Business Mixer Invitation

The Caroline & District Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors

Cordially invites you to attend a
Special Business Mixer
in recognition of
Small Business Week October 18 - 24, 2009

Join our Community Leaders, Business Owners and fellow Chamber Members
for an evening of sharing - appetizers, ideas and concerns

Curling Lounge, Kurt Browning Complex
Thursday, October 22nd 5:30-7:30pm

Your Local Chamber of Commerce...
The Voice of Business
Our Dream, Your Business, Your Passion

RSVP Deana (403) 722-4066 or by e-mail ccoc@telus.net by October 20th

Pen Meets Paper Oct. 5 '09

Opinion by Helge Nome

Most of us, at one time or another, have probably gotten the response: “Money don’t grow on trees, you know”, when asking a sibling, or close relative for some of that elusive stuff. So where does it grow?
If not on trees, it has to be grown somewhere, somehow? Otherwise there wouldn’t be any money, surely?
What about the Bank of Canada? If they don’t have piles of money, who has?

So, what would happen if we show up on the front steps of that venerable institution with a wheelbarrow and asked for some. After all, we, the people of Canada are its legal owners.
Well, if the on-duty security guard had a sense of humor, he might go upstairs and fetch the petty cash tin and give us some money to get him a cup of coffee around the corner. And he would be perfectly truthful in saying that the petty cash tin contains all the money in the Bank of Canada.
What about gold? That solid fortress-like building would surely have some in the basement?
It does not have to. The world got off the gold standard a long time ago because it was too hard to find and too heavy to cart around with you. Some people put it into their teeth but tended to get a sore neck after a while for the same reason. Besides, they increased their chances of “getting their teeth kicked in” by opportunists.

So, where does money come from?
Well, this is how it should work: As productive economic activity increases in a nation over time, new money is needed, in addition to what is already in circulation to give people the tickets (money) to buy what is produced without running short of the stuff. In our case, the Bank of Canada, based on a formal request from the Government of Canada in the form of, say, Treasury Bills (IOUs), could create and deposit x number of dollars into the government’s bank account. From there the government would decide on how to distribute that new money into the economy in order to maintain healthy economic activity.
Is that what happens? Not quite. The Bank of Canada is tied into a global banking network at the apex of which is the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, Switzerland, and from where it receives direction as to what it can do and not do.
That usually means that the Government of Canada has to borrow money from some private source, at interest, when new money is needed for whatever reason.

And when we need some new money, just like the government, we might as well park the wheelbarrow back in the garage, and go to the local bank manager and beg for some - at interest.
So where does he get it from?
Like most bankers, he is allowed to make it up out of thin air, as long as he doesn’t overdo it. Contrary to popular belief, he does not lend out your hard earned cash in your deposit account. If that was all the money he could play with, the bank would go broke in short order.

Ask yourself this question: Why, in a sovereign nation, should its government go hat in hand to some onshore or offshore bankers and borrow a bunch of numbers at interest that could be created by its own central bank with a few keystrokes?

P.S. If you would like to learn more about the Bank for International Settlements, check out this video:
http://www.bis.org/events/agm2009/pcvideo.htm

Fall Frenzy work crew

These young people from Caroline School were given their briefing in the school grounds last week, prior to carrying out work in the community to raise funds for upcoming activities. It is all part of an initiative to forge closer links between the school and its community.

Work progressing on Caroline's new movie theater

On Friday, September 25, these young people from the Clearwater Boys and Girls Club Caroline Program helped out in getting their new facility and movie theater ready for its grand opening shortly:
Front: Casey Handy, Rob Hehr, Brian Crossman, Robert Crossman. Back: Teale Spooner, Taija Graham,
Myranda Hensel, Emily Groves.
The facility is located on the west end of Caroline and will feature movie shows for the public, as well as being a club house for the Boys and Girls club. This is the first project of its kind, launched by a Boys and Girls club in Canada with the idea of supporting club activities from funds generated by movie showings to the public.

Retirement Party for popular teacher

Friend and colleagues gathered at the Legion Hall in Caroline on Sunday, September 27, to wish Caroline School Math/Science teacher Jackie Cooper (center) all the best in her retirement from teaching.
After a career of some 20 years in Caroline, Ms. Cooper is planning to continue to live in the community where a great number of people have benefited from her dedication to her profession.

