ALF V1

An outpouring of love and respect has touched the hearts of Peter Lougheed's family in the wake of his death Thursday at age 84.

A simple bouquet of white roses rested under his portrait in the premier's wing of the Alberta Legislature the day after his death. As flags flew at half-mast, around the province tributes and memories poured in for the man whose leadership moulded modern Alberta.

Edmonton resident Charles Bradbrooke recalled how Lougheed's campaign call for diligence and reward prompted him to relocate to Alberta.

"We moved from Saskatchewan to Alberta to help work our buns off so we wouldn't have to pay any taxes later," Bradbrooke remembered.

Subsequent government excesses blew that lead away, he said.

Solicitor General Jonathan Denis recalled said Lougheed's 2003 visit to his school shaped his career.

"He suggested three of us in the crowd would become MLA — at that moment I decided it was a career I wanted to pursue," Denis recalled.

What impressed Denis the most, he said, was the retired premier's positive attitude.

"His example to me is one of service — he looked at everyone around him as someone he served, one of his bosses," Denis said.

At the Alberta Legislature, where the Calgary native's upstart Progressive Conservative party blazed a new path four decades ago with a victory over the Social Credit party in a tide-turning election, tributes came in from all sitting parties.

"He modernized Alberta, toppled a political dynasty, diversified the economy, and established strong public institutions," said Liberal leader Raj Sherman, recalling Lougheed strengthening Alberta's role in confederation, taking on Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's contentious National Energy Program over energy revenue sharing. A University of Alberta-educated lawyer with a Harvard MBA, Lougheed was well-served by his keen business sense and an aptitude for game-changing legislation.

"A true federalist, he was an outspoken proponent of Canadian unity and the Constitution Act. He also fought to enshrine our freedoms, defend property, and enhance civil liberties through the creation of the Alberta Bill of Rights," Sherman said.

Alberta NDP Leader Brian Mason said Lougheed's work is recognized nationally because as he stood up for Albertans, he remained a passionate Canadian.

"He was a giant of Alberta political history and, in many ways, the founder of modern Alberta — he was a huge figure in my political development, and I will miss him," Mason said.

Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan said Lougheed was a visionary and principled leader.

"He was unafraid of challenging his successors as they moved away from his priorities for the province.

Even when he was being actively critical of governments and leaders who came after him, he was always statesmanlike, always with a view to the bigger picture of Albertans' public interest," McGowan said.

Lougheed's family thanked all the professionals at Alberta Health Services who have helped care for him over the last months and days, which included a stay at the Peter Lougheed Centre named after him.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Jeanne (née Rogers), four children and seven grandchildren. The family plans a private service, and a public memorial will be announced, said Lougheed family spokesman Jason Hatcher. "The family are extraordinarily touched and grateful — in fact, overwhelmed — by the outpouring from Albertans and Canadians," said Hatcher

"They're very touched by the sentiments and many memories that have been expressed."

Citing Lougheed's many charitable interests, including The Banff Centre and the Lougheed House Conservation Society, as well as sports, health, education, parks and public spaces and culture, the family asked that donations or volunteer actions be given in lieu of flowers.

"Any donations or volunteer actions that support his charitable interests would continue to fulfil his hopes and vision for Alberta and Canada," Hatcher said.

Edmonton Sun, Friday September 14 2012

Byline: Jackie E. Larson

As accolades for former premier Peter Lougheed continued flooding in Friday, current Premier Alison Redford is cutting short her trade trip to Asia in honour of the Alberta icon who died Thursday.

Redford, who began her trip to China last weekend, was making arrangements Friday to return from China before its was originally scheduled to end on Monday, said her spokeswoman, Kim Misik.

"He was an important mentor for her, someone she cared a lot about," said Misik.

"She had quite a unique relationship with the former premier."

On Friday, the premier's office announced Lougheed will lie in state Monday and Tuesday at the Legislature in Edmonton.

"Peter Lougheed held a special place in Albertans' hearts, including mine as a dear friend and trusted mentor," Redford said in a press release.

"And it's important that Albertans who knew and admired him have the chance to say goodbye, and to reflect on his remarkable life and legacy."

Whatever funeral arrangements for Lougheed the province might have a hand in will "respect whatever path his family wants to take," she added.

His family has also said there'll be a private funeral for the man who was known as an elder statesman until his death.

Lougheed, who was Alberta premier from 1971 to 1985, died at age 84 in the hospital bearing his name following a lengthy illness.

He's widely credited with modernizing Alberta's social, environmental, health and energy revenue regimes while pioneering province's rights.

