A Call For Action in Alberta

It's understandable the Alberta government would want to fight back when it perceives its good name is being tarnished. The question is, how best to do it?

Looking at the numbers from the government's own survey, it's pretty clear Albertans aren't really convinced it is doing a good job regulating the "oil sands."

Perhaps because the government has yet to see to see an oil development it didn't like, or because it is often quicker than Big Oil to jump to the industry's defence, the public gets the impression the government is biased.

Bragging about climate change regulations that allow greenhouse gas emissions to rise doesn't help either.

Then there are all those toxic pollutants leaking from the tailings ponds into the Athabaska River that are "naturally occurring."

Much has been said of the Syncrude duck incident, but what was most telling was the lack of action. Only after the Sierra Club filed charges did the Alberta government enforce its own laws and win a conviction.

If the Alberta government really wants to change public perception it will take a lot more than an ad campaign and a website. Actions speak louder than words.