Moose Jaw Express, January 24th, 2024

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Volume 17, Issue 4 | Wed., January 24, 2024

Original Chinese association to celebrate the revered dragon during New Year’s banquet Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

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The dragon has been popular in Hollywood for years, but it has held special significance for Chinese people for millennia because of how woven it is into their culture.

The animal — symbolizing strength, courage and good fortune — is one of the most powerful and revered signs in the Zodiac because emperors believed they were the actual beast, while people today believe they are descendants of the animal.

Another way this creature has been incorporated into Chinese culture is as the fifth sign in the Zodiac. That should excite people because this is the Year of the Dragon, which means cultural groups will be roaring in veneration of the scaly, mythical, divinely inspired animal during their upcoming New Year’s celebrations.

During the past century, the Year of the Dragon was 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 and now 2024.

The Moose Jaw Chinese Community Network (MJCCN) is the original group that has supported this ethnic community for roughly 140 years. Its goal is to promote culture, assist newcomers with integration, help its members and provide social opportunities to unite young and old ethnic Chinese with the broader community.

This year’s Chinese New Year falls on Saturday, Feb. 10, but the network is holding its 10-course banquet on Monday, Feb. 12, at 6 p.m. at Jade Garden Restaurant. There will be prize draws, while MJCCN members will receive a red envelope with money.

Tickets are $50 and residents can purchase them from Jade Garden (306694-5566), the Delight Café and Wok (306-692-1889) or by emailing moosejawchinese@gmail.com.

“We are really excited that we are able to continue this annual tradition of hosting a Chinese New Year banquet, especially in the Year of the Dragon,”

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At last year’s Chinese New Year Celebration, Golden honey roasted barbecue pork was served. Photo by Jason G. Antonio

said president Qiang (Kelvin) Hu. It’s auspicious that this year’s Zodiac animal is the dragon because tradition indicates this is a time for boldness, enthusiasm and growth, he continued.

Furthermore, celebrations are about embracing the spirit of the dragon, striving for excellence and pushing the boundaries of possibilities.

The Chinese New Year celebration focuses on not just the festivities and food but also meaningfully honouring the culture and heritage, which is something the network wants to share, said Hu. “Among all the activities that our network organizes, this is one that usually attracts the most people,” he stated.

For a second straight year, there will not be a traditional Lion Dance. Hu noted that the costume is old and requires repairs. Moreover, because the network wants to host as many people as it can in the restaurant, there is no room for it to manoeuvre.

The Lion Dance was a major highlight at the banquet years ago, with the network enlisting youths to operate the

costume and visit every table so participants could stick into the lion’s mouth either heads of lettuce or red envelopes filled with money.

“I’m kind of a little bit disappointed we won’t be able to feature this performance this year, but … every year, this event is sold out,” said Hu. “We have people begging for more tickets, but we have (fire code) regulations we have to adhere to.”

The banquet features slightly different foods every year, with 10 main courses and two desserts.

This year, the dishes include crab meat and fish maw soup in egg white, deep-fried chicken, black truffle and bacon fried rice, honey-glazed roast pork, crystal peach ribs Kyoto style, amber walnuts with crispy shrimp, stirfried fish fillets with kidney beans and pine nuts, braised Shanghai Bok Choy with Shiitake mushrooms, Chu Hou beef brisket pot, stir-fried fresh Shiitake mushrooms with crispy melon, a fruit plate and brownie cake.

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PAGE A2 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Military ombudsman reports on Moose Jaw visit, says ‘people want to come here’ Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com

Gregory Lick, Ombudsman for the Department of Defence (DOD) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), spent the week of January 15 to 19 in Moose Jaw visiting with CAF officers, non-commissioned members, civilian employees, and families.

He sat down on Jan. 19 for an exclusive interview with MooseJawToday.com, and shared some of the issues he’s hearing from DOD and CAF employees — as well as some of the positive experiences of living in Moose Jaw. “Each of our visits, pretty well, to any of the bases and wings across the country, and sometimes internationally, are weeklong, because it takes that amount of time to get to see everyone we want to see,” Lick explained. “For Moose Jaw and every other base, it’s about creating awareness of what our office does, how we can support members, what we offer, and a bit about what we don’t do, as well.

“And then the other side of it is hearing directly from members about the issues they’re facing, the bigger, systemic-type issues ... that we want to look at really deeply.”

The Ombudsman’s visit included scheduled presentations and consultations with officers, family members, the Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) staff, senior and junior non-commissioned CAF members, public service employees, and the Saskatchewan Dragoons Reserve Unit.

Lick, who took the job in 2018, said that he personally didn’t know about the Ombudsman’s office before he joined it, despite a 40-year career including many years as the Director General of Opera-

Ombudsman Gregory Lick speaks to gathered Canadian Armed Forces members during his recent week in Moose Jaw (courtesy Ombudsman’s office) tions for the entire Canadian Coast Guard.

That’s one of the reasons he works hard to raise awareness of the services his office provides.

He still regularly finds that a majority of DOD and CAF employees he visits don’t know the purpose and scope of the Ombudsman.

“Our job is to support DOD and CAF members however we can, but especially in cases where there’s unfair treatment,” he explained. “We find that people don’t know they can turn to us for things as simple as, say, finding out where the nearest MFRC is, all the way up to addressing big, systemic unfairness where I might have take it all the way to the top, with the Minister of Defence or Chief of Defence Staff,

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and initiate a countrywide investigation. ...

The role of the Ombudsman is to speak up without fear of repercussion, which I have to do sometimes, even if it makes the government uncomfortable.

“Oftentimes, people think we’re the office of last resort, which sometimes we are, depending on the issue. But for many other issues, we can be the office of first resort, and so it’s really important to us to continue promoting awareness so we can help the people we need to.”

Lick and his team deal with everything from serious legal cases with widespread repercussions (sexual assaults and harassment, veteran’s affairs, civilian contractors with PTSD), to things like helping family members who have been forced to move to find gainful employment. They can’t address criminal cases, but they can usually still help members who may be dealing with the justice system in some way.

One surprising current issue is the complicated province-to-province licensing of physicians, which affects military families more frequently because of regular postings. Another huge concern is the

cost of housing and living, particularly when it comes to the junior ranks. It is a national, coast-to-coast problem. For example, Lick said recent news from Halifax about military members possibly ‘living rough’ is extremely concerning and has his full attention.

Fortunately, housing pressure isn’t as intense in Moose Jaw. Lick also said he has heard feedback that members are happy with the culture, opportunities, and community connections at 15 Wing.

“Many of the issues that we see here are fairly consistent with what we find across the country, related to benefits, pay issues, cost of living, but some of those issues are not as bad here, which is really good to see, actually,” Lick said. “People, we find, want to come to Moose Jaw. That’s just great to hear! You don’t hear that everywhere, particularly on the really isolated, remote bases and wings, or where there’s really high costs of living, such as Esquimalt and Victoria, where it’s almost impossible to afford a house at a junior rank level.”

Lick said his base and wing visits are important to keep him connected with the communities his office is meant to serve, as well as being his favourite part of the job.

He and his office encourage DOD and CAF employees past, present, and even future to check their website, review past investigation and frequently asked questions, and reach out for help, advice, and guidance. The complaint process is completely private, and individual personal control over information is maintained from start to end. The Ombudsman office protects complainants against any form of reprisal.

Learn more at: • www.canada.ca/en/ombudsman-national-defence-forces.html • www.canada.ca/en/ombudsman-national-defence-forces/information-about-office/ombudsman.html • www.canada.ca/en/ombudsman-national-defence-forces/contact.html

Food Inspection Agency warns public of Quaker brand cereal, granola bar recall Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

Earlier this month, the Saskatchewan Health Authority has announced the recall of Quaker brand granola bars and cereals, along with the Cap’n Crunch brand Treat Bars. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is concerned that many of these cereals and granola bars could have been exposed to microbial contamination and pose the risk of containing Salmonella.

If you find any recalled food products in The recalled products contain a your possession, the best course of action is best before date that ranges from be- to avoid consumption and to discard them or tween Jan. 11, 2024, and either July 9, return them to the store. Photo by: CanadiSept. 7, or Oct. 7, 2024, depending on an Food Inspection Agency the specific product.

Food contaminated with Salmonella may not look or smell spoiled in any way. If consumed, individuals can become ill and may experience short-term symptoms that include fever, headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal craps, and diarrhea. Long-term complications resulting from the exposure to Salmonella may include severe arthritis.

The risk is higher for young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. For individuals in these demographics, symptoms may include serious and sometimes deadly infections.

If you think that you or your child has become sick after consuming a recalled product, the best approach is to contact your healthcare provider immediately.

If you discover any recalled products, these should be thrown out or returned to the store where they were purchased. Do not eat, serve, use, sell, or distribute any recalled products.

A food recall does not necessarily mean every recalled item is contaminated. Food recalls may be issued after a contaminant – in this case Salmonella – has been discovered at the facility where these products are made. The best course of action is to err on the side of caution and not consume recalled products.

A full list of recalled food items can be found online at Canada.ca at Recalls-Rappels.Canada.ca/en.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024 • PAGE A3

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Dr. Megan Surkan shares insights about the many forms of dementia Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

An estimated 20,000 people in Saskatchewan live with some form of dementia.

This is more people than live in Yorkton and is about the population of Warman.

A Jan. 17 presentation by Dr. Megan Surkan with the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan and in partnership with the Conexus Credit Union gave the highly accredited Saskatoon-based geriatrician an opportunity to explain the condition.

Dementia is not a specific disease, but an umbrella term for the impaired ability to remember, think normally, or make decisions in daily life.

Dementia is quite common, and its likelihood increases with age. By age 65, an estimated one in 12 people will live with dementia, and by age 85, one in three live with some form of dementia, according to Statistics Canada.

Every 24 hours, an additional 10 individuals will be diagnosed with dementia in Saskatchewan.

The cause of dementia remains uncertain and complex. One certainty is that dementia isn’t a normal part of aging.

“Some people do kind of normalize certain parts of cognitive decline with age,” Dr. Surkan said. “That would be a pathology, rather than a normal part of aging.”

Dementia can be acute and sometimes reversible, or chronic and irreversible, depending on the cause.

Acute causes of dementia include the side effects of medication, symptoms of fever or infection, chronic depression, dehydration, stress, tumours, and a deficiency in Vitamin B12.

Chronic and irreversible causes of dementia include Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson’s Disease, alcohol-related dementia, or an acquired brain injury.

Dr. Surkan said there isn’t typically a

strong genetic link to dementia.

“If people have these genes, they are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. However, it’s not a… guarantee by any means. A gene is not what we call deterministic – it doesn’t guarantee someone will get the illness.”

Studies indicate that up to 40 per cent of dementias are preventable through modifiable risk factors including exercise, treating high blood pressure, quitting smoking, and managing diabetes.

“In general, what’s good for your heart is good for your brain.”

Alzheimer’s disease: is the most common type of dementia, with an estimated 65 per cent prevalence. It is progressive, degenerative, and irreversible.

Symptoms usually begin with issues in short-term memory. Alzheimer’s progresses in three increasingly severe stages, and the prognosis from onset is eight to 10 years on average.

Vascular dementia: is the second most common form of dementia. It’s caused by a decrease in blood flow to the brain which results in damaged brain tissue. This may be caused by high cholesterol, hyperlipidemia or atherosclerosis, or a blood clot.

Frontotemporal dementia: comes as the result of damage to neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.

This commonly affects people under the age of 65, and symptoms include unusual behaviours, emotional problems, trouble communicating, and difficulty walking.

Lewy body dementia: is associated with abnormal deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein – or Lewy bodies – in the brain. These deposits affect brain chemistry that in turn affects thinking, movement, behaviour, and mood. Symptoms may also include visual hallucinations, REM sleep disorders, and symptoms resembling Parkinson’s disease such as a loss of smell.

Photo by: David Stobbe/Stobbe Photo Dr. Megan Surkan.

An individual with Lewy body dementia may seem almost normal one day, and then hours or a day later they might become drowsy, altered, and confused.

Mixed dementia: involves symptoms from at least two forms of dementia, the most common of which is Alzheimer’s mixed with vascular dementia. Pathologists have revealed mixed pathologies in over half of all dementia cases.

Dementia commonly affects the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes of the brain, and symptoms will match the function of the affected region.

The frontal lobe is responsible for higher level executive functioning, such as complex planning, problem solving, and step-by-step organizing. This includes the ability to self-monitor, plan, and control impulses.

The parietal lobe is responsible for perception and making sense of the world.

If you see an image, the brain tells you what you’re witnessing.

The temporal lobe plays a role in manage emotions, processing information from your senses, storing and retrieving memories, and understanding language.

There are 10 warning signs of dementia endorsed by the College of Family Physicians of Canada that fall under three categories.

Abilities: include memory loss affecting day-to-day abilities, difficulty performing familiar tasks, disorientation in time and space, and frequently misplacing things.

Behaviour: includes impaired judgment, changes in mood and behaviour, changes in personality, and a loss of initiative.

Communication: includes problems with language and abstract thinking.

Before visiting your doctor, take note of any changes in your behaviour such as memory, language skills, attention, coordination, mood, or personality. Take note of medications, a family and psychiatric history, and any tasks that have become difficult.

It’s wise to bring your primary caregiver to the appointment, as some individuals with dementia may not realize all their symptoms.

Planning for a life with dementia includes determining a power of attorney, selecting a healthcare proxy to act on your behalf, and managing your medication. Individuals with dementia should stop driving and find alternative transportation.

If you have been diagnosed with dementia in any form, the Alzheimer Society provides valuable resources and a referral isn’t required. The Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan is based out of Regina and can be reached at 1-306-949-4141 or online at Alzheimer.ca/sk.

If you experience symptoms of dementia, the first step is to promptly contact your family doctor.

Healthcare Rocks 2 concert fundraiser for hospital will feature ‘Simply Queen’ Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com

The second annual ‘Healthcare Rocks!’ concert by the Moose Jaw Health Foundation, in support of the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital, will take place Saturday, March 23, themed around Queen, one of the greatest rock-and-roll bands of all time.

The concert, taking place in the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre’s Mae Wilson theatre, will feature Windsor, Ontario-based Queen tribute band ‘Simply Queen’. The band is fronted by Freddie Mercury impersonator Rick Rock (not a stage name) and puts on completely live shows featuring all the greatest hits of Queen.

Simply Queen sells out dozens of shows every year across Canada and the United States and strives to put on a faithful recreation of Queen’s legendary sound, energy, visual presentation, and attention to detail.

“Last year, we had the first Healthcare Rocks, and we brought in AC/DC for a sold out show,” said Kelly McElree, executive director of the Moose Jaw Health Foundation (MJHF). “Everyone dressed up as their favourite rock star, and just had a wonderful time. And everyone agreed, this is awesome, you have to do this again

Jovi to KISS, but the one that was said most often was Queen. Sure enough, I got in touch with Simply Queen, and they were really excited about the evening. ... They do a number of charity events throughout North America, but they’ve never been to Moose Jaw, so they’re ready to put on their first performance here.”

McElree thanked Cypress Paving for once again being the event’s presenting sponsor. The Grant Hall Hotel is also onboard as the hospitality sponsor for the concert.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, January 17 at 12:00 p.m. Tickets are $60 plus taxes and fees

at the MJ Cultural Centre Box Office or online at sasktix.evenue.net.

Moose Jaw comedy act Leroy and Leroy will once again serve as the emcee for the evening. All guests are encouraged to break out their leather pants, ‘80s wigs, bandanas, nighttime sunglasses, and other rock ‘n roll accessories for a costumed extravaganza.

“With the help of Simply Queen, this will be a concert that people will not forget,” McElree said. “I guarantee they will rock you.”

Saskatchewan is Making Waves Globally next year.

“And so, during the event, I was going around asking people, you know, what band would you most like to see? And I heard everything from Elton John to Bon

Last year, Saskatchewan exported over $50 billion worth of products around the world. This means prosperity here at home, creating over 22,000 jobs in the last year.

Hon. Tim McLeod, MLA for Moose Jaw North (306) 692-8884 | mjnorthmla@sasktel.net

PAGE A4 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Guest Editorial

Joyce Walter -

Oldtimers agree: Polar Vortex is darn cold

Moose Jaw Express In the “olden days” when senior gentlemen gathered around the pot-bellied stove in the local general store to discuss the miserably cold weather outside, they blamed the dipping mercury in the thermometer to an Arctic blast or to winds escaping from Siberia.

Nary one of those men who had decades of experience in winter on the Prairies blamed something called “the Polar Vortex.” If something like that had been mentioned, surely the speaker would have been accused of staying outside in the snow and wind so long that his brain must have frozen — said goodnaturedly, of course.

But that term has become accepted terminology in modern winter weather reports, having gained traction in the winter of 2013-14. Televised weather reports of a “Polar Vortex” are usually accompanied by maps showing in different colours, the path of the cold weather.

As a man at the grocery store said the other day, “it is nice to have something to blame besides the Russians and Siberia for this rotten weather.”

And indeed, it has been unbearably cold but with that cold came an abundance of good will and neighbourly gestures that served to warm the hearts of old and young alike.

Social media pages had many kind souls offering to drop around to provide battery boosts or to tinker with a furnace that needed some tending. Others offered their services to shovel snow, provide rides to appointments, to pick up and deliver groceries and to check on the elderly without close-by family.

In addition friendly warnings were given about safe driving habits, being careful when crossing icy intersections and taking along some extra clothing and food if venturing onto the highway.

Local residents, we’ve learned, have been typically generous in their assistance in providing blankets, winter coats, scarves, gloves and hats to be distributed to those among us who are existing outdoors, in makeshift shelters.

If we’re lucky for the rest of the winter, we won’t experience another Polar Vortex. And in say 10 years, the elderly will chat around the fast food tables about that “Polar Vortex” of 2024, suggesting it was the coldest, most miserable January they had ever experienced.

Maybe by then there will be a new name for Arctic air.

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

Send your letters to the editor to: jritchie@moosejawtoday.com or 888-241-5291 All columns, letters to the editor and editorials are solely the personal opinions of the writers themselves and not necessarily the opinions of The Moose Jaw Express.

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The Moose Jaw Express does not under any circumstances accept responsibility for the accuracy or otherwise of any ads or messages in any of the publications editions. The Moose Jaw Express specifically disclaims all and any liability to advertisers and readers of any kind for loss or damage of any nature whatso-ever and however arising, whether due to inaccuracy, error, omission or any other cause.

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Phone: 306.694.1322 Fax: 888.241.5291 468 High St. W., Moose Jaw SK S6H 1T3 www.mjvexpress.com

Publisher: Robert Ritchie - rob@mjvexpress.com Editor: Joan Ritchie - jritchie@moosejawtoday.com Sales: Wanda Hallborg - mjexpress7@sasktel.net Gladys Baigent-Therens - gbaigenttherens@moosejawtoday.com Kevin Ogle - kogle@moosejawtoday.com Thank you to all the contributing writers, without your time and support, the paper would not look the same.

Send your stories, events and pictures to: jritchie@moosejawtoday.com

Joan Ritchie Jason G. Antonio Joyce Walter Aaron Walker Ron Walter John Kreutzwieser

Gordon Edgar Randy Palmer

Friends and family of Sherry Ma to hold fundraiser after returning cancer diagnosis Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

lent auction, and a 50/50 draw.

After battling a rare and aggresThe penny parade will insive form of cervical cancer in clude several prizes from local 2021, local resident and mother businesses in Moose Jaw, Regiof four, Sherry Ma, has again na, and Saskatoon. Prizes have been diagnosed with the same type of cancer after almost two been donated by the Moose years of remission.

Jaw Warriors, Saskatchewan To do something to help, Roughriders, Casino Moose two of her daughters, Sydney Jaw, Sask. Rush, and others, Azure and Courtney, have come with over 30 items to be won. together with the support of nuOne highlight of the silent merous family and friends to auction will be a signed Ed Belorganize a fundraising dinner four Chicago Blackhawks jerat The Crushed Can. The fundsey. raiser will take place on Satur- Sherry Ma (right) in a family photo with her The Crushed Can was day, Jan. 27, and runs from 5 to four children. Photo by: Sydney Azure chosen as the venue for the 9 p.m. fundraiser “because they have The fundraiser meal is open to the public and will a great space, (great) food, and (an) overall fun environfeature a half rack of ribs. ment including arcade games which helps families with Ma was originally from China and moved to Moose children attend as well.

Jaw when she was three years old with her parents and “We appreciate Alex (Carleton) for making it possisiblings. Since arriving, she has continued to make Moose ble to host events like these and (we) like to show support Jaw her home. to our local businesses in town,” Azure said.

After receiving her initial diagnosis and undergoing Tickets for the fundraiser cost $25 apiece. To pureight months of cancer treatment, Ma went into remission chase tickets, send a text message to Sydney at 306-690for nearly two years. After a follow-up examination, Ma’s 6266 or an email to SherryMaFundraiser@gmail.com. cancer had returned, and her chemotherapy and immu- Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door. notherapy regimen claim eight hours per treatment every The Crushed Can is located at 82 Manitoba Street three weeks and come with several unplanned expenses.

West.

“This fundraiser will help pay (to have) someone The family wishes to add that anyone unable to atdrive Sherry to and from treatments and appointments in tend but wanting to show their support has the option of Regina and Saskatoon,” Azure explained. purchasing a ticket to be donated. These funds will help “As well (it will) help pay for everyday expenses as support Ma during this challenging time, and all meals she has been unable to work since first being diagnosed associated with donated tickets will be forwarded to the due to negative side effects from the chemotherapy and Riverside Mission shelter. radiation. Being a single mother, she is still providing and “We really appreciate all the support we have already caring for two children in her home.” received and continue to receive from everyone, whether Two of Ma’s four children still live at home with her it be a donation or just spreading the word out about the youngest child being 12 years old. fundraiser.”

The fundraiser meal will include a penny parade, si-

Grade 4/5 class at Sacred Heart donates warm blankets for the unhoused Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com

Christine Bruce’s grade board chair of Square 4/5 class at Sacred Heart One, during a presentation on Jan. 15. Busta school donated 26 knotted also took the opportunifleece blankets to Square ty to perform a religious One Community, Inc., to blessing on the blankets, be distributed from there including holy water. to the less fortunate in Busta read to the Moose Jaw who are enstudents from Matthew during extreme cold.

25:40, which reminds Bruce explained that readers that the good she had been inspired deeds they do for othduring the staff opening ers, no matter how lowly day Mass when the priest reminded staff that emu- Christine Bruce’s grade 4-5 class at Sacred Heart School with those others may seem to lating Jesus requires ac- the blankets they made for the homeless. Also pictured are be, are also done for JeTamra Reeve and Della Ferguson (photo by Gordon Edgar) sus Christ. tions, not just words.

“This is incredible, “Our Holy Trinity division theme this year is ‘God hold all creation in His I don’t think there’s any more beautiful symbol than a hands,’ and our school has its own theme in addition to blanket to symbolize love being wrapped around anoththat, which is to ‘spread joy,’” Bruce said. “I was inspired er,” Ferguson told the grade 4/5s during the presentation.

“What you’ve done here is you’ve said (to the hometo do just that with my religion program this year. In Holy Trinity teachers are asked each year to complete a per- less who will receive the blankets), ‘I see you, I hear you, sonal growth plan that holds a religious component, so I understand your need, and this is what I know how to do I wanted to tie my religion class to my personal growth and how I can help.’ So, I want to say thank you, and I will plan and incorporate our school division’s theme.” be taking these directly to the front line.”

With the help of her students, fall intern Tamra Reeve, and division chaplain Lisa Busta, Bruce came up with a plan to help her students make blankets for the homeless.

The material required for 26 blankets came to about $2,000 from Fabricland. However, help from Fabricland staff and fellow Holy Trinity educators brought that price down to just under $1,000.

The grade 4/5 students have been and are continuing to fundraise to pay for the material of the blankets by selling cookies, doing the school recycling, and by coming up with a few of their own ideas. At this point, the students have raised around $700 to repay Sacred Heart School for buying the blanket material upfront.

To help make the blankets, Bruce’s class collaborated with Ms. Douglas’ grade 10 Catholic Studies students at Vanier Collegiate for a day, including an opening liturgy created by the grade 10s, some icebreaker games, a scavenger hunt around the school, and the Vanier Advent celebration assembly. Finally, they spent about two hours crafting the blankets themselves.

The blankets were turned over to Della Ferguson,

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday,Janaury 17, 2024 • PAGE A5

Co-owners of Deja Vu Café hope to get featured on a Jones Soda label Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

The Jones Soda Company was originally founded by Canadian entrepreneurs during the mid 90s in Vancouver, B.C., and now features 64 different flavours and some of the most unique packaging in the beverage industry.

To design its unique labels, the company hosts an ongoing competition where individual consumers and small business owners can upload their photo with a chance of having it featured on the label of future soda bottles.

John Adams and David Braun, the co-owners of Déjà vu Café in Moose Jaw, are now taking their shot at being featured on one of the upcoming Jones Soda labels.

With a current tally of 114 votes as of Jan. 16, and compared with many entries sporting one or even zero votes, the local restaurant seems to have a fighting chance. “We have a shot,” co-owner Adams said in good spirit.

Entrants whose picture gets selected will receive no tangible benefits such as a cash reward, but they do earn bragging rights and get their picture and their brand advertised freely on the continent-wide distribution of Jones Soda bottles.

“Someone might come inside (Déjà vu Café) and say, ‘Hey, that’s pretty cool,

een in 2023.

“For Halloween, (Braun) and I bought some suits… because you’ve got to look good while you’re dressing up. We’re wearing a Pac-Man suit and a SpongeBob suit. We thought it was something quirky that might catch their (Jones Soda’s) eye a little bit,” Adams explained.

True to their ongoing support for the unique soda brand, co-owners Adams and Braun are also looking into the possibility of installing a fountain machine that would exclusively dispense an assortment of Jones Soda flavours in addition to existing soda pop dispensers.

“If we figure out a fountain machine and the supply for it, and no one else has one, that would be super cool.”

The local café is featured on an episode of ‘You Gotta Eat Here’ in 2013 and ‘The Prairie Diner’ back in 2014. By addThe cafe’s entry for the Jones Soda label contest, featuring co-owners David Braun (left) and John Adams (right).

Photo by: Deja Vu Café

you guys made it on here.’ That’s ultimately what it’s about – it’s mostly for fun,” Adams said.

The idea to take their shot at the contest was a natural choice, as both co-owners describe themselves as fans of the unique soda and it’s a staple on the menu at Déjà vu Café. The local café is further known for its wide range of available sauces and ice cream flavours, so the 64-flavour selection offered

by Jones Soda is a clear fit.

