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ESTEVAN Beautiful guitar. Sask. musician to perform at the Orpheum Theatre. PAGE A7

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WEDNESDAY, JULY AUGUST 25, 2021 7, 2021

Carlyle Fun Dayz continues to grow as a festival for the entire region By David Willberg

Beating records. Nursing home resident knits close to 100 scarves. PAGE A10

Best summer ever. Estevan Mercury’s photo contest. PAGES A12-13

Great tradition. Dustin Pratt Memorial Tournament attracts a crowd. PAGE A16

Carlyle Mayor Jennifer Sedor believes Carlyle Fun Dayz has become the “big little festival,” one that people of all ages in the southeast region can enjoy. The fifth edition of the event was held Saturday on the town’s Main Street, with activities beginning early in the morning and continuing until the overnight hours. While she didn’t have a tally for how many people turned out, since the activities were free, Sedor believes at least 3,000 people flocked to Main Street for the bash. “We had so many people out,” said Sedor. “We had businesses doing great. We had vendors selling out of food. We had lineups for the kids’ stuff. Our entertainers had such a great time. And the weather was absolutely perfect.” The day kicked off with a pancake breakfast served by the Carlyle Lions Club. A parade delighted the large crowds that gathered. A family fun zone in the afternoon featured bouncy castles, bumper cars and games. Food trucks were on site throughout the day. A balloon artist, a petting zoo and games were at the Carlyle Public Library. A trade show could be found in the Carlyle Town Hall. A stage was set up on Main Street for live entertainment provided by Alex Runions, Tanya Ryan, Big Bad Storm, Micah Walbaum and Prairie Revolt. “Our stage, our stage crew, our performers and our street dance at the end of the day were phenomenal,” said Sedor. “Everything about that part of the show just went off without a hitch. We had folks dancing well into the night.” While the music ended at midnight, people were still eager to keep dancing. “That’s always a good feeling, and you know you’ve done a good job when people are asking

Carlyle Mayor Jennifer Sedor and the Carlyle Lions Club mascot were eager to greet people at the Carlyle Fun Dayz pancake breakfast. Photo by Dolores Young ‘Why are we packing up so soon?’” said Sedor, who noted she was dancing for several hours. The diversity in the music offerings also proved to be a boost. Acoustics were great, performers were thrilled and the crowd loved the music, she said. New for this year was an expanded stage. “Our goal for this year was to really test our layout on Main Street, to have the whole section blocked off. We had a lot more room, so we can add a lot more things for next year. And that stage just fits so beautifully on Main Street.” Carlyle Fun Dayz is a growing festival, and Sedor looks forward to what they can do next year. The only scheduled activity that didn’t happen was a Firefighter’s Rodeo, which was to occur in the morning and afternoon, and bring in teams from throughout the region. Sedor said it would have been a boost to have it, but with the early start to harvest, many of the firefighters from those small, rural communities have other commitments.

The rodeo has tentatively been rescheduled for Sept. 18. “We’ll have another great event here in Carlyle, another reason for people to come back and see all that we have to offer,” said Sedor. The Carlyle Fire Department was on site to show off their trucks and their gear. Previous editions of Carlyle Fun Dayz hovered around 1,500 and 2,000 people for attendance, and Sedor could tell the crowds were bigger this year.

Weather conditions helped bring people in, she said. Carlyle Fun Dayz happened after several days of rain, and it was raining again on Sunday. “We had a lot of folks in from the fields. They were shut down from … harvest that week, and were able to come in. We had the folks who had been waterlogged at the campgrounds come down. It just gave everybody something to do on the one sunny day for an entire week.” People are still eager to get out and enjoy an activity

now that restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have been lifted. “Everyone is just excited to get out and do all sorts of stuff,” Sedor said. There are always things that need to be tweaked for a festival of this size. And with the larger crowds than normal, the lineups were longer for activities and food trucks. “I know that it was definitely one of the harder bits for people, too, especially with younger kids to have to wait,” said Sedor. A2 » CARLYLE

The Southeast Shrine Club had one of the entries for the parade. Photo by Dolores Young

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Youth centre is looking for input on programming By Ana Bykhovskaia The Estevan Public Youth Centre (EPYC) has put out a survey, asking their future patrons to share their vision for programming. The centre’s executive director Juli Dzuba said the survey is pretty straightforward and will take under five minutes to fill in, but it will significantly help her navigate the programming they will offer. The survey asks youths in Grades 7-12 to answer what it is that they would like coming out of EPYC. “The youth are a really big part of our community. And obviously, because it is a youth-focused centre, I want to include their input in any way that I can,” Dzuba said. “I just was interested in kind of finding out what their interests were. So what days of the week are best for them? Or

