Recent Research
Reassessment of Need for the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project
The assumptions underlying the federal government’s $12.6 billion commitment to the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project (TMX) no longer stand up in 2020, according to a new report from veteran earth scientist David Hughes. The report concludes that TMX, if completed, would be surplus to Canadian requirements and would not result in the hoped-for price premium for Canadian producers.
Privatization Pressures in Alberta Health Care
Laboratory Services, Home Care, and Telehealth Under Austerity
This report explores contemporary pressures to expand private participation in three areas of Alberta’s public health care system: diagnostic laboratory services, home care, and telehealth.
Recent Blog Posts
Bill 47 Pt. 2 - Less Compensation for Work-related Injuries
This is the second of two blog posts examining Bill 47. This post focuses on changes to the Workers’ Compensation Act. These changes save employers money by reducing the likelihood of injured workers receiving benefits and reducing the value of those benefits. Bill 47 also makes it harder for workers to appeal decisions and reduces the likelihood of returning to their job once recovered.
Bill 47 Pt. 1 - Making Alberta Workplaces Less Safe
Alberta’s United Conservative government recently introduced Bill 47 (Ensuring Safety and Cutting Red Tape Act, 2020). The bill makes substantial changes to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act and the Workers’ Compensation Act and represents a rollback of workers’ safety protections. This is the first of two blog posts examining Bill 47. This post focuses on changes to the OHS Act that, if passed, will come into effect Sept. 1, 2021.
Alberta’s Energy War Room Reveals its True Colours as a Propaganda Mill
Last week a report was published by the Parkland Institute and Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The Canadian Energy Centre (aka Premier Jason Kenney’s “War Room”) took exception to the report and wrote a hit piece designed to discredit it. The article is a classic propaganda exercise in erecting straw men and spreading disinformation.