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Local opinion writer not in favour of Molly Bannister Drive extension and development

Published

6 years ago

4 minute read

This article is submitted by Red Deer Resident Tim Lasiuta

Dear City of Red Deer

Firstly, I am very surprised that the Bower sisters sold the pristine land to Melcor.  Very surprised.

Secondly, After all this time and development in Red Deer the most valuable land in the city has changed hands.  Let us pray that they have the wisdom to follow what has unparalleled potential for future generations.

Thirdly, the concept of a road across the creek by Bower would be positive and allow splendid traffic flow but decisions like this need to be seen with eyes that look 100 years into the future.

As a future Red Deer citizen looking back, I would look back to a time when Alberta was in tough economic times and the phase out of gas powered vehicles had started.  However, with the advent of flying cars and hover boards and personal flying suits, roads have gone out of vogue so roads that were once busy according to old photographs, are now long stretches of greenery, much like what once may existed.  With one exception.  Looking back on wildlife counts and the many green spaces around Red Deer, over the last 100 years, the flow of animals came to a standstill as the wanton destruction of pristine environments accelerated.  Precedent after precedent allowed the desecration of The Kerry Wood area and green spaces alongside Highway 2.

As a present Red Deer citizen, I look at the example of Central Park, New York.  More than a century ago, a civic minded individual donated land to create a timeless refuge for urban dwellers in  the big city.  Today, it is the #1 draw for tourists and those wanting to find peace in a busy city.

I imagine that the future citizen would see the same IF the proposed  bridge goes across.  The flow of animals, and desecration of virgin land that David Thompson, Leonard Gaetz, Sgt McLeod, and countless native tribes walked on would be severe.

I am aware the Melcor wants to develop a park, but I propose it is the entire land purchase, not a small fraction.

100 years from now, our descendants will be able to look at a pristine land area that hearkens to a time and leadership that dares make hard decisions on what could be an easy solution with incredible cost.

As a past candidate in one election, I would advocate that the good decision on this is NO bridge, and pressure on Melcor to preserve what will be our greatest resource and potential recreation area.

Fourthly, with land that is undefiled as the area is, the archaeology that is beneath must be incredible and must be examined.  If it is not, it is in violation of Dalgemuuq and federal regulations on land development.  In this case, an aerial examination of the land is not sufficient.  There MUST be boots on the ground.  Based on Cree habitation of this area, it is indeed possible that there is even a village  beneath the area.  In Red Deer, only two areas can boast summer village dating  to pre-contact, and they are both under danger of desecration.  Let us not make this a third.  There would be legal action if action proceeds without in depth investigation.

I am in favor of development, but perhaps this is a time for future based decisions.

IF this development does come up and a bridge is truly proposed.  I will run again, and strongly oppose it.  STRONGLY.

Tim Lasiuta, Red Deer, Alberta

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National

Canada’s free speech record is cracking under pressure

Published on December 11, 2025

By

This article supplied by Troy Media.

Troy MediaBy Gerry Chidiac

Is a protest double standard eroding Canada’s values?

Free speech in Canada shouldn’t depend on which side of the Israel–Palestine conflict you support, but that’s what seems to be happening.

Canada’s continued success depends on political stability, shared standards and the freedom to speak up when something is wrong. But that only works when institutions apply their rules fairly. Recent cases raise concerns that this isn’t happening consistently, and the debate around the Israel–Palestine conflict shows how quickly that can slip.

After the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which killed more than 1,200 people and led to more than 200 hostages being taken, Canadians expressed deep sympathy for Israeli civilians. Statistics Canada reported a 71 per cent increase in hate crimes against Jewish people in 2023, rising to 900 incidents. Police increased security around synagogues and community centres in response.

As the conflict escalated, Muslim, Arab and Palestinian organizations publicly described rising fear and anger in their communities. Police-reported hate crimes targeting Muslim people rose by 94 per cent to 211 incidents in the same period. Both communities faced real threats. What stood out was that institutions responded inconsistently to people who spoke out as tensions rose.

Civil liberties groups, including the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, warned that responses to pro-Palestinian demonstrations were sometimes uneven or heavy-handed. The size and aggressiveness of Palestinian protests may explain some of this, but questions about fairness remain.

