Alberta’s Community Transition (ACT) made a presentation at the Forestburg Arena on Wednesday, March 2.

ACT is an informational effort put forward by the Coal Association of Canada (CAC) in order to explain what is happening with the provincial Climate Leadership Plan, as well as what can be done to protect municipalities that depend on coal, such as Forestburg.

Mayor Peter Miller kicked the evening off with a greeting.

“The coal industry is a key economic driver in our community,” he said.

Miller added that shutting down the Battle River Generating Station, as well as the mine, would hurt not only Forestburg, but surrounding areas as well.

“On behalf of Council, we look forward to working with each and every one of you,” Miller said to the crowd.
Robin Campbell, President of the CAC and Wednesday evening’s speaker, is a fourth generation coal miner.

Campbell was formerly treasurer and president of the United Mine Workers of America Local 1656, and was also an MLA for West-Yellowhead from 2008 to 2015.

He accepted the position of CAC President in November of 2015.

The Climate Leadership Plan was announced on Nov. 22, 2015, under Premier Rachel Notley.

Since that announcement, Campbell says,there have been very few details released about the Plan.

ACT is encouraging Albertans to press their government for more information about how the Plan will affect their lives and their families.

“This whole campaign that we’re starting is about you,” said Campbell. “It’s about working families.

“Right now, coal is under attack. Not just here in Alberta, but across Canada and worldwide,” he said.

The government had very little time to get their environmental plan together before discussing it at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, which was held from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12 of last year.

“What I’m not happy about is that they went there to apologize for us, as we are such poor stewards of the Earth,” said Campbell.

He added that he feels that the most important thing that needs to be done now is educating the public about coal mining and power generation.