘shelf life.’

Canadians can’t afford productivity losses. We’ve had two decades of sluggish productivity growth.

The Conference Board of Canada reported last year that our productivity level has fallen to 80 per cent of the U.S. level from a high of 90 per cent in the mid-1980s.

If we can agree that efficient health care is an enabler of productivity and that productivity is key to wealth, the next steps should be easy: first, view public health care as a significant driver of our economy; next, consider our expenditures in health care as a potential investment yielding future wealth; and finally, manage those investments strategically to ensure we get maximal value for our money.

The latter will take much effort, given the inefficiencies in public health care in Canada.

This would be a cathartic and defining shift for Canadians, who have been locked in a philosophical debate over public vs. private health care. In fact, the core issue should be how to get maximal value for all of our health dollars. This not about spending more or spending less; it’s about investing for value.

Scott Williamson Pre-press supervisor Mechelle Stewart Business manager Main switchboard 403-343-2400 Delivery/Circulation 403-314-4300 News News tips 403-314-4333 Sports line 403-343-2244 News fax 403-341-6560 E-mail: editorial@reddeeradvocate.com John Stewart, managing editor 403-314-4328 Carolyn Martindale, City editor 403-314-4326 Greg Meachem, Sports editor 403-314-4363 Harley Richards, Business editor

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“Show me the value” should be the new mantra in public health care. Indeed, it seems to be gaining traction.

The premiers last year created a Working Group on Health Care Innovation to “enhance patient care and improve value for taxpayers.” Ontario’s government this year announced an action plan that will shift funding to “where we get the best value.”

This summer, Alberta Health Services launched its first group of Strategic Clinical Networks, a new concept in public health care in Canada. They will bring together medical practitioners, patients, business people, researchers and others in teams that conceive and carry out projects aimed at improving health-care services to achieve outcomes for all Albertans and generating measurable value for the public money invested.

We appear to be finally moving away from viewing public health care as an economic burden.

The new view emerging is that of an extremely valuable asset — an asset that is a big part of the economy and can be managed better and exploited more fully by drawing on the bright minds, unique perspectives and special skills that exist in the medical, business, social and academic communities.

As this asset strengthens, productivity will continue to grow and the important correlation between strategic health-care investments and our economy will become abundantly clear.

Cy Frank is an expert advisor with EvidenceNetwork. ca, the executive director of the Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute, and an orthopedic surgeon practising in Calgary. He is also professor of surgery in the division of orthopedics at the University of Calgary, the McCaig Professor of Joint Injury and Arthritis Research and the Max Bell Senior Policy Fellow. This column was supplied by Troy Media (www.troymedia.com).

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Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

Navy supply ships set to join F-35 as next fiasco

BY THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA — The navy’s long-delayed, much-studied joint support ship program is expected to come under the political microscope within weeks in what is likely another defence equipment embarrassment for the Harper government.

The parliamentary budget officer has been examining the program and is poised to release his findings once MPs return from their Christmas break.

Kevin Page’s incendiary analysis of the F-35 fighter jet program sparked a raging political fire which continues to burn.

Now, documents obtained

by The Canadian Press under access to information laws offer a glimpse of a troubled ship program set to deliver less capable vessels than originally envisioned.

The joint ship briefings, given throughout 2011 to both Defence Minister Peter MacKay and former associate defence minister Julian Fantino, represent the first unambiguous look at what capabilities the navy was forced to give up.

The program to replace the navy’s nearly 45-year-old supply ships with three new vessels was originally announced

by Paul Martin’s Liberals in 2004, but embraced by Stephen Harper’s Conservatives when they assumed power two

years later.

At the time, the government estimated it would cost $2.9 billion.

But the Conservatives abruptly cancelled the plan in 2008, claiming that the bids were not compliant and, perhaps most importantly, that they exceeded the budget envelope.

What followed, according to the series of internal briefings, was a drastic scaling back of the navy’s design concept, overseen by senior civilian defence and political officials.

The $2.6 billion program relaunched in 2010 is expected to deliver two — maybe three — ships.

But with the program delayed until 2018 and account-

ing for inflation — currently running at seven per cent in the shipbuilding industry — it will likely cost taxpayers more than if the government had stuck with the original plan.

The new proposal will see the joint ships carry fewer helicopters, drastically less cargo, no space for a joint mission headquarters or a full-fledged hospital, as mandated in the original concept.

The Harper government has assigned the task of building the ships to Seaspan Shipyards in Vancouver and is expected to select from two specific designs sometime this year.

Unlike the troubled F-35 fighter proposal where capabilities such as stealth were

hardly questioned, the briefings on the joint support ships suggest civilians played a large role after 2008 deciding what the military could live without in the new vessels.

The heavily censored account is backed up by both military and defence sources.

Alan Williams, a former senior defence official and strident F-35 critic, said it appears to be the reverse of the stealth fighter fiasco where the military rode roughshod over the civilian side.

He said the pendulum could be swinging back the other way, but it is dangerous to have civilians too involved in setting the parameters of military equipment.

Tanker concerns prompt Coast Guard review of B.C. oil export plans

BY THE CANADIAN PRESS VANCOUVER — Concerns south of the border over oil tanker traffic from British Columbia have spurred a U.S. Coast Guard review of proposed increases in Canadian oil exports.

A legislative amendment proposed by Washington state Sen. Maria Cantwell and signed into law by President Barack Obama a couple of weeks ago gives the U.S. marine safety agency six months to conduct a risk assessment of the planned expansion of oil pipeline capacity to the West Coast.

Contentious EI changes come into effect THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA — Contentious changes to employment insurance are now in effect.

Beginning Sunday, people on EI faced stricter, more complex rules for keeping their benefits, with the goal of getting unemployed workers back into the workforce sooner.

To help people get back to work, the government has also launched a new service to provide information on available jobs and labour market conditions to subscribers via e-mail.

“The new job alerts system is an important part of our government’s plan to better connect Canadians with available jobs in their area,” said Human Resources Minister Diane Finley in a statement Sunday.

The changes to the EI program were first spelled out in May and elaborate on what the government defines as searching for a suitable job.

A suitable search for a job must now include preparing resumes, registering for job banks, attending job fairs, applying for jobs and undergoing competency evaluations.

A suitable job is defined by factors including commuting time, whether the hours are compatible with the claimant’s life and wages. It will also take into account personal circumstances, such as health, physical capability to perform work, family obligations and transportation options.

The new rules also break down job seekers into essentially two groups: people who’ve long paid into EI but rarely make a claim and those who are regular users of the system.

A suitable job search for the latter group must include jobs that are similar to what they used to do and if one of those isn’t available after a certain period of time, the job seeker has to take any position they are qualified for and accept as much as a 30 per cent pay cut.

The changes have been met with criticism from some politicians and union leaders.

While several proposed projects would see oil from the Alberta oil sands brought to the B.C. coast for export primarily to China, the legislation deals specifically with tanker traffic out of the Vancouver area.

“According to reports, Canada is poised to increase oil tanker traffic through the waters around the San Juan Islands and the Juan de Fuca by up to 300 per cent,” said a statement issued by Cantwell’s office.

“A supertanker oil spill near our shores would threaten Washington state’s thriving coastal economy and thousands of jobs,” the Democratic

senator said in the statement.

“This bill will provide crucial information for Washington coastal communities by requiring a detailed risk analysis....”

The Coast Guard will study the risk of transporting oil via supertanker, tanker and barge through the Salish Sea waterways, which encompasses U.S. and Canadian territorial waters between southern Vancouver Island and the mainland. It includes Juan de Fuca Strait, the Strait of Georgia, Haro and Rosario Straits and Puget Sound.

In order for ships to arrive at port in Vancouver, they usually sail through U.S. wa-

ters next to a national marine sanctuary.

The Coast Guard will examine which rules and regulations apply to oil tankers heading to B.C. ports, as well as analyze the toxicity of what is referred to in the legislation as “tar sands” oil — a derogatory moniker much opposed by the Canadian industry.

There are two major oil pipeline proposals currently on the table in British Columbia.

Calgary-based Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline would transport oil from the Edmonton area to a tanker port in Kitimat, on the north coast.

But the U.S. legislation appears to affect mainly Kinder Morgan’s proposal to expand the capacity of its existing oil pipeline from Alberta to the Vancouver area.

The $4.3-billion TransMountain project would more than double the capacity of the 1,100-kilometre pipeline, from 300,000 barrels a day to 750,000.

It would also allow the pipeline, which currently transports crude and refined oil from the Alberta oil sands, to transport diluted bitumen, a heavy oil critics say is more difficult to contain and cleanup in the event of a marine spill.

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A6 RED DEER ADVOCATE Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

Martin heralds chief as inspiration ONE OF PAUL MARTIN’S FINAL ACTS AS PRIME MINISTER WAS THE BROKERING OF THE KELOWNA ACCORD, A DEAL BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND FIRST NATIONS

ABORIGINAL PROTESTS

BY THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA — An aboriginal chief who has gone without solid food for close to a month in a bid to force renewed talks between First Nations and the federal government is an inspiration to all Canadians, says former prime minister Paul Martin.

Martin visited Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence at her camp on Ottawa’s Victoria Island on Saturday.

He told CTV’s Question Period Sunday that it was a good meeting.

“I just told her that she’d become really an inspiration for all Canadians and that we were obviously concerned about her health and that she’s got to talk care of herself,” Martin said.

One of Martin’s final acts as prime minister was the brokering of the Kelowna Accord, a deal between the government and First Nations that would have seen $5 billion in new spending over 10 years.

The money would have been used to improve education and health outcomes, as well as housing.

But Martin’s Liberal government fell and was replaced by the Conservatives under Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the accord was never implemented.

Resetting the treaty relationship was Spence’s goal when she began her self-pro-

claimed hunger strike on Dec. 11, giving up solid foods in favour of a liquids-only diet.

Spence was seeking a meeting between the prime minister, Governor General and First Nations leadership.

Her strike came as aboriginal activists also began a national protest movement called Idle No More in response to the Conservatives’ latest budget bill.

The Idle No More movement feels the bill threatens their treaty rights with the changes it makes to regulations surrounding waterways.

Without acknowledging Spence’s strike or the protest movement, Harper announced Friday that he will meet with First Nations leadership this week.

The talks will focus on two elements: the treaty relationship and economic development.

Those two are part of six broader themes that Harper and First Nations leaders agreed to work on following meetings last January.

A spokesman for Spence reiterated Sunday that she will remain on her strike at least until the meeting takes place, and possibly longer.

“We’re very cautious and she wants to wait based on the outcome of that meeting,” Danny Metatawabin told CTV. “We want positive results.”

Martin is the second former prime minister to meet with

Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS

Mara Pootlass of Nuxalk Nations in Bella Coola sings during an Idle No More protest at the Sails in Kelowna, B.C. on Saturday.

Spence. Former Tory prime minister Joe Clark went to see her at the end of December.

Meanwhile, Idle No More protests continued over the weekend with groups blocking rail lines and border crossing throughout the country.

A blockade of Via Rail lines near Kingston on Saturday held up trains on the Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto corridor, affecting about 1,000 people.

Via Rail said service would be back to normal on Sunday.

A protest at the Seaway International Bridge near Cornwall, Ont., prompted police to close the border crossing as a public safety precaution.

The usually busy crossing, which connects the southeastern Ontario city and Akwesasne, Ont., to Massena, N.Y., was closed for more than three hours on Saturday as demonstrators marched across the toll bridge.

Cornwall Sgt. Marc Bissonnette said police estimated

there were about 150 to 200 protesters participating in the action, which was peaceful.

A statement posted Friday on a website that’s become a hub for the movement said the protests would continue until the goals of indigenous sovereignty and social and environmental sustainability were met.

“Once we reach these goals, we will continue to work to protect them,” the statement said.

New $20 plastic bank notes still indigestible for many vending machines OTTAWA, Ont. — Thousands of vending machines still can’t digest those plastic $20 bank notes the government released two months ago, with machine owners blaming the Bank of Canada for their problems.

As many as half a million machines that scan bank notes needed reprogramming to accept the radically redesigned $20 bills, the most popular denomination in Canada.

Some 145 million polymer $20 notes have been put into circulation since Nov. 7, one of a series of new plastic notes intended to thwart counterfeiters and last much longer than their paper-cotton predecessors.

Kim Lockie has been converting his 1,200 machines in Fort McMurray, Alta., full-time for two months, but still has about 300 to go.

His unconverted machines, dispensing chips, candy, ice cream and even over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, are frustrating customers who can’t use their crisp, new bills.

“I would think less than half the machines in Canada would accept this bill right now,” says Lockie, the industry’s point man for the conversion project as an official of the Canadian Automatic Merchandising Association.

“As a small business, I am losing money.”

Lockie blames the Bank of Canada for failing to heed three years of warnings from owners that they needed a long lead time to recalibrate their vending machines before the official release of the new bills.

“The Bank of Canada didn’t really even talk to us in the last three years,” he said in an interview. “It seems like they have no desire to work with us. ...

Tough luck for our industry.”

Sabbir Kabir, a Toronto-based of-

ficial of the Canadian National Vending Alliance, says his members — representing the nine biggest vendingmachine operators — also report they were not given enough lead time to convert their scanners.

“The customer gets upset very easily and he’s not going to come back,” he said of the potential losses to the $5-billion-a-year industry.

The Bank of Canada rejects the criticisms, saying its officials have worked closely with the sector, providing vending-equipment manufacturers with sample bills months before the official release so they could create the right software.

“For the $20 note, these final notes were made available in May of 2012, fully six months before the notes were issued into circulation in November 2012,” said spokesman Jeremy Harrison.

“Eighty-five companies took advantage of the Bank’s offer, representing the vast majority of equipment manufacturers and suppliers to the Canadian market.”

Harrison notes the six-month lead time was twice as long as that provided for the previous series of newly designed bills, the so-called Journey notes released in 2004.

“In short, the bank has worked hard to help ensure that note-handling equipment is ready for the new notes,” he said.

Each vending machine or other device that processes bank notes — such as self-serve checkouts, parking-permit dispensers and even ATMs — can require up to 15 minutes of reprogramming administered on site by a technician using a laptop.

The labour-intensive process is costly, time-consuming and follows weeks or months of software development, testing and training by manufacturers

and service providers.

Lockie’s group had asked the Bank of Canada to release its new plastic $5 and $10 bills at the same time as the $20s to allow for a single recalibration visit to each machine. But the bank decided to issue the two lower denominations simultaneously later this

year, forcing vending-machine owners to plan another round of site visits in 2013, absorbing the costs.

Canada’s paper-cotton $20 notes remain in circulation alongside the polymer notes for now, and reprogrammed cash-handling machines are able to handle both kinds.

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BY THE CANADIAN PRESS

THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA — The head of the African Union is set to visit Ottawa this week.

Thomas Yayi Boni’s meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper could bring a request for Canadian troops to be involved in an international mission in Mali.

The United Nations Security Council backed a proposal in December to send an African-led force of 3,300 soldiers into the country.

But the resolution also called for broader international assistance.

A military coup last year created a power vacuum in Mali that’s led to the rise of armed groups linked to al-Qaida in the country’s northern region.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay said last week that Canada could be willing to send troops to help train African forces.

As the president of the African Union, Yayi

Boni was instrumental in convincing the United Nations that international intervention was needed.

And the African Union, along with a coalition of West African states, is now responsible for putting the resolution into action.

Mali, a landlocked country bordering on Algeria and Niger, has been one of the biggest recipients of Canada’s foreign aid.

Canadian special forces were active in the west African country for several training missions prior to the coup and before Islamic Maghreb — known as AQIM — overran much of the northern portion of the impoverished nation.

Yayi Boni is also the president of Benin.

“Benin is a democratic African partner that continues to make impressive progress in the areas of economic and institutional reform while promoting regional stability,” said Harper in a statement Sunday.

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» SEE MORE ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM SCOREBOARD ◆ B3 LOCAL SPORTS ◆ B4 Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

Greg Meachem, Sports Editor, 403-314-4363 Sports line 403-343-2244 Fax 403-341-6560 sports@reddeeradvocate.com

Rebels split weekend games SNAP FOUR-GAME LOSING STREAK WITH WIN OVER MOOSE JAW, LOSE ANOTHER TO KOOTENAY DOUG MARRONE

BY ADVOCATE STAFF

BILLS HIRE MARRONE Doug Marrone is leaving Syracuse to become the Buffalo Bills’ new coach. Citing league sources, ESPN. com first reported that Marrone was to take over the Bills. The Bills have not confirmed the report. Messages left with Syracuse officials and Marrone’s agent have not been returned. Marrone will replace Chan Gailey, who was fired Monday, a day after the Bills closed their second consecutive season with a 6-10 record. The 48-yearold Marrone went 25-25 in four seasons at Syracuse, turning around a program that had gone 26-57 over the previous seven years. The Syracuse job was Marrone’s first as a head coach.

He has seven years of NFL experience as an assistant with New Orleans and the New York Jets.

Monday

● Women’s basketball: Big Ballers vs.

Rampage, Hoosier Daddy vs. Spartans, 7:15 and 8:30 p.m., Lindsay Thurber; Funk vs. Triple Threat, Nikes vs. The Bank, 7:15 and 8:30 p.m., Central Alberta Christian; Shooting Stars vs.

Vertically Challenged, 7:45 p.m., Hunting Hills.

Tuesday

● Senior high basketball: Camrose at Hunting Hills, Notre Dame at Rocky Mountain House, Ponoka at Innisfail, Lindsay Thurber at Stettler, Lacombe at Wetaskiwin; girls at 6 p.m., boys to follow. ● Heritage junior B hockey: Airdrie at Blackfalds, 7:30 p.m. ● Midget AA hockey: Red Deer Pro Stitch at Red Deer Elks, 7:45 p.m., Kin City A.

Wednesday

● JV basketball: Lacombe at Lindsay Thurber, Ponoka at Notre Dame, Stettler at Camrose, Rocky Mountain House at Wetaskiwin; girls at 6 p.m., boys to follow. ● WHL: Red Deer at Swift Current, 6 p.m.

(The Drive).

Photo by ROB WALLATOR

Red Deer Rebel Brooks Maxwell battles for the puck with a Moose Jaw Warrior during a game at the Centrium on Saturday. The Rebels pulled out the 4-3 victory over Moose Jaw but lost a 3-2 decision to the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook, Sunday.

Ice 3 Rebels 2 CRANBROOK — One step forward, another step back.

Less than 24 hours after snapping a four-game Western Hockey League losing streak with a spirited effort and ensuing 4-3 win over the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors, the Red Deer Rebels were outplayed over the final 40 minutes Sunday in a 3-2 loss to the host Kootenay Ice. “We got off to a decent start in the first period and then things kind of went downhill a little bit,” said Rebels associate coach Jeff Truitt. “We didn’t compete as hard as we needed to to put us over the top. We needed better performances from everybody.

“It’s a collective thing and we have to make sure we’re on our toes for 60 minutes, not 20.”

After a scoreless first frame in which the Rebels outshot their hosts 12-11, Red Deer captain Turner Elson opened the scoring at 8:18 of the middle stanza, beating netminder Mackenzie Skapski with a screened, rising shot to the short side from just inside the Kootenay blueline. But the visitors were outshot 37-11 over the final 40 minutes while surrendering a second-period goal to Sam Reinhart and a pair of third-period markers to Erik Benoit.

Please see REBELS on Page B3

Usmanee loses an unpopular decision RED DEER BOXER HANDED FIRST LOSS AFTER QUESTIONABLE DECISION BY JUDGES

BY GREG MEACHEM ADVOCATE SPORTS EDITOR Arash Usmanee takes exception to the suggestion he lost a hometown decision Friday night in Miami.

“A hometown decision sounds like it was really close. A hometown decision sounds like it could have gone either way and then they gave it to the hometown guy,” the 30-year-old former Red Deer Boxing Club member said Sunday from Montreal, looking back at his highly controversial loss to Cuban junior lightweight Rances Barthelemy in the main event of an ESPN Friday Night Fights card.

“I just finished watching my fight again and it wasn’t even close to a hometown decision,” he continued. “It was a lopsided fight. I’m not a biased person. I watched it in my eyes and from a fan’s point of view, and either way there’s no way I lost that fight.”

While Barthelemy appeared to control the early rounds with his height and reach, Usmanee made the necessary adjustments in the fourth and controlled the fifth and sixth rounds, then outlanded his opponent in a big way through the seventh and eighth frames.

Usmanee, who moved to Red Deer from Afghanistan as a 12-year-old, learned his trade with the Red Deer Boxing Club and became a star with the Canadian amateur team, suffered a pair of head butts in Friday’s bout and might have lost the 10th round as a result.

But he came on strong in the 11th and absolutely dominated the 12th and final round, battering the Miami resident around the ring. Usmanee was a 117-111 winner on the card of Friday Night Fights commentator Teddy Atlas, but the three ringside judges scored it 115-113, 116-13, 116-113 for Barthelemy, who seemed shocked and then pleasantly surprised that he was the offi-

Contributed photo

Rances Barthelemy takes a punch from Red Deer’s Arash Usmanee during their fight in Miami on Saturday. Usmanee lost the match after a controversial decision that left many questioning the judges scorecards. cial winner.

Atlas, in particular, was incensed with the decision. Friday Night Fights host Joe Tessitore was also upset with the ruling.

“Something just doesn’t smell right here,” Tessitore suggested to Atlas.

“The smell has been around a long time, it didn’t just show up,” Atlas responded.

“The sport is a corrupt sport, it is. There’s no answer for it other than corruption or incompetence and nobody can be that incompetent that consistently. It has to speak to something a lot worse than just being dumb, and it speaks to dishonesty.

Please see LOSS on Page B3

NHL players prepare for return to the ice

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

GIVE US A CALL The Advocate invites its readers to help cover the sporting news in Central Alberta. We would like to hear from you if you see something worthy of coverage. And we would appreciate hearing from you if you see something inaccurate in our pages.

We strive for complete, accurate coverage of Central Alberta and are happy to correct any errors we may commit.

Call 403-343-2244 with information and results, or email to sports@ reddeeradvocate.com.

PHILADELPHIA — Flyers All-Star Claude Giroux received the wakeup call he waited to hear for 113 days.

Locked out for months, the NHL was indeed ready to drop the puck.

“It’s a beautiful day for Hockey,” he posted Sunday on Twitter.

Call the overseas players and tell them to come on home to New Jersey and Pennsylvania and other states where the NHL only existed in the form of messy labour updates. The NHL and the players’ association agreed on a tentative pact to end the lockout and save what is left of a fractured schedule.

Let the training camps begin.

“I’m ready to play,” Flyers veteran defenceman Kimmo Timonen said. “We’re just waiting for the season to get started. It’s been a long four months.”

But, finally, fans can stop thinking about board rooms and talking heads dressed in suits.

Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS

A sculpture outside the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Sunday.

The NHL and NHLPA have reached a tentative agreement allowing for the commencement of play.

Rather, it’s time to get ready for Sid the Kid. It’s time for the Los Angeles Kings to go defend the Stanley Cup. It’s time to watch your team play, oh, about four times per week.

Sure, the Winter Classic was

wiped out. The All-Star game went bust.

But at 48 or 50 games, it’s still hockey at the highest level.

One of the questions that arises now, of course, and after any sort of stoppage for that

matter, is will the fans come back? This is the third labour dispute in Commissioner Gary Bettman’s tenure, and though the fans returned in the past, the jury is out this time.

NHL fan Steve Chase started the grass roots “Just Drop It” campaign that encouraged fans to skip one NHL game for every game cancelled after Dec. 21st.

He asked fans to pledge they would not spend a penny or a minute of their time on tickets, TV, merchandise, all things NHL. Nearly 21,000 fans had clicked the “like” button on the group’s Facebook page by Sunday afternoon. And Chase, who lives in Los Angeles, wrote on the site he would stay true to his commitment.

“AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW: Games cancelled from Dec 21 to Jan 14th average out to 10 per team,” he wrote. “They took 10 from us, we’ll take 10 from them. No tickets, no TV, no merchandise.”

Please see NHL on Page B3

B2 RED DEER ADVOCATE Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

Seahawks take battle of rookie QBs NFL PLAYOFFS

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch tumbles in the end zone for a touchdown during the NFL wild card playoff game against the Washington Redskins in Landover, Md., Sunday. The Seahawks defeated the Redskins 24-14. nounced he would not return. After a few minutes, Griffin walked back to the sideline and watched the end of the game. The extent of the injury was not immediately known.

Griffin was playing in his third game since spraining his right knee about a month ago against the Baltimore Ravens, and he had been looking gimpy since tumbling backward following an ill-advised sidearm throw in the first quarter.

Nevertheless, he stayed in the game.

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said he didn’t pull Griffin because the quarterback wanted to continue.

“I think I did put myself at more risk,” Griffin said. “But every time you get on the field, you’re putting yourself on the line.”

Griffin was scheduled for an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.

Having recovered the fumble, the Seahawks kicked a short field goal to give them the insurance they needed.

Fellow rookie Kirk Cousins, subbing for Griffin, was unable to rally the Redskins in the final minutes.

Griffin, the No. 2 overall pick and last year’s Heisman Trophy winner who set several rookie quarterback record this year, finished 10 for 19 for 84 yards with two touchdowns and one in-

Ravens play inspired football in win over Colts THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Ravens 24 Colts 9 BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Ravens wanted one long final ride for Ray Lewis.

They also wanted Denver. They got it.

Having disposed of Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts, they now face a far more imposing challenge — Peyton Manning and the streaking Broncos.

Anquan Boldin set a franchise record with 145 yards receiving, including the clinching touchdown in the Ravens’ 24-9 victory Sunday over the Colts in an AFC wild-card game. The win delays star linebacker Lewis’ retirement for at least another week as Baltimore (11-6) heads to top-seeded Denver (13-3) next Saturday.

