Let’s blow the Heritage Fund on an oil refinery
“Never read the comments,” is wise advice for anyone who dares write or post anything, anywhere, in this world of social media pile-on.
But it’s a case of do as I say and not as I do, as perversely, I sort of enjoy the different ways people will either boil me in oil, or conversely, have an even worse fate in mind by urging a run for public office. All I ask is please use a few fresh metaphors along with the invective.
So I’m glad I don’t heed my own advice, otherwise, I’d have ignored the comments from William Espanioli, which I’ll take the liberty of repeating.
“What happened with Rachel Notley’s plan to build refineries in Alberta? In my opinion six new refineries will employ tens of thousands of both blue- and white-collar individuals (from engineers and technologists to pipe fitters and welders). At the same time Alberta would be killing two birds with one stone, solve the unemployment problem and excuses used for the opposition to Alberta oil. Groups in B.C. and Quebec would no longer say no to gasoline flowing through pipelines. We could use the Heritage Fund, last I looked it was at $17 billion, this is a rainy day.”
Now, on first glance, my reaction was likely a mirror image of many Albertans who lived through the Don Getty era — what a glorious way to waste $17 billion.
But these are different days and, to quote economist John Maynard Keynes, “When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?”
So, after some reflection, and despite knowing in my bones it would likely end in an epic disaster, I think it is an idea worth considering.
At least it offers a suggestion to end the current pipeline standoff that is paralyzing Alberta, and which will do the same thing economically to the entire country in years to come, even if the nitwits haven’t realized it yet.
The Heritage Fund has long been dead in the water. Any money made is siphoned off quicker than Montreal can dump raw sewage into the Saint Lawrence River. Essentially, we’re left with enough in the kitty to provide four months of provincial spending — hardly the panacea of future security Peter Lougheed envisaged in starting the darn thing 40 years ago.
Already, the NDP is using it to make so-called strategic investments in certain industries, so we know many millions of dollars will soon disappear.
Anyhow, I love the delicious irony of the NDP actually succeeding in diversifying our energy economy — into refining.
Yes, we’ve tried this before and it hasn’t worked, but it looks absolutely pointless repeatedly going on bended knee to the rest of this country to ask permission to allow pipelines through their patch.
And expecting the feds to force the issue is a hope equally doomed.
Not only is it pointless, it’s becoming demeaning — do the people in Quebec and B.C. want us to beg in order to fund development that might actually provide some economic growth for a country so dependent on the energy business? Maybe they do. Maybe it is just jealousy and envy fuelling this make-believe outrage, plus the warm glow of being on the right side of the green debate without having to actually sacrifice anything in the short term.
Whatever the reason, be it noble or selfish, the process is as blocked as a Sikome Lake toilet before the powers that be decided it should become a new northern spa destination. So count me in on the refinery idea. Sure, it may not work, but we’re going to waste the money on other projects anyhow and, if nothing else, it gives us the chance to return the finger to the rest of Canada. Right now, that’s worth every penny of $17 billion. So thanks for the idea, Bill. Just don’t read the comments.
Already, the NDP is using it to make so-called strategic investments in certain industries, so we know many millions of dollars will soon disappear.