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1. Alberta—from fiscal leader to fiscal laggard

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald, September 16, 2017 What a difference a decade makes. In 2007/08, Alberta had a balanced budget and was the only province whose financial assets exceeded its debts. In fact, the province’s net financial position (after ...

2. Canada’s Past Fiscal Leaders Are Now Fiscal Laggards: An Analysis of 2017 Provincial Budgets

   Around the turn of the 21st century, Alberta and Ontario could both boast of having comparatively sound public finances relative to most other provinces. In recent years, however, serious fiscal problems have emerged in both provinces. Alberta and Ontario ...

3. Premier Notley choosing the wrong NDP premier to emulate

   Appeared in the Calgary Sun, Aug 10, 2017 None of us can control all the circumstances we face. What we can control, is how we respond to challenges. These choices often make the difference between positive and negative outcomes. It’s no different for ...

4. Rae Days in Alberta: The Notley Government at Two Years

   When Premier Notley took office two years ago in Alberta, her new government faced severe fiscal challenges. The province had a large and growing budget deficit and was headed towards net debt status for the first time in approximately 15 years. It was ...

5. Alberta’s 2017 budget—a bad case of déjà vu

   Appeared in the Calgary Herald, March 20, 2017 Many of us are guilty of failing to learn lessons from the past and then going on to repeat avoidable mistakes. Alberta’s 2017 budget is a prime example of this at the government level. Call it a bad case of ...

6. Alberta’s budget will make life worse—not better

   Appeared in the Edmonton Sun, March 20, 2017 Alberta’s 2017 budget address is subtitled “Working to Make Life Better.” Unfortunately, the budget lays out a path towards higher taxes and more spending-fuelled deficits and debt. Let’s start with the eye ...

7. Poll says Albertans looking for a new fiscal direction in upcoming budget

   The Notley government is set to release its 2017 budget tomorrow. Barring any major surprises, it will contain spending-fuelled deficits as far out as the government provides projections. There’s also no indication that there will be any ...

8. Alberta's Budget Deficit: Why Spending is to Blame, 2017

   Alberta is projected to run a deficit of $10.8 billion in 2016/17. This will be the province’s 8th deficit in nine years. The province is expected to return to a net debt position this year for the first time since 2000/2001. While the sharp ...

9. Notley misdiagnoses Alberta’s fiscal problems and offers no workable solutions

   A clear takeaway from Alberta Premier Rachel Notley’s recent state of the province address is that virtually all of Alberta’s fiscal woes can be blamed on depressed oil prices. The reality is different. While there’s no doubt that the ...

10. Albertans will pay for Notley government spending choices

    Earlier this month, Alberta unveiled its provincial budget. It was an opportunity for the Notley government to recognize the deterioration in provincial finances and adjust spending plans accordingly. Instead, it decided to double down ...