Meadow Lake MLA Jeremy Harrison (right) shares a few laughs with Mary Ann Tupil (left) and Maximo Ramos while Jennifer Madrid looks on during a special event held at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 76 in Meadow Lake Dec. 11. The event served as a way for the MLA to welcome newcomers to Saskatchewan.

by Phil Ambroziak

“We truly appreciate the contributions you bring to this province, to this country and to the community of Meadow Lake.”

Those were the words of Meadow Lake MLA Jeremy Harrison when addressing the small crowd gathered at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 76 Dec. 11 for a special meet and greet featuring the provincial politician, other local officials and newcomers to Canada. Those in attendance were primarily members of Meadow Lake’s Filipino community and they used the opportunity to speak one-on-one with Harrison about such topics as the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program and the Government of Canada’s new Express Entry application system.

“The purpose of tonight is for me to meet with as many of you as possible and to address any challenges you may be having,” Harrison, who also serves as minister responsible for immigration, said. “I know many of you have been in the province for a significant amount of time already, and I thank you very much for choosing to make Saskatchewan your home.”

The provincial immigrant nominee cap set by the federal government will increase to 5,500 nominations in 2015 – a 16 per cent increase over 2014. The 775 additional nominations will help address current labour market shortages and will be made through the SINP’s new Saskatchewan Express Entry category. The criteria for the new category will be announced Jan. 2 in conjunction with the launch of the Express Entry application system. The SINP will begin to accept applications under the category in early 2015.

“Saskatchewan has the lowest unemployment rate in Canada, which I’m sure has helped attract a lot of newcomers in the last six or seven years,” Harrison continued. “We’ve had 120,000 new people come to Saskatchewan in the last seven years – 53,000 of which came from outside of Canada. We genuinely welcome you and want you to stay in Meadow Lake, to build your careers here and to raise your families here.”

Also on hand to welcome the new Canadians was Meadow Lake mayor Gary Vidal.

“Maybe we don’t have some of the things here you’d find in a larger city, but it’s the people of this community who make Meadow Lake,” Vidal noted. “It’s our heartfelt desire to be an open and welcoming community.”

Mary Ann Tupil was among the several newcomers in attendance. She came to Canada from the Philippines 11 months ago and currently works at one of the local Subway restaurants.
“I have concerns about processing my application for residency,” Tupil said when asked about what brought her to the meet and greet. “I also want to know how I can sponsor my family back home.”

She went on to say she enjoys her job and simply wants to be able to better her life.

CHS basketball player Kamren Leschuk looks to make a pass while opposing members of the P.A. Carlton team close in during the final game of the CHS home tournament Jan. 17.

by Phil Ambroziak

It was an effort to be proud of.

That’s how Carpenter High School boys basketball coach Jesse Shakotko feels about his team’s performance at the home tournament held in Meadow Lake Jan. 16 and 17 that netted the team the runner-up place.

“I’m very pleased with how things turned out in the end,” Shakotko stated. “I liked how, throughout the tournament, we had a strong focus on defence. When that works, the offence will feed off that defence, and it was working for us until we had a little bit of a lapse in the final game.”

CHS fell 52-40 in the championship game to Carlton Comprehensive High School from Prince Albert.

“P.A. Carlton is classified as a 5A team while we’re in the 4A category, but we’re always very close to them in points whenever we play them,” Shakotko added. “We played them once before this season and we beat them, but they’ve improved a lot throughout the year.”

Carlton maintained a close but steady lead throughout the first half before, as Shakotko said, Meadow Lake cooled off in terms of its shooting.

“By the fourth quarter, we were shut down,” he said. “We made an attempt, but just couldn’t come back.”

Earlier on, Carlton defeated John Paul II Collegiate from North Battleford and Warman High School while CHS downed Beauval and North Battleford Comprehensive High School to earn their respective spots in the final.

“Our opening game against Beauval was great,” Shakotko said. “We played them last year and they had a lot of the same players, so I knew it was going to be a good, tight game.”

Shakotko went on to say his team worked well together with the entire bench receiving some court time. In the end, CHS was victorious 60-48.

“In the semi-final round, we played North Battleford Comprehensive, a team we hadn’t seen yet this year,” he added. “They weren’t as big as us, but they had some decent guards. We ended up winning 67-58.”

Shakotko noted Blake Prete and Damon Martin-Durocher were top scorers throughout the weekend while Travis Greyeyes was given credit for his performance on defence.

