In a Jan. 15 letter to the Chairman of the Alberta Energy Regulator, Environment Minister Brian Jean lifted the ban on coal exploration on the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains that was put in place after intense public pressure on Jason Kenney’s United Conservative Party Government in February 2021.
Hard to say whether the fact this came to light while the world’s attention is “laser focused,” as UCP governments love to say, on Donald Trump’s inauguration as president of the United States in Washington D.C., but it’s certainly convenient for Mr. Jean.
Alberta environmentalist Kevin Van Tighem described Mr. Jean’s decision as “a declaration of war on our province, our children and our future. This must not stand!”
As readers may recall, back in May 2020, Mr. Kenney’s government unexpectedly rescinded the Lougheed Government’s coal policy, which had been in place since 1976, to open the Eastern Slopes to coal mining.
Public protest immediately ensued, including in rural agricultural communities normally considered to be part of the UCP’s loyal heartland. At that point, energy minister Sonya Savage reluctantly restored the Lougheed-era ban on exploration.
Since then, foreign coal mining interests have been beavering away – a process described through a detailed timeline by journalist Andrew Nikiforuk published by The Tyee earlier this month. Mr. Jean’s letter signals a success for the coal-mining industry and a disaster for Alberta.
“This means our headwaters, native grasslands, the last of pristine landscapes and wildlife corridors are open for coal business,” Save the Mountains Alberta said in a social media post yesterday afternoon. “The entirety of the eastern slopes will be reopened, rendering them susceptible to potential coal development, with the exception of National Parks.”
Questioned by journalists, a UCP spokesperson tried to pass this off as mere housekeeping, but this explanation defies credulity.
The letter “means that projects that had already got exploration permits, those permits are effectively now reinstated, and exploration can start again on those properties,” Nigel Bankes, University of Calgary professor emeritus of law, told the CBC. “The Eastern Slopes is open again for coal activities.”
Why now, wondered Mr. Van Tighem, the well known conservationist and former superintendant of Banff National Park, in a social media post. “Nothing has changed about the science: Stripping coal out of those Eastern Slopes will impair our watersheds and contaminate our water with selenium for generations, potentially crippling the ag-foods industry. It will destroy habitat for legally protected species at risk including bull trout, cutthroat trout, limber and whitebark pine and others. It will turn some of our most beautiful mountain and foothills landscapes into rubble-filled holes. It will cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of tax dollars when the mines are abandoned. It flies in the face of public opinion.”
“This was neither a rational nor a principled decision,” Mr. Van Tighem asserted. “The government was facing big lawsuits because of how they originally bungled the issue, and they think this will give them political cover because happy coal companies don’t sue. … It’s just about dodging responsibility.”
Biologist Lorne Fitch, an occasional contributor to this blog, offered an interpretation of Mr. Jean’s letter – passed along by Mr. Van Tighem: “I have now rescinded the directions made earlier, subject to previous rescindments, now unrescinded, which lifts suspensions except where suspensions are still suspended complying with directions under a previous rescinded direction and subsequently protecting the environment except where it will not be protected, subject to periods of suspension, which may, or may not continue to be suspended unless the rescinding of previous direction provides different direction. To the coal industry I say and let me be clear, fire up your bulldozers, get digging and let’s forget about those nasty court challenges over billions of dollars of lost revenue. Let’s just be friends, OK?”
Sounds about right.
Despite its timing, expect this story to get bigger in coming days and weeks.
Meanwhile, in Washington, Trump’s on-again, off-again Canada tariff threat is on again
It only took a couple of hours yesterday before Postmedia political commentator Don Braid had to pull a fawning column proclaiming tendentiously that freshly inaugurated U.S. President Trump hadn’t gone after Canada with huge tariffs after all, thanks to the wisdom and courage of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
“Premier Smith’s efforts helped avert tariff war Liberals invited,” cheered the headline on Mr. Braid’s effort, which went on to say, “it’s rather sad to feel relief when U.S. President Donald Trump doesn’t mention Canada in his inauguration speech.”
