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When the Canadian dollar was very low, American Industry found it profitable to set up in what they view as a third world country. One dollar American bought 2 dollars Canadian.
The US suffered job loss as their major companies such as Honeywell took US government subsidies to upgrade plants and invested this money off shore. A double loss for the US! The same manner of business happened in other venues.
The pulp and paper is easier to follow than the food industry. While the Canadian dollar was low a number of the old smoker pulp plants in Wisconsin were closed down, jobs terminated as the pulp and paper companies looked north to Canada.
Provinces heaped cash subsidy onto these plants as they opened up in Saskatchewan and other provinces.
The dollar became stronger and, the Canadian plants were abandoned, the subsidy lost to the Canadian economy and the plants south of the border was re opened.
This same game was played in the furniture business where a Calgary furniture plant was tooled up to run 24/7 while the dollar was low, closing down 7 or 8 furniture plants in the US.
The dollar changed; the Calgary plant is now working one shift, just. Some of the plants in the US have opened. Other manufacture has gone off shore.
We now see the same thing happening with ENCANA and oil companies who find no reason to invest in Canada. They see the relative strength in the Canadian dollar and are opting for the US side of the border as producing more profit for them.
Even that turkey Dinning had the correct idea when he said they had to work the crude in Canada or leave it in the ground!
I think Canadians can turn this around if they become a little more active and less complacent about what is happening to them.
Our Governments have to fear the population; that is where the policy will originate.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
V for Vendetta is a good watch!
Friday, October 06, 2006
Oil companies run the Conservative party.
All the Conservative candidates have been pushed aside by the Grey Suits in the oil companies.
None of the Candidates will stand up for a program of upgrading oil in Alberta.
Ship all the jobs to the US as per US instruction.
The US is heading for a massive recession. They are at the same place they were before their incursion into Iraq. Nothing has changed in their economy and they have no massive projects planned that would put their people to work.
Yes there is a crush on Alberta to export jobs south!
cyberclark@shaw.ca
None of the Candidates will stand up for a program of upgrading oil in Alberta.
Ship all the jobs to the US as per US instruction.
The US is heading for a massive recession. They are at the same place they were before their incursion into Iraq. Nothing has changed in their economy and they have no massive projects planned that would put their people to work.
Yes there is a crush on Alberta to export jobs south!
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Weather
The weather document has a lot of good, current information in it. I can't let it die.
Bush wasn't the only guy covering up climate change implications! The Government of Canada and more important to us, the Government of Alberta burried climate change by calling any one who complained about the environment a "tree hugger" in the most critical manner.
This document was the first in the public media to map out the implication of climate change.
Google some time after this put in a program to locate and log original source material. They catalogued this letter.
For a year, any time you Googled "Weather" the first page that came up was this letter, posted on Welcome to Ralph's world.
After I left that site, some needed housekeeping was done and directories were changed. This letter was moved or deleted, I'm not sure which and the world wide listing for Google was lost for ever.
Lesson to be learned here!
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Bush wasn't the only guy covering up climate change implications! The Government of Canada and more important to us, the Government of Alberta burried climate change by calling any one who complained about the environment a "tree hugger" in the most critical manner.
This document was the first in the public media to map out the implication of climate change.
Google some time after this put in a program to locate and log original source material. They catalogued this letter.
For a year, any time you Googled "Weather" the first page that came up was this letter, posted on Welcome to Ralph's world.
After I left that site, some needed housekeeping was done and directories were changed. This letter was moved or deleted, I'm not sure which and the world wide listing for Google was lost for ever.
Lesson to be learned here!
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
This document is even more important today than when it was first published.
NOTE THE DATE OF THE ORGINAL
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Friday, October 22, 2004
The Occupation of Alberta by Ralph Klein
This is their history! Make them accountable at the poles!
Honorable Ralph Klein,
August 26, 2003
Room 307 Legislative Building,
Edmonton, AB T4K 2C6
Re:- The occupation of Alberta by Ralph Klein.Dear Premier:
The compelling information you have regarding climate change is near catastrophic and puts Alberta on the course of a climate very similar to Southern Iraq or Turkey more probably on the short term rather than the long.
Extremes in weather and unpredictable weather such as storms, hurricanes, drought and flood are parts of the scenario. Ongoing drought and forest fires are going to be the norm rather than the exception. Forest fires and unprecedented pestilence are but symptoms of the climate change rapidly coming upon us.
Lakes will become mud holes and rivers will dry up. (The Prince George area has massive beetle infestation because the temperatures haven’t dropped to the -40 that is required to kill them off; All in the last 5 years!) The extending drought has already caused the earth to move away from house foundations around Alberta causing them to crack. I would think any one who has built in the last 6 years has recourse on the Government because of a lack of proper building standards to account for these known changes.
When your Environment department confirmed the above they also said studies were being made on how to use the unusable (un-potable) rivers of water from the Viking aquifer. Considering the oil companies have been accessing this "bad" water for year’s further studies would only be for the purpose of stalling for time.
Oil companies site only the added expense, by comparison to surface water, as being the only real draw back! I recall people in Parkland County complaining their water wells went dry after seismic went through their region. They speculated the seismic had damaged the upper water aquifer. Your response was less than caring. "Prove it" you said.
Knowing what you know about the weather change and dwindling water resource it is irresponsible for you to allow oil companies to use any drinkable water for injection into the wells for oil recovery! Your water plan amounts to a charge on Alberta residences for the water taken by oil companies and pumped down hole.When do the oil companies start paying for the damages they have done and the water they have already ruined or wasted?
It seems to be your plan to stall full public disclosure of information on climate change until the oil is gone, the drinking water is gone and the oil companies have moved on?
Why are the Oil companies not made to pay for the water used and, the water they have already used? They are largely responsible for the havoc and contamination sludge in the lakes caused by the drafting of water by trucks. An optimistic view of conventional oil and gas supplies runs at 15 years until we are dry. Other views run as low as 6 years.
