Resource industry key part of future
A fortunate blend of resources and resourcefulness has brought Alberta and this country to where it is today.
We have a lot to be thankful for because it took generations of tenacity and hard work to forge this success.
It is easy for some, especially those not part of the recently laid-off energy workers, to find fault with our recent history. But if past governments and policies were so inept at handling diversification and environment, why then is our province and country the envy of the world?
Alberta has a rich history of supporting new industrial efforts. While failures such as Novatel and Mag Can dominate our imagination, there are huge successes, like the entire petrochemical industry which has become so important for our export earnings.
Detractors continually point out that renewable industry will provide better jobs. No doubt these jobs will be good, but we still need a level of honesty. There are thousands of electrical workers employed in the resource industry that, in turn, brings the foreign currency needed to buy wind turbines and solar panels. Diversification will not happen when people are not working and not generating enough wealth to afford an economically sustainable transition.
We are major exporters of energy, petrochemicals, lumber, wheat and beef. Even as we expand our service and tourism industry, foreign earnings come mostly from the resource industry. Exporting resources is not only a part of our history, but should also be an important part of our future.
Critics of the resource industry say development in the eastern slopes of the Rockies threatens the water supply of our cities. This is a winning argument when presented without the proper context of the strict environmental regulations under which Alberta industry operates.
This argument drives an unnecessary wedge between city and rural dwellers.
While extraction happens away from cities, the engineering, regulatory work and support industries happen in the heart of our cities. Calgary’s massive downturn is an example of what happens when there are problems further afield.
We are in this together. We must be vigilant of those who exploit the rural/urban wedge to push their own agenda.
Extracting minerals efficiently, and mitigating the environmental impact, takes specialized knowledge and this makes us no less resourceful than many other leading nations. Sweden, for example, is built on the foundations of social and environmental responsibility. It has a long history of iron ore mining and logging, but has also developed a modern, complex economy based on services like engineering and precision manufacturing.
The country has developed policies “so that Sweden maintains and strengthens its position as the [EU’s] leading mining nation.” Swedish policy model sees, “mining and minerals industry in harmony with the environment, culture and other industries.” This should be the model for Alberta. While it is important to fight climate change, we must do this understanding the world does not owe us a living. This truth is especially urgent given the change in Washington and their cry to put America first.
John Pundyk is a Crowsnest Pass resident and a frequent contributor to the Crowsnest Pass Herald, writing primarily about the economy.