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THERE’S A BETTER WAY

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There's a Better Way
Open Letter to Central Albertans
 
February 26, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Red Deer – Mountain View, AB
 
I spoke with an Alberta government official in mid-December 2020 re: the status of the proposed recovery community facility in Red Deer, as originally announced in mid-July 2020. I was informed that the project is bogged down in the bureaucratic process. The official hoped that there would be a public update prior to Christmas but this has yet to occur.
 
With that being said, I wanted to propose a project that I came across that may be beneficial for Red Deer and Central Alberta.
 
To my knowledge, the project originated in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is called “There’s a Better Way”. Please see this YouTube link for a short video on the project.
 

 
In a nutshell, the program aims at providing flexible work opportunities to those experiencing homelessness in order for them to earn some cash and be better connected with services. The ultimate goal of the program is to provide a base for which these individuals can move into permanent housing and full-time employment.
 
I truly feel that giving people the dignity of work makes an immense difference in their life. This is very evident in 2020-21 as many people have lost their jobs, their businesses and ultimately, their sense of purpose in life.
 
I have reached out to representatives from Safe Harbour, Turning Point and the Mustard Seed as I feel their involvement would be crucial. All three organizations expressed interest in pursuing a similar program for Red Deer. The major concerns they expressed in seeing this program get off the ground were twofold:
 
  1. Funding for staff to facilitate the project along with funding to employ individuals through the program.
  2. Partnership with the City of Red Deer to provide opportunities to complete manual labour tasks within the community. (cleaning up garbage, shovelling snow, etc.)
 
I reached out to the City of Red Deer (including the Mayor and all city councilors) along with Red Deer North and South MLAs on February 10, 2021 to discuss the merits of the program in light of the delays to the proposed recovery community facility. I have yet to receive a response.
 
For 2021, Red Deer City Council is recommending funding of $516,974 for Urban Encampment and Debris Cleanup on Public Lands. My initial thoughts were to see if the “There’s a Better Way” program could be funded through an allocation of some of the funds earmarked for the rough sleeper and drug debris cleanup. Additionally, the program could be funded through private sector donations to the previously noted organizations. Amounts donated to these organizations would qualify for a donation tax credit regardless of whether the funds were donated personally or via your corporation.
 
If you, your organization or anyone you know feel that there would be an opportunity for a program such as this to operate within Red Deer, I would love to discuss this further with you.
 
Thank you in advance for your consideration in this matter.
 
Sincerely,
 
Jared Pilon
Libertarian Party Candidate for Red Deer – Mountain View, AB

I have recently made the decision to seek nomination as a candidate in the federal electoral district of Red Deer - Mountain View. As a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), I directly see the negative impacts of government policy on business owners and most notably, their families. This has never been more evident than in 2020. Through a common sense focus and a passion for bringing people together on common ground, I will work to help bring prosperity to the riding of Red Deer – Mountain View and Canada. I am hoping to be able to share my election campaign with your viewers/readers. Feel free to touch base with me at the email listed below or at jaredpilon.com. Thanks.

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Canada under pressure to produce more food, protect agricultural land: report

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Canada’s agricultural land is under increasing pressure to produce more food as demand grows domestically and internationally, while the industry grapples with limited resources and environmental constraints, a new report found. 

“We need to grow more food on less land and in a volatile climate,” said Tyler McCann, managing director of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute.

The report by the institute released Thursday looks at the pressures on Canada’s agricultural land to produce more food while also mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change, said McCann. 

Despite Canada being a big country, it doesn’t have as much agricultural land as people might think, said McCann, with the report noting that agricultural land makes up only around seven per cent of the country. 

Because of that, we can’t take what we do have for granted, he said. “We need to be really thoughtful about how we are using our agricultural land.” 

In 2020, Canada was the eighth largest country in terms of cropland area, the report said, with that cropland decreasing by seven per cent over the previous two decades. 

Canada is a major producer and net exporter of agriculture and agri-food products, the report said, exporting $91 billion in products in 2022, and one of the top 10 exporters of wheat, canola, pulses, pork and beef. 

In the coming years, Canada will face increased demand from countries whose populations are growing, the report said. 

“With population growth on one side and climate change on the other, Canada will be amongst an increasingly smaller number of countries that is a net exporter,” said McCann, noting that Canada’s own population is growing, and farmland also needs to be protected against urban sprawl. 

The wildfires clouding Canadian skies this week are a “vivid reminder” of the pressure that extreme weather and the changing climate are putting on the agricultural sector, said McCann. 

“We need to clearly mitigate … agriculture’s impact on climate change. But we also need to make sure agriculture is adapting to climate change’s impacts,” he said. 

One of the ways the world has responded to demand for increased agricultural production over time is to create more agricultural land, in some cases by cutting down forests, said McCann. But that’s not a viable option for Canada, which doesn’t have a lot of land that can be sustainably converted into farmland — and even if it could, doing so could have a variety of adverse environmental effects, he said. 

Some of the practices used to reduce emissions and sequester carbon in agriculture can also improve production output on existing farmland, the report found, such as precision agriculture and no-till practices.

However, intensifying the production of current agricultural land also comes with potential environmental downsides, the report said.

For example, McCann said fertilizer is an important part of sustainable agriculture, but there’s a balance to be struck because excessive use of fertilizer can quickly turn food production unsustainable. 

“We need to be a lot more thoughtful about the inputs that we’re using,” he said, adding the same can be said about the use of technology in agriculture and the policies and programs put in place to encourage sustainable intensification of Canadian agriculture. 

The report recommends that Canada adopt policies that provide financial incentives and technical assistance to farmers and develop regulatory frameworks promoting sustainable land use, as well as promoting education and awareness campaigns, so that the country can “ensure the long-term sustainability of its agricultural sector while protecting the environment.”  

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2023.

Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press

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Alberta

Lawyer tells Alberta’s highest court review board biased in de Grood’s case

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