By then you hope to have the methane tapped from coal reserves always draining fresh water supplies. As usual it is the average family in Alberta financing the oil companies and now the power companies! You have sold off all the cheap and accessible oil and gas leaving Albertans to pay premium prices for this same source while looking forward to even higher costs for British Columbia and Mackenzie Delta gas.
Having already ravaged the water tables you are planning a horrific operation on methane recovery from coal seams. Soon enough; no gas, no oil and no water, living in a desert; Oil companies gone leaving their damages behind them or in shell "management" companies.
I have also received a note from the Minister in charge of power transmission who gave me some hand outs telling me "ALBERTAN’S HAVE ALWAYS PAID FOR THE TRANMISSION OF THEIR POWER." Albertans have never had to pay for exporting electricity! There is no plan where individual rate payers will receive a direct refund on the power lines you are asking them to pay for when these same power lines are used to export electricity to the US!Again it is the individuals of Alberta financing the power companies.
Returns to so called General Revenues are not acceptable. Direct and full refunds to power bills and on going profit sharing on power bills is only just acceptable.
The oil and gas is all but gone. All sold out from under us leaving no advantages at all. You are looking for gas supply now in British Columbia, the Fort St. John area (down some 7000 feet) and twisting arms tying to get the finance in place to move gas from the Mackenzie Delta.
You have moved Albertans from access to inexpensive self sustained gas to the highest utility in Canada with promises of going still higher I don’t accept your BS on NAFTA stopping energy rebates. NAFTA concerns its self with industries. A rebate program would be seen as a "district" issue and not of interest to them. I also don’t agree with your multi billion dollar fund set aside to get you elected again although you may consider that an emergency.
But then again I don’t agree with your creeping taxation on drink containers and access fees which goes directly to lunch boxes and families, hitting every person in this province to get millions in funds to put into your "surplus."Wreck the water supplies, plunder the gas and oil utility. Sell off the citizen owned electrical power at pennies on the dollar; exploit the people further by making them pay the highest rates in Canada for the use of the utility you gave away.
Further, tax them to finance the building of the power lines for the same people who took over the utilities for nothing in the first place.Your policy has long been Oil or nothing. We end up with nothing. Kill any industry that may lean upon the oil companies, stifle any other growth with high costs use police to entrap or coerce to this end regardless of the toll on families and health. The oil is gone and we have nothing.
As I write this letter every province in Canada is exporting up scale manufactured items ranging from pharmaceuticals to hardware to packaging. Your mega government is thinking "maybe microbiology as an industry"
The world has moved on but this province is still mired and dying in your private sunshine.I wrote you regarding the gas burning studies which are in place showing the toxic nature of regular gas and sour gas give off high levels of ferons and bi phenols as well as a long list of noxious gases because of improper burns. I gave you the doctor’s name that did one of the more recent studies asking when you were going to release this information to the public. You sent it forward to Environment and, they have never answered.
It is good to see your on going support of insurance companies is coming back to haunt you, big time. Millions spent in developing hail controls, all turned over to the insurance companies to administer. They invested their accident "reserves" into stock and dot coms which crashed. This, according to conversation with the insurance bureau early 02. If we have to bankroll their business investment losses as least all insurance should be a tax deductible! The harsh and unreasonable premiums have every thing to do with investment and little or nothing to do with driving records!
I have been told that conversations regarding turning photo radar clips over to the insurance companies as a means to increase their revenues has enjoyed more time than it should.You continue to drag this province into oblivion.
John ClarkCc;/various.net. pdf
Posted by: John Clark / 11:24 PM
# posted by John Clark @ 12:35 PM 0 comments
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Friday, October 22, 2004
The Occupation of Alberta by Ralph Klein
This is their history! Make them accountable at the poles!
Honorable Ralph Klein,
August 26, 2003
Room 307 Legislative Building,
Edmonton, AB T4K 2C6
Re:- The occupation of Alberta by Ralph Klein.Dear Premier:
The compelling information you have regarding climate change is near catastrophic and puts Alberta on the course of a climate very similar to Southern Iraq or Turkey more probably on the short term rather than the long.
Extremes in weather and unpredictable weather such as storms, hurricanes, drought and flood are parts of the scenario. Ongoing drought and forest fires are going to be the norm rather than the exception. Forest fires and unprecedented pestilence are but symptoms of the climate change rapidly coming upon us.
Lakes will become mud holes and rivers will dry up. (The Prince George area has massive beetle infestation because the temperatures haven’t dropped to the -40 that is required to kill them off; All in the last 5 years!) The extending drought has already caused the earth to move away from house foundations around Alberta causing them to crack. I would think any one who has built in the last 6 years has recourse on the Government because of a lack of proper building standards to account for these known changes.
When your Environment department confirmed the above they also said studies were being made on how to use the unusable (un-potable) rivers of water from the Viking aquifer. Considering the oil companies have been accessing this "bad" water for year’s further studies would only be for the purpose of stalling for time.
Oil companies site only the added expense, by comparison to surface water, as being the only real draw back! I recall people in Parkland County complaining their water wells went dry after seismic went through their region. They speculated the seismic had damaged the upper water aquifer. Your response was less than caring. "Prove it" you said.
Knowing what you know about the weather change and dwindling water resource it is irresponsible for you to allow oil companies to use any drinkable water for injection into the wells for oil recovery! Your water plan amounts to a charge on Alberta residences for the water taken by oil companies and pumped down hole.When do the oil companies start paying for the damages they have done and the water they have already ruined or wasted?
It seems to be your plan to stall full public disclosure of information on climate change until the oil is gone, the drinking water is gone and the oil companies have moved on?
