It is a bloody shame there are Albertans making comments way out of line as you work on cleaning up the mess. I watched the Conservatives since Peter Lougheed ran from door-to-door. If they only had 1% of his courage I might give them some leeway when they fail the one percent test.
Northern Alberta is known to the world as one of the biggest polluters on the planet. The Conservatives after Lougheed call it the cost of progress. It’s actually an ugly scare on planet earth visible from space.
Progress of that type is not acceptable if we want to live on the planet for a bit longer. The word progress would mean we have a method of cleaning the giant ponds filled with toxic waste water. Conservatives pander to the friend(s) who will bring them cash without any responsibility attached to it. None of it represents a democracy. Democracy only happens when the project is detailed from the start to the finish. Many within the Conservative Party must have known the finish line was left out of the equation when agreements were signed.
I know the technology exists, to clean all of the tailing ponds to the point, fresh drinkable water would go into the Athabasca River.
How did they toss away hundreds of billions over the forty years and leave Edmonton building the cheapest possible LRT? Will our children’s, children’s children see us as an intelligent group who put some thought towards a brighter future?
The Conservatives gave away the most beautiful wilderness park in Alberta. It was a back country park meant for people to get away from the noise of phones, television, city streets and anything electronic. The Whitehorse Wildland Park in the Rocky Mountains, was never meant for anyone driving a home on wheels to a serviced stall, in a crowded environment. You walk and climb throughout the day and set up a tent at no cost for up to two weeks. When forestry operated in the park there were no fees or paved roads as it should be for those who enjoy back country camping.
The Conservatives sold an entire section of the Rocky Mountains, along with the forests, wildlife, rivers and streams for a few million dollars.
It’s not funny to arrive in the park and find the mountains missing. Forests have been removed and it will take the mind of a genius to get them to grow there again. We can no longer dip a metal cup into an ice cold river and drink the water. The water in the few remaining creeks is lukewarm and tastes bitter. The groundwater for the North Saskatchewan River sits below the area where the mountains once protected it and kept it clean.
A sign in one place reads - Water is Not fit for Human Consumption.
Those in the coal industry must stop all coal mining the Whitehorse Wildland Park, between Banff and Jasper. People in all the towns and cities east of the area are wiping coal dust off their floors, windows and walls. (Simply wet a cloth with warm water and wipe an area you not have cleaned recently) There is a difference between how coal dust and toxic exhaust from vehicles (air pollution) clings to the surface. I will set aside the methane gas emissions from coal for another article.
Although the media and environmental groups have been contacted all of them remain silent. They appear to be saying - Does anyone care that mountain range(s) are missing along with forests and rivers?
Although the photo below is from the oil sands it also represents what coal mining is doing on Alberta's eastern slops.
Conservatives had forty years to say something honest for Albertans. Their entire platform was based on blaming Ottawa over oil and gas prices. Most Albertans know oil and gas pricing is set by world-wide consortium's. It is time to face the truth, reveal the facts and reach conclusions, on how we can begin the process, of repairing most of the damage. Those who have and are taking the greater share of the profits can pay the cost.
Alberta is on the cutting edge of creating a new industry for this province and the world via renewable solar energy. Renewable energy does create long term employment.
Perhaps the people need to be reminded of the consequences of playing hardball with nature. The Calgary flood in 2013 is a recent example.
More photos before the destruction started and what it is today can be found here.
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