Lethbridge NDP Spokesperson Shares Documents Relating to Goldenkey Oil
January 9, 2014 By
Ducks found dead under transmission lines near Oldman dam
January 9, 2014 By
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Photo: Looking west from Highway 785 at the point where the new transmission line crosses the highway, December 31, 2013David McIntyre photos
Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice
A number of dead ducks were found underneath AltaLink electricity transmission lines adjacent to Highway 785 south of the Oldman River Dam. Area citizens first reported the deceased birds in early to mid December of 2013 after a cold snap.
I drove out to the site earlier today and discovered an AltaLink crew inspecting the area but my inquiries were directed to AltaLink spokesman Scott Schreiner.
According to Schreiner, “The first we heard of it was a phone call I received yesterday” (Wednesday, January 7). He said the incident was then reported by AltaLink to Alberta Sustainable Resource Development and to Fish and Wildlife, who are believed to have been on scene today December 8 as well.
According to David McIntyre, who took the photos included with this article, “The observed dead ducks appear to have been killed over a protracted period of time rather than, say, from one or two isolated incidents. I offer this due to seeing both freshly killed ducks and others that appeared to have been on the site for some time.”
McIntyre is a retired scientist, a noted area environmentalist, and among many other things is also a director of Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS).
“The attached images show a currently-under-construction, 240kV AltaLink transmission line that’s located north of the town of Pincher Creek and Highway 3, south of the Oldman River valley and the Oldman Reservoir (created by water backed up from the Oldman Dam),” he explains in an email. “I took the pictures on Dec. 31, 2013.”
“If you look closely, you can see that transmission lines have been strung to the towers revealed in the first image, but have not yet been strung to the newly erected towers to the east.”
Photo: Looking east from Highway 785 at the point where the new transmission line crosses the highway, December 31, 2013.
David McIntyre photos
“Also visible in the first image are the remains of dead ducks that, from all appearances, have been killed as a result of collisions with the overhead lines. The pictured duck remains are the tip of a dead-duck iceberg that extends all along the newly erected transmission lines.”
McIntyre believes the new transmission lines have “within a very short period of time, killed hundreds of ducks due to high-speed—bone-breaking—collisions.”
He could not estimate the number of ducks he saw, but believed them all to be mallards, and he said he saw at “at least one Canada goose and one gray (Hungarian) partridge.”
“Seven eagles (a mix of golden and bald) were feeding on dead ducks during the brief time I stopped to examine the site, and one eagle was seen carrying off a dead duck. One rough-legged hawk and dozens of ravens were also at the site. This active feeding by avian scavengers suggests that many dozens of dead waterfowl may have already been removed from the area where they were killed. Regardless, the land beneath the pictured lines looks like an avian slaughterhouse. It’s littered with duck remains, and the ground, wherever there’s vegetation, has captured a carpet of windblown feather.”
McIntyre makes his opposition to the transmission lines very plain and offers his opinion of the situation quite candidly:
“It’s more than likely that ducks, flying in tight flocks, are particularly vulnerable—more than geese, or swans—to the new transmission lines, particularly in times of poor visibility. Regardless, it appears obvious that the line’s placement, directly between a key waterfowl staging area and adjacent grain fields—read “feeding areas”—couldn’t have been planned more effectively … if killing waterfowl had been its primary objective.”
“Almost overnight it’s become southern Alberta’s Dead Duck Cafe.”
Scott Schreiner said the causal factor(s) for the deaths was presently undetermined, but “When we heard about it we sent out a team to investigate. We’re taking this very seriously.”
“We’re the first company in Canada to put together an avian mitigation plan,” said Schreiner. “We want to find out exactly what happened so we can mitigate future events.” That may include installing devices on the line to make it more visible to birds.
We will follow up on this story as more information becomes available.
Correction “Area citizens first reported the deceased birds in early to mid December of 2013 after a cold snap.” edited from “Area citizens first reported the deceased birds in mid December of 2013 after a cold snap.”
AltaLink to investigate dead ducks by transmission lines
January 9, 2014 By
Investigation to take a few days
Posted:Jan 08, 2014 11:16 AM MT
Last Updated:Jan 08, 2014 11:16 AM MT
AltaLink is investigating reports about dozens of dead ducks near one of its transmission lines in southwest Alberta.
Retired scientist David McIntyre raised concerns after he found duck carcasses under a newly-built transmission line north of Pincher Creek.
