On my more cynical days?  Alberta values (and I grew up in the province) include:

-every one for himself

-it is our energy money so hands off

-economy before ecology

-"traditional family values"

Yes there are more positive answers but I am not sure that they are province specific.  HOwever I fully understand why ALberta tends to have a less than stellar image in the ROC

The idea of Alberta values is absurd. It's like all the impassioned debate over culture when, in fact, t here is no such thing as a French culture or an English culture or a Turkish culture.

Name any value claimed as "Alberta", and you can almost certainly pin it to dozens of places all over the world.

Graeme, I didn't say it had to be exclusive to Alberta.  I think many Albertan values are also Canadian values, which are shared by many other countries and cultures as well.

The idea that if you move here you must conform to wherever  to be one of us, in Canada, strikes a nerve with me...I suppose I grew up (in BC) with the false notion that Canadahad gotten past that attitude...other than dignity, compassion  and respect for people as a baseline...that's what's important to me.

What is a Wildrose member? An Albertan? A political party?

From what I experienced over the three years I was living on the prairie (not including Jasper as that it a totally different place):

-vehement non acceptance of gays, atheists, new agers, hippies, travellers, Trekkies, witches, environmentalists, and anything modern or new fangled, unless it's a tractor or a new chemical for your crops.

-traditional family values (man supports wife who has multiple children)

-going to church, reading your bible and abiding by it

-knowing about ranching and taking pride in dressing western

-liking country music

-thinking the prairie is more beautiful than the mountains.

-hard work reaps valued rewards ethic.

OK, maybe I'm also feeling cynical. But there were precious few who didn't think ill of me for being new fangled on the prairie. One person in my local town, and people from Lethbridge. Big difference between city and country.

Kimmio, I wasn't aware there was that kind of mentality in Canada today either, hence why I was so stunned. No, I didn't want to stay there, and I wasn't wanted either. I would pollute their perfect little cocoon of backwardness! "Go back to Vancouver you hippy! ANd take your atheist child and your twisted belief in evolution with you!"

Funny tho-Alberta has more affirming congregations than BC. It's really not as redneck as some think-but please DON'T VOTE WILDROSE. They don't share my vision for Alberta.

Newish right-wing political party in Alberta that's threatening to end the PC dynasty there (leading in the election though I've heard that the Tories have gained some ground). Danielle Smith, their leader apparently went to University of Calgary with a bunch of other prominent right wingers (e.g. Federal cabinet minister Jason Kenney, Sun News ranter extraordinaire Ezra Levant) and has strong ties to Harper as well. IOW, a provincial version of the old Reform Party.

Mendalla

I think I need to clarify my 'adopt Albertan values' stance.

I very strongly felt this way after picking up my marriage licence.  There was a section that was optional (I really wish I could find that worded) that stated something like we were to respect one another and not treat the other like property.  I have seen and in some cases experienced intolerance due to religion, sex, ethnicity, etc.

Albertan (and Canadian values) that I think immigrants should adopt:

Respect for a person regardless of sex, gender, religion, disability, ethnicity.  (I'll admit that Alberta is a little slow compared to some other places when it comes to those who don't fit the heteronormative mold).

A person is not property.

I am a little surprised by all the hate for Alberta.  I don't see myself as being wrapped in a 'cocoon of backwardness'.

Other Albertan values:

Neighbourliness.  I think occurs in all parts of Canada, but especially so in Alberta.  Many people get transfered to Alberta for work and get transfered within Alberta.  People here often don't live near their extended families.  This leads to relying on your neighbours more.  My grandparents saw this with my parents hosting 2 weddings.  When it came to the gathering the next day for the first one they had no idea how my parents were going to do it without having all the help that my grandparents had from extended family.  It's the neighbours who are there prepping everything in the yard.  When someone on the street goes through a loss it's the neighbours offering to take care of children, cook some meals, offer support.

Friendliness.  Smiling or saying hi to someone on the street.  I don't experience this as much in other provinces.

Love of the outdoors.  We work and play outdoors here.  We have praries and mountains and lakes.

