Alberta
K.D. Lang one of eight Albertans to receive province’s highest honour

Eight Albertans to receive Alberta’s highest honour
October 17, 2018
Lt.-Gov. Lois Mitchell will invest the newest members of the Alberta Order of Excellence during a one-hour ceremony on Oct. 18.
The Alberta Order of Excellence is the highest honour the province offers its citizens. Since the Order was created in 1979, 165 Albertans have been invested, not including this year’s new members.
The Albertans being invested into the Order for 2018 are:

Reg Basken, Sherwood Park:
Reg Basken, Sherwood Park: Reg Basken is one of Canada’s most respected labour leaders. He is known for his collaborative negotiating style, particularly in the energy sector, and for championing medicare. He supports the community through United Way and Edmonton Community Foundation.

Rosella Bjornson, Sherwood Park
Rosella Bjornson, Sherwood Park: Capt. Rosella Bjornson is an icon in Canadian aviation. As the first female airline jet pilot, she paved the way for women in aviation and was pivotal in changing the regulations to allow pregnant pilots the right to fly.

Wayne Chiu, Calgary
Wayne Chiu, Calgary: Wayne Chiu is a successful businessman and philanthropist with a passion for social entrepreneurship. He is an advocate for affordable housing, and has supported many community organizations through the creation of the Trico Charitable Foundation.

k.d. lang, Calgary:
k.d. lang, Calgary: k.d. lang is one of Canada’s most versatile and gifted singer-songwriters, who has earned multiple Juno and Grammy awards. She is a strong advocate for many causes, including LGBTQ rights, music education and animal protection.
David Manz, Calgary: Dr. David Manz is a world-renowned expert and educator in the fields of irrigation engineering and climate change. He invented the Manz BioSand Water Filter, an affordable technology that provides safe water for millions of people around the world.

Solomon Rolingher, Edmonton
Solomon Rolingher, Edmonton: Sol Rolingher is a lawyer and community leader who is recognized for his work with the Phoenix Multi-Faith Society for Harmony and the River Valley Alliance. He has also made significant contributions to Alberta’s education and health-care sectors.

Allan Wachowich, Edmonton
Allan Wachowich, Edmonton: Allan Wachowich has made significant contributions as a lawyer, justice and active citizen. With his work in the legal profession, and the greater community, his focus has been fairness and providing equal opportunities for all members of society.

Ralph Young, Edmonton
Ralph Young, Edmonton: Ralph Young is a community builder who has a reputation for integrity, insight and inspiring others. He works tirelessly to support and enhance the community in which he lives, with a focus on education and the preservation of Canadian history.
Click here to see interviews and in-depth biographies of each inductee.
Alberta
Big win for Alberta and Canada: Statement from Premier Smith

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

From the Fraser Institute
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.
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