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Sasha Speak's
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Friday, May 04, 2012 5:22 PM
Well, it's official. Plans are well underway for this years Rum Runner Day's. It going to be bigger and better than ever!! That is of course, except for having no fireworks.
Anyone who has been out to the regular weekly meetings at the Municipal Office on Wednesday's @ 6:30 pm, (Note: open to the public at all times) knows what's been going on behind the scenes. If you haven't been there, maybe you have seen the tentative flyer?
If not, let me give you a run down on the plans.
First, the new rules and guidelines:
- No random camping allowed. At all!! That is "no random camping" within the boundaries of the Municipality of the Crowsnest Pass. It WILL be strictly enforced.
- Camping will be allowed only in designated camping areas around within the Municipality of the Crowsnest Pass. If you allow camping in your own yard, that is your business, within reason.
- Out-of-town parking will not be allowed in Blairmore, on the Saturday July 21st, 2012, from abut 9:00 a.m. until about midnight. All out-of-town vehicles will be directed to one of several designated parking spots, East and West of Blairmore. A shuttle bus service will be provided to take people into Blairmore on the Saturday. There will be at least four buses running round trips to take people back and forth from the designated parking spots.
- Local people, living and residing within the Municipality of the Crowsnest Pass will be issued permits, to enter Blarimore, in order to facilitate shopping, work, etc. Each household will be allowed a set number of permits. If you live here, you will get a permit.
- This is a family oriented event. There will be a zero tolerance for alcohol outside of designated areas: Legion, local bars, Lion's Hall, beer garden's. This will be strictly enforced by the RCMP and Peace Officer's.
- Most tickets for events will be sold online, on the Rum Runner Day's website. CLICK HERE for a list of events, times, tickets, camping, etc.
Okay now onto the list of events:
Thursday July 19th, 2012
- Big M Shows & Carnival to set up on main street green space, as in years past.
- Early Vendor set up on main street green space.
- 8th annual Green & Gold Bill Fukami Memorial Golf Tournament @ CNP Golf & Country Club.
- Crownest Wine and Food Festival, 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. @ Elk's Hall Blairmore. Featuring local food, wine, musical performers and a display of art from local artists. Advance tickets available online (Rum Runner Day's website) and at the door. Limited amount available, so get yours online fast.
Friday July 20th, 2012
- Vendor set up main street green space.
- Blairmore Main Stage ISS Field and main stage:
- Afternoon children and family
activities.
- Karaoke fun, 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
- Beer Gardens - back corner ISS Field - 6:00 p.m. to approx. 12:30 a.m. - Evening concert - The Paxton Bachman Band (son of Tim Bachman and nephew
of Randy Bachman of BTO and the Guess Who fame). From 8:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Tickets available online soon on the Rum Runner Day's website.
- RBC Sole Survivor Foot Race. Registration at Elk's Hall 7:30 p.m. Race at 8:00 p.m.
- Blairmore Legion Branch #7. Friday night supper and 50/50 draw.
Saturday July 21st, 2012
- Blairmore Lion's Club Pancake Breakfast 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. @ Lion's Hall main street Blairmore. $7.00 plate. Everyone welcome!!
- Vendor set up, main street.
- Midway rides and games, all day & evening.
- Rum Runner Day's Parade - Main Street Blairmore. Judging at 10:00 a.m. Parade @ 11:00 a.m. on main street.
- After the parade: Annual Show ‘n’ Shine main street Blairmore.
- "Who's Yer Daddy" will be playing classic rock in Gazebo Park after the parade.
- Other potential ideas to happen on Main street: pie-eating contest, log-sawing contest, nail-hammering contest and a barrel rolling contest
- Also after the parade - Blairmore Legion Branch #7 Hamburgers, Hot Dogs & snacks.
- The Ducks are back!!! Rum Runner Day's 2nd Annual Duck Race. Center Access Bridge in Blairmore @ 1:00 p.m.
- Afternoon Hillcrest Ball Diamonds: Co-Ed Slo-Pitch Tournament:
- Saturday evening at the Blairmore Legion, Pure Power Wrestling.
- ISS Field & Main Stage:
- 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Kid’s activities, fun for all
ages! Our very own Charli Jaenta - Facepainting, Tarot Card and Crystal Ball Reading, Balloon Animal Making, Food and Fun, Petting Zoo, dunk tank and much more.
- 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Main Stage Entertainment - Rainbow the Clown
Sunday July 22nd, 2012
So dear readers, there is plenty activities afoot.
For those of you who think that it is all going away because council cancelled the Fireworks portion of the weekend festivities, well, I guess you are wrong.
The Rum Runner Day's Committee is committed to making this a fun filled family event, for everyone!! Hopefully local residents will embrace this revised version. It was, after all, originally supposed to be, an event, put on for the families of the Crowsnest Pass.
I will continue to update, as more information becomes available.
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 12:51 AM
Well, the winds of change are upon us.
It's official, the South Western region of Alberta is now Wildrose Country.
I always thought ALL of Alberta was Wildrose Country, but that wasn't politically speaking. Politically, we are now riding the tides of change. What changes we will experience, have yet to be seen.
But we can say this much: It's not likely to be any of the same old, same old.
The old familiar faces are soon to be a memory. What has ruled in this portion of the Alberta region for 40 plus years, is now making way for fresh new faces.
Let's hope the people behind these faces have our best interests at heart.
Change is hard, but it is inevitable.
Will you choose to be a part of this new wave and hopefully better solution's to long standing issues? Or will you continue to be a part of the problem's that seem to plague us.
Will this Brave New World take us into a brighter, happier, more productive future, or will it prove to be just a bandaid on a sore that continues to haunt us from our past.
I guess we will just have to wait and see. We, the people, have spoken, and the people obviously wanted change.
And change is what we have got.
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Friday, April 13, 2012 9:27 PM
So who said it best?? Bon Jovi or Gareth Gates?? Does it really matter??
"Say It Isn't So" - Bon Jovi
I just can't believe
It was all a lie
No man in the moon
Just a big light in the sky
I hear Disneyland
Might lose Mickey Mouse
In some giant hostile corporate shake-up
Tell me it's a nightmare
Please wake me up
(Say it isn't so)
I found a book of matches
From someplace we've never been
How come you hang the phone up
The minute I walk in
Last night I had this dream
That I was losing you
I woke up in a cold sweat shaking
Rescue me my heart is breaking
Say it isn't so (tell me it's not true)
Say it isn't so (I believe in you)
Tell me it's a lie (I don't need no proof)
Say everything's all right (couldn't be, not you)
Say it isn't so
Superman don't fly
They did it all with strings
Elvis Presley died
They deep fried the king
Like some tacky cheesy bathing beauty
Dancing on the beach in a bad b-movie
Say it isn't so (tell me it's not true)
Say it isn't so (I believe in you)
Tell me it's a lie (I don't need no proof)
Say everything's all right (couldn't be, not you)
Say it isn't so (don't give up on me)
Say it isn't so (don't give up on you)
Get me through the night (we'll make it through)
Make everything all right (couldn't be, not you) Say it isn't so...
Say it isn't so (tell me it's not true)
Say it isn't so (I believe in you)
Tell me it's a lie (I don't need no proof)
Say everything's all right (couldn't be, not you)
Say it isn't so (don't give up on me)
Say it isn't so (don't give up on you)
Get me through the night (we'll make it through)
Make everything all right (couldn't be, not you)
Say it isn't so
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Say It Isn't So" - Gareth Gates
Skies are dark its time for rain
Final call you board the train
Heading for tomorrow
I wave goodbye to yesterday
Wipe the tears that hide your face
Blinded by the sorrow
How can i be smiling like before?
When baby you don't love me anymore
Say it isn't so
Tell me your not leaving
Say you changed your mind now
That I am only dreaming
But this is not goodbye
This is starting over
If you want to know, I don't want to let go
So say it isn't so
Ten to five at least we tried
We're still alive but hope has died
As they closed the door behind you
Whistle blows the turns of steel
Shake the ground beneath the wheels
As I wish I never found you
How can I be smiling when your gone?
Will I be strong enough to carry on?
Say it isn't so
Tell me your not leaving
Say you changed your mind now
That I am only dreaming
But this is not goodbye
This is starting over
If you want to know, I don't want to let go
So say it isn't so
Miles and miles to go
Before I can sing
Before i can lay my love for you to sleep
Oh darling, no
I got miles and miles to go
before anyone will hear me laugh again
Say it isn't so
Tell me your not leaving
Say you changed your mind now
That I am only dreaming
But this is not goodbye
This is starting over
If you want to know, I don't want to let go
So say it isn't so
Say you changed your mind now
That I am only dreaming
But this is not goodbye
This is starting over
If you want to know, I don't want to let go
So say it isn't so
If you want to know, I don't want to let go
So say it isn't so
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I heard another rumor today. More bad news. Just say it isn't so!!!!
Is this really the last year for the Kananaskis Indoor Pro Rodeo?? Really??? It can't be!!!! Yet another casualty in this community. Whether it is a casualty of apathy, lack of volunteers or council's recent actions and decisions, does it really matter why?? All that matters is that it is happening all over the Pass.
Once again it looks as if we will be losing another big attraction here in the Crowsnest Pass.
In fact, other than local historical sites (like the Frank Slide, Leitch Collieries - which has been closed for a year, and the Underground Mine Tour, etc.) the Rodeo was the second biggest draw to bring in crowds to the Crowsnest Pass, next to Thunder in the Valley.
So what does that leave us with??
I really hope this is just a really bad and really late April Fool's joke. Either way, I'm not laughing.
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2012 12:18 AM
Lately, quite a bit has been written and talked about regarding the number of Municipal employees we have, what we are currently paying them and where all the money is going.
I am the first to say that I have not directly looked into the matter. I guess I should take the time to be more informed.
It is glaringly apparent, that up until now, the Mayor and council have been very silent to the questions being posed by numerous members of this community.
However, the other day councilor Brian Gallant decided to breach the silence and break down the numbers for us. Thank you Brian for having the gumption to step up and make your voice heard. We really have been waiting for some answers.
Now after reading it through several times, I ran all the information through my mind. There was definitely some clarification made. However there were still obviously some glaring discrepancies between what we had a year ago and what we have now. All the numbers just don't seem to add up.
Now I must say Brian that if you did in fact stand up and voice your opposition against some of the decisions that council proposed and consequently made, then I sincerely thank you. We should all thank you. We need more of that.
I do also understand that not all of us can grasp or comprehend the complexities of it all. After all council is privy to more information than what the general public knows. We would really have to be in your shoes to be "in the know".
So I guess the general public will
have to be content to take your word for it. You are our council. You do,
after all, know what is best for all of us.
Another thing that disturbs me is the lack of transparency that seems to plague this council, like it did the last. Maybe that just goes with the territory? I mean, what really does go on behind closed doors or "in camera"? I know what types of things that are supposed to go on in camera. But that does not mean that is exactly what happens.
Something else that really worries me is the continued absences of the same people from council meetings. First, they do not get to "have their say". Second, they knew what they were getting in for when they ran. If they can not commit to something as important as attending a council meeting, as a council member, then maybe they should have not run or maybe instead now bow out and we can find someone else to replace them. It's been done before. However, I guess we will have to make do with who does attend and be grateful for it.
The few council member's who are speaking out, are desperately trying to put a positive spin on everything. I don't blame them. I for one, am all for being positive. I will say that I am positively going to run for council next election.
Then I can positively say that I am privy to "all the information" that the privilege of the position holds. Then all of my unanswered questions positively will be answered.
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 2:33 AM
Well, Dear Readers, I have something to get off of my chest!!
Recently one of my fellow Bloggers wrote a blog titled:
Where have all the Volunteers Gone?
It was linked to a well written article in the Crowsnest Pass Promoter, on March 21st.
Joni had written a tongue-in-cheek list of guidelines, pertaining to the cancellation of Thunder in the Valley, that affect community support and volunteering within this beautiful community.
Several letters poured in after that, echoing the sentiments of the original article. One such letter to the editor stated that it should have been titled "13 Ways to Kill a Community."
On this aforementioned blog many people voiced their opinions on council and how councils decisions are affecting us all. Some talked about the "hand-picked" committees and how council spins it's own version of facts and figures to suit their own needs and what is said in the public eye.
Well, I just want you to know that I am one such person who currently sits on one mentioned committee. It is the Rum Runners Days Committee.
Just some background before you rush to blast me. The council ran ads for several weeks asking for community support and volunteers for this committee. They requested a resume with related experiences attached.
First point: If you want volunteers, why are you asking for a resume? Is this to scare everyone "unqualified" away??
I sent in my application. I guess I was the only one not "scared" away. Mine was the only reply to help.
I then waited for council to "find" more volunteers. Councillor Emile Saindon was asked to head up this committee. Several council members then hand-picked suitable business people and friends. A committee was finally formed. The committee was comprised of these key business people, council members, and friends and family members of council members.
Oh yes, and me.
I must note here: This was much before the cancelling of Thunder in the Valley. We still thought at this point that it was happening.
Council, the RCMP and C.P. Rail asked for several key issues to be addressed before they would approve the continuance of this event.
The committee complied the best we could. Everything that council was asked for we provided to them. Obviously it was not enough. Councillor Emile Saindon even abstained from the voting, when it came time to make the "decision" to hold TITV or not. He wanted to remain neutral. Good for him!! Sadly council did what many of us in this valley are now not happy about. They cancelled the main event, the fireworks show!!
Funny thing is, it set off a whole new set of fireworks, of a whole different kind.
Wow!! Over the next few weeks everyone and his dog had an opinion. Everyone was asking: where were "we the people" when the decisions were made and why were "we the people" not consulted?
It seemed to wake up this valley. Letter's to the Editors of both papers poured in. Everyone had something to say!!
But this article written by Joni MacFarlene on March 21st, seemed to best sum it up.
Well, since then I have worked with the Rum Runner Committee to try to make the best of a situation and to try to put on a fun, family -oriented event. Now remember, I was the only one who originally stepped up and volunteered for this committee. I offered my experience and training in several key areas to help make this event successful. I am not trying to blow my own horn here. I only make a note of this point because of what is seeming to be happening now on this "volunteer" committee.
We wonder where all the volunteers are going?? If they are being treated like I have been treated, since becoming part of this committee, then it is no wonder at all.
The following are some excerpts from an email that I just sent to the committee chairperson, Emile Saindon and his wife Candace, who is our secretary, entertainment & events coordinator and advertising, publicity & communications coordinator.
So here is part of the email:
I just got the email/contact list. Thank you.
I noticed something on this list and I just wanted some clarification please.
Am I no longer on as the municipality coordination that I volunteered for? I am just feeling shuffled around a bit.
I
first applied for the Rum Runner committee in November (when no one
else did) and was willing to take on several different things. I waited
to see who would be joining me.
After some time, a committee was
formed from some of the council members and members of the community,
who were directly asked, as no one else seemed to want to do it. At that
time, I volunteered to do the website, advertising and/or marketing; as
I have experience and schooling in all those areas.
As our
meetings went on, I again volunteered my time for any of these things
and was told that these things had now been filled by other people who
had been (hand picked) asked, after I had volunteered to do them.
Then when we had
that meeting in February, and Emile asked who wanted to head up what
committee positions. I volunteered for the finances, municipality
coordination and/or as the Chairperson, as Emile mentioned he wanted to
hand it over to someone. I was put down for finances and municipality
coordination. That was acceptable to me. Emile said he would get the
information together for me. (He still has not, as of yet, and it is well into April.)
At the next meeting you had Carol
there to take over the finances. I deferred to her experience, she is
best qualified for it. I am happy to do that.
I again mentioned
to Emile about doing the chairperson job if he was still not wanting do
it. He told me at that meeting that he and I could work together on the
Chairperson position. I was not sure how that would work. He seems to be
handling it well himself. That is fine with me, I only offered my
experience to such a position, but am happy to have him continue with
what he has done thus far.
I did not offer myself for
entertainment, nor was this something that I was interested in doing. I
did, however, offer to call Rainbow the Clown, as the committee said we
would like to have one. You let me run with that one. Thank you.
I came up with the T-shirt contest idea and you let me run with that one, too. Thank you. I will see it through.
But
on this contact list you just sent out, you now have me listed as
Entertainment/Events Coordinator. I was under the impression that
Candace and Valerie had volunteered to do that. Candace, I just want you
to know that I truly feel that you have been doing a great job too!! It
is amazing!! You are amazing!!
Anyway, I guess what is bothering
me is that I offered in the various areas that I had experience and
training, and in areas that I would be physically able to do the work
needed and the time to do it.
