Edmonton Journal A Liberal Rag

Brian Mason and the NDP have been complaining about lack of press coverage they get in the pages of the Edmonton Journal. When days before Farmer Ed went on TV, Liberal leader Kevin Taft finally came out, five weeks after the royalty report was issued, to say he supported the royalty review recommendations. It made front page news in the Journal, and he was given an approving pat on the head in the papers editorial.

The NDP on the other hand was given short shrift over their announcements regarding the royalties.

The NDP issued a statement to their members and supporters in their email newsletter;

Some party members have asked about the extensive coverage the Alberta Liberals have been receiving in the Edmonton Journal. This has been the case for several years, and with an election approaching, it will likely only get worse. The Journal is entitled to support the Alberta Liberals editorially, but unfortunately, its news coverage is often biased in their favour. This relates not only to the content of articles, but also to placement of stories, headlines, and photos.

Last week's coverage of the Liberal's position regarding royalties is a good example. The Liberals waited nearly 5 weeks before taking any position on the Royalty Task Force report, and then issued only the vaguest support for increasing royalties. In the Journal, this warranted a front page story and an editorial praising Kevin Taft for helping to "define the issue". In the meantime, Brian Mason and the NDP caucus have worked tirelessly to raise awareness on royalties and to fight for a better deal. Kevin Taft failed to provide leadership on this issue when it counted - but this does not deter the Edmonton Journal.

I want to be clear that this problem does not extend to other media outlets. It is unique to the Edmonton Journal. The Sun newspapers and the Calgary Herald have conservative editorial perspectives, but this doesn't usually affect their news coverage. Television and radio outlets also give generally fair coverage.

I would like to encourage our members and supporters to be aware of this problem, and to consider challenging biased coverage when they see it. The best way to do this is to write letters to the editor when you see unfair news coverage. You can write to the Journal at letters@thejournal.canwest.com. You may also wish to consult other media sources in order to get a more complete picture of politics in Alberta.

Thank you.

Sandra Houston,

Provincial Secretary

Often the pro-Liberal editorial bias of the Journal creeps into the news stories coming from the Leg.

The other day when Mason got an emergency debate over the royalty issue passed in the Legislature the Journal headline was:

Conservatives' actions regarding royalties criminal: Taft
... EDMONTON - The Conservatives' lack of accountability on oil and gas royalties verges on criminal behaviour, Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft charged.

Which was not the real news story as even Right Wing Edmonton Sun Columnist Neil Waugh noted in his column;

Then he hilariously got out stick-handled by Brian Mason's tiny NDP caucus who asked for - and got - an emergency debate on resource royalties.

The reason behind the pro-Taft position of the Journal news and editorial writers covering the Leg was made clear in Leg Reporter Graham Thompson's column on the same subject. After spending the first half of his column uncritically quoting Taft he goes on to belittle the NDP's success at getting an emergency debate on the royalties issue. A debate that does not occur often in the Tory dominated house.
And one supported by disgruntled backbenchers not Stelmachs cabinet.

In supporting the NDP motion for an emergency debate on royalties, government members were embracing the old adage that the enemy of my enemy is my friend and so were happy to see the NDP go at the Liberals like two scorpions in a bottle and leave the government relatively unmolested.

It is much easier for the NDP to take a black and white stand on royalties than the Liberals.

The NDP doesn't have any chance of forming government and therefore doesn't have to worry about implementing its policies. Its ambition begins and ends at replacing the Liberals as official opposition.

It's an understandable strategy, one leader Brian Mason has been playing for months. And it's one he'll continue to play all through the fall session.

Or compare these two stories on the Premiers charge that the NDP wanted to bring back the dreaded NEP. Of course it is a favorite tactic of the Government to cry NEP when wanting to inflame their supporters. Of course the charge didn't stick but you wouldn't know it from the Journal article.

Edmonton Journal

Premier Ed Stelmach compared an oil and gas production tax to the much maligned national energy program today in the legislature.

Such a tax was one of the key recommendations of the province's royalty task force that delivered its report in September.

In question period, NDP Leader Brian Mason pressed Stelmach as to why he didn't adopt it and panel's other recommendations. Stelmach said it would cripple the province's economy.

"He wants a production tax, which goes back to the old strategy ... that drove Albertans out of the province, created a situation that people actually couldn't pay off their mortgages, had to leave, businesses went broke," Stelmach said.

