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1. Outflow of Albertans should set off alarm bells

   Unlike Texas, Alberta government finances deteriorated due to spending-fuelled budget deficits. ...

2. Controlling compensation costs can help Notley government rein in spending

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald, March 9, 2017 Alberta has seen its financial position erode markedly after several years of operating deficits and growing government debt. While some believe the boom-bust of provincial finances is inherent to an energy ...

3. Yes, Alberta’s tax advantage is gone

   Appeared in the Calgary Sun, January 7, 2017 The Fraser Institute recently released a study documenting the erosion of Alberta’s once substantial tax advantage. Specifically, it showed that, until recently, Alberta benefitted from uniquely competitive and ...

4. How have Alberta’s young adults fared?

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald When any new government takes power, temptations abound to do something different, merely to distinguish itself from the regime it replaced. That’s understandable political behaviour but overhaul too much on policy and you ...

5. What’s Wrong with Alberta Aggressively Increasing the Minimum Wage?

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald The new NDP government in Alberta has indicated that it will aggressively increase the province’s minimum wage from $10.20 to $15 per hour over the next three years. There are a number of problems with this campaign promise ...

6. Rent control will be a disaster

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald Rent control has been a disaster wherever it’s been tried. But this never stops politicians from suggesting it. Last November, the leader of the then-fourth place party in the Alberta legislature, now newly minted Premier ...

7. Grasping Alberta's budget problems

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald The new Alberta government has delayed introducing a budget until the fall, so MLAs will have plenty of time to think about how they’ll collect and spend Albertans’ money. Thus, to properly manage the estimated $48.4 billion ...

8. Government budgets are like volcanoes: It’s what underneath that counts

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald Imagine you’re near what you thought was a dormant volcano but it suddenly erupts. Assuming you escape, you might later reflect that there was nothing “sudden” about it. The eruption resulted from earlier events deep within ...

9. The Texas Advantage over Alberta

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald Alberta and Texas have always had a lot in common. Ranching in the 19th century. A can-do entrepreneurial approach to oil and gas in the 20th century. And in the 21st century they are still somewhat similar; oil and gas ...

10. Prentice chooses Getty over Klein; further erodes Alberta Advantage

    Appeared in the Calgary Sun With tumbling oil prices and resource revenues, Premier Jim Prentice had a choice when he delivered Alberta’s 2015 budget. He could emulate former premier Don Getty and raise taxes or follow the Ralph Klein playbook and reduce ...