A lot of the people you now have on this committee have been specifically chosen (again I point out: hand-picked) for their areas of expertise.
I really feel very shuffled around. I feel that my experience has
not been a consideration in the areas of where you have chosen to place
me. No one likes to feel unappreciated or underutilized. Sadly, I am feeling both.
. At
this point, I will continue to be a voice of the people. As that seems
to be the only area that I am seemingly doing that I volunteered for.
- Sasha
So I ask you this, Dear Readers:
Is it a wonder why we have a hard time finding volunteers, if this is how they are treated? Why would we volunteer if we feel unwanted?
Are we going to continue to let council "handpick" our volunteer committees and boards based solely their qualifications (or lack thereof) and relationship to council?
Is this what our future looks like?
Will you sit idly by and let this happen?
Will our committees be made up of the elite, the educated and the entitled?
Will you stand up and let your voice be heard??
Do you want the choices made for you, or do you want to actively be a part of that choice? Get out and make your choices known.
Remember this:
We ALL have something valuable to offer. Whatever education we do or don't have, whatever experience someone else thinks we have or do not have to offer, the greatest thing we can offer is our time!!! Our time is our greatest resource!! Don't be afraid to offer your time. Don't be put off by what others say or think. YOU are our most valuable asset!!!!
Get out and volunteer. We need you!!
As a side note:
I will continue to be a part of this Rum Runner Committee, no matter how much they seem to be pushing me out in favor of more "desirable" people . I will not be undervalued or ignored!!
I listen to what the people of this valley have to say. I hear what you are saying. I will continue to try to represent you the best I can.
You have a voice in me. I will be heard!! I will not back down. You can count on it!!
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Saturday, April 07, 2012 5:36 PM
This is a reposting of one of my posts from back in October of 2010, with updates of some of the things that we have lost, changed or gained to date, indicated **.
Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Thursday, October 14, 2010 8:48 AM
With
the election looming and the past actions or inaction of the current
council weighing heavily upon us, there has been a lot of negative talk
lately about the Crowsnest Pass. Today I want to talk about all the positive that the Crowsnest Pass has to offer. We
live in one of the most beautiful places in Canada. It boasts majestic
mountains and pristine rivers. The Pass has numerous beautiful lakes and
awesome camping. It has great fishing and numerous other outdoor
recreational opportunities. We
are lucky to live in the Rocky Mountains, in a place that hasn't been
turned into a National or Provincial Park. The plus side of this, is
more freedom and we actually own our land/property. We have a right to
vote, to make decisions regarding our town and land. (** <-- Note this last point: I am beginning to wonder if we really have any say regarding the decisions about our town and land, or if the current council just thinks that we are just too stupid to think for ourselves and only they know what's best for us. So far what they seem to think is best for this valley, has caused a lot of negativity and stirred up a lot of dissension. **)
Other things we have that we should be thankful for, include the following -
We have many outdoor pursuits, such as:
ATV/Quadding (Quad Squad) Downhill Skiing Cross Country Skiing (Crowsnest Pass Cross-Country Ski Assoc.)
Snowboarding Tobogganing Snowmobiling (CrowsSnow Riders Association) Swimming (community pool, lakes and rivers) (Pass Piranhas Swim Club) Cycling Hiking Caving/Splunking
Climbing Baseball/Slo-Pitch (Minor Ball & Pass Slo-Pitch League) Tennis
Golfing Soccer (Minor Soccer)
HorseBack Riding (Turtle Mountain Riding Club)
Rifle/Gun Range (Crowsnest Gun Club)
Hunting
Mountain Biking
Lacrosse (Minor Lacrosse)
Walking Trails
White Water Slalom Ball Hockey ** unable to confirm continued existence
Track & Field (Passtrak) ** unable to confirm continued existence
And Indoor Activities:
Ice Skating - Indoors and Out Figure Skating (Skating Club)
Ice Hockey (Minor Hockey, Ladies & Old Crows Recreational Hockey ** unable to confirm the latter) Curling (Crowsnest Curling Club) Indoor Rock Climbing ** future uncertain
Yoga Tai Chi
Pottery (Pass Pottery Club)
Basketball
Bowling ** future uncertain
Martial Arts Weight Training & Fitness Gym
Women's Gym** no longer available
Dance Swim Club Movie Theatre
Adult Badminton
Taekwondo Indoor Pistol Range (Pistol Club)
We are fortunate to have the following programs and events in place:
Adult Education Program Adult Literacy Program The Literacy Foundation
Women's Resource Centre Parent Link Centre
Community Health & Mental Health Services Boys & Girls Club Indoor Playground
Brighter Futures A.A.D.A.C.F.C.S.S.
Three Senior's Centre's ** Now only one
S.P.C.A
Block Parent
Community Choir
Citizen's On Patrol
Gymnastics Club Crowsnest Conservation Society CNP Allied Arts Association CNP Weight Lifting Club
Communities In Bloom Rum Runner Days
Thunder In The Valley ** Cancelled indefinitely
Crowsnest Pass Symphony** future uncertain
Ducks Unlimited Mason's (Sentinel Lodge)Shrine Unit Hillcrest Miners & Literacy Club Historical Society
Kananaskis Pro Rodeo Society
Knights of Columbus Meals on Wheels
Mountain Fiddlers Elk's Lion's Club
Order of the Royal Purple Road Watch in the Pass Royal Canadian Air Cadets Three Legions
Sole Survivor Foot Race Society CNP Taoist Tai Chi Society Kidsport NIT (Nippon Institute of Technology)
Amature Radio Club Cancer Support Group Zumba
We also have the following facilities:
Albert Stella Memorial Arena (Blairmore) ** Facing permanent closure and the wrecking ball
Allison/Chinook Cross-Country Ski Trails Ball/Soccer Complex (Hillcrest) Bellevue Community Campground
Blairmore Elk's Hall
Climbing Wall (Blairmore)** future uncertain
Coleman Museum ** reopened for now, but future uncertain
Frank Slide Interpretive Centre CNP Art Gallery
Rocky Mountain Lane's - Bowling ** future uncertain
CNP Community Swimming Pool ** future uncertain
CNP Golf & Country Club CNP Municipal Library (Blairmore) CNP Sports Complex (Coleman) Dairy Road - SportsField
Hillcrest Ball Diamonds Hillcrest Fish & Game Hall
Indoor Playground Lion's Hall (Blairmore)
MDM SportsField
HAS SportsField ISS SportsField Pass PowderKeg Ski Hill (Blairmore) Polish Hall
Lost Lemon Mine Campground Allison /Chinook Lake Campground Random Camping ** no longer allowed
Orpheum Movie Theatre ** recently ungraded
Food Bank ** NEW location
Two Veterinary Clinic's ** one is part-time Thursday's only
Three Optometrists **now only two
Two Doctor's Offices (one in Blairmore and one in Bellevue - with about 7 doctor's) ** Now Walk-in clinic in Coleman
Three Dental Offices** Now only two
One Denturist
One Chiroprator Four Pharmacy's CNP Hospital
Long Term Care Centre York Creek Lodge Tecumseh Mountain Manor
Two Second Hand Stores (Bagatelle & Women's Resource Centre)
Four Day Care Centre's ** unable to confirm exact number but no longer four
Bellevue Mine Tour
Ten Church's Four Fire Hall's ** Now only two districts, East and West
And the list goes on.......
The point being that we have a lot of great things to do and be thankful for. The
Crowsnest Pass people are a special breed of people, as well. They are
kind and generous. They are willing to lend a hand and help each other
out. We have a great volunteer base.
We have some awesome and unique local businesses. (** Sadly there have been quite a few closures of local business's to either go elsewhere or shut down permanently. On the positive side we have had several new places open up that are a huge asset to our community. **) We are lucky to have a couple of good developers, who have put a great deal into this community. Our
hospital is efficient and the staff friendly. We are lucky to have no
line-ups or long wait times in emergency, or for certain procedures.
The Crowsnest people take pride in our valley and it's rich history. The
people who live here are hard working and equally hard playing. We
enjoy life and all this place has to offer. We know that it is a special
place to live and raise a family. We respect nature around us and enjoy what it has to offer. We are proud of our heritage.
The
Crowsnest Pass is a very special place. It has a lot of good to offer.
Let's never forget that. Let's work together to make this place even
better.
There
are still many more things that we can improve upon. Things that can
make this place an even better place to live. Things that can attract
the next generation to stay and raise a family.
The Crowsnest Pass depends upon it's people and it's leader's to ensure a bright and hopeful future. Remember this, when it comes time to vote, on Monday October 18th. Who do you want to lead us into the future?? (** Well, it is more than apparent who we have leading us into the future now. What is scary is what our future is beginning to look like. The people we voted in should be of the people, by the people for the people. Sadly the last part of that statement is not true. Well folks, there is 18 months left of the present council's term. Let's see what else they have in store for us. **)
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Posted on Saturday, April 07, 2012 4:27 AM
Dear Readers,
I had an email sent to me and was asked to publish it for you to read and think about. It is as follows:
Ms. JaegerBaird, I
wrote a letter to the editor for both the Crowsnest Pass Herald and the
Pass Promoter, but unfortunately missed the deadlines for both (as I
was only recently made aware of the issue I write about below). I would
like to get the word out about a decision that is to be made by Council
on April 17 and am hoping that you might find the content of my letter
appropriate for sharing with the readers on your blog. (Or at least for discussion with your family, friends and colleagues!) Thank you in advance for your assistance. Thanks! Dana
Dear Editor:
My
name is Dana Tartal, and my father-in-law is Matt Tartal, owner of
Frankslide Liquor in Frank, AB. I am writing to ensure that the
residents and business owners of the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass are
aware of the potential consequences of a decision that is set to be made
by Council via Public Hearing at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 17, 2012.
These consequences will impact not only my father-in-law and his
business, but also the other residents and business owners of Crowsnest
Pass alike.
If
approved, Bylaw No. 844, 2012, would allow a liquor store to be built
along Hwy. 3 in Frank, adjacent to the current locations of the Fast Gas
and A&W restaurant… and less than 500 metres east of an existing
liquor store in a community of only 263 residents (many of whom are
minors)!
Now,
I encourage you to ask yourself whether or not the approval of Bylaw
844 would be a good idea for your community and your family. As a
small-town mother and business owner myself, I would propose that it
would be reckless and irresponsible for several reasons; to be fair,
let’s look at both the positive and negative impacts of this decision.
The benefits The
owner of the proposed liquor store would enjoy his or her share of
profits, and the municipality would receive increased tax revenues (at
least until the weaker of the two liquor stores closes down). While a
certain amount of competition is healthy and vital to a free market
economy, there is a threshold at which point the supply outweighs the
existing demand. In this case, there are some significant negative
impacts that could result.
The collateral damage The
proximity and density of liquor stores in an area should be of
particular importance to a community. There are many influential
municipalities (including Edmonton, AB) who have already imposed bylaws
specifically limiting the proximity of liquor stores in order to protect
the wellbeing of community members as well as competing businesses.
High densities of liquor stores in a particular area could result in
increased Gaming and Liquor Act offenses. With greater competition
comes an increased risk of selling liquor to minors in order to maintain
revenues.
The
approval of Bylaw 844 is akin to placing two A&W restaurants right
beside each other. First of all, the franchise would never allow it
because it simply doesn’t make sense; secondly, the two businesses sell
the exact same products from the same distributors. In Alberta, the
Alberta Liquor and Gaming Commission strictly regulates and controls all
liquor products available for resale in the province. This means we’re
not talking Teen Burgers versus Big Macs. Both liquor stores only have
access to identical products, completely inhibiting the opportunity to
differentiate oneself from the competition.
The
proposed liquor store is also less than a 30 second drive from the
existing liquor store in Frank. This is the gateway to the municipality
for all westbound traffic into the community. How will this impact the
perception of the travelling public and tourists alike? The
municipality is currently reviewing the popular Thunder in the Valley
event because of the risk to public safety; however, approving Bylaw 844
would create an image that this is a ‘party’ community.
Finally,
and perhaps most importantly, approval of Bylaw 844 would be in
non-compliance with numerous policies outlined in the Crowsnest Pass’
Municipal Development Plan (MDP). Bylaw 844 requires a Land Use Bylaw
amendment because a liquor store is not a prohibited use on a C-2 zoned
lot; however, MDP Policy 9.4 states that “when land use bylaw amendments
are proposed to accommodate new commercial uses, consideration shall be
made to existing and adjacent land use patterns in the area.”
Accordingly, having two liquor stores practically side-by-side should
not warrant an approved amendment.
Additionally,
MDP policies state that the municipality will “support existing local
businesses”, “protect existing (commercial) developments”, and “attempt
to manage adverse impacts on adjacent activities”. It is clear that
approving Bylaw 844 will set dangerous precedence by conveying that the
municipality will contravene its own policies, putting all local
businesses at risk.
Would
this new liquor store serve a need in the community that currently
isn’t being met by the five liquor stores already operating throughout
the municipality? Whether or not you agree with the statements I’ve
made above, it’s important that you talk about this upcoming decision
with your family, friends and colleagues. Evaluate the implications it
may have on the social and business environment of the community, and
how it may impact your family. Have your voice heard on April 17.
Dana Tartal Mayerthorpe, AB
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Posted on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 1:17 AM
I think he might be onto something here!
Letter in the The Parksville-Qualicum Beach News.
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Sunday, March 27, 2011 7:33 PM
The
Center for Disease Control has issued a warning
about a new virulent strain of an old disease.
The
disease is called Gonorrhea
Lectim. It's pronounced "Gonna re-elect
'em," and it is a terrible disease.
The disease is contracted through dangerous and
high risk behavior involving
putting your cranium up your rectum. Many
victims contracted it in 2007 when
they re-elected the Harper Conservatives in
Canada and are now starting to realize how
destructive this sickness is.
It's sad because Gonorrhea
Lectim is
easily cured with a new drug just coming on the
market called It's pronounced "Vote-em-out". You take the
first dose in March 2011 and don't engage in
such behavior again; otherwise, it could become
permanent and eventually wipe out all life as
we know it in Canada.
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Sunday, February 27, 2011 10:05 PM
We may have narrowly escaped a tax increase to our Municipal Property Taxes...
However...
Good People of the Crowsnest Pass, we have been given a false sense of security.
The Crowsnest Municipal council passed a 10% Utility Fee hike, that was approved as part of the 2011 budget.
Currently Municipal Utility bills are produced and billed every two months.
A two month bill looks something like this:
Recycling Levy $5.00
Garbage Levy $35.64
Sewer Levy $32.10
Water Levy $46.00
__________________
Current Charges $118.74
That breaks down into $59.37 per month per household.
A 10% increase would see that amount go to $65.31 per month.
That may not seem like a lot but the projected revenue for the 10% fee hike will mean an additional $95,000 ++ a year for the municipality.
So technically we may not have been hit in the wallet with a Property Tax increase, but we have been hit in the pocketbook with this new 10% Utility increase.
Which, incidentally, is effective retroactively for the January and February billing period. So be prepared to see the extra added onto on your March bill.
My question is: What is this extra revenue that will be collected, going to be used for???
Something good I hope. Something that this community can use.
What are your opinions?
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 2:55 AM
This is the Question being asked, according to an article in yesterday's The Townsman's online news feed, The Bulletin.
Wayne
Stetski, Manager of the East Kootenay Conservation Program is lobbying
local governments to approve and establish a local conservation
fund.
Several communities have already approved of this project.
"There are eight projects currently receiving funding," Stetski said.
Projects range from planting trees for
fish and wildlife habitat in riparian areas, to money for restoration of
Limber Pine from Canal Flats to Spillimacheen. The distinctive twisted
dead tree on Highway 3 just east of Crowsnest Pass is a Limber Pine.
My question to you is:
Would you, the taxpayer, agree to paying an extra $20.00 a year to support these conservation
projects?? Do we really need to pay an extra $20.00 a year to do such
things as continued restoration of our famous Burmis Tree?? Are we not
already doing that as a local community? Do we need to do this on a
provincial level?? And if so, we we willing to cough up the extra money
to do so??
Thoughts and opinions anyone???
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Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 12:36 AM
In the year
2011, the Lord
came unto
Noah, who was
now living in
British
Columbia,
and said:
"Once again,
the earth has
become wicked
and
over-populated,
and I see the
end of all
flesh before
me. Build
another Ark and
save 2 of
every living
thing, along with a
few good
humans."
He gave
Noah the
blueprints,
saying: "You have 6
months to
build the Ark before
I will start the
unending rain
for 40 days
and 40 nights."
Six months
later, the
Lord looked
down and saw
Noah weeping in his
yard - but no Ark.
"Noah!,"
He roared,
"I'm about to
start the
rain! Where is the Ark?"
