No charges for trailer owner in Mundare fire
BY JANA SEMENIUK
No charges are in store for a trailer owner whose heating device caused a devastating fire in the Mundare campground on Jan. 19.
Lamont County Communications Coordinator Jay Zaal confirmed the fire’s cause by email.
“I can confirm the cause was likely due to the use of heating devices too close to flammable objects,” he said, not specifying what the heating device was. “No confirmation of any illegal substance burning.”
Vegreville RCMP detachment Staff Sergeant Colin Folk confirmed the department’s findings.
“There’s nothing in the criminal code that regulates what can be used as a heat source,” Folk said by phone interview. “We’re there to support the fire department. If they deem the fire suspicious then we work in conjunction with the fire investigators to conduct the investigation. This was not deemed suspicious.”
Despite previous reports that only one trailer was occupied at the time of the fire, three trailers affected by the fire were all occupied at the time.
Two trailers, including the one where the fire started, were completely destroyed while a third was damaged and deemed unusable by owner, Jeff Belanger.
“The propane explosions blew out two windows, and my door is now compromised,” said Belanger. “I lost all my winterization.”
The drama began in the early morning hours of Jan. 19 when an occupied trailer at the Mundare campground caught fire sometime after midnight.
Dean Cook, who lives in a camper beside the trailer was awakened by the sound of his neighbour’s screams.
“He was yelling ‘help help’ and my dogs wouldn’t stop barking. So, I looked and saw the flames and that’s when I called 911,” said Cook. Cook added that he was afraid for weeks prior that his neighbour would accidentally start a fire that would consume his trailer.
Continued on Page 2
“I warned everybody he's going to burn it down and I'm going to lose my trailer. I've been saying it for over a month,” he said, alleging that his neighbour was not heating his trailer safely.
Fire victim Dean Cook accepts a needed hug from his friend Mary while warming up with a coffee at Mundare's Baba's Bistro on Jan. 22. Below: The remains of Dean Cook's 39-foot newly renovated camper.
Jeff Belanger, whose trailer sits on the other side of where the fire started, holds up a plastic covering to reveal broken windows he said were caused by exploding propane tanks during the fire.
Fire
Continued from front
Colin Zyla, Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Mundare confirmed by email that he took a complaint from Cook about the fire danger and passed it to Lamont County Emergency Services to investigate.
When asked by the Lamont Leader what the complaint details were, the date and the results of the investigation, Lamont County Communications Director Jay Zaal said he would look into it but may not have answers by press time.
In the meantime, although Cook said he waited over an hour for emergency crews to arrive, records only show three 911 calls were made; one at 3:14 a.m., and two calls at 3:29 a.m. Communications Coordinator Zaal said crews were dispatched 30 seconds after the first call was made and arrived on the scene at 3:34 a.m.
“The response time was standard and very good for paid on-call firefighters (for calls in the twilight hours, typically in a response, people are woken up, get into cold vehicles, drive to the firehall and respond to the scene),” said Zaal.
Temperatures at the time were -32 C. Although a water truck
was seen at the fire, Zaal said firefighters only used it as a precaution and not due to issues with the hydrant.
“There were no issues with the hydrants. An experienced Chief Officer knew the location of the closest hydrant and chose to bring a water truck to avoid a long hose lay in the extreme cold weather,” said Zaal.
The trailer owner, whose unit the fire started in, was reportedly taken to hospital and later released. His name and whereabouts are unknown.
Meanwhile, Cook and his three puggle dogs, River, Ray and Rip, have been left homeless.
He said he is grateful for the kindness of friends, business owners and Mundare officials in the town, where he has only lived a year, to help provide him with clothing, food and a place to stay.
He said he recently finished renovating his 39foot camper, complete with washer and dryer unit and hardwood floors, and prided himself on having the most beautiful yard on the block. Now he said he can no longer live in the town.
“Here is where I was going to stay,” he said, tears filling his eyes.
“But I can’t. I just can’t. I’ll never live in a trailer again.”
Cook’s burned-out camper is still sitting on the lot covered in ice
from the firefighting efforts while his neighbour’s trailer was reduced to a pile of blackened rubble littered with propane tanks and canisters.
In terms of fire charges, Lamont County Communications Coordinator Zaal said no one will be getting a bill.
“The Town of Mundare (and residents) will not be billed,” he said by email. “As per the regional agreement from 2016-21, towns have no financial responsibility for fire calls.”
Jan. 19/25 Mundare campground fire as reported in the Jan. 22 edition of the Lamont Leader. Rick Sabin photo.
Opinion Letter to the editor
Smith works while Team Canada watches from the sidelines
BY JOHN MATHER
Danielle Smith, in hockey vernacular, is on a breakaway in the corridors of U.S. power, while Team Canada surrounds its own net trying to block a possible shot from Donald Trump.
Did you hear the statement by Justin Trudeau after meeting with his cabinet, or what’s left of it, on Jan.20, the day Donald Trump took office south of the border.
Trump had stated he’d implement a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian exports to the U.S. on his first day in office, but he later modified that answering a reporter’s question that it would occur Feb. 1.
Trudeau said everything was on the table in trade and tariff negotiations with the grande l’orange down in Washington.
“Everything is on the table,’ said Trudeau. Normally we could use the phrase “thundered Trudeau,” but we know his thundering days are in the rear view mirror.
“Everything is on the table and I support the principle of dollar-for-dollar matching tariffs. It’s something that we are absolutely going to be looking at if that is how they move forward,” he added.
Despite Trump's rhetoric that he doesn't need anything from Canada, Trudeau said if Trump really wants to usher in a “golden age of America” with a booming economy, he's going to need Canadian natural resources like oil, lumber, steel, aluminum and critical minerals to make that happen.
That gives Canada some leverage, Trudeau said.
But Trudeau’s comments might as well have been taken from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s talking and briefing notes.
After all, she has spent several days in Washington lobbying U.S. politicians on why they should, if not stop the tariffs, at least provide a carve-out for Alberta oil and gas.
Now, Smith was blasted by her provincial counterparts a week earlier when she refused to sign an agreement with the other provinces and Ottawa stating “everything” was on the table when it came to retaliatory measures against Trump’s edicts. She was right in this.
The CBC exploits its unfair advantage
(Re-published with permission of the National Post)
Not satisfied with its $1.5billion annual taxpayer subsidy, the Crown corporation is pilfering money from a fund that should be reserved for private publishers
Have you heard the good news, Fort Mac? The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is expanding its bureau in the northern Alberta city.
The public broadcaster announced on Wednesday
CONTINUED
that it will hire up to 30 journalists to work in “underserved communities” throughout Canada.
Expanding local news coverage is, of course, a good thing, but the only reason the CBC is able to do this is because it is pilfering an estimated $7 million a year from the $100 million that Google agreed to pay Canadian news publishers on an annual basis to remain exempted from the Online News Act.
In making the announce-
The other premiers wanted Alberta’s oil and gas exports as a tool.
In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford magnanimously stepped up and put that province’s electrical exports on the table. But not the province’s main export industry of automobiles and auto parts.
Funny, that Stellantis has agreed to keep Dodge Durango production in the Detroit area and Belvidere, Illinois, but they’ll still take those Liberal donations to their lithium battery plant for electric cars that are quickly falling out of favour. That’s a direct result of the tariff threat!
Trump has dropped a mandatory EV mandate imposed by the Biden administration.
Later Ford said he may have to call a snap election to get a proper mandate before Trump tariffs could kick in.
Other provinces did the same, offering up secondary exports for retaliatory measures while expecting Alberta to put its main export on the table.
Just doesn’t seem fair does it?
So Smith, wisely, said no.
And if we were to stop oil exports to the U.S, as the lame duck NDP honcho Jagmeet Singh proposes, that would mean stopping flow through line five which would also curtail shipping to Ontario and Quebec.
ment, CBC editor-in-chief Brodie Fenlon said the public broadcaster decided to “dedicate the new funding to the hiring of local journalists in underserved communities.”
