Meridian Source - December 19, 2019 by Meridian Source

Thursday, December 19, 2019

VOLUME 2 I ISSUE 25

MERIDIANSOURCE.CA

Kiwanis Santa completes his rounds GEOFF LEE

WRITER

.................................. Santa was taking notes as the Lloydminster Kiwanis Club rolled out their 35th annual Santa Project. The man in red was in awe of the ability of club members and volunteers to fill nearly 2,000 bags of goodies for him to hand out to every pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2 student in the city. The delivery took place with military precision from Dec. 10 to 13 with Santa confident every child on his list in the Lloydminster public and Catholic school divisions got a present. “It’s very well-timed, there is not a minute to spare. This is probably our biggest project of the year and it’s the most fun we have,” said project chair John Anderson. He also has the answer as to what makes the Santa Project so popular after all these years. “It’s what the Kiwanis Club is all about—we do it for the kids. Some of the joy

you see on kids’ faces is just priceless,” he said. “Unfortunately, there are some children in Lloydminster who don’t get anything. This is something they look forward to receiving.” Anderson says kids get to sit on Santa’s knee for roughly 15 to 20 seconds and spill what they want for Christmas. They get their bag of presents and away goes Santa and his helpers to the next stop. “The kids are absolutely thrilled, and in many cases, this is the only gift that those children will receive,” said Vera Gallant, Lt. Governor of Kiwanis Division 5. “The teachers keep reporting that to us. Often there are older children that they know won’t get anything, so they’ll ask if we have extra bags, so we always make sure we have a few extras with us.” This year, the number of kids on the list jumped by more than 100 from last year, forcing Kiwanis to hire a Santa look-a-like on

the busiest day last Wednesday with eight schools to visit. “We hope they don’t meet on the road so kids don’t see two Santas at once,” joked Anderson in advance. Ironically, it was Kiwanis members and their supporters and not Santa who were making lists and checking them twice during a group bag packing exercise that followed an annual club supper at the Legacy Centre on Dec. 9. Each bag contained a tub of generic play dough, 10 candy bars, 1 Nibs, one bag of chips, a candy cane and a Christmas orange that all had to be packed into boxes labelled for each school. Oranges are also sent to the school in advance of Santa and his Kiwanis entourage. “There are many people in this room who are just friends of the Kiwanis and give us a hand every year. Without their help we definitely couldn’t pull this off,” said Anderson. Gallant says Safeway donates half of

Geoff Lee Meridian Source

Santa Claus asked College Park kindergarten student Evan Pineo what he wants for Christmas. Santa was on contract with the Lloydminster Kiwanis Club to visit all pre-K to Grade 2 students in the city last week.

the oranges while Real Canadian Superstore always donates a gift card towards purchasing chips or candy canes or whatever. “We shop locally,” she said. The Santa Project also got a financial

boost this year from the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority. “We applied for a grant and they were very generous and sent us a $2,000 cheque,” said Gallant. Kiwanis also raised about $8,000 from

separate beer and wine survivor events with some of that allocated to the Santa project. “We do have a lot of other projects that we do that we need funding for so we have to continuously fundraise,” said Gallant.

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, December 19, 2019

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Grad’s career path inspires class

Geoff Lee Meridian Source

Rylan Urban, a former student at Holy Rosary High School, delivered a talk to a Grade 10 science and math class at the HRHS Tech Warehouse on Monday on different career paths in science. GEOFF LEE

WRITER

.................................. Holy Rosary High School alumnus, Rylan Urban, returned to his alma mater on Monday to talk about his career path in science with a Grade 10 science and math Stem class. The 26-year-old will graduate in April with a master’s degree in sustainability management from the University of Toronto and step right into a plum job as an energy consultant in Ontario. He wanted the class of youth he spoke with to know it’s okay for them if they don’t yet know what they want to do when they finish

high school or how to make a living—just like him at their age. “It’s taken eight years to figure things out,” he said, noting he still didn’t know what he wanted to do until he was 24. After he completed his first year of science studies at the University of Saskatchewan in 2012 thinking he wanted to be a doctor, Urban dropped out to learn life skills through travel. He’s been to 27 countries, urging Holy Rosary science students try to connect knowledge with experience as he did to find their true calling.

“It’s okay to sort of figure things out along the way, and that’s certainly the path that I took, learning as I experienced life. That helped me determine what I was really passionate about and what I really wanted to do,” said Urban. By learning while he travelled, he stoked an interest in sustainability and energy, prompting him to complete his BSc degree at U of S in environmental toxicology. He told the class he has come to understand

sustainability management from environmental, social, economic and political perspectives at the U of T. Urban’s former teacher, Jade Scutt who invited him to speak when he came home for the holidays, says the message that he brought was well received. “It was perfect right before Christmas—I think the loudest message that was sent was, ‘you don’t have to have it figured out in high school,’” said Scutt. “He took his life experiences and found something he was passionate about and then changed that into a career.” Urban was named to a list of top 30 under 30 sustainable leaders earlier this year by Corporate Knights Inc., a Canadian sustainability business magazine. He is also the founder of energyhub. org, a Saskatoon-based source of useful information on renewable energy that gets about 15,000 hits a month. Urban’s success story and career path hit home for Ryan Lamontagne, who soaked in every word. “It’s very eye-opening

and you can understand where his point of view

is coming from. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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Thursday, December 19, 2019

Look for the ELEVEN PIPERS PIPING & TWELVE DRUMMERS DRUMMING in today’s paper for the 12 Days of Christmas Contest.

Taylor Weaver Meridian Source

Teamwork tackles earlymorning structure fire TAYLOR WEAVER

EDITOR

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Lloydminster motorists were on high alert last Thursday morning as a structure fire raged at the corner of Highway 16 and 62 Ave. The building, which houses Exsile Reloaded, ME Tire and Auto, and a Tirecraft storage warehouse, was still smouldering at 2 p.m. on Thursday after nearly 12 hours of hard work by local first responders. “The Lloydminster Fire Department (LFD) was called out to a structure fire at about 2:42 a.m. (Thursday),” said Bill Heesing, assistant fire Chief, LFD. “Upon arrival, there were fire and flames coming through the roof. LFD responded with two pumpers, a rescue and a ladder truck. We took a defensive strategy to try and contain the fire from t he ou t sid e. We also made a call for mutual aid from the Britannia and Legacy Fire

departments, so they were able to assist us, so th r e e f i r e d e p ar tments worked on this fire for quite a few hours last night (a.m.), and we’re still on scene today putting out hot spots. “It’s still under investigation (and we’re) still looking into it. We want to get the hot spots out before we can enter it and we’re working with the building owner and determining the cause and origin.” With the contents of the building being tires and ammunition, first responders were aware of the potential danger and took the necessary precautions. “Being a defensive action and taking control from the outside, we didn’t enter the building, so it was a concern and we were aware of it, but we took precautions to be safe for the teams that were on scene,” said Heesing. “It’s a three-business complex and two out of the three businesses