if they would like to see activities happening on some of their basic interests. And then just a general question of what they would like to see EPYC be.” The survey was put out last week, and Dzuba has already received a few responses, but she said she’d like to hear more feedback from the Estevan youths as it’s important to have their voices heard. The survey can be found on all of the Estevan Public Youth Centre’s social media pages, as well as on Snapchat. Now that the EPYC has its first executive director, they are working on their space and programming. “Things are going pretty well. We are trying to sort out our space and facility issues and learning from the community and some youth members to see what it is that they would like to see as we figure out our programming,” Dzuba

said. In the meantime, they are getting ready to start their first season of programming this fall. Dzuba said it seems they are not going to have a permanent facility as of yet, so they will rent space for programming. EPYC is also looking for volunteers. “If there are individuals or younger folks that are interested in volunteering with EPYC, I would be more than happy to hear from them. They can reach out to me by email or my phone number. And we’re just looking at getting some people organized so that when we do start running programming, we have individuals to help out with that,” Dzuba said. She added that more details are to come, but volunteering at the moment would assume programming support. “Whatever our pro-

EPYC executive director Juli Dzuba. File photo gramming ends up being, just having extra bodies there to engage with

youths and to work with youths, to help facilitate whatever programming is

happening on that evening. We are always interested in individuals that obviously like working with youths and are willing to work with youths,” Dzuba said. “And then when I was referencing the younger folks, I was interested in getting individuals that are looking at that mentorship role. So not necessarily those that are still in school, but are younger adults.” The volunteer portion of EPYC is currently pretty basic and assumes just a couple of programming nights a week, which means that it won’t be a big time commitment. “Hopefully, our volunteers will enjoy it and grow with the program as the facility grows,” Dzuba said. If anybody wants to contact Dzuba with some input, suggestions or to sign up as a volunteer, she can be reached at juli.dzuba@theepyc.ca or at 306421-3134.

Carlyle Fun Dayz festival grows

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« A1 The mayor expects there will be more children’s activities next year, and they will run later into the day, so that everyone has a chance to have a good time. Keeping everyone fed

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was also a challenge this year because they had so many people. But the reception to the food vendors was excellent. Many of the attractions offered have received excellent feedback.

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“Everyone did such a good job. There were lots of smiles and so many good things said,” she said. The contributions of volunteers and sponsors helped make the event a success. Sedor believes events like Carlyle Fun Dayz are vital to keeping the town vibrant. “We need to make sure that we are playing on the regional and interprovincial stage for tourism. We need to make sure that people know where we’re located and what we have to offer so that we continue to be an economic hub, so that we continue to be a tourist hub, so that our businesses and our area in general continue to be viable, and so that we have a diverse set of things to offer the region.” And if anyone out there wants to start a festival of their own for their community, Sedor believes it would be beneficial.

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Estevan woman shares her cancer experience to raise awareness about disease Story submitted by Becky Cassidy “You have cancer.” To me, those words sit at the top of the list of worst possible words to hear from your doctor. Especially when you are a mother of three kids, had a C-section four months ago and are in the middle of a pandemic. In February 2020, I went to St. Joseph’s Hospital for a routine colonoscopy, which I’d been doing ever since the doctor found polyps while investigating some digestion issues a few years back. The doctor came in and told me that there were a few polyps in my colon, and one of them he could not remove because it was too invasive. He said that although it did not look cancerous, he took a biopsy. He immediately referred me to a gastroenterologist in Regina. Although the local doctor wanted this taken care of that day, the Regina hospital could not fit me in. So I was left waiting for it to be taken care of later. First news - pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic caused quite an issue. All procedures that were not labelled “urgent” were put on a lengthy list. Although the physician here in Estevan thought it was urgent, it was not categorized as such in Regina. Meanwhile, the biopsy came back – the polyp was not cancerous, yet it needed to be taken care of, otherwise it could possibly turn into cancer. But apparently more than just the pandemic was in my way. More news – I’m pregnant We didn’t know this at the time, but I was about “five minutes” pregnant with my third child during my colonoscopy. By the time they were able to get me in to remove this nasty looking polyp, I was already about “honeydew melon” pregnant. However it is not recommended to do scopes while pregnant, so they said they would send me a letter a couple of months after the birth of my child. Bad news – here comes cancer After a fairly regular pregnancy, I ended up with an emergency C-section in November 2020. I had a beautiful baby girl, the perfect addition to our little family. But at the back of my mind loomed the question “Has it turned into cancer now?” In December, the waitlist at the Pasqua Hospital was still lengthy, and by this time, somehow, I had been listed as only needing a scope and nothing else. There were no

