Our only hope is that people engage

Posted Jul 3, 2008

By Jillian Lynn Lawson

Jillian was a member of the Land Use Framework's Growth & Resource Management Group, 2007-08 Having worked on the Land Use Framework — Growth and Resource Management Group — and having reviewed the draft Land Use Framework currently under review, I would suggest several key issues:

• The level of government control;

• The lack of public consultation — only 12 government-appointed participants per region;

• Thresholds are decided by government, which appear designed to allow whatever project is at hand, no independent scientific assessment;

• The terms of reference for each region are designed to set out government priorities, which include such projects as transportation/NAFTA corridors and nuclear reactors, and for this the only consultation is - and I quote - an election.

No wonder Stelmach and Knight are on side.

This is part of — not a sudden and enlightened divergence from — a pattern set by:

• TILMA;
• Bill 46;
• The recent no environmental and social impact assessment announcement;
• Consolidation of health boards; and,
• In general, compliance with the regulatory streamlining integral to the Security and Prosperity Partnership and deep integration with the US.

Our only hope is that people engage — as faint as that hope may be.