Estevan Mercury 20230802

Special moment. Local boy gets recognized during the RCMP Musical Ride in Regina.

Brayden Pachal brought the Stanley Cup to Estevan for a massive community celebration

Unique experience. Estevan students get to explore B.C., compete in sports and practise French.

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Quadruple crown. Saskota tournament wraps up in Estevan.

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By David Willberg

Celebrating Saskatchewan Day. Find out what’s planned for August long in new special section.

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Brayden Pachal knew where he wanted to spend his one day with the Stanley Cup. He was going to bring it to his hometown of Estevan.

Pachal, a defenceman with the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, brought the NHL’s iconic championship trophy to the Energy City on Sunday, and a large crowd was present to greet him.

The Stanley Cup arrived at the Estevan Regional Airport from Montana on Sunday morning. Pachal and his family picked up the trophy and brought it to the Estevan Leisure Centre, where a large crowd was present to greet him.

more than three-quarters of the way around the Affinity Place concourse, as more than a thousand people were eager to meet Pachal, pose for pictures with him and the Stanley Cup, and get an autographed picture of him.

“A day like this brings you back to your roots and where it all started,” said Pachal. “It’s the love of the game, and to bring this back, it’s pretty special.”

During a press conference that followed the autograph session, he said his wrist was feeling fine despite all of the autographs that he signed. And he was surprised by the number of people who attended.

A barbecue was held in the Estevan Leisure Centre’s forecourt late in the morning and early in the afternoon, with approximately 800 people served.

And a public skate was held at Affinity Place. Pachal donned his skates and took a few laps around the ice surface where he played several years of minor hockey.

“I know I couldn’t have gotten to where I am today without the community,” said Pachal. “It takes a community to raise a child. I’m super thankful that I got to grow up in Estevan. It’s an amazing place to live and it’s pretty cool to bring this back home.”

Toronto. He’s also known as the Keeper of the Cup, the man who has escorted the Stanley Cup to locations around the world every year.

He’s been escorting the Stanley Cup since 1988, and he’s not sure of how he earned the Keeper of the Cup moniker.

It’s been another enjoyable summer for Pritchard. Each of the 52 players, coaches and executives of the Golden Knights to have their name engraved on the cup will get to spend a day with the trophy in the community of their choice.

Progressing in musical industry. Former Estevan resident talks about his career.

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He hoisted the 35-pound trophy over his head several times, drawing cheers from the adoring public.

He then walked the Cup into the Estevan Leisure Centre and Affinity Place, where he signed autographs for more than two hours. At one point, the lineup was

It was particularly special to share the day with his parents, Kent and Rhonda Pachal, who are long-time and well-known residents of Estevan. And he was pleased to see friends and teammates he hadn’t seen in many years.

“It’s cool on a day like today for everybody to get together and share this one,” said Pachal.

It’s believed that Pachal is the first player to be born, raised and trained in Estevan to win the Stanley Cup.

Joining Pachal in Estevan was Phil Pritchard, who’s the curator of the Hockey Hall of Fame, which means he’s responsible for the artifacts, including the trophies, on display at the building in

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“We’re at the end of July now and all is well. We still have a couple more months to go for travelling. We’re in Saskatchewan now, and everybody knows you don’t win the Stanley Cup without having Saskatchewan-born players,” said Pritchard.

He was also impressed with the event in Estevan to celebrate Pachal’s championship victory.

Brayden Pachal hoists the Stanley Cup during a brief parade in front of the Estevan Leisure Centre while his girlfriend Sydney Usellman looks on.

Photo by David Willberg

Wooden signs, knit blankets & so much more.

“The community that’s come out today to support Brayden and everything that’s going on is fabulous. That’s what you want in a community,” said Pritchard.

He knew there would be a great turnout to greet Pachal, because that’s what happens in smaller Prairie communities.

“Everyone is thrilled that they have a hometown guy winning the Stanley Cup. You can see it in their smiles and their faces. They’re happy to be part of the whole event. I don’t think Brayden would have it any other way. He wants to share it with the people he grew up with,” said Pritchard.

This wasn’t his first time in Estevan. He travelled to the Energy City when the Stanley Cup toured SJHL communities in 2001.

And he was in Car-

lyle when Jim McKenzie brought the Stanley Cup to the town back in 2003.

The day before coming to Estevan, Pritchard and the Stanley Cup were in Rock Creek, Mont., as Golden Knights owner Bill Foley had it for a couple of days. After leaving Estevan, Lord Stanley’s trophy was taken to an area just outside of Saskatoon for Knights forward Chandler Stephenson’s day with the Cup.

Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon and defenceman Brayden McNabb also have days planned in Saskatchewan.

Later this summer, Pritchard will accompany the trophy as it heads to stops in Sweden and Latvia. The Latvian trip for Golden Knights’ forward Teddy Blueger will be the first time Pritchard has ac-

companied a player to the Latvian nation.

“It should be a pretty exciting day for him and the people of Riga,” said Pritchard.

Pachal played his minor hockey in the Energy City until he reached the U18 level. He has fond memories of playing in the old Civic Auditorium from his first season of minor hockey until Affinity Place opened in 2011, although there was still the occasional game in the venerable rink.

“You walk in, and it smells like the sweaty dressing room mixed with popcorn,” he said to laughter from those at the press conference.

He played several games for the Estevan Bruins in the 2014-15 SJHL season, and played four seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Victoria Cougars and the Prince Albert Raiders. He captained the Raiders to the Western Hockey League championship in 2019.

Pachal joined the Golden Knights’ organization as an undrafted free agent later that year.

He was called up by Vegas from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, where he is the team captain, before the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs. He played in one game in the playoffs, in the clinching game of the firstround series against the Winnipeg Jets.

He also appeared in 10 games in the regular season for Vegas, registering two points, including his first point in the NHL.

Pachal said he has been working hard so that he can stick with the Golden Knights next season, but it will be tough on a defence that is regarded as maybe the best in the NHL.

“This summer is really big. I think I got a chance to crack the lineup, and now it’s on me to put the work in to do that,” he said.

Pachal has been training this offseason and spending time with his grandfather at

White Bear Lake. He noted his grandfather is 93 years old, and it’s been nice creating new memories with him.

He’ll also start skating in Regina in August, and he’s also looking forward to being part of the Este-

van Bruins summer hockey camp later this month as well.

To see more photos of Pachal’s day with the Stanley Cup, please visit our provincial news hub at www.sasktoday.ca.

Crime Severity Index number approaches all-time low

By David Willberg

Statistics Canada released its crime severity index (CSI) report for 2022 on Thursday, and it showed that Estevan’s number was close to its lowest level in 25 years.

The CSI for Estevan was at 79.54, which was down from the 88.2 recorded in 2021. Also, the CSI for Estevan in 2022 was the third-lowest since the information started being reported for Estevan in 1998. Only 2000 (75.73) and 2017 (75) were lower.

“I was happy to see our crime severity index go down from last year, and if you look at our overall crime severity index, we’re at the lowest we’ve been

at in the last five years, so that’s a nice indicator that we’re moving in a nice direction,” said Police Chief Rich Lowen.

Estevan’s CSI for violent crime came in at 98.04, much lower than the 153.89 recorded in 2021, when there was a charge for second-degree murder in the city.

The non-violent CSI for Estevan stood at 72.81, up from the 62.69 seen in 2021. Still, the non-violent figure for Estevan was the second-lowest in the past 25 years.

Lowen admits people in the community have to take the CSI number “with a grain of salt”.

“When you’re in a smaller-sized community like

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we are here, numbers can get expanded quite rapidly when you look at percentages. I know they try to balance it out over a population of 100,000 when they look at these numbers. So, two events in a community of our size can raise it [the CSI] up quite quickly.”

The murder charge in Estevan in 2021 was the first in seven years in Estevan.

The crime severity index is not something that you want to look at individually, he said, but it can raise red flags for the service.

“In a larger urban population, if you have a lot of more severe crimes, like a homicide, if you see those numbers creeping up, it would be a clear red flag that something that has to be addressed. But in our community, if you have one homicide every seven years, it’s not like you can specifically address any crimereduction strategy towards

that,” said Lowen. He defended the size of the EPS in the face of the declining crime numbers, saying the lower CSI reflects a good police force. When the officers reach out to people and talk to the community, it helps reduce crime.

“I’m hoping that people realize that having a good

force, having the numbers that we have, helps maintain those [low CSI] numbers.”

Lowen believes Estevan is a safe community to live.

“When you look comparatively across the country, you’ll see numbers that creep up quite high, and I think we’re in a good community. We have a good group of people who help to keep an eye on things, and … when they have concerns about things, they communicate with police,” he said.

Among policing jurisdictions that serve a population of at least 10,000 people, Estevan came in at 107th out of 330 overall, sitting at 94th for violent crime and 109th for nonviolent crime.

And among the 11 Saskatchewan police agencies serving a population of at least 10,000 people, Estevan was ninth, with only Martensville and Warman lower. Estevan also had the lowest CSI among the six Saskatchewan cities with municipal police forces.

The report also looks at figures for RCMP de-

tachments. The Estevan RCMP had a CSI of 70.30, up from the 2021 number of 63.63. The violent crime index was at 66.88, up from 59.54 a year earlier. The non-violent crime index was at 72.25, up from 65.80 in 2021.

The Carnduff RCMP was at 48.64, up from 37.77 recorded in 2021. The violent crime index rose to 42.68, compared with 34.62 the previous year, while the non-violent rate was at 51.43, compared to 39.34.

