I would not blame Alberta if that province left Canada

[Anonymous]

On Tuesday, Team Trudeau says they feel Alberta's pain. They know Alberta's frustration.



They understand Alberta's anxiety. They want to help Alberta. They announce $1.5 billion in loans for the oilpatch. They announce $150 million cash.



If this is a Christmas announcement, it's like finding a pair of socks and underwear under the tree when you thought you were going to get a new train set.



Albertans want jobs. Albertans want to move their oil to those willing to buy.



Albertans want to see a government really fight for a pipeline.



Albertans want an oilpatch allowed to do what it can do well. Make money and grow Alberta's economy.



Instead, they're served up politicians with Band-aids and jive talk.

[Anonymous]

Andrew Scheer is right, resource project approvals must be depoliticized. We have a pm who cancels jobs and investment for pure political gain. Shame on Trudeau.



TRY HARDER, OTTAWA

Buying us with our own money doesn't work in Alberta, Mr. Trudeau



If you needed additional evidence that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doesn't understand Alberta you got more of it on Tuesday.



Federal Natural Resources Minister Amarjeet Sohi and International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr announced $1.6 billion in potential funding to Alberta's oil patch — with emphasis placed on the word potential.



"Our government always has and always will stand with the oil and gas sector," Sohi said. "Because we understand that when Alberta hurts, so does Canada."



One billion dollars of the funding will ostensibly help companies invest in new technologies, $500 million is available in commercial financing initiatives over three years from the Business Development Bank; $50 million is up for grabs from Canada's Natural Resources Clean Growth Program, and another $100 million is available through Canada's Strategic Innovation Fund for diversification-related projects.



What Trudeau and his government don't understand is [size=150]Albertans don't want handouts. They want pipelines and sound policies that don't scare away capital investment.[/size] Instead, on Tuesday, Albertans got more bad policy in the form of federal incentives using our own money.



While it's not very polite to look a gift horse in the mouth, the feds are really just returning one of our own horses — this one on its last legs — while it keeps our metaphorical herd of thoroughbreds.



As recent Statistics Canada figures show, in[size=150] 2017 Albertans paid $50.3 billion in taxes to the federal government and received $28.5 billion back in federal spending leaving a whopping $21.8 billion net for the rest of Canada — the largest per-capita contribution to Confederation by far.[/size]



People in the patch say this possible $1.6 billion of funding will do next to nothing to help our beleaguered industry since nobody wants to invest in Alberta owing to the uncertainty caused by Trudeau-government policies — particularly Bills C-69 and C-48 — coming down the pipe.



The only way to get investment to return to Alberta is if some of this money were used for memory-zapping electro-shock therapy or mass hypnotization of the whole world with regard to what Trudeau and Notley have wrought on Alberta's business climate.



When Trudeau unilaterally cancelled the Northern Gateway pipeline in 2016 (with no objection by Notley) after Enbridge and its partners spent $1 billion jumping over countless regulatory hurdles and even after the project passed approval in the House of Commons under Stephen Harper's Conservative government, he shook the confidence of global investors in the reliability of Canada's regulatory processes.



As Tim Mcmillan, president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, said during a recent interview,[size=150] "the cancellation of Northern Gateway was the most damaging thing that's been done to our economy," as it proved that our regulatory system is not predictable but contingent on the political whims of a prime minister, or if Bill C-69 passes, on the whims of the environment minister as well.

[/size]

Sandip Lalli, president and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, said while "encouraged by the changing tone" from the federal government, "we have seen investment flee Canada due to uncertainty.



"We continue to advocate that the federal government listen to industry and investors by making the necessary amendments to Bill C-69 and adding more efficiency in the regulatory process," added Lalli.



United Conservative Party Leader Jason Kenney said the announcement does "nothing to help the thousands of families in our provinces that are left unemployed as the result of Trudeau Liberal policies and actions.



"If the Trudeau Liberal government was serious about helping support workers in our energy industry, they would pull their devastating 'No More Pipelines Law' Bill C-69 and pull their Tanker Ban Bill C-48 — legislation that discriminates against Alberta oil but gives foreign oil a free pass."



On top of killing Northern Gateway, Kenney also points out that Trudeau's government "also killed the Energy East pipeline, further land locking Alberta's resources."



By having nowhere to go, Alberta's oil is selling at a huge discount compared with the benchmark West Texas Intermediate — and actually fell to a devastating $11 per barrel last month. Premier Rachel Notley announced that starting in January oil output will be curtailed, which immediately helped raise Alberta oil prices, but the differential is still huge, costing the Canadian economy about $80 million every day.



In other words, [size=150]the differential, caused by a lack of pipelines (which is a federal responsibility) will cost $1.6 billion in just 20 days. [/size]Put that in your government's cancelled pipes, Minister Sohi!



Federal Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer said Trudeau, who has been quoted as saying he wants to "phase out" the oilsands, doesn't fool anyone with his feigned empathy. "Today's handout is nothing more than a desperate, election-year attempt to trick western Canadians into thinking he cares. He is trying to save a handful of Liberal seats, nothing more. I know Canadians will see it for what it is," he said.



"As prime minister," added Scheer, "I will end Justin Trudeau's war on the energy industry. I will repeal Bill C-69. I will cancel the ban on shipping on the B.C. coast. I will scrap the carbon tax, clean up the regulatory regime, and end foreign meddling in pipeline approvals."



Sounds like heaven to this Albertan's ears. Scheer, however, should add one more thing to that list — he should remove all political meddling in pipeline approvals. Government should simply set up a robust regulatory system, which we already have, and not allow politicians to have a say in killing them once they've received approval in the House of Commons. Period.