Caroline's Fire Fighters

Please click on photo to enlarge and download
These volunteer fire fighters were honored recently at the inauguration of the fire fighting museum exhibit in the reconstructed village office/fire hall at the Caroline Wheels of Time Museum

Front: Matthew Gamble (2.5 years of service), BeJay Graham (12 yos), Yvonne Evans (23 yos), Chad Wolf (8 yos), Timothy Willigar (6 months of service), Dwayne Fay (29 yos), Brittany Fay (5.5 yos), Timothy Simard (3 yos). Back: Corby Parsons (6 months of service). Shauna Fleshman-Veilette (1.5 yos), Rick Foesier (Battalion Chief, 5 yos), Dusty Fay (33 yos), Leonard Kanten (Fire Chief, beginning in 1959 and also in 1977),
Gene Blowers (7.5 yos), Patrick Blowers (11.5 yos), Branden Fay (12.5 yos), Margaret Farrel (13.5 yos), Gordon Roberts (Fire Chief from 1994 to 2005).
Not in the photo: Bill Fay (3 months of service), Aaron Fay (6 mos), Riley Asuchak (1 yos), Ashley Peterson (2.5 yos), Melissa Keim (2.5 yos), Kelly Vollman (4.5 yos), Ralph Johnson (8.5 yos), Vern Larsen (14.5 yos), David Fay (15 yos), William Groves (15 yos), Darrell Fay (19.5 yos),

Pen Meets Paper Sept. 28 '09

Opinion by Helge Nome
Today I want to discuss the meaning of one of the most used words in the English language. A word that denotes a very confusing concept floating around in our heads and represents one of the fundamental cravings of humankind.
No, I’m not a “Freudian” so you can forget about the word “sex”.
However, I’m just as deprived of what this words stands for as a good number of you readers out there.
You likely guessed it, the word in question is “money”.
And right now money is in the process of becoming rather scarce to many people that need the tickets to ride on the bus we call “modern society” so that they may feed and clothe themselves and provide for a roof over their heads.
What happens if they can’t get their hands on any of these tickets? To the south of us here in Canada, the answer is literally “blowing in the wind” in the form of tent cities occupied by people who can no longer afford to pay for a mortgage or pay rent to a landlord. They have no money, no tickets to the wealth of the society they used to belong to. They have been excommunicated because the tickets to wealth, also called “money”, have been made scarce.
The wealth is still there, but the tickets have been withdrawn.
Its like having a bus service without any tickets. The bus is there; the road is there; the passengers are waiting, but the ticket agent has decided that very few tickets will be issued because he is not in the mood to hand them out today. Except maybe a few to some of his trusted buddies so that they can ride on the bus by themselves in comfort to the exclusion of all those waiting passengers.

But wait a minute. Is the ticket agent the legal owner of the bus, or the road; the fuel for the bus, or even the tickets themselves?
What gives him the authority to withhold the tickets from the people that built the bus, the road, and refined the fuel to put in the tank?
If you accept the notion that money, as it appears on a note, in a ledger, on a computer screen, or wherever, is simply a ticket system to access the real wealth created in modern society and has no inherent value apart from that, the world suddenly changes.
If you share in the belief that every human being, by virtue of being a member of society, has a claim on this wealth in the form of a certain number of tickets, then there can be no valid reason for tent cities with vacant homes in the background. The wealth is there but the tickets to that wealth are being withheld.
By whom? And for what reasons?

Caroline School football game

The Caroline Cougars and Buck Mountain Mustangs (from Buck Lake) had an energetic and educational game on Friday, September 11. The Mustangs, who put in a lot of time practicing with their coach, dominated the game completely, setting some future goals for the Caroline Cougars.

Annual Community BBQ at Caroline School

Hosted on Friday, Sept.11 behind the school by the School Parent Council and sponsored by ConocoPhillips. Those attending, and watching the football game, got to enjoy a good meal in glorious late summer weather.

