MLA Report Oct 15

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. Now that it is over, consider how you can continue with the spirit. October is National Disabled Employment Awareness Month. Employers, did you know that this untapped resource can turn into your most valuable employees? Just ask somebody who has hired them. They can be a fantastic, productive asset to your business and your community. All our very able friends ask for is a chance. They won’t let you down. I and my staff will be happy to help.
Looks like the government wants to extract more money from the hurting oil industry. We are already faced with 45,000 job losses, rising taxes, and a shell-shocked industry that is fighting to survive. We cannot control world oil prices but why, with such a rich resource, do we have to sell it at a discount? Why? Because we have limited access to the market. We are landlocked, that’s a fact. We are fighting to build pipelines to sell resources to our fellow Canadians and the world but are being blocked at every step. Why? Good question! It is a question I ask every day. It is a question that I am asked every day. We are losing money, our money, every day. And yet our government insists on sending mixed messages. One day they support pipelines, the next day they don’t. Depends on their audience. We have people fighting pipelines to “protect our environment” from this “dirty oil”, and yet are justified in shipping it in from every other place on earth. NOT IN MY BACK YARD is alive and well. Let’s be clear: discounted sales mean discounted royalties, and less money for education, health care, senior care, and every other necessary service that the government provides. Both Alberta and Canada are losing out. Instead of exporting oil, we are exporting our talent, our investors and our jobs to the open arms of other jurisdictions that are more than happy to take our investment capital and offer the advantages that once belonged to Alberta. Alberta’s Energy Minister is heading to China to try and garner some investment into Alberta’s energy sector, and as a “potential customer”. This is fabulous, and maybe it would be useful to have a pipeline to get it to tide water…just a thought.
Let’s quit hobbling our energy sector’s ability to compete, and work with them to create and sustain ideas that will reduce GHG’s and increase production efficiencies. Let’s “re-energize” and incentivize our industry by fostering a stable investment environment that is responsible and is working towards less carbon-intensive production. Let’s build some pipelines and get this product moving, and bring back prosperity to Alberta.
I love Alberta, and like you I am a proud Albertan. The Wildrose Party will continue to stand up for Albertans. When times are tough we are tougher, and we will ensure that you are heard.