Jack Mintz: State-protected monopolies need competition, too

State protected monopolies – think utilities, railways and legacy telecoms – may enjoy legal shields, but they’re not immune to the benefits of competition. Fresh rivals drive down prices, spark innovation, and keep public service providers accountable to the citizens they serve.

Celebrating Small Business Week

Every October, Canada honours the entrepreneurs who power our economy during Small Business Week. With over 1.1 million employer businesses nationwide and 135,978 small firms in Alberta alone, this celebration highlights the vital role of local enterprises. AEG calls on citizens, policymakers, and business leaders to support, advocate, and celebrate these innovators, turning a week of recognition into lasting action.

Jack Mintz: Carney’s new fiscal definitions pave the way for even more borrowing

Carney’s groundbreaking fiscal redefinition reshapes public finance, unlocking fresh avenues for government borrowing. By redefining “deficit” and “debt sustainability,” the new framework promises greater fiscal flexibility. Stakeholders can now navigate a clearer path to financing large‑scale projects while maintaining transparency and confidence in sovereign creditworthiness.

Innovation in Industrial Development: The Role of Government Policy

Governments don’t build industries – they set the policy groundwork that lets innovators thrive. That truth is on display in the fast moving Small Modular Reactor (SMR) sector. While Canada navigates its regulatory path, led by pioneers like GE Hitachi, the United States is racing ahead. The winners aren’t legacy nuclear giants, but agile SMEs reshaping nuclear power into something smaller, safer, and scalable. Alberta can adopt this playbook.

Jack Mintz: On trade and growth, Carney can learn from Canute

Just as Canute’s legendary humility taught a kingdom that power must be tempered by pragmatism, Canada’s trade strategy under Stephen Carney needs a similar balance – leveraging global markets while safeguarding domestic resilience.

Promises made or promises kept – which will it be?

Canada’s unemployment rate is rising faster than in the U.S., and many blame Prime Minister Carney’s extended foreign trips and lack of decisive domestic action. Critics are demanding an end to his “unearned vacation” and urging swift progress on Canada’s energy‑superpower goals, renewed tariff negotiations, and the removal of red‑tape that stalls vital projects from Alberta to the Prairies.

Alberta’s Pipeline Proposal: A Test of Whether Canada Works as a Country

Premier Danielle Smith’s West Coast pipeline plan puts Canada’s federation to the test. With the world’s third largest oil reserves in Alberta, unlocking this market could deliver billions in jobs, tax revenue, and national prosperity – provided the federal government and provinces work together. At AEG we back this partnership as the cornerstone of a stronger, unified Canada.

Alberta Next Panels: A New Way to Strengthen Our Democracy

Alberta Next Panels gave everyday Albertans a seat at the table, sparking candid, province‑wide conversations on sovereignty, prosperity and Canada‑Alberta relations. The result: a citizen‑driven model that builds trust, stabilizes policy and creates the certainty businesses need to invest confidently in Alberta’s future.

Jack Mintz: Put simpler taxes on the budget front burner

Jack Mintz argues that Ottawa should put tax simplification at the forefront of the budget, slashing compliance costs for small businesses and taxpayers while preserving services – a win win for growth and fairness.

Prime Minister Mark Carney: Early Reflections

Alberta’s historic frustration with Liberal federal rule is easing under Prime Minister Mark Carney. Premier Danielle Smith notes new common ground, and AEG President Catherine Brownlee highlights advances in regulatory reform, energy sector recognition, and joint carbon capture projects – signalling a pragmatic, collaborative era for Alberta-Canada relations.