Support locally made, Canadian products

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Rachel Berneski and Daniel van Kesteren stand behind local Alberta and Canadian products at the Country Garden Liquor Store.

By Murray Green

A little education goes a long ways.

Before you decide to stop buying American products, do your research on where the products are made and who makes them.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said her government will avoid purchasing U.S. made goods, services and will launch an advertising campaign to help shoppers buy Canadian products while US tariffs are in place (Keep in mind tariffs can change every day).

“This economic attack on our country, combined with Mr. (Donald) Trump’s continued talk of using economic force to facilitate the annexation of our country, has broken trust between our two countries in a profound way,” Smith said in a press conference.

“Premier Danielle Smith’s response to U.S. tariffs demonstrated Alberta’s commitment to immediate action and collaboration with partners across Canada to implement these recommendations,” said Shauna Feth, CEO of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce.

“We urge all provincial and territorial leaders to unlock our energy resources and economic opportunity across the nation–to step up for Canada together. Our national chamber movement stands ready to work with governments at all levels to shift gears from discussion to economic self-determination.”

American products will slowly disappear from the shelves. “AGLC (Alberta Gaming and Liquor Control board) has decided not to bring in anymore American products. We are not sure if that starts already or includes stuff already in the warehouse. We paid for the products on the shelves and we can’t send them back. That means we will sell them until we run out,” said Daniel van Kesteren, owner of Country Garden Liquor Store.

“If people don’t want to buy American products, that is fine. We will point out to them some of the similar locally or Canadian products.

“We will show customers alternatives. We have always tried really hard to promote local and Alberta products. So we will always point customers in the direction of local anyway. If they want Baileys, I’ll say why don’t you try Thick and Dirty, which is made in Sherwood Park,” added assistant manger Rachel Berneski.

“We have to educate our customers. They don’t always know what is made in Canada or the US,” shared Daniel.

“Beer such as Labatts, Molsons, Budweiser, Bud Light are all brewed in Canada. You have to consider are they American or Canadian. Bourbon is something that is American, no matter what the brand is. Instead of grabbing Jack Daniels, we will show them 40 Creek, which is a rye made right here in Alberta. It is a task to determine what is and isn’t American,” continued Daniel.

“Wines are easy, they are mostly from California. Some Canadian vineyards sometimes don’t have enough grapes to make the wine here. A brand like Mission Hill have to bring in grapes because they don’t have enough here. Some grapes are from the US and some from Argentina. There is no way of knowing in some cases,” explained Daniel.

“We have a customer that won’t buy Wayne Gretzky rye because he is a friend of Trump. There is a lot of misinformation out there.”

People get stuck on names. They may think they are supporting the Ukraine by not buying a product name that sounds Russian.

“Take Smirnoff Vodka for an example. A closer look at the label tells you that Smirnoff Vodka is actually made in Guelph, Ontario. Boycotting this product hurts Canadians,” said Daniel.

“I had someone yell at me for carrying Russian Prince Vodka (made in Alberta) products on the shelf. I hope Camrose people don’t get to that point again (some people just don’t understand and need to be more informed),” Rachel said.

“We didn’t have anything (Russian) to take off the shelf, because we didn’t have it in the first place,” added Daniel.

The Alberta Liquor Store Association is asking questions. If Canadian jobs depend on making the products, are we hurting or helping the situation?

“Our representatives are working hard to make sure we have the right information we need,” shared Rachel.

“A good example is Corona. People think it is made in Mexico, but it is made in Canada. We know where some of the products are made, but it is hard to figure out, even for us,” said Daniel.

“Coors Banquet is American, but Coors original is brewed in Canada”, piped in Rachel. “We will try to keep customers informed and direct people to purchase what they are looking for. Education is the key and Camrose has always been good at supporting local,” she added.

Buying local is always the best bet. Alberta has some of the best products in the world. Learn about your local companies before you go shopping.

Fashion show for funds

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From left, Selina Read, Lorraine Badry and Mikaila Kroeger are getting ready for the fashion show.

By Adan Shaikh

Join the Hospice Society of Camrose and District  for a lively fashion show on March 27 at the Days Inn Norsemen. The doors will open at 6 p.m. and the show will begin at 7 p.m. The evening begins with a fashion show showcasing local stores, a silent auction and food.

“Our first fashion show was in 2018, and this is our fourth one. The stores participating find their own models and clothes and they decide how they will showcase it,” shared Pat Carlson, one of the volunteers involved with the organizing of the event.

The show has been made possible thanks to Fringe Benefits, Twig, From Kicks to Kids, The Trendy Walrus, Vinesation Olive Oils & Vinegars, and Duff Layton’s Men’s Wear. These local businesses are also selling tickets at their stores.

Last year, the fashion show was attended by over 230 people. All the funds raised from this event go towards providing services to those who need support with grief and loss. For more information or to find tickets contact Hospice at 780-608-0636.

Arrogant Worms return

By Murray Green

The Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre is celebrating its 10th anniversary. That means some of the hottest acts over the past 10 years will be returning to help celebrate the Lougheed Centre milestone.

The Arrogant Worms are back. The Canadian band that gave us The Last Saskatchewan Pirate hit is returning for a show on Wednesday, March 12, at 7:30 p.m. This will be a live streaming show as well.

“They were so much fun last time, we just had to bring them back again,” said Lougheed manager Nick Beach.

The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour will be showcasing its annual best in films on Thursday, March 13, at 7:30 p.m.

Join the mountaintop adventures from Canada and around the world.

“This will be the third or fourth time we will be showing an adventure show. The filming is fantastic and a must to see,” said Nick.

Nova Scotia sisters Cassie and Maggie offer Celtic instrumentals and vocals from the east coast on Friday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m. in the Cabaret Series.

“When you think of East Coast folksy Celtic music, you get Cassie and Maggie. They play traditional and contemporary Celtic songs,” shared Nick.

One of the most iconic bands in Canada over the last 60 years, The Irish Rovers, are returning for another performance on Tuesday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m.

If you haven’t seen this band live, then this show is a must because they might not be touring with the same band members for much longer.

“Their last tour was COVID-19 affected, but they had their Camrose date go ahead. This is part of the same year-long tour, but we are fortunate to get them twice. They sold out so fast, I wish I booked two shows. Well, now I get to have my second show,” shared Nick.

Bailey Theatre lineup

By Murray Green

The Bailey Theatre has a great lineup of shows planned for this season.

A show entitled So You Think You can Drag will be held on March 14 at 7 p.m. This is organized by the Augustana Students’ Association.

Lucy MacNeil of the Barra MacNeils will be holding her own concert at the Bailey on March 15 at 8 p.m.
Lucy has been performing with the Barra MacNeils for 37 years. They come from a long tradition of Cape Breton music and dance that has been the foundation of creative pursuits over their musical career.