Why are the Oil companies not made to pay for the water used and, the water they have already used? They are largely responsible for the havoc and contamination sludge in the lakes caused by the drafting of water by trucks. An optimistic view of conventional oil and gas supplies runs at 15 years until we are dry. Other views run as low as 6 years.
By then you hope to have the methane tapped from coal reserves always draining fresh water supplies. As usual it is the average family in Alberta financing the oil companies and now the power companies! You have sold off all the cheap and accessible oil and gas leaving Albertans to pay premium prices for this same source while looking forward to even higher costs for British Columbia and Mackenzie Delta gas.
Having already ravaged the water tables you are planning a horrific operation on methane recovery from coal seams. Soon enough; no gas, no oil and no water, living in a desert; Oil companies gone leaving their damages behind them or in shell "management" companies.
I have also received a note from the Minister in charge of power transmission who gave me some hand outs telling me "ALBERTAN’S HAVE ALWAYS PAID FOR THE TRANMISSION OF THEIR POWER." Albertans have never had to pay for exporting electricity! There is no plan where individual rate payers will receive a direct refund on the power lines you are asking them to pay for when these same power lines are used to export electricity to the US!Again it is the individuals of Alberta financing the power companies.
Returns to so called General Revenues are not acceptable. Direct and full refunds to power bills and on going profit sharing on power bills is only just acceptable.
The oil and gas is all but gone. All sold out from under us leaving no advantages at all. You are looking for gas supply now in British Columbia, the Fort St. John area (down some 7000 feet) and twisting arms tying to get the finance in place to move gas from the Mackenzie Delta.
You have moved Albertans from access to inexpensive self sustained gas to the highest utility in Canada with promises of going still higher I don’t accept your BS on NAFTA stopping energy rebates. NAFTA concerns its self with industries. A rebate program would be seen as a "district" issue and not of interest to them. I also don’t agree with your multi billion dollar fund set aside to get you elected again although you may consider that an emergency.
But then again I don’t agree with your creeping taxation on drink containers and access fees which goes directly to lunch boxes and families, hitting every person in this province to get millions in funds to put into your "surplus."Wreck the water supplies, plunder the gas and oil utility. Sell off the citizen owned electrical power at pennies on the dollar; exploit the people further by making them pay the highest rates in Canada for the use of the utility you gave away.
Further, tax them to finance the building of the power lines for the same people who took over the utilities for nothing in the first place.Your policy has long been Oil or nothing. We end up with nothing. Kill any industry that may lean upon the oil companies, stifle any other growth with high costs use police to entrap or coerce to this end regardless of the toll on families and health. The oil is gone and we have nothing.
As I write this letter every province in Canada is exporting up scale manufactured items ranging from pharmaceuticals to hardware to packaging. Your mega government is thinking "maybe microbiology as an industry"
The world has moved on but this province is still mired and dying in your private sunshine.I wrote you regarding the gas burning studies which are in place showing the toxic nature of regular gas and sour gas give off high levels of ferons and bi phenols as well as a long list of noxious gases because of improper burns. I gave you the doctor’s name that did one of the more recent studies asking when you were going to release this information to the public. You sent it forward to Environment and, they have never answered.
It is good to see your on going support of insurance companies is coming back to haunt you, big time. Millions spent in developing hail controls, all turned over to the insurance companies to administer. They invested their accident "reserves" into stock and dot coms which crashed. This, according to conversation with the insurance bureau early 02. If we have to bankroll their business investment losses as least all insurance should be a tax deductible! The harsh and unreasonable premiums have every thing to do with investment and little or nothing to do with driving records!
I have been told that conversations regarding turning photo radar clips over to the insurance companies as a means to increase their revenues has enjoyed more time than it should.You continue to drag this province into oblivion.
John ClarkCc;/various.net. pdf
Posted by: John Clark / 11:24 PM
# posted by John Clark @ 12:35 PM 0 comments
An excellent link for professional summary.
The following is the best, clearest statment of the situation in Alberta today that I have come across!
“For too long, this government has been misleading Albertans into thinking that the health care system is on the verge of collapsing, and have continually attempted to push through privatization reforms with no evidence that this would reduce costs,” says Taft. “Honest, accurate information on health costs would help put an end to the Conservative government spin.”
“For too long, this government has been misleading Albertans into thinking that the health care system is on the verge of collapsing, and have continually attempted to push through privatization reforms with no evidence that this would reduce costs,” says Taft. “Honest, accurate information on health costs would help put an end to the Conservative government spin.”
Hancock extreme is shrill
Hancock who was one of the authors of our present mess is trying to distance himself from it. Lots of Blah, Blah, Blah.
cyberclark@shaw.ca
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Oberg going for the Gold and, thats OK!
The conservatives are fielding at least one honest person for leadership. That is fresh! Something in print!
Dr.Lyle Oberg is walking all around the one term I am so hungry to hear; universality.
Dr. Oberg’s Blueprint_for_Prosperity is an interesting read. Up front he is saying that private – public health care is in the agenda.
Australia is screaming for all who will listen, don’t allow the US health care machines into Canada, you will never be able to get rid of them!
Regardless of your political stripe, buying a Conservative member ship for a few dollars and showing up at that convention to vote in a “Social Conservative” seems at this point to be a very good idea. Will see you all there!
Item 3 on Dr. Oberg's list:
"Offering Albertans Choices in how they with to educate their children or access health services, thereby increasing competition, improving quality and enhancing efficiently in delivering public services."
Room for more detail here.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Dr.Lyle Oberg is walking all around the one term I am so hungry to hear; universality.
Dr. Oberg’s Blueprint_for_Prosperity is an interesting read. Up front he is saying that private – public health care is in the agenda.
Australia is screaming for all who will listen, don’t allow the US health care machines into Canada, you will never be able to get rid of them!
Regardless of your political stripe, buying a Conservative member ship for a few dollars and showing up at that convention to vote in a “Social Conservative” seems at this point to be a very good idea. Will see you all there!