(suffered substantial damage). The tire shop at th e e nd h as mi ni mal water damage, but no fire damage, so we were able to stop it (from) going into their shop, unfortunately, two out of the three businesses had significant fire damage.” Heesing also noted no one was injured and all members on the scene, which was between 30-40 members, made it home safely at the end of the shift. “Teamwork was handy,” he added. “It’s not something we do often but it definitely worked well when the conditions were extreme like they were. Everybody worked well and gelled, so thank you to Legacy and Britannia for helping us out today.” The LFR is currently working with the City of Lloydminster and is hopeful to have everything fully back into service by the end of the day.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Direct Energy gifts kids’ group MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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Direct Energy and Direct Energy Regulated Services donated $3,500 to Big Brothers Big Sisters Lloydminster this past weekend while treating everyone in the community to a free movie. The Alberta energy provider presented the cheque at Direct Energy ’s h o l i d a y k i c k - off event at May Cinema 6 on Dec. 14 with special guests from Big Broth-

ers Big Sisters in the seats. The Direct Energy donation will directly support mentorship programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters that provides children and youth with strong and enduring relationships. “Direct Energy is passionate about partnering with organizations that share our dedication to strengthening the local community by fostering positive relation-

ships and providing resources to those who need it most,” said Tanis Kozak, vice president and general manager of Direct Energy. “We are proud to partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters to help create positive futures in Lloydminster.” Big Brothers Big Sisters Lloydminster changes the lives of atrisk youth who face adversities such as mental health issues, family violence, identity issues,

or poor living conditions by creating individual and group mentoring relationships. The mentorship programs connect children and youth with mentors who advise, challenge and act as their champions, all within a safe, non-judgmental environment. With proper guidance and support, these mentorships allow children and youth to build their confidence and achieve brighter futures.

Passing on knowledge to future generations FROM PAGE 3

“He’s explaining things in a way that you can feel more related to,” said Lamontagne. He said what he learned from Urban is “when you are doing a task there is no specific way of doing it, like a Lego set.” The teen says he is planning to go to the University of Alberta because it’s close to home and then he is thinking of going into a career with computers and robots and basically coding them. “It’s either that or applying to take a course in engineering with math and science. It would be fun to do,” he said. In an online class quiz introduced by Urban, 83 per cent of students indicated they want to go to college or university. Urban said it was great to see how many students took in his talk and seemed to be genu-

inely excited and interested in learning about science. He said he was very excited to come back to Lloydminster and especially to his old high school. “I don’t get a lot of opportunities to come here so it was very nice of Mr. Scutt to invite me,” he said. “I remember being in high school, and listening to other speakers is something I always looked forward to, so I am very happy to be speaking and be back here.” Student Jase Dopko says Urban’s talk helped him to realize having a plan doesn’t always work out. “So you’ve got to be aware of change and just be prepared that stuff is going to happen and you need to be able to adapt to that,” he said. Jase says he wants to be a fighter pilot when

Geoff Lee Meridian Source he gr ow s u p, so he ’s going to go into “a lot of sciences and stuff” for his degree. He also notes he took science last year with Scutt and liked it enough to take Stem this year. “I just think it’s really cool to learn about the environment and learn about technology and stuff,” he added.

Scutt thinks it was eyeopening for his students to hear from Urban as a former student who “ wal ked t hrou gh t he same doors as them” come and explain what he’s doing now. “I think for them to see they can make a difference as a youth is really powerful.” The talk took place at the HRHS Warehouse.

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Thursday, December 19, 2019

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Vertex expanding in Blackfoot GEOFF LEE

WRITER

.................................. Vertex Resource Group Ltd. is expanding its Blackfoot operations with a new power division that will create fulltime jobs in the Lloydminster area. The Sherwood Parkbased environmental services company has recently assumed the operations of an electrical switchgear manufacturer in Edmonton to serve the North American market. Vertex plans to relocate the manufacturing of switchgear, motor control centres, engineered electrical houses and integrated engineering systems to their existing 28,000 square foot facility in Blackfoot. “We welcome the new management and staff to Vertex and look forward to working with them to introduce this exciting new product line and exemplary service support to our customers in Lloydminster and across

North America,” said Terry Stephenson, CEO and president of Vertex. The new business goes hand in hand with the manufacture and sales of self-framed buildings that have been made by Vertex in the Lloydminster area since 1976. “We see it as a great fit with our buildings because a lot of the work we are doing with our buildings requires the electrical,” said Rob Davis, general manager of Industrial Services at Vertex during a recent visit to Blackfoot. The new power division will expand the depth of Vertex’s services and products by offering new turn-key engineering and electrical solutions. “Our plan is to push this North American wide,” said Davis. S o me o f the ap p lications for the power products paired with buildings include wastewater plant facilities, pump houses, master

control building and e-houses. The immediate production plan is to bring some of the new manufacturing staff to Blackfoot to help set up switchgear manufacturing next to the assembly line of their self-framed buildings. “Our first 60 days will just be rejigging our shop to handle both productions,” said Davis, noting the welding and fab shop will be busier than ever. Vertex will be actively seeking to fill 25 fulltime positions in the Lloydminster area including welders and electricians as operations ramp up going into 2020. Resumes are being excepted at hr@vertex. ca by referencing the power division. “We have a longstanding history of providing employment to workers out in this area, and that’s what we want to provide is a consis-

tent opportunity,” said Davis. “We may be looking for technical engineering people as well that would be based in Blackfoot.” Vertex currently has a workforce in Blackfoot in the area of 50-60 employees and is hoping to grow that by 33 to 40 per cent. “Lloydminster is one of our main areas that we’ve grown out of. Our strategy is to grow on our locations. We want to be a long-term partner with the Lloyd area,” said Davis. “We also have our industrial cleaning, our fluid hauling divisions as well as our land and environmental divisions here, so we continue to build a pretty good hub in Lloydminster.” The addition of electrical switchgear manufacturing fits Vertex’s model of growth organically and by acquisition. Vertex acquired Hurricane Industries Ltd.