The picture selected and entered by the A glimpse into the newly renovated interior at Deja Vu co-owners was originally taken for HallowCafé, completed Jan. 14. Photo by: Aaron Walker

ing this further advertising outlet, more individuals may be inspired to visit Moose Jaw. The photo submission process is an ongoing process, and as it stands, there is no specified cut-off date for entrants to receive votes. If a picture meets the guidelines established by Jones Soda and receives a high enough number of votes to capture the attention of contest administrators, it can be chosen at any time.

The best way to view the picture submitted by Déjà vu Café and vote is through the link provided on the restaurant’s Facebook page, ‘Deja Vu Moose Jaw.’ Alternatively, the entry can be found through a search on JonesSoda.com/pages/jones-photo-gallery.

To place your vote, all you have to do is visit the website gallery, locate the picture, and click ‘Vote’.

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PAGE A6 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Yes Virginia: the rich get richer; the poor get poorer

The decade to 2020 has seen a disproportionate increase in concentrated personal wealth around the world, according to an annual review by Oxfam International.

Since 2020, the five richest men in the world have seen their fortunes more than double while almost five billion people have seen their wealth decline.

Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, increased his fortune by 737 per cent in a decade to $245 billion U.S. Meanwhile the wealth of five billion people declined by on-fifth of one per cent.

Hardly seems fair does it?

The Oxfam report, titled Inequity, is prepared every year in advance of the Davos World Economic Forum.

The world’s richest people, influential and wannabe influential bureaucrats and politicians, gather every year at Davos to pontificate about global issues then jet back home and keep doing what they have been doing.

There is nothing wrong with wealth in itself. Criticism of vast wealth derives from its impact on society, and abuse.

Oxfam’s report indicates the large amount of wealth comes from rewarding the wealthy, not the workers, privatizing public services and dodging taxes.

Eighty-two per cent of business profits are returned to shareholders as dividends or buying back stock while Oxfam argues not enough goes to the workers.

The report does not mention inflation as a source of wealth. A Saskatchewan farmer with clear title to 1,000

acres of land in 1978 was worth between $300,000 and $500,000.

Today that land is worth between $800,000 and $3 million depending on the soil. Productivity hasn’t increased six times since then.

The Belgian-based charitable agency suggests a five per cent tax on assets of the wealthy to equalize the situation.

Canada planned a tax on increased value of assets every five years when capital gains tax was introduced in 1971. The idea was shot down by almost every one from the rich to small business to farmers.

The concentration of wealth leads to monopoly and the development of one-party style politics, says the report.

Example: 25 years ago 10 companies controlled 40 per cent of the world market for seeds. Today two companies control 40 per cent.

Some of the rich like Bill Gates donate large chunks of wealth to improve the world. Others hug their wealth like a toddler’s security blanket Just who are the world’s super wealthy?

Until the technology-driven era of the late 1990s, most made their fortune in real estate, then overnight technology successes changed the picture.

Canada has 600 billionaires, second highest number on the globe.

And Canada has 2.29 million millionaires. Only eight

TRADING

THOUGHTS

By Ron Walter For Moose Jaw Express

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

per cent inherited their wealth.

Ninety-two per cent are self-made and half are immigrants or first generation Canadians.

An Ipsos survey found 57 per cent of Canada’s millionaires are retired and 31 per cent own businesses.

Thirty-five per cent of them made $40,000 a year — not even twice the minimum wage. Apparently becoming a millionaire isn’t such a big deal as it used to be.

And 34 per cent made $100,000 to $150,000 a year.

Only one in 12 made over $150,000 a year.

A 10-year old Wealth Insight mutual fund report says Saskatchewan had at least 8,000 millionaires.

Half lived in Saskatoon. About 30 per cent lived in Regina.

Just under one in four made their money in oil and gas; about one in five from transportation; and one in seven from financial services and investments.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

Senior’s association to host upcoming dreamcatcher workshop Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

The Moose Jaw and District Senior Citizen’s Association (MJDSCA) will be hosting an upcoming dreamcatcher workshop on Tuesday, Feb. 6 and Wednesday, Feb. 7 in the association’s art room. Led by instructor Joy Strueby, the course includes easy-to-follow directions and provides a social outing for adults over the age of 55.

The course will start at 1 p.m. on each respective date and is expected to run until 3 p.m.

MJDSCA members and non-members are both welcome, and this is the first time a dreamcatcher workshop has been held at the association specifically. The purpose of the event, according to Strueby’s assistant who did not wish to be named, is simply to get out and have fun.

To create the dreamcatchers, the materials will first be hand-made by participants and then stretched over a provided metal ring. There is no weaving component for this specific class.

Most of the materials needed for the craft will be supplied by the organization. This includes a selection of doilies, some rings, feathers, beads, and similar elements.

Participants are welcome to bring some of their own supplies to the course. A metal ring will provide structure

for the dreamcatcher, and if a participant wishes to select their own size of ring, these can be purchased from Your Dollar Store with More next to Sobey’s Liquor. Acceptable ring sizes range from a two-inch diameter to any other size available at the store.

Guests are invited to bring their own special doilies or other keepsake items to include in the craft, and the completed dreamcatcher could provide a perfect custom gift for a loved one.

The cost for the course is $2 for members of the MJDSCA and $5 for non-members. Course fees can be paid in person at the start of each class.

A sign-up sheet is available at the Timothy Eaton Gardens’ main desk. For more information or to sign up for the course, the association can be reached at 306-6944224.

The event will take place in the art room at the Timothy Eaton Gardens, located at 510 Main Street North.

In the upcoming craft course, instructor Joy Strueby will lead adults over the age of 55 as they create a custom dreamcatcher. Photo by: MJDSCA

Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners Notes THE NEXT POLICE BOARD MEETING IS THURSDAY, FEB. 15, AT 9 A.M.

Assaults on police, thefts and speeding tickets catch attention of police board Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

Assaults against police, thefts of highpriced items and issuing speeding tickets were the main crime statistics that the Board of Police Commissioners focused on during its mid-January meeting.

Attacks on police had increased “a lot” year over year, said Commissioner Nicole Swanson. The crime statistics data for 2023 showed there were 23 attacks last year versus 11 in 2022, a jump of 109.1 per cent.

Such incidents had increased, while the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) has been reviewing those situations, said Deputy Chief Rick Johns. Most assaults are by offenders who punch, kick and spit at police while being arrested, while offenders usually spit at multiple officers during that process.

Most assaults against police — and assaults in general — are connected to an overall increase in violent crime since residents act less civilly and respectfully to others, he added.

Saskatchewan’s police chiefs are seeing similar situations and are discussing how they can address these problems, said

Chief Rick Bourassa. He also reaffirmed that the decrease in civility is affecting the MJPS’s members and their interactions with people.

Swanson then noted that thefts over $5,000 had jumped 95.2 per cent — 41 incidents from 21 — year over year and wondered whether it was because inflation had increased the cost of products.

The police service is reviewing that category because it wants to ensure that the values of stolen products are accurate and that the agency is correctly entering that data, said Johns. The MJPS uses a symbol to log thefts over $5,000, but if members don’t understand it, there may be “inadvertent errors” where officers enter data as thefts under $5,000.

The massive volume of thefts also means it takes police more time to investigate such incidents and whether it’s high-value merchandise that thieves are stealing, the deputy chief added. He pointed out that there were 1,042 incidents of theft under $5,000 last year versus 900 in 2022, a 15.8-per-cent increase.

The increased number of police-is-

sued summary offence tickets also caught Swanson’s eye since there were 2,145 tickets distributed in 2023 versus 1,360 the year before, an increase of 57.7 per cent.

“It’s good, but it is a big jump in one year,” she chuckled.

The police service issued more tickets because there were more officers assigned to traffic enforcement, said Bourassa, who noted there were 64 members employed last year versus 52 a few years ago.

Furthermore, while officers issued over 2,000 tickets, there was likely an “even larger jump” in the number of contacts with motorists, he added. The overall goal is education and safety, so tickets are a last resort.

The agency will have a better understanding of the number of contacts with motorists by December after the new computer-assisted dispatch (CAD) program is installed, since it will more accurately track the data, said Johns.

Bourassa indicated that the summary offence tickets category does not include infractions from the automated speed en-

forcement (ASE) camera locations. Those units produced more than 40,000 tickets last year because of lead-footed drivers speeding on Highway 1 or through a school zone.

“We are also in the process of getting the equipment in place to work with the city on doing some covert traffic flow and speed analysis in other locations where we get a lot of complaints,” he continued.

City hall could approach the province about installing more cameras — SGI handles the technology — if other locations require ASE, Bourassa added. Meanwhile, the good news is that while there are more speeders on Highway 1, there have been no serious collisions or deaths since the province installed the cameras.

The highway camera was temporarily broken in 2023, so there could have been more speeders than the numbers show, said Commissioner Clive Tolley. He thought it would be beneficial to see ticket comparisons between the ASE cameras and police enforcement.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024 • PAGE A7

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Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners Notes THE NEXT POLICE BOARD MEETING IS THURSDAY, FEB. 15, AT 9 A.M.

Final crime stats of 2023 show jumps in assaults, thefts, hard-drug use Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

The final crime statistics for 2023 show that, compared to 2022, crimes against people rose 22 per cent, property crimes increased 4.1 per cent and service calls to police jumped 3.5 per cent.

The Moose Jaw Police Service presented the data during the Board of Police Commissioners’ mid-January meeting.

Crimes against the person Crimes against the person for 2023, 2022 and 2021 show: · Homicide: 0 / 1 / 0 · Attempted murder: 4 / 3 / 2 · Assaults (sexual, common, with a weapon, aggravated and against police): 410 / 342 / 317; a 19.9-per-cent increase · Robbery: 10 / 8 / 5 · Total: 577 / 473 / 471; a jump of 22 per cent Of note, common assaults rose 24 per cent, assaults with a weapon/cause bodily harm jumped 23.8 per cent and assaults on police — 23 incidents from 11 incidents — increased 109.1 per cent.

Crimes against property Crimes against property for 2023,

2022 and 2021 show: · Break-ins (business, residence and other): 250 / 286 / 313 · Theft of vehicles: 54 / 67 / 64 · Theft over $5,000: 41 / 21 / 17; a jump of 95.2 per cent · Theft under $5,000: 1,042 / 900 / 709; a 15.8-per-cent increase · Arson: 3 / 11 / 35 · Mischief under $5,000: 355 / 335 / 371 · Total: 2,206 / 2,120 / 1,976; a jump of 4.1 per cent Of note, other break-ins increased to 89 incidents from 67, a jump of 32.8 per cent.

Other incidences Data for other incidents for 2023, 2022 and 2021 show: · Impaired driving: 108 / 122 / 128 · Failing to comply with court orders: 463 / 834 / 891 · Threats: 54 / 82 / 57 · Domestic dispute: 65 / 106 / 164 · Provincial liquor infractions: 156 / 153 / 164 · Vehicle collisions over $1,000: 213 /

298 / 243 · Summary offence tickets: 2,145 / 1,360 / 1,734; a jump of 57.7 per cent · Drugs: · Cocaine: 9 / 7 / 7 · Marijuana: 6 / 9 / 15 · Methamphetamine: 5 / 11 / 31 · Other CDSA drugs, such as fentanyl: 24 / 11 / 19; an increase of 118.2 per cent · Total: 44 / 38 / 72; an increase of 15.8 per cent · Calls for service: 19,813 / 19,143 / 16,048; a jump of 3.5 per cent Investigating the increases The MJPS plans to look deeper into the causes for the increase in overall assaults, particularly the common assaults, said Deputy Chief Rick Johns. Meanwhile, although domestic disputes and threats decreased, officers may have laid those charges under the common assault category, creating an “anomaly” in the data.

As for aggravated assaults and attacks with a weapon, police agencies across Saskatchewan and Canada are seeing sim-

ilar increases in “incivility” among people who use violence to solve problems, he continued.

Meanwhile, officers handled more illicit drug cases last year, with proactive police work contributing to that jump, Johns said. Based on comments from officers, he knows that Moose Jaw is facing more meth and fentanyl problems than the data shows.

“We hope that … criminologists will be able to provide us with some guidance and input going forward … ,” he added.

The criminal investigation unit doubled the number of drug-related projects it pursued last year, even though those projects are labour-intensive, said Supt. Taylor Mickleborough. Yet, the police service increased those projects because it had enough staff in that department. pecifically, the unit conducted 11 projects in 2023 versus five the year before, which explains why there was an increase in the other CDSA drugs category, he added.

MJPS to receive final numbers for its ‘tight’ 2023 budget in February Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

The Moose Jaw Police Service experienced a “very, very tight” operating budget last year because of soaring expenses, but the organization will only learn how tight it was after receiving a final report in February.

The police service (MJPS) presented a budget update — to Nov. 30, 2023 — during the Board of Police Commissioners’ Jan. 9 meeting.

The document showed the agency had a net deficit of $571,851, mainly because the province had failed to provide $709,444 in annual funding. Also, the organization had not yet received $1,449 in revenues for responding to false alarms or $106,092 in policing services income.

Police Chief Rick Bourassa said the budget continued to be “very, very tight,” although the MJPS fully expected the Ministry of Justice to provide the annual revenue by early February.

Meanwhile, the agency had roughly $454,000 in its equipment reserve budget to support the installation of in-car reporting and computer-assisted dispatch programs this year.

“We have been watching the budget

very closely (and) taking steps to manage the budget, but we had some expenditures that were larger than anticipated,” he added.

Finance officer Lisa Renwick agreed and said expenses increased more than expected. Moreover, the police service paid out a large chunk of backpay after concluding a new union agreement.

In response to a board question about the provincial funding, Bourassa said the ministry annually provides $800,000 to the MJPS to fund six positions. These positions include four with the Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan (CTSS) and two with the MJPS’s Police and Crisis Team (PACT) unit.

The four CTSS officers spend 30 per cent of their time in Moose Jaw and 70 per cent patrolling provincial highways and supporting other communities. Meanwhile, two PACT officers work with mental health professionals in two teams and provide coverage 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

The PACT teams are regional and support communities within 100 kilometres of Moose Jaw, following the boundar-

ies of the former Five Hills Health Region, said Bourassa.

The police chief noted that the province also provides 80-per-cent funding for the MJPS’s victim services co-ordinator.

This position — which includes Sven, the trauma/facility dog — offers regional support as well.

The police service continues to ask for funding to support positions on its internet child exploitation (ICE) unit and serious incident investigation team, Bourassa continued. The agency has two in-house ICE investigators; one recently resigned, while another will travel to Ottawa this year for training. “(The training is) really, really important. And if we don’t have the trained and properly equipped people dealing with it, we will have victims left unserved,” he added. “So we’re going to continue asking the province to participate with us in that.”

Commissioner Doug Blanc expressed concern about the budget and wanted to see some categories “cleaned up” since commissioners didn’t know what was happening with certain expenses.

Renwick explained that the MJPS re-

lies on city hall to produce its monthly reports. However, the municipality installed a new accounting software system last year that has directed expenses into the wrong categories. Therefore, she is unable to make changes or redirect expenses to their proper areas.

“I wish I could break it down more in this report for you because I find it frustrating as well because it’s not getting the details correct,” she said.

In the maintenance category, for example, the software program has put building and vehicle expenses in there when they should go elsewhere, Renwick continued.

As of Nov. 30, 2023, the maintenance category had $125,355 in expenses while its budget was $311,000, for a surplus of $185,645.

Meanwhile, the supplies expense category is $118,591 over budget because the software program put fuel costs there instead of in vehicle maintenance.

“This year, when we did the 2024 budget, those things are correct and changed.

So hopefully, the reporting looks better,” Renwick added.

PAGE A8 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024

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REPORT from the Legislature

Moose Jaw North MLA

Tim McLeod Saskatchewan is off to a strong start in 2024. Our growing economy continues to fuel investments in the programs and services that matter most to Saskatchewan people. With these investments in place, Saskatchewan continues to be one of the best places to live, work and raise a family.

Saskatchewan stood out for economic growth in 2023, and experts predict our province will continue to lead this year with growth expected to be pushed to more than double the national average. A major contributor to this year’s economic growth will be BHP’s $6.4 billion Stage 2 expansion of the Jansen potash project. Once this project is complete it will be the largest potash mine in the world and will provide more jobs and opportunities while continuing to drive economic growth in our province.

Economic growth from 2023 continues to give momentum to 2024. Saskatchewan led the nation in growth in building permits in November 2023, up 83.9 per cent

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year-over-year. Housing starts are up too; December 2023 saw an increase of 86.4 per cent from the year before.

As our economy grows, so does our labour market.

The latest numbers from Statistics Canada indicate that Saskatchewan has reached another record for job growth with 22,100 full time jobs added year-over-year, ranking second in the nation. Our government is committed to continuing to make investments and decisions to help grow our economy, resulting in more opportunities and a higher quality of life for Saskatchewan people.

Saskatchewan’s strong and growing economy means we can invest more in the areas that matter most. This February, a new specialized support classroom pilot project will be launched that focuses on helping manage and de-escalate behavioural incidents. This project will help address classroom complexity by assisting students who need targeted interventions in the short-term. Our government is providing a $3.6 million investment to fund the pilot in eight school divisions across the province which will run until the end of the 2024-25 school year.

Also new this year is the Teacher Innovation and Support Fund, which will foster local, teacher-led solutions while addressing classroom and student needs.

Applications are now being accepted for Saskatchewan teachers to access funding for projects that assist in providing better student and teacher experiences within today’s classrooms. This $2.5 million pilot project will allow teachers to work with their school administration to apply for up to $75,000 to put toward their ideas.

The goal of this fund is to have local, innovative ideas be brought forward to continue to enhance our classrooms in such areas as student achievement, student

Extra $1.4M from province to help local school divisions address enrolment pressures Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

The provincial government has provided Moose Jaw’s two school divisions with nearly $1.4 million extra because of enrolment growth that is putting pressure on their ability to deliver services.

The Ministry of Education notified both organizations in December that it would adjust their 2023-24 grant funding based on their enrolment figures of Sept.

30, 2023.

Holy Trinity Catholic School Division received $132,515 because it has 94 more students than last year, while Prairie South School Division received $1.25 million because it has 135 more pupils than last year, for a total of $1,382,515.

Catholic division Holy Trinity plans to spend $68,140 to hire an extra

CITY OF MOOSE JAW CHANGES IN UTILITY RATES FOR 2024

teacher to accommodate significant enrolment pressures at St. Agnes School, said CFO Curt Van Parys during the recent board meeting.

Furthermore, administration will use $14,375 for extra educational assistant support to accommodate enrolment pressures, while it will allocate $30,000 to the Saskatchewan Distance Learning Corporation (SDLC) to support five students enrolled in that program.

The province is also providing Holy Trinity with an extra $20,000 for its parent-teacher home visits initiative; this is the third year the ministry has funded this project.

This money is in addition to the $494,166 that the province provided last June to help Holy Trinity address enrolment growth and classroom complexity issues, said Van Parys. The division used $285,960 to address the former and $208,206 to address the latter.

It’s great news that the organization is receiving these financial supports, especially since the provincial government has said that “growth is for everyone,” he continued.

“Is it enough … ? I would say that it’s not, but at least it recognizes that those (divisions) with enrolment

As part of the rate schedule approved by City Council in 2024, residents will see a change in the rates on their utility bills starting February 1, 2024. Consumers in Moose Jaw will be billed quarterly (every 3 months) using the rates listed below: Fixed fees for Water for meter measuring 15-20mm Variable fees for Water Consumed

$113.31 per billing ($108.96) $1.5856 per m3 ($1.5246)

Fixed fees for Sewer for meter measuring 15-20mm Variable Sewage Rates

$61.38 per billing ($59.01) $1.6399 per m3 ($1.5768)

Keycard rates for Water consumed

$4.6091 per m3 ($4.4318)

Water and Sewer Connection Fee Water and Sewer Service Deposit Water Meter Testing Deposit

$45.00 ($45.00) $250.00 ($250.00) $50.00 ($50.00)

(Rates in brackets represent the 2023 utility rates) If you have any questions or would like more information regarding utility rates please call the Information Desk at (306) 694-4410.

W.I.P.P.S. (Water Installment Payment Plan Service) Experience the convenience, monthly budgeting and time savings that come with our WIPPS program.

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and teacher wellness, and school safety. Our government is listening to teachers and is engaged in finding practical solutions to improve the classroom environment for teachers and students.

We are also committed to investing in health care so Saskatchewan people can receive the care they need when they need it. The Health Human Resources Action Plan introduced in the fall of 2022 to recruit, train, incentivize and retain health care workers continues to show strong results. A total of 131 nurses from the Philippines have arrived in Saskatchewan, 21 of which have begun working in communities across the province.

Since December 2022, 964 nursing graduates have been hired from across Saskatchewan and Canada. Since September 2021, 259 physicians have been recruited to Saskatchewan, including 105 family physicians and 154 specialists.

To further support health care in our province, our government is committed to investing health care training programs. An additional investment of $850,000 will add 25 seats to the Mental Health and Wellness Diploma program at the Saskatchewan Institute of Technologies.

This funding helps to not only meet labour demands in our growing health care sector, but also ensures our communities receive the care and support they need.

As Saskatchewan continues to experience growth, our government is committed to building and protecting our province for generations to come. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact my constituency office at 306-692-8884 or mjnorthmla@ sasktel.net.

HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC SCHOOL DIVISION THE NEXT HOLY TRINITY BOARD MEETING IS MONDAY, FEB. 12.

growth, the money should follow those school divisions that are experiencing that,” added Van Parys.

Directing extra funding to St. Agnes is greatly appreciated, especially since there are an incredible number of students in the building, said trustee Christine Boyczuk.

She recently visited the school and was amazed at how many youths were there.

Boyczuk noted that St. Joseph Parish has a new priest who is Filippino, and with many families in Moose Jaw of that background, his presence may have contributed to full services at Christmas and New Year’s Day. She believes his presence is also attracting Filippino families to Holy Trinity schools.

She added that many parents are young, so if they can secure full-time jobs, it’s unlikely that they will move.

Education director Ward Strueby explained that senior executive encourages schools to make staffing requests, and once those have been submitted, it reviews and determines whether more help is required.

Sometimes executive requires more information, but for the most part, the organization was able to honour some of those mid-year requests, he said. Having the executive make the decision prevents any conflicts of interest among superintendents who may have different opinions about need. “… our whole team is there, and we go back and forth and say, ‘Is this a need? Can we shift some other things around?’ just so we have more eyes,” Strueby added.

Prairie South Ryan Boughen, director of education for Prairie South, said in an email that the money the division received for the increased student enrolment will be applied against the surplus it accessed to operate the school division for this year.

The money will help reduce the surplus but will not eliminate Prairie South’s need to use surplus funds for this year, he added.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024 • PAGE A9

Two Moose Jaw Catholic schools to continue offering French immersion in 2024-25 Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

Two Moose Jaw Catholic schools will continue offering French immersion programming for the 2024-25 school year, with French used to instruct pupils in classrooms 50 to 90 per cent of the time.

All school divisions are required to submit forms to the Ministry of Education by Feb. 15 about which schools will offer French immersion for the coming year.

The form lists each school seeking designation, the grades involved and the percentage of time French is used as the language of instruction for each grade. This process applies to new grade-level designation applications and renewals of previously approved programming.

For the 2024-25 year, Holy Trinity Catholic School Division plans to re-submit École St. Margaret School and Vanier Collegiate for approval as sites of French immersion education.

At St. Margaret, 90 per cent of instruction in kindergarten to Grade 2 is in French, 70 per cent in grades 3 to 5

is in French and 68 per cent in grades 6 to 8 is in French.

Meanwhile, at least 50 per cent of instruction in all grades at Vanier will be in French. However, some classes may have more instruction in that language depending upon what they are.

Division administration presented the designation form at the Jan. 15 board meeting for trustees’ approval.

Sarah Phipps, superintendent of learning, explained that the percentages of classes taught in French are similar to last year and in the past.

“At every grade level, there is a minimum (provincial) requirement that we surpass by far,” she said.

While division administration has French instruction for St. Margaret students in grades 3 to 5 pegged at 70 per cent, that number could be closer to 75 per cent, stated Phipps. However, since it doesn’t know what staffing will be like there next year, it has left that number as is since an English teacher with prep time could decrease

Cyberattacks, financial challenges and poor mental health supports are some risks that Holy Trinity Catholic School Division continues to face and will face in the future, a new report says.

Division administration presented an update about the organization’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program during the recent board meeting. The document explained what ERM is, what is considered risk and the top 5 risks the division faces.

Similar to last year, the top 5 risks are: · A cybersecurity breach or internal leak resulting in the loss of private or confidential information, with a score of 14.4 out of 25. The likelihood of this happening was rated 3.6 out of five, while the negative effect is four out of five · The Ministry of Education could compromise or take the division’s surplus/reserve money due to economic or political pressure, with a score of 13.68, a likelihood of 3.8 and an effect of 3.6 · The Roman Catholic Church “may challenge the ethos” of Holy Trinity, leaving many families to believe that the division shares the same beliefs and “does not have an inclusive environment.” Families could also believe that the Church’s response to truth and reconciliation is insufficient and would deter them from enrolling their kids in the division. This risk score is 13.6, has a likelihood of four and an effect of 3.4 · Holy Trinity might not adequately support students

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express and families around mental health, with the risk being 12.24, the likelihood being 3.6 and the effect being 3.4 · The division may not be able to deliver a quality education because of factors such as enrolment decline or a change in student population. The risk score was 12.16, the likelihood is 3.2 and the effect is 3.8 The 10th-ranked risk from last year were labour disputes, strikes or job action. The risk score was 10.88, the likelihood was 3.2 and the effect was 3.4.

The division plans to align and integrate its ERM program with the board of education’s strategic plan, which trustees will create in February, said CFO Curt Van Parys.

Administration will also formally define ERM’s role; add sections to the strategic plan specifying major assumptions, threats and actions to take; build risk concepts into long-range planning; evaluate strategic initiatives before approval; and actively monitor risks related to projects.

Risk is anything that prevents or impedes an organization from achieving its goals and objectives, the report said. Furthermore, it’s not just about uncertainty surrounding future events but the possibility of adverse outcomes. Moreover, there are five steps an organization can take to manage its risk profile.

Holy Trinity plans to use the ERM’s results to map the risks onto strategic priorities to help realize the points of failure in achieving short- and long-term objectives, said Van Parys. This can mitigate or manage the challeng-

HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC SCHOOL DIVISION THE NEXT HOLY TRINITY BOARD MEETING IS MONDAY, FEB. 12.

that amount of French instruction.

