Alberta needs leadership that will put the climate before oil

Pandemic anxiety at an all-time high in Alberta as Jason Kenney responds to mounting criticism on his handling of COVID-19, Sept. 22

Whoever ends up as premier of Alberta will face a much larger problem than the pandemic. Western North America is gripped by a terrible drought, farm production has fallen 25 per cent and livestock herds have been sold off for lack of feed.

Alberta has irrigated 5 per cent of its farmland and that irrigated land produces 20 per cent of its crops. Climate change is going to mean a lot more land on the prairies is going to have to be irrigated. Sadly, this was never mentioned by any of the parties during the election.

Tarsands production uses a huge amount of water. This water can better be used to grow food than mine for dirty oil. I would not want to be the Alberta premier that has to choose between farmers and oil producers.

Michael Yaffe, Toronto