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Alberta

Alberta Sports Hall of Fame announces 2023 Inductees

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Introducing the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023!

The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame is excited to announce our Class of 2023. The inductees are:

Andrew Buckley- Football Athlete
Andrew is a Calgary born football legend. Moving from a star high school quarterback to a University of Calgary Dinos champion to decorated Calgary Stampeder. Buckley won 3 Canada West Championships with the Dinos and set numerous club records. Drafted 62nd overall to the Calgary Stampeders in 2015, Andrew played in both the 2016 and 2017 Grey Cups with the team before announcing his retirement from professional football in 2018.

Mike Johnson- Baseball Athlete
Born and raised in the Edmonton region, Mike has been involved with baseball for the majority of his life.  He played his amateur baseball in Sherwood Park, and provincially with Team Alberta before he was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993.  His professional career spanned 17 years and included 5 seasons in the MLB with the Baltimore Orioles and the Montreal Expos, and stops overseas in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.  He was a prominent member of Team Canada in the Olympics in 2004 and 2008, and won a Pan Am gold medal in 2011.  Upon retirement, he has given back coaching locally in the Edmonton area, Team Alberta and with the Canadian Junior National Team.

Helen Upperton- Bobsleigh Athlete
Helen is a dedicated and influential force in the sport of bobsleigh in Canada helping elevate the women’s program to the status of international powerhouse. Over the course of her 11-year career as a bobsleigh pilot, her team shattered numerous international start and track records en route to winning over 25 World Cup medals including Canada’s first ever World Cup gold in Women’s Bobsleigh in St. Moritz, Switzerland. After a close 4th place finish at the 2006 Olympics, Helen piloted her team to an Olympic silver medal in Vancouver 2010.  She retired from competition following the 2012 season but continues to be involved as a coach, a mentor, and an award-winning broadcaster.

Cara Currie Hall- Multisport Builder
Cara is one of Canada’s premiere indigenous sports advocates, leaders, and builders who has dedicated her life to the recognition and advancement of indigenous sports provincially, nationally, and internationally.  She was a founding board member of the Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta, World Indigenous National Sports international, Aboriginal Sport Circle and the Alberta Sports Recreation Park & Wildlife Board. She has sat on the board for the Canadian Association of the Advancement of Women in Sport.  Cara was instrumental in the founding of the North American Ingenious Games and was the founder the National Aboriginal Coaching School. Her years of advocacy work on behalf of indigenous athletes has positively impacted the future of sports.

Allan Ferchuk- Multisport Builder
Allan Ferchuk has devoted over 50 years of his life to sport in Alberta, with a focus on its positive outcomes on community and post-secondary education development. Ferchuk has coached hockey, both men and women and multiple levels winning national men’s gold in 1977,79 and 80. He has served multiple voluntary leadership roles including President of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference and the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association and chair Hockey Development Canada. Allan was key to the introduction of women’s hockey and soccer into the Alberta Colleges. He has volunteered his time to many community efforts including director on the Board of 2019 Canada Winter Games and Chairperson of the prime Games legacy, Central Sport.

Greg Peterson- Football Builder
Greg Peterson truly embodies the sport of football. He was born and raised in Calgary and spent his entire minor football career playing in the Calgary minor football system.  After his college football career at Brigham Young University, he was drafted by the Calgary Stampeders and spent his entire nine years as a player with the Stampeders. In 1990 he was a CFL All Canadian All Star and in 1992 he was a Grey Cup Championship. Upon his retirement he spent more than 30 years coaching and managing amateur football in Calgary.   He was one of the initiators and a driving force in the multimillion-dollar construction of the three artificial turf fields, the stands, locker rooms, and amenities at Shouldice Athletic Park. He and Tony Spoletini were also the initiators and forces behind the construction of the indoor dome at Shouldice Athletic Park.  Rounding out his sports career he has served as the color commentator and analyst on the Calgary Stampeder radio broadcast for the past 26 years.

