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Alberta

A simple question from a daughter. A special connection to a horse. Another chance to defeat the demons.

Published

3 years ago

4 minute read

If you know the racetracks in Saskatchewan and Alberta there’s a very good chance you’ve run into the name Tyler Redwood.  Tyler has been racing Standardbreds his entire adult life.  Driver of the year in Saskatchewan in 2009, 2011, and 2012, he was on top of his game until addictions knocked him off his horse so to speak.  One late fall night in September 2012, Redwood drove an ATV into a tractor, shattering his jaw and threatening his career.   He was losing his battle with alcohol and drugs.  He was falling into depression. He tried to take his own life.

Fortunately, Tyler Redwood kept coming back to his horses.  There was something in the relationship with an animal who needed love and a horse lover who had something to give.  Shoeing a horse,  brushing a horse, just spending time with an animal, especially the ones others are giving up on. Redwood has always enjoyed sharing a little love with the majestic animals.  On his toughest days he admits horses give him something special in return.

One after another the tracks closed in Saskatchewan and Redwood was faced with a life changing decision.  Would he move onto a different pursuit?  Or would he pursue his passion somewhere else?  In the end it was his passion that would save him.  Tyler moved his family to Central Alberta and became a bit of a fixture at Century Downs and The Track on 2.  But moving his loved ones away from their family members was a struggle, especially considering his demons followed him.  As Redwood tried to establish himself in Alberta, depression was sometimes getting the better of him.   Suicidal and dependent, spending all his free time isolated from his family in the garage,  it was a question from his daughter that sparked the much-needed change in Tyler’s life.

In the clear way only children speak in she asked her father why he was spending all his time in the garage and not with her and her 2 siblings.  The question cut Redwood to the bone.  The next day he pursued the help he would need to put him on a path to recovery.   Other than one setback on August 11, 2018, Tyler has been strong.

One of his great loves now is his relationship with his horse Star Flight.  Star Flight was struggling on the track just like Redwood when he got a chance to ride her.  He felt something in her and a conversation with the owner turned into an eventual purchase.  The two troubled souls bonded and the relationship sparkled on the track. The struggling horse started to win.  Six victories later Star Flight was a finalist for Claiming Filly / Mare of the Year at the 2021 Alberta Standardbred Horse Association Awards.

With a new love in his life, his children nearby, and horses to spend time with Tyler Redwood has come to recognize a new strength. Now he feels strong enough to share his story with others who are struggling.  In the following video he shares a beautiful message on behalf of The Canada Suicide Prevention Service.  Here’s “Redwood Redemption” an inspirational testament to the day to day struggles of an Alberta horseman.

If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, the Canada Suicide Prevention Service is available 24/7 for voice and 4pm to 12am ET for text.

The Canada Suicide Prevention Service

Need help? Call and connect with our responders now at 1-833-456-4566.  

Between 2 pm and 10 pm (Alberta time) you can send a text to 45645

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After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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Alberta

Alberta official reveals ‘almost all’ wildfires in province this year have been started by humans

Published on April 28, 2024

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From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

Alberta Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen said his department estimates that most of the province’s wildfires this year are man-made and not caused by ‘climate change.’

Alberta officials have announced that almost all fires in 2024 are believed to have been caused by humans despite ongoing claims that “climate change” is to blame.

On April 24, Alberta Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen revealed that his department estimates that most of the province’s wildfires this year are man-made and not caused by “climate change” as claimed by mainstream media and politicians.

“We expect that almost all of the wildfires we’ve experienced so far this year are human caused, given the point we’re at in the season and the types of weather we’re seeing,” Loewen stated.

 Already, Alberta has put out 172 wildfires this year, and 63 are actively burning. However, Loewen did not seem overly alarmed, instead warning Albertans to watch their local fire bans and restrictions to reduce the high number of man-made wildfires.  

“I urge you to assess your property for wildfire danger and take any preventive action you can to address these risks,” he said.

