By: Darcie Thom

In the October 14, 2008 Federal Canadian Elections, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and fellow Conservatives won a larger minority government putting them in the lead with 143 seats, as of midnight, 106 of them gained in Ontario.

A promise was made to Canada, by Harper, that ‘the Conservatives would continue to ensure Canada is able to weather the global credit crisis, by enforcing firm regulations for banks and promoting business through low taxes’.

Once elections came to a closing, the NDP had 37 seats, the Bloc Quebecois 50 and the Liberal party fell to 76, a loss of over 27 seats.

This 2008 federal election marked one of the worst elections in history with only, approximately, 55 percent of Canadians voting, leaving some to believe that there was more concern over the stock market. Locally, the numbers were also low.

Ed Komarnicki, in Souris-Moose Mountain, beat his closest competitor by a 4-1 margin, securing 70.5 percent of the votes in the rural riding of Saskatchewan’s southeast corner. The overall Conservative vote increased to 53.7 percent of the popular vote from 49.4 percent percent in the 2006 election.

The Liberal Party suffered a loss in support going down 6.7 percent to 14.9 percent. The NDP, which was shut out of Saskatchewan seats for the third straight federal election, increased their vote by 1.2 percent to 25.6 percent.

Total Votes:

Conservative - Ed Komarnicki      19293

NDP - Raquel Fletcher          4599

Liberal - Marlin Belt       1834

Green- Bob Deptuck           1643

Staff Photo By: Darcie Thom

Dr. Ku and his staff at the Kipling Dental Clinic use professional chair-side manners to ease the dental stress of their patients.

By: Darcie Thom

This time of year, parents are rushing to get the haircuts and clothes ready for the big day at school when the students sit and smile for the camera on picture day, however, without the proper dental care, students may not want to show off their pearly whites.

For over four decades, studies have shown that fluoride taken over a lifetime (in the proper amounts) may help reduce tooth decay by as much as 50 percent.

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By: Ivy Veysey

Bekevar Presbyterian Church

What’s the purpose?

“Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. ‘For whom is toiling,’ he asked, ‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?’ This is… a miserable business.” Ecclesia 4:7,8.

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By: Darcie Thom

That’s right! I said red pen, not red paper clip!

Have you ever worked in an office or know someone that has?! Do you know how dangerous it can be to go to another person’s desk, borrow (and forget to give back) an item……? Well, here at our office, we share the supplies, that is, except Laura’s red pen!

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Staff Photo By: Darcie Thom

Large varieties of energy drinks are readily available for people in need of an instant energy fix. Some drinks like the ‘Hardcore Energize Bullet’ are restricted to those 18 and under and require photo I.D. to prove age.

By: Darcie Thom

Move over coffee drinkers, vitamin poppers and workout wonders…. there’s a new kid in town!

Long-haul drivers, shift-workers and people in need of instant energy have depended on the huge variety of energy drinks that are available at almost every food market, corner store and gas station across the province. This trend, more recently, attracted the teenage generation in large numbers with the variety of flavours, ‘instant’ energy boosters and availability, few with age restrictions, which in turn can be very dangerous to the young adult.

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Photo Submitted By: John and Andree Gracie

Singer, songwriter John Gracie

By: Darcie Thom

The love of music wasn’t a far off dream when Folk Singer and Songwriter, John Gracie was a young boy. The love and passion for music has been a reality for Gracie, since the young age of five, who has had the opportunities to perform in front of live audiences, on screen, and record in studios.

“When I was really young, about the age of five, I would hide behind the kitchen coal stove and sing to myself,” recalls Gracie, “I didn’t think that anyone could hear me back there. I would call out to my mom ‘could you hear me?’ and she would answer back ‘no!’, so I believed that she couldn’t”.

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Photo Submitted By: Joan Minter

Joan with her daughter Jennifer and 16-month-old grandson Jack.

By: Darcie Thom

“One of my friends wrote me a letter explaining what her aunt had gone through with Cancer,” said Joan Minter, a Kipling local and breast cancer survivor, “she wrote about how her (cantankerous) aunt was fine, that she was still around and that gave me hope!”

In early spring of 1987, doctors diagnosed Joan, a member of the Kipling and District Arts Council, with breast cancer after an ordeal with a number of visits to various doctors, radiologists and mammograms.

Joan noticed an unfamiliar lump in her breast and reacted by going to her doctor to follow through with a mammogram, which failed to find the cancerous lump. An appointment with a radiologist led her to another dead end as the specialist didn’t feel any difference either but as unfortunate as it was, she certainly did have breast cancer.

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Photo submitted by: Tammy Heaton

Back row (l to r) husband Brian, son Tracey, grandson Ty, grandson Chance, son-in-law Warren. Front row (l to r) Candyce, grandson Shaw, daughter Tammy.

By: Darcie Thom

With very few cases of cancer in her family, Candyce MacDonald, an educational assistant at the Kipling School wasn’t expecting the news that she was about to receive in early January of 2007.

Candyce started out in her cancer journey by first discovering an unexpected lump that was quickly inspected via biopsy by her doctor. After learning that her discovery was indeed cancer, Candyce underwent a bilateral mastectomy (surgery)in February. For a couple of months following the surgery, she recovered and rested for the numerous upcoming chemo and radiation treatments that were to be expected for her complete recovery.

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It’s been some time since I visited you last, but please know I continue to work diligently on my promise to bring film production to your wonderful town.  I know we were working together to make “3 Day Test” our first project and had worked hard for over a year to secure the necessary further funding to make that happen, but unfortunately, for one reason or another that never came to be.  But as my parents always taught me, “perhaps it’s for a reason.”  Well, I’m pleased to announce what I feel is the greater purpose in all this.  First however, a small set up:

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By: Corbin Bernsen

A 50 year old man, James Moore, suffering a mid life crisis returns home to the small farming town he grew up in to “put the pieces back together again.”  The twist here however is that his isn’t your “normal male” mid life crisis.  When James left just over thirty years ago - right after high school and the sudden death of his mother - he was highly regarded, “a hometown hero,” star athlete with tremendous opportunities coming in from all corners of the country. Instead of exploiting those opportunities however, and much to the surprise and disappointment of family and friends, he passed it all up; the money and fame, choosing instead to quietly move away, far away and study the Bible and make a life doing “God’s work.”  For all the years in between he’s moved around the country, an Ordained Minister, selflessly preaching the word of Christ.  For some reason however, and again to the surprise of friends and family, his trips home were mysteriously few and far between.

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