The West needs reform from, and in, Ottawa - "The problem is not just grievance. It’s much deeper than that: powerlessness. These days everyone opposes colonialism, the practice of extending and maintaining one nation’s political and economic control over another people. It’s almost universally condemned for the scars it left on societies around the world. But even as we decry the colonial practices of the 18th and 19th centuries, we are curiously blind to a living, breathing form of colonialism that quietly persists within Canada — one that keeps not just Alberta but all of Western Canada firmly in the grip of Central Canada. Unlike Australia and the United States, Canada did not create a bicameral legislature with one body reflecting equal regional representation and the other population size. Instead, a weak unelected Senate appointed by the party in power would draw representatives unequally from the provinces. In the one-person-one-vote House of Commons, Central Canada dominates. In the Senate, long-sought reforms to give the West a fairer voice remain a pipe dream. Cabinet appointments provide a form of regional representation but cabinet is much less influential as power has become centralized in the Prime Minister’s Office. As things stand, only the provinces can best represent regional interests, but they have limited constitutional powers. When it comes to federal policies, therefore, the West often feels powerless. For a time, there was the possibility that what are now Alberta and Saskatchewan would be just one province, but Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier rejected the idea for fear it would become too powerful. It was not until 1930 that western provinces were given ownership over land and resources with similar rights as the other provinces. Even today, however, ownership and control of natural resources remain in dispute, with federal taxes and environmental policies harming resource development. In the early 1980s, the national energy program demonstrated westerners’ inability to stop federal policies designed to transfer immense wealth from their resource-based economies to Central-Canadian energy consumers. Today, Central-Canadian governments, often urged on by urban progressives, have repeatedly imposed policies that have hamstrung the West’s most vital industries. Whether it’s pipeline cancellations or carbon taxes and regulations designed with little regard for regional realities, the message is clear: the West’s resources are to be managed, taxed or restricted to fit the sensibilities of voters in Ontario and Quebec. Equalization, in which the West indirectly transfers tax dollars to Quebec and other recipient provinces, is not the only problem. Federal taxes and the unequal dispersion of federal spending also contribute to fiscal unfairness. University of Calgary economist Robert Mansell estimates that Alberta transfers roughly $20 billion a year, or nine per cent of personal income, to other provinces via the federal budget. When former prime minister Justin Trudeau raised personal income tax rates in 2015 so that richer Canadians would pay “a little bit more,” he did not mention the unintended effect that this would transfer more money from the West to Central Canada. Imagine if Western Canada enjoyed the autonomy Quebec exercises over its own affairs. Imagine if resource-rich provinces could develop their economies free from the regulatory and political straitjackets imposed by Ottawa. Instead, the West is treated as a cash cow, its prosperity always contingent on the approval of distant policymakers. Is it any wonder that alienation and frustration simmer in the West? If colonialism is, at its heart, the subjugation of one region for the benefit of another, then Western Canada’s predicament fits the definition all too well."
Naturally, left wingers condemn them as traitors, but approve of California seceding from Trump's US
Why is Alberta so aggrieved by its treatment by the rest of Canada? : r/WildRoseCountry - "I’m looking for objective reasons why Alberta would consider secession and is so constantly affronted by the ROC.
Years ago I spent some time in a farming community is SK and was told how freight rates for grain were lower to eastern Canada vs shipping for export to the west coast. That sounds like a legitimate complaint.
I get that Alberta feels it’s subsidizing other provinces through transfer payments. That sounds like a legitimate complaint.
Really seeking to understand vs inflame any arguments here. I prefer no general comments like “we’d be better off” but am interested in the underlying reasons for why Albertans would be better off. FYI I live in Toronto, visit Alberta a couple of times a year on business and recreation. Thanks in advance for keeping this objective."
"The constant ridicule from the rest of the country mixed with them also preventing us from developing our resources at a rate where we could reach our full potential. We are in an abusive marriage with you, and we’re working our asses off only to be made fun of and told to work harder so you can live off of us."