notes about the looming polyp. After some self advocating, speaking with the gastroenterologist, and insisting that he look at information that the doctor in Estevan had sent him, he realized that I had fallen through the cracks and it needed to be dealt with stat. Which unfortunately, due to COVID, meant in a couple of months. In April, I went up to the Pasqua Hospital for the moment of truth. I was nervous and not happy, as I had to go through it alone due to COVID. I nursed my almost five-month-old baby in the parking lot, said goodbye to my husband and walked up to the gastro unit. After I had my scope, I knew something was up. The specialist walked in, and he said those words… “I am sorry, but you have cancer.” He didn’t even have the biopsy results back yet. But he knew. And I knew. There it was. The dreaded c-word. I started to cry. My body and my bowel were exhausted, my breastmilk was leaking out, my post-partum emotions were raging, and my heart felt completely broken. I had never felt so alone. I made the trek back down to the parking lot where my husband and baby waited for the news. My husband hugged me, and we cried together, and while I breastfed my baby, he said, “The problem isn’t the problem, the problem is your attitude about the problem.” Now obviously, I wanted to punch him in the nose for saying that, but he was right. And we were going to get through it. Together. Getting through colon cancer My husband is my best friend. He is my rock and my strength, and I would not have been able to get through this without him. He is kind and patient, and approaches each situation with thoughtfulness and purpose. My strength to get through this came from the people I love. My parents, my sisters, my friends, my witty 12-year-old son, my cheeky three-year-old son and my sweet baby girl. But mostly my husband. In the days to come, I was told that I would need a colon resection surgery, a right hemicolectomy. My cancer was aggressive and invasive, and knowing how quickly it turned from a polyp into cancer, it needed to be dealt with within a month to ensure it did not spread to my liver or kidneys. After a CT scan and an MRI to ensure the cancer had not spread, I was medi-

cally ready for the surgery. But as a mom of a very young baby, the most difficult part was knowing that I would have to stop nursing her, that I wouldn’t be able to get up with her at night, lift her for six weeks… I knew my family would come through and that my husband could survive on very little sleep – but these were the worries that brought me to my most vulnerable and low points during this process. After spending over $200 on every different type of bottle on the market and crying daily with how impossible it was to get my five-month-old daughter to drink from literally anything other than me – one day she just looked at me and with her smart little eyes she said, “OK, mom – I will do it.” And she did. Finally, I was completely ready for surgery. On May 12, I had a right-hemicolectomy at the Regina General Hospital. The team of surgeons cut six holes in my tummy and pulled out half of my colon. And after just a few days in the hospital, I was free to come home. The biopsy came back - I had stage 1 invasive adenocarcinoma, the cancer had not spread. The surgeon said that although I still had to see the oncologist, he was sure that I did not need to have chemotherapy or radiation. The oncologist confirmed that no further treatment was needed. He also suspected that because of the make-up of the proteins in my tumour and some pre-testing that was done on it, that it was possible that I have Lynch syndrome, which is caused by an inherited gene mutation. I have been sent for testing as it is very important that I find out the results. If it comes back positive, it will be a whole new journey. Raising-awareness therapy Because this was such an emotional journey, I decided that it would be very therapeutic for me to create a vlog, where I share the entire process. The appointments, the MRI, the surgery, how to prep for a colonoscopy – all of it. This was not only important because it was helping me cope, but I truly feel that colon cancer is the most under-talked about and sometimes preventable cancer there is. I want people who may be wondering about their own health to think, “Maybe I should go for a scope or send in that kit.” I wanted to normalize colon cancer – because people don’t want to talk about it. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of death from

cancer in men and the third in women in Canada. That is a sobering statistic. Especially since my cancer, if dealt with sooner, would not have turned into cancer at all. I know prevention is key. It’s not just a cancer that affects the older generation. I am 20+… 17 years old, and since joining the colon cancer world on social media, I have met hundreds of people under the age of 40 with this disease. After the release of my first video, there was an outpouring of support and comments. It was humbling and amazing. My videos had thousands of views, and people from all over the world reached out, thanking me for sharing my story and sharing their story with me. Many people mentioned that after watching the videos, they were going to book themselves an appointment to deal with their issues. My cancer was a breeze compared to people with stage 3 or 4 colon cancer. Surgery, radiation, more surgery – it is not an easy road. People don’t want to talk about “colon” issues – they find it embarrassing or intimidating, but knowing now how deadly colon cancer is, I truly hope that my shared experience can help others. Epilogue The last six months have truly been a journey. When you find out you have cancer, suddenly the other problems in your life seem trivial. From this experience I have learned a few things. • Take a second. Take a second to laugh with your toddler when they rudely burp at the kitchen table after blowing bubbles into their chocolate milk. When your spouse tries to make you dance in the kitchen when you are frantically cooking dinner and trying to get the kids out the door for hockey – take a second to dance with him. Take a second to hug your awkward pre-teen even when they don’t want to and tell your neighbour how much you appreciate them when they bring you pie, or your coworker for always including you in the office lotto. Those are the things that matter. • It is so important to advocate for yourself and those you love in terms of healthcare. If you think something is wrong, or if you feel that you have slipped between the cracks, say something, take notes, talk about it. • Colonoscopy prep is crappy. Literally. But colon cancer is worse. My journey with cancer is over for now, but my journey of advocating for awareness has just begun.

