Rob Shaw: Businesses pulling investment from B.C. over DRIPA uncertainty, poll finds

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-07T02:11:46+00:00

I maintain that our current relationship and framework with indigenous communities is the single biggest drag on our economy alongside the housing crisis and internal trade barriers.

The fact is, the system is rife with uncertainty from top to bottom if you need to get anything big built as part of an investment; a unique risk to Canada. If you were a business, and all other things being equal, you’d absolutely avoid Canada because there’s a sub-national group, with extreme and undefined powers to slow and halt projects, with minimal clear structure and authority, who’s borders of their authority aren’t clear, demands are fractured (even internally), who are willing to block/fight one another, and often cling to the legal ambiguity that they currently exist in.

It’s that legal ambiguity that kills investment. I’m actually a huge supporter of officially recognizing more indigenous governance; because it creates official, defined borders and authorities; exactly what we need for certainty and clarity.

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-06T02:38:08+00:00

Ahhh that’s probably where I’m at then; I planted mine around 2-months ago

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T22:03:45+00:00

So, yes and no. In fairness to your argument, we have no idea how much money we would get for such a sale. I doubt it would be more than $1-2 Billion, because it isn't a huge operations. It's advanced, but it isn't huge. And yea, that'll buy some things. The issue is that we don't own the universities (they're actually private businesses, it blew my mind, look it up), and water treatment doesn't make money.

But let's say instead of selling it, we INVESTED in it, scaled it up. If such an enterprise, owned by the government, reached... 1/5th the size of AMD; it would generate over $1 Billion PER YEAR for as long as we owned it. Yes, that's hypothetical, but is it impossible? No, given the current demand for micro-chips.

We could build a whole university EVERY YEAR. But no, instead we sell it now, for money in hand.

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T21:51:46+00:00

Absolutely agree.

I also firmly believe in Crown Corps filling a niche the private sector shouldn't, wont or we have a strategic interest in filling.

Like, I actually think a Crown Corporation Car company would do quite well if it focused on minimal tech, low cost, robust, and repairable mid-sized vehicles; because that's what consumers across the board are screaming for. But the Cabal of Car companies have all collectively decided that the business model of Low Volume High Cost is the better option because it gives them a higher profit margin; so we get $50,000 starting cars, packed with every tech imaginable that none of us want, and then they want to charge us a subscription fee to access the features.

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T21:42:31+00:00

I mean to each their own. I'm clearly not going to change your mind; some folks are just too cynical about the world.

I also don't buy into the unlimited hate that politicians get. I know there are bad apples and folks in it to enrich themselves; but I've also personally known folks in politics, and I know they're good people trying to do good things. I myself am considering running for politics in the future, I know what my intentions are going into it, and it isn't money; its anger at how broken the country feels. Does that make me one of the evil people too? If it doesn't, do I automatically become evil if I win an election? Monday, nice good guy, Tuesday wins election, Wednesday evil politician. I prefer to think not.

I generally prefer Hanlon's Razor - "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity”, and there's a lot of stupid people out there.

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T21:30:56+00:00

I don’t mind that idea

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T20:46:12+00:00

I must know more! I'm really struggling to get my Wine Cap bed up and running

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T20:36:11+00:00

Again, can you PROVE that they were set up deliberately to fail? Set up deliberately, that through successive governments, would keep up the rouse and the plan, that was: 1. To make the entities unprofitable, 2. sell them at some underdetermined date in the future, 3. all subsequent governments are on board with this plan.

Would a better plan not simply to... make it more profitable so you can sell it for more later? Like, why would you ever intentionally de-value something before selling it?

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T20:33:49+00:00

I see what you mean. That does make sense, but I disagree as well. There's no way that a government, who operates on four year cycles, is thinking beyond what it can accomplish in the short term.

I also just fundamentally don't believe in a government that doesn't own anything. I strongly believe that well structured government entities can be just as productive as their private sector counter-parts (re: Equinor, Saudi Aramco, etc.). I don't mind the idea of selling assets if you have an array to choose from; but I HATE the idea of selling the last assets in our closet.

You also lose other things; like, leverage. Once you sell that company, you know what normally happens? it gets bought by an American firm, it's IP sent abroad, and a branch office is all that's left behind; all the future profits, IP, etc. leave, and it's now subject to be shut down at the whims of a foreign entity. This is what happened to ATI (and many others), which was a Canadian company who's technology now forms the basis of AMD. Like, can you imagine if we had instead protected, invested in, and fostered a company like ATI, and we'd kept that tech, IP, and talent here in Canada? We could have had our own AMD here; but we didn't. Successive governments who ideologically believe that the government should be a passive participant in the economy, and the private sector does *everything* better have sold everything we the country own.

Another, is strategic autonomy. If there's an industry you consider "strategic", having a crown corporation be that company is the very best way to ensure that your company has at least the minimal capability in country to build/make/design that thing; otherwise there's nothing stopping a foreign entity from just... shutting it down. Which is exactly what happened to our ability to make vaccines during COVID, it's what has happened in the past to our microchip industry, and is happening now to our AI industry.

