One of the country’s largest wind farms is built near my place on Lake Erie. Crack assembly crews from Atlantic Canada are nearing completion of phase two of the project, which extends for about 30 kilometres along the north shore of the lake. I can see a couple of the new windmills in the distance from my porch now. When you drive the back roads among them, they’re absolutely stunning in their beauty, and in the juxtaposition with ramshackle old tobacco drying houses, muddy corn fields and Victorian-era farm houses at their base.
Those gigantic structures, turning silently and throwing shadows across almost a kilometre of landscape, fill me with hope that we can actually find ways of powering our complex and wasteful lives, without destroying the beauty around us. And, in that, they provide the starkest of contrasts with what’s going on in the north of Alberta.
On Wednesday, shortly after the Canadian government laughed in the face of a scientific report calling on this country to get serious about carbon emissions, one of the largest US environmental groups launched a new attack on oil sands oil. It’s the latest in a growing movement against what many people see as the worst possible way to secure dwindling fossil fuels to power our economy. The Natural Resources Defence Council has targeted airlines, including Air Canada, decrying their use of jet fuel which is 15% comprised of oil from the growing wasteland outside of Fort McMurray.
In case you were unaware, about 100,000 acres of northern Albertan boreal forest have been clear-cut, the ground scraped, open pit mines established and refineries built so over a million barrels of oil a day can be extracted. To get that oil out of gooey sands requires large quantities of natural gas and billions of litres of water from the Athabaska River. Actually, to get one barrel of oil takes more energy than the oil actually delivers, plus about four barrels of water. Much of that water has ended up in giant, toxic, man-made lakes which will not be clear for perhaps a generation. The oil companies maintain sound cannons to perpetually scare off wild birds, lest they land and become contaminated.
To produce a barrel of oil sands oil releases about twice the environmental toxins compared to producing conventional oil, and this area is now the largest emitter of greenhouses gases in Canada. The oil sands furnish more than 5% of the energy needs of the United Sates, and production is forecast to triple within seven years and double again in another five. The entire area to be dug up, I am told, could eventually equal the size of Florida.
This is the industry Stephen Harper is protecting with his reluctance to consider establishing a price for the industrial emission of carbon. Fear of imposing a tax on carbon pumped into the atmosphere, to modify behaviour, find better technologies and just save the planet, has most politicians running for the exits. The oil industry is an engine of economic growth right now, and its power is stunning. Tens of billions of dollars are being invested in the region in the expectation that hundreds of billions will come out.
This is considered to be the most difficult oil in the world to get at. But with crude fetching close to $100 a barrel, it is wildly profitable. The environmentalists oppose the pollution, the toxicity, the destroyed natural habitat, the deforestation, the irreversible damage to the river, the cancers in the First Nations people living close by and, of course, the contribution to greenhouse gases which are hastening a climate change nightmare.
They’re asking asking airlines not to contribute to the problem, by rejecting this source of dirty oil. I don’t know what the companies’ response will be. But I do know my government refuses to act.
I’m not proud of that. Are you, Mr. Harper?
130 comments ↓
Garth – have you personally visited the tar sands? Your description defies reality. Perhaps before you speak out you should know what you are talking about and not just take your talking points from radical environmentalists.
Of course, you could balance the entire issue with true stories on the reclamation of the land after the mining has been completed. Fabulous pristine new forests and prairies.
As an Albertan I am really getting sick and tired of having to defend our viable and important industries. Get both sides of the story before you publish biased diatribes like this one.
Please correct my errors. — Garth
I really wonder what will cause us to get out of our cars and try to live a life that has next to no environmental impact. Since there are taxes in gas and such to pay for roads maybe there should be tax cuts provided on how little one travels to get to work and back, or have some sort of way to check which mode of transportation one takes to get to work and back and tax accordingly. Most likely far too complicated. While we complain about the price of a litre of fuel we still manage to reward oil companies with record profits.
I ride my bike to work from spring to fall, but I choose to drive in the unpredictable winter months. It is far too dangerous to ride in the dark winter as drivers have a hard time seeing me even with reflectors and flashing lights. For my efforts of trying to be more environmental besides my own health benefit, I am rewarded with nothing by any level of government. I pay the same health care premium as an overweight smoker, I pay the same taxes as someone utilizing far more road that tax dollars pay for. I get chastised by other cyclists when they lobby for more bike lanes, while I suggest we chip in with a licensing system with insurance for cyclists where we can all help pay for the needed infrastructure. This is not just a federal responsibility but requires all levels of government, mainly municipal to have more responsibility in how citizens can live a cleaner life and somehow be rewarded for such.
Thanks KPN; Leasa
If I may… Leasa, thanks a lot for showing that many of us have concerns outside partisanship. Maybe, with a common cause, we who care can truly unite Canada again. I hope so.
As an aside, today I went out to buy new boots. I searched for Canadian made, and could not find some other than the ubiquitous “Sorels”… but that is not what I wanted. Times have been hard, and I need new shoes to visit potential clients, so something more dressy is called for.
After visiting a couple of large malls… ALL I COULD FIND WAS BOOTS FROM CHINA!!! As I had to watch my budget, I got a nice pair for 70% off – from China. I gagged and paid for them.
My muse? So many folks can no longer afford to support Canadian goods and are FORCED to buy cheaper imports, which sends our money overseas instead of within our “community”.
Something is wrong here.
I make every effort to buy my produce locally grown. I prefer my meat from local butchers rather than chains who import a lot. I try and change my diet according to seasonal produce locally grown. However, rarely do I see “country of origin” shown on supermarket shelves.
It has been said, that a recent think tank report stated the AVERAGE meal consumed in Canada travels 1500 miles. Think of the oil products consumed to perform this impressive feat of logistics.
Why should it be so difficult for a citizen of Canada, like me, to spend my money on my neighbour’s goods? What ever happened to government sponsored ad campaigns to “Buy Canadian”? How can our government support our own country and economy, when all we hear about is improving trade with other countries, tainted with partisan issues?
Things must change, for our progeny, our communities, our regions and our country. As long as more effort is put into globalization without the same effort being put into our domestic producers, things will only get worse.
We must do something…
I WANT MY CANADA BACK!!! This has very little to do with our present government, however, someone has to say… ENOUGH!!!! If they are not willing, they will not get my support.
“Maybe I will continue to vote Rhino”…
If Calgary was downstream of Fort MacMurray – the development of the oilsands would have been done differently – still developed mind you. For one thing, the in-situ liquifaction method being used for the new leases would have been put to work sooner.
Has anybody taken a look at the cancer rates in Fort Chipewyan and Fort Smith? Those communities are getting a double whammy – not only the dirt from Fort Mac, but also the residue of the uranium mining at Uranium City. Eventually, all this stuff gets into the Mackenzie River and then into the food chain in the Beaufort Sea. Ask yourself who lives downstream and connect the dots – whether it is inadvertent or deliberate – either way it is slow genocide.
Garth
You do know that Dion and David McGuinty have both said that the Liberals don’t support a carbon tax, right?
Note:
Dion is the Leader of the Liberals in Parliament.
David McGuinty is the Official Opposition Critic for the Environment.
Being on the same page with them on the matter might be good.
Recently, I was quite surprised to see wind turbines and converters in a prominent display in my local Canadian Tire!!
Wow!
Maybe there Is hope…
Hmmm… great for my rustic no service cottage… now all I need is a flush toilet! (with septic of course)
Our current government has made me feel a little ashamed of being Canadian, and that is unforgivable. Piss on you Mr. Harper and all the cowardly Conservatives that are afraid of the consequences of speaking out against his destructive path.
Go ahead, Garth, pee on the oil sands; everybody else has. Then you can pee on the cattle ranchers for raising flatulent cows; pee on the forester for cutting down the trees; pee on the wheat farmer because his chaf is blowing in the wind and then go have a Newfie shower(Pissing in the wind in case you don’t know). Canada produces 2% of world GHG…the solution to abatement is sequestering; the methods require some creative thinking, investment and political will…there are plenty of workable ideas floating around to start with.. Let’s show the world how it CAN(ada) be done and, perhaps, create a few jobs in the process. Better than power hungry politicians beating the crap out of the economy and accomplishing nothing.
I’m all for solutions. So, where do we start? — Garth
Gonna fill your loyal lackey’s in on where the biggest wind farms in Canada are ?
Getting the Liberals to actually support the carbon tax? As a memeber of the Liberal caucus you should be in a good position to advocate for it.
I saw a newsclip of French farmers some time ago who had had those new windmills imposed on their land. (There are a lot of them in France). These farmers were very unhappy, even bitter… it seemed that what they had been told had turned out not to be true. I saw this some time ago, and so forget many of the details… just the main point, that the farmers were upset. One thing, they had been told they were quiet, but the farmers said the windmills were very noisy. Kip
Garth,
All that I can say is thank goodness you are a federal politician in Ontario. In that way you can never get your grubby hands on what is a resource of Albertans.
We (Albertans) hold 15% of the world’s proven reserves (second only to Saudi Arabia).
Currently almost 400 Megawatts of electricity is wind generated in the province (almost 5% of the electricity generation for the province) with much more coming online.
Alberta is the only jurisdiction (province or territory) which has GHG legislation on the books and actually has a carbon tax in place ($15 per tonne – the money goes into a fund that is used to develop technologies to reduce GHG and other pollutants).
Garth, if you’d do a bit of research and at least get your story straight, then maybe your message wouldn’t get so easily trounced.
Like it or not, any attempt by eastern politicians of any stripe to try and remove anymore wealth from Alberta using any form will be met with resistance only, as well as ultimately the resurrection of the separation parties of Alberta.
In fact recently we have seen the amalgamation of 2 x further right parties in preparation for the upcoming provincial election. Stelmach’s threat isn’t from his left, but from his right.
Alberta politics has seen parties stay in power for about 30 year chunks before being unceremoniously thrown out, almost without warning by a further right (more conservative) party. The current PC’s have been in power for over 30 years andmany here are calling for a changing of the guard. One that Albertans want to see to ensure that when it comes time to defend Albertans’ interests there will be a politician/premier in place who will tell those from elsewhere to pee-off.
Unlike Quebeckers, when it gets to the point, Albertans won’t bluff on the separation thing. They will just go. They can afford to go. They have plans to turn Alberta into an economy that will thrive once oil becomes a thing of the past. In fact a little birdie is telling me that the next big change in Alberta is an Alberta Pension Plan and a big reduction in an already low income tax rate. The Alberta Alliance/Wild Rose Party is even talking about bringing in an annual program (like Alaska’s) where every year every Albertan (man, woman and child) receives a cheque as a reflection of the fact that Alberta’s resources are to benefit Albertans.
Funny I heard a suggestion on the radio today on a show from Calgary that a Carbon-use tax should be applied to all consumption outlets (meaning things like gas, heating oil,electrical bills, etc) because Canadians are so supportive of the GHG thing and would gladly pay more to help fund the technologies needed to reduce GHG.
Of course since American’s buy their oil on the world market, the tax wouldn’t be applied to them (since they aren’t signatories to Kyoto). I thought it was a great idea (of course just like the natural gas rebates we currently get, Albertans would expect a carbon rebate as well).
So don’t worry Garth. Things here in Alberta are going very nicely. Winter is in full swing (the skiing is outstanding). We will soon be electing another conservative government. Things remain right in the world (as the saying goes).
Ed the Hun
Alberta is the first province to have already started cap and trade on industrial emmisions for starters. This began last July. Not just for plant food (carbon dioxide) but for a long list of real pollutants. The caps are based on regional emmisions and the limits are now the most stringent in the world. Alberta also has HUGE wind farms, Garth, where this IS wind which is in the south. In fact, ALL of Calgary’s civic services, LRT and municipal buildings are now powered by green wind energy. Calgary was ranked the Number ONE city in the world for sustainable development and environmental standards. Edmonton was not assessed in the study but this city is equally ahead of the pack. Our recycling program is the most extensive in Canada and we will soon also have 80,000 homes provided with power from the landfill.
So, instead of lambasting my province how’s about giving credit where it is due. You live in Ontario where SMOG is killing people from dirty air. I have never seen a smog day in Edmonton in my whole life except for when there is a forest fire somewhere up north and the winds blow in the smoke.
So p0lease don’t judge your fellow Canadians and provinces by your own biases or misconceptions. We, in Alberta, are already way ahead of the grid on protecting our environment.
Garth…shouldn’t you start by criticizing your own leader?
How ironic that a former “Director of the Sierra Club” like yourself would be caught dead with the party who holds the worst record on the environment……and you speak of credibility and integrity….pleeeeese!
I’m all for solutions. So, where do we start? — Garth
The best way to solve this problem is with a progressive carbon tax. Start it out small $25/ton say, but with a defined and aggressive growth like compound 25% increase every year.
Ensure that all monies paid into carbon taxes go directly towards the problem and not into general revenue.
So, where do we start? — Garth
Okay, I’ll play…
1) Govern all big trucks at 80 km per hour like they do in Holland and other European countries. Saves lives AND the GHG emissions are much lower. Even in an econo-car, the heavier the foot, the more fuel you burn.