It is time to get back in routine! Academic Planners/Diaries & Happy Planners

Becky Cassidy said that she felt she had to share her story so others take care of themselves. Photo courtesy of Becky Cassidy

The family that made it through a lengthy challenge: Becky Cassidy, her husband Keith, and children Boston, Jack and Isla. Photo courtesy of Becky Cassidy

Husband Keith has been with Becky Cassidy through the entire cancer experience. Photo courtesy of Becky Cassidy

Becky Cassidy in the hospital while wearing a body warming apparatus. Photo courtesy of Becky Cassidy

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Be the candidate that we deserve The federal election campaign is underway. The party leaders have been out, trying to generate support in an effort to become Canada’s next prime minister. We’re finding out the names of the candidates in Souris-Moose Mountain, and we’ll be seeing election campaign signs popping up. A simple request for the candidates in Souris-Moose Mountain: put in the necessary amount of time. We deserve your best. It can be easy for candidates in SourisMoose Mountain to take a lackadaisical attitude towards the election. This riding is a Conservative Party stronghold. It’s been held by a right-of-centre party since 1997. And it would be a pretty significant upset if the Tories’ Robert Kitchen wasn’t re-elected. But that doesn’t mean that this gives the other candidates a free pass to do nothing. And besides, we all know that upsets happen in elections. We saw that in Nova Scotia’s provincial election last week. Not many thought the Progressive Conservatives would walk away with a majority. The people of Souris-Moose Mountain deserve a candidate that cares as much as any other riding. The trend towards parachute candidates has been growing in recent elections. In the 2011 federal election, all four candidates were residents of Souris-Moose Mountain.

In 2015, we had a couple of parachutes, although they at least put in some measure of effort. In 2019, three of the six candidates were from the riding, although two of the parachutes at least showed up for the debates. It should also be noted that if you’re not from Souris-Moose Mountain, it’s tough to grasp the issues facing the different areas of the riding, and that the issues facing one area will be completely different from those in another area. You’re not running for a big-city seat. You can walk from one end of a Toronto riding to the other in less time than it takes to drive from the northeast end to the southwest end of Souris-Moose Mountain. This is one of the most vast, non-northern constituencies in the country. The issues facing Rocanville in the northeast corner are completely different than those facing Coronach in the southwest. The issues facing Estevan are completely different than those facing Weyburn, even though the two cities are separated by 84 kilometres. But still, if you choose to be a candidate in this election, if you want to be a representative of your party, then you need to put in a candidate’s amount of work. Get out there. Talk to people. Articulate your platforms. Attend the debates. It’s very difficult to get to all of the com-

munities in the riding during the election, especially during a pandemic. But the candidates should at least try. As for the residents of the riding, remember to be classy. If a candidate comes to your door, show respect. Don’t insult or ridicule that person, no matter how much you disagree with their politics. Talk to them. Listen to them. Ask them questions. You don’t have to promise to vote for each person, but there is a right way to go about things. This is a great constituency with some wonderful people and some terrific communities. It’s also a riding going through a tough transition time, as communities look at a future without conventional coal power, farmers have to endure drought and other weather-related issues, and oil and gas sector workers feel like they don’t have the support of the government. The carbon tax is having negative consequences for many. And we’re still dealing with the consequences of a pandemic. Real candidates need to be talking to people about these issues. The parties that they are representing deserve the absolute best of their candidates. If a candidate can’t provide their best to a party, then it’s a disservice to the party. And even worse, it’s a disservice to the people of Souris-Moose Mountain.

It’s not just about the ranchers, it’s going to be about all of us There is no easy solution, and that’s scary. This was the conclusion I made after about an hour-long conversation with auntie about the local livestock producers and the situation they find themselves in this year. As a person that lives in a big city on a different continent, she didn’t know much about the problems that food producers all over the world are dealing with now. Of course, she heard on the news about massive droughts and terrible floods, but as a consumer, she didn’t put much thought into it rather than being worried for people struggling in affected regions. So as an example, I tried to describe to her the situation we are witnessing here in living colour. I told her about clouds of grasshoppers that shoot up from under your feet when you walk around the field these days. I told her about cracks in the dirt that were already terrifying last winter. And I told her about ranchers in the area who pick 20 bales from fields where they used to get 120. She listened closely, and being a practical person, right away suggested a solution. “Then cows will need to stay out in the pastures as long as they can and then a bit longer,” she said. It would be such an easy way out, wouldn’t it? But with a lack of moisture, pastures look like we are in the midst of a Western movie. In many spots, rains didn’t come in time, so there is no regrow and probably there won’t be any this year. And

Ana Bykhovskaia Twenty Lines About… cows eat a lot. I mean a lot. “How about grain? Can you feed it to cows?” – she asked. You definitely can. But first, not all ranchers grow grain for feed. Besides, the droughts that have been torturing the planet here and there made all kinds of agricultural products more valuable, thus cutting an already narrow financial wiggle room ranchers have to find solutions to keep their business going even narrower. “Well, then you’d need to buy some feed,” auntie suggested. But everyone is in the same boat in this sense. Some producers in the area had quite a bit of carryover left from previous seasons, which will be a game-changer this year. But not all of them had extras. Those who saved some bales from before probably feel a bit better now, but I don’t think anyone around southeast Saskatchewan will be selling much until they know for sure that they have enough to feed their herds, which usually happens towards the end of the season. Outside of that, shipping costs probably again will ruin it for the farmers. “So what do you do?” she asked. And to that, I didn’t really have an answer. Yes, there are some provincial and federal support programs being rolled out.