The Broncos beat the Ravens 34-17 three weeks ago.

“I wanted Denver,” Boldin said, “because they beat us.

“We’ll make it different.”

And he wanted the Broncos because it prolongs the Ravens’ pursuit of their first NFL title since the 2000 season, when Lewis won the first of two Defensive Player of the Year awards.

“I came to Baltimore to win a championship,” Boldin added. “We all did.”

Lewis, who made 13 tackles Sunday, ended his last home game in Baltimore at fullback, of all things, for the final kneel-down. He then went into a short version of his trademark dance before being mobbed by teammates.

He followed with a victory lap, his right arm, covered by a brace, held high in salute to the fans after playing for the first time since tearing his right triceps on Oct. 14 against Dallas.

“My only focus was to come in and get my team a win. Nothing else was planned,” the 37-yearold Lewis said. “It’s one of those things, when you recap it all and try to say what is one of your greatest moments.

“I knew how it started but I never knew how it would end here in Baltimore. To go the way it did today, I wouldn’t change nothing.”

He would like nothing more than to change past results against Manning, who was 2-0 in the postseason against Baltimore while with the Colts.

“It’s on to the next one,” the 17-year veteran said. “We saw them earlier in the year and now we get them back again, but with all of our guns back.”

The loss ended the Colts’ turnaround season in which they went from 2-14 to the playoffs in coach Chuck Pagano’s first year in Indianapolis (11-6). Pagano missed 12 weeks while undergoing treatment for leukemia and returned last week.

He was upbeat following the defeat to the team he served as an assistant coach for four years.

“The foundation is set, and we said we were going to build one on rock and not on sand,” Pagano said. “You weather storms like this and you learn from times like this.”

Offensive co-ordinator Bruce Arians, who went 9-3 as interim coach, was absent Sunday after being hospitalized with an undisclosed illness.

Pagano said Arians “is fine” and would stay overnight for observation before rejoining the Colts on Monday.

Quarterback coach Clyde Christensen called the plays, but Baltimore’s suddenly revitalized defence — inspired

by Lewis’ pending retirement, no doubt — never let standout rookie QB

Luck get comfortable.

“It’s great making the playoffs, but you can’t make mistakes and expect to beat a playoff team like we did,” said Luck, who was sacked three times, Paul Kruger getting 2 ½ of those.

“We’ll have to look back at those and hopefully fix them.”

Sunday’s victory enhanced the Ravens’ success rate in opening playoff games. Flacco now has won at least one post-season game in all five of his pro seasons, the only quarterback to do it in the Super Bowl era.

His main target Sunday was Boldin, who had receptions of 50 and 46 yards, plus his 18-yard TD on a floater from Flacco in the corner of the end zone with 9:14 to go.

“I told (Flacco) before the game I was going to get 200 yards,” Boldin said with a chuckle.

“It’s huge for us. It’s huge for this city, they’ve supported us this entire year and they expect a lot from us. In return, we want to give it to them.”

Baltimore overcame the first two lost fumbles of the season by Ray Rice, too, as John Harbaugh became the only head coach in the Super Bowl era with wins in his first five playoff campaigns.

Backup halfback Bernard Pierce rescued Rice with a 43-yard burst that led to Boldin’s touchdown, and ran for 103 yards.

Flacco also connected with Dennis Pitta for a 20-yard TD and rookie Justin Tucker made a 23-yard field goal.

Indy’s only points came on three field goals

by Adam Vinatieri, from 47, 52 and 26 yards.

Luck completed 28 of 54 passes for 288 yards.

It was the most attempts by a rookie in a playoff game.

terception. He also had five carries for 21 yards, including a labouring 9-yard run that made him look 32 years old instead of 22.

The loss ended a seven-game winning streak for the Redskins, who recovered from a 3-6 start to win the NFC East.

The Redskins opened the game threatening to make a mockery of the NFL’s top scoring defence. Simple toss-to-the-right stretch plays netted 8, 9 and 18 yards for Alfred Morris in an 80-yard drive, and tight end Logan Paulsen barrelled into linebacker Malcolm Smith after a catch to highlight a 54-yard drive.

Both possessions ended with 4-yard touchdown passes: one to Evan Royster for his first NFL TD catch and the other to Paulsen. The Redskins led 14-0 in the first quarter against a team that allowed a season-low 15.3 per game in the regular season, but Griffin had tweaked the knee on that second drive.

The Seahawks responded by getting Lynch involved more and scoring on three consecutive drives to pulled within a point at halftime. Steven Hauschka, who injured his left ankle during the first half and had to relinquish kickoff duties, nevertheless sandwiched field goals of 32 and 29

yards around a 4-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Michael Robinson.

The Seahawks were poised to take the lead on the opening drive of the second half, moving the ball to 1-yard line with a pair of nice runs by Lynch and a leaping catch by Golden Tate.

But Lynch fumbled on second-andgoal from the 1, the ball popped loose and was recovered by defensive lineman Jarvis Jenkins. Then, on their next drive, the Seahawks drove to Washington’s 28 before a sack forced a punt — rather than a long field goal attempt by an injured kicker.

With the Redskins’ offence struggling, however, the Seahawks had more chances to take the lead — and finally did on the 79-yard drive capped by Lynch’s touchdown run.

The playoff meeting between the two teams was the third, but first outside Seattle. The Seahawks won 20-10 in January 2006, and 35-14 in January 2008. Those were the last two post-season games played by the Redskins.

Seattle had outscored opponents 193-60 in its final five games of the regular season. But they were 3-5 on the road and had lost eight straight road playoff games. Their only road playoff win came in their first post-season road game, Dec. 31, 1983, at Miami.

Texans, Packers get wins to move on THE ASSOCIATED PRESS More rematches ahead.

After Green Bay routed Minnesota 24-10 Saturday night, it set up a trip to San Francisco. The 49ers beat the Packers at Lambeau Field to open the season.

The Packers didn’t let 2,000-yard rusher Adrian Peterson run over them again. Indeed, Packers fullback John Kuhn had a bigger impact with two touchdowns.

And the Houston Texans are heading back to New England, where their season began to unravel. A 19-13 win over Cincinnati on Saturday in the wild-card round means the Texans have a date next Sunday in Foxborough. Arian Foster, the catalyst in the victory against the Bengals, isn’t fazed by facing the AFC East champions, who routed Houston 42-14 last month.

Houston (13-4) lost three of its last four games to blow home-field advantage in the conference, slipping to third overall. New England (12-4) is a 9 ½-point favourite.

“I’m not a big believer in momentum,” Foster said. “Every Sunday you have to come out and bring your best or you can get beat on any day.”

Adrian Peterson and the Vikings didn’t bring their best to Green Bay. One week after Peterson rushed for 199 yards to lift Minnesota into the playoffs, the 2,000-yard runner was held to 99. And Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder was sidelined by an elbow injury; backup Joe Webb couldn’t manufacture much offence.

While Houston heads to Foxborough next weekend, AFC West winner Denver (13-3) will host Baltimore next Saturday. NFC South champ Atlanta (13-3) gets the Seahawks next Sunday.

Packers 24, Vikings 10 Ten receivers caught passes from Aaron Rodgers, tying a playoff record, with Kuhn scoring on a 9-yarder. DeJuan Harris also had a 9-yard TD run, and Green Bay kept Peterson in check.

It was a turnaround from what the star running back did in his last trip to Lambeau, when he rushed for 210 yards. It was Rodgers’ first home playoff victory.

Minnesota’s late touchdown was a 50-yard pass to Michael Jenkins.

Next, the Packers get the Niners (114-1), who won 30-22 at Lambeau to start the season. San Francisco is a 3-point favourite.

“They’re different as well,” Rodgers said. “They’re a great defence. Very talented offence as well. It’s going to be a very tough challenge for us.”

Texans 19, Bengals 13 Foster gained 140 yards, becoming the first player with at least 100 yards rushing in his first three post-season games. He scored on a 1-yard run and also had eight receptions.

“It only takes one week to turn things around in the NFL and we did that,” said Foster, whose team lost to Minnesota and Indianapolis to slip to the AFC’s third seed.

Cincinnati (10-7) gained only 198 yards and had 12 first downs. Its touchdown came on Leon Hall’s interception return.

“It’s hard to put it into words,” Hall said. “It’s disappointing. I mean, we had a good year, but it didn’t end how we wanted it to and how we planned it to. At the end of the day, they made the plays that won the game for them.”

With a second straight wild-card loss in Houston, the Bengals extended one of the NFL’s longest playoff droughts.

They haven’t won a post-season game since the 1990 season.

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Seahawks 24 Redskins 14 LANDOVER, Md. — Russell Wilson raced ahead to throw the final block on Marshawn Lynch’s go-ahead touchdown run, and the Seattle Seahawks finally had a victorious road show.

Robert Griffin III’s knee buckled as he tried to field a bad shotgun snap, leaving the Washington Redskins an off-season to worry about their franchise player’s health.

The last rookie quarterback standing in the NFL playoffs is Wilson — the third-round pick who teamed with Lynch on Sunday to lead the Seahawks to a 24-14 victory over the Griffin and the Redskins.

Lynch ran for 131 yards, and Wilson completed 15 of 26 passes for 187 yards and ran eight times for 67 yards for the Seahawks, who overcame a 14-0 firstquarter hole — their biggest deficit of the season — and will visit the topseeded Atlanta Falcons next Sunday.

“It was only two touchdowns, but it’s still a big comeback and in this setting and the crowd, it’s a marvelous statement about the guys resolve and what is going on,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “It’s not about how you start but how you finish.”

Seattle will be riding a six-game winning streak, having left behind any doubts that the team can hold its own outside the Pacific Northwest. The Seahawks were 3-5 on the road in the regular season and had lost eight straight road playoff games, the last win coming in December 1983 against the Miami Dolphins.

The day began with three rookie quarterbacks in the playoffs, but No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck was eliminated when the Indianapolis Colts lost 24-9 to the Baltimore Ravens earlier in the day.

Lynch’s change-of-direction, 27-yard touchdown run — with Wilson leading the way with a block on safety Madieu Williams near the goal line — and a 2-point conversion gave the Seahawks a 21-14 lead with 7:08 remaining.

“Marhsawn always tells me, ’Russ, I got your back, no matter what,”’ Wilson said. “So I just try to help him out every cone in a while when he gets downfield.”

Then came the play that essentially put the outcome to rest.

On the second play of the Redskins’ next possession, Griffin’s heavily braced right knee buckled badly as he tried to field a bad shotgun snap on a second-and-22 at Washington’s 12-yard line. He lay on the ground, unable to recover the ball as the Seahawks pounced on it.

Griffin walked off the field under his own power, but the Redskins an-

B3

SCOREBOARD

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Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

Hockey

Edmonton Calgary Red Deer Lethbridge Medicine Hat Kootenay

Central Division GP W L OTLSOL 40 27 8 2 3 41 27 10 1 3 44 23 17 2 2 44 20 18 1 5 41 18 20 2 1 40 15 24 1 0

GF 148 140 125 138 138 101

WESTERN CONFERENCE B.C. Division GP W L OTLSOL GF Kamloops 42 28 10 2 2 155 Kelowna 41 29 10 1 1 176 Victoria 38 20 15 1 2 115 Prince George 39 12 22 1 4 101 Vancouver 41 11 30 0 0 113

Lethbridge 4 Moose Jaw 1 Regina 3 Brandon 1

Attendance — 5,137 at Red Deer, Alta.

Adirondack

Sunday summary GA 125 136 121 151 139 177

Pt 51 43 41 40 35 32

GA 94 106 133 132 148 135

Pt 59 58 50 46 39 31

GA 113 102 122 145 170

Monday’s games No Games Scheduled.

Tuesday’s games Calgary at Brandon, 6 p.m.

Vancouver at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.

Edmonton at Kootenay, 7 p.m.

Prince George at Portland, 8 p.m.

Spokane at Seattle, 8:05 p.m.

Wednesday’s games Calgary at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.

Regina at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.

Red Deer at Swift Current, 7 p.m.

Vancouver at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

Tri-City at Kamloops, 8 p.m.

Prince George at Portland, 8 p.m.

Victoria at Kelowna, 8:05 p.m.

Seattle at Spokane, 8:05 p.m.

Pt 60 60 43 29 22

U.S. Division GP W L OTLSOL GF GA Pt Portland 39 33 5 1 0 177 85 67 Spokane 39 25 13 1 0 154 119 51 Tri-City 40 22 15 1 2 122 114 47 Seattle 40 16 21 2 1 121 156 35 Everett 42 16 24 0 2 103 148 34 Note: Two points for a team winning in overtime or shootout; the team losing in overtime or shootout receives one which is registered in the OTL or SOL columns.

Saturday’s results Edmonton 5 Vancouver 0 Medicine Hat 4 Brandon 2 Red Deer 4 Moose Jaw 3 Regina 5 Prince Albert 2 Swift Current 3 Lethbridge 2 (SO) Kelowna 8 Prince George 4 Portland 5 Everett 3 Spokane 5 Seattle 2 Victoria 5 Tri-City 2 Sunday’s results Calgary 5 Vancouver 4 Kootenay 3 Red Deer 2

Thursday’s games No Games Scheduled.

Saturday summary Rebels 4, Warriors 3 First Period 1. Red Deer, Elson 13 (Volek, Dieno) 12:58 (pp) Penalties — Doucette MJ (holding) 5:58, Feser RD (tripping) 8:09, Morse MJ (holding) 12:19, Underwood RD (hooking) 19:58.

Second Period 2. Moose Jaw, Eberle 9 (Fioretti) 2:54 3. Red Deer, Ness 11, 4:52 Penalties — McCarthy MJ (hooking) 13:49, Fioretti MJ (tripping) 18:02.

Third Period 4. Moose Jaw, Kirsch 13 (Eberle, Fioretti) 6:55 (pp) 5. Red Deer, Volek 3 (Maxwell, Millette) 8:16 6. Moose Jaw, Messier 6 (Hansen, McFaull) 17:53 (pp) 7. Red Deer, Dumba 10, 18:23 (sh) Penalties — Doetzel RD (holding) 1:14, Volek RD (delay of game) 6:40, Elson RD (roughing) 17:13, Fafard RD (delay of game) 18:05.

Shots on goal Moose Jaw 9 7 14 — 30 Red Deer 10 9 14 — 33 Goal — Moose Jaw: Paulic (L,10-10-5); Red Deer: Naherniak (W,1-1-0).

Power plays (goals-chances) — Moose Jaw: 2-6; Red Deer: 1-4.

Football NFL Playoffs Wild-card Playoffs Saturday, Jan. 5 Houston 19, Cincinnati 13 Green Bay 24, Minnesota 10 Sunday, Jan. 6 Baltimore 24, Indianapolis 9 Seattle 24, Washington 14 Divisional Playoffs Saturday, Jan. 12 Baltimore at Denver, 2:30 p.m. (CBS) Green Bay at San Francisco, 6 p.m. (FOX) Sunday, Jan. 13 Seattle at Atlanta, 11 a.m. (FOX) Houston at New England, 2:30 p.m. (CBS) Conference Championships

Ice 3, Rebels 2 First Period No Scoring.

Penalties — Thomas Ktn (holding) 3:14, Reinhart Ktn (hooking) 7:13, Underwood RD (crosschecking), Martin Ktn (slashing) 12:27, Ness RD (boarding) 12:50.

Second Period 1. Red Deer, Elson 14 (Fleury) 8:18 2. Kootenay, Reinhart 16 (Descheneau, Leach) 19:59 (pp) Penalties — Volek RD (cross-checking) 14:49, Dumba RD (hooking) 18:18.

Third Period 3. Kootenay, Benoit 7 (Cable) 10:44 4. Kootenay, Benoit 8 (Philp, Leach) 14:14 5. Red Deer, Bellerive 9 (Feser) 16:32 Penalties — None.

Shots on goal Red Deer 12 5 6 — 23 Kootenay 11 21 16 — 48 Goal — Red Deer: Pouliot (L,5-8-2); Kootenay: Skapski (W,15-16-0).

Power plays (goals-chances) — Red Deer: 0-3; Kootenay: 1-4.

Attendance — 2,094 at Cranbrook, B.C. American Hockey League EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA Portland 34 20 12 1 1 42 100 99 Worcester 33 18 12 1 2 39 88 93 Providence 32 17 13 0 2 36 79 88 Manchester 35 16 15 2 2 36 94 92 St. John’s 36 15 19 1 1 32 86 105

Syracuse Binghamton Hershey Wilkes-Barre Norfolk

GP 34 32 34 34 33

East Division W L OL SL 22 7 2 3 21 8 1 2 16 16 1 1 15 16 2 1 14 17 2 0

Northeast Division GP W L OL SL Springfield 33 19 9 2 3 Bridgeport 34 17 14 1 2 Albany 31 13 11 1 6 Connecticut 35 15 17 3 0

33

14

17

1

1 30 79

96

WESTERN CONFERENCE Midwest Division GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA Grand Rapids 33 20 10 1 2 43 103 88 Milwaukee 34 17 13 2 2 38 92 97 Rockford 35 17 16 1 1 36 106 105 Chicago 32 15 12 3 2 35 86 92 Peoria 35 14 17 2 2 32 81 112

Toronto Abbotsford Lake Erie Rochester Hamilton

GP 33 34 36 33 34

North Division W L OL SL 21 9 1 2 17 10 3 4 18 15 2 1 17 13 2 1 12 18 1 3

Pts GF 45 115 41 80 39 111 37 111 28 74

GA 83 74 114 104 109

South Division GP W L OL SL Pts GF GA Charlotte 36 20 11 2 3 45 109 94 Texas 35 19 11 3 2 43 92 92 Houston 35 18 11 3 3 42 104 97 Oklahoma City 35 18 13 1 3 40 115 108 San Antonio 37 15 18 0 4 34 94 104 NOTE: Two points are awarded for a win, one point for an overtime or shootout loss.

Sunday’s Games Charlotte 3, Norfolk 1 Connecticut 2, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 0 Springfield 4, Providence 1 Milwaukee 3, Grand Rapids 2, SO Albany 5, Binghamton 2 San Antonio 5, Peoria 2 Chicago 6, Oklahoma City 3 Worcester 2, Hershey 1 Texas 4, Houston 3, OT

Pts GF GA 43 109 79 37 106 106 33 78 80 33 95 109

4 4 4

1 1 0

0 1 0

3 0 0

0 16 14 2 15 15 4 6 21

6 5 0

Group B GP WOTWOTL L GF GA Pt Canada 4 4 0 0 0 21 8 12 Russia 4 2 1 0 1 13 7 8 U.S. 4 2 0 0 2 19 7 6 Slovakia 4 0 1 1 2 10 19 3 Germany 4 0 0 1 3 4 26 1 Note: Three points awarded for a regulation win, two for an overtime/shootout win and one for an overtime/shootout loss, which is registered in the respective OTW or OTL columns.

CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET Saturday’s results Bronze Medal Russia 6 Canada 5 (OT) Gold Medal U.S. 3 Sweden 1 RELEGATION BRACKET GP WOTWOTL L GF GA Pt x-Finland 3 3 0 0 0 24 5 9 x-Slovakia 3 1 1 0 1 11 15 5 x-Germany 3 1 0 1 1 6 12 4 Latvia 3 0 0 0 3 6 15 0 x — Qualified for 2014 World Jr. Championship.

Note: lowest-ranked team to be relegated to Division One; three points awarded for a regulation win, two for an overtime/shootout win and one for an overtime/shootout loss, which is registered in the respective OTW or OTL columns.

Awards UFA, Russia — Individual awards at the 2013 world junior hockey championship in Ufa, Russia (most valuable player and all-star team voted on by media): Most Valuable Player — John Gibson, G, U.S.

Monday’s Games No games scheduled Pts GF GA 49 122 91 45 104 80 34 87 85 33 83 90 30 83 100

Switzerland Finland Latvia

Tuesday’s Games Hershey at Bridgeport, 7 p.m.

Worcester at Portland, 7 p.m.

Toronto at Hamilton, 7:30 p.m.

2013 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP At Ufa, Russia PRELIMINARY ROUND Group A GP WOTWOTL L GF GA Pt Sweden 4 3 1 0 0 19 8 11 Czech Republic 4 2 1 0 1 12 10 8

All-Star Team Goaltender — John Gibson, U.S Defencemen — Jake McCabe, U.S.; Jacob Trouba, U.S. Forwards — Filip Forsberg, Sweden; John Gaudreau, U.S.; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Canada.

IIHF Directorate Awards Top Goaltender — John Gibson, U.S. Top Defenceman — Jacob Trouba, U.S. Top Forward — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Canada

Basketball Sunday, Jan. 20 AFC, TBA (CBS) NFC, TBA (FOX) Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 3 At New Orleans

National Basketball Association EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division W L Pct GB New York 23 10 .697 — Brooklyn 19 15 .559 4 1/2 Boston 16 17 .485 7 Philadelphia 15 20 .429 9 Toronto 12 22 .353 11 1/2

AFC champion vs. NFC champion, 4 p.m. (CBS) College football bowl games Monday, Jan. 7 BCS Championship At Miami

Miami Atlanta Orlando Charlotte Washington

Notre Dame (12-0) vs. Alabama (12-1), 6:30 p.m.

STORIES FROM B1

REBELS: Too late Matt Bellerive potted his ninth of the season for the Rebels with 3:28 remaining, but it was too little, too late.

On a positive note, Bolton Pouliot turned in a solid 45-save peformance for the Rebels after a weak outing two nights earlier in a 5-4 shootout loss to visiting Vancouver.

“He played well for us tonight, he gave us a chance,” said Truitt. “It was good that he was able to respond in that manner and come up with some big saves when we needed him to.”

Skapski turned aside 21 shots for the Ice. Rookie netminder Grant Naherniak, who will likely be returned to the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals this week when Rebels No. 1 netminder Patrik Bartosak rejoins the club from the world junior hockey championship, posted his first-ever WHL win Saturday at the Centrium.

“It felt pretty good. I thought I got the monkey off my back finally,” said the 16-year-old, who finished with 27 saves. “I bounced back from one rough day in my (first WHL) start. I really think I picked it up today to get the win.”

Down 3-2, the Warriors pulled even when Jordan Messier scored from a scramble at 17:53 of the third period with Elson serving a questionable roughing penalty. And when defenceman Devan Faford was nailed with a delay-of-game infraction at 18:05, the situation looked bleak for Red Deer.

However, defenceman Mathew Dumba took matters into his own hands while killing the penalty, carrying the puck into the Moose Jaw zone, creating a turnover and beating netminder Justin Paulic to the top corner with a highlight-reel shot.

“I had faith in the guys that they’d kill it off,” said Naherniak, when asked if he was worried when the Rebels were dealt the two late penalties.

“They did a good job and Matty scored there at the end of the game. The guys also blocked a lot of shots which really helped me out.”

And when the final buzzer sounded, just seconds after Naherniak held his ground with a couple of saves amid Moose Jaw pressure . . .

“I felt like I’d won the lottery,” he said. “I had the biggest smile on my face and I was full of excitement.”

“We battled hard and it was great to see Grant play as well as he did tonight,” said Rebels GM/head coach Brent Sutter. “It was an exceptional game on his part. He made some big saves for us at key times.

“It was a pretty even, intense game and the last five minutes was a long five minutes with the minor penalties.

The short-handed goal was a great individual effort on Matty’s part.”

Elson, Tyson Ness and Dominik Volek notched earlier goals for Red Deer. Tanner Eberle and Justin Kirsch also scored for Moose Jaw, while Paulic made 29 saves.

“That was probably the most complete game we’ve played since Christmas,” said Sutter. “It’s been a battle to get back on track.” ● Forward Conner Bleackley and defenceman Haydn Fleury, who assisted on Elson’s goal, were back in the

Southeast Division W L Pct 23 9 .719 20 12 .625 12 21 .364 9 24 .273 4 28 .125 Central Division

Rebels lineup Sunday after playing in the World Under 17 Challenge.

Bartosak is expected to rejoin the club for Wednesday’s game in Swift Current, the first of three stops on a brief trip into Saskatchewan. ● Truitt was unsure of whether Dumba will attend the Minnesota Wild training camp this week.

“I’m sure Brent will be contacting Minnesota in the next day or two,” he said. gmeachem@reddeeradvocate.com

LOSS: Dishonest “This is a dishonest sport. It needs a federal commission. I’ve been yelling about it for years. All the other sports have police . . . have something in place to overlook the sport, to keep the integrity, keep the honesty, protect the athletes and make sure the fans get the best product. This sport does not have it. It needs it, it needs it desperately,” Atlas added.

Usmanee felt that he took over in the second round and won “pretty much every round after that.”

“The only round I would give to him after that is the 10th and that’s because he head-butted me again,” said Usmanee. “Even then I was winning two minutes of the round. The last minute he was kind of doing a little better than me.”

Usmanee appreciated Atlas’ support and was overwhelmed by the number of well-wishers who left messages on his cell phone.

“Teddy loves me and I’ve made many millions of friends. Not hundreds or thousands, but millions,” said Usmanee. “In a negative way that’s a very big positive, that so many people look at me in positive way.

“I left my phone on roaming and it was going nuts. All my accounts were going crazy.”

Barthelemy, 26, improved to 18-0 with the unpopular decision, while Usmanee suffered his first loss after winning his first 20 bouts.

The setback doesn’t appear to have hurt him financially, however.

“The next day (Saturday) we got a huge offer, bigger than that fight,” he said. “It’s big from a business point of view, but as a person, as a boxer, having to take my first defeat was devastating, especially in that fashion. I’m not a sore loser, but he (Barthelemy) knows and I know that he didn’t win that fight. Me, him and God know that I won.”

Usmanee didn’t disclose when he’ll fight again. Regardless, it won’t be any time soon.

