Alberta West News

Friday, February 28, 2025

Arrogant Army?

The 2017 CFB Suffield Fire: Devastating Impact on Bindloss, Alberta

The rural hamlet of Bindloss, Alberta experienced devastating consequences when a fire that originated at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Suffield spread to surrounding farms and ranches on September 11, 2017. This event dramatically altered the landscape, livelihoods, and community relations in this southeastern Alberta region, leaving lasting impacts that extended far beyond the immediate destruction. The fire initiated at the military base during the detonation of unexploded ordnance has become emblematic of ongoing tensions between rural communities and military installations in the area, while highlighting the vulnerabilities of agricultural operations to environmental disasters.

Origin and Spread of the Fire

On September 11, 2017, military personnel at CFB Suffield detonated an unexploded artillery shell as part of routine disposal operations, despite a fire ban being in effect across southern Alberta. The temperature that day was at least 32°C with moderate westerly winds, creating dangerous fire conditions12. The controlled detonation sparked a grass fire that quickly grew beyond the military's capacity to contain it.

Creston Anderson, the fire chief for Bindloss at the time, reported that the fire began around 6:00 p.m., with flames originating inside CFB Suffield's boundaries. Anderson was dispatched to monitor the situation at the fence line between the base and surrounding properties. As conditions worsened, gusting winds carried the flames over the perimeter fence, after which the fire began spreading eastward toward farms and ranches in the Bindloss area4.

The speed and ferocity with which the fire spread overwhelmed initial containment efforts. Daryl Swenson, one of the affected ranchers, described watching the fire come increasingly closer from the base perimeter, but noted that civilian fire crews were not permitted to enter the base to fight the flames at their source1. As the blaze intensified, it expanded dramatically, ultimately burning approximately 36,500 hectares—nearly half the size of Calgary—including about 6,500 hectares of land outside the military training area12. The fire's path cut across the landscape from Jenner to Highway 41, moving first northward and then southward9.

Immediate Impacts on the Community

The fire forced an immediate evacuation of more than 40 residents from the affected area. A state of emergency was declared as more than 20 fire trucks, 10 water trucks, and other heavy equipment battled the flames with assistance from volunteers8. Five farms in the region required evacuation as the fire front advanced8. The mandatory evacuation order for residences east of Range Road 23 and south of Highway 555 was eventually lifted at 9:00 a.m. on September 12, though firefighting efforts continued9.

The fire's destruction was extensive and heartbreaking. At least one home in the area was confirmed destroyed—a residence approximately 13 miles south of Bindloss. The elderly homeowner had been asleep when the fire approached and had to be evacuated by neighbors who broke down his door when he didn't hear their knocking24. The flames not only consumed his home but also the surrounding farmyard, outbuildings, and personal vehicles4.

Beyond structures, the fire devastated agricultural land vital to local ranching operations. Laurel Schlaht, who owns a farm with her husband, reported losing "six quarter-acres of winter fields," critical grazing land that served as "the backbone to our operations"1. Daryl Swenson lost more than 500 hectares of grass and cropland, as well as winter feed for his animals and miles of fence line812.

Livestock Losses and Animal Suffering

Perhaps the most emotionally traumatic aspect of the disaster was the fate of cattle caught in the fire's path. In total, approximately 160 head of cattle were killed or so severely injured they required euthanasia1 1112. Ivan Schlaht, who lost 98 cattle in the blaze, described the aftermath as "the grossest thing I have ever seen" and "the most horrific scene ever"812.

The day after the fire, about 20 cattle were still alive but suffering terribly from their burns. The animals' injuries were so severe that a friend of Schlaht's had to put them down12. The psychological impact on ranchers who discovered their burned animals was profound, with Ivan Schlaht stating, "I don't wish that on anyone"1. The emotional toll extended beyond financial loss, with Schlaht noting, "A million dollars still wouldn't cover what I lost because of the anguish the cattle and myself went through"12.

For families with children, the fire created particularly traumatic experiences. Laurie Campbell described having to wake her children at midnight to evacuate, with her nine-year-old searching for a favorite toy while her five-year-old worried whether their father would survive the fire1. This psychological impact on the younger generation raised concerns about the future of family farming in the region.

Long-Term Agricultural and Economic Consequences

The fire's impact on agricultural operations extended far beyond the immediate destruction. Ranchers estimated it would take three to five years for the burned grasslands to recover sufficiently to support cattle grazing again113. As Laurel Schlaht explained, "Basically, it's going to be out of commission for three to five years," referring to the winterfield grassland destroyed by the flames13. This extended recovery period created significant operational challenges for the affected ranchers.

The financial burden was substantial. Daryl Swenson reported having to borrow at least $60,000 to replant grass and replenish feed stocks for his livestock12. The fire scorched approximately 4,200 hectares on the Remount community pasture, part of the rural municipality known as Special Areas12. This communal grazing land was a valuable resource for multiple ranching operations in the region.

Months after the fire, affected ranchers and farmers were still awaiting compensation for their losses712. The compensation process became contentious, with ranchers expressing frustration about delays and perceived bureaucratic obstacles. By September 2018, a full year after the incident, residents were reporting that the compensation process appeared to be stalled, with CFB Suffield seemingly "out of the loop" despite earlier promises of fair compensation7.

Military Response and Community Relations

The fire exacerbated long-standing tensions between local residents and CFB Suffield. Initially, military officials were hesitant to definitively link the fire on the base with the destruction of civilian property. Major Hugh Atwell, acting commander of the base at the time, stated he couldn't "conclusively state" that the two fires were connected, though he acknowledged they "absolutely know that we had a fire that started as a result of a military operation"8.

