Saskatchewan Economic Development Association: Fill & Download for Free

I am 64 years old and Ihave lived here my entire life save for one year after High school.Let me tell you the good and the bad. The winters, though generally tolerable, can be punctuated by brutal spells. We can have minus 34 or minus 38. C with a wind chill that is minus forty three. That’s rough, but it does end and more quickly than you might think.Our circadian rhythms get messed up. Today, May 18th, the sun rises at 5:28 a.m. and sets at 9:33 p.m. Additionally, we get the long early morning dawns with long gloaming.On the summer solstice, (get ready) the sun will rise at 5:04 a.m. and set at 10:07 p.m. This means that if you are a golfer, you can finish work, go home, cut the grass have dinner, and go to a golf course and be able to play 18 holes.In fact, it is not dark in Edmonton in the summer.Of course, as we must live in a world of Duality, that means that in the winter, it's pretty damn dark. The sun does not rise until 8:30 in the morning and it starts to go down with very thin light at 3:15 in the afternoon! Again, we get through it.The temperatures are very pleasant generally in May, June, July, August and most of September. There is a saying in Alberta, “If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes”. We are not consistent as our temperate climate is susceptible to swings.It's a beautiful city. In fact, it has one of largest Urban River walkway system in the entire world. From Wikipedia,At 7,400 ha (18,000 acres) in size and 48 km (30 mi) in length, the river valley parks system consists of 22 ravines, which have a combined total length of 103 km (64 mi). It also includes 11 lakes. Most of the city has bike and walking trail connections.The downtown is revitalizing. The downtown Business Association, the Edmonton economic development committee, and the purchase of the Edmonton Oilers by Daryl Katz have contributed.Our roads expand in the summer and shrink in the winter due to freeze thaw cycles. Voila, potholes e Creation of potholes extrordinaire! Not quite as bad as a sinkhole in Florida, but if you hit one of those puppies you're going to blow a tire and probably bend the rim.Edmonton does have more blue collar workers than Calgary due to the fact that we are the gateway to the oil sands and other resource production in the north part of the country. The relevance of that, is that Edmonton is the largest and most northern international city that is an economic force, in the entire world.Within 4 hours drive of Edmonton in any direction you can be in boreal forest with pristine Lakes, you can be to Saskatoon and half way through Saskatchewan or you can be entering the Rockies from either west OR south.Edmonton International airport has grown significantly and domestic and international flights are readily available.NHL.We have two legendary sport franchises, the Edmonton Eskimos in the CFL and the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL.We were named by the Arts Council of Canada as being the cultural leader of all cities in the country. Summer is non-stop with festivals and food and music and August sees the Edmonton Fringe Festival that is constantly ranked as first/second in the world with the Edinburgh Fringe Fest in Scotland.There are worse places!

In Canada the closest approximation to “right-wing”would be the Conservative Party of Canada, at the federal level, and its equivalents at the provincial level. The provincial parties are not necessarily tightly aligned with the federal Conservative Party. In British Columbia the more conservative party at the provincial level is the Liberal Party. In Alberta it is the United Conservative Party, a merger of two different conservative type parties. In Saskatchewan it is the governing Saskatchewan Party. In Quebec the main, more conservative party, is the Coalition Avenir Québec (Coalition for the Future of Québec).The federal Conservative Party and the various provincial conservative-type parties are generally “centre right” in orientation. Canada is generally not a very ideological country. Language, ethnicity, indigenous issues, and competence to govern issues can be more important. Canada has a rather wide consensus that some type of welfare state is appropriate. Within that context there can be serious disputes about honest and effective administration, priorities for government expenditures, people bilking the system,when social programming goes “over the top”, and when programs really should be sunsetted.The Pride of AlbertaIn modern times much of Canadian conservatism has been driven by the Province of Alberta. Alberta has some special characteristics that make it rather distinct. The economy is strongly-based on oil and natural gas. There has been a lot of American involvement in those industries, with Americans managing Alberta resources. Alberta's religious composition causes a certain amount of influence from the Mormon and Pentecostal churches.It's also signifigant what didn't happen in Alberta, compared to some