"We're not going back to that kind of model of collecting royalties."

It was the second straight day opposition leaders went after Stelmach over royalties.

The Alberta Liberals demanded to see energy department documents from previous royalty reviews. So far, the government has kept most of those documents from the public.

Stelmach didn't answer the question directly. Instead, he talked about his government's record since he became premier last year.

Taft also asked Stelmach to explain why his governments refused to raise royalties until this year, despite warnings from the energy department that they were missing their internal targets.

"We take advice, obviously, from others," Stelmach said.

"But at the end of the day in this government the decisions are made by government, not listening to advice that may come from bureaucracies."

Edmonton Sun

Premier Ed Stelmach compared a key recommendation of his own royalty task force to the dreaded national energy program yesterday.

He also said the government overruled calls from experts for higher royalties from the energy sector because it got better advice from Tory politicians.

After ignoring repeated demands from the opposition to table all documents related to proposed energy royalty increases in the house, Stelmach suggested his government couldn't have followed through on an independent panel's recommendation that it charge a surtax on products from the oilsands.

"He's supporting the panel in its entirety," Stelmach said of a question from NDP Leader Brian Mason on why Alberta receives less oil royalties than nearly every other jurisdiction on earth.

"He wants a production tax, which goes back to the old, old strategy the former party from Ottawa imposed in Alberta, that drove Albertans out of the province and created a situation where people actually couldn't pay off their mortgages, had to leave. Businesses went broke. We're not going back to that kind of model for collecting royalties."

Mason was incredulous, noting that the independent task force was appointed by Stelmach's own government.

"Mr. Speaker, I just heard the premier compare the royalty task force to the Trudeau government's national energy program.

"So my question is, if they came up with something that's equivalent to the national energy program, Mr. Premier, why did you appoint those individuals?"

Stelmach didn't answer, instead suggesting the NDP can't both support the report and criticize it.

And for those who are in the know many of the editorial staff at the Journal have been suspected of having a bias towards the Liberals. And not just because the are the 'Official Opposition'. Now we know for sure.

Another One Bites the Dust...

Edmonton Journal veteran Larry Johnsrude is leaving journalism for redder pastures -- to join the staff of the Alberta Liberals.

He's the third high profile Alberta journalist to make the jump to politics this year. In January, Paul Stanway of the Edmonton Sun and Tom Olsen of the Calgary Herald joined Premier Ed Stelmach's office as senior flacks.

Here's the letter Johnsrude wrote to his colleagues at The Journal

Hi all,
With mixed emotions I would like to announce I have accepted the position of Director of Communications for the Alberta Liberal Caucus. It wasn't something I was seeking but was an opportunity that presented itself and I felt I couldn't turn it down. Over the past 11 years with The Journal, I have enjoyed working with all of you. I admire your professionalism and journalistic integrity. Journalism has been good to me, but I feel this is an opportunity to acquire a new set of skills and embark on a new profession.
Best wishes to all.
Larry Johnsrude

Johnsrude was the web-site editor for the Journal. He used to do a political blog
until April of this year. His new online blog he launched back then is now gone. As is he.

I've got a new blog address: MY NEW BLOG ADDRESS

It uses new software that allows for posting photos, video, links and room for feedack — all the bells and whistles.

The blog address this one appears on will remain online as an archive of my pre-April 24 postings. But anything posted since then will be at my new blog address.

Not Found: Forum Not Found

The forum you requested does not exist.

So if you detect a bias in the news coverage in the Edmonton Journal when it comes to Kevin Taft and the Alberta Liberals it's part of the Journal's view that the paper is a political player, a king maker if you like.

The paper has a long history of this going back to when they covered civic politics in the city and what applies to civic politics also applies to their provincial coverage.

In Edmonton, just as the Journal pandered shamelessly to William Hawrelak's Citizens' Committee during the 1950s, it again shilled patently for the new age progressivism of the city's brie elites in the 1990s. According to Lorimer, "Given the situation in which the mass media operate, however, it is unlikely that there can be any dramatic change in the way they inform people about city politics."(f.42) With little budget for sustained investigative reportage, and with so little real, long-term news of significance to break, the press gallery appears to fear becoming as marginalized on the news pages as the councils they cover. One remedy has been to transcend "objective" reporting and to editorialize within the guise of covering the story.

