It’s as simple as this. When people pay their hard-earned dollars in taxes for roads, schools and hospitals, they have a stake in good government. They don’t grumble—if they remember a time when we didn’t have such things, or if they’ve seen places without infrastructure, education or healthcare. But they definitely want good value. They vote. They hold those they elect accountable. They’re engaged citizens, watchful and informed. They know government must answer to them. They have the power to vote governments in, and to vote governments out. Distortion sets in when oil pays for our public services. Government begins to think it answers to Big Oil instead of to the people. The people themselves can become complacent, and think we’re beholden to the oil industry. (See “Petrostate?” p. 26.) We forget that we the people own the oil. We forget that we have the power and the responsibility to pace the rate at which we use it up, and to determine how we’ll distribute the income from its exploitation. In individualistic Alberta we’re conditioned to believe it’s virtuous to think only of oneself and one’s own immediate wellbeing. When everything seems to be going well, when we have jobs and a comfortable life, it’s easy to forget that it is our responsibility to steward our resources well, to be sure everyone benefits from their development, to care about the environment and to consider future generations.

We hand all these responsibilities over to oil industry executives. We forget that the purpose of a corporation, of business, is to maximize profit. If a business isn’t making money, it goes down the tubes. Making money is its first, its primary, its sole reason to exist. Individuals within corporations can be wellintentioned and generous, but corporate social responsibility is a chimera. Corporations might do good works to improve their public relations, but social responsibility is not their job, and they know it. Good works are strategic, only affordable when profits are unconscionably high, and always in the interests of the company—or the shareholders wouldn’t stand for it.

Who is responsible for society? We are. Citizens. The government we elect is responsible. Are we paying attention? Surely the government is collecting a fair share for the people. Don’t we have regular, legally mandated royalty reviews? Weren’t adjustments made as the price of oil climbed and taxes on the industry fell?

Our own auditor general says no. (See “An Audit Too Far,” p. 34.) Government on autopilot didn’t bother. Was there widespread public outrage at Fred Dunn’s report of the foregone billions? Was he hailed as a hero? Our elected representatives, our entrenched Conservative government, told him to sit down, shut up and mind his own business.

Prosperity continues with all of us on autopilot. Nobody wants to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, even if that goose—those geese!—are pooping everywhere, befouling earth, air and water. Surely the government collects enough in royalties to clean up after they’re gone, we muse vaguely, without asking. Anyway, improved technology will always save us, we clever human beings. Old Mother Earth can take it. She always bounces back no matter what indignities we heap on Her. Right?

And who cares about the state of democracy in Alberta. Alberta says, “I’m all right, Jack. I don’t care if my name isn’t on the voters list. I’m too busy to vote anyway. I’m making money for myself, and my family. Well, not really for my family. I dumped the old lady a while ago. But there’s a new boat I’ve got my eye on.”

Personally, there’s little I’d like better to write than a story about how well our growing Muslim population is integrating into Canada. Since I’ve earned the nickname “The Optimistic Muslim” in North American journalism circles, if anyone could do it, you’d think it would be me.

In the decades that I’ve been working off and on with The Banff Centre, it is the ongoing conversation and friendship with Tom Crane Bear that finally opened my eyes to Walking Buffalo’s vision and the numerous qualities of “the hill” that beckons the world.

“I go straight to her, past the clustered lineup of guys and overweight regulars and touch her. I get this curve of a feeling, excitement, but also like the thought of methane gas leaking from a pipe, unfurling.”

Born: San Antonio, Texas
Highest level of education attained: studied communications
at Brigham Young, 1975–1979
Prior to politics: self-employed community development
consultant, owner of a custom home construction business
First elected: 2001 (re-elected twice)
Constituency: Calgary–Shaw
Previously: Associate minister of Tourism Promotion, 2007–2008
Sworn in as Minister of Tourism, Parks & Rec., Mar 13, 2008

MISSION (for Parks & Protected Areas)
“[That] parks and protected areas [be] managed as a legacy for future generations through leadership, stewardship and research to protect biodiversity and provide environmental, social and economic benefits.”

MINISTRY RESPONSIBILITIES
“support the development and marketing of the province as a world-class tourism destination; manage a network of provincial parks and protected areas to preserve important ecological areas and provide opportunities to enjoy and learn about Alberta’s natural heritage; promote active, healthy lifestyles and athletic excellence by supporting sport, recreation and training facilities.”

MANDATE LETTER
Participate in the Land-use Framework [by developing] a Plan for Parks and a provincial recreation management strategy.

LOBBYISTS
For the names of the 14 registered lobbyists of this ministry, see www.lobbyistact.ab.ca

CONTACT
Ministry office
229 Legislature Building
10800 97 Ave, Edm, T5K 2B6
(780) 427 4928
tpr.minister@gov.ab.ca

DID YOU KNOW…?
Ady in 2007 received roughly $11,500 for sitting on the “Idaho-Alberta Transboundary Task Force.” According to the Edmonton Journal, there is no record of the task force ever doing any work. Ady told the paper she created relationships between the governments, but would not provide meeting minutes, agendas, phone records, dates or names of Idaho colleagues. “I don’t need to share that with you,” she said. The Journal also noted that Alberta and Idaho do not share a border.

MINISTRY REPORT CARD

“The glories of Alberta’s landscape are being mocked thanks to a provincial government ad campaign that uses England as a stand-in for the province…Ady is a little perplexed that the campaign chose a picture of a foreign beach, especially when Travel Alberta has 25,000 photos in its archives.”
(Canadian Press, Apr 24, 2009)

“Alberta faces overwhelming demand for camping and recreation areas… the solution, says Ady, is to open parks to private enterprise. [she also said] new irrigation ponds may be ripe for camping. ‘They see it as an irrigation ditch, I see it as recreation property.’ ”
(Calgary Sun, May 25, 2010)

“[A] campaign calls the oil sands an environmental catastrophe and asks tourists to stay away… ‘Technology is the solution to all of these issues,’ said Ady. ‘we need to get that message out.’
(Edmonton Journal, Aug 19, 2010)

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