St. Albert Leader - Feb. 23, 2012 by St. Albert Leader

Photo: glenn cook, St. Albert leader

HOCKEY ACADEMY FOR GRADES 4-6 STUDENTS

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Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

join us for the annual St. Albert Business Breakfast February 28, 2012

BUILDING ST. ALBERT

Join us on for a fabulous breakfast at the Hole’s Enjoy Centre and hear from Mayor Nolan Crouse, St. Albert Business & Tourism Development, and Planning & Engineering as they share plans to build St. Albert.

After breakfast there will be an engaging and informative marketing workshop offered, with Jason Vance from Bubble Up Marketing. Whether you simply update your company’s Facebook status, or are preparing a marketing plan, you will not want to miss this opportunity!

Tickets on sale NOW! Get them at: www.cultivatebusiness.ca

Business and Tourism Development

MORE INFO + TICKETS AVAILABLE AT WWW.CULTIVATEBUSINESS.CA

OPEN HOUSE GRADES 4-9 ACADEMY

Wednesday, Feb.29 7:00 pm

Albert Lacombe School, 50 Gainsborough Ave.

Grade 4-6 Albert Lacombe Grade 4-6 Father Jan FRENCH IMMERSION!

Grade 7-9 Richard S. Fowler Grade 7-9 Vincent J Maloney

Focus on Hockey or Soccer with a great variety of Physical activities. SPORTSACADEMY.GSACRD.AB.CA

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

Crouse elected chair of CRB

Lead the

INDEX

GLENN COOK

News . . . . . . . . . 3 Opinion . . . . . . . . 8 Entertainment . . . . . 14 Health . . . . . . . 16 Homes . . . . . . . 18 Technology . . . . . 19 Business . . . . . . 20 stalbertjobs.com . . . 22

St. Albert Leader

COVER

Lexie, a two-and-a-half-yearold golden retriever, plays keepaway with Alexandra Gonek on the ice at Lacombe Lake Park during the Family Day Frostival on Monday afternoon. The weekend was packed with activities, and residents turned out in droves to take it all in. For more photos, see page 12.

FUN WITH NUMBERS

$678,400

That’s how much a sevenbedroom house in London’s Mayfair district is expected to fetch per month in rent this summer as landlords cash in on this summer’s Olympic Games. That figure would be a record high rent in Great Britain.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

FEB. 23, 1988

The Games of the XV Winter Olympiad open in Calgary. Canada would finish with two silver and three bronze medals.

Bring it on!

Photo: glenn cook, St. Albert leader

Members of the Bellerose Composite High School cheerleading team get fired up before competing at the zone championships, which the school hosted Friday night.

Education tax jumps The Alberta government uses a formula to determine each municipality’s share of the St. Albert Leader education requisition, taking the average of St. Albert homeowners may get a big the last four equalized assessment roll years shock when they open their property tax bills and applying a uniform tax rate — which did this spring thanks to a big increase in the not change between 2011 and 2012 — to both provincial education requisition. the residential and non-residential portions. According to figures released over the The requisition can change based on the weekend, the education requisition increase growth rate in a given municipality, or on how for St. Albert in 2012 will jump by more than the local real estate market has performed $2 million, or 9.54 per cent, over 2011. This compared to the rest of the province. will result in an increase in property taxes “There will be a number of communities for the average homeowner of 4.1 per cent, across the province that will see increases compared to the 2.8 per cent hike city council ... due to straight growth — straight new approved along with its housing and new 2012 capital and operating developments — and budgets in December. increases in the assessed St. Albert Mayor property values of those Nolan Crouse said it’s properties,” said Parker discouraging to have the Hogan, spokesperson for provincial government the Alberta government’s Nolan Crouse come in hike tax bills up municipal affairs St. Albert Mayor even further and have to department. explain that to citizens, In total, the province especially after the work city council put in will collect $1.979 billion through education to keep the City of St. Albert’s tax increase requisitions for the 2012-2013 fiscal year, about reasonable over two months of deliberation $120 million more than the previous year. late last year. “I think it’s imperative to recognize that that “It’s not so much frustrating as we educate, dollar amount, while large, still only funds in various fashions, the general public,” he about 30 per cent of the total amount needed said. to run the education system,” Hogan added, “It’s just that you have to grit your teeth and noting that the other 70 per cent comes from try to explain it to people when they ask,” he general revenue. added. Other municipalities were hit hard by Crouse said he hopes St. Albertans realize education requisition increases this year. The the difference between the City’s portion cap on increases in one year is 12 per cent, and of the tax bill and the school tax portion, Spruce Grove, Airdrie and Leduc all hit that which the City has to collect on behalf of the cap. province. Edmonton’s requisition rose by 10.8 per “It does make sense for the City to collect cent, Strathcona County’s hit 9.8 per cent, the taxes, because they are so closely linked,” and Sturgeon County’s hit 8.0 per cent — all he said. “The challenge on an ongoing basis is higher than the provincial average of 6.4 per to explain and ultimately defend the tax bill.” cent.

GLENN COOK

“You have to grit your teeth and try to explain it.”

St. Albert’s mayor is set to take the reins of one of the Edmonton area’s most influential political bodies. Nolan Crouse was elected chair of the Capital Region Board on Thursday, Feb. 16, for a one-year term starting April 1. He beat out Morinville Mayor Lloyd Bertschi and Fort Saskatchewan Mayor Gale Katchur for the position. Crouse said he knows he’s “got his hands full” with the new responsibilities, but he’s up for the challenge. “I felt that I had the energy, the time and the interest in doing it,” he said. “It’s extremely complicated, and I looked at it as extremely challenging; it’s going to be one of the more Nolan difficult assignments you Crouse can have. But I think most St. Albert Mayor of us want something that’s challenging, and this is about as challenging as you can get. “I’m pretty level-headed; I’m not worried about it and I’m not excited about it. There’s a tough job to do, and I’m ready to do it.” The Capital Region Board is comprised of elected officials from 24 Capital Region municipalities, ranging in size from cities like Edmonton to villages like Wabamun and Thorsby. It was established in March 2008. The first chair of the CRB was Christopher Sheard, who served from its inception until April 1, 2011. James Edwards was appointed interim chair for the term from April 2011 to April 2012. Crouse will be the first elected chair of the board, and said he was honoured to have the support of his fellow officials, although he said he didn’t want to take all the credit for the work the board does during this term. “You feel humble because you’ve got the support of the region, and that matters when you’re trying to bring forward something,” he said. “In reality, we’re trying to encourage the region to function as a region, and downplay the role of the chair. The chair needs to be the facilitator of good things that are happening, as opposed to the leader.” Crouse had previously chaired the CRB’s subcommittee on regional transit. Looking ahead to the upcoming year, Crouse said there are a number of big issues that the CRB will tackle, like the allocation of GreenTRIP transit funds by the provincial government, differences in land use planning philosophies between municipalities that need to be ironed out, and regional affordable housing planning. Most importantly, though, Crouse said he wanted to make sure the CRB keeps up the work it has done so far. “I can’t let anything slip for the loss of momentum,” he said.

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

YOUR COUNCIL NEXT COUNCIL MEETING

MARK YOUR CALENDAR COUNCIL TOWN HALL MEETING

Monday, February 27, 3 p.m. Council Chambers, St. Albert Place 5 St. Anne Street

Saturday, February 25 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Lacombe Park Clubhouse, 145 Larose Drive

Agenda Highlights The complete agenda and agenda package are posted to www.stalbert.ca

You are invited to meet Council members to discuss any topic you like and hear updates on economic development, master plans, 2012–2013 priorities, Animal Bylaw and LRT.

• Quarterly Corporate Report – Q4 • Seniors Transportation Focus Groups Results – presentation by Dr. Bonnie Dobbs You can address Council on these or any other issues. Public appointments are heard at the beginning and end of each Council meeting. Call 780-459-1500 to register. Council meetings are televised on SHAW TV Channel 10 from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., webcast live and archived: stalbert.ca

SUBDIVISION & DEVELOPMENT APPEAL BOARD

CONFIDENTIAL DRUG TIP LINE

780-460-DRUG (3784) Keep St. Albert safe – provide tips about drug dealers operating in our community.

Tuesday, February 28, 6:30 p.m. East Boardroom, Third Floor St. Albert Place, 5 St. Anne Street

ST. ALBERT - PROUD HOST CITY

2012 SPECIAL OLYMPICS CANADA WINTER GAMES www.stalbert2012.ca facebook.com/stalbert2012

February 28 - March 3, 2012

GRANTS COMMUNITY CAPITAL PROGRAM GRANT

Registered not-for-profit organizations can get “seed” money to help with new construction, expansion, renovation or a replacement project for an existing facility. The Community Capital Program Grant helps organizations that promote broad and inclusive recreational, cultural or social services within St. Albert. Application deadline: March 6, 5 p.m. For guidelines and application package, please visit Community and Protective Services (Main Floor, St. Albert Place), or visit stalbert.ca/grant-information. Contact Anna Royer at 780-459-1504 or aroyer@st-albert.net.

PLANNING OUR COMMUNITY

Free Speaker Series ecological innovations Join presenter Brian Scott from Communitas to discuss and discover how rainwater harvesting, biological water treatment, solar power, heat recovery and district energy are the latest building and planning practices being considered in the new Station Pointe development – a transit-oriented, infill development in Edmonton’s Fort Road area and its applicability to St. Albert. Wednesday, February 29, 2012 St. Albert Senior Citizens’ Club 7 Tache Street, St. Albert

7 p.m.

To register, call 780-459-1642 or email planninged@st-albert.net

READY CALL FOR APPLICANTS SET GO /StA_Recreation /StARecreation

MAYOR’S TASK FORCE St. Albert Trail Improvement Plan The City of St. Albert is recruiting business owners or owners of property on the St. Albert Trail to serve on the Task Force. This committee will provide input to the City on approaches to improve the St. Albert Trail in areas such as safety, functionality, appearance, maintenance, branding, economic development, etc. The term of the Task Force is February 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013 or until Council has received and determined the appropriate action on the Task Force’s recommendations. If you are a business owner or owner of property on St. Albert Trail and have an interest in serving on the Task Force, application forms and a copy of the Terms of Reference can be accessed from the City’s website at www.stalbert.ca/2012civic-agencies-recruitment or from Legislative Services, 3rd Floor St. Albert Place. The application and accompanying documents must be received by Legislative Services at the above address no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, February 27, 2012. Submissions may also be faxed to 780-460-2394 or e-mailed to bgaskarth@st-albert.net.