I can’t tell you more, because that drivel went down Postmedia’s commodious Memory Hole faster than you could say Winston Smith, as soon as Mr. Trump made it clear that big tariffs will be coming Canada’s way after all, unless we let him annex the place, and maybe even then. I can only quote as much as I did thanks to the wonders of Google.
While he signed pardons for Jan. 6 insurrectionists or something yesterday, Mr. Trump told reporters that “we are thinking in terms of 25 per cent on Mexico and Canada because they are allowing vast number of people, Canada is a very bad abuser also, vast numbers of people to come in and fentanyl to come in.” Expect something bad by Feb. 1, he said.
Well, it would have been embarrassing if anyone had actually had a chance to read the column. If by chance anyone captured this saw it, do feel free to send a screenshot along.
Meanwhile, the Alberta government is not as nimble as Postmedia, and Ms. Smith’s embarrassing official statement still lingers, stating that “Alberta is pleased to see that today President Donald Trump has decided to refrain from imposing tariffs on Canadian goods at this time as they study the issue further.” Sucking up, obviously, will get you nowhere.
It’s clear from this, though, that whatever happens, Ms. Smith and the UCP will try to take credit for anything good that arises from the situation, which they have helped to make considerably worse by dividing the otherwise united response of Canada’s premiers, and blame the Liberals for the crisis, which is entirely the making of their hero Donald J. Trump.
Pathetic, really. Although not as pathetic as Ms. Smith’s complaint to CBC reporter Adrienne Arsenault from the Capitol-adjacent rooftop of the Canadian Embassy in Ottawa that her feelings were hurt by Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s criticism of her refusal to get on board with the other premiers.
“I’d never go out and say we should stop selling aluminum to Americans as a way to make a point to hurt Quebec,” she claimed. “And it hurt me that they felt they could make that same argument and that Alberta should sacrifice our interests in order to try to advance some kind of trade war.”
Cry me a river. I’m sure many other Canadians feel the same.
Hi DJC,
Do you mean embassy in DC, in your third last paragraph?
Yes. DJC
I firmly believe that the UCP are digging themselves into a deep hole that they won’t be able to get out of. The sides will cave in on Danielle Smith and the UCP. Along with this, they will drag the CPC down to defeat, and Pierre Poilievre’s aspirations of becoming Prime Minister will be dashed. The damage the UCP have done may be hard to eradicate. If it can be done, that will take a long time to accomplish. There are different lawsuits against the UCP by coal companies, for their backtracking, and these are billions of dollars. One is something like $3.8 billion, another is nearly $11 billion, and another is $15 billion. Somehow, the UCP wants to avoid dealing with these lawsuits, so they are resorting back to allowing coal mining on the eastern slopes of Alberta. As a result, the environment suffers, and we lose. We also gain nothing, because of the hefty costs of these lawsuit amounts. Danielle Smith thought she could stop Donald Trump, but she couldn’t. Postmedia is going to have to stop coddling Danielle Smith and the UCP, and hold them accountable. Knowing their columnists, they won’t do that.
The UCP sure is working hard to show us they really are our grandfathers conservative party, as others once called one of its predecessor parties coincidentally also led by Smith. Shut down renewable energy projects and encourage coal. Could they be any more backward, trying to turn us into the Canadian version of West Virginia?
I suppose this is what happens when Smith leaves Jean behind to his own devices, while she gets a front row seat (or more likely a way back outside the building in the cold seat) for the inauguration.
Well unfortunately for us, her influence on Trump seemed somewhere between fleeting and non existent. The tariffs Smith was eagerly taking credit for not being implemented in the immediate executive orders now seem to be just postponed until Feb 1. It must have been difficult for the UCP cheerleaders in the Post media to be nimble enough to rewrite their columns, but with Trump, they are going to have to again get used to government policy flipping around like a weather vane in a storm.