The Journal quickly turned on Bill Hawrelak when he decided to run again in the Sixties after he was found to have been in a conflict of interest. They ran a concerted campaign against him ,including front page editorial telling voters not to vote for him, but he won anyways.

During the Lougheed years, when the PC's dominated the Leg and the NDP had only one seat,and the Liberals none, they viewed themselves as the 'official opposition'. This inflated view of their political importance, has continued in the editorial mindset at the paper ever since.

This of course fulfills William Burroughs dictum; "we don't report the news, we write the news."

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Nisga'a Nation forms mine royalty company

North of 60 Mining News - February 2, 2024

Pretium Resources Inc.

Ultrahigh-grade gold permeates a rock sample collected from Brucejack– a Northern B.C. mine that represents one of the five royalties that Nisga'a Nation is transferring to Nations Royalty.

Nations Royalty is positioned to be Canada's largest business majority owned by a First Nation, significant player in realm of mining royalties.

Leveraging royalties it has received through benefits agreements for mine projects in Northern British Columbia, the Nisga'a Nation is forming a Canadian First Nations mining royalty company for Indigenous people.

The Nisga'a Nation's lands and treaty area covers nearly 27,000 square kilometers (10,400 square miles) at the southern tip of B.C.'s prolific Golden Triangle. In recent years, the northwestern B.C. First Nation has accumulated significant royalties through benefit agreements with companies exploring and developing five mine projects in its region.

On Feb. 1, the Nisga'a Nation finalized a deal to transfer these annual benefit payment entitlements to Vega Mining Inc. in exchange for Vega shares. As a result of the transaction, Vega will be majority-owned by the Nisga'a Nation and renamed Nations Royalty Corp.

"Our people have a history of leadership and innovation, from significant legal victories to the first Modern Treaty in British Columbia," said Nisga'a Lisims Government President Eva Clayton. "Today, we embark on this new venture with Indigenous groups and leaders from the mining industry to promote cooperation and progress, ushering in a new era in Indigenous business, as well as Canada's mining and natural resources sector."

Rob McLeod, a third-generation miner from the town of Stewart within the Nisga'a region and with deep family ties to Nisga'a leadership, will serve as interim president and CEO of Nations Royalty.

Mining magnate Frank Giustra is a strategic advisor to the First Nations-owned royalty company.

"I am honored to collaborate with the Nisga'a and other First Nations in establishing this essential new company," Giustra said. "Almost two decades ago, I played a role in developing the metals streaming concept as a co-founder of Wheaton Precious Metals and I see Nations Royalty as a vitally important successor to this concept."

Strong royalty foundation

Nations Royalty will be built on a foundation of five royalties Nisga'a Nation holds on one operating gold mine, one gold mine ramping up to operation in the coming months, and three advanced-stage mineral exploration and mine development projects.

These projects for which Nisga'a Nation holds royalties include:

• Brucejack – a high-grade gold mine operated by Pretium Resources Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newmont Corp, the largest gold mining company in the world. This mine produces nearly 300,000 ounces of gold per year.

• Premier and Red Mountain – a mining operation being developed by Ascot Resources Ltd. that is slated to reach commercial production in the coming months. This mine is expected to produce roughly 1.1 million oz of gold and 3 million oz of silver over the first eight years.

• KSM – a world-class mine project being developed by Seabridge Gold Inc. that is slated to produce more than 1 million oz of gold, 3 million oz of silver, 178 million lbs of copper and 4.2 million lbs of molybdenum annually for 33 years.

• Kitsault molybdenum deposit – a large and fully permitted brownfield site being actively advanced by New Moly LLC. Nisga'a Lisims Government is having preliminary discussions with mining companies on the idea of a hub and spoke mill at the site of the Kitsault.

"Our portfolio of royalties are from Tier 1 and Tier 2 assets equally diversified across gold and copper, providing a strong foundation to grow the company," said Nisga'a Lisims Government Secretary-Treasurer Charles Morven. "Our objective is to establish the Company as a long-term, dividend-paying cornerstone investment for the Nisga'a Nation."

Diversifying Indigenous royalties

The Nations Royalty benefits are expected to extend well beyond the Nisga'a Nation. The company is already in discussions with other First Nations and Indigenous groups to join the company in the near future, marking a transformative moment in Canada's mining landscape, characterized by unity, empowerment, and a shared vision for the future.