A retired scientist took this photo of what appears to be dead ducks underneath a transmission line being built in the Pincher Creek area. (Submitted by David McIntyre)
McIntyre estimates the deaths may be in the hundreds based on a 10-minute walk along the line he took on Dec. 31.
Judging from the damage to ducks, he thinks they may be hitting the line in bad weather when they can’t see it.
The company is sending workers to an area near Pincher Creek and may install “flappers” to help make the lines more visible.
Director Scott Schreiner says it appears it happened near an existing line and not near one of the new transmission lines under construction.
“We’ve sent a team of environmental experts from AltaLink and external providers down to investigate. Normally, what we try to do is mitigate any impact on the environment of our facilities. That includes bird contacts.”
The team will walk up and down the transmission lines in the area and may also do a bird count. While the company performs environmental assessments and can use some techniques to divert birds, Schreiner admits some conflict with birds is unavoidable.
“Whether it’s a phone line or a telephone tower or a house, birds have collisions with those aerial facilities.”
AltaLink will need a few days to investigate the reports. The company has notified Alberta Environment about the incident.
Redford defends $1.7M spent on Building Alberta branding campaign
January 9, 2014 By
By James Wood, Calgary Herald January 7, 2014
Under fire for spending on domestic advertising and international travel, Premier Alison Redford is defending the government’s Building Alberta campaign and a series of high-profile trips by cabinet to start the new year.
On Tuesday, the official Opposition released new documents showing the province spent $661,663 on Building Alberta advertising last year.
Along with more than $1 million spent on huge signs posted on infrastructure projects, the total tab for the Building Alberta branding exercise in 2013 exceeded $1.7 million.
Speaking to reporters in Calgary, Redford maintained it’s important for Albertans to know about the government’s spending on roads and public facilities, especially after last June’s devastating flooding in the south of the province.
“We want to make sure that people know what our commitment is to infrastructure,” she said.
“People who are thinking about coming back to those (flood-damaged) communities will have confidence those communities can be rebuilt. This is an important part of that and we’re going to continue to do it.”
But Wildrose MLA Rob Anderson said the Building Alberta campaign is a cynical attempt to sell the Progressive Conservative government’s plan to borrow billions of dollars to fund construction projects — and taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook for political advertising.
Documents obtained by the Wildrose Party show the government spent $287,759 on a television, online and print ad blitz, $277,538 on a mail-out sent to every Alberta home, $32,950 on the creation of the Build Alberta campaign, $21,995 on the corporate document, $25,883 on displays and backdrops, and $15,537 on video and multimedia.
“There is not one dollar in that money that was spent that was in the best interests of Albertans,” said Anderson.
“There is no point to it. It does no good . . . They are just taking taxpayer money and promoting themselves.”
Derek Fildebrandt of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, whose freedom of information request revealed the government’s expenditure on Building Alberta signs, said the campaign shows the need for stricter rules around partisanship in public advertising.
The Building Alberta signs are particularly egregious because they bear Redford’s name and sport the PC colours of blue and orange, he said.
“Building Alberta is becoming a punchline now . . . representing waste, representing partisanship,” said Fildebrandt.
Fildebrandt and Anderson said the government’s spendthrift ways extend to travel.
Redford embarks Thursday on a business promotion trip to India and visits the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The total cost for the trip, which includes ministers Manmeet Bhullar and Naresh Bhardwaj, exceeds $120,000.
International and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Cal Dallas will join Redford on the trip and then proceed to Singapore at a price of $56,400, while Thomas Lukaszuk, minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour, is currently in China at a cost of $20,800.
Redford made no apologies for the travel, maintaining it is a vital part of the Building Alberta plan for ministers to be on the road spreading the news about the province and its resources.
“As we move forward and we think about where we need to be able to sell our products, it’s India, it’s China,” she said.
“It’s ensuring that we’re creating the story we need to tell in the United States and in Europe with respect to responsible environmental sustainable development, the way that we’re developing our energy industry.”
Anderson said he doesn’t object to the travel but he has no confidence government members are getting the best deal for taxpayers, pointing to expensive hotel rooms and flights racked up by Redford.
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
Alberta PCs should pay the $1M cost for ‘partisan’ infrastructure signs bearing Alison Redford’s name: Wildrose
January 6, 2014 By
Canadian Press | January 2, 2014 | Last Updated: Jan 2 5:06 PM ET
EDMONTON — The Opposition says Alberta’s governing Progressive Conservative party should be forced to repay more than $1 million in taxpayer money spent on signs touting building projects in the province.
The Wildrose party says the signs, in hues similar to Tory colours and featuring Premier Alison Redford’s name, are nothing more than partisan political advertising.
Documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation show the government put up 293 blue-and-orange “Building Alberta” signs in 2013.
The material obtained through an access-to-information request shows the average cost was $3,500 per sign.
Proposed drilling in Lethbridge carries too many risks
January 6, 2014 By
By Letter to the Editor on January 6, 2014.
I am writing express my deep concern about urban drilling by Goldenkey within the city of Lethbridge. Although I am currently completing my neurology residency training at the University of Calgary, I grew up in Lethbridge and hope to return as I have friends and family in the community.
I would like to emphasize that we do not have enough research evidence to understand the long-term health consequences of hydraulic fracturing and gas flaring in urban areas. Without evidence that urban drilling is safe, we should not risk the health of our citizens. One of the proposed wells is less than a kilometre away from an elementary school, and could potentially put our children at risk – a position held by both local school boards.
I support resource development in general and I am pleased with the PC government’s efforts to lobby for energy projects that will ultimately help pay for our cherished social programs, including universal health care. I understand that exporting Alberta’s oil wealth is important to maintain our health-care system.
But there could also be significant health costs of urban drilling. I do not believe that there should be drilling in urban areas, close to schools, and uphill from the city’s water supply. Nor do I think that dangerous toxins should be trucked through residential neighbourhoods. In addition to health and safety risks, urban drilling will also have negative impact on property values and the future development.
Because the City of Lethbridge has no control over urban drilling, I would urge all concerned citizens to write letters to their MLAs to encourage them to put more pressure on the provincial government to intervene. In addition, letters should be sent to Health Minister Fred Horne and Premier Redford. The only chance to prevent urban drilling in Lethbridge is to pressure the province to buy the energy rights back from Goldenkey. Once the wells are in place it will be too late.
We also need to advocate for municipalities (and their citizens) to have direct control over whether they allow urban drilling within their corporate limits. Citizens should have input into decisions that directly affect their health and wellbeing. We should not be beholden to the AER, which has the appearance of being a puppet of the oil industry, and is certainly not directly accountable to the people.
Dr. Tyson B. Brust
PGY4 Neurology Resident
University of Calgary
Alison Redford Says Washington Trip To Promote Keystone Pipeline Went Well
January 4, 2014 By
CP | By The Canadian Press Posted: 11/12/2013 8:23 pm EST | Updated: 11/12/2013 8:50 pm EST
WASHINGTON – Alberta Premier Alison Redford says she senses a shift in discussions with some U.S. government officials about the proposed Keystone XL oilsands pipeline.
After her fifth trip to Washington, D.C., Tuesday to lobby for the project, Redford says some people there are starting to appreciate that shipping bitumen by rail generates more greenhouse gases than shipping it by pipeline.
Redford says she met with U.S. State department officials as well as members of Congress and the Senate and the talks went very well.
She says she continued to promote Alberta’s environmental record, including carbon capture and storage projects and new land use policies.
Some Americans say the Keystone XL pipeline would reduce U.S. reliance on crude imports from unfriendly countries and create jobs, but others argue the environmental risks are too high.
TransCanada Corp. (TSX:TRP) filed its Keystone XL proposal more than five years ago and expects a decision will be made soon.
“I actually feel that the discussion that I have been able to have with people, some of whom I have met before who are following this closely and some who I have met for the first time, leads me to believe that people are really fully seized with these issues, have understood the discussion that we have been trying to have out of Alberta and that it is going very well,” she said Tuesday.
The US$5.4-billion Keystone project would ship bitumen from Alberta’s oilsands to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Redford suggested she was encouraged by the discussions in the U.S. capital about shipping crude derived from the oilsands by pipeline versus by rail.
“A lot of that product is being transported by rail at the moment, and that is something that is receiving quite a bit of attention in the United States, partly because we know that transportation by rail leads to higher greenhouse gas emissions than a pipeline would,” Redford said.
Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty talked about oil pipelines, including Keystone XL, in front of a business crowd in Edmonton Tuesday.
“I was in Texas the other week and I can tell you the support for the Keystone pipeline is huge,” he said.
“I am hopeful that the sensible course will be followed.”
Flaherty touted the three options for shipping oil to port through Canada as well — west through the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, north to the port of Churchill, Man., by rail and east to New Brunswick by pipeline.
“I think we should do them all, personally. This is the future of the country — it’s long term. I think we should move on all fronts.” he said. “We need to do something.”
