'Do what you gotta do, and always have a plan b'

An older friend once told me 'Jason, you need two things in life to succeed, discipline and a plan b'. Now I have held these words of wisdom close to my heart. But I would not consider myself a 'disciplined' person. For those very few people that follow this blog, you will notice that.

These past two months have been hectic. I had my name in two different job competitions, I have been trying to list and sell my condo and I have had to deal with a number of other personal issues (including the birh of my nephew - that was cool!). I found out this week that I got one of the positions and this requires me to move my family to Red Deer. We are quite happy with the new position and the prospect of moving 150km south to where I grew up. On my walks to work this week my mind is going through everything we need to do in the next two weeks before I transfer positions. But it is clear that there things that I have to do (like finding a place to sleep while we wait for the family to move down), and there are other things that I have no control over (like selling my condo). So I decided this week to update these words to live by to 'Do what you gotta do, and always have a plan b'.

I drive my wife crazy with all my planning. For any given situation, I often have plans b to q. But you never know what life is going to throw your way. You need to be prepared and you have to be flexible. There are also things you need to do in order to move your life forward. You need to make decisions and you need to stand by them. I can't expect to get a new job without applying and I can't expect my house to clean itself. Sometimes you can procrastinate, but sometimes you just have to do it if you want to move forward.

I don't know yet what I want to do with this blog. My current topic of 'Alberta culture' just isn't inspiring me. I am debating to move onto one of two topics. One is Red Deer current events. I could find very few blogs related to Red Deer. The other topic I have been contemplating is comic books. I enjoy superhero comic books, and I am a casual reader. So I am debating whether or not to start writing about comic books from the stand point of a casual reader.

So as my life gets into order I need to make a decision about this blog. I enjoy blogging. I like people reading my stuff and commenting on it. But if I want people to read my blog, then I need write in my blog. I just gotta find a way to do it.

Friends with the elephant

Albertans are often accused of being the 'most American' province of Canada. Which is rather interesting, since many other parts of Canada have population centres much closer to American population centres. I don't know if it's right to compare one part of this country 'more American' since as Canadians we have a relationship with the US that we cannot escape just by virtue of geography.

The United States is a bit of a bogeyman in Canada. It is hard to ignore the world's most significant superpower. Canadians have a fear that we are continually overshadowed by our neighbour. That perhaps, this monolith to the south will someday just gobble us up. A lot of Canadians feel that our culture in Canada is overshadowed by the States. Americans are sometimes maligned here - anyone working in tourism has met the 'American tourist' and dread the obnoxious, ignorant, gas guzzling RV driver. I saw it once myself, just overhearing a conversation. The girl working the booth in Radium said she didn't live in the town, she lived the next town over, and the American asked'Oh, you live in Calgary?'. Calgary is a two hour drive, through very dense mountains. Not exactly the easiest road for a commute. The absurdity is easy for a Canadian to identify and it does lead to some smugness on the part of the Canadians.

I've also noticed some disparaging remarks in the American media about Canada. From our health care system to our aloofness to just showing Canadians as 'slow', the Americans like to make fun of Canadians.

The Vancouver Olympics were amazing. Much has been said about the outpouring of national pride, including my last blog post. But I saw something else in these Olympics, something a bit more subtle. I saw a recognition among Canadians and Americans that we are indeed friends. By virtue of geography, language, history and geopolitics, we are neighbors and so we might as well get along.

The final hockey game was a great competition against two very good hockey teams. But it was more than that. Whenever I saw Americans and Canadians sharing the podium together, they did so with hugs and handshakes. Americans cheered for Canadian athletes when they were the favorite in a sport and Canadians did vice versa. Oprah couldn't bring enough Canadian athletes onto her show during the Olympics. Of course many American tourists visited Vancouver during the games, so this was a great chance for them to partake in festivities. And they did so not as adversaries, but as friends. And for me, this is a great success.

