Crowsnest Pass Herald

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- Your onlY locallY owned newspaper • serving the cnp since 1930 • deceMBer 12, 2018 ~ vol. 88 no. 51 - $1.00

Mountain Spirit Festival

Anna Kroupina photo Anna Kroupina photo

Jayden, 5 years old, holds up a mountain sculpture he made at school for the Mountain Spirit Festival art contest. The exhibit, hosted at the Crowsnest Community Library, shows artwork created by over 200 students in Crowsnest Pass with the theme “Mountains Matter” to celebrate the United Nations’ International Mountain Day. Jayden’s love for the mountains lies in hiking. In fact, he had just finished a hike with his mom before coming down to the library to see the display. Natalie, a student in grade 4 whose artwork won a prize in the contest, painted an alpine lodge and sled dogs because she loves skiing and sledding. The exhibit is ongoing until December 15 at the library. See page 5 for another photo from the art contest.

RiveRsdale

shoP local

Page 2

Pages 8 & 9

BeaRsmaRt Page 13

Christmas magic comes to life at

Copy MagiC

13219-20th Ave., Main Street Blairmore • 403.562.8113

2 – cRowsnest PAss HeRALD – Wednesday, December 12, 2018

~ Riversdale update ~

Employee Theft in Alberta

Regulatory, Current Activities, Golf Course, Future Exporation, EDC Officer

How big of an issue is employee theft? According to a study done by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the average business loses 5% of its revenue to occupational fraud every year and small businesses are particularly vulnerable with the largest losses due to fewer anti-fraud controls.

In June 2018, a Red Deer woman was charged with stealing over $1 million from her employer ATB Financial and in August 2018, an Edmonton woman was charged with stealing $2 million worth of Percocet tablets from the pharmacy where she was employed. Other cases in Alberta include a charity treasurer stealing over $200,000 and an office administrator taking more than $100,000 from his non-profit employer.

Responding to this story, the Retail Council of Canada reports that employees steal about $2500 in cash or goods before being caught, compared to the $175 average a customer might steal. In all, the Retail Council found that employee theft costs Canadian businesses about $1.4 billion annually. Clearly, this is a serious risk and problem.

Even as our tools to spot fraud become more advanced, employees have developed more sophisticated ways to defraud their employers and customers. But a business insurance policy that covers fraud and associated damages can help protect your business and mitigate the damage caused by employee theft.

ANNA KrOuPiNA Pass Herald Reporter

What is employee theft?

Employee theft can be as simple as a cashier dipping their hands into the till or pocketing merchandise off the shelves, but it also can be a complex scheme resulting in the business or customer being out dollars or products.

It can be nearly impossible to detect.

Fraud is a broad term in a legal sense and it comes in many forms. It can include the misappropriation of confidential information belonging to the employer, using the company’s brand identity to defraud third parties, or receiving bribes or kickbacks from a business’s suppliers or customers.

Specific examples of dishonest activity within a small business include: • Property theft • Theft of cash, cheques, business equipment, or client property • Data theft or cyber-related embezzlement • Forgery

Megan Cartwright Insurance Broker

How to Stop Employee Theft

There are several steps an employer can take to limit the chances of their business becoming a victim of employee theft: • Thorough employee screening: Conduct exhaustive background checks that look at a candidate’s personal, financial and criminal background.

• Install security measures: Cameras, alarms, biometric identification systems – all of these are effective tools to stop employee theft. Also, restrict access to data and office areas on a need-to-use basis.

• Employ checks and balances: Restrict access to unauthorized areas and data. Require more than one signature on transactions of a certain amount. Always have refunds and voids approved by a manager. Put in place strict confidentiality policies regarding accessing, transferring, and handling company information.

• Always prosecute: Should you discover that an employee has stolen from the company, file a police report and have the thief prosecuted to the fullest extent possible. Settling for restitution and a private apology doesn’t deter future theft. You must set an example that your other employees respect and understand.

An Alberta Court of Appeal decision in 2013 made it clear that an employee owes fiduciary obligations to their employer. That decision makes it easier for businesses to recover assets stolen, converted or misappropriated by dishonest employees through the courts.

Having said that, if the employee doesn’t have the financial means to cover your business’s losses, how will you recover your lost revenue and assets? That’s where business insurance can help.

Business Insurance Covering Employee Theft

Coverage varies by insurance company, so be sure to contact your A-WIN Insurance Broker, Megan Cartwright, to discuss what is currently covered when it comes to employee theft and fraud. Often, your commercial property or liability insurance covers actions by outside third parties but it doesn’t cover crimerelated losses from employees. You'll want a policy or endorsement that covers your business in the event that you suffer losses due to: • Employee dishonesty • Forgery or alteration • Theft of money and securities • Computer fraud Your local A-WIN Insurance broker, Megan Cartwright is happy to discuss business insurance options that protects not only your company money, but securities and business property as well. Please stop by the office at 12931 20th Ave. in Blairmore, call us at 403-526-2191 or email megan.c@awinins.ca.

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Alisdair Gibbons, general manager of the Grassy Mountain Coal Project, provided a progress update on the status in the approval process of the proposed mine at a Special Council Meeting on Dec. 5.

Regulatory There is just over one month remaining for the public to provide comment on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Grassy Mountain. The public comment period, announced on November 5, 2018, closes on January 21, 2019, at which time the three-member Joint Review Panel, which was established on August 16, 2018, will evaluate the completeness of the EIA and if necessary, will request further information from Riversdale Resources.

This exchange can occur several times until the joint panel deems the EIA sufficient. Once deemed sufficient, a public hearing will be held, which Gibbons anticipates to be held in summer 2019. This is the final opportunity for public input before the panel prepares a report for the federal and provincial governments, which could take several more months, likely at the end of 2019.

On the provincial side, the panelists will be submitting a decision whether to grant a permit to the Grassy Mountain Coal Project. On the federal side, the panelist will submit a recommendation and the final decision will be made by the Federal Minister for Environment.

Once a permit is issued and construction begins, Riversdale anticipates approximately 22 months of construction and operations would really ramp up in 2024 or 2025.

A resource docu-

ment to assist participants in the preparation of their submissions is available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency website.

Current Activities Since October, Riversdale has been responding to Supplemental Information Requests (SIRs) from the federal and provincial environmental agencies. This was the third round of SIRs from CEAA (federal) and the second from the Alberta Energy Regulator (provincial).

Riversdale is in the process of conducting a quality drilling program to extract 8 tonnes of coal from boreholes and ship them overseas to prospective clients to test. The program, running for six to seven weeks, is expected to be completed before Christmas.

On the infrastructure side, design and engineering work is being done for road and rail crossings, access roads, water management and the design and configuration of the coal handling processing plant.

Golf course All work has been completed on the field of play of the Crowsnest Pass Golf & Country Club. With this year ’s late spring, sodding did not get underway as early as expected and still requires several months of growing time over the 2019 spring and summer. For this reason, while most of the course will be ready for teeing this coming golf season, the final configuration won’t be playable in 2019.

Construction of the club house and maintenance facilities are underway and should be complete in mid- to end2019, as should the access road leading up to the golf course.

The entire course and all facilities are projected to open in 2020.

Future exploration A member of the gallery questioned what plans Riversdale has for future coal mine exploration. According to Gibbons, there are parcels in the Bellevue and Adanac areas that may warrant future exploration but Riversdale has no plans to pursue them at this time.

Should Riversdale decide to mine those areas, they would be subject to a complete Environmental Impact Assessment and regulatory review from start to finish, the same requirements that have been ongoing over the past several years for Grassy Mountain.

Economic Development Officer A member of the gallery questioned Council on whether they see a conflict of interest of Riversdale funding a municipal Economic Development Officer (EDO) position. Mayor Blair Painter said that he feels there is no conflict of interest and is a representative of Riversdale being a good corporate citizen. He also noted that it is normal practice for companies to support municipalities, pointing to funding that Pincher Creek receives from Shell or that the Elk Valley receives from Teck.

According to Councillor Lisa Sygutek, the EDO would be employed by the municipality and report to municipal Administration; Riversdale would have no influence in their professional activities.

