Perpetuating Lies under Stelmach!

Mike Cardinal did a large scale land sale on the east slope of the Rocky Mountains. This is where Alberta’s underground drinking water originates. The Agri-Food industry bought up most of his offer. There as been no clear answer from the Conservative Government as to who owns the water rights after these transactions.

Remember, first in line; first in time is the foundation of who owns the actual water.
Also remember Ralph’s TV rant “I will fix things so you guy’s will never be able to change them!”

There is coverage of Calgary’s outstanding thrift in water conservation. What is not said is the City of Calgary only has surface water rights which are tied to the Bow and Elbow rivers. They hold no water allotment for underground or aquifer water. Most this is held by Coca Cola or a subsidiary of Coke the Dasani Water Company and the Calgary Malting Company. Combined, they have more water allotment than does the City of Calgary.

The Calgary surface water is dependent on glacial melt and, the Glaciers are receding fast. Many creditable estimates put the actual use of these rivers for drinking water at 10 years maximum! As the glaciers recede, the run off patters change. The rivers become un-potable or unsafe As they silt there is a build up of pathogens. The water in the river becomes stagnant long before it becomes a dry bed.

Water's economic value assessed

As I have said before, Calgary will be buying its water from Dasani before too long passes. I would be very surprised if they are not already buying some water from them.

Remember the plan to move 2/3 of the water from the Peace River south to southern Alberta? It is still alive and setting a price on the water will be the go button to get it started.

Consider too, the farmer in Peace River who was told he did not own the water in his dug out and he would have to meter the use and pay for it? This came out at the Conservative election meeting in Banff.

Under this long standing plan, water wells will be metered and/or the draw from those private wells will be otherwise estimated and the property owners will be charged for the water.

Not to pass unnoticed is the squeal of the oil companies. Charging them for water on their start up under the present royalty scheme will mean only the oil companies add it to their expenses thus adding it to the tier before the 1% royalty is paid.

I can clearly see the Conservatives not charging the oil companies for water and upping the royalties to cover the water while singing their own praises that they, the Government are in control and, not the oil companies.

This is a very meaning full article which is put forward as a current bright idea not the result and introduction to plans that have been in place since the early 80s!

Do you really want these Conservatives in charge?

John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca