City of Camrose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 and

The stage is set

CITY PAGE

E m ployme nt O p p o r tun it y

PC HELP DESK AND SUPPORT TECHNICIAN

The City of Camrose is seeking an energetic, highly motivated individual to fill the role of PC Help Desk and Support Technician. Reporting to the Manager of Information Technology this position will be responsible for supporting the City’s computer systems and their operators.

FUNCTIONS/DUTIES (but not limited to):

• Responsible for the operation, maintenance, setup, and teardown of all City computer systems and support equipment. • Day-to-day help desk and support operations for all

City of Camrose staff, including phone support and hands-on support of all City PC hardware, software, and mobile devices. • Develop and provide training via one-on-one and organized training sessions for City of Camrose staff as needed. • Assist in the development of IT policies for the organization. • Assist other members of IT Services as required with duties including; application rollout, installation and maintenance, administrations of servers, switches, hubs, routers, wireless access points, wireless bridges and firewalls to provide secure and efficient transfer of information throughout the

City’s infrastructure, maintain a current inventory of all computer systems, IT hardware, and City of

Camrose licenses software.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• At least 2 years’ experience in a computer/IT support field. • Diploma or post-secondary education in computer sciences or related field with formal training in hardware support. • Up-to-date knowledge of computer hardware and software and a strong understanding of current security issues including network and PC security and threat management. • Excellent interpersonal skills and customer service approach to work collaboratively with City

Departments. • Valid class 5 driver’s license and Police Information

Check – Security Level Clearance. HOURS OF WORK: Hours of work are typically 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. SALARY & BENEFITS: The City of Camrose offers competitive salary, attractive benefits, and a positive work environment. The starting salary for this position will be dependent upon the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate. APPLICATIONS: Individuals interested in this position are invited to submit a cover letter and resumé to the address below or in person by April 29, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. If applying by email, please ensure job position is included in subject line. We appreciate and consider

all applications; however, only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. CONTACT:

City of Camrose Attention: Manager of Information Technology Mailing Address: 5204-50 Ave., Camrose, AB T4V 0S8 P: 780-672-4426 | E:hr@camrose.ca | W:www.camrose.ca

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP). The personal information recorded on the application form is being collected under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act. The information will be used for the purpose(s) of employee recruitment and administration and is protected by the privacy provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act. If you require additional information concerning the collection and use of this personal information, please contact the FOIP Offi cer at 780-672-4426.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR GOLF COURSE CATERING

The City of Camrose is seeking information from interested caterers for their service options and interest in catering tournaments and in-house events at the Camrose Golf Course for the 2022 season. The City would like to have a list of interested caterers available that could be passed on to private tournament organizers who can meet tournament requirements and inhouse events for up to 144 guests. The ideal candidate will: • Offer a variety of entrees at a reasonable price • Have certification as mandated by AB Health as well as a valid business license • Professional experience organizing large gatherings up to 144 patrons • Set up and break down chairs, tables, and buffet • Clean the kitchen and restaurant after use • Ensure that all of our guests dining needs are taken care of

Full details and Respondent Submission Form can be found online at www.camrose.ca/golf

Respondents are asked to submit their information and signed Respondent Submission Form by April 25, 2022 to the following address and to the attention of the following RFI Contact listed below. Inquiries and proposals can be directed to: Ryan Poole, General Manager of Community Services City of Camrose rpoole@camrose.ca | 780-672-9195

Two times is unacceptable

By Jackie Lovely, MLA Camrose Constituency

Once is too many. Two times is unacceptable. But an alleged 200 cases of sexual assault by one Alberta teacher is a tragedy beyond belief. We were all shocked to learn about a former Alberta teacher, Michael Gregory, who was charged with 17 sexual offences against his students, with as many as 200 estimated victims over his 20-year teaching career.

When victims first reported their harrowing experiences, the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) investigated Gregory, and opted to give him a two-year teaching suspension. However, despite the harm Gregory had caused and the danger he continued to pose, the ATA refused to report his actions to the police.

Through their inaction, the ATA failed their single-most important duty: protecting our kids from harm.

For the past 85 years, the ATA has enjoyed sole responsibility for disciplining its own members. Unfortunately, generations of students have been endangered by this conflict of interest, which has allowed people with ill-intent to slip through the cracks.

When the Gregory story broke, our United Conservative government took action to ensure this never happens again. After meticulous planning, we unveiled Bill 15, the Education (Reforming Teacher Profession Discipline) Amendment Act. If this legislation is passed, an appointed arm’s-length commissioner will oversee complaints for the teaching profession. In doing this, we can ensure that bad actors like Gregory are reported to the police and held accountable for their actions.

There is no reason the ATA should not welcome third-party regulation. Other regulated professions in Alberta use independent disciplinary processes, as do other teaching associations across Canada. Yet, the ATA has fought us every step of the way, spending millions of dollars on smear campaigns to fight our efforts to protect students. Many of my United Conservative colleagues are parents with school-aged children. This is our fight, just as much as it is yours, and we will not back down.