Item 3 on Dr. Oberg's list:
"Offering Albertans Choices in how they with to educate their children or access health services, thereby increasing competition, improving quality and enhancing efficiently in delivering public services."
Room for more detail here.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
To the slaughter without a whimper.
In case any of you missed it! Residential gas rebates are gone, finished; no more! The next price hike in heating will be out of your pocket.
The Government said “no more in the future”.
Because they slipped this through when the price of gas dropped below the 5.50 mark it seems to have flown without a challenge.
Are you going to let these crooks get away with it?
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
The Government said “no more in the future”.
Because they slipped this through when the price of gas dropped below the 5.50 mark it seems to have flown without a challenge.
Are you going to let these crooks get away with it?
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Prince Rupert port is a hard sell!
The Prince Rupert port is a truly great idea and, the people from Prince Rupert are trying to sell it.
If it is such a great idea why does it take a dog and pony show to sell the idea?
Business and industry have been burned and still remain burned by the CNR. These business institutions do not want to be held hostage by the CNR and, that is the only rail in and out of that place.
If you want real pain, talk to some one who is presently dealing CN!
cyberclark@shaw.ca
If it is such a great idea why does it take a dog and pony show to sell the idea?
Business and industry have been burned and still remain burned by the CNR. These business institutions do not want to be held hostage by the CNR and, that is the only rail in and out of that place.
If you want real pain, talk to some one who is presently dealing CN!
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Monday, October 02, 2006
Do it yourself oil royalty kit
There is an old red neck saying "BS beats Brains" To this end the Alberta Government has put up a figure it out yourself oil web site which, I haven't worked my way through and, it will more than likely take until after the next election before I can!
Do it yourself oil royalty kit
Remember the numbers they are trying to hide as you toil your way through this.
Developing oil sands pay 1 cent only on every dollar of oil they sell until the full price of their plant and construction is paid for.
Now, having reached the point where all their investment is paid back and their profit solidly in place, they pay 25 cents on every dollar of profit, that is after all the operating and political donations are paid.
Another point buried in there someplace is that Albertans own 81% of the oil production. Here, the would be saying that 81% of the oil production profit is paid through stocks and bonds. I have no figures but, I would estimate that 85% is prefered shares, out of reach for most people.
This sight has gone a long way to tell you how badly you are being screwed over. You should take the time to adventure!
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Do it yourself oil royalty kit
Remember the numbers they are trying to hide as you toil your way through this.
Developing oil sands pay 1 cent only on every dollar of oil they sell until the full price of their plant and construction is paid for.
Now, having reached the point where all their investment is paid back and their profit solidly in place, they pay 25 cents on every dollar of profit, that is after all the operating and political donations are paid.
Another point buried in there someplace is that Albertans own 81% of the oil production. Here, the would be saying that 81% of the oil production profit is paid through stocks and bonds. I have no figures but, I would estimate that 85% is prefered shares, out of reach for most people.
This sight has gone a long way to tell you how badly you are being screwed over. You should take the time to adventure!
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Why a jaundiced eye towards new health incentive.
In explanation of the pattern:
The parks and pick-nick grounds were built up with millions of taxpayer dollars prior to them being turned over to insiders for pennies on the dollar of value.
I say insiders because the process of selling was closed tender with the crown holding the final decision.
The Conservatives took control of all power lines in the province using the county of Leduc as an excuse. Because Leduc had a higher rate base because of power lines and were able to supply their schools way beyond what surrounding districts could do. Pressure was on the Government to provide a more reasonable funding for all the have not schools. The province then professed to seizing these lines to “equalize revenues to all school districts” and was accepted as a good thing through out the province.
Once they had the power lines they put in the student fees which are taken by the school of primary register and cannot be moved should that student go to another school.
This is a first step in the privatizing of shools. Train people to pay for their kids going to a specific school.
Taking all the power lines away from the municipality revenue base they were able to start their sell off of our power lines, our Alberta Heritage.
I have said in the past; this Government is a 1 trick dog and, it is hard to distinguish between them and organized crime except for the fact that crime may be actually organized.
This is why I view the Health program with a jaundiced eye and why I am begging people to get out and vote in the next election.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
The parks and pick-nick grounds were built up with millions of taxpayer dollars prior to them being turned over to insiders for pennies on the dollar of value.
I say insiders because the process of selling was closed tender with the crown holding the final decision.
The Conservatives took control of all power lines in the province using the county of Leduc as an excuse. Because Leduc had a higher rate base because of power lines and were able to supply their schools way beyond what surrounding districts could do. Pressure was on the Government to provide a more reasonable funding for all the have not schools. The province then professed to seizing these lines to “equalize revenues to all school districts” and was accepted as a good thing through out the province.
Once they had the power lines they put in the student fees which are taken by the school of primary register and cannot be moved should that student go to another school.
This is a first step in the privatizing of shools. Train people to pay for their kids going to a specific school.
Taking all the power lines away from the municipality revenue base they were able to start their sell off of our power lines, our Alberta Heritage.
I have said in the past; this Government is a 1 trick dog and, it is hard to distinguish between them and organized crime except for the fact that crime may be actually organized.
This is why I view the Health program with a jaundiced eye and why I am begging people to get out and vote in the next election.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Cu do for Iris Evans!
Health
Iris Evans gets a cu do from me on her recent announcements for early prevention and intervention into bad health situations that are weighted towards poverty and diet. Thank you Iris Evans.
She mentioned a year ago she was thinking of such a program along with Gym memberships and what amounts to penalties for those people not living health life styles.
I have no problem with any of this.
If only there was a track record leading up to it! I'm thinking that in a year, possibly two we will hear that another 500 millions have been spent in a public health program and is now being sold for a dollar to Dinning or another such person.
