Alberta

[The Green Barbarian]

Rex Murphy: How are Alberta and Quebec treated differently? Let me count the ways

As a public service I have herein drawn up a concise — some might even say terse — table of the most explicit contrasts between Alberta and Quebec.

There is nothing new here, but as an aid to easy reference and quick digestion it is my hope it will prove of some utility.


• Alberta signed the Canadian Constitution. Quebec did not sign the Canadian Constitution.

• Quebec believes it can amend the Constitution even if it affects other provinces. Alberta accepts that it can’t.

• Quebec can import oil from Saudi Arabia. Alberta can export oil from Canada only with great difficulty.

• Quebec is a recipient of federal equalization money. Alberta is a giver of federal equalization money.

• In Quebec the federal government does all it can to help that province’s economy. Jobs. Jobs. Jobs. (See SNC-Lavalin.) In Alberta the frequently proclaimed goal of the federal government is to shut down the province’s largest industry, and until that is accomplished, to box in its resources and carbon-tax the living daylights out of them.

• Quebec regularly sends a band of separatist politicians to the national Parliament. Alberta hasn’t started doing that. Yet.

• And the most significant contrast: Quebec is a nation. Alberta is a province (so far).

Now let us go on to more narrow territory, a particular. Quebec can and has reassigned a teacher for wearing a hijab. It has created quite a storm because this action is seen as discrimination on the grounds of religion.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wishes to remain out of this battle, off the field, a spectator.

On this differential, here are the prime minister’s words: While he is “deeply” opposed to Bill 21, his government “won’t step into the legal challenge taking place in Quebec in order to avoid triggering a fight with the province over jurisdiction.”

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/r ... d=msedgntp

[nucksRnum1]

That's the thing about conservatives and alberta. They cant negotiate worth *bleep* - and they can't win unless they cheat. Whereas Quebec knew how to negotiate - and have a party that is in the federal government and can prop up the minority Liberals. That must sting eh?

[hobbyguy]

Rex Murphy: How are Alberta and Quebec treated differently? Let me count the ways

As a public service I have herein drawn up a concise — some might even say terse — table of the most explicit contrasts between Alberta and Quebec.

There is nothing new here, but as an aid to easy reference and quick digestion it is my hope it will prove of some utility.


• Alberta signed the Canadian Constitution. Quebec did not sign the Canadian Constitution.

• Quebec believes it can amend the Constitution even if it affects other provinces. Alberta accepts that it can’t.

• Quebec can import oil from Saudi Arabia. Alberta can export oil from Canada only with great difficulty.

• Quebec is a recipient of federal equalization money. Alberta is a giver of federal equalization money.

• In Quebec the federal government does all it can to help that province’s economy. Jobs. Jobs. Jobs. (See SNC-Lavalin.) In Alberta the frequently proclaimed goal of the federal government is to shut down the province’s largest industry, and until that is accomplished, to box in its resources and carbon-tax the living daylights out of them.

• Quebec regularly sends a band of separatist politicians to the national Parliament. Alberta hasn’t started doing that. Yet.

• And the most significant contrast: Quebec is a nation. Alberta is a province (so far).

Now let us go on to more narrow territory, a particular. Quebec can and has reassigned a teacher for wearing a hijab. It has created quite a storm because this action is seen as discrimination on the grounds of religion.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wishes to remain out of this battle, off the field, a spectator.

On this differential, here are the prime minister’s words: While he is “deeply” opposed to Bill 21, his government “won’t step into the legal challenge taking place in Quebec in order to avoid triggering a fight with the province over jurisdiction.”

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/r ... d=msedgntp

Rex isn't up to date. Trudeau is moving toward a legal challenge of bill 21.

Rex also forgets his history, guess his memory is either failing or selective. Alberta had an opportunity with Trudeau senior to get a pipeline to eastern Canada - and they rejected it out of hand. That forced Quebec, Ontario and Atlantic Canada to cut deals with OPEC. Alberta literally drove eastern and Atlantic away as customers and said "let the eastern bastads freeze in the dark".

Alberta has always, always been guilty of short term thinking made worse by acting out of a misplaced sense of grievance and blaming others. Now Alberta wants Ontario and Quebec as customers - after having told them to screw off. Not exactly a good set of sales tactics - especially as Alberta constantly whines about Quebec and Ontario. Let's see, I'm working as a salesman, I want to get a client's business, so I tell them to screw off, I tell them they are idiots, and I keep telling them they are idiots. Chances of getting that business??? About zero.

