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Alberta

Calgary Stampede a calculated risk, potential example for post-COVID behaviour: mayor

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EDMONTON — The Calgary Stampede, increasingly touted by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney as the brass ring for defeating COVID-19, won’t look like the whoop-up of years past if it goes ahead, says the city’s mayor.

Naheed Nenshi says there would still be distancing rules and other changes to keep people healthy and safe at what could be the first major Canadian post-COVID-19 festival.

“We really do have a chance to be world leaders in showing people how you can move forward with a bit of a return to normalcy, but still being very safe,” Nenshi, who also sits on the Stampede board, said Thursday.

“Certainly, this decision would be a lot easier, and this discussion would be a lot easier, if the Stampede were in August,” he added.

“(But) as long as the (COVID) numbers keep on the trajectories they’re on now, then the reward outweighs the risk.”

The world-renowned rodeo and fair is to open July 9.

Stampede spokeswoman Kristina Barnes said plans are for a scaled-down event with a priority on safety. Some indoor events could be moved outdoors.

She said talks continue on how the trademark Stampede parade could look.

The signature event, the chuckwagon races, will not go ahead for safety reasons, said Barnes. Chuckwagon racers have been on a lengthy layoff due to COVID-19.

“It would be extremely difficult to step from practice straight to a high-stakes championship,” said Barnes. “For the long-term health of the sport, it was a decision we had to make.”

The Stampede is Alberta’s signature summer event, famous for rodeos, chuckwagon races, pancake breakfasts, midway rides and alcoholic overindulgence.

In recent weeks, it has taken on political significance.

Kenney has frequently used the Stampede to symbolize a return to happier times should Albertans continue to get vaccinated and observe health restrictions.

He referenced the Stampede multiple times on Wednesday as he outlined a three-stage plan to reopen the economy and expand public gatherings — based on vaccination rates and hospitalizations.

Almost 60 per cent of Albertans 12 and older have received at least one shot.

Kenney said almost all restrictions will be lifted once 70 per cent of those eligible have had at least one vaccine dose. He said that could come as early as June 28.

Comparable provinces, including Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec, have similar phased reopening strategies, but not until later in the summer or into September

Just a month ago, Kenney’s United Conservative government was facing COVID-19 case rates that were the highest in North America.

Kenney said he might try to pull together the traditional premier’s Stampede pancake breakfast. A vaccination site on the Stampede grounds is also being explored.

Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley questioned whether Kenney is following science or risking public health with a speedy reopening for political reasons.

Kenney has faced plunging popularity numbers during the pandemic as well as a backlash from rural supporters and some of his UCP backbenchers over health restrictions they deem heavy-handed and punitive.

Political scientist Duane Bratt said it’s hard not to believe that the Stampede is driving Kenney’s timeline. The premier runs a huge risk if cases surge again or if the Stampede were perceived as a failure, he said.

“Everything has to go right for this. This is the most aggressive reopening of any place in Canada,” said Bratt of Mount Royal University in Calgary.

“Nothing would symbolize back to normal (better) than a Stampede.”

The event is not only an international tourist attraction, but also the unofficial start of a summer of political schmoozing, glad-handing and deal-making.

Political scientist Chaldeans Mensah said Kenney needs a popularity boost, not to mention the opportunity to meet face to face with supporters and to mend fences as required.

“That has hurt him politically. That inability to connect (one-on-one during COVID-19) has been very negative,” said Mensah with MacEwan University in Edmonton.

“He has not been able to quell some of the internal challenges that he’s faced. Stampede would offer him that opportunity.”

Political scientist Lori Williams said Kenney will still have to deal with the anger of those who lost loved ones during the pandemic or who feel he mishandled restrictions and economic supports.

On top of that, there is still a public fight with Alberta’s doctors and vocal concerns about a proposed new school curriculum, said Williams, also with Mount Royal University.

“The depth and breadth of the anger with this government is going to be a huge challenge to overcome.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2021.

Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press

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Alberta

Big win for Alberta and Canada: Statement from Premier Smith

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Premier Danielle Smith issued the following statement on the April 2, 2025 U.S. tariff announcement:

“Today was an important win for Canada and Alberta, as it appears the United States has decided to uphold the majority of the free trade agreement (CUSMA) between our two nations. It also appears this will continue to be the case until after the Canadian federal election has concluded and the newly elected Canadian government is able to renegotiate CUSMA with the U.S. administration.

