Alberta spent the better part of the last decade of the 20th century becoming the paragon of fiscal virtue. Following a 1993 election fought over the nature of Alberta's spending, the Alberta government set the standard for having a clean and closely controlled fiscal framework by vigorously...

In this article I argue, first, that government intervention to alter pure market alternatives, or to promote socially beneficial behaviours, can be justified. Second, I argue that the tax system -- including often-derided "boutique tax credits" -- is an acceptable vehicle for such intervention....

In recent years, Alberta’s fiscal stance has shifted from large surpluses to deficits, and a large part of the blame appears to be due to rising public sector salaries. Since 2000, the province’s public sector wage bill has shot up by 119 percent — almost double the rate of growth in the...