The U.S. oil grab in Venezuela will only pressure the federal government to build a pipeline faster, but caution is advised if the goal is success when working toward Canada’s left coast
The one advantage that Alberta has is a decade of experience with the oil and gas industry. Provincially, approvals for projects are pretty much predetermined. The province knows the methods the oil and gas industry uses and industry can plan based on expected outcomes. I contrast this with federal approaches which are poorly structured and often based on environmental studies and conditional approvals.
The "drop in and we will talk" approach reeks of risk for corporations.
Regardless of the type of mine, from a regulatory perspective they are very much the same. The corporation controls the surface for a period of time, should be required to remediate it to an industry standard, and limit the environmental effects to that area. Compensation and approvals should be formulaic, not negotiated. This requires the province, the RM, and all surface rights holders including FMAs, and First Nations to have thought out ahead of time what is required of a generic mine, pipeline, well, etc.
The first step in any resource development project is assessment of risk. Uncertain regulatory conditions put a high risk premium on it.
Kindly not add to the size of the coefficient of Canadian collective stupidity by words "The abduction of Nicholas Maduro ".
Replace with far more factual "long overdue arrest of dictator Nicholas Maduro running a murderous narco-regime while supplying passports of convenience to a plethora of terrorist groups."
The United Stated does not have the legal jurisdiction to conduct an "arrest" on sovereign territory it does not possess. You can support the U.S.s actions while acknowledging that, yes, it was an abduction. Or extraordinary rendition, if you prefer. "Arrest" presumes a legal legitimacy that does not exist in this case.
There are plenty of arguments in favour if what Trump did, but I am not playing these kinds of bullshit semantic games. A spade is a spade. JG
Things get murky with terrorists, but the guy had directly attacked the US and killed thousands, so it was not a law enforcement operation. As far as Maduro's supposed arrest goes, outside of David Coresh can you name any other law enforcement actions that result in the death of upwards of a hundred people?
This all I’m sure is accurate for the situation in BC for the last 30 years, maybe longer. But I’m not convinced that just showing up and having a stakeholder office in Terrace is enough to make these kind of projects move quickly.
It feels like, as Matt and Jen have said on the podcast, the federal government may need to (figuratively) shoot someone _pour encourager les autres_, and that person might be David Eby and British Columbia‘s veto on resource development by virtue of controlling the coast.
I know an American Airlines pilot who laughs at BC with the clean cuts of forrest hidden from the view of the roads and highways in the province. Keep BC beautiful but don't go off the beaten path.
It is called management of landscape for visual and aesthetic purposes. There is nothing wrong with a clearcut right to the road. These days are in effect well developed management guidelines created over decades. A clearcut is a temporary thing promptly reforested. Young forest there in 10-15 years, preferred grazing by moose and deer.
Except vast majority of the public refuses to understand that. So the visual management guidelines have been developed to cut down on hysterical phone calls to the forestry offices.
‘Left Coast’ I love it!! I drove the Alaska Hwy with my family and holiday trailer in tow. The province is immense,one month travel did not do it justice. And,I only made it to Whitehorse,with plans to take the interior route back. Never happened,ran out of time(work). The beauty of the area is beyond mere pictures. The scale of the forests,mountains,lakes and rivers still inspires tales to our friends. That’s before we bring up the wildlife,hot springs ect. I live and worked in Alberta,I don’t agree with oil tankers on our coast,but,they are safer? Washington State seems to want the business
Talk to some BC Pilotage Authority pilots who are required to be on any ship using or coming to the coast - it's not as simple as the Washington coast.
It's easy to see both sides of the story here. There is much to be said for pristine wilderness and there's also much to be said for getting Canada's resources to market. Will that market still exist two decades from now? Korea and Japan are shrinking and China is doing all it can to switch to solar, hydro and wind. And yes, coal too. They don't want to be dependent on us just as we don't want to be dependent on them. And so it seems that it's time to give up on those old dreams and become a people that aren't afraid to deal with the future, together.