FOUNTAIN PARK RECREATION CENTRE w:

stalbert.ca/fountain-parkrecreation-centre p: 780-459-1553 Standard First Aid Recertification Improve your health and fitness. If you can swim at least 25 metres and are comfortable in deeper water, this is an excellent coached program which will help you build skills for triathlon events or Masters swimming. Call Fountain Park today for more information.

STAY CONNECTED! • Find out what happened in City Council this week in Council Briefs. • Learn where to catch your favourite Special Olympics events!

LIKE | FOLLOW | CONNECT

facebook.com/cityofstalbert | twitter.com/cityofstalbert

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

RCMP break up drug ring Thieves shake up senior

GLENN COOK St. Albert Leader

Police are hoping they’ve made a big dent in the local drug trade after busting a drug trafficking ring they say was operating in Westlock and St. Albert. A total of seven arrests were made and 36 charges laid after the execution of four search warrants recently: one at a residence in St. Albert and three at residences in Westlock. An arrest warrant has been issued for one other person. The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) Edmonton Combined Forces Special Unit — which is comprised of both Edmonton Police Service and RCMP members — carried out the warrants with the assistance of members of the St. Albert and Westlock RCMP detachments. All told, the searches yielded 10 grams of cocaine, two grams of methamphetamine, nearly a kilogram of marijuana, and more than 500 tablets of four different prescription medications. “These groups should be on

notice that we don’t just operate in the big cities,” said Staff Sgt. Jim Peebles of the Edmonton CFSEU in a press release. “We also work with rural RCMP detachments throughout the province to target and shut down organizations supplying drugs to their communities.” Similar operations have recently been conducted in the St. Paul, Redcliff and Brooks areas. In addition to the drugs, police carrying out the warrants in St. Albert and Westlock also seized a .357 Magnum handgun with 54 rounds of ammunition, other weapons like nunchucks and brass knuckles, drug trafficking paraphernalia and almost $9,000 in cash. Two St. Albert residents were charged in the operation. Philip Dale Rombough, 45, faces six counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking; two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon; and one count each of possession of a restricted firearm, careless storage of a firearm, possession of a firearm without a license, and possession of

proceeds of crime. Aaron Deblois, 37, is charged with one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking. The other five people arrested were from Westlock, including: • Darryl Smith, 53, charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and one count of possession of proceeds of crime; • Wayne Schmidt, 50, charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking; • Jeremy Schmidt, 18, charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking; • Karen Wilson, 53, charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking; and • Savauna Ziehe, 19, on three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and four counts of breach of recognizance. The arrest warrant was issued for a female Westlock resident.

GLENN COOK St. Albert Leader

An elderly St. Albert woman is recovering after being the target of a robbery last week. It was about 11:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14, when the back door of the 81-year-old woman’s Lacombe Park home was forced open by three male suspects. The woman was the only person at home at the time. The men stole some jewelry and the woman’s purse before leaving. Cpl. Laurel Kading of the St. Albert RCMP said St. Albert Victim Services are providing support to the woman, and she is coping with the situation as best she can. “As far as I know, she’s doing OK,” Kading said. “Especially for an 81-year-old lady, I’m sure this was very traumatic.” She added that the woman was not physically hurt, but there were words exchanged. “They did say some words to the woman, but we’re not at this point releasing what was said,”

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Kading said. “The only thing I can say is, at one point, they did say, ‘We’re not going to hurt you.’” Kading was unsure if the door was locked at the time of the break-in, but did say the woman heard a “loud bang, so it was certainly opened with force.” The three suspects were described as all wearing dark clothes and hooded sweatshirts with the hoods up. They appeared to be white males between 19 and 25 years old. One was wearing a mask and carrying a weapon. A press release from the RCMP noted that police believe this was not a random incident, but Kading would not elaborate much further on that. “Because we’re still so new into this investigation, the officers aren’t releasing why they said that — just that they felt it was important to put out there,” she said. Anyone with any information on this crime is asked to call the St. Albert RCMP detachment at 780-458-7700 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

Steel, City set to face off over new deal GLENN COOK St. Albert Leader

Take your best shot

Photo: glenn cook, St. Albert leader

A member of the St. Albert Special Olympics floor hockey team gets set to take a shot in a game against students from Richard S. Fowler Junior High at the school on Friday. The game was held to raise awareness about the upcoming Special Olympics National Winter Games in St. Albert from Feb. 28 to March 3.

It appears the City of St. Albert and the St. Albert Steel are about to face off over a new deal to keep the junior A hockey club at Servus Credit Union Place. The Steel have until Feb. 28 to renew or extend the five-year deal that is currently in place. If that doesn’t happen, they and the City have until Aug. 31 to negotiate a new deal. But Steel general manager and head coach Greg Parks said that renewing the deal is a non-starter as far as he is concerned. “It can’t happen. There’s absolutely no way,” he said. “They’ve seen the books and everything. It makes absolutely no sense [to renew]. We’re open to anything.” The main sticking point is the amount of revenue the club receives from selling advertising in the Performance Arena at Servus Place. The current deal sees the Steel receive 60 per cent of that revenue, with Servus Place getting 40 per cent. Parks, though, is pushing to have the club keep 100 per cent of the revenue, as he says is the case with other AJHL teams. Parks also pointed out that some other AJHL teams receive considerable reduction in ice rental rates, have had dressing room remodeling costs forgiven, and even receive profits from concession sales. St. Albert Mayor Nolan Crouse wasn’t willing to speculate much on what would happen before the City sits down with the club at a meeting scheduled before the Feb. 28 deadline. “We’ve had some informal talks, but we’re

going to have more of an official meeting here at the end of February,” Crouse said. “We hear the rumours just as you hear them, but what we need to do get an official [stance].” But Parks said he’s just glad to have a chance to sit down with the City. “Since 18 months ago, we’ve presented numerous possibilities that we think would be beneficial to both the Steel and the City — and Servus Place as well; a lot of these have come directly from Servus Place,” he said. In fact, he said there hasn’t been much communication between the two sides for a long time. “The last meeting we had about six months ago, we finally had the opportunity to meet with the mayor and two councillors, and the meeting lasted all of about five minutes,” Parks said. The Steel wrapped up their 2011-2012 Alberta Junior Hockey League over the weekend with a pair of losses to the Grande Prairie Storm. They finished the year with only nine wins in 60 games, and were 25 points out of a playoff spot in the AJHL’s North Division. Prior to this year, the Steel had made the playoffs in each of their first four seasons, but failed to advance past the first round. The City said in a July press release that it currently gives approximately $289,000 in inkind support to the team each year, including $213,000 in advertising space inventory to sell. The City also pointed out that it spent $215,000 upgrading the Steel’s dressing room to AJHL standards in 2007, an amount that is being paid back in instalments; as of July, the amount owing was $193,500.

Recreation master plan passed

GLENN COOK St. Albert Leader

The City of St. Albert’s long-term recreational road map was approved on Tuesday afternoon, but not without a couple of slight detours first. City councillors voted unanimously to approve the Recreation Master Plan on Tuesday, but before they did, they had some tough questions for City staff who brought it forward. Coun. Len Bracko asked how staff planned to keep track of what had been accomplished under the plan as it is implemented. “One of the initiatives in

the master plan is to develop an annual plan, which would talk about all the successes of the recreation master plan for the corporation and the community,” said acting director of community and protective services Monique St. Louis. Coun. Cam MacKay also questioned the process for coming up with master plans like this one. “At what point do residents ... make it known what they want, rather than us surveying a small group and then telling them what they want,” he said, adding that discussions around plans like this are not “mature,” as they can only focus on the

objective and not on the cost. In the end, though, despite any misgivings they may have expressed, all councillors were on board with the plan and excited to see what could be done with it in place. “The whole idea behind the recreation master plan is to strengthen the community, build the community, and this certainly does that,” Coun. Malcolm Parker said. With the master plan approved, St. Louis and her department’s staff will now work on a five-year implementation plan, with associated business cases to come back before council during subsequent budget deliberations.

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

Grits: Albertans misled about VLT profits GLENN COOK St. Albert Leader

The work of a St. Albert woman has prompted the Alberta Liberal Party to level some harsh accusations at the Progressive Conservative government over video lottery terminals (VLTs) and electronic slot machines in the province. Local author and former VLT addict Gisele Jubinville accompanied Liberal finance critic and Edmonton-Gold Bar MLA Hugh MacDonald at a press conference on Friday when he charged that the Alberta government is keeping close to 30 per cent of the money played in VLTs — far more than the eight per cent they claim in brochures and other literature. “The government saw this as a means of revenue; they saw this as easy money regardless of who it hurt,” MacDonald said, adding that percentage may be closer to 60 per cent for electronic slot machines. “And they wanted this to continue.” Jubinville lost about $400,000 to VLTs until she kicked her habit in 2009. Part of overcoming her addiction was doing research into how much revenue VLTs generated each year, which is when she across the accounting discrepancy and passed it on to MacDonald and to St. Albert PC MLA Ken Allred. “I’m always left in shock when I think about this ... It’s not right that this is hidden from the players or citizens,” said Jubinville, who has detailed her struggles with VLT addiction and her crusade to get the truth from the provincial government in her new book, Dismissed, which was officially launched Sunday afternoon at the St. Albert United Church.