But if that’s true, it means that each new hire will be paid $228,666 a year (once admin fees are subtracted from the total payout) — 340 per cent more than what the average Canadian journalist makes, according to glassdoor.ca.
Continued on Page 7
Can’t have that happen to those Laurentian elites.
Quebec Premier François Legault suggested at a news conference that the federal government should compensate provinces that would be hardest hit by a Canadian response to Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs.
“If a province like Alberta had to make efforts that cost more than all the provinces, there should be compensation from the federal government. The idea is to make Canada win, but not necessarily to make one province pay more than another,” Legault said.
Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe after a conference call among premiers last Wednesday also moved more to Smith’s side indicating the provincial premiers are beginning to see the wisdom of her words and her meeting with U.S leaders.
Smith spent the week meeting with Senators, U.S. House of Representative members and U.S, governors not only touting Alberta’s oil and gas, but pointing out just what effect the proposed tariffs could have on the U.S. economy from job losses in refinery and manufacturing.
She’s doing what the Feds should be doing, but Trudeau and those wanting to lead the moribund Liberal franchise are nowhere to be seen in the halls of U.S. power.
Kerry Anderson Publisher John Mather Reporter
Jana Semeniuk Reporter Crystal Moren
BY HAZEL ANAKA
In the unlikely event that you were lying awake nights worrying about my laptop’s storage space, let me provide an update. I deleted a lot of very old no longer needed files from my computer. I unsubscribed from people, agencies, groups, and entities I can no longer keep up with or am interested in. Some companies’ marketing programs are so aggressive they send daily emails which all take up space. When people add a photo as an email attachment that takes up space. A prime example is when bridal couples send me a monstrous picture of their marriage license rather than simply typing the digits.
In addition to the cleanup, I also saved many files onto small USB thumb drives. I was shocked at the sheer number I have and how
FROM WHERE I SIT: Crisis Averted
widely their storage capacity varies from just a single megabyte to as many as 32. Heck, I’ve got 22 years’ worth of this column to save.
In many ways, this was just desperate busy work waiting for WD tech support people to answer my two emails outlining my problems. I also spoke to a guy at Apple Care. I used my one and two terabyte external hard drives to do computer backups.
Then I phoned the tech department at London Drugs and learned I could call computer geek, David on Thursday and see about booking an appointment with him. In fairness, it’s pretty hard to diagnose a problem over the phone, even with my thorough explanation of the issues. He raised the spectre of having to leave the laptop there. I didn’t want my baby admitted to the computer hospital but started imagining life without it nonetheless. I thought it would be worth spending a hundred or so bucks just for some peace of mind and an opinion on the state of things besides my own.
Next thing you know I’m packing up my laptop, cords, USB adapter,
two Seagate drives, and the new WD one I was prepared to return to Staples if things headed south. I was also prepared to pay him to do an uninstall and reinstall if necessary. I dropped everything and headed into Edmonton before he was done for the day. I didn’t want this to drag on over the weekend.
Thank goodness I brought the cords. We looked at the laptop on a narrow ledge. I made him open up each drive and check the internal storage. I asked a hundred questions. He hedged his bets on most of his answers. He didn’t know what he’d recommend to his mother. (Frankly, based on his age I suspected she was no longer with us.) That “what would you advise your mother” question is always one I ask of techies and medical specialists so they are forced to stop talking in the abstract and imagine their mom sitting across from them. Feel free to use that priceless question next time you need help narrowing down a multitude of possible choices to the one best one.
David says: Any external drive made by any
Lamont and Area
LAMONT UNITED CHURCH 5306 - 51 Ave., Lamont, AB 780-895-2145
Rev. Deborah Brill
SUNDAY SERVICES 11:15 AM
company can be a lemon and fail. Or work magnificently. I should keep my hands off Time Machine which is the system backup on Apple products. I can consolidate my 20 or 30 thumb drives onto a larger one of two if I want to. Or I can leave things as they are. I can buy a brandnew computer if I want to. Or not. Yes, I could simply drag and drop selected files (like YouTube videos) manually onto a hard drive without the need to back up the entire computer. He basically reassured
me that both my laptop and I are fine; that there was no reason to ‘admit it’; that I’d save all that money.
As of tonight, for some reason my laptop still thinks I’m at full storage capacity despite the numbers that prove otherwise. I’ve since increased my Google storage space ten-fold (to 2 TB) for a whopping $140 a year. I did buy two Lexar 256 GB thumb drives on sale for $53 each in case I do want to consolidate the info on fewer drives. And one of these days when the
memory of this trauma has faded and I have nothing better to do, I’ll start moving things onto the big boy WD 4 TB external drive. David also raised the subject of selling my old laptops if I decide to buy a new one. I honestly hadn’t considered that mainly because I fear being unable to wipe it clean and back to factory settings. If you’ve watched as many detective shows as I have, you know police experts can always pull up info the suspect thinks he’s deleted. For now, I’m just glad the crisis has been averted, from where I sit.
From the files of the Lamont Leader
1920s pool hall in Hilliard to be moved to Ukrainian Village site for restoration and display
Everyone Welcome! AA Meetings Thursdays at 8:00 pm Bruderheim Community Church 4904 Queen Street 780-796-3775
olangels.ftsask@caedm.ca www.olafortsask.caedm.ca
October 31, 2006 issue of the Lamont Leader: One of Alberta’s last remaining pool halls, is heading to the Ukrainian Village for restoration. The Hilliard pool hall had its best days in the 1920s. Frequented mostly by men, it was a place for leisure activities but also got a bad reputation as a den of iniquity.
The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January 29, 2025
Memories of Ukraine, and the country I love - John W. Chomiak
Just Memories of my involvement in Ukraine (motherland) prior to Putin’s madness which has created destruction, deaths and incredible human suffering. I am authoring my life stories from the time I took my first breath of air as my head popped from my mother’s womb. I have estimated that the book will consist of approximately 500 individual stories. Since throughout Canada Ukrainian communities exist, since I grew up basically in Ukrainian community(s), since I made numerous trips to Ukraine after the breakup of USSR loving this beautiful country especially in early May when the cities and countrysides are in full blossom, which are absolutely gorgeous and “wow“ the hospitality, I decided to issue this abbreviated story on some of my involvement in Ukraine now.
- John W. Chomiak
My journey into the Ukraine world unknowingly was initiated in early 1990s when our engineering company, Hemisphere Engineering was selected to provide consulting mechanical and electrical engineering services for the world renowned Federal High Containment (Level 4) virology laboratory to be located in Winnipeg and I was the Principal in charge. Along with Architect Jim Orzechowski and scientists, a trip was scheduled to view existing laboratories globally. During a stop in Australia an Aussie architect approached, inviting us to take over the design of a project in Yalta, Crimea, Ukraine which he hit the wall in furthering the project. Once we returned from this global trip, Jim and I laid out a plan for Ukraine. The Yalta project became a catalyst for opportunities throughout Ukraine commencing in the early 2000s.
Then for a foreigner to develop a project in Ukraine a Ukrainian partner had to be a component of this entity in Ukraine. That was the law and probably still is. Therefore the City of Yalta on the shores of Black Sea became the partner on this particular venture. The project which the Aussie architect turned over was a “West Edmonton Mall” type. Upon discussions with West Edmonton Mall owners (Ghermezisn Brothers) and PCL there was limited interest in developing and building it. In fact a PCL representative joined us on one of the trips. We invited the Yalta Team to tour WEM and it was the beginning in crafting the wording ( document) for a Joint Stock Company (JSC). The Yalta group travelled via Montreal on Aeroflot and WEM roomed them in their hotel. The short and long summary was that there was interest and to move forward. The ultimate need was to have the JSC document developed and signed. Unfortunately due to distances this task took approximately 2 years. During these two years after the Edmonton meeting Jim and I travelled via Montreal, Moscow and unto Simferopol (Capital of Crimea). Upon arrival to Simferopol Jim and I were
escorted in separate limousines along with separate dozen security personnel on motorcycles (two motorcades) to the tropical coast of Black Sea where Yalta is located. Yalta is a resort area where Ukrainians and Russians spend vacations. As well the former KGB had a resort facility located on Yalta beach. Yalta is the location where Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin met shortly after the conclusion of the Second World War to divide Europe.
