Stephen Harper's National Energy Program May Do More Damage Than OPEC

" I witnessed first-hand the movement of an economy from historic boom to deep recession in a matter of months. A radical, interventionist blueprint of economic nationalism, the NEP caused the oil industry to flee, businesses to close and the real estate market to crash. The lives of honest, hard-working Albertans were upended and I came to know many of those who lost their jobs and homes." (Looking Back at Trudeau, Stephen Harper, National Post, October 5, 2000)

By 2000, Harper had left the Reform Party, and was running the National Citizens Coalition, a right-wing, anti-liberal non-profit; created initially to end public healthcare; but grew to include a fight against unions and a fight for the ability of corporations to fund politicians and political parties.

I don't know if Stephen Harper really believed that the National Energy Program caused the devastation he describes, or he was simply reviving an old wedge issue, while attempting to rewrite history.

Admittedly, the NEP was not popular in Alberta, but its cancellation by Mulroney, was the cause of most of their woes.

Oscar Wilde wrote that there are only two tragedies: one is not getting what one wants; the other is getting it. In the fall of 1985, the latter tragedy befell Alberta's oil industry. The OPEC cartel failed to agree upon a world oil price. The result was a global free-for-all among producing nations. Canada's oil and gas producers were caught in the middle. Having recently gained freedom from the NEP, Canada's oil and gas industry was not protected as the price of oil dropped from US $27 per barrel ... to $8 per barrel by August 1986. ... Forty-five thousand oil workers lost their jobs." (Of Passionate Intensity: Right-Wing Populism and the Reform Party of Canada, By Trevor Harrison, University of Toronto Press, 1995, ISBN: 0-8020-7204-6 3, p. 97)

In fact, most in the industry liked Trudeau's program because it allowed further exploration on public land. What they opposed was the proposed closing of tax loopholes by then Liberal finance minister, Allan MacEachen.

However, they couldn't campaign against that to attack the Trudeau government, so instead sold it as Ottawa aggression toward the West, and Ted Byfield, an early Reform Party organizer, kept the campaign alive. Wrote Harrison: "In the months and years that followed, Byfield's Alberta Report continued to mythologize the intent and the impact of the NEP", giving the Reformers their battle cry, "The West wants in".

Harper's National Energy Program

Since coming to power in 2006, the new and improved Reform Party, now calling themselves the Conservative Party of Canada, has done everything they could to deny that Climate Change exists, or that the Alberta Oilsands has anything to do with it, if it does.

That stance has made Canada a symbol around the world, of what Climate Change denial looks like, though it has increased Harper's creds with the diminishing Denial crew.

In the CPC's latest campaign, they suggest that the toxic bitumen coming out of the Oilsands is actually good for us. No more harmful than cooking a steak on a barbecue. Heck maybe we could bottle it and sell it as a sauce.

Economically, we've been turned into a Petro State with our fortunes dependant on how well the industry is doing.

Yet, according to the International Monetary Fund for every dollar in growth from oil, 82 cents goes to Alberta, with Ontario seeing just 4 cents. Yet the entire country has subsidized the Oilsands to the tune of 34 billion dollars.

Harper has also increased Alberta's federal transfer, while decreasing Ontario's and is moving the National Energy Board to Calgary, creating jobs in a province already apparently experiencing a labour shortage.

Will All of This Largesse Really Help Alberta?

The Harper government recently tried to bury a report, warning of the economic and health risks of the Alberta tarsands. Just another attempt at denying Climate Change exists, that has included muzzling scientists and ending tax breaks for environmental groups.

In the debate over the pipelines, we are told that without them Canada’s economic recovery would suffer serious damage. Says Russ Blinch in the Huffington Post: Prime Minister Harper says he won't lift a finger to help the environment because he's working too hard to protect jobs. In fact he is imperiling our future by blocking innovation in order to support a fading industry: fossil fuels.

The World Bank says that tackling climate change would grow economies, not hinder growth or recovery.

And while John Baird is putting pressure on the U.S. To approve the XL pipeline, a former Canadian ambassador claims that there is a very good chance that they won't be needed. Obama is now allowing American crude to be exported, which might also bring the price of oil down.

