Posts
There is a steady run of print ink all having to do with the dwindling resources and the hardship of the oil companies. There is even a story about how good we are for allowing Encana to export our high paying jobs to Texas. In fact this devastation is spun off as being an American demand for product. All this, in advance of the Government saying they will not increase the royalties taken by Alberta.
This Government is in the business of guaranteeing profits for the energy sector. This energy sector is still turning out record breaking profits while Alberta’s cut on the royalties becomes less and less; in a constant state of reduction.
At any price, our royalties remain the lowest in the world at 20 and 25%. If we took what we are entitled to, 40% we would still the be lowest in the world and the oil stocks would still perform better than any other stock in the market.
Don’t allow these guys to BS you into thinking the Energy Companies are doing you a favor.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
Alberta 2007 Budget
This isn’t a simple provincial budget. It is however one of the best laid out defensive propaganda papers this crew has ever come up with at the centre of which is the infamous “Debt Reduction Program”
This crew has only one objective and that is to privatize everything that wiggles in this province and, to hell with the expense. Look to their record, you cannot possibly believe otherwise. They will sell this province out from under you to achieve just that.
To set the stage for the rip off of resource this Government deliberately ran up debt on doubtful capital costs and investments part of which was selling off provincial properties at fire sale prices. Warehouses and hospitals included in this.
This same party time group all but emptied the Heritage Savings and Trust fund. By sapping off any loose cash or short term investment it was set up for privatization..
At this point they were able to site debt as a problem and put their large scale privatization plans into effect. Seize control of the Power lines under the guise of equally funding all schools for computers and tech supplies. You know what happened to the power lines.
Parks and camping sites are now too expensive to maintain. Sell them off to friends under a great fan fair of these same properties being private as they should be. Gone were the millions of dollars of improvements that went into these same facilities. Up went the debt. I say friends, buddies because there was no public opening of bids and no publication of bids in these sales.
With the resource figures of 25% for Alberta 75% for the oil companies now public this Government wants to set the stage for a public hearing into royalties on oil where the problem is all the resources.
They are spinning a down side story about reduced oil revenues because of lower energy prices. There is absolutely no evidence this is going to happen and, all evidence would lead one to believe just the opposite is going to come about. High prices as far as the mind can take you. This is what the oil companies are telling their stock holders.
25% for the Alberta share should be 40% at any price per joule. All Alberta energy is priced on the BTU capability of the fuel. It is not a mind stretch to see how low the royalties on other utilities are!
You can catch a glimpse here of what is going to happen to your water and can see the very dark future here with Harper dealing away your rights to the US.
Cause the problem so you can have something to fix at an opportune time.
These saboteurs have killed people on the highways and in our hospitals in order to play their privatizing games. I don’t see heroes in this budget. Their present infrastructure plans and the grossly overheated economy leave the stage set for 3 rd party investment.
We can’t find workers so turn the schools roads etc. over to a Bechtel or Slumberger to build and rent back to us forever.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
This crew has only one objective and that is to privatize everything that wiggles in this province and, to hell with the expense. Look to their record, you cannot possibly believe otherwise. They will sell this province out from under you to achieve just that.
To set the stage for the rip off of resource this Government deliberately ran up debt on doubtful capital costs and investments part of which was selling off provincial properties at fire sale prices. Warehouses and hospitals included in this.
This same party time group all but emptied the Heritage Savings and Trust fund. By sapping off any loose cash or short term investment it was set up for privatization..
At this point they were able to site debt as a problem and put their large scale privatization plans into effect. Seize control of the Power lines under the guise of equally funding all schools for computers and tech supplies. You know what happened to the power lines.
Parks and camping sites are now too expensive to maintain. Sell them off to friends under a great fan fair of these same properties being private as they should be. Gone were the millions of dollars of improvements that went into these same facilities. Up went the debt. I say friends, buddies because there was no public opening of bids and no publication of bids in these sales.
With the resource figures of 25% for Alberta 75% for the oil companies now public this Government wants to set the stage for a public hearing into royalties on oil where the problem is all the resources.
They are spinning a down side story about reduced oil revenues because of lower energy prices. There is absolutely no evidence this is going to happen and, all evidence would lead one to believe just the opposite is going to come about. High prices as far as the mind can take you. This is what the oil companies are telling their stock holders.
25% for the Alberta share should be 40% at any price per joule. All Alberta energy is priced on the BTU capability of the fuel. It is not a mind stretch to see how low the royalties on other utilities are!
You can catch a glimpse here of what is going to happen to your water and can see the very dark future here with Harper dealing away your rights to the US.
Cause the problem so you can have something to fix at an opportune time.
These saboteurs have killed people on the highways and in our hospitals in order to play their privatizing games. I don’t see heroes in this budget. Their present infrastructure plans and the grossly overheated economy leave the stage set for 3 rd party investment.
We can’t find workers so turn the schools roads etc. over to a Bechtel or Slumberger to build and rent back to us forever.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Friday, April 13, 2007
Do you trust Harper and his crew?
Water is on the trade table with the US and Mexico. Who trusts Harper and the Fraser Institute to deal water for Canada?
Something to consider when you vote.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Something to consider when you vote.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Alberta's private health care system crashes!
Yes, its a private system folks. The Government has done its best to divest itself of all responsibility. Who do you sue?
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Alberta Royalties 75% for Oil, only 25% for Alberta!
An examination of Alberta’s oil royalties and revenues under the Conservative Regime:
All royalties must be examined, not just oil and not just tar sands!
This Government is in the business of guaranteeing profits for the oil companies while ensuring Alberta only takes the bare minimum of royalty tax.
This province is being managed for the energy companies, not for the population Conservative fall out at work.
Preamble:
The price of production in conventional oil is paid by the oil companies. This aggregated cost is estimated at about 17.00 per bbl Canadian. You may recall the tar sands consortiums saying two years ago they could produce a barrel of oil below the 17.50 threshold of conventional oil.
The Tar Sands are covered for all exploration and construction expenses up front. Their costs are deducted from the sale of product until all costs are paid for. Only 1% is returned to Alberta in this period. Hardly and investment! More like a float.
The CAPP records 10 billion in investment in infrastructure and technology in 2005. If this is the case, the 10 billion dollars adventure will be paid for by the taxpayer out of the taxpayer share of oil revenues. Taxpayers pay for it; Oil Companies own it. We get no favors here!
One has to wonder where all the so called risk is the tar sands companies refer to.
Also noteworthy is these same tar sands groups and now NWT pipeline groups have shifted their conversation to “we would expect greater returns on an investment of this size”. Spin Doctors run the show.
My question to them is “How much do you get in the Philippians’; In China? In Russia? In India?
Alberta Royalties are the lowest in the world, bar none. A 15% increase in royalty would still leave us at the bottom!
We will not deal with the lease price in this document only to mention the lease prices appear to be at par with other jurisdictions. Don't confuse this revenue with royalty.
Conventional Oil:
80% of Alberta conventional royalty comes from conventional, down-hole drilling by oil companies on leases that have been purchased from the crown in Alberta.
20% of Alberta conventional royalty comes from “freehold” oil, that oil which is drilled and recovered from “private” lands that still retain their own mineral rights. The royalty rates collected from both tar sands and conventional oil and freehold are similar, 25%
Conventional Revenue distribution:
2003/2004 year Oil averaged 43.916 dollars US per bbl.
80% Conventional oil Royalty .981 billion dollarsCanadian
20% Freehold Oil ------------.288 billion dollars Canadian
Total Conventional --------$1.269 billion for Alberta
----------------------------$2.96 Billion taken by Big Oil.
2004/2005 year Oil averaged 45.05 dollars US per bbl
80% Conventional oil Royalty 1.273 billion dollars Canadian
20% Freehold Oil -------------.306 billion dollars Canadian
Total Conventional ---------$1.579 billion dollars for Alberta
----------------------------$4.737 Billion taken by Big Oil.
2006/2006 year Oil Averaged 59.6 dollars US per bbl
80% Conventional oil Royalty 1.463 billion
20% Freehold Oil -------------. 344 billionTotal Conventional
-----------------------------$1.807 billion dollars for Alberta
-----------------------------$5.421 Billion Dollars taken by Big Oil
Totals for Conventional Oil this period:
Alberta $4.655 Billion
Big Oil $13.118 Billion Dollars
Tar Sands Royalties (All expenses paid before royalty is taken)
2003/04 Alberta $.197 billion dollars Oil averaged 43.916 dollars US per bbl.
Big Oil $.591 Billion Dollars
2004/05 Alberta $.718 billion Dollars
Big oil $2.154 Billion Dollars.
Low royalities here but remember you spent 10 billion in infrastructure out of your 25%
Using Government figures, production should increase by 5 times by the year 2020 under this Government.
2020 will produce the following tar sands revenue:
2020 Alberta Revenue $3.59 billion dollars
Big Oil Profits after expenses will be $10.77 Billion dollars.
Natural gas royalty programs produce a similar figure of sell off of resources!
30% of sale to Alberta and 70% to the Resource companies.
Like the oil, this Government has decided to reduce the royalty taken by 5%.
Not to be left out of our Energy picture is the Electricity where Alberta’s advantage (lowest power in North America or Europe) was given away by this Government leaving us with the highest Utility in North America. The kicker here is the companies who are in the electrical distribution and generation businesses seem to be guaranteed a profit under the veil of the EUB.
This deal is so good American companies who sold off their holdings in the US to move to Alberta! Give away the resource that is what this Government calls making it worth while.
