From Jan. 18-20, the Meadow Lake Curling Club hosted the 2014 Sasktel Men’s Northern Curling Championship. Sixteen teams from across CurlSask’s northern division competed for five spots in the upcoming provincial tournament. Here, Meadow Lake skip Vince Huffman releases a rock while lead Terry Pylot and second Greg Kuffert prepare to sweep.

by Derek Cornet

It wasn’t to be for hometown curler Vince Huffman after he and his team failed to qualify for provinicals after four days of competition at the 2014 Men’s Northern Curling Championships.

Held at the PineRidge Ford Curling Club Jan. 16-19 in Meadow Lake, the five qualifying provincial spots were contested in dramatic fashion. Unfortunately, for Huffman’s rink – including third Ashley Russell, second Greg Kuffert and lead Terry Pylot – they ended up losing their last two games, which dashed their hopes of moving on.

One of 16 rinks competing, the Meadow Lake foursome played all their games against Saskatoon teams. Huffman won his opening game 9-6 over Jason Jacobson. Up next was Shawn Joyce where the local rink dropped a 7-4 decision and slipped to the ‘B’ event. A 6-5 victory over Darren Camm Friday and a 9-7 win over Mike Armstrong Saturday sent Huffman to one of two ‘B’ qualifying games. However, an 8-1 drubbing to Bruce Korte put Huffman in a sudden death battle with Camm for the final ‘C’ qualifying spot Sunday afternoon.

Camm’s team struck early with single points in each of the first two ends, but Huffman came back to take over the lead 3-2 following the fifth end. Camm grabbed the lead again in the sixth with a deuce, and stole one more in the seventh for a 5-3 lead before Huffman answered with a pair in the eight to make it even again 5-5. Camm scored two in the ninth for a 7-5 edge and going in the 10th and final end, Huffman had an opportunity to score two to tie the game and push it into an extra end. However, on Huffman’s final throw he came up shy in a double-takeout attempt with Camm emerging victorious 8-5.

“We’re just a bunch of one-night-a-week curlers and we entered this because it was at home,” Huffman said prior to Sunday’s games.

While most of his team members had qualified for the Northerns event in the past, none of them had ever advanced to provincials. In spite of not making that list, Huffman said it’s reassuring to know they still have what it takes to play competitively.

“We were able to show ourselves we’re not out of our league at this level,” he said. “We can compete and throw at these guys. It’s about being on your game. Even the best teams in the world can suck if they’re not on their game.”

Russell said it was nice to play at home and have so many people give them high fives after a game. He noted, however, Huffman had a lot to do with their advancement.

“Vince has been playing really good and he has pulled us out of some tough spots,” Russell said. “It makes a world of difference when your skip is shooting well and you’re able to set it up for him to finish or bail us out. That’s what carries a team and wins games.”

Curling club manager Shannon Heddon said she heard positive comments from out-of-town people regarding the growth of Meadow Lake and the organization of the facility. She noted people were also impressed by the quality of the ice and the services they were provided.

“Hosting an event like this has enormous benefits,” she said. “It also allows not only our club, but the city to become noticed and that helps with everyone’s revenue.”

The championship also provided a spotlight for the club’s junior curlers. Heddon said the younger curlers had a chance to see the prestige that comes along with participating in the sport and the places they can go if they stay involved.

“It gave them something to look forward to and showed them how competitive curling can be,” she added.

Next September, Meadow Lake students – with the exception of Carpenter High School – will no longer receive a grade value, but rather a designation and description of their current standings. Here, Grade 1 Lakeview Elementary School teacher Cheryl Palenchuk, who already grades her students according to the new scheme, reads to her class.

by Derek Cornet

A pilot project at Lakeview Elementary School this year is changing the way teachers grade their students.

Instead of a report card, school principal Dawn Paylor said parents will now receive a student growth report that highlights where a student’s progress is in relation to the work that’s completed all year. If a student is doing well in one subject, they’ll earn the designation of “mastery” or “proficient” while, if they’re struggling, they’ll be marked as “approaching” or “beginner.”

“It’s a change for parents and for the students,” Paylor said. “But, we do need to adapt with how the curriculum changes and currently it puts an emphasis on outcome-based goals.”

The new method – which is called outcome-based reporting – is intended to be a more specific and accurate account of where a student is academically according to the entire curriculum for the class. Instead of grading a child per unit, the teacher will assess the student of their grasp of the entire subject. The teacher will then take their observations and input them into a computer, which will form a profile on the student to track their progress.

“Teachers will still continue using a triangulation assessment because there are many different ways of collecting evidence to see if a child has reached his or her goals,” Paylor said.

While noting teachers have always known where a child is in terms of progress, Paylor said the new method of reporting will allow teachers to understand them better. Since teachers will know more, in turn, they’ll be able to share more information to parents about their child and what needs to be done for them to succeed.

She added the Northwest School Division has also been supportive of the project and has provided teachers with professional development to ease the transition. Through in-services and presentations, teachers were addressed by guest speakers about subjects such as formative assessments.

“A parent should be able to walk up to a teacher and the teacher should feel confident in what they know about their child,” Paylor said.

Grade 2 teacher Amanda Pockrant is in favour of outcome-based reporting, adding she went to university in British Columbia where teachers have already been using the method for a decade. She said even with ‘A’ students, there are areas they could be struggling with and which are being overlooked because it appears they know what they’re doing. In the long-run, Pockrant said if students don’t have a clear idea about where they’re at, it puts them at a disadvantage.

“Typically, as teachers, parents are asking us what they can do to better to help their child,” she said.

However, not everyone is enthusiastic about the change, which will be implemented at all Meadow Lake schools excluding Carpenter High School next fall. A recent survey showed some people had concerns about moving away from the established grading scheme.

“People had concerns because it was different from what they had when they were in school,” Paylor said. “But, changes like these, take about three to five years before everyone is on board.”

American television (PBS) personality Mark Fenton toured Meadow Lake and Flying Dust First Nation Jan. 29 before speaking at a Saskatchewan In Motion symposium at PineRidge Ford Place the following day. He was in the area promoting the incorporation of active lifestyle amenities in urban design. Here, Meadow Lake architect Monty Samson explains his group’s plan to link the Lions Park and Flying Dust walking paths.

by Derek Cornet

Close to 100 people gathered Jan. 30 to brainstorm ideas on how to make Meadow Lake and area a healthier place to live.

