Public funeral service held for Okotoks mayor
Okotoks mayor Bill Robertson will be laid to rest Saturday after he died earlier this month following a battle with cancer.
Robertson, who died July 7, was first elected to town council in 1995. He became mayor in 2010.
During his tenure, he witnessed Okotoks grow from fewer than 10,000 people to nearly 30,000.
The public service began at 1 p.m, at the Foothills Centennial Centre, with a maximum capacity of 450 and overflow seating at the adjacent Pason Centennial Arenas of up to 1,000.
Physical distancing was in effect at the wishes of the family.
Close friend and town councillor Ed Sands says he was devasted by Robertson's death but reflected on their time together on council — that spanned about two decades.
"Everybody loved him at many levels," Sands said. "As a teacher, as a councillor, as a mayor, and as a promoter.
"The criticism of government, is 'You devils spend too much money.' But Bill was always there making sure we weren't those devils that spent all that money."
Robertson's sons spoke to the crowded room.
Mike Robertson said his dad was a leader and someone who he looks up to.
"He transcended the duties of a father," Mike said. "And we only hope to emulate who he was as a man, and a husband and a father as we move forward without him."
Robertson was transported by his favourite vehicle, the Darcy Smith Special Events Cruiser, which is an antique firetruck, from the Centennial Centre to a private family service at the Okotoks Cemetery.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities such as Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston, Ont., Hamilton, Ont., Brampton, Ont., and Montreal.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Record-breaking N.B. lottery winner kept winning ticket on dresser for nearly a year
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.