On any given day, we can read news articles and information on bullying and its devastating effects. My personal experience started when I was in grade school. It was quietly excused as the “pecking order”. It was not until I started standing up for myself that things changed.
From school yards to politicians, domestic and global, the abuse takes many forms from the obvious to the subtle. Subtle is defined as, “quietly making use of clever direct and indirect methods to achieve something”.
Past and president present Alberta governments have slowly over time diminished property rights. This gives government and corporations immense power to push through a wide array of projects, including oil and gas, seismograph, and electrical (transmission lines, renewable energy sources).
Allow me to get on my soapbox for a minute or two to address our coming election. Once Alberta voters get past the fear mongering from the NDP, we will have a conservative government. I personally do not want a return to total dominance by one party. This is what got us to where we are today. We need conservative independent thinkers in our legislature to hold government accountable.
The challenge to Jason Kenney, leader of the UCP party, is this: If he and the UCP party want to truly be global leaders in respecting property rights, they must repeal Bill 36, Section 11(1) states, “For the purpose of achieving or maintaining an objective or a policy of a regional plan, a regional plan may, by express reference to a statutory consent or type or class of statutory consent, affect, amend or rescind the statutory consent or the terms or conditions of the statutory consent”. This gives government absolute authority regarding your property rights!
I quote from an email from the UCP: “The United Conservative Party is built on a believe that government serves its people and never the other way around. That is why our party has announced a firm commitment to end unfair government abuse towards property owners. If elected, this spring, our United Conservative government will bring a series of specific measures to establish Alberta as a world leader in the production of property rights.”
Repeal of the clause would ensure property rights are restored to ensure corporations involved in projects, engage in meaningful dialogue while respecting land owners’ rights.
Briefly on the ATCO/Altalink transmission line. I want to address the issue of proposed project routes. These are only proposed project routes. The routes presented in your information package are very likely subject to change. You may not now be on a proposed project route, but a second round of open houses, by ATCO/Altalink in June will present more defined proposed project routes. This will include the type of structure, so I am told. Be aware, at this time you may be on the route or closer than you are now. I bring this up as in my conversations with landowners there seems to be a misconception that these current routes are somehow the routes, written in stone. The routes presented in June will have been tweaked to address concerns and comments gathered during the first round. Once again, form groups, voice your concern, stand up for change. Strength in opposition. Strength in numbers.
Brett Penosky, County of Stettler