"Driving west across the Prairies, as you flirt with the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, you're greeted by a sign: 'Welcome to Calgary, Heart of the New West,' " Todd Hirsch writes in his weekend essay.
"The slogan suggests pride, confidence, the restless optimism of a teenager. So much energy, so much potential. The dawn of the New West.
"There's no question that Calgary is the 'it' girl, the economic centre of gravity of Western Canada. Winnipeg played the role a century ago; Vancouver assumes the pose on the Pacific Rim, but with less bravado and a more stylish hat. Calgary is to the West what Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are to Hollywood: the reigning icon.
"But is the West all that new?"
Mr. Hirsch wonders why, in the middle of such an incredible boom, the Western provinces in Canada aren't putting their energy and money in to bigger projects than filling potholes and new hospital beds. Where is the vision? Where is the grand projects? How will the West make its mark on the world?
Mr. Hirsch joined us online Monday to answer your questions. Your questions and Mr. Hirsch's answers appear at the bottom of this page.
Todd Hirsch is a Calgary-based senior economist with ATB Financial. He also teaches economics at the University of Calgary.
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Brodie Fenlon, globeandmail.com: Thank you so much for joining us online. In your Saturday essay, you suggest three examples of the type of big-picture, long-term initiatives the Western premiers could be considering (a Western Energy Accord, single university system, foreign aid contributions). What role does Ottawa have here? Does it have any? Does the federal-provincial relationship have to be redefined?
Todd Hirsch: It's not so much that Ottawa has no role, but that it's really time for the provinces to stop waiting for Ottawa to do things to which the provinces react (usually negatively). In the case of the Western Energy Accord, the premiers should be all over this idea almost as a way of pre-emptively striking the whole energy issue. If they don't, it could be that Ottawa will, and in that case, it is less likely to be appealing to the western provinces. With the exception of foreign aid, my suggestions (energy, education) were provincial responsibilities. So the provinces need to do just that - be responsible! And that means a long-term vision.
Ron Wilson from St. Albert, Alberta writes: Why not extend the idea to the whole country? Money and energy are needed everywhere. Is this just more of the old 'western alienation' played with the politics of exclusion?
Todd Hirsch: I agree that co-operation within the whole country would be better, but I'm thinking "baby steps" here. What ever happened to the Council of the Federation? It shows that provincial co-operation may be a bit more challenging than we thought. The West has a chance to take the lead in showing the whole country how acting cooperatively can benefit everyone. And in the case of energy, the Western provinces really are in a different situation than the rest of the country.
Ingo Seibert from Richmond writes: There is certainly some validity in asking the question about where is the vision in the West beyond using up the natural resources which are creating the current boom. B.C. has shown some vision with its investment in transit but the primary driver of the vision has been the Olympics. Alberta for its part has no vision nor are they investing into infra-structure projects beyond the oil sands that will provide economic growth for years to come. Education innovation in the West does not exist. We should be building College and University programs that are world class but no such vision exists. Dollars should be re-invested in making the west one of the leaders in technology for alternative energy sources but instead we lag behind in every area. There could be significant investment and funding into technology R&D and innovation using provincial funding and tax incentives. The problem in the west is times are too good!!! The politicians don't need a grand vision for the future because the present is booming. [On that note, you quote Adam Legge as saying, "The public doesn't give its elected leaders the permission to do something great, something really visionary for the future." How do you move the public to do so? How do you build that trust?]/p>
Todd Hirsch: Building that trust among the public is really the biggest challenge. Maybe for good reasons, the public has become jaded when it comes to government "grand schemes." I'm a bit jaded, too, to be honest. I guess it's a process of building that trust. Alberta is the easiest to talk about here, because they are financially in the best position to really do something remarkable. I think if the public was convinced that there actually WAS a vision for the future, rather than just money being dumped into pet projects, they'd buy in. The vision needs to be articulated, not as a part of a budget speech either. And it may even need to be a bit frightening for the public -- the idea that if we DON'T do something now, we face a very risky future.
