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

[polak]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

He doesn't because he was in junior high then.

That's why I've framed all my points after 2000. That's when I can kinda start to remember what was happening politics wise.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Yeah, sorry Jacks. But it is easy to be good with the economy when your major commodity is running well over $100 per barrel. That argument is no better than the suggestion that the NDP should be spared criticism because the price of oil is currently low.

IMO, the governments job is to provide an environment that is stable and attractive to business and investment. Raising the cost of doing business and creating instability at a time when revenues are down drastically is not helpful.

Originally Posted by WCan_Kid

You do realize that oil prices sucked for 20 years prior to the last boom starting in '03-'04, right?

This. We had balanced (actually surplus) budgets for years, when oil prices spiked is when we started getting into these deficits. The PC's were 'progressively' getting worse because rather than save the windfalls that fell in their lap they spent every dime. Actually that's not true, they did save quite a bit in the sustainablity fund but then burnt through that under Redford. The NDP have taken that fiscal ball and ran with it.

[Nobama]

Originally Posted by polak

I'm confused by your comment...

My point was more so that the government is shouldering all of this blame for an industry that was pretty poorly ran being in the tank when the good times ran out.

How quickly we forget the high flying overnight parties, catered lunches, stampede blow outs of just two years ago. It was almost a competition of who could outspend each other. It sucks cause it only takes a couple companies to fall into the trap before everyone needs to in order to compete for talent but hopefully the industry learns from that.

Will it? Not a chance.

So medical and pharmaceutical companies don't have catered lunches? Stampede parties? How about lawyers? Do they drive nice cars? Do they try and grow their businesses? Hire more employees? Buy more technology and aspire to be a bigger and better company? When was the last time these industries saw a 60% downturn in under a year?? Never happens.

The resentment for the O&G industry is unbelievable. Even more unbelievable is how energy that we all use every day all day can be valued at X amount today and next year be valued at X-60% - without any consumption changes at all. O&G is a finite resource. No matter what we will have less tomorrow and even less the day after.

Strip away all the media propaganda reasons and what are we left with? Energy is a commodity and commodity prices are controlled by a small group of people to make money. They make money when commodities are low in price. They make money when they are high. They don't care about the father of 3 that works nights on a drilling rig through christmas to pay for presents. And they certainly don't care that he is out of a job now because the rig isn't working. The Alberta Energy Minister should care and yet we all heard what she said. Tough times ahead my friends.

[Ozy_Flame]

Your anecdote on the O/G industry worker in your 3rd paragraph is probably a very big reason for the perceived resentment to the same industry in your 2nd paragraph.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by Nobama

So medical and pharmaceutical companies don't have catered lunches? Stampede parties? How about lawyers? Do they drive nice cars? Do they try and grow their businesses? Hire more employees? Buy more technology and aspire to be a bigger and better company? When was the last time these industries saw a 60% downturn in under a year?? Never happens.

Speaking as a lawyer, there are definitely certain disciplines that are heavily dependent on economic circumstances. Maybe family lawyers don't see a big downturn in this sort of situation, but, say, a securities boutique? Better believe it.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by c.t.ner

Watching people tie themselves in knots trying to defend this statement is hysterical.

Is it true that given how things are going some people should make the tough choice and look elsewhere to find work to survive and make it through this tough times. Sure it is.

BUT no government official, under any circumstance should publicly state it. The last thing people who have been recently laid off or lost their jobs need to hear is the suggestion that they should just leave their homes and go to a better place. It's ridiculous and shows a real disconnect between their understanding of their role as government and the face of the province.

It's funny though isn't it? We usually rip on politicians for lying or for going with politician speak. But then they do something here like be a little honest...and then we rip on that too. I agree its not a wise thing for a government official to say, but had she came out and told people to just hunker down for a couple months and it's gonna turn around, that would get ripped as well. It's why saying nothing can often be the best approach.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Speaking as a lawyer, there are definitely certain disciplines that are heavily dependent on economic circumstances. Maybe family lawyers don't see a big downturn in this sort of situation, but, say, a securities boutique? Better believe it.

I have a friend who is a divorce lawyer, and she's as busy as ever. The economy puts huge strains on families, especially when family finances are in dire straits.

[Nobama]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Your anecdote on the O/G industry worker in your 3rd paragraph is probably a very big reason for the perceived resentment to the same industry in your 2nd paragraph.

Explain?