Photo: GLENN COOK, St. Albert Leader

Liberal finance critic Hugh MacDonald (right) and St. Albert author Gisele Jubinville speak during a news conference at the Alberta Legislature on Friday morning. “I may be just one Albertan, and I may be a reformed addict, but I do have rights,” she added. “I have the right to ... information to make an informed choice.” The discrepancy between the figures appears to be in the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission’s accounting practices. Until 1999, the AGLC used a “cash-in, cash-out” reporting system in their annual reports. In 2000, though, they switched to a “cash played” system in an effort to be more transparent, spokesperson Jody Korchinski said. “Players don’t often play once then walk away. ... Each time they’re recycling their credits, as we would sometimes say, they’re getting a different cashout,” she said. “For every dollar in, they’re cashing out at a

different rate, when you take into account that player behaviour.” For example, if a player put $100 into a VLT, the AGLC says the average payout would be $92. If that $92 is put back into the machine, the average payout would be $85. If that money was recycled a third time, the average payout would be $78. After a fourth time through, the average player would be left with $72 in hand. The “cash-in, cash-out” accounting method would report the total played as $100 and the total paid out as $72, while the “cash played” method would report the total played as $355 and the total paid out as $327 — maintaining the advertised 92 per cent payout rate. “Basically the new accounting takes

into account all of the play versus just the original money you put into the terminal,” Korchinski said. She added that the AGLC has independent, internationally renowned laboratories confirm that VLTs are set at the 92 per cent payout rate. MacDonald and Allred were able to get the “cash-in, cash-out” figures from the AGLC for 2000 and beyond through the government’s public accounts committee, and they reflected the 30 per cent take that MacDonald presented Friday. Aside from more honest reporting of accounts, Jubinville would also like to see the speed of the VLTs slowed down and nearmisses eliminated, which she said contribute to their addictive and deceptive nature, and larger warning labels on the machines. “Don’t make it sound like [addicts] are the ones who have a disease,” she said. “When I got addicted, that meant I was playing the machines exactly as they were intended to be played. I didn’t have a disease. I was not weak; I was not stupid. I was playing the machines exactly as they were intended.” For his part, MacDonald said Albertans need to be armed with all the information, and would like to see individual municipalities decide whether or not they want VLTs in their community during the next municipal election in 2013. “Let’s put this information out there and let the people decide,” he said, noting that local plebsicites have already abolished VLTs in Rocky Mountain House, Sylvan Lake, Lacombe, Canmore, Coaldale, Stony Plain, the County of Lethbridge, the Municipal District of Opportunity and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.

Local Liberal association has ‘a lot of issues’: former MLA

GLENN COOK St. Albert Leader

With no candidate lined up for the upcoming provincial election and in need of an injection of new blood, the St. Albert Provincial Liberal Constituency Association is in dire straits, according to its president. Former St. Albert Liberal MLA Jack Flaherty now serves as president of the constituency association, and on Feb. 1, he sent out a letter to local Alberta Liberal Party members stating that the lack of fresh faces in the association “has done nothing to revitalize our association and empower those of us who are still trying to keep things together.” The letter also asks if they “would be willing to put [their] shoulder to the wheel” and help find a candidate for the party in the provincial election coming sometime this spring. It all makes it sound as though the

constituency association is in disarray, and Flaherty said that may be not far off the mark. “Democracy, if you’re a Liberal, may be falling down. But that’s why we’re calling out,” he said. “The letter was supposed to attract a lot of people to respond to the need to have a voice in the next election, especially in St. Albert. That’s exactly what we’re trying to do. I don’t think we’re in a real desperate situation, but I think we have to waken people to democracy. We have to open doors; there’s a lot of issues.” One of the biggest issues Flaherty said the association is facing is a lack of youth among its membership. “The grey hairs have got to disappear,” he said. “We’ve got to get some youth, get some people around the table that have a new vision, new ideas and will get involved. That’s a challenge for us.” The Liberals have had a couple of candidates step forward willing to run in

St. Albert, only to back down or run in another riding due to the lack of support the constituency association could extend them. But Flaherty said it’s all something of a chicken-and-egg scenario. “Resources, especially human and dollars, are an issue right now, and that’s what we’re trying to work on at the same time,” he said. “But I think, if we can get a candidate, some of that money would come forth.” The letter also indicated that, even though there have been meetings in the meantime, the association has not held an annual general meeting since 2008, which Flaherty again chalked up to a lack of resources. “The other thing is, when you don’t have issues and a person that’s going to run, I don’t think you stimulate interest,” he said. “We’ve learned our lesson. If we got a candidate early and had some stimulation about issues ... and talked about them and created an interest in the community, I think it would have been a lot easier for us.”

The Alberta Liberals have enjoyed success in the St. Albert riding in the past, with Flaherty serving as the MLA from 2004 to 2008. Prior to that, current city councillor and Senate candidate Len Bracko represented the riding under the Liberal banner from 1993 to 1997. Since the letter went out about three weeks ago, Flaherty said there has been renewed interest and effort among the constituency association’s membership, and they may be very close to announcing a candidate. “We’ve gotten a fair amount of response, from as far away as Arizona,” he said. “[Recently], I just met a lady who is very interested in running and would make a wonderful candidate; she’s in the human services area. But once again, it’s late, it takes money, it takes time, so she’s considering it. I’m very optimistic that she may run for us; if that takes place, we’ll certainly have a voice and bring out the issues in the campaign.”

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

OPINION

iStAlbert

Steel-ing off into the night

Here’s what people are saying about #StAlbert on Twitter:

@CityofStAlbert #StAlbert firefighters are on the roof for MD. Donate at Fire Station 2 today. ow.ly/94wKB

f a tree falls in the forest, but no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? If a junior A hockey club leaves St. Albert, but no one came out to watch them anyway, does anyone really notice? Sadly, that’s the road we seem to be headed down with the St. Albert Steel. by Glenn Cook It’s all but certain that the Steel will not renew their current deal with the City of St. Albert and Servus Credit Union Place prior to the Feb. 28 deadline, after which we may be headed for contentious negotiations before the real drop-dead date of Aug. 31 comes up. Unfortunately, though, if the Steel decide to pack up and head for greener pastures, it seems as though it will be with little fanfare. For whatever reason, the ownership of the Steel have done little to endear the team to the community, and thus the threat of losing them hasn’t evoked nearly as emotional response as when the Saints moved to Spruce Grove in 2004. The product put out on the ice may have a lot to do with that, though. In five years, the Steel have never finished above fifth in the seven-team Alberta Junior Hockey League North Division, and never once won a playoff series. This year marked a low point for the franchise, with the selling off of key players at the beginning of the year contributing to just nine wins in 60 games. If the Steel skip town, it would be a shame — not only to see the hard work of those who truly wanted this team to succeed wasted, but also because we may not get another shot. If we’ve let two teams slip out of our grasp, why would the AJHL ever trust us a third time around? The catch-22, though, is that Servus Place needs a junior A club to be viable. Without it, the facility won’t see the same kind of revenue, pushing it further into the red. And the club keeps St. Albert’s name out there in the provincial media landscape. St. Albert loves hockey, and Servus Place needs hockey. Let’s hope there is a solution out there — even if it takes a new ownership group to find it — to keep what we love and what we need here in our city.

@surferjoeab As I’m leaving St AB down Ray Gibbon Dr a huge moose is running parallel to me down in the ditch! COOL! #stalbert #moosewatch #yeg

EDITORIAL

@philipmulder I’m one for one :) 1st Timmies of the new #rolluptherimtowin season & I won a coffee/ latte (= #steepedtea) #timhortons #stalbert

@NeoCaliban Quote from best winter ever: “where’s my snow brush?” #yeg #stalbert

Compiled by Swift Media Group swiftmedia.ca • @Swift_Media

Budget 2012 continues to raise the bar

udget 2012 is out, and as your deputy premier and MLA, I am very proud of what it means for Albertans, and what it means for you, the constituents of Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert. We’re increasing investment in the areas that we have heard are your priorities. We’re investing in our families, in our communities, in education for our children, and in supports for the vulnerable. On the education front, Albertans can expect predictable funding over the next three years. The highest standards in education are paramount for our children as we move toward a knowledge economy. Every school day this year will be supported by $34 million, which means improved transportation for 300,000 students, 14 new schools that

Doug

HORNER Deputy premier, MLA My City will welcome 10,000 students, and additional supports for children who need them. Your parents and grandparents also deserve the highest quality in programs and services. In Budget 2012, the Alberta Seniors Benefit will increase by 6.6 per cent. With a $27 million increase to other seniors programs and services, current benefits will remain stable while we prepare for a higher demand for services as our population ages. In Budget 2012, we have met the promise the premier made to vulnerable Albertans by increasing the Assured Income

Publisher: Rob LeLacheur rob@stalbertleader.com

Editor: Glenn Cook

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for the Severely Handicapped program’s maximum monthly living allowance. The additional $400 will enhance the quality of life for the 46,000 Albertans who rely on this program. Monthly income exemptions will also double. We’re making investments close to home, because this government understands that you experience the everyday joys and trials of life in your neighbourhoods and communities. Nearly one-third of the three-year Capital Plan — $5.6 billion — will support municipal infrastructure in communities like St. Albert and Spruce Grove. Health is a top priority. We have allocated $100 million a year to improve access to primary health care and mental health services, so Albertans will have even better access

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to top quality services. But funding is only one piece of the puzzle. We know, for example, that throwing money at ER wait times is not enough, because ER visits are up by an average of 17 per cent. And so, our budget commitment includes exploring alternative solutions like the St. Albert and Sturgeon Primary Care Network. Budget 2012 balances smart spending with fiscal responsibility. Our overall expense increase is less than population plus inflation, and there are no tax increases. Albertans can continue to enjoy the highest deductibles in Canada, and can be proud that their province boasts a net debt of zero. Ontario, by contrast, has a debt of $400 billion and growing. Alberta will be back in a positive cash flow balance by 2013-2014. Owned and operated by

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Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

Council goes own way on downtown parking

GLENN COOK St. Albert Leader

St. Albert city councillors sent City of St. Albert staff back to the drawing board when it came to parking in the downtown core on Tuesday afternoon. Staff came to council with recommendations to get started on building temporary parking lots at Millennium Park and at 22 St. Thomas St., but none of the councillors moved those motions and instead gave direction to negotiate an agreement with the owners of Grandin Park Plaza for the use of their two-storey, 240-stall parkade located behind the mall. Mayor Nolan Crouse said he had participated in a conference call with the mall’s owners, Vancouver-based developers Amacon, on Thursday, Feb. 16, and while they weren’t interested in an agreement to open up their surface parking in front of the mall for special events, they were keen on finding a use for the parkade, even for everyday City staff parking. “It’s been cleaned from one end to the other; all the graffiti and whatnot that was in it has been removed and the lighting has been upgraded. ... Amacon is interested; they said, ‘Put something in front of us and we’d be interested in listening,’” Crouse said.