Hopefully, they’ll provide enough funding so that the producers could keep their heads above … dusty fields, I guess. But what scared me more than the saddest situation I’ve seen in the area for as long as I’ve been around, is the fact that we are not the only producers facing serious problems. Droughts and natural disasters drastically affected the key agricultural regions this year. Cattle producers are hurting the most in our area so far, but around the world problems spread over to grain growers in Argentina, Russia, and Western Canada and the U.S.; vegetable farms in California; and pork producers in China. Madagascar is already experiencing an emergency due to a significant lack of food. And if these tendencies pertain, the rest of the world will need to hunker down pretty soon. We may skip buying new gadgets or vehicles for a year if we have to. I understand that it will still create problems down the lines of the supply chains, employing thousands of people. Yet, that’s still something that could be put on pause. But we can’t really stop eating for a year or two. Of course, our consumption habits can be modified to a point even when it comes to eating, but there is not that much wiggle room in this area. The lack of food and water may turn into a war pretty fast. And experts warn that the problem will only intensify if no urgent action is taken to help modify the agricultural industry and to change the global consumption patterns.

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Diane Neufeld to represent People’s Party of Canada

David Willberg Willberg’s World

The longest border wait ever There’s something strange about an international boundary that is open for one country but not for the other. Yet that’s the situation we find ourselves in with the Canada-U.S. border – the longest international border in the world. Americans who are fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus are able to cross the border into Canada, and have been able to do so for a few weeks. And when the border was reopened to U.S. travellers, many logically expected that it would be a matter of time before fully vaccinated Canadians could head to the U.S. for the first time in 17 months. That’s not the case. To the dismay of many, the U.S. has decided that Canadians won’t be able to venture to the U.S. for at least another month. The number of cases of the Delta variant was cited as the reason for the decision. Canadians who were looking forward to venturing down south for some cross-border shopping, or for a sporting event, or to visit a favourite tourist attraction, will have to keep waiting. It’s particularly frustrating for Canadians who haven’t been able to go to the U.S. to visit a loved one since March 2020. Their hopes were given a boost once Americans were allowed to come into Canada, but they have to keep waiting to go to the U.S. The ongoing border closure is hard on communities whose economies rely heavily on cross-border traffic. It’s become another hardship at a time with so many economic challenges. The U.S. government’s decision to keep the Canada-U.S. border closed to non-essential traffic is also terrible timing for the federal Liberal Party, who recently called a snap federal election in an effort to gain enough seats in Parliament to have a majority government. The Liberals come across as schmucks on this one. Americans can come to Canada, but Canadians can’t go to the U.S. for non-essential purposes. Of course, it’s not a simple move for the U.S. If the Americans reopen the border to Canada, they have to reopen the border to Mexico, and I don’t think they’re ready to take that step. But Canadians looking to take a trip to the U.S. don’t give a damn about Mexico. Many Canadians might want to see Canada shut down to non-essential American traffic once again, but there are a lot of people who are very happy to see Americans back in this country, most notably those in the hospitality sector. Many hotel and restaurant owners are pleased to welcome back American visitors. Seventeen months ago, the closure of the Canada-U.S. border to non-essential traffic was one of those things that needed to happen at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when there were so many unknowns. Since American COVID-19 numbers were so much higher than our figures, there wasn’t exactly much appetite to have the border open again. While there were people in the southeast who were no doubt eager to head down south, they were in the minority. And you couldn’t just reopen the border in areas where case counts are lower, or where there’s a greater percentage of fully vaccinated people. If you’re going to reopen the border in some areas, you have to open it again everywhere. Now that the majority of Canadians are fully vaccinated, and the majority of Americans are fully vaccinated, the border reopening shouldn’t be an issue. Yes, there are logistics that have to be worked out, but if you’ve had two doses of vaccine, then you can travel abroad. (Of course, there will also be exemptions on the vaccination requirement for those under the age of 12, or for those who medically can’t receive the vaccine). And people who have decided not to get the vaccine, for whatever reason, shouldn’t complain if they aren’t allowed into the U.S. Yes, it’s concerning that we’re seeing a growing number of cases, but that shouldn’t be the determining factor in the status of the border. We’ll see how much longer it takes before fully vaccinated Canadians are allowed to head south again, and how long this current arrangement lasts. But with each passing week in which the Canada-U.S. border is only open one way, frustration for many Canadians will continue to grow.

