A tale of two provinces — and photo radar

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/12/2024 (311 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s funny how things can go.

And how provinces that are nearly neighbours could end up going in diametrically opposite directions on the same exact issue, at virtually the same time.

Last week, the Manitoba government said it was actively looking at a request by Winnipeg and other municipalities to expand photo radar beyond schools, playgrounds and construction zones.

The Alberta provincial government, meanwhile, just announced that it plans to dial back the photo radar it will allow in the province — restricting the cameras to areas around schools, playgrounds and construction areas, and in the process, taking down 70 per cent of the photo radar units put in place by municipalities.

Alberta’s United Conservative Party, of course, managed to make their announcement in the most cringeworthy way possible, dressing the province’s transportation minister, Devin Dreeshen, up in a black barbecue apron with the words “cash cow” circled and crossed out on the front.

Now, the Alberta government is building a reputation for backing ideas that are somewhat odd: that a cap on emissions from oil projects is actually a cap on production for oil fields — because no one can ever improve on present technology, and because governments shouldn’t be actively encouraging profit-focused industries to make environmental improvements. Or that enacting provincial legislation on things will somehow successfully supersede federal responsibilities.

Or that Alberta municipalities will perform better under legislation that allows the province to immediately step in and overturn any bylaws the provincial government doesn’t like.

That having politicians invest Alberta pension funds in political projects will perform better financially than by having experienced pension fund managers.

But they’re like that. The idea of Alberta exceptionalism is more than a concept: heck, it’s almost a tattoo. Their trucks are bigger, their ideas better, and their licence plates are rosier — so who are we to say their decision that photo radar is a cash cow is wrong?

Alberta beef, people, think about the renowned Alberta beef. They know their steers and cows, so they should obviously also know their cash cows. Shouldn’t they?

It’s worth pointing out that the move will knock $145 million a year out of municipal budgets in Alberta for policing and traffic safety initiatives — money that will now have to come from somewhere other than fines on people caught breaking the law.

As well, Alberta police officials like Mark Neufeld, the head of the Calgary Police Service and president of the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police, said the move will lead to more traffic deaths and injuries.

And the apron? “While some people may have thought that was funny, we would encourage the minister to consider those citizens who have been injured or killed on Alberta roadways and their loved ones,” Neufeld said.

Meanwhile, the Alberta transportation minister argues there’s no proof the photo radar traffic fines actually reduce accidents — and at the same barbecue-apron news conference, Dreeshen said, “Traffic safety is our No. 1 priority.”

Less spending on traffic safety is more effective? Fewer fines mean fewer accidents?

By that logic, it’s a wonder Alberta is keeping any traffic fines in place whatsoever.

Whenever the folks at the Manitoba legislature make up their minds on the requests from this province’s municipalities on expanding photo radar, let’s hope they do a better job of balancing facts, fiction and research. Yes, research: there seems to be a dearth of people focusing on expertise these days, and much more of a focus on making popular decisions.

Is it a cash cow or the goose that laid the golden egg?

Let’s find out for sure before the barbecuing starts in earnest.