The China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s (CNOOC) bid to acquire Nexen is a large and complex proposal. Canadians should call for a more thorough and transparent review than other foreign takeovers have received under the Investment Canada Act. A preliminary outline of possible costs and benefits follows. The Downside: Chinese
Continue readingTag: Saskatchewan
The Progressive Economics Forum: Saskatchewan’s Rising Cost of Living
Today’s Consumer Price Index provides further evidence of Saskatchewan’s rising cost of living. Among the provinces, Saskatchewan is tied for the second-highest annual inflation rate: 2.0%. Consumer prices decreased in June from May in nine provinces (all except Alberta). But Saskatchewan was tied for the smallest monthly price decline: -0.3%.
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: As Close As We’ll Get
SaskAdapt.ca feels like waving the white flag, but it is an important website, and a project at the UofR. It’s also the closest we’ll get to an admission from the Sask Party government that climate change is real, and is a grave threat to our people (and every living thing
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Mosaic Profit Argues for Higher Royalties
Today’s Mosaic quarterly report provides further evidence that the Government of Saskatchewan should improve its royalty and tax structure to collect a better return on the province’s non-renewable resources like potash. Quarterly Comparison Despite higher potash prices, Mosaic paid lower royalties and resource taxes to Saskatchewan last quarter than in
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Does Red Leaf’s "EcoShale" Technology Greenwash Oil Shale Extraction?
Red Leaf EcoShale.png At the Clinton Global Initiative in 2008, former Vice President Al Gore called the possibility of fossil fuel corporations extracting oil shale "utter insanity." Insanity, though, doesn't serve as a hinderance for deeply entrenched and powerful fossil fuel interests. Oil shale, also known as kerogen, should not be confused with
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Investing in the Green & White – Why Not in Green Power?
At yesterday’s Saskatchewan Roughrider game, Premier Wall announced provincial funding for a new stadium: an $80-million grant and a $100-million loan to be repaid over time through a surcharge on tickets. While it’s unclear why a stadium should be anywhere near the top of the priority list, a readiness to
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Randy Hoback’s Pulp Fiction
Last week, Conservative MP Randy Hoback had another letter in The Prince Albert Daily Herald blaming the NDP for the pulp-mill closure in 2006. He still has not addressed my main point about resource royalties. I have the following response on page 4 of today’s Herald: Pulp mill saga proves
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Right to Work, again
In case anyone was wondering about the effectiveness of right to work laws in suppressing unionization, here is a chart of Union coverage by U.S. State (the percentage of all employees that are covered by a collective agreement) as of 2010. Right to work states have an asterisk, and are outlined
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Lost Train
I was all set to write something, great I’m sure, and had to do something before I started typing. I came back to this page, and I’d forgotten what exactly I wanted to write about! Instead, I’m remembering parts of a dream I had two nights ago, which was more
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: The Moose Jaw Tornado
Last week there was an impressive tornado south west of Moose Jaw. Here’s one of the more popular videos of it, brought to you by Saskatoon Scanner who I know going back to the early YouTube days. – A little bolt lightning, but mostly sheet lightning illuminating the clouds sweeping
Continue readingFalse positive: private profit in Canada's health care: Happy Birthday Saskatchewan Medicare from the U.S. Supreme Court
Fifty years ago, on July 1, 1962, Saskatchewan introduced the first universal health insurance program in North America. The United States Supreme Court’s decision upholding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a fitting birthday present. Even though the Act was passed two years ago it now has legs.
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Solar Tour
On the weekend I had a fantastic tour of the Regina area, along with my parents, seeing the sights highlighted by conversions to solar energy. Solar PV, and active and passive solar heating were demonstrated in locations adjacent to the General Hospital, Shannon Road in south Regina (part of where
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Agreeing with Hoback’s Headline
I have the following letter in today’s Prince Albert Daily Herald (page 4): Reinvest Resource Wealth in Saskatchewan To the editor: I strongly agree with the title of MP Randy Hoback’s letter: “Siphoning money out of the west is wrong” (June 9). My proposal is to keep more money in
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Roy Romanow rightly notes that Canada’s federal government needs to take a lead role in building our public health care system, rather than abandoning the field to the province. – Now that the Cons’ budget has raised the question of whether we
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Prairie Music
Saskatchewan is known for many musicians, and types of music. It has a provincial name that is a challenge to include in songs too. However, not many people have heard the musical qualities of grain bins. It’s like steel drum meets vocalist. Enjoy! I’ve spent a few minutes of my
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: I Spill, You Spill, We all Spill for Oil
The Canadian Press had a rather disappointing effort in presenting the true harm to the Red Deer area animal (and human) system. I know they’re short on time, so why not just publish the press releases from Midstream Oil Gusher Co. Ltd. instead of pretending like they’re journalists? After all,
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material to start your week. – Trish Hennessy reminds us that a system of taxes and social spending is ultimately the most valuable means of pooling our resources for everybody’s benefit. And E.J. Dionne highlights the need for progressives to speak up for the principle of collective public action.
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Debating Hoback on Resource Royalties
Prince Albert MP Randy Hoback began last week’s inquisition by objecting to my recent op-ed in The Saskatoon StarPheonix on the “Dutch disease” debate between Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall and federal NDP leader Tom Mulcair. He then interrupted to question my NDP affiliation. As indicated in today’s Prince Albert Daily
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Labour Market Stalls
Canada’s job market stalled in May. Employment edged up by 7,700, almost all of it part-time. In fact, the number of employees paid by Canadian employers fell by 15,600. Total “employment” rose only because 23,300 more Canadians reported themselves as self-employed. Over the past year, employment has grown slightly less
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Chocolate Almonds Gone Bad
The context of the “joke” might change my opinion slightly. It’s sort of sad that some kids are so isolated as to not recognize scat, and its inedible quality. Were it not for the melodramatic handling of the parents, they might come to laugh about it some day. Should the
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