Thoughts on BC Politics and More

Here is a bit of a rant... John Horgan's NDP introduced their budget, and virtually all ministries took a funding cut.  No money for their wage mandate - it will all have to come from existing budgets (more cuts). No money for reforestation of lands hit by wildfires. Money cut from permitting at a time when it is painfully slow to get any permits in BC. There’s been zero progress by Horgan's NDP on the blockades. The damage being done to our economy and reputation is remarkable. I guess this is why the "shut down Canada" folks backed the NDP in the last election. After months of a sham consultation in the Northeast, government goes ahead with caribou protection. There is no science to suggest this will resolve the issue by itself. This will impact about 300,000 m3 annually of timber. Likely a local mill to close in Chetwynd and mounting pressure on a pulp mill in Quesnel. Worst part of this is that Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operatio...

Canada is increasingly a country of energy pessimists and energy optimists, where the nation’s economic foundation of oil and gas has become the ideological battleground for much bigger issues. Those who believe that energy supplied by Canada is a beneficial contribution to the global economy are pitted against others carrying out a moral crusade, ostensibly in the name of climate, that necessitates the harassment of corporate sinners through demarketing, delegitimizing and divesting. Monday’s election showed pretty clearly where most westerners stand on this. We are energy optimists. I would even say energy realists, in contrast to the energy fantasists who will do just about anything (short of paying more for their flights) to stop the oil & gas business that symbolizes and contributes to climate emissions. The Trans Mountain pipeline project has until now provided a handy barometer of how we are, as a country, reconciling economic and environmental interests...

I received a copy of a response sent by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, regarding Amnesty International’s ridiculous attack on Alberta’s defence of energy jobs from the foreign funded campaign to land-lock Canadian resources. You can read it here. Kenney indicated that amongst the world’s major energy producers, Canada has by far the highest human rights, labour, and environmental standards. He went further in saying that Amnesty International could not be more wrong in attacking Alberta’s efforts to stand up to the foreign-funded campaign to block Canadian energy exports. Here is that response to the Canadian head of Amnesty International, Alex Neve: Dear Mr. Neve, Before responding to your open letter , titled Human rights concerns regarding the Government of Alberta’s “Fight Back Strategy,” I would like to offer a note of sympathy. Honestly, it can’t be easy being the long-time head of Amnesty International Canada (AI), stuck in annoyingly fre...

Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage Alberta's United Conservative Party (UCP) Energy Minister Sonya Savage today issued the following statement on Alberta’s Fight Back Strategy.   The time has come for Alberta to fight back. For more than a decade, anti-fossil fuel interest groups from around the world have been leading a deceitful campaign to land-lock the oilsands. Not only has this campaign – founded entirely on lies – damaged the reputation of our world-class energy sector, it has caused significant damage to our province and hurt thousands of people who work hard and are proud of the work they do. Enough is enough. Our government is taking a stand and is fighting for Alberta energy and the hardworking Albertans who rely on our oil and gas industry to put food on the table for their families. I’m pleased to announce award-winning oil and gas journalist Claudia Cattaneo has joined the fight against the lies and myths being spread about Alberta’s energy i...