PART IV
Countercultural and Environmental Radicalism

A black-and-white photograph shows a young man wearing a hat sitting on a mattress that is spread on top of a car and is holding up a peace flag. A young girl sitting next to him shields her eyes from the sun with one hand. — The face of the counterculture: hoisting the peace symbol at the Festival Express rock concert, Calgary, 5 July 1970. Photographer David Cunningham. Courtesy of Glenbow Archives, Calgary, NA-5689-6-7a.

Letters from Andy Russell to Alberta Premier Ernest Manning and His Response

October 4, 1963

Dear Mr. Manning;

Recently I accepted an appointment as prairie province editor of a new publication, “The Sportsman’s Handbook,” which will be published from Cambridge, Mass., and circulated internationally. [. . .]

I tackle the job of reporting on my home province with some awareness of a country that has been misused and neglected. [. . .] Country that was once second to none for fishing and hunting and wilderness camping is now a torn up wasted hell of slashing, oil prospect lines and roads. Much of the so-called industrial exploration has been carried out completely contrary to the law. Fire hazards and soil erosion along the eastern watershed of the Rockies are such, that it amounts to a criminal scandal. [. . .]

Sincerely,

Andy Russell

November 19, 1963

Dear Mr. Manning:

I take this opportunity to urge you to create a new Ministry of Recreation and Conservation in this Province. In view of increasing tourism, usage of crown lands for industrial and recreational development and the vital need for better wildlife administration, the formation of such a Ministry is of the greatest importance. [. . .]

It is of vital importance to us and to future generations to educate the people against the abuse of the land as a community to which they belong. So that they will use it with love and respect. There is no other way for land to survive the weight of mechanized man. [. . .]

Sincerely,

Andy Russell

Office of the Premier

Edmonton

December 4, 1963

Dear Mr. Russell,

[…] Concerning your suggestion that a Ministry of Recreation and Conservation be established, I would advise that I fully appreciate the importance of these matters but I do feel that there is sufficient provision already to attend to these matters through the existing government structure and channels. […]

I am sure you can appreciate how unwise it would be to establish new Ministries, Boards and Branches when ample provision has been made to assure that these resources are properly administered and protected. […]

Yours very truly,

Ernest Manning

Premier

Andy Russell to Ernest Manning and response, correspondence from July to December of 1963, M153/40-41, Archives and Library, Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies.

Introduction