Feast before the fast ... Doreen Dubreuil, left, serves some pancake toppings to Gail Althouse while Ron and Lynn Scott wait their turn, Tuesday at the Biggar United Church’s Shrove Tuesday. A time of repentance, the Lenten season is upon us, and the United Church’s Shrove Tuesday was a time to recognize one of the most important times of the faith year, get in a great meal, and share some social time. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
The U13 Nationals hit the Jubilee Stadium for Game 2 of their Provincial B run versus the Meadow Lake Stamps, February 27. A do-or-die affair, the Nats forced the mini game after a 12-10 win. The 10 minute Game 3 didn’t decide anything forcing the OT where the Stamps got the sudden death marker. The Nats gave everthing they had, and it was just a small mistake. Still, give them a hand - they had an amazing season, and on this night, won over a few new fans!
(Independent Photos by Kevin Brautigam)
by Sgt. Dereck Crozier, Biggar Detachment
This past week 42 occurrences were handled by the Biggar Detachment. The majority of incidents this week were traffic related. As our streets start to lose their snow pack and the warmer weather comes, speeds have a tendency to pick up. It is a good time to remind the motoring public that
Biggar RCMP report
the speed in town is only 40 km/k for most of the streets. There is no need for everyone racing any faster to the arena, as the extra 15 to 20 kilometres an hour may only save you about 30 second at a risk of a $170 reminder. Not to forget the playground and park area that is located between Second and Third Avenue. Please be mindful with the warmer weather and improved walking conditions, the increase of pedestrian traffic as well. Watch for puddles and standing water while you are driving and provide a little courtesy to those that are walking.
Thirteen traffic safety coupons were given out last week along with nine warnings.
A 13-year-old was stopped driving a snowmobile down Third Avenue and send back home. Snowmobile operators require a valid licence or the safety course certificate if under aged and need to be accompanied by an adult. Not to mention, all snowmobiles need to have their registration plate if being operated on public and crown land.
A report of a 15-yearold operating a vehicle around Perdue, driving around with a few of
their school friends on board. Parents have been notified in hopes to prevent further incidents.
A driver of a red Mustang on Highway 14 was looking for assistance after a tow strap got wrapped up around one of their tires.
A call about disturbing the peace after a disgruntled 61-year-old male threw a pill bottle at a pharmacist.
A report of mischief and theft upon discovering a gas tank was drilled on a truck at Nutrien AG. Take care out there!
Sun West names new Director of Education
Sun West School Division Board of Education announced recently that Darryl Seguin, currently Superintendent/CEO of the Livingstone Range School Division in Alberta, will be the next Sun West Director of Education, beginning August 1, 2025.
Prior to the Christmas break, the Board began an extensive search for a new Director of Education, before deciding on Seguin in February.
“We were pleased to have a strong field of candidates who were
interested in Sun West,” stated Michele Whitfield, Chair of the Sun West Board of Education. “We are even more pleased that Darryl has accepted our invitation to lead Sun West. His combination of experience, team-building skills, and dedication to young people will continue to move Sun West in a positive direction.”
Seguin has been Superintendent/CEO of Livingstone Range since 2017. Prior to that, he enjoyed a highly successful career as a senior administrator, principal and teacher with Livingstone Range and several other school divisions in Alberta. He has 27 years of leadership experience, including 13 years at the school division level, and 14 years as a school-based administrator.
Recognizing that each person possesses unique strengths and
abilities, Seguin enjoys creating engaging and innovative programs and opportunities to enhance student and staff success. He has a passion for lifelong learning and leadership development.
In addition to meeting the Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard, Seguin has experience teaching the Leadership Quality Standard certification course for principals in Alberta and facilitating a number of Franklin Covey leadership training courses.
“I am excited to join the Sun West Trustees, staff, parents, families and communities as we work together to prioritize student learning and engagement and ensure Sun West students feel safe and cared for,” said Sequin. “I have worked with Livingstone Range School Division for the past 20 years and
although I am leaving behind a piece of my heart in Southern Alberta, I look forward to new friendships, opportunities and adventures with the Sun West community.”
Throughout his career Seguin has taken a studentcentered approach. He has a strong belief in student engagement and leadership, and a passion for seeing students work toward success and achieve their potential.
“I am intrigued by Sun West’s innovative, collaborative and studentleadership focus. These are aspects that align well with my beliefs about education,” explains Seguin. “Working together, I believe the parents, staff and community members of the Sun West School Division will find great joy as we watch our students achieve success in their educational journeys.”
Report
by Erroll Horst, Biggar Fire Department
Well at least February left us nicer than it came in.
Calls during the month included one false alarm, one Investigation Request, and one Rescue bringing the year to date total to eight calls.
Considering the weather we were experiencing our practices were held indoors. We concentrated on knots and using them to set up rope rescues with both ladders and tripods. We also spent time reviewing map
reading and going over equipment carried on the trucks and what it can be used for with our newer members. Speaking of which, we have a couple of new Junior Firefighters on our crew. Jayce Fick and Chloe Evans decided to find out what the Fire Department is all about. As always you can find us at the fire hall, Mondays at 7 p.m. (112 Turnbull Avenue). If you’re interested in finding out more, come on down and see us.
RM of Biggar council minute highlights
The regular meeting of the RM of Biggar No. 347 was held January 21 at the municipal office at 9 a.m. Attending were Reeve Jeanne-Marie de Moissac, Councillors Brad Poletz, Melanie Peiffer, Dale Thomson, Mark Sagon, and Greg Mundt (Brian Watson attended the meeting via conference call), Administrator Sandi Silvernagle, Assistant Administrator Maria Danychuk, and Foreman Darren Comstock.
The following are some highlights of the meeting.
Council agreed that the December 2024 Bank Reconciliation and Financial Statement, be received and filed as presented.
Council agreed to resolve payments for cheques, online payments, online utility payments, Mastercard, monthly remittances, and December payroll in the amount of $386,929.85 be approved.
Division 1 to 6 verbal reports for January 2025 were delivered by the associated Councillor, as well as Administrator Sandi Silvernagle and Forman Darren Comstock’s January 2025 reports.
Council met with Curtis Hemming and Jeremy Welter from APAS at 10 a.m. to discuss APAS.
Hemming and Welter left the meeting at 10:38 a.m. Council also met with Kaylea Rogers and Aaron Svendsen from the Ministry of Highways to discuss the Highway 51 Project. Rogers and Svendsen left the meeting at 11:41 a.m.
Council agreed to resolve the following correspondence: Unlock New Grant Opportunities for Rural Municipality of Biggar; Municipal Involvement in Regulated Child Care; 2025 Regular Meeting Schedule; Road 656, 347 Biggar Integrated Road Program (2025); RCMP - FVIF Application Package 2025-2026; Matthias Derks - E-mail to Council.
Council agreed to resolved they approve to allocate the RM of Biggar’s portion, in the amount of $6,400 from the Sask Lotteries Community Grant Program for 2026, to the Town of Biggar. Council agreed to hereby appoint Councillors Brad Poletz and Greg Mundt as the voting delegates for the 2025 SARM Convention held in Saskatoon, March 11-13.
Council agreed to approve the payment to SARM of $3,894.41 for the 2025 Membership fee.
• Meeting adjourned at 3:14 p.m.
Blades of the Future ... Biggar Jubilee Stadium was full with the shouts of hockey as the U7 Nats hosted a tourney. The day was busy with the stars of tomorrow showing off what they can do. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)
The fentanyl crisis
is a war and Canada is on the wrong
side
by Brian Giesbrecht, Senior Fellow, Frontier Centre
for Public
Policy
It took the threat of U.S. tariffs for Canada to wake up to the horrors of the fentanyl epidemic that is destroying young lives and shattering families.