I suppose for the Feds it is back to Plan A, trying to persuade the US that tariffs are not in their interest either and Plan B coming up with countermeasures in case words are not convincing enough. I can only hope the week or so reprieve with also give Team Canada more time to get their act together and be more united. Who knows Smith might actually finally be back in Canada by then.
DJC— read it, (eye roll & ‘Waterton’ ) got the screen shots. I’m still in the middle of flood mitigation issues, so I’ll work on getting that to you if no one else has.
“Trump’s tariff u-turn ruined Danielle Smith’s day– and ours.
” She talked to heavy hitters in Trump’s world , she even listened to Trump play ABBA…
” Trudeau and his blowhard buddy Ontario Premier Doug Ford ” (ooooh, MEOW!!)
So, “no touchdown dance: , but hey! maybe the efforts with Sarah Huckabee , Marco Rubio and Gov Greg Gianforte (M) will make it a “touchback”?
And Brian Jean isn’t the only minister doing things while the Premier is busy socializing.
Toed Loewen is busy down in Reno auctioning off liscences for hunting in Alberta (what season???) So big horn sheep now too?
Plus another auction in February/ Salt Lake City for moose, deer, cougar etc.
Well if you get rid of all the wildlife, then you don’t have to protect their habitat, so dig/drill Dani girl .
“Conservation” my touchas, as my old boss used to say!
Lebensraum. That’s Trump’s ploy and reminiscent of Adolf. Imagine slights on your country that impede your supposed path to greatness. Annex your neighbour plus a mammoth block of ice and drill, baby, drill. Climate change? Trump has by edict from last night ordered God to rain on LA and stop global warming, if there really is any, by next week at the latest — and He’d better get on the job at once or face the music from an Exceptional America, the place with the world’s best military and cockeyed “Christians”.
There are always sneaky little ferrets willing to enable such megalomaniacs for their own personal deranged narcissistic reasons, and what do we have here? Oh yes, Danielle Smith. Who spoke of collaboration with Trump to double Alberta oil production. She neither knows nor cares from history about how such small rabbit turds as she get squashed in the grass in the rush to supposed hegemonic glory by the real nasties. She is a dope. A complete stupid dolt at best, but I surmised that in 2015 just prior to Notley’s winning election on a visit to Calgary. Heard her on the radio, and wondered how such obvious mental patients were allowed to roam free on Alberta streets without getting enforced treatment. She spouted frothing-at-the-mouth lunacy. So naturally she wants to rape pristine Alberta foothills countryside for coal — she’s de-ranging, ha ha ha ha. As is the Aussie woman behind the main scheme. Let’s light the world on fire!
Since 2016, the the entire Western world has gone apesh!t mad. Four years of Trump, followed by the budding neocon fascists of the Biden/Blinken years sowing societal chaos everywhere by colour revolution, and now back to Trump. Simply great, isn’t it?
Might as well fold up the tent and search for a place to live that is governed by actual logic and reason, if you can. It’s not in the West, and I’m too old and infirm to actually do it. So must endure total drivel and hardship from the lunatics who have escaped the asylum and cackle in glee at being in charge.
Trump backs off on trade tariffs during first day as president
Calgary HeraldNOAH BRENNAN
U.S. President Donald Trump won’t slam Canada with damaging tariffs on his first day in office, but the threat is “still very real,” Premier Danielle Smith says.
“Alberta is pleased to see that today, President Donald Trump has decided to refrain from imposing tariffs on Canadian goods at this time,” Smith said in a statement Monday.
“Despite the promising news today, the threat of U.S. tariffs is still very real,” she said, adding Canada needs to take immediate action to “preserve and strengthen” economic ties with the United States and avoid future tariffs.
Early Monday, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported that the White House confirmed Trump would not impose tariffs immediately upon being sworn into office. Trump will instead sign an executive order to investigate alleged unfair trade and currency practices by Canada, Mexico and China, the publications said.