Flags at government buildings, schools and businesses around the province were flying at half mast in honour of Lougheed.

Earlier, Prime Minister Stephen Harper eulogized Lougheed as a driver of Alberta economic diversification while "working tirelessly toward a strong, united Canada."

The head of a political foe of Lougheed's PC's — Liberal leader Dr. Raj Sherman — said Friday that the political icon had foresight in many areas, including health care.

"A professional athlete, Lougheed understood the important role of prevention and wellness," he said, referring to Lougheed's stint as a professional football player.

"Thanks to his initiatives, Albertans received improved access to world-class publicly funded and delivered health care."

Just before Lougheed died, his successor as premier, Don Getty, was emotional about the loss, both on a personal and political level.

"My wife and I fell in love with Peter, in a way," said Getty, who recalled the times the families spent together during a turbulent era.

"It's heartbreaking."

Getty said he's most proud of Lougheed for standing up for Alberta during constitutional battles, and also for bolstering his country.

"We had a champion ... we were dealing with oil and gas and petro-chemicals and those are the things we used to strengthen Alberta and Canada," said Getty.

In rare praise for a premier from a union, Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan credited Lougheed as a champion of all citizens rather than only big business — a philosophy the AFL head said has retreated.

"He remained engaged and outspoken in the affairs of our province, I think, because he saw Alberta's potential as more than just the success of a few industries, or short-lived booms and busts," said McGowan.

"He saw us as a community."

Calgary Sun, Friday September 14 2012

Byline: Bill Kaufman

EDMONTON — Premier Alison Redford is cutting short her trip to Asia and returning home as a result of the death Thursday of her friend and mentor, former Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed.

The Canadian flag over the legislature has been lowered to half staff and a dozen white roses have been placed by Lougheed's portrait outside the premier's office on the building's third floor.

The premier's spokesman Jay O'Neill said Redford plans to end her travel in Asia three days early.

"Arrangements are being made for her return," he said.

It isn't known whether Lougheed will lay in state at the legislature. The last to be honoured in that fashion was former Lt-Gov. Grant MacEwan.

Tributes have been pouring in for the 84-year-old former premier from all across the nation.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Canada had lost a truly great man.

"Peter Lougheed was quite simply one of the most remarkable Canadians of his generation," he said in a statement. "He was a driving force behind the province's economic diversification, of it having more control of its natural resources and their development, of Alberta playing a greater role in federation and of improving the province's health, research and recreational facilities. He was also instrumental in the creation of the Canadian Encyclopedia."

Harper noted Lougheed's legacy will live on in the institutions that he pioneered which continue to generate benefits for the people of Alberta and Canada.

Gov.-Gen. David Johnston said Lougheed never stopped believing in a better, stronger Canada.

"His was a full life, with a record of achievements that will be long remembered," said Johnston. "He was a loving husband, father and grandfather — and a dear friend — and he will be missed."

Premier Alison Redford said Lougheed was a visionary and an inspirational leader who forged for success and prosperity in the province. She expressed condolences to Lougheed's family on behalf of all Albertans.

"Peter Lougheed was a man who made us all so proud to be Albertans and he will be deeply missed," she said.

Colleen Klein expressed sympathy for the Lougheed family on behalf of her ailing husband, former premier Ralph Klein.

"Ralph, like all Albertans, understood how Peter Lougheed put Alberta on the global map, so that others, like Ralph, could follow," she said in a statement. "We are deeply saddened that he has passed away, but grateful for the doors that he opened."

Finance Minister Doug Horner, who grew up around the premier as the son of former Lougheed cabinet minister and right-hand man Hugh Horner, said Lougheed's legacy had a profound effect on Redford's Progressive Conservative government.

"He was a Progressive Conservative," he said. "We do have a social conscience and Peter Lougheed defined that and really did define what Progressive Conservative was all about."

He said everyone recognized that Lougheed always had Alberta's best interests at heart.

"From the right spectrum or the left spectrum, all of his ... political foes respected the fact he was in it for the right reasons, that he was there to do what in his heart was the right thing for his province. I think that's something all politicians should try and emulate."

Accolades have indeed come in from leaders of all political stripes.

"There's an element of grace to everything that he's done," said Roy Romanow, former NDP premier of Saskatchewan. "The hallmark of the man as an individual always will be that he was a gentleman."

Marc Lalonde, the former federal Liberal cabinet minister, there was nothing personal about the political battle between the Trudeau government and Alberta on the National Energy Program in the early 1980s.

