By Shawn Logan
and Sarah Junkin
The Eagle
Long-serving Conservative MP Myron Thompson will finally get his chance to serve Wild Rose on the government side of the House of Commons after his party was elected to a minority position following a contentious 57-day campaign that ended Jan. 23.
Thompson, who has been the Wild Rose representative in Ottawa since 1993, has served in opposition under the banners of the Reform, Canadian Alliance and Conservative parties, the latter ousting the Liberal government by capturing 124 seats of the 308-seat House of Commons.
While the results were unofficial as of Jan. 24, the Liberals are poised to become the official opposition with 103 seats, the Bloc Québecois earned 51 , the NDP increased its total to 29 and Québec voters elected one independent.
Thompson easily outpaced the three other candidates in Wild Rose, unofficially garnering 72.2 per cent of the 54,719 votes cast. Voter turnout in Wild Rose was 67.6 per cent.
Cochrane’s Sean Maw of the Green Party was a surprising second with 10.8 per cent of the vote; former Cochrane mayor Judy Stewart finished third with 9.7 per cent for the Liberals; while Shannon Nelles, the NDP candidate from Airdrie finished, with 7.3 per cent of the vote.
The day after the Tory win, Thompson was elated and looking forward to getting back to work with the newly minted prime minister-elect Stephen Harper.
“Overall, it looks good for us,” he said. “I think Stephen is going to make it tough on the opposition to not support a lot of the good things we do.”
He acknowledged some disappointment that the Conservatives didn’t do better in Ontario, believing the last-minute campaign by the Liberals to demonize Harper may have had some impact.
“Those scare tactics worked to some degree and I find it disgusting,” Thompson said.
The five-term MP downplayed any notion of being given a cabinet role in the new government.
“I’m not concerned about that. We’ve got some pretty good people coming into caucus who are better qualified than I am,” Thompson said. “I’m just going to be the best dad-gummed constituency representative I can be.”
Maw was similarly content with his showing.
“We’ve come so far in six weeks. Myron’s had 12 years to do what we did in less than two months,” Maw said, while surrounded by supporters at Cochrane’s HQ Coffee Company Jan. 23. “I’m quite happy we got over 10 per cent. That was the big thing we were worried about so we get some of our campaign dollars back. We had almost 11 per cent.”
Nelles, acknowledging her party saw the Wild Rose races as a “building election,” was also happy with her showing.
She noted with more seats for her party in Parliament, there will be more focus on social issues.
“Medicare came out of a minority government,” Nelles said. “A minority government can do some amazing things.”
She added the NDP will be able to work with the Conservatives as they did with the Liberal minority.
“We’re willing to play well in the sandbox,” Nelles said. (more…)

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By Shawn Logan
The Eagle
Talks aimed at bringing sewer and water servicing to the south side of the Bow River appear to be heading towards a resolution as the town awaits word from the province about whether it will chip in more funding for the project that could finally bring a long-awaited tie-in for Bow Valley High school.
The town and St. Mary’s Catholic Church have been in negotiations since November after council broke off talks with Keyland Development Corp., which owns land near Bow Valley High that has a sewer connection and can be more easily hooked up to the town’s water supply.
St. Mary’s is building a new church at the west end of River Heights Drive on a site that will also house a seniors complex. Both will require sewer and water servicing.
Bow Valley High has been without permanent water and sewer since it opened its doors in the fall of 2000.
The school received what was thought to be the announcement it had been waiting for in October 2004 when then-Learning Minister Lyle Oberg pledged provincial funds to alleviate the issue and turn on the taps by the fall of 2005.
But negotiations with Keyland, which is suing the town for $58 million, failed to find common ground, forcing the town to change its focus and work with the developers of the new church.
While neither the town nor the church will offer details of the talks, Mayor Ken Bech said that the town has requested more funds from the province (which has already set aside $3 million for the project) to help defray the increased costs associated with the new plan.
“We have been working with the Alberta government at the request of the St. Mary’s group to submit a request to the Alberta government for additional funding on top of the $3 million,” Bech said Jan. 23.
Bech wouldn’t discuss any other details of the talks, citing an agreement with the church group “to not comment on the meetings.”
Jay O’Neil, a spokesperson for Alberta Municipal Affairs, confirmed Jan. 24 that the town had requested an additional $1.8 million.
“They’ve asked for it due to the construction costs,” O’Neil said. “The new figure for the project has escalated and they’ve asked us to provide additional funds.”
