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Alberta

Government honours 16 “Great Kids” for inspiring and changing the lives of others

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22 minute read

From Government of Alberta

The Alberta government has awarded 16 young people the 2019 Great Kids Award for inspiring and changing the lives of others.

Click to see a photo gallery.

2019 Great Kids Award reception

The 2019 Great Kids Award recipients.

The province gives out the Great Kids Award annually to recognize and celebrate kids who accomplish great things while overcoming challenges in their life.

“I am honoured to award these inspiring young people with the 2019 Great Kids Award. Their accomplishments and positivity in the face of adversity will only serve to bring people together, build stronger communities and improve the lives of everyone around them.”

Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Children’s Services

The 2019 recipients have achieved great things, including 10-year-old Mylon McArthur from the Pheasant Rump First Nation, who took a stand against bullying and spoke out about how he was being treated by kids at his school. In a YouTube video that has been viewed over one million times, his message of understanding and anti-bullying was spread around the world.

“IBM is proud to support the Great Kids Award, which celebrates outstanding children who achieve great things. We look forward to participating in this event every year, celebrating with the winners and their loved ones, and are honoured to help recognize the 2019 Great Kids Award recipients.”

Brad Butterfield, IBM

Here are this year’s recipients:

Blaire Decker, age 8 – Fort McMurray

Blaire is a courageous and compassionate young lady achieving great things in life while facing the daily obstacles that come with being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome – a genetic connective tissue disorder. Even though she is often away from school at medical appointments in Edmonton and has to cope with integrating a wheelchair into her daily routine, she continues to be one of the top academic students in her class and a beacon of hope to others. Not only does Blaire face daily medical challenges, she and her family also suffered the trauma of losing their home to the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires. Despite everything, Blaire’s optimism, wisdom and maturity provide support and strength to others in her school. Simply put, Blaire is a friend and helpful to everyone, living life with grace and beauty.

Colby Hanson, Age 8 – St. Albert

At just 8 years of age, Colby is already described by those around him as determined, joyful, inspiring, and selfless. Throughout his life, Colby has already endured many hardships due to the multiple surgeries he has experienced from hip dysplasia. He has remained strong and encourages others through his hard work and positive attitude. Instead of focusing on what limits him, Colby goes beyond and dedicates his time and efforts to helping others at home, at school, and outside of school. At age 5, Colby took it upon himself to support the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation by gathering donations. In the past three years, he has raised over $2,000 and is determined to raise another $1,000 this year alone! Those who know Colby admire his resilience, virtue, and enjoyment of life. He truly inspires others to accept themselves and find joy in each moment.

Adian Al-Shammari, age 12 – Calgary

Adian’s journey to where she is today covers many kilometres, experiences and challenges. Originally from Iraq, Adian’s family spent time in Turkey before being granted permission to come to Canada. Since then, Adian has enthusiastically immersed herself into her new school and community. She is always challenging herself and is always open to helping others. Adian put great effort into learning English so she could communicate with her peers and staff at school. By the end of her first year, she was translating for other students and some newer families who had yet to learn English. She made an even bigger impact by starting a kindness club in her school. Through this club, Adian and her classmates wrote notes and left them on other students’ desks as random acts of kindness. Adian’s hard work and thoughtfulness have earned her the distinction of Great Kid.

So-So Chen, age 12 – Calgary

Some of the greatest leaders emerge out of a natural desire to make a difference in the world. They do this by advocating for change and in doing so become an inspiration to others. So-So is one of those leaders. As a Grade 5 student, through their journey of self-discovery, So-So created a thriving safe space by founding the first Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Club for students at Captain Nichola Goddard School. So So’s courageous activism continued when they took the GSA Club to the Werklund School of Education’s Youth Leadership Forum at the University of Calgary. This evolved into a partnership with the graduate students’ GSA at the University of Calgary. Through this partnership, they are planning a GSA Youth Conference that is projected to be one of the biggest in southern Alberta. So-So is a passionate, humble, wise and humorous advocate who is truly making a difference.

Mylon McArthur, Age 10 – Cold Lake

If you Google “Mylon McArthur”, you’ll get pages of results, including a YouTube video that has been viewed over 1 million times. At age 8, young Mylon, from Pheasant Rump First Nation, decided to take a stand against bullying and speak out about how he was being treated by kids at his school. In his healing journey, Mylon began to teach the meaning of First Nations culture and hair to others in his school. He learned to use his voice to talk with youth and adults about social injustices towards First Nations and First American people. His message of understanding and anti-bullying was spread on various networks, including American media outlets. Mylon went from being a kid who didn’t want to go to school to an active advocate with a strong message of embracing your culture and understanding its importance. Mylon’s story is used around the world to inspire kids in many communities. Today, he exemplifies courage, resilience, leadership, and determination as he continues to speak out and take action against bullying.