Lauralyn Radford- Multisport Builder
Red Deer native, Lyn Radford, has made a name for herself in the sporting community. She has dedicated her life to bringing world class sporting events to her community and rallying those around her into action to make these events a success. Some of the events she is responsible for include the 2004 & 2012 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, 2006 Alberta Summer Games, 2013 inaugural Tour of Alberta Cycling race, and the 2019 Canada Winter Games. She is past board member of Speed Skating Canada and currently sitting as a board member of the Canada Game’s Council.

1991-1994 Olds Grizzlys- Hockey Team
The Taber Golden Suns moved to Olds and became the Grizzlys for the 1981-82 season and in their 10th season in Olds they won their first AJHL Championship. The first of 3 AJHL Championships in a row! The Olds Grizzlys remain as one of only 2 teams to win the AJHL Championship 3 years in a row, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94. Coached and managed by Bob Clark, Chris Stewart, and Cliff Murphy for all 3 championships.

Wilf Brooks- Achievement Award
One of Wilf’s strongest assets in community has been to use sport as a means for helping others achieve their goals.  Wilf has a passion for identifying community strengths and resources and leveraging these to benefit others.  Often navigating from his position in the local business community, Wilf has invested his energy, knowledge, and enthusiasm into countless initiatives over the past 60 years.  From one time pilot projects to enduring organizations, he is proud to have served in the following: collaborating in the founding of Sport Central, partnering in the creation of the Calling Lake Hockey program and development, and supporting countless initiatives with Hockey Alberta, sharing leadership of the ‘Rink of Dreams’ project.  A great deal of his learning came from time spent, focused in Calling Lake and other remote communities.

Mark Stephen- Bell Memorial Award
Mark Stephen’s voice is known to many as one of the voices of the Calgary Stampeders. Since 1996 Stephen has done play by play of Calgary Stampeder games with former Stampeder Greg Peterson to form the longest serving broadcast tandem in CFL history. Mark has also been the national broadcaster for four Grey Cup games. He also broadcast Calgary Roughnecks for Shaw TV, did play-by-play for the Triple-A baseball Calgary Cannons and the Western Hockey League Calgary Wranglers as well as various Calgary City High School Athletic Association games.

Dr. Marcus Dunsworth- Pioneer Award
Marcus Dunsworth was an amazing multisport athlete. He was a 14-time city of Edmonton Champion in Tennis and Handball. 14-time Provincial champion in Tennis, Football, Basketball, and track. Dunsworth was a 2-time Western Canada Tennis Champion, a two-time Western Canada Basketball Champion, and two-time Grey Cup finalist. To have accomplished all of this between 1918 and 1938 when travel and financial assistance to sports was difficult only goes to highlight his athletic abilities.

The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame provides a family-friendly, interactive experience. You will be surprised by what you discover inside! Have fun, laugh, play and discover Alberta sports heroes together. The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame is an interactive, hands-on celebration of Alberta's sporting history. Our over 7,000 square feet of exhibit space includes a multisport area with virtual baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and soccer; an adaptive sports area, including a 200 meter wheelchair challenge; a Treadwall climbing wall; the Orest Korbutt Theatre; the Hall of Fame Gallery; an art gallery displaying works by provincial artists, and much more. Our venue boasts a collection of over 17,000 artefacts of Alberta sports history and showcases many of these items in a number of displays. The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame also offers an education program, group activities, and a unique environment to rent for your birthday party, special event, corporate reception or meetings.

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Alberta

Former senior financial advisor charged with embezzling millions from Red Deer area residents

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News release from Alberta RCMP

Former senior financial advisor charged for misappropriating nearly $5 million from clients

On April 4, 2024, the RCMP’s Provincial Financial Crime Team charged a Calgary resident for fraud-related offences after embezzling millions of dollars from his clients while serving as a senior financial advisor.

Following a thorough investigation, the accused is alleged to have fraudulently withdrawn funds from client accounts and deposited them into bank accounts he personally controlled. A total of sixteen victims were identified in the Red Deer area and suffered a combined loss of nearly $5 million.