[hobbyguy]

Interesting developments going on in Ottawa and Edmonton. While for many, it may seem the oddest pairing for teamwork:

Sonya Savage: https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-ne ... rth-metals

"Energy Minister Sonya Savage tabled a bill in the legislature on Thursday that, if passed, would move the regulation of all mineral and rare earth mining and development under the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) from start to finish. She also presented a plan to develop the industry in the province as global demand for the sector is set to increase by 500 per cent in the next several decades."

Justin Trudeau: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politic ... nvestment/

"Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wants to make Canada a global leader in the production of batteries for electric cars, and has asked for a review of investment legislation to protect industry from hostile foreign investors.

Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne will be working to unlock the country’s large rare-earth mineral deposits to put Canada at the forefront of supplying the world with these elements, vital to electric vehicles, smartphones, high-tech equipment and military hardware.

The Prime Minister included those instructions to Mr. Champagne among mandate letters released to his ministers two months after the recent federal election."

And interestingly, there is also a Saskatchewan connection through the construction of a rare earth metals processing plant for the concentrate, and an indigenous led enterprise to mine the rare earth metals - without tailings ponds! https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/ra ... -1.5993809

I have no idea if it is commercially viable, but there are also rare earth materials present in the waste streams from oil sands production....

Maybe in 5-10 years we will see Sonya Savage and Justin Trudeau doing a duet about the wonders of battery electric vehicles lol.

Seriously though, this is all good news. Politicians actually working to develop new industries, new jobs for everyday folks, and jobs that are relevant for the next generations. Just shows that if politicians put aside their silly games, they can indeed make moves that offer a brighter future for all.

[The Green Barbarian]

Rex also forgets his history, guess his memory is either failing or selective. Alberta had an opportunity with Trudeau senior to get a pipeline to eastern Canada - and they rejected it out of hand. That forced Quebec, Ontario and Atlantic Canada to cut deals with OPEC. Alberta literally drove eastern and Atlantic away as customers and said "let the eastern bastads freeze in the dark".

Talk about revisionist history, with a dash of lying by omission. The way you tell it, Alberta just suddenly and with no reason decided to pee all over Eastern Canada with no underlying reason or motivation. Such utter garbage. The reason Alberta was so angry was that in 1980 they had the disgusting and stupid Liberals under Justin's evil dad and the house-plant IQ Marc Lalonde force the National Energy Policy down Alberta's throat. After that anal-raping, Alberta is to be blamed for "not cutting a deal" with "Trudeau Sr." Seriously? That's like saying that the Jews could have avoided Auschwitz if they had just "cut a deal" with Himmler. Just such stupidity being displayed here with your version of historical events. So silly.

Alberta has always, always been guilty of short term thinking made worse by acting out of a misplaced sense of grievance and blaming others.

And yet it was the Liberals under Justin's evil dad who were the ones guilty of not just "short term" thinking, but blatantly stupid thinking, in enacting the NEP, out of some misplaced sense of grievance and blaming others. And general arrogance, something we see in spades today with the current Liberals. It was reported that Keith Davey, chief Liberal strategist at the time, said the following: ‘Screw the West, we’ll take the rest.’” Sounds about right, and exactly what the current Liberals are saying. Such horrible filth.

https://boereport.com/2015/10/06/rememb ... the-elder/

[hobbyguy]

Rex also forgets his history, guess his memory is either failing or selective. Alberta had an opportunity with Trudeau senior to get a pipeline to eastern Canada - and they rejected it out of hand. That forced Quebec, Ontario and Atlantic Canada to cut deals with OPEC. Alberta literally drove eastern and Atlantic away as customers and said "let the eastern bastads freeze in the dark".

Talk about revisionist history, with a dash of lying by omission. The way you tell it, Alberta just suddenly and with no reason decided to pee all over Eastern Canada with no underlying reason or motivation. Such utter garbage. The reason Alberta was so angry was that in 1980 they had the disgusting and stupid Liberals under Justin's evil dad and the house-plant IQ Marc Lalonde force the National Energy Policy down Alberta's throat. After that anal-raping, Alberta is to be blamed for "not cutting a deal" with "Trudeau Sr." Seriously? That's like saying that the Jews could have avoided Auschwitz if they had just "cut a deal" with Himmler. Just such stupidity being displayed here with your version of historical events. So silly.

Alberta has always, always been guilty of short term thinking made worse by acting out of a misplaced sense of grievance and blaming others.

