Vegreville News Advertiser - May 6, 2020

VOL. 73 NO. 19

73 YEARS OF SERVING THE COMMUNIT Y WEDNESDAY, May 6, 2020 The Only Locally Owned News & Adver tising Media in Vegreville .

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Spring Harvest in Full Swing EDMONTON • LAMONT • MAYERTHORPE • SMOKY LAKE

Combines were in full swing throughout the region this past week.

Warm temperatures and gusty winds made for excellent harvesting conditions.

County of Minburn Approves Tax Rates

The Life and Times of Jessie Bodnar

See page 5 for story

See page 9 for story

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Ernest and Mary Rosychuk Celebrate 60 Years Page 13

Road Closures in the County of Page 15 Minburn

MAY 6, 2020

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RCMP files from April 27 - May 3 Arthur Beaudette News Advertiser April 27 11:48 – Individuals visit the detachment to resolve a family dispute. Two parties included the Mother-in-law who wanted her daughter to decide where she was residing and the Son-in-law.

The daughter did not attend. Parties were provided contact information for various support agencies to assist in the matter as this is NOT a police matter.

14:30 – Abandoned vehicle reported at a business in Vegreville. Members attended and it was determined that the vehicle was indeed abandoned but also stolen out of Daysland. The vehicle was towed and information forwarded to the Killam RCMP detachment.

18:30 – Report of mischief. Members called to assist the Fire Department with a small grass fire near RR145 north of Vegreville. The call was anonymous but evidence at the scene showed that it may have been started by a flare or fireworks. The fire was minor and did not cause any damage to surrounding area.

20:01 – Call to assist EMS with a Mental Health Act patient. EMS was concerned the patient would be combative, but they were co-operative and agreed to go with EMS to the hospital for evaluation.

23:55 – Call to assist an individual who assumed they would not get their car keys from their soon-to-be ex when they went to get them. Members attended with the complainant and the keys were handed over without dispute.

April 28 11:33 – Report of a stolen license plate from a parked vehicle at a local lodging establishment. The plate was entered into the RCMP database. Under investigation.

14:15 – Report of a stolen wallet. While shopping at a Vegreville business, an individual left his wallet on the counter by the till while he went with the clerk to look for an additional item. Upon returning, his wallet was gone. CCTV being reviewed. Under investigation.

14:38 – Wallet observed by an off-duty officer falling off of the roof of a vehicle.

The wallet was retrieved and returned to its rightful owner. *** There are wallets with tethers. Something to consider.

16:12 – Report of 5 moo-cows and one calf walking on Hwy 855 North of Hwy 45. File was forwarded to Two Hills detachment as it is in their jurisdiction.

16:32 – Report of a break and enter in a commercial yard in Vegreville.

Various tools as well 2 Stihl TS-500 cut

off saws, 2 Honda EU2200 generators and 2 rolls of copper tubing were stolen.

Under investigation.

18:46 – Report of hunters on private land. Members conducted patrols but they turned up negative. The matter was forwarded to Fish and Wildlife.

20:34 – Report of domestic violence.

Despite being on conditions, an ex initiated contact via threatening texts and later came on to the property, taking items. The subject was later arrested for breaching conditions and is being held pending court.

21:16 – Multiple complaints about a loud party in Vegreville. Multiple visits were made by members with the final visit resulting in compliance.

April 29

08:26 – Report of three suspicious vehicles near RR141 TWP 512.

No plates were obtained. Patrols were made but the vehicles were gone upon arrival and were not located with further patrols.

18:48 – The male from the 14:05 call (after being released) was reported as “an intoxicated male sleeping on a bench”.

Members attended, returned the male to the detachment where he would spend the night sobering up in cells.

April 30

03:50 – While on patrol, a member observed a known subject who was on conditions to reside elsewhere walking down the street with a SWORD. The subject was arrested with Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purpose as well as 6 counts of failure to comply with an undertaking (court conditions). The subject was released without his SWORD and more paperwork for court.

08:00 – Report of a stolen vehicle from a local lodging establishment.

The vehicle was later located in the Viking area. CCTV being reviewed.

Under investigation.

13:43 – Traffic stop conducted for document check. Driver was found to have outstanding traffic warrants out of Calgary. The subject was arrested for outstanding warrants and transported to the detachment where he had the choice to “pay or stay”. His outstanding fines totaled $2,875 which he paid instead of serving 45 days in jail. He was then released.

May 1

21:46 - Traffic stop conducted on an erratic driver. The driver admitted to consuming alcohol and a breath demand was given. The driver blew a warning on a roadside test. The driver was suspended and the vehicle was seized for three days.

May 2

11:21 – Report of fraud. A young girl attempted to purchase a puppy via an online advertisement. A deposit of $300 was made and the seller indicated the puppy was “held up” and further fees were payable. Upon investigation it was determined that the puppy did not exist and the money was received in Cameroon.

14:05 – First complaint of a vehicle travelling 45kmph – 60 kmph on Hwy 16 Eastbound by Hwy 36. A second call came in with the same description about a vehicle in the ditch. Members arrived on scene to find a male laying in the ditch. The male denied driving the truck, was arrested for Impaired Operation of a Motor Vehicle and transported to the detachment. He provided breath two samples of .260 mg percent each. He was charged accordingly and the vehicle was seized for 3 days.

18:36 – Noise complaint in Vegreville.

Members attended and the subject of the complaint was very co-operative.

23:25 – Members were asked to assist Fire at a dumpster fire in Vegreville. It is believed that hot embers from a fire pit were emptied without being doused.

May 3

Traffic enforcement resulting in approximately 13 tickets being issued.

14:20 - Multiple items found in the ditch near RR 152 & TWP 522. The items were determined to be related to a break and enter in Vegreville.

During the week there were 87 calls for service made in total including: 2 false alarms, 3 false 911s, 0 animal strikes and approximately 24 tickets from traffic enforcement.

MAY 6, 2020

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Federal Government Ban on Military Assault Rifles Heavily Criticized Michelle Pinon News Advertiser The federal government’s decision to ban military assault rifles came 13 days after the mass shooting in Nova Scotia which claimed the lives of 22 people.

Prime Minister Trudeau immediately banned the use, purchase, sale, and transport of 1,500 models of assault weapons. While details of the ban are still being drafted, owners of banned guns would have a two-year amnesty period to either surrender their weapons or sell them to buyers outside Canada if they acquire a permit.

Lakeland MP Shannon Stubbs reacted to the announcement by saying, “The vast majority of gun crimes are committed by thugs with illegally obtained firearms.

“In fact the Liberals previously

Rachael Harder initiated Petition E1608 to stop Bill C-71 in Spring of 2018 received a total of 86,000 signatures.

No direct action was taken as a result.

Conservative MP Glen Motz also initiated an online petition opposing the Liberals plan to ban military-style assault rifles he said they intended to do through an Order in Council. That petition that was open until February 15, 2020, had garnered over 170,000 signatures.

Al Rusnak, a firearms safety instructor from the Vegreville area, said he was also surprised the federal government would make a decision of this magnitude through an order in council.

Rusnak also questioned the logic behind blaming the object, in this case, military assault rifles are not the cause of the problem. For example, the trag-

reduced sentencing for violent crimes.

All that changes today, (May 1), is that law-abiding firearms owners are at immediate legal risk of serious jail time if they unknowingly don’t comply with every new condition imposed by Prime Minister Trudeau’s regulatory order.”

She went on to say, “Without discussion, debate or a vote in Parliament, the Liberals will use a procedural tactic called an order in council that directs this ban from Prime Minister Trudeau’s desk through his Cabinet into law.

Canadians are rightly upset by the horrific attack in Nova Scotia and want answers. As the RCMP made clear, the Nova Scotia murderer did not have a firearms licence, so all of his guns were illegal. Taking firearms away from lawabiding citizens will not stop dangerous criminals who obtain their guns illegally.”

She said the ban does nothing to prevent gangs and thugs without a licence from using illegally sourced firearms, many of which are smuggled in from other countries. In addition, “It does not increase penalties or punishment for crimes committed with firearms or increasing monitoring or mental health supports for at-risk individuals.”

Stubbs said the Liberals forced through Bill C-71 before the 2019 election, disregarding the recommendations of Conservatives and the voices of thousands of Canadians, and ignoring more than 165,000 letters opposing Bill C-71. She pointed to her PC colleague

edy in Toronto where the van was used for mass murder did not result in vans being blamed and owners’ vans being banned and confiscated. He said the money would be better spent on cracking down on drugs and weapons’ smuggling and making jail sentences appropriate for the crime.

He pointed out that information collected regarding crime guns’ classification is inconsistent through the various police organizations and jurisdictions.

In preparing statistical data the information cannot vary in how it is collected to be complied in an accurate statistical report. Minister Blair did not have a lot of facts or figures to back up his claims.

Rusnak added campaign promises touted transparency and accountability and that parliamentary decisions would be made on fact-based data “How can you debate the facts without all the information?”

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Liberals Take Aim at an Easy Target Trudeau plays to his urban voter base

Arthur Beaudette News Advertiser - Opinion By now every gun owner in Canada has likely heard about the move on May 1 by the Liberal Government to ban what they classify as “military-style assault weapons”. On the surface, this looks great, but questions remain about the efficacy of the program which bans 1,500 models and variants of these firearms.

The announcement came in typical Trudeau style. He stopped short of tears, but didn’t cut any corners being as opportunistic as possible with the timing or the references to the recent Nova Scotia shooting and other similar tragedies.

While I wouldn’t be considered an “enthusiast” level gun owner and I’m not particularly opposed to gun regulations, what I have trouble with is platitudes and decisions made for political gain. I feel that this recent move is more about the politics and less about public safety and I think anyone who looks at this without emotion would agree.

