“…That’s why these series are seven games…”

Several valuable lessons for fans and other followers of the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers in the most recent doubleheader televised as part of the NHL’s revamped, and surprisingly attractive, playoff package.

The New York Islanders gave the Philadelphia Flyers a lesson in the early-evening effort and the Dallas Stars followed with an impressive victory over the Colorado Avalanche.

In the Islanders triumph, the lesson was the value of discipline and patience.

In the later test, believe it or not, the lesson was the value of discipline and patience.

Both Calgary and Edmonton showed a distinct lack of those virtues as they were ushered out of the playoffs. Calgary blew a chance to take a stranglehold on its series with Dallas by failing to hold a lead for all of 12 seconds; Edmonto frittered away leads in all four of their losses to Chicago in a previous round.

Edmonton’s flaws were much more obvious, largely because they showed more often. Had they seen a preview of New York’s winning effort Monday night, they would not have chased scoring opportunities so rashly when they had a lead to protect. Coach Barry Trotz’s disciplined team scored the only first-period goal and then spent incredible energy barricading every attempt by the talented Flyers until Jean-Gabriel Pageau stretched the margin late in the second period.

Afterwards in what became a 4-0 shutout, there was no real threat that Philadelphia could come back, or even could end Semyon Varlamov’s shutout.

There was some brief temptation to criticize Sherwood Park product Carter Hart’s performance in goal for the Flyers. He was deep in the net on Andy Greene’s goal in the first period and on his knees when Pageau clinched the decision. But the young Alberta kid was brilliant at other times. He did not lose the game; the Flyers lost it as a team that lacked the discipline and patience of its conquerors.

The Dallas victory was marked by Colorado’s lack of those vital qualities, but the Avalanche added a flaw that may have been even more devastating: they showed an immense lack of confidence as soon as their sound 2-0 lead disappeared on a pair of shocking 5-on-3 Stars power-plays.

Granted, Dallas got some good breaks — one on Esa LIndell’s goalmouth shove at a loose puck that was not clearly shown to be over the line, the other on an Alex Radulov tally that deflected twice before hopping over the head of goaltender Pavel Francouz.

The Lindell goal was the ultimate winner. If it did not steal all of the Colorado confidence, it certainly came close — and the fluke that bounced off Radulov grabbed the rest.

Philadelphia’s win came in the best-of-seven series opener, leaving the Flyers some time to develop a scheme that might humanize the machine-like Islanders.

Avalanche veteran Gabriel Landeskog downplayed his team’s shaky position after its second consecutive shaky performance.

“We’ll be all right,” he told a post-game questioner. “That’s why these series are seven games.”

https://www.todayville.com/edmonton/cfl-faces-very-difficult-future/

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Alberta mother accuses health agency of trying to vaccinate son against her wishes

Published on November 22, 2024

Todayville

From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

Alberta Health Services has been accused of attempting to vaccinate a child in school against his parent’s wishes.

On November 6, Alberta Health Services staffers visited Edmonton Hardisty School where they reportedly attempted to vaccinate a grade 6 student despite his parents signing a form stating that they did not wish for him to receive the vaccines.

“It is clear they do not prioritize parental rights, and in not doing so, they traumatize students,” the boy’s mother Kerri Findling told the Counter Signal.

During the school visit, AHS planned to vaccinate sixth graders with the HPV and hepatitis B vaccines. Notably, both HPV and hepatitis B are vaccines given to prevent diseases normally transmitted sexually.

Among the chief concerns about the HPV vaccine has been the high number of adverse reactions reported after taking it, including a case where a 16 year-old Australian girl was made infertile due to the vaccine.

Additionally, in 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received reports of 28 deaths associated with the HPV vaccine. Among the 6,723 adverse reactions reported that year, 142 were deemed life-threatening and 1,061 were considered serious.

Children whose parents had written “refused” on their forms were supposed to return to the classroom when the rest of the class was called into the vaccination area.

