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Alberta

Alberta. The Best Province in a Nation in Trouble.

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Submitted by Red Deer South MLA Jason Stephan

September 1 is Alberta Day. Alberta is a land of freedom and prosperity, welcoming all who desire to work and to serve, seeking happiness for themselves and their families. Alberta joined confederation and became part of Canada on September 1, 1905. Historically, Alberta has led Canada in key measures such as GDP per capita, business investment per worker, private sector employment, CPP contributions, equalization payments, etc. Alberta is the best.

Canada has benefited from Alberta more than Alberta has benefited from Canada. In this graph produced by the Fraser Institute, for its article titled Understanding Alberta’s Outsized Contribution to Confederation, it is estimated that Alberta businesses and workers, between 2017 to 2023, paid more than $244 billion to Ottawa than it received from Ottawa, dwarfing net contributions of the only two other contributing provinces, Ontario and BC, despite, in the case of Ontario, having a much larger population.

The biggest taker during this period was Quebec, receiving more than $327 billion from Ottawa than it paid. Many have written how Quebec and others ā€œgameā€ confederation to increase transfers from producers. Indeed, the current premier of Quebec said that his favorite thing about Canada is equalization.

While Canada has the potential to be the most free and prosperous country in the world, by objective measures it is not, and the flawed structure of ā€œconfederationā€, and some who seek to exploit it to glut themselves on the labors of others, hold us back and drag us down. When the ā€œredistributionā€ of wealth displaces the ā€œproductionā€ of wealth as a ruling principle, we are in trouble and that is now.

Many are concerned that Trudeau’s Canada is a growing danger and threat to Alberta’s freedom and prosperity. That is true. Alberta is better off without Trudeau’s Canada. Trudeau’s Canada is a fiscal train wreck. Trudeau has smashed through a trillion dollars in debt, accumulating more debt than all Prime Ministers before him combined. This gross negligence, waste and disrespect will be burdens of our children long after they are gone. Canada now pays more in interest on its debt than it collects from the GST.

Prior to Trudeau, in 2014, Canada’s per capita GDP was 92% of the US. What is it now? In 2022, it is 72%, a 20% drop in less than 10 years, and getting worse. We are getting poorer, fast. It should not be this way, it does not need to be this way.

Canadians awake and alive to the truth of Trudeau’s Canada and where it is leading are rightly concerned and alarmed. But what to do? Some are leaving or have left.

Alberta has the highest per capita GDP in Canada, rejecting Trudeau’s woke, socialist values of mediocrity and virtue signaling, producing nothing. Trudeau’s Canada appears to resent Alberta with policies that single out Alberta, seeking to attack, hold back, or drag it down.

Do not count on many politicians to stand up for a ā€œFair Dealā€ for Alberta, because if Alberta gets a Fair Deal, then it means less handouts for others!

Let’s provide Albertans with the unbiased truth and facts surrounding ā€œfiscal federalismā€. Who is paying what, and who is getting what, directly or indirectly, from Alberta businesses and workers. Albertans should be supplied with the truth about what they are paying for and what Trudeau’s Canada is costing them. In this fall legislature I will be bringing forward a motion to get to these facts, even if some do not like it.

Let’s arm Albertans with more truth, and then trust them to lead, to know what is best. Let’s increase Alberta’s leverage for a Fair Deal. The less Alberta needs Canada, the more leverage Alberta has. There are many things that Alberta can do for Albertans better than Trudeau’s Canada.

Albertans need alternatives to Trudeau’s Canada; let’s prepare, insulate, and protect ourselves from this accelerating trainwreck, which unabated, will crash as sure as night follows day.

We cannot be complacent – less talk and more action.

Alberta is a blessed land of freedom and prosperity. We must be vigilant to keep it that way. Happy Alberta Day!

 

 

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Alberta

Red Deer Justice Centre Grand Opening: Building access to justice for Albertans

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The new Red Deer Justice Centre will help Albertans resolve their legal matters faster.

Albertans deserve to have access to a fair, accessible and transparent justice system. Modernizing Alberta’s courthouse infrastructure will help make sure Alberta’s justice system runs efficiently and meets the needs of the province’s growing population.