If you are wholeheartedly in favor of this new legislation, you are not alone. A recent poll by the Angus Reid Institute found that 80% of Canadians support a complete ban on “assaultstyle” weapons. Not coincidentally, the numbers from a 2014 census indicate that more than 80 percent of the Canadian

population lived in cities. While there is no practical requirement for a civilian to have a fully automatic weapon with a 50 shot magazine, that is not what this is about.

On March 24, 2020, Brian Lilly of Sun media pointed out that Researcher Dennis Young discovered that between 2005 and 2019, 640 firearms were reported lost and 173 were reported stolen by the government. The point here is that the government cannot keep track of their own weapons but wants to come after the guns of law-abiding citizens.

In his announcement, Trudeau stated the government plans to introduce a bill which would allow it to compensate gun owners through an eventual buyback program. In the Liberals’ re-election platform they estimated that the program would carry a $250-million price tag. However, if you think back to the Liberal gun registry introduced in 1993 it was estimated at $2 million. Unfortunately for our tax dollars, by 2002, a Department of Justice audit estimated the cost would reach more that $1 billion by 2004-05.

Questionable Liberal math aside, during their announcement, the Trudeau Liberals avoided a one important piece of information. They intend to allow people who currently own these weapons up to two years in which to decide to give them up or to keep them under a “grandfathering” program that has not yet been outlined. This is a classic example of

liberals take aim - CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Name: Richard Yang Occupation: Manager Likes: reading, working Dislikes: Coronavirus virus, bad economic situations.

Dear Editor, It must be a common mistake among Canadians, myself included, to call the common Canada Goose, Canadian.

Look, there is a flock of Canadian Geese! Not so. As my mother has often corrected me, “No, Kari. The geese do not have Canadian citizenship. They are not Canadians. It is said, a flock of Canada Geese.” It is a simple slip up and, for the most part, is not noticed or questioned. Furthermore, if the local newspaper calls them Canadian Geese too, how can it be incorrect? Reading the headline, I laughed aloud and dashed into the next room to thrust into my mother’s face page 18 in the April 29, 2020 edition of the News Advertiser: Canadian Geese Make Welcomed Return. Now, I did not use this as proof against her admonitions towards me over the years, as I easily could’ve, lest she rip a page in her copy of the Birds of Alberta in a frantic state. She did, in fact, retrieve the book from the shelf minutes later to confirm her prior knowledge. I share her, shall we say, passion, for correctness and now have been plagued with smothering others with this obsession. Whenever I hear someone say Canadian Geese I always have an interesting tidbit of information that will surely help them avoid such a grievous mistake in the future.

I appreciate our local newspapers and enjoy reading them every week. Thank you, Kari Janzen P.S. It should be said some elements of this story have been slightly exaggerated.

--------------------------------Thanks for your letter and for reading Kari. I will admit, that we likely did not check the passports of said geese. We will all be better for the knowledge you have shared. - AB

MAY 6, 2020

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Vegreville Town Council Reverses Property Tax Increase Michelle Pinon News Advertiser Given the negative impact COVID19 is having on businesses and residents in Vegreville, town council decided to reverse its original decision to increase property taxes by one percent that was made on Dec. 17, 2019.

The motion that was made by Coun. Jerrold Lemko passed unanimously on April 27. The motion stated, “Town council approve the amendment to the 2020 Operating Budget through reduction of the property tax revenue in 2020 by $93,108 offset by a transfer to the general operating reserve of $93,108.”

Coun. Dave Berry remarked, “We don’t have a lot of tools available to

actually help our citizens, so reducing the overall tax by one percent is about the most we can do on the tax side of things. So I’m hoping it will help out some people.”

Mayor Tim MacPhee said, “I know how hard we all worked to put that budget together and the amount of cuts and savings that we were looking for. So we’ll just have to reach into the reserve a little bit so as not to pass that along to our everyday taxpayers.”

Coun. Taneen Rudyk said they want to ensure the difficult decisions that are made are with public money, and how to best forecast the impact on the community both today and in the longterm. She also wanted the town to keep tabs on those costs in order to advocate to other levels of government.

Coun. Tina Warawa said they spent a lot of time bringing the budget in line and working with less funding from the province.

“It’s important to talk to other people because there’s going to be a lot of tough ones (budgets) ahead.”

She said they would be facing a “harder reality” in future budgets as well.

But now with COVID we will now be facing a very hard process for a few years to come.

County of Minburn Approves Tax Rates Michelle Pinon News Advertiser The County of Minburn set tax rates during town council’s April 20 meeting.

Chief Administrative Officer Brent Williams said the county has kept its 2020 tax rates at 2019 levels. Two of the main reasons the county was able to hold the line on taxes was because, “The two new grain elevators outside of Vegreville became taxable properties in 2019 and 2020, respectively; this offset some of the tax losses incurred in the energy sector. Finding savings in our 2020 budget via spending restraint and forgoing/scaling back capital purchases/ programs (i.e. motor graders and road construction).

He went on to say, “We halved our road construction program in 2020, and only plan on completing around 3 miles of rebuilds this year compared to nearly 6 miles in 2019, which is an approximate savings of $250,000. For motor graders, we purchased one this year at a cost of approximately $500,000. The original budget estimate for motor grader purchases in 2020 was around $1.1 - $1.3 million For example, the average residential property will see a .986% increase over 2019; farmland, .345%; and non-residential 1.434%; small business 1.59%.

Williams pointed out, “This estimate includes municipal, education, seniors, and policing taxes. It is important to note that education taxes for commercial and industrial properties rose in 2020 while policing is a new cost introduced this year. The county collects education and policing taxes and remits those amounts in full to the province. The seniors’ tax is remitted directly to the MD of Minburn Foundation.

In regards to policing, Williams said, “This increase is due

COUNTY OF MINBURN - CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

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from the pages of the vegreville observer

Compiled by Dan Beaudette

90 Years Ago – May 7, 1930

An announcement by Mr. D.E. McDonald, superintendent of public buildings, that the long sought court house would be constructed this year, was the feature of the Chamber of Commerce meeting. The building, which will occupy the lots opposite the Observer office and the Baptist Church will be of brick and the construction will contain all the necessary offices for court officials as well as sufficient rooms for the holding of district and police court.

Word has been received that the Sir Isaac Pitman Certificate for Shorthand Theory, Part 1, has been awarded to Miss Melvie Korstad, a student of the Vegreville Business College. This is the second certificate to be awarded to students of this college; the other having been awarded to Miss Eleanor Thompson.

Miss Anita Gordon’s name was among the few mentioned in the daily press of Edmonton as being one of the young ladies who were due to graduate this year with the degree of B. Sc. Changes in customs tariff announced by the minister, involve some 500 items. These changes may be said to fall into two or three main divisions.

75 Years Ago – May 9, 1945

At a recent Chamber of Commerce meeting it was decided to make an effort to have daylight train service resumed between Edmonton and Lloydminster as was in effect in former years.

Reims, France, May 7, Germany surrendered unconditionally to the western Allies and Russia at 2:41, French time, today. (This was at 6:41 p.m. MDT, Sunday. The surrender took place at a school house which is the headquarters of Gen. Eisenhower.

Tuesday, May 8th proclaimed V-E Day was quietly observed by citizens as a holiday. As arranged by the Liquor Control Board of Alberta, all vendors’ stores closed promptly when the news of the German surrender was received on Monday, and they remained closed the next day. This was a sensible precautionary measure, but the exact complimentary to the citizens of Alberta.

Vegreville stores closed on Monday noon and, of course, remained closed the next day. Displays of flags on the streets and by the stores and homes were an added feature of the day. Citizens are urgently requested to attend the Open Air Service at the Fair Grounds on Sunday afternoon.

50 Years Ago – May 7, 1970

An opportunity for young bicycle riders to learn safety rules as well as a little about bicycle maintenance is being offered again by the Vegreville Kinsmen Club. The club has undertaken the instruction of Pedal Pushers in conjunction with the Alberta Safety Council and lessons will be given at the Recreation Centre.

Mayor John Koshuta cut the ribbon at Raydon Motor Sales Ltd. on Friday afternoon to declare the new garage building officially open. Don Mazankowski M.P. and President of Raydon Motors, Ray Mazankowski were on hand.

10 year old Marilyn Sorochan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Sorochan of Vegreville won recently at a dancing presentation at Sherwood Park. Miss Sorochan took first ribbons in Beginners Basic Baton, Beginners Twirl and Military.

25 Years Ago – May 9, 1995

A world famous karate master recently paid a visit to the Vegreville Karate-Do Club. Shibon (professor) Fumio Suzuki and chief instructor for the Japan Karate Federation of Canada Cameron Stewart lent their expertise to local students. At a tournament in Lloydminster several local members won medals including: Flessau (2 silvers), Jason Rokos (silver), Amanda Hebrada (bronze), Curtis Robert (silver), Daryl Nagy (silver), Allan Hebrada (gold), Les Dietz (silver), Chris Ewaniuk (silver) and Sensei Drezdzel (silver).

Alberta Wheat Pool opened an Agro Centre at Innisfree with many people on hand for the official ceremonies. Located ¼ mile north of Highway 16 and the Innisfree turnoff. The Innisfree Agro Centre consists of a pre-fabricated fully modern office, a 3,000 sq. ft. chemical warehouse and a 1,800 tonne fertilizer blending facility. A 100 tonne per hour leg, five bin loading and 15 tonne overhead load scale enhance service in the fertilizer building. The Agro Centre offers farmers anhydrous ammonia delivery, fertilizer application equipment, double shooters, spreaders, Valmars, floating equipment, fertilizers, herbicides, canola and forage seeding.