This is an interesting process because the division office has Phipps scheduled in the annual work plan to submit this data in January, but the ministry usually sends in a different form after the board meeting, said education director Ward Strueby.

“If we don’t approve it now, then we can’t approve it in time to get it into the ministry … . So the form going into the ministry will look a little different, but the numbers will stay the same,” he added.

Cyberattacks, poor funding are continued risks facing Holy Trinity, report says es affecting priorities.

ERM can also establish “risk appetite” or risk tolerances to drive decision-making and consistent risk behaviours.

Risk appetite is the amount of risk that an organization is willing to accept in pursuit of value, while risk tolerance is the acceptable amount of risk associated with each risk-taking activity.

Van Parys noted that some benefits to risk appetite include changing behaviour or driving consistent behaviour, enabling risk-based decision-making, tracking and remediating risk, aligning resources, putting theory into practice, developing more intelligent risk reporting, strengthening the process to monitor emerging risks and developing risk “guard rails.”

Many organizations — including Holy Trinity — are considering the risks that environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues pose. Some include decarbonization, diversity, equity and inclusion, supply chain disruptions and resource depletion.

Within ERM is the “risk bowties” approach, which takes a complex event and breaks it into understandable and measurable components, said Van Parys. This includes risk drivers, preventative activities, detective activities, remedial activities and potential effects.

“ERM is not an event but an ongoing process,” he added. “It is not something where you can tick off a box.

Hopefully, in the future, ERM will be integrated within everything (Holy Trinity does).”

Increased immigration to drive future enrolment growth in Holy Trinity Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

Holy Trinity Catholic School Division expects student enrolment to increase by 30 students by 2028 compared to today’s numbers, with immigration into Saskatchewan projected to drive that growth.

There were 2,444 students enrolled as of Sept. 30, 2023, while a new five-year projection predicts that number will be 2,483 by the same date in 2024, 2,502 by 2025, 2,478 by 2026, 2,479 by 2027 and 2,474 by 2028.

Overall, from 2023 to 2038, the division expects four fewer students in its schools.

Meanwhile, the division’s total revenues as of Sept.

30, 2023, were $28.4 million, while the five-year projection predicts revenues will increase to $31.8 million in 2028.

Provincial grants are based on enrolment figures and are the division’s largest revenue source. That money is expected to increase to $25.2 million in 2028 from $22.5 million this year.

Division administration presented the five-year enrolment and financial projections during the recent board meeting.

Market share Birth rates, immigration and “capture rate or market share” are factors that influence enrolment numbers, explained CFO Curt Van Parys. The organization uses Baragar demographic software to assist with enrolment projections, and last year, amended the contract to include immigration data annually instead of every two years for more accurate information.

The birth rate has experienced dips during the past five years, as women within the division boundaries have had 29 fewer children per year, he pointed out.

Between 2006 and 2019 — in which the current-

ly enrolled group of students was born — the number of births per year averaged 622 annually, Baragar data shows. During the past three years, however, births have averaged 547 annually, a decrease of 75 or 12.06 per cent.

In 13 years, this decline means there could be 300 fewer students enrolled, said Van Parys. However, immigration and the capture rate could offset this decline. This means there could be 40 more students per year in the future compared to the previous figure of 14.

More people have left Saskatchewan than are being born here, which means immigration is the main driver of population growth, said trustee Derek Hassen, pointing to the many cultures present at St. Agnes School as an example. While this can be positive, it also puts pressure on schools to offer language services.

“I’m just hopeful senior admin is taking that into consideration of the supports that we’re going to need … ,” he added.

Finances Van Parys reviewed the division’s projected finances over the next five years. He noted that for Holy Trinity to have a balanced budget, it would need an increase in provincial grants of 3.63 per cent in 2024-25, 0.96 per cent in 2025-26, 2.49 per cent in 2026-27, 2.26 per cent in 2027-28 and 2.24 per cent in 2028-29.

Meanwhile, division administration completed an initial assessment to quantify the cash flow effect associated with the École St. Margaret School capital project and found cash flows should normalize once the division completes the project in April 2025, he said.

While the Ministry of Education plans to pay most of the $6.6 million price tag, the division must use maintenance funding to cover the rest.

The division must also prepare for two school board elections in the next half-decade, with Van Parys projecting that the election this fall will cost $47,775 and the election in 2029 to cost $52,375.

With physical plant operations, the division office has made projection adjustments for 2025-26 and beyond to reflect the closure of Sacred Heart and St. Mary schools and completion of the St. Margaret project, said Van Parys.

“I have not built into the projection model any financial impact of the carbon tax cost adjustments … because I don’t know the details of how that’s going to work for us and what the impact will be on school divisions,” he added.

RM OF BAILDON NO. 131 2024 ASSESSMENT ROLL NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the RM of Baildon No. 131 for the year 2024 has been prepared and is open to inspection in the office of the assessor from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the following days, Monday to Thursday, January 16th, 2024 to February 20th, 2024, except holidays.

A Bylaw pursuant to Section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal against their assessment is required to file their notice of appeal in writing, accompanied by a $100.00 fee for each assessment being appealed, with: The Assessor, RM of Baildon No. 131, Suite 1 – 1410 Caribou Street West, Moose Jaw, SK. S6H 7S9 by the 20th day of February, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. Please also send the notice of appeal to the: Secretary of the Board of Revision, Kristen Tokaryk, Western Municipal Consulting Ltd. Box 149, Meota, SK. S0M 1X0 before the 20th day of February, 2024.

Dated this 16th day of January, 2024.

Carol Bellefeuille, Local Assessor

PAGE A10 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024

By Patricia Hanbidge

The Amaryllis Amaryllis belladonna is originally from South Africa’s Cape region. There it is commonly called the Cape Belladonna, the Belladonna Lily and the Naked Lady. In South Africa you will see showy bold, strappy foliage in fall and winter. By early summer, the foliage dies down and bare scapes (flower stalks) emerge about six weeks later. In bloom, it appears that these leafless stalks are growing right out of the soil. These “naked ladies” are topped with a cluster of up to 12 sweet-smelling, trumpet-shaped blooms.

The Amaryllis we commonly grow here is actually a generic name for Hippeastrum spp. It is also a flowering bulb that is native to the Caribbean, Mexico and South America and is often sold as an indoor flowering plant during the holiday season. The genus (part of the

botanical name) of this plant used to be Amaryllis, but in 1987 it was ruled in the 14th International Botanical Congress that the name Amaryllis belonged to the South African genus while the tropical America natives were transferred to the genus Hippeastrum. Most commercial Hippeastrum hybrids are derived from just six species.

We do have much choice when it comes to choosing an amaryllis to grow. They come in various shades of red, white, pink, salmon and orange as well as many striped and multi-coloured varieties. There are even double amaryllis that are now available in the Double Galaxy group of plants. These beautiful amaryllis produce a flower within a flower but grow much the same as the single types and bloom approximately eight weeks after planting.

One of the best things about the bulb with the common name of Amaryllis we grow here is that this is not a one-and-done flower.

Once they have finished blooming – do not throw them out! It is extremely easy to get these amazing plants to bloom again the following year and actually for many years if you take just a little bit of extra care.

Due to their country of origin, these plants do not undergo true dormancy. In cooler climates, plants go into a dormant state or into dormancy as the climatic conditions are not favourable for regular plant growth.

Instead, these bulbs go through a rest period after flowering which allows the plant to rest, recover and then bloom again. After the plant is finished blooming, it does keep growing. This is essential as the continued growth of leaves allows photosynthesis to occur, which allows the plant to store energy in the bulb for future leaf growth and flowers.

In the natural world, around December, the leaves will yellow and drop off and the plant will stop growing. After the rest period, the amaryllis will again begin growing – first leaves and if there is enough energy stored in the bulb, another flower stalk will appear.

For your amaryllis, after the bloom has faded, cut off the flower stalk as low as possible. Continue to water and fertilize for the next five or six months, allowing the leaves to continue to develop and grow. In early fall, the leaves will begin to yellow so reduce the watering and cut the leaves back to about 2 inches above the top of the bulb.

The bulb can be removed from the soil and stored in a cool, dark place (at about 10°C) for six to eight weeks.

After this time, pot up with the shoulders of the bulb above the media, place in a bright space and give the bulb a good drink of water.

Hanbidge is the Lead Horticulturist with Orchid Horticulture. Find us at www.orchidhort.com; by email at info@orchidhort.com; on facebook @orchidhort and on instagram at #orchidhort. Tune into GROW Live on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/orchidhort or check out the Youtube channel GROW https:// www.youtube.com/channel/UCzkiUpkvyv2e2HCQlFl0JyQ?

WDM announces the winner of its second annual field trip contest Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

After an initial trial of its educational field trip contest in 2022-2023, the Western Development Museum (WDM) held the contest a second time during the 2023-2024 academic year with the winner announced Jan. 8.

The winner of this year’s field trip contest is Wendy Besser, a Grade 2 teacher in Waldheim, Sask.

“She was just thrilled to have been drawn. (She was) very excited about that,” said Karla Rasmussen, the program manager for the WDM’s four locations in the province.

The winner can choose between any of the WDM’s four branches including Moose Jaw, and Besser has indicated her intent to visit the Saskatoon branch located 54 kilometres south of Waldheim.

Several entries were received from Moose Jaw this year. Rasmussen said that out of around 300 total entries, approximately 30 came from the Notorious City.

This is an increase from 2022-2023 and demonstrates a growing trend of interest in Moose Jaw, Yorkton, and North Battleford. Saskatoon remains the most popular branch of the WDM.

“It was nice to see that a lot of these entries were from rural areas and outside of our museum location communities too,” Rasmussen added.

The contest was initiated after the museum wanted to connect with more educators and encourage them to sign up for the museum’s e-newsletter, which lists upcoming educational programs at the WDM. The program is offered to schools and home-school groups and provides up to 35 students with either an in-person visit to a WDM school program or a general visit to a location of their choice. To help with transportation, a reimbursement of up to $200 is offered.

The contest helps the museum build a relationship with educators, and feedback provided on the comments section at the back of each contest entry form helps the museum improve its programming.

“A couple people said they visited… as students when they were growing up.

Now that they are teachers and educators themselves, they would like to bring their own classes,” Rasmussen said. Some guests noted they may not have been able to visit the museum otherwise.

Reflective Moments

The Western Development Museum (WDM) provides educational programming for students at each of its four branches in the province. Photo by: Western Development Museum Several comments mentioned a desire for a stronger connection to school curriculum, such as through social studies classes, and Rasmussen said the museum is striving to strengthen and grow this connection.

One of the primary goals of the contest is to promote the museums e-newsletter.

“Our e-newsletter is something that we’re building, and right now it goes up once or twice a month. We try to feature a few different things (including) some of our virtual programs and some of our in-person programs from around (the) four

By Joyce Walter - Moose Jaw Express

Will white hats beat black hats in new TV season?

For sure and certain, the time has come to forsake upstairs living for the enticements of a downstairs where Housemate, the laundry room, the television room and the freezer room are conveniently located.

It is the television room that will soon experience increased activity. The new season of our favourite television shows has slowly begun, but in the coming weeks, we will be blasted with two or three programs an evening, forcing us to switch from station to station so as not to miss an exciting episode.

Of course the writers, technicians and actors are to blame for this belated TV scheduling, having talked and negotiated and gone on strike and then negotiated some more to come to terms over wages, working conditions, credits and other pertinent matters of concern to their future careers.

To the viewing public, the delays were either annoying or a mixed blessing.

We could spend more time watching educational television, we could spend family time playing games or having meaningful conversations, we could watch reruns of shows we missed during the last seasons or we could binge watch shows streamed onto a variety of devices, from telephones to hand-held movie screens.

My choice was to stay upstairs: working on my laptop; watching birds visit the empty bird seed barn; reading a wonderful collection of books relating to Amish ways; doing a minimum of house-wifely chores; and basking in the sun coming through the dining room window.

I did venture downstairs at intervals to view the National on CBC, and of course right after the Canadian Thanksgiving, I found movies to watch on the W

channel, and closer to Christmas marked the TV schedule with the movies I hoped to watch either on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Surprisingly, Housemate watched some with me and slept through others or simply left the room for his own computer office. I was not offended.

And just recently we watched a 1961 re-run of the Lawrence Welk show, in black and white, featuring Pat Boone and the Lennon Sisters.

It should be added that sporadic visits were made to the laundry room.

So now it is nearing February and the advertisements are front and centre about the shows that will return after the hundreds of NFL games are won and lost over an excruciating long season. I have no idea why football would take precedence over the FBI or NCIS and other alphabet-named shows but it must have some-

(WDM) locations.”

Rasmussen said the digital newsletter has been a good way to network with educators, and out of the nearly 300 entries from this year’s contest, around 200 entrants also signed up for the e-newsletter.

This more than doubled the number of e-newsletter signups compared to the previous year.

“Thank you to everyone locally in Moose Jaw that shared this information about the contest,” she said.

Rasmussen also wanted to acknowledge and thank the WDM’s programming and education staff at each location who she said did a good job in sharing information about the contest with their contacts in the educational world.

Due to the success of this year’s program, Rasmussen said it will likely continue for 2024-2025.

For more information about educational programming at the WDM, visit the museum’s website at wdm.ca. Educators can find additional resources including a sign-up form for the e-newsletter under “For Teachers” and then under “Learn” on the top website menu.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

thing to do with viewership and network advertising dollars.

Friends and strangers have tormented me about the Christmas shows I am known to enjoy on the W channel. They say the plots are all the same and the end of every show can be correctly predicted.

So how will that be any different with the CBC, NBC, CTV and ABC shows?

Good guys and gals will fight against bad guys and gals, and in the end, mostly, the white hats will overcome the black hats.

Maybe my time would be better spent in the laundry room or sorting the contents of the freezer. But I cannot resist the temptation of seeing my favourite NCIS agent in at least one new show! And then there’s the curling!

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024 • PAGE A11

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Results are in for the Sask. Ministry of Agriculture’s 2023 Public Trust Survey Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture has conducted polling since 2013 with the aim of gaining insight into the public’s perception of the agriculture and agri-food industry. Results help assess the impact of efforts taken to build the trust of the public and to establish benchmarks for proposed future initiatives in the industry.

In the 2023 Public Trust Survey conducted by Insightrix Research, 801 Saskatchewan residents were asked to state their perception of agricultural practices in the province.

Survey results When survey participants were asked if they have a positive perception of agriculture in Saskatchewan, 83 per cent agreed or strongly agreed, with nine per cent in disagreement. This result is the lowest since 2013, whereas the highest amount of support was given in 2020 at 91 per cent.

When asked if participants knew where to find credible information about agriculture and food, 61 per cent agreed or strongly agreed, whereas nearly one in five (18 per cent) said they didn’t know. Respondents in the South region were more likely to agree.

When asked if farmers and ranchers in Saskatchewan are good stewards of the land, 74 per cent agreed or strongly agreed compared to 12 per cent who disagreed or strongly disagreed.

When asked if the government’s agricultural regulations protect the interests of the public, 51 per cent agreed in 2023, making it the lowest in the past five years and public support appears to be trending down.

When asked about support for the use of crop protection products that include herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides, 67 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed, whereas 21 per cent disagreed. Male participants and those with annual incomes exceeding $60,000 were most likely to agree, whereas female participants and those with Indigenous ancestry were least likely to agree.

Three questions were new in this year’s survey. Question nine asked participants if they felt Saskatchewan farmers and ranchers are seeking to continually improve, with 74 per cent in agreement. Question 10 asked if companies making products from Saskatchewan-grown agricultural goods are seeking to continually improve, with

The 2023 Public Trust Survey indicates an 83 per cent positive public opinion of agricultural practices in the province. Photo by: Saskatchewan Agriculture 71 per cent in agreement and five per cent in strong disagreement.

Question 11 asked participants if livestock in Saskatchewan are raised in a sustainable manner, with 71 percent in agreement or strong agreement and 10 per cent in disagreement or strong disagreement. Males and participants over the age of 35 were more likely to agree, whereas participants from the Regina and Saskatoon regions were more likely to say they didn’t know.

The biggest improvements were found in question five, “The agriculture industry is open and transparent about their practices.” This question saw a five-percentage point increase compared with 2022 results. Saskatchewan farmers and ranchers being good stewards of the land improved four percentage points, and support for intensive livestock development increased three percentage points.

On the side of disagreement, the largest decline was in question four, “Government’s agriculture regulations protect the interests of the public,” which fell by four percentage points. The overall perception of agriculture in Saskatchewan fell by three percentage points.

Comparison to national results The Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI) is a non-profit organization with the mandate of helping the Canadian food system earn the public’s trust. The CCFI conducts an annual survey on a national level, and in 2022

Saskatchewan’s agri-food exports increased by 18.4 per cent in 2023 Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

Saskatchewan is a global leader when it comes to producing an ongoing supply of the agri-food exports needed to feed the world, and most notably the world’s fastest-growing countries.

According to Saskatchewan Agriculture, as of October 2023, Saskatchewan’s agri-food exports have increased by a total of 18.4 per cent by value, compared to the same period in 2022. The total exports from the province for 2023 amounted to $16.7 billion.

In 2023, Saskatchewan agricultural producers contributed: • 91 per cent of Canada’s total lentils • 87 per cent of Canada’s total chickpeas • 82 per cent of Canada’s total flaxseed • 80 per cent of Canada’s total durum • 76 per cent of Canada’s total mustard • 53 per cent of Canada’s total canola • 49 per cent of Canada’s total dry peas • 44 per cent of Canada’s total non-durum wheat • 39 per cent of Canada’s total oats Using available 2022 figures, Saskatchewan’s top 10 agri-food export destinations were: • United States at $6.2 billion • China at $3.3 billion • Japan at $1.2 billion • Mexico at $992 million • Algeria at $575 million • Italy at $506 million • Morocco at $449 million

they surveyed 2,918 people from across Canada. These results were compared with results from 2023.

As compared to the CCFI results, the 2023 Saskatchewan survey revealed that: • 83 per cent of Saskatchewan residents have a positive view of the province’s agriculture practices, compared to 66 per cent of Canadians viewing Canadian agriculture positively (2020 comparison).

• 57 per cent of Saskatchewan residents believe the agriculture industry is open and transparent about their practices, compared to 34 per cent federally (2018 comparison).

• 74 per cent of Saskatchewan residents agree farmers and ranchers are good stewards of the land, compared to 40 per cent federally (2022 comparison).

• 21 per cent of Saskatchewan residents do not support the use of crop production products (including herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides), compared with 44 per cent federally (2022 comparison).

A complete copy of the survey can be found online at Saskatchewan.ca under “Building Public Trust in Agriculture.”

THURSDAY, Jan 25

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OFF REGULAR PRICED MERCHANDISE! SOME RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY

1251 Main Street • (306) 691-0495 NOTICE OF INTENTION TO AMEND ZONING BYLAW PLAN NO. 5346 The Council of the City of Moose Jaw intends to consider a bylaw pursuant to The Planning and Development Act, 2007 to amend the City of Moose Jaw’s Zoning Bylaw No. 5346.

The proposed amendment would rezone portions of Lot 2, Blk/Par 41, Plan 89MJ11122, Ext 0, civically known as 14 Neslia Pl, from R3 – High Density Residential District to C1 – Neighbourhood Commercial District. The current residential zoning limits the Moose Jaw Alliance Church’s ability to host other amenities and small businesses within its multi-functional space despite this option being available to other places of worship operating under different zoning. This amendment seeks to redress this limitation.

A map of the affected area and a copy of the proposed Bylaw may be found on the City website at www.moosejaw.ca.

Saskatchewan is a global leader when it comes to producing an ongoing supply of the agri-food exports needed to feed the world. Photo by: Saskatchewan Agriculture • India at $405 million • Turkey at $392 million • Bangladesh at $387 million According to the same 2022 figures, Saskatchewan was the world’s leading exporter of dry peas, lentils, durum, canola oil, canola meal, canary seed, and oats, based on dollar values.

More information can be found online at Saskatchewan.ca under “Trade Statistics.”

Public feedback on the proposed Bylaw may be directed to Planning and Development Services, 228 Main Street North, Moose Jaw, SK S6H 3J8, or by email at planning@moosejaw.ca. All written submissions must be received by 10:00 am on Monday, January 29, 2024. Questions may be directed to the Department of Planning and Development Services by email or by phone at 306-694-4443.

The proposed Bylaw and any submissions regarding the proposed Bylaw will be considered at the regular meeting of City Council to be held in Council Chambers, City Hall, at 4:00 pm on Monday, January 29, 2024.

DATED at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan this 21st day of December, 2023.

Dawn Lugrin – Assistant City Clerk

PAGE A12 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024

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From The Kitchen

By Joyce Walter - Moose Jaw Express

Robbie Burns’ birthday celebrated with Haggis

Families of Scottish heritage will no doubt this week be celebrating the birthday of a Scottish legend and favourite son, Robbie Burns.

Burns, a poet and lyricist, was born Jan. 25, 1759 and died July 21, 1796 but for all the ensuing years, Robbie Burns’ Nights have been celebrated with Scottish meals and gatherings.

Of course Haggis is an integral part of such gatherings. This week’s recipes include one for a simplified substitute for Haggis, along with one other recipe taken from a group of recipes shared by long-time friends.

••• HAGGIS, SIMPLIFIED 1/2-3/4 tbsp. butter 1 onion, finely diced 1/2 tsp. or more black pepper 3/4 tsp. ground coriander 3/4 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. allspice 1/2 tsp. dried thyme 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1 lb. ground lamb. minced 1/2 lb. chicken livers 1 cup stock 4 oz. pinhead (steel cut) oatmeal

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Warm the butter in a skillet. Add the finely diced onion and cook over medium heat until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

Remove fatty or tough pieces from the chicken livers and chop.

Add the spices to the onion, cook a few minutes then add the minced lamb and chopped chicken livers.

Brown the meal until all is cooked. Add the stock and cover. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the oatmeal, mix well then transfer mixture to a large casserole dish. Cover and cook in pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and cook another 10 minutes.

Serve with mashed potatoes (tatties) and mashed rutabagas (neeps.

••• SCOTTISH LEMON CAKE 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 4 large eggs 1 lemon, zested 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsps. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt

Drizzle Topping: 3 tbsps. lemon juice 1/2 cup granulated sugar Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a large loaf pan.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time and then add the lemon zest.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and fold gently into the butter mixture. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centre of the cake.

Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in pan.

To make the drizzle, mix the lemon juice and sugar until combined. Prick the warm cake all over with a skewer or fork. Pour the drizzle over the top of the cake, allowing the juice to seep into the cake.

The top will form a crisp topping.

Cool cake completely and let drizzle set before removing from pan and slicing.

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel. net

Labour board upholds city decision to fire employee over COVID-19 vaccination status Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

Two weeks before the province announced the suspension of its vaccine mandate, the City of Moose Jaw fired an employee who had worked from home and refused to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

The municipality fired Mirva Travland — an employee for nearly five years — on Jan. 26, 2022, for breaching its vaccine policy, with the termination coming 14 days before Saskatchewan announced on Feb. 8, 2022, that it was discontinuing its directive, the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board (LRB) said in a decision released in December.

Travland was one of roughly 300 employees and was NOTICE OF INTENTION TO AMEND ZONING BYLAW PLAN NO. 5346 The Council of the City of Moose Jaw intends to consider a bylaw pursuant to The Planning and Development Act, 2007 to amend the City of Moose Jaw’s Zoning Bylaw No. 5346.

The proposed amendments include text amendments to add new definitions, include pop-up retail within general regulations, add Direct Control District 1 (DCD1) as a new section; and rezoning the area legally known as SW 29-16-26-2 Ext 4, Blk/Par B, Plan CX1021 Ext 0 & Blk/Par A, Plan 78MJ07626 Ext 1 from Community Service/Institutional District to Direct Control District 1 (DCD1). The purpose of the amendments is to form a new zoning district that will allow for comprehensive mixed-use developments where traditional zoning districts may not be suitable and to accommodate a land rezoning to this new district.

A map of the affected area and a copy of the proposed Bylaw may be found on the City website at www.moosejaw.ca.

Public feedback on the proposed Bylaw may be directed to Planning and Development Services, 228 Main Street North, Moose Jaw, SK S6H 3J8, or by email at planning@moosejaw.ca. All written submissions must be received by 10:00 am on Monday, January 29, 2024. Questions may be directed to the Department of Planning and Development Services by email or by phone at 306-694-4443.

The proposed Bylaw and any submissions regarding the proposed Bylaw will be considered at the regular meeting of City Council to be held in Council Chambers, City Hall, at 4:00 pm on Monday, January 29, 2024.

DATED at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan this 9th day of January, 2024.

Dawn Lugrin – Assistant City Clerk

the only one terminated — others resigned or took early retirement — for declining to show vaccination proof, according to Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 9.

Union’s comments “The Local’s stance was that the grievor was terminated on the day that the mandates were announced as being lifted within two weeks,” Trish Longworth, acting Local 9 president, told the Express by email.

“The grievor was not a health threat to anyone as she had been working from home for 16 months prior,” she said. “Having medical procedures or having to provide private medical information is not part of our terms of employment as per our collective agreement.”

Case facts The city hired Travland on April 16, 2018, as a permanent geographical information system (GIS) technician, the LRB report said.

When the pandemic struck, Travland began working at home from March 20, 2020, until mid-July 2021 — nearly 17 months. The city then changed its remote work arrangement and told staff to return to the office three days a week.

On Oct. 12, 2021, city council approved a policy requiring employees to show either proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test, with the municipality agreeing to pay for the tests.

None of the three unions representing city employees — including CUPE Local 9 — grieved the policy.

City hall informed Travland on Oct. 19, 2021, that she had until Nov. 1 to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. On that latter date, her manager sent her home for non-compliance and put her on unpaid leave. She then received a written warning two days later.

The city sent Travland a letter on Nov. 18 suspending her for five days, followed by a second letter on Dec. 7 with a two-week suspension. She sent her department director an email asking if she could resume working from home full-time, but he denied her request.

The municipality issued a final warning letter on Jan. 13, 2022, telling her to comply and report to work by Jan. 24 before sending her a termination letter on Jan. 26.

The union then initiated a grievance on Feb. 8, asserting the city violated the collective agreement and did

not have just cause to terminate Travland.

The union and city held three hearings, with former city manager Jim Puffalt denying the grievance on March 24. Mediation was unsuccessful, so the union appealed to the LRB, which met in May 2023.