The only opinion I really have that may be seen as 'redneck' is I do think immigrants should try to learn English.  I don't mean this as a way of looking down on someone who doesn't have English as a first language.  I've seen many wives who do not even try though, and they just stay at home all day long.  I think it's important as it can help them when their rights as a person are not being met (being treated as property at home).  It also helps with just functioning in society and not being lonely.

I wonder what the reason for that is? If I had to make a guess, I would suggest that at least in the larger cities of BC, homosexuality is more widely accepted than it is anywhere in Alberta. For a congregation to be affirming would be more countercultural than it is here. When my congregation started the affirming process, a lot of people thought, "what's the point? We don't discriminate against gay people - there are lots of them in our congregation already." In my presbytery I know of at least three churches that are being led by gay ministers that are not affirming congregations and I'll bet every united church around here has openly gay people as members.

Chemgal - I have to say that I've always been struck by how friendly Albertans are. All the Albertans I've ever met have always been hard-working too.

Oh thanks somegal!  That was something I had meant to put in my list - hard working.

I agree with you on the affirming church thing.  I think it's also to counteract some of the more 'bible belt' type churches that do exist here.  The few outspoken intolerant groups get more attention.  Alberta is more accepting than many people not from here seem to think.

I don't have hate for Alberta. I can only speak from experience, and in Elanor's case, it sounds like hers was awful. My experience visiting there is not all bad. I have relatives there and I certainlly see what you're talking about when it comes to neighbourliness. Very neighbourly. Several of my relatives are quite liberal and feel similar to me socio-politically...they seem to be in the minority but I could be wrong...and some of them no longer live inAlberta but grew up there.  A few of my older relatives who are still there are fairly conservative still..but relatively  tolerant only in the sense that they keep their prejudices to themselves and only  hesitantly discuss them at home (not that that's right, but that's what happens).

I guess Alberta is seen as being predominantly conservative politically...many more who are on the far right of the spectrum than other places in Canada maybe. Also, the oil sands are there which is a big controversial issue right now.  Also, it's where our current PM's riding is...which maybe isn't good PR for Alberta in the eyes of other Canadians who see themselves as left of centre...just giving my perspective. Not saying it's entirely true.

Btw...edited to complete my thoughts...sorry for the interruption.

Ok, hate was too-strong.  A definate lack of Alberta-love from some posters though!

I meant for this to be a postive thread.  I was a little surprised by the response.

I remember walking through a department store with one of my older relatives, and there was a Muslim woman wearing a burka (with a headscarf but uncovered face)...and my relative said quietly  to me, "I don't know why those people can't come here and be like us. They're in Canada now." I calmly reminded her that Canada is an immigrant country, always has been, and that multiculturalism makes us stronger...something like that. .anyway, we ended up changing the subject so as not to offend one another (as her guest I fellt I had no other choice) and it was never brought up again, but in my experience, I do hear more comments like that when I am there. I do have a relative who experienced some pretty harsh judgment for being different-- he lived and worked in a samll town there (but I imagine some small BC towns might be similar).  I do not hear such derogatory comments, however, from Albertans that I know who've moved here. I had a coworker who was gay who moved from a small town there and it sounds like his xperience was just awful. I'm speaking from experience not statistical fact..and I know everywhere has good people and jerks!

As a third generation Albertan with rural roots I have observed contrary sets of values.

One group of people (Mavericks) are strong on making space for different people and different ideas:  the Progressive Party, the CCF, Western Canada Concept Party, and the Reform Party are 4 of the political parties that started here.  We had the first Muslim mayor of a major city in Canada, but have long had MLAs and MPs of a variety of ethnic groups.   I believe Alberta was the first province to introduce deposits on beverage containers beside the old deposit on glass pop bottles and beer bottles.  I believe we were the first to introduce recycling fees on rubber tires and electronics.  This group made room for John Ware, a Black cowboy whose ranch was SE of Drumheller, and celebrated his character and accomplishments.  This group would be the quickest to help neighbours with crops, barn-raising, etc..  This group made space for one of the first Muslim congregations in Canada (at Lac la Biche), and Amber Valley, a community of Black settlers near Athabasca.  We made room for a wide variety of other nationalities as well over the years.  If you looked at dominant ethnic groups across the province, you would see a patchwork quilt with French, German, Norwegian, Ukrainian, Mennonite, Hutterite, and Dutch communities scattered across the province along with Metis colonies and First Nations reserves.  In general, people in this group are ready to help others when it is needed, but expect people to make an effort to help themselves as well.