The candidate for the People’s Party of Canada (PPC) in Souris-Moose Mountain in the upcoming federal election Diane Neufeld was confirmed as the party’s candidate late last week. A resident of Maryfield, she said she decided to run for the PPC because she believes it’s the only choice for Canada to become free from what she called the “tyranny” of what’s been happening in Canada over the past 17 months. “We will not support these kinds of radical things that have been happening this past year and a half,” she said. “We want to have our values, our freedom, our sovereignty, our justice, our equality for all, prosperity and truth,” said Neufeld. She opted to run so that the voters in Souris-Moose Mountain would have the PPC as an option on the ballot. This marks the second federal election for the party since its inception in 2018. She vowed the PPC would change the things that have not been happening properly for Canadians.

Neufeld also voiced her opposition to the “globalism” that she says is going on. The government needs to put Canada first, and not worry about sending money to other countries when Canadians are suffering. She also called on the federal government to support Indigenous people and veterans who gave their lives for Canadians’ freedoms. “We’re not looking after them. There are some vets, many vets, who are homeless, who are using food banks, etc., and we have to stop that. Our Indigenous people they have been totally put under the rug. We have to look after them.” This marks the first time that Neufeld has run for public office, but she said she has worked in public areas before. Her family was politically active at the provincial and municipal levels. “I have always been interested, but lately in the last years, since I started having grandchildren, it’s become more and more important for me. I just need to have my country be suitable for the following generations, and right now, I don’t want

Diane Neufeld of the People’s Party of Canada. my children or grandchildren to live like this.” Neufeld said there isn’t a difference between the four main parties, and that the Conservatives, the New Democratic Party and the Green Party would follow the same agenda as the Liberals. She is looking forward to participating in the debates, and she would love to get out and meet with the public. But due to the size of the riding, she doubts she

would be able to get to every community. “I plan on doing a lot of online stuff so that I can get to people. They can watch me on my social media, and that’s how I will do most of it (reaching out to the public) because we have a very short time limit here,” she said. Neufeld has also been working to get her social media platforms up and running before the election, which is slated for Sept. 20.

Maverick Party finds a candidate for Souris-Moose Mountain The Maverick Party will have a candidate in SourisMoose Mountain for its first federal election campaign. The party announced this past weekend that Dr. Greg Douglas would represent them in this riding for the Sept. 20 election. The Maverick Party (formerly the WExit, or Western Exit Party) will have at least 28 candidates in the election across Western Canada, including seven in Saskatchewan. “We need an option that was specific to the views of the west, because the mainstream parties have been ignoring us. They’ve been ignoring us in oil and gas. They’ve been ignoring us in agriculture. And they’ve been ignoring us in fair representation,” said Douglas, a Weyburn-area veterinarian and business owner who has worked in Estevan. He believes the Maverick Party is the best bet to give voters in SourisMoose Mountain an option in this election. Douglas voiced support for the party’s call to repeal the carbon tax and to alter equalization payments. “We’ve seen this government, the current government, implement the carbon tax without caring for the oil and gas industry,

or frankly, the revenue and the economic well-being of Saskatchewan and Alberta,” he said. He believes the carbon pricing plan brought forward by the Conservatives amounts to a carbon tax. As for equalization, Western Canada continues to pay billions of dollars to central Canada, and the west doesn’t see much coming back in terms of support and fair programming. “That really reflects the amount of economic and financial contribution the west makes to the rest of Canada,” he said. Saskatchewan and Alberta also need more representation in the senate. Douglas said the Maverick Party members are proud Canadians, and their first choice is to work with the federal government to increase autonomy for the west while getting fair representation. If all else fails, they would consider western independence. “It’s about a fair deal for the west in Canada, and if a fair deal isn’t forthcoming from the rest of Canada, then we should pursue other options,” said Douglas. This isn’t the first time that Douglas has run for MP. In 1997, he was the candidate for the Progressive Conservative Party in

Maverick Party candidate Dr. Greg Douglas Souris-Moose Mountain, but lost to the late Roy Bailey of the Reform Party. “I’ve been a conservative the majority of my life. So this is very new for me to move to a brand new party, because I just felt the Conservatives weren’t listening to us anymore,” said Douglas. Since the 1997 election, he has continued to closely watch politics at different levels. Douglas said he is looking forward to candidates’ forums that will be happening prior to the election. He hopes constituents who are

frustrated will exercise their right to vote. “I think you’re going to see a significant movement based on the fact that they haven’t felt like they had an option in the past. After Labour Day, when farmers are wrapping things, up, they’ll look at us more closely.” Other declared candidates in Souris-Moose Mountain are Javin AmesSinclair of the Liberal Party, Dr. Robert Kitchen of the Conservative Party and Diane Neufeld of the People’s Party of Canada. Kitchen is the incumbent MP.

