Letter: One man, one group with an agenda is calling the shots in Alberta

By Letter to the Editor on October 22, 2024.

Dear editor,

Smith’s government must think we’re idiots.

Re: Two-page newspaper ad.

The UCP government is spending $7M in tax dollars in order to promote its anti-environment/pro oil, coal and gas agenda. The ad claims the federal emissions cap will make groceries and everything else more expensive. This is a gross exaggeration aimed at stonewalling carbon reduction programs at any level of government.

At the same time as this deceitful campaign is rolled out claiming “Alberta is a leader in responsible energy production and emissions reduction,” the UCP is proposing more restrictions on wind and solar power.

On Oct 15 the News reported that after the moratorium on renewable energy projects leading to new regulations on further developments, Smith said “the government was planning to go beyond viewscapes and cropland and would consider imposing further restrictions…”

The great contradiction here is that none of these “viewscape” restrictions apply to the fossil fuel industry. Conservationists and the Pembina Institute say that oil and gas extraction has a much greater detrimental effect on the environment than wind or solar farms. But no matter, it’s “drill baby drill” here in the heartland. Open-pit coal mine in the Rockies? Shh… we’ll quietly clear the regulatory path for you.

Meanwhile, 53 of 118 renewable projects have been shelved. Pembina says these could have generated enough power for every household in Alberta and created thousands of new jobs. However, Smith wants you to believe it’s only the federal government that’s causing energy sector job loss.

Why the policy discrepancy? It’s a classic case of “the tail wagging the dog.” There’s a group called Take Back Alberta run by a backroom dealer/religious zealot named David Parker. After years of working for right-wing causes he was truly fired up by the vaccine mandates.

In 2021 he started TBA in order to engineer the fall of Jason Kenney as UCP leader, because of said mandates. We all know what happened at his leadership review.

Parker constantly travels around Alberta shoring up rural support. TBA has huge funding from the fossil fuel industry and this organization is anti-vax, anti-science and anti carbon reduction of any kind. The renewable moratorium was caused by Parker’s whispering in Smith’s ear. She is terrified of him and his disciples.

TBA has managed to staff all 18 UCP board positions with people who are either their members or have their approval. When Smith says she’s happy with “grassroots politics and policies” she’s reassuring TBA she will do their bidding and everything possible to block urban Alberta’s influence.

When you wonder where this or that policy came from because it wasn’t mentioned during the election – just remember Take Back Alberta. And in these weeks leading up to her leadership review, she’s bending over backwards and spending $7M on a boondoggle to confuse Albertans about who’s really at fault for energy job losses.

Gail Lawrence

Medicine Hat

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