The Carlyle RCMP’s overall number stood at 111.42, down slightly from 2021 when it stood at 112.26. Violent crime stood at 119.74, which was up considerably from 89.49 the previous year, while non-violent crime was measured at 109.04, down from 122.31 the previous year.

The Crime Severity Index is a measure of policereported crime that assigns a value to the different types of crimes, tabulates the number and then assigns a value based on a population of 100,000 people.

Estevan Police Chief Rich Lowen

Brayden Pachal was accompanied by the Keeper of the Cup, Phil Pritchard, while in Estevan.

Brayden Pachal, left, and Zach Whitecloud with the Stanley Cup at the Estevan Regional Airport, after the trophy was flown in from Montana.

Brayden Pachal signed autographs and posed for pictures with many people on Sunday.

Special moment for local youth at Musical Ride

By Ana Bykhovskaia

The contributions of Estevan’s Kolton Tweed, 11, were recognized during this year’s RCMP Musical Ride visit to Regina on July 22.

Seven years ago, Kolton, who was five years old at the time, submitted an entry through the RCMP’s Name the Foal contest, which en-

courages kids to come up with names for the horses that will become part of the RCMP Musical Ride. His suggestion to name a horse Noble was picked, and he received a variety of prizes from the RCMP. But it turned out to be just the beginning of Kolton’s and Noble’s story. This spring Noble made the news once again, as the

seven-year-old mare who performed through the Musical Ride was gifted to King Charles III and then partook in Charles’ coronation.

In July, when the ride made it to Regina, Kolton’s historical input was celebrated with all the honours.

Kolton’s mother Jodi said Sgt. Maj. Scott Williamson, who is the riding master with RCMP, was the one who got in touch with them and then organized this recognition. The family was invited to come watch the Musical Ride in Regina, and they were also asked to come down to the stables after the show.

“During the actual Musical Ride, the sergeant major spoke a couple of times in front of the whole crowd at the Brandt Centre about the Name the Foal contest and that there was a young man in the crowd named Kolton Tweed, who had named a horse that was gifted to the king. And he spoke about the history of horses from the RCMP going to the royal family,” Jodi shared.

“Then we were invited back to the stables after the show, and all the members of the Musical Ride had gathered around … and he said that they had a presentation for Kolton because he had named this horse and the horse was then gifted to the king.”

“You can buy challenge coins as souvenirs, but this particular one is numbered. So, he said in his speech that it means that Kolton is forever a part of the RCMP and a part of their family,” Jodi explained.

The presentation concluded with a triple cheer for Kolton, and Jodi said it all was very exciting.

“It was a very unexpected, but a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And all of the Musical Ride and the members that we communicated with that day were just such great ambassadors for the RCMP and the Musical Ride. They really communicated the importance and significance of everything. So, it was just a really, really special moment.”

The Tweed family also brought souvenirs from Estevan for Sgt. Maj. Williamson as he was the one who went the extra mile to make it special for Kolton, Jodi said.

Among other items Kolton received was a horseshoe from Noble with King Charles III’s initials on it.

Kolton was presented with a horseshoe that Noble wore during the coronation, which was stamped with King Charles’ initials. Kolton also received a picture of the king riding Noble during the trooping the colour this year, signed by all of the Musical Ride participants. And he was given a certificate from the RCMP and Sgt. Maj. Williamson, as well as a deck of cards from the Musical Ride and a challenge coin for their regiment.

“Sergeant Major Williamson is originally from Saskatchewan himself, and I don’t know if it had been anybody else if they would have bothered to look us up,” Jodi said. “He took the initiative to make all those connections and then reach out to me by email. And so I just wanted to show him that we really appreciated that because I think that it really speaks to the Saskatchewan side of him.

“And he was so good to Kolton. He told Kolton that he talked to the king and the king was also very proud.”

She said Kolton’s day was indeed exceptional, and this entire adventure might be just the beginning of a new chapter one day.

“He felt very, very proud. And when we were at the Musical Ride, there were a lot of people there, and he said to me, ‘Mom, I’m glad they’re

Sgt. Maj. Scott Williamson, who serves as riding master for the RCMP, ensured that Estevan’s Kolton Tweed, who named what turned out to be a royal horse, was celebrated with all the honours during the RCMP Musical Ride in Regina. Photos courtesy of Jodi Tweed

not doing it in front of everybody because that would have been really intimidating,’” Jodi said. “I think actually, for Kolton, it was more meaningful this way. And a lot of the members of the Musical Ride came up … and talked to Kolton.

“And there were other people there that I think were family members or people that knew some of the members of the Musical Ride, and a lot of them came up and congratulated him. So, he just felt really proud and really honoured by it.

“And Sergeant Major Williamson did say to him, ‘Keep in touch.’ And my husband and I really think he

means this,” Jodi said. “And he said, ‘I’ll see you in about 10 years at a hiring booth at the Musical Ride.’”

The Tweed family also thanked the community for their love and support.

“We have been really grateful to lots of people in the community of Estevan, who know Kolton or know our family. They always say nice things to Kolton, when they see him out in public, and his school put up a little certificate in the hallway. So, it’s just been a really positive experience for him, and he’s incredibly honoured and super proud. It’s memory and keepsakes that he’ll have for a lifetime,” Jodi said.

SE Women for Women support Estevan Girl Guides

Women for Women, the committee behind the Southeast Women of Distinction Awards event, presented a donation to the Black Gold Guiding District, Estevan’s Girl Guides to support youth programming in the region.

The presentation occurred during a recent Night Market for the Downtown Business Association.

The Women of Distinction Aawards were a resounding success in May of 2023, the committee said, and the organizers chose to make a $500 donation to support Girl Guides and their projects for the next year.

“When we started the event, there was always an intention to make some community donations,” said Tania Andrist, awards and nomination chair with the Women for Women group.

“The idea was to focus on girls’ or women’s projects that would be in alignment with the focus of the entire event, which is to celebrate women in southeast Saskatchewan. So, there was a healthy debate at the table. And then the group came up with the idea of Girl Guides.

“It really resonated with everyone, because the Girlguiding hit on so many themes and it’s inclusive. It’s for young women, it’s something that we all had a positive memory about if someone was a part of that when they were younger, and it’s a group that you don’t always see getting a lot of donations.”

Girl Guides were having a fundraiser at the night market, so the Women of Distinction committee stopped by to support their

efforts with their boost. Andrist noted that this donation was also their way to “show [their] appreciation and gratefulness to the community for supporting the event so wonderfully in May.”

Additional profits from the Women of Distinction Awards will be used to create a new scholarship for the southeast region, to be awarded to graduating high school students next year. Scholarship details will be announced in the spring.

The committee has already started looking at next year’s SE Women of Distinction plans.

“We have big plans for next year to move the event to a bigger venue,” Andrist said. “And all committee members were interested in returning for a second year of this event, so that was re-

ally positive for us internally and externally for the community as well … We just were so pleased with the

way the event turned out, and community support, as well as the support of all the people who nominated

other individuals for these awards.

“We look forward to doing it all again in 2024.”

The RCMP handed Kolton several honorary memorabilia to make his day special.

Southeast Women of Distinction event committee members were at the Night Market in Estevan last Thursday to present a cheque to Estevan’s Girl Guides.

Photo courtesy of Tania Andrist

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Numbers paint part of the picture for community’s safety

Each year, Statistics Canada releases the Crime Severity Index (CSI).

It really must be a dream project for the number crunchers. Take the different category of crimes, assign a value to them based on their significance, tally up the figure and then weigh it based on a population of 100,000 people.

The system has an obvious flaw. It favours large cities. A community that has millions or hundreds of thousands of people will not be impacted by a couple of serious incidents. As for villages, towns and small cities, a couple of serious incidents can really skewer the numbers.

Still, CSI is not just something that the media pays close attention to. Police agencies also give the numbers a good, long look, with some taking a deeper look at the data than others.

And you do begin to see trends. North Battleford and Thompson, Man., are typically first and second on the CSI among policing jurisdictions with a population of at least 100,000. Prince Albert is usually in the top 10.

The CSI report has been kind to Estevan for nearly a decade. Our number has been below 100 six times in the past seven years. The 79.54 CSI figure recorded in 2022 was the lowest since a 75 in 2017 (which was the record low for Estevan) and the third-

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lowest since the information was first tabulated for Estevan in 1998.

Estevan’s violent crime number was down in 2022 to 98.04, while the non-violent crime index was up to 72.81, but it’s worth noting the non-violent crime number for 2021 was the lowest ever for Estevan, and the 2022 figure was the second lowest, so it’s far from a bleak picture.

Like it or not, this is the most comprehensive report we’ll get each year, and it’s a piece of the puzzle as we try to gauge whether we feel safe in our communities.

The fact that our rating was the thirdlowest it’s ever been is certainly encouraging. It’s also worth noting that Estevan was ninth among the 11 policing jurisdiction with populations over 10,000. Only the Martensville and Warman RCMP detachments were lower, and they typically have the lowest CSI values in Saskatchewan.

Ultimately, though, we’re the ones who decide whether or not we’re a safe community, not a number cruncher in Ottawa applying numbers for a complex formula.

How do we gauge safety? Do we feel comfortable when outside at night, or are we looking over our shoulders when walking in the dark? Do pedestrians feel safe? Are we worried about getting mugged or assaulted by total strangers?

These are ultimately the questions we

should be asking ourselves when it comes to safety.

Where do you feel safe walking at night? Estevan or Toronto? Probably Estevan, even though Toronto was well below us on the CSI.

It would be nice if we could return to the days of not having to lock our vehicles when they are unattended, and it would be great if we didn’t feel the need to lock the doors to our homes when we’re away, but that’s likely not going to happen anytime soon. Our community will ultimately be as safe as we make it. Follow the laws and exercise common sense. We have a good police force here, both in city limits with the Estevan Police Service and outside the community with the Estevan RCMP (even though they’re currently understaffed). That should also help us feel safe.

