Mar 22-10 issue.pdf - Country Connection

Page 16 March 22-28, 2010 Country Connection 

Country CONNECTION 

Your FREE LOCAL Weekly 

Newspaper 

For display during the week of March 22-28, 2010 

Serving the communities of Hay Lakes, New Sarepta, Kingman, Round Hill, 

Armena, Rolly View, Camrose and areas. 

Published weekly by Country Connection 

Box 299, Hay Lakes, AB T0B 1W0 

For ad rates or other information, please call 780-878-3938. 

Email us at countryconnection@syban.net 

Check out our website at www.countryconnection.ca 

• Dozer • Backhoe • Trackhoe • Skidsteer • Gravel Truck 

Certified Water & Sewer Installer 

• Demolition • Site Preparation • Snow Removal • Footings 

• Utility Installation • Landscaping • Trenching • Dugouts 

Dale Stinson - 780-878-4762 ~~ Harvey Stinson - 780-632-5690 

1-888-966-8228


Sharon Mallon’s Recipe 

of the Week 

Look here each week for one of 

Sharon Mallon’s favorite 

Recipes 

Beefy Pizza 

Ingredients 

1 pound ground beef 

1 cup soft bread crumbs 

1 egg 

Salt 

Pepper 

1/2 teaspoon oregano 

3 tablespoons mushrooms, chopped including 

liquid 

Directions 

Combine above 7 ingredients. 

In a 9 x 13 glass pan, form a beef crust (on bottom 

and up sides of pan). 

Lay mozzarella cheese slices over the beef crust. 

Spread the following over cheese: 

1 small can tomato soup 

Sprinkle vegetables/mushrooms over sauce 

1 small onion, chopped 

1/2 green pepper, chopped 

Sliced mushrooms (remainder of can of stems and 

pieces) 

Sprinkle oregano on top 

Bake 55 minutes at 350 degrees Celsius 

Drain off excess fat 

Place another layer of mozzarella cheese on top 

and bake 5 or more minutes to melt the cheese. 

Thanks to Irene Luchka 

Listen to Sharon & Danny 

weekday mornings from 5-9am 

on 790 CFCW 

ROXIE’S 

COUNTRY CUTS 

“FULL SERVICE FAMILY SALON” 

Next to 

Swenson 

General 

Store 

Rolly View 

Open Mon-Fri 9-6; Sat 9-3 

Call 780-984-6076 

“best little hair house in town” 

Country Connection March 22-28, 2010 Page 15 

Miscellaneous 

24/Seven Snowboard 

(144) Blue color scheme. 

Ladies medium white 

bindings. 

Brand new. $200/both 

780-878-3969 evenings 

Please leave message. 

——————————— 

Set of 4 Quad tires from 

Kawasaki 750. 

Like new - $125 

780-679-2146 

——————————— 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Miscellaneous 

Child’s white armoire 

consisting of a closet with 

shelf and 5 drawers. 

45” high, 46” wide 

and 20” deep. 

Asking $30.00 

Please call 780-941-2370 

——————————— 

Pets 

Golden Pyrenees puppies. 

1st shots and de-wormed. 

Will be large dogs. $350 

780-238-5423 

——————————— 

The Greatest Hits of All Time 

“The Voice of the Camrose Kodiaks” 

2010 Kodiaks Playoff Broadcast Schedule 

Miscellaneous 

Red, heavy duty Bobsleigh 

2 1/2” runners; 42” 

between runners. 

30” Gas powered trowel. 

Comes with float and 

finished blades. 

Call 780-663-3812 

——————————— 

Wanted 

Double bed w/ headboard. 

780-679-2146 

——————————— 

Tuesday, March 23 Spruce Grove @ Camrose (Game 3 - Semi-Final) 

Pregame show-7:20pm Faceoff-7:30 

Wednesday, March 24 Spruce Grove @ Camrose (Game 4 - Semi-Final) 


Friday, March 26* Camrose @ Spruce Grove (Game 5 - Semi-Final) 


“Proud hosts of the 2011 RBC Cup National Championship”

Page 14 March 22-28, 2010 Country Connection Country Connection March 22-28, 2010 Page 3 

Vehicles 

2004 FORD Crown 

Victoria 

110,000 kms, L/N, 

Loaded w/options. 

