If you have not already heard, this week the Redford Government announced that it is moving forward with Bill 36.
The Cabinet released its new Regional Plan for north-east Alberta. This is the first of seven regional plans that will be approved by Cabinet.
We had hoped that the government was rethinking its approach to imposing Cabinet-controlled central planning but it is not—full speed ahead for Bill 36.
The final regulations for the new Regional Plan say that Cabinet Ministers must order their bureaucrats to prepare management plans for any landowner or business that is not meeting the new social, environmental, and economic “targets” and “limits” set by the Cabinet. (Regulation sections 11, 26 and 33)
These sections also say that you must comply with the lawful directions of the bureaucrats.
This first Regional Plan may not have a large impact on landowners and ranchers because most of the land in the north-east part of our province is Crown land.
It will be a completely different impact when the Redford Government rolls out its next Regional Plan—the one for the South Saskatchewan River basin. Almost all of the land in that region is either private land or Crown land under grazing leases. Irrigators will also be impacted. The Cabinet can use its powers to rescind water licences, feedlot approvals, grazing leases, development rights and every other form of statutory consent that southern Albertans rely on to keep their businesses, farms and the economy going.
The big oil companies that have had their Crown leases rescinded (torn up) by the Cabinet under the new Regional Plan regulation are now trying to get compensation from the government. Remember that Bill 36 strips you of your right to compensation—and right to appeal to the Courts. You now need to seek an audience with the Minister, plead your case for compensation and are at the mercy of the Cabinet. Prior to Bill 36, Alberta law prevented the government from rescinding your water licences, grazing leases, and other statutory consents. When the government did have the power of rescission, there were binding obligations to pay fair compensation. Not anymore under the PC government. They control everything now and your rights are gone.
Soon we will get to see what the Cabinet’s plan is for southern Alberta. Soon all landowners will be under the thumb—and the whims—of the Cabinet Ministers and their bureaucrats. Central planning is here. Respect for property rights, the rule of law and our market driven economy are gone. We now officially live in a European-style nanny state.
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Canadian Property Rights Conference 2012
Leading experts on property rights will be speaking at a conference in Ottawa on September 14 to 16.
The Alberta Landowners Council’s policy chair, lawyer Keith Wilson, is one of the invited speakers. We are proud of all he has done for landowners in Alberta, and it is obvious that others also want to hear what one of Alberta’s most influential people has to say. (voted by Alberta Venture Magazine as one of Alberta’s most influential people)
If you are interested in attending the conference, further information and registration details can be found at this link: http://propertyrightscanada.org/index.php/speakers