Thanks all for sharing backgrounds..
Helps give one another foundations for perspective.
I'll throw a little out there for others to scrutinize from the Alberta perspective.
Admittedly, I can understand why there is little sympathy for Alberta as it has traditionally been a have province. That said, I think most Albertan's are surprised by the indifference we have received from the rest of Canada since the downturn as we have willingly contributed to sharing the wealth in the past.
There are several problems/challenges we have as Canadians. First, being one of the largest countries in the world, we have several different economies within our diverse regions...unfortunately, polarizing us.
In recent times, I honestly believe outside influence is very much trying to plant the seed of conflict from within..for the benefit of foreign interests. I do think that's why the Skunk Trump is now pulling the strings to the south..He doesn't have the social conscience to run a country...
As much as I live in Alberta, I believe my views are more liberal in nature..I love the fact that our country at least attempt to provide healthcare and education for all...I think many of us as Canadian's take pride in that..
The problem now is that lines are fuzzy..when it comes to issue are they political, regional, social? and guys like the Ford brothers skew voters so priorities are conflicting.
Some people think Albertans are die hard Trump like conservatives, when in actual fact many have very liberal views as well, but merely vote Conservative in an effort to have a federal voice.
We talk about a unified Canada, yet the political scene has been so volatile and divisive we have seen regions swing violently both left and right..Heck..the past 4 years Alberta voted in an NDP government!?..First in over 30 years!! and in that time, the NDP managed to run Alberta into debt over $70 billion more(guessing quadrupling our debt)..with a population of 3.7 million..How are we going to pay for that?!! Like giving an irresponsible teenager a credit card..I live in an upper middle value house and just my property taxes are now over $6500/yr ..Its crazy!...
.Albertan's vote for conservatism in the province is more about fiscal responsibility than anything...on federal level, my guess is Sheer is done..and rightfully so..Religion and
Politics dont mix..
Now back to unity...Our country, at this point, is not and has not acted for the betterment of "All" for a long time..We all hope to act as a collective, but squabbled like fighting siblings. We all have our strengths and contributions..BC foresty, fishing mining, manufacturing, it vital access to the sea, Alberta energy, Sask and Manitoba energy and agriculture, Ontarion manufacturimg..you get my point.
Now we are not operating as a team "Canada"...with divergent views and economies...political leader have made this exponentially worse. and the problem is dynamic..domino effect as one industry impacts another..The fact, that oil on the prairies is now having to move by rail car to the coast, which is less environmentally friendly..not to mention more risky, means that the decision to halt pipeline bottle-necks industries in Saskatchewan and Manitoba who require rail capacity presently being occupied by oil...Are the protests based on logic, malicious, political or something else?Canada produces some of the cleanest fuel in the world. Our evolving carbon capture technology pioneered out here give us the opportunity to help the world..creating Calcium Carbonates and other alternatives...
We have 37 million people in Canada, less than 1/2 of 1 percent of the worlds pop...Canadians are not the ones burning it all! If we can get energy out of the ground in the most environmental manner..doesn't that help everyone? By displacing other counteies who dont care?
Let talk about the pipeline..It already exists..The plan is merely to add a second line directly beside (twin it) to minimize the environmental impact..This has been an issue with BC, part of which I most certainly understand as it comes in the Burnaby inlet...Why were the powers that be not able to find a better option for British Columbian's that did not run through their back yard? and now we scramble and fight..BC's other primary source of fuel comes from Cherry Point Washington..and that oil is supplied tanked down the entire coastline of BC from Alaska..Can someone please help me understand the preference?
When we talk unity, were all discussimg sharing the wealth...Since 1957, when transfers payments were introduced, Quebec has received approximately 51% of these TOTAL redistributed funds..(less than 25% of the people collecting over half the money.)..Much of that as we all agree came from Canada's energy...They have no problem accepting this money from energy..Yet now that we need to expand to new markets they are not willing to help..Unity?.Yet they still have their hands out ..Alberta energy contributes about $20 Billion a year to federal coffers..Quebec collects a net positive of approx $11 Billion..Alberta zero...Quebec students were even asking for free post secondary education! How does this feel equal?
People in Alberta are upset, because, while the rest of Canada touts unity Albertans are left wondering where the cavalry is now that our livelihood is in the tank..Weve lost over 100,000 jobs in the past 4-5 years in energy..Yet, when SNC and its skunky dealings talks of losing but a tiny fraction if that number the federal government comes running..people losing there homes here, suicides have sky rocketed..and the rest of Canada continues to ask What have you done for me lately?
just some thoughts..
Toad
P.S. Alberta does not set its prices, as some speculate, International supply and demand dictates that...proof..If it did, it would still be changing $140/barrel...