The death of a man found bleeding on the ground downtown early Thursday is being investigated by Edmonton homicide detectives.

City police were called to 106 Avenue, just west of 96 Street, just before 1 a.m. where the man was found with obvious signs of trauma. Officers attempted CPR, but the man was declared dead at the scene. 

Police are treating the death as suspicious, and say they are looking for suspects as there are reports of six to seven people seen fleeing the scene.

An autopsy for the man is scheduled for Friday.

This is the third recent death added to the homicide section’s already heavy caseload. 

A 27-year-old woman suffering gunshot wounds died in an Edmonton hospital Tuesday night.

City police were called to the hospital around 6:30 p.m. after the woman and a man, 31, both arrived suffering gunshot wounds. The woman subsequently died and homicide detectives immediately took over the case, now deemed suspicious. The man remains in hospital in stable condition.

An autopsy is expected to be completed Thursday.

On April 27, a woman who was found dead in a west-end apartment under suspicious circumstances. Toxicology tests for her death will not be available for weeks.

There have been 19 confirmed homicides in Edmonton in 2016.

pparsons@postmedia.com

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FC Edmonton head coach Colin Miller was beaming following his team’s 1-0 win, on the road, against the Jacksonville Armada FC on Wednesday, and with good reason.

Edmonton has, seemingly, put a disappointing home opening 2-0 loss to Minnesota United FC far in the rearview mirror with three consecutive strong performances in the North American Soccer League Spring Season.

The win in Jacksonville was arguably Edmonton’s most complete game of the season. They were fully deserving of the victory, taking the play to the home side during long stretches of the second half and rewarded with the only goal by central defender Papé Diakité.

“When you see guys working hard in training and when I saw the game against Minnesota, I knew that was not our team,” Miller said. “That is not the quality that we have. The game (Wednesday) is getting to be more like it. Without getting carried away, I thought it was an excellent performance from our team.”

FC Edmonton went into the game against the Armada short on bodies with reinforcements on the way for Saturday’s game (5:30 p.m.) at the Indy Eleven.

Defender Adam Eckersley was expected to get back in the lineup after missing the past three games with a groin injury, but felol ill. Cristian Raudales injured his calf seven minutes into the game and could be out long term. Midfielder Mallan Roberts was also unavailable with a slight groin strain. FC Edmonton had only two available substitutes in the game.

“We have to regroup now and go to another very difficult venue in Indianapolis with a big crowd of probably 10 or 11,000 there again,” Miller said. “They’ve come off a good result last weekend (2-1 win against Rayo Oklahoma City) so they’ll be very positive. We have to regroup, get our feet back on the ground, be ready to go and look for another good effort on Saturday.”

Midfielders Dustin Corea, Sainey Nyassi and striker Tomi Ameobi will join the club in Indianapolis.

The three will look to contribute to a team which has played extremely well defensively outside of the loss to Minnesota.

Edmonton have conceded three goals in the first five games this season and are now starting to find the net at the other end with three goals in the last two games.

“It’s just how we play, it’s all based on how well we’re organized defensively,” Miller said. “We get into an area where I don’t want our back four, our line, to drop too deep. I want to try and keep an aggressive line with our back four, so when we do win the ball, we don’t have 100 yards to sprint up the field to get to their goal.

“I thought the guys did that (Wednesday) and that was the reason for the win, it was because we were so well organized defensively. I believe (goalkeeper) Matt (VanOekel) only had one save to make from a shot and that speaks volumes, because Jacksonville are very attack-minded team.”

Despite losing the possession battle, Edmonton had more opportunities on goal than Jacksonville and could have very easily won the game by two or three goals.

Scoring was an issue for Edmonton at the start of the season, failing to connect in their first three games. Those problems also seem to be behind them for the time being.

“We weren’t lucky (Wednesday), I thought we played well enough and we’ll have to be even better on Saturday,” Miller said. “Hopefully, the fresh faces coming into the squad are going to help us on Saturday.”

With the win, Edmonton moved up to sixth in the 11-team NASL standings, with seven points from five games. Prior to their victory at home against the Ottawa Fury, which preceded the win at Jacksonville, Edmonton had been in the league basement.

“When I look at the games that we’ve had, we’ve drawn away from home at Rayo Oklahoma with 10 players for an hour,” Miller said. “We were flat against Minnesota, and then we played very well down in Tampa (1-0 loss), I think as well as we did (Wednesday) and we missed that penalty at the death and deserved at least a draw out of the game.”

The key for Edmonton is to try and keep the ball rolling. The club feels they have turned a corner and are starting to build on the progress made during the Fall Season last year.

“We have to look at that, we have to be very positive without getting carried away,” Miller said. “I hammered home that point after we won against Ottawa. The difference in our group in the past, was that we’d win a game, then took our foot off the gas and we can’t allow that to happen here.

“I knew that progress was being made this season, and I think that second half against Ottawa was very similar to how we played (Wednesday). We were very well organized defensively and very dangerous when we broke forward. Fingers crossed, we can keep this mindset, because if you can get on a run in these games, you just never know.”

Dvandiest@postmedia.com

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More than 12,000 students forced out of Fort McMurray by wildfire are trickling into schools across Alberta.

Most of them are likely to funnel into Edmonton-area schools, the education minister said.

“We believe we can make this work,” Education Minister David Eggen said Thursday. “This is obviously an extraordinary situation …  and I have teams in place now to look for spaces to accommodate” displaced students.

Provincial achievement exams have been cancelled for Grade 6 and 9 students from Fort McMurray. The government and superintendents are contemplating how to handle Grade 12 diploma exams.

Eggen said the province is looking at what was learned from previous disasters, such as the 2013 floods in southern Alberta, when students chose whether or not to write diploma exams.

Front-line firefighters don’t know how many Fort McMurray school buildings have been damaged by fire, Eggen’s press secretary Larissa Liepens said.

Fort McMurray Catholic Schools superintendent George McGuigan.

George McGuigan, superintendent of Fort McMurray Catholic Schools, said the only damage he knows of is the destruction of a new Catholic elementary school in the north-end neighbourhood of Parsons Creek. Construction was about 25 per cent complete. The school was scheduled to open in September 2017. Its loss is far less disruptive than the destruction of an existing school, McGuigan said.

Edmonton Catholic Schools, Edmonton Public Schools, Black Gold Regional school division, St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Schools, Elk Island Public Schools, Elk Island Catholic Schools, St. Albert Public Schools and Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools have all said they’re registering students from Fort McMurray who are ready to return to school.

McGuigan said his school district staff aren’t telling families what to do. Many are going to their nearest school on their own — an attempt to “get some normalcy into their lives,” he said.

He doesn’t know whether Fort McMurray schools will be open again this school year.

“I can visualize the devastation back home,” said McGuigan, who moved to the city from P.E.I. 34 years ago. “I would suspect we’re not going to be back there any time soon.”

