George Soros

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Redcliff's veto power was not an issue for Event Centre location choice: Kelly Saturday, 22 September 2012 00:00 Collin Gallant COLLIN GALLANT cgallant@medicinehatnews.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Twitter: CollinGallant A regional agreement that could have theoretically given Redcliff a possible veto on conditions to build the Event Centre on Medicine Hat's southern limits had no bearing on the decision to restart talks for a new arena in the city's northwest, says the alderman who is guiding the process. The Tri-Area Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP), shared by Medicine Hat, Redcliff and Cypress County, sets down plans of how land of common interest should be developed and all three jurisdictions need to sign off on changes. The 2010 agreement would need to be modified for Medicine Hat to accept an offer of land for an Event Centre in the city's southend. The arena plan included the condition of annexing some land in the county Ñ an action that would certainly require an IDP amendment. "That's hypothetical and theoretical," said Ald. Graham Kelly, adding that since the City felt the initial step of Cypress County approval would be extremely difficult, the later step of changing the IDP didn't enter the equation. "We didn't make the decision based on IDP," said Kelly, chair of the Public Services Committee. "The decision was made on the basis of where city council thought was the best place to put it Ñ the conditions having been satisfied that Box Springs group can deliver on what they're promising at a rate that's favourable to our taxpayers. It's as simple as that. "If the southside proposal had been more attractive to members of council, we would have found a way to get that done." On Monday, council voted 6-2 in favour of a staff recommendation to restart talks with the Box Springs Business Park group which owns land butting up against the Town of Redcliff. That ended a six-week evaluation process of new proposals, including one that Lansdowne Equity Ventures would donate land near the intersection of 13th Avenue and South Boundary Road. In exchange the city would work to annex several parcels of Lansdowne property directly south in Cypress County. Lansdowne president Don Sandford told the News on Tuesday that he was confused why his location hadn't garnered more support in the process and that he felt annexation to be a minor issue if the city wanted it to happen. An evaluation of the bids shows that Lansdowne would provide the lowest cost for the City in terms of servicing Ñ $2.8 million compared to $3.6 million at Box Springs. But, said Kelly, if the annexation didn't happen, compensation clauses could push the total costs to more than $5 million. Kelly has been unequivocal that a decision has now been made, that all proposals were given a fair chance. "The fact remains, and I made absolutely certain, that (Lansdowne) had an opportunity to present all the information they wanted to present," said Kelly. "It's a bit disingenuous to come back a few days later and say 'we didn't know this or we didn't know that.' I told them up front that annexation would be very difficult for us." Senior elected county officials told the News this week an annexation process might not be difficult considering the county's wish for more water service to further develop Dunmore and a new development zone on Township Road 120. Kelly said that discussions between City and Cypress "senior officials" showed a lack of interest on the county's part. This week, city council approved a motion for city staff to reopen negotiations with the Box Springs group and to draw up a final agreement within two months. Ald. John Hamill, who chairs the Development and Infrastructure Committee, supported reopening talks with BSBP and said Thursday that the IDP is a perfect example of how delays could mount if a different location was chosen. "That's where we get into the tangle," said Hamill. "The county could say that it's quite easy but Redcliff could say it's not so easy, we don't want it." "Personally I think (Box Springs) the best of the choices that we had. It will bring economic development and lots of things. And it will benefit Redcliff, but for 90 per cent of the people who live in Redcliff, Medicine Hat is their shopping centre." As far as the IDP is concerned, said Hamill, the city has to take the region into consideration when planning future growth. "We can't exclude Redcliff. If we did, it would be a mess."

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Rest in Peace

'One of the most remarkable Canadians of his generation;' Lougheed remembered Friday, 14 September 2012 02:00 Tim Cook, The Canadian Press


EDMONTON - A transformational force for the betterment of Alberta and Canada, a charming leader unique to his generation, a giant of Canadian history, a political hero.



Coast-to-coast, lawmakers of the past and present alike are paying their respects to former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed with a universal warmth reserved for all but the exceptional few.



With news surfacing earlier this week that the 84-year-old was gravely ill, word of his death Thursday night touched off an abundance of adoration.



Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a fellow Calgarian, was among the most profuse, calling Lougheed "quite simply one of the most remarkable Canadians of his generation."



"A master politician, gifted lawyer, professional-calibre athlete and philanthropist, the former premier was instrumental in laying the foundation for the robust economic success that his cherished province of Alberta enjoys today," Harper said.



Lougheed's accomplishments were many.



He kick-started one of Canada's longest provincial political dynasties when he led the Progressive Conservatives to victory in 1971. There are still in power to this day.



He became a provincial folk hero and a nationally recognized figure for his epic battles with Ottawa over control of Alberta’s oil resources as prices spiked in the 1970s. And he led the movement toward petroleum diversification by nurturing oilsands development which now sprawls throughout northern Alberta and has become a economic driver of the country.



He created a multibillion-dollar nest egg savings fund for Alberta all while fostering arts, culture and tourism.



He helped patriate the Constitution and fought for a notwithstanding clause to ensure Canada would ultimately be governed by legislators and not the courts.



He championed bilingualism and in retirement spoke out against the Kyoto accord to control greenhouse gases, but urged caution over the environmental effects from unbridled growth of the oilsands.



There were those who remembered Lougheed chiefly for his provincial accomplishments.



"He created a direction for Alberta that we can all be proud of today," said current Alberta Premier Alison Redford. "His forward-thinking, progressive vision gave us the tools to succeed today and helped to propel Alberta into a leadership role in Canada."



And there were those who remembered him as a nation builder.



"He was unshakable in his belief that this country was the greatest country in the world and that it had to be united," said former Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow, who got to study Lougheed up close as they both participated in the Constitutional debates.



"I watched his performances and they were outstanding because he understood that, in Canada, we built this country by a policy of inclusivity. That you can be both a good Albertan and a good Canadian. That the choice doesn't come down to being a good Canadian or a good Albertan."



The adulation came from all sides of the political spectrum.



"Mr. Lougheed understood and respected that a strong public sector was a necessary partner in the development of our province," said Guy Smith, president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees. "There were, of course, occasional differences of opinion between our union and Mr. Lougheed’s government, but they are overshadowed by his legacy: a strong, vibrant and professional public sector, dedicated to serving the people of Alberta, their health, education, industry, and economy."



Even one-time rivals offered only praise.



"We were known to have differences of opinion on occasion, but I never questioned his integrity or his motivation," said former Ontario premier Bill Davis.



Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall lamented the loss of a mentor and a political hero.



Wall said he would often meet with Lougheed while in Opposition. When Wall's Saskatchewan Party formed the government in 2007, he said he asked Lougheed to come to Saskatchewan and give his members a pep talk.



"He said he would but wondered if we could afford his consultation fee. I asked him what the fee was. He said a steak sandwich," Wall recalled.



"His subsequent visit and the resulting discussions through the years have turned out to be the most important steak sandwich ever bought in our province."



Lougheed's family — wife Jeanne, sons Stephen and Joseph and daughters Andrea and Pamela — said in a statement that a public memorial will be planned in the coming days.



Amidst all of the historical recollection, their remembrance was much more intimate, reducing a political titan to his most genuine form.



"Although he was known to many for his contributions to Alberta and to Canada, his first dedication was to his family. He was a deeply caring and loving husband, father and grandfather," they said. "We will miss him terribly."

Best Premier Last 40 Years

Alberta's Peter Lougheed has been chosen as the best provincial premier in the last 40 years.

Policy Options magazine asked 30 historians, political scientists, economists, journalists and policy advisers from across Canada to pick their top five choices for best provincial premier since 1972.



The magazine is published by the Institute for Research on Public Policy, an independent, national, bilingual, non-profit organization.



The 30 were asked to rank the top five from a list of 18 potential candidates and Lougheed, who served as premier of Alberta from September 1971 to November 1985, was the only premier chosen by all jurors, and 21 chose him as the number 1 position.



In second place is Ontario's William Davis, followed by Saskatchewan's Allan Blakeney, New Brunswick's Frank McKenna and Robert Bourassa of Quebec.



The group says the magnitude of support for Lougheed spanned the country, with first-place votes in all regions.



