[Muta]

Originally Posted by you&me

OK, so to get this back on track -

You give off the impression that you are not very familiar with the basic principles and functions of investment capital - is this a fair characterization?

I say this because you don't seem to acknowledge or understand the concept of capital fluidity, meaning (as explained by others in this thread) that investment capital is finite and as such, with take the path of least resistance to generate returns. This isn't (only) Canadians investing in the O&G sector... This is Korean hedge funds, British private equity firms, American pension funds, and regular citizens from all over the world... There is literally no limit to where and in what any of these investment entities could choose to deploy their capital.

If your job is to manage other people's money, and you have $100 to deploy, do you invest in a jurisdiction that is already downtrodden, has recently undergone an unprecedented change in government and that new government has campaigned on a promise to review a royalty structure - because they think they deserve more - that has a direct impact on your investment returns?

Or do you invest your money in a different jurisdiction, with a stable regulatory environment, stable and expanding access to markets and certainty with regards to government intervention in your investment return (i.e. carbon taxes and royalty reviews)?

You don't invest in the first because a) there are better options and b) you don't have to.

Everyone can acknowledge there are a number of issues facing the O&G sector in Alberta, some of which are in our control, some of which are not... But the last thing the industry needed was the government further contributing to those issues...

If I've misread your understanding of capital investment and corporate decision making, I apologize. Please feel free to provide an explanation of why you feel things like the royalty review don't really influence the decisions of investors.

This is a very good, well-written and respectful post, of what Ozy was getting at. No resorting to attacks and hostile / aggressive text here. Good job you&me.