Walleye populations in most area lakes are either collapsed or vulnerable, according to figures from the province’s Walleye Task Force.

“People notice the bigger fish are gone and they’re a lot harder to catch,” said Hugh Norris, Alberta Environmental Protection’s head of fisheries management for Northeast Alberta. “Fish and game associations all over this region have expressed concerns.”

Two Hills county councillors agreed to pay $250 to municipal fire departments for 1995, plus $50.00 per hour, less than what was requested. The payments will be for town and village rescue units.

Letters Welcomed

One role of the Vegreville News Advertiser is to promote dialogue on various issues of concern to area residents. We accomplish this by welcoming Letters to the Editor and allowing various issues to be debated through our pages. All letters must contain the writer’s name, address and phone number. Anonymous letters will not be printed, however the writer’s name may be withheld from publication in special circumstances deemed appropriate by the Publisher.

The Vegreville News Advertiser reserves the right to edit letters for length, clarity, spelling and grammar, taste or for reasons of potential libel. The Vegreville News Advertiser reserves the right to withhold letters from publication.

COVID-19 Makes it Painfully Obvious that Agriculture is Largely Misunderstood by the Urban-Centric Trudeau Government

By Sylvain Charlebois Professor Dalhousie University We always needed farmers. Now, with COVID-19, they need us. Farming needs real help, right now.

Plenty of attention has been given to the foreign workers program in recent weeks. The federal government and the provinces have done the best they could to mitigate the situation.

But that was just the beginning. For farmers, the worst is yet to come.

Livestock is a good place to start.

To date, at least seven Canadian meat processing plants have shut down due to at least one employee contracting COVID-19. More should be expected.

In some cases, plants had to be idle for 14 days for thorough disinfection. Closures can be quite disruptive to the entire supply chain. But the ones being affected most are farmers.

Bloomberg recently reported that thousands of pigs have been euthanized over the last few weeks and more are likely to suffer that fate. Some reports suggest more than 90,000 pigs are likely to be disposed of by farmers, who have no other option.

That’s just awful.

Shutdowns and slowdowns at several processing plants have created unmanageable backlogs. In hog production, there’s little or no wiggle room.

When an animal is ready to be harvested, it needs to go or else costs go up. Or the quality of the product can be severally compromised and the animal might not comply with the market specifications rigorously imposed by processors and grocers.

Cattle ranchers in Western Canada are also being affected by meat processing woes. The production cycle is more forgiving with beef, but the industry went into this crisis with a significant backlog spanning many parts of the country.

COVID-19 just made things worse.

Keeping animals too long in feedlots increases costs for cattle producers. And livestock producers are receiving much less money for their products.

The global pandemic has severally affected the the futures markets. Prices for lean hogs have been at a 20-year low for a while. Feeder

cattle values are also extremely depressed. In general, major economic downturns force consumers around the world to eat less meat.

And the problems aren’t just in the livestock sector. As a result of restaurants closing and the entire food service sector constricting, several commodities are being affected.

The mushroom industry is a good example. The sector generates almost half of its revenues from restaurants. Mushroom growers in Canada are losing $400,000 a week and, as of yet, there are no COVID-19-related programs from the government that can help them. Many other groups are affected by the pandemic or will be sooner or later.

The United States government recently provided close to $19 billion to its farmers to offset the negative effects of COVID-19.

In Canada, programs such as AgriStability and AgriRecovery are inadequate or irrelevant when it comes to dealing with COVID-19.

Agriculture is largely misunderstood in Ottawa and COVID-19 makes it painfully obvious. At its core, this is a very urban-centric government and its policies reflect that.

Most COVID-19 programs implemented by the federal government are needed to help keep the economy going. And the government has repeatedly said the agri-food sector is essential – but it’s difficult to find any evidence.

Obviously, all commodities have different production cycles and varying needs. Each sector will likely require custom-made attention at specific times of the year. Agriculture is about seasons, planning, and strategy to offset elements that farmers can’t control. They come to accept that nature and market conditions can never be measured or predictable.

But COVID-19 has its own unpredictable, cruel agenda. As we’re trying to stay safe and remain protected from its wrath, farmers are being impacted. The need for emergency funding is just as palpable as it is in any sector impacted by the crisis.

From a food security perspective, the stakes for Canada are extremely high. Canada typically loses from five to seven percent of its farms every year.

COVID-19 could double that loss this year – per-

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MAY 6, 2020

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Government of Alberta Introduces Relaunch Strategy Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk MLA Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville Dear friends and neighbours, In these difficult times, I am inspired every day by the resilience and strength of our communities. After so many changes in our daily lives, there are encouraging signs that the efforts to prevent the spread have brought our province closer to easing some restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Thursday, April 30 Premier Kenney announced our province’s new relaunch strategy. The relaunch will take place thoughtfully and gradually in three stages, and will put the safety of Albertans first as we gradually reopen businesses while following health guidelines on physical distancing and hygiene standards. The timing of each stage will be guided by key factors, such as COVID19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions.

Based on advice from our expert public health officials and the hard work of

Albertans, we are able to begin this new stage of the pandemic.

In the coming weeks, businesses in our province will begin to reopen if current trends continue. Golf courses can open as of May 2, with restrictions including keeping clubhouses and pro shops closed with plans to open them in Stage 1. Non-urgent surgeries, dental services, and other health practices are eligible to reopen as soon as May 4. Other businesses, including clothing stores, restaurants, and hair salons, may open as early as May 14.

For relaunch to be possible, our province will continue comprehensive testing, expand contact tracing, and maintain strong protections for the most vulnerable in our province.

I am also happy to share that government will be easing restrictions on parks and public land access in time for the warmer weather. Beginning May 1, vehicle access to parking lots and stag-

ing areas will reopen. No washrooms or garbage pickup will be available within provincial parks at this time. These services will be available as soon as Alberta Environment and Parks bring staff back. Our Government is working to hire enough staff to safely open campgrounds for June 1. Private and municipal campgrounds and parks can already be open with physical distancing restrictions, subject to their own local authority guidelines. Getting outdoors is an essential part of physical and mental well-being, and Albertans will be able to safely enjoy our parks in the coming weeks.

As always, updated information on COVID-19 and detailed information on our relaunch strategy is available at Alberta.ca/covid19.

As we look towards the relaunch phase in our province, it is critical that we continue to take precautions, like social distancing and frequent handwashing,

H&R Block Tax Tips Submitted The minimum amount that seniors must withdraw from Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs) in 2020 will be reduced by 25%. This provides flexibility to seniors whose RRIFs have dropped in value so that they will not have to liquidate their plans in order to meet minimum withdrawal requirements.

Similar rules will apply to individuals receiving variable benefit payments under a defined contribution Registered Pension Plan.

To claim the Climate Action

Incentive You’ll have to file a 2019 tax return in order to receive it – which we know you’ll be doing anyway. When you file, you’ll have to indicate on your tax return that you qualify – which you likely do as there are very few exceptions.

(Exceptions are for those who were considered non-resident at any point during the year or who spent time in prison.)

The amount you receive is based primarily on the size of your family, but you’ll have to decide which member of the family will apply for the credit, as you’re only

allowed one credit per household.

The amount you’re entitled to will then be added directly to your tax refund. The average family of four will receive an incentive of $809 in Saskatchewan, $486 in Manitoba, $448 in Ontario, and $888 in Alberta. People who live in more rural areas will get 10% more than those in cities to account for the fact that they likely use more energy and that they don’t have as many public transportation options to reduce their fuel consumption.

to prevent the spread of COVID-19. I want to give a heartfelt thank you to all my constituents in Fort SaskatchewanVegreville for all of your hard work and sacrifices during this difficult time.

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Canola Industry Ready to Weather Current Challenges Michelle Pinon News Advertiser John Mayko said that while COVID_19 hasn’t had a major impact on the day to day operations of his farm near Mundare, it has impacted the speed and manner in which farmers deliver products to the marketplace, interaction with input suppliers, and other support services.

He went on to say, “Our operation is fortunate that we have not needed to rely on hired help to this point in time, but farms that do rely on hired help have had to implement protocols to handle operations specific to their farms in order to mitigate the impact of COVID. As far as the industry is concerned, most operations such as grain handling and canola crushing have continued reasonably well, despite requirements for social distancing, but the industry is concerned about the impact that a potential outbreak in the facili-

John Mayko proudly held his grandson William in the cab of his combine during harvest in the Fall of 2019.

ties of the grain handling, processing and food manufacturing operations could have in terms of product movement

and pricing.”

In terms of priorities, “The top priority at this point in time is to seed our crop in a timely fashion in order to optimize yield and quality of our end products. A second priority is to market our crops in order to optimize returns to our operations. Challenges include weather and the potential impact that coming down with COVID during seeding would have to our operation.”

Mayko is one of 12 regional directors with the Alberta Canola Producers Commission. “I was elected to the board of directors of Alberta Canola in January 2017, and have been the director for Region 4 (which includes the counties of Strathcona, Lamont, Beaver, Minburn and Two Hills) since then.”

His education and professional experience lend perfectly with the Commission and its mandate. “I was born in Mundare and raised in the area on a mixed farm. I attended the U of Alberta and earned a B.Sc. in Agriculture and a M.Sc in Engineering Agrology. I worked for several years doing ag research at the University and then worked as an agronomist with the Canola Council of Canada for 23 years, while building up the farm and raising a family along with my wife, Pat.” Exports to China were drastically reduced about 14 months ago after China blocked imports from Canada. Even though those imports have not reopened, Mayko said a portion of Canadian exports (approximately 30% of previous Chinese exports) are continuing to China. Even though prices rebounded somewhat, but remain muted due to the continued blockade and also from the depression in soybean prices (and subsequent oilseed prices) that have occurred as a result of US-China trade disputes.

