FACILITYCalgary, a compilation of news items & commentary of interest to people who have a real estate, infrastructure, construction, oil & gas or general interest in Calgary, brought to you weekly by MaxComm Communications, keeping you up to date on issues affecting 'business in Calgary'.
FRESH TODAY - Monday, April 14, 2008
+ Agrium Inc. buying 70% interest in Common Market Fertilizers of Brussels, US$66 million
+ crude oil prices @6:15AM, MDT as quoted by Bloomberg.com - Nymex Crude Future US$110.80/barrel, Dated Brent Spot US$108.96/barrel, WTI Cushing Spot US$110.14 (Friday close)/barrel; after touching a record US$112 last week, prices are down & steady on mix of factors: about refinery problems in Europe that will further tighten supplies there,, OPEC keeping output steady, strong Chinese demand, speculation slowing growth in the U.S. will trim demand amid swelling global supplies
+ Delta Air Lines Inc. & Northwest Airlines Corp. are in merger talks
+ Deutsche Bank AG to sell US$20 billion of debt related to leveraged buyouts
+ First Calgary Petroleums Ltd. & Waterford Finance & Investment Limited resolved their proxy fight; new board & senior exeuctives to be appointedmillion
+ FirstService Corporation agreed to sell its security division to ADT Security for US$187 million
+ G-7 finance ministers communiqué step up rhetoric signaling potential intervention in currency markets over concern about weak US dollar
+ Kevin Martin's rink from Edmonton won the 2008 World Curling Championships held in Grand Forks, North Dakota
+ Oilexco Incorporated sub. Oilexco North Sea Ltd. acquiring Svenska Petroleum Exploration UK Limited, US$25 million
+ opening of the First Session of Alberta's 27th Legislature; 31 new MLAs & 2 former MLAs who have been re-elected, in addition to 50 returning MLAs from the 26th Legislature - election of presiding officers will occur, including the position of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees & the Deputy Chair of Committees; Throne Speech tomorrow
+ Stratic Energy Corporation closed $150 million debt financing
+ Trevor Immelman went to the The Mecca of GOLF, where the Masters tournament (begun in 1934) is played at Augusta National; shot an 8 under 280 to win the Green Jacket & US$ 1.35 million as the 2008 Masters Champion
+ Baytex Energy Trust agreed to acquier Burmis Energy Inc.
+ Blackstone Commercial is merging with NAI Commercial (Calgary) Ltd.
+ Canaccord Capital Inc. agreed to backstop small investors in Asset Backed Commercial Paper restructuring, assuring all those with less than $1 million a full recovery
+ Canaccord Capital Inc. taking $39.6 million restructuring loss & reorganizing management
+ ConocoPhillips & BP Plc partnering to build the Denali US$30 billion natural gas pipeline to link Alaska's North Slope to markets in the rest of the United States by 2018; to spend US$600 million on 1st phase over next 3 years
+ DeepFlex Inc. closed US$33 million equity financing
+ Devon Energy Corporation agreed to sell its oil & gas business in Equatorial Guinea for US $2.2 billion to GEPetrol, the national oil company of Equatorial Guinea
+ First Calgary Petroleums Ltd. was successful in its application for a court order extending the date for its annual & special meeting of shareholders to April 18, 2008
+ food price protests & rioting in Haiti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mauritania, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Niger, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Indonesia & the Philippines fueled by 75% increase in rice prices over the past 2 months, the price of wheat is up 125% over the last year
+ Fort Chicago Power Ltd. is new name for Countryside Canada Inc.