Marc St. Pierre, 52, a resident of Calgary, was arrested and charged with:

  • Fraud over $5,000 contrary to section 380(1)(a) of the Criminal Code; and,
  • Theft over $5,000 contrary to section 344(a) of the Criminal Code.

St. Pierre is scheduled to appear in Red Deer Provincial Court on May 14, 2024.

“The ability for financial advisors to leverage their position to conduct frauds and investment scams represents a significant risk to the integrity of Alberta’s financial institutions. The investigation serves as an important reminder for all banking clients to regularly check their accounts for any suspicious activity and to report it to their bank’s fraud prevention team.”

  • Sgt. John Lamming, Provincial Financial Crime Team

The Provincial Financial Crime Team is a specialized unit that conducts investigations relating to multi-jurisdictional serious fraud, investments scams and corruption.

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Alberta

Political parties will be part of municipal elections in Edmonton and Calgary pilot projects

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Alberta’s government is introducing legislation to ensure Albertans can rely on transparent, free and fair elections, and municipally-elected officials have clearer accountability measures.

In a democratic society, Albertans expect their local elections to be free and fair, and their elected officials to be held to account by clear rules that govern their local councils. The Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act proposes amendments to the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA) and the Municipal Government Act (MGA) to add greater transparency to local election processes and ensure local councils and elected officials continue to remain accountable to the citizens who elected them.

“Our government is committed to strengthening Albertans’ trust in their local governments and the democratic process that elects local leaders. The changes we are making increase transparency for Alberta voters and provide surety their votes will be counted accurately. We know how important local democracy is to Albertans, and we will work with local authorities to protect and enhance the integrity of local elections.”

Ric McIver, Minister of Municipal Affairs

Local Authorities Election Act

Albertans expect free and fair elections and that’s why it’s important we strengthen the rules that govern local elections. To strengthen public trust in local elections, Alberta’s government will eliminate the use of electronic tabulators and other automated voting machines. All Albertans should be able to trust the methods and results of local elections; requiring all ballots to be counted by hand, clarifying rules and streamlining processes for scrutineers will provide voters greater assurance in the integrity of the results.

All eligible Albertans should be able to vote in local elections without impediment. Alberta’s government will limit the barriers for eligible voters to cast a ballot by expanding the use of special ballots. Currently, special ballots can only be requested for very specific reasons, including physical disability, absence from the municipality, or for municipal election workers. By expanding the use of special ballots, the government is encouraging more voter participation.

Amendments in the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act would increase transparency in local elections by enabling political parties at the local level. Political parties would be enabled in a pilot project for Edmonton and Calgary. The act will not require candidates to join a political party in order to run for a local or municipal office, but will create the opportunity to do so.

In addition, proposed changes to the Local Authorities Election Act would allow municipalities the option to require criminal record checks for local candidates, thus increasing transparency and trust in candidates who may go on to become elected officials.

Municipal Government Act

The role of an elected official is one with tremendous responsibility and expectations. Changes proposed to the Municipal Government Act (MGA) will strengthen the accountability of locally elected officials and councils. These include requiring mandatory orientation training for councillors, allowing elected officials to recuse themselves for real or perceived conflicts of interest without third-party review and requiring a councillor’s seat to become vacant upon disqualification.

If passed, the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act will also unlock new tools to build affordable and attainable housing across Alberta. Proposed amendments under the MGA would also create more options for municipalities to accelerate housing developments in their communities. Options include:

  • Exempting non-profit, subsidized affordable housing from both municipal and education property taxes;
  • Requiring municipalities to offer digital participation for public hearings about planning and development, and restricting municipalities from holding extra public hearings that are not already required by legislation; and
  • Enabling municipalities to offer multi-year residential property tax exemptions.

Municipal Affairs will engage municipalities and other partners over the coming months to hear perspectives and gather feedback to help develop regulations.

Quick facts

  • The LAEA establishes the framework for the conduct of elections in Alberta municipalities, school divisions, irrigation districts and Metis Settlements.
  • The MGA establishes the rules governing the conduct of local elected officials once on council, as well as the overall administration and operation of municipal authorities in Alberta, including any policy those authorities may wish to implement.

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