Canada and the States are two countries that have a long shared history of cooperation. Things have soured a bit after 9/11, but I really think this Olympics re-established a line of communication and friendship that underlies our long border. Through cooperation, we can show that two countries can work together without sarcrificing our culture and values. There are still differences between our two nations, but there is also a lot similarities that allow us to share a jug of beer and sing our respective anthems together.

Canadian P(r)i(d)e

I want to take a step up from the Alberta context and talk about the national context in this post. Despite warm weather, organizational mess ups and someone (quite unfortunately) dying, the Olympics are succeeding above and beyond in one area. Newfies, Quebecois, Torontonians, Albertans and Vancouverites are running across the streets of this country proud of the maple leaf. At first it was 'Own the podium' and setting the expectations high. But now, as Canadians watch our athletes do their best against very stiff competition, it doesn't matter if they place gold, silver or dead last. As Canadians watch our athletes, we are just proud that people are watching Canada, people are having fun here and Canadian athletes are sometimes even winning a sport or two.

This patriotisms is even catching some people by surprise. Some people are even ashamed that we are so proud of an event that cost someone his life, has cost governments billions and will do nothing to house the homeless or cut greenhouse gases. Criticizing ourselves is almost as Canadian as the maple leaf. The events haven't been perfect. As a democratic nation we need to allow the critics a chance to speak. But the critics also need to look at the big picture.

True success comes from the heart. The heart of a nation is beating hard in Vancouver. From traditional events like the biathlon to extreme sports like snow board cross and moguls to team sports like hockey, these games are a chance for us to watch the best of the best compete and 3 people or teams will get medals. But for me, true success happens when those same athletes can take off their snow gear, have a shower and then meet in downtown Vancouver or Whistler for a beverage and some good times. That's the spirit of the Olympics and that seems to be alive in Vancouver. So instead of criticizing mother nature and faulty equipment, just sit back, go have a beverage and join in the party that starts in Vancouver and is radiating throughout this country.

The Art Gallery of Aberta: A work of art or a giant waste?

Well after creating a construction zone beside Churchill Square in Edmonton for the past 3 years, the Art Gallery of Alberta is finally open. Now, I never went for the grand opening but I do want to weigh in what I think about having such a major piece of architecture in the middle of the city.

It wasn't cheap, coming in at 88 million dollars, and it certainly sticks out. I know a lot of people would rather invest that money in a new hockey stadium or even hospital beds, and see this 88 million as an attempt at vanity that will compete with the great art galleries in the rest of the world.

A city needs to balance its priorities. It also needs to pick what it wants to be famous for. This needs public consultation and support from all levels of government and private industry. A city can't try to do everything well, or else it will fail. It needs to do some things very well for the best success.

I love the concept of Sir Winston Churchill Square and I love the buildings that surround it. We have 2 buildings dedicated to city administration, a concert hall, a library and a market (well, shopping mall, but this is Canada we're talking about afterall). Before the Art Gallery of Alberta, there was the Edmonton Art Gallery in the same spot. All of these buildings are connected to an underground LRT and pedway system. Now, there are many things I don't like in Edmonton and I sometimes I think the city planners have way too many liquid lunches, but they have done something right with Churchill Square. And I think the new art gallery brings so much to this physical space by adding an unique architectural work of art.

Edmonton may lack in many things, but I think the AGA adds a lot of good things to this city. It will attract some major exhibits and it will draw more people to the heart of city. Since Churchill Square is a major centre for festivals, the Art Gallery will bring more people to these festivals and integrates a world class art gallery into these festivals.

Not only does the AGA bring good things to Edmonton, but it brings good things to Alberta. European travelers on the way through from Toronto will stop in Edmonton and then make their down to Calgary so they can continue onto Vancouver. Asian travelers will have more reason to travel beyond the mountain parks  and see that Canada is more than rocks, trees and domesticated mountain sheep. Not only that, it is something for us to be proud of. This building is unique, and it will attract notice.

So I think it is obvious where I stand on this issue. I think the AGA is money will spent even with a chronic shortage of hospital beds, stubborn unemployment and a losing hockey team.

another reboot

While discussing the latest labour market statistics might be interesting for some, I realize (now) that for most people it is quite boring. While I very much believe that these things do influence our lives, it is time to move onto a more interesting and dynamic topic - Alberta's culture.

