Red Deer Advocate, December 31, 2014

Red Deer Advocate WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 2014

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Pines power line review quashed BY LANA MICHELIN ADVOCATE STAFF The Alberta Utilities Commission will not review its decision to allow larger transmission towers to run through the Pines neighbourhood of Red Deer. About 50 frustrated residents of the Pines subdivision had sought a new Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) hearing on an AltaLink power line project that will see expanded towers erected along an existing electrical right-of-way through the neighbourhood. Residents had instead wanted the towers relocated to a less intrusive location at the bottom of an escarpment. But they felt this alternate route proposal was not considered by the AUC panel that eventually approved the project, or looked at in any detail by AltaLink. That the AUC is now refusing to review its decision to approve the existing right-of-way amounts to “when they make a decision, they don’t like anyone questioning their decision,” said John Wilson, a Pines resident. He disputes the AUC’s determination that running larger towers along the existing route is in the public interest. How can this be, he questions, when his neighbours share a “significant belief” it’s not the right place? The approval body “seems more aligned with the industrial development process than doing what’s right for Albertans,” Wilson added. The AUC concluded there were no grounds for a review. “Applicants did not raise a reasonable possibility that the original panel committed an error, or that previously unavailable facts or changed circumstances could lead the commission to materially vary or rescind the original decision.” Pines residents had argued that AltaLink should have disclosed all internal documents about alternate routes to prove there was no “ulterior motive” in the company’s decision to stick with the existing right of way. But the commission was not persuaded the original hearing panel erred in denying the Pines residents’ request for this information. The AUC accepted that AltaLink’s reasons for its preferred route had been addressed through cross examination, and the disclosure of the sought-for information would not have changed the decision to approve the project. The commission stated many factors were weighed before a route was approved — and AltaLink’s preference was not the only consideration. The AUC accepted AltaLink’s rationale that the Pines neighbourhood “was designed and developed to be integrated with the 80L transmission line and that each of the Pines group members bought their homes and moved to the Pines neighbourhood with the existing facilities in place.” The commission also accepted that keeping most of the project in the existing right-of-way will reduce the project’s environmental impacts. The AUC stated Pines residents had presented “little or no expert evidence” at the hearings that contradicted the environmental arguments presented by AltaLink. But Wilson maintains that, with some tree replanting, there would be no discernible environmental difference between the two routes.

MASS MURDER DOMESTIC TROUBLES BLAMED FOR DEATHS OF NINE PEOPLE IN EDMONTON

Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS

ABOVE: The body of a victim is carried out of a north Edmonton home where multiple deaths occurred in an overnight shooting in Edmonton on Tuesday. BELOW: Police investigate a scene where a car rammed an RCMP truck and damaged restaurant in Fort Saskatchewan on Tuesday. The scene is said to be related to multiple deaths that occurred in a north Edmonton home overnight. BY DEAN BENNETT AND CHRIS PURDY THE CANADIAN PRESS EDMONTON — Police blamed domestic troubles Tuesday for the deaths of nine people, including two young children, in what the chief called a “senseless mass murder.” “This series of events are not believed to be random acts and there is no risk to the broad public,” Rod Knecht told a news conference. “These events do not appear to be gang-related, but rather tragic incidents of domestic violence.” The victims included a woman found Monday night by officers who were responding to a weapons complaint at a south Edmonton home. A young girl and boy along with two men and three women were found a few hours later at a split-level house in the city’s northeast, where officers had checked on reports of a “suicidal male” earlier in the evening. A man matching his description was found dead in a restaurant in the Edmonton bedroom community of Fort Saskatchewan on Tuesday morning, Knecht said. “This morning ... RCMP were able to establish that a male was found deceased at the restaurant location from what appeared to be an apparent suicide.” No names were released, nor did Knecht say how the people were related. But he did say the public was not in any danger and police weren’t looking for other suspects. Knecht said it all started when police responded just before 7 p.m. Monday to a report of a man entering the south-side home, opening fire and fleeing. A middle-aged woman died at the scene. While officers were dealing with that, police

were called to a house in a quiet cul de sac in the northeast to check on the well-being of a depressed and possibly suicidal man, Knecht said. “The male was not located and there was no response, and nothing suspicious was noted at the residence.” But neighbour Moe Assiff said a man and a woman sitting outside the house in a white car seemed very concerned. He said he went up to the car and talked to the man to see if everything was OK. “He looked very shaken up like he had seen a ghost. He paused and he said, ‘No, it’s personal,”’ said Assiff.

Please see MURDER on Page A3

Please see PINES on Page A2

Wildrose defections, killing of two soldiers top turbulent year for Canadians BY BRENDA KOSSOWAN ADVOCATE STAFF

Photo by BRENDA KOSSOWAN/Advocate staff

John Rooke, general manager of the Bower Place shopping mall, says the killing of two soldiers on home soil was the news event that had the most impact on him.

WEATHER Sunny. High -2. Low -2.

FORECAST ON A2

INDEX Four sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-B3 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5,A6 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . D1-D3 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D4 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . C5 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4-B6

A mass defection from the Wildrose Party and the killing of two soldiers on home soil were named the dominant news events of 2014 in an informal poll conducted in Red Deer. It has been a turbulent year for Canadians, from the highs felt after an impressive performance in the Sochi Winter Olympic Games to the horror and sorrow felt after the murders in October of two Canadian soldiers — one in Quebec and the other in Ottawa. Closer to home, the Red Deer region had a turbulent ride as well, including the announcement that the city would host the Canada Winter Games in 2019, along with Premier Jim Prentice’s reversal of an earlier decision to close the Michener Centre. In conversations at Bower Place mall this week, the event that garnered the most comment was Wil-

‘We walked through fire’ A Canadian-born woman and her family conquered flames and fear to survive a Greek ferry fire in the Adriatic Sea. Story on PAGE A5

drose leader Danielle Smith’s decision to cross the floor and join Prentice’s Conservative government. It might not have been as bad if Smith had been the only one to go, said Fort McMurray resident Germain Routhier, a former supporter of the Wildrose Party. What really stung was that she took eight MLAs with her after making some strong comments about the two who crossed two weeks earlier, said Routhier. “You find out that during the time when she was doing this, they were already talking together about moving over. What gives? What’s wrong with people? Either you’re out or you’re in.” Germain said that he voted Wildrose in the last election, but was becoming more confident in the Conservatives under Prentice. However, with Smith’s defection, he doesn’t know who he can support.

Please see NEWS on Page A2

No paper on New Year’s Day The Advocate will not publish on Thursday, New Year’s Day, and all offices will be closed. Normal publishing and office hours resume on Friday.

PLEASE

RECYCLE

A2 RED DEER ADVOCATE Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014

December departs from the norm THREE DEGREES WARMER THAN AVERAGE, HALF THE PRECIPITATION BY MARY-ANN BARR ADVOCATE STAFF

STORIES FROM PAGE A1

NEWS: Michener Centre decision made headlines Joining the conversation, Marie Routhier echoed her husband’s sentiments. “I think it’s terrible. I don’t know how they expect us to vote next time. Now we’ve lost confidence, right? If it had been only her (Smith), it could have been forgiven. But when she brought so many with her, something’s wrong somewhere.” Bentley resident Jim Raabis said he was most affected by the murders, two days apart, of Canadian soldiers Patrice Vincent and Nathan Cirillo. “It just bothered me that this could happen in Canada. We think we’re kind of a friendly people with lots of liberties.” While he has not served in the military, Raabis said some of his uncles served in the Second World War and his wife’s nephew did two tours in Afghanistan. The murders in October shatter a presumption of safety, said Raabis. “You’re back on Canadian soil and you’re safe from all that, and then this happens. I guess the bubble’s burst, eh?” John Rooke, general manager of Bower Place, also talked about the loss of a sense of security as a result of the murders. “The Ottawa killing was pretty tragic and a scary thing for Canadians to see on home soil,” said Rooke. “I think everyone sees terrorism as something that doesn’t happen in Canada or shouldn’t happen in Canada. I think it makes everyone feel uneasy and

LOTTERIES

TUESDAY Extra: 2006576 Pick 3: 195

Photo by ASHLI BARRETT/Advocate staff

Red Deerians head out on the Winter Night Lights sleigh tour at Heritage Ranch on Tuesday evening. Going for a sleigh ride is just one of the many activities Red Deerians are partaking in this winter. Tuesday’s winter chill belied what’s in store for New Year’s Day, although it was a bit of a bellwether for the coming early days of January. Tuesday overnight saw a windchill of -36C and an actual temperature of -25C. By afternoon, it was to warm up to -8C with an overnight low forecast also of -8C. McMurtry said the good news is that a pocket of warm air will move across Western Canada over the next few days. “Right now as long as we get any kind of west to southwest winds, it looks like we should see those warmer temperatures move in. “We are anticipating temperatures approaching the zero-degree mark over the next couple of days

for Wednesday and into New Year’s Day as well. “It looks like more cooler arctic air as we get towards the weekend and early next week low to mid -20s for overnight lows and daytime highs. “We’ve had a pretty good start. It would have to be incredibly bad for us to catch up with what we had last year,” he said. “One thing people forget, though, is November and December (last year) were colder and snowier than normal. February and March were way colder than normal. But actually last year ... it was one of the warmest Januaries we’ve seen in a long time across Alberta. “No one seems to remember that.” barr@reddeeradvocate.com

changes things a little bit for everyone.” The murders “absolutely” affect the way he and his employer deal with security at the mall, said Rooke. “Red Deer is still a nice quiet town, but we’re definitely on top of those kinds of scenarios, and we’ve got a lot of policies and procedures in place for security in the event some tragedy like that could ever happen,” said Rooke. On a brighter front, Rooke said he is excited to see Red Deer’s population reaching 100,000 people and is “cautiously optimistic” that oil prices will rebound and stabilize. “Alberta’s been chugging along pretty good the last couple of years,” he said. Joffre residents Ryan Cameron said that while he enjoys the benefits of cheaper fuel, he also hopes the price of oil will recover because of the affect it is having on people who work in the oil and gas industry. Kim Algar said the most important news for her was the decision to keep Michener Centre open and allow the return of those residents who had been moved out. “My uncle has lived there. He was lucky enough to have people who advocated for him, so he was not moved out.” Algar said she was saddened to hear about the impact on other people since March 2013, when the government of Alison Redford announced that the facility would be closed. “The people who were moved out were offered the opportunity to move back. I feel it’s too little, too late,” said Algar. The disappearance of a third passenger jet from Malaysia-based Air Asia topped the list for Charlene Stang and Eric Poulin of Red Deer. “It makes you wonder: what’s going on?” said Stang. She doesn’t fly much, but Poulin flies once or

twice a year. He said the possibility of terrorist attacks are always in the back of his mind. Wreckage and bodies from the plane that disappeared on Sunday are now being pulled from the water off the coast of Borneo. bkossowan@reddeeradvocate.com

TONIGHT

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

HIGH -2

LOW -2

HIGH 0

HIGH -4

HIGH -16

Sunny.

30% chance of flurries.

Cloudy.

Cloudy. Low -21.

A mix of sun and cloud. Low -25.

REGIONAL OUTLOOK Calgary: today, clearing. High 1. Low -4. Olds, Sundre: today, clearing. High 1. Low -7. Rocky, Nordegg: today, increasing cloudiness. High -2. Low -3. Banff: today, clearing. High -7. Low -13. Jasper: today, sunny. High -8. Low -9.

FORT MCMURRAY

Edmonton: today, clearing. High -4. Low -6.

Fort McMurray: today, periods of light snow. High -9. Low -16.

-9/-16

-3/-4

EDMONTON

-4/-6 JASPER

-8/-9

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-7/-13 Windchill/frostbite risk: Low Low: Low risk Moderate: 30 minutes exposure High -5 to 10 minutes: High risk in 5 to 10 minutes High -2 to 5 minutes: High risk in 2 to 5 minutes Extreme: High risk in 2 minutes Sunset tonight: 4:32 p.m. Sunrise Thursday: 8:45 a.m.

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There would be a big difference to Pines residents, however, in removing the transmission lines. He said it would have less visual impact on the neighbourhood. Since the City of Red Deer supports the Pines group in wanting the transmission towers moved down the escarpment away from homes, a Jan. 6 meeting was arranged between residents and city officials to discuss the next step. Wilson believes the main options are going to court over the approval, or proposing with the city to jointly raise the $2.1 million cost of moving the towers down the escarpment. He feels affected residents might agree to pay a “special tax” over a span of years to cover this cost. But the city’s director of corporate services, Paul Goranson, hadn’t heard anything about a taxing proposal, and doesn’t even know if cost is a determining factor for AltaLink. Goranson said he won’t know all the options until meeting with residents and utility experts. He added the City of Red Deer supports relocating the towers during the electrical system expansion, because if it doesn’t happen now, another opportunity won’t present itself for 25 to 50 years. lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com

CHRISTMAS

Numbers are unofficial.

WEATHER LOCAL TODAY

PINES: Meeting with city officials

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From 2013 to 2014, it was a tale of two very different Decembers for Red Deer, an Environment Canada meteorologist says. Both Decembers were abnormal, but divergent. This year, up to and including Dec. 29, the average temperature for the month has been -7C and there has been just seven cm of snow in total, said Bill McMurtry, regional meteorologist. Based on a 30-year average between 1981 to 2010 at Red Deer Airport, the average temperature for December is -10C and the average snowfall is 13.5 cm. “We’ve seen through the entire month about three degrees warmer on average than what we would typically see in the month of December. “That’s a pretty significant departure from normal,” said McMurtry. “As far as precipitation, we’ve received about half of what we would see in a typical December.” In December 2013, the average temperature was -13.9C. That’s almost four degrees cooler than average and almost seven degrees cooler than this year. “That’s huge ... every day it averaged seven degrees cooler last year than this year for the month of December,” McMurtry said. The snowfall difference stands out even more. In 2013, 66.2 cm of snow fell at Red Deer Airport in December, and that is over nine and a half times the seven cm that’s fallen this month so far. The gap is startling when looking at November and December numbers for each year. Last year, winter started early with November and December seeing 128.7 cm of snow. During the same two months this year, 42.8 cm of snow fell. “A completely different winter so far,” said McMurtry. Why? “I don’t know if anyone has the answer but there are some things we can look at ... typically this year we’ve been dominated by more of a westerly to southwesterly flow so that has allowed for warmer temperatures from the Pacific Ocean.” “As well, this winter ... we have a weak El Nino event occurring right now and slowly strengthening, and when we have an El Nino event, statistically we tend to get winters that are slightly warmer than normal and slightly less precipitation than normal ... when we’re referring to Southern and Central Alberta,” McMurtry said.

some trees are treated with chemicals, the goats are usually smart enough not to eat those ones. Minotta says the farm opens to the public every Sunday afternoon, and people are welcomed to bring their trees at that time. “We can just throw the tree right in over the fence and kids and families can watch the goats eating them right away,” said farm owner Louis May

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Farm invites public to bring old Christmas trees to feed to goats

Rocky man arrested on murder charge

ST. NORBERT, Man. — A Manitoba farm is offering an eco-friendly way for people to get rid of their Christmas trees. Jennifer Minotta of Aurora Farm in St. Norbert, Man., says their goats would welcome the chance to chomp on the discarded evergreens. She says their herd of 40 goats eats Christmas trees all through the winter months. She says it beats putting the trees through a chipper, plus it makes “a bunch of fuzzy, cute animals very happy.” The Manitoba Goat Association says there’s an added benefit for the goats in that the tannin contained in the trees is a natural de-wormer. The association also says that while it’s true

A man from Rocky Mountain House has been arrested on a murder charge laid in the Kootenay region of southeastern B.C. RCMP in Trail confirm that they arrested and

Scott Douglas Decembrini, 52, was rushed to hospital in Trail but died of his injuries. RCMP say that Jordan Brian Shimell, 24, was found in the residence and was arrested quietly on a charge of second-degree murder. Shimell is in custody pending his first court appearance, set for Rossland provincial court on Monday.

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Knecht said police received new information after midnight that prompted officers to return to the house where they found the seven bodies. He didn’t say how the victims died or what prompted police to return. The police chief didn’t give the ages of the children, other than to say they were very young, but sources said they were two and six years old. The adult victims were all middleaged. Assiff said he saw officers come out and talk to the woman in the car. “She just let out a hysterical scream. It was eerie,” he said. “She was screaming about her kids: ‘My kids! The kids!,’ grabbing her hair and trying to pull her hair out. “The cops then ushered her down the road into a police cruiser.” About two hours after that, the drama shifted to the VN Express Asian restaurant in the city of Fort Saskatchewan. It was there the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. At the restaurant, police found a black SUV linked to the south-side shooting. They also connected the restaurant to the suicidal man. “It was established that a restaurant in that location was related to the suicidal male sought in the second homicide location,” the chief said. Police brought in tactical-team officers, surrounded the area and reportedly smashed through the front of the restaurant with a vehicle. The front door of the building was knocked out and pieces of the metal frame hung from above. Inside, they found the body of the suicidal man they had been seeking. Knecht went on to confirm that he was “in fact the same male that police (had) been attempting to locate since 8:28 p.m. (Monday).” “Our homicide investigators have established associations and linkages between these homicides,” he said. Knecht called it a “tragic day for Edmonton,” and said “our thoughts go out to the community as we all come to terms with the senseless mass murder of eight people.” Alberta Premier Jim Prentice said in a statement that he trusts the police investigation will provide answers as people struggle to understand what happened. “In this season of peace and goodwill, this act of violence is all the more difficult to comprehend. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those involved at this very difficult time. May they find strength in knowing that Albertans share in their loss.”

man was found with severe injuries at a home in the

ON NOW!

FROM PAGE A1

MURDER: Young children among victims

RED DEER ADVOCATE Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014 A3 charged a suspect after investigating reports that a

COMMENT

A4

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 2014

Life in a one-party state HERE’S WHAT ALBERTANS CAN DO TO COUNTER OUR NEW REALITY BY ROGER GIBBINS SPECIAL TO THE ADVOCATE As the Progressive Conservatives swallow the Wildrose, there will undoubtedly be teeth gnashing and garment rending as commentators reflect on the health of democracy in Alberta. Certainly the Conservatives’ electoral grip will only strengthen going forward, and Premier Jim Prentice can put the champagne on ice as his party plans for its 50th year in office in 2021. The state of the opposition is nicely described by John Cleese’s classic Monty Python parrot skit: “it’s passed on, is no more, ceased to be, bereft of life. It’s rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible.” This demise leaves Albertans in the uncomfortable position of living indefinitely in a one-party state, and thus we can expect a raft of proposals to resuscitate the opposition, to merge existing parties or create new ones to challenge the Conservative big tent from the left or right.

All of this noise, however, may preclude a more constructive conversation about the future of democracy in the province. The starting point for that conversation is to accept the reality of a oneparty state, as Danielle Smith appears to have done, while also recognizing that a good measure of democracy can nonetheless exist. Here we can learn from the Americans who have been adept at using primary elections to replace electoral competition between parties with competition within parties. In the South following the end of the Civil War, it was next to impossible to elect anyone other than Democrats. Voters, it was alleged, would vote for a yellow dog before they would vote for a Republican. Yet democracy did not die with the death of party competition. It moved, or at least staggered, into the use of primaries to select Democratic candidates for state and federal office. Since then, primary elections have become commonplace across the country, and in many cases are the only

meaningful contests. Given that 96 per cent of incumbents in the House of Representatives win if they stand for re-election, the only true competitions take place in the primaries. Maybe, then, Albertans can redirect their longstanding interest in democratic reform to intra-party reform. If Conservative candidates are virtually assured of election in the one-party province it has become, maybe we have to open up the nomination process to much broader public participation. Now admittedly, this would mean that provincial elections would be a mere formality with respect to choosing a government, and the legislative assembly would cease to be a significant forum for political debate. But surely this point has been reached already? If we’re clever, we could use provincial elections as a platform for citizen initiatives and referendums, as a new way to hold the government in check. It is useful to note the absence of references to California, the largest state, in the recent mid-term elections.

Congressional seats were locked down well before the election, leaving no hot contests to report, but there were numerous and vigorous referendum campaigns. Democracy in California has been redirected more than muzzled. Now, some may be uncomfortable using the American south or even California as a democratic model. I would argue, however, that Albertans would be better off studying the American experience than beating their heads against the mantra “we need an effective opposition.” A serious exploration of intra-party democracy might also counter some of the external criticism Alberta is bound to encounter as opposition parties expire. Those who describe Alberta as a petro-state will be happy to add “one party dictatorship.” We have to demonstrate that democracy is alive and well in Alberta; it has just found a new home. Roger Gibbins is a senior fellow with the Canada West Foundation. This column was supplied by Troy Media (www. troymedia.com).

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Canadian government failing teacher on trial in Jakarta Your story Teacher’s sexual abuse trial begins (by the Canadian Press and published in the Advocate on Dec. 24) prompted me to write this letter. Neil Bantleman, the teacher in this story, has been detained for months in a Jakarta prison, based on false allegations and absolutely no evidence! The mother of the alleged victim has made many wild accusations (magic stones and alleged crimes behind glass walls during the school day), in order to justify her $125-million lawsuit against the prestigious Jakarta Intercultural School. Our pleas to the Canadian government are being ignored. They have responded with “let the courts in Jakarta render due process.” Well you know what, Stephen Harper, John Baird and Lynne Yelich, due process is being ignored, in favour of hopes of a huge cash settlement. What about truth and justice? What about the violation of a Canadian’s human rights abroad? Neil Bantleman is a man of strong moral character, as everyone who knows him can attest to. This is simply a miscarriage of justice, motivated by greed. Shame, shame, shame on the Canadian government! Donna Glover Red Deer

Ottawa offers fake help for consumers BY MARK MILKE SPECIAL TO THE ADVOCATE Canadian shoppers have long suffered from higher prices on some consumer goods relative to other countries. For many Canadians, the price differences are most noticeable when they shop in the United States. In an attempt to “remedy” the differences, the federal government has introduced legislation, the so-called Price Transparency Act. It will force retailers to explain why Canadian prices are sometimes higher than American ones for the same products. Industry Minister James Moore, who announced the proposed law, used over-the-top language from historic civil rights struggles to describe the occasional U.S.-Canada price gap. He calls differences between U.S. and Canadian retail prices “geographic price discrimination.” Moore admits other factors lead to higher Canadian prices — what he calls “legitimate costs of doing business” in Canada. But he claims the entire gap between U.S. and Canadian price tags cannot be explained by “legitimate” input costs. The act, if it becomes law, will allow the government-appointed Commissioner of Competition to force retailers to disclose “evidence,” which might “expose discriminatory pricing practices.” Step back for a moment and consider the legislative absurdity. What counts as “legitimate pricing?” How many twisted investigations will this act produce? Suppose a retailer’s margin on Widget X is 10 per cent in the United States and 12 per cent in Canada.