Great article! Lots of tangible practical things in here. One point I will make is that I don’t believe the overarching environment these discussions and actions should be taking place under is IF the pipeline can be built, but simply how and where. Previous Liberal governments have effectively ceded power to parochial provincial and special interests that they do not in fact possess. It’s time to make clear that is in fact the case. The pipeline will be built, now’s let’s work together to figure out how to best do it.
When Alberta finally surpasses B.C. in population in the 2030s, maybe that'll be the moment to jolt enough people out of their stupor to demand action. Maybe.
Again, hardly an argument for Confederation, at a time when federalists should be circling the wagons. The faux patriotism has passed, as predicted, and no hyphenated-citizens give a rat's ass about the future of the post-nation state.
Doomberg is probably right. The Americans will come, just a matter of what they start with.
Trees are renewable,parts of ON are logging their 3rd growth. As long as we keep planting trees. Oil will be an important commodity for decades more,I’m sure someone will want to buy it. My point is,we do manage our resources responsibly,ethically. Governments need to leave their screens and offices and actually inspect their work,cleanup,remedial work. Abandoned wells is a prime example of incompetence
The one advantage that Alberta has is a decade of experience with the oil and gas industry. Provincially, approvals for projects are pretty much predetermined. The province knows the methods the oil and gas industry uses and industry can plan based on expected outcomes. I contrast this with federal approaches which are poorly structured and often based on environmental studies and conditional approvals.
The "drop in and we will talk" approach reeks of risk for corporations.
Regardless of the type of mine, from a regulatory perspective they are very much the same. The corporation controls the surface for a period of time, should be required to remediate it to an industry standard, and limit the environmental effects to that area. Compensation and approvals should be formulaic, not negotiated. This requires the province, the RM, and all surface rights holders including FMAs, and First Nations to have thought out ahead of time what is required of a generic mine, pipeline, well, etc.
The first step in any resource development project is assessment of risk. Uncertain regulatory conditions put a high risk premium on it.
Well said. Industry needs predictability.
“Build a stakeholder office here and see if that gets you somewhere with our massive number of veto points” isn’t exactly deterministic.
Heck of a good read.
Forget City Government, lad; you are a writer!!
Want to build a pipeline?
Move your pipeline business to the United States.
Only a fool would invest money in this Country, at this time, given the regulatory, cultural, economic, and political climate.
Kindly not add to the size of the coefficient of Canadian collective stupidity by words "The abduction of Nicholas Maduro ".
Replace with far more factual "long overdue arrest of dictator Nicholas Maduro running a murderous narco-regime while supplying passports of convenience to a plethora of terrorist groups."
The United Stated does not have the legal jurisdiction to conduct an "arrest" on sovereign territory it does not possess. You can support the U.S.s actions while acknowledging that, yes, it was an abduction. Or extraordinary rendition, if you prefer. "Arrest" presumes a legal legitimacy that does not exist in this case.
There are plenty of arguments in favour if what Trump did, but I am not playing these kinds of bullshit semantic games. A spade is a spade. JG
Also for the record, Trump himself has said he doesn't object to the word "kidnapping," in this context. Don't be more precious than Trump. JG
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/bbc-bans-journalists-saying-us-160449544.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADFM_HlLLk_ANsAIvR7SP0Rikyy28VqCZ4WEaXI5x03uDNp8SlC93bZgWCzBI5mYzEBU8ELUDrtUP6LmXo3qB838xJIAF5R35_6lMS1xacI4ITAr9s7-5suTzwPeO0-oO3GH8e5n5-og2DwaSZNCozcDY_p6VeTTgAl6gCUnRobF
And Osama bin Laden's abduction and execution? Carried out under President Obama's orders. Legitimate?
