A quick three-car crash happened at noon today in Swift Current. 

At the intersection of Chaplin Street East and Second Avenue North East, in the right hand turning lane, a slippery bit of braking results in three vehicles colliding. 

Happening just outside the Swift Current Fire Department, the incident was already resolved with all parties departed by the time firefighters went outside to check. 

Motorists are reminded to take extra caution and break early when on icy or snowy roads. 

As the Canada Post strike drags through its fourth week, people are being reminded to check on any essential mail they may be missing.

A group of 100 people took their oaths of Canadian citizenship in Saskatoon on Tuesday.

One of Saskatchewan's oldest operating theatres has undergone an array of changes in recent months, the latest being the arrival of a new general manager. 

Roxanne Cote took on the position at the Lyric Theatre, stepping into her new role last month with hopes to bring the theatre into a new chapter as a hub for art and culture in the southwest. 

The experienced leader and theatre enthusiast grew up in Swift Current before moving away to obtain a business management degree in Lethbridge and studying abroad in Latin America, returning to Swift Current a couple of years ago. 

"I used to attend the Lyric years ago when it was a movie theatre, I've always kind of followed it through the years as it evolved," she shared. "I've always had a passion for theatre, I'm an artist myself and I volunteered a lot in mainly Calgary and Alberta with various theatre organizations."

Cote's long list of experience includes work as a fund develpoment manager, work in sales, in the non-profit sectors of social services and sports, and more. 

"We were closed for about a year and a half due to requirements from fire regulations," she said. "Now that we're open I think a big part of it is getting people back in and knowing that we're here to stay, 

"Even if people have ideas or suggestions we're always open to hearing back from the community because this isn't our theatre, it's the community's."

The new general manager spoke about her vision for the theatre as a vibrant centre for the community to appreciate the arts and noted that people might notice some changes happening over the next six months. 

"The theatre goes way back to 1912 and it's a very special place, it's got so much history behind it that I'm sure it touches every generation in Swift Current," explained Cote. "Around 1918 or 1920, it was utilized as an isolation hospital when the Spanish flu epidemic [broke out], we had 26 beds upstairs.

"It was used as a movie theatre and there were various different night clubs here." 

She encouraged community members to continue to support such an iconic place and check out the programs they offer. 

Additionally, the Lyric Theatre is looking for members for it's various committess and is always grateful to accept more volunteers. 

Anyone interested in more information about the Lyric Theatre can call (306) 773 - 6292, email [email protected], and stay tuned to access the theatre's new and improved website coming soon.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan has yet to hear how a local doctor will proceed with a trio of charges he's facing.

Dr. Amith Mulla was charged with three counts of unprofessional conduct regarding a series of events before, during, and after a circumcision he performed.

Bryan Salte, an associate registrar and senior legal counsel with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan, said Dr. Mulla was charged on November 30, 2024.

"It's always unfortunate when physicians engage in conduct that's unprofessional," he said. "I continue to take the position that the vast majority of physicians behave appropriately and ethically but there are occasions when physicians don't do that."

Dr. Mulla, who is part of the Cypress Medical and Surgical Specialists Clinic inside Swift Current's Creekside Medical Clinic, has two options: disputing the charges or pleading guilty. 

"If he admits them, it will go to a penalty hearing," he said. "If he disputes them then it will go to a hearing to determine whether the charges are proven, it will look very much like a court proceeding where if somebody is charged with a criminal offence, a physician is entitled to defend themselves."

The Medical Degree graduate of India's University of Mysore in 2001 is also the lone southwest physician listed as a council member from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan.

"I don't think the status of an elected member of the council is likely to be particularly relevant because what we're looking at is the allegations of the conduct set out in the charges," Salte said. 

Salte described their disciplinary process as similar to criminal cases and that if Dr. Mulla elects to dispute the charges it will "likely be months before the hearing." If he elects to admit guilt, then again the process will be quicker as he'll face a penalty hearing.

Eden Neufled has pleaded guilty to the charges of sexual assault and other offences against him in Swift Current Provincial Court. 

Two counts of sexual assault have netted the 20-year-old a sentence of 1,095 days in the penitentiary. 

That three-year sentence includes two 30-day and one 90-day concurrent sentence for charges of break and enter, breaking curfew, and physical assault. 

Judge J.F. Jacobson said since Neufeld was willing to plead guilty, and with consideration made for his good behaviour while in remand, he is being credited 215 days, bringing his total sentence down to 880 days, or just shy of two years. 