Eleven children from Fort McMurray had enrolled in Edmonton Catholic Schools by Thursday afternoon, spokeswoman Lori Nagy said. One school principal told Nagy when the teacher introduced one young pupil to the class, the child said, “My world is burning.”

Most districts have said they’re waiving school fees for Fort McMurray students. Nagy said schools have also been supplying the displaced students with backpacks, pens and notebooks.

They may not stay long in Edmonton schools and that’s OK, Nagy said.

“We’re just trying to provide the least interruption in their education.”

Fort McMurray students don’t have to present all the documents they would usually need to register in Elk Island Catholic Schools, spokeswoman Susan Johnson said. Around 10 families have registered or are registering their children in the district’s schools as of 11 a.m. Thursday.

Related

• Following the Fort McMurray fire: Latest updates for Tuesday, May 5
• Read all of our coverage on Alberta wildfires

At least 20 students have registered with Elk Island Public Schools and more were rolled in Thursday, spokeswoman Karen Baranec said.

Students who want to attend one of 200 Edmonton Public Schools should contact the school directly, spokeswoman Raquel Maurier said. A “handful” had registered by Thursday morning, she said.

“We are all Albertans and are in this together. The (superintendent) has reached out to his colleague superintendents in the Fort McMurray area to let them know we are here for them and our resources are their resources,” Maurier wrote in an email.

Families who wish to register their children in an Edmonton Catholic school should call the school of their choice, or call the One World, One Centre for K-9 registrations at 780-944-2001, or Sacred Heart Centre for high school registrations at 780-944-2000.

With files from Emma Graney

jfrench@postmedia.com

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An Edmonton drug addict who fled 10 metres up a tree after blasting a police officer with bear spray while on the run for stabbing a former co-worker was put behind bars Thursday.

Frederick Andrews, 27, was handed a 49-month sentence after earlier pleading guilty in provincial court to charges including aggravated assault, robbery and assaulting a peace officer.

Judge Mike Allen called the stabbing “an incredibly dangerous thing to do” and said it was fortunate that the victim was not killed and nobody was hurt when the police officer fired  his gun.

Crown prosecutor Ian Elford told court Andrews had met a former co-worker May 27, 2014. He ended up pulling out a knife and stabbing him nine times in the face and chest, then stealing his car.

Court heard Andrews later turned himself in and was subsequently released on bail so he could attend a drug treatment facility, but he never showed up and warrants for his arrest were issued.

On Nov. 25, 2015, a police officer responded to a report of a man walking erratically along the shoulder of Anthony Henday Drive without a coat on and found Andrews near the 87 Avenue overpass.

Elford said as the officer was speaking to him, Andrews blasted him in the face.

The officer fired at Andrews, who fled on foot.

Other officers responded, including a canine unit, the tactical squad and the police chopper. He was tracked into a forested area where Andrews was found “30 feet up a spruce tree.”

After roughly four hours of negotiations, Andrews dropped an air pistol, a knife and some drug paraphernalia and surrendered.

Defence lawyer Harold Brubaker told court Andrews was high on heroin and crystal methamphetamine at the time of the stabbing and doesn’t recall the “quite inexplicable” violence.

In a victim impact statement, the man who was stabbed said he was in hospital for 10 days and now has several scars, including a long one on his neck, and a loss of feeling in a finger.

The man called the attack a “horrifying, life-changing crime” that “haunts (him) day and night.”

Andrews was given 20-months credit for time in pre-trial custody, leaving him with 29 months to serve.

With tinder-dry conditions and a heat map awash with red, a provincewide fire ban was imposed Thursday.

Environment Minister Shannon Phillips said the ban is a precautionary step to avoid more wildfires. 

“I don’t think any Albertan in the province right now, as we confront this crisis, wants to be the person that diverts necessary resources away from Fort McMurray … onto a fire that was entirely preventable,” she said.

Phillips implored people to limit off-road recreational vehicle use, be extremely cautious when camping, and avoid throwing lit cigarettes out of vehicle windows. 

“Over the course of this week, many Albertans have asked, ‘What can I do to help?’ This is something people can do to help,” she said.

Earlier in the day, Edmonton fire Chief Ken Block said the situation up north was a factor in choosing to put the city under its own fire ban.

“This is the right thing to do. We know what’s happening around us, especially in northern Alberta, and we certainly don’t want a situation like that within the city of Edmonton,” Block said. 

Block said May and June are typically the worst months of the year for grass fires, and that April already had a higher number of grass fires than normal. 

The ban prohibits open burning, fireworks, backyard fire pits, cooking stoves in parks, and barbecues using solid fuels, on both private property and in parks. Propane barbecues are allowed, but should be closely monitored, Block said. 

City of Edmonton senior fire protection engineer Cameron Bardos said a concern for Edmonton is that the city’s equipment is better suited for fighting structural, urban fires.

A blaze in a ravine or in the river valley could pose a number of challenges for city crews because of elevation changes, water supplies, access issues and fires burning down into the ground on hills.   

As a result of the extreme local conditions, Block said that Edmonton won’t be able to send any more equipment up north. However, he said Edmonton still has the capacity to send more firefighters.

Edmonton deployed another 36 firefighters to Fort McMurray on Thursday. Block said the extra bodies will allow the fire trucks to be operated 24 hours a day.

On Tuesday, Edmonton sent 19 firefighters, two pumpers and two tankers to help out, as well as a chief’s vehicle and some support vehicles.

St. Albert also imposed a fire ban Thursday.

pparsons@postmedia.com

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Oil prices edged higher Friday, as traders weighed the impact of spreading supply disruptions in the fire-ravaged Fort McMurray area.

June futures for West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the benchmark grade of U.S. light crude, closed at $44.66 US a barrel in New York, up 34 cents on the day.

Still, the near-month WTI contract was down 2.7 per cent or nearly $1.30 a barrel on the week, suggesting that traders believe this week’s spreading oilsands supply cuts will be short-lived.

That’s not to say the supply cuts aren’t significant. They are.

A growing number of producers announced shutdowns or curtailments over the past 72 hours, some to accommodate a flood of evacuees into work site camps north of Fort McMurray, others in response to pipeline or power outages. By Friday the cuts had swelled to an estimated one million barrels per day.

That’s equivalent to about 40 per cent of Alberta’s total oilsands output and nearly one-quarter of Canada’s total daily oil production, said FirstEnergy Capital commodity analyst Martin King, who issued a report Friday on the impact of the wildfire.

None of the oilsands production operations, some of which are located more than 40 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, have sustained any damage. Some have curtailed output due to a shortage of diluent, since some diluent pipelines were in the direct path of the fires, King said.

In addition, Enbridge’s Waupisoo and Athabasca pipelines, which carry an estimated 500,000 barrels of oilsands crude per day, were also largely shut down as of Friday.

