[Thunderball]

Ideally, Canada would have a unified approach to international energy and commodity trade so we don't look like a bunch of idiots on the global stage like at Copenhagen where two greedy provinces went out of their way to screw over Alberta and by effect, Canada in front of the world. Alison is right on that, but the concept is a little naive. Reality is, Alberta can't afford to look weak in confederation, and Alison is getting a really good lesson on that. Inviting the rest of Canada into this discussion is a sign of weakness to them, like chum in the water, and they're all scrapping away. Canada is a nation of self serving interests, and that's never going to change. BC was supposedly Alberta's best friend, and look how fast that tune changed.

Honestly, she's not doing a good job. But, she doesn't have a bunch of hicks and inexperienced politicians to babysit like Smith would. Frankly, Smith has said some pretty stupid things to the press on energy policy that leads me to believe she wouldn't be a lot better.

BC is really shooting themselves in the foot... even if they get their "royalty toll", Alberta is gonna turn around very viciously and slap a devastating tariff on power lines, pipelines, rail traffic and truck traffic coming into Alberta with foresty, oil, gas or power coming from "environmentally sensitive industries" to get our "fair share" of money for the risk these things present to our province. BC may not be landlocked... but they are isolated, and in a very weak position to dictate terms to anyone.