Ethics, Integrity and Disclosure in upcoming municipal elections

M.D. Vidricaire, Letter to the Editor

With Alberta’s October 21st municipal elections just around the corner, MD ratepayers will be making some important choices about who should be trusted with the responsibility of governing the MD on their behalf for another four years. Those familiar with “Windrush” and “Windfall”, documentaries that chronicle the issues facing residents in Ontario and Meredith (N.Y.), are aware that the Wind industry’s business model is dependent on quietly securing the support of elected officials.


Three of the five Meredith council members had signed option agreements or leases with wind operators, but would not disclose these conflicts of interests when challenged by concerned citizens. Council members claimed they were bound by the terms of Non-Disclosure Agreements put in place by Wind operators. Voters were left wondering if ethics and integrity were being forgotten in the rush to secure economic advantage from wind resources.

At one point in the not too distant past, our Council had set a limit of 250 turbines for the MD and had committed to a full review once the target was attained. With 272 turbines in place, two hundred more approved and another hundred pending re-zoning, it begs the questions: could this be happening locally? Have any of our elected officials ever signed options or leases with the vastly expanding wind industry? Have council members publicly disclosed their economic interests? Are any of our Council members bound by non-disclosure agreements?

M.D. Vidricaire