As humanity continues to heat the planet, there are winners and losers. Let me rephrase that. Ultimately nobody wins; in the long term if global warming isn’t halted it will bring down global civilization and we will all lose. But in the shorter term there are net winners. Alberta for
Continue readingTag: Alberta
52 Ideas: Calgary Municipal Election Candidates are ignoring the Elephant in the room
If you listen to Jyoti Gondek, Jeromy Farkas or Jeff Davison, you will hear a similar story. In fact, if you listen to most of the mayoral or council candidates, you will hear the same narrative: Calgary’s municipal administration is experiencing a problem of fiscal management and not a revenue
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Alberta’s Conservatives Are Abusers
It should come as no surprise to most readers that I have little use for conservatism in its current form. I think it has become something to be reviled, and today, I was introduced to an article that reinforced my thoughts on the matter, and in some key respects highlights
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: “Florida North” Shouldn’t be a goal for Alberta.
I’m flabbergasted. You won’t have to isolate or quarantine if you test positive for Covid? I think Dr.Hinshaw has finally given in to the political machinations she’s had to fight against during the UCP’s legendary mishandling of the pandemic in Alberta. No masking required in schools? Or in
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Oil workers at the centre—getting transition priorities right
“They will not be left behind.” So said Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan at a news conference this week. The “they” he was referring to are workers in the oil industry. “Workers,” he continued, “will be at the centre of a clean energy future.” If Canadians are to get onside
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Supporting Indigenous tenants in non-profit housing
Horizon Housing (in Calgary) recently had me write a report on how to improve housing outcomes for its Indigenous tenants (i.e., tenants who are First Nation, Métis or Inuit). Here’s a ‘top 10’ overview of the final report: https://nickfalvo.ca/supporting-indigenous-residents-at-horizon-housing/
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Alberta – Summer Reopening – Phase 3 – Welcome to the Fourth Wave.
I’m not buying it. The Alberta re-opening, as much as I want it to happen, is just too soon. Stage 3: Two weeks after 70% of Albertans 12+ (born in 2009 or earlier) have received at least one dose. Effective July 1. All restrictions lifted, including ban on indoor social
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Amy Goodman and Denis Moynihan highlight how inequitable access to vaccines around the globe increases the risk of variants which will hurt everybody. Charles Schmidt takes note of the work being done to track variants – but also the massive blind spots which
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Alberta—boom or boon?
I opened the CBC website one morning this week to be confronted with the headline “High oil prices a potential boon for beleaguered Alberta.” I mistook “boon” for “boom” and almost fell our of my chair. Oh no, not again, I thought. It may seem churlish to groan over the
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Fair deal for Calgary?
The list of plebiscites Calgarians will be asked to vote on in the October municipal election is growing. The City will ask voters once again (this is a periodic exercise) to weigh in on fluoridating the water supply, and the provincial government is asking if equalization payments should be removed
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Doubling Down on Racism – The Chris Champion Edition
Over at the Dorchester Review, we find one Chris Champion doubling down on his position that the "Indian Residential Schools (IRS) really weren't all that bad". The dust-up on Twitter starts a few days ago, but culminates in a series of posts like this one, depicting students "having an
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Referendumbs and Equalization
So, the Kenney-led UCP government in Alberta wants to hold a referendum on equalization. Here’s the proposed question: I want to bring two points to your attention here. First, is the fact that this is about removing Section 36(2) from the constitution. To put it bluntly, this is a non-trivial
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Will Kenney’s woes help O’Toole?
How the mighty have fallen. Just two years ago, Jason Kenney, flush from a convincing election win over the NDP, was the Conservatives’ golden boy. Even the national leader had to kowtow before the man who many predicted would be the next national leader himself, even prime minister. Today Kenney
Continue reading52 Ideas: Alberta’s Dilemma: When do we recognize that the world is changing?
Back in 2015, I started asking a simple question: is Alberta ready? Whenever I talked to politicians or entrepreneurs or thought leaders, I asked that same simple question. I asked that question for one reason: History told me that Alberta’s politicians didn’t understand that the rest of the world was
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: You, yes you, will pay for the tar sands cleanup
The general rule in regard to environmental damage is the polluter pays. In accordance with that rule as applied to mining, Alberta has in place the Mine Financial Security Program (MFSP). The program is designed to collect financial security from mine owners to protect the public from the financial burden
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Following the money.
You can’t track the money trail to Canadian politicians as easily as you can to American politicians. I finally have a theory on what is driving Jason Kenney in Alberta. I have kept an eye on Kenney since he first appeared in Ottawa as a member of parliament for Calgary
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Alberta justice minister goes full paranoid
Alberta Justice Minister Kaycee Madu’s comment that a Covid disaster is “what the NDP, the media and the federal Liberals were looking for and want” is contemptible. Politics can be a rough business but to accuse your fellow Albertans and fellow Canadians of wanting their neighbours to suffer disease and
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Zeynep Tufecki writes about the deadly delay in recognizing the reality that COVID-19 spreads largely through aerosol transmission. Elliot Hannon reports on new research suggesting that the U.S.’ already-appalling official death toll from the coronavirus represents a severe undercount. notes that the
Continue readingBabel-on-the-Bay: Trumpeting for the Trumpers.
Those provincial premiers from Alberta and Ontario must be taking all their cues from former U.S. president Donald Trump. They have both got their asses in a sling as they lead their provinces from confusion to catastrophe. They are both on a slippery slope to impeachment before they can do
Continue readingViews from the Beltline: Premier Kenney encounters contrary constituents
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, dating back to his college days, has never been comfortable with people who hold divergent views. Perhaps chief among the views he despises the most are those of environmentalists. That may account for his surprise at responses to recent policies of his government. For example, early
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