Alberta Politics Thread v2

[OMG!WTF!]

Couldn't you do like a lottery system or something more voluntary? Some producers would happily cut production with a little compensation while others would gladly pay a bit to keep producing. There's a solution there somewhere. At very least it would avoid the inevitable governmental screw up in the mail.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I will say that it was nice to see CBC last night on The National bringing some attention to this. Another one this morning:


https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...923771?cmp=rss


This kind of thing was needed 3 years ago, but I guess better late than never. Hopefully they keep it up. I think a big part of the lack of concern from the rest of the country is that they have no knowledge of what is going on, not that they don't care. That was the impression I got on my last visit to Ontario, anyway.

Yeah, its cute.

It also reinforces the fact that people in Ontario didnt go to school long enough to learn how to count.

Maybe they should have to count past 3,000 before they're allowed to vote.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Locke

Yeah, its cute.

It also reinforces the fact that people in Ontario didnt go to school long enough to learn how to count.

Maybe they should have to count past 3,000 before they're allowed to vote.

Easy now. It's up to the media to educate the population of the issues. If they don't receive that, is it fair to attack them? Now, go full bore on the idiot politicians who SHOULD know better, I just don't think the regular folk deserve our scorn unless they have their fingers in their ears.

[Weitz]

Well, mandatory cuts without exemptions for small guys is going to push a bunch of companies teetering on the edge into bankruptcy assuming they comply with the orders.

[GordonBlue]

one last note about unions and public sector jobs.

once you get to the top step on your pay scale, you're done. you're at the top of your grade, so unless you can learn some new skills and change positions to one with a higher grade, you'll be living off that salary for the rest of your career.

there often isn't cost of living increases, (especially in this economic climate.) there isn't bonuses. your spending power just slowly becomes less and less as taxes and bills and prices go up.

[OMG!WTF!]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Well, mandatory cuts without exemptions for small guys is going to push a bunch of companies teetering on the edge into bankruptcy assuming they comply with the orders.

Jason Kenney was talking about his plan to mandate cuts and it included exemptions for small producers, under 25k barrels a day I think.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

one last note about unions and public sector jobs.

once you get to the top step on your pay scale, you're done. you're at the top of your grade, so unless you can learn some new skills and change positions to one with a higher grade, you'll be living off that salary for the rest of your career.

there often isn't cost of living increases, (especially in this economic climate.) there isn't bonuses. your spending power just slowly becomes less and less as taxes and bills and prices go up.

Very true. However it depends on the environment you're in.

Take teachers for example, they go from the bottom of their pay scale to the top in 10 years.

Sure, you're stuck there, but you're stuck at the top making the most available. How many careers can boast that? That you hit the top of the pay scale (a not inconsiderable sum) and stay there for however long you choose to?

The horror......the horror....

[redforever]

It would not be the first time in Alberta's history that the province mandated cuts to production.

Lougheed did that in the mid 80's in his fight with the elder Trudeau quite successfully too.

If rail cars don't arrive until 2020 as has been reported in the news, then cuts in the interim would be of more benefit.

[DiracSpike]

I would hope there is an exemption for the small producers, they're the ones the government is trying to save.

There was a good article by Peter Tertzakian in the Financial Post on tuesday where he talked about this production cut legislation, it was orignially drafted in the 60s in case production from the Oil Sands overwhelemd producers, which is basically what is happening. The companies most affected by this will be Suncor and Imperial.

[CaptainCrunch]

Well we could cut production by the exact amount that we send to BC for domestic use. "Sorry BC, but you suck"


Make them stare sadly at rail cars thundering past as they sit in the 80's era line at the gas station waiting for their allotment of fuel.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Sounds like an announcement is coming soon from Notley on cutting production


https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/albe...tley-1.4196127


Hold on to your butts if you work in Oil and Gas.

The service industry in Alberta is barely hanging on right now, this might push a lot of companies over the edge. But I'm also not sure what else can be done at this point. Activity is way down either way.

Frankly I'm more nervous now than I was a few years ago. My employer has cut about as much as can be cut. Any more and we may as well close the doors. The double whammy (for us) is that our U.S. operations have saved our bacon the past few years but with the tail off in oil prices any drop i activity down there will magnify the situation for us. And I would think the same for any other Canadian company that has looked south for salvation recently.