Canadians, who panicked over COVID19 deaths, have hardly noticed that far more healthy Canadians and Americans are now dying from fentanyl overdoses than ever died from COVID.
Yet while Americans confront this deadly epidemic, Canada remains oblivious to how deeply the crisis has infiltrated our borders.
A grim milestone came in 2021 when U.S. opioid overdose deaths exceeded 100,000 in a single year. More than a million Americans have died from opioid overdoses since these highly addictive drugs first entered the market. Today, fentanyl overdose is the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 25.
Behind every kilogram of fentanyl lies half a million potential deaths. Behind every pill - a game of Russian roulette.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid so powerful that one kilogram can kill 500,000 people. Its extreme potency makes it both highly dangerous and easy to smuggle. A
by Marco Navarro-Genie, Vice-President,
Frontier Centre for Public Policy
An Oscar-shortlisted documentary should be held to the highest journalistic and factual standards. Sugarcane, directed by Julian Brave Noisecat and Emily Kassie, fails this test spectacularly.
The film, which claims to expose a pattern of infanticide at St. Joseph’s Mission, a former Catholic residential school in British Columbia, is riddled with misinformation, unverified allegations, and outright falsehoods. It relies on emotional manipulation and selective storytelling to push a narrative that is not backed by evidence. This is not just an artistic failing - it is a betrayal of truth. And yet, it was embraced by Hollywood, earning a spot on the Oscar shortlist.
Despite the Academy’s recognition, Sugarcane ultimately did not win an Oscar. But the fact that it was even considered for such an honour exposes a troubling
single backpack thrown across the border can carry $1 million worth of the drug. It is easy to see why so many opportunists are willing to risk their lives producing and selling it. Overdose statistics fail to capture the bodies found in deserts or those murdered in the vicious drug trade.
Fentanyl is produced for a few cents per pill but sold on the street for many times that, making it both profitable and a cheap high. Incredibly addictive, it is found in virtually all street drugs, giving “the most bang for the buck.” Made by amateurs, these drugs are carelessly laced with lethal doses. And because the pills look identical, users never know whether a dose will get them high - or kill them. But Canada is not just a bystander in this crisis. A loophole in our border laws - the “de minimis” exemption - has turned Canada into a gateway for fentanyl entering U.S. communities.
This exemption allows exporters to ship small packages valued at less than $800 directly to customers with minimal border inspection. Chinese exporters exploit this loophole to ship fentanyl precursors into Canada, where they are processed into pills or moved to Mexico
trend: the prioritization of ideological narratives over factual integrity.
The film presents itself as an investigative documentary, yet it never provides a single shred of forensic proof to back its most shocking claim - that babies were murdered and incinerated at St. Joseph’s. Experts in Indigenous history and residential schools in Canada unequivocally state that there is no pattern of infanticide. No remains have been found. No credible witness has testified to such acts. Yet the film delivers this claim as fact.
The so-called investigation at the centre of the film has not produced any verifiable evidence of missing children, secret burials, or infant killings. The documentary misleads audiences by implying that Julian Noisecat’s father, Ed Noisecat, was fathered by a priest, and that the priest played a role in attempting to dispose of baby Ed in a school incinerator.
In fact, Ed’s father was
under the supervision of Mexican drug cartels.
The Trump administration has pressed Canada to close this loophole. That it has existed for years, almost unnoticed, should shock us to the core.
The problem of fentanyl production within Canada should not be minimized. The RCMP reports that fentanyl labs are appearing across B.C., often producing methamphetamine alongside fentanyl. These small labs supply both domestic and international markets. The threat is real, and it is growing.
Exactly how many Canadians have died from fentanyl overdoses is unclear. However, with Canada’s population roughly one-ninth that of the U.S., it is reasonable to estimate that Canadian deaths are approximately one-ninth of U.S. numbers.
But overdose numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. The number of lives wrecked by this drug is staggering. Parents watch their children - once vibrant and full of promisedisappear before their eyes. Their beauty fades, their minds unravel, and their lives collapse into the desperate cycle of chasing the next fix. Some escape. Many don’t. Until death takes
Ray Peters, an indigenous man with whom Ed’s mother, Antoinette Archie, had several other children. It was Antoinette Archie who, for unexplained reasons, abandoned her baby in the school incinerator. For that crime, Antoinette was charged, convicted, and served one year in jail. No priest was involved in this sad story.
This is a critical distinction. The film twists a tragic personal story to fit a predetermined political narrative, ignoring the facts in favour of sensationalism. It presents these distortions without scrutiny, allowing a falsehood to become accepted as truth. The question that must be asked is: why was this allowed to happen? Why did neither the filmmakers nor their backers demand basic journalistic integrity before promoting these claims?
The deception does not stop there. The film splices together archival footage from other schools, giving the impression that scenes from different
them, that is.
The new Trump administration has promised to confront this carnage. “This is a drug war,” Peter Navarro, assistant to the president and director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, recently told reporters. “The Mexican cartels have expanded up to Canada, making fentanyl there and sending it down to the U.S. The Chinese are using Canada to send in small parcels below the radar. It’s important that Canadians understand we are trying to stop the killing of Americans by these deadly drugs.”
But while the U.S. acts, Canada hesitates. Trump is addressing the problem - Canada is enabling it.
The Trump administration also views Canada’s lax drug laws and casual attitude toward buying and selling even the most dangerous drugs as an exacerbating factor. However, on the fentanyl issue, it is clear Trump is determined to tackle a problem Canada has largely ignored. He should be commended for this, and Canada should start cleaning up its own mess.
Yet fentanyl smuggling from Canada is only part of a larger issue. Behind the drug trade lies an even more insidious enemy: the Chinese
locations are directly connected to St. Joseph’s. This is not just careless editing - it is deliberate misrepresentation.
This technique has been used before to shape public opinion on residential schools. In 2021, Canadians were told that mass graves had been discovered at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. The media ran with the story, and even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took a knee in front of a memorial. But years later, no bodies have been found. The so-called discovery was merely a radar scan showing soil disturbances - something that could have been caused by tree roots or construction, not burials.
The fallout from this misinformation was enormous. Across Canada, dozens of churches were burned or vandalized. People who questioned the claims were silenced or branded as deniers.
The Catholic Church was vilified, despite clear evidence that Indigenous leaders were actively involved in running
INDEPENDENT
Communist Party (CCP).
The importation of fentanyl precursors from China, facilitated by Mexican cartels, has turned Vancouver into a money-laundering hub for the CCP. Investigative reporters like Sam Cooper and Terry Glavin have revealed the depth of this corruption, despite the Hogue Commission’s failure to expose it fully.
Ryan P. Williams, president of the Claremont Institute, warns that “The fentanyl crisis is part of a larger campaign by the CCP to destabilize Western nations. They flood our streets with poison while corrupting our institutions from within. If Canada doesn’t confront this threat, it will lose not only livesbut its sovereignty.”
Our new “fentanyl czar,” appointed by
residential schools. And yet, when it became clear that no remains had been uncovered, there was no media reckoning, government apology, or accountability.
Now, with Sugarcane, we were told that St. Joseph’s was a site of systematic infanticide. This, too, is false. But the damage has already been done. The film’s Oscar recognition, even without a win, gave its fabrications an undeserved stamp of credibility.
