Seeking leadership for a brighter tomorrow for Albertans
By Lethbridge Herald Opinion on December 30, 2020.
Dear Premier Kenney,
I ain’t no kid. I’m retired.
I write in request for action, and do this on behalf of future generations. I write, too, in the hope of seeing Alberta demonstrate leadership that, founded in its current wealth, enables the province to transition through tough times and create a brighter tomorrow.
What you have done in recent months reveals how little you – and the UCP – appear to know or care about the health and well-being of Albertans, how little you appear to know or value the need to protect essential headwaters integrity, and suggests you are blithely unaware of how the latter provides the populace with life-sustaining water and quality-of-life living.
I ask that you, please, give back to Alberta what it had before you took office. I ask, specifically, that you:
1. Revitalize Alberta’s health-care services, and work with Alberta’s health-care professionals to reinstate morale and functional capacity to essential health care.
2. Reverse the incredible damage you did to Alberta’s vital headwaters when you trash-canned the decades-old Coal Policy and opened the mud-gates to rampant watershed degradation.
3. Give back to Albertans the ability to enjoy the province’s full-spectrum of existing parks and recreation areas. Give us the opportunity to engage in outdoor recreation within Alberta’s historic (pre-UCP) dynamic array of venues. Give us places to play in pandemic times.
Most of my recent efforts to counter UCP actions have been in opposition to the UCP’s overnight, no-consultation-with-the-public slaughter of Alberta’s longstanding Coal Policy, and the resultant landscape and watershed destruction this has already brought to the headwaters of the Oldman River.
I have also participated in the Joint Review Panel’s assessment of the proposed Grassy Mountain Coal Project, located upwind and upstream from my home. During the public hearing, I listened to former Alberta Minister of the Environment, Robin Campbell, now a lobbyist for the Coal Association of Canada. Mr. Campbell’s testimony gave the impression he feels he has the UCP in his back pocket, although, interestingly, he denied lobbying the Government of Alberta.
I’ve spent thousands of hours and many sleep-deprived nights in efforts to overturn the UCP’s actions in regard to the three issues listed above. I’m spending my retirement money to do this. I’m not receiving funding from what some UCP members have reported to be deep-pocketed foreign forces. This noted, it’s occurred to me that the UCP, in its wild accusations and apparent beliefs, might be using its War Room and taxpayers’ money to investigate me along with other Albertans, people who, like me, are volunteering their time and resources in an effort to benefit Alberta and its position on the world stage.
Think of me as Joe Citizen, one person – although I know I represent an army of discontent-fighting against the might of a powerful government in an effort to provide Albertans with a proud and sustainable future.
My goals are simple. I work toward a vision that places health, headwaters integrity and long-range prosperity at the core of Alberta’s defining legacy. This province, in spite of its current hurdles, is too rich, too beautiful and too proud to blindly and needlessly degrade its natural capital, the largely untapped gold mine of self-sustaining wealth that’s held within its world-class, Crown of the Continent landscape. Alberta’s eastern slopes are worth billions … if they can be saved from UCP degradation.
Please know that I will never support you or the UCP unless I see action that, for today and tomorrow, serves the people of Alberta and this province’s ability to lead Canada, and the world, in thoughtful, sustainable, health, wealth, and prosperity.
With hope for a brighter tomorrow.
David McIntyre holds a MSc from the College Of The Environment, University of Washington and is a strong advocate for the long-range economic and ecological worth of intact landscapes.
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Wholeheartedly agree..but, to be crass, is there one brain cell in any of the UCP brains that would register any of this? It appears that the UCP still believe they are doing “God’s work,” and thus, still get votes. Only, and only when, there is realization that votes would not go the UCP’s way, would anything change?
I pretty sure God does not want his “work” to be the continued destruction of the gift he gave to us (This fragile blue planet). 😉
The UCP’s ideology bears no resemblance to Christianity in any case.
Unless “Take advantage of the weak in order to pay the rich” is a thing I missed in the new testament.
great entry – and thank you for your effort. greed and self service, on other hand, are a tough pairing to crack. it is also woeful that yet another former minister, of the environment, no less, is no a coal lobbyist and is easily accessing our govt. what a disgrace. as for lobbying, yet another wicked example of how democracy has long been hijacked by money/power/influence.
By “lobbying”, you mean legal bribery and legal corruption right? lol
lol…with tears
Thank you David for this opinion piece. It was brief and to the point and expresses my opinion. and I believe, many other peoples opinions in this beautiful Province. More power for your fight.