He said a decision on the request is expected in “a couple of weeks.”
Julian deCocq, the town’s chief administrative officer, said the project is estimated to cost “anywhere from $4.5 million to $5.5 million.”
“It’s escalated, there’s no question about that,” deCocq said last week. “People are trying very hard to make this come together but it does boil down to dollars and cents.”
He noted while the issue of the town contributing to the project “has been raised,” it is unlikely because “the policy direction of council is new growth is funded by the developer.”
“How would the taxpayers feel if the town contributed money?” deCocq said.
DeCocq added while the $3 million grant is set to expire in the fall, he doesn’t see any reason why the funds won’t be used.
“I’ve stopped giving absolute assurances but fall 2006 is not an unachievable goal,” deCocq said, adding “if we need a little more time, we’d get it.”
He confirmed as well there is a third player in the picture, landowner John Robinson, who owns a 20-acre parcel across the street from the St. Mary’s site.
“Mr. Robinson is always looking at ways to get some of his development plans rolling,” deCocq said. Robinson also owns about 350 acres northeast of the Keyland site.
Mike Simpson, who is heading up the building project for St. Mary’s, is also optimistic about a deal being reached soon.
Simpson expects an arrangement between the town and the church is imminent.
“It’s going to happen. An agreement between the town and ourselves, we expect it to be in place in a short period, maybe days,” Simpson said Jan. 23. “There are some issues outstanding but we just consider them to be details.”
He said negotiations with the town have carried on “in good faith.”
“We hope within the next very short period we can give some real positive news,” Simpson said, also declining to discuss specifics of the negotiations.
He said a quick resolution would likely see the church and the seniors’ complex ready for occupancy “easily in the fall.”
“There’s a lot of pressure on us and the town to reach an agreement quickly,” Simpson said.
But the optimism by the town and the St. Mary’s group isn’t shared by those who have been pushing for permanent servicing at Bow Valley.
Pat Kudryk, chair of the Bow Valley School Council, said neither side has done much to include the school in their plans.
“We’re pretty much kept in the dark,” Kudryk said Jan. 16. “I’m very disappointed with the political process and the fact that nothing’s happened.”
Kudryk said she and other parents were discouraged by town councillors, many of whom campaigned with promises to find a solution for Bow Valley.
“The way it was really hyped up with the elections, it’s a very frustrating situation,” she said. “But I will never give up this fight as long as I’m school council chair.”
Rocky View School Division trustee Trudy Hauser also seemed tired of the issue.
Hauser worked with Kudryk to bring the school’s plight to Oberg’s attention but 15 months later, little appears to have changed.
“This is five years old and until we see water and sewer, it doesn’t mean anything,” Hauser said Jan. 12.

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By Shawn Logan
The Eagle
After two days of deliberations Jan. 19 and 20, Cochrane council signed off on an approximately $30 million operating and capital budget for 2006, which is expected to result in a six per cent tax increase for the average home owner.
Council must still formally debate and approve the budget, likely at its Feb. 13 meeting.
In addition to $8.9 million in net operating costs, the town is covering $9.7 million in various capital projects, the bulk going to start the process of building a $23.5 million water treatment plant (originally $22 million but increased to account for the possibility of buying land) slated to be built by 2010.
Lori Harris, the town’s director of corporate services, told council administration had originally drafted a $12.5 million operating budget to meet strategic objectives, but that had to be pared down by $3.5 million to limit the impact on taxpayers.
“Quite obviously a sizeable tax increase would have been required to meet the first draft,” Harris said.
She noted town departments managed to cut back on costs in the waning months of 2005 to cover an unexpected $163,250 deficit.
“We ended up with a surplus. Not a healthy surplus but certainly not a deficit,” Harris said.
This year’s average tax increase is based on estimates that the average residential assessment of $253,098 in 2005 will rise to $270,800 this year.
According to Harris, the projected six per cent tax hike means the average Cochrane homeowner will pay an extra $91 in property taxes for a total of an estimated $1,591 a year in 2006.
By comparison, homeowners with an assessed property value under $150,000 may pay $882 this year while those whose homes assessed at over $350,000 may pay $2,058.
Non-residential properties, meanwhile, are projected to jump two per cent on an average assessment of $1.35 million, which would see annual taxes rise by $216 in 2006.
However, Harris noted the real impact of this year’s tax increase won’t likely be known prior to final tax notices being mailed in May.
Harris said while the town will know the assessments (conducted by an independent assessor) by the end of this month, tax bills won’t be sent out until around May after provincial “requisitions” are tallied.