CENTRAL ALBERTA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER Published at 2950 Bremner Avenue, Red Deer, Alberta, T4R 1M9 by The Red Deer Advocate Ltd. Canadian Publications Agreement #336602 Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation Fred Gorman Publisher John Stewart Managing editor Richard Smalley Advertising director

Any number of factors could explain the difference. For example, perhaps the middleman, between the wholesaler and the retailer, is subject to higher property taxes in one Canadian city vis-a-vis a competitor south of the border. To think a government is remotely capable of collecting and properly collating this type of comparative information assumes a degree of specific knowledge that governments do not possess. Why? Because millions of business decisions are made daily and are impossible to track. All of this, however, ignores one significant reason why some prices in Canada are higher than those in the United States: government policy. For example, as economist Ross McKitrick found recently, for large industrial users, electricity rates in Chicago in 2012 were 6.12 cents per kilowatt hour. Rates in Toronto were about double that figure. Much of Ontario’s rising electricity rates are due to ill-advised and expensive government-mandated feed-in tariffs for wind power and other expensive types of power. That matters to manufacturers in the GTA when they face American competitors, and has an obvious effect on prices. Or consider dairy and poultry products. Former Liberal MP Martha Hall Findlay estimates that Canadian consumers pay one and a half to three times more for milk, cheese, and other dairy and poultry products than they should because of federal “supply management” policy. Supply management, which Americans do not face, restricts the supply of milk, cheese, eggs, chickens and the like, by limiting domestic production. Imports of these products are also discouraged with tariffs that range from 202 per cent (skim milk) to 298 per cent (butter). Findlay estimates the average fam-

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ily pays $200 more than they should, annually. Maybe that doesn’t matter to some, but as economist Chris Sarlo has noted, wealthier households spend between five and 10 per cent of their income every year on food; low-income households spend almost one quarter of their income on groceries. So $1,000 in extra food costs over five years means a lot to poorer Canadian families. And government policy is to blame. One last example: airline fares. Prices are kept high in Canada by a lack of competition, thanks to federal government policy that prevents full cabotage. Cabotage is where foreign airlines can pick up and drop off passengers in the same country. Where it exists (Europe), increased competition and lower prices result from heightened price competition, something the European Union has repeatedly noted. The United States and Canada do not allow for full competition, but Americans benefit from a bigger market given their much larger population. Thus, a continental market in airline travel would serve passengers if an American airliner could compete head-to-head with Canadian airlines on our domestic routes. But the federal government, by policy, won’t allow it. The result: higher airline fares in Canada. Electricity prices in Ontario. Dairy and poultry products. Airline fares. In each case, governments keep costs high for Canadian consumers. It’s a safe bet that politicians will not be called before the Commissioner of Competition to explain their pricefixing schemes. Mark Milke is a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and author of Canada’s Food Cartels Versus Consumers. This column was supplied by Troy Media (www.troymedia.com).

the public’s right to full, fair and accurate news reporting by considering complaints, within 60 days of publication, regarding the publication of news and the accuracy of facts used to support opinion. The council is comprised of public members and representatives of member newspapers. The Alberta Press Council’s address: PO Box 2576, Medicine Hat, AB, T1A 8G8. Phone 403-580-4104. Email: abpress@telus.net. Website: www.albertapresscouncil.ca. Publisher’s notice The Publisher reserves the right to edit or reject any advertising copy; to omit or discontinue any advertisement. The advertiser agrees that the Publisher shall not be

liable for damages arising out of error in advertisements beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by that portion of the advertisement in which the error occurs. Circulation Circulation 403-314-4300 Single copy prices (Monday to Thursday, and Saturday): $1.05 (GST included). Single copy (Friday): $1.31 (GST included). Home delivery (one month auto renew): $14.50 (GST included). Six months: $88 (GST included). One year: $165 (GST included). Prices outside of Red Deer may vary. For further information, please call 403314-4300.

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CANADA

A5

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 2014

‘We walked through fire’ CANADIAN-BORN WOMAN, HER FAMILY CONQUER FLAMES AND FEAR TO SURVIVE GREEK FERRY FIRE BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BARI, Italy — Rain and wind lashed the deck of the burning ferry tossing in the Adriatic Sea, and passengers were fighting for the last places on the only lifeboat. Canadian-born Natasha Tsonas and her husband Nassos stood with their two sons amid the chaos, and the only thing left seemed to say goodbye. They hugged. I love you, they told one another. And they prayed for a miracle to get them off the Norman Atlantic alive. Suddenly, fire burst up through the deck, and the crush of passengers trying to squeeze into the lifeboat turned heel and fled. Instead of a wall of bodies, what separated the Tsonases from a glimmer of hope now was a wall of flames. “We’re going to have to run through the fire,” Nassos yelled, “because that’s our only chance to get onto the lifeboat.” Nothing could have prepared the Tsonas family for the terror it would encounter back home on Corfu, an idyllic Greek island beloved of tourists, writers and artists. The family’s tourist shop is busy during the warm months, and 14-yearold Dimitri and 11-year-old Sebastian attend school most of the year, so the New Year’s trip was a rare chance for the family to get away together. They boarded the Norman Atlantic full of excitement about their plans to drive around Italy, Austria and Germany, with a New Year’s Eve celebration at the German spa resort of BadenBaden. The family was asleep early Sunday when cries of “Fire! Fire!” came from outside their cabin. Natasha didn’t think much of the noise. After all, there was no fire alarm — only an announcement for passengers to go to “Station 3” — so things couldn’t be that serious, she thought. Probably just a small fire that they’ve already put out. That’s why there’s no alarm; they don’t want people to panic. Even when they opened the door to their cabin and saw smoke in the hallway, Nassos was relaxed enough to tell Natasha to get changed before going to the upper decks. Once the family got there, the magnitude of the threat hit home with sickening speed. Flames were everywhere, lashing out from the decks like a raging wedding cake. The floors were so hot it felt like their shoes were melting; the air so cold it felt like the frost could kill.

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Crew members were nowhere in sight. The boys’ faces contorted with terror, and Natasha was filled with anguish and self-doubt: Why do these little ones have to suffer? Why have I brought them here to die? But when the flames burst forth in front of them, Natasha’s mind went blank. The family ran for it — and somehow made it through the fire. The lifeboat bobbed in the sea with 150 passengers on board, and there was room for only a few more. The winds bashing the ferry created gaps between the hull and the lifeboat dozens of feet below; one woman fell into the sea below them. The boys jumped first. Then Natasha. Then Nassos. They all made it. It was a taste of freedom — but their ordeal was only beginning. Six-metre waves tossed the lifeboat like a plaything. Passengers vomited everywhere. Everybody was soaked to the bone from the freezing waters. Natasha banged against other passengers, cutting and bruising her legs. The boys had stopped crying; shock had taken over. Their stomachs heaved as if in a roller coaster as the lifeboat pitched in the waves. And so it went for three long hours.

And then they spotted another lifeline: the hulking cargo ship Spirit of Piraeus, making its way slowly toward the lifeboat. Crew members threw down a rope and tried to pull in the lifeboat, but high winds kept knocking the boat against the hull, making it crack. Natasha feared the raft would break in two. Finally, the crew members pulled them in and dropped a rope-ladder. Passengers began to climb up, one by one. When it came to the Tsonas family’s turn, they huddled to decide who would go first. First-born Dimitri would lead, followed by Natasha who could help him if he got into trouble, then Sebastian and finally Nassos. It was a terrifying ascent of 15 metres. Dimitri’s foot caught in netting; his mother was able to reach out and free his leg. They both made it to the deck. Sebastian was close behind, clambering up the rope-ladder. He too made it onboard. Then the rope attaching the lifeboat to the cargo ship snapped. The remaining survivors — including Nassos — were hurled back into the churning seas. Natasha wrapped her sons in warm

sheets, and waited. As the cargo ship tried to reach the lifeboat again, she fought memories of survivors being thrown into the sea by the choppy waves and piercing winds, and fears that the banging against the hull would chop the lifeboat in two. It took maybe an hour to reattach the lifeboat. Nassos climbed up the ladder. He was safe. On shore in the southern Italian city of Bari, Natasha is overwhelmed with relief, tempered by sadness for those who didn’t make it. “You think it would be a moment of joy. You see that in the movies,” she says. “It isn’t like that. We were ill. We were violently throwing up. We couldn’t control our bodily fluids. It was a really, really weird sensation.” She’s proud of how her boys braved the ordeal, though she frets about the effect the experience will have on them. “I’m really worried. They’re going to lose their innocence, their childhood innocence” she says. For now, she’s just happy to hug them. “We’ve just been here together,” she says, “not letting go.”

dential schools settlement that said he attended Lejac Residential School in Fraser Lake from 1966 until 1975. The case is one of three lawsuits that allege Furlong sexually abused students while teaching in northern

B.C. in the late 1960s and early 1970s, though in each case Furlong has denied any wrongdoing. A lawsuit filed by Beverly Abraham has been dropped, leaving the man’s claim and a lawsuit by a woman

named Grace West scheduled for trial in March. None of the allegations against Furlong have been proven and his lawyer declined to comment.

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VANCOUVER — Court documents related to a lawsuit against former Olympic CEO John Furlong suggest one of the plaintiffs attended a school in a different community at the time of alleged sexual abuse. The plaintiff, a man who has asked that his name not be published, alleged Furlong sexually abused him while at Immaculata School in Burns Lake, B.C., in 1969 and 1970. But court documents indicate the man filed a claim for compensation under the Indian resi-

Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

People rescued from the fire-struck ferry Norman Atlantic sit in the Brindisi port, southern Italy, after being disembarked from the San Giorgio Italian Navy ship, Tuesday. A blaze broke out on the car deck of the Norman Atlantic while the ferry was traveling from the Greek port of Patras to Ancona in Italy causing the death of at least 11 people. Italian and Greek helicopter rescue crews evacuated 427 people among passengers and crew members but Italian officials think the death toll could be much higher because of serious discrepancies in the ship’s manifest and confusion over how many people were aboard.

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A6 RED DEER ADVOCATE Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014

VICTIMIZED WORKERS

IMMIGRATION

Express Entry program to launch BY THE CANADIAN PRESS

WHY THE CHANGE

The Conservatives have sought to retool the immigration system over the last eight years to focus more on economic immigrants. Employers have complained it takes far too long to bring in people to fill vacant jobs, while those seeking to start a new life in Canada have also complained their files languished, sometimes for years.

HOW WILL IT WORK NOW

Under the new system, the government will decide who can submit a formal application to immigrate. As of Jan. 1, anyone with an interest in coming to Canada under an economic immigration program will have to create an online profile and register with the federal job bank, unless they already have a job offer or invitation from a provincial or territorial immigration program.

HOW TO GET AN INVITATION

Upon completing a profile, every applicant will be assigned a score via a computer program. The Comprehensive Ranking System formula assigns a score of out 1,200 based on four elements: core factors such as age and education, spousal factors, skills transferability and whether or not a person already has a job offer or an invite from a provincial or territorial immigration program. That final factor gets an applicant an additional 600 points, which automatically leads to an invitation to apply.

THE DRAWS

Beginning at the end of January and somewhere between 15 and 25 times a year, the government will hold draws to select candidates for permanent residency. The timing and number of people selected will vary so the government can take into account factors such as fluctuations in the labour market or the number of actual profiles in the pool.

Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS

Temporary foreign workers Honorato Peralta and his wife Vanessa Tamondong pauses for a moment during a news conference in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday. Peralta and Tamondong were addressing the media on how their family was victimized by a employer and their immigration consultant.

Trial of Canadian teacher hears from alleged victim BY THE CANADIAN PRESS

INDONESIA

JAKARTA, Indonesia — The family of a Canadian teacher accused of sexually abusing three young students at an international school in Indonesia says his trial continued today with testimony from an alleged victim. Neil Bantleman’s brother says in an email to The Canadian Press that the hearing lasted more than six hours, with an alleged child victim referred to as “DA” giving testimony via teleconference for more than two hours. Bantleman, who is from Burlington, Ont., was arrested in July along with an Indonesian teaching assistant, and both are accused of sexually abusing three students at the Jakarta International School. Both men have maintained their innocence and the school’s principal and a number of fellow teachers also say the two are innocent. The teacher’s brother Guy Bantleman says more than 100 parents, students and school staff came to the South Jakarta Court for today’s session, but that officials from the Canadian and British embassies were denied access to the courtroom. He says that according to defence lawyers and the defendants, the child’s testimony today was “inconsistent and illogical” and that during the session, the child was reported to be seen looking to his mother — who sat beside him

holding his hand — for confirmation of his responses. He also says the child’s father — referred to as “OA” — testified in court, adding the father was “confrontational” and was repeatedly admonished by the judges for not following the rules of the court and not answering questions directly with a yes or no response. Bantleman’s family has noted that Bantleman and the assistant Ferdinand Tjiong were only arrested after the parents of one of the alleged child

victims failed in their efforts to reach a financial settlement with the school over alleged abuse by school janitors who were also accused in the case. The janitors have been sentenced to up to eight years in prison following their separate but related trial. Their lawyers have called their verdicts unfair and have vowed to appeal. Both Bantleman and Tjiong could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Their trial is expected to last three months, a time during which Bantleman’s family is urging Ottawa to publicly declare its support for the Ontario man.

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OTTAWA — The Conservative government’s overhaul of Canada’s immigration system hits a milestone Jan. 1 with the launch of a new system for selecting economic immigrants. The Express Entry program is a mostly-computerized process which uses a set of criteria to assign a ranking to those interested in immigrating to Canada under the skilled worker program, skilled trades program and Canadian Experience Class program. Though the government has long used a points system to determine who gets to immigrate, the new program is different in that it automates the process — and it also gives a big points boost those who already have a job lined up. Here are five things to know about Express Entry:

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After each draw, the government will indicate how many invitations were issued and also the lowest-ranked score it accepted. Those who receive an invitation will have 60 days to file a formal immigration application.

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BUSINESS

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WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 2014

Bring out the bubbly NEW YEAR’S IS ALWAYS A BUSY TIME FOR CHAMPAGNE AND THIS YEAR DEMAND HAS BEEN GROWING

Photo by ASHLI BARRETT/Advocate staff

Andrew Hutchins shows off two of the champagnes sold at The Liquor Hutch in Gasoline Alley: Baby Canadian and Dom Pérignon vintage 2004, the cheapest and most expensive sparkling wine options in the store. BY HARLEY RICHARDS ADVOCATE BUSINESS EDITOR Tonight when the clock strikes 12, the arrival of 2015 will be marked by the predictable sounds of noisemakers, butchered renditions of Auld Lang Syne — and popping champagne corks. The tradition of heralding the new year with bubbly beverages shows no signs of fizzling out, say local wine merchants. “There’s a growing demand for it,” said Murray Tornack of the champagne at his Lacombe store, Chateau Wine & Spirits. “It seems to be on the rise, and there are more varieties now than ever.” Brittany Gerbrandt, an employee at All Aboard Fine Wine & Spirits in Sylvan Lake, can also attest to the popularity of the special occasion drink. “At Christmas time we sold a whole box of champagne to one guy.” Andrew Hutchins, owner of The Liquor Hutch in Gasoline Alley, said New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day mark the peak selling periods for champagne, and demand is growing. “I’ve found that we have sold more champagne this year than in the past.” He thinks this reflects a broader consumer shift when it comes to alcoholic beverages. “The whole wine industry in general has kind of gone up in the last five years, compared to what it was. Younger people are drinking it.”

There is some confusion about what is and isn’t champagne, pointed out Blair Gaume, owner of the Liquor Crossing Wine Centre in Red Deer. He explained that the name officially applies only to sparkling wines from the Champagne region of France. “The true champagnes are probably $40 and up; you can spend as much as you want.” For example, Dom Pérignon champagne sells for around $230 at the Liquor Crossing, with Cristal champagne in the $375 range. There are less-expensive alternatives, said Gaume, ranging all the way to Canadian sparkling wines like Andrès Baby Duck and Spumante Bambino that cost about $10 a bottle. “What’s really popular nowadays is prosecco, which is Italy’s version of champagne.” With prices from about $15 to $40, prosecco provides good value, he said. Tornack is also a fan of prosecco. “There are some really good sparkling wines, proseccos, that are $20 to $30,” he said. Of course, any wine will only achieve its potential if it’s served properly. This includes prior chilling, although Gaume offers some words of caution in this regard. “Don’t leave it in the fridge for a month,” he said, explaining that this can affect taste. A champagne flute, which is taller and narrower than a wine glass, is the best way to enjoy the flavour of sparkling wine, he added. And pour it slowly and carefully to minimize the loss of the carbon dioxide

that gives sparkling wines their bubbly characteristic. A final bit of advice from Hutchins? “Just make sure you don’t hit yourself in the nose with the cork when it comes out.” As humorous as this might sound, bottles can be pressurized to as much as 90 pounds per square inch — capable of discharging a cork at 80 km/h (50 mph). hrichards@reddeeradvocate.com

Sparkling wine tips ● Sparkling wine’s ideal drinking temperature is 7C to 9C (45F to 48F). ● Chilling sparkling wine in a bucket of ice and water before opening can make it less gassy and reduce spillage. ● Open sparkling wine by holding the cork and rotating the bottle at an angle. Point the bottle at a 45-degree angle away from yourself and others (a flying cork can cause serious eye damage). Hold the cork with the palm of your hand while removing the wire hood, and then place a towel over the entire top of the bottle and grasp the cork. ● Shaking the bottle can increase the speed at which the cork is discharged. ● Pouring sparkling wine into a tilted glass and gently sliding the liquid down the side will preserve the most bubbles — and aroma.

New store offers ‘classy clothing’ lines BY HARLEY RICHARDS ADVOCATE BUSINESS EDITOR The name of downtown Red Deer’s newest clothing store, Luksus Inc., might be perplexing — unless you’re of Scandinavian descent. “It means luxury in Norwegian,” explains owner Sondra Saastad, who opened the 5006 48th St. business earlier this month. Luksus reflects the atmosphere that Saastad is trying to create in her shop, with “classy clothing” lines like Diesel, Donna Mizani, Bardot, Greylin and One Teaspoon. She also carries Alex Mika and 8 Other Reasons jewelry. “A lot of people don’t recognize the brands,” she acknowledged, adding that local residents might have travelled to Calgary or Edmonton previously to find them. “If I needed something dressy or flashy, I would go to the city.” Luksus should appeal to older women, said Saastad, including downtown professionals. But she thinks the store’s offerings will also suit the needs of younger shoppers. With the right accessories, Luksus clothing can create a formal or casual look, she said. “It can be for dressing up or down, but it’s a little more on the dressier side.” Born and raised in Sylvan Lake, Saastad spent a number of years managing her parents’ business, Wyndwood Haven pet boarding kennel. But the 29-year-old’s current venture is more in line with her longtime goal. “Clothing has always been an absolute passion of mine — helping people shop and get something that’s out of their comfort zone; I love that.” In addition to women’s clothing, Luksus carries products for men and children. Saastad said she’ll modify her inventory to meet local tastes, but she also plans to bring in new and different items every month — with her store’s theme always in mind. “A lot of women like to have glamorous things.” She said that during the few weeks her store has been open, public reaction has been encouraging. “So far, it’s been really positive.” Luksus is open week days from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. hrichards@reddeeradvocate.com

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Photo by ASHLI BARRETT/Advocate staff

Sondra Saastad shows off one of the dresses for sale at her Luksus Inc. clothing store downtown on Tuesday afternoon. The store, located at 5006 48th St. has been open for three weeks, and sells European-styled clothing.

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Harley Richards, Business Editor, 403-314-4337 E-mail hrichards@reddeeradvocate.com

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B2 RED DEER ADVOCATE Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014

Dramatic plunge in crude Business prices named top business story of the year confidence CFIB SURVEY

declines

BY THE CANADIAN PRESS

BY ADVOCATE STAFF Optimism can be a fragile thing in the business world. After soaring in October to its highest level in 2 ½ years, business confidence in Alberta — as measured by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business — suffered its greatest monthly decline in more than five years during December. The CFIB’s most recent survey of its members calculated business confidence in Alberta at 66.2 on a 100-point scale. That compares with 73.6 in November and 74.6 in October. “There has clearly been a significant change in the rosy outlook of many of Alberta’s entrepreneurs,” said Richard Truscott, the CFIB’s director for Alberta. The federation, which has more than 109,000 members across Canada, including 10,000 in Alberta, attributed the more pessimistic outlook to falling oil prices. It said business owners understand the importance of the oil and gas industry to the health of the economy and their own operations. An August 2014 survey conducted by the CFIB found that 49 per cent of respondents considered the health of the oil and gas sector to be “very important” to the success of their business, with another 40 per cent identifying it as “somewhat important.” The December survey indicated that 54 per cent of those questioned thought the general health of their business was “good” — only one point lower than in November. And 31 per cent said they planned to add full-time staff over the next three months, the same figure as in the previous month; while 10 per cent expected a reduction, up one point. “For the most part, the other indicators for Alberta have stayed solid,” said Truscott, “which shows the province’s entrepreneurs believe the outlook for the economy remains relatively strong, at least for now.” Nationally, CFIB’s business confidence index dropped four points in December to 61.9. The most optimistic province was British Columbia, with a score of 72.4, followed by Alberta, Prince Edward Island (65.8), New Brunswick (65.4), Ontario (64.1), Newfoundland (63.9), Nova Scotia (59.7), Manitoba (59.6), Quebec (58.2) and Saskatchewan (56.0). The CFIB said an index level between 65 and 75 means the economy is growing at its potential. Its December findings were based on 944 responses, collected from a random sample of CFIB members.

Loonie advances amid weakening U.S. dollar BY THE CANADIAN PRESS TORONTO — The Canadian dollar closed higher Tuesday amid a generally weaker American currency and mixed commodity prices. The loonie added 0.16 of a cent to 86.15 cents US. February crude in New York gained 51 cents to US$54.12 a barrel ahead of the release Wednesday of the latest U.S. inventory levels from the Department of Energy. Crude prices are down 50 per cent since their 2014 high of $107.26 in June amid rising supplies and lower demand as a result of weaker economies in Europe and China. Elsewhere on the commodity markets, February gold gained $18.50 to US$1,200.40 an ounce while March copper edged up three cents to US$2.85 a pound. Traders also digested mixed data covering American house prices and consumer confidence. The U.S. Case Schiller home price index rose by a greater than expected 0.76 per cent on a seasonally adjusted basis in October. Economists had looked for a rise of 0.4 per cent. The year-over-year rate eased to an almost on-consensus 4.5 per cent. And the Conference Board’s U.S. consumer confidence index came in at 92.6 in December, up from a November read of 88.7. Economists had thought confidence would improve further due to plunging gasoline prices, faster job creation and higher stock prices and expected a reading of 93.9. Market attention was also focused on Greek politics a day after parliament failed to approve a new president, forcing the government to call early elections that could bring more economic turmoil. Investors worry elections might be won by the left-wing opposition Syriza party, which rejects Greece’s bailout deal.

CALGARY — From Alberta oilfields to Bay Street boardrooms to the gas station on the corner, the precipitous drop in crude prices is expected to have far-reaching impacts across the country heading into 2015, making it The Canadian Press Business News Story of the Year. The abrupt turnaround in oil markets was chosen by half of the 50 editors and news directors across the country who participated in the annual survey. In explaining their pick, many respondents noted the story’s ripple effects beyond the oilpatch. Richard Dettman, business editor at News 1130 in Vancouver, said the halving in crude prices over a six-month span created a “gusher of stories” — the hit to federal and provincial government coffers, the plunging loonie and the benefit to consumers, to name a few. Lynn Moore, assistant city editor, business at the Montreal Gazette, highlighted several ways in which oil’s decline will reverberate across Canada. “A sustained period of low oil prices will throw a big wrench into the works of the Canadian economy and collective psyche. Beyond the shifting fortunes of governments and companies that have benefited from high oil prices — or suffered from them - the change will surely play a role in climate-change concerns, pipeline expansions and all manner of consumer choices, notably air travel and vehicle purchases. Investors, as well as governments, may also be more interested in portfolio diversification.” After hitting US$107 a barrel around mid-year, the closely watched U.S. benchmark crude plunged steeply throughout the latter half of 2014. The drop intensified in late November when the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, facing increasing competition from surging U.S. shale deposits, chose to maintain its output rather than put a floor under prices. By the end of December, West Texas Intermediate crude was at its cheapest since the Great Recession, settling Tuesday at US$54.12, up 51 cents for the day in New York. From the vantage point of consumers, it’s largely a good-news story. The price-tracking website Gasbuddy.com announced earlier this month that the national average for a litre of gasoline had plunged below a dollar for the first time in four and a half years. “The reality is, outside of the oil and gas industry, the implications of a dramatic drop of the oil price serve as a massive stimulus to the economy,” said Barry Munro, leader of consulting firm EY’s Canadian oil and gas practice. On a gloomier note, the governments of oil-producing provinces are facing big revenue shortfalls as taxes and royalties from the energy sector shrink. The Toronto Stock Exchange, heavy on energy stocks, has taken it on the chin. Budgets throughout the oilpatch will be thinner in 2015, with most firms choosing to shore up their balance sheets rather than spend big on new projects. Some are slashing dividends. Troubled Calgary-based explorer Talisman Energy, which was close to hitting a financial wall in the face of plunging crude, agreed earlier this month to be taken over by Spanish energy giant Repsol in a US$13-billion deal, including debt. Observers expect to see more such deals as struggling energy firms seek an exit strategy. There are differing views on how sustained the latest rout will be. Munro calls it a “new price paradigm” triggered by the massive shift in the U.S. ener-

File Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS

An oil sands facility is reflected in a tailings pond near Fort McMurray. gy equation. Oil deposits once thought inaccessible are being tapped with fracking technology, enabling the U.S. to rely on less imported crude to meet its own energy needs. “I believe that structural changes are underway in the oil and gas business as we move from this world of scarcity to abundance,” said Munro. Edward Jones analyst Lanny Pendill, on the other hand, sees the imbalances in oil markets sorting themselves out over the next several months, with prices averaging between US$75 and US$95 in the long term. The latest slowdown in activity should curb supplies to the point where prices eventually start to firm up again, he said. In other words, as the oft-repeated oilpatch cliche goes, the cure for low oil prices might just be low oil prices. The latest oil downturn is not expected to be as painful as the last one, which was coupled with global banking crisis and frozen credit markets, said Pendill. “I think people have short-term memories and what they’re failing to remember is we went through a much tougher test back in ‘08, ‘09.” The business news story that garnered the second-most votes also hit on an energy theme: the challenges facing new pipelines that aim to carry Alberta crude to coastal waters, and from there lucrative global markets. Of the 18 votes for pipelines, the lion’s share were from news outlets based in Quebec, where pipeline proposals by both Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB) and TransCanada Corp. (TSX:TRP) to move western crude eastward though the province grabbed headlines. In March, Enbridge got the green light from the National Energy Board to reverse the flow and carry more crude in its Line 9 pipeline between southwestern Ontario and Montreal. Though work on that project is complete, the NEB has said it will not allow Enbridge to open the pipeline until it’s convinced water crossings will be protected in the event of a spill. Meanwhile, TransCanada filed an application this fall to build what would be the largest project in its history. The $12-billion Energy East pipeline between Alberta and New Brunswick aims to connect western crude with eastern refineries and new markets across the Atlantic. It would make use of under used natural gas pipe already in the ground for about two thirds of the way, with new pipe being constructed in Quebec and New Brunswick.