"We look forward to collaborating with First Nations across Canada and Indigenous communities worldwide, as well as outside shareholders, through Nations Royalty," said Morvan.

Building on the strong foundation laid with the Nisga'a royalties, Giustra sees Nations Royalty as a way for other Indigenous groups to expand and diversify their potential gains by pooling the royalties held in various regions of Canada and potentially in places like Alaska, where Indigenous groups hold royalties on lands owned by Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) regional and village corporations.

"Through the vision of combining additional Indigenous held royalties, Nations Royalty will provide an opportunity for Indigenous groups across Canada and potentially globally, to achieve diversification through different regions and commodities," he said.

Giustra also sees Nations Royalty as a vehicle to inspire Indigenous entrepreneurs and companies to participate in capital markets across various industries while also providing a collective Indigenous voice to sustainable mining practices.

"A core focus of the company is to build capacity for Indigenous people in the management of public companies and capital markets, which we hope will result in the creation of additional Indigenous economic ventures," he said. "The company is positioned to set new benchmarks in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, benefiting indigenous groups, investors, and capital markets."

Details of the deal

Vega Mining, a company formerly listed as a metals and mining company on the TSX Venture Exchange, is basically a shell company for the formation of Nations Royalty.

To transform Vega into Nations Royalty, the idling company will issue shares in exchange for the Nisga'a Nation royalties. At the same time, Vega will raise C$10 million through the issuance of 11.11 million shares at C90 cents per share. As a result of these transactions, Nisga'a Nation will own 76.5%, current Vega shareholders will own 15.9%, and investors in the financing will own 7.6% of Nations Royalty.

"This transaction allows us to bring forward the future value of our royalties and retain the net-asset value (NAV) multiple and diversification afforded to public royalty companies," said Morven.

Nations Royalty's board will consist of six directors, four nominated by Nisga'a Nation and two independent directors – Matthew Coon Come and Alex Morrison.

Coon Come gained international recognition during his tenure as the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations from 2000 to 2003, where his dedication to indigenous self-determination and commitment to bridging gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities have left a lasting legacy in the ongoing struggle for Indigenous rights and reconciliation in Canada and worldwide. In 2018, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada for his exceptional contributions. He currently serves as a director of Seabridge Gold, and previously served on the boards of Newmont and Goldcorp Inc.

Vega Mining Inc.

Mines and development projects within the Nisga'a Nation region of northwestern B.C.

Morrison is an experienced mining executive with more than 35 years of experience. He has vast multidisciplinary experience in senior strategic roles in finance, accounting, information technology, supply chain, risk management, and operations support at Newmont Mining, Homestake Mining, Phelps Dodge, and Stillwater Mining. His most relevant experience for Nations Royalty is his former role as chief financial officer at Franco Nevada, a leading international gold royalty company. He has held diverse corporate director, chairman, and lead director roles for a broad list of mining companies, including Detour Gold, Taseko Mines, Energy Fuels, Gold Standard Ventures, and Gold Resource Corp. He is a chartered professional accountant.

McLeod, who played a pivotal role in the formation of Nations Royalty, is expected to be named as interim president and CEO.

It is the goal of Nations Royalty, however, to be managed and run by Indigenous people.

Upon the completion of the transaction, Nations Royalty's management team will include individuals possessing extensive expertise in Indigenous engagement, benefit agreement negotiations, finance, technical due diligence, and marketing, with a strong emphasis on Indigenous leadership at the forefront.

Author Bio

Shane Lasley, Publisher

Over his more than 15 years of covering mining and mineral exploration, Shane has become renowned for his ability to report on the sector in a way that is technically sound enough to inform industry insiders while being easy to understand by a wider audience.

Biden plan would overhaul 151-year-old mining law, make companies pay royalties for copper and gold

The U.S. stands out among other countries, such as Australia, Canada and Chile, that collect royalties on minerals. 

Terraces cut into the hillside at the huge Santa Rita copper mine in Grant County, N.M., are shown in this March 1999 file photo. The Biden administration is recommending changes to a 151-year-old law that governs mining for copper, gold and other hardrock minerals on U.S.-owned lands, including making companies pay royalties on what they extract.

(Richard Pipes/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, File)

BY MATTHEW DALY
 September 12, 2023

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is recommending changes to a 151-year-old law that governs mining for copper, gold and other hardrock minerals on U.S.-owned lands, including making companies for the first time pay royalties on what they extract.

