EDMONTON — A memorial dedicated to honouring the contribution of the city’s fallen firefighters has been vandalized for the second time.

The Edmonton Firefighters Memorial Society believes the plaques inscribed with the names of firefighters who died in the line of duty were stolen sometime between Thursday and Friday.

The Renaud family lost their son Mark, who was a firefighter battling PTSD, to suicide in August of 2018. His family said his name had been remembered and honoured at the memorial.

“This is where our son’s name would’ve been,” his mother Brenda said. “It’s an honour for us, really.

“It is an honour to see his name there for the service and time he gave to Edmonton fire. It is a beautiful tribute to our son Mark and to all the firemen whose names have been stolen.”

Rob Cavell, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services retired captain, said all retired and current members are disappointed by the plaque theft.

“They are priceless to us. The metal itself may be considered valuable itself, but recycling dealers in the area will not accept plaques without proof of ownership,” Cavell said. “The owners, in this case, are the firefighters of the city of Edmonton.

“They want them back,” he added. “Those are their brothers, their colleagues, their friends, and now it could be their sons.”

Bronze plaques belonging to the Edmonton Firefighters Memorial Society have been stolen (CTV News Edmonton/Brandon Lynch)

The firefighters memorial society says it’s the second time since the plaza housing the monument was created in the late 90s that the plaques have been removed.

In the first instance, the plaques were returned within a few hours.

The society maintaining the memorial says if the plaques are not returned they will need to be replaced, with an estimated cost of $10,000 to $15,000.

“That’s money out of the pockets that supposed to be going to the families as we help them deal with the loss of a loved one that was a firefighter in the city of Edmonton,” Cavell said.

The plaques can be returned to any Edmonton fire hall without any questions asked, the society said.

“Bring them back,” Cavell said.

“If that could be done, that would be the best thing they could do,” Mark’s father Ray said. 

EDMONTON — The province isturning to private clinics for orthopedic surgeries in order to cut down wait times and it’s using public money to do so.

Currently, all publicly funded orthopedic surgeries take place in Alberta Health Services (AHS) facilities.

The province says moving some surgeries to chartered surgical facilities (CSF) would help increase surgical capacity while maintaining high quality care, without additional costs to patients.

“We know timely access to surgeries is important to Albertans and significantly impacts their quality of life,” said Health Minister Tyler Shandro in a statement.

“Many orthopedic surgeries have long waitlists, with many Albertans waiting longer than experts determine is clinically appropriate. CSFs are one way to add capacity for publicly funded surgeries and are also a part of our surgical recovery planning.”

The provincial government will be soliciting requests for proposals from facilities in the Edmonton and Calgary health zones. The final cost per procedure will be determined through contract negotiations.

Total spending toward performing orthopedic surgeries in CSF for 2021-22 is approximately $13 million, the province said in a statement.

AHS facilities will focus on emergency and complex surgeries, the province said, while CSF will perform low-risk surgeries.

According to the Alberta Health, surgical wait times have been adversely impacted by the pandemic, with the total backlog estimated at approximately 40,000.

Any facilities chosen to perform surgeries will need to abide by AHS practices and policies.

According to the province, increasing orthopedic procedures performed in CSF is part of the Alberta Surgical Initiative that’s goal is to ensure Albertans receive scheduled surgeries within clinically appropriate targets.

Similar requests for proposals were released for ophthalmology surgeries in April.

As of July 2021, the province said there are about 10,000 patients waiting for knee surgeries – 45 per cent of whom are outside clinically appropriate wait times. The number of patients waiting for hip surgeries is 3,500.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) said the move puts more money into the pockets of private health-care providers and reduces the public health-care system “to a skeleton.”

“Health Minister Shandro isn’t just burning public money,” said Kevin Barry, AUPE chair of the anti-privatization committee, in a statement. “He’s also selling Albertans false hope because there is zero proof that private surgical providers actually reduce wait times.

“Corporate care is like a blackhole – it sucks up public funds, and we don’t really see where all the money goes,” Barry added.

“All we know is that working people don’t see the return because behind the scenes, shareholders are devising ways to turn Albertans’ aches and pains into profit.”

EDMONTON — Advocates say a young hockey player’s decision to come out as gay this past week, just as he is on the cusp of a possible National Hockey League career, needs to be a catalyst for meaningful cultural change in the game beyond Pride nights and rainbow tape.

“It is a phenomenal thing, but it’s not because the (hockey) culture made it safe,” said Brock McGillis, a former goalie who played professionally in North America and Europe.

“For every Luke Prokop there are a thousand (LGBTQ) kids quitting hockey.”

