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Your Independent Local Newspaper Established in 1918 VOLUME 104: ISSUE 50
www.tofieldmerc.com
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2022
Western Days turns Tofield into carnival town MOUSH JOHN Editor
It was four days of fun and games as Town of Tofield in partnership with the Ag. Society hosted its first Western Days – a four-day affair complete with a Bull Bash, Pancake Breakfast, Promenade, and two days of rodeo. The event kicked off at the arena grounds with a food truck fair, petting zoo, bouncy castles, and face painting. There were no entry fees for this event.
At 7 p.m., the Tofield Western Days Bull Bash started, and for the first time it was hosted outdoors. PBR champion Dakota Buttar won the event on Screamin Demon with a 84.5 ride. Slack was hosted on Friday, with the Street Fair and Promenade on Main Street at 5 p.m. The town was abuzz with vendors, bouncy castles, petting zoo, Mini Donuts truck, face painting, and many other fun activities for both kids and adults. There was
live music opposite the Town of Tofield office with local singers like Emily Sjursen and Jordyn Charlesworth taking to the stage. Saturday started off with Pancake Breakfast followed by the Tofield Ag. Society’s 50th anniversary celebrations. The Sodbuster Rodeo had its 40th anniversary this year and was held on both Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. to great applause. For more images turn to pages 14 and 15.
Dakota Buttar on Screamin Demon wins the Tofield Western Days Bull Bash 2022 with a 84.5 ride. MOUSH JOHN PHOTO
MLA Jackie Lovely apologizes, regrets that essay was selected as a third-place winner MOUSH JOHN Editor
This past week has been tumultuous for UCP MLAs, particularly Camrose constituency’s Jackie Lovely, who was in the news for not the right reasons. As one of the judges for a recent essay contest entitled ‘Her Vision Inspires’, Lovely was on the panel, which granted
the third-place prize to contestant S. Silver who wrote about women’s “unique strength: our ability to give birth”. She went on to say how “while it is sadly popular nowadays to think that the world would be better off without humans, or that Albertan children are unnecessary as we can import foreigners to replace ourselves, this is a sickly mentality that
amounts to a drive for cultural suicide.” Sponsored by the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, this essay contest was UCP MLA for Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville Jackie ArmstrongHomeniuk’s idea. She is the Associate Status of Women Minister, also acting as Alberta’s representative to the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians’ Cana-
dian chapter. “I can confirm that I was the only other MLA on the essay-judging panel,” Lovely said. “I regret that this essay was chosen and I apologize for my role in that. “As a single mother who has pursued a wide variety of traditionally male-dominated careers, I deeply understand the strength and ability of women. Also,
as a former ESL teacher who has hosted 56 international students, I value and appreciate the role of newcomers to our province, and will continue working to remove barriers to equity and prosperity for all.” The contest garnered negative attention leading Armstrong-Homeniuk to put out a statement: “The essay contest was intended to
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reflect a broad range of options from young Alberta women on what democracy means for them. While the essay in question certainly does not represent the views of all women, myself included, the essay in question should not have been chosen.” Local politician Kevin Smook also said, “Over Continued on Page 16
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