There's No Time Like Now

So, what Abitibi wants to do is pull out, then sell off the timber and water leases, which cost them nothing as no industrial development occurred? Well, that IS the story of so-called "development" art least since the tenure of Lyin" Brian, and adhered to faithfully by all federal governments since that cretin began selling Canada down the drain.

And to think that certain so-called "individualists" called Trudeau bad.......

I don't think Trudeau would have signed anything so criminal as the FTA and NAFTA. No wonder Reagan didn't like him.

Ed Deak.

Trudeau did all he could to oppose the Reagan administration`s bullying during the National Energy Program. Unfortunately, Mulroney reversed all that the Trudeau administration tried to do. Canadian sovereignty over its own resources was destroyed. But again, we should send letters of support to Premier Danny williams!!

"Trudeau did all he could to oppose the Reagan administration`s bullying during the National Energy Program."

Oh please. The National Energy Program was Trudeau bullying Western Canada for the benefit (and entertainment) of Central Canada...and his party. Mulroney was right to sweep aside all that belligerent nationalism, although he couldn't resist the urge to screw over Western Canada himself (the CF-18 contracts). Of course, shifting power away from the Toronto/Quebec axis required the merging of Reform/Alliance with the old Tories and the formation of Canada's only true national party.

Sorry, but Trudeau, and us so called eastern bastards weren`t bullying the west at all. The NEP was merely created to protect Canadian resources from foreign(American) ownership and control. Back then, Albertans had the cheapest gas in the country! And the money generated from NEP would go toward Canadian needs, like infrastructure, hospitals, etc. It also went toward funding research and development of new energy technologies. Alas, now that Exxon-Mobil, Chevron, Suncor, and their bretheren run Canada`s oil patch, Albertans are paying more for gasoline than people in Toronto! Sweet deal for the west! And most of those new refineries built for the oil coming from the tar sands are being built in the good ol USA! So, when another Katrina hits or God knows what else, we Canadians must pay at the pumps for any US disaster or shortage! Wonderful! And to top it all off, while countries like Norway charge 16% royalties, ( No wonder they`re now rated the world`s best country) Canada charges less than 1%! Alberta hospital closures, in the middle of a so called Alberta oil boom! But here`s the real kicker- back during the NEP and continuing to today, we were fed this bull about government having no place in business, or the economy. They just weren`t efficient enough, so they said. So Mulroney, Chretien, Martin, and Harper went on a privatization spree! Well, actually a good ol fashioned treasonous sellout! But, but- today, in the oil sands we allow Norway, and China`s STATE OWNED COMPANIES access to Canadian oil! Oh the hypocrisy!

What it comes down to is that the resources were Alberta's, and Trudeau attempted to nationalize the entire industry so that he could force Alberta to sell its oil to Southern Ontario for far less than the world price. It was a transfer of wealth conducted to help ensure that a region that didn't vote Liberal didn't acquire economic power.

For me, it comes down to the simple question of whether Trudeau would have created the NEP if the oil had been in Quebec instead of Alberta. If you can honestly say that you believe that Trudeau would have still done so under those circumstances, then your defense of the NEP is at least legitimate.

How absurd! But then, we have to take into account the source......

Alberta is not an independent nation. The resources belong to all Canadians. It was/is the C.R.A.P. marriage that defacto declared (in their effort to break up the country) that the resources of the provinces belong to the provinces.

The fact that most of Canadians live in the centre of the country, and given our rediculous FPTP voting system, creates this skewed interpretation.

The function of the federal government is to encourage (not discourage) an internal diaspora which (because it serves the purposes of the two good ol' boys parties) hasn't happened.

You want to see a more even distribution of resources throughout this country, then support proportional representation, and do not support the two redneck parties.

You're kidding, right? Proportional representation would just mean that *all* MPs would come from Toronto. It would make regional inequities worse, not better!

In your world perhaps, but in my world the great leaveninig agent would be the elected senate, where the regions would be equally represented (something like the yankee version), and passage through both houses would be required.

Mmm, no. The Constitution Act, 1930 gave the natural resources to the provinces.

http://www.solon.org/Constitutions/Cana ... _1930.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Re ... nsfer_Acts

While we're on the subject, Albertans last year gave $36 billion in taxes, but got only $17 Billion in transfers from the Feds. $5000 per person. By contrast, #2 on the list, Ontarians gave $2200 per person. And we still are underrepresented in Parliament.

$19 billion happens to be the total cost per year of the Canadian Armed Forces ($17 B), plus the 2 Billion needed to run the Federal Government. Our hard work keeps this country running. We could do very well on our own, but we like how things are now.

Now, can we stop with the divisive 'my province is better than your province' dick waving? Trudeau's NEP sucked, but it has little to do with what Williams is doing.

Uh, I used the word "defacto", Dr.C. But that's neither here nor there.

The Alberta example (no debt) can easily be applicable to T.R.O.C. That it wasn't (and isn't), is a condemnation of the governance of the two Red Neck Parties.

Danny Williams' fight with Harper is an attempt to do what Alberta has done, and this attitude shoudl be at the forefront of every Premier.

As I am (currently) from BC, I can hold G. Campbell up as a glaring example of the opposite of D. Williams, so perhaps it is appropos that the two provinces be bookends as well. BC has had a nearly 8-year run of unprecedented prosperity, yet the provincial debt has , and with everything from infrastructure, to healthcare, to education all the worse for the effort.

I've been trying to convince people that the Alberta 'model' hurts, but is do able for everyone.

And I can see how you appreciate what we've done - but how can you say it's not a condemnation - then call us "Red Necks"?



My Condolences. I honestly can't believe that Campbell is still Premier. He must have some dirt on people in high media positions.

I was referring to the Cons and Libs federally, Dr. C. They are the 'redneck' parties, in that they are run by the good ol' boys network, and between them have the country set up as their own private fishing pond.