Alberta surplus

[cowman]

Well Horse, whether you like it or not the world price(or at least the North American price) is what determines gasoline prices and NG prices in Alberta?
The fact is most of our production does go somewhere else and I would think you would want the companies to get as much as possible as a good portion of it comes back to your government? You know the same government that provides you with quality healthcare, farm subsidies, good roads, bridges, airports etc., the best education system in Canada....that government?
Where did you think that $10 billion dollar surplus came from? Maybe you should listen to Dave Rutherford once in awhile? Yesterday he said we should all be grateful, in Alberta, for the way our Alberta government has managed the resources of our province to give us the most vibrant economy in North America, if not the world!...I am sure you would agree with him? LOL

[cowman]

cowman, Dave Rutherford isn't necessarly the most unbiased commentator on the planet !!!!!!!!!

[wilagro]

I can't listen to Dave Rutherford for more than five minutes without getting angry...hence I tune the brainwashed suck right out.
The PCs must consider him to be a valuable propaganda asset.

Screw him.

[Horse]

I realize that Dave And Ralph put the oil where it is and I think they can probably hide thier own easter eggs and of course they set the world price but in the real world if the yanks waht Alta crude they will probably have to come to Alta to get it and if all the torys in alta were to disapeer I dont think any of that would change , but we may get more money from our resources I dont know but I am prety dam sure we wouldnt get any less.

[cowman]

Well believe it or not I am not a Tory fan! Actually the only time I ever voted for Ralph was on his second election! Last time I voted Alberta Alliance.
In federal politics I voted Conservative for the first time...before that I always voted Alliance and Reform.
But without a doubt I lean far to the right and the Alberta Conservatives are sure a lot closer to what I see as a good government than either the Liberals or NDP(shudder)!
I too believe Ralph is a little too cozy with big business, usually at the expense of the little guy? I also believe the Klein government has been too generous with our taxes and spends too much! I mean for a so called Conservative...he spends the cash like a drunken sailor! That is why when he comes up with some idea to spend less he should be supported, not criticized?
As far as Rutherford goes, I enjoy his show and I have a similar mindset. I think he has pretty well got it right on most things?
The fact is most Albertans have an entreprenure type of spirit? That is what distinguishes us from the rest of Canada? The belief that yes we CAN do it, not the attitude that we need the government to hold our hand? I guess that is why we continually elect leaders that have the attitude of individualism and free market philosophy?
This province was built by individuals who got out and hustled, not by unions and beurocrats and public servants.

[cowman]

By the way Horse: You really should be on the stage or write a humor column or something!
They know how to hide there own easter eggs...priceless! LOL

[cowman]

trouble is cowman that it IS bureaucrats that are running the province now.
My understanding is that there are many conservative MLA's that are becoming very concerned about who in fact is running the show !

[Horse]

I like thr mandate of the rutherford show because I do like to hear other peoples opinion but it you dont start by declaring I LOVE RALPH all he does is trash you or out shout you they have tryed various time to get him into the east and I gust shudder to think of all the laughs they must get down east at our expence Basicaly I think he is a real embarisment and the worst talk show host I have listened to but he is in prime time.

[Horse]

I think Charles Adler would witn the OSCAR as the worst host.....half of his topics are literally grabage.

[cowman]

Well we shouldn't forget the overwhelming majority of the people of Alberta support Ralph Klein and the Alberta Conservatives? Without a doubt they have made a lot of mistakes over the years but I shudder to think where we might be if the Liberals or NDP had been running the show?
Consider the solutions they propose again and again? Tax big business and spend more! Perfect. Ruin a system that has made Alberta the richest economy in North America!
Ralph is almost done. He probably did his best work early on and now is on cruise control? Get ready for the next one! Jim Dinning is a good fiscal manager and hopefully he will be able to manage the economy in a way that moves us forward while keeping the jackals and hyenas from the east out of our bank accounts!

[cowman]

Still laughing about hiding their own easter eggs! Horse you are something else!

[cowman]

Don't forget the pittance in royalties they have collected to allow big business to run the province !!!!!

We need a more balanced approach to business in Alberta. Everything is geared to the success of business, large livestock operations etc., and not enough consideration is being given to the long term impact on PEOPLE and the environment.

[cowman]

I will agree the royalty structure needs to be updated, especially in the tarsands. And I believe the government has been moving in that direction?
Don't forget the federal government did everything in its power to foil developement in Alberta and Getty had to cut the royalty rates because the feds made a tax grab and put oil sands developement in trouble? It was only through Albertas committment that the oilsands were developed at all!
What most people do not know is the oilsands, while huge, do not contribute a lot of royalty money to Alberta coffers? However they do generate an enormous amount of commerce that puts tax money into the bank account!
My own belief is Alberta was blessed with a natural resource and through their own efforts(and the efforts of an industry that took a risk) they have created a very prosperous economy? I believe the people of Alberta and the industry should be benifitting from that natural resource?
It is like the story of the "little red hen"? Who will help me bake the bread? And just like her we should be saying:
"Who will help me eat the bread?" When the pig and the dog say "I will!" what should we say? How about "Sorry, you never did anything to deserve a share of the bread?"

[cakadu]

Amen to your statement emrald. We are moving ahead so fast that we cannot even begin to understand the footprint and the legacy we are leaving for future generations.

ALL of the resources that we enjoy as well as the booming economy that is being derived from them, are not ours to do with as we wish. We are the custodians of them and are borrowing them from future generations.

[wilagro]

Why worry about our resources? The oil pool where I am situated has seen a depletion of 2/3 rds in the last 25 years.
At the current rate of production it doesn't take much figuring to see that it will soon be kaput. Gone! Nada!
Same with some of the natural gas fields. This province is dead set on exporting every last smidgin of conventional crude and NG as is possible. NO thought for the future...just a quick money grab for their friends and a token royalty return for US.
I won't be around to see the results of this government's mismanagement but our grandkids will not thank past governments for their lack of foresight.
Oh well, they will just have to farm with alcohol fueled tractors or else back to the old reliable 4 legged oat eaters.