Another group I would call the hustlers:  the people who came to make money, often not planning to stay very long, but sometimes ended up here for generations.  The oil boom of the 70s and 80s brought in large numbers of these people, but many came before then.  Their focus seems to be on acquiring wealth for themselves and their families, and often have little interest in contributing to the community or sharing their wealth with the needy.  The Wildrose Party really appeals to these people.

There was and is a mix of other qualities as well.  Many of the members of my father's extended family were Orangemen, meaning they hated Catholics, anyone who spoke French, and were generally against First Nations and Metis people.  They could be awesome community people in other ways, but possessed these strong hatreds.

In areas with significant French and Ukranians there can be strong animosity by Ukranians against the French -- I really experienced this in the St. Paul area.

Some of my Norwegian relatives despised German Canadians and Central and Eastern Europeans.  For decades many Anglophones in Calgary put down people of Italian descent.

Having lived in various parts of Alberta, I believe you will find all kinds of people with all kinds of values in most communities.

I believe prominent values include neighbourliness, get it done yourself if you want it done, or at least form partnerships to get it done, and making space for others to pursue their dreams.  In Calgary, I participate in Civic Camp (a community initiative to increase citizen participation in city affairs), Breakfasts for a Sustainable Calgary (meet once a month for presentations by particular organizations or businesses and sharing of ideas and connections), and Imagine events which encourage looking at different possibilities for the future of our city.  My wife is a volunteer with This is My City Art, a program started by the City of Calgary to promote the use of Art for helping homeless and marginalized people move ahead in their lives.  The Canadian branch of Youth Hostels International was started by Calgarians, and the list goes on.

Unfortunately, large oil companies dominate decision-making at the provincial level, and federal level, resulting in a much larger slice of the wealth produced in Alberta going to corporations than in other provinces.  Our main stream media are controlled by corporations and even our CBC tends to have a bit of a right-wing tilt.

The final embarassment is that, even though being mavericks is part of our image, we tend to vote like sheep.

Hey!!  I'm visiting in B.C. right now but none of my Alberta friends or family have any of the qualities you've posted, Elanorgold.  I'm a rural farm type Albertan...so were all 4 of my grandparents. 

I know there are intolerant and bigoted people here, but they are definitely not the norm.  The ones that are, though....are just so damn noisy and the rest of us believe that everyone has a right to believe as they will. 

It would really bite, though, to get plunked into whatever rural community you landed in...boo them!

 I think you're right ab penny, and I didn't mean to offend anyone if I did. I was just explaining my experience and where I'm guessing some of the prejuces about Alberta come from in other areas of the country from my own POV and what I've heard from others...not saying that POV is accurate. I haven't spent long enough there to really know, just brief visits...just going by who I know there and how I experienced it. There are plenty of criticisms that could be made about BC also that's for sure...as well as good things. It is a different feeling there and here...and I do think Albertans are for the most part hard working and hearty...and when they set out to do something, or to lend a hand, or to be hosts,  they don't do it half assed (whereas I think the BC stereotype of everything being too relaxed/ non-committal is sometimes true also...to tell you the truth, I was really surprised that we pulled off the Olympics as well as we did) !

Some of my best friends are Albertans ;-)

I think the Wildrose Values - and this only gleaned from reading that left wing rag the Globe and Mail - are very similar to other groups who demand that one must conform to participate ...

• family values - family defined by the group

• government support - to those approved by the group

• no deviation from the norm - norm defined by the group

• group membership - defined by birthplace

These values are not unique to Alberta or Alabama, they can be found in enlightened urban centres like Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal and even the United Church.  And that is the funny thing about discriminatory thinking it doesn't discriminate, it can be found in all kinds of people from all walks of life.  It is not exclusive to Wildroses.

We take a handful of sand from the endless landscape of awareness around us and call that handful of sand the world.
      Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Now take everything I say here with a big handful of salt, since I don't actually know anyone first-hand who is Albertan. I've only encountered them through online forums --  giving their political and religious views. I so hope they a small but vocal minority.

