Andrew Scheer’s announcement and press conference on the opposition’s plan for the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion

From A News Release of The Official Opposition

The Leader of Canada’s Conservatives and the Leader of the Official Opposition, the Hon. Andrew Scheer, has laid out a two-step plan to get the Trans Mountain Expansion built and the steps a Conservative government will take in 2019 to undo the damage Justin Trudeau’s failures have caused.

“After years of failing to deliver results on the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Expansion, Justin Trudeau and the Liberals still have no plan of action to get the pipeline completed,” Scheer said. “What they announced last week gets us no closer to construction or completion of this critical project and what they have done over the last three years has inflicted terrible damage to our energy sector.

“That’s why today I am outlining steps Justin Trudeau should take immediately to get Trans Mountain built and announcing what a Conservative government will do to reverse Justin Trudeau’s failed policies and make Canada a place where energy investments are encouraged.”

These steps include:

Immediate completion of indigenous consultations

Appealing the Federal Court of Appeal’s ruling to the Supreme Court

Repealing Bill C-69 and ending the shipping ban in northern British Columbia

Enacting legislation to:

Clarify roles of proponents and governments in consultations

End foreign-funded interference in regulatory hearings

Provide certainty on approval timelines and schedules

Scheer reminds Canadians that four pipeline projects were completed under the previous Conservative government without spending one cent of taxpayers’ money. These include Enbridge’s Alberta Clipper, Trans Canada’s original Keystone pipeline, Kinder Morgan’s Anchor Loop, and Enbridge’s Line 9B Reversal. Together, they ship 1.2 million barrels of western Canadian oil every single day.

“The only thing that has changed between then – when pipelines were proposed, approved, and actually built – and now – when pipelines are suffocated to death by government overreach and incompetence – is Justin Trudeau becoming Prime Minister of Canada,” Scheer said.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Step 1: What Justin Trudeau should do right now

Appoint a Ministerial Special Representative to complete the indigenous consultation process

Enact emergency legislation to affirm that Transport Canada’s analysis of tanker traffic was sufficient and does not need to be duplicated by the National Energy Board

Request a stay of the Federal Court of Appeal ruling and appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court of Canada

Support Bill S-245 to clarify that the pipeline is under federal jurisdiction

Step 2: What a Conservative government will do in 2019

Repeal the Liberal Carbon Tax

Repeal Bill C-69, the Anti-Pipeline Bill

End the ban on shipping traffic on the North Coast of British Columbia

Enact legislation that will:

Clarify the roles of proponents and governments that are involved in consultations;

Ensure that standing is given only to those with expertise or who are directly impacted by the project in order to end foreign-funded interference in regulatory hearings; and

Provide certainty to investors on approval timelines and schedules.

Use the federal declaratory power to declare a major project ‘for the general advantage of Canada’ under Section 92.10 of the Constitution Act, 1867, where we deem it necessary for future projects.

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Alberta

Alberta mother accuses health agency of trying to vaccinate son against her wishes

Published on November 22, 2024

Todayville

From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

Alberta Health Services has been accused of attempting to vaccinate a child in school against his parent’s wishes.

On November 6, Alberta Health Services staffers visited Edmonton Hardisty School where they reportedly attempted to vaccinate a grade 6 student despite his parents signing a form stating that they did not wish for him to receive the vaccines.

“It is clear they do not prioritize parental rights, and in not doing so, they traumatize students,” the boy’s mother Kerri Findling told the Counter Signal.

During the school visit, AHS planned to vaccinate sixth graders with the HPV and hepatitis B vaccines. Notably, both HPV and hepatitis B are vaccines given to prevent diseases normally transmitted sexually.

Among the chief concerns about the HPV vaccine has been the high number of adverse reactions reported after taking it, including a case where a 16 year-old Australian girl was made infertile due to the vaccine.

Additionally, in 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received reports of 28 deaths associated with the HPV vaccine. Among the 6,723 adverse reactions reported that year, 142 were deemed life-threatening and 1,061 were considered serious.