A presidential memo sent to U.S. federal agencies ahead of the inauguration instructs them to look at trade policies and relationships with Canada, Mexico and China, but doesn’t call for any immediate executive orders to enact new economic measures.
“We know that the U.S. president looks at tariffs as a tool that he wants to impose, and I think we have an argument to make as to why it is that Canada should be able to get a carve-out, but I think it’s now the hard work that we have to do,” Smith told CBC News in Washington, D.C.
“Tariffs are their own punishment. If the Americans put 25 per cent across the board on all Canadian goods, it means that everything that Americans buy that comes from Canada goes up 25 per cent.”
The federal government has said it’s prepared to hit the U.S. with billions of dollars in retaliatory tariffs. Meanwhile, Smith says Alberta won’t stand for Ottawa cutting off energy supply to the U.S. or export tariffs on Alberta energy.
Smith is in Washington for a fiveday diplomatic trip, where she has been meeting with political and energy industry leaders in what the province says is an effort to promote an “era of partnership.”
Smith was to attend Trump’s inauguration ceremony at Capitol Hill, but ended up not attending in-person after the location of the ceremony changed due to cold weather.
In a media release, Smith said Alberta’s on-the-ground presence is expected to build relationships and start critical conversations.
“Given the serious threats of tariffs, it is imperative that we do everything we can to engage directly with the incoming administration, members of Congress and key officials to emphasize Alberta’s critical role in North American energy security and economic prosperity,” Smith said in the news release.
Smith caused controversy last week by refusing to sign a joint statement from other premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that every countermeasure is on the table should tariffs come into force.
In light of the reprieve, Business Council of Alberta president Adam Legge says Alberta businesses have “dodged a bullet, for now.”
“We recognize that this is just a stay of execution for the Canadian economy,” Legge said in an interview with Postmedia on Monday.
With the threat of tariffs still looming, Legge says it should serve as an “overall wake-up call” for Canada to focus on its relationship with the U.S. and to “do better” at home by reducing interprovincial trade barriers.
He also said Canada needs to be a better neighbour and address “irritants” that the U.S. has with Canada, primarily relating to defence spending.
Mark Scholz, president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors, says the tariff reprieve is “welcome news” for Canada’s energy industry.
“Everyone in the room is very relieved,” Scholz said in an interview from Washington, where he says he has been advocating for Canada’s energy industry to American partners.
“It’s good news for the Canadian economy and the Canadian energy industry,” Scholz said, adding: “but there’s no question that we can’t let our guards down.”
Scholz called the potential tariffs “a wake-up call for Canada,” and said Canada needs to look at expanding and diversifying its oil and gas markets in the U.S. and abroad.
“This is something that we’re gonna have to carefully watch,” Scholz said. “There’s more work to be done.”
The Alberta agricultural industry has also been closely monitoring what it previously called the “threat” of tariffs.
On Monday, a leader from the agriculture industry said he was relieved by the reprieve.
“We’re certainly pleased,” said Dennis Laycraft, executive vice-president of the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA).
He said an integrated Canada-u.s. market is important to maintaining affordable beef prices for Canadians.
The CCA will continue to watch “very closely” over the next 24 hours “as more executive orders get signed,” Laycraft said, noting the association was also watching for more details about a review of the United States-mexico-canada Agreement (USMCA).
“We’re prepared to do whatever we can to build a positive conversation around what is one of the most remarkable trading relations in the world,” he said.
A spokesperson for Nutrien, a Canadian fertilizer company with corporate offices in Calgary, emphasized the importance of free trade for the agricultural industry.
“Whether it’s the products that go into producing a crop or the crops themselves, the agriculture industry requires free trade and accessible markets,” said Shawn Churchill, corporate communications manager at Nutrien. “We support diplomatic measures fostering co-operation, and remain hopeful for constructive dialogue between Canada and the United States.”
