Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS
Spring 2018 ● Volume 27, Issue 1
NEWS CALGARY
POLICE VETERANS ASSOCIATION
Equine and Canine Therapy: a CPS retiree reveals
life lessons learned from horses and dogs
PAGE 17
Undercover goat
operates under an
assumed canine name
PAGE 11
A table set for one:
remembering our fallen
comrades
PAGE 21
Choices in health care
PAGE 5
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 2
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ● Mike Turcotte
CALGARY POLICE VETERANS
ASSOCIATION
3730 Westwinds Drive NE
Calgary, Alberta T3J 5H3
Tel. 403.269.2466
General Enquiries:
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Mike Turcotte Vice President Bill Sturgeon Secretary/Treasurer Doug van den Brink Past President Jeff Massicotte
Directors
Mike Blackwell
Rod Embree
George Gourdinne
Jim Hegan
Lorne McClelland
Bill McMillan
Syd Sutherland
The CPVA NEWS is published
biannually by the CPVA.
Editor: Jon Netelenbos
EMAIL CONTACT:
Written submissions /photos
are warmly welcomed.
The CPVA NEWS reserves the
right to edit submissions. The
views and opinions expressed in
this newsletter are those of the
authors and do not necessarily
reflect the official position of
the Calgary Police Veterans
Association. Advertisers are not
necessarily endorsed nor guar-
anteed by the CPVA.
I look back at this winter with what has
happened to us as a proud Brother and
Sisterhood, both good and bad. We
had our share of losses this season as
some of our friends passed on, but in partic-
ular though, two of our Brothers and their
families each tragically lost one of their chil-
dren.
We really came together as a fraternal or-
ganization when one of us was losing his
way and we were alerted to this by a young
serving CPS member. After the call went
out, several of us banded together and
made some home visits to make sure our
Brother was safe. Even more of us made
and continue to make, enquiries as to his
welfare and to make sure he is checked on
regularly.
When another of our Brothers may have
needed assistance with transportation to
and from the hospital for chemotherapy
treatments, after only a few hours I had to
dispatch a further fan out to stop the tsuna-
mi of volunteers stepping up to help.
I continue to be impressed by our not so
little “Band of CPS Brothers and Sisters”.
We are now over 845 members strong and
growing. I wonder if Associations of Ac-
countants, Doctors or Lawyers take care of
each other like we do. Just last month I had
occasion to speak to a young serving mem-
ber of the CPS who worked in the same
open work area that the “Security Investiga-
tion Unit” works out of the CCIU office. This
Unit is comprised of eight retired CPS mem-
bers, including myself. She was confiding
to me her feelings of her very recent loss of
a friend and co-worker to cancer. She tear-
fully made a comment to me that she
wished her co-workers were more like the
“old guys” who worked there. She said she
believes we take care of each other and
even though we are kind of gruff some-
times, she wished her co-workers were
more like us, the “old guys”. I told her that
sometimes after our police careers end and
our new life as veterans begin, we become
better people.
After ten years, Doug van den Brink and
myself wanted to relinquish the duties of our
Bar-B-Que Trailer and
quite frankly, although
there is a great deal
of satisfaction and
enjoyment putting on
these events, I did not
think anyone would
be willing to take on
the sometimes ardu-
ous task of organizing
the Veterans Bar-B-Que Trailer. I was over
the moon to hear that four of our members
stepped up right away and enthusiastically
volunteered to take the reins. I had previ-
ously convinced the CPA that they needed
to replace the old trailer and cookers with
new ones and I happily ordered them, paid
for by the CPA. The rest was taken care of
by our new Bar-B-Que Committee. Have a
look for their article in this edition of the
newsletter.
Another good thing that happened this
past winter is what you are all probably
aware of by now, but I want to thank Jon
Netelenbos for taking on the responsibility
from me to become the new Editor of the
CPVA Newsletter. It is time for a fresh look
and a new perspective after 9 years of “Late
Night with Mike Turcotte”. It’s bad enough
that those who attend luncheons still get to
listen to me totally enamoured with the
sound of my own voice on the microphone.
(Although, attendance at the luncheons are
up by 30% since we relocated to the New
Cuff and Billy, coincidence I wonder?)
I will be running for election again this year
as your President. I must tell you that I am
really having the time of my life. Sometimes
I roll my eyes and have to remind myself
that we are a Social Club, not in competition
with Donald and his emerging Nation. I real-
ly think we should just continue doing what
we are doing, taking good care of each oth-
er. We need to make sure we take care of
ourselves as well, have a good life enjoying
our retirement and take advantage of our
membership in the Calgary Police Veterans
Association.
● ● ●
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS
SECRETARY TREASURER’S REPORT● Doug van den Brink
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2017
M y very best to all of you! By now I think virtually all
of our winter wanders will be home and hopefully it
has stopped snowing! This has been a particularly
ugly one I would say!
Your Association had a bank balance of $34,893.49 at De-
cember 31, 2017 compared to $32,642.61 for the same period
in 2016.
The Association had $300 in paid advertising in 2017 on top
of the years 50/50 draws which added another $2490.00 to
the Association’s coffers as well as an equal amount in the
pockets of some pretty happy members!
This was a more difficult year on the donation side as two of
our largest (and most generous) BBQ events were both can-
celled due to budgetary constraints. Having said that there
was still a $100.00 cash donation as well as numerous gift
cards that were given away during lunches in recognition of
those CPVA members who did volunteer at various Police and
CPA related BBQ events during the year. Thank you volun-
teers!
The Association uses its income in a variety of different
ways. We continue to send gift baskets to our members who
are infirmed, and will pay parking for those members who visit
other members in hospital (just bring your receipts). The Cal-
gary Stampeder’s season tickets ($2900.20) and Flames sea-
son tickets ($5182.88) are our largest yearly expenditures.
Both increased in price marginally over 2016. In addition your
Board will make one off decisions each year; last year we do-
nated $500 to the new housing project for homeless Veterans,
sponsored by the Poppy Fund; as well we provided merchan-
dise and prizes for the fall BBQ, our Christmas party and golf
tournaments. In addition to the Association providing a dinner
subsidy for the fall BBQ and Christmas party as normal. The
Association now also subsidizes the monthly luncheon to
keep the costs as reasonable as we can, and to encourage
continuation of what have been stellar turnouts for our month-
ly get-together.
On the subject of the Monthly lunch, a gentle reminder; if
you commit to the lunch and we have already submitted the
number to the caterer, we have to pay for that meal whether
you show up or not. We fully appreciate that sometimes cir-
cumstances are such that health or safety issues might pre-
clude your attending even after you commit, but please keep
in mind we have to pay anyway.
