Cascade of Water Conservation Ideas

Green paper cut-outs of bull-trout are swimming upstream on a transparent aqua film that doubles as a river. The exercise is called Boulders and Fish and has attracted the attention of the people in the Cochrane Ranche House, where an event called Communities as Water Stewards was held in December. “The boulders represent the challenges and the fish are the opportunities,” said Margaret Glasford, chair of the Alberta Stewardship Network. “We can think of the boulders as possible barriers in a stream. The fish attempt to swim around the boulders.”

Throughout the day, nearly 125 people stepped forward to provide their input into the activity, taping up their ideas onto the blue ‘stream.’ “Find regulations for recreational activities,” wrote one participant. “Create options to motivate agricultural irrigation to save water,” wrote another. “The exercise is also used as a tool to help the watershed groups identify which resources they’re willing to pursue, in order to move past the obstacles,” Glasford added.

The two-day event was co-sponsored by several organizations, including the Rural Secretariat (Alberta region), the Bow River Basin Council, the Alberta Stewardship Network and the Province of Alberta. “Water is reliably unreliable,” noted Dr. Stephen Grasby, a scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada and keynote speaker at the event. “It comes to us - reliably - in the wrong quantities, at the wrong time - unreliably.” His message expressed the need to learn to conserve our water supply, particularly as the population grows. “The only way to deal with the growth in southern Alberta is through conservation,” he said.

The Alberta Stewardship Network (ASN) was established in 2004 ‘to support and celebrate the efforts of individual stewards and stewardship groups across Alberta.’
Responsible management of water is the hallmark of stewardship, ensuring that there is a healthy ecosystem in place for present and future generations.

For Andrew Stiles, committee chairman for Nature Calgary, that means kayaking down the Bow River during the summer months, collecting garbage such as plastic bottles, styrofoam cups, and even old sandals. “My tally for the summer of 2006 was over 2,000 beer cans in Calgary's Bowness-stretch, alone,” Stiles said. “We must all exercise enormous diligence to maintain the glory of an uncluttered landscape. We all have the power to make a difference with just the simple little step of tidying up our corner of Canada.”

Cochrane environmentalist Tim Giese has been actively ‘cleaning up’ his town since the 1990s. His afternoon presentation was titled “Cochrane Watershed - Demonstrating Initiative” and he highlighted the importance of the work of local volunteers. “Branches and Banks organizes an annual tree-planting event for the residents of Cochrane,” Giese said. “In the past 11 years, we have planted nearly 30,000 trees and bushes mostly along the area waterways. Several tonnes of garbage have been collected as well.”

For more information on the Alberta Stewardship Network, visit their website at www.ab.stewardshipcanada.ca.

Blow The Whistle On Train Safety!

Eighteen times a day, a freight-train whistles through the Broadway Avenue railway crossing, located in the town of Blackfalds. This prairie community is home to 4,800 residents, most of whom work in nearby Red Deer, 10 kilometres south. Some locals see the train as a noisy nuisance that obstructs traffic in town; others are more understanding, realizing that it provides a means of transportation for necessary goods and materials.

“Whatever the impression, residents will be crossing more safely in the future, when proposed improvements are installed and constructed. The Broadway Avenue crossing is one of seven in Alberta scheduled for improvement this Spring,” said Andrea Rudniski, Senior Communications Officer with Transport Canada, Prairie and Northern Region. “Transport Canada is providing more than $11.4 million for 115 projects across Canada,” said Rudniski. “These improvements are needed to enhance safety at public crossings.”

Grade crossings were evaluated according to these factors: the volume of road and rail traffic; the adequacy of sight-lines along the road approach to a crossing; and any previous accident history.

Last July, the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities announced, “Whether in the city or in rural areas, where rail-tracks and roads meet, there is a potential for accidents. Improving these crossings will help to enhance the quality of life of Canadians,” he said. “It also continues our partnerships with rail companies and communities to make rail crossings safer for motorists and pedestrians throughout Canada.”

Under Transport Canada's grade crossing improvement program, eligible railway crossings are upgraded, relocated or closed. Improvements may include installing flashing lights and gates, adding gates or extra lights to existing systems, linking crossing signals to nearby traffic lights, modifying operating circuits, or adding new circuits or timing devices. Up to 80 per cent of the total cost of improvements is financed by Transport Canada, with the balance provided by railways, municipalities or provinces and territories.

“The cost of the improvement project in Blackfalds is $239,600,” said Ray Kerber, Director of Operations and Engineering Services for the Town of Blackfalds. “The project's costs include the installation of new gates, as well as a constant warning time device,” he explained. A constant warning time device is an electronic mechanism that assures the same amount of warning time, regardless of the speed of the train. “For example, if a train travelling 50 kilometres per hour is approaching a crossing, you'll still get a 30-second notice before the train passes through the crossing,” explained Rudniski. “The warning is the same, regardless of the speed of the train, even if it were travelling at 85 kilometres per hour.”