AltaLink – Siting for new power lines
January 3, 2014 By
January 3, 2013. 10:10 am • Section: Energy, Environment, Technology, Uncategorized
The amount of electricity Albertans are consuming is growing and there is a need to replace an aging transmission system. However how do you balance the need with the rights of the landowners. With several power lines being proposed across the province the question as to where they will be placed is growing in the minds of farmers.
AltaLink – Siting for new power lines
Redford government spent upwards of $1 million on roadside signs in 2013
January 3, 2014 By
Thursday, January 02, 2014
EDMONTON – The Alberta government spent more than $1 million on roadside signs in 2013, many of them branded with the province’s “Building Alberta” slogan, internal documents show.
Premier Alison Redford’s government spent at least $1,043,183 on 293 signs last year, according to the documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation under freedom of information laws and released Thursday. The expense marked a significant increase over the two previous years, and the taxpayers organization says the documents show the cost has been steadily increasing.
Included in last year’s $1-million total are 257 Building Alberta signs – including 56 flood recovery signs – at roughly $3,380 each, and 38 Greening Alberta signs at a cost of roughly $4,805 each. Another eight signs classified under the label Project Limit came with a total price tag of $40,100.
The amount spent on the roadside placards in 2013 increased significantly over 2012, when the government spent nearly $219,000 on 73 signs, the majority of which were branded with the Building Alberta slogan.
The most expensive Building Alberta signs were also purchased in 2012, at $8,000 a pop.
In 2011, the government spent even less, shelling out $33,364 on 16 Building Alberta signs – roughly $2,085 each.
The documents do not reveal which company, or companies, provide the signs. The installation costs of the signs are also not included in the documents.
The Building Alberta signs have provided much fodder to opposition critics, who say they are branded with Progressive-Conservative party colours and Redford’s name to advertise using government dollars.
In a news release, Derek Fildebrandt, Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, called the signs “wasteful.”
“These signs are not innocent, bureaucratic bulletins,” Fildebrandt said. “They are partisan propaganda with Premier Redford’s name emblazoned on them.”
In early December, Redford dismissed criticism that her office had ordered the signs be erected on flood-affected sites even if projects weren’t yet tendered.
“Putting up these signs shows (the) commitment that we have as a government to the Building Alberta plan and the Rebuilding Alberta plan,” she said at the time. “That is hope.”
The criticism was the result of a leaked email from the premier’s office advising three ministers and their press secretaries to get signs up in a two-week period.
“The premier would like to ensure that Building Alberta signage is up and in front of every flood-affected road, bridge, school, etc., literally everything on our infrastructure list to ensure that folks know that we are going to be rebuilding,” says the email from Redford’s director of political operations, Darren Cunningham. “I don’t care if an RFP (Request for Proposal) is ready or not, we need a very visible commitment that the government is rebuilding.”
More to come …
Alberta Premier Alison Redford tops the Canadian Taxpayers Federation naughty list
December 26, 2013 By
By Matt Dykstra ,Edmonton Sun
More than a handful of governing Alberta MLAs deserve a big lump of coal under the tree this Christmas, including Premier Alison Redford, says the province’s tax watchdog.
When it comes to the expenses charged to taxpayers from Alberta’s well-compensated government ministers, Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) Alberta Director Derek Fildebrandt has been making a list and checking it twice.
“By keeping a close watch on the government, we know which of them has been naughty and which of them has been nice,” said Fildebrandt.
While the CTF previously had to file Freedom of Information (FOI) requests for the expenses, Fildebrandt says the Alberta government’s “nation-leading” expense disclosure policy allows even Santa to keep tabs on government expenses with relative ease.
Still, some MLAs couldn’t ho-ho-hold the line on spending.
Leading the naughty list is Premier Alison Redford, who in addition to numerous expensive flights and hotel stays, also ordered several $22 pots of coffee when she was in Washington in April.
“It could be whole pots of coffee but I don’t know how any coffee can be $22,” he said, adding Finance Minister Doug Horner shouldn’t get a Christmas gift either.
“Since the Premier and Horner are intent on leaving debt for our children to pay off, I think it’s only fair that Santa leaves them a lump of coal. As long as Alberta runs a deficit, it’ll be impossible for them to get off the Naughty list.”
Judging just by expenses, Fildebrandt says Redford is the naughtiest MLA while Justice Minister Jonathan Denis’ “boring” expenses make him the nicest.
Overall, Associate Minister Accountability, Transparency and Transformation Don Scott is also one of the nicest, said Fildebrandt, as he spearheaded Alberta’s new sunshine list that will see the salaries, benefits and severance agreements of all government employee’s making over $100,00 a year posted online.
