reports

Alberta has been experiencing a boom, and yet many Albertans feel they are being passed by. Though unemployment levels are at all-time lows, inflation rates are also running at national highs, leaving many Albertans literally out in the cold.

With over $169 billion in large scale construction projects on the horizon, Alberta’s already overheated economy is only going to get worse.

The world of oil and gas is split between industrialized consumer countries and their oil corporations, and less developed producer countries, many of which are former colonies. Canada is somewhat unique, as a relatively wealthy country in a close relationship of dependency with the United States, which consumes the majority of our production, and whose oil companies dominate our industry.

The Alberta government's formal budgeting process leaves a great deal to be desired in terms of accountability and democracy.

The Athabasca tar sands of northern Alberta contain an estimated 175 to 200 billion barrels of recoverable oil — the largest known hydrocarbon deposit ever discovered. This estimate is based on using existing technologies. Using newer technologies, as much as 2.5 trillion barrels of oil might be recovered — but the costs would be enormous.

This paper is aimed at promoting discussion on the development of an energy security strategy. It is a made-in-Alberta initiative, in partnership with Canadians from energy producing and energy consuming regions.

EPCOR is a unique organization, one with many contradictions. These contradictions raise the issue of EPCOR’s accountability. And at a time when the City of Edmonton is considering handing over its drainage system to EPCOR, consideration of accountability is urgent.

Canadians are questioning the logic of having traded away our energy sovereignty with NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement.

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to instances in which employees may be in a position to report on wrongdoing within their workplace. Employees who report on wrongdoing in the workplace have come to be known as whistleblowers.

The April 2005 Alberta budget will be the first since the province declared the debt eliminated. It’s time for a bold vision, and this budget should lay the fiscal foundations for realizing that vision. The 2005 Throne Speech promises that All Albertans will share in the Alberta Advantage. To ensure this, we must collectively commit to building a socially sustainable and equitable economy