Since 1996, Transport Canada's grade crossing improvement program has committed more than $100 million to similar projects throughout the country. “As our town grows, traffic increases,” said Kerber. “These improvements will help increase safety.”

Railway Crossing Tips:

• Listen for warning bells and whistles. Turn off, or turn down distracting fans, heaters and radios until the crossing is safely crossed. Opening the window helps you to hear better.
• Never drive around lowered gates - it's illegal and deadly. If you suspect a signal is malfunctioning, call the 1-800 number posted on or near the crossing signal or your local law enforcement agency.
• If your vehicle stalls on the tracks at a crossing, immediately get everyone out and far away from the tracks. Move in the direction that the train is approaching from, to avoid being hit by debris, because the momentum of the train will sweep your vehicle forward.
• Railway tracks, trestles, yards and equipment are private property. Walking or playing on railway tracks is illegal. Trespassers are subject to arrest and fines.
• Do not walk, run, cycle or operate all-terrain vehicles on railway tracks or rights-of-way or through tunnels.
• Cross tracks only at designated pedestrian or railway crossings. Observe and obey all warning signs and signals.

Source: Transport Canada

Railway Crossing Facts:

• There are nearly 55,000 public, private and pedestrian highway/railway crossings in Canada.
• In 2005, 38 people were killed and 54 seriously injured in 270 highway/railway crossing collisions.
• Trains cannot stop quickly. An average freight train travelling at 100 km/hour requires about 1.1 kilometres to stop. A passenger train travelling at 120 km/h requires about 1.6 kilometres to stop. That's 14 football fields!

Source: Transport Canada

Federal Government Takes Services on the Road

Service Canada has begun to take its services on the road and into your community through its Outreach and Mobile Services. The program aims to bring government services and information closer to home -- within 50 kilometres of where Canadians live – with a special focus on reaching out to previously under-served remote, rural and northern communities.

Service Canada's representatives travel on a scheduled or periodic basis to assist where there is a need. Scheduled Outreach Services visit on a regular, part-time basis (e.g. two days a week), while Mobile Services take Service Canada staff to meet citizens on an as-needed basis -- for instance, to provide information sessions on specific topics, or assistance during local emergencies such as plant closures or natural disasters.

Since the launch of Service Canada in September 2005, more than 150 new outreach sites have been added to the Service Canada network, and more than 250 more are expected to open by the end of March 2007. Through this network, more Canadians than ever before can receive the help they need.

Responding to the diverse needs of Canadians is what Service Canada's outreach services are all about. To meet the needs of Aboriginal people, targeted outreach is offered in select communities, while other outreach efforts are focused on the special needs of youth, seniors and people with disabilities.

Service Canada Outreach in Alberta

Hobbema, AB
Wabasca-Desmarais, AB
Taber, AB
Cardston, AB *
Blood Reserve, AB*

* Outreach locations to open soon

Service Canada makes it easier for Canadians to get the government services and information they need with just a click, call or visit. To find the nearest Service Canada Centre or outreach site location, hours of operation, and available services, visit servicecanada.gc.ca and click on ;Services Where You Live or call 1-800-O-Canada.

Beetle Battle Begins

A provincial forestry official has two words of advice for Alberta's forest industry on how to defend against the dreaded mountain pine beetle: “Start now. Basically, a beetle infestation is like a fire,” said Daniel Lux, provincial mountain pine beetle coordinator with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development. “Try to stop it.”

The mountain pine beetle is a small black beetle about the size of a grain of rice. In B.C., its populations have reached epidemic levels, infesting trees across 8.5 million hectares of pine forests. The beetle has now reached Alberta, threatening two million hectares of pine forests at risk along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. The estimated commercial value of the forest is $23 billion. Wildlife, water and biodiversity values are also threatened.

Even a record-breaking cold-spell late in November couldn't make a significant impact on the beetle populations. During the last week of November, Alberta reported unusually low temperatures, -41 C with the windchill factor. “We need -40 C, not counting the windchill, for about 10 days in a row,” added Lux. He says that mountain pine beetles produce a natural anti-freeze to protect them from the cold weather. “Snow at the base of a tree acts as an insulator,” Lux explained. “It protects that part of the tree, as well as the beetles that are over-wintering there.”

Alberta's current strategy is to identify, cut and burn every mountain pine beetle-infested pine tree in the province.

If you take a drive along Cowboy Trail and travel an hour northwest of Calgary, you'll enter the authentically-western town of Sundre, where cowboys drive duallies and gather for coffee or a beer at the local hotel. Continue travelling west and you'll find yourself in the midst of crown land and forestry reserve, where mature stands of lodge-pole pine provide employment for the local mill's 440 employees, as well as for hundreds of loggers, truckers, and other people linked to the forestry industry.

