Six minutes on National news.

 

Six minutes on National news.

It pleasantly surprised me to see the CBC National doing a piece about the Crowsnest Pass. I can remember only a few times when we were on the news. The first one was over twenty years ago when someone reopened the Roxy theatre for a play (about Filomena?). We came to see it and guess what. A couple of minutes on the news then and we are retired here now. Being on the news makes a difference. We were on the news during the big fire when the volunteer fire department was praised and there was some coverage when the council deleted the famous Thunder in the Valley and some people objected. Other times, the news was not positive, like when murders occurred or a developer left investors in the cold and disappeared.

This time, the talk is all about coal and folks being upset that the provincial government removed important regulations on a long weekend’s eve. When you make a move that may affect an area as big as a country, you can’t expect it to go unnoticed. The one old rancher whose family has been here for generations said, this is the water tower of all of southern Alberta. It amazes me that the provincial government couldn’t figure it out. By making that mistake, they managed to create a tear in our social fabric. Could it be the old British “divide and rule” idea resurfacing here?

The People who were interviewed presented both sides of the argument, which is a sign of good journalism. Those on the coal side were frank. Looking for prosperity, said one. We have a hundred and twenty years of coal mining history, said another. Can’t live on a few tour guides said another. The mayor, who is a local business owner, said, I don’t see any other industries knocking on our doors. In my eye, here is the problem. Both provincial and local governments believe that the way to succeed is by waiting for private industries to take initiative and give it their blessings. Pay others to do our job.

I think that the examples above provide an answer. In the old days, when we needed fire departments, someone organized volunteers who were the pride of the towns. We had an excellent fire protection system that not only rivaled the professionals, but made the news by doing more. The volunteers managed to set up a fireworks show that put us on the map. When someone came in, more interested in fighting than solving problems, the entire house of cards collapsed.

Governing is not a cheating game like poker, nor a spectator game either. It’s not a game where the players can spend all the time reading the rules. That is the bureaucrat’s job. It’s a game for people able to formulate a vision, build teams, organize action and see results. I saw it done with the revitalization of the Coleman downtown here, but I don’t know where it went from there.

I was active in politics a long time ago. I was a vice president of a union and I knocked on doors for the Progressive Conservatives. I am proud of our achievements, including the coal policy and I am not against developing our resources, Mr. Premier. I am pro Albertans working together with all Albertans. Now I am ready for what may be the last big fight. There are many reasons to be concerned and the future of Pass residents, Albertans, Canadians, and humans is being decided.

On the world stage, there are disasters lined up. The climate is changing. It changes everything. World leadership is being challenged. China is overtaking the USA in economics and racing on the military and technology track. A worldwide scarcity of freshwater is building and soon may also include fresh air. A pandemic is building up and will soon reach its climax in the underdeveloped world. A supply chain issue can destroy our economy. It already started. What do we need to do to fix our problems?

I found a list of ten things in the news, stated by the Pope. The world’s problems are his business. He prayed publicly. In the name of God: 1. Reveal the patented vaccine formula. 2. Cancel debts that can’t be paid. 3. Control the extractive polluting industries. 4. Deal with the food-producing corporations. 5. Reduce the money financing the arms manufacturers. 6. control the technology giants. 7. Deal with the communications industries. 8. Deal with the dishonest media. 9. End colonialism-related aggression. 10. Stop the speeding train hurling us to the abyss. (I am paraphrasing a lot.) All leaders, political, religious, and others, pretend to want to fix the world’s problems. Pope Francis’s list is most conclusive.

We can’t do much about global issues. We are a small mountain community and most of us are older. The best we can hope for is to be a good example for whoever is looking. We can stop the hate and look for better solutions. It is rumoured that Montem is looking to build a “gravity battery” using water and mountains. We have it and can support the project. Do we have the political will?

Will our politicians on all levels do their job? They should direct events so the coal removed from the basins of the future energy storage plant will pay for its construction. They should refuse political donations from the project and only have the well-being of their constituents as their motivation. We can lead by showing a good example.

If we do, the Crowsnest Pass can be on the news many times yet. Nothing is as newsworthy as a group of people demonstrating in real life that moral integrity can beat being selfish. We can be the living proof that humans are truly superior to other life forms.

Here is a link to my blog: https://thesimpleravenspost.blogspot.ca/  Feel free to check other articles and comment.