“A quick return to services of the sites within the next week to 10 days will likely mean little price uplift for WTI prices, and any tightening of differentials (now about $15 Cdn per barrel) that has occurred as a result of the fires would be quickly unwound,” King predicted.

Nonetheless, there are signs that global supply-demand fundamentals for crude oil are finally starting to improve, said Matt Parry, senior oil economist at the Paris-based International Energy Agency. 

“After being incredibly oversupplied over the past couple of years, now we are getting close to where it’s near to balanced,” he told Dow Jones MarketWatch. U.S. output continues to gradually fall, and under-investment in Venezuela has also cut its exports.

Parry expects annual global crude oil demand to grow an average of 1.2 million barrels a day over the next five years. “Supply is quite slow to react whereas demand is pretty quick,” he said.

Oil prices and supply disruptions preoccupy traders and investors, of course, but the immediate priority for Albertans is the welfare of some 88,000 Fort McMurray residents now wondering what the future holds.

With their community still ablaze and thousands of evacuees still trying to leave work camps north of the city as of Friday afternoon, the crisis is far from over. Thousands have now arrived in Edmonton, however, and a small army of insurance adjusters were already busy processing claims Friday at Northlands Expo Centre.

“Even if there is no damage to any of the oilsands sites, as currently seems likely, restarting operations requires personnel, a large majority of which have been evacuated,” King said.

“Some workers will have lost homes and be suffering from other devastating emotional and psychological impacts from the fires. It is unclear how quickly and how many people will be impacted by this event and if they will even be available to return to work.”

Indeed, that may turn out to be the biggest challenge of all, as oilsands producers seek to restart their operations and Fort McMurray begins the long and painful process of rebuilding.

One thing the that evacuees can count on is this: Albertans will be behind them, every step of the way. This is a tough province, full of tough people.

Fort McMurray will rise again. That, you can take to the bank.

glamphier@postmedia.com

As Canadians look for ways to help those displaced by Alberta’s wildfires, the Edmonton police are warning donors to be wary of fraudsters plucking at heart strings to get at purse strings.

“Fraudsters play on your emotion,” said Det. Jerry Sobchyshyn, with the economic crimes unit of the Edmonton police. “It’s an easy, quick buck.”

For example, Lana Rovang of Calgary was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 60 days behind bars in March after falsely telling co-workers at a daycare where she worked that she had cancer, defrauding them of $20,000. The 12 employees at the daycare even shaved their heads in a show of support for her.

While large-scale crises like the mass evacuation happening in Alberta can bring out the best in people, it can also attract con artists willing to exploit the kindness of strangers.

“Unfortunately, some people will take advantage of others’ misfortune and take (advantage of) the generosity of others,” Sobchyshyn said.

Already, more than 300 GoFundMe campaigns have been created raising money for Fort McMurray residents, collecting more than $150,000 in donations.

While many of these are likely legitimate, Sobchyshyn urges caution.

“Online is a favourite because no one ever meets anyone, money is exchanged and no one ever sees anything,” Sobchyshyn said, adding it is nearly impossible for the average person to tell whether an online fundraiser is legitimate.

Sobchyshyn said the best way to make sure your donation goes to where it is needed most is to donate to a reputable charity.

In Alberta, registered charities must provide the organization’s most recent financial statements, information on how and where the money will be spent and the percentage of contributions spent for charitable purposes to anyone who requests it. That way, donors know that their donations are being used properly.

Canadians have already donated more than $30 million to the Red Cross benefiting Albertan wildfire evacuees, funds that will be matched by the federal and provincial governments.

Related

• Read all of our coverage on the Fort McMurray wildfires

If you do want to donate to an individual, Sobchyshyn recommends giving to people you know.

“If you don’t know them, I would say stay away. They could be legitimately trying to help, but you don’t know. There is no way of knowing for sure,” Sobchyshyn said.

When it comes to telling a real fundraiser from a fake, Sobchyshyn says it comes down to donors doing their due diligence, asking the right questions and trusting their instincts.

twitter.com/ClaireTheobald

ctheobald@postmedia.com

Now we will get to see what the global oil corporations think about Alberta and Fort McMurray. It’s time they collectively  drop a few hundred million into rebuilding the infrastructure, homes, and businesses that have been destroyed.

To the people complaining about the lack of notice given to evacuate the McMurray fire and the assistance being provided — chill out. The work being done by firefighters, emergency responders, RCMP, provincial and federal governments and volunteers has truly been amazing and wonderful to watch. Well done everyone. Albertans will stand together and there is no room or time for negative people and reporting of minor complaints.

To those people who are bashing the oilsands when there is an emergency lets hope they may never experience this. It is easy to kick a people when they are down.

Perhaps the PCs should have saved some of our money when oil prices were high rather than frittering it away on private planes and sky palaces. People are quick to attack the current government, but quick to forget the mess the other guys made.

I really think that the people in the government (federal, provincial and municipal) come in to work every day and put their calls on call forward. It is amazing that when calling I find that probably .01 per cent of the actual people in the government answer their phones … so my question is, what are these people doing all day? And when you leave a message they definitely do not call back as they promise in their voice mail. Totally frustrating.

Can you believe it. Menthol cigarettes are banned and marijuana will be legalized.  Oh, Canada.

Skinny houses, chickens in the back yard … world-class city, indeed.

Many thanks to the wonderful people who helped to clean up the river valley and ravines. A large boo to the characters that made it necessary.

I am an idiot if I get a photo-radar ticket. I am even more of an idiot if I believe that the City of Edmonton is using photo radar to improve safety. Good on David Staples for continuing to expose the city for using it for what it is — a cash grab. Nothing more. Nothing less. 

In September 1945, a teenage John Beckingham clutched the rugby pigskin and raced 80 yards down the field before passing the ball to his Montreal West High School Towners teammate Bob Wilson for what the local paper described as a “spectacular” touchdown play.

Such was the nature of Beckingham, who died last month at the age of 88 after a long battle with cancer. The witty lawyer, historian, bookworm and gardening enthusiast displayed passion and excellence in all he did, but was never one to highlight his own achievements, and was always quick to pass on his hard work and knowledge for the betterment of the community.

Beckingham enjoyed a long and highly successful career as a solicitor at the McCuaig, Desrochers law firm in Edmonton, where he articled after graduation from the University of Alberta in 1955 and stayed on as a partner until his retirement in 2008.

“I know that he had many clients that were very much his friends,” said Lormier Dawson, a current partner, who joined McCuaig, Desrochers in 1978. “I also know that … the son of one of his clients considered John as a surrogate father.”

Beckingham’s inviting smile, sense of humour and love for storytelling and conversation made him many lifelong friends over the years. Several of his friends were members of the same book club. 

