Sue's Blog

Monday, August 20, 2007

Danny to save Canada....

...because Ontario and Alberta are looking after themselves.


While our Premier (Joe Generous) is finding ways to save Canada from its energy woes - his idol - Alberta - is not so infatuated with security of supply.

While attending the Premiers meet - greet - and heat - Danny Williams was very magnanimous with our potential power from the Lower Churchill. He was gushing over Newfoundland and Labrador's ability to supply superior energy to "Canada".

A Montreal Gazette story on Saturday was commenting on the Security and Prosperity conference being held in Quebec between Canada - United States - and Mexico. The piece points out that while Harper says Canada is an energy superpower - Gordon Laxer, director of the Parkland Institute, a research network at the University of Alberta says "It's an energy satellite."

While Danny worries about Alberta's economy taking a hit with proposed emission targets - Alberta cares little about Newfoundland and Labrador.

Consider this:

We import close to one million barrels of oil a day to supply 90 per cent of market demand in Quebec and Atlantic Canada and about 35 per cent in Ontario.

Canada exports more than 1.6 million barrels of oil a day to the United States, close to two-thirds of our production. Guess where most of that comes from.

The story goes on to say:

When it comes to natural gas, Canada meets domestic needs with minimal - though growing - recourse to imports. But we continue to sell more natural gas to the United States than we consume ourselves, even though Canada has less than nine years of proven reserves at current levels of production.

Laxer continues:

Canada's current approach puts our long-term energy security at risk, Laxer said. "If Canadian governments don't look after Canadians, then who will? You can be sure the Americans are going to look after themselves."

Alberta is not likely to slow down its extreme production levels despite what that may mean for Canada in the short-term (environmental treaties) or the long-term (security of supply). Despite this obvious self-serving policy in Alberta - our Premier is going to be a gentleman - save Canada (Ontario Nova Scotia New Brunswick and Alberta) from itself.


Williams is determined to fuel the economy of Ontario by exporting our superior energy from the Lower Churchill. As Ontario's Minister of Energy - Dwight Duncan said earlier this year:

"...the planned Lower Churchill project fits perfectly with Ontario's future energy demands."This is clean, green, renewable power that we'd like to get into the southern Ontario market..." "We have an air quality problem. We have a need for new power.

If Ontario has an air quality problem and shortage of supply - our policy should be to remove some of the industry from them - not to give them more power to crush our own economic potential and the subsequent loss of our people.

All the Premiers except one would go along with reduction in tail-pipe emissions - Ontario of course - because they will protect their 325 thousand jobs in the auto-sector. What a joke Danny - what a joke.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

We are doubly hit when we ship out our energy resources to fuel industry in other parts of Canada and the United States.

1. We are NOT creating jobs or an economy in our own backyard when we export our energy resources.

2. When other areas of Canada and the United States utilize our exported energy to maintain, and create economies, those places are creating pollution. Since weather systems flow from West to East, so does the pollution created and that pollution falls on the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in the form of Acid Rain.

When will we ever learn, when will we learn?

WJM said...

our superior energy from the Lower Churchill

What's superior about energy from the so-called Lower Churchill? None of my appliances care where or how their electricity is generatd.

Anonymous said...

"What's superior about energy from the so-called Lower Churchill?"

Always the person with no common sence arent we WJM.What makes this energy "superior" is the fact that it creates no CO2 Emissions to make .Does that answer that silly question?

Sue,there will have to be a great trade off for this power if it does goes south.Im talking joint management of the fishery ,an indefinite extension to the Atlantic Accord ,and a Far Greater stake in Hibernia.

Anything less would be seen as a weekness in the Williams Administration ,and the death of his Governement.And ,to be honest ,I think that Premier Williams has a differant Picture painted for himself in our History books.

As far as not getting something back that will greatly benefit the Province ,I highly doubt that Happening.

OH ,YUCK,I sound like a Danny Williams supporter.Sorry guys.My Rants are starting to offend even me,let alone WJM. :)

PS; Guys im looking for a litle Orange Tiger say about 12 inchs in height ,and ..........ah forget it!!!

WJM said...

Always the person with no common sence arent we WJM.What makes this energy "superior" is the fact that it creates no CO2 Emissions to make

Wrong.

Does that answer that silly question?

Nope.

What's inherently "superior" about the energy itself?

Sue,there will have to be a great trade off for this power if it does goes south.Im talking joint management of the fishery

Danny used to talk a great game about "joint management".

Now that it's been offered, why hasn't he accepted?

Anonymous said...

So if you take industry away from Ontario, where does it go?

Anonymous said...

"So if you take the industry away from Ontario, where does it go?"

From Ontario's point of view it doesn't really matter - it's just gone.
Same as if you take resources, including Hydro out of Labrador and away from Labradorians - it doesn't matter where it goes, it's just gone. Just Gone.