Estevan

With the snow and slushy roads this weekend, it truly felt like Christmas had arrived in Estevan a little early. Over the weekend, the St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation held the annual Festival of Trees Fundraiser, which featured the Kinette Christmas Marketplace, the Red Carpet Christmas Gala, and the Hometown Family Fun Day. 

If no political party is willing to say uncle, the drawn-out stalemate in the House of Commons is heading for an unprecedented situation that could amount to a tacit lack of confidence in the government, without anyone in Parliament casting a vote. 

The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois have already announced plans to try to bring down the government and trigger an election with a non-confidence motion at the next opportunity. But there's no telling when that opportunity will come, because the House has been gridlocked in a filibuster for more than a month.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government could have acted faster on reining in immigration programs, after blaming "bad actors" for gaming the system.

Trudeau released a nearly seven-minute video on YouTube Sunday talking about the recent reduction in permanent residents being admitted to Canada and changes to the temporary foreign worker program. 

Over the next two years, the permanent residency stream is being reduced by about 20 per cent to 365,000 in 2027.

AgSafe Alberta has added another level to its FARMERS CARE program.

Level 4 is now available at AgSafeAB.ca. 

This free program provides valuable safety information that agricultural producers can navigate at their own pace.

All levels of FARMERS CARE cover a wealth of valuable information in a condensed format, avoiding the major time commitment that typically comes with intensive safety courses.

As the Canada Post strike continues, residents are feeling the pressure, especially with the holiday season fast approaching. Michael Dumba, a local resident, spoke with Discover Estevan about how the ongoing disruption is affecting his ability to send packages and letters, including Christmas cards for his family.

"I’ve sent out some packages to a friend of mine out in Ontario and Christmas cards to family in Regina," Dumba shared. "I’m glad I’ve gotten some of them out already, but there are still a few more I need to send."

Brian Johnson is one of six councillors elected in Estevan’s civic election earlier this week.

Johnson, who previously served two terms on council, is no stranger to local politics.

“It feels really good to be re-elected to Estevan city council, and to be considered by the citizens and the business community as someone who can still contribute and add value,” Johnson said.

Looking ahead to his next term, Johnson said council will need to work together as a team to find common ground on key issues.

Rural municipalities saw a wave of election activity this week, with several tight races shaping local leadership.

In the R.M. of Argyle No. 1, John Ryckman was elected reeve with 102 votes, while the councillors for Divisions 1, 3, and 5 were acclaimed previously.

In the R.M. of Enniskillen No. 3, a fiercely contested three-way race for Division 1 councillor saw Yvonne Douglas edge out Leslie Logue by just five votes, securing 27 votes to Logue's 22.

Ottawa has concluded negotiations for a trade deal with Indonesia and is proposing nuclear-energy collaboration with Southeast Asian leaders.

The moves are a show of faith for multilateralism as the re-election of Donald Trump in the United States is raising fears of further strain in global co-operation on trade and the environment.

Canada's elections chief wants a ban on the misrepresentation of candidates and other key players in the electoral process through manipulation of their voice or image without consent.

The proposed change to the Canada Elections Act is among several measures chief electoral officer Stéphane Perrault is putting forward to address the use of deepfakes and other artificially created content to fool voters.

In an interview, Perrault said he is "hoping to convince" MPs to expand an electoral reform bill, currently in a House of Commons committee, to include some new elements.

Canada Post workers have taken to the picket lines this week, demanding fair wages and improved benefits as the cost of living continues to rise. With inflation putting a strain on daily expenses, workers are calling for better compensation and enhanced healthcare coverage to support their physically demanding roles.

Teri Nobiss, a Shop Steward for the local chapter of the CUPW and 30-year veteran of Canada Post, spoke with us about the first day of picketing, the support from the community, and the ongoing negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.