You Might Be Interested In What the ABP Says About Private Property Rights?

[farmers_son]

A quick call to my ABP delegate confirmed that the word "review" was never part of those resolutions. Mr. Berger was mistaken. I guess he is still learning the job or else some government staffer attending the AGM got his wires crossed.

[ASRG]

The AGM report isn't out yet, however Evan Berger spoke to the AGM on land issues (agenda) on Dec 6/11, followed by a debate on the ABP position.
On December 2/11 Berger, John Knapp, and a represntative from Alberta Environment met in a "special session" with Doug Sawyer(new chair) and Dave Solverson (vice chair) to discuss land issues.
The post above involving Groenveld/Berger was from hansard Dec. 7th.
If Berger was giving false information in the legislature (on purpose or in error) the ABP should be contacting the house leaders? They get excited when information they get in the house isn't correct.

[ASRG]

Reflecting further on this I find it hard to believe the delegates would be so dumb to "resoundingly defeat" a motion to review.....especially when Redford had already named a task force to review the bills?
Berger misled the house (intentionally or otherwise).......I hope not intentionally.....but when you are at the ABP AGM one day...and report incorrectly on it the next day in the legislature....Uh, that doesn't look very good?
I suspect he'll get called on it tommorrow at the task force meeting in Nisku? The ABP is presenting tommorrow at Nisku....I would assume they will straighten Berger out? I'll report tommorrow.

[farmers_son]

I have to believe my delegate when he tells me the resolutions in question did not include the word review.

I am not sure if this is hijacking a thread or not (property rights versus water rights) but I was very interested when I read further down the same Hansard report for December 7.

There was a question about water rights that really raised some red flags for me. Is the province looking to sell our wather to the Americans?

http://www.assembly.ab.ca/Documents/isysquery/f0a5beef-6333-4bba-bc98-e97ea35cf61d/1/doc/

2:20 Water Management

Ms Notley: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Parkland Institute report
that I tabled yesterday states that to date the Tories have only
explored market options to water allocation and are intent on
moving towards a deregulated provincial water market. Such a
move would leave the allocation of water up to the highest bidder.
My question is to the Deputy Premier. Given that this move would
extend water rights to foreign ownership and other private
interests and would pit them against ordinary Albertans in a
bidding war that, at the very least, would result in higher water
prices, will this government commit to legislation that declares
water a public trust and protects Alberta consumers?

Mr. Horner: Well, Mr. Speaker, I think it's pretty obvious that
Albertans value their greatest resource in this province, which is
water. Right next to that the greatest resource is people, and when
you put the two things together you can come up with some
research and some planning that will protect our most valuable
resource and build for the future of this province, and that's
exactly what we intend to do.

Ms Notley: Well, Mr. Speaker, given that in the current water
allocation system Alberta Environment is taking only 10 per cent
of its holdback clause for environmental purposes only 60 per cent
of the time and given that water markets are priced only on
economic indicators, why won't this government commit to a
water allocation strategy that makes environmental integrity a
priority over the free market and guarantees environmental
sustainability for Albertans now and in the future?

Mr. Horner: Mr. Speaker, environmental sustainability is extremely
important to this province for a whole raft of reasons, not the


December 7, 2011 Alberta Hansard 1721

least of which are our economic and our social reasons. In fact,
that's why Alberta, I believe, was one of the first provinces to
come out with a water for life strategy, which we are pursuing.
That strategy is an overarching strategy that combines not only
securing water for the future of Alberta's economic development
but also environmental protection and agriculture.

[ASRG]

Water pricing is going to be a big deal. I participate in the water for life stratedgy through the Red Deer River Watershed Alliance. At a recent workshop the "government moderators" were definitely pushing us toward a pricing structure.
I recently got a memo from a synergy group reporting the town of Sundre was selling waste water to hydro fracking companies for $5.50/cube. I got a further note that Drayton Valley was doing the same for $7.50/cube.
Yes it is waste water...but it will be taken out of the water cycle forever?
I assume both of these towns have licenses to draw water......and they are selling it? What is with that!
Why can't you and I sell water (not access to water....but actual water)? I sell "access" all the time, in the 2000 cubes range....if I could sell that water for $5.50-$7.50/cube.....which is the market price range established by Sundre and Drayton.....I should be getting between $11,000 and $15,000 per well? Believe me I'm not getting that! If I was I'd be busy building more dugouts!

[per]

F-s thank you for the clarity on the Hansard transcript. Nothing is ever quite as it seems. This never came up yesterday at the Task Force and may not on the 19th. George and Evans cheeky ruse in the Leg is on record could backfire on them. It need not be me however who pushes this issue one way or another. I am concentrating all my efforts on making sure the Task Force ergo Ms. Redford understands the value of property including permits, licences and not limited to free hold. So these concentration of power bills that cascade overarching over all Albertans lives are appropriately fixed.

[ASRG]

per: Oh believe me.......Mr Bergers's comments are going to come up on December 19th at Airdrie! Our group had a very "animated" discussion yesterday on Mr. Bergers "comments" at a little work shop ysterday!

[forage]

Is ASRG the same group who has the website on landowner issues. If so great site. ASRG you mentioned workshop in Airdrie, is for landowners.

[ASRG]

Yes that is our website.
It's not a workshop at Airdrie. It is a "stakeholders" meeting (by invitation only). Basically it is supposed to give the appointed "TASK FORCE ON THE LAND BILLS"a heads up with what they might expect in January....when they will hold public input meetings?
If you have an opinion on the "land grab bills (19,24,36,50)" get out to your local public meeting in January. Dates have not been announced yet.
If Redford is serious about listening to concerns, and not just a pre-election scheme, it is important this task force gets a loud and clear message that landowners are not happy campers!
Our group, Alberta Surface Rights Group is presenting tommorrow at Airdrie. We will be voicing our distaste for the land grab bills as well as offering some solutions.
I'll report how it went tommorrow.

[per]

Have a good day tomorrow ASRG. Looking forward to hearing how it went. I'll be fencing and moving cows but with you in spirit.