Why is Alberta so aggrieved by its treatment by the rest of Canada? : r/WildRoseCountry - "As a blue collar guy who’s lived in Alberta my whole life I’ll share my perspective with you. It’s no secret that Alberta oil and gas is a huge player in our countries GDP, and when the Alberta oil patch is booming, the rest of Canada booms too. When we’re drilling and installing new wells, think about the ripple effect it has through Canada… now this is JUST for new drills, steel drill stem, mined in Ontario, forged and built in Ontario, trucked by a Canadian trucker from Ontario to Alberta, a drill rig crew that almost is guaranteed to have one or two east coasters and maybe some BC or Sask born workers, same with completion crew on the wells, almost certain to have guys from all parts of Canada here working paying good wages. BOP parts that are built and serviced in Canada, wellheads built in Ontario and Quebec, etc…. all warehoused and shipped from those provinces to the west. Jobs in other provinces, truckers, shipper receiver, inventory, clerical staff for all these jobs etc…. Creating ripple effects in the economy, Alberta money paying for these jobs in other provinces. I’ve over simplified it but I’m hoping you get the gist of this. The people who come to work here are almost always brought over with housing and meals etc all paid for in camps or hotels etc… meaning every single dime they earn, gets taken back home to their province to be spent on their local economies, restaurants, car dealerships, tattoo artists, kids sports programs, houses, hell even local drug dealers. Every. Single. Dime. Leaves Alberta with them. That’s just a fraction of what the oil patch does for the Canadian economy. Service jobs after the new drill, maintenance, abandonment, and the thousands of other things you can do in oil and gas, all fall under a similar structure. Canadian made products being used mostly, Canadian jobs, leads to Canadian economies booming. Now, the VAST majority of Albertans have no problem sharing this wealth with the rest of our country, but when other provinces prevent us from building things like pipelines, and other major energy projects to get more money for our products, meaning more money to equalization to other provinces, it feels like a major slap in the face. Our resource industry creates so many “residual” jobs other than just “working the rigs” it’s shocking to be honest, and it’s not just in Alberta due to the fly in/ fly out nature of a huge piece of our industry. Keeping our Oil only flowing south to the USA at a discounted rate, not only hurts Alberta, but also the rest of Canada through the equalization formula. The more money we make the more money the rest can dip into. When Alberta eats, the rest of Canada eats, and the bizarre rhetoric from a lot of the country not wanting us to make more for everyone is mind boggling to a lot of us. I have friends who work in the oilpatch that reside in, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, lower mainland BC, central BC, the GTA, and more Newfoundlanders than I can count, and they all have one thing in common for working out here, they make a better living for their families because the opportunity our resource sector provides. They all weren’t able to buy houses where they live but by coming out here and taking all that money back to their home towns, they’re able to live there and spend there and stay there helping to drive their own local economies too. Another distinct advantage of the oil patch is the ability to earn lots of money for one’s family with little to no education, strong back and a willingness to work can easily earn you 150k a year as a young person fresh out of high school. Most companies will hire and train you with zero experience too, entry level jobs pay well as a long as you’re willing to work hard and get dirty. Hope this answered a few questions and curiosities you have. I’ll try to reply if you want to know more from my perspective."
Why is Alberta so aggrieved by its treatment by the rest of Canada? : r/WildRoseCountry - "This goes back to the beginning. My great-grandparents were forced to pay inflated prices on farm machinery and all other goods to the East. We had the Grand Trunk railway coming up from the USA but the federal government choked the profitability of that line with punishing tariffs to benefit the East. You have to understand. The federal government built factories in places like Regina during WW2 and bulldozed them to ensure they didn't compete with Ontario factories. We had to buy Eastern Canadian alcohol, use Eastern Canadian banks, etc. All federal policies were shaped to exploit the west for the benefit of the east. When people made their own alcohol, federal thugs (RCMP) beat our grandmothers and jailed our grandfathers. No license was ever going to be issued in the west. There was also the racism from the federal government towards our Central and Eastern European heritage. Galician (Ukrainian) Canadians were persecuted during WW1 and into the 1930s. My Grandmother was born in Alberta but lost her citizenship when she married my German-American grandfather and they were deemed "Enemy Aliens" during WW2. This was not at all isolated. Alberta and Saskatchewan pioneers were mostly "non-British". About a third were German or Scandinavian (mostly from the USA), a third Eastern Europeans, and less than 1/3 British heritage (including many Americans). We didn't have the same patterns of migration as the East and so we don't have the same values. We value freedom and liberty. You Easterners are kneelers. We remained under war measures and were forced to sell grain to the federal government until Stephen Harper finally ended it. That wasn't the case for Ontario farmers. Every federal policy is designed to ensure the milch cow continues. Why do you think the LPC came up with this net zero electrical generation requirement where every province is independently responsible with no federal money as you would expect for a "national" project? Ontario and Quebec happen to have the advantage of decades of subsidies for nuclear and hydro-electric power generation. Alberta and Saskatchewan would have never been supported to build nuclear and don't have the geography for widespread hydro generation. We do have a lot of coal and natural gas. Less than a decade ago, Alberta converted power stations from coal to natural gas. But the rules are designed so that is not good enough. They want us to shut down plants that have decades of life left in them at our expense. That's not a national program. It ensures that Alberta and Saskatchewan pay an outsized cost for the ambitions of the federal government. You can guarantee that for any federal policy in the "national interest" it will be that Alberta and Saskatchewan will pay and Eastern Canada will benefit."