This topic is not without it's detractors I'm sure. How the heck can I discuss Alberta's culture when the whole nation is mired in a debate about whether we can even define Canadian culture? Well, first of all, I am a strong believer that Canada does possess a strong and vibrant culture unique to itself. You see, I believe culture is more than the TV shows a country watches, the celebrities it idolizes and the opera it produces. I believe culture is a collective road map that a group of individuals follow, whether at the micro or macro level. Culture is the means we get to work, what we talk about when we get there and what we do after work. It is individual choices and the array of choices that present themselves to an individual. Culture is no less than the collective expression of a group of people. So a lot of Alberta's culture will have similarities to the rest of Canada and English speaking North America. But some things are unique, and that is what I want to talk about.

There are plenty of stereotypes that exist about Alberta. Images of redneck, highrolling, conservative , arrogant cowboys spring to my mind. But this stereotype does not do the 3.5 million citizens justice. Alberta has a strong multi-cultural community. It is a province with several dynamic and growing cities that is still proud of its rural heritage. From the stage in Rosebud to Manulife Place in Edmonton to the cathedral in Grouard, Alberta's culture is informed by it's history and shaped by each individual who inhabits this province. It cannot be pinned down to an exact definition, but it can discussed. And that is what I hope to do with this blog.

a decrease in unemployment! happy days again?

December's unemployment stats are for Alberta are here . Last month the rate was 7.4% and this month we saw a decrease to (drumroll please) 6.7%. Nationally, the job picture was flat, with half the provinces showing an increase in unemployment and the other half showing a decrease.

I think these stats are showing the establishment of the status quo. We need a few more months to really see it, but I think this 'recovery' that everyone is talking about is just leveling off from the correction we saw last year. The bubble of the boom couldn't sustain itself, it popped and now we're seeing more realistic growth.

Another piece of evidence is in the tax assessments. Last year, my basement condo on the Avenue of Nations in Edmonton was assessed at 190,000+. This year, my assessment is now 30,000 less. Now, I'm fixing up my unit to make it more palatable, but the new assessment is definitely more realistic than last year. I am of course hoping to sell for more, but right now, I might just need to wait and see if demand starts to pick up.

We really need a few more months to really see where our economy is going, but I think the evidence is continuing to point to a new status quo (as I've mentioned several times).

Cloudy, with a chance of labour shortages

There are two types of labour shortages. One is for skilled workers, people who require education and training to do their jobs, and the other is for semi-skilled workers - jobs that require little training. Alberta has seen both, but as the economy collapsed with falling energy prices, Alberta suddenly found itself with more workers than it had positions.

The collapse did affect all sectors. Even health care, once touted as the one sector to never decline again is not hiring as the government tries to reign in spending. But the people I see who are most affected by this downturn are individuals with little education. The job market is certainly more competitive than it once was, but the right people with the right experience are still finding the right job.

Demographics point to the inevitable. The baby boomers are retiring. Certainly, some will stay in the workforce for many more years, but many will leave their careers of 25-30 years and move into something that is more suitable for someone in their 60's. An accountant who has had one too many tax seasons opens a small hobby shop specializing in toy trains. A pipefitter recovers from cancer surgery and can't pull wrenches anymore, so helps his local church on an almost daily basis. A senior manager (government or corporate) is tired of the bloody cold so starts wintering in warmer climes. This is just starting to happen.

There will always be those who do not want to continue on their education so they will take the semi-skilled jobs. I believe the boom gave some of these individuals unrealistic expectations. The truth is, that the jobs in our economy require some level of training. Our economy is not run on people who can dig holes or serve you at a cash register. We need people who can plan the holes and make sure the money from the cash register all adds up. We need people to lay pipe, stick it together, put it in the air and make sure it is done safely and with minimal harm to our environment. That doesn't mean you need a university degree. But it does mean you need to invest some of your time and money into training.