The implications of this go beyond one documentary. The push to promote a false history for ideological or political gain erodes trust in real historical injustices. Canadians deserve to know the truth about residential schools, not fabricated horror stories designed to provoke outrage. What happened in these schools was tragic enough - why distort it?
The financial and political incentives to push these falsehoods cannot be ignored. Governments, advocacy groups, and filmmakers
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, should not only address the drug crisis but also expose how deeply Canada has been compromised by a hostile CCP.
Tackling the fentanyl problem will be enormously difficultlikely impossible - for the Trump administration without cooperation from China, Mexico and even Canada. And forcing that cooperation is likely the first part of Trump’s plan.
Canada’s role may be small, but it must take full responsibility for securing its borders and confronting the fentanyl crisis. Trump has forced us to act. Now, if we are serious about restoring our nation’s integrity, we must break the CCP’s grip on our institutions. In doing so, we will save Canadian lives.
stand to benefit from narratives that stoke division and victimhood. Sugarcane received significant funding and glowing media coverage not because it is accurate, but because it aligns with a preferred ideological viewpoint. In contrast, Indigenous scholars and journalists who challenge these claims are ignored or attacked.
Documentaries are meant to inform, not mislead. Yet Sugarcane was celebrated, not challenged, by critics and film festivals that should know better. While it did not win an Oscar, its nomination alone signals a disturbing willingness to reward propaganda over truth.
This is bigger than one film. It’s about whether we allow history to be rewritten by those with an agenda. Sugarcane must be held accountable for its distortions. And Canadians must demand that taxpayer-funded investigations produce facts, not fiction. The truth matters. Even when it’s inconvenient.
[Editor’s Note: Bob wrote this piece for The Independent in February of 2003. Given the current dumpster fire of a “president”, it warrants a look back!]
To begin with, I must mention that, personally, I feel most Americans are pretty good people. The thing about them that has bothered me most of my life is their image.
Not many times times in the past have I met folks from the USA who didn’t make me feel just a little bit inferior. Not because we are, mind you, but
Terrariums - a landscape within It is a wonderful time of year to explore another gardening alternativeafter all with winter still keeping us indoors, why not get growing! A terrarium is really just a self-contained landscape - complete with a variety of living plants and even a critter or two if you choose. First and foremost, it is important to select a container for the terrarium that is attractive to you - be a bit adventurous here and choose something that is unique. It can be as small as a brandy snifter or as large as a huge aquarium. Spend a bit of time browsing to find any type of vessel that will hold both soil and water.
A terrarium is a beautiful, self-contained, selfsustaining environment - one which emulates a greenhouse on a smaller scale. They operate on the same principle as the whole earth runs on. The rain falls, then evaporates into the air, gathers in the clouds and then once again falls to the earth. It is an example of the beau-
because often, to many of them, we don’t live the AWL (American Way of Life) and therefore, are inferior!
I met a man many years ago - many of the readers will know him - who had just gotten back from a long tour of Europe. Of course over here, where he had lived most of his life, he had heard what a deprived, hopeless life they lived over there.
“If they’re hard-up and don’t enjoy life,” he told me, “they sure don’t know it!”
Possibly my worst impressions of Americans were while I was in the army. Without a doubt they had far more money than we did. As a matter of fact, they had a lot more of everything, and often couldn’t help but explain this to us.
We were resting beside a road in England after a long march when a U.S. outfit pulled up and stopped. A guy jumped out of a jeep and strode across the road right past where a couple of
tiful cycle of nature. They are great choices for those who live with pets that like to chew up plants; for those looking for a beautiful living area; and for those looking for the absolute perfect gift for a gardener.
The terrarium began as a rather happy accident of pollution.
In 1827, a doctor in London who was a bit of a plant fancier found his fern garden was being choked by the heavy pollution in London during the industrial age. At the same time, he was studying caterpillar cocoons in glass jars. One day, he noticed a tiny fern growing quite happily in one of the jars. Needless to say, he made the connection between safely growing his garden ferns in jars thus protecting them from
Amäricans
our guys were smoking, singled out our young officer and said, “Hey Bud, gimme a light!”
Of course our officer pulled out a match and gave him a light.
It was obvious to the rest of us that the guy didn’t want a light as much as he wanted to show us low-life Canadians who called our officers “Sir,” that he, as an American, could address him as “Bud”!
He may not have shown much respect for our Canadian officer - and maybe he didn’t have to! - but that one little incident on the back roads of England so long ago, affected my respect of the American image for the next 50 years.
Sorry!
A lot of this kind of stuff can be attributed to education. American people have every bit as much capacity for knowledge as anyone in the rest of the world. Not more, mind you, but as much. And to me it seems that whereas they
the harsh realities of life in London at that time.
The lure of terrariums quickly spread as they proved to be a solution to keeping some of the more exotic tropical plants alive and well in the colder, less hospitable climate of England. Ideally, the best terrariums are filled with plants that need less light - or what we would typically call “shade plants”. Choosing the right plants is essential as in an enclosed environment, it is necessary to ensure that all plants have similar cultural needs.
Other than that, your imagination is really the only limiting factor!
Begin by lining the bottom of the terrarium with a drainage layer that is needed to help keep the roots from rotting in a very
often take a very worldly attitude when it comes to material enterprise, not so in education. To many a citizen of the USA, civilization stops at their border!
Heck, a few years ago I read an article in a highclass U.S. magazine about the state of Minnesota. A picture showed a bit of fence line, which was part of the 49th Parallel, and a caption which told the reader that beyond that fence lay the Arctic!
Sorry again! We Canadians know it as southern Manitoba! But to a reader?! No wonder the odd U.S. citizen thinks that our lakes never thaw out!
I could quote Doris Anderson, I guess. Doris was the editor of Chatelaine Magazine at the time, and her editorial, “Oh, Canada! What do we know of thee?” appeared some years ago.
“Ninety-seven per cent of all magazines sold in Canada are of U.S. origin,” and “only one-third of the
humid environment. Next, layer crushed charcoal lightly covered with a thin layer of pebbles or gravel. Following next is a layer of sphagnum moss whose purpose is to prevent the soil from sifting into the bottom drainage layer. The top is a layer of soil or media - ideally a potting soil mix laced with sand. To make your own media use two parts soil to onepart coarse sand and onepart compost. This soil layer is typically where you create your landscape by creating hills, terraces and hollows. If you are planning to include a critter or two, ensure you are also creating an environment that will be conducive to the survival of the critter of choice. Consult a knowledgeable pet person or veterinarian to ensure the environment will fit!
Next is the step where you
schools surveyed even had a course in Canadian literature,” and “88 per cent of Canadian school library money goes to buy foreign books.”
According to her editorial in June 1975, many of the Canadian school children about to graduate from high school thought that both Winston Churchill and Harry Truman were Canadian Prime Ministers! Over 60 per cent of those students failed the Canadian questionnaire! Why?
The guy pushing this pen up and down these lines, had a very limited education and much of if was gained during the war in Europe - so maybe I’d better stick to that.
I was reading a piece the other day:
“General Courtney Hodges commanded the last American army in Europe. They did most of the American fighting in Normandy, were the first troops into Germany, and acquired the most casualties of any American force.
add the plants. Place them in such a way that they will be attractive from all sides that are to be viewed. Plant and ensure the soil is firmly placed around the roots. Keep an eye on the terrarium to ensure all needs are being met. Be careful not to over-water! A well-planned terrarium will ensure years of “green” happiness! Good luck!
