
All Stories

COVID Weekly: Two deaths nearby; hospitalizations remain high
Pearl LorentzenLakeside Leader From January 16 to 22, two people died from COVID-19 in municipalities which border the M.D. of Lesser Slave River. One was a woman 80 or older in Big Lakes County. The other was a man in…

MLA Rehn gets booted from the UCP
Will continue as an independent MLA Joe McWilliamsLakeside Leader Questions were swirling last week, in the wake of Slave Lake town council calling for the resignation of Lesser Slave Lake MLA Pat Rehn to resign. Would other municipalities follow suit?…

Frosty

Ski and snowshoes hot items at the Boreal Centre
Joe McWilliams Lakeside Leader It’s not open to the public, but the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation (BCBC) staff is still scheming up ways to serve the public. Just before the Jan. 9 weekend they announced free cross-country ski and…

Alberta RCMP promoting intersection safety
Submitted To kick off the new year, the Alberta RCMP is promoting intersection safety. Often busy, high-traffic areas, intersections require motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians to exercise caution and be mindful of the rules of the road. According to the Government…

More physicians needed in the north, county tells minister
Richard Froese For the Lakeside Leader A shortage of physicians in the High Prairie region and throughout northern Alberta is prompting a letter to the provincial health minister.At its Dec. 9 meeting, Big Lakes County council decided to send the…

Etched in style

Word of the Week: Spanish Lesson
Week 38: What would you like to do after COVID? Lili Normand Expresiones: Spanish Language and Mexican Arts What’s the first thing you’ll do when this is all over? What do you daydream about between Zoom meetings, laundry folding, dish…

Icedogs waiting for restrictions to be lifted
Joe McWilliams Lakeside Leader Slave Lake’s junior hockey team is in limbo like every other team in town. But a few things are happening behind the scenes, according to team owner Lauren Barr. Player movement is the big one. “We…

Through the Years: ‘Mad Trapper Showdown,’ ‘Dog Island Derby,’ and diamonds
Snippets from January 20th Lakeside Leaders 1993 Canada was 125, and 12 people from Slave Lake, Widewater, and Kinuso received commemorative medals. A dog sled race was scheduled near Slave Lake in February. It was dubbed the ‘Dog Island Derby’…

Fewer crimes in Slave Lake and the M.D. in 2020 than 2019
Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader From January to December 2020, there was a “significant decrease” in crime in Slave Lake, says Slave Lake RCMP Sgt. Don Racette. The Town of Slave Lake had an overall decrease of 27 per cent. The…

MLA holiday ‘unacceptable,’ says former Wildrose candidate
Chris Clegg For the Lakeside Leader A long-time Conservative who quit the United Conservative Party (UCP) party executive late last year says Lesser Slave Lake MLA Pat Rehn and the party cannot recover from the recent controversy.“No!” Darryl Boisson, of…

Laboucan back as Driftpile FN chief
Joe McWilliams Lakeside Leader Dwayne Laboucan was re-elected to the position of chief by Driftpile Cree Nation (DCN) voters just before Christmas. It’s his third two-year term as chief of the first nation that is located roughly halfway between Slave…

Got COVID symptoms? Don’t visit the clinic!
Call 811 Joe McWilliams Lakeside Leader You might think if you are feeling sick, the Family Care Clinic in Slave Lake is the right place to go. In normal times, yes; but not now. Thanks to COVID, the rules are…

‘Social enterprise’ in Slave Lake leaves its mark
Pearl Lorentzen Lakeside Leader A public company which started as a ‘social enterprise’ in Slave Lake in 1969 has closed. However, many of the buildings it built are still being used in Slave Lake. In early November 2020, SpruceLand Properties…

The Page
You’ll notice a slightly new design on the top of the front page of The Leader this week. The logo is bigger and the two ‘events’ boxes are gone. Why? Blame it on COVID! No events, so it was just…

Child safety seats can make the difference
Submitted Alberta RCMP wants to ensure you and your little ones are properly buckled up. During the colder months, there is an increased risk of motor vehicle collisions due to snow and ice – when used correctly, child car seats…