Our fight extends elsewhere, too. In response to the unprovoked Russian invasion, our government is contributing over $11.3 million to support humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people. To help get families to safety, we are also prioritizing applications of eligible Ukrainians who have applied for permanent residency in Alberta.

There are many strong Ukrainian communities in Alberta, many of whom still have ties to loved ones overseas. My heart goes out to everyone who has been impacted by the war in Europe.

Finally, I’d like to spread awareness about some online scams that have been impacting people in our communities. If you have been the victim of a scam, it is important to contact police and the Canadian AntiFraud Centre at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca. We also provide tips and advice on protecting your information online, which you can find at www.alberta.ca/ consumer-business-tips.aspx. Don’t forget, banks or government organizations will never call you to ask for your personal information or credit card number.

Stay safe, and stay warm as we enter the spring season. As always, it’s a pleasure to serve as your MLA for Camrose. If you have any questions or concerns, contact my office. We are always here for you!

You can contact Jackie Lovely, Camrose MLA, at Constituency Office, 104, 4870-51 Street, Camrose, AB T4V 1S1. Tel: 780-672-0000, camrose@assembly.ab.ca or at Legislature Office, 6th Floor, 9820-107 Street, Edmonton, AB T5K 1E7.

By Lori Larsen

In a thought-provoking presentation to City of Camrose council, Changing Ways Older Adult support worker and advocate Kari Cameron reported on the work being done to date, advocating and supporting the well-being of older adults in the City of Camrose and Camrose County.

Cameron has been in the one-year pilot project position originally dubbed Elder Abuse Case manager, but changed to be more trauma informed since September 2021. The position is being funded by Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness Council, Changing Ways and Battle River Community Foundation.

“When I read about the new position with Changing Ways, I knew I had to apply, even though I have always worked with children and families,” related Cameron. “I knew this because of how devastating my Baba’s care was and how her placement was handled and enforced. Her care could have been so different; if only someone was there to walk with her, listen, navigate, organize and advocate for her. No one should be separated five hours from their spouse of 61 years.”

Cameron said her goal is to combine her job experience, knowledge of community resources and personal experience to assist older adults to safely age in their communities.

“They get to stay where their community is,” said Cameron. “Research is showing that if they can stay in their homes and be surrounded by their people, it is more cost effective than to have them in care facilities.”

Located in the Mirror Lake Centre, the Changing Ways office marries perfectly with other valuable resources for seniors including: Support Options for Senior (SOS), the Camrose and District Senior Centre Society and the Hospice Society of Camrose and District. The Centre itself is a hub where seniors gather and are now able to seek support services in one central location.

Cameron said that anyone can refer someone who meets the criteria of being an older adult over the age of 55, who lives in the City of Camrose or Camrose County, and does not live in a government-funded facility, who they suspect or know has been victim of any form of abuse.

“My position allows me to walk with vulnerable seniors to create safety and enhance emotional wellbeing through office or inhome visits,” which Cameron said involves her traveling out to rural Alberta to support older adults in their own homes. “You get more in the comfort and safety of their own homes. I have the RCMP and police to do a little background check in case the perpetrator is still residing there, and then I have a team to accompany me if need be.”

Stats

Since September, Cameron has taken on 36 active clients–21 reside in the City of Camrose, 12 in Camrose County, and three are out of area. Of the 36 clients, 28 are female and eight are male.

“The province awarded 16 positions for case managers Alberta wide, so Wetaskiwin and Stettler were not recipients of this award. Via telephone or Zoom, I am providing services to clients in need out in those communities.”

She said the most spoken form of abuse is psychological, which can include: refusing access to grandchildren, removal of decision making, controlling older adults’ activities and intentionally frightening older adults. A second form of elder abuse is financial, which includes misuse of money or property, convincing to buy a product and misuse of power of attorney.

In support of the new collaboration between SOS and Changing Ways, SOS program director Christina Rehmann said, “We have already accomplished so many great things and have made real inroads with regard to elder abuse awareness in the City and the County, not to mention the good work being done at the individual levels with seniors.

“Our team approach, combined with our local community networks, provides depth and breadth of wrap-around support for seniors whom Kari is working with.”

More stats

According to the 2019 statistical report, the population of residents over the age of 65 in the City of Camrose was 6,081, equating to 21 per cent, versus 13 per cent provincially; and over 60 years of age was 25 per cent. Of those numbers, 54 per cent were female and 46 per cent were male.

With regards to income, the 2019 report indicated that 33 per cent of seniors in Camrose received the Alberta Seniors Benefit and are considered low income versus 29 per cent provincially.

“In the seniors’ population, income is a determinant of healthy aging and a predictor of vulnerability,” noted Rehmann. “Income plays a role in overall health, housing, food security and other issues facing seniors.”

Rehmann reported that statistics indicate 38 per cent of Camrose seniors live alone or independently.

“Living arrangements are a determinant of healthy aging and a predictor of vulnerability. Isolation predisposes folks to abuse, and it’s expensive and probably not sustainable.”

Rehmann said only six per cent live in long-term care or supported living in Camrose, which she said is interesting, considering the number of facilities that exist in Camrose.

The two last indicators covered in the report were health and driving.