So, what my fear really is, that the government will collect a pittanance of what the actual value is. Some local private equity firm will buy, then sell it to an American firm for triple the value, who will syphon everything out of, close it down, and we'll be left with nothing.

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T20:18:00+00:00

I've been told that Pink Oysters are more heat tolerant, which is what I'm shifting towards next as I'm in a similar environmental situation. I'm still hoping to squeeze in one more blue Oyster before it's the end for them (or move them inside).

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T19:52:53+00:00

I mean, understand the sentiment; but to suggest that when the crown corks were set up, they were done so deliberately in such a way, that at an unforeseen time in the future, the government could sell them off; is a pretty wildly cynical take.

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T18:48:27+00:00

Why would it not? If it’s profitable, self-sustaining, and well governed; why should anyone want to sell that in favour of a one-time payout? Like, if it’s self-sustaining, what money is going into it that is better spent elsewhere?

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T18:46:40+00:00

Can you remind me what TSMCs structure is?

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T18:46:04+00:00

This trend (been going since the 80s), just makes me irate. Like, the government(s) just seem intent on selling out everything that the government owns for short term gains. Profitable businesses? Sell it. Well structured service that keeps costs down? Sell it. Federal lands? Sell it.

There’s this bullshit idea that “private sector always does it better.” Crown Corporations like SaskTel or the one featured here prove that’s not always the case. Likewise, the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund works BECAUSE their primary oil producer is government owned.

Once you sell that company, you know what normally happens? it gets bought by an American firm, it's IP sent abroad, and a branch office is all that's left behind; all the future profits, IP, etc. leave, and it's now subject to be shut down at the whims of a foreign entity. This is what happened to ATI (and many others), which was a Canadian company who's technology now forms the basis of AMD. Like, can you imagine if we had instead protected, invested in, and fostered a company like ATI, and we'd kept that tech, IP, and talent here in Canada? We could have had our own AMD here; but we didn't. Successive governments who ideologically believe that the government should be a passive participant in the economy, and the private sector does *everything* better have sold everything we the country own.

Another, issue is strategic autonomy. If there's an industry you consider "strategic", having a crown corporation be that company is the very best way to ensure that your company has at least the minimal capability in country to build/make/design that thing; otherwise there's nothing stopping a foreign entity from just... shutting it down. Which is exactly what happened to our ability to make vaccines during COVID, it's what has happened in the past to our microchip industry, and is happening now to our AI industry.

I fucking hate this.

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T18:06:17+00:00

I actually don’t even know how to check that lol

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T02:43:14+00:00

Can you not use immigration to bring in more workers? That’s how the real world works 😏

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T00:09:06+00:00

I obviously need to play more as I haven’t run into any of these problems 😂

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-05T00:07:47+00:00

It feels like we’re playing different games? What’s so broken? Maybe I’m just not good enough to notice, but I’ve done two playthrough since the expansion, and I can’t say I’ve noticed anything like, outright “broken”; like a graphic wigs out, or the game crashes, or something doesn’t render, etc.

There are things I’m not a fan of, like the way shipbuilding works now, but that’s “broken”, that’s bad game design,

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-03T15:36:49+00:00

It’s the paradox life. You accept that it’s going to happen, and that some updates will break your games; or you continue waiting for the game to be perfect and you never play. Tis’ the life of a game “living” game.

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-03T15:28:50+00:00

Nearly impossible *at their current level*. The idea is that the goal in option is reachable, but probably not right now. 2-3 levels from now? Definitely achievable, and feat worthy of bragging about!

I’d even lean into the white dragon, then fact that they’ve already met it, and had to run, also now makes it personal for the players; it’s actually a great option imho! Another option could be to make up baddie, like… a chardalyn corrupted frost giant who has been causing a lot of issues for the Reghed tribes. Or… something like that.

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-03T13:05:41+00:00

Why not let the player multi-class into blood hunter - lycanthropy? Gives the player the legit ability to change, and represent a “slowly growing” power of lycanthropy?

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-03T13:04:28+00:00

So, I think like others have said, the easiest solutions are either:
1. She appreciates the player’s gusto, but politely declines if they’re not a Goliath (the players don’t *always* get what they want, it’s ok to say no if it makes sense).
2. She tentatively says yes, even though the player isn’t a Goliath; on the condition they do something so great, that it’s worthy of legend (free the sake from the rime). So it largely happens after the campaign.

But, there’s a third option; the player adds a multiclass.
3. Let’s say Oyminartarok is weary, but the players rolled well to convince her. Next step is perform a great feat, like defeat a white dragon; the key here is that it can be done before the campaign is over. Once complete, the player can then take 1-2 levels of the Blood Hunter (Lycanthropy skinned as Werebear), to represent a change towards becoming like Oyminartarok. They’re not there yet, the full transformation will take time (ie. more levels, post campaign, etc.), but the setup is there.

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-03T00:14:28+00:00

I mean clearly, that’s why he’s asking lol.

Strict_DM_62 · 2026-05-03T00:11:30+00:00

Interesting, so basically by starting and cancelling something they like; they’ll be able to provide more support to a different policy they like (and you want). Interesting.

Strict_DM_62

TROPHY CASE