On the eve of Trump’s inauguration, a spokesperson for the Calgary Chamber of Commerce said the uncertainty facing Alberta businesses amid looming tariffs was “fairly unprecedented.”
“We’re really concerned about tariffs, and see this as one of the bigger threats to the Canadian economy that we’ve had in quite a few years,” said Ruhee Ismail-teja, vice-president of policy and external affairs at the Calgary chamber.
Ismail-teja said the Calgary chamber is calling on the province and the federal government to “think strategically” about how to support businesses that may be affected by potential tariffs, in lieu of any retaliatory measures.
The Calgary chamber has emphasized the need for a strategic approach focused on “pragmatic solutions” to mitigate the impact on Canadian businesses and workers, such as diversifying trade relationships and streamlining regulatory processes to foster investment and infrastructure development.
Several industries would be affected by tariffs, Ismail-teja said, with the energy sector being “top of mind,” along with manufacturing, agriculture and small businesses.
“Tariffs of this magnitude risk billions in revenue, threaten thousands of jobs, disrupt the integrated supply chains critical to our economy and exacerbate affordability challenges,” Deborah Yedlin, president and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement.
The Calgary chamber “strongly opposes” any retaliatory measures, such as export taxes or restrictions on Canadian oil and natural gas to the United States.”
“Our members have made their position clear: no Canadian industry should be used as a bargaining chip,” Yedlin said.
“Calgary businesses need solutions that provide certainty and stability, not actions that inflict further economic pain,” she added.
The Canada-u.s. trade relationship involves $3.6 billion in daily trade, and a 25 per cent tariff would impede Canada’s economic growth by 2.6 per cent, according to data from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
Thank you, Emily. DJC
My money is on the UCP enacting a trade war with a policy as costly and as successful and as corrupt as their $80 Turkish Tylenol fiasco.
Anyone want to guess?
Option A: $500 million investment into an American heavy oil refinery, co-owned by Donald.
Option B: $350 million into a AB police force, to “shut down” the border with the States, called the General Safety Police – the GeSaPo.
Option C: direct AIMCo to invest $1.2 billion into Trump family cryptos.
Option D: purchase a $45 million AI system from Musk to replace all 4 (or is it 6?) AHS boards.
Or another option – please reply to this comment with your ideas.
It’s bad enough that the UCP is at war with the rest of Canada. Now, they have declared war on Albertans with this idiotic decision to destroy the beautiful Eastern Slopes area for a few dollars even though a huge number of us have repeatedly told them in no uncertain terms that some things are more important than money. Marlaina and company seem to take a perverse glee in destroying things. It feels like they want to wear thoughtful Albertans down by their constant hostility toward the environment, public education and healthcare, poor people, and anything else that doesn’t put money in their pockets.
There are poor mistreated dogs that will lick the hand of their owner every time the owner walks by and doesn’t swat or kick them. Typically this does not change the bad behavior of the owner and the dog’s submissive behavior often results in even more abuse.
Perhaps this new coal policy is paving the way for Lord and Master Donald Trump to rule us in accordance with his Manifest Destiny. Isn’t that what the UCP want? Roll over, play dead, let the fascists roll in?
That Don Braid column did happen. Sorry I didn’t capture it.
As they say, how can a narcissist have hurt feelings, when they lack feelings? Narcissistic injury can lead to narcissistic rage. Monday was International Narcissists’ Day, or did it only seem that way?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissistic_injury#:~:text=They%20lack%20empathy%20when%20hurting,can%20act%20out%20through%20anger.
I don’t have a qualms about Tingham’s declaration of war. Peaceful protest is obviously ineffective; it’s time to pick up, and use, arms. We have more than few too many ministers.
Personally, I think this is criminal. Every pregnant woman and child in Albaturda has had their future wealth and welfare robbed. Most adult males will receive nothing for the loss of this pristine natural environment.
