Thank you Jackie for your tireless efforts in this fight against coal and this threat to our watershed.
by Jackie Chalmers
Dear Madame Chelsae Petrovic, MLA
Re: Coal Town Hall, Wednesday, June 11th, 2025
It’s been months since we suggested, at what was to become your last “coffee “ klatch, to request elected government officials to attend in the Livingstone Macleod Constituency. At this point, months later, you and your cohorts are kind of a day late and a dollar short…but thanks anyway. We are absolutely fatigued by the rhetoric of the august team (Premier Smith, Ministers Jean, Sigurdson and Schulz), you’ve put together for this Coal Town Hall on Wednesday, June 11, 2025. For clarity, it’s not in Coal, it’s in Fort Macleod.
Why not bring the big guns to quell the masses? They can provide scientific data in answer to the myriads of questions regarding the frightening long-term effects of coal detritus in our water, in our air and on our lands.
Invite Colin Cooke, a senior aquatic scientist with the Alberta Government and his team, to the Town Hall in Fort Macleod. I know, I know the authors of the report are not trained spokespeople. What exactly is the governments’ criteria to be deemed a trained spokesperson? It’s insulting to their integrity to suggest otherwise. They’re professionals, educated, literate and committed to scientific investigation and reporting. Provide them with VIP treatment, bring ‘em on. They’re the heroes!
A published 2024 study found a former coal mine in the Crowsnest River watershed is releasing selenium to water, the fish habitat, at rates more than a dozen times higher than federal and provincial guidelines! Abnormalities and extirpation of fishes was noted; akin to the doomed canary in the coal mine methinks. Is this the report that just surfaced? How many more scientific documents disparaging the destruction of one of our greatest assets, irreclaimable water towers and storage, are collecting dust in the legislative catacombs?
Tell your colleagues they’re welcome to attend as spectators. We don’t want to hear anymore half-truths, fabrications and downright misinformation from you or them; the messaging is tired and redundant. In fairness if they’re coming with hat in hand to announce “no to coal” we will welcome all and shake their hands in thanks.
We’ll spread the word, Coal Town Hall, Wednesday, June 11th, 2025, 5:30 to 7:30, doors open at 5:00 pm, Fort Macleod Community Hall. By the way, the timing strategy for announcements of events by the government is wearying too. You announced this event at 9:23 am, Saturday, June 7th. You’re slipping, generally announcements of import are on late Friday afternoons.
Jacqueline L. Chalmers
Claresholm, Alberta
Thank you for writing the informative piece. Hopefully it helps. 😔
Great letter!!
She's about as useless as the former MLA 🙄 and all the rest of them.