More questions arise as a result of GoA and Coal Companies making settlements with no details forthcoming.
The public wants to know numbers along with other details of these sudden settlements. Many of us have more questions now. Here are a few with comments
from Chris Spearman.
“Clearly, the Alberta government was highly motivated to settle the lawsuits from coal companies as stated by Lawyer Gavin Fitch in Lethbridge at the SACPA event earlier this year.
The motivation likely being avoiding testimony by elected officials under oath in a court of law.
Now that settlements are being achieved, and Premier Danielle Smith is publicly announcing them ( Okotoks, July 2, 2024 ), there are a number of questions still to be answered.
1. Is the Alberta government still supporting and encouraging coal mining in the Alberta Rockies and Eastern Slopes? Or will these initiatives now cease?
2. Will the Alberta government continue developing a new coal policy? Energy Minister Brian Jean stated the new coal policy would be developed exclusively with the coal companies ( Dec 20, 2024 ).
3. Is the Alberta government pursuing a similar settlement agreement with Northback about Grassy Mountain?
4. When will Alberta taxpayers know how much they paid to settle lawsuits arising from Alberta government policy initiatives and reversals? Neither the UCP government of Jason Kenney nor the UCP government of Danielle Smith ever sought or obtained a mandate from Albertans to encourage coal mining in the Rockies and Eastern Slopes.”
How are you feeling about what’s taking place now? Do you have questions? Put them forward to Danielle Smith, her ministers, and your MLA. The public has a right to know, especially since the government claims to have transparency.
What do we have to do? Take our own government to court?
When will Robin Campbell past pc minister of Environment, Finance and Aboriginals be dragged on the carpet as he brags he is a 4th or 5th generation miner and quickly became the President and Lobbyist of the Coal Association of Canada upon losing his Seat in government. We all know Nixon Fir and Kenney are not smart enough to know anything about coal except what they were groomed from Campbell to say as Campbell made back room deals for large donations to the ucp party from the Australian Coal companies and to this day has a " working group" with the Alberta Energy Regulator that he and the Australian Coal companies meet with on a regular basis.. all on Open Alberta Lobbying Records. Campbell is the Master Puppeteer of ucp and coal companies. Dirty. And NOW sitting and dictating the land use plans on the Upper Smokey. Bet a thousand Campbell is the main PoS developing the New Modernized Coal Policy too!