The provincial requisitions, the bulk of which go to cover education taxes, make up approximately 40 per cent of the average tax bill.
In addition to the 2006 budget, staff also presented “shadow budgets” for 2007 and 2008, which reflect the impact of decisions made this year.
Administration also drew “a line in the sand” with a new debt management strategy, which calls for the town to assume no more than 80 per cent of the municipality’s annual debt limit. A pending decision Feb. 13 over a new fire/EMS facility, if approved, would see the town’s debt rise to 76 per cent of its $29 million debt ceiling.
Harris said the town will have to tread carefully to stay within its limits because there is “evidence that there will be minimal debt return in the next four to five years.”
Following two full days of deliberations, council managed to carve approximately $53,000 from the budget, eliminating a fire truck reserve fund; cutting back a program to educate residents about the new two bag garbage limit; and paring $28,000 from a requested grant increase to the Nan Boothby Memorial Library.
The final budget earned rave reviews.
“This budget strikes a balance between the fiscal realities and the legitimate needs and wants of the community,” said Coun. Ken Hynes.
Other budget highlights include:
• $980,000 in provincial infrastructure grant funding for a new fire truck with aerial ladder capability;
• $283,500 in provincial infrastructure grants to build a pathway from the Cochrane Ranche to the Cochrane RancheHouse, to be used for pedestrians as well as an emergency access;
• $93,150 to build new washrooms at the Cochrane Ranche site;
• $500,000 for sound buffering for residents along Glenhill Drive, Riverside Place, Fifth Avenue West and McGonigle Heights.
• $2.85 million for design and engineering as well as site acquisition for a new water treatment plant.
• $1.85 million, to be front-ended by the Municipal District of Rocky View, to upgrade the town’s sewer line along West Aarsby to service Cochrane Lakes.
• $20,000 to repair the Men of Vision statue. It will have to be removed for the repairs.

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By Sarah Junkin
The Eagle
Members of a longstanding service organization have called a meeting Feb. 18 to discuss the possibility of disbanding.
The Cochrane Ranche Hands Association is a volunteer organization that for more than a decade has made its mandate to try to raise awareness about the area’s ranching industry and historical significance. As well, the group has traditionally run an interpretive centre and hosted summer educational programs for children at the Ranche.
“We’re stewards of the Cochrane historic site,” explained long-time member and former Cochrane mayor Lydia Graham. “But from what I’ve heard, the town’s going to take over. The (Feb. 18) meeting is in regards to the possible dissolution of the group.”
But Jim Anderson, the town’s director of operational services, said he’s mystified by the news.
“To the best of my knowledge this is only a rumour and we’re keen to keep the group on as a historical resource,” he said. “We really want them to carry on. It’s all great stuff.”
Until the province turned the Cochrane RancheHouse over to the town, along with the responsibility for the surrounding land, Anderson said the Ranche Hands took care of most of the maintenance of the area.
“But ever since the town acquired the property, we’ve included the maintenance of the land as a separate park,” he said. “We’ve worked alongside the Ranche Hands and they took care of any interpretive signage, they spearheaded all that, but we took care of trails and park maintenance.”
To make this transition easier, a RancheHouse Advisory Committee disbanded last fall.
Ranche Hand Larry Want said the problem is complicated by the fact the group runs mainly on casino money.
“We need to either own or lease the land to be able to use that money,” he said. “We can’t use the money to pay wages but we are allowed to use it to pay interpreters, but now that the town wants to look after that as well, there’s not much left for us to spend the money on.”
This is news to Coun. Jeff Genung, who was the council representative on the now disbanded RancheHouse Advisory Committee.
“I just heard abut this and I was kinda surprised,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll hear some more about it before anyone takes any drastic measures. They’re a valuable group.”
Mayor Ken Bech said he had received a letter from the group announcing its plans.
“I was quite taken aback when I got that letter,” he said.
Bech acknowledged the group’s “role changed” when the town took over the 155-acre provincial historic site but, “I never really saw them being taken out of the current roles too. They’ll have to work it out with Jim Anderson.”
But one of the original Ranche Hand members, Margaret Buckley, said though the town may want the group to stay, its role has changed so much it’s become difficult to attract new volunteers.
“We used to repair pathways and we did a tremendous amount of work upgrading the Big Hill Creek,” she said. “But now the town is doing that, there’s not exciting work for us to do so it’s just a bit discouraging. The volunteers feel they’ve not been listened to.”