Extended warranty plan 

available from Ford. 

$8,999 OBO 

780-608-4334; 

780-878-3862; 

780-672-8976 

—————————— 

1989 Toyota Camry LE 

V6 auto; full power incl. 

sunroof; new brakes, 

muffler and battery. 

Remote starter. 

Safety inspected; slight 

rust; very good condition. 

Economical & reliable. 

186,000 kms. 

$2,095 o.b.o. 

780-678-4928 

Please leave a message. 

——————————— 

1976 19 1/2’ Motorhome 

440 Dodge engine 

Four new tires; 

2 fridges (propane & gas); 

New laminate floors. 

$2,500 firm 

780-405-7670 

——————————— 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Vehicles 

1992 Dodge Diesel 

3/4 ton dually. 

Cummins engine; fully 

loaded, 250,000 km. 

$6,000 

780-965-9316 

780-941-3916 

——————————— 

2001 Chev Silverado 

1/2 ton, 2-wheel drive, 

green. 

208,000 km. 

New tires, remote start, 

Stereo. 

Over $6,000 in extras. 

Adult driven. 

$8,900 o.b.o. 

Call 780-678-7695 

——————————— 

1992 Chev Dually Truck 

Diesel; Reg. Cab 

7 new tires including spare. 

Remote start; inspected. 

Good cond. 

$5,000 

780-941-3916 

780-965-9316 

——————————— 

1981 Itasca Class “A” 

26 ‘ Motorhome 

Propane-powered; new 

motor; must see. 

$6,500 

780-903-5707 

Vehicles 

2 - 1997 Ford F150 

1/2 ton trucks. 

One with damage. 

Asking $5,000 o.b.o for 

both. 

780-887-5680 

——————————— 

Motorcycles 

2003 Suzuki RM 125 

1 hr. on new piston; newer 

tires; new set of plastics; 

new, unopened sticker kit. 

$2000 o.b.o. 

780-270-5193 

——————————— 

Miscellaneous 

13 HP Honda motor. 

Gas; on/off switch. 

$500 o.b.o. 

780-878-2377 

——————————— 

Rain Barrels. 

$10 each 

780-878-3856 

——————————— 

Free standings panels. 

24’ long. 

Call Mike at 

780-878-1029 

———————————


What’s 

Happening in 

Hay Lakes 

The Hay Lakes Ladies Bonspiel begins 

later this week. If you’re interested in 

entering a team, you can call Grant at 

780-878-3571. If you’re not curling, come 

down and watch the last bonspiel of the 

season. The concession will be open all 

weekend with proceeds helping the Hay 

Lakes library. 

A meeting of the Friends of the 

Library Board will be held March 24th 

at the library. It starts at 7:30. 

If you are interested in playing on a 

mixed slo-pitch team in Hay Lakes, 

please call Heather or Steve at 

780-878-3982 or email them at 

shwatson@syban.net. 

The Hay Lakes ECS 2010-11 

registration meeting is scheduled for 

Thursday, April 8th at 7:00pm in the 

school library. Children must be 5 years 

of age by March 1st, 2011 to register. 

Please bring your child’s birth certificate, 

personal health care # and legal land 

description. A $25 non-refundable 

registration fee is required. For more 

information call Kara at 780-878-3302. 

The Hay Lakes School sports raffle 

was a big success. Alan Hilgartner was 

the winner of the 5 Oilers gold tickets. 

If you have anything to submit for the 

column, please call Barb at 780-878-3893. 

VILLAGE OF HAY LAKES 

DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL 

Under Land Use Bylaw 06-2001, home 

occupations are a discretionary use in a 

residential district, and as required by the 

Bylaw discretionary uses, must be published 

to allow the opportunity for citizens to 

determine if they wish to appeal the decision 

of the Development Officer. 