In 2014 and 2017, Lucy was a special guest with Symphony Nova Scotia for their Rita MacNeil tribute concert. Here she performed with conductor Scott MacMillan, Symphony Nova Scotia and The Men of the Deeps.

Musicville ia a new children’s musical presented by Phoenix Productions on March 21 and March 22 at 7 p.m. and March 23 at 2 p.m.

It is an adventure with Maiden Melody and Radical Rhythm as they attempt to save their town from the Sorcerer of Silence.

Learn to Run for Fun course set

By Murray Green

The Camrose Ski Club is holding an eight-week Learn to Run class prior to Ole’s Spring Run Off. The graduates can choose to run the three- or eight-kilometre distance in the Ole’s Spring Run Off on May 10.

“The Learn to Run for Fun class is a way for anyone who wants to learn how to run, enjoys the motivation that comes from training with others, or wants to use this as a running refresher course,” said Ole organizer Kathi Nagy.

“The Ole’s Spring Run Off is a great kickoff to the summer running season and this can help get runners ready and motivated while also taking advantage of the beautiful Camrose running trails,” she added.

“It was motivating and it was fun to run with a group and I felt a sense of accomplishment by the end of the course,” said Camrose runner Krystal Shirley, who took the training course last year. “I like that the group runs were designed to gradually build up mileage and prevent injury and the pre-run presentations covered a wide range of relevant topics. I learned a lot from the coaches and it was really helpful to get feedback on my running form.”

Shirley said she would recommend the program for anyone wanting to try running for the first time, resume running injury-free after a layoff, or looking for a consistent start to the running season.
Classes begin Tuesday March 18 and will be held every Tuesday and Saturday until the Ole’s Spring Run Off in May.

Members of the Camrose Ski Club’s running section, with decades of experience, will lead the classes and discuss clothing, nutrition, shoes and running form during the twice-weekly classes.

Daylan Wizniuk, who has run in several marathons, will lead the classes and pass on tips that have taken him to races around the world.

“I love running and Camrose has some of the nicest running trails. I want to encourage others to take the first step to running. This will be a fun class designed to take the fear out of running,” Daylan said.

The Learn to Run for Fun class includes registration to the Ole’s Spring Run Off. Register on-line at the Camrose Ski Club website www.camroseskiclub.com.

All skill levels begin March 18 and start on Tuesdays at 5:15 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. Tuesday practises will also include a brief instructional talk on a variety of running topics. A focus of this program is preparing participants to (optionally) race in the annual community race, Ole’s Spring Run Off.

Bittern Lake deciding on its future status

By Murray Green

A final viability meeting will be held on March 18 at 7 p.m. in Bittern Lake. This is the last meeting before the question of it’s future status will be held.

A viability vote will be held on April 1 from 4 to 8 p.m. and on April 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Village of Bittern Lake has a decision to make. Residents will be deciding if they want to stay a village or move back to being a hamlet under Camrose County.

Alberta municipal affairs staff Charlene Brown, Linda Reynolds and Ross Zimmerman have held various meetings last year to keep the community informed.

“A viability review is an objective review of a municipality’s governance, administration, finances, infrastructure, community and services that provides options on how the community can become viable in the future,” said Brown, the lead municipal viability advisor.

A viability review includes public information sessions to gather information and then another  public mid-review to keep track of changes and added information.

“Our role is to present a balanced presentation to residents so they can make an informed vote for the future of Bittern Lake. A report will be mailed to residents before the vote is conducted,” she added.

The process covers every detail of the village through an infrastructure audit, information collection and analysis, viability report and pre-vote public information.

“It will have one of two ends. A vote by residents will determine the outcome. It will either stay a village and reach viability or become a hamlet under Camrose County. Those are the two options,” she stated.

Governance administration, operations finances, infrastructure services  and community will be part of the viability factors.

“We will review significant infrastructure deficit, lack of priority setting and long-term planning, lack of stable tax base, depleting accumulated surpluses, declining population and reliance on government transfers,” explained Brown.

Alberta municipal affairs will help with the  transitional stream following a dissolution or amalgamation vote. However, no extra funding will come forward if they choose to stay as a village.

“If they decide to turn things over to the County, their taxes may not be going down in the near future. Residents will still have to pay for their fair share for immediate infrastructure upgrades that needs to go ahead,” Brown indicated.

Based on population, Camrose County could receive close to $1 million to help with costs, but that would be a drop in the bucket if infrastructure needs are high.

“I’ve asked this question before when New Norway and Ferintosh became hamlets, this puts a heavy burden on the County, do we have a chance to say no?” asked County councillor Doug Lyseng last year.

The answer is still no. “This is very, very unfair,” he added.

“This puts a burden on every resident within the County. It’s a lot,” stated councillor Tina Sroka.

Post restructuring is based on a population of 216 with transitional stream of a base $100,000 and $500/capita of $108,000.

The infrastructure/debt servicing stream following a dissolution or amalgamation is a base $500,000 and $1,500/capita for $324,000.

Community band to hold Spring Concert

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Andrew Noden is all set to perform at the Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre on March 23.

By Murray Green

The Camrose and District Community Band is holding a free concert at the Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre on March 23 at 2 p.m.

“Thanks to a generous grant provided by the City of Camrose, we’re able to offer this performance at no cost to the public,” said band member and social media director Malcolm Scott. “The grant makes events like this accessible to everyone.”

Although there is no charge for admission, you are asked to reserve your tickets prior to the concert by calling the box office at 780-608-2922.

“We applied to the Camrose Arts Council for a no-fee day grant at the Lougheed Centre. It allows us to offer the concert free of charge for the public to enjoy. The grant covers all of our costs including the Cargill Theatre and technician. This allows us to share what we like to do with the community. It allows us to keep our membership fees low. This concert is accessible to the entire community and removes the barrier of the price of admission,” explained Sean McIlveen, a band member.

“We want to share the gift of music and the arts. We encourage people to dust off their instrument and join us in our band as well,” he added.

“I have been in the band for close to 40 years, because I took a few years off. I decided to come back because I just enjoy playing trumpet. I played all the way through junior high and high school, and I wanted to keep it up. This is my social outing and this band is made up of a great bunch of people from all walks of life including Augustana students,” said band member Andrew Noden.

“This Spring Concert is an opportunity to showcase how hard we worked all winter to get these songs perfected. Tom does a great job in showing us how to do it. He challenges us,” Andrew laughed.

“It is a great tribute to have current and past music teachers joining us and playing along side of us. The Spring Concert is a big deal for us. We have a good balance of players that makes for a full sound,” added member Wayne Werner, who joined the band when it started.