Want said that even if the Ranche Hands do decide to disband, they’ll continue to host their annual Dominion Day tea on the Ranche site.
“We’re still looking at keeping that going,” he said. “But that might be all.”

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By Jack Tennant
So now that we’ve switched one minority for another will we notice a difference?
And for how long?
That noise you hear are frustrated western Tories stampeding to the public trough and one of the biggest challenges facing Stephen Harper is controlling that mass.
Congratulations to all and not only the winning candidates.
It takes courage, time and dedication to run for public office so a tip of the toque to all.
Especially incumbent Conservative MP Myron Thompson for once again winning this riding — he wins not because of party affiliation but because he’s a good man.
And a golfer.
Speaking of politics and golf . . .
On Jan. 20 Bruce Labelle was sworn in as chief of the Chiniki First Nation at Morley in a traditional ceremony at the school gym.
Councillors Henry Holloway, Homer Holloway, Charles Mark and Clifford Powderface were also installed in office for three-year terms before a crowd of 200.
It was a traditional event with prayers, a grand entry and pipe ceremony, speeches, signing of declarations and oaths, an eagle feather presentation and songs by the Chiniki Lake Drummers.
It’s a great story and the future is a great challenge for the chief and council but there’s more.
I first met Chief Labelle at the 2004 Randy Bearspaw memorial golf tournament at Banff.
He didn’t win and neither did I, but he did win the long drive contest.
And he won easy. It was no contest.
On one of the par fives he teed up, looked down the long fairway, a couple of waggles and with a mighty swing smacked the ball 420 yards.
But it wasn’t quite that simple.
The fairway has a slight S-curve and his ball went left, hitting the paved cart path for a huge bounce.
Then it skittered along the fairway and hit the cart path again for another long bounce and finally came to rest barely on the fairway.
It was the long drive of the day.
So it’s no surprise that someone with such strength and the ability for such detailed planning would some day be chief of the Chiniki nation.
ß ß ß
The saga of the plaster eagle is not quite over. Close but not quite.
I’m still not sure who the town joker is that left us the eagle, but I’d like to talk to Wade Cowie about it. I’m told he knows about that kind of stuff.
ß ß ß
Time is running out. You only have a couple of days to get your tickets for the 7th annual Robbie Burns night Jan. 28.
It’s a night of fun, festivities and feasting on haggis and you wouldn’t want your kids to have the only parents in town who didn’t enjoy haggis in memory of the “Immortal Bard” from Scotland.
Did you know I was related to Robbie? In every bit of research I’ve done on Robbie Burns, the information is that he was the son of a “Tenant” farmer.
Close enough for me.
There are only about 20 tickets left so call 932-3565 to snag a couple.
See you there.
ß ß ß
I thought it interesting that the day after the election the Calgary Herald had an “election sale” ad from WestJet. Right after all the election results was the ad proclaiming “Great fares no matter who you voted for.”
Included in the list was $179 to Ottawa.
One way.
ß ß ß
I discovered some interesting facts on one of our corporate citizens.
It’s the Shell Jumping Pound complex.
It was the first plant in Alberta to extract sulphur from the gas and sell it to the fertilizer, medical and manufacturing industries.
Besides the plant there are five natural gas fields with more than 80 producing wells and 19 of those are located on the Stoney First Nation.
The Jumping Pound field covers 200,000 acres and contains 300 km of pipeline, four main compressors and seven smaller ones.
It employs about 100 with an annual payroll of more than $9 million and is an appreciated member of our community.

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By Shawn Logan
The Eagle
Rocky View fire investigators are probing a mysterious blaze Jan. 23 that destroyed the lodge at a youth camp near Bragg Creek operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary.
Firefighters rushed to Camp Cadicasu in West Bragg Creek after a bus driver spotted flames coming from the site.
Trent West, fire chief for the Municipal District of Rocky View, said by the time crews arrived just after 8 a.m., a large wooden building in the camp was completely engulfed in flames.
“Once the fire department got there it was fully involved,” West said. “We were really happy to have kept it to the building of origin because it’s a wooded area.”
The approximately 150 ft. by 50 ft. building served as the main lodge for the camp
“It’s standing dead. It’s gone,” he said, noting the day manager wasn’t on site when the fire started.
Rocky View firefighters from Redwood Meadows and Springbank were assisted by crews from Cochrane and Calgary, as well as Alberta Sustainable Resource Development and forestry officers.
The cause of the blaze is unknown and West said the M.D. is still investigating.