“Asked if she ever considered complying with the policy, Travland said she decided not to divulge her personal medical information … ,” the report said. “(Meanwhile), the union told her they didn’t think the situation would qualify for (a medical or religious) accommodation.”

Board’s decision The union argued that Travland’s dismissal was abrupt and unreasonable — considering “vaccinated people can still transmit COVID” — and that the city pursued its progressive discipline process too quickly.

“The union agrees some discipline is warranted, but termination is going too far. Termination is harsh,” the report said.

Local 9 also argued the municipality should have given her more time before putting her on leave and starting the discipline process. Moreover, if the organization had left her on leave for another month, the province’s decision would have halted the policy.

However, the city successfully argued that Travland had plenty of warning about being fired after it suspended her. Furthermore, it attempted discipline over 66 days, which proved unsuccessful in resolving the problem.

“This case was not complicated. The employer implemented a policy. Travland refused to comply with the policy (or disclose her medical information, which) … was culpable behaviour worthy of discipline,” the board said.

Not only did the city have just and reasonable cause to fire Travland, but its decision was reasonable given the circumstances, the board stated.

“Allowing the grievor to thumb her nose at the vaccination (and) testing requirements would undermine the significant efforts the city was making at the time to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” the document said.

The board added that Travland made herself ineligible to work because of her choices and “intransigent position,” that indefinite leave was not a viable option, and she presented no evidence of “rehabilitative potential.”

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024 • PAGE A13

CITY HALL COUNCIL NOTES

THE NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING IS MON. JAN. 29.

From a new Wendy’s restaurant to an upgraded Temple Gardens Hotel to a new power station, Moose Javians should expect to see big things happen in 2024, the mayor says.

“There’s a lot of things to talk about in Moose Jaw these days … . As we begin 2024, I believe we should all share a feeling of appreciation and thankfulness that we have to live here in Moose Jaw, Canada’s most notorious city,” Mayor Clive Tolley said during the Jan. 15 regular council meeting while giving his New Year’s Address.

“But while we are encouraging others to relocate to our ‘get a life’ city, we are also here enjoying a healthy environment and good quality of life,” he continued.

“We’ve always been notoriously friendly, and we continue to be one of the sunniest, safest and most welcoming cities in the world.”

While Moose Jaw is a great place, it is not immune from the increasing cost of living and inflation that is affecting the entire world, Tolley said. Yet, comparatively, it is doing better than other communities.

The municipality is experiencing a growth cycle,

Big projects will occur in ’24, mayor says during New Year’s address Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

with SaskPower expecting its Great Plains Power Station — the largest project in Moose Jaw history — to begin production this spring, he continued. It should be an anchor in the agri-food industrial park, with that area expected to house new businesses this year.

Several companies started new operations in Moose Jaw in 2023 despite the challenges that the pandemic presented during the past few years, Tolley stated, before listing several projects.

This included Donald’s Fine Foods turning the former XL Beef Plant into a sow processing venue; Crown Rubber Manufacturing opening a venue to turn scrap tires into reusable products; and a Wendy’s franchise beginning construction and planning to open this year near Thatcher Drive and Main Street.

Furthermore, Peepeekisis First Nation purchased the Temple Gardens Hotel and Spa and, through its Sparrow Hawk Developments, is giving the venue a makeover; the New Southern Plains Metis Local 160 plans to reintroduce bison to the former Wild Animal Park, now known as Tatawaw Park; and businessmen plan to build a Hilton Hotel on the former Brunswick

Hotel site on River Street to enhance tourism and revitalize the area.

The Moose Jaw Municipal Airport and 15 Wing Airbase plan to expand in the coming years. With the former, the federal government selected SkyAlyne Canada Limited Partnership last year to provide a comprehensive aircrew training program for the military’s air bases for the next 20 years.

“There will be major replacements of facilities at 15 Wing and construction. Plus, the increased use of runways at 15 Wing means our own municipal airport will generate additional revenue and be an ancillary for the operations at 15 Wing,” said Tolley.

“There is great potential for our business community at 15 Wing as they modernize.”

Tolley added that the WHL’s Warriors are celebrating 40 years this year and “have done a wonderful job” of competing for a league championship. He encouraged residents to “take flight” with the team and attend games to show their support.

Heritage advisory board considers how to better protect at-risk historic properties Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

City administration and the heritage advisory committee are continuing to review how best to protect at-risk heritage properties and promote the importance of such locations to affected homeowners.

During the committee’s most recent meeting, city administration gave an overview of all at-risk heritage properties that city hall is monitoring and for which it is researching solutions to address these sites. The main issue appears to be the cost to maintain these properties, including insurance, keeping the buildings up to code and following zoning guidelines.

The committee and municipal officials discussed the importance of raising awareness about the significance of heritage in Moose Jaw and the different options to promote this awareness, as well as possible incentives to help make the purchase and upkeep of historic properties more feasible, said the minutes, which city council received and file during its Jan. 15 regular meeting.

Committee members debated possible solutions and/ or incentives to this issue, such as researching how other cities handle the situation, updating some of Moose Jaw’s bylaws around heritage properties and derelict buildings and providing tax incentives to buyers for the purchase of heritage buildings.

“Members mentioned an interest in showing their support for the upkeep of the CPR Station building down-

town, as it is a staple of the historic façade of downtown Moose Jaw. The committee plans to focus on bringing public awareness to this issue,” the report added.

War-time houses With 2025 being the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the committee discussed the idea of recognizing the heritage of community war-time houses via a public post about a different house each month in that year, the minutes said.

Heritage awards The committee is accepting nominations for the 2023 City of Moose Jaw Heritage Awards, which recognize individuals and business owners who demonstrate a commitment to maintaining and protecting the community’s heritage properties.

The categories include: · Stewardship: This category recognizes individuals who care for a heritage property long-term and demonstrate that they have taken measures to protect, maintain, or stabilize the existing structure and materials, form, and integrity of the site. · Restoration: This category recognizes individuals who accurately reveal, recover, or represent the state of a historic place as it appeared at a given period in its history. In the process of doing so, the individual must also take measures to protect its heritage value.

‘Humungous’ water project costs forced council to approve utility increases, Eby says Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

City council has approved an amendment to the sewer and water utility bylaw to officially increase those utilities by four per cent each, which means homeowners will pay over $60 more this year.

Council gave three unanimous readings to the bylaw during the Jan. 15 regular meeting, with the increases to go into effect on Thursday, Feb. 1.

The waterworks increase will add an extra $2.98 per month or $35.76 for the year to taxpayers’ bills, while the sanitary sewer increase will add $2.37 per month or $28.44 for the year to bills.

For most utility customers, this amounts to an extra $5.35 per month or $64.20 per year for both utilities.

Coun. Heather Eby voted in favour of the bylaw amendment but expressed concern about it because “it’s never a fun thing to vote in favour of any sort of increase,” especially four per cent for each utility.

Yet, she reminded residents that these increases are not just to address water from the tap or that goes into the drain. This extra money will help the city improve all water-related infrastructure above and below ground, such as pipes, valves, lift stations and treatment plants.

“As everyone is well aware, those costs coming at us — and that have been coming at us for quite a while — are humungous. And we have very few options to

fund it,” Eby said. “As unpopular as this is, I really feel it would be more unpopular to leave those repairs and upgrades for future generations.

“I’m not happy to support this, but I’m happy that we’re working to get a lot of this work underway. Even cast iron, we’re heading into year eight … so we are (making) some progress.

“I’m not happy to support this, but I will support this,” she added.

Water fees and charges As of Feb. 1, the cost per cubic metre of water consumed will be: · $1.5856 for in-town consumers · $3.5676 for out-of-town consumers · $2.3786 for 15 Wing Airbase · $4.6091 for consumers receiving water from the city’s water dispensing devices · $2.9730 for the Caron/Mortlach Regional Public Utility Board Executive committee appointment According to minutes from the Dec. 18, 2023 executive committee, council appointed Robert Nesbitt to the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport Authority for a term starting Jan. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2025 or until a successor is appointed.

· Adaptive Re-use: This category recognizes individuals who make possible the continued use of a historic place through repair, alterations, and/or additions to the structure while protecting its heritage value. · Advocacy or Heritage Education: This category recognizes the efforts of individuals or groups who advocate for heritage or who promote the conservation of a heritage site. Additionally, this category considers those who increase public awareness of heritage issues. · Sympathetic New Construction: This category recognizes new designs that are created while respecting the heritage character of an associated property, immediate context, or neighbourhood. Considerations consider the compatibility of the new building or construction with the heritage character of the streetscape, setting, or neighbourhood and architectural design, scale, form, materials used, and the application of minimal intervention. · Heritage Tradespeople/Craftspeople: This category recognizes the skills of an individual or team among the trades and craft professionals involved in, or relative to, a heritage conservation project.

The deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 9, and awards will be presented in March at a date to be determined.

NOTICE THE TAX ENFORCEMENT ACT TINTU WILSON TAKE NOTICE that the Village of Drinkwater intends to be registered as owner under the above Act of the land described as Lot 1 Blk/Par 3 Plan No W3480 Ext 0, Title No. 152919243, Lot 2 Blk/Par 3 Plan No W3480 Ext 0, Title No. 152919221, Lot 3 Blk/Par 3 Plan No W3480 Ext 0, Title No. 152919209, Lot 4 Blk/Par 3 Plan No W3480 Ext 0, Title No. 152919186, Lot 5 Blk/Par 3 Plan No W3480 Ext 0, Title No. 152919175.

The municipality claims title to the land by virtue of an interest based on the tax lien registered against the existing title to the land in the Land Titles Registry as Interest Number 195807291, 195807257, 195807314, 195807279, 195807303 and you are required to TAKE NOTICE that unless you contest the claim of the municipality or redeem the land pursuant to the provisions of the above Act within six months from the service of this notice on you and, subject to the further provisions of The Tax Enforcement Act, a certificate of title will be issued to the applicant and you will thereafter be forever estopped and debarred from setting up any claim to, or in respect of, the land.

The amount required to redeem the land may be ascertained on application to the Clerk, Treasurer or Administrator of the municipality. For any questions about the tax enforcement process please contact Taxervice at 1-877-734-3113.

Dated this 10th day of January, 2024.

Leane Johnston, Treasurer Village of Drinkwater

PAGE A14 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024

A Guide to

Post-secondary education

Sask Polytech welding apprentice crowned first Miss Rodeo Agribition “As long as dedication is there, it can take you anywhere. I have so much passion and dedication for welding and rodeo,” says Arianna Dyck, who was crowned the first Miss Rodeo Agribition in November.

Currently studying welding at Saskatchewan Polytechnic Moose Jaw campus for her level one technical training, Dyck is taking apprenticeship training through an agreement with her employer and the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission.

“When I’m not training at Sask Polytech, I’m out in the field working and getting experience,” Dyck explains.

Ready to add Miss Rodeo Agribition duties to her schedule, the new official brand ambassador of the Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) says she’s received great support from her peers and instructors at Sask Polytech.

“With the title I currently have of Miss Rodeo Agribition, I want to show people to follow their heart and do what they want to do because in the end, they will live a more fulfilling life,” she notes.

As part of the competition, Dyck had to do rodeo challenges, present a speech and complete an interview. Highlighting life in a skilled trade where women are underrepresented was a key element in her platform.

“I talked about women in the trades because it’s a topic that’s important to me.

For me, it means a lot being a minority in such a male dominated industry. With my

Photo submitted by Saskatchewan Polytechnic journey in welding, I want to show women that we can do it just the same as anybody else. No matter who you are, you can do anything,” she says.

Her interview also stood out to the panel of judges, recalls Shaun Kindopp, CWA CEO. “Arianna’s interview was fantastic.

By the end of it, people wanted to jump up on the table. She’s a great speaker and a wonderful first Miss Rodeo Agribition,” he explains, noting she was among three finalists vying for the crown.

24014SS2

Dyck’s passion for rodeo and barrel racing flourished in high school, which is also when she discovered welding. As she explored her post-secondary options, she knew Sask Polytech was the right fit to

achieve her career goals.

“Sask Polytech has resources like short course options. I had the opportunity to try Metalworking Madness,” she says.

The Continuing Education course geared to underrepresented groups including females, Indigenous people, newcomers, people with disabilities and youth enabled Dyck to further solidify her career choice.

“It was very insightful and helped guide me towards being a welder.”

For the next year, Dyck will travel to various communities and schools to represent the CWA as Miss Rodeo Agribition.

With her future as bright as welding sparks, Dyck plans on advancing her career and continuing to be a competitor in rodeos. In three years, she sees herself as having completed the welder journeyperson certification and continuing to be a voice for women in the field.

“Trades are an awesome place to work. I want to be an advocate for women in trades, and I want to keep pursuing my love of barrel racing and improve my horsemanship.”

Learn more at saskpolytech.ca.

Finding purpose in supporting others Ernest Torniado always knew he wanted to help others.

Trained as a massage therapist, Ernest enjoyed the ability to work closely with his patients to discover suitable treatment plans but due to the repetitive nature of the work, he found himself in a state of burnout, considering other opportunities.

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced him out of work for three months, he was ready to find a new career in the healthcare industry.

A path to physiotherapy With an interest in physiotherapy, Ernest moved from Saskatchewan to enroll in the Occupational Therapist Assistant/ Physical Therapist Assistant (OTA/PTA) diploma at Medicine Hat College (MHC).

This two-year program trains students to work under the direction of occupational therapists and physiotherapists, helping clients to successfully perform daily activities and mobilize after illness or injury.

Upon finishing the program in 2022, he returned to Saskatchewan and took a role as an OTA at St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon. His role focuses on helping patients perform daily activities independently, such as getting dressed, feeding, and cleaning themselves.

“Working in a hospital, I’m able to see patients under different types of conditions and levels of abilities and I’m able to create a relationship with them. I like seeing their progress to recovery and getting them out of the hospital.”

As the main point-of-contact throughout their treatment, Ernest enjoys being an advocate for his patients and working closely with occupational therapists to find and adjust recovery plans, based on patient needs.

Supporting student success Now, still closely linked to his educational roots, Ernest supports current MHC students during their practicum placements. Seeing an ongoing demand for OTA/PTAs in Saskatchewan, he hopes graduates will return to support hospitals and rehabilitation centers in need of staff.

“When I started my job at St. Paul’s, one of four hospitals here in Saskatoon, I was only the second or third therapy assistant ever to be hired. Currently, I am the Photo submitted by Medicine Hat College only therapy assistant working in the whole hospital, covering eight “Becoming a therapy assistant al- wards, so there is definitely a need for lowed me to continue working within therapy assistants.” the healthcare scope, but more so on the Ernest believes empathetic individurehab side,” explains Ernest, who began als with a passion for helping others and the OTA/PTA program in Fall 2020 with making a difference in their patients’ rean initial plan to pursue physiotherapy. covery journeys would be most successful He chose MHC for its ability to transfer in an occupational therapy assistant role.

To learn more about becoming an the diploma to institutions like Athabasca University, Thompson Rivers University OTA/PTA, or other rewarding careers, and University of Calgary for degree com- visit www.mhc.ab.ca/SKStudents and find your path with us. pletion.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024 • PAGE A15

A Guide to

Post-secondary education

USask College of Nursing Expands Nursing Education in Saskatchewan By: Kylie Kelso, Senior Marketing and Communications Specialist, University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing

Since 2012, the University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Nursing has been offering the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at various locations throughout Saskatchewan. At the end of 2023, USask Nursing announced the addition of two distributed nursing sites – Lloydminster and North Battleford.

Beginning September 2024, students interested in taking the BSN program will be able to complete their entire degree at USask campuses in Saskatoon and Prince Albert or at nursing sites in La Ronge, Île-à-la-Crosse, Yorkton, Lloydminster, and North Battleford.

“We have listened to the residents of Saskatchewan and expanded to locations in the province where students previously could not access our BSN program,” said USask College of Nursing dean Dr. Solina Richter (DCur). “It is important our program offering is inclusive of rural areas of the province

that have been previously underserved.”

The College of Nursing Learn Where You Live model has proven to be successful at distributed sites in La Ronge, Île-àla-Crosse, and Yorkton.

Since the first students entered the BSN program in La Ronge and Île-à-laCrosse in September 2012, 66 nursing students have completed their degree in northern Saskatchewan.

Since starting the program in Yorkton in 2014, 81 students have graduated.

When nursing students complete their degree in their community, the majority of graduates stay and practice there.

Our northern communities need northern nurses, who are familiar with the culture and people. Saskatchewan has a large Indigenous population, particularly in northern Saskatchewan.

“In order to provide quality nursing care, we must actively contribute to a representative nursing workforce that is responsive to the needs of the

province,” said Dr. Richter.

“We have a long history of Indigenous student success and are recognized as having the highest number of self-declared Indigenous nursing students in the country. 16.6% of seats in the BSN program are reserved for Indigenous applicants.”

By expanding to Lloydminster and North Battleford, the College of Nursing aims to ensure all students in Saskatchewan have access to registered nursing education. When these students complete their nursing degree, they will help to fill unmet registered nursing workforce needs in northwest Saskatchewan.

“By offering the BSN program at our distributed nursing sites, we are giving students the opportunity to learn where they live in La Ronge, Île-à-la-Crosse, Yorkton, Lloydminster, and North Battleford,” adds Dr. Richter.

“We are decreasing the likelihood of these rural and remote communi-

24014MM0

ties experiencing a registered nursing shortage, as the students who complete their nursing education in these communities, will likely practice in the community once licensed.”

The USask BSN is a 1+3 program. Students take their pre-professional year at USask campuses in Saskatoon and Prince Albert, at the University of Regina, or at a number of regional colleges throughout the province.

The remaining three years are completed through the College of Nursing in Saskatoon (USask Campus), Prince Albert (USask Prince Albert Campus), La Ronge or Île-à-la-Crosse (Northlands College), Yorkton (Suncrest College), Lloydminster (Lakeland College), and North Battleford (North West College).

For more information on the University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing, please visit nursing.usask.ca.

The University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing offers the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at seven locations throughout Saskatchewan. Photo: USask BSN Location Map.jpg 24014CC0

PAGE A16 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024

A Guide to

Post-secondary education

Looking local for your next career move? Look no further than Suncrest College!

From the trades to University education, the daunting task of post-secondary education becomes a lot less nerve-wracking when you can do it in your own backyard. That’s something Suncrest College is able to offer, with the largest region of Saskatchewan’s regional college network, Saskatchewan’s southeast and south-central areas benefit from the work done at the College.

One of the biggest worries for students post-graduation is finding employment. What if your educational institution did that work for you? That’s just another one of the benefits of Suncrest.

The College meets regularly with industry experts to identify any and all needs and then implements programming in a strategic way

to ensure that post-grad, there’s employment ready for you. That’s just one less stress you’ll need to worry about at Suncrest College.

Another stress for those in post-secondary?

Finances. Well, instead of having to move to “the big city,” or relocate outside of Saskatchewan, why not stay where you’ve familiarized yourself? Why not stay where you are, and keep that job you’ve had for years? Why pay more to live when there’s an option at home? Just a few more advantages of enrolling at the College!

And don’t even get us started on the small class sizes, the additional resources, and the talented staff that keeps the College recognized — not just regionally, but across Western Canada and beyond. We are here to not just suit your

needs, but to give you every tool imaginable to find your success — and ultimately, your desired 24014SS1

career, too!

When it comes to the programming Suncrest is able to offer across the 11 campuses within the region, the delivery is vast and will allow you to choose your path.

Want to be a firefighter? Look no further than Saskatchewan’s only professional firefighting training program.

Want to get into the health field? Take your Nursing degree here at home, or become a Continuing Care Assistant, there’s even Practical Nursing to fit your needs and your goals.

Want to get into the

trades? Well, we have multiple state-of-the-art shops all across the region, and we can pave that next path for you.

From welding to power engineering, to industrial mechanics and electrical, we can find a way to fit your needs.

Want a degree from Saskatchewan’s universities? You can do that too, right at Suncrest College. If you’re just looking to fill one year of your university schooling too, you can do that at Suncrest as well. Even one year spent at Suncrest could benefit you immensely, with the ability to save

and shave your overall debt upon graduation.

There’s also corporate training, if you’re looking for something to help develop your skills, increase your certificate training, or want to try something new — the possibilities are endless at Suncrest College.

Visit our website today, and learn more about what your future has in store at Suncrest College.

Suncrest College — Bright Minds. Bright Futures.

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MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024 • PAGE A17

Make it a family night family $80 packs: at the Hangar!

2 child & 2 adult tickets

January 26th tickets at

vs

7pm 4 pop & 4 popcorn

110 1st ave | moose jaw events centre | 306-694-5711 Share your team’s news, pictures and results with us! email: editor@mjvexpress.com

Flying high: Warriors extend streak to nine with three straight victories over last week Comebacks the order of the day as Moose Jaw rallies for 6-3 win over Lethbridge before sweeping weekend set with Swift Current 5-3 and 4-3 Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

The Warriors rallied from early deficits twice over the past week to find wins, and in the one game they had an early lead, they’d get a last-minute goal to find victory.

As a result, Moose Jaw now finds themselves in the midst of a nine-game winning streak and with wins in 10 of their last 11, improving their record to 2715-0-2 to sit in third place in the Eastern Conference.

It all started with a 6-3 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes back on Wednesday, Jan. 17, followed by a 5-3 win in Swift Current on the road Friday and 4-3 win over the Broncos back home Saturday.

Moose Jaw 6, Lethbridge 3 The Warriors got off to a rough start, falling behind 2-0 early in the second on goals from Miguel Marques and Sean Tschigerl, but the tough times didn’t last.

Moose Jaw scored six over the next two periods, going on to their comfortable win.

Brayden Schuurman led the way with a goal and two assists and was named the game’s first star.

“Obviously that’s not an ideal way to start the game, but we know we’re a resilient group and we’re going to push back,” Schuurman said of how the contest played out. “It’s not over when we’re down a couple goals, we’re going to keep pushing and it’ll eventually happen and that’s how

The Warriors celebrate after Atley Calvert’s opening goal in the first period Saturday. it went tonight.”

Brayden Yager and Denton Mateychuk each had a goal and an assist, while Kalem Parker, Atley Calvert and Matthew Savoie had their other markers. Martin Rysavy and Jagger Firkus had two assists each.

Evan May stopped 25 shots to pick up the win, the Warriors had 43 shots on Brady Smith.

Moose Jaw 5, Swift Current 3 A pair of goals from Mathew Ward and another from Connor Geekie gave Swift Current a 3-1 lead with 4:10 gone in the third period, but that was just a sign for

the Warriors to get to work.

Firkus scored twice over the final 14 minutes to finish off a hat trick while Ethan Semeniuk tied the game with 6:20 gone and Calvert scored the game-winner with eight minutes remaining as Moose Jaw rallied for the win.

Yager capped his night with three assists while Connor Schmidt had a pair of helpers for his first multi-point WHL game.

Jackson Unger had 29 saves, Reid Dyck stopped 32 for Swift Current.

Moose Jaw 4, Swift Current 3 It was the Warriors’ turn to endure an

opponent’s comeback in the rematch with the Broncos, as after a pair of goals from Calvert and another from Savoie made it 3-0 early in the second, Swift Current would get two markers from Rylan Gould and another from Ryan McCleary to tie the game heading into the third.

The entire third period was a heart-stopping affair until a pair of lategame minors led to Yager scoring with 31.7 seconds remaining for the win.

“I think it’s different playing teams like Swift Current and it’ll be the same next week against Medicine Hat,” said Warriors head coach Mark O’Leary. “They have skill, they have speed and they can make plays as well. There were stretches of time where I really liked our game, we played with structure and kept them to the outside, but this is junior hockey. There were some times where we didn’t manage the puck well and we gave up things we shouldn’t have and it went both ways.

“But with this group, I’m really proud of how we were able to collect ourselves, stay with it and find a way in third.”

Unger had 32 saves for the win, Joey Rocha stopped 30 for the Broncos.

The Warriors are back in action with a pair of games this weekend, with Medicine Hat at the Moose Jaw Events Centre Friday and Warriors travelling to face the Tigers Saturday.

WINMAR Warriors drop pair of games to Tisdale, Contacts in weekend action

Moose Jaw falls 5-1 on Friday night, drop 3-2 decision to Saturday in Sask Male AAA Hockey League action Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

For the Moose Jaw WINMAR Warriors in the Sask Male AAA Hockey League, one single mistake led to a tough loss on Saturday afternoon at the Moose Jaw Events Centre. A turnover in the offensive zone late in the third period led to the Saskatoon Contacts scoring the game-winning goal and going on to a 3-2 victory.

The loss came on the heels of a tough 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Tisdale Trojans less than 24 hours earlier.

Through it all, the Warriors are still in a playoff spot, as their 16-15-2-0 record is good enough for a tie for seventh with Tisdale, five points up on Battlefords and four points back of Prince Albert for fourth.

“I thought it was a good game, but we gave up some opportunities we have to be better at,” Warriors head coach Trevor Weisgerber said after Sunday’s con- WINMAR Warriors goaltender Luke McKechnie gets across for a big breakaway save on Saskatoon’s Rylan Hue. test. “We’re 32 games into the season and we’re giving up chances we were fixing side on Warriors goaltender Luke McKe- all around,” Weisgerber said. “We need a group effort and we have too many guys two games in. A lot of that is focus, like on chnie.

Moose Jaw had chances to tie the taking nights off and that has to stop.. At the third goal where we just have to make a stronger play instead of just giving it to game in the final 10 minutes, including the end of the day, they have to dig deep great opportunities from Briltz and Kea- and figure this out as a group. We’re in a them for the go-ahead goal.”

Spencer Chestolowski scored the ton Lesperance, but were unable to finish playoff spot right now, but we can’t keep doing this and expecting to stay there.” game-winner with 9:59 to play, intercept- things off.

“There are some guys who have been Caleb Potter had given Moose Jaw a ing an outlet pass in the Warriors zone and promptly putting a shot top shelf blocker snakebit here, but we just have to be better 1-0 lead only 52 seconds into the game,

but Rhett Ewen and Davey Fisher scored for Saskatoon before the period was out.

Briltz then tied the game 3:27 into the third, setting the stage for Saskatoon’s game-winner.

McKechnie had a good game otherwise, stopping 22 shots, including a huge breakaway save on Rylan Hue as the Warriors pressed for the game-tying goal.

The Warriors had 25 shots on Logan Edmonstone.

Things weren’t as close one night earlier.

Dayton Reschny had a hat trick and four points to lead Tisdale to their fourgoal win. Simon Martin and Carter Geysen had the other goals for the Trojans, who led 2-0 after the first and 4-0 through two.