For more information on the Grassy Mountain Coal Project, please visit the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry, reference number 80101.

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Wednesday, December 12, 2018 - Crowsnest PAss herAlD - 3

In the lIne of fIre Between December 3 and 7, Crowsnest Pass RCMP responded to a total of 28 calls for service including the following reported incidents.

One (1) fraud/forgery, three (3) threats/harassment, one (1) theft of motor vehicle, two (2) thefts, two (2) other provincial statutes, two (2) driving complaints, four (4) motor vehicle collisions, two (2) assistance to general public, five (5) suspicious occurrences, two (2) lost/found, two (2) assistance to other agencies and two (2) municipal bylaws.

Lost ring On December 3, a woman’s ring with a blue topaz was reported lost in the Crowsnest Pass area.

Gas station robbery On December 3 at ap-

proximately 1:30 a.m., a robbery was reported at a gas station in Blairmore.

A 23-year-old male from Lethbridge was located with the assistance of Pincher Creek and Piikani RCMP. He was arrested and charged with robbery and two counts of breach of conditions.

He also had outstanding charges in Lethbridge and was escorted to Lethbridge where a Justice Hearing was held. He was remanded in custody until his next court date.

~ rCMP news ~

card was reported. The card was used in Quebec on two occasions in the amount over $5,000. The bank was notified of suspicious activity.

turned in to the municipality.

An iPhone/camera was found.

A Dodge key was found in Blairmore.

Tailgating On December 6, a driving complaint was reported about a semi trailer tailgating a vehicle. The suspect vehicle was stopped and warned of his driving actions.

Scams Reminder to residents of computer scams, credit cards scams, Grandparent scams, Revenue Canada scams asking for money or cash cards and saying warrants out for arrest. Do not give out personal information to persons you don't know. Do not open emails if you are suspicious of their origin.

Stolen vehicles On December 5, a truck and trailer were reported stolen from 18 Avenue in Blairmore. Police contacted the Municipal Peace Officer, who advised that the vehicles were towed.

Crime mapping Crime mapping is available online to residents who are interested in viewing property crimes that occurred within the past two weeks in our area. For more information on crime mapping, see the October 3 issue of the Pass Herald.

Credit card fraud On December 5, fraudulent use of a credit

Lost/found items Bikes have

The Simple Raven’s Post

by Avner Perl

Magic for Christmas?

I don’t know how it works for most families but in mine, people make Christmas lists. It is common to hear each of us saying to others, what do you want for Christmas and surprise, on Christmas they open a gift, or gifts and say, oh wow just what I wanted, thank you. When I was a kid, there was no Christmas in the country where Christ walked and preached.

Mom got us some modest gifts but didn’t say why.

Kids who received Christmas gifts were considered aliens in Israel.

I remember my first Christmas in full detail, something that most of you probably don’t. It was 1967, centennial year, and I was a newcomer in Canada. A co-worker of my dad’s had two daughters about my age, and invited me to go with them to a place they called “The Mall.” It was the Chinook Mall that still exists in Calgary but now is much bigger. I had never been to a “Mall” before. I was wearing some of the clothes that came with me, in a suitcase on the plane. It was my warmest but not adequate for the cold weather that year, nor did it look Canadian.

Most passers-by took a look at me, stopped and looked again. I acted tough, didn’t shiver and looked back with defiance.

A lot has changed since 1967, but a lot is still the same. The mall which used to be much smaller then compared to now was gigantic in my eyes. There were lights and music, moving stairs, Santa with Elves and a huge amount of merchandise piled or hung in very attractive ways. Blinking decorations and to my surprise, a lot of artificial greenery mimicking the outdoors rather unconvincingly. I came here from the land of the birth of “our Lord” but had never seen a decorated Christmass tree and here were dozens of them with so many gifts, wrapped and unwrapped waiting to be sold for cash. The credit card was not yet invented, as far as I knew.

Most striking were the people who seemed to be moving fast, unimpressed with the displays or even with some live entertainment here and there, shopping. I didn’t yet know the word “shopping” and didn’t associate it with an activity that is necessary for living. What became obvious to me on that trip was that we were in the land of plenty, but most things were not for us. It was there, easy to touch but when I looked at the price tag, I realized that it was for a different class of people who for some reason had a lot more money. It took me years to understand why so few had so much while others had much less and many more had close to nothing. Most of the poor

been

Anyone with information regarding any crime is urged to contact the Crowsnest Pass RCMP Detachment at 403-562-2867, or Crimestoppers to remain anonymous at 1-800-422TIPS.

people worked very hard and very long hours.

The people I was with were working people and quickly headed to the cheaper stores like Woolworth and K Mart where decorations were not as nice and the place looked somewhat messier, and merchandise was not of best quality. At that time the cheapest was stuff made in Japan. Mostly we were forced to use our hard earned cash on things that broke easy and fast.

People often looked at their handwritten notes since there were no cell phones to type Christmas lists in and compare prices on the internet.

This brings me back to my Christmas list this year which I don’t even have to write. I have been here now over fifty years and I have all the material things that I want. I don’t know what to write on my Christmas wish list. It is a long time since the days when all of my material possessions were in one suitcase, and there was no money in my pocket. I watch people who spent the same years in the country I came from and see that they have more or less the same. Wow, I whisper to myself, I could have stayed there and theoretically lived just about the same. The main difference is, here we lived in peace.

If I must come up with a gift that I would truly enjoy, I decide, let's ask for something really magical.

I will not get it, but I will have a chance to explain why I want it. I would like an “Indestructible Truth Wand” for Christmas. It could be any little stick, but when aimed at someone it will force them to tell the truth. The truth can be hurtful at times but would it ever make a difference. I could point it at some kid, and he or she would say to me, you are an ugly old fool, and I would have to smile and say, thanks, I know.

Just imagine how much you could change the world if people knew that you have a Truth Wand and people must tell the truth if it’s pointed at them. First, you would find that news reporters would set camp around you and people would offer you trips to go places and force the truth out of political leaders, industry moguls and even little kids would request that you will make their moms and dads say what they truly think. You could take the wand to a jail and free half of the inmates and later go to the stock market exchange and get new inmates to fill up the jail to over capacity. You could go to parliaments, major churches, and some media outlets and make some good catches. The wand wouldn’t give you any solutions, only make people honest, regardless of their intentions, good or bad.

If a Truth Wand made its way into my hands, I would use it first to make life bearable for all existing people which would immediately slow down human birth rates and slow down the danger of us destroying our planet. What do you think Santa, can I have one?

Here is a link to my blog: https://thesimpleravenspost.blogspot.ca/ Feel free to check other articles and comment.

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DiD you know?

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Missing You

Joe & Rose Newton Arie & Betsie Vander Linden Gone yet not forgotten, Although we are apart, Your spirit lives within us, Forever in our hearts.

Love Dane, Betty, Brett and Dillon and families

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MuniCiPALiTY oF CRoWsnEsT PAss noTiCE oF DEVELoPMEnT PERMiT LAnD usE BYLAW no. 868-2013 The Development Authority of the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass recently approved the following development application(s): 1. DP2018-091: Lot 1, Block 28, Plan 1429LK; 22801 – 9 Avenue, Hillcrest Mines Discretionary Use: Covered Access Ramp; Secondary Front Yard Setback Variance 2. DP2018-092: Lot 30, Block 20, Plan 9310156; 8510 – 19 Avenue, Coleman Discretionary Use: Brew Pub 3. DP2018-090: SE4-8-4 W5M; 1822 York Creek Drive, Blairmore Discretionary Use: Selective Logging Any persons claiming to be adversely affected by the above development may file an appeal in writing by December 27, 2018, to the MUNICIPALITY OF CROWSNEST PASS, SUBDIVISION AND DEVELOPMENT APPEAL BOARD, BOX 600, CROWSNEST PASS, ALBERTA T0K 0E0. A fee of $400.00 must be included with the appeal.

