The Cormac MacSweeney Blog - 660News Calgary

Premier Stelmach has unveiled his new royalty structure after months and months of waiting by the public and very vocal energy companies.

His new plan will bring in about $1.4 billion dollars by 2010 (a 20 percent increase) and will work on a sliding scale. When the price of oil goes up, so does the rate…when it goes down, the rate follows.

Alberta’s planned royalty increases are about $500 million less that what was recommended by a government-appointed royalty review panel in September. This new plan doesn’t come into effect until 2009.

That is the Coles notes version of Stelmach’s royalty policy.

 So now that I’ve thrown the numbers at you, why don’t we take a look at the question “is this good or bad for Alberta?”

 Shortly after the details were announced Ryan Ballantine was out on the streets getting your reaction. Pretty much every person he spoke to was all for Stelmach’s compromised approach to the royalty ruckus. When I went out today and asked if this would impact your life, practically all answered yes saying the extra cash for provincial coffers will help boost funding for health care, education and infrastructure…that is of course if the Tories choose to spend the money in those ministries.

But we are all mere people, and this is a complex issue. What do the experts think? That is where things start to divide. It seems there are two basic reactions to the new royalty structure. They either hate it or are mulling it over.

Many oil and gas companies say they need to crunch the numbers before giving their opinion on the new structure and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is not calling the program a success, but not calling it a failure either. The federation wants to wait and see what happens.

Many others on both sides of the issue are unhappy with the plan. Some comparing Stelmach to Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, others saying the rates will ruin the winter drilling season, while some say he didn’t do enough, and others believing the oil and gas sector heavily influenced the final details.

With rumours swirling about a possible election by the end of the year I guess, for Stelmach, it all depends on what the general public (he’s hoping for a majority of them) thinks of his new structure. The speculation is if most are for it and applaud steady Eddy for his work then he’ll announce the date we head to the polls so he can soar to an easy win. If the reaction is negative, we will be spared two elections in one year.

 So do you think we’ll be casting another vote soon?

Yell, swear, and throw your hands up in the air when your boss ticks you off…you apparently won’t get fired.

A story in the Globe and Mail this morning says you can go on a tirade and keep your job because of labour laws. An employment lawyer says you can only be fired for a good reason, and a single outburst (with good reason), even with swearing, is not a good reason. There is even a court ruling proving this fact.

A man in the east coast had told his boss to lay off…but he used a few swear words to fully prove his point and then was fired. He took the company to court and won.

So I hit the streets to find out your stories of confrontation. Many admitted they are sheepish when it comes to standing up to the boss. They are afraid of telling off their manager or supervisor because even if they don’t get fired they know they will have problems in the future.

But I think 660News may be responsible for some arguments this morning because many people said now that they know they can’t get fired for a tirade they’ll voice their opinion. I apologize to managers across the city for the cuss words and screams.

The one’s who said they have spoken out when they were hassled by their boss have proven the point of the employment lawyer. They all claim to have told their boss to “shove it” (that’s putting it nicely) and have never been fired. One guy said he just let his boss have it and left no swear word unused but never felt the harsh hand of management.

One man (who didn’t make it to air because his tape wasn’t great) says he’s quit before because he didn’t want to deal with his boss. That may seem extreme but I guess if the boss is that bad you may feel it’s better to leave before you are challenging your boss to a duel.

What am I going to do he next time I disagree with my boss? Well I am one of the lucky ones who have a good working relationship with my News Director and would most likely have a sit down and have an open, mature discussion about my concerns.

But Karen…now that I know it’s legal…sorry for all the off air swearing I may scream.

Tonight every oil and gas executive will have their eyes glued to the TV or their ears stapled to the radio. Premier Ed Stelmach will address the province and give his first hint at the details of the plan his government has for royalty rates.

Many people I was speaking with this morning are speculating “steady Eddy” will try and make a safe bet compromised solution. With the review panel suggesting a hike of 20 per cent and energy companies perferring no hike, the question is how much?

Many of the people I was speaking with were those who work for oil and gas companies like Encana, Talisman, and Petro Canada. They all have a different idea of the route Stelmach will take. Some say 5 per cent, others predicting a hike of 10 per cent and some whot think he will tie the rate to the price of oil or gas … I’d hate to be the person who has to figure that math out.

Many also believe oil and gas companies will not be happy with the governments plan but the average Albertan will. They say the industry will lose profits and will grudgingly have to go along but with more money for the heritage fund and social programs, the people will be pleased.

So what will happen? Only time will tell. Stelmach will have his time tonight to give hints in his address for the royalty plan. The bulk of the details will come tomorrow afternoon when Stelmach and Energy Minister Mel Knight unveil their full plan.

As a reporter I face many problems on the road, from technical issues to having problems getting tape, but the one that is most difficult to deal with is going to the bathroom.

Don’t worry, I will spare you from the graphic details and talk simply about the problems I face finding time for a loo.

Every morning I go live from 5:30 to 8:00 (and that’s the bare minimum) and I am often not able to make my way to any appropriate facilities. In between reports, things can be quite hectic.

I have to not only go live on the air with my reports every half hour but I also have to write the piece, try and get people to talk to me at odd hours in the morning, go through the tape and choose the best 15-second clip (or 2 or 3 clips that total 15 seconds), write my headline and have it recorded by the 15-minute mark, and finally I have to try to breathe.

If I get all of that done before I have to go live again it may give me a minute to try and run to the bathroom…but I generally don’t get that privilege.

No, before you even ask the question, I do not just use a bottle or stand up against the tree when the time comes and there is nowhere to go. Not only is it against the law but I’m sure I’d get fired if I was caught doing such a thing.

This morning was one of those days where I was doing the “I gotta go” dance. The first chance I got I ran to the closest bathroom only to find it was out of order. I decided to try my luck at a gas station where I had to fill up the 660 cruiser. That one was in use and I gave up waiting after five minutes.

Needless to say, I got back to the station with a bladder that felt like it was going to burst and a radio reporter running awkwardly into the building.

Now that I may have grossed you out I will let you know I fully endorse public washrooms across the city.

Sometimes we spend weeks and weeks scrounging for news and other times we get overwhelmed with stories.

Last week has been one that drives home the meaning of the phrase “when it rains it pours.” I ran around the city doing everything from one end of the news spectrum to the other.

A week ago, I was pretending to be a firefighter at the Calgary Fire Department’s Boot Camp 2007. If you’re interested, I wrote about it in my previous blog.

On Monday we had a municipal election in this city. Calgarians headed to the polls and elected a somewhat new (but mostly old) city council. We have four new faces on council (unusual for Calgary). The election kept us busy with results and reaction running practically non-stop from Monday morning to Tuesday afternoon.

On Wednesday I got the honour of meeting Sir Richard Branson. He came to town riding a chuck wagon and claimed Fort Calgary as Virgin Territory. The multi-billionaire, who founded Virgin Records and all the spin offs that followed, announced that Calgary will be the latest city to get it’s own Virgin Music Festival. I admire Branson for what he has done with his life so for me to meet him was absolutely a thrill.

Then on Thursday tragedy struck. A school bus going south on Crowchild Trail hit a gravel truck and then crashed into a light post. All 11 children on board the bus suffered injuries, from critical to minor, and were rushed to Alberta Children’s Hospital. Tragically a 9-year-old-girl succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.

Stories like this are never easy for the media to cover. Our reporter Bryce Kelley rushed to the scene and had to go live explaining the wreckage and the backpacks, sweaters, and teddy bears that were mixed with the debris from the bus.

Kevin Usselman was sent to the hospital and watched as frantic parents ran inside looking for their children, hoping they were alright. Kevin kept us up to date on the conditions of the children and the latest from the police investigation when he had to make his way downtown for a media availability.

I had earlier been in Falconridge, where I was on the scene of a garage fire that claimed the life of one man, and was then re-assigned to go to the two schools the kids were heading to on that bus ride. While parents entered with expressionless faces, staff locked the doors and teachers closed the blinds.

It has been a widely varied and busy week but as journalists we just have to be extremely flexible to make sure you get all the information you need. It is a service we provide and are committed to… which is why 660News sent four reporters out throughout the city on such a tragic story.

This past Friday I got to live a childhood dream of mine and become a firefighter. The Calgary Fire Department gave 24 lucky people the chance to attend their 2007 Boot Camp. At the end of the day I was so tired I could barely walk but I was able to gain more of an appreciation for what the men and women in the Fire Department do. But let’s begin at the start.

The day began with all of us breaking into four groups: Platoons A, B, C, and D. I got the honour of being with my “B” teammates for the whole day. After a brief pep talk from our drill sergeant we were on our way to burning it up at the training centre.

First up was vehicle extrication. I have seen firefighters do this operation many times at the scene of a collision trying to get victims out of cars or trucks but never imagined I’d get a chance to take part.

It was amazing just to see the jaws of life at work, let alone actually hold them in my hands and help rip the roof off a car or tear apart a door. In about ten minutes my team had all the windows shattered, the windshield sawed off, the roof and both doors lying on the pavement, and the whole dashboard lifted about a foot higher than it should be. Of course being a man, ripping things apart and twisting metal using hydraulic machinery is always a good time.

Next up, fire suppression. We had to drive a fire truck (yes, they let a reckless reporter like myself drive a vehicle worth much more than my home) through an obstacle course then bring it to a screeching halt and set it up so we can put out a fire…represented by pylons.

Driving the fire truck wasn’t easy but I think I did well. The course was outlined with small pylons (which represented children) and big pylons (which represented adults) and the object was not to hit any. I ran over eight children and no adults. That was nothing compared to the worst fire truck driver out of the bunch, who drove over 32 people.

When I got to hold the fire hose I realized I wasn’t using a little piece of rubber to water my posies. The pressure wasn’t easy to contain and it truly is a three man (or woman) job to keep it in control. I put the fire out (knocked the pylons over) rather quickly and was pleased with my hose handling…don’t take that the wrong way.

After a hearty lunch we were on our way to our next challenge, search and rescue. For this we had to strap on an oxygen tank and put on a mask…only to have it covered with a blindfold. The “blackout” condition was to show us trainees how firefighters feel when running into a house filled with smoke to the point of zero visibility.

In this exercise reality struck me like a baseball bat to the face. Losing your sense of sight and being forced to find a body in a home you’ve never stepped into before isn’t easy. We had to rely on communication with our teammates and follow a procedure we had learned just minutes before to simulate the urgency of a live fire situation we had our instructors yelling at us to hurry but also letting us know when we’ve done something wrong.

The whole scenario fills you with confusion, frustration, and panic. Did we find the victim? No. We were only able to search the living room and kitchen before our instructors told us it was time to get out. To think that these firefighters are able to run into situations like that and save peoples lives amazes me.

The final team event was high-angle rescue. Basically we got the opportunity to repel off the side of a four storey building. That was the most fun I have had since bungee jumping. What was even more incredible was our trip back up to the top of the fire tower for our second trip down. The CFD decided the appropriate mode of transportation was for us to use the ladder on the back of a fire truck.

My favourite part of the day was the fiery finish to Boot Camp 2007. The instructors took us into the fire tower and basically started a massive bonfire in the corner of the room, which was no bigger than a living room.

The room filled with thick black smoke in the matter of seconds and before the smoke could even cover the ceiling, the fire alarm was beeping loudly. To prove a point, they took the battery out to show you what happens when you neglect your fire alarms.

Within a minute I couldn’t see a thing because of the smoke, and the fire was raging with flames attacking the ceiling. The temperature was rising quickly and the beads of sweat began to appear. They ventilated the room slightly by opening the two doors but it didn’t feel any cooler as the smoke dissipated.

To prove yet another point the instructor sprayed a bit of water onto the fire. Although the fire went down the temperature continued to rise. Steam now began to fill the room and I felt like I was boiling in this cement box.