Rob Davis, general manager of industrial services at Vertex. Geoff Lee Meridian Source in Lloydminster in 2017 in a continuing string of new companies that make up the diverse Vertex brand in North America. “We’re pretty excited

to bring new opportunities to Lloydminster. It has been a difficult couple of years in the Lloyd minste r are a,” said Davis. CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, December 19, 2019

RCMP encourage sober driving before holidays TAYLOR WEAVER

EDITOR

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Don’t drink and drive. That’s a message reiterated on an annual basis throughout the country, but last Tuesday, local RCMP rewarded sober driving with a candy cane during their annual Christmas Checkstop. Members of the Lloydminster RCMP, Lloydminster Fire Department, local Peace Officers and the City of Lloydminster braved the frigid temperatures at Fire Hall #2 to remind motorists to stay safe over the holidays. “In advance to the holiday season we wanted to remind motorists in Lloydminster, and not just for the holiday season but all year round, that if they’re going to be driving, to do so safely, and not drink and drive, and (spread) a positive message before the holidays to make sure people are getting where they’re going safely this

holiday season,” Insp. Lee Brachmann, Lloydminster RCMP. “It was very positive, we got to interact with the drivers today and hand out some candy canes with our partners in conjunction with the fire department, department of public safety and the City of Lloydminster, so, all in all, it was a very good turn out.” According to MADD Canada, every day, on average, four Canadians are killed and 175 injured in impairmentrelated crashes. Over five years, approximately 8,600 people were convicted of impaired driving in Alberta each year. On average in Alberta, one in five drivers involved in fatal collisions have been drinking prior to the collision. This compares to an average of about one in 20 drivers involved in injury collisions. As the severity of the collision increases, so does the likeli-

Mayor Gerald Aalbers hands out candy canes at the annual Christmas Checkstop. Taylor Weaver Meridian Source hood the collision will involve an intoxicated driver. On average, each year almost 90 people were killed and 1,330 people were injured in collisions involving at least one driver who had consumed alcohol prior to the crash (2009-2013). In 2013, 80 people were killed and 1,133 were injured. Brachmann added how “every year a number of Canadians are killed as a result of impaired driving and alcohol and drugimpaired driving, so it’s an important message to reinforce throughout the

year at key moments, and the holiday season is one of them. “We want to make sure if people are out celebrating the holidays, they do so responsibly and safely, and if they are going to be drinking, please don’t drive, and if they’re going to be driving, don’t drink as well,” he said. “We want to make sure people are driving sober whether it be alcohol or cannabis and just make sure the roadways are safe for everybody out there.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

MERIDIAN SOURCE

FROM PAGE 7

“The power division is new for us, but it is such a good fit—we manufacture already, we have a welding shop, so all we are really doing up here is setting up another line in conjunction with our building line.” Electrical switchgear manufacturing also fits Vertex’s strategy to continue to diversify into different sectors of the economy, including markets for their selfframed buildings. “It’s actually a diverse

market, so we are not tied strictly to oil and gas,” said Davis. “We’re getting into wastewater treatment, renewable energy, mining—it diversifies our base.” Davis notes oil and gas is still a very important part of their business and they hope to see that grow. “In this area, Husky has continued to be a good supporter of ours and we hope to continue to see them succeed as well,” he said.

PAGE 10 Thursday, December 19, 2019 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Viewpoint

5921-50 Avenue, Lloydminster, SK S9V 2A4 Phone: 306-825-5111 Toll Free: 1-800-327-3899 Fax: 306-825-5147 meridiansource.ca Mail: Box 2454, Lloydminster, SK S9V 1W5 Hours: 8AM to 5PM Monday to Friday The MERIDIAN SOURCE is published once a week, on Thursday. All material printed in the Meridian Source is copyright and may not be copied or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. The Meridian Source reserves the right to refuse publication of any advertising or editorial material at its discretion. Columns and letters are the expressed view of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Meridian Source.

Editor Taylor Weaver taylor@meridiansource.ca

Staff Writer Geoff Lee geoff@meridiansource.ca

Sports Editor Jamie Harkins sports@meridiansource.ca

Marketing Manager Deanna Wandler deanna@meridiansource.ca

Marketing Consultant Catherine Kruining catherine@meridiansource.ca

Marketing Consultant Ashley Miazga ashley@meridiansource.ca

Publisher Reid Keebaugh Production Manager Amanda Richard Classified advertising admin@meridiansource.ca Newspaper delivery If you’ve missed a paper, to start or stop delivery, or for carrier applications, please call 306-825-5111 for information.

2017

Leave it to Weaver A Canada Post Christmas redemption story EDITOR Taylor Weaver

Last Friday I had a very positive experience with Canada Post. That’s a statement not heard every day. My heart was pounding and my body full of excitement as I impatiently tracked a package – new prescription glasses – through Canada Post’s website. After all, isn’t the tracking process part of the fun of buying something online? On Friday, I read the words I had been waiting for. Refresh. Refresh. “Package Delivered!” To my mailbox, I flew like a flash, but no package was to be found. As luck would have it, the Canada Post letter carrier on my route was just across the street, so, like a crazy person, I ran after her. I pleaded my case, worried

that someone had taken said package out of my mailbox in the 10-minute window between when I believe my other mail was delivered and me striking up a conversation on the street. She was quick to apologize for the missing item and said it could have been accidentally delivered to a home with my same house number but one street over. I was told, “I’ll go back to the other street and check, and I’ll be back around your house in about an hour.” Cue the Jeopardy theme. And wouldn’t you know it, just over an hour later this same letter carrier was pulling into my driveway in a taxi! I went to the door, smiling ear to ear, and thanked this very pleasant Canada Post employee for her extra effort in delivering my package so quickly. This all happened within a three-hour window on a Friday afternoon, just over a week before Christmas, in roughly

-30C weather with the wind chill. This wonderful person could have waited until Monday to rectify a simple mistake, but she went above and beyond, at what was most likely the end of her route, to make sure I had my package in hand. I wanted to share this because these types of stories are fairly few and far between nowadays. A recent FedEx Canada survey of 1,500 Canadians found that one in four had had a package stolen. In Alberta, that number was even higher at one in three. FedEx also found 70 per cent of respondents who shop online worry about package theft. And one in 10 of those surveyed said they don’t shop online for that very reason. During this hectic time of year, when Canada Post employees are scrambling to keep up with demand, it’s so nice to see such commitment to customer service. Happy and safe holidays everyone!

Letters to the Editor We welcome letters to the editor. Letters should be 500 words or less. A name and daytime phone number is required for verification. Priority will be given to letters exclusively written for the Meridian Source. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, brevity, spelling, grammar, punctuation and libel. Unsigned letters will not be published. Use of pseudonyms will only be allowed in special circumstances, at the discretion of the editor and the publisher, and only if the author’s identity is known to the editor. Publication of a letter does not imply endorsement by the Meridian Source. Send to taylor@meridiansource.ca

PAGE 11 Thursday, December 19, 2019 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Opinion

Leeway from Lloyd: Good riddance 2019 STAFF WRITER GEOFF LEE

I am ready to declare 2019 as a personal annus horribilis, which i s La ti n fo r a h o r r i ble year if you haven’t guessed. If I win big on the lottery, however, between now and Dec. 31, this could turn out to an annus mirabilis or a wonderful year, but I am not counting on it. I am pretty sure I “won” two free tickets and a couple of $10 payouts in the entire year, which can’t compete with financial

planning. This year has been a total joke that I don’t mind sharing with you just for laughs. I knew it was going to be a bad year physically when all the swimming I did over the years caught up to me to render my shoulder useless in the first week of January. After 10 months of licking my wounds, I am back in the pool, but I’m only half the swimmer I never was! Now my good shoulder hurts. Go figure.