"Forgive
me, Lord,"
begged Noah,"but things
have changed."
"I needed a
building
permit."
"And I've been
arguing with
the Boat
Inspector about the need
for a
sprinkler
system."
"My neighbours
claim that
I've violated
the neighbourhood
by-laws by
building the Ark in
my
back garden
and exceeding
the height limitations. We had
to go to the
Local Planning
Committee for a
decision."
"Then the
Local Council
and the
Electric
Company
demanded a
shed load of
money for the
future costs
of moving
power lines
and other
overhead
obstructions,
to clear the
passage for
the Ark's
move to the
sea. I told
them that the
sea would be
coming to us,
but they would
hear nothing
of it."
"Getting the
wood was
another
problem. There's a ban on cutting
local trees in
order to save
the
Greater
Spotted Barn
Owl."
"I tried
to convince
the
environmentalists
that I
needed the
wood to save
the owls - but
no go!"
"When I
started
gathering the
animals the
SPCA took me
to court. They insisted
that I was confining wild
animals
against their
will. They
argued the
accommodations
were too
restrictive,
and it was
cruel and
inhumane to
put so many
animals in a
confined
space."
"Then the
Environmental
Agency ruled
that I
couldn't build
the Ark until
they'd
conducted an
environmental
impact study
on your
proposed
flood."
"I'm still
trying to
resolve a
complaint with
the
Human Rights
Commission on
how many
minorities I'm supposed
to hire for my
building
crew."
"Immigration
are checking
the Visa
status of most
of the people
who want to
work."
"The trades
unions say I
can't use my
sons. They insist I have
to hire only
union workers
with
Ark-building
experience."
"To make
matters worse,
Customs and Immigration
seized all my
assets,
claiming I'm
trying to
leave the
country
illegally with endangered
species."
"So, forgive
me, Lord, but
it would take
at least 10 years for me
to finish this Ark."
Suddenly the
skies cleared,
the sun began
to shine, and a rainbow
stretched
across the
sky.
Noah looked up
in wonder and
asked, "You mean
you're not
going to
destroy the
world?"
"No," said the
Lord.
"The
Government
beat me to
it." |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Saturday, January 15, 2011 12:52 AM
What will they be changing next??
Today's news reveals that the zodiac sign that you thought you were born with, may not actually be your right sign.
According to some, earth's shifts on its axis over the past 3,000 years have changed the 12 zodiac signs.
Astronomer Parke Kunkle tells
NBC news that due to the Earth's changing alignment in the last 3000
years, the sign you are born into now, are different than they were long
ago. Plus, astronomers believe there is a 13th Zodiac sign called
Ophiuchus, which falls between Scorpio and Sagittarius.
"This is
not something that happened today. This has gone on for thousands of
years," says Kunkle. "Because of this change of tilt, the Earth is
really over here in
effect and Sun is in a different constellation than it was 3,000 years
ago."
The constellation of Ophiuchus is located near the
celestial equator and is typically depicted as a man wrangling a
serpent. "Ophiuchus" means "serpent-bearer" in Greek. There are several
different characters from Greek mythology that Ophiuchus is thought to
represent, including Asclepius the healer, Trojan priest Laocoon, who
was killed by sea serpents, and Phorbas, who saved the people of Rhodes
from an infestation of serpents.
The sign Ophiuchus can be found
in the Sidereal Zodiac, which is used by Jyotish (or Hindu)
astrologers. The Sidereal Zodiac's astrological sign dates are what is
listed below and they are based on a moving Zodiac, not the fixed one we
use today in Western astrology. Therefore, that Zodiac has shifted
almost one full sign from the fixed zodiac. So astrology
enthusiasts should technically be using these dates, which reflect the
current alignment of the Sun, Earth and stars.
Here’s the latest configuration:
Capricorn: Jan. 20 - Feb. 16 Aquarius: Feb. 16 - March 11 Pisces: March 11- April 18 Aries: April 18- May 13 Taurus: May 13- June 21 Gemini: June 21- July 20 Cancer: July 20- Aug. 10 Leo: Aug. 10- Sept. 16 Virgo: Sept. 16- Oct. 30 Libra: Oct. 30- Nov. 23 Scorpio: Nov. 23- Nov. 29 Ophiuchus: Nov. 29- Dec. 17 Sagittarius: Dec. 17- Jan. 20
ATTRIBUTES THAT DESCRIBE THE SIGN OF OPHIUCHUS
• interpreter of dreams, premonitions • attracts good luck • serpent holder • lofty ideals • a seeker of peace and harmony • doctor of medicine or science • to add, increase, join or gather together • poetical, inventive nature, expanding • seeks higher education • overseer, supervisor of work • fame - either grand or completely misunderstood • longevity, aspirations of healing the ills of man • architect, builder, reaches for the stars • tax assessor or levys taxes • astrological talents, intuitive • large family indicated, but apt to be separated from them when young • the number twelve holds great significance • foresight to benefit from hard times • has secret enemies in family or close associations • many jealous of this subject • notable father, apple of father's eye when young • high position in life expected [depending on aspects] highest fame and legend comes after death however • feelings of granular, wise, • likes to wear clothing of vibrant colors • receives the favor of those in charge
Ophiuchus in the Planetary Zodiac:
The
planet Pluto was found in Ophiuchus until the end of 2003, after which
it passed into Serpens Cauda, the Serpent's Tail. The Centaur object,
the minor planetoid Chiron, was visible against the stars of Ophiuchus
until November 2001, after which it passed over the border into
Sagittarius. Venus and Mercury can be found in Ophiuchus for a time each
year.
So what's your sign????
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Thursday, January 13, 2011 6:57 PM
It is great sadness that I inform you that Merle Sandau, of the Crowsnest Pass, passed away suddenly on Thursday January 6th, 2011. The memorial services were held on Wednesday January 12th.
Merle ran for a position on council, in the last Crowsnest Pass municipal election, in October 2010.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this sad time.
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Friday, December 24, 2010 2:49 PM
I just want to
thank everyone for all your support this past year. Thank you to all my
faithful readers. Thank you to all the newcomers to my blog and
website.
I
wish you all a very Merry Christmas!! I hope Santa is good to you. May
you enjoy all the peace and happiness this time of year has to offer.
Enjoy your time spent with family and friends.
Love and Blessings,
Sasha
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2010 12:51 AM
Albertans
may have the fattest paycheques in the nation, but they give less to
charity than than many of their poorer cousins, according to a report
released Monday by the Fraser Institute.
In spite of
having the country's most generous tax credit program for donations,
figures from the conservative think tank show the province ranked fourth
behind Manitoba, Ontario and British Columbia for the proportion of
income that tax filers donated to charitable groups.
Albertans donated just $84 for every $10,000 they took home.
The
new report shows a disturbing decline in the proportion of Albertans who gave to charity.
Read more:
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Wednesday, December 22, 2010 12:23 AM
Finally some good news for university students. The Province of Alberta may set up an online book depository.
Alberta’s
Advanced Education minister, Doug Horner, hopes to cut student textbook fees in half
by setting up a province wide online book depository next year.
Read more:
University students currently pay between $750 to $1,000 on textbooks a year.
The
e-books would likely include textbooks written in the province as well
as common first-year textbooks used in multiple institutions.
Most students
on campus are already on iPads, e-readers or laptops.
"Ideally they can download the textbooks from any campus in the province,
perhaps even for free," said Horner.
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Thursday, December 16, 2010 10:21 PM
How does the rest of the world celebrate Christmas?
Belgium
On the sixth of December Sinterklaas or Saint-Nicholas is
celebrated, which is an entirely different holiday from Christmas. Santa
Claus in Belgium is called de Kerstman or le Père Noël and he comes
around on Christmas day to bring children presents. There are different
cultures in Belgium, the Northern part being Vlaanderen (speaking a
Dutch dialect), the Southern part being Wallonie (speaking a French
dialect) and the Eastern part speaking.
Germany
Small family presents are given at Christmas, under the tree, or in stockings near the fire-place, to be found in
the morning. Christmas breakfast is a special sweet bread called
'cougnou' or 'cougnolle' - the shape is supposed to be like baby Jesus.
Some families will have another big meal on Christmas day.
Brazil
Father Christmas is called Papai Noel. Many Christmas customs are
similar to USA or UK. For those who have enough money, a special
Christmas meal will be chicken, turkey, ham, rice, salad, pork, fresh
and dried fruits, often with beer. Poorer people will have chicken, rice
and beans and will also drink beer and coke. For dessert people enjoy
some Brazilian sweets, Brigadeiro made of condensed milk and
chocolate. Both rich and poor have Christmas trees. A poor person's
Christmas tree is made of plastic or is just a dry tree branch. As they
don't have snow in Brazil, poor people put cotton over their Christmas
tree branch to simulate snow. Christmas time varies a lot from south to
north region.
Finland
Finnish people believe that Father Christmas (Santa Claus) lives in the
north part of Finland called Korvatunturi, north of the Arctic Circle.
People from all over the world send letters to Santa Claus in Finland. There is a even big tourist theme
park called 'Christmas Land' in the north of Finland, near to where
they say that Father Christmas lives. Everyone cleans their houses ready for the three holy days of
Christmas - Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. Christmas Eve
is very special, when people eat rice porridge and a sweet soup made
from dried fruits (plums, raisins, apples, pears, apricots and figs).
It´s eaten in the morning or at lunchtime.
They will then decorate a spruce tree in the home. At mid-day, the
'Christmas peace declaration' is broadcast on radio and TV from the
Finnish city of Turku by its Mayor. In the evening, a traditional
Christmas dinner is eaten. The meal will include 'casseroles' containing
liver, rutabaga, carrot and potato, with cooked ham or turkey. Some
families eat liver pate. Rawpickled slightly salted salmon, herrings and
salad called "rosolli". Mushroom salad is also common.
Rosolli is cold salad made from peeled, cooked and diced potatoes,
carrots, beetroot and diced apples, onions and pickled cucumber. Season
with salt (some people use also pepper). Whipped cream (+ salt, vinegar
and beetroot colour to make it pink) is served with rosolli. Food
traditions during the Christmas period depend on which part of Finland
people live. In Lapland and in Finland's islands there are different
foods. Other foods include cooked peas, different kind on salads, roe,
cold fish-dishes, pates, other casseroles such as beetroot casserole
with cheese or with blue cheese, sweet and spiced breads, carelian pies,
and cheeses.
Gingerbreads, spiced cakes, different kind of cakes and cookies and
others to eat with coffee or milk. You eat these at "day-coffee" time on
the Christmas eve (after the Christmas peace declaration which
everybody watches on TV, or before going to the church and graveyard),
in the evening.
Christmas smells include mulled wine, gingerbreads, spices - cinnamon
being the most common - Christmas tree, burning candles and hyacinthe.
Poinsettia and hyacinthe are the most popular Christmas flowers.
On Christmas eve many go to church, on the afternoon or late afternoon
(time depends of local churches) - this is new tradition. The "real" and
old Christmas church is early on the morning of Christmas day. Many go
there too.
Graveyards are very beautiful places on the Christmas eve, since there
are lot of soft white snow and the only lights come from candles people
bring to the graves of loved ones. If relatives are buried in other
graveyards, there are places in graveyard you can lit your candle to
remember them.
Sauna of course is part of celebration. People go there before church
and graves, or after them. After sauna is the festive dinner. After that comes Santa Claus (if there are children) or the
presents that are under the Christmas tree are opened.
In some families where there are no small kids, the presents are not put
under the tree, but collected to big sacks, which are carried near the
front door. Then a family member might say, Did I heard sound of reindeers and bells... Or Did I hear Santa Claus...
When they go to check, there are big sacks full of presents there. Then people drink coffee and eat cakes, cookies and other sweet things.
Enjoy present and play games. Small kids go to bed but others stay up
late. Many families will visit cemeteries and grave-yards to place a
candle onto the burial graves of family members. Cemeteries are very
beautiful at Christmas-time.
Children receive their presents on Christmas Eve, usually with a
family member dressing as Father Christmas. As children grow older,
they come to realise that 'Father Christmas' is really a bigger brother,
sister or family member.
France
In France, Christmas is called 'Noël. Everyone has a
Christmas tree, sometimes decorated in the old way with red ribbons and
real white wax candles. Fir trees in the garden are often decorated
too, with lights on all night. Father Christmas is called Père Noël.
The Christmas meal is an important family gathering with good meat and
the best wine. Not everyone sends Christmas cards.
Germany
Germans love to decorate their houses at Christmas. Many houses
will have little wooden frames holding electric candles in their
windows, and coloured pictures of paper or plastic which look beautiful
from the outside at night. Often too, they will have an 'Adventskranz' -
a wreath of leaves with four candles. (Advent - meaning 'coming' - is
the 4 week period before Christmas). On each Sunday of Advent, another
candle is lit. Most homes will also have little wooden 'cribs' - a small
model of the stable where Jesus was born, with Mary, Joseph, Baby
Jesus, and animals. Father Christmas - 'Der Weihnachtsmann' - brings presents
in the late afternoon of Christmas Eve (December 24th), after people
have been to a church meeting. The presents are then found under the
Christmas tree. One person in the family will ring a bell and call
everyone to come to the room. On Christmas Day, fish (carp) or goose
will be cooked.
Hungary
Santa Clause (Winter-grandfather) (Tel-apo or Mikulas)
comes on the 6th of December. Children should clean and put their
shoes outside next to the door or window before they go to sleep. Next
day candies and/or small toys appear in them in red bags. For children,
who don't behave well, a golden birch placed next to the sweets, a
symbol for spanking... (but don't worry, it is just for fun, and not for
actual punishment.) On 24th of December, children go to their relative or to the movies,
because little Jesus brings the tree and the presents that evening to
their house. It is customary to hang edible things on the tree, like
golden wrapped assorted chocolates and meringues beside the glass balls,
candles (real or electrical), and sparklers. Families usually cook festive dinner for that night. An example would be
fresh fish usually with rice or potatoes and home made pastries as
dessert. After dinner, the tree would be viewed by the children for the
first time. It was very exciting. Christmas songs are sung and then
the gifts under the tree are shared. Older children attend the midnight mass with their parents. (During
communism, children had to hide at the back of the church. Teachers
could have lost their jobs for attending the mass. Later (in mid
1970's) most of the Communist Party leaders of the town attended it
too.)
Next day the children attack the edible part of the tree. Festive food
is enjoyed on the second and third day too.
Latvia
Latvians believe that Father Christmas brings presents on
each of the 12 days of Christmas starting on Christmas Eve. Usually the
presents are put under the family Christmas tree. It was in Latvia that the first Christmas
tree was decorated. The special Latvian Christmas Day meal is cooked brown peas with bacon (pork) sauce, small pies, cabbage and sausage.
New Zealand
Christmas starts with gifts under the tree, to be opened
Christmas morning. Then its onto a Christmas lunch either at home or at
one's parents place. Turkey or chicken with all the trimmings is eaten,
then come tea time, it is a Bar-B-Q for friends and family to get
together,and have a few beers or wines with the meal.
Portugal
People adhere to the tradition that Father Christmas
brings presents to children on Christmas Eve. The presents are left
under the Christmas tree or in shoes by the fireplace. A special
Christmas meal of salted dry cod-fish with boiled potatoes is eaten at
midnight on Christmas Eve.
Romania
On the 6th December St Nicholas comes and puts small gifts in
children shoes that have been polished and placed near the windows and
if children have been naughty they get a little stick.
Usually people in the country side grow their own pigs which are
sacrificed for Christmas on the 20th of December, and the meat is cooked
in different ways for the Christmas meal, like home made
smoked/unsmoked sausages. Each part of the pig is used in different ways
to make different dishes. Mince is made and together with rice, onions
and spices is used for the stuffed cabbage or vine leaves, which are
called 'sarmale'. So pig is traditional for Christmas meal. On Christmas
Eve usually children go around houses and sing carols and get fruit,
sweets or money in exchange. On Christmas Day everyone has a big family
meal and visit relatives.
In the country side people dress as bears and goats and go and sing
special traditional songs at each house in the village. People from
Transylvania serve stuffed cabbage on Christmas Eve, and next day for
lunch. Most likely the reason for that custom is that stuffed cabbage
is the best on the second and third day after it was cooked. Moms can
prepare the food a day earlier, leaving more time for decorating and
organizing. Very practical.On 25th December, the whole family used to attend church and ate stuffed cabbage for lunch.
Russia
In the days of the Soviet Union, Christmas was not celebrated
very much. New Year was the important time - when 'Father Frost' brought
presents to children. With the fall of Communism, Christmas can be
openly celebrated - either on December 25th; or more often on January
7th. This unusual date is because the Russian Orthodox church uses the
old 'Julian' calendar for religious celebration days. Special Christmas
food includes cakes, pies and 'meat dumplings'.