“He used storytelling as a way to kind of marvel at people’s interactions, poke fun at the serious and raise serious questions about the funny,” said Laird Hunter, who, through the book club, knew Beckingham for 25 years. “He was always engaging with other people … Why are things the way the are? Storytelling was a part of illuminating his inquiry.”

A major part of his inquiry involved history, although he did not limit himself to one discipline. He was the founding director of the Fort Edmonton Historical Foundation and was appointed to Edmonton’s Historical Hall of Fame in 1975.

“He understood that the city and the community of Edmonton needed a sense of their place,” said Catherine Cavanaugh, Beckingham’s wife of nearly 40 years. “One way to do that was to preserve Fort Edmonton, taking in the links with the fur trade.”

Beckingham had a genuine concern for the well-being of the community. His work as the president of The Family Centre involved assisting troubled youth, which often pulled at his heartstrings.

“As animated as John ever got, it would be when you would tell him about some of the children we would work with,” said Rod Rode, who worked alongside Beckingham at The Family Centre for about 10 years. “He would become very attentive. He would probe and he’d want the stories. And he’d become somewhat emotional at times.”

Beckingham was born to fairly well-off parents in Montreal on Jan. 3, 1929. His father was a First World War veteran and factory manager who ingrained into his son his love for gardening.

The Beckinghams lived Mount Royal. But much to the chagrin of the young Beckinghams, John and his sister Lyn, the family spent the summer months on a farmstead in St. Eustaché Sur La Lac, north of Montreal.

“That meant he was taken away from the city in the summertime,” Cavanaugh said. “That’s where John first started to garden. He was a lifelong gardener. He was a real enthusiast. He loved vegetables and his raspberry patch.”

In 1945, the Beckinghams moved to Toronto, where John completed high school. His father believed education would give his children the greatest opportunity for success. He had his son take an IQ test, which determined that John would be best suited as a doctor.

However, after struggling through pre-med at the University of Toronto, young Beckingham found himself contemplating his future career.

In the summer of 1950, Beckingham attended military officer training at Camp Shilo in Manitoba.

“He talked to all these young men from across the country,” Cavanaugh said. “In those conversations, he determined that law sounded interesting.”

In the fall, as the military began shipping students back to their home universities, Beckingham managed to secure a train ticket to Edmonton by claiming his home university as the University of Alberta.

Beckingham arrived at the registrar’s office with no transcripts and no solid plan for how to get in. Nevertheless, he was immediately accepted and enrolled in classes after a brief conversation with a man behind a desk.

“Now, would that happen today?” Cavanaugh asked. “No. No it wouldn’t. This guy took a chance on this young man who just showed up.”

Beckingham married his first wife, Jean, in 1957, and the couple had four children. His daughter, Catherine Beckingham, lives in Toronto and shares her father’s passion for gardening.

“He loved gardening and grew bright red geraniums in his basement that he planted in his garden,” she said. “I plant bright red geraniums in my garden too and will always feel my dad’s presence when I see their solid natural beauty.”

As firefighters went to work last week to try and manage the flames around Fort McMurray, Edward Samudio, 53, was waking up to his own routine three hours south in Lac La Biche.

“In the morning, I Skype with my family, tell them we are here and we are in a good place and nothing to worry (about),” said Samudio, who came to Canada from the Philippines and worked as a school janitor in Toronto for years, paying his way through school to become a mechanic.

His studies landed him steady work in the oilsands but away from his family who remained in Toronto. A renter in Fort McMurray, Samudio was one of hundreds to escape the fires, leaving everything and ending up on a cot at the Bold Centre in Lac La Biche last week.

The days can be long at the Bold Centre, a recreation complex that has been transformed into a one-stop resource for evacuees. Staff and volunteers have been working non-stop helping people find accommodation in local hotels or in the roughly 400 cots set up in the curling rink. They guide evacuees to the clothing, food and supplies neatly arranged on one of the basketball courts and help them register for health services, emergency relief funds, even pet care.

Samudio said it wasn’t what he expected from an evacuation centre. It was much better.

Alfredo Sagun, also from the Philippines, agreed, occasionally breaking into what he called “tears of joy.” Having worked in Saudi Arabia, Guam and Korea, he said nowhere else in the world would have offered such incredible reception to evacuees like Alberta.

“I’m happy, we’re lucky because we found this nice place,” Sagun said, polishing off one of the few meals he’s been able to eat since getting to the centre earlier last week.

“I cannot eat because of the stress,” he said.

While both men had been staying at the Bold Centre, only Samudio had plans to get out; his provincial disaster relief cheque will send him to see his family in Toronto.

Sagun, however, has less options, waiting to hear when he can return to see if his home in Fort McMurray survived. To keep his mind off the situation, he volunteers with the centre’s staff, folding donated clothes, helping to move boxes and clean washrooms.

“They help me, I will help also,” he said.

For some, the centre’s resources weren’t as urgent. Rick and Eileen Drover were given a few hours’ warning to get ready and leave with their parents in tow. They filled up their truck and picked up their camper outside of town, eventually ending up at a spot in Beaver Lake campground, a five-minute drive from the Bold Centre.

The idyllic setting was a relaxing reprieve from the last few days of travel but not without its sombre moments as well.

“It’s 30 years of our life right here,” said Rick, as the two sifted through boxes of pictures they had loaded into the truck. “I never thought I’d be going through it this way.”

The main search was for pictures of their church. They learned from fellow parishioners working for emergency power crews who have gone back into the city that the church had burned down and they wanted photos to remember it.

Their second focus was on their home; a security camera left behind was still connected and they could access it online on Friday, meaning their home was still standing.

“It was a little bit of hope,” Eileen said, adding they could see through their window to the fire break crews had cleared around the house.

By Saturday, though, the feed was lost, leaving them wondering if the power had simply been cut or their house was lost. For now, their resolve remains.

“We’ll come through. We’re going to rebuild,” she said.

Back at the Bold Centre, a new family had come in to stock up on supplies, having driven through the flames.

Leverne Kervian and her husband Kary Wheeler, had to cut short a birthday lunch for their daughter, Kari Lee Wheeler, to drive north out of the city along with their five-month-old daughter Khloe Wheeler. Four days later, they were part of the convoys that snaked back south through the city.

Kari Lee turned three that day and the thought of her not being able to open her presents was an emotional one for a mom preparing to spend Mother’s Day away from home.

“I’m not sad, I’m happy right now to see her running around and just so happy and just playing and back to her normal self,” Kervian insisted, tears streaming down her cheeks as she watched her daughter. “But it was hard up north. She just kept asking to go home and ‘I hope my doll house is OK, mommy.’ And I’m like, ‘Me too, I hope our house is OK.’”

Together with their extended family, they drove south Saturday evening to spend the next few weeks with friends in Beaumont, just south of Edmonton.