Aaron Chudley from Vancouver writes: Hi Todd. With all due respect, have you been to Vancouver recently? Olympics, RAV, green roof conference centre jutting out into the ocean, 20 cranes over the Olympic Village... There's plenty of vision here. Calgary might be a nice 'coming of age' story, but please don't confuse its spiralling suburbs and garish downtown core with the rest of the West, or at least the West Coast. Brad and Angelina? I'm seeing more like a young Ray Liota who's had too much coffee and thinks a few big paycheques make him classy.
Todd Hirsch: Ha, ha!! Well, good shot. And yes, I spent most of last week in Vancouver. While I do think Vancouver is ahead of Calgary in almost every conceivable way, I focus my comments on Calgary because (if you like it or not) it is the "lightning rod" for interest in the West at the moment. But there is an important caution for Vancouver, too. What happens post-Olympics? What's the vision then? Just more green roofs and Starbucks-laden strip malls? (I'm purposely being provocative). But what kind of city and province does Vancouver and B.C. want to be? It will certainly be different from what Alberta, or Saskatchewan, or Manitoba want to be. But what is the vision for March 2010? I was talking to some business leaders last week in Vancouver, and frankly, they are a bit concerned.
On the discussion to your essay, Darcy Meyer writes: Some decent ideas, some not so decent. Although investing in new bridges and hospitals today may seem more short term and politically expedient it is in fact helping secure the future of the provinces because they cannot make those investments when the boom busts. The idea on 'centers of excellence' for education and research co-ordinated throughout the provinces is an idea I do like. [Your thoughts?]/p>
Todd Hirsch: I tried to be careful to stress that schools, hospitals and infrastructure ARE critical - no argument there. But the vision for the future just can't STOP there. And if it comes down to just a fight over cash, some of the ideas proposed don't even require any money, just political will and public buy-in.
On the discussion, Bart Farquart from Calgary wrote: Typical articles about 'the west' from this paper, even when written by someone who lives here, have tended to evoke the attitude of the 18th century British nobility toward their New England colonists. This one has a little more lipstick on it but the message is the same: 'Westerners are shallow, greedy, uncultured and shortsighted people. Western could truly evolve if they were willing to get over their shortsightedness, share the wealth, and generally embrace soft left values.' [Would you like to respond?]/p>
Todd Hirsch: Oh, c'mon Bart! I'm born and raised Albertan, and I don't think that at all (smile!). Really, the very same essay could be written about central Canada or Atlantic Canadian provinces just as easily - they are no different. I wrote mine from the Western perspective because I AM a western Canadian, and I can take a few more liberties than if I were talking about Nova Scotia for example. As for the suggestion that the ideas are "soft left values", I don't understand that at all. The "left wing / right wing" labels are completely of a different age of politics, and I think just labelling things as left or right is the easy way out of a debate.
Antonio San from Canada wrote: Really Todd H., do you really think Harper's utter betrayal of Western interests, his accomplice Ed Stelmach who in two years managed to ruin any confidence Alberta had -and of course power- will be forgotten? ... The West has only one way if it wants to make the most of its resources and economy: leave Canada and stop paying for Ontario/Quebeckistan vote-buying. [Your thoughts]/p>
Todd Hirsch: I'm really disappointed that you feel that way. I couldn't disagree more.
Dane Treidler from Winnipeg writes on the discussion: The west isn't a homogeneous block. You can't compare Manitoba to Alberta - they are fundamentally different on many levels, both physical and mentally. If someone decided to group Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes into one group and call it homogeneous, there'd be hell to pay. This is why these proposed programs would never work, we can't even agree on a co-ordinated effort to fight climate change (it's not happening in Alberta) so how could we integrate on such a sophisticated level?