I continue to be encouraged by our member’s commitment in
keeping their memberships in good standing. At present we
have 737 of 842 active members (88%) who are at least paid
through 2016, and a large number have paid ahead for some
years, however, that is down slightly from 92% last year.
If you have any friends who “just haven’t got around to pay-
ing” for a few years, please encourage them to bring their
membership dues up to date. Dues are still only $15 per year
and can be paid by mail or in person at either the Calgary Po-
lice Credit Union 5111 – 47th Street NE, T3J 3R2; by mail or
in person, by cheque, cash or credit card at the Police Associ-
ation, 2nd floor, 3730 Westwinds Drive NE, T3J 5H3 (the CPA
will take your credit card by phone as well, 403-269-2466), or
at the regular luncheons. It’s not a lot to ask, and I think most
everyone appreciates what the Association provides for its
members.
The Corporate and Financial records of the CPVA are per-
manently stored in the Vet’s office within the CPA offices 2nd
floor, 3730-Westwinds Drive NE.
If you have any questions regarding your membership status
please contact me directly.
I really encourage everyone to come out as often as you can
to the monthly luncheon at the Cuff n Billy. It’s a lot of fun, the
meals are excellent and it’s a great opportunity to keep in
touch with friends we have all worked with over time, and
maybe don’t otherwise see very often. We are reminded too
often that we never know if we may again see someone that
we have known well and appreciated.
Should anyone have any questions or comments I am al-
ways available.
Doug van den Brink
Secretary/Treasurer
Membership Coordinator
● ● ●
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 4
BOARD UPDATE ● Jim Hegan, Director
Greetings, CPVA members,
Your current Board of Directors consists of the following:
President....................Mike Turcotte
Vice President............Bill Sturgeon
Secretary-Treasurer...Doug van den Brink
Director....................... Mike Blackwell
Director.......................Rod Embree
Director ...................... George Gourdinne
Director.......................Jim Hegan
Director....................... Lorne McClelland
Director.......................Bill McMillan
Director....................... Syd Sutherland
Past President............Jeff Massicotte
The Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday
May 2nd 2018 at the Cuff and Billy, located at 3730 West-
winds Dr. N.E.(3rd. floor).
All members of the current Board, with one exception,
have again let their names stand for re-election. The one
exception is Lorne McClelland. Lorne has decided to step
down after seven (7) years of service on the Board. We all
owe him a debt of gratitude and he will be sorely missed.
Thank you, Lorne!
See you all at the AGM!
● ● ●
Annual general meeting slated for Wednesday, May 2, 2018
MEMBER STORES ● Bill McMillan, Director
The Calgary Shooting Centre has long been a supporter of the CPVA and has now extended its Local Heroes’ Membership to include all CPVA Members. This allows a 25% membership discount on both their Standard and Premier Memberships.
A Standard Membership offers unlimited access to the range and a private member lounge and allows a member to bring a guest for $20.00 per visit. The cost for this Standard Membership is $600.00 per year, but with the discount is available to CPVA Members for $450.00 a year.
Drop in rates for non-members are $40.00 on weekdays and $60.00 on weekends. Your membership is paid after just 12 weekday uses.
The Calgary Shooting Centre has Range Officers working at all times to assist those not holding a valid PAL (Possession and Acquisition License). The Centre also offers a variety of courses, including firearms safety refresher courses, PAL license courses, and advanced firearms proficiency and training. Many of these are discounted for CPVA members.
For more information check out their webpage at - www.theshootingcentre.com.
Further assistance can be provided by contacting Bill McMillan.
Cell: 403 803-6200 Email: [email protected]
PLEASE REFER TO PAGE 23 FOR MORE AGM DETAILS
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 5
RESOURCE COORDINATOR ● Ted Davis
HEARING AIDS
A lot of our retired members, and even some not yet
retired, have hearing problems, some admit to them
and others would rather think it is someone just not
talking loud enough. Sometimes that is the case; however it
is something that you should come face to face with both for
the benefit of yourselves as well as family members and
friends.
A hearing test is free, and a lot of times the resulting hear-
ing aids are paid for by Compensation due to the aspects of
police work over the years. If you have a question about
your hearing suck it up and go for a test.
There are a lot of very qualified audiologists out there, and
a lot that have taken a 6 month course on doing a test, and
then selling hearing aids. Pick one that has a good reputa-
tion and knows what they are doing. Someone that has ex-
perience dealing with Compensation and health benefits is a
must. If they know how to deal with benefits, they know how
to submit claims. Not all hearing loss in retired police officers
is compensable, but most are. A qualified practitioner will
know and will help with the process.
I go to one in Calgary that is a Doctor of Audiology, and
she has been dealing with compensable claims for years. I
would recommend her but that is for each of you to decide.
There are others out there. Ask around and speak to folks
that have hearing aids.
Her name is Dr. Diane Fennell, and she is in the Douglas-
dale Shopping Center. Number is 403 279 0054. Just off 24
St SE, and Deerfoot Tr. ell her you are with the Veterans
Association. You won’t get a discount, but she will like you
right away.
From a deaf guy: Go get checked, it makes a big differ-
ence. The technology today is 1000% better than when I got
my first ones in 1993.
HEALTH INSURANCE Once you turn 65, you are no longer eligible for the health
insurance that was provided when you retired, under a co-
pay system with the city of Calgary. When you turn 65, your
City Co-pay expires at the end of the month that you turn 65.
Most insurance companies will give you 60 days to sign up
to another policy, either a group or via other insurance com-
panies, without a medical. If you have pre-existing condi-
tions, you do not want to take a medical, as they will be
scheduled into the policy. I researched a few Group policies
that were available a couple of years ago, after the Fire De-
partment told us about theirs. They invited us to join with
them, and as a result we formed our own group. GMS
(Group Medical Services) has a group policy for us now as
well as the Fire Dept. and several other agencies. I looked
into ARTA (Alberta Retired Teachers Association), GMS,
and a couple of life insurance companies, as well as Alberta
Blue Cross.
At the time I did the research Alberta Blue Cross was the
poorest choice, both for cost and benefits. Their benefits
have gotten a bit better, as have their rates, however they do
not provide the selection of medications that others do and
their Travel Plan is not very good at all.