“I think Saturday’s final was Travis’ best game so far this year,” Shakotko said. “I love seeing guys work that hard on defence.”

While disappointed not to have won gold, Greyeyes also expressed his satisfaction with how the tournament played out.

“Overall I think we did pretty good,” he said. “I don’t think we did our best in the final because usually we can beat P.A. Carlton. Once they got up by 10 in the third quarter, we couldn’t really come back.”

Meanwhile, with the return of Beauval this year, as well as a first-time appearance by a team from Twin Lakes School in Buffalo Narrows, Shakotko said all teams have a chance to benefit from something new.

“In Buffalo Narrows, there’s a couple of guys up there who are doing a lot of good stuff for basketball,” he noted. “I wanted to give them a chance to take part. It’s good for those kids to come here and see some other teams and to have a chance to play at a higher level. It also allows a lot of the other visiting teams a chance to see the North has talent too.”

Girls in action
While the CHS boys were entertaining hometown fans, the girls squad was in Moose Jaw where they placed 13th in a 16-team tournament.

The team’s first game saw them lose 66-44 to Middle Lake. This was followed by a second loss, this time by a score of 49-31 to Weyburn. Meadow Lake’s first win of the weekend came at the expense of Lake Lenore 44-29 while a 40-28 win against Melfort secured the 13th-place finish.

“We have some homework to do,” noted girls coach Carla Waterman. “Hopefully we see some improvement and can start getting some more wins.”

Meadow Lake Stampeder DJ King (in black) wouldn’t let anything stop him, including a sprawling Waldheim player, during a breakaway attempt late in the first period of provincial hockey action Jan. 31 at the Meadow Lake and District Arena. King scored a shorthanded goal on this play, however his team lost the game 9-1.

by Phil Ambroziak

With the regular season behind them, the Meadow Lake Stampeders will be heading into the upcoming North Saskatchewan River Hockey League (NSRHL) playoffs ranked number one.

In a game held in Goodsoil Friday night (Jan. 30), the Stamps defeated the third-place St. Walburg Eagles 2-1 to tighten their stranglehold on the top spot in the NSRHL standings, ending the regular season with a record of 12 wins and only four losses. Their ranking also secures Meadow Lake a first-round playoff series against either the fourth-place Paradise Hill Hawks or fifth-place Maidstone Jets, depending on who wins a best-of-three “survivor series” between the two lowest-ranked teams. Meanwhile, the Edam 3 Stars and St. Walburg, who ended the season in second and third place respectively, will also square off in the opening round of playoffs later this month.

“When you look at the league this year, the top teams really were Meadow Lake, Edam and St. Walburg, and none of those teams want to play each other in the first round,” explained Stamps coach Ian Turberfield. “Because we finished first overall, we won’t have to. But, that also doesn’t mean we’re guaranteed a spot in the finals. Having the opportunity to take the easier road is always nice, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. Paradise Hill in particular has been playing well as of late and has worked hard to get better. You can’t take any team lightly and I can’t totally agree whoever finishes first in the season will automatically move on to the championship final.”

As for Friday’s action, St. Walburg led 1-0 after the first period. However, Meadow Lake would score twice in the second courtesy of Ashton McIntyre and Jarret Aschenbrenner. A scoreless third period eventually ended in Meadow Lake’s 2-1 victory. The event itself, which was a first this season for Goodsoil, attracted close to 300 fans eager to cheer on both Meadow Lake and St. Walburg.

“To play in a neutral site as we did was a great way to promote the league and hats off to St. Walburg for organizing it,” Turberfield continued. “The crowd, the atmosphere, they were just great. There are a few fellows on these teams from that area. If we’re going to promote our league and try to keep it going, we have to continue to do things like this.”

Provincial sweep
In spite of their ongoing success in league play, the Stamps didn’t fare nearly as well in their recent provincial ‘A’ series against the Waldheim Prairie Outlaws of the Fort Carlton Hockey League.
After losing the first game 6-1 in the best-of-three series last week, Meadow Lake – joined by key players from the St. Walburg Eagles – were eliminated Saturday night following a 9-1 loss in Game 2 held at the Meadow Lake and District Arena before more than 500 spectators. DJ King scored the lone goal for Meadow Lake late in the first period, at which time the score was 1-1.

“We had a shorter bench than expected for that one and, any time it comes to provincial hockey, the play is very high tempo,” Turberfield said. “It’s not like league play where you’re able to get by with two or two-and-a-half lines. If you don’t have three or four good lines, you’re in for a rude awakening. If we had our roster where it should have been, I don’t know if we wouldn’t have still come out on the short end of the stick because Waldheim still iced a very good team.”