Fildebrandt suggests MLAs make it their New Year’s resolution to ease up on their expense accounts.
————
Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) Alberta Director Derek Fildebrandt has compiled his naughty and nice list:
NAUGHTY LIST
Premier Alison Redford
“Premier Redford flies around the world more than Santa Claus and gives out more free gifts paid for by debt than the big man in red could ever hope to, using mere elves,” says Filderbrandt.
Total expenses: $82,872
Notable airfare expense claims:
$7,875 to New Brunswick
$6,092 to Chicago
$5,927 to Toronto
Notable hotel expense claims:
$876/night in Washington (x2)
$772/night in New York (x3)
$635/night in Toronto (x2)
$649/night in Ottawa (x2)
Notable meal & hospitality claims:
$22 pots of coffee in Washington
$31 hamburger in Washington
Finance Minister Doug Horner
“Government debt is sort of like making the kids pay Santa for mom and dad’s presents. Since Doug is leaving behind debt for the little ones, Santa is likely to leave behind a lump of coal for him this year for the large debt and deficit; even the Auditor General can’t figure out how to make sense out of his books; and initially banning the CTF from the budget lockup,” says Filderbrandt.
Jobs, Skills and Labour Minister Thomas Lukaszuk
“Less naughty than last year, but Minister Lukaszuk sure does love flying to Calgary any chance that the can get. No driving for him. He even managed to find an excuse to be in Calgary on ‘government business’ for five days during Stampede. The last time Santa spent five days at Stampede, the elves fell behind on Cabbage Patch Kids and Mrs. Claus made him sleep on the couch for a week. Add to this his threat to raise beer taxes, and he really had no chance of making the Nice List this year,” says Filderbrandt.
Total Expenses: $45,325
Notable airfare expense claims:
$9,090 for European ‘junket’
17 Edmonton-Calgary flights
Notable hotel expense claims:
$1,388 for 4 nights stay during the Calgary Stampede
Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo MLA Mike Allen: “You know”¦” says Fildebrandt. In case you don’t, Allen recently pled guilty to a misdemeanour charge relating to his July arrest in St. Paul, Minn. for soliciting a prostitute while on a taxpayer-funded government business trip.
Health Minister Fred Horne:
“Minister Horne is on the naughty list for the second year running for either misplacing or not posting some pretty big receipts as he’s required. Maybe they were ‘nice’ expenses, but that many missing receipts will land anyone on the ‘naughty list.’ That said, he did fire the entire AHS Board in an effort to stop undeserved bonus payouts. It helps his case, but not enough,” says Filderbrandt.
Total Expenses: $41,565
Notable missing receipts for airfare:
$5,762 to a symposium (destination not given)
$1,146 to a conference (destination not given)
$739 to a conference (destination not given)
Calgary Bow MLA Alana Delong:
“Ms. Delong has the distinction of being the only minister or MLA to have filed or posted absolutely no receipts at all. Until taxpayers get receipts, she only gets coal,” says Filderbrandt.
Total expenses: $4,772
Notable missing receipts for airfare, hotels, ground transportation and “other.”
NICE LIST
Justice Minister Jonathan Denis:
“For the second year running, Jonathan Denis has the most boring expense claim of anyone in the government. Last year, Denis even went to a German beer hall, and didn’t even expense a beer,” says Filderbrandt.
Total expenses: $12,778
Associate Minister Accountability, Transparency and Transformation Don Scott: “Don easily made the Nice this year. Last year he introduced Alberta’s nation-leading expense disclosure system. Just last week, he unveiled Alberta’s new government salary ‘sunshine list.’ He deserves a good Christmas from Santa, and a promotion from Redford,” says Filderbrandt.
Transportation Minister Wayne Drysdale:
“Wayne earns a high spot on the Nice List this year for his good example. While other minister ran up bills of more than $600 a night for hotels during the Calgary Stampede, he stayed in town for just $177 a night. Those on the Naughty List should take note,” says Filderbrandt.
Human Services Minister Manmeet Bhullar:
“A big man with a small expense account, Manmeet has made some positive moves on privatizing the delivery of services. On a personal note, the CTF’s Alberta Director supports his initiative to protect the right of condo owners to fly the Canadian flag on their townhouses,” says Filderbrandt.
Total expenses: $5,673
Calgary-Hawkwood MLA Jason Luan: “Jason had the lowest expenses recorded of any MLA or Minister. You need to get out more Jason,” says Filderbrandt.
Total expenses: $381