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RED DEER ADVOCATE Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014 B3

MARKETS

D I L B E R T

COMPANIES

OF LOCAL INTEREST Tuesday’s stock prices supplied by RBC Dominion Securities of Red Deer. For information call 341-8883.

Consumer Canadian Tire . . . . . . . . 122.07 Gamehost . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.96 Leon’s Furniture . . . . . . . 17.78 Loblaw Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . 62.30 MARKETS CLOSE TORONTO — The Toronto stock market closed with a slight loss Tuesday amid further volatility in oil prices, but damage was limited by a strong run-up in gold stocks. The S&P/TSX composite index declined 23.88 points to 14,640.04 on the second-last trading day of the year. The energy sector fell one per cent even as February crude in New York gained 51 cents to US$54.12 a barrel ahead of the release Wednesday of the latest U.S. inventory levels from the Department of Energy. Crude futures are down about 50 per cent since their 2014 high of $107.26 in June amid rising production and lower demand as a result of slowing economies in Europe and China. The rout in prices has pushed the TSX energy sector down about 20 per cent this year as traders try to gauge just how low prices can go. “It’s a gigantic game of chicken that is going on right now,” said Craig Jerusalim, a portfolio manager at CIBC Asset Management, adding that OPEC is trying to slow the trajectory of growth in North American supply. “The U.S. has gone from (production of) six million barrels to 10 million barrels in about four years and that pace has them scared.” He believes that oil touching $50 and then bouncing right back up is not going to be enough. Jerusalim thinks OPEC needs to keep pricing low for at least six months and he is looking for production, capital expenditures and rig counts to come down. Oilfield service companies have been a major casualty of the plunge in oil prices. Shares in Civeo Corp. (NYSE:CVEO), which provides accommodations for energy company workers mainly in the Canadian oilsands region and in Australia, cratered $4.35 or 52 per cent to US$3.92 as it announced that falling oil prices would negatively impact

Maple Leaf Foods. . . . . . 19.44 Rona Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.86 Wal-Mart . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86.79 WestJet Airlines . . . . . . . 32.59 Mining Barrick Gold . . . . . . . . . . 12.60 Cameco Corp. . . . . . . . . 19.01 First Quantum Minerals . 16.52 Goldcorp Inc. . . . . . . . . . 21.61 Hudbay Minerals. . . . . . . 10.06 Kinross Gold Corp. . . . . . . 3.25 Labrador. . . . . . . . . . . . . 18.52 Potash Corp.. . . . . . . . . . 41.50 Sherritt Intl. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.96 Teck Resources . . . . . . . 15.95 Energy Arc Resources . . . . . . . . 25.28 Badger Daylighting Ltd. . 26.87 Baker Hughes. . . . . . . . . 56.29 Bonavista . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.30 Bonterra Energy . . . . . . . 41.59 Cdn. Nat. Res. . . . . . . . . 35.85 Cdn. Oil Sands Ltd. . . . . 10.50 Canyon Services Group. . 8.95 Cenovous Energy Inc. . . 23.82 CWC Well Services . . . 0.4000 Encana Corp. . . . . . . . . . 16.09 Essential Energy. . . . . . . . 1.36 earnings in 2015. The company also suspended its dividend. The Canadian dollar rose 0.16 of a cent to 86.15 cents US. New York markets were in the red amid mixed data covering American house prices and consumer confidence. The Dow Jones industrials declined 55.16 points to 17,983.07, the Nasdaq was down 29.47 points to 4,777.44 and the S&P 500 index gave back 10.22 points to 2,080.35. The U.S. Case Schiller home price index rose by a greater than expected 0.76 per cent on a seasonally adjusted basis in October. Economists had looked for a rise of 0.4 per cent. The year-over-year rate eased to an almost on-consensus 4.5 per cent. And the Conference Board’s U.S. consumer confidence index came in at 92.6 in December, up from a November read of 88.7. Economists figured confidence would improve due to plunging gasoline prices, faster job creation and higher stock prices and had expected a reading of 93.9. Elsewhere on the TSX, financials were also a drag, down 0.6 per cent while industrials fell 0.55 per cent. The gold sector was the leading advancer in Toronto, up about 3.7 per cent as a weaker U.S. dollar helped push February bullion up $18.50 to US$1,200.40 an ounce. The base metals group climbed 1.45 per cent as March copper edged up three cents to US$2.85 a pound. MARKET HIGHLIGHTS Highlights at the close of Monday at world financial market trading. Stocks: S&P/TSX Composite Index — 14,640.04, down 23.88 points Dow — 17,983.07, down 55.16 points S&P 500 — 2,080.35, down 10.22 points

BUSINESS

BRIEFS

Competition Bureau offers no objection to TVA’s $118M purchase of Vision Globale OTTAWA — The Competition Bureau won’t oppose the $118-million acquisition of studio company Vision Globale by TVA Group, Quebec’s largest French-language television network. The bureau said Tuesday that it decided to issue a no action letter on the deal after concluding the transaction is unlikely to result in a substantial lessening or prevention of competition. Among other things, the bureau noted that effective competitors remain in the marketplace for film and television production and post-production services. The bureau also concluded that the quality and quantity of the television programs offered to viewers is unlikely to be affected by the transaction. The deal, announced by TVA Group (TSX:TVA.B) and its parent, Quebecor Media Inc. (TSX:QBR.B), in November, is among a number that have been questioned by dissident shareholders led by Montreal-based Jarislowsky,

ll ingEASY

SeADE

Exxon Mobil . . . . . . . . . . 93.02 Halliburton Co. . . . . . . . . 39.53 High Arctic . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.92 Husky Energy . . . . . . . . . 27.32 Imperial Oil . . . . . . . . . . . 50.30 Pengrowth Energy . . . . . . 3.61 Penn West Energy . . . . . . 2.47 Pinecrest Energy Inc. . . . 0.015 Precision Drilling Corp . . . 7.11 Suncor Energy . . . . . . . . 37.09 Talisman Energy . . . . . . . . 9.10 Trican Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.51 Trinidad Energy . . . . . . . . 5.20 Vermilion Energy . . . . . . 56.77 Financials Bank of Montreal . . . . . . 82.03 Bank of N.S. . . . . . . . . . . 66.39 CIBC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99.87 Cdn. Western . . . . . . . . . 33.13 Carfinco . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.17 Great West Life. . . . . . . . 33.68 IGM Financial . . . . . . . . . 46.30 Intact Financial Corp. . . . 83.76 Manulife Corp. . . . . . . . . 22.28 National Bank . . . . . . . . . 49.40 Rifco Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.74 Royal Bank . . . . . . . . . . . 80.43 Sun Life Fin. Inc.. . . . . . . 42.33 TD Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55.44 Nasdaq — 4,777.44, down 29.47 points Currencies: Cdn — 86.15 cents US, up 0.16 of a cent Pound — C$1.8056, up 0.15 of a cent Euro — C$1.4109, down 0.25 of a cent Euro — US$1.2156, up 0.02 of a cent

WASHINGTON — Impressed with an improving economy, American consumers are feeling more confident, a private survey showed. The Conference Board said Tuesday its consumer confidence index climbed to 92.6 this month from a revised 91 in November. Consumers registered a more favourable view of current economic conditions; 17.1 per cent said jobs were plentiful, up from 16.2 per cent in November. Just 19.6 per cent said business conditions were bad, down from 21.8 per cent last month. Expectations for the near future fell slightly. Compared to November, fewer consumers in December said they planned to buy a home or a car in the next six months. But 52.2 per cent said they planned to buy a major ap-

pliance, the highest share since 2010, noted Laura Rosner, an economist at BNP Paribas. She predicts “continued strength in consumer spending.” And their outlook is rosier now than it was when 2014 began. Consumers have plenty of reasons to feel better. The economy grew from July through September at a 5 per cent annual rate, fastest clip in 11 years. Employers are adding nearly 241,000 jobs a month this year — on pace to make 2014 the best year for hiring since 1999. The unemployment rate remained at a six-year low 5.8 per cent last month. The missing piece of the economic recovery is pay: Wages are barely keeping up with inflation. Still, tumbling gasoline prices are putting a bit of cash back in consumers’ pockets: According to AAA, the average gallon of gasoline nationwide costs $2.27, down from $2.78 a month ago.

SPAIN RENT CHANGES

Gold futures: US$1,200.40 per oz., up $18.50 (February contract) Canadian Fine Silver Handy and Harman: $19.669 oz., up 38.9 cents $632.36 kg., up $12.51 (H&H now closed for holidays; next quote will be until on Jan. 5) ICE FUTURES CANADA WINNIPEG — ICE Futures Canada closing prices: Canola: Jan ’15 $4.80 higher $458.40; March ’15 $3.80 higher $443.40; May ’15 $1.90 higher $437.10; July ’15 $0.90 higher $434.10; Nov ’15 $0.60 higher $425.00; Jan. ’16 $0.60 higher $426.60; March ’16 $0.60 higher $431.50; May ’16 $0.60 higher $433.10; July ’16 $0.60 higher $433.10; Nov. ’16 $0.60 higher $433.10. Barley (Western): March ’15 unchanged $177.00; May ’15 unchanged $179.00; July ’15 unchanged $181.00; Oct. ’15 unchanged $181.00; Dec. ’15 unchanged $181.00; March ’16 unchanged $181.00; May ’16 unchanged $181.00; July ’16 unchanged $181.00; Oct. ’16 unchanged $181.00; March ’17 unchanged $181.00. Tuesday’s estimated volume of trade: 450,840 tonnes of canola; 0 tonnes of barley (Western Barley) Total: 450,840.

Bombardier inks deal to sell 24 regional jets MONTREAL — Bombardier Inc. (TSX:BBD.B) said Tuesday it has signed a deal to sell 24 CRJ900 NextGen regional jets to an unidentified buyer. Based on the list price, the firm order is worth about US$1.14 billion, the company said.

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Oil futures: US$54.12 per barrel, up 51 cents (February contract)

Fraser Ltd., which is often outspoken on matters of corporate governance. Among other things, the dissidents say the integration of TVA into the Quebecor Media Group has blurred the lines between the organizations, since some members of senior management are employees of all three companies. The dissidents said in mid-December that they had filed a request for an investigation into a number of transactions, including the Vision Globale deal, with Quebec’s provincial securities regulator, the Autorite des marches financiers. They have also asked the AMF to require TVA’s board to get approval from a majority of the minority shareholders of class B shares (TSX:TVA.B), before completing the proposed purchase of the assets of Globale and related financing. TVA Group has described the arguments of the dissidents as being “without merit.”

M

U.S. consumer confidence up in December

1656A29

Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

In this picture taken Monday, 89 year old Angel Garcia looks at a picture of former King of Spain, Alfonso XIII with his autograph, as he collects belongings during the shutdown of his store called “Hernando” after 57 years running in Madrid. About 200,000 mostly family-owned stores, bars and restaurants are affected by the law change that allows their landlords to raise rents to whatever they want. Around 55,000 businesses are expected to close down over the coming weeks and months, wiping out around 120,000 jobs in a country that has a 24 percent unemployment rate, labor groups say. Bombardier said the purchase brings the total number of CRJ series aircraft ordered to 1,858, including 384 CRJ900 and CRJ900 NextGen aircraft. Meanwhile, the Montreal-based plane and rail equipment maker also announced Tuesday that it had received a firm order for six Learjet 75 business jets with options on an additional three, also from a customer that did not want to be identified at present. Bombardier said the six Learjet 75 aircraft are valued at about US$83 million based on the 2014 list price. If all the options are exercised, the total value of the order would be US$124 million at list price.

Stone spills during partial derailment of freight train NITON JUNCTION — Several cars loaded with stone in a Canadian National Railway (TSX:CNR) freight have derailed in west-central Alberta.

RCMP say the accident happened around 10:30 p.m. Monday just north of Niton Junction, about 160 kilometres west of Edmonton. They say 10 out of 60 cars that were carrying stone left the tracks and spilled their cargo, but no one was hurt and no roads were blocked. The freight was not carrying any hazardous goods and no waterways were affected. CN is sending workers to the site to get the cars back on the tracks and clean up the scene. The accident comes as the cleanup continues at the scene of a derailment involving a Canadian Pacific Railway (TSX:CP) freight in Banff National Park last Friday. Material known as fly ash was in some cars that jumped the tracks into 40 Mile Creek near the Banff townsite. Parks Canada has said that all but one of the cars has been hauled out, but the challenge is to ensure that spilled material isn’t disturbed before it can be removed from the icy creek.

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Diversified and Industrials Agrium Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 110.38 ATCO Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . 47.09 BCE Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53.45 BlackBerry . . . . . . . . . . . 12.76 Bombardier . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.08 Brookfield . . . . . . . . . . . . 58.51 Cdn. National Railway . . 80.28 Cdn. Pacific Railway. . . 224.30 Cdn. Utilities . . . . . . . . . . 40.77 Capital Power Corp . . . . 25.97 Cervus Equipment Corp 20.68 Dow Chemical . . . . . . . . 46.07 Enbridge Inc. . . . . . . . . . 59.63 Finning Intl. Inc. . . . . . . . 25.20 Fortis Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.70 General Motors Co. . . . . 35.09 Parkland Fuel Corp. . . . . 21.89 Sirius XM . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.05 SNC Lavalin Group. . . . . 43.94 Stantec Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 32.11 Telus Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . 42.01 Transalta Corp.. . . . . . . . 10.56 Transcanada. . . . . . . . . . 57.06

SPORTS

B4

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 2014

Rebels can’t hold off Broncos BY JOSH ALDRICH ADVOCATE SPORTS

Broncos 4 Rebels 3 (SO) The Red Deer Rebels have come to lean on their captain in the big moments ever since Conner Bleackley arrived in town three years ago. He has been clutch the past month, and on Tuesday night he again nearly pulled a game out from the flames, but a late collapse saddled the Rebels (20-13-3-2) with a 4-3 shootout loss to the Swift Current Broncos (19-15-0-4) in front of 5,234 fans at the Centrium. “Throughout the season there’s going to be games you deserve to win but don’t, and vice versa, so I think tonight was one of those games,” said Bleackley. “Tonight we didn’t shut it down there in the last few minutes and then it’s never a good thing to lose in a shootout.” Bleackley had three points, including a go-ahead goal at 14:19 of the third period, for the Rebels while Riley Sheen scored twice in the first period, but both were shut down in the skills competition. Rylan Toth had 28 saves in the loss. Jake DeBrusk scored twice for the Broncos and added the clincher in the shoot out while Brett Lernout tied the game at 19:08 of the third period to force overtime. Glen Gawdin had the other shootout goal and goalie Landon Bow was terrific in net, making 35 saves, including stopping both Rebels shootout attempts. Bleackley assisted on both of Sheen’s goals in the first period and then finished off a great cross-ice pass from Brett Cote in the third to put the Rebels up 3-2 5:41 remaining in regulation time. The three points gives Bleackley six in three games since Christmas, and he has done it all while dealing with tragedy off the ice. Two of his friends died in a car accident in High River last week, he headed home after Sunday’s 3-1 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings for one of their funerals but was back for Tuesday’s game. “The escape for me is getting out there and playing hockey and doing something that I love,” he said. “I’m just not thinking too much and going out there and playing my game.” Losing in a shootout was tough after it looked like the Rebels had the game wrapped up. But with Bow on the bench for an extra attacker, they were unable to clear the puck on multiple attempts and Lernout eventually wired a one-time from the point past Toth.

Photo by ASHLI BARRETT/Advocate Staff

Red Deer Rebels Captain Connor Bleackley advances the puck past Glenn Gawdin of the Swift Current Broncos during Tuesday evening WHL action at the Enmax Centrium. “We’re doing a lot of good things and we just got to stay the course,” said Rebels general manager/head coach Brent Sutter. “You knew it was going to be one of these games. The last time they were in here it was a different score (6-2 Rebels win on Dec. 11) but it was real tight for two periods. We just got to learn from it and make sure in the last minute of a game, up a goal, that we get the job done.” Toth had an uneven night. He was shaky early, giving up a bad rebound on the Broncos first goal that was buried by DeBrusk, but he settled down over the final 40 minutes and played a solid game, making several key saves in the third period to keep the Rebels in the game. The loss also spoiled a solid night for Sheen who was a plus-three in addition to his two goals. The play-making left winger is usually on the other side of the scoring ledger, dishing out the passes instead of finishing them off. He came into the game with six goals and 28 assists. “He’s a little jitter bug out there and makes plays in the corner and he finds me with his eyes in the

back of his head,” said Bleackley. Defenceman Colton Bobyk made his debut for the Rebels after being acquired from the Spokane Chiefs on Saturday, playing in his first game since Nov. 11 as he battled a knee injury. Sutter was impressed with what he saw, matched up with Austin Strand on the blue-line. “He just kept it simple, he did exactly what we wanted him to do,” said Sutter. The Rebels are back in action on Friday as whey host the Kootenay Ice at 7 p.m. NOTES — The Rebels were 0-for-2 on the power play while the Broncos were 0-for-3 ... Defenceman Josh Mahura was the odd man out for the Rebels to allow Bobyk into the lineup ... Rebels forward Adam Musil missed another game with a lower body injury and remains day-to-day ... The Broncos were without top defenceman Dillon Heatherington who is with Team Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Montreal and Toronto, and top-six forward Carter Rigby who is suspended. jaldrich@reddeeradvocate.com

Red Deer’s Fraser looking Canada-U.S. showdown puts for fresh start in Edmonton WORLD JUNIORS

top prospects in spotlight BY THE CANADIAN PRESS BROSSARD, Que. — It will be hard to overlook the head-to-head battle between the likely top two picks in the NHL draft when Canada faces the United States at the world junior championship. Debate has raged for at least two years on whether Canada’s Connor McDavid or American Jack Eichel will go first at the 2015 draft in June. But before that is settled, the gifted teenagers will face each other in a showdown for first place in their preliminary round group at the Bell Centre on Wednesday afternoon. While both insist the game is about the teams and not themselves, many fans in the seats and viewers on television will be comparing the play of two of the best junior prospects to emerge in recent years. “It’s there a little bit,” McDavid said Tuesday of the Connor versus Jack sideshow. “It’s been something that’s been there for a long time now, but at the end of the day, it’s the U.S. against Canada. It’s not me against anybody else.” Eichel agreed. “It’s not all about me versus Connor, it’s a huge matchup for the top seed in our bracket,” he said. Eichel, who turned 18 on Oct. 28, was named captain of the American squad despite his youth, while Canada made McDavid, who turns 18 on Jan. 13, an alternate to captain Curtis Lazar. It is rare for a so-called “underage” player at the mostly 19-year-old tournament to wear any letter at all, but these two are special talents. Both are great skaters. Both have sublime hands and playmaking ability. Both pile up points, although neither has had a breakout game at the world juniors yet. After three games each, McDavid has a goal and two assists, all collected during a 4-0 win over Germany. Eichel has a goal and a helper. In the Ontario Hockey League, the six-foot-one 187-pound McDavid has 16 goals and 51 points in only 18 games for the Erie Otters. Before the world juniors, he hadn’t played since Nov. 11 after breaking his right hand in a fight.

Please see JUNIORS on Page B5

BY JOSH ALDRICH ADVOCATE STAFF

In 24 hours Red Deer forward Matt Fraser went from a potential ticket to the minors to a fresh start in Edmonton. The rugged left winger was put on waivers by the Boston Bruins on Monday, but was claimed by the Oilers while he was eating his pre-game meal with teammates as they prepared to play the Detroit Red Wings. While the Bruins were beating Detroit 5-2, the sixfoot-one, 204-pound Fraser was on the next flight to Alberta, preparing to join a team that sits dead last in the NHL and will likely miss the playoffs for a ninth straight season. But it could wind up being the best thing in the world for Fraser, 24, as the Oilers have a dearth of young players that play with an edge and know what it takes to win at this level. “I’m excited to be back on home soil and to just really enjoy myself and go out there and play,” he said. “I know this Oilers team, people have different opinions about it, but when it comes down to it what matters most is how those 22 players feel in the dressing room, how management feels and how the coaches feel and I think everyone is excited about the changes that are happening. As a team you’ve got to rally around one another and bring it every night.” Fraser has, to this point of his career, been stuck with a tweener label. An all-star in the American Hockey League, but maybe not good enough to be a regular in the NHL. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Stars after four solid seasons in the WHL, first with his home town Red Deer Rebels but mostly with the Kootenay Ice, completed with a league championship in 2011 in which he scored a playoff-high 15 goals and was named the WHL’s humanitarian of the year. He only had a couple of opportunities with the Stars over the next two seasons but he tore it up with their AHL affiliate — the Texas Stars — scoring 101 points (70 goals, 31 assists) in 133 games. The next offseason he was dealt to Boston in the trade that sent Tyler Seguin to the Stars. Though Fraser only got into 14 games with the Bruins during the regular season — he scored 30 points (20-10-30) in 44 games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins — he made his mark in a playoff call up, scoring in overtime in Game 3 of the first round against the Montreal Canadiens. This year he was hoping to make his break through in Beantown after signing a one-year $625,000 contract with the club.

Greg Meachem, Sports Editor, 403-314-4363 E-mail gmeachem@reddeeradvocate.com

>>>>

Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff

Former Red Deer Rebel Matt Fraser skated in the Red Deer Rebel Alumni Skate at the Centrium in September. Fraser was recently picked up on waivers by the Edmonton Oilers and excited to be close to home and help the Oilers. But he found himself buried on the depth chart in an organization with a glut of left-handed wingers. In 24 games he scored just three goals with seven penalty minutes. It was a frustrating end to his time in Boston. “It’s not an easy thing to go through and for a team to tell you they’re putting you on waivers, it’s not fun, but that’s what we sign up for and that’s part of the job,” said Fraser. “The funny thing about this business — no one likes to look at it this way — we’re all interchangeable parts and everyone is looking to upgrade, especially on teams that are struggling.” He now joins a club that sits last in the NHL despite a bevy of high draft picks in the last eight seasons. The Oilers fired head coach Dallas Eakins two weeks ago, bringing in new bench boss Todd Nelson from the Oklahoma City Barons.