MSFN councillor Donovan Fineblanket announces the opening of a new career centre on the reserve as he stands beside chief Richard Ben.

by Derek Cornet

A new career centre on the Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation hopes to connect band members with employment.

Spearheaded by councillor Donovan Fineblanket, close to $15,000 was spent to renovate an existing building on the reserve for the service. Along with the upgrading of offices and the acquisition of computers, the exterior was changed and a deck and new signage was installed. Fineblanket said the facility was used as a justice office in the past, but during the last couple years changes have slowly occurred.

“This is a long-term investment,” Fineblanket remarked. “We want other First Nations to copy what we’re doing. They only way we can lower the welfare rate is to get people training for jobs.”

All the hard work came front and centre Feb. 12 when the public had the opportunity to tour the centre. The day began with a pipe ceremony and was followed by the presentation of displays and a run down of what could be found there. A ribbon cutting was also held to formally open the facility.

Chief Richard Ben has high hopes of the centre and said in five years he’d like to see it become an institution for neighbouring First Nations to also access. He noted the band talked about the project four years ago, but finally got it off the ground once they were able to secure funding.

“It’s all about teaching people there’s a big world out there and to be confident,” Ben said. “A lot of the time people are scared. They’re embarrassed they can’t write a résumé or know who to talk to about finding a job.”

At the career centre, Ben said people would have access to a post-secondary coordinator  and a template to assist them in creating a résumé. People will also be able to use a fax machine, a photocopier and other equipment. Ben went on to say, whenever he’s visited the facility during the last few weeks, he has typically seen around eight people at any given time using the services.

With the centre being located next to the band office, Ben added it’s easily accessible to band members. He also noted the reserve has a good relationship with northern work camps and, if people used the centre, band officials would also have a better idea on who to call about taking a job when they become available.

“I’m really happy and excited because, when people go in, they’ll have all the tools to succeed,” Ben said.

Before the ribbon was cut, elder William Ratfoot addressed the audience about how important it is to utilize the centre. He explained, when he was young, there weren’t as many opportunities as there are today and that he didn’t finish high school. Ratfoot said the centre symbolizes the good future the elders have been talking about.

“It’s a good day for me to see this,” he announced. “I often dreamt about this and talked about it with our fellow elders. Some are still here and others have passed on. I know they’re looking down on us from the heavens on this day.”

Emil Klassen looks on as his truck fills with grain from Wilfing Farms east of Meadow Lake Feb. 18. Klassen later transported the load to a North Battleford grain terminal.

by Phil Ambroziak

Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing.

That’s what grain producers throughout Saskatchewan have come to discover as large yields combined with increased pressure on transport systems continue to plague would-be profits.
“Everyone had such a big crop last year, there was just no way we could move it all and things fell behind,” remarked Ryan Wilfing, a grain farmer who operates east of Meadow Lake. “It was probably one of the biggest crops Canada ever produced. And, when you have extra supply on the market, it brings the overall price down. That’s just basic economics.”

Wilfing’s comments were reenforced by the latest report on export basis numbers for grain within the Canadian transportation and handling system, the numbers from which do not reflect good news according to industry experts.

“Rail transportation and handling capacity has not improved and this is being reflected in even lower returns for producers and a lower share of export values as the year progresses,” noted Bill Gehl, chair of the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (Sask Wheat) – the organization that elicited the report.

The most recent numbers, released earlier this month, show even though FOB (when the seller pays for transportation of the goods to the port of shipment plus loading costs) prices for wheat are virtually unchanged, the primary elevator price has dropped an additional $20 per metric tonne since October. This means the excess basis cost for producers, relative to the posted costs for rail freight and primary and terminal elevator charges, is now more than $62 per metric tonne compared to $40 in October of last year.

“Producers are having to involuntarily carry inventories over into the next crop year and are losing $40 to $60, relative to the export market returns, on every tonne they market,” Gehl said. “To break this down, if you are a producer who markets 2,000 tonnes a year, you are losing between $80,000 and $120,000 depending on when you marketed your grain.”

In spite of this, Wilfing is confident profits will turn around sooner rather than later.

“They will have to,” he said. “A lot of guys are likely to now stop growing wheat because there’s no money to be made. Then, the supply will drop and the demand will rise. It’s the same way for any crop. Producers are always looking at which ones can make them the most money, but the unfortunate things is so much can change from the time you decide what you want to grow until you put it in the ground.”