Lawnmower race in the Kurt Browning Complex parking lot

This is the kind of activity that makes lawn mowers groan

Fall Fair winning entry

Janet Hanson submitted this wood carving

Competing brothers

Glen and Leonard Kanten, riding their antique tractors, entered the contest to see who could go the slowest. It happened in the Caroline Complex parking lot.


Heritage Day, September 12, At The Caroline Wheels of Time Museum
By Barb Proudler

What a glorious fall day to celebrate our annual salute to the pioneer families who came to the Caroline district 100 years ago. Those honored this year were the McCoy, Jordan, Wilson and Sawyer Families.
We were treated to the arrival of twenty five vehicles from the Central Alberta Vintage Auto Club. These members are from all over central Alberta and have to get up pretty early when you consider 50 miles an hour is top speed for some of the vehicles. The Centennial fiddlers kept toes tapping while brunch was served by the Lions Club and buildings were open for tours from 10 - 12 noon.
The Silver Tops band entertained followed by the Solland family.
The dignitaries presented scrolls to the pioneer families and were entertained by the Steve Jeffrey Quartet from Red Deer.
The official opening of the replica of the first Village Office, Fire Hall and Lock-up took place followed by presentation of Provincial Fire Awards to local and past members of the Caroline Fire Brigade.
The Jail and Bail was hilarious with the Sheriff quick on the draw to nab Councillor Deputy Mayor Gwen Neilson before she got away. Editor of the C.A.V.A.C.-Malcolm Fischer was down on his knees begging the Judge for mercy for his sentence of speeding down highway 54 in his vintage vehicle. Politicians were not exempt. Blake Richards - Federal Member of Parliament was a good sport. Donned his prison garb, given his number and taken to jail where his mug shot was taken.
To top off the day A.T.B. Financial served strawberry shortcake to the crowd. The Treasury Branch has been in Caroline for 70 years.
We are so blessed to have the cooperation and interest of people in staging this yearly event and are already looking forward to next year. The museum is now closed for the season, but will have our apple pie sales in October and our annual Bazaar in November.

Pioneer families honored at the museum Heritage Day

Jordan family: Jan Leavitt, Marilyn Leavitt, Bernice Leavitt, Bill Shaw, Joanne Roadhouse, Pat Shaw (Leavitt), Keith Leavitt, Rena Leavitt, Joe Leavitt, Brian Leavitt.



Wilson family: Gloria Wilson (Searle), Carole (Wilson) Maurice.



The George Sawyer family came to the Caroline area 100 years ago. These family members were recognized at the Heritage Day celebration on September 12: Violet Sawyer, Sheldon Sawyer,
Wanda Lorencz.

Members of the McCoy family were : Morgan Titford, Miranda Titford, Catherine Titford, Jim Johnstone, Coleen Titford, Cecily Titford, Keely Johnston, Barb Johnston, Larry Titford, Ed Shaurette, Judy Shaurette, Howard Milligan, Jean Veldkamp (Hankinson), Bob Titford, Vinona Titford (McCoy)

Fire fighter recognition ceremony

Caroline's fire fighters posed in front of the Village's vintage fire truck and reconstructed Village office in the museum grounds on Saturday September 12.

Marge Farrell's long service on the Caroline Fire Department was recognized when she received her brand new helmet at the opening of the new fire fighting museum hall on Saturday, September 12. Farrell has long acted as the "mother goose" of the department.
The presentation was made by Rick Foesier and Dusty Fay from the Caroline Fire Department.

Vern Larsen's service is recognized

Museum volunteer and long time fire fighter, Vern Larsen, was recognized for his service to the community by Clearwater Fire Chief Cammie Laird during the opening of the fire fighting museum hall within the re-created Village office building on the grounds of the Caroline Wheels of Time Museum.