A plan led by the Interior Department also calls for the creation of a mine leasing system and coordination of permitting efforts among a range of federal agencies. This comes as The White House has been pushing to boost domestic mining for minerals needed for electric vehicles, solar panels and other clean energy.

Under terms of an 1872 law, the U.S. does not collect royalties on minerals extracted from federal lands, a fact Democratic lawmakers and environmental groups have long lamented. The White House plan would impose a variable 4% to 8% net royalty on hardrock minerals produced on federal lands. The proposal needs approval by Congress — unlikely when the House is controlled by Republicans who have long opposed such fees.

Undeterred by such political reality, an interagency working group — led by Interior — touted the benefits of imposing royalties on about 750 hardrock mines on federal lands, mostly in the West. The figure does not include about 70 coal mines whose owners must pay federal royalties.

“A royalty would ensure that American taxpayers receive fair compensation for minerals extracted from federal lands,″ the working group said in a report Tuesday. The fee also could pay for programs to boost mining permits, clean up abandoned mine lands and help states and tribal governments that provide infrastructure and services to mining-dependent communities, the report said.

The U.S. stands out among other countries, such as Australia, Canada and Chile, that collect royalties on minerals. At least a dozen Western states also collect royalties on hardrock mining.

“Although thoughtful concerns were raised by the mining industry regarding the existing hardrock leasing system that is used on certain federal lands,’' the working group “did not receive any arguments as to why a properly designed leasing system could not be equally successful in the United States,’' the report said.

Deputy Interior Secretary Tommy Beaudreau, who chaired the working group, called the plan released Tuesday “a modernized approach” that would “meet the needs of the clean energy economy while respecting our obligations to tribal nations, taxpayers, the environment and future generations.’'

“Securing a safe, sustainable supply of critical minerals will support a resilient manufacturing base for technologies at the heart of the president’s investing-in-America agenda, including batteries, electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels,” said Joelle Gamble, deputy director of the White House National Economic Council.

Tribes and environmental groups welcomed the report but urged President Joe Biden to go further to protect communities, sacred places and water resources. The White House formed the working group last year as Biden pledged to boost production of lithium, nickel and other minerals used to power electric vehicles and other clean energy.

“These modest reforms are a good first step, but they’re not enough to safeguard our water and communities,” said Allison Henderson, southern Rockies director at the Center for Biological Diversity, an Arizona-based nonprofit. “The Biden administration should use its full authority to update these antiquated mining laws, prevent more mining industry devastation and preserve a livable planet for future generations.”

Rich Nolan, president and CEO of the National Mining Association, said the report did little to advance Biden’s stated goal to secure domestic mineral supplies while supporting responsible mining.

Creation of a leasing system, imposition of a punitive “dirt tax” and proposed royalties as high as 8% “will throw additional obstacles in the way of responsible domestic projects, forcing the U.S. to double-down on our already outsized import reliance from countries with questionable labor, safety and environmental practices,” Nolan said in a statement.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources panel, said Biden was “taking a sledgehammer to affordable, reliable energy.’'

If enacted, the proposed mining reforms “will force us to buy more critical minerals” from China and other countries that use forced or child labor “instead of harnessing our abundant resources here at home,” Barrasso said.

Alberta Oil Royalty Sell Out

Looks like we will not be getting any real news about Farmer Ed's plans around oil royalties when he does his Ed TV program next week.

Alberta royalty details now expected by month end

Instead he spent this week spinning why he is not going to get tough on Big Oil, preparing us for lowered expectations regarding his royalty review.

Stelmach touts benefits of existing royalties

Having met with the oil boys in private and having his Energy Minister do the same they knew this was coming down the pike.

Royalty proposal 'overly aggressive': Panel member

A key member of the panel that recommended controversial increases to oil and gas royalties in Alberta has distanced herself from its conclusions, calling them "overly aggressive" and "dumb" in some cases.

Judith Dwarkin, chief economist at Ross Smith Energy Group Ltd., a top Calgary-based independent energy research firm, co-wrote a new report that criticizes the panel for lacking the "requisite industry expertise and time" to adequately make certain recommendations, resulting in flawed conclusions.

Ms. Dwarkin, who holds a doctorate in economics and at one time was responsible for evaluating Alberta's oil-and-gas royalty system for the Department of Energy, was seen as the most credible member of her six-person panel because of her extensive experience.