Despite the many challenges, Mayko and other directors continue to work on, they will continue to support the longterm success of Alberta canola farmers through research, promotional activities, consumer and producer education programs, and policy development.

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Sales Representative: Karlene Oesch Please call prior to visiting us in Vegreville.

780-632-2363 Address: 67th St. just north of the intersection of Hwy 16A

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MAY 6, 2020

News Advertiser PAGE 9

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The Life and Times of Jessie Bodnar Donna Zaozirny Submitted Vegreville resident Jessie Bodnar turned 100 years of age on April 29, 2020.

Jessie was born to John and Katherine Babysh, on April 29, 1920. She was the youngest of 13 siblings. Her parents emigrated to Canada from Ukraine in 1901 and started their family on the Babysh Homestead property north of Innisfree. Jessie grew up on the family farm, going to school and associating with the numerous families in the area.

With her brother’s assistance, Jessie moved to Myrnam to seek employment.

It was at the New Year’s Eve celebration in December 1946 that she met Frank Bodnar. Frank, a local Myrnam resident, had been stationed in England in World War II, and when he returned he was offered the Postmaster position there.

Jessie and Frank were married on July 29, 1947, and settled in Myrnam. On June 12, 1948, their first child, Edith, was born; and on September 28, 1951, their second child, Donna, was born.

For several years, Jessie stayed home raising the girls; however, as they grew older and started school, Jessie commenced working part-time at the Post Office in Myrnam.

In the early 1980’s, both Frank and Jessie retired from the Post Office and continued to enjoy retirement in Myrnam. Some of their favourite pasttimes were hunting, fishing, and traveling. In November 1984, Jessie and Frank were blessed with a grandson, Jonathan Michael Zaozirny.

In November 1991, Frank passed away and Jessie continued living in Myrnam for an additional year.

special as she turns 100 and Jackson turns one-year-old!

Over the years, she has enjoyed the company of numerous family and friends, including some she knew as a youth.

Jessie has always enjoyed knitting various clothing items, including sweaters, afghans, baby blankets, baby caps, and toques which have either been given to family and friends or donated to pre-natal units and homeless shelters in Edmonton.

She enjoys the company of the various residents and playing bingo. She also enjoys the various local musicians that visit the Lodge. She ends every evening reading a chapter or two of a ‘Danielle Steele’ book before turning off the lights for the night. One of her most favorite outings is a ride in the country to the area where she grew up and spent the majority of her life.

Overall, Jessie will say the past 100 years have been good to her!

Jessie Bodnar, and her great-grandson, Jackson Burnett Zaozirny during a family dinner in February of 2020.

(Donna Zaozirny/Submitted Photo)

In 1992, Jessie moved to Vegreville where she knew many past acquaintances. She lived in various apartment complexes, as well as the Lions Golden Villa, before coming to Homestead Senior Citizens Lodge in 2015.

Jessie has always been close to family with Edith, Donna, and Marvin, her son-in-law, living in Edmonton and visiting regularly. Her only grandson, Jonathan, lives in Edmonton and married Heather Burnett in July 2015.

Jon is an Emergency Room physician, and Heather is an Ophthalmologist. Jon and Heather have a son, born on June 7, 2019. Baba Jessie’s first Great Grandson. What a pleasure for her!

She has stated that 2020 would be very

PAGE 10

News Advertiser

Cpl. Leigh Drinkwater Reveals Strategies for Crime Prevention Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent Cpl. Leigh Drinkwater from Vegreville RCMP Detachment said there have been no new types of crime lately, but there are strategies people can use to prevent crime from happening to them. Cpl. Drinkwater suggests that citizens should do target hardening, which means

MAY 6, 2020

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people need to make it more physically difficult to commit crimes through means such as better quality, stronger locks on doors/windows for homes, businesses and outbuildings, use steering wheel locks and other mechanical locks to prevent vehicle thefts, and use more secure passwords for online accounts, and bank/credit cards.

There is also target removal, where you shouldn’t leave items of value through windows (residential, commercial, or vehicle). People also draw their curtains closed so criminals cannot see large items and be careful when posting on the internet.

He said it is necessary to reduce the means by which a crime can be

committed by ensuring no tools are left out on your property and to protect your PINs and passwords.

Cpl. Drinkwater went on to suggest that people need to reduce the payoff by marking their property through engraving/ permanent marker.

“It is essential to control access to ensure that fences/shrubs and hedges are in good repair, and limit access to a property, and when you go out, ensure all windows and doors are locked, limit the people who have keys to your home, and for commercial properties, and devise ways of limiting access by employees for the public.

For surveillance line of sight, people should consider good quality CCTV,

doorbell cams, and alarm systems with a recording feature.

With fences and shrubbery, it is advised to keep the height to a minimum.

It’s a good idea to have a clean property because this deters thieves, put up a gate to limit, restrict access to back-side alleys, clean graffiti within a day or two, and install good quality lighting on and around your property.

Then it’s essential to vary exit and entrance routines for residential property and park your vehicle in the garage.

Make sure to increase the chances thieves will be caught by having GPS tracking devices subscriptions up to date, record serial numbers for items, and make upgrades to building security.”

Cpl. Leigh Drinkwater Speaks on Legitimate Telemarketers Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent

Cpl. Leigh Drinkwater from Vegreville RCMP Detachment said the difference between legitimate telemarketers vs. fraudsters is that most legitimate telemarketers will state clearly their names, positions, and the company that they are employed by or the charitable organization they

Crime Prevention S Michelle Pinon News Advertiser Trevor Tychkowsky is a wealth of information when it comes to crime prevention.

Tychkowsky shared his knowledge with members of the Andrew/Willingdon/St. Michael Crime Watch Association earlier this year, and Crime Prevention Week seemed like the perfect time to share some of the information he has with residents throughout the region.

Tychkowsky is a Safety Officer and serves as the Regional Director of Disaster Services for Smoky Lake County. He said SPTED, which stands for Crime Prevention through Environmental Design, is a crime prevention philosophy based on the theory that proper design and effective use of the environment can lead to a reduction in crime as well as improve the quality of life.

While it isn’t the be-all and endall, he said that people who follow SPTED are at a lower risk than people who don’t.

“Some of the benefits are that it

decreases the fear of crime es the opportunity for improves the benefit of th environment, and helps communities, it generate activities, and is effec

municipal resources.”

SPTED includes: l design, lighting, access street designs, traffic contr lition of structures, clea sidewalk improvements, b tions, park improvements nity clean-ups, and mainte As far as landscaping, T said shrubs should be n than two feet high, and t

are connected with.

“People who want to verify the legitimacy of these calls need to ask the caller the above information and a call back number. Should there be any hesitation, it’s likely a fraud. Never part with a credit card numbers or banking information over the phone or internet unless the identity of the caller/organization have been deemed credible.”

MAY 6, 2020

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tion Starts at Home

he fear of crime, it reducpportunity for crime, it he benefit of the physical ent, and helps stabilize es, it generates positive and is effective with

resources.” includes: landscape ghting, access controls, gns, traffic control, demostructures, cleaning lots, mprovements, beautificak improvements, commuups, and maintenance. landscaping, Tychkowsky bs should be no greater eet high, and the bigger

trees should not be lower than six feet high. You need to have a good sightline in between those two.

Having a security system is a good idea. “If you have a system and your neighbour doesn’t, the criminal will go to the place without a security system.” He also recommends putting up a lot of signs because there is much less chance of being broken into by criminals.

If windows are broken and the yard not cared for, there is a much higher chance of being broken into by criminals. “The days of having our keys left in our vehicles, the days of having our houses unlocked, our toys sitting out in the open, those days are gone; and unfortunately, will never come back.

That’s just fact. We have to change with the times, and changing with those times means we have to change with the time.”

Tychkowsky said assessment tools are also available, and he suggests folks do that on their property.

“One crime is far too many crimes.

Let’s do the small things. Look at your own places, and hopefully, we can avoid some of these crimes from happening.

News Advertiser PAGE 11

Alberta RCMP Warn Citizens of Spike in COVID-19 Scams Alberta RCMP Submitted

Since the beginning of the month, there has been a spike in COVID-19 related scams in Canada. The most common reports are fraudulent merchandise sales and phishing emails.

The fraudulent merchandise sales frequently involve the sale and/or giveaway of health-related products such as facemasks and COVID-19 tests.

There are also “free” products being advertised where the victim must pay a fake shipping fee.

The phishing emails impersonate agencies such as the Red Cross, the World Health Organization, the Ministry of Health, Public Health Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency, and more. Typically, individuals are contacted through email or SMS and provided a link which prompts them to fill out personal and banking information. In some cases, the link contains suspected malware.

Other scams that occur involve individuals being advised of fake positive test results, donation campaigns, door-to-door decontamination services, and self-assessment surveys.

Here are some tips to remember if you are contacted: •Never give out personal or financial details if you didn’t initiate the call.

•If you didn’t initiate the contact, you don’t know who you’re talking to.

•Don’t click on suspicious links or attachments.

•Install anti-virus software.

•Be skeptical of emails even if they look legitimate.

•Check the “from” address by hovering over the name.

•Check the Canadian Anti-Fraud website for a list of reported scams.

