Who are you voting for

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

I am in a position where what happens to Big Oil (and the subcontractors) has absolutely no impact on me, and, if anything, a poor economy might benefit me (as in, relative to the norm). So, royalties, environment, etc doesn't bother me either way. The NDP bothers me because they will take a bunch more money from me personally and "re-invest" it in health, education and "Alberta", and what that "re-investment" will consist of is raises for teachers, nurses and public-sector workers, who are already the highest paid in the country. **** that. More money will not make anything better, unless you come up with something more creative than "more of the same" (more workers, higher salaries). Some of my best friends work for the Man, but, I am sorry, I have no wish to subsidize their incomes...

That makes sense, but it's worth considering that a big reason why the NDP are even a threat to form a government is because many Albertans have no wish to continue subsidizing high earners' incomes by blowing resource royalties and using deficit spending to keep tax rates artificially low.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

The annoying thing about that video is that they say, "we're a centrist party that rejects right / left ideology". Then immediately launches into:

1. We believe in public education. Kids should get the tools they need to help them succeed.
2. We believe in health care. Our system should focus on keeping people healthy instead of treating them when they're sick.
3. Private enterprise is key to economic success. Government must facilitate economic investment and reward creativity.
4. We are in favour of environmentalism and increasing use of renewable energy.
5. We want more democracy - debate and dissent are welcome, transparency.

Thank you for giving me five vague platform points that basically everyone agrees with for the most part. What specific policies do you support? It's like a video intended to try to appeal to everyone and offend no one by essentially saying nothing.

Except for the thing about "keeping people healthy instead of treating them when they're sick", which may be substantive but I don't understand what they're proposing or what they mean.

I get that the video is just supposed to catch your attention and there are more details on the website but it's a pet peeve of mine.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

No. It's much better in the long run to recognize partial or full qualifications from outside the country and provide a fast-tracked re-training program / re-certification for qualified professionals to fill those gaps. This is something the PC's, both provincial and federal, should have figured out a long time ago.

Why are qualified, experienced doctors driving cabs or doing janitorial work in this province when they could be filling professional fields that are chronically under-staffed? Better to spend six months improving a pre-existing skillset than simply increasing (read: inflating) the price constantly to attract top talent.

I do agree with this as well. I just meant the public service has to remain somewhat competitive in the marketplace if they're going to attract talented people.

[Schraderbrau]

Voting PC. I'm voting for the party that supports our O&G sector because that is what feeds this province and keeps it alive. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. All this talk of voting for someone else just to teach the PC’s a lesson is going to come back to hurt this province in a major way.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Schraderbrau

Voting PC. I'm voting for the party that supports our O&G sector because that is what feeds this province and keeps it alive. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. All this talk of voting for someone else just to teach the PC’s a lesson is going to come back to hurt this province in a major way.

a single digit increase in royalty % is some how not supporting O&G?

[Cappy]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

Canadian oil companies are barely competitive now. I'd wager that its more likely that the province goes broke once oil production stops increasing, as capital goes to other provinces and US plays instead.

I agree with this. I worked for an exploration company during the Stelmach review. Did it hurt the company? not overly, but the vast majority of our exploration work was moved into BC and Saskatchewan. The companies stayed competitive but the Province didn't.

That company now does more overseas exploration than in Province as it was do or die.

[username]

Originally Posted by polak

a single digit increase in royalty % is some how not supporting O&G?

Any increase in royalty is not supporting O&G.

The industry is bleeding right now - Cenovus last almost 700 million in the first quarter.

What a great time it would be to take a few more percent off their "profit" so the hold can be dug deeper.

Great idea NDP, let's "review the royalty structure" because the O&G industry is making so much money right now.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Schraderbrau

Voting PC. I'm voting for the party that supports our O&G sector because that is what feeds this province and keeps it alive. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. All this talk of voting for someone else just to teach the PC’s a lesson is going to come back to hurt this province in a major way.

The ruling PC party has already done a fine job of hurting the province in a major way. I certainly don't expect things to change or improve at all under another PC government anytime soon.

[FLAMESRULE]

What is wrong with reviewing royalties?? I work O+G, and know its potential impact. But I'm also an Albertan that owns the resource along with everyone else. We need to do our due diligence and make sure we remain competitive globally, but maximize the benefits of the resource to EVERYONE's BENEFIT, not just those of us working O+G.

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by Schraderbrau

Voting PC. I'm voting for the party that supports our O&G sector because that is what feeds this province and keeps it alive. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. All this talk of voting for someone else just to teach the PC’s a lesson is going to come back to hurt this province in a major way.

You could say the PCs bit the hand that feeds them in a major way as well at least with the way they have treated the voter base. Scandal after scandal, dirty politics, blaming voters for the problems they created by telling voters to look at themselves in the mirror, released a budget nobody liked, then told all the people complaining to ##### off by calling an election nobody wanted expecting a majority. Height of arrogance right there.

