JEmphatically

❗Federal subsidies to the tune of $500 million for AI ❗ The federal Liberal government has added another $500 million to support the expansion of AI adoption in businesses across the Prairie provinces. www.canada.ca/en/prairies-...

It's part of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy bringing total federal funding for the initiative to $700 million. If this isn't taxpayer dollars subsidizing job losses, copyright theft, and further expansion of energy and water intensive AI data centres...I don't know what is...

10 red flags on red tape reduction plans for environmental protection laws in Alberta. And data centres may not be mentioned, but they are talking a lot about "emerging technologies." When the government uses the term "modernize," you know something is up.

The public has until Oct. 30 to submit their comments and with the help of the Alberta Wilderness Association, I've included links to the discussion paper. Yes, you heard that right - FOUR DAYS from now!

I’m reposting this as a reminder as the conversation turns to the nine questions. I'm seeing helplessness and pessimism. Let's not act like these are problems we cannot solve. Let's listen to those who have solutions, not dismiss them.

More than 125 people opposing Meta's AI data centre's development permit went before the Alberta Land and Property Rights Tribunal last week. Sturgeon County, the municipal county just outside Edmonton welcomed the project without any public input or hearing.

The quasi-judicial panel, increased from three to five members due to the scale of the project and the large number of appellants, heard arguments from both sides. I was there reporting for The Energy Mix.

More than 125 people opposing Meta's AI data centre's development permit went before the Alberta Land and Property Rights Tribunal last week. Sturgeon County, the municipal county just outside Edmonton welcomed the project without any public input or hearing.

BREAKING NEWS: The lawsuits are piling up for Wonder Valley. Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation just dropped two more applications for judicial review at the Alberta Court of Appeal - naming the Alberta government, the MD of Greenview, and O'Leary Digital.

There's already a judicial review going ahead in December - that one was also brought by Sturgeon Lake and relates to the decision not to require any Indigenous consultation AT ALL before granting the water permit for Wonder Valley.

BREAKING NEWS: The lawsuits are piling up for Wonder Valley. Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation just dropped two more applications for judicial review at the Alberta Court of Appeal - naming the Alberta government, the MD of Greenview, and O'Leary Digital.

The province has had 2 years to design its data centre strategy and there are still no guardrails. It's almost as though they don't intend to provide them. Maybe they'd rather see local governments fail.

Some insight may be found by hearing how Olds council is responding after their own community successfully stopped a data centre. They're not expecting any immediate guidance from the province, and haven't been asked for their input either.

The province has had 2 years to design its data centre strategy and there are still no guardrails. It's almost as though they don't intend to provide them. Maybe they'd rather see local governments fail.

"Two American litigation funders allege Alberta separatist leader Jeffrey Rath and his firm made “false, inaccurate, and misleading” representations to keep receiving millions of dollars to finance two First Nations lawsuits against Ottawa – even after his firm had been fired and replaced."

Wonder Valley is still planned for Grande Prairie, but the calls for transparency are growing. Yet, the MD of Greenview’s council seems resistant to disclosure, the first step in identifying a conflict of interest.

One councillor didn’t understand why a disclosure bylaw was needed. Another said the administration shouldn’t have to “baby us.” He said he wanted to “keep government small.”