Sundre Forest Products is a “world-class sawmill that produces 1.2 million cubic metres of wood products annually,” said Peter Denney, Harvest Planning Manager with the company. “In our forest management area, our pine is at high risk due to the amount of susceptible pine, but right now there are no beetles” he said. His company, however, is responding to the provincial policy called the Pine Prevention Strategy. “Over the next 20 years we'll be accelerating our cut to reduce the beetle habitat in order to be better equipped to deal with and defend against them,” he added. “We still have that wall of beetles to the west of us.”

The Government of Canada has taken a proactive approach in the battle against the beetle. Last October, the Rural Secretariat - Rural Team British Columbia/Yukon - was instrumental in bringing several stakeholders together at a meeting held in Prince George to address the mountain pine beetle epidemic. “It was the first time everyone had ever sat in the same room together,” said Joerg Hannes, acting Senior Policy Advisor for B.C./Yukon for the Rural Secretariat. “Everyone shared their views on what we’re doing to fight the mountain pine beetle infestation. It was a very promising first step.” He explained that the Rural Secretariat provided a neutral meeting ground for representatives from various government agencies, as well as from the private sector. “It was very positive, with a lot of relationship-building,” Hannes added. “The next step was for stakeholders to meet during the Fifth Annual B.C. Natural Resources Forum, scheduled for January 11-12, 2007 in Prince George. “The forum was designed to bring together government and community decision-makers and businesspeople from the natural resources sector,” Hannes said. “It provided them with an opportunity to discuss challenges and identify opportunities for sustainable, responsible development of natural resources in B.C.”

The province has set up a beetle hotline for residents to report suspected outbreaks. Phone 1-877-927-BUGS (2847).

Life-Cycle of a Mountain Pine Beetle

• In late July, the female mountain pine beetle enters a host tree, typically a mature lodge-pole pine.
• She builds vertical galleries and lays eggs underneath the bark.
• About two weeks later, the eggs hatch into larvae.
• In August, the larvae begin to tunnel horizontal galleries under the bark, where they spend winter.
• By the middle of the following July, the larvae pupate and mature into adult beetles.
• The adult beetles emerge from the tree through a round hole in the bark.
• The adult female then searches for a new tree to infest and begin the cycle again.
• From the time a pine tree is infested, it takes one year for the tree to die and turn red.
• The mountain pine beetle contributes to tree mortality in two ways: by girdling the tree, which reduces the tree's ability to transport nutrients; and by transmitting blue stain fungi that kills the tree.

Source: Alberta Sustainable Resource Development,
Forest Health Section

Signs of Mountain Pine Beetle Infestation:

• Red Trees: The mountain pine beetle usually mass-attacks large pine trees taller than 10 metres or greater than 24 centimetres in diameter. Trees that have been successfully attacked during the previous season begin to turn yellow in June/July, and reddish-brown by August.
  
  
• Pitch Tubes: Sometimes, the trees will produce a large amount of sap to help flush out invading beetles. The sap often forms irregular, creamy-coloured globs called pitch tubes on the bark surface; these look similar to crystallized honey.

Source: Alberta Sustainable Resource Development,
Forest Health Section

Fixit Chicks and Flavour Budzzz:
Socially Successful Enterprises

In 1971, within the snug confines of a weathered tent, a great idea was born. As a fierce mountain storm raged outside, a small group of students huddled together for warmth, discussing possibilities. What if, one asked, we could establish a mountain equipment store where we could offer avalanche transceivers, ice axes, rope?

Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) has grown to become one of Canada’s largest suppliers of quality outdoor equipment. With more than two million members in 192 countries, MEC forms a vibrant, retail co-operative (source: www.mec.ca).

“Social enterprises are born out of a self-help dynamic,” said Dr. Brett Fairbairn, a professor of history at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. He also teaches at the Centre for the Study of Co-Operatives at U of S. Dr. Fairbairn presented his findings at a Learning Series Seminar sponsored by the Rural Secretariat in Edmonton last November. The event - Community Revitalization: Co-ops and Social Enterprises - brought about 40 people together to hear presentations and to participate in discussions on social enterprise. Dr. Fairbairn used MEC to illustrate an example of an effective social co-op. “People see the problems and they are driven to find solutions,” he said. “It's all about self-help, self-administration and self-responsibility. The definition of social enterprise has several overlapping meanings,” he added. “It includes non-profit associations that operate income-earning enterprises. It may include commercial businesses that have strong social missions,” he said. “It's related to the commercial arm of community-oriented voluntary activity.”