O Lever as 70 ed %

“This deserves a real look-see, to see what we can arrange,” Coun. Malcolm Parker added. Councillors were also worried because both sites proposed by City administration are pegged for uses other than parking in the City’s much-debated Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (DARP). “Developing Millennium Park into a parking lot is a step backward,” Coun. Cathy Heron said. Staff said one of the biggest problems with the parking situation downtown is the large lot across St. Anne Street from St. Albert Place, which is mostly two-hour spaces, but is also where many employees of downtown businesses wind up parking. “There will always be a cases where demand exceeds supply in this single parking lot for any number of reasons or events,” said Guy Boston, general manager of planning and engineering. Also on the issue of parking Tuesday, council postponed looking at changes to the City’s traffic and land use bylaws to curb RVs and vehicles with “For Sale” signs in publicly accessible private parking lots. The motion was postponed as Parker said he wanted to split it up into four because he agreed some parts of it and disagreed with others, and wanted to vote on them all separately.

Molson pulls high-alcohol beer TANARA McLEAN Sun Media News Services

Molson Coors Canada has yanked one of its most popular products off Alberta shelves in an effort to cap crime. The liquor giant will no longer supply Alberta alcohol stores with its 1.18-litre Black Label Big 10 beer, saying the move could help cut violence spurred by alcohol addiction. “As our [founder] John Molson said back in 1825, we’re all members of a larger community which depends on everyone playing a part,” said Molson Coors Canada spokesman Andrew Stordeur. The beer has an alcohol content of 10.1 per cent — double that of regular beer. The company teamed up with the Neighbourhood Empowerment Team (NET) and Edmonton Police Service, launching

the “1=What?” campaign in the Edmonton inner-city community of McCauley. Three of the neighbourhood’s four liquor stores have agreed to display campaign posters showing a jumbo-size beer bottle next to seven standard sized cans. The caption reads: “Beware! Know what you are drinking. Know what you are selling.” There are numerous forms of the jumbo-sized highalcohol beer on the market — a typical go-to product for alcoholics with little or no cash, say cops. Thunderbolt and Special 10 are both 1.18-litre brands still on the market. They sell for an average of $6. Police Chief Rod Knecht said the inner-city campaign is part of the police and city broader violence reduction strategy launched last year to tackle the city’s spiking homicide rate. Edmonton had 47 homicides in 2011, a

record. “In October, [I] actually went into some of these merchants and saw this big beer flying off the counters and being sold to those folks that can least afford it and are most vulnerable,” he said. “Within the downtown area specifically, 43 per cent of the calls we service are alcohol related. So we hope to reduce those alcohol related calls as a result of this initiative.” Harpreet Kounsil owns six liquor stores in the city, including Crown Liquor Store. He said he is more than happy to work with cops and NET, a team of social workers and police, to curb violence around his store. “Lots of trouble down here in the store, that’s why I increased the [price],” he said, adding panhandlers loitering around his store prompted him to join the campaign.

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Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

Registry repeal has Rathgeber riding high GLENN COOK St. Albert Leader

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While there was no dancing in the streets, as he predicted in other reports, EdmontonSt. Albert MP Brent Rathgeber and the rest of the federal Conservative party are ecstatic now that the repeal of the long gun registry has passed third reading in the House of Commons. The bill was passed Wednesday night by a vote of 159-130, marking the completion of was of the Tories’ long-standing campaign promises. Two New Democratic Party MPs even broke ranks and vote with the Conservatives. “This is a bill I’ve spent a lot of time on in terms of hearings and study, vetting and addressing amendments,” Rathgeber said, noting there were receptions on Wednesday night to mark the passing of the bill, although he did not participate as he was fighting off the flu. “It was a great sense of satisfaction to finally have it complete, because so many Albertans had very strong feelings that the long gun registry was an invasion on their rights and tended to criminalize people for what was otherwise lawful behaviour.” Although Edmonton-St. Albert is a predominantly urban riding, Rathgeber still heard from plenty of his constituents who felt repealing the registry was the right thing to do. “There is a significant number of individuals who live in [St. Albert] who are

sportsmen — who, on weekends, are duck hunters or big game hunters, and certainly we heard loud and clear from those individuals that this bill was an invasion of their rights and of their privacy,” he said. While it’s true that the registry did assist police in convicting one of the accomplices in the Mayerthorpe RCMP shootings in 2005, as well as in a recent incident near Killam, Rathgeber said the fact those incidents actually happened outweighs any good the registry did after the fact. “Weighed against the fact that four officers died that day [in Mayerthorpe] and the long gun reigstry was unable to do anything to prevent that, I think that ... incident sadly and tragically shows the limitations of what was always sort of a misguided premise: that criminals would register their guns,” he said. Even with the demise of the registry, Rathgeber said there are still plenty of adequate gun control measures in place, most notably the licensing of firearms owners. “It’s the individual that’s licensed, and that doesn’t change. ... Licensing deals with the individual; registration deals with the property,” he said. “In my view, and the view of the government, the two are completely different. It’s individuals that need to be licensed to show they are capable of safely handling firearms and don’t have criminal backgrounds. But registering the weapons doesn’t contribute to safety.” The bill repealing the registry must now pass through the Senate.

C-30 needs a second look: MP

GLENN COOK St. Albert Leader

As the federal Conservatives celebrate the restoration of rights and privacy for long gun owners, critics allege they are trying to take the same away from Internet users through Bill C-30, the Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act. Public Safety Minister Vic Toews created a firestorm last week when introducing the bill — which would give police broader powers to monitor Canadians’ Internet communications — by saying in the House of Commons that opponents of the bill “can either stand with us or stand with the child pornographers.” Edmonton-St. Albert

Tory MP Brent Rathgeber has major concerns with the bill as it stands right now, calling it “problematic” and saying that it leans too far to the side of government in trying to achieve a balance with privacy. “The drafters had the best intentions of Canadians, and especially Canadian children, in mind when they drafted it,” he said, noting that he read most of the 80-plus-page bill on the flight home from Ottawa last week. “That being said, as you read through it — and it’s not an easy read — it casts an admittedly pretty broad net with respect to the powers of the state, with respect to what they will require Internet providers to monitor.” The Tories have taken the unusual step of sending

the bill to the public safety committee before second reading, and Rathgeber — who sits on that very committee — will be waiting anxiously to get his hands on it. “In my three and a half years in Parliament, I’ve never seen a bill go to committee without being debated in second reading. ... It’s got to be modified. It’s got to be more than just a fine-tuning. There’s got to be some significant change with respect to the privacy protections in this bill,” he said. “Democracy works because Canadians have spoken, and Parliament is going to respond,” he added. “And I’m happy I’m going to be part of that process being on the public safety committee.”

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

Bail denied for Vader their daughter in Abbotsford, B.C., a week later, but never made it. Two days after they were last seen, their Travis Vader — a suspect in the 2010 RV was found engulfed in flames near the disappearance of a St. Albert couple Minnow Lake campground, 20 kilometres presumed slain — was denied release east of Edson. The Tucson SUV they were on Wednesday, Feb. 15, following an towing was soon discovered near Carrot Edmonton bail hearing. Creek, 30 kilometres east of Edson. The decision brought an “enormous sense The couple has since been declared dead of relief” to the son and granddaughter and presumed murdered, but their remains of the missing couple, Lyle and Marie have yet to be found. McCann. The RCMP continue to maintain Vader is “Our immediate reaction is just a suspect in the disappearance, but a sense of relief that he is not going no related charges have been laid. to be released. We are happy that Bret McCann said the RCMP he is staying behind bars,” said son have told him they are continuing Bret McCann, outside court after to investigate the disappearance, the bail hearing decision. are treating it as a “priority” and “This man is a dangerous have made some progress on it. individual and just totally ignores “We believe this mystery will be the justice system,” said McCann, solved,” said Bret McCann. “We describing Vader as a “flight risk” have a lot of faith in the RCMP. Travis who has “thumbed his nose” at They don’t name someone as a Vader authorities when he has been suspect lightly.” Suspect released in the past. McCann’s daughter Nicole The reasons why Vader, 40, Walshe said the family wants to was denied bail and the arguments heard get closure and are hoping anyone with during the hearing cannot be revealed due information about the disappearance will to a court-ordered publication ban. come forward. Lyle McCann, 78, and Marie McCann, “Until we find grandma and grandpa, it 72, were last seen fuelling their motorhome will never be closed,” she said. in St. Albert on July 3, 2010, before heading There is a $60,000 reward available for on a camping trip through the Rocky anyone who provides information about Mountains. They were scheduled to meet the whereabouts of the couple.

TONY BLAIS Sun Media News Services

Special Olympics skiing moved

The lack of snow in the St. Albert area has forced organizers of the 2012 Special Olympics National Winter Games to move one of their events outside the city. Games organizing committee chair Dan MacLennan announced Tuesday that the crosscountry skiing events will

be moved from Kingswood Park to the Strathcona Wilderness Centre in Strathcona County due to better conditions there. “The long spell of unseasonably warm temperatures and lack of snow has made for less than optimal conditions for the athletes,” MacLennan said in a press release.

Organizers also pointed out that the Strathcona Wilderness Centre has retained more of it snow due to the shelter of the trees on its grounds. The 2012 Special Olympics National Winter Games kick off on Tuesday in St. Albert. Alpine skiing events take place in Jasper. — GLENN COOK

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All together now

Photo: glenn cook, St. Albert leader

École Father Jan Grade 6 students (front to back) Jared Palidwar, Kyle Hebert and Adam Mitchell try to get their feet moving in the right direction on a giant pair of skis during the school’s winter carnival on Friday morning.

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Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

SOMETHING FOR THE

WHOLE FAMILY

Photos: GLENN COOK, St. Albert Leader

Activities were abundant in St. Albert over the Family Day long weekend, and when combined with great weather, families took full advantage of the chance to get out and get unplugged for the holiday.