Why is Alberta so aggrieved by its treatment by the rest of Canada? : r/WildRoseCountry - "Hey, thank you for asking! From my point of view it’s two things. It used to be one real beef at the heart of it all with the feds; their opposition to AB industry, their desire to kill our golden-egg goose, oil and gas. Other historical gripes could be left ignored if the first were resolved (equalization, underrepresentation, overpayment of CPP fit this category). Today, there’s something more. The election proves the east just wants more of the same from a govt. We’re realizing the east actually believes in higher taxes, more spending, less affordability, more immigration, more softness on crime, more govt sponsorship of media, more internet censorship, less guns in the hands of lawful citizens, and so on and on. So, if that’s what you all really want, ok fine. But it’s not for us, and maybe we’re at a point where it’s time to go our separate ways."
Why is Alberta so aggrieved by its treatment by the rest of Canada? : r/WildRoseCountry - "Alberta has some of the largest oil and gas reserves in the world. There are estimated to be over 1.7T barrels of oil in the oilsands. We are desperate to increase our production because there are fantastic amounts of wealth under our feet waiting to be unlocked, but the biggest barrier isn't any technical or geographic challenge, it's the regulatory hurdles the Liberals keep throwing up in front of us. It costs us billions every year. People wouldn't even care so much about the costs equalization if we could at least be allowed to unlock our full potential. People grumbled about it in the early 2010s but so long as we could improve our production and productivity it at least felt like the burden was bearable. But when the 2014-15 price crash came and the the Liberals said, you're on your own, you'll pay as much as ever and we're going to phase you out that was seen as a deep betrayal. The deliberately stacked systems of confederation are also an issue. The allocation of Senate seats is arbitrary and benefits Eastern Canada disproportionately. Both in the Senate itself and by inflating the seat counts in the Commons in the Atlantic provinces. And the appointed nature of senators means that the East even gets to choose their representatives for us. There's no way on Earth Alberta would choose a person like Kristopher Wells to represent it in any capacity. We even elect our own senators. So it's extra galling that the appointments persist in the face of democracy. In addition to the Senate, the courts are just as bad. There are 9 judges on the supreme court. 3 are guaranteed to go to Québec because a quorum is needed for civil law cases. That leaves only 6 to go to the 9 other provinces. And now the Liberals have said those have to be bilingual as well. Which limits the pool of potential jurists to those who are more likely to be amenable to the Laurentian world view. Provinces also lack the ability to appoint their own judges. This is something that affects all provinces and is uncommon in the developed world. And creates another scenario where a government always controlled by the East makes decisions for us. Alberta in particular has also always suffered from a lack of federal spending. Even if we take out equalization Albertans still don't see a dollar of spending for a dollar of tax payments. While not fair and bad for our economy, it also creates a hidden layer of Eastern bias in Canada's government. There are very few civil servants who are Western, living in the West and have Western points of view. The bureaucracy itself then will tend to develop programmes and practices by and for the East. There are other minor things like how Parks Canada treats the mountain parks as a cash cow for funding the rest of the parks system instead of reinvesting money where it's been earned in Alberta. The Jasper wildfire was also a result of bad forest management practices by Parks Canada. The concentration of media power in the East mean that Western voices are often stifled, absent or like the senators and judges cherry picked by Easterners in our national dialogue. The concentration of financial power has a similar affect. ATB Financial is now the only full service banking institution headquartered in Western Canada. This has real impacts. When Mark Carney in his previous incarnation as the green Pied Piper of GFANZ tried to lead the finance industry out of financing the oil and gas industry, one of the few things standing in the way of that was one little Alberta crown corp. Then there's just a general lack of understanding and condescension that comes with it. A lot of Easterners think Alberta is like the deep south. With mega churches and Christian fundamentalists and stuff. I remember when my wife was watching working moms and one of the characters moved out to Cochrane, they chose to represent Albertans with a bunch of Texas pageant queens. The CBC, this state funded media group had absolutely no fucking idea what Western Canada was like. And rather than find out they instead leaned on the parts of the US they hold with equal disdain. How is there supposed to be any common national or fraternal feeling in this country if you don't even know who we are? There are remedies for this. Constitutional reform would go a long way. But Easterners generally react to such suggestions quite harshly. They'll usually mention something about how Canada is already perfect, when from our point of view it leaves a lot to be desired."