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Two marquee events will benefit from harvested crop For the second straight year, a crop has been harvested in the Estevan area to benefit a couple of marquee events for the region. Approximately 280-290 acres of hard red spring wheat were seeded and harvested this year near the Estevan Regional Airport. The harvest occurred on Aug. 17 and 18. Canola was seeded last year. “We had more than what we had last year. We did some work last year on the land, and got quite a few more acres ready for cropping this year,” said Pauline Ziehl Grimsrud, the manager of the Estevan Curling Club and a local farmer herself. The proceeds from the crop will be split between the 2022 Centennial Cup national junior A hockey championship, presented by Tim Hortons, which will be hosted by the Estevan Bruins, and the Scotties-Tankard curling committee.

Estevan was to host the SaskPower Scotties Tournament of Hearts women’s curling provincial championship and the SaskTel Tankard men’s provincial tournament in 2021, but the events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The curling club will look to host the two events in the future, but not in 2022. Ziehl Grimsrud said she was impressed with how this year’s crop turned out. “Given the circumstances that all farmers are facing this year, we’re pretty pleased,” said Ziehl Grimsrud. “It came in in good shape. We were fortunate to catch that rain in the long weekend in May, and that was a pretty important rain for us.” Commodity prices are very strong, she said, which will help offset the bushels that weren’t out there this year. It’s not known how much money will be raised for the two events, because

some bills still need to be paid, but she expects the organizations will split about $55,000. Ziehl Grimsrud pointed out they used a proper rotation for the crops they seeded, and it’s a relief to have the wheat harvested and at the Richardson Pioneer facility west of the city. The Centennial Cup committee proved to be a great partner for this proverbial field of dreams, she said. “They had a tough go of it, too, with the uncertainty for so long whether their event was going to go (ahead), but it’s been good,” said Ziehl Grimsrud. “It’s good for our groups to work together and it’s been a positive experience. We’re totally supporting the Centennial Cup group and their work and bringing the event to the community. We look forward to helping them.” Redhead Equipment and Richardson Pioneer were partners on the fun-

A crop was recently harvested near the Estevan Regional Airport to benefit a couple of upcoming events in the community. Photo submitted by Tyler McMillen draiser. Other supporters included Ray Frehlick and Frehlick Farms, Mike Marr, Bayer Crop Science, Merv Hagel, the City of Estevan, Corteva Agriscience, FMC, The Mosaic Company, Syngenta Can-

ada, and A & D Trucking. This will mark the final year for the fundraiser, as the two-year agreement with the city, Richardson Pioneer and Redhead Equipment has wrapped up.

A cheque presentation with all of the involved parties is scheduled to happen in September. Not only will the final totals for this year be announced, but the final figure for the two years will be revealed.

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Salvation Army locally, the customers who visit their thrift store and the community as a whole. “So far, it’s been really quite enjoyable,” she told the Mercury. Estevan is a “very lovely” community, she said. Wynne appreciates that it’s quiet. The people are very friendly, and she’s not surprised when she says hello to someone and they want to stop for a conversation. “It’s very friendly and it’s been very clean. I have enjoyed trying out different things. I have eaten at some of the local places,” she said. The people she talks to in Estevan take a keen interest in what is happening with the Salvation Army, and those who work at the thrift store are wonderful. “We’re running like a team already. It didn’t take very long to adjust to that at all. And then the people everywhere that I’ve met so far have been super friendly and super helpful,” she said. Wynne started her time with the Salvation Army in the tiny fishing community of Glover’s Harbour, N.L, and then moved to

Mississauga, Ont., where she worked at Erin Mills Community Church. “There was lots in the building,” said Wynne. “There was a daycare, women’s counselling centre, food bank and family services.” Part of Wynne’s responsibilities in Estevan will be restarting a church in the city. The Salvation Army’s church has been dormant locally for two years. She said they will be looking at what they want. “I don’t want to just repeat all of the different services that other churches are offering. So we’re taking the time to look and see where we can be of best service in Estevan and Weyburn,” she said. Wynne hopes they will eventually gather again. It might be a while before they meet on a Sunday, and they might offer other programs and services. “I’m still getting to know what the community is, so we might offer a Bible study at some point, or we might offer a chapel type service on a weekday night,” said Wynne. The gathering aspect is important for building community, she said, and

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Jaclyn Wynne is the new pastor for the Salvation Army in Estevan. She will also work in Weyburn.

the ability to gather is what separates it from an online service. Ronza Reynard will continue to be the director of ministry for the Salvation Army in Estevan and will look after the different community services, so if people have questions about the food bank and other family services programs, they would turn to Reynard. Wynne’s focus would be the church aspect. Wynne will split her time between Estevan and Weyburn, although she will likely be in Estevan four days a week and Weyburn once. Her role in Weyburn will likely be more of a chaplain, in which people can drop by and talk to the pastor. For more information, visit the Salvation Army Cornerstone Circuit Facebook page.