Hapless Deputy Mayor

Gwen Nielsen was summarily thrown in Jail for "crimes" too trivial to mention at the recent Jail'n Bail in Caroline during Heritage Days at the Caroline Wheels of Time Museum

Pen Meets Paper Sept. 21'09

Opinion by Helge Nome
What is one of the main driving forces behind conflict between living things, organisms of all kinds, including humans?
In order to understand conflict we need to unravel the puzzle that makes it happen. And one of the main pieces in that puzzle is the "territorial imperative". That is to say, the drive, on the part of an organism to control space around itself.
There is another aspect to this drive which is expressed in the form of cooperative, or communal, behaviour of the individual with respect to other individuals so that groups of individuals are formed to promote common interests.
This can be observed on the microbial level where bacteria form colonies within the tissues of humans and animals to survive many an onslaught of antibiotics. The same phenomenon can be observed if you happen to disturb a wasps' nest or bee hive.
Or if one group of people, forming what we call a "tribe" or "nation", decides to acquire more territory by invading land claimed by other groups of people perceived to be unable to repel an attack.
On the human level the strategists are looking for ways of influencing the odds of success to the advantage of their own tribe. So it is imperative to always be strong enough to repel an attack because you know that it will come if you have something that your neighbour "covets" and if you are not perceived to be strong enough to make the price for its conquest too high.
Now you know why places such as Afghanistan and Iraq are currently under foreign occupation. Iraq contains massive sources of oil and gas and Afghanistan is at the gateway of huge energy resources in the Caspian Sea basin. And they were both "takeable" by western reckoning.
That belief has come back to bite us all, because, as it turns out, we are dealing with a bee hive and a wasps' nest.
On our own doorstep the arctic region is now under scrutiny by our neighbours along its rim. Again, energy, which is the lifeblood of modern civilization, is the prize of the contest and hungry eyes are looking north.
The territorial imperative is an underlying motivator, along with the will-to-power.
These two pieces of the puzzle that underlies conflict go a long way towards explaining the human phenomenon we all dread: War between nations.

Nazarene Church celebrates 60 years in Caroline

Howard Griffin, who began his ministry on May 1, 1943, in the Raven Church east of Caroline at the tender age of 23, addressed congregation members and invited guests at the 60 year anniversary celebration of the Church of the Nazarene in Caroline held on Sunday, September 13.
From 1943 to 1945, Howard and his wife Ruth held morning services at the Raven Church, afternoon services at Wooler and evening services at the old Stauffer Hall, doing all their travelling in their model A Ford.

Seniors Will Suffer

25% rent gouge to seniors “unacceptable:” Mason
NDP learns government has approved assisted living fee hike of $300 a month

EDMONTON – “A 25% rent increase for seniors is unacceptable and unaffordable,” NDP leader Brian Mason said today, following confirmation that rental rates at assisted living facilities in Edmonton are set to jump by more than $300 per month.

“This is a direct result of the 3% funding cut the government handed down to assisted living facilities in August,” Mason added.

Following reports that rent at a seniors’ residence in west Edmonton will rise from $1,312 to $1,650, the NDP has learned the rate hike will affect assisted living facilities across the entire city.

Mason warned that similar increases will likely follow in Calgary and across Alberta.

“I call on the Stelmach government to show seniors the same compassion they’ve shown their friends in the liquor and horse racing industries, and reinstate proper funding for assisted living facilities,” Mason said.

Pen Meets Paper September 14, 2009

Opinion by Helge Nome
Many people are now asking themselves why things have gone so terribly wrong in our society,
such as in the social and financial sectors.
Technologically we are further advanced than at any time in recorded history, and yet, things have literally gone off the rails in other areas. Why is this?
I have a theory, for the financial area in particular, where there are essentially three elements involved in the present debacle:
#1, the interest bearing nature of the debt created when new money, or credit, is being brought into being to facilitate the creation and exchange of goods and services. This creates a vicious circle of ever increasing debt that literally chases its own tail.
#2, the nature of our financial accounting system which does not ensure that sufficient purchasing power is made available for consumers of goods and services because it does not distribute sufficient income to consumers to enable them to consume what is being produced, largely by themselves with the help of technology, without having to incurr interest bearing debt.
#3, the gambling instinct has taken hold in society to a point where it considered to be OK to simply gamble for a living without doing any productive work. This in spite of the fact that unbridled gambling is one of the oldest proven vices known to humankind, and that message is embedded in scripture as a warning to the future.
We have chosen to disregard that warning. I just picked up a Saturday, September 12, copy of the National Post, which is a newspaper published Canada wide, and an article caught my eye: "B.C. ANTES UP" by Brian Hutchinson wherein he describes how the Province of British Columbia has become addicted to proceeds from gambling. According to the article, the Province will now legalize and also promote internet gambling when studies show that 41.3% of online gambling revenues in Canada are derived from problem gamblers. The net income from gambling to BC's General revenue Fund for 2008/9 was $658 million. Income distributed to charities was $156 million in the same period. And now a gambler in BC can build up to $520,000 in his or her government controlled account in one year and will soon be able to wager the entire sum on one virtual poker hand or one virtual spin of the wheel.
The moral question that emerges from this is: Are we our brother's keeper? Or is it OK to send him down the chute if "he is stupid enough to get caught up in gambling"?
There are many who think that the latter answer is the right one. What they forget is that gambling is very infectious, like the H1N1 virus, and it has now played havoc with our financial system, to the point where no one feels safe any more. Is that what we want?

