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Moose Jaw Express, May 20, 2026

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MOOSE JAW’S HOMEGROWN NEWSPAPER

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will return home this summer for a special anniversary air show celebrating 55 years since the aerobatic team’s first performance in 1971.

The Canadian Snowbirds Hometown Event is scheduled for July 11 at the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport, where organizers are preparing for a full day of aerial demonstrations, static aircraft displays, and a community celebration tied to the Snowbirds’ milestone anniversary.

The anniversary date carries special significance, as July 11 marks the exact date of the Snowbirds’ first official performance.

“From coast to coast, the Snowbirds inspire Canadians with precision, teamwork, and pride as they travel across the country performing for millions each year,” the airport authority stated in promotional material announcing the event.

According to information shared by organizers, gates at the airport are expected to open at 10 a.m., with the Canadian Forces SkyHawks parachute demonstration team anticipated to perform around 12:15 p.m. The Snowbirds are currently scheduled to take to the skies at approximately 1 p.m.

The show is expected to use a drive-in style format similar to previous airport events, with vehicles parked along the taxiway facing the airfield. Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, sunscreen, and weather-appropriate items if they plan to watch the show outside their vehicles.

While organizers have indicated there will not be midway attractions or vendors, several static aircraft displays are expected to be featured throughout the day.

Last year’s hometown performance drew a sold-out crowd of approximately 1,600 spectators, with visitors travelling

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds perform over the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport during the team’s 2025 hometown air show. The Snowbirds are scheduled to return July 11 for a special hometown celebration marking the team’s 55th anniversary. Photo

from across Saskatchewan and beyond to watch the team perform over the prairie skies northeast of Moose Jaw.

The Snowbirds’ return comes as Moose Jaw continues to embrace its longstanding identity as one of Canada’s bestknown military and aviation communities, with generations of military pilots having trained at 15 Wing Moose Jaw.

Tickets are expected to become available through SaskTix later this month. Organizers have indicated admission is expected to be $50 per vehicle. Additional information regarding parking, activities, and ticket sales is expected to be released in the coming weeks.

The Municipal Airport is located approximately 15 minutes northeast of downtown Moose Jaw, accessible via the North Service Road and Highway 301.

by: Aaron Walker

Mayor proclaims National Public Works Week in Moose Jaw

Mayor James Murdock officially proclaimed May 17 to 23 as National Public Works Week in Moose Jaw during a signing ceremony held May 13 at the Yara Centre, recognizing the employees responsible for maintaining many of the city’s essential services and infrastructure.

The proclamation marked the 66th annual National Public Works Week, sponsored by the Canadian Public Works Association, and highlighted the role public works professionals play in supporting safe, functional, and resilient communities.

“Public works professionals focus on infrastructure, facilities, and services that are vital to sustainable and resilient communities, as well as the public health, quality of life, and well-being of the people of Moose Jaw,” Mayor James Murdock said.

Introduced by Tracy Moody, communications and content officer with the City of Moose Jaw, the ceremony also highlighted the city’s efforts to increase public awareness of the work performed behind the scenes by municipal departments and staff.

“This is our 10th anniversary of proclaiming National Public Works Week, so we’re excited to celebrate and recognize all public works staff and the work they do,” utilities manager Stacy Dobrescu said.

The proclamation referenced the role public works employees play in maintaining transportation systems, water treatment infrastructure, solid waste services, public buildings, and

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

tribute to public health and daily life.

“I urge all residents to take pride in and recognize the public works professionals whose commitment and service ensure clean drinking water, safe roadways, reliable infrastructure, and wellmaintained public spaces that support daily life and community well-being in our city,” Murdock said. Upcoming Public Works showcase

As part of this year’s recognition activities, the city will host a Public Works showcase event on May 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Pla-Mor Palace parking lot.

The free public event will feature municipal equipment displays, educational stations, games, food vendors, and opportunities for residents to speak directly with public works employees about their work and responsibilities.

City officials said the event is de-

children and families, a hands-on opportunity to learn more about municipal operations and infrastructure. Planned activities include face painting, children’s games, and planting activities organized by Parks and Recreation staff, where children will be able to plant flowers or vegetables to take home.

“We bring equipment and staff out so the community can see what we use every day, ask questions, and get a better understanding of the work we do,” said Jessica Craig, who works in operations and administrative support with the city.

Educational stations will also demonstrate the water testing and sampling procedures used to help maintain safe drinking water for residents. Officials noted that approximately 350 people attended last year’s event and expressed hope for continued community participation this year. In addition to the showcase, the city will share informational videos on social media throughout National Public Works Week highlighting areas such as stormwater infrastructure, pothole repairs, and water main break repairs.

“The value is giving us the opportunity to showcase what we do,” Dobrescu said. “Staff are very passionate about their work and about the community. It gives them a chance to explain their processes and help residents better understand the importance of the work they do.”

City officials noted the proclama

City of Moose Jaw representatives gather at the Yara Centre on May 13 following a proclamation ceremony recognizing National Public Works Week in Moose Jaw. Photo by: Aaron Walker
Mayor James Murdock delivers the City of Moose Jaw’s proclamation recognizing May 17 to 23 as National Public Works Week during a ceremony held May 13 at the Yara Centre. Photo by: Aaron Walker

‘Project Shine’ campaign returns to support inclusive employment opportunities

Volunteers from Moose Jaw Families for Change Inc. (MJFFC) spent the afternoon bagging groceries and greeting customers at the Moose Jaw Co-op Food Store on May 12 as part of the returning Project Shine fundraising campaign.

Now in its fourth year, the month-long initiative is a partnership between the Moose Jaw Co-op and SaskWater aimed at supporting local organizations and community projects. This year’s campaign is raising funds for MJFFC as the organization works to expand supported employment and retail programming through a newly acquired building on South Hill.

Throughout May, customers shopping at Moose Jaw Co-op Food Store, gas bar, and Agro Centre locations are being invited to donate a minimum of $2 at the till, with Moose Jaw Co-op and SaskWater each matching donations up to $2,500.

“This is our fourth year doing Project Shine, and this year we’ve chosen to provide support to Moose Jaw Families for Change,” said Michaela Turner, director of community relations with the Moose Jaw Co-op. “They’re doing some fundraising, and they’re opening it as a kind of vendor market.”

Turner said the new market space will create additional

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

Participants and volunteers with Moose Jaw Families for Change Inc. assist customers at the Moose Jaw Co-op Food Store during the Project Shine fundraising campaign on May 12. Photos by: Aaron Walker

volved with the organization’s programming while also supporting local makers and vendors.

“There are a lot of materials they need for that, and it will be a space where local makers can sell their wares while participants with Moose Jaw Families for Change can work there,” she said. “So it’s another employment opportunity for them.”

As part of the campaign, MJFFC volunteers are taking part in two grocery bagging events this month to help raise awareness about the organization and encourage donations. A second volunteer bagging event is scheduled for May 26, while till donations will contin

nator Mariah Horsnall said the campaign will directly support the organization’s plans to transform its newly acquired building at 301 Fourth Avenue Southwest into a local handmade market and expanded day program space focused on inclusive employment, retail training, and skill-development opportunities for participants.

“We have purchased a new building on South Hill, and the funds raised through Project Shine will go toward that new space,” Horsnall said, noting the organization is fundraising for equipment and infrastructure, including modified equipment, freezers, shelving, display units, and a point-of-sale system that participants will be able to learn and operate inde-

“We have some volunteers here with Moose Jaw Families for Change, along with members of our team and some of our clients, and they’re very excited to be here and doing a great job,” Horsnall said.

Horsnall added that the response from the community throughout the afternoon had been encouraging.

“It’s been quite phenomenal to see everyone in the community come together and not hesitate to donate to Moose Jaw Families for Change, while also

recognizing the work that all of our staff and participants do in the community,” she said.

To learn more about Moose Jaw Families for Change Inc., visit MJFFC.com, call 306693-2271, or visit the organization at 335 Fourth Avenue Southwest. The affiliated Kinsmen Café is also open to the public and can be reached at 306-690-1484.

Project Shine continues throughout May at participating Moose Jaw Co-op locations.

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Editor’s Note

We have lived in Moose Jaw for over 19 years and within a short time found out that this city was the home of the highly esteemed Snowbirds flying team. Actually, I only had experienced their live show once in Terrace, BC. after a show we attended but I have grown to love and esteem these messengers in the skies…a sheer display of pride in our country.

Since then, I have been ga-ga over them. To tell you the truth, whenever they fly over our community I almost am brought to tears because of their awesomeness presence. They have and continue to be an esteemed Canadian icon and loved by people across the country and beyond.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

I must admit, I love them and what they stand for and symbolize.

This week, there will be a news conference with Minister of National Defence David J. McGuinty, that is taking place Tuesday morning (May 19, 2026) at CFB Moose Jaw regarding the future of our beloved Snowbirds. We will find out the fate of this iconic symbol of pride and excellence.

It is of grave concern to all of us who live in this community. These people who are invested in this enterprise are part of our community and live their livelihood here. It means a lot to everyone of us that this institute continues. But in reality, I think a lot of people realize that the aircrafts are certainly aging and not up to the technological and up-to-date requirements of this day and age. I hope their is a solution to this predicament.

I think the concern is more for the lives of

Moose Jaw Express is proud to support free community access to ParentTV through the library. ParentTV is an online parenting support platform featuring over 2,000 expert-led videos and courses covering topics such as child development, mental health, anxiety, behavior, screen time, and more — helping support families at every stage of parenting. Video of the Week:

the pilots that fly these planes and considering the aging of the plane’s infrastructure; it is always more of a concern from year to year. So, I certainly will be listening with both ears as to what the federal government’s announcement on Tuesday will bring.

As you all probably are, I am also torn as to what to do, but in reality hope for the best for both our community and also for this incredible symbol of Canadianism to continue on to be a wonderful messenger in the skies of the our freedom, strength and incredible meaning they bring to every person in this country.

My hope is that a God-given solution will be a response that will be palatable to all of us that we can live with.

We love our Snowbirds and continue to have hope and faith that they will rise up better and stronger than ever!

Send your letters to the editor to: joan@moosejawexpress.com

All columns, letters to the editor and editorials are solely the personal opinions of the writers themselves and not necessarily the opinions of The Moose Jaw Express.

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There shall be no reproduction without the express written consent of the publisher. All ads in the Moose Jaw Express are published in good faith without verification. The Moose Jaw Express reserves the right to refuse, classify, revise or censor any ads for any reason in its sole discretion. This paper may include inaccuracies or errors. The Moose Jaw Express does not under any circumstances accept responsibility for the accuracy or otherwise of any ads or messages in any of the publications editions. The Moose Jaw Express specifically disclaims all and any liability to advertisers and readers of any kind for loss or damage of any nature what-so-ever and however arising, whether due to inaccuracy, error, omission or any other cause.

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Have you ever had your child say “I hate you” in a moment of anger? Parenting expert Dr. Chazz Lewis shares practical strategies on how to respond calmly, strengthen communication, and avoid reacting emotionally in the heat of the moment.

Publisher: Robert Ritchie - rob@mjvexpress.com

Editor: Joan Ritchie -joan@moosejawexpress.com

Sales: Wanda Hallborg - mjexpress7@sasktel.net David Klatt - david@moosejawexpress.com Kevin Ogle - kevin@saskpromo.com Thank you to all the contributing writers, without your time and support, the paper would not look the same. Send

Under new ownership as of July 1, 2025

• Quality 100% cotton fabric: solids, themed, Indigenous

• We carry interfacing, notions, thread, embroidery thread, batting, panels, ribbon skirts, 1 1/2" satin double faced ribbon, broadcloth, Metis content. Kokum scarves and felt. Button Day is every rst Tuesday of the month!

OPEN HOUSES

Highway to Heroes Car Show displays Armoury

The Highway to Heroes Car Show 2026 version occurred at Moose Jaw’s Col. D.V. Currie Armoury and grounds.

The show started with a Friday night indoor show with an indoor/outdoor show on Saturday.

Show sponsor, the Friends of the Forces Fellowship, organized the show in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Dragoons militia unit.

Show participants enjoyed the location and the opportunity to view the military artifacts

and about two dozen banners, each describing in detail the Dragoons’ battle honours.

On Friday night after the show participants were invited to a presentation on the Armoury and Dragoons’ history.

One vintage car owner from Cupar said there wasn’t time to see all the military-related materials.

A number of websites tell about the 1912 Armoury and the 121-year-old military unit.

Parks Canada has one site with others at veterans.gc.ca

and historicplaces.ca The Sask Dragoons also have websites. Winners from Friday’s show were:

• People’s Choice, Dale Nistor’s 1972 GMC Sierra Grande;

• Judge’s choice, Don Nogue’s 1965 GMC Sierra;

• Judge’s Choice, Don Nogue’s SS 427;

• Judge’s Choice, Wayne Dirkson’s 1939 Chev;

• Best in Show, Dennis Schick’s 1954 Mercury;

• Best Custom, Lyle Silzer’s 1955 Mercury M100;

• Best Military, John Tizzard’s 1970 M15A5;

• Best Vintage, Larry Smith’s 1927 Ford;

• Best Motorcycle, Larry Smith’s Harley.

SNAPSHOT: A bridge to the past

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

SNAPSHOT: The Coteau Street East bridge is awaiting demolition after city inspections determined the 113-year-old structure had reached the end of its service life. Built in 1913, the bridge has already been closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic while preparations continue for its removal above the CN Rail tracks. The demolition plan has been approved by CN Rail, which is also contributing up to 50 per cent of the project cost to a maximum of $135,000 under a public grade separation closure agreement. No specific demolition date has yet been announced by the City of

Winners from Saturday’s show were:

• People’s Choice, Don Nogue;

• Best in Show, Don Matwe’s 1968 Cougar;

• Judge’s Choice, Mark/ Donna Forbes’ 1987 Toyota

Diesel;

• Judge’s Choice, Eric Epp’s 1986 Nissan 300 ZX;

• Judge’s Choice, Ryan Schever’s 1972 Mach 1;

• Best Motorcycle, Tracy Nicholas’ 2016 FLSS Slim;

• Best Vintage, Dean Redman’s 1928 Model A;

• Best Custom, Peter Boema’s 1929 Essex Pieter;

• Best Truck, Dale Nistor’s 1972 GMC Sierra.Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

Moose Jaw. Photo by: Aaron Walker

Growing Heirlooms in Your Garden –Part II

Growing heirlooms is something that should always be considered. We need to consciously make the effort to preserve our genetic diversity for future generations. It is also something that honours plants that we have grown over the centuries. One thing that I always notice as a very visible difference between hybrids and heirlooms is that when you plant a field of hybrid plants they will be almost completely identical like a brigade of soldiers. When you plant a field of heirlooms you will see subtle variations in colours and forms that somehow feels more freeing.

In my garden, I usually grow a

combination of hybrid and heirloom plants. Often some of the heirloom plants will be better producers than the hybrid plants. I like to use the tomato as an example. Tomatoes are hot crops and like to see warm, sunny days for best production. However, some of the heirloom tomatoes that I always grow thrive when the weather is cooler. I figure that as I do not have the power to dictate the weather, if I grow tomatoes that thrive in hot weather and some that thrive in cooler weather – I am always guaranteed a tomato crop!

Growing heirlooms tells stories that we would otherwise never experience. Over the years, I have grown many heirlooms, and many have stood out as leaders in my garden. However, there is one ultimate tomato that wins for fast germination, amazing growth and a flavour that is seriously to die for. This unnamed variety of tomato we call “Nella”. We received some tomatoes from a lovely woman by that name. Nella had traded and saved seeds even after her immigration to Canada with her brother who still lives in the old country. Their family and friends have traded and saved seeds for many generations on both sides of the border between Croatia and Italy. My experi-

ence with Nella (the tomato) is unparalleled as even after saving the seeds in a not ideal environment for more than a year or two, they all germinated and left all the other heirloom tomatoes we are growing behind. The fruit is a pinky red colour and these tomatoes should be picked when they are not fully ripe for the best flavour. In spite of having many favourite heirlooms, I really do think that Nella ranks at the top.

As far as peppers go – I have a few favourites. As we can use peppers in many ways, in my opinion we should grow many different peppers! I hope you enjoy a look into my favourites.

Jimmy Nardello is a Sweet Italian pepper that is without doubt the best banana type of pepper for frying or for pasta sauces. It has a slightly spicy flavour lending itself to a delectable feast whether eaten raw or cooked. Great for containers as at maturity it is about 24 inches high.

Purple Beauty is a mid-sized lobed

sweet bell pepper which begins as a lovely purple colour and deepens to almost black when completely ripe. Lovely raw or cooked.

Long Red Cayenne is one of my favourite peppers as it is great used fresh but also holds its colour when strung and dried. Cayenne peppers are one of the most popular peppers used in the Western hemisphere with the name originating in the city of Cayenne in French Guiana which is the home where this pepper originates. It is a very productive plant with a height and spread of up to 18 inches. The fruit is thinly curved beginning as a bright emerald green and maturing into a wrinkled red fruit. Caution is advised with these peppers as they are very hot at 30,000 to 50,000 SHU.

Hanbidge is the Lead Horticulturist with Orchid Horticulture. Find us at www.orchidhort.com; by email at growyourfuture@gmail.com on facebook @orchidhort and on instagram at #orchidhort.

Tune into GROW Live on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/orchidhort or check out the Youtube channel GROW…

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzkiUpkvyv2e2HCQlFl0JyQ?

Brian Tittemore named new CEO of Moose Jaw Co-op

The Moose Jaw Co-op has appointed Brian Tittemore as its new chief executive officer (CEO), marking what the organization describes as a new chapter for the locally owned co-operative.

The announcement was officially shared by the Moose Jaw Co-op Board of Directors during the organization’s annual general meeting on May 13.

Tittemore steps into the role after spending the past seven years with the locally owned co-operative, most recently serving as executive director of operations. During that time, he helped oversee multiple areas of the organization, including agriculture, operations, and leadership, while working closely with employees, members, customers, and community partners across the region.

Board President Glen Steinhauer said Tittemore’s experience and peoplefocused leadership style made him a natural fit to guide the organization forward.

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

“The Board of Directors is very pleased to announce Brian Tittemore as CEO of Moose Jaw Co-op,” Steinhauer said in the announcement. “Brian brings

valuable leadership experience, a strong understanding of our Co-operative values, and a people-focused approach that aligns well with who we are as an organization. He has earned the trust and respect of many through his work over the past seven years, and the Board is confident in his ability to lead Moose Jaw Co-op forward.”

As CEO, Tittemore will oversee Moose Jaw Co-op’s operations while working alongside employees, the executive leadership team, board members, and community partners as the organization continues planning for future growth and investment.

“I am honoured and excited to step into the role of CEO for Moose Jaw Co-op,” Tittemore said. “Moose Jaw Co-op has a proud history, a dedicated team, and plays a meaningful role in the communities it serves. I look forward to working alongside our employees,

Board, members, and partners as we continue to serve our communities, support our people, and build for the future.”

The organization said Tittemore’s leadership style and experience align with Moose Jaw Co-op’s continued focus on “People First, Community, Excellence, and Trust.”

Moose Jaw Co-op serves Moose Jaw and surrounding communities including Avonlea, Wilcox, Liberty, and Imperial through its food, fuel, agriculture, pharmacy, and home and building divisions. Alongside its retail operations, the co-operative continues to support local initiatives and community partnerships throughout the region.

The organization said the leadership transition comes as Moose Jaw Co-op continues to focus on long-term growth while maintaining its commitment to member service and community investment.

For Moose Jaw Express
Brian Tittemore has been appointed as the new CEO of Moose Jaw Co-op, the organization announced during its annual general meeting on May 13. Photo by: Supplied

Roll Number Civic Address

454900050

454900300 670 NORTH SERVICE RD

455000750 2075 NORWOOD AVE

474802600 80 HODGES LANE

474803600 24 HODGES CRES

474811750 1764 HAYES LANE

474903058 134 BLUE SAGE DR

474907990 25 ELISIA DR

474911000 45 BLUEBELL CRES

474911800 72 BLUEBELL CRES

474912800 32 BLUEBELL CRES

475001450 205 WOOD LILY DR

475008800 32 DAHLIA CRES

475013750 86 EDELWEISS CRES

475023200 45 ASTER CRES

475024150 19 BUTTERCUP CRES

475024650 16 BUTTERCUP CRES

475027678 B3 33 WOOD LILY DR

475027893 308B 55 WOOD LILY DR

475027966 209C 59 WOOD LILY DR

475028500 1744 MAIN ST N

475100200 1719 MAIN ST N

475201750 30 MCKENZIE LANE

City of Moose Jaw

Notice is hereby given under the Tax Enforcement Act, that unless the arrears appearing opposite the land described in the following list are fully paid ON or Before July 31st, 2026, a tax lien will be registered against the land. (Note: A sum of $10.22 for costs is included in the amount shown against each parcel.)

