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WATCH: Alberta remains fertile ground for country music

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The west has been a hotbed for country music for a very long time and so it continues.  Exciting this morning to receive the list of nominees for the 2019 Alberta Country Music Association Award Nominees and see my friend Ryan Langlois on the list for Male Artist of the Year. So many terrific musicians, writers, performers on this list.

Male Artist of the Year

Ben Chase

Dan Davidson

Drew Gregory

Sean Gristwood

Ryan Langlois

 

Female Artist of the Year

Hailey Benedict

Krissy Feniak

Lauren Mayell

Andrea Nixon

Mariya Stokes

 

Group/Duo of the Year

The Dungarees

Ghost Boy

Nice Horse

The Prairie States

Renegade Station

 

Fans Choice

Ben Chase

The Dungarees

Drew Gregory

Nice Horse

The Prairie States

Renegade Station

 

Industry Person of the Year

Johnny Gasparic / MCC Recording

Carla Hackman / Sakamoto Agency

Larry Mayell / LJVM Projects

Chard Morrison / Shattered Glass

Sarah Scott / Sun Country 99.7

 

Musician of the Year

Lisa Dodd (Bass)

Johnny Gasparic (Guitar, Bass, Banjo, Dobro, Mandolin)

Cody Mack (Drums, Bass)

Josh Ruzycki (Guitar)

Brandi Sidoryk (Bass)

 

Album of the Year

“Juliet” / Dan Davidson

“Twenty Something” / The Dungarees

“Running on the Edge” / Tim Isberg

“It Was A Song” / Ryan Langlois

“Wild” / Ryan Lindsay

 

Song of the Year

“All Over It” / Written by: Ben Chase, Matty McKay, Aaron Pollock, Adam Dowling

(Performed by: Ben Chase)

“Better in a Bar” / Written by: Drew Gregory, Aaron Goodvin

(Performed by: Drew Gregory)

“Hands on My Body” / Written by: Mariya Stokes, Aaron Pollock, Michael Braun (Performed by: Mariya Stokes)

“It Was A Song” / Written by: Ryan Langlois

(Performed by: Ryan Langlois)

“Just Drive” / Written by: Justin Hogg, James Murdoch

(Performed by: Justin Hogg)

 

Single of the Year

“All Over It” / Ben Chase

“Twenty Something” / The Dungarees

“Better In a Bar” / Drew Gregory

“Just Maybe” / The Prairie States

“Along for the Ride” / Renegade Station

 

Horizon Youth

Hailey Benedict

Martina Dawn

Hannah Gazso

Anna Johnson

Jordan Leaf

 

Entertainer of the Year

Gord Bamford

Paul Brandt

Aaron Goodvin

High Valley

Brett Kissel

Tenille Townes

 

Video of the Year

“Twenty Something” / The Dungarees

“Suntans & Beer Cans” / Justin Hogg

“Lightbulb” / Troy Kokol

“Just Maybe” / Prairie States

“Along for the Ride” / Renegade Station

“Hands on My Body” / Mariya Stokes

 

Community Spirit Award

Hailey Benedict

Bob Donaldson

The Dungarees

Donny Lee

Kym Simon

The Prairie States

Renegade Station

 

Country Venue of the Year

Boot Scootin Boogie – Edmonton

Cook County Saloon – Edmonton

Ranchmans Cookhouse and Dancehall – Calgary

 

Talent Buyer of the Year

Carla Hackman / Sakamoto Agency

Natasha Mandrusiak – Calgary Stampede

Pat McGannon / PM Gigs

Chris Melnychuk – Trixstar

Angie Morris – Sirroma Entertainment

Adam Oppenheim / Stampede Entertainment

 

Rising Star

Ben Chase

Karac Hendriks

Ryan Lindsay

Trevor Panczak

Brad Saunders

 

Radio Station of the Year

840 CFCW – Edmonton

REAL COUNTRY 95.5 – Red Deer

SUN COUNTRY 99.7 – High River

THE ONE 88.1 – Parkland

WILD 95.3 – Calgary

Ticket link, hotel info, and further information about the ACMA™ Awards Weekend will be announced soon.  Information on ACMA available at www.acmamusic.com.

ACMA Awards weekend will be held January 25-26, 2020 at the Cambridge Hotel and Conference Centre in Red Deer.

2019 ACMA Award Nominees!

November 19th, 2019 (Edmonton, AB) – The Association of Country Music in Alberta (ACMA)™ is pleased to present our Nominees for the upcoming 2019 Alberta Country Music Awards™.

Winners will be announced during the ACMA Awards weekend on

January 25 & 26, 2020.

 

 

President Todayville Inc., Honorary Colonel 41 Signal Regiment, Board Member Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Award Foundation, Director Canadian Forces Liaison Council (Alberta) musician, photographer, former VP/GM CTV Edmonton.

