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“It transformed my life” – Tackling Addiction through Triathlon Training

Published

3 years ago

5 minute read

A Calgary woman is using the power of athletics to tackle and transform the narrative surrounding addiction, and support youth and young adults on their journey to recovery. 

Vanisha Breault, founder and CEO of the Terminator Foundation, has created a unique avenue for young Calgarians caught in addiction to overcome their struggles and accomplish something great, while smashing stigmas and stereotypes. 

Using her own experiences with addiction as a driving force behind her foundation, Breault is passionate about educating, aiding and supporting youth, young adults and communities affected by the indiscriminate and devastating influences of addiction. The vision of the Terminator Foundation is to “reach all youth and young adults who are impacted by addiction and mental health, and radically transform their lives through sports coaching, peer support, team training, endurance and triathlon participation.”  

The foundation unofficially originated in 2015 as a local 5km run dedicated to raising awareness and supporting discussions surrounding youth addiction and mental health. The Terminator Foundation was officially founded as a nonprofit organization in 2017 with a broader scope, namely to facilitate triathlon training alongside the annual 5km run and ongoing health and education services. “Terminator encompassed everything I wanted the organization to be,” says Breault, “Terminator is strong, it’s resilient, it’s tough. It’s how I see our youth and young adults in recovery, fighting for their sobriety. It’s about overcoming.”

Vanish Breault, Founder & CEO of Terminator Foundation

Breault’s decision to apply an athletic, training oriented approach towards battling addiction came from her own experiences during a difficult time in her life. When Breault’s young daughter turned to drugs and alcohol at the age of 14, Vanisha took every measure possible to help her daughter reach recovery. It was during this time, where she lived in fear for her daughter’s safety and well being, all while coping with her own depression, that she made the decision to complete a half Iron Man. “I didn’t even own a swimsuit or a bike, but I registered in April and 3.5 months later, I completed the Calgary Half Iron Man,” says Breault. “It transformed my life.” 

This experience became the inspiration for the Terminator Foundation’s triathlon training approach. “If this exercise in grueling physical endurance could light up my life in the darkest of times, what could it do for these kids?” She asked, “The youth and young adults also struggling, and feeling lost in their own dark?” The Foundation was launched that fall. 

In recent years, the Terminator Foundation has begun expanding into neighboring provinces while catering to a growing global audience online. Currently, Terminator is preparing to launch its first 5km run in Vancouver, which will take place in September alongside Calgary’s 7th annual run. 

To keep up with growth and the demand for youth addiction and mental health services in Calgary, the Terminator Foundation recently launched their Sponsor an Athlete initiative.
This campaign is the first of it’s kind for the Terminator Foundation, calling on local businesses and individuals to aid in the recovery process for young members of the community. The cost of sponsoring a single athlete is $2500, which helps cover costs for training facilities and equipment, professional coaching and mentorship, transportation and entry fees. “We’ve been grinding this thing out for years,” says Breault, “and we’ve had some amazing people help and support us, but it’s time to take things to the next level, and this is a part of that. Anything helps.” 

Moving into 2021, the Terminator Foundation will continue to function as a source of relief, information and aid for those who need it most. By encouraging discussion and education, Vanisha Breault hopes to address systemic sources of addiction and support prevention, rather than intervention, wherever possible. 

For more information on the Terminator Foundation and how to Sponsor an Athlete, visit https://terminatorfoundation.com. For a list of mental health and addiction resources, visit https://terminatorfoundation.com/resources/. 

For more stories, visit Todayville Calgary.

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Alberta

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

Published on April 25, 2024

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Strengthening Alberta’s local elections

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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Alberta

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

Published on April 25, 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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