Editor, The Times:
Last night at 3 a.m. I was listening to the BBC and Deutsch Welle – German public radio.
On Living Planet there was this segment on progressive cities. There it was stated that Edmonton was not only the fastest growing city in Canada but one of the most progressive cities on the continent!
“Edmonchuck,” once the gateway to Alberta’s oil riches so dominated by “Big Oil’ that there seemed little else for its existence, has moved ahead into a post-oil dominance future.
How have they done this?
I’m not knowledgeable enough to give the particular details. However, under a dynamic young mayor, Don Iveson, Edmonton is looking ahead not backwards!
The program also had certain praise for Rachel Notley’s NDP. After all, despite Notley militant stance on the Transmountain pipeline, the Alberta NDP has put quite a bit of money into alternate energy.
As my waggish friend put it, Notley has to quit being a tool of the Calgary petrothugs.
But, he continued, Notley has three problems – she’s an Albertan, she’s blonde and, worst of all, she has that unspeakable eyesore of the year Jason Kenny and his gang nipping at her heels.
When, and it probably is just a matter of when, this gang takes over in Alberta they will no doubt take or try to take Alberta back into the dark ages. In this they will have the backing of the Calgary petrothugs and their mouthpieces like the Calgary Herald and University of Calgary.
However, for now Alberta and especially Edmonton are being hailed as progressive, very progressive in fact. One of the bright shining lights of the North American continent.
If Edmonton, once the stamping grounds of the Alberta petrogang, can become a progressive beacon for the rest of us to follow, then there’s hope for all of us.
Dennis Peacock
Clearwater, B.C.
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