ECA Review - 2022-07-07

2 July 7'22 HANNA/CORONATION/STETTLER, AB. ECA REVIEW
OPINION
The opinions expressed are not necessarily
the opinions of this newspaper.
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EDITORIAL
Work in progress
Brenda Schimke
ECA Review
Canada Day, a day we come together
to celebrate just how fortunate we are
to live in a country with strong democratic
principles and a high quality of
life. In fact, we are the envy of the
world.
The US News & World Report, annually
rank 78 participating countries as
to which is the best in the world. The
global communications company
VMLY&R and the Wharton School of
the University
of Pennsylvania
“
use both qualitative
and
quantitative
data in their
analysis.
In 2021,
Canada, for the
first time, was
ranked number
one with Japan
and Germany
at number two
and three
respectively.
For six consecutive years Canada
ranked number one in the Quality-of-
Life category which measures
economic stability, public safety,
affordability, income equity, a good job
market, well-distributed political
power, and well-developed public education
and public health systems.
Canada also took first place in the
Social Purpose category which considers
social justice, human and
animal rights, racial equity, gender
equality and religious freedom.
I suspect the government’s recognition
and small steps towards
reconciliation with our First Peoples
was significant in pushing our world
ranking up. Very few countries,
Germany excepted, admit and try to
correct past shame.
The country also received high
marks in the Agility,
Entrepreneurship and Open for
Business categories. Agility refers to a
country that is modern, dynamic, progressive,
adaptable and responsive.
In the Open for Business category,
Canada ranked number three,
whereas the U.S. was number 45. The
countries considered the most business
friendly are those that are
perceived to have the best balance
between a stable business environment
and a reasonable cost of doing
business.
Multiculturalism is the bane of the
Alt Right, albeit, it is probably the
number one reason why Canada does
so well in the entrepreneurial and
business categories. The diversity of
students in our universities are great
for employers who are keen to hire
graduates that can bring a range of
diverse perspectives and languages to
their organizations. By accepting and
embracing people from around the
world, it makes Canada much more
agile on the global scene.
White Canadians stopped bearing
enough children to satisfy our work
force needs in the late 1960s making
immigration a
necessity for economic
growth.
But that doesn’t
mean Canada is
perfect. We have a
long way to go
towards full reconciliation
with
our indigenous
peoples, stopping
racial profiling of
our black peoples,
the unprovoked
attacks against
people of other religions, and the
growing anger and feelings of alienation
by many white, rural,
Canadian-born citizens.
It will be to Canada’s peril if the concerns
of rural Canadians aren’t also
taken seriously.
The illegal blockade at the Coutts
border is a forewarning of what could
come if nothing is done. It was made up
of ordinary, usually law-abiding, citizens.
The anti-vax, anti-science,
anti-public health restrictions were not
the underlying cause of this unrest.
They just became the ‘coming out’
issues.
Politicians on the left need to judge
less, stop demonizing, hear more, and
sit face to face with rural community
leaders. Strong leadership will always
find points of agreement and effective
compromise.
Politicians on the right need to stop
‘Americanizing’ and cease the inflammatory
rhetoric against our public
institutions and Canadian democracy.
Rather they should put all their efforts
into finding and delivering real solutions
to address the substantive
concerns of rural Canadians.
Canada is a great country, with as
many warts and problems as any other
country. It will always be a work in
progress. Yet, on the front lines are the
politicians and it will be their rhetoric,
actions and leadership that will significantly
determine Canada’s future.
Canada is a
great country, with as
many warts and
problems as any
other country.
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MAIL BAG
Living under ‘spectre’ of
another sewerage backup
Dear Editor,
Village of Morrin Mayor Chris Hall
states that he feels his main purpose as
mayor is to move the village forward
and always do what is in the best
interest of the village taxpayers.
With this in mind, Morrin council
knew that the sewer lateral (60 plus
years old) from our property belonging
to the village had major blockages,
solid, as well as a sag of some 20 feet
full of water and the sidewalk above
broken and settling. They were aware
of this Sept. 22, 2020.
Despite knowing this the village did
not let us know until repeated requests
from us to know the results of the Sept.
22, 2020 report.
We first requested the results of the
inspection report Oct. 19, 2020. When
we were informed of the blockages we
asked that the village clear their line.
This was March 17, 2021. They
refused, resulting in a sewerage
backup into our basement, May 8, 2020.
Council letter May 26, 2021 refused
to do anything about the blockages.
We notified council May 26, 2021 that
we would have to quit using the line for
disposal of any solids due to our concern
of another sewerage backup and
were renting a portable toilet (costs
incurred of $1811.25 - not including
costs for legal counsel) from May 26,
2021 until the council finally cleared
their line Feb. 7, 2022.
Council and Chief Administrative
Officer (CAO) Annette Plachner had
even related to their legal counsel that
we were not using a portable toilet.
Since Feb. 7, 2022 we only flush fecal
solids and dispose of soiled toilet paper
in a refuse container.
The village’s ‘go to’ contractor for
sewer repairs, TKNT Mechanical, suggested
frequent flushes until repairs
can be made.
Picture this: The sagged line full of
water is about 50 feet from our toilet.
JOYCE WEBSTER
Publisher/Editor
publisher@ECAreview.com
YVONNE THULIEN
Marketing/Digital 403-575-9474
digital@ECAreview.com
As we have a ‘low flow’ toilet, that is
about 4.8 litres of water each flush.
How many flushes are required to
move solids along 50 feet of line to a
blockage of 20 feet of 3-inch line full of
water and through that into the main
line?
Be informed we have never benefitted
from work on our line as access
to the compromised village lateral is at
the curb.
Are we to do this indefinitely? What
is the ‘wear and tear’ on our toilet?
In the meantime, we continue to live
under the ‘spectre’ of another sewerage
backup.
Public Works Foreman Dave Benci
stated that this repair was not in the
village’s budget (note: there have been
two budgets set since our problem),
that the ‘dip’ does not prevent the lateral
from operating normally. (Really!)
The lateral is not perfect but it’s
functional. It would cost $20,000 to dig
up (note: the 2021 budget allowed
$5,000 each for four sewer repairs) and
snake is cheaper (snake before or after
backup?). Half the sewers in Morrin
have a dip. Is there evidence supporting
this and are any in as serious
disrepair as ours? and the village has
done everything in its power to accommodate
the Heltons.
As an aside, council implemented a
bylaw to allow new businesses tax
breaks.
We are, to say the least, disappointed
that council has taken this approach.
Council has full knowledge of all the
documentation related to our problem.
Foreman Benci and CAO Plachner are
recorded as making statements that
are inaccurate, misleading, irresponsible
and totally inappropriate.
We are surprised council would
allow this without challenging them.
Howard & Lynn Helton
Morrin, Alta.
BRENDA SCHIMKE
Editorial Writer
JUDY WALGENBACH
Marketing 403-740-2492
marketing@ECAreview.com
STU SALKELD
LJI Reporter 403-741-2615
reporter@ECAreview.com
SHEREE BAILLIE
Marketing 587-990-4818
contact@ECAreview.com
DANIEL GONZALEZ
Reporter 403-700-9460
news1@ECAreview.com
LISA MYERS-SORTLAND
Graphic Artist
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