Upon arrival to the destination in Yalta we were met by Ukrainian young ladies dressed, welcoming, singing and the offering welcoming traditional bread. An evening reception and dinner followed with the traditional Ukrainian hospitality. Next day serious discussions were held along with what we had to get done in order for Yalta to become the partner in this development. We had to review, study and layout all the building service requirements, such as water, sewer/sewage processing plant and power. At a later date I sent 4 engineering staff to get this done. Furthermore we had to have the analysis of the water in the Black Sea done. A few months later the test results became available. Upon reading the test results, I felt that I would be at risk just sticking my finger into that water due the array of ships resting at the bottom.The stony shores of Black Sea are bathing areas for vacationers.
Our work continued on two fronts simultaneously both being of utmost importance. The development of the Joint Stock Company which had to have a Ukrainian Entity and finding a hotel- casino operator, all of this work at the same time.
As the JSC was developing, further meetings with the Ukrainian partner were held in Montreal, Frankfurt, and finally in Yalta. In Montreal we lodged the Ukrainians, in Frankfurt each paid their own and in Yalta the Ukrainians lodged us. In Yalta, for the meeting and subsequent signing of the JSC document, they lodged us in the former KGB vacation facility. The final working meeting had a few challenges in the document which raised our ire and much debate. The day concluded with both sides coming to an agreement with the document ready for signatures. Our lawyer was Bob Onyschuk from Toronto who specialized in Ukrainian contract laws and was a great asset in the development of the JSC contract. The official signing was to follow in a few days. The following day of the working session, the Ukrainian team organized to take us on a viewing trip to their mountain (no match for our Rockies) where the water supply for Yalta is sourced. Half way up this mountain the Ukraine project leader stopped the escorting cars and we were asked to view the beautiful scenery. However, the leader takes me to a spot to show me a very deep water hole and states that what he heard last evening and he is warning me that he
would flip me into this water hole should my group continue with the commentary of yesterday. We always were sensitive regarding “bugging”, anyway one has to be continually on guard. Of course they listened to our conversations while we were lodged in a former KGB facility which was fully wired.
Shortly after a day or two of the sight seeing trip, the signing was arranged to be done in the beautiful historical museum. We were seated at a round table which was used when Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin divided Europe in 1945 where a portion of Europe became a member of USSR. The hard work by both parties culminated into a first JSC to be signed in Ukraine, with lawyer Bohdan Onyschuk providing the guidance of the signing. I was one of the signees, representing the Canadian consortium. I happened to be placed in a chair which Churchill sat during the Yalta signing. The smell of cigar smoke still existed, ha, ha. The signing of our Joint Stock Company, was the first in Ukraine after the breakup of USSR which was a significant task of our pursuit.
During the preparation of the JSC contract, we were also focused on assembling the puzzle regarding, hotel operator, casino operator, as well as the contractor. I think we met with practically all major hotel/casino operators throughout in cities in Europe. During our work to attract operators, Ukraine became a member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) which is located in London England. Having EBRD as a supporting financial member in the equation would be attractive for various operators to fill the equation. Therefore, as the JSC partner, we made several visits and application for financing this initiative on behalf of the JSC. At the same time we continued in assembling the various components. During this period we were told by Yalta partners that Aeroflot would like to become a member of this development. So three from us (Aeroflot from Montreal) along with two from Yalta travelled to Moscow to meet with the Areoflot President and his aids. Prior to my travel, our company, Hemisphere employed a Russian engineering technologist and since her husband being an international expert advised that prior to the commencement of discussions, that we present a gift of special Canadian liquor to the Aeroflot president. Once the liquor was presented, I described verbally with schematic drawings of the envisioned proposed development on the shores of Black Sea. The president responded positively that he liked the development and would gladly become a shareholder. He further stated that Aeroflot’s shareholding percentage will depend on the amount we are willing to inject on behalf of Aeroflot. To our absolute sur-
prise along with my dropped jaw, we carefully concluded the meeting, made our way to the Aeroflot flight among cats, dogs, chickens to take us to Simferopol Ukraine.
As we continued to complete the development puzzle, we were invited by the Mayor of Kyiv to discuss existing housing concerns. Ukraine is populated with houses (thousands) which we named the “Khrushchev” houses, described as a 3 story precast concrete with roughly 8 suites per floor. These precast houses were initiated during the Khrushchev regime for a quick build. The houses are grouped, a grouping of about 10 with a central heating plant using circulating hot water as the heating media. Kyiv Mayor dedicated one site to us to investigate and develop a report on improving the current interior conditions to a comfortable level. A typical house main structure is an assembly of precast concrete plates about 4 inches thick with rebar ends welded to each other. The plates are designed with openings to accept windows and a door. The finishing material to the interior and exterior walls was of questionable standard and the vapor barrier appeared non existent. As well single pane windows were used. In time the welded ends especially in the corners began infiltrating outside air and during the winter months the houses experienced dramatic heat losses. A glass of water placed in the corner would stay frozen all winter. My heat loss calculation determined that the exfiltration of heat was in the order of 80 percent. Furthermore, the piping system transporting the heating water (a component of the utilities) is installed in lengthy on grade insulated conduit (utiledett) feeding the house group site where the insulation has suffered almost of non existence and same for the piping. Consequently the water temperature dropped drastically after leaving the central heating plant which utilized boilers. With the piped heating media (water) encountering significant heat loss prior to the entry of the house along with numerous design and construction deficiencies to maintain comfortable interior temperatures was impossible.
Complying with the Mayor’s request to recommend a solution to improve interior conditions a design scheme along with a report was developed. Once the design plans for renovating the prototype were completed, obviously to get this construction work implemented and executed, funds from somewhere were required. It became clear rather quickly that funds were not readily available. I had just concluded 12 years as a member of the board of directors of EDC (Export Development Corporation) a Canadian institution loaning funds on a sovereign to sovereign basis, based on the creditworthiness of the country. Continued on Page 7
CBC hands out $18.4 million in bonuses paid for by taxpayers - yet wants more
Continued from Page 4
Or perhaps some of the money will be set aside to fund the $18.4 million in bonuses the CBC paid its executives last year, after laying off 800 workers throughout the country, or to underwrite more CanCon that few people have any interest in watching. Some of it will surely go toward beefing up vanity projects like its Gem streaming service, which the broadcaster says will be adding more local news streams.
Either way, Canadians should be outraged that a Crown corporation that already receives around $1.5 billion a year in taxpayer funds would be included in a deal intended to compensate news organizations for Google’s use of their intellectual property.
Given that the CBC’s public subsidy represents nearly 75 per cent of its income, a good case can be made that its journalism should be owned by the public — not used to take money out of the pockets of private media companies that are already at a disadvantage competing against a Crown corporation that competes for the same dwindling base of ad revenue, yet can afford not to charge people subscription fees due to its taxpayer funding.
Writing in his “Editor’s Blog,” Fenlon argued that, “Local news and local journalism are endangered species, especially in smaller communities, as private media retreat under financial duress.”
This is true. But part of the reason why private
Memories of Ukraine
Continued from Page 6
In the case of Ukraine, then Ukraine had a zero creditworthiness. With the knowledge gained and as former board member I requested that the Ukraine creditworthiness be reviewed again. This resulted that EDC approved a creditworthiness of $20 million. However since loans required to be sovereign to sovereign, no one in RADA (Ukraine Legislature ) was willing to sign and kept bouncing from Minister to Minister. It was during this period of the sudden death of my friend and partner Jim Orzechowski dramatically changed the course.