“We used to have 12 trumpets at one time, now we have six, but we work it out,” added Andrew.

“We had a baritone that moved over to trumpet this year to help out. In fact, I started out on trumpet, but we were short of baritones, so I moved over. I could migrate back, but I’m having fun over there,” chuckled Wayne.

‘We just look forward to showing everyone what we can do,” said Wayne.

“Our membership is open to all adults ages 18 and over, who play woodwind, brass or percussion instruments,” shared Camrose band director Tom Spila.

The band’s season runs from September to May. Formed in 1983, the Camrose and District Community Band was started by a group of 13 interested local musicians, under the baton of Spila, for the purpose of providing a recreational adult band for the community. The original community ensemble, called the Rose City Band, was active in the 1960s, but later disbanded. The formation of the Camrose and District Community Band allowed former Rose City Band members, former school players and interested adult beginners to join together for an enjoyable evening of music every week to acquire and improve skills many thought they might never get the opportunity to work on again.

Community Band rehearsals take place Tuesday evenings, from 7:30 to 9 p.m., at the École Camrose Composite High School band room. The season runs from late September to late May.

The band welcomes all newcomers so if you are interested, feel free to talk to members of the band and the director after the concert, or call Tom at 780-672-1051 for further information.

The band also holds a concert in the park each May.

Centra Cam Bowl-a-thon returning

By Adan Shaikh

Bowl-a-Thon is an annual fundraising event set up by Centra Cam Vocational Training Association. At this event, the organization raises funds which help them keep the essential services available to their clients.

Last year’s Bowl-a-thon event raised about $29,131. This year’s goal is $29,000 which will go towards upgrading software and technology.

“Last year was our 27th annual Bowl-a-thon, which was a great success and every year it gets bigger,” shared Jenna Charette, coordinator at Centra Cam.

“We will run in two sessions, morning and afternoon, with two sets of challenge teams, 20 challenge teams total. Teams in the morning compete for The Bank Challenge Cup and in the afternoon for The Challenge Cup,” explained Jenna.

“Challenge teams take donation sheets and compete to raise the most amount of money. Whichever team collects the most, has the trophy engraved with their business name and they can display it for the year. It’s really just a fun day to come out and interact with our clientele and build community connections,” she continued.

The event will take place at Tabb Lanes and Lounge on March 14. Spectators are welcome to come and watch the competition. The first round takes place at 10 a.m. and the second will begin at 1 p.m.

For those who would like to donate to this fundraiser to help Centra Cam achieve their goal, can do so by directly donating at their office, located at 5502-46 Street, or on the day of the event by stopping by at Tabb Lanes and Lounge or through e-transfer to billpayments@centracam.ca.

French student wins essay contest

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Francophone School École des Fondateurs Grade 6 student Charlie Richard received $400 and a certificate for writing the best essay about racism from Alliance Jeunesse-Famille de l’Alberta Society member Robert Suraki Watum.

By Murray Green

Camrose student Charlie Richard, who attends  Francophone School École des Fondateurs, received $400 for his moving story about stopping racism.

The Grade 6 student was awarded on February 20 for a story he wrote near the end of 2024.

Teacher Luis Licea Morales, principal Fatou Thioune and language monitor Florence Bernard introduced Charlie to Alliance Jeunesse-Famille del’Alberta Society member Robert Suraki Watum, who awarded him the prize.

Charlie placed first in the  elementary category in Alberta. The theme of the writing contest was Agir Contre le Racisme: Je m’engage! (Act Against Racism: I’m Committed!)

Charlie wrote a letter and recorded a video addressing the principal explaining what he would like to see happen at the school and how learning more about diversity and other cultures could help the students to better understand this topic.

The contest was organized by Alliance Jeunesse-Famille de l’Alberta Society (AJFAS), which is a unique alliance between young people and Francophone families of ethnocultural origin, in collaboration with the three levels of government, volunteers, community stakeholders of the Francophonie. It involves international organizations, primary, secondary and higher education institutions of the Alberta Francophonie, Francophone and Anglophone organizations dedicated to the cause of the rights and obligations of young people and immigrant women. AJFAS is an organization that advocates harmony, security, acceptance, social cohesion and appreciation of difference.

Here is Charlie’s letter:

Dear Ms. Fatou,
December 19, 2024

I am writing to you today to talk about a topic that we discussed in class. We talked about racism and why it is important to teach young people about this subject and the actions we can take to make a difference.

I think it is important for students to know that all students deserve respect and equality. We are all different, we all have the same rights. We learned that racism can hurt and it is not fair for children to be bullied. We must intervene when we hear racist remarks, words or expressions. Instead, use positive and inclusive language.

I would like children to learn cultural differences through activities where we learn about other countries. As an example of an activity, we could do a project where each student chooses a different country and presents it to the class.

Another reason why it is important to talk about this topic is because racism prevents peace and harmony all over the world. It would be easier to resolve problems if we took the time to get to know each other. At school we can form groups of students to go into classes and give presentations to educate about harassment/racism.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, I hope we can have conversations later and discuss the actions we can take together such as doing inclusion activities in classes and education groups on the subject.

My warmest regards, Charlie

Battle of the Badges returns

By Murray Green

Get ready for the rematch of the Battle of the Badges on March 22.

“Special Olympics Alberta-Camrose deeply values the strong relationship we have with the Camrose Police Service and the Camrose Fire Department. Not only do our city’s finest support Special Olympics athletes by participating in the Battle of the Badges, they also are dependable supporters of year-round sports programs, coming out from time to time to challenge our Special Olympics athletes to softball, basketball and floor hockey games. Thus, creating meaningful and long-lasting friendships,” said one of the Battle of the Badges organizers, Carol Wideman.

Special Olympics in Camrose offers year-round sports opportunities to individuals of any age with an intellectual disability.

“This will be the third Battle of the Badges hockey game that we have been in. We have had this partnership with the Camrose Police Service and Special Olympics and this has been a good fun, fundraiser. All the proceeds from the hockey game goes to Special Olympics,” shared Jeff Knopf, fire and life safety educator at the Camrose Fire Department.

“This game is a chance to bring the city residents together in a community event. This is a hockey city, so it is a great way to showcase the fire and police departments and support Special Olympics. We want people to come out and enjoy the fun event,” added police Constable Justin Serbyniuk.

“Both of our services do things with athletics outside of the Battle of the Badges. We also, both services, agreed to play a baseball game with Special Olympic athletes, so we have that community connection with them throughout the year,” said Jeff.

“A couple of our members coach Special Olympic sports and we hand out medals at their bowl-a-thon every year. This is a good way to stay in touch with them and support them,” said Justin.

During the game Special Olympic athletes will be helping out in any way they can such as in the PA booth, greeting fans and helping with halftime activities.

