McGuinty dismisses Alberta premier call to defend oilsands development
- Thread starter mentalfloss
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I have been saying this since I joined here. Glad to see that's it finally catching on.
It will take a bit of effort to change the work ethics of the easterners tho, we don't include spa breaks as part of our benefits package !!
And ramming English down our throats too, don't forget. But yes, I agree there are many areas, especialy official languages, that need change towards more economic efficiency.
Right.
And that's why we go through the motions to determine what aspects we agree with the government and which we don't.
This mentality of reducing government size and involvement without any specifications of sector or cause is naive rhetoric that the codgers from the right will peddle until their last breath. Ultimately, most people are much smarter about defining the issues first rather than arbitrarily looking a reduction in size.
Re: Ontario Blames the Oil Sands for their Incompetance
Here is the latest upgrader to get the boot;
Alberta declines support for aboriginal oil upgrader - Yahoo! News
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Alberta's government declined support for a C$6.6 billion ($6.6 billion) oil sands upgrader proposed by a company backed by provincial aboriginal groups, likely putting the project's future in doubt unless backers can secure foreign funds.
Privately held Teedrum Inc and a number of Alberta aboriginal groups had been looking to develop the Alberta First Nations Energy Centre, an upgrader that would process 125,000 barrels per day of bitumen from the tar sands into synthetic crude oil, diesel, jet fuel and other products.
Northern Alberta's oil sands are the world's third largest crude reserve. Output from the region is set to nearly double to 3 million barrels a day by 2020 Suncor Energy Inc, France's Total SA, PetroChina and others expand their operations.
While most oil sands operators have policies in place to hire natives and utilize First Nations-owned businesses, the upgrader would be the first directly owned by aboriginals. It could bring million of dollars in profits to small communities that often lack economic opportunities.
The developers sought to process 93,000 barrels a day of bitumen the Alberta government will receive in lieu of royalties from oil sands projects.
The plan was similar to a deal the province signed last year with North West Upgrading and its partner, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd, in an planned upgrader project.
Ken Horn, Teedrum's president, said the company had a conditional deal with Alberta to secure the bitumen. But when it looked to win government approval for the supply, provincial energy minister Ted Morton refused to finalize the agreement.
Bart Johnson, a spokesman for Morton, said the minister declined support because insufficient engineering and development work had been done to demonstrate that the project was feasible.
"The proposal was considered and it was considered in great detail," Johnson said. "The minister was not satisfied that it was anything he could take forward ... The level of uncertainty surrounding it was extremely high. It would have required taxpayers to take on an unacceptable level of risk."
The project was supported by former premier Ed Stelmach, who retired last year and was replaced as head of the ruling Progressive Conservative party by Alison Redford, who then appointed Morton to the energy portfolio.
Lacking provincial support, the project's backers are now looking to either get the government to reconsider its decision or operate as an independent upgrader without an assured supply of feedstock, perhaps with foreign backers.
"We've formed some really good relationships in China and India and currently our liaison is over there trying to see if there is any interest," Horn said. "But it would just be great to see Alberta participate somehow."
Yes, it would be good to have more upgrading capacity here in AB. But there is surplus capacity in the US so it's just more economical to send it south.
Here is the latest upgrader to get the boot;
Alberta declines support for aboriginal oil upgrader - Yahoo! News
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Alberta's government declined support for a C$6.6 billion ($6.6 billion) oil sands upgrader proposed by a company backed by provincial aboriginal groups, likely putting the project's future in doubt unless backers can secure foreign funds.
Privately held Teedrum Inc and a number of Alberta aboriginal groups had been looking to develop the Alberta First Nations Energy Centre, an upgrader that would process 125,000 barrels per day of bitumen from the tar sands into synthetic crude oil, diesel, jet fuel and other products.
Northern Alberta's oil sands are the world's third largest crude reserve. Output from the region is set to nearly double to 3 million barrels a day by 2020 Suncor Energy Inc, France's Total SA, PetroChina and others expand their operations.
While most oil sands operators have policies in place to hire natives and utilize First Nations-owned businesses, the upgrader would be the first directly owned by aboriginals. It could bring million of dollars in profits to small communities that often lack economic opportunities.
The developers sought to process 93,000 barrels a day of bitumen the Alberta government will receive in lieu of royalties from oil sands projects.
The plan was similar to a deal the province signed last year with North West Upgrading and its partner, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd, in an planned upgrader project.
Ken Horn, Teedrum's president, said the company had a conditional deal with Alberta to secure the bitumen. But when it looked to win government approval for the supply, provincial energy minister Ted Morton refused to finalize the agreement.
Bart Johnson, a spokesman for Morton, said the minister declined support because insufficient engineering and development work had been done to demonstrate that the project was feasible.
"The proposal was considered and it was considered in great detail," Johnson said. "The minister was not satisfied that it was anything he could take forward ... The level of uncertainty surrounding it was extremely high. It would have required taxpayers to take on an unacceptable level of risk."
The project was supported by former premier Ed Stelmach, who retired last year and was replaced as head of the ruling Progressive Conservative party by Alison Redford, who then appointed Morton to the energy portfolio.
Lacking provincial support, the project's backers are now looking to either get the government to reconsider its decision or operate as an independent upgrader without an assured supply of feedstock, perhaps with foreign backers.
"We've formed some really good relationships in China and India and currently our liaison is over there trying to see if there is any interest," Horn said. "But it would just be great to see Alberta participate somehow."
I certainly do agree that random cutting is a bad idea, so when the government says it intends to reduce spendingbut does not know where, that is concerning. He should have had some clear ideas of what specifically during the election. I have plenty of ideas of areas where I'd cut funding, and also know reasons for it, but would not propose random cutting by any stretch.
So would you propose cutting funding for indigenous education when already their schools are underfunded, for example, or would you rather cut spending on official languages, where French is just as pointless in federal offices in Calgary as English in Paie St. Paul?
Clearly we need the wisdom to know where to cut, and not just randomly at the toss of a dice.
You're applying the term bureaucracy too broadly for it to have any meaningful significance.
Let's not make the same mistake as Republicans, where we ramp up the rhetoric as some party slogan without actually knowing what the hell we're talking about.
The economy of Ontario was built on the 'branch plant' concept, where all the US manufacturers of everything from washing machines to cars and trucks had to have a plant in Canada, so they were mostly built in Southern Ontario to be close to markets and head office.
Now those days are gone, and it's not the fault of Alberta.
We? I know what the hell I'm talking about. What's taking you so long to catch on?
Re: Ontario Blames the Oil Sands for their Incompetance
Perhaps picking the right audience would help, if NAFTA is supposed to come up with a super hi-way going south then Ontario has all of Central and South America to compete for with an advantage over the nations overseas. I would suggest an cheap igloo type structure that everyone in Haita could afford and make that a show place for Canad's warehouse of good they can afford. Make it more than they have and they will spend that with china buying what maybe the equivalent to shiny beads in the fur-trading, once a crook always a crook.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtJki5fdp-8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE8DZQjBb3k&feature=related
Using our technology we may even be able to export asbestos as a finished product in the form of sealed panels that weigh just a few pounds yet have an R value of 40 and strong enough to be buried and driven over by machinery. What comes after shelter, food, better yet the machines to properly cultivate the field so one self powered 'plough/planter/harvester' does the work of what used to take 1,000 2 weeks to do. Those people sit around surfing the shopping channel set up free of charge by Ontario Tourism where the employees automatically become a voting shareholder in major company decisions.
Europe isn't getting rich anytime soon, she is the great grandparent of modern society. Time for a pasture where she can retire in modest comfort, that is North America's state also, a twofer if you will. Retirement with grace or intentional annihilation at our own hands, the choice is ours.
All we have to do is open up a line of credit for them that 'assures' they would prefer to buy our higher quality good at a slightly higher price over what is being offered from overseas. Once shelter is done the companies change to a different product geared toward a situation similar to the old TV show the Beverly Hillbillies with a difference, the people stay where they are and the modern conviences come to them at a price that is very affordable and the longivity makes all product part of the 'heirloom series' that comes with all taxes ever levied as being paid when the product was first purchased. That comes under the rule that customers should not be charged extra for taking good care of a product .
If crude is all we will be allowed to export then we better get used to 50% and higher unemployment. Minimal wage is better than famine and death. Weather is a bigger enemy for us than any foreign army. If some tropical Nations start stocking up on winter warfare equipment then we might want to watch them closely, other than that who want to steal a block of ice.
Perhaps picking the right audience would help, if NAFTA is supposed to come up with a super hi-way going south then Ontario has all of Central and South America to compete for with an advantage over the nations overseas. I would suggest an cheap igloo type structure that everyone in Haita could afford and make that a show place for Canad's warehouse of good they can afford. Make it more than they have and they will spend that with china buying what maybe the equivalent to shiny beads in the fur-trading, once a crook always a crook.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtJki5fdp-8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE8DZQjBb3k&feature=related
Using our technology we may even be able to export asbestos as a finished product in the form of sealed panels that weigh just a few pounds yet have an R value of 40 and strong enough to be buried and driven over by machinery. What comes after shelter, food, better yet the machines to properly cultivate the field so one self powered 'plough/planter/harvester' does the work of what used to take 1,000 2 weeks to do. Those people sit around surfing the shopping channel set up free of charge by Ontario Tourism where the employees automatically become a voting shareholder in major company decisions.
Europe isn't getting rich anytime soon, she is the great grandparent of modern society. Time for a pasture where she can retire in modest comfort, that is North America's state also, a twofer if you will. Retirement with grace or intentional annihilation at our own hands, the choice is ours.
All we have to do is open up a line of credit for them that 'assures' they would prefer to buy our higher quality good at a slightly higher price over what is being offered from overseas. Once shelter is done the companies change to a different product geared toward a situation similar to the old TV show the Beverly Hillbillies with a difference, the people stay where they are and the modern conviences come to them at a price that is very affordable and the longivity makes all product part of the 'heirloom series' that comes with all taxes ever levied as being paid when the product was first purchased. That comes under the rule that customers should not be charged extra for taking good care of a product .
If crude is all we will be allowed to export then we better get used to 50% and higher unemployment. Minimal wage is better than famine and death. Weather is a bigger enemy for us than any foreign army. If some tropical Nations start stocking up on winter warfare equipment then we might want to watch them closely, other than that who want to steal a block of ice.
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McGuinty blames the dog for eating his province
Dalton...:lol:
It’s human nature to want to avoid admitting mistakes, and the bigger the mistake, presumably, the bigger the temptation to escape the blame.
Far easier to blame someone or something else, preferably some force beyond one’s control. I couldn’t do my homework because the dog ate my notes; sorry I missed the deadline but there’s a traffic jam on the highway; I remembered your birthday but the package didn’t arrive in time; I wouldn’t have ruined the economy but the dollar is too high.
That last humdinger was offered Monday by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty in a bid to slough off responsibility for the economic mess now confronting the province he has led for the past eight years. Politely invited by Alberta’s Premier Alison Redford to lend support to her province’s effort to defend its oil industry — which has been a key reason Canada has avoided recession — Mr. McGuinty responded with a churlish refusal. Instead he sought to explain away Ontario’s slow slide into debt and deficit as the result of a stronger currency.
more
Dalton McGuinty blames Albert for the economic decline of Ontario | Policy | Full Comment | National Post
Dalton...:lol:
It’s human nature to want to avoid admitting mistakes, and the bigger the mistake, presumably, the bigger the temptation to escape the blame.
Far easier to blame someone or something else, preferably some force beyond one’s control. I couldn’t do my homework because the dog ate my notes; sorry I missed the deadline but there’s a traffic jam on the highway; I remembered your birthday but the package didn’t arrive in time; I wouldn’t have ruined the economy but the dollar is too high.
That last humdinger was offered Monday by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty in a bid to slough off responsibility for the economic mess now confronting the province he has led for the past eight years. Politely invited by Alberta’s Premier Alison Redford to lend support to her province’s effort to defend its oil industry — which has been a key reason Canada has avoided recession — Mr. McGuinty responded with a churlish refusal. Instead he sought to explain away Ontario’s slow slide into debt and deficit as the result of a stronger currency.
more
Dalton McGuinty blames Albert for the economic decline of Ontario | Policy | Full Comment | National Post
Re: McGuinty blames the dog for eating his province
We already have 2 threads on this.
You and Durry need to learn how to scroll.
We already have 2 threads on this.
You and Durry need to learn how to scroll.
Re: McGuinty blames the dog for eating his province
I like the direction that this thread is going... I say we keep it
I like the direction that this thread is going... I say we keep it