Should we feel safer than a lot of the communities that typically have high rankings on the CSI report? Absolutely. There’s a reason why some communities are always higher than others.

And if we have a couple of serious incidents that cause our CSI rating to soar, that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re not as safe.

If our CSI is higher next year, that doesn’t mean our community is more dangerous. After all, it’s going to be hard for us to be much lower than we are now.

The country is not the same anymore

It’s not gossip or impression: Canadian living standards are indeed on the decline. A little personal preamble. I’m a part of a Russian-language-speaking group of people living all across Canada on Facebook. There, we can share advice, ask questions, look for help, but mostly just chat and have a good laugh, which others probably won’t understand, just because some don’t have a similar background, while others have a different present, living in other parts of the world.

While there is indeed a lot of good advice and humour there, one rather concerning and sad matter that’s being brought up over and over again is “Canada is not the same anymore”. This is usually a claim made by immigrants of 20-30-plus years ago and questioned by those who recently moved or are thinking about immigration (some people like that would knock at the group doors every so often with questions about Canada).

It’s a bit harder for me to compare how Canada “used to be”, as I’ve been living here only since 2013, and I always thought it’s been good. I knew some things weren’t as progressive if compared to other developed countries, like air travel or cell service coverage, but it never felt critical. Besides, I could easily understand it, as it is indeed hard to make some things work or be more efficient with a relatively small population in such a big country.

The pandemic definitely changed social landscapes, and many areas and industries will probably never return to how they used to be (for the better or worse, time will show). Following the supply chain crisis and global economic distress made it even tougher. But I didn’t think it’s been reshaping the country’s living standards more than

Ana Bykhovskaia

Twenty Lines About…

any other places. Apparently, it has. While others majorly were able to get back on track, Canada is falling behind.

According to the July TD Bank report, “Despite turning in solid headline growth in recent years, Canada has lagged behind the U.S. and other advanced economies in terms of standard of living performance (or real GDP per capita).” I haven’t noticed it as much as some locals and old-time immigrants. I came too late to experience that “good, old Canada”, as underperformance already accelerated during the oil shock in 2014-15, and then continued through the pandemic.

We might not feel it here in Saskatchewan as much, as along with other commodity-based economies (Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador), we still record the highest per-capita GDP levels because of spending in the energy sector, but since our “status as leaders has come under some pressure over the past decade” less new, largescale resource investment is coming our way.

There is growth in Canada and there is activity, but economic growth doesn’t necessarily equate to economic prosperity, experts note. Even though the country is rapidly growing its population (mainly through immigration means), which resulted in a quick return to economic activity after the pandemic, in such specific sectors as housing and consumption, Canada’s economic performance is not there.

When compared to other advanced economies, Canada is among the few countries that haven’t recovered to their pre-pandemic standard of living. It’s measured by real gross domestic product per capita, which has been shrinking for the last 30 years and seems like it will continue moving in the same direction.

Experts blame the sagging performance in labour productivity for this decline. It’s attributed to several factors, including “lacklustre” investments into non-residential structures, machinery and equipment, and intellectual property; a decline in research and development spending, leading to an innovation gap; large concentration of small firms that tend to export and invest less than bigger companies; as well as inefficient regulatory and tax policies.

These systematic factors in the eyes of people, who have been enjoying Canada’s standard of living for years, resulted in the sense that the country is different from what it used to be and continues to decline. There are quite a few posts about old-timers immigrating from Canada as they don’t want to bear the storm.

Unfortunately, TD’s forecasts for the near and far future are less than promising as well. “Little turnaround in Canadian living standards appears to be on the horizon,” they say.

The existing problems will require systemic, inventive and long-term solutions, as it has been long overdue. Until then, it seems that Canada will be drifting further and further away from its high-standard self from two-three decades ago and falling behind the rest of the developed world with each year passing by.

Is it really August already?

David Willberg Willberg’s World

The worst part about summer is that it comes to an end.

I can tolerate the heat. I’m not a fan of 30 C days, but I handle it because it sure beats short days with sub-zero temperatures, which will be happening sooner than we think. I don’t have kids, so I’m not thinking about how it’s just a few more weeks until school is back in session.

Bottom line: summer should be the most fun time of the year. The days are still relatively long, although the daylight is reduced by just a little bit with every passing day. The restaurant patios are open, the cold beer tastes just a little bit better, and it’s not a matter of if I’ll fire up the barbecue this week, it’s a question of how often I’ll do it.

A night sitting on the deck, eating something fresh off the grill, while enjoying a cold Saskatchewan beer, and then reading my book while listening to music, yeah, that’s a pretty good night.

It sure beats sitting in the house, watching something on Netflix or (gasp!) playing video games. I don’t think I’ve played one of those in over a decade. I intend to keep it that way.

And there are lots of other good things to do in the summer months. Boating, fishing, swimming, camping, golfing, jogging, taking long walks, eating, relaxing outside or going for a nice long drive in the country – all these and many more seasonal activities sure beat sitting indoors.

Each year, I find it as a shock to the system when I flip the calendar to August. It’s the realization that the summer is pretty much halfway over. Granted, August and the first half of September are pretty sensational around these parts, too, but by the time Sept. 1 rolls around, the days are a lot shorter and we’re getting a sunset at around 7:30 p.m.

People talk about mid-life crises. I suff er from a mid-summer crisis: that realization that there are only a few weeks left, and there are still so many things that I want to do between now and the first day of fall.

In recent years, I’ve found a real disdain for spending summer nights indoors. A night in which I’m having supper inside, whether it be at my place or at a restaurant, feels like a waste. A night spent watching TV indoors is a letdown; I’d much rather be outside, writing stories or listening to music, or reading my book with the light from a headlamp guiding my way.

I might as well cancel my Netflix account for the summer months.

And I can’t imagine a bigger waste of time than burying my head in a social media account, unless I’m narcissistically posting a photo of the view from my third-floor balcony overlooking a valley (which is admittedly pretty impressive), of the steak that is grilling on my barbecue, or of the latest craft beer I’m savouring.

As I’ve stated before, I’d rather stand on my head until I pass out than get into a debate with somebody on social media. That especially rings true in the summer. We now have less than five weeks left until the first day of school. And we’re about seven weeks away from the first day of fall, which means daylight for less than 50 per cent of the day. Leaves will change colour and fall to the ground. Halloween decorations and costumes will be available in the stores and our focus will shift to things happening indoors.

And we’ll lament about the cooler temperatures and the strong winds, and yearn for the days of summer. So let’s make the most of the next few weeks. Spend as much time in the outdoors as possible. Enjoy the great activities and amenities that we have in the southeast. Make a list of the things that you want to do between now and Labour Day. (Note: binge watching some popular new program on Netflix or Paramount Plus shouldn’t be on the list).

And please, ignore the damn social media accounts. Those can wait for a nice, dark night when it’s -30 C outside, and you’re wondering what to do

Five ECS students travel to Victoria for Francophone Games

By Ana Bykhovskaia

Five French immersion students from Estevan Comprehensive School travelled to Victoria from July 11-15 for the Northwestern Francophone Games.

Chloe Blakeney, CodyLynn Hoffort, Blake Andrist, Jacob Deitz and Carson Seemann were competing in three different sports, including volleyball, basketball and ultimate Frisbee.

While the event was centred around sports, the students got to meet people from all across the Western Canadian provinces and territories and had a great time practising their French as well.

The adventure started with a presentation by the Jeux Franco-Canadiens du Nord et de L’Ouest (JFCNO) group that organizes the games. They came out to ECS about two months before the event seeking participants from Grades 9-11.

“It was an amazing opportunity for the price and the overall French speaking, so I went and got there,” Andrist shared. “I went for basketball, and the basketball quality was really good. It was like the Sask Games, except for French kids from all around Western Canada.”

The Estevan quintet was joined by others and Saskatchewan group leaders in Regina, from where they flew out to Victoria. And the entire trip from A-Z was an experience to remember.

“It was good. It was my first time flying, so I was nervous about that. But overall, it was really good and it was a really good flight,” said Seemann.

“I played volleyball, and it was very nice. There’s a lot of

different play styles there. I met a lot of people, and I got a lot of tips to get better as a player,” he added, noting that his team included another boy from Saskatchewan and two girls from Manitoba.

“It was really fun meeting new people, seeing the beach, speaking French, playing basketball,” Hoffort shared. She said her team with players from Alberta and Manitoba didn’t do as well, but it still was a very positive experience, as it was for others.

“I thought it was overall a great experience and a great opportunity to make new friends and to grow my French,” said Blakeney, who played basketball as well at the games. Her team with players from B.C. and Alberta came in third overall.

Deitz picked Frisbee, even though the only experience he had with this sport was from gym class, and his mixed team ended up winning gold. While there was a competitive component to the games, it wasn’t too stressful, students noted.

“Most of the people, they’re just trying to have fun,” Deitz said.

“There were some really good basketball players, and we were competing in real games. But at the same time, I’d say the moral of the games was just to have fun and experience and meet new people,” Andrist said, whose scrambled team, which also included another player from Saskatchewan, one from Yukon and one from B.C., ended up fourth out 18 in the competition.

“It wasn’t very challenging, there was a time when I just practised. There wasn’t very much competition, it

was mostly just practice and learning new tips,” Seemann said.

The players on the teams were from different provinces and territories, and they were also mixed ages. Deitz noted that going on this trip with people he knew made it more comfortable and even better.