He said Lougheed "was an extremely able politician and a very "hardball" player. He had very much at heart the interests of his province ... but nobody could question his strong views about Canada, and his strong support for Canadian unity."

NDP Leader Brian Mason said Lougheed fought for Alberta and was a tremendous builder of the province.

"His work to ensure that Albertans get a fair deal for their resources, to create a more progressive province, to improve our education system and to encourage a fairer society is of unquestionable importance to the province that we have today," he said in a statement. "He stood up for Albertans, but remained a passionate Canadian."

Liberal Leader Raj Sherman said Lougheed helped modernize Alberta.

"His zeal and determination to make our province and nation a better place will not soon be forgotten. He was a visionary Albertan who moved our province forward in the hopes of ensuring a prosperous future for our children and grandchildren."

Gil McGowan, president of the 150,000-member Alberta Federation of Labour, said Lougheed understood the concept of the public interest, and did not confuse what was good for private industry with what is good for the public as a whole.

"He was not a cheerleader for narrow business interests, and he did not engage in gimmicks or short-term thinking. He used our wealth to build a better Alberta."

The board and staff at the Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts expressed sadness at the loss of "a truly exceptional man and consummate statesman."

"Mr. Lougheed was a proud trailblazer for arts and culture in Alberta," the centre said in a statement.

The Calgary Herald, Friday September 14 2012

Byline: Darcy Henton

With files from James Wood and Kelly Cryderman

The Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) will consider withdrawing from the world's largest trade union confederation and joining another organization, when the union gathers this week for two separate conferences in Vancouver and Burnaby.

"We will be discussing our membership in the International Trade Union Confederation (UTIC) at our annual convention this year," said CLAC executive director Dick Heinen.

"The World Organization of Workers' Congress is a response to our suspension from the ITUC. It's an international affiliation of labour unions that shares our values and we feel more comfortable dealing with."

CLAC is holding its national stewards conference and national union convention on Sept. 12-14 at the Hyatt Regency in Vancouver.

The event will also provide CLAC with an opportunity to celebrate its 60th anniversary.

In addition to this conference and convention in Vancouver, CLAC is also the Canadian host for the World Organization of Workers' (WOW) Congress being held concurrently at the Executive Inn in Burnaby.

At the request of the Canadian Labour Council (CLC), CLAC's membership in the ITUC was suspended in September 2011.

CLC President Ken Georgetti has accused CLAC of publishing policies and being involved in activities that undermine the conditions of workers in Canada and hinder the organizing activities of CLC affiliated unions.

In response, Heinen said the request by the CLC to suspend CLAC's membership in the ITUC was based on a number of false allegations.

"Georgetti orchestrated an anti-CLAC drive to have us expelled and he came up with a bunch of allegations at a kangaroo court, where a decision had already been made," he said.

"We have not had a reasonable hearing with the general council or the executive of the ITUC. They did not read our defence and they haven't acknowledged whether or not there is a process for reexamination of the decision. "

Heinen said the allegations being made by Georgetti are similar to what the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) is saying on their website, TheTruthAboutCLAC.ca.

For example, the AFL claims CLAC is a company union, which accepts invitations by employers to enter into voluntary recognition agreements.

The result is the negotiation of collective agreements that are inferior compared to those obtained by traditional unions and undermines their organizing efforts.

According to Heinen, the truth is that CLAC probably has a higher percentage of certification than any union in the building trades.

"I think within the minds of the ideological trade unions to be a company union is a bad thing," he said.

"We think it is okay to co-operate with a company to grow the business,' he said.

"This is recognition of a legitimate partnership with employers, which is also the stated goal of the Alberta Building Trades."

Heinen said CLAC is an alternative to the adversarial relationship of traditional trade unions with employers.

For this reason, CLAC has a more co-operative approach to labour-management relations.

He said Georgetti is in a clear conflict of interest because he sits as vice-president on the ITUC's executive board.

The ITUC was formed in 2006 in a merger between the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions with the World Confederation of Labour (WCL).

As a member of the WCL, CLAC automatically became a member of the ITUC.

"We decided to join, even though we were hesitant with the ideology of the ITUC," said Heinen.

"We believe in a partnership approach and the ITUC is too militant. The group of unions that decided not to join the ITUC formed WOW."

CLAC is experiencing fierce competition from traditional trade unions as it expands in BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

"CLAC has been involved in the construction industry since the old days of the union and we have certainly had an important presence, especially with specific crafts in the 1960s and 1970s," said Heinen.

"We currently have about 50 per cent of our business in construction and we intend to grow that side."

