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Red Deer Advocate FRIDAY, SEPT. 27, 2013
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CRUISE NIGHT GEARS DOWN FOR THE SEASON
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Fekete tragedy led to change BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF Saturday marks 10 years since the Fekete murder-suicide, a tragedy in Red Deer that changed the way Albertans respond to domestic violence. On Sept. 28, 2003, Josif Fekete gunned down his wife Blagica and their three-year-old son in a Red Deer apartment building, before turning the shotgun on himself. Recommendations from the 2005 Fekete fatality inquiry resulted in community organizations working with domestic violence victims to partner closely with the criminal justice system, police and corrections. “I think the biggest change has been the collaborative partnerships that have been created. That collaborative process has allowed us to work together as a co-ordinated team to identify high-risk cases and begin to strategize and case manage to mitigate the risk,” said Ian Wheeliker, executive director of the Central Alberta Women’s Shelter, on Thursday. “Each month we’re looking at an average of six high-risk cases.” Some of high-risk cases are under scrutiny for months and cases judged to be lower risk also get a second, careful look, he said. A monitored exchange and safe visitation program was also developed at Central Alberta Women’s Outreach to improve the safety of any children involved. But Wheeliker said only a limited number of families can participate in the program and more should be done to co-ordinate the protection of children by getting family and criminal courts to work together. Or better yet, he suggested, unify those courts into one court for domestic violence cases. After all, family court is where child custody and visitation are determined.
Please see TRAGEDY on Page A2
Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
Don Hannah of Red Deer peers under the hood of Greg Gorson’s 1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe Coupe at the Cruise Night event at Parkland Mall on Thursday. The season finale of the Thursday night show and shine brought in hundreds of vintage and late model vehicles and hundreds more spectators who enjoy getting close to the vehicles of their dreams. Cruise Night ran every Thursday through the summer months, drawing almost 600 vehicles on one of the best nights.
PST stands for ‘Political Suicide Tax’ BY PAUL COWLEY ADVOCATE STAFF There is zero appetite in Alberta for a provincial sales tax, despite recent suggestions by a tax expert that it would lure investment and benefit businesses, says a small business advocate. “In theory, consumption taxes are more efficient and less distorting than taxes on income and capital,” said Richard Truscott, Alberta director for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). “In theory, you could do a tax reform that was revenue neutral. But we live in the world of political realities,” said Truscott. “There’s a reason why people in Alberta call the PST the political suicide tax.
“There’s no absolutely no political interest to bring in a PST or an (harmonized sales tax) or any sales tax.” But just to be sure the idea doesn’t catch on in Edmonton, the CFIB launched a campaign last week to draw attention to the negative impact any provincial sales tax would have on small businesses and consumers. Truscott said there is no support for such a tax to be found among Albertans, and especially small business owners. While the number crunching done by University of Calgary tax expert Jack Mintz suggests a 13 per cent harmonized sales tax — based on a five per cent GST plus an eight per cent provincial sales tax — could allow personal income-tax exemptions to be raised and corporate tax rates rolled back, small business income taxes would remain untouched under the plan.
“That means a small business would effectively see a net tax increase under his proposal.” But the biggest stumbling block to any tax changes — even if the province promises they will be revenue neutral — is deep seated distrust in the government. “Quite frankly, the taxpayers and business owners don’t trust the government to take the money out of one pocket with the promise they’ll put more money back in the other,” he said. Truscott said tax reform discussions take the focus away from the more important issue: government spending. “The provincial government has grown from a $20-billion enterprise to a $40-billion enterprise in a span of decade. And the politicians can’t seem to restrain themselves. pcowley@reddeeradvocate.com
Sudden outburst of robberies prompts review of employee safety BY MURRAY CRAWFORD ADVOCATE STAFF
File photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
The Fas Gas location at 43 Street and 55 Avenue in Red Deer remained closed on the morning of Thursday, Sept. 12, after a clerk was shot in the head during an armed robbery the previous night.
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With a store clerk who was the victim of an armed robbery recovering in hospital from a shotgun blast and another cashier recently receiving a death threat after thefts from the same store, concerns are growing about the safety of those who work at such stores. Three times in two weeks, Fas Gas locations in Alberta have been the target of armed robberies, with two resulting in injuries. In Red Deer, the same West Park Fas Gas location was the scene of two incidents two weeks apart. Red Deer RCMP said Jayson Arancon Reyes was shot in the face by a person with a sawed-off shotgun after he gave money to a suspect on Sept. 11. Then late Tuesday evening, the store was the scene of another armed robbery. Two suspects stole lighters
and then one, as he was leaving, drew a baton from his sleeve and threatened to kill a clerk. No one was injured and no money was taken. A third incident took place at a Fas Gas in Okotoks on Sept. 20. A suspect stabbed the clerk as the employee was working behind the counter. Buck Buchanan, a retired RCMP officer and owner manager of X-Cops, a private security company, was at the scene of the West Park Fas Gas shooting after the incident. While biohazard crews were cleaning up the store, he was looking to see if the suspect would return to the scene of the crime. He said the best way to deter someone from attempted to rob a gas outlet or convenience store is to have two people working at the same time. “The best way is the manpower way,” said Buchanan. “But that also becomes the cost way, too.”
Please see SAFETY on Page A2
Blackfalds revitalization gets underway After years of talking about downtown revitalization, the Town of Blackfalds is putting its money where its mouth is. Story on PAGE C3
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