Connect with us

Alberta

The Halftime Report – News from the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame

Published

5 minute read

Diane Jones Konihowski Inducted to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame & receives the Order of Sport Award

On October 3rd, Diane Jones Konihowski was awarded the Order of Sport Award and was Inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2020-2021. Diane has been inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame since 2002 as a Multisport Builder. She was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1978, YWCA “Woman of Distinction” Sport & Recreation Award in 1988, “Great Canadian” Award in 1993, and she was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. Congratulations Diane on this well deserved recognition on all you have done for sport in Canada.

Induction Video

The Guys from the Oh, Deer Podcast recap their experience at the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame

Listen to what they said
This newsletter is sponsored by the Innisfail Eagles.

2020 Virtual Induction Ceremony

More information still to come.

Honoured Member Deryk Snelling has Passed

We are saddened to hear of the passing of legendary Swim Coach Deryk Snelling.

Deryk Snelling’s coaching abilities helped place fifty-seven swimmers on Olympic teams with twenty-one of them earning Olympic medals. Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Honoured Members Tom Ponting, Mark Tewksbury, Cheryl Gibson, and Susan Sloan, were all coached by him when competing internationally. Deryk’s swimmers won ten World Championship medals, thirty-eight Pan American medals, sixty-five Commonwealth medals, and twenty-seven Pan Pacific medals. They set seven World Records and won sixty-nine Canadian National Team Championship titles. Deryk was Head Coach of the Canadian Olympic Team four times, the Commonwealth Games Teams five times, and one World Championship Team.

1997 Swimming Builder, Calgary

Swim Swam Article

Provincial Sport Organization: Alberta Equestrian Federation

Our mission: is to assist in creating a positive environment for the enjoyment of equines. Through leadership and a proactive approach we promote, facilitate, and coordinate equestrian-related activities in Alberta.

The Alberta Equestrian Federation strives to maximize a participant/athlete’s potential and involvement in our sport. We are athlete centered, coach driven and administrated, sport science and sponsor supported. By tailoring an athlete’s/participant’s sports development program to enables them to reach their full potential, increase lifelong participation in Equestrian and other physical activities while improving health and well-being.

Honoured Member in Focus: Margaret & Ron Southern

Margaret and Ron Southern had a dream to develop and operate a world-class equestrian facility.  In 1976, their dream became a reality as Spruce Meadows hosted its first tournament.  Over the years, Spruce Meadows has developed into one of the finest show jumping venues in the world.  Spruce Meadows is the locale for four coveted world-class tournaments annually, including “The Masters” — that offers the largest purse of any show jumping event.  Margaret and Ron have prided themselves in showcasing equestrian competitions, and their outstanding efforts have proven positive, as they have attracted competitors from all over the world.

Their daughter Nancy Southern is being Inducted this year along with Ian Allison for the Bell Memorial Award!

Artifact of the month!

Equestrian sports can be divided into 3 main categories: Eventing, Jumping and Dressage.
Eventing is often considered the supreme test of total horsemanship and was originally intended to test military officers for any challenges they could come across on or off duty. Jumping or show jumping features a technical course with a series of obstacles that vary in height and width, including jumps over water and stone walls, parallel rails, and triple bars. Referred to as horse ballet, dressage has been used for over 2000 years starting as a way the Greeks prepared their horses for war.

All nomination packages for the 20201 intake year must be submitted prior to October 31st, 2021 to be considered for the 2021 selection year.
Nomination Information

Give Back Today!

The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame needs your support to continue the ongoing preservation of Alberta’s sports history and the development of museum exhibits. We are grateful and appreciative of the generosity of our supporters and friends.

Donate Now!

The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame provides a family-friendly, interactive experience. You will be surprised by what you discover inside! Have fun, laugh, play and discover Alberta sports heroes together. The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame is an interactive, hands-on celebration of Alberta's sporting history. Our over 7,000 square feet of exhibit space includes a multisport area with virtual baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and soccer; an adaptive sports area, including a 200 meter wheelchair challenge; a Treadwall climbing wall; the Orest Korbutt Theatre; the Hall of Fame Gallery; an art gallery displaying works by provincial artists, and much more. Our venue boasts a collection of over 17,000 artefacts of Alberta sports history and showcases many of these items in a number of displays. The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame also offers an education program, group activities, and a unique environment to rent for your birthday party, special event, corporate reception or meetings.

Follow Author

Alberta

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

Published on

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.” 

Continue Reading

Alberta

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

Published on

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.

Continue Reading

Trending

X