Okotoks

Pool B at the Calgary Stampede kicked off on Monday with some impressive performances from some Albertans.

Three Albertans are in Ladies Barrel Racing, two Albertans are in Bull Riding, and two outstanding performances were had by Albertans in Saddle Bronc.

In Saddle Bronc, former Champion Zeke Thurston had an impressive ride, as did fellow Albertan Kolby Wanchuck.

Here are the Albertan and Canadian highlights from Day One in Pool B.

Saddle Bronc:

Calgary's Chanse Vigen continues to dominate at the Calgary Stampede chuckwagon races.

Jamie Laboucane is right on his heels, sitting in second in the aggregate.

Neither has won the coveted Rangeland Derby.

On a night with better track conditions than Sunday, some fast times were posted, and penalties were kept to a minimum.

Defending champ, Jason Glass from High River, came in 8th on the night and is now sitting in 12th in the aggregate.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is headed off to Japan and Malaysia as the Carney government shapes its diplomatic and trade approach to the Indo-Pacific region.

Anand will meet with her Japanese counterpart in Tokyo this week as the two finalize an agreement on sharing defence information and boosting trade.

On Thursday and Friday, Anand will take part in a meeting with the Association of South East Asian Nations, or ASEAN, in Malaysia.

The head of emergency medicine for Alberta's doctors association is challenging Premier Danielle Smith to join him on shift to see the frustration of patients jammed for hours in hallways and the moral injury of doctors looking into the eyes of the those who wait.

“It's this kind of vicarious trauma, this inability to help when we're helpers, that is causing us to leave,” Dr. Warren Thirsk said in an interview.

“Unless you experience it, you don't really get it.

Ryan Ness of the Canadian Climate Institute says he's been following the "terrible tragedy" of deadly flash flooding unfolding in Texas, where more than 100 people have died.

But he's also worried Canada isn't doing enough to prevent such disasters here, saying the country needs to invest in flood mapping, infrastructure and early warning systems.

"Luckily, there are many ways that we can protect ourselves, but we have to make the effort," said Ness, who is the research director for adaptation at the policy research organization.

Season two of My Life With the Walter Boys was recently given a premiere date and trailer.

Production of the show came to Okotoks and High River several times in 2024, with Holy Trinity Academy and George Lane Park among the local filming locations.

Though the show's second season was expected to release sometime this year, an exact date was not provided until last weekend, when Netflix posted a picture of some of the show's stars at the Calgary Stampede, along with a premiere date of August 28.

The 2026 Census of Agriculture questionnaire has now been published on the Statistics Canada website.

The census is conducted every five years with the last Agriculture Census being done in 2021.

For the 2026 Census of Agriculture, new categories have been added under the commodity questions to identify emerging agricultural products. 

Questions on agricultural practices have been expanded to include environmental practices and environmental sustainability.

The Calgary Stampede is officially underway, along with the rodeo, midway and live entertainment... the event also showcases agriculture and Alberta's ranching history

It's a chance to step back in time and experience life on the farm and ranch, with the Vintage Tractor Pull and Blacksmith showcase;  to the Heavy Horse, Cutting Horse, and Team Cattle Penning competitions; Chuckwagon races, to the Junior Steer Classic, the International Youth Livestock Supreme Championship and Scholarships, the World Stock Dog Championships, and International Livestock Auctioneer Championships.

Industry is applauding the federal government’s progress toward a foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank after it awarded supply contracts to two companies.

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and Biogenesis Bago SA will supply vaccine products and develop the vaccine bank.

Canadian Cattle Association Saskatchewan director and former Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association president Garner Deobald, who formerly worked for Boehringer, said both companies are well respected and were good choices.

“I think it is important, for sure, to be ready,” he said.

Concerns have been growing around the use of glyphosate, a common weed killer, particularly in public parks and green spaces in Okotoks.

Several residents have shared stories online about potential health effects on pets and children, prompting renewed attention and action from the Town.

Among them is Libby Wantenaar, who was first made aware of glyphosate in town a few years ago, after taking her son for a walk.