STOP: Speech from the throne

Fellow Albertans, welcome to the Third Session of the Twenty-sixth Alberta Legislature.

I am honoured, once again, to deliver the Speech from the Throne, wherein I will outline the ambiguous and vague initiatives – if any – that this government will take.

As we continue our journey into Alberta’s second century, Albertans have much to be embarrassed about, and much more to be ashamed of…

Our current “prosperity” [sarcastic tone of voice] is the result of the lack of foresight by those in the power of the previous government and that of this government as well: under our watch we have cut social spending, allowing municipal infrastructure to crumble, allowed for classroom sizes to reach 40 students per class, health care premiums to sky rocket and affordable housing available to residents to disappear, but not only that, no, we have also had the complete and irresponsible degradation and destruction of Alberta’s environment resulting in the exploitation of millions of Albertans for a favourable “business” atmosphere for foreign multinational corporations in the Alberta tar sands.

Activists Deliver ‘Throne’ Speech and Set-up Visual Demonstration

S.top T.arsands O.perations P.ermanently (STOP)

For Immediate Release:

Stelmach, Knight, and Renner Have Their Heads in the Tar Sands:
Mock Throne Speech and Visual Demonstration Demands halt to Tar Sands Operations.

February 4, 2008 (Edmonton) – On February 4, 2008 at 1:00 pm, marking the opening of the 2008 winter session, as well as the impending provincial elections, activists will be outside the legislature visually demonstrating what they expect from today’s throne speech. They will set up a large visual creation of Minister Rob Renner, Minister Mel Knight, and Premier Ed Stelmach, with their “heads in the tar sands.”

“These politicians have done nothing more than aid a crisis situation which is already out of control,” states Peter Janz a member of STOP, referring to the unchecked environmental damage caused by the Alberta tar sands industry. “The speech from the throne needs to include plans for dealing with the social and environmental costs caused by one of the dirtiest energy projects in the world, but instead we see that our elected representatives have their heads in the sand and choose to remain ignorant to even the basics of climate science.”