However, in this case, Findling alleged that AHS staffers told her son to proceed to the vaccination area, despite seeing that she had written “refused” on his form.

When the boy asked if he could return to the classroom, as he was certain his parents did not intend for him to receive the shots, the staff reportedly said “no.” However, he chose to return to the classroom anyway.

Following his parents’ arrival at the school, AHS claimed the incident was a misunderstanding due to a “new hire,” attesting that the mistake would have been caught before their son was vaccinated.

“If a student leaves the vaccination center without receiving the vaccine, it should be up to the parents to get the vaccine at a different time, if they so desire, not the school to enforce vaccination on behalf of AHS,” Findling declared.

Findling’s story comes just a few months after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith promised a new Bill of Rights affirming “God-given” parental authority over children.

A draft version of a forthcoming Alberta Bill of Rights provided to LifeSiteNews includes a provision beefing up parental rights, declaring the “freedom of parents to make informed decisions concerning the health, education, welfare and upbringing of their children.”

Alberta

Alberta’s fiscal update projects budget surplus, but fiscal fortunes could quickly turn

Published on November 21, 2024

Todayville

From the Fraser Institute

By Tegan Hill

According to the recent mid-year update tabled Thursday, the Smith government projects a $4.6 billion surplus in 2024/25, up from the $2.9 billion surplus projected just a few months ago. Despite the good news, Premier Smith must reduce spending to avoid budget deficits.

The fiscal update projects resource revenue of $20.3 billion in 2024/25. Today’s relatively high—but very volatile—resource revenue (including oil and gas royalties) is helping finance today’s spending and maintain a balanced budget. But it will not last forever.

For perspective, in just the last decade the Alberta government’s annual resource revenue has been as low as $2.8 billion (2015/16) and as high as $25.2 billion (2022/23).

And while the resource revenue rollercoaster is currently in Alberta’s favor, Finance Minister Nate Horner acknowledges that “risks are on the rise” as oil prices have dropped considerably and forecasters are projecting downward pressure on prices—all of which impacts resource revenue.

In fact, the government’s own estimates show a $1 change in oil prices results in an estimated $630 million revenue swing. So while the Smith government plans to maintain a surplus in 2024/25, a small change in oil prices could quickly plunge Alberta back into deficit. Premier Smith has warned that her government may fall into a budget deficit this fiscal year.

This should come as no surprise. Alberta’s been on the resource revenue rollercoaster for decades. Successive governments have increased spending during the good times of high resource revenue, but failed to rein in spending when resource revenues fell.

Previous research has shown that, in Alberta, a $1 increase in resource revenue is associated with an estimated 56-cent increase in program spending the following fiscal year (on a per-person, inflation-adjusted basis). However, a decline in resource revenue is not similarly associated with a reduction in program spending. This pattern has led to historically high levels of government spending—and budget deficits—even in more recent years.

Consider this: If this fiscal year the Smith government received an average level of resource revenue (based on levels over the last 10 years), it would receive approximately $13,000 per Albertan. Yet the government plans to spend nearly $15,000 per Albertan this fiscal year (after adjusting for inflation). That’s a huge gap of roughly $2,000—and it means the government is continuing to take big risks with the provincial budget.

Of course, if the government falls back into deficit there are implications for everyday Albertans.

When the government runs a deficit, it accumulates debt, which Albertans must pay to service. In 2024/25, the government’s debt interest payments will cost each Albertan nearly $650. That’s largely because, despite running surpluses over the last few years, Albertans are still paying for debt accumulated during the most recent string of deficits from 2008/09 to 2020/21 (excluding 2014/15), which only ended when the government enjoyed an unexpected windfall in resource revenue in 2021/22.

According to Thursday’s mid-year fiscal update, Alberta’s finances continue to be at risk. To avoid deficits, the Smith government should meaningfully reduce spending so that it’s aligned with more reliable, stable levels of revenue.