While the world quietly starts betting on Canada, Alberta’s political drama threatens to inject uncertainty into the one thing we finally seem to be rebuilding: confidence.
Costs are up globally. People need to get outside of the bubble they live in and see what's happening elsewhere. There is no short-term fix for an economy to turn itself around in a few weeks or months. The state of the current economy did not happen overnight. It takes leadership with a realistic vision that can take the necessary steps to help implement lasting policies that can facilitate changes. Transformation is underway in Canada and outsiders see it. It's sad that there are Canadians who are short sided or as you say may be unduly influenced by outside parties with a very different agenda for Canada. Frankly, having a financial guru such as PM Carney who has the background to manage Canadian assets, forge new alliances and treaties is just the beginning for a better Canada.
My question is: how much of the “separation” talk is generated by outside actors and Canadians who have outside connections? I believe it has been proven that a lot of the Brexit momentum was fuelled by Russian social media accounts. How much of a “sovereign Alberta” sentiment is a result of MAGA funded social media? We know the separatist parties have been promised cash if they can break up Canada. Delaying the referendum to October gives those voices and Mr. Poilievre the whole summer to fill the internet with sarcasm and doubts. I think Mr. Ebey’s old-fashioned word should be used more frequently: treason.
There are fair questions to ask about outside influence, Joanna.
But regardless of where the noise comes from, Canadians still have to decide what kind of country we want... and keep our eyes wide open in the process.
Agreed! DS wants to bulldoze over the treaties & do away with anything that helps First Nations stay alive & on their own Treaty bound land! Sound much like DT?
I lived in Alberta for a few years. And the chip on the shoulder was inescapable. Unfortunately, it has now become the default provincial playbook.
Real leadership is saying
" I will recruit other Alberta leaders in the Senate, the Liberal caucus, the corporate community, the civic infrastructure of local Mayor's and Councils, and we will convene a set of sit downs to press the feds for a complete rethink on how they approach our region. And the goal is to fully participate at the federal table, in all economic planning. And I will recognize when there's a new PM, open to negotiation."
Unfortunately, what is happening in Alberta right now regarding the Seperatist movement will go down as the biggest hissy fit in Canadian history.
In this "movement", there's no cultural distinction, like with Quebec. There's no isolation by geography issues, like there have been for decades with the high North.
There's only greed, from a place that sends too much of Canada's oil revenue to US oilpatch overlords, and a nauseating level of US inspired Entitlement-style politics.
Fred, considering musk has been trying to influence over here and in Europe and has openly bribed Americans before the elections with a million quid to ‘ sign a copy of the constitution! It doesn’t take a big leap to wonder why that person is so keen to upset the apple art does it?
Great update Fred! I believe that Treason is the right word for DS! If you, or I or other Canadians were working as hard as she is to cause division in Canada, we might all be in jail. Because she is known by the public, people are walking on eggshells. I say, throw her in jail for Treason & let all her supporters come up with the Trillion$ bail! Hey, Canada could use the extra bucks in our judicial system! Canada Strong!!! No leaning, we don't wanna capsize!!!!
Take government excitement about LNG deals with a lump of salt
SETH KLEIN
MAY 30
About that “major” Ksi Lisims LNG announcement
The federal government made much ado on Wednesday about a “major” pledge by German utility SEFE (Securing Energy for Europe) to purchase LNG from the proposed Ksi Lisims facility on BC’s North-West coast. Federal Minister of Energy Tim Hodgson flew out to Vancouver for the announcement, and was keen to hype the “milestone” deal as an indication that the project was closer than ever to reaching a final investment decision.
Well, color me skeptical. I think this was mostly a government sales job, as it attempts to wish that investment into life. The German pledge is to buy only one million tonnes of LNG a year for 20 years, meaning half as much as Shell and Total have earlier committed to buying from the proposed Ksi Lisims LNG plant (and 1/12th of the total annual output). It means Ksi Lisims still only has purchase agreements for 5 of the 12 million tonnes it hopes to produce (or put another way, it has “offtake” agreements for only 42% of what the plant aspires to liquefy).
