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Red Deer Public School Board leading educators across the province to push for tougher vaping laws

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From Red Deer Public Schools

Trustees see unanimous support on tougher youth vaping laws

The Board of Trustees for Red Deer Public Schools continues to lead the way when it comes to seeking tougher vaping laws to protect youth.

At the Alberta School Boards Association Fall Annual General Meeting last week, the Trustees for Red Deer Public School Board put forward a motion urging all levels of government to align restrictions on the consumption, promotion, marketing and sale of vaping products with those on tobacco products.

Recognizing the real issue this is to youth and schools, the motion was unanimously supported by all other school boards in the province. ASBA will now advocate tougher vaping laws to the provincial government.

“There have been real challenges with bylaws and legislation from the municipal, provincial and federal level in keeping up and protecting students,” said Nicole Buchanan, Board Chair for Red Deer Public Schools. “We are encouraged by the unanimous support we received from all other school boards in the province as we confidently move forward in protecting the health and well-being of our students.”

After years of real progress in creating a smoke-free generation, we are slipping back with the real risk of significant numbers of youth being addicted to nicotine and becoming smokers. Previously tobacco users were a “fringe” group of students – now we are seeing students from all grade levels and profiles vaping including athletes, artistic, and academic students.

Last year, our schools saw a significant increase in students using vaping products, and it ranked as the number one reason for student suspensions. Statistics indicate in 2017, nearly 36,000 junior and senior high school students used vaping devices in Alberta. Since then, those numbers have grown.

The use of vaping products has increased so dramatically that Health Canada recently issued a national plea for help in what has become a runaway public health problem. Canada’s Chief Medical Officer is concerned about the seismic shifts in the nicotine market in a short period of time and the alarming number of youth vaping in Canada.

Youth are being targeted with alluring nicotine flavoured devices. The high concentrations of nicotine in vaping products are making young people addicted to these products in a very short time. As a result of the strong addiction to nicotine, students aren’t just vaping outside, they are using these products in bathrooms, hallways and even in classrooms. We are concerned about the health of our students.

Last spring, all high schools in Red Deer united with the City of Red Deer Bylaw Enforcement to curb vape use, and its negative side effects, on students. Students caught vaping at any Red Deer high schools will be issued:

  • 1-day suspension for the first offense.

  • 3-day suspension for the second offense.

  • 5-day suspension for the third offense.

Under the City of Red Deer Bylaw, anyone caught vaping in a public place could face the following fines:

  • A $200.00 fine for the first offense.

  • A $500.00 fine for the second offense.

  • Up to $2,500 fine for the third offense.

The coordinated efforts have been effective. Our schools have seen the positive impact greater awareness and enforcement has had on student vaping.

The Board hopes this resolution, and the actions recommended will see future reductions in vaping among youth.

After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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Alberta

Is There Any Canadian Province More Proud of their Premier Today…

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Prior to Trumps inauguration event and announcement was made that Trump would not be imposing the 25% tariffs…

Which means, Canada seriously dodged a bullet here.

And while the Liberals will most likely frame this as, their success in showing, Bad Orange Man, that they’re tough and ready to burn down what is left of our economy, throwing Alberta under the bus, first…through a nuclear option…

Premier Smith rode this challenge out like the true champion we knew that she would be.

It’s hard to say if this was a legality matter in the grander scheme…or if the 25% tariffs would have truly been as big of an impact on the US…

One thing is clear, however…

Smith was ready to go to the tables with the Trump administration and opt for diplomacy over threats…which should be what we expect from our leaders.

And should these 25% tariffs have gone through…I’m more than sure a Plan B would have been brought out in civil conversations, over screeching rhetoric.

“She’s treasonous”, they screeched.

“She’s supporting her friends in Oil and Gas”, they relent.

“She should put Canada first”, they echo…

And let’s just address these…

Is Walmart beholden to Campbells soup? Fruit of the Loom? Kraft?

Or does Walmart sell products that helps keep their doors open?

Walmart is not beholden to any product…just like Premier Smith isn’t. We have 26% of our GDP – the largest portion – owed to Alberta O&G, something that we have a limited trade partner with, due to the Liberal – Anti-Alberta/Anti-O&G/Anti-Pipeline attitude that wants to spend us further in debt with unreliable and expensive “Renewables”.