I also wrecked my hand participating in a contest stunt, hanging from a moveable bar during the spring Showcase event and I am finally getting therapy this week. Then in May, I came down with a stupid no quit cough that didn’t run its course until August, which made my cycling training rides an ordeal. I had a massive coughing fit during a 110 kilometre bike race in Edmonton that nearly brought me to a dead stop before I got it under control. You can see where the annual horribilis comes from.

It was during the cough from hell thing when I suddenly developed a vision issue that led to surgery in October. Of course, that meant I needed new glasses and while I was waiting for them to arrive, I lost track of my old glasses and wound up with two speeding tickets that same week. Coincidence? I think not. Did I mention some clown backed into the back side of my car this fall while I was inside a Timmies? Sometimes you just can’t win, so I am writing off 2019 and letting Revenue Canada know in advance!

Through the reader’s lens

Sharon Crush, Submitted to the Meridian Source

Thank you, Sharon, for another great photo, and for helping us close out 2019 with some excellent imagery. If you would like to see your photos in the Meridian Source, please email them to taylor@meridiansource.ca

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, December 19, 2019

CALENDAR OF EVENTS The Meridian Source Calendar of Events is a free service provided for non-profit organizations located within our coverage area. All events are in chronological order, as space permits and at the editor’s discretion.

EVERY MONDAY — SQUARE DANCING The Lloydminster Chain and Circle Dance Club is hosting square dancing every Monday except on long weekends. The dancing will happen from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Legacy Centre at 510146 St. Please use the back or west door. For singles and couples, this is an inexpensive and fun activity in a cooperative, brain active and mildly aerobic environment. Your first evening is free and no experience is necessary. Call Kendall at 306825-3770 or email Esther at moment101@hotmail.com for more info. EVERY TUESDAY — VOLLEYBALL Drop in volleyball from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Takes place at the Servus Sports Centre and everyone is welcome, noncompetitive and no experience is necessary. Come for fun and exercise and meet some great people. EVERY FOURTH TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH There is a Parkinson disease support group every fourth Tuesday of the month at Southridge Community Church from 2-4 p.m. put on by the Parkinson Association of Alberta. EVERY TUESDAY — ADAPTED YOGA From 10 – 11 a.m. at the Community Service Centre. For more information please contact Ann-Dee at 780-871-0513. EVERY TUESDAY & SATURDAY — FARMER’S MARKET Downtown Farmer’s Market at the Fred North Community Centre (5002 - 51 Avenue, Lloydminster) from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Tues) 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Sat) We’re

Passport to YLL To place an event, email taylor@meridiansource.ca or fax 306-825-5147

on Facebook. EVERY THURSDAY AND SATURDAY – FARMER’S MARKET The Border City Farmer’s Market takes place every Thursday 12-6 p.m and every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Servus Sports Centre (5202-12 st.). EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY – LABIS WALKING PROGRAM Brain injury survivors are invited to join the Lloydminster and Area Brain Injury Society (LABIS) Walking Program on Tuesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Servus Sports Centre. It is free of charge. For more info please call 306-825-7212. EVERY SECOND SUNDAY – NORTH BEND HALL MUSIC JAM A North Bend Hall Music Jam is held every second Sunday from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. All ages and levels of performers are welcome. Enjoy dancing on our historic wooden dance floor. Directions to North Bend Hall are: From Alcurve - 17 kms east on Highway 3 to RR 3262, north four kms. From the Deer Creek Bridge - eight kms west on Highway 3 to RR 3262, north four kms. PRE-SCHOOL REGISTRATION The Border City Aboriginal Head Start program is accepting First Nations, Metis and Inuit children between the ages of three and four years to attend classes four days a week from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. We offer a structured play themed day full of fun and adventure. Come in for an application at Bay 3, 5009-48 Ave. Or call 306-825-5255 for more information.

Submitted Photo

The House of Paws fundraising campaign to build a new animal shelter in Lloydminster recently received a $5,000 donation from Portage Mutual Insurance Company. Excel Insurance, a broker that works with Portage nominated House of Paws for the donation. Excel’s Laresse Graf presented the cheque to Gail Noble, a member of the House of Paws Dinner Theatre Committee with Excel’s team on hand. The Dinner Theatre also generated approximately $116,598 for the Paws fund from the proceeds of the theatre event held Nov. 28-30.

EVERY FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH CRIB TOURNAMENT Royal Canadian Legion #39 (4505- 49 Avenue, Lloydminster) is hosting a Crib Tourney every first Sunday of the month. Registration 9:30am, starts at 10 a.m. Doubles. $10/person. Lunch available. For more info call 306-825-2521 TUESDAYS FROM OCTOBER-MAY Get your exercise no matter the weather and enjoy all the amenities the Lloyd Mall has to offer with Free Mall Walking. All fitness levels welcome. Saskatchewan Health Authority staff and the Lloydminster Primary Care Network’s Exercise Specialist will be in attendance to provide support to walkers. Call or email Heather at 780-874-0490/heatherm@ lloydpcn.ca for more information or to register. DEC. 19 –500 CARD TOURNAMENT There will be a 500 card Tournament at the Legacy Centre on Dec. 19. Play begins at 10 a.m. and the cost is $10 to play and $10 for lunch. Everyone welcome! For more info contact Legacy office at

780-875-4584. DEC. 21 – VEGAS CHRISTMAS GALA Come on out to the Marwayne “Vegas” Christmas Gala on Dec. 21. Doors open at 7 p.m. at the Marwayne Community Hall. There will be Vegas style games from 7-9 p.m. at a cost of $10 to play, prizes to be won! The bar opens at 7 p.m. with a dance to follow with the Prairie Dogs. Snacks and midnight lunch available. No minors allowed. Tickets are $25 or $15 at the door after 10 p.m. Contact Sharon at 780-872-0011 for tickets and more details. DEC. 23 – BE THE LIGHT There will be an event planned by the Addiction and Social Worker students at Reeves College on Dec. 23 at 7 p.m. at 5010 – 49 Street, Lloydminster Alberta. This will be a holiday celebration in memorial of those lost to addiction and those still caught in addition’s grasp. Please spread the word and join us to show how much our community cares. We care about those still strug-

gling. We care about those that that have lost loved ones. DEC. 31 – NEW YEARS EVE DANCE There will be a New Years Eve Dance at the Legacy Centre on Dec. 31 with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. The band is Barbe d Wire and cost of admission is $35/ members and $40/nonmembers. Advanced tickets only! Lunch served at 10:30 p.m. then dance in 2020 at midnite! For more info contact Legacy office at 780875-4584. SAVE THE DATE The Lloydminster Branch of the Canadian Transplant Association has moved their annual Transplant Trot from January to Saturday April 25, 2020 to coincide with National Organ & Tissue Donation Awareness Week. The event will again take place on the indoor walking track at the Servus Sports Center 9 a.m. to noon. Please save the date! Registration will soon open on the Running Room website and please watch for our posters around the City in the New Year!

