World Politics

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

8 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Rural Albertans would read that and scream COMMUNISISM!!!! so fast it'd make your head spin....

Probably. But, whatever.  

I mean Alberta still gets it cut from all the rights to the oil- but the government takes on the role of the companies that benefit (disproportionally) in the form of a Crown Corporation that benefits all Canadians...

 

[Tracker]

Germany today- prices are in Euros per litre.

[17to85]

2 hours ago, wanna-b-fanboy said:

Think of it more like...

The Feds come in, take the role of all corporations involved in oil, like one big conglomerate- but one that has the average citizens as shareholders....

And now think of the provincial government who has jurisdiction over natural resources and the reaction there.... you want socialized oil and gas it's gotta be a provincial crown Corp.

[iHeart]

you know I can really imagine how big a deal it must have been when all those western franchises opened locations in Russia....and it took one loser to ruin everything

https://www.tmz.com/2022/03/08/starbucks-mcdonalds-close-russia-shut-down-ukraine-war/

[Tracker]

Russian Officer Complains About Dead General and Comms Meltdown in Intercepted Call
-Reuters
The Ukrainian defense ministry has released audio from a call that it claims captured two Russian officers lamenting the death of a top general and the collapse of its secure communications network in Ukraine.

In the call—which has been verified by Bellingcat, the fact-checking group known for exposing Kremlin misinformation—two purported Russian FSB officers are heard discussing the death of a general killed in fighting near Kharkiv, which has been hammered by shelling this month.

Ukraine’s defense ministry named the general as Vitaly Gerasimov, chief of staff of the 41st Army, and Bellingcat reported that it had confirmed the death with Russian sources. In its statement, Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency said Gerasimov had been “liquidated” alongside “a number of senior Russian army officers” in fighting near Kharkiv.

If Gerasimov’s death is confirmed, he would be the second Russian general to be killed in Ukraine within a week following the death of the 41st Army’s deputy commander, Andrei Sukhovetsky. A pro-Putin Chechnyan general, Magomed Tushayev, was also reported to have been killed.

Russia’s failure to protect its top-ranking officers backs up reports from Ukraine that the Kremlin’s invasion force is in disarray. On the call released by the Ukrainian defense ministry, one FSB officer can be heard complaining that its encrypted comms system had been destroyed, allowing Ukrainian forces to listen in on Russian military orders.

Bellingcat’s executive director, Christo Grozev, wrote, “In the phone call in which the FSB officer assigned to the 41st Army reports the death to his boss in Tula, he says they’ve lost all secure communications. Thus the phone call using a local sim card. Thus the intercept."

[rebusrankin]

Section 92 of the Constitution gives the provinces control over their natural resources. 17to85 is correct.

[bustamente]

 

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

4 minutes ago, bustamente said:

 

My favorite response in that tweet:

 

 

[17to85]

28 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

17to85 is correct.

as it was, as it is, as it ever shall be

[SpeedFlex27]

10 hours ago, Tracker said:

Where do you get those figures from?

I think I'm being realistic, if not lowballing. Windows, insulation & heating. Tear out & replace.  Windows alone would be $20,000 itself.

[SpeedFlex27]

12 hours ago, Wideleft said:

For the millionth time, no one has suggested that oil will not be needed at all in our lifetimes.

Meanwhile, Manitoba could have done what Norway (EV adoption rate for new personal vehicles is now 90%) did.

EV incentives

Norway started introducing EV incentives quite early in the 1990s. Initially, the impact was small as the EV range and other features were limited and did not meet the requirements of most buyers. By 2012, the number of EVs in use in Norway reached 10,000 units and grew rapidly.

The most important EV incentives are three big savings items that make the purchase price of nearly all EVs less than that of similar ICEVs. The import tax came first and amounts to thousands of dollars depending on what brand and model. EVs were exempted from the 25 percent VAT from 2001 and can save the typical EV buyer $6,000 to $10,000.

Norway is also adding significant fees to ICEV for CO₂ and NOx emissions, which will top $5,000 for most gasoline and diesel vehicles. There were many other usage savings such as annual road tax fees, which will end in 2022. Toll road and ferry fees had steep discounts that are also being phased out.

These EV incentives have been successful in making EVs very popular in Norway, but many incentives will disappear over the next five years. To continue replacing ICEVs, the key is to retain a competitive EV purchase price versus gasoline and diesel vehicles.