Please see FRASER on Page B5

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SCOREBOARD Hockey

B5

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 2014

Local Sports

WHL EASTERN CONFERENCE EAST DIVISION GP W L OTLSOL GF Brandon 38 27 7 3 1 171 Regina 36 22 12 2 0 138 Swift Current 38 19 15 0 4 120 Moose Jaw 37 15 19 2 1 107 Prince Albert 38 16 21 1 0 109 Saskatoon 38 9 26 2 1 105 CENTRAL DIVISION GP W L OTLSOL GF Medicine Hat 37 26 9 1 1 151 Red Deer 38 20 13 4 1 133 Calgary 37 20 14 1 2 148 Kootenay 38 20 17 1 0 123 Edmonton 37 16 16 3 2 109 Lethbridge 36 9 22 3 2 95 WESTERN CONFERENCE B.C. DIVISION GP W L OTLSOL GF Kelowna 38 29 6 3 0 164 Victoria 39 18 18 2 1 128 Prince George 38 19 19 0 0 116 Vancouver 36 16 19 1 0 107 Kamloops 39 13 21 3 2 116 U.S. DIVISION GP W L OTLSOL GF Everett 36 22 10 3 1 119 Spokane 35 20 12 3 0 102 Portland 38 19 16 0 3 128 Tri-City 35 18 16 0 1 97 Seattle 36 16 16 2 2 95

Red Deer: 0-2. GA 119 107 124 131 129 169

Pt 58 46 42 33 33 21

GA 100 124 113 139 108 155

Pt 54 45 43 41 37 23

GA 93 135 151 114 147

Pt 61 39 39 33 31

GA 99 95 132 96 101

Pt 48 43 41 37 36

Tuesday’s results Brandon 4 Prince Albert 1 Regina 5 Saskatoon 3 Swift Current 4 Red Deer 3 (OT) Lethbridge 2 Calgary 9 Medicine Hat 5 Kootenay 4 (OT) Kamloops at Vancouver, late Prince George 5 Kelowna 3 Everett 4 Seattle 2

National Hockey League EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division GP W L OT Pts Montreal 37 24 11 2 50 Tampa Bay 38 23 11 4 50 Detroit 37 19 9 9 47 Toronto 37 20 14 3 43 Florida 34 16 9 9 41 Boston 37 19 15 3 41 Ottawa 36 15 14 7 37 Buffalo 37 14 20 3 31 Metropolitan Division GP W L OT Pts Pittsburgh 36 22 9 5 49 N.Y. Islanders 36 24 11 1 49 Washington 36 18 11 7 43 N.Y. Rangers 34 19 11 4 42 Philadelphia 36 14 16 6 34 Columbus 34 15 16 3 33 New Jersey 38 13 18 7 33 Carolina 36 10 22 4 24 WESTERN CONFERENCE Central Division GP W L OT Pts Chicago 37 25 10 2 52 Nashville 36 24 9 3 51 St. Louis 37 22 12 3 47 Winnipeg 37 19 11 7 45 Minnesota 34 17 13 4 38 Dallas 35 16 14 5 37 Colorado 36 13 15 8 34 Pacific Division GP W L OT Pts Anaheim 38 24 8 6 54 Los Angeles 38 18 12 8 44 Vancouver 34 20 11 3 43 San Jose 36 19 12 5 43 Calgary 38 20 15 3 43 Arizona 36 14 18 4 32 Edmonton 37 8 22 7 23

GF GA 100 86 122 99 105 94 124 111 80 88 98 99 97 99 75 123 GF 109 112 105 102 100 86 82 72

GA 86 101 94 87 109 109 108 98

GF GA 117 78 106 78 108 93 94 87 99 95 102 118 92 109 GF 107 103 100 100 110 86 79

GA 101 94 93 93 100 115 127

Monday’s Games Chicago 5, Nashville 4, SO Boston 5, Detroit 2 New Jersey 3, Pittsburgh 1 N.Y. Islanders 4, Washington 3, OT Montreal 3, Carolina 1 Ottawa 5, Buffalo 2 Tampa Bay 3, Toronto 2 St. Louis 3, Colorado 0 Minnesota 3, Winnipeg 2 Dallas 3, N.Y. Rangers 2 Calgary 2, Los Angeles 1 Arizona 4, Philadelphia 2

Wednesday’s games Swift Current at Edmonton, 6 p.m. Regina at Moose Jaw, 6 p.m. Spokane at Tri-City, 8:05 p.m. Seattle at Portland, 9 p.m. Thursday’s games Brandon at Saskatoon, 3:05 p.m. Friday’s games Everett at Prince Albert, 6 p.m. Moose Jaw at Regina, 6 p.m. Lethbridge at Edmonton, 7 p.m. Kootenay at Red Deer, 7 p.m. Kelowna at Kamloops, 8 p.m. Spokane at Victoria, 8:05 p.m. Prince George at Vancouver, 8:30 p.m. Tri-City at Seattle, 8:35 p.m.

Tuesday’s summary Broncos 4, Rebels 3 (SO) First Period 1. Red Deer, Sheen 7 (Bleackley, Pawlenchuk) 1:02. 2. Swift Current, Debrusk 19 (Bow) 13:04. 3. Red Deer, Sheen 8 (Adamson, Bleackley) 19:23. Penalties - Lernout SC (elbowing) 10:24, Sheen RD (tripping) 17:01. Second Period 4. Swift Current, Debrusk 20 (Lajoie, Cave) 17:16. Penalties - Pawlenchuk RD (hooking) 19:00. Third Period 5. Red Deer, Bleackley 18 (Cote) 14:19. 6. Swift Current, Lernout 9 (Lajoie, Gawdin) 19:08. Penalties - Maxwell RD (inter. on goaltender) 0:17, Nikkel SC (roughing) 10:21. Overtime No Scoring. Penalties - None. Shootout Swift Current : Gordon miss, Gawdin goal, Debrusk goal. Red Deer : Sheen miss, Bleackley miss. Shots on goal Swift Current 4 9 12 6 3 - 31 Red Deer 12 13 10 3 2 - 38 Goal - Swift Current: Bow (W, 18-12-0); Red Deer: Toth (LS, 18-10-3). Power plays (goal-chances) - Swift Current: 0-3;

Predators 3, Blues 2 First Period 1. Nashville, Weber 7 (Jokinen, Bourque) 18:05. Penalties - Ribeiro Nash (hooking) 3:17, Stastny StL (holding) 11:33, Ott StL (charging) 18:21. Second Period 2. St. Louis, Butler 2 (Backes) :50. 3. St. Louis, Oshie 6 (Backes, Steen) 14:39. 4. Nashville, Bourque 2 (Jokinen, Gaustad) 16:06. Third Period 5. Nashville, Weber 8 (Josi) 9:02 (sh). Shots on goal St. Louis 8 8 12 - 28 Nashville 12 18 17 - 47 Goal - St. Louis: Elliott (L, 8-5-1); Nashville: Rinne (W, 24-6-2). Power plays (goal-chances) - St. Louis: 0-4; Nashville: 0-4. Canadiens 2, Panthers 1 (SO) First Period No Scoring. Penalties - Olsen Fla (cross-checking) 11:00. Second Period 1. Montreal, Gallagher 11 (Eller, Beaulieu) 18:54. Penalties - Emelin Mtl (hooking) 3:03, Gallagher Mtl (holding) 5:25, Gudbranson Fla (interference) 9:19. Third Period 2. Florida, Bjugstad 13 (Ekblad, Huberdeau) 18:11. Penalties - Parenteau Mtl (tripping) 14:12. Overtime No Scoring. Penalties - None. Shootout - Montreal wins 1-0 Montreal : Galchenyuk miss, Desharnais miss, Parenteau goal. Florida : Trocheck miss, Bjugstad miss, Huberdeau miss. Shots on goal Montreal 8 20 4 2 34 Florida 7 14 14 2 37 Goal - Montreal: Tokarski (W, 4-2-1); Florida: Luongo (LO, 14-7-7). Power plays (goal-chances) - Montreal: 0-2; Florida: 0-3. World Junior Hockey Championships Group A GP W OTWOTL L GF GA Pts Canada 3 3 0 0 0 16 1 9 USA 3 2 1 0 0 11 1 8 Slovakia 4 2 0 0 2 7 14 6 Finland 3 0 0 1 2 3 8 1 Germany 3 0 0 0 3 2 15 0 Group B GP W OTWOTL L GF GA Pts Sweden 3 3 0 0 0 13 5 9 Russia 3 1 1 0 1 12 5 5 Switzerland 3 1 0 1 1 8 13 4 Denmark 4 0 1 2 1 10 15 4 Czech Republic 3 0 1 0 2 8 13 2

Tuesday’s Games Montreal 2, Florida 1, SO Edmonton 3, Los Angeles 2, SO Nashville 3, St. Louis 2 Vancouver 3, San Jose 1

Saturday, January 3 Prince Albert at Moose Jaw, 6 p.m. Everett at Saskatoon, 6:05 p.m. Calgary at Brandon, 6:30 p.m. Kootenay at Edmonton, 7 p.m. Red Deer at Lethbridge, 7 p.m. Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m. Vancouver at Kamloops, 8 p.m. Tri-City at Portland, 8 p.m. Spokane at Victoria, 8:05 p.m. Prince George at Kelowna, 8:05 p.m.

Shots on goal Los Angeles 7 15 15 2 - 39 Edmonton 6 10 1 4 - 21 Goal - Los Angeles: Quick (LO, 15-9-7); Edmonton: Scrivens (W, 6-13-5). Power plays (goal-chances) - Los Angeles: 1-3; Edmonton: 0-3.

Wednesday’s Games N.Y. Islanders at Winnipeg, 3 p.m. Tampa Bay at Buffalo, 4 p.m. N.Y. Rangers at Florida, 4 p.m. Toronto at Boston, 5 p.m. Carolina at Pittsburgh, 5 p.m. Minnesota at Columbus, 5 p.m. New Jersey at Detroit, 5:30 p.m. San Jose at Anaheim, 6 p.m. Arizona at Dallas, 6:30 p.m. Philadelphia at Colorado, 7 p.m. Edmonton at Calgary, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, December 29 Czech Republic 4 Denmark 3 (OT) USA 3 Slovakia 0 Sweden 3 Russia 2 Canada 4 Finland 1 Tuesday, December 30 Denmark 4 Switzerland 3 (SO) Slovakia 5 Germany 2

Thursday’s Games Chicago at Washington 11 a.m. Los Angeles at Vancouver, 8 p.m. Tuesday’s summary Oilers 3, Kings 2 (SO) First Period 1. Edmonton, Hendricks 3 (Roy, Klefbom) 4:37. Penalties - King LA (hooking) 2:04, Draisaitl Edm (hooking) 15:53, Petry Edm (tripping) 17:23. Second Period 2. Edmonton, Nugent-Hopkins 11 (Hall) 9:32. Penalties - Andreoff LA (roughing) 12:18, Toffoli LA (roughing) 14:49, Yakupov Edm (slashing) 14:49. Third Period 3. Los Angeles, Doughty 4 (Carter) 10:02. 4. Los Angeles, Muzzin 5 (Gaborik, Kopitar) 17:35 (pp). Penalties - Kopitar LA (tripping) 14:56, Schultz Edm (high-sticking) 16:59. Overtime No Scoring. Penalties - None. Shootout - Edmonton wins 1-0 Los Angeles : Carter miss, Kopitar miss, Toffoli miss, Williams miss. Edmonton : Roy miss, Eberle miss, Hendricks miss, Perron goal.

STORIES FROM PAGE B4

FRASER: Grit They also traded for veteran centreman Derek Roy from the Nashville Predators on Monday afternoon. The Oilers are desperate for the kind of grit that has been Fraser’s calling card, and he will be given every opportunity in Edmonton to sink or swim. Fraser lined up on the left wing for Tuesday night’s game against the L.A. Kings with rookie Leon Draistail at centre and veteran forward David Perron on right wing. “On a team that hasn’t had much success in the last few years,” said Fraser, “you’ve got to bring an element of your game into the dressing room and on to the ice so the coaches and the management, and even your teammates, can see that this is a guy that wants to be here, this is a guy that wants to win and wants to change the culture of this dressing room.” He got a full dose of a winning culture in Boston. For the Bruins it was all about self sacrifice, especially among their top players like Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, David Krejci, Tuukka Rask and Milan Lucic “These guys all have their individual awards ... but it’s more important to them how the team plays and how the team is producing,” said Fraser.

Wednesday, December 31 Sweden vs. Switzerland, 11 a.m. USA vs. Canada, 2 p.m. Czech Republic vs. Russia, 3 p.m. Finland vs. Germany, 6 p.m. End of preliminary round 2014 Spengler Cup At Davos, Switzerland Monday’s results Quarter-finals Ufa (Russia) 3 Zagreb (Croatia) 0 Canada 5 Helsinki (Finland) 2 Tuesday’s results Semifinals Ufa (Russia) 4 Davos (Switzerland) 3 (SO) Geneve-Servette (Switzerland) 6 Canada 5 Wednesday’s game Championship Ufa (Russia) vs Geneve-Servette (Switzerland,) 4 a.m.

“Those guys, without even batting an eye, would give up their own personal success for the success of the team.” Edmonton is just about as close to home as he can play in the NHL. He was born and raised in Red Deer, playing all of his minor hockey here and was a ninth round draft pick of the Rebels in the 2005 WHL bantam draft. But he only played eight games for the club before he was dealt to the Ice. He is well aware of all the extra pressures that come with playing so close to home, but there is little doubt where his mind is at. “My job and my focus is winning hockey games here and being a part of this team,” said Fraser, who was a Colorado Avalanche and Joe Sakic fan growing up — his parents were Oilers fans. “It’s nice to be close to home and have that comfort, but at the end of the day, the guys in the dressing room are my family and those are the guys you need to make sure you’re included with and make sure you’re a part of the team, not just a guy who floats in and out.” jaldrich@reddeeradvocate.com

JUNIORS: Exciting The six-foot-two 193-pound Eichel has eight goals and 27 points in 16 games for Boston University playing against slightly older competition in the NCAA.

● Heritage junior B hockey: Three Hills at Red Deer, 8 p.m., Arena; Mountainview at Ponoka, 8 p.m.

Friday ● WHL: Kootenay at Red Deer, 7 p.m., Centrium. ● Midget AA hockey: Red Deer Elks at Olds, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday

Saturday ● Midget AA hockey: Bow Valley at Red Deer Indy Graphics, 11:30 a.m., Arena; Calgary Bruins at Red Deer Elks, 2 p.m., Arena. ● Peewee AA hockey: Bow Valley at Lacombe, 1:45 p.m.; Airdrie Red at Olds, 2:45 p.m. ● Junior women’s hockey: Medicine Hat at Central Alberta, 4:15 p.m., Penhold Regional Multiplex. ● Bantam AA hockey: Wheatland at Sylvan Lake, 5:45 p.m. ● WHL: Red Deer at Lethbridge, 7 p.m. (The Drive).

● Major midget girls hockey: Edmonton at Red Deer, noon, Collicutt Centre. ● Major bantam hockey: Grande Prairie at Red Deer Black, noon, Arena. ● Junior women’s hockey: Lethbridge at Central Alberta, 1:30 p.m., Penhold Regional Multiplex. ● Peewee AA hockey: Wheatland at Lacombe, 2 p.m. ● Midget AA hockey: Lacombe at Sylvan Lake, 2:30 p.m., Bentley; Okotoks at Olds, 5:30 p.m. ● Minor midget AAA hockey: Calgary Bruins at Red Deer Northstar, 2:45 p.m., Arena. ● Bantam AA hockey: Badlands at Olds, 2:45 p.m.; Okotoks at Lacombe, 4:30 p.m.

Football a.m. Indianapolis, Cincinnati or Pittsburgh at Denver, 2:40 p.m.

NFL Playoffs Wild-card Playoffs Saturday, Jan. 3 Arizona at Carolina, 2:35 p.m. Baltimore at Pittsburgh, 6:15 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 4 Cincinnati at Indianapolis, 11:05 a.m. Detroit at Dallas, 2:40 p.m.

Conference Championships Sunday, Jan. 18 NFC, 1:05 p.m. AFC, 4:40 p.m. Pro Bowl Sunday, Jan. 25 At Glendale, Ariz. Team Irvin vs. Team Carter, 6 p.m.

Divisional Playoffs Saturday, Jan. 10 Baltimore, Indianapolis or Cincinnati at New England, 2:35 p.m. Arizona, Detroit or Carolina at Seattle, 6:15 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 11 Arizona, Dallas or Carolina at Green Bay, 11:05

Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 1 At Glendale, Ariz.

Basketball National Basketball Association EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division W L Pct GB Toronto 24 7 .774 Brooklyn 15 16 .484 9 Boston 10 18 .357 12 1/2 New York 5 28 .152 20 Philadelphia 4 26 .133 19 1/2 Southeast Division W L Pct 23 8 .742 22 9 .710 14 18 .438 13 22 .371 10 22 .313

GB 1 9 1/2 12 13 1/2

Central Division W L Pct 22 10 .688 18 13 .581 16 16 .500 11 21 .344 8 23 .258

GB 3 1/2 6 11 13 1/2

WESTERN CONFERENCE Southwest Division W L Pct Memphis 23 8 .742 Houston 21 9 .700 Dallas 23 10 .697 San Antonio 19 14 .576 New Orleans 16 15 .516

GB 1 1/2 1 5 7

Northwest Division W L Pct 25 7 .781 15 17 .469 13 19 .406 11 21 .344 5 25 .167

GB 10 12 14 19

Atlanta Washington Miami Orlando Charlotte

Chicago Cleveland Milwaukee Indiana Detroit

Portland Oklahoma City Denver Utah Minnesota

Now they are set to play against each other with a host of NHL scouts and a national TV audience watching every move. “You always want to be a difference maker, whatever game it is,” said the soft-spoken McDavid. “Obviously it’s a bigger stage, but that doesn’t make a difference.” Both coaches, Benoit Groulx for Canada and Mark Osiecki for the U.S., praised their young phenoms for not getting too caught up in the hype about themselves and for putting their team’s performance first. Although McDavid and Eichel have never really met off the ice, they’ve faced each other before at under-17 and under-18 events. They also both played at last year’s world junior championship in Malmo, Sweden, although neither was in a leading role at that point in their development. “It’s exciting, but it’s more exciting just to be at this tournament in general,” said Eichel. “It’s been a lot of fun so far and I’m sure it’ll be a blast.” Canada and the U.S. have built a rivalry in recent years that will add intensity to the matchup. And regardless

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Golden State L.A. Clippers Phoenix Sacramento L.A. Lakers

Pacific Division W L Pct 25 5 .833 21 11 .656 18 15 .545 13 18 .419 10 22 .313

GB 5 8 1/2 12 1/2 16

Monday’s Games Chicago 92, Indiana 90 Milwaukee 104, Charlotte 94, OT Orlando 102, Miami 101 Brooklyn 107, Sacramento 99 Washington 104, Houston 103 L.A. Clippers 101, Utah 97 Tuesday’s Games Detroit 109, Orlando 86 Atlanta 109, Cleveland 101 New Orleans 110, Phoenix 106 Brooklyn 96, Chicago 82 Memphis 95, San Antonio 87 Dallas 114, Washington 87 L.A. Lakers 111, Denver 103 Utah 100, Minnesota 94 Toronto at Portland, late Golden State 126, Philadelphia 86 Wednesday’s Games Sacramento at Boston, 11 a.m. Miami at Indiana, 1 p.m. New York at L.A. Clippers, 4 p.m. Charlotte at Houston, 5 p.m. New Orleans at San Antonio, 5 p.m. Milwaukee at Cleveland, 5 p.m. Phoenix at Oklahoma City, 6 p.m. Thursday’s Games Denver at Chicago, 6 p.m. Sacramento at Minnesota, 6 p.m.

of who wins, they could end up meeting again in the knockout stage. “For us, it’s Canada versus the U.S., not Connor versus Eichel,” said Groulx. “Those are two guys among 44 players who will play against each other. “I can’t answer for him, but I think a lot of media have been talking about Eichel and McDavid, so I think they’re used to it. But Connor is a team player and he thinks more about us winning than him versus Eichel.” Canada (3-0-0 for nine points) has outscored its opponents 16-1 so far, while the U.S. (2-0-1 for eight points) has an 11-1 edge. The Americans lost a point by going to overtime and a shootout in its tournament opening 2-1 win over Finland. Where Canada has an edge is on the power play, which has scored on five of 10 chances. The Americans have one goal in 13 opportunities. Neither team has conceded a power-play goal. Groulx made a surprise move in announcing that Eric Comrie will get the start in goal. Zach Fucale, a Montreal native, started the first and third games, allowing one goal, while Comrie had a 4-0 shutout against Germany.

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Canada ousted Oilers get back in win column from Spengler with shootout victory over Kings Cup with loss to Geneve-Servette BY THE CANADIAN PRESS

BY THE CANADIAN PRESS DAVOS, Switzerland — HC Geneve-Servette was sitting on a seemingly insurmountable 5-0 lead midway through its Spengler Cup semifinal against Canada. It turned out the defending champion would need every one of those goals. Geneve-Servette weathered a furious Canadian comeback and held on for a 6-5 win on Tuesday. “We said we were going to come back, and we did,” Canadian head coach Guy Boucher said after the game. “One thing’s for sure, when you’re on the international scene and you’re trailing 5-0, a lot of people would quit. I think we proved that we’re Canadians. Canadians don’t quit. They fight and they make things happen.” Geneve-Servette also beat Canada in last year’s semifinal on its way to its first Spengler Cup title, and the Swiss team looked like a lock to duplicate that feat early in Tuesday’s game. Inti Pestoni and Tom Pyatt scored even-strength goals in the first period, then Romain Loeffel and Francis Bouillon added second-period power-play goals, ending Canadian goaltender Drew MacIntyre’s night. “We put ourselves behind the 8-ball. What had been our strengths in the past games was to prevent goals and the penalty kill and all that, and today it didn’t go the way we wanted it to,” Boucher said. Timothy Kast appeared to put the game away with a short-handed goal on Canada’s backup goaltender Nolan Schaefer at 10:25 of the second period. Canada responded quickly, however, with Mike Hedden answering Kast’s goal just 29 seconds later. Goals from Ryan Parent and Jerome Samson cut Geneve-Servette’s lead to 5-3 after 40 minutes, then Alexandre Giroux scored 1:39 into the third to move Canada within a goal. Loeffel’s second power-play goal of the game sapped Canada’s momentum and put the Swiss side up 6-4. Marc-Antoine Pouliot scored at 10:42 to again cut the lead to one, but Canada couldn’t find the gametying goal. HC Geneve-Servette will play Salavat Yulaev Ufa in Wednesday’s final.