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Newton douses simmering seniors’ issue GEOFF LEE

WRITER

.................................. Lloydminster seniors can sleep easier knowing someone has their back if there’s an after-hours emergency in their rental building or unit. That’s what Lloydminster Fire Department chief Jordan Newton told the Lloydminster Concerned Citizens For Seniors Care Society while addressing seniors’ safety concerns at their Dec. 10 meeting. He was asked to explain how fire, police and ambulance personnel can get into places where seniors live with a locked front door, especially at night when managers aren’t around. “The fire department in Lloydminster doesn’t just break down doors when they respond to every call,” said Newton in his last week with the fire department before starting his new job. He was introduced as manager of emergency management operations. “The only time that we do force entry into a property is if there is sufficient evidence that shows there is an ongoing emergency in the residence, for example, a fire,” he said. Newton recommends seniors living in an apartment for seniors to work with their property representatives and landlord to develop more emergency response plans to deal with emergencies if they were to arise. He went to speak about his previous involvement with staff and residents at Halls Holme apartment to FROM PAGE 9

Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers joined first responders in his warmest Hi-Vis clothing to encourage safe travels over the holidays and dole out some sweet treats. “We don’t want you to drink and drive, from a resident, from a city, from anyone, if you need to take a ride home, there’s many

Geoff Lee Meridian Source

Lloydminster Fire Department Chief Jordan Newton, in his last week in that role, spoke to seniors about after-hours access to seniors’ residences in apartments by police, fire and EMS personnel at a Dec. 10 meeting.

improve safety and access at all hours of the day. “Through discussions both with the excellent care-taking and maintenance staff there as well as residents, everyone has a higher level of comfort if an emergency was to arise,” said Newton. “It’s important that emergency services leaders engage with the community so everyone can feel safe.” The Seniors’ Care Society adopted the issue after hearing some seniors are concerned about emergency medical services, the fire department and RCMP being able to access their building especially when there’s a health emergency and every minute counts.

different options, if you’ve had too much to drink, or you’re under the influence of anything, please call,” said Aalbers following the checkstop. “Get a cab, call a friend, find a different way home than riding in the back of one of those (pointing to police cruiser), because it’s not going to be a very pleasant experience for your-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

self, your family, your employer, anyone that loves you and is dear to you, that’s going to change your life, so please, don’t drink and drive. “The RCMP has a job to do and they just want to make people aware. It’s a good reminder, and it’s that time of year and tends to be more prevalent at Christmas with Christmas parties.”

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, December 19, 2019

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Alberta Ballet spreads movement and music at Mother Teresa TAYLOR WEAVER

EDITOR

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It was indeed, a place where magic happens. Last Tuesday morning was a special one for staff, students and parents at Mother Teresa Early Childhood Education Centre, as they were joined by the FROM PAGE 13

They wrote a letter to the Lloydminster Region Housing Group in May to learn about their policy for after-hours access to subsidized housing for seniors at Southridge Estates, Knox Manor and Padua Place for emergency services. The letter asked when no management is available after hours, how do emergency services gain access to the front door and subsequently a resident’s suite? Graham Brown, president of the Seniors Care Society, said basically their reply was they have all the processes and procedures in place that are

Alberta Ballet School and local dignitaries to showcase the progress they’ve been making on the production of The Nutcracker. The school’s Movement and Music program was highlighted through The Nutcracker during the morning pre-

sentation, which can then, in turn, lead to the Ballet program at Holy Rosary High School (HRHS). The Alberta Ballet School began a partnership with the Lloydminster Catholic School Division in 2018 to bring movement and

music into the schools, and their pilot launch was with Mother Teresa school. Students at the school now participate in movement and music classes three times per week. “There’s so much that’s involved in child-

required by law. “The homes here are all up to code as to what provincial standards are and that’s great, but what we are looking at is—are there some better ways to be doing this, so maybe we can have better access without having to do damage.” Brown says it’s mainly an issue when you get into multi-units in a building and if there isn’t a key available, how do emergency services get in? “It’s different for every building, so we need to find out what are the best practices and how can we implement those on a community-wide basis,”

he explained. The discussion pointed out that some seniors are hesitant to bring the matter up, fearing a negative reaction or a reprimand from their property authority. “The recommendation from the fire chief is that if we have some kind of a template letter with that— when the unit owners feel that the management isn’t listening to them about how that service could be provided,” said Brown. “Then they could use this letter to make their concerns known.” Ruby Trudel, treasurer of the Seniors Care Society, says it was wonder-

ful to have Newton at the meeting and thinks it’s very important for her group to understand issues right from the source. She went on to stress the purpose of the Seniors Care Society is to advocate for seniors and to bring issues forward on behalf of seniors, noting after-hours access for emergency services is a good example of that. “What we will do now is create a letter template for buildings that are concerned about their access that residents can send to their building authority to express their concern without being singled out,” she said.

hood learning and childhood development, (and) the addition of movement and dance music, in particular, has really shown to help with things such as fine and gross motor skill development, coordination, body aware-

ness, as well as developing the self-confidence and awareness that they have in themselves,” said Taryn Klassen, head of the junior school with Alberta Ballet School. CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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Thursday, December 19, 2019

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Thursday, December 19, 2019

MERIDIAN SOURCE

FROM PAGE 16

“It gives them another opportunity to express themselves,

Thursday, December 19, 2019

m ayb e in a different way they may not have been exposed to in the past, and adding in the music component adds

to their development and has shown to help in language development, language skills, and anytime you can build appreciation for the arts in young students it enriches their whole experience,” she said. Klassen was joined by faculty member Nicole Pigeau, who took students through various moves and exercises, as well as Alberta Ballet trainees to provide a nice surprise for students and

also to see what they could aspire towards. “The earlier we can introduce that music, play, dance in young people, the more they can benefit from it, so the fact we’re starting at Mother Teresa as young as three-yearsold, it just helps to develop all the skills they may not necessarily get in other aspects of the scholastic education, it brings another layer in,” said Klassen. Sheila Jurke, principal at Mother Teresa, was excited to have the Alberta Ballet School team up for a visit, as she has seen the program evolve over the years and benefit many students.

Taylor Weaver Meridian Source Alberta Ballet School faculty member Nicole Pigeau enthusiastically took students through a variety of moves from The Nutcracker last week at Mother Teresa Early Childhood Education Centre.