The biggest long–term incentive for EVs is the low fuel cost. Gasoline in Norway is in the $6 to $7 range per gallon. The average electricity price per KWh is less than 10 cents. The typical range for one KWh of battery is 3 to 4 miles, which means you can drive 30 to 40 miles for a dollar of electricity in Norway. If you have 30 MPG ICEV, you will only get five miles for a dollar of gas. That is a very powerful argument to switch to EVs — even if the EV usage cost advantages are lower than in Norway.

https://www.eetimes.com/why-norway-is-leading-in-bev-adoption/#

Here's the thing for me. If something has to be taxed & subsidized for it to even have a chance to work then it isn't viable. Governments can try to make it viable by making us pay for it through taxation. If Tesla wants us to drive electric vehicles, then let billionaire Elon Musk & the other electric car companies manufacturing these vehicles pay for the infrastrructure on roads, themselves. If EV's are so good then why are ordinary citizens in Norway & eventually here in Canada punished & forced to pay penalties to drive gasoline powered vehicles? They should be able to stand on their own merits along with paying for the infrastructure themselves to go with it. Not by governments raising taxes & giving out subsidies to companies in an attempt to make them viable. 

I'm not debating the merits of gasoline vs electric vehicles. I'm talking about public policy & the merits of using public funds to prop up an industry (or technology) by government. 

 

[SpeedFlex27]

Not picking on anyone in particular but I thought I'd just throw this out there...

 

 

[GCn20]

3 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Here's the thing for me. If something has to be taxed & subsidized for it to even have a chance to work then it isn't viable. Governments can try to make it viable by making us pay for it through taxation. If Tesla wants us to drive electric vehicles, then let billionaire Elon Musk & the other electric car companies manufacturing these vehicles pay for the infrastrructure on roads, themselves. If EV's are so good then why are ordinary citizens in Norway & eventually here in Canada punished & forced to pay penalties to drive gasoline powered vehicles? They should be able to stand on their own merits along with paying for the infrastructure themselves to go with it. Not by governments raising taxes & giving out subsidies to companies in an attempt to make them viable. 

I'm not debating the merits of gasoline vs electric vehicles. I'm talking about public policy & the merits of using public funds to prop up an industry (or technology) by government. 

 

Look out the Elon fan boys will be rolling in soon but I agree. A ton of people here crying because of big oil making too much money but extolling the virtues of subsidizing one of the world's richest men in Musk. It's hypocrisy. As you stated, they are penalizing his competition right now through taxation. I am not going to debate environmental reform, as it is very important, but making the lower and middle class pay for it at the pump and in their daily heating and grocery bills is a very slimy way to push this agenda forward.

Edited March 9, 2022 by GCn20

[SpeedFlex27]

14 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Look out the Elon fan boys will be rolling in soon but I agree. A ton of people here crying because of big oil making too much money but extolling the virtues of subsidizing one of the world's richest men in Musk. It's hypocrisy. As you stated, they are penalizing his competition right now through taxation. I am not going to debate environmental reform, as it is very important, but making the lower and middle class pay for it at the pump and in their daily heating and grocery bills is a very slimy way to push this agenda forward.

Not only the middle class but seniors (like me) who are on fixed incomes as well as people who are disabled & on permanent govt benefits. As well workers on lower incomes, single parents, people on welfare, etc. It's okay to talk about the environment & trumpet all these new advances but we have no way of paying for any of it except thru taxation & subsidies. Let the private sector lead the way if it's so great. Let the billionaires & their green companies pay all the up front costs for infrastructure. Stay away from public taxation & subsidies. Watch them all run for the hills. 

[GCn20]

35 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Not only the middle class but seniors (like me) who are on fixed incomes as well as people who are disabled & on permanent govt benefits. As well workers on lower incomes, single parents, people on welfare, etc. It's okay to talk about the environment & trumpet all these new advances but we have no way of paying for any of it except thru taxation & subsidies. Let the private sector lead the way if it's so great. Let the billionaires & their green companies pay all the up front costs for infrastructure. Stay away from public taxation & subsidies. Watch them all run for the hills. 

Exactly. If it weren't for trading government subsidies for profit, Tesla is a money loser....and it's supposed to be the gold standard of EV companies. I would like to sit on an ivory tower like everyone else and extoll the virtues of a great reset, where taxation doesn't matter and cars fart purple rainbows. and the water is so clean we can drink it out of puddles. Unfortunately, for the idealists, this is a fantasy at this point and time and penalizing seniors, low to mid income people to try and make their fairies fly does a ton of damage to their ability to eat, feed their children, and have any kind of half decent shot at normal standard of living. I think many on here would be be very surprised to learn that there are for more people concerned about their gas and heating bills than there are people who are concerned about a green revolution. Tax those people too hard and it's game over for the government of the day.