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Iris Evans gets a cu do from me on her recent announcements for early prevention and intervention into bad health situations that are weighted towards poverty and diet. Thank you Iris Evans.
She mentioned a year ago she was thinking of such a program along with Gym memberships and what amounts to penalties for those people not living health life styles.
I have no problem with any of this.
If only there was a track record leading up to it! I'm thinking that in a year, possibly two we will hear that another 500 millions have been spent in a public health program and is now being sold for a dollar to Dinning or another such person.
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Conservatives a house of intolerance!
The mainstream politic in the Conservative Party is at best terrifying. They have fielded a leadership race of bigotry, Christian fundamentalism and outright chicanery. Not the least of these programs is outlined in the Edmonton Sun today page 22 news. That they are playing to what they perceive is the audience of main stream Albertans means the middle road part of this population have a lot of work to do.
Ed Stelmach in his extreme views is still pushing “Fortress Alberta” He wants to get your Canada Pension into Alberta Coffers because in his view, this fund turned over to private industry to invest would return more to the participants and allow the Provincial Government the ability to borrow what ever amount they want from the fund at what ever rates they decide.
As with most of these Conservative programs the term “all the market will bear” is bandied about. In their case, it is misused, taking on the meaning that “we give the citizen the very least they will accept in order to increase corporate profit” That is their track record!
Mr. Dinning thinks this is a good idea, not a top priority while Mr. Oberg has dodged the bullet by saying it is simply not a priority.
Mazankowski and Great West Life are hungry for this account!
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Ed Stelmach in his extreme views is still pushing “Fortress Alberta” He wants to get your Canada Pension into Alberta Coffers because in his view, this fund turned over to private industry to invest would return more to the participants and allow the Provincial Government the ability to borrow what ever amount they want from the fund at what ever rates they decide.
As with most of these Conservative programs the term “all the market will bear” is bandied about. In their case, it is misused, taking on the meaning that “we give the citizen the very least they will accept in order to increase corporate profit” That is their track record!
Mr. Dinning thinks this is a good idea, not a top priority while Mr. Oberg has dodged the bullet by saying it is simply not a priority.
Mazankowski and Great West Life are hungry for this account!
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Dinning's screw ups coming to roost
Dinnings screw ups are coming to roost. He and Ralph started the Alberta Intermodel Services, a scheme to start the inland port at Calgary and Edmonton.
In this scheme Dinning drew up a plan where Alberta would guarantee the CPR 700.00 a container return for every container they could bring into Alberta. Of course, a number of the conservative buddies jumped aboard like Dow Chemical, who paid only 200 dollars a load back to Vancouver. The Alberta Treasury paid the other 500.00 to the CPR. Not really the way the plan was made; it was however how it turned out.
Over 8 years or so, close to one hundred million dollars was paid out to the CPR for their efforts. In the final deal the property and equipment amassed by AIS was sold to the CPR and celebrated as the deal of the century.
None of the “start up costs” of a hundred million or so was ever recovered.
Because of the artificially low container rates trucking companies are talking of abandoning Alberta all together.
Two more years passed and the CPR figured there was more money to be made elsewhere and cut the low revenue runs out of Alberta, leaving Alberta's high and dry facing much increased costs and next to nothing for service.
Take the money and run; the Dinning way.
Now we are faced with the same BS again. This time the oil companies who have forever taken our resources for nothing on a promise of the buddy system are saying the climate is not adequate in Alberta for refining or up grading the crude mined in the tar sands.
So much for Dinning’s friends and Dinning’s super system.
I hope the Conservatives out there can see the light and turf this guy once and for all.
I would say it is in the interests of the still free Alberta regardless of what your party is, to buy a conservative membership and go the convention for the purpose of voting for a candidate other than Dinning.
Make it the biggest turn out in Conservative history!
John Clarkcyberclark@shaw.ca
In this scheme Dinning drew up a plan where Alberta would guarantee the CPR 700.00 a container return for every container they could bring into Alberta. Of course, a number of the conservative buddies jumped aboard like Dow Chemical, who paid only 200 dollars a load back to Vancouver. The Alberta Treasury paid the other 500.00 to the CPR. Not really the way the plan was made; it was however how it turned out.
Over 8 years or so, close to one hundred million dollars was paid out to the CPR for their efforts. In the final deal the property and equipment amassed by AIS was sold to the CPR and celebrated as the deal of the century.
None of the “start up costs” of a hundred million or so was ever recovered.
Because of the artificially low container rates trucking companies are talking of abandoning Alberta all together.
Two more years passed and the CPR figured there was more money to be made elsewhere and cut the low revenue runs out of Alberta, leaving Alberta's high and dry facing much increased costs and next to nothing for service.
Take the money and run; the Dinning way.
Now we are faced with the same BS again. This time the oil companies who have forever taken our resources for nothing on a promise of the buddy system are saying the climate is not adequate in Alberta for refining or up grading the crude mined in the tar sands.
So much for Dinning’s friends and Dinning’s super system.
I hope the Conservatives out there can see the light and turf this guy once and for all.
I would say it is in the interests of the still free Alberta regardless of what your party is, to buy a conservative membership and go the convention for the purpose of voting for a candidate other than Dinning.
Make it the biggest turn out in Conservative history!
John Clarkcyberclark@shaw.ca
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Water fix in one segment being looked at
Farmers are said to be the original environmentalists and, I don’t disagree. There was however some false starts as farmers generally built their stock yards next to the water supply. The water supply in the form of creeks and springs are generally open sources to the water table or aquifer. Remember Wakerton Ontario?
The Alberta Government has started a program to evaluate where stock yards are in relation to the water table and what are the chances of the migration of bacteria from the stock yard into the water table.
They will advise the farmers where to move their stock compounds to where necessary and, pay for the re-location.
Rural folks with problems in this area should be contacting the Government!