Our vision was that with thousands of Khrushchev houses, that the initial products for the renovations would be imported from Canadian suppliers. For the long term we envisioned that the products would be manufactured in Ukraine by Ukrainian owned companies. With Ukrainian home based companies this would create a positive growth in Ukraine’s employment. While the seed was planted regarding the EDC $20M I lost track of the results of the “bouncing ball” in the RADA Chamber. Currently I am sure that majority of Khrushchev houses are still significant inefficient gas guzzlers.
media companies have been forced to pull out of smaller markets is because they have faced unfair competition from the public broadcaster.
The CBC would like Canadians to believe that all the markets it’s expanding into are barren news deserts, but that is not the case.
Fort McMurray, for example, is served by Fort McMurray Today, along with private radio and television stations that offer local news coverage.
Residents of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., also get strong local news coverage from the Sault Star and SooToday.com.
Having the public broadcaster compete in the same markets will only serve to further the decline of private media in these communities, which is perhaps exactly what the CBC’s executives want, as it allows them to continue to justify the Crown corporation’s existence — and continue to collect their bonuses.
If we’re going to have a public broadcaster — and there’s no particular-
Obviously, the current Russian invasion has destroyed many Khrushchev houses as well.
While being active in the 2000s, the Manitoba government decided to visit and determine the merit of doing business directly with Ukraine. The Hon Len Derkach, Minister of Economic Development, invited me on this trip to partake in discussions with my knowledge relative to EDC funding. His office scheduled an array of excellent meetings with officials of importance. Reflecting, to a luncheon meeting held at Dnipro Hotel, (the hotel the entourage stayed in) that during lunch I had run up to my room for some material and while in route the elevator lady (a lady sits there 24/7 monitoring the comings and goings) tells me my laundry is done and the cost. So I pull out a wad of bills and realizing I was out of dollar bills,shoved the wad back into the pocket advising her that I will pay later. Returned to Minister’s table and onward with further meetings. With the evening dinner dragging on I decided to call it a day to return to my room on the 5th floor and instantly, the Minister’s Executive Assistant decided to join me and both of us exited with intent to our respective rooms since our rooms were on same floor. As we got off the elevator, the lady was sitting in an open tiny room adjacent to the elevator. Seems she was waiting for me,
ly good reason why we should — it should be prohibited from collecting ad revenue, and its product should be made available for others to reuse under a Creative Commons license and be distributed as widely as possible.
Yet despite Fenlon’s boasts that CBC Gem will be adding new local news streams, the Crown corporation still wants Canadians to pay an extra $5.99 a month to access CBC News Network.
This is a slap in the face to the hard-working Canadians who are already forced to fund the channel, along with the rest of the CBC’s bloated bureaucracy, just as the idea that the public broadcaster should be entitled to compensation for Google’s use of content paid for by Canadian taxpayers is a gut-punch to the private media companies that work tirelessly to provide Canadians with topnotch local news coverage, in a marketplace that’s rigged against them.
Lamont County’s Coffee with a Councillor to continue in 2025
BY JANA SEMENIUK
The Coffee with a Councillor program, first introduced by Lamont County council in 2024 as a way to engage the public with each of the five individual councillors, will continue for 2025 but not during the election period of July to Oct.
Rodney Boyko, Chief Financial Officer for Lamont County, explained during the Jan. 14 council meeting that the informal gatherings are meant to help residents connect with their councillors.
“(They are) not intended to be formal presenta-
however, now there were two others, another woman and a man. The lady gestured for us to come in for a drink of wine. I was declining because I had my fill of Ukrainian lunches and dinners; however the EA (youngish) states... John let’s have a drink with them, so I gave in. The man disappears leaving the two ladies. The monitoring lady pours a drink for the two of us. Noticing that her glass was empty, I stated that in Canada if there is a lady present I insist that she joins in as well. Thus she fills her glass and we do the traditional toast and I bring up my glass slowly and noticed that she brought her glass to her lips and placed it down. I immediately place my full glass back on the table and almost on a yell requested the EA to leave with me. But he had his wine downed and as he attempted to stand up he couldn’t, so I dragged him out. With his arm over my shoulder, I attempted to find a coffee shop but could only find chocolate bars and fed him with chocolates. About 2 hours later he was able with my help to get him to his room and bed. The Minister was informed in the morning; shocked of the happenings. My analysis points to the serious mistake I made at noon, when the lady requested to be paid for laundry, that I pulled out a wad of bills. Huge lesson!!!!
As well, during my activity in
tions on any specific topics. It gives the residents the ability to attend, have a coffee, ask their questions or voice concerns in a manner that they're not being put up in front of a large crowd,” said Boyko. Four coffee talks were scheduled in 2024, taking place in Chipman, St. Michael, Andrew and Mundare.
Councillor Neil Woitas, who was not scheduled for a coffee talk in 2024, will be the first on the schedule for 2025. His Coffee with a Councillor event will take place at Bruderheim’s Memorial Hall from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m on Jan. 30.
Other tentative dates are Feb. 20 for Division 2, Councillor Aaron Wick, March 20 for division 3 Reeve David Diduck and April 23 for division 4 Councillor Roy Anaka. Times and locations are yet to be determined according to the Lamont County website.
Ukraine. I received an invitation to join the Federal All Party Committee to join them on a look see visit to Ukraine. I sense this was because I was a former board member of EDC. This trip scheduled many prominent cities in Ukraine. Every city in preparedness of our visit, had outstanding presentations. The tractor manufacturing factory in Kharkiv was very interesting especially their flow assembly.
The hospitality in all the city visits concluded with the outstanding traditional lunches or dinners. These lunches had unbelievable number of toasts. I learnt from the Yalta project to avoid sitting towards the centre of the table. On this trip I always picked a seat at the very end. In Kharkiv at a luncheon an attendant was constantly observing me as I deliberately avoided toasting with vodka. I would sneak water after every toast. He decided to correct this by removing the clear vodka to a yellowish coloured vodka. Then I would take a sip but his body language and his verbal insistence was that during a toast the toasting glass has to drink…I just kept on sipping during toasting which continued to irritate him.
Of course a number of the cities visited by the Canadian all Party entourage currently have incurred moderate to extreme devastations by Russians of these beautiful cities
Councillor Neil Woitas is first up for coffee talk, Jan. 30 at Bruderheim.
Bruderheim Mayor Hauch to attend rural schools symposium
BY JOHN MATHER
A letter from Elk Island Schools inviting Bruderheim council to attend an upcoming seminar on rural education sparked some heated debate during council Jan. 22.
Councillor Dayna Jacobs felt it was an important symposium to attend, especially since funding for rural schools including those in the Elk Island School District in Lamont, Bruderheim, and Mundare was lowered due to smaller enrollments.
“I think it might be quite beneficial for someone to attend this,” she said.
The seminar is scheduled to be held at River Cree Casino Mar. 2 to 4 with an early bird cost of $700.
Jacobs said basically Elk Island was two school divisions with the important one in Sherwood Park and Fort Saskatchewan and the rest in the rural areas the district has under its control.
Councillor George Campbell said one of the biggest problems as he saw it was education had become more centralized and as populations in rural communities dwindled and it became more of a cost thing to keep the local schools open.
“There’s not efficiency in that and that’s what the school boards are looking at,” he said. “How efficiently can they run the smaller schools and still keep them going and still keep the services.
He added the reality was the population of the schools in the rural areas was going down, pointing to the recent closure of the Andrew School and declining enrollment at Mundare School.
“We just about lost our school because of dwindling growth,” he said.
Mayor Karl Hauch said Andrew was in the process of starting up a rural academy separate from the public school board.
He then asked what council wanted to do with the invite to attend the symposium.
“I think it would be great for one of us to go see and get some advice,” said Jacobs. “It would give us the chance to network a bit and possibly ruffle some feathers.
“It wouldn’t hurt any.”
When the cost was told to council, Councillor Len Falardeau erupted.
“Oh wow,” he said. “Then you’re looking at $2,000 by the time you include housing and travel expenses.”