Creating a climate for companies to invest in Alberta means simply we guarantee them we take the lowest royalties in the world and now, guarantee those profits. Meanwhile all the costs and inflation burden falls on us, the citizens.
The short verison is: We are being governed by the energy companies.
I say, time for a change in Government!
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
All royalties must be examined, not just oil and not just tar sands!
This Government is in the business of guaranteeing profits for the oil companies while ensuring Alberta only takes the bare minimum of royalty tax.
This province is being managed for the energy companies, not for the population Conservative fall out at work.
Preamble:
The price of production in conventional oil is paid by the oil companies. This aggregated cost is estimated at about 17.00 per bbl Canadian. You may recall the tar sands consortiums saying two years ago they could produce a barrel of oil below the 17.50 threshold of conventional oil.
The Tar Sands are covered for all exploration and construction expenses up front. Their costs are deducted from the sale of product until all costs are paid for. Only 1% is returned to Alberta in this period. Hardly and investment! More like a float.
The CAPP records 10 billion in investment in infrastructure and technology in 2005. If this is the case, the 10 billion dollars adventure will be paid for by the taxpayer out of the taxpayer share of oil revenues. Taxpayers pay for it; Oil Companies own it. We get no favors here!
One has to wonder where all the so called risk is the tar sands companies refer to.
Also noteworthy is these same tar sands groups and now NWT pipeline groups have shifted their conversation to “we would expect greater returns on an investment of this size”. Spin Doctors run the show.
My question to them is “How much do you get in the Philippians’; In China? In Russia? In India?
Alberta Royalties are the lowest in the world, bar none. A 15% increase in royalty would still leave us at the bottom!
We will not deal with the lease price in this document only to mention the lease prices appear to be at par with other jurisdictions. Don't confuse this revenue with royalty.
Conventional Oil:
80% of Alberta conventional royalty comes from conventional, down-hole drilling by oil companies on leases that have been purchased from the crown in Alberta.
20% of Alberta conventional royalty comes from “freehold” oil, that oil which is drilled and recovered from “private” lands that still retain their own mineral rights. The royalty rates collected from both tar sands and conventional oil and freehold are similar, 25%
Conventional Revenue distribution:
2003/2004 year Oil averaged 43.916 dollars US per bbl.
80% Conventional oil Royalty .981 billion dollarsCanadian
20% Freehold Oil ------------.288 billion dollars Canadian
Total Conventional --------$1.269 billion for Alberta
----------------------------$2.96 Billion taken by Big Oil.
2004/2005 year Oil averaged 45.05 dollars US per bbl
80% Conventional oil Royalty 1.273 billion dollars Canadian
20% Freehold Oil -------------.306 billion dollars Canadian
Total Conventional ---------$1.579 billion dollars for Alberta
----------------------------$4.737 Billion taken by Big Oil.
2006/2006 year Oil Averaged 59.6 dollars US per bbl
80% Conventional oil Royalty 1.463 billion
20% Freehold Oil -------------. 344 billionTotal Conventional
-----------------------------$1.807 billion dollars for Alberta
-----------------------------$5.421 Billion Dollars taken by Big Oil
Totals for Conventional Oil this period:
Alberta $4.655 Billion
Big Oil $13.118 Billion Dollars
Tar Sands Royalties (All expenses paid before royalty is taken)
2003/04 Alberta $.197 billion dollars Oil averaged 43.916 dollars US per bbl.
Big Oil $.591 Billion Dollars
2004/05 Alberta $.718 billion Dollars
Big oil $2.154 Billion Dollars.
Low royalities here but remember you spent 10 billion in infrastructure out of your 25%
Using Government figures, production should increase by 5 times by the year 2020 under this Government.
2020 will produce the following tar sands revenue:
2020 Alberta Revenue $3.59 billion dollars
Big Oil Profits after expenses will be $10.77 Billion dollars.
Natural gas royalty programs produce a similar figure of sell off of resources!
30% of sale to Alberta and 70% to the Resource companies.
Like the oil, this Government has decided to reduce the royalty taken by 5%.
Not to be left out of our Energy picture is the Electricity where Alberta’s advantage (lowest power in North America or Europe) was given away by this Government leaving us with the highest Utility in North America. The kicker here is the companies who are in the electrical distribution and generation businesses seem to be guaranteed a profit under the veil of the EUB.
This deal is so good American companies who sold off their holdings in the US to move to Alberta! Give away the resource that is what this Government calls making it worth while.
Creating a climate for companies to invest in Alberta means simply we guarantee them we take the lowest royalties in the world and now, guarantee those profits. Meanwhile all the costs and inflation burden falls on us, the citizens.
The short verison is: We are being governed by the energy companies.
I say, time for a change in Government!
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Friday, March 30, 2007
Alberta Energy Savings LP
I am in receipt of your letter of March 21 where you offer me 10.97 per kWh.