With closer scrutiny on gravel operations (they actually open the water aquifer) and a hard ball set of rules for oil sumps we may yet get a handle on our water. Perhaps we can get a program going for re-cementing oil wells where the plugs are deteriorating. This, while we still have oil companies to pay for the repair.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
The Alberta Government has started a program to evaluate where stock yards are in relation to the water table and what are the chances of the migration of bacteria from the stock yard into the water table.
They will advise the farmers where to move their stock compounds to where necessary and, pay for the re-location.
Rural folks with problems in this area should be contacting the Government!
With closer scrutiny on gravel operations (they actually open the water aquifer) and a hard ball set of rules for oil sumps we may yet get a handle on our water. Perhaps we can get a program going for re-cementing oil wells where the plugs are deteriorating. This, while we still have oil companies to pay for the repair.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Monday, September 25, 2006
119 million liters of water from Red Deer River
Ferus Gas Industries of Calgary received a preliminary water licence for 119 million liters of water per year. This water is to be taken from the Red Deer River for the purpose of building a plant for nitrogen extraction to be used in the oil industry.
This project(go to other stories -Water licence granted to plant ) is moving ahead in a civilized manner. Ferus has avoided the knee jerk reaction of going to the water aquifer for their water. For that they should be commended.
Conversations of not much and moderated use drew my attention.
119 million liters of water is the same as 997,983 bbls of water.
119 million liters of water is 119,000 cubic meters of water.
119 million liters of water will cover a football field 14.5 meters deep.
The flow of the Red River is 25.5 cubic meters per second. It will take 78 minutes for119 million liters of water to flow past any one point on the Red River! How often have you spent an hour watching the river?
The same people say it is not much more water than it takes to grow alfalfa. This is a major understatement. Thanks to the folks at Alberta Connects, Alfalfa needs between 550 and 650 mm of water in the growing season. That would be 2' deep spread over an acre. A football field is close to 2 acres for reference. That would cover the football field to a depth of 48'
Hardly and apples to apples comparison.
It seems to me Ferus Gas could install a condenser in their plant and a build a nice looking recovery pond, possibly reducing their water use by 80% ! Perhaps, plant a tree?
The city of Red Deer is counting on much of the water being pumped off during the flood season. This would be nice if it were true but, this would entail a lake being built the size of a football field with 3 story tall sides surrounding it. To dig such a lake would cut into the water aquifer.
The bottom line is that industry will need water to grow.
I find it distressing that the oil industry claims more fresh water than we do in our homes and, they get it free.
If they did pay for it, we would give them the money back by way of the royalty schedule that is in place.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca.
This project(go to other stories -Water licence granted to plant ) is moving ahead in a civilized manner. Ferus has avoided the knee jerk reaction of going to the water aquifer for their water. For that they should be commended.
Conversations of not much and moderated use drew my attention.
119 million liters of water is the same as 997,983 bbls of water.
119 million liters of water is 119,000 cubic meters of water.
119 million liters of water will cover a football field 14.5 meters deep.
The flow of the Red River is 25.5 cubic meters per second. It will take 78 minutes for119 million liters of water to flow past any one point on the Red River! How often have you spent an hour watching the river?
The same people say it is not much more water than it takes to grow alfalfa. This is a major understatement. Thanks to the folks at Alberta Connects, Alfalfa needs between 550 and 650 mm of water in the growing season. That would be 2' deep spread over an acre. A football field is close to 2 acres for reference. That would cover the football field to a depth of 48'
Hardly and apples to apples comparison.
It seems to me Ferus Gas could install a condenser in their plant and a build a nice looking recovery pond, possibly reducing their water use by 80% ! Perhaps, plant a tree?
The city of Red Deer is counting on much of the water being pumped off during the flood season. This would be nice if it were true but, this would entail a lake being built the size of a football field with 3 story tall sides surrounding it. To dig such a lake would cut into the water aquifer.
The bottom line is that industry will need water to grow.
I find it distressing that the oil industry claims more fresh water than we do in our homes and, they get it free.
If they did pay for it, we would give them the money back by way of the royalty schedule that is in place.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca.
Friday, September 22, 2006
One example of how we are getting robbed.
Norway only got into the oil business about 1986 and has amassed 160 billion dollars in the state fund from oil Royalties. (Article is dated) They charge much more than does Alberta and, the oil companies are still there!
Alberta under the conservatives have turned all the revenue back to the oil companies. And if Dinning is elected as leader of the Conservatives there will be still more going in that direction.
As I reported earlier the oil companies had a holiday from taxes due to a deduction for unknown future losses as well as an outright holiday from the Alberta Government.
The 111 million the Conservatives are going to collect now in taxes is nothing short of window dressing and should not have been given away in the first place. What it really represents is billions of mispent taxdollar.
We should be getting billions more!
Norway has managed to diversify it’s economy. Government is run by the state and, not by the oil companies.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Alberta under the conservatives have turned all the revenue back to the oil companies. And if Dinning is elected as leader of the Conservatives there will be still more going in that direction.
As I reported earlier the oil companies had a holiday from taxes due to a deduction for unknown future losses as well as an outright holiday from the Alberta Government.
The 111 million the Conservatives are going to collect now in taxes is nothing short of window dressing and should not have been given away in the first place. What it really represents is billions of mispent taxdollar.
We should be getting billions more!
Norway has managed to diversify it’s economy. Government is run by the state and, not by the oil companies.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Thursday, September 21, 2006
CTV Special on Alberta Tar Sands Start Oct 2
The CTV is starting a coverage of Alberta’s oil sands development and the hardships it is causing in the province. I have no inside information on this show but it promises to be an image feed like none other we have seen.
As far as facts however, it appears to be the oil company’s turn to expound on hardships of their business with the point being made over and over that they may leave because of expense. If not for the tremendous good returns they probably wouldn’t start up.