ARTA has the best plan with respect to their full meal deal,
but it is the most expensive. (90 days Travel) GMS is about
the middle of the road, and they provide Travel insurance (60
days as many times a year as you want, provided you return
before the 60 days is up or you buy an extension). I am with
them and they have been great to deal with. Online claim
submissions etc., and very prompt. I have not heard of any
complaints; however I might not be privy to any anyway. The
other Insurance Companies were either expensive, or were
not interested enough to respond to me.
Remember it is up to you to deal with this. No one is going
to call you or tell you, you have to do something about it. I
have heard of a few guys thinking that their Insurance did not
run out until they were 70. Wrong: 65 is the key age.
All the info these companies are on the Vets Website, or I
can give you the info as well, email me at [email protected].
If you have a question regarding benefits, or situations re-
garding illness and different benefits available email me. I
am kind of a s—t disturber, and have made a lot of inquiries
regarding several older age problems, and may be able to
help you, but if not, I will sure find someone who can.
Government and pensioner agencies don’t like to be asked
questions and I have no problem asking them.
● ● ●
Hearing aids and health insurance.
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 6
RETIREE LIST ● Compiled by Kate Jacobson (CPA)
CAUTION
CPS RETIREES
CROSSING
JANUARY 2018
Mike SAUNDERS
Ron HO
Dean LAGRANGE
Glenn PEDERSEN
Dave ELLEMENT
Marv GLASER
FEBRUARY 2018
Wayne MATHEWS
Robert POZZI
Mark HEEMERYCK
MARCH 2018
Paul STACEY
Glenn ROWLEY
Bruce FALK
APRIL 2018
Gordon ROBERTSON
MAY 2018
Nina VAUGHN
Brenda NEIS
JUNE 2018
Ken THROWER
Sam KHELLA
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 7
GOLF CORNER ● Jan Broer
G reetings from the 2018 Golf Committee!
We are now in the process of registration for the
CPVA Annual Golf Tournament.
We can offer the following information to add to
your calendar schedule:
• Annual CPVA Golf Tournament - $90.00
(approximate, but should be close)
• Wednesday, June 20, 2018, 9:00 a.m. Shotgun
• ARRIVE EARLY and join the 8:00 a.m. Chip and Putt
Contest Before The Round.
• Pay at the Pro Shop and head out the the practice
green and chip area.
• Carstairs Community Golf Course - Hwy 2A - about
1 mile north of Hwy 581 (Carstairs is 25 minutes north
of the city limits (Cross Iron Mills).
• Green Fees are payable at the Pro Shop on the day of
the tournament.
• 2018 Fees will include, golf, power cart, meal and
skill prizes.
• Please register as soon as you can! Send names to:
Bob Teel - [email protected]
• Sign up your usual team or register as a single—in
in twos or threes. All are welcome. If signing up as
such, include your handicap (or as close a guess to
one as you can). Bob will use handicaps to make up
teams as best he can.
2018 CPVA annual golf tournament promises to be a fabulous event
Tournament questions? Please contact:
Jan Broer [email protected]
Bob Teel [email protected]
Tom Ball [email protected]
Brian Trotter [email protected]
4ATECH
On-site computer maintenance and repair Serving Bragg Creek, Cochrane and Calgary
• hardware & software instructions
• home electronic setup services
• hardware upgrades
• networking
• printer and other hardware setup
• virus and spyware removal
• software installation
• troubleshooting
• website designs
Phone PJ to book at 403.863.9824 or email [email protected]
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 8
Backgrounder ● Bill Sturgeon, Vice President
E rny Hetherington was the last member to hold the
rank of Regimental Sergeant Major in the Calgary
Police Service prior to the beginning of a 35-year
hiatus of the position. Erny served with the Calgary Highland-
ers in World War II and was wounded during the Allies' drive
for Falaise. In 1945 he returned to Canada where he was
discharged. On October 29th, 1945 he was sworn in as a Cal-
gary City Police constable by Chief Samuel Patterson. During
his CPS service Erny held many roles; when promoted to ser-
geant he taught drill, firearms, first aid, explosives and self
defence. He became the head of the Bomb Disposal and
Search and Rescue Squads; he trained the Auxiliary Police
members and was in charge of the Property Section and
Quarter Master's Stores. When Erny was promoted to Inspec-
tor the RSM rank went into hibernation. It remained dormant
for the latter part of the twentieth century and early twenty first
century until in 2008, when like the phoenix rising out of the
ashes it was reborn. Chief Rick Hanson appointed Sergeant
Mike Inglis the first RSM in decades. Mike held the appoint-
ment until 2014 when the current RSM, Rob Patterson was
appointed.
Today there is no tenure for the appointment. The RSM is
chosen by the Chief Con-
stable. Staff sergeants,
sergeants and detectives
are eligible to apply when
the post becomes vacant.
The RSM reports directly
to the Chief Constable
and is addressed as “sir”
by members below the
rank of Inspector when a
male holds the appoint-
ment and “Mr.” by offic-
ers. The RSM is responsi-
ble for dress, drill and de-
portment, ceremonial pro-
tocol, discipline and is the
Chair of the Clothing
Equipment Committee.
RSM Patterson is the
current chair of the Alber-
ta RSM Association which
includes the RSM’s of all
of the law enforcement
agencies in Alberta. It
comprises all of the Solicitor General agencies, Canada Bor-
der Security Agency, RCMP, Fish and Wildlife, Military Police
and all the municipal police agencies except Taber. The Asso-
ciation sets provincial standards to ensure all the agencies
handle ceremonies in the same way. Once again, the CPS
was an innovator when its members developed a National
Honour Guard Course which is held in the Westwinds Head-
quarters building and is attended by members from across
North America.
● ● ●
Police Chief Duke Kent and RSM Heatherington in 1969
Current CPS RSM Rob Patterson
The Phoenix rank:
Regimental Sergeant Majors in the CPS
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 9
NAME THAT COP ● Stephanie Woodridge, CPS Archive Collection Specialist
Greetings from the CPS Archives!
You may not have known but the CPS archive has a large collection of photos of our members who have
served over the years. Many of these photos have been passed along to us by both active and retired mem-
bers. We are happy to maintain this collection as a visual testament to the history of this fine organization
however, we have one small problem to address…. Many of our photos are unidentified! As such, I would like
to appeal to our veterans as group for help with this matter. When your newsletter comes your way I would
greatly appreciate it if you could help me to “NAME THAT COP!” Please send any identifying details to me
directly at [email protected]
I hope that you will enjoy your trip down memory lane, and thanks in advance!
Stephanie Woodridge
Archive Collection Specialist
Name that cop from yesteryear
Can you name this sharp looking member of the
Ceremonial Unit? Since we have just recently cele-
brated the 30th anniversary of the Calgary Olympic
Games we’d love to be able to identify this member
from this 1988 photo.