Maja Petrovic, Age 11 – Edmonton

Maja is an exceptional human being with a pretty simple goal: “brighten someone’s day”. As a member of her school’s leadership team, Maja is always willing to lend a hand and volunteer for worthy causes. She has helped organize and promote various kindness initiatives and activities in her school, including a cancer graffiti wall and prayers for cancer. Maja’s enthusiasm and zest for every project is contagious. Outside of school, Maja’s family has dealt with serious family illness. Through it all, she has become a source of strength and empowerment for her sister, exhibiting love and kindness at every opportunity. This strength has been an inspiration to the grown-ups in her life who are supporting their own aging parents through illness. Maja is the epitome of girl power, representing strength, kindness, perseverance and optimism – true super hero qualities.

Ava Roe, Age 12 – Paddle Prairie

Ava is described as resilient, compassionate, a leader, and an old soul. Ava is constantly challenging herself to learn new things. She spends time with community Elders and family, gaining knowledge and practicing new skills like baking, cooking, sewing, hunting and trapping. Her passion for taking on new challenges extends from her home life into her school life. Ava was elected class president and takes that role very seriously. She meets the expectations of that role with an upbeat positive attitude. Ava initiated a snack program for her school, planning bake sales to raise money to fill the snack cupboard for other students. The small and remote Métis community that Ava calls home is not without challenges. Despite that, she continues to excel and inspire others with her work ethic and enthusiasm.

Charles Ancheta, age 14 – Fort McMurray

Charles is a positive young man who brings happiness to everyone around him. But Charles’ life is not without struggles. Having immigrated to Canada from the Philippines with his family, he has experienced challenges adjusting to life in Canada. His family works very hard to make ends meet and provide opportunities. Charles uses public transportation every day to get to school where he leaves a positive mark on everyone he interacts with. Last year, after his mother gave birth to another baby boy, they both experienced serious health issues and were admitted to the hospital. Charles took a leave from school to be there for his family in Edmonton while his brother was in the hospital. Charles missed weeks of school but managed to maintain his marks, returning after a few weeks with a smile on his face. He shines a bright light on everyone he meets and that makes him pretty great.

Kyara Garnett, age 14 – Grimshaw

Resilience is defined as having “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties”. There could not be a better way to describe Kyara. Even though life has not been easy for her, she has become a responsible, trustworthy and dependable “natural” leader at her school. She is frequently called upon to help around the school and is always willing and eager to assist, as evidenced in her active involvement in running the school’s theatre sound system and helping with morning announcements. Even though she has experienced trauma and persistent family struggles, Kyara is that wonderful friend who is empathetic, actively listens, gives advice, and always sees the positive. As a result, she is admired by her peers as someone who treats people with dignity and respect and will stand up for what is right. Simply put, Kyara has not let her difficult life circumstances change who she was destined to be – a great kid.

Drayden Laviolette, Age 13 – Lac La Biche

Two years ago, Drayden tragically lost his mother. Losing a parent is devastating, but Drayden demonstrated remarkable resilience. Drayden took up a leadership role at home, at school, and in his community. He holds himself tall every day and serves as a positive role model for his younger brother and other students at his school. As a full time ski leader at his school and gifted fiddle player, Drayden is always eager to help and bring joy to others. He values every opportunity and lesson to learn, whether from a teacher, friend, improvising assigned work, or through personal reflection. Drayden is making a difference in the world because he starts with himself, impacts his family, and goes on to share his gifts with everyone around him. The strand that Drayden weaves into the Kikino Metis Settlement sash will live long and strengthen the community as he grows older.

Danie Poole, Age 14 – Brooks

Danie is a shining example of perseverance, courage, and kindness. Danie has spent a number of years making the transition from female to male. He is open and honest about his journey, educating his classmates and bringing them alongside him in this transition. Danie has connected himself to organizations that have helped him learn more about what he is undergoing and how to deal with his emotions, as well as the emotions of others. He has overcome shyness and works tirelessly to experience success in his education. Danie is a tenacious young man whose work ethic is serving him well personally and educationally. He is truly a Great Kid.