“I need to take some time off mentally and physically,” he said. “I’ll be coming back home to visit my family and reset my time.

“I’m disappointed, but I’m not down and I’m not done. This is only the beginning and many doors have opened.

We’re going to keep busting through them to the world title and beyond.” gmeachem@reddeeradvocate.com

NHL: Getting killed Chase said there was growing sentiment among his friends to skip the entire season. He said the league and players didn’t think enough about the part-time employees and local busi-

GB — 3 11 1/2 14 1/2 19

Indiana Chicago Milwaukee Detroit Cleveland

W 20 18 16 13 8

L 14 13 16 23 27

Pct .588 .581 .500 .361 .229

GB — 1/2 3 8 12 1/2

WESTERN CONFERENCE Southwest Division W L Pct GB San Antonio 27 9 .750 — Memphis 21 10 .677 3 1/2 Houston 20 14 .588 6 Dallas 13 21 .382 13 New Orleans 8 25 .242 17 1/2

Oklahoma City

Northwest Division W L Pct 26 7 .788

nesses who needed the sport to help survive the winter months.

“Look at all the bars around the rinks and all the shops that sold jerseys. They’re all getting killed,” he said by phone. “We kept promoting, go to those bars and buy pizza. Keep them going. When hockey comes back, you’re going to want somewhere to go.”

At downtown Detroit’s Rub BBQ Pub, manager Chris Eid said he was “ecstatic” when he heard the news Sunday morning. And the settlement and the promise of a return to NHL action was a big topic of conversation among his afternoon customers, he said.

“Everyone misses hockey,” Eid said.

“And now we’re getting it back.”

Many of the NHL players can understand the chilly reception from the fans.

“To the fans that won’t come back, I can understand,” Phoenix Coyotes forward Paul Bissonnette wrote on Twitter. “To the ones that will, thank you for your patience. Welcome back NHL hockey.”

Amid the realization they’ll have to repair the damaged relationship with the die-hards, Flyers chairman Ed Snider told The Associated Press he hoped the fans returned to support the league.

“I’m hoping that our fans understand this was something that had to be done for the strength of the league, for the strength of the Players Association,” Snider said by phone. “I hope they don’t hold it against us and just come out and see some great hockey. If I had to guess, I think we’re going to be in great shape.”

The Nashville Predators encouraged fans to wear team colours on Monday in a show of solidarity. Tennessee Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck tweeted, “Welcome back!” at a trio of Predators.

It won’t be a rosy return for every player. The New Jersey Devils have four players still overseas, includ-

GB —

Denver Portland Minnesota Utah

L.A. Clippers Golden State L.A. Lakers Sacramento Phoenix

20 18 15 17

16 15 15 18

.556 .545 .500 .486

7 1/2 8 9 1/2 10

Pacific Division W L Pct 27 8 .771 22 11 .667 15 18 .455 13 21 .382 12 23 .343

GB — 4 11 13 1/2 15

Sunday’s Games Oklahoma City 104, Toronto 92 Miami 99, Washington 71 Charlotte 108, Detroit 101, OT Memphis 92, Phoenix 81 Denver 112, L.A. Lakers 105

ing star forward Ilya Kovalchuk, who could well become the team’s captain now that forward Zach Parise is in Minnesota. Giroux (neck) and his Flyers teammate, forward Danny Briere (wrist), were injured in their European stints. Giroux is expected to be ready for training camp. Briere’s status is unknown.

The players have been locked out since Sept. 16, the day after the previous agreement expired. That deal came after an extended lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 season.

Coyotes captain Shane Doan said the players agreed to the best deal it could thanks to union executive director Donald Fehr.

“From being in the room quite a bit, there was a sense this was the best deal available,” he said in New York.

“It’s always tough because we’re all fans of the game and we wish we didn’t have to go through this. But we did, and we’re on the other side now.”

All games through Jan. 14 had already been cancelled, claiming more than 50 per cent of the original schedule. Teams will hold a brief training camp, maybe a week, before starting at least a 48-game season.

“Training camp, usually you do three days then you start exhibition games,” Flyers forward Max Talbot said. “I believe it’s enough. Sometimes training camp is too long. It’s nice to get in the action. Forty-eight games in a little bit of time ... I think it would be exciting.”

The Flyers, Bruins and the Sidney Crosby-led Penguins were among the teams that worked out on their own, some paying for ice time at their team’s own practice rinks.

Bruins captain Zdeno Chara was set to return to North America this week after playing for Prague Lev of the KHL. The Russian league was a popular landing spot for locked-out players, who decided the structure — and payday — was worth the risk of injury as they waited out the dispute.

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WHL EASTERN CONFERENCE East Division GP W L OTLSOL GF Prince Albert 41 24 14 0 3 142 Saskatoon 40 21 18 0 1 140 Swift Current 43 18 20 3 2 125 Regina 43 18 21 2 2 116 Moose Jaw 42 14 21 3 4 103 Brandon 42 14 24 2 2 118

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Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

Rebels Black having success as a team

BY DANNY RODE ADVOCATE STAFF

MADDISON PEARMAN

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Ponoka’s Maddison Pearman turned in an outstanding effort at the Canada Cup No. 2 long track speed skating meet in Calgary during the weekend.

She won the women’s 500-metres in 41.22 seconds and the 1,500m in 2:07.17 while taking second in the 3,000 and sixth in the 1,000. Her effort earned her a berth on the Canadian Junior National team to compete in the World Junior Championships in Collalbo, Italy in February. Meanwhile in the Canadian single distance championships Red Deer native Danielle Wotherspoon was third in the 500m and eighth in the 1,000m with Kelsey Duffield of Red Deer 13th and 15 respectively. On the men’s side, Lucas Duffield was 12th in the 500m and 19th in the 1,000m.

THIS WEEK Thursday

● Senior high basketball: Innisfail at Notre Dame, Sylvan Lake at Lacombe; girls at 6 p.m., boys to follow. ● College women’s hockey: SAIT at RDC, 7 p.m., Arena. ● Peewee AA hockey: Red Deer TBS at Lacombe, 7:15 p.m.

Rebels Black 8 Flames 4 Red Deer Rebels Black head coach Kevin Smyth knows what it takes to have success at any level of hockey.

“I know from my playing days that you can have the best team on paper, but if you don’t come together as a team you have a tenancy to struggle,” said the former National Hockey League forward, who played several years with the Bentley Generals.

Smyth has put together a well-balanced bantam team that “plays as a team.

“The kids are buying in. They work real hard and hopefully they keep it going.”

They showed some of their skill and team work Sunday afternoon as they dumped the Calgary Flames 8-4 and earn a split of a pair of weekend games. They lost to the South Division leading Calgary Bisons 5-2 in Calgary Saturday.

The Rebels have depth on the offensive side, led by Jeff de Wit, who is one of four players who played in the league last season.

“We count on everyone to chip in offensively . . . we score by committee, although Jeff, Luke (Coleman) and Parker (Smyth) lead the way, but we have several others who are gritty and understand how to play their role. It’s working out for us.”

De Wit leads the team with 18 goals and 24 assists while Coleman had 14 goals and 19 helps and Smyth 13 goals and 13 assists.

Outside of depth up front, the Rebels, who are second in the Ram South Division with a 12-12-2 record, have one of the top rearguards in TJ Brown, who is third in league scoring for rearguards with 14 goals and 15 assists.

“TJ is a heck of a player, he’s special to watch,” said Smyth. “He’s a kid you could see at the next level, the WHL, in a few years.”

Smyth believes he has several other players, including de Wit, Coleman and Smyth, who could be picked in the WHL’s bantam draft.

“It’s hard to pick 14-year-olds, but they have as good a chance as anybody,” he said.

All four — de Wit, Coleman, Smyth and Brown — played bantam AAA last year.

“We also have some good kids moving up from bantam AA,” said Smyth. “There’s a misconception it’s not that good of a league, but that’s not the case. Some of the kids needed time at that level and have stepped in and done a good job for us. We have a

Photo by GREG MEACHEM/Advocate staff

Red Deer Rebels Black player Logan Neal was fighting for a rebound in front of the Calgary Flames net during Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League play at the Arena on Sunday. The Rebels won the game 8-4. good mix.”

Smyth also has four first-year bantam players in defencemen Adam Sandstrom and Dayton Playford and forwards Tyress Goodrunning and Jeremy Klessens.

He liked what he sees from all four.

“They’re good kids who will be moving along,” said Smyth, who got back into coaching at the minor level this season after being away for several years.

“I did coach midget AAA in Red Deer and Calgary, but I spent some time with Bentley helping Brian (Sutter) the last few years. But it was time to come back and help the kids out. I do enjoy it.”

The teams were tied 3-3 Sunday after 40 minutes after scioring three times each in the second period. Smyth, Austin Thorne and Brown connected for the Rebels. De Wit, Ryan Vandervlis, Smyth, Matthew Froehlick and Brown added goals in the third period. Geordan Andrew finished

GOLD MEDAL GAME

Friday

● College basketball: Lethbridge at RDC, women at 6 p.m., men to follow. ● Peewee AA hockey: Innisfail at Sylvan Lake, 6 p.m. ● WHL: Red Deer at Saskatoon, 6:05 p.m.

(The Drive). ● AJHL: Calgary Mustangs at Olds, 7:30 p.m. ● Major bantam female hockey: Rocky Mountain at Red Deer, 7:30 p.m., Kin City B. ● Midget AA hockey: Okotoks at Red Deer Pro Stitch, 7:45 p.m., Arena. ● Heritage junior B hockey: Okotoks at Three Hills, 8 p.m.; Banff Academy at Stettler, 8 p.m. ● Chinook senior hockey: Innisfail at Sylvan Lake, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday

● Minor midget AAA: Rockyview at Red Deer IROC, 11:30 a.m., Arena. ● College basketball: Lethbridge at RDC, women at 1 p.m., men to follow. ● Peewee AA hockey: Foothills at Lacombe, 1:45 p.m.; Sylvan Lake at Innisfail, 3:40 p.m. ● Major bantam hockey: Alberta League all-star game, 2 p.m., Arena. ● Major bantam female hockey: Sherwood Park at Red Deer, 2:15 p.m., Kin City B. ● Bantam AA hockey: Sylvan Lake at Red Deer Steel Kings, 5:30 p.m., Kin City A; Cranbrook at Lacombe, 5:45 p.m. ● WHL: Red Deer at Prince Albert, 6 p.m.

(The Drive).

Photo by GREG MEACHEM/Advocate sports editor

The Red Deer Ryska and Medicine Hat Absolut hooked up at Kin City A in Sunday’s final of the under-19 belle A division of the Red Deer Ringette Association Friends on Ice tournament. The weekend tournament, which started Friday, featured 62 teams — including 18 from Red Deer — playing in 13 divisions. Other games were played at Kin City B, the Kinex, Collicutt Centre, Dawe Centre and Penhold.

with 20 saves in goal while his mates had 30 shots.

On Saturday, Goodrunning and de Wit scored once each while Graydon Larson made 24 saves.

The Rebels White squad pulled out a 6-5 victory over Airdrie Saturday on Tyler Steenbergen’s second goal of the game at 9:33 of the third period. Tanner Zentner, Colby Sissons, Tyler Wall and Domenic Schmiemann added single goals while Dawson Weatherill finished with 40 saves. ● Defencemen Logan Neal and Brady Park and forwards Kyle Gibson and Kobe Scott round out the Rebels Black roster . . . de Wit and Brown will play for the South Division along with Steenbergen in the league all-star game Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Arena . . . The two Red Deer teams clash Sunday at noon at the Arena. drode@reddeeradvocate.com

MINOR HOCKEY Major Midget The Red Deer Optimist Rebels Chiefs earned three of a possible four points in Alberta Midget Hockey League play on the road this weekend.

The Rebels tied Lethbridge 2-2 Saturday and whipped the Southeast Tigers 11-1 in Medicine Hat Sunday.

Jacob Schofield and Jody Sick scored against Lethbridge while Schofield had three goals, Colton Bobyk two and Ryker Leer, Sick, Ian McLellan, Gabe Bast, Chase Thudium and Rory Davidson one each against the Tigers.

Jayden Sittler made 18 saves against Lethbridge and 13 against the Tigers.

Major Midget Female The Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs won both of their road games this weekend, beating the Spruce Grove Saints 4-0 Saturday and the Highwood Raiders 4-1 Sunday.

Nisa Bartlett made 32 saves for the shutout Saturday with single goals coming from Abagael Thiessen, Jade Lee, Krista Wilson and Mairead and Bast.

Becky Davidson and Reanna Arnold had two goals each against the Raiders with Aly Andersen making 17 saves in goal.

Minor midget AAA The Red Deer IROC Chiefs lost a pair of weekend games, losing 7-1 to the Calgary Blue Saturday and 5-2 to the Rockyview Raiders Sunday.

Andrew Perry scored against the Blue with Perry and Kale Howarth connecting against the Raiders.

Meanwhile, the Red Deer Northstar Chiefs, with Chase Olsen and Layne Bensmiller each sniping two goals, rolled over the visiting Calgary Blazers 8-1 Saturday.

Also scoring for Northstar were Brenden Baker, Toran Corbier, Chad Gross and Dylan Jones. Branden Bilodeau made 31 saves for the Chiefs, who fired 51 shots at Blazers netminder Greyson Wedel.

CHINOOK HOCKEY LEAGUE

Innisfail victorious Vipers’ balance leads to win over Stony Plain HERITAGE JUNIOR B The Red Deer Vipers used a balanced attack to down the host Medicine Hat Cubs 5-2 in Heritage Junior B Hockey League play Sunday.

Braden Corbett, Jordan Koopmans, Jeff Kohut, Ryan Thomson and Tanner Howe rallied for the Vipers, while Brenden Mandrusiak stopped 22 shots.

Red Deer was assesed six of 16 minor penalties.

The Vipers enjoyed a three-point weekend after battling the visiting Blackfalds Wranglers to a 7-7 draw Friday.

Corbett potted a pair of goals for Red Deer, with singles added by Kolton Gillett, Dustin Spearing, Jonathan Finnigan, Koopmans and Troy Klaus.

Replying for Blackfalds were Kristopher Dalton with two goals, Taylor Mulder, Chance Abbott, Jason Bell, Lucas Deibert and Bryce Boguski.

Mandrusiak blocked 46 shots for the Vipers. Wranglers netminder Layne

Swier made 32 saves.

In other Heritage League weekend action: ● Kyler O’Connor’s early third-period goal stood up as the winner as the Stettler Lightning edged the host Cochrane Generals 4-3 Saturday.

Tyler Bissett scored twice for the winners, who got an additional marker from Scott Ternes. The clubs split 12 minor penalties.

Simon Thieleman made 38 saves for the Lightning, who were outshot 41-40. ● The Three Hills Thrashers, with Luke Scheunert recording a hat trick and Connor Ablett and Michael Stoetzel each scoring twice, buried the visiting Ponoka Stampeders 10-2 Saturday.

Also scoring for the winners were Jesse Scheunert, Dylan Houston and Reese deBeaudrap. Brad Zimmerman and Kyle Colonna replied for Ponoka.

Thrashers netminders Devon Dell and Dylan Kolner combined to stop 28 shots. Eli Falls made 48 saves for the visitors.

The visiting Innisfail Eagles inflicted all of their damage in the second period Saturday en route to a 4-3 Chinook Hockey League victory over the Stony Plain Eagles.

Andrew Buote sniped a pair of goals for the winners, with singles contributed by Tylor Keller and Corey Tibble. Doug Auchenberg and Jiri Prochazka each had a goal and an assist for Stony Plain.

Innisfail netminder Colin Stebner made 28 saves.

Clayton Wilburn and Wade Waters combined to stop 27 shots at the other end.

In a Friday contest, the host Sylvan Lake Admirals were rocked 7-2 by the Fort Saskatchewan Chiefs.

Brendan Baumgartner notched both Sylvan Lake goals, while Jamie Marshal scored twice and added three assists for the visitors.

Scott Galenza made 26 saves for the Admirals. David Tetrault came up big in the Chiefs’ net, stopping 35 shots.

Meanwhile, the Bentley Generals won a pair of exhibition games against the Flyers in Fort St. John, winning 3-2 Saturday and 5-2 Sunday.

Dustin Sproat, Matt Stefanishion and Scott Kalinchuk scored on Saturday while Eric Schneider had three goals and Sean Robertson two on Sunday.

Travis Yonkman was in goal both days. The Generals held a 42-21 edge in shots on Saturday and 3524 on Sunday.

RED DEER ADVOCATE Monday, Jan. 7, 2013 B5

Canadians call lack of medal ‘unacceptable’ LOSS TO RUSSIANS IN BRONZE MEDAL GAME ENDS STREAK OF 14 STRAIGHT MEDALS AT WORLD JUNIORS

BY THE CANADIAN PRESS UFA, Russia — This wasn’t your lockout team of 1995 or 2005, but much more was expected at the 2013 world junior hockey championship of a Canadian team bolstered by the absence of the NHL. Canada’s coach and players were blunt after Saturday’s bronze-medal loss to Russia, calling their fourthplace finish “unacceptable.”

It was the first time since 1998 that a Canadian team left the tournament without medals around their necks, ending a streak of 14 straight podiums.

“I have the rest of my life to think on this and it’s not going to be easy,” Canadian head coach Steve Spott said.

A motivated Russian team, which hosted the tournament for the first time since 2001, defeated Canada 6-5 in overtime in Saturday’s third-place game.

The United States, which beat Canada 5-1 in the semifinals, won gold with a 3-1 victory over Sweden. It was major turnaround from the Americans, who finished seventh at the 2012 tournament.

The Canadians lost the bronze-medal game and the semifinal to countries they had beaten in the preliminary round.

“As Canadians, we can’t come here and not win a medal,” forward Jonathan Huberdeau said.

Unlike other years, when some NHL clubs don’t make their teenagers available to the Canadian team, this edition had access to the country’s best 19-year-old talent because of the NHL lockout, minus one defenceman and one forward lost to injury prior to the tournament.

Hopes of a gold medal after three years of the lesser medals were high because of the inclusion of Edmonton Oilers centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, as well as players such as Huberdeau, Ryan Strome, Mark Scheifele and Dougie Hamilton, who would have been in the NHL this season if not for the lockout.

There were six returning from the

squad that won bronze in 2012 in Calgary.

Nugent-Hopkins led the tournament in points with four goals and 11 assists in six games. The Canadian captain was named the tournament’s top forward by the International Ice Hockey Federation directorate, as well as to the all-star team.

So what went wrong?

It was a sign the 1993 birth year was not deep in talent when a pair of 17-year-old forwards were named to the team in a lockout year.

For the second year in a row, Canada failed to take advantage of the bye to the semifinal and ended the tournament with losses to two countries that both played quarter-finals.

After leading the preliminary round in scoring, the firepower Canada had went silent in the semifinal. While the Canadians scored four power-play goals Saturday, they had just two at even-strength in their final two games.

The world junior hockey championship is unforgiving because of its compact schedule. After going 4-0 in the round-robin, 40 bad minutes against the Americans ended Canada’s goldmedal hopes. A soft start against the Russia made bronze an uphill climb.

Spott gave Jordan Binnington his first start of the tournament Saturday, but he gave up three goals on the first five shots he saw from Russia and was pulled for Malcolm Subban.

“Malcolm had a tough game where he had to come out against the Americans and we just thought Jordan would have that fire to compete and he did,” Spott said. “There were a couple goals that went by him and we had to make a tough decision.

“When Malcolm came in, I thought he calmed the ship down and allowed us to get back in the game.”

To their credit, the Canadians tied the bronze-medal three times to send it overtime, but Valerie Nichushkin scored the winner at 1:35 of the extra period in front of 7,617 at the Ufa Arena.

“Kind of disbelief, I think,” Strome said of his reaction. “Especially at this

Hartley looking forward to coaching the Flames CALGARY — It might be coming later than he wanted, but Bob Hartley is a lot closer to finally getting behind the Calgary Flames’ bench.

Hartley was hired on May 31, but has yet to get the chance to work with his new team due to the lengthy labour strife between the NHL and its players. The two sides reached a tentative agreement on a new contract Sunday, and once the collective bargaining agreement is approved, it will be back to work.

“We’re just excited,” Hartley said. “This is a great day for us today.”

Whenever training camp starts, Hartley said that he and his coaching staff will be ready to run their players through the paces to get ready for their first game.

“We were not told when will be the first day on the ice or when camp will open or when will be our first game,” he said. “Obviously on our part there’s lots of excitement.”

Hartley will be joined by new assistant coaches Jacques Cloutier and Martin Gelinas, as well as returning goaltending coach Clint Malarchuk.

The group will have their work cut out for it to help the Flames improve on their ninthplace showing in the Western Conference last season.

“We’re not going to look for negatives or

BOBSLEIGH Sylvan Lake’s Lyndon Rush has moved into the top spot in the luge World Cup two-man standings.

Rush, along with his breakman, Lascelles Brown, placed fourth in the World Cup competition Saturday in Altenberg, Germany. They finished 7/10th of a second back of the winning German team, but that was enough to move him ahead of Russia’s Alex Zubcov in the standings.

The Russian team is coached by Canada’s Pierre Luders.

On Sunday, Rush along with Brown, Jesse Lumsden and Neville Wright, were sixth in the four-man event.

excuses,” Hartley said.

“It’s going to be a short camp for everyone. It’s up to us to have a plan and we have one. We will be ready.”

Flames’ general manager Jay Feaster has confidence that Hartley and his staff can lead the Flames in the right direction.

“They have gone through plans for any length of training camp, whatever number of days it is,” Feaster said.

“They’ve studied film.

They’re more than ready to go.”

Feaster is also eager to see how the players will adapt to Hartley’s coaching style.

“The guys have been skating and yet it doesn’t replicate the feel of game action and game pace,” Feaster said. “With a whole new coaching staff, that certainly is one of the challenges that we have. It’ll be a different system.

It’ll be a different style of play.

“From our perspective, we want to get right at it and get on the ice and get the guys familiar with what it is that Bob wants them doing this year.”

Once again the Flames

will have rely on the play of captain Jarome Iginla and workhorse goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff if they hope to lock down a playoff berth during the shortened season.

“There’s one guy we’re never concerned about in terms of coming in in shape and that’s Jarome,” Feaster said.

“He’s fanatical about it.

He always has been. He’s a consummate pro. He takes that responsibility seriously, so we know he’s going to be ready.”

Feaster also has no doubt that Kiprusoff will be ready to go once the puck drops.

“Our No. 1 goaltender, we know who that is and where our bread and butter is and that’s Kipper,” said Feaster, while noting that Henrik Karlsson and Leland Irving will compete for the backup job.

Feaster said he also has high hopes for offseason acquisitions Jiri Hudler and Dennis Wideman.

“Jiri’s been playing over in Europe and so we expect him to be ready to go,” Feaster said. “It’s my understanding that Wideman had been in town and was working out with the guys.”

By far the best selection of

tournament now, we’re all teenagers and everyone can say how disappointed the country is, but there’s no one more disappointed than the guys in that room. No one cares more.”

Ufa was the longest trip a Canadian junior team has had to make to get to the tournament since 2001 in Moscow.

Russia was the home team, but their quarter-final and semifinal both went to shootouts, so they had to go to the well to produce a medal Saturday.

Canada’s pre-tournament preparation in Finland had hitches. Spott summoned forward Mark McNeill, one of the players he’d cut at selection camp, from Canada because of a back injury to Charles Hudon.

Defenceman Ryan Murray, the No. 2 pick in this year’s NHL draft who also played for Canada in 2012, suffered a shoulder injury prior to selection camp.

Suspensions were the theme for Canada at this tournament. Boone

Oilers enthusiastic about returning

BY THE CANADIAN PRESS EDMONTON — From the top down, the Edmonton Oilers are ready to get going.

Management and players welcomed Sunday’s announcement of a tentative agreement between the NHL and the players’ association to end the lockout with smiles and a sense of relief.

Oilers NHLPA representative Devan Dubnyk woke up a lot happier man, knowing the 113-day lockout may finally be over.

“Oh, very much so,” the Edmonton goaltender said. “Now I’m just trying to stay level headed until it’s voted on and finished. Obviously it’s a huge step and a huge relief. The next process (ratification vote) will take a few days so I just want to stay patient and let it play out.”

Oilers president Patrick LaForge was looking forward to welcoming back employees who had been lent out during the four-months of no hockey and to see the stands of Rexall Place again filled with fans. He said the drop-off in season ticket holders this season was about the same as it has been any other year, with or without hockey.

LaForge said there are no plans at the moment to do anything special to welcome back fans or to offer an apology. Meanwhile, general manager Steve Tambellini is looking forward to a training camp — which could come as early as Wednesday if the two sides vote to ratify the 10-year collective bargaining agreement — and to seeing how the young Oilers have progressed during their time in the American Hockey League and elsewhere.

Tambellini spent much of the last few months monitoring the Oilers who were in the NHL last season, especially those with Oklahoma City of the American Hockey League, including

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Jenner sat out the first three games, JC Lipon was banned one game and defenceman Griffin Reinhart served the first of a four-game suspension Saturday.

He’s among five players eligible to play for Canada again at the 2014 world junior championship in Malmo, Sweden, so he’d have to serve the remainder of his punishment there.

Forwards Jonathan Drouin and Nathan MacKinnon, the 17 year olds, defenceman Morgan Rielly and alternate goaltender Jake Patterson are also eligible to play for Canada in at the 2014 tournament, as is Hudon. Drouin raised his stock for the next NHL draft with his speed and smarts.

The 2013 junior team will suffer greatly by comparison to the 1995 and 2005 teams that dominated en route to gold in lockout years.

“Not getting a medal is going to be tough, especially being a part of it,” Nugent-Hopkins said.