As evidence mounted, Lt.-Col. Michael Onieu, the base commander, eventually accepted responsibility, stating "there is no denying the military is responsible" for the grass fire5. Onieu ordered an extensive investigation, to be conducted by a third party with testimony given under oath, though he advised residents to seek damages through their insurance agencies while awaiting the outcome of this lengthy process13.

The incident revealed a pattern of concerns about CFB Suffield's fire management practices. Local residents described living "on pins and needles" whenever they spotted smoke coming from the base1. Bindloss Mayor Daryl Swenson stated bluntly at a community meeting: "Things have got to change. Somebody is going to die"1. Jack Stelter, another local resident, expressed the community's frustration by saying, "They tell us they want to be our friends and our neighbours... They're not really good friends… and they're bad neighbours"1.

Community members noted that fires originating from the base had been a recurring problem for years. Daryl Swenson commented, "This has been going on for years and years — them letting the grass burn out there, out of control, not letting us to go in there to stop it before it gets serious"8. The military explained that civilians were not permitted to enter the training area due to an "extraordinary level of risk," though this policy contributed to local frustration8.

Changes and Lessons Learned

In January 2018, approximately four months after the fire, CFB Suffield announced it was implementing several changes in response to the incident11. While the specific nature of these changes wasn't detailed in the search results, the announcement acknowledged the significant damage caused by the fire, including the destruction of a farm, death of 160 cattle, and loss of crops, feed, and pasture11.

The fire underscored the dangerous intersection of military training activities, climate conditions, and agricultural operations. When questioned about why the military would detonate artillery during a fire ban, Lt.-Col. Onieu explained the complexities of the base's operations, which include not only military training but also oil and gas operations (12,000 oil wells), grazing cattle, and a defence research establishment. He noted that unexploded ordnance poses "a very fatal threat to people," necessitating disposal even during challenging conditions5.

Laurel Schlaht identified a fundamental disconnect in the relationship, stating: "They don't seem to understand that we as ranchers and farmers, we have to make a livelihood and we have to care for the land because we need it next year"13. This statement encapsulates the different timeframes and priorities that often create tension between military operations and agricultural communities.

Conclusion

The 2017 CFB Suffield fire had profound and lasting impacts on Bindloss and surrounding communities. Beyond the immediate destruction of property and tragic loss of livestock, the fire created significant economic challenges for local agricultural operations, with multi-year recovery timelines for damaged grasslands. The psychological and emotional toll on residents—particularly those who lost homes, witnessed suffering animals, or evacuated children during the night—cannot be overstated.

The incident strained already tense relations between the military base and local residents, though it also prompted operational changes at CFB Suffield that may reduce the risk of similar incidents in the future. For the people of Bindloss, the fire represented not just a singular disaster but part of a pattern of concerns about living adjacent to a major military training facility. The experience highlighted the vulnerability of rural communities to both natural and human-caused disasters, while demonstrating the resilience required to rebuild in their aftermath.

Citations:

A History of Bindloss

Nestled in the vast prairie landscape of southern Alberta lies the small hamlet of Bindloss, a place whose history reflects the rise and decline of many rural communities across Western Canada. Today, this quiet settlement stands as a testament to the transformative power of railway expansion in the early 20th century and the subsequent shifts in economic and social patterns that have reshaped rural Alberta. Bindloss is located within Special Area No. 2, approximately 10 kilometers west of Highway 41 and 97 kilometers north of Medicine Hat, positioned at coordinates 50°52′48″N 110°16′25″W1. While now largely depopulated and considered among Alberta's ghost towns, Bindloss holds a unique place in the province's historical narrative, offering valuable insights into settlement patterns, economic development, and cultural identity in southern Alberta.

Origins and Early Development

Bindloss was established in 1915 during a period of significant railway expansion across the Canadian prairies6. The hamlet's founding directly coincided with the Canadian Pacific Railway's (CPR) branch line construction in southern Alberta, which was creating new communities and economic opportunities throughout the region. Its existence owes much to the CPR's ambitious expansion strategy that saw numerous small settlements established along newly constructed rail lines to facilitate agricultural shipments and provide services to surrounding farming communities.

The hamlet was officially named after Harold Edward Bindloss, an English novelist who had gained considerable popularity for his Western-themed adventure novels18. Born in Liverpool in 1866, Bindloss had spent his youth exploring Western Canada and Africa before returning to England in 1896 with his health affected by malaria8. Drawing on his experiences abroad, he went on to write more than sixty novels, many of which depicted life on the Canadian prairies and helped shape British perceptions of Canada's western frontier48. His works, including titles such as "Alton of Somasco," "Delilah of the Snows," and "A Sower of Wheat," often featured narratives of English immigrants building new lives in Canada's western landscapes4. The CPR's decision to name the hamlet after this prolific author in 1914 reflected both the railway's promotion of western settlement and the literary connections between Britain and its former colony8.

By 1916, Bindloss had established its own post office, signifying its recognition as an official community with basic services6. This development came during a period when the Canadian prairies were experiencing significant population growth, largely driven by government and CPR immigration campaigns that attracted settlers from Eastern Canada, the United States, and Europe.

The Railway and Community Formation

The establishment of Bindloss exemplifies the profound influence of railway development on settlement patterns across Western Canada during the early 20th century. The Canadian Pacific Railway, completed as a transcontinental line in 1885, had created a transportation network that made large-scale settlement of the prairies possible7. By the early 1900s, the CPR was expanding its network through numerous branch lines to facilitate the movement of agricultural products from rural areas to larger markets.