We encourage anyone who receives these texts or emails to go online and report them to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: https://www.antifraudcentrecentreantifraude.ca/report-signalez-eng.htm If you have been the victim of a fraud, report it to your local police service and to the Canadian AntiFraud Centre online at: www.antifraudcentre.ca.

You should also contact your bank and credit card company if you believe your personal or financial information has been compromised.

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MAY 6, 2020

Mental Health Supports Remain Available During COVID-19 Alberta Health Services Submitted CENTRAL ZONE — Many Albertans are worried about their health, finances and mental health during this global health emergency, and Alberta Health Services (AHS) reminds people that

mental health supports remain available online and over the phone.

Local clinics

Support for clients of AHS Addiction and Mental Health clinics—including those living in Vegreville, Two Hills, Lamont, Mundare, Willingdon, and

Andrew—is still available by phone or virtual options. Whether you require a brief check-in, a single session or longer-term counselling sessions, we have capacity in our clinic and want to ensure you are aware. To access supports and services through a local

clinic, call the Lamont clinic at 780895-5823 for help for adults, and the Vegreville clinic at 780-632-2714 for help for seniors and children.

Mental Health Supports - CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

MAY 6, 2020

Ernest and Mary Rosychuk Celebrate 60 Years of Marriage

Mental Health Supports - CONTINUED from PAGE 12 24/7 helplines

these changing times. The webpage also includes resources about facing job loss, as well as contact information for Income Supports (1-866-6445135) and Community Resources (211), which can refer you to supports for housing, food, and basic needs.

ahs.ca/helpintoughtimes

Text4Hope was developed to help people identify and adjust the negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours a pandemic might provoke. The free service sends subscribers daily texts of advice and encouragement that are helpful in developing healthy personal coping skills and resil-

Albertans can also find information with the help of trained staff 24/7 by calling the Mental Health Helpline at 1-877-3032642 or the Addiction Helpline at 1-866-332-2322. As always, you can call Health Link at 811 as your trusted source of health information.

In response to COVID-19, AHS developed www.ahs.ca/ helpintoughtimes to provide practical tips on a number of mental wellness topics, including how to manage stress, talk with your children about COVID-19, and keep your family healthy, active and safe in

Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent Ernest and Mary Rosychuk were married on April 30, 1960.

Their romance all started when Ernest was living in Edmonton when he noticed a lady by his window. So, he went out to talk to her and they discovered she was a farm girl, just like he was a farm boy, and they shared the same religion.

“Besides Mary was good looking too,” Ernest admitted.

After they got married, it took them eight years to have children because his wife discovered she needed a minor operation to have children. “But the wait was worth it as we had three really good kids: Monica, Kim, and Shaun. They were all smart in life and honour students at school,” said Ernest.

When talking about the early years of marriage were like, he said he was a boiler-maker and welder, so quite often he was not home. “I worked for refineries all over Alberta working so sometimes I wouldn’t show up at home for a month at a time, and my wife worked as a secretary for Alberta Government Telephones for 10 years.”

Later in 1968, Ernest and Mary moved to a farm 12 miles north of Two Hills.

They weathered many storms together, and pulled through all of them. Ernest continued to work around the clock.

Mary found out she had diabetes when she was 30.

“I felt we stayed together for a long time because we were good together in the way we had things in common.

Then I liked Mary’s dad as he was a nice guy. Also, I had compassion for Mary since she was sick, and people get married for better or for worse, so I wanted to honour my commitment.”

The advice Ernest would give people starting out in marriage is that you have to give and take; you can’t just take.

“Marriage is a two-way street; it is not just about you. Then you have to be dedicated and committed.

We had our first child after eight years. You don’t count once the kids come. You have to put the children first.

You can forget about being you and your wife, it is about the kids then. I always gave the best of everything to my kids.”

Today, Ernest and Mary have two grandchildren, Shayna and Sarah, who are both in their early 20’s.

Ernest is 83-years-old now. He still resides and farms near Two Hills.

Ernest has lived apart from his wife for the past six years due to her advanced diabetic situation. Mary resides in the nursing home in Two Hills. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions placed on visitors in long term care facilities, Ernest was not able to visit Mary inside the facility on their 60th wedding anniversary. He did, however, sit outside her window and share his thoughts and time with her, so together they could commemorate their special milestone.

News Advertiser PAGE 13

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Text4Hope

iency. Text COVID19HOPE to 393939 to subscribe.

AHS encourages Albertans who are struggling with their mental wellness to reach out through one of the above contacts, and always remember: you are not alone.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

PAGE 14

News Advertiser

MAY 6, 2020

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MR. CLASSIFIED

Call toll free from anywhere in Alberta

1.800.522.4127 or fax to 780.632.7981

Ask the Guys Dear Classified Guys, I completely understand the usefulness of having a garage sale to clean out unwanted items and make a little spending cash at the same time. God knows my neighbors are on board. They have one every year about this time. They spend over a month gathering things from around the house, pricing, arranging them on categorized tables and making sure everything is perfect. Then they have their sale for three days starting on Friday, into Saturday and finishing on Sunday afternoon. Who has that kind of time to dedicate to things they no longer want? I'm all for having a sale, but I'm thinking of swinging open the garage door one Saturday morning and posting a sign out front. I'm hoping to finish by dinner with enough time to grab a beer and watch sports highlights. My wife thinks I'm crazy, but what do you think? Is a yard sale like this possible on short notice?

• • • Carry: It seems you and your neighbors have distinctly different opinions about how to hold a garage sale. Fortunately, it's pos-

Duane “Cash” Holze & Todd “Carry” Holze 05/04/14 05/03/20 ©The Classified Guys®

sible for you both to have great success.

Cash: Your neighbors, like many other people, find enjoyment in the process of organizing a garage sale. Therefore, they invest time and energy in being thorough when putting it together.

You can still have good results with a lot less effort, but you may want to do slightly more than just swing open your garage door.

Carry: One of the best things you can do for your garage sale is to advertise. You can't sell anything if people don't show up.

Place a classified ad or post signs around town where appropriate.

Anything you can do to get the word out will help. You can even make the signs while watching

your sports channel.

Cash: As for the length of your sale, one day can be plenty. If fact, we've had garage sales that sell out by 2 pm on the first day. That's enough time to watch the whole game, not just the highlights.

Carry: Another way to make your job even easier is to combine efforts with your neighbors. You can either have it on the same day or ask them to sell your items at their sale. They may be happy to assist if you offer to help out for a day or buy them lunch.

Cash: If all goes well, you'll have plenty of time to kick back and watch sports highlights. Best of all, you'll have some pocket change to buy a few extra refreshments.

Fast Facts Down Time

Reader Humor Early Bird

In today's fast-paced world, it can sometimes feel like leisure time no longer exists. However over the past 40 years, men and women have actually increased their leisure time by up to 8 hours per week, mostly due to reduced work hours. So where does all that extra time go? For many it's in front of the TV, devoting over 2.5 hours every day. For every additional hour of free time we find, we spend half of it in front of the television.

Maybe it's time we turn it off and get outside.

My neighbor is a very frugal guy. He's always shopping yard sales and trying to wheel and deal on something. So when we were setting up to have a yard sale, he couldn't resist stopping by early to try and swindle a deal out of us.

While my husband sorted our things into piles, my neighbor noticed an old electric hedge trimmer that was set on the side.

Immediately looking for a bargain, he pointed to it and asked my husband, "How much for the clippers?"

After a moment of thought my husband replied, "How does $5 sound?"

"That's a great deal," my neighbor answered reaching for his wallet.

"You bet it is," my husband laughed. "I was going to throw it away!"

(Thanks to Wendy J.)

Being Neighborly While most neighbors try to get along, some can be a thorn in your side. If you have a problem with your neighbor, experts say the first step to resolving it is to get to know them better. Then calmly share your concern and ask for their help in correcting it.

If the problem persists, put it in writing along with a proposed solution. Most of the time this is enough to resolve the issue without incident. After all, most people want to be neighborly.

•

•

Laughs For Sale

•

Do you have a question or funny story about the classifieds? Want to just give us your opinion? Email us at: comments@classifiedguys.com.

This "huge" garage sale sounds friendly.

e Sale.

Hug Garag nty for all. le p , Multi-family e super deals. th Don't miss un, 9 - 5.

Sat & S

www.ClassifiedGuys.com APARTMENTS

COMPUTERS

Adult Only Buildings at 5310-46 St and 4917 – 61 Ave in Vegreville.

Bachelor, 1 & 2-bedroom suite. Rent start from $645 to $825, DD Same.

Rent incl. Water, heat and Energized pkg stall. Call 780-918-6328 or 780632-6878.

VM SYSTEMS Looking for a new computer? VM SYSTEMS has all you’ll ever need in computers! Installation – Sales – Service – Internet. One call will get you in touch. Phone 780-632-2859 9am – 5pm.

Willowbrook 3 bedroom, 1 bath townhouse for rent April 1st. Nice neighbors, fenced yard, ample parking and is directly south of A.L. Horton School.

Rent is $875.00. For additional information and to view this unit, please contact or Murray at (780) 603-7772 or Linda at (587) 280-1727. NS/NP Arlington Place – 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom suite available. Very clean suites, quiet building, respectful tenants, and laundry on each floor. Rent is $725.00 to $775.00 and includes heat, water. NS/NP. Contact Murray at (780) 603-7772, or Linda at (587) 280-1727.

EDUCATION AIRLINES ARE HIRING - Get FAA approved hands on Aviation mechanic training. Financial Aid for qualified students - Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 888-686-1704 AIRLINE MECHANIC TRAINING – Get FAA Technician certification.

Approved for military benefits.

