Edmonton Journal, July 7th, 1992, page A1
Kowalski blasts United Church after dam party cancelled
- Brian Laghi
The United Church of Canada was part of a conspiracy that
helped force cancellation of the publicly funded celebration of the
Oldman River dam's opening, says Alberta Public Works Minister Ken
Kowalski.
"Have you not reported on their synods and what they've said
about the Oldman River dam?" an angry Kowalski asked Monday, after
the cancellation of the four-day $100,000 Festival of Life
scheduled to start July 16 at the dam near Pincher Creek.
Organisers of the event cancelled it during the weekend,
concerned about possible violence.
Kowalski cited the church and various aboriginal and labour
groups as part of a conspiracy which met at a Canadian
Environmental Network meeting in Winnipeg almost two weeks ago.
"If you have a network, that's set up to do some things, to
disrupt some things and it continues to happen, then you have to
ask the question, what is really going on?"
He said the network of dam opponents included the church,
aboriginals, the Alberta Federation of Labour and the lobby group,
Friends of the Oldman River.
The Oldman event was cancelled after local groups said they
had received threats of violence. Several organisations, including
country band Prairie Oyster, had already pulled out of the
festivities, saying they didn't want to be part of a political
event.
Kowalski cited death threats as one reason for the
cancellation.
Rev. Bill Phipps, executive secretary of the Alberta and
Northwest Conference, said the government was rubbing salt in the
wounds of those who fought the dam.
"Any potential for violence they have talked about, they have
initiated. They should be embarrassed and quite often when they
are embarrassed they blame it on someone else."
The church wrote a letter to the provincial government
suggesting the celebration was inappropriate.
The church has passed resolutions in the past calling for the
government to conduct a proper environmental and social impact
assessment before construction began. The church was concerned
that the dam would flood spiritual grounds of the Peigan Indian
band.
The church also helped collect money for Milton Born With A
Tooth, a member of the Peigan Lonefighters Society, who was charged
with firearms offenses after he tried to prevent construction from
continuing.
Kowalski dismissed Phipp's claims, saying the government isn't
embarrassed.
"I think it's embarrassing to democracy, I think it's really
unfortunate that people who want to have a peaceful demonstration
are threatened."
Kowalski, saying he too had been threatened, said, "I have a
responsibility of ensuring no one will get hurt and I'd hate to be
sitting here after the fact with you asking me the question, `why
didn't you take any of this seriously?'"