Other presenters included Doug Thompson, Program Manager of Flavour Budzzz Catering, within the Distinctive Employment Counselling Services of Alberta. Flavour Budzzz employs people who are experiencing ‘chronic and persistent mental illnesses'. “A social enterprise is a business with a dual bottom-line,” he explained. “One is financial and the other is social.” In a province where the service industry is in urgent need for workers, Flavour Budzzz is providing a vital service for its clients as well as for its employees. “There is a substantial body of research that supports the benefits of working,” Thompson said. “These benefits include alleviation of poverty, higher levels of functioning, improvements in quality of life and self-esteem and greater satisfaction with vocational services and finances.” Thompson recalls one employee who, before his employment with Flavour Budzzz, spent most of his time watching television. “This man told me he has gone from being a ‘nothing’ to being a ‘trained kitchen worker,’” Thompson said. “Our people are learning and changing so much. Business,” he added, “is ‘huge’. The food is wonderful and our clients are wonderful,” he said. “We're moving toward becoming a self-sufficient social enterprise.”

Other highlights of the day’s event included Marcia Tait's presentation on Community Economic Development and Social Enterprises. Tait works as a social planner with the City of Edmonton Community Services Research and Innovation Section. Her team specializes in Community Economic Development. Tait explained the three main models of social enterprise: “There is the business, or profit-based model,” she said. “The social service model or need-based model is the second. The third is the hybrid model, which is profit and social need based. An example of a profit model is the Fixit Chicks,” Tait said. “The Fixit Chicks Inc. is a for-profit corporation that is solely owned by Women Building Futures (WBF), a charitable, non-profit society that is committed to helping women build better lives and achieve economic prosperity,” she explained. The company offers home renovation, maintenance and repair workshops, as well as home décor workshops. “They teach car care clinics and offer decorative welding instruction,” Tait said. All profits from The Fixit Chicks Inc. are used to offset WBF training costs for women with low-incomes.

The program manager for Enterprising non-Profits wrapped up the day with his discussion on the challenges and opportunities for the social enterprise development environment. “With social enterprises, there is no hockey-stick return,” said David LePage.

Wanted: Country Dwellers with Innovative Ideas.
Must have Community Commitment

Last October, the Rural Alberta's Development Fund opened for business. The not-for-profit, arm's length corporation is administering $100 million in funding announced in Budget 2006. “This fund was established to stimulate growth and development in rural Alberta,” said Terry Keyko, managing director of the fund. “It's the next step in the delivery of the Rural Development Strategy.”

The Board of Directors will review Expressions of Interest that address rural challenges and opportunities. “The projects that are funded must have a positive, lasting impact on rural communities,” he added. He encourages organizations and groups to review the program criteria and submit their project ideas.

A wide spectrum of projects will be considered, but they must fit within one or more activity areas or pillars as identified in the Alberta Government's Rural Development Strategy document, A Place to Grow. Pillars include economic growth, community capacity, quality of life, rural health delivery and skill development.

The Board of Directors hopes to grant the first funding approvals by the end of 2006. Funding is available from $50,000 to $5 million, but applicants must provide at least 25 per cent of the total cost of the project.

Rural Alberta's Development Fund: Fast Facts

• Rural Alberta's Development Fund provides funding for projects that contribute to the growth, prosperity and quality of life of rural Alberta.
• A project must demonstrate how it supports the community and it must involve the community where it is to be implemented.
• Applicants may include not-for-profits, governments and Aboriginal groups. Individuals and businesses interested in applying are encouraged to seek partnership with eligible groups and organizations.
• Project applicants must provide 25 per cent or more of the overall cost of the project.
• The fund's minimum contribution level is $50,000 and its maximum is $5 million.
• For more information: www.ruralalbertasfund.com or call toll-free at
  1-877-940-7233.

Source: Rural Alberta's Development Fund

Topsoil to Trucking
CASS Program Provides Proficiency

Marie Cornelson remembers when she'd get home after driving her gravel truck all day, and have to face a mountain of paperwork at night. “I would get so frustrated,” she said. “The paperwork was overwhelming.” Marie and her husband Ivan run three businesses from their farm operation 10 miles north of Drayton Valley, Alberta. They've been farming since 1969. “We run a topsoil outfit, a trucking company and operate farm equipment and loaders,” she said. After years of doing the bookkeeping manually, Marie realized she needed a more efficient way to keep track of their accounts.

Last year she spotted an article in her local paper describing the Canadian Agricultural Skills Service (CASS), a program initiated in Alberta in 2005. CASS provides funding and practical assistance to farm families who want to expand their learning opportunities.

“Since we began, around 200 farmers have accessed the program,” said Don Lindoff, career consultant with Alberta Human Resources and Employment in Red Deer. “The goal of CASS is to help new and established farm families improve their income by developing new skills in an increasingly complex business environment. “We help farm families capture new opportunities in agriculture.”

