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Red Deer’s Air Quality debate reminds me of cigarette smoke debate or climate change debate.

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Millions have been spent, and years of study by great minds and equipment has been upgraded and replaced to ensure, double check and triple check our air quality.
September 2015, the Provincial Health Minister reported: “Alberta on track to have worst air quality in Canada, Red Deer has worst pollution in province, while 4 other regions close to exceeding national standards”
The permanent monitoring at Riverside Park has been reading the highest in Red Deer and there could be reasons, topography, river, or something else. We are talking about years of data, wide ranging and intricate data. Our air quality is affected by many pollutants, compounds, and elements. Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfur Oxides, Carbon Oxides, Volatile Organic Compounds, and Particulate Matter, specifically PM2.5.
Concentrate on one element or remove one element and you will skew the data. If you listen to the Health Minister and read the data as a package, the information shows that the Red Deer Region is the worst in Alberta, with 4 other regions following close behind.
Riverside Park has the worst readings in Red Deer, but there are small pockets in other regions that will show worst readings in one or more of the pollutants.
The latest discussion is about downtown Calgary and downtown Edmonton has worst readings than the Red Deer Riverside Park. It is like comparing apples and oranges.
Regionally, Red Deer has the poorest air quality as a whole in Alberta, and yes there are pockets of air throughout the province with higher particulate matter, or carbon dioxide, or VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds.
The fact that we are experiencing a downturn in our economy and the fact that Red Deer has seen a large decrease of about 1,000 in population last year, manufacturing is down, businesses are closing and/or relocating we should see less emissions and therefore cleaner air, but I do not think that is the way we wish to achieve a desired result.
The province stands by it’s reports, will argue against selective interpretations of opposition. The province will study, consult, converse and seek the answers but they will not adjust the readings to accommodate the desires of others.
I would rather know the truth and find solutions than search for those who deny there is an issue. We have seen this with ozones, climate change and cigarette smoke, first and second hand, so it is expected.

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Mental Health

Suspect who killed 11 in Vancouver festival attack ID’d

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Authorities have identified the driver responsible for the devastating attack at Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu Day festival that killed at least 11 and injured dozens more. The suspect, Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, had a well-documented history of mental illness, and his family sought help just hours before the tragic event.

Key Details:

  • Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, was identified as the driver who plowed into a crowd, killing 11 and injuring dozens more.
  • Lo’s family sought psychiatric help for him hours before the attack; he was already known to law enforcement.
  • Police believe the attack was not terror-related, citing Lo’s extensive mental health struggles.

Diving Deeper:

The city of Vancouver is grappling with unspeakable tragedy following the deadly assault that unfolded during the Lapu Lapu Day festival, a vibrant celebration honoring the Filipino community. Authorities have identified the man behind the wheel as 30-year-old Kai-Ji Adam Lo, who was apprehended at the scene Saturday night.

Lo, whose troubled history with mental illness was well known to local authorities and mental health professionals, faces eight counts of second-degree murder, with additional charges expected as the investigation continues. According to reports, Lo’s family had reached out to a hospital psychiatric ward just hours before the incident, desperately seeking help for him amid his escalating paranoia and delusions. It remains unclear whether any intervention was made in response to the family’s call.

Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai confirmed that Lo had no interactions with law enforcement immediately prior to the event, but acknowledged that the city is reeling from its “darkest day.” Investigators emphasized that, because of Lo’s mental state, they do not believe the attack was terror-related.

Adding to the complex portrait of the suspect, Lo was mourning profound personal loss. His brother, Alexander Lo, was murdered in January 2024. Following the death, Lo had penned heartbreaking posts online, sharing how his brother’s death and his mother’s subsequent suicide attempt shattered their family.

Tragically, among the 11 killed during Saturday’s carnage was a 5-year-old child. Dozens more were wounded when Lo drove his SUV into the densely packed crowd gathered for the festivities. Lo has since appeared in court and will remain in custody as prosecutors prepare to bring additional charges.

The horror that unfolded in Vancouver serves as a stark reminder of the broader systemic failures surrounding mental health interventions. While Canadian authorities attempt to grapple with the aftermath, this tragedy sadly echoes similar stories in other nations where warnings about individuals in crisis have gone unheeded—with catastrophic results.

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Automotive

Major automakers push congress to block California’s 2035 EV mandate

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Major automakers are urging Congress to intervene and halt California’s aggressive plan to eliminate gasoline-only vehicles by 2035. With the Biden-era EPA waiver empowering California and 11 other states to enforce the rule, automakers warn of immediate impacts on vehicle availability and consumer choice. The U.S. House is preparing for a critical vote to determine if California’s sweeping environmental mandates will stand.

Key Details:

  • Automakers argue California’s rules will raise prices and limit consumer choices, especially amid high tariffs on auto imports.

  • The House is set to vote this week on repealing the EPA waiver that greenlit California’s mandate.

  • California’s regulations would require 35% of 2026 model year vehicles to be zero-emission, a figure manufacturers say is unrealistic.

Diving Deeper:

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing industry giants such as General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Hyundai, issued a letter Monday warning Congress about the looming consequences of California’s radical environmental regulations. The automakers stressed that unless Congress acts swiftly, vehicle shipments across the country could be disrupted within months, forcing car companies to artificially limit sales of traditional vehicles to meet electric vehicle quotas.

California’s Air Resources Board rules have already spread to 11 other states—including New York, Massachusetts, and Oregon—together representing roughly 40% of the entire U.S. auto market. Despite repeated concerns from manufacturers, California officials have doubled down, insisting that their measures are essential for meeting lofty greenhouse gas reduction targets and combating smog. However, even some states like Maryland have recognized the impracticality of California’s timeline, opting to delay compliance.

A major legal hurdle complicates the path forward. The Government Accountability Office ruled in March that the EPA waiver issued under former President Joe Biden cannot be revoked under the Congressional Review Act, which requires only a simple Senate majority. This creates uncertainty over whether Congress can truly roll back California’s authority without more complex legislative action.

The House is also gearing up to tackle other elements of California’s environmental regime, including blocking the state from imposing stricter pollution standards on commercial trucks and halting its low-nitrogen oxide emissions regulations for heavy-duty vehicles. These moves reflect growing concerns that California’s progressive regulatory overreach is threatening national commerce and consumer choice.

Under California’s current rules, the state demands that 35% of light-duty vehicles for the 2026 model year be zero-emission, scaling up rapidly to 68% by 2030. Industry experts widely agree that these targets are disconnected from reality, given the current slow pace of electric vehicle adoption among the broader American public, particularly in rural and lower-income areas.

California first unveiled its plan in 2020, aiming to make at least 80% of new cars electric and the remainder plug-in hybrids by 2035. Now, under President Donald Trump’s leadership, the U.S. Transportation Department is working to undo the aggressive fuel economy regulations imposed during former President Joe Biden’s term, offering a much-needed course correction for an auto industry burdened by regulatory overreach.

As Congress debates, the larger question remains: Will America allow one state’s left-wing environmental ideology to dictate terms for the entire country’s auto industry?

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