Oilers 3 Kings 2 (SO) EDMONTON — David Perron scored the shootout winner as the Edmonton Oilers snapped a ninegame losing streak, their secondlongest losing skid of the season, with a 3-2 victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. Matt Hendricks and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored in regulation for the Oilers (8-22-7), who won for just the second time in their last 22 games. It was also just the second win of the season for the Oilers against a Western Conference opponent, upping their record to 2-18-6 in that category. Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin responded for the Kings (18-12-8), who lost their second game in as many nights and fifth straight on the road. Edmonton kicked off the scoring four-and-a-half minutes into the opening period as Derek Roy made an impact in his first game with the Oilers since coming over in a trade from Nashville, making a heads-up feed to Hendricks, who blasted a shot from the slot gloveside past Kings starting goalie Jonathan Quick. Roy left the game soon afterwards when his ankle was cut by a skate and he missed the remainder of the first period before returning to start the second. Edmonton made it 2-0 just prior to the midway point of the second period after some strong forechecking in the Kings zone. Nugent-Hopkins made a kick pass to Taylor Hall and followed up on the play to get the puck back and score his 11th of the season. Oilers goalie Ben Scrivens upheld the two-goal lead with three minutes left in the second on a huge glove save on a point blast

Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS

Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick makes the save on Edmonton Oilers Jordan Eberle during shootout NHL action in Edmonton, on Tuesday. from Alec Martinez. The Kings outshot the Oilers 2216 through 40 minutes. Los Angeles broke Scrivens’ shutout bid midway through the third, although it took a while to determine. Doughty’s rocket from the point was originally thought to have hit the cross bar and the game continued on for another 34 seconds before a stoppage in play allowed a video review, which determined the puck had gone off the camera inside the net. The Kings tied the game with Oiler Justin Schultz in the box for a high-sticking call as Marian Gaborik swung behind the net during a scramble and fed the puck in front to Muzzin, who scored on the short side with just 2:25 remaining in the third to send the game into extra time. L.A. outshot Edmonton 15-1 in the third period. Both teams had glorious op-

portunities during a frantic overtime, but the game still went to the shootout. The Oilers return to action on Wednesday in Calgary against the rival Flames. The Kings finish off a three-game Western Canada trip in Vancouver on Thursday. Notes: It was the second of five meetings this season between the two teams. The Kings defeated the Oilers 6-1 on Oct. 14 at Staples Center. The Kings entered the game with seven consecutive wins over Edmonton. … Matt Fraser also made his Oilers debut after being picked up on waivers from the Boston Bruins. … It was the first game that Oilers interim head coach Todd Nelson had the bench to himself, as GM Craig MacTavish returned to the press box. … Scrivens played his 100th NHL game. … Edmonton defenceman Nikita Nikitin returned from a back injury. Remaining out with a foot injury was forward Benoit Pouliot.

Pair of rodeo events allows fans to ring in new year in style Ringing in the New Year with rodeo is an option first time he’s headed to the big city with it. The ro- Harden of Big Valley, as well as Branden Dillman in two different places. deo tests the versatility of the 14 contestants who’ve from Rocky Mountain House. 2013 Canadian AllThe Ponoka Ag Events Centre is putting on its bravely signed on. They each have to compete in all Around Champion Travis Reay, long known for his first New Year’s Eve Bucking Bash. five major rodeo events. That means you’ll see grit in numerous events, will be competing, along DIANNE It features bulls and broncs. There bareback riders getting on a bull, and steer with another Canadian All-Around champ, Steven will be 24 bull riders, and 12 cowboys wrestlers cinching up a saddle for the bronc Turner. They’ll be joined by the Smith brothers from FINSTAD getting on bucking horses. There will riding. It makes for some good watching. Rexburg, Idaho and well as several Montana hands, be both bareback and saddle bronc “You get to watch cowboys being cowboys. and even one contender from Arizona! riders in that crew. The top eight Nobody wants to wimp out,” chuckled WyzykoThe Ultimate Cowboy Championship is at the bull riders after their first ride will ski. Agrium Western Event Centre at Stampede Park. advance to the finals. The bronc riders get two head Defending champion Clay Elliott will be back, Doors open at 8:00 pm, with the rodeo action starting each, and again the top eight advance to the finals. in hopes of earning the bragging rights two years in at 8:45. Riders include the likes of the Thurstons of Big Val- a row. This year’s lineup includes Josh and Colter Dianne Finstad is a Red Deer freelance rodeo writer ley, the Watt brothers of Hardisty and the Greens of Meeting Creek. But the stock is also competing. It’s a futurity for the horses, organized by eight-time Canadian saddle bronc champion Rod Hay. It’s called a ‘maturity’ for the bulls, since they’re more seasoned. Ponoka’s Nansen Vold and Duane Robinson are looking after the bull end of things. Sylvan Lake’s Brett Gardiner will be the announcer for the eve• Bluetooth Handsfree • Mobile Video • iPod Integration ning, and the rodeo events will be followed by dancn • GPS Navigation Systems • Remote Starters • Custom Installation ing. Tickets are available • CERTIFIED INSTALLERS Start your car when the doors open at 6:00 pm. from anywhere Down the road in Calwith your gary, it’s the Ultimate smartphone. Cowboy Event, organized by Eckville’s Scott Ask us how! Wyzykoski. He’s put on the 5125 - 76A Street Close, Red Deer unique contest for several a sales@vibecaraudio.ca www.vibecaraudio.ca years now, but this is the

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WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 2014

Take the safe route home TAKE A TAXI, USE A DESIGNATED DRIVER OR MAKE OTHER PRUDENT PLANS AFTER DRINKING BY BRENDA KOSSOWAN ADVOCATE STAFF Before you shower. Before you put on your fancy duds. Before you walk out the door tonight to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Think about how you’re going to get home when the party’s over, say people who make it their business to keep drunk drivers off the road. There’s an app for that, says Melissa Young, office manager for Associated Cabs in Red Deer. Her company recently joined a nationwide system that gives people 24-hour access to their local cab company. It’s as simple as downloading the Gata Hub app to a cellphone, Young said on Tuesday. The app can be used to order a cab and it will keep users posted on when they can expect their rides to arrive, so they don’t have to sit on hold waiting for an answer and they don’t have to wonder how long their cab will take, she said. While getting a cab after New Year’s

Eve parties are over has been historically difficult, there is less competition for cab rides now because many people are taking a more responsible attitude, said Young. They’re thinking ahead about their plans for getting home, including making sure they have a dedicated driver, or simply partying at home or spending the night rather than taking the risk of driving drunk, she said. Anyone who thinks they might need a cab is encouraged to download the Gata Hub cellphone app and get familiar with it so that getting a ride will be a breeze, said Young. The link is available on her company’s website, www.associatedcab.net, or by searching Gata Hub online. In Red Deer, transit services will be also be available during the evening. However, the last buses leave downtown at 11:15 p.m. Transit routes and schedules, including holiday hours, are available at reddeer.ca. Outside of the city, it is more difficult for people to find a ride after a night of celebrations, says Cpl. Barry

Larocque of the Blackfalds RCMP. Certainly, there will be cabs running through the hub between Red Deer and Lacombe, said Larocque. But people returning to more remote locations face additional challenges, including the risk of being caught without a ride and having nowhere to go in freezing temperatures. Larocque said the risk of suffering from hypothermia increases with the level of alcohol in a person’s blood, as does the risk of falling or suffering other medical issues related to being caught outside on a winter night. Alongside the increased risk of being involved in a collision, drinking drivers can expect to encounter a checkstop on the way home, said Larocque. Blackfalds RCMP will have extra members on patrol as New Year’s Eve celebrations wind down, with checkstops set up on secondary routes as well as at major access points in and out of the cities. “There’s people who think that, once they get off the beaten path, they

can meander their way home after having a number of drinks. We are going to be putting people on some of the secondary highways and roads ... just so that people don’t think that they can sneak around and avoid (checkstops),” he said. The bottom line for people who are heading out celebrate tonight is to be careful, plan ahead and enjoy themselves in a responsible manner, said Larocque. “The big thing is the plan ahead factor, so that one can get home. It’s not supposed to be that bad, temperature wise, but we don’t want to have a situation where someone gets stranded either leaving a rural licensed establishment or something like that.” The additional risks of having a collision on a rural road include lack of traffic, reduced cellphone coverage, raising the risk for a stricken vehicle and driver to remain undiscovered for a time after leaving the road. “Life can be shattered in a minute if you’re not careful,” said Larocque. bkossowan@reddeeradvocate.com

Charities reach out with Christmas dinners

STUCK IN THE MIDDLE

Photo by ASHLI BARRETT/Advocate staff

Shane Dequin, left, watches as Honeylyn Palattao, centre, and Charleeze Alcon race to get the ball while playing a game of monkey in the middle in the G.H. Dawe Pool. The pool was full of Red Deerians looking to escape the cold weather.

Collisions on downward trend: survey BY MURRAY CRAWFORD ADVOCATE STAFF It has been six months since the last fatal collision in Red Deer, and recently released collision statistics show a three-month downward trend of collisions that damaged vehicles. The latest update from the Red Deer Road Users Challenge, including statistics up to the end of November, shows all of the major categories decreasing. The notable exception was fatal collisions, which held at zero from October to November. The Red Deer Road Users Challenge is run by Doug Taylor, a retired engineer. It is a monthly tracking of all reported collisions in Red Deer. Based on quarterly results and benchmarks for number of collisions, Taylor distributes his own cash to four groups: seniors,

IN

BRIEF Join the New Year’s Eve resolution run Start the new year off on the right foot with a resolution run. The Running Room is hosting a fivekm fun run from Bower Ponds tonight starting at 6 p.m. Race entry is $57.75. Runners have until 5 p.m. today to register at the store (at 169 2004 50th Ave in Southpointe Common).

Diploma exam prep sessions offered in January at LTCHS Grade 12 students throughout Central Alberta have a chance to get an edge on their upcoming diploma exams with three weekends of review prep at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School. The Red Deer high school’s career centre, at 4204 58th St., is working with

high school students, college students and Red Deer Safety City. Injury collisions also fell in November, dropping to eight from 11 in October. In a news release this week, Taylor said the majority of injury collisions occur near or in signal intersections, involve two or more vehicles and result from one of three main types of driver errors: following too closely, left turn across path or disobeying the traffic signal. “Whenever you take a sudden action to avoid a collision — such as hard braking, sharp turning or rapid acceleration — then somebody has done something wrong,” he said. “Learn to recognize what led to the need for sudden action so that you can avoid similar situations in the future.” Taylor tracks the injury and fatal collisions and puts them in one category, Rock the Diploma, a diploma exam review and preparation company, to offer preparation sessions on the Friday, Saturday and Sundays of three weekends in January. Jan. 9, 10 and 11 will offer reviews of Social 30-1 and English 30-1; Jan. 16, 17 and 18 will offer reviews of Biology 30 and Math 30-1; and Jan. 23, 24 and 25 will offer reviews of Math 30-1, Math 30-2, Physics 30 and Chemistry 30. On Friday, the sessions will run from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., except for Math 30-1, which will run from 5 to 9:30 p.m.; on Saturday the sessions will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, sessions will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. According to a news release from Lindsay Thurber, the sessions fill up quickly and registration is required. Registration can be done by calling 403-314-2016, picking up a form from the school office or by going online to www.lindsaythurber.rdpsd.ab.ca.

School district, teachers help East Country food banks Clearview Public School District and the unions representing their employees have partnered together to make a contribution to the Stettler, Castor and Coronation food banks.

called casualty collisions. He tracks them over a six-month period and based on different target levels, he gives out up to $6,000. If there are fewer than 70 casualty collisions over the period, he awards $2,000; fewer than 50 and he awards $4,000; and fewer than 30 and he awards $6,000. The money is equally divided among the four groups. He gives out the cash twice a year, meaning the maximum achievable during the year is $12,000. In 2014, money was awarded in April and August. The level one award of $2,000 was handed out in April and in August, the level 2 award of $4,000 was handed out. “If drivers give themselves enough time to drive correctly and pay attention to what is happening around them at all times, achieving level 3 ($6,000) will be very possible in 2015,” said Taylor. mcrawford@reddeeradvocate.com

The school district and the Alberta Teachers Association Local 33 and the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4292 to make the donation totaling $2,200 to the three municipality’s food banks. The money will be divided among the three food banks based on student populations across the Clearview Public School district. According to a news release from the school board, the Stettler Food Bank helps about 300 families in the area. Numbers for the other two food banks were unavailable. “As a board, we greatly value the positive relationships that we have with our staff, and are pleased that these groups have been able to work together to give back to our communities,” said Cheri Neitz, Clearview Public School District board chair.

Pre-school literacy programs at Red Deer libraries Pre-school literacy programs will help babies, toddlers and preschoolers get acquainted with books at Red Deer libraries in the new year. The programs starting on Jan. 5 are offered for different age groups at different times of the day. All of the programs are offered at the Red Deer

Carolyn Martindale, City Editor, 403-314-4326 Fax 403-341-6560 E-mail editorial@reddeeradvocate.com

One local Christmas dinner set a record for the most people fed, but another saw fewer meals served than the year before. Either way, many empty stomachs went away full as the result of dinners put on by Abacus Datagraphics at Gaetz Memorial United Church and by the Salvation Army in December. Joanne Fleming Ruholl, Abacus Datagraphics dinner co-ordinator, said they easily served food to more than 1,000 people this year. “It’s the biggest number we’ve had so far,” said Fleming Ruholl. “Every year it gets a little bit more.” Although she hasn’t counted all the takeout numbers, she said it was more than 300 on top of the 661 served onsite at the dinner on Dec. 13. As well, 140 presents were given out to children at the Abacus dinner, and hoodies to adults. Fleming Ruholl didn’t have an exact number on hoodies given away but said “however many we had in the door, we gave away the same amount of hoodies.” Meanwhile, the Christmas Day dinner served up by the Salvation Army saw a slight decrease to 200 meals served. Of those, there were 32 deliveries to shut-ins, said Major Larry Bridger. “Our numbers weren’t quite what we had anticipated,” he said. “We still served 200 meals on Christmas Day, which was a pretty fair number.” Last Christmas, the Red Deer Salvation Army served about 230 meals on Christmas Day. “Our Thanksgiving one was up, but our Christmas one was down.” Although final numbers aren’t in for the Salvation Army’s annual kettle campaign, the last count — two days before the end — had $200,000 raised, which was the organization’s goal at the start of the campaign.

Public Library downtown branch, with some programs also offered at Dawe and Timberlands branches as well. Baby Fun is for babies from birth to 19 months old at the downtown branch on Thursdays at 10 a.m. and Fridays at 2 p.m.; and at the Timberlands branch Fridays at 10 a.m. Toddler Fun is for children 19 months to three years old at the Dawe branch on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and the downtown branch on Wednesdays at 11 a.m. Preschool Fun for ages three to five is at the Dawe branch Mondays at 10 a.m. and at the downtown branch on Wednesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. Books Before Bed Pajama Fun is for ages two and up and runs at the downtown branch Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. and at Timberlands Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. Family Fun is for ages two and up and runs at the Dawe library on Saturdays at 11 a.m. Each of the programs runs 30 to 45 minutes. Parents or caregivers are required to attend many of the programs with their children. For more details, check www.rdpl. org To reach the downtown branch, call 403-346-4576; the Dawe branch is at 403-341-3822; and the Timberlands branch is at 403-755-1133.

WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM

HEALTH

C2

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 2014

Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS

Rachael Allen, centre, an instructor at Iam Yoga, teaches a class of hot yoga in Toronto.

Yoga program designed for those with mental illness TORONTO — As a yoga devotee and founder of her own studio, Linda Malone is sharing her passion for the practice through a special program dedicated to helping people living with mental illness. Malone is the director of the Blu Matter Project, a not-for-profit organization acting as a bridge between its ambassador yoga studios and individuals living with depression and/or bipolar disorder. She said Blu Matter also uses social media to share research being done around the science and neurobiology of mindfulness, which encourages individuals to become conscious and aware of their thoughts and feelings in the present moment. “Many of the cognitive behavioural therapies incorporate an element of mindfulness,” said Dr. Arun Ravindran, senior scientist in the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. “It’s a kind of acceptance therapy. You’re getting people to realize the appropriate nature of the problem and trying to get them to overcome them.” Malone, founder of Toronto-based studio Iam Yoga, had a deeply personal reason for devoting herself to the cause. Her brother Michael was just 24 when he committed suicide in August 2012. While he was not formally diagnosed, Malone said her brother exhibited characteristics that were “textbook bipolar” as she recalled dramatic changes in his mood and energy. “I’d spend time with him, and sometimes he’d be talking a mile a minute about all kinds of different things, jumping from topic to topic,” she recalled. While he smoked from the time he was in high school, Michael knew his sister was into fitness, and she recalled him asking her to go for a run. “We’d run 20 kilometres and he’s still flying - and I’m dying. These were him in these very manic states,” Malone said. “Other times I would go out

and he would be cold, belligerent, lethargic, angry.” Malone lamented not seeing the signs of Michael’s mental health struggles. Through the Blu Matter Project, she’s offering outreach to individuals living with mental illness through yoga. Malone ended up being connected with therapists at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health - Canada’s largest mental health and addictions facility - who helped spread the word about the initiative and referred individuals to the project, although those not working in tandem with CAMH can also apply. “We sponsor people, so people who otherwise can’t afford it who are seeking treatment who are diagnosed with any form of depression — including mood disorders, anxiety or trauma — we connect them to the practice of yoga,” she said. Malone said the owner of Toronto’s Yogaspace approached her a few months ago and had several of her teachers take part in Blu Matter training, and the studio also plans to launch Blu Matter classes in 2015. Malone said there are plans ahead for more teacher training sessions in addition to establishing a presence in Vancouver. Malone said they educate participants about key ideas of their practice they can use when they’re away from the mat. “Whatever it is that you’re doing, it’s about becoming first very aware about what you’re experiencing mentally and physically.” A simple exercise involves location where participants look around and allow their eyes to move naturally in observing the space around them. “Begin to pay attention to your breathing and then explore as you’re looking around yourself — floor, ceiling, walls — explore the connection of your breath to any movements you’re experiencing in the body,” Malone said. “This is just a really simple exercise to ground, to step outside of any impulsive or disconnected or manic thought processes.” The Canadian Psychiatric Association and the Canadian Network for

Mood and Anxiety Treatments first teamed up to produce evidence-based clinical guidelines for treating depressive disorders in 2001 which were revised in 2009. A new set of guidelines is slated for release next summer, said Ravindran. He was the lead author of the section focused on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments which includes yoga, which researchers said may be considered a “secondline adjunctive treatment” in mild to moderate depression. Ravindran said it’s very clear that exercise is beneficial for many emotional disorders, particularly depression and anxiety which arise spontaneously or as a result of a medical condition, like cancer. There are even studies that suggest exercise may be as good as some of the psychological therapies, he noted. “Having said that, the benefit of exercise as a stand-alone treatment in depression is somewhat questionable — it’s not proven yet,” said Ravindran, who is also a staff psychiatrist in the Division of Mood and Anxiety Disorders at CAMH. “That doesn’t mean it doesn’t work, but it has not been clearly shown. What is clear is that when exercise is added on to standard treatment — either psychological or medication — it does con-

fer additional advantage.” For Micaela, who lives with bipolar disorder, Blu Matter offered her a boost when she was in need as a newcomer to the area also faced with significant stress at work. Knowing that yoga had been helpful in the past, she sought a new studio and happened to find Iam Yoga near her building, and learned about the Blu Matter Project while visiting the website. She’s been a participant for the past two months and is also able to attend conferences and special workshops. Micaela said she is at a stage of stability where she doesn’t require therapy. She currently uses medication, and yoga is part of her holistic approach to managing her mood disorder, which encompasses other coping strategies like journalling, breathing, meditation and mindfulness. “One of the things that is fantastic about yoga is helping foster a connection to my body,” said Micaela, who preferred not to have her surname published. “Particularly in times of stress, I may tend to do stress eating or just push myself to the point of working on fumes. But the fact that I’m connecting with my body twice a week or more, it makes me feel more attuned to what I’m feeling.”

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

C3

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 2014

Fax 403-341-6560 editorial@reddeeradvocate.com

ICE ON TAP

File photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff

Red Deer Rebel Conner Bleackley moves around Kelowna Rockets Devante Stephens during second period action at the Centrium. The Red Deer Rebels are back in action on Friday at home against the Kootenay Ice. Game time is 7 p.m.

● Heartland Cowboy Church is on the first and third Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m., in the Stettler Agriplex, next on Jan. 6 and 20. Call 403-742-4273.

THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS

● First Friday’s lineup on Jan. 2 includes: Breaking Free by Stephanie Mead at The Olive from 7 to 9 p.m., Dear Little Friends by Alysse Bowd at Kiwanis Gallery at Downtown Branch of Red Deer Public Library from 6 to 8 p.m., For the Love of Plein Air Group Show at Corridor Gallery, lower level of Red Deer Recreation Centre from 5 to 7 p.m. ● Red Deer Ringette Friends on Ice Tournament continues at Collicutt and Dawe Centre, Kinsmen, and Kinex Arenas on Jan. 2. Cheer on the players.

Saturday

● Sierra of Taylor Drive Music Jam is held the first Saturday of every month from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Everyone welcome to play an instrument, dance or simply listen to the music. Next jam session is Jan. 3. Each session $2. No jam session in July and August. Phone Chris at 403-341-3385.

Monday ● Ladies Auxiliary of Red Deer Royal Canadian Legion Branch #35 holds gener-

Wednesday ● Sylvan Lake Legion potluck and jam session is held the first Wednesday of each month from noon to 4 p.m., next Jan. 7. Come to play, sing, dance or listen. Admission is $2, including coffee and lunch at 2:30 p.m. Potluck begins at noon followed by the jam session at 1 p.m. Contact Margie at 403746-3153. ● Travel Memories at Red Deer Public Library Downtown Branch will be held Jan. 7 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the Waskasoo Meet-

Thursday ● First Thursdays in the Snell are free chamber music concerts from 12:15 to 1 p.m. at Red Deer Public Library Downtown Branch in the Snell Auditorium on the first Thursday of each month. Café Noir will sponsor the series and provide free coffee and tea. Bring lunch, or purchase at the café. The Jan. 8 event features pianist Ruston Vuori as musical guest. Phone 403-342-9122. Free will donation at the door. ● Golden Circle Senior Resource Centre dance, Thursday, Jan. 8, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the seniors’ centre. Dance to the music of Garry and Kathy Band. Admission is $7. Phone 403-347-6165, 403-342-2875, or 403-346-3896.

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Scientists try to pinpoint start of Ebola epidemic THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK — A team of researchers think they may have pinpointed how the Ebola epidemic in West Africa started — with a small boy playing in a hollowed-out tree where infected bats lived. The researchers explored an area in southeastern Guinea where 2-year-old Emile Ouamouno fell ill a year ago and died. Health officials believe he was the first case in the epidemic, which wasn’t recognized until spring. The Ebola virus wasn’t found in the bats they tested so they weren’t able to prove the source, the scientists reported in a study published Tuesday. But they believe the boy got Ebola from the furry, winged creatures that had lived in the hollow tree. “As a scientist, I can say it’s a possible scenario,” said one of the study’s authors, Fabian Leendertz of the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin. An outside expert said the researchers’ work was thought-provoking.

“They didn’t find smoking guns” but perhaps broadened the thinking about what sparked the epidemic, said Stephen Morse, a Columbia University infectious disease expert. The Ebola epidemic is the worst in world history, blamed for killing nearly 8,000 people across West Africa this year, mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The epidemic’s exact origin has never been determined, but the virus is thought to spread to people from some sort of animal. Many experts have suspected some species of fruit bat, though some wonder if West Africa’s epidemic started through another animal - like a chimpanzee or small antelope - that was perhaps infected by bats and then eaten by people. The researchers saw no signs that Ebola had affected larger animals around the boy’s small village of Meliandou. But they learned that a large colony of small, smelly bats with long tails lived in a hollow tree near the boy’s home. Villagers told the re-

Listings open to cultural/non-profit groups. Fax: 341-6560; phone: 314-4325; e-mail: editorial@ reddeeradvocate.com by noon Thursday for insertion following Thursday.

searchers that the tree caught fire in March, causing a “rain of bats” to pour out of the tree. The bats were destroyed or gone before the researchers arrived in midApril — a bad break for the researchers, Leendertz said.