The railway was not merely a transportation system but a powerful institution that shaped community development across Alberta. As historian Alan Vanterpool notes, "Railways were built to serve the transportation needs of the settlers of the West," creating an infrastructure that determined which communities would thrive and which would struggle16. For communities like Bindloss, the railway station represented the economic and social center of town life, serving as the critical link between local agricultural production and distant markets.

The development of Bindloss occurred relatively late in Alberta's railway expansion period. The first railway in Alberta had been the CPR's main line, which was built through Medicine Hat, Calgary, and Banff in 1882-8316. Over the subsequent decades, the CPR completed numerous branch lines throughout the province, with a somewhat higher concentration in southern Alberta, where Bindloss would eventually be established16.

Community Life and Infrastructure

Though limited records exist about daily life in early Bindloss, the hamlet developed the basic infrastructure typical of prairie settlements of its era. Beyond the essential post office established in 1916, Bindloss featured a school, which today is commemorated by a school marker visible in the townsite6. A small modern school building also exists but appears to have been closed for some time, reflecting the demographic challenges faced by rural Alberta communities in recent decades6.

Religious life was represented by a United Church, which stood alongside what appears to have been a freestanding bell tower—an unusual feature noted by visitors to the site6. These institutions formed the core of community identity and social life in small prairie settlements, providing important gathering places for dispersed farming populations.

Given its position along a railway line, Bindloss would have likely featured grain elevators—those distinctive prairie sentinels that facilitated the storage and shipment of locally grown grain. While specific details about Bindloss's elevator history are not well-documented in the available records, the economic focus on grain production and shipment would have been central to the hamlet's purpose.

Commercial establishments in Bindloss included what appears to have been a gas station, auto repair services, and possibly insurance offices or other small businesses situated along the main street and Railroad Avenue, with some buildings featuring the wooden sidewalks characteristic of early prairie towns1. These businesses would have served both local residents and travelers passing through the community.

Natural Resources and Economic Activities

Beyond agriculture, the Bindloss area held economic potential in its natural gas reserves. The Bindloss Gas Field, located near the hamlet, remains an operating gas field in Alberta5. According to geological records, the field contained an original gas volume of 17,224 million cubic meters, with remaining reserves estimated at 580 million cubic meters as of 20235. This resource, while significant, did not generate sufficient economic activity to prevent the hamlet's eventual decline.

The broader region's economy has historically been dominated by agriculture, primarily cattle ranching and grain farming. The importance of agriculture to the identity and economy of the Bindloss area is reflected in the existence of the Empress Bindloss Agridome, managed by the Empress/Bindloss Agricultural Society12. This facility, which includes a horse riding arena (converted from a skating rink), a two-sheet curling rink, a restaurant, lounge, and games room, continues to serve as an important community hub for the sparsely populated region12.

Decline and Current Status

Like many small prairie settlements established during the railway era, Bindloss experienced significant population decline throughout the latter half of the 20th century. This demographic shift resulted from multiple factors, including agricultural mechanization (which reduced farm labor requirements), the consolidation of farm operations into larger units, improved transportation (which made services in larger centers more accessible), and the general urbanization trend across Canadian society.

By the early 21st century, Bindloss had been largely depopulated, with only a handful of inhabited homes remaining among the abandoned buildings of the original townsite6. Its status as one of Alberta's ghost towns reflects the fate of numerous small communities across the province that have experienced similar patterns of decline1014. This transformation is vividly captured in contemporary accounts that describe Bindloss as having "only a couple of homes... inhabited now with some old abandoned buildings making up the townsite"6.

Despite its diminished population, Bindloss continues to appear in real estate listings, suggesting that property remains available in the hamlet, though demand is presumably limited913. For those seeking an extremely rural lifestyle, Bindloss has been described as "a refreshingly rural and peaceful place, where time seems to move much slower"2.

Notable Recent Events

In September 2017, Bindloss was affected by a significant environmental incident when an attempt to dispose of unexploded ordnance at nearby Canadian Forces Base Suffield led to a wildfire. This fire burned approximately 220 square kilometers on the base itself and an additional 58 square kilometers beyond its boundaries1. The fire had severe consequences for local ranching operations, resulting in the death of 260 head of cattle that were either killed directly in the fire or had to be euthanized due to severe burns1. This incident highlighted both the continued vulnerability of the region's agricultural operations to environmental hazards and the ongoing military presence in the vicinity of Bindloss.

Geographic and Climate Characteristics

The physical setting of Bindloss is characterized by the open prairie landscape typical of southeastern Alberta. The hamlet experiences a continental climate with significant seasonal temperature variations. Weather records indicate extreme temperature ranges, from winter lows averaging -17.9°C (-0.2°F) in January to summer highs reaching an average of 27.4°C (81.3°F) in July1. The area's climate has shaped both agricultural practices and building designs throughout its history.

This prairie landscape, while challenging due to its extreme climate, offers distinctive natural beauty that continues to attract some visitors. The region around Bindloss provides access to natural attractions including the Great Sand Hills and is relatively close to Banff National Park and Lake Newell Resort, though the hamlet itself is decidedly off the usual tourist paths2.

Preservation and Cultural Memory

Today, Bindloss exists as much in cultural memory as in physical reality. The hamlet appears in lists of Alberta ghost towns and has been featured in documentary videos exploring abandoned places in southern Alberta1. These contemporary interactions with Bindloss reflect a growing interest in rural heritage and the documentation of disappearing prairie settlements.

The hamlet's name continues to honor Harold Edward Bindloss, whose literary legacy includes numerous novels that helped shape international perceptions of the Canadian West8. Though not widely read today, Bindloss was once considered "probably a more capable craftsman than any native Canadian writer of the period" who "had spent enough time in the West to make his settings authentic with real observed details"8.

