Editor: Your incorrect assertion in the last issue of the Outlook that past Conservative governments believed in oil and gas “to the exclusion of all else” indicates a political bias that is very misleading.
Some of your readers may recall Magcan (Magnesium Company of Canada), which was located not too far from Canmore. The government, attempting to diversify the economy, guaranteed $100 million of loans to Magcan.
Magcan is long gone, as is the taxpayer money. The lesson seemed to be: “don’t let the government bet on winners or losers.” However, a subsequent government, with the same diversification objective, invested $40 million in Westaim, with virtually the same result for taxpayers: money gone, company gone.
However, as Albertans, we don’t give up. A Google of innovation in Alberta will show multiple examples of how Albertans are currently working to diversify the economy with the assistance of government, industry, and venture capital. Although Alberta is well accepted as a leading innovator in clean oil and gas technology, there are many other diversification initiatives underway.
A few of the more prominent examples are: the biomedical research facility at U of A; the National Institute for Nanotechnology at U of A; the Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering at U of A; The Edmonton Research Park; Northern and Southern Institutes of Technology; the Metabolomics Innovation Centre in Calgary; The Alberta Innovates Technology Futures; the Innovate Calgary University Incubator; the GE Innovation Centre in Calgary; the Olds College Apparel Innovation Centre; the Centre for Innovation Studies in Calgary.
In addition, the National Research Council funds many industrial research assistance programs (IRAP) in Alberta that have nothing to do with oil and gas, but are directed towards commercialization of other technologies.
I hope this helps set the record straight. There is nothing new in Premier Notley’s goal to diversify the Alberta economy – previous governments have had the same goal for decades, and considerable progress has already been achieved with the previous governments.
Art McMullen,
Canmore