Arrears Legal Land Description

$503.85 E1/2 SW17-17-26 W2ND

$16,917.71 Lot 5-6 Blk 267 Plan EX1152

$9,776.44 Lot Blk C Plan L2071

$7,295.38 Lot 14 Blk 115 Plan 102050097

$6,947.94 Lot 4 Blk 115 Plan 102050097

$8,068.23 Lot 17 Blk 111 Plan 102145137

$3,872.41 Lot 11 Blk 27 Plan 88MJ05770

$7,159.21 Lot 9 Blk 28 Plan 88MJ05770

$6,689.29 Lot 23 Blk 10 Plan 76MJ00294

$4,248.85 Lot 29 Blk 11 Plan 76MJ00294

$3,009.32 Lot 16 Blk 11 Plan 76MJ00294

$3,800.60 Lot 12 Blk 19 Plan 77MJ07703

$5,259.80 Lot 2 Blk 18 Plan 76MJ01165

$3,988.92 Lot 12 Blk 16 Plan 76MJ01165

$4,148.50 Lot 23 Blk 4 Plan 76MJ00294

$4,112.30 Lot 10 Blk 6 Plan 76MJ00294

$2,962.14 Lot 8 Blk 7 Plan 76MJ00294

$3,954.24 Lot UNIT #7 AND 500/10000 Blk Plan 102007077

$949.34 Lot UNIT #43 AND 213/1000 Blk Plan 85MJ02391

$1,367.32 Lot UNIT #16 AND 425/1000 Blk Plan 85MJ08376

$10,524.06 Lot 6 Blk 1 Plan 75MJ12356

$24,624.29 Lot 10 Blk 1 Plan 74MJ00968

$22,724.76 Lot 14 Blk 4 Plan 81MJ08260

484608250 227 IRON BRIDGE DR $6,103.38 Lot Blk 65 Plan 102046216

484702400 1607 ADMIRAL CRES

$5,630.88 Lot 18 Blk 2 Plan 101154204

484706250 1234 NORMANDY DR $4,264.27 Lot 23 Blk 11 Plan 80MJ02292

484713100 1357 PRINCE CRES

484715800 1389 REGAL CRES

484718000 1334 REGAL CRES

484722600 1315 QUEEN CRES

484723650 1345 KING CRES

484725700 1319 KING CRES

484802700 1609 GENERAL CRES

484803950 1615 MARSHAL CRES

484804500 1694 MARSHAL CRES

484805450 1614 GENERAL CRES

484808350 1007 LAURIER ST

484810400 1080 SIMCOE ST

484900454 4 1590 4TH AVE NW

$3,350.46 Lot 22 Blk 278 Plan 65MJ01153

$3,610.83 Lot 6 Blk 298 Plan 80MJ07602

$2,377.77 Lot 9 Blk 296 Plan 80MJ07602

$3,976.56 Lot 8 Blk 276 Plan 65MJ01153

$3,625.38 Lot 28 Blk 274 Plan 65MJ01153

$1,944.18 Lot 15 Blk 274 Plan 65MJ01153

$3,697.42 Lot 15 Blk 5 Plan 101140625

$4,544.96 Lot 4 Blk 7 Plan 65MJ03211

$3,123.46 Lot 10 Blk 6 Plan 65MJ03211

$5,387.23 Lot 3 Blk 4 Plan 65MJ03211

$3,339.36 Lot 16 Blk 32 Plan 60MJ01891

$4,521.27 Lot 30 Blk 32 Plan 60MJ01891

$5,188.48 Lot UNIT#4 AND 250/10000 Blk Plan 101918965

484900613 102 550 LAURIER ST $610.15 Lot UNIT 43 AND 88/10000 Blk Plan 101934435

484900642 402 550 LAURIER ST $655.07 Lot UNIT 72 AND 93/10000 Blk Plan 101934435

484900676 409 590 LAURIER ST $682.60 Lot UNIT 105 AND 99/10000 Blk Plan 101934435

484903700 1314 6TH AVE NW

484903850 1302 6TH AVE NW

484905700 1345 ALGOMA AVE

484909300 1218 5TH AVE NW

485006950 1335 GRAFTON AVE

$2,536.40 Lot 19-21 Blk 24 Plan N4537

$2,509.44 Lot 26 Blk 24 Plan N4537

$755.07 Lot 54 Blk 26 Plan 102467662

$2,385.75 Lot 5; 31 Blk 29 Plan K2802; 101116549

$4,385.11 Lot 44- 45; 49 Blk 31 Plan N4537; 101103398

485008150 1208 2ND AVE NW $2,137.41 Lot 10-11 Blk 23 Plan K4594

485008300 1220 2ND AVE NW $1,641.89 Lot 28; 4; 29 Blk 23 Plan 101102690; K4594; 485008700 1302 2ND AVE NW $2,434.17 Lot 25-26 Blk 31 Plan N4537

485009350 1321 2ND AVE NW $2,013.40 Lot 37-38 Blk 32 Plan N4537

485010500 1222 REDLAND AVE

$2,839.11 Lot 30; 3 Blk 22 Plan 101173272; K4594

485010850 1306 REDLAND AVE $1,573.57 Lot 24; 40 Blk 32 Plan N4537; 101155665

485011500 1315 REDLAND AVE $4,130.71 Lot 33-35 Blk 33 Plan N4537

485100050 1599 MAIN ST N $20,180.66 Lot Blk F Plan 69MJ00652

485100350 31 THATCHER DR E $23,591.08 Lot 6 Blk 2 Plan 76MJ05902

Roll Number Civic Address Arrears Legal Land Description

494702750 1229 PASCOE DR W $4,886.13 Lot 36 Blk 285 Plan 74MJ12299

494703150 1267 PASCOE DR W $3,156.42 Lot 44 Blk 285 Plan 74MJ12299

494704150 1334 13TH AVE NW $1,874.86 Lot 9 Blk 284 Plan 74MJ12299

494705950 1611 RUTHERFORD ST $5,025.20 Lot 10 Blk 287 Plan 74MJ12299

494707300 1655 PASCOE CRES

494712700 1166 PRINCE CHARLES PL $3,219.83 Lot 15 Blk 299 Plan 82MJ12257

494717000 924 HAWTHORNE CRES $2,051.03 Lot 6 Blk 292 Plan 74MJ12299

494717950 979 HOLDSWORTH CRES $3,297.37 Lot 18 Blk 295 Plan 74MJ12299

494719500 911 HOLDSWORTH

494720850 1062

1347

1101

1154

1218

Roll Number Civic Address Arrears Legal Land Description

495018750 225 OXFORD ST W

495020000 1138 2ND AVE NW

495020350 1166 2ND AVE NW

495023650 1153 REDLAND AVE

495027550 1067 1ST AVE NW

495031550 1135 CLIFTON AVE

495100500 1011 MAIN ST N

495105200 1093 ALDER AVE

495108700 1063 1ST AVE NE

495115100 1015 2ND AVE NE

495115250 1037 2ND AVE NE

495119750 312 OXFORD ST E

495124750 891 WILLOW AVE

495125700 1089 WILLOW AVE

Notice is hereby given under the Tax Enforcement Act, that unless the arrears appearing opposite the land described in the following list are fully paid ON or Before July 31st, 2026, a tax lien will be registered against the land. (Note: A sum of $10.22 for costs is included in the amount shown against each parcel.)

$2,262.04 Lot 8 Blk 8 Plan I3253

$2,645.68 Lot 9; 21 Blk 14; 5 Plan K4594

$2,855.42 Lot 2 Blk 14 Plan K4594

$2,040.97 Lot 14 Blk 16 Plan K4594

$3,023.37 Lot 21 Blk 12 Plan N3925

$2,649.42 Lot 18 Blk 1 Plan K4594

$3,346.65 Lot 5 EXC E10’ Blk 24 Plan C4006

$3,249.08 Lot 39 Blk 24 Plan C4006

$3,314.18 Lot 28 Blk 25 Plan C4006

$3,755.29 Lot 75 Blk 26 Plan 101169514

$3,225.17 Lot 49-50 Blk 26 Plan 101169491

$790.63 Lot 2; 7 Blk 26 Plan C4006 EXT 8; C4006 EX

$2,335.75 Lot 4-5 Blk 9 Plan S1896

$2,224.55 Lot 4 Blk 8 Plan S1896

495125750 1093 WILLOW AVE $640.10 Lot 3 Blk 8 Plan S1896

495126850 1247 WILLOW AVE $3,093.04 Lot 10-11 Blk 14 Plan S1896

495127850 1166 4TH AVE NE $484.49 Lot 40 Blk 7 Plan S1896

495128650 1062 4TH AVE NE $2,633.98 Lot 41-42 Blk 8 Plan S1896

495128700 1056 4TH AVE NE

Lot 39-40 Blk 8 Plan S1896

495128800 1038 4TH AVE NE $3,592.97 Lot 36 Blk 8 Plan S1896

495130200 897 4TH AVE NE $2,064.26 Lot 1 Blk 10 Plan S1896

495133850 1088 WOLFE AVE $1,501.12 Lot 48-49 Blk 11 Plan S1896

495134150 1042 WOLFE AVE $2,157.06 Lot 36-37 Blk 11 Plan S1896

495203450 1001 5TH AVE NE $1,180.22 Lot 26 Blk 31 Plan S1896

495203875 503 HALL ST E $2,655.68 Lot 55 Blk 31 Plan 102275175

495209450 843 6TH AVE NE $2,337.35 Lot 15-16 Blk 19 Plan S1896

495212450 880 GREY AVE $1,568.12 Lot 44-46 Blk 21 Plan S1896

495212800 828 GREY AVE $1,581.66 Lot 32-33 Blk 21 Plan S1896

495304150 922 CARIBOU ST E $4,496.67 Lot 11-12 Blk 1 Plan E5228

504703250 1542 HOCHELAGA ST W $3,562.87 Lot 25 Blk 115 Plan 78MJ15235

504706500 1531 ATHABASCA ST W $3,214.23 Lot 54 Blk 107 Plan 99MJ01400

504707750 1425 ATHABASCA ST W $836.95 Lot 54 Blk 108 Plan 99MJ01400

504708150 1308 STADACONA ST W $2,980.57 Lot 62 Blk 109 Plan 99MJ01400

504709300 1504 STADACONA ST W $2,940.58 Lot 62 Blk 107 Plan 99MJ01400

504800150 1239 CARIBOU ST W $3,417.92 Lot 51 Blk 118 Plan 99MJ01400

504800350 1223 CARIBOU ST W $3,533.79 Lot 55 Blk 118 Plan 99MJ01400

504806550 1215 HOCHELAGA ST W $4,931.11 Lot 54 Blk 111 Plan 99MJ01400

504807250 1125 HOCHELAGA ST W $3,225.71 Lot C Blk 8 Plan 71MJ08971

504807350 1119 HOCHELAGA ST W $2,723.90 Lot E Blk 8 Plan 71MJ08971

504808800 919 HOCHELAGA ST W $3,621.45 Lot 18;19 Blk 4 Plan L2799

504811350 1158 ATHABASCA ST W $2,664.94 Lot 73 Blk 8 Plan 99MJ01400

504812450 1215 ATHABASCA ST W $3,686.33 Lot 57 Blk 110 Plan 99MJ01400

504812600 1203 ATHABASCA ST W $1,937.97 Lot 60 Blk 110 Plan 99MJ01400

504812900 1141 ATHABASCA ST W $4,511.27 Lot 53 Blk 9 Plan 99MJ01400

504813050 1129 ATHABASCA ST W $3,216.76 Lot 56 Blk 9 Plan 99MJ01400

504815050 927 ATHABASCA ST W $1,665.00 Lot 51; 15 Blk 11 Plan 101157038; L2799

504815100 925 ATHABASCA ST W $425.50 Lot 16 Blk 11 Plan L2799

504815150 921 ATHABASCA ST W $1,766.40 Lot 17 Blk 11 Plan L2799

504816550 954 STADACONA ST W $2,682.25 Lot 46 Blk 11 Plan L2799

504818150 1142 STADACONA ST W $1,914.38 Lot 71 Blk 9 Plan 99MJ01400

504818700 1238 STADACONA ST W $1,895.92 Lot 39 Blk 110 Plan P3999

504820900 1045 STADACONA ST W $1,828.07 Lot 46;9 Blk 14 Plan 101134774;L2799

504822900 918 OMINICA ST W $2,566.94 Lot 32;53 Blk 12 Plan L2799; 101135180

504824200 957 OMINICA ST W $2,192.07 Lot 4 Blk 13 Plan L2799

504824250 953 OMINICA ST W $1,463.52 Lot 5 Blk 13 Plan L2799

504825025 934 FARFORD ST W $804.13 Lot 38 Blk 13 Plan L2799

City of Moose Jaw Dated at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan on this 11th day of May, 2026.

Roll Number Civic Address Arrears Legal Land Description

504902050 778 HOCHELAGA ST W $237.67 Lot 12 Blk 2 Plan 101140153

504904300 531 HOCHELAGA ST W $4,779.94 Lot 7 Blk 33 Plan OLD96

504908650 751 ATHABASCA ST W $2,966.77 Lot 4 Blk 38 Plan OLD96

504911400 568 STADACONA ST W $2,969.28 Lot 19 Blk 40 Plan OLD96

504911650 526 STADACONA ST W $4,872.12 Lot 14 Blk 40 Plan OLD96

504914100 745 STADACONA ST W $1,411.07 Lot 5 Blk 68 Plan OLD96

504915850 770 OMINICA ST W $1,662.43 Lot 29-30 Blk 68 Plan 101127653

504915950 752 OMINICA ST W $1,290.74 Lot 17 Blk 68 Plan OLD96

504918000 754 FAIRFORD ST W $32,147.99 Lot 31-36 Blk 71 Plan OLD96

505003750 333 HOCHELAGA ST W $1,502.92 Lot 22 Blk 31 Plan 99MJ08500

505009250 447 ATHABASCA ST W $1,281.08 Lot 21 Blk 41 Plan 99MJ08500

505013350 447 STADACONA ST W $3,268.00 Lot 5 Blk 65 Plan OLD96

505013400 451 STADACONA ST W $3,160.46 Lot 4 Blk 65 Plan OLD96

505015750 153 OMINICA ST W $9,331.02 Lot 42 Blk 77 Plan 99MJ06781

505017100 405 OMINICA ST W $5,046.43 Lot 19-20 Blk 74 Plan OLD96

505018600 336 FAIRFORD ST W $737.58 Lot 29 Blk 75 Plan OLD96

505020850 203 FAIRFORD ST W $14,059.84

Blk 106 Plan OLD96

505027000 76 RIVER ST W $10,578.85 Lot Blk D Plan 102464906

505101850 33 MAIN ST N $4,514.52 Lot 60 Blk 6 Plan 99MJ15800 505102150

FAIRFORD ST E $10,936.56 Lot CONDO UNIT #29 565/10 Blk Plan 102108035

505111050 132 ATHABASCA ST E $47,304.29 Lot 16-17 Blk 26 Plan OLD96

505115650

505200150

505200700 544 HOCHELAGA ST E $712.00 Lot 6 Blk 15 Plan OLD96

505204400 559 HOCHELAGA ST E $1,031.47 Lot 8 Blk 22 Plan OLD96

505205550 428 ATHABASCA ST E $7,779.19 Lot 22; 17 Blk 23 Plan 101154484; OLD96

505208100 836 ATHABASCA ST E $2,124.19 Lot 19 Blk 19 Plan OLD96

505208550 833 ATHABASCA ST E $1,239.30 Lot 9 Blk 53 Plan OLD96

505209150 753 ATHABASCA ST E $2,083.11 Lot 7 Blk 52 Plan OLD96

505210150 461 ATHABASCA ST E $50,973.89 Lot 3;4-10 Blk 49 Plan OLD96

505210600 452 STADACONA ST E $1,346.21 Lot 14 Blk 49 Plan OLD96

505212350 813 STADACONA ST E $1,046.73 Lot 34,35 Blk 54 Plan 101138745

505214450 405 4TH AVE NE $2,797.19 Lot 20 Blk 58 Plan OLD96

505214550 420 OMINICA ST E $3,464.57 Lot 18 Blk 58 Plan OLD96

505217200 853 OMINICA ST E $2,129.52 Lot E10’-13;14 Blk 86 Plan OLD96

505217750 811 OMINICA ST E $2,054.59 Lot 3 Blk 86 Plan OLD96

505218150 741 OMINICA ST E $1,626.05 Lot 24, 25 Blk 85 Plan 101138868

505222300 818 FAIRFORD ST E $2,988.36 Lot 24 Blk 86 Plan OLD96

505222400 828 FAIRFORD ST E $992.42 Lot 22 Blk 86 Plan OLD96

505222550 836 FAIRFORD ST E $1,154.05 Lot 19 Blk 86 Plan OLD96

505300700 940 ATHABASCA ST E $1,297.11 Lot 19-21 Blk 1 Plan D3174

505301050 1016 ATHABASCA ST E $2,890.56 Lot 8; 26 Blk 2 Plan D3174; 101165992

505304650 1034 STADACONA ST E $2,768.08 Lot 34-36 Blk 3 Plan D3174

505306600 1013 STADACONA ST E $2,036.32 Lot 7-8 Blk 6 Plan D3174

505307200 921 STADACONA ST E $4,639.03 Lot 10-11 Blk 5 Plan D3174

505309000 1049 OMINICA ST E $2,295.77 Lot 23-25 Blk 7 Plan D3174

505309300 1025 OMINICA ST E $1,777.16 Lot 12-13 Blk 7 Plan D3174

505400075 615 13TH AVE NE $18,015.10 Lot Blk D Plan 102061044

City of Moose Jaw

Notice is hereby given under the Tax Enforcement Act, that unless the arrears appearing opposite the land described in the following list are fully paid ON or Before July 31st, 2026, a tax lien will be registered against the land. (Note: A sum of $10.22 for costs is included in the amount shown against each parcel.)

Roll Number Civic Address Arrears Legal Land Description

505400080 1310 ATHABASCA ST E

514701350 1559 CREE CRES

514701500 1547 CREE CRES

514702050 1514 CREE CRES

514706100 1292 IROQUOIS DR

514802650 1046 LILLOOET ST W

$2,536.86 Lot Blk 3 Plan 102077940

$3,641.64 Lot 15 Blk 93 Plan 75MJ16450

$3,806.53 Lot 12 Blk 93 Plan 75MJ16450

$3,262.90 Lot 4 Blk 94 Plan 75MJ16450

$2,756.67 Lot 24 Blk 88 Plan 75MJ16450

524708850 750 15TH AVE SW $3,151.82 Lot 26-27 Blk 8 Plan G1868

524709600 1535 GRANDVIEW ST W $2,519.80 Lot 8-9 Blk 9 Plan G1868

524716250 1214 WARNER ST $3,246.68 Lot 31-32 Blk 21 Plan G1868

524716350 1222 WARNER ST $2,679.42 Lot 35-36 Blk 21 Plan G1868

524719750 1005 15TH AVE SW $2,938.09 Lot 1-2 Blk 18 Plan G1868

524800750 1039 COTEAU ST W $2,346.74 Lot 6 Blk 13 Plan CX912

$2,033.38 Lot 11 Blk 50 Plan L2799

$1,431.04 Lot 8, 9 Blk 47 Plan L682 514805800 1039 LILLOOET ST W

514810600 1027 IROQUOIS ST W $1,512.05 Lot 14-15 Blk 53 Plan L2799

514813900 1002 COTEAU ST W $1,683.53 Lot 26 Blk 53 Plan L2799

514901450 548 MAPLE ST W $873.84 Lot 26-27 Blk 150 Plan 101184612

514902850 460 HOME ST W $821.83 Lot 18 Blk 157 Plan OLD96 514903900 513 HOME ST W $414.39 Lot 25 Blk 180 Plan 101184746

514905500 450 IROQUOIS ST W $1,714.41 Lot 24 Blk 188 Plan 101128889 514907050 431 9TH AVE SW $2,686.87 Lot 5 Blk 1 Plan CX728 514908600 466 COTEAU ST W $2,149.65 Lot 19 Blk 205 Plan OLD96 515002500 119 HOME ST W $1,223.09 Lot 8 Blk 176 Plan OLD96 515004150 323 4TH AVE SW $2,959.34 Lot 27-28 Blk 178 Plan 101147970 515004200 329 4TH AVE SW $4,694.60 Lot 19-20 Blk 178 Plan OLD96 515005600 104 LILLOOET ST W $2,032.12 Lot 11 Blk 176 Plan OLD96

34 LILLOOET ST W

Lot 15 Blk 175 Plan OLD96

220 IROQUOIS ST W $1,664.78 Lot 13 Blk 190 Plan OLD96 515009900 106 IROQUOIS ST W $2,300.77 Lot 11 Blk 191 Plan OLD96

515010050 66 IROQUOIS ST W $4,207.62 Lot 19 Blk 192 Plan OLD96

515013300 246 COTEAU ST W $2,591.12 Lot 29;16 Blk 203 Plan 101129161;OLD96

515013550 204 COTEAU ST W $3,074.28 Lot 11 Blk 203 Plan OLD96

515106000 417 MAIN ST S $2,010.56 Lot 29 Blk 193 Plan 101092283

515106600 74 IROQUOIS ST E $2,323.25 Lot 12 Blk 193 Plan OLD96 515106700 104 IROQUOIS ST E $2,745.58 Lot 20 Blk 194 Plan OLD96

515107154 202 IROQUOIS ST E $8,170.72 Lot 20 Blk 195 Plan OLD96

524603300 21 ARLINGTON AVE

$2,715.57 Lot 40 Blk 2 Plan 102080315

524605832 138 EVERTON CRES $2,668.55 Lot 38 Blk 9 Plan 102116786 524605896 250 WELLINGTON DR $5,375.96 Lot 2 Blk 33 Plan 101851231 524606350 294 WELLINGTON DR $2,547.94 Lot 3 Blk 5 Plan 78MJ08458

524612250 1204 16TH AVE SW $4,093.89 Lot 12 Blk 28 Plan 77MJ07654

524617710 78 BRIGHAM RD $2,650.50 Lot 23 Blk 14 Plan 78MJ08458

524617744 42 BRIGHAM RD $3,945.15 Lot 5 Blk 14 Plan 78MJ08458

524617756 33 BRIGHAM RD $7,013.95 Lot 37 Blk 15 Plan 78MJ08458

524700950 1423 COTEAU ST W $2,680.61 Lot 11-12 Blk 2 Plan G1868

524705150 1519 DUFFIELD ST W $2,451.16 Lot 16-17 Blk 8 Plan G1868

524707350 1216 GRANDVIEW ST W $2,646.88 Lot 33 & 34 Blk 5 Plan G1868

Slow building activity this year

Construction activity shows one of the slowest paces in years with building permits issued by city hall at less than half last year’s level.

Value of permits issued to the end of April, 2026 was $5.35 million, a decline from $12.9 million the same time last year.

No new residences have been started this year, compared with one worth $300,000 in 2025.

No commercial permits were issued in April.

Only 10 permits were issued in April for $328,000, down from $1.78 million last April.

Residential permits included three garages and three renovations.

One demolition permit was issued.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net

524806900 1196 DUFFIELD CRES $2,577.66 Lot 2 Blk 17 Plan 59MJ09081

524809850 1193 DUFFIELD CRES $3,075.55 Lot 20 Blk 15 Plan 59MJ09081

524810100 1178 CURRIE CRES $4,084.44 Lot 15 Blk 15 Plan 59MJ09081

524817500 1329 IRVING AVE $5,361.68 Lot 12 Blk 25 Plan 83MJ09692

524824050 1023 VAUGHAN ST $1,919.19 Lot 18-20 Blk 3 Plan S1138

524828468 402 940 BRADLEY ST $4,102.71 Lot UNIT#18 AND 299/10000 Blk Plan 102161887

524828864 300 917 BRADLEY ST $3,847.71 Lot CONDO UNIT #64; PAR Blk Plan 102168288

524900450 821 COTEAU ST W $1,072.44 Lot 19-20 Blk 210 Plan O4753

524900700

524901550

524908000

101146935

525001700 119 COTEAU ST W $3,045.50 Lot 18 Blk G Plan H3491

525002400 178 DUFFIELD ST W $2,248.28 Lot 52 Blk G Plan H3491

525002550 212

525002950 270 DUFFIELD ST W $6,332.77 Lot 1-2; 45 Blk G Plan H3491

525003650 344 DUFFIELD ST W $4,844.30 Lot 31 Blk 215 Plan S128

525006050 726 SKIPTON RD $1,627.12 Lot Blk 122, 123 Plan 101894980

525006700 240 GRANDVIEW ST W $4,413.70 Lot 53 Blk Plan D4450

525007400 338 GRANDVIEW ST W $3,894.02 Lot 26-27 Blk 222 Plan S128

525011400 627 SKIPTON RD $1,389.84 Lot Blk 7; A Plan G372; 101859486

525100650 821 MAIN ST S $2,212.07 Lot 10 EXC E10’ Blk C Plan G1209

525107400 123 LANSING ST $2,224.54 Lot 2 Blk 2 Plan CX33

525201300 644 DUFFERIN AVE $1,760.42 Lot 32-35 Blk 4 Plan S3865

534900550 $1,262.39 Lot 8-10 Blk 5 Plan V1328

534900600 1543 9TH AVE SW $1,034.90 Lot 1-3 Blk 5 Plan V1328

534900900 1675 9TH AVE SW $3,020.53 Lot 1-5 Blk 1 Plan V1328

534900950 $520.13 Lot 11-15 Blk 1 Plan V1328

Dated at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan on this 11th day of May, 2026.

700 more seeking employment

More people were unemployed in the Moose Jaw-Swift Current labour region in April than one year ago.

Unemployed numbers increased by 700 to 3,800 from the same month in 2025.

The number of people working declined by 1,800 to 50,200 in the region. Saskatchewan had 5,000 more people working for 610,500.

The Saskatchewan unemployment rate increased to six per cent from 5.2 per cent compared with the national un-

employment rate of seven per cent

The Regina-Moose Mountain region had the lowest unemployment rate at 5.7 per cent followed by YorktonMelville at 5.5 per cent and SaskatoonBiggar a 5.8 per cent.

Prince Albert Northern region unemployment rate was seven per cent. Unemployment increased in each region.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net

Emerging entrepreneurs take spotlight at Sask Polytech Startup Challenge

Student entrepreneurs from across the province gathered in Moose Jaw on May 12 as Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Startup Challenge wrapped up with a live pitch competition showcasing emerging business ideas.