Throughout the games, students stayed and tabled in a school, but also had outings to enjoy the community.

“During the nights after supper, we would go to concerts, there would be people singing in French. We went to one at a park. We went to one at a beach, one came to us,” Hoffort shared. “It was to bring a bunch of people together for the love of French.”

“It was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed myself,” Deitz said about the overall Francophone Games experience.

The Estevan students chose to compete in sports, but Andrist noted there were other disciplines like improv, cooking and more, with the French language being the common ground for everything.

“It was more to bring a bunch of people together for the love of French,” Hoffort said.

“I was coming into it thinking that I was going to struggle with my French speaking, but once I got there it was good,” Andrist said.

“It really, really worked up my speaking abilities to speak to other people in French,” Seemann said. “Yeah, I spoke a lot of French over the week, and I really got to figure out a lot of different French accents I’m not used to. That was quite the experience.”

“I’m not 100 per cent

fluent, but I definitely improved my French a lot there,” Deitz said.

“It was a good opportunity just to be around other people that spoke French other than my classmates,” Blakeney noted, adding that she’s never really spoken French outside school, but was speaking it almost the whole time while in Victoria.

“I did listen to a lot of other people’s French, and also spoke English and made some really good friends, still text them to this day,” Hoffort said. “I would say it taught me a new perspective on French because for most of these people, French isn’t their first language, some people have parents who speak it at home, some people don’t, yet we were all able to understand each other at least to a certain point and speak together.”

Andrist noted the school and the place they stayed at were beautiful, and the food was good as well.

The event came to a close with an award ceremony, and students said they really enjoyed the opportunity.

“I’m really grateful for the experience and the opportunity that was given to me. I’m really glad I went,” Andrist said.

“It really improved my social skills and French abilities,” Seemann said. “And with volleyball, it was amazing to see that there’s a lot of talent from different provinces.”

“I think it helped with my French speaking and understanding a lot, and I made a lot of new friends,” Deitz said.

“And I just highly recommend, if anybody has the opportunity to go, I’d go,” he added.

Estevan Comprehensive School students, from left, Chloe Blakeney, Cody-Lynn Hoffort, Blake Andrist, Jacob Deitz and Carson Seemann recently travelled to Victoria to partake in the Northwestern Francophone Games. Photo courtesy of Blake Andrist

Study continues on fish at Boundary Dam

By David Willberg

Estevan city council learned more about bass at Boundary Dam and what could happen to them in the future during a recent meeting.

Dr. Chris Somers, a biology professor with the University of Regina, and Katlin McCallum, who is a master’s graduate student at the university, presented the findings of their fisheries research to council.

Somers noted McCallum has dedicated two years of her life to the project and added they have been working on the reservoir for some time.

“We have some pretty interesting information and data. The program is growing and I think it’s a great opportunity just to share some of that,” said Somers.

Part of his research program involves fish and fisheries, and he runs the Saskatchewan Sport Fish Research Group, which does a lot of work in Saskatchewan and elsewhere. They regularly post on social media the activities they are undertaking in Saskatchewan, including Estevan.

While Saskatchewan has long, cold winters, Boundary Dam doesn’t become as cold as other bodies of water because of the warm water effluent coming from the Boundary Dam Power Station, which is why the reservoir is the only place in the province that can have large-mouth bass.

“Hopefully most of the folks here have been out

and had a chance to angle for large-mouth bass,” said Somers. “But to give some perspective, they are by far the most popular fresh-water game fish in the United States and generate tens of billions of dollars in revenue in that country each year.”

The presence of the bass is a “pretty fantastic” opportunity for anglers, Somers said.

But with looming changes in power generation in Saskatchewan and the potential for colder water temperatures at Boundary Dam, the future of the bass is uncertain.

“Since last year, we’ve had a full-time team of students that are here during the open-water months,” said Somers.

The team spends every

day out on the reservoir, taking measurements on the environment, trying to understand how the water is a driving force in the ecosystem that is there.

In an e-mail to the Mercury, Somers said their task as academics is to provide the best possible science to help inform decision-makers regarding bass and the changing environment in Boundary Dam. If there is anything that can be viewed as a useful management intervention, it would be in the hands of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment’s fisheries unit.

“I think it’s important for anglers to realize that there is only so much that can be done for the bass, and not to expect things in the reservoir to remain the same as

the warm water effluent is reduced,” he wrote.

One possibility they have raised in recent discussions is having the large-mouth bass fishery in Boundary Dam Reservoir become catch-and-release only. Current regulations specify a limit of two large-mouth bass, but given the looming uncertainty, it could be prudent to reduce the limit to zero, he said.

“Harvest of bass is likely not a huge pressure for them in Boundary, but it may be best to eliminate this source of mortality completely.”

Somers added it is highly unlikely the bass will simply die out right away when the reservoir cools down.

McCallum said they are looking at the environmental characteristics of Bound-

ary at this time. It will provide a baseline for the future as things continue to change.

“We’re also looking into the larger fish biology and ecology as well as the smaller fish community in Boundary through a variety of methods,” said McCallum.

The Ministry of Environment decided in the 1980s to stock the reservoir with large-mouth bass due to the temperature of the water.

Temperatures peaked at 32 C in August of last year, which was about 10 C warmer than native species, including the large-mouth bass, prefer.

The group has used various methods to look into the fish community, McCallum said. They measure length, weight and general health indicators. A small external tag is inserted into most fish before releasing them back into the reservoir.

Last year they caught 679 fish – including largemouth bass, walleye, northern pikes, white sucker and yellow perch. Walleye dominated their totals, and that species seems to be doing well.

“The bass are a little bit interesting. They tend to avoid being captured with typical fisheries methods, so they might be a little bit under-represented here,” said McCallum, who described them as “trap-shy”.

In one net, they caught a turtle, a bass and a pike, which she said could only happen in Boundary.

Tent revival services are coming to Estevan

The Estevan Church of God is going to be the site of six nights of Holy Ghost Fire Tent Revival services from Aug. 4-9.

The services will occur nightly at 6 p.m. and will feature preaching from Len Lindstrom, who has spoken in more than 100 countries.

Pastors Dennis and Eva Spenst, who are from Langley, B.C., are overseeing the tent revival coming to the Energy City.

“His goal is to bring a message of healing, to pray for people, to bless people and to bring a good message of healing,” said Dennis. “I’ve seen lots of healing in ministry.”

Prior to coming to Estevan, Lindstrom was in Edmonton, and healings have occurred through his crusades.

The couple has known Lindstrom for more than 40 years.

The revival will also feature baptisms for people who become Christians during the services. Eva added there would be time for worship and testimonies. There will be an offering each night to help with the cost of Lindstrom’s upcoming ministries overseas.

“There are some people who received healing when he was here 15 years ago, so they are going to come and

share what has happened,” said Eva.

About 10 volunteers have committed to help with setting up the tent the day before the services begin, and then the tent will be taken down on Aug. 10.

Dennis noted that Lindstrom wants to meet with the pastors in Estevan and bring them together as much as possible.

The Spensts are very familiar with Estevan and visit the community each summer. They wanted to bring Lindstrom back to Estevan three years ago, but their plans were scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now they believe this is the

time God wants to have the revival occur.

“People had some visions here, and we had a vision, so it’s like a confirmation of people speaking together,” said Eva.

They noted Calven Johnson, Vince and Bev Burkholder, and Madison and Dylan DesRosiers have all played an instrumental role in bringing the revival event to Estevan. They have also connected with the Estevan Church of God and the Jesus Our Light International Ministries church.

And they also spend time counselling with Indigenous communities and sharing their faith journey.

Each indicator has an email address and a unique identifier. A couple they have tagged have been caught again near Crosby, N.D.

They have used devices to track temperatures in the reservoir. They typically peak at around 29 C in the summer months, which McCallum said is quite warm, and around 1-4 C in the winter.

Somers pointed out that bass here are on par with anything caught in the U.S. Somers said they receive a number of reports of tagged walleye. A good number are being released. They tried a similar process with the bass, but something found in the slime on their skin doesn’t allow them to tolerate a tag very well. If someone does catch a tagged fish, they can report it to the U of R group.

When asked by Coun.

Rebecca Foord about how long the project would continue, Somers said this is just the beginning. They almost have a baseline, and they will likely continue until 2030.

The presentation concluded with Coun. Tony Sernick delivering Save the Bass buttons to Somers and McCallum, as part of his efforts to preserve the Boundary Dam Power Station.

SaskPower, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Government of Saskatchewan have all contributed to the project.

Pastors Dennis and Eva Spenst are looking forward to the six nights of services in Estevan.

From left, University of Regina students Shelby Henderson, Katlin McCallum and Brant Hoffert, and biology professor Dr. Chris Somers have been studying fish populations on Boundary Dam. Photo courtesy of Dr. Chris Somers

City to proceed with wastewater treatment plant pilot project

The City of Estevan is hoping to move forward with a pilot project for the wastewater treatment plant, despite not receiving any tenders.

Estevan city council discussed the project at a recent meeting. Shane Bucsis, the manager of the city’s water and wastewater divisions, reminded council this was part of the process if the Shand Power Station were to shut down. SaskPower currently accepts the effluent from the plant.

Bucsis said the lack of tenders puts the city in a bind as far as going back to the drawing board, and figuring out how to get the pilot project up and running this year, while still qualifying for a grant

through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).

Bucsis has met with Magna IV Engineering to reach out to FCM.

Coun. Shelly Veroba said if this project does go forward, it would save the city a lot of money versus other alternatives.

When asked by Coun. Tony Sernick if this meant they would look at local contractors to take care of the project, Bucsis said that would be the plan.

