Bag 9, Okotoks, Alberta T01 1T0
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It's a bug's life
The new Town of Okotoks float caught the
attention of the thousands of Spirit of Okotoks parade goers last Saturday. The float
was a colorful rendition of the popular movie 'A Bug's Life.' For more Spirit of
Okotoks pictures see winning
contestants online and page 7 of
the printed edition.
photo by Cindy Ballance
Okotoks resident suffers serious injuries following
weekend motorcycle accident
By Cindy Ballance and Gillian Beckett
Just two hours before his brother's wedding, an Okotoks resident had a brush with death.
Twenty-eight year old Ed Suykens was travelling eastbound on his motorcycle at the intersection of North Railway Street and Stockton Avenue when he collided with a truck turning north.
According to Cst. Keith Roblin of the Okotoks RCMP, the truck was parked on the right hand side of the North Railway Street facing east then attempted to make a left hand turn onto Stockton Avenue when Suykens struck the truck.
However, Roblin added that the investigation is still under way.
According to a press release, Suykens was pinned under the truck, however, employees of Big Rock Towing were able to attend to the accident and lift the vehicle off Suykens, prior to the arrival of emergency services.
The accident occurred at 12:18 pm on Saturday, June 19.
There had been rumors around town that Suykens had died and by Monday morning the family had received numerous calls of sympathy.
'My 18-year-old son was told that Edward was dead. it was shocking,' said Suykens' mother, Henny.
However, his father, Matthew, said that although his son is in serious condition at the Foothills Hospital, he is alive.
Matthew explained that Suykens is suffering from a crushed vertebrae, broken femur and cracked ribs. He underwent five hours of surgery Saturday and is in stable condition at the hospital.
'Doctors said he's a lucky guy,' said Suykens' mother.
His father also said that for the first while Ed was in a coma and was unable to open his eyes, however, as of Monday morning he was making a good recovery.
'He is going to recover. He's a fighter,' said Henny.
Suykens' father also expressed gratitude for the phone calls of empathy for his son. 'It means something,' he said. 'Everyone says it is a miracle he is alive.'
'Everyone has been very supportive, it really helps to know that people in Okotoks care,' added Henny.
The driver of the truck, Marilyn Marks, 35, also of Okotoks did not sustain any injuries in the accident.
The accident remains under investigation by the Okotoks RCMP and charges may be pending.
Nurses to vote on deal with health authorities
By Gillian Beckett
Staff Reporter
For the past few weeks, Albertans have been holding their breaths in anticipation of a possible nurses' strike.
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On June 28, a province-wide ratification vote will be held for the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA).
The UNA announced on June 17 that they would recommend acceptance of the mediator's agreements which include:
- an increase to the on-call rate and restrictions on the amount of on-call;
- no shifts of less than three hours;
- improvements in night and day scheduling provisions, orientation and casual employees
in job competitions;
- additional payment for a nurse placed in charge of a facility, not just of a
unit;
- an avenue for appeal if unqualified personnel are placed in charge within nursing
homes;
- small but important improvements to layoff and vacation provisions.
'The agreements are good for nurses, for patient care and for the future of nursing
in Alberta,'said Judith Dyck, spokesperson for the health employers in a press release.
'The health authorities have committed to reducing the use of mandatory overtime,
limiting the amount of on-call a nurse can be asked to work and other improvements
to working conditions --those are positive steps forward.'
However, according to UNA president Heather Smith, there are still some issues that
the health emplyers are failing to solidly address.
'We will be reluctantly recommending acceptance of these agreements to the members.
The employers refused to give any concrete undertaking on the issue of more staff
and the workloads nurses face,' said Smith in a press release. 'This is a critical
issue in the crisis in our health care system and it will not go away.'
Smith added that although the agreements do address some of the critical workplace
concerns of the union members, it will be a matter of the government following through
with the agreements.
'We want to be certain the government makes good on its promises of hiring more registered
nurses,' said Smith. 'People can't be forced to wait longer when they need care.
Nurses can't be forced to run any faster when the needs of their patients are overwhelming.'
One important aspect of the agreements is that they cover all of the nurses who have
been in contract negotiations. The long-term care employers' contract will have the
same contract term to March 31, 2001.
Increase in salaries is also an important factor within the agreements, however,
they do not include any substantial benefits.
'The (salary) increases are not a big raise for nurses,' said Smith. 'Nurses real
incomes have dropped over the last six or seven years . . . this is largely a catch-up.'
Smith added that for many union members, salary increases is not the main issue.
'They need relief from the workplace crisis,' said Smith. 'The agreement helps do
that, although it is still short of what we would have wanted.'
While the outcome to the nurses' dispute with health authorities remains optimistic
in avoiding a strike, Smith maintains that it will be the nurses who have the last
word.
'The members will have the final say, of course,' said Smith. 'That will come with
a province-wide vote.'