Held at Unit 111 in the Town ‘N’ Country Mall, the event marked the final stage of Sask Polytech’s 10-week Startup Challenge through the institution’s Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre. Participants previously completed a 10-week mentorship program focused on business development, networking, and pitch preparation before presenting ventures for a share of more than $25,000 in prize funding. The event, originally scheduled for April 16, was postponed due to heavy snowfall and travel concerns for out-of-town participants.

The challenge highlighted Saskatchewan-grown ideas spanning technology, agriculture, creative industries, food services, and leadership develop-

trict Chamber of Commerce CEO Rob Clark, and chamber member Bing Wang.

Jenna Aulie

Among the student finalists was graphic communications student Jenna Aulie, founder of Jenna Aulie Creations, who presented a business focused on combining photography, graphic design, videography, and printing services under one creative brand.

“When I was in high school, I knew what I wanted to do after I graduated. I had so many different hobbies and interests that I couldn’t really narrow them down, but most of my hobbies were creative and artistic,” she said.

ment, while underscoring the growing role of Sask Polytech in entrepreneurship and innovation.

Judges included former Gravelbourg Mustard owner and Dragon’s Den contestant Val Michaud, Sask Polytech dean Kristen Craig, Moose Jaw & Dis-

NATURE CE NTRE

The Startup Challenge also helped her strengthen industry connections and gain mentorship opportunities while developing her business idea.

“The Startup Challenge introduced me to my mentors, Angela and Andrew Hunter. They’re two amazing people who have given me great advice and connected me with other entrepreneurs,” she said during the launch of the Sask Polytech Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre on March 26.

Aulie also spoke about plans to continue growing her business through personalized creative services at the mall event.

“I enjoy getting to know the people I’ll be working with before I start creating content for them,” she said.

Her venture earned second place in the student stream competition and a $1,000 prize.

Krishi Patel

Student finalist Krishi Patel presented Callisphere, a smart windshield film system designed to remove snow and ice buildup during winter conditions. The concept was inspired by the time and energy many drivers spend scraping ice or waiting for vehicles to warm up before driving.

“Every winter, living in colder regions like Saskatchewan, we go through a lot of routine frustration,” Patel said. “You see your car covered with snow and ice, and you either have to spend your time and energy scraping it off, or

idle your car for 10 to 20 minutes.”

The product combines heated smart film, an ice-repellent coating, and appbased controls to improve winter driving safety while reducing energy use and inconvenience for drivers.

“That is the reason behind Callisphere. I want to transform our winter routine from something reactive and frustrating into something proactive and safer,” she said.

Patel ultimately placed third in the student stream and received a $500 prize.

Top honours

Top honours in the student stream went to Marz Romaniuk and The Red Planet Food Co., who received the division’s $2,000 top prize.

In the early-stage entrepreneur stream, Balloon Bar YQR received first place and $10,000, followed by Skip a Beet Meal Delivery with $5,000 and Insect Track Solutions with $2,500.

Additional themed awards included the Impact Prize for Skip a Beet Meal Delivery, the Outside the Box Prize for PathoScan Technologies, the Made in Saskatchewan Prize for Ponderosa Connection, and the People’s Choice Award for Insect Track Solutions.

For more information, visit SaskPolytech.ca or email BIEC@SaskPolytech.ca.

Krishi Patel presents Callisphere, a smart windshield film system designed to reduce snow and ice buildup on vehicle windows, during the Sask Polytech Startup Challenge final pitch event at the Town ’N’ Country Mall on May 12. Photo by: Aaron Walker
Jenna Aulie, founder of Jenna Aulie Creations, presents her creative services business during the Sask Polytech Startup Challenge final pitch event held at the Town ’N’ Country Mall on May 12. Photo by: Aaron Walker

Taylor Mickleborough returns to MJPS after dismissal appeal

Superintendent Taylor Mickleborough has been reinstated to the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) following an extensive legal review into his dismissal in 2024, the police service announced May 14.

MJPS Chief Robert Davis confirmed Mickleborough, a 25-year member of the service, returned this month with full salary and benefits.

Mickleborough was dismissed Sept. 30, 2024, by then-chief Rick Bourassa under section 60 of The Police Act. He later appealed the dismissal under section 61 of the Act, which allows officers to seek a hearing before the Saskatchewan Police Commission.

Prior to hearing dates being scheduled, Bourassa retired in February 2025, while the service’s in-house legal counsel also withdrew from the file, citing a conflict of interest.

According to the police service, external legal counsel was retained by the MJPS to review the evidence surrounding the dismissal, while Mickleborough also retained independent legal representation.

The release stated that the legal reviews focused on “established legal and

procedural policing and discipline principles.”

Davis, who became Moose Jaw’s chief of police in August 2025, said he relied heavily on the legal opinions provided during the review process.

“I give lots of credit to the very experienced and highly regarded legal counsel that were engaged by both the Moose Jaw Police Service and by Taylor Mickleborough,” Davis said.

“I am impressed with the professionalism with which they have assessed the evidence and the issues. Legal counsel focused on strong legal principles, including the expectation of high standards of conduct and leadership from senior members of the service, the absence of prior discipline, recognized contributions to the community over years’ service, the health and financial security of families, and the value of long-term police service to the community.”

Davis said the service believed a public hearing would have been stressful for those involved and damaging to the organization’s workplace culture.

“First and foremost, we have based our current decision with the well-being of everyone in the workplace in mind,”

SNAPSHOT: Mayor for a day

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

SNAPSHOT: Smiles filled the risers at Our Lady of Hope Catholic School on May 13 as students in Mr. Klyne’s class welcomed James Murdock for a special school visit, gathering for a memorable group photo and a chance to spend part of the day with Moose Jaw’s mayor. Photo by: Our Lady of Hope Catholic School

The

announced May

sion as an opportunity for what he called an “organizational reset,” focused on rebuilding workplace culture and strengthening relationships within the service.

“Like many of his colleagues at the police service, Taylor has a spouse, and they are raising a young family in the community,” Davis said. “I am very mindful of the impact that a decision to end a career and livelihood has had on Taylor’s family, as it would in any policing family.”

he said.

“I have little doubt that a public hearing would have been incredibly stressful for all involved, detrimental to the culture of the organization, diverted resources from their regular duties at a time when we all need to focus on the safety of the city and, in the end, would have resulted in Taylor’s full reinstatement.”

The chief also described the deci-

Mickleborough joined the Moose Jaw Police Service in 2000 and previously worked in traffic enforcement, criminal investigations, and the serious crimes unit.

The Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners also thanked legal counsel involved in the matter and expressed support for resolving what it described as a longstanding legal issue predating the current chief and board membership.

The MJPS said the specific details of the reinstatement will remain confidential for privacy reasons.

Moose Jaw Police Service
14 that Superintendent Taylor Mickleborough has been reinstated following an extensive legal review into his 2024 dismissal. Photo by: Aaron Walker

PRAIRIE SOUTH SCHOOL DIVISION

THE NEXT PSSD BOARD MEETING IS TUESDAY, TUES, JUNE 2, 2026

More than $700,000 in tenders were issued by Prairie South School Division during the past month, while the division also sold five rural properties that once contained one-room schoolhouses.

Between April 8 and May 1, the division handed out $719,820 in tenders to contractors for projects, including:

• $371,087 for computer hardware, including $22,433 to Catan Technologies Inc. for computers, $124,131 to Elco Systems for notebooks and interactive TVs, $11,257 to GenX Solutions for 13-inch Chromebooks, $28,761 to M&A IT Tech Inc. for Chrome OS licences and charging carts, $106,685 to PC Corp for 11.6-inch Chromebooks, $2,704 to PC Place Ltd. for monitors and $75,116 to Staples Professional for iPads

• $39,733 to Anchor Managed Solutions for Ruckus

Public school trustees discuss tenders and surplus land during meeting

Jason G. Antonio - For the Moose Jaw Express

wireless access points

• $309,000 to Duncan Roofing to replace a section of the roof at A.E. Peacock Collegiate

Sale of surplus land

Prairie South sold five parcels of surplus land to the rural municipalities of Auvergne, Craik, Enfield, Poplar Valley and Marquis, with these properties once containing one-room schoolhouses, said Ron Purdy, superintendent of finance.

Continuing, he said he had hoped to sell more such properties — there are 15 remaining — but was pleased the division could dispose of five. He noted that the division once owned 120 rural properties, but since amalgamation in 2006, it has sold off most of the parcels.

The finance superintendent said the value of each property depends on where it is located, pointing out

that some parcels are in pastureland, on poor-quality land, in “great” land locations or in grassy areas. He noted that the cost per acre ranges from under $1,000 to $6,000.

Purdy added that the division transferred the titles to each RM for $50.

Trustee Shawn Davidson said Prairie South has a good process to dispose of rural properties that it no longer uses for school operations or educational purposes. He added that if the RMs partner with the division, that would be one less administrative issue that Prairie South would have to handle.

The RM of Auvergne is located in southwest Saskatchewan near Ponteix, the RM of Craik is located north of Moose Jaw, the RM of Enfield is located near Central Butte, the RM of Poplar Valley is near Rockglen and the RM of Marquis is northwest of Moose Jaw.

PSSD trustees approve largest-ever budget for 2026-27

Trustees with Prairie South School Division are praising the organization’s 2026-27 budget, pointing out that it’s nearly balanced and is the largest financial plan the board has ever approved.

The budget, which the board approved during its May meeting, predicts revenues of $109,180,690, operating expenses of $111,850,677, a deficit of $2,669,987, capital purchases of $2,520,300 and a cash draw — the use of reserves to cover overages— of $67,473.

In comparison, in 2025-26, revenues were $110,759,381, operating expenses were $108,764,539,

• Sat, May 23

- Church Hill Annual Heifer & Young Pairs - 12:00pm

• Tue, May 26

- Last Chance All-Breeds Bull Sale - 12:00pm

• Sat, May 30

- Pairs / Bred Cows / Heifers

• Sun, May 31

- Kingston Live Farm Auction, Craven

• Thu, Jun 04

- Regular Horse Sale

the deficit was $1,994,842, capital purchases were $7,205,800 and the cash draw was $435,867.

Of note, next year, the Ministry of Education is providing $100,682,261 in grant funding — to mainly cover teachers’ salaries — to Prairie South, compared to $103,167,209 this year, the report showed.

Ron Purdy, superintendent of finance, said that while grant funding looks like it is declining next year, in actuality, it is increasing by $2.8 million and supporting two specialized support classroom teachers.

He explained that the ministry gave the division $4.6 million in capital funding last year to complete Coteau Hills Elementary School, with that money attached to overall grant funding.

With the school now open, as per ministry policy, for the next three years, the province won’t provide any capital-related money for renovations at Coteau Hills, Purdy continued. Yet, the ministry will increase the grant in place of capital funding.

Purdy highlighted other revenue categories, such as tuition and related fees, which are increasing to $423,000 from $328,000 because the division is transporting more Catholic students to the new joint-use school, and complementary services, which are increasing to $1,100,611 from $835,374 because of the federal nutrition grant.

Jason G. Antonio - For the Moose Jaw Express In Business since 1968! Check our website for details or call for updates.

On the expense side, the report said the instruction category (salaries) was increasing by $1,309,377 to $74,663,524, plant operations were increasing by $420,814 to $16,624,267, and transportation was increasing by $303,578 to $8,301,202.

Purdy said plant operations should be decreasing next year, but Prairie South allocated money to Central Collegiate for a power upgrade. Meanwhile, the divi-

sion has saved roughly $250,000 in consumer carbon taxes on utilities.

Continuing, he said the division added money to the fuel budget, but that allocation might be insufficient because of geopolitical tensions. He pointed out that the organization spends roughly $160,000 monthly on fuel, so the overall cost next year could be $1.6 million.

Also, it is becoming more expensive to pay for bus parts, while prices for buses and their related amortization costs are also increasing, he noted.

“It’s a very good budget (overall). We had a good increase again in our grant (as) that is two years in a row … ,” Purdy added. “So, we’re actually in a good place.”

Trustee Patrick Boyle was pleased with the “significant increase” in grant funding next year, while he was also thrilled that Prairie South had saved $250,000 in carbon tax expenses. However, he was frustrated that the industrial carbon tax was still in place; Purdy said the industrial tax is “hidden” among the expenses and continues to affect the budget.

Continuing, Boyle said the division will run “a very small” deficit next year, although, because of how conservatively Purdy budgets, Prairie South’s finances could actually be balanced or in a surplus. Overall, he thought the budget was “one of the strongest” in years.

Trustee Lew Young said this is the largest budget he’s ever approved, even stretching back to his time with the Moose Jaw Public School Division. Continuing, he said Prairie South is fortunate to have the money to pursue initiatives, such as upgrading venues and providing resources for classrooms.

Other trustees and division administrators thanked Purdy for the “positive budget” he created, which is his last one since he is retiring this year.

PRAIRIE SOUTH SCHOOL DIVISION

THE NEXT PSSD BOARD MEETING IS TUESDAY, TUES, JUNE 2, 2026

Prairie South School Division plans to spend nearly $10 million during the next three years to repair school buildings, including replacing roofs and upgrading security cameras in some Moose Jaw schools.

Division administration presented the 2027-29 Preventative Maintenance and Renewal (PMR) plan during the May board meeting, with the document discussing the 40 projects the organization intends to pursue over the next three years.

The total amount Prairie South expects to spend is $9,850,000.

2027

The division plans to spend $3,165,000 on 13 projects in 2027, with Moose Jaw initiatives focusing on:

• King George School: Roof replacement for $400,000

• Central Collegiate: Home Ec lab upgrade for $100,000

• Riverview Collegiate: Boiler repairs for $50,000 2028

The division plans to spend $3,420,000 on 15 projects in 2028, with Moose Jaw initiatives focusing on:

• A.E. Peacock Collegiate: Roof re-

Prairie South to spend nearly $10M over three years upgrading schools

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placement for $450,000

• Lindale School: Crawlspace remediation for $500,000

• Riverview Collegiate: Roof replacement for $150,000

• William Grayson School: Roof replacement for $225,000

• Ecole Palliser Heights School: Security camera upgrades for $20,000

• William Grayson: Security camera upgrades for $20,000 2029

The division plans to spend $3,265,000 on 12 projects in 2029, with Moose Jaw-area initiatives focusing on:

• Caronport Elementary School: Flooring upgrades for $200,000

• Riverview Collegiate: Lighting upgrades for $200,000

• Peacock Collegiate: Roof replacement for $450,000

• King George: Security camera upgrades for $20,000

Board discussion

Buildings manager Trevor Payne told trustees that no emergent problems have arisen during the current PMR plan, and while some roofs are nearing the end of their life, they have not posed a problem. Yet his department still plans

K+S Potash Canada

Short

Line 101 season opening postponed until June 6

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The Western Development Museum has postponed the opening weekend of the K+S Potash Canada Short Line 101 steam train due to an uncertain weather forecast and unexpected volunteer operator unavailability.

The attraction had originally been scheduled to begin its 2026 season May 16 and 17, but the museum has now rescheduled the season opening to June 6 and 7.

The K+S Potash Canada Short Line 101 offers rides aboard Sas-

katchewan’s only operating steam locomotive, with trips typically running around the museum grounds during the summer season.

Museum officials noted that operation of the locomotive remains dependent on weather conditions, volunteer availability, and mechanical factors, with visitors encouraged to call ahead to confirm the train is running before attending. For more information, visit WDM.ca or call the museum at 306693-5989.

to reallocate funds to address these future projects.

Payne highlighted some of the upgrades, noting that they represented “a significant commitment” to strengthening infrastructure, improving safety and supporting long-term operations.

“The three-year PMR plan is designed to remain adaptable, and can even be redefined as the needs of urban and rural facilities evolve,” he added.

Trustee Lew Young asked about the home ec upgrades at Central Collegiate and whether they were connected to the recent $20,000 grant the school received through The Mosaic Company’s 20th annual school nutrition challenge.

Division administration replied that the two topics were separate, as the division planned to upgrade the school’s concession stand using PMR funding, while the school would use the grant to purchase food for its nutrition program.

School nutrition challenge

In a news release, the Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) said it was celebrating the 20th year of the Mosaic School Nutrition Challenge and the fact that Mosaic was providing $400,000 this year.

The winning school projects — which the grants will support — focus on implementing or expanding nutrition programs, promoting cooking and gardening, enhancing venues, increasing educational opportunities and supporting projects with cultural components.

The Mosaic Challenge began in 2006 to encourage grassroots initiatives to help improve student nutrition.

Dr. Shawn Davidson, president of the SSBA and a PSSD trustee, said in the release, “The Mosaic Challenge continues to contribute to helping to achieve our organization’s goal of ensuring that every student is supported to succeed at school.”

Nanan STEM Academy students showcase robotics, coding at Sask Science Centre

Students from Moose Jaw recently showcased their robotics and coding projects on a larger stage as Nanan STEM Academy brought its biannual “Ideas to Impact: Student Project Showcase” to the Saskatchewan Science Centre in Regina on May 9.

The event featured youth demonstrations in robotics, video game development, coding, and 3D design, while also helping students build confidence through public speaking and hands-on presentations. It also brought together students from Moose Jaw alongside participants from Regina, Cowessess First Nation, Piapot First Nation, and Mother Teresa Middle School.

Students, instructors, and participants gather during Nanan STEM Academy’s “Ideas to Impact: Student Project Showcase” on May 9 at the Saskatchewan Science Centre in Regina, where youth demonstrated robotics, coding, and video game development projects. Photo by: Nanan STEM Academy/Submitted

“The students showed confidence while presenting their projects to the public,” academy founder and academic director Shaun Nanan said following the event. “Communication and public speaking are among the most important skills for the future of work.”

Shaun Nanan, in blue, founder and academic director of Nanan STEM Academy, assists a student during the academy’s “Ideas to Impact: Student Project Showcase” at the Saskatchewan Science Centre in Regina on May 9. Photo by: Nanan STEM Academy/Submitted

Among the projects showcased were several robotics builds created by Moose Jaw students Colten Cushing, Ranie Garnes, Nixon Newhouse, and Josh Overby through Nanan Academy’s Circuits and Robotics course.

Students demonstrated robotic vehicles capable of detecting obstacles using ultrasonic and infrared sensors, along with a larger capstone project that became a standout attraction.

Named “Johnny 6,” the project was inspired by the 1980s film Short Circuit and features a fully 3D-printed robot standing approximately 1.2 metres tall.

Controlled remotely through a mobile device using Wi-Fi connectivity, the

robot also includes integrated speakers capable of producing voices and music. Students said future plans for the project include autonomous movement and artificial intelligence integration.

“Honestly, it feels amazing to have people stop by and show genuine interest in my work,” said Cushing. “One of the best parts is seeing little kids’ eyes light up when they walk by and being able to bring a smile to their faces. Hopefully it inspires them to take on something big in their own future too.”

For Cushing, the project also carried a strong personal connection.

“‘Johnny 6’ was originally Shaun’s idea, and he brought it up to me last semester,” he said. “I instantly loved the concept because I have vivid memories of watching the movie Short Circuit as a little kid with my grandfather, who sadly isn’t around anymore. In a way, this project is my way of honouring him.”

Fellow student Nixon Newhouse said the experience helped students learn how to communicate their work to audiences with varying levels of technical knowledge.

“During the showcase, I learned how to troubleshoot my display for presentation,” Newhouse said. “It taught me how to overcome last-minute obstacles while remaining calm, focusing on the objective at hand, and finding solutions.

“This showcase changed my con-

fidence by giving me the experience to present my accomplishments to people,” he added. “It gave me the confidence I needed to not just build something, but to share it with others.”

In addition to robotics projects, students in the academy’s beginner and intermediate coding courses showcased original video games created using the Scratch platform and the Godot game engine. Younger students built actionbased games using graphical coding tools, while advanced learners developed side-scrolling platform games.

“One of the most rewarding parts of teaching Game Development is watching students turn their ideas into something real,” instructor Thayne Winder said. “They are not just learning how to code games. They are learning problemsolving, creativity, persistence, and how to think like developers.”

Located at 278 Fourth Avenue Northeast, Nanan STEM Academy offers project-based STEM and entrepreneurship programming focused on coding, robotics, engineering, and emerging technologies for both youth and adult learners. The organization was recently recognized with the Business Innovation Award during the Moose Jaw Business Excellence Awards.

To learn more, visit NananAcademy.com or call 306-684-0761.

Moose Jaw students showcased “Johnny 6,” a fully 3D-printed robot inspired by the 1980s film Short Circuit, during Nanan STEM Academy’s “Ideas to Impact” showcase held May 9 at the Saskatchewan Science Centre in Regina Photo by: Nanan STEM Academy/Submitted.

CITY HALL

COUNCIL NOTES

THE NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING IS TUES. MAY 26, 2026

City council has officially appointed Rhonda Smysniuk as Moose Jaw’s new city manager following several months serving in the role on an interim basis.

The appointment was announced by the City of Moose Jaw on May 11, with Smysniuk assuming the position effective immediately after serving as interim city manager since December 2025.

According to the city, Smysniuk provided leadership during a period of transition while continuing to advance council priorities and objectives outlined in the municipality’s strategic plan.

“Over the past six months, council has had the opportunity to see Ms. Smysniuk’s leadership in action,” Mayor James Murdock said in the city’s announcement.

Rhonda Smysniuk officially named Moose Jaw city manager

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“She has demonstrated a clear ability to guide the organization, support our leadership team, and keep the city moving forward on the priorities set out in our Strategic Plan. Council has full confidence in her ability to continue leading the City of Moose Jaw.”

Smysniuk joined the City of Moose Jaw in 2025 and brings more than two decades of experience working within Saskatchewan’s government ministry and Crown corporation sectors.

According to the city, her previous experience includes senior leadership roles in finance, facilities management, international relations, government communications, and public administration. Her past roles have included serving as a treasury analyst, executive di-

rector of finance and facilities, director of international relations, and director of government relations and communications.

The city noted that Smysniuk holds a bachelor of arts in economics with a double major in land use and environmental studies, along with credentials in business administration and public relations. She is also currently completing a Master Certificate in Organizational Leadership.

As city manager, Smysniuk will oversee the daily administration of municipal programs and services while reporting directly to council.

The city manager serves as the municipality’s chief administrative officer, overseeing the day-to-day operation of

city departments while carrying out the direction and priorities established by council. The role also includes responsibility for long-term planning, municipal administration, and delivery of services.

The appointment comes as the City of Moose Jaw continues work on several major initiatives tied to infrastructure, economic development, strategic planning, and ongoing operational challenges facing the municipality.

Council did not indicate whether a broader hiring process had been undertaken prior to the permanent appointment, but the announcement emphasized confidence in Smysniuk’s leadership following her time as interim city manager.

The City of Moose Jaw said the appointment takes effect immediately.

Moose Jaw explores future of zero-emission transit fleet through new feasibility study

Moose Jaw’s executive committee received the findings of a new zero-emission transit feasibility study last week, outlining what administration described as a technically achievable but financially significant path toward replacing the city’s diesel-powered transit fleet with zero-emission buses.

Presented during the May 12 executive committee meeting, the report outlined findings from a study conducted between May and December 2025 by the Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC). The city participated in the federally supported project to examine the long-term feasibility of transitioning its transit fleet to zero-emission vehicles.

The study examined two possible transition models for Moose Jaw Transit: a fully battery electric bus (BEB) fleet and a fully hydrogen fuel cell electric bus (FCEB) fleet. A mixed fleet approach was ruled out due to the city’s small transit system and the added complexity of maintaining two separate

technologies.