Why is Alberta so aggrieved by its treatment by the rest of Canada? : r/WildRoseCountry - "1. Alberta is a very entrepreneurial place and there is a huge faction of Albertans who are willing to put in the work, take the risk, and grind their way to success. I’m not saying that other provinces aren’t entrepreneurial but Alberta takes it to another level. And in private business, it’s frustrating when the federal government runs interference with unfair regulation and taxation that impedes local businesses. For the most part, Albertan entrepreneurs just want the federal government to stay out of the way. This has gotten worse in the last decade.
2. Albertans are tired of Ottawa determining the destiny of the province. We have almost zero say in what happens in Ottawa, despite contributing to confederation disproportionately. We have 1 or 2 liberal seats in the HOC and those seats will always tow the party line, not the Alberta line. And like the other western provinces, we have 6 seats in the senate… ON and QC have 24 each, NB and NS have 10 each. So we have effectively just watches from the sidelines as we get dictated the direction of the country. Now some people may just say “vote liberal” but that’s not an option. The liberals do not represent the values of most Albertans.
3. We live with the consequences of immigration but have zero input on how immigration is regulated. Alberta is a welcoming place, particularly in the cities, but immigration numbers have been so high lately that it’s upending the housing market + many of our social services. In Calgary alone, our population increased by ~165,000 in the last 2 years, which was mostly immigration. I’d say most Calgarians understand that immigration is largely a good thing but these numbers are simply too high. And again, there’s nothing we can do about it."
Meme - "Two years ago, a man broke into my home a little before AM on an early-December night. I shot him four times (fired five shots - stopping when he fell). He was still alive but died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
>Police find no evidence of wrong doing on my part - I live in Florida
>The family of the deceased filed a civil suit against me
>Gets dismissed
>They harass me on social media
>Delete social media, and the sister of the deceased calls my job, telling them I'm a murderer
It calmed down toward the beginning of this year but this last message sent me overboard
>I got a message on LinkedIn from the pastor of thei church, asking me to publicly apologize and give the family closure
>Evidently, the guy's birthday is coming up. It's a birthday he shares with his sister - born on the same date, two years apart.
>It's the sister that called my job.
>Block the pastor on LinkedIn.
>Get curious and go check their public Facebook pages.
>They all talk about me being a gun-nut and murderer
>They all have #Justice4****** on their pages
>His mom and sister have poorly photoshopped pictures of me with a burning cross in the background
How did me defending myself and my wife from a man breaking into my home turn into me somehow being a gun nut, supremacist, and a supposed murderer? I just want to be left alone."
Gen-Z Is Labeled As ‘Difficult’ In The Workplace, But There’s More To The Story - "In an April survey by ResumeBuilder.com, 74% of managers and business leaders reported that they find Gen-Z more difficult to work with than other generations. The respondents reported that this group tends to feel entitled and demonstrate a lack of effort, motivation and productivity. Some managers reported having to fire Gen-Z employees due to these issues... In a May 2022 survey by Mckinsey & Company, Gen-Z self-reported “remarkably high rates of mental health struggles” and 55% of 18- to 24-year-olds say they’ve received a diagnosis and/or treatment for a mental illness."
