Comments on: Does Alberta have a culture?

By: mark radke

mark radke — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 15:23:10 +0000

I grew up in Alberta and while I have since moved to the Yukon, I retain a strong love for the province. I heard the same CBC program, which more or less made my blood boil. I simply don’t understand the constant Alberta-bashing. Those Canadians who are so quick to dismiss Alberta as a red-neck backwater would do well to take another look. CBC, for example, could spend some time studying CKUA, which is hands-down the best radio station in the country and an excellend example of Alberta ‘culture.

By: manque

manque — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 03:25:47 +0000

you are so right

By: Jason Bo Green

Jason Bo Green — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 00:14:08 +0000

FYI, the “name” field here says ‘jaunque’. Naturally, I shall put in my own name, and take out yours – not that there’s anything wrong with yours.

I’m currently very happy with my life and lifestyle here in the heart of Toronto. But if Alberta and BC decided to seperate, I would be there in a heartbeat. While I feel that Quebec should grow up and sign the Constitution, it angers me how Alberta is not accepted as “Canadian enough” by the ROC, and I’m just shocked at how many people this side of Manitoba can’t comprehend that Alberta pays for our way of life but doesn’t get fair representation at the table – you explain it, and they just blink back at you.

I remember once I told someone at a party that anyone wanting a job should move to Alberta, that it was growing titanically, and that Calgary could end easily end up Canada’s biggest or second-biggest city quite quickly. “Well they need something,” she said, in all earnest sympathy for the little hick province that had nothing cosmopolitan about it.

I argued strongly against the “Quebec is a nation” idea (I’m more comfortable with the “Quebecois are a nation” bit, though) and used Alberta constantly as an example. Besides language, what is so different about an urban Ontarian and an urban Quebecer? Between a rural Ontarian and a rural Quebecer? They’re pretty similar to me — it’s Alberta that sticks out uniquely and distinctly. In my mind, Alberta has a very definite culture.

Also, almost all of my favourite blogs are out of Alberta. If that doesn’t suggest culture, then I ask you – what does??

By: jaunque

jaunque — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 23:34:46 +0000

Dearest Kyle,

Clearly you did not read the post, as there is no reference at any point to Ford being “liberal”.

That being said, perhaps you are confusing Catherine Ford with someone else who is not a “self proclaimed aging liberal feminist”, and who didn’t say “Iâ€™m really hoping that people outside the province will understand weâ€™re not just a monolithic, redneck, right-wing, anti-gay, anti-gun control, anti-same-sex marriage province. Weâ€™re not all rednecks. Weâ€™re not all big C conservatives”, or who doesn’t believe “itâ€™s time that ‘left-wing’ and ‘liberal’ stopped being perceived as negative terms in Alberta.”

Better luck next time!

By: Kyle Olsen

Kyle Olsen — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 23:10:46 +0000

If you think Catherine Ford is a “defender of all things progressive, Trudeaupian and CBC-like” I think you should get your head checked.

Only in Alberta would someone label her as a liberal.

By: Meg Q

Meg Q — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:26:44 +0000

In Alberta, what everyone “jokes” about (ha-ha) is why Diane Ablonczy and Rahim Jaffer *aren’t* in Cabinet . . .

By: Tom Cerber

Tom Cerber — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:46:20 +0000

Does Catherine Ford still tell everyone she’s a member of Mensa?

By: kaqchikel

kaqchikel — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:44:56 +0000

Surely, KF is an example of people who have culture in Alberta. I hear she eats plenty of yogurt daily.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:58:58 +0000

Here’s another sampler

http://www.folkways.si.edu/sea.....px?ID=3124

By: Tom Cerber

Tom Cerber — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:53:20 +0000

Of course Alberta has culture:

http://albertaindc.com/

http://www.iir.gov.ab.ca/inter.....sonian.asp

By: C F

C F — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 13:31:39 +0000

Great post. Without a doubt, Alberta is distinct in Canada. Every federal election we hear about how Albertan values aren’t the same as “Canada’a” values. Someday the rest of the country is gonna realize the need to either accept us or let us go.

By: CalgaryGrit

CalgaryGrit — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

[IMG ]-The Politic has a post up asking the question “does Alberta have culture?” Those who doubt it, have obviously never been to the Torrington Gopher Hole Museum. -Speaking of stuffed gophers, Stephen Taylor has an interview up with Jason Kenney on his site. -Eddie has looked anything but steady in recent days, grabbing