Alberta
What My Brother’s Suicide Taught Me About Living

My brother Brett died 3,285 days ago today. 9 years. It feels like a hundred. It also feels like yesterday. But whereas others have moved on with their lives, I am one of the few left counting. Please donāt get me wrong, I am glad others have moved on. He would be glad too. But my life and how I see it has changed forever.
The morning I learned of my brotherās passing was a day I will never forget. I miss him very much and at times I am still overwhelmed with enormous grief and paralyzing sadness. All these year later when I think about him, warm tears instantly well up in my eyes and roll down my cheeks.
Typically, those feelings catch me off guard: a song, a memory, a family event like our Uncleās 70thĀ birthday last year where for me his absence is always felt. Or a wedding or the birth of a baby, events that bring so much joy and happiness, yet I always remember that my brother will never experience two of those lifeās greatest moments.
It may not make sense to some but my most of my hardest hitting moments are at times when I am happy, not times when I am sad. I am forever left with the feeling of āI wish my brother was here.ā
The last time I saw my brother is etched forever in my mind.
A surprise 43rd birthday party for me in December of 2011 filled with love and laughter. That cold, snowy evening ended as usualāa hug, a kiss on the cheek.
āI love you,ā I whispered in my brotherās ear.
āI love you, too,ā Brett replied to me, like a thousand times before.
That was the last time I would ever see my brother.
Nine years ago, a little after 3 a.m., on March 19, 2012, I was awoken by my husbandsā words, āJodee, I think someone is here.ā I still remember vividly the image of four black pant legs with yellow stripes on the doorstep as my husband opened the front door.
My brother had taken his own life.
The World Health Organization estimates that each year approximatelyĀ 800,000Ā people die from suicide, which accounts for one death every 40 seconds. Some sources predict that by 2021 that will increase to one death every 20 seconds.
These deaths are our sons, daughters, moms, dads, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. And in the approximately five minutes it takes you to read this article, seven people will have taken their life. Seven families, friends and loved ones will very shortly feel a pain like no other, their lives changed forever.
My brotherās death taught me so much, not about dying but about living. I try to remember to cherish life every day, to be open-minded, empathetic, and understanding, and to tell the ones I care about that I love them. I strive and am successful in not being bitter, angry and blaming as those emotions serve no purpose other than to break my spirit and keep me stuck. I work hard to remember that not everyone has the same opinion, that we all experience life and the circumstances surrounding it differently. So, I never get argumentative when others do not agree with my perspective. They have not lived my life, nor I theirs. Without realizing it, my brother and his complicated journey taught me that you never know what someone else may be going through, so I try to be kind.
Because of my brother and his absence, the beauty of life is always fresh in my mind.
It doesnāt mean that I donāt wish he was here, or that I donāt love him. It doesnāt mean Iām not feeling an underlying sense of sadness. But in his memory, I try to appreciate and enjoy life everyday.
I have made a conscious choice to celebrate how precious life is. That it is filled with so much beauty at the same time can be filled with heartache, challenges and hardship. I am blessed to live in the small town of Sylvan Lake; the water brings me joy and peace. It always has, which I believe stems from my childhood with my brother. Family vacations where we were blissfully happy and constantly in the water.
As much as I can I breathe the fresh Alberta air; I swim in the water and feel the warmth of sunshine on my face. I love the sand between my toes. Because of my brother, I remember how short life is and you canāt take any day for granted. You never know what tomorrow may bring. In fact, you never know if there will be a tomorrow at all.
Today, I celebrate the lives and memory of everyone who has lost their lives to suicide and the families that love them.
Today, my sweet brother, I celebrate the memory and love I have for you.
Jodee Prouse is a sister, wife, mom, and author of the powerful memoir,Ā The Sun is Gone: A Sister Lost in Secrets Shame & Addiction & How IĀ Broke Free.Ā She is an outspoken advocate to help eliminate the shame & stigma surrounding addiction & Mental Illness. Follow her on facebook @jodeetisdaleprouse
If you or someone you know needs help, call the Canadian Suicide Prevention Service at 1-833-456-4566. If you think someone is in immediate danger, do not leave them alone, stay with them and call 911.
Alberta
Worldās first direct air capture test centre to open doors in Innisfail