Jacobson noted that both the prosecution and the defence were correct when they stated this sentence is well below what would normally be awarded in such a case. He again highlighted how the willingness to plead guilty went a long way to softening the final verdict.

Neufeld will have to pay $500 in victim surcharge fees, as well as provide a mandatory DNA sample. He is prohibited from possessing firearms for 10 years, and a lifetime ban for prohibited firearms.

Jacobson cautioned Neufeld that he needs to learn to be warry of alcohol, respect intimate partners and their boundaries, have respect for his elders and that even bad days can have good meaning. 

Saskatoon Light & Power says the failure of a computer led to two separate power outages that affected different parts of the city Tuesday afternoon.

Even days later, the clean-up effort continues on southwest Saskatchewan highways. 

Some stretches of the prairies road ways are still plastered with snow and ice, like on Highway 32 from Cabri to Success where motorists are often forced to slow to 80 kilometre per hour or less. 

Some of the other notably snowy highways around Swift Current include Highway 332 from Cantuar to Hazlet, Highway 37 from Cabri to Gull Lake, Highway 4 from Swift Current to Sask Landing, Highway 363 from Highway 4 to Shamrock,  Highway 379 from Wymark to McMahon, Highway 19 from the Trans-Canada Highway to Hodgeville, and Highway 58 from Chaplin to Gravelbourg.

Travellers are recommended to check the Highway Hotline for any detours, delays, or deteriorating road conditions. 

Left: Photo by Alejandro Rodriguez. Right: photo provided by author.

Around 8 p.m. one evening in early November last year, a group of six federal public servants closed off an online video call with a plan to meet again exactly one week later at the exact same time. The agenda? To figure out what they could do from inside the Government of Canada to stop the genocide unfolding in Gaza.

As members of the third-largest federal public service union, the Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE), a notoriously conservative union with a history of business-model unionism and a more recent past of controversial former presidents, forcing national union leadership to take any stand on Palestine was a long shot – but one they were willing to attempt.

After weeks of unprecedented bombings on Gaza and nothing but an email from the head of the public service with a passing mention of Islamophobia (and none of anti-Palestinian racism), CAPE members were galvanized into seeking an outlet for their rage, grief, and disappointment with Canada – both as a country and an employer.

Leftists’ long-standing discomfort with Palestine has contributed to isolating Palestinian solidarity activities over the years to the point of stymying union-led solidarity initiatives at local and national levels. 

The combination of a silent union and unreliable government leadership made starkly obvious the urgency to advance meaningful Palestinian solidarity in the federal public service and CAPE for Palestine (in association with Canada’s Labour 4 Palestine) was established as a union caucus in November 2023. But even with newly elected national executive leadership at CAPE taking office January 1, 2024 and a growing CAPE for Palestine membership, the question on everyone’s mind was “What does Palestinian solidarity in the federal public service even look like?”

Delivering resolutions 

Despite a noteworthy history of Canadian labour participation in the call for boycotts, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) in support of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa in the 1980s, unions have been slow to show consistent support for Palestine. Leftists’ long-standing discomfort with Palestine has contributed to isolating Palestinian solidarity activities over the years to the point of stymying union-led solidarity initiatives at local and national levels. 

Intentional or not, while progressives continue to hot potato the ‘issue’ of Palestine, only a handful of Canadian unions had committed to BDS for Palestine prior to 2023. In the federal public service context, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) passed a BDS resolution in 2012 that simply adopted a “position in favour of lasting peace in the Middle-East [sic]” and supported the BDS “movement” but included no clear articulation of what that might entail or obligate the union to do. 

Similarly, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), hailed for their resistance against South African apartheid in the 1980s across Canada, saw their BDS resolution pass in 2008. One of the earliest national union adopters of BDS in Canada, CUPW took several steps to uphold their commitment over the subsequent near decade (including support of a project working with Palestinian postal workers and of the Stop the Wall project), but efforts later slowed. 

Instead, most [unions] are still opting for intermittent statements of support whereby Palestine is couched in generic human rights language that has been neutralized to fit under broad social justice responsibilities.

While both PSAC and CUPW made statements of support for Palestinian solidarity last fall, the absence of on-the-ground mobilizing for years prior has rendered these recent acknowledgements symbolically meaningful but limited in their ongoing applicability. 

Despite an uptick in national and provincial union resolutions in the mid-2010s on the heels of Israeli bombings of Gaza in 2008-2009, widespread worker-focused awareness and literacy of Palestinian solidarity within Canadian labour has not seemed to take hold. 