Looking back over the contracts since the switch from EPCOR it appears I have paid on average almost .03 cents per KWh above market for the electricity you supplied and you are asking for an additional .03 cents!.
Before we go any further I would appreciated it you could review and explain why such a markup (Above 30% and climbing is needed?)
Regards,
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Looking back over the contracts since the switch from EPCOR it appears I have paid on average almost .03 cents per KWh above market for the electricity you supplied and you are asking for an additional .03 cents!.
Before we go any further I would appreciated it you could review and explain why such a markup (Above 30% and climbing is needed?)
Regards,
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Heritage Trust Fund? Good-By!
This tired old Government is up to the same old tricks, the same old game plan; forever deadly!
Alberta eyes big earning gains up to 500 million a year reads the half story headline.
Create a new crown corporation to take care of all the revenue invested pockets in our cupboard. Namely the Alberta Heritage and Trust Fund.
The crown corporation is the first step to turning the control and management of these funds over to private industry. Look what happened to the Crown Corporation Encana.
Here’s how it will shake down.
The Edmonton based power house investment crown corporation will be set up.
Running it will be good old Mazankowski (Great West Live, Lifeco and the Power Corporation) After this crew decides a decent mount of time has passed to allow people to go back to sleep they will offer public shares that cover a portion of the new corporation. At this point it becomes partially or all private.
In the meantime the funds become an experimental slush fund for GWL and Lifeco.
What happens when this new company does not perform?
That will work the same way as the electrical network. The taxpayer will make up the profits lost.
One third of this province voted in this batch of politicians.
If you want to change anything you must get out and vote!
cyberclark@shaw.ca
John Clark
Alberta eyes big earning gains up to 500 million a year reads the half story headline.
Create a new crown corporation to take care of all the revenue invested pockets in our cupboard. Namely the Alberta Heritage and Trust Fund.
The crown corporation is the first step to turning the control and management of these funds over to private industry. Look what happened to the Crown Corporation Encana.
Here’s how it will shake down.
The Edmonton based power house investment crown corporation will be set up.
Running it will be good old Mazankowski (Great West Live, Lifeco and the Power Corporation) After this crew decides a decent mount of time has passed to allow people to go back to sleep they will offer public shares that cover a portion of the new corporation. At this point it becomes partially or all private.
In the meantime the funds become an experimental slush fund for GWL and Lifeco.
What happens when this new company does not perform?
That will work the same way as the electrical network. The taxpayer will make up the profits lost.
One third of this province voted in this batch of politicians.
If you want to change anything you must get out and vote!
cyberclark@shaw.ca
John Clark
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Cost plus not good enough any more!
Old Ma ESSO is flipping her skirts again in regards to the Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline. ESSO, with the Harper Government in its pocket is after more money before starting the MacKenzie valley pipeline. Learning from the Alberta experience ESSO says "We expect double-digit returns on this kind of investment. We're not anywhere near that now." No risk, cost plus profit just isn’t good enough any more.
Gone is the plan that optimizes resources. In is the guaranteed profit for industry that is practiced in Alberta. The tar sands, the electrical generation, the electrical transmission lines and the pipelines all have profit guarantees in place, these same guarantees are guarded by the Energy Utilities Board of Alberta.
It doesn’t matter what the economy is; it doesn’t matter what you can afford to pay and it doesn’t matter what the price of that utility or service is worth elsewhere. The guarantees are in under this Government.
Many will view this item as support for the Conservatives.
John Clarkcyberclark@shaw.ca
Gone is the plan that optimizes resources. In is the guaranteed profit for industry that is practiced in Alberta. The tar sands, the electrical generation, the electrical transmission lines and the pipelines all have profit guarantees in place, these same guarantees are guarded by the Energy Utilities Board of Alberta.
It doesn’t matter what the economy is; it doesn’t matter what you can afford to pay and it doesn’t matter what the price of that utility or service is worth elsewhere. The guarantees are in under this Government.
Many will view this item as support for the Conservatives.
John Clarkcyberclark@shaw.ca
Monday, March 12, 2007
Politican view of teachers strike.
Quote from Tom Thurber MLA Drayton Valley, Rtd.
“Teacher strikes are the most difficult of strikes for us in Government to deal with! The teachers time the strikes’ to hit during full school days. The Parents are left trying to hire help to look after their kids, effectively hire baby sitters.
These same parents push on Government for a quick resolve, pay anything with no regards at all for what is fair or market. To them, the parents, the cost does not matter. A very larger increase will affect their taxes by a dollar a month.
Where can they hire a sitter for a dollar a month? So, the Government capitulates and pays.”
I would like to see something fresh here. The Government stands for what is right for a change and stands for the taxpayer. Leave the teachers on strike as long as it takes.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
“Teacher strikes are the most difficult of strikes for us in Government to deal with! The teachers time the strikes’ to hit during full school days. The Parents are left trying to hire help to look after their kids, effectively hire baby sitters.