2) Start in Ontario by changing laws to regulate wrecking yards and put some enviro-standards in place. (we can think about the fresh water supply as well, right?)
3) Speaking of water…fine any company or municipality that allows sewerage to spill into our water system…make it real: one million dollars.
4) Put the damn trains back! That was a stupid, stupid move to remove them.
5) Support farmers in producing their own on farm ethanol and converting over to ethanol.
That’s a start. I’m dog tired. Take care. Leasa
P.S. Those tobacco drying houses are called ‘kilns’.
Hello Green Party! Join in and have a future folks!
Environmentalists attack airlines over oil sands fuel
One of the largest environmental groups in the United States wants to ground the growing use by American and Canadian airlines of fuel derived from Alberta’s oilsands.
I have never been ‘proud’ of Stephen Harper’s whoredom to the AOS…nerver will!
I worked in Fort McMurray and the oil sands for five months last year. I agree with the environmental assessment you have written. Yes there is some replanting and reclamation of mined out areas. The rate of mining is increasing at rates that far outstrip any efforts to reclaim. Water levels are at critical levels in the local communities and is one of the issues in housing development for the area. During the summer there is constantly a smell of petroleum products in the air. The levels of industrial pollution and waste I witnessed reminds me of pulp mills in B.C. during the 1970’s. Alberta at least in Fort McMurray felt more like living in the United States with its love of drug testing than being in most Canadian cites. Enough lets find solutions and use carbon or fuel taxes to do it.
Great post Garth but you are wrong on one point. Having lived in Whitehorse the last 15 years I am a little bit knowlegable of what our environment can handle. The toxic waste from the oilsands will not last just a generation but will be there FOREVER!!!! All water up here flows north into the arctic ocean most of it over permafrost so the only way of getting rid of it will be to flush it out into that ocean. Ten percent of the water used now is ending up there now by Aberta law. Here is a good question, if this water is so safe as most Albertans claim then why don’t the companies re-use it instead of drying up all the local water sources? By the way thanks for correcting my knowlege because I was unaware that Canada used any of this oil a all.
To get a sense of the size and scope of the operations at the Canadian Oil Sands, use Google Earth. The operations and the tailing lake are clearly visble to be seen from space
At the current level of production the oil sands requires 4% of Canada’s total domestic natural gas production. By 2015 if the oil sands daily production does increase to 3 million barrels per day, then it will require more than 12% of Canadian’s total natural gas production. But by 2015 natural gas production in Canada will be in steep decline, so this percentage will be a lot higher.
In other words we will be using a significant amount of resources to generate and produce oil from the Canadian Oil Sands
Garth, you know I support you but Lorraine has a point. I’m all for renewables and love the windmills they’re putting up in southern Alberta too, but either we’re subjected to way more propoganda in Calgary here and hiding the truth or your dark view of the oil sands is over the top.
I’m sure someone would love to give you a tour of the oil sands. I bet Ft. Mac citizens would love to meet an eastern MP too. Go visit, it can only help your perspective. I should probably find a chance to pop up there too.
By Lorraine on 01.09.08 9:13 pm
Lorraine you need to take your own advise.
As a fellow Albertan I too am sick and tired of people like you who blindly follow and believe everything they are told about the oil sands restoring the pristine forests. As a community advocate for a couple of First Nations Communities in the Ft. Mac area I was privy to the empty promises of restoration and reclamation made by the operators of Muskeg River and Kearl. Facts that they stated in their EUB submission was that they had no ability to restore the original natural habitat of plants and rare medicinal herbs. They could only plant grass and poplar trees and maybe import some more bison.
Under their current proposal all the Oil Sands operators will drain the Athabasca river to a level that will kill the fish habitat and destroy the down stream Athabasca Delta.Dr Donahue from the Uof C has an excellent presentation on the effects of climate change and development as it impacts the Alberta aquafer and the major river system in NE Alberta.
Thank goodness their is now some movement by the Alberta Government to intervene and provide a regulatory framework on water usage to ensure the long term sustainability of the environment in the Regional MD of Wood Buffalo(Ft Mac Murray).
It’s not too late for you Lorraine if you stop drinking the sheeple koolaid now you can still stand up for saving some of the pristine forest for your grandkids?
Never mind oil sands, here in the Okanagan Valley we may well have prime seafront property soon! Mag. 6.4 quake just off Oregon.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Maps/10/235_45.php
Mr Garth TurnerMP,
FYI: anyone that care about exposuring the public and your family to toxic smoke.
Why are we even still thinking about building garbage incinerators?
Durhan, York politicans eying garbage incinerators.
http://www.torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/01/09/4760212-sun.html
All incineration make toxic waste that gets into the air we all breath, the water we all drink, and the soil we grow our food.
They don’t even measure for the ‘nano’ size toxic particals that go up the smoke stacks. The ash need to be put into special land fills for toxic waste.
I forgot they add it to concert and magically they stop calling it toxic waste.
For more info. on why incinerator should be a none started. From a toxicolgist that has studied the lated technologies.
3 parts, about 26min long total.
Tell your friends, and the politicans.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB5iOtxlpCs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNLQ359ex-U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYbkVIjR59M&mode=related&search=
And burning garbage releases GHG, and waste energy that you used to make the stuff in the first place. More recycling is the better way.
Maybe Rhino? – I too am making an effort to buy local whenever I can, but the stores don’t make it easy. Yesterday I was so happy to see ‘Product of Canada’ hothouse peppers at the Supercentre that I bought them even though they were in a four-pack and I really didn’t need four.
After I got them home I spotted the little stickers on them that said, ‘Product of Mexico’! It turns out they were only packaged in Canada.
Sigh.
I suppose there’s cause for hope in the fact that once peak oil really starts to hit, nobody will be able to afford to ship produce from Mexico or South Africa or China.
Here’s to the 100 Mile Diet!
And Michael and Lorraine – what possible excuse can you have for defending the environmental insanity that is the Alberta oil sands? I’d hate to think that you could be motivated by some sort of… I dunno… financial interest in the Alberta oil industry? Hmm?
Mr Garth TurnerMP,
Internet cencorship: As bad as you thought it was.
Maybe a bit worse actually.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/nov07/5667
What if any protections are there for Canadians from these kinds of abuses?
Is anyone monitoring ‘blocked access’ to web sites of political opposition movements or parties in Canada?
Mr Garth TurnerMP,
Rigged USA elections exposed. 12min.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEzY2tnwExs&1
Lets all make sure all our votes are on paper, and help make sure the votes are all counted by your fellow human beings.
Not counted by a machine!
Lets poke around and discuss the ugly colors and ooze seeping from this ugly wound just a little bit more before we get to the solutions… its worth it.
As Lorraine suggests, there is mining reclaimation. To her, I say, prove it. Google earth tells another story. As it is, the tarsands are fast producing the largest tailings ponds in the world and there is no answer with what to do with the waste. The fresh water diverted from the Athabaskan river is becoming a trickle and they want to double consumption? People need to know what this means in terms of fresh water consumption and contamination. The fresh water consumed by the tarsands is already enough to supply water for 2 million people. As it stands, there is more C02 being emitted by the production of the tarsands then the rest of Canada combined. It is, quiet simply, Canada’s dirty little secret and theres only one way to deal with it now. Put a cap on its development. Don’t increase the production, or we will have serious environmental impacts with water supply and quality, excessive CO2 emmissions, and the problems associated with Greed itself (runaway real estate valuations, high inflation, etc.)
We know that with peak oil, wasteful consumption and growing populations worldwide along with nations like China and India industrializing, that something has to give. An empirical driven war for Iraqi and Iranian oil won’t help. So what will? What are the solutions?
- We can stop deforestation by using building materials that are found onsite reducing the energy used in shipping and manufacturing. ADOBE homes. Homes built simply with sub soils compressed with hydraulics on site. These homes will outlast wooden homes, are cheaper to build, and an energy saver like no other considering the alternative resources to build and energy consumption related.
- We can introduce energy efficiency measures to save on electricity in every way imaginable by focusing on efficiency in appliances, lighting and the use of timers for heating car block heaters, christmas lights, the works. Its the little things, folks. Its top down with government policy sure, but its also bottom up. We as individuals simply must do our share.
- We need government policy that introduces one of two things. A crown corporation that competes where private industry cannot in two area’s. Mass geothermal, and solar refractive light. The drawback to this, of course, is that with the FTA agreement Mulroney introduced in the 80’s, crown corps cannot be started without economical penalties. I say do it anyways. Pay the penalties. Its not just Canada that needs this technology, but the world. Some things simply aren’t about the money but rather, the result.
- Further to a new NEP, we need to seriously look at subsidies for geothermal loops in the basements of all dwellings in this nation, along with the conversion of heat to water to air furnaces as opposed to so called energy efficient heat to air furnaces most homes use and we need to look at it now. Heat to water to air is by far, more efficient. Its a shame that consumers aren’t made aware of the massive savings by doing so.
- We need to introduce tech that allows the private generation of electricity of hydro for residential needs across this nation and we need it now.
- We need to demand greater energy efficiency in cars and trucks, mandating a 35 mile to the gallon average from manufacturers, or we won’t allow the imports of their autos and trucks. Immediately!!! The savings in healthcare alone…
- We need to look at a refractive light tech crown corp, as well as a geothermal crown with a plan to develope the tech and spin it off into the markets with a ten year plan. If mass scale pilots work with geothermal alone, the power generated across the pac rim alone will be enough to solve our electrical needs world wide and if enough juice can be generated, impliment a plan to have all transportation run on electricity.
- We need to harness energy in every way imaginable. In Newfoundland, exploit the tides with tidal generation. In the prairies, exploit the wind and sun. In the mountains, exploit the runoff, never mind dams. With solar, exploit it everywhere, but seriously look at refractive light above all other means. Its a cheap and hugely efficient form of heat with the heat source, it doesn’t take much imagination from there. Steam has made inroads with 40% efficiency. Exploit it!!!
- Where conventional energy is still viable, we need to further increase its efficiency. We are losing on average 2/3rds of the heat from loss in turbines, and a further two thirds of energy loss from the transport of raw power through power lines. Plants need to be moved or built as close to populations and electrical consumption as possible, as well as be revamped for much greater efficiency than they have now. As it is, we are losing close to 90% of the energy we produce with the conversion of heat to power and transportation of power itself. Folks, its a loser and it has to stop!!! WE NEED TO REGULATE FOR GREATER EFFICIENCY. PERIOD!!! Enough of this sorry assed waste. Its what takes nations down with the U.S. as a primary example. Its happening as we speak. Enough corporate brainwashing that money is in consumption. There’s money in efficiency, folks!!! Lets get with it!
- Insurance companies can do their share. Cheaper insurance with homes made of earth instead of wood. Cheaper car and truck insurance with viechles that have better mileage. We need government incentives to promote this to initially occur and if we can’t bribe insurance corps to do it, force them through legislation and have it priced in to offset any losses. (shouldn’t be hard for the commercial crowns that already exist) Pass wasteful consumption onto the consumer through insurance.
- We need to help our farmers through tax breaks or grants to help farmers devlope their own bio fuels on site. (thats a big one, folks, if there’s a gas or diesel crunch, people still need to eat!)
- We need to look at remote area’s like site C in BC for generating clean power through hydro for the manufacturing of Hydrogen. Canada is full of isolated area’s where hydrogen can be manufactured with electricity that can be created in abundance, but expensive to transport and thus, isn’t viable. Elevations need to seriously be looked at with this, as global warming is for real.
Have I missed anything? Yes! WE NEED TO DEMAND THIS FROM OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND MAKE IT A TOP ISSUE IN EVERY ELECTION TO COME AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. Its not just top down, but bottom up, folks. It starts with the consumer and always begins with a paradigm shift in awareness. Don’t ever forget it.
Lorne McCuaig
Revelstoke, BC
Mr Garth TurnerMP,
FYI Articals, energy related.
Electric Atmosphere at Electric Vehicle Symposium
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/dec07/5839
Synthetic Fuel From a Solar Collector
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jan08/5866
Suzuki’s prototype fuel-cell bike is clean and quiet but might rely on a nonexistent hydrogen supply.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jan08/5840
Phoenix Motorcars manufactures zero-emission, freeway-speed fleet vehicles.
http://www.phoenixmotorcars.com/
I think we need more Clean CANDU nuclear power and renewables to rechange all the new plug-in-vehicales that are coming. For more on CANDU’s
http://www.aecl.ca/
http://www.cna.ca/
More buildings and home heated and cooled with geothermal. More insulation required for buildings also.
More land locally in cities and near them to grow food. More fruit and nut trees planted in and around cities also.
02:12AM Thursday, January 10, 2008
Martha, wake up!
Wussup, Pyotr?
Martha … They’re comin’ at us outa the corn!
Who, Pyotr?
The thermal nuke-you-ler mutants, Martha … Thass who! Kin you see the guy? Not very tall, hardly as high as the corn? …
Well, Pyotr, I heard The Dubya talk about nuke-you-ler, but I don’t know where you get thermal.
