Canadians may have been in the mood for change May 2, but Saskatchewan voters were not. The status quo prevailed in all 14 ridings – 13 Conservatives and one Liberal. There were some close races, however, suggesting the NDP wave that took hold in Eastern Canada did have some traction elsewhere. Three ridings in particular […] Read more
Karen Briere
Stories by Karen Briere
Goodale disappointed with Liberal showing
In an election filled with surprising results, Ralph Goodale did the expected. He won his seventh consecutive term as the Liberal MP for Saskatchewan’s Wascana riding, even as the party’s vote collapsed across the country and leader Michael Ignatieff failed to win his seat. Goodale’s margin of victory, however, dropped five points from 46 percent […] Read more
Qu’Appelle Valley market operators mop up
Wayne Gienow paddled a canoe across his farmland April 27, looking for an empty fuel tank that had floated away in the flood water. “It’s stuck in the trees,” he said by cellphone after he reached dry land. The operator of Lincoln Gardens in the Qu’Appelle River Valley between Lumsden and Craven, Sask., said the […] Read more
Income removed from calculations
The payments farmers received from three AgriRecovery programs in Saskatchewan last year are considered allowable income under AgriStability. The payments, which must be included as income in 2010 AgriStability applications, include drought payments for the northwest announced in May, provincewide excess moisture payments announced in July and feed assistance payments made available in November. However, […] Read more
Sask. airports receive upgrade grants
Eleven community airports in Saskatchewan are receiving money to upgrade their facilities. The airports will match the money from the province, similar to the short-line railway grants. They are sharing $700,000 this year, so the total investment will be twice that amount. The recipients include: Rural Municipality of Frontier, $24,000 to rehabilitate runway and tarmac; […] Read more
Sask. flood waters receding; cleanup begins
The worst of Saskatchewan’s flooding appeared to be over May 2; most river flows were dropping and lakes had crested. A wild winter-like storm April 30 and May 1 dumped snow on southeastern Saskatchewan in an area bordered by Weyburn, Indian Head, Yorkton and Swan River, Man., stranding travellers and knocking out power and telephone […] Read more
Some farms seeding, others shovelling snow
Contrary to what many other farmers are going through this spring, seeding is progressing just fine for Mike Foley. He started April 25 and three days later had planted 1,000 of the 4,600 acres he planned to seed. Foley farms about 27 kilometres southeast of Assiniboia, Sask. “We’re in a small pocket that’s been warm,” […] Read more
Calves lost in spring blizzard
Livestock producers who lost animals in the blizzard that swept through southeastern Saskatchewan last week are eligible for compensation, the provincial government said. The blizzard raged April 29 to May 1 and resulted in the loss of hundreds of calves, said an agriculture ministry spokesperson. Some producers have lost more than 25 percent of their […] Read more
Snowstorm filling up Sask. reservoirs
Wet snow that fell in southeastern Saskatchewan last weekend has caused increased flow into Boundary and Rafferty reservoirs. As a result, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority will be increasing the flow out of Rafferty beginning May 5. The current flow of 65 cubic metres per second will rise to at least 100 m3/s, which is as […] Read more
Frenchman River poised to overflow
Water flow in the Frenchman River basin began to pick up last weekend finally signaling the start of a much slower than usual spring runoff. Saskatchewan Watershed Authority’s acting director of basin operations, John Fahlman, said the flow measured at six cubic metres per second April 23 climbed to 17 cubic metres on Easter Sunday […] Read more