“We can’t afford that. We’ve cut everything else this year and I don’t think this is in our wheelhouse at all,” he stated.
Jacobs said Falardeau was always arguing for EIPS to step up to support the Bruderheim School and the symposium might represent an opportunity to talk to some people and get information.
She said if she wanted someone to go it would be Falardeau because he was always championing additional supports for the Bruderheim School.
Falardeau said he has been doing that for the past 50 years.
“They’ve been negligent in their responsibilities but not missing out when we give them tax money.”
“I don’t believe it's worth it for that cost.”
He suggested writing a letter speaking on behalf of the community and sending it to the education Minister.
Jacobs then asked if possibly some education officials could come to a council meeting to speak on the issue.
Hauch suggested he could attend the conference and he would commute daily and not charge any expenses thus limiting the cost to the $700 registration fee.
Campbell said he liked the mayor’s suggestion.
Chief Administrative Officer Phylis Forsyth said there were funds in the budget to cover the administration fee.
Jacobs suggested bringing the trustee to a council meeting to discuss the issue.
Campbell still felt attendance at the symposium was important because of the people the attendee would meet.
“I think this would be money well spent,” he said.
Jacobs then suggested giving the allotted $700 to the school for their expenses such as bussing and programming.
Hauch said it might prove difficult to get an Elk Island representative to a council meeting before the term was over prior to fall elections.
Campbell made a motion to send Hauch to the symposium with the registration only paid for by the Town.
He added if possible try to get a delegation from EIPS to attend a council meeting.
Falardeau still argued against it because he didn’t feel it was money well spent.
The motion was carried by a 3-2 vote with Jacobs and Falardeau opposing it.
Bruderheim School most expensive to run for EIPS in school status report
BY JANA SEMENIUK
Elk
Island
Public Schools Assistant Director for Facility Services, Brent Dragon, presented their annual School Status report for the 2023-2024 school year at the Jan. 23 school board meeting.
The report compares the division’s 42 schools, divided into five sectors, using current and historical data over the previous four years.
According to the report, the information, such as school utilization rate and enrollment numbers, helps to develop future planning, examine enrollment patterns, and consider changes around programming.
Dragon said overall, the entire division’s utilization (instructional space compared to enrollment number) increased from 76 to 78 percent using information from Alberta Education.
In Lamont County, also known as sector four, total enrollment decreased by two percent for the last school year although Bruderheim school was the only one to see an actual decrease of enrollment by one percent (115) compared to the previous year (116). Mundare School enrollment increased by five percent (116) over the previous year (111), Lamont High increased by one percent (324) over the previous year (320) and Lamont elementary had the biggest increase of 13 percent (323) over the previous year (286).
“The enrollment growth increase at Mundare and Lamont Elementary was largely due to the (closing) of Andrew School and the redesignation of Andrew school attendance to other EIPS (schools),” said Dragon.
Between 2019 and 2023, Andrew School was consistently the most underutilized school at between 14 and 20 percent before being finally closed in June 2023.
The closure of Andrew School increased the overall utilization of sector four by 12 percent to 64 percent.
In terms of the utilization of school buildings, out of the division’s 42 schools, Bruderheim is the 4th most underutilized school at 61 percent, Mundare School is the second most underutilized at 46 percent, Lamont Elementary is at number 12 with 68 percent utilization and
Lamont High is number 18 at 81 percent.
The number one most underutilized school in EIPS is Vegreville Composite High at 40 percent. A school is considered fully utilized if it sits at 85 percent or higher.
By comparison, Sector one (Sherwood Park) has an overall utilization rate of 80 percent, Sector two (Strathcona County) was 84 percent, Sector three (Fort Saskatchewan) 83
percent, and Sector five (County of Minburn) was 59 percent.
Despite not being the most underutilized, Bruderheim School was still named as the number one most expensive school for EIPS to run.
Dragon said the average cost for an EIPS student in 2023/24 was $7,054.
While all schools in Lamont County had costs above this amount per student, Bruderheim
School was ranked as the highest cost per student at $11,016.
EIPS Communication Director Laura McNabb said by email that Bruderheim School offers special supports that increased their cost per student.
“Each school is unique in the instructional supports they require, based on the particular educational needs of students enrolled each year,” she said.
“If there are larger numbers of students requiring additional inclusive supports, the instructional cost per student will increase, and that’s what we’re seeing in Bruderheim.”
Currently, as of Sept. 29, Bruderheim has an enrollment of 111, Lamont Elementary 337, Lamont High 353 and Mundare School 102.
We will celebrate the babies born in 2024 in our Feb. 5th, 2025 issue. Your baby’s photo will appear in our special BABIES OF 2024 feature for FREE!
Send a clear photo of your baby, email to: lmtleader@gmail.com, or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the LAMONT LEADER, Box 1079, Lamont, AB. T0B 2R0, or you can also drop it off in person.
Remember to add baby’s name, birth date, and the names of the proud parents and mailing address.
Your baby will appear in the paper! Your baby will automatically be entered for a draw for a gift from Lamont Value Drug Mart and the winner will also receivea gift from the Lamont Leader!* DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS Monday, Feb. 3rd @ noon
*Winner is chosen by randon draw - there is no judging of photographs or participants.
BY JANA SEMENIUK
Elk Island Public Schools announced on Jan. 24, a new pilot program happening at Mundare School in the coming year.
A full day STEM kindergarten, a program including science, technology, engineering and math, will be offered for the upcoming school year.
EIPS Communications Director Laura McNabb said in the release that the program will follow the Alberta Education kindergarten curriculum while also integrating STEM into all activities.
She said kids will actively participate in hands-on, inquiry-based learning, adding that classes will run all day, every day for free.
“As opposed to other EIPS full-day, every-day kindergarten pilot programs, families will not have to pay an additional fee. Normally, the program fee would be $350 per month—however, because of funding available this upcoming school year through Enhanced Kindergarten, EIPS can offer the program at no extra cost,” she said.
McNabb said that parents and caregivers must apply and the program will need sufficient registration to be offered.
She said registration for the program opens at 9 a.m. on Feb. 1 and closes on Feb. 28. McNabb added that if there are more applicants than spots available, a random selection draw will take place.
The Mundare STEM pilot project is the second STEM kindergarten announced by EIPS for the upcoming school year. Another will take place at Wes Hosford Elementary in Sherwood Park at a cost of $350 per month for registered families.
Meanwhile, Principal for Mundare School, Melissa Kerr, said the program will be an exciting opportunity for local children.
“It’s exciting to offer this type of program for families in Mundare and the surrounding area,” said Kerr.
“STEM has always been an important focus area in education—and that’s only increasing as technology progresses. Preparing students now for the careers of tomorrow is essential, while also instilling a lifelong love of learning.”
The benefits of STEM education have been known for a long time. In 2015, the Council of Canadian Academies said that teaching STEM
skills could not only open more opportunities for students, but also help improve the country.
“After 18 months of study, we are convinced that high-quality investments in STEM skills — in both early education and in more advanced training — are critical to Canada’s prosperity,” stated their report Council of Canadian Academies, 2015; Some Assembly Required: STEM Skills and Canada’s Economic Productivity.
“Beyond preparing
students and the labour force for a range of future possibilities, these investments appear to be one of several components required to improve Canada’s poor innovation and productivity record.”
Meanwhile, other STEM programs opening up in Lamont County for the 2025/26 school year include the new charter school, Andrew Rural Academy, which will also be providing STEM programming for free for students in kindergarten to grade 12.
NOW HIRING: TEMPORARY FINANCE CLERK
Responsibilities: Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer, the Finance Clerk (temporary) is responsible for providing financial support to the Village including accounts payable, accounts receivable, utility billing and other related office duties. This position may have flexibility in working hours.
Qualifications:
• Finance/accounting experience – particularly accounts payable, accounts receivable
• Experience in Municipal software such as Muniware/Catalis is considered a major asset
• High school diploma or equivalency
• Strong computer skills including Microsoft Excel, Word & Outlook
Wage range is dependent upon experience, skills and qualifications. Deadline to apply – February 7, 2025.
