Alberta’s energy minister says laid off workers could go to B.C.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Regorium

While politically incorrect, saying that we should seek out all available job opportunities in all locations is prudent advice.

_Q_, for example, moved to New Orleans. When times were good, everyone moved to Alberta - why shouldn't we do the same?

People just refuse to take responsibility for their own actions - much like how I keep saying Prentice's "Look in the mirror" remark was the most true and most realistic thing that was said all campaign.

Of course, this is why I'll never be a politician - All I know how to do is tell people the truth, and people can't handle the truth.

No kidding.

My wife was laid off from her O&G related job and we moved as a result rather than try to tread water in a down economy with outrageous living expenses.

Do we think anyone in Atlantic Canada is going to have sympathy for the average Albertan hearing for the first time what they've been hearing for decades?

[woob]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

That would be, I believe, the fourth time the NDP has had to apologize for the incompetence of its MLAs.

Anyone else picture Resolute giggling to himself as he marks another X on his "The NDP's done messed up again!" board?

[Resolute 14]

The fact that Ozy_Flame and Resurrection are defending this tells us all we need to know about just how stupid the statement was.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

The fact that Ozy_Flame and Resurrection are defending this tells us all we need to know about just how stupid the statement was.

You're so hot when you're mad.

[polak]

I'd love to hear Resolutes opinion on the complete incompatance of Oil & Gas industry leadership?

You know whats funny? They laugh that the Energy Minister has no patch experience but all of the people in the patch can't run their own business anyways.

[Derek Sutton]

Originally Posted by polak

I'd love to hear Resolutes opinion on the complete incompatance of Oil & Gas industry leadership?

You know whats funny? They laugh that the Energy Minister has no patch experience but all of the people in the patch can't run their own business anyways.

WTF are you talking about? A vast majority of the oil patch is made up of numerous small businesses in varying forms. And for those who are simply employees, well they aren't paid buy tax dollars and representing Albertans on a national stage. You really have no clue. It should goes with out saying that the Minister of Energy should have some sort of energy background.

[stampsx2]

Originally Posted by woob

Anyone else picture Resolute giggling to himself as he marks another X on his "The NDP's done messed up again!" board?

And he has every right to. I certainly would. The ndp is laughable.

[IliketoPuck]

Originally Posted by polak

I'd love to hear Resolutes opinion on the complete incompatance of Oil & Gas industry leadership?

You know whats funny? They laugh that the Energy Minister has no patch experience but all of the people in the patch can't run their own business anyways.

There are numerous well run companies in town that are doing just fine right now. ARX, RRX, WCP to name a few.

Our Energy Minister is a former teacher with no previous business experience. A large portion of the NDP caucus has zero previous political experience, and marginally applicable previous business experience. Don't be obtuse and compare business executives with professional designations (MBA, P.Eng, P.Geo, CA, CFA), and thirty years experience to our current energy minister as if they are even remotely similar.

Right after the election, those who voted NDP were pretty proud of themselves for ousting the PC's, and quite vocal about it. I've noticed that rhetoric has shifted as the economy has cratered and the NDP have shown their ineptitude.

Sure there are a few staunch NDP supporters, but the vast majority of the band wagon NDP voters have quieted down (just like Oilers fans in the summer, disappearing after a few months of incompetence).

[GGG]

This was a politically dumb thing to say.

It was also even worse to back track

However it is good advice right now to expand your job search outside of Alberta.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Derek Sutton

WTF are you talking about? A vast majority of the oil patch is made up of numerous small businesses in varying forms. And for those who are simply employees, well they aren't paid buy tax dollars and representing Albertans on a national stage. You really have no clue. It should goes with out saying that the Minister of Energy should have some sort of energy background.

Good point made in the other thread:

Originally Posted by para transit fellow

truthfully, there hasn't been an energy minister with an energy background for decades... maybe not since the Getty cabinet. Some didn't even have much in the way of management experience.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ster_of_Energy

But don't let facts get in the way of your blind hatred of the government.

And my point of the Alberta O&G patch being made up of companies led by people who can't control massive cost run ups in the good times and massive cuts in the bad still stands. How can you put this all on the first time government and nothing on the shoulders of the leaders of the Alberta O&G industry?

[Sliver]

Have half of you guys gone mad? Would it be better advice to tell everybody to hang in there eating pets and sawdust until oil rebounds? There are more people than jobs in Alberta right now. That's not the NDP's fault (obligatory I didn't vote for them caveat here) and this was going to happen regardless of who we voted for.

Some of you need to face very basic facts here without getting mad at some dopey lady stupid enough to tell the most obvious of truths. If you can't find a job within the borders of an imaginary line somebody drew on a map 100 years ago, then you should kinda probably just maybe look on the other side of that imaginary line to see if you can get a job over there.

[stampsx2]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Have half of you guys gone mad? Would it be better advice to tell everybody to hang in there eating pets and sawdust until oil rebounds? There are more people than jobs in Alberta right now. That's not the NDP's fault (obligatory I didn't vote for them caveat here) and this was going to happen regardless of who we voted for.

Some of you need to face very basic facts here without getting mad at some dopey lady stupid enough to tell the most obvious of truths. If you can't find a job within the borders of an imaginary line somebody drew on a map 100 years ago, then you should kinda probably just maybe look on the other side of that imaginary line to see if you can get a job over there.