Things get murky with terrorists, but the guy had directly attacked the US and killed thousands, so it was not a law enforcement operation. As far as Maduro's supposed arrest goes, outside of David Coresh can you name any other law enforcement actions that result in the death of upwards of a hundred people?
Waco was on US territory, these are extraterritorial. The question posed related to the legitimacy of the actions, and if legitimate, whose rules?
I just let that crap pass without acknowledgment.
Without snark, malice, or ill-will, I recommend that Mr. McKay take a moment and read the indictment.
This all I’m sure is accurate for the situation in BC for the last 30 years, maybe longer. But I’m not convinced that just showing up and having a stakeholder office in Terrace is enough to make these kind of projects move quickly.
It feels like, as Matt and Jen have said on the podcast, the federal government may need to (figuratively) shoot someone _pour encourager les autres_, and that person might be David Eby and British Columbia‘s veto on resource development by virtue of controlling the coast.
So, why "figuratively" I ask?
I know an American Airlines pilot who laughs at BC with the clean cuts of forrest hidden from the view of the roads and highways in the province. Keep BC beautiful but don't go off the beaten path.
It is called management of landscape for visual and aesthetic purposes. There is nothing wrong with a clearcut right to the road. These days are in effect well developed management guidelines created over decades. A clearcut is a temporary thing promptly reforested. Young forest there in 10-15 years, preferred grazing by moose and deer.
Except vast majority of the public refuses to understand that. So the visual management guidelines have been developed to cut down on hysterical phone calls to the forestry offices.
I read all of this. Definitely food for thought
Yes it is too easy to pontificate on what needs to be done from afar but boots on the ground are what moves things forward.
Hopefully the proposal that is put forward is robust, practical and speaks to specifics to the greatest degree possible.
Great read.
‘Left Coast’ I love it!! I drove the Alaska Hwy with my family and holiday trailer in tow. The province is immense,one month travel did not do it justice. And,I only made it to Whitehorse,with plans to take the interior route back. Never happened,ran out of time(work). The beauty of the area is beyond mere pictures. The scale of the forests,mountains,lakes and rivers still inspires tales to our friends. That’s before we bring up the wildlife,hot springs ect. I live and worked in Alberta,I don’t agree with oil tankers on our coast,but,they are safer? Washington State seems to want the business
Talk to some BC Pilotage Authority pilots who are required to be on any ship using or coming to the coast - it's not as simple as the Washington coast.
It's easy to see both sides of the story here. There is much to be said for pristine wilderness and there's also much to be said for getting Canada's resources to market. Will that market still exist two decades from now? Korea and Japan are shrinking and China is doing all it can to switch to solar, hydro and wind. And yes, coal too. They don't want to be dependent on us just as we don't want to be dependent on them. And so it seems that it's time to give up on those old dreams and become a people that aren't afraid to deal with the future, together.
Great article! Lots of tangible practical things in here. One point I will make is that I don’t believe the overarching environment these discussions and actions should be taking place under is IF the pipeline can be built, but simply how and where. Previous Liberal governments have effectively ceded power to parochial provincial and special interests that they do not in fact possess. It’s time to make clear that is in fact the case. The pipeline will be built, now’s let’s work together to figure out how to best do it.
When Alberta finally surpasses B.C. in population in the 2030s, maybe that'll be the moment to jolt enough people out of their stupor to demand action. Maybe.
Again, hardly an argument for Confederation, at a time when federalists should be circling the wagons. The faux patriotism has passed, as predicted, and no hyphenated-citizens give a rat's ass about the future of the post-nation state.
Doomberg is probably right. The Americans will come, just a matter of what they start with.
Trees are renewable,parts of ON are logging their 3rd growth. As long as we keep planting trees. Oil will be an important commodity for decades more,I’m sure someone will want to buy it. My point is,we do manage our resources responsibly,ethically. Governments need to leave their screens and offices and actually inspect their work,cleanup,remedial work. Abandoned wells is a prime example of incompetence
Great article, thank you!