Alberta NDP is suing itself

[Rwede]

Gunter: NDP are the bad guys, not the utility and energy companies

BY LORNE GUNTER , EDMONTON SUN

FIRST POSTED: MONDAY, JULY 25, 2016 07:04 PM MDT | UPDATED: MONDAY, JULY 25, 2016 08:06 PM MDT

Excerpt #1:

Yes, utility and energy companies such as Enmax, Trans-Canada, AltaGas and Capital Power have served notice they intend to cancel money-losing contracts for electricity from coal-fired power plants. And, yes, as a result ordinary Alberta consumers and entrepreneurs could end up paying an extra $2 billion for electricity for their homes and businesses.

But the bad guys are the NDP, not the utility and energy companies.

The power contracts the companies are reneging on have become unprofitable as a direct result of the NDP’s “green” crusade. The government of Premier Rachel Notley has decided to double taxes on coal plants and to add its new carbon tax on top of the coal-plant taxes.


Excerpt #2:

You might chalk this up to the law of unintended consequences. You know, when you apply pressure on one spot and as a result a new leak spouts by surprise from another spot; a sort of policy Whack-a-Mole.

Except this result was entirely predictable. The NDP should have known that all their taxes-upon-taxes on coal-fired electricity would have made these huge, long-term contracts too expensive.

For one thing, Notley and her ministers claim to have unleashed “experts” on Alberta’s energy and environment files; their implication being that the former Tory government employed nothing but a bunch of industry hacks.

So how come all these smart people from environmental groups and lefty think tanks didn’t see this very obvious hazard coming?

Now the NDP are surprised to discover this enormous double hike to your power bill steaming down the track. So they have taken action to make themselves look like your guardians and champions, when in effect they are a bunch of clueless zealots whose insistence on putting ideology before common sense is about to cost Albertans a lot of money.

Here’s what the news reports should have said: “NDP government sues self over loophole in power regs that permit companies to dump electricity contracts NDP themselves made unprofitable.”


Full story on NDP incompetence: http://www.edmontonsun.com/2016/07/25/g ... -companies

[logicalview]

This is why no one should ever vote NDP. Ever.

Completely incapable of understanding that actions, especially when taken purely out of zealotry and not because of sound economic or fiscal policy, have consequences. Which end up always in the same result, the poor get screwed. The NDP hates poor people. There can be no other explanation for this utter incompetence and sheer stupidity.

[hobbyguy]

Actually the reverse is true, in that "Con" media refuses to accept the new realities of the world and what must be done. Why would anyone ever vote for "Cons" that irresponsibly promote policies that are bad for their constituents??

And no, I am not an NDP supporter.

But the policies that support the dirtiest of fossil fuels are clearly not in the best interests of Canadians. If you can't see that, then you are being "Conned".

Every country in the world is doing what they can to eliminate coal fired power plants. Some, like China and France, are heading the nuclear route. Some, like Britain and Germany are headed down the wind/solar route (which I feel is a high cost dead end). BC is fortunate that we can go in the direction of more hydro power, but many can't.

The social costs (health care etc.) associated with coal have never been priced in. Now that they are being somewhat priced in, omg the "Cons" are whining. Surprise, surprise.

[Rwede]

This is why no one should ever vote NDP. Ever.

Completely incapable of understanding that actions, especially when taken purely out of zealotry and not because of sound economic or fiscal policy, have consequences. Which end up always in the same result, the poor get screwed. The NDP hates poor people. There can be no other explanation for this utter incompetence and sheer stupidity.

Correct you are!

Now that these operations will be ceased, how many good paying, union and other jobs will be lost, all in the name of a gigantic fairy tale called "climate change?"

Notley and the NDP are pure scum. They care not about people who are losing their jobs, people who will be forced to shut down their electricity in order to buy food (a la Ontario) - they care only about pandering to their zealot base of crazy-assed voters.

Terrible!

[logicalview]

The social costs (health care etc.) associated with coal have never been priced in.

That's because there is nothing to "price in". This is fabricated nonsense from the lunatic enviro-nut brigade. Every time anyone starts blathering about subsidies to oil and coal, they start babbling about non-existent costs that they just pull out of their rectums. It's complete and utter crap.

Now that they are being somewhat priced in, omg the "Cons" are whining. Surprise, surprise.

Except that they aren't priced in, this is an artificial tax imposed by ideological zealots with no brains, who seem to have only one mission, and that's to make all poor people freeze in the dark. The only people crying aren't "cons", whatever the hell that is, it's poor people who are going to be totally screwed by these enviro-loons. You can look down your nose at these people all you want and judge them from on high on your morally superior mountain of eco-lunacy, and even babble to them about "social costs", but no one cares about made up nonsense being babbled by lunatics when they can't pay the heating bill. This is pure garbage, and I hope the first thing a new government does when they kick out these horrible NDP is cut every single one of these made up "social" costs imposed on the poor in Alberta by these ideological nincompoops.

