Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your Monday reading. – Pratap Chatterjee discusses our new age of robber barons – and how the wealthiest CEOs get out of paying any tax at all…
potash
No Vale on the Plains?
I had the following comments in yesterday’s front-page story on Vale’s decision to postpone its proposed $3-billion potash mine at Kronau, Saskatchewan: Regina economist Erin Weir, who is widely expected…
1% Potash Royalties: Typo or Foreshadowing?
Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Energy and Resources has released its 2011-12 Annual Report. The potash table (page 36) incredibly shows “Royalty/Tax” revenue of only $62.5 million in 2010-11 and $38.4 million…
Agrium Halves Potash Royalties
Agrium reports that it paid half as much to the people of Saskatchewan in the second quarter as it had in the same quarter of last year. The company’s quarterly…
Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Zach Carter shines a spotlight on the few types of interests who stand to gain from austerity: But the austerity game also has…
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…
Debating Boyd on Resource Royalties
Saskatchewan’s Minister of Energy and Resources replied to my op-ed and letter on Dutch disease and resource royalties. On Friday, he was promoted to Minister of Everything. Columnist Murray Mandryk…
Canadian Mining and Manufacturing Stumble
Statistics Canada reported today that the economy shrank in February, driven by declines in resource extraction and manufacturing. Oil and gas extraction as well as hard-rock mining decreased due to…
Saturday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your weekend reading. – Trish Hennessy points out that Rob Ford’s contemptuous attack on the idea of secure employment may offer an ideal contrast between the right-wing…
Wall of Silence on Canpotex
Saskatchewan’s newspapers reported today that BHP Billiton intends to sell the province’s potash outside of Canpotex, the marketing board that helps to maximize the price for which Saskatchewan potash is…
Thursday Evening Links
This and that for your evening reading. – pogge points out yet another Con slush fund, as public money earmarked for green infrastructure was instead diverted to oil, gas and…
On predictable problems
Yes, the news that the Muskowekwan First Nation may soon see its own potash development is a plus in many ways. But it’s worth pointing out how the story might…
Tuesday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading.- Yes, there's plenty of reason for outrage that the Cons are selling access to cabinet ministers through a high-priced club. But this isn't…
The Politics of Potash
Advocates of low potash royalties are claiming that New Democrats fared poorly in Saskatchewan’s recent election because they proposed higher potash royalties. Of course, potash companies and their boosters would…
Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading.- Nanos confirms that even as cities are starting to crack down on the Occupy movement, the general public is highly sympathetic to the message…
Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week.- If there's any good news in the Cons' constant attacks on labour, it's the growing recognition that workers need to fight back with no…
Unrest in Bill’s Republic of Doyle
PotashCorp CEO Bill Doyle waded into Saskatchewan’s election campaign on Friday with an op-ed in the province’s two largest newspapers. It was accompanied by a paid advertisement from PotashCorp in…
Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading - with an economic fairness theme.- John Burton highlights Saskatchewan's ownership of its own potash resources - pointed out so frequently by Brad…
On renegotiations
One of the main arguments against a potash royalty review has been the claim that the 8 years since a 2003 overhaul - in which potash prices have tripled and…
On complexities
Bruce Johnstone makes about the best case one possibly can for the Sask Party's refusal to review potash royalties. But it necessarily misses a rather important point.After all, there's absolutely…