You're late to the thread. You're bringing up arguments from page 2.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Have half of you guys gone mad? Would it be better advice to tell everybody to hang in there eating pets and sawdust until oil rebounds? There are more people than jobs in Alberta right now. That's not the NDP's fault (obligatory I didn't vote for them caveat here) and this was going to happen regardless of who we voted for.

Some of you need to face very basic facts here without getting mad at some dopey lady stupid enough to tell the most obvious of truths. If you can't find a job within the borders of an imaginary line somebody drew on a map 100 years ago, then you should kinda probably just maybe look on the other side of that imaginary line to see if you can get a job over there.

I don't think anyone is calling it bad advice. It's good advice for the individual.

The problem I see here is who is saying it, and the context in which it is said.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I mean, unless you've got a conservative partner that made you get a credit card and spend over and above your income while it was good, letting the debt and costs pile up, and essentially loses it when you come home one day and say "things aren't so good right now, we're just going to have to hunker down."

Analogies, am I right?

Honestly I think we're doing this backwards. The NDP might have been a good fit for Alberta back when Oil was $100 and they didnt have to worry about the economics, a subject which, it has become abundantly clear, they have little to no comprehension.

But right now every mistake is amplified by the consequences and honestly, the NDP have exhibited an unmistakable lack of experience and confidence.

[IliketoPuck]

Originally Posted by Locke

Honestly I think we're doing this backwards. The NDP might have been a good fit for Alberta back when Oil was $100 and they didnt have to worry about the economics, a subject which, it has become abundantly clear, they have little to no comprehension.

But right now every mistake is amplified by the consequences and honestly, the NDP have exhibited an unmistakable lack of experience and confidence.

The margin for error is minimal, and each subsequent error is magnified.

I had lunch with a senior finance guy at an OFS company yesterday. His company looks at Alberta like a banana republic with the amount of uncertainty the NDP are injecting. Their solution? Headed to North Dakota.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by IliketoPuck

The margin for error is minimal, and each subsequent error is magnified.

I had lunch with a senior finance guy at an OFS company yesterday. His company looks at Alberta like a banana republic with the amount of uncertainty the NDP are injecting. Their solution? Headed to North Dakota.

I've had a number of similar conversations. They really need to get it right and they've been consistently getting it wrong and yeah, theres a very slim margin for error.

It really smacks to me of; 'we have to do what we want to do because we're not going to get another shot at this.'

[White Out 403]

If like to say too at this point I'm not so much defending what was said... So much as I find it incredible it's causing all this outrage. I can't even imagine what would happen if the NDP was caught in scandals like Allison Redford found herself in. Cons would want the NDP banned and treated like the nazi party.

Originally Posted by IliketoPuck

The margin for error is minimal, and each subsequent error is magnified.

I had lunch with a senior finance guy at an OFS company yesterday. His company looks at Alberta like a banana republic with the amount of uncertainty the NDP are injecting. Their solution? Headed to North Dakota.

Yes its the NDPs fault the price of oil is in the toilet. Clearly.

[something]

Originally Posted by username

It would be like the CEO of a company standing before his employees and telling them their company is done. You should just quit your job and work for our competitor.

I don't agree with the comments made by the energy minister, but...

B.C. Isn't our competitor

And

Among the government's primary duties is to concern itself for the welfare of its "employees", a corporation is concerned primarily with its bottom line.

Drastically different scenarios.

On another note... I get the sentiment that the government is responsible for managing an economy through the hardest of times. Of course they are.

It is just that people on this message board, and people throughout Alberta continue to conflate global economic conditions to the performance of this brand spanking new government. Mistakes will happen, quotes will surface that we can (and should) scoff at.

But for ####'s sakes. The whole "NDP ruined Alberta" sentiment is wayyyyyyyyy out of line. And to be fair, many of us should be packing up our #### and moving elsewhere. Just as there was mass in-migration for the last decade, there will be to (a lesser extent) out-migration. And it just makes sense.

[polak]

Originally Posted by something

But for ####'s sakes. The whole "NDP ruined Alberta" sentiment is wayyyyyyyyy out of line. And to be fair, many of us should be packing up our #### and moving elsewhere. Just as there was mass in-migration for the last decade, there will be to (a lesser extent) out-migration. And it just makes sense.

The best part about it is it's the PC's who should shoulder 99% of the blame. They are the ones who blew through the heritage fund, invested nothing into diversification and created no plan for the boom eventually turning down.

Particularly hilarious considering Prentice's comments to look in the mirror. What did he expect Albertans to do? Storm the Legislation and demand higher taxes and PST? We elected your stupid ####ing party to be our voice and make choices on our behalf you ####ing brain dead moron. If anyone should look in the mirror, it's you Prentice. Instead of making smart, tough fiscal decisions, his party kept buying votes by blowing through cash and claiming that there's an "Alberta Advantage".

But yes it's the NDP's fault.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by polak

The best part about it is it's the PC's who should shoulder 99% of the blame. They are the ones who blew through the heritage fund, invested nothing into diversification and created no plan for the boom eventually turning down.

Particularly hilarious considering Prentice's comments to look in the mirror. What did he expect Albertans to do? Storm the Legislation and demand higher taxes and PST? We elected your stupid ####ing party to be our voice and make choices on our behalf you ####ing brain dead moron. If anyone should look in the mirror, it's you Prentice. Instead of making smart, tough fiscal decisions, his party kept buying votes by blowing through cash and claiming that there's an "Alberta Advantage".

But yes it's the NDP's fault.

/thread