Call for Inquiry into Status of Elections Alberta

Submitted by Edwin Erickson

Monday, September 14, 2008:

How many people in this province have the ability to file a complaint with Elections Alberta on a Friday, and to have the acting “Chief Electoral Officer” remain in her office with the “Director of Elections Operations” – late into the afternoon -- investigating a complaint, with absolutely no corroborating evidence? Joe Anglin filed a complaint with cogent corroborating evidence months ago, in an effort to save the Green Party, and Elections Alberta saw fit to do nothing.

We are now expected to believe that the reason for the investigation (which has changed since Anglin was first informed) is the result of a citizen’s complaint. Yet, even if the complaint was legitimate (and it is not), what did Elections Alberta hope to accomplish on a Friday afternoon at 5 PM? The flyer had already been delivered! There was nothing they could possibly have done to reverse the mail-out!

It is our opinion that someone of a higher ranking authority directed Lori McKee-Jeske, Chief Electoral Officer, and Drew Westwater, Director of Elections Operations, to work late into the afternoon on this matter. Had McKee-Jeske or Westwater simply asked for a copy of the mail-out, they would have realized the mail-outs had not been addressed -- end of investigation!

In fact, the only evidence that exists is the evidence that Anglin exercised his right of “Freedom of Speech” in a democratic process. Anglin’s response is posted on the following Concerned Albertans for Responsible Government Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=129852548807&topic=10949#/topic.php?uid=129852548807&topic=10964

We, the Lavesta Area Group, believe Anglin has been subjected by Elections Alberta to a double standard of treatment, wherein rules and regulations are selectively enforced against some individuals and not others.

We are now calling upon this government for a full, independent, public inquiry into the status and function of Elections Alberta. Is Elections Alberta an active political organization with an agenda, or is it an independent agency with a defined function? Why are some complaints investigated and others ignored? Why are some complaints pursued in the absence of evidence, while others, accompanied with substantive cogent evidence of wrong-doing, are never investigated? Anglin is willing to submit to a polygraph test in Elections Alberta’s investigation; are they willing to submit to a polygraph test in a full independent public inquiry?

Edwin Erickson, Director

Lavesta Area Group

Tel: 780-682-2368 Cell: 780-621-3442

Australian Invasion

Andy Plunkett, from Capella, Queensland, Australia, was a visitor at the Sundre Petroleum Operators Neighbors Day in Sundre recently. This is an annual event in Sundre where the petroleum industry and local groups meet and present themselves to the public

Heritage Days Sheriff

Brian "Bulldog" Johnston was responsible for throwing people in jail at the museum grounds in the "jail'n bail" event on Saturday, September 12. Here "Sheriff" Johnston is seen, atop his proud steed, guarding the treasures of the community. He has a reputation for commanding a high degree of compliance from detained citizens.
Hapless prisoners was presented to "Judge" Bill Evans from the Historical Society to plead their case. There is a rumor that Judge Evans received discreet bribes in the form of donations to the museum.

Scoreboard erected on Caroline Cougars Football team home turf

Local tradesmen erected the sign on Tuesday, September 2, behind Caroline School.

Caroline Cougars Football Scoreboard

The Caroline Cougars Football team is currently comprised of 16 boys in grades 9-12 that play in a league of 8 teams from Central and Northern Alberta. The scoreboard was erected on September 1/2 by local trades people in preparation for the first home game on September 11 .