These same parents push on Government for a quick resolve, pay anything with no regards at all for what is fair or market. To them, the parents, the cost does not matter. A very larger increase will affect their taxes by a dollar a month.
Where can they hire a sitter for a dollar a month? So, the Government capitulates and pays.”
I would like to see something fresh here. The Government stands for what is right for a change and stands for the taxpayer. Leave the teachers on strike as long as it takes.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Great power exports planned!
The AESO 10 year plan is interesting.
It shows 240 KV lines though out Alberta and a 500 KV line from Langdon (Calgary) to BC. It appears this province is planning for more export of power than we have need for our local and current use.
When new power is applied for we should be asking how much is for our use? How much of that power will be exported? Who is paying line fees on exported power?
The same plan calls for a major increase in the amount of wind power generated. Again who pays to service the export?
EPCOR tell me that a .06 kwh charge to you for power use on your utility bill will ultimately mean an additional .06 for power lines and “other costs” In other words, the cost of power is only 50% of your power bill.
John Clark
It shows 240 KV lines though out Alberta and a 500 KV line from Langdon (Calgary) to BC. It appears this province is planning for more export of power than we have need for our local and current use.
When new power is applied for we should be asking how much is for our use? How much of that power will be exported? Who is paying line fees on exported power?
The same plan calls for a major increase in the amount of wind power generated. Again who pays to service the export?
EPCOR tell me that a .06 kwh charge to you for power use on your utility bill will ultimately mean an additional .06 for power lines and “other costs” In other words, the cost of power is only 50% of your power bill.
John Clark
Friday, March 09, 2007
CO2 Pipline; for who?
I have been asked by several to weigh in on the Stelmach-Harper CO2 pipelines. Notably any other pipe lines in use now are paid for by the oil companies and industries involved. I can understand why you think neither is to be trusted!
Misc link:
Mr. Stelmach is saying the Alberta lines will be built and paid for by the Alberta Government. Under this provinces present agreement with the Oil Companies in the Tar Sands it really makes no difference. The taxpayer will pay by waiting for a “higher” (still nothing) royalty as the oil companies add the price of the pipe line to the start up costs.
Or, the tax payer can pay for it all up front and simplify the book keeping.
There is other slight of hand in this much to show about nothing.
The Government is having you think or ignore “Tar Sands” for use in this pipeline application. They are the ones sucking back all of our water and creating most of the emissions.
The formation holding the oil must be greater than 2500 feet (762 meters) This means the process will be used on older conventional oil fields which will get the free perk from the Conservatives courtesy of the tax payers. And, these same older oil fields will not be able to deduct pipeline construction from royalities so, the conservatives have found a way to pad their pockets otherwise.
Oil reservoir depth must be greater than 2,500 ft (762 meter) to reach CO2 minimum miscibility pressure (MMP), which is a function of lithostatic pressure, bottom hole temperature, and oil composition.
An oil gravity greater than 27 degrees API with an oil viscosity less than 10 centipoise (cp) at reservoir conditions is ideal.
Formation porosity greater than 12% with an effective permeability to oil of greater than 10 millidarcies (md) is ideal.
The tar sands are very shallow. There is no way to sequester carbon dioxide in this process. The wells must be very deep as are those in Waybern Saskatchewan..
Also when the CO2 scrubs the oil in the deeper strata and becomes sequestered in the oil strata, the oil becomes effervescent somewhat like a can of pop. When the oil is extracted now by much of its own pressure the carbon dioxide is released again into the atmosphere.
The Conservatives are in a panic to get good press on an environment fix they have no interest in.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Misc link:
Mr. Stelmach is saying the Alberta lines will be built and paid for by the Alberta Government. Under this provinces present agreement with the Oil Companies in the Tar Sands it really makes no difference. The taxpayer will pay by waiting for a “higher” (still nothing) royalty as the oil companies add the price of the pipe line to the start up costs.
Or, the tax payer can pay for it all up front and simplify the book keeping.
There is other slight of hand in this much to show about nothing.
The Government is having you think or ignore “Tar Sands” for use in this pipeline application. They are the ones sucking back all of our water and creating most of the emissions.
The formation holding the oil must be greater than 2500 feet (762 meters) This means the process will be used on older conventional oil fields which will get the free perk from the Conservatives courtesy of the tax payers. And, these same older oil fields will not be able to deduct pipeline construction from royalities so, the conservatives have found a way to pad their pockets otherwise.
Oil reservoir depth must be greater than 2,500 ft (762 meter) to reach CO2 minimum miscibility pressure (MMP), which is a function of lithostatic pressure, bottom hole temperature, and oil composition.