The Northern Gateway that would send the tar to China for refinery, is also not looking too promising. China is moving away from oil and switching to natural gas, which they are getting from Russia. Looks like Putin is laying claim to the Asian market with his own pipelines. So much for sanctions, as he's also moving away from the U.S. dollar.

So will Harper's National Energy Program cause the oil industry to flee, businesses to close and the real estate market to crash? Will it upend the lives of honest, hard-working Albertans, many of whom will lose their jobs and homes?

Jeffrey Rubin Former Chief Economist with CIBC World Markets asks Are Harper's dreams of Canada as energy superpower going up in smoke?

In the last decade, his Conservative government has done everything but roll out the red carpet for the energy sector. Whether it's multi-million dollar advertising campaigns in the United States, gold-plated junkets to foreign energy markets, or muzzling opposition from domestic environmentalists, never before have we seen Ottawa shill so unabashedly for a single industry ... Unfortunately for Canadians, it’s becoming clear that despite the Prime Minister’s best attempts at economic intervention, their government is playing a losing hand.

If Harper's Reform Party used the revisionist history of the impact of Trudeau's energy policies, with a tagline "The West Wants In", maybe the next election ours should be:

CANADA WANTS IN

But that won't happen until Harper is out.

Did Harper Take $15 Million From Alberta and Give it to Tony Clement?

This should thrill Albertans. Apparently the Harper government took $15 million earmarked for Alberta and instead funnelled it into Tony Clement's re-election campaign.

“Why did it disappear? It doesn’t just evaporate,” said Boucher, a former RCMP superintendent. “The investigation will prove it. We know the $15 million disappeared. We know that there’s millions that were taken from border security infrastructure and moved to Tony Clement’s (riding). I think we’re going to see two plus two here.”

The draft auditor general report said the Harper government did not act “clearly” and “transparently” when it sought permission from Parliament to spend $50 million on the G8 Legacy Infrastructure Fund that delivered 32 projects for the Parry Sound-Muskoka riding in southern Ontario represented by Clement.

They really take Alberta for granted don't they?

Why Does Alberta Keep Electing Potted Plants?

A funny video of how Conservative candidates get elected in this province, even when they do nothing. And really what do Harper's MPs from Alberta ever accomplish?

They are not going to Ottawa with their constituents concerns, but instead are bringing talking points back home. This is what we're going to do, live with it.

And even when they're not happy with their candidate and try to get someone else to run, Harper steps in and demands that they sit down and shut up.

Very strange. Albertans are being taken for granted, and they either don't know or don't care.

Weird.

Come On Albertans Rise Up. You Can do it!

Michael Ignatieff held a rally in Alberta recently that was well attended.

...approximately an hour before ignatieff took center stage the hall was full to capacity. in fact, the cordoned off portion of the hall had to be opened in order to accommodate the larger-then-expected crowd.

... attendants were from a variety of backgrounds: children, teenagers, young adults, elderly, and visible minorities. people that stood behind ignatieff were liberal party candidates some of who had come from areas outside edmonton- a sharp contrast to how stephen harper stages his audience; from the attendants of the rally (via security check), to who is filmed looking interested in what he is saying.

... first to speak was paul martin. he energized the crowd, talking about the fiscal responsibility of the economy, state of health care, and Canada's pension plan under the liberal party banner before government handover to the conservative party (circa 2006) .... then michael ignatieff took stage.

If you read the Globe you'd get no sense of how well received the Liberal leader was.

Maybe Albertans are tired of being seen as religious extremists and rednecks, given the MPs from that province who are representing them.

Maybe they'll rise up this election and vote for their honour.

Is Alberta Getting Tired of Stephen Harper?

After a Muslim was elected as Mayor of Calgary, the anti-Islamic, pro-Israel Harper must be fuming. The man who in 2000 wrote a piece for the National Post: "Separation, Alberta-style: It is time to seek a new relationship with Canada" (December 8, 2000), and suggested building a firewall around Alberta so the feds couldn't get them, may be losing his maniacal grip.