Then we got to see what is called a thermal layer. This is when the temperature close to the floor is cooler than the temperature closer to the ceiling and divided by what looked like a thing thick layer of black smoke. I later learned that the room we were in became as hot as 500 degrees Fahrenheit and the fact my clothes were soaking wet at the end of the demonstration, I could believe it. We were basically turkeys basting in a concrete oven…gravy anyone?

They also showed us the fire alarm that was in the room with us. It was completely melted and yet came nowhere near the fire. Kind of makes you want to go home and test the batteries in your alarm.

The point of the day was not just for a bunch of corporate sponsors and media personalities to live out a childhood dream…but to educate. The stress and physical demands of a firefighter are incredible. These people put their lives on the line everyday and while doing it face situations like blackout conditions, intense heat, heavy equipment, and more stress and pressure than any politician in the legislature or House of Commons.

I know most of us appreciate what any emergency worker does for our society, but experiencing their day first hand really puts it in perspective. You gain an appreciation you probably didn’t think you could ever have. They do so much for us yet I feel we could be giving more back, even if it is just a wave and a smile.

I guess at the end of the day my suggestion to you is this: The next time you get a chance, hug a firefighter!

As I have said in the past, many people who work at 660News (including myself) are jacks of all trades. This means we have to fill in where it’s necessary and today that meant I got to sit with Lynda Parcells at the anchor desk.

It was fun being Ted Henley for a day. I got to get up at 2 a.m. after struggling to fall asleep around 7-8 p.m. last night, I was rejected for my morning Timbits because they weren’t made yet, I got to read and write like a bohemian author, and I finished my shift when most are starting their work day.

Some people I have met have a flawed view of what morning show anchors do. I’ve had a few friends admit they believe Ted and Lynda simply sit in a booth and read what is written for them. Some go as far as to suggest the banter between anchors is also scripted. I can assure you this is not true.

I began my day reading through the newspapers and writing the stories for my newscast … with the help of the editor and writer of course. That’s not the end of the typing. I am responsible for every headline and tease you hear at the start of the cast, and before commercials and sports.

I also have to read over my whole cast to make sure there are no mistakes. That’s all done in only an-hour-and-a-half. Then when we get on the air we are constantly rewriting stories and making changes while we read. You definitely have to be a multi-tasker.

An added stress for me was trying to remember how to anchor. I haven’t sat at the anchors desk in months and I had to remember how to work the board, the computer system that runs our commercials and promos, and which mics to turn on and when. That’s a heck of a lot more than just reading.

As for the banter, there are no scripted conversations on the air. Everything you hear is natural and off the tops of our heads. We have to be careful what we chat about though…we don’t want to offend anyone or give our opinions/feelings about any important matters. It’s fun to talk about how disappointed we are the Santa Claus Parade has been cancelled but it isn’t right for us to comment on the royalty debate.

It was a nice change for me and great to get back to the anchor’s desk. Considering all I had to do and remember, everything went smoothly during the shift. Nobody died and my editor Radana Suk didn’t knock me over the head with a baseball bat out of frustration.

All-in-all it’s great being Ted Henley … for a day anyway.

It’s that time of year again, the yellow leaves are on the ground, the football and hockey seasons have begun and stomachs across the nation are grumbling in anticipation for Thanksgiving dinner.

Of course it is a long weekend and we are all happy to get that extra day of sleep and relaxation. I know I’m looking forward to it. My girlfriend and I will be spending our holiday with friends because our families live in another province. We probably aren’t the only ones considering thousands of people all across Canada have flocked to our city over the past five years.

For the next week we’ll all be stuffing turkey, cranberry sauce and gravy down our throats trying to get rid of the leftover food.

Gluttony at its finest.

But don’t worry you don’t have to develop a gut because of the holiday. On Tuesday we will have Hal Johnson from Body Break giving us some tips on how to keep off the  “turkey pounds” from thanksgiving.

Whether you gorge on your meal or enjoy a light healthy dinner, everyone here at 660News wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving and a fun long weekend.

