, 03.01.2020 09:56 AM

Team Alberta update

21 Comments

  1. Steve Teller says:

    Great idea. I presume the main goals will be to educate the ROC about:

    (1) the number of jobs that rely on Alberta’s energy industry, and the tax revenue they generate for the benefit of all Canadians;
    (2) the number of Indigenous groups that stand to benefit from resource development in Western Canada, and the dollar amounts involved;
    (3) the true GHG profile of Alberta’s energy industry, both on an absolute basis, and in comparison to other industries in Canada (eg: automotive; logging);
    (4) the sources of funding for the anti-pipeline crowd. I think this would be a real eye-opener to a lot of people, who believe all these protests are altruistic and domestic.

    In other words, focusing not on Wexit, but on the important and beneficial role of the energy industry in Alberta (and Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) to the country overall.

    As for the name, how about something like Energy Progress Canada (EPC)? Steal the much-abused “progressive” label from the anti-pipeline crowd.

    • Fred from BC says:

      “Steal the much-abused “progressive” label from the anti-pipeline crowd.”

      I love it.

    • Terence says:

      Oil and Gas aren’t “the” energy industry. 65% of our electricity comes from renewables now and it is increasing. The problem is the tar sands are uneconomic at prices the rest of the economy can afford. Frankly I like not having Dutch Disease. Our economy is stronger and unemployment is lower for it.

      • Steve T says:

        If the tar sands are so uneconomic, then why are protests required to shut them down? Won’t they just collapse from all their un-economic-ness?

        The reality is that what Canadians are able to use for energy is not necessarily what the rest of the world can use. This is typical Canadian myopia, and quite frankly a bit of a first-world mindset. “Sorry, you backwards nations who don’t have the luxury of the world’s largest watershed. Guess you’ll just have to freeze in the dark, and ride your bicycles to work!”

        Canada’s economy depends on exports – and that includes resource exports. The much-fabled “knowledge economy” is a fantasy, and suggests that somehow we are smarter than everyone else in the world, or will work for less. Neither is true.

      • Fred from BC says:

        ” 65% of our electricity comes from renewables now ”

        I was just about to call bullshit when I realized that hydroelectricity (which the ‘progressives’ are surprisingly opposed to) is confusingly included when you mention ‘renewables’.

        Hydroelectricity is by far the favored mass-generation option if you have the opportunity; here in BC, we’re blessed by favorable terrain (so much so that we could theoretically power most, if not all, of North America if necessary). As Steve says, though, not all jurisdictions have the option…

  2. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    Alberta Strong
    Alberta United
    Alberta Proud
    Alberta Forward
    Alberta Is Back
    Alberta Rennaissance
    Alberta Dynamo
    Future Alberta
    Prosperity Alberta
    Economic Justice Alberta
    Fair Deal Alberta

  3. Fred from BC says:

    The first line of that Western Standard headline just jumped right out at me: “Kinsella to start Alberta war”.

    WFT???

    “room – in Ontario.” Ahhh…okay, then…

    (kinda anti-climactic, really…;)

  4. Gord says:

    This sounds like a great initiative, but I would not limit it to Alberta. But I also would not make it about “the West” either.

    I currently live in Alberta, grew up in Manitoba, lived in BC for a long time. I increasingly feel less and less in common with BC – socially, culturally and particularly economically – witness the ongoing death spiral of most of its resource industries (forestry and mining in particular). I think it’s time we stopped looking at everything west of the Lakehead as an amorphous “West” and started recognizing that the Prairie provinces have precious little in common with BC these days, at least so long as the Lower Mainland is driving the political and economic agenda in that province.

    I’d like to see this War Room advocate on behalf of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Not only are their interests closely aligned, it inoculates against charges of “Alberta whining” or “just a front oilpatch rednecks”. Just my $0.02

  5. Max says:

    Alberta Matters
    One Alberta

  6. Mike Jeffries says:

    Alberta for Biden!
    Since you are a “progressive”, but I’m not sure that will fly with Albertans since most are Trumpers!

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