Weekly update: School support staff strike, stolen Gretzky jersey might be here, veterans honoured

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Happy Friday, Fort McMurray!

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• Fort McMurray Oil Barons: Upcoming MOB home games at Centerfire Place are against Whitecourt Wolverines on Nov. 22 and 23, Drumheller Dragons on Dec. 12 and 13, Grande Prairie Storm on Jan. 4-5 and 22, Drayton Valley Thunder on Jan. 10, Bonnyville Pontiacs on Jan. 12, and Oldz Grizzlys on Jan. 25 and 26. Tickets and schedule.
• Keyano Huskies Volleyball: Upcoming home games at the Syncrude Sport and Wellness Centre are against Briercrest College Clippers on Nov. 28 and Medicine Hat College Rattlers on Nov. 30. At all games, women’s team starts at 6 p.m. and men’s team starts at 8 p.m.
• Keyano Huskies Basketball: Upcoming home games at the Syncrude Sport and Wellness Centre are against Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks on Nov. 22 and SAIT Trojans on Nov. 23. At all games, women’s team starts at 6 p.m. and men’s team starts at 8 p.m.
• Brett Kissel live at Rivers Casino and Entertainment Centre: Alberta country music star Brett Kissel returns to Fort McMurray for two nights. Shows are Nov. 15 and 16. Tickets.
• Ugly Christmas Sweater Party: Dust off your most outrageous, tacky and festive sweaters for a night of laughter, cheer, and unforgettable fashion statements. Funds go towards the Northern Lights Health Foundation. Nov. 15 at MacDonald Island Park. Tickets and information.
• Festival of Trees: An evening gala with dining, entertainment and beautifully decorated Christmas trees up for auction. Funds go towards the Northern Lights Health Foundation. Nov. 16 at MacDonald Island Park. Tickets and information.
• K.D. Gala fundraiser: The Centre of Hope hosts their 18th annual K.D. Gala. Local chefs create delicious mac and cheese dishes for guests who vote for their meal. There will also be baked goods, a 50/50 draw and a silent auction. Children under 9 get in for free but still require a ticket. Nov. 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Golden Years Society. Tickets.
• YMM Santa and Friends: Photos with Santa, Buddy the Elf and friends from the Pet and Wellness Society Wood Buffalo (PAWS). Piano performances from local students led by Fort McMurray music teacher Jessica McIntosh. Tim Hortons and a colouring and face painting station also available. Tickets for a 5×7 photo and digital file are $10 plus tax, or paid by a brand-new toy donation. All funds go towards Santas Anonymous. Sensory-friendly timeslots available from 2:45 to 3 p.m. Nov. 22 at the Fort McMurray International Airport from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets.
• Santas Anonymous Christmas Market: More than 100 local vendors will support Santas Anonymous Fort McMurray with their annual Christmas market. Since 1984, students and staff at Father Mercredi High School have shared the Christmas spirit through the Santas Anonymous. The purpose is to provide children an opportunity to celebrate Christmas if their families cannot afford to do so. Market will be at Father Mercredi High School on Nov. 30 at 10 a.m. Information.
• Wood Buffalo Regional Library hosts all-ages weekly events.
• MacDonald Island Park updates its website with upcoming events and programs.
• Wood Buffalo Volunteers has volunteer opportunities for different causes and non-profits across Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo.
• Obituaries: Obituaries, memorial notices and sympathy announcements can be uploaded and read online.

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Educational support workers in Fort McMurray begin rolling strikes

Hundreds of people spent Wednesday and Thursday rallying in downtown Fort McMurray as educational support and maintenance workers marked the start of a rolling strike.

The protesters have vowed to continue striking until a deal is made with the Fort McMurray public (FMPSD) and Catholic (FMCSD) school divisions.

Organizers estimate more than 800 staff and supporters rallied throughout the day on Wednesday outside Our Lady of the Rivers Catholic School and Dr. K.A. Clark Public School. Starting Nov. 18, rolling strikes will hit three to six different schools daily.

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“The Alberta government has neglected education for this long and what you’re seeing today is the culmination of that neglect,” said Devante Hobbs, an EA at Father Mercredi Community High School who says his Grade 8 class has 39 students.

Other classes at the school have more than 40 students. Hobbs said this is not sustainable for staff or students.

The strike comes after months of failed negotiations between the school divisions and the union representing more than 1,000 educational assistants, librarians, administrative and maintenance staff, and custodians.

