Okotoks

A new poll suggests 44 per cent of Canadians want to see the temporary foreign worker program scrapped as the country grapples with high unemployment, especially among young people.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre recently proposed eliminating the program in response to high youth unemployment. The unemployment rate for people aged 15 to 24 hit 14.6 per cent nationally in July, according to Statistics Canada data.

Federal, provincial, and territorial agriculture ministers are gathered in Manitoba this week for critical discussions on the future of Canadian agriculture. The meetings, which wrap up Tuesday, come at a time when global trade disruptions, domestic infrastructure needs, and food security are top of mind for producers and policymakers alike.

Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald says the meetings are an opportunity to listen to regional concerns and collaborate on national solutions.

As federal, provincial, and territorial agriculture ministers are meeting in Winnipeg this week, the future of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is drawing renewed attention. While the Conservative Party has proposed eliminating the broader program, both farm leaders and Conservative MPs are emphasizing that agriculture will remain exempt.

Keith Currie, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), stressed the importance of the program to the sector.

Conservative Agriculture Critic John Barlow and Canadian Federation of Agriculture President Keith Currie are calling on the federal Liberal government to approve the emergency use of strychnine as a way to deal with the increased number of gophers or Richardson’s ground squirrels (RGS) across the Prairies.

The Foothills Fire Department has kicked off recruit training.  

Over the next 10 weeks, recruits from across Foothills County will complete the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1001 Level 1 course. 

Throughout the training, the firefighters will be challenged mentally and physically, as they learn the skills required to serve communities throughout the Foothills.  

The latest tree carving in High River's George Lane Park is nearly complete.

Artist Darren Jones was selected for the project, located at the park's Group Campground B.

The piece features several images carved into a poplar tree trunk, with foxes and an owl on one side and a fairy castle on the other.

A sunflower crowns the sculpture, with two woodland sprites perched on top.

The Okotoks Food Bank celebrated a major milestone over the weekend.

On Sunday, Sept. 7, they hosted a 40th anniversary celebration and fundraiser.

Members of the community were invited to a BBQ featuring live music, food trucks, face painting, cornhole, a silent auction, and more.

A photo gallery from the event can be seen below.

The Foothills Community Coalition is inviting youth to the 3rd Annual “It’s In You” Youth Resilience Summit for a day full of fun, inspiration, and connection.   

Throughout the day, youth will have the opportunity to listen to engaging speakers, participate in resilience-building activities, learn healthy coping strategies, discover resources to manage stress, and learn how to navigate challenges confidently.   

The Town of Okotoks has announced the winners from this year's Nooks and Crannies Festival.

The annual public art festival sees artists creating installations to be displayed along Okotoks' downtown streets, only using recycled materials.

This year's festival ran from July 19 to Aug. 23 and featured over a dozen installations.

A panel of judges comprising of artists Tanya Zackarow, Wanru Kemp, Neil Bantleman, and Tracey Bantleman selected three winners and a youth honourable mention, who received cash prizes.

The winners were:

Naming mountains used to be a hobby for David Jones.

Through the 1970s, the passionate climber and guidebook author would sit atop peaks in Alberta and B.C.'s mountain range, often with a climbing partner, and they would write down made-up names, all to be sent to the government to have them officially recognized.

"That's Hitchhiker, because there's a pick with a little thumb on the back. And that's Whiteface, because there's a big white scar on it," Jones offers as examples.

"We just scribbled the names on a map."