Sweden
The most important day is Christmas Eve. A special Christmas
meal is eaten on Christmas Eve - ham (pork), herring fish, and brown
beans - and this is the time when families give presents to each other.
Many people attend a church meeting early on Christmas Day.
United States And Canada
The USA and Canada are so multi-cultural that you will find many different
ways of celebrating Christmas. One example is: All year long children are told to behave, or they will get coal in
their
stocking. On Christmas Eve, they hang highly stylized stockings on the
mantle of the fireplace, then go to bed early so that they will find
presents in the morning. They are told that at midnight Santa
will come, bringing a huge bag of toys. He will come down through the
chimney, leave candy in the stockings and presents under the Christmas
tree (anything from a Pine or Fir to a Spruce), then plug one nostril
and
shoot up through the chimney. Cookies are traditionally left for him,
and a carrot is commonly left for Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer, very
much a
part of Christmas tradition (Santa will land on the roof with his sleigh
and nine reindeer). On Christmas morning, things such as cinnamon rolls
or coffee cake are served for breakfast, and for dinner there is
typically ham or turkey (and occasionally regal plum pudding). That is it for
celebration — Boxing Day is never celebrated, Epiphany is only celebated
by Catholics, and Advent is
celebrated in almost all Roman Catholic and mainline Protestant
churches.
How do you and your family celebrate Christmas??
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2010 9:41 AM
Where do you do your Christmas shopping?
Do you try to shop locally? 60% of the people polled said that they shopped locally.
Do you do all your shopping locally? 0% said that they did all their shopping locally.
Do you do mail order? 17% said they used mail order to shop.
Do you shop from Ebay? 24% said that they used Ebay to shop.
Do you go to Pincher Creek to do your shopping?54% go to Pincher Creek to shop.
Do you do some of it in Lethbridge or Calgary?71% go to the city to shop.
Do you do all of it in the city?6% of the people who voted do all their shopping in the city.
Do you do a combination of local and city shopping? 60% do a combination of local and city shopping.
Do you do a combination of "other" places for your shopping? 24% shopped in a combination of "other"places.
Is it important to you to shop locally? Of all people polled, 36% feel that it is important to shop locally.
If you do not shop locally, is it because there is not enough choice? 47% feel that there is not enough choice in order to do all their shopping locally.
If you could have more selection, would you do all your shopping locally? 60% of the people polled felt that if there was more selection, they would do ALL their shopping locally.
I was really surprised that 60% did their shopping locally. That is a good sign. Just over half of the community go to Pincher to shop (Wal-Mart). That seems such a shame, as we could have had Wal-mart here. Imagine the jobs it would have provided and the convenience.
71% of the people polled do their shopping in the city. It is too bad that we have to leave out community to find what we need.
I was very pleased to see that 60% tried to do their shopping locally however did have to leave the Pass for the rest of their shopping needs. This same 60% felt that if there was more choice and selection, they would do this same shoppoing locally.
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 5:45 PM
What
is blind faith? What does complete trust mean to you?
Many
people have never experienced either. There are people who will tell
you that they have. It can be a spiritual concept. It can be a soul
touching occurrence. It can be a mind-changing or life-altering
experience. It can also be quite a tangible thing. Whatever it is to
you, just know this, many people have never had an opportunity to
experience either. And sadly many have, but don't even know it.
I
have a story to tell you.
When
I was twenty years old, my husband built me my very first car. I
remember this car well. It was a little old Datsun 510. He had built
it from three wrecked Datsun 510's that he had found, in several
different locations, around the city of Calgary. Each car had been a
different year, but all were compatible with each other. We were
never really sure what year the car officially was, but it was a
combination of 1969 – 1971.
It
had the body from a standard. The tires, rear end and transmission
were from an automatic. My husband somehow converted it to a
standard. Once it was finally finished, boy could that thing go from
a dead standstill!!
It
took him many months to build it. He had borrowed the neighbor's
garage in order to work on it, as we did not have one of our own. He
would go out every night, after he had worked for 12 hours or more,
and work on my car. I would make his supper and bring it out to him.
Then I would help him for hours, handing him whatever tools he might
need. He spent his whole weekends working on it.
I
could barely wait!!
It
came together piece by piece, fender by fender. It wasn't very pretty
to look at, but it was to be mine. I remember it had a black painted
wood four by four for a back bumper. It had five different colors of
primer on it; black, grey, blue, rust colored and white. It stayed
this way, until we finally sold the car. I always said it was for
conflicting eye-witness reports. lol
Finally
the day came, after several false starts, that my husband got it
going for the first time. That sound was music to my ears!! I wanted
to jump in and drive it right away. My husband had other thoughts. It
wasn't quite done yet. I had to wait.
Luckily,
I didn't have to wait long.
One
evening, I was in the house cleaning the dishes and he came in the
front door of the house. He told me to come outside; he had a
surprise for me.
There
it was, sitting out front of our house!! My first car!!! I was so
excited!!
He
told me to get in and take it for a drive around the block.
I
got in to have my first test drive. There was only the driver's seat
in it at this point. I climbed in and got ready to take off. However
he neglected to tell me that the driver's seat was not yet bolted
down and I ended up head over heels in what was where the back seats
should have been. It was both funny and embarrassing. I suppose it
could have been a lot worse. At least I wasn't driving at a high rate
of speed.
He
told me to wait and went back to get a couple of bolts. After
he had tightened them, I got to try it again.
It
was the most exhilarating feeling. I was so happy, I was grinning
from ear to ear.
Needless
to say the car took a few more days to finish. The seats were finally
installed, the mirrors attached, and the gear shift knob put on. The
finishing touches were made. I had my car!!
Now
you might ask what do the two questions, at beginning of this post,
have to do with this story??
Well,
this is where I will answer:
What
is blind faith?
I
was a young bride. I had only been married for a few months. My
husband, who I had only known for two years, build me my very first
car. When he brought those three wrecked cars home and told me that
he was going to make them into my car, I believed him. Even though I
had never seen him build a car before. I had no idea if he could or
not, but I believed him.
That
was blind faith.
What
does complete trust mean to you?
I
got into that car, and I had absolutely no doubt that it would get me
where I had to go. Really I had no idea if it was put together right
or not. I never questioned it though. I drove it around Calgary for
three years. I even had my baby boy with me, in a baby seat, in the
back. I was certain that my husband knew what he was doing and would
never put me or our baby in harms way.
That
was complete trust.
So,
what do you think blind faith is? What does complete trust mean to
you? Have you ever experienced either?
Ponder this:
Some people here in the Crowsnest Pass have blind faith in our newly elected council, that they will do for the CNP what they say they are going to do??
Others have complete trust in them, that they will do what they promised to do?
Do you think that there is a difference between these two statement's?? Can you see the difference?? Which one are you, if either?
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 2:01 AM
A total lunar eclipse will be visible in the nighttime sky late Dec. 20 and early Dec. 21.
The show will begin at 12:29 a.m. EST for the Western Hemisphere, according to NASA.
In total, the eclipse will last for 72 minutes - at 3:18 a.m. EST, the sun, Earth and moon will be almost exactly in line.
Lunar eclipses occur when the moon passes through the Earth's shadow.
The moon will turn red because of the Earth's atmosphere, which
retracts light onto the moon's surface.
Only people in North and Central America will be able to view the
total eclipse. The next one is due on April 15, 2014.
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Sasha: Posted on Monday, December 06, 2010 1:47 AM
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Saturday, December 04, 2010 4:11 AM
Today's topic is: people who don't do what they say they are going to do, and people who don't return phone calls.
They can also be one and the same person.
Nothing bothers me more than people who don't do what they say they are going to do. Especially when they told you that you can count on them.
They have said to you "Call me. Tell me when to be there. Yes, I'll be there." Then they don't show up. No phone call, no explanation. Nothing.
You leave them a message, and they don't call you back. You end up feeling totally ignored and wondering why.
Could they have not at least called you to let you know that they would not be where they said they would be? Could they have not returned your call afterwards?? What is up with that?
This same person contacts you at a later date, saying that they have something that you might be interested in, and to call them back, as soon as possible. You do. You get an answering machine, you leave a message and then what happens next?? You do not hear from them, again. You try to call them again. This time they answer, but give you a reasonable excuse why they can't talk. They tell you they will return your call the next day. Days go by, no phone call. What is up with that??
Why would THEY call you, ask you to call them, and then not call you back??
They can't be that busy.
Well, let me add a bit more to this story.
Our newly elected council members are a busy lot. I understand that. But are they too busy to follow up with message's left for them?? Days and weeks go by and no response.
Are they really too busy?? (No one is that busy that they can't find 5 minutes to return a phone call).
Is it indifference?? Is it that they got what they wanted by being elected and now they feel no need to have anything to do with the voter's who elected them??
Are some of our newly elected council people just full of hot air?? Were they just spewing a lot of wonderful campaign promises and nothing more??
I personally got to know all of them, some fairly well.
I have tried to work with a couple of them since the election, concerning a few issues that were brought up on the campaign trail.
One has been quite helpful, even though I know he has been very busy. Another has returned my emails with the requested information. Thank you.
The other couple that I have tried to contact, have left me waiting and wondering what happened to them. They have not returned my calls or emails.
Apparently, I am not the only one that this has happened to either.
So I ask of them: What happened to you??
Is this what we are to expect of you?? Is it just going to be more of the same 'ol same 'ol?? Just more of the fat cats getting fatter and the poor getting poorer??
Will it just be more indifference??
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Sasha: Posted on Thursday, December 02, 2010 2:22 AM
Scotiabank’s "Celebration of Hockey Tour" will be making an appearance in the Crowsnest Pass with the Stanley Cup this Saturday December 4th, from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, at the Scotiabank location, in the Crowsnest Mall.
Hockey fans will be able to have their photos taken with this iconic piece of hockey history. The first 200 people will get a professional photo taken with the Stanley Cup. Kristina Bedward Photography will be on site, as the official photographer for the event.
http://www.facebook.com/KristinaBPhoto?v=info
The Stanley Cup will be accompanied by historical hockey artifacts showcasing the evolution of the game.
Take the time to drop by and have your picture taken. :-)
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Tuesday, November 30, 2010 1:27 AM
When I was on the campaign trail, I had three people who expressed the same concern. It was about being snowed in. Specifically, what happens here in the Crowsnest Pass, when we have a dump of snow and then the municipality gets out and clears/plows (oh really??) the streets. Today, I experienced the issue first-hand. After the last dump of snow, my daughter had finally shovelled our way out of our driveway. It is a large driveway and is long and hard to shovel. We finally had access to the street. Yay!! Freedom!! Unfortunately, it was very short lived. I had gone out this afternoon to run a few errands. I backed easily out of my driveway and onto the road. A road, I have to say, that was pretty clear, after they had plowed it last week. I happily went on my way. It was not until I returned home, that I saw the issue, that had been put forth to me during the election campaign. While I was away, the municipality decided to plow my street again. I am still not quite sure why. It was fine the way it was. It was so nice of them, except for one small issue. Anyway, what they accomplished by plowing again, was pushing all the snow from the end of the street, by the lane way where it was piled up, up the street and onto people's lawn and the sidewalks. This also included driveway's, including yes, mine!! My driveway was snowed in again, but ironically not from it snowing. There was a packed two and a half foot high snowdrift, right in front of my driveway. There was no way I was getting back into the driveway anytime soon. I was trapped in the street. The only way in, was to re-shovel all that snow, back into piles on either side of my driveway. This is not a small task. Especially for one person. One person who is not in the very best of health or physically fit either. It is a hard job. My daughter was not home yet and I was out-of-luck. It was also later in the day, the sun was going down, the wind had picked up. At this point, I was mad and frustrated. My thoughts immediately went to the three people who had complained of the very same thing to me, during the election. They said that every year they get plowed in, time after time, and are held hostage until some well meaning person can dig them out. Sometimes it can be days before this happens. One of them is elderly, another is severely limited physically and the third has a bad back. So what happens when they need to leave? What happens when there is an emergency? Do they have to wait while someone digs a path to their house? This is an issue that really needs to be addressed. What happens to these people when they get plowed or snowed in?? Healthy young teens are not always readily available to do the work. I was lucky today. My neighbour's teenage son and his friend were home. They shovelled me out for a price. But what about those that are not so lucky? Who's helping them??? And just what is the policy about plowing snow in front of driveway's?? That's my rant today. I want some answers. If and when I find them, I will let you know. In the meantime, if you know of a neighbour on your block (or anywhere for that matter), who is either elderly or infirm, do them a good deed and shovel them out. They will be very grateful. Be a secret helper and a good samaritan. You will feel better for it, too. What kind of shoveller are you?? |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Friday, November 12, 2010 5:38 AM
Wow!! Yes, it is that time again. It seems that it is getting earlier and earlier every year!! It is the beginning of the Christmas season, in the Crowsnest Pass. Today, Friday November 12th, 2010, starts the beginning of this shopping season. The Crowsnest Pass Chamber of Commerce presents "Community Pride Night". Devon Canada is a proud sponsor of this event. The CNP Chamber will be hosting the annual Christmas Parade, starting at 7:00pm. The parade follows the regular route through downtown main street Blairmore. Friday November 12th, 2010 - Businesses and Parks to light up at 5:00 pm
- Late night shopping 5:00 - 10:00 pm
- Parade - 7:00 pm - Starts at Side trax and ends at the Promoter.