“The program today is really interactive and (they’re) building upon the skills they’ve been doing in their movement and music program, so they can all be successful and having lots of fun,” she said. “Our children are all quite little, so starting at age three gives them another opportunity to move their bodies, to experience learning and academics, and tie that into movement and music, so it really brings the whole package of early learning

together.” Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers and his wife, Christine, were also in attendance, and couldn’t help but hold a smile throughout the demonstrations. “It’s great to see the kids involved in the Alberta Ballet School working on something you wouldn’t expect to see in Lloydminster on an every-day occasion,” said Aalbers. “It’s great to see the kids participate, and it all leads to physical fitness, which is very important.”

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Recession? At the Pole? be ordered by going to myprairiewool.com PRAIRIE WOOL HELEN ROW TOEWS

Twas Christmas Eve in Marshall, The townsfolk lay asleep, Waiting for ole Santa Claus, To down the chimney leap. But Santa felt quite poorly, He hadn’t left the Pole. The thought of giving presents, Almost caused his guts to roll. This year had been much tougher, To meet his bottom line. He wasn’t one to grumble, But the elves had heard him whine … “Recessions are just awful!” It’s such an utter shame.” Some even heard him saying, “It’s the government to blame!” There hadn’t been the money, For extras all that year. Some of the toys had suffered,

Their paint a thin veneer. He couldn’t have his cupcakes, Not toffees, mints or pie. The man was eating lettuce! (His food bill was too high.) But putting that behind him, He loaded up the toys. The wagons, dolls and train sets, He had made for girls and boys. Then found his big fur bonnet, And placed it on his head. His trademark coat was shabby, (So, he wore a vest instead.) He’d been outside already, To polish up the sleigh, And fed all of the reindeer, With cheap and dusty hay. Yet, at his call the reindeer,

File Photo Leapt to the midnight sky. And struck a course for Marshall. As fast as they could fly.

All wrapped with bows of gold, Beneath the glowing Christmas tree, Just like in times of old.

The earth spread out beneath them, The moon shone like a jewel, (With Santa feeling grateful, That his flight used hay for fuel.)

Yet as he turned to walk away Ole Santa stopped and brooded, And wrote upon the wrapping paper, Batteries not included.

Then Rudolph spied a rooftop, Ole Santa raised a hand, And through the frosty starlight, They hurried down to land.

I wish everyone a truly blessed holiday season and the very best in the New Year. Merry Christmas! Pop in to say hello and pick up a copy of my new book Prairie Wool this Saturday, Dec. 21 when I’ll be at the Border City Farmer’s Market in the Servus Sports Centre Lloydminster. Others of my family will be upstairs in the Lloyd Home Hardware on that same date. Prairie Wool can also

Ole Santa grabbed his rucksack, And with a happy cry, Remembered why he loved this job, (A tear escaped his eye.) Tenderly he placed the gifts,

for the link. Thanks for your support!

PAGE 20 Thursday, December 19, 2019 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Sports

Jamie Harkins Meridian Source

The Lloydminster Tier 1 Synergy Credit Union atom Blazers, with Lennon Bell, Grier Pahtayken, Peter Osman, Jordan Beattie, Tyce Hudon, Noah Blais, Jacksen Aultman, Toryn Mokuruk, Ryken Endicott, Aiker Cruikshank, Ryder Plamondon, Trey Bohlken, Joshua Frazer, Quinn Macnab, Keaton Matthews and Brayden Gramlich, beat the Lacombe Rockets for the Art and Joan Roberge Memorial championship on Sunday.

Atom Blazers capture Roberge Memorial JAMIE HARKINS WRITER

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The Lloydminster Tier 1 Synergy Credit Union atom Blazers are the 2019 Art and Joan Roberge Memorial champions. Crisp passes, spot-on shots and an unrelenting forecheck led the Blazers to a 7-4 win against the Lacombe Rockets in the Roberge tourney final at the Servus Sports Centre on Sunday.

The boys jumped out to a 2-0 lead during the opening frame, increased the advantage to 6-1 by the end of 40 and held on in the third to bring home their first championship of the season. “We were playing as a team really well and passing a lot,” said Blazers goalie Brayden Gramlich, who made a number of highlight reel stops during the final, including a stretched-across-

the-crease paddle save on a Cole Ten Hove one-timer near the end of the second. “We were just getting shots on net.” Gramlich said nerves and excitement choked the dressing room before the final. He said they battled past the emotions by simply working hard when the puck dropped and staying in the game no matter the score. Blazers right wing Aiker

Cruikshank added the Rockets posed their toughest challenge of the two-day tournament. However, he noted they can skate and used that speed to gain an edge. “We’ve got a couple of good players who can really move their feet,” said Cruikshank. “Josh, Trey, Grier, there are a few people who can move their feet really well.”

Cruikshank proved a force on offence rushing the puck into the Rockets zone on several occasions and shooting at will. He notched the Blazers final marker 2:05 into the third by deking around a Rockets defenceman before firing the puck into a top corner from in close. “This will help us stay confident,” said Gramlich. “It’ll keep us playing hard.”

Thursday, December 19, 2019

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Junior Varsity Raiders earn Holiday Hoops gold JAMIE HARKINS WRITER

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A Casey Winterhalt trey, bucket in the paint courtesy of Thora Hundeby and a couple of dishes inside by Taytem Eide broke open the Holy Rosary High

School (HRHS) Raiders Holiday Hoops junior varsity girls basketball tournament. The Raiders won their first gold of the season beating Meadow Lake’s Carpenter High School Spartans 55-21

in the Holiday Hoops final at HRHS on Saturday. It was 6-4 Spartans before the Winterhalt three-pointer and all Raiders after. “This was totally a full team effort,” said Winterhalt, a post/

guard for the Raiders. “We tried to get everybody on the board and everybody got on the board.” Raiders guard Ella Sikora noted they boxed out, went up strong and communi-

Jamie Harkins Meridian Source

The Holy Rosary High School Raiders junior varsity girls basketball team, with back row from left, coach Stephanie Rachkewich, Nicole Kucy, Clare Wever, Thora Hundeby, Casey Winterhalt, Taytem Eide, Danae Reid; front row, Abby Oldford, Ella Sikora, Marion Rusteika and MacKenzie DeCrescenzo, missing is Olivia Brockhoff, won the Holiday Hoops tournament on Saturday.

cated on the court. After piling up a 40-10 lead by halftime, she added they shifted to increased ball movement around the arc to pull out defenders in order to free their post. “It went pretty well,” said Sikora. “We definitely improved this game with that play.” The Raiders are dressing four eleventhgraders, four ninthgraders and three

tenth-graders this season. Four of the 11 girls are returning veterans from the squad that captured silver at last year’s Holiday Hoops competition. “We have a good team, we’re all really supportive of each other and we make everybody feel comfortable,” said Winterhalt. “And, the win gives us good energy to start again after Christmas.”