Noah Thul had Moose Jaw’s lone goal 1:24 into the third period.

Ryan Bain faced 37 shots in the loss, Jackson Dunn stopped 25 for Tisdale.

The WINMAR Warriors were back in action Monday when they travelled to Saskatoon to face the Blazers and Tuesday in Swift Current. Next home action is Saturday when the Warriors host the Regina Pat Canadians. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.

PAGE A18 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Share your team’s news, pictures and results with us! email: editor@mjvexpress.com

Vanier turns in consistent performance on way to girls basketball win over Peacock Spirits take 81-41 victory over Toilers to move into tie for first place Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

Throughout the first half of the Moose Jaw High Schools Athletic Association girls basketball campaign, the Vanier Spirits looked every bit like one of the teams to beat.

And that shouldn’t be much of a surprise given their role as the defending city and provincial 4A girls champions.

So it was just more of the same on Wednesday, Jan. 17 when they took on the youthful Peacock Toilers, as the Spirits turned in a consistent effort on the way to an 81-41 victory at Vanier.

The contest was played on Wednesday after a one-day strike by the Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation forced the postponement of five senior league games Tuesday.

Ireland Guillaume (5) had 17 points for Vanier on Wednesday night in their win over Peacock.

Ava Kindiak led Vanier with 20 points as the Spirits took a 22-14 lead out of the first quarter and led 44-29 at the half. Both teams were better defensively after the break, with the Spirits outscoring Peacock 14-6 in the third quarter and 18-8 in the final frame.

Kate Waldenberger added 19 points for the Spirits, Ireland Guillaume scored 17.

Devlynn McClung topped Toilers scorers with 19 points, Taylor Craik added eight.

Vanier is now 4-1 on the season and tied with Swift Current (4-0) for first place, while Peacock fell to 2-3.

One boys game originally scheduled

for Tuesday, Jan. 16 was played earlier in the week, with the Peacock Toilers rolling to a 129-34 win. Scoring information was unavailable.

The Toilers moved a game above .500 and improved to 3-2 with the win, while Vanier fell to 0-5.

The girls game between Assiniboia and Central was postponed as were the girls and boys games between Swift Current and Lumsden.

League action continues Tuesday, Jan, 23 with Lumsden at Central at 5:50 p.m., while girls games see Vanier at Central at 7:30 p.m. and Lumsden at Peacock at 6:20 p.m.

Clippers sweep Lethbridge in women’s volleyball to hold on the second place in ACAC South Men’s hockey, volleyball and women’s basketball all split, men’s basketball lose two close games in weekend action Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

The Briercrest College Clippers men’s hockey team facing the NAIT Ooks in Edmonton in an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference first-place showdown, the Clippers ensured they would remain in top spot in the league with a 5-3 win on Friday before dropping a 2-0 decision in the rematch Saturday.

As a result, the Clippers now have a 12-4-0-0 record and remain two points up on NAIT for top spot in the seven-team league.

With eight games remaining in the regular season, the usual goal of reaching the playoffs is all but academic, as the Clippers can become one of the first teams to qualify for the postseason with a win at home over Augustana next weekend.

Briercrest had goals from Zachary Thususka, Josh Lazowski, Brandon Kelly, Curtis Wiebe and Colton Aikens in Friday’s win, while Campbell Ens had two assists.

Alex Worthington turned aside 42 shots.

The rematch was as close as could be, as NAIT scored in the first period and then had an empty-netter with eight seconds to play. Dominik Tmej was solid in goal with 44 saves.

Briercrest is home next weekend for the aforementioned series with Augustana, with games at 6 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday at the Barkman Arena. **** It was a perfect weekend for the Clippers women’s volleyball team, as they picked up 3-1 and 3-2 wins at home against the Lethbridge Kodiaks.

Clippers logo Briercrest opened with a 25-16, 25-11, 24-26, 25-13 win on Friday, led by 14 kills from Julia Beer. Faith Buhler added 12 kills and Kacey De Jong 10, with Moose Jaw’s Summer Okerstrom putting down a pair and recording a service ace. Abigail Ulrich had 36 assists and also led the team with nine digs.

Saturday’s game saw the Clippers win 25-15, 25-20, 22-25, 22-25, 15-9. Beer had a stellar game with 21 kills, eight aces and nine digs. Buhler had 13 kills and 12 digs, Rachel Stead added 12 kills and Okerstrom had a kill and three aces. Ulrich picked up 42 assists and eight digs.

Briercrest is now 9-4 and remain tied for second in the ACAC South with 18 points. They’re back in action with a pair of games at Ambrose College this weekend. **** The Clippers mens volleyball team split their two games with the Kodiaks, winning 3-1 Friday and falling 3-2 Saturday.

Briercrest picked up a 17-25, 25-21,

25-22, 25-21 victory in the opener, led by 17 kills from Karym Coleman. Adam Revet had 10 kills, while Jeremy Martens had 41 assists and Cole Johnson added nine digs. Jackson Anderson had eight kills and four aces.

Things were as close as could be in the rematch, with Lethbridge prevailing 1925, 25-20, 25-27, 25-19, 18-16. Coleman racked up another 24 kills, Revet put down 11, Brady Wachtel had 17 digs and Anderson 10 to go along with four aces and six kills. Martens had 42 assists.

The Clippers are now 10-3 and solidly in second place in the ACAC South. They also make the trip to Calgary to face Ambrose on the weekend. **** It was a bit of the good and a bit of the bad for Briercrest women’s basketball team in Lethbridge, with a 63-52 loss on Friday and 68-64 win on Saturday.

Hope Jordens was the lone Clipper to hit double digits in scoring with 12 points.

Madison Beattie had nine.

Saturday’s outing saw a three-pointer

by Lethbridge with nine seconds left tie the game, but a five-point run over the final 1:31 of overtime would see BC take the four-point win.

Asia Wells led Briercrest with 16 points while Jordens picked up 12 points and 14 rebounds, to go along with Dori Sunderland’s 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Brooklyn Martens grabbed 13 boards.

Briecrest next hosts Ambrose College, with games at 5 p.m. on Friday and 12 p.m.

Saturday. **** After a solid start to the season, the Clippers men’s basketball team has run into a rough patch, taking 94-84 and 80-79 losses in their two games against Lethbridge this weekend.

The Clippers are now 6-7 and sit in fifth place in the ACAC South.

Francis Dogani led all scorers with 22 points in the opener, while Zach Martens had 16 points and 15 rebounds to go along with 11 points from Oroma Bongomin. Jude Shepherd-Hills had 11 rebounds. Moose Jaw’s Riley Seaborn had five points, fellow Central grad Kaedyn Banilevic added four.

The rematch saw a furious comeback by the Clippers in the final seconds, but they’d fall just short. Bongomin had 22 points, while Dogani contributed 15 and Asher Elstad 13. Seaborn picked up nine, Banilevic was held off the scoreboard.

The Clippers next host Ambrose, with games at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday.

Pair of upsets in most recent round of action in Original 16 Cash League Gray takes extra-end win over KMS Construction, Leeville Construction downs John’s Music on Wednesday at Moose Jaw Curling Centre Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

The Original 16 Cash League has seen a little more parity this year compared to recent seasons, and that was once again on display on Wednesday night at the Moose Jaw Curling Centre.

The slate of games saw a pair of mild upsets, as Wade Gray (6-8) took a 6-5 extra-end win over KMS Construction (Ben Gamble, 10-4) and Leeville Construction (Curtis Woloschuk, 5-8) got past John’s Music (Ryan Wenarchuk, 7-7) with a 7-3 victory.

Things looked good for Gamble in the early going against Gray, as a deuce in the first end and steal in the second gave the perennial league contenders a 3-0 lead.

Gray got all that back over the next three

ends, though, picking up single points in each to tie things 3-3 through five. Gamble got one back in the sixth, but a Gray deuce in the seventh would give them control, and after holding Gamble to a single point in the eighth, Gray would finish things off with one in the extra end.

Wenarchuk got off to a similar good start against Woloschuk with a quick 3-0 lead, but a three-spot in the third followed by steals of one in the fourth and fifth made it 5-3 Woloschuk, and they’d finish things off with another deuce in the sixth for the four-point win.

Young and Young Automotive (Stan Barnsley, 7-7) had a close game with RK Sunview Farms (Dayne Heisler, 1-13),

Curling file with the two teams tied 3-3 through four ends. Barnsley would take control with points the next three ends, though, and would hold Heisler to a single point in the

final end for the 6-4 win.

Fountain Tire (Barry Silk, 11-3) continued their winning ways with a quick night against Ryder Helmeczi (4-9). The game was tied 2-2 through four ends, but a three-spot in the fifth would make it 5-2 and the teams would shake hands.

The game between BTN Chartered Accountants (Penny Barker, 12-1) and EMJ Marketing (Joe Gunnis, 5-8) was postponed due to Barker playing in the Viterra Scotties provincial women’s championship.

Original 16 Cash League action takes place every Wednesday night at the Moose Jaw Curling Centre.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024 • PAGE A19 Share your team’s news, pictures and results with us! email: editor@mjvexpress.com

Moose Jaw’s Ackerman wins Viterra Scotties women’s provincial curling championship Saskatoon Nutana rink defeat Nancy Martin 10-9 in an extra end, to represent Saskatchewan at Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary beginning Feb, 16

For Moose Jaw’s Skyler Ackerman heading into the Viterra Scotties Tournament of Hearts provincial women’s curling championship, there was a serious chance she could find success against the best Saskatchewan has to offer.

And sure enough, that’s exactly what happened.

Ackerman and her Saskatoon Nutana foursome of third Ashley Thevenot, second Taylor Stremick, lead Kaylin Skinner and coach Patrick Ackerman defeated Martensville’s Nancy Martin 10-9 in an extra end on Sunday afternoon and will now represent Saskatchewan at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts beginning Feb, 16 in Calgary.

“It’s really exciting, you can’t ask for more than a win in the extra end in the final,” Ackerman said on the CurlSask

Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express YouTube broadcast shortly after a tearful celebration with her teammates. “It was a back-and-forth game, we were expecting that coming into today and we just ground it out all weekend. Then we had a really good game today and we’re happy.”

Asked what her teammates meant to her and the week they had together, Ackerman gave the kind of answer one would expect from a newly minted provincial champion.

“I just appreciate them so much, they Skylar Ackerman and her Saskawork so hard and they’re my best friends toon Sutherland team of third Ashley on and off the ice and I can’t wait to go Thevenot, second Taylor Stremick, lead represent Saskatchewan with them in Cal- Kaylin Skinner and coach Patrick Ackgary,” she said. “We’re just trying to stay erman raise the Viterra Scotties Tourin the moment, but we’re really pumped to nament of Hearts trophy after their win win the green (jackets) and represent Sas- Sunday afternoon. katchewan.” three-enders until the final end, with three Ackerman did all her damage with in the third giving her a 3-2 lead, three in

the sixth making it a 6-4 game and three in the ninth making it 9-8 coming home.

Martin scored one in the 10th, and Ackerman would hit and stick with her final shot in the 11th to secure the win.

Ackerman had put together a 4-1 record through the round robin to finish first in Pool B and then edged Martin 7-6 in the Page Playoff 1-2 game to advance to the final.

Penny Barker and her Moose Jaw Curling Centre rink also reached the playoffs, but lost to Regina Highland’s Michelle Englot in the Page 3-4 game. Englot then faced Martin in the semifinal, where the Martensville foursome won 10-8 to book their spot in the final.

You can find all the scores and results on www.curlsask.ca and you can watch the final on CurlSask’s YouTube page.

Prairie Hockey Academy wins Molleken Elite U17 Prep Prairie Classic Cougars take 5-3 victory over Lloydminster Lancers in final to claim tournament title for second year in a row Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

The Prairie Hockey Academy U17 White Cougars are once again champions of the Lorne Molleken Elite U17 Prep Prairie Classic.

PHA put together a 2-0-1-0 record in their round robin before defeating Okanagan Hockey Academy Black 2-1 in the semifinal on Saturday night before downing the Lloydminster Rohan Lancers 5-3 in the championship game Sunday afternoon.

It was a solid weekend in general for the Cougars, as they opened with an 8-1 win over Indigenous Sports Academy before falling 4-3 in overtime to OHA Black and closing out the preliminary round with a 3-1 win over OHA Edmonton Prep.

That sent the Caronport-based crew into the semifinal, where they’d prevail in a hard-fought battle against OHA Black.

Luke Pratte would emerge as the hero from that contest, scoring the eventual game-winner 3:22 into the third period.

The Prairie Hockey Academy White U17 Cougars won the Lorne Molleken Elite U17 Prep Prairie Classic for the second straight year on Sunday afternoon.

Calum Gieseq -- who had four points against PHA in their round-robin meeting -- scored the opening goal 1:11 into the proceedings, but Soren Hayden would get that back for PHA with 4:13 to play in the frame.

Cameron Beisal made 32 saves in goal for the Cougars, while Aiden Prosser

stopped 43 for OHA. Lloydminster upset unbeaten Notre Dame 5-2 in the other semifinal, setting up the title game on Sunday.

There, PHA took a 2-1 lead out of the first period and led 3-2 through two before Pratte scored a valuable insurance marker 9:10 into the final period. Peyden Chief-

Iron scored on the power play for Lloydminster with 1:23 to play to make for an interesting finish, but Jaxon Nicol finished things off with an empty netter with one second on the clock.

Rylan Garnier opened scoring for the Lancers only 31 seconds into the game, but Austin Gammon tied the game five minutes later, followed by the go-ahead goal from Hudson Thiessen with 4:58 to play in the first.

Georgi Milanov wasn’t all that busy in the PHA goal in the final, stopping 16 shots, while Luke Light stopped 44 for Lloydminster.

Other PHA results on the weekend saw the U15 Prep Cougars fall 5-4 to Notre Dame, while the U17 Prep Blue dropped three games in a series with Edge School Maroon Prep, losing 8-2 in their opener Friday before falling 7-2 both Saturday and Sunday. The U18 Prep Cougars had the weekend off.

Miller Express veteran LaChance returning for third WCBL season Doane University senior infielder to bring veteran presence to infield at Ross Wells Park Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

The Moose Jaw Miller Express have announced their first returning player for the 2024 Western Canadian Baseball League season, and it’s someone who fans will most certainly be familiar with.

Senior infielder Luke LaChance will be back to anchor the Miller Express infield, playing his third season at Ross Wells Park.

LaChance is coming off a stellar campaign with Moose Jaw last season, as he was once again part of a hard-hitting lineup that produced gaudy numbers throughout the 2023 campaign.

The Littleton, Col. native hit .284 with five doubles, a home run, 23 runs batted in and eight stolen bases, but it was his glove at second base that really shone.

Suiting up at second for 43 games and 320 innings, LaChance had 97 assists and 75 put outs while making only three errors, good enough for a stellar .983 fielding percentage. That mark was second-best in the league among players with 100 or more innings at the position and tops among players with 200-plus innings.

LaChance hit .283 with 15 runs and 18 RBI to go along with a .959 fielding percentage over 181 innings in the 2022 campaign.

how things are going in the lead-up to the WCBL campaign at www.doaneathletics. com.

The Moose Jaw Miller Express open their 56-game season on Friday, May 24 when they travel to Weyburn to face the

Beavers. Moose Jaw’s home opener is the following night against the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Keep up with all the WCBL action at www.westerncanadianbaseballleague.ca.

Remembering Now & Forever Veteran second baseman Luke LaChance will be back for his third season with the Moose Jaw Miller Express this summer.

The Doane University senior had similar numbers for the Tigers during the 2023 NAIA Great Plains Athletic Conference season, hitting .294 with three home runs, 41 RBI and 36 runs scored over 55 games.

His glove was just as slick, too, with a .970 fielding percentage on 199 chances, including 24 double plays.

The Doane Tigers open their 202324 campaign on Feb, 9 against Columbia College, and you can follow along with

EMCO

MEMORIALS

LT D

Visit Cheryl at our Moose Jaw Showroom 721 Caribou St. W or contact 306-692-4666 c.richardson@remco-memorials.ca

www.remco-memorials.ca

PAGE A20 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Families for Change adds crucial First Aid resources thanks to government grant program Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

The long-term economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt across Canada. To help in the recovery process, the Government of Canada is pushing for a model of economic growth that is more inclusive and seeks to create opportunities for everyone in the country.

The vital work of community service organizations such as Families for Change and other charities, non-profits, and Indigenous governing bodies is being recognized through the government’s Community Services Recovery Fund.

Support is provided by a one-time $400 million investment to assist these organizations as they continue to recover. Funding is provided by three national funders: the Canadian Red Cross, Community Foundations of Canada, and the United Way. For Moose Jaw Families for Change, this grant provided a much-needed improvement of First Aid and CPR resources.

“During COVID we found that so many people had difficulty accessing different training resources that were re-

Moose Jaw Families for Change is located at 335 Fourth Avenue Southwest.

Photo by: Aaron Walker quired, such as CPR and First Aid, which is so crucial and important in our line of work,” explained Mike Bachiu, the programs co-ordinator at Moose Jaw Families for Change.

“We had reached out (to the government) and that was our proposal – to be able to provide that training in-house and provide the equipment and have AEDs on location. Basically, (our goal was) just doing better than we had (done) before.”

After submitting the request, Moose Jaw Families for Change Inc. was granted $18,320.60 by the federal government.

The amount covered the total cost of licensing fees, CPR manuals and mannequins, AED training and devices, wall cabinets and alarms, and training for instructors.

“First off, it’s making sure that as staff onboard, they’re going to have all the tools they need right out of the gate to do their job effectively. (They provide) supports for these vulnerable people and (make) sure their health needs are addressed,” Bachiu said. “And (it’s) for the community at large. People will know that when they see Families for Change staff, they have all the pre-requisite Red Cross training so they’re ready for action.”

Although training is provided inhouse only and no courses are available to the public, the community will still feel the impact of the grant. All three group homes run by the non-profit and the Kinsmen Café and Kinsmen Inclusion Centre are included in the upgrade.

“If somebody was at our café or day program, of course we have the AED available and ready to go.”

Two of the organization’s staff

members, Bachiu and Brooklyn Rice, have completed their Red Cross training through the City of Moose Jaw’s Parks and Recreation Department. They are now waiting for approval to deliver that training to others. Previously, training would come through a third-party provider, and now it can be completed in-house and paid for by the organization.

Founded in 2000, Moose Jaw Families for Change is a non-profit organization providing residential, day-program, and vocational supports for people living with disabilities in the community. The organization runs three food service locations and employs over 50 people in Moose Jaw. “We’re really excited to be included in this project and we’re looking forward to delivering this training.”

Moose Jaw Families for Change is located at 335 Fourth Avenue Southwest and can be reached at 306-693-2271.

The affiliated Kinsmen Café is open to the public and is located at 431 Fourth Avenue Southwest and can be reached at 306-690-1484.

Chinese Network reflects on busy 2023, prepares for two major festivals Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

The Moose Jaw Chinese Community Network is well-known for its New Year’s banquets, but during the other 364 days of the year, it is focused on supporting ethnic residents of all ages.

The network (MJCCN) is the original group that has supported the Chinese community for roughly 140 years. Its goal is to promote culture, assist newcomers with integration, help its members and provide social opportunities to unite ethnic Chinese with the broader community.

The group had a “really busy year” in 2023 since it hosted many events to welcome new immigrants, said president Qiang (Kelvin) Hu. Executive members noticed that many young Chinese were moving to The Friendly City, so they gathered that group with older residents so the latter could share their stories of life here, he continued. The network also held several sessions at Grant Hall and Hotel so the new immigrants could acquire information about Moose Jaw. Meanwhile, the network organized a barbecue in the summer that attracted more than 100 people, with the get-together featuring fun games and activities for families. Also, the organization was one

of many vendors present during Sidewalk Days and dished out plenty of food to hundreds of passersby.

“It was a hot day, but we really felt it was worth it,” said Hu. Hu was particularly excited about the network’s efforts to support Chinese athletes who participated in the Para Hockey World Championship tournament in May and June. He noted that the network mobilized its members and encouraged them to support Team China by attending the games.

“So, it really was a busy and memorable year,” he added.

Lantern festival: The Saskatoon Chinese Dance Club performed traditional dances during the lantern festival in 2023. File photo

The Moose Jaw Chinese Community Network held a barbecue last summer that attracted many residents of all ages.

Photo courtesy Facebook

While the Moose Jaw Chinese Community Network is preparing to host its well-known New Year’s banquet on Monday, Feb. 12, at Jade Garden Restaurant, it’s also working with the Grant Hotel to co-host the third annual Lantern Festival Gala on Saturday, Feb. 24, said Hu. A Chinese lantern festival — Yuan Xiao Jie or Yuanxiao Festival— is the 15th day after the start of the Lunar New Year, which marks the first full moon of the year and celebrates the end of the spring festival period.

On the night of the Chinese Lantern

Festival — held this year on its actual date — streets are normally decorated with colourful lanterns, often with riddles written on them. People eat sweet rice balls called tangyuan, watch dragon and lion dances, and set off fireworks.

The lanterns symbolize people letting go of the past year, welcoming the new year with good fortune and “illuminating the future.” It is a way for people to pray that they will have smooth futures and to express their best wishes for their families.

Guessing (solving) lantern riddles started in the Song Dynasty (960 A.D. to 1279 A.D.) and is one of the most important and popular activities of the Lantern Festival. Lantern owners write riddles on paper notes and paste them on colourful lanterns. People crowd around to guess the riddles.

If people think they have the right answer, they can pull the riddle off and go to the lantern owner to check their answer.

If they are right, there is usually a small prize.

The network has released few details about the Lantern Festival Gala but encourages people to check its website and social media pages for more information.

Museum announces upcoming Virtual Coffee Club presentations Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

Virtual Coffee Club presentations are back at the Western Development Museum (WDM). Offered virtually and free of cost over the Zoom app, several experts will provide insights into a few historical aspects of Saskatchewan’s past.

All sessions take place starting at 10 a.m. and run until 11 a.m. Each presentation begins with a guest lecture and is followed by a question-and-answer period where guests are invited to ask questions.

A list of the upcoming Virtual Coffee Club presentation is provided below.

British Home Children Joan Brewerton will lead the upcoming British Home Children presentation on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 10 a.m.

During her presentation, Brewerton will share the history of an estimated 100,000 children sent to Canada (then The Dominion of Canada) from Great Britain between 1869 and 1948. These children were brought over to serve as indentured farm labourers and domestic servants for Canadian households.

The average age of these children was

The Western Development Museum is located at 50 Diefenbaker Drive in Moose Jaw and can be reached at 306693-5989. Photo by: Aaron Walker 12 years old, and the presentation will examine the story of 70 children who were placed in an orphanage in Prince Albert, Sask.

Small Town Hotels On Thursday, Feb. 22 at 10 a.m., Brewerton will lead another Virtual Coffee Club session titled ‘Small Town Saskatchewan’s Old Hotels.’ In the talk, Brewerton will discuss hotels in the province and explore their role as being one of the oldest and most common forms of business en-

terprise in rural Saskatchewan.

A special acknowledgement will be given to the fact that many of the provinces’ “tenacious old hotels” are still standing on the typical corners of Railway Avenue and Main Street in many small-town communities. This is a testament to the determination of those who owned and operated these businesses for the past century.

Boomers in Outer Space On Thursday, March 21 at 10 a.m., Brian Gallager will lead a presentation titled ‘Boomers in Outer Space, Muscle Cars, Rock & Roll and Ice Cream.’

In the presentation, Gallager will provide a challenging yet fun look at what the generation following the Second World War experienced with a focus on life in the Canadian prairies. In this comparative account, the talk will follow the format of a popular TV game show to be announced at the start of the talk.

The talk will also cover the different experiences of both Indigenous and mainstream populations.

Described as taking place during the

Spring Equinox on March 21, the talk takes place during “a time of regeneration” and “is also an opportunity to look at potential new realities.”

75th anniversary of the WDM The WDM will be celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.

Led by the museum’s program and volunteer co-ordinator Alexis Jones, the Thursday, April 18 presentation takes place at 10 a.m. and will walk guests through the history of the WDM and explore several of its biggest milestones.

Previously held Virtual Coffee Club presentations can be viewed anytime on the museum’s YouTube channel, ‘WDM Coffee Club.’

Although the presentations are offered free of charge, advanced registration is required for each talk. To register, visit the museum’s website at wdm.ca. Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. on the day before each Virtual Coffee Club program.

For more information, visit the WDM’s website at wdm.ca or contact Alexis Jones at 306-693-5989.

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024 • PAGE A21

Single-day ‘LitCon’ writing workshops by Festival of Words returns March 16 Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com

The Saskatchewan Festival of Words’ oneday winter Literary Conference (LitCon) returns March 16, featuring in-person workshops focused on local genre writing, with LitCon also serving as a reunion and networking event for established and aspiring writers in the city.

“This year, we’re really focused on more long-form workshops, because usually we do about four hour-long workshops and the feedback we were getting is that people wanted more time in each session,” explained Amanda Farnel, executive director of the Saskatchewan Festival of Words.

This year’s workshops start with an online ‘Self-Publisher’s Guide to Marketing’ at 7 p.m. on March 12, featuring Marc Brick with FriesenPress.

The in-person events will then get underway on March 16 in the North Studio of the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre with two two-hour sessions: ‘Disquiet and Unease — Horror and the Weird’ with Drew

Saskatchewan Festival of Words Nicks from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., followed by ‘When Pen Meets Pixel — Writing for Video Games’ with Tonia Laird from 1 to 3 p.m.

LitCon will then conclude with a twohour ‘Writing Salon’ from 3 to 5 p.m. The Writing Salon will serve to give attendees the space, time, and quiet they need to get ideas and inspirations from the day onto paper or into a text document.

“A lot of people want to write books and publish books, but many of them don’t

realize that with self-publishing, a lot is on the author,” Farnel explained. “So, we’ve worked with FriesenPress to provide all the foundational marketing pieces that authors might need to get their book off the ground.

“And as part of that, Friesen is also offering a $500 manuscript evaluation giveaway, so anyone who attends that session will also be entered to potentially win that, which is a big sell.”

For the in-person days, Farnel said they wanted to bring back some topics that aren’t addressed as often as others: horror, the weird, and video game writing.

“Drew (Nicks) is an incredible writer in Moose Jaw, and we’ve worked with him a bit, we’ve done a workshop with him before, so we just think he’s the right one for this,” she said. “He’ll go over figuring out what kind of horror you want to write, where to start, how to build tension, that kind of thing.