Clockwise from top left: Ice sculptor Bryan Collier puts the final touches on a Family Day Frostival sign outside St. Albert Place Sunday; Jack Mohrbutter, 2, rolls out clay for a log cabin; Andrea Phillips gives Alysabeth Hale, 2, a hand in milk jug curling at Grosvenor Rink Sunday night; a shinny hockey player casts a long silhouette; Hailey Bitangcol, 5, rolls up maple syrup at the ACFA’s tire d’erable at Lacombe Park Lake Monday; horses from MP Stables give sleigh rides at École La Mission in Heritage Lakes on Monday afternoon.

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

ENTERTAINMENT

REPUBLIC OF RHYTHM

started going viral, having currently racked up more than 314,000 views. Forastiere, though, says he’s not much for When it comes to Canada, Pino Forastiere is the technology. expert among his peers. “The video on YouTube is important, obviously, but Forastiere is one-third of acoustic guitar trio Guitar I prefer to have the real contact with the people,” he Republic, based out of Italy, and the only one who has said. “I don’t follow too much the Internet movements, travelled to North America before. So he has been really. I prefer to have people in front of me, and not giving his bandmates, Sergio Altamura and Stefano [in front of] a computer or stuff like that. I am an old Barone, a few pointers before they kick off a tour of man in this sense.” Canada and the United States at the Arden Theatre in In the video, Altamura plays his guitar using St. Albert on Friday night. a bow from a string instrument like a violin or a Forastiere said he likes playing in front of North cello, something Forastiere said is traditional in the American crowds much better than southern part of Italy, where all European crowds. three guitarists grew up. “In Europe, people are so boring. But, he added, that’s not the only In Canada or in the USA, people trick Altamura has up his sleeve. have a lot of enthusiasm, and this “Sergio plays with a bow, and is really good for the artists,” he with other very strange stuff on the said with a pronounced Italian guitar,” he said. “He is a wizard of Pino Forastiere accent over the phone from Rome the sounds. His contribution is so Guitarist on Tuesday morning. “You have the important for the sound of the trio.” possibility to capture a lot of energy Once their North American trek from the people, and for the artist, this is a very great is done, Guitar Republic are definitely keeping busy thing.” back on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. During this tour, the group also hits Banff; “After that, we are back in Europe, and we play in Whitefish, Mont.; Helena, Mont., Bozeman, Mont., Portugal for another two concerts, and after that, we Olympia, Wash.; Kirkland, Wash.; and Vancouver. play in Italy for a concert in the summer,” Forastiere Many of the venues along this tour are smaller, said. more intimate theatres like the Arden, which “I hope our music is good for the Canadian people,” Forastiere also enjoys. he added. “We have a very fun show, and this is a “The energy from the audience, for me, is the most good point to start [to] enjoy the show. Our show is important thing when you play live,” he said. organized in this way: we have one set in solo, three The members of the group have known each solo spots, and one set in trio. And I hope you will other since 2004, with Forastiere describing them enjoy it.” all as “close friends,” recording and playing together Guitar Republic plays the Arden Theatre on Friday, occasionally. Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 each and are But they really hit it big when a video they posted available through Ticketmaster or the Arden Theatre to YouTube for a song called “Funky Sex Republic” box office.

GLENN COOK St. Albert Leader

“He is a wizard of the sounds.”

Safe House climbs to No. 1 at box office SUN MEDIA NEWS SERVICES – The weekend box office title landed securely in Denzel Washington’s hands as his thriller, Safe House, beat love story The Vow over a long U.S. holiday weekend. Safe House took in $28.4 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters from Friday through Monday, according to studio estimates compiled by Reuters. That lifted the movie to No. 1 from its second-place finish when it opened a week earlier. The Vow, last weekend’s winner, slipped to second place with $26.6 million over the four days. The strong performances helped bring Hollywood another winning weekend as 2012 has bolted to a fast start following a 3.4 per cent slump in domestic box office receipts last year. North American (U.S. and Canadian) ticket sales for all of movies rose 10.5 per cent

from the same weekend a year ago to $192 million, according to the box office division of Hollywood.com. For all of 2012 so far, revenue was running 17.9 per cent ahead of 2011. Attendance was up 20.6 per cent. Filmgoers had a variety of choices this weekend. Action movie Safe House stars Washington as a fugitive on the run with a rookie CIA operative played by Ryan Reynolds. Polling showed the audience during the movie’s first weekend was mostly older than 30. The Vow, a romantic drama starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum, offered an alternative for females and couples. In third place, family film Journey 2: The Mysterious Island starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson pulled in $26.4 million through Monday during its second weekend in domestic theaters.

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

Only four horses really in Best Pic race BRUCE KIRKLAND Sun Media News Services

Oscar’s best picture candidates number nine for the first time in the 84-year history of the Academy Awards. But there are only four in real contention: Michel Hazanavicius’ The Artist, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, Alexander Payne’s The Descendants and Tate Taylor’s The Help. Nothing else is considered even close, not Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, Steven Spielberg’s War Horse, Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life, Bennett Miller’s Moneyball nor Stephen Daldry’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. The unlikely French contender — Hazanavicius’ charming romance — is a black-and-white silent picture, not counting two brief lines of English dialogue heard at the end. Yet it remains the odds-on favourite. This is an unusual year indeed. For two years, the nomination list had been at 10, a doubling of the five that was standard for 65 years. The “lost” nominee this year did not get named on a minimum of five percent of the ballots, so it was jettisoned. It does not really matter. The race has narrowed anyway for Sunday’s ceremony, to be hosted by Billy Crystal at Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre. • If polls are correct and The Artist wins as best picture, it will be the first silent film to take this prize since William Wellman’s Wings (1927). The former American air ace’s WWI romantic action film was a critical, artistic and commercial success in 192728. At the first Academy Awards

ceremony held at Hollywood’s Roosevelt Hotel 83 years ago, in May 1929, Wings won what was later re-named best picture. The same year, another silent film, F. W. Murnau’s Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, won the parallel category of best artistic production. But Wings was retroactively selected as the first “official” best picture winner and the “artistic production” category was dropped after only that one year. • If The Artist wins as best picture, it will be the first French production to take top honours since Roman Polanski’s The Pianist (2002). That film — a holocaust tale shot primarily in the English language in Germany and Poland — was a co-production of France, Poland, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Polanski is based in Paris. The Artist — filmed silently in Los Angeles, Burbank and Pasadena — is a co-production involving France and Belgium. Hazanavicius was born in Paris. • If The Artist wins as best picture, it will be the first romantic comedy to triumph since Shakespeare in Love (1998). It will also become the first film about filmmaking ever to win. • Hugo would have to score in every one of its 11 nominated categories to tie the all-time record for most Oscars. That record is shared by William Wyler’s Ben-Hur (1959), James Cameron’s Titanic (1997) and Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). Of those, The Return of the King is the only one to run the table on all of its nominations. • Hugo already shares

something bizarre with The Return of the King. Despite an impressive 11 nominations in each case, no actor was nominated. • Hugo would have to lose everything to tie a dubious record of having the most nominations without a win. Only two films have ever suffered so: Herbert Ross’ The Turning Point (1977) and Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple (1985). • No film from 2011 can take what Oscar historians cite as The Big Five in Academy Awards: best picture, actor, actress, director and screenplay — because the nominations are just not there. Closest contender is The Artist with nominations in the best picture, actor, director and screenplay categories. But the leading lady — Berenice Bejo, the Argentine-French actress who is married to Hazanavicius — ended up in the best supporting actress category. Only three films have ever done The Big Five sweep: Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night (1934), Milos Forman’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) and Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs (1991). The last time a film was even in the running was seven years ago with Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby (2004). It won only three of the five — plus one in another category — for a total haul of four. • All you have to do is win best picture to be remembered. Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech emerged with the prize a year ago and people rejoiced. Yet the film earned only four Oscars out of its 12 nominations. Win big and you go home happy. Even when you are the record loser, too, for the same year.

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Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

HEALTH

Thin-heritance

How moms can influence their daughters’ body image to our girls directly about their bodies, but how we talk about — and treat — our own bodies that has a lasting impact on their Actual conversation overheard: body image. Little boy: “Can I get this gum? It has zero “Remember, we’re planting a seed in our per cent fat.” girls with each comment or criticism we Mom: “Sweetie, you don’t have to worry make about our bodies. When her body about fat for another year or two.” starts to look like yours, guess what? She Why does this child care about fat? And remembers those things you said about why does mom reinforce that this should be yourself, and applies that criticism to her a “worry” in his near future? own body.” February marks the time of year for But, it’s not just mothers — it’s anyone. A National Eating Disorder Awareness Week classmate can make fun of your thighs, your in Canada, but this is something we should brother can joke about your “moustache,” be aware of year-long. your dad can give you that look when you In what has been labelled a “thintake a second helping. No matter how heritance,” a mother’s fleeting any of these preoccupation with her exchanges seem, they own body image can all can have lasting unintentionally be passed impressions. along to her children. Just According to a 2003 one sentence could put survey of adolescents your daughter or son on released by Kids Help Dara Chadwick a path towards an eating Phone, in Grades 7-12, 30 Author disorder, disordered per cent of girls and 25 eating, or a lifelong per cent of boys reported unhealthy obsession with appearance. teasing by peers about their weight. Such A University of Central Florida study teasing has been found to persist in the found nearly half of three- to six-year-old home as well — 29 per cent of girls and 16 girls were already worried about being per cent of boys reported having been teased fat, while almost a third wanted to change by a family member about their weight. something about their bodies. Research also To this day, Dianne Ball struggles with her shows these children follow patterns set by body image and believes that the biggest — their moms: maternal modelling. yet unintentional — damage may have been Dara Chadwick is the author of You’d Be caused by her family’s sense of humour. So Pretty If : Teaching Our Daughters to Love “In an effort to uphold an unspoken rule Their Bodies — Even When We Don’t Love of ‘laugh at yourself first,’ my family — Our Own. She says, “As moms, we need to including my mother — would crack jokes remember that it’s often not what we say about Dad’s nose (big), Mom’s butt (big), my

DAHLIA KURTZ Sun Media News Services

“We’re planting a seed ... with each comment.”

