West Lethbridge residents need to set aside time to vote in election
By Lethbridge Herald on November 23, 2024.
Editor:
Now that a by-election has been called for Lethbridge West, the voters in the constituency will have an opportunity to state their views on issues that matter to them.
If you are a pensioner or are nearing pensionable age, are you happy with Danielle Smith and the UCP’s plans to compel you to join an Alberta Pension Plan instead of the Canada Pension Plan? Or do you agree with former Lethbridge mayor David Carpenter that Danielle Smith can not be trusted to manage your pension?
Are you aware how the Grassy Mountain coal project could impact you? When Lethbridge city council agreed to hear Atrum Coal’s plans to develop coal mining in the Crowsnest Pass in June 2021, we were advised by city engineers, that the Lethbridge water treatment plant can remove agricultural waste and bacteria from Oldman River water to create potable water for drinking and cooking, there is no known technology for removing excess selenium, a common by-product of coal mining.
British Columbia is still struggling with this issue. Teck Resources has spent close to a billion dollars trying to remedy the issues. In 2023 Teck Coal was fined $16 Million for contaminating Kootenay waterways. This past August, Teck was again fined for unauthorized waste spills in the Elk River that contained substances that are harmful to the health of humans and aquatic life.
If you use Lethbridge water for drinking or cooking, or are employed by a food production company in Lethbridge you might be concerned about the Alberta governments efforts to encourage coal mining at Grassy Mountain in the headwaters of the Oldman River.
Students may consider whether the increases in tuition under the UCP at our institutions of higher learning are justified or whether a government with multi billion dollar surpluses each year could be helping with more of the cost.
Danielle Smith promised to fix healthcare in Alberta within 90 days of being elected. Are you satisfied that your family’s health care needs are being attended to appropriately and that you can access the health services you require?
Everyone will have their own set of issues that will determine how they vote.
If you live in the West Lethbridge constituency, please make sure you set aside the time to vote and have your say based on your own issues and priorities.
It’s your opportunity support the current direction or elect a voice for change.
Chris Spearman
Pincher Creek
14-13
I will give you the concern over the coal mine and all should that all should make sure they vote, but I am tired of the fearmongering over the change of the CPP to an Alberta Pension. Please stop this fearmongering.
The rules of the referendum clearly stated that there must be a MAJORITY of votes and the Alberta Pension Protection Act clearly states there must a referendum held before any action is taken. Do you really think that a majority of Albertan’s will vote for the APP?
But then again, while you were Mayor of Lethbridge, you Rob Miyashiro and a couple of other Councillors forced the SCS on us and if I remember correctly then you and Rob Miyashiro voted to defund the LPS by over $1 million at a time when Lethbridge was seeing its highest crime rates in Canada on the Canada Crime Severity Index.
Not impressed!
There is no question these Reformers are getting geared up to have Poilievre as their Federal prime minister and they will destroy us by destroying our healthcare and education systems by forcing us into privatization which has always been their mandate. It got Danielle Smith fired as a School Board Trustee in 1999 by the conservatives. How many young parents can afford $1,000. Per month per child to send their children to school?
The big question is why did these ignorant seniors give Smith the opportunity to force us into this situation in Red Deer?
In case you haven’t kept up, the UCP has refused to make the referedum results binding. Why would they refused to agree to follow the referedum results?
They still haven’t told us what their survey accomplished because people don’t want it and they are trying to hide it from the public.
Rules? When has Smith followed any rules. She changes the rules to accommodate her agenda then makes promises she knows can’t be met but pacify her base. Can’t wait to see her kiss Trumps ass when us taxpayers pay for her and her entourage to attend this dictator’s inauguration.
It’s obvious why the UCP would attack higher learning and Science , they are counter to their values and goals .
At the same time , I gave SW a thumbs up because valid points were made…
As this article points out Coal Tech was fined $60 million for polluting rivers and streams in B.C. So why would these Reform Party fools in Alberta be willing to allow them to do it to Albertans? Are they being bribed to do it?
We have hoping the people in Lethbridge show them whose boss and vote against them but if it is mostly seniors voting I bet they won’t, they don’t care about the future, do they?
This:
“Stephen Harper’s appointment today as chair of AIMCo board ends pension management company’s ‘arm’s length’ status. AIMCo must now be seen as the investment arm of the United Conservative Party.”
http://www.albertapolitics.ca
Reading the whole blog may explain why we do need to be concerned about our pensions, even CPP. And, if, there is never a referendum re: an APP, don’t be surprised. There have been murmurings that the UCP might just plow ahead without one, which would be no surprise. The UCP are not to be trusted.