Under both scenarios, the city would gradually replace its diesel and gasoline buses on a one-to-one basis, reaching a fleet of 13 zero-emission buses by 2050.

According to the study, the battery electric model delivered the strongest environmental performance, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 30.3 per cent compared to Moose Jaw’s current fleet while eliminating pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Administration also described the battery electric model as the lowerrisk option for achieving consistent emissions reductions under Saskatchewan’s current energy grid conditions.

By comparison, the hydrogen fuel cell option produced more variable environmental results depending on how the hydrogen was generated. The report noted emissions could decrease modestly if hydrogen was produced through steam methane reforming but could increase if it relied on Saskatchewan’s current electricity grid.

The study also outlined major infrastructure requirements for either transition.

Administration noted Moose Jaw’s transit garage cannot support electric charging or hydrogen storage systems, meaning a new purpose-built transit facility would eventually be required under both scenarios.

Under the battery electric model, the study estimated Moose Jaw would require approximately $15.3 million for a new facility, along with another $4.1 million in charging infrastructure. The hydrogen model would require roughly $5.5 million in fuelling infrastructure in addition to the new facility costs.

Coun. Patrick Boyle asked whether the projected costs included supporting infrastructure such as charging stations and depot upgrades, which presenters confirmed they did.

The report identified long-term costs as the project’s largest challenge.

According to the study, Moose Jaw’s existing diesel and gasoline fleet

carries a projected lifetime cost equivalent to roughly $24.9 million in 2025 dollars. That figure would rise to an estimated $48.1 million under the battery electric scenario and approximately $72.9 million under the hydrogen fuel cell model.

Despite the costs, the study highlighted potential social benefits tied to zero-emission transit.

Routes serving Sunningdale, Athabasca West, and Westmount were identified as priority areas where quieter buses, improved air quality, and more reliable service could particularly benefit residents with higher transit dependence.

The report concluded that while a transition to zero-emission transit is possible, it would require phased implementation, workforce training, major infrastructure upgrades, and continued federal and provincial funding support. The executive committee ultimately voted to receive and file the Zero-Emission Bus Study Findings report.

CITY HALL

COUNCIL NOTES

THE NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING IS TUES. MAY 26, 2026

City council has approved a new bylaw updating the rates that can be charged to residential and commercial property owners for future local improvement projects, including road reconstruction, sidewalks, curb and gutter work, and water service infrastructure tied to adjacent properties receiving the improvements.

Council gave all three readings to Bylaw No. 5754, the Uniform Rates Bylaw 2026, during its May 12 regular meeting without debate. The bylaw replaces the city’s previous 2023 uniform rates bylaw and updates the pricing structure used when local improvements are undertaken across the city.

The bylaw establishes standardized rates for infrastructure projects that can

Council approves updated local improvement rates bylaw for infrastructure projects

be specially assessed to benefiting properties under Saskatchewan’s Local Improvements Act.

According to the city’s report to council, the new bylaw was required because the previous rate structure adopted in 2023 was approaching the end of its three-year term. The report noted the city is obligated to honour posted rate fees for up to three years unless the bylaw is amended or repealed earlier.

The updated rates apply to municipal infrastructure projects that may be specially assessed to property owners, including arterial, collector, and residential road reconstruction, road resurfacing, sidewalk installation, curb and gutter replacement, water service connections and service lines, water curb

stops, and tree or stump removal work completed as part of improvement projects.

Under the new structure, local residential road reconstruction with pavement is set at $150 per square metre, while arterial road reconstruction is listed at $190 per square metre. Separate or floating sidewalks are listed at $350 per square metre, while sidewalk construction combined with curb and gutter work is set at $460 per linear metre.

The bylaw also allows costs to be amortized over seven years at a seven per cent interest rate.

Under that model, residential road reconstruction would carry an annual amortized unit cost of $27.83 per square metre, while sidewalk with curb and

gutter work would carry an annual amortized rate of $85.35 per linear metre.

The city’s report stated the updated bylaw also reflects increased amortization per-unit costs previously approved through council resolutions.

Several provisions remain in place for irregularly shaped lots, corner lots, and tax-exempt properties, including situations where portions of local improvement costs may instead be covered by the city at large.

The bylaw states the rates will remain in effect for three years unless repealed or amended earlier, although the city noted the rates will continue to be reviewed annually.

Public library report highlights growing community reach, increased circulation in 2025

The Moose Jaw Public Library reported increased circulation, attendance, and outreach efforts in 2025 during a presentation to city council on May 12. Library board chairperson Cody Sharpe presented the library’s 2025 annual report during council’s regular meeting, highlighting what he described as a strong year for literacy programming, public engagement, and community partnerships.

“Today, we’ll highlight how the library is making a real difference in our community,” Sharpe told council.

According to the report, the library welcomed 181,544 visitors in 2025 during 3,332.5 open hours, while total circulation reached 366,090 items, representing a 4.2 per cent increase over 2024. The library also reported 15,018 active cardholders and 10,178 internet sessions logged throughout the year. Staff also answered 28,551 reference questions, a 9.8 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

The library delivered 694 programs in 2025 with 9,532 attendees, including 295 children’s programs attended by 6,234 participants and 260 adult or all-

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

ages programs with 2,505 attendees.

Sharpe focused much of his presentation on the library’s Summer Reading Club, which carried the theme “Around the World” and emphasized literacy, inclusion, and cultural diversity.

“For the launch party, we celebrated the diversity (of) Moose Jaw with a front lawn event featuring music and dance from Nigeria, China, Ukraine, Colombia, and the Nakota Nation,” Sharpe said. “We welcomed approximately 200 people to our event.”

The program also expanded beyond 461 Langdon Crescent through partnerships with city parks programming, reaching more than 800 children through literacy and maker activities delivered in the community.

“It’s important to note that we aim to extend this programming beyond our walls to ensure Moose Jaw kids have a better chance of overcoming learning loss by continuing to have learning opportunities throughout the summer,” Sharpe said.

The report noted that participants collectively read more than 405,000

minutes during the summer program.

The annual report also highlighted several outreach and partnership initiatives, including a National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration at the A.E. Peacock Centennial Auditorium that welcomed more than 550 attendees for programming focused on Indigenous and Métis culture. During Culture Days, the library also partnered with the Moose Jaw Literacy Network to host a Métis traditions program featuring Kôhkom Marquita and Kôhkom Val. Other partnerships included “Unlocking Success: Tales from Small Business Leaders,” hosted alongside the Moose Jaw & District Chamber of Commerce and the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery.

Sharpe said the library continued investing in outreach opportunities aimed at connecting with residents outside the building.

“We also participated in community events, ensuring that residents knew what services were available, even those who may not visit the library regularly,” he said.

The presentation also outlined

progress on the library’s ongoing refresh project, which began in 2025 as the organization reviews its physical space and long-term service delivery needs.

Sharpe noted the library building has served residents since 1912, with an addition completed in 1992, as changing community needs and aging infrastructure prompted the review.

Residents consulted during the process identified several priorities, including expanded space for children and youth programming, improved accessibility and safety features, additional soundproofed meeting areas for professionals and community groups, and stronger physical and visual connections to Crescent Park as part of broader efforts to modernize the library’s services and public spaces.

Coun. Patrick Boyle later spoke in support of the library during council deliberations, describing it as “a good spot” and “kind of a hidden gem” after recently attending an event at the facility.

Council voted unanimously to receive and file the report.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

“I wanna go home” a splendid song to begin an MRI Reflective Moments

I recall the excitement in the health care industry when it was announced that Moose Jaw would have its own Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine.

The selling feature to me was that we would no longer have to drive to Regina or Saskatoon or places out-of-province to have one of those MRI tests. We

country cousins now could stay at home and have our friends and neighbours look after us.

I do confess that I wasn’t entirely sure what exactly an MRI would show that an X-ray or Cat Scan couldn’t.

My dutiful family doctor explained the process to me: it is a non-invasive, ra-

SAVE THE DATE!!

Saturday, July 18th 2026 Branch 59 Backyard Bash

693 Fairford Street West, Moose Jaw

Celebrating 100 Years of Service of The Royal Canadian Legion

9 - 11am Pancake Breakfast (Cost is by donation)

Families and children are welcome all day until 5:30 pm.

3 - 5pm Meat Draws, 50/50 & Chase the Ace 5:30pm Gate Opens

Advance Tickets $15 - $20 at the gate

Food Vendors, 50/50, Silent Auction

7-11pm Entertainment Featuring

The Stray Do

We need VOLUNTEERS to make this happen. Please sign up at the Legion or call the o ce at 306-692-5453.

If anyone or organization would like to make a monetary donation to our event or a donation towards our silent auction. All individual & organization donors will be advertised as a sponsor. Any amount or item is greatly appreciated. They can call the o ce at 306-692-5453.

diation-free medical technique that uses radio waves and a computer to provide three-dimensional images of organs, soft tissues, bones and other internal body structures.

Of course I didn’t understand a thing he told me, alredy thinking it would be a good machine to have handy for the treatment of the elderly. I wasn’t elderly at the time so didn’t think I would be making use of the MRI once it was financed and installed.

That was presumptious of me, for one day I couldn’t get out of bed. The ambulance medics and fire department came to extract me from the bed for a ride to the hospital and then a ride to Regina where an MRI specialist was standing by to give me the whole deal.

I was so dipsy with pain medication that all I remembered was the voice telling me to stop wiggling my toes. Sorry. I was told to sit up to receive a cortisone shot and when asked when it would happen, another voice told me it had already happened and to enjoy the rest of my evening.

Since them I have had two more MRIs, right here in our own hospital. The second one was on Christmas Eve, much to my chagrin but off I went and enjoyed a catalogue of Christmas music while being encouraged not to wiggle my feet. Those darn nervous feet of mine.

The latest MRI was just recently, ordered to figure out once and for all, what is happening in the other side of my front. I was advised to come prepared for a 90-minute test, which had me worried that my claustrophobia would make more than my feet wiggle.

The first technologist welcomed me and encouraged me to walk at my own speed to get to our distination. I signed

a paper after being asked some healthrelated questions and then it was time to offer my skinny veins in order to have a needle inserted so I could receive a dye that would show up certain things for the trained eye.

Soon I was on the table and ready to be inserted into a tube that I am sure didn’t leave room for foot wiggles or even a deep breath. I was asked for my musical preference and being a bit of a dope, noted the Christmas music on Christmas Eve was lovely. It was offered but I picked classic country instead.

The first blast of music was not country and I immediately asked that it be turned down — forgetting the racket the imagining process makes.

It was ironic to me that the first song included the lyrics “I want to go home.”

Between photo events I heard that Dolly Parton was still singing about Jolene from the bank, and the Ring of Fire from Johnny Cash was still burning. Charley Pride kissed his angel “good morning” and Johnny Horton was going North to Alaska.

It was difficult to keep my feet from wiggling in time to the music, but I managed, even through all those yellow ribbons tied on the old oak tree.

And so my MRI ended, I was complimented for mostly lying still and not jiggling. The two young ladies gave me excellent care and even got a wheelchair so I woudn’t have to walk quite so far.

They knew I was a bit unsure of the whole MRI process, but they treated me with respect and encouraged me to do the best I could.

I was especially happy when they didn’t ignore my concern and tell me to “grow a backbone,”

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net

Local army cadet walks the battlefields that shaped Canada’s identity

Army cadet Sgt. Paul Zambrano spent part of his Easter break walking through the battlefields, cemeteries, and tunnels where thousands of Canadian soldiers fought and died more than a century ago — an experience that changed how he understands both history and remembrance.

The Grade 12 student at Central Collegiate was selected as one of 20 Canadian youth and one of only six cadets nationwide for a week-long commemorative pilgrimage to Europe marking the 109th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Representing 1856 Moose Jaw Army Cadets as Saskatchewan’s only participant, Zambrano travelled overseas from April 3 to 11 through a program organized by the Vimy Foundation. The tour included visits to Vimy Ridge, the Somme, Passchendaele, BeaumontHamel, Ypres, and several cemeteries and museums connected to the First World War.

“Well, I was honestly quite shocked,” Zambrano said of learning he had been selected. “I wasn’t entirely sure I was going to get in … when I got the email saying I had been chosen, it finally felt real. It was really exciting too because it was my first time going to Europe.”

Zambrano said he first learned about the opportunity through his commanding officer, Athena Cutts, who encouraged him to apply. The selection process included submitting a resume, recommendation letter, and video presentation about his community involvement and why he hoped to be chosen for the pilgrimage.

His application was supported by Central Collegiate history teacher Ray Rawlyk, who provided a reference letter highlighting Zambrano’s passion for Canadian and military history.

According to volunteer instructor Lyle Johnson, the selection process was highly competitive.

“It’s a pretty prestigious opportunity to be chosen for a trip like this,” Johnson said.

Johnson explained the importance of Vimy Ridge in Canadian history, noting the April 1917 battle

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marked the first time all four Canadian divisions fought together as a unified force.

“The Canadians, because of their preparation, were able to take it in three days,” Johnson said, referring to the ridge British and French forces had previously failed to capture. “That’s why Vimy Ridge is so important to Canada. It’s viewed as the moment the world stood back and recognized Canada as a fullfledged participant on the world stage.”

For Zambrano, the experience carried a much deeper impact than simply reading about the war in textbooks.

“Well, I would say it’s very different from sitting in a history class learning about numbers, dates, and battles than actually being there among the remnants of (war on) the battlefields, the trenches, and the tunnels,” he said. “Just being there makes you realize the sacri-

fice they all gave, not only for Canada, but for peace.”

Among the many battlefield visits throughout the trip, Zambrano said his time at Passchendaele left one of the deepest impressions. He chose to speak about Victoria Cross recipient George Harry Mullin, who was raised in Saskatchewan and earned Canada’s highest military honour during fighting near Passchendaele in October 1917.

“Being able to tell that story so close to where those events actually happened was a huge honour for me,” he said.

Zambrano also participated in the Vimy Ridge commemorative ceremony, where representatives from several countries gathered to honour those who fought during the battle.

“There were representatives from Canada, France, the United States, and several other countries,” he said. “The Canadian and French anthems were played, and we held a minute of silence. There were also French veterans holding flags and standing at attention during the ceremony.”

Zambrano said the experience reinforced the human side of remembrance.

“Remembrance is not only about remembering dates, battles, or numbers,” he reflected. “As our group leader Sean Graham told us, ‘We as a group put the human into the inhumane.’ When you visit those places, you realize the soldiers were real people like us who gave the ultimate sacrifice. The least we can do is understand them and share that knowledge with everybody else, not only about the destruction, but about their experiences.”

Cadet Sgt. Paul Zambrano of 1856 Moose Jaw Army Cadets stands before the Canadian National Vimy Memorial during a commemorative pilgrimage to Europe marking the 109th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Photo by: Paul Zambrano/Submitted
Paul Zambrano pauses to reflect while viewing the names inscribed on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial during a commemorative pilgrimage through France and Belgium earlier this spring. Photo by: Paul Zambrano/ Submitted

Moose Jaw resident shares practical path toward lower energy costs and food security

A Moose Jaw resident who lost his home to a fire is turning the rebuilding process into a long-term experiment in energy efficiency, food production, and practical self-sufficiency — one he hopes could inspire other homeowners facing rising utility and grocery costs.

Aaron Vallejo, who moved from British Columbia after working on wind farm projects across Western Canada, has spent the past two years rebuilding and redesigning his Willow Avenue home following a devastating fire in March 2024. Rather than simply restoring the property, Vallejo said he wanted to push the home toward a “net-zero” or eventually “net-positive” energy footprint and eventually produce as much or more energy than the home consumes.

“We’re trying to push the envelope and showcase some of the advantages of going green for energy security and food security,” Vallejo said. “Every time I go to the store, things get more expensive, so this helps insulate us a little bit.”

Vallejo was first introduced to Moose Jaw while working on a wind farm project near Assiniboia.

“We came up to the Superstore every couple of weeks, and people were waving at us. There were squirrels and tree-lined streets,” he said. “I remember thinking, ‘Man, Moose Jaw is really nice.’”

Vallejo and his wife purchased a 1912 character home and began renovating it room by room before a fire destroyed much of the structure, turning the rebuild into an opportunity to rethink nearly every aspect of the home’s efficiency.

system now heats much of the house using “basically two hair dryers.”

The home has exceeded expectations, particularly through sharply reduced heating costs and lower overall utility use, operating without a traditional natural gas heating system aside from standard connection fees.

“We don’t even turn on the heat anymore except for maybe a week and a half during that crazy winter storm,” he said. “The house holds the heat really well. This morning it was minus two outside, and we didn’t turn the heat on at all last night.”

He credited local contractor Heath Drake of HD Drake Builders, among others, with helping guide much of the rebuilding process, including permits, structural planning, and many of the home’s energy-efficiency upgrades while he was working out of town. The rebuilt house now features two-by-six walls with approximately R-28 insulation, heavily reinforced attic and rimjoist insulation reaching roughly R-55 in some areas, triple-pane windows, additional southern-facing windows designed to maximize passive solar heat, an insulated concrete form (ICF) basement, and an electric heat recovery ventilation system intended to reduce heat loss during Saskatchewan’s winters.

Vallejo said he largely taught himself to build the solar air heater through YouTube videos and experimentation, adapting common “pop can” designs into larger insulated units. He joked the

One of the project’s more unconventional additions is a homemade solar air heater attached to the living room wall. Constructed largely from aluminum cans, insulation, and plexiglass, the unit captures solar heat during the day and circulates warm air back into the house without pumps or mechanical systems.

“It’s laughably straightforward,” Vallejo said. “The sunshine heats the black cans, and the plexiglass traps the warm air inside. Since hot air rises, it pulls cool air out of the house and pushes warm air back into the living room all day.”

The property now also includes extensive food gardens, potato beds, asparagus, fruit trees, and berry bushes instead of a lawn. Vallejo said the family harvested roughly 200 pounds of potatoes last year and hopes to double that amount in the coming seasons. Neighbours often help out by donating their leaves to make a natural compost.

“I don’t grow grass anymore because I can’t eat grass,” he said.

Vallejo has also built a small offgrid solar trailer in his backyard and is considering adding a used electric vehicle as part of the home’s push toward net-zero living.

While Vallejo acknowledged not every homeowner can undertake largescale renovations, he emphasized that smaller improvements, such as upgrading windows one at a time as finances allow, can still make a meaningful difference over time.

“Everybody can only do it in small steps,” he said. “You can’t just show up and spend $200,000 on green renova-

tions. I’d start in the attic and add a bag or two of insulation at a time as you can afford it.”

He said many of the ideas — better insulation, food gardens, and solar heating — are projects residents can implement gradually without waiting for government programs or policy changes.

“These things are fast and independent,” Vallejo said. “You don’t need to wait for three levels of government to insulate your attic and plant potatoes in the front yard. You just have to get up and do it.”

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
Moose Jaw resident Aaron Vallejo rebuilt his home following a 2024 fire with a focus on energy efficiency, food production, and practical self-sufficiency. Photo by: Aaron Walker
The front yard of Aaron Vallejo’s Moose Jaw property has been converted into a food garden featuring potatoes and other edible plants as part of the home’s focus on food security and self-sufficiency. Vallejo said excess produce is often shared with neighbours. Photo by: Aaron Walker
The heat recovery ventilation system installed in the basement of Aaron Vallejo’s home helps retain heat while continuously circulating fresh air throughout the house.
Photo by: Aaron Walker
Black-painted aluminum pop cans inside Aaron Vallejo’s homemade solar air heater act as vertical heat chambers, warming circulating air through solar energy before it is redirected back into the home. Photo by: Aaron Walker
A homemade solar air heater mounted along the south side of Aaron Vallejo’s Moose Jaw home captures solar heat during the day and circulates warm air back into the house. Vallejo said the unit helps significantly reduce heating costs during colder months and continues operating, though at reduced efficiency, even during cloudy conditions. Photo by: Aaron Walker

BACK YARD LIVING

Keon Garden Centre celebrates decades of prairie gardening expertise in Moose Jaw

After more than four decades serving gardeners in Moose Jaw, Keon Garden Centre continues to help residents prepare their yards and gardens for another season with prairie-hardy plants, Canadian-grown products, and expert advice tailored to Saskatchewan’s growing conditions.

The locally owned greenhouse first opened in 1979 after being founded by brothers Keith and Ron Johnson, with the business name “Keon” functioning as a portmanteau of both brothers’ first names.

Current owner Marcy Duffey has helped guide the business through years of growth and changing gardening trends since purchasing the company alongside her family in 2008.

“We’ve grown it from what it was and tried to make it our own,” Duffey said earlier.

Today, Keon Garden Centre offers prairie-hardy perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs, vegetable plants, landscap ing materials, and gardening supplies backed by decades of expertise.

“We’ve been doing that for 30-plus years, so we know what we’re doing when it comes to perennials,” Duffey said.

The greenhouse grows more than 500 perennial varieties on-site, with separate sections for sun-loving, shadetolerant, and native plants, while con tinuing to emphasize Canadian-grown and prairie-tested selections.

“The majority of what we sell is already Canadian, which is wonderful,” Duffey said previously. “Our fertilizers, our soils — they’re all formulated for our climate.”

Among the featured plants this spring are Proven Winners Cleome Se norita Rosalita, a tall, sterile cleome va riety prized for its vibrant pink blooms and popular as a dramatic “thriller” plant in containers and garden beds, alongside Cuphea ‘Vermillionaire,’ one of Duf-

fey’s personal favourites known for its bright orange tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies throughout the summer season.

While most of Keon Garden Centre’s perennial inventory is grown onsite, the business also partners with certified Saskatchewan growers to supplement its annual selections, including southern Saskatchewan growers such as Kelly Green Farms in Glen Bain.

In addition to flowers and landscaping products, Duffey said vegetable gardening continues drawing strong interest as more residents look to grow food at home.

“With the cost of groceries, a lot of people are wanting to grow their own food this year,” she said earlier this sea son. “We can help them figure out how to do that.”

The greenhouse officially opened for the season on March 17 and contin

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

year after year after year,” she said. “We would not be here without your support.”

Keon Garden Centre is open seven days a week throughout the growing season, operating from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

For more information, find “Keon Garden Centre”

“Thank you to this community and the surrounding area, and to the customers who have consistently supported us

\Staff at Keon Garden Centre gather following a busy Mother’s Day weekend as the greenhouse continues welcoming gardeners for the spring growing season. Owner Marcy Duffey is on the left. Photo by: Keon Garden Centre/Facebook

BACK YARD LIVING

Just A Girl In Her Garden

connections through unique greenhouse experience

A greenhouse south of Moose Jaw continues drawing gardeners looking for more than just flowers this spring, as Just A Girl In Her Garden enters another busy growing season with expanded offerings, hands-on workshops, and a relaxing destination atmosphere.

Owned by Jacqueline Williams, Just A Girl In Her Garden has grown from a backyard pandemic-era venture into a two-location business featuring its main greenhouse south of Moose Jaw alongside a secondary High Street West location offering plants and garden products closer to the city.

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

Since opening the greenhouse in 2022, the business has become known for its annuals, prairie-hardy perennials, vegetables, garden décor, and welcoming atmosphere designed to make gardening approachable and enjoyable.

“Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved those secret gardens — fairy gardens like enchanted forests and things like that,” Williams said during an earlier interview.

Located south of Moose Jaw, the greenhouse was intentionally designed as more than a traditional retail stop. Williams described the greenhouse

as a calming destination where visitors can browse plants at their own pace while surrounded by flowers and greenery.

The business also operates a second location on High Street West, offering curated plant selections, giftware, and fresh-cut floral arrangements prepared weekly.

