tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post7854119426064225024..comments2024-03-22T05:20:44.167-07:00Comments on The Disaffected Lib: A Petro-Prophet Says Bitumen is Finished.The Mound of Soundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-85522106440241564652020-05-12T12:49:42.892-07:002020-05-12T12:49:42.892-07:00Here's an earlier post I wrote on these invest...Here's an earlier post I wrote on these investor-state dispute resolution clauses.<br /><br />https://the-mound-of-sound.blogspot.com/2018/01/why-is-canada-country-insisting-it-be.htmlThe Disaffected Libhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13135599782685108764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-77006871968749584272020-05-12T12:44:58.282-07:002020-05-12T12:44:58.282-07:00That's beyond my pay grade, Toby. One of the t...That's beyond my pay grade, Toby. One of the things that NAFTA taught Canadians is how much sovereignty our federal governments ceded to the private sector through dispute resolution provisions. A government can pass legislation in the interests of the nation and its people but can then be liable in damages for companies adversely affected by those decisions.<br /><br />Could Ottawa find itself in such jeopardy if it tried to compel foreign energy companies to fund the cleanup of the Tar Sands, especially the tailing ponds? I don't know. Could Canada be on the hook if it discontinues doling out multi-billion dollar annual subsides to these same foreign energy companies? Again, I don't know. Was Ottawa similarly compelled to complete the Trans-Mountain pipeline expansion even to the point of grossly overpaying Kinder Morgan for its hapless pipeline? Could be.<br /><br />It could be that Canada was effectively blackmailed into funding both the TMX and KXL lines. I just don't know.The Disaffected Libhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13135599782685108764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-30314929359230944772020-05-12T09:21:18.296-07:002020-05-12T09:21:18.296-07:00Is there anything in one or more of our trade laws...Is there anything in one or more of our trade laws that requires Canada to keep the tar pumping? Tobynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-62124736893355419422020-05-11T17:59:33.951-07:002020-05-11T17:59:33.951-07:00I expect you're right, TB. It's much easie...I expect you're right, TB. It's much easier to introduce a sales tax during a boom cycle than in a bust. The only leader who had the courage to broach the idea, Jim Prentice, got knocked out by Rachel Notley and she wasn't having any of it.<br /><br />The Disaffected Libhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13135599782685108764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-42384559794199041532020-05-11T17:17:08.499-07:002020-05-11T17:17:08.499-07:00Saudi Arabia’s government said Monday that it woul...Saudi Arabia’s government said Monday that it would triple the rate of its value added tax on sales to 15 percent and take other measures to shore up state finances..<br /><br />Too late for Alberta to follow suit.<br />Saudi has a few $$ in the bank, not so much Alberta.<br />Saudi can do what the heck it wants, not so Alberta.<br />Albertans have been brainwashed for years, no sales taxes, little royalties,little environmental responsibilities.<br />Sad thing is, they have exported the get rich quick ,without responsibility, <br />attitude to the rest of Canada.<br />The Alberta 'dream' is much like the American one.<br />As Carlin said about the dream; you have to be asleep to believe it.<br /><br />TBTrailblazerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03436709163754934547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-21639631354953282102020-05-11T12:42:40.633-07:002020-05-11T12:42:40.633-07:00John, Andrew Nikiforuk explores the madness that i...<br />John, Andrew Nikiforuk explores the madness that is a petro-state in his books, "Tar Sands" and "The Energy of Slaves."The Disaffected Libhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13135599782685108764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-38100304944417315832020-05-11T12:39:46.963-07:002020-05-11T12:39:46.963-07:00Thanks for the link, NPoV. It's eye-opening st...Thanks for the link, NPoV. It's eye-opening stuff but it does again raise the question "why" is Trudeau's Folly proceeding.The Disaffected Libhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13135599782685108764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-35607935774175958082020-05-11T12:30:11.393-07:002020-05-11T12:30:11.393-07:00It's not just the banks, Cap. I've read th...It's not just the banks, Cap. I've read that Canadian pension plans are also heavily invested in bitumen. If they are it's almost criminal, given the warnings they've had for years that bitumen was a soon-to-be stranded asset.The Disaffected Libhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13135599782685108764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-71565132433172395742020-05-11T11:59:13.718-07:002020-05-11T11:59:13.718-07:00I found an interesting source for gritty info on t...I found an interesting source for gritty info on this front.<br /><br />http://brokepipelinewatch.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/Tankers-at-the-Westridge-terminal-P4-1.pdf<br /><br />Alberta isn't even using their current 'tied water access' cause no one is buying.<br /><br />Northern PoVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04670080478290108536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-48072843457195801072020-05-11T11:11:32.808-07:002020-05-11T11:11:32.808-07:00I've commented frequently over the past five y...I've commented frequently over the past five years that none of their mega projects: Site C, CoastalLink Gas or TMX makes the least bit of sense, either environmentally or economically. Anyone with a post kindergarten education should be abundantly aware of this. Which leads me to believe that if they are not intellectually challenged, they must be CORRUPT!John's aghasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17373273843457791978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-48431697337549648532020-05-11T08:53:30.654-07:002020-05-11T08:53:30.654-07:00I dislike the term "stranded asset". I p...I dislike the term "stranded asset". I prefer "stranded liability".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-43564937807912522692020-05-11T08:24:25.507-07:002020-05-11T08:24:25.507-07:00JT and JK have painted themselves into a corner. E...JT and JK have painted themselves into a corner. Even though oil and gas has never accounted for more than 3% of GDP, they've sold it as vital to Canadian prosperity. Nothing could be further from the truth. The sooner we shut down the tar sands, the lower the cleanup costs. If the banks and oil companies made bad investments, so be it. Under the rules of the game, they should bear the consequences.<br /><br />CapAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com