However, prior to Saskatchewan in Motion Moving Together Symposium, held in the mezzanine at PineRidge Ford Place on Flying Dust First Nation,  Mark Fenton – host of the PBS television series America’s Walking  – toured Meadow Lake and Flying Dust to determine how well the communities serve those who wish to be more active.

Meadow Lake mayor Gary Vidal guided Fenton through the city, noting he had many positive comments about what the community has already been able to achieve.

“It was very encouraging because much of what he had to say was included in our community draft documents,” Vidal said. “It’s nice to be advised on what we’re doing really well and then offered suggestions on how we can make it better.”

Saskatchewan In Motion steering committee member Anne Duriez was excited to see the results of the meeting. During the morning, participants listened to Fenton talk on how to incorporate healthy living into the design of towns and cities. If communities are built to support active lifestyles and physical activity, Duriez said residents are typically happier, healthier and more knowledgeable on healthy habits.

“We’re learning most children in the country are not active enough,” she said. “What we’re trying to do is find ways Meadow Lake and Flying Dust can increase their opportunities to be active by community design alone.”

In the afternoon, participants were placed in groups where they were given a special task. Each group was asked to come up with a list of potential projects they felt could make a healthy impact. After each table made their selections, a master list was then complied, outlining which projects received the most votes.

Meadow Lake resident Denise Bohn was invited to attend the symposium and said she learned a lot about incorporating healthy living into her day-to-day life. She said people need to be physical throughout the entire day, not just during segregated activities such as visiting the gym.

“Our table came up with ideas geared toward school-age kids and includes a broad range of activities,” Bohn said.

Among the ideas on the list were the promotion of local venues open to the public, restricting traffic on streets during certain hours, a recreation centre and the establishment of a winter festival. Bohn also said her group agreed it would be a good idea to connect the walking path in Lions Park to the one on Flying Dust.

Vidal said it was a fine idea and he’s happy people are talking about the issue.

“I really do think some good will come out of this, but only time will tell,” he said.

Guest speaker, Chandra McIvor (right) from the Avenue Community Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity was in Meadow Lake Feb. 3 and 4 holding presentations at Jonas Samson Junior High.

by Derek Cornet

Four presentations at Meadow Lake’s Jonas Samson Junior High School (JSJH) last week put gender and sexual diversity (GSD) in the spotlight.

Addictions counsellor Wendy Craig invited Saskatoon-based GSD educator Chandra McIvor to the school because, after talking with parents and students, she felt discussions on the topic needed to be held. The use of the term GSD expands on the terms lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) to include an evolving community.

“It’s important for us to continue to keep a safe and nurturing environment for all our students,” Craig said. “This provides answers to questions and simply brings more awareness about the subject.”

Before speaking with students at JSJH, McIvor held a special presentation for the public the night before. While everyone had different reasons for attending the presentation, after it commenced, it was clear many knew very little about GSD. When asked how many people in the public at-large belong to the GSD community, one man said one in 75 while a woman guessed one in 10. The answer – one in seven.

But, according to McIvor, that doesn’t mean one in every seven people are homosexual or bisexual. When dealing with gender, she said it’s a spectrum and most people fall between  male and female while some may not identify with either gender.

“We talk more about the complexity of human identity, distinguishing between biological sex and gender identity and how it’s different from romantic orientation or behaviour,” McIvor said.

Another reason McIvor said it’s important to have discussions about GSD is students in Saskatchewan are suffering. Not only do openly gay students get harassed at school, but many others are also bullied because of what fellow students perceive as homosexual behaviour. In the province, 64 per cent of GSD students polled said they felt unsafe at school and would not attend if they didn’t have to while 70 per cent reported hearing offensive words every day.

“How are students supposed to go to school and concentrate when this is the environment they’re subjected to?” McIvor asked the audience. “Students shouldn’t feel the need to end their lives because of the words they hear at school.”

By having these conversations, McIvor hopes to start creating a cognitive shift to create a higher conscienceness of GSD and equality.

“After I talk to the kids, they’re going to go home and they’re going to start talking about this to their parents,” she said. “I see the school as a microcosm of the larger society and it’s important to seize teachable moments in the community.”

The Meadow Lake Wildlife Federation held its annual awards banquet Feb. 15 at the Meadow Lake Civic Centre. Along with dinner, the event also featured both a live and silent auction, bucket draws, live music and served as a major fundraiser for the club. Here, club president Layne Shkopich (left) presents Lane Calvert with a plaque for catching a three-pound, two ounce walleye.

by Phil Ambroziak

The Meadow Lake Wildlife Federation is hoping to snare a few younger members to join its club executive.

In spite of a strong showing of youth at the group’s annual awards banquet on Saturday (Feb. 15), club president Layne Shkopich said it has become increasingly difficult to attract new members to the executive.

“Overall, we have a lot of young club members because their parents will buy a family membership and will get everyone involved,” Shkopich said. “Our biggest struggle is the executive. A lot of our current members are done – they’ve served their time. But, it’s scary to think there’s no one interested in replacing them.”

Shkopich has served as club president for the past four years and said, because of his busy work schedule and responsibilities as a city councillor, he’s likely going to resign from the role this spring.

“It’s not that I don’t like doing it, but it’s getting to be too much,” he said.

Currently, there are between seven and 10 executive members who meet monthly to discuss wildlife federation business. Shkopich believes the difficulty in recruiting new members is simply a sign of changing times.

“Everyone sort of has his or her own opinion on it, but I believe people are just so much more busy now than they used to be,” he remarked. “There are so many extracurricular activities available for people, it’s tough for a lot of people to become involved.”

He remains optimistic, however, the right people are out there.

“Someone will eventually come along,” he said.

As for the banquet itself, Shkopich said it primarily serves as an opportunity for club members to get together, socialize and to be rewarded for their success from the previous hunting and fishing seasons. Club member Kurt Hadland agreed.

“It’s also a major fundraiser for the club,” Hadland said. “We hope to raise enough money to buy land to use for habitat trust. The banquet also gives the club a lot of exposure in the community and shares with people all the positive aspects of good, clean, fun living and taking care of the world around you.”

Money raised also goes toward funding youth firearms courses and other initiatives for young people.

Although still considered a success, Shkopich said fewer awards than usual were handed out at Saturday’s banquet.

“I’ve heard the long winter last year resulted in fewer animals out there to be hunted,” he said. “A lot of the veteran members, though, say it’s just the nature of the beast – there are good years and bad years.”