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Burgers to Beat MS Kim Holstein was eager to serve up a Teen Burger at the annual Burgers to Beat MS at the Estevan A&W on Thursday. Two dollars from the sale of every Teen Burger that day was donated to the MS Society of Canada to support those living with multiple sclerosis. Estevan and other A&W locations throughout the country participated in the fundraiser.

Master guitarist Jack Semple coming to Orpheum Theatre By Ana Bykhovskaia Estevan will have a unique opportunity to dissolve in virtuous guitar music on Thursday. The Orpheum Theatre is bringing live music back. The audience will get to enjoy the show by Regina’s Jack Semple with his band and special guests, Last Birds, on Aug. 26, starting at 7:30 p.m. In an interview with the Mercury, Semple said he might play some acoustic guitar, but most of it will be electric, which is what he usually does when he plays with the band. The audience can expect a wide variety of beautiful music and also the great atmosphere of a live concert. “One thing I’ve noticed since gigs have started coming back, the enthusiasm from the audience is amazing because they haven’t seen a live performance in almost two years. So the audiences are fantastic, and that energizes the band, so we’ll be full of energy and it’ll be a really fun gig. It will be pumping out lots of energy and having lots of fun,” Semple said. “I’m really thankful that the Orpheum Theatre is presenting live music, because, for musicians and artists in general, it’s been very difficult since the pandemic started. And to have an opportunity to come and play again for a live audience … I’m so thankful

to Jocelyn and everybody at the Orpheum Theatre for being proactive to try and get the ball rolling again. There’s nothing better than seeing a live performance. It’s real.” Semple is no stranger to Estevan. The last time he was in the Energy City was in 2019 alongside Jeffery Straker and Annette Champagne, but he said that was a different show as he played acoustic that time. He hasn’t played on the same stage with Last Birds yet but is looking forward to meeting the popular folk Americana North Portal duo consisting of Lindsay Arnold and her husband Mike Davis. Semple said that the pandemic have been pretty boring with hardly any gigs available. But the lack of performances allowed for more teaching. “I have young people who are just starting, and I also have professional musicians. The nice thing about teaching on Zoom is that I’ve got guitar players from all over. I’ve got musicians in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, the Maritimes, and people who live across the street from me who don’t feel like coming over because of the pandemic,” Semple said. He’s also been “retraining” himself in playing guitar to go past any limitations, open up new doors

Thank you.

May I pass on to all Family Members, Relatives and Friends my deepest appreciation for gifts, birthday cards and best wishes for my 90th birthday. May you all enjoy good health, happiness and good will for years to come. Love to All Ben Anderson

Jack Semple is to perform at the Orpheum Theatre on Thursday. Photo provided by Jocelyn Dougherty of the Orpheum Theatre and explore sounds. “I have this technique of playing guitar that I’ve developed for my whole life of playing without a pick.

And so in the last year and a half, I’ve been retraining myself to play with a pick, which is a totally different skill. It sounds like an obvi-

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ous thing for people to play with a pick. But for me, it’s always been difficult. So I’ve been practising and retraining my guitar skills,” Semple said. This summer, when crowds were still restricted, he started his solo Backyard Barbecue Festival, which he said was fun, but different from playing for larger audiences. After the restrictions were lifted he played in Edmonton, and he is looking forward to returning to bigger live shows and playing with his band. “Now it’s starting to open up again, and the Orpheum Theatre is going to be a lot of fun,” Semple said. Semple grew up on a farm north of Regina. He started his musical career playing with various Regina-based bands. In the late 1980s, he relocated to Toronto, where he became the lead guitarist of The Lincolns, a popular funk and rhythm and blues band. He left the band after two years and returned to Regina to pursue a solo career and to spend more time with his family. After his move back to Regina, Semple contributed to television and music scores and appeared in the

title role of Guitarman, a 1994 movie. Semple also commenced a solo recording career that has resulted in the release of 10 albums. In 1992, Semple came to national prominence through winning the MuchMusic Guitar Wars contest. He’s been twice nominated for a Gemini Award for his soundtrack work on the TV series Incredible Story Studio, and won a Juno award in 1991 for best roots recording. Semple also has won two Western Canadian music awards for Qu’Appelle and In the Blue Light. Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky was so impressed with Semple’s music that he flew him to play at his wedding. “It was great. If you’re a hockey fan, it was… It was like every famous hockey player in the world was there. I got Gordie Howe’s autograph on Wayne and Janet’s wedding invitation. I gave it to my brother-inlaw, Joe, who’s a huge hockey fan. That was my hockey royalty,” recalled Semple with a laugh. He continues to perform as a solo artist and with The Jack Semple Band, across Canada and is now being championed across America.

A8 August 25, 2021

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No surge in visitors in North Portal after U.S. border reopened

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Suggested Routes, Stops, Times & Bus #’s

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