By that time, the temporary residents of the Bold Centre were having another meal and getting ready for the final part of the day — live entertainment provided by volunteers, just another experience that has buoyed Samudio’s faith in people and in God and helps him sleep at night among the hundreds of others displaced.

“Sometimes you have to sacrifice,” he said, smiling sincerely. “Do your best and God will do the rest.”

Several hundred Fort McMurray evacuees gathered on Sunday afternoon at Beulah Alliance Church in Edmonton to sing and pray together for their fire-ravaged city.

The special service was run by Fort McMurray’s Fort City Church, which typically sees about 300 worshipers on Sundays. Some regulars traveled from across the province to attend, joining families — most of whom heard about the event on Facebook — from other Fort McMurray churches. The service was also live-streamed on beulah.ca/live.

Evacuees embraced and shared stories in the church’s lobby before the service and gave a standing ovation for the firefighters and emergency responders still at work up north.

“It’s important to see friends and hang on together,” said Murray Esau, 55, who came to the service with his wife, 89-year-old mother-in-law and dog, Rosie.

Doug Doyle, one of Fort City Church’s pastors, said he is encouraging people to look to God as a source of strength and support in the coming weeks.

Having a sister church in Beulah “has been huge,” he said. Fort City Church is will be holding regular services in Edmonton at Beulah Alliance Church until residents can return home, but demand is also present up north, where firefighters and emergency responders have requested a service of their own. (It will take place on Monday morning at 10:30 a.m.).

“We have a future, we’re looking forward to rebuilding Fort McMurray, and Fort City Church is looking forward to being part of creating something beautiful out of the ashes there,” Doyle said.

Rebuilding was also on the mind of Stephen Nippard, 36, who fled from the city last week and left his car in Fort Hills. He said he attends a different church in Fort McMurray but came to Sunday’s gathering in order to heal with others in Edmonton. Though his house is likely fine because it’s in a neighbourhood with fewer trees, he said he wants to help those whose homes were lost or badly damaged.

“I’m from Newfoundland, but I want to get up and rebuild Fort McMurray because it’s my home,” he said. “The fact that no one was killed in the fire was an act of God.”

Three west Edmonton homes ignited after embers from a nearby fire in a park spread to their roofs on Sunday while fire crews battled the blaze in unforgivingly dry, windy conditions.

The fire started in a playground near 62 Avenue and Wanyandi Road around 3:30 p.m. before quickly spreading through the trees in Oleskiw Park, burning a three-block area.

“In the park it looked like a ring of fire, and the next thing I knew, it had jumped right to the trees right beside it and it just went up,” said Jeanette Greenhalgh, who lives across the street from the park.

“It was just instantaneous. I couldn’t believe it.”

Greenhalgh gathered with other evacuated neighbours who watched tensely as fire crews battled the three-alarm blaze, trying to stop blowing embers from igniting nearby homes.

“With the winds, you try to make a fire break and then keep ahead of it but it is very difficult when it is jumping three blocks ahead,” said deputy fire chief Scott MacDonald.

While firefighters worked alongside residents armed with garden hoses and sprinklers to control small flare-ups on dry, cedar roofs, three homes were damaged before the fire was brought under control.

“It was pretty small when I first spotted it. In a matter of minutes, the whole roof was on fire,” said Gary Scovill, who watched as his neighbour’s roof at 212 Wolf Ridge Close caught fire, burning through the ceiling and into the home. “It exploded, in minutes it was total disaster.”

The wildfires in Fort McMurray weren’t far from the minds of evacuated residents watching and hoping this fire wouldn’t turn into a large-scale disaster.

“You couldn’t see in front of you, it was so thick with smoke. All the embers were flying everywhere. It was very scary,” said Greenhalgh, grateful that no one was injured.

While firefighters battled this fire, crews were dousing flames in other parts of the city, including a fire in Buena Vista Park and another grass fire near 34 Street between 50 and 60 Avenue.

The Buena Vista fire call came in just after 12:15 p.m. 

“Me and my dad just ruined our shoes,” said Bongi Thebe, 24, who fled flames in Fort McMurray on Tuesday and was staying at his aunt’s Edmonton house with a dozen evacuees. He and several others attacked the blaze before fire crews arrived.

“The last thing I want is the fire to come to my aunt’s house, especially after escaping the town and seeing all those flames,” he said.

By the time fire crews got on scene, the fire was moving toward the houses, said district fire chief Len Mushtuk. Trees and grass were ablaze and fire crews quickly took over from the residents.

“Crews worked aggressively to protect the houses,” Mushtuk said, saying about two acres burned. “It was a close call, for sure.” He said it was still unclear what started the fire.

Thebe and his father Cosmas Thebe were walking through the park, watching fire crews work as they got the fire under control. Suddenly they noticed the fire had jumped a path, spreading again toward houses, away from where the fire crew worked. They attacked that blaze with just their shoe-clad feet. Bongi ruined his new $150 pair of Jordans.

“I just reacted. I didn’t think,” said Bongi. Fire crews soon joined them and doused the last embers with water.

With some Edmonton firefighters fighting wildfires in Fort McMurray, MacDonald said city crews are stretched thin.

Creating further stress for firefighters, Edmonton Fire Rescue has responded to nearly 50 firepit complaints in the last 24 hours despite a provincewide fire ban.

“It’s very important that everyone works together and obeys the fire ban,” MacDonald said.

While the investigation into the cause of the Oleskiw Park fire is ongoing, MacDonald said with such dry and windy conditions, a stray ember or carelessly tossed cigarette butt could cause major destruction.

With files from Elise Stolte

twitter.com/ClaireTheobald

ctheobald@postmedia.com

Re. “Working twice as long to purchase a home,” May 6

The recent article by Garry Marr on working twice as long to purchase a house today is ridiculous.  

The Broadbent Institute study talks only about purchasing a house for cash in their study, how many of us do that in reality. The study excludes mortgage costs and I’m not sure why perhaps because the rates are so low today they don’t consider them a factor in affordability of housing. However if we are talking affordability, mortgage interest costs have to be included for purchasing a home.  

In the 1970s when I purchased my home interest rates were in the double digits. I don’t think you would find too many young Canadians longing for 1970s housing costs based on this scenario.

B.R. Bianchini, Edmonton

Can Bombardier deliver on Edmonton LRT?

Re. “Bombardier delays cause ripples,” May 7

There are many unanswered questions regarding city council’s decision to sign away control of the proposed Valley Line LRT from downtown to Mill Woods. The Financial Post story only makes them more unsettling.

Why, if Bombardier’s incapacity to deliver promised train cars to six rapid transit systems across Ontario were well known at time of signing, did Edmonton agree to a 35-year contract with TransEd Partners, a public-private consortium which includes the troubled Montreal-based supplier of commuter trains and planes? 