Although he will continue to produce grain, Wilfing stated only about 30 per cent of his crop is sold on the export market. The rest, he said, is sold as seed to other farmers looking to grow similar crops of their own.

“How things like this affect someone all depends on their individual financial situation,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sask Wheat partnered last year with the Agricultural Producers of Saskatchewan (APAS), Sask Barley, and Sask Pulse to submit recommendations to the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) review panel, which included the creation of an oversight committee including producers, as well as more information transparency in terms of pricing.

“These organizations will continue to work together to ensure producer voices are heard at a national level,” Gehl said. “These new numbers only reinforce the need for improved government regulations of the industry.”

Annie Santos stands with her recently recovered 2004 Volkswagen Jetta. The vehicle was stolen last month while parked at a Meadow Lake grocery store.

by Phil Ambroziak

“It was so unreal.”

That’s how Meadow Lake resident Annie Santos felt when she exited the grocery store Feb. 20 only to realize her car had been stolen during the short time she’d been inside.

“I just don’t get it – I don’t know what would make a person want to do something like this,” Santos said.

The 2004 Volkswagen Jetta was stolen from the Meadow Lake Co-op Food Store parking lot around 6 p.m. Santos, who immediately contacted police and store management, said she left the car running while she went inside for a few minutes. She insists, however, the doors were locked.

“It was Friday, so I decided to grab a few things for the weekend,” she said. “Because it was cold and my car had been parked at work for a good eight hours or so, I left it running. I knew I was only going to be in and out.”

When she left the store, Santos immediately knew something was amiss.

“At first, I thought I’d forgotten where I parked, but not for long because it isn’t really a very big parking lot,” she noted.

Santos returned to the store and called a friend for help while workers contacted Co-op’s food manager to attend the scene to review security footage. The RCMP were also contacted.

“I didn’t think whoever took it could get very far because I only had a quarter-tank of fuel,” Santos added.

Although she was uncertain as to exactly what the store’s security cameras picked up, she did turn to social media to get the word out about her predicament. Meanwhile, the police began their investigation and, a little more than 12 hours later, the vehicle was found with they keys inside, parked behind the Meadow Lake Library.

“The police contacted me Saturday around 10:30 a.m.,” Santos said.

The vehicle was slightly damaged where the suspect pried at the driver’s door to gain entry. Meanwhile, Santos said if there’s one lesson she’s learned as a result of the theft it’s anything can be stolen at any time. But, she also won’t let the actions of criminals intimidate her.

“This won’t keep me from leaving my car running on really cold days,” she said. “It’s not illegal for me to leave my car running. But, for someone to steal it – that’s the crime.”

However, it’s not the only vehicle-related crime to take place in Meadow Lake recently. According to the RCMP there have been several reports filed with regard to both vandalism and thefts from vehicles.

“We’ve had some car shoppers going around again looking for things they can steal out of vehicles – it stopped for a while, but now it seems it’s started again,” remarked Meadow Lake RCMP Staff Sgt. Rod Ens.

Ens went on to say the police are following up on these incidents, as well as several involving broken windows on vehicles. Numerous social media posts within the last week or more noted several instances where vehicles had windows shot out by someone brandishing a pellet gun. Even city councillor Conrad Read said the driver’s side door of his truck was shot out late last month while the vehicle was parked in his driveway. He also said, the following day, a number of vehicles on his street were hit with eggs.

Ens wouldn’t confirm if a pellet gun was used to break the windows, suggesting many recent cases could have involved someone simply striking the window with a hammer or another object. In the meantime, he reminds the public not to keep valuables in their vehicles.

Meadow Lake Livestock Sales Ltd. hosted a black angus bull sale March 19, an event that once again proved beef prices remain high throughout the industry. According to Farm Credit Canada, prices for all classes of cattle this year have eclipsed previous records, but the group also warns beef producers to practice good risk management because high prices can also mean price volatility. However, experts say prices are expected to remain strong for the foreseeable future, with wide-ranging ramifications both within and beyond the beef sector. Here, Brent Brooks of Meadow Lake Livestock Sales Ltd. watches for bids from the capacity crowd in attendance for last week’s sale

by Phil Ambroziak

There’s no bull surrounding the ongoing success of the cattle market.

Meadow Lake Livestock Sales Ltd. held one of two annual bull sales March 19, an event that attracted a standing-room-only crowd and prices above those earned from the previous year.