An oil gravity greater than 27 degrees API with an oil viscosity less than 10 centipoise (cp) at reservoir conditions is ideal.
Formation porosity greater than 12% with an effective permeability to oil of greater than 10 millidarcies (md) is ideal.
The tar sands are very shallow. There is no way to sequester carbon dioxide in this process. The wells must be very deep as are those in Waybern Saskatchewan..
Also when the CO2 scrubs the oil in the deeper strata and becomes sequestered in the oil strata, the oil becomes effervescent somewhat like a can of pop. When the oil is extracted now by much of its own pressure the carbon dioxide is released again into the atmosphere.
The Conservatives are in a panic to get good press on an environment fix they have no interest in.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
McMurray expenditures out of line
The recent spending plumb for Fort McMurray highlights more than most tings exactly what is wrong with this Government. They are laying the path of paying more on our end of things to allow a token increase in royalties later on.
There was a time when a business starting up in a remote area would build a company town complete with commissary and nursing station. One example of this would be the Town of Devon, home of Leduc #1. Although, Devon’s growth, such as it was, was enhanced because the City of Leduc did not want all those foreign people living in their town. Foreign being people from other places in Canada.
The money being put into McMurray because of a totally mismanaged resource and a totally mismanaged expansion plan as in no plan at all is nothing short of a direct subsidy to the oil companies.
Next, you will find this Government adding public transportation, free to and from McMurray, a further relief of operational costs for the oil companies.
We are collecting 1% in royalties on all this new growth and putting 10% back into the project because “We are the United States only secure supply of oil” according to Mr. Stelmach.
New construction:
1 % in royalties
Components being built and transported from the Pacific Rim
Huge costs in Dredging Rivers and blowing up and removing rapids to allow transport by marine.
Mined Oil being shipping to the US for processing
A billion dollars infrastructure improvements ongoing to support the Oil companies.
It is my thought, if we pay for enough of the oil companies investment costs we will be able to get another one-half percent royalty. Rob Peter to pay Paul.
Stelmach and company do not plan on doing a dam thing with the oil royalty picture in this province.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
There was a time when a business starting up in a remote area would build a company town complete with commissary and nursing station. One example of this would be the Town of Devon, home of Leduc #1. Although, Devon’s growth, such as it was, was enhanced because the City of Leduc did not want all those foreign people living in their town. Foreign being people from other places in Canada.
The money being put into McMurray because of a totally mismanaged resource and a totally mismanaged expansion plan as in no plan at all is nothing short of a direct subsidy to the oil companies.
Next, you will find this Government adding public transportation, free to and from McMurray, a further relief of operational costs for the oil companies.
We are collecting 1% in royalties on all this new growth and putting 10% back into the project because “We are the United States only secure supply of oil” according to Mr. Stelmach.
New construction:
1 % in royalties
Components being built and transported from the Pacific Rim
Huge costs in Dredging Rivers and blowing up and removing rapids to allow transport by marine.
Mined Oil being shipping to the US for processing
A billion dollars infrastructure improvements ongoing to support the Oil companies.
It is my thought, if we pay for enough of the oil companies investment costs we will be able to get another one-half percent royalty. Rob Peter to pay Paul.
Stelmach and company do not plan on doing a dam thing with the oil royalty picture in this province.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Friday, February 23, 2007
Some web changes
Due to some serious limitations on the "new blogger" I will be setting up a seperate web site which will be able to handle the posting of spread sheets and .pdf forms.
The new blog only allows the up load of .gif or .jpg files which is simply not adequate.
Links from this site will be provided when I'm set up.
cyberclark@shaw.ca
The new blog only allows the up load of .gif or .jpg files which is simply not adequate.
Links from this site will be provided when I'm set up.
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Monday, February 19, 2007
Offer to buy!
This Blog is more popular than I thought. Had an attractive offer to sell the site but, taxes considered it just didn't make a proper offer.
Thanks for you help folks, will keep plugging.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Thanks for you help folks, will keep plugging.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Privitizing the tax system-time to lawyer up!
The Federal Conservatives have forever had a mistrust even a disdain for the Bureaucrats that work in our Federal institutions.
Mulroney went into office on a claim he would clean up the Bureaucracy. His cure was to put people, his brand, into a position in the Department Agency and no decisions could be taken without having the head of the Department check with the ADM designated to check every thing they did.
It seems that Harper has done one better, putting a company in charge of a Ministry.
This really sucks! What is going to happen if he gets a Majority?
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Mulroney went into office on a claim he would clean up the Bureaucracy. His cure was to put people, his brand, into a position in the Department Agency and no decisions could be taken without having the head of the Department check with the ADM designated to check every thing they did.
It seems that Harper has done one better, putting a company in charge of a Ministry.
This really sucks! What is going to happen if he gets a Majority?
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Here is a breath of fresh air!