Except much of the media incorrectly described the deal as a “purchase agreement.” It is not actually binding. Rather, in its news release, German SEFE describes the deal as a “Heads of Agreement”; that’s a new term to me, but as SEFE clarifies, its purchase is, “contingent on the finalisation of a definitive Sales and Purchase Agreement between the two parties.” Hmm.
Appreciate that these agreements are the lowest risk element of the project. Effectively, German SEFE (like Shell and Total before them) is just saying: if you manage to get this project done, we’ll take 1/12th of what you produce. Little skin off their nose. Far riskier elements are still being weighed by potential investors or, god help us, the federal government itself. (I wrote a longer piece about Ksi Lisims LNG and the risks and hurdles it faces back in March, which you can find here.)
I was happy to do an 8-minute interview with CBC Radio the day of the announcement (as well as offer some thoughts on the resignation of Steven Guilbeault). You can have a listen here.
And in related news, yesterday, the CBC published analysis that, were Ksi Lisims to proceed, the project would increase BC’s domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 6-8%, effectively wiping out all the province’s GHG emissions reduction to date (and of course, the downstream emissions when that LNG gets burned overseas are MUCH higher). You can find the CBC story by Tara Carman here.
I believe the timing is also greatly related to US subversive efforts to sew chaos and division especially due to the oil resources the US covets and wants to control. Shale oil is nearing its end and Alberta oil is the smart bet for the US voracious oil appetite. Also the US wants a vasal state relationship not Canada Strong. So internal division in Canada suits their long term stategic objectives. Geography makes us neighbors to the Aholes who harbour ill intent.
Treaty Rights
The Duty to Consult
Anything else is posturing
The First Peoples will keep Canada as it is.
Treaty rights change the conversation fast, David.
Not something governments can simply bulldoze past.
Costs are up globally. People need to get outside of the bubble they live in and see what's happening elsewhere. There is no short-term fix for an economy to turn itself around in a few weeks or months. The state of the current economy did not happen overnight. It takes leadership with a realistic vision that can take the necessary steps to help implement lasting policies that can facilitate changes. Transformation is underway in Canada and outsiders see it. It's sad that there are Canadians who are short sided or as you say may be unduly influenced by outside parties with a very different agenda for Canada. Frankly, having a financial guru such as PM Carney who has the background to manage Canadian assets, forge new alliances and treaties is just the beginning for a better Canada.
Well said, Carole.
Big economic shifts take time, and the challenges we’re facing are not uniquely Canadian.
The real question is whether we’re moving in the right direction...
and whether leadership is building for the long term.
My question is: how much of the “separation” talk is generated by outside actors and Canadians who have outside connections? I believe it has been proven that a lot of the Brexit momentum was fuelled by Russian social media accounts. How much of a “sovereign Alberta” sentiment is a result of MAGA funded social media? We know the separatist parties have been promised cash if they can break up Canada. Delaying the referendum to October gives those voices and Mr. Poilievre the whole summer to fill the internet with sarcasm and doubts. I think Mr. Ebey’s old-fashioned word should be used more frequently: treason.
There are fair questions to ask about outside influence, Joanna.
But regardless of where the noise comes from, Canadians still have to decide what kind of country we want... and keep our eyes wide open in the process.
Agreed! DS wants to bulldoze over the treaties & do away with anything that helps First Nations stay alive & on their own Treaty bound land! Sound much like DT?
I hear your concern, Patsy.
Treaty rights and relationships with First Nations are not side issues in Canada...
they’re foundational and any major conversation has to reckon with that reality.
Healthy disagreement us good.
I lived in Alberta for a few years. And the chip on the shoulder was inescapable. Unfortunately, it has now become the default provincial playbook.
Real leadership is saying
" I will recruit other Alberta leaders in the Senate, the Liberal caucus, the corporate community, the civic infrastructure of local Mayor's and Councils, and we will convene a set of sit downs to press the feds for a complete rethink on how they approach our region. And the goal is to fully participate at the federal table, in all economic planning. And I will recognize when there's a new PM, open to negotiation."
Unfortunately, what is happening in Alberta right now regarding the Seperatist movement will go down as the biggest hissy fit in Canadian history.
In this "movement", there's no cultural distinction, like with Quebec. There's no isolation by geography issues, like there have been for decades with the high North.