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Alberta

Saskatchewan entrepreneur says government thwarted his ag-plastics recycling business

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Dallon Leger thought he was part of the solution. 

The entrepreneur from Yorkton, Sask., about 190 kilometres northeast of Regina, says he collected more than 1.8 million kilograms of used grain bags over the past few years, helping his neighbours deal with their mounting plastic problem.

Leger’s business, EcoGenX, transported the grain bags to a company in the United States that would recycle them. The company would turn the bags into various agricultural plastic products, including new grain bags. EcoGenX would then sell the recycled product in Saskatchewan.

But he says the Saskatchewan government has stifled his business through rules he believes are unfair.

The province recently took Leger to court and won, fining him for not following the province’s grain bag regulations. It effectively forced him to close his business.

“I’m not perfect, no entrepreneur is, but my government was my biggest hurdle,” said Leger, a farm worker, in an interview earlier this month. “That should never have happened, not when climate change and environment as a whole is the hot topic right now.”

Leger pleaded guilty in late April for failing to comply with the government’s Agricultural Packaging Waste Stewardship Regulations, therefore violating a section of Saskatchewan’s Environment and Management Protection Act. 

Court determined he did not operate a product stewardship program that was approved by the environment minister. He was fined $580 and must pay $10,604 to Cleanfarms, a regulated non-profit that also collects grain bags in the province.

Leger explained his lawyer advised him to plead guilty because it wouldn’t have been a winning fight. 

However, he said the province’s position is still not right.

“How can you charge me under the environmental act, find me guilty of anything, when I did no harm to the environment? That says a lot,” he said. “I felt I did something good.”

The Saskatchewan government regulates the industry, requiring grain bag sellers to participate in an approved product stewardship program.

EcoGenX didn’t operate under an approved program.

Environment Minister Dana Skoropad said the legislation is meant to ensure agricultural plastics recycling is sustainable in Saskatchewan. 

“The community of sellers of these products is quite small in Saskatchewan, so it’s certainly important that all first sellers be compliant with the regulations and a level playing field be existent,” Skoropad said. “And that ensures the financial stability and sustainability of the program.” 

Cleanfarms is the only approved product stewardship program in Saskatchewan, which means grain bag sellers must work with Cleanfarms or get their own program rubber-stamped if they want to participate. 

Under the Cleanfarms program, farmers can deliver bags to more than 40 collection points set up by the organization.

Sellers collect an environment handling fee when they sell the bags. The sellers then remit those fees to Cleanfarms so the organization can operate its collection sites.

Leger didn’t remit environmental handling fees to Cleanfarms when he sold bags, arguing he didn’t need to because his company did all the work in partnership with the American recycler. 

“I would travel anywhere in the province, roll up their bags. I would do all the work,” he said. “I had the best answer for this fairly large problem —  like it’s a significant amount of plastic.”

The $10,604 Leger is required to pay to Cleanfarms represents the environmental handling fees he was supposed to pay to the organization. 

Skoropad said he’s open to working with anyone who would meet the requirements in the legislation. 

He said Leger did not submit a proposal.

However, Leger said he tried to work with the provincial government but was told the province was not interested in another operator. 

“I’m told, ‘We have to focus on the sustainability of the current approved program,'” he said. “Well, I’m sorry I’m a threat to this non-profit organization. That’s kind of what a business is meant to do, is grow and succeed.”

Leger accused the government of siding with Cleanfarms, pointing to past lobbying by CropLife Canada, a sister organization of Cleanfarms. 

In 2016, CropLife representatives lobbied Saskatchewan ministers about “promoting the benefits of industry stewardship programs.” It noted Cleanfarms had been active in the province. 

CropLife, which is based in Ontario, lobbied former environment minister Scott Moe, who’s now premier, and former agriculture minister Lyle Stewart. Ted Menzies, CropLife’s former president, was among those lobbying. Menzies had previously served as a Conservative MP and cabinet minister before moving to CropLife. 

In 2018, the province’s Agricultural Packaging Waste Stewardship Regulations came into effect. 

“I believe this created a monopoly and gives an out-of-province organization 100 per cent of the money that Saskatchewan farmers pay,” Leger said.

Skorpopad denied the accusations.  

“Cleanfarms submitted an application to be a product stewardship operator and that would be the extent of my knowledge of that,” he said. “As I said before, we’re open to working with anyone who would meet the requirements of the regulations on this program.”

Skoropad said he doesn’t know if there have been previous applications to become an operator. He said there are 14 regulated grain bag sellers in Saskatchewan. 

Leger said he has plans to continue fighting his case. 

“I was demonized, so to me that’s worth continuing to fight for and why I didn’t give up.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2023. 

Jeremy Simes, The Canadian Press

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Drying conditions return in Alberta, crews see more intense fire activity

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