It wasn’t a big deal in Alberta’s largest cities, but in the last provincial election the former Tory government’s attack on property rights was a significant issue. Out where people raise cattle, grow grain, cut timber and explore for oil, they worried (correctly) that their land had become subject to seizure if it was wanted for electricity transmission lines, pipelines, dams, oil upgraders or "regional development."
Under former Premier Ed Stelmach and his then-Justice Minister Alison Redford, the Tories passed and amended a trio of bills that significantly limited property owners’ rights. Bills 19, 36 and 50 gave cabinet the power to change land-use rules without legislative approval. The acts also stripped landowners of many of their rights to appeal the decisions of government ministers and agencies and limited the amount of compensation the government had to pay for land it took.
You know you are in deep trouble when you depend on the NDP to protect your property rights. I think this is what you call a faint hope clause.
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