This year’s Meadow Lake Wildlife Federation award winners are: Female junior whitetail typical rifle, Ashley Toews, 136 6/8; male junior whitetail typical rifle, Lyndon Benz, 103 2/8; female whitetail typical rifle, Denise Toews, 144 4/8; male whitetail archery, Lyle Sheppard, 144 6/8; male whitetail rifle, Gerald Michel, 146 7/8; male elk typical rifle, Gerald Michel, 298 5/8; junior moose rifle, Ashley Toews, 53 1/8; junior black bear, Ashley Toews, 18 2/16; black bear rifle, Bob Etue, 21 14/16; black bear archery, Lee Bowerman, 21 8/16; northern pike, Lane Calvert, nine pounds four ounces; walleye, Lane Calvert, three pounds, two ounces; northern pike, Terry Calvert, 14 pounds, two ounces.

Winter time calving in the Northwest is underway. While most ranchers prefer to hold back calving season until March or even later, some battle the frigid temperatures to gain a financial edge when they opt to sell. Meadow Lake area rancher Gerry Ogilvie said, while the practice has its challenges, he enjoys the options it provides. Here, Ogilvie feeds a bottle of colostrum to a one-day-old calf who was born via caesarean section.

by Derek Cornet

Wintertime calving may have its difficulties, but Northwest ranchers still find themselves up to the challenge.

Since the first calf was born on the Ogilvie ranch – about 10 kilometres east of Meadow Lake – on Feb. 12, 15 others have joined the herd. This year, Gerry and Carmen Ogilvie have 145 pregnant cows, but Gerry noted they never have a problem keeping the animals warm when the time comes to deliver.

“Even if one wants to come early, we try to be ready for it,” Ogilvie said. “You can tell when they’re getting close to calving and we always bring our cows in five or six days before their due date.”

In order to provide some relief from the seemingly endless stream of deliveries, Ogilvie locks away the cows’ feed during the day and gives them access to it only at night. By utilizing this schedule, the majority of the births will occur between 6 a.m. and midnight and the Ogilvies can get more sleep.

It also makes life easier considering Ogilvie knows the due dates of his cows. He let his bulls loose last year on May 6 and, after a gestation period of nine months and nine days, a new calf is born. But, even with his knowledge and the precautions in place, Ogilvie will still check on his cows in the middle of the night when the temperature is unusually cold.

“If it’s really cold, someone will get up at 3 a.m. to take a look because we’d hate to lose one from the cold,” he said.

As for the reason why he continues wintertime calving, he said he benefits from it when he takes his cows to the stockyards. Since the calves are given more time to mature, they tend to weigh more, which gives Ogilvie better options when he sells them.

“It takes a little more work because, when it’s cold, everything goes through the barn,” he said. “It’s much more hands-on when compared to grass-calving.”

As for hungry predators, it has been a quiet year so far. In the past, Ogilvie said wolves would run near the corrals and spook the cows and, at other times, he’s found coyotes in the barn. It’s important for Ogilvie to protect his investment and he aims for 100 per cent – one calf for each pregnant cow – each year. With a set of twins already on the ground, he’s currently exceeding expectations.

“We’re one ahead right now and hopefully it stays this way,” he said. “Last year, when we went to grass, we were two ahead, but by the end of the summer we were down one. That’s just under 100 per cent, which was awesome because we usually don’t get that.”

With current beef prices 40 per cent higher than in 2012, it’s important to stay on top of the market. According to Brent Brooks of the Meadow Lake Stockyards, those who breed earlier in the year could fetch better prices later on.

“It gives more options because the rancher could be able to move more calves of adequate weight in the fall,” Brooks said.

Cynthia Cantell, Meadow Lake Kinsmen Club member John Marsollier and Alena Ouellette unveil the final total at the close of the annual Telemiracle radiothon at the Meadow Lake Civic Centre March 2.

by Phil Ambroziak

They say miracles only happen once in a lifetime, but for Meadow Lake and area they’ve become an annual tradition.

Running simultaneously with Telemiracle 38 – the Kinsmen Foundation’s flagship charity telethon, which was held March 1-2 in Regina – the Meadow Lake Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs’ 37th annual Telemiracle radiothon once again generated more than $40,000 in pledges and donations from residents across the Northwest.

“The exact total will be announced later this week but – as of the end of the radiothon Sunday afternoon – $41,522 had been raised,” remarked Meadow Lake Kinsmen Club president Randy Wilchowy. “Overall, we’ll probably be looking at more than $43,000.”

The radiothon took to the airwaves at 9 p.m. Saturday and wrapped up at 5 p.m. the following day. Wilchowy said the amount of money generated from the event is typical when compared to past years, noting this year’s total further cements the community’s willingness to get behind a cause it truly believes in.

“I’ve been involved with Telemiracle for the past 12 years and I’m still surprised by how giving everyone is,” he said. “I’m always blown away by how much money we raise. A lot of the other Kinsmen and Kinette clubs throughout the province raise money for three weeks to a month before Telemiracle and then make a donation at the telethon itself. Most of our money is raised the day of our radiothon, yet there’s still only two or three other clubs that are able to donate more than we do. That in itself shows how generous the people from this part of the province are.”

While he couldn’t say for sure, Wilchowy also believes – since its inception – the radiothon in Meadow Lake is responsible to close to $1 million in overall donations to Telemiracle. In turn, the money is used to assist families with a variety of things such as plane tickets and hotel rooms for essential out-of-town surgeries, scooters or vehicle alterations to accommodate for wheelchair access, and the local Handi-Transit bus service. This year’s provincial Telemiracle total was more than $5.2 million.

“If you look at who we are and the people we have in this province, it’s unbelievable,” Wilchowy continued. “Per capita, Saskatchewan raises more money for Telemiracle than any other place in the world does for similar charities. Just looking at it from that perspective is mind blowing.”
Wilchowy went on to commend the many volunteers, as well as the performers and everyone who gave their time to ensure the event would be a successful one.

“These days it’s tough for people to volunteer, so to have so many of the same people come back each year, as well as so many new people, is incredible,” he added. “I want to thank everyone for once again making this such an amazing experience. It was such a great event.”

A recent water-main break had Meadow Lake and Flying Dust First Nation residents anxious as they scrambled to ensure they had adequate water reserves. Both water and sewer services were unavailable for more than 24 hours as city workers located and repaired the broken pipe.

by Phil Ambroziak

The derailing of the Saskatchewan Express was only one of several irritants to arise as a result of the recent water-main break in the City of Meadow Lake.