Conclusion

The history of Bindloss, Alberta embodies the broader narrative of prairie settlement, railway expansion, agricultural development, and rural transformation that has shaped much of Western Canada. From its establishment as a CPR station in 1915 to its current status as a near ghost town, Bindloss represents the complex and sometimes difficult evolution of rural communities in a changing economic and social landscape.

While its population has dwindled and many of its buildings stand abandoned, Bindloss remains significant as a physical reminder of an important chapter in Alberta's development. The hamlet's story illuminates how transportation infrastructure, natural resources, agricultural practices, and broader economic forces have interacted to shape settlement patterns across the Canadian prairies. In its quiet streets and weathered structures, Bindloss preserves the memory of a vibrant period of growth and optimism that characterized early 20th century Western Canada, even as it stands as a testament to the profound changes that have reshaped rural life in the decades since.

Citations:

Thursday, February 27, 2025

History of Drought in East Central Alberta

Research article by Perplexity AI:

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/history-of-drought-in-east-cen-lUaXMEfKTo6zYA2MGQ05Fw

Friday, April 14, 2023

Lack of water?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/dry-winter-rockies-spring-1.6809994

Cheap abundant energy

That is, and has been, the foundation of civilization. Without this precious resource we humans are shackled to the daily routine of securing food and shelter for ourselves.

Since the advent of the industrial revolution, when coal became the foundation for development, we have been sailing along with a powerhouse in the hold, getting us where we wanted to go at our whim.

But great civilizations have existed in the past. How did they do it?
Sadly, to a great extent, this was accomplished on the back of slaves, captured in war and/or raised in captivity. That goes for the Greeks, Romans, and many others across the world. And it includes North America before the American Civil war.

Slaves provided that cheap abundant energy and were considered tradable assets by their owners.

Like it or not, in practice, we still do, and are, where debt is used instead of chains.

Saturday, April 8, 2023

Big Brother watches your messages

https://www.rt.com/news/563670-big-brother-watches-your-messages/

Friday, April 7, 2023

Wokism - communism

Communism failed and so will wokism, for the same reasons. Communism grew into a populist movement based on a sense of injustice in societies where a rich minority exploited a poor majority.

With public support, activists managed to to take control of the movement with the help of background financial manipulators with their own agendas and the outcome was one oppressive ruling class being replaced by another.

Now the process is just repeating itself, under a new label.
Time to take action and put these parasites back in their holes!

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Banking confidence game

Or should I say “The Banking con game”? Either way, it amounts to the same thing: The belief that money you deposit with a bank will be available to you on demand. As if money was a physical entity deposited in a box in the bank, to be reclaimed at will.

But it doesn’t work that way. The money you deposit in a bank is simply a number entered into the bank’s ledger as a liability for the bank to you. A promise to pay you upon demand.

On the other side of the ledger the bank will create loans to approved applicants and in the process create money numbers in the accounts of said applicants to the value of the approved loan. These repayable-with-interest loans are then classified as assets for the bank.

This way of operating by a bank is enacted in law in the country in which the bank is situated and there is a snag: Neither the money deposited by savers, nor the money lent out to borrowers, belong to the bank.

In order to be allowed to operate, a bank needs to have legal ownership of a sufficient amount of money, like share capital and operating earnings, to cover day to day cheque clearing operations by the central bank as cheques written on customer loan accounts are processed.

In practice, commercial banks will use short term loans from the central bank to facilitate such day to day operations when needed.

Things can go sideways very quickly if a bank is no longer able to meet its obligations to either depositors or loan customers, creating the conditions for a “banking panic”, where people line up to withdraw their monies.

The banking regulator ought to be aware of this kind of situation well before the “shit hits the fan” and take over the failing bank to prevent a market panic.

That evidently did not happen at an early stage in the case of the Silicon Valley Bank, creating jitters in the whole financial system, due to the interdependency of financial institutions.

Monday, March 13, 2023

Similarities, Ukraine - Taiwan

Conflicts between nations and alliances seem to begin when one party lays claim to territory said to “belong” to it. On 1 September 1939 the Germans attacked the Westerplatte peninsula in the port of Gdańsk. This assault marks the beginning of the Second World War.

The Germans had long laid claim to “Danzig”, as they called it, and it had a 98% German population in 1939. (410,000)

The Russian position in regards to parts of Ukraine is now well known and it is asserting ownership by way of cannon fire at this time.

Xi Jinping just got installed for his third term as President in China and claims Chinese ownership of Taiwan, so far having failed to deliver on that promise.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration in the US asserts that Ukraine and Taiwan are both ‘independent’ nations (with a LOT of help from their friends, i.e. principally the backers of the Biden administration.)

Historically, a well known recipe for war. And WE are asked to pay the price.

Thursday, March 9, 2023

In Flanders fields...

... the poppies grow. That poem was written in 1915 by John McCrae as a result of the carnage suffered in the Great War where blood and guts fertilized the fields of war along with nitrogen deposits from the explosives used.

It is a call to keep fighting, on and on, to beat the foe. For what?
Apart from bringing down one empire in order to temporarily bolster another one, what was achieved? A generation of young men was lost and mangled on both sides of the conflict.

The conflict degenerated into a slogging match using artillery shells and whosoever was able to keep up the barrage the longest won the day.

Fast forward 100+ years and we are back in the same hole in Ukraine where two empires are dishing it out using cannon shells and young bodies to fertilize the fields of that country again. Nothing new in the last 1000 or so years.

Monday, February 27, 2023

Smelly cities

Watching a video of Imperial Rome reminded me of an experience I had visiting Singapore in 1971. Staying overnight in a modern hotel on the outskirts of the downtown, I ventured into the heart of the old city where narrow cobblestone streets had an open sewer running down the middle.