CUPE Local 2559 members, which represents Catholic school staff, have not had a raise since 2015. Members of CUPE Local 2545, which represents public school staff, were last given a slight 1.25 per cent raise in 2020. CUPE argues pay has not kept up with inflation, and workers have overwhelmingly rejected offers on two occasions.

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The union also says members are exhausted from working in schools they say are crowded, poorly staffed and badly funded. The Catholic and public superintendents have made the same arguments in separate, unrelated interviews.

FMPSD says CUPE’s demands are “fiscally impossible,” and would cost $7.8 million retroactively and $3.4 million this year. FMPSD’s financial reserves are dwindling while FMCSD’s operating reserves ran dry at the end of the last school year.

FMPSD trustees have voted in favour of locking out striking staff, but have not served them with this notice. FMCSD has not commented publicly on CUPE’s demands, although the union says the division also says it cannot afford their demands. Its trustees have not pursued a lockout.

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Driver in fatal Fort McMurray crash allegedly had licence medically suspended

Documents filed in the Alberta Court of Justice allege a man charged with killing a waitress after crashing a truck into a Fort McMurray restaurant was medically suspended from driving.

The documents do not mention the condition that caused the suspension or when the suspension was issued, but confirm the suspension was active when the crash happened on Nov. 9.

The victim, Emily Verge, 24, of Fort McMurray was working inside the downtown Boston Pizza at the time of the crash. Police say the driver crashed a F-350 through the wall around 11:30 a.m., striking Verge. She was brought to the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre, where Verge died from her injuries.

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“Emily, at only 24 years old, was loved and adored by everyone who ever had the pleasure of meeting her. She had an infectious personality and a contagious laugh topped off with a pure heart of gold,” said a GoFundMe campaign for her family.

“This tragic accident has really hit the city of Fort McMurray pretty hard. Her family and friends are devastated and are trying to cope with this sudden loss. Emily was well known, well loved and will be missed beyond comprehension.”

Roger Sierra, 28, of Calgary has been charged with criminal negligence causing death. He is scheduled to appear in the Fort McMurray Court of Justice on Dec. 4.

Mounties have suspect in case of stolen $400,000 Wayne Gretzky jersey

Police in Alberta believe a stolen jersey worn by Wayne Gretzky in the 1984 Canada Cup may be in Fort McMurray.

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The jersey, which is worth an estimated $400,000, was stolen from former NHL star Kent Nilsson. After Team Canada beat Team Sweden at the tournament, Gretzky and Nilsson spontaneously traded jerseys on the ice.

Nilsson says he knows who stole the jersey and it has somehow arrived in Fort McMurray. Wood Buffalo RCMP visited a suspect but were not allowed into the man’s home. When they returned with a search warrant, officers did not find the jersey.

“We have a suspect,” said Emanuel Rojas-Grenier, the RCMP officer who was first assigned to the case and has since been transferred elsewhere. “Obviously I can’t give you the identify of that individual because they haven’t been charged or anything like that.”

RCMP say abduction report ‘a big misunderstanding’:

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Wood Buffalo RCMP say reports of a possible abduction in Abasand last week was “a big misunderstanding.”

A witness told police that around 7 p.m. on Nov. 6, a woman jumped from a vehicle and ran into the field behind Father Beauregard School. The driver drove onto the field and the woman was dragged back into the vehicle.

Last Friday, police said they tracked down and interviewed the people involved. Alberta RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Troy Savinkoff said in an interview police cannot release context of what happened because it could potentially identify people involved. However, Savinkoff said investigators have ruled out any criminal activity and everyone involved is safe.

Fort McMurray honours veterans at Remembrance Day ceremonies

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More than 1,500 people packed a MacDonald Island Park fieldhouse and the Royal Canadian Legion branch in Waterways to honour Canada’s veterans for Remembrance Day.

As people reflected on the past contributions and sacrifices of Canada’s veterans, the crowds were reminded current and former service members struggle daily with the mental and emotional wounds from combat and non-combat deployments.

“Service under the constant threat of violence and readiness to do violence when necessary takes an extreme toll on the soul,” said Mike Gray, president of the Fort McMurray Legion and a veteran of the War in Afghanistan, in a speech at the MacDonald Island ceremony.

“We must ensure that we constantly strive to bring them back and make them whole, so that they may re-enter and enjoy our day-to-day society, which many of us take for granted. As has been said, if we send them, we must mend them.”

