I’ve put together a survey to find out what people are most concerned about in Alberta. There is a section specifically for environment since I am currently the Shadow Minister for Environment and would like to know if I’m on the right track in my efforts. Please take a moment to fill out the survey and let me know what you think!
Winds of Change Survey
Monthly Archives: January 2008
Betrayal
The Conservative government has released their plan to reduce our carbon emissions which will actually allow emissions to continue to rise in Alberta until 2020. After 15 years of ignoring, denying and now pretending to address this vital threat to survival they are demonstrating their inability to confront their responsibility to future generations.
Norway is a country with similar resources, including oil and gas, and has managed to not only exceed Kyoto targets (roughly 40% reduction in carbon below where we are today) but sock away over $200 billion to assist with public funding and with energy efficiency and renewable energy. They intend to become largely carbon neutral in the next few decades and have not sacrificed their quality of life significantly. That is leadership!
There has been a betrayal of Albertans in relation to environmental stewardship in Alberta and it is time for change!
Below are two articles that outline what the government has proposed:
January 25, 2008, Edmonton Journal: Alberta sets bar low in climate-change plan
January 25, 2008, Calgary Sun (Rick Bell): Green Ed takes a long-range shot at cutting emissions
Election in the Air
Election fever is in the air! There has been no official announcement but all indications are that Mr Stelmach will announce the election around February 4 and his Speech from the Throne. If so we will be voting in early March/08!
What do you care about in Alberta’s future? Are we developing and protecting our natural resources in the best way?
Are we managing our economy and investing our wealth wisely?
Are we providing proper services and supports to vulnerable people in our communities?
I need to hear from you so that I can speak on the issues in forums and debates next month.
I continue to believe in the rights and responsibility of all citizens to actively participate in changing government to more closely reflect the long term public interest rather than short term economic and corporate interests.
I hope to see you soon on the doors! Feel free to write or call the number below if you want to talk – or volunteer!
Best,
David
216-5445
calgary.mountainview@assembly.ab.ca
#102, 723 14 Street NW, Calgary AB, T2N 2A4
Open House and Climate Change Event
I’m looking forward to connecting with many of you this Saturday January 19th at my Open House. There will be some good food, hot drinks and a chance to share some of your views about the future of Alberta.
Here is a short promo video for the Step it Up Climate Change event next Saturday Jan. 26th at Eau Claire Market. The video is very well done and speaks to the heart of the matter: What do we cherish and want to protect for the future?
Government Fails at Covering up Royalty Advice
Seems as though the government has a hard time covering it’s tracks these days. This news seems pretty important to me, why is it just appearing on the 7th page?Â
New documents show royalties loss was billions; Alberta Energy mistakenly released secret information
The Calgary Herald
Sat 05 Jan 2008
Page: A7
Section: News
Byline: Darcy Henton
Dateline: EDMONTON
Source: Edmonton Journal
EDMONTON – Alberta Energy told the provincial government in 2004 the province was missing out on billions of dollars in resource revenue, newly released documents show.
In a 2006 report, the department estimated that since royalty rates were capped at certain price levels, Alberta had lost between $1.3 billion and $2.8 billion in “uncaptured economic rent” for natural gas alone in 2003 and 2004, or between $700 million and $1.4 billion a year.
One of the department’s teams called on the government to “increase conventional oil and gas royalties to restore Alberta’s fair share at high prices.”
Another section of the report, comparing Alberta with eight U.S. oil-producing states, showed the province ranked lowest in the percentage it took in royalties and taxes.
The information, inadvertently released by Alberta Energy, demonstrates the lengths to which the provincial government went to hide the fact that it has known for years Albertans weren’t getting their fair share, provincial Liberal energy critic Hugh MacDonald said Friday.
The documents, released to environmental activist Martha Kostuch just before Christmas, show key information about the royalty regime had been held back in documents released previously to opposition parties and the media.
“The reason they withheld this information until now is simply because of guilt,” MacDonald said. “They knew Albertans would be very angry with them. . . . It was deceitful.”
Alberta Energy spokesman Jason Chance said Friday the department was justified in “severing” information, and that the release to Kostuch of uncensored information was a mistake.
“It appears it was an unintentional administrative oversight in the FOIP (Freedom of Information and Privacy) process, and there was no intention to provide different information to different applicants,” Chance said. “There was information in that document that was severed when it was previously requested because it was deemed to be advice to a former minister.”
The government, he said, has been forthright and has released “hundreds and hundreds of pages” of royalty documents.
MacDonald said the Stelmach government has forgotten that Albertans own the resources.
“If the public had this information uncensored at the height of this debate last fall, Mr. Stelmach’s compromise royalty position would have been seen as an unacceptable compromise,” he said.
Alberta Energy “can’t hide behind FOIP whenever they don’t want to release information,” MacDonald said.
He said the new documents provide “100 per cent” confirmation of conclusions reached by the provincial auditor general and a royalty review committee appointed by Stelmach that Alberta hasn’t been getting its fair share of royalties.