1. Proposed Development 

Approval of a discretionary 

use for a home occupation in 

an R-2 Land Use 

Classification, at Residential, 

“Chad’s Cabinet 

Installation and 

Woodworking”, 

Provision of installation of 

prefabricated cabinets, Office 

and Phone only at Lot 7, 

Block 9A, Plan 8021284 

being #204 - 1st Avenue 

North, Hay Lakes, Alberta. 

Issued March 17, 2010. 

Persons may appeal the decision of the 

Development Officer to the Subdivision and 

Development Appeal Board. Appeals and a 

$100.00 appeal fee for residential 

developments, must be submitted to the 

Secretary of the Subdivision and 

Development Appeal Board, Village of Hay 

Lakes, Box 40, Hay Lakes, Alberta 

T0B 1W0 (115 Main Street) within 

fourteen (14) days of the date of issuance 

of the approval. 


Services 

Cinderella’s 

Closet 

Starting April 1st, we are 

dressing boys and girls in 

dresses, suits and 

Accessories for 2010 

graduation. 

Anyone needing financial 

help, please call Annie at 

780-435-3035 or 

780-878-7110 

Miscellaneous 

Older laying hens available 

at the end of March. 

780-672-1553 

780-878-1548 

780-878-1510 

——————————— 

Antique Cabinet 

Blonde wood; glass in 

doors. 

$500 o.b.o. 

780-721-1462 

——————————— 

Glass kitchen table, $25 

o.b.o.; Dryer, works well, 

$75 o.b.o.; 

Therapeutic tub, $70 o.b.o. 

780-887-5680 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Services 

No time to Clean 

Weekly, Bi-weekly, 

Monthly, 

One-time cleaning. 

Call Liz 780-662-4995 

——————————— 

Responsible 

13 year-old boy, with 

babysitters course, 

available to baby-sit kids 

over 5. 

New Sarepta area. 

Call Nick at 

780-941-2588 

——————————— 

Need a handyman 

Drywall; vehicle 

inspections. 

Reasonable rates. 

Call Gordon at 

780-293-6595 

780-941-3934 

——————————— 

Lost & Found 

Lost - wallet. 

780-918-6186 

Found - diamond ring. 

To describe & claim, 

Call 780-918-6186 

———————————- 

Services 

TUTORING 

IS YOUR CHILD 

STRUGGLING AT 

SCHOOL 

Former teacher, Masters 

Degree in Clinical Reading, 

now accepting students on a 

limited basis for school 

help - 40/hr. 

Grades 4-6 - All Subjects 

Grades 7-12 - English 

Language Arts, including 

English 30 

Social Studies, including 

Social 30 

All sessions strategy based 

using homework materials. 

Strong emphasis on building 

study skills. 

Extensive experience at all 

grade levels with learning 

difficulties in both classroom 

and one to one settings. 

References Available, 

Location Negotiable 

Grades 1-3 considered on an 

individual basis in 

conference with teacher and 

parent. 

