John Enns-Wind

Saturday, 8 August 2015

Norm Ritchie Community Centre (NRCC) Update

This is a little follow up regarding the NRCC.

NRCC

The proposed management board prefers to be referred to as the 'stakeholder group' until arrangements to manage the Norm Ritchie Board are finalized. The Canada 150 grant is the result of their vision and passion for the arts community: not just the NRCC but for the arts community as a whole. Thank you to the stakeholder group for their vision and passion.

The renovations taking place with the grant include:

repairing the roof,
replacing the furnace and air conditioner,
installation of an alarm system,
upgrading the front façade, and
upgrading the basement.

Thursday, 6 August 2015

Fentanyl or Fake OxyContin Suspected Death in Kindersley

Over the past little while a tragedy has occurred in Kindersley: a young woman and young man died due to the use of the illegal drugs fentanyl or fake oxycontin also known as fake 80. This drug comes in a variety of colours.

Fentanyl, a painkiller up to 100 times more potent than morphine, can cut off oxygen to the heart and brain. The antidote Naloxone reverses these effects for 30 to 40 minutes before it wears off, offering a critical window of time to rush victims to hospital.

Yesterday I was interviewed by the StarPhoenix regarding this story. The story is pasted below and the link is here for the original.

By Betty Ann Adam, The Starphoenix August 6, 2015

Kindersley RCMP believe a woman and a man who died there had taken fentanyl, and they suspect the counterfeit OxyContin was behind an overdose that sent a second man to hospital.

Fentanyl, a non-prescription drug made by criminal organizations in clandestine labs, has been blamed for hundreds of deaths across Canada, including 10 in Saskatchewan in 2014 and, as of last month, three in 2015.

The pills originally mimicked green OxyContin tablets but may now be available in any other colour, Kindersley RCMP Cpl. Daniel Archibald said.

The Kindersley overdoses occurred in three separate incidents over the past month, Archibald said.

"We'd like to find the source of where it's coming from in our area."

The RCMP investigation, including interviews with the victims' associates, has led them to believe fentanyl was being used, but they are waiting for confirmation from toxicology studies, Archibald said.

The three who overdosed were in their 20s or 30s, he said.

RCMP were aware the drug had made its way to the city of 5,400 located 200 kilometres southwest of Saskatoon, but Archibald said the sudden lethal effects are "disturbing."

"I don't know if it would be uncommon in the drug trade, but it's alarming to us."

Mayor John Enns-Wind offered condolences to the victims' families.

"It's unfortunate. No one should have to see their children die for whatever reason. You always have this hope that they'll continue, and that's the biggest grief a family suffers, it's that loss of what could have been," he said.

The deaths prompted some soul searching for the mayor.

"These are our neighbours, these are the people we work with, these are our friends, and we wonder, how does it come to this? What are the decisions they take that lead to a choice to try this? Is there something that could have (been done) beforehand?

"Do we have, from a municipal perspective, opportunities for residents to find fulfilment in healthy ways? That's part of the town's job. Some people decide to use those and others decide not to."

The town has a new indoor swimming pool in the works, the Heartland Health Region has dedicated addictions staff and the West Central Crisis and Family Support Centre offers counselling, family support and programs, he said.

Archibald urges anyone who knows who is bringing the drug into Kindersley to help make the community safer by calling the RCMP at 306-463-4642 or by making an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

He also encouraged people with addictions to seek medical help.

Federal Election 2015

After lots of talk we are finally, officially, in election mode. Kindersley is now in a different riding: the boundaries have been redrawn so that we are now in Cypress Hills-Grasslands rather than Battlefords-Lloydminster.

The candidates running in Cypress Hills-Grasslands, according to the election almanac are:

Conservative - David Anderson, MP since 2000 is from Frontier

David Anderson, Conservative Candidate. google search

Green Party - Bill Caton (no photo was found) is a rancher from the land between the Caton Creek and White Mud River
Liberal - Marvin Wiens is a farmer from Wymark and past president of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool

Marvin Wiens

NDP - Trevor Peterson a teacher from Assiniboia

Trevor Peterson, NDP. google search

Cypress Hills-Grasslands has been Conservative since the days of Tommy Douglas.

Wednesday, 5 August 2015

Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Appointment

Today I was notified that I have been appointed to two standing committees and a forum pending Council's approval. The committees I have been appointed to include:

Community Safety and Crime Prevention - Policing, crime prevention, community corrections, emergency preparedness and management.
Social-Economic Development - Housing and homelessness; cultural and community infrastructure, immigration and municipal-Aboriginal relations, aging.

FCM in Edmonton. June 2015.

I have also been appointed to the Rural Forum chaired by the President of Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM). The Rural Forum addresses

Infrastructure investments, rural economic development, diversification of resource-based communities, interdependencies between rural and urban communities.

This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about municipal challenges and opportunities including best practices and contribute to the development of healthy communities across Canada. I am looking forward to serving Kindersley through this appointment.

Sewage Facility Build Canada Fund (BCF) Application

We have been anxiously, and patiently, waiting to learn if we received funding for a new waste water/sewage processing facility. The new facility, a lagoon, hybrid, or mechanical, is expected to cost more than a pool.

Sewage Lagoon. August 5, 2015.

Here is a not so interesting tidbit: more than $1 billion of applications were received and only $43 million worth of projects are being approved.

I regret to share with you that we did not receive any funding for this project. We will keep our ears to the ground hoping new programs will be announced after the federal election.

Norm Ritchie Community Centre (NRCC)

We received good news regarding the NRCC. Working with the proposed new management board, an application was submitted to the federal Canada 150 program. I am please to share with you that the request for $102,250 has been granted.

Norm Ritchie Community Centre, August 5, 2015.

Thank you to the proposed new management board for this successful application.

Good Vacation

It was good to leave on my vacation and it is good to be back. This photo is from my favourite campsite. We were on a cliff overlooking Lake Ontario about 45 minutes east of Toronto at Darlington Provincial Park.