Established on Feb. 20, 1952 by Dutch immigrants, CLAC is based on the European model of Christian labour unions, which stress the principles of social justice and charity as taught in the Bible.

WOW is the new name of the former World Federation of Clerical Workers (WFCW) founded in September 1921 in Luxemburg.

WOW was founded as a Social Christian trade union and finds inspiration in the spiritual belief that man and universe were created by God.

The ITUC is the world's largest labour union confederation representing 175 million workers in 155 countries.

Journal of Commerce, Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Byline: Richard Gilbert

When Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared this summer the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline is "in the vital interest" of Canada, critics could be forgiven for suspecting the fix was in, that the public hearings reviewing the project were nothing more than a formality.

However, based on the hearings so far in Edmonton it would be unfair to dismiss the process as a rubber stamp. Conducted by a joint review panel from the National Energy Board and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, the sessions have been a thorough, at times painstakingly so, dissection of the $6-billion project that would pump 525,000 barrels a day of Alberta's bitumen to the West Coast port of Kitimat for shipment by tanker to Asia.

The Edmonton portion of the hearings is focused on the economic impact of the project and has so far sat for five days with 10 more days on the agenda beginning next Monday, allowing a list of critics and supporters of the project to cross-examine Enbridge officials in minute detail over company estimates that the pipeline would boost Canada's gross domestic product by $312 billion over 25 years.

The hearings not only present critics with an opportunity to grill Enbridge officials, they also give groups such as the Alberta Federation of Labour a platform to present their own arguments that by shipping raw bitumen offshore, the pipeline represents a loss of refining jobs in Alberta.

The hearings are giving us not just Enbridge's argument for the pipeline but the critics' counter-arguments. The joint review panel is hearing from every conceivable corner in this debate before submitting its final report at the end of 2013, not that any actual debate has broken out on the floor of the hearings. Because the joint review panel is a quasi-judicial body with the power to swear in witnesses, it strives to maintain a decorum more befitting a court.

What the panel and the public are therefore seeing is a cold, bloodless look at the pros and cons of the most contentious energy project in the country.

Emotions might run a little higher in October and November when the hearings move to Prince Rupert and Prince George to examine the much more hot-button issues of pipeline safety, spill response and the effect of a spill on the coastal environment.

If Enbridge officials are feeling frustration with the pressure being applied by pipeline critics, they really have no one to blame but themselves. Enbridge badly tarnished its own reputation by allowing more than three million litres of oil to spill into Michigan's Kalamazoo River in 2010, opening itself up to condemnation by the U.S. government that likened company officials to the bungling Keystone Kops of silent movie fame.

Given the emotions the 1,200-kilometre project is stirring on both sides of the debate (and both sides of the Alberta-B.C. border), we need to judge this project calmly and coolly. That's what the joint review panel is offering us: a dispassionate examination of whether the Northern Gateway pipeline is indeed in the "vital interest" of Canada.

The Edmonton Journal, Wednesday Sept 12 2012

Issue:

Support staff at Edmonton Catholic have overwhelmingly rejected the offer made by their employers, the Edmonton Catholic School Board. The employer refuses to negotiate the second year of wages on a two-year contract and instead wants to put into place a wage re-opener provision. Not only was staff firmly in favour of rejecting the deal, but 91% of those eligible to vote showed up to make their voice heard. This is the first time the local has been on strike and a show of support is essential today.

Action Request:

Affiliates are urged to join the picket line at noon today in a show of solidarity. Please arrange to meet at the picket line at noon at the district's head office at 9807 – 106 Street.

When:

September 13 at noon (9807 – 106 Street, Edmonton)

This is the local's first strike and workers are fighting to ensure better support for all students, including those with exceptional learning needs. Support staff have had their hours decline while workload has steadily increased leaving them in an impossible bind where students can't be given the time and attention they need. Please support this picket and show solidarity with the education workers that ensure our schools work.

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Mihaela Mardare — 1 Comment ↓

"Northern Gateway Hearings. The Alberta Federation of Labour says the Enbridge pipeline project will actually eliminate Canadian jobs"

http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/episode/2012/09/04/the-tuesday-edition-45/.html

Gil McGowan, the president of the Alberta Federation of Labour was one of the guests of the September 4th "As it Happens" show at CBC Radio. The Federation is opposing the construction of the Gateway pipeline from Alberta to Kitimat BC because exporting the crude oil to Asian markets will lead in the long run to loss of jobs and raise of oil price for Canadians.