Keep in mind:
Oil companies pay nothing for their oil sands development. That is paid for by Albertans as a much reduced royalty income.
Even monies paid to fiancé these programs are deductible!
Their expenditures remain largely un audited and, there is no list of not acceptable expenses!
The royalties are the lowest in the world, bar none. These same companies are working in other countries under very harsh and even dangerous conditions and they make no noise about leaving.
If we were to collect 2% rather than our present 1% on developing tar sands and if we were to collect 40% royalties rather than the present 25% we would still be collecting the lowest royalties in the world.
Beyond this the oil companies are the single largest user of fresh water (which they get for nothing) and the largest single user of natural gas which they get for nothing. And, even if they did pay anything it would come directly out of expenses which are paid for by the Alberta Taxpayers.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
As far as facts however, it appears to be the oil company’s turn to expound on hardships of their business with the point being made over and over that they may leave because of expense. If not for the tremendous good returns they probably wouldn’t start up.
Keep in mind:
Oil companies pay nothing for their oil sands development. That is paid for by Albertans as a much reduced royalty income.
Even monies paid to fiancé these programs are deductible!
Their expenditures remain largely un audited and, there is no list of not acceptable expenses!
The royalties are the lowest in the world, bar none. These same companies are working in other countries under very harsh and even dangerous conditions and they make no noise about leaving.
If we were to collect 2% rather than our present 1% on developing tar sands and if we were to collect 40% royalties rather than the present 25% we would still be collecting the lowest royalties in the world.
Beyond this the oil companies are the single largest user of fresh water (which they get for nothing) and the largest single user of natural gas which they get for nothing. And, even if they did pay anything it would come directly out of expenses which are paid for by the Alberta Taxpayers.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Monday, September 18, 2006
Now the Water!
Soon enough Canadian will again hate the way they voted!
Cellucci was the negotiator who skinned us in Mulrony's Free Trade. Mulrony's negotiator is Harper's representative to the US on Trade. 2 plus 2 still adds up!
You better get onto your MP right away and let him know what you think about putting bulk water on the trade table for softwood lumber treatment. This is the move Klein was counting on! (not sure how long they will allow this blog up!)
Cellucci wants water on table
Ex U.S. ambassador wants resource included in trade talks
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=055305a1-f4d9-490c-b11e-80bd78fe9653http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/ideas/story.ht
Mike De Souza, CanWest News ServicePublished: Monday, September 18, 2006
OTTAWA - A former American ambassador is pushing for a fresh debate on bulk water exports from Canada to quench the growing thirst of the American south and midwest.
Paul Cellucci, who was replaced by David Wilkins after stepping down as U.S. ambassador to Canada in March 2005, is suggesting water be included in the same category as other natural resources exported as Canadian commodities on the market.
"It wasn't an issue when I was ambassador, but it was one I always found puzzling that it was completely off the table," said Cellucci in an interview.
He argued water is a renewable resource, as opposed to such non-renewable Canadian exports as oil, natural gas, uranium and coal, adding that the two countries will be forced to confront the issue.
But a citizens organization that has fought for more protectionist measures for Canada in free trade agreements warns American officials are quietly laying the groundwork for bulk exports that could deprive Canadians of their resources.
"We live next to a super power," said Maude Barlow, chairperson of the Council of Canadians. "The super power is getting mighty thirsty."
At present, Canadian provinces allow water to be exported in bottles, while there is a ban on bulk exports on boundary waters shared with the United States. However, Barlow said Canada would lose control over the resource under the North American Free Trade Agreement, if any province or territory opens the door to bulk sales of water to U.S. regions facing record droughts.
With Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government developing a national water strategy, Barlow stressed she wasn't suggesting Canada close the door to sharing its resources with countries in need.
But Cellucci said it is an important economic issue since the Canadian and U.S. markets are "inextricably connected." He said a severe drought in southern American states would have a significant impact on the Canadian economy.
Some experts say it's unlikely the U.S. would bully Canada into exporting its water, since that could affect the ecosystems and resources of the northern states.
"There are going to be environmental impacts on both sides of the border if we start mega-scale diversions," said Joseph Rasmussen, the Canada research chair in aquatic ecosystems at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta. "They don't want those impacts any more than we do."
Gretchen Hamel, a spokesperson for the office of the U.S. Trade Representative, said the issue is brought up every few years, but there are no negotiations or proposals on the table.
According to federal government estimates, Canada has the third-largest supply of fresh water on its territory behind Brazil and Russia.
Cellucci was the negotiator who skinned us in Mulrony's Free Trade. Mulrony's negotiator is Harper's representative to the US on Trade. 2 plus 2 still adds up!
You better get onto your MP right away and let him know what you think about putting bulk water on the trade table for softwood lumber treatment. This is the move Klein was counting on! (not sure how long they will allow this blog up!)
Cellucci wants water on table
Ex U.S. ambassador wants resource included in trade talks
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=055305a1-f4d9-490c-b11e-80bd78fe9653http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/ideas/story.ht
Mike De Souza, CanWest News ServicePublished: Monday, September 18, 2006
OTTAWA - A former American ambassador is pushing for a fresh debate on bulk water exports from Canada to quench the growing thirst of the American south and midwest.
Paul Cellucci, who was replaced by David Wilkins after stepping down as U.S. ambassador to Canada in March 2005, is suggesting water be included in the same category as other natural resources exported as Canadian commodities on the market.
"It wasn't an issue when I was ambassador, but it was one I always found puzzling that it was completely off the table," said Cellucci in an interview.
He argued water is a renewable resource, as opposed to such non-renewable Canadian exports as oil, natural gas, uranium and coal, adding that the two countries will be forced to confront the issue.
But a citizens organization that has fought for more protectionist measures for Canada in free trade agreements warns American officials are quietly laying the groundwork for bulk exports that could deprive Canadians of their resources.
