Connect with us

Community

Paul Harris is not seeking a third term on council. Citing the need for turnover in council and worry about low voter turn out.

Published

3 minute read

City of Red Deer Councillor Paul Harris is not seeking a third term.
He imposed a two-term limit on himself and I thank him for his time.
As a visionary and as a person who tries to work towards his vision, he will be missed on council. I often times disagreed with the steps and outcomes of his efforts, but I always appreciated that he was taking steps.
He has been noted for his concern about low voter turn out, and I agree it is a worrisome issue. Only 1 voter in 4 takes the time to vote and it should be much higher. What do we do?
How about give the electorate something to vote on. When everyone says; “Everything is fine, vote for me”, why vote? Will one candidate offer a quantifiable goal? Work on policing, on transit or on advocating others is so broad stroke that how do we know if you actually lived up to your campaign?
Red Deer lost 975 residents last year, will anyone be held accountable? There is no high school north of the river while there will be 6 south of the river with 5 along 30 Avenue, will that issue be addressed by anyone? Red Deer has the poorest air quality in the province, anyone? Red Deer’s crime severity index is second only to Grande Prairie, incumbents promised action, anyone?
Businesses are leaving the city to set up in the county, this was raised during the last election, result no change.
Macleans posted a list of the top 100 places to retire in 2017 and Red Deer never made the list. There are at least 100 more places in Canada that is better to retire in than Red Deer. Who’s fault is that?
While the province grew in population, and almost every community grew, last year, Red Deer shrank, anyone being held accountable?
We send seniors out of town, we make young parents commute across town and make north side teenagers commute across the city to go to high school, we don’t build schools north of the river and close some, we build all kinds of recreational facilities on the south side leaving just the 40 year old Dawe Centre for the 1/3 of city residents living north of the river. Our air is bad, our crime is terrible but everything is fine, no it is not.
There will be about 50 names on the ballots next month. If everyone is saying the same things with just the tiniest of variations, ignoring the big issues, blaming other levels of governments, does it matter who wins?
October 16 2017 is election day, but maybe my TV show is on……

Follow Author

Community

New Documentary “Cooking with Hot Stones” Explores History of Fort Assiniboine, Alberta

Published on

February 14, 2025 – Alberta, Canada – A compelling new documentary, Cooking with Hot Stones: 200th Anniversary of Fort Assiniboine, is set to air on Wild TV, RFD TV Canada, Cowboy Channel Canada, and you can click here to stream for FREE on Wild TV’s streaming service, Wild TV+. This engaging one-hour feature will take viewers on a journey through time, exploring Fort Assiniboine’s rich history from 1823 to 2023.

Fort Assiniboine is a significant landmark in Alberta, playing a crucial role in Indigenous history, the fur trade, and the western expansion of Canada. This documentary captures the spirit of the region, illustrating how it has evolved over two centuries and how it continues to shape the cultural fabric of the province today.

Wild TV will make the documentary free to stream on Wild TV+ on February 14th so that it can be easily accessed in classrooms and other educational settings throughout the region, ensuring the historical significance of Fort Assiniboine reaches a wider audience.

Produced by Western Directives Inc., Cooking with Hot Stones: 200th Anniversary of Fort Assiniboine brings historical moments to life with vivid storytelling, expert interviews, and breathtaking cinematography.

“We are very excited to partner with Wild TV as part of our one hour documentary production. Based in Alberta, we respect the hard work and quality programming that Wild TV brings to a national audience. With the broadcast opportunity, Wild TV gives our production the ability to entertain and educate Canadians across the country on multiple platforms,” said Tim McKort, Producer at Western Directives.

Scott Stirling, Vice President of Wild TV, also expressed enthusiasm for the project: “At Wild TV, we are passionate about telling Canadian stories that resonate with our audiences. This documentary not only highlights a crucial piece of our nation’s history but also celebrates the resilience and contributions of Indigenous peoples, traders, and settlers who shaped the land we call home today. We are proud to bring Cooking with Hot Stones: 200th Anniversary of Fort Assiniboine to our viewers across Canada.”

Airtimes for Wild TV can be found here.

For airtimes on RFD TV Canada, click here.

For airtimes on Cowboy Channel Canada, visit CCC’s schedule.

Continue Reading

Community

100+ Women Who Care Red Deer celebrates 10th season in 2025 with new leadership

Published on

L to R: Cindy Jefferies, Susan Knopp, Lane Tomalty, Bre Fitzpatrick
Photo credit: The SnapHappy Photographer

After a decade of leadership under Cindy Jefferies and Susan Knopp, 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer (100+ WWCRD) is proud to celebrate 10 years of supporting local charities and the announcement of Bre Fitzpatrick and Lane Tomalty as its new co-leaders. This marks an exciting new chapter for the group, which has made a significant impact on not-for-profit organizations in Central Alberta.

Cindy and Susan have led 100+ WWCRD with vision, dedication, and a commitment to empowering women to lead and inspire change. Under their stewardship, the organization has raised over $630,000 for local charities by hosting 4 annual 1-hour meetings. Since 2015, more than 36 local charities have received funding through the group.

Reflecting on their tenure, Cindy and Susan stated:

“Leading 100 Women has been an honour and a privilege. When we began this journey, we didn’t know where it would go – we simply loved the simple, elegant, and fun ‘100 Who Care’ concept and thought it was a great fit for our community. We are grateful to the many women who have stood with us. They are the magic of the organization! We are confident Bre and Lane will steward this leadership role well and we look forward to supporting it – just not from behind the microphone!”

Bre and Lane bring a dynamic energy and fresh perspective to the organization. Both have been involved with the group and have been mentored by Susan and Cindy over the past year. They are eager to continue the collaboration, connection, and local support this team of women have established in Red Deer.

In their joint statement, Bre and Lane shared:

“We are humbled to step into this role and build on the incredible foundation Cindy and Susan have laid. Many needs are at the doorstep of our community and in the hearts and minds of our members. We know a powerful, caring, and united group of individuals can play a huge role in driving change and breaking barriers.

To celebrate this milestone and leadership transition, the 100+ WWCRD hosted the final meeting of 2024 on November 25th at the Red Deer Golf and Country Club. The evening featured reflections from Cindy and Susan, the selection of the Salvation Army as the charity of choice, an opportunity for members to connect with Bre and Lane as they outline their vision for the organization’s next chapter, and a toast to 10 years.

For more information, please visit www.100womenreddeer.ca

About 100+ Women Who Care Red Deer

100+ Women Who Care Red Deer is a network of compassionate, empowered, and dedicated women who make a direct, immediate, and positive impact in Red Deer and area. We support local non-profit and charitable organizations that work every day to make our community a better place to live. 100% of funds donated go to the selected charities – there are no
administration fees, and all costs are covered by the generosity of sponsors. Collectively, we make a difference.

The group meets 4 times annually for 1 hour. Non-profit and charitable organizations are nominated by members. After hearing 3 randomly drawn pitches, the members vote to select their top choice. The group with the highest number of votes receives the members’ donations. Each member or team commits to donating $100 at each meeting. Since 2015, the average raised has been more than $15,000 per meeting.

Membership is open to all women In Red Deer and area. We invite you to join us! The first meeting of 2025 will be on Monday, February 3, 2025.

Founded in February 2015, the organization currently has about 150 members. We are committed to uniting this powerful group of 100+ women who care and lifting the amazing non-profits and charitable groups they support.

Continue Reading

Trending

X