In Asia, especially in China, the price for oil is a little higher than in North America. If the cruel oil from Alberta will be exported in Asia, the price of oil will rise on Canadian market too. The Canadian consumers, businesses and refineries will be paying more for the oil they need. The higher costs of production for refineries will lead to loss of jobs.

Another reason of price rising for Canadian refineries is the high cost of transporting on rail as Texas-based energy consultant Muse Stancil said: "Northern Gateway allows the Canadian crude producers to both stop selling to their least attractive refiner clients (from a pricing prospective) and reduces their need to ship heavy crude via comparatively expensive rail transport." http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/canada/story/2012/09/06/pol-cp-gateway-hearings-dutch-disease.html

The president of the Alberta Federation of Labour suggested as the best alternative for Gateway pipeline the export of gas: "we should give the world gas in their tanks and keep the jobs in upgrading and refining for ourselves". This will prevent of sending the high valuable jobs out of the country and raising the price of crude oil as a result of higher costs of production for Canadian refineries.

September 10 2012

Michaela Mardare, U of BC Blog

Listen to the first segment of Part 3 of CBC's "As It Happens" for Tuesday, September 4th titled "Northern Gateway Hearings. The Alberta Federation of Labour says the Enbridge pipeline project will actually eliminate Canadian jobs":

http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/episode/2012/09/04/the‐tuesday‐edition‐45/html

The Alberta Federation of Labour has two main criticisms of the Northern Gateway pipeline: (1) Canadian jobs would be created if the crude bitumen was refined in Canada and then exported rather than being exported directly; and (2) The pipeline will reduce the "Asian" premium, which means a higher price of oil in Canada and job loss due to the higher processing costs for Canadian refineries.

In about 200 words carefully explain why the creation of the Gateway pipeline from Alberta to Kitimat BC will raise the price of crude oil for Canadian refineries. Be sure to include proper references to your background material.

According to Gil McGowan (President of Alberta Federation of Labor), the creation of Northern Gateway pipeline will raise the price of crude oil for Canadian refineries. Oil refineries take crude oil as the raw material for production and convert it into consumable products like gasoline. Currently, the oil suppliers for Canadian refineries are primarily domestic, and the buyers/consumers of their refined products are primarily domestic as well.

With the pipeline in place, the expansion of Canadian crude oil industry to a world market would bid up the domestic price of crude oil to meet the world price (narrowing the gap between the domestic and the world price). This will be so as the result of a much higher demand from a worldwide refinery industry/oil market, particularly with access to the ones in Asia and West coast US. Mr. McGowan mentioned that the Saudi Arabia (currently the main oil supplier to the Asian market) when facing the Canadian entering their Asian oil market could lower their oil price to keep their market share. Thus, it would result in a reduced "Asian Premium". The "lowered" oil price in Asia market/world market would then still be higher than the current Canadian domestic price of crude oil because of the high demand. This would encourage Canadian crude oil export as long as it allows a higher margin of profit than selling the oil domestically. The potential shrinking supply of crude oil domestically would cause the domestic oil price to rise. In addition, the Canadian refineries' bargaining power would be reduced as the Canadian crude oil industry is open to the world market which would probably be reflected on an increase of price of crude oil as well.

Happy Trades Blog, September 10, 2012

Explanation of why the creation of the Gateway pipeline from Alberta to Kitimat BC will raise the price of crude oil for Canadian refineries.

Segment III titled, "Northern Gateway Hearings. The Alberta Federation of Labour says the Enbridge pipeline project will actually eliminate Canadian jobs"

http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/episode/2012/09/04/the-tuesday-edition-45.htlm

It is true that the creation of the northern gateway pipeline will rise the crude oil price for the Canadian refineries. Despite the fact that Enridge alleged that there are thousands of new jobs created from the pipeline project, this economic benefit is deemed as insufficient to outweigh the enormous job losses from the refinery sector (as mentioned by Gil McGowen, president of Alberta Federation of Labour Union).

According to an economist from the CBC radio, the reason behind such detrimental impact to the refinery industry is because even though Canada is being paid with the so-called Asian premium when they agree to take China's offer. Consequently, the oil supply in Canada becomes more scarce due to large amounts of exports. This, in turn, rises the market price for oil which adversely affects the Canadian consumers, refinery industry, and oil upgraders plants, as oil in home country becomes more expensive. In effect, some oil refining firms choose to exit the market due to negative profits, which results in many job losses within Canada. The amount of job losses exceeds that of the new jobs generated by Enridge, and thus an approximation of $750m hit in the Canadian GDP.

The Get Out of Fail Free Card Mission, Sept 07 2012

Masters Student, U of BC