Crowsnest Pass, a region steeped in coal mining history

Crowsnest Pass, a region steeped in coal mining history, finds itself at the centre of an ironic and increasingly divisive debate. On November 19, country singer Corb Lund, a vocal opponent of coal mining, will be performing at the Polish Hall in Coleman, an iconic venue built by Polish coal miners who came to the area over a century ago. The irony is almost palpable: a man who has made it clear he does not want any more coal mines in the region is now standing on the very stage built by the sweat and toil of those who worked in those mines.

The Polish Hall is a monument to the history of coal mining in Crowsnest Pass. It was erected by coal miners, many of whom were Polish immigrants, who laboured underground to build the community that exists today. To imagine their legacy being repurposed as a platform for an anti-coal message feels like a betrayal of everything they worked for. Given that my Polish ancestors, the Sygutek family from Coleman, were part of it, I feel quite certain they would share my disgust. I feel these miners wouldn’t have imagined their work to be used as a vehicle for opposing the very industry that sustained them and their families.

In addition to the oddity of Corb Lund’s performance, the broader political landscape in Crowsnest Pass is becoming more complicated, particularly with the involvement of Dave Thomas, a former Fernie councillor who now resides in the region. Thomas, along with his group Crowsnest Headwaters, has been petitioning municipalities in surrounding areas Pincher Creek, Fort Macleod, MD of Ranchlands and Lethbridge to adopt resolutions challenging the recent referendum held by Crowsnest Pass municipal council. The referendum asked residents whether they supported the development of a new coal mine in the area.

It’s critical to understand that the referendum is non-binding, meaning it is simply a way for the council to gauge public opinion, not a legal action that could force any government to approve a mine. Yet, Thomas has taken it upon himself to petition other councils to “challenge” this vote. But what exactly does he want to challenge? A non-binding vote is not a mandate, it’s a tool to inform future decisions. No government, municipal, provincial, or federal, can be compelled to allow a coal mine based on this vote alone.

Further complicating matters, Thomas recently made a statement at a meeting in Fort Macleod, claiming that he was “apologizing on behalf of the Crowsnest Pass citizens” for the council’s decision to hold the referendum. This is where his actions cross into troubling territory. Thomas is neither a councillor nor a representative of the people of Crowsnest Pass. Who gave him the authority to speak on behalf of the residents of this community? His self-appointed role as spokesperson is not only presumptuous but deeply out of touch with the reality of Crowsnest Pass, where many residents still see mining as part of their heritage and livelihood.

If Thomas wants to represent the people, perhaps he should run for council and let the voters decide if he’s the voice they want. Until then, his attempts to apologize for the community’s decisions are not only embarrassing but completely unacceptable. He has no right to speak for the people of Crowsnest Pass, and his actions only serve to alienate the very community he claims to represent.

The residents of Crowsnest Pass deserve the right to decide their own future. If they choose to explore mining again, it is their decision, not Corb Lund’s, not Dave Thomas’s, not Crowsnest Headwaters and certainly not anyone else’s from outside the community. 

The people of Crowsnest Pass are not asking for apologies, they are asking for respect and the opportunity to voice their opinions, on their own terms. The irony here is clear: the past may have been built on coal, but today’s future belongs to those who live here. It’s time to let them speak for themselves.