“This is precisely what I have been advocating for from the U.S. administration for months.

“It means that the majority of goods sold into the United States from Canada will have no tariffs applied to them, including zero per cent tariffs on energy, minerals, agricultural products, uranium, seafood, potash and host of other Canadian goods.

“There is still work to be done, of course. Unfortunately, tariffs previously announced by the United States on Canadian automobiles, steel and aluminum have not been removed. The efforts of premiers and the federal government should therefore shift towards removing or significantly reducing these remaining tariffs as we go forward and ensuring affected workers across Canada are generously supported until the situation is resolved.

“I again call on all involved in our national advocacy efforts to focus on diplomacy and persuasion while avoiding unnecessary escalation. Clearly, this strategy has been the most effective to this point.

“As it appears the worst of this tariff dispute is behind us (though there is still work to be done), it is my sincere hope that we, as Canadians, can abandon the disastrous policies that have made Canada vulnerable to and overly dependent on the United States, fast-track national resource corridors, get out of the way of provincial resource development and turn our country into an independent economic juggernaut and energy superpower.”

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Alberta

Energy sector will fuel Alberta economy and Canada’s exports for many years to come

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From the Fraser Institute

By Jock Finlayson

By any measure, Alberta is an energy powerhouse—within Canada, but also on a global scale. In 2023, it produced 85 per cent of Canada’s oil and three-fifths of the country’s natural gas. Most of Canada’s oil reserves are in Alberta, along with a majority of natural gas reserves. Alberta is the beating heart of the Canadian energy economy. And energy, in turn, accounts for one-quarter of Canada’s international exports.

Consider some key facts about the province’s energy landscape, as noted in the Alberta Energy Regulator’s (AER) 2023 annual report. Oil and natural gas production continued to rise (on a volume basis) in 2023, on the heels of steady increases over the preceding half decade. However, the dollar value of Alberta’s oil and gas production fell in 2023, as the surging prices recorded in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine retreated. Capital spending in the province’s energy sector reached $30 billion in 2023, making it the leading driver of private-sector investment. And completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project has opened new offshore export avenues for Canada’s oil industry and should boost Alberta’s energy production and exports going forward.

In a world striving to address climate change, Alberta’s hydrocarbon-heavy energy sector faces challenges. At some point, the world may start to consume less oil and, later, less natural gas (in absolute terms). But such “peak” consumption hasn’t arrived yet, nor does it appear imminent. While the demand for certain refined petroleum products is trending down in some advanced economies, particularly in Europe, we should take a broader global perspective when assessing energy demand and supply trends.

Looking at the worldwide picture, Goldman Sachs’ 2024 global energy forecast predicts that “oil usage will increase through 2034” thanks to strong demand in emerging markets and growing production of petrochemicals that depend on oil as the principal feedstock. Global demand for natural gas (including LNG) will also continue to increase, particularly since natural gas is the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel and more of it is being traded in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Against this backdrop, there are reasons to be optimistic about the prospects for Alberta’s energy sector, particularly if the federal government dials back some of the economically destructive energy and climate policies adopted by the last government. According to the AER’s “base case” forecast, overall energy output will expand over the next 10 years. Oilsands output is projected to grow modestly; natural gas production will also rise, in part due to greater demand for Alberta’s upstream gas from LNG operators in British Columbia.

The AER’s forecast also points to a positive trajectory for capital spending across the province’s energy sector. The agency sees annual investment rising from almost $30 billion to $40 billion by 2033. Most of this takes place in the oil and gas industry, but “emerging” energy resources and projects aimed at climate mitigation are expected to represent a bigger slice of energy-related capital spending going forward.

Like many other oil and gas producing jurisdictions, Alberta must navigate the bumpy journey to a lower-carbon future. But the world is set to remain dependent on fossil fuels for decades to come. This suggests the energy sector will continue to underpin not only the Alberta economy but also Canada’s export portfolio for the foreseeable future.

Jock Finlayson

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
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