If Canada had a socialist government...

What would happen in Canada if a socialist government took over and nationalized our oil production. We produce more than we use. About 30% more. So wouldnt an ideal situation be to sell to the US and give the 30% price cut directly to the consumers? or 15%/15% gas cut/health care or any other combination you can think of that positivly affects the country rather than the gas corperations?

-AU

 

Well as far as a socialist government taking over Canada I doubt that would happen there. You need tax dollars to fund that type of system and because of the large numbers of Canadian babyboomers entering retirement where will the income tax dollars come from to fund the type of socialist system you may be referring to? I predict Canada will become more market oriented in the future.


Example:

LINK

 

People in the Prarie Provences feel that they subsidise Quebec enough already.

 

Yeah thats true I seem to forget how much an impact the babyboomers have. Pipe dreams.

 

This makes no sense economically. Oil companies are heavily taxed already, its not like Canada doesn't make money from oil.

 

WHAT ? and put US workers out of a job?
No way would the USA allow that - it would mean less money in their economy. I would be willing to bet that the USA pays canada to keep that oil out of its economy - I dont know that its just the way the European Union works - where to keep the price of wine up - they dump 5 times more than reaches the supermarket shelves
So it looks like theres gonna be unemployment in canadas oil industry then ?
To me the way you describe it - it seems like an attempt to keep people in work - at the expense of canadian profits which is probably a good idea !
If you flood the market with oil the price goes down and people lose their jobs

 

First of all, this has already been tried. Remember the National Engergy Program? Let those eastern bastards freeze in the dark? Creation of Petro Canada? A 10 year hit to Calgary's economy?

It didn't work. And of course, it fragmented the country. Western alienation is the new in thing.

And Pepik - don't lecture about things you don't understand. Only provincial governments receive income from mineral/oil wealth.

 

Really? So oil companies don't pay corporate tax? Or are you lecturing about things you don't understand?

 

First of all, corporate taxes aren't particularly onerous. Secondly, oil companies aren't specifically taxed more than any other company.

 

So the federal government does make money. Thanks for confirming my point.

 

The point is that it is indirect. You might as well argue that I receive direct money from the Oil industry because my government maintains partial ownership of Petro Canada.

 

Is that the point? This thread isn't about Provincial vs. Federal ownership, it is about government vs. private ownership. Why are you being so argumentative about something irrelevant?

 

Because its completely relevant.

The federal government can't nationalize it - it'd be unconstitutional. Secondly, healthcare is all administered provincially. So the federal government can't dictate at all how the provinces do it (excepting to bar private healthcare, so far).

The point is, the only way the federal government ("or Canada") can really affect it is through export tariffs and crown corporations. Both of which have been tried (see national energy program and PetroCan). Both of which created so much angst in the west that Seperation became a real option.

 

Canada would be great with a Fascist Olygarchy.

 

Yea, right. Keep on dreaming. People like you would probably be the first to get knocked off.

 

You'd like to think that but no, most likely I'd be one of the people in charge, you don't know me, and you probably never will.

 

Castro tried to nationalise the oil industry.
That didn't turn out too well.

 

Canada is not socialist. In fact it isn't that far away from America. Canada is a MIXED economy.

 

Canada has a largely free-market economy, with government controls and oversight. they also have a government that tries to provide it's citizenry with the basics neccessary for life (medicine, food, money)...

that's socialism.