October 2023 made this discrepancy undeniable and unions continue to be confronted by this reality even a year later as they struggle with efforts to advance inter-union coordination. In the face of emboldened Zionist conflations of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, unions along with the Canadian Labour Congress are hesitating to put material resources behind Palestine solidarity organizing such as basic BDS campaigns, education resources, or direct funding to rank-and-file solidarity groups that could provide an important counter to dangerous misinformation and growing anti-Palestinian racism. Instead, most are still opting for intermittent statements of support whereby Palestine is couched in generic human rights language that has been neutralized to fit under broad social justice responsibilities. And yet, Palestine is unequivocally a labour issue. 

Government Workers 

As federal public servants, employees are encouraged to refrain from activities that would interfere with administering their duties in an unbiased manner. Federal public servants are required to sign an oath that commits employees to fulfilling their duties faithfully and honestly and, paired with a variously interpreted and inconsistently implemented values and ethics code that states a breach of values will be cause for disciplinary action without defining what “breach” constitutes, the room for employer intimidation and fear of reprisal is immense. 

Reliance on individual union leadership sympathies in lieu of a widespread dedicated commitment to Palestine has segregated worker power and made Palestine solidarity increasingly isolated across Canadian labour.

A foundational element of the federal public service is to embody and uphold the apolitical delivery of policies and services to and on behalf of Canadians. But an email sent by the Clerk of the Privy Council on October 11, 2023 expressing sympathy only with Israeli victims and without acknowledgement of Palestinian victims, was anything but apolitical. Despite his passing reference to Islamophobia and the sloppy if inadvertent framing of the attacks as an interreligious conflict, as of October 1, 2024, the Clerk has not sent any communications to employees offering equal recognition of exponentially increased instances of anti-Palestinian racism or acknowledging the several thousands of Palestinian lives brutally lost over the last year.

Neutrality has always benefited the oppressor. In the case of an employer that is complicit in supporting a genocide and illegal occupation of Palestine (as the Canadian government now is due to the continued sales and trading of arms parts and weapons components) while simultaneously erasing Palestinian experience from the public service lexicon, this active weaponizing of neutrality points to an urgent need for collective resistance that can only be met through union activism. 

International solidarity, an undisputed pillar of the trade union movement, is premised on the connection of workers across borders, industries, and communities. But it is not just the existence of bosses, shared experience of exploitation, or exchange of labour and skill that links every worker together. Labour itself is undeniably human at its core and it demands that workers uphold this humanity through adherence to unrelenting principles of justice, equality, and safety. 

No matter the industry or type of work, our Palestinian comrades are under siege and the call has been made directly from Palestine for trade unionists to mobilize. If the refrain of “an injury to one [worker] is an injury to all” is to be believed, where is our response? 

As workers whose labour supports the actions and systems of a government founded on and operating over Indigenous lands and peoples, federal public servants know and are living settler colonialism. Our labour becomes complicit through the nature of our jobs.

Continuing to advance with piecemeal statements and motions from shop floors alone is no longer tenable. Reliance on individual union leadership sympathies in lieu of a widespread dedicated commitment to Palestine has segregated worker power and made Palestine solidarity increasingly isolated across Canadian labour. Even with national level resolutions on the books, unionists cannot rely on trickle-down activism when it comes to Palestine solidarity. 

To meet the scale of action being demanded of us by Israel’s genocide and ongoing occupation, the entirety of Canadian labour must dedicate political and material support to Palestinian organizing and explicitly commit to resourcing member education and mobilizing. 

Yet with or without material support, it is the responsibility of Canadian workers to take the call for BDS seriously. When the employer is the government, though, the challenges are unique.

As workers whose labour supports the actions and systems of a government founded on and operating over Indigenous lands and peoples, federal public servants know and are living settler colonialism. Our labour becomes complicit through the nature of our jobs. Just as settler colonialism directly and indirectly relies on the participation of labour to meet goals of expansion, accumulation, and occupation, engaging in any Palestinian solidarity work from this positioning cannot ignore the connection between Canada and Israel as violent and occupying states. 

Expanding international solidarity in this way deepens the responsibility of public service workers to advocate for Palestine in their workplace and within the union, allowing for the identification of and resistance to systems of oppression that members’ labour contribute to both here and abroad. The duty public servants have as union members to resist when this occurs becomes impossible to ignore. 

As workers whose employer is the government, waiting for our bosses to make the ethical decision to stop supporting genocide is futile. It is up to the rank-and-file to unapologetically build the power for Palestinian solidarity from the bottom up. 