Martha, fer the luvva, is he wearin’ winter underwear or not?
Yes, Pyotr, he is … an’ I see his behind hangin’ out in the wind.
Well Martha, don’t just stan’ there wit yer bare face hangin’ out … Git the shotgun!
AG says Lunn knew of reactor issues in September
Updated Thursday, January 10 2008 12:58 AM ET
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080109/nuclear_letter_080110/20080110?hub=TopStories
David Akin, CTV News
OTTAWA — The federal Auditor General informed Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn last September that the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratory housing the world’s most important medical isotope producer was a mess needing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to eliminate safety and security deficiencies.
The audit, quietly released last night on AECL’s Web site, four months after it was given to Lunn, concluded that AECL faces a “significant deficiency”that has put its ability to deliver on its corporate mandate at risk.
Can we get hold of PMSH right away?
We’re told by the PMO that he’s holding a caucus policy meeting …
http://www.thestar.com/images/assets/260401_4.JPG
And I missed a couple things… we can waddle our way to the store for the little things in our rural towns to burn off that corporate crap food stores sell us. We can take mass transit and if that doesn’t satisfy, try car pooling and if that doesn’t satisfy, try car pool rentals. It works! And we can try tax breaks for electric/gas hybrids and hydrogen driven cars.
Lets add something further on just how much propaganda Albertan’s have suffered from over the decades from oil corp controlled media, including the National Citizens Coalition massive spending on advertizing campaigns to promote foreign investment and court battles against federal governments, particlarly Liberal.
When Trudeau introduced the NEP, he introduced the NEP as Canadian ownership of Canada’s resources with the goal to own at 30% of our oil and gas with a goal 50% within 10 years. Where Trudeau went wrong, is with the sell of the idea itself. Trudeau didn’t promote Alberta ownership. He promoted Canadian ownership, which was spun as Eastern Canada owning western Canada’s resources by the bought media back in the day. Within the minds, it was so East vs. West, that they opened the door to the south owning most of it just in spite.
The result was a pitance for royalties and income taxation that went south. The feds lost huge with foreign ownership, as did the rest of Canada. Albertans don’t want to know the numbers. If they knew, and I mean really knew, it would shame them. And dare I say that we have a PM that was the president of this largest group of U.S. multinationals, the National Citizens Coalition that has spent billions (thats right, not mere millions but billions over close to 40 decades and its a matter of record. And what? Some of you don’t think this kind of lobbyist spending goes on in the courts? Nearly $200 million was spent by the NRA against the gun registry in this nation. Its a part of the wasteful 2 billion in registry spending, don’t cha know… and that was just on guns) on media, court battles and politicians to further their goal of owning us outright? And its not just the oil and gas. Its insurance. Medicare. Media. BANKS… and for that, they need a government that they can control who will privatize, deregulate and get rid of every crown, board and piece of legislation that stands in their way, including a united country. And you should all know their Canadian leader. Its Stephen Harper. Its a scandalous shame that less than 10% of eligable voters don’t know that Stephen Harper was president of the NCC for 5 years before becoming the Conservative party leader (some say, by theft).
Who was the main enemy of the feds in the 70’s? The early 80’s? The NCC. And they got their way in Alta, believe you me.
And since Albertans love their Conservative governments, they had Klein. Klein introduced a new royalty that went like this:
- all capital costs related to the development of oil and gas (tar sands) is non taxable. (Nice tax break! 10’s of billions worth of investment in development paid by oil revenue went untaxed!)
- once oil companies become profitable after capital costs, 25% of all profit would be claimed as a royalty. 25%!! That sounds like a lot of hay, don’t it… But the Cons had a plan to do away with this before it began and it went like this…
Once the money was spent to develop the tarsands and corps would actually have to declare profit, change the royalty scheme back to the old system of a fixed price per barrel in relation to its value sold and increase it by absurdly low 90’s levels of royalty taxation!
To give us an idea what this means (I know my math has been horrid lately, but bear with me, I’m going somewhere with this) it means that a barrel of oil that is produced at $15 dollars a barrel (I’m hearing its $13 to $14 on average) after capital costs will generate at $100 dollars a barrel U.S., gross profit of $85 dollars a barrel. Now… under the Klein scheme, this means that (where’s that trusty calculator) with oil at $100 a barrel and capital costs spent, that U.S. corporations would pay oil royalties of… lets see… 100 – 15 = 85 x .25 = $21.25 dollars a barrel. The average royalties paid in the 90’s was roughly floating between $2.50 and $3.50 a barrel. Lets say 3 bucks a barrel average. The current Alta government increases it by 20%, the oil and gas industry belly aches, the media spins, the voters are happy, and yet, there is a glaring loss at current commodity valuations of a whopping (lets see… $21.50 – $3.60 a barrel… $17.90 a barrel in lost royalties!!!!! Now to be fair, there is still capital investment expenditures on refineries that would reduce this $17.90 a barrel to say… $15 dollars a barrel? But the capital expenditures needed to build the refineries has been about 95% spent and completed. The costs of production is pretty much resourced extraction based from here on in.
Thing is, Ralph Klein used what is fast becoming a corporate model for metal royalties. The largest copper mine being built in Africa (Equinox corp mine in Zambia) has the same royalty taxation scheme for example. Alta’s premier Honest Ed came in and changed it. Personally, I don’t think Albertans could have found a more crooked politician in terms of royalties on oil. (makes me wonder how many directorships & share offerings Ed and Co. will get for their jobs well done after public life)
That, dear voters, is outright scandalous. Albertans should be living like Saudi’s. Instead, they are living like mere Albertans. For shame.
If there was an honest media around… but that’s big business… eh? And the NCC loves to honor your honors like honorable Ralph Klein… John Crosbie… Peter Mackays dad, Shrieber’s buddy there… Marjorie Breton (she makes a fine yes woman) Stephen Harper by far their honor number one… they had a roast for David Frum last year. David Frum is currently running Rudy Guliano’s campaign for the Presidency.
http://www.counterpunch.org/roesch05142007.html
http://www.hypocritae.com/?ART=82
Now there’s a real special guy. I’m sure they’ll have a nice dinner planned for Honest Ed in the coming years.
Tell me Lorraine… what do you think about all this? Your from Alta… familiar with honest Ed’s wonderful policies. Care to comment?
I’m all for solutions. So, where do we start? — Garth
By Michael on 01.09.08 9:44 pm
Well, stop driving vehicles (including motorcycles, sea-doos, and ski-doos) for pleasure.
Stop flying all over the world for vacations.
Stop flying all over the world to promote your movie or your cause (listening Al Gore?). Video conferencing will.
Stop buying oil based products, so you can have the “latest and greatest” (including your kids video games).
Questions for the Byron of Muldoon Inquiry:
When did he know, you knew, he knew, you knew?
Was it before 1993, during 1993, or in 1999 when he declared “the fees?”
Are you with the CRA?
Does Muldoon take us for fools?
http://forums.macleans.ca/advansis/?mod=for&act=dip&pid=94676&tid=94676&eid=63&so=1&ps=0&sb=1
Lorraine – I first visited Fort Mac in 1970, the last time was last summer – I love the Potemkin Villages that are shown off during the tour – the whole kit and kaboodle is an ecological disaster – don’t try to sugar coat it.
On the other hand, there are so many things that Alberta has been doing right for so long – I loved it when I lived in Edmonton (through the 80s boom and bust) and the city owned its electricity and telephone companies – the rates were so affordable.
BTW – have you noticed how many housing projects are sitting there half finished with nobody working on them? Its beginning to look like it did 25 years ago – didn’t a couple of banks fail that time?
One of the country’s largest wind farms is built near my place on Lake Erie. – Garth
Do you not live in Halton anymore? Or is this just one of your many houses?
A secondary residence. Not that it’s any of your business. — Garth
The INFAMOUS “Pallister Five” will soon be [sans] without Pallister.
Pallister leaving Hill
Pallister wants to prepare young and
old
Angela Brown—Portage Daily Graphic—Wednesday, January 9, 2008
http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/Top%20Stories/367196.html
Timing, as always is important. His departure will put him on the cusp of receiving a well-funded MP pension.
Let us NOT BE FOOLED. His conduct, as chair of the finance committee charged with examining “tax leakage” from income trusts, did more than block the normal committee process as an instrument of truth. He turned the committee into a LYING PROPAGANDA TOOL for the Harper regime.
I am extremely HOPEFUL he will be joined in his departure by Ablonczy, Del Mastro, Dykstra, Wallace and Judy Wasylycia-Leis, in the next election.
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/1439/levelingtheplayingfieldey6.gif
When a quid pro quo is not a quid pro quo
Gas prices offset with tax cuts: Clement
http://www.parrysound.com/press/1198512024/
Does that sound CORRECT to everyone? So, if the prices continue to escalate, and you find where you previously spent $20 to fill the tank on your small car, you are now paying $35, you can take comfort from Tony Clement’s words.
MP Tony Clement opposes gas rebate bill
http://www.parrysound.com/press/1199287778/
Tony Clement should be thanking the Canadian Taxpayers for permitting him to work his INCONSISTENCIES from one story to the next.
Nuclear watchdog accuses minister of meddling
In her letter to Mr. Lunn, she said she joined the public service in 1987 and “served all successive governments in a non-partisan fashion,” but comments to the contrary by Mr. Harper, Mr. Lunn, and Health Minister Tony Clement*** “have cast serious doubt on whether I could possibly receive a fair and impartial review of the events in question.”
Don Martin, a columnist who writes in the National Post thinks [HARPER] he’s too mean to get a majority. Mr. Martin writes that Mr. Harper is “far too angrily partisan and prone to bully-boy antics . . .”
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071219/isotope_reactor_071219/20071219?hub=QPeriod
CHALK RIVER, Ont. — Federal Health Minister Tony Clement*** is dismissing criticism of the Conservative government’s handling of the medical isotope crisis, insisting that he and his colleagues acted swiftly.
Clement says he and Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn moved as quickly as possible after they learned that the 50-year-old Chalk River nuclear reactor had been shut down for safety violations.
The reactor produces most of the world’s nuclear isotopes for medical treatment and its closure – after months of warnings from the country’s nuclear safety agency – created a worldwide shortage.
Clement suggested someone other than he and Lunn were to blame for the crisis and he vowed to thoroughly investigate what happened.
Er, [shush now] I heard, from an undisputedly reliable source, it’s all a CBC conspiracy intended to discredit the Scurvy, Scrofulous, and Scruffy Squirrels of the CPC. That source is very high up in the CPC and sometimes poses wearing a commissar’s cap, although he’s not too attentive to his personal toilette. He’s THE POLITICAL DIRECTOR.
Mommy … This is a really really big room. What’s an isotope? Do these people NOT KNOW of my good work on the SARS file in Ontario, where I was soooooo effective when I had to hire contract nurses at $1,000/day because nobody knew where all the nurses had gone? … I vaguely recall layoff notices being issued to 10,000 nurses with an attendant severance cost of $440 million, but I’m sure that had nothing to do with that problem. Then again, we had American hospitals running employment clinics in Toronto, so it was not all bad.
Tories on defence over Chalk River crisis
Federal Health Minister Tony Clement tried yesterday to limit the fallout from the medical isotope crisis, insisting that the Conservative government acted swiftly.
He made the comment amid fresh criticism — this time from the Tory-appointed ex-chair of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.
Michael Burns, who resigned before the isotope crisis became public, lashed out at the government’s handling of his resignation as “a clumsy piece of political opportunism.”
http://news.therecord.com/News/CanadaWorld/article/285052
http://corrigan.ca/oct26-03.htm
http://corrigan.ca/oct17-03.htm
Peter Van Loan, that scion of representation by population, has NEVER been willing to permit The Hon. Garth Turner’s questions about the economic downturn and subsequent job losses.
The latest word on Ontario’s bind
EDITORIAL—Globe&Mail—Mon. July 23, 2007
While Canadians savour the summer, the nation’s economic growth engine is sputtering. In a terse report released last week, the Institute for Policy Analysis at the University of Toronto summed up Ontario’s economic situation in three words: “Grim and Grimmer.” Unemployment is relatively high. Manufacturing jobs are disappearing faster than cold drinks at the lake. And that catchy headline says it all about growth prospects between 2007 and 2010. “Pessimistic as the tone of this memo is,” warn economists Steve Murphy and Peter Dungan, “we can easily see the near-term prospects for Ontario turning out worse, not better.”
Under, “We’ll talk when we’re ready to talk.”
Harper has relief plan for forestry workers
Joan Bryden—{CP}—Wed., January 9, 2008
http://www.thespec.com/article/306626#
I’m all for solutions. So, where do we start? — Garth
I’m with Marc, compensate cyclist and build more bike paths. How do we do this? Easy, make EVERY MP bike to work. In fact make every person who holds public office bike to work and then watch bike paths get built. Most cities have excellent bike paths already in place, they are called roads. Take a four-lane road and cut it down to two lanes with an extra bike lane (and barrier) on each side. Have it so there’s no sales tax on bikes or equipment associated with bikes (tubes, helmets, tires, etc…).