And how can Edmonton Transit’s Quinn Nicholson be so sure the other TransEd partners will have more success holding Bombardier’s feet to the fire when it has been able to stonewall half a dozen Ontario municipalities with a population many times the size of Edmonton’s and much more clout with the current federal government?

I am not so assured by Nicholson’s assurance: “We feel it will work out.”

Allan Shute, Edmonton

Slowing down speeders more important than label

Here is a thought on photo radar. Let’s say that all the people that think it is a “cash grab” are right. The city then admits it. What difference does that make?

It just means a name change from a fine to a tax on speeders, or even a user tax.

I have never received a speeding ticket in my life, and I have driven for 60 years and was a traveling sales rep that put in a lot of kilometres over western Canada.

Now for the worst part: I have received three photo radar tickets over the years. Was I happy? No. Did I deserve them? Yes. Did it cause me to drive slower? Yes.

All people are arguing about is a name. I call it revenue or maybe a tax. But this is a tax you do not have to incur. That in itself is a positive thing.

Frank Wright, St. Albert

Cooperation should be the norm 

Re. “Solidarity Is Needed,” Editorial, May 5

Why does it take a “devastating crisis” such as is still underway in Fort McMurray to make our political leaders think “solidarity”?

We have countless chronic crises: Attawapiskat, our missing and murdered Aboriginal women, the homeless, children living in poverty and unemployment.

It would be greatly appreciated to see the opposition parties and party in power throughout the different levels of government in our country all hug one another because they had co-operated in solving the above chronic crises. 

Most of the time, when taking in the news, all one can see is the parties hammering one another with little if any indication of search for compromise. There is little constructive to be seen in these kinds of politics.

Allan Hansen, Edmonton

Could cloud seeding cut fire risk?

Even when we do get clouds, there has been many occasions when we get no rain —prolonging droughts even further.  If the authorities haven’t already done so, I’d like to suggest they consider “cloud seeding” to lower fire risks.

 Peter Zupan, Edmonton

Letters welcome

We invite you to write letters to the editor. A maximum of 150 words is preferred. Letters must carry a first and last name, or two initials and a last name, and include an address and daytime telephone number. All letters are subject to editing. We don’t publish letters addressed to others or sent to other publications. Email: letters@edmontonjournal.com . 

We asked Capital Ideas members how corporate culture influences their hiring practices. Here’s what members of our community of business owners helping business owners had to say:

Jeffrey Cullen, co-founder of Basecamp4 Inc.

“Corporate culture and the underlying core values can serve as an effective acid test to assess how well a potential employee will fit and thrive in an organization. Skills, knowledge and experience can all be acquired, but a fundamental disconnect between the corporate culture and an employee’s view of the world is a surefire recipe for future problems.”
— Jeffrey Cullen, co-founder of Basecamp4 Inc.

“Finding the right employee is hard enough, finding an employee that will fit into the corporate culture is even harder. However, it is always best to wait to find the right fit for your company than just hire for the sake of hiring. I have worked very hard to create a positive corporate culture and if you get that new hire in that doesn’t fit, it can create a lot of internal issues.”
— Gay Andrews, owner, executive vice-president and COO of Caplink Financial Corporation

“First impressions go a long way in looking for the right chauffeur. A lot of our hires were gut instincts as we know what kind of people we need piloting our ships. There are people with strong resumes and experience, which is what you want, but sometimes we take a chance on people with basic resumes and no service experience and turn them into our best chauffeurs. Their interest in being the best for your company, and your gut instinct, can get you some great hires.”
— Suzan Burtic, president of Legends Limousine

“Our company’s mission is to improve the lives of our team and those we do business with. When we hire, we are looking for individuals who connect with that philosophy and see the job as not just a pay cheque but a means to achieve personal and professional excellence.”
— Luke Williamson, president of Accurate Network Services

“Coaching and mentoring are integral parts of our company’s success. We look for individuals who are eager to learn from colleagues who have faced the same challenges and gone on to successful financial planning practises. Our business model is attractive to entrepreneurs who want to get paid what they’re worth.”
— Sandra Nageli, consultant at Investors Group Consultant

“Hire local people. They are a great source of new customers. Our corporate culture is all about being local and staying local.”
— Zee Zaidi, owner/operator of Remedy Cafe

“The short answer is that if they don’t fit the culture, they don’t get hired. Your culture begins at that hiring process. Ask small talk questions to get them talking about themselves and then listen very carefully. Once they are on the short list, have them go for lunch with some of the team. Remove them from the work environment to get a feel for what they are really like and then trust your intuition.”
— Laurie McNaughton, business coach at ActionCOACH Business Coaching

“Finding culture fit is crucial to having employees for years, not months. We do it by focusing interview questions around our five core values, introducing candidates to multiple staff and having second interviews where co-working peers join. Hiring by resume/skills leads to mistakes, hiring by personality and values leads to success.”
— Bryan Smith, president of Bluetrain Inc.

“For us it is crystal clear. We hire, fire, reward and recognize team members based on our three core values. Joyfully Energetic — we need to have fun and be passionate about what we do. Servant Heart – true fulfillment comes when we serve each other and our clients. Improvement Focused — the thirst for learning will always keep us ahead of technology and our competition. As a result, we are able to provide our clients with an amazing vehicle repair experience.”
— Joel Dohms, owner of Revolution Motors

Ronda Nedelec, partner and vice-president new business at Zag Creative.

“We mindfully work to set our team up for success so we look for those with the skill sets, aptitude and attitude it takes to do the job well. Our clients have very high expectations of us and we look for those who can deliver on those expectations. We do find ambition, enthusiasm, resourcefulness, being collaborative and having that ‘care factor’ for the team and clients really goes a long way. Plus they have to like hedgehogs.”
— Ronda Nedelec, partner/vice-president new business at Zag Creative

“It is key. We have an extensive recruitment process to ensure that any new hires fit with the rest of the team and jive with our corporate culture as a whole. We conduct a one page personality profile that tells us a lot about their fit for not only their role but with others on the team. Plus we have all interviewees be interviewed by myself as well as a department co-worker independently. This allows them to ask questions about us as an employer, and for our existing staff to give us their fair assessment for if they’d like to work with that person.”
— John Carter, administration manager and owner of RE/MAX River City

“Culture first, culture second, culture third. In other words, focus on a cultural fit first and then look for attitude and finally skills. Skills can be taught, attitude is an important characteristic and culture can make or break your organization. Getting a superstar that doesn’t fit your culture can demotivate others and have a negative impact.”
— Ashif Mawji, president and co-CEO of Trust Science

“At Top Draw, we learned that there is a difference between a skill fit and a cultural fit. A skill fit covers the capability of a new hire and this can be defined and checked against whether someone is a skill fit. But a cultural fit demands that we keep our corporate culture at the heart of what we do, placing values up front and demonstrating our commitment to them daily. Culture is the backbone of how we hire and we apply our values directly throughout the hiring process. This ensures that everyone’s core beliefs and values are in alignment and we can remain on a path to team success.”
— Katherine Duffy, operations manager, Top Draw

“Corporate culture is the underlying foundation of our hiring process. If a person will not fit into our team and culture, regardless of their capabilities or credentials or charisma, then we simply will not hire them. Imagine a team that likes to spend time together at lunch, that jokes around constantly, that goes hard when it’s needed and supports each other and that doesn’t need detailed, step-by-step instructions for everything they’re asked to do. Then imagine trying to inject the wrong person into that team. No culture fit? No hire.”
— Chris Vilcsak, president and CEO of Solution 105

Wellington Holbrook, executive vice-president of ATB Business.