Please email all resumes to the attention of Kylie Rude, CAO at cao@liveinandrew.com or pop by the Village Office to drop off your resume in person. We thank everyone for applying. Please note only shortlisted applicants will be contacted once the interview process commences. Thank you!
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Between the Boards
U18 nets a second shutout in a week
BY MELISSA MACINTOSH-YOUNG
This week delivered some great hockey action!
U18 Wild hosted two home games over the weekend. First game against Edson resulted in a hard 9-6 loss. Wild played fantastic hockey despite being down five players due to league suspensions. Matt Iverson had 2g and 1a, Nicklas Mehlenbacher
1g and 2a, Kayden Winslow 1g and 1a, Avery Klassen 2a, Camo Olechow 1g and Will Furey with 1g. Their second game was a 14-0 shut out against Lloydminster. Kayden Winslow netted two hat tricks and 1a, Gage Brenton with a hat trick and 1a, Will Furey scored a hat trick, Matt Iverson 1g and 1a, Avery Klassen 2a, Nicklas Melenbacher 1g, Camo
Olechow 1a, Ashton Strickland 1a and Xavier Storr 1a. Goaltender. Sandy MacDonald was in nets.
U13 played hard but finished with a 14-4 loss to Whitecourt. Wild goals were scored by Nash Klassen with 2g, Tyson Jonker 1g and Jonas Wytrykush with 1g.
U11 Wild played a close game, losing 4-3 to Drayton Valley. Goals
were scored by Ryder Dagg 1g and 1a, Sawyer Wytrykush 1g, Dylan Strumelak 1g and Colbin King with 1a.
This week’s player “Shout Out” goes out to U18 forward, Kayden Winslow. Kayden scored two hat tricks over the weekend, for a total of nine points in two games.
Tune in next week for more exciting minor hockey action. U18
913-9644
783-0556
Kayden Winslow
It took several days to move this 1.7 million pound GVW vessel from Edmonton’s Dacro Industries to its final home at the Shell Scotford site in the Industrial Heartland. The relatively short 23 metre load rode on 832 tires, under the load, and a total of 912 when counting the truck tires as well. Here it passes by Lamont kicking up dust from the highway shoulders as it took up the entire width on its way. Crystal Moren photo.
Chipman Players readying for 14th production
BY JOHN MATHER
Two years ago, the Chipman Players had their audience rolling in the aisles with their zany production of ‘Million Dollar Meatballs.’
This year, the amateur theatre troupe is back with another from playwright Todd Wallinger, “It Happened on Route 66.”
“We decided we wanted to move away from the totally good guy versus villain theme that we’ve had many times in the past,” said Chipman Players president Keiron Willis. “So we went back to the Wallinger play. We liked doing ‘Million Dollar Meatballs’ and the audience liked it so we’re doing another play by him.”
Willis said the play revolves around a women, Lovee Lamour, who finds herself hiding out at a restaurant along Route 66/
“She is working as a waitress hiding from her fiance Johnny Jerome,” added Willis. “She ended up there because her car broke down and it is all about how she gets discovered there and the chaos that ensues.”
The play includes theatre regulars Willis, Bruce McGregor, Tom Hrehorets, Joyce Dobirstein, Terry Andriuk, Allen Engman,
Jo-ann Fontaine, Mo Thompson, Jocelyn Lesoway, Ellen King and Caren Cossy-Kwasnycia.
“Bruce and Tom should be absolutely fabulous because they have roles that really play off each other,” she said.
The duo have delighted audiences over the past several seasons with their comedic antics.
The play, which costs $45 including a full dinner, will be held on March 8 beginning at 5:30 with dinner at 6 p.m. and the performance at 7:30.
A matinee, which Willis says is always popular, will be held March 9 beginning at 12 noon with dinner at 1 p.m and the performance at 2:30.
The following weekend March 14, and 15, the dinner will be hosted at 7 p.m. on the 14th with the play starting at 8:30 and on the 15th it will be dinner at 6 p.m. and the performance at 7:30 p.m.
This is the 14th production the group has put on and it has grown into an annual event in the Chipman area.
On the March 8 performance, the group hosts its gala night where they encourage the audience to dress either formally or because this year’s production is based on the 1950s, audience goers can dress in 50s attire.
“Rehearsals are well underway now,” said Willis, noting they began in the first week of January.
Tickets for the play and dinner are available from cast members, or at Lamont’s Home Hardware, Mundare’s Stawnichy’s Mundare Sausage, and at the Chipman Market. Tickets are still available for all performances but they are selling quickly.
The Ukrainian dinner prior to the performance will be prepared by Tom’s Catering.
Lamont Fish and Game hosts weekly archery at Bruderheim
BY MELISSA MACINTOSH-YOUNG
The Lamont Fish and Game Association has been actively promoting archery through various programs and events.
One such program consists of a six lane, indoor range located at the Walker School in Bruderheim.
The archery program is held on Thursdays from 6:30 to 9:00 PM from September to April.
Member John Jacobs stated that youth members can learn to shoot with either a traditional bow or a compound bow.
The organization also holds classes lead by Certified Archery Instructor, Murray Laronde. To participate, individuals must hold a membership.
A family membership costs $60 per year which includes access to archery, fishing and horn scoring events.
John Jacobs demonstrates shooting with a traditional bow.
Leader file photo of Chipman Players production
Million Dollar Meatballs, held previously. This year’s production is “It Happened on Route 66.”
CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS
CARD OF THANKS
A SINCERE THANK YOU to each one of you friends, old and new, for your concern since my disappointing hip surgery in Novmeber. Your prayers, good wishes, cisits, gifts, phonecalls, messages, and goodies, etc. Have all lifted my many worrisome hours. I am still hospitalized for the unknown future. Keep Praying.
Sincerely,
Eunice Gulbraa
COMING EVENTS
Friends and family are invited to a wedding shower honouring Erinn Jones, bride-to-be of Cole McMahon. Our event will be on Sunday, February 2 at the Galahad Seniors Centre on Main Street Galahad at 2 pm.
Hunt Mania Gun & Sportsman show is coming to Camrose Friday, Feb. 7 from 3 pm - 8 pm, Saturday, Feb. 8 from 9 am - 6 pm, Sunday Feb. 9 from 10 am - 3 pm at the Camrose Regional Exhibition. Admission: Adults - $10, under 13 FREE. Call 780-374-3864 (office) or 780-747-2923 (cell), www.huntmaniashows.com.
FOR RENT
Looking for Roommate. 5140 53 Ave Viking. 2 rooms availble for rent. Call 587-216-3946 or 780-498-2110 for more info.
FOR SALE
Anyone looking for free firewood...must be cut up and cleaned up in Spring. Call Brian at 780-6780053
Strawberry Plants/Runners for sale. Bare roots or Everbearing. Chemical Free. Orders need to be confirmed by March 31. Call Brian at 780-678-0053.
BUILDINGS FOR SALE
INTEGRITY POST FRAME BUILDINGS since 2008 BUILT WITH CONCRETE POSTS. Barns, Shops, Riding Arenas, Machine Sheds and more, sales@integritybuilt.com 1-866-9747678 www.integritybuilt.com.
LOOKING FOR
In search of land to purchase North of highway 14, West of highway 36 and East of Holden. (Bruce area preferred). Want to be near family in that area Call 780 336 1022
HELP WANTED
Part time support/ respite worker for adult male in wheelchair. Home is in the Round Hill area. Valid drivers license, will train, wages to be discussed. Send resume to: broblin.br@gmail.com or text 604-7933756.
START 2025 WITH AN ADVENTURE. In DESPERATE need of two Veterinarians in Yellowknife, NWT. Population 20,000 - approximately same number of small animals. Please call Pat at 867-444-7479.
NEWTEC IRRIGATION. Looking to Hire: Travelling Salesperson. Agricultural Experience Preferred. TOP WAGES. Please call for more information: 306-260-9575.
