[AOE6q4bu]

Wait... how is arrogant condescention new?

[giftplas]

You know for all my agreeing with Dion and holding generally pro-environment views, I'm awfully heavily invested in the Alberta oil industry. I guess I'm just more anti-losing all my money in the current crisis.

[OlgaBorovikovva]

I agree. It's pretty hard to make Albertans look any worse than they already are.

[gtyruzzel]

Originally posted by LotC
I work with people that have worked in the tar sands and from what they say it's an environmental disaster. Though what Dion says is not politically wise, he has a really good point. There's nothing in there that is a good point. Destroying thousands of acres of wildlife and forests for hydro plants in Quebec is an environmental disaster as well, but no one talks about that or punishes Quebec for that, do they?

Alberta doesn't give a **** about the "reputation" in the rest of Canada. Right now, Canada needs Alberta a lot more than Alberta needs Canada. And Dion is not just doing something "unwise", he's showing just how clueless he is. He doesn't come close to comprehending the resentment Alberta has for Quebec and Ontario a single bit, nor does he comprehend the effects of the NEP had and the "carbon tax" will have on Alberta. He still treats Alberta like it's a little child in confederation and if they start doing what he says, we may look better in his eyes.

The guy is a ****ing massive retard. Nothing he said is wise or correct.

[borasolit]

Originally posted by LotC


It is true that Dion is a retard, but it's also true that Alberta is the armpit of Canada. BC sure as hell doesn't need you.

Send in the Marines Lancer! BC doesn't need Alberta right now, but they become a have not province with alarming regularity.

What is BC's GDP anyway over the past year?

I don't think calling Alberta the "armpit" accurately describes the province who leads in growth, who has the strongest economy, who is wealthiest, who possesses the most educated citizens (compare % of population with post-secondary degrees in Vancouver and Calgary, for instance), and who lays claim to some of the country's most stunning landscapes.

[tetMitshisk]

LotC, while Asher may be the very picture of what annoys you about Alberta, it may be wise to realise that he is one Albertan, and not a real one at that.

[kaiayout]

I'd hazard a guess that you haven't actually met many other than ones who come here for cash and then leave. Either that, or you don't give a **** about anything other than trying to get a rise out of Asher no matter how much of a tool you come off as.

[ftqwhbvxlcfop]

Well, now that we've got that straight, carry on.

[MauroDarudo]

A liberal leader offends a province that doesn't elect liberals. Colour me shocked.

[Bill-Watson]

Originally posted by LotC
Dude, seriously, people go to Alberta to make money and then they leave to go back to where they came from. This is because Alberta is a backwards redneck infested shithole. You talk about BC? Alberta is a textbook boom and bust economy. How many years was Alberta a "have not" economy? How about BC?

Even when Oil busts, Alberta still keeps its head above the water. Not so with BC.

[Iphone]

LotC, while Asher may be the very picture of what annoys you about Alberta, it may be wise to realise that he is one Albertan, and not a real one at that. Indeed. He's a carpetbagger.

[thushioli]

Ooh condos.

That just screams 'albertan' to me.

[proslaviy]

Evidently you haven't seen downtown Calgary lately.

If you think all Albertans live on ranches or in hick-shanty towns like Edmonton, you're grossly misinformed. Unlike you I happen to like hicks. It ain't a derogatory term, slicker.

[VIAGRA-VIAGRA]

Please get off the internet if you don't like urbanites. Go farm a field and leave us alone. Satellite > prejudice.

[snislarne]

"Self-aggrandizing, hostile, me-first, greedy, macho, selfish and balkanizing." Doesn't sound like Asher one bit, does it?

[ThzinChang]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Canada did sign Kyoto but hasn't done anything as emissions kept rising. At least this will lower emissions. What will? The wealth redistribution scheme disguised as an environmental tax?

[Kimmitmelvirm]

Details:
http://www.financialpost.com/reports...html?id=640902

Alberta unveils $4-billion climate plan

Claudia Cattaneo, Calgary Bureau Chief, Financial Post

CALGARY • Vowing not to let others determine Alberta's future, Premier Ed Stelmach committed on Tuesday $4-billion from this year's expected budget surplus to fight climate change – including setting up a $2-billion fund to kick start carbon capture and storage projects that will help the image-challenged oil sands industry.

With the move, which Mr. Stelmach said is unprecedented in scope and scale, Alberta is taking a "responsible" and "practical" approach to climate change that doesn't involve increasing taxes, feeding inflation or ratcheting back development of the oilsands.

The investment, he said, will help keep energy affordable.

"We can't wait for others to act," Mr. Stelmach said. "We won't wait for others to determine Alberta's future.

"This bold move further demonstrates Alberta's commitment to global leadership in environmentally responsible energy development."

Industry, which only a year ago was at war with Mr. Stelmach over major royalty increases that will become effective in January, applauded the carbon capture fund, which it has been promoting for years.

"We are pleasantly surprised at the sum," said David Price, vice-president at the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. "It demonstrates that people recognize how significantly huge the projects are going to be and we need to put big dollars into that."

The province and its oil industry have been under attack at home and abroad for producing "dirty oil" – a reference to the large amount of greenhouse gases generated by energy-intensive oil sands extraction.

The image has resulted in a flurry of anti oilsands strategies in recent months by various levels of government in the United States that could shrink the market for Canadian crude.

In Canada, the latest attempt to penalize the oil sands industry came from Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, whose carbon tax plan would collect money from producers and redistribute it mostly in Eastern Canada.

Alberta's commitment marks "an important signal to that U.S. or other groups that do have that perception of Alberta's oilsands ... that they need to take a close look at it and see how significant this is," Mr. Pryce said.

Alberta's plan has two major component, which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than five million tonnes a year, or the equivalent of taking a million vehicles off the road.

Some $2-billion would be allocated to reduce energy consumption by funding public transit initiatives across the province, such as the purchase of transit vehicles, commuter rail systems and new park-and-ride facilities.

Mr. Stelmach said proposals will be evaluated on a merit and competitive basis based on cost and the amount of CO2 reductions involved.

The remaining $2-billion would fund, in partnership with industry, three to five large scale carbon capture and storage projects, which involve capturing greenhouse gases from large sources like oilsands plants or coal fired power plants and piping it into empty oil and gas reservoirs or using it to enhance the recovery of oil from mature fields. The amount is the largest anywhere dedicated to the new technology, which Alberta hopes to

market elsewhere.

The province expects a significant surplus once again this fiscal year as a result of higher than expected oil and gas prices.

Mr. Stelmach said the initiative, in addition to providing sizeable funding, would give industry policy certainty.

Mr. Pryce said industry is under a tight deadline to come up with ideas.

Expressions of interest are due in September, requests for proposals in November, and successful projects will be identified early in the new year.

Jim Schultz, senior vice president at Enbridge Inc., a large oil pipeline company that is leading a 32-company consortium proposing a carbon capture and storage project, said he is very pleased the province is taking a leading role.

"I think there are a lot of projects out there that may look at this now and move forward."

[gettoblaster]

The truely marvelous thing about Dion is that he was brought into federal politics as the 'National Unity' minister.

Does he have any clue whatsoever what effect his hectoring is going to have when combined with a tax grab that is obviously aimed at the oil patch?

Thank God for Confederation that the clown has a chance of becoming PM that can be measured as near zero.

[WaydayTew]

You are absolutely crazy, Victor.

You guys should do an avatar bet, for a 10 year duration.