Two years ago, Alberta’s Transportation Minister Luke Oullette described Joe Anglin, a Former U.S. Marine and telephone transmission engineer, as “dangerous individuals and trouble maker.” At a conference of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association, Ouellette also wondered aloud “why someone hadn’t dealt with [Anglin].” It was remarkable declaration and one for which neither Ouellette nor [...]
Farmers, land activists balk at proposed overhaul to Alberta well density rules
Monday, January 24th, 2011By: Kelly Cryderman, Calgary Herald CALGARY – Alberta’s energy regulator is proposing major changes to the rules governing oil and gas well density, a move that will cut red tape for the industry but is ringing alarm bells for environmentalists and rural Albertans. “We have to save some land to farm,” said Don Bester, a [...]
Yedlin: Reasons for carbon in ground need to be determinedBy Deborah Yedlin
Friday, January 14th, 2011By Deborah Yedlin CALGARY – Whether or not carbon dioxide injected into an empty reservoir as part of a carbon capture and sequestration project in Saskatchewan is leaking, the questions surrounding the cause of changes in the surrounding landscape of the Kerr farm should be taken seriously. After all, carbon capture and storage continues to [...]
Alberta progressives stronger than you think
Monday, January 10th, 2011By: Phil Elder An Alberta election is expected in the next 15 months, most probably in early 2012. Popular wisdom and the mass media say that Ed Stelmach’s Progressive Conservative government is in trouble, having fumbled the ball on various policy issues, from medicare, through the Monty Python-like oil and gas royalty review, to poor [...]
Finding beauty in the oilsands
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010A Buddhist would encourage Canadians to wade deep into the vast pits of oil-coated sand in northern Alberta to find beauty in them. Some of you who know me as a pragmatic lawyer will wonder: what is she on about, talking about finding beauty in the ‘ugly’ oilsands? But, try to hold the space [...]
Canada’s Oilsands and Plato’s Chariot: getting our rational brain and our emotional brain pulling in the same direction
Thursday, December 16th, 2010The Royal Society of Canada released a science-based, peer-reviewed report on the oilsands this week titled: Environmental and Social Impacts of Canada’s Oil Sands Industry The terms of reference for this 14-month study by a prestigious panel of scientists from the University of Alberta, Laval University and the University of Guelph were ambitious. Cumulative [...]
An Oilsands Hero?
Friday, October 8th, 2010Rex Murphy is recommending that Alberta needs a champion…an Oil Sands Hero. Rex is even suggesting that Ed Stelmach, Alberta’s Premier, could do with a dose of Danny Williams’ relentless fighting spirit. It’s a captivating image, of course, and not entirely tongue-in-cheek. Rex’s prescription for Alberta falls on the heels of a visit to [...]
Leading change in Alberta’s education system
Monday, July 5th, 2010In early June, I was invited to participate as a respondent in strategic planning sessions hosted by the Alberta Teachers’ Association (the ATA). Organizers scheduled this deep thinking to coincide with Education Minister Dave Hancock’s release of the Inspiring Education Report. Newfoundland-born and U.K.-resident, Gwynne Dyer , was the key-note speaker. My job was to [...]
Glass Ceiling
Thursday, May 20th, 2010by Shannon Phillips PREMIER ED STELMACH CHOSE A NEW CABINET IN JANUARY, AND AMONG the fresh faces was 40-year-old Thomas Lukaszuk. The new Minister of Employment & Immigration promised economic stimulus for our recession-ravaged economy. He pledged to create highly skilled and sustainable jobs for all. And his first decision? To cut the wages of [...]