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Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (until he joined Canada’s team for the world junior hockey championship) and newcomer Justin Schultz.

“Just trying to assess the steps our young players, first year players and guys who have only played a couple of years in the organization, how they’re doing,” Tambellini said. “I loved the fact that they were playing in the American Hockey League, which is the same kind of hockey as in the NHL. It was tough for them, it was grinding for them. Their stats were outstanding and now it’s time for them to get back to the National Hockey League.”

Like many players, owners and fans, Dubnyk found the months without hockey frustrating, although he did play for Canada in the Spengler Cup and he can’t wait to get back on the ice with his Oilers teammates.

“It was killing me before and getting a chance to go over to the Spengler Cup and practise and play for a short period of time just made it worst coming back. This last week, after coming back from Spengler, has been really tough,” Dubnyk said. “It’s made me miss it that much more. I just wish it was tomorrow but we will have to wait a couple more days.”

Tambellini said the Oilers would bring about 25 players to camp, including the bulk of last year’s team that missed the playoffs, along with two key newcomers — Schultz, the highly touted free agent defenceman they signed last summer, and Russian forward Nail Yakupov, the No. 1 draft pick last June.

They will be missing two injured players, defenceman Andy Sutton and forward Ryan Jones.

Tambellini said veteran netminder Nikolai Khabibulin, who suffered a groin injury last season, is progressing well but he was waiting for an updated medical report this week.

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THE CANADIAN PRESS

Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS

Canadian forward Phillip Danault flies over Russian goalie Andrei Makarov during overtime of the bronze medal hockey game at the IIHF World Junior Championships, Saturday, in Ufa, Russia. Russia defeated Canada 6-5.

B6 RED DEER ADVOCATE Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

Raptors can’t keep up to Thunder

BY THE CANADIAN PRESS Thunder 104 Raptors 92 TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors played with the desperate mentality that coach Dwane Casey has been preaching all season — but desperation only goes so far against a team like the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Russell Westbrook scored 23 points and Kevin Durant added 22 of his own to lift the Thunder over Toronto 104-92 on Sunday, handing the Raptors their second straight loss after they had won eight of nine.

“I praised our guys, the way we played, fought, scrapped,” Casey said. “But at the end of the day, reality set in.”

Alan Anderson had a career-high 27 points — 19 of them in the second quarter — for Toronto (12-22).

Amir Johnson finished with 19 points and nine rebounds and Jose Calderon had 10 points to go with 11 assists.

The Thunder held DeMar DeRozan — Toronto’s leading scorer this season — to 11 points.

“We wanted to make sure we didn’t give (DeRozan) any easy shots,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. “He’s an athletic guy that can get to the rim and his mid-range game is good.”

Serge Ibaka added 19 points for the Thunder (267), while Kevin Martin had 16.

The Raptors were coming off a lacklustre 105-96 loss to the Sacramento Kings two nights earlier that had ended their five-game winning streak at home.

While the players were pleased with their effort Sunday, the Thunder showed why they’re one of the best teams in the NBA. “We compete, we fight, we did a lot of good things,” Calderon said. “But against this team we cannot make one turnover, you make a mistake you’re going to pay for that. I think every little mistake we made tonight it turned into a basket or a foul or something.

“It’s about a good team, and every mistake they’re

going to make you pay. These kinds of teams, you’ve got to play perfect for 48 (minutes).”

The Raptors held their own over the first half thanks to a sizzling second quarter that saw Anderson drain four three-pointers and Kyle Lowry add a pair. Lowry, who finished with 10 points and eight assists, made like he was tucking a three-fingered gun in his holster after hitting a long-range basket.

But after trailing the Thunder by just two points at halftime, Oklahoma City had put 15 points on the home team by late in the third quarter and took a 7867 lead into the final 12 minutes.

Toronto pulled to within nine early in the fourth but couldn’t make up any more ground in front of a crowd of 18,203 fans at the Air Canada Centre. A three-pointer by Lowry with three and half minutes to go had the Raptors within 13, but Westbrook drained a three on the Thunder’s next possession, Kendrick Perkins scored on an emphatic dunk and it was game over for Toronto in the third contest of a six-game homestand.

“It’s tough especially when you’re playing a playoff-contending team,” Johnson said. “You can’t make any errors. You have to man up and play one-on-one defence, you have to stop the turnovers and take care of the ball.”

The Raptors gave up 23 points on 17 turnovers.

Casey called the game a chance for his players to test themselves against the best.

“They’ve done probably one of the best jobs in the league in building a program and developing players from scratch. They’re king of the hill now,” Casey said. “You can go right down the line, everybody knows their role, they know their position, they know who they are.”

The Raptors played their 10th straight game without forward Andrea Bargnani, sixth without rookie forward Jonas Valanciunas, and third minus Linas Kleiza — creating what Casey called “a chemistry lab” of different lineups. On top of that, Raptors rookie Terrence Ross left the game a minute into the fourth quarter with a sprained left ankle.

Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS

Toronto Raptors guard Jose Calderon watches as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook soars to the hoop during NBA action in Toronto on Sunday.

Irish, Tide looking to live up to hype in BCS title game

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MIAMI — Sometimes, the buildup to a game can overwhelm what actually happens on the field.

Certainly, No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Alabama would have to play nothing less than a classic to live up to all the hype for Monday night’s BCS championship.

Before either team stepped on the field in balmy South Florida, this was shaping up as one of the most anticipated games in years, a throwback to the era when Keith Jackson & Co. called one game a week, when it was a big deal for teams from different parts of the country to meet in a bowl game, when everyone took sides based on where they happened to live.

North vs. South. Rockne vs. Bear.

Rudy vs. Forrest Gump.

The Fighting Irish vs. the Crimson Tide.

College football’s two most storied programs, glorified in movie and song, facing off for the biggest prize.

“It’s definitely not any other game,” said Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley.

For the Crimson Tide (12-1), this is a chance to be remembered as a fullfledged dynasty. Alabama will be trying to claim its third national championship in four years and become the first school to win back-to-back BCS titles, a remarkable achievement given the ever-increasing parity of the college game and having to replace five players from last year’s title team who were picked in the first two rounds of the NFL draft.

“To be honest, I think this team has kind of exceeded expectations,” coach

the pros (including Jones).

The following year, the coach guided Alabama to a perfect season, beating Texas in the title game at Pasadena.

Last season, the Tide fortuitously got a shot at another BCS crown despite losing to LSU during the regular season and failing to even win its division in the Southeastern Conference.

In a rematch against the Tigers, Alabama romped to a 21-0 victory at the Superdome.

The all-SEC matchup gave the league an unprecedented six straight national champions, hastening the end of the BCS. It will last one more season before giving way to a four-team playoff in 2014, an arrangement that was undoubtedly pushed along by one conference hoarding all the titles under the current system.

“Let’s be honest, people are probably getting tired of us,” Jones said. “We don’t really mind. We enjoy being the top dog and enjoy kind of having that target on our back, and we love our conference. Obviously, we’d rather not be a part of any other conference.”

This title game certainly has a different feel than last year’s.

“That was really kind of a weird national championship because it was a team we already played,” Jones remembered. “It was kind of another SEC game. It was in the South, and it just had a very SEC feel to it obviously.

This year is much more like the 2009 game (against Texas) for me. We’re playing an opponent that not only we have not played them, but no one we have played has played them. So you don’t really have an exact measuring stick.”

up in college football,” said Brent Musberger, the lead announcer for ESPN. Kelly moulded Notre Dame using largely the same formula that has worked so well for Saban in Tuscaloosa: a bruising running game and a stout defence, led by Heisman Trophy finalist Manti Te’o.

“It’s a little bit old fashioned in the sense that this is about the big fellows up front,” Kelly said. “It’s not about the crazy receiving numbers or passing yards or rushing yards. This is about the big fellas, and this game will unquestionably be decided up front.”

While points figure to be at a premium given the quality of both defences, Alabama appears to have a clear edge on offence. The Tide has the nation’s highest-rated passer (AJ McCarron), two 1,000-yard rushers (Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon), a dynamic freshman receiver (Amari Cooper), and three linemen who made the AP All-America team (first-teamers Barrett Jones and Chance Warmack, plus second-teamer D.J. Fluker).

“That’s football at its finest,” said Te’o, who heads a defence that has given up just two rushing touchdowns.

“It’s going to be a great challenge, and a challenge that we look forward to.”

The Crimson Tide had gone 15 years without a national title when Saban arrived in 2007, the school’s fifth coach in less than a decade (including one, Mike Price, who didn’t even made it to his first game in Tuscaloosa). Finally, Alabama got it right.

In 2008, Saban landed one of the greatest recruiting classes in school history, a group that has already produced eight NFL draft picks and likely will send at least three more players to

Nick Saban said Sunday. “If you look at all the players we lost last year, the leadership that we lost ... I’m really proud of what this team was able to accomplish.”

That said, it’s not a huge surprise to find Alabama playing for another title.

That’s not the case when it comes to Notre Dame.

Despite their impressive legacy, the Fighting Irish (12-0) weren’t even ranked at the start of the season. But overtime wins against Stanford and Pittsburgh, combined with three other victories by a touchdown or less, gave Notre Dame a shot at its first national title since 1988.

After so many lost years, the golden dome has reclaimed its lustre in coach Brian Kelly’s third season.

“It starts with setting a clear goal for the program,” Kelly said. “Really, what is it? Are we here to get to a bowl game, or are we here to win national championships? So the charge immediately was to play for championships and win a national championship.”

Both Notre Dame and Alabama have won eight Associated Press national titles, more than any other school. They are the bluest of the blue bloods, the programs that have long set the bar for everyone else even while enduring some droughts along the way.

ESPN executives were hopeful of getting the highest ratings of the BCS era. Tickets were certainly at a premium, with a seat in one of the executive suites going for a staggering $60,000 on StubHub the day before the game, and even a less-than-prime spot in the corner of the upper deck requiring a payout of more than $900.

“This is, to me, the ultimate match-

Eagles edge Grizzlys

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CANMORE — The Olds Grizzlys took a 1-0 lead on Matthew Marcinew’s second-period goal but ultimately dropped a 3-1 Alberta Junior Hockey League decision to the Canmore Eagles Saturday.

Jordan Revie, Bryan Arneson and Claron Driscoll scored for the Eagles, who got a 23-save performance from Cam Barnes.

Jake Tamagi kept the Grizzlys in the game with a 44-save effort.

The Grizzlys travel to Brooks Tuesday to take on the Bandits, then host the Calgary Mustangs Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Beauty&Brains

LLOYDMINSTER — The RDC Queens placed second in the Lakeland College women’s volleyball tournament.

The Queens dropped a 23-25. 19-25,. 22-25 decision to the Lakeland Rustlers in the final.

Earlier they downed Briercrest Bible College 25-16, 25-14, 25-14 and Lakeland 25-22, 25-23, 2515, The Kings University College 25-22, 25-20, 2225, 17-25, 15-11 and Lakeland Green 25-20, 25-19, 25-20.

RDC returns to league action this weekend in Grande Prairie. They don’t return home until Jan. 18 against SAIT.

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BUSINESS ◆ C3,C4 ENTERTAIN ◆ C5 Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

Carolyn Martindale, City Editor, 403-314-4326 Fax 403-341-6560 E-mail editorial@reddeeradvocate.com

Traditions live on RED DEER’S UKRAINIAN FAMILIES MARK ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS

BY LANA MICHELIN ADVOCATE STAFF

QUIT SMOKING Residents who wish to kick their smoking habit are invited to participate in a free, eight-week Alberta Health Services workshop. The QuitCore program will be offered on consecutive Mondays from 6 to 7:30 p.m., starting Jan. 21 in Room 111 in the Provincial Building, at 4920 51st St. in Red Deer. Led by trained cessation professionals, the program teaches tobacco users how to develop a plan to quit that will work for them, while providing strategies to address recovery symptoms, manage stress and, ultimately, prevent relapse. To register by phone, call toll-free at 1-868-710-QUIT (7848). QuitCore is offered in more than 20 communities across the province.

WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE Nominations are now open for the Women of Excellence Awards. The Red Deer and District Community Foundation’s program wants outstanding candidates for the categories of agriculture; arts, culture and heritage; athletics, recreation and fitness; business and the professions; community building; education and training; entrepreneurship; environment; health and wellness; human services and the Young Woman of Excellence. The deadline for nomination package submissions is Friday, March 29, at 4 p.m.

A complete package must be received

by Collins Barrow Chartered Accountants and Consultants, 300, 5010 43rd St., Red Deer, Alberta T4N 6H2, Attn: Ms. Marsha Smalley. Envelopes must be marked “Women of Excellence 2013.”

Nomination packages and guidelines are available online at www. reddeeranddistrict communityfoundation. ca. The 2013 Women of Excellence Awards Gala will be held on June 12 at the Sheraton Red Deer.

Orthodox Christmas is celebrated at the Prysunka family home with hay under the tablecloth, braided bread on the table, and 12 meatless dishes served to guests.

Arlene Prysunka is a secondgeneration Canadian.

Although the Red Deer resident was born in Glendon, half a world away from the country her grandparents left in about 1918, Prysunka is continuing to celebrate Ukrainian Christmas with much of the same traditions as when her grandmother was a girl.

“We are very proud to hold onto our heritage,” she said.

“Life is so busy, but we have to . . . take the time to respect our traditions and the immigrants who came here to make a new life.”

On Sunday, the first star of the evening signaled the beginning of the Christmas Eve celebration of Holy Night.

It precedes today’s Orthodox Christmas Day, which falls annually on Jan. 7 under the Julian calendar used by the Orthodox Church. (It predates the more widely used Gregorian Calendar and runs about 13 days later.)

In their Deer Park home, the Prysunka family sat down on Sunday at a dinner table laiden with symbolism: There was hay reminiscent of Christ’s manger; wheat representing abundance; and 12 courses standing for the 12 apostles.

The dishes were meatless and free of dairy to acknowledge the importance of animals in farming culture, as well as their presence in the stable during Christ’s birth.

“We don’t eat them (today),” said Arlene Prysunka, whose family is not otherwise vegan.

Her husband, Sherwin Prysunka, started the meal by addressing the large gatherings of family and friends.

He lifted a spoonful of wheat mixture called kutya, and encouraged the guests to taste some for luck.

Photo by LANA MICHELIN/Advocate staff

Arlene and Sherwin Prysunka prepare their dinner table for the Ukrainian Orthodox Christmas Eve celebration on Sunday.

UKRAINIAN NEWCOMERS PERSEVERED TO GIVE THEIR CHILDREN A BETTER LIFE In more rustic times, the wheat would be thrown at the ceiling.

If it stuck, it was a sign of coming prosperity, “but we kind of skip that part,” said the Prysunka’s daughter, Stephanie LaPrairie. who noted wheat isn’t the easiest thing to scrape off stippling.

The flower shop owner, who took Ukrainian dancing as a teen, always felt lucky to celebrate two Christmases while growing up in Red Deer — Santa always came on Dec. 25th and then there was a second event to look forward to.

While the Jan. 7 Christmas brought no presents, there was always caroling and the preceding celebration of food, family and friends.

Making 12 complicated courses — including pickled fish, pyrogies, cabbage rolls, and borscht — is labour-intensive, but the 30-year-old is looking forward to passing on the tradition to her own daughter, Olea, who at one-and-a-half already has her own traditional Ukrainian dress.

LaPrairie noted the January holiday used to be a celebration of ancestors in pre-Christian times, and it still honours the legacy of loved ones.

Her own great-grandfather was an educated man who worked at a newspaper in Ukraine, which was then controlled by Russia.

Finding himself imperiled during the Bolshevik Revolution, he escaped to Canada,

where his native language and skills weren’t recognized. But like many immigrants, her great-grandfather made the best of a new situation — which meant taking up farming.

LaPrairie said even when Ukrainian newcomers were given what was considered poor quality land, they dug out the rocks, made use of willow branches, and persevered in growing crops to give their children a better life.

Maintaining the Orthodox Christmas tradition is, in part, about remembering “where we came from,” she added.

“If our (ancestors) didn’t make sacrifices and emigrate to Canada, we wouldn’t have the lives we have now.

“It’s our responsibility to pay tribute to their hard work and sacrifices.” lmichelin@reddeeradvocate. com

SAY IT ISN’T SO

Theatre group is a family affair

Contributedphoto

Carla Falk, Tim Newcomb and Fred Andersen appear in the oldster comedy A Bench in the Sun, which is produced by the family-run Say It Ain’t So Theatre and shown in communities across Central Alberta.

MOM ACTS, DAD PRODUCES, KIDS HANDLE LIGHTING AND SETS

BY LANA MICHELIN ADVOCATE STAFF

GIVE US A CALL The Advocate invites its readers to help cover news in Central Alberta.

We would like to hear from you if you see something worthy of coverage. And we would appreciate hearing from you if you see something inaccurate in our pages.

We strive for complete, accurate coverage of Central Alberta and are happy to correct any errors we may commit.

Call 403-314-4333.

With Say It Ain’t So Theatre, every production is a family affair — mom acts, dad produces, and their three kids handle the lighting and sets.

Carla and George Falk, of Blackfalds, and their multi-talented teens — sons Jonah, 19, and Alex, 16, and daughter Jaime, 13 — have been touring the same stage comedy around Central Alberta for going on three years.

A Bench in the Sun, by U.S. playwright Ron Clark, has been performed by Say It Ain’t So for various fundraisers, Christmas parties and events from Calgary to Edmonton — but mostly in small communities between Knee Hill and Rimbey.

Carla said her home-grown theatre troupe never knows what to expect when the van pulls up at a venue.

Sometimes there’s a stage to perform on and sometimes the troupe has to set up right on the floor of a community hall or seniors’ centre.

With only two set pieces, “we don’t have a lot of requirements. Our dressing room can be a closet,” admitted Carla, with a chuckle.

She chalks up her group’s success to two simple facts — “people like theatre, and we

will travel.”

Word of mouth keeps spreading about the tiny company, “and just when we think the play has run its course we’ll get another booking,” added Carla. She added, “There’s a real demand in rural communities for good entertainment.”

Say It Ain’t So Theatre is now being asked to return to the same centres again — which means that Carla is scouring scripts to come up with a fresh play for April.

The trouble is finding a production as good as A Bench in the Sun, which she believes has resonated with people young and old.

The 90-minute comedy (which also stars actors Tim Newcomb and Fred Andersen) is about two elderly males in a seniors’ home whose decades-long friendship is tested by the arrival of a vampy female — an aging actress, played by Falk.

Carla believes the play is funny because it speaks truly about the human condition.

The 40-something occupational therapist has performed with Red Deer’s now-defunct professional Ignition Theatre.

Along with Newcomb and Andersen, she started out acting with Central Alberta Theatre.

Carla loves imagining herself as another character and making an audience laugh and feel poignant moments. “It’s a great

artistic outlet.”

When her cousin was looking for a fundraising idea for his non-profit a few years ago, she came up with the idea of putting on a play, which eventually spun into Say It Ain’t So Theatre, with the help of Andersen’s rural connections.

The troupe rehearses extensively to prepare for each performance, which happens about every four to six weeks, and has to make money to pay for the script’s royalty costs and for everybody’s participation.

Even the roadies get a cut, said Carla.

“We pay our kids something,” for loading and unloading the van and helping during shows.

“It’s a fun thing to do,” she added. “And they are learning that you can give back to the community by doing something you love.”

Carla believes it’s been a great bonding experience.

The next performance of A Bench in the Sun takes place on Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Lincoln Hall, near Ponoka.

For more information, please call 403885-5139. lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com

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Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

People split over how government should fight obesity BALK AT LIMITING FOOD CHOICES

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Photo by The Associated Press

Inmate John Barba works with Dill, a veteran assistance dog in training, at Western Correctional Institution in Cresaptown, Md. Dill is one of three dogs assigned since September to inmates at the maximum-security prison for basic training as service dogs for disabled military veterans.

Jailed vets train service dogs for disabled veterans THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CRESAPTOWN, Md. — Hazard Wilson’s new cellmate is a hairy bundle of energy whose playful zeal can’t be contained by steel doors: a five-month-old golden retriever. Yardley is one of three canines assigned since September to inmates at a maximum-security prison in western Maryland for training as service dogs for disabled military veterans.

The number of programs nationwide using inmates to train service dogs is growing, but the program at Western Correctional Institute might be the first to use incarcerated veterans to train dogs for other veterans.

Professional trainers say prison-raised dogs tend to do better than those raised traditionally in foster homes, because puppies respond well to consistency and rigid schedules. That’s just what they get in prison.

It’s not all work and no play.

“I just love to see him be a puppy,” said Wilson, 53, serving a life sentence for first-degree murder. “We’re putting them through some very stringent training — 90 per cent of their time is training — so it gives me great joy just see them romp and roll around and be puppies.”

The dogs were provided by America’s VetDogs of Smithtown, N.Y. They’re spending 14 months at the prison for training in obedience and tasks like working light switches and retrieving objects.

Trainer Kathy Levick comes in once a week for two hours of instruction. Otherwise, the inmates — model prisoners housed in a tier of cells reserved for the most trusted inmates — work with the dogs constantly. The animals sleep in cages inside the 6-by-9-foot cells and accompany the inmates to meals and activities.

“As soon as the trainer gave us the green light, I took him to church,” said John Barba of his pup, Dill. “I just put the rug down, told him to sit, lay down, and that was it. And he stayed there the

whole Mass.”

Barba, 62, was interviewed at the prison in November. He was released Dec. 17 after serving 33 years for murder. Each prison puppy is assigned both a trainer and an alternate, so Dill’s training wasn’t interrupted.

The dogs spend their weekends at nearby private homes to experience life on the outside — things such as shopping malls, traffic lights and ordinary household chaos.

The prison, tucked into the Appalachian Mountains about 140 miles west of Baltimore, was the first to receive dogs under the Maryland program. Since then, six have arrived at Eastern Correctional Institution on the Eastern Shore, and four at the Maryland Correctional Institution near Hagerstown, Division of Correction spokeswoman Erin Julius said.

More than 120 inmates at the three prisons have applied to participate, although some haven’t yet cleared a selection process that bans known gang members and anyone with a record of child or animal abuse.

The number of prison puppy programs is growing, said Corey Hudson, president of the North American chapter of Assistance Dogs International, a group that establishes and promotes training standards.

He estimated that 30 of ADI’s approximately 90 U.S. members have such programs. They include 13 run by Hudson’s non-profit organization, Canine Companions for Independence, at institutions ranging from the Ross Correctional Institution in Chillicothe, Ohio, to the military’s Northwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Hudson said prison-raised dogs graduate at a slightly higher level than those reared in traditional settings. A Tufts University study of 397 assistance dogs that entered training between 1999 and 2004 found that those raised in prisons needed less polishing and succeeded at a higher rate: 76 per cent versus 61 per cent for home-raised dogs.

WASHINGTON — Everyone could use a little help keeping those New Year’s resolutions to slim down. But if it means the government limiting junk food, the response is an overwhelming, “No.” Americans call obesity a national health crisis and blame too much screen time and cheap fast food for fueling it. But a new poll finds people are split on how much the government should do to help — and most draw the line at attempts to force healthier eating.

A third of people say the government should be deeply involved in finding solutions to the epidemic.

A similar proportion want it to play little or no role, and the rest are somewhere in the middle, according to the poll by The Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Require more physical activity in school, or provide nutritional guidelines to help people make better choices? Sure, 8 in 10 support those steps. Make restaurants post calorie counts on their menus, as the Food and Drug Administration is poised to do? Some 70 per cent think it’s a good idea.

“That’s a start,” said Khadijah AlAmin, 52, of Coatesville, Pa. “The fat content should be put up there in red letters, not just put up there. The same way they mark something that’s poisonous, so when you see it, you absolutely know.”

But nearly 6 in 10 people surveyed oppose taxes targeting unhealthy foods, known as soda taxes or fat taxes.

And when it comes to restricting what people can buy — like New York City’s recent ban of supersized sodas in restaurants — three-quarters say, “No way.”

“The outlawing of sugary drinks, that’s just silly,” said Keith Donner, 52, of Miami, who prefers teaching schoolchildren to eat better and get moving.

“People should just look at a Big Gulp and say, ’That’s not for me.’ I think it starts when they are young and at school,” he added.

Despite the severity of the problem, most of those surveyed say dealing with obesity is up to individuals.

Just a third consider obesity a community problem that governments, schools, health care providers and the food industry should be involved in. Twelve per cent said it will take work from both individuals and the community.

That finding highlights the dilemma facing public health experts: Societal changes in recent decades have helped spur growing waistlines, and now a third of U.S. children and teens and two-thirds of adults are either overweight or obese. Today, restaurants dot more street corners and malls, regular-sized portions are larger, and a fast-food meal can be cheaper than healthier fare. Not to mention electronic distractions that slightly more people surveyed blamed for obesity than fast food.

In the current environment, it’s difficult to exercise that personal responsibility, said Jeff Levi of the non-profit Trust for America’s Health, which has closely tracked

the rise in obesity.

“We need to create environments where the healthy choice becomes the easy choice, where it’s possible for people to bear that responsibility,” he said.

The new poll suggests women, who have major input on what a family eats, recognize those societal and community difficulties more than men do.

More than half of women say the high cost of healthy food is a major driver of obesity, compared with just 37 per cent of men. Women also are more likely than men to blame cheap fast food and to say that the food industry should bear a lot of responsibility for helping to find solutions.

Patricia Wilson, 53, of rural Speedwell, Tenn., says she must drive 45 minutes to reach a grocery store — passing numerous burger and pizza joints, with more arriving every year.

“They shouldn’t be letting all these fast-food places go up,” said Wilson, who nags her children and grandchildren to eat at home and watch their calories. She recalls how her own overweight grandmother lost both her legs and then her life to diabetes.