- Coupon books available at Participating Merchants for the Christmas and late night promotion
- On Site Radio Promos and Turkey Trotter
- Hot Chocolate, bonfire and music in Gazebo Park
- 50/50 Draw
Many prizes listed in the Coupon Book and in Media. - Entry forms in Coupon Books Blairmore Lions cooking hamburgers in Gazebo Park - Proceeds to go to the CNP Boys & Girls Club Saturday November 13th, 2010 Participating Businesses List: - Gallery of Sight and Sound
- Rexal Drugs
- Bonnies
- Work 'N Play
- Allied Hardware
- Sears
- Neat 'N Nifty
- Pharmasave
- Stone's Throw Cafe
- Chakras
- Copy Magic
- The Gifted Crow
- The greenhill
- Side Trax
- KFC
- Tier One Travel
- Nifty Notions
- A & B Liquor
- Machelle's Memories
- Crowsnest Sewing and Vacuum
- Border Building Materials
Come out and join in the fun!!! |
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Posted on Thursday, November 11, 2010 10:56 AM
Today is the day when Canadians commemorate the sacrifices made by the men and women in our armed forces. What are your memories of wartime? What do you think of Canada's current military role? What does Remembrance Day mean to you? How has wartime affected you and your family? Do you have any relative's who fought in the war? Have you personally lost any relative's during wartime? How do you honor and remember them? Every year on November 11, Canadians pause in a silent moment of remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace. We honour those who fought for Canada in the First World War (1914-1918), the Second World War (1939-1945), and the Korean War (1950-1953), as well as those who have served since then. More than 1,500,000 Canadians have served our country in this way, and more than 100,000 have died. They gave their lives and their futures so that we may live in peace. Why Remember? We must remember. If we do not, the sacrifice of those one hundred thousand Canadian lives will be meaningless. They died for us, for their homes and families and friends, for a collection of traditions they cherished and a future they believed in; they died for Canada. The meaning of their sacrifice rests with our collective national consciousness; our future is their monument. These wars touched the lives of Canadians of all ages, all races, all social classes. Fathers, sons, daughters, sweethearts: they were killed in action, they were wounded, and thousands who returned were forced to live the rest of their lives with the physical and mental scars of war. The people who stayed in Canada also served - in factories, in voluntary service organizations, wherever they were needed. Yet for many of us, war is a phenomenon seen through the lens of a television camera or a journalist's account of fighting in distant parts of the world. Our closest physical and emotional experience may be the discovery of wartime memorabilia in a family attic. But even items such as photographs, uniform badges, medals, and diaries can seem vague and unconnected to the life of their owner. For those of us born during peacetime, all wars seem far removed from our daily lives. We often take for granted our Canadian values and institutions, our freedom to participate in cultural and political events, and our right to live under a government of our choice. The Canadians who went off to war in distant lands went in the belief that the values and beliefs enjoyed by Canadians were being threatened. They truly believed that "Without freedom there can be no ensuring peace and without peace no enduring freedom." By remembering their service and their sacrifice, we recognize the tradition of freedom these men and women fought to preserve. They believed that their actions in the present would make a significant difference for the future, but it is up to us to ensure that their dream of peace is realized. On Remembrance Day, we acknowledge the courage and sacrifice of those who served their country and acknowledge our responsibility to work for the peace they fought hard to achieve. During times of war, individual acts of heroism occur frequently; only a few are ever recorded and receive official recognition. By remembering all who have served, we recognize their willingly-endured hardships and fears, taken upon themselves so that we could live in peace. What Should We Remember? Formal records tell us about the size and strength of armies, military strategy, and the outcome of battles. Such information is vital, yet to fully appreciate military history we must try to understand the human face of war. Loss of comrades, extreme living conditions, intense training, fear, as well as mental, spiritual and physical hardship helps illuminate what the individual sailor, soldier and airman experienced in battle. The First World War 1914-1918 In the First World War, the Canadians' first major battle occurred at Ypres, Belgium, on April 22, 1915, where the Germans used poison gas. As approximately 150 tonnes of chlorine gas drifted over the trenches, Canadian troops held their line and stopped the German advance in spite of enormous casualties. Within 48 hours at Ypres and St. Julien, a third of the Canadians were killed. Using outdated 19th century military strategy, Allied generals believed that sending wave after wave of infantry would eventually overwhelm the enemy. Soaring casualty rates proved that soldiers attacking with rifles and bayonets were no match for German machine guns. Each side dug in and soon the Western Front became a patchwork of trenches in France and Belgium stretching from Switzerland to the North Sea. In April 1917, Canadians helped turn the tide of battle when they won a major victory at Vimy Ridge. This triumph came at high cost: more than ten thousand casualties in six days. Even with this victory, the war continued for more than a year. Finally, on November 11, 1918, the Armistice was signed and the Canadians took part in the triumphant entry into Mons, Belgium. Throughout this conflict, Canadians proved that they could pull their weight, and by their effort earned for Canada, a new place among the nations of the world. The Second World War 1939-1945 During the Second World War, Canadians fought valiantly on battlefronts around the world. More than one million men and women enlisted in the navy, the army and the air force. They were prepared to face any ordeal for the sake of freedom. When the war was over, more than 42,000 had given their lives. On the home front as well, Canadians were active as munitions workers, as civil defence workers, as members of voluntary service organizations, and as ordinary citizens doing their part for the war effort. In December 1941, Canadian soldiers were participants in the unsuccessful defence of Hong Kong against the Japanese; 493 were wounded and 557 were killed in battle or at the hands of the Japanese as prisoners-of-war (POWs). The situation faced by the Canadian POWs was horrible; they laboured long hours and were given very little to eat. The daily diet was rice - a handful for each prisoner. Occasionally, a concoction of scavenged potato peelings, carrot tops and buttercups was brewed. Canadians played a leading role on the European front. On August 19, 1942, Canadians attacked the French port of Dieppe. Canadians made up almost 90 per cent of the assault force. The raid was a disaster. Out of a force of 4,963 Canadians, 3,367 were killed, wounded, or became POWs. Canadians played an essential role as the war continued. They participated in the conquest of Sicily in 1943, and defeated the Nazis in Italy despite fierce resistance especially at Ortona and Rimini. On June 6, 1944, D-Day, Canadians were in the front lines of the Allied forces who landed on the coast of Normandy. All three Canadian services (Navy, Army, and Air Force) shared in the assault. In Normandy, the fighting was fierce, and the losses were heavy. Approximately 14,000 Canadians landed on Juno Beach and suffered 1,074 casualties (including 359 fatalities). Canadians encountered fierce resistance from the German occupiers as they fought through Northwest Europe, particularly at Caen and Falaise, France, as well as the formidable task of clearing the English Channel ports in France and Belgium. They also saved the Allied advance from stalling by defeating the Nazis in the Scheldt estuary of Belgium and Holland - intense fighting over flooded terrain. In May 1945, victory in Europe became a reality and millions celebrated V-E Day. Still ahead lay the final encounter with Japan. Then, on August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later, a second bomb destroyed Nagasaki. On August 14, 1945, the Japanese accepted the Allied terms of unconditional surrender and the Second World War was over. The Korean War 1950-1953 The hard-fought end to the Second World War did not provide Canadian troops with a long peace. By 1950, Canadian soldiers were mobilized on behalf of the United Nations (UN) to defend South Korea against an invasion by North Korea. By 1951, the People's Republic of China had joined North Korea against the UN force. In Korea, the Canadians fought at Kapyong, at Chail-li, in the advance across the Imjin River, and in the patrolling of the Chorwon Plain. When the hostilities ended in 1953, Canadians stayed as part of the peacekeeping force. The conditions in Korea were often difficult, with harsh weather, rough terrain, and an elusive and skillful enemy. In their own camp, they had to deal with casualties, illness and limited medical facilities. The winter of 1951 was especially severe. They were living twenty-four hours a day in trenches, which provided some protection but little comfort. Altogether, 26,791 Canadians served in the Korean War and another 7,000 served between the cease-fire and the end of 1955 when Canadian soldiers were repatriated home. There were 1,558 casualties, 516 fatal. While Canada's contribution formed only a small part of the total United Nations effort, on a per-capita basis, it was larger than most of the other nations in the UN force. "It (Canada's participation in Korea) also marked a new stage in Canada's development as a nation. Canadian action in Korea was followed by other peacekeeping operations which have seen Canadian troops deployed around the world in new efforts to promote international freedom and maintain world peace." From all of these records of wars, the observations of the individuals who took part stand out as reminders of the true nature of conflict. Through knowledge of the realities, we may work more diligently to prevent them from happening again. How Do We Remember? On November 11, especially, but also throughout the year, we have the opportunity to remember the efforts of these special Canadians. In remembering, we pay homage to those who respond to their country's needs. On November 11, we pause for two minutes of silent tribute, and we attend commemorative ceremonies in memory of our war dead. Following the First World War a French woman, Madame E. Guérin, suggested to British Field-Marshall Earl Haig that women and children in devastated areas of France could produce poppies for sale to support wounded Veterans. The first of these poppies were distributed in Canada in November of 1921, and the tradition has continued ever since, both here and in many parts of the world. Poppies are worn as the symbol of remembrance, a reminder of the blood-red flower that still grows on the former battlefields of France and Belgium. During the terrible bloodshed of the second Battle of Ypres in the spring of 1915, Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, a doctor serving with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, wrote of these flowers which lived on among the graves of dead soldiers: In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
- John McCrae
The flowers and the larks serve as reminders of nature's ability to withstand the destructive elements of war by men, a symbol of hope in a period of human despair. In Canada, traditionally the poppies which we wear were made by disabled Veterans. They are reminders of those who died while fighting for peace: we wear them as reminders of the horrors of conflict and the preciousness of the peace they fought hard to achieve. The two minutes of silence provide another significant way of remembering wartime while thinking of peace. Two minutes are scarcely enough time for thought and reflection. As we pause and bow our heads, we remember those brave men and women who courageously volunteered for the cause of freedom and peace. For those who lived through these wars, remembering means thinking of comrades. It evokes memories of men and women who never returned home. Those born after the wars might picture the youthful soldiers who eagerly joined up from high schools, businesses and farms across the country, only to meet death while fighting against the enemy. They may imagine the anguish of a man leaving a new wife, a young family, an elderly mother. The important thing for all of us to remember is that they fought to preserve a way of life, Canadian values, and the freedom we enjoy today and often take for granted. Remember that the silence is to honour their sacrifice and memory.
There are memorials to commemorate the service of Canadian troops in Canada and overseas. The National War Memorial in Ottawa was originally designed to recognize those who served in the First World War. It has been rededicated to symbolize the sacrifice made by Canadians in the Second World War, in Korea, and in subsequent peacekeeping missions. The National War Memorial symbolizes the unstinting and courageous way Canadians give their service when values they believe in are threatened.
Advancing together through a large archway are figures representing the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who have answered the call to serve; at the top of the arch are two figures, emblems of peace and freedom. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located next to the National War Memorial and contains the remains of an unknown Canadian First World War soldier who was exhumed from a cemetery near Vimy Ridge. The Tomb and its Unknown Soldier represents all Canadians, whether they be navy, army, air force or merchant marine, who died or may die for their country in all conflicts - past, present, and future. The Books of Remembrance which lie in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower are another record of the wars. In addition, most cities and towns across the country have dedicated a monument, a building, or a room to their native sons and daughters who gave their lives. These commemorative locations are an enduring record of the losses suffered by communities as Canadians went forward to fight for what they believed was right. One day every year, we pay special homage to those who died in service to their country. We remember these brave men and women for their courage and their devotion to ideals. We wear poppies, attend ceremonies, and visit memorials. For one brief moment of our life, we remember why we must work for peace every day of the year. - Source: Veterans Affairs Canada |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Saturday, November 06, 2010 8:39 PM
It's only 49 more days until Christmas/Yule. That means it's only 48 more shopping days. I have created a poll for the following question. Where do you do your Christmas shopping? |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Thursday, November 04, 2010 2:26 AM
Where did the time go?? It's only 52 more days until Christmas/Yule. That means it's only 51 more shopping days. I am curious... First, how many of you will respond to and answer this question? Second, and most important..... Where do you do your Christmas shopping? Do you try to shop locally? Do you do all your shopping locally? Do you do mail order? Do you shop from Ebay? Do you go to Pincher Creek (ie: Wal-Mart) to do your shopping? Do you do some of it in Lethbridge or Calgary? Do you do all of it in the city? Do you do a combination of local and city shopping? Do you do a combination of "other" places for your shopping? If so, where? Is it important to you to shop locally? If you do not shop locally, is it because there is not enough choice? If you could have more selection, would you do all your shopping locally? I hope that I will get a lot of people to respond to this. The answers are the basis to some more questions I have for the people of the Crowsnest Pass. So please, come on and give me your responses, either with your name or anonymously. |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Tuesday, November 02, 2010 8:36 PM
Well, I guess I am just as guilty of having nothing to say lately.... There really isn't a lot to say about our new council yet. They were sworn in last week. Committee Appointments have been made. The first regular council meeting was tonight. I have been just sitting back watching and letting the new council settle into their respective roles. As we all know, everything happens in it's own time. Here are the 2010 - 2011 Council Committee Appointments - AAMDC - Mayor Decoux Affordable Housing - Councillor Gallant Agricultural Services Board - Councillor Saindon Alberta Southwest Regional Alliance - Mayor Decoux Assessment Appeal - Councillors Gallant, Lonsbury, Gail (2011 if no regional board in place) CN/PC Waste Management - Councillors Gail, Lonsbury, Gallant CNP Senior Housing - Councillors Gail, Lonsbury Crowsnest Advisory Ad-hoc Action Committee - Councillors Gail, Lonsbury, Gallant Culture and Recreation - Councillor Saje Family & Community Support Services - Councillor Lonsbury Governance & Priorities Committee - All Library & C.A.R.L.S. - Councillor Saindon* Management Negotiating Committee - Councillor Mitchell, Mayor Decoux Mayors & Reeves - Mayor Decoux Municipal Heritage Board - Councillor Gallant Oldman River Regional Services Commission (ORRSC) - Councillors Mitchell, Lonsbury * Protective Services - Councillor Mitchell Ski Hill Authority - Councillor Saje Snowmobile/Trails - Councillor Saje Spray Lakes Public Advisory Committee - Councillor Saindon Subdivision & Development Appeal - Councillor Gallant* Subdivision & Development Authority - Councillors Saje, Mitchell * MAYOR IS EX OFFICIO ON ALL BOARDS & COMMITTEES EXCEPT DESIGNATED (*) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Old Bellevue Cemetery clean-up happened last Saturday. There were just four of us there. I was a little disappointed that more people didn't care enough to show up. There was a lot to do. The trees that were over-hanging the grave sites and fallen down, were pruned and branches taken down. (Thank you - Brian Gallant, for that) The branches were then moved and piled into one spot for later disposal. (Thank you to Brian, Guy Baird and Cassidy Gustavson, for that) The strange piles of dirt, that were scattered everywhere, were raked out and levelled to the ground. (A BIG thanks to Cassidy for doing a lot of that back-breaking work) Beer cans, bottles and broken glass were picked up and disposed of. There are still many piles of horse crap everywhere. This is both disgusting and disgraceful. How could anyone let their horses graze there. It is a sacred place. A place that should denote respect. Shame on whoever has let this atrocity happen. You should be made to clean it all up!! We ran out of steam and time, or we would have cleaned up the horse mess ourselves. The cemetery is actually quite large and it would have taken a whole team of many more people, than what we actually had, and an entire day, to do everything that needed to be done. Plans are to go back and finish, as time and weather permits. We are still waiting to hear who is directly responsible for the upkeep and repair of this Old Bellevue cemetery. Several people have been notified of the condition of it, and have promised to pass the issue along to the right people. In the mean time, we will still do what we can to finish cleaning it up. Anyone still wishing to help or provide their services, can contact me, or can go out their themselves and do some of the work. Good Samaritans are always appreciated. Things that still need to be done: - Horse droppings need to be cleaned up and removed.
- Still some piles of dirt need to be spread and levelled.
- Refuse pile needs to be hauled away.
- Main gate needs to be fixed - top set of hinges is broken.
- Numerous other fences need repairing.
- Several headstones need replacing and repairing.
- Over-all entire ground needs to be levelled and lower spots need to be raised up, to prevent further flooding.
- Sunken sites need to be raised up, to level of the rest surrounding ground.
- It would be nice to see a couple of benches put out there.
Well, that is the update for today. Stay tuned for more. |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Saturday, October 30, 2010 12:45 AM
As All Hallow's Eve is just about upon us, I thought you might like a little Hallowe'en History lesson. Halloween - The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows Halloween had its beginnings in an ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of the dead. The Celtic peoples, who were once found all over Europe, divided the year by four major holidays. According to their calendar, the year began on a day corresponding to November 1st on our present calendar. The date marked the beginning of winter. Since they were pastoral people, it was a time when cattle and sheep had to be moved to closer pastures and all livestock had to be secured for the winter months. Crops were harvested and stored. The date marked both an ending and a beginning in an eternal cycle. The festival observed at this time was called Samhain (pronounced Sah-ween). It was the biggest and most significant holiday of the Celtic year. The Celts believed that at the time of Samhain, more so than any other time of the year, the ghosts of the dead were able to mingle with the living, because at Samhain the souls of those who had died during the year travelled into the otherworld. People gathered to sacrifice animals, fruits, and vegetables. They also lit bonfires in honour of the dead, to aid them on their journey, and to keep them away from the living. On that day all manner of beings were abroad: ghosts, fairies, and demons--all part of the dark and dread. Samhain became the Halloween we are familiar with when Christian missionaries attempted to change the religious practices of the Celtic people. In the early centuries of the first millennium A.D., before missionaries such as St. Patrick and St. Columcille converted them to Christianity, the Celts practiced an elaborate religion through their priestly caste, the Druids, who were priests, poets, scientists and scholars all at once. As religious leaders, ritual specialists, and bearers of learning, the Druids were not unlike the very missionaries and monks who were to Christianize their people and brand them evil devil worshippers. As a result of their efforts to wipe out "pagan" holidays, such as Samhain, the Christians succeeded in effecting major transformations in it. In 601 A.D. Pope Gregory the First issued a now famous edict to his missionaries concerning the native beliefs and customs of the peoples he hoped to convert. Rather than try to obliterate native peoples' customs and beliefs, the pope instructed his missionaries to use them: if a group of people worshipped a tree, rather than cut it down, he advised them to consecrate it to Christ and allow its continued worship. In terms of spreading Christianity, this was a brilliant concept and it became a basic approach used in Catholic missionary work. Church holy days were purposely set to coincide with native holy days. Christmas, for instance, was assigned the arbitrary date of December 25th because it corresponded with the mid-winter celebration of many peoples. Likewise, St. John's Day was set on the summer solstice. Samhain, with its emphasis on the supernatural, was decidedly pagan. While missionaries identified their holy days with those observed by the Celts, they branded the earlier religion's supernatural deities as evil, and associated them with the devil. As representatives of the rival religion, Druids were considered evil worshippers of devilish or demonic gods and spirits. The Celtic underworld inevitably became identified with the Christian Hell. The effects of this policy were to diminish but not totally eradicate the beliefs in the traditional gods. Celtic belief in supernatural creatures persisted, while the church made deliberate attempts to define them as being not merely dangerous, but malicious. Followers of the old religion went into hiding and were branded as witches. The Christian feast of All Saints was assigned to November 1st. The day honored every Christian saint, especially those that did not otherwise have a special day devoted to them. This feast day was meant to substitute for Samhain, to draw the devotion of the Celtic peoples, and, finally, to replace it forever. That did not happen, but the traditional Celtic deities diminished in status, becoming fairies or leprechauns of more recent traditions. The old beliefs associated with Samhain never died out entirely. The powerful symbolism of the travelling dead was too strong, and perhaps too basic to the human psyche, to be satisfied with the new, more abstract Catholic feast honoring saints. Recognizing that something that would subsume the original energy of Samhain was necessary, the church tried again to supplant it with a Christian feast day in the 9th century. This time it established November 2nd as All Souls Day--a day when the living prayed for the souls of all the dead. But, once again, the practice of retaining traditional customs while attempting to redefine them had a sustaining effect: the traditional beliefs and customs lived on, in new guises. All Saints Day, otherwise known as All Hallows (hallowed means sanctified or holy), continued the ancient Celtic traditions. The evening prior to the day was the time of the most intense activity, both human and supernatural. People continued to celebrate All Hallows Eve as a time of the wandering dead, but the supernatural beings were now thought to be evil. The folk continued to propitiate those spirits (and their masked impersonators) by setting out gifts of food and drink. Subsequently, All Hallows Eve became Hallow Evening, which became Hallowe'en--an ancient Celtic, pre-Christian New Year's Day in contemporary dress. Many supernatural creatures became associated with All Hallows. In Ireland fairies were numbered among the legendary creatures who roamed on Halloween. An old folk ballad called "Allison Gross" tells the story of how the fairy queen saved a man from a witch's spell on Halloween. O Allison Gross, that lives in yon tower
the ugliest witch int he North Country...
