Kenney wants to sell crown land for profit

[ssyd]

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/jaso...tion-1.4215687

Haven't seen the thread yet so I figured I'd encourage the discussion. Seems they did the same thing in 2011 but kept it quiet so nobody would complain. This is the first I'm hearing of it.

[Trochu]

Link

I like how "Kenney floated the idea last month" turned into "Kenney wants to sell crown land for profit".

[ssyd]

Originally Posted by Trochu

Link

I like how "Kenney floated the idea last month" turned into "Kenney wants to sell crown land for profit".

Well there's new information.

Originally Posted by The Canadian Press

Another group has come out against United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney's proposal to sell public land in northwestern Alberta to help balance the province's books.

Kenney floated the idea last month at a Rural Municipalities Association meeting, saying the land in the Peace River region is "unproductive" and could be sold for agricultural use.

The Alberta Fish and Game Association isn't against agriculture, but says Crown land is important for the survival of fish, wildlife and biodiversity.

I'm sure somebody will come on here screaming FAKE NEWS ! ! ! ! ! but the fact is, there's better ways to make up a deficit than to permanently sell off public assets.

[Talking moose]

Bring it.

[Dean2]

I posted the same thing and there is a pretty extensive thread on it. I was VERY surprised at how many people on here thought this was no big deal or fully supported it. This is NOT a good idea and selling public lands is how you end up like Texas or Germany with no public access to land that you don;t have to pay big bucks for.

We could sell off 100% of the crown land in Alberta ans it wouldn't put a dent in the annual deficit let alone the accumulated debt. The is a truly STUPID idea with very short term perspective. The Alberta Fish and Game has come out strongly against this and so should all Albertans.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Dean2

We could sell off 100% of the crown land in Alberta ans it wouldn't put a dent in the annual deficit let alone the accumulated debt. The is a truly STUPID idea with very short term perspective. The Alberta Fish and Game has come out strongly against this and so should all Albertans.

Agreed.

But I also think it is inevitable for a number of reasons.

For one, the world population and Canada's population is growing rapidly. More land will be needed and the demand will only increase with time.

Second. When a politician decides he or she wants something done he or she will find a way to make it happen, either by spreading misinformation or by outright lying to the public. We've seen it over and over in recent years.
And election after election the majority elect more of the same.

If it's not sold off, it will be developed in other ways which are not wildlife friendly. Leased perhaps, logged off and turned into a government sanctioned tree plantation perhaps, or burnt off as they have done with the hills along the Peace River. Yeah I know that was supposed to enhance those hills for wildlife habitat. Actually it seems it was about enhancing it for Elk habitat. To the detriment of other species.

And finally from my prospective, we have bigger issues to be concerned about.

If today we persuade our politicians that selling off this small bit of land is not in our best interests, have we gained anything if we continue to tear up wild places with our quads and our industrial activity?

There was a time when all of Alberta and for that matter, all of North America was wild, undeveloped wilderness. Today we all live on land that was not so long ago, wildlife habitat.

At what point do we halt the development and for what reason? Who will give up what in order to bring that development to a halt?

We get all worked up when it is our hunting that is threatened but what about our neighbors food and housing needs.

So long as we behave as though we are the only ones on this planet that matter, we can not expect anyone else to give up anything for our sake.

I don't believe in rules and regulations as a means to solve our problems.
I don't believe we should expect our government to bail us out when we make poor choices.

But I have little hope that enough individuals or mankind as a whole will ever take responsibility for the part we play in creating our problems, for it to make a difference.
It's rare today, even in the hunting community, for any individual to give up anything for the sake of our fellow hunters much less the greater good.

[dmcbride]

I am more concerned about the loss of access with the new parks.

[getatmewolf]

Originally Posted by dmcbride

I am more concerned about the loss of access with the new parks.

I would say you should be concerned about both! This is a deal breaker for me, one party wants to lock up and "protect" public lands and one wants to outright sell it. Selling off ANY public lands is very short sighted and wont make a dent in our debt, and loss of access in any form will never be OK. Ill be watching this but its beginning to feel like I will be spoiling a ballot.

[MrDave]

Originally Posted by ssyd

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/jaso...tion-1.4215687

Haven't seen the thread yet so I figured I'd encourage the discussion. Seems they did the same thing in 2011 but kept it quiet so nobody would complain. This is the first I'm hearing of it.

Maybe we should recruit another Liberal like Ralph to lead Alberta again to pay down the debt.
Strange how it has been done for a century here but now its a problem to sell public lands.