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for complete details. ≥3.99% purchase financing for up to 96 months available on the new 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan/2015 Dodge Journey Canada Value Package models through RBC, Scotiabank and TD Auto Finance. Examples: 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan/2015 Dodge Journey Canada Value Package with a Purchase Price of $20,998/$19,998 (including applicable Consumer Cash and Ultimate Bonus Cash Discounts) financed at 3.99% over 96 months with $0 down payment equals 208 bi-weekly payments of $118/$112 with a cost of borrowing of $3,545/$3,376 and a total obligation of $24,543/$23,374. >2.79%

Dodge, Ram or FIAT vehicle (except 2014 Dodge Avenger SE and 2014/2015 Dodge Viper) at a special fixed rate on approved credit through Royal Bank of Canada, TD Auto Finance or Scotiabank. Offer does not apply to Scotiabank special rate financing contracts longer than 90 months. Monthly/bi-weekly/weekly payments will be deferred for 60 days and contracts will be extended accordingly. Interest charges will not accrue during the first 60 days of the contract. Customers will be responsible for any required down payment, license, registration and insurance costs at time of contract. Some conditions apply. See your dealer

vehicles and are deducted from the negotiated price before taxes. •$500 Holiday Bonus Cash is available on select new 2015 Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Fiat or Ram models at participating dealers from December 2-31, 2014 only. Excludes 2015 Jeep Patriot/2015 Dodge Grand Caravan Canada Value Package/2015 Dodge Journey Canada Value Package. Bonus Cash will be deducted from the negotiated purchase/lease price after taxes. See dealer for complete details and exclusions. ★The Make No Payments for 90 Days is a limited time offer which applies to retail customers who finance a new 2014/2015 Chrysler, Jeep,

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LIFESTYLE

C5

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 2014

Exotic requests from visitors seem rude and presumptuous

Obama’s golf game in Hawaii bumps Army couple from wedding spot THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

attorneys who are mediators or who work with private mediators who can be of assistance. Additionally, the local courthouse staff may be able to assist the parties in procuring mediation for small-claims cases or higher (the dollar amount varies by state). I highly recommend mediation because it is less expensive and less time consuming, and the individuals make the decision rather than a judge who will rule by statute. Of course, if they cannot resolve the issue through mediation, they still have litigation as the last resort. — W. Dear W.: Thank you for suggesting professional mediation as a way of working through these disagreements without resorting to a lawsuit. People are too quick to sue when simply talking it out and reaching a compromise often creates a solution without additional ill will. Dear Annie: I had a similar experience to that of “Proud Grandma,” whose childless daughter criticizes the way her siblings raise their kids. After hearing one too many criticisms, I finally came back with, “I hope, when you have children, they are as good as you think mine ought to be!” My sibling was hurt, but it didn’t happen so often afterward. — L. Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please email your questions to anniesmailbox@ comcast.net.

HONOLULU — A military couple getting married near President Barack Obama’s vacation spot in Hawaii learned the hard way that the big day rarely goes exactly as planned. Natalie Heimel and Edward Mallue Jr. — both U.S. Army captains stationed in Hawaii — were scheduled to tie the knot on Sunday at Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course, a military course with ocean views near Obama’s rented vacation home in Kailua. But after their rehearsal on Saturday, they were told they’d have to move their wedding away from the 16th hole because Obama and his friends planned to golf, Heimel’s sister, Christie McConnell said. “They’re both pretty even-tempered and planners,” McConnell said of the couple, who met in 2011 while stationed in Germany. “I’m sure it was a little bit of stress, but they seemed fine.” The ceremony relocated to another part of the course that offered better views than the 16th hole, she said, adding that some guests even caught a glimpse of Obama as he golfed. After the ceremony was done Obama called with the call put on speakerphone. “We all hovered around, all excited, listening,” McConnell said. Obama asked how long they had been “going out,” chatted about golf and apologized for disrupting their plans.

have a wonderful day today but there could be some unnecessary disputes with others throughout your daily activities. This might bother you on a deeper level than normal. Wednesday, Dec. 31 CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DATE: Just brush it off, enjoy the day with friends Psy, 37; Anthony Hopkins, 77; Joe McIntyre, and family. Keep your eye on the prize today. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Today you will 42 want to do something different THOUGHT OF THE DAY: than what everyone else is doToday will highlight some intense ing. This will be the source of and powerful feelings. You will the issues and minor irritations be more prone to needless distoday. If only there was more putes, if you do not focus on your time in the day, then you would proper direction forward. be able to do it all. A lovely genLooking ahead and planning erous day to be had with friends will create reciprocal generosity - Enjoy. of spirit from others now. Focus SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): on the larger perspective on life There could be some needless today and welcome in another’s disputes between you and your point of view. It will only help mother, or simply those intimate you to do so today. relationships in your life today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: If today LARISA MAIRA Your true value and the value is your birthday, this year will OZOLINS your place on your ideas will be have you working with others to spoken about and addressed create practical and tangible renow. Don’t lose sight of the ultisults. The more you share your mate vision for your career. perspective and plans with them, SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22the more able you will be to accomplish all Dec. 21): Today your daily life should be that you desire and wish. Work as hard as you can now, all will be rewarded. Show that brighter and much more joyful. You are truly unique spirit to others this year and let go of finding what you are passionate about and learning more and more about it as the day past wounds. They are all forgotten! ARIES (March 21-April 19): There could progresses. Incorporate something into your be some needless disputes about global mat- daily life that will help those visions and truth ters going on today. Sometimes it is good along. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The to stick up for your values but this week it is filled with stresses. Stick up for those ideas more you share of yourself today, the more that you fully believe in, then just go party and able you will be to let go of the past that has created this tension for you. Your perspective relax for the rest of the day! TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Family mem- is quite practical today; just don’t fall into the bers will be extremely generous with you to- understanding that it is the only realistic view day. With that being said, others in the public out there. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You could will not be so keen on you today. There could become slightly irritated today or you will be be some minor disputes in store for you now. Relax, express yourself in a practical way and seen as someone who is frustrated. This is fine, but do realize the impact it will have on all will work out just fine! GEMINI (May 21-June 20): This is go- your peace of mind now. There is a time and ing to be an interesting day for you. Most of place for everything. This week is a time to your tension will come from inside yourself. focus on your ultimate vision. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Today will So, what is it that you are saying to yourself? be a little tricky for you. You will want to do Stop it and think positively. Things that are worthwhile take time and you will not get any- your own thing, but the “group” will call you to actively do something else. This group of indiwhere with a negative mind! CANCER (June 21-July 22): You will viduals can be a global movement or a party know your value today. With this being said, group of friends. Be compassionate, allow for perhaps others might be tempted to de-rail your plans to shift, avoid disputes. you ever so slightly from that positive path. Thursday, Jan. 1 They might be envious that you are walking CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DATE: to the beat of your own drum now. Stand tall Verne Troyer, 46; Colin Morgan, 29; Tank, 39 and walk to it anyway! THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Today will highLEO (July 23-Aug. 22): When you are out and about today realize that there will light a very communicative period. Our belief be some stresses. This is not to do with you, and faith with what we are doing will prove so do not take it personally. Focus on what to be justified, if we are on the right track. Of makes you happy, allow for greater under- course, there will be some minor adjustments standing to emerge through these interac- to be made, but in general, you will know now tions. Be kind and generous, it will go a long what you are passionate about and what and who you love. Take those leaps of faith. Luck way! VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You will should be on your side!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: If today is your birthday, this year will prove to provide you with enough faith to push you through any obstacles that might come up. Your belief in yourself will take you far this year. Work harder than ever before, because you will be rewarded either financially or through support from others. Take the time needed to get your plans off the ground, but do take those leaps of faith! ARIES (March 21-April 19): You will be called upon to make your actions known and seen today. Friends and those who share the same vision as you will tempt you off course ever so slightly, to see where your truth is situated. Take those lessons that you have learned and apply them now! TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You have truly taken action towards your ultimate passion. This can be reflected in all that happens within the home environment and throughout the world at large. Today you will be asked to discuss your actions. This will lead you towards expressing this truth — enjoy! GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You have a solid footing with your future today although you will still be tested. Others want to make sure that you are travelling in the right direction. Do have faith that they are simply looking out for your best interests. Share your knowledge and communicate all you know. CANCER (June 21-July 22): The faith and belief you have within your work will be challenged today. You are all on the same page, but it is a matter of understanding it at a greater depth. Yes, finances will go up, which could be attributed to your personal value rising. Trust that your actions are correct now. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You will be tempted to set up different scenarios and interact with different individuals to properly assert your direction forward. This can be anything from interacting with those who will help you establish your goals, to discussing your plans to make sure they are realistic. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Those you have a close bond with will instigate a need for you to place more faith in yourself today. Perhaps there have been health issues or

distresses in the past on a subconscious level. Today will be the day to show them that this too is in the past. Believe in yourself. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): There will be interactions today that will ask you to express your truth. Your spouse or close social relationships will want to know what is making you tick, what you are passionate about. Share this knowledge with them. It can only help you decide exactly where you want to go. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You will have a strong drive to push yourself forward today. Professionally and on a public level, you will be seen as someone who knows what they are doing or at least has belief and faith on their side. Share your vision with others — it will only help your direction. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your actions are speaking louder than words now. Stand up for your beliefs. You are the only one who can walk your path. You will know what you need to do today, trust yourself more. Others will respect you, once you show them that you know what you are doing. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Others in your life will be supportive of you. You are definitely walking to the beat of your own drum and this will provide a solid foundation for you in the weeks to come. Communicate with everyone you meet today. It will guide you in the right direction. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Others will be very supportive of you in their own way. There will be some opposition, but this should only justify your position now. You have accumulated a wealth of knowledge and wisdom that will help you move towards your true wishes and aspirations. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): What you value can be very different from others. This can be the setting for some arguments today. Don’t let it stop you. It will only help if you address each issue one at a time. Clearly state what’s on your mind and why you trust your path. Have faith, it will work out. Larisa Maira Ozolins is an internationally syndicated astrologer and columnist. Her column appears daily in the Advocate.

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Dear Annie: I have relatives com- could also send them a list of local ing to visit later this month. A week hotels and motels, saying you’re doing ago, I received a list of necessities for the best you can but will certainly untheir visit. Some seem reasonable for derstand if they think they’ll be more young children: cribs, high chairs and comfortable elsewhere. childproof cabinets. But Dear Annie: I read your some seem rude and preresponse to “Disgusted with sumptuous: a grocery list of My Sister in Texas,” whose 20 organic items (including mother and sister had an peeled shrimp and smoked argument that resulted in salmon) and individual bedSis taking away the car that rooms for the children. Mom had been making payOf course, I will adhere ments on. I agree with you to requests that keep chilthat legal action should be dren safe and comfortable, a last resort in this issue, but I don’t feel I need to and I’m glad you suggested accommodate their food that someone impartial mepreferences. There are no diate. allergies here. They just Mediation is an inforMITCHELL prefer organic everything. I mal process where a neu& SUGAR do not plan on purchasing tral and impartial mediathe things they have asked tor facilitates two or more for and would like to give disputing parties in coming them an earful on their lack to a mutually agreed-upon of graciousness. They are, resolution. The beauty of after all, guests. But I know that is not mediation is that the two parties are a good idea. the decision makers and the trained Please give me some advice on how and certified mediator helps them dig to respond when they find their de- below the surface to identify their true mands are not met. — Anonymous interests: “why” they have taken their Dear Anonymous: Notify them in ad- opposing positions on an issue. More vance that you have childproofed your often than not, the two parties find that home but cannot accommodate their their interests are not that far apart more exotic requests. Let them know and, with the help of the mediator, arwhere they can purchase their organic rive at a resolution. food and say you’ll make room in your There are several routes to mediafridge and cabinets for them. If you tion, and the laws and procedures are are feeling particularly peevish, you different in each state, but there are

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ENTERTAINMENT

C6 Counting down to 2015 on TV

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 2014

BY EMILY YAHR ADVOCATE NEWS SERVICES It’s a crucial component to any New Year’s Eve, wherever you are — which channel should you flip on to watch the countdown to 2015? You have several choices, but we’re highly in favor of any TV option that could lead to a good old-fashioned late-night train wreck. Here’s a round-up of some New Year’s Eve specials and performers; reasons to watch each one; and how likely it is that something crazy will happen: ● New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin (CNN) When: 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Where: New York City Hosts: Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin, best frenemies Extras: Correspondents around the world reporting on New Year’s traditions, including New Orleans, the Bahamas and the Crab Drop in Easton, Md. Why to watch: Cooper’s quote in CNN’s news release: “I’ve given up asking Kathy to watch what she says. There’s no point. I’m just hoping for the best.” Train-wreck chances: High, per usual. It’s live TV and Kathy Griffin can (and will) literally say anything to Cooper’s faux-horror. Their chemistry is off the charts at this point — it’s their eighth year hosting together — so, really, craziness is just a foregone conclusion. ● Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2015 (ABC) When: 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., break for local news, then 11:30 p.m. to 2:15 a.m. Where: New York City, Los Angeles, Nashville Hosts: Ryan Seacrest and Jenny McCarthy from NYC, Fergie from LA Performers: Taylor Swift, Florida Georgia Line, MAGIC!, Idina Menzel, Elton John in New York; Gavin DeGraw and Lady Antebellum in Nashville; Iggy Azalea, Bastille, Charli XCX, Jason Derulo, One Direction, Pentatonix, Rixton, Meghan Trainor, Brant-

Photo by ADVOCATE news services

Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin have become a New Year’s tradition. Craziness is just a foregone conclusion. ley Gilbert, Ella Henderson, Nick Jonas, Nico & Vinz and Train in Los Angeles. Why to watch: Cap off the year of T-Swift, of course! And, you know, the one and only Pentatonix. Train-wreck chances: Definitely possible, if not for the sheer amount of hours that leads to a higher possibility of something going wrong. Seacrest is always good for an awkward moment, too. ● New Year’s Eve With Carson Daly (NBC) When: 10 to 11 p.m., break for local news, 11:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Where: New York City Hosts: Actors Terry Crews (“Brooklyn Nine Nine”) and Ken Marino (“Marry Me”), plus model Chrissy Teigen

Performers: Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Seth MacFarlane, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams Why to watch: If you really miss “The Voice,” three out of the four coaches are performing. Guess Adam Levine had better New Year’s plans. Train-wreck chances: Middling to high. Hey, MacFarlane is there, for some reason. ● Pitbull’s New Year’s Revolution (Fox) When: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., break for local news, then 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Where: Miami Hosts: Pitbull, aka Mr. 305! (He’s apparently downgraded from Mr. Worldwide.) Performers: Enrique Iglesias, Fall Out Boy, Fifth Harmony, the Band Per-

ry, Becky G Why to watch: To marvel at the agelessness of Iglesias; to finally figure out what the kids are talking about with Fifth Harmony. Train-wreck chances: Low to middling. Pitbull trots out some lame jokes when he’s hosting anything (ahem, American Music Awards), but these performances should be fairly tame. Other options: ● All American New Year (Fox News Channel, 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.) The network’s Bob Beckel, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Anna Kooiman, Lisa “Kennedy” Montgomery and Jesse Watters host, with correspondents Bernard McGuirk and Joanne Nosuchinsky chatting with people in Times Square.

Star of cinema’s golden era dead at 104 BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LONDON — Luise Rainer, a star of cinema’s golden era who won backto-back Oscars but then walked away from a glittering Hollywood career, has died. She was 104. Rainer, whose roles ranged from the 1930s German stage to television’s The Love Boat, died Tuesday at her home in London from pneumonia, said her only daughter, Francesca Knittel-Bowyer. “She was bigger than life and can charm the birds out of the trees,” Knittel-Bowyer said. “If you saw her, you’d never forget her.” The big-eyed, apple-cheeked Rainer gained Hollywood immortality by becoming the first person to win an acting Academy Award in consecutive years, taking best actress prizes for the 1936 film The Great Ziegfeld and The Good Earth in 1937. Only four other actors have won back-to-back Oscars: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Jason Robards and Tom Hanks. The two trophies marked the peak of Rainer’s career, which declined so rapidly that many considered her an early victim of “the curse of the Oscars.” She fought with her studio over control of her career, fled Hollywood for New York, and suffered through a brief, unhappy marriage to the playwright

IN

BRIEF The Interview to open in 27 Canadian theatres on Friday TORONTO — After Americans had a chance to see The Interview in theatres, Canadians in some locations will also be able to watch the controversial movie on the big screen starting Friday. Sony Pictures says the film will open in 27 theatres in various parts of

File photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Actress Luise Rainer poses in her central London apartment on July 29, 1999. Clifford Odets. By the early 1940s, her stardom had essentially ended. Rainer herself described the double victory as the worst thing that could have happened to her. “When I got two Oscars, they thought, ‘Oh, they can throw me into anything,”’ Rainer told The Associated Press in a 1999 interview. Rainer was born Jan. 12, 1910 — in Vienna, Austria, according to her en-

try in the reference book Who’s Who, although some sources give her birthplace as Duesseldorf, Germany. She began her acting career as a teenager under innovative Austrian director Max Reinhardt and appeared in several German films. In the mid-1930s she was discovered by a talent scout from Metro-GoldwynMayer — on the lookout for new European beauties to rival Greta Garbo

the country, from Salmon Arm, B.C., to Calgary, Saskatoon, Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal. Sony had cancelled plans to show the Seth Rogen-James Franco comedy depicting the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Major theatres dropped plans to show the movie thanks to threats from hackers. But it started playing in some independent theatres in the United States after a wave of criticism over the decision, including from U.S. President Barack Obama, and Sony also released the movie online. Other Canadian communities that will be showing the movie include Williams Lake, Vernon and Surrey in B.C., Red Deer and Peace River in Alberta,

Portage la Prairie, Man., Windsor, Ont., and Campbellton, N.B.

Jennifer Lopez brings her 2012 Dance Again world tour documentary to HBO NEW YORK — Jennifer Lopez decided to hit the road after her split from singer Marc Anthony two years ago. She went on her first world tour, visiting 65 cities on five continents and reaching 1 million fans. If you didn’t get to see the tour in person, you can catch it on HBO on New Year’s Eve. Jennifer Lopez: Dance Again, premiering on HBO and HBO

— and whisked to Hollywood. Her first U.S. film was the largely forgotten Escapade (1935), but her next roles made her a star. Rainer may well have sobbed herself to her first Oscar, playing actress Anna Held, wife of impresario Florenz Ziegfeld, in The Great Ziegfeld. The film featured a classic telephone scene during which, Anna, tears running down her face, congratulates her now exhusband on his marriage to another actress. Her next Oscar was for playing a virtuous Chinese peasant in the screen adaptation of Pearl S. Buck’s epic novel The Good Earth. Suddenly Rainer — now nicknamed the “Viennese Teardrop” — was famous, her beauty and emotional intensity winning many fans. But stardom, she later said, did not bring happiness. Years later, Rainer recalled how she had just had a fight with her husband, American playwright Odets, when she got word that she had won her second Oscar. In those days, winners were announced hours before the ceremony began. “I hadn’t even dreamed of getting another Academy Award, and there I was unhappy in my private life and miserable,” she told the AP in 1999. “I remember Odets drove me three times around the Biltmore, where the Oscars were given out, because I was so full of tears.” Latino, includes performances and behind-the-scenes footage from the tour. “I had just gotten divorced, was a single mom for the first time (and) decided to go tour the world,” Lopez said in a recent interview. The 45-year-old singer-actress said she realized the show was more than an arrangement of musical numbers; it was a mirror of her life. “Looking at all my music and putting this show together and seeing, ‘Who was I as a person? As an artist? What did I want to say with this show?’ ... It was self-reflective,” she said. Dance Again includes rehearsal footage, interviews with family members and tense moments, such as when a dancer unexpectedly quits the show.

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MASER Kathleen Rose Maser, “Kathy”, of Rimbey Alberta passed on Friday, December 26th 2014 at the age of 58. Kathy was born July 14th, 1956 in Weyburn Saskatchewan to parents Andy and Florence Anderson. She was a sister to 5 siblings; George, Cheryl, Carol, Morgan and Chris. On November 29th, 1975, she was wed to her husband Barry Maser with whom she raised two children, Terri (Marc) Dubielew and Jeremy (Richelle) Maser. Kathy loved everything about the outdoors from snowmobiling to camping, her life was filled with joy and memorable experiences. However, one of her greatest passions was horses. If she wasn’t riding, she would be training, teaching, or helping those that also shared her love for horses. Kathy also had enthusiasm as a beautician. She went to hair school, and completed her training at the Hair Academy in 1987. During her training, she purchased a shop in Rimbey called “The Rimbey Beauty Salon” where she spent approximately 11 years acquiring not only loyal customers and co-workers, but also lifelong friends. Kathy was a very hard worker. In what spare time she had she tended to Barry and her’s acreage east of Rimbey, maintaining the beautiful “golf course” look that she was known for. Kathy certainly had two green thumbs and loved gardening. Kathy was always a generous woman. She was always there for those in need and would sacrifice all in order to help. When one looked into those blue eyes, they could see the sparkle of pride, determination, trust, strength, hope and love. Kathleen is survived by her mother, Florence Anderson of Rimbey; her husband Barry Maser of Rimbey; daughter Terri (Marc) Dubielew of Bluffton; son Jeremy (Richelle) Maser of Prince George B.C.; grandchildren, Kayla Maser (Lane Prins) of Alhambra, Austin Dubielew of Bluffton, Madison, Mckenna, and Gracelyn Maser of Prince George B.C. and great grand child Maleah Prins; brothers, George Anderson and family of Rimbey, Chris Anderson and family of Thorsby; sisters, Carol Anderson and family of Rimbey, Morgan Johnston and family of Thorsby; brother-in-law, Bob Langmuir and family. Predeceased by nephew Jesse Anderson of Rimbey; niece, Rashel Anderson of Rimbey; father, Andrew Anderson of Thorsby, and her sister Cheryl Langmuir of Rimbey. Funeral services will be held from the Peter Lougheed Community Centre in Rimbey, Alberta on Friday January 2, 2015 at 1:00 PM with Reverend James Strachan officiating. Interment will follow in the West Haven Cemetery in Rimbey. If friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta #202, 5913-50 Avenue Red Deer, AB. T4N 4C4 or to S.T.A.R.S. Alberta Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society Southern Alberta 1441 Aviation Park N.E. Box 570 Calgary, AB. T2E 8M7. May the road rise to meet you May the wind be always at your back The sun shine warm upon your face The rain fall soft upon your fields And until we meet again May God hold you in the hollow of His hand Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded to the family by visiting www.wilsonsfuneralchapel.ca. WILSON’S FUNERAL CHAPEL & CREMATORIUM serving Central Alberta with locations in Rimbey and Lacombe in charge of the arrangements. Phone: (403) 843-3388 or (403) 782-3366 “A Caring Family, Caring For Families”

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NELSON Lizzie Amelia (Swallow) Nelson was born on April 12, 1917. She grew up in Rowley, Alberta, second child to Henry and Gretchen Swallow. In 1936 she married Lowell Nelson. From this union, six children were born. Bob (Audrey), Lorna (Neil Sandberg), Jim (Judy), Pat (Ken Hatt), Ted (Valerie) (Jessie), Wanda (Lyle Peterson). Liz had 12 grandchildren, 34 great grandchildren, and 22 great great grandchildren. Lizzie was predeceased by her husband Lowell, son Ted, and daughter Lorna. The family lived and grew up on the farm by Rowley, and in 1967 Lizzie and Lowell retired to Trochu. Lizzie enjoyed life in her own home and time at the Senior’s Drop-In Centre in Trochu. At the age of 89, she moved to St. Mary’s Lodge. On December 23, 2014, she passed away peacefully, at St. Mary’s Health Care Centre, in Trochu, Alberta. Memories of her will be cherished and she will be missed by her large, loving family. A Memorial Service for Lizzie will be held January 3, 2015, at 2:00 pm, at the Trochu Community Centre, in Trochu, Alberta. In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to, St. Mary’s Foundation, Box 100, Trochu, Alberta, T0M 2C0. Arrangements entrusted to PRAIRIE WINDS FUNERAL HOME 403-442-2200

Buruma (nee Van Der Beek) Reimke (Pam) Born Nov. 5, 1931 in Ferwerd, Friesland Holland she passed away on December 24, 2014. Always of strong spirit, she emigrated to Canada with her husband to be, Sye, in 1952. First to PEI where they wed and then to Red Deer, Alberta. Always a worker with a loving and generous heart she was a devoted mother and wife through thick and thin. A successful retailer with stores in both Red Deer and Victoria she moved with her husband to Victoria in 1980. Bridge with the ladies a favorite pass time. Always a gracious host, her favorite guest was her granddaughter Tiana. She is survived by her husband of 62 years Sye (Sid), her son Frank (Aileen, Tiana), brothers, sisters and family in Holland. No service by request. To send a condolence, please visit www.earthsoption.com.

