An Alberta-based volunteer working group, of which I’m a part, recently released a document titled Foundations for an Alberta Alternative Budget (for media coverage, see this Metro article). Working group members include staff from Alberta’s non-profit sector, labour movement and advocacy sector. While our long-term goal is to emulate the
Continue readingTag: Dutch Disease
Alberta Politics: Leduc No. 1 and all that: Was February 13, 1947, Alberta’s unluckiest lucky day?
PHOTOS: Dignitaries stand around and have their photos taken at the Leduc No. 1 well near Devon on – if the Internet is to be believed – this day in 1947. Not sure if I believe that, seeing as the first photo below was supposed to have been taken on
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Doff hats to Don Getty, father of Family Day – too bad about that August holiday
PHOTOS: Don Getty, premier, celebrating the first Family Day in 1990. No! wait! That’s Don Getty, quarterback, celebrating the Edmonton Eskimos’ Grey Cup victory in 1956. Same guy, though. Who says actual Alberta politicians may not appear exactly …
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Canada Once Again Adding Value to Its Exports
In the course of researching a forthcoming commentary on Canada’s trade policy for the good folks over at the IRPP, I stumbled upon a surprising and encouraging bit of data. I grouped Statistics Canada’s series on exports and imports by broad commodity grouping (CANSIM Table 228-8059) into three categories: 4 primary sectors (including agriculture, energy, […]
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Canada After Harper
Here is the link to buy a new book, Canada After Harper, edited by Ed Finn and with an introduction by Ralph Nader, just published by Lorimer. Most Canadians know that Stephen Harper has had a tremendous impact on the country since becoming prime minister in 2006. But few have
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Vindication Of Thomas Mulcair
Some will remember the abuse heaped upon NDP leader Thomas Mulcair back in 2012 when he said that Canada was suffering from the same Dutch disease that afflicted the Netherlands after natural gas fields boosting that nation’s currency reduced the competitiveness of its exports back in the 1970s. The culprit
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Banks and Balanced Budgets
The Bank of Canada surprised most analysts this week when it decided to cut rates by 25 basis points. The move comes after the price of oil has tumbled below $50 / barrel, oil producers announced huge cuts to business investment for 2015, Target announced a mass layoff of 17,600
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: What’s a Single Issue Prime Minister to Do?
These are not good times for Canada’s petro-prime minister. Harper’s Holy Grail, Canadian energy superpowerdom, has sprung a leak. Even The Globe & Mail, says bitumen no longer makes any economic sense. If $40 a barrel still seems a ways off, consider that the benchmark price for oil sands crude
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week. – Jessica McCormick and Jerry Dias respond to Stephen Poloz’ view that young workers should be happy to work for free, and note that he of all people shouldn’t be pointing the finger at individuals to address problems with systemic unemployment: The most infuriating
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Underdog Liberal has a shot in Fort McMurray-Athabasca by-election
TweetFour federal by-elections will be held across Canada on June 30, 2014, including in Alberta’s Macleod and Fort McMurray-Athabasca ridings made vacant by the retirements of Conservative Members of Parliament Ted Menzies and Brian Jean months ago. While most general elections in Alberta can be counted on to result in broad Conservative sweeps, Albertans
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Who wants to be leader of the Alberta NDP?
TweetWhile most political chatter in Alberta is focused on how big Jim Prentice’s victory will be on the first ballot of the Progressive Conservative leadership vote on September 6, there is another race about to begin – the race to become the leader of the Alberta NDP. At his press
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Alberta Tar Sands Boom Poses Economic Risks to Canada: Report
A new report by the Pembina Institute and Équiterre warns that the rapid pace of Alberta tar sands development poses economic risks to Canada, other provinces. The post Alberta Tar Sands Boom Poses Economic Risks to Canada: Report appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Even Norway Gets the Dutch Disease
We sometimes think of Norway as the country where fossil fuel riches are handled responsibly, not like the Alberta and Canadian governments that just piss it all away. Yes, Norway has amassed an impressive sovereign wealth fund from its Statoil royalties but, beyond that, it has many of the same
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: A Taxonomy of Linkages
As we discuss Dutch disease and the staples trap, it is good to be reminded that these discussions can benefit by being put in the context of Albert Hirschman’s linkages from commodity/resource/staple export. It so happens that a recent monograph begins with Hirschman and then elaborates on his linkages, and
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: The Strange Economics of Stephan Harper
Even though he only has a Master’s degree in economics, our Prime Minister likes to present himself as an economist. And, like the myriad other untruths propagated by his regime, perhaps the biggest lie is that resource extraction, especially tarsands oil, is the most prudent activity around which the Canadian
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Paul Adams highlights how the Cons and their anti-social allies have spent decades trying to convince Canadians that it’s not worth trying to pursue the goals we value – and how the main challenge for progressives is to make the case that a
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: Dutch Disease is Dead … Long Live Dutch Disease!!!
In the hyper-polarized context of Canadian energy policy debates, even suggesting that there might be a downside to the untrammeled energy boom centred in northern Alberta is enough to get you labelled a traitor or an economic illiterate — or both. Conservative political leaders in both Ottawa and Edmonton, backed
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: The IMF and the Canadian Manufacturing Crisis
A background study for the latest IMF report on Canada (see pages 42 to 51) adds further weight to the argument that the rise in the exchange rate of the Canadian dollar, driven in large part by high commodity prices, has underpinned a sharp decline in the US market share
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Sorry about what we said, Tom, but spare a sigh for Alberta, latest victim of Dutch Disease
These typical Albertans may be victims of Dutch Disease. Who would have thought just weeks ago they were wearing slim-cut jeans, ostrich-hide boots and nice Resistol hats like the people below? It’s pathetic, really! Below: Federal NDP Leader Tom Mulcair, sorry Tom; Alberta Premier Alison Redford. All images just found
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Con Assault on the Dutch Disease
Nothing Tom Mulcair has ever said scares Stephen Harper more than his claim that the Dutch Disease is killing jobs all over Canada. Especially in vote-rich Ontario where the next election will be decided.Because if the people in that province ever realize how much Harper's Alberta First economic policies are hurting
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