Darren Robson

Montreal snow removal process 🤯

UCP MINISTER CLAIMS IT’S SAFE TO DRINK WATER LACED WITH ARSENIC, DISSOLVED METALS AND CARCINOGENS CALGARY – The Alberta NDP is demanding an apology and immediate action after UCP Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz stood in the Legislature Monday and vouched for the safety of water laced with arsenic and other contaminants following a leak from the Exxon-Imperial Kearl oil sands facility earlier this year. “I couldn’t believe it,” said Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, Alberta NDP Critic for Environment, Parks and Climate Resilience. “I assumed I must have misheard her but then I checked the records and there we have it — someone who claims to be the voice on Alberta’s environment claiming water laced with poison is safe to drink.” Schulz’s comments came during Question Period and specifically in response to questions from Calahoo Stonehouse about a series of illegal water releases, leaks and spills involving Kearl and the Suncor Fort Hills facility, both in northern Alberta. First Nations leaders in the area say they have never been consulted or informed about the incidents and fear long-term impacts to drinking water. Schulz said specifically, “I do want to point out, though, that during the NDP’s press conference today the member opposite did make numerous claims that arsenic, dissolved metals, and other carcinogens were at risk of causing danger to drinking water, wildlife, and people. Mr. Speaker, this is fearmongering and it is emphatically untrue. The drinking water does in fact remain safe.” It was public earlier this year that water containing dangerous levels of arsenic, dissolved metals and hydrocarbons had seeped from a Kearl tailings pond for more than a year into public lands and waterways. On Monday, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations Chief Allan Adam said his people fish in the impacted area and drink the water. According to the World Health Organization, “Long-term exposure to arsenic from drinking-water and food can cause cancer and skin lesions.” “We came forward with serious concerns on behalf of so many people and the Minister had nothing, except to downplay what are serious health risks,” Calahoo Stonehouse said. “These Ministers, the Alberta Energy Regulator — no one is listening.” The third and most recent incident involving Kearl was reported Nov. 13. It was reported that 670,000 litres of water was released from a settling pond at the facility into the Muskeg River and that water contained four times the legal limit of contaminants. Earlier this month, when asked about the incident in Question Period, UCP Energy Minister Brian Jean also downplayed concerns, saying it was “muddy water” and nothing more. “This is a disturbing pattern,” said Kathleen Ganley, Alberta NDP Energy & Climate Critic for Oil & Gas, Natural Gas, Minerals & Hydrogen. “Serious questions have been raised about the regulator and whether they are doing enough to protect people’s health. The AER is meant to protect the public interest, and there is increasing evidence they are not doing that. “The UCP have done nothing to restore confidence in the regulator, and to restore public confidence that anyone in government take protecting people’s health seriously. “The people at the top of the AER and the UCP Ministers have completely failed to maintain the public trust, they should resign and launch an immediate and transparent review of the regulator.”

Am I imagining things or did Brian Jean just say that Alberta can store all the carbon for the whole world? He wants other countries to send their carbon here for storage. Wouldn’t the cost of transportation make that model uneconomic?

Why does Danielle Smith smirk all the time? It’s so arrogant.

See my statement following today’s meeting about the Canada Pension Plan: