ABEXIT - is it time for Alberta to think about leaving Canada?

Curious Cdn

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Feb 22, 2015
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Like I said, they'd better play nice.

When the oil's gone, a have-not region with a history of of "not getting along" will be trying to negotiate re-entry into the Canadian federation. I won't be around to see it but my grandchildren will be.
 

Hoid

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Oct 15, 2017
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Oil will be obsolete far before all the bitumen in Alberta is gone.

That is precisely why they are all in such a panic.
 

pgs

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Nov 29, 2008
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Oil will be obsolete far before all the bitumen in Alberta is gone.

That is precisely why they are all in such a panic.
Why don’t you like Alberta’s cleaning up the oil spilling into their waterways ?
 

B00Mer

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Sep 6, 2008
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Alberta and BC, maybe. Alberta alone would be landlocked. If alone, it would need to develop very friendly relations with a neighbouring state that has at least one year-round port. That would be either Canada or the US. From the standpoint of efficiency, given that Vancouver is the nearest port, Canada would be the best bet. In other words, if Alberta wanted to separate, it had better play nice.

Ship to Seattle ports.. the Interstate via the US is a better road and better access.

I bring up product from Los Angeles ports all the time to Canada. I’ve never pull out of the Vancouver port, not sure what even comes in via that port.. but I’m sure it’s important to Vancouver, just not the rest of Canada.

The BC highways suck
 

Dixie Cup

Senate Member
Sep 16, 2006
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It Alberta was located in BC I might actually support the idea. But we're land-locked so how would separating help us? I suppose we could make closer ties to the US but would they allow us to build a pipeline south down and then West to a deep water port? I doubt it. So what would we gain? Oh yeah, no more contributions to the Feds but that's about it. We still have to deal with the rest of the country, so may as well make the best of it.


JMHO
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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Ship to Seattle ports.. the Interstate via the US is a better road and better access.

I bring up product from Los Angeles ports all the time to Canada. I’ve never pull out of the Vancouver port, not sure what even comes in via that port.. but I’m sure it’s important to Vancouver, just not the rest of Canada.

The BC highways suck
It's all Corporate haulers and mainly teamsters.

Shell Refinery in Anacortes WA relies on Canadian oil.
 

Nick Danger

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Jul 21, 2013
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Having the US as our only destination for exported oil is a nasty spot to be in. It pretty much allows them to set the price, especially now since the shale oil boom in that country has put them in a position much less reliant on imported oil. Trump makes no secret that his plan is "US FIrst" when it comes to international trade. We need offshore customers. (That's "We" as in Canadians)

As for the BC NDP's opposition to the Kinder Morgan expansion, I see green spoons stirring that pot. BC Green Party leader Andrew Weaver has John Horgan under his thumb and he knows it.
 

Curious Cdn

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Feb 22, 2015
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Having the US as our only destination for exported oil is a nasty spot to be in. It pretty much allows them to set the price, especially now since the shale oil boom in that country has put them in a position much less reliant on imported oil. Trump makes no secret that his plan is "US FIrst" when it comes to international trade. We need offshore customers. (That's "We" as in Canadians)

As for the BC NDP's opposition to the Kinder Morgan expansion, I see green spoons stirring that pot. BC Green Party leader Andrew Weaver has John Horgan under his thumb and he knows it.

Alberta clearly needs to export oil to the Pacific Rim. Having a single customer for it is problematic on many levels and the selling price is a big one. Maybe, BC needs to receive a bigger piece of the action. Money has a mysterious ways of talking down everything else.
 

captain morgan

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Like I said, they'd better play nice.

Having the US as our only destination for exported oil is a nasty spot to be in. It pretty much allows them to set the price, especially now since the shale oil boom in that country has put them in a position much less reliant on imported oil. Trump makes no secret that his plan is "US FIrst" when it comes to international trade. We need offshore customers. (That's "We" as in Canadians)

As for the BC NDP's opposition to the Kinder Morgan expansion, I see green spoons stirring that pot. BC Green Party leader Andrew Weaver has John Horgan under his thumb and he knows it.

I wouldn't worry too much about the shale revolution. The declines in shale production are huge (yuge) and the resource depletes a lot faster than conventional.

That said, conventional oil will remain valuable once the primary and secondary shale targets are exhausted

Alberta clearly needs to export oil to the Pacific Rim. Having a single customer for it is problematic on many levels and the selling price is a big one. Maybe, BC needs to receive a bigger piece of the action. Money has a mysterious ways of talking down everything else.

Talks have occurred with Nunavut and NWT on building a port for oil export... Churchill MB is also an exit point.

Besides, there's always room for AB to institute a pipeline eco tax chargeable to the recipients in BC
 

Curious Cdn

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Feb 22, 2015
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Churchill Manitoba would be a brilliant choice. They need a new mission there and they have critical infrastructure in place such as a decent harbour. Westward navigation from there is predicated by a warming Northwest Passage, which IS happening.

Our RCN AOPS are being launched in a nick of time.
 

captain morgan

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Churchill has been on the radar for some time relative to a number of industries (resource, agri and aerospace).

Like you said, the infrastructure is there although I understand that the rail capacity has unique challenges (I suspect due to issues related to permafrost)
 

Curious Cdn

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Feb 22, 2015
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Churchill has been on the radar for some time relative to a number of industries (resource, agri and aerospace).

Like you said, the infrastructure is there although I understand that the rail capacity has unique challenges (I suspect due to issues related to permafrost)

The railway right-of-way is where you run your pipeline. It's already 3/4 built.
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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Churchill has been on the radar for some time relative to a number of industries (resource, agri and aerospace).

Like you said, the infrastructure is there although I understand that the rail capacity has unique challenges (I suspect due to issues related to permafrost)

Muskeg
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
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Two lines would be needed. A Heavy year round line and the current light line that heavy freight can only be shipped in winter.

The light line can haul empties back in summer.

Then stay in Ontario. WE don't want your kind in the west.



I doubt that. You are not much older than me and I was born here while you brought your freeloader lifestyle with you from Quebec where freeloading off the taxpayer was invented.

Another Quebec hippie that came to pick apples.
 

Curious Cdn

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Feb 22, 2015
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Two different courses of the Trans Canada Highway plus the CNR plus the CPR plus the Algoma Central are all built over thousands of kilometers of muskeg north of Lake Superior.

We have the technology.

You just have to do maintenance on them as they slowly sink into the goo.