Unfair?

[cakadu]

One of the reasons that alternative fuels are not popular is because of their high cost - still well over $1/litre, so they are not economical from that standpoint.

Alternative fuel production would be an example of how to get some activity back into the rural areas and help with rural development. A company that is making a canola or soy based fuel, for example, generally has it's plant within a 150 km radius of its source.

The bio-based economy is going to bring a much needed injection into the rural economy.

Big companies like Shell, for example, have invested in alternative fuels, so there are some big dollars going into this type of research.

Cowman, in answer to your question - yes.

[ivbinconned]

Cakado; you said there is more to consider than oil or money...yes you are right. Here is the perspective of another Canadian not happy with a Canada that he can not have one bit of influance on because he is from the West.

What is Fascism? To quote Mussolini " Nothing outside the state,above the state,against the state, everything to the state, for the state, in the state." Sounds kind of like what Canada has become. No property rights, state control of the methods of self defense, confiscatory taxes about 60-70% of gross income. They have risen 1380% since 1961 according to the Fraser Institute. State managed food production. Forty to fifty per cent of all people working for the state in one way or another. Severe erosion of individual rights by the state. Every facet of your life controllled and taxed in some way by the state. Three million people in Alberta and the ROC bear a burden and must comply with over 400,000 pages of laws rules and regulations of our lives. People are locked up for selling their own property. People are locked up or fined for expressing their opinion. The media is under strict state control. Witness CHOI FM in Quebec. Witness people being locked up for speaking inside a bubble zone around abortuary's. Witness election gag laws. All Albertans have had to register their wells and dugouts with the government, and have been told by Ralph Klein that the government owns their water. When will men and women of Liberty Stand Up ... Soon I hope.----IF YOU HAVE NOT SUFFERED ENOUGH IT IS YOUR GOD GIVEN RIGHT TO SUFFER SOME MORE.------

[cowman]

Good for you, Linda. Good luck.
Got to agree with you ivebinconned! Get awful sick of the government telling me everything I've got to do, so I won't be a burden on the state! Example" I must wear a seatbelt because if I get injured it will cost medi-care too much to treat me! Or can't smoke because I'll cost the welfare state too much...don't smoke but would like to make my own darned choice!
Medi-care took away a lot of our personal freedoms and further advanced the cause of the nanny state!
Another thing that really bugs me is I have to be "politcally correct" or else! Can't speak what you believe anymore...mustn't offend you know? So if you have a belief that abortion is murder you sure had better not say it, as you might offend the murderers!
Or this totally foolish idea that everyone can do any job? So you get some little bit of a girl going to be a roughneck on a service rig? Absolutely ridiculous! And yet you can't state the obvious or the "thought" police will be after you!
This is turning into one silly country.

[cakadu]

Thanks cowman.

[cakadu]

Based on what you have quoted, ivbin, then this person is not happy with Alberta either. Going to leave Alberta too?

Don't get me wrong, I am just as concerned as the next person about where all of this has gone and what I see happening. I just don't see the solutions the same way that some others do. I also don't see that doing something as extreme as walking away will do very much more for us either. Label me what you will, but I just don't see going from one extreme to the other as something that will be of benefit.

I also feel that the new "Blame Ralph" campaign of the Alberta Alliance is a little off. Shouldn't they be looking at all the people who keep electing Tories time after time? Ralph couldn't do what he does if he wasn't in power.

Politics is never pretty and in many instances no matter what is decided, someone will be unhappy. All in all, I believe we need to be grateful for a lot of what we do have.

[cowman]

Well Linda, I do agree what we do have is pretty good compared to a lot of other places. But I do not agree that we should be complacent and accept that we are getting a fair deal!
Our illustrious government here in Alberta are completely incompetent! They have literally given away the farm!
And yes I do blame the halfwits who keep voting the likes of Klein in but why is that a surprize?
You have a federal government that are a proven den of thieves and we keep voting them in, right? So why not a few incomnpetents and drunks from Alberta?
If every seat in western Canada voted to get rid of the eastern power base it would make not one iota of difference? That is why when you turn on the tv on election night you always hear"A Liberal government elected"! So what is our vote?...nothing!...Not a real democracy?
The fact is the majority will always vote for the ones who take care of them? And the other fact is the bloody country would be belly up without Albertas oil and gas revenues? So it is simple...screw the west to appease the rest! A winning formula? Mob rule?

[ivbinconned]

"There is no valid argument to suggest that Western Canada would not be better off today if under self government. Separating would be the best thing that ever could happen to the socialist governing elite in Ottawa who have only held on to power because they are able to prop up their failed policies by robbing those who can not defend themselves under the present system. They would have to face reality, as we all should."

That was a paste of what I wrote higher up.

"robbing those who can not defend themselves"...

Cakado, thats you and me and Cowman. Thats our grown up kids who we have raised to be contributors to our society and economy. Thats all your friends and neighbors, your grand kids...God help them.

I would trade in a heart beat this situation, having no influence in our government to one where I would have an equal chance as anyone else to influence my government...who wouldn't. Only those who are deluded in thinking that they do.

You say this is extreme...if we don't stem the tide soon...it will become exreme for our grand kids.

[cakadu]

One should also remember that the real Eastern Canada i.e. the East Coast probably feels somewhat similar to what we do in terms of not having much say in federal politics.

Let's face it - between Ontario and Quebec, they have enough votes to sway things one way or the other. Vancouver is likely getting up there in terms of population, but all the rest of the provinces combined do not have the total population that Ontario and Quebec do.

I guess one of the reasons I have such a hard time with what you guys are espousing is the fact that I am not swayed by money or power. I also don't believe that these resources are "mine" and eventually everyone has to pay the piper.

[ivbinconned]

Your are going to run for office...what is it that "sways" you?

[cakadu]

The biggest thing that sways me is the challenge of trying to find solutions to new and emerging issues, as well as current issues. An example would be the projected growth for the County - how do you balance all the competing needs?

[cowman]

Hey Linda, you hit it right on the head about the county! That is going to be the main problem in the next few years...the developement thing? Now this election is going to probably slip off into side issues like the elected reeve, democratic process, the "Taj Mahal" office building, and the cruddy roads, but it should be about "Where are we going and how do we get there"? I can see a storm brewing on this one in a big way?
The rights of the landowners to cash in on their property versus what might be best for the overall developement of the county? Lots of POed people no matter what the council decides? Lots of lawsuits, lots of fighting? Not a pretty picture. I'm not sure I envy you if you succeed in getting in!

[cowman]

Well Linda, it looks like you have lots of running mates? I believe three?
Lougheed will be tough to beat, but good luck anyway!
Nice to hear there are some people running in two and seven, besides the two incumbents? It would be good if those two troublemakers got skidded?

[cakadu]

Never been afraid of a challenge yet cowman. Choice is never a bad thing.

[cakadu]

Never been afraid of a challenge yet cowman. Choice is never a bad thing.