On a basic day I spend a bulk of my morning going live with one story, then after the morning show is over I begin my work on my second story for the afternoon. From time to time I get shifted around and end up getting about four or five stories during my shift but the basic day consists of at least two.

Being a reporter I put out dozens of calls trying to develop that important second story but sometimes I just don’t have any luck. Today has been one of those days.

My morning story was about the royalty rate debate and I headed back to the station with not much on the go. When I got to the newsroom my editor Laura Knop had an interesting report for me by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest. It basically said that Alberta is number one when it comes to school nutrition policies.

So my first call was to the contact number on the media release. He didn’t have a chance for an interview until 3:30 p.m. Since we are all news all the time, I didn’t feel like waiting an extra three-and-a-half hours after my shift is supposed to finish just for an interview. I like working … but not that much.

Next it was the Calgary Health Region, then the Health Ministry … then the Ministry of Education, both school boards, SAIT, and even trying Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod from Body Break. (That wasn’t a joke, I did try and get them to call us but as of one o’clock no word from my childhood fitness heroes.)

All I got was voice mail after voice mail. It can be rather frustrating when nothing seems to be working in my favour. I’m sure many of you have had that feeling at work and can relate when I say “I wanted to give up.”

There was a glimmer of hope in the story when the Ministry of Health called back and said they had someone for me. But, of course, they couldn’t call until after my shift was over.

Sometimes the luck of the Irish doesn’t apply with me and I’m left with no second story for the day.

The issue of royalties from oil and gas companies has been front and centre on the political scene for at least the past six months. There are some who say the royalty system is fine as it is, but there is also a large group who believe we are being short-changed.

Today there is more fuel to the fire for both sides of the argument.

Alberta’s Auditor General, Fred Dunn, released his annual report and addressed the royalty system in our province. While he didn’t discuss the recent recommendations made by a royalty review panel, he did release a scathing indictment of the provincial government’s collection of energy royalties.

Dunn found that the Alberta government hid information for at least three years showing that energy royalties could be increased without hurting the energy industry. The Auditor General says the energy ministry’s own reports, from as far back as 2004, say that royalties could be increased by $1-billion a year or more without stifling profitability.

Dunn says officials know that the royalty rates are low in Alberta and actually one of the lowest rates out of any jurisdiction with oil and gas.

The auditor general says the principles of transparency and accountability - the hallmarks of Premier Ed Stelmach’s Conservative government - have not been followed when it comes to royalties.

Dunn adds the situation has become so bad that people are forced to file freedom of information requests just to get vital information about royalty collection.

While the report doesn’t focus on the recent royalty review or make a suggestion about raising rates or holding them steady…it can definitely be used as a tool for those who believe our rates are too low and need a hike.

The fact that a rise may not hurt the energy industry may shoot down any opposition to a hike.

And that leads to the other side of the royalty argument.

Today another oilsands company has come forward urging Premier Ed Stelmach not to adopt the suggestions from a royalty review panel, which says higher royalties would bring $2-billion more annually to the province. Investment bank Tristone Capital says ‘punitive’ recommendations in an Alberta royalty review would actually lead to $2-billion in less revenues for the province by the end of the decade.

Tristone president George Gosbee says boosting royalties, particularly in the natural gas sector, would lead to a ‘flight of capital’ away from Alberta.

Late last week, energy giant EnCana said it would slash spending in Alberta by $1-billion if the royalty rate hike was adopted. Tristone is proposing a smaller royalty hike, and Gosbee admits that the oilpatch made a mistake when it advocated leaving the rates unchanged.

Are we getting our fair share? Are oil and gas companies getting an easy ride from our province or are they paying enough for our resources?

It doesn’t seem that there is an easy solution to this problem and Premier Stelmach will have to come up with a detailed compromise to make both sides happy.

Some of you may think your opinion doesn’t matter, but I urge you to voice your thoughts to your MLA. These resources are owned by all Albertans and I’m sure if someone was trying to buy your home, you’d want a say in what price you get for your property.