HOUSTON 1930 - 2014 Charles “Mac” Malcolm Houston of Red Deer, passed away at the Red Deer Regional Hospital on Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at the age of 84 years. Mac will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 61 years, Helen; his children Verla (Wilfred) Opden Dries, Gary (Bernice) Houston, Gail (Doug) Parcels, Kevin (Valerie) Houston; thirteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Also to cherish Mac’s memory is one sister Helen Martin; one brother Arnold Houston as well as numerous family members and friends. A service to celebrate Mac’s life will be held at the Gaetz Memorial United Church, 4758 - Ross Street, Red Deer AB on Saturday, January 3, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made directly to the C.N.I.B., 4, 5015 - 48 Street, Red Deer AB T4N 1S9 or to the Gaetz Memorial United Church (Memorial Fund), 4758 Ross Street, Red Deer AB T4N 1X2. Condolences to Mac’s family may be emailed t o meaningfulmemorials@yahoo.ca MEANINGFUL MEMORIALS Funeral Service Red Deer 587-876-4944

RIX Joan Marie Joan Marie Rix passed away at the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre on Saturday, December 27 at the age of 58. Her final few days were spent surrounded by family and friends. Joan always had a smile on her face and wore her heart on her sleeve. She is survived by her loving parents, Bill and Lois Deneff; brother, Billy; sister, Eva. Joan was predeceased by her husband Russell Rix, together they leave behind two beautiful daughters, Angie and Krista; grandson, Kaleb. She will also be remembered by her motherin-law, Judy; brothers and sisters-in-law, Pat, Mike, Linda and Trudy as well as numerous nieces, nephews and friends. A memorial service will be held at Red Deer Funeral Home, 6150 67 Street, Red Deer, AB on Friday, January 2, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. Condolences may be forwarded to family and friends at www.reddeerfuneralhome.com Arrangements entrusted to RED DEER FUNERAL HOME 6150 - 67 Street, Red Deer. Phone (403) 347-3319.

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720

Administrative, Clerical & Office Management Duties AL-Terra Engineering (Red Deer) Ltd. is looking for a cheerful, motivated, and well organized individual. Must be capable of inputting data, working with the quick books accounting program, and willing to learn other duties. Must have strong computer knowledge (word, excel, windows, e-mail etc.). Must be willing to answer phones & complete some clerical duties. The successful candidate can choose to make this a full time or part time position. Salary will be commensurate with experience and abilities.

Visit our web site at www.al-terra-rd.com for ANYBODY witnessing a more information about hit and run on December AL-Terra. 29, 3:10 pm. at Olymel North Parking Lot involving Applications can be a green 1992 MX3, 2 dr. submitted by fax to Damage was done to the (403) 340-3038 attention front passenger side. Vehi- Tyler Broks, or by e-mail to cle was hit hard enough to tbroks@al-terra-rd.com. move it. No name was left behind. If you have any Classifieds Your place to SELL information please contact Your place to BUY 587-877-1392

Coming Events

52

CLASSIFIEDS CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY Hours & Deadlines OFFICE & PHONES CLOSED AT NOON WED. DEC. 24 CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY CLOSED BOXING DAY RED DEER ADVOCATE Publication dates: FRIDAY DEC. 26 SATURDAY DEC. 27 MONDAY DEC. 29 Deadline is: Wed. Dec. 24 at 11:00 a.m. CENTRAL AB LIFE Publication date: THURSDAY DEC. 25 Deadline is: Fri. Dec. 19 @ 5 p.m. Publication Date: THURSDAY JAN. 1 Deadline is: Wed. Dec. 24 @ 11:00 a.m. PONOKA Publication date: WEDNESDAY DEC. 24 Deadline is: Wed. Dec. 17 @ 5 p.m. Publication date: WEDNESDAY DEC. 31 Deadline is: Mon. Dec. 22 @ 5 p.m. RIMBEY Publication date; TUESDAY DEC. 23 Wed. Dec. 17 @5 p.m. Publication date: TUESDAY DEC. 30 Deadline is: Mon. Dec. 22 @ 5 p.m. STETTLER & WEEKENDER

Publication date: WED. DEC. 24 FRI. DEC. 26 Deadline is: Wed. Dec. 17 @ 5 p.m. Publication date: WED. DEC. 31 FRI. JAN. 2 Deadline is: Fri. Dec. 19 @ 5 p.m.

Births BABIES OF 2014 BABIES ON PARADE

Announcements

birth of first child youngest son graduated from College

D1

Daily

Classifieds 309-3300

birth of first grandson 60th wedding anniversary

Celebrate these milestones with an Announcement in the Classified Section of the

403.309.3300

Email: classifieds@reddeeradvocate.com wegotads.ca

It’s our favorite time of the year! Celebrating the births of babies in Central Alberta born in 2014 in our special full colour photo section. Watch the Red Deer Advocate for entry forms or call Classifieds at 403-309-3300 and we will send one out to you. Deadline is MON. JAN. 19

Over 2,000,000 hours St. John Ambulance volunteers provide Canadians with more than 2 million hours of community service each year.

SYLVAN LAKE NEWS & ECKVILLE ECHO Publication date: THURSDAY DEC. 25 Deadline is: Tues. Dec. 16 @ 4 p.m. Publication date: THURSDAY JAN. 1 Deadline is: Mon. Dec. 22 @ 5 p.m. Bashaw Publication date: WED. DEC. 24 Deadline is: Thur. Dec. 18 @ Noon NO PAPER ON DEC. 31 Castor Publication Date: THUR. DEC. 25 Deadline: Wed. Dec. 17 @ 5 p.m. NO PAPER JAN. 1 Have a safe & happy holiday CLASSIFIEDS 403-309-3300 classifieds@reddeeradvocate.com wegotads.ca

D2 RED DEER ADVOCATE Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014 Dental

740

BOWER DENTAL CENTRE is currently seeking a registered dental assistant who is a member of CADA. We are looking for a multi-talented person who will work chairside and reception as needed. Please e-mail your resume to marina@bowerdental.com or drop off at BDC. Start your career! See Help Wanted TOO MUCH STUFF? Let Classifieds help you sell it. LOOKING for dedicated RDA with receptionist skills for family dental practice. Fax resume to 403-343-3465.

Oilfield

800

BEARSPAW is a moderately sized oil and gas company operating primarily in the Stettler and Drumheller areas. We are currently accepting applications for a

JUNIOR OIL AND GAS OPERATOR

Oilfield

800

TREELINE WELL SERVICES

850

Trades

GOODMEN ROOFING LTD.

Has Opening for all Requires positions! Immediately. All applicants must have SLOPED ROOFERS current H2S, Class 5 with LABOURERS Q Endorsement,and First & FLAT ROOFERS Aid. We offer competitive wages & excellent benefits. Valid Driver’s Licence Please include 2 work preferred. Fax or email info@goodmenroofing.ca reference names and numbers. or (403)341-6722 Please fax resume to: NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE! 403-264-6725 NOW HIRING for Or email to: following Positions tannis@treelinewell.com Tile setters $28.25/hr No phone calls please. Floor Covering Installer www.treelinewell.com $ 28.25 / hr Full time and Permanent Restaurant/ 40hrs/week Min 3 year experience Hotel Labourer $20/hr 40hrs/week BOULEVARD No experience required Restaurant & Lounge Full time and permanent Gasoline Alley, position 37471 Hwy 2S, Valid Driver’s Licence Red Deer County preferred is seeking email resume at: cat1employment Cook ~ $14.00/hr. @gmail.com To prepare & cook all food or drop off resume at up to standard, clean kitchen Central Alberta Tile One & maintain hygiene, follow 7619 50 Ave Suite 9 recipes, assist in Red Deer receiving & storing

820

Kitchen Helper ~ $11.00/hr. To clean kitchen following safety & hygiene standards. Clean utensils, cutlery, crockery & glassware items, floors, assist in prep. All positions are permanent Full-time/Part-time, shift work & weekends. Education: Above Secondary Work Experience not essential, training provided. Fax resume to 780-702-5051

Truckers/ Drivers

860

Truckers/ Drivers

860

F/T TRUCK drivers req’d. Minimum Class 5 with air and clean abstract. Exp. preferred. In person to Key Towing 4083-78 St. Cres. Red Deer. Something for Everyone Everyday in Classifieds Tired of Standing? Find something to sit on in Classifieds

Misc. Help

880

1699960AbLtd is looking for 2 F/T permanent shift supervisors for days, evenings, wknds. 120 - 47 Clearview Market Red Deer, AB. must have exc. customer service, cash handling, and supervisory related. wage $13.75 w/at least 1 year exp. email: restuarantbusiness@ hotmail.ca Central Alberta’s Largest Car Lot in Classifieds

Celebrate your life with a Classified ANNOUNCEMENT

SERVICE RIG Bearspaw Petroleum Ltd is seeking a FLOORHAND Locally based, home every night! Qualified applicants

must have all necessary valid tickets for the position being applied for. Bearspaw offers a very competitive salary and benefits package along with a steady work schedule. Please submit resumes: Attn: Human Resources Email: payroll@bearspawpet.com Fax: (403) 252-9719 or Mail to: Suite 5309, 333-96 Ave. NE Calgary, AB T3K 0S3 STREAMLINE Inspection Ltd. is looking to fill helper positions. Experience in NDT and oilfield safety tickets an asset but will train. Candidate must be willing to travel and have a valid drivers license. Send resumes to cgraham@ streamlineinspection.com Looking for a place to live? Take a tour through the CLASSIFIEDS

Misc. Help

Distributors

830

OUTSIDE SALES OPPORTUNITIES Growing industrial supply company in Red Deer looking for OUTSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVES to join our team. We offer an attractive compensation, benefits & bonus program. Sales experience is not necessary but an industrial background is a definite asset. Please forward your resume to human.resources.depart1 @gmail.com

Trades

850

GALAXY Plumbing & Heating is seeking full time journeyman service plumbers to start immediately. Must have drivers license, steel toed boots, own tools, self motivated and able to work independently. A good attitude is essential. Please call Joe at 403-588-0392, fax resume to 403-347-4539 or email galaxyadmin@telus.net STUCCO PLASTERERS & LABOURERS. Needed Immed. Exp’d but will train. Drivers License pref’d. Lots of work! 403-588-5306 STONE MASONS Exp. only, 403-588-5306

880

3 Blocks of Duston St. & Dale Close $75./mo. Dunlop St., Dixon Ave. & Close $35./mo Dunning Cres. Cl., and Depalme St. plus 3 blocks of Douglas Ave. $104./mo.

Please forward resumes to 1034@jiffylubestores.ca or fax 403-507-8514

1700

Health & Beauty

NEW LIZ AREN NY, 1 red croc. make-up bag. c/w 12 eyeshadows, 2 blush, 1 nail polish, 1 lip gloss. $195 value, asking $50. Would make a great Christmas gift. 403-227-2976

1710

Household Appliances

WASHER, Kenmore, Dryer Maytag, large capacity both in good working cond. $65. pr. 403-782-7439

wegot

stuff CLASSIFICATIONS 1500-1990

Household Furnishings

1720

WANTED

1630

EquipmentHeavy

SPLIT Dry Firewood. Pine & Birch. Delivery avail (403)845-8989

Antiques, furniture and estates. 342-2514

1660

Firewood

1750

worn. 1 1/2” drop, Jeweller appraised $135. Asking $100. obo 403-227-2976

AFFORDABLE

1760

Homestead Firewood Misc. for

Spruce & Pine -Split. Firepits avail. 7 days/wk. 403-304-6472 FIREWOOD, Spruce & Pine. North of Costco 403-346-7178, 392-7754

LOGS Semi loads of pine, spruce, tamarack, poplar. Price depends on location. Lil Mule Logging 403-318-4346 Now Offering Hotter, Cleaner BC Birch. All Types. P.U. / Delivery. Lyle 403-783-2275

Sale

SNOW Tracks to fit Arctic Cat Quad, $800; Computer Stand Fits Ford F250F350, $175; Eamor Saddle Wade Tree 15” seat, Cowboys Cowgirls, $1400; Cross Country Skis, Rossignal xt208 and new boots (45 cm), all used twice, $175; and adjustable ball-type 5th wheel hitch, $300. 403-350-0959

Advocate Opportunities

1760

Misc. for Sale

homes

ZIPPERED Tote Bags (3) 12x8.5x5.5, red satin, black paten crock, metallic gold satn. $10. ea. or 3 for $25. 403-227-2976

CLASSIFICATIONS

1900

Travel Packages

wegot

rentals CLASSIFICATIONS

FOR RENT • 3000-3200 WANTED • 3250-3390

3020

Houses/ Duplexes

3 BDRM. DUPLEX IN CLEARVIEW $1425/month. This home has lots of space for a great price. 5 appl., large deck and fenced yard. Avail. Jan.1. Call Lucie at 403-396-9554

Hpman.ca NEWLY reno’d 3 bdrm., 2 bath, 4 appls., large fenced yard, $1600./mo. $1000. d.d. Avail Feb . 1. 403-304-5337

Condos/ Townhouses

3030

ALIX, 2 bdrm. 1 bath condo, 1210 sq. feet with balcony & 2 parking. Avail, immed. 403-341-9974 Classifieds Your place to SELL Your place to BUY

www.seibelprperty.com Ph: 403-304-7576 or 403-347-7545 6 locations in Red Deer ~ Halman Heights ~ Riverfront Estates

Adult Newspaper Carriers Needed For Early Morning Delivery of the RED DEER ADVOCATE

~ Westpark

With only 64 papers, approximately: $350.00/mo. For More Information, Please call Prodie 403-314-4301 ADULT Newspaper Carriers Needed For Early Morning Delivery of the

~ Kitson Close ~ Kyte & Kelloway Cres. ~ Holmes St. S.D. $1000 Rent $1245 to $1445 3 bdrm. townhouses, 1.5 bath, 4 & 5 appls., blinds, lrg. balconies, no dogs. N/S, no utils. incl. Avail. immed. & Jan. 1 References required. SOUTHWOOD PARK 3110-47TH Avenue, 2 & 3 bdrm. townhouses, generously sized, 1 1/2 baths, fenced yards, full bsmts. 403-347-7473, Sorry no pets. www.greatapartments.ca

RED DEER ADVOCATE Monday through Saturday. Delivery to be done before 6:30 am. Reliable vehicle needed.

RIVERSIDE MEADOWS

4 Plexes/ 6 Plexes

For more information or to apply call Joanne at the Red Deer Advocate 403-314-4308

GRANDVIEW AREA 3900 & 4200 Blocks of 43 Ave. area and 4000 & 4200 Blocks of 41 and 42 Ave. $66./mo For More Information Call Jamie at the Red Deer Advocate 403-314-4306 CARRIERS NEEDED FOR FLYERS, FRIDAY FORWARD & EXPRESS

3 days per week, no weekends ROUTES IN:

ANDERS AREA Ahlstrom Close Andrew Close Asstlee / Ansett Cres. Allsop Ave. / Allsop Cres. Anderson Close Anquetel Close BOWER AREA Bell St.

3050

GLENDALE 2 Bdrm. 4-plex, 4 appls., $1125. incl. sewer, water & garbage. D.D. $650, Avail. Jan. 1 403-304-5337

To deliver the CENTRAL AB LIFE 1 day a week in:

3060

Suites

INNISFAIL Penhold Olds Sylvan Lake

3810 47 ST. Spacious 2 bdrm. suite. Stove, fridge, security. Adult only, no pets. Rent $945. Avail. Jan 1. 587-877-5808

Please call Debbie for details 403-314-4307

ADULT 2 BDRM. spacious suites 3 appls., heat/water incld., Oriole Park. Mike 403-350-1620 403-986-6889

DO YOU: - Want extra income - Know the city well - Possess a clean, valid drivers license - Have a friendly attitude - Enjoy customer service - Want part-time work (12 to 22 hrs/week) As part of our service team, you will be dispatched in response to service concerns to deliver newspapers and flyers to customers or carriers. A delivery vehicle provided by company! Work 3 to 4 shifts a week. Hours of shifts are morning shifts of Monday through Friday 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM. Saturday starting at 7 AM. Wednesday to Friday Shifts starting at 1 PM. *All Shifts based on 4 hours and likely to run longer. Please apply with resume to: qmacaulay@reddeeradvocate.com or call 403-314-4302 and speak with Grant. We thank all applicants for their interest; however only selected candidates will be contacted.

TO ORDER HOME DELIVERY OF THE ADVOCATE CALL OUR CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT 403-314-4300

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! HERE TO HELP & HERE TO SERVE Call GORD ING at RE/MAX real estate central alberta 403-341-9995 gord.ing@remax.net

4020

Houses For Sale

3 LEFT!! RISER HOMES

NEW YEAR Special Spec Homes Ready in McKay Ranch, Blackfalds newest subdivision 1st 3 mortgage payments are paid by Riser Homes Happy New Year!!! Call LLOYD FIDLER 403-391-9294 FREE Weekly list of properties for sale w/details, prices, address, owner’s phone #, etc. 342-7355 Help-U-Sell of Red Deer www.homesreddeer.com

MOVE IN TODAY 1550 sq. ft. bi-level w/dbl. att. garage $499,900 403-588-2550

Condos/ Townhouses

4040

OPEN HOUSE SAT. & SUN. 1-5 639 OAK ST. Springbrook 403-588-2550

Lots For Sale

4160

BUILDERS. Duplex and single family lots for sale. Terms available 10% down and start to build. Located in Lacombe. Buy direct from developer 403-396-1094

wegot

wheels CLASSIFICATIONS 5000-5300

5030

Cars

2001 Chev Malibu, 4 dr. 134,000 kms. 403-352-6995 1999 BUICK Regal, loaded 154,000 km.403-352-6995

SUV's

5040

2010 SANTA FE, V6, silver 87,000 kms., remote start, 4 summer, 4 winter tires & whls., A1 shape, $16,750. obo. 403-347-6889

Auto Wreckers

RED’S AUTO. Free Scrap Vehicle & Metal Removal. AMVIC APPROVED. We travel. May pay cash for vehicle. 403-396-7519

Looking for a place to live? Take a tour through the CLASSIFIEDS

LARGE, 1 & 2 BDRM. SUITES. 25+, adults only n/s, no pets 403-346-7111

THE NORDIC

5190

PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices

6010

1 bdrm. adult building, N/S. No pets. 403-596-2444

Rooms For Rent

3090

AVAIL. immed., lrg. fully furn. bdrm. c/w working gas frpl. $300 dd, $600/mo Working or student M. only. 403-396-2468 Looking for a new pet? Check out Classifieds to find the purrfect pet.

DONALD JOHATHON LEONARD You have 2 weeks to call Red Deer Queen of Courts Bench 403-340-5220 on behalf of your divorce

CLASSIFICATIONS 1000-1430

To Advertise Your Business or Service Here

Call Classifieds 403-309-3300 classifieds@reddeeradvocate.com

SUNNYBROOK AREA Scott St. / Somerset Close

Call Prodie @ 403- 314-4301 for more info **********************

4010

wegotservices

Iverson Close Isbister Close

VANIER AREA Vickers Close Victor Close Viscount Drive

Realtors & Services

You can sell your guitar for a song... or put it in CLASSIFIEDS and we’ll sell it for you!

CARRIERS REQUIRED

INGLEWOOD AREA

LANCASTER AREA Lampard Cres Lancaster Drive Long Close Lord Close Landry Bend / Landry Close Ladwig Close

4000-4190

TRAVEL ALBERTA Alberta offers SOMETHING for everyone. Make your travel plans now.

SEIBEL PROPERTY

MORRISROE AREA:

wegot

TWO large older-style freezers to give away. 403-341-5414

GLENDALE reno’d 2 bdrm. apartments, avail. immed, rent $875 403-596-6000

McKenzie St. / Marion Cres.

Your duties would include: • The regular maintenance of customer vehicles (filters, lubricants, belts, batteries etc) • Informing customer of require maintenance as advised by vehicle manufacturer • The ability to accurately look up specifications & part numbers • Diagnose, repair and complete approved service on customer vehicles • Advise customers and Associates on work performed, general vehicle condition, and future repair requirements • Maintain mechanical service equipment on a regularly scheduled basis • Operate company and customer vehicles in a clean and safe manner • Support customer relationships by responding to customer inquiries The ideal individual would have extensive knowledge in automotive maintenance/repair possibly a 3rd year apprentice journeyman automotive tech or partsman. And have some sales/ customer service experience 492222A2

Reqs Farm labourers for 2015 season (April -November) in Red Deer. Duties include: sod farming and tree nursery. Tree nursery will involve planting, pruning and digging trees. Will train/exp. An asset. Wage $10.20/hour, 60 hrs weekly. Email resume to steve.richardson@ bg-rd.com or by telephone at 403-347-7211

Dixon Cres. $72./mo.

MORRISROE AREA

Jiffylube is currently looking for an installer to join our team. Benefits available. With the right experience the job would include a supervisory role.