(Continued on page 10)
PHOTO # 1
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 10
Chatterboxes…
“Say that again, will you?” We all
know how important communica-
tion is on the job.
These guys clearly have the skills to
pay the bills, if only we knew who
they were…?
(Continued on page 11)
(Continued from page 9)
PHOTO # 2
PHOTO # 3 PHOTO # 4
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 11
Roll Off Bins
Specializing in
Expiration 00/00/00
TRICAL ENTERPRISES
Name that goat!
So according to our records the
gentleman in this picture is Sgt.
Don Morse…. But can anybody tell
me the name of the goat??? Or
more importantly why is there a
goat (in uniform no less) in this
picture? They say a picture is worth
a thousand words…
Remember if YOU have a picture that’s
worth a thousand words we would love
a copy.
Feel free to forward to me via e-mail
along with your ‘story’ or drop off a
copy in person at YouthLink on the east
side of West Winds.
Stephanie Woodridge Archive Collection Specialist [email protected]
● ● ●
PHOTO # 5
Construction waste ● Renovations ● Site Clean Ups
Mailing Address:
Site 3, Box R.R. #2
Balzac, Alberta T0M 0E0
Paul Phee
Tel. 403.650.2595
Fax: 403.226.0284
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 12
TRAVEL ● Mike Dungey
Tehran: a historical city
B eing a kind of pack rat, at least for travel docu-
ments, I had made notes for all of the places that
my ex wife and I had travelled to, so reading some
of them recently I thought I would share another of my travel
adventures.
I had left the then British Solomon Island Protectorate on
my way back to the UK, that being the furthest place al-
lowed to travel after my two-year contract with Kalena Tim-
ber Company had
ended. I was
given six
months
paid leave
at 60% of
my salary with
a very generous travel allowance. I was to return after the
leave but fate and a new baby Saxon, had other things in
store for me.
We had booked all the hotels (in those days the internet
wasn't even contemplated), as well as flights starting with
Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, New Delhi,
Tehran, Athens and ending with Venice, although by Venice
we had run out of money and flew direct to Heathrow from
Athens.
One of the more interesting stops was in Tehran, which at
that time was in the firm hands of Mohammad Reza Shah
who controlled Iran with an iron fist compliments of the USA
and was to be one of the more historical stops on our jour-
ney back to England.
We arrived from New Delhi to the capital without a visa, it
was one of things with an English passport that you didn't
need at the time—wrong! My then wife and I were immedi-
ately quarantined into a small room and then interrogated,
primarily due to the fact that I had military experience with
the Australian Army.
This lasted for at least four hours and finally, after a frantic
call to the British Embassy was allowed to enter the City
and on to our hotel., the Persian Esteghlal International , at
that time one of the better hotels but from recent reviews it
has not changed with the times, but the view - wow!
The Alborz mountains to the north were absolutely stun-
ning and are actually closer to the City than the Rockies are
to Calgary, the first trips that we made was to the Grand
Bazaar. The architecture of the many roof domes is stun-
ningly intricate, the light flows through the extended roof
creating a wonderful vista for the shoppers, as well as the
assorted vendors.
The maze of bustling alleys has been active for around
1000 years, the old public Friday Mosque and Bathhouse is
located here, but what usually interests tourists the most is
the old Bazaar Architecture,, tracing the old City Walls, and
travelling deep into the bazaar to find treasures such as the
Armenian Church of St Thaddeus.
You can buy anything here and it is such a pity that follow-
ing the uprising when the Shah was deposed, westerners
do not have the same access to what I still consider to be
one of the wonders of the middle east.
I had purchased and still have, a large brass Islamic plate
after a lame attempt at bargaining down and this sits sadly
in my den on Vancouver Island, not having the requisite
look for placement anywhere else in the house according to
my wife.
The next day we decided to visit the basement of the Cen-
tral Bank of Iran home to the very impressive jewels of the
Safavid Dynasty, this collection is so valuable that it is used
to back the Iranian national currency. Among its treasures is
the Daryayeh-I-Noor diamond and a pink 60 carat Great
Table Diamond that is featured in one of many Royal tiaras.
I'm a fan of the British Crown Jewels, currently housed in
the Tower of London, but this collection is far superior, dur-
ing the time of the Pahlavi's photographs were allowed but
in todays modern world they are now frowned upon.
(Continued on page 13)
Editor’s note: The capital city of Iran, Tehran is situ-
ated 100 kilometers south of the Caspian Sea, in the
north-central part of the country. Somewhat similar to
Denver and Calgary, the city lies nestled at the foot of
a very mountainous region called the Alborz Moun-
tains. In his travel article, Mike Dungey describes his
visit to this Middle Eastern country.
“(We) were immediately
quarantined into a small room
and then interrogated
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 13
Two museums that we saw were the Golestan Palace, full of
wonderful Persian art and the National Museum of Art, much
like a miniature Louvre, with pieces from ancient Babylonia
and Persepolis, both require at least a day to do them justice.
We made a mistake with the first museum by not hiring a local
guide as most of the exhibit signage was in the local lan-
guage, we did a lot better the second time.
The night life in Tehran mirrored that of Los Angeles, well
dressed, attractive Iranians in modern cafes, there was, how-
ever, very little if any, public criticism of the Shah or the Gov-
ernment as this would have brought the Savak down on us,
the notorious secret CIA trained police. A day trip, with a rea-
sonably priced travel guide took us to Jamshidieh Park and its
spectacular views over the City, then on to Honarmabdan
Park where the artists exhibit their efforts. If there is a park in
Tehran that is famous for local artists and progressives, it's
Honarmandan Park . It was a place to see art galleries and
meet young Tehrani artists in the House of the Artists. We
did, with the help of our hotel concierge, take a hike towards
Darband, there are some great places to have an afternoon
tea or even take a hotel picnic box and have a picnic.
Today in an increasingly difficult and dangerous Islamic
world, many of these places would not be the same, even the
dress codes that permeate that part of the world loses its col-
orful palate and being a Canadian could be problematic, but
then this story is about how it was, not how it is.
Until the next time!
● ● ●
Tehran (Continued from page 12)
Tehran city: population of 8,699,000 (2018) with Alborz mountains in the background
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viewing, but not for downloading?
WALT: Yes, there is. Go to your
Google Chrome page as if you were
going to do a search. Instead, move
your cursor to the far upper corner of
your screen and click the 3 dotted verti-
cal icon. Now cursor down to “Settings”
and click. Now go to the bottom and
click Advance to expand the page.