“It was definitely a huge turnout – she was jam-packed,” remarked Brent Brooks of Meadow Lake Livestock Sales. “Sales were just excellent.”

A total of 60 black Angus bulls were sold throughout the afternoon, as well as three open heifers. The average sale price for yearlings was $6,047 while two-year-old bulls sold for an average of $6,810. The highest sales price of the day was $13,500 for a two-year-old bull purchased by Roger Parsonage of Maple Creek, SK while Meadow Lake’s Lee Cockrum paid top dollar for a yearling, parting ways with $9,000 in exchange for the animal.

“Numbers this year were higher than last year,” noted Sheldon Shkopich, a rancher from Island Hill Angus on hand to sell bulls that day. “Prices were up by about $1,500 to $2,000 per head. The cattle market has been really strong as of late and that relayed back to the bulls at this sale. Talk around the stockyards is it’s likely to stay this way at least for the next few years.”

Along with Shkopich, others who brought bulls to market that day included the Bowerman Brothers Ranch, Nesset Lake Angus and Wishbone Ranch.

Meanwhile, Shkopich reiterated his pleasure in seeing the industry continue down the successful path it’s currently on.

“It’s very positive to see so many people out to the sale and so many people buying,” he said. “A lot of people wanted heifer bulls, so that means there are a lot of people out there looking to breed which is just going to keep the industry going stronger than ever.”

Daniel King (left) and Jason Glawson, seen here at Glawson’s property north of Meadow Lake, are looking forward to an exciting season as part of the Western Chuckwagon Association.

by Phil Ambroziak

There’s going to be a new King on the chuckwagon circuit this summer.

Meadow Lake area resident Daniel King has signed on for a full season with the Western Chuckwagon Association (WCA), a decision he made after competing in two races last year.

“I’ll be leaving Friday and won’t be back until the season is over,” King said when contacted last week. “I ran a couple of shows last year with DJ (2015 Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association rookie driver DJ King) in Cold Lake and Grand Prairie, but now it’s going to be for a full season. I finished in the top 10 at those two shows and did pretty well for myself in the overall rankings even though I only raced on two different occasions.”

An experienced chuckwagon competitor, King also has a history that includes outriding, as well as both bareback and saddle bronc competition. He started with pony wagons and moved on to the big wagons 12 years ago when he competed in the Las Vegas Stampede and placed 15th overall. He has earned several wins and awards over the years including the CPCA’s Harold Schiller Memorial Award for Most Sportsmanlike Driver two years in a row.

“I’ve been driving horses ever since I was a kid,” he said. “But, it was actually my family member and neighbour (and fellow driver) Jason Glawson who talked me into coming along this year. I’ve been helping him out, showing him some stuff, but I still have to race against him, so I haven’t shown him everything.”

Glawson, who is new to the WCA this year, started racing pony chuckwagons when he was still a teenager.

“I ran ponies since I was 16, but decided to take a year off last season to gather equipment and horses, and to prepare myself for driving the big wagons,” Glawson explained. “I kind of made my move slowly. I’d always talked about it and then Daniel came over one day, asked if I was still interested and here we are.”

Glawson said he loves the sport, the horses and the adrenaline, and has a number of wins and awards to his name as well, including many Best Barrelling Awards and several Sportsmanship Awards.

“I look forward to meeting new people, seeing different places and growing as a driver,” Glawson continued. “It’s a little different – we move around the barrels much slower than we do with ponies, which gives me more time to think. Other than that, it’s sort of the same thing I’ve always done, just on a much larger scale.”

The 2015 WCA season gets underway May 27-31 with the Grand Prairie Stompede. It wraps up Aug. 5-9 in Dawson Creek, B.C.

Meanwhile, several drivers from throughout the Northwest will officially be a part of the 2015 CPCA season when it gets underway this weekend in North Battleford. Local drivers include Layne Bremner from Rapid View, Rocky Bremner formerly of Meadow Lake, Dallas Dyck formerly of Meadow Lake, BJ Carey formerly of Meadow Lake, Ross Fisher of Meadow Lake, Kris Flanagan of Meadow Lake, DJ King of Meadow Lake, Gordon McCallum of Meadow Lake, Dean Mitsuing of Loon Lake, Ray Mitsuing of Loon Lake, Shane Nolin of Rapid View, Vern Nolin formerly of Rapid View, Kirby Stanley of Meadow Lake, Ken Studer of Loon Lake and Billy Joe Villeneuve of Meadow Lake.

