LMT_Aug_15_Vol_115_issue_33

lmtimes.ca • Last Mountain Times • Monday, August 15, 2022
North with a pulse
The Hudson Bay Railway has long been a route to ocean water which has
been of interest to northeast Saskatchewan grain growers.
It is, after all, the shortest route to open water,
at least for a short summer season, and that
holds the potential to cost producers less.
When you’ve been an ag journalist in Yorkton for
more than 30 years, the potential of that route
north is not lost on you, especially if you ever met
Willis Richford of Norquay before he died in 2005.
Richford and the rail line north were, for decades,
nearly synonymous. For over 60 years,
Richford was a member, director, president and
subsequently Honourary Life member
of the Hudson Bay Route Association.
He worked tirelessly and was
about as passionate as one can
Ag Notes
be about something, in his case
CALVIN
advocating for greater use of the
DANIELS
Port of Churchill and the Hudson
Bay Route.
During the times we spoke, it
was evident he was a true believer
in the yet unrealized potential of the
railway and the port. A large mural proclaims
Norquay as the ‘Home of Mr. Churchill Willis
Richford’ as does a medallion produced by the
Norquay Chamber of Commerce in 2000.
I reflected on Richford when I read that the
Hudson Bay Railway will receive $133 million in
new funding to upgrade and maintain the rail line
in Manitoba from The Pas to Churchill. The federal
government will provide $60 million on top
of its existing support, and the Manitoba government
is contributing $73.8 million to the project.
The two levels of government made the announcement
in Winnipeg on August 3rd.
It’s funding Richford would have wholeheartedly
supported, although it is likely he might suggest
it was overdue.
The funding is for two years and will go to the
Arctic Gateway Group, a partnership between First
Nations and northern communities. Arctic Gateway
owns the railway, the Port of Churchill, the
Churchill Marine Tank Farm and other assets.
“The Hudson Bay Railway is an engine for
economic development, job growth and tourism
opportunities, and our government is proud to support
this vital transportation network,” Manitoba
premier Heather Stefanson said in a recent www.
producer.com article.
It is a great statement, but frankly, it’s one that
various politicians have echoed in one form or
another for decades, but in the end, the suggested
potential never seems to be achieved.
The latest injection of cash is clearly about Northern
Manitoba’s economic growth, not grain going
north to open water. That element of the port is
likely a footnote of Prairie history related to unfulfilled
potential, but the money does leave the route
north with a pulse.
Shepherd of the Valley
Lutheran Church
Richford would hope it is a step to more, but we
will see if that happens.
- COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE AT LMTIMES.CA/CALVIN
9
Updated!
Delicious B.C. Freestone
Peach Sale
Saturday, August 27 th 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
PEACHES MUST BE PICKED UP AT THE LUTHERAN CHURCH
on the day of the sale
205 Broad Street, Lumsden
Peaches sold in 20lb cases
$45 / case
$25 / half case
PRE-SALE ONLY
Sorry, no walk-up sales
Order by August 18 th
for guaranteed supply!!
For more information please call:
Judy Gilmour 306.539.2364 | Judy Lynn - 306.731.3341
Ruthanne Reimche (Bethune) - 306.638.8225
Russ & Judy Haukeness (Regina Beach) - 306.729.2099
Disclaimer: opinions expressed are those of the writer.
Health Advisory
on Monkeypox
August 13, 2022 - The Saskatchewan Health
Authority is alerting the public to the elevated risk
of acquiring Monkeypox through anonymous sexual
contact due to recent known cases associated with
this source of transmission. Information reported
to public health, related to travel into and out of
province, has prompted this alert.
22091SS0
Individuals who believe they have been exposed can contact Healthline 811
to determine if they are considered at risk or eligible for a vaccine.
Eligibility for the Monkeypox vaccine has been expanded to adults 18 years
and older who are close contacts or deemed higher risk for exposure. Referrals
are available through 811.
Monkeypox is a rare viral illness that causes fever, headache, swollen lymph
nodes and lethargy, followed by the development of a rash over a person’s
body. Monkeypox does not spread easily from person to person. It is spread
through:
• Close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact;
• touching bodily fluids or lesions of a person who is sick with the disease; or
• exposure to contaminated objects such as bed linens or clothing.
If you have recently been in contact with an individual with suspected or
confirmed monkeypox and develop fever or other symptoms of illness, you
should call HealthLine 811 or consult a health care provider immediately.
The Ministry of Health and Saskatchewan Health Authority have increased
surveillance for monkeypox and have alerted health care providers about
signs, symptoms and treatment. Health officials in Saskatchewan are continuing
to work with the Public Health Agency of Canada and National Microbiology
Laboratory in Winnipeg to investigate any further potential cases of
monkeypox in Saskatchewan.
-MEDIA RELEASE, SHA