780-941-4249


WORD SEARCH 

Z V M J W Y H T P A D W L S R E T S N U M I M J B 

T V A M O U L H T C N A I O L B W D F M T L K W E 

F N K M H U I I S E F D N S N R V X X H H O P S T 

S L E H S K A O M J I J Y N D E P J F C P V Z R T 

N X R P E Z B F Q A B R M G Y Q R I B X X E C D Y 

O N O Q K O Z N J M F I R K R T D A B D M L A D W 

S Q O Z Y U P G E E S S D A D I H O N A C U D X H 

E Q M Q D Q F P I T A O M E H A F O R G A C N F I 

E L F A N Y U E E L N W N A V D D F M S E Y R O T 

R O O U A O F R Z N M N V P D M N K I A B R B T E 

H R R R V Y E J A D I U E I W D E A M T S J Z C S 

T R D B K D W R E S X A D Y F K A B E D H S V B H 

Y O A W C R E K T A E K Q F C K T D Y I G S H Z O 

M Z D Z I E Y H S R E N O O M Y E N O H Z B H O W 

R A D C D R E V A E B O T T I E V A E L C Z D O W 

B S Y S E M M I C K E Y M O U S E C L U B J O K W 

T Z H L E X O Z L E A C U H S F H O E M H E S D L 

Q O Z N P N F Y A R A F J L N N E T H I D R T I G 

W U A Z F D X W Z T N M U P J I I V M U S X K W J 

J C H O W D Y D O O D Y B G K O C F P J U S C H L 

E G W R I R P Y N L L V X R A W T I R G S H A J O 

A L F R E D H I T C H C O C K P R E S E N T S L D 


SOLVING DIRECTIONS 

To solve a Sudoku puzzle, place a number in each box so that each row across, each 

column down and each small 9-box square within the larger diagram will contain every 

number from 1-9. No number should appear more than once in any row, column or 

smaller 9-box square. Working with the numbers already given as a guide, complete 

each diagram with the missing numbers that will lead to the correct solution. 

This puzzle is rated as “HARD” 

ADDAMS FAMILY 

ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS 

ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW 

BETTY WHITE SHOW 

DANNY THOMAS SHOW 

DENNIS THE MENACE 

DICK VAN DYKE SHOW 

DONNA REED SHOW 

HOWDY DOODY 

I LOVE LUCY 

LASSIE 

LEAVE IT TO BEAVER 

LONE RANGER 

MAKE ROOM FOR DADDY 

MICKEY MOUSE CLUB 

MISTER ED 

MUNSTERS 

MY THREE SONS 

OZZIE AND HARRIET 

ZORRO 

Mar. 15 Solution 

To answer the trivia question, look for a word or phrase that is hidden in the puzzle, 

but not in the word list. 

This popular sitcom received excellent ratings when it first 

aired in 1956, yet only a total of 39 episodes were made before 

the show was cancelled in 1957. What is the name of the show 

Answer: _____________________ 

Last week’s answer: Egg Nog


BULLETIN BOARD 

SPONSORED BY 


horoscopes 

“Serving the freight needs of central Alberta for 53 years and 

with the community’s help, we’ll be around for another 50” 

Announcements 

Salem Lutheran Church 

Kingman 

Pastor Dan Berg 

Sunday services - 10:30am 

——————————— 

Hay Lakes Parent-Tot 

Group 

Our Saviour Lutheran 

Church 

For parents and children up 

to age 6. 

Drop-in fee $2 per family. 

10am-12pm Mondays 

Call Maria Lobreau 

780-672-0141 

——————————— 

Hay Lakes Library 

Tues 10-1, 4-9; 

Weds 10-6; 

Thurs 3:30-9. 

——————————— 

Announcements 

New Sarepta Minor 

Soccer Association 

Registration Dates 

Tues, March 23rd at 7pm 

Hay Lakes Library 

Weds, March 24th at 7pm 

New Sarepta Agriplex 

——————————— 

New Sarepta Public 

Library 

Board meeting 

April 12 - 7pm 

Book Club meeting 

Mar. 30 - 7pm 

Discussion on The Glass 

Castle 

——————————— 

Cloverlawn Community 

Centre 

Highway 616 - RR #233 

Roast Beef Supper 

March 27, 6:30-8pm 

For tickets, call Gerda 

780-387-4260 

Announcements 

Hay Lakes ECS 

2010-11 registration. 

Thurs, April 8 - 7:00pm 

Hay Lakes School Library 

Children must be 5 yrs. of 

age by March 1, 2011 to 

register. Please bring your 

child’s birth certificate, 

personal health care # and 

legal land description. A 

$25 non-refundable 

registration fee is required. 

For more information call 

Kara at 780-878-3302. 

——————————–- 

Round Hill Elks 

Easter Ham Bingo 

Friday, March 26, 7:30 pm. 

——————————— 

Aquarius (Jan 21-Feb 19)-You are good in 

dealing with people most of the time, keep your 

cool and things will be fine. 

Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20)-You need to slow 

down a little, there has been way to much chaos 

around you lately. 