A report we have never seen because the Minister has kept it secret. She was the governments Big Oil ringer on the committee so this should come as no surprise.

So what could we hear from Farmer Ed when it comes to royalties. Well not 20%, not 10% nope. Wait for it.....

Making the rounds in Calgary's financial community yesterday was speculation that the province has arrived at a decision to boost royalties on oilsands projects - but not as much as is currently discounted in stock prices.

The scenario - under which royalties would increase to 5% from 1% before project payout, and to 30% from 25% after investment is recovered, and also involves the scrapping of a proposal for a new super royalty - was seen as positive for Canadian oilsands players, whose stocks rallied as oil was rocketing higher.

Meanwhile despite all the doom and gloom being raised over the royalty report it has had little real impact on the industry.

Here is the stock chart for the year for one the oilsands giant; Suncor. And despite a blip in September, after the royalty review announcement the shares just keep going up, and up, and up....In fact they are doing better than they were last spring prior to the Royalty Review report.

Canadian stocks rally, led by energy and mining

Suncor Energy closes at all-time high

And as usual it had less to do with royalties than the oil and gas market.

Oil Slips

Crude oil fell 0.8 percent to $88.77 a barrel on speculation that U.S. supplies are sufficient to meet demand, after rising above $90 in New York for the first time,

EnCana Corp., the nation's largest natural-gas producer, fell C$2.60, or 4 percent, to C$62.85. Smaller rival Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. retreated C$2.96 to C$74.83. Suncor Energy, the world's second-largest oil-sands miner, dropped C$2.44 from a record to C$100.96.

A measure of energy shares, after gaining 4.1 percent this week before today as oil touched daily records, retreated 2.7 percent today. It helped the S&P/TSX climb 11 percent this year before today. Seven of the benchmark's 10 subgroups fell more than 2 percent today.

Don't Let Big Oil Set Our Royalty Rates make sure Ed hears from you


SEE:

Hugo Stelmach

I Am Malcontent

Who Will Decide About Royalties

Headline Says It All

Ohhh Pulllleeeaasse

Alberta Needs A Chavez

Albertans Are Simpletons Says Government

Royalty Is NOT A Tax

Fearless Prediction Confirmed

Morons

More Shills For Big Oil

Stelmach Sells Out

King Ralph Shills For Big Oil

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Mason Forces Royalty Debate

Slick Eddie had hoped his TV show and Royalty announcement would have avoided any discussion of his royalty plan in the fall sitting of the Legislature which kicked off yesterday.

The Stelmach government doesn't want to discuss royalties or homelessness. Rather they want to talk about busting speeders and smokers. The best laid plan of mice and Tired Old Tories.....And it took the NDP to force the debate.

The legislature will try to debate 26 bills during the month-long session, but royalties took centre stage on the opening day despite the fact no legislation is being introduced on that issue.

NDP Forces Emergency Debate On Energy Royalties

Nov, 05 2007 - 4:20 PM

CALGARY/AM770CHQR - The fall sitting of the Alberta Legislature got off to a raucous start Monday afternoon, as oil and gas royalties became a hot topic during question period.
NDP leader Brian Mason was also successful in forcing an emergency debate on the issue, by getting a Standing Order approved.

Premier Ed Stelmach told the legislature he can't see how the province was shortchanged because of the tremendous prosperity Albertans have enjoyed in recent years. But the NDP and Liberals disagree.

"The auditor general said this minister had access to information showing that their royalties could be raised without hurting the industry and he denied it in this house," Mason said. "How can you condone that, Mr. Premier, why don't you do the right thing and fire that minister?"

Knight and Stelmach largely dodged questions about their roles in past royalty reviews, preferring instead to focus on the government's overall performance.

Knight took issue with opposition claims that the province missed out on billions of dollars in royalties. "There are no missing billions. Those dollars remained in the province of Alberta, were invested, were a magnet for additional dollars," Knight said. "The royalty structure in the province of Alberta is a policy set by the government. The policy is not set by reports that are developed both internally and externally and are given to any minister at any point in time."

Funny that's not what the Auditor General or the Royalty Review Committee said. They said Knight and his Department had NOT collected billions in royalties.

Last month, Auditor General Fred Dunn said the Tory government knew at least three years ago that it was losing royalties from energy projects in the province.

He slammed former energy ministers and their staff for identifying, but not collecting, about $1 billion per year in fees owed by oil and gas companies.