“Whenever you’re dealing with government grants and things like that, it’s just to make sure that you’re going through the right process to award the work,” said Bucsis. “It was a lot of smaller different trades coming together

where there wasn’t a local company that felt comfortable with doing that.”

If he has no tenders, he will speak with FCM so he can move forward and work with local people as much as possible.

“If this project doesn’t get done in this construction season it will have to be built next construction season, pushing the process back a year,” said Bucsis.

The issue was first brought up earlier this year. Currently, SaskPower takes all of the city’s wastewater treatment plant effluent as boiler-feed water after going through the wetlands. Through this agreement, the city doesn’t release any water into the environ-

Lewis receives 13-month conditional sentence

Zachary Lewis has received a 13-month conditional sentence order in connection with an incident that led to barricades in downtown Estevan last year.

Lewis was sentenced on July 25 in Estevan Provincial Court. Crown prosecutors were hoping to have the 13-month sentence served in prison, while the defence was arguing for the conditional sentence order.

Judge Michelle Brass ultimately sided with the defence’s request.

She reminded Lewis that a conditional sentence order is a jail sentence to be served in the community.

He replied that he understands.

Lewis received 12 months on a charge for using an imitation firearm, in this instance a BB gun, while committing an indictable offence. It was noted the mandatory minimum sentence of a year in prison for that charge had been recently overturned.

He also received an additional 30-day sentence for assault with a weapon.

Brass also issued a 10year firearms ban for Lewis, and numerous other conditions that will remain in place for the length of the CSO, including following a curfew and being of good behaviour.

Crown prosecutor Aaron Fritzler noted on the day

TS&M’s 50th drew a crowd

The community came out Thursday to help celebrate TS&M Supply’s 50th anniversary at the oilfield company’s head office in Estevan.

TS&M employees served up lunch and birthday cake to vendors, customers and the community as a whole.

A raffle featured numerous prizes, with proceeds going to the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation. An open house allowed the public to tour TS&M’s Estevan building.

The festivities continued Friday with a golf tournament at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course, with proceeds again benefitting the hospital foundation.

ment. With the potential shutdown of the Shand Power Station, Bucsis began the process of planning to release into the Souris River, and how to do it in a manner that is environmentally friendly.

Currently, a membrane bioreactor is the only approved process that the city could utilize if it had to release into the Souris. With the costs and operational costs being so much lower than the bioreactor, council approved a budget of $400,000 for a pilot project and applied for FCM grant funding to help cover the costs.

If the pilot project is successful, it would open more options to the city greatly reducing construction and operational costs.

DRILLING REPORT

of the incident, somebody was knocking on Lewis’ door. He opened the door while carrying what Lewis described as a BB gun. The BB gun, according to Fritzler, was a firearm.

Lewis did not point the gun at the complainant, but according to Fritzler, he held the gun at his side with the intention of scaring the complainant to show he was serious. Fritzler said during a conversation, Lewis indicated the complainant should leave, and there could be problems if the person returned.

Fritzler noted Lewis did

not know who was going to be on the other side of the door when he answered it while brandishing the firearm.

Lewis’ attorney, Adam Fritzler, noted that Lewis is employed and has a child. He understands that he wrongly handled the situation and he should have called the police first.

Adam Fritzler added he does not believe his client is a danger to the community.

A trial was held for Lewis in May. The judge presiding over the case adjourned the matter to July 7 for a decision. That deci-

sion was then pushed back to July 17, when Lewis was convicted on those two charges. He was found not guilty of a charge for uttering threats.

Lewis was charged stemming from an incident in November 2022. The 1200 blocks of Fourth Street and Fifth Street in Estevan were closed and barricaded for a time while police responded to the incident

excavating call Sask 1st Call at 1-866-828-4888 for a free locate. www.sask1stcall.com

You’re going to lose access to local news on Facebook and Google.

Dear readers,

Your access to local, provincial and national news is going to be revoked on Google, Facebook and Instagram.

And it’s not because of anything we’ve done.

Recently, Canada passed the Online News Act, also known as Bill C-18, which has led to a standoff between the government, Google and Meta — the parent company behind Facebook and Instagram.

Both Google and Meta have said they plan to cut ties with the news industry in Canada as a result.

This means Meta will block the posting and sharing of our news articles on Facebook and Instagram. Google will also remove links to our sites and articles in Google News, Discover and search results. They’ll also cancel significant content licensing agreements already in place with our parent company, Glacier Media.

Undoubtedly, this will have a huge impact not solely on us but, more importantly, on people like yourself who may use these platforms to discover what’s happening in your community and to get context to events happening in your own backyard.

We’re not planning on going anywhere, but here’s how you can help:

1. Sign up for our free daily newsletter by scanning the QR code. (And encourage your family and friends to do the same.)

2. Follow us on Twitter.

3. Bookmark our website as the homepage on your devices.

4. If you own/operate a local business, consider supporting local by placing ads with 100% Canadian-owned media outlets, like us.

With your help, more people will be able to get their local news from a trusted source. In today’s age of misinformation, that’s more important than ever.

Thank you. We appreciate you.

Sincerely,

The Estevan Mercury team

A9

Cardinals win fourth straight Saskota title

By David Willberg

The 2020s have definitely belonged to the Carlyle Cardinals in the Saskota Baseball League.

The Cardinals defeated the Estevan Tap House Wolves 12-2 in five innings Sunday at Lynn Prime Park in Estevan to win the Jack Harbourne Memorial Tournament, which crowns the Saskota champions. It is the Cardinals’ fourth straight Harbourne Trophy.

Brent McLean, who has been a member of the Cardinals’ organization for 23 years, said it was their goal to four-peat from the start of the season. And while they were the top team throughout the 2023 campaign –they finished first in the regular season with an 11-1-2 record – the Cardinals faced adversity along the way.

They had a few experienced players join the Weyburn Sun Devils, who were in the Saskota for the first time this season. The Cardinals had a couple of nights in which they had just seven players available to play.

But they also had an influx of new players join the team this year.

“We had some young guys come out and really help us out, and we ended up with 14 that were here

for the whole weekend,” said McLean.

Six or seven players have been there for all four championships, McLean said, which gives them lots of experience.

“It always helps to be in big games,” said McLean. “You learn a lot in those big games. The more you’re in them, the better off you’re going to be with nerves.”

And they went a perfect 5-0 during this year’s Harbourne Tournament. Carlyle opened with an 8-4 win over the Kenosee Cubs on Friday in Carlyle, and then won twice Saturday in Estevan, beating the Southeast Diamondbacks 7-3 and the Wolves 5-3.

The Cardinals routed the Redvers A’s 12-2 in the semifinal and won the final by the same score over Estevan.

The final game ended on a base hit in the bottom of the fifth that invoked the mercy rule.

Pitching and defence were great throughout the weekend, he said. They scored a lot of runs as well but they were at their best when the opposition was batting.

As for the final, they had played Estevan a few times this year, so they knew what to expect from the Wolves.

They delivered a great effort in the final, he said.

McLean praised the Wolves for their efforts in hosting the tournament for the second consecutive year.

“It was a great weekend, just like last year was great, too,” said McLean. “Estevan has nice facilities here. They’ve always had a nice diamond and keep it in good shape. We like playing here, always have liked playing here.”

Estevan, meanwhile, went 3-2 during the weekend. Entering the tournament as the fourth seed, they opened with a 9-2 victory over the Diamondbacks Friday night in Estevan.

Then they defeated the Kenosee Cubs 9-5 and lost to the Cardinals on Saturday.

Estevan defeated the Oxbow Chiefs 13-9 in the semifinal Sunday afternoon. The Chiefs were the top-

ranked team in the other pool, which also included the A’s, the Sun Devils and the Carnduff Astros.

The Arcola Threshers were eliminated by the Cubs in a play-in game last Tuesday, while the Kipling Royals and the first-year Moosomin Badgers missed the playoffs.

McLean said it’s been good to add more teams to the league.

“The more senior baseball there is, the better it is

to keep the sport alive,” said McLean. “We were at seven [teams] for a while in the early 2000s, and now we’re up to 11, and it’s always good to have more teams, more competition … and more fields to go and visit.”

The second to seventh place teams were separated by just a few points this year, and while the Cardinals had just one loss this year, they had some really tough games during the season.

Loss in semifinal round ends Twins’ great season

The Southeast U18 AAA Twins came up a couple of wins short in their effort to win a provincial title. The Twins lost 9-4 to the East Central Red Sox in the provincial semifinal Sunday in Saskatoon. The Red Sox

went on to win the provincial championship.

It was a tough start to provincials for the Twins, who were the top-ranked team, as they lost 8-4 to the eighth-seeded Saskatoon Giants Friday. The Giants

pulled away with two in the sixth and one in the seventh.

Carter Beck led the offensive attack with two hits, three runs batted in (RBIs) and a run.

Twins responded with

Estevan athlete wins national volleyball bronze

Jenna Knibbs from Estevan was part of the Team Saskatchewan Green entry that won the bronze medal at the U16 Canada Cup in Niagara, Ont., earlier this month.

Knibbs was an outside hitter on the team.

Saskatchewan Green opened with three straight wins in the round robin: 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-15) over New Brunswick Burgundy, 3-1 (25-14, 25-17, 21-25 and 25-13) over Alberta 15U and 3-0 (25-14, 25-19 and 25-15) over the Ontario Warriors.

Then Saskatchewan Green won 3-0 (25-15, 2516, 25-11) over the Ontario Raptors in their first playoff game and 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-15) over Quebec Releve in the quarter-finals.