More than 80 per cent of people in the AP-NORC poll said they had easy access to supermarkets, but just as many could easily get fast food. Another 68 per cent said it was easy for kids to purchase junk food on their way to school, potentially foiling diet-conscious caregivers like Wilson, who doesn’t allow her grandchildren to eat unhealthy snacks at home.

“If they say they’re hungry, they get regular food,” she said.

Food is only part of the obesity equation; physical activity is key too.

About 7 in 10 people said it was easy to find sidewalks or paths for jogging, walking or bike-riding. But 63 per cent found it difficult to run errands or get around without a car, reinforcing a sedentary lifestyle.

James Gambrell, 27, of Springfield, Ore., said he pays particular attention to diet and exercise because obesity runs in his family. He makes a point of walking to stores and running errands on foot two to three times a week.

But Gambrell, a fast-food cashier, said he eats out at least once a day because of the convenience and has changed his order at restaurants that already have begun posting calorie counts. He’s all for the government pushing those kinds of solutions.

“I feel that it’s a part of the government’s responsibility to care for its citizens and as such should attempt to set regulations for restaurants that are potentially harmful to its citizens,” he said.

On the other side is Pamela Dupuis, 60, of Aurora, Colo., who said she has struggled with weight and has been diagnosed as pre-diabetic.

She doesn’t want the government involved in things like calorie-counting.

“They should stay out of our lives,” she said.

The AP-NORC Center survey was conducted Nov. 21 through Dec. 14.

It involved landline and cellphone interviews with 1,011 adults nationwide and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

Whooping cough illnesses last year at highest level since 1955 The nation just suffered its worst year for whooping cough in nearly six decades, according to preliminary government figures.

Whooping cough ebbs and flows in multi-year cycles, and experts say 2012 appears to have reached a peak with 41,880 cases. Another factor: A vaccine used since the 90s doesn’t last as long as the old one.

The vaccine problem may continue to cause higher than normal case counts in the future, said Dr. Tom Clark of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“I think the numbers are going to trend up,” he said. The agency provided the latest figures on Friday.

Last year, cases were up in 48 states and outbreaks were particularly bad in Colorado, Minnesota, Washington state, Wisconsin and Vermont.

The good news: Despite the high number of illnesses, deaths didn’t increase. Eighteen people died, including 15 infants younger than 1.

Officials aren’t sure why there weren’t more deaths, but think that the attention paid to bad outbreaks across the nation resulted in infected children getting diagnosed faster and treated with antibiotics.

Also, a push last year to vaccinate pregnant women — a measure designed to pass immunity to infants — may have had some small measure of success, Clark said.

The final tally will be higher but unlikely to surpass the nearly 63,000 illnesses in 1955, he said.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease that can strike people of any age but is most dangerous to children. Its name comes from the sound children make as they gasp for breath.

It used to be a common threat, with hundreds of thousands of cases annually. Cases gradually dropped after a vaccine was introduced in the 1940s.

For about 25 years, fewer than 5,000 cases were reported annually in the U.S. But case counts started to climb again in the 1990s although not every year.

Numbers jumped to more than 27,000 in 2010, the year California saw an especially bad epidemic.

Experts looking for an explanation have increas-

ingly looked at a new vaccine introduced in the 1990s, and concluded its protection is not as longlasting as was previously thought.

Children are routinely vaccinated with five doses beginning at 2 months, and a booster shot is recommended at around 11 or 12. Health officials are considering recommending another booster shot, strengthening the vaccine or devising a brand new one.

52376A2-31

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Iran developing software to control social networking Iran’s police chief says the Islamic Republic is developing new software to control social networking sites.

Gen. Esmail Ahmadi Moghadam was quoted in Iranian newspapers Saturday as saying the new software will prevent Iranians from being exposed to malicious content online while allowing users to enjoy the benefits of the Internet. He did not say when the software would be introduced.

Moghadam also did not specify which social networking sites would be affected, but both Facebook and Twitter are popular in Iran.

Iranians currently have access to most of the Internet, although authorities block some sites affiliated with the opposition, as well as those that are seen as promoting dissent or considered morally corrupt.

Egypt’s foreign reserves stand at $15 billion The Central Bank of Egypt says the country’s foreign currency reserves stand at $15.014 billion, enough to cover just three months’ worth of imports. The central bank said last month that current reserve levels represent a “critical minimum.”

Reserves were down slightly, $26 million, from November, according to the bank’s website on Sunday.

The nation’s foreign currency reserves have dropped by more than half from $36 billion before the January 2011 uprising.

The main factors are significant cuts in foreign investments and tourism.

Wonder Bread brands for sale The makers of Thomas’ English muffins and Tastykake snacks are emerging as two of the bidders for Wonder Bread and other Hostess bread brands as the company tries to sell off its assets under bankruptcy-court oversight, a newspaper reported Saturday.

The Wall Street Journal said Hostess Brands Inc. could reveal as early as next week that Flowers Foods Inc. and Grupo Bimbo SAB are in discussions to acquire its bread brands, which also include Nature’s Pride.

The report said the brands could command $350 million. Grupo Bimbo’s brands include Arnold breads, Thomas’ English muffins and Entenmann’s cakes.

Flowers Foods Inc.’s brands include Nature’s Own breads and Tastykake snacks.

Hostess sells Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Ho Hos, along with Dolly Madison cakes, which includes Coffee Cakes and Zingers. Hostess also sells Devil Dogs, Funny Bones, and Yodels under the Drake’s brand.

Hostess announced in November that it was shutting down and selling its bread, snacks and cakes brands along with its 33 bakeries and other operations.

— The Associated Press

C3

BUSINESS

Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

Harley Richards, Business Editor, 403-314-4337 E-mail editorial@reddeeradvocate.com

Lawmakers dig in heels on debt crisis CRIPPLING U.S. DEFAULT POSSIBLE

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — Congressional leaders on Sunday showed no signs of emerging from their corners to resolve the next step in the financial crisis, with Democrats still talking about higher taxes on the wealthy and the Senate’s top Republican suggesting that a crippling default on U.S. loans was possible unless there were significant cuts in government spending.

“It’s a shame we have to use whatever leverage we have in Congress to get the president to deal with the biggest problem confronting our future, and that’s our excessive spending,” said Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Last week’s deal to avert the combination of end-of-year tax increases and spending cuts known as the “fiscal cliff” held income tax rates steady for 99 per cent of Americans but left some other major pieces of business unresolved.

By late February or early March, the Treasury Department will run out of options to cover the nation’s debts and could begin defaulting on government loans unless Congress raises the legal borrowing limit, or debt ceiling. Economists warn that a default could trigger a global recession.

Also looming are deep automatic spending cuts expected to take effect at the beginning of March that could further erase fragile gains in the U.S. economy.

Then on March 27, the temporary measure that funds government activities expires, and congressional approval will be needed to keep the government running.

It’s one more chance to fight over spending Lawmakers said debt talks will consume Congress in the coming weeks, likely delaying any consideration of an expected White House proposal on gun restrictions in the wake of the Connecticut school shooting.

Republicans say they are

willing to raise the debt ceiling but insist any increase must be paired with significant savings from Medicare, Medicaid and other government benefit programs.

President Barack Obama has said he’s willing to consider spending cuts separately but won’t bargain over the government’s borrowing authority.

“One thing I will not compromise over is whether or not Congress should pay the tab for a bill they’ve already racked up,” Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address.

Democrats said further tax increases for the wealthiest Americans were still possible as Congress looks to close the gap between revenues and expenditures.

Democrats point out that Obama has already agreed to significant spending cuts, and that the latest deal only gets the nation to about half of the revenue it needs to resolve the red ink.

“Trust me, there are plenty of things within that tax code — these loopholes where people can park their money in some island offshore and not pay taxes.

“These are things that need to be closed.

“We can do that and use the money to reduce the deficit,” said Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Senate Democrat.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California said she, too, wants to put “everything on the table from the standpoint of closing loopholes.”

But McConnell bluntly declared that the “tax issue is over” after last week’s agreement.

“We don’t have this problem because we tax too little; we have it because we spend too much,” McConnell said.

Making the rounds on the Sunday talk shows, McConnell was asked repeatedly whether Republicans were prepared to see the nation default on its spending obligations.

File photo by THE ASSSOCIATED PRESS

The Hibernia platform stands tall above the waters of Bull Arm, Trinity Bay, Nfld. Well-paid jobs are luring more women to the rigs and vessels that draw oil from the ocean floor more than 300 kilometres east of St. John’s, N.L., but life offshore is still very much a man’s world.

Pay lures more women to offshore oil jobs BUT THEY’RE STILL FAR OUTNUMBERED themselves working a schedule of three weeks on, three weeks off that takes them away from home for six months of the year.

And then there’s the prospect of being surrounded by men for every hitch at sea. Women are often expected to share rooms with men, sleeping on opposite shifts, and there are few female washrooms on vessels and platforms designed for a vastly male workforce.

“Generally I find there’s definitely more good than bad,” said one woman who has worked at several offshore installations and who spoke on condition she not be identified.

Housekeeping and catering jobs can pay more than $60,000 a year, and salaries increase for skilled trades.

“It’s not partying. You’re out there to work,” she said.

BYTHE CANADIAN PRESS ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Well-paid jobs are luring more women to the rigs and vessels that draw oil from the ocean floor more than 300 kilometres east of St. John’s, N.L., but life offshore is still very much a man’s world.

At any given time there are more than 700 workers toiling in all kinds of weather at the major Hibernia, Terra Nova and SeaRose sites. Only about five per cent of them are women, and even fewer hold jobs outside of housekeeping or the kitchens, says the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

And while government and industry efforts to boost those numbers have seen more women enter training that could lead them offshore, there are persistent barriers. They include the stark reality that many women with young children can’t see

Please see WORK on Page C4

Tiny Sonic embodies Detroit’s revival A VEHICLE NO ONE THOUGHT COULD BE MADE PROFITABLY, BY A COMPANY THAT FEW PEOPLE THOUGHT WOULD LAST

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DETROIT — When the word reached the Orion Assembly Plant, it spread along the serpentine assembly line like news of a death or natural disaster: General Motors, the biggest automaker in the world, had filed for bankruptcy protection.

On that grim day in 2009, Chevrolet and Pontiac sedans kept rolling down the line. And 1,700 worried workers stayed at their stations even as GM announced it would close the plant in a desperate bid to survive.

“The unknown was the scariest part,” recalled Gerald Lang, who had worked at Orion for two years installing dashboards and doors. “We really had no clue what was going to happen.”

There was something else that the workers didn’t know: They were witnessing the opening act of one of the greatest recovery stories in American business.

Nearly four years later, Chev-

File photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chevrolet Sonics move down the line at the General Motors Orion Assembly plant in Orion Township, Mich. Nearly four years after GM filed for bankruptcy protection, the automaker is building the Sonic, the best-selling subcompact car in the nation. rolets are still moving down the assembly line under the plant’s 82-acre roof. Lang and his coworkers now build the Sonic, the bestselling subcompact car in the nation. It’s a vehicle

no one thought could be made profitably in the U.S., by a company that few people thought would last.

But GM has not only survived, it has earned $16 billion in prof-

its in the past three years. And the industry is on track to make this year its best year since 2007.

Detroit’s improbable comeback is the work of many: President George W. Bush, who authorized the first bailout loans; President Barack Obama, who made more loans; workers who took lower wages and focused more on quality to compete with foreign rivals; and executives and designers who developed better cars amid the financial maelstrom happening around them.

To be sure, there were victims: shareholders, auto-parts makers and other suppliers who went out of business, as well as taxpayers who will never get all their money back.

But there is no denying that American carmakers have made a remarkable recovery. Nearly 790,000 people now have jobs building cars, trucks and parts, up 27 per cent from the dark days of 2009.

Please see SPIRAL on Page C4

Growth of exchange traded funds continues

TALBOT BOGGS

MONEYWISE

2012 appeared to be another good year for exchange traded funds (ETFs).

Back in September, the value of ETF assets on U.S. exchanges climbed to US$1.3 trillion, with a net inflow of US$38 billion, the most positive month since December 2008.

BMO Bank of Montreal has predicted that the Canadian ETF market will experience double-digit growth in 2012 and now stands at

about $50 billion in assets under management.

The main drivers of the growth in ETFs are competitive pricing, greater choice of products, new suppliers, new distribution channels and the potential entry of actively-managed ETFs in Canada.

“Increased awareness of the benefits of ETFs among Canadians is translating into increased adoption rates,” said Rajiv Silgardo,

co-CEO of BMO Global Asset Management. “The ETF space should continue to grow as long as suppliers continue to focus on innovation and anticipate the needs of investors.”

The number of providers of ETFs in Canada has grown from two to seven in just a few years, offering investors considerably more choice.

Please see ETF on Page C4

C4 RED DEER ADVOCATE Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

STORIES FROM PAGE C3

ETF: Number of asset managers growing As well, the number of asset managers is growing, now offering both active and passive options. ETFs now are starting to be used in defined contribution pension plans and the possibility exists that ETFs will be used more in managed programs in various brokerages.

“As more entrants come on board over the next several years and existing manufacturers ramp up their product offerings, it will open the door to more solutions, a wider range of investors and more diverse portfolios,” Silgardo said.

Investors now can choose among index, stock, bond, commodity, currency, active, passive and inverse and leveraged ETFs. The range of ETF implementation strategies also is growing.

“As a result of their varying styles, exposure types and niches, ETFs are being used in various ways by investors,” Silgardo said.

“New applications most likely will be the driver of ETF growth. With increased segmentation and ETFs based on specific area, even basic uses of ETFs such as cash equitization will become more efficient for investors.”

Some industry specialists fear that the rapid growth of ETFs is creating an education gap that could leave investors exposed to risk from a lack of understanding of some of the products more complicated variations, such as leveraged and inverse options.

“Although existing ETF users are becoming increasingly sophisticated, it’s critical that newer investors receive the same level of support (as experienced users),” Silgardo said. “Local expertise and on-the-ground specialists will be essential to ensuring new and existing clients get the education and support they need.”

Data from the Investment Funds Institute of Canada also shows that investor confidence in ETFs has increased in the last three years.

In the 20 odd years they’ve been around, ETFs have grown from a relatively small and simple financial product into a trillion-dollar global business.

An ETF usually consists of a portfolio of stocks or bonds that track a specific market index, sector or commodity. They were first introduced in 1989-90 in the form of index participation shares in the United States, tracking the S&P 500 and the TSE 35 here in Canada.

Between 30 and 40 per cent of all exchange trading volume in the U.S. now is ETFs, and there are more than 1,500 of the funds in North America. ETF assets in the U.S. are now estimated to be about $1 trillion, $50 billion in Canada and about $1.4 trillion globally, and could quickly exceed US$2 trillion.

Talbot Boggs is a Toronto-based business communications professional who has worked with national news organizations, magazines and corporations in the finance, retail, manufacturing and other industrial sectors.

SPIRAL: Industry rose from near collapse The story of the Sonic shows how the industry, along with a community in a downtrodden state, got there.

The collapse of the industry in 2008 that nearly put GM and Chrysler out of business and cost Ford billions of dollars came from a perfect storm that included the Great Recession, expensive gasoline and the financial meltdown that dried up funding for car loans.

But the automakers’ problems were years in the making.

They had business models that couldn’t generate enough cash to cover expenses. They had too many factories making too many cars and trucks.

They sold too many vehicles at discounts or even steep losses just to move them out of showrooms to make room for more. And their workers earned more in wages and benefits than Japanese competitors.

Even when autoworkers were laid off, companies couldn’t get them off their books.

Union-mandated “jobs banks” forced automakers to keep paying workers whose plants had been shut down.

They got paid to sit in rooms and do crossword puzzles.

Years of losses caused the three U.S. automakers to rack up $200 billion in debt, about half the liabilities that are now strangling Greece. GM alone lost $82 billion in the four years before bankruptcy.

All three companies had to pay escalating health care costs for workers and a staggering half-million retirees — a number about equal to the population of Portland, Ore. At GM, medical costs for workers and retirees added $1,500 to the price of a car.

An increasingly bad situation turned worse during the 2001 recession, which was followed by rising gas prices that lasted for most of the decade. Then came the 2008 financial meltdown.

As GM and Chrysler careened toward bankruptcy, President Bush stepped in, loaning $17.4 billion to GM and Chrysler just before he left office.

But auto sales remained in a free fall, plummeting to a 30-year low of 10.4 million by the end of 2009.

GM, meanwhile, was drowning, even with emergency loans from the government. On June 1, 2009, it became the largest American industrial company ever to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

It had just $2 billion in cash and $172.8 billion in liabilities.

The bankruptcy wiped out GM’s debts, allowed it to shed 21,000 jobs, dump 2,600 dealers and close factories, including Orion.

“It was like somebody just took the heart out of you,” recalled Mike Dunn, the chief United Auto Workers union bargainer at Orion. “You didn’t really know if you would have a future.”

As lawyers for GM and its creditors fought in court over scraps of the company, Orion’s second chance emerged.

In exchange for its $50 billion bailout, the government got a 60 per cent stake in the company and GM agreed to build a tiny car known as the Sonic at one of the U.S. plants it was closing.

Small-car production had long been relegated to other countries where wages weren’t as high.

But GM couldn’t take government money and build a small car overseas.

There was another obstacle. GM and the UAW had to figure out how to cut labour costs at the plant.

For decades, the UAW and automakers fought openly as the companies tried to reduce costs and the union demanded pay increases. The UAW would strike, or threaten to, and the companies would cave in. By 2007, GM was paying $1,400 more per vehicle for labour than nonunion Toyota.

That same year, both sides agreed to a historic compromise on labour costs.

They established a two-tier wage system that would pay new employees around $14 an hour, or half the hourly wage of older workers.

Worker pay and pensions were frozen. Union trusts funded by the company and workers would take over retiree health care costs.

Union President Bob King said each worker gave up at least $7,000 during the four-year contract.

But GM still couldn’t make money building the Sonic at Orion without an immediate influx of lower-wage workers. So the UAW and GM went beyond the national agreement and came up with an unprecedented solution.

More lower-wage workers could be hired at Orion than any other plant in the country.

Forty per cent would be paid the lower wage, as opposed to a maximum of 25 per cent at other factories.

“We all sort of wanted to do some-

GROUNDED RIG

Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

This aerial image provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows Rear Adm. Thomas Ostebo, Incident Management Team commander, observing the Royal Dutch Shell drilling rig Kulluk aground during a flight near Kodiak Island. No leak has been seen from the drilling ship that grounded during a storm. Naval officials have pronounced the Kulluk fit to be towed. The attempt will depend on weather, tides and readiness. thing that was very radical that would test those relationships and also test our ability to be really competitive here,” said Mark Reuss, GM’s North America president.

Union leaders Sweeney and Dunn accepted the deal in October 2010, figuring it was better to have lower-paying jobs than none at all. They were vilified by some workers.

Early in 2010, Americans began returning to car dealerships as the economy improved.

Sales were nowhere near pre-recession levels, but they were enough for GM to celebrate its first quarterly profit in three years.

As a dreadful winter ended, GM delivered on its promise to invest at Orion. Crates of robot arms, carts and conveyor parts arrived, filling the vast open space that had frightened Dunn just a few months earlier.

The first Sonic, a white hatchback, rolled out of the Orion factory in August 2011.

Even when their company was in bankruptcy, GM engineers and designers across the world never stopped working on the Sonic, a new mini car that would take on the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris.

The Sonic was part of a wave of small cars from Detroit that came with more than just good gas mileage and a lower price: They had aggressive styling, better handling and more amenities like leather seats and navigation systems.

Detroit has seen many booms and busts in a century of auto making.

There were 41 car companies in the city in 1913. Almost all failed or were consolidated into the Big Three.

Chrysler nearly went bankrupt in 1980 before being rescued by the government. Sales ebb and flow with the economy, gas prices and even the weather.

But industry experts say things have changed. The reforms Detroit undertook make it less prone to financial disaster. Car companies have closed plants, laid off workers and sold or closed entire brands. GM now has 12 U.S. assembly plants and 101,000 employees in North America. A decade ago, it had 22 plants and 202,000 employees.

WORK: Long hours “You’re working 12 hours a day.

“For the most part, they do try to look after you,” she said of the men she lives alongside for half the year.

“There are one or two who ogle, and we know who they are.”

But she referred to her male co-

workers as “a second family” who will apologize for salty language or offcolour stories if they suddenly notice her presence in the break room.

“I’m after hearing it all,” she said with a smile.

“I think they should be looking for more women,” she said of the offshore industry. “I do see more now than I did when I started.

“It’s nice to see more women coming out.”

Paul Barnes, manager of Atlantic Canada for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, says the umbrella group has offered funding and other support for education geared to getting more female workers offshore, especially in technology and trades.

But he said many women still write off the oil and gas sector as a dirty industry that won’t last far into the future if oil reserves wane as predicted.

“Yes, there are certainly harsh environments that one would work in but it’s certainly not a dirty environment as it might have been several years ago. It’s an environment that’s safe to work in and offers a lot of opportunity.”

Union leaders representing offshore workers have made the case for shorter work rotations such as those in Norway, where the norm is two weeks at sea and four weeks off.

In the British sector of the North Sea, it’s often a rotation of two weeks on and three off.

Barnes concedes that working offshore in three-week stints may not suit women who have children or want to start a family.

But being away from home isn’t easy for the men who head offshore either, he said. “While this lifestyle is certainly not for everyone, some parents do make it work.”

Barnes said more obvious progress includes the number of women working for oil and gas companies on land, and those who do brief stints at sea as welders or in other non-traditional jobs.

“The industry has made inroads here in the last decade or so and we are seeing many more women in science, engineering and technology-type positions onshore.”

There’s a growing business case to use the province’s untapped female labour pool, said Nicole Kieley, executive director of Women in Resource Development Corp., a group that promotes women in trades and technology.

She cited great strides in terms of gender policies on the books and expectations for new developments like the Hebron offshore oil project, officially sanctioned Dec. 31.

U.S. corporate earnings to take centre stage on markets The Toronto stock market could be in for further gains next week as investors shift their focus from political wrangling in Washington to the start of a slew of fourth-quarter earnings reports.

The Toronto market ended last week 1.82 per cent higher while New York’s Dow industrials plowed ahead 3.84 per cent after U.S. lawmakers reached an 11th hour deal to avert big tax hikes and spending cuts that were due to kick in at the start of the year.

However, traders worry that U.S. budget talks could pose a threat to risk appetite for months.

The reporting season kicks off after the close Tuesday when resource giant Alcoa Inc. hands in results that are expected to be an improvement from a year ago.

“With the earnings season, I think most people expect it to be fairly decent,” said Andrew Pyle, investment adviser with ScotiaMcLeod in Peterborough, Ont.

D I L B E R T

“The economy didn’t fall apart in the fourth quarter of last year, in fact there were signs of re-acceleration in some sectors. I think most people are setting reasonable expectations because there are sectors where we will still see pressure, in the materials sector for example where Alcoa is going to launch from.”

Alcoa’s earnings are eagerly anticipated since the aluminum company’s products are used in a wide variety of industries, everything from cars to appliances.

It’s also viewed as a good indication of where the overall resource sector is at, an important consideration for a market like the TSX that is heavily weighted in favour of commoditybased companies.

Analysts expect Alcoa to turn in earnings of six cents a share, a big improvement from the three cent a share loss the company posted a year ago and the 13-cent a share loss from the third quarter.

The company has been pressured by a global manufacturing slowdown, and

in particular by falling demand from China last year.

Aluminum prices were weak during the fourth quarter, losing about two per cent on the London Metal Exchange.

Those lower prices were mentioned by ratings agency Moody’s Investor Service late last month when it placed Alcoa’s debt on review for a possible downgrade. It also cited the weak U.S. economy, the debt crisis in Europe, and slower growth in China.

Beyond earnings, seasonal factors will likely play a role in market sentiment this week.

“We’re partway through the period of seasonal strength,” said John Johnston, chief strategist at Davis Rea Ltd. “The intermediate cycle turned up in late November, early December and it probably has a couple of months to run on the upside.”

At the same time, there is a feeling that while the fiscal cliff scenario was

narrowly avoided last week, it won’t be long before other U.S. fiscal challenges pop up to test investor patience.

For example, lawmakers will next be engaged in negotiations to hike the U.S. debt limit in early March.

“And that is unfortunate,” added Pyle. “I think most individuals will view what we’ve just been through (last week) kind of it. That was a hurdle we had to cross, we’ve crossed and now it makes for smooth sailing where in fact, it’s not clear sailing, we still have other hurdles that you have to cross and that’s only one of them.”

Meanwhile, it’s a light week for economic data this week.

The major Canadian reports are December housing starts which come out on Wednesday. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. is expected to report that starts came in at an annual rate of 195,000, down 0.6 per cent from the previous month as the feverish housing sector continues to cool.

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Hotz just laughs at resolutions ‘MASTER OF MISERY’ STRIVES TO STAY FRESH

BY VICTORIA AHEARN THE CANADIAN PRESS Comedian Jeremy Hotz likes to ease into his New Year’s goals.

“I was going to start to really concentrate on making a New Year’s resolution for next year. That’s my New Year’s resolution,” the famously miserable standup star said in his signature anguished tone during a recent telephone interview.

Might that resolution involve being happier onstage?

“I don’t think that’s ever going to happen,” Hotz groaned.

In the meantime, the Ottawa native can be seen in the Comedy Network’s new original series Just for Laughs: All Access, which debuts Monday at 10 p.m.

ET. The show features highlights from comedians at Montreal’s Just For Laughs Festival, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Hotz is in Episode 4 on Jan. 28 as well as episodes on Feb. 11, March 11 and March 25.

Other comics who perform in the series include Saturday Night Live cast member Bill Hader, Community star Joel McHale, and Jack McBrayer of 30 Rock fame.