other parts of Canada. Alberta only became a province in 1905. It was settled later than some other provinces, at least in terms of Caucasians. There isn't all that much historic baggage. There is relatively little francophone influence but at the same time quite a lot of Ukrainian and German influence. The province was strongly rural in character, with a substantial ranch component, until a very large oil strike in 1947. After that, Alberta began to grow in population and urbanize rapidly. However, with very large oil revenues going to the provincial government (In Western Canada provincial governments own much of the subsurface natural resources.) there was plentiful money to ease the transition and create strong urban infrastructures.At the same time, Alberta had been very poor during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. In Canada, only the federal government can issue bank charters, and all the major banks were headquartered in Ontario and Quebec. They treated suffering Albertans with a considerable amount of disdain. Canada was, and still is, politically dominated by the two heavily-populated provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The federal government favoured high import tariffs to protect industries there and did little to assist the rural economy of Alberta. At times the federal government has been almost hostile to the Alberta energy community.Alberta resultantly has a generous portion of anger and resentment in its politics and a generalized resentment of eastern-based elites. Alberta provides much of the zeal and energy for conservatism in Canada. I should mention that Andrew Scheer, the current federal Conservative leader, is an Albertan. Stephen Harper, the last Conservative Prime Minister of Canada, is an Albertan too.However, Alberta-style conservatism tends to hit a stone wall when Albertans try to apply it to the rest of Canada. As much as it can cause discomfort in Alberta, francophone interests and the interests of the Province of Québec, still dominate a large part of the Canadian political discourse. (Some Québecois referred to Stephen Harper as “the devil in a cowboy hat”.)Quebec and Ontario have been urbanized much longer than Alberta. There has been plentiful time for urban issues to build up and become problematic. Neither province has Alberta-type money to spread as a balm over all the problems.Other parts of Canada have very serious problems with economic and demographic decline. The four Atlantic Provinces have not generally been economically successful. They rely on federal payments to keep going. Within Quebec and Ontario there are large areas that are struggling.The rest of Canada has nothing like the Mormon and Pentecostal influence. Generally, formal religious observance has been in decline in Canada. Social reformers have had a strong influence on the largest churches and have caused them to seem somewhat left of centre politically.At the national level there is nothing at all like the German-Ukrainian-rancher influence. Multiracialism has become a very strong political issue in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, the three most populous provinces. The national model in English-speaking Canada is still to a large extent a strongly British origined, Eastern urban elite, exercising its authority in both the private and government sectors. That elite was traditionally male but the elites have accepted feminism, at least for upper middle class or wealthy Caucasian women.Consequently, Alberta-driven conservative politics have to change in order to have hopes of becoming the Government of Canada. The federal Conservative Party has at least to pay lip service to bilingualism, multiculturalism (really meaning multiracialism), feminism, gay inclusive, urban problem oriented, policies, although deep inside, those policies probably make their most activist and enthusiastic Albertan supporters want to choke. The federal Conservative Party has to struggle to avoid being seen as an Alberta-interests party.An Accusatory Finger But Not Much IdeologyIt's probably fair to say that many Canadian conservatives find the Liberal Party of Canada, and, in particular Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, obnoxious. But, a lot of this feeling is based on non-ideological grounds.The primary Conservative advertising slogan in the last federal election was, “He's Just Not Ready”, referring to Justin Trudeau. The Conservative contention was that Justin Trudeau was too immature and experienced to govern. Justin Trudeau inherited some of the conservative hostility to his father, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, who was accused of being a dilettante, an arrogant intellectual with complete disdain of the farmer, rancher, oil rigger type persons who have a high status reputation in Alberta. Pierre Trudeau was also seen as, urban and French.Justin Trudeau has given the federal Conservative Party fodder to feed on, hanging out with the Aga Khan on his private island, speaking at town hall meetings but