In fact, if you approached the downtown from downwind, you could smell it a mile away. Eventually you get used to it but the initial impact is quite powerful.

And so it was in Imperial Rome, a city with some 1 million people, many of whom lived in poverty and squalor. A hive of activity and breeding ground for all manner of infectious diseases.

On the other side of the ledger, I lived in the City of Baghdad in 1961 where dry heat day temperatures in the summer ranged between 40 and 50 degrees Celsius. It did not have open sewers (the water would likely have evaporated) but the smell was so different, and not unpleasant, that I experienced it in my dreams long after having returned to Norway.

Saturday, February 25, 2023

Warmongering

Since time immemorial it has been the practice of a minority to sow the seeds of suspicion and fear of “other” in populations they wish to control and dominate.

They identify with “us” vs “them” that are demonized and dehumanized for the purposes of subjugation. That happened to the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island when hordes of settlers arrived from Europe and ideology was used to justify their forced removal from their lands.

On a different scale, when both sides are more equally matched in terms of power to wage war, power groups on both sides of the issues will try to mobilize their populations using the same techniques. Media control is essential for this strategy to succeed.

That’s exactly what has happened in Ukraine which has now become a punching ball between the Western Empire and the Russian Empire.

Saturday, January 7, 2023

OurFather

“Our Father who art in Heaven...”
So goes the traditional Lord’s Prayer in Christianity and I believe that it has its origins in a time when the sun (Sol) was considered to be the supreme being in our world.

Sol can literally be seen in the heavens as he marches across the sky, is reborn every morning and creates the day which makes our lives possible.

When we die we are purposely laid to rest facing the east and Sol’s re-emergence, in order for us to be reborn into the afterlife.

I have come across plenty of anecdotal evidence that Sol was universally worshipped by peoples all over the world in ancient times, especially here on Turtle Island where the Sundance was a very important event connecting native peoples to a mighty power.

For example, the indigenous name of the Medicine River in my area was “Sundance River”, changed by the colonial authorities.

Question: Why was Sol considered to be so powerful? I mean, he is there every morning, seemingly unchanged.

Answer: That has not always been the case and there is now evidence emerging that massive solar flares may have been a root cause of the end of the last ice age some 12,800 years ago which destroyed an ancient civilization, leaving small remnants in isolated places.

We have now come full circle with a sophisticated but very vulnerable civilization.

“...hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.”

Monday, January 2, 2023

Kremlin perspective

The prevailing view in the political power structure of Russia is that it is faced with an existential crisis where an external enemy is intent on obliterating it and install a puppet replacement regime.

And they are exactly right because that is the stated aim of Western Empire politicians, including Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly who, along with colleagues in cabinet, never bothered to ask Canadians whether they agreed or not.

Putin, who represents a country with an imperial past and similar aspirations for the future, sees the Western Empire as a bully with a set of ‘values’ completely antithetical to his own. And he has managed to persuade a lot of Russians to feel likewise.

Very likely, the only way the war in Ukraine will end, is if the Western Empire concedes to Russia the territories it has under control at this time, including Crimea and the eastern areas.

From an intellectual perspective, Putin sees the world as a multipolar place, with several powers, including Russia, dominating the local landscape.

That in contrast to the globalists of the Western Empire who sees the world as their exclusive playground, at any cost.

Thursday, December 29, 2022

Public health measures problems

From the Canadian Encyclopedia: “In the 19th and early 20th centuries, public health was concerned with quarantine measures and emphasized improved sanitation and vaccination campaigns that were initiated in an attempt to control major infectious diseases.”

The creation of special agencies concerned with public health followed and officers of these agencies were given special powers to issue public health orders in regards to regulating public behaviour.

Seems to make sense, but a problem arose during the Covid pandemic which has its roots in the professional backgrounds of most of the people working in public health agencies: The higher echelons are doctors and nurses that have emigrated from the sick care system and so have brought their attitudes and beliefs with them into their new jobs.

Their preoccupation as public health operatives therefore became the preservation of the sick care system as we understand it, i.e. overcrowded hospitals. The overall health of the public became a secondary concern, resulting in public loss of confidence in the ability of these people to deal with a health crisis.

As a society we have paid dearly for this failure of the public health system, with the integrity of the whole medical profession being questioned.

It will take many years, if ever, for that confidence to be restored.

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Deer Park

I live in a 100 acre wood, 20 of which belong to me and 16 acres being a municipal reserve set off for public use. The surrounding fields are mostly used for hay cropping by local farmers.

Having retired from 30 years of raising German Shepherds, and only retaining three dogs as pets, my place in the bush has become decidedly more quiet of late, a fact not lost on the local deer hanging around.

In the summer of 2021 I created about 1.5 kilometres of track through my bush, wide enough for my truck, in order to access standing dead trees for winter firewood, another fact not lost on the local deer.

This year the farmer’s field to the east also happened to have hay bales left sitting on the ground until the end of November, which the local deer really appreciated.

Result: 20 acres of deer trampled snow and surrounding roads impregnated with hunters’ truck tire marks, and a shot into my yard to top it all off.

Anyway, the deer using my property are pretty happy, judging from them still hanging around on an ideal “can’t catch me!” piece of land.

Friday, December 23, 2022

Prince Justin's holiday

Reportedly. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to spend a week in Jamaica with his family, compliments of the Royal Canadian Air Force (that is us, taxpayers), skipping all the nasty weather Canadians and Americans are having to put up with, including power outages, untrafficable roads and grounded aircraft.