“Each player is going to seek pledges. We are trying to set it up that you can go on-line and pledge the player of your choice as well,” said Justin.

“The game will be played as hockey. We will have entertainment during the intermission that fans will be looking forward to,” said Jeff.

“We want to get as many people out to the game as possible, fill the arena. This is a big fundraiser for Special Olympics and we want it to be successful,” shared Justin.

Special Olympics Alberta-Camrose is completely run by community minded volunteers and relies on fundraisers such as this to implement their programs.

“Our last Battle of the Badges was held in 2020, however, due to COVID-19 and conflicting dates this great event has been on hold, we are so grateful we are able to extend an invitation to Camrose and community to join us once again on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in the Encana Arena,” added Carol.

The Camrose Fire Fighters and Camrose Police Service will be challenging each other to a game of hockey, with the intent of raising funds and awareness for Special Olympics Alberta-Camrose.

Join in the fun and admission is a free-will cash donation with buckets at the doors. A QR code 50-50 draw, silent auction table, frisbee toss at halftime with antics, bribe a ref, Boston Pizza pizza slices and blue and red donuts will be on sale in the fundraiser. 

All set for Augustana Art Show

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From left, Isabelle Spohn and Darius Polishchuk share some of the pieces they have picked to display at the show this year.

By Adan Shaikh

Art serves as a strong catalyst in bringing communities together. It makes the viewers wonder, while enabling artists to express their thoughts and feelings, igniting discussions about the creative journey and how art offers fresh perspectives on the world around us.

University of Alberta Augustana Campus is filled with talented artists who are creating, learning and sharing their voices through their works. This month, Augustana is setting up a beautiful display of artwork to shed light on the talented creatives at their campus.

“Our art show at Augustana is characterized by how interdisciplinary all of the majors are, and every artist in the show doesn’t necessarily take arts as a full-time degree. What’s cool about this show is how students from different fields come together over art and create with different mediums. Whether it be for exploration credit or just wanting to learn a new skill,” shared Isabelle Spohn, who, along with Darius Polishchuk is organizing the art show.

The second-year students of Interdisciplinary Studies in Creativity and Culture are looking forward to showcasing the many unique pieces.
Isabelle herself dabbles in ink and oil paintings and has been doing commissions since she was only 15 years old. Darius is exploring his talent in charcoal and pencil.

“There is a relatability to the show which is striking every time we put it on. There’s some magnificent work being displayed that these artists created in only a few months of working in their medium. The artwork itself speaks to a wide range of people. It is also a point of pride for students to see people connect with their work,” shared Isabelle.

“Arts don’t always get the same attention as other programs at universities and it is nice to be able to showcase the wonderful work that is being created on campus,” shared Darius.

Last year’s art show had a collection of over 100 pieces and although there is no set number, Isabelle and Darius feel confident this year’s submissions will be close to that number.

The show will open at 2 p.m. on March 21 at the Ravine Studio building at Augustana Campus, and there will be a reception held at 7 p.m. On March 22, the show will be available noon to 5 p.m.

This free event is the perfect opportunity to explore the local talent and enjoy a day of arts and culture in Camrose.

From the Voices of Children

By Adan Shaikh

The University of Alberta Augustana Campus is celebrating the release of a documentary called, From the Voices of Children. This film release will take place on March 15 at the Faith and Life Chapel on the Augustana campus at 1 p.m.

The documentary was created with extensive research conducted by Augustana’s own Ardelle Ries, who, alongside Stephanie Schuurman-Olson, two U of A master’s students and five undergraduate students, who spent three years surveying, interviewing and compiling the data collected to ensure that the voices of children are heard and valued when it comes to song-based education.

“The documentary is based on a research project that we have been working on since 2022. Our research explores children’s attitudes toward singing, especially as impacted by the pandemic. During that time many school music and community choral programs couldn’t run and people weren’t allowed to gather, which was for our safety but also may have changed people’s perspectives on participation in singing. As music educators, we find this very interesting and wanted to look into what children thought of this and how they feel about singing. We hope that our research will help promote song-based music education,” shared Ries.

Children from all over Alberta participated in this research, supported by their parents, teachers and conductors.

“We contacted school administrators and music educators working within community choirs, private music studios, and in school divisions, to see if they would like to participate in our research. We had an ethics approval process to make sure that parents and guardians were aware of what type of research was being done. Our research was based on one-on-one interviews with the children and an online survey that was circulated in participating schools. While participation in school online surveys yielded fewer responses than expected, the response to interview participation with over 100 children was fantastic,” continued Ries.

The filmmakers involved with this project were Holly Mazur and Myles Belland.

“We started interviewing in 2022, during the pandemic with our last interview conducted in spring of 2024. My favourite part about the research was speaking with the children, hearing and learning what they had to share. The wonderful way they express their ideas and opinions, and seeing the joy on children’s faces was an absolute delight for me,” commented Ries. She looks forward to seeing the children in the film.

“Before we screen the documentary, we will talk about our research, and after the screening, we will have a Q&A panel. Some of the children featured in the documentary will be part of this panel, and we will get to hear directly from them about their role in the research and in the documentary. We hope that this film will advocate for singing at home and promote song-based education in schools and in the community,” she continued.

The documentary aims to encourage parents and children to explore and embrace their unique voices while highlighting the sense of belonging that choral singing can promote in the society as well as the amazing effects it can have on the young minds of the children. After being released in Camrose on the March 15, the film will also be screened in Edmonton on March 16 at the Winspear Centre.

To find out more about this project and to register to attend the event, visit www.fromthevoicesofchildren.com/events.

A cultural experience through youth exchange program

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Rotary Youth Exchange program is building bridges all over the world by sharing opportunities for youth to experience different cultures. From left, Dan Cole, inbound counsellor for the program, Jan Nestler, the German exchange student with Lisa and Nicole Rohr, Jan’s current host family.

By Adan Shaikh

The Rotary Club started the Rotary Youth Exchanges in 1960s. The program has hosted about 50 inbound and outbound students from countries all around the world.

Last year, Rotary members were joined by Jan Nestler a new exchange student from Germany.
“Youth exchange is all about cultural exchange. We get to learn about Germany and Jan gets to learn about Canada. It’s all about building a foundation for peace all across the world. There are 7,000 students, every year, around the world who get to take part in the Youth Exchange,” shared Dan Cole, inbound counsellor for the program.

“He arrived August 30, we went to the airport to welcome Jan. He was with Vicki and I for the first two weeks, then to Ellen and Tim Parker’s for October and November. He then went to Signe and Corry Peake’s for the month of December. Now he is with Lisa and Ken Rohr. In April, he will go back to the Peake’s to experience more of the farm and birth of baby lambs. Then he will go to Lou and Morris Henderson’s for May and half of June. Then he will spend the last three weeks with Vicki and I before departing for Germany on July 4,” explained Dan.