However, he noted “based on everything we’ve seen,” it doesn’t appear to be “suspicious.”
A damage estimate for the property hadn’t been determined by Jan. 23. (more…)

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By Shawn Logan
The Eagle
Cochrane council granted an extension for a long-delayed development after hearing Keyland Development Corp. is appealing a number of conditions outlined in a decision last year by the Municipal Government Board.
Frank Wesseling, the town’s director of planning and engineering, said with Keyland’s appeal of the May 16, 2005 MGB ruling, there is little likelihood of the developer meeting the deadline set for May 16 of this year.
“The applicant is requesting a reconsideration of a number of conditions,” Wesseling said, noting the majority of Keyland’s concerns surround “primarily legal-related issues.”
The MGB ruling includes 11 conditions including meeting all the conditions of subdivision approval required by the town.
Keyland has launched a $58 million lawsuit against the town, two of its staffers and the Municipal District of Rocky View after years of an impasse over developing the land east of Bow Valley High school.
Asked by Coun. Ken Hynes why the town would grant Keyland a time extension, Wesseling noted it will, “remove it as an issue that might be used against the town,” in subsequent rulings by the MGB.
He added this is the first time he has “experienced somebody actually asking the MGB to reconsider conditions they’ve set.”
The time extension, which is now May 16, 2007, will allow the adequate time for the appeal to be resolved, council heard. Council approved the extension 6-1 with Hynes opposed.

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By Warren Harbeck
This week began by Canadians electing a Conservative government under Stephen Harper. May wise King Solomon’s coronation prayer from nearly three millennia ago (Psalm 72, the source of Canada’s motto “From sea to sea,” which we reflected on last week) provide a lamp for the new prime minister’s feet and a light for his path.
Which brings me around to several responses I received to that column.
Longtime Calgary coffee companion Onalee Oakes was most affirming when she wrote, “I hope you sent a copy of this whole article to the office of each of the men running for prime minister!”
To Onalee’s sentiments Edmonton writer/historian John Chalmers added:
“I found your column and the biblical quotations quite thought-provoking in making me think about the huge responsibility that a national leader has towards the people. Too often I feel that politicians are more concerned with their own personal glory than with the interests of those who elect them.”
It’s really about the right kind of wisdom, wrote Calgary dentist Ralph Dubienski:
“Wow, great words, Warren! May our leaders be so blessed with this wisdom. Not just a worldly wisdom, but an honest and righteous wisdom that will be seen and recognized by the world for its truth and one that crosses political and faith boundaries.”
Dudley Baker, of Edmonton, obviously feels much the same way but notes also a special responsibility the rest of us bear on behalf of our elected leaders. He wrote:
“There is a saying, that we get the kind of government we deserve. In my view and experience, that saying is oh, so true. The Bible’s instruction that we pray for those in authority is, of course, key to what kind of governments we have, not to mention what kind of bosses, business leaders and on and on, we live under. We are told to pray for our leadership. I don’t believe we do, or we would have far, far better leadership, men and women standing for office who would govern with the priorities of Psalm 72.”
I must add something especially interesting about how Dudley came to be one of the regulars at our virtual coffee table. Last year Dudley was passing through Cochrane and stopped at Coffee Traders. While reading a copy of the Cochrane Eagle, he came upon one of my columns he especially liked, wrote me, and asked to become one of our e-mail coffee companions.
More and more of our distance readers have joined our table in similar ways, and they’re all welcome. In fact, their input has a great deal to do with making this column rich in relevance and diverse opinions.
Returning to responses from local readers, I was pleased to hear from Herbert Pietsch, of Redwood Meadows. He wrote, “I just wanted you to know how impressed my wife and I are with your knowledge of the Bible.”
Since several of our coffee companions have said similar things recently, I’d like to comment on what the Bible means to me personally.
Perhaps I should begin by sharing an experience I’ve had over many cups of coffee and tea around campfires and over kitchen tables with folks in the Stoney Nakoda First Nation communities of Morley and Big Horn, where I lived most of my adult life.
As with other First Nations communities, the teaching role of elders is very important. Their wise teaching doesn’t usually take place in walled classrooms, however. Rather, they pass their wisdom on in the informal moments of life’s journey — in the home, along the trail, at sporting events: wherever and whenever a younger person will take time to observe and listen.
Furthermore, the “final exam” for their teaching does not involve pen and paper, nor do the elders evaluate our learning with judgmental grades. The subject of their teaching is life itself, and life will be the judge as to whether we have passed happily and gratefully through its all-too-short days.