There is no magic sector that is hiring people right now and there is no quick course you can take so you can get into that magic sector. As the economy slowly recovers all sectors will need people. I believe the key is to find something you want to do, get the training and start getting the experience. This will put you into a good position once the next, more endemic labour shortage comes around.

Happy New Year

Sometimes I have a grand vision of this blog but I just can't be motivated to do the research and write it. Research requires time, and with a young family and a change in jobs, time is something of a premium. I wanted to look at Alberta's labour market from the past decade but unfortunately I did not get around to the research to fully back up my claims. So instead, I'm going to provide a quick overview of the past decade, breaking the last decade into 3 periods. It is not going to be as complete as I initially envisioned, but at least it is something.

At the end 90's, thing were looking good in Alberta. Oil prices were rising and there were some major construction projects underway. This continued as we entered the new millennium. The new millennium brought a lot of global turmoil though. There was 9/11, the tech bubble burst and the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. But thanks to the major construction projects, low interest rates and the high price for natural resources, Alberta weathered this. I think because we weathered this period of international unrest, Albertans got a little cocky. People were still moving into Alberta in droves, incomes were going up and everyone was predicting labour shortages.

In 2002 I was working as an employment consultant for a non-profit in Red Deer. The newspaper was still one of the better ways to look for work at the time and so I looked at the newspaper daily. Escort agencies were advertising in the classified ads. I was already saying then that there was going to be a labour shortage. My dad was working construction in both Red Deer and Fort McMurray and they had to fly in trades people from across Canada in order to meet the demand of these mega-projects.

As we moved further into the first decade of this millennium, the labour shortage became more acute as commodity prices rose and all sectors across Canada were firing on all cylinders. Enter 'the boom'. For me, a key feature of the boom was how easy it was for semi-skilled workers (with high school education or less) to find high paying jobs over $20/hour. The semi-skilled flocked to Alberta to make their fortune while the skilled workers stayed in their home provinces because they were already making comparable wages where they lived.

Even during the boom there were 'winners' and 'losers'. Some people did very well for themselves in Alberta. Others did not. People with disabilities struggled particularly hard as the red hot economy did not have the time to give people who need a little extra help an extra hand. As the Canadian born semi-skilled moved into higher paying jobs, the jobs that traditionally relied on these workers struggled. Tim Horton's were printing job ads right on their cups. So with a shortage of workers in the service industry, we saw the entry of temporary foreign workers.

No one in Alberta saw the the crash coming in October 2008. The housing bubble had already burst a year earlier in the United States and manufacturing in Ontario was also reeling. Albertans thought it would probably be sheltered from it like it was sheltered from the turmoil at the early part of this decade. But Alberta could not escape the effects of plummeting energy prices. A very wide swath of Albertans were laid off. From skilled engineers working in the office towers of Calgary to heavy equipment operators working the pits in Fort McMurray, pink slips were being handed out to a record number of Albertans and the Employment Insurance(EI) rolls skyrocketed. People who had never been on EI before found themselves asking for government assistance. I've said this before, but I think the 'the crash' was more of a correction. Alberta could not sustain a boom that relied on a bubble in commodity prices.

The 'recovery' we are seeing is thanks to low interest rates. Homes are being bought because interest rates are low. People are buying cars because they can get a great deal. We're seeing some increase in construction because they can get the financing and the labour is available. The Bank of Canada is going to continue these low interest rates until they feel that inflation is increasing. I know some people are hoping we'll be returning to a boom in the next couple of years, but this unrealistic. I think we'll see some growth, but it will be much slower and it will rely much more on skilled labour. Government needs to invest in retraining, particularly in the trades. The baby boomers are still going to retire. I think skilled workers are going to see an endemic labour shortage as a large portion of those in our labour market leave it and create a skills gap.

I had originally envisioned this post to be better researched with labour stats and quotes from the experts. Instead you got my opinion on what happened this past decade. I plan on continuing this blog about Alberta's labour market. This is a fun topic and I do enjoy discussing it. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read my blog !