| Committee recommends limiting fresh-water injections
The injection of fresh water into oil wells, where the water disappears from the water cycle forever, is becoming increasingly controversial as concerns about water scarcity in Alberta become more acute.
A committee appointed by the provincial government to study the issue has recommended that the government should introduce initiatives to reduce or eliminate the practice.
The committee calls on the government to "determine priority locations within watersheds where every reasonable effort should be made to reduce or eliminate underground injection of non-saline water."
The committee also recommends that all water licences should be reviewed with the aim of reducing the amount of fresh water that can be injected into oil wells. There are also recommendations for a more detailed provincial groundwater inventory and a comprehensive water-use reporting system.
The committee also recommends that the government should invest in research on new methods or technology to reduce the need to inject fresh water into wells in order to aid oil recovery.
Aftergood sworn in under cloud of doubt
Margot Aftergood was sworn in as Ward 10 alderman on October 25, despite the fact that several other aldermen and some ward residents have asked her to step down until after a police investigation into possible fraud during the recent civic election.
Calgary police launched an investigation after receiving a complaint from returning officer Barb Clifford concerning irregularities she observed with mail-in ballots in Ward 10. The suspect mail-in ballots were sent to a post office box that Aftergood’s husband had rented.
Ward 10 resident Don Sucha marched in front of city hall on the night of the swearing in with a placard that stated "Ward 10 was hijacked."
Sucha says Aftergood should step down and the city should call a by-election.
"I care about democracy in Ward 10 and the city, and I don’t think democracy was done in Ward 10," says Sucha. "I think the results are in doubt with all the allegations and the mail-in ballots."
Aftergood said after the swearing-in that she has no comment about the police investigation. She has previously admitted that her campaign office did request mail-in ballots, but she said they were only requested to encourage people to vote and her campaign team did nothing wrong.
"I’m very excited to be here. I’m ready to start working for Ward 10," Aftergood said after the swearing-in. |
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