“And finally, something a bit different for us, we’re doing a workshop on writing for video games, with Tonia Laird. And writing for video games has a lot of practical applications. We have a lot of D&D players here, so those branching storylines, but it also helps in other genres by giving you tools to explore different ways your story could go, and how characters can influence a story’s direction in unexpected and very interesting ways.”

Although pre-registration is required, all the LitCon sessions are free or by donation, so Farnel hopes to see as many writers, readers, Dungeon Masters, and other enthusiasts as possible.

Check the workshops out and register at www.festivalofwords.com/litcon.

The popular ‘Wines Around the World’ fundraiser for the Festival of Words is also coming up on Friday, Feb. 2. Find out more and buy tickets at www.festivalofwords.com/wines-around-the-world.

Upcoming Events in Moose Jaw If you would like your notice or event added to this list, contact us at: jritchie@moosejawtoday.com The Friendly City Optimist Club is hosting “Name That Tune” on Tuesday, January 23 at the Library Theatre at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $20 each. All proceeds will go towards upgrades to the Optimist Girls’ Fastball field. Watch 6 local teams compete to correctly guess the name of the tune. For tickets phone 306-6693-4514.

Town and Country Singles Dance on Saturday January 27. 2024 from 2 pm to 5:30 pm at Church of Our Lady Community Center 566 Vaughan St. W.. Band is Just Us. Come on out for an afternoon of fun! Married couples are welcome! Cost is $15 per person.

For more information call Marion at 306-630-1492.

Moose Jaw Superannuated Teachers January luncheon MEETING Upcoming Luncheons: Wed. March 10/24, Wed. May 15/24 Lawn Bowls (on turf): Lawn Bowling has been described as a cross between Curling and Pool. Lawn Bowls can be played in a solely recreational style or highly competitive form. The flexibility makes it a game for everyone from 6 to 106. The Yara Centre offers everyone an opportunity to participate in this fun sport. It provide athletes with maintenance of skills & recreational players with a fun alternative to typical gym exercises.

Drop in welcomed every Tuesday &Thursday at 9:30am &/or Wednesday at 1:30pm. For more info www. moosejawlawnbowling.com or text 306 690-8739 New Youth Pipe Band in Moose Jaw “The White Heather” for youth aged 8 to 12. Further information may be obtained by contacting Michelle Carline at mcarline@hotmail. com Scottish Country Dance Classes for all ages on Thursdays at 7pm at 510 Main St. N (T. Eaton Bldg). No partner required. Call Val @306.630.5790.

Town and Country Square Dancing will be held at St. Mary’s School for 2023-2024 season; 7pm to 9pm Monday nights.

Nature Moose Jaw will hold their meetings on a once-a-month basis to take place on the third Friday of each month.

The Moose Jaw Stamp Club has resumed meeting the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 6:30 pm at the Lindale School staff room (north door).

For information call 306-693-5705.

Church of Our Lady Bingo tales place at the Church of Our Lady Community Centre, 566 Vaughan Street on Tuesday evenings. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Bingo begins at 7:00 p.m.

Moose Jaw Town and Country Square Dance Association Winter 2024 dance program on Monday Nights at 7 pm to 9 pm at St. Mary’s School – 720 - 5th Ave SW. Dance in a Square with a Circle of Friends.

For information contact: Valerie Wright 306-691-0579.

Line Dancing every Wednesday from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. at St. Andrews Church. Call 306.692.7365 for more information.

Griefshare support group for those grieving the death of a loved one. We meet Mondays 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. until April 8. Join any time. We meet at Moose Jaw Alliance Church. To register go to Griefshare.org/findagroup.

For more information email Ralph Magnus at rjmagnus57@gmail.com.

Are you struggling with addictions? Do you know someone who is? Or do you want to learn more about overcoming addiction to help others? Pastor Cory Havanka and his wife Brenda will be offering an in-person, small-group, course that will explore how to overcome addiction that is based on Biblical foundations. For questions - Call or text Cory at 306-684-1464 or email firmfoundationministries.inc@gmail. com. Firm Foundation Ministries provides other services as well:-Bible study - Monday evenings at 630 p.m/Prayer meetings - Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m/Pastoral counselling. Check Facebook or Instagram for updates on services, events, bible study notes and words from the Lord.

Nar-Anon Meetings every Monday 7—8pm (Moose Jaw Nar-Anon Family Group) is a twelve-step program for relatives and friends affected by someone else’s drug use and is in-person at Moose Jaw Alliance Church, 14 Neslia Place.

Come in Main Doors – Meeting Rm 103. Your anonymity and what you say at meetings will be carefully guarded.

Toastmasters provides a learning environment to develop communication & leadership skills which foster self-confidence as well as personal & professional development. There are 2 clubs in Moose jaw: Tuesdays: TAP club meets on zoom@7pm Soon will offer an 8 week class ‘Speechcraft’ which provides instruction and experiential learning of the basic skills in public speaking. Guests are welcome at all meetings. Phone Cathy 306-630-7015 for more information & zoom link.

Wednesday: Big Country club @7pmCST is in person@Saskpolytechnic & (Hybrid) online.

TOPS (Take off Pounds Sensibly) weight loss support group meets every Wednesday evening at the Alliance Church, 14 Neslia Place.

(Corner of Thatcher Drive W. & 9th Ave.W.) Please enter through the west-facing door, turn right and go to end of the hallway by the library, to room 105. Weigh-in takes place from 6:30-7:00 pm. Meeting to follow. TOPS can help you reach your weight loss goal by providing you with tools, information and support to be successful. The group shares friendship, weight loss tips and offers encouragement to one another.

New members are very welcome.

Our scale weighs up to 500 lbs.

Moose Jaw Public Library (MJPL), 461 Langdon Cres.

Phone 306.692.2787; visit their website at https://www.moosejawlibrary. ca/ The Moose Jaw Public Library (MJPL) is making online changes in January, including a new program reservation system, an online room booking system, and the launch of a revamped website. Library patrons

should know that January program information can still be found at moosejawlibrary.ca/programs, by signing up for the monthly e-newsletter, and at the MJPL Facebook page at facebook.com/MooseJawLibrary.

For the time being, registration for programs that require it can be done by calling Naiomi Setter, the library’s public service/social media clerk, at 306-692-8210. Outside of regular business hours, clients can leave a message, or simply email Naiomi at nsetter@moosejawlibrary.ca.

Registrations will be taken in the order received. Online registrations for programs should be live now on the website.

More good news: Movie fans will be able to enjoy a new projection system installed in the MJPL Performing Arts Theatre, including projector, sound system & screen available.

MJPL All-Ages and Adult programs in January · Tech Time (ongoing) By appointment only, call 306-692-2787 for a personalized one-on-one session to learn how to use devices and apps. · MJPL Movie Club in the MJPL Theatre at 6pm with discussion to follow. Thursday, Jan. 25 new Movie Club documentary night featuring Love in the Time of Fentanyl (2022). · All-Ages Movie Night at MJPL Theatre- Wednesday, Jan. 24, 6:30pm - The Rescuers Down Under (1990); All-Ages Movie Matinee at MJPL Theatre Sat. Jan. 27 -2:30pm - Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023).

MJPL Youth programs in January Registration is required for all library D&D programs. · New Adult Digital D&D - ages 1522, Fridays 4pm on library’s Discord channel. · Teen D&D — Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos · This month’s one-shot D&D campaign, for ages 12-16 in the MJPL Archives Tues OR Thurs, until Feb. 1, 6:30 - 8:30pm. · How do I do that?! One-on-one instructional workshop series Tues.

2-4:30pm and Sat. 10am-12:30pm in Herb Taylor Room, ages 15-25.

Get help with everything from scholarships to resume writing to budgeting. Drop in or book a time at the information desk.

Registration is required for all library D&D programs by emailing youth@ moosejawlibrary.ca.

The Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 59 Moose Jaw, 268 High St W Moose Jaw; Contact: 306-6925453. Facebook @ ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION-Branch 59 Moose Jaw. Instagram: @Royalcanadianlegion59. SHA restrictions in effect at all Legion events.

Bingo every Monday evening in the Lounge at 6pm, Paper goes on sale at 5pm. Playing ten regular games with 2 parts each and 3 extra games, all games cash prizes.

Dart League every Thursday starting at 6pm. $25 to enter for the season.

No membership required.

Cribbage every Tuesday at 1:30pm.

Registration at 1pm.

Cost $5; pre-register your team by calling

306.693.9688.

Drop-in Shuffleboard league every Friday at 7:00pm.

Chase the Ace/Meat Draw every Saturday. To see the total check out Facebook page on Wednesday and Fridays for the upcoming Saturdays numbers.

For current listing of events online visit: Monthly Calendar | Royal Canadian Legion Branch 59- Moose Jaw (royalcanadianlegionbranch59moosejaw.ca) Moose Jaw and District Seniors: For more information Call: 306-6944223 or Email: mjsenior@shaw.ca .

The centre is now open Mon-Thurs 8am – 8pm.

Fitness Level & Indoor Walking Track open M-T and Friday’s 8am-4pm/ Lounge – Friday’s from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Wood working area – Mon- Fri 8am – 4pm/Timothy Eaton Cafe open MonFri, 8am – 4pm.

Billiards open daily 8am – 4pm, and Mon & Thurs 4:30 – 8 p.m.

Pickle Ball – Mon & Thurs 10 a.m./ Tues, Wed & Fri 1 p.m./Mon & Thurs 7 p.m./Wed 6pm Fitness- Chair/Low Impact Fitness Mondays & Thursdays @ 1:00 p.m.

Cribbage – Wed 1 p.m/Hand & Foot Card Game for Beginners – Thurs9:30 am/Mah Jong – Weds 1 p.m./500 Cards – Thurs @ 1 p.m.

Full Body Work Out Mon 9:30am/ Wed 9:30 am Scrabble – Mon 1pm/Spades Tues & Fri 1pm Line Dancing Tues 10 a.m./Intro to Line Dancing – Wed 11am Table Tennis Mon 1pm/Art & Crafts Mon/Tues/Wed 1 p.m./Floor Shuffleboard Tues/Thurs 1 p.m.

Paper Tole Tues 1 p.m./Nickle Bingo Fri 1 p.m./Quilting Fri 9am-4pm Jam and dancing (New Name Change) Fri 9 a.m./Texas Hold’em Thurs 6:30pm Cosmo Senior Citizens’ Centre Weekly Activities – 235 3rd Ave. N.E. Phone 306.692.6072 or email cosmo@sasktel.net.

Check them out on Facebook.

Monday: 9:30am-Pickleball / 1pmFloor Shuffleboard / 7pm-Camera Club – only on the 2nd Monday of the month Tuesday: 9:30am-Jam Session / 1pm-Pickleball/7pm-Friendship Bridge/7pm-Beginners Only Pickleball Wednesday: 8:30am-TOPS/8:30amPickleball/1pm-Floor Shuffleboard Thursday: 10am-Line Dance / 1pm-Pickleball Friday: 9:00am-Beginner Pickleball/1pm-Regular Pickleball February 16 – Military Whist Tournament. Register 9:30am/Games start 10am. Cost $20pp includes muffin, coffee & lunch.

February 17 – Social Dance from 7:30-11:30pm. Band Len Gadia.

Cost $15pp includes snacks.

Moose Jaw ANAVETS: Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans Unit #252 – 279 High St. W, Moose Jaw. 306.692.4412 or anaf252@sasktel. net Open on Wednesdays 12-6pm. Every Wed. 10 card crib and smear.

Every Thursday 12–7pm – crib 1:30pm/Bring a partner or sign up for a spare.

Every Friday 1-10pm. Shuffleboard 1:30pm, pool and darts 7pm. Bring a partner.

Every Saturday 1-7pm. 4:30 pm Meat Draw;50/50;gift card. Everyone welcome.

Last Thursday of every month “Veteran’s Coffee Break” 9:30-11am. All Veterans welcome for coffee and donuts provided by local businesses.

FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES #3395 MONDAY EVENINGS: (to April, 2024): Drop in Cribbage – registration 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm – play starts at 7:00 pm. $2.00 per person – two person teams.

Bring a partner or spare. Prizes depend on number of persons registered. Everyone Welcome.

WEDNESDAY EVENINGS: (to April 2024) - Drop in Darts – play starts at 7:00 pm – draw for partners. $2.00 per person, per night.

Everyone Welcome EVERY THURSDAY: Ladies Auxiliary “Meat Draw” – ticket sales start at 5:30 pm, draws start at 6:00 pm – Meat Draw, 50/50, “Chase the Ace” EVERY SUNDAY: Aerie “Meat Draw” – ticket sales start at 2:30 pm – Meat Draw, 50/50, Mystery Draw, “Chase the Ace” MONDAY THRU SATURDAY – DROP IN POOL – 1:00 pm to 1:30 start time.

Singles and Doubles. Partners draw from those attending to play.

FIRST AND THIRD SUNDAY – Aerie meeting – 11:30 am FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY – Ladies Auxiliary meeting - 7:00 pm SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 2024 – “Two Easy” playing in the Eagles Club Lounge – 9:00 pm start Seniors’ Centre Without Walls FREE telephone-based program for seniors 55+ in activities, education, and conversation. No internet or computer needed, only a phone. To register for programs, phone 306631-4357 or email scwwsask2019@ gmail.com For individuals over 60 yrs: Join in to share on the oral history of the farm– Celebrate common stories through farm reminiscing. Free weekly phone sessions until March 6 at 10am-11am OR 1:30-2:30 for 8 weeks. No computer or internet required. All supplies necessary will be mailed free to you. Registration deadline has finished but if interested please check to see if there are still any openings at 306.631.4357 (No texts please).

Email scwwsask2019@gmail.com Western Development Museum; 50 Diefenbaker Drive, Moose Jaw. Please call for more information (306) 693-5989. You can read more about the upcoming sessions and how to sign up for the free Virtual Coffee Club talks at: https://wdm.ca/coffeeclub/ Virtual Coffee Club for a time of visiting and learning through zoom sessions once a month consisting of a presentation and time for questions afterwards. No cost but pre-registration is required on website: Virtual Coffee Club - Western Development Museum (wdm.ca). For more information or to set up an interview call 306-693-5989 or email me at ajones@wdm.ca

PAGE A22 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024

D.&D. Quality Care Inc. YOUR AIDS TO DAILY LIVING STORE

Honouring the memory of Debbie Pidwerbesky, Founder of D & D Quality Care.

Missing you for 15 years.

Main St N. 306-691-0300 428 ddqualitycare@gmail.com

ACROSS 1. Plank 6. Urge (on) 10. Felines 14. Command 15. Protagonist 16. Death notice 17. View 18. Dry 19. Memo 20. Female professional singer 22. Game piece 23. Remnant 24. Attached 26. Caustic 30. Air hero 31. 5 plus 5 32. Hubs 33. Ticks off 35. Pauses 39. Marjoram 41. By the light of the moon 43. Terminated 44. Impoverished 46. Ripped 47. Drain 49. Wetland

Daily Sudoku Puzzles by KrazyDad, January 18, 2024

Sudoku #5D- O Challenging SU KU

9

1 6

Sudoku #7 - Tough 4 7 2 8 3 6 5 9 1 6 2 5 7 8 5 8 3 4 9 1 2 8 5 4 1 2 9 3 7 3 9 6 4 8 1 6 2 1 3 7 5 9 2 6 5 9 1 4 7 3 4 7 5 8 2 6 1 9 8 7 6 3 4

2 4 7 6 2 5

1 4 2

3

WORDSEARCH

Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.

© 2024 KrazyDad.com

9 1

5

9

2 1

1 9 3 4 7 6 6 7 2 5 4 8 3 8

Sudoku #5 - Challenging 6 3 9 4 2 5 8 7 1 4 7 1 8 9 3 5 2 6 5 8 2 7 1 6 3 9 4 3 5 4 9 6 8 7 1 2 2 1 6 3 5 7 4 8 9 7 9 8 1 4 2 6 5 3 8 6 5 2 3 9 1 4 7 8 1 2 3 5 7 4 9 6 8 2

3

8

2

4 8

10. Large land masses 11. Agitated 12. What a book is called 13. Horse 21. Railroad 25. Pertaining to flight 26. Balm ingredient 27. Maize 28. Decorated, as a cake 29. Edible 34. Polishes 36. Blackthorn 37. Rubber wheel 38. Flower stalk 40. Jewish month 42. Musical instrument 45. Make unclear 48. A spud 51. Doughnut-shaped roll 52. Embellish 53. Tempest 55. Finger jewelry 58. Mild expletive 59. Abrupt 60. Concept 61. Food thickener 62. Trawling equipment

"Great art is an instant arrested in eternity."

-- James Huneker

3

1 8 2

5 7 3 5 2 6 4

50. Appear to be 51. Casual eatery 54. Asterisk 56. Against 57. Type of trained worker 63. Amorphous shape 64. Chills and fever 65. Gentle prod 66. Noble 67. Mountain pool 68. Stupendous 69. European dune grass 70. Lyric poems 71. Suns DOWN 1. Pear type 2. Whale 3. Gulf port 4. Let out 5. Great fear 6. Work as a tenant farmer 7. Nearest orbital point 8. Acid related to gout 9. Rat or mouse

5

Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3-by-3 block contain all of the digits 1 thru 9.

4

7

6

If you use logic you can solve the puzzle without guesswork.

Need a little help? The hints page shows a logical order to solve the puzzle.

Use it to identify the next square you should solve. Or use the answers page if you really get stuck.

IRPORT, BITTEN, CIRCUIT, COLLEAGUE, CONSUMMATE CORNER, ENGAGE, ENTIRE, ERASE, ETHIC, FLIRT GENTLE, GREGARIOUS, GROUND, GUESS, IMAGE, LENS MINIMUM, MOMENT, NOTICE, PEER, PLAGUE, PURPLE, QUEEN, RESPONSIBLE, RULER, SHRUG SILT, SMOOTH, SOIL, SOUR, SUBJECT, TORN, VICTIM, WINTER

Puzzle Solutions

Local building activity declined last year

Sudoku #3 - Intermediate 3 6 7 4 5 8 1 9 2 4 1 8 2 9 6 5 3 7 5 2 9 1 7 3 4 8 6 2 9 4 8 6 1 7 5 3 7 3 1 5 2 9 8 6 4 8 5 6 3 4 7 2 1 9 6 4 3 7 8 5 9 2 1 9 7 5 6 1 2 3 4 8 1 8 2 9 3 4 6 7 5

Ron Walter - For Moose Jaw Express Builders closed the year 2023 with nearly one-quarter less 2022. work than the previous year.

Two housing projects valued at $886,000 were started in Value of building permits issued by Moose Jaw city hall December while one project with 81units valued at $12 million fell $24.7 million to $82.1 million. was started in December 2022.

Residential dwellings accounted for almost half of the deMajor permits in December 2023 involved $665,000 for cline. the Southwest Day Care at 504 Fourth Avenue Southwest and Fifteen new dwelling permits worth $4.95 million were $120,000 for a retail-wholesale outlet at 903 Main Street north, issued in 2023 compared with 30 worth $23.6 million during the former location for Information Services Corp. the previous yeer.

Building in 2023 included 106 units compared with 14 in Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.

-- Isaac Asimov --

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024 • PAGE A23

Moose Jaw Truck Shop

22 Lancaster RD 306.694.4644

we fix everything

MooseJawTruckShop.com or text 306-900-4179

CLASSIFIED ADS For Sale- 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Limited 4 x 4 Crossover.

Excellent condition,

MISCELLANEOUS

AUTOS

For Sale baby crib and mattress, dark brown wood, $75.00 OBO. Exercise bike $125.00. Call 306693-7232

WANTED

152,000kl. Beige leather interior, every available option. $18,700.

Call 306-5375342

Seeking Born Again Christian Business partner with potential ownership in Second Hand and Flea- Market business. Male, Female or Family must be interested in Salvation, Healing and Deliverance Outreach Ministry.

Serious enquiries

only please. 306684-1084, 5 pm- 8pm ONLY (because of scam calls)

reasonably: appliances, furniture, dump runs. Call to do it all.

SERVICES

Cleaner available, call for details 306990-0348 Need work done?

Contact Bill at 306630-2268.

Interior/ exterior, renovations, formwork, framing, finishing, tiling, painting and all construction, roofing/ sidingno job too big or small.

Reasonable rates, 30 years’ experience.

Moving jobs done

$45.00 a load. 306630-2268

Better Water Solutions for your entire home.

Better water for better living High quality water delivered to your home or office Better water brings out the best in your family

270 Caribou St. W. 306.693.0606 www.culligan.com

Big Country Toastmasters to hold open house meeting Jan. 24 Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

Big Country Toastmasters will be holding an open house event with the aim of spreading the word about the organization and encouraging more individuals to sign up as members.

The free open house event will take place Wednesday, Jan. 24 at the Sask.

Polytech boardroom in Moose Jaw. Alternatively, the event can be attended online via the Zoom app. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. and will run until approximately 8 p.m.

“We are going to be focusing on impromptu speaking… (at) this open house,” explained Lorna Arnold, the president of Big Country Toastmasters.

“Impromptu speaking skills have so many applications in life. We picked impromptu speaking skills because (many) young people are probably looking at job

interviews.”

Founded 62 years ago after a merger of Sitting Bull Toastmasters and Standing Bear Toastmasters, the organization uses open house events such as this to reach out to new individuals in the community in the hopes of finding someone who might benefit from the classes.

The open house will begin with a few opening remarks, followed by an in-house speaker who will give a presentation about impromptu speaking. This week’s speaker will be Rochelle Pasquet.

Following the presentation, attendees can participate in table topics and then an official evaluator will give a formal evaluation of the earlier presentation as an example for new members.

“When we think of an evaluation, we usually think of… the teacher putting red

Canadian artist Jude Griebel will bring Illuminated Collapse, a series of unsettling, thought-provoking diorama meldings of the human body and its environment, to the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery, with an Artist’s Talk and official reception starting things off.

“I grew up mostly between Saskatchewan and rural Alberta,” Griebel, who now works mostly out of New York, told MooseJawToday.com. “I was interested in landscapes from a young age due to my family’s farming background, looking at land and how it’s used, and how the body relates to it in various ways. And when I began making art, again at a young age, it was always preoccupied with our bodies’ relationship to the surrounding world.”

Griebel’s Illuminated Collapse will open on Friday, Feb. 2, and run until May 5. On Feb. 2, the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery’s (MJMAG) doors will open at 7 p.m., with Jude Griebel presenting at 7:30.

The exhibition, pieces of which have already made their way across the continent, consists of six deeply detailed, largescale dioramas depicting a series of meldings of human anatomy with landscapes

Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com Nevertheless, he makes clear his in various stages of construction and detheme of the philosophical blurriness of struction.

“You can imagine, growing up part- the lines typically drawn between viewers ly on a farm, there was a real interest in and the world around them, even if they things being grown in the ground, being reach different conclusions than he has consumed, things going back into the or are free from the worry and anxiety he ground,” Griebel said. “Later on, as an art feels.

“The idea, really, is that everything student and in my early career as an artist, I really started looking back at art history is very intertwined. People usually put and the ways artists have depicted our re- up these clear distinctions between themlationship to the land, especially in very selves and the surrounding world when they’re taking from it and using it in varimaginative ways.

“More broadly, I started looking at ious ways. By combining body and landthe way land is being treated, in terms of scape, what I’m doing is speaking to how hyper-active development, industrial ag- when we take from the world and conriculture, how we’re taking and consum- sume it, it is in turn affecting us, so I’m ing at a voracious rate. And then, I began erasing those borders.

“For myself,” Griebel continued, “it creating works in which the body and the landscape are merged, to speak to the is a reflection of reality, but I’m reflecting reality in very metaphorical and imaginaways we impact the world around us.”

Like most artists, Griebel doesn’t like tive ways, so I’m injecting a lot of pertelling audiences how his work should sonal anecdotes, and fiction and fantasy, be interpreted. He wants gallery-goers to to speak to larger problems in this world.”

Greibel is also aware that all the malook closely at the details — scientific advancements, natural vs artificial, discom- terials he uses have a footprint, that he is fiting anatomical elements, the growth of part of the cycle of production, consumpplants vs the growth of skyscrapers — and tion, and waste, and that his exhibitions examine the thoughts and feelings that use infrastructure to travel and to be installed and lighted and shown in galleries. arise from their individual lens.

For more information about Toastmasters International, visit ToastMasters.org.

Photo by: Toastmasters International x’s all over (our paper). But in Toastmasters, a critique is probably a better definition of what our evaluation portion of the meeting is.”

The Sask. Polytech campus is located at 600 Saskatchewan Street in Moose Jaw. If you need further information, Lorna Arnold can be reached at 306-690-8739 and

Cathy Morrell can be reached at 306-6307015. All guests are asked to show up a few minutes early to get situated before the event begins.

For anyone wishing to attend via Zoom, the meeting number is 883344 05135.

Arnold said there’s no expectation for guests to register on the first night, and after two or three meetings, anyone who finds the organization beneficial is welcome to join at their own pace.

“When I first came, I had very low self-esteem and had a lot of difficulty talking to people. I wouldn’t call those first six months fun – I was increasing my skills. After a few months, I started enjoying the variety of learning…,” Arnold recalled. “Over the years I am better at it, and I no longer dread having to speak.”

‘Illuminated Collapse’ to bring unsettling, provocative diorama exhibition to MJMAG

“There’s a lot of collective culpability in the art,” he said, “which is sort of the bind we find ourselves as active consumers in this world. But it’s also a place to criticize that from.”

This will be Griebel’s second time at the MJMAG — he was one of the artists included in 2019’s award-winning Prairie Vernacular folk art exhibition. He visited Moose Jaw for the occasion and gave a talk with Victor Cicansky and other fellow artists.

“I’m happy to be visiting again for this solo exhibition, especially to be able to chat with visitors and answer questions (at the reception). ... It’s a great conversation starter in terms of discussing the themes the body of work is looking at,” he said.

Griebel currently has various exhibitions across North America from Banff to Chicago, Ottawa to New York. Check out his website at www.judegriebel.com to learn more and see images of his many sculptures.

Learn more about past, current, and upcoming exhibitions in Moose Jaw at www.mjmag.ca.

