Just say NO! to a Calgary VETO
The decision is whether or not to sign up your town/MD as a member of the Calgary Regional Partnership’s Regional Plan. The timeframe covered by this plan is the next 60 years. That’s quite a big decision for a municipal council that is only elected for a three-year term! The public consultation has been compressed into three short months and the information coming out of the CRP is vague (see their website at www.calgaryregion.ca).
Many people are talking about the plan and there are a number of issues that have been raised. The number one issue for me as a resident living outside of Calgary is the Calgary veto. To explain, the Calgary Regional Partnership has the following voting process to make any changes to the plan once it is approved:
-Any changes to the plan must be approved by two thirds majority (that is, 12 towns have to all agree they want to change something in the plan) AND it must be approved by 50 percent of the population. The City of Calgary has 80 percent of the region’s population, so this effectively gives the City of Calgary a veto! (Yes, six of the rural municipalities can also join together and veto something that Calgary wants to
change!)
But, the last time I checked, rural people outside of Calgary can’t vote for Calgary’s Mayor, so this means that if we join the Calgary Regional Partnership, rural voters will be losing their voice in the future planning process for your community, possibly for the next 60 years. Some people have been referring to it as a fourth level of government and it will come with a price–your taxes will be directed to this partnership and your democratic rights will be traded away.
This is a list of the communities affected: Airdrie, Banff, Black Diamond, Canmore, Chestermere, Cochrane, Crossfield, High River, MD of Foothills, MD of Rocky View, Nanton, Okotoks, Redwood Meadows, Strathmore, Tsuu T’ina, Turner Valley and Wheatland County.
Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Write to your mayor and town council. Write to your MLA or to Sustainable Resource Development Minister, Ted Morton.
We deserve and DEMAND a better process than this! We have a right to expect that our elected officials will work together in the best interests of its citizens — and to consult with citizens when faced with decisions that fundamentally change the accountability back to us as voters.
Read the media coverage of the campaign on our blog at: https://nocalgaryveto.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/residents-chal…in-partnershipresidents-challenge-supposed-calgary-veto-in-partnership/
Or read the original online article at: http://www.westernwheel.com/090318/news-veto.htm
Just say NO! to a Calgary VETO 
With respect, I would submit that His Worship, The Mayor’s question: “if you are concerned about higher taxes, why would you not want economic growth…” – is simplistic, if not falacious.
The following excerpt from a respected author is worth replicating:
“Even the best-looking, best-planned growth can still have a predominantly negative impact on a community and long-term ecological consequences. Complete reliance on planned-growth strategies is based on the false premise that you can have your cake and develop it too”.
——
Better Not Bigger. ‘How to Take Control of Urban Growth and Improve Your Community’, Eben Fodor copyright 1999.
Posted by L. [Laurie] Hodson | March 16, 2009, 3:30 amI find it necessary to respond to Councillor Lewis because many of her statements and innuendos are not correct.
Firstly; there are three (3) members of Council directly involved in the Calgary Regional Partnership. Mayor McAlpine sits on the Executive Committee and Chairs the Subcommittee on Regional Water and Waste-Water Servicing. Councillor Kish is on the Transit Subcommittee. Councillor Wilson is on the Regional Waste Committee.
Regarding Victoria; different times, different government, different province, different population, different demographics – not relevant.
The Executive level of the CRP are all elected people from the 18 different communities.
To clarify: I chose these two councillors, that is absolutely correct. It is my responsibility to select all Councillors for all committees (ie: Councillor Lewis sits on FCSS, the Inter-municipal Committee and the Policing Committee). We all share the responsibility of the many different committees and commissions in our town.
Also, if you are concerned about higher taxes, why would you not want economic growth, light industrial and commercial to help the tax base?
Regarding the open houses, I do agree; please come out and learn about the voting structure, as well as the other things Administration wish to share with you. I feel confident that common sense will prevail.
We know that in the next 50 to 60 years, there will be an additional 1.3 to 1.6 million people in this region. Some will chose to live in Okotoks – let them. After all, this is a democracy.
*Note to Councillor Lewis:
By the way, the Council of the Town of Okotoks, by unanimous vote on April 14, 2008, adopted the following resolution:
“Rick Butler, Executive Director Calgary Regional Partnership – April 8, 200
Re: Calgary Regional Partnership Regional Transit Exploration Funding Request
08.C.173
MOTION By Councillor Sands that:
1. Council authorize the Town of Okotoks to participate in a Regional Partnership Proposal for the Calgary Regional Partnership under the Alberta Municipal Affairs partnership initiative. The Project is entitled “Exploring New Transit Paradigms for the Region”.
2. The Town of Okotoks agrees that the City of Calgary be designated the managing partner of the Calgary Regional Partnership for the purposes of receiving, administering, allocating, reporting, and accounting for the grant funds on behalf of the partners; and further
3. The Town of Okotoks agrees to enter into a conditional grant agreement governing the purpose and use of the implementation grant funds if it is the managing partner, or if not agrees to abide by the terms of a Conditional Grant Agreement signed by the managing partner on behalf of the other partner municipalities and/or approved participants governing the purpose and use of the exploration grant funds.
Carried Unanimously”
CRP is acting on the collective will and authorization of the duly elected officials of this community. That’s my idea of democracy.
Lastly, Monday March 9, 2009 the following resolution was passed unanimously:
“Moved by Councillor Robertson that Council authorize the Mayor to sign the attached resolution for the Regional Partnership Initiative Exploration Grant on behalf of Council.”
See you either Thursday or Saturday at the Open Houses.
Bill McAlpine
Mayor
Posted by Bill McAlpine | March 12, 2009, 11:12 pm