This season’s inventory includes vegetables, herbs, annuals, perennials, shrubs, and specialty plants suited to Saskatchewan conditions. Highlighted perennial varieties this spring include colourful garden phlox selections such as Flame Purple, Flame Coral, Flame Watermelon, and Cotton Candy, alongside the Siberian Iris “Sugar Rush,” promoted for its vibrant blooms and prairie hardiness.

Hardy climbing roses are among the many plant varieties available this season at Just A Girl In Her Garden, with selections including John Cabot, John Davis, and Above and Beyond chosen for their colourful blooms and prairie hardiness. Photo by: Just A Girl In Her Garden/Facebook

planting parties and seasonal workshops hosted at the greenhouse. One upcoming May 28 event will pair a custom patio planter workshop with candle-making in partnership with White Lotus Candle Co.

The greenhouse also carries tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, herbs, onion sets, and seed potatoes for gardeners preparing vegetable plots and patio containers.

Williams said one goal behind the business has always been helping local gardeners find unique products closer to home.

“I was always looking for something different,” she said. “I could never find (certain things) around this area without having to go to Regina, Saskatoon, or to Medicine Hat. So I decided to do it myself.”

In addition to plants and floral products, the business has expanded into hands-on gardening experiences through

Williams said the business remains rooted in its appreciation for community support.

“We love the community support (and) we love when people come out and visit us,” she said. “It’s just so humbling to know that everyone is loving what we’re doing as much as we are.”

Just A Girl In Her Garden operates from its greenhouse south of Moose Jaw along Range Road 2272 off Highway 363, as well as an in-town location at 955 High Street West. Both locations are open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, visit “Just A Girl In Her Garden” on Facebook or call 306-690-4380.

Beautify Your Front Yard, Backyard, and Outdoor Living Spaces

At Just a Girl In Her Garden, we have everything you need to transform your yard into a beautiful outdoor retreat.

Why travel when your own yard can feel like a vacation? With the right plants, trees, shrubs, and décor, you can create a space that is both relaxing and breathtaking.

Whether you’re creating a welcoming front entrance, refreshing your backyard, or designing stunning patio planters, we are your one-stop garden destination.

We O er

Custom yard planting services

Trees and shrubs

Perennials and annuals

Hanging baskets and large statement planters

Fruits, vegetables, and herbs

Garden décor and giftware

Friendly, knowledgeable sta with a true passion for gardening

Visit Our Two Convenient Locations

In-Town Garden Centre 955 High Street West, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Greenhouse Location

Head out on 9th Ave SW, Turn right on Highway 363 Drive west 4.5 km, Turn left on Range Road 2272 (32nd Ave) Drive 11.2 km south. The greenhouse is on your right-hand side

outdoor space gorgeous all season long.

BACK YARD LIVING

Lorne Calvert Campground now open following water-line repair delay

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

The seasonal opening of the Lorne Calvert Campground in Wakamow Valley was briefly delayed following a broken water line discovered during preseason preparations.

According to the Wakamow Valley Authority, the issue was identified as crews prepared the campground for the 2026 season, delaying required water service and health inspections until repairs were completed.

The authority announced May

14 that the campground is now officially open for the season, welcoming campers back to the valley.

Located at 300 River Drive, the campground features 54 campsites ranging from sites without services to full-service hookups and operates from May to October near the Moose Jaw River and Kiwanis River Park.

For campground information and reservations, visit Wakamow. ca/camping.

Wakamow spring clean-up set for May 24

Residents are being reminded that the Wakamow Valley Authority will host its annual spring park clean-up on Sunday, May 24.

The community volunteer event will run from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., with participants meeting at Kiwanis River Park in Wakamow Valley to assist with litter pickup throughout the park and trail system.

Volunteers are encouraged to bring gloves and dress for the weather, while garbage bags will be provided on-site. Organizers say residents of all

ages are welcome to participate, and volunteers are invited to stay afterward for a complimentary barbecue beginning at 12 p.m.

The clean-up marks the first volunteer event of the 2026 season for the Wakamow Valley Authority, which oversees more than 500 acres of natural landscape and more than 20 kilometres of trails in the valley.

Residents interested in taking part or learning more about other volunteer opportunities can register at Wakamow.ca/volunteer.

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

RM of Baildon launches new rural crime prevention initiative ahead of June 10 meeting

Residents in the Rural Municipality of Baildon are being encouraged to take a more active role in rural safety through the launch of a new communitybased rural crime prevention initiative set to begin next month.

The RM of Baildon No. 131 will hold an organizational meeting for the new program on Wednesday, June 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the municipality’s shop located along Highway 2 South. Residents are invited to attend either in person or remotely by phone as the RM begins establishing its local Rural Crime Prevention Program.

According to organizer Ronda Wedhorn, the initiative is focused on improving communication between neighbours and law enforcement while building a stronger network for reporting suspicious activity and supporting rural residents across the municipality.

“This program is about neighbours helping neighbours and communities working together to improve rural safety,” promotional material for the initiative stated. “Our motto is: ‘See It. Report It. Stop It.’”

The evening will include presentations from representatives of the RCMP, Rural Crime Watch Saskatchewan, Citizens on Patrol, and Saskatchewan conservation officers as organizers work to build stronger communication and crime prevention networks throughout the RM.

The initiative comes amid ongoing concerns surrounding rural crime throughout Saskatchewan, including thefts, trespassing, break-ins, and suspicious activity target-

ing farms, acreages, and rural properties.

“Crime in rural Saskatchewan continues to be a serious concern,” organizers said. “Rural residents often face long RCMP response times because officers may need to travel significant distances across large geographic areas.”

The RM is also encouraging residents to join the program and help establish a local network of volunteers and communication contacts throughout the municipality. Organizers are currently seeking residents interested in serving on the executive committee, acting as zone leaders, or becoming local contacts who can help support nearby neighbours and share information if concerns arise within the municipality.

As part of the initiative, organizers plan to develop several communication tools, including a phone tree, WhatsApp communication groups, Facebook communication tools, and community alert systems designed to quickly notify residents about suspicious activity.

Residents who join the program will receive a free Rural Crime Watch sign to display on their property and will become part of the municipality’s alert system, allowing members to both receive and share information regarding suspicious activity within the RM. There is no cost to become a member.

Wedhorn, who is helping co-ordinate the initiative, said organizers are hoping to hear directly from residents during the June 10 meeting as the program begins to take shape.

“This is a brand new initiative for us, and we are looking forward to hearing directly from residents at the meeting about what they believe is needed in the RM and what suggestions they have for building a strong and effective rural crime prevention program,” she said.

Recognizing that many producers are currently busy with spring seeding and spray-

ing operations, the RM is also offering the option to participate remotely by phone. Residents wishing to join remotely must contact the RM office before Tuesday, June 9, by emailing Info@RMBaildon131.ca or by calling 306-693-2166 to request the phone link.

Residents attending the meeting in person are asked to bring their own chairs, as no seating will be available on-

site. Coffee and donuts will be provided.

Applications for committee, zone leader, and local contact positions are available through the RM office at 1410 Caribou Street West in Moose Jaw, at the June 10 meeting, or by emailing the RM.

For more information, contact Wedhorn at MJProgramDirector@outlook.com or call 306-693-2166.

CENTRAL BUTTE MINOR HOCKEY REPORT

Submitted

Photo: left to right, Back row: Mark Gravelle, Jonathon Aitken, Spencer Aitken, Richard May - head coach, Brennan Peterson

2nd row: Myles Aitken, Austin Peterson, Kesslee Mattus, Dawson Mattus, Warren May, Myles Slinn, Reid Peterson

Front row: Myles Van De Wiele, Eli Ewen, Levi Aitken, Ollen Christmann, Noah Gravelle, Holden Sigfusson, Emily May, Sophia Tonks

U7

The Central Butte U7 Flyers had a fantastic season this year! Practice started up at the end of October and they played their final game against the parents on March 16th. This year’s team saw 4 returning players with 11 kids testing out hockey for the first time. They grew in confidence and improved in skill all season! They played 16 games, hosted their own home tournament and had a home Jamboree.

U9

The U9 Flyer season was one to

remember for the team, filled with hard work, growth, teamwork, and plenty of fun along the way. From the first practice to the final game, the players showed dedication and determination, improving their skills each time they stepped on the ice. Coaches and parents were proud to see the players develop confidence, sportsmanship, and a strong sense of teamwork.

One of the biggest highlights of the year came when the team advanced to the finals against the Assiniboia Rebels, earning an impressive second-place finish after a hard-fought championship game. The players showed tremendous

Photo: left to right, Back row: Cody Peterson, Blaine Depper – head coach, Tyler Peterson missing Travis Olliver

Middle row: Felix Olliver , Mason Peterson, Duke Struck, Lexi Mackow, Mia Depper, Braxtyn Schmitz, Daxtyn Peterson, Zachary Schmitz, Preston Miner

Bottom Row: Sullivan Bueckert, Hayes Paysen, William Bryan, Taylor Ewen, Bo Seaborg, Jesse Clelland, Mya Mackow

Photo: left to right, Back row: Coaches Brett Ewen and Derek Trumbley (missing Coach Casey Christmann and Manager Alea Noga)

2nd row: Kenzie Slinn, Carter Christmann, Brian Rempel, Maddock Trumbley, Ryan Hallborg, Leo Kim, Farley Olliver, Brand Dean

Front row: Lila Ewen, James May, Owen Seaborg, Berklea Noga, Asher Paysen, James Bryan, Kord Hallborg

effort and perseverance throughout the playoffs and represented their community with pride.

This team also enjoyed several memorable events during the season, including attending a tournament in Cabri and hosting a successful home tournament.In addition, the players participated in the SHA Jamboree and Minor Hockey Day.

The team would like to thank the coaches, volunteers, sponsors, and families for their support throughout a fantastic hockey season.

U11

This years Central Butte U11 team consisted of 16 players from Chaplin, Central Butte, Eyebrow and Riverhurst. This was the first year Central Butte entered the Woodriver Hockey League which consisted of two Assiniboia teams, Mossbank, Gravelbourg, Glentworth/ Rockglen, Coronach, and Kincaid. Central Butte played 17 league games and ended their season at the beginning of March with two playoff games against Gravelbourg. The U11’s also entered the

Prairie Storm Tournament in November to kick off their season. One of the season highlights was winning their home tournament on November 29th. Central Butte minor hockey also offered power skating as well as Wednesday morning breakfast club after Christmas, giving the kids lots of opportunity to improve their game. Thank you for all the coaches, parents and fans for coming our and supporting these kids.

U13

We started off the Season strong going to the Rosetown tournament, coming out as the tournament Champions. We also played in the Warrior Aces tournament, where the kids worked hard and were the Champions again. We played in the Moose Jaw league for our regular season playing 21 games. We went into playoffs in 4th place. We had some close games but fell short in our final game, ending the season in 4th place out of 8 teams. This year we also entered in Provincials, the kids had a blast taking the bus and trying their hardest. We finished the year with a kids against the parents game.

Photo: left to right, Back row: Coaches: Mike Wirz, Kayla Sawers, Jerad Hallborg

2nd row: Conley Whitehorn, Ensley Stewart, Carter Berry, Kade Paysen, Bos Megaw, Casey Griffin, Eric Martens, Dexter Hutton

Front row: Clay Shooter, Cashton Barnett, Lane Mackow, Casen Christmann, Eva Depper, Lennox Dean

The Moose Jaw U17 Mustangs lacrosse club are a perfect 5 - 0 to start the season but it’s a streak the larger Weyburn Panther Drilling Thrashers challenged on Monday evening, May 11.

In a challenge, the Mustangs thwarted going on to defeat the Thrashers 9 - 6 in a game that Weyburn at times threatened to steal.

“It was a little closer…they almost doubled us for (the number of) runners. There’s not much I can do because I have a ten-man roster so I’m kind of limited,” Mustangs head coach Shaun Seiferling said.

The Mustangs’ official game plan was not to turn the match into an Olympic sprint because of a short bench but

U17 Mustangs Continue To Roll

it’s a plan the players didn’t follow.

“Well, I told the kids to not make it into a track meet. I didn’t want them running full steam back and forth on the floor for a full 60 minutes but they obviously went against what I was saying,” Seiferling said.

The Mustangs were aggressive in checking the Thrashers stripping the ball from Weyburn at key moments.

A shot from behind the Thrashers’ goal hitting the goalie in the back and scoring a goal lifted the Mustangs.

In front of the Thrashers goal, despite being outsized by their opponents the Mustangs fought hard for the ball.

“Obviously they proved me wrong and they can run the full 60 minutes,” he said.

The size factor was something on the back of Seiferling’s mind against a much larger Weyburn team. It’s a matter of compensating with Moose Jaw’s strengths.

“We’re probably the smallest team in the league so we need to remember that. That we need to be smart with ball. Throw the ball. Use our speed. We are fast so we need to use our speed.”

“It’s good,” he said about being undefeated, adding “it’s always good to be going with zero losses. So we have just got to keep plugging because as you

move forward it keeps getting harder and harder.”

Complacency has already popped up in the Mustangs as they squeaked by for a victory in the fourth game of the season.

“I think we came in thinking we had just beaten them pretty handily and we almost got caught,” Seiferling said.

The Mustangs will need to continue to clamp down for their next game.

“Hopefully we don’t come out with that same mindset. We’ve got to move the ball, move our feet and work as a team.”

https://www.mjindependent.com/ sports/2026/5/11/m424mf0aixceo6tza10ytrfwthp64d

Junior Mustangs Dominate Razorbacks To Go To 3 – 2

For the first ten minutes it looked like Moose Jaw was going to have a hard row against Weyburn.

Moose Jaw took the lead but

Weyburn responded ending the first period 5 - 3 in the Mustangs favour.

But then the Mustangs exploded with nine unanswered goals in the second period going on to defeat the visiting Razorbacks 19 - 5.

The win gives Moose Jaw a 32 record while Weyburn moves to 0 - 5 in Prairie Gold Lacrosse League (PGLL) junior division play. Moose is in third place.

“We’re content at where our record is” he said about the Mustangs being in third place with a 3 - 2 re-

cord.

“We want to keep pushing to put ourselves in a place to make the playoffs,” Dustin MacAngus Mustangs head coach said.

MacAngus said next weekend’s game in Prince Albert against the Predators should be a good game given Prince Albert has won the league championship the last three years in a row.

https://www.mjindependent.com/ sports/2026/5/15/lv6urgyinz9zjqx91qg978urpj3xu4

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Paxton Nelson wins a silver medal at the National Judo Championship

A remarkable display of technical skill and determination earned Pax Nelson a silver medal at the Canadian National Judo Championships in Calgary this past weekend.

Competing in the Senior Men’s66 kg division in ne-waza competition, Nelson fough through a national field and captured silver after an impressive run that saw him finish every one of his opponents with a triangle choke.

The Triangle choke, also called

sankaku-jime in Judo, is a submission technique where a competitor uses their legs to trap an opponent’s head and arm in a figure-four position. Once locked in, the hold applies pressure to the sides of the neck, restricting blood flow and forcing an opponent to submit or fall unconscious.

The result marks a major achievement for the Control Jiu-Jitsu club, where Pax has been a member for eight years and has learned the triangle choke

from the fantastic instructors Jason, Nate, and Donald. This result highlights the growing strength of Control Judo/ Jiu-Jitsu at the national level.

“This was an outstanding performance,” his Father and Judo Instructor Jeff Nelson said following the event. “To submit opponents at a national championship level and to do it repeatedly with the same technique speaks to the level of preparation and confidence he brought

into the tournament.”

This is Nelson’s second medal at the Canadian National Championships, and this performance now adds to Nelson’s growing competitive résumé and sets the stage for future success at higher levels of competition.

https://www.mjindependent.com/sp orts/2026/5/15/909sbe8sigy1wtxtpzu1st 3pd93vlf

They include:

INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY

George Dimas Regina SK

Trevor Drury Outlook SK

Peter Duncan North Battleford SK /Red Deer AB

David George Battleford SK

Tony Kuffner Regina SK

Barry Martin Wiseton SK

The Late Archie Sanderson Avonlea SK

Dr. Craig Weran Meadow Lake SK

Glen Winkler Meadow Lake SK

Troy Winterhalt Lloydminster AB

TEAM CATEGORY

Lumsden Cubs (1971) 1971 North Battleford Junior Beavers 1960’s Unity Cardinals

FAMILY CATEGORY

Flaman Family Vibank SK

The 2026 Inductees will be honoured at the 2026 Annual Induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame on August 15, 2026, in Battleford SK For more information and to order tickets, please contact the Saskatchewan Baseball Museum at 306 446 1983, or saskbaseballmuseum@sasktel.net

Pax Nelson (left) on the winners’ podium in Calgary - submitted photo

Moose Jaw Canucks 15U season kickoff game in Weyburn

Submitted

The Moose Jaw Canucks 15u A got their 2026 season under way with a doubleheader in Weyburn recently with games against Weyburn Blue in game 1. Coming out on top with an 8-0 win. Thomas McNabb got the win going 42/3 innings striking out 14. Everett Dunlop struck out 5 in his 2 1/3. Nathan Hawrysh lead the offense with a 3 run Homer in the

fourth. Weyburn White took a 14-12 win in game 2. Hawrysh pitched 4 innings striking out 11. He also kept his bat working with an inside the park homerun in the fourth. Dunlop was 5 for 8 on the day.

of the Canucks 15UA game in Weyburn by Keye Photography. Submitted May 11, 2026

15U A Canucks Split Doubleheader In Weyburn

Submitted

The Moose Jaw 15U A Canucks got their 2026 season underway with a doubleheader against Weyburn.

In Game One the Canucks came out on top with an 8 - 0 win over the Weyburn Blues.

Thomas McNabb got their win going 4 2/3 innings striking out 14. Everett Dunlop struck out five in his 2 1/3 innings.

Nathan Hawrysh led the offense with a three-run homer in the fourth.

Weyburn White took a 14 - 12 win in Game Two.

Hawrysh pitched four innings striking out 11. He also kept his bat working with an inside the park home run in the fourth inning.

Dunlop was five for eight on the day.

https://www.mjindependent.com/sports/ 2026/5/11/8fxib5xszynhg6d13a2llmc3p 5zf3q

Photos
Photo credit - Captured by Keye Photography

Riverview honours activist, broadcaster Don Kossick with 2026 Wall of Honour induction

A former South Hill student who spent decades building international solidarity movements, advocating for social justice, and amplifying unheard voices through community radio has become the newest addition to the Riverview Collegiate Institute (RVCI) Wall of Honour.

Don Kossick, a 1964 graduate of RVCI, was formally inducted during a ceremony held May 15 inside the school’s gym, where family, friends, alumni, staff, and former Moose Jaw mayor Don Mitchell gathered to celebrate a lifetime of activism and civic engagement.

Kossick, an activist, broadcaster, documentarian, and recipient of the Or-

der of Canada, was recognized for decades of work in human rights, social justice, environmental protection, refugee support, labour organizing, and international development.

His plaque, now displayed in the school’s front lobby alongside Dr. Schick, John Konihowski, Lorne Calvert, Scott Schultz, and Hannah Yuke, describes him as “a model of civic engagement” whose work has had “a global impact through several international projects, from Mozambique to Papua New Guinea.”

The ceremony also served as a reflection on the values that shaped gen-

erations of RVCI students.

“This wall of honour was always meant to be about more than celebrat ing accomplishments,” principal Deana Kempel told attendees. “It was created to inspire students walking these halls every day.”

She said the school hopes students will see in alumni “that greatness can begin right here in the same classrooms, the same gymnasium, and the same South Hill community they call home.”

The Wall of Honour was established in 2005 after former principal Blair Lee saw similar alumni recognition projects at other schools. Staff members Brenda Babbage and Colleen Patterson helped launch the initiative to celebrate RVCI graduates who made meaningful contributions to their communities and professions.

Bob Symenuk, chair of the Riverview Alumni Association and a former teacher and student at the school, spoke about Kossick’s lifelong dedication to activism and community organizing.

“The Order of Canada is one of Canada’s highest honours,” Symenuk said. “It recognizes people across all sectors of society who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to the country.”

Symenuk traced Kossick’s path from his upbringing on South Hill to his later work with organizations including the National Farmers Union, Saskatchewan co-operatives, and international

development projects in Mozambique beginning in the early 1980s.

While working overseas through CUSO, formerly the Canadian University Service Overseas, Kossick became deeply involved in projects supporting sanitation, food co-operatives, women’s equality, and community health. He also became active in anti-apartheid organizing after witnessing apartheid-era South Africa’s destabilization efforts in neighbouring Mozambique.

Over the years, Kossick produced documentaries focused on labour and social justice movements while also hosting “Making the Links,” a longrunning Saskatoon community radio program centred on public affairs and

grassroots issues.

During his remarks, Kossick repeatedly returned to the importance of collective action, community identity, and cultural belonging.

“Community builds community,” he said. “It builds us all.”

Kossick spoke emotionally about growing up in Moose Jaw’s Ukrainian community and the influence of a gathering place known locally as “The Hall,” where generations gathered for dancing, storytelling, organizing, and mutual support.

“As a child standing on the floor of the hall while people swirled around me dancing waltzes (and) polkas … I still remember the warmth, friendliness, and sense of belonging,” Kossick said. “Having … a community like that teaches you something. It brings people together instead of splitting them apart. The hall was a place of belonging.”

Those experiences shaped his lifelong belief in solidarity and social justice.

“We have a lot of energy, a lot of ideas, and we can make this world a better place,” Kossick said.

Symenuk noted that Kossick’s decades-long consistency as an activist and broadcaster made him a fitting choice for the honour.

“He’s maintained that commitment to activism throughout his life,” Symenuk said. “It’s something that’s so desperately needed in our communities these days.”

Family, friends, alumni, and supporters gather for a group photo at Riverview following Don Kossick’s Wall of Honour induction ceremony on May 15. Photo by: Aaron Walker
A new Wall of Honour display recognizing Don Kossick is pictured inside Riverview Collegiate. Kossick, a 1964 graduate and recipient of the Order of Canada, was honoured for his lifelong work in activism, broadcasting, and international development. Photo by: Aaron Walker
Don Kossick holds a copy of a Moose Jaw history book during his Wall of Honour induction ceremony on May 15. During his remarks, Kossick reflected on growing up in Moose Jaw’s Ukrainian community and the lasting influence of “The Hall” on his commitment to collective action and social justice. Photo by: Aaron Walker
Don Kossick speaks during his induction ceremony into the Riverview Collegiate Institute Wall of Honour on May 15 inside the school gymnasium in Moose Jaw. Kossick was recognized for decades of activism, community broadcasting, and international social justice work. Photo by: Aaron Walker

‘Pancakes and Parachutes’ fundraiser lifts food bank with $1K donation

Staff, contractors, and volunteers at 15 Wing Moose Jaw came together earlier this month for a morning of pancakes, parachutes, and community support, raising $1,000 for the Moose Jaw and District Food Bank during the second annual “Pancakes and Parachutes” fundraiser.

Held May 7 at the “Glass Palace,” or Building 160, the fundraiser was organized by a joint social committee made up of employees from Serco Canada and Canadian Base Operators (CBO), with participation from other organizations working at 15 Wing Moose Jaw.

The fundraiser featured a pancakeand-sausage breakfast, 50/50 ticket sales, and a playful parachute-drop contest — though organizers noted there was no actual skydiving involved despite the event’s name. Instead, participants purchased miniature paratrooper toys for $5 and dropped them from the building’s second floor toward a target below.

The competition challenged participants to land their parachute troopers closest to the target for the chance to win gift cards.