On the World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA) circuit, which starts this week in Grand Prairie, Gary, Logan and Dustin Gorst of Meadow Lake will be competing, as will Roger Moore of Loon Lake and former Rapid View resident Jerry Bremner.

After eight years of blood donor clinics in Meadow Lake, Canadian Blood Services asked residents to roll up their sleeves for the last time May 25. Here, Meadow Lake resident Lori Allan donates blood with the assistance of phlebotomist Jacquie Matthies.

by Derek Cornet

After drawing first blood in Meadow Lake eight years ago, Canadian Blood Services (CBS) held its final donor clinic here May 25.

Since arriving in the city, the organization has partnered with the Meadow Lake Lions Club, which rented the space for the event and provided snacks to attendees. But, the relationship came to an end when CBS officials announced the closure of 16 mobile and three permanent clinics through Canada April 30. Club secretary Bill Hart said close to $1,500 was spent yearly to host the blood drives.

“The reason they’re cancelling the mobile blood drives is because of economics,” he remarked. “Bringing15 or 16 people to Meadow Lake is a costly affair and they have to be housed overnight.”

Hart went on to say club members were disappointed with the sudden cancellation. The dates for three other clinics had already been arranged before CBS decided to pull the plug. He said hosting donor clinics was important to members because it was an crucial service for the community and there’s always a need for blood in the healthcare field.

Judy Jones, an associate director for donor relations with CBS, said in the last two years the organization had seen a slight and steady decline in the need for blood. She noted hospitals have adopted more efficient approaches to using blood and conserving it.

“They’re utilizing the product in a more efficient way,” Jones added. “They wouldn’t be using as much as they needed in the past.”

However, she noted the cost to operate the clinic was a factor. She said the number of collected units along with the distance of the site and its proximity to a CBS production plant were also reasons. Last year, 495 units of blood were donated at four clinics in Meadow Lake. CBS hoped to receive 576.
Even though donor clinics have been cancelled for the foreseeable future, Hart remains optimistic CBS will return. He said club members have already extended an invitation for them to return if they wish.

“They never said they weren’t coming back,” Hart noted. “If the need for blood rises, they’ll probably come back to us.”

Hometown cowboy Coleton Ouellette of Meadow Lake makes some last-minute adjustments to his riding gear before climbing into the chute and nodding his head aboard a bucking horse named Canadian Punk June 6 at the Meadow Lake and District Arena. Ouellette marked out a 70-point ride for second place in the bareback riding competition.

by Derek Cornet

The 95th annual Stampede Week, held June 1-6, is now in the books and from all indications, the committee is pleased with the outcome.

“There were a lot of local entries and that always helps bring in the crowd,” Meadow Lake Stampede Association president Leighton Wood said. “Everyone who was local put on a good show and were competitive in their events.”

Attendance also surged this year and Wood said it hit a five-year high. Mayhem in Meadow – the bull riding portion of Stampede Week June 4 – attracted close to 1,100 people. Wood also noted, when there’s good weather during the rodeo attendance tends to dip as people sometimes opt to head to the lakes or are busy doing yard work, but that wasn’t the case this year.

He went on to say many people were impressed with the addition of an electronic video screen put up for Thursday’s show. Spectators were able to watch instant replays as well as view the action taking place in the bucking chutes. Wood said he’s heard so much positive feedback about the video board, the committee has decided to bring it back for 2016.

“We only had it one night, but people commented they would have liked to have it on Friday and Saturday too,” he remarked. “We’re also looking at some other changes, but nothing has been finalized. We will get the final numbers and input from this year, then we’ll move on from there.”

Wood also contributed some of the success to partnering with local organizations. Those groups assist with jobs such as selling 50/50 tickets and security, and allowed other volunteers to work on different projects.

Many local contestants entered the Lakeland Rodeo Association’s sanctioned events at the Meadow Lake and District Arena including Landon Nadon, Jason Diamond and Colton Ouellette in bareback riding, Ryan Vandersteen and Tyler Wilson in saddle bronc, Jason and Curtis Diamond of Pierceland in tie-down roping, Arlan Lumgair in junior bull riding, Marty Cockrum in bull riding and Ashley Wood, Nancy Dancy and Carol Gran in ladies barrel racing. The event also featured about 30 entrants in local ladies steer riding, boys steer riding and calf riding combined. Another 18 competed in local barrel racing.

Ouellette was satisfied with the 70 points he earned during the bareback riding event. The 18-year-old tied for second place and stated he did the best he could.