CASS is delivered in partnership with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and Alberta Human Resources and Employment. Popular courses farmers have taken include accounting, environmental training, holistic land management, desktop publishing and welding courses. “Farmers have expressed an interest in learning about new technology around computers, said Lindoff. “They're looking at innovative ways of communicating on an international scale.”

Marie wanted to expand her ‘very basic knowledge of computers.’ “My dilemma was, I needed someone to come to my home to teach me directly,” she said. One phone call later and she had set up an appointment with Lindoff, who told her even though her request was ‘a little outside the box,’ he could ‘make it work.’ Marie received a $4,000 grant which she applied to bi-weekly visits from a local computer specialist, who taught high school computer technology. “He taught me the principles of Word and Excel spreadsheets,” she said. “All our farm equipment is on a spreadsheet now. For me, CASS has been a revelation.”

Lindoff agrees that the program can significantly impact the lives of rural Albertans. “I personally believe that life-long learning contributes to sustainable agricultural production,” he said. “In the last 10 years, farmers have been impacted by drought and BSE. CASS gives them an opportunity to take advantage of skills development.” Marie encourages anyone to participate in it ‘three hundred per cent’. “I wish I'd done it earlier,” she added. “You don't know how much it's improved my quality of life.”

The CASS program is available until March 31, 2008. For more information, check the web at www.agr.gc.ca/renewal, or contact Don Lindoff at (403) 340-5008.

Participation in CASS

CASS is delivered to Alberta farm families by Alberta Human Resources and Employment, with the support of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.

Participation involves the following elements:

• An assessment to help you identify your strengths and skills;
• The development of an Individual Learning Plan, prepared with the assistance of a consultant;
• Funding to support formal training;
• A consultant is available to you for ongoing advice and support, while you carry out your learning plan.

Rural Secretariat: We're here to help!

Mention the family farm to Lorne Owen, and you can hear the weariness overtake his voice. Based in Edmonton, Owen is the Regional Advisor for Alberta for the Government of Canada's Rural Secretariat. As a young boy, he helped his family farm their land near Coaldale. “It was a dryland farm that was seeded in cereal grains and oilseeds,” he said. “I can remember driving our old farm truck when I was just 12 years old. The days on the farm were long.”

Owen describes the role of the Rural Secretariat in Alberta as a forum of federal and provincial government people. “We come together to talk about our programs and coordinate activities,” he said. “We identify and discuss rural issues that need to be addressed. Our job is to be a catalyst, an intermediary. Currently, there is a lot of momentum in Rural Alberta. There's so much activity here right now,” Owen added. One of the key concerns to address is the out-migration of rural youth. “We need to help identify ways to support and encourage our rural youth,” he noted.

Elliot Hewitt views the Rural Secretariat as a Champion for the Rural Cause. “We try to be representative of rural Canadians,” says the Senior Policy Advisor, based in the Calgary office. “We advise and inform the Minister on rural issues.” The Rural Secretariat ensures that rural issues represent rural Canadians. “I firmly believe that communities know best,” he said. “It's our job to provide the skills and resources to meet those needs. We move forward with that.” He added that each province and territory has its own regional-specific challenges and issues. Unlike other federal departments, the Rural Secretariat exercises great flexibility. “Over the years, we have provided funding to a large variety of initiatives,” he said. “As long as it benefits rural Canadians, we can participate.” He says he's always looking for contacts. “Leaders in rural communities should feel free to contact us with their concerns.”

Rural Reminder is a publication of the Government of Canada's Rural Secretariat and Rural Team Alberta. The team has offices in Edmonton and Calgary and works closely with rural stakeholders to promote dialogue between rural communities and the federal government.

Rural Team Alberta was created by the Government of Canada as part of the Canadian Rural Partnership. The purpose of the Canadian Rural Partnership is to support building sustainable rural communities, by ensuring government policies, programs and services are developed and delivered in a manner that will best serve rural Canadians. “We want to help build partnerships, networks and alliances among federal and provincial departments, along with other rural stakeholders, to address important rural issues in Alberta,” said Lorne Owen. The team's membership is comprised of representatives from federal and provincial departments, as well as provincial non-government organizations. “The team also provides members with an opportunity to communicate, cooperate, coordinate and collaborate on rural priorities.”

For more information on Rural Team Alberta and the Canadian Rural Partnership, please visit the website at www.rural.gc.ca.

Planting the Seeds for the Next Generation of Agriculture

‘We reap what we sow’ is a recognized cliché that reminds us of just how important today’s decisions affect the future. Keeping that in mind, members of the federal, provincial and territorial governments are committed to working together to develop the next generation of agriculture and agri-food policy.

