A large cross-section of ranchers, landowners, and environementalists showed up yesterday on the steps of the McDougall Centre in Calgary to support the Alberta Liberal Caucus’ call for a moratorium on new oil and gas leases in the Eastern Slopes area south of the city. You can read our press release: Alberta Liberals call for protection of Eastern Slopes. There are two press clippings to view, one from Renata D’Allesio of the Calgary Herald: Outfitter wants Albertans to be heard, and one from Shannon Woodward of the Calgary Sun: MLA calls for halt to new drilling in southern slopes.

Danielle Droitsch of Bow RiverKeepers speaks passionately about protecting Calgary’s source for drinking water in the Eastern Slopes. Check the Bow RiverKeepers website for more info on the actions they are taking on the environment: http://www.bowriverkeeper.org/

Nigel Douglas from the Alberta Wilderness Association lends his support to the call for a moratorium of all new oil and gas leases in the Eastern Slopes until a land-use plan is in place. More info on AWA: www.albertawilderness.ca/

James Tweedie of the Castle Crown Wilderness Coalition reads a 30 year old statement from the Government of Alberta. It is clear that the Government has not lived up to it’s own mandate. More info on Castle Crown: http://www.ccwc.ab.ca/ Sid Marty of the Livingstone Landowners Group speaks about his distrust of the current government and supports the Alberta Liberal call for a moratorium on new development until a land use strategy is in place. More info on Livingstone here: http://www.livingstone-landowners-group.net/

I’d love to hear your comments on this issue!