And yet it was the Liberals under Justin's evil dad who were the ones guilty of not just "short term" thinking, but blatantly stupid thinking, in enacting the NEP, out of some misplaced sense of grievance and blaming others. And general arrogance, something we see in spades today with the current Liberals. It was reported that Keith Davey, chief Liberal strategist at the time, said the following: ‘Screw the West, we’ll take the rest.’” Sounds about right, and exactly what the current Liberals are saying. Such horrible filth.

https://boereport.com/2015/10/06/rememb ... the-elder/

I followed that whole thing very closely at the time, and there was a deal to be had. Alberta simply started the whole thing off with a huge chip on their shoulders, Western Standard "Bible Bill" style nonsense. So now I just laugh when digits like Rex mumble about Quebec buying Saudi crude and cry in the oil sands.

[vegas1500]

With Trudeau's support to get more oil to markets :)

Yes, if one thing is consistent and constant over the decades, it's been the Trudeau family supporting Alberta.

Alberta doesn’t want Notley. Her reign was the start of our decline.

[nucksRnum1]

Alberta doesn’t want Notley. Her reign was the start of our decline.

That's a stupid way of seeing things. Notley was cursed with what most progressive governments eventually faced. Notley had to clean up a pigsty mess after 40 years of conservative complacency.

[Randall T]

Alberta doesn’t want Notley. Her reign was the start of our decline.

That's a stupid way of seeing things. Notley was cursed with what most progressive governments eventually faced. Notley had to clean up a pigsty mess after 40 years of conservative complacency.

This is true. From an ex-Albertan who always voted Conservative, Notley will be back in unless Kenney is replaced with someone competent. The Conservatives in Alberta have a long way to go to get things sorted and regain the confidence of the people. This last bit of economic good news had nothing to do with Kenney's ability, regardless of the political spin.

[The Green Barbarian]

Alberta doesn’t want Notley. Her reign was the start of our decline.

That's a very insightful way of seeing things. Notley was cursed with having to push through regressive Leftist policies that hurt Alberta, and she also had to do it with a bunch of unqualified baristas that were elected with her. Now the UCP has had to clean up a pigsty mess after 4 years of regressive NDP rule.

I was talking to the president of a company the other day who has been getting a resource project on track in Alberta (non-petroleum) through both the Notley and Kenney regimes, and I asked him how it's been under Kenney, expecting to hear "it's been horrible" given how all the NDP pumpers here keep telling us how bad Kenney is and how great Notley was. To my surprise his response was "Night and day, the team I'm dealing with now under the UCP gets it, and are getting things done, and are totally supportive of resource development in Alberta". I was shocked. SHOCKED!! I asked why the big difference, and he said the NDP were just a mess. Had no clue what they were doing. A story I heard a lot during their 4 year reign of terror. I don't blame Notley completely, as she had nothing to work with in terms of people, other than some Huge Chavez fans and other equally clued out leftist imbeciles, and a terrible regressive mandate to try to bring to Alberta that no one with a brain would ever support.

From that discussion and many others, it would be a shame to go backwards with Notley. I do agree that Kenney needs to go though.

[Randall T]

It would be a shame to go backwards with Notley. I do agree that Kenney needs to go though.

Yeah, probably a majority of voters want Kenney gone so that they don't have to hold their noses and put paper bags over their heads when they enter a polling station.

[The Green Barbarian]

Yeah, probably a majority of voters want Kenney gone so that they don't have to hold their noses and put paper bags over their heads when they enter a polling station.

Yes, jettisoning that guy would probably guarantee the NDP is kept out of power to the great benefit of the entire province. I just don't think Mr. Kenney's ego will allow it though.

[nucksRnum1]

Yeah, probably a majority of voters want Kenney gone so that they don't have to hold their noses and put paper bags over their heads when they enter a polling station.

Yes, jettisoning that guy would probably guarantee the NDP is kept out of power to the great benefit of the entire province. I just don't think Mr. Kenney's ego will allow it though.

I thought conservatives said he was the best thing since orphaned wells?

[vegas1500]

Alberta doesn’t want Notley. Her reign was the start of our decline.

That's a stupid way of seeing things. Notley was cursed with what most progressive governments eventually faced. Notley had to clean up a pigsty mess after 40 years of conservative complacency.

Well you would know stupid…..

[The Green Barbarian]

I thought conservatives said he was the best thing since orphaned wells?

I thought it was the best thing since the man-made climate change myth. Anyway, Kenney should go. Alberta shouldn't have to go back to the NDP dark ages again just to make a statement that they don't like the current premier.