Post: #1

Well it happened: Hell has frozen over and pigs are flying in the sky, last night the socialist New Democratic Party won a majority government by beating the Progressive Conservatives who have ruled over the province of Alberta for the past forty four years. The oil sands thread is in a heated debate over what will happen to the province as a result of this political upset and rightly so, many of the RVF Oil Sands Crew are concerned about what the future will hold. I will quote an article from the New York Times as I find that its often easier to digest an article on Canadian politics when it comes from a source outside of the country: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/07/world/....html?_r=3

Quote:OTTAWA — With an economy dominated by the oil industry and a conservative, free-market political tradition, Alberta has long been cast as the Texas of Canada. But on Tuesday, not only did the province’s voters put the Progressive Conservative Party out of power after 43 years, they elected a government from the far left of Canada’s mainstream political spectrum. The unexpected rise of the New Democratic Party, which was partly founded by labor unions, may have implications for Alberta’s oil sands, which, many critics say, enjoyed a light regulatory touch under Conservative governments. And with a federal election coming this year, the result will not be welcomed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a Conservative whose party’s power base is in Alberta, along with his own parliamentary constituency.

The New Democrats had always been distant also-rans in Alberta, Canada’s most conservative province, so there was skepticism before the election about polls that showed the party far ahead. But broadcasters declared about an hour after the polls closed that the party, under its leader Rachel Notley, had won a strong majority of seats in the provincial legislature. Preliminary results indicated that the New Democrats would have 53 seats, up from four, while the Conservatives would fall to third place, with 11 seats, behind the Wildrose Party, another right-of-center group, with 21.

The defeat of the Conservatives followed a budget crisis brought on by declining oil prices. Six months ago, the party brought in Jim Prentice, a former member of Mr. Harper’s federal cabinet, to replace a leader who had been accused of profligate personal spending. Duane Bratt, the chairman of policy studies at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, said that Mr. Prentice and his party had failed because they simply attacked their opponents rather than deal with the issues that had led to growing disaffection among voters. “They ran a fear-and-loathing campaign again,” Mr. Bratt said.

After the results became clear, Mr. Prentice resigned as the party’s leader, as well as from his seat in the legislature, to which he had been narrowly re-elected. The collapse of Alberta’s Conservatives, who in December marked the longest time in power for a single party in any Canadian province, may partly reflect changing demographics within a province whose settlers, in the early 20th century, included large numbers of Americans. Alberta’s politicians have tended to come from long-settled families and to have links to farming or the oil industry. But Naheed Nenshi, the current mayor of Calgary and one of Canada’s most admired politicians, is a Harvard-educated Muslim academic, born in Canada to parents from Tanzania. Like many Canadian mayors, Mr. Nenshi is an independent who has not aligned himself with a party, though Conservatives have campaigned against him.

Mr. Prentice called an election about a year earlier than required. When he took power, the biggest threat to the Conservatives appeared to be the Wildrose Party, which is slightly to its right. At first, it appeared that Mr. Prentice had defused his political opposition by welcoming nine members of Wildrose, including its leader, into the Conservatives. “They thought they would have a free ride,” said Jack Mintz, the director of the school of public policy at the University of Calgary. But the move backfired. Because the Conservatives had stridently campaigned against Wildrose in 2012, Mr. Bratt said, many voters saw the move as cynical. Of the nine defectors, plus two earlier ones, only three ran in Tuesday’s election. The others retired or were unable to secure nominations.

The province’s budget woes were another blow to the Conservatives. Falling royalty payments because of low oil prices are expected to cut revenue this year by up to seven billion Canadian dollars, or $5.8 billion. Mr. Prentice responded with a budget that many conservatives saw as not cutting spending enough, while many on the left thought that the cuts were too deep and that corporations should have been taxed more. The party was also hurt by Mr. Prentice’s political style and by campaign blunders. Having quit as vice chairman of a large Toronto-based bank to return to politics, Mr. Prentice sometimes acted like an executive lecturing employees. Asked in a radio interview about the source of the province’s budget problems, he replied, “We all need only look in the mirror.” And in a discussion of economics during the campaign’s sole televised debate, Mr. Prentice said to Ms. Notley of the New Democrats, “I know that math is difficult,” a comment that many found sexist and patronizing.

In contrast, Ms. Notley, a lawyer who has worked for unions and the government, came off as witty and articulate. And while Mr. Prentice toured the province in a large motor coach, Ms. Notley used a humble white minivan plastered with party stickers. While Ms. Notley’s victory would not have been predicted a year ago, she has long been a prominent and politically active figure. Her father, Grant, was the leader of Alberta’s New Democrats when he was killed in a plane crash in 1984.

