Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[Fuzz]

To improve access to lab testing, Alberta Health Services and DynaLife have made the joint decision to allow Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL) to offer more community lab appointments. APL already handles lab work in all hospitals and urgent care centres in the province and offers community lab services in rural areas.

Alberta Precision Laboratories is also taking additional action to add 7,500 weekly appointments, an increase of 25 per cent in the Calgary area, by:

• Recruiting and hiring more staff so that lab services are available six days a week within the APL hospital lab system, which will add 2,000 new appointments weekly into fall 2023.
• Contracting additional third-party providers to add additional capacity, which will result in an additional 3,000 appointments per week by mid-to-late August in Calgary.
• Opening a new community patient service centre in southeast Calgary and expanding Glenbrook and Airdrie patient service centres, which will result in about 2,500 new appointments weekly later this fall.

https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?x...4E7408FCB4991B

Dynalife:A Privatization Success Story.

So now taxpayers are backstopping the failure of a private corporation to meet their targets. You'll notice there is zero mention of any financial punishment to Dynalife. Is that because they are working on it, there is no provision in the contract for it, or they don't want to hurt private profits? Also, it looks like more privatization with "third party providers", so I guess why not double down on dumb.

A reminder that the NDP had a public lab under construction before the UCP scrapped that plan, paid penalties for it, and privatized it. Still waiting for our Fiscal Conservatives to step up and defend this decisions. Surly it'd defensible, right? And if not, why did you vote for these clowns? Twice?

So thanks again, UCP voters. It's a good thing I can't run out of written thanks, because I seem to be using them frequently.

[Barnet Flame]

Alberta suspends approvals for green energy projects, like wind or solar power. The government is citing rural concerns.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

Alberta suspends approvals for green energy projects, like wind or solar power. The government is citing rural concerns.

Seems odd at first glance but there are some legitimate concerns that need to be taken into account too. Not sure a full on pause of all approvals is the answer but we certainly need to look at some of the concerns. Like the amount of agricultural land (or land in general) that is taken by these projects for example.

[timun]

It's still a horrible look, even if they swear up and down that they support wind and solar power.

These are the same people who would never in a million years put a moratorium on oil and gas development...

[Fuzz]

Particularly in the context of all their other messaging on green energy, the environment, and fights with the feds. You don't have to be very cynical to be suspicious here.

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Particularly in the context of all their other messaging on green energy, the environment, and fights with the feds. You don't have to be very cynical to be suspicious here.

Its funny that someone in the Canadian politics thread said that there are a bunch of people here wishing ill on Alberta because they "lost" the election.

I really don't see anyone wishing the province ill, just pointing out all of the garbage spewing from the UCP that is causing the province to be ill.

[Yoho]

Let’s go!

https://twitter.com/user/status/1686947430473035776

[cral12]

sticking to their mandate: Taking Alberta Backwards.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Let’s go!

https://twitter.com/user/status/1686947430473035776

Hahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahhah ahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahah ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahaha

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

Seems odd at first glance but there are some legitimate concerns that need to be taken into account too. Not sure a full on pause of all approvals is the answer but we certainly need to look at some of the concerns. Like the amount of agricultural land (or land in general) that is taken by these projects for example.

Clean-up from a solar leak is extremely costly and makes a huge mess.

There have been wind turbines in Alberta since 2001.

The UCP has completely lost the plot.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Clean-up from a solar leak is extremely costly and makes a huge mess.

There have been wind turbines in Alberta since 2001.

The UCP has completely lost the plot.

I'm not defending the action and I'm not absolutely in favor of alternative energy, I am saying there are issues that come with these forms of energy that need to be considered and addressed. And given the location of virtually all the facilities in rural Alberta they go largely unnoticed by the majority of Albertans but are naturally of concern to those who live in the vicinity. Like any other form of development in any location.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

I'm not defending the action.

That's exactly what you did.

These issues aren't new, novel or unique.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

Seems odd at first glance but there are some legitimate concerns that need to be taken into account too. Not sure a full on pause of all approvals is the answer but we certainly need to look at some of the concerns. Like the amount of agricultural land (or land in general) that is taken by these projects for example.

I'm not being facetious here, but what are the concerns?

[MoneyGuy]

If the UCP has a fair, unbiased referendum no way an APP is supported. Teachers alone will create a monster campaign. If they carry through to do the referendum result, it dies there. Same with an Alberta police force.

[Cappy]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

I'm not being facetious here, but what are the concerns?

The use of farmland is a big concern to some people but it’s such a weird complaint to me. Outside of the usual double speak of “free market, I’m allowed to do what I want on my land” the largest proposed solar farm is 3,300 acres. About 5 sections of land. That’s big, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not that big

[powderjunkie]

Come on guys, I have full faith that the UCP will listen to the evidence during this Renewable Review and act pragmatically.

But hey, this is actually worse than the royalty review - which didn't actually prevent anyone from doing a project.

[Ozy_Flame]

Only 16% of Alberta's land is available for farmland and solar Alberta already has development guidelines published.

What land use and reclamation could they possibly be worried about to freeze investments for six months?

Pure political theatre.

[Faust]

Duane Bratt @DuaneBratt

UCP govt is VERY concerned with the impact of environmental cleanup of renewable energy projects on landowners and taxpayers. But NOT concerned with the much larger problem of abandoned/orphan wells.

https://twitter.com/duanebratt/statu...604429316?s=21

Simon Dyer @SimonJDyer
Pembina reaction: the AB government's seven-month moratorium on renewable energy development puts at risk 91 projects representing at least $25 billion in investments and the capacity to provide clean power more than 3 million homes #ableg

https://twitter.com/simonjdyer/statu...203328000?s=21


Blake Shaffer @bcshaffer
Still trying to wrap my head around this.

It’s anti-business. It casts a pall on renewable investment in the province.

It’s anti property rights. All deals are done on private land, privately negotiated.

And it runs counter to AB’s need to decarbonize its electric system.

https://twitter.com/bcshaffer/status...201789952?s=21

[OptimalTates]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

I'm not being facetious here, but what are the concerns?

Particularly for wind, but noise, visual, birds, bats and other wildlife.

But that's the thing, all projects have impacts. Individual projects are assessed and concerns are heard, and the project is determined whether the positive outweighs the negative. Stopping all projects because they have impacts should mean no development of anything ever at all.

Originally Posted by Faust

UCP govt is VERY concerned with the impact of environmental cleanup of renewable energy projects on landowners and taxpayers. But NOT concerned with the much larger problem of abandoned/orphan wells.

Which is a joke. You know how landowners can absolutely prevent getting stuck with costs associated with the decommissioning of wind turbines? Not entering into a contract with the company. That's it. You don't want a wind turbine on your land, you don't sign a contract. You don't want a well on your land, you have to be prepared to die in a shootout because you don't get a say.

[OptimalTates]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

https://edmontonsun.com/opinion/colu...0-a713d5be543c

Dan Williams, everyone. I'm not sure if the addiction plan stands a chance in hell of working or not, but holly #### is this dude every arrogant. And arrogance rarely leads to long term success, becuase you don't let facts and results guide you.

“The Left’s best thinking has gotten us to this point. The idea we need more of the Left’s thinking to solve the problem is insanity,” says the point man on mental health and addictions in the UCP government led by Premier Danielle Smith.

“For two decades, the progressive Left has held a monopoly on policies around addiction. Their logic is we haven’t done enough of it.

Like does this guy think the PC were left? ####, he probably does.