They warned me there’d be days like these… Ponoka RCMP deal with a “crazy” day

From Ponoka RCMP

Busy Close to the Weekend for the Ponoka RCMP

Ponoka RCMP dealt with a variety of calls for service which included 4 adults (3 Females and 1 male) who are now facing numerous criminal charges in relation to separate incidents that occurred on Sunday, September 23^rd, 2018.

It began Sunday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. when members of the Ponoka RCMP started receiving complaints from the public that a railway maintenance truck was stolen as it was being fueled up. The truck ripped the gas hose from the pump and sped away almost hitting two vehicles.

At 4:04 p.m. that same evening, a 911 call was received from a rural resident who was reporting that a female had shown up on his property with a railway maintenance truck and that the truck is now stuck. When the property owner approached the female he noticed that a gas station pump hose was hanging from the vehicle. The female got out of the truck and attempted to stab the property owner with a screwdriver but was unsuccessful and she fled the property on foot. As the RCMP members were arriving on scene, they observed the female leaving in a truck that she had stolen from the neighboring property. Assistance was requested from the Maskwacis RCMP, the Ponoka Integrated Traffic Unit, the Wetaskiwin RCMP, and the Wetaskiwin Integrated Traffic Unit and a police pursuit was started. A short time later, the female lost control of the truck and fled from the vehicle on foot. Wetaskiwin Police Dog Services attended the area and was able to successfully locate the female trying to hide up a tree.

The 30-year-old female (of no fixed address) had a bail hearing where she was ordered to remain in custody until her first court appearance in Ponoka Provincial Court on September 28^th, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. She has been charged with:

Fail to Comply with Probation.
Dangerous Operation of a motor vehicle.
2 counts of Theft of a Truck.
Assault with a Weapon.
Mischief Under $5000.
Impaired Operation (by a drug) of a Motor Vehicle.
Fail to Comply with a Physical Coordination Demand
Flight from Police
Driving While Disqualified.

Shortly after midnight, the Ponoka RCMP responded to a call of a disturbance at a residence where a male was assaulting the occupants. When police arrived, the 40-year-old male attempted to fight with police and was arrested with the use of a conducted energy weapon (Taser). Investigation by police revealed that a 38-year-old female in the residence had also assaulted an occupant and this lead to her arrest as well. The female was later released on a Promise to Appear in Ponoka Provincial Court on November 9^th, 2018, at 9:30 a.m.

After a Bail Hearing, the 38-year-old male was ordered to remain in custody until his first appearance in Ponoka court on September 28^th, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. He has been charged with:

Assault.
Uttering Threats.
Assaulting a Police Office.

Approximately one hour after this event, the Ponoka RCMP were dispatched to a white Honda Accord that was reported to be travelling southbound through Ponoka and was swerving all over the road, driving on the curbs, not stopping for stop signs, and driving with no lights on. While police were on their way to this they received another call saying that the vehicle had stopped and the female driver opened the door and fell to the ground. Ponoka RCMP members arrived on scene and picked her up. The 36-year-old female from Airdrie, Alberta, was released on a Promise to Appear in Ponoka court on November 9^th, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. She is charged with:

Impaired Operation (by alcohol) of a Motor Vehicle.
Refuse to Provide a Breath Sample.

Although there are days like these, the Ponoka Detachment advises that data shows that the RCMP Crime Reduction Strategy is working. From January to July of this year, property crimes in all RCMP detachments is down nine percent compared to the same period last year. In rural detachments, it is down 11 percent. That means, as of July this year, 648 fewer cars have been stolen and 366 fewer homes have been broken into.

Duane Rolheiser

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

Premier Danielle Smith responds to election of Liberal government

Published on April 29, 2025

Government of Alberta

Premier Danielle Smith released the following statement following the re-election of a Liberal government in Ottawa.

I congratulate Prime Minister Mark Carney on his minority government election victory last night.

I also want to sincerely thank Pierre Poilievre for his powerful and principled advocacy against the last decade’s punitive taxation and anti-resource policies that have made our country weaker, more divided and overly-dependent on the United States.

