In this presentation, Bob will discuss challenges facing the province of Alberta which is overly dependent on oil and bitumen revenue to fund public services. He hopes to engage the audience in formulating community level responses to the challenges of the climate emergency.

Why this topic?

Since the industrial revolution, the received wisdom is that economic growth is necessary to sustain modern-techno-industrial society and a rising standard of living. That growth and greed are good. Over the past few decades dissenting voices in nature have disagreed and have begun to respond to humanity's "devil's bargain." 

Why now?

This past June, academics and citizens met virtually at the UofA's Parkland Institute to discuss the well-being economy. Bob Ascah from our community moderated and participated in several sessions.

Who’s Bob, the presenter?

Robert L. (Bob) Ascah studied commerce and public administration at Carleton University and political science at the University of Alberta. He joined Alberta Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs in 1984 moving to Alberta Treasury in 1986. From 1996-2009 Ascah worked at ATB Financial. In 1999, Ascah’s Politics and Public Debt was published. From 2009-2013 he was Director of the Institute for Public Economics. He is the editor and contributor to the A Sales Tax for Alberta: Why and How. His articles have appeared in Alberta Views, The Conversation, Calgary Herald, Canadian Accountant, and The Globe and Mail. His blog is Abpolecon.ca.