“This includes breaking up fuel sources that could ignite a structure, removing trees in close proximity to your home, and properly maintaining your gutters and roofs to rid the materials that could easily ignite such as leaves and dry needles,” Loewen added.

Loewen’s announcement comes just weeks after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith promised that arsonists who ignite wildfires in Alberta will be held accountable for their crimes.

“As we approach the wildfire season, it is important to understand that 67% of wildfires in Alberta are started by people,” she explained.

“If you start a wildfire, you can be charged, fined, and held liable for all costs associated with fighting the wildfire,” Smith added.

“All I know is in my province we have 650 fires and 500 of them were human caused,” she said, “so we have to make sure that when people know that when it’s dry out there and we get into forest fire season that they’re being a lot more careful because anytime you end up with an ignition that happens it can have devastating consequences.”

The Alberta government has also created an ad campaign highlighting the fact that most fires are caused by humans and not “climate change,” as many left-leaning politicians claim.

As reported by LifeSiteNews last year, Smith ordered arson investigators to look into why some of the wildfires that raged across the vast expanse of the province had “no known cause” shortly after they spread.

Indeed, despite claims that wildfires have drastically increased due to “climate change,” 2023 research revealed that wildfires have decreased globally while media coverage has spiked 400 percent.

Furthermore, many of the fires last spring and summer were discovered to be caused by arsonists and not “climate change.”

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have arrested arsonists who have been charged with lighting fires across the country, including in the Yukon, British Columbia, and Alberta.

In Quebec, satellite footage also showed the mysterious simultaneous eruption of several blazes across the province, sparking concerns that the fires were a coordinated effort by arsonists.

Despite the overwhelming evidence, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and mainstream media continue to claim that the fires are unprecedentedly dangerous and caused by “climate change” in an attempt to pass further regulations on natural resources.

The reduction and eventual elimination of the use of so-called “fossil fuels” and a transition to unreliable “green” energy has also been pushed by the World Economic Forum (WEF) – the globalist group behind the socialist “Great Reset” agenda – an organization with which Trudeau and some in his cabinet are involved.

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Alberta

Alberta rejects unconstitutional cap on plastic production

Published on April 28, 2024

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Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz issued the following statement:

“Every modern convenience and necessity is either made from or contains plastic, from surgical gloves to your iPhone. Despite this, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada Steven Guilbeault has announced that he intends to cap the production of plastics in Canada.

“This unilateral announcement is a slap in the face to Alberta and our province’s petrochemical industry, and the thousands of Albertans who work in it.

“Plastics production is a growing part of Alberta’s economy, and we are positioned to lead the world for decades to come in the production of carbon neutral plastics.

“Minister Guilbeault’s proposal would throw all of that into jeopardy and risk billions of dollars in investments. This includes projects like Dow Chemical’s net-zero petrochemical plant in Fort Saskatchewan, a $9-billion dollar project that will create thousands of jobs.

“His proposal will also fail to reduce plastic production. If the federal government limits plastic production in Canada, other counties like China will just produce more. The only outcome that this federal government will achieve will be fewer jobs in Canada.

“Last year, the Federal Court ruled that Minister Guilbeault’s decision to classify plastics as ‘toxic’ was both ‘unconstitutional and unreasonable’.

“Minister Guilbeault’s decision to cap production is even more egregious and is equally unconstitutional. Under no circumstances will Alberta permit any limit on our ability to produce and export plastic products.

“Instead of wasting everyone’s time, the federal government would be better served by taking a page out of Alberta’s plan, which diverts plastics from landfills and turns used plastics into new products. This is the promise of Alberta’s plan to create a Plastics Circular Economy, a modern miracle in which, through chemistry, we can have all of life’s conveniences and necessities while protecting our environment and reducing plastic waste.

“If the federal government refuses to abide by the constitution, we will take them to court again to defend our jurisdiction and the thousands of Albertans who work in the petrochemical sector.”

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