And while language referencing settler colonial connections regarding Palestine is becoming more common in union settings, for federal public servants, this intersection is unavoidable. When faced with an international situation of any kind, the labour of some CAPE members, mainly policy analysts, is directed toward the research, analysis, and preparation of documents used in the decision-making process for government positions, actions, and policy development. This includes, for example, developing documents that advance Canada’s weapons manufacturing and export contracts. In September 2024, the minister of foreign affairs, Mélanie Joly, claimed to have suspended 30 existing arms permits, but as groups such as Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East point out, this does not impact arms exports that travel through the United States to be used on Palestinians.

To be clear, CAPE members are not making these decisions, but public servants provide information and develop recommendations that senior management, answering to higher and political levels of government, take or leave as Canada determines its support for Israel.   

Simultaneously, the labour of other CAPE members is being used to continue delivery of government services, facilitate program operations, advance policy work, and provide translation, among other functions, allowing business to run as usual. After a year of horrific, unrelenting genocide in Palestine and escalating violence in the surrounding region, federal public servants must seriously ask themselves if business as usual is even remotely tenable.  

Rank-and-file power   

Despite this overwhelming reality, the next steps for Palestine solidarity for public servants are clear. Grounding organizing objectives and goals in the BDS call from Palestinian trade unions is nothing short of critical. Identifying how BDS applies to each workplace, including the federal public service, is what gives the movement – and rank-and-file Palestine organizing – its power. CAPE members must leverage their unique positioning while diligently implementing the roadmap that BDS offers. 

As workers whose employer is the government, waiting for our bosses to make the ethical decision to stop supporting genocide is futile. It is up to the rank-and-file to unapologetically build the power for Palestinian solidarity from the bottom up. 

Weaponizing language of fiscal responsibility, this new (yet predictable) alliance targets funding as a way to tap into union spending anxieties to make space for an invented narrative of doubt about union leadership accountability and representation of member interests.

CAPE for Palestine’s focus on spreading education and raising awareness of Palestinians’ struggle for liberation across the federal public service builds a critical foundation for lasting change and actively integrates Palestinian solidarity into the fabric of the union and the workplace. Building rank-and-file consciousness and strategically advancing key measures to ensure CAPE leadership is supported in taking national positions on Palestinian solidarity, such as ones outlined in their ceasefire statement in January 2024, has already moved the dial in the federal public service in a few short months. 

As CAPE for Palestine has initiated this challenging work, the group has been met equally with grateful voices of support as well as cries for eradication. This past summer, CAPE for Palestine received $5,000 in funding from a union contingency fund from the National Executive Committee (the elected board of CAPE). This money was allocated from this fund by way of a motion and democratic vote by the committee, which passed with a majority, and, like all union funds, is subject to reporting and other accountability measures.

Yet, CAPE’s Zionist faction and union conservatives found common ground and fought to restrict Palestine solidarity by challenging the donation policy and attempting to prevent the funds from being released. Neither the policy nor the budget line have any purview over or relationship to the contingency fund from which the money was pulled. 

Weaponizing language of fiscal responsibility, this new (yet predictable) alliance targets funding as a way to tap into union spending anxieties to make space for an invented narrative of doubt about union leadership accountability and representation of member interests. A sign that rank-and-file Palestinian solidarity organizing is working, this fight is expected to continue at CAPE’s annual general meeting this November 2024.

Engaging in Palestinian solidarity as federal public servants has required that we imagine it as we build it. In an arena where playing it safe is as common as it is detrimental, CAPE for Palestine has re-established not just what Palestinian solidarity means within the federal context but also what rank-and-file public servants have a right to do in this space. 

Perhaps unintentionally for the original six members of CAPE for Palestine, Palestinian solidarity in the federal public service is no longer a simple fight against anti-Palestinian racism in the workplace or the genocide perpetrated by Israel. This fight will determine the future of Canadian labour’s ability and, more importantly, desire to embody the heart of trade unionism and practise its principles unabashedly. 

Palestine is a Canadian worker issue and will continue to be one until and after Palestine is free.

Brabazon is writing as a rank-and-file member organizing Palestine solidarity under CAPE. She is not writing in her capacity as an elected director on the National Executive Committee of CAPE and views and insights expressed here do not represent CAPE National positions.

The City of Swift Current has laid out the finalized plan for the 2025 Water Treatment Chemicals Tender. 