The youth in the program get to stay with multiple families, spending a few months with one host family before moving in with the next one.

“It is definitely fun, you get to know the host families and you will form relationships for life. You can come back and visit them in the future and they can come visit you. I got to visit the host family my brother stayed with when he was an exchange student in Canada,” shared Jan, emphasizing how lasting the relationships you build in this program can be.

Jan is getting to learn a lot about the Canadian culture and lifestyle. “We make trips with Rotary, we got to go to Ottawa, we went ice-fishing, snowshoeing, which was my favourite, we don’t get enough snow in Germany to do that. Some Indigenous cultural events,” said Jan.

He is also attending Grade 11 here, but will have to repeat it once he returns to Germany as the education system is quite different. In fact, Jan finds the education here pretty easy.

“The school system here is different, we don’t have credits in Germany we have a grading system and that’s it,” commented Jan.

Currently, he is staying with Lisa Rohr and her family.

“Jan is actually our second exchange student. Last year, we had Elise from France, who was with us for five months. So far it has been great, Jan has been volunteering with my daughter Nicole on Mondays at the Special Olympics, helping with swimming. He also just started going to Taekwondo classes which he seems to enjoy,” shared Lisa.

“As a host family, we enjoy getting to know someone from another country and learn about their culture, it’s very interesting,” she continued.
Lisa also has a daughter who is around Jan’s age. “It’s like having a sibling so it’s nice having someone my age around the house, all my siblings are a lot older than me,” said Nicole.

Camrose Rotary is connecting the youth from all corners of the world where their program provides students with an opportunity to explore other cultures while promoting peace and fraternity in the community.

Icecats enter U15 female hockey league next season

By Murray Green

Camrose Minor Hockey Association will be icing an Icecats team in the Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) U15 double-A division next season.

The AFHL will expand its elite female hockey opportunities in Alberta for the 2025-26 season. Over the past five seasons, girls’ hockey has experienced growth, prompting the Elite Female committee to recognize the need for additional teams in areas where this growth is exceptional. These new teams are part of a comprehensive strategic review that considered association growth, sustainability, grassroots initiatives and feedback from elite committee task groups.

Hockey Alberta’s Elite Female Hockey committee called for the addition of two more teams in the U13 double-A division with Cochrane and Fort McMurray coming into the fold.

The lone addition in the U15 double-A division will be in Camrose.

The establishment of these new teams is the result of a three-year effort by Hockey Alberta, during which they assessed the success of the Elite Female Hockey Model and determined the eligibility of new associations to host Elite Teams.

The committee has closely monitored the recent surge in female hockey participation and has evaluated the available pathways for players to advance within Alberta’s female hockey system.

“With the rapid growth of female hockey in Alberta, the future is bright for the AFHL. These new teams not only reflect the surge in participation but also provide more opportunities for female players to develop their skills, rise to higher levels, and be part of the continued growth of female hockey in our province. The success and visibility of the current programs, along with growing professional opportunities with the PWHL and Canadian Women’s National Team, are inspiring a new generation of elite female players, and we are excited that the AFHL remains the league of choice for these athletes to develop and compete,” said AFHL chair, Jody Forbe.

The Elite Female Hockey Model was launched in the 2016-17 season after a three-year review by Hockey Alberta in 2013. It established provincial standards for the number of teams at each level, streamlined the U18 triple-A division for better competition, and introduced the double-A system for appropriate skill development. This framework supports player growth from grassroots to U13, U15 and U18 double-A programs, leading to Team Alberta, Team Canada and post-secondary opportunities.

Since the implementation of the new model in 2016, registration numbers for female players in Alberta have increased by 32 per cent overall. This includes a 36 per cent increase at the U15 level, a 52 per cent increase at U13 and a 62 per cent increase at U11.

The AFHL and its members have successfully developed and placed over 330 athletes in post-secondary institutions across Canada and the US.

Camper special offers a smooth ride

14 1979 chev van hampshire
Shandra Duncan, Victoria Quiring and Sandy Hampshire enjoy camping as they attend car shows during the summer. The 1979 Chevrolet van was popular as a camping option because it was good as a daily driver as well.

By Murray Green

Sandy Hampshire owns a 1979 Chevrolet G20 van with tall top Okanagan camping features.

“I found this van parked beside The Bethany Group, up by the hospital here in Camrose. It had been parked for 13 years, so I inquired about it and bought it,” explained Sandy.

“I was interested in this van mainly because it was just me and my son at the time and I didn’t want to have a truck to pull a trailer and worry about where to store it. I wanted a van that we could stay in and park it anywhere. I wanted something that I could jump in, turn the key and go,” added Sandy.

“Considering it had been parked for 13 years, it was surprisingly easy to bring it back to smooth running. It was sunk to the rims with old weathered tires on it. I painted the rims, put new rubber on it, put a windshield in it, put in a master brake cylinder once I started moving it, cleaned the fuel system out, added a new fuel filter and then I re-did the stuff inside,” shared Sandy.

“It took me an hour with a jerry can of gas and a battery to get it going and then it was on its own running again,” he continued.

“After, I put in new flooring with some rust repair as well, and used my training and trade to go over the electrical, furnace, fridge, water system, plumbing and re-did it all so everything was working,” said Sandy, who repairs trailers for a living.

“I installed a DVD player, television and stereo for some comfort items,” he shared.

“This van has a 350 motor and 350 transmission combination. It would be nice to have a 700R overdrive transmission for the highway driving, but they built them this way, so we are comfortable with it the way it is too. It is not that bad on the highway, it just takes a little longer to get where you are going,” he laughed.

“We have used this van for camping quite a bit. We took it on a 1,900-kilometre round trip to BC and we met some celebrities that my son had seen on TV, so he was excited. We never had a lick of trouble with the van. The only thing we have had with this van was when we pulled into a car show and it started chugging on me. The fuel pump was leaking, but still running. But by the time the car show was done, it was fixed. I put a cardboard sign in the window saying I needed a fuel pump for a small block Chevy, or we are not getting home. I had three different fuel pumps offered to me on the ground in front of our chairs by the time the show was done. One fit perfectly. I didn’t see who dropped it off at the time, because I was busy looking for one. By the time I was driving,  these young guys came by and asked if the fuel pump worked. I asked what they wanted for it, they said nothing just get home safe. The car club community is the best,” Sandy exclaimed.

“It is called The Beast because I haven’t painted it and it keeps running. I would never sell it, because I couldn’t replace it for what they are going for now. I paid $1,000 for it, put $2,500 into it and my time. Even if I sold it for $6,000, I couldn’t replace it for that amount.”

