What do you mean by a 'labour market'?

For some, a labour market might be considered a fairly technical term, but I am using a straight forward definition. For me the labour market is the people behind the economy. It's the jobs that are created, the migrants who move looking for a better life, the decisions that are made and everything else behind the economic numbers that everyone seems to take so much stock in. The labour market is much more than the rise and fall of stocks on what ever street you are following. It's about people. And that's why I am so interested in it.

Alberta's labour market has always been an active place. This past decade has seen incredible growth and that saw a very sudden decline last October. August 2008 Alberta saw an unemployment rate of 3.5%. In August 2009 it was 7.4% (source). There are so many stories behind those numbers. Everyone has questions. Will this high unemployment stick? Why were so many jobs lost so suddenly? How does something in New York affect what happened in Fort McMurray? Are we going to see more health care cuts? All these questions are related to the labour market.

Now, I have no crystal ball. I only have an interest in this area. I have some close connections to the 'front lines' and an interest in writing about Alberta. I am no academic but I am no dummy either. I am able to listen and learn, if someone has something interesting to say.

And so the discourse begins...