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Our forestry and water issue discussed in the Alberta legislature
(from Hansard Aug. 28, 2006)
Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Water is the issue of the decade,
particularly in southern Alberta, where, even this government has
admitted, current water licences exceed the capacity of the Elbow,
Bow, and Oldman systems. The Spray Lakes forest management plan, over
3,300 square kilometres of cherished public lands near West Bragg
Creek, will adversely affect the drinking water of 400,000 Calgarians
as well as disrupt animal habitat and a prime recreational area. To
the Minister of Environment: will he be supporting Spray Lakes
Sawmills in clear-cutting or protect this critical watershed and
water source for Calgarians?
Mr. Boutilier: Mr. Speaker, protecting the land, protecting the air,
and protecting the water is my job. I am the Minister of Environment,
and I will carry out that responsibility. Mr. Speaker, I want to also
say that very near to this area, in fact, the province of Alberta,
the only province in Canada, will be hosting the first international
water forum. Experts from 20 countries all over the world are coming
to Banff . . . [ interjections] Well, I’m glad to see that the
members opposite are very impressed by the fact that Alberta took the
initiative to host such an important Water for Life strategy, that we
will excel at, be proactive on, something the opposite side really
has no clue about.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again to the same minister: will
the minister place water at the top of the priority list and press
this government to buy back this critical watershed?
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Mr. Boutilier: Thank you. That’s a very good question. Not only shall
we say that we will put water at the top of the list of priorities;
it is at the top of the priority list for this province and this
ministry.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Minister of Sustainable
Resource Development: will this minister at least act to delay
approval of this forest management plan until a land-use plan is
available in this province?
Mr. Coutts: Mr. Speaker, Spray Lakes Sawmills has been operating in
Kananaskis Country in a multi-use area for the past 60 years. In
order for them to get the forest management agreement on that
particular multi-use area, they have to come up with a detailed
forest management plan. It’s a 20-year plan. It is not just a short-
term plan. The department is being responsible in asking the company
to come forward and update their plan, which includes wildlife and
water mitigation as well and the effects that resource extraction has
on those two areas. It’s part of the detailed forest management plan
that we have asked Spray Lakes Sawmills to come forward with. That
detailed forest management plan will be reviewed by government and
sometime within the next three months will be either accepted or
rejected, depending on the regulations they have followed, which, by
the way, are endorsed by Canadian regulations on forestry practices.
So, Mr. Speaker, we have a process to go through with Spray Lakes,
and we will continue to do that in order to do as the Minister of
Environment wants to make sure that watersheds are protected not only
for the immediate people but for people downstream as well.
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