Todd Hirsch: I knew someone would bring this up - and actually I'm glad you did. Of course you can't lump all of the West into one homogeneous group, and that is why most of my comments were (thinly veiled) targeted at Alberta. It would take four separate 1,500 essays to do a proper job - one for each province. And in fact, it would take more than that, because Vancouver is certainly not Prince George, nor is Winnipeg the same as Brandon. So, admittedly, I'm painting with too broad a brush when I talk about the West. I think for the readers of the Globe and Mail, however, Calgary seems to be the one in the cross-hairs of their interest at the moment. That is not to diminish other wonderful cities like Winnipeg and Edmonton (my hometown, for which I harbour a soft spot). It is just that Calgary is in a way the lightening rod for interest in the West at the moment.
But as for your dismissal of the ideas as unworkable, that is such a defeatist attitude! If the leaders of 25 very different European countries can (over time) come together on some ideas, what in the world is stopping four premiers from largely resource-dependent economies? I am not so naive as to think it will happen overnight, but couldn't we at least nudge our leaders in that direction? Besides, I don't think co-ordinating one university system needs to be on such a "sophisticated" level (as you put it). Let's give ourselves at least a chance before we throw in the towel saying it is too difficult.
Otto von Abbatoir from Los Angeles writes on the discussion: Western Canada could help itself become more of a player just by asking to be included in discussions occurring within the USA that directly impact it. One example: the State of Wisconsin and Wisconsin utility companies went through a very expensive, lengthy and ultimately successful fight to build a high-power electricity line from Superior to Wausau to import low-cost hydropower electrons from Manitoba into the state and, most likely, Chicago. It prevented the construction of at least one coal-fired power plant. Had Manitoba been around to promote itself and its advantages, the level and length of public resistance could have been dramatically reduced and Ontario would've had to suck that much less CO2. Honest, almost all Americans would find this sort of engagement far more constructive than endless whining about Iraq or Cuba. [Mr. Hirsch - what do you make of this suggestion that the Western provinces better engage the Western states?]/p>
Todd Hirsch: I love the idea!! But it's tough getting on the radar screen in the U.S. Our American friends are busy with other things at the moment (but at least the preoccupation with the Democratic nominee is over for now). Getting on the U.S. radar screen would be greatly aided by a Western Energy Accord. If the energy-producing interests from across Western Canada could speak as one voice, and market itself as one massive supply of secure energy (hydrocarbons, hydro, and everything in between), I'm sure the Western state governors would sit up and pay more attention than if the Premier of one of the smallish provinces (Saskatchewan has fewer people than Tulsa!!) tries to show up and woo them (no disrespect to Mr. Wall).
Brodie Fenlon, globeandmail.com: Thank you again for your time Mr. Hirsch. Any final thoughts you'd like to share? If you had the Western premiers in your office for five minutes, what would be the main things you'd want to impress upon them?
Todd Hirsch: That is a terrific question. I think I'd like to get them to think about the future, and I know that sounds trite. But when I hear our politicians talk about building a bright tomorrow, the words are there but the actions are limited. Roads, freeways, schools, stabilization funds -- all terrific. But is that IT? What about the provinces in the year 2038 - thirty years from now?
What would our current premiers want school kids to learn about them in their Social Studies classes thirty years from now? That they helped fund a freeway?
What do students know MacDonald for? (I hope it is building Confederation and the CPR!) What do US children know Kennedy for? (I hope it is for helping put a man on the moon and averting a nuclear war in Cuba). And in Alberta, what do they know Peter Lougheed for? (I hope it is for initiating the idea to put resource money aside, build the arts, and leave the province in a better place than you found it). They had VISION!
To talk about vision is dangerous - both because it sounds trite and a "motherhood" statement, but also because unless you HAVE a vision, it's easy to criticize others for NOT having a vision. And please don't get me wrong -- there are glimmers of brilliance in ALL of the premiers' visions for their provinces. All have said very inspiring things. But now we have to act. And the rest of the world will look at Western Canada and say "Whoa... now THAT'S how you manage resource wealth!!"
Brodie Fenlon, globeandmail.com: Thanks to everyone for their questions. Feel free to continue the discussion here through our comment function.