MEMORIAL
In Loving Memory of John Mroczek May 26, 1934February 1, 2023
There’s a special kind of feeling When we think about you Dad, It’s a pleasure to remember All the happy times we’ve had. There’s a special kind of caring That is meant for you alone, There’s a place somewhere Within our heart That only you can own.
Sadly missed by your family
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SERVICES
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School bus in the ditch as RCMP warn of poor road conditions
BY JANA SEMENIUK
An Elk Island Public School bus wound up in a snow drift on the morning of Jan. 24 on range road 201 amid RCMP warnings of poor road conditions.
Bus 36 was loaded with children and on the way to school when the driver became stuck in the snowdrift. The number of children on board was not available.
Bus service was cancelled by EIPS earlier in the week due to inclement weather affecting Lamont County and Vegreville.
EIPS Communication
Director Laura McNabb said a second bus was dispatched to transport the students to school. She said parents were notified directly about the incident, and the driver was able to get the bus out of the snowdrift without assistance after
the second bus left. She added there were no injuries.
Meanwhile, a school bus roll over on Highway 16 near Vegreville a few hours later caused one student to be taken to hospital while another had minor injuries according to reports.
Although it’s not clear which school division the bus belonged to, it was confirmed by McNabb it did not belong to EIPS.
The bus was occupied by a driver and two students at the time of the accident according to RCMP spokesman Troy Savinkoff through a
press release.
According to other reports, Savinkoff said whiteout road conditions along with ice, and wind, likely caused the bus to hit the ditch before rolling over.
The driver sustained minor injuries.
Lamont County.
Chipman to host Valentine teen dance
BY JANA SEMENIUK
The Village of Chipman’s events committee will be hosting a teen Valentine Dance this year at the National Hall on Feb. 14.
Events Committee member, Chipman Deputy Mayor Shana McIntyre, said the village needs more events for different age groups
and a teen dance seemed like a good fit.
“A lot of our events are geared towards the younger kids and we wanted to do something that was more related to the teens, because we have a lot of teens,” she said.
McIntyre said the Events Committee formed in order to host a
Halloween Dance last year, and the five members stuck together.
“We originally got together to do (the Halloween Dance), it was just kind of an ad hoc thing. And now we've named it,” she said.
“(We have) Valentine's Day on the Friday the 14th, and then we are
Help Wanted
doing our Family Day celebration again on the Monday.”
McIntyre said tickets will be sold for the event, happening from 8 p.m. to midnight, and the committee are still needing volunteers for chaperones
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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
VMJ Custodial Services Inc. requires a part time custodial worker at the Sedgewick School (3-4 hours daily). Are you dedicated to maintaining high standards of cleanliness and safety in schools? Join our custodial team and help us enhance the educational experience by keeping our school spotless and hygienic.
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A school bus got stuck in a snowdrift on range road 201 Jan. 24 while taking children to school in
New signs unveiled to promote Crime Stoppers communities
BY JOHN MATHER
The Alberta RCMP hosted Crime Stoppers Alberta as they announced their new Rural Sign Campaign in Edmonton Jan. 20.
As community partners, Crime Stoppers, are a valuable part of ensuring the safety of Albertans, said the police in a release.
They work with the Alberta RCMP helping to report crimes that are occurring in communities across the province. When people may wish to remain anonymous, they can report crimes they witness to Alberta Crime Stoppers knowing that their personal information will be kept confidential, but that law enforcement will be informed.
The new campaign aims to bring smaller communities together, raise awareness of Crime Stoppers and encourage citizens to get involved in their community.
The campaign emphasizes that anyone can be a Crime Stopper, with the goal to make Alberta a safe place to live, work and play. Crime Stoppers will work with the rural jurisdictions and indigenous communities to place signs in high traffic locations informing the public of how to contact Crime Stoppers.
The anonymous tips received from Crime Stoppers allows the Alberta RCMP to investigate incidents they would otherwise not know about.
In 2024, tips from Crime Stoppers helped lead to hundreds of charges being laid and millions of dollars’ worth of property being recovered.
“Ensuring the safety and building trust in the communities across Alberta is our top priority,” said Chief Superintendent Peter Tewfik, RCMP Community Safety and Well-being Branch. “We are proud to work with
Crime Stoppers and appreciate all of the work that they do in bringing communities together and helping keep their fellow Albertans safe.”
“This initiative builds on the proud legacy of Crime Stoppers in Alberta... programs like this empower residents to take an active role in crime prevention, ensuring that “what you see,”
“what you hear” and “what you know” is shared through anonymous tips.
While there is a Citizen’s on Patrol group based out of Bruderheim which covers a large part of Lamont County, it is not aligned with Crime Stoppers.
Maschmeyer gets the loss
BY JOHN MATHER
The Ottawa Charge rolled into Minnesota Jan. 21 and went away with a 1-0 shutout in the Professional Women’s Hockey League.
Gwyneth Philips was in net, giving Bruderheim’s Emerance Maschmeyer the evening off.
Brianne Jenner scored earlier in the game at 3:19 of the first period with Gabbie Hughes and Emily Clark getting helpers.
After that was a tightly fought battle with Ottawa firing 19 shots on Minnesota goalie Maddie Rooney while Philips faced 22 shots.
The two goalies were named the first and second stars of the game with Phillips getting the first star and Rooney getting the second star.
The third star went to the goal scorer Jenner.
On Monday, Jan. 27, it was a different story as New York Sirens put two
quick pucks past Emerance Maschmeyer in the first period as they skated to a 3-0 win over the Charge.
Chloe Aurand scored just two minutes into the first frame from Maja Nylen Persson.
With two players serving penalties midway through the first period
Alex Carpenter found twine from Jessie Eldridge and Ella Shelton to put New York up 2-0.
After a scoreless second period Eldridge scored from Sarah Fillier and Abby Roque to seal the game on another power play.
Maschmeyer faced 20 shots on goals while her counterpart Kayle Osborne stopped 31 shots for the shut out earning her the first star of the game.
Ottawa travels Montreal tonight hoping to avenge Monday’s loss.
On Feb. 1 they will travel to Toronto to take on the Sceptres.
Bruderheim looking for new town doctor
BY JOHN MATHER
Bruderheim town officials will be reaching out to see if they can find a new general practitionerfor the town after receiving a letter from Dr. Ebel Mgbor saying she wouldn’t be able to continue offering services in the community.
She cited a conflict with a busy clinic schedule at another location in Sherwood Park, along with hospital commitments as the reasons for her halting the practice in Bruderheim.
She added it wasn’t a matter of a lack of patients in the community. She added she had run an evening clinic and it was always very busy.
The letter was presented to council at their Jan. 22 meeting although it had originally been written to Sherry Cote at the town on Dec. 20.
Chief Administrative Officer Phyllis Forsyth told council, staff was actively working to try and find a doctor to replace her.
The Town currently does rent some office space in the pharmacy for a doctor’s office.
A call to the doctor’s office revealed that she will be moving to Calgary in April and at that time she will also relinquish her duties at the Lamont Hospital. Council voted to accept the letter as information.
Group aims to revitalize 95-year-old Skaro Hall
BY JANA SEMENIUK
The Skaro National Hall, sits quiet these days where it was originally built in 1930 near the Ukrainian Catholic Holy Cross Parish of Skaro church on range road 200. The building, that once held weddings, funerals, midnight frolics and harvest dances is slowly deteriorating after not seeing activity for at least two years.
Lamont County resident and Skaro Hall Restoration Society (SKRS) member Tim Nimchuk is looking to change that.
Nimchuk said that although usage of the hall has been gradually decreasing over the past several years, it came to a screeching halt in 2022 when a leaking roof began leaking in several places and the damage could no longer be managed.
