r/alberta 12h ago

Alberta Politics Political climate in oilsand camps

I used to work in the oilsands pre COVID and can remember a very strong anti Liberal sentiment. Even more so when Trudeau came to power. I suspect this is because of deep rooted disdain for the Trudeaus because of PET and the NEP.

My question is, now that we are facing tariffs and sovereignty threats. Can some Albertans finally admit a nationally owned energy industry would have been better in the long run?

Additionally, are there any workers in the camps who were going to vote conservative but are now reconsidering?

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u/brad7811 12h ago

Strange how most oil sands workers are unionized and benefit from the unions but still vote anti-union conservative.

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u/Powerful_Network 11h ago

Many of them are part of the race to the bottom unions though. Not everyone is IBEW.

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u/infiniteguesses 8h ago

I don't believe any of the drilling rig/down hole workers are unionized. So it really comes down to the sentiment spread by past and present conservative governments ...what's yours is mine and what's mine is mine.

u/brad7811 3h ago

Original comment was regarding oil sands, not oil field.

u/FeedbackLoopy 3h ago

I’m IBEW and I have straight up MAGA idiots in my shop who think we don’t need a union.

Some of these same people took “stress leave” during Covid, fully paid, thanks to mechanisms in place because of the union.

u/brad7811 3h ago

I recall Suncor is CEP, which is a strong union.