Edmonton Alberta, Canada Unemployment Rate: 4.1% Greater Metro Population 975,000 17 % of all carded tradesman in Canada live in Alberta. In a recently published study, if Alberta were a seperate country, the literacy rate of our high school students would be second in the world only to Finland. If the Calgary-Edmonton corridor were a seperate country, we would be the second wealthiest place in the world to live, behind Luxembourg. Alberta has a population of a little over 3 million people, and has the highest net migration of other Canadians than any other province in Canada. Our $20 billion provincial debt in 1993 will be retired in Spring of 2005. Plus, we have the $15 billion Heritage Trust Fund, which is wisely invested and gives the province an investment income. Calgary,(Dallas North: oil, or Denver North: mountains) the oil capital of Canada, was voted the cleanest city in the world in terms of its energy use. Alberta has one of the lowest tax rates in North America. Also, rent is still cheap, so Alberta is one of the least expensive places in the world to set up shop and do business.
In 1993, Alberta was a mess, and was a mess since the early 80s. The unemployment rate was 11%, the vacancy rate in Edmonton was 15%. THEN, in june of 1993, Ralph Klein got elected. Ralph Klein is a high school dropout, who became a civic news reporter in Calgary in the 70s. He thought the city was run so badly he ran for mayor and won. Successfully ran Calgary for over 12 years.
One of the first things Ralph did when he became premier of Alberta was to cut welfare payments. The bars used to be packed on welfare day. All the bums left province and all the other ones cleaned up their act and got a life. He cut corporate and individual taxes. He got the nurses and teachers to accept a 5% wage rollback. (Which has since been reversed, plus healthy raises)
He cut the provincial royalty payments on oil/gas production, to encourage more investment. But oil/gas is not the real reason for Alberta's success. The real reason. People and businesses from all over Canada moved to Alberta because of the low taxes, and low regulation. Quebec has the best social programs in the world, yet Quebecers are leaving for good old right wing, free enterprise Alberta.
Given the choice between statism and gov't regulation; and free markets and low taxes, people will always choose the latter.
Thanks Ralph, for giving Canadians a choice. If Canadians want to live in pro-business, low tax, self-reliant area, they can stay in their own country and move to Alberta.
[This message has been edited by northernprophet (edited August 02, 2004).]
Posted by northernprophet on :
Also, it is interesting to note that Calgary has the highest number of people from the USA or parents born there, than any other city on earth outside the USA. Many oil people from Texas moved to Calgary in the 70s to get mgmt positions in the booming oil/gas sector. Many Americans visit Calgary and they cannot believe they are in a different country.
Posted by glassman on :
sounds a bit like Wyoming---- has a very high literacy rate... oil and gas pay the taxes there too.... and Cheney came from there..... we tried to get posted up there, but it didn't work out.....