“For me, it did everything,” Hotz said of the Just for Laughs festival. “It got me quite a bit of notoriety and it made me sort of an international star because they sell the product all over the world.

“It is the most important comedy festival in the world.

“It’s the international one and it’s a major feather in your cap if you get that festival. Especially if you’re coming out of Canada, you really need that festival.”

Hotz has performed at the festival countless times since the 1990s, when he co-starred in the CBC-TV series The

Newsroom.

He was also a writer for The Jon Stewart Show and has won Gemini and Canadian Comedy Awards.

Hotz’s Just for Laughs: All Access segment on Jan. 28 finds him in his famous pose (his right hand over half of his face to appear distressed) and putting a pessimistic touch on topics including crows, public transportation and how he’s been mistaken for Nicolas Cage.

“That really happened,” Hotz assured over the line from his home in Los Angeles.

“In America, from far away, people seem to think that. And then they get up close and go, ’’Nah, he looks more like Klinger from M.A.S.H.” Hotz fans can hear more of his griping when he kicks off the Canadian leg of Jeremy Hotz: The Magical Misery Tour Feb. 19 in St. John’s, N.L. The show will touch on “getting older and not realizing that you’re not indestructible anymore,” said the 49-year-old, who lives with his 16-yearold dog.

“You walk around and you still think you’re, like, 21 and then you look in a mirror and you go, ‘Who the (hell) is that guy? It’s not you.’ Everybody thinks they’re somebody else inside their head. Mirrors are really bad for people.”

The so-called “master of misery,” who’s been performing standup for two decades, said he’s writing new material more quickly than ever these days.

That’s because his standup bits become stale the moment they hit social media, YouTube and TV specials.

“It’s a good thing. I don’t mind that,” said Hotz, noting he’s also improvising and playing off the audience more than ever.

“You have to do that. And I write better that way, just right there, when there’s all that pressure and they’re

File photos by THE CANADIAN PRESS

Comedian Jeremy Hotz is shown in a handout photo. Hotz can be seen in The Comedy Network’s new original series “Just for Laughs: All Access,” which debuts today at 8 p.m. staring at you.

“I walk an amazing tightrope onstage now,” he added.

Hotz is also busy co-developing a TV series with the Laugh Factory comedy club in the United States.

And in the fall, he’ll be seen in a new season of HBO Canada’s Halifaxshot comedy series Call Me Fitz, star-

ring Jason Priestley.

His character, Leonard, is a struggling social worker and new father who has a big secret.

“Leonard is an extension of me,” said Hotz.

“He’s a man who’s very put-upon.

I wouldn’t call him miserable. I think he’s profoundly disappointed.”

Theater festivals fire up a cold New York ONE-MAN ‘HAMLET’ AND OTHER MARATHON SHOWS

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK — Listening to Supreme Court justices question lawyers doesn’t sound like the stuff of great theatre.

But somehow it is — in the hands of one of the city’s most acclaimed companies.

Elevator Repair Service — the group that performed F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby in its entirely over eight hours — returns this month with a new experiment: Re-enacting the 1991 oral arguments of a high court case about the legality of nude dancing in Indiana.

The show, Arguendo, will be one of dozens of independent and experimental theatrical pieces from across the globe being mounted in lower Manhattan in the coming weeks.

January in New York is when you can see a play about the Indian deity Ganesh, a one-man Hamlet or take in a 24-hour-long concert or 12-hour show.

In Arguendo, four members of Elevator Repair Service play eight of the court’s nine justices as well as the two opposing lawyers.

The actors rigorously follow the transcript — they even cough and include “umms” heard on tapes of the argument — but they also move about the stage in choreographed rolling office chairs.

“I saw in this case a combination of a kind of entertaining back-and-forth and also something that really pressed some genuinely intellectually stimulating questions,” said director John Collins, who helped create Elevator Repair Service in 1991.

During a recent rehearsal, the actors went through their paces, citing tongue-twisting legal jargon and a command of the issues.

Except at one point when Mike Iveson, who was playing Justice Antonin Scalia, said, “Am I correct in my understanding of what Indiana law is?

“That there is an exception to the noodling law somehow for artistic performances?”

The room burst into laughter. He had said “noodling” instead of “nudity.”

“The NOODLING laws?” asked fellow actor Susie Sokol

with a grin.

“Isn’t that catfishing?” joked Kate Scelsa.

“Yes, my only problem is with public noodling,” said a smiling Iveson, before repeating the line correctly.

A dozen pieces, including the Elevator Repair Service show, are slated for the Under the Radar Festival produced

by The Public Theater.

Running from WednesdayJan. 20 at the company’s newly refurbished downtown home, the festival includes artists from seven countries, including Iran, Belarus, the Netherlands, China, Japan and Australia.

This year, all the shows will be at the Public instead of scattered across the city as they were when the building was being renovated.

“We have only 12 things this year.

“We didn’t go crazy — though some of them do last 11 hours,” Mark Russell, the director of the annual festival, said with a laugh. “The festival is going to be pretty special this year — it’s all under one roof.”

Some of the highlights in-

clude Ganesh Versus the Third Reich by the Back to Back Theatre company from Australia, in which the elephant-headed god Ganesh travels through Nazi Germany to reclaim the swastika, an ancient Hindu symbol.

“It’s visually beautiful, and then there are so many layers in this show,” Russell said.

The acclaimed edgy troupe Belarus Free Theatre, whose members had to sneak out of Belarus to perform Being Harold Pinter in America last year are back with a new piece.

“The secret police are still hassling them, and we’re just crossing our fingers that they get out in one piece again,” Russell said.

Bring a comfy pillow if you plan to catch Nature Theater of Oklahoma’s Life and Times: Episodes 1-4, an 11-hour story of a life.

Part I is a ukulele opera, but Russell isn’t worried about the sound of that scaring anyone away.

“Believe me, you’ll be hooked and scream to get a ticket to the full marathon,” he said.

There’s also C’est du Chi-

nois, which is challenging in another way — it’s performed completely in Mandarin with no supertitles. And Hamlet, Prince of Grief, featuring Iranian actor Afshin Hashemi using household objects and children’s toys in his retelling of Shakespeare’s classic in Farsi.

In addition to Under the Radar, the acclaimed theatre company Performance Space 122 already has kicked off its annual COIL festival, boasting 10 theatre and dance pieces until Jan. 19 that tackle everything from Frankenstein to Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull.

There are also 15 workshop performances at HERE’s Culturemart starting Jan. 28, with topics ranging from the story of a transvestite prostitute to another about a woman’s cyborg pet.

All the festivals are hoping to take advantage of the thousands presenters, producers, vendors, managers, artists and donors who descend on the city for the annual Association of Performing Arts Presenters convention, which kicks off this year on Friday.

Former ‘Bachelorette’ eager to put spotlight on design skills Former Bachelorette star Jillian Harris says she’s eager to put the spotlight on her design skills, instead of her dating skills.

The bubbly brunette returns to TV this week as co-host of the real estate series “Love It or List It Vancouver” and says she’s hoping to establish herself as a serious designer, despite her sensational TV past.

Since gaining fame on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, Harris says she turned down several offers to expose her love life anew.

“There were a few things that came to the table but they were often like web series or they were to do with finding love again and I just wasn’t really interested in putting my personal life on display again,” Harris says.

“I was kind of frustrated that I would only be known as The Bachelorette and I would never live that title down.”

Viewers have gotten a glimpse of Harris’s design sensibilities through post-Bachelorette appearances on Ex-

treme Makeover: Home Edition and Canada’s Handyman Challenge but she notes that her reputation is still tightly associated with “making out in hot tubs.”

“I couldn’t live that title down,” sighs the Alberta native, who says her long-term goals include being known as a young, hip, off-beat Martha Stewart.

“When (Love It producers) came to me I was like, ’Oh that’s awesome. You actually recognize the fact that I’m a designer and that I could be good in this field.”’

Starting today, Harris will showcase her interior design sensibilities as the resident renovator on the new W Network series.

As the title suggests, Love It or List It Vancouver is a West Coast spinoff of the Toronto-based series Love It or List It, which returns to W Network in the spring.

And as in the original show, homeowners who are bursting at the seams are asked to choose between buying a new house or staying in their current home after a televised renovation.

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» SEE MORE ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM

Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

FIRST THURSDAY STARTS ON A HIGH NOTE

Photo by RANDY FIEDLER/Advocate Staff

Flautist Lucie Jones, left, pianist Dale Wheeler and oboist Melody McKnight perform in the Red Deer Public Library’s Snell Auditorium Thursday. The trio kicked off the year’s popular First Thursdays in the Snell lunch hour concerts which are streamed live online at www.rdpl.org/events/liveAtRDPL.

Study says fructose may spur overeating, renews debate on obesity risks

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS This is your brain on sugar — for real. Scientists have used imaging tests to show for the first time that fructose, a sugar that saturates the American diet, can trigger brain changes that may lead to overeating.

After drinking a fructose beverage, the brain doesn’t register the feeling of being full as it does when simple glucose is consumed, researchers found.

It’s a small study and does not prove that fructose or its relative, high-fructose corn syrup, can cause obesity, but experts say it adds evidence they may play a role. These sugars often are added to processed foods and beverages, and consumption has risen dramatically since the 1970s along with obesity. A third of U.S. children and teens and more than two-thirds of adults are obese or overweight.

All sugars are not equal — even though they contain the same amount of calories — because they are metabolized differently in the body. Table sugar is sucrose, which is half fructose, half glucose. Highfructose corn syrup is 55 per cent fructose and 45 per cent glucose. Some nutrition experts say this sweetener may pose special risks, but others and the industry reject that claim. And doctors say we eat too much sugar in all forms.

For the study, scientists used magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, scans to track blood flow in the brain in 20 young, normal-weight people before and after they had drinks containing glucose or fructose in two sessions several weeks apart.

Scans showed that drinking glucose “turns off or suppresses the activity of areas of the brain that are critical for reward and desire for food,” said one study leader, Yale University endocrinologist Dr. Robert Sherwin. With fructose, “we don’t see those changes,” he said. “As a result, the desire to eat continues — it isn’t turned off.”

What’s convincing, said Dr. Jonathan Purnell, an endocrinologist at Oregon Health & Science University, is that the imaging results mirrored how hungry the people said they felt, as well as what earlier studies found in animals.

“It implies that fructose, at least with regards to promoting food intake and weight gain, is a bad actor compared to glucose,” said Purnell. He wrote a commentary that appears with the federally funded

study in Wednesday’s Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers now are testing obese people to see if they react the same way to fructose and glucose as the normal-weight people in this study did.

What to do? Cook more at home and limit processed foods containing fructose and high-fructose corn syrup, Purnell suggested. “Try to avoid the sugar-sweetened beverages. It doesn’t mean you can’t ever have them,” but control their size and how often they are consumed, he said.

A second study in the journal suggests that only severe obesity carries a high death risk — and that a few extra pounds might even provide a survival advantage. However, independent experts say the methods are too flawed to make those claims.

The study comes from a federal researcher who drew controversy in 2005 with a report that found thin and normal-weight people had a slightly higher risk of death than those who were overweight. Many experts criticized that work, saying the researcher — Katherine Flegal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — painted a misleading picture by including smokers and people with health problems ranging from cancer to heart disease. Those people tend to weigh less and therefore make pudgy people look healthy by comparison.

Flegal’s new analysis bolsters her original one, by assessing nearly 100 other studies covering almost 2.9 million people around the world. She again concludes that very obese people had the highest risk of death but that overweight people had a 6 per cent lower mortality rate than thinner people. She also concludes that mildly obese people had a death risk similar to that of normal-weight people.

Critics again have focused on her methods. This time, she included people too thin to fit what some consider to be normal weight, which could have taken in people emaciated by cancer or other diseases, as well as smokers with elevated risks of heart disease and cancer.

“Some portion of those thin people are actually sick, and sick people tend to die sooner,” said Donald Berry, a biostatistician at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

The problems created by the study’s inclusion of smokers and people with pre-existing illness “cannot be ignored,” said Susan Gapstur, vice-president of epidemiology for the American Cancer Society.

to be postponed for a while as financial charges can cause you some undesired pressure.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You would rather work by yourself and you are not necessarily seeking approvMonday, Jan. 7, 2013 CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DATE: Nicolas al for your actions. You know you are fully involved in your work tasks and projects. Your partner may Cage, 49; Katie Couric, 56; David Caruso, 57 THOUGHT OF THE DAY: We could easily get inhibit somehow your emotional well-being.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Some reoccurring tasks through this day if we avoid risky ventures or podemand that you become more initiative. You feel tentially harmful activities. You would do yourself a favour by putting yourself in a safer position as pulled back by a less than creative mind that doesn’t to avoid potential injuries. On a more fundamental allow you to fully express yourself to your best potential. Try keeping your nose to the grindlevel, the Moon in Scorpio will allow us stone. to benefit from opportunities around us LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You wish to iniwhere we have a flowing ambience leadtiate new fun activities, but financial shorting us towards a rock-solid path. ages seem to not allow you to fulfil their HAPPY BIRTHDAY: If today is your dreams. Sometimes, we have to delay fun birthday, you will learn how to connect and opt for more old-fashioned activities to others on a more profound level. You that can prove more nurturing. will seek depth and anything but superSCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): At home, you ficiality within all your relationships. A are feeling a higher responsibility to take strong need to have a well designed plan care of domestic issues. Luckily, you relate for your future will entice you to use to others in a very clear and concise manyour imagination to new heights. Try to ner. You know that they will give you the reassess your financial situation and to energy to feel within your own element. measure twice and cut once.

ASTRO SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Today, ARIES (March 21-April 19): Opposing DOYNA be extra careful on the road. Wherever you forces may pull you back from advancing are heading to, be cautious and avoid risky in your career or in your social standing. tendencies. Your siblings might act a bit Certain fears regarding your money comerratic or your writing abilities might feel ing from other sources, such as taxes, restricted in some way. government bonds, loans may reappear now.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): It is primordial TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A key alliance or an important relationship may prove to be quite diffi- today to avoid any risky ventures in relation to your cult at this time. It seems that he or she is not allow- money. Do not spend or invest into anything for the ing you to present your version of facts and that you time being. The current planetary energies are not are actually being blocked by certain circumstances. favouring your monetary urges for instance.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You are feeling a Inhibition may prevent you from moving forward.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Today try to be extra heavier burden of workload from your superiors. Rewatchful over your health. You may be prone to over sponsibility is hard to manage now and a suppressed exhaustion due to a high volume of chores waiting irritability can be marked in your general predispoimpatiently to be completed. You know you are lim- sition. It would be best for you to work alone for now.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Sometimes, it is normal ited to experience your freedom and advance in your to feel a bit less confident or as if you don’t measure plans unless you accomplish these deeds.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Romance and can taste up to others’ expectations. Do not let repressed anso much sweeter and the need for playfulness can be ger deprive you from feeling free and from maintainfulfilling if you are let yourself be in tune with your ing your faith and hope for the future.

Astro Doyna is an internationally syndicated astrolopartner’s lead. In reality, these pleasures will have ger and columnist.

HOROSCOPE

SUN SIGNS

Marriage being worn down by meddling mother-in-law Dear Annie: I have been married to “Barry” for 20 years. Even though we live several hours from his mother, she controls many of our family’s decisions.

My mother-in-law is our only living parent. I have tried many times to please her, without success. I often have the family over to our home and invite them to our summer cottage. I plan outings and shop for gifts. She doesn’t drive, so I take her to the grocery and wherever else she needs to go. But in her eyes, I cannot do anything right.

Barry jumps when she asks him to do anything. If she needs a light bulb changed, he immediately goes to fix it. She has always been his “boss” in terms of what he does, how he does it and when he does it. And she is his confidante when it comes to our marriage, which does not help.

For the past several years, Barry has been very uninterested in me. He’s angry all the time and blames me for everything that goes wrong in his life. I’ve been to counselling, but Barry (and his mother) feels this is nonsense and says there must be something wrong with me.

MITCHELL I have been an outsider in & SUGAR Barry’s family for my entire marriage and see no hope of changing it. Where do I go from here? Is divorce my only answer? I truly love my husband, but I don’t like our life with his family, and he is unwilling to make changes. — Sad in the North Dear Sad: Your mother-in-law sounds difficult, but your real problem is Barry. If he would back you up, it would give you an opportunity to change the dynamics within the relationship. But his family doesn’t show you respect because Barry doesn’t demand it, and worse, he makes them believe they can treat you poorly. And while his family deserves his consideration, as well, it shouldn’t come at your expense.

Tell Barry that your marriage is in serious trouble, not only because of the way his family treats you, but because he is angry and uninterested. If he refuses to go for counselling, go back on your own and figure out what’s best for you.

Dear Annie: A year ago, I approached my aunt about something she did that hurt my family. I tried to do so with gentleness and respect. However, not only did she not apologize, but she also completely rationalized her behaviour.

Now she acts as if I did something wrong, and she is ignoring me. We used to be quite close and corresponded frequently. I still write to her, but get no response. She sends texts to everyone but me. She even writes my wife and kids, but it’s as if I no longer exist. How should I deal with this situation? — The Silent Treatment Dear Silent: You caught your aunt behaving poorly. Instead of being mature about it, she became defensive. Now she is punishing you as a way to avoid taking responsibility for her actions. If you are willing to forgo the apology, you can simply tell her you miss her and the closeness you once had. It’s also possible that in time she will begin including you again, as long as you don’t mention the previous unpleasantness. We hope she will grow up soon.

Dear Annie: “Worried Papa” said his teenage daughter wants to get her navel pierced. I got mine pierced in my 20s because everyone else was doing it, so of course I thought it was cool, too.

In my 30s, I got pregnant and removed the ring.

Now I have an ugly hole that was stretched during two pregnancies. Tattoos also stretch with aging and pregnancy, and some of them look like gross ink blobs as your skin loses its elasticity. — Should Have Thought Twice Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please email your questions to anniesmailbox@ comcast.net, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.

ANNIE ANNIE

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announcements Obituaries

HARTY Engelbert (Bert) Nov. 2 1935 - Jan. 2 2013 Bert passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 2, 2012 at the Red Deer Regional Hospital in Red Deer, AB at the age of 77 years. Bert was born in Mankota Sk. to John and Elizabeth Harty. The Harty family soon moved to Regina, SK. where he lived up until 2010 when he and his wife Marion moved to Blackfalds, AB. Bert was predeceased by his parents; his brothers: Andrew, Joeseph, Wendell, Ted, Leonard and sisters: Rita, Rose, Regina, and Jean. He recently lost his daughter Marcia on December 29th, 2012. He will be lovingly remembered by his beautiful wife of 57 years Marion, and his 3 children David (Pauline) Harty, Cheryl Davis (Richard Fritze) and Barb (Dan) Jermunsen and grandchildren Anthony (Michelle), Colin (Jenn), Tricia (Shane), Cordell, Jamie, Morgan (Matt), Marshall, Maegan, Kasch and Spencer. Bert is also survived by his sister Leah and brothers Tony, Alphonse, Adam and Paul. A Celebration of Bert’s Life will be held at a later date for family and close friends.

Obituaries JANS, Julie Anne On January 2nd, 2013 Julie Anne Jans passed away in Edmonton, AB. Julie is lovingly remembered by her 4 sons: John (Anna-Marie), Carson (Justyna), Lester (Lauren), Brian; her mother Eileen;and her brother Doug.

A celebration of Julie’s life will be held at the Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, 11223-51 Ave in Edmonton on Thursday, January 10th, 2013 at 11:00 AM. Memorial donations may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada in lieu of flowers. Serenity Funeral Service South 780-450-0101 www.serenity .ca for condolences

Clerical

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Oilfield

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Oilfield

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CLASSIFICATIONS 50-70

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FOUND med. haired black & orange F cat, Anders area, call to claim, 403-396-1414

Personals

IS looking for a F/T

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Microsoft Windows, flexibility, and a positive attitude req’d. Please apply by: Fax: 346-8847, Email: jwhitelaw@ pacificvalve.com, or In Person: 8053 Edgar Industrial Cres. Red Deer.

No phone calls, only those selected for interviews will be contacted.

OFFICE administrative assistant required for multiple office duties full time. Excellent phone and person skills required as well as strong administrative, filing, data entry and organizational skills needed.

Contact wendy@ ComfortecHeating.com or 403-588-8399

Janitorial

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ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS 403-347-8650

CCCSI is hiring sanitation workers for the afternoon and evening shifts. Get paid weekly, $14.22/hr.

Call 403-348-8440 or fax 403-348-8463 Something for Everyone Everyday in Classifieds

Medical

790

GREYWOLF ENERGY SERVICES LTD. is now hiring experienced Well Testing Operators, Night Supervisors, and Day Supervisors.

We are one of the largest testing companies in North America.

We pay top wages, have an excellent benefits package, and an RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan) program.

Candidates must have H2S, First Aid training, and the ability to pass a pre-employment drug screening. A valid class five driver’s licence with a clean driver’s abstract is an asset.

Southern Alberta residents, submit resumes to: Email: jliesemer@ greywolfsystems.ca Fax: 1-866-211-0338 Northern Alberta residents, submit resumes to: Email: mstoddard@ greywolfsystems.ca Fax: 780-539-0946 You can sell your guitar for a song... or put it in CLASSIFIEDS and we’ll sell it for you!

LOCAL SERVICE CO. REQ’S EXP. VACUUM TRUCK OPERATOR Must have Class 3 licence w/air & all oilfield tickets.

Fax resume w/drivers abstract to 403-886-4475

NEW Red Deer Based busy & growing oilfield trucking company looking for exp. winch truck drivers. Successful candidates will receive top wages & benefits.

Valid Class 1 licence is necessary & oilfield tickets Registered Nurse & is an asset. Must be able Licensed Practical to pass a pre-employment drug & alcohol screen test.

Nurse Darcey McConnell Please forward all The Rocky PCN requires Feb. 5, 1969 - Jan. 7, 2011 resumes to the services of a 1.0 FTE The Light of God surrounds you danacg@shaw.ca Registered Nurse and a The love of God enfolds you Licensed Practical Nurse MISSING: Ann Grace The power of God protects you in a 0.4 FTE to support Rowley from London Ont. t h e C h r o n i c D i s e a s e The presence of God watches over you. contact John Thurman Management Program.

Wherever you are Darcey..God is facebook -twitter or See our website at But O’ for the touch of a jnt@execulink.com PRESSURE TRUCK / rockymedical.com/pcn vanished hand, and the for full listing HOT OILERS sound of a voice that is still We thank all those who apply, however only those We miss you Darc-Man We are a growing Bingos who will be offered an company searching for Love, Mom, Horace, your interview will be contacted. experienced hot oiler siblings, Dean, Mark and RED DEER BINGO Centre operators / pressure truck Sherry 4946-53 Ave. (West of operators/drivers in our Superstore). Precall 12:00 ~~~~~~~~~~ Central Alberta location. & 6:00. Check TV Today!!!! Oilfield Darcy Field experience is an I’ll love you forever asset, but we will provide Jacqueline Fitness new employees with hands & Sports on training in the field.

Minimum requirements Goshinkan JuJitsu. include a clean driver’s In Loving Memory of Practical and Effective Self abstract and Class 3Q Larena Joyce Hayes Richard Defense and Sport drivers license. Email or programs for Children, July 24, 1968 - Jan. 7, 2009 fax an application along $2500 Bonus Teens and Adults. P. 587with an abstract to: Every 100 days 315-0620 E. ajitsua@telus.

Although you’re not beside us, net W. www.goshinma.com IMMEDIATE OPENINGS Email: You’re never far away.

Oil & Gas Well Testing dshannon@ You’re always in our hearts Supervisors, Night Fore1strateenergy.ca men, Exp’d/inexp’d Junior Through every passing day.

Fax: 403-887-4750 Day/Night Operators.

No length of time Must have H2S, First Aid, Successful applicants will Can dim the past. valid driver’s license. be contacted for an Too many memories hold it fast.

Pre-employment interview - please do not Today, tomorrow, Drug screening call the office Our whole lives through, Competitive Wages.

Safety tickets and Benefit Package CLASSIFICATIONS We’ll always love and cherish you.

Standard first aid and H2S Please submit resume are required.

700-920 with references to: Love Mom and Dad, TEAM Snubbing now apply@wespro.ca Norris, Melanie, Jaxson and Rhys or by fax to (403) 783-8004 hiring operators and helpCaregivers/ ers. Email: janderson@ Only individuals selected Aides teamsnubbing.com for interviews will be contacted GROUP home in CLASS 1 DRIVER Lacombe needs full & part WANTED! time workers, starting Jan. RCM Transport 1. 2 yr. diploma in rehab/ is seeking a Class 1 fluid nursing care. hauler. Experience a must.

403-782-7156 357-7465 Tan/Tri & Tri/Tri tankers.

Competitive wages & bonuses. Fax resume & abstract to 403-347-6641 Clerical or email info@rcmtransport.ca

64

800

66

HARTY Marcia April 27, 1964 - Dec. 29, 2012 Marcia Harty passed away suddenly and peacefully on Saturday, December 29, 2012 at the Red Deer Regional Hospital in Red Deer, AB at the age of 48. Marcia was born and raised by Bert & Marion Harty on April 27, 1964 in Regina, SK. She worked as a LPN at the Pasqua Hospital in Regina while raising her two daughters and son in Pilot Butte, SK. In 2008, she moved to Blackfalds, AB. She will be lovingly remembered by her parents Bert and Marion; her daughters: Jamie and Morgan (Matthew Ubbing) Malinowski; her son: Marshall Malinowski; her brother: David (Pauline) Harty; her sisters: Cheryl (Richard Fritze) Davis, Barb (Dan) Jermunsen and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. A Celebration of Marcia’s Life will be held at a later date for family and close friends. If you wish to send condolences to the family, please mail them to Box 1925, Blackfalds, AB, T0M 0J0.