Saskatchewan suffered their lone loss of the tournament, 3-2 (25-23, 20-25, 20-25, 25-22, 17-15), to Alberta Blue, but recovered

to beat the Ontario Raptors 3-0 (25-13, 25-17, 25-22) in the bronze-medal game. Saskatchewan outscored their opponents 581-414 during the tournament.

two wins on Saturday, starting with a 7-5 win over the Regina Wolfpack. The Wolfpack had leads of 3-0 in the third and 5-3 in the sixth, but a four-run sixth inning lifted the Twins to victory.

Callum Hollinger had a run, two hits and an RBI.

Starter Sutter Balog give up three runs and struck out nine in five innings.

Their other win on Saturday was a 3-1 victory over the Regina White Sox. The Twins had all the offence they needed with two runs in the first inning.

Conner Kerr went the distance, allowing three hits and one run in seven innings.

In the semifinal, the Twins trailed 3-0 in the first, chipped away at the lead to tie the game at 3-3 after five innings, and then gave up six in the sixth. Beck, Hollinger and Kade Phillips each had two hits, with Beck scoring twice and Hollinger and Phillips getting one RBI apiece.

Hollinger was on the mounds for the Twins. Only three of the seven runs he surrendered in 5 2/3 innings were earned. He also struck out eight.

Despite the loss, the Twins still had a memorable year. They went 25-5 to finish with the best record in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League (SPBL) during the regular season.

For the second straight year, Carter Beck was named the league MVP and shared the top hitter award.

Photo courtesy of Blair Beck

Provincials also served as the playoffs for the league.

•••

Meanwhile, for the second straight year, Carter Beck has been named the best player in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League’s U18 AAA division.

Beck with the Southeast U18 AAA Twins was named the MVP of the SPBL. He also shared the top hitter award with Cam Marshak from the Red Sox.

Beck won the MVP honour and shared the top hitter award last year, too.

In 2023, Beck had a .426 batting average. He finished with 49 hits, including seven doubles, five triples and six home runs. He also had 37 runs, 50 RBIs and 31 stolen bases.

And he pitched for the Twins, finishing with a 1-2 record with a 3.89 earnedrun average and 34 strikeouts in 18 innings pitched. He also had three saves. Beck, who graduated from the Carnduff Education Complex in June, has committed to play baseball for the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D., next season.

The Carlyle Cardinals gather for a group photo after winning the Saskota Baseball League’s Harbourne Trophy for the fourth straight year.

Knibbs plays high school volleyball for the Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs and club volleyball for the Southeast Vipers program.

Jenna Knibbs was part of Team Saskatchewan Green entry at the U16 Canada Cup.

Photo courtesy of Tyler Knibbs

The Estevan U18 AA Brewers saw their quest for a provincial title come to an end in the semifinal round.

The Brewers lost 12-6 to the Parkland Expos Sunday afternoon at provincials in Yorkton. The Brewers went 3-2 on the weekend.

In their opening game Friday, the Brewers rallied from a 3-0 deficit through three innings and defeated the Regina Pacers 6-4, thanks in large part to a fourrun sixth inning. Tanyan Strudwick led the way offensively with two runs, two hits and two stolen bases.

Jayden Kuchinka gave up one run in 2 2/3 innings of relief, and Axton Martin only gave up one hit in two relief innings.

The next game was a 7-6 loss to the White Butte Broncos, a game the Broncos led 5-0 after two innings. Mathias Fornwald had two RBIs in the loss.

The Estevan Golden Eels summer speed swimming club wrapped up their season by sending 14 members to the provincial championship in Saskatoon on Saturday and Sunday.

Coach Colin Sutter said the members swam well and managed to set personal bests. Swimmers who won medals were:

• Sofia Erana Schmegelsky, seven and eight-yearold females, three gold, one bronze;

Justin Linthicum gave up one run in 2 2/3 innings of relief.

Estevan responded with a 10-0, five-inning romp over the Regina Buffalos to keep their season alive. Hayden Terrett had two hits, including a triple, to go with two runs and two RBIs for the Brewers, who scored at least once in every inning.

Strudwick allowed just one hit and struck out eight in five innings.

Estevan had to go through a tie-breaker to get to the playoffs and defeated the Broncos 10-7 in extra innings. Estevan led 7-0, only to have the Broncos claw back and tie the game. The Brewers won with three in the eighth inning.

Terrett had four hits to go with a run and two RBIs, while Fornwald had two runs and three hits. Kuchinka didn’t allow a run in two innings of relief.

• Meredith Knolll, nine and 10-year-old females, two gold;

• Charlie Pyra, nine and 10-year-old females, two gold, one silver and one bronze;

• Elijah Vanstone, nine and 10-year-old males, two silver;

• Liam Kwochka, 11 and 12-year-old males, four gold;

• Isabelle Pyra, 11 and 12-year-old females, three gold, one bronze;

• Mahlyn Bomberak, 13

PUBLIC WORKS FOREMAN - TOWN OF ALAMEDA

The Town of Alameda invites applications for the full-time position of a Public Works Foreman. The Town of Alameda has a population of 369 and is located east of Estevan with an economy driven by the energy sector and farming. Alameda has a K-9 school, excellent recreational facilities, and the nearby Alameda Dam.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to perform the duties of the Town foreman and water operator

• The successful applicant must be a certified Class 1 water operator or be prepared to take the courses necessary to achieve this.

• The successful applicant will be in charge of the Towns water, sewer & the lagoon. Daily water tests must be completed.

• Should have experience operating equipment.

• The job entails, but is not limited to, grass cutting, blowing snow, repairs on town equipment, supervision of summer staff, repairs to water lines, assisting in water breaks etc. On call for emergencies on weekends & nights.

• Applicant must be well organized, self-motivated and be able to work independently.

• Management experience and ability.

• Ability to work in team environment with staff, office staff, Mayor and Council.

• Must have a Grade 12 education and a valid Class 5 drivers license with a clean abstract. A Criminal Record Check will be necessary for the successful applicant.

COMPENSATION:

• Salary includes a matched contribution through the MEPP Pension Plan, and a Group Benefits plan through SUMA.

CLOSING DATE:

• Open until successful applicant is hired.

• Please Mail, Fax, Email, or drop off your resume complete with references and wage expectations.

• We thank all applicants for applying, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

The Estevan U18 AA Brewers had a successful year in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League. Photo

The game against the Expos saw the Brewers up 6-2 after two innings, but the Expos took over from there. Kuchinka and Terrett each had two runs and three hits,

while Strudwick had two hits, a run and three RBIs. The Expos went on to win the provincial championship. Still, it was a successful season for the Brewers, who

went 17-6-1 in the regular season, including a 14-game winning streak to start the campaign. They were second overall in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League’s

U18 AA standings behind the Expos.

The league has just one tournament to crown both its league and provincial champions.

and 14-year-old females, one silver;

• Rachel Duncan, 13 and 14-year-old females, one silver and one bronze; and

• Jennika Linthicum, 13 and 14-year-old females, two gold, one silver and one bronze.

Linthicum was also on the 13 and 14-year-old south entry that competed in the 200-metre freestyle relay. They not only won gold, but set a new provincial record at two minutes and 5.19 seconds.

Also competing at provincials were swimmers Shiven Sangar, Parker Simmons, Danica Mosley, Shyra Carlson and Hailey Threinen, and coaches Sutter and Tristan Threinen.

Sutter said they did really well. He was pleased to see the swimmers bring home medals.

“I think every kid that went took time off of at least one race, and most of them did it in multiple [races], which was also really good to see that there was lots of improvements from last week [at southerns],” said Sutter.

Sutter noted there were a couple of disqualifications among the Eels’ swimmers, which kept them from winning overall age-group medals.

The Golden Eels helped the south team finish ahead of their northern foes for the most cumulative points.

The Regina Pirhanas had the most points overall for the city clubs, while the

Watrous Whitecaps had the most points among the small clubs.

Sutter is pleased with how the Eels fared this season. He coached in 2019 and this was his first year back with the program.

He saw a lot of improvements in the swimmers over the past few months.

“Everyone got personal bests out of almost all their races … and all swimmers had a personal best at least once. I think it obviously shows that provincials bring out the true competition in everyone, and I think it does show how much we grew over the year.”

One swimmer from Swift Current broke a couple of provincial records, and there were many strong swimmers at provincials.

“It was really fun to watch, not just the Estevan kids, but to see how good some of these guys are,” said Sutter.

Sutter noted that any swimmer who went to provincials had to place in the top six at the south meet to qualify

The Eels will be looking for more swimmers for next year, and Sutter said it sounds like they should have more swimmers next year as well as new coaches.

EMF announces new title sponsor

Estevan Minor Football has announced that effective Aug. 1, it will be partnering with Brandt Truck & Trailer as the EMF’s new title sponsor.

Officially the organization will be known as Brandt Truck & Trailer Estevan Minor Football.

The partnership is for $10,000 per year over three years, and Brandt will have first right to renew in 2026.

The EMF also thanked Penta Completions for

their partnership and involvement with the organization over the past decade.

Minor football also reminds anyone interested in playing the sport to contact president Kevin Mortenson at 306-421-3377. The EMF offers co-ed football for those between the ages of eight and 14, as well as the U18 Estevan Kinette Club South East Viragos female team, which is for those in Grades 6-12.

sourced from the Brewers’ Facebook page

Estevan branch manager for Brandt Truck & Trailer Jason Frederick, left, and Estevan Minor Football president Kevin Mortenson participate in the cheque presentation. Photo courtesy of Kevin Mortenson

Members of the Golden Eels who competed at the provincial championship in Saskatoon on the weekend. Photo courtesy of Colin Sutter

OBITUARIES

Alvin H. Griffin

1934-2023

Thank you!

