Alberta Politics Thread

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

You new to politics, PsYcNet? You could switch out Notley's picture for any elected leader in Canada, provincial or federal, for the last 30 years.

[stampsx2]

[zamler]

How much of China's emissions is the result of them producing useless crap the west buys? Serious question.

[Fuzz]

That was part of the discussion earlier. Goods from China should be assessed duties to account for it. Currently China experiences huge YOY GDP growth by manufacturing cheaper than we ever could based on no environmental regulations or labour codes. It is unfair to our economies to expect to compete with that. That is, if we want to look at it honestly.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

That was part of the discussion earlier. Goods from China should be assessed duties to account for it. Currently China experiences huge YOY GDP growth by manufacturing cheaper than we ever could based on no environmental regulations or labour codes. It is unfair to our economies to expect to compete with that. That is, if we want to look at it honestly.

On top of that China has draconian Import policies so they expect everyone to buy their crap, but its next to impossible to sell them crap, so its not like a trade war with China would bother me if we started putting tariffs and environmental taxes on them.

[AltaGuy]

You guys going all protectionist now? Haha - but what about the shareholders here (and yes, pensioners) who own the corporations building the crappy Chinese stuff?

[Fuzz]

No, it is just working back to the point that carbon taxes are handicapping our industries while giving a free ride to other countries. If we want to continue shooting ourselves in the foot, then sure, great policy. If we want a decent economy where we can thrive, then...well... bad policy, because the playing field is far from level, and self inflicted wounds aren't going to help.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by AltaGuy

You guys going all protectionist now? Haha - but what about the shareholders here (and yes, pensioners) who own the corporations building the crappy Chinese stuff?

To me, trade means trade. Right now its lopsided to the tune of about 31 billion dollars in 2014. So realistically maybe putting a tariff on goods would also have the added side benefit of opening up China's market to Canada.

and what are they going to say, if you don't remove these unfair environmental tariffs, we'll send you less stuff to sell?

[Coach]

I'm fine with harsh tariffs on China for the aforementioned reasons, as long as everyone is fine with paying quite a bit more for their consumer goods. Something tells me most are not.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by MattyC

I'm fine with harsh tariffs on China for the aforementioned reasons, as long as everyone is fine with paying quite a bit more for their consumer goods. Something tells me most are not.

If it makes Canadian goods more competitive in our domestic market then fine.

I'm also sure that nations that legitimately have two way trade would be happy to fill the vacuum in Canada and compete with Chinese goods, if Chinese goods were taxed or tariffed.

For all the low cost consumer goods that come here out of China, there are competitors in other nations like Korea that would be more then happy to take up the slack and we have better access to their markets for Canadian goods.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

If it makes Canadian goods more competitive in our domestic market then fine.

I'm also sure that nations that legitimately have two way trade would be happy to fill the vacuum in Canada and compete with Chinese goods, if Chinese goods were taxed or tariffed.

For all the low cost consumer goods that come here out of China, there are competitors in other nations like Korea that would be more then happy to take up the slack and we have better access to their markets for Canadian goods.

I agree, but either way, your stuff is going to cost more. Whether it's from places with higher labour costs, stricter environmental regulations, or both.

A lot of the issues posed in this thread revolve around the increased costs due to taxation. Now your adding another cost on top of it (or instead of it?). Again, don't have a problem with it personally, but I can see many others having a big issue with this. Almost all industries are linked to low overseas costs somehow.

[transplant99]

The owner of the trap and gill was on QR77 this morning and went through the amount of money they are being taxed since the NDP took office. It was astonishing. The most remarkable part however was when she mentioned that the various governments makes way WAY more money off her and her sisters business than they do. If true, and she sounded very sincere, then that should be a problem for everyone regardless of political leanings.

[EldrickOnIce]

^ I'm sure it's the case. Be interest to see numbers.
'Tax freedom day' in Canada was a couple days ago. Not that far from taxation taking more than half of employment income either.

[Fuzz]

For years we have been trying to find different ways to limit carbon dioxide produced from fossil fuels. Some researchers believe that things would be very convenient if we could just deposit carbon dioxide in rocks. A pilot project around this idea has shown an impressive result. John Ross, reporting for the Australian: Scientists say they have demonstrated a foolproof way of sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide -- turning it into rock. An international team of researchers says it has demonstrated for the first time that CO2 can be permanently locked away from the atmosphere by injecting it into volcanic bedrock. The study, reported this morning in the journal Science, could overcome the leakage problems that have plagued attempts to bury CO2 gas underground. Lead author Juerg Matter said between 95 per cent and 98 per cent of the injected CO2 had been mineralised in less than two years, "which is amazingly fast.""Until now it was thought this process would take hundreds to thousands of years," University of Southampton, which led the new study, said in a statement. "The current study has demonstrated that it can take as little as two years."

https://science.slashdot.org/story/1...essive-outcome

Interesting. Wonder if we could leverage this in Alberta?

[CaptainCrunch]

I was hoping for genetically engineered super trees that grow to 500 feet in a short period of time and have an undying thirst for carbon dioxide

And human blood.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I was hoping for genetically engineered super trees that grow to 500 feet in a short period of time and have an undying thirst for carbon dioxide

And human blood.

GMOs cause autism in trees!! Or something.

[stampsx2]

Originally Posted by MattyC

I'm fine with harsh tariffs on China for the aforementioned reasons, as long as everyone is fine with paying quite a bit more for their consumer goods. Something tells me most are not.

No we're not willing to pay more for products cause we have no money left. The governments have taken anything we had to spare in the form of carbon taxes, property taxes, gas taxes etc etc etc. People only have so much disposable income.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

No we're not willing to pay more for products cause we have no money left. The governments have taken anything we had to spare in the form of carbon taxes, property taxes, gas taxes etc etc etc. People only have so much disposable income.

You can obviously afford internet.

[stampsx2]

Originally Posted by MattyC

You can obviously afford internet.

and bread and water. What's your point?

[Coach]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

and bread and water. What's your point?

Oh weird. I thought the government had taken anything you had to spare.