From there scroll down until you find
the "Download" section. Uncheck the
box where it asks where to save each
file before downloading. Close Chrome
and reopen. You should now be able to
have the PDF open without prompting
to save it.
Voila!
● ● ●
IT JUNCTION ● Walt McKinley
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 14
BBQ COMMITTEE ● Clay Anderson
T he CPVA BBQ Committee consists of Tej Cheema, Sio
Choung, Tom Ball, and myself. (Sorry if I forgot any-
one! We are newly formed and we haven’t met yet!)
Firstly let me acknowledge and recognize Doug van den
Brink, Mike Turcotte, Ted Davis, and Cory Davis for their
years of outstanding service and building the CPVA’s reputa-
tion for providing incredible BBQing service. The new commit-
tee will have very large shoes to fill! Yes, with a new commit-
tee comes a new BBQ trailer. Thank you to the CPA for all of
your financial support. Also, kudos to Mike Lomore for cham-
pioning the upgrade with the CPA.
The new trailer had to be modified to conform to the design
of the old trailer. The old trailer had an expensive custom-
made tarp. In order to save money it was decided to reuse the
old tarp for the new trailer. This meant we did not have room
to modify the design and were left with copying the layout.
The new trailer had to have some metal removed and sup-
ports re-welded! None of this was structural and will not affect
the trailer’s safety. Also, the storage boxed had to be bolted
to the new trailer. The build is complete and we will test fire it
when the committee meets.
It took about 4 days to complete at a total of about 20 - 25
hours (donated) and we spent approximately $750 in material
to make the changeover. The BBQs are Crown Verity, Cana-
dian made and of top quality! This new trailer should last for
many years! It goes without saying that it takes more than a
first class BBQ trailer to deliver exemplary service. We also
need lots of volunteers to help us meet our commitments.
Please contact a BBQ Committee member if you are interest-
ed in giving us an occasional hand this coming season.
● ● ●
Above and below: newly built and equipped BBQ
trailer
CPVA new unaltered BBQ trailer
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 15
CPA August 16th golf tournament WHEN: Thursday August 16, 2018
Registration for Morning Tournament 0645, Tee off 0730
Registration for Afternoon Tournament 1300, Tee off 1330
WHERE: River Spirit Golf Club
241155 RR 34 (HWY 8)
www.riverspiritgolf.com
COST: $150* per member per round
(*The fee includes a round of golf, golf cart, meal and prizes)
PAYMENTS: Payment may be made in person at the CPA, or by phoning the CPA office and giving your
credit card number over the phone.
We accept VISA, MasterCard, debit, cheques or cash.
Your payment MUST BE RECEIVED to confirm your registration. It will be a Texas Scramble format made up of 4-man teams.
PLEASE REGISTER IMMEDIATELY. IT’S FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. THIS TOURNAMENT FILLS UP QUICKLY, NO RE-
SERVED SPOTS UNLESS PAYMENT IS RECEIVED EITHER IN PERSON OR OVER THE PHONE.
If you register and are unable to attend the tournament, you are responsible for filling your spot(s). No refunds will be given.
Any questions can be directed to Pat Stachniak at 403-477-1955 or Mike Lomore at 403-836-0076.
Those were the days . . .
Famous 16-year-old Black Maria owned by the Police Department of Calgary, Alberta
After being through the 1914 oil boom, the greatest war in history of the world, the 1926 oil boom, and the auction bridge peri-
od, Black Maria, the 16-year-old patrol wagon made by the White Co. for the Police Department of Calgary, is to spend the
rest of its days in peace. Chief Ritchie recommended that it be replaced by a modern combination patrol wagon and ambu-
lance. According to reports, “She has traveled more miles than any truck now in service in Calgary and although she wheezes
a little now on the upgrade and isn’t as spry as she used to be, still police garage drivers cannot cite a single instance where
they had to walk back once they started. She’s not that kind of patrol wagon.”
(Newspaper clipping courtesy of Ray Ricketts)
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 16
CAUGHT YOU
CPVA members rank top 40 Hits In a recently conducted confidential sur-vey of our CPVA membership, the fol-lowing top 40 hits of the 60s and 70s were voted as being the most popular:
1. Talking ’Bout My Medication (The Who)
2. How Can You Mend A Broken Hip? (The Bee Gees )
3. I Can' t See Clearly Now (Johnny Nash )
4. These Boots Give Me Arthritis (Nancy Sinatra )
5. You Make Me Feel Like Napping (Leo Sayer )
6. Once, Twice, Three Trips to the Bathroom (the Commodores )
7. A Whiter Shade of Hair (Procol Harum )
8. Mrs. Brown, You' ve Got a Lovely Walker (Herman's Hermits )
9. Bald Thing (The Troggs)
Dear Dr. Zelda, I’ve been retired for 23 years and I’m still having difficulty finding a Calgary barber shop that will give me a police discount. There was one barber who charged me $3.75 but after giving him a twenty-five cent tip he ordered me out of his shop and told me to never come back. It was a double whammy for me because his shop is located next to a Tim Hortons where they always give me a free 8 ounce coffee (so long as I sit on a small wooden stool in the kitchen where the janitor keeps his mop and bucket). My question is: Should I contin-ue to drive 35 kilometers for my Tim Hortons free cup of coffee if I can no longer get my $3.75 haircut? Frustrated Retiree. Dear Frustrated Retiree: I’m certainly not going to do the math for you to determine if the 35 km drive in your beat-up 1975 Lada (I’m surmising) is worth a free coffee. Haven’t you got better things to do than to drive all over town looking for deals? You could volunteer your time to help drive folks to out-patient clin-ics. I’m sure they offer free coffees and you won’t have to sit alone on a janitor’s stool. Alternatively, you can
wait a few years until the barber shop relocates and is replaced by a dry-cleaning store. Quite possi-bly, with your audacious
“Art of the Deal” demeanor, you could successfully negotiate a 2-for-1 shirt cleaning agreement with the owner. However, just make sure that you first remove all the patches. Good luck.
Zelda
Dear Dr. Zelda, Often I find that media personalities use the words “eminent” and “imminent” in-terchangeably. What gives? Curious Dear Curious: There should be no confusion here. “Imminent” refers to forthcoming, about to occur, whereas “eminent” refers to noteworthy and (of a per-son) distinguished, important. Examples:
“The owners and employees are still negotiating, but a deal does not look imminent.” “A group of eminent forensic scien-tists attended the CPVA luncheon. “
Zelda
● ● ●
Ask Dr. Zelda
Zelda Zee PhD
German chancellor Angela Merkel ar-
rives at Athens airport.