Natalie Toltesi, Age 15 – Calgary

Natalie is a natural leader and she flexes her leadership muscles in a way that makes her unique. She volunteers at school and after school, and in doing so, Natalie’s passion for people shines through. She has led initiatives for students to get support or stay active, regardless of their physical challenges or struggles with success. Through her own struggles with mental wellness, Natalie has been able to relate to others, working with classmates to recognize and overcome their struggles together. She also earned the “Most Outstanding Volunteer” award from a local program where she spends time doing activities with seniors. Natalie keeps herself very busy, managing her own challenges and helping others with theirs. Her genuine interest in other people, their stories, and gifts is at the core of Natalie’s greatness.

Deyana Altahsh, age 19 – Calgary

In October 2017, at the age of 15, Deyana led her mother and two younger sisters to Canada. While she waited to flee her warn-torn country of Syria, and in preparation for her family’s new life, she began to teach herself English through movies and songs.  Arriving first in Trochu and finally settling in Calgary, Deyana has made herself a vital member of her school community. She is an active member of several clubs and activities at her school including the Italian Club, Rotary Club, Mental Health Project, Social Justice Club, and choir. She is also a peer member for newcomers and provides academic tutoring for others. Even with all of this, Deyana made her own education a priority. She is an honour roll student and dreams of going to Oxford or Harvard. She consistently displays enthusiasm for every learning opportunity that comes her way. She is described as “an amazing asset to our province and country” and “an awesome example for her fellow classmates, family members and friends”. That is why Deyana was selected to be a Great Kid.

Korcin Brown, age 17 – Edmonton

In 2014, Korcin was involved in a motor vehicle collision, losing his father and suffering life-threatening injuries that left him paralyzed. Korcin was confined to a hospital bed after the incident and was believed to be bedridden indefinitely. But Korcin defied the odds. He slowly improved to the point where he no longer needs help eating or with other daily tasks. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Korcin’s outgoing personality, delightful sense of humour and dedication to improvement overshadow any doubt about his abilities. Korcin is not only dedicated to his personal development, but also to his community. As a member of the Louis Bull First Nation, Korcin often attends ceremonies and events, including sweat lodges and pow wows. He enjoys participating in these events, especially as a member of one of the drumming groups. Korcin continues to beat the odds and is an inspiration to those around him.

Luis Fonseca, age 18 – Brooks

Exceptional athlete, valiant leader and family provider are just some of the words used to describe Luis. At 12 years of age, Luis and his father came to Canada from Colombia to reunite with his mother in pursuit of a better life. If being a newcomer and not knowing English wasn’t daunting enough, Luis found himself thrust into an adult role when his father moved back to Colombia. His determination and persistence to succeed never wavered. By age 15, he had learned English, was excelling academically and athletically while providing ongoing translation support for his mother, and working 35-40 hours per week to support his family. The responsibilities Luis has undertaken since coming to Canada have been nothing short of extraordinary. Luis graduated high school this year and will be attending Lethbridge College in a Criminal Justice program. His goal is to become a police officer in hopes of giving back to Canada.

Caleb Lea, Age 17 – Brooks

At the young age of 17, Caleb has demonstrated remarkable resilience and strength of character in the face of life’s challenges. When his father was diagnosed with terminal cancer, Caleb was already struggling in school and his teachers were concerned about him. Caleb surprised them all when he decided to turn things around and “make his father proud.” Caleb now advocates and encourages his peers in uplifting and non-judgmental ways. His tenacity lifted him out of a dark period in his life and he uses his experiences to motivate himself and those around him. Caleb can often be found mentoring other students with attendance issues and will call or pick them up to make sure they get to school. His quiet strength and grace allow him to connect with others and his determination is helping him to excel in his schoolwork as he seeks greater heights.

The Alberta government’s partnership with organizations, including IBM and Fantasyland Hotel, helps recognize and celebrate Alberta’s young people for doing great things in their communities.

Since its inception, the Great Kids Award has been presented to 304 children aged five to 18. Winners are chosen by an awards selection committee of community representatives and event partners.

 

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Alberta

Alberta Education negotiations update: Minister Horner

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President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner issued the following statement about the ongoing negotiations with TEBA and the ATA:

“After announcing its intention to strike last week, the ATA provided its members with a document titled ‘Talking Points’ for teachers to use when speaking to parents and students about the current bargaining situation.

“The document falsely claims that the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) does not have the mandate to ‘negotiate on important issues such as class complexity, class size, support for students.’

“There are also other statements in the document that are misleading and confusing for parents, teachers and most importantly our kids, who are explicitly targeted by these communications.

“To be clear, the only item outstanding between the ATA and TEBA for a new contract is the union’s additional salary demands.

