By now you’ve read a few year-end reviews, and you’ve noticed an emerging trend. We all agree last year was worse than terrible. ‘Cataclysmic’ might be the better word.
Hundreds of Albertans succumbed to COVID-19 in this global pandemic, as have more than 12,000 Canadians. The global economy collapsed and dragged energy down with it as politics grew more polarized around the world.
But before we leave 2020 in the rearview mirror where it belongs, let’s remember the heroes who emerged through the year, and the positive developments amid the carnage.
First responders, healthcare workers and others on the front lines kept us safe and secure, fed, clothed and connected. Those heroic individuals deserve our deep, sincere thanks.
We also applaud the great news that anti-COVID vaccines are on track and moving through their approvals, soon to be manufactured and distributed. There’s real hope, and we’re thankful for it.
Federal labour force reports began looking positive toward the end of 2020 as well. In Alberta, employment rose by 23,000 jobs in October (the latest available data at the time of this writing), representing the fifth increase in six months. We only hope it continues.
And we’re thankful for the continued construction on TransMountain Expansion project, the approvals on Enbridge’s Line 3, and the continued green-lighting of LNG Canada. It’s good news.
For our own part, our membership and supporters have helped us grow through an incredibly challenging time. We’re grateful for their trust and their support.
In 2020 our organization distributed more than hundreds of thousands of Canada Action-branded stickers, buttons and lapel pins. We sold thousands of T-shirts and other merchandise, and our audience grew with more engaged Canadians from Ontario and Quebec, and across the country.
We led several rallies in early 2020, before being interrupted by the pandemic, and we participated in dozens of speaking events right across the country. We’ve developed strong new platforms to highlight First Nations and students to engage in the important energy and natural resource discussion.
In 2021 we’ll continue the focus on growing our online presence, our ad campaigns and our new web site. And we’ll keep building our profile in national media – both in French and English, through articles, interviews and – when it’s safe to do so – rallies.
Why? It’s simple: the natural resources sector is Canada’s economic lifeblood. Oil and gas alone has contributed a half-trillion dollars to Canadian governments since 2000. The globe will demand oil and gas for decades to come. Canada’s climate action and environmental leadership deserves a second, more positive look.
Finally, we’re humbled by the support we’ve received in our ten years of activity, and we’re truly looking forward to a strong economic recovery, which includes our resource sector.
Cody Battershill is a Calgary realtor and founder / spokesperson for CanadaAction.ca, a volunteer-initiated group that supports Canadian energy development and the environmental, social and economic benefits that come with it.