Aries (Mar 21-Apr 20)-You can strike up a 

conversation with nearly anyone. Watch what you 

share with others, it could backfire. 

Taurus (Apr 21-May 21)-Time to get things 

organized but this could take quite awhile, with all 

the distractions around. Keep focused. 

Gemini (May 22-Jun 21)-Time to socialize 

with a different group of people for awhile, for the 

twins thrive on change. Interesting weekend. 

Cancer (Jun 22-Jul 22)-You know exactly 

what you want right at this moment, but obtaining 

it is an entirely different matter. 

Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22)-You inspire so many 

around you with your entertaining ways. It only 

gets better, start planning a summer adventure. 

Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 23-You've had to turn 

things around recently in order to achieve what 

you really wanted. Way to go, good for you. 

Libra (Sep 24-Oct 23)-You do so much for 

others that neat returns are headed your way. Take 

time to plan an outing with a loved one. 

Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22)-Time to stop 

hesitating and just get the job done. By the 

weekend you will be glad you did. Keep coasting. 

Sagittarius (Nov 23-Dec 21)-You have so 

many things going on at the moment and that is 

perfectly fine. Good news is coming your way. 

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 20)-You should 

be hearing some good news from a loved one 

fairly soon. Make time for loved ones. 

CHEERS & BEER 

LIQUOR MART HAY LAKES 

*ATM* *ICE* *MIX* 

LIQUOR LICENSES AVAILABLE 

VOLUME DISCOUNTS 

“CHEERS” 

OPEN 7 DAYS/WEEK @ 10AM 

780-878-3299 

WEST RIM SERVICES INC. 

NEW SAREPTA, AB 

• SITE DEVELOPMENT 

• SITE RECLAMATION 

• BUILDING DEMOLITON 

• EXCAVATING & GRADING 

• GRAVEL, SAND & TOPSOIL 

• LAND CLEARING 

• DUGOUTS 

• LAND DRAINAGE 

TOLL FREE: 1-866-520-0710 

GEORGE: 780-914-8931

Page 10 March 22-28, 2010 Country Connection 

NEWS AROUND 

ARMENA 

Mid-week Lenten Services 

continue Wednesday nights, 7 p.m. 

at Wilhelmina Lutheran Church. 

Scandia Church council will be 

held Thursday, March 25 at 7:30 

p.m. 

Men’s Breakfast will be held on 

Saturday, March 27 with all 

community men invited to attend. 

The start time is 7:30 a.m. 

Grateful Grannies Information 

and Dessert Night will be held on 

March 28 at Scandia, 6 p.m. 

Congratulations to Salem 

Lutheran Church in Kingman on 

their upcoming 100th anniversary to 

be celebrated on April 25. 

A reminder to anyone wishing to 

join services at Scandia or 

St. Joseph. St. Joseph holds the 9 

a.m. service while Scandia’s is at 11 

a.m. with Pastor Jim Appleby 

officiating. Everyone is invited to 

attend and coffee is served 

afterwards. 

Ron Hodge 

Royal LePage - Gateway Realty 

780-986-8407 

www.ronhodge.com 

Hay Lakes - 3 vacant acreages or 4+ 

acres. Build your dream house or place a 

manufactured home on one of these 4 acre 

parcels. $99,000. 

——————————————–——– 

Millet - 80 acres with 1700 sq. ft. home 

with 5 bedrooms, attached garage and 

several out buildings. $499,000. 

————————————————— 

Millet - 80 acres land, treed 

building site, large dugout, close to 

pavement. $185,000. 

————————————————— 

Wetaskiwin - 157 acres w/surface 

revenue of $7,700/yr plus mostly #1 and 

#2 soil. 

————————————————— 

Hay Lakes - 45 acres on pavement, nicely 

treed building area. $249,900. 

————————————————— 

Bittern Lake - 805 acres pasture in one 

block, 6 dugouts, corrals with good 

fences. 

————————————————— 

New Sarepta - 33 acres base land. 

$259,900. 

————————————————— 

New Sarepta - 39.5 acres with newly 

setup yard site; 3 bedroom manufactured 

home. $445,900. 