Quite frankly, I'm terrified of the momentum the Wildrose Party has. It genuinely frightens me that a people could support ideas like private healthcare and dismiss environmental climate change as "bunk". It appears they are against the "nanny state" ie. social programmes for the most vulnerable, and would defend their private property fiercely if they have to. No one can tell them how to manage their ecology or live their lives, that's for sure, so I guess one could say they're proud and independent. The line drawn around themselves seems inviolable.

I'll betcha they're also the nicest, kindest people you'd ever want to meet too. If I met someone face to face from Alberta and didn't know how they stood politically, it would be lovely. I'm just a stupid, misguided Lefty though and we'd need to avoid religion and politics like the plague.

I admit that I understand how isolated from the "east" Albertans feel, but I don't believe the twain can meet, and I find myself wondering if we in the "east" could have an economy without dirty oil,

It also frightens me that people in the "east" would sell their souls for jobs in private prisons and cheap gas.  Lots of Ontarians could be comfortable transplanted ideologically to Alberta. We're not that different after all.

There's also the Wildrose candidate who blogged about gays and lesbians going into the eternal  'lake of fire'. The party leader said she's cleared that issue up with him  and says that they won't be legislating on  "contentious social issues". And, at least people actually know where he stands on that...but I also just generally  find it disconcerting that that party has so much support.

http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/16/wildrose-candidate-predicts-eternity-in-the-lake-of-fire-for-gays-and-lesbians-polls-predict-wildrose-victory/

Did I mention that my area's currentl MLA is NDP?

From what I have been hearing, as we get closer to the election, the Wildrose party has been losing support.  I think it is because people are beginning to realize just how socially (and maybe fiscally) right wing they are.

Calgary does have a large number of American expats who can now vote.  I wonder how much they are affecting the Wildrose's support?

Kimmio, I actually like the way Danielle Smith handled that.  He wasn't bloggin as a candidate, it was before he was running, as a pastor.  I wouldn't want to vote for someone like that, but at least the party is sticking to their plan about individual rights.  I had a bigger issue with the comments recently made by Ron Leech (also a pastor).

Hmmm, I don't think I know of anyone who supports the Wildrose party.  It's possible I know someone who does and I just don't know their political stance though.

Perhaps some were just excited to see the possibility of the end of the PC rule... I know that's what had me interested at the beginning of the election run, but I quickly retraced my steps when I realised how right-wing those Wildrose folks are.

I was wondering if that might be a reason too, Hilary.

Alberta has always been the most American of Canadian provinces. That's because it settled just  as the American west had filled up. There was quite a migration of Americans to Alberta.

In the depression years, it spawned a party that looked radical and left, but wasn't. The Social Credit Party. Essentially, it represented the small businessman - and saw his enemy as the big plutocrats of the CPR and the Bank of Montreal, etc.

Turned out it had nothing to offer, and it drifted back to it's American right wing roots as a staunch defender of the big plutocrats of hated Eastern Canada (meaning Montreal and Toronto.)

When permier Aberhart retired, he became a director of many of those firms his party had been suppsed to fight. However, you can find pockets moreo than pockets - of people like that all over the world.

There is no Alberta culture or Quebec culture or BC culture. EVen in China, I was struck by how much my "culture" is like that of the Chinese.

Oh - and for those who think there's a moslem culture of terrorism, recently discovered British documents show that British troops and police illegally were beating and torturing and terrirorizing and murdering colonials who wanted to be free right up to the end of the empire. One of those they beat inti a permanently diabled man was Obama's grandfather in Kenya.

Obama now does the same thing. Ama zing how all cultures blend.

That's probably why I have some of the impressions I have then, because older relatives from one side of my family, who are still alive, immigrated to Alberta from the US, during the depression. 

To Albertans feeling that there's no sane voting choice -- check out this website if you are looking for alternatives to the WR party.

http://www.changealberta.ca/

Ninjafaery, as I said in another thread, I'm really not a fan of such sites.  I think candidates, leaders and parties should represent themselves, and then voters should decide how they vote.