Lisa Kinnear Development officer 403-563-2218 lisa.kinnear@crowsnestpass.com

4 – crOwSneSt PASS HerALD – Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Symphony Orchestra The Crowsnest Pass Symphony Orchestra (top photo) performed their Winter Concert on Dec. 5, 2018 at Horace Allen School. The show was in conjunction with the Junior Orchestra and the Isabelle Sellon School choir under the direction of Annemarie Neudorf (bottom photo). Audiences heard Christmas favourites like “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Joy to the World”, as well as less popular melodies like “Christmas Eve is Here” arranged by Robert Bauernshmidt.

Anna Kroupina photos

Wednesday, December 12, 2018 - Crowsnest PAss HerALD - 5

Municipal Christmas Party The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass held a Christmas dinner for their employees and volunteers on Dec. 7. Rachel the Hutterite Comedian provided comical entertainment for the night. Pictured are some of the municipal employees being taught to dance in Rachel's handmade socks.

John Kinnear photo

Mountains Matter Samantha, in grade 4, points to her painting for the art contest at the Crowsnest Community Library. “I love the mountains and spring time is my favourite, so I put trees and bushes because I love going hiking in the forests,� she said of her painting.

Anna Kroupina photo

6 – crowsnEst PAss HErALD – wednesday, december 12, 2018

Editorial and Opinions ~ Letters to the Editor~

A houSE fuLL of wAtEr I almost made it through 2018 with nothing crazy happening, that is until last weekend.

I was away with my son Quinn for a hockey game in Clive, AB. I had no clue where that was and then a game in Airdrie.

Upon returning home at 9 pm on Sunday, I walked into the house and it was chilly.

Immediately I knew something was really, really wrong. You know that moment when your stomach drops and you think, please don’t be something bad. Well, bad happened.

Immediately I called for Aiden to come upstairs and asked if he realized it was 51 degrees in the house, upon which he gives me that Aiden perplexed look and says, “yeah, I guess it is a bit chilly Mom”.

Panic mode sets in as I go to the garage to see if the boiler is working and nope nothing.

Okay, what do I do ... well I turned on the fireplace, it’s working so check, I paid the bill but the registers are cold to the touch.

I figure I’ll turn on the heating blanket on my bed, get some sleep and call the plumber in the morning.

The plumber came and when they opened the door to my pool house the pool, which previously was empty was suddenly full of water.

The line to the bathroom in my pool house, which is just a glorified storage area, burst.

Funny thing is insurance companies, when they want their money they want it quickly but when you need help you get things like ... well we will be out tomorrow.

We don’t pay for broken pipes ... we will discuss what you are covered for. I actually think insurance companies are up there with my love of our Liberal party of Canada. Not so much!

I paid almost $10,000 in insurance this year for the boy’s cars, house, boat and vehicle but when you are in panic mode, you get a, “we will send an adjuster out tomorrow, get your stuff out of the pool house as fast as you can.

Well my only option is to put it all outside and hope that it doesn’t snow, I guess.

In short I really, really hope this is not an indication of how 2019 is going to treat me.

I had a 2018-year of memories show up on my Facebook and it was adorable. My comment when I shared the post yesterday, before the disaster, was “2018 was pretty good to me, at least no one died”. Sad that my litmus test is whether someone dies in a year.

So cross your fingers for me, cause I’m pretty sure from the conversation on the phone it’s going to be a battle with the insurance company and we all know that we never win those battles.

At least that’s the way I see it.

LS

Well done Mr. Rypien and your crew Dear Editor, I am writing in appreciation on the Blairmore crew headed by Mr. D. Rypien that worked on the water line feeding our property during the week of November 12, 2018.

Before work began Mr. Rypien advised me of what the crew would be

doing both at our property line and a block away where there was a related problem. He took the time to consult with me regarding the location of a cut-off valve at our property and assuring me that the work would be done with the least possible impact on us.

This work required excavating with a large machine and necessitated the closure of our road twice, the second time over night. The second instance was at the junction of our street and the alley but was done in such an expedient and courteous manner that it was only a

minor disruption.

I do not know the names of all the employees involved in this effort so I ask that Mr. Rypien, if he sees this, thank them for me.

My sincere thank you to all our municipal crew people.

Gord Kennedy

Coal mining days gone by Dear Editor, Some time ago, I was talking to an underground coal miner from days gone by. During the course of the conversation, we got to discussing the distinction between a ‘coal miner’ and what they used to call a ‘coal man’ – a coal miner was the one who dug the coal out of the hole, and a coal man was the one who stood outside of it, enticing the coal miner to dig harder whilst counting his profits.

He then posed a question to me: “Do you know what a coal man is?” Sensing my confusion, he quipped, “A coal man is a liar standing on top of an empty hole.”

Fast forward to the December 5th council meeting that was called to update the community on the Riversdale coal mine project. I was happy to attend this meeting because I have only recently repatriated to the Pass, and it was an excellent opportunity to get brought up to speed with these current happenings. The presentation was put together and articulated well, and the meeting was informative and at times politically

lively. However, as I listened, that old underground miner’s quip kept nagging at me.

As I’m sure everyone knows, Riversdale Resources is a young, Australian-based coal company that made their first attempt at metallurgical coal mining in 2003, in Tete, Mozambique, with the Benga mine. Upon Riversdale’s satisfaction with this project in 2011, they sold their assets to Rio Tinto for $3.9 billion USD. Shortly after this acquisition, Rio Tinto realized that the assets were worthless, and in 2014 they were finally able to liquidate them to ICVL of the Indian government for over $3 billion less than they acquired them for.

This mistake inevitably led to the dismissal of then Rio Tinto head, Tom Albanese, and Rio Tinto and the former exec have recently been charged, in both the US and Australia, with investor fraud relating to the sale. Both parties have categorically denied these charges (Reuters 2017; Reuters 2018).

The presumption behind this expensive blunder is that these coal

companies did not consider the government of Mozambique’s position on letting the Benga operation use the Zambezi River to transport the proposed amount of mined coal to China; the position was not favorable. As far as our community is concerned, I understand that Riversdale has acknowledged there were governmental problems with the Mozambique operation, and this is probably why they are being so thorough and forthcoming about the current intergovernmental regulatory process. It seems that Riversdale is trying to be an enthusiastic, responsible corporate citizen willing to acknowledge its previous holdings in a mining failure, and that the only things holding the Grassy mine up right now are the provincial and federal governments.

Right?

Unfortunately, after listening to the Riversdale presentation on Wednesday, I’m still not completely convinced.

During the meeting I learned that Riversdale intends for their ‘quality drilling’ program to be finished soon. The purposes

of this program are to extract a sample of the coal (if I remember correctly, 8 tonnes) for quality testing and to provide samples for prospective buyers.

However, the Riversdale reps then explained that the infrastructure design for the transport of this sample is more-or-less up in the air, and that no coal from Grassy Mountain has been tested, nor have samples been put to market.

This revelation made my ears perk up because, in the aforementioned pending legal cases, the US Securities and Exchange Commission has alleged that right after the Riversdale purchase, Rio Tinto learned that “the acquisition would yield less coal, and of a lower quality, than expected [meaning that they] could only transport and sell a fraction of the coal” they originally intended to mine (Reuters 2017). Riversdale attempted to distance itself from their sale to Rio Tinto, alleging that the project was fine before the acquisition, and that Rio Tinto “screwed it” (Sydney Morning Herald 2014).

Con’t on page 10

Letters PoLicy The Pass Herald welcomes Letters to the Editor that examine issues, but reserves the right to edit for length, libel and syntax. Writers must sign letters and include first and last names, address and telephone number. Address and telephone numbers will not be published. Only in exceptional cases will the Pass Herald withhold the name of the writer and in those cases the writer must disclose his/her name, address and telephone number to the Editor. Electronic email will be considered an electronic signature.

Letters to the Editor do not reflect the opinion of the Pass Herald. Letters cannot exceed 1,000 words. We have limited space, but we do enjoy printing every article. So please, to allow everyone to express their opinion, keep the letters short and to the point. We do have the right to refuse any letter that in our judgement may contain libel or libelous opinions. Should a litigation result from your letter, you as the writer are responsible but so is this newspaper as the publisher.

The Pass Herald is a family owned community newspaper and therefore reserves the right to refuse any advertisement that in our opinion does not follow our mandate. We cannot accept advertisements or letters criticizing or disparaging other advertisers, companies or individuals or any advertisements directed to a religion or race.

