As I reflect back on the year we had I believe that the overarching theme of 2015 is that it was a year of change.
For better or for worse, we experienced significant shifts and changes this year that will have an impact in our lives for years to come.
From a political perspective, 2015 included provincial and federal elections that resulted in government changeovers at both levels. The Progressive Conservative party had formed the Alberta government for over four decades. When the majority of the Wildrose party MLA’s crossed the floor to join the Progressive Conservatives, it looked like the PC’s might form the Alberta government for another forty years.
Then the provincial election campaign happened.
The Progressive Conservative leader Jim Prentice came across as arrogant as they tried to sell a tax increase plus service cut budget. It didn’t go over well. The Alberta New Democratic Party offered a more optimistic vision and the NDP leader Rachel Notley was likable throughout the campaign.
Perhaps the biggest factor was that the Alberta NDP party offered a change. And, a change is what we got. One year ago, I don’t think that many people would have predicted that Alberta would have a NDP government with the majority of seats in the legislature at the end of 2015.
The federal election brought a significant political shift also. The result was easier to foresee than the provincial election but the rise of Liberal support that brought the Liberal party of Canada to majority government status was a huge change from the previous election that brought a Conservative majority government.
As I followed both the provincial and federal elections in 2015 and reflected upon the outcomes, the most fascinating thing for me was that the desire for change was the driving force that decided these elections.
While 2015 has shown that the future is difficult to predict, my hope for 2016 is that this will be a year of economic recovery and growth in Alberta.
The resourcefulness and determination that lives in Alberta is a powerful force and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