Mr. Poilievre’s vision for a safer, more affordable, united and prosperous Canada drove the policy debate in this country for the last several years and has inspired millions to see the unique potential of our nation. While Liberals and New Democrats demeaned and demonized Albertans, our values and our industries for political gain, Mr. Poilievre made empowering Albertans and our energy sector a cornerstone of his campaign. His respect and admiration for Albertans could not have been clearer. He is and continues to be a true friend of Alberta.

As Premier, I invite the Prime Minister to immediately commence working with our government to reset the relationship between Ottawa and Alberta with meaningful action rather than hollow rhetoric. A large majority of Albertans are deeply frustrated that the same government that overtly attacked our provincial economy almost unabated for the past 10 years has been returned to government.

As Premier, I will not permit the status quo to continue. Albertans are proud Canadians that want this nation to be strong, prosperous, and united, but we will no longer tolerate having our industries threatened and our resources landlocked by Ottawa.

In the weeks and months ahead, Albertans will have an opportunity to discuss our province’s future, assess various options for strengthening and protecting our province against future hostile acts from Ottawa, and to ultimately choose a path forward.

As Premier, I will facilitate and lead this discussion and process with the sincere hope of securing a prosperous future for our province within a united Canada that respects our province’s constitutional rights, facilitates rather than blocks the development and export of our abundant resources, and treats us as a valued and respected partner within confederation.

Our government will be holding a special caucus meeting this Friday to discuss this matter further. I will have more to say after that meeting is concluded.

Alberta

Low oil prices could have big consequences for Alberta’s finances

Published on April 26, 2025

Todayville

From the Fraser Institute

By Tegan Hill

Amid the tariff war, the price of West Texas Intermediate oil—a common benchmark—recently dropped below US$60 per barrel. Given every $1 drop in oil prices is an estimated $750 million hit to provincial revenues, if oil prices remain low for long, there could be big implications for Alberta’s budget.

The Smith government already projects a $5.2 billion budget deficit in 2025/26 with continued deficits over the following two years. This year’s deficit is based on oil prices averaging US$68.00 per barrel. While the budget does include a $4 billion “contingency” for unforeseen events, given the economic and fiscal impact of Trump’s tariffs, it could quickly be eaten up.

Budget deficits come with costs for Albertans, who will already pay a projected $600 each in provincial government debt interest in 2025/26. That’s money that could have gone towards health care and education, or even tax relief.

Unfortunately, this is all part of the resource revenue rollercoaster that’s are all too familiar to Albertans.

Resource revenue (including oil and gas royalties) is inherently volatile. In the last 10 years alone, it has been as high as $25.2 billion in 2022/23 and as low as $2.8 billion in 2015/16. The provincial government typically enjoys budget surpluses—and increases government spending—when oil prices and resource revenue is relatively high, but is thrown into deficits when resource revenues inevitably fall.

Fortunately, the Smith government can mitigate this volatility.

The key is limiting the level of resource revenue included in the budget to a set stable amount. Any resource revenue above that stable amount is automatically saved in a rainy-day fund to be withdrawn to maintain that stable amount in the budget during years of relatively low resource revenue. The logic is simple: save during the good times so you can weather the storm during bad times.

Indeed, if the Smith government had created a rainy-day account in 2023, for example, it could have already built up a sizeable fund to help stabilize the budget when resource revenue declines. While the Smith government has deposited some money in the Heritage Fund in recent years, it has not created a dedicated rainy-day account or introduced a similar mechanism to help stabilize provincial finances.

Limiting the amount of resource revenue in the budget, particularly during times of relatively high resource revenue, also tempers demand for higher spending, which is only fiscally sustainable with permanently high resource revenues. In other words, if the government creates a rainy-day account, spending would become more closely align with stable ongoing levels of revenue.

And it’s not too late. To end the boom-bust cycle and finally help stabilize provincial finances, the Smith government should create a rainy-day account.