Alberta’s government has invested $191 million to build the new Red Deer Justice Centre, increasing the number of courtrooms from eight to 12, allowing more cases to be heard at one time.

ā€œModern, accessible courthouses and streamlined services not only strengthen our justice
system – they build safer, stronger communities across the province. Investing in the new Red Deer Justice Centre is vital to helping our justice system operate more efficiently, and will give people in Red Deer and across central Alberta better access to justice.ā€

Mickey Amery, Minister of Justice and Attorney General

Government of Alberta and Judiciary representatives with special guests at the Red Deer Justice Centre plaque unveiling event April 22, 2025.

On March 3, all court services in Red Deer began operating out of the new justice centre. The new justice centre has 12 courtrooms fully built and equipped with video-conference equipment to allow witnesses to attend remotely if they cannot travel, and vulnerable witnesses to testify from outside the courtroom.

The new justice centre also has spaces for people taking alternative approaches to the traditional courtroom trial process, with the three new suites for judicial dispute resolution services, a specific suite for other dispute resolution services, such as family mediation and civil mediation, and a new Indigenous courtroom with dedicated venting for smudging purposes.

ā€œWe are very excited about this new courthouse for central Alberta. Investing in the places where people seek justice shows respect for the rights of all Albertans. The Red Deer Justice Centre fills a significant infrastructure need for this rapidly growing part of the province. It is also an important symbol of the rule of law, meaning that none of us are above the law, and there is an independent judiciary to decide disputes. This is essential for a healthy functioning democracy.ā€

Ritu Khullar, chief justice of Alberta

ā€œPublic safety and access to justice go hand in hand. With this investment in the new Red Deer Justice Centre, Alberta’s government is ensuring that communities are safer, legal matters are resolved more efficiently and all Albertans get the support they need.ā€

Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services

ā€œThis state-of-the-art facility will serve the people of Red Deer and surrounding communities for generations. Our team at Infrastructure is incredibly proud of the work done to plan, design and build this project. I want to thank everyone, at all levels, who helped make this project a reality.ā€

Martin Long, Minister of Infrastructure

Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.

Quick facts

  • The new Red Deer Justice Centre isĀ 312,000 sq ft (29,000 m2). (The old courthouse is 98,780 sq ft (9,177 m2)).
  • The approved project funding for the Red Deer Justice Centre is about $191 million.
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Alberta

Made in Alberta! Province makes it easier to support local products with Buy Local program

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Show your Alberta side. Buy Local.

When the going gets tough, Albertans stick together. That’s why Alberta’s government is launching a new campaign to benefit hard-working Albertans.

Global uncertainty is threatening the livelihoods of hard-working Alberta farmers, ranchers, processors and their families. The ā€˜Buy Local’ campaign, recently launched by Alberta’s government, encourages consumers to eat, drink and buy local to show our unified support for the province’s agriculture and food industry.

The government’s ā€˜Buy Local’ campaign encourages consumers to buy products from Alberta’s hard-working farmers, ranchers and food processors that produce safe, nutritious food for Albertans, Canadians and the world.

ā€œIt’s time to let these hard-working Albertans know we have their back. Now, more than ever, we need to shop local and buy made-in-Alberta products. The next time you are grocery shopping or go out for dinner or a drink with your friends or family, support local to demonstrate your Alberta pride. We are pleased tariffs don’t impact the ag industry right now and will keep advocating for our ag industry.ā€

RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation

Alberta’s government supports consumer choice. We are providing tools to help folks easily identify Alberta- and Canadian-made foods and products. Choosing local products keeps Albertans’ hard-earned dollars in our province. Whether it is farm-fresh vegetables, potatoes, honey, craft beer, frozen food or our world-renowned beef, Alberta has an abundance of fresh foods produced right on our doorstep.

Quick facts

  • This summer, Albertans can support local at more than 150 farmers’ markets across the province and meet the folks who make, bake and grow our food.
  • In March 2023, the Alberta government launched theĀ ā€˜Made in Alberta’ voluntary food and beverage labelling program to support local agriculture and food sectors.
  • Through direct connections with processors, the program has created the momentum to continue expanding consumer awareness about the ā€˜Made in Alberta’ label to help shoppers quickly identify foods and beverages produced in our province.
  • Made in Alberta product catalogue website

 

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