Lethbridge Herald (Newspaper) - March 29, 2006, Lethbridge, Alberta ONLINE EDITION v f r March INSIDE TODAY Westside stadium project update Oberg will continue to seek PC leadership A2 Canadas Estimates as of Labrador Edward Nova Scotia Quebec Manitoba Alberta Columbia Yukon Northwest Territories Nunavut Source Statistics Canada CP Record numbers flock to Alberta Population in Alberta grows by leaps and says OTTAWA CP Statistics Canada says Albertas population increased at more than five times the national average during the last three months of as record numbers of people flocked to the booming province from other regions of Estimated at more than million on Albertas population increased per cent during the fourth with just over twothirds of the migrants coming from other provinces and Albertas well above the per cent rate for Canadas population as a The provinces population gain of was the highest ever attained in a fourth quarter approached only by similar growth during the period of Seven of Canadas 13 provinces and territories suffered population declines during the fourth quarter only the second time since 1971 so many regions recorded a decline during the same The only two regions to record a growth rate above the national average were British at per and up per Three others recorded marginal growth Ontario and Manitoba while the four Atlantic the Yukon and the Northwest Territories all lost Canadas population was estimated at on CANKS COVERAGE WHL lans flock to Calgary Hurricanes fan bus heads north for Game 3 Lethbridge Hurricane hockey fans whoop it up as they depart Tuesday ram the Centre on a fan bus to the Pengrowth in Cal gary for a playoff game against the rival The WHL Eastern Conference quarterfinal series was tied 11 heading into Tuesdays HERALD PHOTO BY DAVID ROSSITER LAST NIGHTS COVERAGE Herald sports editor Trevor Kenney reports from Cal gary on last nights tilt between the Hur ricanes and Hitmen HEALTHCARE INITIATIVE Watt ists being tackled Joint replacement surgeries will rise substantially Lethbridge Herald For people in need of hip oV knee every v day coping with the pain and reduced mobility is one day too Rather than wait for the provinces proposed Third Way to produce a promised reduction in wait the Chinook Health Region is taking steps to reduce that wait through a multipronged approach to tackle the wait list for joint Our longest surgical wait is for hip and knee said Vernon the CHRs chief clinical noting the region has a wait list of more than 200 patients for joint replacement The CHR expects to whittle down the list considerably by increasing the number of joint replacement surgeries to 18 per week from This will be possible by the recent addition of another orthopedic the opening of another operating increasing post surgical bed capacity incorporating a The recruitment of Mark Fernhout bolsters the regions team of orthopedic surgeons to Not only does Fernhout bring another set of but also he has some added skills that expand the orthopedic of the said orthopedic surgeon Martin Recruitment has also restored the CHRs full complement of anesthetists and the outfitting of a new OR will provide the additional surgical capacity needed to handle more joint In the announced last to move the post acute rehabilitation program to Michaels Health Centre will free up more bed space for those recovering from replacement Another key adopted from a successful pilot project carried out in Edmonton and Calgary during the past is a pre rehabilitation program that will better prepare patients for the rigours of replacement surgery and The will reduce the required hospital stay after said By making sure patients are at the peak of health before the rehab will go a lot he Grypma said the demand for hip and knee replacements will continue to grow as the baby boomer population We need to be he Thats why were taking this initiative While wait times for joint replacement can roughly the waiting list is about a said I think an ideal waiting list would be two or three For those in a lengthy wait becomes not just a quality of life Jubber but can also affect a persons Murder conspiracy laid By KRISTEN HARDING Lethbridge FORT 55 yearold Fort man has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder as part of an ongoing investigation that sprang from an earlier case of attempted Dennis Eidet with Fort Macleod RCMP was unable to comment on how the two cases are related or provide any details about the circumstances that led to the conspiracy This charge stems from an investigation that was initiated in November 2005 as part of an attempted murder he Its a parallel investigation but they are Story CONTINUED on Cultural celebration Geoff Chief Body stands in line with others from the Blackfoot High Plains Dancers during the kick off Tuesday for Native Awareness Week at the University of Events continue Thursday with native entertainers at the a traditional feast and pow wow on Friday at the Medicine Tree Lodge Centre at the same a tournament is planned for HERALD PHOTO BY IAN MARTENS INSIDE TODAY The Heralds annual guide profiling many of our citys and regions vibrant Stocks Comics Deaths Entertainment Living Missing Pets Opinion Sports Scoreboard Weather B4 B5 B7 8814 68 A9 83 Price Home delivery 50 cents daily