Each year, the City budgets for and uses six key chemicals to ensure the water is safe, clean, and up to standard. Those are potassium permanganate, activated carbon, liquid fluoride, chlorine liquefied gas, caustic soda, and liquid alum. 

The City posted the tender to SaskTenders and the City website on Nov. 1, 2024. The tender closed on Nov. 15, 2024. 

The results are the following recommendation from Greg Parsons, general manager of infrastructure for the City of Swift Current, which Swift Current city council unanimously in favour of. 

Potassium permanganate will be bought from ClearTeach Industries of Regina for $5.33 per kilogram. 

Activated carbon will be bought from Klearwater Equipment & Technologies of Calgary, Alberta, for $1.48 per kilogram. 

Liquid fluoride will be bought from ClearTech Industries of Regina for $1.48 per kilogram. 

Chlorine liquified gas will be bought from ClearTech Industries of Regina for $2.26 per kilogram. 

Caustic soda will be bought from Univar Solutions of Saskatoon for $0.74 per kilogram. 

Liquid Alum will be bought from ChemTrade West of Saskatoon for $0.463 per kilogram. 

Swift Current city councillor Leanne Tuntland-Wiebe noted that the savings on the 2025 batch of chemicals is roughly $10,000 compared to the previous year. 

When asked why that was the case, Parsons said that the price can vary quite a bit and that this year it just so happened to benefit the City. 

Like many provinces, Saskatchewan has a serious drug overdose issue. However, recent numbers released by the provincial coroners service. suggest things are improving: The province has recorded fewer drug-related deaths compared with last year.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada's Green Gifts Program is back this season for the 29th year of offering alternative, impactful gifts in the form of conserving pieces of the prairies.

The Green Gifts program allows people to give the unique holiday gift of nature conservation while supporting a boots-on-the-ground charity, the purchaser will also receive a charitable tax receipt. 

Andrew Holland, national media relations director with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, noted that more than 80 per cent of native prairie grasslands have been lost due to roads, developments, cultivation, and more.

"We're in a race to protect the best of what's left," explained Holland. "People can symbolically adopt an acre or hectare of grasslands and gift that to someone."

"It's a great idea if you have a nature lover on your list, an outdoors enthusiast, or someone who's really hard to buy for."

The recipient of the gift will receive certificate, an informational video, and either a digital landscape photo or a booklet describing the species of that particular habitat. 

He highlighted how the Nature Conservancy, like many other charities at this time, have had to make the pivot from mail to digital gifts and donation opportunities with the ongoing postal strike. 

"We encourage people to consider a gift that protects nature so it can continue to do what it does best; care for us all and make all life on Earth possible," Holland added. "This is a great opportunity to support conservation close to home."

Canada is home to 875 different at-risk species, a number of whom call the small patches of endangered native grasslands home. 

For more information about Canada's largest environmental charity, visit the Nature Conservancy of Canada's website.

A Swift Current-based doctor is facing three charges of unprofessional conduct from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan stemming from a circumcision he performed.

Dr. Amith Mulla is being accused of infractions by a patient from August 2022 according to a charge document on the college's website, pending a hearing that's yet to be scheduled.

Swift Current Online contacted Mulla's office on Monday afternoon and was declined a comment.

All three charges cite the incident as "unbecoming, improper, unprofessional, or discreditable conduct". 

The patient was referred to Dr. Mulla by the patient's family physician after a phimosis diagnosis. The document states the patient's mother was provided misleading, incomplete, inaccurate and/or false info on whether the cost of the circumcision would be covered by public insurance.

"You failed to adequately advise or inform (the) patient as to whether his circumcision was potentially medically necessary, and therefore publicly insured," reads the first charge. "You did not offer alternatives or to make a referral to a physician who would perform the circumcision as an insured procedure."

The fee for the circumcision was set at $1,795 - which according to the claim is an excessive fee.

The patient alleges he was provided anesthetic on the day of the procedure, with Dr. Mulla then informing him he needed a frenulectomy as well at an additional cost of $1,795, which again the document says is an unjust price.

"You communicated with (the) patient and/or his mother while (the) patient was in a vulnerable state and/or in a manner that led them to believe they had a limited amount of time to make the decision and/or that if they did not have the additional procedure done at that time, there would be problems in the future," the document states. "You required payment for the frenulectomy immediately, before you would continue with the procedure."

Personal health information was also shared with the patient's mother in a setting with other people around. 

"You did not comply with College bylaws and policies regarding uninsured procedures, including the requirement to take into account the patient’s ability to pay, or the reasonableness of, a fee for an uninsured service," the charge document said.