“Meadow Lake is one of the better rodeos,” Ouellette said. “It’s always a great atmosphere and it’s nice to have the hometown crowd behind you. I could feel the energy when I was getting on the horse knowing my family and friends had come to watch.”

So far this season, Ouellette has placed within the top three at every rodeo he’s attended. At Cold Lake’s afternoon rodeo June 6, he placed first overall after raking out another 70-point ride. He’d like to have a career competing on the professional circuit.

“I want to make a good go at it as long as I can,” Ouellette said.

John (left) and Roberta Patterson of Meadow Lake sit down for a face-to-face conversation with former NHL enforcer Dave “Tiger “ Williams during the fourth annual Kinsmen Sports Dinner held June 12 at the Meadow Lake Civic Centre. For more, see Page 18.

by Phil Ambroziak

He may be known for his antics on the ice, but – during a recent visit to Meadow Lake – former NHL enforcer Dave “Tiger” Williams was more interested in discussing the sport of chuckwagon racing than he was hockey.

Williams, a forward with several NHL teams throughout his career, was one of two special guests to attend the Meadow Lake Kinsmen Club’s annual Sports Dinner June 12 at the Meadow Lake Civic Centre. And, he said, it was his love for chuckwagon racing that ultimately convinced him to take part.

“The biggest influence on me saying yes to this event was simply the respect I have for the professional chuckwagon guys from this area – Ray Mitsuing, Jerry Bremner, the Gorst and Nolin families, all of them,” Williams remarked. “I used to go on tour with Jerry during the off-season (from hockey), but this is the first time I’ve ever actually been to Meadow Lake.”

Williams, who is originally from Weyburn, SK, keeps a map on the wall in his home. On that map, he’s placed a pin for every place he’s ever played hockey including his days as a minor hockey player all the way up to his time as a pro.

“Meadow Lake was one spot I never got to, but I enjoy going to new places and meeting new people,” he said. “I haven’t toured with the chuckwagons for probably four or five years now, but that’s mainly because I have four grandchildren now who spend a lot of time with me. They stay with me all summer.”

Williams was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1974. In 1980 he was traded to Vancouver and would go on to play for Detroit, Los Angeles and Hartford until his retirement in 1988.

Upon arriving in Meadow Lake, Williams drove around town to take in the sights.

“I was impressed,” he added. “I love the bucking bronco (statue) at the end of the main drag.”

When on stage to address the close to 150 people on hand for the dinner, Williams, of course, did share several stories about the sport that made him famous all for the sake of entertainment.

“I’m not a preacher – I’m kind of all over the map with what I talk about,” he added. “This is a fun night and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

Also part of the festivities was former Saskatchewan Roughrider Mike McCullough. He played 11 seasons in the CFL, all with the Riders, retiring in 2013. For several years he’s also devoted a considerable amount of time to different charities, particularly those which support research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy. His son, Cole, who suffered from DMD and epilepsy, died in 2009 after suffering a seizure in his sleep. McCullough did talk about his son during his time on stage Friday night, but also stressed the importance of keeping things fun.

“I don’t have a huge message to share – it’s all about entertaining the fans and sharing funny stories,” McCullough said. “Without the support of the fans, sports wouldn’t exist. It’s nice to share my experiences with them and for them to share theirs with me.”

Earlier that day, McCullough also took time to visit with members of the Carpenter High School football team and share with them a little motivation for the future.

“It was nice to look into those kids’ eyes because, 20 years ago, I was in the same place they are now,” he said.

The fourth annual sports dinner served as a fundraiser for Lakeview Elementary School and also featured a silent auction. Kinsmen president Evan Haubrich confirmed close to $3,000 was raised.

During Friday night’s chuckwagon races, the Meadow Lake Co-op announced a donation of $100,000 for the new long-term care facility planned for the Northwest. Pictured (left to right) are Northland Pioneers Lodge facility manager Shelley Wasyliw, Prairie North Regional Health Authority director of continuing care Joan Zimmer, lodge resident Nellie Grigo, Co-op general manager Terry Tremblay, PNRHA vice-president of finances and operations Derek Miller, lodge resident Sal Orange, fundraising coordinator Guelda Wood and fundraising co-chair Julie Dyck.

by Phil Ambroziak

The Meadow Lake Co-op understands the value of meeting the needs of seniors both today and for generations to come.

That, according to general manager Terry Tremblay, is why the Co-op board of directors chose to donate $100,000 over five years to the new Northland Pioneers Lodge. Efforts to develop a new long-term care facility for Meadow Lake and area have been underway for several years, so this financial injection is exactly the sort of medicine project supporters have been hoping for.