lecturing participants on political correctness, a silly photo-op visit to India, etc.At the next federal election campaign, the Conservative Party would do well to focus on refining this image of the Liberals, French-oriented elitist, financially secure urbanites, ready and willing to cater to environmental and social justice advocates, uncaring about the tax burden on the Canadian middle class and disdainful of rural, small town and suburban, “average” Canadians. This will resonate far better than an attempt to critique the ideology of the Liberal Party of Canada. The Liberal Party is almost resolutely ideologically vague. It would be hard to pin them down ideologically.We Can Do It BetterThis is a description of the Guiding Principles of the governing Saskatchewan Party, at http://www.saskparty.com/guiding_principles:1. Economic growth and job creation through the private sector, not government, as the engine of the economy;2. Smaller, less intrusive, more efficient government;3. Steady, gradual reduction in government spending and taxation while maintaining a firm commitment to balanced budgets;4. A high-quality health care system for all Saskatchewan people, regardless of where they live within the province;5. A strong social safety net which protects those who truly need support while encouraging individuals to become self sufficient;6. Democratic reform to make government more responsive to the people it serves;7. Individual freedom and the equality of opportunity for all citizens; and8. The constant improvement of Saskatchewan's economic and social conditions within a strong and united Canada.It's not exactly fireball right-wingism, is it?And, from the 2017 election platform of the British Columbia Liberal (i.e. more conservative) party, at https://www.bcliberals.com/platform/. The provincial Liberals lost the election to the relatively left-wing New Democratic Party and are not in power anymore. Were they to return however, nothing much would change:Eliminating B.C.’s operating debt by 2021A core value of Today’s BC Liberals is the need to control government spending and manage the growth of programs and services.British Columbians only need to look at Alberta to see what can happen if government spending is allowed to get out of control. With a population of about half a million less than B.C., Alberta government spending will be $4.7 billion dollars more this year:Spending per school aged child in Alberta is 22% higher than in B.C.Per capital health spending is 17% higher in Alberta than B.C.Our government spends less, and achieves better results.Bringing ridesharing to B.C.The world is changing, and government needs to keep up. Ridesharing provides job opportunities for British Columbians and provides consumers with choice in how they travel. Companies like Lyft and Uber have become part of the transportation network across the world as they match drivers with riders in safe and secure vehicles.Significant investments in child and youth mental healthThere was a time when those with mental health and substance use problems would be forced to suffer in silence because of the shame and stigma associated with these treatable disorders. While we're making progress to prevent, treat, and support people on their path to recovery, there is always more to do.This is one of the reasons we moved to secure a new, long lasting funding agreement with the federal government that will invest new money into critical mental health supports across the country.Today's BC Liberals will work with the federal government to begin flowing these additional investments as quickly as possible so British Columbians have easy and effective access to these programs and treatment options.Driving forward, Today’s BC Liberals will:Invest $165 million for youth mental health needs and substance abuse issues.Building Site CThe construction of the Site C dam is the single largest infrastructure project undertaken in our province. The eight years of construction will create tens of thousands of jobs and generate clean, affordable, and reliable power for the next 100 years.The Site C dam project is expected to contribute:A century-long supply of clean, affordable and reliable power enough to power 450,000 B.C. homesTens of thousands of construction jobs in the northeast and across the province supplying goods and services to Site CUp to 13,000 new child care spaces by 2020Parents know the challenge of having to balance the needs and care for their children with the demands of their job. Today’s BC Liberals understand the importance for parents of having access to good childcare. We believe in a system that creates spaces.Created 4,300 new childcare spaces since 2015.Adding another 5,000 in 2017.Added 14 Early Years Centres, with 47 now in communities across the province.Reconciliation and economic development with B.C. First NationsToday’s BC Liberals understand that economic development and reconciliation with First Nations in British Columbia go hand in hand.Driving forward, Today’s BC Liberals will:Support First