A group of eight peaceful, sign-wielding demonstrators handed information print-outs to attendants of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta’s annual general meeting as they arrived at the Activity Centre Friday for the MLA reception Friday night.

The group included members of the West Athabasca Watershed Bioregional Society, a non-profit umbrella organization dedicated to preserving the province’s environment, as well as the Keepers of the Athabasca, and Nuclear-Free Alberta. 

The demonstrators handed out information sheets which contained their three main areas of concern.

First, the Little Smoky Caribou Herd is a herd whose habitat lies between Grande Cache and Hinton and is on the verge of extripation due to oil and gas development, logging, and linear disturbances, said Connie Bresnahan, a coordinator for the Keepers of the Athabasca Watershed Council.

“If they keep this up, we’re going to lose the herd,” the Hinton woman said. “It’s a very rare ecotype herd that stays in one spot and is listed under the Species at Risk Act.”

The group also called for “no new approvals” of tar sands development. “Oil is not a renewable resource,” Bresnahan said. “We need to ensure there’s something left for our future generations.”

Sharon McGettigan, director for Nuclear-Free Alberta, said the third issue the group presented was the use of nuclear power. “The biggest thing is it’s a health concern for people near nuclear plants,” she said. “There’s a high percentage of children having leukemia and other cancers and there’s no way to deal with it – you can’t store or neutralize it.”

Some party members took the hand-outs, some walked by, and others called out comments such as “More bombs,” and “Bleeding hearts.” Demonstrator Hilary Shannon of Brule said many of those walking by “are so right-wing they can’t look at us.”

“Somebody said ‘I don’t believe in that’,” she said. “What do you mean you don’t believe in that? You don’t believe in protecting the environment?”

Heather Johnson, a massage therapist from Jasper, said she joined the demonstration to voice her concerns regarding the environment and nuclear power. “I have children so it’s a big concern for me, things like clean water,” she said. “I’m getting out and saying my piece because it’s not enough to write it on a ballot.”

Jasperite Art Jackson applied for a permit to protest through the municipality and said he was appreciative that the group was given a safe place to express itself.

Party members were invited to attend a pancake breakfast at the Activity Centre Sunday, which was open to the public.