“It was my idea,” said Shaunna Altman, office manager for Serco, noting the concept was inspired by a simi-

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From left: Toni Aquino of the Moose Jaw and District Food Bank, Hazel Pondevida of Serco, Karalee Severson of Canadian Base Operators, Shaunna Altman of Serco, and Jodi Sims of Serco following the second annual “Pancakes and Parachutes” fundraiser held May 7 at 15 Wing. The event raised $1,000 in support of the Moose Jaw and District Food Bank. Photo by: Submitted photo

lar fundraiser at a previous workplace. “Everybody likes pancakes, and I just thought it would be a good way to raise money,” she said. “The parachute is obviously connected to the air base. It’s just a fun event where we can give them an activity to get everyone involved.”

Altman said the fundraiser supported Hunger in Moose Jaw during its inaugural year, while 2026 marked the first time the Moose Jaw and District

Food Bank was selected as the event’s beneficiary.

According to organizers, the decision to support the food bank came after volunteers from Serco and CBO spent time assisting the organization earlier this year and learned more about the increasing pressures it faces.

“They were finding it really hard because of the cost of food,” Altman said. “A lot of their regular donors had dropped off, and they were also seeing increased demand from families and individuals needing food support because of rising costs.”

Toni Aquino, administrative services co-ordinator at the Moose Jaw and District Food Bank, said the organization was grateful to be selected as this year’s recipient.

“On behalf of the food bank, we feel very honoured to be the beneficiary of this year’s Pancakes and Parachutes event, and their generosity reminds us that community support comes in many forms,” Aquino said. “This donation will help us maximize our budget during a time of growing need and allow us to continue providing support to individuals and families who need us most.”

Aquino added community support remains critical as demand for food as-

sistance continues to rise. Earlier this spring, the food bank announced it would reduce client visit frequency from twice per month to once per month after reporting a more than 150 per cent increase in visits over the past four years, with the organization now seeing more than 1,000 visits monthly while also facing declining monetary donations.

In addition to fundraising, organizers said the event also helped strengthen connections at 15 Wing. According to Altman, this was believed to be the first time multiple organizations on the base — including Serco, CBO, Department of National Defence personnel, and CAE staff — had all collaborated on the fundraiser.

Karalee Severson of CBO said giving back to the community is something the group takes pride in. “Anyone can come together to make a difference,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how small or big it is — we can all make a difference if we just work together.”

Organizers say they hope to build on this year’s momentum by attracting even broader participation across the base and increasing fundraising totals when the event returns to 15 Wing next spring.

Sodexo workers locked out at 15 Wing Moose Jaw amid ongoing labour dispute

Civilian workers employed by Sodexo Canada at 15 Wing Moose Jaw were locked out last week after contract negotiations between the company and unionized employees broke down, escalating an ongoing labour dispute at the military base.

According to the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) Prairies, approximately 35 workers represented by the Union of National Defence Employees (UNDE) Local 40807 began rotating strike action on May 12 following failed conciliation efforts after bargaining talks dating back to June 2025 failed to produce a new agreement.

PSAC said workers arrived for scheduled shifts on the morning of May 13 but were turned away by the employ-

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er without what the union alleges was the legally required 48-hour notice for a lockout.

“These actions show a disregard for workers and their rights,” Marianne Hladun, PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for the Prairies, said in a prepared statement. “Our members deserve a fair contract, decent wages and benefits, and respect throughout this process.”

The affected employees include cooks, maintenance staff, custodial workers, and general support employees who provide contracted services at the Canadian Armed Forces base.

Union representatives say wage increases and improved benefits remain central issues in negotiations.

According to union officials, some maintenance workers currently earn $16.21 per hour, only slightly above Saskatchewan’s minimum wage, with the union arguing that wages and benefits have failed to keep pace with the cost of living.

“No worker wants to be on the picket line,” June Winger, national president of the Union of National Defence Employees, said in a PSAC release. “But when a multinational corporation like Sodexo has the audacity to offer (an) 18 cent raise to workers who are barely making ends meet, they simply do not have a choice.”

PSAC has also accused Sodexo of spreading misinformation by suggesting some workers are “essential” employ-

ees. The union stated that, under labour legislation, employers must formally identify essential positions during a labour dispute and alleged that Sodexo waived that option.

The labour dispute has also prompted broader concerns from union officials about the use of contracted services at military bases and other federal facilities, including questions involving workforce stability, service quality, and accountability.

Sodexo Canada declined to comment in response to various media inquiries.

As of May 16, no agreement or timeline for ending the labour dispute had been announced.

From The Kitchen

When the spring weather is chilly and gloomy outdoors, a fine way to brighten one’s mood is to leaf through favourite cookbooks and browse through the family recipe boxes.

Those times of contemplation will produce a variety of feel-good moments as one remembers the history of the various recipes and the many pleasant times they have been prepared for family and friends.

This week’s recipes bring on fond memories from past get-togethers.

•

BAKED PORK CHOPS

6 boneless pork chops

1 tsp. garlic or onion powder

1 tsp. seasoning salt

1/4 cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

4 tbsps. olive oil

1 can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup milk

1 clove minced garlic, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine flour, garlic powder and seasoning salt in a flat bowl. Place bread crumbs in a second bowl and beat eggs into a third bowl.

Dredge chops in flour then in egg and crumbs.

Chilly, windy days warmed by favourite recipes

Heat oil in a skillet and fry chops until browned and crisp on both sides.

Place chops in a 9x13 inch pan and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.

Combine soup, milk and minced garlic in a bowl. After chops have baked 30 minutes. remove from oven and remove foil. Pour soup and milk mixture over the chops. Cover with foil and return to oven to bake another 30 minutes.

•

CREAM PUFFS

1/2 cup butter

1 cup boiling water

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

4 eggs

Boil together water and butter. When boiling hard, add the flour all at once and stir vigourously until it leaves the sides of the saucepan and forms a smooth ball. Add the salt and sugar. Stir, then remove from heat.

When cool, add the unbeaten eggs one at a time, beating until thoroughly mixed.

Drop dough on buttered pans in pieces the size of a walnut and about three inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes then reduce to 350 degrees

Seeding in this region most advanced

Weather conditions and late spring snow continued to keep seeding operations behind the normal amount done by May 11.

The Saskatchewan Agriculture weekly crop report crop showed only 16 per cent of the crop was seeded, well behind the 28 per cent five year average.

Seeding in the southwest, which includes Moose Jaw, was most advanced at 34 per cent. Around Moose Jaw and northwest over 40 per cent was in the ground.

Seeding in the southeast was 24 per cent done, 13 per cent in the west central region, six per cent in the east central and.northwest regions. The northeast lagged at one per cent.

Provincially, cultivated land mois-

ture was 13 per cent surplus, 70 per cent adequate, 16 per cent short and one per cent very short.

Pasture land moisture was five per cent surplus, 63 per cent adequate, 29 per cent short and three per cent very short, similar to hayland.

In the southwest, crop land was 63 per cent adequate, 33 per cent short and five per cent very short.

Pasture land moisture in the southwest was 46 per cent adequate, 48 per cent short and six per cent very short.

About one-third of livestock producers see no water quality issues while 44 per cent feel water quality will become an issue in two months unless rain replenishes water holes.

F and bake another 20 minutes or longer. Turn off heat and let puffs dry out with the oven door open. Makes about 18 puffs. When cold, cut in half and fill with fresh whipped cream.

HOT GERMAN POTATO SALAD

4 large potatoes

3 slices of bacon

1 medium onion

1 tbsp. flour

1 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. celery salt

dash pepper

1/4 cup vinegar

1/2 cup water

Peel potatoes and cut into chunks then cook and cool. Fry bacon until slightly crisp. Fry onion in bacon fat. Stir in salt, flour, sugar, pepper and celery salt. Cook until bubbling.

Stir in vinegar and water and heat, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Crumble bacon into mixture and add cubed potatoes and cook until hot and bubbling. Serves four.

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

May 29 deadline approaching for Panda Tire & Auto pothole contest

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

Residents still have time to enter Panda Tire & Auto’s annual “Worst Pothole Contest,” with submissions being accepted until May 29.

The contest includes two categories, “The Worst Pothole” and “The Most Unique Photo,” and introduces a flower-themed twist inspired by residents who decorated potholes with floral arrangements around the city last year. Residents are invited to submit photos of potholes from around Moose Jaw for a chance to win hanging bas-

ket prizes donated by Cornell Design & Landscaping and have their photos featured.

Submissions can be emailed to PanAuto@sasktel.net, texted to 306631-4609, or dropped off in person at Panda Tire & Auto, located at 888 Main Street North. Winners will be announced June 1.

Further details are available on Page A23 of the Wednesday, May 13, 2026, edition of the Moose Jaw Express.

Thousands of musicians return to Moose Jaw for another successful Band and Choral Festival

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The 74th annual Moose Jaw Band and Choral Festival concluded last week after once again filling the Band City with music, mentorship, and thousands of musicians from across Western Canada.

Festival chair Janie Fries said the four-day event, held May 11 to 14, was considered a success despite strong winds on the festival’s final day forcing several groups to cancel for safety reasons.

“It went really well, and I have to attribute that to the volunteers,” Fries said. “We have a ton of volunteers who help out during the week, as well as the directors who bring their students. They know the routine of a festival, and that part of it seems to flow seamlessly.”

Fries also credited the festival’s clinicians and adjudicators for helping create a positive experience for students.

This year’s festival featured 101 registered ensembles and was expected to welcome more than 4,000 student musicians from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta.

“Every event seems to have its unexpected challenge, and ours this year was the wind on Thursday,” Fries said. “We actually had about 10 groups cancel because of safety on the highway with those big buses, so we were under what we expected.”

Concert bands, jazz ensembles, and choirs performed throughout the week at venues including the Mae Wilson Theatre, Peacock Centennial Auditorium, Hillcrest Apostolic Church, Zion United Church, and St. Aidan Anglican Church.

Among the highlights, Fries pointed

spending time downtown. Fries noted many students later return to Moose Jaw with friends and family, something she believes reflects the festival’s lasting impact on the community.

She also noted that affordability remains an important priority for organizers at a time when many school music programs continue facing financial pressures.

“When I compare our registration fees with those of other festivals across the country, ours are by far the lowest,” Fries said.

to the RCAF Wind Ensemble performances on May 13 at the Mae Wilson Theatre, which drew enthusiastic reactions.

“They’re absolutely an amazing group, and the students were thrilled to hear them play,” she said. “They were shrieking and cheering in the audience.”

One student leaving the concert afterward simply told Fries: “That was awesome.”

Additional evening concerts included performances by The BrassRoots Collective and Ladies of the Prairie and the Male Order Band, both of which brought high-energy performances to the lineup.

One of the festival’s most recognizable traditions is “Moosic in the Park,” the free lunchtime outdoor concert series

held at the Crescent Park amphitheatre.

“We had eight bands perform on Tuesday and six bands perform on Wednesday, and people really came out to support them,” she said. “We had other festival groups cheering them on, but we also had many people walking by who stopped to listen.”

The festival’s community atmosphere remains one of the defining features drawing schools back to Moose Jaw each spring.

“The feedback I received was that they really appreciate what Moose Jaw has to offer their students,” Fries said. “It’s more than just a festival.”

Visiting groups continue making local stops part of their annual tradition, returning to favourite restaurants, exploring the Tunnels of Moose Jaw, and

Fries credited the festival’s affordability to volunteers and community sponsorships, including support from the South Saskatchewan Band Association, Sask Lotteries, SaskCulture, Visit Moose Jaw, Moose Jaw Co-op, Hillcrest Dental, Stringam Law, Charlotte’s Catering, Culligan Water Conditioning, the Tunnels of Moose Jaw, and others.

While the festival continues to grow, Fries said organizers are reviewing this year’s traditional “glitch list,” which included communication concerns and ongoing volunteer shortages for equipment-moving and setup duties between venues.

Even so, Fries said the tradition continues to leave a lasting impact on both students and the city.

“I personally find this to be a really big feel-good experience,” she said. “Walking down Main Street and seeing the kids excited to be here, it’s worth it.”

For more information, visit MJBandAndChoral.org.

Visiting student musicians gather for a group photo with Mac the Moose during the 74th annual Moose Jaw Band and Choral Festival. The four-day event welcomed thousands of performers from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta to Moose Jaw. Photo by: Moose Jaw Band and Choral Festival

OPINION/EDITORIAL

Letters to the EDITOR for MJ Express

Re:A tribute to Elsie Alexander Moose Jaw Right to Life wishes to express our condolences to Elsie’s family and friends.

Elsie was a courageous defender of all human life from conception to natural death. She was a good friend and mentor to so many in the pro-life movement.

Elsie came to Moose Jaw in 2007 and immediately joined in the work of the local pro-life group.

You would describe Elsie as someone who demonstrated courage, stamina, faithfulness, wisdom, patience and charity. Although those words would still be inadequate. She spent much time in prayer, countless hours of work and witness, and donated her time and money without recognition, or want of it. All to proclaim respect for the unborn child, the elderly and the infirm.

We have compiled an incomplete list of some of her activities and accomplishments for you:

· She volunteered for the Catholic Charities Clothes Bank

· She was a CWL member

· She served on several church parish council committees: the interfaith food bank and the Pastoral Care Association

· She was a member of Pro-Life groups in every role possible from Recording Secretary to Treasurer to President to Provincial President.

Here in Moose Jaw, we were witnesses as she donated countless hours of service.

· She looked after all local finances and Rev. Canada requirements.

· She found convention speaker, convinced them they needed to speak in Moose Jaw, and in some cases paid for their travel and hosted them at her house

· She was always looking to recruit

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new members and finding ways to empower them as they came on board

· She was Networking before it became a strategy

· She engaged others at the local level and at Sask. Pro-Life conventions where she was involved for years

· She was alerting others to participating in online polls

· She communicated with MLA’s and MP’s from near and far in every way possible including face to face, writing letters, phone calls and sending emails

· She was always working to expand and update our local membership list. If you hadn’t renewed your membership, she was sure to remind you

· She looked for ways to encourage and educate our youth. Insisting that all the youngsters who participated at our annual “Walk for Life” would get a prize

· She assisted with the Informed Choices Pregnancy Center startup here in Moose Jaw. She secured some initial funding for them and assisted in obtaining their charitable status from the CRA

· She loved to educate others regardless of the number of people present. You could find her participating in the annual Walk for Life, here and in Regina, Life Chain and the 40 Days for Life Vigil that was held here and in Regina. Weather conditions didn’t affect her attendance

· She encouraged (and sometimes admonished) her listeners in formal speaking opportunities or more directly one on one. Later she started using the internet to engage people worldwide.

· She enthusiastically endorsed es-

each submission for verification.

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• We Reserve The Right to Edit.

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All columns, letters to the editor and editorials are solely the personal opinions of the writers themselves and not necessarily the opinions of The Moose Jaw Express

tablishing the Moose Jaw Right to Life website and followed quickly with support for Youth Rap Life and Great Southwest Life websites

· In her role as President and against the advice of the Board, she was also known to shovel and clean toilets

· She deservedly received numerous awards including

· “The Courage to Serve Award” in appreciation of her effort towards the restoration of respect for human life in the Province of Alberta

· “Certificate of Appreciation” in acknowledgement of service to Teen Aid of Lethbridge and District

· “Alberta Federation of Women United for Families Award” presented in appreciation for her unselfish, courageous service in defending truth and freedom and for the countless hours of serving, teaching and training her fellowman in defending the truth

· “Distinguished Service Award” in recognition of her many years of service as a Pastoral Care Worker by the Alberta Pastoral Care Association

· Not satisfied with receiving awards she developed two of her own scholarships for Grade 12 high school students in Lethbridge and area which are still ongoing:

· The Elsie Alexander $1000 ProLife essay scholarship

· The Elsie Alexander $500 Pro-Life work and volunteer scholarship Maybe one of her least know tributes is Elsie’s House in Lethbridge. The family has named this charity as one of four that you may make a donation to in Elsie’s name. Lethbridge Pro-Life News had this to say about Elise: Elsie Alexander has made it her

life’s work to show people their inherent worth. Every human life has value and all of us have something to contribute to the world.

When Elsie lived in Lethbridge for 35 years from 1972-2007, she was a warrior for the rights of women and children. She always sacrificed her time for those in need. Numerous boards and committees benefited from her leadership skills, humility, and willingness to serve.

The mission of Elsie’s House is to empower strong and healthy moms living in the community. They provide housing and support to pregnant women in Lethbridge and surrounding area as a compassionate response to women in need.

It was because of Elsie’s passion for empowering and supporting women who desired to be mothers that Elsie’s House was created. Her hope was that the community would come together to support these women, so that even when faced with hard challenges, they would have an environment that would encourage and refresh them.

Elsie’s House was honoured to name this wonderful space for women in need after her.

I think in closing, we will agree that she was an unapologetically, tireless pro-life worker and call it an understatement.

We ask that you might also strive to honor Elise by living with the same determination, strength, and love that she shared with us. Though she is gone, may her influence embolden us to promote life as enthusiastically as she did.

May God bless you as you add your voice to preserving life.

Letters to the EDITOR for MJ Express

Re: Canada Needs an Immigration Framework, Not an Immigration Fight

Canada’s immigration debate has become one of the most dishonest conversations in our public life. Not dishonest in the sense that people are lying — though some are — but dishonest in the sense that both sides have agreed, tacitly, to argue past the evidence rather than through it. The result is a policy vacuum dressed up as a values clash, and Canadians are paying for it in housing costs, strained hospitals, and a growing loss of confidence in institutions that should be earning their trust.

Let us start with what is not in dispute. Canada’s fertility rate has fallen to a record low of 1.26 — less than twothirds of the 2.1 replacement threshold needed to maintain a stable population. That gap does not close on its own. Without sustained immigration, the working-age population shrinks relative to retirees, and the contributorto-beneficiary ratios underpinning the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security deteriorate to the point where no amount of fiscal adjustment closes the gap. The Parliamentary Budget Office has said so directly. The demographics are not a political opinion. They are arithmetic.

Immigration is therefore not a preference Canada can set aside when the politics become inconvenient. It is a structural necessity. The question — the only serious policy question — is how much immigration, of what kind, at what pace, and with what integration infrastructure in place to make it work. That question has not been answered with anything resembling rigour, and the absence of a rigorous answer is how Canada found itself admitting newcomers at a pace that outstripped its capacity to house, employ, and support them.

The fiscal architecture that governs how the costs of immigration are

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shared between Ottawa and the provinces compounds the problem. The federal government sets immigration targets. Provinces bear the primary costs of health care, housing pressure, and social services. The transfer mechanisms designed to compensate provinces for population-driven spending move too slowly to track rapid intake, leaving provinces to absorb costs in real time while waiting for funding adjustments that arrive months later. This is not bad luck. It is a governance design failure, and it has been apparent for years to anyone paying attention.

The category of immigrant also matters far more than public debate acknowledges. Economic principal applicants — selected for their skills and labour market potential — contribute more on average than Canadian-born citizens and reach fiscal net-positive status relatively quickly. Family class and refugee admissions take longer, though the long-run integration story is considerably more encouraging than short-term numbers suggest. The most powerful predictor of integration success is prior Canadian experience: research shows that roughly 85 percent of income convergence gains can be attributed to time spent working or studying in Canada before permanent residency. This means the pathway to contribution is a policy variable Canada can engineer — if it chooses to treat integration as seriously as it treats admission.

It has not. Credential recognition remains a national embarrassment. Canada recruits internationally trained physicians, engineers, and tradespeople, and then fails to recognize their qualifications at the point of entry, resulting in talent working well below its level while the country simultaneously faces shortages in those very fields. Geographic distribution is similarly neglected: immigration concentrates in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal,

each submission for verification.

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intensifying pressure in cities already stretched beyond capacity while rural communities and smaller centres face demographic decline and labour gaps that immigration could address if the policy tools were fit for purpose.

The most revealing governance failure of the recent period is the treatment of temporary residents. The surge in population pressure between 2022 and 2024 was driven primarily not by permanent admissions, which remained within historical norms, but by a rapid expansion of international students and temporary foreign workers who exist in a policy grey zone. The federal government counted them incompletely in its planning; provinces bore their service costs entirely. The government has since committed to reducing temporary residents to five percent of total population by 2026. Whether that commitment holds will say a great deal about whether the system has been genuinely reformed or merely rhetorically adjusted.

On the question of racialization: the concern is legitimate, and it deserves a direct answer. When immigration debate becomes ethnically coded, it corrupts policy in both directions — making necessary conversations about capacity politically toxic on one side, and giving cover to ethnic preference arguments on the other. The antidote is not to avoid the conversation

but to ground every target and every limit in measurable, non-ethnic criteria: housing units, healthcare capacity, labour market data, fiscal contribution timelines. When evidence sets the parameters, ethnicity has no structural role in the calculation, and bad-faith arguments have nothing to anchor to.

Significantly, both Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre converged before the last election on the same principle: immigration levels must align with economic and infrastructure capacity. That cross-partisan consensus is not a coincidence. It reflects the point at which evidence becomes impossible to argue around. It is also the foundation on which a better policy can be built — if the political will exists to build it honestly rather than to claim credit for it rhetorically.

Canada does not need fewer immigrants or more immigrants as a matter of tribal loyalty. It needs a transparent, publicly accessible, evidence-based framework that calculates sustainable intake from real capacity data, publishes its assumptions, and commits to building the infrastructure — in housing, health care, credential recognition, and integration — to support what it admits. That framework does not yet exist. Building it is the task. And it is long past time to begin.

Jeff Woodward

Speaking tour challenges Canada’s planned MAiD expansion for mental illness

A province-wide speaking tour focused on the future expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) legislation drew audiences in Moose Jaw and Regina last weekend, as presenters raised concerns about the planned 2027 expansion of MAiD eligibility to include mental illness as a sole underlying condition.

The Saskatchewan leg of the MAiD for You? tour stopped in Moose Jaw on May 15 at Hillcrest Apostolic Church before concluding May 16 in Regina. Stops also included Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Yorkton, and Weyburn.

The presentations were organized through faith-based and advocacy groups opposed to the planned MAiD expansion. Speakers included Larry Worthen, executive director of the Christian Medical and Dental Association of Canada (CMDA), Regina vascular surgeon Dr. David Kopriva, and Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina social justice co-ordinator Tashia Toupin.

Throughout the presentation, speakers argued Canada’s MAiD framework has expanded significantly beyond what many Canadians initially understood when euthanasia and assisted suicide were legalized through Bill C-14 in 2016.

“Canadians don’t understand the scope of MAiD,”

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

noting psychiatric wait times can exceed the proposed threemonth MAiD assessment period for mental illness cases.

They also raised concerns about access to palliative care, disability supports, mental health services, and vulnerable individuals pursuing MAiD because of isolation or inadequate support systems.

Kopriva shared the story of a hospitalized cancer patient who initially requested MAiD after becoming estranged from his family and believing he could no longer live with the pain.

suicide, suffering, and isolation, encouraging stronger support systems for vulnerable individuals. Speakers cited federal MAiD data showing recipients reported loss of meaningful activities (86.3 per cent), loss of dignity (53.1), feeling like a burden (35.3), and isolation or loneliness (17.1) among commonly cited sources of suffering in MAiD requests.

“None of those are medical reasons — those are psychosocial reasons,” she said.

Worthen said. “They don’t realize how many people qualify, and they don’t understand how many people have already accessed MAiD.”

Worthen told attendees Canada is projected to surpass 100,000 MAiD deaths by July, less than a decade after legalization. He argued Canada now has among the world’s highest MAiD rates relative to total deaths, with growth outpacing earlier assisted-dying systems in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and California.

The presentation focused on the federal government’s planned March 2027 expansion allowing MAiD eligibility for mental illness as a sole condition, with Worthen citing concerns from psychiatrists and

medical professionals questioning whether mental illness can be reliably deemed irremediable.