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Gray also pointed out there are Canadian soldiers, sailors and air force personnel deployed on dozens of operations around the world. Locally, the Canadian Armed Forces maintains a Canadian Ranger patrol group in Fort Chipewyan.

Debbie Pinksen returned as the Silver Cross Mother for the Remembrance Day ceremonies. Pinksen’s son, Corporal Brian Pinksen of 2nd Battalion, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, died in a hospital in Germany on Aug. 30, 2010 after he was wounded in Afghanistan eight days earlier. He was 20.

“We come together on November the 11th every year to remember, but I look at our Silver Cross Mother who I am sure there is not a day goes by where she does not do anything but remember,” said Pastor Robert Parmenter, who is also the legion branch’s padre.

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Unemployment in local census area dropped last month, but job growth limited

Unemployment in the census area covering the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo dropped in October, according to Statistics Canada data released last Friday, making this the first drop reported since last December.

However, there were few changes in employment and limited job growth in the region compared to growth in the rest of Alberta.

Last month’s unemployment in the Wood Buffalo Cold Lake census region was 6.7 per cent, down from 7.2 per cent in September. Employment in October saw few changes after dropping slightly to 68.3 per cent from September’s 68.5 per cent. Employment in October 2023 was 71.3 per cent and unemployment was 5.7 per cent.

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The participation rate—which measures how much of the population is working or actively looking for work—dropped to 73.2 per cent in October. The rate was 73.8 per cent in October and 75.7 per cent in October 2023.

The labour force shrank by 400 people in October from September. The labour force in October 2023 matched September 2024 numbers, so gains from the previous 12 months were cancelled. There were also no employment gains in the region in October from September. There were 400 full-time jobs lost and 400 new part-time jobs created.

Statistics Canada also noted that 28.8 per cent of Canadians above the age of 15 lived in homes struggling to afford food, housing, clothing, transportation and other necessary expenses.

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Albertans were above the Canadian average at 31.3 per cent. Ontarians were also above the average at 31.7 per cent.

RMWB council approves Gregoire skate park pitched by local kids

Children in Gregoire will soon have a skate park that a class at Greely Road School began campaigning for in March 2023.

The skate park was pitched directly to council last year by the school’s Grades 5 and 6 students. They were inspired to organize a presentation to council after Mayor Sandy Bowman visited their classroom and encouraged them to present to council.

Chris Organ, principal of Greely Road School, pointed out the children of Gregoire face hurdles reaching skate parks elsewhere in the city.

“We happen to be one of the lowest socioeconomic areas in the city. A lot of my parents don’t have cars. You don’t put children on a bus to go downtown. They need a place to skate,” said Organ.

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“This project started two-and-a-half years ago. Since then, other skate parks have been renovated and this one has not gone off the ground. And at least some questions about the voices of lower socioeconomic areas has been brought up to me, and it’s one that I think is worth considering.”

Councillors agreed unanimously at their Tuesday meeting that children in Gregoire have few parks to enjoy compared to children elsewhere in Fort McMurray.

Councillor Ken Ball argued the municipality can build a public park that respects the public purse as he urged the rest of council to support the project.

“The intention of this motion is to, frankly, provide a service for Gregoire that doesn’t exist. The presenters are correct. Traveling to a facility like that with youth down Highway 63 across the bridge, it’s just not feasible and it’s unsafe,” said Ball.

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Keith Smith, director of the municipality’s public works department, warned council a permanent skate park will be another long-term expense as RMWB tax revenues continue shrinking.

Smith proposed a modular, seasonal skate park built on an outdoor hockey rink or new concrete pad. However, rejecting the idea was the recommended route from administration.

“We are at a critical juncture in the region whereby we have over $7 billion in assets and limited revenues to address our responsibilities for municipal services and public safety,” said Smith.

“Adding additional infrastructure that is not public safety-focused or considered a critical municipal service is not recommended at this time.”

CAO will tell RMWB council about future exempt staff bonuses:

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The mayor and council will be told about any bonuses before they are approved for senior municipal employees.

The motion, which passed at council’s Tuesday meeting, comes after more than $1 million in bonuses were approved for senior RMWB directors in 2021 and 2022.

Councillors were sympathetic to the idea, but there were concerns raised about council potentially interfering with the municipality’s administrative duties.

