Two guy's idea of an Alberta strategy

[grassfarmer]

A recent article by Jack Mintz pointed out that after the recent NDP royalty review and minor tweaking to the royalty structure the NDP will be collecting lower royalties on conventional oil and gas than the PC's were. A little bit ironic since the NDP have said for years the PC's weren't charging high enough royalties. And still in 2017 it is projected that there will be more oil wells drilled in Saskatchewan than Alberta for the first time in 36 years.

I agree Hamloc, that was the point I was making in my thread AB and $50 oil below. The fact the NDP royalty review was a farce is the worst thing I've heard about them since they came to power - it's an indication that yet another AB Government has been bought by big oil.
Stonepicker however was arguing that royalties should, and are, charged on a sliding basis depending on market price of oil which would let the NDP out of jail on this one which I'm sure wasn't his intention.

[URL="https://www.agriville.com/threads/32754-ab-and-50-oil"]http://https://www.agriville.com/threads/32754-ab-and-50-oil[/URL]

What I hadn't read until yesterday was the fact that a 3 year moratorium on royalties was introduced in 2009 on hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling projects. Now I understand why we were overrun by fracking crews putting wells under every quarter in my part of Alberta, riding in like the new kings of the land. Paying less compensation to landowners than previous activity, taking reckless risks with ground water and riding roughshod over property rights like never before - and they were paying ZERO royalties. That makes my blood boil.

[stonepicker]

Grassfarmer, i agree that alta. could've done better with their heritage fund but again it's pretty tough when you have to give billions to the east. You and guys like chuck and forage keep saying that alta. has been ruined by 30 years of conservative rule, i'm saying what are you talking about? they're still the strongest prov. in the country! Look at ontario ( 300 billion debt. ) or quebec, our no.1 welfare province. As far as the ndp party, i don't agree with their general philosophies, but if they or any party do what's best for the prov., good on them.

[perfecho]

Well, Stone...we do agree on something..."the perfect party"....there isn't one, never will be. We shouldn't', IMHO, even have parties...it should be people you vote for individually...make them accountable to their region, not have to "toe the party line", just because. That would be representation...
The only way in party politics, is to keep switching them out after a couple of terms.
I, too, agree with free enterprise, but this isn't free enterprise. Many favors went to friends, little was done to stop monopolies... I could bring up the electrical deregulation again, the favors to Elzinga and the tar sands, and the list goes on. Ever since Reaganomics lowered taxes on corporations and put it on the middleclass, corporations have had way to much power....and money. (Buyouts are a major issue today in the corporate world...)
The ND's didn't get the royalty right, agreed, but their hands were tied.....they did give it to a panel to do, and kudo's for that, but the economic/political face of the day did help dictate the results.
Honestly, I think we got what we needed for the time, but they won't be the answer for down the road. I even agree with the carbon tax, however, more from a "we waste so damn much, we need to wake up" point of view. PS...look what "free enterprise" is doin to us right now....we are paying at least 30-40 cents more for gasoline than we should, and yet most on this board are way more critical of the 5 cents coming up for the carbon tax. Really...can't see the forest for the trees.....

Had breakfast with a handful of real ND haters yesterday, they are helping with the petition to stop them, however, after our discussion, they could not disagree with any of the points...just the method. The root of their frustration seemed to be the "ramming" that Notely seems to be doing...and I can see how that can be an issue.

[foragefarmer]

Stonepicker


"You and guys like chuck and forage keep saying that alta. has been ruined by 30 years of conservative rule,"



The Conservatives ruled for 43 years plus change, not 30 like you say, yet for some reason you only feel that the NDP who have been in power for less than two years are the big cause for Alberta's current fiscal wows.

I suggest you reread Grassy's upper post again, but this time have an open mind to as what has been written.