In light of those findings, the NDP hounded the Tories Monday over why the current energy minister was unaware of what his predecessors knew about the province's royalties.

"What I'm saying is there is not billions of dollars missing any place," Energy Minister Mel Knight said. "There is no requirement for me to get a briefing from any previous energy minister in respect to the royalty structure."

SEE:

Mason Hits The Bricks


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Headline Says It All

And just as he was going up a wee bit in the polls the National Post ran this screaming full banner headline on their front page today;

STELMACH BLINKS FIRST
Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach has indicated he may be willing to give in to intense oil-industry pressure

Which then resulted in this:

Premier Stelmach quoted as saying he won't trounce royalty deals

Stelmach reconsidering royalty issue: report

Alberta leader wants calm Stelmach: formal royalty, tax talks ‘over,’ but ministers meet privately with investors

And while Eddies PR flack; former Calgary Herald Columnist (and scab), Tom Olson admits he wasn't at the 'private' business affair he attempts to do some damage control;

Alberta premier has not decided on royalties: aide

Alberta's premier has not ruled out any recommendations from his royalty review panel, which has urged the province to boost its take from the oil industry by C$2 billion ($2.1 billion), or 20 percent, a year, his spokesman said on Friday.

"No final decisions have been made," Tom Olsen, a spokesman for Premier Ed Stelmach, told Reuters. "The premier is committed to meeting the objective of the report. The suggestion of (panel chairman Bill) Hunter is that there was room to move on royalties. The status quo is not an option."

No royalty decision yet

Premier Ed Stelmach's office insists he has not made any final decisions on royalties, after a newspaper report today suggested he's backing away from at least one of the royalty review panel's contentious proposals.

Stelmach said a private speech Thursday to about 100 executives organized by the Harvard Business School Club in Calgary that he will "not trounce existing agreements," the National Post reported, citing sources in attendance at the event.

The government-commissioned review on energy royalties urged Stelmach against "grandfathering" - imposing new rules on higher royalties on projects that have already begun under the current royalty system.

"I can't dispute the quote," said Tom Olsen, the premier's press secretary.

Olsen said he wasn't at the speech.

David Heyman, another premier's aide who was there, said he couldn't recall any exact quotes, and no government staff recorded or took notes as Stelmach spoke.

Stelmach's remarks came to an audience member's question. "Here's what I do remember: It was a long answer. It took several minutes," Heyman said.

The aide noted that Stelmach's speaking style doesn't include "short, sharp sentences," so it might be difficult to draw conclusions based on one part of a lengthy comment.

You see he can't really think on his feet, he rambles, he is indecisive, he goes with the wind.

While the government continues to back pedal and lower expectations on the royalty issue despite it giving Ed a boost in the polls. Its the politics of lowered expectations.

No decision expected for another two weeks

With energy companies warning high royalties will trigger cutbacks and job losses, and public opinion overwhelmingly in favour of higher royalties, this is almost universally deemed the pivotal decision of Stelmach's leadership.

Energy Minister Mel Knight refused to comment on the progress of his department's study of the royalty review.

"We're working very hard to reach a balance," Knight said outside cabinet Tuesday.

Stelmach and many ministers have largely abandoned talk of Albertans' "fair share" of resource revenues -- they've instead adopted the buzzword "balance," referring to a decision that considers both the public's ownership of resources and industry's multibillion-dollar investments.

The two weeks is when Ed will do his Ralph Klein imitation and do a fireside chat on TV.

Stelmach may call late fall vote

Pass new royalty law before any hint of election: NDP

And of course the first family of the right in Alberta, the Byfield's once again have one of their scions defend Big Oil and tell us how good we have it here, hinting at the doom and gloom of the recession of the eighties if we dare ask for our 'fair share';

Fairness And Envy: Human Factors That Fuel The Royalty Debate
Nickle's Energy Group, Canada - 9 Oct 2007
By Mike Byfield

As I have said before Ed is preparing to sell us out to the oil interests.

Don't Let Big Oil Set Our Royalty Rates make sure Ed hears from you

SEE:

Ohhh Pulllleeeaasse

Alberta Needs A Chavez

Albertans Are Simpletons Says Government

Royalty Is NOT A Tax

Fearless Prediction Confirmed

Morons

More Shills For Big Oil

Stelmach Sells Out

King Ralph Shills For Big Oil

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