If anyone needed confirmation that the province is in general disarray — reeling from an out of control economy and no plan for the future — we got yet another reminder recently. Former premier Peter Lougheed took to the podium at a meeting of the Canadian Bar Association in Calgary and issued a stern warning; we’re heading towards a nasty constitutional dust-up that could see Alberta pitted against the rest of the country. The source of the friction? Accelerated tar sands development that is causing serious distress to the environment. Resource development is a provincial matter, while environmental policies fall mainly under federal jurisdiction. At some point, and it could be sooner rather than later, said Lougheed, one level of government is going to have to take a stand against the other.
Lougheed himself undertook a nasty federal-provincial battle over resources when he was premier, so he knows whereof he speaks. And there’s no question that both the Alberta government and the federal government, which is also led by an Albertan — our very own Stephen Harper — are letting the current situation get completely out of control. Premier Stelmach refuses to slow down tar sands development and/or implement tough environmental policies to deal with soaring greenhouse gas emissions and ruined waterways. Prime Minister Harper talks green, but his government has turned a blind eye to the severe consequences of ravenous tar sands development.
Lougheed didn’t expound on how he would resolve the clash of priorities if he were premier. His speech also raises more questions than it answers. However, I was struck by how a former premier — one who hasn’t been in office for over 20 years — was able to nail down a major problem for the people of this province and be taken seriously not only in Alberta but across the country. His speech was front-page news in the Calgary Herald and the Edmonton Journal as well as the Globe and Mail. Editorial writers, columnists and bloggers have been chewing it over since.
Why, one wonders, does it take Peter Lougheed to bring this pending storm to everyone’s attention? Where is our current premier? He was elected by his party to lead the province over eight months ago. Surely he must have figured out by now that things can’t continue as they are. Surely he knows that Albertans as well as other Canadians have grave misgivings about the effectiveness of current environmental policies. For example, both provincial and federal legislation allows overall greenhouse gas emissions to increase when we need to see a decrease if we are going to slow down global warming. The tar sands projects are the biggest belchers in the country and yet both governments have done virtually nothing about them.
Before he went to a premier’s conference this summer, Stelmach made it clear he wasn’t going to allow other premiers to push him around on this issue. And they didn’t. However, simply circling the wagons and telling other Canadians to butt out isn’t good enough. I would bet that most Albertans don’t want that sort of approach. They want someone who will hold his ground but is open to negotiation as well. Most people here want to be able to participate in a prosperous economy but they also want to know that their children and grandchildren will be spared the devastation of global warming, that they will have enough water and clean air.
And what about our opposition politicians? Why haven’t they been able to make a mark on this issue? Kevin Taft and the Liberals have a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within five years. Brian Mason and the NDs have called for a moratorium on tar sands development. But neither seems to have captured the attention, or imagination, of Albertans, particularly the news media. The media were entranced by every word that Ralph Klein uttered, but apparently find it difficult to take any other politicians seriously — except for Peter Lougheed. Never mind that environmental groups such as the Pembina Institute have been warning for years about the damage inflicted by the tar sands projects. Never mind that the tar sands projects are now among the biggest industrial projects in the world, and yet Albertans have had almost no say as to how they will benefit, or disadvantage, the people of the province.
Peter Lougheed was right to speak out. Although one wonders why he didn’t do it a few years ago when Ralph Klein was premier. It appears the rest of the Conservative party is not listening. Traditionally, Albertans have always opted for strong, iconic leadership; premiers such as Aberhart, Manning, Lougheed and Klein, men who took the bull by the horns and ran the whole dang ranch as well. If we are going to get through the next few years in one piece, Albertans will have to do more than hope that some sort of Marlboro man is going to save the day. We have to exercise our rights and responsibilities as citizens and get active, make it clear what we want, before someone else makes it clear for us.

Gillian Steward is publisher of Alberta Views.