Patricia Hanbidge is the
And yet the name of this quiet-spoken, yet highly efficient General is virtually unknown. Whereas General George “Blood and Guts” Patton was lionized by the media, dressed like a Hollywood cowboy and eventually became an American hero. I leave you to judge which was the better commander!” In my old L and T (Life and Times) a few pieces keep turning up. Pieces like “Winning the Rhineland”, “Hogan’s Heroes”, “Tinsel strips” and “China!” And none of them inspire me to admire the U.S. opinion! Without a doubt, the American people are just the same as we are. They live, laugh, love and die just the same as we Canadians do, and if anyone flares up and tells me that this thinking is all wrong, it will only prove my point!
R.K. [Rudyard Kipling] wrote, years ago, “There is no East and there is no West!”
Lead Horticulturist with Orchid Horticulture. Find us at orchidhort.com; by e-mail at info@orchidhort.com; on facebook @ orchidhort and on instagram at #orchidhort. Tune into GROW Live on our Facebook page facebook. com/orchidhort or check out the Youtube channel GROW youtube.com/ channel/UCzkiUpkvyv2e2HCQlFl0JyQ?
Annual General Meeting
Monday, March 24, 2025
The Annual Meeting of the Biggar & District Community Foundation, 5:30 p.m. at the Biggar Town Office.
The report of the auditor will be presented and remarks from the Board of Directors.
3 col/6
“All interested persons are invited to attend.”
NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL Rural Municipality of Eagle Creek No. 376
Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll of the Rural Municipality of Eagle Creek No. 376 for the year 2025 has been prepared and is open to inspection at the office of the assessor from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the following days, Monday to Thursday, March 6th to May 6th, 2025 except all public holidays.
A Bylaw pursuant to Section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and assessment notices have been sent as required.
Any person who wishes to appeal his or her assessment is required to file his or her notice of appeal, including the appeal fee, by the 6th day of May, 2025 with:
KARA LINDAL, Secretary to the Board of Revision Western Municipal Consulting Box 149 Meota, SK S0M 1X0
Dated this 6th day of March, 2025
Trent Smith, Assessor
Patricia Hanbidge Orchid Horiculture
Bob Mason Notable Notes
Dear Money Lady,
Are we going into a recession now that U.S. President Trump is planning to enforce all his tariffs and make us become part of the U.S. Jim Dear Jim,
Well, isn’t that a loaded question.
If we are not in a
by Delta Fay Cruickshank for the Biggar Museum and Gallery I find coming back from the city takes forever ... the never-ending road. But, as soon as I see that Vance sign on top of that hill, I sigh, and I know I’m almost home!
I’ve always wondered what was at Vance. So, I went on a hunt. I found a write up in our Family Research Library, written by Jessie Mann in August 1976. Her husband Lewis told her the story and she wrote it. They knew about Vance because they lived only two miles south of the townsite. Then I found pages in the North
recession now, we are definitely in an economic downturn.
I do not believe we will be swallowed up by the United States. However, this media stir has done a good job in bringing us all together. Some of the things that are now on the table for change (such as military spending, provincial trade restrictions and the future of our oil, gas and precious metals) all needed to be better managed.
Change rarely comes about on its own. It needs a little pain to be enforced before people actually make a plan to change things. Just like we all should do with our own financial plans for the future, right?
How are your finances right now? Are you
saving, just getting by, or racked in debt? Do you like your job, hate your job, or wishing you could pack it in for good?
Many of us can see the changes we all need to make as a united country. We can also see the changes for others around us and we are more than happy to dish out the advice.
But when it comes to ourselves, we let our fears hold us back, never really taking the advice that we give out so freely. We all suffer with this at some stage of our lives - we love to preach it, but we sometimes have difficulty practicing what we preach.
By the time you reach your mid-fifties you have probably suffered greatly with either personal, financial or career
challenges. Have you ever noticed how we can see the problems, or more importantly the solutions for others, due to our own life experiences; but often cannot recognize it for ourselves? Perhaps it is our own personal or perceived insecurities about how to address difficult decisions that many Canadians today are selling themselves short, especially when it comes to saving for retirement.
Yes, I know that life is expensive and there are a lot of demands on your wallet, especially now. However, to become debt-free and wealthy the solution is very simple: set a goal, make a plan, work your plan, reassess your outcome and have the courage to make the necessary changes
to achieve your goal. Consistent determination is the only way people have improved their lives and become financially successful. It really doesn’t matter what is going on in the world around you and using that as a reason to be overwhelmed or to not try to overcome your own hardships; well, that’s like giving up before you’ve even got started.
Remember - money is emotional. To save for retirement you can either make all the excuses of why not to, or you can find a way to make life changes and sacrifices to ensure your independence and security as you age.
Your true success is not measured by the material things that you have purchased but instead should be defined by
Vance, a town from not so long ago
Biggar History, Harvest of Memories books.
There is a rather tragic story on how Vance got its name. At one time the two main rail lines, CNR and CPR were only about 50 rods apart near the townsite. A Civil Engineer by the name of Vance was sent out to change this. That day the weather was cold and rough, so he took off on snowshoes. A Mr. McNair found the frozen body of Vance the next day. So in honour of this man’s life, the town site was called Vance. Vance was a CPR stopping point. There was a good water supply at this site to supply the
steam engines. CP built a large water tank, a coal dock, pump house, a pumpman’s residence, a section house, a bunkhouse, a tool shed and a small station. The town site was on the Lawrence’s homestead at homestead on W 1/225-35-14-W3rd. This was Vance, until Frank Lawrence built a beautiful two storey frame house. Beautiful and yet built with no insulation!
Lewis Mann tells the story of having to spend a night with the Lawrences. He was on his way home with a large load of hay. A blizzard blew in and tipped his load near the
house in Vance. They invited him to spend the night. He climbed into the bed with their little boy, Walter. They had lots of blankets, but Lewis claimed he was never as cold as he was that night!
Mr. Lawrence had the first post office. Inside he had a little store carrying some of the necessities of life. He eventually sold his farm and house to Ed Johnston, and James McIntosh Sr. took over the post office. Johnston was the elevator agent at the Scottish Cooperative Society.
Vance was on the banks of a big cooley, a
favourite spot for people to pick saskatoons. People from Biggar came out to pick the berries. Lewis mentioned in his story that when times got hard many school lunches were “Saskatoon Sandwiches”. Were they filled with saskatoons, or jam made from the berries?
The Vanceview School was two miles away from the townsite. That would be a long walk for the students ... was it uphill both ways? The school building, a stable and an outhouse were built in 1915. The teachers lived in Biggar, three miles away, the teachers walked or rode on horseback.
what you have overcome in your life. It is about how many times you got back up after you’ve been knocked down and never stopped trying to succeed to accomplish the things that other people said you could never do. We all must take back our inner power and control. Refuse to settle for less and make sure you secure your financial future the way you want it.
Good luck and best wishes!
Written by Christine Ibbotson,
author, finance writer, syndicated national radio host, and now on BNN Bloomberg News, and CTV News. Send your money questions (answered free) through her website at info@ askthemoneylady.ca
The students relished the Christmas concert and the end of school year picnic. Sports were popular and Vanceview students excelled in their studies. The school was closed in 1953. There is a cairn in memory of Vance and those who built that town. Some of the names from the school and community are Harrabek, Mann, Hanson, Krowchenko, McLay, McInotsh, Leschinski and Harris. [Information from the North Biggar History books, Harvest of Memories.]
Christine Ibbotson Ask The Money Lady
The students at Vanceview, 1923.
Vanceview school students 1920. (Photo for The Independent by the Biggar Museum and Gallery)
A horse drawn combine near Vance in 1928.