I am certainly not trying to make light of environmental concerns because I too care. However, I care more about having enough money to pay my bills so that I am not forced to live in a cardboard box. When I sold my businesses and retired, I did so with a nest egg that would allow me to retire but not with a ton of breathing room for massive inflation and taxation. The last 2 years has really got me thinking that I may have to go back to work for a few years to make sure I can feed myself when I am a senior. I am far luckier than most in that regard but I worked 100 hour weeks for 25 years to be able to have this leg up. I have many friends and family who are not as fortunate and are selling off assets just to make ends meet, and have no prospect of retirement even though they are eligible. 

Now I realize that not all of this is the fault of government and there are global issues at play, but I believe it is remarkably short sighted, and narrow minded, for our governments to try squeeze blood from a stone right now. Does delaying tax increases solve the problem of high oil costs, or inflation? No it doesn't, but it is absolutely disingenuous to suggest that tax delays wouldn't help a family struggling to get by right now.,

Edited March 9, 2022 by GCn20

[Bigblue204]

5 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Here's the thing for me. If something has to be taxed & subsidized for it to even have a chance to work then it isn't viable. Governments can try to make it viable by making us pay for it through taxation. If Tesla wants us to drive electric vehicles, then let billionaire Elon Musk & the other electric car companies manufacturing these vehicles pay for the infrastrructure on roads, themselves. If EV's are so good then why are ordinary citizens in Norway & eventually here in Canada punished & forced to pay penalties to drive gasoline powered vehicles? They should be able to stand on their own merits along with paying for the infrastructure themselves to go with it. Not by governments raising taxes & giving out subsidies to companies in an attempt to make them viable. 

I'm not debating the merits of gasoline vs electric vehicles. I'm talking about public policy & the merits of using public funds to prop up an industry (or technology) by government. 

 

By your own definition, oil and gas are not viable. How do you think they got to the point they are now exactly? Hard work and long hours? Lol. Oil and gas have received and CONTINUE to receive government subsidies. 

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

Look out the Elon fan boys will be rolling in soon but I agree. A ton of people here crying because of big oil making too much money but extolling the virtues of subsidizing one of the world's richest men in Musk. It's hypocrisy. As you stated, they are penalizing his competition right now through taxation. I am not going to debate environmental reform, as it is very important, but making the lower and middle class pay for it at the pump and in their daily heating and grocery bills is a very slimy way to push this agenda forward.

Yes those poor oil and gas companies...how hard it must be with all the taxation they face lol. I'll say it again. There is zero reason to reduce the taxes at the pump and zero reasons why the price can NOT be lowered. Taxes have very little to do with it.

Our governments need to grow some ******* balls and do what's right for the people....they won't. But they certainly need to.

[blue_gold_84]

5 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

If something has to be taxed & subsidized for it to even have a chance to work then it isn't viable.

https://www.iisd.org/publications/oil-gas-pipelines-green-recovery-canada

Quote

Oil and gas pipelines in Canada received over CAD 23 billion in Canadian government support over the past 3 years—including CAD 10 billion since COVID-19 began. CAD 23 billion is likely an underestimate because calculating full levels of subsidies and other government support is impossible due to a lack of government transparency

I guess Canada's O&G industry isn't viable.

[GCn20]

1 minute ago, Bigblue204 said:

By your own definition, oil and gas are not viable. How do you think they got to the point they are now exactly? Hard work and long hours? Lol. Oil and gas have received and CONTINUE to receive government subsidies. 

Yes those poor oil and gas companies...how hard it must be with all the taxation they face lol. I'll say it again. There is zero reason to reduce the taxes at the pump and zero reasons why the price can NOT be lowered. Taxes have very little to do with it.

Our governments need to grow some ******* balls and do what's right for the people....they won't. But they certainly need to.

I could care less what the government does to lower prices. If it's taking it from the oil companies....fantastic....even better. What i do know, is that there is a scheduled 15 cent a liter increase in carbon tax coming up in the next couple of weeks. My contention is that it should be delayed given the price of gas right now. If the government, in the meantime or afterwards, wants to find a way to cap the prices at the pump at the expense of the oil companies I'm all for it. They have my complete support.