"We live next to a super power," said Maude Barlow, chairperson of the Council of Canadians. "The super power is getting mighty thirsty."
At present, Canadian provinces allow water to be exported in bottles, while there is a ban on bulk exports on boundary waters shared with the United States. However, Barlow said Canada would lose control over the resource under the North American Free Trade Agreement, if any province or territory opens the door to bulk sales of water to U.S. regions facing record droughts.
With Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government developing a national water strategy, Barlow stressed she wasn't suggesting Canada close the door to sharing its resources with countries in need.
But Cellucci said it is an important economic issue since the Canadian and U.S. markets are "inextricably connected." He said a severe drought in southern American states would have a significant impact on the Canadian economy.
Some experts say it's unlikely the U.S. would bully Canada into exporting its water, since that could affect the ecosystems and resources of the northern states.
"There are going to be environmental impacts on both sides of the border if we start mega-scale diversions," said Joseph Rasmussen, the Canada research chair in aquatic ecosystems at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta. "They don't want those impacts any more than we do."
Gretchen Hamel, a spokesperson for the office of the U.S. Trade Representative, said the issue is brought up every few years, but there are no negotiations or proposals on the table.
According to federal government estimates, Canada has the third-largest supply of fresh water on its territory behind Brazil and Russia.
More Evidence Alta Link plan is one of Export not domestic.
Electrical engineeer comes out against the published reasons:
Mr. Rolf,
If ALTALink were to adopt your idea we'd be into worse problems than we have had with deregulation because your idea simply would not work!
Firstly the doubling of alternating current in the same or even doubling the crossectional area of conductors in alternating current circuits would not make the voltage drop significantly less. This is because most of the voltage drop in transmission lines is not due to resistance: at heavy currents: it's largely due to "inductive reactance". That is caused by the fact that there is a "flywheel effect": perhaps you have experienced the shock you receive when you touch an electric fence on a farm? Once a current starts to flow it requires an effort to stop it and reverse its direction and that is what electrical engineers refer to as "inductive reactance". While increasing the crossectional area of the conductors will reduce this "inductive reactance" the amount of decrease is really not as significant as you seem to believe.
Secondly, doubling the crossectional area of the conductor, assuming that the percentage of the crossectional area that is steel remains constant, would increase the mass of the conductor by a factor of two. In order to maintain the same ground clearance the tension in the larger conductor would need to be approximately twice as great. That would mean that terminal supporting structures would need to be replaced...that is "guaranteed" and it is quite likely that many of the structures that are in a straight line (we call them tangent structures) would need to be strengthened as well.
While the various supporting structures are being strengthened and the terminal structures are being replaced, the transmission line would need to be out of service i.e. some people would find that they were without electric power.
While I do not have much experience in rebuilding transmission lines, I do have some but it was all a result of force majeure.
By formal education, I am a graduate electrical engineer. By experience, I am an electric conductor engineer which is a specialty in that discipline. I have helped to design transmission lines in many States of the USA, in Quebec, In Iran, in Turkey, and in Saudi Arabia.
You could find my name in the Acknowledgements near the front of "Wind Induced Conductor Motion" which is a textbook published by the Electric Power Research Institute, a corporation established by act of the Congress of the USA to do research for electric utilities. I have seen copies of that textbook in TransAlta and in IREQ, the research arm of Hydro Quebec. Frankly, I don't know why my name appears there. It could have been any one or all of the three authors who suggested that I be acknowledged along with my late friend and co-worker, Ed. Doocy. Yes, I have an American patent and am awaiting a Canadian patent for the same device.
K. Allan Dane, M.Sc.(EE)
adane@telusplanet.net.
Mr. Rolf,
If ALTALink were to adopt your idea we'd be into worse problems than we have had with deregulation because your idea simply would not work!
Firstly the doubling of alternating current in the same or even doubling the crossectional area of conductors in alternating current circuits would not make the voltage drop significantly less. This is because most of the voltage drop in transmission lines is not due to resistance: at heavy currents: it's largely due to "inductive reactance". That is caused by the fact that there is a "flywheel effect": perhaps you have experienced the shock you receive when you touch an electric fence on a farm? Once a current starts to flow it requires an effort to stop it and reverse its direction and that is what electrical engineers refer to as "inductive reactance". While increasing the crossectional area of the conductors will reduce this "inductive reactance" the amount of decrease is really not as significant as you seem to believe.
Secondly, doubling the crossectional area of the conductor, assuming that the percentage of the crossectional area that is steel remains constant, would increase the mass of the conductor by a factor of two. In order to maintain the same ground clearance the tension in the larger conductor would need to be approximately twice as great. That would mean that terminal supporting structures would need to be replaced...that is "guaranteed" and it is quite likely that many of the structures that are in a straight line (we call them tangent structures) would need to be strengthened as well.
While the various supporting structures are being strengthened and the terminal structures are being replaced, the transmission line would need to be out of service i.e. some people would find that they were without electric power.
While I do not have much experience in rebuilding transmission lines, I do have some but it was all a result of force majeure.
By formal education, I am a graduate electrical engineer. By experience, I am an electric conductor engineer which is a specialty in that discipline. I have helped to design transmission lines in many States of the USA, in Quebec, In Iran, in Turkey, and in Saudi Arabia.
You could find my name in the Acknowledgements near the front of "Wind Induced Conductor Motion" which is a textbook published by the Electric Power Research Institute, a corporation established by act of the Congress of the USA to do research for electric utilities. I have seen copies of that textbook in TransAlta and in IREQ, the research arm of Hydro Quebec. Frankly, I don't know why my name appears there. It could have been any one or all of the three authors who suggested that I be acknowledged along with my late friend and co-worker, Ed. Doocy. Yes, I have an American patent and am awaiting a Canadian patent for the same device.
K. Allan Dane, M.Sc.(EE)
adane@telusplanet.net.
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