Cheap oil

[Oliver88]

One reason for that is Norway doesn't have to send equalization payments to Quebec.

You are likely right though that bacon can be trimmed in the Alberta public sector and government......and all across Canada for that matter.

[farmaholic]

Geez BTO, Albertha has just about as much cash as you have. You should spend some of it before all those paper "C" notes no longer get accepted and only that plastic monies is taken.

[tweety]

Oliver, the biggest reason is Norway doesn't give their oil away like Alberta does.

[mustardman]

It's not trimming the public sector that will make the difference... Alberta and Sask as well Need to get a Royalty structure that benefits the provinces Not like the complete GiVE away system that we have today.
Yes most countries with our resources would have the coffers full and any expenditures needed, hiways ,hospital ,schools etc could easily be paid for unlike now

[checking]

So right mustardman.

We give our resources away to create a few more job opportunities. This increased population caused by a few more jobs doesn't even provide enough new taxes to pay for the overwhelming new infrastructure necessary to accommodate the new arrival, even in boom times/uncontrolled growth.

Now comes the down turn. The jobs vanish over night. The arrivals depart the following morning, and the remainder, before this nonsense started, are left to pay off the built up infrastructure. But hey, that is what the Alberta/Saskatchewan governments/you people wanted by providing royalty free periods, and taking precious little resource revenue.

[sumdumguy]

We have not learned how to manage the boom. Why is it so hard when we all know about cycles, but stars get in the eyes? Think its a bit like farmers? High farm prices just encourage more debt- for some guys, not all. There are likely some oil companies that prepared for the downturn.

[Rareearth]

From the book " the Colder War"
Competing claims on the arctic resources, Canada, USA, Norway, Denmark, Russia.

Putin wants as much of the Arctic as he can get. In April of 2014 he announced the formation of a United system of naval bases for ships and next generation submarines in the Arctic to defend Russian interests. In 2014 it began production at the Prirazlomnaya oil field. Where 40 wells are being drilled to tap into a 530 million barrel pool. The command center for this is a massive offshore platform, a engineering marvel, the first platform built in the arctic, for arctic extreme conditions.... Putin also has deals with Exxon Mobile for joint venture Arctic oil

Canada has been looking for sunken ships, with no gold or treasure in them? To defend our claims?

[cottonpicken]

Where do you draw the line on who owns what?

What if the public declares farmland a community asset?

[wmoebis]

I think we are safe with this gov't. Look at public owned community pastures, worked good and they want to sell off to private or investors. Now if they could figure out how to sell all private land to large corp's that might be something to watch out for.

[cottonpicken]

One unseen scary thing happening is the energy sector is getting locked out of the credit markets.

Theres a rumour(or not),that there is a no bid,or sky high yield on the bonds.

Some or alot of companies wont be able to bridge themselves through this mess.

This could quickly turn catastrophic or in the immortal words of Mickey Knox"you aint seen nothin yet".

[sumdumguy]

The West has had every farm program cut-cut-cut, but that's what you all want. Get rid of all governmant employees. That what you get!

[sumdumguy]

Yep, Cotton, I suspect the lenders are going to get cold feet very soon. But, really, corporate coffers are so full of cash after a long run like this, they probably have more money stashed than the banks do. New credit for drilling, thats where the crunch will come, but so it should. That starts the new cycle, less supply, up she goes.

[cottonpicken]

Not to sure about them having cash. Went over the financials of one of canadas premier production companies and didnt see any cash i was doing it quickly and may not be correct. Maybe to obvious to state but these guys will start hoarding cash like no tommorrow and the guys down the food chain will suffer.

[bucket]

Wmoebis

Within 10 years all former community pastures will be corporately held. Small herds and many independent cattlemen are a thing of the past. The government made sure of that when BSE hit and the next generation left for greener pastures.

Along with it goes many communities.

Happened in the 70s. And it will happen or is happening again.

[grassfarmer]

Cotton "Where do you draw the line on who owns what?

What if the public declares farmland a community asset?"

In Alberta the Government already decided when they gave themselves the right to "extinguish" property titles with no right to compensation and no recourse to a law court available to the landowner.
Government can take the land and give it to big oil, not the mineral rights which they had already, but the land itself. Hope you don't let this happen in SK.