The Only lOcally Owned newspaper serving The crOwsnesT pass & area

established in 1930

Serving the community for 88 years e-Mail: passherald@shaw.ca___website: www.passherald.ca SuBSCrIPtIoN rAtES: (GSt Included) • Single Copy: $1.00 • Crowsnest Pass and Area - $40/year (within a 40-mile radius) • Seniors -$35.00/year • outside a 40-mile radius - $60/year •uSA - $75/year

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Wednesday, December 12, 2018 - crowsnest PAss HerALD - 7

John Pundyk.CoM

RiveRsdale Updates public Comment period As many of you are aware, on November 5th the joint reClaire rogers view panel announced the start of a public comment period related to the environmental assessment of the Grassy Mountain Coal Project. The public comment period will be open until January 21, 2019 to allow the public to review the application, addendums and submit comments to the panel. In accordance with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, comments received, and documents submitted will be posted on the registry, unless they are excluded due to confidentiality, security or other reasons.

Office Holiday Hours Our offices will be closed on December 24, 25, 26, 31 and January 1. Regular office hours will resume on January 2nd. tickets on sale for australia day Get your tickets before we sell out! This year all proceeds from the event will be donated to the Crowsnest Pass Health Foundation to purchase equipment needed for our local hospital. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at Riversdale or by phone at 403.753.5160.

We’re hiring!

It’s a great time to be working at Riversdale - we offer an innovative work environment where you can surround yourself with smart, creative and inspired colleagues, day in and day out. Sound appealing? ... then join us!

Visit the employment opportunities page at www.rivresources.com to learn more about available roles with Riversdale.

Claire will be writing a bi-weekly column talking about what’s ‘on the go’ with Riversdale and answering FAQs. Have a question?

A swimming gift AnnA KroupinA Pass Herald Reporter

The Pass Community Pool wants to get you thinking about summer in the winter! They’ve got you covered for a Christmas stocking stuffer for the swimmer in your life.

They are selling season’s passes at 2018 rates until December 24. With that, you will also receive a free Family Day Pass with each season pass purchased.

Rates are expected to increase in the new year, so this is an opportunity to take advantage of the lower 2018 rates that also make the perfect gift for swimming enthusiasts, says Lesley Margetak, Pass Pool Society board member.

This is the first time that the Pass Community Pool is selling season passes before Christmas.

Season passes are available through the Rec Desk website. Visit cnp.recdesk.com, click on “Programs” and scroll down until you see Pool 2019 Season Passes for adults, children, families, seniors and youth. You can also call the Rec Desk office at 403 563-2209 to pay via credit card by phone.

Serving our community healthy eclectic meals for 17 years!

Home Baked SweetS LatteS • Super SoupS Open 8am - 4:30pm • Wed. - Sun. 403-563-8510 • Take out available CheCk out our daily menu on Fresh Winter wear from in stock

403

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Strong well maintained commercial building on Main street Blairmore. Large 3-bedroom apartment above. Attached garage and separate parking area at the back. Suitable for many uses. Great mountain views.

Many updates throughout the building. $349,000.00 CALL JOHN MLS

COLEMAN Expertly renovated and upgraded spacious side-split bungalow. Upgrades include windows, siding, doors, flooring, roof and more. Large family room on the lower level has an extra space for overnight visitors. Beautiful bathroom and kitchen. Large deck. Extra large lot with plenty of room for additional development. $219,000 CALL JOHN MLS

bLAirMOrE CONdO Very nice condo apartment in a historic building in a central location.

This unit has been expertly updated for the comforts of modern living.

An affordable option whether as a home or an investment. Parking at rear. Ski hill, swimming pool and other amenities within walking distance. $99,000 CALL JOHN MLS

Luxury CONdO End unit, semi-detached luxury bungalow. Superior quality materials and detailed craftmanship throughout. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Vaulted ceilings with spacious and open living areas. Two gas fireplaces. Nice southfacing deck off the kitchen. Large, attached double car garage and plenty of parking. $385,000 CALL JOHN MLS

11 irONstrONE drivE End unit with luxurious finishes throughout. Two bedrooms up plus a bonus room down. Vaulted throughout and an open floor plan integrates all living areas. Fantastic family room and media room. Two gas fireplaces and central air. Nice deck and private patio. Beautiful mountain views. Luxurious blinds and sun screens. Garage has commercial grade floor finish. Main floor laundry with a sink. Luxury at an affordable price. Ample parking and wide streets make Ironstone Lookout an exception in its class. $395,000 CALL JOHN MLS

bLAirMOrE An older bungalow in a good Blairmore location. Excellent opportunity as an investment or as a get-away in the Canadian Rockies. $79,000 CALL JOHN MLS

COLEMAN Well maintained 3+2 bedroom raised bungalow with south facing walkout basement. Recent windows, newer high efficiency furnace, metal roof and nice deck. Main floor laundry with sink. Mature landscaped back yard.

Large corner lot with plenty of parking and ample room to build a big garage. $295,000 CALL JOHN MLS

tiMbErLiNE ridgE

LuNdbrECk Newer, one floor, two bedrooms plus den half-duplex on its own lot in Lundbreck. Main floor laundry, hot water on demand and high efficiency furnace. Perfect for retirement or an affordable second home. Close to Castle Mountain Resort and the new Provincial Park with many different opportunities for active living. Full concrete foundation with lots of storage. Attached heated garage. Plenty of parking for everything. $223,500 CALL JOHN MLS

LOts & LANd $59,900 $105,000

* BELLEVUE Timberline Ridge Lots 3.01 Acres – Passburg 2211 Passburg Terrace – 3 acres

Starting at $68,000 $144,900 $169,000

* HWY 507 5.04 acres near Lee Lake

$249,000

* COLEMAN Kananaskis Wilds starting at 8309 - 27 Avenue 2321 – 86 Street 2812 - 90 Street - 3.76 acres #27 Riverview Village

$ 85,000 $ 79,000 $ 89,000 $259,000 $69,900

* FRANK 14902-21 Avenue, Frank

$64,900

COMMEriCAL * COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS 7720 17 Avenue, Coleman 13047 – 20 Avenue, Blairmore 12955 – 20 Avenue, Blairmore

jpundyk@shaw.ca bLAirMOrE COMMErCiAL

Clean and straight 3,000 sq. ft. commercial building on the main street. Good roof and mechanical systems. A 25’x100’ vacant lot next to the building is included in the sale. This location is suitable for multiple uses. You can build on the vacant lot if required. $139,000 CALL JOHN MLS

* BLAIRMORE 2250-132 St. 11311 – 19 Avenue

562-8830

$ 139,000 $ 349,000 $ 377,900

Prime building lots available at affordable prices, starting at $68,000 and up.

Large and fully serviced with all underground utilities. Very sunny location with great view of the valley. If you are thinking about building, now or in the future, Timberline Ridge may be the place. CALL JOHN

COLEMAN Beautiful historic home with all the original elements. Nice proportions. Full concrete basement. Mature Landscape. Huge lot has two titles allowing potential for future development. Attached garage and access off the back lane. $234,000 CALL JOHN MLS

39 irONstONE drivE Brand-new luxury home, just finished. Open, spacious floor plan.

Deluxe kitchen cabinets. Quartz counters and GE Profile appliances. Vaulted ceiling. Solid fir trim. Deck. Large, attached, double garage. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms up plus 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom down. Fantastic media/entertainment room. $399,000 + GST CALL JOHN MLS

bLAirMOrE Spacious family home in central Blairmore location. Close to shopping, medical services, swimming pool. Four bedrooms, large and bright family room. Big Backyard with room for large garage. Perfect for family to grow and enjoy. $234,000. CALL JOHN MLS

NEw shOwhOMEs CALL JoHn for details

8 – Crowsnest Pass HeraLD – Wednesday, December 12, 2018

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Wednesday, December 12, 2018 - crowsnest pass HeraLD - 9

How to make the holiday season more eco-friendly Herald Contributor

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With so much to do, it can be easy for people celebrating the holiday season to forget about the environment. But no matter how hectic the holiday season can be, there are always some simple opportunities to make it more eco-friendly.