The third charge against the Cypress Medical and Surgical Specialists Clinic doctor was for not providing proper post-op care to the patient or offering acceptable availability for follow-up care to a patient who requires "it in a timely manner."

Dr. Mulla then asked the patient to send him "unredacted photographs of his penis through text message" following the procedure to examine the healing process. 

"You failed to take adequate precaution to ensure the privacy and proper handling of the images in order to protect patient privacy and the confidentiality of personal health information," the fourth-bullet point in charge three reads.

The final charge concludes by stating the physician failed to provide a "standard of practice of the medical profession in relation to your assessment, treatment and care of (the) patient."

Dr. Mulla is listed as an Assistant Professor of General Surgery at the University of Saskatchewan. Swift Current Online reached out to the school earlier this week but wasn't given a response before publishing time.

Swift Current Online will have more on this story on Wednesday afternoon.

At 10, Blaze Dunn’s been in and out of hospitals more than some will ever be in their entire lifetimes. Through it all, he’s kept up an indomitable spirit, saying he always shares the same three tips for other sick kids: “Never give up, never go down, and always keep trying.”

The government has missed a legislated deadline to fully implement a program that was pitched as a way to help Canadians with cannabis possession records avoid jumping through hoops to obtain formal pardons.

Local school support workers have a new collective bargaining agreement with the Chinook School Division.

It includes a 13.5% salary increase over five years.

"It took us a little while, there was a few things we just had to do to get to the table to start bargaining," said Chinook School Division CFO Shari Sloman. "Then there was also a change in the national rep for CUPE, so it took us a little bit of time to get something settled, but we're happy that we have the agreement, and we think it's a good agreement for both sides."

The agreement will be retroactive to September 1, 2022, and runs for five years from that point.

The workers were represented by CUPE Local 4754.

RCMP say the charge laid on Nov. 26 followed an investigation into a September incident.

Students at the University of Regina can no longer start a bachelors degree or honours option in linguistics, with the school discontinuing the program that is a preferred pathway to obtaining a masters degree in speech language pathology, a program that will be offered at the University of Saskatchewan in 2025.

Police have arrested a 25-year-old suspect. He is charged with one count of arson and was found to be breaching a conditional sentence order.

After 21 years Marcia McLean has wrapped up her run at the Director of the Swift Current Oratorio Choir.

"It's been an opportunity for me," McLean said. "It really stretched me. I was a high school director at the Swift Current Comprehensive High School for about 20 years and some of this time I was doing both the high school and the Oratorio."

There were some significant highlights for McLean. 

"I would get the choir prepared and my husband would conduct the orchestra," she noted. "So we would bring the orchestra in from China. We also took the choir down to New York to Carnegie Hall twice. That was a very special time. These are things that I would never have done had I not been director of the Swift Current Oratorio Choir definitely"

McLean's run with the Oratorio Choir ended on Sunday with their annual Christmas concert.

"It's a bit of a heartbreaker," she added.  "But you've reached that point in time where you think maybe you should step down. I had a significant birthday this year and I thought it's time to put the baton down and just do some things that I wanted to do. I want to travel down to see my grandchildren and I just don't be tied.

"It's been a wonderful time, and I enjoy the singers immensely, but it's just it's just time to have a different chapter in my life."

MOOSE JAW — City administration will apply for national funding to create a climate risk assessment plan that it hopes will solidify its ability to secure federal money for projects like the Crescent View Lift Station.

During its recent regular meeting, city council voted 6-1 to apply to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (FCM) green municipal fund for money to create an assessment and adaptation plan.

Coun. Patrick Boyle was opposed.

The plan is expected to cost $82,500, with $70,000 expected from FCM — it provides up to 85 per cent of the required project funding — and the municipality contributing $12,500.

This document should provide city hall with a roadmap to address climate effects on infrastructure and support the municipality’s existing climate action plan that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, a report said. The city should also be “better equipped to manage climate risks and build a stronger, more adaptable community” by integrating climate adaptation into planning and decision-making processes.

If approved, the municipality would use the money to hire a third party to prepare Moose Jaw’s plan.

The council report indicated that a climate risk assessment plan enables municipalities to identify climate hazards, assess the vulnerability of essential infrastructure and services, and provide a data-based foundation for proactive decisions that protect and improve infrastructure and “build resilience that benefits residents.”

Furthermore, such plans help municipalities prioritize climate adaptation measures, “integrate resilience-building strategies” into existing plans and “enhance community resilience” by implementing solutions to reduce long-term risks, the report added.