+ Imperial Oil Ltd.'s Strathcona refinery in Edmonton completed repairs, has restored production
+ Orleans Energy Ltd. closed $3,780,000 overallottment of its recent equity financing
+ Rainbow Pipe Line Company Ltd. shareholders agreed to sell the company & assets to Plains All American Pipeline LP for $540 million
+ Stratic Energy Corporation closed US$42.5 million convertible debt financing
+ TransAtlantic Petroleum Corp. closed $3.0 million equity financing
+ U.S. recession watch: Washington Mutual Inc. battered by mortgage delinquencies & defaults obtained a US$7 billion capital injection from private equity firm TPG Inc. & other investors, but projected a US$1.1 billion quarterly loss & plans to eliminate 3,000 jobs; former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said he has no regrets about his decisions & the U.S. economy is already in recession, although it is hard to say how deep or severe; Lehman Bothers liquidated 3 investment funds that lost value & took $1 billion of assets onto its balance sheet; stocks slumped Friday after surprisingly weak earnings from General Electric Co. & data showing consumer sentiment at a 26-year low fed recession fears; Frontier Airlines in Chapter 11; Wachovia Corp raising US$6-7 billion in new capital to shore up balance sheet due to subprime mortgage exposure & US$2.1 billion loss provision
+ zzzzz . . the Government of Alberta introduced 2 new royalty programs to encourage development of deep, high-cost oil & gas reserves
+ Allen Maydonik to Commissioner @ Alberta Utilities Commission
+ Andre Caille to Senior Strategic Consultant @ Junex Inc.
+ Bill Lyttle to Commissioner @ Alberta Utilities Commission
+ Dan Tomie to Exec. VP @ Focus Corporation
+ George Eynon to Member @ Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board
+ James Henderson, CFO @ Kodiak Oil & Gas Corp. resigned
+ J.D. Ebbels to Member @ Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board
+ Jerry Zucker, Governor & CEO @ Hudson's Bay Company, died
+ John Betts to Pres. @ McDonalds Restaurants of Canada Limited
+ John O'Rourke to VP, Power @ Fort Chicago Energy Management Ltd.
+ Katie Clayton to Partner @ Fasken Martineau LLP
+ Kenneth Bagan to Pres. & CEO @ Enerchem International Inc.
+ Michael Bruni to Member @ Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board
+ Nektar Diamontopoulos to National Director, Equity Investments, Canada @ GE Real Estate
+ Phillip Ryan to Exec. VP & CFO @ Power Corporation of Canada
+ Rinus De Waal to Partner @ Fasken Martineau LLP
+ Rob Johnston to CEO @ Hudson's Bay Company
+ Robert Pockar to Pres. & CEO @ Matrix Solutions Inc.
+ Shane O'Leary to Pres. & CEO @ First Calgary Petroleums Ltd., replacing Richard Anderson
+ Shane Olin to Pres. @ NAI Commercial (Calgary) Ltd.
+ Trevor Lee to VP Operations & Development BC @ OPUS Building Canada Inc.
+ Tudor Beattie to Commissioner @ Alberta Utilities Commission
SAVE THE DATE:
Business Events, Functions etc.
Apr. 14; 2008 Western Business Outlook Briefing , The Conference Board of Canada; Calgary TELUS Convention Centre; info/register: http://www.conferenceboard.ca
Apr. 15; 2008 Edmonton Real Estate Forum, Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton; John Frederickson, Managing Dir, Colliers Edmonton, Chairman; info/registration: http://www.mmpiwest.com/realestateforumsw est/edm onton/
Apr. 16; IFMA Calgary Chapter Luncheon Event: ARCHITECTURAL AND DESIGN ACOUSTICS IN COMMERCIAL OFFICE AND HEALTH ENVIRONMENTS , ConocoPhillips Canada, info/register: info@ifmacalgary.org or register online at www.ifmacalgary.org
Apr. 17; NAIOPalgary/ SIOR April Breakfast Notice - ProLogis, Global and Growing; Calgary Petroleum Club, info/registration: http://www.naiopcalgary.com/events/
Apr. 29; 14th Annual Vancouver Real Estate Forum; Hyatt Regency Hotel, Vancouver, info/registration: http://www.mmpiwest.com/realestateforumsw est/vanc ouver/
Apr. 29-30; Buildex Edmonton; Shaw Conference Center, Edmonton, info/registration: http://www.buildexedmonton.com/
May 3; Safe Haven Foundation - Street of Dreams Gala, Calgary Hyatt Regency Hotel; info/tickets/sponsorship: sara@safehavenfoundation.ca
