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Llama LLovinÕ
John Bednarik wasnÕt afraid to feed his llama a hay cube with his teeth at the Millarville FarmersÕ MarketÕs opening day of the season last Saturday.
- photo by Janelle Brennand
Group preaches more Alberta and less Ottawa
By
Editor
A group of foothills residents are joining the battle to pressure the provincial government to take advantage of its constitutional rights and usurp certain powers from the federal government.
The Alberta Residents League (ARL) will be holding a public meeting at the Highwood Memorial Centre in High River on June 24 at 7:30 pm to outline The Alberta Agenda.
The Alberta Agenda is more Alberta, less Ottawa including a provincial pension plan, a provincial police force, a made-in-Alberta health care policy and collection of our own income tax.
The ARL is a Calgary-based organization founded by Patrick Beauchamp in 2002 and is set on lobbying Premier Ralph Klein to give Alberta much the same rights as Quebec.
The ARL has held meetings throughout Alberta most recently in Nanton where 350 people attended.
A group of about 11 residents in the foothills region are facilitating the ARL meeting in High River because they too believe something must be done to loosen Ottawa's grip on Alberta.
'The Reform Party and Alliance did not get anywhere so we are going to have to try a different approach to get Ottawa to listen,' said Harold Hansen.
George Groeneveld added, 'In the last four or five years our federal government has gotten disgusting, embarrassing. We are trying to improve life for the younger generations.'
The ARL is a non-profit advocacy group promoting the Alberta Agenda.
The agenda includes creation of an Alberta Pension Plan, collecting revenue from personal income tax, establishing a provincial police force and resuming responsibility for health care policy.
According to the ARL these are all constitutional rights for Alberta and can be enacted without permission from Ottawa.
But for these actions to be taken, Alberta's provincial government must take the first steps — steps Klein's government has thus far been reluctant to take.
Current Weather in Okotoks
Location of floodway disputed by residents
By
Editor
Residents along South Railway Street are lobbying Okotoks town council to relax development restrictions within the flood fringe adjacent to the Sheep River.
Sonny Skow is leading a group of fellow residents from the area known as 'Skunk Hollow' who would like to see the area developed.
'Right now we can't develop down there, but there is a whole group of us — people who want to do something,' said Skow, who has lived on South Railway Street for 25 years.
The issue is the floodway line that meanders through the neighborhood separating flood way from flood fringe.
Development is prohibited in the flood way, but development can take place in the flood fringe as long as the development is flood-proofed.
Some residents on South Railway Street disagree with Alberta Environment's placement of the floodway.
Skow said the South Railway Street neighborhood has never been flooded by the Sheep River and it should not be in the floodway.
'No one will ever go in there and redevelop the area as long as it is in the floodway,' said Skow.
Skow's group is hoping either Okotoks town council will let them develop in the floodway or that council will lobby Alberta Environment to review the placement of the floodway.
The town administration and representatives from Alberta Environment will be making a presentation to council on June 23 at 7 pm. All residents from South Railway Street will be invited to the presentation.
Municipal manager Will Pearce said the meeting will provide an overview of the current development regulations.
'We want to bring council up to speed on the framework that governs development guidelines for that area,' said Pearce.
Pearce said it is unlikely council will allow development in the floodway simply due to the financial implications.
Under the Can/Alta Flood Damage Reduction Program the town is insured as long as it does not allow new development within the floodway. If council allowed development in the floodway the municipality would be wholly responsible for property damaged by the flood.
'Councils have to be very careful to work with Alberta Environment to ensure residents are covered by the insurance program,' said Pearce.
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