Having this plan will also make it easier for Moose Jaw to acquire federal funding for infrastructure projects because Ottawa always asks municipalities to indicate how they are preparing for and handling climate risks, city administration said.

Skepticism about federal support

Boyle said he was unsure what the climate risk assessment plan was about, how a “roadmap” would help and what value would come from this report. Furthermore, he had a “fundamental problem” with the federal government “going straight to municipalities” with an agenda and offering “buckets of money” that were questionable.

Furthermore, this could change in the spring with the Liberal government’s budget or when a fall federal election occurs, and the government potentially changes, he continued.

“I’m pretty skeptical of this … ,” Boyle said, noting that droughts and floods are two issues Moose Jaw faces. “Sometimes a gift from the federal government isn’t always a gift.”

Boyle also thought it was “absolutely ridiculous” that Ottawa disqualified Moose Jaw’s infrastructure applications because it didn’t have information about climate risks.

In response, Bevan Harlton, director of operations, said the plan would contain a “high-level statement about climate resiliency” with the infrastructure the city should be installing.

Furthermore, this grant is important because when city hall applied for funding for the Crescent View Lift Station, the submission did not have information about climate resiliency or related risks, which was “a limiter for the city” in acquiring funding, he continued. So, this plan should satisfy future federal funding applications.

Chiming in, city manager Maryse Carmichael said city hall also failed to acquire federal disaster relief funding because its application lacked climate risk information.

Coun. Dawn Luhning agreed with Boyle, noting that it wasn’t right how Ottawa made municipalities “do a little bit of extra work” to acquire money while it was “a convoluted way” to attain that funding.

Working with other municipalities

Coun. Chris Warren asked whether city hall would engage with other municipalities or contractors that have created similar plans and whether a local company or an outside organization would draft the report.

He also wondered whether Moose Jaw would collaborate with rural municipalities to acquire additional federal funding and align climate risk assessments since boundaries do not bind wind, snow, drought and rain. He also asked whether city hall had adequate resources to sustain this work afterward.

Warren also wondered whether city hall could develop its own risk assessment plan — using other municipalities as templates — instead of relying on outside entities unfamiliar with Moose Jaw’s climate challenges.

“I like the idea that we … are thinking ahead. Whether you believe in climate change or not, we are experiencing wind and weather events that are creating an impact to our community and operating budgets,” he added.

In response, city administration said many regional engineering companies did this work and responded to inquiries from city hall about it. Furthermore, administration has not had formal discussions with RM councils about creating a joint assessment plan.

Furthermore, this plan will help with long-term decision-making and planning within departments such as public works, parks and recreation and the emergency measures office, administration said. Also, city hall did not have the expertise — or in-house funding — to create a plan on its own.

City council can’t undertake any major infrastructure projects without federal funding, considering it’s already spread too thin with other initiatives and would be “hooped” without that money, said Coun. Jamey Logan. So, if it costs $12,500 to create this plan and fill a hole in the city’s application processes, then “so be it.”

The next regular council meeting is Monday, Dec. 16.

After Calgary's disastrous water main break earlier this year, some people are wondering if such an event could happen in Saskatoon. A new research project by the University of Saskatchewan and City of Saskatoon looks at that very question. Professor Hamed Samarghandi says the goal of the project is to be proactive instead of reactive.

REGINA – Growing up in Regina, Johnny Slastukin struggled to articulate what he was trying to tell people because of his stuttering.

Instead of talking, Slastukin would write what he wanted to say and how he felt. He decided, in high school, he wouldn’t let stuttering conquer him.

So, in secondary school, Slastukin got “into English and was into, like, acting and plays. And I [Slastukin] was like [the] editor of the yearbook and then [the] newspaper.”

While Slastukin was into writing, he felt publishing a book was a “pipe dream.” He mentioned that when he was growing up, an author needed a publisher to back them to publish their books.

Later on in his life, Slastukin reconnected with a girl he had trained to write while he was in high school, and they had written a book. Slastukin, at that moment, realized I “taught her how to write. And she already has a book. I’m like, of course, I can write a book, [too].”

Since Amazon was available worldwide to publish books, Slastukin figured he could upload his books on the company’s page, and his books would be seen around the world.

Slastukin’s first book is called Trapped Inside: Stuttering & Being Set Free. The book tells the story of Slastukin, including his health problems, the challenges of his stuttering and his heartfelt message to anyone who stutters like Slastukin.

After Slastukin wrote multiple books, he created a series of books based on Regina.