Jury members were also asked to rate them according to nine questions pertaining to various aspects of leadership, such as vision and communications, fiscal and economic management, intergovernmental relations and other important files



Peter Lougheed's ratings were higher than the others on all questions, and ranged from 4.23 on interprovincial relations to 4.77 on ability to win over voters and elections.



The exercise was part of the institute's 40th anniversary. Also part of the celebration is a tribute dinner for Peter Lougheed on June 6 in Calgary.



The keynote speaker will be Alberta's newly elected premier, Alison Redford.

DR. Stanley

Staying on Track

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Dr. Charles Stanley

Proverbs 3:1-6

I. Introduction: After salvation, many Christians intend to live godly lives, but oftentimes, something unexpected happens. Perhaps discouragement, personal problems, or old habits lead them astray. When we’re born again, we begin new lifestyles that are different from those we previously knew. In fact, the Bible describes each of us as “a new creature” in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). However, unless we understand how the Christian life works, we can’t live the way God desires.

God has planned for us can be likened to railroad tracks. As long as a train stays on the track, it’ll keep moving and eventually arrive at its destination. The same can be said of believers. Our paths are composed of several basic principles we can follow to experience the God’s best.

II. If you wish to follow God and grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ, you must:

A. Make prayer and meditation on God’s Word daily priorities (Ps. 1:1-3). Since the Lord knows what you’re going to face, it’s best to do this in the morning so you’ll be strengthened for whatever lies ahead. In fact, this was the pattern that Jesus followed (Mark 1:35). If you fill your mind with the Word each day, the Lord will equip you for whatever He’s called you to do (Josh. 1:7-8).

B. Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him (Rom. 8:28). The only way to stay on the Lord’s course for your life is to follow His directions. If you decide to chart your own path, you’ll lose your way. Remember, there’s no way to improve His plan because it is always best.

C. Trust God in every circumstance (Prov. 3:5). Is the Lord trustworthy? We’re usually quick to say yes—until He tells us to do something that looks risky or illogical. We then have to make a choice either to rely on our own understanding or acknowledge that the Lord has the wisdom, power, and right to direct our lives.

D. Wait upon the Lord for His direction (Ps. 27:14). In His omniscience, God sees what’s up ahead and might tell you to wait. If you ignore His warning, you will get derailed and end up losing time, blessings, and fellowship with the Lord. He’s always acting on our behalf and has both the knowledge and the power to carry out His plans (Isa. 64:4).

E. Depend upon the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18). God knows that we don’t have the ability to lead godly lives in an ungodly world. Even Christ’s disciples, who walked with Him for three years, couldn’t do it. That’s why Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit arrived to empower them at Pentecost (Luke 24:49). Whenever we give Him control of our lives, He guides, protects, and strengthens us each day.

F. Remember that God loves His children unconditionally (Rom. 8:38-39). Because we all face discouragement, hurt, and rejection at times, everyone needs the security of God’s unconditional love to stay on track. It has nothing to do with how we feel or whether we think we’re worthy. It’s a fact that we accept by faith.

G. Give generously to the Lord (Luke 6:38). Have you ever wondered why Jesus made a point of telling people to give? It was because He knew generosity is the cure for selfishness, greed, and covetousness. Instead of being derailed by envy and self-centeredness, givers look for those who need help.

H. Recognize that God is in absolute control (Ps. 103:19). Knowing that the Lord is sovereign means that we have no cause for worry or fear. We know that God loves us and can be sure He knows what we need and is willing to provide it (Matt. 6:25-34).

I. Keep the destination in sight (John 14:2-3). Jesus promised believers a home in heaven. We must always remember that salvation through Christ is our guarantee that we’ll reach that goal, and when we finally arrive, Jesus will be there to welcome us.

III. Conclusion: We are all going to die once, and the moment we do, we will arrive at our eternal destination (Heb. 9:27). Today is the day to make sure you are on the right track. There are just two possible destinations on the trip of life—heaven or hell— and you only have this lifetime to decide which route you’re going to take.

Copyright 2012 In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. www.intouch.org. In Touch grants permission to print for personal use only.

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