I never have to wait in traffic when I’m on my bike and I can’t wait for spring to resume.
A secondary residence. Not that it’s any of your business. — Garth
You are right. It is none of my business. I was just shocked that you have two residences and you did not take your own advice (see below).
To Jason I would say, simply, there is only one reasonable course of action, which is to list the house as soon as possible, hope a hungry buyer comes along, and pocket the seventy grand. Go and rent a similar home for (likely) a lower monthly cost, and wait for the inevitable winds to howl through. Odds are the house will be worth less in a year than it is now, and a seller’s market will have turned into the same buyer’s feast that currently exists to the south. – Garth
I don’t buy houses with 15% down, nor do I have the bulk of my net worth in real estate. Not that it’s any of your business. — Garth
I agree with you, Garth, the oil sands are an escalating environmental tragedy that will prove to be the worst Canada has already seen, if they’re not, already.
While it will take a few years, yet, before the full effect of the byproduct poisons being injected into the ground is understood, you can use Google Maps, now, to see the surface destruction for yourself…
http://tinyurl.com/2yn28v
Enjoy,
-R
Peter Van Loan has made the honour roll for those parliamentarians judged to be ineffectual, immature and uncooperative in the day-to-day conduct of urgent parliamentary matters.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/v5/images/newspaper/20071126/cartoon-600.png
BEWARE THE IDES OF FEBRUARY THE TOOTH—that’s the day Wiarton Willy’s CUZZ might see his shadow.
PETER VAN LOAN: For small-mindedness; the federal minister called Dalton McGuinty “the small man of Confederation” after the premier justifiably complained that Ontario would be shortchanged in a proposed federal seat redistribution. Toronto Star, December 31, 2007
Exeter plant’s future in doubt Wed. Jan.9, 2008
CanGro plans to sell or close the food processing operation.
JANE SIMS–SUN MEDIA–Wed Jan 9 2008
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2008/01/09/4759916-sun.html
Tarsands corps doing a dirty job of it.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/01/10/report-oil.html
The report itself is found here and in it is this clip, “Despite over 40 years of tarsands development, not a single hectare has been certified as reclaimed under government of Alberta guidelines.” Considering 5,000 square kilometres have been mined with as much as 100,000 kilometres being considered to develop (perhaps as much as 200,000 overall), this is no small issue.
Currently, there is fresh water being used to supply 2 cities with the population base the size of Calgary. Calgary currently has over a million people. People should take a good long look at this report if they believe oil corps are doing what they can in Northern Alta. Its a highly informative 72 page report that answers all the questions (of which Alta media has not been so truthful).
http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/OS-Undermining-Final.pdf
And getting back to Alta oil royalties, mining royalties at 25% of corporate profit is becoming a mining standard world wide. It should have applied to the tarsands and Honest Ed’s new royalty scheme that increases royalties by 20% of 90’s levels is costing Altbertans dearly in getting away from Ralph Kleins royalty plan. There’s only one way to look at it.
They were misled by their government just as corporate profits are becoming massive and it has crooked written all over it. At current oil valuations at $90 a barrel, Albertans are missing out on an approximately $15 dollars a barrel in oil tarsands revenue. Instead, they get roughly $3.60 a barrel (I’m ball parking this, I might add, it could be higher, but I’m going with a 20% increase on a 90’s average).
Currently, Albian sands is producing 150,000 barrels per day, Suncore is at 260,000 boe, and Syncrude is at 214,000 barrels for a total of 624,000 barrels of oil per day. (this doesn’t factor in other producers, but I’m focusing producers with capital expenditures through to their completion). Albertans missed out on 624,000 x $75 ($90 – $15 a barrel cost) = 46.8 million per day gross profit(minus corp income taxes at 14.5%) or 40 million net profit per day x 365 or $14.6 billion x 25% = 3.65 billion in royalties as opposed to Honest Ed’s 620 mil x $4 dollars a barrel royalties (I think its around $3.60, but I’m rounding it to 4 for easy math) for 2.48 billion in royalties.
This doesn’t factor in the rest of the the tarsands producers (or their captial expenses) and the future to come.
Total approved construction estimates 1.7 million barrels of oil per day in tarsands production by no later than 2014, with a remaining 100,000 boe’s included in the 1.7 mil at 2018.
After construction costs pay for themselves, Albertans would have gained 620 million barrels of oil to charge royalties on with costs around $15 dollars a barrel to produce and 25% of the gross profits after taxes. At a conservative $60 dollars a barrel, the breakdown by 2015 would have been like this…
620,000,000 boe x $45 = $27.9 billion gross profit (minus corporate taxes at 14.5% or 4.045 billion) equalling $23.9 billion dollars net profit, give or take. Royalties would have been $5.975 billion dollars (at $60 a barrel). Under Honest Ed’s “fair royalty scheme for Albertans, they will instead receive 2.2 billion.
At $90 a barrel, royalties would be far higher under the Klein government, with $46.5 billion gross profit after capital expenditures are spent to build the mines with $15 dollars a barrel cost to produce. After 6.3 billion in taxes, net profit is at 40.2 billion dollars and the Alta government would have generated 10 billion in royalties. Under the current royalty scheme, this same scenario will generate 620 million barrels at $3.60 a barrel, or 2.2 billion dollars.
Now… you do the math. Under Klein’s scheme, Alta gets 10 billion in royalties Under Honest Ed’s royalty scheme, Albertans get 2.2 billion in 2015, at $90 a barrel.
There is only one way to put it. Alberta politicians are either severely retarded waterheads, or they are quite simply getting greased by these corporations. There is no other explanation for it. Thanks National Citizens Coalition. Thanks, Stephen Harper and Honest Ed for screwing Albertans. (its unfortunate that you can’t tell them this is the case, even when they see the math, they are literally that brainwashed)
I believe to my knowledge, these numbers are accurate, but feel free to challenge. I’ve been wrong before
Garth and fellow posters……
Breaking News………
In all my years this is a first, I stopped for a fill up late last evening and all the pumps had signs posted on them “Sorry we do not accept Amerian Money” ….not hard to figue out why, gas companies charge to .1 cent for gas and they stand to loose bundles in cost of doing bussines with American money.
I want my Canada back, and the sooner we get to an election the better, look south at McCain promising jobs, why has the MSM not asked him who and what caused the lose in the first place…..Winds of Wars and inflated energy cost perhaps all at the hands of Conservatives! Yup bomb more countries and destroy Afghanistan turn the rock piles that are left to sand, now that should do it….!
By Lex Luthor on 01.10.08 8:20 am
Kryptonite causes haemorrhoids, Lex!
http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/image_TV/Superboy_Seas1_Ep26_09.jpg
Garth,
All that I can say is thank goodness you are a federal politician in Ontario. In that way you can never get your grubby hands on what is a resource of Albertans.
Ed the Hun
By Ed the Hun on 01.09.08 10:23 pm
Typical Alberta response! Mine, Mine, Mine – Whine, Whine, Whine.
Just remember, once you have completely destroyed your environment, and you have no fresh water, the rest of us have plenty of water to sell you – just $1000 a barrel.
Ah, the worst thing about radioactivity is that it lasts so long. This trail will last far longer than the Harper goobernment.
Radioactive trail leads to cabinet
Clearly, Lunn is not acting on his own on this issue. Harper so closely supervises all aspects of his government that few cabinet members dare to make any major move without first consulting with their boss, or in many cases, they obediently carry out his orders.
And that is why both Harper and Lunn should be on the firing line answering questions about their actions, not Keen.
First question should be : PM Harper, please state your understanding of the Prime Minister’s authority according to law! I suspect his answer will come about the same time plutonium decays into lead.
However, the U.S. Congress is moving ahead at what could be called Light Speed (for them anyway) to secure another source of radioisotopes to ‘PROTECT THEIR PEOPLE!’, the very job the CNRC has, and which the AECL failed in their duty to do by compl=iance with the safety directives and license requirements they operate Chalk River under.
Canada’s recent isotope crisis has U.S. exploring alternatives
The U.S. doesn’t make any of its own isotopes, importing most of them from Canada. However, politicians south of the border now want their top scientists to look into whether the U.S. should consider producing its own isotopes.
The options are expensive, says Naoko Ishibe, NAS program officer of the Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board in the Earth and life studies division of the National Academy of Science.
“It’s hard to know if that’s something the U.S. would want to fund, but with this recent crisis in Chalk River, there’s a little more urgency in terms of not having that domestic supply,” she told CBC News.
Oh, my, all those nuclear weapons grade reactors producing megatons (tonnes to us) of death giving destruction, but they DO NOT have any reactors capable of making life saving radioisotopes? Wow, there is World Class Leadership by our neighbor.
Meanwhile, back in Ontario, where the infrastructure in Toronto is crumbling, but HEY! We ahev BIG signs HIGH up for the world to see how great we are (Unfortunately the CIBC’s sign, 58 stories up in the air, came crashing down harder than the subprime mortagage losses yesterday), and how ‘green’ our thinking is. I know, I always make sure and look up to read those signs way up there near capitalist heaven, when i am driving in downtown T.O., especially at night when their offices are closed and I have no intention of conducting business with them, but by golly I can read those signs and feel…”Why the Hell are they wasting electricity on that?” we find the McSquinty government has handed the drug companies $150 million of our tax dollars as a gift to promote their business. Golly, they sure do not have enough profits to fund their own research with all the protectionist sweet deals they already have.
Drug companies get $150M from Ontario government
Research and Innovation Minister John Wilkinson says the money will be used to help create “good-paying jobs” that he hopes will support the discovery of new medical treatments.
Pharmaceutical firms will be able to apply for grants, loans, forgivable interest loans and funds for building infrastructure, research and training.
Wilkinson says supporting the research with provincial money will strengthen Ontario’s economy.
I think Mr. Wilkinson needs some drugs himself…the ones made to fight schizophrenia. want to secure jobs for Ontarians Mr. W? How about growing medical Wacky Weed and licensing the producers. They win, you win, and the people win.
Oh what the Hell, at least we can look forward to more ultra stupid Viagra commercials, eh?
Meanwhile, out there in Ft. McSludge (aka Sludge City), Alberta we see some revealing reports coming forth Oilsands producers get failing grade on environment
“We found that oilsands companies are making weak efforts to manage their environmental impacts,” said Dan Woynillowicz of the Pembina Institute in a statement. “We found only one mining operation came close to a passing grade and that substantial improvements in environmental performance were possible for all projects.”
It noted, for example, that the Albian Muskeg River Mine was the only operation that had voluntary targets to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
Before running off to my work day, Jon Stewart and Tom Brokaw hit the nail on the head last night regarding the plethora of opinionated political pundits in the current U.S. election frenzy. Watch it online for a lot of good laughs.
And there is my Bill’s Rant for the morning.
Gonna fill your loyal lackey’s in on where the biggest wind farms in Canada are ?
By Bill D. Cat on 01.09.08 10:05 pm
Garth,
Please respond because we do not want Bill D. Cat to go Postal (Even though he is the Poster Boy for Postal Personalities.) and potentially injure one of we lackeys. LOL
Everything seems to be rosy for all the Herperite lovers and they all seem to be from the West.Whatever happened to the idea of federalism.How qwickly the Alberta bloggers seem to forget who supported them before the oil boom.The mentality of “Let the Eastern Bastards Frreeze” from the late 70’s seems to be alive and well in the Wild Rose Country.Maybe when this plant disappears,they will change their tune.
Back from work and it is heartwarming to see all the great ideas flowing here since last night. Also good to see all the albertans at their finest. As luck would have it I met a young fellow who moved here from Alberta a few months ago so he could actually start building a life for himself. He confirmed what I had read that from satelite photos that there was no area of forest larger than 50 hectares left in the entire provence. It was interesting to hear that the ongoing mad cow disease problem probably had something to do
with the government getting rid of meat inspectors because the packing industry could look after that themelves. A good friend of mine spent two weeks at christmas back home in Alberta. A favorite topic of conversation there is how Harper is the second coming of christ. When his wife couldn’t take it any more and suggested that other people had good ideas as well they were treated as socialists even though they like myself used to be pc supporters. Most Abertans and Canadians have never seen the tar sands or the north for that matter so from descriptions of people who worked there as well as what i have read the following pretty much sums up the tar sands. Currently an area the size of P.E.I. has been torn up and some of it refilled but all of it no longer capable of supporting it’s origional life forms. most of the rivers have been drained nearly dry and forever polluted. There are lakes of toxic water that can probably never be made usable again. In short it may as well be part of the moon for all it will be worth to us in the future. I want to build on what I wrote last night on the fragile ecology here in the north. Thirty years ago I planted a maple tree seedling in southern ontario where i lived that is now 40 feet tall. If I had planted a popler it would have been that tall in about ten years. In Fort Mcmurrey that same popler might be 10 feet tall in 30 years. It can take a hundred years for a dead tree to turn back into soil. If you drive anything across the tundra your tracks made up of dead plants will be visible 50 years from now. And that lichen you killed that feeds the widlife was probaby 75 years old. Around home when hunters drive their atv’s into the mountains they kill the food for the sheep they are hunting leaving permanent marks of their passage. Since the oil sands companies are allowed to dump 10% of the water they use back into the rivers that flow ultimately into the arctic ocean, Garth I challange you and your party to test the waters at the outflow and see just how much Alberta is polluting one of the last clean oceans in the world.