Oilfield

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Found

In Memoriam

720

wegot

jobs

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PROVIDENCE Trucking Inc

Is now hiring experienced:

Picker Operator Bed Truck Operator Winch truck operators All candidates must be able to pass a pre-employment drug screen. We offer exceptional wages and benefits for exceptional people. Fax resume and abstract to 403-314-2340 or email to safety@ providencetrucking.ca

WE are looking for Rig Managers, Drillers, Derrick and Floor hands for the Red Deer area.

Please contact Steve Tiffin at stiffin@galleonrigs.com or (403) 358-3350 fax (403) 358-3326

Professionals

810

HERITAGE FAMILY SERVICES

is accepting resumes for a full-time Child Care Worker in Red Deer, AB, to start as soon as possible for maternity leave coverage.

Shift is 3 days 3-11, 3 days 7-3, 3 days off. Degree/ Diploma in Human Services and drivers license are required.

Salary range $3238-$3566/mo.

Benefit package available.

Position takes place in a Road Train Oilfield residential setting that Transport Ltd provides care to is looking for journeyman picker operator.Top wages/ adolescents with behavior and emotional issues. benefits. Safety tickets req’d.

Please submit resumes to: Fax or drop off resume Human Resources 403-346-6128 No phone calls.

Heritage Family Services 300 4825 47 St Classifieds Red Deer AB T4N 1R3 Your place to SELL Fax: 403-343-9293 Your place to BUY Email: hr@ heritagefamilyservices.com For more information call 403-343-3422 Closing Date: Jan. 14/13 Looking for a place to live?

Take a tour through the CLASSIFIEDS

Restaurant/ Hotel

820

TANKMASTER RENTALS requires CLASS 1 BED TRUCK Operators for Central Alberta. Competitive wages and benefits. m.morton@tankmaster.ca or fax 403-340-8818

TREELINE WELL SERVICES

Has Opening for all positions!

Immediately. All applicants must have current H2S, Class 5 with Q Endorsement, First Aid We offer competitive wages & excellent benefits. Please include 2 work reference names and numbers Please fax resume to : 403-264-6725 Or email to: tannis@treelinewell.com No phone calls please.

We are a busy and progressive snubbing / live well service company with an awesome 15 day on and 6 day off shift rotation and we are rapidly expanding. We need Operator Assistants (entry level position) and experienced operators. We offer excellent wages, a great benefits package and an awesome working environment with many advancement opportunities. Class 1 or 3 driver’s license and all oilfield tickets are preferred, but we will train the right individuals for our entry level positions. THIS IS A LABOUR INTENSIVE POSITION Fax resumes to: 403-347-3075, attn- Judy.

LUCKY’S LOUNGE located in Jackpot Casino, requires Experienced F/T Servers.

Please apply in person at 4950 47 Ave. No phone calls please

THE RUSTY PELICAN is now accepting resumes for a well experienced F/T SERVER Apply within: 2079-50 Ave. 2-4 pm. Mon.-Fri. Fax 403-347-1161 Phone calls WILL NOT be accepted.

Sales & Distributors

830

1693338 ALBERTA LTD o/a Xtreme Pinook Hiring Salespersons Store at Parkland Mall Red Deer, AB. Good English and communication skills, customer service oriented. F/T, Perm, Shifts, Weekends Salary - $14.00 hourly E-mail: Reachiesales@gmail.com NOMADS Clothing Store in Sylvan Lake is looking for P/T & F/T SALES PEOPLE. days, eves and wknds avail.

Contact Steph or Mark , . 403-887-3119

Just had a baby boy?

Tell Everyone with a Classified Announcement

720

TO LIST YOUR WEBSITE CALL 403-309-3300

DRIVER WANTED

309-3300

Local delivery of parts and shipping. Must be 25 yrs. + Class 5 license.

1ST RATE ENERGY Fax resume & drivers SERVICES INC. abstract to 403-309-4466 Located in Sylvan Lake, Alberta is seeking a full time JOURNEYMAN OFFICE ASSISTANT MECHANICS NEEDED! for a dynamic & busy office.

DRAYTON VALLEY & CAMP POSITIONS IN The office assistant is NORTHERN ALBERTA responsible for a wide Competitive wages, variety of clerical office benefits starting your first duties in support of company day of employment, administration. bonuses, RRSP and TFSA Duties include greeting matching programs. and screening visitors and Please apply to careers@ answering and referring rockwaterenergy.ca or fax inbound telephone calls. your resume to The office assistant is 403-237-9013. also responsible for Please quote reference administrating company #2468 correspondence.

INSTREAM INTEGRITY INC. is a pipeline integrity DUTIES AND company currently looking RESPONSIBILITIES: for an indivdual to join our This position is accountable for creating a professional team. Applicant must be at least 21 years of age with first time impression while managing and monitoring a clean driving record. Also must be willing to travel. the office common area.

Please submit resume with They will be responsible a drivers abstract to for assisting with data entry admin@instreamintegrity. of accounts payables and com. receivables on a daily basis.

JAGARE ENERGY Email: PRODUCTION TESTING lkeshen@1strateenergy.ca now hiring Day Supervisors, Fax: 403-887-4750 Night Operators, and Helpers. RSP’s and We thank all applicants benefits pkg. incentives. in advance, however, Email resumes to: only those selected for an jagare2@gmail.com or interview will be contacted. mikeg@jagareenergy.com

ASSOCIATIONS

www.centralalbertahomebuilders.com Central AB Home Builders 403-346-5321 www.reddeer.cmha.ab.ca Canadian Mental Health Assoc. www.realcamping.ca LOVE camping and outdoors? www.diabetes.ca Canadian Diabetes Assoc. www.mycommunityinformation.com /cawos/index.html www.reddeerchamber.com Chamber of Commerce 403-347-4491

BALLOON RIDES www.air-ristocrat.com Gary 403-302-7167

BUILDERS

HEALTH & FITNESS www.antlerhillelkranch.com Peak Performance VA 227-2449 www.liveyourlifebetter.com Lose weight naturally with Z-Trim www.dontforgetyourvitamins.net The greatest vitamins in the world www.matchingbonus123.usana.com the best...just got better!! www.greathealth.org Cancer Diabetes DIET 350-9168

JOB OPPORTUNITIES www.workopolis.com Red Deer Advocate - Job Search

PET ADOPTION

www.reddeerspca.com Many Pets to Choose From

www.fantahomes.com 403-343-1083 or 403-588-9788 www.masonmartinhomes.com Mason Martin Homes 403-342-4544 www.truelinehomes.com True Line Homes 403-341-5933 www.jaradcharles.com BUILDER M.L.S

www.homesreddeer.com Help-U-Sell Real Estate5483

www.laebon.com Laebon Homes 403-346-7273 www.albertanewhomes.com Stevenson Homes. Experience the Dream.

www.lonsdalegreen.com Lonsdale Green Apartments

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES www.ultralife.bulidingonabudjet.com MLM’ers attract new leads for FREE!

CLUBS & GROUPS www.writers-ink.net Club for writers - meets weekly

REAL ESTATE RENTALS www.homefinders.ca Phone 403-340-3333

SHOPPING www.fhtmca.com/derekwiens Online Mega Mall 403-597-1854

VACATIONS www.radkeoutfitting.com AB Horseback Vacations 403-340-3971

COMPUTER REPAIR

WEB DESIGN

www.albertacomputerhygiene.com

affordablewebsitesolution.ca

AB, Computer Hygiene Ltd. 896-7523

Design/hosting/email $65/mo.

19166TFD28

TO PLACE AN AD

D2 RED DEER ADVOCATE Monday, Jan. 7, 2013 Trades

850

Trades

850

Trades

850

860

Truckers/ Drivers

880

Misc.

Help

CLASS 3 WATER HAULER needed. Only those with Drilling Rig Water Hauling experience need apply.

Need H2S & First Aid FURIX Energy Inc. is tickets.TOP WAGES PAID • 5+ years fabrication/ looking for an Fax clean drivers abstract welding in manufacturing, Experienced Coater • Self-motivated team and resume between the for internal coatings.† hours of 9 am to 6 pm to: player, $30-40/hour dependent 403-746-3523 or call • Excellent mechanical upon experience.† Please 403-304-7179 aptitude, fax (403)348-8109 or email • Demonstrated problem laurie@furixenergy.com solving.

Journeyman welder GLASS INSTALLER • considered an asset. required in Sylvan Lake, Apply AB. Only experienced recruiting@ need apply. kingfisherboats.com Salary depending on exp., All applications are full benefit package. reviewed however only Must have driver’s license.

EXPERIENCED those selected for an Call 403-588-6451 or fax Vacuum & Water interview will be contacted. resume to: 403-887-4433.

Truck operators req’d. to start immed.

APPLY NOW CLASS 1 or 3 WITH Q Truckers/ All oilfield safety tickets NOW HIRING Drivers req’d. Clean drivers G.M. tech or ASEP. abstract. Must comply with With good communications BUSY CENTRAL AB Is accepting applications drug and alcohol policy. skill and work ethics company req’s exp’d. Class for a References Req’d. to work with award winning 1 drivers to pull decks.

JOURNEYMAN HEAVY Exc. salary & benefits.

G.M. dealership in Assigned truck, exc. wages DUTY MECHANIC Fax resume to: Lacombe Alberta. and benefits pkg. Paid based out of the red deer 403-742-5376 Good hrs & bonus. for extras.

Family orientated. location. Successful hartwell@telus.net production.( $35.00/hr +) Resume and abstract fax candidate will be Transmission and to 403-784-2330 or call responsible for the RONCO OILFIELD HAULelectrical an asset.

1-877-787-2501 maintenance of ready mix ING, Sylvan Lake based Training provided .

Mon,.

- Fri,. 8 a m to 6 pm concrete trucks and Rig Movers/Heavy Haulers Apply to confidential equipment for our central seeking Winch tractor email: CLASS 1 driver with fluid Alberta operations driver, pilot car driver and bert.rumsey@telus.net hauling experience, local including Red Deer, Swampers. Top wages runs.

403-373-3285 or fax CLARK BUILDERS Lacombe, Ponoka and and benefits. email: resume and copies of all requires LABOURERS & Olds. Knowledge of tom@roncooilfield.ca valid tickets to CARPENTERS hydraulics and welding fax: 403-887-4892 403-986-2819 for projects in the Red is an asset. We offer Deer area. competitive wages, Must have commercial excellent benefits and Truckers/ construction experience. training opportunities.

Contact us at: Pre-employment screen- Drivers 1-877-416-6815 ing is mandatory. Please email:careers@ fax resume to clarkbuilders.com 403-346-6721 or e-mail to fax: 1-888-403-3051 cliebrecht@ lehighcement.com EXPERIENCED furnace service & replacement QUALIFIED persons required.

ADULT CARRIERS NEEDED

ADULT & YOUTH CARRIERS NEEDED for delivery of Flyers Red Deer Express & Red Deer Life Sunday in

For delivery of Red Deer Advocate by 6:30 a.m.

Mon. through Fri. & 8:00. .am. on Saturday in

MOUNTVIEW WEST LAKE WEST PARK

LANCASTER AREA 77 papers $412/mo.

Call Karen for more info 403-314-4317

ROSEDALE AREA 72 papers $386/mo.

860

ADULT CARRIERS NEEDED for early morning delivery of Red Deer Advocate 6 days per week in EASTVIEW 100 ADVOCATE $525/MO. $6300/YR 2 HRS./DAY

Requires Residential exp. only Competitive wages & benefits.

Fax resume to: 403-314-5599

SHUNDA CONSTRUCTION

Requires Full Time EXPERIENCED repair Carpenters & person req’d for local truck Carpenter helpers. company. Work involves Competitive Wages all aspects of heavy truck & Benefits. Fax resumes & and trailer repair and disref’s to: 403-343-1248 manteling. Must be or email to: physically fit. HD Mechanadmin@shunda.ca ic or equivelant experience We offer competitive SPARTEK wages, benefits weekends SYSTEMS INC off. Fax resume to In Sylvan Lake, AB is 1-855-784-2330 or call seeking quailified 1-877-787-2501 individuals for F/T SATELLITE INSTALLERS - Good hours, home every * QC INSPECTOR night, $4000-$6000/mo. * TECH ILLUSTRATOR Contractor must have truck * MECH ENGINEER or van. Tools, supplies & * ELEC. ENGINEER ladders required. Training * MACHINIST provided, no experience needed. Apply to: For complete job satjobs@shaw.ca descriptions, please to our website at First Choice Collision refer www.sparteksystems.com Seeking Journeyman or Applicants please forward 2nd /3rd year apprentices. resume to: keri.lee@ Positions for body, prep sparteksystems.com and refinishing technicians or fax to 403-887-4050 needed for our car and Please state which position light truck division. Top you are applying for in your wages, bonus programs cover letter. and benefit package. Fax resumes to STAIR MANUFACTURER (403) 343-2160; e-mail Req’s F/T workers to build choice2@telusplanet.net stairs in Red Deer shop. or drop off in person @ #5, MUST HAVE basic car7493, 49th Avenue pentry skills. Salary based Crescent, Red Deer. on skill level. Benefits avail. Apply in person at 100, 7491 Edgar Industrial Bend. email: earl707@telus.net. and/or fax 403-347-7913 FURIX Energy Inc. is WESTAR MASONRY looking for an is currently looking for Experienced SKILLED MASONRY LABORERS Sandblaster.

Contact Conrad at $20-25/hour dependent 403-340-1145, upon experience. Please fax (403)348-8109 or email Fax: 403-342-6670 or email: westar_masonry@yahoo.ca laurie@furixenergy.com INDUSTRIAL sandblaster Fax resume 403-340-3800

Trades

TANK TRUCK DRIVER

GREAT WAGES, EXCELLENT BENEFITS, $1000.00 SIGNING BONUS, $1000.00 ANNUAL SAFETY BONUSES, $1000.00 REFERRAL BONUSES.

Northwest Tank Lines seeks an experienced Company Tank Truck Driver We haul Natural Gas Liquids, Molten Sulphur and other dangerous goods.

The ideal candidate will be experienced, motivated, and have an uncompromising commitment to safety.

SEEKING: 3-5 Years’ experience in tank truck driving or a related field. B-Train Experience is a must.

Email your resume and a recent abstract to careers@nwtl.ca, or fax them to (403) 250-7801.

EDMONTON – RED DEER – INNISFAIL – RMH

Misc.

Help

Call Karen for more info 403-314-4317

CARRIERS NEEDED

Looker Office Furniture is looking for an OFFICE FURNITURE INSTALLER If you have a clean drivers licence, are hard working, flexible and have a positive attitude this job could be for you.

Team work and a great work ethic is a must! This full-time position is for install and delivery of commercial furniture.

Please email resume to ac@lookeroffice.ca or drop off a resume to # 3- 7429 50th Ave Red Deer DISPATCHER req’d.

Knowledge of Red Deer and area is essential.

Good communication, skills both verbal and written. Must have effective time management skills and able to multi task in a fast paced environment.

Experience preferred, but will train suitable applicant.

Send resume by fax to 403-346-0295

880

FOR FLYERS, RED DEER SUNDAY LIFE AND EXPRESS ROUTES IN:

ANDERS AREA Adams Close/ Adair Ave. BOWER AREA Baile Cl. /Boyce St. Beatty Crs./Barrett Dr. Brown Cl./Baird St Barrett Dr./Baird St INGLEWOOD AREA

LANCASTER AREA

hr@pidherneys.com

Start your career!

See Help Wanted

TO ORDER HOME DELIVERY OF THE ADVOCATE CALL OUR CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT 314-4300

NEWSPAPER CARRIERS REQUIRED for In Town of Trochu Morning Delivery 1 hour per day 6 days per week No collection No Sundays

Bilton Welding and Manufacturing Ltd. designs, engineers and manufactures custom oilfield equipment for international clients.

With your long-term interests in mind, we provide you with ample opportunities to achieve your career goals.

If you would like to be a part of our growing and dynamic team of professionals in your field, we are currently seeking -

B PRESSURE WELDERS This is a full-time permanent shop position with competitive starting Wages and benefits packages including Health, RRSP and Tool Allowance programs.

Please Fax resume to 403-227-7796, or Email to hr@bilton.ca

279834A4-8

AN UP TO DATE ALBERTA “B” PRESSURE CERTIFICATION IS REQUIRED. PREFERENCE WILL BE GIVEN TO THOSE WITH VESSEL EXPERIENCE

Looking for L Loo

a job? ?

Participating Employers: 1. Big Bore Directional Drilling Ltd. 2. Coil Works Inc. 3. CWC Well Services Corp.

4. Crimtech Services Inc. 5. Dalmac Oilfield Services Inc. 6. Ensign Energy Services 7. High Artic Energy Services 8. Pacer Corporation 9. Precision Well Servicing 10. Predator Drilling 11. Quinn Construction Ltd. 12. Nabors Production Services 13. Canyon Technical Services 14. CEDA International 15. Halliburton 16. Weatherford 17. Pyramid Corporation

The Town of Olds No collecting!

Packages come ready for delivery!

Also for the afternoon in Town of Penhold!

Also afternoon delivery in Town of Springbrook

Oil & Gas Job Fair Wednesday, January 9, 2013 9 a.m. - Noon Alberta Works Centre 2nd Floor, First Red Deer Place 4911 – 51 Street, Red Deer

1 day per wk.

No collecting!!

Bring your updated resumé, enjoy some refreshments, and speak face-to-face with with local employers who are hiring.

Please contact QUITCY

at 403-314-4316 or email qmacaulay@ reddeeradvocate.com

For more information: call 403-340-5353

Government

279581A7-8

We operate seven manufacturing facilities in Innisfail, Alberta and employ over 175 people.

Misc.

Help

920

Career Planning

Clothing

FUR coat, muskrat, long, size 10-12 ladies, very good cond, $150 403-346-0093

EquipmentHeavy

FREE

Auctions

1530

Bud Haynes & Co. Auctioneers

1630

TRAILERS for sale or rent Job site, office, well site or storage. Skidded or wheeled. Call 347-7721.

Farmers' Market

1650

BROWN EGGS AND LAMB now has free range pork : gourmet hams and sausage. Great selection of warm woolies.

Phone 403-782-4095 FREE range naturally raised turkey, gov’t. inspected, skinless, boneless turkey breast $5.99/lb, turkey breast steaks $5.99/lb, ground turkey $5.99/lb, drumsticks avail. $10/pkg.

Germane Market Gardens, Gail 403-843-6864

Firewood

1660

AFFORDABLE

Homestead Firewood

Spruce, Pine, Birch Spilt, Dry. 7 days/wk. 403-304-6472 BIRCH or Pine 347-7211 bluegrassnursery.com

FIREWOOD. Pine, Spruce, Poplar. Can deliver 1-4 cords. 403-844-0227 Now Offering Hotter, Cleaner BC Birch. All Types. P.U. / del. Lyle 403-783-2275

Household Appliances

1710

APPLS. reconditioned lrg. selection, $150 + up, 6 mo. warr. Riverside Appliances 403-342-1042 KENMORE - Heavy duty dual action topload washer.

Needs belt. Kenmore heavy duty dryer. All in good shape. White. $150 for both. 403-347-2374

Household Furnishings

RED DEER WORKS Build A Resume That Works!

APPLY ONLINE www.lokken.com/rdw.html Call: 403-348-8561 Email inford@lokken.com Career Programs are

1590

1720

WANTED

Antiques, furniture and estates. 342-2514

Misc. for Sale

1760

10-12 HOUSE plants $10-$40 403-342-4572 18” CREE native shield $40; 18” Blackfoot shield $40; 403-347-7405 ELECTRICAL panel 10x28 w/Square D forward and reverse control, breaker box and reset switch, 11’ of 220 wire, $200.

403-728-3375 FUR and porcupine quills, 3” high x16’ asking $150, 403-347-7405 SATELLITE 1/2 TON chain hoist, like new $40; Bayco 3/4 “ gas nozzle with 14’ hose, $50, call 403-728-3375

Misc.

Help

880

ADULT or YOUTH CARRIERS NEEDED

Start your career!

See Help Wanted

850

NEWSPAPER CARRIERS REQUIRED for Afternoon delivery in Bowden & Innisfail Please contact QUITCY

Certified Appraisers 1966 Estates, Antiques, Firearms.

Bay 5, 7429-49 Ave. 347-5855

**********************

Please e-mail resumes to:

Celebrate your life with a Classified ANNOUNCEMENT

1500-1990

Call Prodie @ 403- 314-4301 for more info

Pidherney’s offers competitive wages and benefits.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only selected candidates will be contacted.

CLASSIFICATIONS

Viscount Dr./ Voisin Crsc

for our office in Rocky Mountain House.

Submit resume, indicating “Service Runner Position”, along with your drivers abstract immediately to: careers@ reddeeradvocate.com or mail to: Human Resources 2950 Bremner Avenue Red Deer, AB. T4N 5G3 or fax to: 403-341-4772

wegot

VANIER AREA

EXPERIENCED PARTS PERSON

As part of our customer service team, you will be dispatched in response to service concerns to delivery newspapers and flyers to customers or carriers. A delivery vehicle is provided.

Hours of shifts are Monday through Friday 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. or longer, and/or afternoon shifts Monday to Friday 2 p.m. - 6 p.m..

Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m.-11 a.m. or longer

stuff

Scott St./Somerset Close.

Sunnyside Crsc.

We are a growing construction company that requires an

Do You: - Want extra income - Possess a clean, valid drivers license - Have a friendly attitude - Enjoy customer service - Want part-time work (12 to 22 hours per week)

for all Albertans

Isbister Close Issard Close

SUNNYBROOK AREA DRIVEN TO EXCEL FROM START TO FINISH

Service Runner (Part Time)

at 403-314-4316 or email qmacaulay@ reddeeradvocate.com

Lancaster Drive Lindsay Ave. Lagrange Crsc

280023A11

Buying or Selling your home?

Check out Homes for Sale in Classifieds

True Power Electric

280408A7-20

good benefit plan. Preference to ticketed personnel & experience in residential installations.

Call Brad @ 403-588-8399 or email: Brad@ComfortecHeating. com

DEER PARK Dempsey St. area 79 papers $423/mo.

ALSO Davison Dr. area 101 papers $541/mo.

ALSO Clearview Ridge Timberlands area 59 papers $376/mo.

Call Jamie 403-314-4306 for more info

GRANDVIEW 75 Advocate $393/month $4725/yr.

1-1/2 hrs. per day

860

ELECTRICIANS NEEDED

880

Misc.

Help

CIRCULATION

Req’d Westwinn /KingFisherBoats in Vernon, BC ($17 - $26/hr)

Fax resume 403-347-5745 AG Parts Person Wanted F/T position in a small town atmosphere Looking for someone positive and motivated to join our team Experience is an asset wmtn@inbox.com Fax# 403-442-3829 Trochu Motors ltd.

302 Main St. Trochu, AB 403-442-3866

industry/

880

Welder/Fabricator

1ST or 2ND year.

ELECTRICAL APPRENTICE

Top wages in the

Misc.

Help

880

For delivery of Flyers, Express and Sunday Life in DEER PARK Dempsey St. area $45.00/mo.

ALSO Dempsey St. Dumas Crsc. & Duffy Close area $88.00/mo.

ALSO Duston St. Donnelly Crsc., area Densmore Crs. Dale Close $270.00/mo.

ALSO Doran Crsc.

Dunn Close $50.00 /mo.

ALSO Doran Crsc., Doan Ave. area $53.00/mo.

LANCASTER Lenon Close, Lacey Close, Landry Bend area $76/mo.

ALSO Logan Close Lee St. & Lawrence Crsc. area $158/mo.

MICHENER West of 40th Ave. North of Ross St. area $245.00/mo.

Good for adult w/a small car ALSO East of 40th North of Ross St. Michener Green Cresc. area. $268/mo.

Good for adult with small car.

ONLY 4 DAYS A WEEK

Call Jamie 403-314-4306 for more info

Welding and Manufacturing Ltd. designs, engineers and manufactures custom oilfield equipment and is currently seeking a full-time, permanent

MAINTENANCE FOREMAN Responsibilities will include but not be limited to: • Actively manage, maintain and participate in the Preventative Maintenance Program

We are currently seeking the following to join our team in Blackfalds for all shifts:

Journeyman ticket in HD Mechanics, Electrician, Welder or related trade is an asset. Preference will be given to those with experience in a manufacturing facility.

- Concrete Finishers - Carpenters/Woodworkers

We offer competitive wage and benefits packages

Top Wages paid based on experience. Full Benefits and Uniform Package included.

Only applicants chosen for an interview will be contacted.

Please Fax resume to 403-227-7796, or Email to hr@bilton.ca

Visit our website for more detailed job descriptions at www. eaglebuilders.ca. Applicants are able to apply online or fax resumes to Human Resources 403-885-5516 or e-mail: k.kooiker@eaglebuilders.ca.

280267A5-8

• Provide technical recommendations for any equipment issues. Advise necessary upgrades to machines to extend equipment life and increase reliability.

280028A7-C1

is expanding its facility to double production.

279425A2-31

• Install, trouble-shoot, modify, repair, test, calibrate, commission and maintain all production and nonproduction equipment

RED DEER ADVOCATE Monday, Jan. 7, 2013 D3

Assad pledges to continue fighting Syrian president rallies supporters to fight uprising against authoritarian rule

Misc. for Sale

1760

STEEL CRAFT GARAGE DOOR. 7’ high, 8’ wide.

With window. Good shape. $100. 403-347-2374

Pets & Supplies

1810

Pasture/Land Wanted

2180

WANTED - PASTURE LAND TO RENT OR LEASE. Required for 2 Load Pastures to 1000 Head Pastures. Area: Alberta & Saskatchewan.