Rehmann said 21 per cent of seniors in Camrose had three or more chronic health conditions, and 32 per cent of seniors had at least one mental health condition, excluding dementia, a neurocognitive disorder.

In regards to driving indicators, Rehmann said that there are more people in the City of Camrose and Camrose County who drive into older age than anywhere else in the province. “This is great as long as it is monitored with a family doctor for safety. The rationale for that driving into old age, and it goes back to health indicators, is that 21.4 per cent of seniors in our area have two or more chronic conditions. These typically require specialist appointments in Edmonton. Medical travel from Camrose to Edmonton typically runs $450 per trip right now. Imagine if you are a senior and you need chemo treatments or radiation, or you have macular degeneration or you need dialysis. Those require multiple trips over weeks or months. You know the decision that is being made by a lot of seniors, they are simply not getting the care.”

Inquiries from council

Councillor Joy-Anne Murphy inquired as to what involvement Changing Ways and/or SOS has with other services including Camrose and District Victim Services and the Camrose Mental Health Hub.

Cameron said, “I am a member of the Camrose Mental Health Hub, and we do a lot of brainstorming and multi-cross sector work.” She added that other stakeholders, such as Camrose and District Victim Services, Camrose Police Service and RCMP (among others), are also part of the Hub.

“I would say lately a good portion of my referrals come from the Hub.”

Both Cameron and Rehmann concluded by reminding council of the importance of building awareness surrounding seniors: not only challenges faced including elder abuse, but also the vital roles seniors play in our community(s).

Whither the Russian anti-war protests?

Can Russian citizens protesting the war in Ukraine change its course by overthrowing the state or agitating for Putin’s replacement? According to much state-centred research on social movements, such a scenario is unlikely to materialize, primarily because of the Russian regime’s absolute control over Russian society and its social institutions. There are four important

Geraint Osborne, factors that are crucial for soSociology, cial protests to progress into

University of Alberta successful social movements:

Augustana Campus the protests must resonate with the public; protesters must marshal sufficient resources; there must be unity amongst the protestors; and finally, they must weather the response of the state.

Securing public support is important for protests to grow into movements. In the early days of the Russian invasion, thousands of Russians took to the streets to protest, and state authorities responded by arresting and locking up many of the protestors. When independent media outlets began criticizing the war, the Russian government responded by criminalizing reporting critical of the war, even banning the words “war” or “invasion”. Journalists were arrested and jailed while others left the country or shut down operations.

State polls put support for the war around 68 per cent, but independent sociological research, designed to counter subjects misrepresenting responses under perceived social pressure, found support to be closer to 53 per cent. As the conflict drags on, and as Russian blunders, casualties and awareness of war crimes increase, support for the anti-war protests may grow as they did towards the end of the failed Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Unlike protests, social movements are expensive endeavours that require human and material resources which, as Barrington Moore’s classic Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy reminds us, often come from the middle classes. Indeed, the Russian anti-war protestors have come predominantly from the urban middle and upper-middle classes, including intellectuals and celebrities. While small in numbers, they tend to have higher levels of education and more financial resources. But to become a full-fledged social movement that transforms Russian politics and society, their material resources will need to be supplemented from other sources. They are likely to be more successful if the Russian working class, which has been depoliticized for decades, also joins the ranks of the anti-war movement. As Jack Goldstone’s recent work on the Arab Spring revolts demonstrates, crossclass coalitions play a vital role in the success of revolutions.

Lacking shared objectives, clear rules of engagement, and a common sense of purpose hampers protests and the formation of social movements. Fortunately, unity among the anti-war protestors is seemingly consistent. They are united in their stance against the war and their denunciation of the Putin regime. Russian anti-war protestors will have more success if they can focus attention on a specific achievable political outcome, such as demanding the end of hostilities, before seeking the replacement of Putin.

According to state-centred research, like Theda Skocpol’s seminal States and Social Revolutions, the response of a state is the most important factor that determines whether social movements are successful. Protest is an important part of democracies, viewed as a central feature of a healthy civil society and a counterbalance to the political power wielded by the state. That is why there are a plethora of protests and far more social movements in democracies than elsewhere. However, with totalitarian states, the right to protest is severely limited. The harsh tactics of Putin’s government in response to the protests is an indication of the intolerance of the Russian state for political dissent.

How states respond matters. Compare the Chinese state response to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests with the Soviet state response to the uprisings across the Soviet Union the same year. A strong Chinese state easily crushed a growing social movement, while a geopolitically weakened Soviet state that was liberalizing under policies of glasnost and perestroika, could do very little but acquiesce to the people’s demands.

Currently, the Putin regime is a totalitarian state with absolute control of the military, the police, the courts, and the national mass media, making it very difficult for any meaningful anti-war social movement to gain momentum.

CATHOLIC SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE

Come meet the sta , view the school and see what exciting things we have to o er at OLMP.

WHERE: OLMP School WHEN: Wednesday, April 20 from 7 to 8 p.m. WHY: Because we have a great school that we would love to show you

780.672.2975

Our Lady of Mount Pleasant School: 39 Mount Pleasant Drive, Camrose, Alberta

olmp.eics.ab.ca