And, they want to hear from you! Whether you're a stakeholder in the industry or a Canadian citizen, political leaders are seeking input from you regarding the future of Alberta's agricultural landscape.

The Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) is a five-year federal-provincial-territorial agreement on agriculture that was created as a national approach to agriculture. The initial objective? To position Canada as the world leader in food safety and quality, innovation and environmentally-responsible agriculture production.

Today, Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector faces a new set of challenges and opportunities. With most of the APF agreements set to expire in the spring of 2008, discussions are underway to build a new generation of agriculture and agri-food policy. This new framework will build an enduring foundation that will benefit future generations.

In order to ensure that the many facets of the agriculture industry are included in all stages of policy development, three rounds of consultations will take place. This multi-phased, national consultation process began in December 2006 and will carry on into 2007, with a new policy framework to be implemented in early 2008.

Round One featured a series of working sessions that involved agriculture industry experts. As experts, they were invited to participate in detailed discussions and analysis of proposed policy options. They also had a hand in defining potential problems that could arise during public consultations and further, they helped formulate questions for the broader public consultations.

Round Two, set to run January-February 2007, will be made up of public consultations that will be hosted across the country. These will focus on collecting information from the public in a way that allows for an open exchange of ideas; it's all about encouraging public debate regarding the future of agriculture and agri-food in Canada. Discussions will also continue to take place on the business risk management (BRM) plan.

March 2007 will see the beginning of Round Three. This final phase will involve the analysis of data from Rounds One and Two. These findings will provide consolidated input to the federal, provincial and territorial governments prior to negotiations.

The consultation process and final summations are designed to stimulate discussions amongst all stakeholders about how federal, provincial and territorial governments can work together to ensure a competitive and profitable Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector. Being able to provide safe, innovative and high-quality products and services that can benefit all Canadians is also high on the priority list.

We encourage you to add your voice to this discussion! All levels of government are looking forward to hearing from Canadian individuals and organizations. We are working together to develop a solid policy framework that supports a prosperous agriculture and agri-food sector. You will be able to participate via the Consultations web site www.agr.gc.ca/nextgen. The deadline for submissions is March 19, 2007.

For copies of the consultation documents and for information on how Canadians can participate in building the next generation of agriculture and agri-food policy, contact your provincial/territorial agriculture office, call: 1 800 O-CANADA (1 800 622-6232), TTY 1 800 926-9105, or visit the Consultations web site www.agr.gc.ca/nextgen

Community Information Database

The Community Information Database is part of the Rural Secretariat's ongoing support to rural communities through federal, provincial, and territorial initiatives.

The Community Information Database (CID) is a Web-based resource which provides commu nities and governments with consistent, reliable and accessible community-based information on economic and demographic factors at the community level.

The CID serves as a complementary data set to what is already provided by individual provinces and territories. One of its additional features is the ability to present information in a variety of forms - charts, tables, and by geographic maps, the latter of which allows for analysis at a number of levels.

The CID provides a common set of data, based primarily on Statistics Canada Census data, and presents it in a range of geographic ways - national, province/territory, Census Division, economic region, Census Sub-Division (or community) level.

This innovative tool is especially useful to community groups, private or non-profit community organizations, government policy makers, businesses, researchers and research organizations and universities.

The range of information available on the CID includes:

• population
• age
• average personal and family income
• employment rate
• education
• employment by sector
• language
• resource reliance
• economic diversification

The Community Information Database is available at www.cid-bdc.ca.

For more information or to organize a learning session on the CID, please contact:

Manager
Rural Research and Analysis
Rural Secretariat
1341 Baseline Road, Tower 7, 6th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1A 0C5
Telephone: (613) 759-7106
Toll Free: 1(888) 781-2222
comments@cid-bdc.ca

The Rural Secretariat is a focal point for the Government of Canada to work in partnership with Canadians in rural and remote areas to build strong, dynamic communities.

Rural Alberta Reality

Did you know?

• One-quarter of Albertans reside in rural areas.
• Between 1996 and 2001, Alberta's rural population grew by 5.5 per cent.
• Alberta's rural population comprises a slightly larger share of the total province's population than is the case Canada-wide (24.6 per cent compared to 20.6 per cent).
• There are fewer health-care providers in rural and small-town Alberta than in urban regions.

Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Tractor Parts to Tears, CAP-sites Provide Hope

Ingenious applications of the Government of Canada's Community Access Program (CAP) continue to amaze Charlotta Plato. “The program is so diverse,” said Plato, who is Senior Officer with Industry Canada, Information Highway Branch, Prairie and Northern Region. “People are using them in so many interesting ways. I always find myself saying, ‘I never thought of that!’”

With over 350 sites in Alberta, uses range from training volunteer firefighters to sourcing tractor-parts. “These examples identify how smaller communities can use local public access to help address their individual or community needs,” added Plato.

