I am finding it funny how so many have dropped down in to a state of denial over the effects of the NDP have on Alberta to this point. All you read in Social media is that the “NDP has no control over the price of oil and that is what is causing this current down turn” And to a point this is true in the case of exploration and development of conventional oil but it’s a complete misunderstanding of the unconventional side the oil Sands. Now for those that don’t know the oil sand employs around 22,000 directly and around 250,000 indirectly around Alberta in supply and manufacturing. Now when a project is set up for the oil sands it’s usually a year or two ahead of the start date of the project and then the project can take 3- 5 years or longer to complete.

So with that said the manufacturers start building the products to be used on site in shops all around Alberta and even Canada in some cases since there is a nice chunk made in Ontario. These companies start manufacturing the parts required now for those parts to be installed over the next few years on site. And then in 3-5 years the project will come on line and THEN only THEN does the price of oil actually affect the project. This is the part most are missing the price of oil has nothing to do with the manufacturing end of the oil sands and that is the part that is being effected by the inaction of the NDP the most and causing the lay offs of thousands in Alberta’s manufacturing sector. To date a loss of 42 billion in projects that have been shelved for 4-5 years projects that in April were a go. Also note the time frame of the shelving there is a reason 4-5 years and if you think about the time frame to the next election it becomes clear.

As an example I will use Nisku the second largest industrial park in North America and a central point of Alberta’s oil sands manufacturing but this is happening all around Alberta in small towns and big city’s alike. Leading up to the election the park was in full swing and projects were being set up and products were being sourced as they have been for the last 15 years with every thing being needed yesterday. Since the election there has been a 60% drop in activity in the region and in all manufacturing in Alberta that is related to the oil sands. The reason for this is uncertainty in a number of areas like Taxes, Royalties, modes of transporting the raw product out of the Ft Mac area and off to market as well as the lack of willingness of the NDP to protect the investments made as demonstrated by the ongoing bashing of the industry by both provincial and federal members of the NDP. Now I am sure some of you are asking “How can this jack off make these claims?” well its easy I am a general manager of the third largest industrial supplier in the world as well as the primary supplier to the oil sands and strong market share holder of the rest of Alberta’s manufacturing sector. Simply put if they use a shovel to dig a hole in the oil sands we supplied it the bolts they use to bolt the valves together again we probably supplied it same as the safety glasses or the fitters gloves. This makes me privy to the day to day operations of these company’s since in most cases we are integrated directly in the companies business like in the oil sands where we have three branches located in the mine site servicing all aspects of the operation exclusively. So yes I have insider knowledge and since just after the election I have been called into dam near every one of my customer’s locations to be informed that this project or that one has been put on hold or even just canceled outright its first hand knowledge.

In almost every case the reasons I listed above were the ones given to me by these companies in the meetings I have had and I have yet to hear a single one of my customers state it was because the price of oil today. I will state this again it has jack all to do with the price of oil today when these projects will not even come on line for years yet why the hell would they care what the price of oil is today when these projects wont produce oil for another 5 years? So next time some dipper no mind barista tries to tell you its not the NDP’s fault just bring this little fact up and watch their heads explode because so far all I have seen from dippers is that when you confront them with facts they grow silent and or belligerent either way you might just get them thinking and that can only be a good thing.

WoHooooooooooo

Social libertarian/Fiscal Conservative - 1

Right Wing hard Core - 0

Today, the First Salvo in the Battle is Over and has come to an end with a good result.

This afternoon it was announced that Danielle Smith had won the leadership race for the Wild-rose Alliance Party of Alberta over her challenger Mark Dyrholm.

Now the Dyrholm Team had Mark who seems like a decent guy up front as the Candidate then in the back ground he had a number of Well Known Far-Right wing conservatives that would like nothing better than to have society in Alberta Legislated by the Bible. The platform Mark had (what ever that was) seemed to get pushed aside by his supporters and instead they came at any one that asked about open thought with the attitude of “The Bible guides all thought” and if you questioned that you were a atheist, Gay loving, Baby killer and between the insults they would offer to “Save you” if you came to the Dyrholm camp of thinking.

So now you may ask How did these Guys plan to win? WELLL that’s the funny part the stratigist of the team felt that he has the pulse of Albertans and speeks for Albertans….(Un HUN….This from a guy that moved to Alberta in 1995 from Ontario) Felt that the religious right of the province would support this type of politics. Surprise…He should have looked at the numbers …..Although Alberta is the religious mother land of Canada with over 70% of Albertans saying they identify with and support religious beliefs …. Only 40% go to church and less than 2% of Albertans think that religion is the only guiding force in there lives. Hum that means 98% don’t go hard on religion.

So what do Albertans go hard on? That’s easy Family “THERE OWN FAMILY” they want to give there family every thing they want and need in life . Albertans also go hard on making money this they need to do in order to cover the No. 1 thing,.. and along with the 1^st thing and the 2^nd thing they would like to live long enough to spend the number 2 thing. Albertans really go hard on getting there kids an education of caliber so that they can go to top post secondary schools and to do this the kids need to understand that the Sun does not revolve around the Earth and that the first cloning experiment did not involve Adam or the garden of Eden. Out side of that every thing else is irrelevant and really they only need A Governing body to manage the province so that Albertans can do those 4 things in peace and happiness for ALL.

Now this brings me to the Winner!!!! Danielle Smith

Danielle’s team ………… Well I’m sure they are there but Danielle is the Package and stands on all calls as her own. I found that she has a group of key supporters (not as much a TEAM,) that works together to build the party and that seems to be happening so far so good. When you are contacted by Smith supporters you are engaged by “Steady Eddy faux-pas” AND what is needed to be done to correct them!.

Instead of insulting your intelligence they admit to past failings and look towards a new way to get back to “The Alberta Advantage” . The supporters I’ve talked with have lived in Alberta since birth or at the vary least since the last time our province had a heart attack back in 80-81. So I found a lot of Smith Supporters understood that LIBERAL meant “Liberal party of “Canada” interchangeable with” Alberta” and that is the nasty piece of work that GAVE us our last heart attack!!!!!! On the other hand Libertarian/Conservatives that’s an Idea “due its time” and may work ….No will work! In Alberta.

Ok now your thinking…..well I did not know that! or maybe its “Ya like sooooo Tell me some thing I don’t Know” and if your in the first group keep reading and if it’s the second group get some one else to read it.

Tom Kovacs