The inconsistency becomes more apparent on campuses. In 2019, Jewish and pro-Israel students at York University said they felt unsafe when a protest by pro-Palestinian activists disrupted an event featuring members of an Israeli reservist group. Chants drowned out the speakers and clashes broke out. Toronto police were called, but many criticized the university for not doing enough to protect the Jewish and pro-Israel students who attended.

A recent case in Montreal shows the imbalance from another angle. An Indigenous high school student was suspended after posting criticism of Israel on Instagram. She told CBC she was commenting on government actions, not targeting any group. The school said the post violated its code of conduct, but the suspension, which drew national attention, raised concerns about whether schools apply the same standard to students who speak out on this issue.

When institutions treat people differently depending on their viewpoint, public trust suffers. Canadians who are Israeli, Palestinian, Arab, Jewish, Christian and Muslim all deserve to be treated fairly.

Canadian courts have been clear that political speech, including criticism of foreign governments, is protected under Section 2(b) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Freedom of expression covers peaceful protest, speech and the press unless it crosses into hate. That protection applies to people who support Palestinians and to those who support Israel. The law does not take sides, and institutions shouldn’t either.

Canada also has obligations under international law, including the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. These agreements require Canada to uphold basic standards of fairness and humanity. When governments or institutions fall short, Canadians have a responsibility to speak up.

That expectation applies in schools as well. As an educator, I am expected to encourage informed discussion on difficult issues, including the Israel–Palestine conflict. Students need to rely on credible information, think clearly about ethical and legal questions and respect people who disagree with them. That only works when they know the rules apply equally.

Uneven decisions send the opposite message. When institutions respond differently to similar behaviour, they weaken the sense that the system is fair. That is how trust erodes.

Free societies do not promise agreement. They promise that everyone can speak, be heard and be treated the same under the law. The cases discussed here involving speech about the Israel–Palestine conflict suggest that Canada is not meeting that standard as consistently as it should. Addressing those inconsistencies is essential to maintaining trust in the institutions meant to protect our rights.

Gerry Chidiac specializes in languages and genocide studies and works with at-risk students. He received an award from the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre for excellence in teaching about the Holocaust.

Troy Media empowers Canadian community news outlets by providing independent, insightful analysis and commentary. Our mission is to support local media in helping Canadians stay informed and engaged by delivering reliable content that strengthens community connections and deepens understanding across the country.

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Bruce Dowbiggin

Carney Hears A Who: Here Comes The Grinch

Published on December 11, 2025

By

It’s a big day for the Who’s of Whoville. Mayor Augustus Maywho is now polling at 62 percent approval. Cindy Lou Who and Martha May Whovier can barely contain their trans-loving heart that finally the Pierre The Grinch is done.

Okay it’s not WhoVille. It’s Canada and it is leader Mark Carney who’s zooming in the polls against Pierre Poilievre. But it might as well be the real nation that Carney commands today. As 2025 comes to a conclusion Donald Trump seems the least of Whoville’s perils. For example:

The NDP government in B.C. has now declared that future legislation must be interpreted through the lens of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. According to Chief Bent Knee (David Eby) this means that the province cannot act independently of the progressive diktats of Sudan, Nepal, Moldova and other international titans. Having been informed of Canada’s “genocidal” behaviour by Trudeau in the Rez Graves pantomime, the UN folk will no doubt look on Canadians as worthy of punishment.

The UNDRIP menace has been around since the days when Skippy Trudeau was wielding the mace in Parliament. On June 20, 2021 the federal government passed UNDRIP into law by a vote of 210 to 118. (The Liberals, NDP and Bloc all voted in favour.) The only party that opposed it were the Conservatives. In defence of those hapless boobs none of them voting yes ever expected a province to align itself with such legislation. That’s the Canadian way. Act on conscience. Retract on self preservation.

But on the heels of Eby’s unopposed capitulation to B.C.’s many “peoples” in recent land settlements, ones that threaten the legal right to properties of home owners, the wholesale framework for governing the province now will be determined by appeal to the UN.