From the Canadian Energy Centre
Deep Sky Alpha facility will trial technologies that suck CO2 from the sky
Innisfail, Alta. is set to host the worldās first test centre for technology that removes carbon dioxide directly from the air to fight climate change.
This June, Montreal-based Deep Sky completed construction of a $110-million carbon removal innovation and commercialization centre in the town about 120 kilometres north of Calgary.
It is a key piece of the companyās vision to build 100 large-scale facilities across Canada and become a pioneer in the emerging market for direct air capture (DAC) technology.
āAs of this summer, we will begin not only carbon removal, which is actually sucking it out of the air through these very powerful fans, but also liquefying it and then putting it underground for storage,ā Deep Sky CEO Alex PetreĀ told CTV News.
Work began in August 2024 on the project known as Deep Sky Alpha, which aims to begin testing up to 10 different DAC technologies in real-world conditions. It is expected to be up and running this August.
The Government of Alberta isĀ investing $5 millionĀ in the facility through Emissions Reduction Alberta.
Deep Skyās facility will capture up to 3,000 tons of CO2Ā per year over the next 10 years, with room for future expansion.
Captured CO2Ā will be transported by tanker trucks about 200 kilometres north to Sturgeon County where it will be injected more than two kilometres below the surface into the Meadowbrook Carbon Storage Hub.
Operated by Bison Low Carbon Ventures, the project is theĀ first approvedĀ under Albertaās open-access carbon sequestration hub initiative and is expected to begin operations before year-end.
āWeāre going to line up these eight units side by side and run them to see how they operate in the summer and in the cold of winter,ā said Damien Steel, former Deep Sky CEO who continues to serve as a company advisor.
āWeāll be tracking everything to see how all these best-in-class technologies compare ā what are their strengths and weaknesses ā so that ultimately we can choose the best solutions to scale up for the major commercialization of carbon removal projects that are needed.ā
Unlike typical carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects that scrub CO2 from the exhaust of heavy industrial facilities such as power plants, refineries, cement plants or steel mills, DAC utilizes different technology to remove much lower concentrations of CO2 directly from the atmosphere.
According toĀ the International Energy Agency (IEA), there are 27 DAC plants operating worldwide, capturing almost 10,000 tonnes of CO2Ā per year. In order to reach net zero emissions by 2050, the IEA estimates DAC capacity must expand to more than 60 million tonnes per year by 2030.
Deep Sky selected Alberta for its test facility because of the provinceās experience with CCS, including its advanced regulatory system for CO2 sequestration.
āTo be successful at carbon removal you need three things: you need access to geologic storage, you need talent, and you need a reliable supply of renewable power to operate DAC facilities. Canada is blessed with these things, and Alberta especially has all of these attributes in spades,ā Steel said.
Deep Sky Alpha is one of several clean tech projects underway in a five-acre industrial park in Innisfail as part of anĀ economic diversification planĀ that was launched in 2022 to make the town a centre for energy innovation.
A municipal solar farm and a power plant that burns garbage and will be equipped with CCS to eliminate emissions are also under development.
Deep Sky says that more than 110 jobs were created during the construction phase of its Innisfail project and it will employ 15 people for annual operations.
Subsequent commercial plants it hopes to build across Canada will employ approximately 1,000 workers for construction and 150 for annual operations.
Steel said he expects the DAC test facility will become a destination for those looking to advance CCS projects around the world, showcasing Canadian expertise in the process.
āMy hope is that not only will we learn and improve carbon removal technology, but we will also put Canada on the map in terms of being a place where innovation can thrive and this industry can work,ā he said.
āIt will be a place where corporate leaders, government officials and customers from around the world can come and see what direct air capture really is, how it works, and how Canada is the place to do it.ā
Alberta
Albertaās savings trust fund jumps by $2.8 billion, hitting a record high of $30 billion.

Albertaās Heritage Fund reaches new heights
Alberta is growing the Heritage Fund for what matters most ā saving for the future to ensure a strong health care system, quality education and the lowest tax environment in Canada. By investing in the Heritage Fund, by 2050 Alberta will be on the path to energize its economy, create new opportunities and fund projects that make life better for all Albertans.
This $2.8-billion contribution marks a new record for the fund and keeps the province on track to reach its goal of $250 billion by 2050. The goal is to grow the fund to the point where, after 2050, Alberta would be able to withdraw some of the income the fund earns each year while still allowing it to grow over time. Those withdrawals could help cover fluctuations in resource revenue, invest in important infrastructure and keep taxes low.
āAlberta is turning resource strength into lasting financial security. By growing the Heritage Fund, weāre strengthening core services like health care and education, while preserving the low-tax Alberta advantage. This $2.8-billion boost to the Heritage Fund is a bold step that sets the province on the path to success and puts Albertans first.ā
āThis investment is a key step in securing a prosperous future with stable revenues and competitive taxes for Albertans today and tomorrow.ā
Albertaās government recently launched their plan, Renewing the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund: A Roadmap to Securing Albertaās Future. This plan outlines how Alberta will grow the Heritage Fund to $250 billion by 2050 through strategic investments, global partnerships and strong governance, securing long-term economic growth and stability. These strategic investments will eventually fund the public services and infrastructure vital to supporting the growing province.
Central to the plan is the leadership of the Heritage Fund Opportunities Corporation. The updated corporation will modernize the fundās management and help Alberta access global investment opportunities to create meaningful wealth and future prosperity. Led by board chair Joe Lougheed, the corporation will strengthen the governance of Heritage Fund assets and support investment decisions independent from government.
āOur role is to ensure the Heritage Fund is managed with the highest standards of governance and independence. By embracing global opportunities and modernizing oversight, weāre safeguarding Albertaās wealth to deliver steady, long-term prosperity for Albertaās future generations.ā
This historic boost to Albertaās Heritage Fund isnāt just about the numbers ā itās about building a future where families thrive, communities grow and Alberta stays strong no matter what comes next.
Quick facts:
- Albertaās government invested $2.8 billion from the 2024-25 surplus cash in the Heritage Fund, growing the fund to $30 billion from $27.2 billion in 2024-25.
- This is up from $22.9 billion in 2023-24, the previous fiscal year.
- Albertaās goal is to grow the fund to $250 billion by 2050.
- Once $250 billion is reached, interest from the fund will help stabilize resource revenue, invest in infrastructure and keep taxes low.
- Since 2019-20, the Heritage Fund has grown more than 84 per cent:
- from $16.3 billion to $30 billion.
- Since 2022-23, the Heritage Fund has grown more than 41.5 per cent:
- from $21.2 billion to $30 billion.
- The board of the Heritage Fund Opportunities Corporation brings together the skills and expertise of Alberta and international leaders in investment management to set Alberta up for long-term success. The current members are:
- Joe Lougheed, board chair, Alberta
- Kate White, director, Alberta
- Jacqueline Curzon, director, Switzerland
- Jouko Karvinen, director, Finland
- Chana Martineau, director, Alberta
- Mary Ritchie, director, Alberta
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