No, the benefits, financial and economic all of them, will accrue to foreign shareholders and a few elected legislative toadies.
It’s theft, pure and simple.
Brian Jean is an embarrassment to Albertans. He is a coward.
I used to have respect for him but he squandered his credibility and integrity when he chose to appease the TBA lunatics who run the province.
I am confused about the (non) reaction of the big greenhouse producers in south-eastern Alberta. I would have thought they’d have lots to lose between a contaminated watershed and Smith throwing agriculture under the bus for fossil fuels. Or is NO government regulation anywhere at all the preferred mode for the anti modern medicine/ public education convoy lover NLC crowd growing our lettuce and tomatoes? Course the Mormons have been funneling charitable donation tax money to the US for awhile; two feet in the door already. https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2022/11/02/whats-up-with-lds-finances/
Has anyone had a chance to look up the percentage of voters living in constituencies on the Eastern Slopes that voted for the UCP? Do you remember when your mamas and grandmas used to say, “Be careful what you wish for”. This must be what H.L. Mencken was talking about with his theory of Democracy.
This is exactly where my head is at. Rural Albertans have been trying, with mixed success, to influence conservative governments from within, voting conservative with metronomic regularity for decades and hoping to change their minds on unpopular decisions.
But that’s not how democracy actually works. The way to get a politician’s attention is to vote for someone else. Once an MLA comes to the realization that their job is not a sinecure that they can keep as long as they wish, but instead could be voted out of office, they become much more receptive to voter feedback.
Some of us here are old enough to remember the bad old days of the Ralph Klein and Ed Stelmach Progressive Conservatives, when municipal politicians actually used taxpayer dollars to contribute to provincial PC candidates and elected MLAs, because they feared being frozen out of important conversations by those very same PC politicians. Constituents also feared openly criticizing their elected representatives for fear of political retribution. My take then was that in a healthy democracy, politicians are supposed to fear the voters, not the other way around. This fundamental rule is still true — except, apparently, in rural Alberta.
How different would this discussion be, if those voters had thrown out their UCP MLAs in 2023 in favour of New Democrats?
Well the coalists had threatened a multi-billion dollar lawsuit so Alberta caved under cover of Trumpalooza’25. And why oh why does the CBC continue to freeze dry its staff? We get it. The embassy looks out towards the capitol dome and the flapping flags are kinda nice. But enough’s enough. Everyone is freezing. Add more coal to the fire baby.
Brian Jean is another opportunist in the UCP.
These people are all bought out. Disgraceful. I hope we can get together just like before and get this done the right way.
Pristine viewscapes.
On sale now in Alberta.
Australian coal billionaires need not apply.
Alberta Energy Minister Brian Jean will fill out your application for you.
Speaking of Nenshi’s new NDP, did you hear the thunderous roar from the Loyal Opposition?
No, I didn’t either.
Essay Question:
What is the difference between Alberta’s Energy Minister and Alberta’s Environment Minister?
Yes for the renewal energy we needed to protect the landscape, for the coal it does not matter. It is so darn pretty and clean that we do not need to worry about it. What a farce this province is, a total banana republic.
For sure someone has a fat bank account in the Bahamas for this. I cannot say who of course, it is private information.
The time to file a massive $15 billion + lawsuit against the Government of Alberta has arrived, claiming restitution for the loss of recreational, hunting, camping, fishing and other opportunities, as well as the future losses of agricultural and other uses of lands downstream (ie most of the rest of the province) because of inevitable selenium toxicity, plus the future health impacts to Albertans, etc, etc. Let the UCP balance the threat of a lawsuit against them by a handful of coal companies versus the threat of a lawsuit against them filed on behalf of ALL Albertans
I guess when PP’s environment minister refuses to give the Coal companies permits due to potential federal water contamination of interprovincial waterways(South Saskatchewan River) the UCP will scream loudly that the eastern elite is declaring war on Alberta once again.
