Noteworthy: A small gesture of friendship during a tumultuous time

By Bruce Penton on August 20, 2025.

Proving that the bond between Canada and the United States is too strong to evaporate over the actions of one man, a few hundred people from northern U.S. and southern Canada gathered at the International Peace Garden recently for what was called a “Handshake Across the Border.”

The Canadian participants lined up on one side, directly across from the U.S. residents, and while no one actually crossed the border and entered the other country, the people wandered along like a Stanley Cup final handshake line, grasping the paws of their cross-border neighbours.

Reported the Brandon Sun: “It was the first time in decades the International Peace Garden had hosted the event, and for many participants, it felt deeply personal.”

“We’re thankful for the Peace Garden,” said Danny Luecke of North Dakota. attending with his wife and children. “Even though maybe on a national level there are frustrations, we still want to be friends. That handshake is about showing that friendship.”

Quite the contrast to the action around the Coutts border crossing a couple of years ago.

• Costco musings: Grocery cart insurance? Strolling through the aisles at Costco recently, an intersection was approaching and a nice gentleman was walking toward me at my left, gazing to his left at the free food samples offered. Not sure who has the right of way in a situation like that, but there was going to be a collision had I kept moving. Being the gentleman I am, I stopped and the man saw I had prevented a crash, and thanked me.

Maybe a liability insurance policy should be purchased while you flash your membership card at the front entrance.

A few minutes later, there was a cute exchange between a mother and perhaps her daughter that I happened to overhear because I couldn’t get out of the way. Mother: “But I don’t want to go up and down every aisle. I just want to find the bacon bits.”

Sometimes finding something like bacon bits in Costco is akin to locating a needle in a haystack.

• Paradise Valley Golf Course in Medicine Hat has been sold.

Dawn and Les Postnikoff announced via Facebook last week that the course has been sold to a company called Golf North, a Canadian company operating golf courses since 1994, with locations across B.C., Alberta and other points in Canada. Golf North owns and operates a variety of courses, including Wolf Creek near Red Deer.

“When they first visited Paradise Valley, they were wowed by our course, the Toptracer Range, the Clubhouse restaurant, and most importantly, the people who make PV what it is,” said the Postnikoffs in their Facebook post.

Visitors to Paradise Valley won’t notice any changes after the ownership switch, says Dawn. Staff and operations will remain as is. Punch cards, gift cards, memberships and bookings won’t be affected.

‘GolfNorth’s resources, experience and passion for the game mean new opportunities, fresh energy and a strong foundation for PV to keep growing for years to come,” the posting said, adding, “We’re confident this new chapter will be a win for our players, our staff and the Medicine Hat golf scene.”

• A tasty note from Yahoo.com: “Retired NFL star J.J. Watt dominated the viral ‘9-9-9 Challenge’, eating nine hot dogs and drinking nine beers during a nine-inning Brewers game. In fact, he finished with 3.5 innings to spare … and still had room for a postgame meal.”

• “Guns don’t kill people; people kill people” is one of the common refrains of the gun lobby, but guns don’t kill people if people don’t have guns.

In 2024, there were 16,700 homicides by gunfire in the U.S.; in Canada there were 286. The U.S. has 10 times the population of Canada, but 58 times the number of gun-related homicides. Yeah, let’s become the 51st state and get our homicide numbers up, said no one.

• Short snappers: Russia may hold the upper hand in its war with Ukraine, but in July, 20,000 Russian solders reportedly were killed. … Drew Barnes, Andy McGrogan and Alan Rose are all officially on the ballot for mayor in Medicine Hat’s Oct. 20 municipal election. The number of hopefuls for councillor seats has risen to 17. The latest to file papers are Kaleb Org, Kirby Schafer, Kirsten Spek, Kevin Monson, Michael Reid and Laura Butterfield. … It’s a parody website, but TheBeaverton.com can sometimes be cruel as well as funny. A recent headline about Monday’s byelection won by Pierre Poilievre said: “Poilievre promises Battle River-Crowfoot if elected they will never see him again.”

Bruce Penton is a retired News editor who may be reached at brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca

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