February 7, 2007
Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft Unveils Democracy Action Plan
For Albertans to capitalize on their province’s astonishing opportunities they need to regain a voice, says Kevin Taft, Leader of Alberta’s Official Opposition in his new book, Democracy Derailed - The Breakdown of Government Accountability in Alberta – and How to Get it Back on Track.
Taft lays out over 35 ways an Alberta Liberal government would achieve this. Below are five highlights of this action plan:
1. The legislation creating the position of the auditor general, the Auditor General Act, should be reviewed to ensure that the powers of Alberta’s auditor general are at least equivalent to those of the federal auditor general.
· “It’s hard to imagine the work of an Alberta auditor general helping to bring down a government, even though the office is empowered by powerful legislation. Fred Dunn is our strongest auditor general in years, but he’s no Sheila Fraser. Instead of forcing complete accountability, he offers gentle, carefully worded criticisms of government failings. In Alberta, the auditor general sometimes walks loudly, but he always carries a small stick. (p. 55/56).
2. The legislation that governs FOIP, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, must be thoroughly reviewed and revamped. The public interest in obtaining information must prevail over the government’s interest in concealing it.
· “In Alberta, freedom of information is a contradiction in terms. For one thing once you start scouting around for government information, you quickly discover that it’s anything but free.” (p .71)
· “Freedom of information in Alberta is heavily weighted in favor of the government, effectively providing it with the means, within the law, to keep from the public any information it deems sensitive.” (p. 72)
. The $14.4 million Public Affairs Bureau should be disbanded.
· "It's the largest public relations operation in western Canada…. that in 2006-07 employed the equivalent of 117 full time staff." (p.106)
· "They manipulate our perception of Alberta's government and then charge taxpayers millions for the service. The Public Affairs Bureau is in effect a public relations agency for the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta." (p. 104)
· "More and more I hear from people who are cynical, frustrated and skeptical in dealing with their own provincial government. They know they are being manipulated and they resent having to pay for it." (p. 108)
4. Strike a citizen’s assembly on electoral reform similar to the one in British Columbia with a commitment to put its recommendations to a province-wide vote during the next general election.
· “… massive landslides often effectively stifle the political voice of at least half of the electorate. No wonder voter turnout has dwindled over the years.” (p. 42)
· “There is almost no chance the Tories will bring a new electoral system to Alberta because they’ve got nothing to gain from it.” (p. 41)
5. Enact whistle-blower legislation based on best practices elsewhere.
· “When people witness wrongs, they must feel safe to express their concerns, no matter whom they might offend in the process.” (p. 34)
-30-
For more information, contact:
Yolande Cole, Media Liaison
(780) 446-6868
Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft Unveils Democracy Action Plan
For Albertans to capitalize on their province’s astonishing opportunities they need to regain a voice, says Kevin Taft, Leader of Alberta’s Official Opposition in his new book, Democracy Derailed - The Breakdown of Government Accountability in Alberta – and How to Get it Back on Track.
Taft lays out over 35 ways an Alberta Liberal government would achieve this. Below are five highlights of this action plan:
1. The legislation creating the position of the auditor general, the Auditor General Act, should be reviewed to ensure that the powers of Alberta’s auditor general are at least equivalent to those of the federal auditor general.
· “It’s hard to imagine the work of an Alberta auditor general helping to bring down a government, even though the office is empowered by powerful legislation. Fred Dunn is our strongest auditor general in years, but he’s no Sheila Fraser. Instead of forcing complete accountability, he offers gentle, carefully worded criticisms of government failings. In Alberta, the auditor general sometimes walks loudly, but he always carries a small stick. (p. 55/56).
2. The legislation that governs FOIP, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, must be thoroughly reviewed and revamped. The public interest in obtaining information must prevail over the government’s interest in concealing it.
· “In Alberta, freedom of information is a contradiction in terms. For one thing once you start scouting around for government information, you quickly discover that it’s anything but free.” (p .71)
· “Freedom of information in Alberta is heavily weighted in favor of the government, effectively providing it with the means, within the law, to keep from the public any information it deems sensitive.” (p. 72)
. The $14.4 million Public Affairs Bureau should be disbanded.
· "It's the largest public relations operation in western Canada…. that in 2006-07 employed the equivalent of 117 full time staff." (p.106)
· "They manipulate our perception of Alberta's government and then charge taxpayers millions for the service. The Public Affairs Bureau is in effect a public relations agency for the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta." (p. 104)
· "More and more I hear from people who are cynical, frustrated and skeptical in dealing with their own provincial government. They know they are being manipulated and they resent having to pay for it." (p. 108)
4. Strike a citizen’s assembly on electoral reform similar to the one in British Columbia with a commitment to put its recommendations to a province-wide vote during the next general election.
