Free Republic

If new bitumen pipelines are not built to the West Coast, Alberta must opt for both new local upgrading projects, and more capacity to produce refined products which can be more easily shipped and exported, a global energy expert said Thursday. “If Northern Gateway doesn’t go ahead, or Kinder Morgan’s TransMountain to Vancouver, Alberta could produce more synthetic crude to move east to Sarnia and beyond. Another option is more local refining, and certainly there is strong local demand for diesel,” said Robert Johnston, director of global energy and natural resources for the Eurasia Group, at the PricewaterhouseCoopers Energy Visions...

I haven't seen this much flip-flopping since a Gull Lake trout hit the bottom of the boat. Or, as an old friend of mine once said, "He's trying so hard to avoid looking at the problem he looks like a tweaking rooster watching ping-pong."

But my party – my government – lied to me. The party I have supported since becoming politically aware has destroyed my trust in them. I find myself as many Albertans do today, wondering if the next sound bite or government statement is the truth or another ‘its in the courts’ untruth.

It was a tenet of the late great economist Julian Simon that we'll never run out of any commodity. That's because before we do the increasing scarcity of that resource will drive up the price and force us to adopt alternatives. For example, as firewood grew scarce people turned to coal, and as the whale oil supply dwindled 'twas petroleum that saved the whales. Now we're told we're running out of petroleum. The "proof" is the high prices at the pump. In fact, oil cost about 50% more per barrel in 1979-80 than now when adjusted for inflation. Yet it's...