The musical theatre performance, which was scheduled for Thursday (March 6) at Jonas Samson Junior High School, was ultimately cancelled as school officials awaited word on when exactly the city’s water supply would be restored.

“They (Saskatchewan Express) were scheduled to come here as they neared the end of their tour,” explained JSJH vice-principal Linda Harman. “But, because the performers were going to be billeted by local residents and we were still unsure if we were going to have running water, we unfortunately had to cancel the show before they arrived.”
Because the Saskatchewan Express tour was nearing its end, however, it’s impossible for JSJH to reschedule a performance for the immediate future.

“Local resident Olivia Balisky toured with the Saskatchewan Express last summer and that’s what triggered our interest in bringing the group here,” Harman added. “We wanted to show our students this is something they could aim for and a dream that could be within their reach. But, when you’re dealing with the unknown, things often happen that you have no control over.”

Along with the cancellation of various extracurricular activities, including air cadets, gymnastics lessons and other evening functions held throughout the community, the water outage also resulted in the Northwest School Division sending students home early on Tuesday and encouraging them to stay home on Wednesday. Classes resumed Thursday morning, but not before Carpenter High School was forced to postpone its annual Swing Into Spring fundraiser from last Wednesday to tonight (March 11).

“School administrators and I had a meeting on Tuesday (March 4) to see what could be done,” remarked CHS wellness coordinator Judy Waites. “We decided, if the water came back on by 10 a.m. the next day, we could still go ahead with our event as planned. By lunch, however, we realized – if we did have to cancel it – it would mean a lot of phone calls to  make and a lot of rearranging on short notice. That’s when the decision was made to postpone the event.”

Waites said the school was fortunate the caterer was still available and the various businesses involved in the event’s silent auction were understanding.

“We were all going through the same thing,” she said.

Local businesses also felt the effects of the water outage. While the Nor’Wester Motor Inn had no choice but to close its restaurant and lounge for the day, salons such as Bliss Hair Studio on Centre Street offered limited services.

“We could still do haircuts, waxings and nails, but we had to cancel more than half of our hair appointments,” said Melissa Albright. “But, the city got things going again fairly quickly, which was awesome.”

Nor’Wester co-owner Tammy Edwards agreed.

“I was expecting the water to remain off for at least another day if not longer,” she said. “When it came back on, we opened our bar immediately, but didn’t open the restaurant until Thursday morning. I’m not blaming anyone for the outage because these things sometimes happen and the city did a great job of getting it back up.”

While equipment sales haven’t been hurt yet due to grain farmers unable to sell their crop, Lazar Equipment Ltd. in Meadow Lake notes their company’s main target is not grain producers because of its fluctuating market. Here, sales associate Jim Schneider stands next to a new piece of equipment to be sold this spring.

by Derek Cornet

Goodsoil area grain farmer Robert Holba still has last year’s harvest in his bins and has little confidence demands by the federal government will move it any quicker.

Transport minister Lisa Raitt recently announced Canadian Pacific and the Canadian National Railway would need to transport 500,000 tonnes of grain every week or else face penalties up to $100,000 per day if they don’t meet the requirement. The government is giving the companies four weeks to comply with minimum levels.
Holba, however, is still waiting to move his grain to market, which was priced at forecasts in October. Last harvest was the best crop Holba has grown and, as a result, he had to purchase additional bins to store it. But, as the months pass and he’s unable to move his grain, he’s worried about the upcoming growing season.

“I’ve been farming for 35 years and there were times we held on to the harvest waiting for a better price, but we always had the option to move it,” he said. “Now, the government is trying to be the hero while the producers are paying the bill.”

Holba said action should have been taken months ago and some grain farmers may experience financial difficulties due to a combination of low prices and backlogged deliveries. He’s also worried about upcoming road restrictions when the soil begins to thaw and how much grain he can move when the time comes.

Holba also pondered if he or any other grain farmer should seed a crop this year. He said Canada’s record harvest last year wasn’t big enough to bring down world markets and, although some people may go hungry, producers should be paid well for the 2015 crop.

While grain producers are still waiting to cash in on last year’s harvest, Lazar Equipment Ltd. in Meadow Lake hasn’t experienced a decline in sales. General manager Geraldine Wagman said the company mainly targets cattle producers. She noted it’s hard to market grain in the Northwest considering there’s no railway linking them to the south.

Financially, Wagman said Northwest farmers are business-minded or well-established. She said they’re planning into the future and know what they need to break even. Farmers are also largely preplanning their equipment purchases and rotating their equipment responsibly so they don’t end up with several issues at once.

“Usually when farmers go under it’s because of something that’s been evolving over time, but issues like this could be the nail in the coffin,” Wagman said. “They could be forced to sell equipment or land.”

It was a packed house at Meadow Lake Stockyards March 21 as area ranchers waged bidding wars at a Black Angus Bull Sale. Here, worker John Adamson escorts a bull from one pen to another.

by Derek Cornet

With cattle prices on the upswing, ranchers flocked to the 9th annual Black Angus Bull Sale March 21 at the Meadow Lake Stockyards.

According to Brent Brooks of Meadow Lake Livestock Sales Ltd., a total of 85 bulls were up for auction with the price of two-year-old bulls coming in between $3,500 and $8,000. On average, bulls sold for $4,700 and yearlings sold for $4,100.

“Our bull sale certainly went well and it was very well attended,” Brooks said, adding the bulls came from the Bowerman Bros. and Nessett Lake Angus ranches.

Brooks said the price of cattle has been continuously rising in the past 12 months, which is due in part to a smaller cattle herd in Canada, Mexico and the United States. With a low supply and a high demand, Brooks added the stockyards are seeing cows sell for $1 to $1.10 per pound, which is in contrast to the 60 cents per pound paid this time last year.

According to Statistics Canada, the cattle herd in the country dropped 0.7 per cent when comparing 2012 and 2013. As of Jan. 1, 2014, there were 2.2 million head of cattle on ranches across the country. Brooks said he expects this number to remain steady, noting only a few ranchers he knows are expanding their operations.

“We’ve seen some ranchers do some expansion in the last couple of years, but I don’t think we’re going to see a large rise in cow numbers,” he said.

After a major drought in 2002 and the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis in 2003 rocked cattle prices, Brooks said the current prosperity is more than welcome. He also contributed the higher prices to the shrinking value of the Canadian dollar. Since beef cattle production is an export-driven industry, Americans tend to purchase more feed cattle when the prices are down.