“TEBA’s most recent offer to the ATA included a guarantee to hire 3,000 more teachers over the next three years at a cost of about three-quarters of a billion dollars. This is what the ATA asked for in its previous offer and government’s response met that request. The parties are no longer disputing negotiations on that point.

“The current offer provides a salary increase of at least 12 per cent over four years with more than 95 per cent of teachers receiving more through a market adjustment, and would result in the best deal for teachers in all of Western Canada.

“The information in the ATA document is inaccurate. It intentionally misinforms the public, parents and students. TEBA has been left with no choice but to launch a legal challenge. The Alberta Labour Relations Board received our complaint today, asking the ATA and its president Jason Schilling to immediately retract their false claims and to stop using Alberta’s students and families for leverage in a bargaining dispute.

“The ATA’s leadership and communications strategy targeting families and children with false and misleading claims raises serious ethical concerns. The government must now correct the false narrative the ATA has created.

“I look forward to a speedy resolution of this complaint with the Labour Relations Board. When we have our resolution, we will consider next steps.”

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Alberta

Break the Fences, Keep the Frontier

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Marco Navarro-Génie's avatar Marco Navarro-Génie

Note: This post was written from notes prepared for a panel at the Canada Strong and Free Conference in Calgary on Sept 6. I am grateful for the invitation and the opportunity to explore solutions to recognized interprovincial barriers and push further beyond.

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Alberta is the number one destination for Canadians seeking a better life. In the last 5 years, 1 of 3 Canadians moving out of their provinces seeking a better life have come to Alberta. People come to Alberta to escape stagnant wages, unaffordable housing, and the bureaucratic chokeholds of central Canada. They come for work, for opportunity, and for the chance to get ahead. Alberta doesn’t just have oil and gas; it has policies and an entrepreneurial culture that reward hard work. (Every province, except for PEI, has hydrocarbon resources, but most chose not to exploit them). That’s why the province often draws more people than it loses.

But Alberta cannot assume it will always stay ahead. Prosperity, like liberty, is not automatic, and it can vanish if Albertans get complacent. To remain the country’s economic frontier, Alberta must keep moving. That means tearing down the barriers to trade and commerce we still have and fighting the new ones Ottawa and other provinces are busy inventing.

The costs of standing still are enormous. Economists estimate internal trade barriers drain Canada of up to $130 billion a year, as much as seven percent of GDP, a fraction of what the Trump tariffs would inflict. For Alberta alone, even a ten percent reduction in interprovincial barriers would be worth $7.3 billion annually. And when Quebec blocked the Energy East pipeline, Alberta lost the chance to ship crude worth as much as $15 billion a year — roughly one-fifth of its economy. That isn’t theory; that is lost paycheques, foregone tax revenue, and hospitals and schools that never got funded.

Alberta has worked to make itself freer than most provinces. Liquor was privatized decades ago—Ditto for property registries. The New West Partnership has opened labour mobility and procurement between Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and B.C. Alberta imposes no cultural or linguistic tests on newcomers. No PST. These are the reasons people come here — because it’s easier to find work, to start a business, to access pristine natural environments, to raise your children, and to get on with your life. Less bureaucracy and fewer people telling you what to do and how to live.

But there are still cracks in the foundation. Alberta’s liquor market is open on the retail side, but still congested at the warehouse level due to the AGLC monopoly. Professional guilds in law, teaching, and health care slow down credential recognition. Public procurement often tilts local in ways that make no sense. And like every province, Alberta still bows to Ottawa’s telecommunications rules, the banking oligopoly, the dairy and poultry cartels (supply management), even though it benefits Quebec farmers and hurts Alberta’s. These barriers cost real money and serve no useful purpose.

If those are the old barriers, new ones are emerging. The most notorious new barrier isn’t new at all. This is the recently resurrected protectionist reflex in the RoC. For a century and a half, Canadians have built a culture that is contrary to the dream of their founding fathers to have open trade within the country. Canadians like to mock Donald Trump’s tariffs, but their instincts are no different. When Trump tariffed Canadian steel, Ottawa’s immediate answer was “We’ll buy Canadian” as retaliation. The elbows-up, “buy local” campaigns are no different from the commercial nationalism Trump is using. And the “buy local” impetus precedes Trump. They prop up the cartels and marketing boards, the oligopolistic giants in telecoms, banking, groceries, and construction. Such reflexes are not based on free market ideas.