There is also mention made in this article re: the ‘untimely’ date that the UCP called the Lethbridge-West by-election and why.
Nonsense. Same house cleaning should be done at the CPP Investment board. Monkeys could do better.
Once again all mouth and no brains. Not smart enough to understand what their motives are. Get complete control of everything and do whatever you want and ignore what the people want.
buckwheat you are facing the NDP cyber attack team spreading their propaganda, so it it is a lost cost trying to win this thread with your comments. It is only going to get worse as we approach the by-election date.
Referendum
Referendum required for provincial pension plan
2(1) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may order the holding of a referendum with respect to the establishment and operation of a provincial pension plan for Albertans.
(2) The Government of Alberta shall not, unless a referendum is first ordered under subsection (1) and held in accordance with this Act with respect to the establishment and operation of a provincial pension plan,
(a) assume the obligations and liabilities described in paragraph 3(1)(b) of the Canada Pension Plan (Canada), or
(b) accept any payment or transfer or receive any assets pursuant to paragraph 113(1)(b) of the Canada Pension Plan (Canada).
(3) An order under subsection (1) shall specify
(a) the question or questions that are to be put to the electors,
(b) whether the referendum is to be held
(i) in conjunction with a general election under the Election Act,
(ii) separately as a stand‑alone referendum on a date provided in the order, or
(iii) in conjunction with the general elections under the Local Authorities Election Act,
(c) whether the results of the referendum are to be binding, and
(d) whether the referendum is to be conducted by mail‑in ballot.
When referendum is binding
3(1) If the Lieutenant Governor in Council has specified that the results of a referendum ordered under section 2 are to be binding and a majority of the ballots validly cast at the referendum vote the same way on a question stated, the result is binding, within the meaning of subsection (2), on the government that initiated the referendum.
(2) If the results of a referendum are binding, the government that initiated the referendum shall take, as soon as practicable, any steps within the competence of the Government of Alberta that it considers necessary or advisable to implement the results of the referendum.
Referendum procedure
4(1) Sections 0.1 and 6 to 11 of the Referendum Act, and the regulations made under that Act in relation to those sections, apply to the conduct of a referendum ordered under this Act.
(2) For the purpose of subsection (1),
(a) the reference in section 6(1) of the Referendum Act to section 5.1(2)(b)(ii) of that Act shall be read as a reference to section 2(3)(b)(ii) of this Act,
(b) the reference in section 7.1 of the Referendum Act to
(i) a referendum held under that Act shall be read as a reference to a referendum held under this Act, and
(ii) section 5.1(2)(b)(ii) of that Act shall be read as a reference to section 2(3)(b)(ii) of this Act,
(c) the reference in section 8(7) of the Referendum Act to a referendum under that Act shall be read as a reference to a referendum under this Act, and
(d) the reference in section 9(2) of the Referendum Act to the Minister responsible for the administration of that Act shall be read as a reference to the Minister responsible for the administration of this Act.
(3) Where a referendum is ordered under section 2 to be held as a stand‑alone referendum on a date provided in the order, the referendum may be conducted by mail‑in ballot in accordance with the regulations made under the Referendum Act respecting mail‑in ballots.
You are facing the UCP cyber attack team spreading their propaganda, so it is a lost cause trying to win this thread with your comments. It is only going to get worse as we approach the by-election date.
Come on Chris. No one is compelling Albertans to give up their CPP. If your beloved liberals ever couch up the CPP numbers and it is deemed worthwhile a referendum will be called. You can vote any way you wish. No need to spread false information. As you open with a distortion the rest of your opining is suspect. Stay a retired non verbal mayor.
Have you noticed they won’t tell us what their survey accomplished? Can you tell us what your pals are hiding, we know what it is?
Wow, bucky. All about the ‘democracy’ of non-binding referenda on coal and CPP, but willing to throw someone’s freedom of speech under the bus … quite the tangle of low-information opinion and authoritarianism.
So you twist comments to fill your own headspace. A non binding referendum is just that. Non binding. A result of a survey is usually a knee jerk response. Basically a number based on little or no information, moral indignation and chicken little thinking. Specialty of the NDP. As to the referendum in the CNP the majority has spoken, another thing the NDP avoid unless it suits them. As to a possible referendum on an APP I would presume that you and your fellow echo chamber will conveniently bury the picture I have attached. It clearly shows that a monkey could do better than the CPP Investment board. This is what is being fixed at AIMCO hopefully. If a non binding referendum is called the will of the people should be honoured. Not just based on screaming from the curb and hate for the government. PS. I can buy selenium at a health food store.
Do you even have a clue what ‘above reference portfolios’ means?
As for your partisan contortions parsing surveys and referenda, don’t hurt yourself.