Unemployment rates came out today. Looking at the map in the Globe and Mail it's clear that the west is leading the country in jobs & economic growth.
I've been in Calgary now since March of 2007. Putting aside the lousy produce at the store, I've grown to love this city & this province. To be honest, I can't imagine moving back east even if my entire family lives there. The whole scene seems boring & lifeless, tired & old. Calgary's a place where people say hello in the elevator, where people let you in when you're turning in traffic....a place where people are civil and friendly. It's just how you are & it's how you become. The angry road rage I felt back home is long gone...hell now I'm the guy stopping to let someone walk across the road or someone cut in front of me in traffic.
And I've grown to appreciate the independent streak of this province...where people are willing to stand on their own without forever whining to the government for assistance.
But the thing I've most grown sick of is the never ending question I heard from everyone back east "when are you coming back". And the predictable litany of reasons why I should move back, many of them dated stereotypes of Alberta, Calgary & the rest of the west. As if it's somehow some lower form of life. As if Calgary should be some short term stopover for people in need of a job until they "collect their senses" and head back east.
Sorry, really...I'm just not interested in return to eastern Canada & it's miserable, pessimistic mentality.
I am a Calgarian. And pretty damn happy about it.
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2 comments:
Dude, I just discovered your blog via Jason. Glad you're enjoying Calgary. I've lived here for the better part of 16 years. Native Albertan from the S.E. corner of the province. One thing I take exception with is when you mention in a previous post the former Premier neglected Calgary . Not true. The former Mayor (Duerr) was more interested in balancing the budget than capital works projects, hence the infastructure problems we experience these days. About 15 years ago when Chretien became P.M. and doled out what was termed "infastructure money", tens of millions were sunk into The Saddledome for renovations in an attempt to quell the threats made by The Flames who claimed they can't make enough money & they might have to leave Calgary, so rather than pumping those millions into fixing roads, expanding the LRT, constructing new roads & overpasses, the cash was used to satiate a bunch of whining hockey people. Pretty sad in retrospect.
Good blog; enjoyed reading it. Hope you keep posting.
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