tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post116207682410071671..comments2023-09-22T06:22:50.820-06:00Comments on Ken Chapman: Where is the Smear?kenchapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11384045981190810115noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-1162122051460584072006-10-29T04:40:00.000-07:002006-10-29T04:40:00.000-07:00Ken:The comment I find most offensive in Allie's o...Ken:<BR/><BR/>The comment I find most offensive in Allie's open letter is the following:<BR/><BR/>"I also do not have any reason to trust a report that a candidate has paid people to produce that is so favourable of his own campaign structure"<BR/><BR/>The supposition in that statement is that Dr. Stokes was pressured by the Oberg Campaign to produce a report that was favourable to Dr. Oberg's campaign. <BR/><BR/>I agree that everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I come from a time period when opinion is backed up by fact. Maybe that no longer applies in our society, if that is the case I am very saddened by that fact.<BR/><BR/>If we follow through on Allie's analogy, Dr. Oberg was presenting his opinion this last week. There is a double-standard at work here. <BR/><BR/>What categorical evidence can Allie produce this Dr. Stokes report was designed to be favourable to the Oberg campaign? This is so similar to the situation that Dr. Oberg has been embroiled in last week, it is eerie. You just can't have it both ways, Allie. <BR/><BR/>If Allie has any written evidence that pressure was exerted on Dr. Stokes to provide a favourable report to Dr. Oberg on his policy platform, please produce that written evidence immediately. <BR/><BR/>I can tell you categorically as someone in the loop that was simply not the case. <BR/><BR/>I believe that I am a person with high moral integrity and I have some very influential people who can vouch for me. <BR/><BR/>So Allie is by inference also attacking my integrity as well. <BR/><BR/>Once I reveal myself, and it will be very soon, I will be free to have those people vouch for my integrity and the meticulous quality of my work. I am very well known in political, academic cricles in Alberta and across Canada, I can assure you of that. <BR/><BR/>Dr.Stokes is a man of great integrity and character. He was presented with a detailed costing of each of the policy elements contained in Blueprint for Prosperity and was given absolutely free rein to apply the program within the context of his base case scenario of the Alberta economy. <BR/><BR/>In fact, Dr. Stokes was encouraged to provide evidence showing the Oberg campaign that their campaign platform was not affordable and could not fit within his economic model. <BR/><BR/>I end with the following: Any candidate in this race is free to make pie in the sky promises but if they can't fit it within a fiscal context, the promises are questionable at best and there is no reason to believe that any of the candidates will follow through once they do have access to the economic models of Alberta Finance or any other economic forecasting firm. <BR/><BR/>At least by having his platform run through an independent model of the Alberta economy, Dr. Oberg has make the point that his plan is affordable. <BR/><BR/>Whether he follows through on his promises is something that Alberta voters will determine at election time. Allie, that is why we have elections in a parliamentary democracy, so we as voters can hold elected officials accountable for keeping their promises. I encourage all voters to exercise that right. <BR/><BR/>Ken, your comments would be much appreciated, and I would ask that my open letter be posted on your blog today, just as Allie had the opportunity to have her open letter posted on your blog. Will you do that for me? I believe you are a fair man, who will want to give me the sane opportunity to state my case as you have for Allie.<BR/><BR/>I await your posting today.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-1162118888738973682006-10-29T03:48:00.000-07:002006-10-29T03:48:00.000-07:00Ken:More answers to your questions:Bitmumen and SC...Ken:<BR/><BR/>More answers to your questions:<BR/><BR/>Bitmumen and SCO roylties are derived on the basis of the timing of all producing and announced oil sands projects, and application of each existing producing and planned project to pre-payout royalty regime of 1% of gross revenue and post-payout royalty of 25% of net revenue.<BR/><BR/>Population growth averages 1.2% per year over the planning horizon, somewhat lower than the the medium term trend prepared by Alberta Finance. Should the Alberta Finance trend prevail, that would mean greater PIT revenues for the province, balanced off by increased demand for health care services in particular, but the net effect would be a positive fiscal balance.<BR/><BR/>As you are aware, the prices of crude oil and natural gas are heavily based on the season and tend to decline in the summer months and rise in the winter months. <BR/><BR/>According to Bloomberg, latest spot prices for WTI Cushing are $60.75 per barrel for crude oil and $7.39 US per mmbtu for Henry Hub spot, well above the $42 per barrel oil and $6.25 per mcf. energy assumptions used in the Oberg economic model.<BR/><BR/>As per revenue impact of the $9.5 billion in cumulative tax cuts over five years in the Oberg package, there is a mild stimulative effect on tax revenues of $900 million cumulatively over five years. <BR/><BR/>Ken, please feel free to ask any more questions and I would be more than pleased to accomodate you.<BR/><BR/>My question to you in return is whether Mr. Dinning will be providing the same level of discosure during his Monday, October 30 costing announcement? <BR/><BR/>That would also apply to the other candidates as well, Mr. Morton, Mr. Hancock, Mr. Stelmach, Mr. Norris, and Mr. MacPherson.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps you would like to comment on that supposition.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-1162093106270223742006-10-28T21:38:00.000-06:002006-10-28T21:38:00.000-06:00Ken:Answers to your questions.When was real GDP gr...Ken:<BR/><BR/>Answers to your questions.<BR/><BR/>When was real GDP growth in Alberta less than 3%? 2001 2.0% and 2002 2.4%. <BR/><BR/>Where are the energy price assumptions derived from? Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board. These include the $30 price spread between market crude oil and market crude bitumen and SCO that are used for planning purposes for oil sands projects.<BR/><BR/>Check out Glbert Luatsen Jung site July 2006 forecasts for crude oil, crude bitumen, and natural gas Alberta Reference Price and Henry Hub, etc. over the next ten years.<BR/><BR/>Answer to your last question is yes, yes, yes. More detail than you ever imagined, but let's see what Jim Dinning has to put on the table first.<BR/><BR/>Any other questions, feel free to ask.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31415271.post-1162079679141395642006-10-28T17:54:00.000-06:002006-10-28T17:54:00.000-06:00Ken, Well said--it is like a law firm using an exp...Ken, <BR/><BR/>Well said--it is like a law firm using an expert witness--they have a vested interest in using someone who "makes their case". I agree that Allie has nothing to apologize for--there was no smear--just good old critical thinking, which we should all be using.<BR/><BR/>I like your approach--I find you very balanced.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com