Gil McGowan

Proud father of three. President of the Alberta Federation of Labour. My job is to stand up for Alberta workers. RESIST!

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

Check out my interview on @RealTalkRJ. In these times of rising inequality & authoritarianism, the work of the labour movement is inherently political. If we’re not using worker collective action BOTH in the workplace AND on the political stage, then we’re not doing our jobs.

[Real Talk Ryan Jespersen @RealTalkRJ]

Does @ABFedLabour president @gilmcgowan's outspoken opposition to Premier Danielle Smith actually hurt the labour movement?

We put the question to him directly.

What do you think?

👀 FULL: https://t.co/m6Eh8GaM3H

🎧 FULL: https://t.co/NhLFxP5jGi #abpoli #RealTalkRJ

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

@Papaschase2 @wy47tj8 Yep. The UCP won’t do. So let’s make the case that they are NOT good stewards of our collectively-owned resources. One of the many reasons we need to make them out FORMER government. We also have to convince the NDP to be more than UCP-lite on energy issues.

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

Experts finally acknowledge what we at the AFL have been saying for years: the oil and gas industry is making massive profits and breaking production records, while at the same time shedding jobs for Albertans AND constantly playing the victim.

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

@Pistolp902 I was tempted to delete this reply because it’s so racist, but I’ll leave it here because it illustrates the stupidity that has become so common in discussions about oil and gas in Alberta. Stop pointing fingers and start looking at the realities of price and demand. Moron.

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

@wy47tj8 … and use that revenue for other priorities (like health care, education, infrastructure, economic diversification etc)

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

@wy47tj8 Sure. That’s my point. The oil industry is making a perfectly rational decision to harvest rather than invest. Trying to bribe them into changing their minds with huge public giveaways and subsidies is irresponsible. Better to get a bigger share of the profits for the public …

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

@ketowithgreg And, like clockwork, Danielle Smith will announce big royalty and tax cuts. Probably with PM Carney at her side. You won’t have to wait long for it.

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

@scootluc You’re missing my point. Right now we’re not optimizing either of the potential benefits: jobs or revenue. We’re not getting more jobs (and probably never will, again). And, we’re not optimizing revenue. At the very least, we should be doing another royalty review.

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

Here’s a link to the full Calgary Herald article referenced above. https://t.co/r2LDYvqMlh

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

That’s a good analogy. And a telling one. Carney & Smith have given the oil & gas industry everything they’ve been asking for. Up until now, the industry has been taking their massive profits and funnelling them out of the province. Now, will they invest? I remain skeptical.

[ChrisVarcoe @ChrisVarcoe]

Varcoe: With government incentives inching closer, 'pressure is on' for oil producers to invest in new projects
“It’s almost, I would say, like the dog that caught the car…You got what you wanted as an industry — now the pressure is on to invest.”
https://t.co/UK6lQdAOVH #ableg

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

We did a report on this, which showed that Alberta’s big oil sands companies have been taking their historic profits and using them for stock buybacks & dividend payouts that primarily benefit investors (the vast majority of whom reside outside of Canada). https://t.co/PaHkY01dtp

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

Our report showed how our big oil companies are exporting most of their record profits to foreign (primarily American) owners instead of plowing them back into the Alberta economy or creating jobs for Albertans (who are the real owners of the resource) https://t.co/PaHkY01dtp

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

That means a continued decline in jobs & investment back into Alberta, even as profits and profits rise. As owners of the resource, the most sensible approach is to stop showering the industry with giveaways and start taking a bigger cut of the windfall. No jobs? More royalties!

[Andrew Longhurst @alonghurst.bsky.social @a_longhurst]

BIG SCOOP—@TheTyee reveals that Alberta is looking to adopt a US billing system for Alberta doctors

This would align AB with US, lock-in AB taxpayers & create the conditions for US private health (insurance) corporations to enter Canada
https://t.co/zrc4a9C85B

#abpoli #cdnpoli

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

Limiting debate has become standard operating procedure for Danielle Smith and the UCP. Rig the races. Limit the debate. Attempt to use trumped up referendums to manufacture a mandate. Smith’s contempt for democracy is on full display.

[Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean 🇨🇦 @Mitchell_AB]

In fairness, Jason Kenney didn’t get four years as Premier.

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

AOC gives a fascinating inside look at how American democracy works. One really interesting thing for me is that, setting aside the influence of big money, American congresspeople and senators have WAY more independence than Canadian MLAs and MPs.

[Winter @MsWinterrrr]

AOC on why running for speaker is so difficult.

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

I’ll just leave this here. ICYMI.

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

Lessons for Alberta from the Democratic sweep in Texas: US midterm election shows that campaigning with and for the working class is a winning strategy. Is the ANDP paying attention?

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

Coordinating with unions on candidates, platform and strategy. Imagine that!

[Holly Otterbein @hollyotterbein]

Scoop: Zohran Mamdani has been meeting privately with union leaders, urgently talking up the need for a labor-aligned or leftist candidate to run for president, people familiar with the talks tell me.

He's arguing that progressives can't afford to squander their midterm momentum.

Behind closed doors, Mamdani has also said he's uncertain whether AOC will launch a White House run, the sources said.
https://t.co/JrgwB9dZOn

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

@ginakonschuh We’re talking about it!

[Gil McGowan @gilmcgowan]

This is the sound when Lula won. Beautiful!

[Power to the People ☭🕊 @ProudSocialist]

Breaking: Lula has come from behind to win Brazil’s runoff election defeating Trump-Netanyahu ally Bolsonaro. Moments after the victory Sao Paulo erupted in celebration.