Proposed Members - second notice

• Steve Miles

• Steve Shrout

• Seamus O'Shea

The Vasilator presiding, but Mr. Piano is missing.

Greeter Mary Bochenko, looking a lot like Dale Junior, introduced guests:

• Steve Shrout

• Dave Mack

• Kelvin Nelson

• Bill Main, Lethbridge East Club

• Steve Graham

• Eleanor Hawthorne

• Elsa Cade

• Jim Horsman

• Betty Horsman

• Seamus O'shea

• Judy O'shea

From Russia with Love to Bernie,

Rotary Carol Festival Advertising

Electronic bills have gone out to advertisers.  A few came bouncing back from changed addresses.  Please send your cheque to the Rotary address at the top of this page, or bring it to Rotary.  Geri says she is not looking forward to cracking knee caps to collect.  Gee, I didn't know she worked for the Soprano Collection Agency.  After all Geri, it's only 25 bucks to advertise.

From the Speechless Rotarian:

DUNCAN RAND. 629 18 ST. S. LETHBRIDGE, AB. T1J 3E9

President Frank Vasil, Rotary Club of Lethbridge Lethbridge, AB

Dear Frank:

I am sufficiently recovered from my surprise to write to you and to members of the Rotary Club of Lethbridge to thank you for the enormous honour you have given me in making me a Paul Harris Fellow.

It is the largest recognition I have ever received in my life. I especially cherish it because it was given by a body of persons whom I respect as leaders in the community and within their professions, many of whom, themselves, have received this honour, and who are very special people who hold the ideals that I hold by their membership in this great organization.

Please extend my thanks to the Club, and accept my best wishes for continuation of the service, energy, vitality and fun that I have enjoyed with you all over the past 28 years.

Yours in Rotary

Duncan Rand

Speaking of a Paul Harris Fellow

Bernie Carriere has received an offer from an anonymous, multi-level Rotarian who wishes to donate his next Paul Harris Fellowship to past Rotarian, Cleo Mowers. 

Numerous other Rotarians have contributed to the Rotary Foundation.

Elections Day

Next Monday we will have elections for executive director positions. 

Children's Xmas Party

SAA Report

Kendall fined the Santa Claus who cannot deliver presents and chew gum at the same time.  Pat will not be joining the colony any time soon, as the offending gum became totally ensnared in his beard. 

Tim Waters was happy to escape an attacking Rotweiller without suffering physical damage.  Lorne Armstrong is happy that Dallas has his feet on the ground again, with or without the two bulbs that Lorne still has in his pockets.  Lloyd Hickman is happy the Boston Bruins are surging ahead.  Pat paid $5.00 to be happy that Frank successfully convinced our District Governor to match our Fiji funds.  Dallas is happy to be down off the roof after they raised $23,000 for the food banks in 76 hours.  Nestor was happy to get all presidents and chairs of universities and colleges together with the provincial department movers and shakers. Connie paid a big umbrella buck to say that Mail Boxes Etc have been handling a heavy flow of Christmas gifts, and please send them early as the border is doing intense inspections.  Dick in his quiet voice was happy that Pat oversaw an excellent program for Exhibition volunteers.  Murray is happy that his team got recognition in the National Post for excellence in management.  Wayne is happy that his wife Eleanor has finished her chemo treatments and is able to attend Rotary again.  Doug was happy to tell about Tom Dejager helping seniors onto the buses and "pointing out" a bus to a man with a white cane.  Kelvin is happy that he proposed to Elisabeth VanMill.  Elisabeth was happy too. . . well. . . what was the answer? 

Bob Carey was fined for bringing a guest, then letting him pay for his lunch.  Dale Junior was fined for spending his time on the cell-phone, then rushing around to try and determine who the guests are.  Charles Funk was fined for waving "something" at passers-by from his hot tub.  Doug McArthur was fined for accepting the job as MC, then having fellow Rotarians wait on him.

Guest Speaker

Doug McArthur introduced his fellow Medicine Hatter, Jim Horsman who is presently Chancellor at the U of L, is a Q.C., served five terms as MLA in various cabinet positions and retired Voluntarily.  He is accompanied by Betty his wife of 38 years.  Jim came to speak on Kyoto; however, Ed Nestorowicz states he is unable to see what all the excitement is about over the Kyoto Accord because he knows the Nissan Micra and Toyota Tercel both have more trunk space and get better gas mileage.  Jim and Peter Lougheed have been appointed to an external advisory committee to deal with the impending Kyoto implementation from a legal and constitutional perspective.

Jim Horsman spoke of his personal involvement in five major issues over the years. 