· “… massive landslides often effectively stifle the political voice of at least half of the electorate. No wonder voter turnout has dwindled over the years.” (p. 42)
· “There is almost no chance the Tories will bring a new electoral system to Alberta because they’ve got nothing to gain from it.” (p. 41)
5. Enact whistle-blower legislation based on best practices elsewhere.
· “When people witness wrongs, they must feel safe to express their concerns, no matter whom they might offend in the process.” (p. 34)
-30-
For more information, contact:
Yolande Cole, Media Liaison
(780) 446-6868
More pension raids-it's going to be ugly!
The Federal Conservatives are still hitting our pensions and all to our detriment.
The income tax department tells me the Honourable James M. Flaherty hired an accounting firm from the private sector (a friend of a friend probably) to look into the pension deductions taken on past income taxes.
The figures they are coming up with are totally ridiculous and the income tax people are bound to collect taxes on these artificial numbers.
When the income tax people were asked for a list of their findings on the account they told they did not have them; the figures are held by the out side, private company. It is up to the account owner to go over the last 15 years of income tax filings and prove to the income tax department the figures put forward are wrong. This will prove to be expensive for the account owner.
Why can they not give you a statement of their findings and allow you to dispute it?
Guilty, until proven innocent. Don’t you love Conservatives?
cyberclark@shaw.ca
John Clark
The income tax department tells me the Honourable James M. Flaherty hired an accounting firm from the private sector (a friend of a friend probably) to look into the pension deductions taken on past income taxes.
The figures they are coming up with are totally ridiculous and the income tax people are bound to collect taxes on these artificial numbers.
When the income tax people were asked for a list of their findings on the account they told they did not have them; the figures are held by the out side, private company. It is up to the account owner to go over the last 15 years of income tax filings and prove to the income tax department the figures put forward are wrong. This will prove to be expensive for the account owner.
Why can they not give you a statement of their findings and allow you to dispute it?
Guilty, until proven innocent. Don’t you love Conservatives?
cyberclark@shaw.ca
John Clark
Monday, February 12, 2007
What is wrong with the power picture?
An energy company posts profits of multi billions of dollars. This same energy company goes to the E.U.B asks for an increase in consumer rates and gets it. This increase covers a cost of generation not recovered at some point.
In another scenario the same Energy company under a similar circumstance asks the EUB for an increase and, the EUB says no; a cut in rates is in order.
The EUB explain to me the rate increase didn’t effect consumers as the money came from the tax general revenues by way of a rebate on consumer power bills.
As I see it there is an agreement in place with the power companies which guarantees them a profit margin.
I would love to own a business where the Government guarantees me a profit margin.
cyberclark@shaw.ca
John Clark
In another scenario the same Energy company under a similar circumstance asks the EUB for an increase and, the EUB says no; a cut in rates is in order.
The EUB explain to me the rate increase didn’t effect consumers as the money came from the tax general revenues by way of a rebate on consumer power bills.
As I see it there is an agreement in place with the power companies which guarantees them a profit margin.
I would love to own a business where the Government guarantees me a profit margin.
cyberclark@shaw.ca
John Clark
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
14 years of mis management
14 years of mismanagement, misappropriations and a genuine lack of interest for the well being of this province by this government has prompted Mr. Stelmach to face the news.
Over these years we seen this Government walk away from and ignore any chances of investment in new business not oil oriented. Their simplistic, some say stupid views have all but killed any chance of other than oil and power industries establishing in this province.
This government has cemented this economy into energy industries and us into the re-supply business for that industry. Their short sited views of exploiting natural resources as the only thing they are comfortable with.
Any struggling new industries and, there were a few, were closed down with this Government privatized the electrical power moving us from the lowest power rates in north America, putting us into the highest power rates in north America.
The Conservatives are more intent on protecting the obscene profit levels of the oil companies and the power generation and distribution people than they are of returning a fair and equitable value to the provincial coffers.
Had they operated like a government over these past 14 years rather than a private club, Mr. Stelmach could have had some choices in intelligent conversation rather than stand there riling against the rest of Canada; trying to make it their fault.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
Over these years we seen this Government walk away from and ignore any chances of investment in new business not oil oriented. Their simplistic, some say stupid views have all but killed any chance of other than oil and power industries establishing in this province.
This government has cemented this economy into energy industries and us into the re-supply business for that industry. Their short sited views of exploiting natural resources as the only thing they are comfortable with.
Any struggling new industries and, there were a few, were closed down with this Government privatized the electrical power moving us from the lowest power rates in north America, putting us into the highest power rates in north America.
The Conservatives are more intent on protecting the obscene profit levels of the oil companies and the power generation and distribution people than they are of returning a fair and equitable value to the provincial coffers.
Had they operated like a government over these past 14 years rather than a private club, Mr. Stelmach could have had some choices in intelligent conversation rather than stand there riling against the rest of Canada; trying to make it their fault.
John Clark
cyberclark@shaw.ca
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