[CaptainCrunch]

I would think at some point, Canadian Companies with US operations are going to look at the approach to this whole situation and go with the profitable organization. I fully expect that things are going to get tremendously bad in this province, and even with changes in government in Alberta, and Canada (Doubtful) it will take forever for investment to come back and external investors will take a long term wait and see and not just rush back in.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I would think at some point, Canadian Companies with US operations are going to look at the approach to this whole situation and go with the profitable organization. I fully expect that things are going to get tremendously bad in this province, and even with changes in government in Alberta, and Canada (Doubtful) it will take forever for investment to come back and external investors will take a long term wait and see and not just rush back in.

Investment comes back when Transmountain has pipe in the ground. You have two years of construction so with the number of approved projects in Alberta you could have oil about 2.5 years from when you invest. So timelines would work out.

However I'm not sure things get much worse than this years forecast. There hadn't been much expansion going on anyway and people will still sustain production even at current pricing trying to be the last people standing. There is a hard bottom where Alberta is close to.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by GGG

Investment comes back when Transmountain has pipe in the ground. You have two years of construction so with the number of approved projects in Alberta you could have oil about 2.5 years from when you invest. So timelines would work out.

However I'm not sure things get much worse than this years forecast. There hadn't been much expansion going on anyway and people will still sustain production even at current pricing trying to be the last people standing. There is a hard bottom where Alberta is close to.

Will they? Tons of companies have fully cut their winter drilling program already.

[DiracSpike]

Some nice comments on that CBC article, seems people in Ontario have some grasp of knowledge on the situation. The true enemies are the city-states of Vancouver and Montreal. Our two most important port cities who seems to now not want to be ports anymore.

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

one last note about unions and public sector jobs.

once you get to the top step on your pay scale, you're done. you're at the top of your grade, so unless you can learn some new skills and change positions to one with a higher grade, you'll be living off that salary for the rest of your career.

there often isn't cost of living increases, (especially in this economic climate.) there isn't bonuses. your spending power just slowly becomes less and less as taxes and bills and prices go up.

There is also almost zero risk of losing your employment. Most sectors operate in a monopoly so there is very little incentive to find efficiencies or cut costs. Budgets, at least in Alberta, have consistently increased for decades.

I'm fairly certain most of the 100,000-200,000 people who have lost their jobs in the private sector over the past four years would have been quite happy with a set pay grade for eternity.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

There is also almost zero risk of losing your employment.

Not even close, again.

Most sectors operate in a monopoly so there is very little incentive to find efficiencies or cut costs.

Other than having your service be cut from the budget.

Budgets, at least in Alberta, have consistently increased for decades.

Would you expect them to decrease in the face of inflation? The costs of materials we buy for projects has increased over those decades as well, let me guess you blame the unions for that too?

I'm fairly certain most of the 100,000-200,000 people who have lost their jobs in the private sector over the past four years would have been quite happy with a set pay grade for eternity.

I’m fairly certain most employees in the public sector would probably be quite happy with a set pay grade for eternity as well, but just because you make the claim that it’s what they receive doesn’t make it so. Just like a number of other false claims that you continually make and don’t back up when asked to.

[CaptainCrunch]

Totally wrong thread d'oh

[OMG!WTF!]

Funny. Rachel figuring it out a little too late...

Oh, we’re just going to keep the oil in the ground and we’re going to carry on in our happy little world, as I said earlier today, you know, flipping condos and writing Facebook movie reviews in our favourite coffee shop—that’s not a thing. The reality is the Canadian economy relies significantly on the investment that’s attracted to this country through our energy industry.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by iggy_oi

Not even close, again.



Other than having your service be cut from the budget.



Would you expect them to decrease in the face of inflation? The costs of materials we buy for projects has increased over those decades as well, let me guess you blame the unions for that too?



I’m fairly certain most employees in the public sector would probably be quite happy with a set pay grade for eternity as well, but just because you make the claim that it’s what they receive doesn’t make it so. Just like a number of other false claims that you continually make and don’t back up when asked to.

Well it's good to see that productivity isn't really a thing at where you work at. I'm sure you're very mentally or physically challenged. Better lie down when you get home.