Canadian ChoicesWheat Letter - December 2, 2010

[TOM4CWB]

Grassfarmer,

Who said I agreed with this?

I clearly stated, time after time, for decades; that we NEED a Property Rights Bill in Alberta.

DO NOT put words in my mouth... that I NEVER said.

[grassfarmer]

I think it was summed up perfectly by Parsley and the follow up from mustardman on another thread.

Parsley "I cannot understand why it is that only two farmers who are socialists, are upset over property rights legislation in Alberta, yet the farmers who advocate for strong property rights are not actively and loudly speaking out against this legislation.
What is wrong with this picture? Pars"

mustardman: "Parsley ITs a little thing called Partisan Politics. This is when a government puts a policy forward that is wrong but You are willing to Overlook simply because it was You who put them in power -
so you say to yourself what they are doing must be right because it is my beloved xyz party."

I'm not a socialist by the way pars, I'm a life long Conservative.

[Fransisco]

Which pretty much sums up whats wrong with the conservative party.

[TOM4CWB]

Grassfarmer,

"I'm not a socialist by the way pars, I'm a life long Conservative."

You believe the CWB should be able to take our wheat and barley WITHOUT fair compensation...

No wonder the Provincial PC Party is not afraid to pass the provincial land use/reform legislation!

[FarmRanger]

<i>"Compensation limited
19 No person has a right to compensation by reason of this Act, a regulation under this Act, a
regional plan or anything done in or under a regional plan except either
(a) as expressly provided for under Part 3, Division 3, or
(b) as provided for under another enactment."

Part 3, Division 3 of the Act deals only
with “conservation directives". That part of the Act does not deal in any way with the loss of rights or restriction of rights triggered by the sections listed above. </i>

Thanks for that Grassfarmer.
It looks to me like they aren’t going to compensate you if they deem your place is in a protected area of some sort. You pay taxes on it and can still sell the land, but your use of the land would be severely restricted? If I’m reading it right it is still disgusting piece of legislation for a supposed “conservative” government to enact.

What really torques me off is that if the elected government thinks that protecting the environment is so important, why is it the landowner who gets to pay for what the government deems is “an environmental good”. The tyranny of the majority should never apply to property rights.

That being said, CWB legislation has still cost me far more (so far).

[grassfarmer]

Farmranger,
The regional plans being developed cover the entire Province, including urban areas so don't think that this act affects only a few scenic areas of wilderness.
It goes deeper than dictating what you can do on the land - they give themselves the power to "extinguish" (their choice of words) instruments under the Land Titles Act which includes your title deeds.

To the other two muppets - I am a life long Conservative - that doesn't mean I support either the Federal or Provincial Conservative parties in this country - they are not Conservative, more a type of fascism and communism combined. Your natural allies of course, along with Walmart.

[TOM4CWB]

Farmranger,

I see this as the forerunner to the new credits that will be offered when a land owner sells wet lands (an easement)to industrial and municipal projects that destroy wetlands.

I propose this is the legal framework to go forward with this new market; the Alberta government is creating... to sell private wetlands to those who need to replace existing wetlands with reserves from private land.

So land owners who own farm land can in the future, sell the wetlands they now have on this new system being created.

Hope this helps a little in explaining the logic behind these legislative acts.

[grassfarmer]

What nonsense TOM - justifying your buddies bad law. If it is "So land owners who own farm land can in the future, sell the wetlands they now have on this new system being created."
Why does the Government have to write a law that allows cabinet to extinguish your land title, with no compensation and no recourse through the courts? How is that needed to facilitate a land owner selling their wetlands? It absolutely isn't - that's pure bunkum. Is that what your MLA told you it was about? ask him if he read the legislation - none of them did not even the minister whose legislation this was.

[TOM4CWB]

Grassfarmer,

I have spent hundreds of hours working at this... over the past 3 years... and I was simply trying... in a 'farmer' common sense explanation... let you understand how we got to where we are.

As with Carbon Credits... these environmental easements are being developed to prove Alberta is the leader... in the world... in creating this new economy market for environmental goods and services.

If any one else can better explain this than I have... be my guest.

This was not at all meant to be a justification... these are simply... in layman's terms... what has been developed.

Recommendations from Ken Nichol and team being readied for implementation.

When I bring up your concerns... GRASSFARMER...

Eyes glaze over... folks thinking I am over dramitising farmer reactions... and am just a silly 'Eskimo' farmer spouting off again.

[grassfarmer]

Ah, now the truth is coming out not only do you support the legislation but you were involved in it's development. No wonder you were so reluctant to comment initially.
There is the guy who can explain it better - Keith Wilson.
Read his detailed report at: http://www.landownerassociation.ca/rsrcs/wilsoncritique.pdf