...continued from Part 1

Such pollution on the eastern slopes of Alberta’s Rockies could affect drinking water supplies for Prairie citizens in three provinces for decades, he notes, and wipe out any job benefits. “The generational impacts of these foreign-owned developments on Alberta, and everyone who lives downstream, is just mind-boggling.”

Former premier Ralph Klein often referred to ordinary voters as “Martha and Henry,” noted Luff. “If Martha and Henry in Rimbey, Alberta really understood what was going on, they would be apoplectic.”

Why would the Kenney government put at risk such political support, much less the environmental health of vital watersheds?

Luff looks at the tanking fortunes of the oil patch and sees a trigger. “It is the narrow view of one government focused on a downturn in its oil and gas sector and trying to recover from the effects of pandemic and that somehow thinks bringing on coal development is a potential panacea.”

Now, said Luff, “It almost appears as if the Kenney government is in bed with Australian developers. Or it shortsightedly believes that coal will be their saviour. But it makes no environmental or economic sense.” [Tyee]

https://thetyee.ca/News/2020/08/03/What-Kenney-Killed-Embrace-Coal/?utm_source=weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=030820