“For every cent our dollar climbs against the U.S. currency, it takes about three cents out of the Canadian feeder market and vice versa,” he said.

Unless the price of feed spikes or the value of the Canadian dollar changes soon, Brooks said the market should remain fairly consistent into the future. But, he added, other variables are involved and it’s difficult to forecast the future with certainty.

Rancher Dan Burke attended the bull sale and said he had his eyes on a couple heifers. Overall, he said there were many good quality bulls for sale, adding he was looking for bulls with a decent birth weight and ones that gained sufficient weight. He said the look of the bull and its temperament also have an impact on the cost.

“Temperament is huge, especially for the older guys who are running cattle,” Burke said. “You don’t want something chasing you through the pasture trying to kill you.”

He also said he’s currently downsizing his herd, but added before BSE he had more than 500 head of cattle. Although prices are gaining momentum, he said ranchers are still paying more to produce one pound of beef than they did 10 years ago.

“If the prices continue to rise, I might expand, but I also work full-time to maintain a steady paycheque,” he said.

Long-time Meadow Lake residents Sheila and Bill Hart share a few laughs prior to the Meadow Lake and District Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Awards March 27.

by Phil Ambroziak

When it comes to ensuring the continued success of the Meadow Lake community, it helps to have a Hart – or two.

Long-time Meadow Lake business owners and avid volunteers Bill and Sheila Hart were recognized for their ongoing contributions to the community March 27 during the ninth annual Meadow Lake and District Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards. The Harts were named this year’s recipients of the Wall of Fame Community Builder Award, which recognizes business people who have spent their lives building the community in an effort to make it a better place.

“We’ve both been proud to be residents of Meadow Lake and to have called Meadow Lake home for almost 45 years,” Bill Hart said during his acceptance speech. “We wouldn’t be up here if it wasn’t for the help of a whole lot of people.”

Hart – a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Pharmacy – came to Meadow Lake in 1967 to work as a pharmacist for Emma Madill. In 1991, he and his wife purchased the store while, over the years, he’s also served as a town councillor and been involved with a number of initiatives including the local recreation board, the Meadow Lake golf and curling clubs, the Meadow Lake Hospital Foundation and more. Meanwhile, he is still a member of the Meadow Lake Lions Club, a group he joined 44 years ago.

Sheila Hart graduated from U of S with a bachelor of science and nursing degree in 1965. In 1969, she accepted a job as a public health nurse in Meadow Lake. During her career, she served in communities throughout the Northwest. She also assisted her husband at the pharmacy while her free time often involved numerous volunteer initiatives including the local Lioness Club and the Meadow Lake and District Music Festival among others.

Together, the couple have helped with various fundraising carnivals, were actively involved as parent volunteers in their children’s schools, have helped with Meals on Wheels and volunteered for the 2012 Saskatchewan Summer Games. They have been married for more than 40 years, have two children and three grandchildren.

“I worked at the store for almost 40 years,” Bill Hart stated. “We had the greatest staff in the world and some of them are still there. They helped us out quite an awful lot and there are 33 other members of the Meadow Lake Lions Club who do an awful lot of work in this community too. We don’t have any intention of leaving – we will always be here. Thank you very much for this award. It is truly humbling.”

Sheila Hart echoed her husband’s sentiments.

“We met here – it can’t be all that bad,” she joked. “It’s been a lot of work, but nothing we did did we ever do by ourselves, nor did we do it as just the two of us. There have always been many other people involved. We are representing all of you and we’re representing a whole bunch of people who aren’t here tonight – people who are still involved in the community and people who have passed on. We’ve had a lot of fun and we’re still having fun.”

CHS welding student Ryley Pethick will be among those who will help craft a Frisbee golf course for Lions Park.

by Phil Ambroziak

The Meadow Lake Lions Club has joined forces with students from Carpenter High School in an initiative they hope will score a hole-in-one for the community.

This spring, the Lions will install a Frisbee golf course at Lions Park, a feature expected to prove popular amongst visitors as well as inexpensive for the local service club.

“Instead of purchasing the holes, the Lions Club has teamed up with the Grade 11 welding class at Carpenter High School in order to fabricate the holes from scratch,” explained Lions Club member Matthew Quesnelle. “It’s something that can be used all summer long, but would normally cost about $100,000 to put in. That’s why we had the idea of bringing in the high school welding program.”

Funding is being provided by the Lions Club but, with the assistance of the students, the project will only cost somewhere in the $2,000 range.

“Mike (instructor Mike Tourigny) was more than willing to have his students help out,” Quesnelle added. “Normally, they get to do a lot of side projects, but this will be a chance for them to see their work become part of the community.”

Tourigny, who is also a member of the Lions Club, said the students are “stoked” about being involved with the project.

Frisbee golf, also known as disc golf, is a flying disc game, as well as a precision and accuracy sport, in which individual players throw a Frisbee at a target. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, the object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end with the fewest number of throws of the disc. The game is played in about 40 countries around the world.

“I come from Ontario and we had a Frisbee golf course in my community that was used quite readily,” Quesnelle said. “In Saskatchewan, there are about 10 or more courses throughout the province.”
Tourigny, meanwhile, said he and Quesnelle have been discussing the idea of installing a course in Meadow Lake since the wintertime.

“We had an Ultimate Frisbee club here in the past, but it died off,” he said. “This, however, is cost-effective and a lot of people are gung-ho about building it and supporting it. It will be spread throughout the park and the posts will be removable – they will be there during the summer, but can be taken away for the winter.”

Both men assured the course would be open to the public.

“We need to get the OK in terms of mapping it all out, but there’s more than enough room at the park,” Quesnelle continued. “It will be a great addition and hopefully will encourage more people to come out who don’t normally use the park. In the future, we could even hold little tournaments.”

Tourigny agreed.

“It’s really all about having more options in terms of getting outside and being active,” he said.

More large transport trucks have been using Northwest highways since the demise of the railway several years ago. Last year, Meadow Lake Fire and Rescue responded to six incidents involving large trucks. Here, two large trucks pass each other on Highway 55 east of Meadow Lake.

by Derek Cornet

After a transport truck hauling pulp from Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp Inc. crashed into a tire shop and storage building in Glaslyn recently, the provincial Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure are mulling possible road improvements.

Last week, the ministry’s district operations manager Conrad Read was in that community looking for potential changes to the highway under the province’s safety improvement program. The program – which is funded $1.2 million annually – covers the cost of enhancements for such things as flashing red lights, pedestrian lanes, rumble strips and advanced warning signs among others.

“Every year we try to put together a list of projects in the district,” he said. “There are currently more than 40 projects with warrant points issued to them.”

When deciding which projects should receive priority for enhancements, Read said the province examines the amount of traffic used on the road and how many collisions have occurred. Regardless of the situation, Read said all requests made to the program are graded equally, which means changes to the highway through Glaslyn may not be forthcoming.

Read also said a viable solution to prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future would be the introduction of a transition zone. Currently, the speed limit entering and exiting Glaslyn drops from 100 kilometres per hour to 50. He suggested dropping the rate of speed to 80 first, then to 50 kilometres per hour could make an impact.

“If anything is done though, it will likely take more than six months until any action is taken,” he said.
Since the railway stopped hauling product out of Meadow Lake about five years ago, Read said the number of large trucks using the highway has increased. Currently, 175 trucks utilize Highway 4 every day compared to 85 trucks in past years. The ministry has permanent pads at strategic locations across the province including one on the Matchee-Neeb road.

In Meadow Lake fire chief Neil Marsh’s 2013 annual report to city council, he reported the department responded to more than 30 motor vehicle collisions including six incidents involving large trucks.

According to information provided by Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI), between 2010 and 2012, there were 332 motor collisions on provincial highways surrounding Meadow Lake. Highway 4 leading to Glaslyn proved to be the most collision-prone, with 118 incidents in those three years resulting in 13 injuries.

Glaslyn mayor Ken Morrison – who has held the position for more than 20 years – said speeding traffic and large trucks have become an increasing issue since the train stopped travelling through the Northwest.

“We’ve been working with the RCMP trying to slow people down,” he said. “They hold a two or three-day blitz, but a week later it’s the same as before.”

Ducks Unlimited members Darcy Thomas (left) and Dan Schmid were among the many volunteers selling 50/50 tickets during last Thursday’s fundraiser.

by Phil Ambroziak

The preservation of wetlands in Saskatchewan’s Northwest is a round-the-clock job. Just ask Meadow Lake resident Barry Neufeld who, for close to 30 years, has served as a conservation programs specialist with Ducks Unlimited Canada.

“Right now, we have about 59 projects on the go within a 100 to 150-kilometre radius of Meadow Lake,” Neufeld explained. “We also have almost 40,000 acres secured under licensed agreements with SaskWater.”

One of the organization’s bigger projects in this part of the province, Neufeld added, is the Oliver swamp, which is located about 15 miles west of Meadow Lake. It’s a marshy area that was purchased by Ducks Unlimited with the intent of keeping it as a refuge for waterfowl.

“I think things are actually fairly decent in this area right now (with regard to the duck population),” Neufeld said. “We’re not seeing the same numbers we used to see, but I think that’s because the whole province is so wet things are spread out a lot more.”

Ducks Unlimited is also responsible for a series of diking systems along the Beaver and Meadow Rivers. The dikes were put in place decades ago and it’s Neufeld’s job to control them and to handle any repairs when needed.

“The dikes allow us to have better control of how much water we have in a particular area,” Neufeld continued. “Too much water can be harmful not only to landowners, but also to waterfowl. If there’s too much water, nests can easily be washed out. It all depends on how much rainfall we get and how much the rivers rise.”

Because the need for the services provided by Ducks Unlimited are ongoing, so too is the need to fund the projects on an continual basis. One way in which the Meadow Lake chapter of the organization does so is through its annual banquet. Complete with dinner, as well as live and silent auctions, this year’s event was held April 17 at the Meadow Lake Civic Centre and raised close to $55,000.

“That was just the money we raised that night – sponsors and ticket sales put that total over and above that,” stated the event’s dinner chair Jim Sergent. “The money we raise helps to support our ongoing programs. Our event is usually one of the biggest Ducks Unlimited fundraisers in the province.”

Russel Klassen, seen here with one of several horses he keeps on his property, was recently given 30 days to remove them or be faced with a $250 fine for violating an RM of Meadow Lake bylaw he said has never been enforced in the more than 15 years since it was introduced.

by Phil Ambroziak

At least one RM of Meadow Lake resident is asking the municipality to hold its horses when it comes to enforcing a long ignored animal bylaw.

Rapid View resident Russel Klassen said he would gladly comply with the legislation that prohibits the keeping of horses, cattle, pigs, goats, llamas, alpacas, poultry or sheep within the boundaries of the hamlet, but only if the rule is one that’s agreed upon democratically.

“There needs to be bylaws, but the RM should consider having a public vote on this issue before enforcing it after so long,” Klassen remarked.

According to RM councillor Perry Brookes – who also serves as chair of the North of Divide Community Association (NODCA), the group that recently hired a compliance officer to serve the RM as well as other member municipalities – the animal bylaw is one that’s been in place for many years.

“It was brought in around 1998 when concerns were raised about the water table in Rapid View,” Brookes said. “The water table is close to the surface, so people were worried about manure and whatnot flowing from one yard to the next and contaminating everyone’s drinking water. But, the biggest concern had to do with keeping animals on such small pieces of property. It does seem kind of ludicrous to have anywhere from two to 10 horses on these small plots of land.”

Prior to the hiring of compliance officer Bill Ireland, Brookes said it was the RM administrator’s responsibility to enforce bylaws – something that was never easy considering the numerous other responsibilities that come with the job.

Meanwhile, Ireland confirmed he made a surprise visit to Klassen’s home April 1, during which time he informed Klassen he was in violation of the bylaw. A follow up letter issued the next day stated a fine of $250 would be levied against Klassen if the animals are not removed from his property within 30 days.

Klassen also said he was aware of the bylaw when it was introduced.

“I had horses here for a couple more years after that before I moved them out of town,” he said. “But, people have always had horses here. I brought my seven horses back about a month ago and the next thing I know the compliance officer shows up.”

Klassen went on to reiterate he has no problem with the bylaw, but wishes there was a chance for more public input prior to its sudden enforcement.
“If they held a vote and 50 per cent or more of the people said they don’t want animals in the hamlet, I’d move my horses out of here that very day,” he said. “But, for now, they’re still here.”

Brookes, however, said there was ample opportunity for the public to provide input into earlier efforts to establish NODCA, a group designed to provide cost-effective services such as bylaw enforcement to the entire region.