The above answers are in response to a question posed by Wellington Holbrook, executive vice-president of ATB Business. Here’s his take:

“The trick with this question is that corporate culture shouldn’t just guide your hiring, it should drive it. Businesses that build strong brands and incredible customer experiences never settle for people that cannot or will not live up to the corporate culture you’re trying to achieve. So if you want to build an exceptional company, and not just an average one, think about the culture you are looking for first and don’t settle for anyone that won’t make it even better.”

Get Involved!

Answer our next question: What’s the most important thing to ensure consistently great customer service?

Submit your answers at the Capital Ideas website by Friday morning. We’ll publish the best answers, along with your business name and website.

This article was produced by Capital Ideas, a product of Postmedia Labs, in collaboration with ATB Business.

Edmonton police want to speak to a woman who may have witnessed a murder.

Darren Sinner was shot and killed in front of Edmonton’s Baccarat Casino at the intersection of 104 Avenue and 101 Street just before 1 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21.

Investigators believe Sinner — who was rushed to hospital but later succumbed to his injuries — was involved in an altercation with a group of people before he was shot.

Police are now looking to speak with a woman who appeared on surveillance footage near 101 Street and 105 Avenue moments before the murder.

The woman was wearing a black, three-quarter length winter jacket with a fur-lined hood, white boots and red mittens.

Investigators believe the woman may have information that could help their case.

Patience was strained as hundreds of Fort McMurray wildfire evacuees waited for hours in long lines Wednesday to receive emergency government funds at Edmonton’s Butterdome, but many more expressed deep gratitude for the financial boost. 

Anticipating the large crowd, Ibrahim Abdi said his wife showed up six hours early and was rewarded by being the first one in the door. 

“We got a little extra on the side to help us out,” Abdi said. “We had insurance, thank God, so right now we’re OK, that money is pretty much going to go help with taking care of the kids.”

The Butterdome, at 114 Street and 87 Avenue, is one of four distribution locations set up across the province where pre-loaded debit cards will be doled out to nearly 90,000 evacuees to help them with their immediate, short-term needs. The government said it aimed to serve at least 5,400 households on the first day and had 900 staff available to assist with the process. 

Under the government’s scheme, adults will receive $1,250 each and children under the age of 18 will get $500.

People who did not evacuate are ineligible. 

In addition to that money, evacuees will also receive money from the Canadian Red Cross, meaning adults could pocket a total of $1,850. 

“There will be long lineups, especially through the early days of distribution. So, I am asking all evacuees, if you don’t need emergency funding immediately, please let those in desperate need be first in line. That way, we can distribute the debit cards as quickly and efficiently as possible,” Premier Rachel Notley said at a news conference Wednesday. 

“Be assured that the funding will not run out. There are enough debit cards for every eligible evacuee.”

The Red Cross, which has raised $67 million to date and registered 80,000 people, will be handing out $50 million in its first phase of direct financial relief.

The federal government will match every dollar made by individual donors until the end of May. The provincial government will only match donations made by Albertans. 

Adults will receive $600 and children will receive $300 from the Red Cross. For those people who have confirmed their registration details and have online banking, an electronic transfer will be sent via email over the next 24 to 48 hours. For those who don’t, the money will be provided in an alternative way. 

The four government distribution centres — the Butterdome in Edmonton, McMahon Stadium and BMO Centre in Calgary, and the Bold Center in Lac La Biche — will be open until May 20. 

Beginning May 24, evacuees will be able to get their debit cards from one of 54 Alberta Works locations across the province. 

Evacuees wait outside the Red Cross building in downtown Edmonton. They were given numbers and some waited around while others would come back later in the day.

Steve Jacob, who fled his downtown Fort McMurray home for the safety of the Northlands Expo Centre last week, said the wait is worth it. 

“We have to endure it and take what is being given to us,” he said. “People are going to be in the queue for the next three hours standing, you’re going to have fatigue.”

Tempers did seem to flare briefly when, police said, an argument broke out when one woman allegedly cut in front of another in line and a cellphone was slapped out of one woman’s hands. 

Notley reiterated again at the news conference that more information about the next steps of re-entry to Fort McMurray will be provided within the next two weeks. She said the damage assessment is ongoing and letting people in early could jeopardize their safety. 

“We are trying to balance the desire of people from Fort McMurray to get back home against the risks associated with them going back prematurely,” she said. 

“I understand it’s hard for people not to have a definite timeline, but at the same time, I don’t want to give them a definite timeline, have them build their hopes … then discover an infrastructure deficit that we didn’t previously know about.”

In Lac La Biche, local officials decided to give debit card priority to the evacuees who have been staying the reception centre.

“Many of the evacuees inside the Bold Center have been sleeping on cots for multiple days,”’ said Jihad Moghrabi, communications coordinator for Lac La Biche County. “We wanted to get them their cards and move them to more comfortable accommodations as quickly as possible.”

The decision prompted some short-term frustration from evacuees staying elsewhere, who were told they would have to lineup outside the building or come back another day.

It is believed everyone who stayed in the line was eventually accommodated.

A government spokesman said the general policy is to distribute the debit cards on a first come, first serve basis, no matter where they are currently staying.

How do you get your money? 

One family member can pick up debit cards at the government distribution centres for the entire family. Evacuees must have the following documentation:

• Red Cross registration number

• Photo identification

• Identification for partner/spouse and/or dependents, if claiming relief for them

• Proof of residence or presence in the community.

If you need to replace your identification to apply for a debit card, evacuees should visit an Alberta Registry Office. They are issuing new identification cards to wildfire evacuees for free. 

Seniors, individuals with mobility issues, those with special needs, and others who are in Alberta but unable to apply in person can contact 780-310-4455 to make arrangements. 

Evacuees with questions can call their area code then 310-4455 toll-free within Alberta or 1-844-406-3276 toll-free outside the province.

Fire conditions remain extreme in the province. The Fort McMurray wildfire covered approximately 229,000 hectares Wednesday evening and was 25 to 30 km from the Saskatchewan border. 

