In the pre-election debate last week, the leaders of the four parties argued about health care, education, infrastructure and money, the administration of which could, no doubt, be improved for our immediate needs.
I found it hard to believe that the NDP leader, Brian Mason, was the only one who even uttered the word “environment.”
All the subjects discussed were about systems invented by humans so, when current generations mess them up, future ones can re-invent them for better (or worse) as they see fit.
However, it is the environment that provides the essential life support systems of air, water, earth and biodiversity that we obviously did not invent. When we damage these, it is beyond man’s capacity to re-invent them.
Whatever the effects of what we do to our social services, they are likely to be short-term, frequently altered and long-forgotten 100 years from now.
The arrogantly irresponsible way we are treating this planet’s life-giving services will have long-term consequences for the future viability of our own and other species that we cannot even accurately predict.
What we are doing to the environment will never be forgotten — or forgiven — by future generations.
Is there no party in Alberta with the decency and a forethought to consider and plan for the long-term needs of future generations rather than only the immediate wants of today? Is it that they are scared that if they do so they will lose votes because Albertans are so pre-occupied with catering to our own desires that we don’t care what problems our grandchildren will inherit because of our actions?
Dorothy Dickson
Red Deer