The Carney crew — who act as though Canada’s indigenous communities are now equal partners in Confederation— assure Canadians that judicious lawyering by government savants has everything under control, but anyone trusting the Liberals after the past decade is in need of counselling.

The B.C. conundrum plays into another of the challenges (read: disasters) faced in B.C. by the Elbows Up brigade. Namely the much-heralded memorandum of understanding on energy policy between the feds and Alberta. Canadians were assured by Ottawa that this federal government sees pipelines as a priority, and getting Alberta’s product to tidewater as an urgent infrastructure need. Carney described the MOU as if it were a love-letter to the restless West. How is he going to get pipelines through to the B.C. coast when Eby and the indigenous said it was a no-go? Trust us, said Carney.

Before you could say Wetaskiwin dark clouds gathered on the deal. Smith took it in the ear from Alberta separatists for compromising anything to the feds. Carney, meanwhile, ran into the predictable roadblock from B.C. Eby talked of maybe allowing pipelines in the future, but the ban on shipping off the province’s shoreline was verboten.

To test the resilience of the MOU the federal Conservatives (remember them?) put forward a motion to build the pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast. Even though the motion used the same language of the MOU between Danielle Smith and Mark Carney, the Liberals and their hand maidens defeated the motion. Carney himself abstained because, hey look at that shiny object.

Immediately the Trudeaupian Deflection Shield was employed. Here’s Liberal Indigenous Service minister and proud Cree operative Mandy Gull Masty “Today’s motion that’s being put on the floor is not a no vote for the MOU. It’s a no vote against the Conservatives playing games and creating optics and wasting parliamentary time when they should be voting on things that are way more important.”

Robert Fife, the highly rated G&M scribbler who just won some big award, led the media pack, “Conservatives persist with cute legislative tricks, while the government tries to run a country.” Run a country? Into the ground?

Let’s not forget the $1.5 billion bloviators at CBC. They, too, say the vote is a big loss for the Tories. “It risks putting them offside, what is a very top priority and frankly, was considered a big win for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.’” said Janyce McGregor. Here’s Martin Patriquin on one of the Ceeb’s endless panels. “It’s embarrassing, man. I don’t see any sort of political advantage to what happened today.”

Embarrassing? The Libs have committed to re-building gas pipelines in Ukraine, even as they stall on developing pipelines in Canada. Luckily CBC washrooms have no mirrors. And there’s always Donald Trump to deflect from the pantomimes of Canadians Laurentian debating club.

Here, CTV hair-and-teeth Scott Reid is nursing a Reuters poll that has Trump’s approval at historic lows of 36 percent. Reuters is a firm that predicted Kamala winning the presidency. Until she didn’t on Nov.4. Meanwhile Rasmussen, which correctly had Trump ahead the entire campaign, has his current approval at 44 percent while the RCP average is 43.9.

But corrupt data to make Trump seem odious is no sin in WhoVille Ottawa. Keep feeding the Karens bad data.  At least Canadians have their beloved healthcare to fall back on. Or maybe their beloved MAID. A Saskatchewan woman suffering from parathyroid disease has revealed that she is considering assisted suicide, because she cannot get the surgery she needs.

“Jolene Van Alstine, from Saskatchewan, has extreme bone pain, nausea and vomiting. She requires surgery to remove a remaining parathyroid, but no surgeons in the province are able to perform the operation.  In order to be referred to another province for the operation, Van Alstine must first be seen by an endocrinologist, yet no Saskatchewan endocrinologists are currently accepting new patients.

The pain has become so unbearable that she has been approved for Canada’s euthanasia and assisted suicide program, with the ending of her life scheduled to take place on 7 January 2026.”

Well. Happy New Year, Canada. May no one offer you MAID in the next twelve months.

Bruce Dowbiggin @dowbboy is the editor of Not The Public Broadcaster  A two-time winner of the Gemini Award as Canada’s top television sports broadcaster, his new book Deal With It: The Trades That Stunned The NHL And Changed hockey is now available on Amazon. Inexact Science: The Six Most Compelling Draft Years In NHL History, his previous book with his son Evan, was voted the seventh-best professional hockey book of all time by bookauthority.org . His 2004 book Money Players was voted sixth best on the same list, and is available via brucedowbigginbooks.ca.

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