Photo: Sun Media News Services

A mother’s preoccupation with her own body image can unintentionally be passed along to her children. chin (pointy). And after pointing out family ‘flaws,’ inevitably the follow-up comments would be, ‘You look just like Dad/Mom/ Grandma.’” Ball also says, from a very young age, her mother’s sense of self-worth, or lack thereof, shaped her own. “I was perhaps four or five when my mother commented on my ‘sweet tooth’ and would say something like ‘You’ll end up like me if you keep eating like that.’ “Honestly, this is the single biggest issue in my own mind when it comes to parenting my daughter. I don’t make it an issue with her, and try not to put myself down — at least out loud.” Of course, there are many studies on the media and its negative impact on girls. But the influence of a mother should not be

underestimated. Chadwick says moms have to do what they can to mitigate the damage. “Talk, talk, talk to your girls. You don’t want to lecture, of course, but do use every natural opportunity to talk about what’s real and what isn’t.” Counting calories, scrutinizing your body, openly judging other’s bodies — if your daughter is subjected to these things regularly, body image could become a subject she focuses on. And if you play good cop/food cop, eating could become a crime, which she might begin to do in secret. So, before you ask, “Do I look fat in this?” ask yourself, “What do I want my child to see when she looks in the mirror?” Otherwise, your insecure past may be secured as your daughter’s future.

Asbestos widow takes her fight to Parliament Hill KIRSTY KIRKUP Sun Media News Services

An Ontario woman whose husband died due to a painful asbestos-related illness brought her crusade against the mined mineral to Ottawa last week. Margaret Buist, 73, of Sarnia, has launched a postcard campaign to urge federal and provincial leaders to stop “promoting” the production of crysotile asbestos. Buist’s 58-year-old husband died to an asbestosrelated disease in 1996. She said she promised her husband one thing during his health battle — when he cried, she didn’t and when she cried, he didn’t. “I don’t know how we did what we did,” she said, stating her husband was exposed to asbestos while he worked for Imperial Oil.

Canada’s last asbestos mine closed recently in Quebec due to financial and environmental issues — marking the end of a 130-year-old industry — but a Montreal asbestos trader is trying to reopen a mine in Asbestos, Que. Quebec Premier Jean Charest said he would grant a $58-million government loan to support the project to kick start the failed mine, but the deal has not been approved yet. Montreal-based asbestos businessman Balit Chadha is hopeful the project will be given the green light following a third-party safety audit. Chadha’s company has already started reviewing resumés to hire 60 workers. Buist was joined at an Ottawa news conference on Thursday by NDP MPs Pat Martin and Francois

Lapointe to protest Charest’s support for the project. Martin said the Criminal Code of Canada should be amended to address what he calls “murder” by the asbestos industry. The federal government maintains Margaret it has promoted “safe use of chrysotile Buist domestically and internationally for Asbestos activist more than 30 years” and scientific reviews confirm fibres can be used safely under controlled conditions. Martin said an inventory of asbestos is still available from the last Canadian asbestos mine, but he said the industry will die “a natural death” if reopening the Quebec mine is rejected.

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

Omega-3s can be a woman’s best friend of sustainability, availability, cost and contamination. In the age of polluted waterways, it’s not safe to eat all the fish that Breast cancer is every woman’s No. 1 fear, swim in the sea, says Skattebol. but heart disease and stroke is our No. 1 “When it becomes impractical or an killer. Now, a Danish study suggests that economic burden, you look elsewhere.” women who consume fish have a head start That elsewhere is fish oil capsules, an in protecting themselves from heart disease alternative for those who hate fish, can’t find and stroke. fresh fish, or aren’t willing to pay the cost Published in the January issue of which, for some species, can be higher than Hypertension, the Danish study explored filet mignon. Skattebol, who consumes fish the intake of long chain n3 fatty acids oil capsules daily because he doesn’t like the (also known as Omega-3) and the risk of taste of most fish, is therefore well placed as cardiovascular disease in 48,627 young chief medical officer of Epax, a Norwegian women between the ages of 29 and 47. company that harvests from Peru’s southern The researchers who Pacific fishing grounds followed the women over near Antarctica. At eight years found a near Epax’s production three-fold increase in facility in Norway, heart disease risk among fish oils are extracted women who never ate fish for pharmaceutical when compared to women companies like Dr. Atle Skattebol who ate fish at least once Jamieson’s. Fish oil expert every week. The protective Fish oil supplements qualities of fish come from were among the top five their long-chain Omega-3 essential fatty dietary supplements in 2010. A 2011 report by acids, says Dr. Atle Skattebol, a Norwegian Packaged Facts projects that the global retail expert in fish oil. sales for Omega-3 products will rise from “These are essential compounds the $4.6 billion in 2007 to $8.2 billion in 2012. body cannot make on its own and must be But despite their popularity, fish oils are not consumed from our diets.” all easy to swallow. Omega-3 oils protect the heart in different Contaminants are one concern: In 2010 a ways, he says. They lower triglyceride levels in California environmental group launched a the blood (a marker for heart disease), reduce labeling lawsuit against eight fish oil brands inflammation of blood vessels (its buildup for excessive levels of PCBs. (Skattebol can lead to heart disease), make the blood less says that Epax’s oils come from some of sticky (blood clot formation is reduced — and the world’s cleanest waters that are rich in thus risk of heart attacks and stroke), and the plankton that sardines and anchovies boost the blood’s heart-protective HDL. feast on.) Fish oils also give many people Fish for health has been an assumption indigestion. Skattebol takes his with food for generations, but that old good-foror before bedtime so he doesn’t notice the you message is now obscured by issues “repeats.” Fish oil can also become rancid,

MARILYN LINTON Sun Media News Services

“An educated consumer is best.”

so pay attention to the “best before” date. “An educated consumer is best,” Skattebol says, adding that consumers should know that Omega-3s contain two heart-healthy compounds, EPA and DHA. “Check that the label contains a higher amount of EPA because a ratio of 2:1 is recommended for heart health.”

Photo: Sun Media News Services

A Danish study suggests that women who consume fish oil have a jump on protecting themselves from heart disease and stroke.

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Heart patient takes part in relay

A young man will really be showing his heart this weekend as part of a fundraising relay for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The Sturgeon Valley Athletic Club is holding a 24Hour Relay at the club in Campbell Business Park, starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25. Among those participating will be Shane Lehman, 23, who has been waiting for a heart transplant for three years. Lehman was playing for the Spruce Grove Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League when a virus attacked his heart. He currently has a left ventricular assist device in his heart to keep it going while he waits, and he’ll be giving that a good workout as he starts his 30-minute leg of the relay on one of the club’s treadmills at 3 p.m. “I want to take part in this event, to let people know the importance of getting checked out if you feel something is wrong. Don’t let your pride get the best of you,” he said in a press release. “I also want to let them know the importance of signing your donor card, and talking to your family about it.” — GLENN COOK

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Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

HOMES

Programmable thermostats save money MARK SALERNO Sun Media News Services

Just as you shut off lights and appliances when you’re not using them, you can save energy by reducing the amount of time your furnace or air conditioner are on while you are away and during overnight hours. According to a study done at the Canadian Centre for Housing Technology, turning the thermostat setting down a few degrees during the winter when you leave the house or go to sleep can result in energy savings of 5 per cent to 15 per cent. In the summer when the air conditioner is running, setting the thermostat at 24 C (75 F) or more when the house is empty also brings significant energy savings. A conventional thermostat simply regulates house heating or cooling at a set temperature. For instance, in the winter, if you set the thermostat to 21 C (70 F), it will activate the heating system when the house temperature drops below 21 C and will shut the system off when the house air warms up past 21 C. But a device called a programmable thermostat contains an electronic clock which can be set to automatically change the temperature settings throughout the day and help reduce your overall household energy consumption.

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In winter, a programmable thermostat can be set to automatically turn down the temperature setting at night, when you are asleep, or during the day, when you are at work. It can also return the temperature to a more comfortable level before you wake up or arrive home from work. In summer, the programmable thermostat can be used to set the temperature and operating time periods for an air conditioning system. Although you could simply use a standard thermostat to set your house temperatures lower in winter or higher in summer during times when the house is unoccupied and achieve similar energy savings, a programmable thermostat is more convenient. Depending on the season, dropping or increasing the temperature by a couple of degrees can lead to energy saving with little risk of any problems. Some householders, in an effort to maximize their energy savings, reduce temperatures four to six degrees. However, temperature differences this large may be uncomfortable for some who wake up at night or return home early before the time the thermostat resets to 21 C. Try different settings and see what works best for you. Keep in mind that it takes some time for a furnace to get house temperatures back to the set point temperature so set your programmable thermostat so the furnace is turned on before you wake up and arrive home. In winter, a setback of four to six degrees can increase the possibility of high humidity in the home. Cool air can hold less moisture than warm air, so the relative humidity (RH) increases as the air cools. This can lead to

condensation on windows and walls (for instance, in closets or behind furniture). Watch for signs of condensation and wipe up water and damp surfaces immediately. You may have to adjust the setting on your programmable thermostat to keep your house warmer if moisture problems persist. Another potential problem associated with using thermostat setback settings is a sustained lack of air circulation for forced air systems when the system is not operating. For houses where bedroom doors are kept closed, this could lead to stuffiness in those rooms and a lack of fresh air. Many programmable thermostats have a setting that allows you to operate your furnace fan continuously and this helps to keep the air circulating through your house. A programmable thermostat is not for everyone or every house. While many houses will not experience significant problems with the use of programmable thermostats, there will be some houses more at risk. But if your house is in good condition, does not have any moisture problems and you have a fairly regular schedule, a programmable thermostat can offer convenience and may help reduce your energy costs. To help you learn more about programmable thermostats, CMHC has an About Your House fact sheet available called Setback Thermostats. Download your free copy at www.cmhc.ca or call 1-800-668-2642. Mark Salerno is the Corporate Representative for the Greater Toronto Area at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. You can reach him at 416-218-3479 or e-mail him at msalerno@cmhc.ca.

