Social power vacuum

Re: The Protest Revolution, Oct. 18. Social license has arisen in part because of the implementation gap between environmental legislation and energy regulators’ mandates. For example, in Alberta, the provincial legislation contemplates broad-based input to ensure all sides are heard, however, our world-class provincial regulator is nonetheless not mandated — or properly equipped — to fulfil the role of social moderator. When the government fails to take leadership in facilitating the discussion, the unheard rush in to fill the resulting power vacuum.

Mark Szabo, Calgary.