Born and raised in Toronto, he also claimed after winning the Alliance leadership, that he was "for Alberta first and Canada a distant second". Something John Geddes called "a recklessly hotheaded move for a man with national aspirations." (Maclean's May 9, 2005)

And what he deemed should be "Canadian values".

"Westerners, but especially Albertans, founded the Reform/Alliance to get "in" to Canada. The rest of the country has responded by telling us in no uncertain terms that we do not share their 'Canadian values.' Fine. Let us build a society on Alberta values." (National Post, December 8, 2000)

But after almost five years of running this country, many of us are asking what "Alberta values" are, including many Albertans. I don't think this is what they had in mind when they said they wanted "in".

One of them, Tom Turner, wrote an op-ed piece for the Edmonton Journal: PM shows contempt

The contempt Stephen Harper has for all Canadians has hit a new high with his contention that the reason Canada lost the election to sit on the UN Security Council is the position taken by the opposition in Canada, specifically Michael Ignatieff. .... His government has chosen, against the wishes of a majority of Canadians, to place more importance in the war in Afghanistan than maintaining Canada's traditional role as peacekeeper. His government has committed itself to following the leadership of the United States rather than the consensus of the UN. To top it off, He has chosen to deprive veterans of the war in Afghanistan of their rightful compensation and care. It is no wonder the mighty power of Portugal has taken over the position that should be filled by Canada.

My challenge to Canadians is, what are we to do about this leader who, despite having a minority government, insists on destroying the very nature of our country and our identity? We must rid ourselves of this cancer now.

Alberta is not a regressive province. But look who they have representing them. The likes of Rob Anders and Jason Kenney, now represent "Alberta Values". What else are we supposed to think? Religious fanatics and bigots.

Maybe things are about to change. We can only hope.

Congratulations Danielle Smith on Winning Leadership of Wildrose Party

Well she did it. Danielle Smith pulled it off and was named leader of the newly formed Wildrose Party.

You might wonder why I would care, living in Ontario; but I just found it kind of interesting.

I had originally posted that I thought it sounded like another Reform Party, and while Ms Smith has the backing of much of the old 'Calgary School', I'm still not convinced that it isn't. Can't help but think they're lining up the Wildrose to compliment Harper's Reformers, who don't seem to get along too well with Stelmach. And with Mike Harris's protege waiting in the wings. Hmmm. Hopefully, we can get red of the Ref-Cons before they can make an impact.

However, I think that Smith might be able to create a middle of the road, fiscally conservative party; without the baggage of the Religious Right.

She is already warning her party that they shouldn't get bogged down over single issues. Sound advice, since I believe that Alberta is far more progressive than people think. Unfortunately, we judge them by the nuts in the Reform-Conservative caucus; but any Albertans I've ever met are not like that at all.

If she can find candidates with fresh ideas and progressive thinking on social issues, without moving too far right (or left); I could see her as the next Premier of Alberta.

I'll try to forget for now that the 'Calgary School' like her. They gave us Stephen Harper, so hopefully, they avoided arrogant and mean this time.

I think she may be just what Alberta needs to change their image. Now will Rhona Ambrose smarten up and move to a party where she'll be appreciated? She looks so out of place, and must be getting tired of playing the window dressing for those gawd-awful Reform-Conservatives.

I think she would fit in nicely with the Wildrose and would be given a bigger role. Maybe Danielle would even let her talk.

Ignatiff Reaches Out to Alberta in a Spirit of Unity

Albertans have had a distrust of Ottawa since the National Energy Program, introduced by Pierre Trudeau, almost thirty years ago!

In the wake of the energy crisis, the intent, at least in part, was to promote oil self-sufficiency for Canada and maintain the oil supply.

However, it also kept domestic oil prices below world market prices, which prevented Alberta from enjoying the boom, while subsidizing Canadian consumers at their expense.

Trudeau also introduced several taxes which further crippled the industry.

What is important to remember though, is that then Alberta Premier, Peter Lougheed, had willingly signed on to the program and a photo of Lougheed and Trudeau toasting the deal with champagne was widely distributed across the country.

