MCOC Hosts Business Luncheon
The Martensville Chamber of Commerce ( MCOC ) hosted a Business Luncheon Monday , February 13th at the Canalta Hotel in Martensville which was catered by Boston Pizza . Each month , the MCOC plans to host a luncheon that will feature a different guest speaker . Both MCOC members and non-members alike are encouraged to attend these informative networking opportunities .
Lori Ripplinger of Wiegers Financial was the guest speaker during the February 13th meeting , and spoke about the numerous benefits of joining the Chamber of Commerce and taking advantage of the Chamber Benefits Plan . “ Once I put someone in the Chamber Plan , I don ’ t move them because it works so well for everyone ,” Ripplinger stated .
Ripplinger did an overview of what is offered within the Chamber Benefits Plan , and described the plan as “ Lego blocks ”, that can be put together to find the perfect plan for
Shanine Sealey , Martensville Messenger
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every business . The Chamber Plan has been in service since 1970 and is the largest plan of its kind within the country and helps to “ provide small businesses with access to ‘ big business group plan benefits ’.”
As a business owner , there are numerous advantages to offering your employees the option to take part in a group benefits plan . “ Something is better than nothing when it comes to benefits . Even something simple is appreciated by your employees ,” said Ripplinger , adding that benefits help increase employee attraction , and employee retention .
The next MCOC Business Luncheon will be held March 13th at the Canalta Hotel in Martensville . The cost to attend is $ 15 for MCOC members and $ 20 for non-members and pre-payment is required by emailing martensvillechamber @ sasktel . net , or calling ( 306 ) 291-6262 . The next luncheon will feature guest speaker Ryan Boutin of Zeal Media .
ABOVE : Lori Ripplinger of Wiegers Financial presented at the Martensville Chamber of Commerce Business Luncheon on February 13th . ( Shanine Sealey / Martensville Messenger )
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Refugees Lose Limbs Seeking Refuge in Canada Ciara O ’ Reilly , Martensville Messenger
This past weekend , two groups of refugees , 22 in total , were reported to have crossed the border to Manitoba emerging in the small town of Emerson . The refugees travelled on foot along a frozen river from 2 am to 4 am , as temperatures dropped to below – 20 degrees Celsius . Though seemingly mild for us , these are temperatures none of the refugees , mostly from African countries such as Somalia and Ghana , could have prepared for as they trekked through farmers ’ fields in the middle of winter . Small families were amidst the groups as locals in the town of Emerson reported that people had come rapping at their doors seeking shelter in the middle of the night . Many were taken in and sheltered until police arrived . Even with temperatures warming up as they are , the refugees were prone to being frostbitten as they trekked from America to the Manitoba border . There were two reported cases of men who had lost most of their fingers due to frostbite on their travels . These men also mentioned that it was worth it . Advocates say that the refugees were driven by fear of what Donald Trump ’ s presidency will mean for them , with Trump ’ s Travel Ban being the triggering factor .
According to Canada Border Services Agency , approximately 403 sanctuary seekers illegally crossed into Manitoba between April 2016 and the end of January 2017 , many of which entered through the small bordering town of Emerson . Why is Manitoba seeing this dramatic increase in refugees travelling from the United States into Canada , and why not Saskatchewan ? Bashir Khan , Manitoba immigration and refugee lawyer , said “ the prairie provinces , with their open fields and lack of forests , are the ideal place to attempt a land crossing without stopping at the border .” Manitoba offers a supple amount of aid to refugees as well . Manitoba offers legal aid to refugees , meaning that the province will provide refugees with a lawyer as they file for refugee claims in the province . The provincial government confirmed in an email that Saskatchewan is one of four provinces that does not . That being said , numbers of people claiming refuge at Saskatchewan ’ s land border did indeed spike last year , but it does not compare to the numbers in Manitoba . According to figures provided to CBC News by Canada Border Services Agency in 2016 , 26 people made claims at Saskatchewan ' s land border . In comparison , 410 refugees crossed the Manitoban border from April to December of 2016 . The aid provided in Manitoba is certainly drawing travelers to Manitoba over Saskatchewan .
The Saskatchewan RCMP is well aware of the reports of refugees seeking asylum . The RCMP wishes to share that they have not received any complaints in recent weeks of refugees crossing into the province anywhere other than at a Port of Entry ( POE ). Canadian Border Services Agency ( CBSA ) is responsible for border security at all Ports of Entry . The RCMP also acknowledges that no complaints have been received of refugees seeking refuge after crossing the border without reporting at a POE . The Saskatchewan RCMP also stated that “ some individuals who are illegally entering Canada are not aware of the extreme weather conditions and geography they may encounter which can have dire effects on their well-being . This issue is of great concern to the RCMP and we are currently collaborating with our partners to determine the extent of this complex issue .” The Sask RCMP is part of an Integrated Border Enforcement Team . This team is made up of locals and U . S . partners who work together to address cross-border criminal activity . Members of the public are asked to report any signs of suspicious activity along the U . S borders immediately to their local RCMP detachment .