“There’s no accurate way to determine when a mental illness is incurable,” he said. “And secondly, there’s no way to distinguish between symptoms of mental illness, such as wanting to die, and a so-called rational desire to die.”

MAiD requests currently require two independent medical assessments, informed consent, and written documentation, with additional safeguards applying in cases where death is not reasonably foreseeable.

Speakers questioned whether Canada’s mental health-care system is equipped for the planned expansion,

“Your life is worth something,” Kopriva recalled telling the man while urging him to first try additional pain treatment before proceeding.

Kopriva said an epidural later controlled the man’s pain, after which he withdrew his MAiD request, reconciled with family members, and eventually died naturally months later.

Worthen later shared the case of a woman identified as “Sophia,” who reportedly pursued MAiD after struggling to secure housing while living with severe chemical sensitivities, which organizers cited as an example of vulnerable individuals seeking MAiD amid gaps in housing, disability supports, and social services.

Toupin spoke about the social dimensions surrounding

Organizers circulated a petition calling on Saskatchewan to prohibit unsolicited MAiD offers to patients and protect health-care workers who choose not to participate, pointing to recent Alberta legislation as a similar safeguard. Presenters encouraged attendees to contact MLAs, discuss the issue within their communities, and support petitions calling for additional provincial safeguards surrounding MAiD.

Federal legislation currently delays MAiD expansion for mental illness until March 17, 2027, following multiple postponements tied to concerns from medical organizations, provinces, and mental health advocates.

More information on MAiD is available through the federal government’s “Medical assistance in dying: Overview” webpage at Canada.ca.

Dr. David Kopriva, left, and Larry Worthen, right, answer questions following the Regina stop of the MAiD for You? speaking tour on May 16. The presentation focused on concerns surrounding Canada’s planned MAiD expansion for mental illness. Photo by: YouTube livestream screenshot

The plight of MLA Betty Nippi-Albright should not exist if political party discipline were less authoritarian.

Nippi-Albright was elected as an NDP MLA in 2020 for Saskatoon-Centre, but left party caucus two weeks ago to sit as an independent.

By doing so, she gives up access to research funds and the opportunity to speak more in the legislature, as well as no longer being mental health and addictions critic for the NDP.

An indigenous MLA with a long work history in health and community work, she broke with NDP leader Carla Beck.

The blow-up came when Beck refused Nippi-Albright the right to table all of an independent report on addiction in the Legislature.

Nippi-Albright interpreted that refusal as restraining her from helping constituents in Saskatoon.

The common practice when tabling reports in the Legislature involves tabling the entire report.

When Nippi-Albright announced on social media that she will sit as an independent Beck said the NDP presented 17 amendments derived from the report to the Compassionate Intervention Care Act. All were defeated by the Sask. Party majority.

The loss of one NDP MLA reflects badly on Beck.

To some observers Nippi-Albright’s

move seems like a rare show of principle by a politician —something that doesn’t occur that often.

The Compassionate Intervention Care Act allows government to force people living with addictions into treatment centres.

To some people that smacks of jaillike situations for addicts.

According to some observers this returns to a bizarre situation 80 years ago when people with suspected mental health conditions were willy-nilly taken to mental health institutions.

The late Tom Sukanen, a farmer in the Macrorie area, was obsessed with building a ship on the South Saskatchewan River and sailing home to Finland.

One call to the RCMP and he was taken from his farm to a mental health facility in North Battleford in the1940s.

In a similar vein an inventor/farmer by the name of Zahursky from the Rockglen area was taken to the Weyburn mental health hospital.

His issue. He invented the helicopter, but Sikorsky patented his machine first.

A frustrated Zahursky threatened to sell his plans to Hitler and the Nazis. That landed him in Weyburn as a mental health patient.

The Compassionate Intervention Care Act can be viewed as a return to those days when the RCMP made decisions with no hearing.

The Nippi-Albright incident shows a flaw in our legislative systems.

Individual MLAs and MPs are elected to serve their constituents. Political party discipline prevents individual members from doing their job for constituents.

Political parties were formed to prevent the chaotic situation of passing legislation with all independent members.

Since the 1960s the federal government has tightened the leadership grip on policy and members in the Prime Minister’s Office.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

The grip gets tighter with each new prime minister. Provincial political leaders have followed suit.

While this practice of tight control may lead to less struggle passing legislation, the individual member’s ability to serve voters erodes.

The individual member is stripped of the chance to do the job the way it was intended.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net

Sudoku #5 - Challenging

4 7 8 6 1 5 3 8 6 1 1 9 6 9 3 4 9 1 1 4 2 6 1 5 5 2 9 7

ACROSS

1. Particles

Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.

BERATE, BRAND, BROAD, COMPROMISE, CROP, DANCE DEMAND, DISCIPLINE, EXCEED, FAMOUS, GLORY, GREAT, LEWD NEED, NICELY, OPINION, OUTSIDE, PIPEDREAM, PRINCE, PULP REASON, REDEEM, ROUGH, RUIN, SCENT, SHORT, SIDE, SIMPLE SINCE, SPINE, STRONGHOLD, TOOT, TREAD, USEFULNESS

50. Onion relative

51. Spending plan

13. Sail supports

Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3-by-3 block contain all of the digits 1 thru 9.

6. Display

10. Crease

54. Stout-bodied amphibian

21. Channelize

25. Mongol dwelling

If you use logic you can solve the puzzle without guesswork.

14. Lengthwise

15. Trail

16. Arm bone

56. Largest continent

57. Whirlybird

63. Tirade

64. Computer symbol

26. Bankrolls

27. Away from the wind

28. Rescue

29. Disseminated

Need a little help? The hints page shows a logical order to solve the puzzle. Use it to identify the next square you should solve. Or use the answers page if you really get stuck.

17. Category

18. One of the Great Lakes

19. Wagers

20. Lack of refinement

22. Leave out

23. Unadulterated

24. Words to a song

26. Stinging insect

30. Possibilities

31. U-boat

32. Winglike

33. Platter

35. Angered

39. Commits

41. Salad green

43. Oozing

44. Garden tools

46. Circle fragments

47. Type of primate

49. Not thin

65. What limericks do

66. Curved molding

67. Outcropping

68. Spooky

69. Geek

70. Lather

71. Saber or epee

DOWN

1. Wise men

2. Beasts of burden

3. Fork prong

4. Noble 5. Slumber

6. Billfish

7. Rein

8. Ear-related 9. There are 4 on a car

10. Less than one orbit

11. Lacquer ingredient

12. Caper

34. Forest gaps

36. Entice

37. Behold, in old Rome

38. Writing table

40. Sort

42. Medieval sword

45. Remove, as cargo

48. High standards

51. Nobleman

52. Utilization

53. Eatery

55. Impales

58. Beige

59. Expresses relief

60. Apprentice

61. Arab ruler

62. Marsh plant

205 WANTED

Looking To Rent - Garage/warehouse/ or unused semi-trailer unit. Prefer downtown area. Will consider other options. Can be reached at 306-313-3439.

CLASSIFIED ADS

210 SERVICES

Moving jobs done reasonably: appliances, furniture, dump runs. Call to do it all. $45.00 a load. 306-630-2268

Need work done? Contact Bill at 306-630-2268 . Interior/exterior, renovations, formwork, framing, finishing, tiling, painting and all construction, roofing/siding- no job too big or small. Reasonable rates, 30 years experience. Will pick up, move, haul, and deliver any appliances, tvs, furniture, or anything large in and around Moose Jaw, $45 and up. 45-gallon plastic barrels, great for rainwater, $25 each. 1000 Litre plastic totes - $50. 45-gallon metal barrels, $15 each. 306681-8749

and an Adapter to Plug into a Car Lighter. New $3000.00. Asking $1800.00. Call Karen (306) 6314745.

Mobility Scooter for Sale: The Express Element –Range 50 km, tubeless tires, LED lights, horn, speed up to 25/ km, rear basket, under seat storage, and bag hook. BRAND NEW $3995.00. Call 306-694-1322 for more information.

MOBILITY SCOOTER

Low Mileage/Hours $1200.00. Call Karen (306) 631-4745.

Large green umbrella with wooden pole blew out of yard in windstorm on May 11th. In the area of the 600 block of Duffield. Please 145

180 LAWN & GARDEN

For Sale - Tomato plants. 10 varieties, all home grown in Moose Jaw. $4 for single plants. Please

200 LOST & FOUND

1500 Square foot condo, located at 149 Hoch. St. W. Single attached garage, large deck at rear and off master bedroom, HEATED OUTDOOR POOL, new steel exterior wall, new roofing on flat roof, new white vinyl fence, newer A/C, large tub in master. Please call 306-631-0525.

110 AUTO PARTS

FOR SALE - Tires, 8 truck tires, 2 almost new (90%) B.F. Goodrich. 4 LT 245 75R17 20,000 miles on rims. 2018 F250 Ford 8 bolt rims. 4 P235 75R17. Dyna Pro PB, good rubber. 6 bolt Ford 2010 F150 Rims. Please phone 306631-0839.

MARILYN LOUISE LAW

OPINION/EDITORIAL

Letters to the EDITOR

for MJ Express

January 14, 1952 – August 15, 2025

With grace, strength, and her signature warm smile, Marilyn Louise Law peacefully passed away on August 15, 2025, at the age of 73, following a courageous battle with cancer.

Born on a farm near Marquis, Saskatchewan, Marilyn learned the values of hard work, perseverance, and positivity—qualities that defined her throughout her life.

Earlier this year, Marilyn and her beloved husband, John, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary—a true testament to their enduring love. She is lovingly remembered by her daughter, Chantel (Jeff) Lane, and grandchildren Morgan and Colby; and by her son, Adam (Dorothy) Law, and granddaughters Maria and Nellie. Her grandchildren were her pride and joy, and she cherished every moment spent with them.

Marilyn is also survived by her five brothers and six sisters. She will be laid to rest alongside her sister Sharon, her parents Carol and John Froehlich, and her beloved nephew Shawn in Marquis, Saskatchewan.

Guidelines for Submitting Letters to the Editor:

Due to space allotment in Moose Jaw Express for free letters to the editor, we find it necessary to establish some guidelines in submissions that will be in effect.

• All letters to the editor submitted to the Moose Jaw Express newspaper should not exceed 900 words. In this case, we reserve the right to edit

WANTED: Former Snowbird Pilots

Marilyn had an incredible spirit—always smiling, always optimistic, and always putting others first. She loved playing cards with family and friends and maintained many long-term friendships throughout her life. Whether lending a helping hand or offering words of encouragement, Marilyn had a remarkable way of making everyone feel loved and valued.

A come and go celebration of life will be held May 23, 2026, from 2-5 pm in the event room at the Sportsman Centre - 276 Home Street E. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation in her honour.

Marilyn’s kindness, positivity, and deep love for her family and friends will remain forever as an inspiration.

I would like to invite the Snowbird Pilots who are about to be reassigned when Mark Carney shuts down the Snowbirds in 2027, to fly for the Alberta National Guard. A Sovereign Independent Alberta will use our former Equalization Payments from our Oil Revenues to buy our Soldiers only the best Equipment in the World today. The F47 puts the “Great” in the Alberta National Guard’s Great Horned Owls Air Demonstration Squadron! Remember, the Alberta National Guard soldiers in addition to being the best paid Soldiers in the World receive the unique benefit

“What is love? It is the morning and the evening star.”
-- Sinclair Lewis

Send your letters to the editor to: joan@moosejawexpress.com

All columns, letters to the editor and editorials are solely the personal opinions of the writers themselves and not necessarily the opinions of The Moose Jaw Express

them accordingly.

• Please do not write letters of personal attack or are condescending.

• A full name and contact information will need to be included with each submission for verification.

• Only the name will be included in publication with the letter as the contributor.

• We Reserve The Right to Edit.

of free Alberta Gasoline/Fuel when they fuel up their personal vehicles including cars, trucks, RV’s, ATV’s, all watercrafts and all personal aircrafts. You’ll love flying in the Alberta National Guard where we never ask if we’ll spend the money, but rather, what do we spend our money on next!!!

Chris Robertson Albertan Bestselling Author

include the Moose Jaw Health Foundation in your estate plan to help your community for generations to come.

Rev. Dr. John Kreutzwieser is a retired pastor from Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Moose Jaw, SK. He graduated with a doctorate degree in 2006 from the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies in Florida.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

Coterie

I have not seen any gophers at the golf course so far this year, but the holes are numerous. The gophers we deal with in Moose Jaw are actually Richardson Ground Squirrels. People sometimes confuse gophers with prairie dogs. True prairie dogs are mostly found in the southwest corner of the province around Grasslands National Park. Although there is a colony of prairie dogs by Mac the Moose. Prairie dogs live in large, sprawling towns, divided into tight territorial family units known as coteries. Gophers are highly solitary. Adult gophers hibernate from early June to late July. Juvenile gophers enter hibernation from early August to October. They live alone in their underground tunnel systems and only meet up with other gophers for a brief period to mate. That is why there are so many holes when gophers are present as they do not form coteries

Coterie means an intimate and often exclusive group with a unifying common interest or purpose. You might be part of a coterie of artists, golfers, pastors, or grandparents. Coterie is uniquely used in animal behaviour to describe a social family of prairie dogs that live in a communal burrow.

Coterie came into the English language in the mid-1700s from the French word coterie, which referred to a group of 14th century free peasants who together held a parcel of land. In Old French a single peasant on a small holding was a cotier. Eventually the French applied coterie to various kinds of clubs and societies. The English extended the meaning of coterie to any group of people who spent a great deal of time together, share similar attitudes, and held a passion for a particular topic or activity.

Today coterie tends to imply exclusivity. If you wish to join a coterie you may need to learn a secret handshake, a unique vocabulary, or an obsessive interest in some issue or hobby.

Similar words to coterie include clique, crowd, circle, network, pack, and gang.

A clique is a small exclusive group of people who spend a lot of time with each other. When she moved to the new high school she found friends hard to make as she was shunned from every clique.

A crowd is a large group of people who act in a common way. She got in trouble very easily hanging around with the wrong crowd.

A circle is a group of people revolving around a common centre. She joined the sewing circle at her local church.

A network is an informally interconnected association of people. The local network of bird watchers participated in the day designated to count

the various species in the area.

A pack describes a group of domesticated or predatory animals that run together. He was afraid to walk through the park because of the pack of dogs that moved into that area.

A small gang is a group of person having close social relations. He enjoyed hanging out at the local mall with the gang.

A coterie of prairie dogs share a common burrow system in which they groom one another and engage is a distinct greeting to identify those who belong to the group. A single coterie usually consists of one adult male with three to four adult females, and their offspring. Each coterie defends its specific territory within the prairie dog community, even aggressively chasing away other prairie dogs from within the same town.

In 1901, a colony of prairie dogs in Texas spanned 6.5 million hectares, containing over 400 million animals. They lived in thousands of coteries within numerous neighborhoods inside the settlement. A typical healthy town of prairie dogs has about 2 to 3 coteries per hectare.

Columnist John Kreutzwieser loves to research words and writes this weekly Word Wisdom column for Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com. He has an interest in the usage, origin, and relevance of words for society today. Greek and Latin form the basis of many words, with ancient Hebrew shedding light on word usage.

John would like to know if anyone has a sincere interest in a relevant word that he could possibly research for an upcoming column. If so, please send your requests to wordwisdom2021@gmail.com . Words will be selected according to relevance and research criteria. We cannot confirm that all words will be used.

FRIENDSHIP BRIDGE WINNERS

Submitted - 7 p.m. - Tuesday Nights, Cosmo Senior Centre

March 3, 2026

1st – Bryce Warren & Jeff Walpole

2nd – Marie Spencer & Sharon Knittel

3rd – Walter Hawkins & Eunice Reader

Hidden Score – Ken & Yvette Storozuk

\March 10, 2026

1st – Bryce Warren & Jeff Walpole

2nd – Ronald & Linda McInnis

3rd – Ken & Yvette Storozuk

Hidden Score – Anne Kraus & Lorne Jackson

March 17, 2026

1st – Ronald & Linda McInnis

2nd – Vivian Brailean & Bob Paulowicz

3rd – Anita Duncan & Lawrence Fatteicher

Hidden Score – Carol Andrejcin & Gwen Venn

March 24, 2026

1st – Vivian Brailean & Bob Paulowicz

2nd – Linda Sempel & Judith Deatrich

3rd – Ed Lambert & Carol Gustafson

Hidden Score –Diane Bruck & Yvette Storozuk

March 31, 2026

1st – Ronald & Linda McInnis

2nd – Bob Paulowicz & Vivian Brailean

3rd – Bryce Warren & Jeff Walpole

Hidden Score – Linda Sempel & Judith Deatrich

April 7, 2026

1st – Anita Duncan & Lawrence Fatteicher

2nd – Yvette Storozuk & Diane Bruck

3rd – Vivian Brailean & Bob Paulowicz

Hidden Score – Walter Hawkins & Eunice Reader

April 14, 2026

1st – Bob Paulowicz & Vivian Brailean

2nd – Ed Lambert & Carol Gustafson

3rd – Debbie Firth & Linda Sempel

Hidden Score – Carol Andrejcin & Gwen Venn

April 21, 2026

1st - Anita Duncan & Lawrence Fatteicher

2nd - Bryce Warren & Jeff Walpole

3rd - Marie Spencer & Sharon Knittel

Hidden Score – Carol Andrejcin & Gwen Venn

April 28, 2026

1st – Lawrence Fatteicher & Anita Duncan

2nd - Bryce Warren & Jeff Walpole

3rd - Ed Lambert & Carol Gustafson

Hidden Score – Peter Fowler & Frank Van Breugel

All bridge players are welcome to join our club. In addition, if you are interested in learning how to play, we would like to help.

We play at the Cosmo Senior Centre on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. For more information contact Anita Duncan at 306-630-1256.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN MOOSE JAW

If you would like your notice or event added to this list, contact us at: joan@moosejawexpress.com

Town ‘N Country Mall

Bridge Lessons 235 3rd Ave NE. More info: Anita – 306-630-1256 anitadunkz@gmail.com or Gail – 306-630-9430

May 16 1:30pm Spring/Summer Fashion Show Come see the latest Fashions the Mall stores have to offer.

May 18 Victoria Day Mall Hours 12pm to 5pm

Lynbrook Ladies Wednesday Business Golf League Wednesday Night Ladies Business League is open to any ladies interested in joining. President – Shauna Inglis 306-690-6974/Secretary – Bev Arnold 306-690-4240/Treasurer – Sharon McKenzie 306-6319606.

July 8 – Fun Night Tournament -5:30 pm - Shotgun (sign up sheet will be posted prior week)

Aug-5– Fun Night Tournament- 5:30 pm - Shotgun (sign up sheet will be posted prior week)

Sept 9 – Year End Tournament – 5:00pm - Shotgun (sign up sheet will be posted prior week)

Sept 16 – Year End Banquet (cocktails 6:00 pm- supper 6:30 pm)

The Moose Jaw Camera Club will hold their next regular meeting on May 11 at 7PM at the Cosmo Center. Our dynamic guest speaker will be Rodney Braun, an award-winning Winnipeg photographer with two books and multiple solo shows to his credit. The subject of his presentation is “Monochrome” and you won’t want to miss it. Guests are welcome for a nominal fee.

Rodney is also the key note speaker for the PRPA Photography Conference hosted by the MJCC June 12 and 13 at the WDM. The conference will draw photographers from across the prairie region and offer networking and photographic opportunities. For more information, or to register, please visit https:// themoosejawcameraclub.com/2026-prpa-photographicconference

STS Moose Jaw Superannuated Teachers LUNCHEON Wednesday, May ???, 2026 10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Chat - circulate and connect with past colleagues
11:00 - Program: TBA
12:00 - Roast Beef Dinner- Catered by Charlottes
12:45 - Meeting and Elections for the 2026-27 Executive
Cost: $20.00 per STS member and spouse. $25.00 for non-members

Where: Masonic Temple Hall
Please RSVP to Rosalie by Saturday, May17, 2026, @ 306-691-0696, email: stsmoosejaw@gmail.com, or click on the link in your latest STSMJ Newsletter. (If you haven’t received your newsletter, please check your junk/spam mail or follow the directions on www.stsmoosejaw.com
Come and Enjoy! Moose Jaw Art Guild monthly meeting on Thursday May 21st at 3pm in the Art Room at the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery. New members welcome and encouraged to attend. Scottish Country Dancing has resumed at 7 pm on Thursdays @ Timothy Eaton’s Centre, 510 Main St. N. No partner required. Ages 8 and up including grandparents. Contact: Val, 306-630-5790 White Heather Youth Pipe Band in Moose Jaw looking for new players ages eight and older. New players will have the opportunity to try out drum sticks on pads and practice chanters with the instructors and will be introduced to some of the children already members of the band. Contact Michelle Carline at <mcarline@ hotmail.com>

The Prairie Hearts Quilters Guild is held 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month at 7 pm. At Zion church from Sept to May.

The Moose Jaw Stamp Club has resumed meeting the second and fourth Wednesday nights of the month at 7:00pm at the Lindale School staff room. For information call 306-693-5705. Moose Jaw Parkinsons Support Group meet at 1:30 p.m. on the last Monday of the following months: February, March, April and May. Meetings are held at Hillcrest Apostolic Church, Moose Jaw. Call or text 306 756 2819

Moose Jaw Town N Country Square Dance Assoc. 20252026 Program on Monday nights from 7-9 pm at St. Margaret’s School, 449 5Th Ave NE. Dance in square with family and friends. For information contact Valerie Wright at 306.691.0579. Beginners, singles, or doubles welcome!

Nature Moose Jaw will hold their meetings on a once-a-month status to take place on the third Friday of each month Church of Our Lady Bingo takes place at the Church of Our Lady Community Centre, 566 Vaughan Street on Tuesday evenings. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Bingo begins at 7:00 p.m. Are you struggling with addictions? Do you know someone who is? Or do you want to learn more about overcoming addiction to help others? Pastor Cory Havanka and his wife Brenda will be offering an in-person, small-group, course that will explore how to overcome addiction that is based on Biblical foundations. For questions - Call or text Cory at 306-684-1464 or email firmfoundationministries.inc@ gmail.com Firm Foundation Ministries provides other services as well: -Bible study - Monday evenings at 630 p.m/Prayer meetings - Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m/Pastoral counselling. Check Facebook or Instagram for updates on services, events, bible study notes and words from the Lord. Nar-Anon Meetings every Monday 7—8pm (Moose Jaw Nar-Anon Family Group) is a twelve-step program for relatives and friends affected by someone else’s drug use and is in-person at Moose Jaw Alliance Church, 14 Neslia Place. Come in Main Doors – Meeting Rm 103. Your anonymity and what you say at meetings will be carefully guarded.

TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Weight Loss Support Group Meets at the Cosmo Senior Citizen’s Centre, 235 – 3rd Ave. N.E. The group meets every Wednesday morning. Weigh ins are 8-8:45 am. Meeting to follow. . scale weighs up to 350 pounds. Join for friendship and support on your weight loss journey. For more information go to www.tops.org

TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meetings every Wednesday

evening too in the Alliance Church located at the corner of 9th Ave NE and Thatcher Dr. Use the West side entrance and you’ll find us down the hall in room 107. Weigh ins are 6:30-7 followed by a half hour meeting. Scale weighs up to 500lbs. Join us as we support each other on our weight loss journeys. Visit www.tops.org for more information.

The Moose Jaw Public Library is located at 461 Langdon Crescent and can be reached at MooseJawLibrary.ca, by calling 306-692-2787, or by emailing Ask@MJLibrary.ca. Check the library’s Facebook page for updates, as programs may be cancelled or rescheduled.