[SpeedFlex27]

1 minute ago, GCn20 said:

Exactly. If it weren't for trading government subsidies for profit, Tesla is a money loser....and it's supposed to be the gold standard of EV companies. I would like to sit on an ivory tower like everyone else and extoll the virtues of a great reset, where taxation doesn't matter and cars fart purple rainbows. and the water is so clean we can drink it out of puddles. Unfortunately, for the idealists, this is a fantasy at this point and time and penalizing seniors, low to mid income people to try and make their fairies fly does a ton of damage to their ability to eat, feed their children, and have any kind of half decent shot at normal standard of living. I think many on here would be be very surprised to learn that there are for more people concerned about their gas and heating bills than there are people who are concerned about a green revolution. Tax those people too hard and it's game over for the government of the day.

With the pandemic, social upheval & now the war in the Ukraine, I'd say people's priorities have changed. I doubt if the environment is #1 anymore as it supposedly was in 2018 before all this **** went down in the world. I'd say that people now look at a leader like Trudeau on the world stage & just shake their heads realizing just how weak he truly is. We see him traipsing around Europe trying to stay relevant by promising Canada will supply the Ukraine with a few drones , maybe a frigate or 2 while he still talks about climate change & he is laughed at behind his back.

No guarantee the US would help Canada if Russia had incursions on our sovereign land in the Arctic Sea. So suddenly our lack of spending on our military at 1.34% of our GNP isn't enough. Our domestic policy of relying on the US to protect us may be a huge mistake. Also, Canadian energy security will become more of a hot button as time goes on. The Great Reset may be pushed aside yet.

 

[Wideleft]

14 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Now I realize that not all of this is the fault of government and there are global issues at play, but I believe it is remarkably short sighted, and narrow minded, for our governments to try squeeze blood from a stone right now. Does delaying tax increases solve the problem of high oil costs, or inflation? No it doesn't, but it is absolutely disingenuous to suggest that tax delays wouldn't help a family struggling to get by right now.,

Alberta pump prices increased 10-15 cents a litre the day after Kenney announced he was going to suspend the provincial gas tax.  O & G will ALWAYS squeeze every penny out of you.  That's yet another reason to leave them behind.

[GCn20]

1 minute ago, blue_gold_84 said:

https://www.iisd.org/publications/oil-gas-pipelines-green-recovery-canada

I guess Canada's O&G industry isn't viable.

Yep, definite mismanagement by the government ot subsidize big oil. No one is arguing that. Suggesting that subsidies are good because other people got them too is not a compelling argument.

[Bigblue204]

1 minute ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

With the pandemic, social upheval & now the war in the Ukraine, I'd say people's priorities have changed. I doubt if the environment is #1 anymore as it supposedly was in 2018 before all this **** went down in the world. I'd say that people now look at a leader like Trudeau on the world stage & just shake their heads realizing just how weak he truly is. We see him traipsing around Europe trying to stay relevant by promising Canada will supply the Ukraine with a few drones , maybe a frigate or 2 while he still talks about climate change & he is laughed at behind his back.

No guarantee the US would help Canada if Russia had incursions on our sovereign land in the Arctic Sea. So suddenly our lack of spending on our military at 1.34% of our GNP isn't enough. Our domestic policy of relying on the US to protect us may be a huge mistake. Also, Canadian energy security will become more of a hot button as time goes on. The Great Reset may be pushed aside yet.

 

Lol. Man you say some funny stuff from time to time. I'm sure the Americans would be totally fine with Russians invading anywhere in NA....nevermind their largest trade partner who happens to be sitting on loads of resources....yeah they wouldn't do anything about it. Lol

[GCn20]

1 minute ago, Wideleft said:

Alberta pump prices increased 10-15 cents a litre the day after Kenney announced he was going to suspend the provincial gas tax.  O & G will ALWAYS squeeze every penny out of you.  That's yet another reason to leave them behind.

No one is arguing that big oil isn't greedy and that we need to start moving away from it. However, it's at least 20 years away from that day right now realistically.

[blue_gold_84]

Just now, GCn20 said:

Yep, definite mismanagement by the government ot subsidize big oil. No one is arguing that. Suggesting that subsidies are good because other people got them too is not a compelling argument.

[Wideleft]

5 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Yep, definite mismanagement by the government ot subsidize big oil. No one is arguing that. Suggesting that subsidies are good because other people got them too is not a compelling argument.

When you factor in the costs of climate change induced damages, it certainly is a compelling argument.  The cost of doing nothing or delaying doing something is far more in terms of financial, human and environmental damage than you can seem to wrap your head around.

3 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

No one is arguing that big oil isn't greedy and that we need to start moving away from it. However, it's at least 20 years away from that day right now realistically.

That is the viewpoint of someone with a lack of imagination.

Edited March 9, 2022 by Wideleft