Blue Grass Sod Farms Ltd. Box 11, site 2, RR1 Red Deer, AB

1660

Firewood

Bashaw Golf and Country Club in TRAILERS for sale or rent Jewellery Central Alberta Job site, office, well site or requires a storage. Skidded or stirling silver, GENERAL MANAGER wheeled. Call 347-7721. EARRINGS, pierced earings, never

for our 9 hole course that includes a newly renovated in our Stettler Field. clubhouse and seasonal/ Applicants need to be day use campground. mechanically inclined, The successful applicant motivated to work hard must be self-managing, and learn quickly. have strong organizational Associated industry skills, customer service exexperience eg. instrumenperience and be capable of tation or facilities managing the overall perF/T Food Service Superconstruction experience formance of all operations. visor and Store Manager. would be an asset but is Golf experience is not nec$13-$19.50/hr. Must be not necessarily required. CENTRAL AB based essary, but would be a able to work nights/days This position offers a trucking company requires considerable asset. The and weekends. Call Little diverse and challenging Owner Operators club is prepared to offer a Ceasars Red Deer at work environment with 403-346-1671 or email to & Contract Drivers competitive compensation competitive pay, attractive package in accordance allan_barker25@yahoo.ca in AB. Home the odd night. benefits and the ability to with previous experience Weekends off. Late model grow within the organizaHOLIDAY INN and education. Please tractor pref. 403-586-4558 tion. Applicants must live email your cover letter with Red Deer South, or be willing to relocate to resume to both bashawF/T Permanent Truck Gasoline Alley, within a 20 minute Driver Required for Rocky golfclub@hotmail.ca and to 37471 Hwy 2S, commute of the work Fast Express (1790810 AB the President of the Board place location (Stettler). Red Deer County djonespfd26@hotmail.com Ltd.) in Red Deer, AB Please Submit Resume’s is seeking no later than Friday truck: 4600kg+w/2 Attention Human FRONT DESK CLERK Straightaxles Jan. 2, 2015 and van Resources ~ $14.00/hr. To see more details about Need class 5 DL + 2 yrs Email: payroll@ • Answer phone calls, our club please visit our exp. $25 per hr/ with bearspawpet.com take reservations. website at www. OPEN availability Fax: (403) 258-3197 • Check in/out guests. bashawgolf.com We thank Duties: pick up/deliver Mail: Suite 5309, 333 96th everyone in advance for freight, pre-trip truck Ave NE Calgary, Alberta T3R 1H1 • Balance cash out & attend to guest needs. their interest in this inspection, communication Fluid Experts Ltd. opportunity. Please be with customers. Physically HOUSEKEEPING Is seeking to hire that only the short ROOM ATTENDANT demanding position. Time aware listed candidates will be management skills Shop Hand ~ $14.00/hr. contacted for further conrequired. Apply at: 8004 for our Red Deer location. • Clean & Vacuum rooms, sideration for this position. Edgar Industrial Green, This position is a fulltime public areas, pool, etc. Red Deer, T4P3S2 and is a salary based • Replenish amenities, Call: 403.845.2230 Fax: FEMALE for cleaning, position with company linens & towels. shopping, assist senior male. 587.997.7719 benefits. Duties include • Adhere to Holiday Inn Paid daily. Resume, & ref’s maintain shop & inventories, safety standards req’d. 403-342-6545 Looking for a new pet? loading of trucks with fluid All positions are permanent Check out Classifieds to Classifieds...costs so little products and blending of Full-time/Part-time, shift find the purrfect pet. KCl products in shop. This Saves you so much! work & weekends. is a 24 hr rotational on call Education: Above Secondary basis position when on Work Experience not Advocate duty. Ideal candidate will essential, training provided. have a mechanical Fax resume to 780-702-5051 Opportunities aptitude with a class 1 license with fluid hauling JJAM Management (1987) experience. Fax resume Ltd., o/a Tim Horton’s w/all tickets and current Requires to work at these ADULT or YOUTH CARRIERS NEEDED drivers abstract to: Red Deer, AB locations: For delivery of 403-346-3112 or email to: 5111 22 St. Flyers, Express and Friday Forward roger@fluidexperts.com 37444 HWY 2 S ONLY 2 DAYS A WEEK in 37543 HWY 2N LOCAL SERVICE CO. 700 3020 22 St. in Red Deer REQ’S EXP. FOOD ATTENDANT VACUUM TRUCK Req’d permanent shift OPERATOR DOWNTOWN AREA weekend day and evening Must have Class 3 licence both full and part time. w/air & all oilfield tickets. 16 Vacancies, $10.25/hr. + Fax resume w/drivers South East benefits. Start ASAP. abstract to 403-886-4475 Downtown and Parkvale area Job description www.timhortons.com $289.00 mo. Education and experience not req’d. Apply in person or fax DEER PARK AREA resume to: 403-314-1303 PART-TIME help for Burnt NOW HIRING Lake Cafe in the Burnt Well Testing Personnel Experienced Supervisors Lake Industrial Area. Call Louise @ 403-342-6687 & Operators Must have valid applicable tickets. Email: lstouffer@ Sales & testalta.com

880

Misc. Help

Accounting

1010

INDIVIDUAL & BUSINESS Accounting, 30 yrs. of exp. with oilfield service companies, other small businesses and individuals RW Smith, 346-9351

Contractors

1100

BRIDGER CONST. LTD. We do it all! 403-302-8550 DALE’S Home Reno’s Free estimates for all your reno needs. 403-506-4301 CELEBRATIONS HAPPEN EVERY DAY IN CLASSIFIEDS

Escorts

1165

KAYLA 392-0891 *BUSTY* INDEPENDENT w/own car

Handyman Services

1200

ATT’N: Are you looking for help on small jobs around the house or renovate your bathroom, painting or flooring, roof snow removal? Call James 403-341-0617

Massage Therapy

1280

MASSAGE ABOVE ALL WALK-INS WELCOME 4709 Gaetz Ave. 346-1161

Massage Therapy

1280

FANTASY SPA

International ladies Elite Retreat, finest in VIP treatment. 10-2am Private back entry. 403-341-4445 **********

Misc. Services

1290

5* JUNK REMOVAL

Misc. Services

1290

SNOW blowing, junk/metal p/u, odd jobs 403-885-5333

Painters/ Decorators

1310

JG PAINTING, 25 yrs. exp. Free Est. 403-872-8888

Seniors’ Services

1372

Property clean up 340-8666

HELPING HANDS

GARAGE DOOR SERVICE. Save 50%. All yard & bobcat services, junk/tree/snow removal. 403-358-1614

Home Supports for Seniors. Est 1999. Cooking, cleaning, companionship. At home or facility. Call 403-346-7777 for information.

RED DEER ADVOCATE Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014 D3

the n o d e t is l e l ic h e v r u Get yo

ADVERTISE YOUR VEHICLE IN THE CLASSIFIEDS AND GET IT

2006 MURANO AWD, V6, Remote Start, hitch, no rust, great cond.125,000 mi., $8900 obo. 403-309-4585

2008 MONTANA, 2955RL, 2 slides, king bed, Mor-Ryde hitch, Arctic pckg. exc. cond., $27,500. **SOLD**

2010 SANTA FE, V6, silver 87,000 kms., remote 4 summer, 4 winter tires & whls., A1 $16,750. 403-347-6889

2004 DODGE 1/2 ton 4x4 SLT quad cab. New tires, battery, power steering pump. $6000. 403-506-9632

2006 SILVERADO Z71 special edition, e/c, 4X4. New windshield, remote start, 5.3, 1 owner, 160,000 km very clean. $12,500 no GST **SOLD**

DO YOU HAVE A DIRT BIKE TO SELL? ADVERTISE IT IN THE FAST TRACK, Call 309-3300.

2011 CYCLONE 300C Toy Hauler, $44,500. 2007 GMC dually 1 ton 182,000 kms. Together $66,500. 403-507-0570

2004 DODGE DAKOTA 4x4 Good shape. $5700. 403-598-4131

137,000 kms, fully loaded, sunroof, diesel, auto, $10,000

2009 HYUNDAI Accent, 64,000 kms.

DO YOU HAVE A HOLIDAY TRAILER TO SELL? ADVERTISE IT IN THE FAST TRACK, Call 309-3300.

DO YOU HAVE AN ATV TO SELL? ADVERTISE IT IN THE FAST TRACK, Call 309-3300.

1999 GMC Sierra 1500 2WD, E/C, original owner, 252,000 km, Immaculate $3400. **SOLD**

1985 HONDA 250 SX Trike $950.00 **SOLD**

DO YOU HAVE A SPORTS CAR TO SELL? ADVERTISE IT IN THE FAST TRACK, Call 309-3300.

1988 23’ TIOGA 460 Ford motor, exc. cond. low kms. $6900, obo **SOLD**

DO YOU HAVE A TRUCK CAMPER TO SELL? ADVERTISE IT IN THE FAST TRACK, Call 309-3300.

1989 1 TON WITH PLOW, 4x4, controls inside, & dump. $6350. Good working order. 403-348-9746

2001 Ford 4x4 S/C F150 205,000 kms, very good cond., never abused $4100 403-887-8717

model 31E36MK. Loaded, many extras. $24,500 obo. 403-347-1050 or 304-4580

DO YOU HAVE A MOTORHOME TO SELL? ADVERTISE IT IN THE FAST TRACK, Call 309-3300.

2009 TOYOTA Corolla, 124,000 km, 403-348-9778

2011 RAV4 LIMITED Leather, sunroof, 8 way power driver’s seat, very clean, great cond. $19,500 obo. 403-341-0606

1989 GMC SIERRA Auto 350, s/b, no rust. Glass exc. 144,000km $4900. 403-340-8950

2001 VOLVO S60. Loaded, very good cond. 182,000 km. $4500 obo. 403-343-2058

DO YOU HAVE A JEEP TO SELL? ADVERTISE IT IN THE FAST TRACK, Call 309-3300.

2007 SATURN AURA. Loaded, 1 owner, exc. cond. 86,000 km. Never winter driven. $10,500 403-391-3820

2010 16 XCALIBUR Legend, 18’ alum. welded hull, prem. pckg for leisure & fishing, deluxe console, conv. top, travel tarp, 75 hp Merc. $13,500 SOLD!!!

2012 CAMARO 2SS Coupe 5500 km. Loaded. $41,900. 403-350-6434

1991 ALLEGRO-BAY 29’. Class A, 35,000 miles, Generator, AC, Rear Bed, Exc. Cond. $10,000 obo. Call 403-442-3837

2002 CHRYSLER

2005 MERCEDES C230

Town N Country, Limited, AWD, leather, very nice cond. 159,000 kms. All avail. options

2007 VW Tourareg, fully loaded, AWD, new windshield, Nokian all season tires, in exceptionally good cond.. 180,000 kms. $14,750 obo 403-346-5440 or 403-391-0320

DO YOU HAVE A CAR TO SELL? ADVERTISE IT IN THE FAST TRACK, Call 309-3300.

2002 FORD Dynamax (B Plus) 27000 mi., new tires/awning Onan gen, roof a/c, slideout, sleeps 4, 3 pc. bath, A1, $31,500. **SOLD**

SOLD

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$5800. o.b.o.

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2003 DAKOTA, 3.9, auto., 128,000., 60% tires, $4400. o.b.o. **SOLD**

1998 DURANGO, 119,700 kms. Must see! Safetied.

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2006 VW Jetta TDI

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2012 FORD Fusion SE 10,000 kms, $15,000 obo must sell. **SOLD**

2010 DODGE Grand Caravan, stow n go seats, exc. con. 34,000 kms, $13,000. 403-896-8183

2012 FORD Lariet 3/4 ton, 108,000 kms, set up for Ford 5th wheel, $35,000 403-362-1004

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2010 DODGE RAM 3500, loaded SLT, white, 4x4, S/B, 60,600 kms., $39,000. 403-347-4896

2013 CHEV LTZ full load, sunroof, leather, over $4000 in extras. $41,000. Sliding box cover. 403-348-9746

2008 KUSTOM KOACH 24.5’ exc. cond, 1 owner, 110 Watt solar panel, 1 slide, $19,900 403-986-3834

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2014 SIERRA short box, 4x4. 587-679-1000

2006 JEEP Commander full load, 4.7, $12,000. 403-342-7798

$6500.

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D4 RED DEER ADVOCATE Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014 FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE

HI & LOIS

PEANUTS

BLONDIE

HAGAR

BETTY

PICKLES

GARFIELD

LUANN Dec. 31 1999 — Sarah Knauss dies at the age of 119. She was the world’s oldest person at the time of her death. She is the second (confirmed) oldest person ever. 1991 — Seventeen Haitian activists surrender to police after occupying the Canadian Embassy for six weeks. 1982 — Ottawa reports 12.8 per cent unemployment, the worst since the Great Depres-

sion of the 1930s. 1931 — Canadian stock index plunges 37.2 per cent. GNP declines 12.7 per cent. It is the worst business year on record in the country. 1879 — Thomas Edison gives his first public demonstration of incandescent lighting to an audience in Menlo Park, N.J. 1857 — Canada officially goes on a system of decimal currency at midnight. 1857 — Queen Victoria chooses the town of Ottawa as the new capital of Canada, on the advice of George-Etienne Cartier. The official announcement is made on Jan. 27.

ARGYLE SWEATER

RUBES

TODAY IN HISTORY

TUNDRA

SUDOKU Complete the grid so that every row, every column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 through 9. SHERMAN‛S LAGOON

Solution

WORLD

D5

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 2014

Wreckage, bodies pulled from sea BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

AIRASIA FLIGHT 8501

PANGKALAN BUN, Indonesia — Family members of those aboard AirAsia Flight 8501 collapsed in agony Tuesday as images of debris and a bloated body flashed across Indonesian television screens, proof that the plane crashed into the sea two days earlier with 162 people on board. The jet vanished Sunday halfway through a twohour flight between Surabaya, Indonesia, and Singapore after encountering severe storms. The disappearance triggered an international hunt for the aircraft by dozens of planes, ships and helicopters. On the third day of searching, the first signs of the airliner — a life jacket and an emergency exit door — were found in shallow, aqua-colored waters only about 16 kilometres from the plane’s last known coordinates. Parts of the jetliner’s interior, including an oxygen tank, were brought to the nearest town, Pangkalan Bun. Another find included a bright blue plastic suitcase, completely unscratched. “I know the plane has crashed, but I cannot believe my brother and his family are dead,” said Ifan Joko, who lost seven relatives, three of them children, as they travelled to Singapore to ring in the New Year. “We still pray they are alive.” First Adm. Sigit Setiayanta, commander of the Naval Aviation Center at Surabaya Air Force base, told reporters six corpses were spotted about 160 kilometres from Central Kalimantan province. Rescue workers descended on ropes from a hov-

ering helicopter to retrieve bodies. Efforts were hindered by 2-meter-high waves and strong winds, National Search and Rescue Director SB Supriyadi said. The first body was later picked up by a navy ship. Officials said as many as six others followed, but they disagreed about the exact number. Supriyadi was on the aircraft and saw what appeared to be more wreckage under the water, which was clear and a relatively shallow 20 to 30 metres. Television coverage of the discovery sent a spasm of pain through the room at the Surabaya airport where relatives were waiting for news, especially as it showed a half-naked man floating in the water, a shirt partially covering his head. Many screamed and wailed uncontrollably, breaking down into tears while they squeezed each other. One middle-aged man collapsed and had to be carried out on a stretcher. Their horror at the news was captured by cameras on the other side of windows into the waiting room. To give traumatized family members privacy, officials blacked out the glass later Tuesday evening. Around 125 family members were planning to travel Wednesday to Pangkalan Bun to start identifying their loved ones. Body bags and coffins have been prepared at hospitals there, while dozens of elite military divers will join the massive search. They are desperate to scour the water ahead of ap-

proaching rough weather. Malaysia-based AirAsia’s loss comes on top of the still-unsolved disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in March with 239 people aboard, and the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in July over Ukraine, which killed all 298 passengers and crew. Nearly all the passengers and crew were Indonesians, who are frequent visitors to Singapore, particularly on holidays. Haidar Fauzie, 60, said his youngest child and only daughter, Khairunnisa Haidar, was a flight attendant who had worked with AirAsia for two years. On learning about the crash, he struggled to console his grieving wife. They last saw their child six weeks ago, when she returned home on holiday. “From the start, we already knew the risks associated with being a stewardess,” Fauzie said. “She is beautiful and smart. It has always been her dream to fly. We couldn’t have stopped her.” Before flying to Surabaya to pay his respects to the families, AirAsia group CEO Tony Fernandes tweeted, “My heart is filled with sadness for all the families involved in QZ 8501. On behalf of AirAsia, my condolences to all. Words cannot express how sorry I am.” Fernandes, the founder and public face of AirAsia, and a constant presence in Indonesia since the tragedy started unfolding, said he planned to travel to the recovery site on Wednesday.

Please see AIRASIA on Page D6

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TINY TRAVELLERS

Car Safety with Kids in Tow

Photo by JIM BOW/Advocate

BY TOM SMITH ADVOCATE STAFF

staff

Hundreds of people, young and old, lined the tracks in Lacombe on Monday to see Train roll into the city. Lit the CP Holiday with thousands of LED lights and bringing Christmas cheer the country, the CP Rail Holiday as it crosses Train is helping to collect donations for community as it makes daily stops. The food banks train will be back again in Central Alberta on Wednesday makes a stop in Red Deer at the CP yards at 6867 Edgar when it Industrial Drive. This year performing on the stage at Doc Walker is each stop. Since 1999, the Holiday Train program has $6.4 million and about 1.8 raised million kilograms of food close to for North American food banks. See related video at reddeeradvocate.com.

HELPFUL TIPS FOR TRAVELLING WITH YOUNG KIDS

Help your child transition from a crib to a bed

Ensuring the safety children is of the of their priority for parents. Oneutmost of the leading causes of injurie s to children involve motor vehicle crashes. AIM FOR PEACEFUL BEDTIME LOTS OF The National S SNACKS A2 BY SAM SCOTT Center for Statistics and Analysis says nearly ADVOCATE STAFF 250,000 children are injured every year Much of a young child’s in car accidents. Many life There are certain revolve of s around adapting things a injuries can be attribu these new to parent can do to situations. Even when ted to make the improper restraint a process go more smooth systems routine is established, ly for used on children. In order can change and new things all involved. to safeguard passengers, must be learned. From skills * Get talking. Before buying drivers must be aware moving the bed, start from bottle to cup, to of talking how about it giving up with your child. to properly secure young a pacifier, to no longer using Talk about how children in the car. the n Not every child diapers or trainin has the The type of vehicle young children must g pants, same feelings about a “big boy depends on several restraint lot tackle a or girl” bed. Some are excited including the child’sfactors, Oneof transitions. such transition is making about the prospect while age, weight and height. others feel the vehicles have safety Although crib switch from sleeping in a There are a bit frightened. certain things a features to sleeping in a bed. A unique to each individ crib ual can be a safe, comforting place parent can do to make the vehicle, the safest place process go for can ride is in the centera child criba child. But over time, the all involved.more smoothly for may no longer be the of the backseat of the car. right * Get talking place should not ride in Children this for the child to rest and the bed, start . Before buying the can talking front manifest itself in a seat because an air with your child. Talk about it bag is not number of ways. For instanc about how designed for the height e, the n Not every child and a child may attempt to has the weight of a child and can cause over the railing edge. climb same feelings about a “big boy serious injury if deploye When or girl” bed. Some such d. behavior persists, most are excited In terms of car seats, about the prospe parents consider switchi here is ct while a general guideline to toddler bed, or a twin-siz ng to a others feel a bit frightened. use. Again, consult the owners ed bed There are certain with safety railings. ’ things a manual of the vehicle parent can Not every child has and the the same process go do to make the car seat instruction booklet feelings about a “big more smoothly for to ensure proper placem girl” bed. Some are boy or all involved. ent of excited * Get talking. Before buying about the prospe Please see SNACKS on Page the ct while bed, start A2 others feel a bit frighten talking about it with ed. your Please seechild. BEDS onTalk Page A2 about how the n WEATHER

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D6 RED DEER ADVOCATE Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014

U.S. airstrike kills an al-Shabab leader BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WORLD

BRIEFS

Boy, 2, accidentally shoots and kills woman inside U.S. Wal-Mart HAYDEN, Idaho — A 2-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed a woman after he reached into her purse at an Idaho Wal-Mart and her concealed gun fired, authorities said Tuesday. The woman was shopping with several children, and it is unclear how they are related, sheriff’s spokesman Stu Miller said. Authorities originally said the boy was the woman’s son. The woman, whose identity was not released, had a concealed weapons permit. Miller said the shooting was accidental and occurred in the Wal-Mart in Hayden, Idaho, a town about 64 kilometres northeast of Spokane, Washington.

STORY FROM PAGE D5

AIRASIA: Cause of crash unknown “I have apologized profusely for what they are going through,” he said of his contact with relatives. “I am the leader of this company, and I have to take responsibility. That is why I’m here. I’m not running away from my obligations.” It is not clear what brought the plane down.

GRAPHIC ARTIST Black Press Creative is accepting applications for a full time position for Graphic Artist based in Red Deer. Working in a high volume, fast paced environment, the successful candidate will be responsible for ad building, designing, and processing ads, as well as the design and layout of special sections and trade papers. They must possess a positive attitude, strong work ethic, keen eye for detail and be able to work independently with minimal supervision. Mac-based Adobe Indesign and Adobe Creative suite are definite assets. Forward resumes stating Graphic Artist by Wednesday, December 31 to:

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Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Police officers detain a protester during an unsanctioned protest in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday. The unsanctioned protest came hours after Alexei Navalny was found guilty of fraud and given a suspended sentence. Navalny, who has been under house arrest since February, is accused of breaking the terms of his house arrest to attend the rally and was detained by police as he approached the site of the protest.

Putin foe found guilty of fraud MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin’s chief political foe was convicted along with his brother on Tuesday in a fraud case widely seen as a political vendetta by the Kremlin, triggering one of Russia’s boldest anti-government demonstrations in years. Police allowed a few thousand protesters to gather just outside Red Square for about two hours — a show of relative restraint for Russian authorities, who have little tolerance for dissent — before moving in to break up the unsanctioned rally by pushing the demonstrators toward subway entrances. The rally came hours after anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny was found guilty of what activists said were trumped-up charges and given a suspended sentence of 3 ½ years. His younger brother was sent to prison, a move that drew comparisons to the Stalin-era practice of punishing family members of enemies of the state. The 38-year old Navalny, a lawyer and popular blogger, rose to prominence with his investigations of official corruption and played a leading role in organizing anti-Putin demonstrations in Moscow in 2011 and 2012 that drew hundreds of thousands. Navalny, who has been under house arrest since February, violated its terms to attend the rally and was rounded up by police as he approached the site. He later tweeted that police drove him home and blocked him from leaving his apartment. The protesters, who gathered on the Manezh Square outside the Kremlin, chanted: “We are the power!” and “Russia without Putin!” Some shouted slogans of support for Ukraine, which saw its Crimean Peninsula annexed by Russia in March and has faced a pro-Russia insurgency in the east. Scuffles erupted between the protesters and proPutin activists shouting, “Those who don’t like Russia should go to the United States!” — the chants reflecting the Kremlin’s depiction of opposition sup-

porters as Western stooges. The Russian authorities usually move quickly to break up opposition protests, and the unusual delay this time may reflect Kremlin concerns about fueling public anger amid the country’s economic woes. The ruble has lost about half its value this year, and the economy is heading into recession under the combined weight of Western sanctions and slumping oil prices. Police said they detained about 100 protesters, while activists claimed up to 250 were rounded up. Russian law requires demonstrators to get official clearance for rallies. Violators can face prison sentences and heavy fines. Tuesday’s verdict was not scheduled to come down until next month, but the court session was abruptly moved up to the day before New Year’s Eve, the main holiday in Russia, in what was widely seen as an attempt to head off protests. Russia’s main statecontrolled TV stations all but avoided the story. In Washington, State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke said the U.S. government was troubled by the verdict, which “appears to be another example of the Russian government’s growing crackdown on independent voices.” European Union spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said the charges hadn’t been substantiated and the verdict “appeared to be politically motivated.” Navalny and his brother Oleg were convicted of cheating a French cosmetics company and given the same 3 ½-year sentence, but only Navalny’s was suspended. The court also fined each man 500,000 rubles (about $8,800) and ordered them to pay a total of about 4 million rubles ($77,000) in damages. Oleg Navalny, the father of two small children and a former executive of the state-owned postal service, has never played a role in the Russian opposition movement. Alexei Navalny and his supporters portrayed the brother’s prison sentence as a means of punishing Navalny himself.

The last communication indicated the pilots were worried about bad weather. They sought permission to climb above threatening clouds but were denied due to heavy air traffic. Four minutes later, the jet disappeared from the radar without issuing a distress signal. The plane’s cockpit voice and flight data recorders, or black boxes, have yet to be recovered. Scott Hamilton, managing director of aviation consultancy Leeham Co., said in a post on his website that autopsies may provide some of the earliest clues about what happened. “If death was due to blunt-force trauma, this could suggest passengers were alive upon impact with the

water,” he wrote. “If death came from other circumstances, this could suggest an explosive decompression and in-flight break up occurred.” Several countries rushed to Indonesia to help with search and recovery efforts. The United States said it was sending the USS Sampson destroyer, joining at least 30 ships, 15 aircraft and seven helicopters in the search for the jet. A Chinese frigate was on the way. Singapore said it was sending two underwater beacon detectors to try to pick up pings from the plane’s all-important cockpit voice and flight-data recorders. Malaysia, Australia and Thailand are also involved in the search.

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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NAIROBI, Kenya — A U.S. airstrike killed the intelligence chief of Somali terror group al-Shabab, Somalia’s intelligence service said Tuesday. Abdishakur is the name of the slain leader, who is also known as Tahlil, a statement from the spy agency said, adding that the operation also killed two other al-Shabab militants. The Pentagon said the airstrike took place Monday in the vicinity of Saakow, Somalia. The statement from the pentagon provided no details, beyond saying it did not believe the attack caused any civilian or bystander casualties. A senior defence official said the strike did not target Ahmad Umar, who took over as the top leader of al-Shabab when its previous leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane, was killed in a U.S. airstrike in Somalia on Sept. 1. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss details of the attack by name Al-Shabab is an ultra-conservative Islamic militant group that is linked to the al-Qaida terrorist network and wants to run Somalia by its strict interpretation of Shariah law. Despite militants suffering huge losses in recent years, including the killing of their leader in a U.S. airstrike earlier this year, alShabab remains a threat. Al-Shabab leader Ahmed Godane was killed in a U.S. airstrike in September. African Union troops supporting Somalia’s weak army have pushed al-Shabab from major strongholds, including the capital, Mogadishu, in 2011. However, al-Shabab fighters still carry out terror attacks in Somalia’s capital and in neighbouring countries that have contributed troops to the African Union Mission to Somalia. On Christmas day al-Shabab gunmen attacked the main African Union base in Mogadishu. The A.U. base hosts U.N. offices and embassies. Al-Shabab leader Zakariya Ismail Hersi, who had a $3 million bounty on his head, surrendered to Somali authorities three days ago.