We Listened.......Incredible!

[ASRG]

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We Listened..........INCREDIBLE!
We Listened……..Incredible!
Feb 22/12
Yesterday the Alberta government released the report on the “Task Force on Property Rights”. This task force involved several public open house meetings where the appointed ministers did the BIG LISTEN! In addition there were written submissions and an online survey.
Chair Diana McQueen released the report yesterday. Mostly it was not an accurate representation of what was actually said! The overlying message was “Repeal the Bills”, but somehow Diana either missed that message….or more likely she was pressured by the Redford cabinet to bring out this drivel! You can almost see Ted Morton’s hand all over this report.
The “government response” to this report recognizes four areas that need to be addressed:
(1) Better consultation before legislation is enacted that takes property.
(2) Ability to access the courts.
(3) Fair compensation.
(4) The appointment of a “property rights advocate office”.
Now I think we can all agree those are noble goals……..after they correct the four land thefts that have already taken place? No one is going to buy this drivel for “future legislation” until they repeal the four land theft bills!........the old trust us thing isn’t working anymore? We don’t trust you! We don’t believe anything you say!
So let’s take a look at these four responses from the government:
(1) Better consultation- Good idea. If there had been better consultation on every one of the bills, the message would have been “We don’t want these bills. They are not necessary”? Which we suspect is exactly why......... there was no consultation?
(2) Ability to access the courts- Again good idea. If the government is sincere about this they will give us access to challenge the illegal taking of our property by the four bills, that have in fact denied us access to the courts?
(3) Fair compensation- Who decides what is fair compensation? The Surface Rights Board? The Land Compensation Board? Who are they? Who appoints them? We might suggest landowners elect both of these boards……after all it is our property?
(4) The appointment of a “Property Rights Advocate”. How about instead of Redford appointing a “Property Rights Advocate”, landowners elect one? And how about instead of it being a “feel good” position, we give that advocate some real teeth to veto projects, impose conditions, and set costs? And just to make sure the Property Rights Advocate won’t sell out to the oil companies, or big power companies, we give the landowners the right to recall him/her?

Of course none of the above suggestions will make it to the government table. In fact once the government is firmly back in the saddle……nothing will be done!
Well, we shouldn’t say that……..because, Yes indeed, something will be done! The assault will speed up……count on it!
Diana McQueen has already signalled “ In the coming year Albertans need to have a discussion on water” and we assume that means the same as past “We need a discussion” on C02…….or regional planning…….or infrastructure land acquisition……..or securing our power transmission needs? How did that work for you?
In other words…get ready….the government's coming for your water!
There is a solution……….vote these thieves out. Bring in a government that will Repeal these bills and give us a Property Protection Act! ………hmmmm......sort of like what the people told the task force!
ASRG

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[rkaiser]

How are you going to reach the urban population with "THE MESSAGE" ARSG? It may be farmland that is affected but that farmland is Alberta Land and creates wealth and taxes for all Albertans. Agriculture is on the move and will eventually surpass the oil and gas industries in Alberta again. Oil disappears, land and it's ability to produce does not. Even if every rural riding decided to change the government, you need to reach the urbanites to dump the old boys club we know as our government.

[ASRG]

Randy: Yes that is a real problem......one we have discussed many times around the boardroom table!
We have made some inroads by becoming more of a "green" organization.
The goal of our organization was property rights.....which is a hard sell to the urbanite......so we have tapped into the "green aspect" through water preservation and economics (cost of electricity and carbon capture).
But yea...it is a problem and any solutions you can suggest I will definitely pass on? In fact you might want to become involved????

[grassfarmer]

As I've said before on here I think the Wildrose plan
has been fatally flawed from the outset on these
landfills. The urban areas are covered under the
regional plans just like the rural areas.
Edmontonians could have their property title
revoked just as easily as those of us out in the
boonies if Ted decides he wants to build a power
line through downtown. We need to scare the urban
voter just as much as the rural one as the threat is
the same as far as I'm concerned. It seems no-one
else agrees with me on this one and time is running
out before an election.

[littledoggie]

Powerline! How about a gas well in your backyard and then they frac it!

[grassfarmer]

Yep, they could do that too little doggie and thus far
the average urban dweller does not know that is even
a possibility. I would like to see a social media
campaign by Wildrose on this - it's all they have time
for now before an election.

[ASRG]

Time is short, without a doubt. The latest Redford "comments" look like April 19th as the date we get to boot these scoundrels out!
The "Property Rights Advocate Office(PROA)" legislation will probably be introduced today by Environment minister Diana McQueen?
Make no mistake here......this is nothing more than fluff! The PROA is nothing more than a "remake" of the Farmers Advocate office.......which in reality has become little more than the "oil company advocates office for farmers"!
It's time for a change! Out with these liars!

[grassfarmer]

Doug, could you shoot me an email at address
ieaitken@hotmail.com ? thanks!

[forage]

Great post ASRG , back home for the dreaded calving period, but sure beats working up north. I have now had a opportunity to read the Task Farce report and I am amazed that what was in the report did not reflect the concerns or recommendation made at the public forum. I attended the one in Olds and it was definitely a message to Repeal the Bills 19 24 36 50 . I am afraid Mr. Evan Burger days are numbered in this riding. All rural landowners have to stand up this property rights theft.

[ASRG]

Yesterday Redford made a little speech to the Petroleum Producers. She promised a "Super Regulator" for oil and gas. The spin was this would get rid of useless duplication in regulations.
Sounds good right?
I participated in the "oil and gas regulatory review" as a token serf or something......and while I agree there is too much government bureaocratic garbage in O & G licensing.....this wasn't at all what this is about.
Basically it puts Sustainable Resources (the surface rights board) and Alberta Environment & Water under the minister of Energy (Ted Morton).
How will that work for you?
The SRB and AE & W will become subsurvient to the ERCB! Goodbye SRB hearings. Goodbye Environmental Assessment and reclamation.
Landowners will basically lose a lot of the tools in the negotiating toolbox and reclamation will be pretty well whatever the company thinks is good enough!

[forage]

ASRG , I read the post on your website. This is a very dangerous road to go down. I know only Oil and Gas were at the table to wrangle this through , thank Dianne McQueen for this one as Ted Morton and Stelmach had set her up to be the goat the same as the Property Rights Task Farce. History is repeating itself the Nazi regime did the same thing pre WW2 by combining legatory bodies all under one domain.