“It’s huge,” remarked Guelda Wood, fundraising coordinator for the new facility. “It shows the community is still behind this project 100 per cent even though there was no money in this year’s provincial budget for the new lodge.”

Earlier this year, Prairie North Regional Health Authority (PNRHA) CEO David Fan confirmed construction of the new, 72-bed Northland Pioneers Lodge on a parcel of land just north of the city would be delayed at least a year because of the provincial government’s decision not to include the close to $40 million project in its 2015 budget. While the city and RM of Meadow Lake also have a financial share in the project, suspicions of the delay arose March 18 when provincial finance minister Ken Krawetz tabled the budget, a document that listed $256.4 million in health care capital funding with no mention of Meadow Lake. It’s reasons like this, Tremblay noted, which make the Co-op’s recent contribution all the more important.

“This project is necessary not only for our area, but for the entire Northwest,” Tremblay explained. “This is also a project that’s going to have the most impact on the community. More and more Co-ops throughout the province are beginning to understand the benefits of social responsibility and we believe a new Northland Pioneers Lodge will benefit everyone – members and non-members alike.”

Co-op announced the donation Friday night (July 24) at the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association (CPCA) races at the Meadow Lake Stampede Grounds. Flanked by Wood, local seniors and staff from the current long-term care facility, Tremblay presented the oversized cheque to PNRHA vice-president of finance and operations Derek Miller.

“Northland Pioneers Lodge provides an important service to your community,” Miller announced to the crowd during Friday’s races. “We’ve seen great leadership on the part of the Co-op by coming forward with this donation.”

Meanwhile, Meadow Lake area resident Julie Dyck has been hired as fundraising co-chair for the new lodge. She stepped into the role just recently, but Wood said there hasn’t been much in terms of fundraising as of late beyond the Co-op presentation.

“Julie was born and raised in Meadow Lake, so she has a real vested interest in the new facility,” Wood said. “She has both the time and the ability to really help us out, so we’ll be getting together soon to discuss new ideas and what we have planned going forward.”

Federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau – flanked by La Ronge mayor Thomas Sierzycki, Regina Liberal MP Ralph Goodale, Lac La Ronge Indian Band chief Tammy Cook-Searson and local candidate Lawrence Joseph – tours an area affected by recent wildfires.

by Derek Cornet

Federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau broke the ice with residents of La Ronge and Meadow Lake Aug. 12 during his first campaign stop in Saskatchewan.

Trudeau – along with Desnethé–Missinippi–Churchill River Liberal candidate Lawrence Joseph – began his visit of La Ronge in the early afternoon with a tour of wildfire-affected areas along Highway 102. La Ronge mayor Thomas Sierzycki and Lac La Ronge Indian Band chief Tammy Cook-Searson were also present and answered questions Trudeau had about the recent fires.

Shortly afterward, the trio met briefly to discuss issues affecting residents in the riding before Trudeau opened the floor to members of the media. When asked what he could promise the people in the constituency, Trudeau answered strong representation.

“It’s so important we have strong local voices like Lawrence Joseph as our candidate,” he remarked. “Lawrence will be a strong voice in Ottawa for the communities he represents and not just be Ottawa’s voice in his community.”

Trudeau also committed to speaking with Canada’s premiers with regard to calls for a national wildfire strategy. He said, when he’s elected prime minister, he’d hold first minister conferences to not only learn from the past, but also to be equipped for the future.

Trudeau also pledged to review the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement. Some aboriginal people were left out of the settlement such as those people who attended the day school in Ile-a-la Crosse.

“Canada needs to do right by the victims of residential schools and the Liberal Party is fully committed to working with all partners to make sure that happens,” he said.

While Trudeau didn’t answer whether ending the funding gap would be a pledge of his, he did say the Liberals would also offer more in terms of First Nations education in the coming days.

Meanwhile, First Nations issues were also at the forefront when Trudeau met with voters at the Alliance Church in Meadow Lake later that evening. Armand Fiddler of Waterhen Lake First Nation stressed to the Liberal leader his desire to see something both new and different to replace the centuries-old Indian Act.

Trudeau also spoke about the importance of community and answered questions regarding issues affecting residents in this part of the country.

Area rancher John Rutz raised concerns about agriculture, fuel prices and gun control. Trudeau again said certain issues take time to be resolved, but also guaranteed the Liberals have no plans to reintroduce the long gun registry.

With files from Phil Ambroziak