Nations’ involvement in the forest sectorImprove access to skills training and economic development opportunitiesHelp Aboriginal businesses increase their participation in major industrial projectsSupport interested First Nations in seeking the return of their ancestral remains and belongings of cultural significanceImplement the recommendations coming out of Grand Chief Ed John’s reportWork with Destination BC to expand and promote Aboriginal tourism opportunities.Good, efficient, compassionate, government. A social safety net. Reconciliation with Canada's indigenous peoples. Effective responses to technological change. Improving economic and social conditions. This is the face of conservative thinking in British Columbia.Anxiety About Paradise LostThis is very much my personal view, so that of a Jewish, bisexual aging ex-Manitoban. I sometimes sense myself of having my nose to the window of the “real” Canada.I believe that, in large parts of Canada's population, there is a generalized anxiety about the Canada to come, Canada's future. Some elements:-Deep down, we are still a Christian-origin country, aren't we?-Canada is still the country of the farm, the bush, the frontier. Where did all those cities come from?-We love our suburb. Why doesn't everybody?-Our elites cared about us. We could trust them. Nowadays, who is it that they are representing?-Why do those others have to be so militant?-I come to Toronto. I come to Vancouver. I come to Montreal. I don't recognize myself in these places.-There used to be community here. Who are these people?-What happened to the traditional Canadian family?-Will those who receive entitlements swamp us?-We used to have a special relationship with the Americans. Why, nowadays, are they being so mean to us?I believe that, what is sort of “right-wing” in Canada, is the feeling among some Canadians that things have slid. A Canada has arisen that some Canadians don't want, weren't given a choice about, and don't understand. The main-stream media present repeated images of those who make demands on the taxpayers, seem to want to impose unfamiliar cultural values, appear disdainful of traditional Canadian life and have no regard for what was done before. The result is, a feeling that a dystopic, unrecognizable Canada is approaching. However, solutions seem non-existent. The political system, right or left, isn't set up to deal with these concerns or answer them.Martin Levine

Original question: What alternatives does Alberta have to look for if the oil economy doesn't pick up in the near future?Ten years ago I would have said a lot more than now. Alberta used to be a hub for AI and nanotechnology. However, with the recent educational cuts from the UCP government, it is shooting itself in the foot… again.250 jobs being eliminated at University of Calgary following 2019 Alberta budgetIf you cut educational funding you cut your future.With 23% of Alberta's economy in oil and gas, it has a long way to go to diversify. Milke: Alberta already tried to diversify the economy — and failed Without diversification, it will have problems.By comparison, British Columbia has a well-diversified economy and can withstand a lot more pressure on a singular economic sector. What’s Fuelling BC’s Economy? - Conversations for Responsible Economic Development Both provinces have roughly similar GDP's, with Alberta only slightly ahead of BC at present. List of Canadian provinces and territories by gross domestic product - WikipediaSadly for Alberta, however, many Albertans have listened to politicians who are more concerned with their careers than actually helping Alberta. Too many people have been allowed to make decisions and speak for that province who may have been to great schools, but didn't learn how to formulate opinions based in facts and not idle “It works because I said so” arguments.What is the best solution for Alberta going forward?Get out of the oil sands. Even if it somehow becomes profitable again, 23% of a province's economy is too high a percentage to trust in a boom and bust industry.Invest more in education. You can't build a future without a good education.Be open to new ideas. Alberta and Saskatchewan both have a lot of sunshine and wind. With the decreasing costs associated with renewable resources, they could make a good go of it. The cost for renewable power decreases to a record low - reportGet back into high tech. Alberta tech sector holds its breath as province pauses innovation programs Since the current government has doubled down on the oil industry, they have left many startups in the lurch. This must stop immediately.The arts cannot suffer. They are potentially a huge source of income for the province. Film industry reeling after provincial government cuts to incentives and grantsWith all of the reading and research I have been doing on Alberta recently, I could go on. However, I will leave it by saying that times are changing. If Alberta does not change with them, it will have a tougher go of it in the future.I hope this helps.Adrian Lee Magill