Help! 

We are looking for 

someone to write our 

“News from New 

Sarepta” column. 

If you’re 

interested, please 

give us a call at 

780-878-3938 

or email us at 

countryconnection@syban.net. 

windshield repair & replacement specialists 

LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED 

• Windshield replacement 

• Sealed units 

• Flat glass 

• Mirrors 

• Commercial & residential windows 

• Auto detailing 

• Ultra B-O-N-D, Inc. 

“if we can’t fix...nobody can” 

Bay E, 3831 - 44 Avenue 

Camrose, AB T4V 3T1 

Ph: 780-672-5200 Fax: 780-672-5902 

NEWS FROM 

NEW SAREPTA 

The New Sarepta Play School is 

holding a pre-registration for the 2010- 

2011 school year on Monday, March 22 at 

7 pm at the Agriplex. The play school is 

for children aged 3-5. For more 

information, call 780-941-2552. 

New Sarepta FCSS will complete 2009 

income tax returns for low-income 

individuals who have a simple tax 

situation and are living in New Sarepta or 

within rural Leduc County. Please 

contact Lucille at 780-941-2382 to make 

an appointment. 

The New Sarepta & District 

Agricultural Society presents its tenth 

Annual Crooked Ice Jugspiel on 

Saturday, April 3rd at the New Sarepta 

Agriplex. Teams of four will each play at 

least 3 games. Bring your own broom, any 

kind - one from home will do! No 

experience necessary! Entry fee is $25 per 

curler which includes a supper & prize. 

$15 per person for supper only. The 

registration deadline is March 21. Entry 

forms are available at the Agriplex office 

or concession. For more information, 

contact the Agriplex at 780-941-3730. 

If you are interested in reading this 

column, then we need a new author. 

Please email Jocelyn Mackay at 

jocelynlaing@hotmail.com or call 

780-941-2293 if you know of someone 

who would like to write this column.

Page 8 March 22-28, 2010 Country Connection Country Connection March 22-28, 2010 Page 9 

From the desk of George Rogers, MLA for Leduc-Beaumont 

Beaumont-Devon 

#54, 5203 – 50 St., Leduc, AB T9E 6Z5 

E-mail: leduc.beaumontdevon@assembly.ab.ca 

MEDICAL EDGE 

“From the Medical Professionals at Mayo Clinic” 

Alberta delivers on oil and gas competitiveness 

To advance Alberta’s competitiveness in the upstream oil and gas sector, the Alberta government will modify conventional oil and 

natural gas royalty rates, promote more innovation and use of new technologies, and reduce unnecessary red tape while improving 

coordination of regulatory processes. Currently, almost one in seven Albertans are directly or indirectly employed by the energy 

industry. Changes to improve Alberta’s competitiveness are expected to create 8,000 jobs in 2011-12 and then 13,000 more jobs 

annually across all sectors of the economy. Over the next 25 years, conventional oil and gas development in Alberta has the 

potential to add $2.5 trillion in new economic activity. The changes being made by government are based on a Competitiveness 

Review that included an extensive technical analysis of Alberta’s competitive position. This resulted in a number of 

recommendations for improvement in specific areas. The Government of Alberta’s response to this review includes the following: 

Fiscal 

Key recommendations for royalty adjustments will become effective on a permanent basis for the January 2011 production month 

and include: 

• the current incentive program rate of five per cent on new natural gas and conventional oil wells will become a permanent 

feature of the royalty system, with the current time and volume limits; 

• the maximum royalty rate for conventional oil will be reduced at higher price levels from 50 per cent to 40 per cent to 

provide better risk-reward balance to investors; 

• recognizing the fundamental changes to the North American supply/demand balance and increased competition from other 

jurisdictions, the maximum royalty rate for conventional and unconventional natural gas will be reduced at higher price levels from 

50 to 36 per cent; 

• all royalty curves will be finalized and announced by May 31, 2010; 

• the transitional royalty framework for oil and gas introduced in November 2008 will continue until its original announced 

expiration on Dec. 31, 2013; and 

• effective Jan. 1, 2011, no new wells will be allowed to select the transitional royalty rates. Wells that have already selected 

the transitional royalty rates will have the option to stay with those rates or switch to the new rates effective Jan. 1, 2011. 