Nursing program available to students

By Murray Green

Red Deer Polytechnic (formerly college) expands its Practical Nurse Program to Camrose to help fill the void left when University of Alberta Augustana cancelled the U of A Bachelor of Nursing Program a few years ago.

Together with Campus Alberta Central, rural students will be able to enroll in Red Deer Polytechnic’s nursing diploma program in Camrose.

“Our nurse diploma is a high-demand program, we often see wait lists at our main campus in Red Deer,” said Heather Dirks, dean, School of Health and Wellness at Red Deer Polytechnic. “By expanding our program to community sites through Campus Alberta Central, we are able educate more nurses, while also addressing the rural nursing shortage that we are experiencing in Alberta.”

Students will be able to access theory courses on-line and labs will be held in-person at the Central Alberta Campus community partner site, the Bethany Group’s corporate office, located at 4612-53 Street.

“Licensed Practical Nurses are valued professional members of the health care team.  The Bethany Group is proud to support greater opportunities for local training in this role.  This program will benefit not only programs offered by The Bethany Group, but other health care programs important to the well-being of members of the community of Camrose and surrounding area,” said Carla Beck, CEO of The Bethany Group.

Camrose is the newest location to offer nursing and is now accepting 16 students for fall 2025. To encourage local students to apply, eight of the 16 seats will be reserved for local learners, students who live in the Camrose area.

“We’re very excited to expand the Practical Nurse program to Camrose,” said Cody McCarroll, executive director of Campus Alberta Central. “When we talk to our rural community partners, they identify a need to bring post-secondary education to rural learners. By offering programming locally, we make higher education more accessible and affordable for rural learners.”

This is a joint venture between Olds College of Agriculture and Technology and Red Deer Polytechnic that provides post-secondary programs to communities throughout the central Alberta region.

For more information visit rdpolytech.ca/programs/practical-nurse-diploma to see if you qualify or to apply.

Vikings swept by Red Deer

By Murray Green

Augustana Vikings were swept in the first round of hockey playoffs with 4-3 and 3-2 wins by Red Deer on February 28 and March 1.

In the first game, Red Deer scored two straight power play goals to take command of the game. Briggs Jowett replied for the Vikings in the middle frame, but the Kings regained a two-goal lead before the end of the period.

In the third, the Vikings fought back with tallies from Conrad Phillips, on a power play, and Jayven Leslie, shorthanded, to tie the contest.

However, Red Deer netted the winner in the last two minutes of the contest.

Goalie Jack Osmond turned away 35 of 39 shots for the Vikings. Augustana recorded 25 shots at the Red Deer netminder.

In the second contest  after a Red Deer marker, the Vikings scored twice in the opening period to take the lead. Gerrik Ripley and Nico Gallo responded for the Vikings.

The Kings scored twice in the middle period and as it turned out, the winner was scored in the last 31 seconds of the second period.

Goalie Osmond stopped 28 of 31 shots, while Augustana counted 25 shots on goal.

Red Deer played SAIT and Concordia played Briercrest in the league semifinals.

BRCF assists BGC Camrose

19 brcf bgc camrose
Neil Lunty, left, treasurer of the Battle River Community Foundation board presented a cheque to Rees James, executive director of BGC Camrose (formerly the Camrose Boys and Girls Club).

Submitted

The Battle River Community Foundation awarded a $6,000 grant to BGC Camrose (formerly the Camrose Boys and Girls Club).

BGC Camrose began operations in 1989 and is part of the larger organization of Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. BGC Camrose takes as its mission “…to provide a safe, supportive place where children and youth can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships, and develop confidence and skills for life.”

The grant provided by the Battle River Community Foundation to BGC Camrose will be used to fund a Program Coordinator to help deal with the increased utilization of services. BGC Camrose provides a number of programs for children K to 12 intended, according to their website, “…to provide a variety of positive, meaningful social, recreational and leadership experiences to children and youth to overcome barriers, develop resiliency skills, build personal assets, and contribute to a safer, stronger, healthier and more productive community.”

Parents, as well as children, are pleased with their BGC experience. One parent says of the summer program, “It was set up and ran well. The places they went to and activities the children participated in were fun and educational. It provided opportunities for socialization with the other children as well as with the leaders. Children were kept safe and cared for well during the camp and during drop off and pick up times.”

Another parent speaks of their child’s BGC Camrose experience, saying, “It feels like a big family, and I am never worried about my child being there. He feels safe and loved and always has such a good time.”

The grant for BGC Camrose is funded from income earned from the Melanie and Tom Kuntz Family Fund, the Anjah Howard Fund and the Battle River Community Foundation’s Community Funds.

Grants from the Battle River Community Foundation are primarily made possible through the generosity of individual donors and organizations that have created endowment funds. The principal of these endowment funds is kept intact, and the income is made available annually to support local projects and organizations.

Since it was founded in 1995, the Battle River Community Foundation has granted over $9,891,300 to support charitable activities in the Battle River Region.

Bashaw RCMP members receive medals

By Murray Green

Two public service employees from the Bashaw RCMP were among 135 Alberta RCMP members who were recognized with the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal during ceremonies held on January 14 in Devon and January 23 in Cochrane.

“Lois Greenhalgh has an exceptional outstanding career with the RCMP spanning 35 years of service as a public service employee as a detachment clerk and office manager. Lois started her career in Prince Albert, moved to Camrose and then to Bashaw. After retiring in 2021, Lois graciously came back to Bashaw to fill an open position. Lois has been known to hold union positions, train new staff, help with the daily administration duties all while ensuring employment equity, diversity and professionalism. Her ability to keep such a high standard of work production over 35 years is a rare skill and goes to show her dedication to continuous learning,” said Bashaw RCMP Sgt. Trent A. Cleveland.

“Krista Dubitz has been with the Bashaw RCMP for five years as a detachment clerk and office manager. She has been a consistent, reliable, efficient employee for the Bashaw Detachment. She has ensured that the service the citizens receive at the Bashaw Detachment is always of high standard. She displays a respectful, caring and educational front counter to assist the citizens to the best of her abilities. She has guided and assisted in the development of the junior members in the detachment. Krista has shown herself to be a true leader for our organization, taking on roles and responsibilities outside of her day to day requirements. She has taken on the co-lead on several of the detachments’ community initiatives over the years. For example, Bashaw RCMP’s Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest, Bashaw RCMP Christmas Card Contest, Coffee with a Cop and more recently the Bashaw RCMP Charity Hockey Game. These initiatives involve the community’s, schools, youths and adults for our entire jurisdiction, building a bridge between the RCMP and the citizens the RCMP serves,” shared Sgt. Cleveland.