Photo: Sun Media News Services

Local homes up for awards

Several homes built in St. Albert are up for awards as the Awards of Excellence in Housing finalists were announced last week. Look Homes Master Builder Inc. was nominated in the Best Single Family Bungalow/Bi-level under $250,000 for their Clarke model in North Ridge. Also in North Ridge is Daytona Homes’ Benz model, which earned a nomination in the Best Single Family Two-Storey/Split Level with Attached Garage $270,000-$300,000 category. Daytona also earned nominations in Erin Ridge with their Benz II C model (Best Single Family Two-Storey/Split Level with Attached Garage $300,000-$330,000) and their Explorer III A model (Best Single Family Two-Storey/Split Level with Attached Garage $330,000-$370,000). Bedrock Homes also earned a nod in the Best Single Family Two-Storey/Split Level with Attached Garage $300,000-$330,000 category for their Carlton C model. — GLENN COOK

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Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

VIVA LA (PlayStation) VITA STEVE TILLEY Sun Media News Services

Photo: Sun Media News Services

Sony is taking a bit of a gamble with its new PlayStation Vita handheld gaming device.

For a company that’s seeing its dominance in the realm of consumer electronics slowly ebb away, Sony sure as heck doesn’t seem to be eager to play it safe. And as gamers, we should commend them for that. A safe company wouldn’t be rolling the dice on a $250 portable gaming-only device in an age where people demand their handheld gadgets do everything from games to e-mail to videography to tracking the frequency and consistency of their bowel movements. (There’s an app for that. Seriously.) But Sony is undeterred, and this week we saw the arrival of the PlayStation Vita, a high-tech successor to the seven-year-old PlayStation Portable. Going on sale Tuesday for $249.99, Vita is entering a handheld gaming space still largely dominated by the Nintendo DSi ($149.99) and Nintendo 3DS ($169.99) handhelds. But it’s not just Mario and company that Sony must worry about — Vita is going up against smartphones and tablets, which have emerged as powerhouse mobile platforms with tons of budget-friendly, high-def games.

and intuitive touch control, is vastly more approachable than the PSP or even PS3, and it’s clear Sony’s been stealing a page or two from Nintendo’s playbook here. Ditto with the interesting but somewhat confusing Near, Sony’s social networking suite that allows gamers to see who is playing what nearby. To be frank, I was never a fan of the PSP. For every cool feature it boasted, it was hobbled by a major omission. Vita, on the other hand, is exciting. The visuals are fantastic. The touchscreen, sensors and twin thumbsticks open up new types of play. Games can be bought either at stores or downloaded to the device over the PlayStation Network. And Vita is very onlinefriendly, whether it’s head-to-head gaming or downloading movies on the go. But I still have trouble wrapping my head around a $250 handheld games machine (and that doesn’t include the minimum $20 extra you’ll need for a memory card) that really doesn’t do a lot else. Yes, Vita’s got a clunky web browser and underwhelming cameras, but this is first and foremost a brave new entry in the realm of portable entertainment. The question is, how badly do you want to play?

So is Vita worth it? Well, it depends on your expectations of portable gaming, your lifestyle and your disposable income. Vita is equipped with an enormous five-inch OLED touchscreen, a suite of gyroscopic tilt and motion sensors, GPS, Wi-Fi, two cameras, a touch-sensitive rear panel that can be used as a secondary control input and a set of PlayStation 3-style game controls, including twin analog thumbsticks. There are 20-odd games available at launch, ranging from the fantastic Uncharted: Golden Abyss ($50) to the unique download-only puzzler Escape Plan ($20.) Some games are sold at retail in boxes that look like miniature Blu-ray movies, but all titles can also be downloaded to the device through the online PlayStation Store. Vita’s visuals are unlike anything seen on a handheld before. They’re not PlayStation 3 quality, but they’re not all that far off. Uncharted: Golden Abyss in particular looks amazing, and if you were to put it side-by-side with gameplay footage from the original, slightly rougher-around-the-edges Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, you might have trouble telling them apart on the small screen. The user interface, with its big, bubbly icons

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Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

BUSINESS

Commercial complex on Trail ready to start Jerky plant closes GLENN COOK St. Albert Leader

A long-vacant piece of commercial land in St. Albert is being primed for development later this year. The five acres of land along St. Albert Trail, just north of Riverside Honda, was recently purchased by Calgary-based developer Geoff Stewart and his company, West 18th Street Enterprises Inc., which has developed other commercial centres throughout British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. He said the main attraction to that particular parcel of land was that it was ready to develop. “We have a retail company that we’re looking to put there, and develop the rest of it,” he said. He added that he has lined up two major retail tenants for the development, but is about a month away from being able to make those public. “Two are lined up, and two are on the table,” Stewart said. The land has sat dormant for several years, but Stewart is adamant that it will get developed this time around. “We’re looking to start construction in the spring [or] summer,” he said. “Hopefully the centre will be — we’re showing it to

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be about 80,000 square feet.” In addition, Stewart wants to build a medical and professional building on the north end of the property, near the existing Servus Credit Union branch. Access to the centre would be off both St. Albert Trail and Inglewood Drive to the east. This would be the company’s first venture in the St. Albert area. Meanwhile, Landrex Developments recently confirmed that a new 50-acre commercial development would be built just north of King of Kings Lutheran Church on the north end of St. Albert Trail and would feature a Costco store as the anchor tenant. However, the one hurdle left to clear is a lawsuit that Landrex launched against the City of St. Albert last summer. Landrex alleged that it was charged too much in offsite levies for Phases 1 and 2 of Erin Ridge North, and did not want to pay the levies for Phase 3. However, both sides have been meeting to work out the disagreement, and there is optimism the suit will be settled out of court in the very near future. As well, the land formerly occupied by Hole’s Greenhouses, at the corner of Bellerose Drive and Boudreau Road, has been put up for sale. The information package from real estate agents Colliers International does not provide an asking price, but does describe the 10.58-acre direct control-zoned parcel as an “excellent mixeduse redevelopment site” with “magnificent, panoramic river valley views” and that its “strong economic fundamentals provide for [an] attractive development opportunity.”

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Jovial to his last stick of jerky, Peter Lawson said goodbye to The Original Longview Beef Jerky Saturday. What is arguably Alberta’s most famous cured meat companies — distributed nationally — is shutting down in the face of everstringent Canadian Food Inspection Agency regulations and related expenses. “Last year’s expenses, between a rusty screw or two that had to be replaced, inspector fees, Listeria swabbing, water sampling — there’s a million little things — (were) over $12,000,” said Lawson, saying it got hard to make a living. Before noon, the company’s owner managed to sell off whatever product was at the plant. Now all that remains of the ready-to-eat meat is whatever remains on store shelves. “All good things must come to an end, and we have,” said Lawson, who reflected on better times. “One of my favourite moments was having a letter from a Canadian solider in Afghanistan — with his Tim Hortons coffee and his Longview beef jerky he didn’t feel that far from home that

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Regulation expenses forced the Original Longview Beef Jerky plant over the weekend. Christmas away from his family.” At one point, Lawson’s product was on the approved list of food items to be sent into space for astronauts aboard the International Space Station. He’s not thrilled to end what he started in 2002, but he’ll hold his head high — the problem was the paperwork, not the product, he said. “The margin is tight enough when you’re dealing with wholesalers, and then you have CFIA expenses on top of that — it became too much to bear [so] we made that decision last November.” Production ended in the new year — Lawson said he didn’t want to ruin people’s Christmas. The Original

Longview Beef Jerky was one of the larger employers in the village of Longview, about 85 kilometres south of Calgary, and has had to lay off 15 people as a result of the closure. CFIA guidelines have tightened since a 2008 Listeria outbreak involving Maple Leaf meat products. “The importance of them is to put into place requirements for the meat producers — processes in place for them to follow to avoid having contamination by Listeria in the first place, and secondly, if this does occur, to be able to detect that quickly and determine where it is in products,” said CFIA spokesman Tim O’Connor.

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Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

Sears Canada slashes prices on 5,000 items

Photo: GLENN COOK, St. Albert Leader

John Engel changes his outdoor sign on Monday morning to inform customers of his store’s big move.

Mission on the move

GLENN COOK St. Albert Leader

One of St. Albert’s most prominent — and most fun — stores is getting ready to move. John Engel, owner of Mission: Fun and Games, currently located in a strip mall along McKenney Avenue, announced to his customers via email on Sunday that the store will be moving this summer to a new standalone location at 560 St. Albert Trail, which is currently the home of Krickets Café. Although Engel’s current location is stacked to the rafters with board games, card games and figurines, he said, it’s not the square footage that is the main reason behind the move. “In terms of overall space, it’s about 10 to 15 per cent bigger,” he said. “The biggest selling point for me is the fact that we’ve been running for 22 years, and it would be nice to have some equity at the end of another 10, 15, 20 years. If we sustain ourselves there and do well, that building is retirement for myself and my wife.” Mission: Fun and Games has been operating in St. Albert for 22 years, starting out as a video rental store before Engel and his wife Tracy starting phasing in board games. In October 2010, it was named Small Business of the Year at the St. Albert Chamber of Commerce’s annual Small Business Awards of Distinction category. Moving all of the almost 250,000 pieces of inventory the store has to the new location is a

bit of a daunting task, though. “It’s exciting and scary. ... It’s scary because it’s quite a leap,” he said. “It’s going to be a little tense for the first year or two as we get over the hump with all the bills, but I’m sure, down the road, it’ll be a worthwhile endeavour.” While some non-residential ventures struggle to find the space they need in St. Albert, moving out of the city never crossed Engel’s mind, he said. “It was critical; it was imperative,” he said. “I like walking to work. I love St. Albert. The walk will be a lot longer now, but more walking won’t kill me; it’ll certainly make me healthier.” Engel expects to retain in-store space for gaming, as well as the popular Gamealot convention, which is held each September and is heading into its 12th year. The new location also boasts much more parking than his current location, along with wheelchair access to both the building and its washrooms. Krickets is expected to close its doors on March 15, after which Engel will need some time to complete renovations. He said his best guess as to when the doors will open is “between June 1 and Aug. 31,” at which time he is planning a big grand opening event. “If we do really well, in about five to 10 years, hopefully we can expand the store and grow on our success,” he said. “And there’s room to do that because there’s enough land.”

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SUN MEDIA NEWS SERVICES – Sears Canada said on Thursday, Feb. 16, that it has cut regular prices for more than 5,000 items, a first step in what it called a “transformation” to help it compete more effectively as Wal-Mart and Target prepare to expand across the country. Along with lower prices, the department store chain will introduce new weekly sales, match merchandise in stores more closely with its flyers, and roll out new signs. “In order to better compete in a complex and ever-changing retail industry, the company is committed to getting the value right for its customers,” said Sears in a statement. “This will be the first significant change customers will see as a result of the transformation undertaken by the company.” Chief Executive Calvin McDonald, who joined the company in June, said that customers are “demanding great value.”