Innovation 

Innovation will drive our future competitiveness. The government will therefore: 

• explore additional ways to recognize and account for the higher costs of new and advanced technologies needed to develop 

mature fields; and 

• ensure the development of technologies for enhanced oil and gas recovery remain a priority in the government’s research 

strategies with industry and academic partners. 

Regulatory 

The government also accepted recommendations to create a more efficient and effective regulatory system that is based on 

outcomes. These recommendations include ensuring that: 

• regulatory bodies work to better coordinate compliance inspections by October 2010; 

• the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) develops new processes around well spacing and confidentiality of data; 

• Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy, Diana McQueen (MLA for Drayton Valley-Calmar), will chair a 

cross-ministry task force to report within 90 days on: 

• implementation of near-term regulatory enhancements; 

• changes to support deployment of innovative, new technologies; and 

• the process for a comprehensive review of the regulatory system, with specific milestones and measurable objectives. 

The Competitiveness Review assessed ways that Alberta’s competitive position and share of energy investment have shifted, and 

identified contributing factors. It also considered how Alberta could improve its ability to attract conventional oil and natural gas 

investment, in light of market changes. The Alberta government’s response document, Energizing Investment, and the complete 

Project Committee Technical Report and appendix are available at www.energy.alberta.ca. 

Dear Mayo Clinic - What is the current thinking on the health benefits of drinking coffee 

(either regular or decaf) 

Caffeine is the most popular behaviour-altering drug. It chases away fatigue, thereby 

improving alertness and energy level, and it can even improve one's disposition. Coffee, 

whether decaf or regular, has actually been associated lately with a wide variety of health 

advantages. It is said to help protect people from constipation, type 2 diabetes, gall bladder 

disease, colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, alcohol-related cirrhosis and liver cancer, 

Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and dental caries. But I caution that no one should start 

drinking coffee, or up his or her daily dose, in anticipation of such benefits, as none of them has 

been proven, or even adequately explained. 

Most claims derive from a small number of studies, which assessed coffee's effect under 

non-standardized conditions. There was little or no accounting for the type of coffee, its source, 

or how it was brewed. And there was no solid explanation for what ingredient of coffee -- a 

constellation of hundreds of chemicals -- was responsible for the alleged benefits. It could be 

the caffeine, or antioxidants, or a variety of other agents, or a subset of these chemicals acting 

together. Or it could be that many of these studies' conclusions are erroneous: the benefits, if 

valid, may have stemmed from other activities in the subjects' lives. 

Nevertheless, coffee is a rich source of antioxidants -- naturally occurring food chemicals, 

such as polyphenols, that work to counter the effects of "free radicals," which cause 

inflammation and genetic mutation. Thus, if some of the health claims for coffee turn out to be 

true, its contained antioxidants may be responsible for the benefits. Meanwhile, caffeinated 

coffee has its risks. It can cause restlessness, anxiety, irritability, tremor, sleeplessness, 

headache, nausea, diarrhea or other gastrointestinal problems, and abnormal heart rhythms. In 

the past, coffee was suspected of contributing to pancreatic cancer, but after extensive scientific 

study the consensus is that there is no association between them. 

You can avoid most of the documented side effects by drinking coffee in moderation -- say, 

one to three cups a day -- although some people are more sensitive to it. For instance, those who 

already suffer from hypertension or significant heart disease might do well to avoid it 

altogether. Even decaf, despite its name, is not completely caffeine-free. The standard is that 

beans contain no more than three percent of their original caffeine content. 

Coffee, whether decaf or regular, may or may not be responsible for the many health benefits 

lately attributed to it; time will tell. At present, we can at least say that drinking coffee in 

moderation generally causes no harm.

Mar 22-10 issue.pdf - Country Connection

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