Rural landowners meet in Edmonton to discuss rights

CBC News, May 31, 2009--Rural Albertans met in Edmonton on Saturday to share ideas about how to protect their land rights.

Called the Land Stewards Gathering 2009, the meeting brought together representatives from communities where land is being expropriated for energy projects.

Jessica Warren, one of the co-organizers, said it was great to be able to spend a weekend with people facing the same issues and talk about their vision for the future.

"I'm young and so I am still going to be working, but some of the folks here say they have been working all of their lives and they really want to pass the torch along.…"

Bill Sears from Tofield, Alta., is the chairman of a group opposing the construction of a coal gasification plant in the community about 80 km east of Edmonton.

While the project has been put on hold, Sears said landowners should stick together.

"Coming to something like this, there are a lot of different groups in Alberta fighting the same sorts of battles, with the same sorts of concerns," he said.

"We all feel isolated and we all think we're working on our own issues, but these are issues that affect people throughout the province and throughout the country."

Landowners also discussed Bill 19, which would allow the Alberta government to take land for major public projects, and Bill 36.

The proposal of Bill 36 and the controversial Bill 19 are being discussed by landowners meeting in the city this weekend.