Brian Gibbon when you sue the Alberta Government you are suing the people which is a huge mistake, you have to sue the individual MLAs for the mess they are creating. That was why Klein made it so their MLAs were protected up to $35 million and all the lawsuits launched against him personally for deaths attributed to his health care cuts were paid for by the taxpayers.
Enshitification abounds! How bad does it have to get before those responsible actually get their heads out of their a__holes?
Well said Bruce. It is amazing how money buys everything all over the world. I thought we were better than this. It is shocking and that woman owner of the coal company said it in her interview with the CBC before she went back to Australia. I will come back and the mine will go ahead.
IT IS TOTAL ENSHITIFICATION
Brian Jean it’s nothing more than a puppet. He goes to work with kneepads on. The perks must be great in coal country…
These so called politicians sell us for nothing and shit on us for fun and we continue taking it as if we have to. Who is Brian Jean without is title of Minister of Energy? He is what the IT people call ‘NULL’ – he has no value.
Danielle Smith does not even reach the level of NULL, she is useless. Her only reality is feeding Oil interests and pretend she cares.
‘Pathetic, really. Although not as pathetic as Ms. Smith’s complaint to CBC reporter Adrienne Arsenault from the Capitol-adjacent rooftop of the Canadian Embassy in Ottawa that her feelings were hurt by Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s criticism of her refusal to get on board with the other premiers. ‘
This is not just pathetic, this is from someone that has had a lobotomy and is running our province.
Or, just one more low quality, hand wringing, theatrical PR display in the ongoing “One planet, one experiment.” spectacle. (That is, for example, “we have to make sure that the taxpayers are protected”)
1. “If you look at the lawsuits that have been filed, it’s $16 billion with the potential liability,” she said. “We have to take that seriously, and we have to make sure that the taxpayers are protected. At the same time, metallurgical coal is incredibly valuable.”
2. If the lawsuits are a direct result of political ineptitude as stated, “This was neither a rational nor a principled decision,” Mr. Van Tighem asserted. “The government was facing big lawsuits because of how they originally bungled the issue, and they think this will give them political cover because happy coal companies don’t sue. … It’s just about dodging responsibility.”, then the coal policy fiasco might also involve a breach of fiduciary duty and/or a breach of trust. Did the political fiduciaries act in a reasonable and prudent way? Did they act in the best interests of their public beneficiaries? Were the fiduciaries fully honest and open about any circumstances that may do harm? (“Part of the appeal of conceiving the political relationship between representative and represented in fiduciary terms is that it regards politics in more realistic and textured ways — as a constellation of power relationships in a web of trust and vulnerability — rather than as a mere social contract no one ever signed.”)
3. Or, more appropriately, a documented industry lobbyist and part time political crank makes frantic attempts to square the public relations coal policy circle (“Mad Mathesis alone was unconfined, Too mad for mere material chains to bind, Now to pure space lifts her ecstatic stare, Now, running round the circle, finds it square.”) by acquiescing to the economically powerful and the politically connected.
Where it is also noted and admitted that “. . . the long distance from the mine to market creates a competitive disadvantage for Alberta’s exporting coal producers.”
https://www.aer.ca/data-and-performance-reports/statistical-reports/alberta-energy-outlook-st98/coal/coal-demand
And, https://indiandefencereview.com/china-reportedly-developed-a-revolutionary-method-3600-times-faster-and-coal-free-to-produce-steel/
4. Finally, it should be unnecessary to point out that, (i.) “since there is a finite supply of many natural resources, overconsumption by the powerful and privileged is immoral because the costs of that consumption are disproportionately borne by the less powerful., and (ii.) alternatives to a moral order that privileges and idolizes commodity value and the private ownership of natural resources exist in the cultural practices which remind people that their identity is rooted in the land and that other species are their relatives.”
