On March 29, 2017, someone from Whitecap Resources in Calgary provided a letter they’d received from Brad Wall to the Canadian Press.  That letter was an advertisement of what benefits would be awaiting Whitecap Resources should they decide to pack up their Calgary operations and relocate to Saskatchewan.  While some considered it standard poaching, others suggested it could also be a breach of current trade agreements.   

Obviously, there are those of us in Alberta who are not exactly thrilled with the idea that our neighbour is attempting to steal Alberta jobs but some of us weren’t exactly Wall fans to begin with.  What about people who were Wall fans?  The ones who peppered their commentary with adulation for “Alberta’s Other Premier“?  Well, they’re still on his side. Why shouldn’t they be?  

If Alberta-based companies pick up and move to Saskatchewan, the official opposition will have the one thing they don’t have yet: evidence.  Certainly, there have been job losses in Alberta from an oil free-fall but that happened in Saskatchewan and Newfoundland as well; under a Conservative and Liberal government, respectively.  What the official opposition desperately needs is evidence but what Alberta needs is someone who has our back here at home.

Contrary to this Wildrose narrative, Alberta’s corporate tax structure, lack of a PST and lower personal income taxes still make it a better place to invest for businesses. The Wildrose seem to be firmly against encouraging business to stay, doing almost as good a job recommending that businesses seek greener pastures as Brad Wall.