Anglais

Caucus caught off guard by Pallister’s carbon tax decision

Published

6 années ago

octobre 7, 2018

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Brian Pallister’s abrupt about-face on a carbon tax came after the Manitoba premier felt like he was being used as a prop by Ottawa, and sources say it was a surprise to most in his own caucus.

The move, which aligned Pallister’s Progressive Conservatives with other Canadian conservative leaders, came after months of his insisting that a Manitoba-made tax that met the federal Liberals halfway was better than having a levy imposed by Ottawa.

Things took a sharp turn last month when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Manitoba and wished publicly that Pallister « would encourage some of the other conservative voices around the country to recognize that having a plan to fight climate change is something that all Canadians … have a right to expect. »

Pallister gave no indication at the time, but on Wednesday he suddenly announced he was dropping his plans for a carbon tax and said he did not appreciate Trudeau’s comments.

« I don’t think anybody likes to be used as a prop, and I certainly am not inclined that way, » Pallister said a day later.

The Canadian Press interviewed three Manitoba government sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, and used documents along with comments from Pallister to piece together what happened.

Timeline of a tax

Pallister ruffled some feathers in PC circles during the April 2016 provincial election when he included a promise to put a price on carbon in the party’s platform.

Conservatives don’t generally run on promises of new taxes, but the federal Liberals had already signalled their intention to enact a nationwide carbon price.

In October 2016, the federal government said provinces would have to bring in a cap-and-trade system or charge a rising carbon tax on gasoline and other items. The tax would start at $10 a tonne in 2018 and reach $50 per tonne in 2022. Any province that balked would be hit with an equivalent « backstop » tax collected by Ottawa.

A year later, Pallister’s government announced it would charge a flat $25-a-tonne carbon tax and argued the federal government shouldn’t push further because of the billions Manitoba has invested in clean hydro.

Manitoba also released a legal opinion that stated the federal government had the constitutional authority to enact a carbon tax, but the province might be able to rebuff the move if it came up with its own tax that was equally effective at reducing emissions.

That’s when Pallister began the mantra that billed his tax as the better of two options.

« If we just say no, we get Trudeau, » became the slogan.

There were concerns in caucus. Legislature members didn’t like the idea of having to sell a tax.

But with an agriculture exemption, and with the Opposition NDP open to the full $50 federal plan, the feeling was the Tories were going to be on the right side of public opinion.

During a September visit to Manitoba, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wished publicly that Premier Brian Pallister ‘would encourage some of the other conservative voices around the country to recognize that having a plan to fight climate change is something that all Canadians … have a right to expect.’ (John Woods/The Canadian Press)

« The caucus was united, but we were hearing noise from party members, » one source said.

« There was cautious acceptance, and an understanding that the provincial plan was better than the alternative, » said another source. « Plus, we would have control over how the carbon tax revenues would be spent. »

Pallister promised to use the cash from the carbon tax to cut other taxes and help offset rising energy prices.

And if Manitoba had to go to court to fight further increases, it would likely come in 2020, an election year. The Tories could promote the dispute on the campaign trail.

Also helping Pallister at the time was that only Saskatchewan had come out firmly opposed to the carbon tax. Former Ontario PC leader Patrick Brown had supported a carbon levy that could be offset by other tax cuts.

But Brown was replaced by Doug Ford, who has firmly opposed the tax. New Brunswick Tory Leader Blaine Higgs then promised to fight the federal plan in court. And Alberta’s NDP Premier Rachel Notley pulled her province out of further carbon tax increases because of a court ruling that put the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion on hold.

The political landscape was shifting, but Pallister held firm at a premiers conference in New Brunswick in July, where he met with Ford and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe.

« Pallister was quite adamant in his explanation of ‘this is why we’re doing this, »‘ one source said. « It was kind of an agree-to-disagree thing. It wasn’t acrimonious or anything. »

A post on Twitter from Ford’s account after the meeting said Pallister had reaffirmed opposition to carbon taxes. It was quickly deleted.

« One of Ford’s staffers was overly enthusiastic … and the premier immediately corrected that, » a source said.

Trudeau trip a tipping point

Then Trudeau came to Winnipeg in September.

In a private meeting, Pallister said, the prime minister gave no ground on the federal backstop. In public, Trudeau held Pallister up as an example to other conservatives.

Pallister said last week it was at that point that he lost any hope the federal government might budge.

« It became pretty clear, » he said.

Pallister said he had not been in contact with Moe or Ford in the two weeks before he announced he was pulling out.

He told a small number of people of his plan to scrap the provincial carbon tax several days before his announcement, one source said.

For the Tory caucus, it came as a surprise. Members were told just before or found out when Pallister stood in the legislature Wednesday and announced Manitoba would not enact a tax.

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

Published

3 années ago

août 10, 2021

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Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline.

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors.

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity.

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement.

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level.

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet.

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

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In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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Anglais

MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.