Ed Whittingham, executive director of the Pembina Institute, an environmental group based in Calgary, said he hoped Ms. Notley would end a perception of Alberta as “a laggard on climate policies.” Other commentators have suggested that she could both resolve the province’s budget problem and deal with emissions from the oil sands by raising the province’s meager carbon tax. Mr. Whittingham said issues like the current American political debate over the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry oil from Alberta to the Gulf Coast of the United States, showed that Alberta was losing its “social license” to export its oil. Without that, he said, “our future doesn’t look very good.”

Its hard to say how the NDP will proceed in Alberta but one thing is for sure, the citizens of Alberta are in for one hell of a ride as the province will be governed in a way that it hasn't seen in generations. Based on the performance of the NDP in other provinces, this may not be a good thing; they are known to empower public and private sector unions, cater to environmentalists and other various left wing causes, raise taxes and run deficits. On the other hand, Alberta isn't like other provinces, obviously we have our golden goose which is the oil and gas sectors but due to in-migration from other provinces and around the world, we have the most highly skilled and educated work force in the country and this may be an opportunity for the province to diversify its economy, which relies too heavily on oil and gas. Also, I feel that the province has bent over backwards to cater to oil and gas and haven't gotten our fair share, we also give too much to other provinces but that is a federal issue and another story, basically, Albertans have been getting screwed for years and this election is a result of the majority's sentiments.

Anyway, I thought that I'd start this thread to see if other Canadians or anyone familiar with our country's politics who don't typically read the the oil sands one would have anything to say (Kosko, Dr.Howard, BIGINJAPAN, Laner, etc), this was a huge event in Canadian politics and will likely have a major impact on the federal election coming up in the fall. I should probably mention that last night, I VOTED NDP!

Post: #2

There's a bunch of articles on nationalpost.com about this, most quite good if anyone does some digging. I'm in a "wait and see" mode for this, they literally just got elected. The big question is if the new Premier can control her caucus of brand new MLAs.

Post: #3

(05-06-2015 10:19 PM)scotian Wrote:  The defeat of the Conservatives followed a budget crisis brought on by declining oil prices.

Makes perfect sense. Whenever there's a budget shortfall, everyone knows "far left" politicians are adept at balancing the ledger!

Post: #4

All Canadian politicians and bought and paid whores. Big Money is going to continue calling the shots.

Post: #5

(05-06-2015 10:50 PM)Luvianka Wrote:  All Canadian politicians are bought and paid whores. Big Money is going to continue calling the shots.

Post: #6

(05-06-2015 10:19 PM)scotian Wrote:  I VOTED NDP!

HOW COULD YOU

Post: #7

We truly have evolved as a society where girls like this can be voted up as a Member of Legislative Assembly and receive an annual salary of $127 000, she clearly will be a valued contributor to Albertan economic policy

Post: #8

That's weird...




Luckily the internet never forgets

https://web.archive.org/web/201504231625...a/platform

Some highlights:

"Take leadership on the issue of climate change."
•Support diversification in other sectors which include "alternative energy" and "wind power".
• "Phase out coal-fired electricity generation to reduce smog and greenhouse gas emissions, and expand cleaner, greener sources, including wind and solar.."


Wonder why they took it down?

Post: #9

Looks like Alberta's going to have their schools teaching homosexuality to 3rd graders and "6 genders" to 8th graders pretty soon!

Post: #10

(05-06-2015 11:45 PM)komatiite Wrote:  

We truly have evolved as a society where girls like this can be voted up as a Member of Legislative Assembly and receive an annual salary of $127 000, she clearly will be a valued contributor to Albertan economic policy

I came back from Asia to find the oil patch in shambles. Now I'm coming back from the states to find the reds have taken over...

Post: #11

Does Alberta have a continuous influx of immigrants from outside the USA?

I've noticed the past few years that there is a pattern of immigrants granting power to socialist movements in the country they reside in.

Post: #12

(05-07-2015 04:25 AM)Foolsgo1d Wrote:  Does Alberta have a continuous influx of immigrants from outside the USA?

I've noticed the past few years that there is a pattern of immigrants granting power to socialist movements in the country they reside in.

More like a continuous influx of immigrants from other, less economically-well off provinces of Canada, like the Maritime provinces and Ontario. Coincidentally, they bring the left-wing economic ideologies with them that ruined their provinces in the first place ...

Post: #13

"Based on the performance of the NDP in other provinces, this may not be a good thing; they are known to empower public and private sector unions, cater to environmentalists and other various left wing causes, raise taxes and run deficits."

If you say they are going to do all of the above, none of which is good. Why did you vote for them???

Seems crazy!