She's turned me into an ugly worm
and gard me toddle around a tree...
But as it fell out last Hallow even
When the seely [fairy] court was riding by,
the Queen lighted down on a gowany bank
Not far from the tree where I wont to lie...
She's change me again to my own proper shape
And I no more toddle about the tree. In old England cakes were made for the wandering souls, and people went "a' soulin'" for these "soul cakes." Halloween, a time of magic, also became a day of divination, with a host of magical beliefs: for instance, if persons hold a mirror on Halloween and walk backwards down the stairs to the basement, the face that appears in the mirror will be their next lover. Virtually all present Halloween traditions can be traced to the ancient Celtic day of the dead. Halloween is a holiday of many mysterious customs, but each one has a history, or at least a story behind it. The wearing of costumes, for instance, and roaming from door to door demanding treats can be traced to the Celtic period and the first few centuries of the Christian era, when it was thought that the souls of the dead were out and around, along with fairies, witches, and demons. Offerings of food and drink were left out to placate them. As the centuries wore on, people began dressing like these dreadful creatures, performing antics in exchange for food and drink. This practice is called "mumming", from which the practice of trick-or-treating evolved. To this day, witches, ghosts, and skeleton figures of the dead are among the favorite disguises. Halloween also retains some features that harken back to the original harvest holiday of Samhain, such as the customs of bobbing for apples and carving vegetables, as well as the fruits, nuts, and spices cider associated with the day.  Today Halloween is becoming once again and adult holiday or masquerade, like mardi Gras. Men and women in every disguise imaginable are taking to the streets of big American cities and parading past grinningly carved, candlelit jack o'lanterns, re- enacting customs with a lengthy pedigree. Their masked antics challenge, mock, tease, and appease the dread forces of the night, of the soul, and of the otherworld that becomes our world on this night of reversible possibilities, inverted roles, and transcendency. In so doing, they are reaffirming death and its place as a part of life in an exhilarating celebration of a holy and magic evening. Jack Santino - September 1982 |
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Posted on Friday, October 29, 2010 9:18 PM
A few of us are meeting at 1:00 p.m., at the old Bellevue Cemetery. Anyone wishing to help volunteer can join us there. The more the merrier, the faster it will go. Bring your own work/garden gloves. Directions: from main street Bellevue, go towards east Bellevue, travel on 27th Avenue until 215th street (turn left), then left again on Larch Avenue (27th Ave), follow up gravel road to cemetery. You can't miss it. See here for google directions. If you have any troubles, call me at 403-563-6073. Thank you in advance. |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Wednesday, October 27, 2010 4:22 AM
I am happy to report that some wonderful people have stepped forward to offer their help, to clean up the Old Bellevue Cemetery. We will be going out on Saturday afternoon at about 1:00 pm (weather-permitting), if anyone else wants to join us. Bring your own garden/work gloves, rake, gas mower or weed eater. If someone has a pickup truck and can haul away some of the wood, that would be helpful. Hot chocolate will be supplied. If you think you might be able to join us, please let me know, so I can have an idea of a head count. I am even more pleased to report that some unknown people have already taken the initiative, gone out there and done some work. I happened to take a drive out to the cemetery today and found this pleasant surprise. There have been some trees and branches already cut down and piled outside of the cemetery. They are ready for further cutting up and disposal. That is what a truck is needed for. I'm not quite sure what all the piles of dirt are about, that are on the ground both inside and outside the cemetery. I would like to get to the bottom of that. Maybe someone was wanting to fill the spots where some of the graves had sunk?? Anyway, the dirt is there for it now. It just needs to be spread around in the appropriate places. Then come Spring, we can spread some grass seed in these spots. I would also like to see if we can get a bench or two placed out there. If someone can donate a bench, that would be awesome!! Or maybe, if someone is handy and can make it a winter project to build one or two benches. Let's try to work together, to make this a nicer place for people to come honor their loved one's. I also have a couple of people who have volunteered their time and help for the coming Spring, as work will again need to be done then and over the Summer. If you can't join us this weekend, but do want to help at some point, please feel free to contact me with your name and contact number and I will add you to the list of volunteers. Thank you for listening and caring, Crowsnest Pass. I know you will have made at least one elderly woman, very happy. In the end, the community, as a whole, will also benefit from this. |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Monday, October 25, 2010 8:44 PM
Funny thing.... Now that the campaigning is over, and everyone has either vented their frustration in various ways or conceded graciously, on their respective blogs, everything seems to have gone pretty much silent. I have been following the individual candidates, on their blogs, since the election began. Everyone had plenty to say when they were campaigning. They complained about everything, from the state of things here in the Pass, and how bad the last council ran things, to how they would fix things, better than any previous council. Some even had some great ideas!! Ideas, I believe, that should be considered. Ideas that, just because that certain candidate didn't get elected, are still valid and promising. But the silence since the election, is deafening. Nobody seems to have anything more to say. It's almost like: "Okay, I didn't win, so why should I bother anymore??" That is SO the wrong attitude. This is the time when you should be trying harder!! Your ideas were valid then, they are still valid now. Listen up council candidates: We still need your help. Your input. Your thoughts and your ideas. These are the things that will help the Crowsnest Pass grow and flourish. We need people to stay involved. Our community is based on it's volunteers and the generousity and help of other's. Don't be discouraged just because you didn't win. If you continue to bring forth those ideas, you still win. The whole community wins. The next three years are going to be hard years for the new council. Rome wasn't built in a day. It most certainly didn't take a day to tear down and build back up again either. Everything takes time. Even fixing the current condition of the Pass. In fact, I hope that the voters don't expect the newly elected council to "fix" the woes of the Crowsnest Pass, overnight. Give them time. They have three years to locate and start to fix the problems, implement new ideas, and try to get us headed in a positive direction. I believe, that if the people who were willing to step forward and put their names forth, to run in the election, still try to help out in their various ways, then things will move forward faster and easier for the new council. If these same candidates put a fraction of the time, that they were willing to do, when they thought they might get elected, to help out around our community, then I believe that things will, in fact, look very good for the future of the Crowsnest Pass. So..... Where did you go??? What happened to you??? Does that mean that nobody has anything to say or contribute, anymore?? I wrote a Blog, a few night's ago, about an issue that one lady had, who I had encountered during the election process. It was a small issue, but an important one. It was important to her, but should have been just as important to many of us. It was an issue about something that should have been simple to correct. In fact, a few volunteers and a few man hours, here and there, and it would become a non-issue. It was a community issue. As a community, we should have stepped up to the plate and done something about it. I offered to organize it. I said I would do what I could to get the issue addressed. I asked for people to contact me. I asked for the good people, of the beautiful place we call home, to give a little of their time and help out. I posted about it on here, on Facebook, on other candidate's Blogs and even emailed people that I knew. I even went to far as to send out an email to all of the council candidates (elected and not elected) asking for their help, time, expertise or input with this issue. So what happened?? I got one reply. ONE!!!!!!!!!! Can you believe it?!?! I don't mind telling you who it was either. It was Brian Gallant. Thank you Brian!! You truly are a good man. Brian offered to come out, spend some time and bring some of his tools, to try to help fix this issue. He thought that we may be able to get some other's to come out too. I though that more would contact me or him in the mean time. Well, guess what?!?! We were wrong!!! Nobody!! Nothing!! Not one single soul. So I ask you now.... Is this just more of the same apathy that we seem famous for?? A non-caring, someone else will do it, not me attitude, that seems to plague us here in the Pass. I hang my head in shame. Shame for the people who don't seem to care enough to step forward!! So, now that you have heard about the issue again, what are you going to do about it?? I'm still up for organizing it and going out to do it. But we need more than just two people. One, a very busy newly elected councillor and one, a middle-aged, out-of-shape and over-weight busy mom. We are only two people and can only do so much with our time and physical limitations. I can only hope that reiterating this again, this may inspire some to get a hold of me, including the council candidates. I hope that it will also prompt the very same candidates to bring those wonderful ideas, thoughts and suggestions forth, that they had during the election process. Personally, I have lots of ideas. Many of these ideas, a lot of people thought were very good ideas. I plan on trying to get as many of these ideas, as I can, into being more than just ideas. Look forward to hearing more from me, over the next three years!!! |
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Posted on Saturday, October 23, 2010 9:21 PM
I was recently contacted by a reporter for the Crowsnest Pass Promoter. He asked me for an approximate 200 word paragraph, about what I felt about democracy here in the Pass. The following is what I submitted: When honeybees seek a new home, they choose the best site through a democratic process. Scouts are sent out to look for a new site. Once a quality site is found, a scout will advise the other scouts, who will in turn, come and judge it for themselves. The most popular site is chosen when the number of bees visiting it reaches a critical threshold. Humans can learn much about democratic decision-making by looking at bees. If the members of a group have common interests, such as the bees in a swarm, then the keys to good collective decision-making are to ensure the group contains diverse members and an impartial leader -- and conducts open debates. I believe that the democratic process is alive and well, here in the Crowsnest Pass. I truly feel that we have now turned a huge page. We have already decided in favor of change. We have a new Mayor and an almost all new council. This new council seems to be comprised of very diverse members. We will soon see if it also has an impartial leader. Personally, I have had the pleasure to meet all of them and spend some time with most of them, during the election process. They all seem to be very competent people. I wish this new council all the very best. I'm sure that they will take the Crowsnest Pass forward into a brand new and brighter future! My congratulations to all of you!! - Sasha JaegerBaird |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Friday, October 22, 2010 3:14 AM
Up a rut ridden, winding road, in northwest Bellevue, there is a seemingly forgotten place. It is an overgrown cemetery. Some of you know of it. Some of you may have even ventured there. Some, may have even stumbled across it by accident. Whatever the case may be, if you have seen it, you know what kind of place it is. At first glance, it seems to be totally frozen in time. With it's overgrown grass and downed trees, it seems to be abandoned. Fragments of headstones line some of the, not so straight anymore, rows. The back rock wall is lined with trees. Mostly growing wildly in every direction. Some of them have fallen over, only to hide the grave markers beneath them. Just about every year, this tiny forgotten place floods. In many places the graves themselves have sunk and left gaping holes in the ground. You have to be careful where you walk, or you could easily find yourself in a prone position. The markers date back until the early 20th century. Many are obviously from a time when sickness and certain mortality have occurred. They share the same year as the date of death. Many others date from 1902 - 1936. They seem to be of such a long time ago. It seems such a sad place. If one looks beyond the fallen trees, knee high grasses, weeds and sunken graves, one starts to notice that this place is not quite as it seemed at first. Spread out, here and there, are more recent plots. Family members and generations of the same family, buried side-by-side. Among these graves, scattered within those tall grasses, is evidence of life. A few flowers, and other tokens of love, are placed quite deliberately at certain markers. People have been here. Some not in the too long ago past. When you take a closer look, you can tell that these visitors have taken the time to rip out the grasses and weeds from their loved one's grave sites. You can imagine them coming to pay their respects, or reconnect with long gone family. Coming to just sit and meditate on the life that once was. It really is a peaceful place. Too bad that is seems so forgotten. On the campaign trail, I was out door-knocking one afternoon. I was talking to the people about the issues. Many, that I talked to, seemed to have the same complaints or concerns. Then I came across a woman who had an unusual issue. She felt that maybe it wasn't important enough to mention. I told her that there were no small issues. If it was important to her, then it was something that I would address. She told me of this cemetery. I knew of it, I had been there before. She told me that she had several family members buried there, against the back wall. She said that every year she and her sister would go out to pick the weeds, clean up what they could and plant some flowers. What upset her was the dilapidated state of the whole site. She told me, that on several occasions, the trees on the back wall had fallen over and onto some of the grave sites. They tried to move them, but the trees were too large and heavy. This lady then told me that she called the municipality to tell them about this. It took several phone calls before she was given any kind of answer. Finally someone from the Municipality went out to check. They called her back and told her that to remove the downed trees from the site, it was gong to cost her at least $750.00. She is on the Old Age Security Pension and has a disability. She told them that she could not afford that kind of cost. Instead they went back out and chopped off a branch and charged her $150.00. What I want to know is: why?? What kind of place do we live in, that would allow this kind of thing to happen in the first place?? Do we not have more respect for the dead. Do we not care about our deceased friends and relatives? Yes, sure they are gone. But why do they need to be forgotten in such a way?? Do we not have some volunteers who could come out once or twice a year, to check this place and clean it up a bit? Cut the grass, remove the fallen trees, fill in the sunken plots and try to replace the pieces of our past that have been scattered?? It is a very sad thing, to think that the Municipality wanted to charge this lady for what should be a service to this community. Are we going to sit idly by and do nothing?? When did we quit caring. Is it out-of-sight, out-of-mind??? Well, I for one, care. I told her so. I made only one campaign promise during this election. That promise was to this lady. I promised her that I would do something to see that this spot was not forgotten. That I would see if I could get people to care enough, to come out and right the wrongs that have been done to this place. I told her that I was sure that the people of the Crowsnest Pass cared enough, that once they heard of her story, and the plight of this beautiful but neglected location, they would come out and try to do the right thing. So..... Anyone, everyone, someone..... Please contact me. Call me. Email me. Message me on here or on Facebook. Let's make a plan. Let's get together and do something. We can do it as a group, individually, or as a community. We can make a difference. It's just not for this lady, but for everyone. It's for the past friends and loved one's who have been buried there. It's for the future friends and relatives who might one day be placed there. It is for ourselves, our family's and our community. We should remember the past. We need to remember all those who went on before us. They are our legacy, our history and our heritage. Our children are losing this sense of who we are. Let's stop that, before they don't even know who the great pioneers are, who made this place, so that we could call it our home. So pick up the phone, or use your computer. Contact me. Let's make a day of it. It'll go faster if we do it as a team!! Volunteer a bit of your time, your day or your expertise. I am waiting to hear from you. I can't do it all alone. Help me make that promise happen. |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2010 10:29 PM
What a way to wake up!! One minute I'm sound asleep and the next, I am waking up to a loud security alarm wailing downstairs. I bolt upright, jump out of the bed and bound down the stairs. I run to the wall alarm and punch in my pass code. It reads that the number 2 key fob has triggered the police alarm. I look toward the door and see that it's still closed. So the first question is, where is my youngest son?? He is the owner of the number two key fob, and I know that he is not at home. Second question is, are the police on their way?? I open the front door in time to find my youngest son calmly sauntering up the driveway. He stares at what must have been my wild looking eyes and still pj'd state and asks " what's up??". I breathed out a huge sigh of relief. I then calmed down enough to ask him if he accidentally triggered the alarm. He asked why and says that he might have. I explain what just happened and then suddenly realize that the police might still be on their way. I rush back upstairs in enough time to hear my phone stop running. I realize that the alarm company has already called me once. I call them back, give them the pass code and then am told that the police still might be coming out. Yup. They arrive soon after. The police officer asks me if everything is alright. I tell her that I am perfectly fine and begin to explain what had happened. She then asks if I am being held at gun point and being made to say that. I laugh and tell her no, that everything is fine. I thank her and she goes on her way. So, I realize the following things.... First, my son needs to be much more careful with his keys. His mom just about had a heart attack. Second, it's nice to know that my alarm company is on the ball. Third, it's great to know that our fine men and women of the R.C.M.P. are on the ball and at the scene within minutes. Fourth, I need to start talking my phone with me when I rush downstairs. I could have avoided the police arriving with their hands on their guns. Fifth, if this had been an actual break in, bounding down the stairs in my pj's, was probably not the best decision. What a way to start the day!!! It could only go up from there. lol |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2010 12:40 PM