On a lighter note: For those interested in further educating themselves I suggest watching the excellent PBS Nova special ‘Absolute Zero’ which tells the story of how we came to undertsand temperature, the development of the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales, as well as Rankin. Part I aired Tuesday night, and Part II will air next Tuesday.
BTW, the program also shows how Calories, while still used, was the idea of a Frenchman who thought cold is a mysterious force that adds mass to matter. They have been basically discarded as reality, except, of course, for promoting manufactured foods to be sold at high prices and diet plans.
Who said Snake Oil salesmen have become extinct? HA!
Garth,
[...]
We (Albertans) hold 15% of the world’s proven reserves (second only to Saudi Arabia).
Did you know that much of the numbers regarding reserves in Saudi Arabia come from the 1960s and that the real numbers are actually very secret? This 15% may therefore prove higher, but the environmental costs to get to those barrels seem ridiculous. It also makes little sense to use more than one barrel of oil of energy to get to a barrel of oil.
Alberta is the only jurisdiction (province or territory) which has GHG legislation on the books and actually has a carbon tax in place ($15 per tonne – the money goes into a fund that is used to develop technologies to reduce GHG and other pollutants).
Incorrect, Quebec has an extra tax on gasoline and related products, I believe, at 0.8c/L, so no, Alberta is not the only jurisdiction with such a tax.
Garth, if you’d do a bit of research and at least get your story straight, then maybe your message wouldn’t get so easily trounced.
[...]
By Ed the Hun on 01.09.08 10:23 pm
Sounds like Albertans have had their heads in the (tar) sands and they have to do some research themselves! But a Conservative govt is just like a SUV … it’s to compensate for something, right?
By William Dahl on 01.10.08 9:38 am
Where is Steven Segal when we need him?
“On Deadly Ground”
I wonder what decade the UN will act on this atrocity to the arctic, the people, environment, and our planet?
Dirty Oil? How about Dirty Politicians?
http://caiti-online.blogspot.com/2008/01/pallister-quits-politics-so-he-can.html
Lorraine,
Rather than criticize Garth it would be better if you spent your time getting better educated about this serious environmental crisis that the oil sands is producing.
A report published on January 10, 2008 by the Pembina Institute states…..
“Environmental toll
Woynillowicz said the results show that Alberta’s oilsands are growing so rapidly, and taking such a toll on the environment, that there must be better compulsory standards and regulation on the industry.
For example, he said, the amount of water used in the oilsands on a daily basis is twice the amount used by the Municipality of Calgary each day. Further, unlike the water used by Calgary, it becomes so badly polluted during use that it cannot be released back into the environment.
The amount of energy used on a daily basis is also staggering, Woynillowicz said.
“The natural gas consumption on a daily basis is equivalent to heating three million homes a day, so a huge amount of energy, and that translates into a lot of greenhouse gas pollution.”
This is an absolute environmental disaster in the making! Water being polluted at a rate of TWICE the DAILY consumption of the city of Calgary and natural gas being consumed daily that could have heated 3 MILLION Canadian homes a day!!!
For anyone who is interested the article and related links is on the home page of Sympatico/MSN today.
On a separate issue…Chalk River…it now has come to light that the Harper government was well aware of the dangers at the facility months before the Conservatives created the crisis in Parliament. The Auditor General advised Lunn back in September, by way of an audit report, and warned the minister in charge about the serious conditions at the facility. The Harper government did absolutely nothing until the entire thing came crashing down, then tried to pull their standard BS of blaming the Liberal government from two years ago.
This is so typical of the narrow-minded Harper government. Throw away government supluses on ill-advised GST tax cuts and IGNORE the $860 MILLION needed to fix the problems at Chalk River, AND put the Canadian public at risk to boot. What a bunch of idiots.
I admit at the outset to knowing practically nothing about the rightness or not of oil-sands oil extraction. There are just as many “experts” on one side as the other and frankly, I don’t know who to believe. I do know that, from reading the posts from some of the Albertans here, that there is an ugliness developing to how we Canadians relate to each other about our shared environment and the long-term health of our fellow citizens in the far north as well as the land and its wildlife. But for the life of me, I don’t understand why, when we are trying to “undo” the Sydney tar ponds in Nova Scotia, at the same time we are creating something so vastly larger, so vastly harder to “undo”. so vastly more potentially harmful to vastly larger populations and real estate. What the blazes are we thinking?!
Throw away government supluses on ill-advised GST tax cuts … What a bunch of idiots.
By TS on 01.10.08 10:57 am
THROW AWAY government surpluses – by giving us back our own money???
I’m sure they’ll let you make a voluntary tax donation if you feel you’re keeping too much of your earnings.
OR would you prefer “investing” in Ad agencies in Quebec???
THROW AWAY government surpluses – by giving us back our own money???
I’m sure they’ll let you make a voluntary tax donation if you feel you’re keeping too much of your earnings.
OR would you prefer “investing” in Ad agencies in Quebec???
By Phil on 01.10.08 11:48 am
But Phil, it isn’t “our money”, this nation has debts and it has expenses and other bills to pay. AG Report that just came to light about the Chalk River Reactor just outlined that about 650 million is need over the next 5 years to address nuclear safety issues (that report was finished in August by the way and Harper buried it, nothing like open and transparent and accountable CPoP Government eh?)
So Phil, how about we use our tax revuene to pay the bills we owe and fix our infrastructure first before we start screaming “MINE MINE MINE”
To be perfectly honest, nothing pisses me off more than throwing money away on interest carrying charges and any sane and correct think conservative knows this to be true. Little quiz for you Phil, how much does Canada piss away on interest on our National debt? You want a tax cut, there it is, except we have to work for it and earn it.
Wind power is less attractive than it sounds — large numbers of turbines can actually change the weather on the ground around them; from a climate change standpoint, they leave a lot to be desired.
Question: How much money do governements have?
Answer: None…zero…nada
Former U.S. Treasury Secratary Rubin wants a governement stimulus package of at leat 100 BBBBBillion to keep the economy out of recession.
And that money will come from where?
I truly think that they are trying to crash the monetary system. Where is the discipline of the IMF and World Bank to stop this insanity?
Thanks for saying more is not always better. I’m tired of hearing, “the economy will not grow as fast” as though it were necessarily a bad thing.
THROW AWAY government surpluses – by giving us back our own money???
By Phil on 01.10.08 11:48 am
When the $500 B Federal DEBT created by past generations is paid off in full, then we have a surplus. Until then, calling any amount collected from taxes a surplus is an outright lie.
Until that time, we are mortaging our children’s and grandchildren’s future (and their kids) so we can have an extra $10 a month.
Today’s Laughs
These remind me of the Confused Philosopher on RCAF. LOL
Life’s New Rules
1. There are two sides to every divorce: Yours and Shithead’s.
2. The closest I ever got to a 4.0 in college was my blood alcohol content.
3. I live in my own little world but it’s OK, everyone knows me here.
4. I saw a rather large woman wearing a sweatshirt with ‘Guess’ on it. I said, “Thyroid problem?”
5. I don’t do drugs ’cause I find I get the same effect just by standing up really fast.
6. A sign In a Chinese Pet Store: “Buy one dog, get one flea.”
7. Money can’t buy happiness but it sure makes misery easier to live with!
8. I got a sweater for Christmas. I really wanted a screamer or a moaner.
9. If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the “terminal”?
10. I don’t approve of political jokes. I’ve seen too many of them get elected.
11. The most precious thing we have is life, yet it has absolutely no trade-in value.
12. If life deals you lemons, make lemonade. If life deals you tomatoes, make Bloody Marys.
13.. I love being married. It’s so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.
14. Shopping tip: You can get shoes for a buck at bowling alleys.
15. I am a nobody; nobody is perfect, and therefore I am perfect.
16. Everyday I beat my own previous record for number of consecutive days I’ve stayed alive.
17. That Claudia Schiffer must be a genius because I told a fri end my plan to attain world peace, and he told me I have “Schiffer Brains.”
18. No one ever says, “It’s only! a game !” when their team is winning.
19. Ever notice that people who spend money on beer, cigarettes and lottery tickets, are always complaining about being broke and not feeling well?
20. How long a minute is, depends on what side of the bathroom door you’re on.
21. Isn’t having a smoking section in a restaurant like having a peeing section in a swimming pool?
22. Marriage changes passion… suddenly you’re in bed with a relative.
23. Why is it that most nudists are people you don’t want to see naked?
24.. Snowmen fall from Heaven unassembled.
25. Every time I walk into a singles bar I can hear Mom’s wise words: Don’t pick that up, you don’t know where it’s been!
If Canada has oil reserves only second to Saudi Arabia, and with the price at record highs, shouldn’t we be enjoying the riches?…… why am I still dragging my ass trying to eek out a buck, and where’s my harem?
All I ever got was a lousy 400 bucks from Ralph.
thanks Ralphy:-)
Show me the money!
The Alberta government has made reclamation of the oil sands site, mandatory. That it is not seen right away, does not mean it won’t happen.
With the number of eyes on it, there is little chance of skipping out on that one. That is a good thing.
The use of nearby waters, and piped in natural gas, to free the oil from the sand, is a bigger problem.
Yet the investors continue to see the will, yours and mine, to use the fuel they make.
Investment in Alberta oil/gas is done by influential groups, including unions, whether the members learn of it or chose to ignore it.
The investors and profit-makers do not reside solely within the borders of Alberta.
The Ontario teachers, surely one of the larger unions of influence, have invested heavily through their pension plan, into the development of oil and gas and, for sure coal, in The West.
To name but one site coming onstream, they have a 50/50 partnership with Sherritt- the Carbon Development Partnership, (CDP)- to build a significant gasification, from coal, project.
The coal fuel source is SE of Edmonton, an over 312 sq km area of agricultural land, that will be strip mined, and reconstructed in stages, they say.
It is known as the Dodds-Roundhill Coal Gasification Project, and has been in the works for many years.
Did the union pension share-holders speak up?
Or the holders of Sherritt shares?
Did they seek out the impact to the local water resources, underground included?
Or did the idea of employment, and investment opportunities, play too delicious a factor?
The plan is for four gasification units, requiring pipelines to bring in water, from the North Saskatchewan River, for the process, and new pipelines to carry the syngas to the oil sands projects.
Syngas will reduce the need for the use of natural gas in the process to remove the oil from the sand.
They say they can bury the wastes, gas and solids, and will restore the land, agricultural land.
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is not entering the coal business for the first time with this. They have been into the coal business for some time.
http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2002/10/21/fording_021021.html
http://www.coaltransinternational.com/htm/n20030101.678879.htm
And that is only one project. How many are out there?
So, while Alberta is the whipping boy of convenience, many in the rest of Canada will want to check with their investment and pension managers to see what exactly their pension plans include.
That is, if they are very serious about turfing out the offenders tied to oil, gas, or coal. Good luck with that.
As a side note, the environmental group noted in the piece, NRDC, have as a prominent member, Robert Kennedy Jr..
He has any number of conflictions, shall we say, when it comes to the ‘do as I say’ routines.
He promotes buying local from small family farms.
Then he can’t help himself as he admits to ordering in, read flying in, meat produced in California. All, to his New York residence.
http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/rkjmeat.htm
He tells us all to buy efficient cars, but takes whole groups to far away places, by air, to see the distant landscapes.
Then he tries to say that he equalizes those trips through various schemes of buying trees or whatever the flavor of the month is for them.
The whole idea is not now to equalize, but reduce use of carbon fuels, isn’t it? Just not for him.
Rumour has it that when the election comes Harper is going to attempt a Hillary and try to act human.
Hope his image consultant has some glycerin handy for the crocodile tear part?
PS I still have not seen even one image where Hillary has a tear in her eyes.
It’s like that “you got bankers” commercial…They just keep on coming out of the woodwork to dig deeper into the middle class pockets.
Guilliani wants to cut corporate and capital gains taxes.
Sure, put even more of a burden on whats left of the working class. They’ve dug such a large hole that they can’t get out, and now they want to drag the rest into it.
A sign?
Toronto’s financial district was closed this morning as wind blew off a CIBC sign, closing Bay street.
BBBBBBBBbbrrrrahahahahahaha
symbolic of the underlying rot, or an act of God?
Canadians should brace for gas prices above $1.30 a litre this summer and rising costs for food, transportation and many other services if oil stays at $100 (U.S.) a barrel, industry analysts say. PAUL WALDIE and TARA PERKINS AND WENDY STUECK Globe AND Mail January 4 2008
Ready for gas at $1.50 a litre?
CIBC’s Jeff Rubin forecasts soaring prices at the pump, as global oil supply has trouble keeping pace with demand 12:26 PM
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080110.wcibcgasstaff0110/BNStory/energy/home
But Tony Clement, that scion of isotopes, coverups and tax cuts, has assured us the miniscule tax cut, “granted by decree” of the Harper regime, will be more than sufficient to
OFFSET the cost increase.
