Murray Wood: Feint by numbers?
The City of Regina is using some interesting math to justify why it should sell a big chunk of its exhibition associatio...
Regina Police Service is investigating after graffiti was found on the windows and walls of the RM of Sherwood administrative building on Monday.
Phrases like “F— AI LETS RIOT” and “HEAR US” was spray painted in black at the building in Regina’s Harbour Landing neighbourhood.
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The RM has been met with fierce backlash from protesters as it continues to move ahead with construction of the Bell Canada AI data centre.
Protestors concerned about artificial intelligence and against a proposed AI data centre in the RM of Sherwood demonstrated outside a council meeting on April 20 as councillors inside voted for the agreement to move ahead. (Geoff Smith/980 CJME)
Ray Orb, the interim reeve of the RM, said he found out about the vandalism on Monday at 8 a.m.
“I wouldn’t think that people would have to go to those kind of lengths to get their message across,” he said. “I think we’ve heard their message loud and clear.
“There are some people that are upset with AI and the data centre, but there are also people that are are more comfortable with it now.”
Orb said video surveillance from the building has been turned over to police.
Police said nobody has been arrested or charged yet.
“It’s really unfortunate,” Orb said about the vandalism. “Of course, it is a little bit of unsettling.”
The reeve said he hopes “cooler heads will prevail.”
“The project is going ahead — whether some people like it or not — but you know, we urge people to to remain calm and just wait for more information from the RM as the project unfolds,” he said. “People will learn more about it and the benefits of the data centre.”
Regina Police Service said it was investigating the vandalism that had anti-AI phrases like “F— AI LET’S RIOT.” (Abby Zieverink/ 980 CJME)
Construction on 300 megawatt data centre project has broken ground.
The project is expected to generate $12 billion in economic value for the province through job creation and tax revenue.
Premier Scott Moe condemned the graffiti before question period at the Legislative Building on Monday.
“It’s really unfortunate with respect to the investment — which is the third largest investment in Canada — and a new space for us in this province,” he said.
“There are fair questions around that particular project, there’s also strong and good answers around that particular project.”
Moe said more industries are using AI to become more efficient and sustainable, and the province has a responsibility to house that data.
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