No more ‘carrots’ for oil industry
Email
Print
Share
Updated: March 02, 2012 6:23 PM
Dear Editor:
The “Regressive Conservatives” (the Wildrose Alliance) claim that they would encourage more bitumen upgrading in Alberta, with tax and regulatory changes. The Progressive Conservatives are considering a similar approach.
We don’t need to give the oil industry any more tax incentives. Enough carrots … it’s time for a stick. The oil industry has become fat and slothful from the carrots we’ve given it.
It’s time we Albertans, the owners of Alberta’s oilsands, prodded the industry to do what we want it to do. We must tell oilsands developers that exporting bitumen is no longer an option.
The government must legislate a policy that would require all bitumen produced from our oilsands to be upgraded to synthetic crude oil in Alberta. Oilsands licences should only be given to companies that include upgrading in Alberta as part of their development process. Companies that currently don’t have access to upgrading facilities in Alberta should be required to do so within the next five years.
Len Skowronski, Leader
Alberta Social Credit Party