May 8; Turning Points Non-Gala Dinner, The Westin, Calgary, in aid of the Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter; info/tickets: http://www.calgarywomensshelter.com
June 10 - 12; Global Petroleum Show, Stampede Park, Calgary, info/register: http://www.petroleumshow.com/globalpetroleum/page. cfm/Link=12/t=m/goSection=8
July 7-9 ; 34th G8 Summit, Tokyo, Japan
SAVE THE DATE:
Annual & Special Meetings
Apr. 16;
Co-Operators Life Insurance Company, Annual & Special Meeting of Policyholders & Shareholders, Guelph, Ontario
Co-Operators General Insurance Company, Annual & Special Meeting of Policyholders & Shareholders, Guelph, Ontario
Apr. 18;
First Calgary Petroleums Ltd.; Annual & Special Meeting of Shareholders, Calgary
The Dominion Atlantic Railway Company; Annual Meeting, Calgary
Apr. 22;
Canadian National Railway Company, Annual Meeting of Shareholders, Chicago
Encana Corporation, Annual and Special Meeting, Toronto
TransAlta Corporation, Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders, Edmonton
April 24; Tanganyika Oil Company Ltd. , Annual General Meeting, Calgary
April 29;
Calgary Chamber of Commerce , Annual General Meeting, Calgary
OPTI Canada Inc. Annual General Meeting, Calgary
April 30; Emera Incorporated, Annual General Meeting, Halifax
May 5
Enbridge Income Fund, Annual Meeting of Unitholders, Calgary
W&T Offshore, Inc. , Annual Meeting of Shareholders, Houston
Enerplus Resources Fund, Annual General and Special Meeting , Calgary
May 9; Dominion Resources Inc., Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois
May 22; First Capital Realty Inc., Annual General Meeting, Toronto
SAVE THE DATE:
2008 Charity & Industry Golf Tournaments
May 29-30, 9th Annual AMBA/MLAA Spring Golf Classic, Mortgage Loans Association of Alberta (Edmonton Chapter) & the Alberta Mortgage Brokers' Assn., Industry Night and Golf Tournament; proceeds to Habitat for Humanity, The Links, Spruce Grove; info/registration: james.robertson@firstnational.ca
June 9; Global Petroleum Show Charity Golf Tournament in support of the Werklund Foundation; Valley Ridge Golf Course, Calgary; info/register: http://www.petroleumshow.com/globalpetroleum/page. cfm/Link=39/t=m/goSection=22
June 12; 6th Annual Coast Hotels & Resorts Golf Classic , Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club, Coquitlam, BC; in support of Coast Athletic Assistance Program; info/resiter: m.hope@coasthotels.com
July 2; 6th Annual Calgary Chamber of Comerce/TELUS Play with the Presidents Golf Classic, Heritage Pointe Golf Club, DeWinton; sponsorships still available. Contact Ron Peters at 750-0400 or rpeters@calgarychamber.com
July 14; 8th Annual Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta Charity Golf Classic, Silvertip Resort, Canmore; Lawson Projects is the Presenting Sponsor; info/registration: lorne@lawsonprojects.com or colleen@rmhsouthernalberta.org
note: if you are sponsoring / supporting a charity tournament in the Calgary area in 2008 we are happy to list them early here; just send your tournament data and contact information to: research@maxcomm.ca
INFRASTRUCTURE News / P3 / Go Green
+ PLANDFLEX CORPORATION will develop and or acquire commercial and institutional properties: Public Private Partnerships (P3), development for governments, NGOs, school boards, hospital boards, municipalities etc., build-to-suit developments for strong credit tenants location focus is smaller & major communities in Western Canada. Inquiries and/or property offerings to:
PLANDFLEX CORPORATION
Attn: Mark Kolke, President
Suite 1000, 888 - 3rd Street SW
Calgary, AB T2P 5C5
Phone: 403-444-6939
e-mail: mark.kolke@maxcomm.ca
+ the Canadian Green Building Council reports that 118 newly constructed office buildings in Canada are either LEED-certified or on their way to being LEED certified
+ the race to win the National Portrait Gallery is now focused on 3 cities still in the running: Ottawa, Calgary & Edmonton . . stay tuned
Calgary Office Space For Lease
office leasing services
for leasing/purchasing assistance, contact: Mark Kolke
