Eugenics in Alberta

Given the province's rather fanatical conviction that its tarsands projects should be subject to little or no oversight, it might be useful to bear in mind another kind of fanaticism it embraced between 1928 and 1972: eugenics.

Between 1929 and 1972, 4785 cases [for sterilizations] were presented to the board, and 99% of these cases were approved. The 60 cases that were not approved were deferred cases that were later re-considered, and 14 of them were eventually passed. Only 60% of all cases that were sanctioned by the Board were actually completed, resulting in 2832 sterilization procedures performed in Alberta during the 43 years that the Alberta Eugenics Board was in power.

The majority of the Board’s activities were conducted in secrecy, away from the criticism of the public eye, and even away from legislative inquiry.

Apples and oranges, you say? I'm not so sure. At the very least, it attests to the power of government to abuse its authority.