Agriculture

“Potatogate”, the shady Alberta government deal to sell off 16,000 acres of public land – scarce native grassland and endangered species habitat – has finally been shelved, following an unprecedented public outcry. But while this particular piece of land has received a temporary reprieve, the system which allows for secretive backroom deals to sell off public land, and with no public input, is still very much in place. Read more about “Potatogate” Deal is Dead: Now it is Time to Fix the Real Problem

There appears to have been a major failure to communicate within Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (AB SRD).  A new report Canadian Biodiversity: Ecosystem Status and Trends 2010 was released by the federal, provincial and territorial governments last week. Read more about “Potatogate” Continued: What We Have Here is a Failure to Communicate

In a shocking insult to all Albertans, the provincial government is set to sell off a huge swathe of public land – our land – to a private company, to grow potatoes. Despite the fact that the 16,000-acre parcel of land near Bow Island is valuable native prairie, known to be habitat for a number of endangered species, the sale looks set to go ahead this week with no opportunity for public input. The priceless piece of prairie will be ploughed up to grow potatoes. Read more about “Potatogate”: Irreplaceable Public Land to be Sold to Make Potato Chips