Well, it was day after the election and time to take a much needed rest. The first thing I got to do that I haven't in quite awhile, I slept in. Yes, it was a much needed and deserved luxury. I enjoyed every minute of it, even if I could only remember a few dream fragments. Then it was up and at it, as time waits for no man, or woman. There were signs to take down. Funny thing, as I reflect upon that for a moment. It took me five days, over two weeks and many many (wo)man hours to design the signs, make them up, put them up in strategic places and then check on them regularly for wind damage, disappearance, vandalism, and just to see if they were still where I have put them. Some had even mysteriously moved up to a whole block from where they had been initially placed. Weird!?! Then, sadly, it took my son and I only 3 hours to take them down. I say sadly, because it reminded me of what was not to be. But I do not begrudge any single moment of my running for council. I enjoyed every thing about it. Even the long hours and lack of sleep. Why?? Because I got to meet many new faces and get reacquainted with many other's. If I missed meeting you, it wasn't for lack of trying. It was a long campaign process. It taught me a lot. Most of it made me realize how much I love this community and what it has to offer. The Crowsnest Pass is a beautiful place. From it's pristine rivers and lakes to it's magnificent mountains. It is the best place to live!! After spending 29 years living in a city of over a million, you can appreciate coming home to a place such as this. It made me realize how much I miss small town living. No noise, light or air pollution. It is just clear skies, and stars as far as the eye can see, at night. It is quiet solitude and peaceful living. And the people are warm, friendly and welcoming. I can say that I am trying glad and proud to live here. All this was very apparent during the campaign process. I was invited into homes, and warmly embraced by strangers. I was hugged by children and was met with approval by many an animal. I also made many new friend's. It was both touching and heartfelt. Thank you Crowsnest Pass for your support. I promise you this, you have not heard the last of me. Stay tuned here for my daily Blogs of happenings in and around the Crowsnest Pass. |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Tuesday, October 19, 2010 4:20 AM
Dear Friends & Neighbors, Tax-Payers & Voters, Supporters & Volunteers; to the Wonderful People of the Crowsnest Pass: Thank you so very much for your support, generosity and help. It has been a pleasure to get to know those of you who I only just met during this campaign process. I have made quite a few new friends. It has been wonderful to renew old friendships and acquaintances. It has been great to work with my wonderful group of campaign volunteer's. A BIG thank you, to all of you. I really hope that all of you will continue to drop by my Blog and my website. I don't plan to drop out of sight, now that the election is over. I will remain in the publics view, by my being involved in various areas in and around the Crowsnest Pass. Feel free to stop me and say hello. I am leaving this website up and running. I will still continue to write a daily Blog. I will also keep you updated and informed, of council's plans and actions, over the next three years. I believe that we have turned a huge page here in the Crowsnest Pass. We have already decided in favor of change. We have a new Mayor and an almost all new council. I have had the pleasure to meet them all and spend some time with most of them. They seem to be very competent people. I'm sure that they will take the Pass forward into a brand new and brighter future!! (Unofficially) This NEW council is comprised of our new Mayor: Bruce Decoux, and the 6 Councillors: Jerry Lonsbury, Andrew Saje, Brian Gallant, Larry Mitchell, Emile Saindon and Siegbert Gail. Congratulations to all of you!! As I plan to run again in October of 2013, I will leave most of my information available here, for anyone who wishes to read it. I will update this site, as needed, as time goes on. Please still feel free to contact me with any issues, concerns and ideas that you may have for or about the Crowsnest Pass. As I said during my campaign, my door will always be open, my phone always on. That door will just not be situated in the Municipal Building. I still feel strongly that our council needs a female voice. In fact, I believe that we need at least one woman on council. Two would be better. That is one reason why I plan to run again. I don't want to offend any men here, but there are good reasons to have women sitting on council. Women look at things differently than men. They react differently and process things differently. They do not posture with each other. They do not generally compete with each other or one up each other for a position of power. Women tend to have a calming effect on things. They are the nurturers. They see things from a whole different perspective then men. They think differently than men. Women are used to multi-tasking and still making effective choices. They can balance council out. This is why you can count on me, to run again, in October of 2013. Sasha JaegerBaird For Council |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Tuesday, October 19, 2010 3:06 AM
Mayor: Bruce Decoux 1982 John Prince 387 John Salus 343 Councillors: Steve Bottrell 172 David Cole 467 Siegbert Gail 926 Brian Gallant 1410 Doreen Glavin 882 George Hoff 629 John Irwin 687 Sasha JaegerBaird 581 Jerry Lonsbury 1782 Ian MacLeod 412 Larry Mitchell 1028 Douglas Raines 452 Emile Saindon 1006 Andrew Saje 1550 Merle Sandau 369 Gail Sygutek 619 Jamie Thomson 335 Donald J.R. Vaters 139 Dean Ward 554 In Order of Number of Votes: Jerry Lonsbury 1782 Andrew Saje 1550 Brian Gallant 1410 Larry Mitchell 1028 Emile Saindon 1006 Siegbert Gail 926 Doreen Glavin 882 John Irwin 687 George Hoff 629 Gail Sygutek 619 Sasha JaegerBaird 581 Dean Ward 554 David Cole 467 Douglas Raines 452 Ian MacLeod 412 Merle Sandau 369 Jamie Thomson 335 Steve Bottrell 172 Donald J.R. Vaters 139 Thank you to everyone who got out and voted in this election. Your vote made a BIG difference!! The Crowsnest Pass was obviously ready for change!! A very big thank you to all who voted for me and who supported me. I plan to run again in three years time. I still think we need women on council. Also, I will continue my daily blogs and be as involved in council as I can be. I will do my best to keep them honest!! Stay tuned for many more updates and blogs...... |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Monday, October 18, 2010 6:22 AM
Time to get out and VOTE!! This may just be one of the most important elections in CNP history!! Change is happening. We already know that will have a new mayor. Who will get your vote for Mayor?? Will we have more of the same "old school" governance as the last 20 plus years??? Do we want a mayor who thinks that the way to run things is ALL by "policy"?? Policy is good, but it is not everything. We have to consider thinking "outside the box", if we want to bring the Crowsnest Pass into the future. Do we want a Mayor who already has a tarnished history on council?? Actions speak louder than words!! What do their recent actions say about them?? Can people change?? Or are they just telling us what they think we want to hear?? Vote for a Mayor who stands for change!! Vote for a Mayor who will works as a "team" with the other members of council!! Vote for leadership and integrity!! The same can be said for the people running for a position of councillor. We want a team who can work together for a common good. We want people of "like mind" and who are on the same page. We want leadership and integrity!! Vote for positive change for the future of the Crowsnest Pass!! Let us move forward into a positive direction!! I hope that you will consider SASHA JAEGERBAIRD For Council!! Thank you all very much for your support. If elected, I will be your voice on council!! I will make your vote count!! |
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Posted on Saturday, October 16, 2010 10:09 PM
Monday is Election Day. Three people are running for Mayor. There are nineteen candidates running for council. It should be an interesting outcome. We already know one thing for sure. Change has already happened. We will have a new Mayor!! We can only hope that this new leader is not a recycled version of the past. Personally, I just hope the candidates that are running realize the seriousness of this position. I hope they realize that this is a real long-term commitment. I've heard it can be a thankless job. Personally that doesn't scare me off. I'm ready for it. My life has prepared me for it. For me, it's the next logical step. I just worry that some of the other's think it will be a walk in the park. In reality, becoming part of a new council right now, will most likely be the hardest thing that the most people will ever do. Especially if there are a lot of new people. There is a huge mess in this community that needs to be cleaned up. Years of apathy on behalf of some council members, manipulation by other's, and a general unwillingness to stand up and say "enough is enough", has given us a very dysfunctional council. And an unhealthy home. They are like a family in some ways. An extremely dysfunctional family. There is the father head of the family, who really doesn't wear the pants. The mother figure, (using the term "mother" very loosely) who does in fact wear the pants and never lets the father forget it. The twin sons who mirror each other's actions, have serious father issues and are momma's boys at heart. The black sheep child, who spends time brooding in a corner. The weird uncle. Finally the grandfather, who remembers the good old days, wishes things could be that way again, but is helpless to do anything about it. That's our present council in a nutshell. I hope, if some of the same council members get in again, they will be able to get some much needed social skills therapy. Maybe learn how to "play nice" and share the toys (I mean vote). Let's hope the new council member's are better adjusted individuals. If some of the old council get in again, we can only pray that this becomes a much happier blended family. If elected, I know I look forward to working with some of the current candidates. I get good vibes from some of them. Even though I don't know very many of them, from what I have read, heard and learned about them, I feel that we could have a good bunch of people leading us into the future. I hope that we just don't have a bunch of nuts waiting in the wings, ready to jump into the life-raft, at the last minute. It only has room for so many, and I think that it is at capacity now. If a better choice comes along, we might have to toss someone out of the raft. Unfortunately this community's boat went down awhile ago. It's up to the incoming council to row to shore and start building back a bigger, better and stronger boat. One that will carry us into a much improved and sustainable future. If this offends any of the current council, frankly, just suck it up. Don't be so serious. Learn to laugh at yourself. Besides, I'm not one to mince my words. I tell it like it is. I stand up for what I believe. I listen to what other's have to say and formulate my own opinion. I will not be manipulated like a puppet on a string. I stand for the greater good of all of us, as a whole. This community needs leadership, not a bunch of sheep blindly being lead to slaughter. Council needs leaders, who will take us boldly into the future. For the most part, the feeling I am getting, is that most people agree with me, about the change that is needed. I know that there will be some people that disagree with me. There always have been. I've always managed to handle it with some amount of grace and dignity. That is just me. Opinionated but fair. Strong-minded but not easily manipulated. I am not a people-pleaser to the expense of my own point of view. My own point of view is what makes me so uniquely qualified to be on council. I can see things from all sides and angles. I look at all the possible permutations. There is just never one or two sides to everything. Sometimes there are numerous sides to a situation. They have to be explored and investigated. There is rarely ever one solution to a problem. But do know this, there IS always a solution to a problem. I am very good at discovering just what the best possible solution is. What will benefit the most. That includes benefiting people, situations and what will benefit the long term goals of the community, as a whole. That is who I am. Strong willed and determined. Resourceful and resolute. Caring and empathetic. I can be stubborn but fair. I am a survivor that has faced many situations. This community is facing a situation; an uncertain future. I will use my all of traits to the best of my ability to help take this community into a bright and better future. What you see is who I am. There is no mask I hide behind. I do not put on a front for anyone. I am a real person, faults and all. I have seen tough times in my life, but that just made me stronger, and more determined. It is this determination that will help me be a better council person. Take it or leave it, that's who I am. I just hope that most of you will take the time to get to know me. To see that I completely have the best interests of this community in my heart, and in my head. Just know, I will never be able to please all of you, all of the time. But as along as I am keeping the good of this community at the forefront of everything I do and every decision that I make; then you can rest easy at night, knowing that someone, without a hidden agenda really cares about what happens to the Crowsnest Pass and it's people. If you have an issue, then I want to hear from you. I believe that there are no small issues. If it is important enough to concern you, then it is important to me, to hear you out. My door will always be open, my phone always on. I believe that I am a good choice to represent you on council. Thank you for taking the time to get to know me.Thank you for considering me for a position on council. If elected, I will be your voice on council. I will make your vote count!! Please Vote Sasha JaegerBaird For Council |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Saturday, October 16, 2010 8:09 PM
Stay tuned folks, for later tonight. I have another good Blog coming. I am once again getting up on my soapbox and telling it like I see it!! |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Saturday, October 16, 2010 2:39 AM
I have to preface this here by saying that I have done most of these things, but not all of them. I am making a few of them up, for some much needed humor at this point in the election. I will tell you which one's I have not done. Or maybe I will let you guess.... What NOT To Do While Running In An Election.... - Go out of the house, in the morning, just wearing your pyjamas, to drive your daughter to school. ( I actually have done this one) She was late and I was in a hurry. lol
- Forget to brush your hair in the morning before leaving your house. Getting home and realizing that it sticking straight out in every direction. (See above point, about driving my daughter to school.)
- Do the above two things, while trying to remain anonymous. (Hard to do when you have big signs on your car, with your name on them - opps.)
- Get your hair cut into a mohawk and color what's left of your hair, three or more different colors. (I haven't personally done this - at least not lately. Hey you never know, during an election, it might get you noticed.)
- Order elections signs with the lettering, for your name, the same color as the background. (It looked pretty good online, but not in person, from a distance.)
- Order metal sign stands, to hold your signs. To then try to put them into the ground, when the ground you are trying to put them into, is mostly rock and gravel. (It really doesn't work!! You have to supplement them with wooden stakes anyway, so you should have just not ordered them and gone with the wooden stakes.)
- Still not order metal signs stands, in a place that has winds that gust up to 120kph. (They don't hold up well, and tend to get bent, go missing and break. Thereby still needing the wooden stakes anyway!!)
- Address the candidate running for mayor, by the opposing candidates name. (Only okay, if both of them are named John!!)
- Having your outspoken daughter, who listens attentively to all you have been saying through the campaign process, attend the election candidates forum, and forget to tell her, that if she has anything to say during the evening, remember that it reflects upon her Mother. (I really had no idea she was going to get up and talk, let alone what she was going to say. But she is her mother's daughter and is very obviously quite passionate about her thoughts and feelings. You go girl!! Just next time, write it down first. This way you know what you are going to say, and then you say it the right way. I love you, honey!!)
- Get into a conversation with someone, while on the way to the bathroom, getting sidetracked and walking into the wrong restroom. (Didn't happen to me. Honestly!!)
- Go into the grocery store without a list of things you need. (If you don't have a list, I guarantee you will be back at least twice more, the same day!!!)
- The same point also can be used for the hardware store, The Bargain Shop, and just about anywhere else you have to go during the course of the day. (Campaigning can be hard on the brain matter.)
- Don't leave your house without your cell phone charged. (Without fail, you will be on a very important phone call, with a person who you don't have their number, and your cell phone will die. Let's hope they call back.)
- Don't lend your cell phone to your teenage daughter. (When you get it back, it will need charging. See above point.)
- Don't go out to put up signs on East Hillcrest Drive and forget to check your gas gauge before leaving the house. (Especially when you live in Coleman.)
- Don't plan a Halloween Dress-up Birthday Bowling Party for your teenage daughter, with at least eight of her giggling and hyper girlfriends, the week before the election and the same weekend as Thanksgiving. Especially when you promised to bring your famous layered salad (made 24 hours in advance) and your macaroni with ham & cheese salad, and have to make enough for 14 people. (Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
- Get a new pair of shoes to wear, the same day you go out door knocking for five hours!!
- Don't park you car, with it still running, in drive, while you get out to put up your signs. It may try to get away from you. (This never happened!!)
- Don't park your car, on an upwards hill, in neutral, without the e-brake on, while you get out to put up signs. It may roll back over you. (This didn't happen either!!!)
- Don't get out of your car, lock the doors, try to go into your house (after a long day of door knocking) and realize you just left the keys in the ignition, and the key ring had ALL your keys on it!! (This goes back to: Campaigning can be hard on the brain matter.)
- Don't try to open your second story window, at the same time you are trying to put something underneath it, to hold it open, while one hand is holding the window open and the other hand is trying to place the item underneath it. It will fall out the window, down the roof, while making a loud thunking and clunking noise, and onto the grass below and thus scaring your cats, your daughter and leaving you holding the window. (This is just about the funniest thing that has happened in a long time!! I really got a good laugh. And so did my daughter, once she realized what had happened!!) - What does this have to do with campaigning?? Nothing. But it was funny and I wanted to share it with you!!
- Don't ask anyone to do something for you, that you wouldn't do yourself. Chances are you will end up doing it anyway.
- Stay up all night Blogging, when you have door knocking to do the next day. (Your eyes will be blood-shot and not look very good.)
Good night everyone. I hope that you have a wonderful weekend!! |
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Posted on Friday, October 15, 2010 2:21 AM
Things I Have Learned On The Campaign Trail... - At least one other person will come up with the same slogan as you.
- When you think that you have found a replacement slogan, someone will inevitably come up with it too.
- Every candidate will eventually quote each other, whether intentionally or not.
- At least two candidate will have the same color signs. Thus confusing the voters.