Post: #14

(05-07-2015 05:43 AM)HighSpeed_LowDrag Wrote:  

(05-07-2015 04:25 AM)Foolsgo1d Wrote:  Does Alberta have a continuous influx of immigrants from outside the USA?

I've noticed the past few years that there is a pattern of immigrants granting power to socialist movements in the country they reside in.

More like a continuous influx of immigrants from other, less economically-well off provinces of Canada, like the Maritime provinces and Ontario. Coincidentally, they bring the left-wing economic ideologies with them that ruined their provinces in the first place ...

Those east cost bastards just want to establish fisheries style seasonal welfare wherever they go...eh scotian.

This election blows my mind, but I also think it can be rationalized. About 12 years ago the only people I knew going to Alberta were guys from the east coast or laid off logging guys in Ontario.

For the past 5-7 years, as that oil wealth has produced spinoff jobs in edmonton and calgary I hear of 'normal' people moving out west from ontario. Now when I say "normal" from Ontario I mean minorities and lesbians. These are not oil workers.

I think these Ontario immigrants brought their politics with them, hence the electoral result.

Now, is this going to be a complete disaster? It depends on where the leaders of the party hail from (I don't know). In Ontario, when the NDP would get elected it would usually be good for for the resource industry (mining and logging) as many of the party leaders were from the north and would push those issues. The back benchers were the hippies, lesbians and weed smokers from southern Ontario. As opposed to a liberal or conservative election which just pretends the northern part of the province doesn't exist.

Post: #15

The Leftists won with about 40% of the total votes, while Rightists got over 50% in total (Conservatives and Wild Rose Alliance). Even if the NDP got a majority of seats, it doesn't mean the population will follow them.

Post: #16

Alberta Loses Its Goddamn Mind for the Fourth Time: A Guide for the Perplexed
http://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/alberta-l...plexed-190

(05-07-2015 12:39 AM)komatiite Wrote:  That's weird...

Luckily the internet never forgets

https://web.archive.org/web/201504231625...a/platform

Some highlights:

"Take leadership on the issue of climate change."
•Support diversification in other sectors which include "alternative energy" and "wind power".
• "Phase out coal-fired electricity generation to reduce smog and greenhouse gas emissions, and expand cleaner, greener sources, including wind and solar.."


Wonder why they took it down?

They are revamping the website, the candidate profiles are also down, it'll be back up soonish. Stop making up stupid conspiracy theories.

(05-07-2015 06:54 AM)PABeaulieu Wrote:  The Leftists won with about 40% of the total votes, while Rightists got over 50% in total (Conservatives and Wild Rose Alliance). Even if the NDP got a majority of seats, it doesn't mean the population will follow them.

Uhm, I don't think you quite know how politics works.

Post: #17

Best wishes to you gents working the sands. It is still too soon to see what will happen. If something does happen however, it will pain me greatly if this newly elected government pushed some of our boys into unemployment.

Post: #18

Howard your last sentence is key, the Progressive Conservatives went from Ralph Klein's "fit in or fuck off" conservatism to literal "Progressive Conservativsm" where they struggled to unite the rural and oil conservatives. They first tried Ed Stelmach who was a farmer with no concept of the oil industry's economic engine, so they went to Redford, who actually interned with noted "conservative in name only" Joe Clark, our illustrious former Prime minister of about one week. Prentice is just the same, a Toronto type lawyer more interested in prestige than political service. The Danielle Smith Wildrose fiasco hit the WR hard, who's sole goal is to unite the rural and oil conservatives and end the needless PC spending. Opened the doors for the NDP.

Man, I've been posting like crazy on this subject, probably have been a dick to certain members here I suppose. I have never felt so fired up about a political event in my life... I am very concerned about it. But only time will tell. Should try to take a step back today, although I'll Definetly post if I find more funny stuff on our new leaders, at the end of the day most NDP types are... Interesting to say the least.

Post: #19

Addressing Nima from the oil sands thread, since he seems to think expressing a negative opinion about tax raises or teaching kids how to be gay is "redneck"... 100m in extra taxes is, in fact, a fuck load of money. That is 1000 good paying jobs. Do you have "an extra measly 100m dollars" ? Talk about too much confidence...

What matters is the dollars and what they are spent on. Not the "measly" 2% tax increases. The incremental increase in revenue will be spent primarily on a health care for "fat lazy fucks" who have no business spending public funds on their unhealthy lifestyle, more teachers doing an even worse jobs by promoting ideas like correct answers aren't very important, but "loving fags" is very important for a successful life, and onerous environmental and regulatory restrictions that have massive costs but spurious results.

I stand by my quotes. And I'm a late 20s professional engineer from a middle class nuclear family in Ontario, thanks. Moved to AB 2 years ago. But please, continue to generalize about "rednecks" so that you can continue to comfortably ignore opinions you disagree with without needing to put any thought into the matter.