At some point, when the waters, air, and soils are poisoned, notions of peaceful protest will seem quaint. This was the warning of so many, that it’s better to seek compromises and workable, equitable solutions, than to plunge into the chaos of violent protest. In the face of heated and violent protests, even the police will choose not to fight for the guilty. At that point, the UCP and their fellow travellers may find themselves swinging from gallows, to the delight of the cheering mobs.
Now that the unserious are governing, and fascists are proudly goose-stepping in public, we are moving closer to that tipping point, where a great surge of public anger crushes the elites and sending them to a most barbaric end.
Seems everyone has forgotten the bloody French and Russian Revolutions already?
Oh, well.
What makes me furious is why haven’t our law firms gotten a court injunction to put a stop to this stupidity and why hasn’t Brian Jean and Danielle Smith been sued for allowing it to go ahead?
@djc
Remind me please, in re coal mining development permits, doesn’t the federal goverment have final say because of the watershed issues crossing provincial & international borders?
for those that think something consequential can be inflicted on the ruling class for the latest indignity to the majority in this province, there’s recall legislation (such as it is) available. outside of edmonton and 5 seats in calgary, see how far that get you.
Yeah actually I think militias forming on ideological lines to duke it out over resources in a g7 country with a decent legal system, robust national identity and history of cooperation probably isn’t a great idea.
Just look at ukraine, which was a civil war for what eight years ? It’s been everyday now for so long I can’t remember. Without an extensive pre amble about the machinations that lead up to the war, kinetically You’ll remember that whole thing started when Ukrainian “nationalist” (fascist) gangs started attacking Russian SPEAKING Ukrainians in the Donbass.
Why I’m bring this up is the Donbass is to ukraine as alberta is to Canada. Say what you will about PP even he’s no ZELENSKY, and we’ve got some time left in this country called Canada before we collapse into Balkanization (what you’re proposing) economic disaster, or are swallowed whole by the United States.
And I’ll tell you something else, anyone on the “left” in this country that wants to form government has to make themselves the party of putting money in working class Canadian communities and drop the pretend culture war they don’t even really believe in.
Personally, if kids in my riding can eat I don’t care if whoever voted for the party that makes it so sees eye to eye on every possible cultural or ideological sticking point. This is supposed to be a pluralistic country, we should be able to disagree about many things and still be able to agree on the key points, there is no liberty for those who are stuck in poverty, children starving in a country that enjoys abundance previously unknown historically is wrong, selling off
Our children’s future for cents on the dollar is just bad business period.
The second we stop making this a culture war is when we win.
Bird: Sounds like this is directed at a specific commenter, not the post. DJC
Yes sir, that was broadly directed at Political Ranger, but my point remains the same.
I seem to remember the most effective weapon against mining on the eastern slopes last time was an op-ed from one of Alberta’s most talented sons, Corb Lund. I also remember most everyone in the province thinking the convoy maniacs were a bunch of selfish idiots. There’s a LOT of painful changes coming down the pipe but no, I don’t think we’ve reached the point of total desperation. Folks saying things like “we need to pick up and use arms” is outrageous.
We need to make sure our neighbours can feed themselves and their children. We need to make sure the people are educated about who is exploiting them. We need to build entirely new working class institutions that can present a organized challenge to capital. We need to empower new leaders who realize what time it is and can present a challenge to the neoliberal consensus that is strangling the economy of every single western country.
Any sort of positive future in this country is not going to come from one cultural or ideological group subduing the other but ONLY from broad based – cross cultural – solidarity against this class of elites that is dead set on stripping all wealth from both the planet and the working class. And YES sometimes that might mean that you’re going to have to get along with someone whom maybe isn’t “woke”.
I’ll remind folks, racism, sexism, bigotry, these are tools long used in capitalist society to create an underclass that is an both a threat and a bribe to the broader working class. The principle violence carried out against minorities is poverty and dispossession. Any movement that doesn’t present a challenge to that economic deprivation has no chance to be liberating; other than for a privileged few.