Financial Aid if qualified. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866-453-6204

AUTOMOBILES FEED 2000 Windstar. Ex. engine & transmission. Body damage. For parts $750.

780-922-5999 2008 Dodge Calibar. Automatic.

Loaded. 150,000 Kms. Clean. $5200.

780-994-3005 2002 Honda Civic, Standard Drives Excellent Needs TLC $3200 780-9225999 Rare Super Charged 40th Anniversary Grand Prix. Loaded. $4700. Phone 780-994-3005 2010 damaged Dodge Caliber 125,000kms. Drives excellent. For parts. $1500. Phone 780-994-3005 2005 Mercedes Smart Car diesel, automatic, black, 192,000kms, $3900.

780-994-3005

COMMERCIAL For Rent: Main Street Vegreville store front. 3900+ sq. ft.

Landlord, motivated. Phone or text 780-632-0480

Wanted. Oats, Peas, Wheat, Barley, Canola: Dry, Wet, or Heated.

AlbertaFeedGrain.com 1-888-4838789

GRAIN BINS Custom Bin Moving 14’–19’ Hoppers/Bins. New and used bins for sale. Wayne (cell) 780-632-0455

HEALTH & FITNESS GENERIC VIAGRA and CIALIS! 100 Pills $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. 24/7 CALL NOW! 888889-5515 VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! 100 Generic Pills SPECIAL $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. 24/7 CALL NOW! 888-445-5928 Hablamos Espanol

HOMES FOR RENT Advertise your rental property here for as little as $7.95 per week!

New 3 bdrm duplex Vegreville. $685/mo. Call 780-275-0089. New developments.

Newly upgraded, partially furnished, 1 bedroom bungalow.

Available May 1st. $450 Rent + utilities, excluding water. $450 DD. No pets. References required.

Phone: 780-632-1941 Near Aquatic Center in Vegreville.

Approx 450 Sq Ft., 1 bedroom, fully renovated, kitchen appliances, washer/dryer, soaker tub. NS, NP. $600/m + utilities. Same DD. References required. Call or text 780-632-0480

LAND FOR RENT Pasture for rent for 2020 season.

Approx. 130 acres approx. 10 miles northeast of Vegreville. Call Rick 780-632-9353

LAND FOR SALE

2004 Chev 4 x 4, new t/case, canopy, $3200. PH: 780-994-3005

MOTORHOMES

SPRUCE TREES Up to 24” - $1 each.

1982 Dodge camper van. Loaded.

Raised roof. Excellent condition. No rust. Very low km. Call 780-6798929

WANTED

PRINTING

Wants to purchase minerals and other oil and gas interests. Send details to P.O. Box 13557 Denver, Co. 80201

Taller ones available. Call 780-632-

2278 for information (leave message)

LIVESTOCK Salers bulls for sale. Red, black &

tan. Very Quiet. Semen tested and delivered. Scattered spruce salers.

PH: 780-768-2284

Yearling and Two Year Old Registered Red & Black Angus Bulls. Semen Tested. Brownalta Farms. 780-603-4882 LAKEFORD Registered Polled Hereford and Red Angus Bulls for Sale! Top Quality from a herd with over 50 years production history.

Contact Dan Prichard 780-385-2298 or 780-385-5125 For Sale: Simmental & Speckle Park Bulls, Yearling & 2 year olds. Semen tested. Free delivery. Ph: 780-9130221, 780-914-2521, 780-349-1936

The News Advertiser can help you with your personal and commercial print work needs: business cards, invoices, envelopes, posters and much more.

Phone: 780-632-2861 or email jobsubmit@newsadvertiser.com

SERVICES Scott’s Septic Tank Pumping. Phone 780-298-5480. 20 years septic tank cleaning experience. Visual inspection before and after cleaning. 200 feet of hose to stay off your grass.

Scott phone: 780-298-5480

For Sale: Gelbvieh Bulls. Limestone Stock Farms. 780-896-2352 780983-5030

MACHINERY

TO GIVE AWAY Lilac & cherry trees. Raspberry canes & yellow shrubs. Perennial flowers. 780-768-2460

For Sale: 1 quarter section pasture.

SE-15-52-12-W4 (North of Ranfurly) Call Ron 780-215-8422

Farm For Sale 320 Acres. Approx.

280 acres cultivated Pasture, trees and home place. Additional acres can be cleared and cultivated 572048 RGE RD 154 NE-17-57-15-4 SE-17-57-15-4. 6 miles east and 3 miles north of Andrew, AB. No. 1 soil yields excellent crops. Power.

For more information call Ken. 604454-7884 Land for sale 5.5 miles all pavement

North of Vegreville, currently in pasture but has potential. Gas well lease, dugout, power and well.

SW-20-53-14. 780-603-0305

2002 F250 Crew cab, 7.3 diesel.

Loaded. 410,000kms. $6500 PH: 780994-3005

LAWN AND GARDEN

For Sale: Brandt 835 Grain Loader Subaru 25.0 HP Engine - 105 Hours Call Walter at 780-603-1342

MISC. Reach millions of homes nationwide with one easy, affordable buy in the NANI Network! For more information go to www.afcp.org/nani BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR! We edit, print and distribute your work internationally. We do the work… You reap the Rewards! Call for a FREE Author’s Submission Kit: 866-951-7214

V

TRUCKS

1993 Chev 4x4 Ext Cab. For parts. $650. 780-922-5999 2006 Ford 4x4 Crew Cab. New tires. $4600. 780-994-3005 2004 Dodge Dakota 4x4 loaded, superb condition. Low km. $6,500.

780-632-3527.

2000 Dodge Dakota V8, 4x4, farm truck. $1600. 780-922-5999 2002 GMC 4x4 HD ¾ ton Service Truck 340k $3500 780-922-5999 1997 Ford 7.3 Diesel, 4 x 4, missing transmission. Nice deck, $2800. 780922-5999

ADVERTISE to 10 Million Homes across the USA! Place your ad in over 140 community newspapers, with circulation totaling over 10 million homes. Contact Independent Free Papers of America IFPA at danielleburnett-ifpa@live.com or visit our website cadnetads.com for more information

MAY 6, 2020

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VIEWPOINT - CONTINUED from PAGE 6 haps more.

Emergency funding is required for farmers to offset losses.

And farmers need help to protect their workforce and adapt to COVID-19 measures. That should include extra housing and appropriate transportation.

Agriculture is the foundation of Canada’s entire economy. Unfortunately, that fact has largely been forgotten during this crisis.

The federal government has looked at most issues through a public health lens since this crisis began and that has been important.

For example, last week as many prov-

inces desperately looked for ways to get young Canadians out in the field to help farmers, Ottawa provided funding to students so they can stay home and do nothing. That only made farm worker recruitment more difficult.

Physical distancing is something farmers have done for centuries, so the risks of students contracting COVID-19 while working on a farm are extremely low. This is a missed opportunity.

If the federal government continues on its current path, economic recovery will be very challenging, especially in agriculture.

Let’s hope real help for our farmers comes soon.

Road Closures in the County of Minburn

Last week there were 12 sections of roads that were closed in the County of Minburn.

This closure is at RR 134 and TWP 512 (Michelle Pinon/Photo)

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser Road closures are a sure sign of Spring.

As of May 1, there were 12 sections of roads throughout the County of Minburn due to flooding or poor conditions because of high levels of saturation.

Brent Williams, Chief Administrative Officer for the County of Minburn said the number of road closures is higher than normal, but not by much. “In recent years the County of Minburn has experienced flooding and road issues in Spring due to the increased moisture during summer and fall, high snowfall accumulation, and rapid Spring melting.”

He went on to say, “In terms of repair, some of these closures are a result of old culverts failing, so our crews will add new culverts, or fix damaged ones, and the road should be able to withstand similar water volumes in future years. However, some roads are annual closures due to sections being at low elevations or having a base that is unsuitable for high amounts of moisture. “For example, many older roads are made with black dirt bases, which become soft and unstable when wet. So in this latter circumstance, it’s a matter of waiting for water to recede, adding more gravel to holes and soft spots, and grading the road.”

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.

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Tributes MEMORIAM

MEMORIAM

MICKLICH, Shelby Tara-Lee August 10, 1995 - May 4, 1996 In memory of our daughter and sister who passed away suddenly twenty-four years ago.

JESUS IS SHE WITH YOU? Jesus is she with you?

I wonder everyday I sit and wonder why she’s gone And why she could not stay Every part of me is empty I feel I can’t go on But then I look to Heaven I hear this beautiful song Mommy I am with Him He holds me in His arms Whenever I am with Him He keeps me safe and warm He always says you shouldn’t worry I am safe and loved right here With all the other baby angels That passed within the years We have a special place up here He thought that you should know Where the blessed mother takes Your place for now until you show When I hear this precious little voice From the Heavens above I know that all the angels Are showering her with love For everyone that wants to hear Their baby’s voice so innocent and sweet Just close your eyes and begin to pray And embrace them in your sleep We miss you very much Shelby Luv Always, Mommy, Daddy, Caylib, Joshua and Zachary Micklich

KUHN, Max Peter Dad, Gido April 25, 1935 - April 21, 1999 Time may heal the broken heart, Time may make the world less sore, But time can never stop the longing For the loved one gone before.

I think of him in silence, His name I oft recall, There is nothing left to answer.

But his picture on the wall.

His weary hours and days of pain His troubled nights are past; In our aching hearts we know He has found sweet rest at last.

You’re not forgotten, Father, dear Nor ever shall you be.

As long as life and memory last I shall remember thee.

Nothing can ever take away The love a heart holds dear, Fond memories linger every day Remembrance keeps him near.