"Nationality?" asks the immigration of-
ficer.
"German," she replies.
"Occupation?
"No, just here for a few days."
My great-grandfather, a retired police
officer, tried to warn them about the Ti-
tanic. He screamed and shouted about
the iceberg and how the ship was going
to sink, but all they did was throw him
out of the theatre.
As creator of the P.C. Sluff comic strip, this was Ron Tarrant’s first submission.
It was published in CPA’s 10-4 magazine, February, 1974
JOKE SUBMISSIONS FOUR DECADES AGO
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 17
INSIGHT ● Interview with Ross MacInnes
Horses and dogs enable us to discover more about ourselves
Retired CPS canine unit member, Ross MacInnes, speaks passionately to CPVA News about equine and canine therapy.
JN: First, Ross, I’d like to thank you for taking time away
from your busy schedule to take part in this interview. We
appreciate it. Before we delve into the details of your Higher
Trails’ programs, I’d like to talk briefly about your retirement
years. You retired from the Calgary Police Service in 1995—
twenty-three years ago to be exact. What have those years
been like for you?
RM: Quite candidly Jon, for
the first while I felt a bit lost.
For the better part of thirty
years, I had been able to walk
through doors marked Author-
ized Persons Only, ignore No
Trespassing signs, had keys
to open Traffic Control Boxes,
and many other situations that
were just “part of the job.”
Where once I was “in,” now I
was “out.” It was a different
world. I didn’t feel I had a mis-
sion any longer. I had retired
as the S/Sgt. in charge of the
Vice Unit. I felt deeply about
the kids who were being ex-
ploited. So, I went back to the streets. First with a charity
called “Street Teams” then, for the last 15 years or so, work-
ing with high-risk youth using horses in a therapeutic setting.
We developed an Equine Assisted Learning program called
“Higher Trails” and, as the program grew, we began teach-
ing and training others (a number of them retired police or
military people). We now have over 200 coaches across
Canada and some in the USA, Mexico, and Australia.
JN: A lot of retirees tell us the same thing: They don’t miss
the job, only the people they worked with? Do you share that
opinion?
RM: I truly miss the men and women I worked with. But I
also miss the job. The purpose, the mission and the “cop
culture” itself. I still get together with my old partner and his
wife, as well as men and women who I used to work for or
with, or who worked for me. And you know what? Our con-
versations still contain a whole lot of “old days” talk.
JN: You once headed the CPS Canine Unit. What was that
experience like?
RM: I was in Ca-
nine for 10 years.
Five as a Handler
and five as the Ser-
geant. Without a
doubt the best
years of my career.
The ultimate “cops
and robbers”
game. Bad guy
with a gun, and
good guy with a
gun and a dog!
Lots of adrenalin.
JN: Tell me, how
and why did you
change your focus
from the canine
world to the equine
world and the crea-
tion of your Higher
Trails programs?
RM: I grew up with horses (and dogs) and knew from experi-
ence that both had a great effect on my teen years. After
retirement I got a Golden Retriever from Ron Mustafa to help
connect with street kids – it worked incredibly well. We add-
ed horses into the mix as well as a second Golden – had
both sanctioned as Therapy Dogs. I went to the US and was
certified as an Equine Specialist and began to add more
horses to the program (and expanded to include adults). We
now maintain between 30 and 40 horses at any one time.
And we still have dogs and conduct two canine programs a
year here in Calgary.
JN: Sounds like you’re staying active. Your career spanned
over three decades. Did your police service time have any
negative effects?
(continued on page 18)
. . . An early Alberta morning ride
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 18
RM: Yes, it did. But the effects didn’t really show themselves until several years
after I retired. Sleep patterns, physical health issues, mood swings—just a few of
the symptoms of Occupational Stress Injury that is quite common in retirees.
JN: I notice that you don’t refer to work-related stress disorders as PTSD. Why is
that?
RM: PTSD generally refers to something that happens TO an individual and exhib-
its psychological consequences quite quickly after the incident. From our experi-
ence, it is the accumulation of occurrences that the member responds to that has
long-lasting consequences. In our work, we refer to it as Occupational Stress Inju-
ry (OSI). We emphasize that it is an injury—not a disorder.
JN: You are quite open about OSI and its effect on you. What were some of the
symptoms you experienced?
RM: Sleep disorder was a big one – some nightmares, extreme chills, even a cou-
ple instances of sleep paralysis. But also, some hyper-alertness (you know, never
having your back to a door etc.). Restlessness, fidgeting, and even some with-
drawal from my friends and family. I could go on as to symptoms such as short-
ness of breath, anxiety, and the like, but it does manifest itself in different ways for different individuals.
JN: How have you learned to deal with it?
RM: First by recognizing that it was an injury, not a disorder. And being willing to talk about it. Many members are concerned
that being defined with a “disorder” will stigmatize them in applying for a job, getting a security clearance, or having to answer
the question on a form “have you ever been diagnosed with a mental disorder?”
JN: Hmm, I can surely understand that. Now on a slightly different topic Ross—you are also an author, correct?
Equine Therapy (Continued from page 17)
(continued on page 19)
MacInnes with horse Legend and dog Max
Above: group photo (Camp 2017)
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 19
RM: Yes, my two latest books are: I Am Cadillac: Life Les-
son from A Horse, and The Other Side of Here: A Families
Journey. They are available in all e-formats and through
Chapters, Indigo, Barnes and Noble etc. or click on
www.rossamacinnes.com for a complete listing. (Proceeds
from the books help fund the ranch and continue the various
equine programs.)
JN: I see that you and your spouse give a lot of talks on
OSI across the country. Do you think it will help bring it out
of the shadows?
RM: We really hope it does. We have been fortunate to be
able to speak to police groups and organizations across
Canada—from Halifax to Vancouver Island. We’re not psy-
chologists or therapists. But we are a cop family. In April we
will celebrate our 50th Anniversary. We not only survived—
we thrived.
JN: Well, that’s a tremendously pos-
itive way to end our discussion.
Again, thank you, Ross. We wish
you continued success and good
health in your retirement.
● ● ●
(Equine Therapy continued from page 18)
Paul G. Forrayi REALTOR
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403.651.0070 [email protected]
Over 18 years of
professional experience!
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CPVA WEBSITE ● Rod Embree, Director & Webmaster
I t’s been a very productive year
as far as the CPVA web site is
concerned. Membership contin-
ues to grow at a steady pace within
the CPVA organization.