Kathy Richards of Cardston can attest to that fact. When a local farmer came to her office looking for a tractor part on the Internet, she had to chuckle, “Internet users have varied reasons for using our Community Access Program (CAP) site,” she said. As the Director of Community Adult Programs with Westwind School Division #74 in Cardston, Richards says she sees a broad range of usage. “Most people use our service to get help with their resumes, or to conduct job-searches,” she added.

Nearly 4,000 CAP sites throughout Canada provide residents with affordable public access to the Internet. The program was launched in 1995 and is administered by Industry Canada. Sites are located in public libraries, educational institutions, recreational facilities, hospitals, government offices, social service agencies and small businesses.

Richards described another occasion when the CAP site was of great benefit. “A few years ago, after being diagnosed with a debilitating illness, a young man withdrew from his university studies to move back home to be with his mother,” she said. “His specialist hadn't provided a lot of information about the disease. His mother came in to do some research at our site; she sat here for almost four hours reading other patients' stories. “She cried and she laughed, during that four hours.” As well, the CAP site proved useful for her research on special diets, recipes and nutritional help for her son. “This mother was willing to try anything to help her understand her son's disease,” Richards added. “I was amazed at the valuable and helpful information she received via the Internet.”

In another situation, she explained the dilemma of a 43-year-old woman who had recently lost her job. “She would come in here every day, first to polish up her resume, then to apply for jobs,” she said. “Every day, she would send off her resume by e-mail.” The woman had been living out of her car for at least three weeks, Richards recalls, until she eventually got a job and got set-up in a new apartment. “This is a vitally important service,” said Richards, “especially in a rural community like Cardston.”

Cremona Team tightly-trained

Early one snowy November Sunday the Cremona & District Emergency Services received a crisis call. “At 3:00 a.m., we responded to a structural fire in a mobile home in Cremona,” said Darryl Cummings, Deputy Fire Chief. “All the residents were safely out of the building, but we were there until 11:00 a.m. extinguishing the fire. We stopped it from spreading to two other nearby trailers.”

Gone are the days when the old air-raid siren would sound, alerting every male within 10 miles to drop whatever he was doing to report for fire duty. The single front-line pump (circa 1951) has been replaced by seven emergency response vehicles, including a tanker, a RATT (rapid attack truck), two wild-land vehicles and a rescue/command truck. In 2007, the team is expecting a brand new, front-line pump truck, with a capacity of 1,250 gallons per minute. With 19 highly trained, volunteer members on board, the department is in exceptional shape. “All of our members have full-time jobs in addition to their volunteer firefighting duties,” said Cummings. “We've got people who work as pipe-fitters, electricians, paramedics and farmers.”

Training Officer Mark Myra credits the Government of Canada's Community Access Program for providing necessary training for the emergency responders. “Five years ago we started a training program through the CAP site located in the Cremona library,” Myra said. “Four computer terminals with full Internet access and e-mail have allowed our members to obtain their Emergency Medical Responders (EMR) course.” The department provided the funding for members to complete the part-time, on-line EMR program through the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), a post-secondary institution in Calgary. “Without CAP, this would have been impossible, because our members have full-time jobs with other companies, making it difficult for them to attend a full-time EMR course at a post-secondary institution,” Myra said.

Members are now required to have their EMR as a minimum standard for the department. They can complete it during evenings and weekends, with instructors coming out two days per month for hands-on training. “This six-month course has had a significant impact on our members,” added Cummings. “Some have gone on to get their Emergency Medical Technician Ambulance (EMT-A), and one has obtained his EMT-P (paramedics). “All this together has increased our level of care to our citizens more than we ever expected.”

Currently, the Emergency Services team serves approximately 4,000 rate-payers in total. “In addition, we provide mutual aid to all surrounding departments,” added Cummings.

With over 120 calls for 2006, it's critical for the team to have advanced emergency skills. “We're considered First Response for the County of Mountain View, which means we automatically go out on calls,” he said. Two members are certified Emergency Medical Technician- Ambulance, which enables them to use intravenous units and nitro. “All of this increases our knowledge and competencies,” said Cummings.

Training officer Myra is convinced that their level of training helps instill confidence in the unit and nearby rural residents. “Ten years ago we had three trucks and six guys. Now, we're a paramilitary organization working towards National Fire Protection Association standards for all our members,” he said.

For dispatcher Alec Steiert, taking the course at the CAP site also helped him to become Internet savvy. “I’m so much more confident now with my fire training and my computer skills,” he said.

Officer level courses will be offered in 2007. “The program consists of five courses taken over 10 months,” said Myra. “The program teaches our senior members leadership and administrative skills such as how to run a department and how to do public relations. They'll also learn more refined tactical skills, including how to command a large-scale rescue with multiple players involved. “The more training we can provide our members guarantees their safety and the safety of our residents.”