Losing a close family member is an overwhelming experience. You’re filled with grief, sadness and a touch of happiness sifting through all the memories of that person. Loretta was cherished and loved by many. We are glad she had an amazing 68 years on this earth with us even though it was short.

The family of Loretta would like to extend a huge thank you out to the EMS team, Gene and Tiffany, who came out and sat with us, even though their shift was done a couple hours prior. Their kindness and confidence really shone through us and helped lift us for a moment. To the RCMP, thank you to the young constable who came in, gently and swiftly to make this awful process go quick and simple.

The largest thank you goes out to Yvonne and her team at Hall Funeral Services! Yvonne’s kindness and professionalism was unbeatable. She made the final steps of this process comforting and peaceful. Thank you, Yvonne, you’re truly amazing. Thank you to Pastor Sharon for meeting with us and providing a wonderful service in honor of Loretta.

We would like to extend a few more thank you out to St. Joseph’s Hospital and Arcola Family Medical Center for caring for Loretta in the past when she needed it. She always came home happy with the service she received. The nurses were always so kind she would say. Last, but certainly not least, the Kingsford Crew. This is the type of community everyone should have. When one neighbor falls, the others come to scoop them up and help support them with a great night of memories and a wonderful meal. Thank you, from the bottom our hearts! Forever grateful, Loretta’s family

HEALTH

FINANCIAL SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS & LABOURERS WANTED

For all heavy equipment: ie. dozers, excavators, scrapers etc.

Camp/R & B provided. Competitive wages. Valid drivers license req’d.

Send resume and work references to:

Bryden Construction and Transport Co. Inc.

Fax: 306-769-8844

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Police apprehend impaired driver

Alvin Griffin passed away peacefully in his 89th year on July 25th, 2023, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan. Alvin was born and raised on the Griffin Family Farm in Benson, SK. Alvin was a man of many hats, but he was ultimately a farmer. Alvin was survived by his partner Shirley McDowell and her family; four sons, Greg (Lorraine), Daryl (Kelly), Blaine, and Chris; mother of their children, Betty Griffin (Mohns); brother Wayne (Audrey) Griffin; eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren; along with numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

Alvin was predeceased by parents, George and Anne Griffin (Latimer); brother Lewis Griffin; sister Gayl (Arnett) Laughlin.

The Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Church, Estevan, SK with Sandy Dalziel officiating. The family invites everyone to join them for the luncheon at the Days Inn – Taylorton Room, Estevan, SK. for a time of fellowship.

Memorial Donations can be made to the New Estevan Regional Nursing Home 1201 2nd Street SK. S4A 0M1 in memory of Alvin. Hall Funeral Services in Estevan is caring for Alvin’s family –Yvonne Clark, Funeral Director.

Marjorie M. Dryden (Stark) 1944 - 2023

Surrounded by the love of her family, Marjorie passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 at Hillview Manor, Estevan, SK at the age of 79 years.

The Funeral Mass was celebrated on Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. St. John the Baptist R.C Church with Rev. Sathiadas Antony presiding. The interment took place at the Estevan Columbarium following the service. The family invited everyone to join them at the Estevan Elks Hall for the refreshments and fellowship following the interment.

In memory of Marjorie, memorial donations may be made to Hill View Manor Activities Fund, 1401 1St St., Estevan, SK S4A 2W7. Special thank you to all the staff & doctors at St. Joseph’s Hospital & Long-Term Care for taking such good care of our mom. Also, thank you so much to all the staff and nurses at Hillview Manor for the exceptional care mom received while she made this her home. Mom wanted you all to know that you all made a very big impact on her with all the love & compassion you gave her. We cannot thank you enough. You all went above & beyond.

Members of the Estevan Police Service responded to 48 occurrences from July 2830.

During the evening of July 28, a traffic stop occurred in central Estevan which resulted in a 44-year-old North Portal resident being arrested for impaired driving. He is scheduled to make his first appearance in Estevan Provincial Court on Sept. 18 at 9:30 a.m.

Also that day, members were called to perform a well-being check, which led to an Estevan individual being transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital for further assessment.

During the day on July 30, police were dispatched to central Estevan as a male was reported to be in distress. The male, who had a minor injury to his hand, was spoken to by members and then transported to hospital for further assessment.

During the evening of July 30, a scam was reported to police. The scam is in relation to the complainant seeing his residence for rent on a website when it is not available. The public is reminded to be aware of this and other scams in the community, and to also report

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Also, a very big thank you to Dr. Arthur, Jen Hancock & Estevan Homecare for the exceptional care and support you gave mom.

God Bless You All Hall Funeral Services in Estevan is caring for Marjorie’s family - Yvonne Clark, Funeral Director.

Public Notice

Rural Municipality of Estevan No. 5 Notice of Intent to Amend

Public Notice is hereby given that the Council of the Rural Municipality of Estevan No.5 intends to adopt a bylaw under The Planning and Development Act, 2007, to amend Bylaw No.

Intent: The proposed bylaw is to allow for where an existing subdivided lot is with the 457-meter separation distance of a sewage lagoon site, Council may reduce the minimum separation distance so the setback is consistent with the R.M. of Estevan Zoning Bylaw.

Reason: The reason for the amendment is to give Council the option to reduce the minimum separation distance of an existing subdivided lot to a sewage lagoon site, so that the setback is consistent with the R.M. of Estevan Zoning Bylaw.

Public Inspection: Any person may inspect the proposed bylaw th Street, Estevan, Saskatchewan between 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holiday. Copies are available at cost.

Public Hearing: Council will hold a public hearing to receive submissions, written or verbal, on the proposed bylaw at 11:00 th Street Estevan, Saskatchewan.

Dated at Estevan, Saskatchewan this 26th

Michelle Dickie, Administrator

any scams they discover to the Anti Fraud Centre online or by phone at 1-888-495-8501. Also during the evening of July 30, members and the EPS’s Police and Crisis Team were dispatched to a north Estevan residence on the report of a domestic dispute in progress. After further mediation, the matter was resolved without issue.

Police received a report of theft from a home in the eastern area of the city on July 24. Officers remind the public to secure valuables around their home to prevent individuals from taking their property.

Officers assisted the Estevan Fire Rescue Service with a report of smoke alarms going off in a residence in the Hillside area of the city. The fire department determined it was a cooking-related alarm. Police attended to two separate reports of suspicious people in the Pleasantdale area of the city. They were reported to police about an hour apart. Police attended and were not able to locate anyone in the area as reported. Members received a report that turned out to be a scam. The perpetrator is using residential sale listings and trying to rent them out.

Five words to improve your relationships

By Tim Pippus of the Estevan Church of Christ

In the late 1800s, it was common for railway companies to plant formal gardens beside their stations.

These gardens were filled with trees, shrubs, flowers and fruit trees. Sometimes they also featured a kitchen garden growing lettuce, carrots, corn and potatoes. Estevan’s Canadian Pacific Railway garden was once located where MidCity Plumbing and Heating is today.

The purpose of these gardens was to show what the land could produce. After hours and sometimes days of riding across the featureless prairies, the railways wanted to show settlers the potential of their new home. The gardens

Public Notice

Rural Municipality of Estevan No. 5

Notice of Intent to Amend Zoning Bylaw

Public notice is hereby given that the Council of the Rural Municipality of Estevan No.5, intends to adopt a bylaw under The Planning and Development Act, 2007 to amend Bylaw 5-2014 known as the Zoning Bylaw.

Intent: The proposed bylaw amendments will allow for where the only suitable building site on an existing subdivided lot that is within the 457-meter separation distance from a solid or liquid waste facility be a minimum separation distance of 300 meters. The proposed bylaw will also rezone proposed Parcel G in the NW 10-1-8-W2 from Lakeshore Development/Agricultural Resource Overlay to Country Residential (CR) as shown within the bold dashed line on the map below.

as Parcel D, Plan No. 101980919 in the NE 10-1-8W2 shown on the plan of proposed subdivision dated January 30th, 2023 and signed by Kristof Dumais, S.L.S. The land is immediately southeast of the Boundary Dam Sunset Subdivision.

Reason: The R.M. received an application from a developer and rezoning of the parcel allows the appropriate zoning to the Country Residential (CR) District. The 300 meter setback for existing subdivided lots from a solid or liquid waste facility accommodates the proposed development.

Public Inspection: #1, 322 – 4th Street, Estevan, Saskatchewan between 9:00 a.m.

Saskatchewan this 26th day of July, 2023. Michelle Dickie, Administrator

showed what was possible and they encouraged the settlers to transform their own land and discover its potential too. Colossians 3:12 acts similarly, in that it challenges us to find the potential in our relationships by transforming how we approach them. It says:

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

Imagine how our interactions would change if we made it our priority to approach every situation and every person with an attitude that was compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient. How much friction would be eliminated if those five attitudes guided our thoughts, words and actions?

Maybe the best way to realize how powerful those thoughts are is to think about what happens when they are absent.

While sitting on a bench in Riding Mountain National Park eating ice cream, I watched families walk past me. In almost every case, someone was mad, upset or yelling at someone else. The mother was grouchy because the kids were whining. The kids were whining because they wanted to go to the beach. The father was impatient because he did not want to wait on the rest of them. Instead of enjoying their long-awaited vacation, family after family looked miserable.

Now, I get that. I used to be (and sometimes still am) the grouchy, impatient father. However, I wanted to say to those families, “You would have a much better day if you tried being compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient.”

By the way, it is worth remembering that those five words describe how God deals with us. When we act in godly ways, we find the blessings of God.

