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Date:         Wed, 22 Jul 1992 16:03:00 MST
Reply-To:     JALOVE@ADMN.SAIT.AB.CA
From:         JALOVE@ADMN.SAIT.AB.CA
Subject:      CDN NEWS: Oldman,Bikes,Cars
X-To:         biosph-l@ubvm.cc.buffalo.edu

OLD MAN DAM CELEBRATION CANCELLED

The grand opening ceremonies of the Old Man Dam in Southern Alberta
were cancelled two weeks ago.  Ceremony organizers claimed the event
was cancelled due to warnings from the RCMP that the event could turn
violent.

The RCMP stated that although they believed that no violence was being
planned against the event, it was possible for demonstations could become
violent.

Ceremony organizers also sited statements made by the leader of The Lone
Fighters, Milton Born With A Tooth, that he was prepared to die in order
to stop the dam from opening.

Friends of the Oldman River claimed the event was cancelled due to poor
organization and the fact that Prairie Oyster (A popular band) pulled out
of the event upon learning that they would be playing at the opening
of the Oldman dam. (They were told that they were playing at a small town
near Pincher Creek).

The cancellation of the event and the alleged threats of violence brought
pronounced anger from the Town of Pincher Creek and the local Chamber of
Commerce.  The President of the Chamber of Commerce stated that the
circumstances have brought the town together in support of the dam and
that many of the people who once opposed the dam are now supporting it.
The President claimed that cancellation of the ceremonies have cost the
town $200,000 in expenses and $500,000 in lost opportunity costs.

A grand conspirasy theory was toughted by the Alberta Minister of Tourism
which  involved The Friends of the Oldman Dam, Native groups, Labour
groups, and {no joke} The United Church of Canada.  He claimed these
groups togther had secretly conspired to cause the cancellation of the
Dam ceremonies.

The United Church denigned being involved in any consiracies and stated
that they had sent letters to the Minister of Tourism stating that they
did not feel that the event was appropriate given Native concerns.
The United Church also stated that individual members are quite free to
take positions "for" or "against" the Dam, and that the denomiation
allows its members to think for themselves.

Ken Kowalski, after realizing his error {and that the his attack on Alberta's
largest denomination was politically foolish), publically retracted his claims
that the United Church was conspiring against the Dam Celebrations.


CRACKDOWN ON CARS

"Serious measures, including banning cars, are required to make Canadian
cities environmentally and socially sustaiunable.", the President of the
Canadian Urban Institute said Tuesday.

"The major problem facing Canadian cities is urban sprawl andd we're going
to have to take more draconian measures than have ever been contemplated in the
Canadian context.  The total dependance on the automobile is environmentally
completely unsustainable.  And the elimination of cars need not be an
impossible bicyclists dream.", said a former Toronto Alderman at a seminar
on urban growth at the Pacific-Asian Congress of Municipalities.


REFORM PARTY SUPPORTS EXPORT OF WATER

It was stated on the radio today the Reform Party of Canada, a new populist
federal right-wing political party, has as part of it's platform that they
are willing to allow the mass export of water to the USA.

Given the existing three main political parties and the two new popular
political parties, the Reform Party and the Bloc Quebecous, it is quite
possible that the next federal government will be a coalition government
thereby giving significant power the two smaller. {The Bloc Quebecous
are a federal party, based in Quebec, who are seeking the independece of
Quebec from Canada}


CAR RENTAL COMPANY EXPANDS TO BIKES

Budget Rent-a-Car, a national car rental company, has now included bicycle
rentals at some of it's locations.  The downtown Budget Rent-a-Car says that
it's major market segment is the tourism market, with many tourists wanting
to take advantage of seeing Calgary from it's many bicycle pathways.


NEW AGE-ERS AND TOURISTS DISTURB NATIVE SACRED SITES

In a Canadian Geography magazine article on Native sacred sites, Plains
Indian spiritual leaders say that many Native medicine wheels and sacred
sites have been damaged by momento seekers and new age-ers.  Natives at
one such site have errected a barb-wire fence around the site.

Land slides at a mountain west of Calgary, sacred to Alberta Natives, have
been a cause of concern to Local Native spiritual leaders.  The spiritual
leaders beleive that massive rock slides are the result of spirites who
are angered that tourists have been stealing prayer offerings and prayer
cloths from the sacred mountains.  The spiritual leaders are considering
controlling access to the mountain due to the increasing numbers of theft
occuring.


James (Jim) Arthur Love, B.Comm
Calgary, Alberta, *CANADA*

E-mail: JALOVE@ADMN.SAIT.AB.CA
Voice : (403)-282-3020