Natural Resources committee  Let me begin by addressing some of the points that have been raised, which will relate to some of your questions. We've heard from several of the witnesses today who've repeated this figure of $50 million lost per day. This is based on the assumption that if we were to get bette

Natural Resources committee  From the Federation of Labour's perspective, we think we don't have to make a choice between the environment and job creation. But what's missing from the oil sands development in the Alberta situation is direction from the provincial government. We know there are good technolog

Natural Resources committee  As part of our testimony before the National Energy Board hearings on various bitumen export pipelines, we have contracted with economists to do the kind of calculations that we've heard from the Conference Board about induced job creation and multiplier effects. Our analysis h

Natural Resources committee  I think one number is really telling. Only a few years ago about two-thirds of bitumen extracted in Alberta was upgraded in the province before being exported for sale. That number has collapsed to about 50%, and by the Alberta government's own estimates—according to testimony th

Natural Resources committee  Okay. To the members of the committee, I say this. You want to hear about jobs, but we would argue that more jobs, and more stable and valuable jobs, would be created if we moved up the value ladder rather than down. You want to hear about royalties, and I would suggest to you t

Natural Resources committee  Thank you. Good morning. I've appeared before this committee before and I know how quickly seven minutes can go. I'm going to move right into my talk by presenting you with the Alberta Federation of Labour's top five reasons why the oil sands are a blessing, but a mixed one. Nu

Natural Resources committee  It's interesting that you asked the question, because just last week our federation, which represents 27 unions and 160,000 unionized Albertans—I underline that, “Albertans”—passed a policy statement, a policy paper, on carbon taxes. Our unions, including those representing ene

Natural Resources committee  I can only speak to the oil and gas industry, which I have the most experience with. I think that if concerted efforts aren't made by policy-makers at the provincial level primarily, but also at the federal level, we run the very real risk of being stuck at the low end of the val

Natural Resources committee  The question is about adding value. We've heard from several people that we cannot add value because of the concept of comparative advantage. My very quick response, first of all, is that there's not a consensus on that in the economic community. Moreover, I think Paul Krugman, t

Natural Resources committee  Why don't you ask the labour guy the question about labour? That would be a radical idea.

Natural Resources committee  I'm sure you will.

Natural Resources committee  Do you only ask questions that jibe with your ideological point of view?

Natural Resources committee  The documents in question were produced by something called the hydrocarbon upgrading task force, a task force established by the Alberta provincial government to look at the viability of moving up the value ladder. Their own experts basically came to the conclusion that it made

Natural Resources committee  Yes.

Natural Resources committee  One of them was Wood Mackenzie, which is a—