Recently there were two news items. Drumheller Alberta and Okotoks Alberta purchased water allotments. The first was from an unnamed party (insider) the other was from an Oil Company. The latter cost Okotoks over a million dollars for rights to some 230,000 cubic meters of water annually.
Water allotments have never been sold. The oil companies received them free of charge as did the unnamed insider. Why then the sale?
Bolstered by the Alberta Government the towns had to pay up. This adds many dollars to the resource and forces the price of water utilities way up. When it comes time to export, they will tell Albertans the cost is the same. Edmonton now has the highest water prices in the world (National Geographic April 2010).
Following the long standing Conservative dream of including water into NAFTA and changing bulk water to a commodity is fore front in their plans.
If we export water under NAFTA rules, we must give the Americans first chance at the water and we cannot charge the Americans more money than we are now paying. When it comes time to export, people in Alberta will be paying the same or more money than those people in California who are the targeted export market.
Meanwhile TV is carrying subtle advertisements in fill in spots saying our water is our finest resource and it must be shared.
All this ties in with the new dam being built on the Peace by BC.
Dig in folks; if they get away with this it will be rough!
Water allotments have never been sold. The oil companies received them free of charge as did the unnamed insider. Why then the sale?
Bolstered by the Alberta Government the towns had to pay up. This adds many dollars to the resource and forces the price of water utilities way up. When it comes time to export, they will tell Albertans the cost is the same. Edmonton now has the highest water prices in the world (National Geographic April 2010).
Following the long standing Conservative dream of including water into NAFTA and changing bulk water to a commodity is fore front in their plans.
If we export water under NAFTA rules, we must give the Americans first chance at the water and we cannot charge the Americans more money than we are now paying. When it comes time to export, people in Alberta will be paying the same or more money than those people in California who are the targeted export market.
Meanwhile TV is carrying subtle advertisements in fill in spots saying our water is our finest resource and it must be shared.
All this ties in with the new dam being built on the Peace by BC.
Dig in folks; if they get away with this it will be rough!