Councillor Allan Grandison worried council would micromanage routine administrative finances beyond passing an annual municipal budget.

Grandison was told council cannot recommend certain employees get bonuses, determine their compensation or conduct staff evaluations. Council can approve bonus programs that set guidelines and limits for the CAO, but cannot make individual decisions in the program.

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Councillor Lance Bussieres agreed council should not decide which employees get bonuses, but argued the former Finance and Audit Committee would have recommended limits and guidelines.

Craig Milley, president of CUPE Local 1505, supported the motion but argued exempt RMWB staff should not get bonuses. He also accused CAO Henry Hunter of promising to end bonuses. Hunter denied this and said he agreed during recent bargaining talks to halt bonuses for the rest of 2024.

Fort McMurray resident Michael Ferrera supported the motion, but said the bonus scandal was only “the tip of the impropriety iceberg.” Ferrera also mentioned procurement, hiring practices and contracts as other examples of problem areas with the RMWB.

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“A forensic audit will fix it, and it’ll probably hurt in the short term, but pay huge dividends moving forward,” said Ferrera. “I’d imagine a number of you will be approached by admin regarding this, saying it isn’t necessary. That means it’s absolutely necessary.”

RCMP expands southern presence with satellite office on Fort McMurray 468 First Nation

Wood Buffalo RCMP have expanded their rural presence with the opening of a satellite office on the Fort McMurray 468 First Nation. The partnership is part of an ongoing plan to strengthen a police presence in rural and Indigenous communities south of Fort McMurray.

“It’s great to have that patrol cabin in that area so that we can have a presence, whether that’s coming into the community and talking to people or just being present,” said Chief Superintendent Mark Hancock in an interview.

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Wood Buffalo RCMP have more plans to expand their presence south of Fort McMurray. This has been a common request from residents and community leaders for years.

A 2020 municipal report on needs in Indigenous and rural communities found leadership in Conklin and Janvier were the loudest proponents of a stronger police presence. Recent Statistics Canada data shows violent and non-violent crimes increased in Fort McMurray and surrounding rural areas between 2021 and 2023.

Hancock says Mounties are looking at other locations in the southern hamlets for community offices. Officers are also being encouraged to join cultural and traditional events, and attend community meetings. Police are maintaining two Indigenous liaison officers. Hancock also says the region’s drug treatment court and restorative justice program have been successful.

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“I want to make sure there’s always officers down there, and available to help people and to be part of the community,” said Hancock.

• Former prime minister Stephen Harper may become the new chair of the Alberta Investment Management Corp., following the UCP government’s dismissal last week of executives and entire board of the public sector pension fund manager. Sources close to government say Premier Danielle Smith has wanted Harper to take on the role for some time, but issues about his own business activities needed to be resolved first.
• The Liberals have touted Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault as Indigenous for years.  Now the Edmonton Centre MP says he never claimed Indigenous status, but Boissonnault’s description of himself has shifted. He’s mentioned Cree heritage as far back as 2016 and has called himself “a proud member of the Liberal Indigenous caucus.” Last week he made no mention of Cree heritage in a statement but noted members of his adopted family were “status Métis.” In 2021, he told 2SLGBTQ+ publication Xtra he was “white.”
• Frustrated with WestJet? They know. After a horrendous year of cancelled flights, labour unrest and devastating weather, WestJet sent a letter to its rewards members last month promising to do better.
• A wet summer brought relief to some Alberta farmers. Drought in 2023 and a warm winter had farmers, municipalities and the province fearing another dry summer. Yet Alberta’s crop estimates are above average in the south and northwest, but below average in central and northeastern Alberta. “Nobody is excited, but everybody is satisfied,” said Alison Davie, board chair of the Potato Growers of Alberta.
• Alberta has launched a $110,000 public awareness campaign to “rat on rats” and keep Alberta free of the destructive pests. For more than 70 years, Alberta has swiftly dealt with infestations and stopped rats from establishing a permanent population. How bad can a rat foothold get? When covering New York City’s rat problem, journalist Annie Lowrey wrote last month in The Atlantic “you could kill 99 per cent of the rats in the city, and the survivors would repopulate it in months.” Hold the line, Alberta!
• Read up on the politics and culture of Alberta  with Postmedia’s subscriber-exclusive newsletter, What’s up with Alberta? Curated by the National Post’s Tyler Dawson every Tuesday and Thursday.

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