Created to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III, the medal was awarded to Canadians who made significant contributions to their communities, provinces, or the country as a whole. Recipients were selected for their outstanding achievements, impactful work and contributions that reflected positively on Canada, both domestically and internationally.

“These two recipients from the Bashaw RCMP were recognized for their exceptional dedication to their communities and their unwavering commitment to service. Their achievements included innovative contributions to the RCMP, leadership in reconciliation efforts and cultural change, and participation in domestic operations that directly supported Canadians. In addition to their service, their involvement in volunteerism and community engagement was also recognized as an example of leadership both within the RCMP and the communities they serve. Both Lois and Krista have shown incredible dedication to their work at the Bashaw RCMP and we could not be prouder of them,” added Sgt. Cleveland.

MLA Lovely meets with ABVMA leaders about budget

By Murray Green

The Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA) held their Leadership Weekend in Edmonton on February 28 and March 1.

MLA Jackie Lovely was invited to speak to the group and, when speaking about Budget 2025, Lovely indicated, “This year’s budget focusses on continuing to make Alberta a great place to live, work and raise a family. It reflects Alberta’s commitment to our Agriculture sector. We all know how important diagnostics and disease preparedness is, not just to protect human and animal health, but also market access.

“With that in mind, we earmarked funding to the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine to continue its expansion towards a full service of veterinary diagnostics lab. The project has ensured our livestock industry has access to more affordable diagnostics closer to home. This funding will safeguard animal health, human health, food safety and market access as well as support disease response and preparedness.

“In Budget 2022, the Government of Alberta committed $67.4 million over three years for the UCVM’s expansion and this fall (2025), the first class of 100 students has entered the program. That funding will effectively double the number of young, eager, veterinarians, looking for exciting opportunities in a province full of them,” said Lovely.

MLA Lovely had her private members motion, 524 passed with unanimous consent during the 30th legislature. It led to the investment at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

“Our government and the ABVMA have a great working relationship! In the face of diseases like HPAI, Foot and Mouth, and even Salmonella, we rely on your work with livestock producers and other animal owners on biosecurity and preventative health to protect public health and market access,” stated Lovely, at the leadership event.

“It has been my honour to advocate for this latest funding announcement and I’m thrilled to be able to share this good news with you in person today,” stated Lovely.

Pelican Point boat launch repairs move forward

By Murray Green

Camrose County agreed to an upgrade at the Pelican Point boat launch.

At a regular meeting of council on January 28, administrator Teresa Gratrix talked about an Alberta Transportation Agreement, but it was referred to a later meeting to gain more information.

“I move that council agree to move forward with the Pelican Point Boat Launch project, amending the current Tourism and Culture Lease to include the boat launch,” said councillor Carlene Wetthuhn, at the February 25 meeting.

“I move that council direct administration to proceed with repairs at the current boat launch location including the signing the Memorandum of Understanding with Alberta Transportation; contracting engineering design, submitting Temporary Field Authorization applications to Forestry and Lands department, applying for Water Act Authorization to Environment and Protected Areas department and tendering and awarding the project once the approvals are in place,” added councillor Jordon Banack.

“Since fall 2023, Camrose County council has been advocating for the provincial government to repair the boat launch. The low water levels at Buffalo Lake have contributed to the usability of the boat launch. The concrete aprons have shifted over time and there is a hole at the end of the boat launch. This hole may possibly extend under the concrete aprons at the end of the launch as well,” reported administrator Teresa Gratrix.

“Individuals using the launch contacted Camrose County, distressed at the issues they were facing. There was some concern that individuals would not be able to remove their boats from the lake. There are a number of boat launches on Buffalo Lake, however, most were closed due to the water levels and Pelican Point is the only provincial boat launch on Buffalo Lake,” she added.

Similar repairs to the Pigeon Lake boat launch project came in at $76,400, not including engineering costs. The County has approximately $100,000 for the project, which is the amount of the provincial contribution.

Discussion was held on moving the boat launch, but after hearing that the Cold Lake boat launch construction project came in at $354,925 not including engineering, council agreed that repairs were the best option.

Seek owner permission before you hunt or ride

By Murray Green

You must gain permission to go onto someone else’s land whether it is to hunt, drive, snowmobile or quad. If you don’t, it’s a $600 fine.

“By far, my busiest thing to deal with is trespassing calls. That is generic across the province, but a really big problem here. If you don’t get permission, everything you do in the hunt then becomes unlawful,” warned Alberta Fish and Wildlife officer Erik Graf von Platen at the regular Camrose County council meeting on February 11.

“If I have landowner support to lay charges, it makes a big difference. We are hoping to get a second officer this year out of our hiring academy because it is getting to be a lot of work. I’m still working on 2024 files as well as 2025 files,” he said.

“The staff at the County Protective Services have been great to work with. We work together quite often and talk a lot, so I appreciate that,” said von Platen, who is based out of Camrose. His patrol area is a lot larger than just the County.

“Our work has slowed a bit because we have a full working RCMP detachment now. That has helped quite a bit. It has been very busy for us,” von Platen said.

“The petty trespassing act has changed. The fines have started to increase. The ticket used to be $250, as the standard. In the end, that wasn’t that much and people would do it anyway. Now, the minimum is $600, the next offence is $1,200, and the third offence is automatic court date. It gives the legislation a lot more teeth,” explained von Platen.

“If someone phones in and says someone is walking on their property and we catch them, it is a $600 ticket. We like the change because when it is $600, then they do a double take. We are trying to make changes to the Wildlife Act as well. One of the biggest things I come across and give tickets for is loaded firearms in vehicles. The definition of a loaded firearm is when the bolt is closed and a magazine is in the firearm, it is considered loaded. A round doesn’t have to be in the chamber to be considered a loaded firearm,” shared von Platen.

“That is zero discretion. I write that ticket every time. If you are on a boat in the middle of the lake, same thing, no matter where you are. When we give a ticket, we tell them that is your one warning. If we have to do it again, we send an email to the firearms office and basically their licence and registration is up for review. If you get a third one, they pull your firearms licence. We are starting to do that because we write that one so often. If you get three tickets, that means an automatic suspension for life,” added von Platen.

“That means across western Canada because all of the provinces talk to each other. If you are suspended in Saskatchewan, that means no hunting in Alberta, BC and the Yukon, that affects them for the rest of their life,” he said.

Those are the two most common offences in the Camrose area.

To report a poacher, wildlife or unlawful activity email www.reportapoacher.com or call 1-800-642-3800.   

FCC farm business planning workshop

By Adan Shaikh

Farm Credit Canada (FCC) held a workshop on January 15 where they helped farmers create a business plan for their farms. A plan can help farmers navigate challenges while also setting out a road map of which direction they would like to take their business in. This workshop was led by Kellen Tait, a business advisor with Edmonton’s MNP which is an accountancy and business advisory firm. Kellen specializes in national poultry and Alberta food and beverage processing.

