Editor, The Times:
Wow! What a welcome emergence of a saner approach to development in Alberta.
Rachel Notley’s NDP government will, I believe, restore a balance between development and social justice. Why this awakening now? I have some theories, if you care to listen.
Like most historic changes, this election result is complex in its origins. I believe that a critical mass of international and Alberta internal political strife came together on this historic May 4, 2015.
First the partial collapse of international oil prices definitely put the Alberta economy in a tailspin and the all-your-eggs-in-one-basket approach of the ruling Conservatives showed its vulnerability.
Domestically the tired old, 44-year, dynasty of the Conservatives was ripe for the picking. The last effective premier in Alberta was Peter Lougheed and that was quite a few years ago.
The old regime’s policies were bankrupt, their only solution to balance the books in the face of lost oil revenues was to slash health and education spending but not to cut subsidies to the big oil producers. The injustice of this approach was not lost on Alberta families and Rachel Notley and her NDP team offered a much fairer approach to the crisis.
Ms. Notley and her young team have a herculean task ahead of them, trying to balance the books in a socially more responsible manner.
I think it will require big business and particularly big oil to shoulder more of the burden of this lost revenue. I hope that these companies don’t try to blackmail Notley's government by threatening to leave Alberta for green fields elsewhere, such as in Conservative-run Saskatchewan.
If Rachel Notley has even partial success in this venture, take note Stephen Harper, the hounds of reason are nipping at your heels right in your own backyard.
Wes Morden
Blackpool, B.C.