Editorial

Super coaches!
The importance of coaches and other volunteers in the world of minor sports can never be over-stated – or underestimated. That’s why it’s so exciting to see more than 40 nominations from young athletes wanting to praise their respective coaches for a job well done when Atco and The Leader invited nominations for the Coach of the Year award.
Our coaches are some of the most selfless in the heap. They head to the arena, to the gym, to the baseball field and the pool week after week, offering up some of the best advice and encouragement young athletes in our town will ever hear.
Their determination proves by example that some of the best things in life are truly free.
These many coaches (we’re sorry that not all can be named as winners because they truly are) invariably keep offering their time, their expertise and truckloads of enthusiasm week after week, looking for nothing in return.
If they receive a smile, a word thanks, a pat on the back or a job well done by the team, well, that’s the bonus. As long as everyone learns a little about the game and good sportsmanship as well as having a little fun while they’re doing it, these coaches are satisfied.
Congratulations to Wendy Price and Kevin Morrison, this year’s Coach of the Year award winners. Your dedication is unparalleled, and even the young athletes are noticing!

Fairness is key
Because we said so.
Because I chose not to go.
Because we make the rules.
Ralph Klein and his merry band of decision-makers whipped up a little bit –make that a lot – of hostile sentiment with a new bill last week. Bill 27 essentially removes the right to strike from many health care workers – from the nurses to the janitors.
Why? Because they said so. And this is, after all, Ralph’s World, and what Albertans are hearing is the scripture according to Ralph. And if they’re going to start negotiating with nurses for a new contract, they want to make sure strike is the not on the radar screen.
We think Alberta Union of Public Employees boss Dan MacLennan hit the nail squarely on the head when he predicted the proposed legislation won’t matter a hill of beans to the health sector workers that it’s aimed at. They’ll do what they have to do, and if the province is unreasonable with it’s contract offers, they’ll walk.
We figured the start of negotiations wasn’t far off when we began receiving information packages from groups like the United Nurses of Alberta a few weeks ago.
The promotional pieces expounded on the importance of having a well-oiled (and fairly paid, we suspect) roster of nurses at each and every health centre, hospital, long-term care facility and public health facility in the province.
But suddenly out of the blue, the province presents a new bill that gives no chance for public comment, or opportunity for unions to offer their suggestions either.
Further, he suggests the province will use the new legislation as its excuse to break employment contracts with people working for the Alberta Mental Health Board.
And that scenario “should be of concern to anyone planning to do business in Alberta,’ MacLennan said.
It’s time Albertans everywhere take Klein and his Tories to task over this flippant approach to labour standards in the province.
Because, who knows which of us could be next as the broad brush makes sweeping bold strokes?