Where is the will to find the way?

Rob Bernshaw

Rob Bernshaw, Columnist

There is a term 'Where there is a will there is always a way'.
Where is the will to find the way with this government and the number 63 highway?

Is the 'incomplete' twinning of Highway 63 a byproduct of the 'No Zero' policy, that seems to blanket Canada and the United States School Systems?
In the United States, it is 'Leave No Child Behind'.

A Rose by any other name is still a Rose.

Could this delay in twinning, be happening, because of the current 'no zero policy' in our public school system, where a grade of 'Incomplete' is given to students, when assignments or projects are not handed in or completed.
Has this 'no zero' policy filtered into this government's attitude towards a very crucial project, and allowed the 'Incomplete' mentality to prevail towards the twinning of an essential economic link, from Fort McMurray to the rest of Alberta, and vital to the continued growth of Alberta’s resource based economy.


If this is the case, then a cure needs to be found, and fast for this epidemic of political/social correctness, that seems to be sweeping our country, before more lives are lost to this deadly pampering, and feel good disease.

Hindsight they say is 20/20, and in 1942, was it a simpler time, or did people graduate from school with the right mental attitude(RMA) and skills, to get things done, no matter what the hardship or obstacles before them?

The question has been asked numerous times by Albertans of all stripes, why is this twinning taking so long; and how many more lives need to be lost before this 'Incomplete' 240 km/149 mile stretch of Highway 63, from Atmore Alberta, to south of Fort McMurray Alberta, will be fully completed?
Will this twinning fully stop the carnage that is currently taking place on Highway 63? Who knows, but it would provide a better transportation supply line into Fort McMurray, than there currently is.

Instead this government and it's public relations machine, comes out with more committees, that continue to evaluate and spew out reports, with an even longer time line, on top of what has already passed. Left out of the recent report, was a precise time or deadline, for converting the current route into a twinned, four-lane route. This lack of a deadline is similar to the ‘no zero’ policy of not setting deadlines in order to achieve an ‘Incomplete’ mark for not completing assignments or handing in projects, permeating the school system of today! Assignments or projects do not have to be handed in or completed to receive marks to graduate. This government deserves a big fat '0', not a feel good 'Incomplete', as this government has failed the taxpayers of Alberta, in living up to its commitment, of completing the twinning by 2011 as promised!

How many kilometers have been completed to date?
A mere 16 km, approximately 10 miles south of Fort McMurray have been completed so far, with another 224 km/ 139 miles to go, before the project is fully completed. The report provided by this government states another 11 years, with a possible shorter period of time (no guarantees) for full completion.

A documentary video on You Tube, produced by the US Army Corp of Engineers and the United States Government, should put all levels of our current government to shame, and maybe the twinning of the current 240 km, of all weather paved highway would be fully completed today.

Would watching the documentary give a sense, of the get it done attitude, that was displayed by the mutual cooperation between the United States and Canadian Governments of the day? After seeing the get it done attitude and the fast pace, that the ALCAN (Alaska Canada) project was completed, would the current parties involved have been able to complete this project in a faster time period, than is currently in place?

A monumental project, mounted with coordinated efforts of both the United States and Canadian governments of the day, to punch a route through to Alaska in the shortest amount of time possible.
Due to World War II in progress at the time, and concerns of possible Japanese attacking through Alaska, the ALCAN highway project was initiated.

From the February 1942 initiation, and with the first boots on the ground in March of 1942, to total completion in October of 1943, about 1500 miles or 2414 km of virgin territory was carved out. This vital link traveling through muskeg, permafrost and boreal forest, was opened up, to provide a valuable trade/supply route from Alaska through Canada, to the contiguous United States. After 20 long months battling extreme conditions of cold, heat and uncertain ground conditions, with excitement from all present, high, the blades of the two bulldozers, coming from different directions touched at 6 p.m. the eve of October 13, 1943, and the Alaska - Canada Highway was fully, all weather completed, including 86 permanent bridge structures along the arduous route, as well.

Today we live in an era where we are blessed with peace, prosperity and the advanced technology available, to complete tasks and projects in a very short period of time. This is accomplished with very little personnel and equipment. In the past this was not always so, as it took an army(both military and civilian), of personnel and equipment, in order to complete such a massive project, in such a short period of time.

It is a sad commentary on the state of our current government policies, when in the modern 21st century; only 10 miles/16 km have taken 6 years to complete, when compared to 1942, there was 1500 miles/ 2414 km completed in a time span of 20 months.

It is sad, because our current technologically advanced society, does not seem to have the ability to complete such a small minute project, in comparison to the momentous ALCAN project of 1942 and the technology present at that time!

In 1942 the, 'Where there is a Will, there is always a Way Attitude', accomplished amazing feats in very short periods of time.
What has happened, as we jump forward to the present lackadaisical attitude, that seems prevalent today, in all levels of society and current government circles?

Have we taken our peace and prosperity for granted so long, that we have lost the 'Will' to find the 'Way'?

As mentioned at the beginning of this column, a cure needs to be found quickly, before it is too late, and before we all lose the ability of the 'Will' to find a 'Way'!

After all the excuses have been said and done, there is one simple solution left, that seems to be missed amidst all the reports of the day, and that is ‘Do it’! No more excuses, committees or reports should be accepted from the seemingly ‘Incomplete’ attitude of this government and an attitude of get it done now, needs to be adopted. Using the ALCAN highway time period, the twinning of Highway 63 would not take that long with the more advanced technology and materials available today!

Article has been corrected due to typing error.