What does Alberta get from renewables?

A higher cost for energy, in an affordability crisis, created by the same people who continue to push them…sounds like a terrible deal, for Albertans, and something a true leader would Not Favor.


When Walmart sits down to hash out a deal with Heinz, are they committing treason because they haven’t shown their allegiance to their own, ‘Great Value’ brand Ketchup?

No…other provinces have their own industries and resources, which they are free to continue developing independent of the federal government, as is suitable and supportive of their own economies…Alberta isn’t competing with them, nor Canada as a whole.

Alberta through industry and resource, actually supports Canada through a grand imbalance on “Equalization Payments”…

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As do we through paying 50% more into the Canada Pension Plan, than we actually get out of the Canada Pension Plan…to the tune of a $334 Billion Dollars.


And as for this “Team Canada”, horseshit…

The title Premier of Alberta, should hold some clues as to who Premier Smith should be advocating for…as she is the Premier of Alberta and Not the Prime Minister, nor leader in the Liberal Party that has created this fiasco, to begin with.

Rail, as they may…other provinces can’t cast a vote in her support, either way…

None of the other provinces, through Members of Parliament, nor through Premiers, came to support Alberta and our economy through a number of Federal Bills that railed on our provincial resources…

Worse yet…these hypocrites cash cheques from our province, while telling us how to diversify our economy…to which I’d state one thing unequivocally…

If we wanted to be a Have Not Province…like you are…we’ll come and ask you for your advice.

Until then…

I’ll hold my Alberta Flag Higher than my Canadian…

And be proud today, of having the only Premier in the country of Canada, worthy of any praise today!

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Alberta

Trump delays implementation 25% tariffs: Premier Smith response

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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith issued the following statement, welcoming the U.S. tariff reprieve and calling for strategic action:

“Alberta is pleased to see that today President Donald Trump has decided to refrain from imposing tariffs on Canadian goods at this time as they study the issue further.

“We appreciate the implied acknowledgement that this is a complex and delicate issue with serious implications for American and Canadian workers, businesses and consumers given the integration of our markets, along with our critical energy and security partnership.

“Avoiding tariffs will save hundreds of thousands of Canadian and American jobs across every sector. As an example, declining to impose U.S. tariffs on Canadian energy preserves the viability of dozens of U.S. refineries and facilities that upgrade Alberta crude, and the jobs of tens of thousands of Americans employed at them.

“Despite the promising news today, the threat of U.S. tariffs is still very real. As a country, we need to immediately take the following steps to preserve and strengthen our economic and security partnership with the United States, and to avoid the future imposition of tariffs:

  1. Focus on diplomacy and refrain from further talk of retaliatory measures, including export tariffs or cutting off energy to the U.S. Having spoken with the President, as well as dozens of governors, senators, members of congress and allies of the incoming administration, I am convinced that the path to a positive resolution with our U.S. allies is strong and consistent diplomacy and working in good faith towards shared priorities. The worst possible response to today’s news would be the federal government or premiers declaring “victory” or escalating tensions with unnecessary threats against the United States.
  2. Negotiate ways to increase what Canadians and Americans buy from one another. As an example, the United States should look at purchasing more oil, timber and agricultural products from Canada, while Canada should look at purchasing more American gas turbines, military equipment and the computer hardware needed to build our growing AI data centre sector. Finding ways to increase trade in both directions is critical to achieving a win-win for both countries.
  3. Double down on border security. Within the next month, all border provinces should either by themselves, or in partnership with the federal government, deploy the necessary resources to secure our shared border from illegal drugs and migration.
  4. Announce a major acceleration of Canada’s 2 per cent of GDP NATO target. This is clearly a shared priority that benefits both of our nations. There is no excuse for further delay.
  5. Crack down on immigration streams and loopholes that are known to permit individuals hostile to Canada and the United States to enter our country, and restore immigration levels and rules to those under former Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
  6. Immediately repeal all federal anti-energy policies (production cap, Clean Electricity Regulations, Impact Assessment Act [Bill C-69]) and fast track Northern Gateway and Energy East projects pre-approvals.”
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