FFWD REW

Land Stewardship Act ‘an unprecedented victory’ for landowners: Wildrose MLA circa 2009

The Wildrose Alliance has been scoring big political points and garnering support for their outright opposition to the Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA). They’re a hit with rural landowners who quite rightly have a reason to fear the government’s intentions .

Over several months Wildrose MLAs with the help of Keith Wilson a lawyer and former vice-president of the party’s St. Albert constituency association have been stoking fears across the province that the act would strip landowners of their property rights.

In fact the Wildrose says it will repeal ALSA and legislate a bill that enshrines private property rights as its first order of business if voted into power. Former Tory MLA Rob Anderson who crossed the floor to join the Wildrose Alliance in January 2010 has been particularly vocal in his opposition to the Land Stewardship Act.

"At first glance much of this legislation may be interpreted as a regression on property rights but it would be a very large mistake to think so as this bill in my view does the exact opposite" said Anderson. "It strengthens landowner rights."

Wait what?! It will strengthen landowner rights? Oh wait. That was Anderson circa 2009 before jumping ship to the Wildrose when he stood in the legislature declaring the land stewardship act as "game changing" "groundbreaking" and "an improvement over the status quo."

Moreover it is "an unprecedented victory for the rights of landowners in this province" he said. "It will ensure that our province’s precious viewscapes landscapes and lands that we all know and love are preserved for generations to come. I am very excited to see this bill proceed. I support it and I urge all members of this Assembly to support it as well."

Now you might be forgiven for thinking Anderson was in over his head in the twisted language of legalese and bureaucratic doublespeak. However Anderson as he proudly notes on his website has a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Alberta and graduated with "Distinction" honours.

So how does Anderson explain his apparent change of heart? Does he support ALSA or not?

"Nope" Anderson wrote on his Twitter account . "Made the mistake of speaking to it on Mortons behalf while still PC b4 proper analysis done on it — my mistake."

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