[BeaverFever]

So I guess youre against Harper too, since federal debt and defecit ballooned under his leadership too?

As the saying goes, "It's the economy, stupid."

[eureka]

I think Beaver Fever's succinct reply was adequate answer.

[OnTheIce]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

So I guess youre against Harper too, since federal debt and defecit ballooned under his leadership too?

As the saying goes, "It's the economy, stupid."

Harper's record isn't much better.

However, the difference between McGuinty, Harper and the other Premieres is that McGuinty is pushing forward. No changes to the status quo.

Most are making tax changes and budget cuts to make ends meet. There's zero effort on the part of McGuinty and the Ontario Liberals to make tough choices.

We need to get back to basics.

[peck420]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

Alberta’s manufacturing sector is not nearly as diversified as Ontario's and is basically a niche focused on serving the energy sector and basic staples. It's only the 5th largest sector in a province of 4 million (lagging behind Energy, Environment, Forestry and Agriculture).

Why would it be? Diversification takes time.

People tend to forget that Alberta is very diversified for our population size. As our population (market grows) are ability to diversify further will grow with it.

$1:

The biggest manufacturing category in Alberta is petroleum and coal products ($1.6 billion), which includes all the stuff that refineries in the province pump out. Other important categories are chemicals ($1.1 billion), machinery ($740 million) and fabricated metal ($500 million). The two main categories that are not related to the energy sector are food ($954 million) and wood and paper manufacturing ($329 million).

Yet no mention that the fastest growing manufacturing industries in Alberta are all still listed as "Emerging Industry".

They include:
Communications Technology
Health and Bio
Environmental Technology (who knew!)
Nanotechnology.

Our oil industry related manufacturing jobs will be our biggest for a long time, no question. But, they are not the fastest growing or what many Albertan's are banking on for the future.

[Unsound]

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

I'm sorry, but you must be clinically retarded.

You can't pay for social programs when you have no money.

Don't worry, there'll be lots of money. As soon as McGuinty finds a way to stop us evil Albertans from dragging the rest of the country down with our hot economy the dollar will reach par with the peso and Ontarians can happily go back to work building cars for... the Americans I guess.

[DrCaleb]

peck420 peck420:

Environmental Technology (who knew!)

I knew. Alberta has the largest Carbon Capture and Storage facility planned of anywhere *worldwide*.

But Oilsands = BAD is the only eastern mantra. They don't pay attention if other industries meet or exceed the value of the Oilsands. Like forestry products, or agriculture.

[BeaverFever]

carbon capture tech used by the energy sector.

[peck420]

FieryVulpine FieryVulpine:

To be fair, Peck said that "Alberta is on a path to a well diversified economy," which implies that aren't quite there yet and that there is much room for improvement.

Too true!

To counter point, I would argue that we will never get 'there'. As soon as we get 'there' we will have to adapt or change to somewhere else.

We need to stay fluid to work in a fluid global economy.

[BeaverFever]

McGuinty clarifies his comments:

$1:

“It can be difficult in this kind of a context here to convey exactly what you want to say,” Mr. McGuinty said. “I work in real time, so sometimes I may not self-edit before I go to press, so to speak.”

In fact, he said, he thinks he can make “common cause” with Ms. Redford by pursuing the same thing she wants: a national energy strategy. Such a strategy, he said, can incorporate much more than the oil sands in Alberta. He would like it to also include the clean energy agenda he is pursuing in Ontario, where his government is replacing the province’s emission-spewing coal-fired plants with wind and solar power.

“We have a shared responsibility to strengthen the national economy, each in our own way,” Mr. McGuinty said. “Isn’t it great to be a Canadian?”

[Thanos]

"Isn't it great to be a weasel?" - McSquinty.

[eureka]

Isn't it remarkable how so many who think they are politically savvy can make no argument other than mangling the name of a politician with whom they do not agree.

It begs certain questions. One is whether their opinions are worth anything anyway if that is the limit of their debating reach.

Hell, I call even Harper what he is, not some fanciful misspelling of his name. Though, I think he will have to change his name and go into hiding when the summary of his tenure and all its scandals and frauds is documented. All its anti democratic initiatives and anti Canadian agenda.

[peck420]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

carbon capture tech used by the energy sector.

Of course that is it, isn't it?

Not that we have the 3rd largest environmental technology industry in Canada.

Or that our two biggest segments in it are civic water and waste management technologies.

Or is civic water and waste management another oil 'off shoot'.

Sorry for getting short about this, but some of us have been working very hard in non oil industries, and it kind of sucks when your efforts get marginalised out of hand because it is 'Alberta' and it must involve oil.

[BeaverFever]

Who do you think is funding all this "waste management" tech and what do you think that is? Don't you read or watch all the oilsands propaganda about how they are cleaning and greening their operations, restoring tailings ponds to "natural habitat", etc?

And haven't you read about how the massive amounts of water required inoilsands production has caused strains on civic water supplies?

And if its not the oilsands, who else would pay for that except government? Are you saying that Alberta's supposedly magnificent manufacturing sector is really just kept afloat through government spending programs?

[Thanos]

eureka eureka:

Isn't it remarkable how so many who think they are politically savvy can make no argument other than mangling the name of a politician with whom they do not agree.

It begs certain questions. One is whether their opinions are worth anything anyway if that is the limit of their debating reach.

There's like a 920 rep point differential between you and a guy who uses a picture of a baby dressed up like Adolph Hitler for his avatar. Your current score is even lower than that of the resident tin-hatted oaf who's been wearing the same hockey helmet since he was about seven years old. Just saying this in case you haven't noticed it, that's all.

[peck420]

Yup, all we do is oil.

I'm starting to think that Alberta is far better off with the rest of Canada assuming that we are stupid, 'oil lucky', red necks.