“Cultivate Life,” a great brand for a city that has earned an enviable national presence and status for the quality of life it offers its citizens.
Along with a variety of other tangible factors, it is important to note that economic growth and development hold a significant place in calibrating the measuring stick for quality of life. Generally, it is perceived that more development and growth, equates to an improved quality of life. This success, however, has not been without some cost. Hidden in the affluence we have created are many threats to our world and human survival. The pace of growth and development is unsustainable. Change in attitude and behaviour is no longer an option. The polluted state of our water, air and threat of climate change are symptoms of an addiction to acquire more. Wealth, power, privilege and wants continue to be the driving forces for success. With convincing market strategies we are led to believe that we can buy ourselves into happiness.
Without changes in our attitude, behaviour and a deeper understanding of how we can celebrate life in a more meaningful, just and responsible way, we will continue to enjoy the indulgence of our addiction at the expense of our grandchildren.
Hindsight reminds us that, had we been more humble, sensitive and wise in listening to our First Nations People, in adopting their “seven generations principle,” rather than insisting on their forced assimilation into the dominant white culture, we may have been able to prevent some of the critical problems we are currently facing.
We have reached a tipping point where we can ignore or deny the reality which we are confronting or we can help create a social environment of collective empowerment where intelligent and wise decisions are made to ensure that we can transition into a new era of responsible living and not consume ourselves in the process of feeding our addiction for more.
It was therefore with a reawakened sense of hope that I listened to a presentation by two young passionate St. Albert residents, Radelle Rombough and David Fraser on Monday June 15, in City of St. Albert council chambers. Both presented to the city council and mayor on the Blue Dot Campaign initiated by the David Suzuki Foundation.
The Blue Dot is the obvious reference to the image of planet earth within the expanse of cosmic space.
The campaign is a request to city council that: The City of St. Albert make an Official Declaration to support the movement of enshrining the Right to Clean Water, Clean Air and Healthy Food into The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
This movement is an attempt to engage and mobilize the grass roots in becoming part of the discussion and solution to the vital issues confronting our future and quality of life, locally and globally.
St. Albert City Council has an opportunity to support this movement and give witness to the brand it promotes, “Cultivate Life.”
Hopefully, St. Albert will not only support this initiative but will become a leader and mentor to other cities and municipalities in achieving this goal, which will send a loud and strong message to our federal government when it attends the United Nations Climate Change Summit in Paris this coming December.
For more information and inspiration Google “The Blue Dot Campaign,” also Google and check out Carl Sagan’s video “The Pale Blue Dot.”
Wilf Borgstede, St. Albert
