That Job Killing Carbon Tax

So the latest jobs numbers for the country came out today. You might be surprised, given that the Postmedia chain took its sweet time getting the good news out the public. You would think such exciting news would merit coverage, but instead it took them some hours to follow up what was front page with the CBC. Given their headline, I have to think they were quite busy this morning trying to put a negative spin on events.

Regardless, the news thus: Alberta added 20,000 full-time jobs last month. Saskatchewan, led by the second coming, Brad Wall, on the other hand showed job losses. And not by a little, either. Over 5000 jobs lost in that province in March. Ouch. Adjusted for the population, Saskatchewan lost as much as Alberta gained. The new budget cuts to jobs probably hadn't even been factored in yet.

So why do these things matter?

Since the right-wing media in the country has decided that Brad Wall is the face they want to present to all Canadians on how one does things right, and Rachel Notley is the embodiment of all that is bad, it's important to note the recent divergence. Yes, both provinces rose and fell in parallel with oil. Now, though, two and a half years after the recession began, Alberta is starting to show an improving economy.

Alberta is showing a significant budget deficit, it is true, but that is because the NDP of all people decided that, alongside keeping taxes the lowest in the country, was of prime importance. Saskatchewan, with the second highest tax rate west of the Ottawa River, also is showing a budget deficit too, which when adjusted for population and economic size, is comparable to Alberta's. They chose to cut jobs and raise taxes - a pair of options no Albertan party would contemplate together (at least right now). Where that will lead, one can easily surmise, is for yet another month of job losses once Saskatchewan's new budget takes effect, and perhaps a deeper recession.

Ultimately, it is worth proclaiming that the prophecies of doom emanating from Alberta's one dimensional news market are falling on their face in turn like the historic doomsday dates of bygone years. Higher taxes and a carbon tax are not holding the province back, no less pushing it backwards. Rather they are contributing to a better budget situation in an expanding province. This is great news, and will be difficult for the opposition to argue against when the next election comes.