Those who we loved go out of sight, But never out of mind; They are cherished in the hearts Of those they leave behind.

His dear bright eyes and cheerful face Are pleasant to recall; He had a loving word for each And died beloved by all.

Remembering you with love, Crystal, Brayden Zabrick & Kuhn family

MICKLICH, Shelby Tara-Lee August 10, 1995 - May 4, 1996 In loving memory of my granddaughter who passed away suddenly twenty-four years ago.

“THE LITTLEST ANGEL” The littlest angel in Heaven Loves kittens and cowboys and fun.

Heaven will never be just as it was Now that her life there has begun.

She’ll turn fluffy clouds into snowmen And swing on the stars above.

She will turn golden streets into playgrounds And fill God’s home up with her love.

She’ll make dandelions out of sunbeams And find grassy meadows for playing Her laughter will ring where the great choirs sing, But she’ll hear us whenever we’re praying The Littlest Angel in Heaven Is the one we are longing to see, For the child that now belongs with Jesus, Is the child that belonged once to us.

Love always and very sadly missed

by Baba Olga Miskiw

LAKOMSKI, Annie Oct 27, 1919 – May 7, 2005 I will never forget the day I found you, the saddest Day of my life How I wish I could have gotten there sooner.

But God took you to His garden.

Miss you Mom, Love Nancy Vichnaya Pamyat

LAKUSTA, Sylvester November 16, 1940 - May 9, 2013 It broke our hearts to lose you, With the love and strength you gave us Before you went away You did so many things for us Your heart was kind and true And whenever support was needed We could always count on you when we were together But with the memories we cherish You will be with us in our hearts.

Forever loved and deeply missed By your loving wife Margaret, children Lori, Lorne, Effie, grandchildren Lyle, Larissa & Matt, Jonathan, Bradley & Hannah

MEMORIAM

OBITUARY

GRABAS, Edna J. March 25, 1926 - May 1, 2019

CHERNECKI, Gloria Johanna October 8, 1940 - April 26, 2020 It is with great sadness that the family of Gloria Johanna Chernecki of Hazelton, BC formerly of Vegreville, AB announce her passing on April 26, 2020 at the age of 79 years.

Gloria was born October 8, 1940 and raised on a farm in Ryley, AB, Gloria had a special love for life. She loved the outdoors, gardening, needlework, cake decorating, baking and cooking for everyone at family get togethers (turkey, fried chicken, apple pies yum yum). She also enjoyed fishing, picking mushrooms and the odd game of Bingo now and then. Gloria spent many years working for AGT (now Telus) and made many good friends over her years there. She is survived by her sons Jim (Jo Lynn), Michael (Conny) and daughter Kathleen (Lindsay) and one brother Alvin (Lorraine), ten grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren, nephews and nieces. She is predeceased by her parents Joseph and Minnie Rokos, husband Mike and son Joseph and two grandsons Brandon and Jonathan. Also predeceased by her brothers Orville, Harold, Raymond and Robert and sisters Dolores and Fern. The family would like to thank Gloria’s good friend and caregiver Cheryl Dewey for her tireless efforts to keep Mom company and comfortable until her passing.

Due to the COVID 19 outbreak, burial services will be held at a later date at St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Cemetery in Haight, AB.

Mom, it’s been 1 year since you have left us and I miss you so much.

You have taught us many words of wisdom and to have lots of patience in life.

You taught us what’s right and what’s wrong.

Not to dwell on things that we cannot change.

Don’t forget to say, “I’m sorry” and “I love you!”

Love one another and always do the best you can.

Have faith in GOD because He

will always answer our prayers.

I love you mom and will cherish all your great memories forever.

Until we meet again,

Love Linda

You are the best Mother, Mother-in-law, Baba, GreatBaba and Great-Great-Baba!

We all love and miss you dearly!

Love,

Linda, Jim, Candace, Justin, Tessa, Theo, Colby and Ace

NORGARD, Geoffrey Victor In loving Memory of Geoffrey Victor Norgard who passed away May 7, 2018 Time speeds on, two years have passed. Since death It’s gloom, it’s shadow cast within our home, where all seems bright and took from us a shining light, we miss that light, and every will, his vacant place there is none to fill. Down here we mourn but not in vain, for up in Heaven we will meet again.

Your wife Judy, your daughters Julie-Grant Jackie-Dale and Pam-Kelly your grandchildren and your greatgrandchildren

ZUKIWSKY, Margaret In Loving Memory of our Dear Mother who passed away May 7, 2016 Our lives go on without you But nothing is the same We have to hide our heartache When someone speaks your name Sad are the hearts that love you Silent are the tears that fall Living here without you Is the hardest part of all You did so many things for us Your heart was kind and true And when we needed someone We could always count on you The special years will not return When we were all together But with the love in our hearts You walk with us forever Forever in Our Hearts….Your Loving Family

YUSAK , Lawrence June 6, 1946 – April 29, 2020 Lawrence Yusak passed away peacefully with his family by his side at the Tofield Hospital.

Lawrence was born and raised in Mundare. He went on to University and received 2 degrees one in Geology and one in Economics. He then went on to find his true passion when he bought the Chipman Hotel, then later the Tofield Hotel where he settled with his wife Pat. He was predeceased by both of his parents and a nephew.

Lawrence is survived by his two brothers Donnie and Ernie Yusak; wife Pat; five children Adam, Kelly, Paula, Jason, Leona; five grandchildren Samantha, Lochlan, Chaley, Conner, Alex; great-grandchild Layla; also many close friends who became his family.

We would like to thank Dr. Abuzehar and all the staff at the Tofield Hospital.

Memorial service to be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation to a charity of your choice.

Weber Funeral Home Tofield 780-662-3959

MAY 6, 2020

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Tributes CARD OF THANKS PIPKE

A Message of Thanks In Memory of Leanne Pipke The family of the late Leanne Pipke wish to express their deep appreciation to family and friends who offered prayers, memorial donations, flowers, and messages of condolence in our bereavement. Thank you to all who attended Leanne’s service to share in fellowship and remembrance.

There are not enough words to thank everyone who has taken the time to help in so many ways. The meals, house cleaning, gifts, cards, phone calls, visits and support helped to ease the stress and anxiety of the journey. To know Leanne and our entire family are in your hearts and thoughts has brought comfort and strength.

We especially wish to thank Gordon & Patricia Pawluk ~ Autumn Rose Funeral Home, Anna Thostenson ~ Flowerland, Pastor Roger Urquhart, Breanne & BobbiJo ~ Twisted Sisters Kitchen, the Vegreville Hutterite Colony, Dr. Strydom and the Vegreville Family Clinic staff, and the amazing staff at St. Joseph’s General Hospital.

Thank you for honouring Leanne with such sincere and heart-felt care, compassion and gestures. The kindness and support extended to our family will always be remembered.

Sincerely, Terry, Clark, Kaylee, Carl, Lane, Erika, Avery, and Nate Pipke Family

News Advertiser PAGE 17

COVID-19: Support Your Local Producers News Advertiser The next time you need to restock your fridge, support the producers in your area by buying local. Many businesses have adapted their services during these difficult times and are continuing to provide you with a variety of fresh produce, meats, cheeses, breads, ready-made meals and artisanal goods.

Even if their storefronts are closed, many producers are accepting orders over the phone and online. Just make sure to ask if they’re adhering to the latest health and safety regulations when handling, preparing and delivering your food. Also, keep in mind that you’ll probably need to pay by credit or debit card as many businesses aren’t accepting cash at the moment.

When your order is ready to be

picked up, simply drive to the store or designated pick-up location and the staff will most likely place your purchases right in the trunk for you.

Other businesses will deliver directly to your home.

Although some stores remain open, you’ll likely have to disinfect your hands before you enter and will need to remain at least two metres (six feet) away from other people. Make sure you inquire about a store’s policies before you show up, and be prepared to follow them.

At a time when communities need to come together, buying local is an easy way to show your support.

Despite the pandemic, you can fill your fridge with fresh products that are grown or made locally.

PAGE 18

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MAY 6, 2020

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Jerrold Lemko Honours His Mother Jean Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent Jerrold Lemko believes mothers should be recognized this Mother’s Day, (May 10), because they are the backbone of any family.

“To me, any child or grandchild if they have anything bothering them or hurting them, they will to go mom. Mom is the cuddlier, mom is the storybook reader, and mom is usually the one that everyone goes to. They are the glue of the family. This is evident in society. Usually, kids will have that heart to heart with their mother before they go to their father. We see this even in grandparents when they go and visit their grandkids; they still go through the grandfather to get to the grandmother. This is even the way it is with my grandchildren and it is nice to see,” Jerrold said with a voice laced with love.

“For me, I had a really close relationship with my father but my mother, Jean Lemko was always there. She always had her eye on what I needed, what was my favorite meal, she also sensed when I was in trouble and that was when something

special happened,” Jerrold said.

“My mother is a social butterfly; she has a big heart. She wants to make a difference and has from her work involvement at the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church. Even though she didn’t have a lot because mom was poor after my father died when she was 45 years old. Then mom had to raise a 12-year-old boy. I was already gone from home as I had a family of my own. My mom lived all by herself in Holden with my 12-year-old brother.

Before dad passed away, mom was a stay-at-home mother. After dad passed away, she had to get a job, get a driver’s license, pay bills, write cheques and go through that whole process. She had to move out of their rental house they had

Jerrold Lemko and 24 other family members of Jean celebrated her 84th birthday on April 11 with a virtual visit via Zoom.

from the grain company my dad worked for. She had to get a job as a Head Cook at the Holden Lodge. Later, she had to move to Vegreville to get a job as a cook at the Alberta Hotel.