Term: May to September, 2013. Please contact Ed 403-546-2278 Ext 3.

BABY BUNNIES, (3) FREE. 403-782-3130

1830

Cats

BEAUTIFUL KITTENS TO GIVE AWAY TO LOVING HOMES 6 weeks old.

Great as pets or mousers.

Please call 403-348-5345 or cell: 587-876-4356

Sporting Goods

1860

FIGURE skates: ladies size 7 w/blade guards, like new $35; men’s hockey shin-guards, like new $20; cross country ski boots ladies size 6, $20, men’s size 9 1/2 $20 403-986-2004

Travel Packages

1900

TRAVEL ALBERTA Alberta offers SOMETHING for everyone.

Make your travel plans now.

wegot

rentals CLASSIFICATIONS

FOR RENT • 3000-3200 WANTED • 3250-3390

Acreages/ Farms

3010

EXECUTIVE BUNGALOW ON ACREAGE IN RED DEER. 4 bdrms, 2 bath, rent $2000 + DD avail.

Mar. 1, 403-346-5885

Houses/ Duplexes

3020

3 BDRM., 1-1/2 BATH. Character Victorian Home (Upstairs), downtown area, no pets, ref req’d, $1300 rent, $1300 S.D., util. incl, avail Feb 1. 403-877-8030

4200 43 STREET

Enjoy the WHOLE house!

2 bdrm 2.5 baths. 6 appls Great yard & STORAGE/ GARAGE Part fin. bsmnt.

Avail NOW. Hearthstone 403-314-0099 Lucie 403-396-9554

BLACKFALDS

Condos/ Townhouses

3030

3 BDRM Townhouse, 4 blocks from Glendale School at 265 Glendale Blvd., 5 appls + centra-vac, new carpets, lino, paint, stove, fridge, & dishwasher, 1 Ω baths plus toilet and sink in laundry room in basement.

Heated garage for 1 vehicle & street parking for 2 more.

Avail. to families only, n/s, no pets. Jan. 1st. $1500 rent/d.d. Ph: 403-341-4627

32 HOLMES ST.

1 1/2 blocks west of mall, 3 bdrm. bi-level, blinds, lg. balcony, 4 appls, no pets, n/s, rent $1195 SD $1000 Avail. Feb. 1 403-304-7576 or 347-7545

CLEARVIEW TOWNHOUSE

Nicely kept 2 storey 3 bdrm, 1.5 baths, 5 appls. Part fin. bsmnt. Fenced yard. Close to shopping/recreation.

No pets, N/S. AVAIL NOW! Hearthstone 403-314-0099 Nicole 403-318-4225

HALMAN Heights

3 level 3 bdrm. townhouse 5 appls, 1 1/2 bath, blinds, no pets, n/s, rent $1395 SD $1000 avail. Jan 2 403-304-7576 or 347-7545 CELEBRATIONS HAPPEN EVERY DAY IN CLASSIFIEDS

KITSON CLOSE

newer exec. 3 bdrm. bi-level townhouse 1447 sq. ft. 5 appls, 1 1/2 bath, blinds, lg. balcony, fenced in rear, front/rear parking, no dogs, rent $1395 SD $1000. n/s Avail. immed.

403-304-7576 / 347-7545

Avail now, 2 bdrm, 1 bath house, 2 appl, large yard, Kyte/Kelloway Cres.

Lovely 3 level exec. $1,100 + util, $1,050 SD, AGRICULTURAL 3 bdrm. townhouse N/S, small dog ok fee, PM 5 appls, 1 1/2 bath, ~ 5207 Wilson St ~ CLASSIFICATIONS 562 concrete patio, blinds, Sim Mgmt & Realty 2000-2290 front/rear parking, no dogs, 403-340-0065 ext 412 ~ n/s, rent $1395 SD $1000 www.simproperties.ca Avail. Immed.

QUIET EAST SIDE 403-304-7576 or 347-7545 w/GARAGE Horses SOUTHWOOD PARK Main floor, mature location 3110-47TH Avenue, close to bus, shopping and WANTED: all types of 2 & 3 bdrm. townhouses, schools. Newly painted, horses. Processing locally generously sized, 1 1/2 new flooring throughout, in Lacombe weekly. baths, fenced yards, insuite laundry, 4 appls, 403-651-5912 full bsmts. 403-347-7473, shared utils, lease avail.

Sorry no pets. $1375, ref’s, n/s, Classifieds...costs so little www.greatapartments.ca 403-302-7400 Saves you so much!

2140

Condos/ Townhouses

3030

Riverfront Estates

Deluxe 3 bdrm. 1 1/2 bath, bi-level townhouse, 5 appls, blinds, large balcony, no pets, n/s, $1195 or $1220 along the river.

SD $1000. avail.

Jan. 2 403-304-7576 347-7545

ROYAL OAKS CONDO!

Ground floor suite w/ walkout patio- Facing ravine!

Close to Hospital. 2 lrg. bdrms., 2 baths & 5 appls.

Undergound parking.

Avail NOW. Hearthstone 403-314-0099 Nicole 403-318-4225

Manufactured Homes

3040

Newly Reno’d Mobile FREE Shaw Cable + more $899/month Sharon 403-340-0225

4 Plexes/ 6 Plexes

3050

3060

Suites

SUITES FOR RENT THREE HILLS Affordable housing for low income, single adults of any age, F/S, water/sewer included. $400/mo, $400 DD.Further information & applications available at www.studiosalberta.com or by calling 1-888-963-5698

Rooms For Rent

3090

ROOM $600. Blackfalds.

All incld’d, furn. 588-2564 ROOM for rent $500./mo.

Call 403-352-7417

Mobile Lot

3060

2 BDRM. adult bldg, free laundry, very clean, quiet, lrg. suite, Avail Jan. 15 $850/mo., S.D. $650.

Call 403-304-5337 Classifieds...costs so little Saves you so much!

LACOMBE new park, animal friendly. Your mobile or ours. 2 or 3 bdrm.

Excellent 1st time home buyers. 403-588-8820

wegot

homes

To Advertise Your Business or Service Here

Call Classifieds 403-309-3300 1200

INDIVIDUAL & BUSINESS Accounting, 30 yrs. of exp. with oilfield service companies, other small businesses and individuals RW Smith, 346-9351

BUSY B’S HANDYMAN SERVICES LTD. Res/Comm.Reno’s, repair and more. Give us a buzz @ 403-598-3857 Free quotes. WCB, insured.

1100

GRANT’S HOME REPAIR If it needs to be fixed, replaced or painted, I do it all.

Reasonable rates.

Call anytime. 403-596-9161

Contractors

BRIAN’S DRYWALL Framing, drywall, taping, textured & t-bar ceilings, 36 yrs exp. Ref’s. 392-1980

Massage Therapy

Wes Wiebe 403-302-1648 DALE’S Home Reno’s Free estimates for all your reno needs. 403-506-4301

* NEW * Executive Touch.

Relaxation massage for men. 5003A - Ross St. Mon - Fri 9 am -6 pm & Sat. 10am - 3 pm 348-5650

1165

Gentle Touch Massage 4919 50 St. New rear entry, lots of parking 403-341-4445

COUNTERTOPS

Escorts

1280

LINDA’S CHINESE MASSAGE Grand Opening. Insurance receipts. Home service.

Daily 9 am-9 pm. #3 EDEN 587-877-7399 10am-midnight 4820-47 Ave. 403-986-1550 EROTICAS PLAYMATES MASSAGE ABOVE ALL Girls of all ages 598-3049 WALK-INS WELCOME www.eroticasplaymates.net 4709 Gaetz Ave. 346-1161 LEXUS 392-0891 *BUSTY* NEW HOURS Asian ReINDEPENDENT w/own car laxation Massage Open 6 PRETTY & PLAYFUL days a week starting from 403-848-2300 9 am. 587-377-1298 BRING in the New Year with a Bang. 403-550-0470

1280

VII MASSAGE

Feeling overwhelmed?

Hard work day? Come in and let us pamper you.

Pampering at its best. #7 7464 Gaetz Ave.(rear entrance if necessary) www.viimassage.biz In/Out Calls to Hotels.

403-986-6686 Something for Everyone Everyday in Classifieds

Misc.

Services

1290

Painters/ Decorators

FREE removal of all kinds of unwanted scrap metal.

No household appliances 403-396-8629

IRONMAN Scrap Metal Recovery is picking up scrap again! Farm machinery, vehicles and industrial.

Serving central Alberta.

403-318-4346

Cottages/Resort Property

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4140

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4400-4430

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4170

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wheels CLASSIFICATIONS 5000-5300

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5200

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NOTICE OF DISPOSAL

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Starting at

KEITH FRASER BRAD JONES KEN ROVENSKY ROBERT WILKINS

/month

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Heavy Trucks

Public Notice #6000

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has relocated to

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Suites

“It is an excellent initiative that is only missing one crucial thing: His resignation,” said Kamal Labwani, a veteran dissident and member of the opposition’s Syrian National Coalition umbrella group.

“All what he is proposing will happen automatically, but only after he steps down,” Labwani told The Associated Press by telephone from Sweden.

Haitham Maleh, an opposition figure in Turkey, said Assad was offering the initiative because he feels increasingly besieged by advancing rebels.

“How could he expect us to converse with a criminal, a killer, a man who does not abide by the law?” he asked.

Assad has spoken only on rare occasions since the uprising began, and Sunday’s speech was his first since June. His last public comments came in an interview in November to Russian TV in which he vowed to “live and die” in Syria.

On Sunday, he seemed equally confident in the ability of his troops to crush the rebellion despite the recent fighting in Damascus.

“He did not come across as a leader under siege, nor as a leader whose regime is on the verge of collapse,” said Fawaz A. Gerges, head of the Middle East Center at the London School of Economics.

“He seemed determined that any political settlement must come on his terms, linking those terms with the Syrian national interest as if they are inseparable,” he said.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement that Assad’s speech was “yet another attempt by the regime to cling to power and does nothing to advance the Syrian people’s goal of a political transition.”

British Foreign Secretary William Hague called Assad’s speech “beyond hypocritical.” In a message posted on his official Twitter feed, Hague said “empty promises of reform fool no one.”

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton’s office said in a statement that the bloc will “look carefully if there is anything new in the speech, but we maintain our position that Assad has to step aside and allow for a political transition.”

Dated in the City of Red Deer in the Province of AB, January 7, 2013.

ASAP STORAGE (403) 391-4227

207 Pine St., Red Deer County, AB T4P 3T2

279505L14

BEIRUT — A defiant Syrian President Bashar Assad rallied a chanting and cheering crowd Sunday to fight the uprising against his authoritarian rule, dismissing any chance of dialogue with “murderous criminals” that he blames for nearly two years of violence that has left 60,000 dead.

In his first public speech in six months, Assad laid out terms for a peace plan that keeps himself in power, ignoring international demands to step down and pledging to continue the battle “as long as there is one terrorist left” in Syria.

“What we started will not stop,” he said, standing at a lectern on stage at the regal Opera House in central Damascus — a sign by the besieged leader that he sees no need to hide or compromise even with the violent civil war closing in on his seat of power in the capital.

The theatre was packed with his supporters who interrupted the speech with applause, cheers and occasional fist-waving chants, including “God, Bashar and Syria!”

The overtures that Assad offered — a national reconciliation conference, elections and a new constitution — were reminiscent of symbolic changes and concessions offered previously in the uprising that began in March 2011. Those were rejected at the time as too little, too late.

The government last year adopted a constitution that theoretically allows political parties to compete with Assad’s ruling Baath Party. It carried out parliamentary elections that were boycotted by his opponents.

Assad demanded that regional and Western countries must stop funding and arming the rebels trying to overthrow him.

“We never rejected a political solution ... but with whom should we talk? With those who have an extremist ideology, who only understand the language of terrorism? ”Or should we with negotiate puppets whom the West brought?“ he asked.

“We negotiate with the master, not with the slave,” he answered.

As in previous speeches and interviews, he clung to the view that the crisis was a foreign-backed plot and not an uprising against him and his family’s decades-long rule.

“Is this a revolution and are these revolutionaries? By God, I say they are a bunch of criminals,” he said.

He stressed the presence of religious extremists among those fighting in Syria, calling them “terrorists who carry the ideology of al-Qaida” and “servants who know nothing but the language of slaughter.”

He said the fighters sought to transform the country into a “jihad land.”

Although he put up a defiant front, Assad laid out the grim reality of the violence, and he spoke in front of a collage of photos of what appeared to be Syrians killed in the fighting.

“We are now in a state of war in every sense of the word,” Assad said, “a war that targets Syria using a handful of Syrians and many foreigners. It is a war to defend the nation.”

He said Syria will take advice but not dictates from anyone — a reference to outside powers calling on him to step down. The speech, which was denounced by the West, including the U.S. and Britain, came amid stepped-up international efforts for a peaceful way out of the Syrian conflict. Previous efforts have failed to stem the bloodshed.

U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi met Assad last month to push for a peace plan for Syria based on a plan first presented in June at an international conference in Geneva. The proposal calls for an open-ended cease-fire and the formation of a transitional government until new elections can be held and a new constitution drafted.

The opposition swiftly rejected Assad’s proposals.

Those fighting to topple the regime have repeatedly said they will accept nothing less than his departure, dismissing any kind of settlement that leaves him in the picture.

279430A2-C31

by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

D4 RED DEER ADVOCATE Monday, Jan. 7, 2013 FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE

HI & LOIS

PEANUTS

BLONDIE

HAGAR

BETTY

PICKLES

GARFIELD

LUANN Jan. 7 1955 — The speech from the throne and the opening ceremonies of Parliament are broadcast live on TV for the first time.

1984 — A train wreck near Medicine Hat releases dangerous gases, forcing the evacuation of 800 people.

1983 — Ontario seizes the assets of Greymac Trust Co., Crown Trust Co. and Seaway Trust Co., owned by Leonard Rosenberg.

1974 — Bora Laskin is sworn in as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, succeeding Joseph-Honoré-Gérald Fauteux.

1963 — Manitoba awards contracts for Red River Floodway, the largest earth-moving job ever undertaken in Canada.

1867 — Pte. Timothy O’Hea is awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery in 1866, protecting the lives of 800 emigrants on a Grand Trunk train menaced by a fire in a boxcar carrying explosives in Ontario. This is the only VC awarded for a brave deed not done in the face of the enemy.

ARGYLE SWEATER

RUBES

TODAY IN HISTORY

TUNDRA

SUDOKU Complete the grid so that every row, every column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 through 9.

SHERMAN‛S LAGOON

Solution

D5

WORLD

» SEE MORE ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM

Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

U.S. funded anti-terror squad in Israel to build Indonesia under fire for deaths fence with Syria KILLED SUSPECTED MILITANTS DURING RAIDS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

BY CHRIS BRUMMITT AND NINIEK KARMINI THE ASSOCIATED PRESS JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia’s U.S.-funded police anti-terror squad has killed seven suspected militants recently, reviving allegations that the force is not trying to take suspects alive — a trend that appears to be fueling the very extremism the predominantly Muslim country is trying to counter.

Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said Sunday that no shots were fired against officers during three related raids Friday and Saturday in eastern Indonesia, but that the suspects in at least one of the locations had explosives that were “ready” to be detonated. He said that officers from the anti-terror squad, known as Densus 88, had followed procedures because the suspects were endangering their lives, but gave few details.

Haris Azhar, chairman of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence, an independent human rights group, said it appeared that the suspected militants were victims of “extrajudicial killings” and called for an independent investigation.

He said Densus 88’s tactics were driving militancy because they added to feelings among some Muslims that they were under siege.

“I’m worried about the deteriorating public sympathy for police who continue to use violence,” he said, alleging that some suspects in the past have been shot in front of their children. “There has never been any evaluation of Densus’ actions. It seems the police brutality has contributed to the growing of terrorism.”

Indonesia has struggled against militants seeking a Muslim state since its independence from Dutch colonial rule in 1945.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, some of the militants came under the influence of al-Qaida while waging jihad in Afghanistan. On their return to Indonesia, they carried out four major bombings against foreign targets between 2002 and 2009.

Densus 88 was established after the first of those attacks — the 2002 bombings on the resort island of Bali that killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists — with American and Australian financial and technical assistance, which it still receives.

It has been instrumental in the arrests of hun-

dreds of militants over the last 10 years and is credited with reducing the threat of further attacks on Western interests in the country. Small groups of militants, however, have continued to attack police officers and Christians.

Since the squad’s establishment, Densus officers have killed more than 70 suspects. Like in other countries, some Indonesian militants have blown themselves up when police officers have approached them and show a willingness to go down fighting, making apprehending them especially dangerous.

Police figures show that militants killed 10 officers in 2012 around the country.

“They are different to conventional criminals,” Amar said.

“We can’t take any risks because they will show no hesitation to kill law enforcers.”

Taufik Andrie, research director for the Institute for International Peace Building, said it appeared that police officers hunting down militants suspected of being involved in the murder of their colleagues were not interested in taking prisoners.

“It is a cycle of violence, with each side looking for revenge,” Andrie said.

“There is a suspicion that some policemen are of the mind that the best kind of de-radicalization is through killing people.”

Indonesia has won praise for arresting and convicting terrorists through its legal system. It executed three militants convicted in the Bali bombings and sentenced many others to long prison sentences. But there has been a high level of recidivism, and the country’s counter-extremism and de-radicalization programs have been patchily carried out with limited success.

The way in which the killings by Densus 88 are used to rally support for extremism was on display Sunday at a public meeting of radicals in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital.

While those present didn’t need fresh reasons to despise or distrust the state, speakers held up the killings of the seven suspects as just the latest example of police brutality.

“Oh, Allah, they have killed your servants, so destroy them,” said Son Hadi, from Jama’ah Ansharut Tauhid, a radical group whose members have been accused of supporting terrorism but remain free to organize.

“Beware of this war on Islam.”

for protection

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS JERUSALEM — Israel’s premier pledged Sunday to build a fortified fence along the frontier with Syria, warning that radical Islamist forces have taken over the area.

Israel has largely stayed out of the civil war that has engulfed Syria and killed more than 60,000 people, but it is concerned that violence could spill over into Israel.

Israel worries that Syrian President Bashar Assad might try to draw Israel into the fighting as a distraction if his situation becomes desperate. An even greater concern is a scenario in which Assad is toppled, Islamic extremists take his place and gain control of Syria’s stockpile of chemical weapons.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke as Assad delivered a rare nationwide address in Syria, calling for a national reconciliation conference. Assad claimed that “terrorists who carry the ideology of al-Qaida” were active in his country and demanding that foreign countries stop arming the rebels.

Speaking at a weekly Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said the Syrian regime was “unstable,” and Israel was concerned about the country’s chemical weapons capabilities. Therefore, he said Israel needed a barrier on its frontier with Syria, similar to a structure it has nearly completed along its border with Egypt. That fence has largely stopped the flow of African migrants.

“We intend to erect an identical fence, with a few changes based on the actual territory, along the Golan Heights. We know that on other side of our border with Syria today, the Syrian army has moved away, and in its place, global jihad forces have moved in,” he said.

“Global jihad” is the term Israel uses for forces influenced by al-Qaida. Syria’s rebels include some al-Qaida-allied groups.”

Philippine police, army kill 13 in gun battle down by police Friday in Kawit town in Cavite province, 16 kilometres (10 miles) south of Manila.

A 7-year-old girl died a day after being hit in the head by a stray bullet while watching fireworks with her family on New Year’s Eve outside their home in Caloocan city, near Manila, despite a high-profile government campaign against powerful firecrackers and celebratory gunfire by Filipinos to welcome 2013.

Earlier Sunday, before the shootout, presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte told reporters that President Benigno Aquino III, a known gun enthusiast,

would study gun-control proposals with other officials. Among the proposals is a call by anti-gun groups to ban the carrying of firearms by civilians outside their homes.

The proliferation of firearms has long fueled crime, political violence and Muslim and communist rebellions that have raged for decades in parts of the Philippines. Previous attempts by authorities to clamp down on unregistered weapons have yielded little result in a country where several politically powerful clans and families control private armed groups in provincial strongholds outside Manila.

Welding and Manufacturing Ltd. designs, engineers and manufactures custom oilfield equipment and is growing the Quality Control department. We are currently seeking a full-time, permanent

QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTOR

Responsibilities will include but not be limited to: • Perform visual inspections on all assemblies at various checkpoints in the production process • Layout & fit-up checks, final checks on tanks and vessels • Witness tests of Spooling and Vessels • Liaise with 3rd party inspectors Preference will be given to those with experience in a fast paced, manufacturing environment. Knowledge of ASME and CSA codes is an asset.

We offer competitive wage and benefits packages Only applicants chosen for an interview will be contacted.

Please forward your resume via fax to (403) 227-7796 or e-mail to hr@bilton.ca 30518A4-8

CAREER OPPORTUNITY BOW VALLEY CREDIT UNION

MEMBER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE 1 The Credit Union Serving the communities of Banff, Canmore, Cochrane, Airdrie and Calgary, the Bow Valley Credit Union has built its considerable success by delivering exceptional service and products to approximately 10,000 members.

NOW HIRING!

Bow Valley Credit Union is seeking an experienced financial professional to join their team as Member Service Representative. The position is located in Calgary, Alberta.

We offer a great work environment where continuous learning, individual success and team achievements are recognized and rewarded.

Vencor is currently hiring the following positions in various locations throughout Northern & Central Alberta:

The Position – Part-Time, Calgary, Alberta (Tuesday – Friday 11am-2pm and Saturdays 9am-12:30pm)

Operations Manager Day Supervisors Night Supervisors Assistants • • • •

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If you are interested in joining our team, please submit a resume by Mail, Fax or E-mail to:

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44489A7

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine army special forces and police killed 13 suspected criminals in a fierce gunbattle Sunday on the main northern island of Luzon in the latest violence to erupt in the country in the last week.

A police officer was wounded in the shootout, which raged for 20 minutes in the coastal town of Atimonan in Quezon province, about 140 kilometres (100 miles) southeast of Manila, the capital.

The gunmen, who were riding in two black SUVs, opened fire on more than 50 army soldiers and police when they were flagged down at a highway checkpoint in Atimonan, sparking the firefight, said Lt. Col. Monico Abang, who led the army platoon in the clash. Gunmen also fired from a third van but turned around and managed to escape, he said.

Two gunmen jumped out of one of the SUVs and fired from a roadside canal. The rest stayed in the two vehicles, which were raked by troops with gunfire in the sparsely populated stretch of the highway, Abang said. The area was closed off to traffic after the gunbattle.

Quezon provincial police chief Valeriano de Leon said 11 gunmen died at the scene of the clash. Two others died while being brought to a hospital, he said, adding that government forces recovered two assault rifles and 12 pistols used by the gunmen.

“They rolled down their windows and started firing, so we had to retaliate,” Abang said by cellphone from the scene of the clash. “They were clearly outnumbered and outgunned.”

A police colonel was shot in the hand and foot and taken to a hospital, de Leon said.

Abang said the army and police set up a checkpoint along the highway after police received a tip-off from an informant that gunmen involved in illegal drugs, gambling and kidnapping for ransom would pass through Atimonan in mountainous Quezon, where communist guerrillas have a presence.

An initial police investigation showed that the gunmen were likely members of a gun-forhire group operating in provinces south of Manila, Abang said, adding that one of the slain gunmen had a police identification card. Investigators were trying to confirm his identity, he said.

The shootout followed two other violent incidents that have revived calls for tighter gun control in the Philippines, where there are more than half a million unlicensed firearms, according to police estimates.

A man who reportedly was drunk and high on drugs killed eight people before being gunned

42202L29

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

D6 RED DEER ADVOCATE Monday, Jan. 7, 2013

THIS TUESDAY, JANUARY 8

CUSTOMER

APPRECIATION DAY

SPEND A MINIMUM $35 AND CHOOSE EITHER…

YOUR GROCERY PURCHASE

*

OR EARN…

®

BASE AIR MILES

reward miles*

*With Club Card. Minimum $35.00 purchase required. Purchase must be made in single transaction. See in-store for details.

Plus earn a $10 OFF 8 Savings Coupon

TUESDAY

JANUARY

WEDNESDAY

9

JANUARY

THURSDAY

10

Y JANUAR

From January 8 to 10 automatically earn a

SAMPLE ONLY. SAVINGS COUP ON AVAILABLE INSTORE WITH ANY GROCERY PURCHASE.

with ANY Safeway grocery purchase.* *SAVINGS COUPON TO BE USED ON NEXT SHOPPING TRIP BETWEEN JAN. 14 - JAN. 17, 2013 With ANY Safeway grocery purchase from January 8 to January 10, 2013, automatically get a $10 off Savings Coupon. $10 off Savings Coupon valid on a minimum $75 grocery purchase made on January 14 to January 17, 2013. No rainchecks. Other conditions may apply.

See Customer Service for complete details.

Prices effective at all Red Deer Safeway stores Tuesday, January 8 to Thursday, January 10, 2013. We reserve the right to limit sales to retail quantities. Some items may not be available at all stores. All items while stocks last. Actual items may vary slightly from illustrations. Some illustrations are serving suggestions only. Advertised prices do not include GST. ®™ Trademarks of AIR MILES International Trading B.V. Used under license by LoyaltyOne, Inc. and Canada Safeway Limited. Extreme Specials are prices that are so low they are limited to a one time purchase to Safeway Club Card Members within a household. Each household can purchase the limited items one time during the effective dates. A household is defined by all Safeway Club Cards that are linked by the same address and phone number. Each household can purchase the EXTREME SPECIALS during the specified advertisement dates. For purchases over the household limits, regular pricing applies to overlimit purchases. On BUY ONE GET ONE FREE items, both items must be purchased. Lowest priced item is then free. Online and in-store prices, discounts, and offers may differ.