The school building in 1938.
Crystal Ball pretty murky
by Calvin Daniels
After a winter that seems colder and snowier than normal - although that might be my impression based on this season being the eve of my 65th birthday - the current uptick in temps has me thinking spring.
While common Saskatchewan-bred sense tells me spring might still be weeks away, one can hope.
And, certainly farmers have to be sitting at their office desks, or kitchen tables for some, determining what crops to put in the ground come spring - or perhaps more accurately which crops they wish they could plant.
Certainly for many producers cropping options by this time of year are more restricted than non-producers
might imagine.
Modern production tends to be focused on long-term cropping rotations farmers tend not to want to veer from because over the years they have proven successful.
What crops can be grown in a particular field in any given year are also constrained by what crop protection - weed control - products were used in the previous year, and to an extent what fertilizers might have been fall applied.
Farmers also tend to sign contracts - many last fall - which set how what they need to produce to honour what they signed, again limiting what they might wish to grow by March.
So there are restrictions on what a producer can do, but this year maybe more opportunity for some regret over such restrictions.
Every spring there are things which lay on the horizon which may impact prices of a particular crop, from pressures on fertilizer prices that hit certain crops more than others, or world supply levels hinting at price hikes, or declines, but this year there is a bigger
wild card, Donald Trump. Irrational tariffs are going to be imposed by the U.S. president, it is just a question of when, and those will have a ripple effect on a range of exports leading back to what farmers are growing in 2025.
We might like to believe if we negotiate with Trump we can come to a deal, but while a concession might buy Canada a few more tarifffree weeks, the American wild card will just make his threat again, and ultimately he’ll impose them no matter the impact to the commonperson on either side of the border. We are after all at a point where the US sided with Russia at the United Nations, and Trump blames Ukraine for being invaded. Common humanity has fled the White House.
So cropping in 2025 will be more of a dice roll than usual, but perhaps because of what he previously noted restrictions are a good thing, forcing a stayingof-the-course rather than trying to guess what Trump will mean in the months ahead.
Calvin Daniels Agriculture
Kim Gartner
The Saskatchewan Traveller ... Nova Scotia Edition by Trudy and Dale Buxton
We have had a great visit in Kentville, so much history, and it all continues with a visit in New Minas.
New Minas borders the community of Kentville just to the west, with a population of around 6,000 people. New Minas today is a modern-day retail hub that houses many box stores and malls and is one of the largest retail centres of Nova Scotia.
The retail hub was part of an expansion of the community and with the addition of a major highway between the
Cabaret Cabaret
major centres, along with the very low tax rates the first mall was built in the early 1970s and with that followed by many box stores.
New Minas was founded way back in 1682 by the Acadians from the Grand Pre area and was known then as Les Mines from the copper mines that were explored at the mouth of the Minas Basin. When the English came in the surveyors named the settlement New Minas. The New England Planters resettled the area in the mid 1700s with the expulsion of the Acadians, and was mainly an agriculture hub with the fertile lands along the Cornwallis River.
Did you know that New Minas was the site of the first UFO sighting in North America, way back in 1796? A merchant from Liverpool reported stories that there were ships flying in the air around the New Minas area, this was reported by a young woman and two men who reported that they saw as many as 15 ships flying in the air. Lots of people at that time sure believed the story while others say that maybe it was too much rum.
From here we took a detour north on Highway 358, the destination is Blomidon Look-Off. This little detour takes about 30 minutes but once you get there the view of the Valley is absolutely fantastic.
To get there you go through the communities of Port Williams, which is a small community that was at one time a major shipping outlet with mostly farm goods and lumber. This was the site of Fort Hughes, which was decommissioned in the late 1700s but was the centre for a detachment of the Kings Orange Rangers, who were a bunch of loyalists that protected the interests of the King.
Another village that
we go through is the community of Canning, which at one time was a major shipbuilding and shipping centre for the farmers in the area. If you are into country music, Canning is the home the country legend Wilf Carter.
Also from Canning was a prominent Canadian politician Sir Fredrick William Borden who was the Minister of Militia prior to the First World War.
Once we through Canning we arrive at Blomindon Look-Off for a spectacular site of the Valley, and a little fresh ice cream from the local vendor.
Stay tuned for more from The Saskatchewan Traveller.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
THE RM OF ROSEMOUNT WILL BE CONSIDERING OFFERS ON THE POSSIBLE SALE OF THE CANDO COMMUNITY HALL
LOCATED @ 503 – ELM AVE (BLK 29) CANDO, SK 1960 – 40 X 60 HALL WITH KITCHEN AND CONTENTS
OFFERS WILL BE RECEIVED UNTIL MARCH 17TH, 2025
PLEASE EMAIL OFFERS TO rm378@sasktel.net OR FAX TO 306-658-2028
INQUIRIES CAN BE MADE TO THE RM OF ROSEMOUNT OFFICE @ 306-658-2034 OR BY CONTACTING CAROL @ 306-937-3954
Welcome to Port Williams, Nova Scotia
by
Biggar artists display in quilts in the museum gallery
Delta Fay Cruickshank for the Biggar Museum and Gallery
The Biggar Museum and Gallery is honoured to present a Quilt Exhibit in the Gallery. The Biggar Library Quilters Guild (BLQG) have been busy creating another “Same Pattern, Different Inspiration” display.
Four Biggar quilters have created quilts using six patterns. Even though the artisans have used the same pattern, each of the quilts are so different.
It is amazing the effects created using different colours.
The patterns they used this year are Chandelier, Stepping Stones, Frequency, Sugar Pie, It’s a Breeze, and Neapolitan.
The BLQG meets Thursdays in the Biggar Wheatland Library. They also meet Monday afternoons at St. Gabriel’s Church to create blankets for neonatal ward in the hospital. Their generosity continues at St. Gabriel’s Church as they create
quilts for the palliative ward. Some of the quilts have been started by those who need the comfort, and the guild has finished them. The Hospital Auxiliary has donated funds for the guild to purchase batting and backing materials for these quilts.
These creative individuals donate their time to bring some comfort for those who need it. Another testament to the generosity of our community members.
Generous of spirit as well bringing beauty to the everyday their quilts bring to someone’s home. The display will be up in the gallery of the Biggar Museum until March 30. The museum is open Monday to Friday, 1-5 p.m.
Tokaryk, Deputy Administrative Officer
Blazers take Kindersley tourney ... It was a nail-biter but the Green and Gold came away with the top spot in Kindersley this past weekend. The Senior Blazers Boys Basketball team worked hard to get to the final and they didn’t disappoint, winning 65-64. Congratulations, Blazers! (Submitted Photo)
U9 take Biggar year-end tourney ... The Biggar U9 Nationals
celebrate their championship Hi-Way 14 B Year End Tournament win this past weekend. The Nats played hard, putting in a thrilling tourney run at the
Congratulations,
(Argue)
Jube!
Nats! (Submitted Photo)
Overall, Ovechkin’s a sniper, but he’s no Gretzky
It was a legitimate question, coming from a person who is not a fan of the National Hockey League, but aware of the hype surrounding Washington Capitals’ sniper Alex Ovechkin’s drive to overtake Wayne Gretzky in the statistical category ‘most goalscareer’ in the NHL:
“So is Ovechkin better than Gretzky was?”
Uh, no. Not even close. It’s like asking whether Bruce Springsteen is a better musician than Ludwig van Beethoven or Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Springsteen may have made a lot more money than the men who came 200 years before him, but ... different eras.