I would very much like to thank Ted
Davis for his—shall we say “tenacity &
perseverance”—in a matter that was
plaguing our CPVA web site for a
small selection of members who were
not receiving our CPVA fan out
emails.
I initially submitted a trouble sheet to
Tiller Digital Inc., which determined
that the CPVA web site complied in
sending out our CMS fan out email
messages.
TELUS support was contacted but
nothing was really accomplished nor
rectified. TELUS support gave a non-
descript reply in answer to our CPVA
fan out problem stating nothing could
be done.
Ted Davis in reply sent a "warm,
comforting & compassionate" letter of
concern to the TELUS CEO and exec-
utives. This prompted a more thor-
ough examination, one in which an
internal coding problem was discov-
ered within the TELUS server system.
A program "fix" was coded and the
issue was finally corrected. A similar
problem experienced by another
member was also resolved by Tiller
Digital Inc. & TELUS.
Again, Tiller Digital Inc. was also
involved & fully cooperated with
TELUS support (with my letter of con-
sent for permission) to resolve this
issue as well.
In closing, if anyone has any issues
with our CPVA web site please let me
know. Remember, I can't help you, if
you don’t say anything to me!
● ● ●
Rod Embree
Director – CPVA Webmaster
C: 403 835-2196 (leave message)
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 20
IN MEMORIAM ● Prepared by Ruth Bragg
Although not everyone memorialized below was a CPVA member, it
is recognized that they were our brothers and sisters within our po-
lice family. They passed away leaving us with heavy hearts and fond
memories. They will be missed and always remembered.
STEVE BERRY
(EX-MEMBER)
DECEMBER 1, 2017
BILL MCDONALD
(RETIRED)
DECEMBER 5, 2017
ELAINE VADEBONCOURE
(CIVILIAN - RETIRED)
DECEMBER 13, 2017
JOHN KEREKES
(RETIRED)
MARCH 12, 2018
GUY EVANS
(RETIRED)
JANUARY 30, 2018
JACK KURYK
(RETIRED)
DECEMBER 14, 2017
DAWN ROBERTSON
(CIVILIAN - SERVING)
FEBRUARY 21, 2018
DENNIS MOODIE
(RETIRED)
FEBRUARY 12, 2018
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 21
A TABLE SET FOR ONE ● Bill Sturgeon, VP
At the last Board meeting of 2016 one
of the members suggested we per-
form the “Table Set for One” ceremo-
ny annually at one of our meals. This
ceremony is performed by our military
and the RCMP, for not only is the
RCMP our national police service it is
a Dragoon Regiment in the Canadian
Military. This ceremony remembers
our fallen comrades who are no longer
able to be with us at our functions. It
commemorates and salutes our com-
rades who made the ultimate sacrifice
due to their service in the Calgary Po-
lice Service. Some left the Calgary
Police Service in world wars one and
two to serve Canada and they died for
their commitment to freedom. Some
members died in the line of duty serv-
ing and protecting the citizens of Cal-
gary. We remember the names of all
of these heroes. Some of our com-
rades died due to the stresses of po-
lice work and they too have given their
lives for the citizens of Calgary, unfor-
tunately we will never know their
names nor do we know how many of
our deceased comrades have fallen in
this way. The Board unanimously
agreed to the suggestion and it was
decided to perform the ceremony for
the first time at our 2016 Christmas
Dinner. The Christmas Dinner was
chosen because the ceremony is usu-
ally performed at Regimental Dinners
and as our Association doesn’t have a
Regimental Dinner we thought our
Christmas Dinner was the closest
function we have to a Regimental Din-
ner. The ceremony, performed by Ron
Tarrant was well received and there
were a few teary eyes in the audience.
The comments from those in attend-
ance were very positive therefore we
will perform this salute to our fallen
comrades at our future Christmas Din-
ners.
The following may be used to present the Toast to Fallen
Comrades and to explain the significance of the dedicat-
ed place setting:
Individual proposing the toast: I’d like to draw your
attention to the small table set for one that is off on its own -
it is reserved to honour our comrades who are no longer with
us. Some left the CPS and made the ultimate sacrifice in
WW I and WW II; some have fallen while on duty protecting
the citizens of Calgary while others have fallen from the
stresses of police work. This table symbolizes that they are
with us, here in spirit. We should never forget the brave
women and men who answered the call to serve and protect
the citizens of Calgary. We must never forget that while we
enjoy our life and daily pleasures, there are others who have
endured the agonies of pain, anguish and death. Allow me to
explain the meaning of the items on this very special table:
In their honour, the table, set for one is small, symbol-
izing the frailty of one member.
The tablecloth is white - symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call to duty.
The single red rose, in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of our fallen comrades, and of the loved ones and friends who grieve for them.
The vase tied with a red ribbon, is a symbol of our de-termination to remember our fallen comrades.
A slice of lemon on the bread plate is to remind us of their bitter fate.
The salt sprinkled on the plate represents the count-less tears shed by family and friends.
The candle represents the light of hope that their lives were not given in vain.
The Calgary Police Service cap represents the Service to which they dedicated their lives.
The glass is inverted, they cannot toast with us at his time.
The chair is empty because they are no longer with us.
Let us remember - and never forget their sacrifice. May they
and their families be forever watched over and protected.
Proposing the Toast: “They were our comrades, we knew
them, we will remember them, they will not be forgotten. To
our comrades no longer with us!”—or simply: “To our com-
rades no longer with us!”
We remember:
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 22
LUNCHEONS & SPECIAL EVENTS ● George Gourdinne, Director
H aving enjoyed a great 2017
with our attendance averag-
ing 80-90 for our monthly
lunches and the special events being
very popular, we look forward to 2018
and anticipate our continued success.
The excellent location for these
events coupled with the tasty food
supplied by Roma Catering and the
camaraderie that occurs amongst us is very enjoyable.
Unfortunately like everything else, the cost for these events
rose this year to $27/person for the lunches, $30/person for
the barbecue and $32/person for the Christmas party. As our
president, Mike Turcotte has stated, we will continue to
charge our members $25/person for the lunches and our as-
sociation will subsidize the additional cost.
Further, thanks to the initiative of our President, one of
these lunches per year will be financed to the tune of
$2000.00 by the Calgary Police Association. This resulted in
our March lunch costing each attendee $5.00. The date for
the 2019 special lunch will remain unknown until the actual
date. This year’s steak barbecue date is slated for Friday,
Sept. 7th and the turkey menu Christmas party is scheduled
for Friday, Dec. 7th. These two events last year were very
popular with the barbecue almost completely sold out and
the Christmas party was sold out. Tickets for these functions
go on sale two(2) months prior to their actual dates and I ad-
vise you not to procrastinate. One change will occur for these
ticket sales this year and that is that tickets must be paid for
at time of purchase. Payment and pick up of reserved tickets
at the door the day of the function will no longer be available.
