Surprise, surprise! The provincial government has put together a report. They gathered input from stakeholders, hired some snappy graphic designers and want the public to take notice.
The critics have asked why another report on the economy. This report will just "be put away in the filing cabinet" as Wildrose Alliance Finance critic and MLA Rob Anderson retorted.
So why bother to download this report, or better yet, take the physical copy you may have printed long ago off the corner of your desk and take a look?
Simply because this effort and the report that was completed could be a big piece of the puzzle in defining the future we create for Alberta, regardless of all those pesky interferences such as toeing the party line, rural and urban divides and keeping big business and job growth humming along.
Like most things in life, defining the right path to chart takes some goal setting, maybe some discussion and hopefully a little more plotting than what is quick, easy and appears cheap.
One could say that this is part of Stelmach's attempt to build a legacy for Alberta as he winds down his premiership. Regardless of political strategy, it’s a report that was compiled by gathering together 12 key people: who, in their vast diverse experience, are capable of grasping the Alberta context, its strengths, weaknesses and offerings to the world to build a document with recommendations around some controversial issues.
These areas include but are not limited to: energy resource management, water rights, long term savings, taxation creating a trade corridor that could compete with the best of them and even the glamorous notion of high speed rail connecting Calgary to Edmonton.
We won't dwell too much on the details, as there are some great articles and commentary out there that summarize and dispute the key points that we have provided below. And of course we wouldn't want to give it all away as interVivos will be hosting a panel discussion on the debate around the recommendations of this report. Find out more here.
See you then, but first get reading!
- The InterVivos Issues Awareness Committee
For more analysis and commentary:
Deborah Yedlin: Reliance on oil, gas 'not sustainable':
http://www.calgaryherald.com/Yedlin+Reliance+sustainable/4737241/story.html
Vancouver Sun: Alberta must invest in energy wealth to prepare for future: economic council:
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Alberta+must+invest+energy+wealth+prepare+future+economic+council/4736175/story.html
Calgary Herald: After oil: failure to diversify will lead to disaster:
http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion/After+Failure+diversify+will+lead+disaster+Alberta/4744038/story.html?cid=megadrop_story
Carol Christian, Fort McMurray Today : Time to diversify Economy:
http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3184723
A Premier's Council Report, Alberta Primetime:
http://www.albertaprimetime.com/Stories.aspx?pd=2312
Last but not least....
The full Shaping Alberta's Future report:
http://premier.alberta.ca/plansinitiatives/economic/index.cfm