Mark Kolke lists properties For Judicial Sale on behalf of lenders engaged in foreclosure actions to realize on security for recovery of defaulted mortgage loans. He operates this website to aid in the marketing of these properties and to host the listings of other agents marketing properties offered by way of Judicial Sale
"Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal." - E. Joseph Cossman
"If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." - Frank A. Clark
"Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats." - Og Mandino
"The authority of those who teach is often an obstacle to those who want to learn." - Marcus Tullius Cicero
"Obstacles are like wild animals. They are cowards but they will bluff you if they can. If they see you are afraid of them, they are liable to spring upon you; but if you look them squarely in the eye, they will slink out of sight." - Orison Swett Marden
"The majority see the obstacles; the few see the objectives; history records the successes of the latter, while oblivion is the reward of the former." - Alfred A. Montapert
"The chief obstacle to the progress of the human race is the human race." - Don Marquis
"The path, any route, is not a thing in itself - it is an experience using some sidewalks and roads but at the end they are only sidewalks and roads with no understanding or interest in the experiences we've had while traveling them. It seems water running downhill has some secret because it follows the path of least resistance and when it hits an obstacle, it goes around to find another way as if guided by Frost's poem - which is something I'd like to try if I can ever stop butting up against the roadblocks." - Mark Kolke
"You can't go into a shop and buy a good game of golf." - Sam Snead
"I was three over. One over a house, one over a patio, and one over a swimming pool." - George Brett
"It's the most humbling sport ever. It's like a lousy lover. It's like some guy who's never there when you need him. Every once in a while, he comes and makes you feel like heaven on earth.. And then the moment you say, 'I really need this,' he's gone." - Dinah Shore
"Golf is, in part, a game; but only in part. It is also in part a religion, a fever, a vice, a mirage, a frenzy, a fear, an abscess, a joy, a thrill, a pest, a disease, an uplift, a brooding, a melancholy, a dream of yesterday, and a hope for tomorrow." - New York Tribune (1916)
"Watching the Masters on CBS is like attending a church service. Announcers speak in hushed, pious tones, as if to convince us that something of great meaning and historical importance is taking place. What we are actually seeing is grown men hitting little balls with sticks." - Tom Gilmore
"When you fall in love with golf, you seldom fall easy. It's obsession at first sight." - Thomas Boswell
An 80-year old Irish man goes to the doctor for a check-up. The doctor is amazed at what good shape the guy is in and asks, 'How do you stay in such great physical condition?' I'm Irish and I am a golfer,' says the old guy,' and that's why. I'm in such good shape.' I'm up well before daylight and out golfing up and down the fairways. Have a glass of whiskey and all is well.' 'Well," says the doctor, "I'm sure that helps, but there's got to be more to it. How old was your Dad when he died?" "Who said my Dad's dead?" The doctor is amazed, "You mean you're 80 years old and your Dad's still alive. How old is he?" "He's 100 years old", says the Old Irish golfer. "In fact he golfed with me this morning, and then we went to the beach for a walk, that's why he's still alive ... he's Irish and he's a golfer, too. "Well," the doctor says, "that's great, but I'm sure there's more to it than that. How about your Dad's Dad? How old was he when he died?" "Who said my grandpa's dead?" Stunned, the doctor asks, "You mean you're 80 years old and your grandfather's still living! Incredible, how old is he?" "He's 118 years old", says the Old Irish golfer. The doctor is getting frustrated at this point, "So, I guess he went golfing with you this morning too?" "No. Grandpa couldn't go this morning because he's getting m arried today." At this point the doctor is close to losing it. "Getting married!! Why would a 118 year-old guy want to get married?" "Who said he wanted to?"