Since Ireland’s visit, Klassen has made efforts to rally his neighbours and other RM residents to speak out against the bylaw, which also applies to the Aspen Acres subdivision located south of Meadow Lake.

“I went around the community and asked the people if they would be willing to sign their names to a letter I’ve written asking the RM to rescind the bylaw and to immediately stop all enforcement of said bylaw,” he said. “Isn’t owning animals kind of the idea of living in the country? If not, you might as well live in town. The way this was done is just wrong.”

Originally from the Philippines, Irene Ocampo (left) works the cash register at City Convenience in Meadow Lake.

by Derek Cornet

A halt to the temporary foreign worker program in the food service sector could have implications for Meadow Lake businesses.

Before Dennis Catapang arrived in the community almost three years ago, KFC manager Mona Arnold said she would come to work early to do her job in case she had to cover the duties of her employees.

“People apply, but you never know if they’re going to show up,” Arnold said. “Up until I had foreign workers, I didn’t know if I’d had a cook that day or not.”

Arnold knew she had to take action after the restaurant’s staff dwindled to five and they had to work 16 double shifts in a row. Catapang, who immigrated to Canada from the Philippines and worked for McDonald’s in Alberta for two years, was one of the first foreign workers to join Arnold’s staff. She said the program has enabled the business to continue to operate as normal. Currently, half the staff at KFC arrived in Canada through the foreign worker program.

Catapang decided to move to Saskatchewan after his contract with McDonald’s expired because of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program, which allows faster access to permanent residency.

“I just want to work and look out for the future of my daughter,” he said. “I’m working with people who are friendly to me and there’s so much opportunity in Canada.”

Irene Ocampo also arrived in Meadow Lake through the program three years ago and is currently employed at City Convenience. While she was born in the Philippines, Ocampo moved to Canada from the United Kingdom.
Ocampo’s husband manages the Waterhen General Store and they also have a 10-year-old son who now feels at home here. She said they discussed moving back to the U.K. due to recent criticism of the foreign worker program, but added her family wants to settle and they’ve found good employers.

“It’s not right to cancel the program and it’s not because I’m a foreigner,” she said. “My employers are working hard to build a business and they really struggle to get people to work for them.”

Currently, a third of the people owner Yvonne Von Grad employs at City Convenience and her other Subway locations were obtained through the program. Von Grad said she always attempts to hire locally first, noting she hired a local person two weeks ago only to have him call in on the first day to say he was no longer interested.

“Canadian workers who want to work are already working,” she said. “The rest of them are out there and I believe they don’t want a job. Why punish all the businesses because a couple people are abusing the program?”

Gateway’s Got Talent was held May 8. Here, Grade 5 student Vincent Domingo power dances.

by Derek Cornet

Lights shone bright last week as some of Meadow Lake’s most artistic students bathed in the spotlight.

Gateway Elementary School hosted the second edition of Gateway’s Got Talent May 8 while, on May 6, proud parents packed the gymnasium for Jonas Samson Junior High School’s (JSJH) Showcase of the Arts. Gateway vice-principal Angela Ellis said all the money raised at her school’s event would be used to purchase accessible playground equipment.

“The idea for this event came from the school community council and it has become one of our biggest fundraisers of the year,” she said.

While artwork was on display and the JSJH band entertained the audience who gathered at the Showcase of the Arts, a wide variety of talents were exhibited at Gateway including singing, gymnastics, dancing and jigging. Ellis said there were students who entered the talent show who she never knew were so skilled and she was delighted by the array of talents each student possessed.

While some students earn their talent by participating in school groups, Ellis said others have developed their skills on their own or with local trainers in the community. She went on to say some students were used to performing in front of an audience but, for some, it was more difficult because they may have never performed alone before.
“Overall, it was a feel-good night and it makes us feel proud to provide an opportunity for our students to be noticed,” Ellis said.

Money was raised through a variety of endeavours such as a concession, bucket buster draws, mystery prizes and a silent auction. While the the amount raised wasn’t available by press time, last year’s event raised close to $4,000.

Grade 5 students Montana Graham and Vincent Domingo were among two dozen performers at the Gateway show. Graham – who describes herself as a cowgirl – has been singing since she was a toddler and continues to do so because it helps her express her feelings.

“I’m not used to singing in front of people, but it makes me happy,” Graham said. “I chose the song Cowgirls Don’t Cry because I’m one and they do.”

Domingo – who was a fan favourite at the show – took to the stage with his power dance routine. He said he became interested in dancing after watching it on TV and hasn’t stopped practising since.

“You can be a power dancer if you have the talent, but you can also be trained to be one,” he said.

Graham and Domingo said they would like to participate again next year, stating they had a lot of fun doing so. While Graham will find another tune to sing, Domingo said he might sing a song too.

RCMP Cst. Lesley Somers was one of several officers who kept watch as students converged on Lions Park in Meadow Lake after being evacuated from their schools Friday afternoon. Carpenter High School and Lakeview Elementary, however, remained on lockdown while police secured the buildings and schoolyards. Classes resumed Tuesday.

by Phil Ambroziak

Class ended a little earlier than expected for Meadow Lake students on Friday when threats received at three elementary schools resulted in a mass evacuation.

According to RCMP, Gateway Elementary, Jubilee Elementary and Lakeview Elementary each received threats by telephone from an unknown caller. The calls came in shortly after 1 p.m.

As a result of the threats, Northwest School Division (NWSD) officials decided to move Jubilee and Gateway students, as well as students from Jonas Samson Junior High School to the Lions Park hill.

“All students and staff (who were evacuated) were accounted for,” reported Natalie Gray of the RCMP ‘F’ Division communications unit.

NWSD communications officer Kaitlin Harman confirmed students from Transition Place Education Centre were also evacuated to Lions Park. Meanwhile, the NWSD put Carpenter High School and Lakeview Elementary on lockdown. Students from all schools were eventually dismissed shortly before 3 p.m.

“We kept parents and the public updated via the radio and social media,” Harman said. “We coordinated our buses to pick the students up at Lions Park. Once that was cleared up, we notified town parents to also come and pick up their children.”

Although the schools remained secured by police, parents of Lakeview students were asked to pick up their children on the northeast side of the school grounds while buses and parents also retrieved students at CHS.

Members from the Meadow Lake RCMP detachment remained at the schools Friday afternoon to determine if there was any cause for concern. The schools were thoroughly searched with a coordinated effort by the Meadow Lake RCMP, Loon Lake RCMP, Meadow Lake Police Dog Service and Saskatoon PDS. It was determined, however, no threats were actually present.

