Equalization payments

[ivbinconned]

The alternative (hoard the resourses in the ground) still puts these same pressures on the roads. Saskatchewan grows more and more grain and sends it down the road instead of the railway and wala...there goes the roads!

There is plenty of cheap land for sale to the east of you cakado, come on over, it is your kind of paradise.

[ivbinconned]

It isn't just the resource industry that causes pressure on the infrastructure in AB., grain hauling, livestock hauling and other traffic associated with the feeding industry in AB., eg. manure haulers etc. all contribute to the volume of heavy traffic. In some instances operators of confined feeding operations have been required to construct segments of roads to municipal standards as part of the conditions of getting their permit or approval.

[cakadu]

There are many reasons for the pressures on our roads and there is no doubt that when some of these roads were built, there was no comprehension of the type of equipment, machinery and vehicles that would one day be utilizing them. I also agree that agriculture is very hard on infrastructure in it's own right.

Just because we can take all the resources out of the ground, does it mean that we should? What I am concerned about is the long term effects of all of this versus the short-term gain that many seem to be going for.

I'm a half-full kind of gal and try to give the benefit of the doubt. Having said that though, I am a firm believer in finding balance and doing what will benefit the majority. Yes, we do have things in this province that most of the others don't have. But what price have we had to pay (and continue to pay) in order to get that? What are the long-term consequences and the unforeseen consequences of the actions we are taking today?

[cakadu]

Linda, I think that the realization that things cannot continue as they are is why the new Water Strategy is being implemented by Ab Environment. As far as the resource extraction goes, it seems as though when each field gets to the end of its lifespan new technology for extracting resources comes along and keeps old wells producing.
I agree with you that we must try and balance the need for exploration with protecting the health of people and the environment.

[cakadu]

Let's hope we can find some balance before there it becomes too costly to get the balance back.

On another note emrald - I see to recall you asking if I were around on the 16th and the date has come and gone. Between lambing and dealing with committee work, my days are running into one another. Sorry about that - I hope we can do it another time and soon.

L

[cakadu]

Will contact you when I am going down that way again and maybe we can get together for coffee somewhere along the route.

[cowman]

I wonder how many decent roads/infrastructure we might be able to afford if we weren't sending $12 billion a year into the black hole called Ottawa where it goes down the pipeline to Quebec?
I heard on a news program that Saskatchewan and BC are soon to become "have provinces"! Due to increased oil and gas revenue! Which is a very good thing.
I would assume the feds would view this as a very positive thing as it gives them a whole new source of bribe money for Quebec! Why they just might be able to keep the old shell game rolling for a few more years!
The only really sad thing about the west "harvesting" our natural resources is that we have a very large parasite taking the real cream and when the oil is gone we will be another Atlantic Canada? Our provincial governments have sold us out and they truly should be ashamed. Hopefully the latest little black adventures in Ottawa will finally wake some people up here in the west?