Rocky View County should have sold tickets to the Glenbow Ranch ASP Public Hearing – it was a magnificent display of bias!
It was a love-in for anyone in favour – three speakers, Andy Crooks, Cam Crawford (on behalf of the Harvie family) and Bruce McAllister were greeted with friendly questions from council from Couns. Eric Lowther, Liz Breakey, Jerry Ashdown, Lois Habberfield, Earl Solberg and Bruce Kendall.
Those opposed from Divisions 8 and 9 – and there were well over 100 opposed – were fed leading questions in attempts to placate their concerns. I must admit, Lowther`s bid to reduce density and population near the Bearspaw Village area was clever because it was simply disguised as an attempt to “help” those people cope with what`s going to land outside their back doors. In other words: it’s going to pass in votes today and the development will happen, so here’s the best I (your elected councillor) can offer you.
Those in opposition who didn’t live in the area were verbally attacked, had their presentations belittled or were outright dismissed. Leading questions abounded here too, but on an unhealthy level. Accusations flew quickly and furiously.
Habberfield, Kendall and Breakey tag-teamed up against Ms. Wright, attempting to discredit her observations. Her request was to table the issue because of unresolved issues between Rocky View County and Cochrane and Calgary as well as several dozen residents. Breakey, Habberfield and Kendall accused her of supporting annexation and of favouring land freezes, which she did not. Unfortunately, not one of them paid attention to the rest of her presentation. There was blustering and blowing going on, allegations of Rocky View Forward speaking on behalf of Calgary and Cochrane. Wow again. To get a sense of all the issues she talked about, start listening at about the four-hour mark on Audio No. 1.
Habberfield never minces words, but she went too far when she took it upon herself to quiz and berate one young man who was opposed. She asked if he wrote his own material, if he lives in Rocky View, if he owns land in Rocky View, if he pays taxes to the county. Wow again. I hope she feels supremely powerful for that and enjoys telling the story to her friends and family during her next game of golf in Arizona. Kendall joined in with her.
How on Earth these questions were relevant to the public hearing is beyond me.
It is pretty sad when a new face shows up to present to council and that person is attacked for no reason.
Oh, by the way, a security company was hired to sit there all day. Supposedly, there were going to be speakers in opposition or ringing phones or biased councillors or …
Giving this ASP first reading isn’t bravery, it is hard-nosed folly.
Before we know it, some of this land will be plowed under – similar to Bingham Crossing – creating a mess and going nowhere fast.
Educate yourselves about this council’s slant and listen to the Audio tapes No. 1 and No. 2.
That’s just my opinion, councillors.
Kim Magnuson