There's only greed, from a place that sends too much of Canada's oil revenue to US oilpatch overlords, and a nauseating level of US inspired Entitlement-style politics.
You make an important distinction here.
Fighting for Alberta inside Canada is one thing.
Flirting with separation in the middle of economic uncertainty is a very different conversation.
Makes me wonder how much is in it for her? Might be interesting to see if she has had a 5’million bung like Farage did in the UK
I get the suspicion, Penny.
But I try to stick to what can be shown and verified.
There are enough real concerns around the politics and timing of this without drifting into speculation.
Fred, considering musk has been trying to influence over here and in Europe and has openly bribed Americans before the elections with a million quid to ‘ sign a copy of the constitution! It doesn’t take a big leap to wonder why that person is so keen to upset the apple art does it?
Great update Fred! I believe that Treason is the right word for DS! If you, or I or other Canadians were working as hard as she is to cause division in Canada, we might all be in jail. Because she is known by the public, people are walking on eggshells. I say, throw her in jail for Treason & let all her supporters come up with the Trillion$ bail! Hey, Canada could use the extra bucks in our judicial system! Canada Strong!!! No leaning, we don't wanna capsize!!!!
I hear the frustration, Patsy.
A lot of Canadians are feeling like this debate is creating division at exactly the wrong time for the country.
Thank you for your reply Fred, & yes, a lot of Albertans feel like this too.
Take government excitement about LNG deals with a lump of salt
SETH KLEIN
MAY 30
About that “major” Ksi Lisims LNG announcement
The federal government made much ado on Wednesday about a “major” pledge by German utility SEFE (Securing Energy for Europe) to purchase LNG from the proposed Ksi Lisims facility on BC’s North-West coast. Federal Minister of Energy Tim Hodgson flew out to Vancouver for the announcement, and was keen to hype the “milestone” deal as an indication that the project was closer than ever to reaching a final investment decision.
Well, color me skeptical. I think this was mostly a government sales job, as it attempts to wish that investment into life. The German pledge is to buy only one million tonnes of LNG a year for 20 years, meaning half as much as Shell and Total have earlier committed to buying from the proposed Ksi Lisims LNG plant (and 1/12th of the total annual output). It means Ksi Lisims still only has purchase agreements for 5 of the 12 million tonnes it hopes to produce (or put another way, it has “offtake” agreements for only 42% of what the plant aspires to liquefy).
Except much of the media incorrectly described the deal as a “purchase agreement.” It is not actually binding. Rather, in its news release, German SEFE describes the deal as a “Heads of Agreement”; that’s a new term to me, but as SEFE clarifies, its purchase is, “contingent on the finalisation of a definitive Sales and Purchase Agreement between the two parties.” Hmm.
Appreciate that these agreements are the lowest risk element of the project. Effectively, German SEFE (like Shell and Total before them) is just saying: if you manage to get this project done, we’ll take 1/12th of what you produce. Little skin off their nose. Far riskier elements are still being weighed by potential investors or, god help us, the federal government itself. (I wrote a longer piece about Ksi Lisims LNG and the risks and hurdles it faces back in March, which you can find here.)
I was happy to do an 8-minute interview with CBC Radio the day of the announcement (as well as offer some thoughts on the resignation of Steven Guilbeault). You can have a listen here.
And in related news, yesterday, the CBC published analysis that, were Ksi Lisims to proceed, the project would increase BC’s domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 6-8%, effectively wiping out all the province’s GHG emissions reduction to date (and of course, the downstream emissions when that LNG gets burned overseas are MUCH higher). You can find the CBC story by Tara Carman here.
Fair point, Steven.
Big announcements and final reality are not always the same thing.
The details... financing, binding agreements, economics, and timelines... matter.
I believe the timing is also greatly related to US subversive efforts to sew chaos and division especially due to the oil resources the US covets and wants to control. Shale oil is nearing its end and Alberta oil is the smart bet for the US voracious oil appetite. Also the US wants a vasal state relationship not Canada Strong. So internal division in Canada suits their long term stategic objectives. Geography makes us neighbors to the Aholes who harbour ill intent.