• Create an ecofriendly party theme.

Many holiday parties have themes. For example, “ugly sweater parties” have become so popular that many clothing manufacturers now intentionally produce colorful sweaters that might otherwise draw the ire of fashionistas. Hosts planning to throw an ugly sweater party can easily transform such festivities into something more ecofriendly by encouraging guests to purchase their sweaters from thrift stores. A Christmas tree planting party is another eco-friendly party theme that can benefit the planet

and revitalize local forests at a time of year when they might be depleted due to the demand for natural Christmas trees.

• Serve locally sourced foods. Food is often front and center during the holiday season. Whether hosting family and friends at home, dining out or catering an office party, patronize businesses that sell only locally sourced foods. Locally sourced foods are much more ecofriendly than foods that must be shipped from afar before they land on your dinner table, and such foods tend to taste fresh as well. If serving at home, use reusable dishware and cutlery instead of paper plates and plastic utensils.

• Reuse decorations year after year. Decorations need not be discarded once the holiday season ends. Come the new year, inspect holiday decorations and store

those that made it through the season unscathed. Doing so benefits the planet and will save you the trouble of shopping for new decorations next holiday season.

• Get rid of your old holiday lights. Still using the same Christmas lights you used in 1995? Such lights are likely incandescent bulbs that are considerably less efficient than today’s LED Christmas lights. The Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy notes that LED lights consume 75 percent less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lighting. In addition, the OEERE says that LED holiday lights are easier to install and that as many as 25 strings of lights can be connected end-to-end without overloading a wall socket.

An eco-friendly holiday season is easier to realize than many holiday celebrants may know.

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10 – CrowSnEST PASS HErALD – Wednesday, December 12, 2018

~ Letters to the Editor continued ~ Two Alberta High Schools Dear Editor: Last week I had the occasion to visit two High Schools. One was in Calgary, a school of many thousands, where some of the “who is who” nibbled on hors-d'oeuvres while observing all forms of students art, and the other was the Crowsnest Consolidated High School that hosted a Senior’s Supper. Both schools and their students did their best for us, the visitors. It was a beautiful experience to be in the company of so many youths full of energy and enthusiasm.

There was a difference between the City High School and its smaller version, the rural school. The city institution was all efficiency, professionalism, and pride in their accomplishments.

The country school had us over for another purpose.

They were doing something good for the elders of their community and applying all they learned in their lives to do it well.

In the city, you learn to compete while in the little towns you learn to share, but must keep your competitive age and do things

well.

A young man in CCHS served us coffee, making conversation. He will go after school to work in a mine somewhere away from home.

What a loss for us. A wonderful young lady with hair so well done and a beautiful dress brought us food serving it like a pro.

Another came to ask if everything was alright. A young person came to ask if we would like seconds and brought some over while another was pouring soft drinks. We felt like royalty.

In our country where just five years ago the government was imposing austerity on seniors and delaying pensions for old people, these young people act like they appreciate what the elders have done for the present generation.

When dinner was over all the youths went up front to entertain us.

There were individual performances followed by the whole graduating class singing Christmas carols, just as good as what I observed in the city High School where only

the choir sang. The difference is, here everyone was participating not a just select few.

Something I have noticed in both high schools is the confidence level. I remember teens when I went to school and now.

This young generation walks with a lot more confidence and less bravado, especially the young women.

I am so happy that when I retired, I packed my stuff and moved back to a rural area where people are individuals, not competitors. Most of the

young people I saw at the Consolidated High School will be going to cities and learning the ways of the majority. They will do well, and some will become leaders while others will contribute in other ways. I hope and pray that they will not forget their country roots and instead of being influenced they will influence. Rural Albertan youths are growing to be at the table, not on the table. They are strong, skilled and generous. They are mountain lions, not vultures.

Avner Perl

Back to the drawing board Dear Editor: I must salute ISL Engineering for putting on several very informative Information Sessions with excellent graphics on the proposed Highway 3 Uprgrading and Twinning. Even though they invited comments, I found them to be more show and tell than consultation sessions. Despite several previous Open Houses the basic design concept has changed very little other than to narrow down a few choices.

A major highway widening will obviously be very disruptive to the five communities located within the narrow Crows Nest river valley. Admittedly Highway 3 is one of three major east-west corridors through the Rocky Mountains and part of the National Highways System. With

the vast increase in truck and tourist traffic, there is no question in my mind that an upgrading is long overdue. The bottleneck that we endure every weekend throughout the summer, burdened by long chains of slow moving vehicular traffic from Sentinel to Burmis cannot continue.

The consultants have come up with several different proposals attempting to satisfy public opinion as best they can but they seem to be very rigidly adhering to rigid freeway standards that do not take into account community needs.

Even though compromises seem to have been made here and there the latest proposal is far from meeting the desires of Pass residents. The interim solution may be somewhat acceptable but the ultimate plan just

will not fly.

As a community I’m sure there is a desire to improve the traffic flow along Highway 3 but to go to a full freeway standard of 110 km/hr is neither desirable or necessary. It is noted that along Highway 16 east and west of Edmonton the communities of Lloydminster, Gainsford, Edson and Hinton are all part of a divided highway system but they all have traffic lights and/or reduced speed limits. Surely such a design can be accommodated in the Crowsnest Pass.

The elimination of half of the community of Frank is incomprehensible from an economic and social perspective.

To wipe out the entire frontage with several viable commercial enterprises, a church, an art

gallery, a war memorial and 15 homes, leaving only half of the community is just not acceptable. A shift of the CPR mainline to the south would allow the Frank townsite to be preserved and would likely be much more economic than taking the vitality out of the community.

The spaghetti maze of access roads proposed on the ultimate plan is likewise just not acceptable. Even moving to a four lane divided configuration, some compromises, like right-in, right-out intersections to obtain access to the freeway could be accommodated without increasing the safety hazard. Backtracking and the construction of separate service roads joining every community may make sense from a freeway standard perspec-

tive but it makes little sense from a practical point of view. Creating a separate service road through the entire length of the Frank Slide has certainly raised the ire of the historical community and ignores the Historical Site designation.

Minor widening may be a negotiable item but a massive relocation through this cultural icon will not be tolerated by either the local community or I am sure, Alberta Culture.

Moving the Vehicle Inspection Station from the present location adjacent to the Highway 507 junction, to the base of the hill will certainly not win the acclaim of truckers who have to exit the VIS only to face a steep incline.

We all share this valley with the Canadian Pacific Railway and put

up with the disruptions caused by their frequent rumbling through our community. The CPR must therefore, for the greater public interest, be prepared to make some concessions to the community in relocating their trackage to accommodate the needs of increased highway traffic.

To summarize, the Truck Bypass route is certainly a must but the creation of a full high speed corridor through Crowsnest Pass is neither necessary or practical.

The consultants say that they will have a final functional plan by next spring but I think they have a lot of work to do to come up with a satisfactory solution. Its back to the drawing board as far as I’m concerned.

Ken Allred

Coal Mining days gone by cont’d from pg. 6 With this information in mind, I think some serious questions need to be asked. First, what was the Riversdale sales pitch in the competition to acquire Benga mine? Indeed, Rio Tinto was not the only one who wanted to purchase this now useless and defunct operation (The Guardian 2010).

Second, how did Riversdale not know about the quality of the coal they were sitting on in Mozambique, or about

the true amounts that could be extracted through mining? Third, regarding Grassy Mountain, who will be testing the quality of this coal?

Are they affiliated with Riversdale, or are they an independent group?

Fourth, is the infrastructure plan practical? Is there any independent engineering body that has verified the feasibility of Riversdale’s draft infrastructure proposal?

Fifth, are Riversdale’s

market forecasts for the future demand and price of metallurgical coal reliable, accurate, and in line with the true amount of coal currently in Grassy Mountain? Sixth, will Teck even let Riversdale compete in the market, should the mine get off the ground? Or, conversely, is Grassy merely a batch of snake oil intended to be sold to Teck?

Last, and most importantly, is Rio Tinto going to take future legal action

against Riversdale for the potentially unknown purchase of junk assets?