Ovechkin’s goal-scoring feats are actually somewhat more impressive than Gretzky’s because the Russian-born 39-year-old has played most of his career in a defensive era whereas Gretzky played in - and was probably responsible for - a highoctane, let-er-rip offensive
era that produced massive offensive totals.
But as an overall player? There is no comparison. Not only did Gretzky score 894 goals during his 21-year NHL career (plus another 46 as a teenager in two World Hockey Association seasons before the Oilers joined the NHL) but he racked up 1,963 assists, a total no one will ever approach. In 1985-86, a season in which Gretzky scored 52 goals (only the eighthhighest single-season output in his career), the Great One picked up 163 assists. In fact, his assist tally alone that season would have won the Art Ross trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer. (Mario Lemieux was second in the points’ race that year with 141).
When Gretzky was in his prime, leading the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cups (1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988), the Oilers scored more than 5.5 goals per game. Ovechkin’s Capitals, the highestscoring team in the NHL this season, are averaging around 3.5 goals per game. Goalies may be better, or teams are playing a more defensive-style game, but whatever the reason, goals are far harder to come by for Ovechkin than they were for Gretzky, who had Hall of Famers Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and Paul Coffey, among others, either setting him up or scoring on Gretzky’s brilliant playmaking. Take away Gretzky’s 894
career goals and he still leads the NHL in career points, thanks to his 1,963 assists. Jaromir Jagr is second in total points with 1,921, and Jagr played 250 more games than did Gretzky. Ovechkin is 11th on the all-time points list.
A couple of weeks ago, when Ovechkin scored three goals in a 7-3 win over the Oilers to move to within 12 goals of tying the Gretzky mark, their pergame stats were incredibly close. Ovechkin’s pergame goal total was .60122 while Gretzky’s was .60121.
So no, Ovechkin may wind up to be the NHL’s all-time goalscoring leader, but he’s not in the Gretzky realm for overall greatness. The two are stylistically opposites: Gretzky the cerebral, methodical, slow-operating setup man who appeared to read the play two or three seconds before it happened; Ovechkin the wind-upand-blast sharpshooter who overpowered goalies. Ovechkin is great, no doubt. But he’s never going to surpass the Great One.
• Las Vegas Golden Knights feed on Twitter, after Victor Olofsson scored twice in a win over Minnesota: “How many times do you think we can say ‘Goalofsson’ in one night before we can start thinking of a second pun?”
• Wisdom from hockey great Gordie Howe: “I always tell kids, you have two eyes and one mouth.
Sask West This Week
by Phil Heilman
Both SWHL league and provincial playoffs are rolling along nicely for the teams left.
League
The Kindersley Sr Klippers hosted the Wilkie Outlaws in Game 2 of their semi-final matchup, with the visitors coming away with the 5-4 double OT win. Wilkie leads the series 2-0.
Brett Boehm scored the only goal of the first period (on the power play). In the middle frame, Jonny Calkins tied things up with a PPG of his own. However, Rick Cey would respond with the extra man advantage to give Wilkie the 2-1 lead. Jaxon Georget and Calkins each scored to give the Klippers their first lead, which was 3-2 after 40 minutes. Aiden Bangs added to the lead, but in ‘magic hour’ (the last three minutes of a game), Rory Gregoire would score twice to send the game into overtime. The first 10-minute OT had no results, but 54 seconds into the second 20-minute OT, Ryan Keller would end it.
Jared Herle stopped 32 of 36 shots in the win, while Logan Drackett
stopped 64 of 69 shots in the overtime loss.
Game 3 of the Edam/ Hafford series was supposed to be played Wednesday, February 26 in Hafford. Due to the warm weather, it has been moved to the Access Communications Centre in North Battleford for March 3.
Provincials
In Senior ‘B’, the Kindersley Klippers travelled east to Davidson for Game 1 of their North Final matchup against the Cyclones from the Sask Valley Hockey League. Davidson came away with the 6-4 victory. Game 2 is set for Friday, March 7 in Kindersley.
In Senior ‘C’, the Wilkie Outlaws welcomed the Lanigan Pirates of the Long Lake Hockey League in Game 1 of their North Final. Ryan Keller scored the hat trick on route to a 9-2 home victory. Game 2 will be played March 7 in Lanigan.
In Senior ‘D’, the Edam 3 Stars also headed east for the matchup against the Shellbrook Elks of the Twin Rivers Hockey League in Game 2 of their North Final. Shellbrook came away with a 9-7
Keep two open and one closed. You never learn anything if you’re the one talking.”
• RJ Currie of sportsdeke. com: “Tennis great Ilie Nastase, 78, recently was arrested by Romanian traffic cops - twice in just over six hours. The guy was known for his faults, but that’s one heck of a double fault.”
• Greg Cote of the Miami Herald, on Aaron Rodgers’ future: “If the Dolphins sign Rodgers to replace Tua Tagovailoa I’ll hitchhike from here to Winnipeg.”
• Headline at theonion. com: “Numerous teams express interest in Aaron Rodgers playing elsewhere.”
• SF Giants’ fan Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com: “Four weeks to MLB opening day. Look forward to the day when we can boo multimillionaires and billionaires, who instead of destroying our country, just play for the Dodgers.”
• Bob Molinaro of pilotonline.com (Hampton, Va,): “Now that the Canadians have hockey bragging rights, only an American sourpuss would point out that it’s been more than 30 years since a Canadian team brought home the Stanley Cup.”
• Vancouver comedy guy Torben Rolfsen: “Philadelphia Eagles GM
Howie Roseman was hit in the head with a beer can during the Eagles’ championship parade. That’s how you say good morning in Philadelphia.”
• RJ Currie of sportsdeke. com: “According to ESPN, MLB recently has had a problem - more strikeouts than hits. It’s the same problem I had when I was dating.”
• A groaner from RJ Currie: “2023 was the 30th year the Milwaukee
Biggar Bowling Weekly Scores
Monday Adult Mixed
Brewers sausages raced, and current sponsor Johnsonville says they plan to do so in 2025 and beyond. This has reassured fans who had feared for the wursts.”
• Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: “A penalty for the wayward Vancouver Canucks and nobody else: Too many Petterssons on the ice.”
• Care to comment? E-mail brucepenton2003@ yahoo.ca
victory. This tied the series at 1. The deciding Game 3 was played in Turtleford (due to the ice conditions in Edam being poor) on Sunday afternoon, with Edam coming away with the 5-1 victory. The 3 Stars win the series 2-1 and face the Delisle Bruins of the Sask Valley Hockey League in the North final.
Minor Hockey
The U18 National Outlaws are off to the North Final in the ‘B’ Division with a series win over their longtime rival Unity Lazers, winning Game 1 2-1 and tying Game 2 2-2. They will now face off against the Porcupine Plain Park Posse. The Posse has the hammer in the modified Best of 3 series.
In the ‘D’ division, the Kerrobert Rage and Macklin Mohawks will play an all West Central North final. Macklin has the hammer in the series.
In the U13 ‘C’ Division, the Unity Lazers and Maidstone Jets face off in Game 2 of their north semi-final Sunday afternoon and will be off to the North Final against the Outlook Ice Hawks with either a win or a tie. Unity won Game 1 8-0.
Tuesday Night Mixed
Thursday Afternoon Seniors
YBC
Ladies High Single - Marilyn Miller 229. Ladies High Triple - Leisha Redlick 577. Mens High Single - Mat Harrabek 238. Mens High Triple - Jason Raschke 552.
Ladies High Single - Melissa Raschke 236. Ladies High Triple - Melissa Raschke 536. Mens High Single - Michael Hebert 207. Mens High TripleMichael Hebert 504.