This is perfectly in line with previous behaviour, like ignoring the first Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation Day on September 30, 2021, going surfing at Tofino on Vancouver Island instead. And that’s only one in a long list of behaviours indicating his self centred behaviour and indifference to others.

His ego likely took a huge hit when his minders persuaded him to go into hiding in a cottage in the woods as the Freedom convoy approached Ottawa back in February. At that time he became the laughing stock of better than half of all Canadians.

(Reminds me of the time when Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser appeared in the lobby of a Memphis, Tennessee hotel in his underpants in 1986. His wife back in Australia was said to have dealt with the situation : )))

Anyway, I think Prince Justin knows that he is set to be replaced by Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre following the next federal election, and frankly don’t care what anybody thinks about him.

What amazes me and makes me hopeful for the future is that the people who put Justin Trudeau into the PM’s chair didn’t have the brains to know what they were dealing with.

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Feedstock of war

Leader of the Kyiv regime Zelensky’s visit to Washington today is a clear marker of an escalation in the conflict of two empires, in Ukraine.
The Western Empire under the leadership of unnamed operatives in New York, via the Biden administration, and Putin’s gang in the Kremlin.

The feedstock on the Ukrainian side is both military personnel and civilians, with Russian soldiers on the other side. None of them want to be there, each one with a ticket to the hereafter.

Meanwhile, the political operatives use them as pawns in their power game, including taxpayers that fund this evil enterprise.

Monday, December 19, 2022

To agree or not agree

That is the question. Much is made of the idea of “democracy” these days. An arrangement where people agree to be ruled by the will of the majority for the sake of the common good. And compensate, within reason, those that are adversely affected by decisions, like loss of land compensation for land use decisions, for example.

For the last 100 years or so we in the west have been playing the “democracy game”, pretending that we live by those lofty rules, respect them and act accordingly in public life.

Our democracy model is supposed to be based on that of the ancient Greeks, where citizens took turns, by way of elections, to run civil society. What is not talked about very much is that Greek ‘civilized’ society was based on slaves, captured in wars and traded as commodities.

While some of our ‘slaves’ (low cost labour) have an opportunity to vote, they are relatively easily manipulated to enable the existing power backroom groups to get what they want, at the expense of those voters.

But now things are beginning to unravel for those that so ardently advocate for ‘democracy’ and this process has been accelerated by the Covid pandemic with the medical and media establishments parting ways with the population at large.

An increasing number of people are now simply refusing to cooperate with the powers that be, because they see them as being self serving ideologues. Political divisions are deepening and the underlying agreements necessary for a functioning ‘democracy’ are evaporating.

Where does it all go? Time to hit the restart button?

Friday, December 16, 2022

Ukrainian refugees

Ukrainian refugees
Following intensified Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, Norwegian news sources this morning report that an increased outflow of refugees from Ukraine should be expected: Apartment buildings cannot be heated by wood fires.

The Kremlin is trying to terrorize civilians and cause chaos within Ukraine in order to remove their rivals in Kyiv.

Alberta is well positioned to receive more Ukrainian refugees with a strong economy and a large existing expatriate Ukrainian population.
And we need more workers to fill existing vacant positions.

Thursday, December 15, 2022

Labour shortages

Reports abound about labor shortages across the world and here in Canada. The baby boomers are getting old and they did not procreate like generations before them.

So, here we are, with lots of money in the bank and fewer and fewer servants. The Romans had similar problems in the first and second centuries AD. That was one of the reasons for their extensive conquests of other lands: Slaves were one of the main booties of these campaigns and were considered to be major assets to their owners.

In a more (maybe not) civilized world, labor is being imported to wealthy countries, with a minimum of civil rights granted, and sent back to poverty in their home countries when no longer needed.

Sometimes I think the slaves of antiquity got a better deal. They were considered to be assets rather than consumables.

Realizing where things are heading, Canada’s government has now increased new permanent resident targets to 465,000 in 2023, 485,000 for 2024 and 500,000 in 2025.

The risk is that these new residents, along with a lot of us, will become part of a growing underclass, increasingly rebellious against the money hoarders, for whom they/we have little or no respect.

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Letter to Council

Marianne Cole, President Clearwater County Taxpayers’ Association RR #1 Rocky Mtn. House, AB T4T 2A1 mcmajic@telus.net

Mr. Daryl Lougheed, Reeve Clearwater County Box 550 Rocky Mtn. House, AB T4T 1A4 dlougheed@clearwatercounty.ca December 13, 2022

Dear Reeve Lougheed and County Councillors:

I am writing this letter on behalf of the Clearwater County Taxpayers’ Association as a supplement to my earlier letter of November 15, 2022. We feel it is very important that the points noted here be addressed at the December 20, 2022 County Council meeting as you consider First Reading of the Municipal Development Plan draft.

1. Facts to Consider

· 78% of the people who responded to the county’s survey were in favor of only 1 subdivision out of a quarter.

· 64% were opposed to two parcels out.

· The majority of comments expressed during meetings opposed extra subdivisions, with a focus on potential negative impacts on agricultural operations as well as community services.

· Serious concerns were expressed over the potential loss of food producing land.

· Our current MDP allows only 1 subdivision per quarter with 5 acres maximum size.

· The proposed MDP draft would allow 2 subdivisions with a total of 15 acres out. That is three times the current allowable land to be removed from a quarter.

· A “recommendation” from administration (as per the What We Heard Report) suggests a maximum of 25 subdivisions be allowed per year. Apparently Council is proposing only 20 be allowed.

· If the number and size (as per the current MDP) were to be maintained, a total of only 100 acres (5 x 20) could be removed from potentially farmable land per year.

