Thread by @Mitchell_AB

Full house at #ValueofAB conference. Jack Mintz now speaking. #ableg

Joe Oliver up next. “Yes, he’s from Toronto,” Danielle Smith says during the introduction, “but he comes in peace.”
#avleg #abpoli

Oliver says “it is undeniable that Alberta has been treated and exploited as a cash cow.”

“For liberals, the scirecard is apparently more important than the conflagration,” Oliver says.

“UNDRIP is guaranteed to cause more issues”.

Says we lose billions annually due to the price differential.

“We’re in a national crisis of the government’s own making,” Oliver asserts. He’s referring to the oil sands, and equalization paid to “ungrateful provinces”.

Quebec has a $4 billion dollar surplus this year, he adds. My research still says $1.4B reuters.com/article/canada…

“CO2 is not a pollutant” he insists, and references soda drinks 😳

“Polar bears are thriving; land burned by wildfires is lessening since 2013”

“Climate policy will cost Canada billions and the world, trillions.”

“Canada’s 1.6% contribution means we cannot make any meaningful change to global temperatures... nobody cares what Canada does unless they have a commercial interest.”

“In 2018, Alberta’s energy sector contributed $91B to” the fed economy.

Panel on now with Jack Mintz, Ted Morton and Joe Oliver - moderated by Danielle Smith.

Discussing how separation will allow Alberta much better bargaining opportunities.

Oliver: what is so frustrating is to hear that we've passed the point of being able to have a rational discussion. One of the ways you try to deal with it is to get some facts out.

Says he was disappointed Trump decided not to have a "red-blue debate" on climate change.

Oliver says we shouldn't be in such a state of terror that we can't talk about the facts.

Morton: Ottawa can't send the entire province of Alberta to jail if they don't pay their federal taxes.

Smith: I can't ask Corus to send my tax dollars to AB. What can citizens do?

Mintz: we should be saying to Ottawa "keep your cash grants and give us personal tax points instead." The federal tax rate is in the upper 20 percentage points because they get more from the federal govt. If we get rid of the transfers, he says, we could pay less.

Morton: the next step is that part of Kenney's fair deal where we collect our own income tax. I think the EU needs to be looked at as a model.

Oliver: I'm concerned given the current fiscal situation Canada is in w the high likelihood of an economic downturn, deficits w increase

Now a networking break - I shall return :)

Back from break:
Chief Jim Boucher up now “we decided to take control of our lives, our people, and our community.”

“We’ve chosen a route to dialogue and discussion... some of them are not easy but we can do it” #ableg #ValueofAB

Boucher: the oil sands industry is second to none. Fort McKay did one of the biggest deals in oil sands history. Beneficial for Ft MacKay for 25 years with the option to renew. It allows them to invest and become proper partners.

Boucher: for 15 yrs we’ve made decisions with the best interests of the community. We need to have the tools, proper mechanisms and management but most of all we need good people.

Grand Chief Billy Morin: went on a trade mission to Dubai last year and was surprised to learn oil and gas is a small percentage of GDP.

Enoch works to build partnerships with the county of Parkland, City of Edmonton, province and Ottawa.

Adds that Enoch has given more than $14 million to communities outside of Enoch. He says those who say the money should stay in Enoch are missing how they need Albertans to visit the casino and they look forward to continuing to give to all of the province.

Morin says he has a vested interest in Alberta doing well.

Another panel is beginning with Chief Morin and Chief Boucher.

Morin: I don't think we have the same agenda. I think the FN people are entrenched in a position where they want to remain in Canada.

Previous was Boucher whoops!
Boucher: I believe that confederation works well for FN to a certain extent. Realistically, I think the issue with Wexit is not anti-nationalism vs nationalism - I think a lot of people love Canada and the opportunities this country offers.

Morin: I think separation is a non-starter.

If we have a referendum on federal income tax I think that's something we can discuss.

Smith: what if we did start that conversation though?

Boucher: Alberta would have a bunch of holes that would be excluded.

Boucher: feels FN would not have a choice just by virtue of the electoral divisions in the province. "I don't think it's a good question for our people to face"

Thinks the question should be: "How can we make Canada more inclusive?"

Smith: when you talk about Ottawa it seems like an afterthought - so why would you not want this?

Morin: we start with the Treaties. It's a convoluted conversation. Says best relationships is a business one. I don't think any level of govt should tell me how to run my community

Smith: as FN communities become more independent, what do you need Ottawa for? Couldn't Treaties be renegotiated?

Morin: You wouldn't start at separation. I think there's a middle ground that we could come to for Alberta and FN communities.

Smith: what is so important about the Treaty relationship with Ottawa that you think you would lose?

Boucher: I think it's psychological. People are very keen to see the recognition of their relationship to the land, the people and future generations.

Boucher: I think there needs to be a discussion right across the country about what that relationship looks like.

Morin: the Treaties are older in AB and SK; there is a huge conflict between them Treaty 6 spans both provinces

Boucher: Treaty 8 in in NWT, AB, SK and MB

Smith: but you don't want medicine chests anymore, you want healthcare. Provincial and federal govts are fighting over whose responsibility it is to provide services.

Morin: Treaty, when we're talking about value and self-autonomy, we're talking about benefits.

Morin: Throw the word privatization out about healthcare - change it to sovereign healthcare - design a better model.

Smith: there's hostility toward the Indian Act - is it outdated?

Boucher: it's outdated and needs to be replaced. But what to replace it with?

Boucher: Alberta can make laws and Canada can make laws but we can make better laws. We can take care of our people. Education; now we have a three-way relationship. The feds will only give $3k, but the province will give $11k. Paul Martin didn't want FN to develop educationally

Boucher: Change it so FN can realize their opportunities.

Smith: Ottawa seems to shortchange everyone. If we have recognized there is a broken relationship between us and Ottawa, it seems doubly so for FN.

Morin: The Ottawa relationship is.. my job is to provide opportunities for my community but it's not to create an environment where you feel everything is owed to you. It's not the right paradigm to rely on Ottawa.

Smith: you're both from rich FN - there are a lot of small FN - how would they perceive this conversation?

Boucher: Sometimes life gives you a winning lottery ticket and it all depends on what you do with it.

Smith: UNDRIP and hereditary Chiefs

Morin: I support UNDRIP - I think it's principled but not practical. I think you have to take it project by project, and day by day. I think it's (condescending, not meaningful).

Smith: we're only hearing from hereditary Chiefs

Boucher: some people were raised in political households with respect to the environment and they ensure their views are heard in the media. I worked for Syncrude for over 30 years. Indian people have a different perspective - there's two different views

Boucher: there's no one common consensus. I think we need to be proactive with how we work together.
Smith: where do you stand on climate change?
Morin: young people are going to push it. It's based on polarized views and misinformation. Asks how many in the room under 20 - zero

Morin says there you go - they should be here.

Morning session is concluding and we're having lunch and a keynote - Conrad Black - at 12:30.

Conrad Black: we need to stop making the comparisons that one form of energy is better than another. We need to have adult conversations about our oil and gas industry and protecting the environment.

The population's growing and they're going to want a better standard of living