Gas prices offset with tax cuts: Clement
http://www.parrysound.com/press/1198512024/
Does that sound CORRECT to everyone? So, if the prices continue to escalate, and you find where you previously spent $20 to fill the tank on your small car, you are now paying $35,*** you can take comfort from Tony Clement’s words.
***Revised to $42 since this morning, incorporating Mr. Rubin’s forecast.
Sigh.
I happen to like the planet. And I get depressed at the damage done by oil extraction. But I guess the short answer is…I also like being employed (well, not really, but it’s better than the alternative).
For someone who is very upset about government policy causing Ontario to lose high paying, skilled jobs, you’re mighty cavalier about doing the same thing to Alberta.
Not that I think I thoughtfully implemented carbon tax will kill the oil industry. At this point only an unprecedented drop in demand would do that. But a poor implementation of a carbon tax could do a lot of damage, so don’t be too gung-ho about it.
I could not help noting your clock counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds “…until the Conservatives meet our Kyoto targets (13 years too late)”.
Wouldn’t that be the 13 years that the Liberal government did nothing while sitting on their duffs on this issue, only to see Canada’s emissions go up and up and up?
At least, you are acknowledging that they are projected to succees eventually where the Liberals only went backwards.
Until that time, we are mortaging our children’s and grandchildren’s future (and their kids) so we can have an extra $10 a month.
By Tim N on 01.10.08 1:02 pm
Isn’y that what our grandparents and parents did to us? Why should our children and grandchildren not pay our debts as we are paying others debts now aren’t we?
Oops “succeed”
The real issue regarding Alberta to me is attitude. Beyond that I hope they all fair well.
They were blessed (perhaps cursed?) with the oil sands. While their government has said the right things, their actions defeat it all.
They are, IMO, acting very unCanadian regarding the environment and the nation.
I expect better of them, as I do Ontario.
It would seem their Pieded Piper is leading them into oblivion? Sad to see.
Meanwhile, back in Ontario the McSquinty goobernment has failed to be realistic on too many issues.
As to Ottawa, I have given up any hope of progress as long as Harper, aka Caesar Disgustus, reigns.
Canada is in trouble, and no one seems to care because they are too busy infighting for position and power.
I pulled up a picture of the tar sands “development” around Fort McMurray to show my son when he was home at Christmas. To say it looked like a moonscape would be an insult to the moon.
The look of horror on his face said it all.
Typical Alberta response! Mine, Mine, Mine – Whine, Whine, Whine.
Just remember, once you have completely destroyed your environment, and you have no fresh water, the rest of us have plenty of water to sell you – just $1000 a barrel.
By Big L Man on 01.10.08 9:06 am
Typical Ontario doucebag. Beat up on Alberta and the rest of the West for the benefit of yourselves.
I’ll listen to your critiques of the west’s Oil & Gas industry once you shut down the environmental disaster that is the Big Nickle in Sudbury and put over 4500 (that’s direct only, I can’t imagine the number of indirects that would be affected as well) Ontarians out of work. So go ahead and do your part for the environment and buy some more hybrids. We have to keep those Ontario nickel miners employed.
http://www.sprol.com/?s=sudbury+basin
Forgot to mention – the picture of tar sands destruction was on Google Earth. Zoom in and have a look.
To be perfectly honest, nothing pisses me off more than throwing money away on interest carrying charges and any sane and correct think conservative knows this to be true.
By Zorpheous on 01.10.08 12:11 pm
Seems to me we paid a pretty good chunk off this year, which is a good start.
Nothing has pissed me off year after year more than more and more social programs (for example state run babysitting) that we can’t afford.
Time to get the government out of my pocket and let me take responsibility and make my own choices.
At least, you are acknowledging that they are projected to succees eventually where the Liberals only went backwards.
By Paul Krisyensen on 01.10.08 1:35 pm
http://www.ctv.ca/mar/photo.html?pname=http://images.ctv.ca/archives/CTVNews/img2/20070501/460X_cp_baird_070501.jpg&win_width=620.0&description=Environment%20Minister%20John%20Baird%20stands%20during%20question%20period%20in%20the%20
I guess you’re prepared to give 100:1 odds on your horse, are you?
http://corrigan.ca/april22-07.jpg
I’ll listen to your critiques of the west’s Oil & Gas industry once you shut down the environmental disaster that is the Big Nickle in Sudbury and put over 4500 (that’s direct only, I can’t imagine the number of indirects that would be affected as well) Ontarians out of work. So go ahead and do your part for the environment and buy some more hybrids. We have to keep those Ontario nickel miners employed.
http://www.sprol.com/?s=sudbury+basin
By Reid on 01.10.08 2:01 pm
I was just up in Sudbury recently and they have been working very hard to correct the problems. The city has grown tremendously, and the quality of life has greatly improved.
Now, what has Sudbury got to do with the blatant mess in Ft. McSludge? Do you only flush your toilet when your neighbor does?
Time to get the government out of my pocket and let me take responsibility and make my own choices.
By Phil on 01.10.08 2:09 pm
Okay Phil. How are you at playing road repair crew, police officer, fire fighter, and the myriad of other societal necessities?
Maybe the next time you need a service you can do it yourself and foot the entire bill as well.
What if you are one of those fine people who take it all for themself and fail your family, your community, etc? Who picks up the pieces for your mistakes?
BTW, do you want a new hockey arena? Want some government funding for it? Forget it!
Your tune is so outofdate it sounds worse than karaoke.
The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) rate increases.
http://www.montesolberg.ca/EN/just_the_facts/canada_pension_plan_and_old_age_security/
Gizz a big smiley, Monte! Someone did a boo-boo!***
http://www.montesolberg.ca/media/20071015-Solberg-Banner-E.jpg
Fact
The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) benefits are adjusted annually. For 2008, they will increase by 2.0 per cent effective January 1, 2008, reflecting the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) over the last year. The CPI increased by 2.0 per cent in that period, and consequently Canadians receiving CPP benefits will see their benefits increase by that amount. The maximum CPP retirement benefit will increase on January 1, 2008 from $863.75 to $884.58 per month***
$863.75 x 1.02 =$881.03***
THIRTY HELENS AGREE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDTZcj8Xink
RECOMMENDED READING
Subject: FYI: There is no oil shortage
I have sent this to a variety of interested parties. Perhaps those who read this blog will be interested.
*********************
For those readers who would like an opportunity to read about the real history of the Alaska North Slope oil fields. Since these pools are so close to Russian territory, I wonder if the Russians are producing from similar type pools on their northern coast line. In Canada, the old Norman Wells oil pools may also be more substantial then currently advertised. Then there is also the Abiotic Oil Theory which the Russians discovered. They have drilled many deep wells including one to 40,000 feet. Under the Abiotic Oil Theory, oil pools are scattered all around the world, which means that most of these Abiotic pools are under water. Apparently, there are also many deep pools of natural gas, including some that have been drilled in the lower 48 states, but may not be in production.
Here is an excerpt from a Saturday news story in the Calgary Herald:
“Alaska is considering a $26-billion proposal by Trans-Canada Corp. to build a long-delayed pipeline to ship natural gas from the state to southern markets through Alberta in less than a decade.”
As the author states, it is all about control.
**************************************
I recently came across some new information that is actually old information, but not well known.
http://www.reformation.org/energy-non-crisis.html
The Energy Non-Crisis by Lindsey Williams
A free online version of this book, written in 1980 and updated, can be downloaded from this Website.
The information contained within should blow your mind, especially since in this story the oil companies are NOT the “bad guys”. However, now that BP Oil is the primary operator in Alaska that may no longer be the case. See the excerpt enclosed below.
About the author:
Lindsey Williams, who has been an ordained Baptist minister for 28 years, went to Alaska in 1971 as a missionary. The Transalaska oil pipeline began its construction phase in 1974, and because of Mr. Williams’ love for his country and concern for the spiritual welfare of the “pipeliners,” he volunteered to serve as Chaplain on the pipeline, with the subsequent full support of the Alyeska Pipeline Company.
Because of the executive status accorded to him as Chaplain, he was given access to the information that is documented in this book.
After numerous public speaking engagements in the western states, certain government officials and concerned individuals urged Mr. Williams to put into print what he saw and heard, stating that they felt this information was vital to national security. Mr. Williams firmly believes that whoever controls energy controls the economy. Thus, The Energy Non-Crisis.
Because of the outstanding public response that has been generated by this book, Lindsey Williams is in great demand for speaking engagements, radio, and TV shows.
*************
The following is an excerpt from an earlier email that I sent to some interested parties last September.
[Who controls the Alberta Government?]
Calgary Sun columnist, Rick Bell, wrote a provocative column on Sunday discussing this issue. He intimates that the Ralph Klein Government did not review and adjust the Crown Royal system when he should have was because the Big Oil Companies supposedly control the energy industry in Alberta. Then when the head of ExxonMobil recently warns that the Royalty system should not be changed arbitrarily, that just serves to confirm the issue.
Furthermore, more of the International Oil Companies have recently declared interest in investing in the Oil Sands, possibly due to these low royalty rates. It is the Big Oil Companies who are primarily responsible for driving the price of oil up to a higher level. That is why we need a system that deals with the concept of windfall profits.
It seems that the Chairman of ExxonMobil made his most important comments in an outside forum for the press and not in his speech. Apparently, Chairman Tillerson also said that he did not know why the price of oil was so high. This was rather disingenuous, since at the 2005 Bilderberg Group meeting, the oil industry was represented by the Chairman of Royal Dutch Shell and the CEO of BP plc who are Bilderberg regulars. It was at this 2005 meeting that they were authorized to drive the price of oil up to $120.
The Chairman of Royal Dutch Shell was also at this 2007 Spruce Meadows Round Table meeting and also gave a speech. The CEO of BP plc is also a member of the Trilateral Commission. The Chairman of French energy giant Total SA also gave a speech in Calgary. These men are the heads of what many people call Big Oil. The Big Oil Cartel is also a key element of the Illuminati/Synarchist Movement, but at a lower level than the International Banking Cartel. Neither of these Cartels is concerned with the needs of the common people.
Lord Oxburgh, the former chairman of Shell, has issued a stark warning that the price of oil could hit $150 per barrel, with oil production peaking within the next 20 years.
**********
It takes time and effort to Become Aware. Enjoy.
Surely if the Liberal tent was big enough to take in a Conservative reject such as Garth, it should be big enough to include another Conservative reject in David Orchard, especially in light of the crucial support that Orchard has delivered to Dion in his own election to the Liberal Party leadership in 2006.
Orchard’s supporters contend that Dion would not have been able to stage a come-from-behind victory in the leadership race without the 150 delegates Orchard’s organization delivered to the convention.
They compare Dion’s treatment of Orchard now to that of Peter MacKay, who won the 2003 PC leadership after striking a deal with Orchard. Orchard now feels stabbed in the back by both leaders.
Some irate Orchard supporters have predicted the controversy will cost Liberals the northern Saskatchewan riding.
Emily, in her subjectivity and lack of realism, yesterday said that Orchard was taking this quietly. She wishes. Let’s face reality in the real world.
Nothing could be further from the truth than Emily’s statement. Orchard is refuting Ralph Goodale’s version of events vehemently, and is openly challenging him to produce the document or letter that indicated that the democratic process in the Saskatchewan riding might be aborted.
He asks, “Does anyone believe that I would have campaigned for three months – I criss-crossed the riding, 20,000 kilometres, signing up hundreds of members – if there’d been a threat of an appointment over my head?”
He is most decidedly not taking this quietly, and this we can ill afford. We need to reach out to David Orchard NOW.
His influence could have tipped the balance of voters in the Saskatchewan riding toward the Liberals, just like he effectively tipped the balance toward Stephane Dion in the Liberal Leadership Contest in 2006.
Orchard’s voice is needed as an ally, not an opponent. He has been a thorn in the side of Peter McKay. Let’s not let him be a thorn in the side of Stephane Dion. This is the last thing that Dion needs right now.
We will never deal with this reality by sticking our head in the sands to Orchard’s vehemence, and pretending that he is taking this quietly.
David Cochrane 12.30 AM post. You mention windmills change the weather pattern & it might be so but what about the Oil Sands extracting all that liquid gold, spewing toxins poising water, wild life & human life? They are by far the biggest polluters in Canada & should be held accountable & made to pay their share in controlling GHG & fined heavily if they do not. I think windmills is the least of our worries.
Albertans, take off your rose colored glasses, stand up for yourselves, your own health & all Canadians & stick it too the polluters & the politicians who won’t do anything about it right now.
Paul, give your head a shake already. Forget the past 13 years. If you want to make an issue out of this, one could look well beyond 13 years & blame those past governments. Quit passing the blame already & look at the past 2 years, with Harper. Actually look at the past 4 years & look at Harper. He did everything he could as opposition to fight Global Warming & still doing it.