1. Repatriation of the Constitution

2. Free Trade

3. Meech Lake and the Charlottetown accord

4. The National Energy Program

5. Kyoto

In the first three issues; lengthy, intense discussions were part of the process.  Repatriation went before the supreme court.  Free Trade included 13 first ministers conferences.  Meech Lake and Charlottetown evolved into a referendum and rejection.  The NEP process is one that Albertans will never forget. 

Kyoto, however, has been subject to 33 hours of parliamentary debate, Liberal-enforced closure and vote.  The feds say they have consulted with industry, but it has not happened yet. 

Alberta has taken a leadership role in consultation with the other Provinces resulting in a unanimous acceptance of twelve principles:

1. All Canadians must have an opportunity for full and informed input into the development of the plan.
2. The plan must ensure that no region or jurisdiction shall be asked to bear an unreasonable share of the burden and no industry, sector or region shall be treated unfairly. The costs and impacts on individuals, businesses and industries must be clear, reasonable, achievable, and economically sustainable. The plan must incorporate appropriate federally funded mitigation of the adverse impacts of climate change initiatives.
3. The plan must respect Provincial and Territorial jurisdiction.
4. The plan must include recognition of real emission reductions that have been achieved since 1990 or will be achieved thereafter.
5. The plan must provide for bilateral or multilateral agreements between Provinces and Territories, and with the federal government;
6. The plan must ensure that no Province or Territory bears the financial risk of federal climate change commitments.
7. The plan must recognize that benefits from assets such as forest and agricultural sinks must accrue to the Province and Territory which owns the assets.
8. The plan must support innovation and new technology.
9. The plan must maintain the economic competitiveness of Canadian business and industry.
10. Canada must continue to demand recognition of clean energy exports.
11. The plan must include incentives for all citizens, communities, businesses and jurisdictions to make the shift to an economy based on renewable and other clean energy, lower emissions and sustainable practices across sectors.
12. The implementation of any climate change plan must include an incentive and allocation system that supports lower carbon emission sources of energy such as hydroelectricity, wind power generation, ethanol, and renewable and other clean sources of energy.

Even Quebec agrees to these principles, mainly because the Federal government has declared that Provincial carbon sinks such as forests, grasslands, croplands are owned by the Federal government.  The Provinces would then be required to buy credits from the Feds for the carbon removed by provincial forests.

The Prime Minister has refused to meet with the Premiers.

The Canadian Perception

The CBC-commissioned poll released on December 6 asking Canadians if they understand Kyoto:

• 29% said yes they heard and understood

• 28% said yes, they vaguely understand

• 43% do not understand or have not heard about Kyoto

Jim has read volumes on the science of green house gasses and this last week he attended a seminar in Edmonton on the subject.  When he approached conference organizers as to why only people in agreement with the green house theory were speaking, he was told that the participants would have refused to attend if any person was allowed take a contrary view.   Why do they take this unquestionable approach?

Jim views emissions trading as an inappropriate approach to dealing with emissions.  The plan allows those who emit greater levels of CO2 than arbitrarily allowed under Kyoto, to purchase offsetting green house gas credits from another country.  That other country could easily be on of the Eastern European countries that lost old industry when the "Evil Empire" collapsed.  This is nothing more or less than a transfer of wealth out of Alberta, and out of Canada. 

In his favour, Paul Martin has publicly rejected "hot air purchases from abroad." 

Emissions trading will not result in less greenhouse gas emissions.  Industry that is presently spending a lot of money on researching and developing cleaner ways of doing business would be robbed of funds to further that research.  Alberta should have, and does have grave concerns as we are a carbon-based industries province. 

Alberta supports the 12 principles, has passed that motion in first and second readings, and is now embarking on REAL consultation with Albertans before possibly amending and presenting for third reading. 

The National vote on Kyoto will begin the process, but is minor compared to the Kyoto chill that will be to the detriment of Alberta and Canada.

Kyoto Participants

There are 40 countries that have adopted Kyoto.  Many are countries that expect a windfall of credits and cash.  Canada is the only country in the Americas that presently supports Kyoto, which will further disadvantage the country from its present uncompetitive state.  The emerging nations which are the greatest polluters have rejected participation.

We have just begun the challenge to prevent damage to Alberta.  As Ralph said in New York, Alberta is still a great place to invest and we will develop a plan to deal with emissions, without crippling the economy.

Frank presented Jim with a certificate of sight; too bad Chretien cannot be made to see the error of his ways. 

Draw:  Joe Montpetit for $10 and Tim Waters $5 for medicine to settle his nerves over the Rotweiller attack.

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