[shermanator]

"Why there is no quick fix for Alberta's malaise, no matter how much we want one"

Found this a good in-depth article from CBC regarding the province in general, and how the economic downturn will shape the election.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...-one-1.5015196

Evoking problems with confederation can rally a crowd but can also enhance a sense of impotence. If we are not treated fairly, and we are unable to fix it — even held back from fixing it — then, yes, we are righteous in our anger. But anger isn't a plan.


The leveraging of an us-versus-them narrative — the ill-defined, external enemy — may play well in the echo chambers of social media and from the political podium, but it lacks nuance and substance. Still, it will no doubt play a substantial role in the upcoming provincial election campaign, where rhetoric flourishes as Albertans' emotions are leveraged by those who bid to get, or hold, power.

...

Many of us are still deeply anxious, if not desperate, about what lies ahead. This may go some way toward explaining why the very acknowledgment of a recovery has gained little traction as a provincial narrative. People don't feel it in their bones.


This, too, will likely inform the upcoming election. The idea of a generation-long recovery is unlikely to sit well with the electorate. Even if it's the reality we might face.

"In turn, we Albertans must understand challenges ahead, be open to them, and be aware that, at this point, only painful options are available," University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe wrote in a sobering analysis of our long-term economic and demographic trajectories.


"We did little long-term planning when times were good. We did little when times were bad