In the words of the late Gord Downie, I can smell a rat when it's all rat, I can't find one in an elevator. My mind doesn't work so bad, but I am a poor exterminator..Anyone driving through the Alberta provincial boundary line has seen the wooden, rugged ‘Wild Rose Country’ sign gracing the flat landscape. .We can’t help but wonder, why isn’t there, right alongside it, a gigantic ‘Alberta: Rat-Free Zone’ sign?.It is, after all, one of the province’s greatest accomplishments. Well. We suppose it depends on your view of rats. .If the concept of a rat genocide doesn’t keep you up at night, read on to find out how the Albertan government’s Second World War-style propaganda wiped out the whole species in one memorable year. .“The province has had no breeding populations of rats for over 70 years thanks to its storied Rat Control Program,” the provincial government website reads. . Rat propaganda 2Rat propaganda 2 .When rats were first discovered on a farm near the province’s eastern border in 1950, provincial authorities were concerned “rats might spread plague throughout Alberta,” and cited the “economic destruction from rats.”.That’s when the Alberta officials squashed the rat problem. .According to the provincial government, the rat population “would have continued to spread westward had it not been for a rat control program that halted their advance.”.The program includes a designated Rat Control Zone, a stretch on the Saskatchewan border measuring 6,000 km long and 29 km wide — in which “municipalities in the zone bear the most responsibility for rat control.”.However, province officials could not rest there. The next step was to inform and educate the public. This is where Alberta’s Rat Propaganda comes in. . Rat propagandaRat propaganda .Rat Control Conferences were held in six eastern Alberta towns, while “2,000 posters and 1,500 pamphlets” were displayed in public spaces and distributed to private citizens..The pamphlet advocated for the outright destruction of rats in Alberta, introducing a zero-tolerance policy. It also covered the elimination of potential rat habitats and food supplies, rat harborages and food supplies and instructions on how to rat-proof a building. .Recommended chemicals included “red squill, antu, barium carbonate, zinc phosphide, 1080, thallium sulfate, arsenic, strychnine alkaloid and warfarin.”.Following a 1951 “infestation,” the province hired a private contractor to take care of the problem in a way the government couldn’t. .From 1952 to 1953, “63,600 kg of 73% arsenic trioxide tracking powder was used to treat 8,000 buildings on 2,700 farms.” .“Tracking powder was blown underneath all permanent buildings within the control zone,” the website reads. “Tracking powder was exposed in some areas where the treatment was haphazard.”.“Some residents were not informed that arsenic was being used,” and “some were allegedly told that the tracking powder was harmful only to rodents.”.“As a precaution, Alberta Agriculture sent letters to all residents in the control zone each year until 1955, warning of the dangers to humans, livestock and pets.”.The poison-proofing program was discontinued in 1978 — but Albertans weren’t done with rat control. Finally, Alberta Agriculture “was given the time to develop a rat control program” of its own. .“Pest control inspectors were appointed by municipalities,” and “control was administered and supervised by local governments with coordination and support by the provincial government.”.With that, the rat propaganda program took off..Posters and brochures on rat control were widely distributed at local fairs, picnics and rodeos and presentations on rat control were common in schools, clubs, agricultural societies, and chambers of commerce; just about to anyone who would listen.. Rat propaganda 4Rat propaganda 4 .A local radio station was even designated to broadcast and disseminate information on rat control, which was mandatory for all citizens. .“Property holders who failed to control rats and disregarded repeated encouragement and warnings from pest control inspectors could be served with an official warning. Failure to comply with the terms of the warning could result in a court action.”.“Every person and municipality, both rural and urban, must take active measures to prevent the establishment of rats on their property. Rat infestations are eliminated as soon as possible by rodenticides or traps.”