[size=150]If Trudeau really wants to get some holiday cheer from Albertans, he would announce the scrapping of Bills C-69 and C-48.[/size] Trying to buy us with our own money doesn't work in Alberta.



If he was really listening, he'd know that already.

[Bricktop]

Secession sounds like a good idea, but it is rather like cutting off your leg to lose weight.



Before seceding, you need to consider the population of your new country, and the set up costs for independent infrastructure, such as roads, rail, airports, electrical grid, border protection, defence, health care and foreign relations. You will also need a financial plan that includes taxation, and a welfare system.



Then you need to be confident of being categorised as a sovereign State by the UN.



Once you do your sums, you will realise, as Quebec, Scotland and even Noumea did, that sometimes its better to belong to a big club, than form a small one.

Quebec receives more than  ten billion dollars every year from provinces like mine, Herman's and  Berry's every year..



That would end with secession and Quebeckers knew that..



Albertans don't want to leave Canada, but if Ottawa keeps blocking this province's development, it's forcing us to  look at a new arrangement with Ottawa..



The status quo is becoming unbearable for business, labour and our provincial government.

I have a question...one that is also relevant here...if a State ignores the Federal government and proceeds to do what it wants, what exactly can the Federal government do about it?

[Anonymous]

Secession sounds like a good idea, but it is rather like cutting off your leg to lose weight.



Before seceding, you need to consider the population of your new country, and the set up costs for independent infrastructure, such as roads, rail, airports, electrical grid, border protection, defence, health care and foreign relations. You will also need a financial plan that includes taxation, and a welfare system.



Then you need to be confident of being categorised as a sovereign State by the UN.



Once you do your sums, you will realise, as Quebec, Scotland and even Noumea did, that sometimes its better to belong to a big club, than form a small one.

Quebec receives more than  ten billion dollars every year from provinces like mine, Herman's and  Berry's every year..



That would end with secession and Quebeckers knew that..



Albertans don't want to leave Canada, but if Ottawa keeps blocking this province's development, it's forcing us to  look at a new arrangement with Ottawa..



The status quo is becoming unbearable for business, labour and our provincial government.

I have a question...one that is also relevant here...if a State ignores the Federal government and proceeds to do what it wants, what exactly can the Federal government do about it?

Canada has a notwithstanding clause that allows provinces  to override sections of Charter of Rights and Freedoms..



Canadian confederation is complicated.

[Gaon]

Secession sounds like a good idea, but it is rather like cutting off your leg to lose weight.



Before seceding, you need to consider the population of your new country, and the set up costs for independent infrastructure, such as roads, rail, airports, electrical grid, border protection, defence, health care and foreign relations. You will also need a financial plan that includes taxation, and a welfare system.



Then you need to be confident of being categorised as a sovereign State by the UN.



Once you do your sums, you will realise, as Quebec, Scotland and even Noumea did, that sometimes its better to belong to a big club, than form a small one.

Quebec receives more than  ten billion dollars every year from provinces like mine, Herman's and  Berry's every year..



That would end with secession and Quebeckers knew that..



Albertans don't want to leave Canada, but if Ottawa keeps blocking this province's development, it's forcing us to  look at a new arrangement with Ottawa..



The status quo is becoming unbearable for business, labour and our provincial government.

I have a question...one that is also relevant here...if a State ignores the Federal government and proceeds to do what it wants, what exactly can the Federal government do about it?

Canada has a notwithstanding clause that allows provinces  to override sections of Charter of Rights and Freedoms..



Canadian confederation is complicated.

The separation of powers in this country is hard to get my mind around.

[Anonymous]

You knew this was coming. Just like his father, Justin's legacy will be regional alienation and separatism.



FAIR SHARE... OR ELSE

Fildebrandt says Alberta should consider independence if Ottawa won't listen



Either Alberta gets fair treatment from Ottawa or the province must seriously pursue independence, says Freedom Conservative Leader Derek Fildebrandt.



That's the centrepiece of his party's 2019 election platform, unveiled Thursday in Calgary.



Not in favour



Fildebrandt, member for Strathmore-brooks, told Postmedia he doesn't currently favour Alberta separating from Canada but the status quo is unacceptable.



Within one year of the provincial election, his party wants Alberta's government to have come to an agreement with the feds on major constitutional reform or face an independence referendum.



"If we are going to see any kind of change, we have to show we're serious and we mean it," he said.



"I believe we owe it to ourselves and other Canadians to do everything we possibly can to make confederation work, but merely sucking up to Ottawa the way the NDP does or complaining and grumbling about Ottawa like the Toris do is not going to achieve anything except for throwing us the odd bone."



Fildebrandt says the much-maligned equalization formula — something Premier Rachel Notley and UCP Leader Jason Kenney have both grumbled about — is merely the tip of the iceberg.



Keep it at home



Alberta must have "justice and equality" within confederation, he said. For him, that includes the right to govern ourselves within our own provincial jurisdiction like Quebec does and keeping more of Alberta's wealth and decision-making at home.



"I do not believe independence is the answer today, but the status quo is unacceptable and merely complaining about it is not enough," Fildebrandt said.



To that end, Fildebrandt's party will hold a series of rallies across Alberta in the new year called Equality or Independence where Albertans can discuss what they want to see going forward.



"We didn't light the prairie fire but we are going to be a part of it," he said.



"Canada is worth trying to save, but we should not stay at any price."