The Gen Z Workplace Dilemma: Why Some Employers Are Letting Them Go - "60% of employers admitted to terminating Gen Z employees within their first year, citing reasons that range from underperformance to misaligned expectations. A closer look at these terminations reveals some recurring themes. Many employers report a noticeable lack of motivation and initiative among younger workers, which can quickly lead to unmet expectations. The adjustment from college life to a structured professional environment often exposes gaps in preparedness, leaving both employers and employees frustrated. Issues with professionalism have also been a sticking point. Some employers point to concerns such as tardiness, inappropriate attire, and difficulty with maintaining professional communication as common red flags. In fact, nearly 40% of managers say that poor communication is one of the biggest challenges they face with Gen Z employees. This can create ripple effects throughout teams, impacting collaboration and productivity. Feedback has become another flashpoint. Many young professionals seem hesitant—or outright resistant—to constructive criticism, which can limit opportunities for growth. Rather than viewing feedback as a tool for improvement, some see it as a personal attack, making it harder for managers to help them develop key skills. Then there’s the question of expectations. Gen Z is often described as the generation that wants it all, and they want it fast. With social media showcasing instant success stories, it’s no surprise that many young professionals enter the workplace expecting rapid advancement. When those promotions don’t come quickly, it can lead to dissatisfaction and disengagement, leaving managers struggling to close the gap between ambition and reality."
Indian tourists in Pattaya complain bar girl’s chest was ‘too small’ after she undressed, call cops at 2:30 am - "Three Indian tourists called the police to their hotel room in Pattaya, Thailand to settle a late-night dispute with a bar girl. According to a report in Pattaya Mail, the tourists claimed that they were unhappy with her figure – specifically because her “chest was too small” – and wanted her to leave the hotel room. The tourists claimed that the woman had entered their room and was refusing to leave. The woman presented a different version of events, claiming that she had made a deal with the three men and only wanted the rest of her payment before she left... once at the hotel, the men began criticizing her appearance. They said her figure was not what they had imagined and her chest was “too small”. The bar girl agreed to leave but demanded the rest of her payment. The Indian men promised to pay her and left the hotel under the pretext of withdrawing money. However, they then tricked the woman by approaching the police... Pattaya Police asked both sides to reach a resolution, warning them of legal action if they failed to come to an agreement. Eventually, the tourists received a “partial refund” and neither party pressed charges against the other."
Paris restaurants secretly up-charging US tourists: report - "Parisian servers have always been notorious for their rudeness, but now it looks like they’re ripping off customers as well. Paris restaurants are charging US tourists up to 50% more than local patrons, an undercover investigation has found. Following several online complaints about the so-called American tourist tax, the city’s leading rag Le Parisien sent two reporters to a cafe on the heavily-touristed Champ-de-Mars near the Eiffel Tower to see if the servers were guilty of fry-way robbery... The bona fide Frenchman was offered a choice of a small can of Coke or a medium or large glass. He chose the can for €6.50 ($7.63). Meanwhile, Hennequin was not offered the smaller option and ended up forking over €9.50 ($11.15) for the medium size. While the French customer was offered a free carafe of water, the faux American was given no such choice and instead had to pay another €6 ($7) for a small bottle of Vittel. All told, Hennequin was charged €9.50 ($11.15) than his fois gras gobbling brethren. To ensure that the culinary tariff wasn’t a coincidence, the epicurean narcs went incognito at another establishment to test out its tipping policy. When the bill arrived, the French customer noticed he was given an obligatory 10% service charge while the “American” patron was asked if he wanted to leave a gratuity because “service isn’t included.” He attempted to leave a 10% tip to match his compatriot’s service charge, but the waiter sneakily upped it to 15% while shielding the payment screen so he couldn’t see... This was far from the first time Parisian restaurants had pulled the wool over tourists’ eyes. In April, a similar probe by Le Parisien found that some City Of Light bistros were pouring cheap wine for foreign diners after they’d ordered top-shelf tipple. Although these Parisian scam artists don’t hold a candle to the notorious seafood restaurant in Greece, DK Oyster, which has been known to charge diners $900 for some light bites and aperitifs."
