And it's /u/sdbest with another negative commentary on, you guessed it, Conservatives!
rather than investing them in a sovereign fund, as Norway did
Alberta is not Norway. There are many different factors allowing for a much better organisation and distribution of these funds. Norway has large access to north sea oil, giving them a large supply of Brent crude. It is in higher demand and fetches a higher price than WCS. Their oil company is also nationalized, something totally different from what Canada has. But please, tell me about how Fort Mac was a bust without full government control.
The politicians provided the people with what the people demanded. Don't be mistaken, it is the entire mindset in the West that caused this.
Caused what?
What Norway did would have never worked in Alberta. Just compare the 2 societies: Religiously, Norwegians are basically Atheists
Atheist = smarter, amirite? What does this have to do with oil money? The islamic state of Saudi Arabia runs Aramco and they do just fine... Are you forgetting that Norway is a small and relatively homogeneous country in terms of culture and ethnicity? It's a lot easier to vote as a unit, rather than trying to get an immigrant population with every kind of person from all over the world (with a million different views, perspectives etc) to vote collectively.
while Alberta is home to so many denominations from Evangelical to Mormon and Mennonites with a sprinkling of Ukrainian Orthodox without forgetting Catholics, Anglicans, Baptists, Sikh, Muslims, Hindu...
Yeah... I don't know what this has to do with anything. What difference does it make if one population has a high or low population of religious people. Oh wait, I know. Religious people are "stupid" so it makes sense that they would be dumb enough to squander oil money. Got it.
Politically, the Norwegians are socialists who put a lot of importance on "public access" (meaning the public can use your private land without needing your permission if they keep it intact), while Alberta is all about individual rights and private property.
Yeah, because it's not like we have native rights issues, or that land was handed over as a private incentive to settle the country way back when....
Economically, the Norwegians have a marginal tax rate of 54.3% and a value added tax (sales tax) of 26%...
If you are trying to equate higher taxes with "better" you go right ahead and overpay to the CRA. No? I thought paying the government more was a good thing? Norway also has a lower corporate tax rate than the US. I thought countries forcing evil corporations to pay less tax was a bad thing....
They even tax wealth and inheritances.
Are you implying that a double tax is ethical? People seem to hate a tax on tax at the pumps.
Alberta doesn't even want to pay a sales tax
So if they don't want to, why should they be forced to?
Socially, Norwegians get free university
Norway has a balanced 3 tier style work force. They don't let anyone in to unversity. In Canada "anyone" can go if they want to, regardless of if they should be going or not. Sure, it's free. But they limit the number of people that have access to free.
free daycare
Obviously. The birth rates are bottoming out in countries like Norway, they need to provide incentives to make babies. Canada has immigration to keep our population increasing, because we are a country full of immigrants. Norway is not as friendly to immigrants as we are.
Alberta people prefer to pay only for what they consume and don't believe in "free lunch", saying that giving stuff for free will make people lazy and unlikely to want to work.
This isn't being given away for free. Someone is paying for it.
Justice, Norway prisons treat inmates gently,
Immplying that no crimes are worth any "punishment". Everything is because of circumstances and not anyone's fault. People like Anders Breivik should have a nice selection of PS games. And a full cable package.
help them learn a job, pursue advance studies, visit psychologists, adopt healthy lifestyle, pursue arts projects...
the Norway solution can only be applied to a place like Norway.
Right, but let's continue to imply that Canadians are idiots until we adout the Holy Nordic model.
The Alberta people wanted to benefit now from the oil wealth, they have handicapped their future by themselves and have only themselves to blame!
Canadians are financially illiterate across the board, and as far as /r/Canada goes, hate investing, stock markets and anything that has to go with capitalism. You're all gung-ho about the supposed "magic Norway oil muny fund" but then any time someone tries to explain how to take advantage of such a system, they all bust out in conspiracy theories, or that TFSA's and RRSP's are scams, ripoffs, or a waste of time. They don't even know how the sovereign fund works.