Alberta is Ready for High Speed Rail

High speed rail between at least Edmonton and Calgary is an idea whose time has come. Perhaps extending it to Fort McMurray and even Banff could be considered now too. I know Ed Stelmach likes the idea. Heather Douglas the CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce has a well written piece on the concept in the Calgary Herald today.

It makes much more economic, social and ecological sense than adding two more highway lanes to the current highway between Edmonton and Calgary. That old-school “solution” will only add to problems when you consider all aspects of the pressures of growth in our "Corridor" and the transportation and other challenges that is causing

There are feasibility studies already done on high speed rail and some more detailed study efforts are underway and soon to be completed. High speed rail is green, clean, safe, quiet and quick. It is audacious enough that it triggers the imagination of forward thinking progressive Albertans too. I have been a fan of high speed rail in the Corridor since the late 1970’s and early 80’s. It was before its time then but not any more. Let’s get on with it.

"A More Perfect Union" by Barack Obama

Every freedom loving and engaged citizen living in any part of the planet who appreciates leadership, sees a purpose in positive progressive politics and values good government should take the time to listen to the “A More Perfect Union” speech of Barack Obama.

Get a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and site back and take the time to listen and revel in the moment of a candidate for President of the United States actually talking to you as an adult about racism.

The Green Party is Becoming a Political Force

Here is a must read post by David Parker – Edmonton Green candidate -on climate change. It is a comprehensive reply to the APEGGA climate change deniers and the recent media coverage on that position.

The Greens have to be pretty happy and proud of their by-election showing earlier this week. They increased the Vancouver vote 50% and came in second and third but only 34 votes behind the second place NDP - and with 14% of the popular vote in the Toronto ridings.

I really liked the Alberta Greens policy platform in the recent provincial election here. They are proving to be a formidable alternative to the NDP and an emerging political force in urban centres at least.

Check out our interview with Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada, on Policy Channel. www.policychannel.com

Alberta Certifies Its FIRST Oil Sands Site Reclamation - Yahoo!

This is a monumental and critically important milestone day in the history of the development of the Alberta oil sands. After 40 years of development of the oil sands, at last there is a 104 hectare parcel of land that the Government of Alberta has certified as reclaimed.

This day has been a long time coming – partly because land restoration takes a long time, and partly because we have been in the project building and development stages. Now that some of the bigger projects are well into sustained production, it is time to pay serious attention to the reclamation duties that are part of the project approval obligations.

The first oil sands licensee to get a certified reclamation project accomplished and approved is Syncrude!!! Congratulations! And the same congratulations go out to the Alberta government departments of the Environment and Sustainable Resource Development for ensuring that the reclamation is real.

Reclamation is part of the oil sands project deals and a legal requirement. It is a key consideration towards keeping the Alberta public’s confidence under the social license to operate for all oil sands project developers too. Remediation is more than filling the hole that the open pit oil sands mining projects create. Reclamation requires that the land be restored such a way that it can be productive again and that means it must able to support a range of activities similar to its previous use.

The Syncrude certified reclamation site was not a tailing pond infill. The reclaimed site was used to collect overburden formed when open pit mining sites are being dug and this reclamation site work started way back in 1983 when the first seedling replacement trees were planted. This approval is not for the reclamation of a tailing pond. That is a huge looming challenge with many serious issues that have yet to be tackled…but it is time to get on with them now too.

Political and public pressure has started and will be increasing as the oil sands move past capital cost recovery and into profitable production. Some of the profits have to be dedicated to the larger and more serious site reclamation challenge of tailing ponds and that work needs focus and to be accelerated dramatically. Oil ands companies who choose short term oil sands profit taking and also deferring reclamation duties is not an acceptable operating model for Albertans.

Oils sands site reclamation was recognized one of the very important value drivers for Albertans in our Oils Sands Survey. It is and a serious concern of Albertans about how we see our government and the oil sands project developers proceed towards responsible and sustainable stewardship of our oil sands resources. Now that reclamation has started expect it to be a big public policy and political pressure point for the Government of Alberta as it regulates and stewards our non-renewable oil sands resources.

Good to see this essential oil sands reclamation process finally officially happening. It is a start and from now on I expect we will see site reclamation as a growing and expanded trend for all oils sands operators who will be more focused and attentive to their reclamation obligations from now on.

Introducing the Honourable Heather Klimchuk

Heather Klimchuk is my new MLA and my friend and is now Minister of Service Alberta. It has been quite a week.

Heather is going to bring a new sensibility, a different political perspective and a critical skill set to the Stelmach government. This is because of her personal experiences (political and otherwise), her character qualities and her engaging persuasive personality.

Heather as been actively involved in Progressive Conservative party politics ever since she was 3 years old, when her folks brought/dragged her to numerous town hall meetings and election rallies. She has a real-world sensibility as she and her husband deal with the day-to-day challenges of bringing up two teenage children. She has been the ultimate volunteer and an uber-citizen. For years she has been continually active in the issues that affects her community from education to transportation, to recreation and development issues.

She is a long time activist in Alberta Progressive Conservative Party she has served at the constituency level as a board member and as a Constituency President. She has volunteered on dozens of election campaigns and now she has become a successful candidate in her own right. She will now get to continue to bring her talents, imagination and insights to her community's needs, but now to a larger community as well and in her new role as the MLA for Edmonton Glenora.

Heather has a wealth of retail political experience. She was recently elected to the PC Party Provincial Executive and served until her election victory. She has plenty of practical front line political experience coming from her 10 years of work in the offices of both Premier’s Lougheed and Getty.

Heather personal life is typical of busy women, wives and mothers all over Alberta. She knows what they are dealing with in trying to cope with the overwhelming demands of working inside and outside the home, being totally immersed in the day-to-day demands of bringing up a family and running a household. She, like so many other women in her situation, still finds time and energy to volunteer and contribute to the betterment of their communities.

There is a need for our political system to have more appreciation of the demands that are put on so many women these days, especially those who are in personally challenging circumstances. In the male dominated world of provincial politics and government these realities can easily be overlooked. With Heather in the “House” I don’t think that failure to notice will be happening anymore.

Heather and I have been friends for over 20 years. We have shared thoughts on a wide array of political and policy issues over the years. I can tell you she also knows the important role of good government to our society, our environment and our economy. She is especially well versed in how a progressive and conservative approach can be applied to meet the challenges we Albertans now face, both individually and together.

She worked hard for her election success. I know she is honoured and humbled with the Premier’s appointment to Cabinet. All this mean is that she will get to bring her experiences, skills and capacity for caring to bear even more on setting the future directions and defining the new destination for Alberta.

Good Cabinet choice Ed - and congratulations Heather.