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Inland Steel Bobcats bring down Bisons JAMIE HARKINS WRITER

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Down 3-1 and facing a fifth loss in six games, the Lloydminster Inland Steel midget AAA Bobcats called a timeout. The Bobcats (9-93) went on to fire 80 shots, score seven goals and earn three of a possible four points in a crucial weekend of play on home ice following the 30 seconds of reflection.

It started with a come-from-behind 3-3 tie against the Sherwood Park Ennis Kings (6-11-5) on Saturday and climaxed in a 5-1 beating of the Airdrie CFR Bisons (2-16-2) at the Centennial Civic Centre the next afternoon. Taylor Holt, head coach of the Bobcats, said the boys simply decided they wanted to play. He said they chose to work the right

way and together as a team evidenced by their successful five-on-three kill late in the third versus the Bisons. “We were up 5-1,” said Holt. “The guys can easily bail out. But, they were out there blocking shots for their goalie.” Bisons forward Alex Bend beat Vaughn Holbeche on a bad-angle shot seven minutes into the first period to open the scoring in the Sun-

day matinee. The goal seemed to foster doubt in the home side until Matthew Swanson, Wyatt Dyck and Brayden Koch combined on a nice three-way play in front leading to the latter having an open net for the tying marker with three minutes left in the frame. “That was a huge confidence booster for us,” said Bobcats defenceman Max Mills. “We knew we were the superior team coming in and that first one knocked us back a little bit. But, his goal really got us back in the game. It was just a huge momentum boost from there. We got going, goal after goal came and the game turned out the way it did.” Bobcats left wing Caden Cabana gave his team the lead 2:09 into the second by popping in a Jagger Firkus rebound. Mills recorded his first of the season about four-and-

Jamie Harkins Meridian Source

Bobcats goalie Vaughn Holbeche follows the play.

a-half minutes later. “It was kind of a weird play,” said Mills. “It was a scrum in front. I just came up with it. Me and Cabana crashed and banged and we just got pucks in. It was good to get the monkey off the back. It was good to get the first one.” Cole Comerford and Mazden Leslie added markers in the second half of the mid-

dle period. The Bisons pressed during the third only to find a suffocating defence in their way to the goal. “We scored two goals yesterday after that timeout and five today,” said Holt. “We directed pucks at the net. We moved our feet. We were absolutely relentless on the forecheck. When we do that we can play four lines with the best of them.”

Thursday, December 19, 2019

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Cavaliers earn gritty win against Barons JAMIE HARKINS WRITER

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Kitscoty High School (KHS) Cavaliers guard Deryk Venance roared as his offensive rebound put-back fell through the hoop. The bucket put the Cavaliers up 47-45 on the Lloydminster Comprehensive High School junior varsity Barons with 1:50 left to play in the fourth quarter of a charged exhibition tilt at the KHS gym on Tuesday evening. Venance hit the plusone shortly after and scored the dagger from deep in the dying seconds to lead his squad

to a 51-45 victory. The Cavs went up 10-0 before the Barons had time to blink and fought back from an opposition-run early in the third quarter to lead by 15 only to watch Matty Wright tie the contest on a foul shot with four minutes to play. The game may have been classified as exhibition, but the intensity on the court during those last few seconds made it feel like a championship was at stake. “We needed to come together and say ‘hey guys we need to do a better job,’” said Cava-

Jamie Harkins Meridian Source

Baron Landon Caldwell stuffs Cav Kale McAllister’s layup attempt.

liers shooting guard/ small forward Carter Wartman. “It’s really just a fact of mental toughness and grit to get through it. Our team has a lot of that. So, it was really good to pull this one off.” Barons coach Kevin Sywenky said games like this tend to give him a few more grey hairs, but it’s importance in teaching their young group how to come back and play in

the final period can’t be underestimated. He said they can shoot the three, as evidenced by their five treys versus the Cavs courtesy of Landon Caldwell, Aidan Rawlake and Tony Willerton, but the preference is to drive the ball and shift through the opposition defence. “It just wasn’t there for us tonight,” said Sywenky. “It’s disappointing, but it’s things to build on. I think

that’s the most important part, with especially our JV program, of getting these guys some game experience and that ability to play late in games, during comebacks and whatever else. Hopefully, that builds so when we bump them up to the senior level they’re going to know how to play.” Wartman said they like to go for the boards, box out, share the rock and get every-

one involved. He said they have a go o d mi x o f Gr a d e 10’s, 11’s and 12’s on the squad, but the whole group has to touch the ball and get it flowing to break the defence down. “We have to work on a few things and we know that, but this is a good learning point for everyone on the team,” said Wartman. “Still, I think the grit and resilience we showed tonight was very important.”

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Jamie Harkins Meridian Source

Steelers Kori Patterson fights for a loose puck in front of the Pandas goal.

Steelers missing puck luck JAMIE HARKINS WRITER

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A failure to bury pucks when the opportunities were given sunk the Lloydminster PWM midget AAA Steelers on ugly Christmas sweater night. The Steelers (7-8-2) completed the 2019 portion of their schedule with a 2-0 loss to the Edmonton Pandas (105-1) at the Servus Sports Centre on Friday. The girls battled the Pandas through the first 20, earning their best chance to open the scoring with five minutes remaining on a Lana Duriez pass into the slot for Tayler Premak that Elise Hugens corralled on a diving stop, but seemed to lose their way in the second. “We had some looks in the second, hit a crossbar and banged another one off the side of the goalie’s mask, but then they came back,” said Steelers assistant coach Dale Mitchell. “It was a good game. We beat them 1-0 in Notre Dame and we lost 2-0 tonight. So, it can go either way.” Pandas forward Emerson Jarvis got her team on the board halfway through the middle frame wiring a shot between Molly Mitchell’s right

pad and arm. Jacquelyn Fleming made it 2-0 at the 16:32 mark potting a Rian Santos rebound during a net-front scramble. The Steelers entered the game coming off a 3-1-1 showing in the Mandi Schwartz Memorial Tournament at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame last weekend. Mitchell said they lit the lamp with regularity in some of their contests played just south of Dog River, but fought the puck in others. He noted that’s an aspect of the game they’ll try to work in a bit more consistency during the second half of the season. “We have seven rookies and when we took a look at the team at the start of the year I thought we’d be right around 500 going into Christmas,” he said. “Now we have to build off these games. The 2-1 games, the 3-2 games, all of them are tight. That shows the importance of teaching our girls that killer instinct and that ability to fight through checks to get shots on net. We still don’t get enough quality chances to bury the puck. That comes with creativity from the blue line in.”