Attempt at Intimidation?

(Rimbey, AB) Elections Alberta warns critic of Bill-50 that he may be subject to a $100,000 fine and one year in jail.

On Friday Ms Lori Mckee-Jeske, acting Alberta Chief Electoral Officer, e-mailed, and then followed the e-mail with a phone call to Joe Anglin, the leader of the Lavesta Area Group and vocal opponent of Bill-50, stating that he may be subject to a $100,000 fine and/or one year in jail. Anglin said he was told the phone call was necessary to make him aware of the penalties just in case he had not read the letter. In the phone call Ms. Mckee-Jeske accused Mr. Anglin of misusing a list of electors in the Calgary by-election.

Anglin said, “I view the phone call as disturbing, and the letter as a feeble attempt to use Elections Alberta to coerce and intimidate the Lavesta Group into silence! I have documented significant examples of election wrong-doing from 2008 that Elections Alberta has yet to act upon. It is also well known that when former Chief Electoral Officer Lorne Gibson was critical of the PC government and recommended a number of actions to be taken, his contract was not renewed and he was effectively dismissed. Yet I am expected to believe that an unsubstantiated anonymous complaint warrants immediate attention from the Chief Electoral Officer, Ms. Mckee-Jeske, to issue a warning of disproportionate penalties.”

“The accusation is false and unsubstantiated! Neither I nor the Lavesta Area Group is in possession of an Electoral List. We never had a list of electors! We have a receipt from Canada Post in our possession proving we paid for a general mail-out not dissimilar to what AltaLink has done with their general mail-outs. The only difference is AltaLink is in favour of building transmission lines that the public may not need. Had Ms Mckee-Jeske only confirmed this before she wrote the letter she could have saved herself some effort”

The Lavesta Area Group believes Anglin has been singled out on this issue because he has called Bill-50 the largest potential tax increase ever introduced, in the history of Alberta. Anglin doubts that AltaLink’s recent mass mailings, which are supportive of Bill-50, received the same treatment from Elections Alberta.

The Lavesta Area Group purchased a mass mailing on September 11, 2009 opposing the catastrophic electricity rate increases, when Bill-50 is passed. There was an anonymous complaint against Anglin for exercising his freedom of speech, and Elections Alberta has responded by menacing Anglin with a $100 K fine and one year in jail. The Lavesta Group doesn’t know the origin of the complaint; was it a-- Political Party -- the transmission industry? Elections Alberta will not disclose this information. Regardless, it is highly unusual and unheard of that a Chief Electoral Officer would investigate a complaint or confront an individual with an accusation. The responsibility of the Chief Electoral Officer is normally to evaluate the investigation (not conduct an investigation) and authorize on the discretion of that office to recommend charges.

Lavesta is unable to seek proper legal advice before Monday’s election, and to avoid the risk of arrest and prosecution has in light of the menacing conduct by Elections Alberta been distracted from full participation in the democratic process over the week-end. The Lavesta Area Group categorically denies any wrong-doing! We are unable to officially respond to the allegations before Monday’s election; however, we will be presenting a Canada Post receipt for the purchase of a mass-mailing in our defence. We view the anonymous complaint and the actions of Elections Alberta as a “Violation of our Canadian Charter of Rights” and an attack on our right to exercise “Freedom of Speech” in a democratic process.

For more information Contact

Joe Anglin

(403) 843-3279
Chairman,
Lavesta Area Group

City of Calgary Hosts 2009 Worldskills Competition

Calgary's Stampede Park was a beehive of activity during the first week of September when some 900 young competitors completed assigned projects from robotics to web design, welding to cooking and autobody repair to landscape gardening in 45 skills categories.
Over the course of the week, about 50,000 school children from all over Alberta and beyond came to have a look at the world class skills of fellow youth from 51 countries. In addition to the permanent buildings in Stampede Park, huge tents were used by the trades people for the competitions.
In the photo above, young people from several countries competed in the "Tiling" category

Proud joinery competitor


Lunchtime crowd at Stampede Park


Bricklaying competition


Old fashioned hand tools



Working on an aircraft engine