OPINIONS
OPINIONS
OPINIONS
Page 14 - maY 26, 2016 - martensville messenger
ATV Injury Prevention
STARS air ambulance
the COHV. “Remember,
is reminding ATV
ATVs are intended
riders to focus on
for off-highway use
Phone: 306-668-1093 Email: [email protected]
safety after responding
only. Never operate an
to 107 serious ATV
ATV on pavement and
68-1093
Email:
[email protected]
ne: 306-668-1093 Email: [email protected]
emergencies in 2015.
always wear helmets
and protective clothing,”
“May long weekend
added Farquhar.
is the start of the
trauma season,” said
Safety tips
with
STARS CEO Andrea
Robertson. “This year
•
Never operate
Murray Mandryk
we
hope
to
reduce
an
ATV
without proper
You wouldn’t know it from
activity seems to be taking
His problem, however,
injuries by asking the
instruction.
the Saskatchewan Party’s
place. Yet statisticians,
is that there seems little
public
to
focus
on
•
Use
antenna
throne speech. Much
your neighbours and even
in his throne speech that
safety
when
riding
allfl
ags
in
hilly
areas
and
like his low-key March
Brad Wall, himself, all
will help accomplish that.
terrain
vehicles”.
wear
bright
clothing
to
re-election
campaign,
seem to be telling you a
Admittedly, it is always a
Premier Brad Wall’s
be more visible.
very different story of late.
mistake to forget about the
throne speech downplayed
good things happening in the
The Canadian Off•
Wear protective
the unpleasantness and
According to Statistics
province while overplaying
Highway
Vehicle
clothing – always wear
accentuated the positives.
Canada
numbers,
the controversies.
Distributors Council
an approved motorcycle
“In 2015, Saskatchewan’s
Saskatchewan’s
Gross
(COHV)
is
also
helmet, eye protection,
agri-food
exporters
Domestic Product (GDP)
Heaven knows, a lot of
encouraging
riders
to
ankle high boots, long
reached nearly $15.3
contracted by 1.5 per
ink has been spilled over
stay safe this summer.
pants and long-sleeved
billion, surpassing my
cent in 2015. Moreover,
the Global Transportation
shirt or jacket.
government’s
Growth
it is only expected to
Hub (GTH) and other
“ATVs
are
not
toys,
but
•
Use maps and a
Plan target of $14 billion
grow by .5 per cent this
over-spending related to
they
are
fun.
Knowing
compass
if you are riding
exports by 2020,” Lt.-Gov.
year. These numbers
the Regina by-pass. While
Vaughn Solomon read
all you can about your
in an unfamiliar area.
suggest that, at best, the
important, they do not
from the throne speech
Saskatchewan economy
solely define what’s going
ATV and the places
•
Carry a first-aid
delivered last Tuesday.
is barely emerging from
on in the economy that’s
you can ride is the best
pack and vehicle-repair
The
speech
further
a recession. And if one
impacting people. That said,
preparation for safe
kit with you.
highlighted other positive
remains
unconvinced
what is being accomplished
and enjoyable riding,”
•
Never
allow
happenings: a $25-million
of that, one need look
is minute to the impact of
stated
Jo-Anne
youth
under
the
age
of
expansion by Edgewood
no further than recent
the oil sector downturn.
Farquhar, Director of
16 to ride adult sized
Forest Products of Carrot
employment
numbers
This was something last
Communications
for
ATV’s or without adult
River; $800 million by
that show a shrinking
week’s
Saskatchewan
Throne Speech
Belies Needed
Change
Crescent Point Energy; $1
billion by Husky Energy
in thermal projects; $10
million by Weil Group
in a helium facility near
Mankota; $50 million in
enhanced oil recover by
RII near Lloydminster;
$4.1 billion by K+S Legacy
Mine, and; $20 million by
BHP Billiton for carbon
capture
and
storage.
The address opening
the 28th Saskatchewan
Legislature also noted
the province’s population
grew by 150,000 people
from Jan. 1, 2006 to Jan.
1, 2016 - a stark contrast to
the nearly 24,000 people
that left Saskatchewan
between Jan. 1, 1996 and
Jan. 1, 2006. By such
measures, one might
conclude
that
things
have never been better in
Saskatchewan - especially
in rural Saskatchewan
where most of the
aforementioned economic
workforce
and
an
increasing unemployment
roll where most areas in
this province not qualify
for the unemployment
benefit extensions offered
by the federal government
in its own March budget.
In fact, it’s not only why
Wall’s throne speech
had little say but also
why the Sask. Party’s
election campaign was
so low-key. "We didn't
make a lot of election
promises,” Wall said in
a prepared statement last
week,
acknowledging
that Saskatchewan can’t
afford much right now.
That said, Wall vowed
to keep “one significant”
promise - “to keep
Saskatchewan strong." He
further added that means
a three-fold approach of
keeping the economy,
province's finances and
Saskatchewan's
place
in this country strong.
Provincial
Politics
supervision.
•
Children need
to be observed carefully
because not all children
have the strength, size,
skills or judgment needed
to operate an ATV safely.
•
Always
tell
someone where you’re
going and when you
expect to return.
•
Never
follow
directly behind another
rider
because
this
restricts your visibility.
•
Never carry a
passenger on an ATV.
Carrying a passenger
may upset the balance of
the ATV and may cause
it to go out of control.
•
Never consume
alcohol or drugs before
or while operating an
ATV.
ATV
responses
by
STARS base in 2015:
Winnipeg
Saskatoon
Regina
Grande Prairie
Edmonton
Calgary
18
15
6
13
36
19
throne
speech
clearly
acknowledged when it
spoke of those who "would
shut down major parts of
the Saskatchewan economy
and put thousands of hardworking
Saskatchewan
people out of work...
all in the name of some
misguided dogma that
has no basis in reality."
This
serious
concern
regarding a decline in oil
revenue for whatever reason
has been acknowledged
by Wall in another way
- his talk of the need for
“transformative change” in
government spending. Last
week that extended to talk
of provincewide education
and health boards and the
need for a "risk analysis"
of SaskTel that now stands
as a small, isolated carrier.
The re-elected Sask. Party
has much to deal with.
Unfortunately, the throne
speech wasn’t much of a start.
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martensvillemessenger.ca, or contact us at (306)
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Justin Trudeau writes lines on chalkboard after misbehaving in Parliament