MaxComm Communications - Writing Services
Innovative strategies, inspiring work plans and cutting- edge initiatives; we are writers, editors and business communicators who help you frame your message right the first time, on time.
www.frameyourmessage.com is our website - featuring information on services, writer credentials - writing, speaking, coaching -
We have established a presence in Houston, Los Angeles and Maui - staffing up in each market with well credentialed writers in those markets with subject area expertise and availability. Our work is 99% English content for audiences in Canada, US, UK, Australia:
oil & gas, energy
environment
education
real estate, development, residential & commercial
Mark Kolke writes a daily column (posted at http://markmusing.com ) Musings, after his morning walk. To subscribe (free) to receive his daily musings, write to mark@markmusing.com Musings are e-mailed daily to subscribers and are posted/archived on his blog http://markismusing.blogspot.com & on his Musing site:
+ our objective is to feature information and links to articles which provide insights, ideas and services to help our readers access useful resources to help employees at all levels build on their skills.
+ the Toastmasters program offers an opportunity to improve professional skills; public speaking, leadership training, confidence building - a great way to give your career a boost as you climb the ladder. Toastmasters International - 210,000 members in 90 countries; 65 Toastmasters clubs in Calgary. Toastmasters offer a supportive environment, networking opportunities & a proven program to help people overcome their worst fear - public speaking.
+ Singles and Friends Toastmasters, offers a 'singles only' format - opportunity for socializing & speaking; meets every Wed. @ 7 PM. Info: http://singlesnfriends.freetoasthost.info next meeting April 16
+ MVP Advanced Toastmasters Club, meets @ 7 PM, 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month @ Fluor facility in south Calgary; a club for experienced Toastmasters wishing to hone their skills in a place where the bar is set high; contact club President for further info: Mark.Kolke@frameyourmessage.com or Gerda.Timm@Fluor.com .. next meeting April 24, 7PM http://mvpadvanced.freetoasthost.net
FACILITYCalgary, a MaxComm Communications publication, e-published every Monday. Subscription is free. To subscribe, write to: facilitycalgary@maxcomm.ca
+ few things in the life of any golfer could equal playing at Augusta on Sunday . . any Sunday . . but especially Masters Sunday; watching that extraordinary drama was the most exciting thing I've done all week, which is saying a lot because it has been a fabulous week
+ Peter Valentine released his report: Building Confidence: Improving Accountability and Transparency in Alberta's Royalty System which supports Fred Dunn's view that there are too few controls & an understaffed department in charge of royalty collection, they agree the situation is horribly out of whack without a government commitment to fix it; what they don't agree on is whether or not royalty revenue was lost. Valentine paints a rosy picture in contradiction of Dunn's view that $1 billion was lost. Given their agreement on all other elements of the leaky boat, I can't believe anyone will be believe Valentine's report as anything other than political whitewash
+ tomorrow's throne speech will show us the 'real' Ed Stelmach for the first time; without issues of his tenuous early days at the helm, royalty review faux pas on the front burner & a 5 yr. mandate under his belt, this will be his first unfettered blueprint for the future; I expect more of the same in terms of efforts of well meaning efforts to fix everything in sight with legislation & regulation which make him look anything but conservative; expect some strong initiatives on water, carbon capture & health care cost containment - though, one would hope, he is beginning to see that the unintended consequences of his words/actions are not easily blown off unless, like his predecessor, you blow them off . . stay tuned
+ congrats to the latest recipients of the Alberta Order of Excellence: Clare Drake, Dr. Helen Hays, Allan Markin, Dr. David Schindler, Daryl (Doc) Seaman, JR Shaw, Thomas Walsh
FACILITYCalgary newsletters may not be reproduced, rewritten, distributed, re- disseminated, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast, directly or indirectly, in any medium without the prior written permission of MaxComm Communications