Movie Club

Movie Club meets twice monthly at 6 p.m. in the theatre for a film and short discussion.

• Harold and Maude: Show date: Monday, May 25

Documentary Night features films that rarely hit theatres and runs the last Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. in the theatre.

• Pencils vs Pixels: Show date: Thursday, May 21

Movie matinees will be screened for all ages in the theatre starting at 2:30 p.m. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome.

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem: Show date: Saturday, May 30 (rated PG)

Maker Nights

• Maker Saturdays: Guests can create origami frogs on May 23 from 2 to 3 p.m. Advance registration is required.

Children’s programming

LEGO Weekends: These are open for ages four and up during regular business hours on weekends. In this self-guided activity in the Children’s Department, children can have fun building wild LEGO creations that they’re invited to put on display.

Children’s Storytime programs run on separate days in the Children’s Program Room starting at 10:30 a.m. Children enjoy stories, rhymes, and songs while caregivers learn early literacy strategies.

Preschool Storytime: Wednesday, May 20, and 27

• Daycare Storytime: Monday, May 25 (no event on May 18)

Be sure to check out TumbleBooks for Kids in the Digital Library. Standalone events

• Paper Moon Writing Collective: Paper Moon is a monthly gathering for writers, offering guided prompts, quiet writing time, and optional sharing in a supportive, judgment-free space on the first Tuesday of each month. To learn more, email PaperMoonWritingCollective@gmail.com

• Come and Go Play: Enjoy a story, sensory activities, play, and meet new people in the Children’s Program Room from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays. The event is free.

• Teen Lounge: Teens in Grades 7 to 12 are invited to drop in for the library’s Teen Lounge every Friday from 3 to 5:30 p.m., offering a relaxed space to hang out, play games, create art, or get a head start on homework. No registration is required.

• Diverse City: Diverse City is a recurring program at the MJPL offering a welcoming, inclusive space for neurodiverse adults and individuals with disabilities to connect and participate in activities. For more information, call 306-692-2787 or email Youth@MJLibrary.ca.

• Age-Friendly Book Chat: Age-Friendly Moose Jaw is hosting its Book Chat program for residents aged 55 and over in the lounge area at the Timothy Eaton Centre at 510 Main Street North from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 14. This month’s theme is “romance.” For more information, call 306-692-2787.

Computer Basics with Shaun Nanan: Adults aged 55 and over are invited to build confidence with everyday technology through a free, six-week Introduction to Computer Literacy course at the library. Participants will learn practical skills such as email, video calls, and other online tools while connecting with fellow learners in a supportive environment. Sessions run Tuesdays as part of the Sask Seniors Connect Hub.

• Recognizing and avoiding scams, phishing attempts, and fake links: May 19

Bernie’s Beading Circle: Bernie’s Beading Circle is a bi-weekly gathering for Indigenous creators to work on projects in a welcoming space. The event takes place in the Reading Room and light refreshments will be provided. The next events will be on Wednesday, May 27, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

• Dad & Me: Through a partnership with Moose Jaw Family Services Inc., the library is inviting guests to a painted flowerpot project on Sunday, May 17, and to make friendship bracelets on Sunday, May 31, both in the Children’s Program Room. Guests are asked to register as a family and include each child who will be attending. The event is for ages five and up.

• Coffee & Community: Adults aged 55 and over are invited to a relaxed gathering on May 20 focused on conversation and making new connections. The program is free to attend, takes place in the Reading Room, and is sponsored by the Sask Seniors Connect Hub.

• AI Literacy Family Workshop: Families with children ages six and up are invited to the Herb Taylor Room on Monday, May 25, to explore artificial intelligence (AI) with a chance to ask questions and share in a discussion after the workshop.

• Make Money Make Sense: The library is offering a 90-minute, interactive workshop on Tuesday, May 26, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the South Meeting Room. Here, guests can learn how to take control of their finances, set a budget, and apply what they learned through guided exercises. The workshop is presented by Marcus Moulding, a financial educator and founder of 5 O’Clock Financial.

Youth programming

The Teen Anime+ Club meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. to watch anime, read manga, draw, chat, and eat Asian snacks. Anyone ages 12 to 19 is welcome to

attend in the theatre, and yes — cosplay is welcome.

• Next Anime+ meeting: Featuring The Banished Court Magician on Wednesday, May 27

Teen Arts and Crafts

The Teen Arts and Crafts program takes place on the third Wednesday of each month for youth ages 12 to 19 and runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the South Meeting Room. The program features art, crafts, snacks, and the chance to meet new friends.

• 3D cat art: Wednesday, May 20

Teen Gamers

The Teen Gamers program provides an evening of video, card, and board games for youth ages 12 to 19. The program is held once a month in the Herb Taylor Room with snacks provided from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and no registration is required.

The Rook Room: The public library concluded its partnership with the Moose Jaw Chess Club, replacing it with a staff-led program called “The Rook Room.” The program is held in the Reading Room and is free for guests of all ages to attend on a drop-in basis.

• Next Rook Room meeting: Saturday, May 23, and 30 French-language programs

L’heure du conte is a French-language program for ages five and under with their caregivers. The program is held in the Children’s Program Room starting at 10:30 a.m.

• L’heure du conte: Saturday, May 30

The Moose Jaw Public Library is located at 461 Langdon Crescent and can be reached at MooseJawLibrary.ca, by calling 306692-2787, or by emailing Ask@MJLibrary.ca. Check the library’s Facebook page for updates, as programs may be cancelled or rescheduled.

Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 59 Moose Jaw, 693 Fairford

St W. Contact: 306-692-5453

Facebook @ ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION-Branch 59 Moose Jaw

OFFICE HOURS: Monday – Friday 9:30am-4:00pm

LOUNGE HOURS: Sunday Closed; Monday 12:00pm–9:00pm; Tuesday 12:00pm–5:00pm; Wednesday 12:00pm–5:00pm; Thursday 12:00pm–5:00pm; Friday 12:00pm–7:00pm; and Saturday 12:00pm – 6:00pm

BINGO – Monday @ 6pm – Paper goes on sale @ 5pm

CRIBBAGE – Tuesday @ 1:30pm

VETERANS’ DROP-IN – Friday 1:00-5:00

MEAT DRAW & CHASE THE ACE - Saturday @ 3pm - Everyone welcome

TRIVIA – May 30th & June 20th @ 7pm

*SAVE THE DATE!! Saturday, July 18th – Branch 59 Backyard Bash – Celebrating 100 Years of Service – details to follow

**PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE @ 306-692-5453 IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BOOKING OUR FACILITY FOR A PRIVATE

FUNCTION

Moose Jaw & District Seniors Assoc. Inc. Website –moosejawseniors.ca. For more information Call: 306-694-4223 or Email: mjsenior@shaw.ca .

The centre is now open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8am – 8pm and Tuesday, Friday 8am – 4pm

Fitness Level & Indoor Walking Track open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Tuesday & Friday’s 8am4pm

Wood working area – Monday to Friday 8 am – 4 pm

Timothy Eaton Cafe open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Cinnamon Buns are on Thursday’s. Tuesday is pie day. Everyone is welcomed.

Billiards open daily from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. as well as Monday, Wednesday & Thursday evenings from 4:30 – 8 p.m.

Pickle Ball – Monday Thursday mornings @ 9 a.m./Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday afternoons @ 1pm.- Monday & Thursday evenings @ 7 pm

Skills & Drills – Tuesday @ 6pm

Fitness- Chair/Low Impact Fitness Tuesdays 11:30 & Thursdays @ 1:00 p.m.

Cribbage – Wednesdays @ 1 p.m.

Hand & Foot Card Game for Beginners – Thursday @9:30 am.

Mah Jong – Wednesday @1 p.m. Beginners is Monday @1pm

Tai Chi – 9am every Tuesday

Line Dancing – Wednesday @ 11 a.m.

Art & Crafts – Monday, Tuesdays & Wednesdays @ 1 p.m.

Floor Shuffleboard – Tuesdays & Thursdays @ 1 p.m.

Paper Tole – Tuesdays @ 1 p.m.

Nickle Bingo – Fridays @ 1 p.m.

Quilting – Every Tuesday & Friday 9am to 4pm, Lounge – Friday’s 2 p.m. to 4 p.m./Jam Sessions – Friday’s 9 a.m.

Texas Hold’em - Thursday @ 6:30pm Tuesday Cards – 6:30pm

Floor Curling – Fridays @ 1pm

Bingo – Monday afternoons 1:30pm -3:30pm and Wednesday

evenings 6:30pm-8:30pm

Darts – Wednesday’s @ 10am

Consignment Area – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10am3pm, Wednesdays 10am-12pm

COSMO CENTRE - (306) 692-6072

Office hours: 8:00am - 3:00pm, Mon - Fri

Visit: cosmoseniorcentre.com for monthly calendar and ongoing activities

Coffee Shoppe open 10:00am - 3:00pm

Tuesday 11:30am, Lunch $10 (pre-order by Mon. noon)
 Thursday - Pie $4.50
 May 20 - BBQ, 5:00pm, $15/person
 May 30 - Kelten Chyz and the Restless; Doors/Bar open: 6:30pm, Cabaret/Dance: 7:30pm $15/person Moose Jaw ANAVETS: Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans Unit #252 – 279 High St. W, Moose Jaw. 306.692.4412 or anaf252@ sasktel.net

• Every Monday and Tuesday 1 – 6:30 pm

• Wednesday 12 – 6:30 pm/Smear starts at 12:30 pm

• Thursday 12 – 6:30 pm/Crib starts at 1:30 pm. Bring a friend or sign up for spare

• Friday 1 – 10:00 pm/Shuffleboard starts at 1 pm. Bring a friend and join in!/Pool and darts start at 7 pm.

• Saturday 1 – 6:30 pm/Drop in pool in afternoon. Meat draws start at 4:30 pm - 10 draws, 4 free draws, drink tickets, gift card, 50/50. Everyone Welcome!

FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES #3395 EVERY THURSDAY: Ladies Auxiliary “Meat Draw” – ticket sales start at 5:30 pm, draws start at 6:00 pm – Meat Draw, 50/50, “Chase the Ace”. Everyone welcome – non-members just make sure that you have “signed in” as a guest in order to participate. EVERY SUNDAY: Aerie “Meat Draw” – ticket sales start at 2:30 pm – Meat Draw, 50/50, Mystery Draw, “Chase the Ace”. Everyone welcome – non-members just make sure that you have “signed in” as a guest in order to participate.

MONDAY THRU SATURDAY – DROP IN POOL – 1:00 pm to 1:30 start time. Singles and Doubles.

EVERY MONDAY EVENING – DROP IN CRIBBAGE – Registration 6:00 t 6:30 pm – play starts 7:00 pm – bring a partner - $2.00 each to play. September thru to April.

EVERY WEDNESDAY EVENING – DROP IN DARTS – Draw for Partners, Play starts at 7:00 pm - $2.00 per person. September thru to April.

EVERY THURSDAY EVENING – DROP IN SHUFFLEBOARD –Draw for Teams - Play starts at 7:00 pm - $2.00 per person. FIRST AND THIRD SUNDAY – Aerie meeting – 11:30 am FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY – Ladies Auxiliary meeting7:00 pm

SATURDAY, JUNE 27 - EAGLES LOT PARTY!!!! Bands, Dancing, Bar, Food….watch for upcoming posts for more details. SUNDAY, JUNE 28 - EAGLES LOT FUN DAY …. Pancake Breakfast, Games…..watch for upcoming posts for more details. Western Development Museum; 50 Diefenbaker Drive, Moose Jaw. For more information, visit the museum’s website at WDM. ca/Moose-Jaw. Call 306-693-5989 or email ajones@wdm.ca Opening weekend for K+S Potash Canada Short Line 101 offering rides on Saskatchewan’s only operating steam locomotive, the Vulcan, with 10- to 15-minute trips around the site. Admission is $7 for individuals or $20 for families, with rides subject to weather, volunteers, and mechanical conditions.

The WDM will mark its 50th anniversary with a two-day celebration on June 26 and 27, featuring a daytime community event on June 26 followed by an evening program on June 27. Activities will run throughout the day Friday with the ticketed “Built in ’76” event taking place Saturday evening, highlighting the museum’s milestone with a 1970s-inspired experience. Adopt-a-Bench program: The museum’s Adopt-a-Bench program is open, with a limited number of benches available at all four WDM locations: Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Saskatoon, and Yorkton. For a $3,500 donation, supporters can dedicate a bench for 10 years with a personalized plaque featuring a name or special message, subject to approval. Each gift includes a charitable tax receipt and recognition on donor walls at all WDM locations. Proceeds support the museum’s ongoing work to preserve and share Saskatchewan’s stories. For more information, contact Ajibike Ogele, the WDM’s fundraising specialist, at 1-306-934-1400 or by email at Fundraising@WDM.ca. Seek and Find

The museum regularly holds Seek and Find events to encourage interactive learning. The program includes an activity sheet and visitors are invited to search the galleries for clues on interpretive signs or display cases. Check the museum’s website for updates. Gopher Seek and Find: Search the museum galleries for mischievous hidden gophers and record the artifact found at each location, with all completed forms entered for a chance to win a prize. This event runs until May 31.

Courses and workshops

The museum offers seasonal educational courses that teach skills ranging from blacksmithing to steam traction engine operations, with certificates typically awarded upon completion. Steam Traction Engine Operation course: Registration for new intakes is now closed.

K+S Short Line 101

To demonstrate the raw power of steam energy, the WDM showcases its fully operational K+S Potash Canada Short Line 101 steam train each summer, and guests can catch a ride on a working piece of Saskatchewan’s history. Operating since 1978, this is Saskatchewan’s only operational steam locomotive. Upcoming train schedule: The Short Line 101 is scheduled to kick off its season on May 16 and 17, running from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Visitors are asked to call the museum in advance to ensure availability as the launch may be subject to delays.

Reminiscence Kits

The museum’s Reminiscence Kits are meant to bring generations together and ignite new friendships through the sharing of memories. These kits, containing everyday artifacts from the 1950s to the 1970s, can be rented by care homes and other organizations for two weeks at a cost of $75, with an additional $25 fee for a oneweek extension. Visit WDM.ca/Reminiscence to book a kit.

Teacher resources

Teachers can access a variety of resources, including information packages and field trip arrangements at the WDM. Visit WDM.ca/ Moose-Jaw/Learn/For-Teachers for more information.

Educational programs: The WDM features several educational opportunities open for booking this school year, including dozens of in-person programs ideal for field trips, as well as virtual learning options. For more information, visit WDM.ca.

306-694-4747

324 Main Street N. Moose Jaw, SK

Derek McRitchie REALTOR® (306) 631-1161

E.G. (Bub) Hill REALTOR® (306) 631-9966

Tanya Minchin REALTOR® (306) 630-6231

Cassie Nichol REALTOR® (306) 631-0691

Justin Hammer REALTOR® (306)684-4266

Only 10 minutes from Moose Jaw, 10 acres, underground power and gas already installed ready to connect to your new home, easy access to No 2 HWY.

Spacious living room, eat-in kitchen with plenty of cupboards and counterspace, bedroom and full bath, lower level is open ready for completion, patio, 2 sheds.

0.8 acres, includes 4 separately titled lots, 1300 sq ft cabin, large screen room, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, new electrical, stone replace, insulated shed! 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom, over 1600 sq ft, vinyl plank ooring, 3rd oor loft, close to Polytechnic, re escape to the second oor, new furnace, large garage.

Prairie Thousand cyclist to conclude 1,000-km veterans fundraiser in Moose Jaw

A retired Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) sergeant will once again cycle across the Prairies this summer in support of veterans and first responders living with operational stress injuries, with this year’s 1,000-kilometre fundraising ride concluding in Moose Jaw.

Rob Nederlof, a retired CAF mechanic formerly based at Canadian Forces Base Shilo in Manitoba, will depart from Canmore, Alta., on Aug. 11 as part of the fifth annual Prairie Thousand fundraiser. The ride supports the Operational Stress Injury (OSI) Service Dog program through Wounded Warriors Canada. The nineday journey, titled “Friends and Family,” will travel through communities including Calgary, Lethbridge, Maple Creek, Swift Current, and Chaplin before ending in Moose Jaw on Aug. 19.

“It’s a cause that’s near and dear to our hearts,” Nederlof said.

Originally from Alberta, Nederlof remained in Wawanesa, Man., following his retirement from the military. During his CAF career, he completed three overseas tours, including one deployment to Bosnia and two tours in Afghanistan. Organizers said he has also experienced his own journey with OSI, formerly known as PTSD, stemming from his military service.

While Nederlof has not personally relied on a support dog, he said he has seen firsthand the impact service dogs can have on veterans and first responders struggling with operational trauma.

“The support dog is aware of when its owner is about to experience an attack,” Nederlof said.

According to organizers, the Prairie Thousand fundraiser was created to raise awareness surrounding mental health challenges faced by veterans, military personnel, EMS workers, and first responders while

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

Rob Nederlof is set to depart from Canmore, Alta., on Aug. 11 as part of the 2026 Prairie Thousand fundraising ride in support of Wounded Warriors Canada, with the 1,000-kilometre cycling journey scheduled to conclude in Moose Jaw on Aug. 19.

helping fund trained support dogs through Wounded Warriors Canada.

Since launching in 2021, the campaign has raised more than $100,000 while covering more than 4,000 kilometres across Western Canada and Ontario. This year’s goal has been set at $5,000.

“We are always conservative (in setting our goal),” said Marina Nederlof, Rob’s wife and support vehicle driver for the campaign. “We don’t go into this with any expectations. We appreciate any money we raise for the OSI Support Dog program.”

According to Wounded Warriors Canada, each

OSI service dog costs approximately $15,000 to train and requires roughly two years of preparation before placement. Steven Topham, director of national partnerships with the organization, said Prairie Thousand continues to make a meaningful impact financially and through public awareness efforts in communities along the route.

“When we consider what that means on the average cost of certifying a dog — that right away, three or four people have been impacted, and families have been positively impacted through the support of Rob and Marina,” Topham said.

“It’s the conversations they’re having in these communities (that matter most),” he continued. “They’re raising significant awareness to the people who need the service.”

This year’s “Friends and Family” ride is dedicated not only to veterans and first responders, but also to the families and support networks who stand behind them.

“The men and women who stand behind the shield — the military, police, EMS workers — it’s for them that we do this,” Marina Nederlof said.

Training for the campaign began in January, with Nederlof using a stationary trainer during the winter before transitioning back to outdoor cycling this spring. Organizers said he now rides approximately 52 kilometres daily between Wawanesa and CFB Shilo while preparing for the cross-Prairie journey.

Residents interested in joining portions of the ride or learning more can visit “The Prairie Thousand” Facebook page or email PrairieThousand@gmail.com. To support the fundraiser, visit JustGiving.com/page/ PrairieThousand.

Photo by: Supplied

National breakfast chain Stacked Pancake House coming to Moose Jaw

A growing Canadian breakfast franchise is preparing to enter Moose Jaw’s restaurant market, with Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House confirming plans for a new location on Main Street North.

According to the company’s official website, the restaurant chain is “coming soon” to 1251 Main Street North, marking the company’s first Moose Jaw location as it continues expanding across Saskatchewan.

The franchise specializes in all-day breakfast and lunch service, offering pancakes, waffles, crepes, eggs Benedict, burgers, wraps, sandwiches, and other diner-style meals.

The expansion follows the compa-

ny’s recent growth into other Saskatchewan markets, including Regina and Saskatoon. Regina’s franchise location opened March 11 at 309 Albert Street North in the Northgate Mall, while the company’s two Saskatoon restaurants opened earlier in 2025.

While an official opening date has not yet been announced publicly, the Moose Jaw listing confirms the restaurant is currently in development.

The company currently operates more than 130 locations nationally, according to information published on its website.

Founded in Ontario, Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House has expanded

Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House is preparing to open a new franchise location in Moose Jaw at 1251 Main Street North, according to information published on the company’s website. Photo by: Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House/Facebook

nationwide through franchise development and promotes itself as a familyoriented breakfast and lunch destination.

The company’s established Saskatchewan locations currently operate daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The listing also indicates the future restaurant is expected to offer takeout and third-party delivery services once operational.

No additional details regarding local ownership, staffing, renovations, or a projected opening timeline were available at the time of publication. More information on the restaurant’s opening is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Inside Moose Jaw’s pottery club: A small group shaping a creative community

A small but dedicated group of artists is keeping creativity at the heart of its work as the Moose Jaw Pottery Club continues to grow through shared learning and grassroots fundraising.

The club recently hosted one of its two annual fundraisers on May 2, drawing residents to browse and purchase handmade pottery while supporting ongoing operations.

“This is one of our two annual fundraisers,” said member Holly McCorriston. “We’re a non-profit organization and a group of artists focused on education and raising awareness of the arts in our community. But really, each member is an artist in their own right — it’s close to a collective.”

Proceeds help maintain the studio space, keep membership fees affordable, and support public programming.

With roughly 14 members currently involved, the club remains intentionally small.

“It really has more to do with the space and how much it can accommodate while still allowing everyone to work comfortably,” she added.

That collaboration extends beyond fundraising. Members share responsibility for nearly every aspect of the studio, from mixing glazes and recycling clay to firing kilns and maintaining the space.

“We recycle our own clay. We make all our own glazes. We do all our own firing,” McCorriston said. “So it’s quite

involved. It’s a great club.”

The club’s next major event — its annual Chili Bowl fundraiser — is typically held in late November, with each ticket including a handmade bowl created by members.

“Each member has to make about 16 bowls,” said Yvonne Wozniak, a member of the club.

“We expect to have at least 200 to 250 bowls for that night alone,” McCorriston added. “We sell 200 tickets, but we make more bowls than that so people have a choice.”

Creating those bowls can take months, with some members starting well in advance while others take a more last-minute — and slightly more daring — approach in the final weeks.

The club also offers classes for beginners, providing a pathway to membership. Prospective members must complete introductory courses before being considered.

“You have to take a wheel class and a hand-building class,” said Deb Sandveck, member-at-large and building committee representative on the club’s executive. “Then, if you want to join the club, we would give you a tour and go over the expectations of what’s involved.”

The learning environment is one of the club’s greatest strengths.

“You’re a new member who’s just finished classes and may be hesitant to step out on your own, but when you come here, there’s almost always some-

one around, morning, afternoon or evening,” Sandveck said. “You pair up with different people and are mentored along the way.”

“Everybody shares ideas,” Wozniak added, highlighting the group’s emphasis on learning from one another.

At its core, the Moose Jaw Pottery Club remains focused on accessibility, education and connection, carrying forward a more than 40-year legacy of artists coming together to create, learn, and share their work with the community. Its collaborative spirit has helped launch several notable local artists over the years, including Christy Schweiger, Dorothy Yakiwchuk, and Rob Froese, many of whom began at the club before pursuing professional careers.

With another successful fundraiser now complete, members are looking ahead and inviting the public to stay connected.

“(We just want to say) thank you to everybody who came out to the sale today, and we look forward to seeing them at the Chili Bowl fundraiser in the fall,” McCorriston said.

The Moose Jaw Pottery Club is located at 741 Seventh Avenue Southeast, and can be reached by email at MJPotteryClub@gmail.com. For more information, find “Moose Jaw Pottery Club” on Facebook or visit MooseJawPotteryClub.com.

Holly McCorriston, left, Yvonne Wozniak, centre, and fellow Moose Jaw Pottery Club member Deb Sandveck, right, are pictured inside the club’s studio on May 2, surrounded by handmade pottery during one of the group’s annual fundraising sales. Photo by: Aaron Walker

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