Robert Miller Feb 26,2025:
OK, I agree that there are many honest and honourable farmers and ranchers, but then why do they keep voting for those people who aren’t? Smith was an open book with a history of lies, and betrayal, so why did these people still vote for her? It is like the growing number of Trump voters who are now coming to realise that their vote has an impact on their lives and not just the people that they blindly hate for no reason.
If you want honest government stop voting reflexively for the same party. Vote for the other party, just to keep them honest. It ain’t rocket science, and it is what helps keep a functioning democracy.
Opinion: Ranchers asking for honesty, integrity in province’s handling of coal mining by Blaine Moen, Calgary Herald, Feb 26, 2025
I made a phone call last week to a neighbour, someone reluctantly thrust into the “coal mines or water” debate. Last year, the MD of Ranchland took the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) and Government of Alberta to court, fighting Energy Minister Brian Jean’s “interpretation,” which stated that the Grassy Mountain Coal Project be considered an “advanced coal project.”
Jean’s interpretation forced the AER to consider three exploration applications for Grassy Mountain by its proponent, Northback. This project was rejected in 2021 by a joint review panel. Ranchland’s case was due to be heard later this year.
I was calling my neighbour to offer money to help with court costs. He asked me to give him a couple of days as he had some things to deal with.
On Dec. 20, 2024, during an announcement from Jean and Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz, Jean spoke about their intent to create the “Coal Industry Modernization Initiative (CIMI).” Jean said CIMI would strengthen coal regulations, but said Grassy Mountain was exempt from CIMI.
Companies ignore regulations and AER helps them do it and get away with it. Strengthened regulations are as useless as regular regulations when it comes to industry polluting our drinking water, air, food, land and communities with toxic chemicals, and polluting the citizenry with political corruption, greed-fed division and lies and secrets.
Jean’s interpretation that Grassy Mountain be considered an advanced coal project now had two implications. The AER was forced to consider applications for a rejected project, and now this rejected project is proceeding while exempt from tougher regulations. Jean even mentioned “contractual relationships” when challenged by media about why Grassy Mountain was proceeding.
What “contractual relationships” was Jean talking about? What contracts exist between the UCP government and the foreign coal companies?Secrets & lies are UCP’s best friends, especially Brian Jean, Rebecca Schultz and Danielle Smith.
On Jan. 14, 2025, at the hearings in Calgary to determine the fate of these three exploration applications, testimony exposed a government web page, Grassy Mountain Coal Project, which lists the project as “cancelled or terminated.” Northback claimed the information to be in error, but “cancelled projects are explicitly stated by the proponent to be cancelled.”
The next day, following the above testimony, Jean issued a ministerial order rescinding the moratorium on coal exploration, which immediately allowed permitted exploration and drilling-related activities. I note that law professor Nigel Bankes stated that Jean’s order has opened many avenues for coal operations to make applications.
Following the ministerial order, any determination involving whether Grassy is or was an advanced coal project became moot. The MD of Ranchland understandably decided to drop its court case as Jean changed the rules. Once again, a UCP minister kicked the door open to advance foreign interests, further threatening our water — now they say to avoid lawsuits, the impetus for which the UCP themselves created.
The science is in, people are speaking out. Recently, a Leger poll confirmed 77 per cent of Albertans do not favour coal mines in the Eastern Slopes.
Premier Danielle Smith is not listening. Jean is not listening.You think they give a shit about you and your loved ones, and our drinking water or the many Albertans soon to be poisoned yelling “NO!”? They don’t. They never have, never will, especially with stupid racist bigoted Albertans consistently voting MAGA (Make Adolf Great Again) no matter how badly Adolf abuses them and theirs (in this case, Adolf = Brian Jean, Danielle Smith, and Rebecca Schultz et al).
They say they must be mindful of the lawsuits against the province from foreign-owned coal companies. But these suits seem desperate and weak. Just because a company speculates that it can profit from purchasing coal leases, is that profit guaranteed?I expect UCP and the companies suing the UCP are in on the lawsuits together. They are besties, not opposing litigants. I bet the polluter-friendly judges will help them have sex together in court, for all to see.
Where is the honesty about intentions?Since when do con politicos tell the truth? I’ve never seen or heard an Alberta con politico tell the truth.Such as telling Albertans you are improving the rules, then mentioning that the mine at the centre of the most contentious issue in Alberta in decades is exempt from these regulations.
Is that honesty? How about honour?Oh for fucks sakes. Since when has a UCP/con politico in Alberta, provincial or federal, shown any honour except to Nazis, and or water and land raping polluting corporations?
Was it honourable to tell the AER you rescinded the coal moratorium the day after testimony was provided demonstrating Grassy as being terminated?
I’ve spent years in and around ranch families. These are honest, hard-working people, dedicated to doing the right thing. Principles and consideration of others are ingrained into the fabric of their character. These are the things real Albertans are made of, integrity, honour, ethics and morals.Yes indeed, but, they remain the most brain and soulless voters in Canada. Totally predictable every election, provincial and federal.
Blaine Moen was an intervener in the 2021 Grassy Mountain hearing, a former board member for the Livingstone Landowners Group and lives about 50 kilometres east of Grassy Mountain near Cowley.
2024 07 05 Letter to Lethbridge Herald: Grassy Mountain project not in the interests of Albertans (or anyone but billionaires, the politicians corrupted by them, and the greedy sods believing the lies).
House Republicans voted to cut $800Billion from Medicaid, relied on by 72 million Americans, to give more tax cuts to the rich. This party works for the top 1% and doesn’t give a fuck about anyone else.