If so, this would have massive implications for our community and, to be certain, at least one analyst has recently wondered why "Rio Tinto didn’t go after [Riversdale] when they realised the coal resource was far smaller than it had believed and the coal quality was not so good” (Financial Mail 2017).

In sum, my hopes

and dreams are in line with those who wish to see the Riversdale project bring good jobs and socio-economic vibrancy back to CNP. Furthermore, Riversdale is doing the community a good thing in the short term by providing the town with an external source of funding for community programs in return for council’s continued support. However, with the above list of ‘known unknowns’, Riversdale’s

scant and spotty track record, and that old underground miner’s remark in mind, my gut is currently in line with the wishes of the realty community and those concerned with property devaluation. That is, I’m presently not convinced that there will ever be a new coal mine for us in Crowsnest Pass. I suppose now that only time will tell.

Erik Taje

Wednesday, Decemer 12, 2018 - crowsnest pass HeraLD - 11

Friends and Neighbours

by Jocelyn Thomas Jocelyn Thomas is an artist and writer who lives in Blairmore

Christy Pool Blairmore-born Christy Pool works at the real estate office of Royal LePage South Country Real Estate Services Ltd. on the main street. After finishing high school, Pool went on to study business administration for two years at Lethbridge College. She grew up with 6 siblings (2 sisters and 4 brothers). Her dad, who came from Holland, ran, and still runs a construction company, and her mom was a stay-at-home mother. Her parents had met in Calgary. Christy has lived in the Pass her entire life other than 2 years for education.

Having travelled throughout the States and across Canada as a youngster, Christy ventured to Mexico and to the Dominican Republic as a young adult. Future travel plans involve Switzerland.

When they met, partner John already had two kids; and Christy herself also had two (a boy and a girl, now in their early twenties) with her ex-husband. Christy is completely committed to living here and is in love with the wilderness, and the mountains especially; and she only wishes that this place would become more economically viable and environmentally self-sustaining.

Resumewise, Christy has run the Crowsnest Pass BearSmart Association as its president for some 12 years. The goal has been to build a better relationship between the community and the wildlife, in partnership with Fish and Wildlife.

They are striving for the maximum reduction possible in human and wildlife conflict. Christy also volunteers for Better Chance Animal Rescue, based in Pincher Creek. It is small wonder that her role model is one Doug Seues. He operates Vital Ground, which is a large grizzly bear sanctuary.

He himself has raised three orphaned cubs. Having now bought enough land, he has created an actual grizzly bear corridor.

Unsurprisingly, Pool's friends consider her to be not only kind, but also organized to the point of being driven to achieve her goals. These include writing a book down the road on the necessary change needed to take place in North America, in order to make cohabitation with wildlife much more positive and rewarding. Says Pool: “It doesn't have to be at all that complicated.”

Furthermore, Pool would like countries to be judged not only by how their governments treat people but also and equally, on how all animal inhabitants are treated. Even further, Pool would remove any animosity that currently exists between people of various countries and replace it with a worldwide peacefulness.

Pool's funniest moment was when a bear she was searching for gave away his hiding spot by throwing apples at her head while she stood waiting for him to appear in the open. He had been sitting quietly right above her for some time and had obviously tired of waiting for her to find him.

Her present life revolves completely around her chidren, pets and building a strong resource for human and wildlife conflict here in the Pass.

Welcome to our School “Welcome to our School” is a bi-weekly column in the Crowsnest Pass Herald highlighting the teachers who are educating our children and the programs and activities taking place at the Crowsnest Consolidated High School.

It’s a way to remain up-to-date with your school.

Ms. Jody Peebles was born in the Crowsnest Pass and graduated from CCHS in 2000. From there she went on to the UofA to earn her Bachelor of Science with Specialization in Mathematics Degree in 2004, and followed that up with a Bachelor of Education After Degree in 2006. From September 2006 to January 2015 Jody taught grades 10-12 mathematics at CCHS. In February 2015, she started what would become a 3.5 year hiatus from teaching to stay at home with her two daughters, Ella and Tegan. Jody is excited to return to her old classroom and already feels like she is “home”.

Jody Peebles - Mathematics - CCHS Outside of teaching, Jody enjoys exploring the mountains in her backyard with her husband, Ryan and her daughters, as well as with her amazing tribe of adventurous friends. She is an avid trail runner, mountain biker, camper, hiker, swimmer and can often be found playing volleyball on Monday nights at ISS. Ms. Peebles also commits to the development and facilitation of character building education as the key trainer and coordinator of the sinister 7 running team.

Upcoming Dates: CCHS is now accepting food donations for the Food Bank for the month of December. Please place under our CCHS Christmas Tree, our community needs our generosity and kindness this time of year.

December 13th- Junior High Christmas Dance grades 7-9 from 6:00- 9:00pm @ CCHS $5.00 entrance fee and a food bank donation.

December 18th- Senior High Dance Christmas Dance $5.00 entrance fee and a food bank donation 6:30pm. Theme: A night under the stars!

December 20th- CCHS Christmas Concert 7:00 pm December 21st- Last Day before Christmas Break.

Special thanks to staff: Laura Cox, Toni Grfreer, Barb Pollice, Lori Prentice, Rudy Schuh, Janet Elder, Sherry Chanin, grad parents of 2019 and Chris's Restaurant for caring for our Seniors and their food delivery.

12 – CROWSNEST PaSS hERald – Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Roger Reid wins riding with 55% Pat Stier retires leaving Livingstone-Macleod with new representative AnnA KroupinA Pass Herald r Reporter r r

Australi Australia tralia Day Celebration Celebra tion B Benga enga M Mining ining LLimited imited O Operating perating aass R Riversdale iversdale R Resources esources

January 26, 2019 MDM Community Centre 6 p.m. Cocktails 7 – 8 p.m. Dinner

8 – 9 p.m. Auction 9 – 1 a.m. Dance

Entertainment by “The Chevelles”

Tickets available at the Riversdale Resources Office, 12331 – 20th Ave in Blairmore or call 403-753-5160 to book a table or individual seats.

Tickets - $50/person All proceeds will be donated to the Crowsnest Pass Health Foundation to aid in purchasing a bladder scanner ($20,000 cost) for our local hospital.

Roger Reid, the fifthgeneration farm kid from Claresholm, has won the United Conservative Party (UCP) nomination in Livingstone-Macleod.

“I feel great,” he says. “It was good to have such a significant number of people from Livingstone-Macleod say that they want me to be their representative. That has been really reaffirming to me after seven months of connecting with the riding. I feel excited and I feel really hopeful about the prospects for the

province coming at the next provincial election.”

Reid, who owns and operates the Tim Hortons in Claresholm and Nanton, credits his homegrown LivingstoneMacleod roots as being a determining factor that won him the election over the other candidates, Nathan Neudorf and Thomas Schneider.

“All three of us worked very hard. I have tremendous respect for Thomas and Nathan and for the hours and hours that they put into this campaign,” he says. “I think the fact that this is home really played into

the desire for having local representation. For me, it’s not the only thing that set me apart, but it’s the only thing that I brought to the game that the others didn’t in terms of actually living and working and raising my family here. I don’t think you can discredit the intrinsic knowledge that comes from just being home.”

Neudorf was born and raised on a small dairy farm in the Lower Mainland B.C. He moved to Alberta 25 years ago and currently lives in rural Lethbridge County. Schneider was born in St. Albert, Alberta, and raised in Cranbrook, British Columbia.

He later lived in Kelowna and moved back to Alberta seven years ago. He currently lives in Okotoks.

With a keen eye to the upcoming provincial election, Reid sees his imminent future as a continuation of his campaigning, all about meeting with constituents and hearing their concerns to accurately represent them at the provincial level.

“I spent the last seven months really focused on being ready to represent LivingstoneMacleod in the general election this spring and there’s still lots to learn,” Reid says. “People still have lots of questions and concerns and my plan between now and Election Day is to continue to be on the road, meet with people, hear their hopes and concerns for our province and put those pieces together as far as the issues that we need to bring to Edmonton on behalf of Livingstone-Macleod.”

