Clash over oilsand inevitable: Lougheed

[Dion]

A war is looming between Alberta and the federal government over pollution caused by oil sands development that will far surpass any previous federal-provincial battle in its political and economic stakes, former Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed predicted Tuesday.
Mr. Lougheed told a Canadian

http://www.reportonbusiness.com/serv...y/robNews/home

He said that Alberta's desire to bypass toughened federal environmental laws will cause considerable dispute within the province itself, and will “cause significant stress to Canadian unity.

"My surmise is that we're into this constitutional legal conflict soon,” he said. “And my surmise is that – and this is strong stuff – national unity will be threatened if the court upholds federal environmental legislation and it causes major damage to the Alberta oil sands and our economy.”

[Reggie Dunlop]

Lougheed's a pretty smart feller, although not without his own patented brand of theatrics. Sort of a Straight Shooter with a silencer. He didn't really tip his hand in regards to pollution.

Getty, Klein and Stelmach is a pretty sorry lot as successors. I got that much out of his comments.

[FireFly]

I think Manning has it correct when he said that a Green Conservative Party would really sell in Alberta. And if this is what it's going to come to, I can see that being a smart alternative for a lot of voters.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Lougheed's a pretty smart feller, although not without his own patented brand of theatrics. Sort of a Straight Shooter with a silencer. He didn't really tip his hand in regards to pollution.

Getty, Klein and Stelmach is a pretty sorry lot as successors. I got that much out of his comments.

Getty was a disaster. Every time there was a crises and there were lots, they'd find him on the golf course in Palm Springs. Klein seems to have been in the oil companies back pocket and I don't much about Stelmach.
I see it being a fight between the oil companies and the federal government. The Provincial government is just a puppet. When the provincial government loses, the oil companies will have a snit and stop their developments.
Alberta's economy will suffer until big oil comes back on better terms but really they will have no choice if they want to make money.
What bothers me is that these international oil companies will make big money at todays prices being green or not. They just don't like being told what to do.

[mykalberta]

Peter is correct in upcoming legal battle if the Feds do anything about natural resources.

It would likely put the country in a battle pitting Alberta, BC, vs Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec (maritimes and Sask are hard to figure where they would land).

If the Feds wanted to do anything - they could easily increase the gas tax, increase emission standards on all vehicles and commercial buildings, increase commercial income tax on NR companies etc. The problem is the oil sands and 1.05/L gas is an easy target to sell to the 405 beltline.

MYK

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

The problem is the oil sands is an easy target to sell to the 405 beltline.

Frankly, it's Albertan's who should be the easy sell. It's OUR backyard that is being destroyed and mangled.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Frankly, it's Albertan's who should be the easy sell. It's OUR backyard that is being destroyed and mangled.

How is propelling our Province to financial superiority over every other district in North America by utilizing otherwise useless land destroying or mangling.

Alberta is a relative newborn in the industrialized age so if the growing pains of such rebirth is pollution, but less than the total amount produced by Ontario's cars+industry or Europe's industrial revolution - then so be it. With any new industry there are pollution growing pains, you learn from it, the technology gets better and you evolve as an industry.

I dont know why Alberta just doesnt inact some simple emission laws - say mirror the upcoming ones in California. There is no auto industry in the province so you wouldnt hurt jobs in Alberta - and so what if it costs a bit - it should be considered a tax to drive on Alberta roads.

MYK

[Hakan]

There's no question that the fiscal imbalance between Alberta and the rest of the federation is going to have serious consequences on Canadian federalism.

Something will need to be done. Alberta isn't making much of a case for itself with it's very high profile mishandling of oil revenues through populism and mismanagement.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Hakan

There's no question that the fiscal imbalance between Alberta and the rest of the federation is going to have serious consequences on Canadian federalism.

Something will need to be done. Alberta isn't making much of a case for itself with it's very high profile mishandling of oil revenues through populism and mismanagement.

###....sadly.

Lougheed has an interesting argument here though. Its a parallel that I didn't see coming right away, and creates some interesting issues for the constitution as a whole once that can of worms gets opened up.