Perhaps you're willing to walk yourself to the front of the layoff line to pay for the measly tax increases?Someone has got to. You should be eager to do your part and support your new government! Come on man. It's just 1 measly job (or 1000, or 20,000). Someone's got to pay the price, after all.

Post: #20

Hmm. A party that is full of fags, fat chicks, muslims, greenies and communist thieves seizing power in Alberta.

Sounds like the greens in Australia.

The SJWs never lift a finger to create economic growth and wealth but they're never far behind to come en mass to loot and squander what they can get and mandate their sick SJW social policies.

What the fuck is a social license to export oil?

Democracy in a world of SJWs is going to ruin us all.

Post: #21

day 2 since the election and it is still causing quite a bit of consternation in the alberta business community.

for my part, i was very surprised by how few people who purported to me to have voted for the ndp had actually read their platform.

i did and really did not like what i saw. full of the usual leftist, statist stage 1 thinking. tax the "rich" and big corporations and spend like hell. one blogger costed out the platform and projected that even if they meet their new revenue projections (which may be doubtful) the provincial debt will rise to $31 billion in the first four years alone.

but more than a dozen people yesterday who supported the new government were surprised when i informed them the following campaign promises were made:

1) higher taxes for many albertans, with the new brackets starting at $125k a year (yeah, those guys are the true elitists aren't they); and

2) withdrawn support for the keystone xl and northern gateway pipelines (cause yeah, who needs to actually get alberta's no. 1 export to market).

add this to the several 20 something year olds who are now in the legislature and we have a very, very nervous private sector here today...

Post: #22

Oh man, so much hysteria and bs.

1) The conservatives got rid of the flat tax back in March. It's not an NDP proposal. Now let's break it down and see what this income tax increase actually is.

Quote:A 12 per cent tax rate on income between $125,000 to $150,000; 13 per cent on income between $150,000 to $200,000; 14 per cent between $200,000 and $300,000 and 15 per cent over $300,000. The NDP also plans to roll back the Tory health levy.

2% extra on 125K to 150K and 3% extra on 150 to 200.

That's 2000 extra if you're making 200,000/year.

Now let's look at the PC proposal from back in March. They introduced an 11.5% tax for anyone making over 100K.

That's an extra 1500 dollars if you're making 200,000/year.

Conclusion: the difference between the NDP and conservative proposals are 500 dollars! That's what you guys are worried about? Are you even making 200,000 a year?

2) They want to review the comically low royalties that the oil companies are paying the province.

Quote:A Resource Owners’ Rights Commission to review the royalties oil companies pay to the province with any amount earned above the current rates going into savings.

If they do increase it, anything over the current rate will go into savings. Fantastic idea.

They've also said that they won't increase it willy nilly on their own. They're going to sit down and make a plan that works for both oil producers and the province.

3) A 2% increase in corporate tax. The corporate tax rate right now is a joke. Even 12% is a joke. Companies can afford it and they will have no problem paying an extra 2%. On 5 billion dollars in profit, it'll be 100 mln extra in taxes. Instead of sending that cash to an offshore account and sitting on the money, they'll pay some of their dues (which should be a lot higher).

Now keep screaming about "fags," lesbians and other bull shit irrelevant stuff.

Post: #23

What do people think this will mean for immigration...

Post: #24

(05-07-2015 10:34 AM)DannyAlberta Wrote:  for my part, i was very surprised by how few people who purported to me to have voted for the ndp had actually read their platform.

1) higher taxes for many albertans, with the new brackets starting at $125k a year (yeah, those guys are the true elitists aren't they); and

lol

And you read the conservative platform when you voted for them? It seems like you are unaware of the fact that they got rid of the flat tax back in March.

On a 200K income, the difference between the NDP proposal and the PC proposal is 500 dollars. That's your issue? Paying an extra 500 dollars (assuming you actually make 200,000 a year).

Post: #25

^ did i say i voted conservative nima? and indeed i will be in the 14% bracket with no apparent opportunity to income split (hopefully they will change their minds on that).

here are the realities: alberta takes in more revenue per capita than any other province. it also spends more per capita than any other province and has been living outside its means for most of the last decade.

this is not a revenue problem. it is a spending problem. that is not hysteria. it is fact.

the public sector grows and grows and grows and becomes more and more entitled and people like me are told to disproportionately fund it.

it is systemic, unsustainable and uneconomic. but it seems like most albertans have become just like the rest of canada and scream "gimmie, gimmie, gimmie" while believing the "rich", "evil" corporations and borrowed money can all contribute an unlimited supply.