ECA Review 2018-12-20

6 D e c e m b e r 2 0 ' 1 8 H A N N A / C o r o N A t i o n / S t e t t l e r , A b . E C A r e v i e w
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EDITORIAL
Gift that keeps on giving
B. Schimke
ECA Review
Tis the season when the police step
up their campaign against driving
impaired. According to MADD
(Mothers Against Drunk Driving), an
average of four people are killed in
Canada each day in crashes involving
drugs or alcohol.
Statistics Canada reports the
alcohol-impaired driving rate in 2015
was 65 per cent lower than the rate in
1986 and four per cent lower than the
rate in 2014.
In contrast, the number of drugimpaired
driving crashes has been
rising since 2009. This particular statistic
is used by both sides—those in
favour of legalization of cannabis and
those opposed.
Those opposed to the legalization of
cannabis correctly argue that its consumption
will increase as it becomes
more accessible and, in turn, those
driving under the influence of drugs
will increase.
This fact is concerning when one
realizes Albertans are already the
third highest users of medical and nonmedical
cannabis in the country
pre-legalization.
The correlation between access and
increased use was clearly demonstrated
when Alberta privatized
alcohol sales. With liquor stores every
couple of blocks and extended operating
hours, Albertan’s consumption
skyrocketed. Today only the wineloving
province of Quebec beats
Alberta in annual alcohol
consumption.
Those who support legalization
argue that cannabis, whether legal or
illegal, is an increasingly popular vice
in today’s society and the reality of its
PARLIAment
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EVIEW
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V I E W P O I N T S
harm cannot be ignored. When the pro
side argues that legalization will better
protect children they are talking in the
context of regulations and education.
They point to the example of two of
our other vices, cigarettes and alcohol.
Strong regulations and decades of education
and advertising has made both
driving while impaired and smoking
socially unacceptable. Both areas have
seen significant reductions. With legalization,
children and society can now
learn in school and through public
awareness campaigns about cannabis
and its very real dangers.
There are no easy answers to monitoring
or protecting self and society
from vices. Prohibition of alcohol
didn’t work, yet I don’t think there is
anything more reprehensible that
mothers passing on FAS (fetal alcohol
syndrome) to their innocent child by
drinking during a pregnancy.
We will never get rid of gangs and
mafia selling vices, but legalization
does cut into the illegal trade significantly
over time and taxes collected
are used to help mitigate some of the
individual and societal damages they
cause.
For those addicted to a vice that is a
challenge where society must help the
victims, but for the rest of us, it just
comes down to personal responsibility.
Consuming and possessing cannabis is
now like alcohol, perfectly legal, but to
drive impaired on alcohol or drugs is a
criminal offence and in the worst case
scenario, vehicular homicide and
ruined lives.
The best gift to you, your family,
your neighbours and the stranger is to
never get behind the wheel of your
vehicle when drinking or using. It’s a
gift that keeps on giving.
The death of our country:
UN Global Migration Pact
by Hon. Kevin Sorenson,
M.P., (Battle River-Crowfoot)
In July of this year, I wrote about
the problem of illegal immigrants
crossing into Canada from the United
States and I attributed this to the careless
tweeting of the Prime Minister.
In January 2016, Justin Trudeau
casually sent out the message
“#WelcomeToCanada.”
I explained all the consequences of
such negligence and the unfairness of
queue-jumping in that column.
On Dec. 10, the Parliamentary
Budget Officer (PBO) revealed that
this Liberal recklessness will, if left
unaddressed, cost taxpayers $1.1 billion
by 2020, not including the
hundreds of millions of dollars
incurred by the provinces.
This figure also did not include the
payments to eligible
Quebecers the
Liberals announced
just days after the
PBO released his
report.
Ninety-six per
cent of the 35,000
illegal migrants
who have crossed
into this country
did so at Roxham Sorenson
Road in Quebec.
On Dec. 12, newly appointed
Minister of Border Security, Bill Blair
announced payments of up to $25,000
for residents for the disturbances they
endured from living on or near this
entry point on the Canada-U.S. border.
Turn to Possibility, Pg 16
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mAIL bag
Tourist booth request
Dear Editor,
I am one of the organizers of the
Humbug Bazaar which is currently
located in the unused Tourist Booth in
Bashaw, Ab.
Myself and the members only had
dealings with the Bashaw Recreation
Society, with letters dating back to
Nov. 13 from their president and other
members regarding the building
usage.
We were all under the impression
that the Rec Department had the lease
on this building.
A representative from the
Recreation Department went to the
council meeting to obtain an extended
lease which was approved.
No one from the town has come
down to see our Christmas market,
nor have any of us communicated with
anyone from the town.
All profits are distributed as follows:
Joyce Webster
Publisher/Editor
publisher@ECAreview.com
BoNNY Williams
Circulation Manager
80 per cent to the artisan, most of
whom are seniors in our area; 20 per
cent for the heat/electricity used.
No “profit for their own personal
use” as stated in the article is going to
the organizers!
This was supposed to be a fun
Christmas market bringing a unique
shopping experience to the
community.
Town council’s discussion at their
meeting that the article reported on,
both offended and ruined the spirit
with which our market had intended.
It will also seriously affect the
remaining days, putting the artisans
earning capacity at risk.
This lovely building will remain
empty and alone for the rest of the
season after the report from Bashaw
Town Council.
Bah Humbug, Laurie Hall
Bashaw, Ab.
Can Bluearth Renewables
Inc. rebut these facts?
Dear Editor,
I have been doing a lot of research
regarding the effects of windmills on
wildlife and humans.
I live at the base of the Handhills in
the vicinity of Mother Mountain where
BluEarth Renewables is proposing a
site for approximately 30 mills consisting
of approximately 10,000 acres.
We have at-risk bird and raptor species
in this area and BluEarth
Renewables only has to report fatality
results three years after these mills
are in production.
Did they wait three years after the
tailing ponds went in at Fort Mac? No!
And for good reason.
I confirmed with BluEarth that they
will in fact hire a person to pick up
dead birds, bats and raptors.
I believe Rachel Notley’s government
has directed government departments
like AEP and AUC to turn a blind eye
to these issues due to her relentless
pursuit to reduce carbon emissions.
That’s not a bad thing but have the
long term negative effects of these
windmills just been swept under the
rug?
I have been doing a lot of snooping
around about the topic and for the most
part it seems to be a good 50/50 split
when it comes to the pros and cons!
But Government and the companies
putting these windmills in are pushing
the positive information to us and
downplaying the negative with a positive
comeback for every question asked
of them.
Also there are five lakes in the area
that are classed as “Important Bird
Areas” due to endangered species that
nest along their shores: Handhills
Lake - Ecological Reserve (dual classification),
Sullivan Lake, Chain Lakes,
Dowling Lake, and Little Fish Lake.
This is the site that talks about special
bird areas: https://www.
ibacanada.org.
Turn to Inefficient, Pg 8
breNDA schimke
Editorial Writer
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