Dublin's Temple Bar named as third-worst tourist trap in the world - "In research by Nomad eSim, reviews of the area were analysed to see how many times the negative term was used... Dublin’s nightlife hotspot was only beaten by Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco and Las Ramblas in Barcelona, coming in first and second place respectively... someone cheekily wrote on social media: ‘La Rambla isn't a tourist trap, it's there to keep the tourists away from the good places and for that I salute it.’... Checkpoint Charlie, the famous Cold War-era border crossing in Germany, and the historic and bustling Royal Mile in Edinburgh, round out the top five."
Mumbai Man With Upset Stomach Falls To Death From 18th Floor While Defecating - "A 52-year-old man with an upset stomach died after falling from the 18th floor of a building here on Sunday while defecating from the edge of a shaft, an official said. The incident occurred at the 18-storey Matoshree Sadan building, Wadala, in central Mumbai, said the official from RAK Marg police station. The man, a resident of the high-rise, had been suffering from dysentery for the past few days. He had gone to the top floor for some work when he may have lost control of his bowels, the police suspect. He sat to defecate on the edge of a shaft near a lift but lost his balance and plunged into a pit on the ground floor"
Stellantis scraps hydrogen fuel cell tech and abandons new car plans - "Carmaker Stellantis has scrapped its hydrogen fuel cell development programme as well as launch plans for new vehicles using the technology. The group announced on Wednesday it would no longer launch a range of hydrogen-powered vehicles this year. Stellantis said 'the hydrogen market is showing no development prospect at mid-term'. The group said the decision was due to the limited availability of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, high capital requirements and the need for stronger purchase incentives for customers. Jean-Philippe Imparato, chief operating officer for enlarged Europe, added: 'The hydrogen market remains a niche segment, with no prospects of mid-term economic sustainability.'... The group does not anticipate the adoption of hydrogen cell vans before the end of the decade... Stellantis said it may be forced to shutter vehicle plants due to the risk of hefty European Union fines levied for not complying with CO2 emission targets. Earlier this year, Stellantis closed Vauxhall's 100-year-old Luton van factory, putting 1,100 jobs at risk. When it announced the move in November, it partly attributed the decision to the UK government's stringent EV sales targets. Stellantis had warned earlier in 2024 that plants were at risk because of government pressure on car firms to meet ZEV targets that incrementally rise each year. In March, it emerged that Skoda was considering laying off 6,000 people as part of drastic cuts to keep up with an expensive electric car rollout. Audi in December announced it would shutter its EV factory in Belgium, which resulted in 3,000 jobs cut. The factory in Brussels had been billed the 'cradle' of the German car maker's electric drive."
This doesn't stop hydrogen promoters
You’re not eating enough protein – here’s why - "One study found that people following a high-protein diet lost 53 per cent more body fat than a group eating a normal amount of protein, but consuming the same number of calories. Other research found that simply increasing protein intake from 15 per cent to 30 per cent of total calories made overweight participants eat 441 fewer calories each day without trying... It’s hard to eat too much protein but excessive amounts can harm your health. “The vast majority of us are under-eating protein, not over-eating it,” says French biochemist Jessie Inchauspé, founder of Glucose Goddess and author of Glucose Revolution... The other thing to bear in mind is that the amount of protein we need increases with age: from the age of 50 we start to lose muscle, so our protein requirements increase – we need more of it to maintain muscle mass and strength, and some groups need more than others. Additional protein can be particularly beneficial for women. The Women’s Health Initiative study found that a higher protein intake of around 1.2g per kg of body weight was associated with a 32 per cent lower risk of frailty and better physical function. “We don’t digest and process protein as well as we age,” explains Dr Bailey. “There’s even evidence to suggest that simply adding more protein during the menopause can significantly improve symptoms.” More protein is also beneficial for pregnant women and athletes who want to gain muscle mass and strength when training... Eating the right sources of protein can also help you regulate your hunger hormones. “Getting an adequate amount of protein stabilises glucose levels, increases satiety and reduces cravings,” explains Inchauspé. Dr Bailey agrees. “The main issue is that the vast majority of us are just not eating enough quality protein, and relying on sweet and starchy processed foods instead.”"