NDP is also not going to ruin the O&G sector either, it's a slight increase with a royalty review only when the sector gets better. We already have one of the lowest royalty rates in the world and better the taxpayer get a bigger chunk of that why the cash starts rolling in again than not. There is a good chance oil prices may not recovery for a long time either so the hike will likely not happen under this term.

[polak]

Originally Posted by username

Any increase in royalty is not supporting O&G.

The industry is bleeding right now - Cenovus last almost 700 million in the first quarter.

What a great time it would be to take a few more percent off their "profit" so the hold can be dug deeper.

Great idea NDP, let's "review the royalty structure" because the O&G industry is making so much money right now.

I doubt that they would increase the royalty willy nilly regardless of oil prices.

Cenovus should know better than to budget with the best case scenario as the expected outcome. Funny, Alberta makes the same mistake as most of these O&G companies.

Spend, Spend, Spend, Oh crap oil isn't worth $90 a barrel anymore?

But yeah, lets continue the cycle.

[username]

Originally Posted by polak

I doubt that they would increase the royalty willy nilly regardless of oil prices.

Cenovus should no better than to budget with the best case scenario as the expected outcome. Funny, Alberta makes the same mistake as most of these O&G companies.

Spend, Spend, Spend, Oh crap oil isn't worth $90 a barrel anymore?

But yeah, lets continue the cycle.

Sorry man, but I can't even have this disussion with you.....

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by username

Any increase in royalty is not supporting O&G.

The industry is bleeding right now - Cenovus last almost 700 million in the first quarter.

What a great time it would be to take a few more percent off their "profit" so the hold can be dug deeper.

Great idea NDP, let's "review the royalty structure" because the O&G industry is making so much money right now.

I think this is the key point in my eyes. We need to have governance which looks far beyond the "right now" scenario. I think everyone, top to bottom, needs to take a step back and think about how Alberta can remain competitive.

[Flash Walken]

What if the royalty review produces lower rates, is it still something that shouldn't be examined?

[puckedoff]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

What if the royalty review produces lower rates, is it still something that shouldn't be examined?

Yes.

[Schraderbrau]

The PC government has run this province just fine for the better part of 40 years. The people of Alberta make good money, we have 0 PST and our economy has done well over my life time. Yes we are tied to O&G market and we are forced to ride those highs and lows but at least the PC government has worked to keep the O&G companies in this province to allow us to have the highs. Sure there are things that I really don’t like about how the PC’s have run but at the end of the day we do well as a province. There are a lot more goods then bads under a PC regime.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Schraderbrau

The PC government has run this province just fine for the better part of 40 years. The people of Alberta make good money, we have 0 PST and our economy has done well over my life time. Yes we are tied to O&G market and we are forced to ride those highs and lows but at least the PC government has worked to keep the O&G companies in this province to allow us to have the highs. Sure there are things that I really don’t like about how the PC’s have run but at the end of the day we do well as a province. There are a lot more goods then bads under a PC regime.

I don't know man.

We had $100+ oil for a long time and are still some how in pretty rough shape right now. If you don't see a problem in that then I don't know what to tell you.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Schraderbrau

The PC government has run this province just fine for the better part of 40 years. The people of Alberta make good money, we have 0 PST and our economy has done well over my life time. Yes we are tied to O&G market and we are forced to ride those highs and lows but at least the PC government has worked to keep the O&G companies in this province to allow us to have the highs. Sure there are things that I really don’t like about how the PC’s have run but at the end of the day we do well as a province. There are a lot more goods then bads under a PC regime.

The fact that you use the term "regime" which carries negative connotations.......

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Schraderbrau

The PC government has run this province just fine for the better part of 40 years. The people of Alberta make good money, we have 0 PST and our economy has done well over my life time. Yes we are tied to O&G market and we are forced to ride those highs and lows but at least the PC government has worked to keep the O&G companies in this province to allow us to have the highs. Sure there are things that I really don’t like about how the PC’s have run but at the end of the day we do well as a province. There are a lot more goods then bads under a PC regime.

Yeah 12 billion dollar debt in a province that made a ridiculous amount of surplus is "just fine".

I love PC supporters.

Boom time: "Why vote out PC? Our province is doing greaaaaat!" *jumps into pile of money and F-150s*

Bust time: "Why vote out PC? It's the market's fault we're in this mess, not theirs!" *mugs angrily at minimum wage workers*

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Schraderbrau

The PC government has run this province just fine for the better part of 40 years. The people of Alberta make good money, we have 0 PST and our economy has done well over my life time. Yes we are tied to O&G market and we are forced to ride those highs and lows but at least the PC government has worked to keep the O&G companies in this province to allow us to have the highs. Sure there are things that I really don’t like about how the PC’s have run but at the end of the day we do well as a province. There are a lot more goods then bads under a PC regime.

Let's play spot the plant.