PAGE A24 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Obituaries / Memorials BURNS, EDNA ALICE KATHARINE (née Nelson) July 31st, 1924 January 12th, 2024 Edna Burns, Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma, Great-GreatGrandma, mentor, teacher, and friend, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 12th, 2024. She was predeceased by her husband of 50 years, Earl Burns; parents, Ed and Euphemia Nelson; sister, Gladys Gaudreau; in-laws, Frank and Matilda Burns, Alecia and Glen Buchanan; daughter-in-law, Shelly Burns; son-in-law, Al Miller; family friend, Cam Beaton; as well as nearly everyone else. Edna is survived by her children: Sandra (Stew) Godfrey, Sheila Miller, Rob (Glennys) Burns, and Nancy (Heather) Burns; grandchildren: Lorrie Miller, Leah Miller, Heather Miller, Allan Miller III, Dakota Godfrey, Caleb Burns, Josh Burns, Sarah Tighe, and Sydney Burns; fourteen great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

Edna was born on July 31st, 1924 in Wadena, SK and grew up on the family homestead in the Algrove District, where she attended school through the 10th grade. She finished high school in Rose Valley, SK in 1942 and with one month of Normal School training, went out to teach in a one-room school in rural Saskatchewan for the next two years. In all, Edna would teach for 30 years in 5 decades, taking time away from teaching to raise her own family. She retired in 1989.

Edna met Earl Burns while finishing Normal School in 1945. They were married on October 19th that same year. They eventually settled back in Moose Jaw, SK on Carleton Street, first at 952 and then at 958 in the “big house” Earl built in 1959. Edna lived there for the next 59 years until 2018 when her health dictated that she move to assisted living.

Edna was a dedicated parent and a no-nonsense teacher who was fondly remembered by her students, often teaching two generations of the same family. She was a loyal friend and confidante, providing both a shoulder to cry on and a hankie to “wipe your nose and carry on.”

Sometimes frustrated and confused by her declining capacity, Edna still enjoyed life and we were heartened by snatches of wit and sense of humour. As she once commented about her failing memory, “It doesn’t ring any bells, but the bells don’t ring like they used to.”

She will be missed.

The family would like to thank the staff of Pioneer Lodge for the care and compassion they gave to Mom the last three years.

The Funeral Service was held on Friday, January 19th, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. in Moose Jaw Funeral Home. Those not able to attend may view the service virtually by going to www.moosejawfuneralhome.com/webcast/. As per Edna’s adamant instructions, flowers are gratefully declined. As an expression of sympathy, donations in Edna’s name may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements are entrusted to Moose Jaw Funeral Home, 268 Mulberry Lane. Andrew Pratt, Funeral Director 306-693-4550 www.moosejawfuneralhome. com

CARPENTIER, VALERIE SUSAN (Val) Valerie Susan Carpentier (Val) of Moose Jaw, passed away on January 9, 2024, at the age of 60.

Val is predeceased by her parents Kenneth and Maxine Glenn, sister, Carol Glenn, Brother-inlaw, Doug Sawatsky, sisters in law, Lori Heagy, Kim Carpentier, and brothers in law, Randy Carpentier and Dahlas Carpentier.

Val is survived by her husband, Ron Carpentier of Moose Jaw, brother, Robby Glenn of Calgary, Alta, sisters, Norma Broughton of Avonlea, Kathy Glenn of Pender Island, B.C., Lori Belyea (Ken) of Prince Albert, brother-in-law, Dwight Carpentier (Heather) of Medicine Hat, Alta and sister-in-law, Lynn Friars (Pat) of Moose Jaw. Val has also left behind numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces, and great nephews, as well as many cousins from both sides of her family.

A Celebration of Val’s Life will be held in the spring, at Hillcrest Church. For those wishing memorial donations may be directed to Hillcrest Church or Telemiracle.

In living memory of Val, a memorial planting will be made by W.J. Jones & Son Ltd. Please sign the memorial register at website: www.wjjonesandson.com (Obituaries). Dayna Chamberlain - Funeral Director

In Loving Memory of

Wayne Cozart January 24, 2019 Love always Elaine and Family

TRINITY UNITED CHURCH 277 Iroquois St W Moose Jaw, SK Next Service: January 28th, 2024 10:30am Rev. Walter Engel

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EFFECTIVE MARCH 1ST, 2023

Obituaries Winners in latest Moose Jaw Camera Club photo contest Submitted

Published in the newspaper .55¢ per word, includes a photo.

Email: classifieds@mjvexpress.com To place online (no charge) Email: help@moosejawtoday.com

Memorials, Birthdays & 1st Place Thank Yous Wanda Hudson

In a recent Moose Jaw Camera Club photo competition, the photos and club winners are as below:

3”x3” $60.00 (photo included) 3”x4” $70.00 (photo included) Email: mjexpress2@sasktel.net

468 High St W | Moose Jaw, SK | 306-694-1322

3rd Place - Bob Schultz

Please include the Moose Jaw Health Foundation in your estate plan to help your community for generations to come.

2nd Place Stuart Anderson

Please contact us for more information.

Moose Jaw Health Foundation 55 Diefenbaker Drive Moose Jaw, SK S6J 0C2 Phone (306) 694-0373

www.mjhf.org

Honoured to serve you at your time of need

Blake Seebach Funeral Director

Going ABOVE and BEYOND expectations is what sets us apart

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024 • PAGE A25

Rev. Dr. John Kreutzwieser is a retired pastor from Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Moose Jaw, SK. He graduated with a doctorate degree in 2006 from the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies in Florida.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

Circumspect

As I get older, I find myself a more circumspect driver.

Once darkness settles in, I am not so enthusiastic about driving the car as I used to be. In the winter I study road conditions a lot more carefully than I used to consider them before venturing out, especially on a longer trip outside of Moose Jaw. Circumspect is an adjective meaning to carefully mull over all circumstances and possible consequences.

One tends to be more prudent about many things as a se-

nior. I have heard numerous older people joke about not buying green bananas anymore, as the bananas may not ripen before something serious could happen to them.

Circumspect comes from the Latin word circumspectus, a past participle of circumspicere, which means to look around (root verb is specere, meaning to look, plus circum, meaning around). The English language has many words using circum. Just think of circumference (the perimeter of a circle), circumscribe (to define or mark off carefully; to draw a line around), and circumnavigate (to go completely around, as in circumnavigate the world). Circumstance is another familiar word using the prefix circum. Circumstance implies a specific detail around an action or event. It is often a part of its setting or background. The witness could not recall the exact circumstances leading up to the accident.

The Latin specere has entered English in words like spectacle (an eye-catching or dramatic public display; a device used to correct defects of vision), spectrum (a continuous sequence or range as in a continuum of color formed when a beam of white light is dispersed by passage through a prism so that its component wavelengths are arranged in order), and spectator (one who looks on or watches).

Cautious, wary, and circumspect, all imply being watchful and discreet in the face of danger or risk. Cautious suggests the exercise of forethought, often incited by fear of danger. Wary emphasizes suspiciousness and alertness in watching for danger, and canny in escaping

it. Circumspect implies less fear than cautiousness, not as suspicious as wariness, but stresses the surveying of all possible consequences before acting or deciding. If I consider the meaning of circumspect as prudent, this implies it is marked by wisdom or judiciousness and suggests the exercise of restraint guided by sound practical wisdom and discretion. I am proud to be marked as a circumspect driver in that respect.

As a circumspect driver planning a trip to British Columbia in the winter I mull over the consequences of icy roads, possible snowstorms, temperature, all in connection with the distance to travel. Sometimes a circumspect motorist worries too much about everything that might happen instead of planning to enjoy the adventure and observe the wonders around. Learn to take whatever comes in stride.

Columnist John Kreutzwieser loves to research words and writes this weekly Word Wisdom column for Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com. He has an interest in the usage, origin, and relevance of words for society today. Greek and Latin form the basis of many words, with ancient Hebrew shedding light on word usage.

John would like to know if anyone has a sincere interest in a relevant word that he could possibly research for an upcoming column. If so, please send your requests to wordwisdom2021@gmail.com . Words will be selected according to relevance and research criteria. We cannot confirm that all words will be used.

Resident writes book about God’s ‘undeniable’ love during turbulent upbringing Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express

Growing up with a violent, abusive and alcoholic father and discovering the “undeniable, unconditional love of God” are two major influences that shaped Carol Carley’s life — and contributed to her new book.

Carley, a former reporter and lifestyles editor with the Moose Jaw Times-Herald, has written “Wounded Heart, Healed Spirit: The Incredible True Story of an Unlikely Follower of Jesus.” Her book launch was on Friday, Jan. 19 and Saturday, Jan. 20 at First Free Methodist Church.

Her book is about how a beaten and bruised 12-year-old girl escaped her alcoholic father’s abuse to become “a bold, victorious ambassador for Jesus Christ.”

Moreover, she shares how the power of God transformed her tragedy into triumph.

The book can be purchased by emailing carolcarley@sasktel.net, through publisher Word Alive Press or at Pass the Word bookstore in Regina.

Book launch “I have wanted to write this book ever since I can remember. I had a lot of time because I’m retired and I had time to do it justice,” Carley told the Express.

Carley is excited to launch her book since it’s “so surreal” to see it completed after spending January to May 2023 working on it. She is also ecstatic with how it turned out since she spent an enormous amount of time editing the manuscript.

Her biggest concern is whether she effectively communicated God’s love to people.

Carley always knew she would tell her story if she had the courage; with friends asking for decades when she would write such a book, she took that as God’s confirmation.

It takes confidence and courage to be vulnerable when sharing one’s story,

Carol Carley, a former Times-Herald journalist, has written a book about her turbulent childhood and early adulthood, how God cared for her during those trying times and her eventual acceptance of Jesus Christ as her saviour.

Photo by Jason G. Antonio something many people cannot do, she added. She believes being open about her life makes it easier for others to relate to her story.

A turbulent childhood Carley, 69, explained that she began attending church at age five but never felt the message of God’s love speak to her.

“Because I grew up in a home where my dad made me feel like nothing I did was ever ‘good enough,’ my self-worth and self-image (were) non-existent,” she said. “I felt unworthy to approach God because I didn’t realize that He saw my life as being something of value.”

Until age 12, Carley experienced the devastating effects her father’s alcoholism had on the family. She was embarrassed about the situation since this was a major stigma in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

“I kept everything a secret: from my

teachers, from my friends, from our neighbourhood. I didn’t want anyone to know my dad was a violent alcoholic because I thought that was going to be a bad reflection on me and people wouldn’t like me,” she said, adding she is grateful that there are now many ways people can see help for their addiction.

Her father was violent even when he wasn’t drinking, which meant he regularly beat Carley and her mother. His angry assaults often included brutal whippings with a horsewhip.

“I can picture it even now,” she said somberly.

Escaping the violence One night, Carley, then 12, was doing homework with a friend when her dad’s alcoholic rages began. She told her friend to leave, but the latter suggested Carley stay with her family. So, she packed a small blue suitcase, said goodbye to her mom, and stayed with her friend for a few nights.

“It was kind of bittersweet leaving because I wanted to be there to protect my mom, but (I knew) my brother (David) … would be able to protect my mom, so that’s the only reason I left,” she said.

Carley later lived with another friend for many months afterward.

A ‘spiritual makeover’ Tragedy struck in 1977 when David died in a car accident at age 26. During that time of grief and sorrow, Carley cried out to God for answers and read and studied the Bible. Two questions also popped into her mind: Had David known that she loved him? And, was he in heaven with God? She later had an experience where God answered her prayers through a vision. After acquiring these answers, Carley committed her life to Jesus Christ on

April 27, 1979, at age 25. It was one of the most important life decisions she says she ever made.

Accepting Jesus led to an immediate transformation in her life because upon waking the next morning, Carley felt like she had had a “spiritual makeover.”

“There was a boldness, a confidence and a new sense of courage within me that I had never known,” she said, noting the Good News of Christ was deep inside her and she wanted — and felt empowered — to share that message with everyone.

“I know that I am a very ‘unlikely’ follower of Jesus, but I thank God that He can even use someone like me … ,” she added. “God accepted me; He valued my life. … I did not waste any time telling my mom about God.” Forgiving her father Carley learned about the importance of forgiveness during her life, which helped when dealing with her father’s death. While flying to North Bay, Ont., she asked God to take her raw feelings and give her compassion so she could care for him in the hospital.

The Lord strengthened her, while He has given her strength for other challenging situations over the years. She noted that many people think they can overcome struggles by themselves but often fail since many are not spiritually strong enough.

“I believe we need to forgive like Jesus taught us, to wipe the slate clean and move forward. When we truly forgive others, there’s no need to hold onto anger, bitterness, resentment or hate,” said Carley.

While Moose Jaw has no mountains, if it did, Carley says she would climb to the highest peak and shout, “God is alive and He loves you! Give Him a chance!”

Outreach committee donations to local schools with Mitten Tree fundraiser

St. Andrews Outreach Committee donated mitts, toques and scarves to Lindale and William Grayson Submitted

St. Andrews United Church Outreach Committee thank the congregation once again for all their donation to the Mitten Tree, which is set up every year in October.

The mitts, toques and scarves were delivered to Lindale and William Grayson Schools this year and were very much appreciated.

Other Outreach Committee donations for 2023 were given to: Pheonix Academy, Moose Jaw Food Bank, Hunger in Moose Jaw and Square One.

PAGE A26 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024

HORSE RACING

SportS HigHligHtS BASKETBALL Monday

8 p.m. TSN NBA Basketball Milwaukee Bucks at Denver Nuggets.

Saturday

Saturday

3:30 p.m. WDIV Horse Racing Pegasus World Cup Invitational.

HOCKEY

3:30 p.m. FSR Horse Racing America’s Day At the Races.

8 p.m. NET NHL Hockey Columbus Blue Jackets at Calgary Flames.

SKATING

3 p.m. EDACC TSN WWJ PGA Tour Golf Farmers Insurance Open, Final Round.

Tuesday

6:30 p.m. TSN NBA Basketball Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics.

Wednesday

7:30 p.m. WXYZ NBA Basketball Phoenix Suns at Brooklyn Nets.

9 p.m. TSN NBA Basketball Milwaukee Bucks at Portland Trail Blazers.

Thursday

Friday

Monday

Thursday

Tuesday

7 p.m. TSN 2024 Australian Open Tennis Mixed Doubles Final.

9:30 p.m. TSN 2024 Australian Open Tennis Men’s Semifinal.

6 p.m. TSN Professional Women’s Hockey League New York at Toronto.

Sunday

GOLF

10:30 p.m. NET NHL Hockey Seattle Kraken at San Jose Sharks.

5:30 p.m. CKCK TSN NFL Football NFC Championship: Teams TBA.

Wednesday

Friday

4 p.m. EDACC WWJ PGA Tour Golf Farmers Insurance Open, Third Round.

9:30 p.m. NET NHL Hockey San Jose Sharks at Anaheim Ducks.

THURSDAY EVENING 7 PM

7:30

MOVIES

8 PM

Friday

7 p.m. WDIV Figure Skating U.S. Championships, Women’s Free Skate.

6 p.m. NET NHL Hockey Nashville Predators at Ottawa Senators.

FOOTBALL

Sunday

8:30

9 PM

TENNIS

Saturday 10 p.m. TSN 2024 Australian Open Tennis Women’s Doubles Final.

SPORTS

9:30

SPECIALS

10 PM

10:30

SUNDAY EVENING 7 PM

7:30

MOVIES

8 PM

8:30

9 PM

SPORTS

9:30

SPECIALS

10 PM

10:30

3 CBKFT (6:30) Découv.. Dr Sébast Tout le monde en parle (N) (:20) TJ Sask /(:25) TJ (N) 5 CFRE Yellowstone (N) Yellowst. "The Beating" (N) Yellowstone News (N) Block 6 CKCK (5:30) Football NFC Championship: Teams TBA (N) (Live) Next Level Chef (N) (SP) To Be Announced 7 WEATH Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature 8 WDIV (6:00) America's Got Dateline NBC (N) News (N) (:35) Sports 9 CBKT Bollywed (N) Push (N) Coven (N) The National (N) 11 WWJ Yellowstone (N) Yellowst. "The Beating" (N) Yellowstone (N) News (N) (:35) J. Osteen 12 WXYZ <+++ The Parent Trap ('98) Dennis Quaid, Lindsay Lohan.

Abbott News (N) Game Time 13 CTYS Grimsburg Krapopolis Burgers The-North VeraCity (N) Food Guardians 19 TSN (5:30) NFL Football Jay Onrait (N) (Live) SportsCentre (N) (Live) 20 NET (5:00) Basket.. Misplays NHL Hockey Columbus Blue Jackets at Seattle Kraken (N) (Live) Sportsnet 25 EDACC Corner Gas How/Made Corner Gas Corner Gas <+++ The Parent Trap ('98) Lindsay Lohan.

26 W (6:00) < A Safari Romance < Romance With a Twist ('24) Jocelyn Hudon.

When Calls the Heart (N) 29 ENCAV Movie (:45) <++ We Are Marshall ('06) Matthew Fox, Matthew McConaughey. <++ The Karate Kid (P) 33 CMT The Office The Office The Office The Office King King King King 35 TLC 90 Day Fiancé "Till Death Do Us Part" (N) Love & Translation (N) 90 Day Fiancé (N) 38 DISC Homestead Rescue "All My Stresses Live in Texas" (N) Million Dollar Island Summit 41 COM Friends Friends Friends Friends Friends Friends Friends Friends 42 TCM < Why Be Good? ('29) Neil Hamilton. (:45) <++ Success at Any Price ('34) < The Scarlet Letter (P) 47 AMC (5:30) < Day After Tomorrow Spade "Episode 3" (N) (:10) <++ The Day After Tomorrow ('04) Dennis Quaid.

48 FSR AMSOIL Championship AMSOIL Championship Motorcycle Racing 55 CRV1 Movie (:35) <+++ Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ('23) Börje (N) (:50) Shoresy 56 CRV2 (:20) <+ Mack & Rita ('22) Elizabeth Lail, Diane Keaton. < Falcon Lake ('22) Joseph Engel. (:45) A. Brown 57 CRV3 (6:10) < Bob's Burgers Movie <+++ Barbie ('23) Ryan Gosling, Margot Robbie. < North of Normal ('22) 58 HBO (6:25) Black Art: In (:55) < Being Mary Tyler Moore ('23) True Detective "Part 3" (N)

MONDAY EVENING 7 PM

7:30

MOVIES

8 PM

8:30

9 PM

SPORTS

9:30

SPECIALS

10 PM

10:30

3 CBKFT Stat (N) Infoman (N) Zénith (N) Enquête (N) Le téléjournal (N) 5 CFRE Goldbergs Ghosts So Help Me "Wall of Fire" SEAL Team (N) (SF) Global News at 10 (N) 6 CKCK Sheldon Sheldon Night Court Night Court Children Children Big Bang etalk (N) 7 WEATH Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature 8 WDIV Law "Human Innovation" (N) Law & Order: SVU (N) Law & Order (N) News (N) (:35) J. Fallon 9 CBKT Coronation Feud (N) Dragons' Den (N) The Nature of Things (N) The National (N) 11 WWJ Sheldon Ghosts So Help Me "Wall of Fire" SEAL Team (N) (SF) News (N) (:35) Colbert 12 WXYZ Press Your Luck (N) Truth & Lies (N) News (N) (:35) J. Kimmel 13 CTYS Law & Order Law & Order: SVU Law & Order Paramedics: Paramedics: 19 TSN Australian Open Mixed Doubles Final (N) (Live) Preshow (N) Aust. Open Men's Semifinal (N) (Live) 20 NET (6:30) Poker NHL's Best NHL Hockey Columbus Blue Jackets at Calgary Flames (N) (Live) Sportsnet 25 EDACC Primetime How/Made Big Bang etalk (N) Paradise "Bahala Na" (N) Big Bang Children (N) 26 W Law-SVU "Intersection" Will & Grace Will & Grace Superstore Superstore <++ Get Smart ('08) 29 ENCAV Movie (:50) <+++ Life of Pi ('12) Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Suraj Sharma.

Nurse Jackie Nurse Jackie 33 CMT Cheers Cheers The Office The Office The Office The Office Frasier Frasier 35 TLC Medium "Sitcom Spirits" Medium "Reading the Stars" Long Island Medium Medium "Stars and Spirits" 38 DISC Expedition Unknown Blind Frog Ranch Last of "End of the Line" NUMB3RS "Atomic No. 33" 41 COM Big Bang Big Bang Jim Jim How I Met How I Met How I Met How I Met 42 TCM The Power of Film (N) <++++ Shane ('53) Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Alan Ladd. (:15) The Power of Film 47 AMC <+++ 300 ('06) Lena Headey, David Wenham, Gerard Butler. <++ Clash of the Titans ('10) 48 FSR (5:00) Motorcycle Racing Inside X Inside X 55 CRV1 (6:35) < Wolf & the Lion (:20) < Ailey ('21) On the Roam (N) 56 CRV2 Movie (:25) < Fireheart ('22) Alice Pol. Movie < North of Normal ('22) Sarah Gadon.

57 CRV3 Movie Friday (:20) Parks (:45) Parks CornerGas CornerGas Billions "The Nordic Model" 58 HBO (6:20) < Donyale Luna: Supe... Movie (:25) < Dancing Through Christmas ('21) C.B. Strik "Troubled Blood"

3 CBKFT Stat (N) L'oeil d (N) 5e rang (N) Doute "Toxique" (N) Le téléjournal (N) 5 CFRE Neighbor Goldbergs Yellowstone (N) Yellowstone (N) (SF) Global News at 10 (N) 6 CKCK America's Got "Semi-Finals 1" (N) Sight Unseen Big Bang etalk (N) 7 WEATH Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature 8 WDIV America's Got "Semi-Finals 1" (N) The Irrational (N) News (N) (:35) J. Fallon 9 CBKT Coronation Feud (N) Murdoch Mysteries (N) Scarlet and Duke (N) The National (N) 11 WWJ Neighbor Bob Heart Yellowstone (N) Yellowstone (N) (SF) News (N) (:35) Colbert 12 WXYZ The Bachelor (N) Bad Rom "No Trace" (N) News (N) (:35) J. Kimmel 13 CTYS The Bachelor (N) The Irrational (N) Brainfood Brainfood 19 TSN (6:00) Wm. Basketball NBA Basketball Milwaukee Bucks at Denver Nuggets (N) (Live) Sports (N) 20 NET (6:00) NHL Hockey Sportsnet (N) (Live) NBA Basketball 25 EDACC Primetime How/Made Big Bang etalk (N) < Movie 26 W Law & Order: SVU Will & Grace Will & Grace Superstore Superstore Ghosts Ghosts 29 ENCAV (6:40) < Captain Underpants... (:10) <+++ Father of the Bride ('91) Steve Martin. <+++ Bridesmaids ('11) 33 CMT Cheers Cheers The Office The Office The Office The Office Frasier Frasier 35 TLC 90 Day: The Single Life (N) 90 Day Diaries (N) 90 Day: The Single Life (N) Love "Liebe Is a Battlefield" 38 DISC Bering Sea Gold "Sea-ing Red" Highway "Turning the Page" NUMB3RS 41 COM Big Bang Big Bang Jim Jim Sheldon Sheldon Sheldon Sheldon 42 TCM <+++ Children of a Lesser God ('86) William Hurt. (:15) <++++ Bonnie and Clyde ('67) Warren Beatty.

47 AMC <+++ Moneyball ('11) Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Brad Pitt. <+ Gone in 60 Seconds 48 FSR Kevin Harvick Presents Retro Radioactive Greatest Races: NASCAR 55 CRV1 (6:45) < Monster Family (:20) <+++ Belfast ('21) Judi Dench, Caitriona Balfe. < Class Action Park ('20) 56 CRV2 Movie (:25) < Undercover Grandpa ('16) Movie < Summering ('22) Megan Mullally.

57 CRV3 Movie Friday (:20) Parks (:45) Parks CornerGas CornerGas Billions "Copenhagen" 58 HBO (6:40) < The Middle Man (:20) < Peace by Chocolate ('21) Hatem Ali. Yvonne Orji: A Whole Me

FRIDAY EVENING

TUESDAY EVENING

7 PM

7:30

MOVIES

8 PM

8:30

9 PM

SPORTS

9:30

SPECIALS

10 PM

10:30

7 PM

7:30

MOVIES

8 PM

8:30

9 PM

SPORTS

9:30

SPECIALS

10 PM

10:30

3 CBKFT Les petits tannants (N) Discussion Le grand (N) La grande veillée (N) Le téléjournal (N) 5 CFRE S.W.A.T. "Legacy" Fire Country Crime Beat Global News at 10 (N) 6 CKCK Shark Tank (N) Big Bang Big Bang Little Bird (N) Big Bang etalk (N) 7 WEATH Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature 8 WDIV Figure Skating U.S. Championships, Women's Free Skate (N) (Live) News (N) (:35) J. Fallon 9 CBKT Coronation Coronation Market (N) About That The Fifth Estate (N) The National (N) 11 WWJ S.W.A.T. "Legacy" Fire Country Blue Bloods News (N) (:35) Colbert 12 WXYZ Shark Tank (N) 20/20 (N) News (N) (:35) J. Kimmel 13 CTYS Let's Make a (N) Hudson & Rex Hudson "Hound & Vision" Paramedics: Guardians 19 TSN (6:00) PWHL New York at Toronto (N) (Live) Sports (N) Lacrosse Colorado Mammoth at Vancouver Warriors (N) 20 NET (6:00) NHL Hockey Sportsnet NHL Hockey St. Louis Blues at Seattle Kraken (N) (Live) 25 EDACC Primetime How/Made Big Bang etalk (N) <++ I Am Number Four ('11) Alex Pettyfer.

26 W Neighbor Neighbor Neighbor Neighbor < One Winter Weekend ('18) Jack Turner, Taylor Cole.

29 ENCAV (5:50) <++ Power Rangers (:55) <+++ William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet ('96) <++ The Equalizer 2 (P) 33 CMT Cheers Cheers The Office The Office The Office The Office Frasier Frasier 35 TLC 90 Day "More to Love: From This Day Forward" (N) 90 Day (N) 90 Day "Tim Stirs the Pot" 90 Day 38 DISC Million Dollar Island (N) The Summit Australia (N) NUMB3RS 41 COM Big Bang Big Bang Jim Jim How I Met How I Met How I Met How I Met 42 TCM < Nichols and May: Take Two ('96) (:15) <+++ A New Leaf ('71) Elaine May, Walter Matthau.

47 AMC (6:00) <+++ Die Hard ('88) Alan Rickman, Bruce Willis. <+++ Die Hard 2 ('90) Bonnie Bedelia, Bruce Willis.

48 FSR Nitrocross Nitrocross The Auto Show The Auto Show 55 CRV1 Movie (:35) <+++ Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ('23) < 299 Queen Street West 56 CRV2 (:55) < The Last Tourist ('21) (:40) < A.rtificial I.mmortality ('21) (P) Drag Race "RDR Live!" (N) 57 CRV3 Movie Friday (:20) Parks (:45) Parks CornerGas CornerGas Billions "The Limitless S..."

