Senator Doug Black. (Photo courtesy of the Senate of Canada)

By Alex McCuaig

Says province being taken for granted

Alberta senator conducting virtual tour of province

Sep 30, 2020 | 1:39 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – It’s been eight years since Alberta has last held an election for Alberta’s senatorial nomination. Back then, Calgary lawyer Doug Black won the most votes under the Progressive Conservative banner, securing a seat in Canada’s upper chamber in 2013.

This week, Sen. Black is conducting a cross-province virtual tour of Alberta speaking as part of his senatorial duties.

“I want to see a Canada in which Alberta’s contribution is valued,” Black told CHAT News Today, “and we do not have that today.”

Black, speaking from Ottawa, says the province’s contribution to the nation is taken for granted with last week’s speech from the throne paying short shrift to Alberta.

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“We have contributed $600 billion to the federation over the past 40 years and we are proud of that contribution,” said Black. “But it is time Canada recognizes Alberta has a contribution to continue to make and the policies that are taken that are penalizing this province – which are frankly kicking us when we are down – need to end.”

But with oil and gas production in southeastern Alberta seeing substantial drops between 2005 and 2019 – 40 per cent for oil and 57 per cent for natural gas, according to the Alberta government’s Regional Dashboard – Black says agriculture forms the backbone of future economic development in the region.

“We have to take huge advantage of being a bread basket. Not only wheat and canola but seeds and livestock and pork,” said Black.

But more importantly, he says, innovation across all sectors will power the province’s recovery which post-secondary institutes like the Medicine Hat College can play a role in.

And the city also has something which many don’t have across the continent.

“Which is an incredible quality of life.”

Senator Black’s virtual tour will next visit Red Deer, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Peace River and Fort McMurray.