His original idea was to create one large book about the city, but Slastukin felt the book would have been way too long, so he decided he was going to write around 10 books.

So far, Slastukin has written two books around Regina, including Regina: What’s Not to Love? And Regina: Blast From the Past.

Pine Lodge Addiction Recovery in Regina wants to be able to decorate and offer a holiday meal and activities. Executive director Andrew Love says any help during the Christmas season makes a difference in a person's addiction recovery.

A local Swift Current couple have joined forces with the man in red himself to ensure letters and wishlists will make it to Santa on time amid the ongoing postal strike. 

Mike and Veena Hockridge are encouraging local children to email Santa as Mike explains. 

"We have an email address [email protected] that parents or children can email in their wishlists and information to Santa and he will respond back with a personalized letter."

In terms of what to include in the letter Mike says children should include their name, where they will be spending Christmas, something they are proud of achieving this year, something they would like Santa to encourage them to work on this year and what they would like to receive. 

Letters and wishlists should be submitted via email by December 12th in order to give Santa enough time to get through them all and to respond. 

Mike explains why it was important for them to do this this year in particular. 

"We want to make sure children still get the magic of Christmas and everything that's included with it." 

The personalized letters from Santa will be available for pickup from the Innovationplex on December 19th and 20th from 5 pm - 8 pm and December 21st and 22nd from 10 am - 4 pm. 

More details can be found on the Swift Current Santa Facebook page. 

The City of Swift Current is looking into removing fluoride from the water supply.

The topic was opened Monday night during city council following a question from City Councillor Leanne Tuntland-Wiebe.

"I get asked this all the time and four years ago I asked about it and was told Swift Current uses the minimum amount of fluoride in our water on the scale," said Tuntland-Wiebe.

Greg Parsons, general manager of infrastructure for the City of Swift Current, thanked her for the question and confirmed that they do use the minimum amount required.

"Actually we are kind of doing some more investigation as to whether we should be continuing with using fluoride or if we could remove it completely," revealed Parsons.

Tuntland-Wiebe followed that with another question about who regulates the use of fluoride and sets the minimum amount.

Parsons informed her it was the Water Security Agency who set the minimum standard.

"You need to meet the minimum requirements that Water Security Agency states for potable water," said Parsons. "Depending on what those rates are and how the raw water quality is, they would govern that. That's why right now, we're actually looking at removing that (fluoride) completely."

Swift Current Online reached out for further clarification on why the City would want to remove the component, and what they are basing that decision on.

The following statement was provided by the City of Swift Current.

“Further to the brief response provided to a Council question at last night’s Council meeting, the City of Swift Current General Manager of Infrastructure and Operations stated that the matter of fluoridation is being considered and will be reported to Council at a future date. Any potential treatment changes considered will not be imminent, nor implemented without due notice to the public.”

The Town of Maple Creek was buzzing with smiling faces and crowded streets over the weekend as residents and families enjoyed more than two dozen activities and events for Cowtown Christmas.

The Maple Creek Chamber of Commerce organized the annual celebration which featured something for everyone in the family, from wine tasting to cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus and free admission at the museums.

Mayor Michelle McKenzie for the Town of Maple Creek noted that seeing so many people out with the Christmas spirit was one of the best parts of Cowtown Christmas this year. 

"It was a fabulous turnout and the weather was beautiful, thankfully it was on Saturday and not Sunday," she shared. "I've heard lots of different comments about the fireworks, if you were downtown in the main area, you'd be able to hear the Christmas carols playing as the fireworks were going off and that was a highlight to a lot of people."

The full day of events kicked off with a free pancake breakfast at the Salvation Army and ended with the fireworks around 7:00 p.m. altough a select few businesses continued to offer activities until 8:30 p.m. 

Monique Bonneau, administrative support at the Maple Creek Chamber of Commerce, added that "many visitors were taking in Cowtown Christmas for the first time and the stores were bustling with shoppers."

In addition to Saturday's plethora of events, Sunday was also bustling as the CPKC Holiday Train made a stop in town, giving community members a chance to donate to the local Salvation Army Food Bank. 

"The music was exceptional and we ended up with about $5,500 that will help within our community," said McKenzie. 

The Holiday Train arrived around 1:45 p.m. with its brilliant light displays and free-to-attend live performances from Canadian musicians, Shawnee Kish and Tyler Shaw. 

"I just want to thank everyone for coming out and making downtown Christmas as exceptional as it always is," McKenzie concluded. "It was a really special day and event."