A private member’s motion put forward by Banff-Cochrane NDP MLA Cam Westhead last week was debated and passed in the Alberta Legislature.
Motion 511 reads: Be it resolved that the Legislative Assembly urge the government to increase its efforts to conserve and manage public lands in Alberta’s headwater regions to optimize downstream water security for future generations of Albertans.
“It’s a win for the constituency,” said Westhead, adding that issues surrounding the complex interactions between the landscape and water tie first place on the priority list with flood mitigation and resolving the Highway 1A/22 intersection challenges.
He added that access to clean water is a “prerequisite to a healthy economy”.
Dave Rodney from Calgary-Lougheed – while acknowledging the importance of water security - spoke out and voted against the motion, raising the concern that the motion could have negative impacts on the mining of metallurgical coal in the province – an industry primarily located along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
“Metallurgical coal is used in steel making and is a significant export product to economies around the world …” said Rodney, noting that metallurgical coal production in Alberta provides direct and indirect employment opportunities for Albertans.
Rather than moving forward with the motion presented by Westhead, Rodney felt that a balance could be better struck by imposing strict environmental regulations upon these coal producers; he also questioned Westhead’s industry consultations.
“The opposition may have unanswered questions,” acknowledged Westhead, emphasizing motions are not binding, as bills are. “It is not my intention that through this motion there would be any negative impact on jobs.”