Ladies High Single - Bonnie Rosch 272. Ladies High Triple - Bonnie Rosch 564. Mens High Single - Gerry Besse 167. Mens High Triple - Gerry Besse 460.
Pee Wee Single - Blake Foster 111; Single - Hadley Harrabek 172; Triple - Hadley Harrabek 373. Bantam Single - Nash Wheaton 168; Triple - Nash Wheaton 457. Junior Single - Dominic Raschke 176; Triple - Dominic Raschke 445. Senior High SingleNoah Park 248; High Triple - Noah Park 665.
You might feel like you have extra energy to chase goals and take bold actions this week, Aries. Your natural drive will be strong. Find opportunities to assert yourself in new areas.
TAURUS –
Apr 21/May 21
You may feel compelled to slow down and nurture your inner self this week, Taurus. Take time to reflect on your values and personal goals. If you have been feeling overwhelmed, get some rest.
GEMINI –
May 22/Jun 21
You are in a social mode this week, Gemini. Your communication skills will take center stage, and it’s a good time to collaborate or share ideas with others.
CANCER –
Jun 22/Jul 22
Cancer, your focus could shift toward long-term career goals in the next few days. Work to identify a clear vision of where you want to go and the path to get there.
LEO –
Jul 23/Aug 23
Leo, this week brings an adventurous energy that implores you to expand your horizons. Consider travel, new experiences or educational pursuits to make the most of your time.
VIRGO –
Aug 24/Sept 22
You may find yourself dealing with intense emotions this week, Virgo. You might realize that time is running out on something and you really need to make a move.
LIBRA –
Sept 23/Oct 23
Relationships are especially important to you right now, Libra. Whether it is friendship, romance or business, your interactions with others are bound to be intense.
SCORPIO –
Oct 24/Nov 22
Scorpio, this week requires heightened focus on daily routines and personal health. It’s a good time to prioritize self-care and improving your habits. A shift in your environment might help.
SAGITTARIUS
–
Nov 23/Dec 21
Sagittarius, your creativity and passion are elevated this week. You feel ready to pursue personal projects since your inspiration is booming.
CAPRICORN –
Dec 22/Jan 20
Family matters takes precedence and garner your attention this week, Capricorn. You may feel a desire to create a sense of stability in your personal space. That may translate to redecorating.
AQUARIUS –
Jan 21/Feb 18
Aquarius, communication is key this week, whether it’s in social circles, at work or at home. You will engage in good conversation and exchange interesting ideas. Learn all you can along the way.
PISCES –
Feb 19/Mar 20
Finances come into focus this week, Pisces. You may wonder how you can improve your financial situation and make smarter choices when it comes to money.
LAND FOR RENT
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BIGGAR HOUSING AUTHORITY
Housing for families and seniors Rent based on income Call: 306•303•7246 (Answers on Page 14)
St. Gabriel roman CatholiC ChurCh 109 - 7th Ave.W, Biggar Father Edward Gibney Parish Phone: 306-948-3330 Saturday Mass.......7:00p.m.
Aid Course certification?
Mass....... 11:00a.m. our lady of fatima CatholiC ChurCh, Landis Sunday Mass.......9:00a.m.
leave
by Pastor Dale Worrell, Biggar United Church
Ask anyone what they know about Jesus. Can they recall anything Jesus said?
By clear consensus, they reply “love your enemies.”
More than any other teaching of Christ, this one stands out to an unbeliever.
Such an attitude is unnatural, to forgive your enemies. Most will argue a person should be forgiven only if they deserve it. However, Jesus does not teach us that nor does he promise that when we bless our enemies and do good to them they will not spitefully use and persecute us. They certainly will. Instead, Jesus teaches us the gospel of grace begins and ends with forgiveness.
Christianity’s unique contribution among world religions is Grace. It is only Christianity that dares to make God’s love unconditional. Aware of our resistance to grace, Jesus talked
about it often. He described a world immersed with God’s grace: where the Sun shines on people good and bad.
Jesus saw grace everywhere yet he never analyzed or defined grace. Instead, he communicated grace through parables and stories. How different are these stories from our own childhood notions about God: As a child I imagined God as a distant thundering figure who prefers fear and respect to love. Instead, Jesus tells us of a parent rushing out to embrace and forgive us.
Presbyterians, Anglicans and Lutherans St.Pauls Anglican Redeemer Lutheran 205 4th Ave. E 319 7th Ave. E
justice maker than we are, and thus we leave the balance of justice and mercy in God’s hands.
We never find forgiveness easy, and yes nagging injustices remain, and the wounds still cause pain. Only by living in the stream of God’s grace will you and I find the strength to respond with grace toward others.
During this season of Lent, let us give up hatred and retribution and instead try showing forgiveness and grace to others and ourselves.
Amen!
Annual Bull Sale At the Ranch, near Kenaston, SK. Saturday, March th, 2:00pm Selling 50 yearling bulls and 20 two year olds. Semen tested. Call Layne or Paula Evans 306-252-2246. Layne (306)561-7147
Catalogue, videos, and online bidding will be on DLMS.ca
MARCH 9 10:30am Regular Worship (REDEEMER) MARCH 23 10:30am Regular Worship (REDEEMER) Rev. Daphne Bender Pastor’s cellular Phone: 1-306-621-9559 Office Phone: 306-948-3731 (Messages are forwarded to Pastor’s phone immediately)
Biggar associated gospel church 312 - 8th Ave.W. and corner of Quebec St., Biggar Sunday Service 10:30 a.m.
All are welcome to come and join us Biggar United ChUrCh REGULAR SERVICES SUNDAY 11:00 am Minister Dale Worrall Inquires Call Church Office 306-948-2280 Leave Message
The business of forgiving is by no means a simple thing. We make forgiveness a law of reciprocity and this never works. Breaking the cycle of ungrace means taking the initiative and defy the natural law of retribution and fairness. Forgiveness is an act of faith. By forgiving another, we trust God is a better
Muckraking woman
Rheta
One’s responsibility
CLUES
DOWN
Baseball managers assemble it
LEASING OPPORTUNITY
The Biggar Golf Club is EXPLORING the option of leasing the kitchen at the clubhouse for the coming golf season. If you are interested please send along a proposal and it will be considered. biggargolfclub@outlook.com
Actor Gosling
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH SATURDAY SERVICES BIBLE STUDY 10:00a.m. CHURCH SERVICE 11:00a.m. 320 - 6th ave.east contact: 306-951-8445 3
NEW BEGINNINGS CHURCH ...In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope...1Pe
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Russian assembly
The Public is invited to attend the Annual General Meeting for the Biggar Museum & Gallery, Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.
Biggar Barracuda Swim
OBITUARIES
THERESA (TERI) OLIVIA BUSSE (nee PAULSON)
1948 - 2025
( Picture taken on Teri’s 70th Birthday )
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Teri on January 19 after a courageous three-year journey with leiomyosarcoma.
Teri was born in Wadena, SK, to Hage Paulson (nee Dolo) and Ted Paulson. She enjoyed an active, happy childhood on the farm, then spent many of her school-aged years in Margo, SK.
She developed her independence and enterprising spirit at an early age. She made her own money by setting hair for ladies in town, babysitting, and even creating her own “raffle” for prizes with tickets sold door to door.
Teri received an education degree at the University of Saskatchewan. In her final year of study, she met law student Stuart Busse, and they married in 1970. Upon graduation, the couple moved to Swift Current to begin their careers and their life together. A few short months into their marriage, Teri received her first cancer diagnosis, and it was life-threatening. Surgery and radiation gave her a new lease on life.