She worked there for a number of years.

She is very resilient. She is still going with all her healthrelated issues; with her heart bypass, and she has cancer right now. She is in isolation at the Senior Citizen Homestead Lodge and she can’t come out of the lodge. Mom is very religious and she has accepted her fate.

Her 84th birthday was spent at Homestead Lodge in a Zoom Chat. Usually, we had a big celebration. But this time, she still enjoyed the event,” Jerrold said. “Also, we’re behind on our ancestry. So, I reached out to mom and I asked her questions. That lady has a brilliant mind. She remembers things that I can’t believe she can remember.”

Then due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Jerrold and his family will be recognizing Jean on May 10 with a Mother’s Day card with messages. “The great-grandkids usually send her letters and cards. There will be phone calls from the family and we will go outside her window and wave to her while maintaining social distancing,” Jerrold added

MAY 6, 2020

News Advertiser PAGE 19

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COVID-19 Weekly Regional Update News Advertiser The Government of Alberta introduced its mobile contact tracing app which can detect if a person has been exposed to COVID-19 or if a person has exposed it to other people with the ABTrace Together app.

According to the Province’s website, the mobile app will quickly identify isolating positive cases which it says is an important part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and will prevent the spread of the virus. “The more Albertans who voluntarily download and use the app, the safer we’ll be, and the faster we can reopen the economy.”

ABTraceTogether uses a cell phone’s Bluetooth to keep an anonymous log of other app users a person has been in close contact with.

“If an Albertan tests positive for COVID-19, a Contact Tracer from Alberta Health Services (AHS) will get in touch with the infected person using contact information provided at the testing center. This process does not change from existing AHS leading practices.

Contact Tracers are individuals who work for AHS. They will contact an infected person to determine others who may have been exposed to the infected

person over the previous 21 days.

When an infected person is contacted by a Contact Tracer, the infected person will be asked if they use the ABTraceTogether app. If the infected person has the app, they will be asked to voluntarily upload the encrypted data from the app to Alberta Health Services. This information will be critical to help increase the speed and effectiveness of Alberta’s COVID-19 response.

Once AHS receives the encrypted data, AHS Contact Tracers will be able to use that information to reach the other app users who have had close contact with the infected person.

Quickly identifying the people that have been in close contact with the infected person will enable AHS to get them the guidance and care they need and to get them to self-isolate, reducing the spread of COVID-19 and helping them protect their family, friends and community.”

None of this data is identifiable to a specific person or location, and is always stored separately from any personal information used for contact tracing, such as your phone number.”

If you have any questions about how your personal information is being used then please contact HiaHelpDesk@gov.ab.ca The number of cases as of May 4 were: 5,776 confirmed cases, (96 new cases), 95 deaths, and 2,713 recovered cases.

These are the statistics for local geographic areas which include towns, villages and counties.

In Vegreville/Minburn County there were: 2 cases, 0 active, 2 recovered, and 0 deaths.

In Two Hills County there were: 0 cases, 0 active, 0 recovered, and 0 deaths.

In Lamont County there were: 0 cases, 0 active, 0 recovered, and 0 deaths.

In Beaver County there were: 2 cases, 0 active, 2 recovered, and 0 deaths.

In the Town of Tofield there were: 2 cases, 0 active, 2 recovered, and 0 deaths.

In the Town of Viking there were: 0 cases, 0 active, 0 recovered, and 0 deaths.

These numbers only reflect cases that have been tested and reported to Alberta Health.

COUNTY OF MINBURN - CONTINUED from PAGE 5 to the province invoicing municipalities for RCMP costs as part of their rural crime strategy.” Policing costs will be $81,761.93 in 2020, $122,771.05 in 2021, $163,609.29 in 2022, and from 2020 onward will be $245,542.09 Williams said as far as policing, it’s difficult to see how this will have an impact on rural crime. Program details are vague at the moment, but it appears to be more of a way for the province to offset its RCMP costs.

Williams said the annual tax amounts depend on a property’s assessment for that year. He did, however, offer examples for each category of taxation. They include the following: •Home assessed at $300,000 = $21.93 more in property taxes in 2020 •Cultivated Quarter Section assessed at $40,000 = $2.92

more in 2020 •Small business property assessed at $250,000 = $89.70 more in 2020 •Industrial property assessed at $500,000 = $179.40 more in 2020 Amounts owed under the Tax Installment Payment Plan are not changing, but we are allowing those enlisted to defer monthly payments to future months. Meaning that as long as the full balance is paid by December 31st, the agreements will remain intact. This will have a minimal impact on County finances.

Taxes are due October 31. “As of now, there will be a 12 percent levied November 1st on all outstanding tax amounts.,” stated Williams. The county has 3,188 residents with approx-

imately 7,300 assessed properties.

The county also waived all penalties on utilities for five months.

Williams said the estimated costs will be around $1,000.

PAGE 20

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MAY 6, 2020

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Provincial Government Unveils Relaunch Strategy Michelle Pinon News Advertiser Premier Jason Kenney unveiled the Province’s relaunch strategy plan that he said “puts safety first while gradually reopening businesses and activities to the public, and getting people back to work,” during a special address on April 30.

Kenney said the relaunch strategy was developed with the advice of public health officials, and would gradually lift the restrictions since the first presumptive case of COVID-19 was first reported on March 5.

“With Alberta’s relaunch strategy, we can finally begin to shift our focus from the fear and anxiety of the past few weeks and start looking with hope and cautious confidence towards the future. Together, we will move through the stages of the relaunch strategy with the same determination and commitment to personal and collective responsibility that Albertans.”

Vegreville Mayor Tim MacPhee responded to the announcement by saying, “ We are very happy that the Premier made this announcement for stage one of reopening the economy in this province I feel very confident that the citizens in our community have been practicing social distancing and that everything here should be fine I do think that it’s a very good approach using the different stages and encourage anybody who is not feeling well to stay home.”

Michelle Henderson, General Manager of the Vegreville & District Chamber of Commerce, was supportive of the plan but said there are questions around what the decision would mean for business owners in terms of personal protective equipment (PPE) and protocols for staff and their customers. She said business owners have questions and concerns about the additional cost of the safety measures. “It’s an additional expense they wouldn’t normally have.” There were also questions regarding the availability of supplies.

The stages of the plan were outlined in detail. Stage 1, that will be in place as early as May 14 would allow some businesses and services to reopen and resume operations with physical distancing and other public health requirements.

Stage 1 would include: post-secondary institutions to deliver services, retail businesses such as clothing, furniture and book stores, some personal services as hairstyling and barbershops, museums and art galleries, more scheduled surgeries and dental procedures, daycares with limited occupancy, summer camps and summer schools, cafes, and restaurants with no bar service and capacity at 50 percent. Remote working is advised where possible.

Some outdoor recreational activities. There would be rules and guidance for the use of masks in crowded spaces. However, events that have close physical contact would not be permitted. Those would include: arts and culture festivals,

major sporting events, and concerts. Movie theatres, pools, recreation centres, arenas, spas, gyms, and nightclubs would remain closed. Non-essential travel is not recommended.

The timing of Stages 2 & 3 would be determined by the success of Stage 1. Stage 2 will allow additional businesses and services to reopen. Libraries and potential Kindergarten to Grade 12 Schools with restrictions. Personal services such as esthetics, cosmetic skin and body treatments, massage, and reflexology. Permitting of some larger gatherings and reopening of movie theatres.

Stage 3 will allow businesses and services to fully reopen with limited restrictions. Larger gatherings would be permitted as well as arts and culture festivals, concerts, major sporting events, nightclubs, pools, recreation centres, gyms, and arenas. It would allow for industry conferences with restrictions. Non-essential travel no longer discouraged.

liberals take aim - CONTINUED from PAGE 4 Trudeau politicking. It reminds me that “we are all in this together” (unless Trudeau needs to get to the cottage).

Most people who have looked closely at the issue of gun violence know that the facts are non existent when it comes to finding the source of the guns used. In 2019, The Globe and Mail requested information from 36 police forces across Canada for firearms tracing on guns used in crimes. No agencies were able to provide any. The Canadian Department of Justice web site indicates that “In theory, there are three major illegal sources of firearms: theft, smuggling and illegal manufacturing. Unfortunately, there is very little information in Canada on any of these activities.” So... they don’t know where the guns are coming from, but they will not hesitate to go after the guns that have been legally purchased by law-abiding taxpayers.

Stats Canada keeps stats on homicide victims. Numbers from 2018 show that there were 249 victims involving firearms in total. Of that total, 143 involved handguns and TWO (2) involved fully automatic firearms now banned by the new legislation. Contrast that with impaired driving statistics from MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) who estimate that on the low side 1250 people are killed each year in impairment-related crashes.

Liberals are bad at math (budgets balance themselves) so I’ll break that down.

5X more people die due to impaired driving than do from gun violence. I don’t think that our government has some equation which puts more value on gun victims than on impaired driving victims, but clearly their priority is NOT saving lives. It’s about pandering for votes from an urban base. What is worse is that this move was done under emergency powers he attempted to secure until 2021 bypassing parliament and showing that his admiration for Chinese style governing goes beyond mere fan boy appreciation.

I confident that overwhelmingly, most responsible gun owners are in favor of strong, effective measures for gun ownership. There is a sense of comfort that comes with going hunting or target shooting with someone who knows how to handle a gun and does so responsibly.

Will banning guns used in 0.8% of gun homicides save lives? I’d suggest to PM Trudeau that if they banned cars and alcohol, they could save more lives and the environment at the same time! If only it were that easy.

Tell me what you think. Email me at abletters@newsadvertiser.com