PAGE 25 Thursday, December 19, 2019 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Agriculture

Farmers are among the most respected professions MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

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Farmers are one of the groups Canadians respect the most, well ahead of government, unions and large companies, found a recent public opinion poll by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). Despite this, they face significant competitive challenges that the Federal-ProvincialTerritorial (FPT) agriculture ministers must begin to address at their meeting in Ottawa on Tuesday to fuel optimism in the agriculture sector in the year ahead. “Farmers make significant economic contributions to Canada and produce some of the safest and highest quality food in the

world. It is not a surprise then that 96 per cent of everyday Canadians give top marks to farmers in terms of the groups they respect the most,” said Marilyn Braun-Pollon, CFIB’s vice-president of Western Canada and Agribusiness. “The priorities and concerns of farmers should be given careful consideration by policy makers meeting this week.” CFIB’s latest Monthly Agriculture Business Barometer shows optimism in the agriculture sector is being weighed down by recent trade disputes, difficult harvest conditions in many parts of the country and costly carbon taxes. In fact, CFIB’s Agriculture Index finished

the month of November at 51.1 – 5 points below the national average. “The reality is farmers have faced a lot of uncertainty this year with ongoing trade disputes and a challenging harvest which has really muted their outlook for the year ahead,” explained Braun-Pollon. “We hope the Ag Ministers will be disc u s s i ng p o l i c i e s t h i s week that will help improve the bottom line of our producers.” CFIB recently sent a letter to the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau congratulating her on her re-appointment as Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and outlined the policies needed that will ensure Canadian agri-businesses succeed.

CFIB Farm Members’ Policy Priorities to Improve their Overall Competitiveness: - Federal Carbon Tax: Exemptions for farmers should be extended to include natural gas and propane that is used for drying grain and heating poultry or dairy facilities. - Trade and Export: All FPT governments need to focus on improving market access for Canadian agricultural products. - Regulation and Paperburden: All levels of government need to continue to reduce the burden of red tape on farmers so they have more time to grow and expand their business. - Business Risk Management (BRM) programs: Ensure programs are transparent,

File Photo timely and predictable. - Intergenerational Farm Transfer: Make it easier for farmers and all small businesses to transfer or sell their business to a family member. “Business succession is an urgent issue across the country. We are calling on the federal government

to make it easier for all small businesses, including farmers, to sell their business to their children or other family members. There also must be a concerted effort by all levels of government to create the conditions for farmers to grow and expand,” said BraunPollon.

PAGE 26 Thursday, December 19, 2019 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Careers

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PAGE 27 Thursday, December 19, 2019 MERIDIAN SOURCE 306-825-5111 admin@meridiansource.ca

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Obituaries & Memoriams

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Celebrations

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HOROSCOPES CAPRICORN

December 22 – January 19 You’ll be very sensitive this week and it won’t take much to bring a tear to your eye. Changes are necessary to improve your mood. The holidays will also surely bring your smile back.

AQUARIUS

January 20 – February 18 It’s not always easy to please everyone, despite your best efforts and the compromises you’re willing to make. You’ll need to walk on eggshells and weigh the pros and cons when dealing with a difficult situation at work.

PISCES

February 19 – March 20 You’ll be extremely efficient and finish the week’s tasks successfully, both at work and while preparing your home for guests. Your attention to detail will ensure that everything is perfect.

ARIES

March 21– April 19 You’ll find yourself placed on a pedestal. You’ll accomplish something remarkable or even heroic. You may also get involved in volunteer work for which you’ll receive compensation or recognition.

TAURUS

April 20 – May 20 You may make last minute changes to your holiday plans. You may also decide to redecorate your home. A family member will need some extra attention.

GEMINI

May 21 – June 21 You may decide to buy yourself a car for Christmas. You’ll need to be in many places at once to complete your holiday shopping and everything else on your to-do list. Many little details will need serious thought.

CANCER

June 22 – July 22 Your credit card will get quite the workout this week as you treat yourself and your family. There may be a hiccup when the time comes to pay your bills. In your love life, you’ll need lots of attention and affection from your partner.

LEO July 23 – August 22 Your energy will be up and down this week. You’ll regain your vitality within a few days of the solstice, even if it’s the shortest day of the year. You’ll also have many ideas and activities to break your routine.

VIRGO

August 23 – September 22 You dream of a perfect world where harmony reigns, but the reality is often very different. Avoid reading the news this week and immerse yourself in the world of a book that suits your fantasies.

LIBRA

September 23 – October 22 Your presence will be required at a large gathering. You’ll organize an event that will attract an impressive crowd. A spontaneous family trip may be planned.

CROSSWORD

SCORPIO

October 23 – November 21 You’ll find yourself planning holiday celebrations by yourself. You’ll realize that there are lots of preparations to finish and that time is running short. An outing with friends is an obvious escape.

SAGITTARIUS

December 12 Answers

November 22 – December 21 When you receive many invitations for the festivities to come, you may start to dream about escaping the winter and burying your feet in the sand under the warm tropical sun.

SUDOKU December 12 Answers

ACROSS 1. “____ Don’t Preach” 5. Fisherman’s hook 9. Seize 12. Sir Guinness 13. In ____ of 14. Be obliged to 15. Sound of relief 16. So be it! 17. Mild expletive 18. Weird 20. Swayze/Moore film 22. Louisiana marsh 25. Pakistan’s continent 27. Cry of surprise 28. Proofreader’s mark 30. Party giver 34. Neither’s conjunction

35. Good buddy 36. ____-jongg 37. Naval responses 39. Data, briefly 41. “____ Got Sixpence” 42. Muscle spasms 44. ____ pole 46. Actress Emily ____ 49. “____ a Small World” 50. Charged particle 51. Gawk 54. Castro’s land 58. Charles S. Dutton sitcom 59. Jazz singer Fitzgerald 60. Among 61. Had a burger 62. Pelt 63. Appraise

DOWN 1. Faux ____ 2. Boxing great Muhammad ____ 3. Tent spike 4. Sneezer’s sound 5. Happy 6. Objective 7. Service charge 8. Mushrooms, e.g. 9. Canceled, at Canaveral 10. Intimidates 11. Borscht ingredient 19. Broken bomb 21. Cry of surprise 22. ____ fide 23. Sailor’s hail 24. Days of ____ (long ago) 25. Ladd and Alda

26. Ego 29. Heroic tale 31. Leave out 32. Reserve 33. Not us 38. Porky’s pen 40. Baseballer Mel ____ 43. Runs in neutral 45. Playwright Wilde 46. Former Milan money 47. Treasure 48. ____-over (quick look) 49. Teheran’s location 52. Moose’s relative 53. Yale grad 55. Actress Thurman 56. Fragment 57. Lime drink

May you touch dragonflies & stars, dance with fairies & talk to the moon. Meridian Source’s Birth Announcements If you wish to have your baby’s birth announcement published in our May you grow up with love & gracious hearts & people who care. Thursday edition of the Meridian Source FREE OF CHARGE, please come in and fill out a form or email admin@meridiansource.ca Welcome to the world little one. It’s been waiting for you! Deadline is Tuesday at noon for the Thursday edition.

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Thursday, December 19, 2019