Elections were held on December 7 and 8. A total of 873 ballots were cast, of which 481 were cast for Reid, 225 for Neudorf and 167 for Schneider.

“I’m incredibly grateful for how engaged people in LivingstoneMacleod are about the political process. That motivation is what’s going to get us back on track in the province because people are not sitting around waiting for

Roger Reid wins UPC riding for LivingstoneMacleod.

Herald Contributor photo

the government to do things, but instead they want to be engaged with their government, they want to have a voice. In spite of the hard work that we have ahead of us, it’s great to know that we have the support of the grassroots behind us to make those changes.

That makes me very hopeful for the future,” says Reid.

In a statement, United Conservative Leader Jason Kenney called Reid “a committed conservative and an accomplished entrepreneur.”

The statement went on to read, “A founding member of the UCP constituency association in Livingstone-Macleod, Roger has made impactful contributions to the conservative movement in this province. As the owner and operator of two Tim Hortons franchises in the constituency, Roger understands the challenges faced by small business owners in the province. He is a dedicated volunteer in the community and serves as the Chair of the Claresholm and District Health Foundation.

Roger’s business acumen and intimate understanding of the issues most important to the people of LivingstoneMacleod will benefit the entire United Conservative team as we work to present Albertans with a common-sense alternative to the NDP. I am pleased to welcome Roger as the United Conservative candidate in Livingstone-Macleod.”

Wednesday, December 12, 2018 - Crowsnest PAss HerALD - 13

Crowsnest Pass bear numbers decrease by half AnnA KroupinA Pass Herald Reporter

Each year between spring and fall, Crowsnest Pass sees on average 30 black bears and three to five grizzlies enter the community. In 2018, however, the Crowsnest Pass Bearsmart Association observed a significant drop in bear occurrences, recording only 12 black bears and no grizzly bears.

The area surveyed is what Bearsmart refers to as “the red zone”, which includes the immediate commercial and residential districts in the municipal valley and a 2-km buffer of Crown land around this red zone.

The association has several theories that may account for the decrease in bear sightings in the area.

The first theory is that bears perished in their dens after a long, cold, hard winter.

“When bears go into the den, they must have enough of a reserve to make it through the entire winter time because they need to come out when there’s food available.

With how drawn out the winter was and how deep the snow was, some of them may not have made

it out of the den,” says Christy Pool, president of the Crowsnest Pass Bearsmart Association.

The fires south and west of Crowsnest Pass have also played a significant role in displacing all types of wildlife, especially prey like deer, elk, moose and small animals that bears feed on. The bears may have followed their prey out of the region.

The Bearsmart Association also noticed a slight increase of boars – large male bears - in the area.

Because these bears pose a threat to sows or younger bears, they tend to clear out of areas with boars, which is another factor that may contribute to the low bear numbers.

On top of that, there is the unknown number of bears lost through hunting or euthanasia. Three bears were reported legally hunted in the valley this year, although that number could be higher since hunters are not obliged to report a bear harvest to Fish and Wildlife.

Landowners on acreages are also not required to report the black bears they euthanize on their property.

On a positive note, a contributing factor to the bear decrease could be attributed to successful “Bearsmarting” in the community, a sign that bear management strategies are working and that the community is becoming more responsible when it comes to limiting animal attractants.

“We’re really impressed with the number of negative bear occurrences. That number dropping is a good sign. You still want a bear population - that’s why we live here - but you don’t want it to be in a negative manner. You don’t want garbage bears or habituated bears that are used to hanging around people and backyards. Our town has done an amazing job of cleaning up the garbage attractants in the spring, so the bears may have passed through and carried on because they’re not finding the food source that they had before,” says Pool, although she adds that better clearing of apple and fruit trees could be improved on.

All these factors come into play and any or all of them could cause a drastic change in bear numbers,

~ Council update ~ AnnA KroupinA Pass Herald Reporter

Category 3 & STARS Recognizing the significant level of economic impact and visitor attraction that the Crowsnest Community Market generates, Council voted to grant $500 from Category 3 to the event.

The funds would go towards paying the salary for a market manager.

“As we moved into our second and third seasons our costs increased as we added more activities and events for the growing number of attendees and families,” wrote fundraising coordinator Claire Rogers in the application. “Last year, we grew to the point where we needed to add a Market Manager as our volunteer board had outgrown the ability to manage the market on the day and needed to bring in assistance.”

Councillor Doreen Glavin commented that the summer market serves as a draw to the community throughout the summer and that the event, having just run for the third time, has gained momentum year after year. She noted that a marketing manager might carry the event for-

ward even further.

This is the final Category 3 funding request for 2018, leaving just under $3,000 in Category 3.

Any leftover funds in Category 3 are donated to STARS Air Ambulance.

However, that number fluctuates from year to year depending on how much Category 3 funding was given out to community groups. Councillors expressed a desire to deliver consistent, annual funding to STARS, which they noted plays an important role in the safety of the people living in this area.

Councillor Gord Lundy proposed setting aside $5,000 to donate to STARS annually.

“We all know how much value they bring to our community,” he said.

Council will consider this proposal at upcoming budget discussions this week.

Grant applications Municipal grants play an important role in the budgetary capabilities of any municipality or town. They allow Council to take on projects that they may not be able to fund on their own and range in scope from providing assistance for local

infrastructure, public transit, water systems, regional projects and recreation.

The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass has been actively applying to grants to better the community. According to Patrick Thomas, CAO, municipal Administration has applied $21 million worth of grants across a total of 16 applications.

How many of the applications are actually accepted is another matter, but in the words of Wayne Gretzky, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.

really fast.

“The winter especially can be very brutal for them. Last year overall was really hard on all the wildlife populations,” says Pool. “We have to see now if it’s something they can rebound from.”

While this is certainly a significant drop to note, it’s too early to start worrying. The Bearsmart Association and Fish and Wildlife will continue to monitor bear numbers in the Pass to determine whether the decline is a concern.

“We usually give it

three years before we start to think that there is a problem. We’re monitoring the situation to see if it changes and if it doesn’t change, then we will start pushing for more details and studying more of what’s happening. It’s pretty normal to see a change when you look at all the considerations that play into it. That’s why we give it two to three years before getting worried about it,” says Pool.

Overall, Pool says the existing bear population in Crowsnest Pass is rather healthy. The sows this year

had healthy cub numbers, with a few sets of twins and triplets, and this certainly plays an important role in shaping a healthy bear population. With a milder winter and no forest fires, Pool says the bear population could easily rebound.

The CNP Bearsmart Association relies on information submitted from the public to determine population numbers. To report a bear sighting, call Pool at 403-563-8723. If it is an emergency situation involving wildlife, call Fish and Wildlife.

14 – Crowsnest pass HeraLD – Wednesday, December 12, 2018

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2 bedroom, 2 bathroom home available in West Blairmore,AB. $1,000 a month , $1,000 security

The family of the late Edward Oczkowski wish to express their sincere thanks to Dr. Scrimshaw and the nursing staff at the Pincher Creek Health Care Centre as well as the staff at Vista Village, Lethbridge Family Services, Pincher Creek Home Care and Whispering Winds for the care and compassion given during his time at each facility. We would also like to thank family and friends for their kindness during this trying time.

Thank you for the food, flowers, sympathy cards and generous donations to STARS. It is greatly appreciated.

finished basement 2 gas fireplaces etc. . Asking $1500 + utilities. No smoking please.

44-TFN

For Sale Attention Fly Tiers: Hooks, materials, feathers and tools. Call Lynn for info. 403-564-4696 47-TFN

AWNA CLASSIFIEDS AUCTIONS ESTATE CONSTRUCTION AUCTION. Saturday, December 15, 2018 - 10 AM. Viewing, Friday, December 14 10AM - 5 PM. Evansburg, Alberta. Info at www.mirterra.com.

780-9909444.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY TROUBLE WALKING? Hip or knee replacement, or conditions causing restrictions in daily activities? $2,500 tax credit. $40,000 refund cheque/rebates.

Disability Tax Credit. 1-844-4535372.