Tickets purchased and paid through the CPA office will be
available for pick up at the door if you are unable to pick
them up before hand.
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
George Gourdinne
Mike Blackwell
Spruce Meadows Needs Your Help . . . . For the past two years CPS veterans have assisted Spruce Meadows in supplying security services for
several major events. Management, competitors and the general public have been extremely pleased
with the caliber and competency of all those who served. Once again Spruce Meadows has asked if I
could recruit people for the events again this year. As such, I am coming to you to see if we can fulfill
their wish.
Major events this year will occur from: June 6 - July 8; September 5 – September 9; and November 17
– December 3. There will also be several smaller events throughout the year. There are a number of dif-
ferent shifts available including 8 hour day, afternoon and night, and 10 and 6 hour day. In total we will
need about 30 members to fill all shifts for these major events.
Pay rates range from $18.00/hr for days and $20.00/hr for nights. As a seasonal employee of Spruce
Meadows your role will be that of ‘soft’ security, with a lot of ‘relationship’ building with competitors and
guests. For more information, please contact Sandy Wright at (403) 617-7969 or by email at
Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sandy Wright
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 23
O ur 2018 AGM will be held on Wednesday May 2,
2018 at 11:00am. This is also the date of our May
Luncheon held at the New Cuff n Billy. The AGM
agenda will include the annual re-election of Directors,
Treasurer, Vice President and President.
A proposal from The Board of Directors will be brought for-
ward to the membership regarding a proposed addition to the
CPVA Bylaws. This proposal is in relation to persons who
may be eligible for membership. I would like to provide some
background to this addition. This past year, two persons
have expressed interest in joining our association; the
first is a retired member of the Edmonton Police Service
who now resides in Calgary. He is known to several or
our members and has their full endorsement. He has at-
tended our luncheons as a guest in the past. The sec-
ond person served three years with CPS and went on to
finish his career with EMS. His career with them was
exemplary and achieved high standards within their or-
ganization. He has also attended several luncheons and
is endorsed by many or our membership.
This is what your Board of Directors proposes as a new
category of CPVA membership:
Outside Agency Membership
A former First Responder with a minimum of 20 years’
service, having been sponsored by a current member of
the CPVA in good standing, is deemed to be eligible for Out-
side Agency Membership provided that:
a) The candidate has served a minimum of 20 years of ser-
vice as a Police/Peace Officer, Paramedic, Firefighter or
a collective combination of each;
b) The candidate is sponsored by at least one member of
the CPVA in good standing;
c) Acceptance must be unanimous by a vote of the Board
of Directors;
d) The candidate must be of excellent character.
An Outside Agency Member will pay annual dues and will
be afforded privileges of membership with the exception of
voting rights and the ability to hold a position on The Board of
Directors.
Any Eligible Member wishing to be heard at an Annual
General Meeting must submit within fourteen (14) days of the
meeting, his written intention to do so, along with a brief out-
line of his topic.
● ● ●
NOTICE
BYLAW AMENDMENT PROPOSAL
2018 CPVA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 24
CLOSING NOTE ● Jon Netelenbos , Editor
B ecause time seems to fly by so quickly during retire-
ment we so often forget the names of the men and
women who over many decades have selflessly do-
nated countless hours of volunteer time in building a first-
class police veteran association. It makes only sense as your
new editor that I acknowledge two individuals who have been
instrumental in the formation and continuing success of our
CPVA newsletter. For 9 years Mike Turcotte has been this
newsletter’s editor, a job that he performed with great dedica-
tion, commitment and energy. His narratives were candid and
insightful and despite having to cope with an unsettling health
issue, Mike has always remained unwaveringly positive. As
President of our Association, Mike will be a delight to work
with and I look forward to his editorial mentorship. Thank you,
Mike.
How can anyone engage in a conversation about our news-
letter without acknowledging its founding editor Ron Tarrant,
who throughout the decades of his CPS career and CPVA
calling, made such a profound difference by successfully rais-
ing the participation levels and morale of the collective body.
Thank you, Ron, for your passion, dynamism and your wry
sense of humor.
Editing a newsletter—as Mike Turcotte can attest—
involves article solicitation. To that end I encourage members
to submit articles and photos on a diverse number of topics
and themes. Perhaps you have decided to go on a 6-month
sailing excursion. We’d love to hear about it, as well as view
your photos. Some of you are engaged in very interesting
projects and hobbies. Again, tell us a bit about them. Are you
volunteering in your community or even abroad? Are you an
artist, photographer, musician, etc. who still practices their
craft? Do you have any photos of CPVA social events
(luncheons, retirements, banquets, etc.). All these submis-
sions will be much appreciated.
All said, while editing and publishing can be very time con-
suming, it’s generally a lot of fun. And I know this from experi-
ence.
During the late 50’s, my parents, siblings and I emigrated
from the Netherlands to Canada. Within less than three years
of our arrival at the Quebec docks, my industrious mother and
father founded and published a weekly newspaper, the St.
Albert Gazette. Although the paper has gone through several
owners, it is still in circulation today. Looking back at those
formative years, I shall never forget the memorable experi-
ences associated with running a weekly newspaper operation.
At 11 years-old I was a flyer inserter, a carrier (the cost of the
newspaper was then 3 cents!), a part time photographer, an
office receptionist and an occasional proofreader—the latter
assignment from which I was unceremoniously punted be-
cause of a headline blunder that inexplicably slipped by me.
The article focused on school corporal punishment and the
headline read: “School board to review capital punishment.”
We’ll try not to make those kinds of mistakes with the CPVA
newsletter—but we can’t promise.
We hope that by expanding our readership we will see an
increase in paid membership, which is still only $15 annually.
The CPVA News will focus on an eclectic assortment of
topics that directly or indirectly affect our Association and its
members. Occasionally we will examine issues that deal with
retirement life in general.
Will it be controversial? Absolutely not.
Will it be informative and interesting? We certainly hope so.
Contact us at [email protected] and let us know
what you think.
● ● ●
EZ Street (February 1992): Inaugural issue of CPVA’s
newsletter, founded and edited by Ron Tarrant
Spring 2018 CPVA NEWS 25
Law Enforcement Torch Run
for Special Olympics Alberta
2018 Flame of Hope Raffle
