Alberta

Canada is facing serious economic challenges. The nation’s labour productivity figures have been falling since 2016. Only Italy has seen a sharper drop in productivity among G7 countries when compared to the United States.

Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita figures offer a measure of individual wealth, and the figures are bleak. Canada’s GDP per capita has dropped to US$55,000, while in the United States it has grown to US$76,000. Meanwhile, housing affordability has hit crisis levels in many regions, and shortfalls in all services from health care to policing are pressuring citizens.

I hope that’s not like California moving to Texas.

Danielle Smith has been lambasted by critics for her policies on renewable energy and transgender youth, for promoting a dubious plan for a stand-alone Alberta pension, and for a broken income-tax cut promise. And yet, the Alberta Premier’s approval numbers haven’t budged in the 10 months since the last provincial election.

Given all the controversy surrounding her, is this a state of winning for Ms. Smith?

Alberta’s health minister says the province won’t sign on to a federal pharmacare plan covering birth control and diabetes medication.

The deal is part of a supply-and-confidence agreement that has seen federal New Democrats support the Liberal minority government in order to get the NDP’s priority policies introduced.

During the 2023 Toronto mayoral byelection, I made a tongue-in-cheek campaign promise to ban pro-Alberta advertising in the city.

It was during the annual gala dinner for the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Canada, and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith had flown into Toronto to be honoured.

Alberta says a federal emissions cap on greenhouse gases “will not be tolerated” as the province’s environment minister meets today with her federal counterpart.

Alberta’s formal response to Ottawa’s proposal says the cap would undercut the work that the province has been successfully pursuing “for decades” to reduce emissions.

The response says oilsands production has already risen above the forecasts that were used to establish the proposed 100-megatonne limit.

Now that Rachel Notley has announced her resignation as leader of the Alberta NDP, expect her party to return to its traditional distant-second status.

Not as distant as it used to be, but not within sniffing distance of government again, either.

Rachel Notley has announced she is planning to step down as leader of Alberta’s Opposition NDP.

The former premier made the announcement to caucus in Edmonton on Tuesday, sources have confirmed to CBC News.

Notley’s announcement will trigger a leadership race.

According to a new survey by Pollara Strategic Insights, Alberta is Canada’s angriest province, Quebec the least.

In Pollara’s “Rage Index,” 63% of Albertans expressed their discontent with governments and the general state of affairs in the country and the world. In contrast, just 50% of Quebecers were dissatisfied. (For reference, 60% of Ontarians were angry, too.)