Similarly, from my earliest memories as a child, the Bible has been for me a wise elder. Its words, passed on by a great witness of people over thousands of years, have shaped my values and embrace of life.
And along life’s sometimes dark, winding trails, I have paused and reflected on one of the first verses from the Bible I memorized in Sunday School, the words from Psalm 119, verse 105: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
And I have no hesitation now in re-commending that wisdom to our new prime minister.
(c) 2006 Warren Harbeck, warren@harbeck.ca.

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By Sarah Junkin
At this moment you’re probably getting ready to feast on a large plate of haggis, served with mashed neeps and tatties in celebration of Robbie Burns Day. So it may interest you to know this delicious Scottish national dish is in serious jeopardy.
The Food Standards Agency in Scotland has said it wants to discontinue the use of sheep intestines as the bag haggis is cooked in because of the possible risk of BSE. The recipe for haggis varies, but it’s usually made using a sheep’s stomach bag which holds a mixture of sheep’s liver, heart and lung, oatmeal, suet, onions and spices.
Of course, some politicians and fans of Burns, a poet who immortalized the dish in his work, are furious to find their favourite delicacy under threat.
The Scottish National Party issued a statement saying the recommendation was “officialdom gone mad.”
“To ban the use of sheep intestines, which are still a common ingredient, would be ludicrous,” said a spokesperson — an unusual statement in any context.
Burns honoured the haggis with his mock-heroic address which celebrated the “great chieftain o’ the puddin’ race,” and the dish is still celebrated Jan. 25 at Burns gatherings all around the world.
When I was growing up in Glasgow my mom served haggis at least once a week, and I never gave any thought to what was in it. It was tasty, easy to prepare and pretty inexpensive. I’m sorry my boys make such a fuss whenever I try to make them eat it.
But there’s a more ominous threat to the future of haggis as Scotland’s national dish, so serious it’d make Burns quake in his kilt.
Haggis is being usurped by deep-fried Mars bars as Scotland’s national dish. Yes, findings from a 2004 study were reported in the medical journal The Lancet. Of the 300 fish and chip shops surveyed around Scotland, 22 per cent of them were found to serve deep-fried Mars bars. I’m assuming the trend is escalating at roughly the same rate as heart disease in that part of the world.
The researchers found Mars bars weren’t Scotland’s only deep fried specialty, with chip shops also frying up ice cream, pizzas, and bananas.
But Mars bars are the favourite, a trend thought to have originated in the village of Stonehaven, the result of a bet between a store owner and a customer. That particular shop now sells 300 deep fried battered Mars bars a week.
Wait, there’s more. Haggis is big news these days apparently, and haggis hurling is a sport that’s grown steadily in popularity since the 1970s. It’s only a matter of time before it reaches Cochrane. I’m proud to announce the World Haggis Hurling Championships actually took place in my little home town of Milngavie in 2004.
But there’s a problem. Until recently, everyone thought the sport had its origins in early Scottish clan gatherings, when women would toss a haggis across the stream to their husbands to catch in their kilts. This may be a hoax.
A man named Robin Dunseath said he started it as a practical joke in 1977. In his book, The Complete Haggis Hurler, he reveals how the hoax came to be.
“It was all just a joke. Myself and a few friends got together because we were annoyed at people exploiting Scotland for their personal advantage,” he wrote, referring to foreign entrepreneurs who make money from the sale of cheap tartan souvenirs.
“I took out an advert in a national paper advertising the world haggis hurling championships, and we were amazed at the response. It was meant to be a one-off joke but it became an experiment in gullibility.”
Gullible or not, thousands of hurlers now take part in the sport, and national haggis hurling organizations have sprung up in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
Alan Pettigrew, who has held the haggis hurling world record for 21 years, said Dunseath is mistaken.
“That’s rubbish. He may have helped revive the sport, but he didn’t make it up,” he said. “The history is real.”
If you haven’t eaten haggis, give it a try although it’s not that plentiful in Cochrane. Safeway usually stocks a few and is hoping to get some. Extra Foods says they never sell them, and the IGA butcher is having trouble locating any. Or, go to the Men of Vision Pipes and Drums Robbie Burns Night Jan. 28 at the Cochrane RancheHouse. Call 932-3565 for tickets.
But it’s not all bad news. All three grocery stores report having all the ingredients you need to whip up a deep-fried Mars bar.
sarah@cochraneeagle.com.

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