Cheers
In all of this, communication seems to be the key. There is not sufficient communication to be sure that all parties can be on the same page.
PM offers $1B to ailing communities
Gee, Phil, looks like your Boy is violating your principles, eh? I would call this money a ’social program’ but then, again, I would also call it vote buying with your and my money.
“As things now stand, the NRTEE is effectively recommending Canadians pay significantly more for carbon (meaning for virtually everything) for decades to come, at the risk of severely damaging our economy, especially in Alberta and Ontario, for what would be a futile gesture to combat global warming even if successful, and even if countries responsible for up to 10 times our emissions do nothing.
But if everyone else suddenly reverses course inspired by our example, we should be okay.
That’s not a policy. It’s insanity.
The Harper government requested this report. It should thank the NRTEE — and shelve it.”
Lorrie Goldstein
Toronto Sun
Interesting stuff Garth.
Unfortunately you know that wind turbines are turning out to be the political materpiece and and engineering flop all rolled into one.
Lets just say I personally know high level engineers in GE and they are all aware that the only reason why they are selling these things is politics.
The performance ratings on a wind term is essentially a joke. during the life of a machine is will only produce apporximately 30% of its rated output. In other words, all the numbers that are being thrown around and are used to justifcation are inflated by 70%. YES
Garth, I am usually for you, however when you touch on this subject I must laugh.
Wind turbines CANNOT operate in TOO much wind or NOT ENOUGH wind. They need an opitum spped to produce the name plate rating. Since electricity is the only product that is manufactured, delivered, and consumed in a nano second and CANT be stored, and alternative energy source needs to exist. Enter the Gas Turbine.
Everytime the wind turbine is not producing electricity, the gas turbine needs to be fired up. This is both costly and hard on the machine. The natural gas also needs to be purchased at the SPOT price.
So, while many see these things spinning in marvel, please keep in mind this is not a viable long term energy source by any means.
Oh, and some quick numbers:
1 Gas turnine puts out 70MW 24 hours a day-7 days a week.
1 Wind Turbine puts out at peak on a windy day 1.5 MW
So even giving gthe wind turbine 50% uptime that is .750 MW
So you would need 93 wind turbine to do the work of one Gas turbine
Anf the Gas turbine is dependable to power Schools, Hospitals and other critical infrastructure.
See why the Engineers at GE are laughing? Because politicians have found a way to sell a white elephant.
Until that time, we are mortaging our children’s and grandchildren’s future (and their kids) so we can have an extra $10 a month.
By Tim N on 01.10.08 1:02 pm
Isn’y that what our grandparents and parents did to us? Why should our children and grandchildren not pay our debts as we are paying others debts now aren’t we?
By Marc on 01.10.08 1:36 pm
I hope you’re being sarcastic.
If not – simple – because it isn’t the right thing to do. Just because a past generation did that to us, does not give us the right to dump it onto the next generation.
Wow. Indexed to a meaningless number. Could everyone who saw only a 2% rise in their cost of living last year please raise their hands.
Err, our nuclear reactor is unsafe says the regulating body. Nonsense, you better resign says the Government.
Err, we want to change the rules say the Banksters…Ahh, sure, go ahead says the Security and Exchange Commission.
US SEC backs subprime loan modification accounting
We have truly gone beyond “moral hazard”.
Before heralding the Pembina Institute as some kind of impartial think tank when they report horror stories about the Oil Sands in Alberta keep in mind that Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft was once the Director of the Pembina Institute.
But we Canadians are so easily fooled by special interest groups hiding their political affilations and motives behind so called Institutes or think tanks or whatever. The Pembina Institute is radically socialist, anti establishment and anti capitalist.
Grains of salt. And, yes, I have been to the tar sands, I personally had a tour of some of the reclaimed land. It it does not take much brain matter to realize that open pit mines while in operation are an eye sore and pretty ugly- just like in any open pit mines. Take a good look at the diamond mines up north. Or any open pit coal mines or even gravel pits. Pretty ugly stuff.
In my opinion it is how this land is then reclaimed afterwards that is important to the sustainable environment. The oil sands are a realtively new industry so give it a few more years until more of the pits are closed before you judge.
And as to cancer rates in northern communities – these were high BEFORE the oil sands development – for more than 40 years or so this has been a problem. First they blamed it on acid rain coming from Russia; Much of it has to do with lifestyle and diet. But try to change the culture of roasting meat until it is like charcoal.
So how’s about a big study on the environmental degradation from Ontario’s coal fired plants or nickle mines? Have a look in your own backyards.
Ed the Hun,
Where have you been. Albertans have been getting Klein bucks for years. It isn’t in the works – have you not been getting yours?
Seems to me we paid a pretty good chunk off this year, which is a good start.
Nothing has pissed me off year after year more than more and more social programs (for example state run babysitting) that we can’t afford.
Time to get the government out of my pocket and let me take responsibility and make my own choices.
By Phil on 01.10.08 2:09 pm
Still miss the point Phil, we owe money and those Daycare spaces were also promised by Harper, which he has delivered on, so stop your bitching because broken promises like those don’t cost you a damn nickle. Oh and Harper gave you nice $1200 (taxable) tax cut so you could make choices of your own (how are they working out for ya?)
My taxes went up initially under Harper, and it wasn’t until the 2007 mini-budget that I final got my Liberal Tax cut that I was promised back in 2005/2006.
Oh and Harper really screw me for 20G’s when he broke that IT taxation promise.
So ya, I really wish Harper would get out of my f***ing pockets too. I can’t remember one government that has cost me so much in such a short period of time.
Not even the liberals cost me as much as Harper has. I can’t afford his government any more.
By Tim N on 01.10.08 3:23 pm
Yes I was being sarcastic. I like the fact that our surplusses have been allocated to debt repayment rather then tax cuts or for more social spending.
By Bill-Muskoka on 01.10.08 3:07 pm
Bill that is not vote buying yet as it has to be approved in the upcoming budget. It really backs the Liberal party into a corner right now. They can cause an election before the budget comes out negating the 1 billion to help towns cope with the lost jobs, or they can not approve the upcoming budget and still negate the 1 billion help offering. Stephen Harper may not be liked but his strategy is good. I will reckon the Liberals will be abstaining from the budget again as it will be hard not to support the financial help to hard hit communities.
By Marc on 01.10.08 5:04 pm
Interesting points! We will see what happens when the vote comes. I do, however, really wish that the MSM would clarify such news as ‘plans to’ rather than ‘has.’
I guess the Kelowna Accord is a different matter. I see them all as social programs because they all go to making people’s lives better. The difference between the Conservatives and Liberals is primarily that the Cons protect Big Business, and the Libs protect materialism.
Someday, someone, probably the Greens, will wake up that we are, infact all in the same game, and it is all social based spending. The point being ALL of us, not select groups who happen to be potential vote casters.
Lorraine… just read the report.
http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/OS-Undermining-Final.pdf
You simply can’t dismiss its contents because Taft was once a director of the board. If you read the report you would realize information like this:
Suncor has disturbed 13,093 hectares and has reclaimed 949 hectares. Of this 949 hectares, not one hectare meets government standards.
Personally, I’ve been on mine reclaimation sites and the compressed earth and stripped top soil from heavy machinery is a major problem to deal with in terms of establishing survival. Only a few species of trees can grow on these sites, namely alder. But the tarsands offers a problem that are far more unique than most BC mining sites… ACIDIFICATION OF SOIL.
In other words, corporations like Suncor can suggest they’ve reclaimed 8% of what they’ve mined (since ‘84 and yes, thats a low number) but all they can really suggest is that they’ve “attempted” to reclaim these sites. The facts are that reclamation is based on survival and currently, as it is, 3,000 square km’s are slated to become mined with approved projects going forward, with 1 to 2,000 sq km’s at risk of dying due to the leaching of acids in the surrounding soils. PH is a major problem here, to which, no one can deny.
I believe… if you google earth… you’ll see this phenomenom for yourself.
By Marc on 01.10.08 5:04 pm
Thanks for clarifying Marc. You’d be surprised how often I’ve read your first response, but the people saying it weren’t being sarcastic – they were being serious.
Albertans, take off your rose colored glasses, stand up for yourselves, your own health & all Canadians & stick it too the polluters & the politicians who won’t do anything about it right now.
Cheers
By Irene on 01.10.08 2:57 pm
So, Irene, please do tell us how you personally have reduce your dependance on oil and oil based products – say over the last 10 years.
It’s like Garth, you we know has 2 homes, which he owns. The raw resources and the energy to up keep the 2 homes for 2 people, is more than is required to be more environmentally friendly. Yet, we here it someone else’s problem (i.e. Stephen Harper’s or some poor slob). Yet, Garth and his band of Liberals want to get the poor slob to pay out their nose for “carban credits”. And this poor slob, is just trying to keep his head above to provide a small residence for him and his family – while being made to feel guilty by these “greenies”.
And btw, Irene, you people have not acknowledge how your attack on the oil and gas would impact the IT type investment or any other pension investment vehicles. Would these vehicles decrease or increase for the investor?
By and large, this is not a feasible money-maker for the automakers (too cheap), but it would be terrific for a large part of the overall population.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=ab8FZx5qhhQE&refer=asia
Typical Alberta response! Mine, Mine, Mine – Whine, Whine, Whine.
What more do want from us? We already send more money per person in transfer payments than any other province. As mentioned previously Alta will not bluff if it comes to splitting. I am not in favor of that but the provinces must be allowed to make policy that is specific to the region. What Ontario wants may not work out here. ie: gun registry waste, criminal and immigration law.
Garth – I haven’t had a chance to read the above posts – but I can imagine the majority will be climate change deniers, those who talk about how any curb on the tar sands development will hurt the economy, etc.
Today, while having chemo, I watched one of 2 movies, one being Inconvenient Truth. I’ve seen clips of it, have read & watched many programs about global warming, but must say this docu was the most impressive I’ve seen.
Bill Muskota…
You might like their policies… but we ran a 2.7 billion dollar deficit in Oct. November and December numbers are likely to bleed red as well, possibly with the same numbers. Factor in a GST cut that reduces government revenue by a further 1.5 billion a quarter, dropping corporate revenue, further tax cuts to the rich… do you seriously think we’ll be running surplus’s in the future under Harper?
I envision a blustery “well, we want a balanced budget, the signs of a deficit simply means we’ve eliminated over taxation” message coming from Flarety and Harper.
But the truth is we have no savings, we have no future economical plan for a recession, we have no plan for the dramatic 28% increase in Can currency in relation to the U.S. dollar, we have no plan to reduce military spending but rather increase it, we have no plan to brace for a recession at all!
This government is simply reactionary in the immediate while we need a visionary direction that prepares us for the years to come.
Where is the plan for daycare besides cheques? No new spaces from what I hear. I guess rising unemployment will solve that one.
Where’s the environmental plan? There isn’t one. Lets take credit for light bulb tech and call it a day. No plan for clean energy, no plan for sustainable energy self sufficiency, to meet C02 committments, to regulate, to anything, lets just let business to regulate themselves.
Where’s the plan for the 100,000 manufacturing jobs that have been lost or in jeapardy due to currency? Or the plan to become energy efficient… Or the plan to internalize our economy to reduce imports?
I don’t see much of any plan at all with Harper’s government other than for us to plan for a recession and government deficits on our own.
Anyone under the sun can come up with a plan to spend money on war and the rich and cut government revenue during high times. These times have all but ended, we saw it coming a year and a half ago (I sure did) and the government did nothing but what they did… cut government revenue from the corporate and rich, and spend money on a U.S. driven war to nation build or steal middle east oil.
There is no plan whatsoever except another GST cut and wait n’ see. And if there’s hard times, they’ll just sell everything, believing its just a glitch. China will still drive commodities, yada yada yada.
The longer this government is in power, the worse it will get for them. Voters talk about how little flexability there is in terms of what the Libs can offer cause the Cons offered it all… what a joke. Try a plan. My own plan is to vote for anyone other than the neoCon Harper who would have, as you recall, joined the U.S. in the invasion on Iraq.
I saw a newsclip of French farmers some time ago who had had those new windmills imposed on their land. (There are a lot of them in France). These farmers were very unhappy, even bitter… it seemed that what they had been told had turned out not to be true. I saw this some time ago, and so forget many of the details… just the main point, that the farmers were upset. One thing, they had been told they were quiet, but the farmers said the windmills were very noisy. Kip
By kip on 01.09.08 10:09 pm
I’ve seen all those windmills in various parts of France and several in Nova Scotia. The near by residents (quite a distance away) might have credibility. Unless we are in their position, we’ll really never know. But, in all things that are ‘relatively new, without years of data, its always a case of ‘not in my back yard’. We have to start somewhere to provide relatively clean alternative power. Not sure whether I’m really making sense. Bit tired tonight.
Arthur Kent tries Canadian politics. Well, he is Canadian!
http://www.rawstory.com/news/mochila/Ex_NBC_reporter_enters_Canadian_pol_01092008.html
Time to get the government out of my pocket and let me take responsibility and make my own choices.