· BUT, if the proposed numbers are used (15 acres x 20 subdivisions) 300 acres could be removed each year. Multiply that times the 4 years this plan could be in effect and 1200 acres of productive land could be lost.

2. Responsibility to Constituents

According to the Municipal Government Act, Section 153, “Councillors have the following duties: (a) to consider the welfare and interests of the municipality as a whole..” This would suggest that you consider the majority of opinion. It is important to note:

· During the review process Council supported various opportunities to gather public opinion, namely in-person town hall meetings, virtual on-line meetings, and a written survey.

· Throughout all of these activities the most common opinion expressed was opposition to an increase in number of subdivisions (along with the allowable size) out of a quarter.

· Rationale supporting that opposition focussed on:

Ø Negative impact on agricultural operations, the primary activity in our county

Ø The loss of valuable food producing land

Ø Concern with negative impact on community services such as road maintenance, school bus safety, and emergency services.

· All of the public engagement activities involved significant costs for hall rentals, consultant wages, staff time, advertising and miscellaneous expenses.

· As these expenses were funded by taxpayer dollars, it is crucial that their voices be heard. If you ignore the majority of public opinion expressed through the above activities, you have not only wasted money, but devalued the input of the very people who placed their confidence in you during the past election.

3. Questionable Responses

Throughout this whole review process we have heard comments and responses from not only the public but also administration and Council. Some of these have raised the following questions/concerns:

· There is a desire to have more acreages allowed for family members/estate planning. While this may be considered a cooperative action, it was not a majority issue. Furthermore, it is not the County’s duty to be involved with estate planning. That is a personal responsibility to be addressed throughout life.

· We have heard comments from Council that the CCTA is only a small group and does not represent the majority. First of all we generally sell 25-30 memberships per year. There are usually 15-20 people attending every meeting and there are currently 59 on our email list. As such these numbers are greater than any county committee involved in making decisions for the county. Furthermore, our members come from all areas of the county. They are involved in those areas and hear very valuable comments from their neighbors. Consequently, the comments that we make are representative of a large number of county residents.

· We have also heard comments negating the value of farmland in our county. While we may not have a large amount of profitable grain producing land we are well known for our forage production and very valuable grazing opportunities. People from all over central Alberta bring their cattle out here for summer pasture.

· While there seems to be an increasing concern elsewhere with the loss of food producing land, this does not seem to be a matter of consideration by our administration or potentially Council as well. Food is one of the necessities of life and every effort should be taken to ensure

adequate future supply. It would be great to have our county value this need as much as neighboring jurisdictions along with those promoting RAMP (the Regional Agricultural Management Plan) in the Edmonton area.

· We have also heard the financial argument used to promote the need for increased taxes gathered from acreages. While the financial outlook in this county did take a brief downturn, there has been a positive upsurge in the oil industry that will have positive impacts into the future. In addition, as of October 31, 2022 revenues for 2022 were $2,237,397 over budget. I also remind you of the very large amount of taxpayer dollars that are sitting in restricted reserves.

· Finally, we have repeatedly heard the comment from administration that “we get many inquiries for more acreages and bigger sizes.” This is a moot point as they are not going to hear opposing wishes on a daily basis. People are not going to walk into the county office to merely express an opinion about limiting acreage numbers or sizes. The only ones that would come in would be the ones that want something and they are certainly not in the majority.

4. Potential Action

At this December 20, 2022 County Council meeting you are provided with the opportunity for 3 possible actions:

· You may pass the current draft as presented. This would demonstrate publicly a distinct lack of value placed on the majority of opinions gathered during the process you promoted to guide you.

ü You may pass the current draft with amendments. We strongly suggest that you amend the sections dealing with subdivisions out of a quarter, reducing the number to 1 and the size to 5. Your survey results indicated 78% support for such amendments.

· You may defeat the motion to pass this current MDP draft completely but this would not be a positive move as it could result in significant delay and additional cost.

In conclusion we sincerely ask that Council pass amendments to the current Municipal Development Plan draft as noted above. These changes could be accomplished effectively, efficiently, and responsibly prior to 2nd Reading.

As you make your decision we trust that your dedication to the majority of your electorate will ultimately override personal opinions or desires, but reflect the true voice of the people.

Yours truly,

Marianne Cole

Cc: Deputy Reeve Mehlhaff, Councillors Graham, Northcott, Ratcliffe, Cermak, and Swanson, CAO Rick Emmons, and Executive Assistant Tracy Lynn Haight.

Sunday, December 11, 2022

Humble aspen wood

Here in Western Canada spruce and pine rules the roost as far as preferred wood species for building goes. Dimensional lumber by the millions of board feet are produced on a regular basis and exported all over the world.

Shortly after arriving here in 1987, I took an interest in a deciduous species called “trembling aspen” that is also very common but not as highly regarded. In the building trade is is primarily used as feedstock for Oriented Strand Board (OSB) production and can now be found in that form in every modern home constructed.

Having faith in the value of this wood, I called my 40 acre wood “Aspenwood” when I settled here in 1991 and have enjoyed the protection and utility of this tree ever since.

Using chainsaws, I cut most of the dimensional lumber for my cabins from aspens right in the yard, and beyond for larger beams.

Results: Providing it is kept away from alternating wet and dry moisture, stopping the fungi from moving in, the wood is as good as it was 30 years ago. And that includes aspen shingles on one of my cabins, cut with a chainsaw and mounted on the cabin in 1992.

In fact, I have found that spruce and pine logs are more prone to dry rot (fungal infection) than aspen as they get wet and dry up again, creating ideal conditions for Nature’s Master Recycler: Freddy Fungus.