McGillis, who came out five years ago after his career ended, spoke extensively to Prokop before the 19-year-old made his announcement. Based in Toronto, McGillis has become a voice for LGBTQ issues in hockey with the aim of creating safe spaces in the insular world of dressing rooms and rinks.

He has worked on inclusion with individual teams at high levels, but said he has been stymied in bringing in leaguewide changes.

A patchwork approach won’t work, he said.

“You can do all the PR stuff you want … but what are you doing to make that dressing room more of a safe space instead of a space that is filled with homophobic language and where people don’t feel comfortable? How are you humanizing these issues and how are you shifting your culture?”

Prokop, from Edmonton, has been playing junior hockey for the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League. A defenceman, he was picked 73 overall by the NHL’s Nashville Predators last year, will go to camp this fall and could become the first openly gay player in the NHL.

“We pledge to do everything possible to ensure that Luke’s experience is a welcoming and affirmative one,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.

Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Carl Nassib came out last month as the first openly gay player in the National Football League.

Kristopher Wells, an advocate and researcher, says it’s critical to have LGBTQ role models in sport.

“People listen to their heroes,” said Wells, an associate professor and research chair for public understanding of sexual and gender minority youth at MacEwan University in Edmonton.

“When young people see their role models stand up, they want to emulate that behaviour and be a part of those new social norms that are forming.”

Wells said true change starts with a supportive group in the locker room or a captain telling a teammate that homophobic slurs won’t be tolerated.

That way, he said, those who decide to come out won’t have to swap one set of anxieties for another.

“Why Luke’s decision is seen as being so courageous is not just because he’s the first, but (because) all LGBTQ people know the moment you become visible (when) you come out, you’re more likely to be victimized. You become a target. And that’s not easy to deal with.”

Cheryl MacDonald is a sports sociologist who has researched and written extensively on homophobia in hockey. She said Prokop’s high skill levels will serve to insulate him somewhat, but he’ll still have to navigate the bias of some decision-makers who laud inclusivity in public, but act differently in private.

“Luke’s story is evidence that it is becoming safer to be an openly gay man in men’s competitive professional hockey, but since he’s the only one right now, that shows we have work to do,” said MacDonald with Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.

“My research has shown that if you can perform on the ice, what you do in your spare time matters less. (But) at very top levels of the game, it is difficult to be different.”

And that doesn’t just apply to being gay, she added.

“If you are concussed or injured, if you are dealing with drug and alcohol addiction problems, if you have mental-health problems, if you don’t fit in somehow, chances are there is someone that has your skill set and less perceived baggage that will take your job. It’s easier just to stay quiet.

“Until we change this idea that you can’t just be yourself and be taken where you’re at, it’s going to be practically impossible to be a gay man in this game.”

McGillis said the potential is there.

“I think hockey people are really good people. I just don’t think they realize there’s a problem,” he said.

“(They) will rally. We just need to show them this is something to rally around.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 25, 2021

EDMONTON — Bronze plaques belonging to the Edmonton Firefighters Memorial Society have been stolen from a bell tower monument.

The monument is at the Firefighters Memorial Plaza at 10322 83 Avenue in the Strathcona neighbourhood.

“This is an important memorial for not only our fellow firefighters, but the families of those whose names are on the bell tower,” said the society in a tweet.

The plaques have the names of firefighters who have died in the line of duty.

“We would just like to let those responsible know that they cannot sell the plaques for scrap without the owner’s (our) permission,” added the society.

The society is hopeful the plaques can be returned.

EDMONTON — With K-Days falling victim to cancellation again this year, summer midway fun returns in a new form for the first time since 2019.

The Summer Fun Midway opened Friday and saw sizeable crowds Saturday.

The event runs from July 23 through Aug. 1 at the Expo Centre grounds and features rides, food, midway games, and outdoor entertainment shows.

“It’s pretty refreshing,” said Darren Hansen. “I’m not a big ride guy myself, but my children were all excited to be coming out and going on the rides today.”

For many who attended the event on Saturday, it was the first time they experienced being in a crowd in over 16 months.

“It doesn’t bother me,” Gage Leahey told CTV News Edmonton. “I could see how for some people that would affect them. But no, I’m happy to be here.

“It’s awesome,” he added. “I was getting really cooped up indoors, getting sick of the lockdowns.”

Bethany MacLeod said she was simply happy to watch as her children reunited in person with their two best friends.

“It’s really nice,” MacLeod said. “There two are best friends and they haven’t got to see each other in a long time.

“It’s good to get everybody out and hang out. And to see people and to actually see people’s faces.”

“It looks a lot less crowded here than it did previous years but other than that it’s probably the first normal experience I’ve had this year,” Angelica Chamberlain shared.