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Alberta

2018 Alberta Country Music Awards winners!

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From the ACMA™ 

The 7th annual Alberta Country Music Awards™ presented by Stingray were held at the Sheraton Red Deer Hotel.  The awards capped off a weekend of industry seminars and performance events. Hosted by 2018 CCMA-Winner Aaron Goodvin the evening included two secret pre-show performances by Alberta country greats Gord Bamford and Duane Steele.

The mainstage show performers included: Nice Horse, Drew Gregory, Michela Sheedy, Krissy Fentiak, Karac Hendriks, Ryan Langlois, The Prairie States, Lauren Mayell, T. Buckley (Alberta Music Special Guest), Trevor Panczak and Aaron Goodvin.

ACMA™ & CCMA Hall of Fame member Jackie Rae Greening presented both of the 2018 ACMA™ Hall of Fame inductees Bev Munro and Larry Donohue, 840 CFCW Alumni, and foundational builders of the Alberta country music community.

The event live-stream (presented by Jamboree for Charity) can be found on our youtube channel.  Official video and photos of the awards will be available on social media in the near future. Please LIKE our Facebook Page for updates.

Make sure to celebrate the winners on your socials with #ACMA2018!

2018 ACMA™ Awards Winners!

Male Artist of the Year
Dan DavidsonFemale Artist of the Year
Lauren Mayell

Group/Duo of the Year
Nice Horse

Fans Choice
The Prairie States

Industry Person of the Year
Carly KlassenAlberta Music

Musician of the Year
Mitch Jay

Album of the Year
Songs For GeorgiaDan Davidson

Song of the Year
“Don’t Hold Back”
Written by: James Murdoch & Darren Gusnowsky
Performed by: The Dungarees

Single of the Year
“Who’s Gonna Love Me Tonight” – Renegade Station

Country Venue of the Year
Ranchman’s Cookhouse & Dancehall

Talent Buyer of the Year
Calgary Stampede

Rising Star
The Prairie States

Radio Station of the Year
Real Country 95.5 Red Deer

Horizon Youth
Krissy Feniak

Entertainer of the Year
Aaron Goodvin

Video of the Year
“Mansplainin'” – Nice Horse

After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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Alberta

CPP another example of Albertans’ outsized contribution to Canada

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From the Fraser Institute

By Tegan Hill

Amid the economic uncertainty fuelled by Trump’s trade war, its perhaps more important than ever to understand Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and its outsized contribution to programs such as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).

From 1981 to 2022, Albertan’s net contribution to the CPP—meaning the amount Albertans paid into the program over and above what retirees in Alberta received in CPP payments—was $53.6 billion. In 2022 (the latest year of available data), Albertans’ net contribution to the CPP was $3.0 billion.

During that same period (1981 to 2022), British Columbia was the only other province where residents paid more into the CPP than retirees received in benefits—and Alberta’s contribution was six times greater than B.C.’s contribution. Put differently, residents in seven out of the nine provinces that participate in the CPP (Quebec has its own plan) receive more back in benefits than they contribute to the program.

Albertans pay an outsized contribution to federal and national programs, including the CPP because of the province’s relatively high rates of employment, higher average incomes and younger population (i.e. more workers pay into the CPP and less retirees take from it).

Put simply, Albertan workers have been helping fund the retirement of Canadians from coast to coast for decades, and without Alberta, the CPP would look much different.

How different?

If Alberta withdrew from the CPP and established its own standalone provincial pension plan, Alberta workers would receive the same retirement benefits but at a lower cost (i.e. lower CPP contribution rate deducted from our paycheques) than other Canadians, while the contribution rate—essentially the CPP tax rate—to fund the program would likely need to increase for the rest of the country to maintain the same benefits.

And given current demographic projections, immigration patterns and Alberta’s long history of leading the provinces in economic growth, Albertan workers will likely continue to pay more into the CPP than Albertan retirees get back from it.

Therefore, considering Alberta’s crucial role in national programs, the next federal government—whoever that may be—should undo and prevent policies that negatively impact the province and Albertans ability to contribute to Canada. Think of Bill C-69 (which imposes complex, uncertain and onerous review requirements on major energy projects), Bill C-48 (which bans large oil tankers off B.C.’s northern coast and limits access to Asian markets), an arbitrary cap on oil and gas emissions, numerous other “net-zero” targets, and so on.

Canada faces serious economic challenges, including a trade war with the United States. In times like this, it’s important to remember Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and the outsized contributions of Alberta workers to the wellbeing of Canadians across the country.

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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 ‘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 ‘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.

“It’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.”

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 the ‘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 ‘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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