Barristers & Solicitors Paul Elash K.C.

Aaron Ludwig, B.Sc., LL.B.

Genevieve Schrader, B. Mgt., J.D.

Shown here are Estevan Mets, Zone 1 representatives for juvenile baseball for the Summer Games in Swift Current in early August 1976.

Front row, from left, Danny Wilgenbusch, Jim Anduschak, Don Mahaffey, Vern Mott, Jerry Naka, Jim Valentine and Norman MacKasey Back row, Bob Burns, coach; Brian Carlson, Larry Schick, Tim Lincoln, Grant Wilson, Randy Penny, Ambrose Hengen, Ray Niro and Paul Sim

Celebrate Saskatchewan Day

By Ana Bykhovskaia

Entertainment of all kinds is planned for the Saskatchewan Day long weekend in Midale.

The small community is going above and beyond to turn the long weekend into a real family-friendly celebration for everyone around them, thanks to their Pioneer Echoes days.

Aug. 4-6 will be loaded with activities, events, competition and entertainment.

The weekend will open with a Bull Bash on Aug. 4 starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Midale Sports Grounds. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. As of Monday, the bull riding competition had 20 entries, including a few local riders, with a capacity of 25.

“There’s one local rodeo athlete from Yellow Grass, Aaron Roy, he’s a professional bull rider and he’ll be there. And also, Grady Young, they moved to, I think, Alberta, but he was from around Saskatchewan. And he’s sitting number 2 in the standings already. There’s also another Saskatchewan guy that is going to be around, and then there are a couple of other good, solid contenders. So good, top-quality athletes are coming,” said Adam Carlson, the president of the Midale rodeo committee, adding that over half of their stock contractors are from Saskatchewan as well.

With a few days left, they were putting the final touches on the Bull Bash, including the setup and last bit of sponsorships. He noticed their participation went up a bit, and the interest in sponsorship has been “right where it needs to be”, which helped with organizing the event.

The opening night will continue with a cabaret featuring Weyburn band Switch.

The weekend will also see some fun events in the arena like team roping and a lot of

entertainment for kids, including bouncy castles and more.

The 57th annual Midale Threshing Bee, organized by Souris Valley Antique Association, will take place Aug. 5 and 6. Both days will start with pancake breakfasts, and proceed with a tractor parade at 2 p.m., followed by a blacksmith art demonstration, live threshing and more.

Ryan Swenson, vice-president of the Souris Valley Antique Association, said a week ahead of the big event they had some building repairs that need to be done, but other than that everything was ready.

“We have a soft floor in one of the houses that we investigated the other night, and turns out that there was a cellar underneath that house that we were unaware of. So, we’re in the process of repairing that. But other than that, it just a matter of getting everything cleaned up and getting our tractors running,” Swenson said.

About 60-70 tractors are to partake in the parade each day.

As of July 28, they still were short on volunteers for the weekend. If anyone is interested in helping with the events, they can contact Swenson at 306-458-7032 or send them a message through the SVAA Pioneer Echoes Facebook page.

Another big happening of the weekend is the street dance on Aug. 5. The big outdoor party will include The Johner Brothers featuring The Johner Boys, as well as American Idol participant Brayden King of Weyburn and rising star Micah Walbaum. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m., entertainment will start at 5:30 and music will go on all night long.

Kyle Hoium, who is organizing the street dance, said everything is coming together quite well.

“We’re very excited for the

event. Seems that things are starting to fall into place,” he said, adding that this year will mark the first time Midale is bringing in the street dance since 2003.

The organizers wanted to have local entertainers who would also be exciting for the public. Brad Johner is from Midale, and King has family in Midale, while Walbaum is from nearby and is wellknown in the southeast.

Proceeds from the dance will support Midale Rink, Midale Fire Hall, Midale Pool, Midale Library, Kids Fun Zone, Midale Daycare planning committee and Midale Rodeo Association.

“It’s tough to do it for one, so it was easier to try and include everybody. And then in a small town, all of us can always use a little extra cash. And it’s quite a project to take on, so the more associations you involve, the more help you can get,” Hoium noted.

The event will also see Midale Minor Hockey Association’s barbeque and Souris Valley Antique Association’s 50/50.

The street dance entrance will be at the north end of Main Street with parking on the grass. The organizers can help arrange transportation within 45 kilometres of Midale. People can contact Hoium at 306-458-7169.

Aug. 5-6 will also see the Midale Slo Pitch Tournament with proceeds going towards diamond development. To enter teams, please contact Brad at 306-458-7298, Rylan at 306-458-7087 or Mitch at 306-861-4861.

Aug. 6 will feature the Midale Classy Show and

Shine from noon-3 p.m. on Main Street.

Scott Stabenow, one of the organizers of the Midale Classy Car Show, said they’ve been preparing for the event for the last month and now are looking forward to greeting participants.

In previous years, the event attracted anywhere from about 30-70 vehicles of various makes and models. Stabenow said they are hoping for quite a bit of interest this year, but they won’t know until the day of the event.

“Anybody that has a car or is interested in cars and the public and whoever wants to come and see some interesting vehicles is welcome to come,” Stabenow said. “Anything from a motorcycle to a car is welcome. We encourage people to come with work in progress that they are halfway done building; if they can make it to the show, that

is great. We’re even trying to get some Class As, some semi trucks in our show, which we’ve had in previous years.”

The show will culminate with the People’s Choice Award, for which everybody can vote. Participants are invited to come starting at 10 a.m. to get parked for the show on Main Street. For

more details, contact Stabenow at 306-458-7596.

Food and beverages will be available throughout the weekend at various event locations.

“If you are looking for something to do on the weekend, come enjoy the events here in Midale. There will be lots going on,” said Carlson.

Glen Stomp oversaw the operation of the threshing machine during the threshing demonstration in Midale in 2022. File photo by Greg Nikkel

Bull rider Lonnie Phillips earned first place overall at the Midale Bull Bash in 2022. File photo by Greg Nikkel

Estevan’s Michael Dawson enjoying new role with Western Canada’s music scene

By David Willberg

Former Estevan resident Michael Dawson has gone from being at the helm of the music scene in Saskatchewan to being at the forefront of music in Western Canada.

Dawson, who was hired as the executive director of SaskMusic in early 2015, stepped down from the role in late 2022 to take on the same job with the Western Canadian Music Alliance and Breakout West.

Dawson described the alliance as an umbrella organization that stems from a partnership between the four western provinces and territories.

“Under the umbrella of that organization, we present the Western Canadian Music Awards annually … where we recognize artists and the industry working in Western Canada, and we present Breakout West, which is a very successful music festival,” he said.

Breakout West, which will

be held in Kelowna, B.C., in October, boasts three nights of music. Spectators purchase a wristband that gets them into multiple venues. More than 50 musicians perform, with most coming from Western Canada but a few travelling from elsewhere. The event shifts annually to different cities in Western Canada.

“In addition to the festival piece, we also run a conference, which is focused on business development and professional development opportunities for musicians and industries, so with that, there are folks that come from literally all around the world to be a part of it to speak on panels and to have one-on-one meetings with artists,” said Dawson.

At the 2022 event, Dawson said there were more than 900 one-on-one meetings between artists from Western Canada and industry delegates from Canada and beyond.

“It’s been wonderful,” said Dawson. “There’s always a

transition period when you accept a new role, but the team and the staff are so amazing, and getting to work with all of the partner organizations and all those things come together, it’s been really great,” said Dawson.

He loved his time working with SaskMusic, including the staff and the members, as Saskatchewan’s music community has a lot of wonderful people, but the opportunity presented itself. Dawson noted he spent eight years on the board of directors for Breakout West through SaskMusic, helping him with his transition.

Dawson said he wanted to work with SaskMusic because he appreciated the musical talent in the province. And he has been able to work with artists professionally and see the work ethic, talent and knowledge of the people in Saskatchewan.

Now he’s gaining an appreciation for the talent in Western Canada.

“I’ve certainly never doubted the quality of talent here and the calibre of artists working in this part of the province, but really I think one of the exciting things is the sense of community that you see,” said Dawson.

And while he has a new job

and is now working in Vancouver, he still manages to devote some time to projects of his own. Dawson has long been a member of Library Voices, the Regina-based pop-rock group that includes five members from Estevan: Dawson, Paul Gutheil, Brennan Ross, Mike Thievin and Carl Johnson.

“Those guys are all my closest friends, and we’re in touch all of the time,” said Dawson.

They have taken the opportunity, when possible, to play the occasional show, especially if there’s the opportunity to partner up with a charitable organization or cause.

“We’re very, very slowly working remotely and back and forth on some new ideas for new material and eventually I think we’ll make another record. It’s hard to know the timelines. People are busy with careers and raising families and stuff.”

A Library Voices rock musical named The Curst, which had been discussed prior to the

COVID-19 pandemic reaching Saskatchewan in 2020, made its debut at the Dancing Sky Theatre in Meacham in the spring.

“Most of the Library Voices were there and said it’s a wonderful experience,” said Dawson.

He is also still working on his own material, describing it as his hobby.

“I put out my own solo record last month, and then I have a new, good jazz collective with some folks. The guys from Library Voices are a part of that, and we have a record that came out in the middle of July.”

The project is called the Peace Flag Ensemble and the album is called Astral Plains.

“It’s a subdued, sort of quiet pre-jazz project. It’s quite melodic and laid back, and there’s a lot of Paul Gutheil saxophone on it, and Mike Thievin from Estevan plays drums on it, and Travis Packer of Estevan plays bass on the project as well.”

Michael Dawson is the executive director for the Western Canadian Music Alliance and Breakout West. Photo courtesy of Michael Dawson