Children whose parents had written “refused” on their forms were supposed to return to the classroom when the rest of the class was called into the vaccination area.

However, in this case, Findling alleged that AHS staffers told her son to proceed to the vaccination area, despite seeing that she had written “refused” on his form.

When the boy asked if he could return to the classroom, as he was certain his parents did not intend for him to receive the shots, the staff reportedly said “no.” However, he chose to return to the classroom anyway.

Following his parents’ arrival at the school, AHS claimed the incident was a misunderstanding due to a “new hire,” attesting that the mistake would have been caught before their son was vaccinated.

“If a student leaves the vaccination center without receiving the vaccine, it should be up to the parents to get the vaccine at a different time, if they so desire, not the school to enforce vaccination on behalf of AHS,” Findling declared.

Findling’s story comes just a few months after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith promised a new Bill of Rights affirming “God-given” parental authority over children.

A draft version of a forthcoming Alberta Bill of Rights provided to LifeSiteNews includes a provision beefing up parental rights, declaring the “freedom of parents to make informed decisions concerning the health, education, welfare and upbringing of their children.”

Alberta

Alberta’s fiscal update projects budget surplus, but fiscal fortunes could quickly turn

Published on November 21, 2024

Todayville

From the Fraser Institute

By Tegan Hill

According to the recent mid-year update tabled Thursday, the Smith government projects a $4.6 billion surplus in 2024/25, up from the $2.9 billion surplus projected just a few months ago. Despite the good news, Premier Smith must reduce spending to avoid budget deficits.

The fiscal update projects resource revenue of $20.3 billion in 2024/25. Today’s relatively high—but very volatile—resource revenue (including oil and gas royalties) is helping finance today’s spending and maintain a balanced budget. But it will not last forever.

For perspective, in just the last decade the Alberta government’s annual resource revenue has been as low as $2.8 billion (2015/16) and as high as $25.2 billion (2022/23).

And while the resource revenue rollercoaster is currently in Alberta’s favor, Finance Minister Nate Horner acknowledges that “risks are on the rise” as oil prices have dropped considerably and forecasters are projecting downward pressure on prices—all of which impacts resource revenue.

In fact, the government’s own estimates show a $1 change in oil prices results in an estimated $630 million revenue swing. So while the Smith government plans to maintain a surplus in 2024/25, a small change in oil prices could quickly plunge Alberta back into deficit. Premier Smith has warned that her government may fall into a budget deficit this fiscal year.

This should come as no surprise. Alberta’s been on the resource revenue rollercoaster for decades. Successive governments have increased spending during the good times of high resource revenue, but failed to rein in spending when resource revenues fell.

Previous research has shown that, in Alberta, a $1 increase in resource revenue is associated with an estimated 56-cent increase in program spending the following fiscal year (on a per-person, inflation-adjusted basis). However, a decline in resource revenue is not similarly associated with a reduction in program spending. This pattern has led to historically high levels of government spending—and budget deficits—even in more recent years.

Consider this: If this fiscal year the Smith government received an average level of resource revenue (based on levels over the last 10 years), it would receive approximately $13,000 per Albertan. Yet the government plans to spend nearly $15,000 per Albertan this fiscal year (after adjusting for inflation). That’s a huge gap of roughly $2,000—and it means the government is continuing to take big risks with the provincial budget.

Of course, if the government falls back into deficit there are implications for everyday Albertans.

When the government runs a deficit, it accumulates debt, which Albertans must pay to service. In 2024/25, the government’s debt interest payments will cost each Albertan nearly $650. That’s largely because, despite running surpluses over the last few years, Albertans are still paying for debt accumulated during the most recent string of deficits from 2008/09 to 2020/21 (excluding 2014/15), which only ended when the government enjoyed an unexpected windfall in resource revenue in 2021/22.

According to Thursday’s mid-year fiscal update, Alberta’s finances continue to be at risk. To avoid deficits, the Smith government should meaningfully reduce spending so that it’s aligned with more reliable, stable levels of revenue.