The pre-Second World War air-raid siren still perches on top of the station's radio tower waiting for an ‘impending disaster’. “It's more for historical significance,” said Myra.

Threads of French culture woven through St. Isidore

Paulette Monsette is working on a set of black placemats on her loom at the St. Isidore Cultural Centre in northern Alberta. Monsette is a member of Les Tisserandes, a group of weavers that has been meeting in the community since 1953. “We buy the yarn together and weave a variety of items, including bedspreads, baby blankets, tea towels, table runners and tablecloths,” Monsette said. “Not only do we earn money selling at Christmas craft sales and at the Centre, but we get a chance to socialize and keep our cultural heritage alive.”

Les Tisserandes is part of the St. Isidore Cultural Marketing Initiative, a project that received funding through the Government of Canada's Rural Secretariat. The initiative ties together various francophone activities within the hamlet of St. Isidore, located 16 kilometres from Peace River. There are only a few services in town, including a post office, a grocery store, a bank and a church, where mass is celebrated entirely in French. Despite a minute population of just 175 residents, St. Isidore proudly displays an enviable community spirit and heritage.

“In a 2003 study, we identified issues and priorities within our community,” said Rachelle Bergeron, Agente de développement économique, Conseil de Développement économique de l'Alberta. “The first priority was to maintain our cultural heritage. We wanted to retain and attract the francophone element to our community.”

St. Isidore already had established several elements of French-Canadian culture in the community, including the annual Winter Carnival held each February. “Last year, our theme was Carnivale Safari,” said Bergeron. “We have two local sculptors who carved two huge giraffes with their necks intertwined. They were stationed at the entrance to the Cultural Centre.”

A favourite feature of the Carnivale is the traditional French-Canadian food. “People can sample various items such as sugar pie, poutine, tourtière, baked beans and maple taffy,” added Bergeron. Most Carnivale activities are held outside, with sleigh rides, bonfires, fiddling contests and French folk music. “Last year, over 2,500 people came through,” she said.

Anglophones are welcome, as everyone in St. Isidore is bilingual. Other cultural activities within the community include a French Canadian dance troupe, folk singers and a francophone library. Everyone meets regularly at the Cultural Centre.

“When we realized the potential threats facing our community, we knew we had to do something to help combat the issues,” Bergeron said. “Faced with rural and economic decline, cultural assimilation and an aging population, we knew we had to market and capitalize on the individual and collective assets of the community.” The community was at a crossroads, but had an advantage in their passion for maintaining their cultural heritage. “Our objective is to increase the francophone population in St. Isidore, while maintaining the integrity and quality of life by developing a cultural marketing strategy that will encourage relocation to the community, promote the francophone culture, increase the understanding of the value of culture and integrate people in a culturally-significant community.”

Bergeron describes a plan to develop community lots, with 16 lots currently available in Phase One. “Each lot will cost about $35,000,” she said.

In the meantime, Monsette will keep busy at her loom, teaching her two teenage grandchildren to weave. “They're making tea towels and placemats,” she said. They're using material she inherited from her mother's estate. “I started weaving with my mother, and now they're forced to continue, using her material,” she laughed.

Keep It In Your Pocket!

Navigate the channels of government effortlessly with the Rural Canadians' Guide to Programs and Services. Chock-a-block with government toll-free numbers, information centres and Web sites, you'll have vital details at your fingertips. Especially designed for Canadians living in rural and remote communities, the updated Pocket Directory steers you through Government of Canada programs and services.

The Pocket Directory includes:

• A brief description of each program and service;
• Contact information, by telephone, fax, e-mail or Internet.

The Pocket Directory is available in a variety of formats.
Information on the programs in this guide is also available at:
Rural and Remote Canada Online www.rural-canada.ca

For print copies, contact:

The Rural Secretariat
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
1341 Baseline Road, Tower 7, Floor 6
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C7
Toll-free phone: 1-888-781-2222
Toll-free fax: 1-800-884-9899
E-mail: rs@agr.gc.ca
Internet: www.rural.gc.ca

FOR INFORMATION ON GOVERNMENT OF CANADA PROGRAMS AND SERVICES: Phone: 1-800-O-CANADA (1-800-622-6232)
TTY/TDD: 1-800-465-7735
Web: www.canada.gc.ca

Service Canada Access Centres

Rural Reminder Information

The Rural Reminder is a publication of the Rural Team Alberta for the residents of rural and remote communities of Alberta.

If you have a story idea or comment you would like to see included in The Rural Reminder, contact:

Steve Young
Telephone: 613-759-6509
Fax: 613-759-7031
E-mail: youngs@agr.gc.ca

ISSN No. 1910-8796
AAFC No: 10235E
©Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2007