In this workshop, she had the attendees reflect on what success looked like for them, in the long run. She had participants divide into groups and have discussions that sparked ideas and clarity about the goals they would like to achieve.

Next she shared a business analysis tool called SWOT Analysis. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This technique can be used to recognize factors that may affect the operations of a business. Once the attendees had recognized possible challenges and opportunities for growth they then conducted an evaluation, identifying any weaknesses or  threats that their farms face. Most people voted weather as the biggest threat to their farming operations.

At the end of the workshop, Kellen assisted farmers in setting SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-framed) goals. This workshop helped many farmers find clarity on what they envision for their farms, while providing a space for constructive brainstorming to navigate the challenges of farming.

All attendees left the workshop with a clear vision and mission statement, making this a successful event, highlighting the importance of resource-sharing among the farming community.
Bonnie

Reflections

By Bonnie Hutchinson

Five bad news antidotes
 
“I stopped watching the news,” a friend said, “because it was so scary and depressing. But I like to be informed. I like to know what’s going on in the world. Lately I’ve been watching documentaries. I thought they would be more objective and not upset me so much. But after a weekend of watching documentaries about how we’re running out of water and horrible things happening all around the world, I’m left thinking the world is a terrible place.”

This friend is one of the sunniest people I know–usually.

There’s a lot of it going around. Fear, anger and pessimism are in the air. Seems like the more we find out, the more we wish we hadn’t found out.
We can’t instantly change what’s happening in the world. But we can do something about how we feel. When we feel better, we just might have the energy and insight to change things that could use changing.
 
***

Here are five short-term antidotes to state-of-the-world angst. What are some of your antidotes?

Spend time with real people. Hanging out in the virtual world makes us lose touch with real people and real things. Spend time with people you enjoy–people you care about who care about you and who are mostly encouraging, kind and optimistic. That will help you remember all the reasons it’s good to be alive right now–and a privilege.

Thank somebody for something. It’s impossible to feel gratitude and feel depressed at the same time. Notice something you genuinely appreciate about someone and tell them. Write a note; e-mail or text; tell them in person. You’ll both feel uplifted.

Tap into compassion. When you’re exposed to a bad news story, try to find a feeling of compassion for those affected. Moving into a feeling of compassion changes your mood and energy for the better. You may not be able to change what’s happening, but compassion can uplift your thoughts and emotions. That empowers you.

Find something to laugh about. A while ago I was in a serious meeting about serious problems for which there are no quick fixes. One person told a hilarious incident from the day before. By the time the guffaws and belly laughs died down, we were all more cheerful. The serious problems seemed much less formidable.

Do something. Take small actions that move toward something you believe in, something that makes you happy. Even something as simple as stretching for a minute or shaking out your arms and legs can shake up downer energy and lift your spirits. So can cleaning out a small pile of clutter, or donating to a favourite cause, or doing a kind act. Action is an antidote to paralyzing fear and depression.
 
***

These are quick fixes to get us through dark moments. At some point (preferably now) we as a species need to address some challenges that will take more than quick fixes. The world needs all of our wisdom, commitment, integrity and willingness to work with others, some of whom we may not know, like or trust.

But if, moment to moment, we can use quick fixes to restore and replenish our hope, our generosity and our clear thinking, we improve the odds of resolving thorny problems. If nothing else, many more moments of feeling better are a good enough reason for practically anything!
 
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I’d love to hear from you. If you have comments about this column or suggestions for future topics, send an email to Bonnie@BonnieHutchinson.com. I’ll happily reply within two business days.
1 arnold malone

Guest Editorial

By Arnold Malone

President Trump

Trump, like a naughty kid with a felt pen, is making Canadians mighty uncomfortable. He insults our Prime Minister by calling him, “Governor.” He blusters a disrespectful view that Canada should be a 51st state. He rips off in a tirade that Canada would not exist without the USA, which is just decomposed baloney.

His posturing has caused a lot of worry and has put mental pressure on many of our wonderful citizens. Some have suffered unnecessary anxiety.

There is a saying that I have long embraced. I am not certain of the actual words, but a paraphrase would be:

In all adversity lies the seeds for greater opportunity.

For Canada, this attack might well turn out to be the beginning of our golden moment. The following are a short-list of opportunities for Canada if this imposed misery never returns to common sense.

1. Never before in my 87 years, have I observed such extraordinary patriotism that is now blanketing across Canada. Paul Henderson’s 1972 goal that allowed Canada to defeat the Russians provided a lot of elation, but it doesn’t match the coast-to-coast-to-coast bonding that is currently evident in this our home and native land. There is nothing that binds a society together with such a clamping grip as an external threat.

O Canada, we are a collective and we shall stand on guard for thee.

2. There is an unusual agreement among our national leaders that Canada will quickly invest in defence such that we will meet sooner, rather than later, our financial commitment to NATO. Our cheap ride has been an embarrassment for too long.

3. Canada has lagged in defending our Northern lands. The majority of Russia’s nuclear weapons are in their high arctic. That is likely because Russia has historically viewed the USA as a threat. Canada is sandwiched between two adversaries. Russia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Lavrov has claimed that all resources under the Arctic Ocean belong to Russia. Canada will certainly be having a whole lot to say about that; like Clint Eastwood, “Get off my land.”

4. There is suddenly a nation-wide desire to defend our Northwest Passage which clearly is in Canadian waters. The USA, Russia and China pretend the passage is in international waters. Keeping these waters in Canadian control is as important for us as the Panama Canal is to Panama. The Northwest Passage is a much shorter shipping route between North America, Asia and the Middle East.

5. We have, for a long time, been shipping a lot of our raw materials to the USA.

They are our neighbours and long-time friends so it was easy to avoid looking for diversity in export markets. We may have learned a lesson that our economy is in danger when we are mostly dependent on a single market. When that single market goes rogue, our whole country is challenged.

6. Canada was once a great manufacturing country. Massey Harris, Beatty Farm Equipment, Electrohome, and we invented the radio, the IMAX, the pacemaker and many other products. This threat from the USA has the possibility to encourage Canadians to become bigger builders. We have the skill and the resources.

7. Perhaps, most importantly, we might finally get rid of the barriers to interprovincial trade. That could add 4 per cent to our Gross Domestic Product, which would take the bite out of tariffs. Canadian products would have a bigger market within Canada.

We are an educated powerhouse for international trade and we can be a great example of a tolerant society with a democracy that works. Trump claims he doesn’t need our resources; well, we sure don’t need the American political system or their guns and their mass shootings. Difficulty now may make us stronger tomorrow.