In this conversation, our first regular episode of the new The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge and Trevor Tombe discuss Alberta's current fiscal challenges, including the pressures from fluctuating oil prices and the implications of potential independence from Canada. They explore the motivations behind the independence movement, particularly economic factors, and clarify misconceptions about the equalization system.
The discussion also covers the financial responsibilities that would come with separation, the impact on trade, and the importance of informed decision-making in light of historical precedents like Brexit.
The Line: Alberta is the new provincial bureau of The Line, and will be released via its own standalone podcast channels for audio formats. This includes via this Substack, but also the The Line: Alberta’s new channels on all major podcasting apps.
Spotify:
Apple:
We need your help! These are brand new channels. Please follow them and leave us a glowing review if you like what you hear. (If you hate what you hear, follow us but do not leave a review.) We are starting from zero with the algorithms here, sigh, and need to convince our computerized masters that we’re worth promoting. So help us out!
The good news is that we’ll be using our regular video channels for the release, though, so you can just check that out at the usual places. Which we assume you have already subscribed to!
Like out YouTube! (Video goes live in 30 minutes!)
Also: our Twitter accounts. Matt’s Twitter. The Line’s Twitter. Jen’s Twitter. Plus these newer accounts: TikTok. BlueSky. LinkedIn.
Enjoy the episode, and help us out, as ever, by liking and subscribing and leaving slavishly devoted reviews on all the platforms. Thanks!
A note on commenting: We have received some questions about why people who can comment on The Line’s main page cannot comment here. Good question! Here’s our best shot at giving a concise answer.
You don't need to be a paid subscriber to the Alberta version to receive/read/listen to what we produce.
You do need to be a paid subscriber to The Line: Alberta to comment.
- A paid subscription at The Line DOES NOT transfer over to a paid subscription at The Line: Alberta. That's not possible within the Substack ecosystem, the lists are entirely separate. This also reflects the reality that while we expect both properties to appeal to much the same audience, it won’t be a perfect overlap. Conversely, for clarity, a paid subscription here doesn’t give paid access to The Line’s main content, either.
Since there isn’t a technical way to give paid Line subscribers paid privileges at The Line: Alberta, we will not paywall, ever, the Alberta content, for that reason. Our operations here will be funded here in other ways. Signing up for a paid subscription is your way of showing us support, and it is appreciated, but it isn’t necessary to access the content.
If you do sign up for a paid account here, commenting will be a perk (of sorts), as will some early or free access to in-person events. But you will get the same content as everyone else.
Hope this helps!
The Line: Alberta is a provincial bureau of The Line, edited by Jen Gerson and Matt Gurney. Email us at alberta@readtheline.ca.
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