What made it turn south, was a sudden drop in world oil prices and the interference of OPEC.

However, since that time, Conservative governments have capitalized on the ill-fated plan, to win votes in Alberta. Brian Mulroney campaigned on ending it, but stalled long enough to give rise to the Reform Party.

Stephen Harper still throws it around when he's getting desperate, though he himself promised to end the tax on tax, which soon just got added to the growing list of his 'unkept'.

Sadly though, this pitting Alberta against the rest of Canada, is becoming as much of a threat to national unity as Quebec separation, and I think the next Prime Minister will really have to work at building bridges, rather than burning them down.

Recently Michael Ignatieff has extended a hand and promised not to campaign on destroying the oil sands, but instead work with the province to clean them up. That's the priority.

Environmental activists should still protest, to hold their feet to the fire, but simply putting an end to the industry will have a devastating affect on this country's economy, so the challenge for Ignatieff will be to strike a balance.

Whether or not this will win him seats in Alberta, remains to be seen, but if he can at least remove the boogey man, it might put an end to the us vs them mentality, sparked by the Tories to maintain power.

Michael Ignatieff will not abandon environmental concerns, but he will not abandon Alberta either.

Grit leader flatters Alberta, criticizes Tories
By Renata D’Aliesio,
Calgary Herald
July 4, 2009

CALGARY — Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff touted Saturday the economic virtues and national reach of Alberta’s oilsands, urging Canadians to take pride in the mammoth industrial development, which has touched off international environmental opposition.

Speaking at a party fundraiser Stampede breakfast in Calgary, Ignatieff said financial ripples from the oilsands can be felt throughout the country — from East Coast workers flying to Alberta for jobs to a northern Ontario factory making pipes for the oilpatch in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

He also said Canada’s “centre of economic gravity” will shift west to Calgary within his lifetime.

“The one instinct I’ve had from the beginning about the industry at the heart of this economy is this is a national industry — a national industry in which all Canadians should take pride,” Ignatieff told about 600 Grit supporters at the Calgary Zoo.

“The Liberal Party of Canada must never, ever, ever run against that industry or against Alberta.”

Ignatieff acknowledged several environmental and social challenges may be thwarting a national embrace of the oilsands.

The massive development is a significant producer of greenhouse gases and toxic waste ponds.

Mount Royal College political scientist Duane Bratt noted Ignatieff’s continuing overtures to Alberta and the oilpatch are a “clear repudiation” of the policy plank former leader Stephane Dion put forward for the October 2008 federal election: the Green Shift carbon tax plan.

“The bigger question that I would have for Ignatieff is that’s fine, saying that in Calgary. Let’s see you say it in Montreal. Let’s see you say it in Toronto,” Bratt said. (I suspect it would be a little different, but the bottom line is that unemployment is also a big issue of the day, so promising to shut down the oil sands, throwing thousands of people out of work, is not the answer anywhere in Canada)

While Ignatieff’s oilsands stance has earned a smattering of praise from the Stelmach Conservatives, winning even a single seat in Alberta will be a difficult challenge for the Liberals — but not impossible, Bratt suggested.

The party was shut out in the last campaign, as the Stephen Harper Conservatives won all but one of the province’s 28 federal ridings. The last time a Grit was elected in Calgary was in 1968.

Though Ignatieff urged supporters to prepare for the next election, shared his vision of Canada on its 150th birthday in 2017 and accused the prime minister of taking Alberta voters for granted, he wouldn’t speculate on when the next election may come.

In taking aim at the Conservatives’ climate change record, Ignatieff said delays and a lack of clarity have created uncertainty for investors and producers. He said the Liberals favour carbon trading and hard caps on greenhouse gas emissions, but didn’t offer more detail.

Environment Minister Jim Prentice rejected Ignatieff’s assertion that the Conservative government is faltering on climate change.

Canada is in talks with the United States about developing cleaner energy from coal-fired power plants and the oilsands. Prentice said he plans to unveil all of Canada’s climate change plans before the United Nations next climate change conference in December in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Detailed regulations will follow in 2010, he added.