[manmade]

support for coal powered plants?

what is this 1840? The industrial revolution ended 150 years ago. get with the times, or get out

[hobbyguy]

http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/coalvswind/c01.html#.V5lSiTXGCaY - Take out the Global warming if you prefer and there are still a host of serious consequences to coal fired power plants.

http://priceonomics.com/why-is-the-pollution-so-bad-in-beijing/ You really want to support something that does this???

[logicalview]

support for coal powered plants? are you high?

The only high people here are the NDP, punishing the poor with high heating and energy costs in Alberta with their failed ideological zealotry. For shame.

[logicalview]

You really want to support something that does this???

You really want to punish the poor with stupidly high energy costs all because of your lunatic agenda? Really? You have the luxury of being a rich leftist who can afford the dumbest social policies slung at us, but many don't. And you really couldn't care less could you. You honestly bring up Beijing? Seriously? How dumb do you think most people here are? Shame on you. So much shame on you.

[Gone_Fishin]

Woof. The Alberta NDP is playing stupid with the province's power resources just like the disastrous NDP in BC did during the 1990s, creating a complete mess with California and saddling today's taxpayers with a $750 million bill. The NDP are simply incompetent, and unfit to govern, irrespective of where they show up.

[Shock]

The only high people here are the NDP, punishing the poor with high heating and energy costs in Alberta with their failed ideological zealotry. For shame.

for shame!!

[manmade]

You really want to punish the poor with stupidly high energy costs all because of your lunatic agenda? Really? You have the luxury of being a rich leftist who can afford the dumbest social policies slung at us, but many don't. And you really couldn't care less could you. You honestly bring up Beijing? Seriously? How dumb do you think most people here are? Shame on you. So much shame on you.

i sense you are frustrated with something you have no control over, too bad. but hey, time to get over it and get with the times. coal powered plants have absolutely no place in a country like Canada, with some of the largest energy resource sectors in the world. Move on, or fall behind.

[hobbyguy]

LV - you lose the plot. It is inevitably the poor who pay the biggest price for pollution. The rich just move away to their summer villas or winter getaway in the Caribbean...

IF coal producers/coal fired electrical plants paid for:

1. Black lung disease
2. Acid rain damage
3. etc. etc.

Then they would have to charge something like $.75/kwh.

All the downside goes to "Main St.", all the upside goes to "Wall St.", and the only upside is $$$ - what price do you put on taking 10 years or more off someone's life???

[Veovis]

Again we get to see how the NDP and their supporters view actual people, and it is very poorly. The moral back patting here is where people can say "HA HA we stuck it to dirty dirty coal, we are so progressive". Except you aren't, not even a little. Nothing about the NDP is ever progressive, punishing in the guise of progressive certainly. No one here seems to care the actual results these changes will make, and that is bills much higher that many people (lots who have lost their jobs in Alberta" will be unaffordable now.

But real people don't matter do they, people don't, just image. Especially when sitting in a province with nice affordable rates where we can look down our noses at others and say "shame shame punish them"

Now had the NDP wanted to create some sort of progress to get rid of dirty coal, they could have announced money for a new hydro plant somewhere, or a negotiation made with BC for site C power to reduce the coal usage, or other options. That would have been a progressive thought for a cleaner future, but NDP did as they always have, SLAP MORE TAXES ON IT, and hope that solves everything.

It didn't fix the issue, it won't change coal usage, and it will only hurt their citizens.

It's sad to see people cheer for individuals to get hurt so they can feel morally superior to someone, a government is supposed to build a better future, not ensure a worse one.

[Rwede]

Again we get to see how the NDP and their supporters view actual people, and it is very poorly. The moral back patting here is where people can say "HA HA we stuck it to dirty dirty coal, we are so progressive". Except you aren't, not even a little. Nothing about the NDP is ever progressive, punishing in the guise of progressive certainly. No one here seems to care the actual results these changes will make, and that is bills much higher that many people (lots who have lost their jobs in Alberta" will be unaffordable now.

But real people don't matter do they, people don't, just image. Especially when sitting in a province with nice affordable rates where we can look down our noses at others and say "shame shame punish them"

Now had the NDP wanted to create some sort of progress to get rid of dirty coal, they could have announced money for a new hydro plant somewhere, or a negotiation made with BC for site C power to reduce the coal usage, or other options. That would have been a progressive thought for a cleaner future, but NDP did as they always have, SLAP MORE TAXES ON IT, and hope that solves everything.

It didn't fix the issue, it won't change coal usage, and it will only hurt their citizens.

It's sad to see people cheer for individuals to get hurt so they can feel morally superior to someone, a government is supposed to build a better future, not ensure a worse one.

Very well said Veo!

The leftist Liberal/NDP really don't give a ratz azz about people, especially those who are struggling to pay their bills already. Forcing people out of work, jacking rates with unaffordable carbon taxes, and putting the run on employers just shows how ideology has over-ruled caring for actual people.

It's sad to see. I also feel sad for these far leftists who are cheering that people will be left homeless, or that kids will go to school hungry, because they have fallen into ideological brainwashing from which I believe they won't escape.