Enough is enough: let’s get the facts straight

Change should not be seen only in terms of what might be lost, but also in the opportunities and benefits our community stands to gain. 

I have avoided writing about Council in my editorials, but this time I cannot sit quietly. The recent YouTube video berating Council and attacking our Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), that is currently circulating on Facebook and the Crowsnest Network, demands a response.

First, the journalist who created the video is not affiliated with any news organization. That alone should be your first red flag. 

In the video, he and several interviewees accuse Council of breaking the law but provide absolutely no evidence to back up those claims. If anyone truly believed Council or Administration had broken the law, they would have filed a statement of claim. No such filing exists. That’s red flag number two.

The video stirs up baseless fears about water poisoning. There is no evidence of water contamination in any municipal assessments conducted by qualified professionals. Neither the journalist nor the individuals interviewed have environmental credentials or accreditation of any kind. Their comments are opinion masquerading as fact. Any development would have to go through strict environmental regulations at a provincial level. That’s red flag number three.

My take is simple: this video was designed to generate outrage and create division. It is clickbait meant to undermine our decision as duly elected officials, and sow doubt in our community.

Here are some of the facts that were not included in the video:

1. Charmed Resort land ownership

The municipality still owns the land where the proposed Charmed Resort would sit. Only a conditional sale exists, and it has not been finalized.

2. No buried toxic waste

Contrary to the video, no part of the lands in the offer to purchase includes a dump or buried waste. The area with buried waste is where we presently have skijoring. We are not selling that land. 

We do have a mixed waste area resulting from the grading, decades ago, for a potential baseball diamond field. A narrow portion of that area is included in the…