Police would not divulge the exact nature of the telephone threats, but continue to follow up on information surrounding the investigation. Classes resumed Tuesday.
“There have been occasional threats made in the past, but to have all the schools affected at one time is certainly a first,” Harman said.

Harman went on to say both school division staff and the RCMP handled the situation as best as could be hoped for.

“I think everyone did a great job of managing things,” she said. “Our staff and the RCMP responded quickly. This is definitely something we take seriously and everyone rose to the occasion.”

These sentiments were also shared by parents. Several posted their gratitude via the NWSD’s Twitter account while Meadow Lake resident Shelly Hammell – whose daughter, Savannah, attends Grade 4 at Jubilee – said teachers deserve a big thank you.

“What a great job they did on getting our children evacuated,” she said. “And, when I went to pick up my daughter at Lions Park, she didn’t even know why they were there. I think that was a good thing, so the kids wouldn’t be too scared.”

Meadow Stampede Association volunteers Terry Villeneuve (left) and Mark Campbell look on as Ricky Lafond attempts to maintain his balance during Saturday’s calf and steer riding clinic at the Meadow Lake Stampede Grounds.

by Phil Ambroziak

The Meadow Lake Stampede Association may have roped some future riders.

In preparation for the annual indoor rodeo, held as part of Stampede Week June 2-9, the group hosted a calf and steer riding clinic at the Stampede Grounds on Saturday for children between the ages of eight and 16. Fifteen participants were on hand to learn from seasoned veterans.

“We’re just trying to spark some interest by having this area’s cowboys and cowgirls get started in the sport at a younger age,” explained Meadow Lake Stampede Association member and former bull rider Terry Villeneuve. “In recent years, we’ve seen it swing from quite a few contestants one year to not so many the next. We want to keep it more consistent because, when you have a lot of local contestants at the rodeo, it brings out more local fans.”

Villeneuve also said the Stampede Association believes it’s important to keep the spirit of the rodeo and the cowboy lifestyle alive.

“One way we do this is with our Buck Off event in September,” he said. “We’ve held that event for two years now as a way of getting more kids in their high teens involved in the sport. Now, we’re taking a big step back to give the younger kids a taste of what it’s all about. It could turn out some of them may want to pursue it further as they get older.”

Among those to take part in Saturday’s clinic was eight-year-old Dorintosh area resident Birch Campbell. His mother, Bluesette, said rodeo is something that’s interested her son for a while now and she’s never one to discourage his interests.

“We live on a ranch and have calves here,” Campbell said. “Birch is always jumping on them and trying to get them to do something, but they never really do. This is about giving him an opportunity to take part in something unique and to take part in something physical that requires athleticism.”

While it’s not a requirement, Saturday’s participants do have the option of competing at the indoor rodeo Friday, June 6. And, although the rodeo continues to be a popular event each year, Villeneuve said, like anything, the level of interest from the general public can have its highs and lows.

“Today we have a handful of regular riders – maybe half a dozen – whereas years ago we had 20-plus,” he said. “Over time, I think as the community grew and other programs came available, people’s interests changed.”

Whether or not Birch could have a future in rodeo, Campbell isn’t opposed to keeping an open mind.
“I’ve never had any dreams of my child becoming a professional bull rider because I think that could be a very dangerous field to get into, but this is certainly a good experience for him,” she noted. “It’s my job, as a parent, to expose him to all kinds of opportunities.”

Villeneuve, meanwhile, said the clinic involved a lot more than just riding.

“There’s a lot of mental preparation, physical preparation, learning respect for the animal,” he said. “My number one priority is safety – it’s not about having a good ride as much as it’s about getting on safely and getting off safely. That’s my philosophy.”

On May 26, two individuals dressed in matching red attire burglarized a vehicle on 4th Avenue West. A video camera installed at the residence recorded the images shown here.

by Derek Cornet

After a security camera captured footage of two people dressed in matching tracksuits breaking into a locked vehicle early one morning last week, a Meadow Lake woman feels the public no longer owns the streets.

The morning of May 26 began as usual at the Rolfe residence on 4th Avenue West until Lesley Rolfe received a call from her husband telling her their vehicle had been broken into. Since the Rolfes have been victims of crime on several occasions in the past, last fall the family decided to install security cameras on their property to catch potential thieves in the act.

“I lived in Edmonton for 12 years and I never had to file a police report once,” Rolfe said. “Since I moved to Meadow Lake seven years ago, I’ve made six reports.”

Just after 5 a.m. on the day in question, video footage shows two individuals dressed in red tracksuits approach Rolfe’s property from the street. While one person uses a tool to unlock a vehicle and proceed to search for valuables, his or her accomplice checks for open doors on other vehicles and uses a flashlight to look inside. The accomplice also takes a moment to attempt to gain entry into the family’s garage.

“When I watched the video of them checking the doors and going through our vehicle, it was horrible,” Rolfe said. “It really shook me up. If for whatever reason the garage door had been open or they broke in, they could have come into our house while we were sleeping.”

While the incident was reported to the Meadow Lake RCMP, Rolfe said she has little faith anything will happen. Having been victimized multiple times without justice being served, she feels the community no longer belongs to the residents. After reviewing the video, she also feels the break-in could have been the work of organized crime and she’s convinced gang activity is taking place in the city.

“I don’t know what can be done to stop it,” Rolfe said. “People are beginning to talk about taking matters into their own hands – about waiting for these people and catching them themselves.”

Rolfe also expressed her desire for the RCMP to be more proactive against crime. She feels the detachment relies on a complaint-based system, which acts on crime once it’s already been committed. Throughout the night of May 26, she claimed the street outside her home lacked any police presence.

“These people walked up to my place – without a care in the world – with bright red jumpsuits during the day,” Rolfe said. “They’re sending a message.”

Meadow Lake RCMP Cpl. Ryan How said, while the detachment has documented incidents of gang activity in the community, he’s doubtful the individuals captured on Rolfe’s camera are involved with a gang. How did note, however, he has never seen people commit a crime while wearing matching outfits.

“Whatever the rationale, we can’t say specifically,” How said. “I don’t think it’s anything to be concerned about.”

How said there’s a core group of offenders in Meadow Lake who the RCMP keeps tabs on. He also noted those on house arrest are also checked by officers to ensure they’re not breaching their conditions. In the community, How said young people are responsible for the majority of vehicle break-ins.