“We’re not waiting for the Americans just to be perfectly clear,” Prentice said at his Stampede breakfast Saturday. “The Canadian policies will be policies that reflect Canada’s national interest.”

Prentice also dismissed claims that the Conservatives take Albertans’ support for granted.

“We don’t take any vote in this province for granted. Not one single vote. We work hard and that’s why we’re so strong on the ground.”

Interesting choice of words. 'We don't take any VOTE for granted'. How about the PEOPLE of Alberta? They're not JUST VOTES!!!

Most Albertans are not Rednecks

A great many myths arise from partisan politics, and one most recent is the attribution of 'redneck' to describe people from Alberta.

One satirist wrote recently: Alberta, also known as Saskatchewan's Iraq, is one of the largest oil and gas producing states in Jesus Land. God often conveniently places America's oil into friendly territory to give the US military a break from fighting for big oil in places like Iraq. Alberta is also the Canadian Red Neck Holy Land.

Alberta today is very much like Texas, except that it snows for a goodly portion of the year.... Alberta has secret plans to secede from Canada and form its own country, Redneckistan.

The Canadian Redneck Holy Land? How did this happen?

Perhaps it was with another partisan myth; 'Western Alienation', and the emergence of the Reform Party. This became one of their campaign slogans and helped to create the 'us' vs 'them' mentality that now defines Canadian politics. How sad.

Ironically, the Reform Party's priorities, were decentralizing and reducing the size, scope and cost of government. They were also the party of common sense and you couldn't help but like Preston Manning. He was a father figure, who may have embarrassed you in front of your friends, but who you wanted in your corner when you learned those friends did not have your best interests at heart.

The first Reform Party MP, Deborah Grey, was an amazing woman, who got into politics for all the right reasons. She was honest and trustworthy with an incredible work ethic. How would she have handled herself under Harper? She would never be like Rhona Ambrose, and allow herself to be silenced; unlike Helena Guergis, she was bright and quick-witted, and not at all spiteful like Cheryl Gallant. Grey got out before the party became so brutal, though they could sure use her today to get them back on track.

So what in the hell happened? How did this party attract the lunatic fringe and morph into a party of corruption, huge government, excessive spending and sanctimonious pre-judgement of 2/3 of the Canadian population?

I suppose in some ways, their early initiatives of cuts to social welfare, cultural support programs like bilingualism and multiculturalism, and opposition to Québec's demands for special status, made them a breeding ground for bigots, who now felt validated.

Their Evangelical base caused them to be feared by those of us who equated that with the anti-Christian Religious Right movement, and not just simply honest, clean living. In fact, the original Evangelical movement supported social programs. Evangelist Tommy Douglas gave us Medicare, and Evangelist Lester Pearson, the Peacekeepers.

They followed the prophet, Jesus of Nazareth, who stood for peace, love and helping your fellow man. This new so-called Religious Right movement is about guns, war and intolerance. It's about white supremacy and the annihilation of the Muslims. They follow doomsdayers like John Hagee and Charles McVety. It's no wonder we don't trust them.

However, as we shy away from this Party, we mistakenly believe that they represent all Albertans, and that is simply not the case. Yes, Alberta has always been a Conservative province, but much of that was based on centrist Conservative values. Things like fiscal responsibility and integrity in politics were what mattered. But that is not who the Conservative Party of Canada are today.

Now Alberta is on the verge of becoming known across Canada as the redneck province, so maybe it's time they chose a leader from outside the province, before they completely lose their integrity. According to the Globe and Mail:

Alberta leader fatigue is the federal Tories' next big test
Lawrence Martin
April 16, 2009

Over lunch the other day, a senior Conservative strategist from Calgary mentioned how his party was suffering from Alberta leader fatigue. There's no way, he said, the next Conservative leader can come from that province.

For two decades, he added, Alberta has had the run of the party. The Alberta-born Reform Party started driving the agenda in the late 1980s. Preston Manning was the leader of conservatives in the House of Commons after the 1993 election that saw the Tories reduced to two seats ....