- As in the case of this election, two candidates have very similar names. Sig Gail and Gail Sygutek This is NOT confusing you, is it?!?!
- All candidate's are not created equal.
- Some candidates are more equal than other's.
- There is always the "fringe" candidate. It's just figuring out who that is....
- There is always at least one very vocal candidate.
- There is always that one candidate who is "out-to-lunch"
- There is always one candidate that should have hung it up long ago.
- Every candidate thinks they have the best plan for the future.
- Every candidate has an opinion.
- Everyone you meet has an opinion.
- Everyone that has an opinion thinks that theirs is the most important opinion.
- Everywhere you go, someone wants to talk. As a result, my poor daughter is always rolling her eyes, while she once again waits for me. ( Note: She is getting used to it, in fact she is coming to expect it. lol )
- My daughter is becoming a latch key kid. Can that happen at 15??? (Don't worry, we spend a lot of time together. She is almost always with me, when not at school. See the point above this one.)
- My ex-husband and I have spent more time together in the past three days than we have in the last three years. ( He is one of my campaign crew and is helping to put up signs.Thank you. :-) )
- I will spend part of each week putting up signs.
- I will spend at least part of every day checking signs.
- I will spend at least part of every day chasing signs that have blown away in the wind.
- I will curse the wind and make yet again a new sign to replace "the one that got away"!!
- No matter how you attach your signs to the wood stakes, they will blow off, bend and rip in the wind.
- Election signs will appear at an alarming rate. Overnight!! Almost like coat hangers reproducing in your closet.
- I will redo my brochure at least three times until I like the way it looks.
- I will count and recount my brochures at least twice to get the right amount for the post office to deliver. (Should have been paying attention to counting instead of watching TV.)
- I will get very good at multi-tasking. (I was always good at this, but now I am much better.)
- I will stop and really listen to what my daughter/son was saying instead of mindlessly agreeing. (Hmmm, what was that you said honey?? You invited how many for dinner?!?!? I said it was okay?!?!)
- I will stop making excuses to the cashier at Sobey's, when I have come in for the fifth time that day.
- I will remember how much work/fun campaigning was before I do it again. lol (I have really enjoyed it.)
- I will walk more miles in a day than I have in the last year.
- I will knock on more doors in these few weeks, than I have in my lifetime.
- I will still have just as much trouble remembering names, as I ever did. (That is where my notebook has come in handy. Now I just have to remember where I put my notebook.)
- I will meet more people in the few weeks of campaigning, than I met at my first wedding. (...and my Mom invited a lot!!! Great, Great Uncle Bill??? Never heard of him. Okay Mom, you can invite him.)
- Everyone feels that they know you.
- Everyone feels that they can come up to you, at all hours, in any situation and talk to you. (I'm sorry, can I please finish in the bathroom and then we can talk??) lol
- People ask you the weirdest questions. (Hope I was able to answer that for you alright?)
- Stranger's share the most intimate details with you.
- People either love you or dislike you. Even the one's who don't know you.
- There are always lots of rumors abound. (Hopefully none about you.)
- Your family feels the stress of the election process. (People constantly stopping them to ask questions, that they have no idea the answers to. "Ummmm, ask my Mom, she's the one running.")
- I am getting in shape without the benefit of an exercise program.
- My mouth is in better shape than the rest of me. It is getting plenty of exercise!!!
- For once in my life, I can finally fall sleep right away at night.
- I have more Facebook friends that anyone I know. (Half of them, I don't personally know.)
- I spend more time reading, what I would have once considered useless and uninteresting information, than I ever have in my life. (Now it is both fascinating and mandatory!! And I think I have wore out another pair of reading glasses.)
- The Municipality website has become my favorite place to surf.
- The ladies at the Municipality have become my best friends, next to the ladies at the post office, and the ladies at the copy store, and the staff at both of the newspaper's, and Dino at MountianView Industries Wood Shop, and the guys at the gas station, and ......
- I've read more other people's (candidate's) blog's than I ever have. In fact, I never read a blog before, until I created my own for my campaign website. Now it is the first thing I do every day. Good morning, John, Dean, Emile, Brian, George....
- The youth of this community want to be heard!!!
- Everyone is still upset about the school busing issue and thinks council can do something about it. (If the newly elected council can, I'm sure we will try.) Notice I said "we"!! I am a positive thinker.
- I have become really aware of just how positive a person I am!!
- The Pass is really a BIG place!! lol (Especially when you are putting up and checking on signs.)
- The Pass is a REALLY big place, especially when you are chasing signs!!! (Yes, that was me running down Highway 3, through Frank Slide, chasing yet again another sign!!) Rofl
- Some of the other candidates are really considerate people. They have fixed my signs for me, when they needed fixing. Thank you, so much.
- A two hour forum, and 5 minutes in total to speak (1.25 minute's to answer only 3 question's) is NOT enough time to get to know 22 people!!!
- The Elk's Hall has not enough room to seat 350 people, even if a lot of them are standing.
- I have really enjoyed campaigning and meeting new people.
- I am looking forward to working on council. (Positive thinker!!)
- Whatever happens Monday, I will run again in three years!!
- I have a lot of signs to pick up come Tuesday!!!
- I might not be able to get them ALL until Wednesday!!
- My family has been extremely supportive. Thank you so much for all your patience!! I love you all. :-)
- I thought I would run out of things to Blog about. I was wrong.
- Stay tuned, there are still three days left... lol
Have a Happy Day Everyone!!! |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Thursday, October 14, 2010 8:48 AM
With the election looming and the past actions or inaction of the current council weighing heavily upon us, there has been a lot of negative talk lately about the Crowsnest Pass. Today I want to talk about all the positive that the Crowsnest Pass has to offer. We live in one of the most beautiful places in Canada. It boasts majestic mountains and pristine rivers. The Pass has numerous beautiful lakes and awesome camping. It has great fishing and numerous other outdoor recreational opportunities. We are lucky to live in the Rocky Mountains, in a place that hasn't been turned into a National or Provincial Park. The plus side of this, is more freedom and we actually own our land/property. We have a right to vote, to make decisions regarding our town and land. Other things we have that we should be thankful for, include the following - We have many outdoor pursuits, such as: ATV/Quadding (Quad Squad) Downhill Skiing Cross Country Skiing (Crowsnest Pass Cross-Country Ski Assoc.) Snowboarding Tobogganing Snowmobiling (CrowsSnow Riders Association) Swimming (community pool, lakes and rivers) (Pass Piranhas Swim Club) Cycling Hiking Caving/Splunking Climbing Baseball/Slo-Pitch (Minor Ball & Pass Slo-Pitch League) Tennis Golfing Soccer (Minor Soccer) HorseBack Riding (Turtle Mountain Riding Club) Rifle/Gun Range (Crowsnest Gun Club) Hunting Mountain Biking Lacrosse (Minor Lacrosse) Walking Trails White Water Slalom Ball Hockey Track & Field (Passtrak) And Indoor Activities: Ice Skating - Indoors and Out Figure Skating (Skating Club) Ice Hockey (Minor Hockey, Ladies & Old Crows Recreational Hockey) Curling (Crowsnest Curling Club) Indoor Rock Climbing Yoga Tai Chi Pottery (Pass Pottery Club) Basketball Bowling Martial Arts Weight Training & Fitness Gym Women's Gym Dance Swim Club Movie Theatre Adult Badminton Taekwondo Indoor Pistol Range (Pistol Club) We are fortunate to have the following programs and events in place: Adult Education Program Adult Literacy Program The Literacy Foundation Women's Resource Centre Parent Link Centre Community Health & Mental Health Services Boys & Girls Club Indoor Playground Brighter Futures A.A.D.A.C. F.C.S.S. Three Senior's Centre's S.P.C.A Block Parent Community Choir Citizen's On Patrol Gymnastics Club Crowsnest Conservation Society CNP Allied Arts Association CNP Weight Lifting Club Communities In Bloom Rum Runner Days Thunder In The Valley Crowsnest Pass Symphony Ducks Unlimited Mason's (Sentinel Lodge) Shrine Unit Hillcrest Miners & Literacy Club Historical Society Kananaskis Pro Rodeo Society Knights of Columbus Mountain Fiddlers Elk's Lion's Club Order of the Royal Purple Road Watch in the Pass Royal Canadian Air Cadets Three Legions Sole Survivor Foot Race Society CNP Taoist Tai Chi Society Kidsport NIT (Nippon Institute of Technology) Amature Radio Club Cancer Support Group We also have the following facilities: Albert Stella Memorial Arena (Blairmore) Allison/Chinook Cross-Country Ski Trails Ball/Soccer Complex (Hillcrest) Bellevue Community Campground Blairmore Elk's Hall Climbing Wall (Blairmore) Coleman Museum Frank Slide Interpretive Centre CNP Art Gallery Rocky Mountain Lane's - Bowling CNP Community Swimming Pool CNP Golf & Country Club CNP Municipal Library (Blairmore) CNP Sports Complex (Coleman) Dairy Road - SportsField Hillcrest Ball Diamonds Hillcrest Fish & Game Hall Indoor Playground Lion's Hall (Blairmore) MDM SportsField HAS SportsField ISS SportsField Pass PowderKeg Ski Hill (Blairmore) Polish Hall Lost Lemon Mine Campground Allison /Chinook Lake Campground Random Camping Orpheum Movie Theatre Food Bank Two Veterinary Clinic's Three Optomotrists Two Doctor's Offices (one in Blairmore and one in Bellevue -with about 7 doctor's) Three Dental Offices One Denturist One Chiroprator Four Pharmacy's CNP Hospital Long Term Care Centre York Creek Lodge Tecumseh Mountain Manor Two Second Hand Stores (Bagatelle & Women's Resource Centre) Four Day Care Centre's Bellevue Mine Tour Ten Church's Four Fire Hall's And the list goes on....... The point being that we have a lot of great things to do and be thankful for. The Crowsnest Pass people are a special breed of people, as well. They are kind and generous. They are willing to lend a hand and help each other out. We have a great volunteer base. We have some awesome and unique local businesses. We are lucky to have a couple of good developers, who have put a great deal into this community. Our hospital is efficient and the staff friendly. We are lucky to have no line-ups or long wait times in emergency, or for certain procedures. The Crowsnest people take pride in our valley and it's rich history. The people who live here are hard working and equally hard playing. We enjoy life and all this place has to offer. We know that it is a special place to live and raise a family. We respect nature around us and enjoy what it has to offer. We are proud of our heritage. The Crowsnest Pass is a very special place. It has a lot of good to offer. Let's never forget that. Let's work together to make this place even better. There are still many more things that we can improve upon. Things that can make this place an even better place to live. Things that can attract the next generation to stay and raise a family. The Crowsnest Pass depends upon it's people and it's leader's to ensure a bright and hopeful future. Remember this, when it comes time to vote, on Monday October 18th. Who do you want to lead us into the future?? |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 6:35 PM
1. What specific issues or projects do you feel it is most important for the Municipality to focus on in the next three years? I feel there are several main issues or areas that the new council need to address over the next three years. I believe that we need to work on restoring the public's faith in council. It is time for much needed accountability. It's time we have total transparency of what goes on in council chambers during council meetings and behind closed doors. It's time we, as a community, know just where our hard-earned tax dollars are going AND where they have gone in the past. It's time to curb unnecessary spending and instead focus our tax-dollars into much needed infrastructure, facilities and transportation. Time to eliminate duplication of services and refocus the money into the areas of need. The second area or issue to work on, should be to find ways to encourage new business, commercial and light industrial to our community, by ways of tax cuts and incentives. Third is to find a way to unify the community. We need to create a sense of Community Unity that is currently sadly lacking. With this comes the need to find ways to encourage our children and future generations to want to stay here and live here. 2. How would you rate the current state of the Municipality, both economically and politically? Economically, I feel that the Municipality is in an endless downward spiral. It is sitting in the past, with no hope or plans for a future. This needs to change, immediately. Politically, the Municipality is a joke. We have a totally dysfunctional council, leading employees who feel neglected and lost. There is no sense of pride or accomplishment. People have stagnated. We need to address this issue and restore pride in work and ability. 3. What specific strategies do you feel should be employed in increase the local tax base? We need to find ways to attract new business, commercial and light industry to the Pass, this is one way to help expand our tax base. One way can be to use incentives and tax cuts to attract these things to the Pass. As well, if we improve and expand upon the facilities that we have, thereby giving our children a reason to remain here or to come back here and live, this too will help to increase the tax base. 4. Short of increasing the tax base, what would you do to promote the continuation of municipal services without dramatic tax increases?? Are there any areas where you feel the Municipality should spend less or more that it currently does? I would honestly have to say that I would have to see the books and see where the spending has been going, before I can really address this question. However, I do feel that the Crowsnest Pass has much duplication of services, that could be eliminated. This is one area that spending could be cut and potentially redirected into new equipment and other necessary areas. If elected, I promise that I will make looking into the budget and how council has been spending our money, a priority. We need to know where our money has gone, for what and why. Only then can we begin to rebuild this great community. |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 12:06 AM
The Meet & Greet was a success!! The support of my family and friends was overwhelming. A big "thank you" to all of you that dropped by. I was very happy to see some new faces. I enjoyed the chance to meet all who attended. There was some very interesting conversation and good questions. I was pleased to be able to try to answer them the best I could. The number one question that seemed to be on people's minds was: What is the Crowsnest Pass (municipality) going to do to keep our young people living here. What are we going to do to attract young families to move here and to make them want to stay here?? We had some in depth debate and some great idea's tossed around. The second most asked question was: How are we going to increase our tax base without increasing taxes?? I believe that everyone came away from the evening feeling enlightened. I know I did. A very big "Thank you" to Jody at The RumRunner/Crowbar Lounge for making the space available and for providing her services for the evening. (((((((((Jody)))))))) The place looked great!! Thank you again, to everyone who attended!! Also, a thank you to John Prince for his attendance and support. Don't forget: a vote for me is a vote for you. I want to be your voice on council!! Please Vote Sasha JaegerBaird on Election Day, Monday October 18th |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 5:07 PM
Don't Forget To Come Out Meet And Greet Tonight With Sasha Tonight Tuesday October 12th, 2010 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Please come out and join me tonight for refreshments and an opportunity to chat about the issues. I want to hear your ideas and suggestions. Let's get a chance to meet and get to know each other. I will be your voice on council. I want to make your vote count. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Where: At the Crowbar Lounge - 7902 - 20 Avenue Coleman ~ Enter through back door entrance (downstairs at The RumRunner) ~ Feel free to bring family, friends and neighbors. I hope to see you there |
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Sasha JaegerBaird: Posted on Sunday, October 10, 2010 11:06 PM
1. What do you think council’s three top priorities should be for the next term? I believe that the top priority the new council needs to address is restoring the public's faith in council. It is time for much needed accountability. It's time we have total transparency of what goes on in council chambers during council meetings and behind closed doors. It's time we, as a community, know just where our hard-earned tax dollars are going AND where they have gone in the past. It's time to curb unnecessary spending and instead focus our tax-dollars into much needed infrastructure, facilities and transportation. Time to eliminate duplication of services and refocus the money into the areas of need. The second priority should be to find ways to encourage new business, commercial and light industrial to our community, by ways of tax cuts and incentives. Third is to find a way to unify the community. We need to create a sense of Community Unity that is currently sadly lacking. With this comes the need to find ways to encourage our children and future generations to want to stay here and live here. 2. What specific actions need to be taken to expand our tax base? We need to find ways to attract new business and light industry to the Pass, this is one way to help expand our tax base. As well, if we improve and expand upon the facilities that we have, thereby giving our children a reason to remain here or to come back here and live, this too will help to increase the tax base. 3. Describe your ideal land use plan for both residential and commercial development. We need to utilize existing Municipal land for subsidized housing, senior's housing and a recreation centre. As well, we should be looking into making land available for the commercial and light industrial that we will be attracting with our new: the Crowsnest Pass is “Open For Business” attitude. 4. The municipality has an $18 million budget. What experience do you have to manage this? Honestly, I have never handled a budget this high. I have owned and operated my own business, which is similar to the Municipality, but on a much smaller scale. I am a quick learner and I am very good with numbers. Also, I can see the big picture and I am a great research person. I feel I can bring all this to the table. 5. How will you define success for the governance of Crowsnest Pass? Success for the Crowsnest Pass will start with a clean slate. We need a fresh new council to take us into the future. We need a council of like-minded people who are not afraid to get their feet wet and put into effect the recommendation of both the Cuff Report and the Crowsnest Pass Strategic Plan. We need a council who will really listen to the people of the Crowsnest Pass. I want to be a part of that voice of the people. If elected, I will be your voice on council. |
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