This is a melancholy week for all taxpayers in Alberta. Ralph Klein passed away a year ago this week. We can only live in hope that another like him arises in the days to come. Perhaps our hopes are pinned…
Remembering Ralph Klein
No praise for the Peace Bridge
I come to bury the Peace Bridge, not to praise it. The statistics around the Peace Bridge, otherwise known as Farrell’s Folly, are legend. The construction overruns, the time overruns–the initial crossing of over $25 million versus a fraction of…
The canary was dead: to begin with
Democracy is not the answer; I am not going to throw my alderman out of office because of this one issue. Voting with my feet is not a realistic option either; I have too much invested in living in Calgary. …
What would selling Enmax mean? Perspective 2
Under the current ownership structure, all Enmax employees, directors, and officers (“Enmaxians”) are owned by a municipality and not immediately accountable for capital and other related costs to the open market. They cannot benchmark themselves quickly and easily against competing…
What would selling Enmax mean? Perspective 1
What would selling Enmax mean, some of the practical consequences: Two Perspectives. As a Calgarian. As an Enmaxian, employee or director. As a Calgarian Let me assume that we could sell Enmax for $5.0 Billion. That would mean $5,000 per…
You should not be forced to own Enmax
The Financial Argument There is a very important reason I should be able to choose. It is not morally proper that I be forced to own Enmax, from a financial perspective. Let me deconstruct that proposition. Morally justified because there…
What would life be like if Calgary sold Enmax?
The Moral Argument City of Calgary owns Enmax. Enmax is a profitable, cash flow positive (so far) investment. Their motto is a dramatic form of irony: Applied to electrical purchasing, “you have the right to choose” is a fine motto. …
Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation Announces Major Donation
January 9, 2014 Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation Announces Major Donation FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: The new year is starting off with a bang for the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation. Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation (GRPF) announced today that it has received a…
New Tax Authority
Our mayor wants taxing powers. And our political masters in Edmonton seem to be moving to agreement. I know that this is a good idea on a policy level. It would allow a more rational and flexible taxing regime to…
Can technology defeat a regulated oligopoly?
Chris Nelson recently wrote for the Calgary Herald: The head of Canada Post recently came up with the head-scratching excuse for stopping home delivery of mail by claiming he was just responding to old folks who crave more exercise by…