By Phil on 01.10.08 2:09 pm
You must be one of the lucky ones who has enough in your pocket to make your own choices. I wonder how many Canadians are in the same position?
Lorraine (and others):
Glad you have gotten your “Nyah Nyah, your place is just as dirty as my place” out of your system.
The attitude of mind that created the Sudbury-Copper Cliff ecological disaster is the same one in play at the uranium mines in northern Saskatchewan and in the oil sands. The folks who are calling the shots do NOT have to live with the long-term consequences of their decisions – they don’t even see them. Imagine the outcry if the dirty water was flowing into the Glenbow reservoir. And as for the people who were there first, well they really don’t count at all. They don’t show up at the annual general meeting (they can’t even get past the door) so who cares what they think.
The times they are a-changing, and not a moment too soon if you ask some of my distant relatives who are living with the after-effects of too much mercury in the fish (BTW, its a lot less work to catch fish than it is to run down a moose, so guess which you eat more of) due to industrial practices.
Do you honestly believe that the old filthy ways of exploiting the earth’s resources are the best ways? That we shouldn’t strive mightily to do a whole lot better? That it is right to make the arctic ocean as much of a cess pool as we did the great lakes before we start mending our ways?
Ontario/U.S.: Kingston man charged for threatening in e-mail to kill Bush
KINGSTON, Ont.
A man from Kingston, Ont., has been charged for allegedly threatening to kill U.S. President George W. Bush.
In October 2005, White House staff reported receiving threats from a man through e-mails.
One of the e-mails mentioned using a bomb to kill the president.
Police in Kingston became involved when they were informed of more threatening e-mails to the White House in June and July of 2007.
Darren Lovelock, 29, was arrested Nov. 2 and charged Thursday with threats against an internationally protected person.
http://news.therecord.com/News/article/293345
Wind Turbines, it does look beautiful. As long as they are never built on bird migratory patterns I’m good with it. Exactly what are those mills along L. Erie giving energy to?
The grid. — Garth
Hey this is all tilting ar windmills since the CIBC and all the other major banks have forecasted gas at 1.50 a litre within 5 years. I would put that at within a two year window and based on oil company predictions gas at 1.20 to 1.25 a litre by the summer. Welcome to the beginning of the end of oil folks.
No shit Garth. Exactly I asked, meaning how many homes/factories/industries and so on.
BTW, a Carton Tax is the only *moral* choice there is.
I’d imagine there are large numbers of Canadians who have enough in their pockets to make most of the choices in their lives. You’d also probably find that they’re more than willing to commit to the common good in a significant way. Thie issue for lots of them is that there’s considerable evidence that the political leadership, irrespective of party, behaves in a feckless manner to buy their way to power.
Think you know about Alberta’s Oil Sands? Well, watch and learn (and share with your doubting friends and colleagues):
Alberta Oil Sands
December 12, 2007 Canada’s
oil sands…you’ve heard about the economic benefits…but what about the
environmental costs? Darrow MacIntyre presents the feature documentary “Crude
Awakening”.
play
video
Watch Part 2 of our special report on the environmental impact of the oil
sands here.
P.S. In case my attempt at html didn’t work, link to story is available here:
http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/video/environmentscience/crude_awakening.html
Alf
By brain on 01.10.08 6:37 pm
Might like who’s policies? Harper’s? Non moi mon ami!
For a real insight into polls please watch Jon Stewart’s Daily Show segment with an Ameican pollster. If you still ‘believe’ in them after watching it (I stopped decades ago) then enjoy the results. LOL
John Zogby (Hint: They had to call 20,000 Americans in two States to get 849 responses)
Jon also hits the mark square regarding the American political pundits in this segment! (Hilarious)
N.H. Punditry
and last, but not least, he looks at CNN’s and Fox News’ ‘High tech’ coverage. ROFLMAO!
High tech coverage
And to all, a Good Night!
I’m all for solutions. So, where do we start? — Garth
Dear Garth,
Ontario has what is called a “Standard Offer Program” for individual Ontarians where the provincial government will pay 42 cents per Kilowatt Hour of electricity produced from solar panels supplied to the grid from your home under a 20 YEAR CONTRACT.
42 cents per KWh for 20 Years!!!
The problem is that it is only a BREAK EVEN proposition because of the associated solar panel costs and installation and hookup (unless you are a business that gets to depreciate the capital costs in 3 years), and the reason it is only break-even for average Canadians is because the utility company, under the “Standard Offer Program”, treats the person with solar panels on their residence as two (2) different entities… 1. A producer (all energy from solar panels goes directly onto the GRID, and none goes directly in to your residence), and 2. A consumer (you still get all of your electricity FROM the grid, with ALL of the associated transmission costs).
The other problem is that we know that REDUCED CONSUMPTION is the goal, and that increasing supply only INCREASES CONSUMPTION… we all know this is true.
So the Ontario governments solution, albeit a good start, does not have the economics to bribe people to do it, nor does it even attempt to get people to reduce their consumption.
Two Strikes… not quite out yet!
So lets say there was a Federal Program that worked in conjunction with the Ontario SOP that did the following:
1. Energy that is produced by solar panels on people’s residences gets consumed by the resident FIRST, and then the excess is placed on the GRID, and
2. The EXCESS ENERGY put on the GRID from the resident is paid a Federal Premium (in addition to the 42 cents per KWh of the provincial government) of say 20 cents per KWh… yielding a 62 cent per KWh rate FOR THE EXCESS ENERGY NOT CONSUMED by the resident.
This would have three effects:
1. People would have a big incentive to reduce their consumption (i.e. 62 cents per KWh), and
2. It would decrease the transmission costs of the electricity consumed by the resident that comes from the GRID because they would be producing a lot of their own electricity (solar) directly, and
3. It would provide the incentive for other provinces to offer similar “Standard Offer Programs” for their people.
Seems like a win-win-win to me.
Can anyone see any problems with this potential Federal solution?
Please advise.
Sincerely,
MB
Mr Garth TurnerMP,
Some links to articals on energy and growth for anyone that might be interested.
A new documentary considers humanity’s dubious future.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/aug07/5413
How to Build a Green City.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jun07/5128
Engineering The Megacity.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jun07/5142
How to Keep 18 Million People Moving.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jun07/5139
How to Blackout-Proof a City.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jun07/5135
How Not to Make a Megacity.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jun07/5146
How to Design a Perfect City.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jun07/5147
Ontario Quits Coal.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/mar07/4945
Loser: Corn-o-copia.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jan07/4832
Joules, BTUs, Quads—Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jan07/4820
portraying alternative energy sources.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jan07/4820/ncmo01
Lithium Batteries for Hybrid Cars.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/jan07/4848
Backyard wind turbines turn energy consumers into suppliers.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/oct06/4661
David Hughes on Canada’s Oil and Natural Gas – updated with audio. 26min.
http://globalpublicmedia.com/node/823
Wow. Indexed to a meaningless number. Could everyone who saw only a 2% rise in their cost of living last year please raise their hands.
By Neil on 01.10.08 3:27 pm
Forget it Neil, as long as there is the status quo in Ottawa, meaning we continue to vote in the same old parties with the same old policies, nothing will change. I have been writing on the discrepancy between what the government index says and the real cost of living is for over five years now….they don’t care!
I did get one response about two years ago saying the basket of goods included computer parts etc…which had gone down by some 73%. When I wrote back to say I couldn’t eat those, that was the end of the conversation. Party first, the people second!
BTW, a Carton Tax is the only *moral* choice there is.
By Molly on 01.10.08 8:19 pm
Your wrong Molly!
A carbon tax only deals with the polluter company (the demand side)and we all pay for their GHG emissions.
A cap and trade system on the other hand produces an incentive for an unregulated sector of the economy (the supply side) to reduce emissions because they can then market those emissions to polluters who are unable to immediately reduce their GHG emissions.
The Alberta government has legislated a 12% reduction which is an intensity based target for any existing corporation producing more than 100,000 tonnes of GHG’s per annum. The cap and trade system currently being developed incents an unregulated sector like agriculture to reduce their emissions by up to 25% which offsets the large final emitter and is a real GHG reduction that helps the environment now as a bridge until technology yet to be developed can reduce the GHG emissions in the future.
The 25% supply side reduction when added to the 12% demand side reduction constitutes a significant contribution to our international commitments and provides a new value added revenue source for the western Canadian farmer.
We all live in the same bioshere so any tonne of carbon removed from our atmoshere now prevents a larger more complicated solution later. Bring on the new Green economy!
Phil….you try to obscure the real issue with your post. Adscam is over 10 years old and has nothing what-so-ever to do with the Harper government throwing away over 10 billion dollars of tax revenue that could have been much better spent on real environmental initiatives, rebuilding Canada’s infrastructure, investing in new technology to improve our competitiveness, and improving the quality of life of Canada’s least fortunate.
And yes, GST cuts are ill-advised. But, don’t take my word on it. 30 leading economists in Canada were polled on this very subject and 28 denounced the cuts, 2 mildly supported. None said that GST cuts were the best way to support Canadian families (income tax cuts would have been far more effective). At a time when Canadians should be reducing overall consumption and saving for retirement, GST cuts reward consumption. Dumb, dumb, dumb. But that’s the Harper government… reactionary, short-sighted and purely partisan.
And, by the way…it’s not ‘our’ money until our national debt has been eliminated. The faster we can accomplish that task, the less money the government will throw out of the window on debt servicing charges, and the more money we will have to move Canadian society forward in terms of productivity, competitiveness, environmental leadership, and social justice.
Elizabeth,
‘Ralph bucks’ were a one (1) time deal only. My family received its 1600 bucks back in 2006. The rumours are that this type of action will become an annual event. That is where I’ve been. And you?
Ed the Hun
5) Support farmers in producing their own on farm ethanol and converting over to ethanol.
Nothing, Nothing is worse than ethanol. It uses up MORE oil to produce it than just using oil straight from the source. Iowa (like Alberta) is gonna be in a real jam before the peak oil crisis is over. It won’t be able to grow corn (can you spell “ADM spin”??) for very long and then where it will be?
The FIRST ITEM of action, is giving tax credits for people to insulate their homes and the residency real estate that they own. This was AL Gore’s most egretious error .. not promoting insulation when he was in office as that has used up more oil than anything else during the past decade. It is estimated that 25% of all oil consumption might be saved if this very simple tactic were adopted and enforced. This is a huge huge change, far greater than anything the carbon credits could achieve in a similar time frame. I don’t care if it’s done with hay or with oil-produced insulation, it is far more economically viable and less damage to the environment.
And that brings me to point 2 – the governments themselves must figure out the carbon credits and do the transactions. You see, as The System now stands, people like Al Gore make all the money as the transactions are figured out. No good comes to the PEOPLE who invest in this “system” in any way, although THEY will pay the money to make the carbon tax credits “work”. This is really something that Dion must look at very very closely because the first reputable politician who really tackles this bugaboo is gonna be SHOT by the media, unless they can show how such a system (government intervention in the process) actually DOES benefit BUSINESS. Using private contractors to adminster the system without OVERSIGHT is a disaster in the making – and explains why many people like me do NOT support Kyoto. I think we must partake of the process of getting to SOLUTIONS, but don’t agree with the current proposals.
Another of my Big Suggestions – R&D money into alternative fuels should become a way of life here in Canada and we should “lead the pack”. There is evidence that marine energy is actually the cleanest and most efficient way of getting away from oil/nuke energy. Why NOT support the research? What does Canada really have to lose finding out if that is true? What does Canada REALLY know about using molds and other byproducts of recycled industrial output? Zip, is the answer to that.
Let’s look at the biggest consumers first and solve those problems is MY suggestion – this makes looking at providing the highest grades of oil to US allies bombers and the “testing” of them and then simply QUIT giving them fuel. Canada is NEVER GOING TO GET PAID for supplying the US with oil, never. That’s the neocon rule book. They run up huge friggin debts to fuel their imperial war machines with no intention of paying!! That’s what’s caused the fiscal crisis (can you spell depression, forget stagflation) .. this endless borrowing to prop up a war machine that is simply there to keep the oil and nuclear industries FED. Israel wants to bomb IRAN becuz they quit supplying jet fuel to them. Canada took up the oil crunch last year to Israel. Why do Canadians allow this?? Cuz they don’t KNOW, it’s leadership to show them not just conduct business as USUAL. Canadians are fuelling the imperial wars, paying to keep bases heated and warm, paying to keep deadly fighter planes flying, while the average Canadian cannot afford to stay warm. That’s the bottom line .. and explains why people are “doubling” up in their rental accomodations.. and WHO pray tell is going to fed heat into the MacMansions in the years to come? Man, time for a VISION task force on what we WANT for CANADA, using its resources in good, clean, people-centric way.
I have plenty MORE suggestions. This is just the tip of the iceberg. But this is where I think are the biggest items most likely to turn around the situation the quickest way possible.
Don’t get me started on edumping by the way.
The reason to not have a carbon tax is because there is NO anthropogenic global warming.
See this:
http://www.garagetv.be/video-galerij/blancostemrecht/The_Great_Global_Warming_Swindle_Documentary_Film.aspx