The couple bought a home in Biggar, SK, in 1972. Stuart opened a law practice, while Teri taught at Biggar Composite High School.
After their first child, Susan, was born in 1976, Teri decided to leave the classroom. Her second daughter, Leah, came along in 1979. Teri was a consummate homemaker: cooking, sewing, keeping a spotless home, hosting, gardening, canning, baking, volunteering, and serving on committees.
In 1986 Teri and Stuart enrolled their daughters in Registered Education Savings Plans through the Canadian Scholarship Trust Plan (CST). Not only did Teri see this as an opportunity to help her girls access higher education, but she also discovered a career opportunity that aligned closely with her values.
In 1991 she became an Agency Owner and Branch Manager for CST. In her four-decade career, she logged more than 1.5 million kilometers travelling across Saskatchewan to meet with parents, and helped thousands of children follow their post-secondary dreams, and dozens of representatives to develop meaningful and rewarding careers. In 2023, CST recognized her contributions with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Teri remained Agency Owner and Branch Manager of the Busse Branch until her final breath. She maintained her class, strength, dignity, kindness, loving energy, unwavering integrity, and decisiveness until the ultimately peaceful and comfortable end.
Not only did Teri work hard, she also played hard. Teri and Stuart took great joy in travelling. However, her favourite place in the world was the family cabin at Turtle Lake. She delighted in time with friends and family boating, quadding, and sitting on the deck in the summer and snowmobiling and sitting around the fireplace in the winter.
A SUCCESSFUL SNOWMOBILE RALLY IN LANDIS
Some Snowmobile Fun... The weather was perfect as Karen’s Bar & Grill played host to a snowmobile rally in Landis this past Saturday with 258 who registered thier snowmobiles in this annual event. There was sleds of all kinds to make the trip and there were hotdogs at the halfway point. A supper at the hall along with prizes to finish off the day. (Photos Supplied)
Thank You so much to everyone who came out to enjoy the day in Landis. Thank You to Western Sales for sponsoring the hot dogs at the halfway point. Thank you to all the people who donated prizes and all the people to helped to make this snowmobile rally happen.
Karen Waylon
& Willie
No matter the season, Teri surrounded herself with family, friends and pets. She loved her pets like babies, and could often be spotted pushing her beloved cat Jaxen around the neighbourhood in a stroller.
Teri is lovingly remembered by her husband Stuart, daughters Susan (granddog Goldie) and Leah Fahlman (Brian), grandson Brandon Fahlman, brother Garry Paulson (Gail) and family, brother-in-law
Gene Busse (Sheila Wills) and family, extended family members, her CST family, her cat, Jaxen, and her many cherished friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her parents-in-law, and sister-in-law Donna Busse (Gene Busse).
Teri was known for creating and maintaining many close personal relationships. She and Stuart loved to host and attend parties, and Teri was known to be both the first and last person on the dance floor. Her memorial service will be no different.
Teri’s “Journey’s End Party” will be held on Friday, April 25, 2025 in Saskatoon. It will be a time to remember a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, colleague, and friend. It will be a time to toast the contributions of her successful career, and a life well lived. And, yes, it will be a time to dance.
Please email TerisPartyRSVP@gmail.com to RSVP for catering purposes and to get the party schedule, which will include a service, meal, and a social with dancing. Everyone is welcome.
Teri requested that everyone listen to the song ‘I Hope You Dance’ by Lee Ann Womack as this song spoke to her approach to and love of life.
KENNETH AUCKLAND
June 23, 1931 - February 22, 2025
Kenneth Auckland passed away February 22, 2025. Kenneth is lovingly remembered by: His wife Patricia Rea-Auckland; Children - Debbie Simmonds (Kim) and their children Kristen Biccum (Darren), and their son Brandon, Tara Gaudet (Ron) and their children Hilllary and Nicholas, Tommy Simmonds and his children Ava, Emily and TJ; Barbara Simmonds and her daughter Natasha; Clayton Auckland and his children Deanna and Amanda and her children Jay and Jack; Penney Auckland, Janice Wilson (Tony) and her children Kendall and Matthew; Karla Wilson (Scott) and their children Challyassa Lamb (Jerad), Caine
Wilson (Nathan); Kevin Goring (Anita) and their children Chantalle Cloarec (Ben) and their son Emerson, Deanna Snell (Dave), Darcy Goring (Zyra); Chad Goring (Tracy) and their daughter Emily Hawkins (Joshua).
Kenneth is predeceased by his parents Robert and Agnes Auckland, brother Ray Auckland, sisters Marge Comrie and Audrey Andrews and Stepson Wes Goring.
Kenneth’s Celebration of Life will take place at 1:00pm on April 15th, at Biggar New Horizons, Biggar Saskatchewan. Tributes in memory of Kenneth may be directed to Biggar Majestic Theatre or Biggar Long Term Care.
GEORGE ARTHUR GEARY
August 1, 1935 - February 25, 2025
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of George Arthur Geary, aged 89, of Landis, SK, at the Red Deer Regional Hospital on February 25. Born on August 1, 1935, to George Geary Sr. and Sylvia Lange, George spent his childhood on the family farm, where he learned to love the land, and he eventually took it over. George also found immense joy in dancing, music, visiting, learning, playing cards, fishing, curling, bowling and many other social activities. He will be remembered for his unwavering kindness, gentle nature, wit, and deep love for his family and friends. George will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by his daughters: Pam (Garth) Murray and their children and grandchildren, Sheree (Mike) Preslee, Shandelle (Joel) Aria and Everley, David (Sarah) Jeffrey, Davey and Quinlan, Devan (Cassie) Lily, Audio and Noah; Melody Westgard (Kevin Hampton), and her children and grandchildren Deanna (Eddy) Levi, Tava, Edwin and Djounie,
Danielle (Devin) Jax and Sienna, Chad, Danica (Ryan) Sawyer, Avery and Eloise; and Dawn Danderfer and her children and grandchildren, Justin (Bailey) Lydia and Nixon, Jeremy (Claire) and Aleasha. George will also be lovingly remembered by his special friend Georgina Miller and sisters-inlaw Francis and Virginia Haughian and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and lifelong friends.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 53 years, Colleen Loraine Geary (Haughian), his son, Guy, parents George and Sylvia (Lange), siblings Howard (Rene), Marjorie (Bill), Gerald (Millie), Ron, Verle (Henry), Audrey (Cliff), and Nadine (Keith); nephews Wayne, Mart, Keith and niece Laura. A celebration of George’s life will be held at 2:00 pm, March 22, 2025 at the Landis Community Complex, 215 4th Avenue, Landis. Tributes can be made to your nearest STARS.
Arrangements entrusted to Gerein Funeral Service
Kindness goes to support the Food Bank ... St. Gabriel School’s Random Acts of Kindness club pose with the efforts of their recent food drive, all to support the Biggar Food Bank. The need is great, and the St. Gabe students came up big for the charitable Biggar organization. (Submitted Photo)
Biggar Taekwondo attended a training seminar this past weekend with Grand Master Palella. Fun was had by all especially Aleksandra Todorović who had the honour of being tested by the Grand Master himself. We congratulate her on receiving her black belt. Hard work well done. Participants shown in the picture from left to right are; Marissa Carter, Master Chris Mackintosh,Aleksandra Todorović , Grand Master Vito Palella, Steven Carter and Master Fern Giesbrecht (photo for The Independent by Janice Carter)