What makes this 21st-century mercantilism sting even more is the lack of any real appetite in Ottawa to defend free trade. When Mark Carney announced he would “help” canola farmers, it was a double insult. First, it signalled that in the Prime Minister’s Office, there is no courage to fight for open markets abroad — subsidies at home are easier than complicated negotiations. Second, those subsidies are no gift: they are paid for by the very farmers they are supposed to help, through taxes collected in Saskatchewan and Alberta, among others, laundered through Ottawa’s bureaucracy, and handed back with a smile. This is Canada’s oligopoly culture in miniature: no defence of free markets, more subsidies to placate, and more Ottawa bureaucrats to process the paperwork. All of these come at a price. Ottawa money is never free money.

And the irony deepens. Carney himself promised that interprovincial barriers would be gone by July 1, 2025. He did not deliver. And his latest announcement of a new “process” to expedite infrastructure risks does precisely the opposite — adding new layers of federal meddling, vetoes and Ottawa bureaucrats into what should be provincial decisions.


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The enforcement of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, along with the surrounding culture, is a recent development. What began as workplace training has evolved into a mechanism for bureaucrats and gatekeepers to extend their authority. In some regions, such as Ontario, DEI mandates have been codified into law, forcing individuals to think and act in ways that are not of their own choosing.

This kind of identitarian enforcement saps productivity, creates “bullsh*t jobs” focused on compliance, and categorizes people instead of promoting unity among them. Most concerning is the way it restricts mobility for workers who don’t fit ideological criteria, punishing those who refuse to conform. This system creates opportunities only for a select, tiny class of individuals.

Alberta has a distinct advantage in this context, as it has not fully embraced the DEI agenda—apart from federal agencies and affiliated organizations, sadly including our own ATB. However, it must remain vigilant against the encroaching imposition of these practices.

The third significant challenge we face on the horizon is “debanking.” In 2022, we witnessed how swiftly Ottawa could order banks to freeze accounts, and how readily banks complied. Since then, federal regulators have been extending their influence under the guise of anti-money laundering regulations. The reality is straightforward: industries or individuals that federal governments deem undesirable can be cut off from financial services. For Alberta, with its energy sector labelled as a threat to the planet, this poses a considerable risk. Entire industries—or even individuals who consume “too much” energy—could soon find themselves excluded from the marketplace by radicals in the PMO.

David Suzuki once called for criminally charging folks he considered environmental offenders, and the NDP has expressed a preference for criminalizing support for the oil and gas sector (The NDP, ostensible fond of books in schools and free speech, also wants to criminalize asking questions about non-existent mass graves and the fictional narrative of genocide in Canada). A free economy loses its meaning if citizens can be excluded from it through government decrees. Alberta must protect its residents by establishing ATB as a fortress for banking, addressing any divisive tendencies, and enshrining access to banking as a civil right. Alberta needs to protect its citizens when those federally chartered banks act as enforcers for Ottawa.

So what does moving forward look like? Alberta has a strong culture of enterprise, but it cannot rest on its laurels. Unless it works to keep ahead, others will eventually catch up. Alberta must double down on being the most desirable place in Canada to live and work. That means bold and greater transformational reforms.

Breaking the cartel-like influence of professional regulators—such as teachers, lawyers, doctors, and nurses—who have transformed their organizations into barriers is crucial. These groups often prosecute their members to enforce ideological beliefs that most Albertans do not support.

Additionally, we need to ensure that access to banking is protected in provincial law, regulating credit unions so that no Albertan can be denied banking services for political reasons. We should also consider breaking up large municipalities to encourage smaller communities to compete for residents and businesses.

Ending the equalization payments and replacing them with a Goods and Services Tax (GST) transfer to Ottawa is necessary to ensure that Alberta’s wealth benefits Albertans directly. Healthcare delivery must be reformed so that patients receive timely services and genuine choices.

Furthermore, we should deregulate trucking and housing construction to make life more affordable for families. Finally, we must tackle public service unions that operate like political monopolies, using examples from small towns like Coaldale to demonstrate how reform can begin at the grassroots level.

Canada advocates for free trade but often behaves like a medieval guild. Alberta has demonstrated that a more liberated approach is viable, but the province must continue to leverage its advantages. This involves resisting cartels, challenging the banks, dismantling outdated barriers, and preventing the emergence of new ones before they become too imposing.

Alberta has always been a frontier — a place where people come to build, take risks, and prosper. Frontiers are not maintained by standing still; they thrive by moving forward. If Alberta continues to push ahead, it can remain the engine of prosperity and the most desirable place to live and work. However, if it becomes complacent, it risks falling behind, becoming weaker, and Ottawa will be more than willing to take advantage of that.

The choice is simple: Alberta can either be fenced in by cartels and bureaucrats, or it can break the fences and keep the frontier open. That is the task, and it is one worthy of Alberta’s spirit.

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