Canadian retailers are facing increasing competition from Wal-Mart Stores Inc, which is expanding rapidly in the country, and in recent quarters Sears has reported declining sales. Target Corp. plans to open up to 135 stores in Canada, starting in the spring of 2013. Sears Canada’s parent Sears Holdings Corp., which owns more than 90 per cent of the company, has also been struggling to attract shoppers. Sears Holdings has seen sales fall every year since hedge fund manager Edward Lampert formed it through the merger of Sears and Kmart in 2005. Sears Holdings’ problems were on display again in December when it said it would close 100 to 120 of its 3,500 U.S. stores after a dismal holiday shopping season. Shares of Sears Canada fell 1.75 per cent to C$11.79 on Thursday, Feb. 16, on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

SUN MEDIA NEWS SERVICES – Canadian Tire is launching a pilot program in Atlantic Canada where customers are offered a loyalty card instead of its iconic paper money. The program will only be available at stores and gas bars in Nova Scotia. Customers will be given loyalty cards or a keychain fob to collect their Canadian Tire money. Customers will also still be able to collect the paper money if they don’t take part in the new program. The new loyalty program will see customers collect one point for every dollar they spend in

store, even when paying with a major credit card. Currently, people using credit cards, other than the store’s own card, do not get Canadian Tire money. Canadian Tire said the paper money has existed for 54 years.

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Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

STALBERTJOBS.COM

Be on lookout before you accept that job CHARLES STRACHEY Sun Media News Services

Dear Working Wise: I just turned down a job offer as a salesperson, because they wanted me to sign an agreement saying that I would not work for one of their competitors for six months after leaving the company. This is the first time I’ve been asked to agree to these kinds of terms. Is this something new? What else should I be on the lookout for when negotiating job offers? Signed, Cautious Dear Cautious: Restrictive covenants like nonsolicitation and non-competition are not new, but they are becoming more common as employers try to protect their business interests. For example, most employers wouldn’t want a salesperson taking all their customer contacts with them if they took a job with the competition.

Before you sign any such agreement, I recommend you consult with a lawyer to ensure the employer isn’t trying to restrict your future career options too much. Use the Law Society of Alberta’s free lawyer referral service to find a lawyer who specializes in employment law. Check it out at: www.lawsocietyalberta.com. When considering a job offer, you should also ensure you understand the offer and consider all the terms of employment such as hours, salary and benefits. Get the offer in writing or take detailed notes of the verbal offer and then e-mail or fax your notes back to the employer for confirmation. Ask the employer to explain anything you don’t understand. Find out when will you be working and for how long? Will there be any shift work, overtime or travel? Is the overtime paid or unpaid (some professions are exempt from overtime rules)? Will you be required to use your personal vehicle? If so, will you be compensated for mileage and insurance costs

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The successful candidate will satisfy the following:  Minimum 2 years administration experience  Loan administration experience an asset  Strong administrative ability and

communication skills (both written and oral)

related to using your car for business purposes? Compensation — What is the salary or wage? Are you eligible for any performance bonuses or commissions? Are there scheduled salary increases and cost-of-living raises or do you have to negotiate each one? Other benefits — What about health and dental coverage, pensions or retirement savings programs, vacation, sick days, personal days, severance pay, employee wellness programs, vehicle allowance, daily living allowance (if travel is required), and parking? If you are unsatisfied with the financial compensation being offered, but are still interested in the job, you might want to counter the employer’s offer by suggesting they increase another benefit that does not directly impact their bottom line. For example, ask for an extra week of paid vacation, free parking, a better job title, or see if you can work some hours at home. Most employers expect you to think about the offer before you decide. Let the employer know that you are very interested in the job, and that you will make a decision within a specific period of time, e.g. three days. Evaluate the offer — If you are not sure how good the offer is, you can check it against industry standard salaries, benefits and working conditions by: reviewing the Alberta Occupational Profiles available on the Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) website at www.alis.alberta. ca; looking at the Alberta Wage and Salary Survey on the ALIS website; talking to people you know who work in similar jobs; or checking with your professional association or union. Be careful. Once you have accepted the job, you will not be able to negotiate for changes to the offer. If you decide to accept the offer, let the employer know that you’re looking forward to getting started. If you are making a counter-offer, be prepared to explain why you are worth the extra pay or vacation week. Good luck! Do you have a work-related question? Send your questions to Working Wise, at charles.strachey@gov.ab.ca.

 Good analytical and organizational skills with

strong attention to detail required

6 months - 1 year experience in all fields required immediately. Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Requirements and Qualifications • Working knowledge of Modular Home construction industry an asset • Considered candidates must agree to pre-employment medical and drug testing

 Strong knowledge of Word and Excel  Post secondary accounting education an asset

The successful candidate will contribute to the achievement of branch targets and goals by providing administrative support to the branch lending team by diligently following bank procedures and processes in an accurate, well organized and efficient manner.

Igloo offers competitive wages, and a comprehensive benefits package and pension plan to full time employees. Interested applicants are invited to submit their resume in word format via email. Please make reference to the job title in the subject line. Igloo thanks all applicants, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Interested applicants are invited to submit their resume in word format via email to wendy.reynolds@igloo.ca.

RECEPTION/OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Education: Completion of college, vocational or technical training Skills required: Must know excel and have knowledge of Simply Accounting Overall Responsibility: Provide day to day accounting related duties for a number of small businesses working out of one office. Duties include but are not limited to assisting with AR and invoicing. Ideally you will be able to demonstrate your ability to meet deadlines with an eye for detail in our fast paced environment. Term of Employment: Full time, salaried Skills • Simply accounting knowledge and experience is required • Strong written and oral communication skills • Proficient personal computer skills in MS Outlook, and Excel • Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail

Canadian Western Bank is an equal opportunity employer. For recruitment purposes we may share information with our other branches, departments and subsidiaries on a strictly confidential basis. We appreciate interest expressed by all applicants, however, only those individuals interviewed will receive a response.

Remuneration: A competitive remuneration and benefit package is offered dependent on skills and experience

Email resumes to: ldika@abconcretepumping.com

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

OFFICE DATING By ThE NumBErs

30%:

Three-in-10 workers said they have dated a co-worker at least once over the course of their career, according to CareerBuilder.ca’s annual office romance survey of more than 600 workers across Canada.

28%: 70%: The best jobs for finding love 12%:

said their office romance led them to the altar.

Most workers — 70 % —who have had office romances said they were open about their dating situation. Thirty per cent reported they had to keep the relationship under wraps.

SUN MEDIA NEWS SERVICES – One of the best places to meet a mate is the place where you spend most of your waking hours — at work, says a new report on CareerCast.com. To boost your changes of finding love, it helps to have a job where you interact with lots of people. Here are seven jobs with good potential to meet your future spouse: Hotel Guest service AGent: There’s nothing like good hospitality to lead you to your soul mate. While working in a hotel, you’ll be exposed to many single professionals. It’s your job to make their stay a good one, and they’ll certainly take notice of you. BArtender: Bartending will put your listening skills to the test and surround you with plenty of single people trying to get your attention. Bartending is a great opportunity to meet your potential mate. You can easily learn the basics about each other over a cold one. And they may even return the favour for your great service by offering to buy you dinner. FliGHt AttendAnt: As a flight attendant, your potential mate could be travelling for a business trip or a quick getaway. You will get the chance to have at least a couple of hours to make an impression as you work the aisles. Fitness instructor/PersonAl trAiner: Being sociable here is actually a job requirement, and

this imperative takes away the need for an icebreaker. Conducting training sessions or group exercise classes can be a good way to get to know your potential mate without the formality of an actual date. retAil sAles sPeciAlist: You will never be short of opportunities to flash that winning smile as you say, “Can I help you?” or “Did you find everything you needed?” Nothing takes the edge off of an introduction than being required to talk to people who walk into the store. PHArmAceuticAl rePresentAtive: Where else can you have the opportunity to talk with lots of medical professionals and speak their language? Though some days it can be tough to find time to fit into a doctor’s schedule, you can bring lunch to doctors’ offices, and talk to the staff over tacos. dAnce instructor: Reality shows have made dance classes all the rage. It’s also a great place to check out each other’s moves and to innocently gaze into each other’s eyes. You can expect to see the same people week after week too, giving romance a chance to bloom. If love does strike at work, make sure you act professionally if your feelings are not reciprocated (i.e., don’t stalk the person, which can lead to your dismissal). And if love doesn’t strike at work, you can still find a job you love.

Our employees take pride in providing more than 60,000 residents with high-quality programs and services. A wide array of opportunities are available to suit your passion and experience. You can cultivate your career in a place where staff not only care about the work they do but also the people they work alongside. We have the following employment opportunities available:

• General Manager, Economic Development • Senior Long Range Planner • Utilities Project Coordinator

• Utility Engineer • Pilates Instructor

has an immediate opening for a

for their busy warehouse. F/T, Salary Negotable, Benifits. Fork Lift and Receiving experience required. Apply in person to 17811 107Ave. E-mail connie@arrowwelding.com or fax: 780-484-3738

Are you looking for a unique opportunity to grow your career in a place where people care?

• Night Shift Caretakers

Arrow Welding & Industrial Supplies Inc.

ReceiveR

reported dating co-workers at least twice.

www.seniorhomecarebyangels.ca

is currently recruiting

Mature Caring staff

for St.Albert and Edmonton You have your own vehicle, current, clean criminal record check and cell phone. Casual positions 4-24 hours. You enjoy spending time with Seniors and the disabled. HCA,s companions, caregivers, light housekeepers are welcome to email resumes to; seniorhomecareangels@telus.net or fax 780-443-2324

For information on these and other current opportunities available at the City of St. Albert please visit our website at www.stalbert.ca/employment or drop by our Human Resources department. Human Resources The City of St. Albert 216, 7 St. Anne Street St. Albert, Alberta T8N 2X4 Fax: (780) 459-1729 Online applications: www.stalbert.ca/employment We wish to express our appreciation to all applicants for their interest and effort in applying for this position but only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012

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