[Harry Lime]

Judging from that graph, everything started to go to hell when revenue crashed in 08, and Stelmach took over with no plan to curb spending (other than simple reduction). There were then reactionary cuts to spending in the following years without systemic policy changes, and the result is now a stagnant revenue stream with spending regaining its previous level of growth (relative to population/inflation/other causes) by simply pouring money into the broken system.

Are we all upset because we are waiting for someone to come in an govern, as opposed to politik? The last time someone governed the province of Alberta was 2000, in the cutting days of Klein, after which no one even attempted anything that might rock the political boat.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Nobama

So medical and pharmaceutical companies don't have catered lunches? Stampede parties? How about lawyers? Do they drive nice cars? Do they try and grow their businesses? Hire more employees? Buy more technology and aspire to be a bigger and better company? When was the last time these industries saw a 60% downturn in under a year?? Never happens.

Notice how all of your examples don't operate on the backs of a commodity that trades as wildly as you pointed out in your third paragraph?

There's also a bit of a difference between the top brass being paid well and having a stampede party and an xmas party and what I saw in O&G in 2012 where every month there was a company wide, open bar party, routine lunches and the nicest offices I have ever been in. We had a party simply because we moved to a new floor!

[Cyclops]

Originally Posted by WCan_Kid

You do realize that oil prices sucked for 20 years prior to the last boom starting in '03-'04, right?

Right, so why doesn't Notley start to tear hospitals down and sell AGT to start balancing books? Oh yeah, we don't have that anymore because the saviour already did that. She could shut hospitals down and get rid of thousands of doctors and nurses but unfortunately the outgoing government didn't reinvest enough for her to do that. Seems like we still have a shortage of both even after our boom.

875 million for AGT, damn steal.

[gladaki]

Originally Posted by polak

Notice how all of your examples don't operate on the backs of a commodity that trades as wildly as you pointed out in your third paragraph?

There's also a bit of a difference between the top brass being paid well and having a stampede party and an xmas party and what I saw in O&G in 2012 where every month there was a company wide, open bar party, routine lunches and the nicest offices I have ever been in. We had a party simply because we moved to a new floor!

Which company was that ? I will apply

[polak]

Originally Posted by gladaki

Which company was that ? I will apply

MEG Energy.

[_Q_]

Oil and Gas are finite sources, but energy isn't.

I doubt the demand for hydrocarbons is going to increase much from here on out. Maybe one last time we'll get a bit of a boom, but that's about it.

[gladaki]

Originally Posted by _Q_

Oil and Gas are finite sources, but energy isn't.

I doubt the demand for hydrocarbons is going to increase much from here on out. Maybe one last time we'll get a bit of a boom, but that's about it.

Yeah, and who knows where TESLA will take us

[The Fonz]

It's an idiotic comment because your NDP government relies on these people's tax dollars. Telling them to leave the province means losing tax dollars, which means increasing taxes on the remaining tax payers to cover expenses.

There are jobs available in AB. They may not be as high paying as the ones lost in the O&G sector, and the job titles may not carry the same prestige, but there are jobs available. Her message should not have been for AB tax payers to leave and become BC tax payers, it should have been to try another profession in the short term until O&G recovers. The most important point being... STAY IN ALBERTA.

Unfortunately for you guys, looks like you may be headed towards a 'Great Exodus' much like what the NDP put us thru in SK for decades.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Unfortunately for you guys, looks like you may be headed towards a 'Great Exodus' much like what the NDP put us thru in SK for decades.

Yup. Lived through that for the better part of 20 years there. Not looking forward to doing it here as well.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

I'm a little sore that the PC's decided back in the early 80's to stop using resource revenues and investment returns to build the Heritage Fund...if that had fund had been growing with resource revenues and the shortfall in Government operations made up for with prudent management and a....sales tax (blasphemer). Alberta would have a MUCH better chance of weathering this type of economic situation...

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by Fozzie_DeBear

I'm a little sore that the PC's decided back in the early 80's to stop using resource revenues and investment returns to build the Heritage Fund...if that had fund had been growing with resource revenues and the shortfall in Government operations made up for with prudent management and a....sales tax (blasphemer). Alberta would have a MUCH better chance of weathering this type of economic situation...

If Lougheed's vision was realized with the Heritage Fund, the biggest revenue stream, after income tax, for this province could have very well been interest diverted from the Fund into operating budget, as opposed to decreased revenue from O&G during the downturn.

But we are not here to regret the past, we are here to destroy the future. Time to 'weather this storm', as opposed to inquiring upon progressive change to policy.

[BigNumbers]

MOD EDIT: No insults please.