The American Press Institute (API) describes pack journalism,” now known as “the master narrative,” as a story line the press corps en masse is telling or repeating. The API warns that master narratives can become a “trap or rut” and … Continue reading →
Continue readingTag: Energy & Natural Resources
Susan on the Soapbox: The NDP’s Power Play: Myths and Facts
Alberta’s NDP government wants to save Albertans $2 billion and the Wildrose, the Progressive Conservatives and the media are churning up a dust storm of misinformation trying to stop them. Let’s take it from the top, shall we? Klein deregulates … Continue reading →
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Notley’s Budget: Myths and Facts
The NDP government unveiled its budget on Thursday. The conservatives reacted as if the government dropped a neutron bomb on the people. Wildrose leader Brian Jean worried that parents driving their kids to hockey practice would end up in the … Continue reading →
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: “Kudatah”: It’s not a joke
Ms Soapbox is deeply troubled by last week’s failed Kudatah. The Kudatah (or “coup d’etat” for those who know how to spell) was George Clark’s attempt to overthrow the NDP government. George blames the NDP for the economic downturn. He … Continue reading →
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Trudeau On Pipelines: Maybe
Last week Justin Trudeau walked into the lion’s den—a boardroom filled with the country’s top oilpatch executives—and got it half right. Luckily he had the good sense to take Premier Notley with him. Mr Trudeau, Ms Notley and Big Oil … Continue reading →
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Notley’s Royalty Review
Rachel Notley is driving Brian Jean and Ric McIver crazy. Every time they think they’ve backed her into a corner on the energy file she comes out with a creative and pragmatic solution which has the industry’s backing. What’s the … Continue reading →
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Notley’s Approach to Trans Mountain (boys, get with the program)
“Projects like pipelines shouldn’t pit one province against another—they should stimulate conversations that recognize the economic needs and positions of all provinces.”—Alberta premier, Rachel Notley It doesn’t matter what Rachel Notley does to support interprovincial pipelines it’s never enough—at … Continue reading →
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: The Fly Report: Why TCPL Sued Obama and the US Government
TransCanada Pipelines (TCPL) just announced it is going to sue the US government for $15 billion under NAFTA and while they’re at it sue President Obama for exceeding his power under the US Constitution. Some lawyers say TCPL has a … Continue reading →
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Five Resolutions for Rachel Notley
Ms Soapbox’s first round of New Year’s resolutions for a politician (Alison Redford) were ignored, but she’s a persistent soul and will try again. This time she’s prepared five resolutions for Premier Rachel Notley. Stay the course on your climate … Continue reading →
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Notley Reads the Tea Leaves: The Climate Leadership Plan
Last Sunday hell froze over, or so it seemed to many Albertans. Alberta’s NDP premier, Rachel Notley, unveiled her government’s Climate Leadership Plan. She was surrounded by representatives from NGOs and aboriginal groups as well as the CEOs of Suncor, … Continue reading →
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: POTUS Kills Keystone XL
On Friday Barack Obama refused to issue a presidential permit allowing TCPL’s Keystone XL pipeline to cross the border between Canada and the United States. POTUS Obama rejected KXL because it wouldn’t meaningfully contribute to the economy, reduce gas prices or enhance America’s energy security. He described the urgent need
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: While Brad Wall is “Showboating” Rachel Notley Moves On
“Premier Wall says that if standing up for your industry and your province is showboating, take me to the bridge.”—Brad Wall’s response to Rachel Notley’s comment that Wall was “showboating” on the eve of the premiers’ meeting. Brad Wall is the second provincial premier (Jim Prentice was the first)
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Fearmongering or Hopemongering? It’s Your Call Alberta
“I think it has deteriorated into groundless name-calling, and it’s certainly not the strategy that I would take.”—Rachel Notley reflecting on comments made by Jim Prentice and Brian Jean To hear Jim Prentice and Brian Jean tell it, Rachel Notley’s plan to create a royalty commission and increase corporate taxes
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: What Happens to the Eloi When the Morlocks Leave Town: A Lesson for Jim Prentice from H.G. Wells
“History is a race between education and catastrophe.” — H G Wells HG Wells may not have had a time machine, but he was certainly prescient. In The Time Machine the narrator, known simply as the Traveller, invents a contraption that takes him to 802,701 AD. There he finds
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: When Politicians Lie…er, Misspeak Themselves
“How do you know when a politician is lying? His lips are moving.”—Political joke. Politicians don’t lie. They misspeak, they overstate, they understate. And the press distorts, takes out of context, twists, exaggerates or does something equally heinous to what they’ve said. Poor dears. Over the past few months Premier
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: OPEC Sets Up the Rollercoaster, Albertans Take a Ride (Again)
“You come from capitalist nations. You know what the market does. For any commodity it goes up and down, up and down”—Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi* Contrary to the expectations of many analysts, OPEC (read Saudi Arabia) decided it would not reduce its 30 million-barrel-a-day production quota in order to
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Jim Prentice’s First Week in Office–Straight out of the Corporate Playbook
“As of this moment, Alberta is under new management.” — Jim Prentice, 16th Premier of Alberta* Transition. There’s nothing more unsettling; no, strike that, nerve-wracking, for an organization than a change-out of senior leadership, particularly when the old leader is universally regarded as an abject failure (will I be condemned
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Alberta’s Climate Change Strategy Goes Up in Smoke
Alberta’s Auditor General blew a gasket. He called the government’s performance on climate change strategy “troubling” and “disturbing”. Hey, he’s a mild mannered accountant; this is as in-your-face as he gets. Our feisty Auditor General Mr Saher kicked off the July 2014 audit report with a lesson on the role
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: A Gift from Chief Justice McLachlin: The Tsilhqot’in Decision on Aboriginal Rights*
On June 26, 2014, in a unanimous decision of the Supreme Court of Canada, Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin gave the First Nations (and the rest of Canada) a treasure map. Chief Justice McLachlin It wasn’t a crumpled piece of paper covered with a cryptic scrawl, but a comprehensive legal analysis
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Desmond Tutu and the “Animals in War” Memorial
Everywhere you turn in London there’s a statue or monument commemorating an epic battle or a long dead sovereign. While interesting, none is as compelling as the Animals in War memorial. It reduced me to tears. The Animals in War memorial consists of two mules struggling to approach a gap
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