58 HBO (6:10) Student (:40) Loudmouth Five Speeches C.B. Strik "Troubled Blood"

3 CBKFT Stat (N) La facture À coeur battant (N) La candidate (N) Le téléjournal (N) 5 CFRE FBI "Privilege" The Floor (N) FBI: Most Wanted Global News at 10 (N) 6 CKCK Night (N) Night Court The Rookie "The Fugitive" The Rookie "Crossfire" Big Bang etalk (N) 7 WEATH Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature 8 WDIV Night (N) Extended (N) La Brea "Fire Storm" (N) Quantum Leap (N) News (N) (:35) J. Fallon 9 CBKT Coronation Feud (N) 22 Minutes Son of a (N) One More Run (N) The National (N) 11 WWJ FBI "Privilege" FBI: Int "Fed to the Sharks" FBI-Wanted "Black Mirror" News (N) (:35) Colbert 12 WXYZ Will Trent The Rookie "The Fugitive" The Rookie "Crossfire" News (N) (:35) J. Kimmel 13 CTYS Press Your Luck (N) Price Is Right (N) Hudson & Rex Brainfood Brainfood 19 TSN (6:30) Basketball Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics (N) Basketball Philadelphia 76ers at Golden State Warriors 20 NET NBA Basketball Toronto Raptors at Chicago Bulls (N) (Live) Sportsnet (N) (Live) NHL Hockey 25 EDACC Primetime How/Made Big Bang etalk (N) Rookie Blue Criminal "Internal Affairs" 26 W Law-SVU "Lime Chaser" Will & Grace Will & Grace Superstore Superstore <++ Wimbledon ('04) 29 ENCAV (6:25) < Where the Wild Thin... (:10) <++ Pride ('07) Bernie Mac, Terrence Howard. <+++ Waiting to Exhale 33 CMT Cheers Cheers The Office The Office The Office The Office Frasier Frasier 35 TLC 1000-Lb. Sisters (N) 1000-Lb. "Boiling Point" (N) sMothered (N) (:05) 90 Day Diaries 38 DISC Mayday "Taxiway Turmoil" Gold Rush Yellowstone Wardens NUMB3RS 41 COM Big Bang Big Bang Jim Jim Friends Friends Friends Friends 42 TCM <++ The Grass Is Greener ('60) Cary Grant. <+++ Cape Fear ('62) Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck.

47 AMC (6:00) <+++ Gladiator Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Russell Crowe. <+++ 300 ('06) Gerard Butler.

48 FSR (6:00) NHRA Drag Racing Menards NHRA Nationals NHRA Sportsman Brainerd NHRA Pro NHRA in 30 55 CRV1 (6:25) <+++ Missing ('23) (:20) < Nothing Compares ('22) <++ House of Gucci ('21) 56 CRV2 (:20) < Ailey ('21) Movie < A Love Song ('22) Dale Dickey.

57 CRV3 Movie Friday (:20) Parks (:45) Parks CornerGas CornerGas Billions "Implosion" 58 HBO (:15) Alternate Endings (:25) < Stockton on My Mind ('20) The Anarchists

SATURDAY EVENING

WEDNESDAY EVENING

7 PM

7:30

MOVIES

8 PM

8:30

9 PM

SPORTS

9:30

SPECIALS

10 PM

10:30

3 CBKFT En direct de l'univers (N) Profes. "La famille" (N) Marie "Reine de France" (N) TJSask/ TJ (:35) Humanité 5 CFRE Border Border Private "Six Feet Blunder" Salvage Kings News (N) SNL (N) 6 CKCK W5 To Be Announced < Never Too Late to Celebrate ('23) Alexa Vega.

7 WEATH Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature 8 WDIV The Wall Weakest Link Saturday Night Live News (N) SNL (N) 9 CBKT (6:00) NHL Hockey NHL Hockey Chicago Blackhawks at Calgary Flames (N) 11 WWJ Family Film (N) 48 Hours 48 Hours (N) News (N) (:35) Draft 12 WXYZ NBA (N) NBA Basketball Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors (N) (Live) News (N) The Rookie 13 CTYS (6:00) NHL Hockey Hudson & Rex Food Food 19 TSN SC 2024 Australian Open Tennis Women's Final Australian Open 20 NET (6:00) NHL Hockey Toronto Maple Leafs at Winnipeg Jets NHL Hockey Chicago Blackhawks at Calgary Flames (N) 25 EDACC Corner Gas Corner Gas Mary Ma. Comfort Somebody's Forensic Factor 26 W (6:00) < Love on the Right C... < A Winning Team ('23) Kristoffer Polaha, Nadia Hatta. < Romance With a Twist 29 ENCAV Movie <+++ Independence Day ('96) Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Will Smith. <+++ Ali ('01) (P) 33 CMT Cheers Cheers Cheers Cheers Raymond Raymond Raymond Raymond 35 TLC sMothered Love "You Had Me at Bonjour" 90 Day Fiancé 90 Day 38 DISC Criminal "The Bunker" Criminal "Dust and Bones" Criminal "Neon Terror" Criminal "Wheels Up" 41 COM Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang 42 TCM (3:45) < Shoah: Second Era ('85) (:45) < Filmmakers for the Prosecution < Nuremberg ('48) 47 AMC (6:00) <++ Armageddon ('98) Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Bruce Willis. <+++ Gladiator Russell Crowe.

48 FSR (5:00) NHRA Drag Racing NHRA Drag Racing AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals From Gainesville, Fla. 55 CRV1 (6:30) <++ Marry Me ('22) Jennifer Lopez. (:25) <++ 65 ('23) Adam Driver. <++ House of Gucci (P) 56 CRV2 (:15) < Monster Family 2 ('21) Emily Watson.

Movie < Attila ('23) 57 CRV3 (6:45) < Brian and Charles (:20) < Nothing Compares ('22) <++ The Equalizer 3 ('23) 58 HBO Movie (:25) < Christmas in Washington ('21) < Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero ('23) (P) SmartLess

7 PM

7:30

MOVIES

8 PM

8:30

9 PM

SPORTS

9:30

SPECIALS

10 PM

10:30

3 CBKFT Stat (N) L'épicerie Les enfants de la télé (N) Sans (N) Temps de Le téléjournal (N) 5 CFRE I Can See Your Voice (N) We Are Family (N) NCIS: Hawai'i Global News at 10 (N) 6 CKCK <+++ Ant-Man and The Wasp ('18) Evangeline Lilly, Paul Rudd.

Big Bang Big Bang etalk (N) 7 WEATH Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature Nature 8 WDIV Chicago Med (N) Chicago Fire "Trapped" (N) Chicago "Safe Harbor" (N) News (N) (:35) J. Fallon 9 CBKT Coronation Feud (N) Wild Cards (N) D.I. Ray (N) The National (N) 11 WWJ Price Is Right (N) Let's Make a (N) FBI True (N) News (N) (:35) Colbert 12 WXYZ NBA (N) NBA Basketball Phoenix Suns at Brooklyn Nets (N) (Live) News (N) (:35) J. Kimmel 13 CTYS Chicago Med Chicago Fire Chicago P.D. Brainfood Brainfood 19 TSN College Basketball Florida at Kentucky (N) (Live) Basketball Milwaukee Bucks at Portland Trail Blazers (N) 20 NET (6:00) NHL Hockey Sportsnet (N) (Live) NHL Hockey 25 EDACC Primetime How/Made Big Bang etalk (N) Wipeout Wipeout 26 W Law-SVU "Bend the Law" Will & Grace Will & Grace Superstore Superstore Fire Country "Mama Bear" 29 ENCAV (6:50) <++ Curious George (:20) <++ Ella Enchanted ('04) Anne Hathaway. <+++ Superbad ('07) 33 CMT Cheers Cheers The Office The Office The Office The Office Frasier Frasier 35 TLC My 600-lb Life: Biggest Transformations "Liz's Story" My 600-lb Life: Biggest Transformations "Cillas' Story" 38 DISC Moonshiners "Free Is Me" Moonshiners Big Little "Last Laughs" NUMB3RS "Magic Show" 41 COM Big Bang Big Bang Jim Jim Friends Friends Friends Friends 42 TCM <+++ Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Yun-Fat Chow. (:15) <+++ Something's Gotta Give ('03) 47 AMC (5:30) <+++ 300 ('06) <+++ Tombstone ('93) Val Kilmer, Michael Biehn, Kurt Russell.

48 FSR Inside X Inside X AMSOIL Championship AMSOIL Championship 55 CRV1 (6:45) < Sheryl ('22) (:25) < Gunda ('20) Late (N) Late (N) 56 CRV2 (:10) <+++ Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. ('23) < Doula ('22) Troian Bellisario. (:50) Andrew 57 CRV3 (6:00) Jackie O Friday (:20) Parks (:45) Parks CornerGas CornerGas Billions "Liberty" 58 HBO (5:45) OurTo.. (:25) < The Mystery of D.B. Cooper ('20) < Saudi Women's Driving S... Tatiana Suarez (P)

MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024 • PAGE A27

of moose jaw

140 Main St N | 306-694-5766

Modular home built in 2021. Charming 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Featuring vaulted ceilings in the living room, kitchen and dining area. Ample storage with pantry in kitchen, lots of white cabinets. Laundry with extra cupboards and storage space. Single detached garage.

South hill location. Eat in kitchen features updated white cabinets and counter tops, fridge, stove included. Large pantry. Fenced back yard, small studio guest house in back yard. Super starter home. REDUCED!!!

1673 Admiral Cres

Ready to Sell Your Home and Move On? We Can Help!

Kerry Hicke REALTOR® 684-0730

Brandon Roy REALTOR® 684-5999

Over 1400 sqft bungalow, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. Open concept living space. Stunning kitchen with appliances. Large island breakfast bar, or dining area for family. Main floor laundry.

Country feel with modern convenience.

49 Clunie Court

Beth Vance REALTOR® 631-0886

Katie Keeler REALTOR® 690-4333

Built in 2017 this 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom home is in Briercrest. Well designed floor plan offers relaxation and entertainment spaces. Open concept kitchen, oak cabinets and plenty of counter space, the living area is perfect for family gatherings. Double detached garage.

634 Daniel Dr, Buffalo Pound

Lori Keeler BROKER REALTOR® 631-8069

Katie Gadd REALTOR® 313-1394

Wendy Hicke REALTOR® 681-7820

21 acres, RM of Marquis #191 1800 sqft bungalow, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Open concept, spacious living, dining and kitchen areas. 2 family rooms. Main floor laundry.

30x30 attached garage. Quonset with cement floor. Heated workshop.

Meticulously maintained property in Briercrest. 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Spacious open concept design.

Newer cabinetry, custom counter tops in kitchen. Single car garage. Listed at $164,900.

1631 Dunn St

306-694-4747 324 Main Street N. Moose Jaw, SK

Derek McRitchie (306) 631-1161 E.G. (Bub) Hill (306) 631-9966 Bill McLean (306) 630-5409 Tanya Minchin (306) 630-6231 Cassie Nichol (306) 631-0691

REALTOR® REALTOR® REALTOR® REALTOR® REALTOR®

$409,900

Bi-Level with 5 bedrooms and 3 baths is located in VLA area. Large open foyer, main floor offers large living room, dining area, modern eat in kitchen, 3 bedrooms with the Master having a 3pc ensuite and access to your own balcony, and another full bath. Bright lower level has a family room and access to hot tub space. 2 more bedrooms, 3pc bathroom, laundry room and utility area. Fenced yard, tiered deck.

$569,900

1352 sq ft Bungalow in West Park Village.

Open Concept, Master Bedroom, Walk in Closet, 4-Piece En-Suite, 2 Bedrooms, Ample sized Kitchen, Dining Rm, Vaulted Main Floor Ceilings. Lower Level is Fully Developed, additional Bedroom with Walk-In Closet, spacious Office Space, Large L shaped Family. Gas Fireplace. Full 4-Piece Bath, Mechanical Rm, 200 Amp Electrical Service, 24x24 Attached Garage.

www.moosejawrealestate.net

$225,000

Seasonal property, Resort Village of North Grove at Buffalo Pound Lake. This property is located on a large lot with RV parking AND RV hookup! Cabin is facing the lake with private lake access. Updates throughout that include metal roofing, flooring, plumbing, electrical, windows, insulation, & siding. Open concept on main with wood accents and updated kitchen. One bedroom, den, 3pc bath.

$274,900

This well-maintained, family-sized home is located in Palliser area and features 3 beds and 3 baths. Close to parks and schools, large dining area with patio doors to back yard, 3 spacious bedrooms, including master with 2-piece ensuite, and 4-piece bath. The basement family room is huge and is complete with den, 3-piece bath and large laundry room.

Fully fenced yard, garden area, patio.

Market Place REAL ESTATE

into your life!

Total home sales in 2023 were down nearly 10% compared to ’22, data shows Moose Jaw Express staff

The number of homes sold in Moose Jaw in December was the same as in December 2022, while total sales last year were down nearly 10 per cent compared to the previous year.

Thirty-two homes sold in The Friendly City last month, which was unchanged year-over-year, according to the Saskatchewan Realtors Association.

There were 35 new listings, which was also unchanged compared to December 2022. Further, there were 88 units in inventory, a decrease from 114 homes — a drop of 29 per cent — from the year before. Also, there were 2.75 months of supply — a drop of 29 per cent — and homes stayed on the market for 49 days.

The benchmark price was $216,400, an increase from $214,236 — a jump of one per cent — year over year. Meanwhile, the average home price was $238,822, a decrease from $274,645.30 — a drop of 15 per cent — in December 2022, the report said.

“Benchmark price reflects the price of a typical or average home for a specific

location. Average and median prices are easily swayed by what is sold in that time frame,” the SRA explained.

“As a benchmark price is based on a typical home, price changes more accurately represent true price changes in the market as it is an apples-to-apples comparison.”

The 10-year averages for December show there are usually 25 homes sold, 39 new listings, 196 units in inventory, 8.47 months of supply, 67 days of homes on the market, a benchmark price of $209,030 and an average price of $228,922.

Meanwhile, for all of 2023 (year to date), there were 554 homes sold, 811 new listings, 151 units in inventory, 3.28 months of supply, 48 days of homes on the market, a benchmark price of $218,03 and an average price of $248,010.

Compared to 2022, last year’s home sales were down eight per cent, new listings were down seven per cent, inventory was down seven per cent, supply was up two per cent, and benchmark and average prices were both down two per cent.

The 10-year year-to-date averages show there are usually 523 homes sold, 1,014 new listings, 262 units in inventory, 6.21 months of supply, 60 days of homes on the market, a benchmark price of $214,697 and an average price of $239,437.

Provincial housing sales Saskatchewan reported above-average sales for the sixth consecutive month in December, with 757 sales, a year-overyear gain of 19 per cent and 13 per cent above long-term, 10-year averages, the SRA said.

Year-over-year sales gains failed to offset earlier pullbacks, however, as the province reported a three-per-cent decline compared to 2022. While the decrease was forecasted as the market returned to pre-pandemic levels, most of the decline was driven by slowing detached-home activity.

Above-average sales were met with a drop in new listings, resulting in declining inventory levels, which dipped by over 16 per cent year-over-year and remained nearly 35-per-cent below the 10-year aver-

age, data showed.

“Higher lending rates continue to push prospective buyers to seek more affordable options within our market while inventory levels within that market segment remain extremely tight,” said CEO Chris Guèrette.

“When paired with declining new listings in more affordable properties, there simply isn’t enough inventory in lower price ranges right now.”

The shift toward more affordable products increased prices for apartment, row, and semi-detached properties. Meanwhile, detached homes, which account for most sales activity, reported similar prices compared to last year. Saskatchewan reported a benchmark price of $319,300 in December, down from $324,400 in November and nearly two per cent above December 2022.

“Supply challenges, specifically in the more affordable segment of the market, remain our biggest concern when looking ahead to 2024 and are likely preventing even stronger monthly sales numbers,” said Guèrette.

‘Spurs and Stilettos’ cabaret fundraiser for Heartland Hospice to feature Johner Brothers Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com

Heartland Hospice has officially announced that their annual fundraiser gala this year will be Spurs and Stilettos, a country music-themed cabaret featuring Saskatchewan country legends the Johner Brothers on Friday, April 12 at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.

Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw is a locally founded non-profit dedicated to establishing hospice/palliative care spaces in the city. They launched their Capital Campaign at their first annual gala in 2022, with the goal of raising $1 million.

“2024 is a huge year for Heartland Hospice for many reasons,” said Sara Bryan, vice-chair of the Heartland Hospice board. “Not only is it the 10th anniversary of Heartland Hospice, but we hope to reach our Capital Campaign fundraising goal and, if all goes as planned, our hospice wing will be complete and open! In acknowledgement of these milestones, our board knew we wanted our annual fundraiser to be larger-scale than in previous years, to be a special ‘thank you’ to the community and a celebration of all the support we have received over the years.

“Our community has been tremendously generous during our Capital Campaign and we are currently sitting around $780,000 raised/pledged towards our million-dollar goal. Of that incredible

amount, $425,000 has come directly from farmers or agricultural businesses. Heartland Hospice’s board thought that a country-themed cabaret fundraiser would be a great way to tip our hat to them.”

If Heartland Hospice reaches its goal and construction proceeds, the end result will be three dedicated hospice-palliative bedrooms at Pioneer Lodge on Albert Street — the only such dedicated beds in the city. There will also be specific hospice-palliative training for staff, a sacred space, family resource centre, and more.

The organization has finalized agreements with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and now only needs to complete its funding drive.

Bryan said the Heartland Hospice board reached out to the Johner Brothers after confirming the Spurs and Stilettos country theme, feeling they were the perfect performers to honour generous rural donors.

“They are well known to all Saskys, extremely active in their annual work with Telemiracle, and are incredible entertainers that audiences rave about,” Bryan explained. “We reached out to Brad Johner and were absolutely thrilled when he said they were interested and available.”

The Johner Brothers formed in 1988 after growing up playing together. They

‘Spurs and Stilettos’, a cabaret fundraiser to benefit Heartland Hospice Moose Jaw, will feature the Johner Brothers on Friday, April 12 won ‘Duo of the Year’ from the Canadian Country Music Association in 1991 following the release of their first album Some Kind of Magic. After many more wins, dominating the Saskatchewan Country Music Association (SCMA) awards for a decade, they were named ‘Entertainer of the Decade’ by the SCMA in 1999 on

the condition that was the only award they took home that year.

Brad and Ken Johner released 26 singles from six hit albums before Ken retired from music in 2002. Brad went on to release six solo albums and was awarded ‘Male Artist of the Year’ by the CCMA. Now reunited, the brothers are backed by three of Brad’s sons.

Tickets for Spurs and Stilettos, which will include a western-style dinner, plenty of dancing, and some yet-to-be-announced charity activities, went on sale on Jan. 16.

Tickets are discounted from now until Valentine’s Day on Sasktix.ca or at the Moose Jaw Events Centre Box Office.

They are $90 per person or $700 per table during the presale, and $100 per person or $750 per table after February 14.

“We are inviting the community to join us for a great evening out, and help us raise much-needed funds for the hospice wing expansion at the same time,” Bryan said. “If local businesses, or anyone else, is interested in donating items for an auction, becoming an event sponsor, or simply would like to put up a poster for this event, we would love to hear from you!

Please email event@hhmj.ca or phone 306-690-8699.”

Learn more at heartlandhospicemj.ca.

PAGE A28 • MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Youth-focused New Year’s Eve event, Voltage, provides an electrifying experience Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express / MooseJawToday.com

Beginning as a safe and chem-free New Year’s Eve celebratory option for youths, Voltage gives over 500 teenagers aged 13 – 19, a venue to ring in the new year without the influence of drugs or alcohol.

“To be able to provide a safe, funfilled, challenging night for the youth of Moose Jaw on a night that is known for so many negative party options, that is important in and of itself,” explained Joe Dueck, the founder and director of Joe’s Place Youth Centre.

This year’s event took place at the Hillcrest Church and saw 512 youths and around 145 volunteers for a total of over 650 participants.

The theme was a medieval fantasy that drew on works such as C.S. Lewis’ Narnia, Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, and The Princess Bride. To match the theme, “destiny” was chosen as the title for the year.

“We really wanted youths, who might be struggling with mental health issues, to know what they have a hope-filled destiny to look forward to. Their future does look bright, and there is hope out there. They can accomplish great things and they’re not alone in pursuing that destiny.”

After a switch in focus from job skills to preparation for Voltage, classes rang-

ing from photography to acting and stage skills culminated in a theatrical production announcing this year’s theme.

“This year it was the story of two youths competing against each other, and (against) other guest competitors for a crown and a throne. It was pretty powerful and had an amazing surprise ending…,” Dueck said.

The successful hour-long performance is now being made into a movie and will show at a movie premier event on Tuesday, Jan. 23. The young celebrities will pull up to Joe’s Place in a limousine, walk the red carpet, and have an opportunity to sign autographs.

“Some of the special effects that we accomplished this year are Hollywood grade. It’s pretty amazing,” Dueck said.

A few highlights from this year’s event include a dance presentation by the Refined Undignified (RU) dance group and live music performed by ‘The Color,’ a Canadian two-time Juno award-winning band.

After finding the safest approach to the design of siege weapons made of wood, castles were built out of Rubbermaid containers and competing teams used the catapults to lay siege to their opponent.

Participants make time for a group photo with fantasy characters at Voltage 2023. Photo by: Joe’s Place Youth Centre Axe throwing fit the theme perfectly and was led by Little Chicago Entertainment, along with fencing, made possible thanks to the Saskatchewan Fencing Association. Dueck said fencing was so popular he’s looking to bring the instructor back for additional matches throughout the year.

One interesting highlight was a live falcon. Handled by Saskatoon-based Nairn Gillies, youths were shown how to properly hold the bird of prey and learned an assortment of interesting avian facts.

Several prizes are always awarded at Voltage, with one ‘mega prize’ draw to cap it off. One youth can choose from among four prizes that usually include a mountain

bike provided by Canadian Tire and expensive gadgets, such as this year’s Xbox S with a 50-inch TV. There has also been a medieval suit of armour on stage for a few years, and this year’s selected recipient chose to take the metal, battle-worthy suit of medieval armour home with her.

“It was quite hilarious to see their parents pull up shaking their heads that they had to load this suit of armour into their hatchback. Where they’re going to put this suit of armour in their home, I’m not sure.”

Dueck said it takes a few big miracles and a whole bunch of little ones to make Voltage happen each year. In 2023, Joe’s Place faced a tough financial year but saw a timely donation come in whenever a major bill was coming due. The building at 402 Main Street North is also in need of an electrical upgrade.

The three title sponsors for Voltage this year were K+S Potash Canada, Burns & McDonnell, and River Street Promotions.

“If you take a look at our sponsorship thank-you poster, it’s very encouraging to see the community get together behind an event like this. We could not have done it without all our incredible sponsors.”

Scottish dancers and musicians to hold fundraiser to support ongoing activities

Jason G. Antonio - Moose Jaw Express Band are holding a fish and chips supper at This is the first fundraiser for the since some have no musical background.

Bobby’s Place on Wednesday, Feb. 7, from White Heathers, which formed in Sep- However, all can play the scale, while a 5 to 8 p.m. tember after Michelle Carline, a commu- few could play “Jingle Bells” by ChristTickets are $25, while there will be a nity piper, former Sprigs O’ Heather Pipe mas.

50/50 pot. The pub allows children into the Band member and recently retired teacher, The pipe band currently practises evvenue until 8 p.m. spearheaded an initiative to create a group ery Monday night for one hour at Pathways Both groups will split the profits they for kids aged eight to 12 interested in School — a new alternative educational make during the event. learning the bagpipes or drums. institution within Prairie South School Di“When I first started this endeavour, I vision — on Ominica Street West. Carline wasn’t sure how much interest there would and another instructor teach the bagpipes, be. But I have 13 students, which is fabu- while another instructor teaches drums. lous,” she said. “Eleven (are) taking pipes The youths don’t have — or use — inand two (are) taking snare drum, so we’re struments just yet. Instead, the future bagpretty thrilled with the numbers we have.” pipers practise with devices called chanters It was the Scottish Dancers who ap- that are similar to flutes, while the future proached Carline about co-hosting the drummers use a drum pan with sticks. fundraiser, considering the 47-year-old Each participant paid $200, while the group’s membership numbers are “quite instructors teach for free. Fortunately, the small.” This not only brings together the Saskatchewan Pipe Band Association has Scottish community but helps the five- provided $400 in grant money. month-old pipe band purchase equipment The Scottish community is great with and uniforms.

The two groups recently started selling tickets and had immediate public interest, said Carline. Of the 250 tickets available, all have sold, while people keep asking for more; she has distributed an extra 40.

Anyone wanting tickets can email mcarline@ hotmail.com or call 306Michelle Carline, a community bagpiper (adult, facing 690-3525.

“I think people are camera) teaches youths to play the drums, during an open excited about the prospect house in September. Photo courtesy Pipes/Drums.com of having a pipe band back in Moose Jaw,” Carline continued. “I grew sharing resources because people who up in the Sprigs O’ Heather, so I’d like to used to play have provided several snare give back and see if I can get this (to) be- drums and a bass drum, said Carline. The come a permanent fixture. So, that’s my instruments will sit in her basement until hope.” a professional ensures they’re in working It will take the youths time before they order. become proficient in using instruments, Being such a new group, and to help but Carline believes some may be ready with team-building efforts, band members before this year finishes. and their families participated in a glow Carline hopes to put some kids into bowling event recently. Carline noted that the chanter — flute-type instruments — it was fun and everyone had a great time. competition in the Highland Games in Moreover, she appreciates how the group Regina in May. They likely won’t have is like a family since the kids get along uniforms, but she didn’t think that would well. matter since the organization would be “We’re just happy to get things going pleased to have them regardless. and build on that. And I’m hoping next The veteran bagpiper will attempt year, all of these kids will bring a friend,” P.O. Box 1863, Moose Jaw, SK S6H 7N6 to teach the youths a tune by then, even she said. “And we’ll keep growing it that PHONE: 306-694-4111 though she thinks that’s a tight deadline way.”

Two community organizations with Scottish connections are teaming up to host a fundraiser to support their activities and continue promoting a culture with deep roots in Moose Jaw. The well-established Moose Jaw Scottish Country Dancers Club and the newly formed White Heather Youth Pipe

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