Whom should I vote for?
With the largely anticipated upcoming provincial election, I see the political parties scrambling to place the names on the ballot of who they consider to be ideal candidates to get elected. I also see some of these candidates touting themselves to be of certain experience, professional rank, and expertise without being willing to back up their credentials and expecting that we as a public are naïve enough to accept them at face value.
For example, there is the case of Wildrose candidate Joe Anglin. During the EUB hearings for the 500-kv transmission line, he did not testify as an expert or transmission engineer. From this the EUB reached the following conclusion: “Based upon its review of the materials before it, the panel finds that Lavesta failed to establish that Mr. Anglin possessed sufficient knowledge or experience in any of the relevant subject matters addressed at the proceeding to qualify as an expert as the EUB has defined that term. The panel notes the following in this respect: Mr. Anglin is not a professional engineer. Neither his educational background or his work history suggest that he has any formal training in the routing of major high voltage transmission lines or assessing the high level impacts associated with such an endeavor.” EUB Decision 2008-136, page 10
Yet his biography on the Wildrose website states: “Joe was a transmission engineer and executive that taught fibre optic engineering.”
As a landowner and taxpayer eligible to vote, and ultimately responsible for helping to pay the salary, expenses and pension of the candidate who becomes elected, I think it most important that in the spirit of openness and transparency, all candidates in all political parties confirm, validate and make available to public their credentials and qualifications.
James Vetsch
Rimbey