Friday, December 9, 2022

Grinding empires

Way back in the nineteen forties, George Orwell (Eric Blair) wrote the novel “1984” about a dystopian world where three empires were at perpetual war against each other with shifting alliances: Oceania, Eurasia and East Asia.

From the political map of today's world in 2022, there is an almost exact correspondence with existing power blocks: The Western Empire, Russia and China, and they are all competing with each other for power and influence across the world.

So Eric Blair knew exactly what he was writing about, as a former civil servant in the eastern parts of the declining British Empire of his day.

And we have now arrived with open conflict between the Western Empire and Russia in Ukraine, with intense propaganda on both sides of the conflict.

A good example being the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to anti Russian activists this year.

The slogans of Oceania in “1984” were: “War is Peace!”, “Freedom is Slavery!” and “Ignorance is Strength!” And then they had “Newspeak”, a politically correct language.

Sounds eerily familiar, eh?

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

War escalates

An indication of the pressure felt by the Kyiv regime can now be discerned in attacks on targets inside Russia, including airfields using Soviet era missiles.

This can be seen as a result of Kremlin initiated destruction of Ukrainian energy infrastructure, designed to ultimately topple the Kyiv regime.

I am deliberately not using the terms “Ukrainians” vs “Russians” because they are just the pawns in the game on both sides.

The Kyiv strategy is pretty obvious. Try to draw in the Western Empire, of which NATO is the military arm, by provoking Russia.

I don’t think that will happen as long as NATO members don’t supply Kyiv operatives with long range missiles. If that were to happen, all bets are off.

A brutal conflict where the dogs of war are doing their best to increase the bloodshed for their own profit.

Sunday, December 4, 2022

My deer haven

I live on 20 acres of forest land sloping gently to the north in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, Canada – along with plenty of visiting wildlife, including foxes, coyotes, ravens and crows, lots of deer and the occasional bear and moose.

This year the deer have prevailed, after I cleared som 1+ kilometres of track though the dense undergrowth in July of last year. That following having multiple visits from two grizzly bears in August of 2020, resulting in the death of two of my German Shepherd dogs.

This has resulted in my property becoming a haven for local deer, with easy access to a farmers’ field to the east with plenty of feed to munch on, while retaining an ideal shelter in my now semi open bushland with high speed escape lanes provided.

So, this winter, instead of seeing untouched white snow in the bush, I’m out walking on a deer highway on my snowshoes, judging by all the tracks permeating the lanes.

During my clearing operations in 2021, I also came across two old bear skulls in the bush, indicating that this was a popular area with wildlife before my time.

On the positive side, the deer have saved my having to prune my rather extensive raspberry patch this fall but that came with a price:
A ‘hunter’ sitting in his truck on my subdivision road, took a shot at me in my yard early in the morning, likely seeing movement through the trees and figuring it was a deer.

So now I have posted “no hunting” signs along that road and have a bright light in my yard 24/7.

On reflection, the most dangerous animal on the landscape walks on two legs, and mostly sits in a truck, too lazy to get his arse into gear and do some real hunting.

Friday, December 2, 2022

Central Bank Monopoly

Most of us have played the monopoly game at some point, and have won or been bankrupted. It is a game of winner-takes-all and the loser walking away with nothing.

The trick is to acquire ownership of assets and making other players pay to use those assets, thereby moving money into your own hands.

At some point other players need to borrow money to pay their dues which puts them ever closer to losing the game. Players who buy assets may also choose to borrow money, at a calculated risk.

The background player in this game is the bank that supplies the money for the whole exercise and mirrors the role of the central bank in contemporary society.

Right now, the central banks of this world are rapidly increasing interest rates to borrowers, which are a whole bunch of commercial and investment banks, that in turn increase their interest rates payable by the consumers of loans issued by the banks.

The idea is to make it more risky to take out loans for new enterprises to cool down the economy and decrease price inflation.

The victims of this process are those that have large repayable loans and who can literally be forced to move out on the street as their loan repayment amounts increase, leaving them unable to meet their obligations.

So, they become victims of a central bank policy to discourage folks to buy things on credit/get loans, etc. And in the process being forced to use credit to survive in many cases.

This monopoly game in the real world has now become deadly serious for an increasing number of people, and those who have hoarded the assets and are milking the rest for what it is worth may be in for a nasty surprise if the other players decide to flip the monopoly game board upside down.

The basis for a civilized society is agreement on the rules between the players. If that is not present, civilization descends into a free-for-all might-is-right.

Welcome To Alberta West Online News

Blog Archive

About Me

Friday, February 28, 2025

The 2017 CFB Suffield Fire: Devastating Impact on Bindloss, Alberta

Origin and Spread of the Fire

Immediate Impacts on the Community

Livestock Losses and Animal Suffering

Long-Term Agricultural and Economic Consequences

Military Response and Community Relations

Changes and Lessons Learned

Conclusion

Citations:

Origins and Early Development

The Railway and Community Formation

Community Life and Infrastructure

Natural Resources and Economic Activities

Decline and Current Status

Notable Recent Events

Geographic and Climate Characteristics

Preservation and Cultural Memory

Conclusion

Citations:

Thursday, February 27, 2025

Friday, April 14, 2023

Saturday, April 8, 2023

Friday, April 7, 2023

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Monday, March 13, 2023

Thursday, March 9, 2023

Monday, February 27, 2023

Saturday, February 25, 2023

Saturday, January 7, 2023

Monday, January 2, 2023

Thursday, December 29, 2022

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Friday, December 23, 2022

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Monday, December 19, 2022

Friday, December 16, 2022

Thursday, December 15, 2022

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Sunday, December 11, 2022

Friday, December 9, 2022

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Sunday, December 4, 2022

Friday, December 2, 2022