“Structurally all that we require, primarily is some attention to the roof. Because what's happened is, there are three layers of shingles that had metal tin put on top, and that was probably in the late 70s, early 80s,” he said. “And what's happened now, the shingles have completely turned brittle, and the screws have popped out of the shingles that they were secured to, and now we have an issue of water leaking wherever the screws popped.”
Nimchuk said he grew up attending many events in the hall and wants to bring it back to its former glory.
“The spirit in the community to go and revive this is phenomenal,” he said. “Other local parishes have expressed interest in how they can help. I was (also) talking to a lady (recently and) she said ‘You know what? We need this hall. We miss this hall’.”
Bruderheim resident Shawna Ewasiuk also has fond memories of the Skaro National Hall. She joined Nimchuk to form the Society with six other members and is helping make plans to fundraise for its revitalization.
“It’s to maintain that family history and presence in the community. That church to that hall has always been there that I’ve grown up with,” said Ewasiuk. “It’s an important piece of the community from so many aspects. That’s my drive to keep it alive.”
Nimchuk said the society will not replace the hall’s traditional executive and are only focused on revitalizing the hall.
“(Being at the hall) was a wholesome way for people to have a good time, let their hair down, and integrate together and celebrate,” he said. “I think people actually miss that and another whole purpose of us wanting to revitalize this hall is to demonstrate to our youth in the area of what we actually have to offer as a community and as a hall, because we feel that they're missing out (on that) today.”
The hall was first built in 1930 and went through additions in the 50s and 60s to become a 2,400 square foot facility that can comfortably hold approxi-
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mately 300 people. It has a large dance floor, kitchen, stage and bar area in addition to modernizations.
“We have three furnaces here. Two are downstairs, and one is in the utility room. And we have modern bathrooms. We have (running) water to the kitchen. We have good water here,” said Nimchuk.
In terms of history, the hall holds some incredible artifacts. An original cast iron stove sits in the hall basement along with a disconnected original heating unit. Additionally, a large painted canvas is hung as a backdrop on the stage where local businesses from the era, who sponsored the artwork, are featured along with their names in both Ukrainian and English plus their two-digit phone numbers.
Nimchuk estimated the canvas was painted in approximately the 1940s, but said the artist is unknown. Photos of each of the businesses painted onto the canvas are displayed on the Lamont Leader Facebook page
Meanwhile, Nimchuk said the group have submitted an application with the provincial government to be recognized as an official society giving them status to fundraise and acquire an AGLC (Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission) number in order to hold bingo and raffles. The group are hoping to raise between $50,000 and $100,000 to restore the hall and open it up to the public. Nimchuk said he is looking forward to seeing what the coming year has in store for Skaro National Hall.
“We're very pumped and enthusiastic about this, and a lot of other people in the community share that vision with us,” he said. “(It) makes it all the more purposeful and rewarding for us to go down this journey.”
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Skaro Hall Restoration Society member Tim Nimchuk points to a huge hole in the roof of the Skaro National Hall caused by excessive water leakage.
Photo: Jana Semeniuk
The stage containing a vintage hand painted canvas backdrop from the 1940s. Photo: Jana Semeniuk
The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January 29, 2025
Community Programming
(VISIT: lamontcounty.ca/community-programming for full posters & locations, or call 780-895-2233 for info./registration). Current CALC, FCSS & KFRN and seniors’ activities:
1. FCSS: Youth Centres in Bruderheim (Tuesdays), Chipman (Mondays), and Mundare –contact Dayna.J@lamontcounty.ca for more info.
2. FCSS: Parents and Tots: Andrew, Bruderheim (Temporarily closed until further notice) Lamont and Mundare - contact Melissa.S@lamontcounty.ca for more info. (Note: programs typically follow the school calendar.)
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Access current monthly services & programs information scan the QR code or for FCSS, CALC & KFRN on each of the services’ Facebook pages. For more info., scan the QR code (above): lamontcounty.ca/community-programming | FCSSlamontcountyregion | groups/1922602184662497 & kalynafrn.ca | LamontCountyAdultLearns | | CALC/FCSS/KFRN: 877-895-2233 | 5303-50 Ave. Lamont AB |
3. FCSS: POWER HOUR - Utility Presentation - Feb. 6 at the Mundare Seniors Centre at 10 a.m. and Lamont Alliance Church at 1 p.m. Free to attend. Learn about Alberta’s utility market, billing and saving money on utilities. See UCAhelps.alberta.ca and UCAhelps@gov.ab.ca or 310-4UCA (4822)
4. FCSS: Easing the Burden of Loss & Grief - Feb. 10 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Lamont Arena Meeting Room (lunch provided). Register with Michelle.A@lamontcounty.ca or 780-895-2233 x 223 or https://signup.com/go/PTckZeo
5. CALC: (register: 780-895-2233 x233/241 or Cheryl.B@lamontcounty.ca | Cody.O@lamontcounty.ca) - My Journey…Who Am I? | English Language Learning | Kitchens Programs | Digital Skills for Seniors: Thurs. fr. 10-11 a.m. (Mundare & Andrew).
6. Seniors’ Coffee: (Wed.) 10-11 a.m. at Andrew Lions Club, & (Thurs.) 10-11 a.m. at Mundare Sr. Centre. Join FCSS for coffee, conversation, snacks, & assistance with senior-related forms/programming. FCSS also offers Seniors Supports from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Mundare (Thurs.) – for more information contact Michelle.A@lamontcounty.ca. Seniors Coffee is also held in St. Michael at the Community Centre (Thurs.) from 10 a.m. to noon.
7. Meals In Motion: contract Chrissy at 780-975-9592 to order for FEBRUARY (see full menu at lamontcounty.ca/community-programming).
8. Seniors Bus Trips: Monthly day trips to local malls; $15 per trip. Departs at 9 a.m. from Lamont Rec. Centre on Feb. 17, Mar. 17, Apil 21, May 18 and June 23. To reserve a spot, contact Helen at 780-895-7539.
Other Items of Interest
Career Forum – Alberta’s Industrial Heartland: Jan. 30 in Fort Sask. Free registration at industrialheartlandcareerforum.ca. Childcare provided.
Cultivating Resilience Farm Succession Planning Workshop (AG Services): Wed., Feb. 5 at St. Michael Rec. Center from 5-8:00 p.m. Free to attend, supper provided. Register at 780-895-2585 or bonnie.c@lamontcounty.ca, lamontcounty.ca//workshops & facebook.com/events/627390256613075/
AgKnow “How Are You, Really?”: youtu.be/kr5aFXPNP4E (AB Farm Mental Health Network) #LetsTalk. Watch for the #LamontCountyCares CAMPAIGN (mental health support and resources on Lamont County social media in Feb. lamontcounty.ca/lamontcountycares Seasonal and Permanent Ag. Services positions: lamontcounty.ca/careers
Snow Safety: Residents are reminded when plowing snow out of your driveway to not push the snow onto the public road or across the road into the ditch. Pushing snow across the road creates packed and difficult to remove slippery patches.
Fort Saskatchewan & District Chamber of Commerce Trade : April 25-27 at the Dow Centennial Centre in fortsaskchamber.com/trade-show-
: Runs typically from the end of March
The next scheduled ASB meeting is (Wednesday) February 12, starting at 9:00 a.m. The public is welcome to attend at the Lamont County Admin. Building or virtually. Meetings, agendas & minutes can be found at: lamontcounty.ca/departments/agricultural-services/agendas-minutes-asb.
The next Regular Council Meeting is planned for Tuesday, February 11, starting at 9:00 a.m. The public is welcome to attend at the Lamont County Admin. Building or virtually. A link to meetings, agendas and minutes can be found at: lamontcounty.ca/governance/agendas-minutes.
Please Note – inFocus is also available for viewing online at: www.lamontcounty.ca/communications (for those wanting to view the weekly submission as fullsized PDF and to access hyperlinks)
Next Lamont County Council (Regular Council Meeting)
Next Agricultural Service Board (ASB) Meeting
Community Services: Serving Lamont County, Lamont, Bruderheim, Mundare, Andrew & Chipman