COMING EVENTS FIREARMS WANTED for February 23, 2019 Live and Online Auction. Rifles, Shotguns, Handguns, Militaria. Auction or Purchase: Collections, Estates, individual items. Contact Paul, Switzer's Auction: Toll-Free 1800-694-2609; info@switzersauction.com or www.switzersauction.com.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

FEED AND SEED HEATED CANOLA buying Green, Heated or Springthrashed Canola. Buying: oats, barley, wheat & peas for feed.

Buying damaged or offgrade grain. "On Farm Pickup" Westcan Feed & Grain, 1-877-2505252.

MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION! In-demand career! Employers have work-at-home positions available. Get online training you need from an employer-trusted program.

Visit: CareerStep.ca/MT or 1-855768-3362 to start training for your work-at-home career today!

HEALTH GET UP TO $50,000 from the Government of Canada. Do you or someone you know have any of these conditions? ADHD, Anxiety, Arthritis, Asthma, Cancer, COPD, Depression, Diabetes, Difficulty walking, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowels, Overweight, Trouble Dressing...and hundreds more. All ages and medical conditions qualify. Call The Benefits Program 1-800-2113550.

JOURNALISTS, Graphic Artists, Marketing and more. Alberta's weekly newspapers are looking for people like you. Post your resume online. Free. Visit: www.awna.com/resumes_add.p hp.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE EISSES. SUPER B GRAIN Trailer Rentals. Lacombe, Alberta. "We provide quality certified grain trailers".

For rates/booking call Steve @ 403782-3333 Monday-Saturday.

REAL ESTATE BLANKET THE PROVINCE with a classified ad. Only $269 (based on 25 words or less).

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Reach over 105 weekly newspapers. Call NOW for details 1800-282-6903 ext 228; www.awna.com.

SERIVCES CRIMINAL RECORD? Why suffer employment/licensing loss?

Travel/business opportunities?

Be embarrassed? Think: Criminal Pardon. US entry waiver.

Record purge. File destruction.

Free consultation 1-800-3472540; www.accesslegalmjf.com.

GET BACK ON TRACK! Bad credit? Bills? Unemployed?

Need money? We lend! If you own your own home - you qualify. Pioneer Acceptance Corp.

Member BBB. 1-877-987-1420. www.pioneerwest.com.

TRAVEL LIKE TO TRAVEL BUT HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION? Medical personnel supplied to accompany patients who have a medical condition. Website: cnsmedicalinc.ca.

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S.T.A.R.S. Air Ambulance Service.

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Wednesday, December 12, 2018 - crowsnest PAss HerALD - 15

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403-583-0020

PRESTIGE CLEANERS RENT A CARPET CLEANER Clothing Alterations, Zippers, Coverall Rentals, Etc. & TUXEDO RENTALS

562-2112 Blairmore • 425-7272 Sparwood

CoX eLeCtrIC For all your electrical needs.

• Residential • Commercial • Solar • Underground Subdivisions

DouG - 403.563.0428 or Jason - 403.563.0459

Serving the CNP & Pincher Creek area We pick up scrap vehicles for FREE in the CNP, Lundbreck, Cowley and Pincher Creek area.

Phone Lloyd at 403-563-6100

30 Years Experience Residential & Commercial Senior Discounts - Free Estimates Good Workmanship

Serving the Crowsnest Pass and area since 2005 Garry Friedley - Master Electrician Cell: 403.583.2231 • Res: 403.564.5158

16 – CRowSneST PASS HeRALD – Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Recognizing 30 years The Bellevue Legion presented Kathy Wakaluk-Yanco with a plaque in recognition of the support she has given to the Poppy Campaign. Wakaluk-Yanco, who has been a member of the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Bellevue Legion for over 30 years, brings a poppy donation box up to her place of employment in the Kearl Oil Sands and drives a collection campaign. Over the past three years that she has been collecting donations for the Poppy Campaign, she has raised $4,475. This contribution plays a significant role in the legion’s ability to support veterans in the community and 20 percent of proceeds also go towards the local Air Cadet Squadron 859. Pictured above are (left to right) Poppy Chairman Terry Wyatt, Kathy Wakaluk-Yanco and Bellevue Legion President Yvonne Willoughby.

Herald Contributor photo

Christmas in the Past The Crowsnest Museum hosted their second annual Christmas in the Past gathering on December 6. There were refreshments, treats and, as pictured above, some festive caroling by some members of the Twisted Tree Players. Left to right: Lisa Attaway, Lara Tieman, Jane Mollison, Pamela Somerville on piano, Debbie Goldstein, Denise Coccioloni-Amatto and Wendell Kisner.

Anna Kroupina photo

Grad Senior Supper Land of The Sweets The Turning Pointe Dance Studio presented their Land of the Sweets dance performance at the Pincher Creek Community Hall on Saturday, December 8th.

Herald Contributor photo

Grad students at Crowsnest Consolidated High School (CCHS) took an evening to volunteer their time serving supper to seniors in the community. Chris’ Restaurant donated the meals and 45 grads served 240 seniors in attendance. Later that night, the grad students sang Christmas carols over supper. There were also over 30 parent volunteers who contributed to making the night a success. Pictured left are some of the seniors singing in between laughs and smiles.

John Kinnear photo

Municipality of Crowsnest Pass • 8502-19 Avenue, Coleman • Box 600, Crowsnest Pass, AB. ph.: 403.562.8833 • e: reception@crowsnestpass.com • www.crowsnestpass.com

SANTA SKATE

SENIORS CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON All Crowsnest Pass Seniors are invited to celebrate the holidays with a Seniors Christmas Luncheon hosted by our Family and Community Support Services.

RIDECrowsnest bus service will be available; call 403-562-8833 to book your ride today!

Tuesday, December 18 Elk’s Hall 2025 - 129 Street, Blairmore 12:00pm - 2:00pm

Sunday, December 16 1:15pm – 2:45pm Crowsnest Sports Complex 8702 – 22 Avenue, Coleman Join us for free hot dogs, hot chocolate, and a skate with Santa himself!

2018 PROPERTY TAXES ARE PAST DUE All outstanding 2018 Property Taxes will have a 3% penalty applied on the first business day in January 2019. To avoid incurring this penalty, please ensure the Municipality receives payment no later than midnight on December 31, 2018.

Please RSVP to Kim Lewis at 403-563-2207

Join the Riversdale Rippers Après School program 5-week session for $125.00 + GST

Payments can be made at the Municipal Office (8502 - 19 Avenue, Coleman) during regular business hours or dropped off in the mail slot at the front of the building. Payments can also be made by telebanking, internet banking, or at any financial institute (allow three days for processing using these methods). Payments mailed to the Municipal Office (Box 600, Blairmore, AB, T0K 0E0) must be post-marked no later than December 31, 2018.

Purchase tickets and register for programs at www.passpowderkeg.com

For further information, please contact the tax department at 403-562-8833 or taxroll@crowsnestpass.com

!

RIVERSDALE RIPPERS APRES SCHOOL PROGRAM

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Deputy Fire Chief - Permanent Full Time The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass has an opening for a Deputy Fire Chief. The Deputy Fire Chief is responsible for providing excellent leadership for a progressive department of paid on-call personnel. Assisting the Fire Chief with the overall organization, coordination, and operational direction of the department, the Deputy Fire Chief will proactively seek opportunities for improving departmental efficiencies and service levels, providing expertise in incident management, emergency response planning and general administration of the department. Competition closes January 7 at 4:00pm.

Equipment Operator I - Permanent Full Time The Municipality has an opening for a Permanent Full Time Equipment Operator I, reporting to the Transportation and Utilities Lead Hands, the Operator I is an entry level position where general labour functions are combined with operation of light duty fleet and heavy duty single axle vehicles, mechanized tools and equipment related to the maintenance of road and sidewalk systems, water distribution systems and wastewater and store water collection systems. Due to the nature of the work, the duties will vary depending on the time of year. Competition closes December 19 at 4:00pm.

For more information please see the full job descriptions at http://www.crowsnestpass.com /living-here/employment-opportunities-page /employment Please apply with a resume and cover to: Kristin Ivey, Manager of Corporate Services kristin.ivey@crowsnestpass.com