Alberta's Future

[Swank]

Originally posted by Xtrema


Unions.

Progress is very slow at union shops.

Correct, I'm doing my best to fight off the DGAF attitude, this environment is so conducive to it. On the plus side it's easy to look like a superstar

[95EagleAWD]

Originally posted by dj_patm


And shitty National rip offs.

When the recent round of commercial property tax hikes went out and there was all of the panic about downtown bars and restaurants closing I had to laugh.

Just because you want to open up a business, doesn't mean you should. How many "Beer/Bier/Ale - Halls/Haus/House/Taverns" and high end steak houses do people think a city of 1.4 million can support long term? Especially with a mostly suburban population. Were all these businesses built on the idea that taxes will never go up and people will always go out for $50 lunches?

For the most part, Albertans are super entitled.

You see it in the people. Whether it be the "entrepreneurs" who think that simply having start up capital means their business idea is solid, the rig workers in the north with no education who are all of the sudden shocked that they can't make bank when oil prices fall so they spend the rest of their savings on "Fuck The NDP" bumper stickers, or the white collar O & G workers that refuse to adjust their expectations when the work dries up. Everyone is just expecting their quality of life to remain status quo while the foundation for that quality of life crumbles around them.

You see it in politics. The province has a revenue and spending problem yet Albertans refuse to take cuts to services or pay more tax.

You see it in the "Equalization" and separation talks, as if simply having oil within some imaginary lines gives us some divine right to hoard wealth from the rest of the country. Best part is we can't even hoard wealth properly. We spent it all when we elected a political party for 40 years that had no problem simply handing out that wealth right back to the people to buy votes without ever seriously worrying about what will happen if the cash cow dries up.

It's all entitlement.

On the bright side I think the entitlement is fading as this new reality/deep cycle sets in long term especially among the educated workforce. I think the political stances of a lot of people have shifted to a more long term view of the provinces health which will be interesting to watch in future elections.

Damn, well said.

On a related (probably) note, I meet a lot of people here from Alberta that have come back when the easy jobs dried up out west, and they realized they're living in a pretty crappy part of the country, with stupid winters and short summers.

Aside from hydro, Ontario is pretty sweet so far.

[Inzane]

Originally posted by 95EagleAWD

Aside from hydro, Ontario is pretty sweet so far.

This is getting off topic, but can you say that from the perspective of a "car guy", that presumably still likes to drive and modify fast cars?

I'd been under the impression for the last 15+ years that Ontario, with their government, policies and law enforcement was our version of hell on earth for the car hobby.

[Gestalt]

Originally posted by Inzane


This is getting off topic, but can you say that from the perspective of a "car guy", that presumably still likes to drive and modify fast cars?

I'd been under the impression for the last 15+ years that Ontario, with their government, policies and law enforcement was our version of hell on earth for the car hobby.

You just need to be creative.

[ercchry]

The flow of traffic in Ontario is so much faster than here... and they actually have race tracks

[JRSC00LUDE]

Originally posted by Swank
On the plus side it's easy to look like a superstar

Till you get noticed by the Union, then you'll be coaxed to cut production under some bullshit guise of safety or accuracy. When in reality it's just because you're making people look bad.

They'll drag you down to their level long before you bring them to yours, collective will after all!

[95EagleAWD]

Originally posted by Inzane


This is getting off topic, but can you say that from the perspective of a "car guy", that presumably still likes to drive and modify fast cars?

I'd been under the impression for the last 15+ years that Ontario, with their government, policies and law enforcement was our version of hell on earth for the car hobby.

Don't go 50 over, or you lose your car... and we have aircare here, so every two years it goes for emissions. That might be on it's way out though.

Other than that, I haven't noticed much, the cops let you speed 25 over on the highways around TO and I finally have legal tint on my windows.

Can't complain.

[A790]

I've been rolling around the GTA in a lowered Golf with tinted out windows for the past week and cops haven't even given me a second glance.

[95EagleAWD]

Originally posted by A790
I've been rolling around the GTA in a lowered Golf with tinted out windows for the past week and cops haven't even given me a second glance.

And they won't. It's great.

I will say, I'll never complain about traffic in Edmonton ever again though.

[A790]

Originally posted by 95EagleAWD


And they won't. It's great.

I will say, I'll never complain about traffic in Edmonton ever again though.

There's not much worse than being stuck on the 401 after an accident...

[95EagleAWD]

Originally posted by A790

There's not much worse than being stuck on the 401 after an accident...

Hope you've got lots of gas, and maybe a book to read lol.