More than 90,000 Fort McMurray and northern Alberta residents were subject to a mandatory evacuation order May 3. Most headed south to Edmonton, where a reception centre was set up at the Northlands Expo Centre.

Only 400 people were staying at the reception centre Tuesday, down from a high of 2,100 last week, but an outbreak of viral gastroenteritis last weekend made 105 people ill. That number is expected to dwindle as more people leave the province or go to stay with friends and families.

Fort McMurray, Anzac, Gregoire Lake Estates and Fort McMurray First Nation remain under a mandatory evacuation order. Preliminary re-entry planning is underway and a schedule for re-entry is expected within two weeks, a government release said Wednesday.

Highway 63, the main thoroughfare in and out of the city, is open only to allow employees and supplies of oilsands operations to return and resume production. Travel into Fort McMurray is still restricted to emergency response and essential services only.

oellwand@postmedia.com

twitter.com/otiena

I don’t know how to look at trees anymore. I see them ablaze. I see them charred. I look away. I was one of the thousands of people who arrived in Edmonton because of “the beast,” of a wildfire that engulfed my town.

I had 10 minutes to pack a bag. My husband and I, along with our two beautiful boys, fled south not knowing when we’ll return. Deep down, I thought it would be a few days. I’m resigned to a few weeks now. I don’t want to think a few months.

I’m still waiting for someone to wake me up from this nightmare. I’ve held friends who broke down in my arms because they lost their homes. Yes, insurance covers houses, it doesn’t cover homes with memories. Someone posted about feeling guilty on still having a house to return to. I understood that yesterday when I found out my house is still standing too. Nevertheless, I’m grateful to God beyond words.

Fort McMurray has been my home for more than 15 years. I wouldn’t trade it for any other city. Thank you to our hero firefighters, who are getting closer to taming “the beast.” Thanks to everyone donating to help Fort McMurray. We will rebuild, and we will shine.

Kiran Malik-Khan, Fort McMurray

Wind farm could be a winner

Fort McMurray will be rebuilt and eventually will return to normal, likely with surrounding fire breaks, but that is not enough.

With the world focusing on Fort McMurray and the blazing forests surrounding its vital industry, it’s time for fresh look at what can be done to improve the undeserved dark reputation of the oilsands, perpetuated by those who unashamedly enjoy the benefits it provides.

We need to utilize the wind which almost devoured McMurray to protect the city and enhance its reputation. I propose the world’s largest wind farm be built within the devastated area. This would provide enough energy to sustain the city and the oilsands industry.

Alberta has the technology, engineers, workers and the space. Innovative financing though tax incentives and financial instruments could be put to good (green) use.

Brian Long, Edmonton

Moving display of community spirit

It has been a difficult time for everyone affected by the wildfires in northern Alberta. But despite the tremendous losses that have occurred in recent days, there have also been exemplary displays of generosity. The actions of Portage College’s staff certainly fit this description.

On May 6, the staff of Portage College saw that the community needed help, and they leaped into action. As the president & COO of Fields, I was visiting our Lac La Biche store in light of the ongoing wildfires.

Our store had six skids of goods that needed to be unloaded and merchandised in the store. As we started unloading, a team of volunteers from Portage College came to our store, ready to be of service. Without them, we would not have been able to process all the goods, which were so desperately needed by the community.

The actions of Portage College’s staff and students were a moving display of community and helpfulness that I will not soon forget.

Dean Petruk, president & COO of Fields

Parties ignore unite-the-right movement at their peril

With the tragedy of Ft. McMurray occupying our hearts and minds, another firestorm of a political nature is about to doom the PC and Wildrose parties.

They fail to recognize that over a million new voters have either come to Alberta in recent years and/or are now of voting age, with no connection to their brands.

The PCs believe that the old guard constituency associations will chart their resurrection to control of the province. Similarly, the Wildrose party clings to its hardcore right-wing values.

Both parties and their backroom supporters seem to be fixated on power. If the PCs and Wildrose can’t find a way to lay down their swords and egos to unite under a new collective banner that defines the future aspirations and needs of all Albertans, we will have an NDP government for many years to come.

Bruce Wilson, Edmonton

Letters welcome

We invite you to write letters to the editor. A maximum of 150 words is preferred. Letters must carry a first and last name, or two initials and a last name, and include an address and daytime telephone number. All letters are subject to editing. We don’t publish letters addressed to others or sent to other publications. Email: letters@edmontonjournal.com .

The driver of a CBC vehicle was transported to hospital in critical condition after going off the road near Lac La Biche on Thursday morning.

RCMP were called to the scene on Highway 55 at Range Road 155 at 5:25 a.m. 

The CBC vehicle was travelling east on Highway 55 when it went off the road. The male driver was transported to Edmonton hospital by air ambulance. 

Police are continuing to investigate all possible contributing factors to this collision. 

CBC vehicle rolled near Lac La Biche early this morning. One man flown to Edmonton hospital in critical condition. https://t.co/lQO65cR6LO—
Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) May 12, 2016

Fire evacuees from Fort McMurray have been offered meals, clothing, places to stay and now an unusual gift — a free lap dance.

An Edmonton strip club is waiving its $9 entry fee and offering one $30 lap dance to any customers from the evacuated city in northern Alberta.

As demonstrated in the days since the fire, the oilsands capital is home to many families.

But Chris Round, manager of a company that manages five strip clubs in Alberta including one in Fort McMurray, acknowledges the city also has a reputation as a party place for oil workers making loads of money and spending it in bars on their days off.

“Fort McMurray has been very good to our industry and to our business, that’s for sure,” Round said Wednesday

Fort McMurray clients are coming into the Edmonton club offering the promotion, Eden Exotic Entertainment, and are happy to take advantage, he said.

“It’s been a stressful time for everybody. People just want to relax and get their mind off things for a little bit.

“If it’s not for you, that’s no big deal. But there’s a lot of people that have been really appreciative — they feel like someone cares.”

More than 80,000 residents fled Fort McMurray on May 3 when a wildfire spread into the city and torched about 2,400 buildings.

In addition to three other strip clubs in Edmonton, Round’s company owns Showgirls in Fort McMurray.

About 35 dancers and staff there are also evacuees. Some have been given shifts at the Edmonton clubs so they can keep earning money, Round said.

Showgirls wasn’t destroyed by the fire, but some employees believe their homes are gone, he said.

Showgirls dancers will also be at a “strip-a-thon” fundraiser Sunday in Edmonton. Each will be doing a show and donating all wages and tips to help with fire relief, Round said.

Some Edmonton dancers have already been collecting tips and money from private dances for the relief effort, including one woman who has donated at least $4,000, said Round.

Most dancers travel a circuit, he added, and worked in clubs across the province — including Fort McMurray.

They simply want to give back, he said.

“These are great, great people with big hearts.”