I attended a presentation by John Ralston Saul last night at Knox United in Calgary (he is speaking in Edmonton this evening), and he was very persuasive in getting us listeners to act.  He has lived in Calgary, and named some values he saw.  In particular, he named egalitarianism as something that many/most Albertans name as important; then he contrasted that with the reality:  highest average income in Canada; 25% of working people close to or belovv poverty line.  He identified the last 50 to 60 years as being a diversion from what we used to be under the influence of the oil industry.   One of the other things he said was that NGOs working to influence politicians was almost a perversion of democracy -- we need to be working for political power rather than trying to influence politicians.  Another Alberta value (also true for most places) is a high value on being willing to work hard.

I believe there may be a podcast available -- the presentation was being web-streamed live, and I believe tonight's presentation might be also web-streamed (9 pm Eastern time; 10 pm in New Brunswick)

Chemgal, You don't fit the mold for what I was talking about. You live in the city right? You aren't like those people I met. And I expect things are different in northern ALberta than in the south too. Edmonton I found to be quite cosmopolitan, and I adore Jasper. But where I was, even United Church goers experienced isolation and bias from the majority, for their liberal views. That poor Korean couple didn't have a good time of it either.

Neighbours. When we moved in, the couple across the street brought cookies. That was really nice I thought! In the same 5 miniuts, she asked me which church we attend, and offered us to come to her Evangelical church. I was stunned and decided simply to treat is as a friendly welcoming gesture and thanked her, and said that was kind of her. Not wanting to make a bad first impression! Then not long after that, she asked me to come along to a women's thing at the church. I had to then fess up that I was not actually a church goer, and politely declined. She didn't talk to me again after that for over a year, and relations thereafter were very straned. So friendly, but only to the right people.

Also keep in mind that I'm slightly agoraphobic. The flatness really freaked me out. And we were having financial difficulties at the time too. I did however, have one good neighbour, a fellow artist, who looked after our cat for us and vise versa. I would love to have her for a neighbour now. She was not typical for the area, at least not of the individuals I met. She was actually from Ontario.

Oh, and I did mention hard working in my list.

One of my old school friends was living for a time, after I left, in Stavely, a small town not far from where I was living, and she experienced the same thing I did. She moved to High River and is happy now.

Another memory, Kimmio reminded me, when I was walking with my small son in the mall on a summer day and was wearing a long printed Indian guaze skirt and a crop top. I passed a woman who said under her breath at me as we passed, "A little much for someone your age don't you think." I presume she was refering to my exposed midriff. That same day, I was buying something in a store and the male cashier said with a strange strain in his voice, "Must be really hot out there." I got the message. Thou shalt not expose thy midriff when thou art a mother!

And now for some positive:

I made two videos for the prairie, the agoraphobic one, and the loving the sky one. I did indeed enjoy sky gazing on the prairie, and even miss it sometimes, the big storms and the fantastic colours. I liked to smell the wind there too, it felt like it was blowing other places to me. And Lethbridge library was awesome! ANd the real estate values rising, I loved that too. And I got three chanels on the tv antena, now I barely get one, sometimes. And good recycling program. And lots of kids in the school. It was easy to get a job.

And of cource Waterton Park was gorgeous, and I love the mountains, and the dinosaur museum was great, world class.

........

AB Penny, Thanks. What area of Alberta are you in? I was in the Vulcan area. It doesn't take many bashes to get me off hiding I guess. I did join a local art group in hopes of meeting some likeminded people, but it didn't work.

Jasper of cource, I could go on and on about. I made a video for it too.

More positives: Cheeper food and car insurance. And Chinook winds.

The legal entity known as Alberta and populated with legal entities with duties/obligations by law to the province is nifty, I mean, they have these

And there is the Butterdome

when I stayed those 3 weeks at that University where the people were SO FRIENDLY

and I got to see my first dust storm, my first and only Beethoven Sky and my first mammatus clouds

That part of Alberta I like.  But I think I'd go crazy ;3 if I spent too much time out there on the flats...I'm so used to mountains

I would classify boredom as being a Saskatchewan value.

Please forget I ever said that. I saw an episode of Mantracker last night where they were in the Saskatchewan badlands. That place is awesome!

I would classify "BS" as an Ontario value, Jae.

Understood crazyheart.

Now me, I would say the #1 Ontario value is conspicuous consumption.

Rich blessings.

ALberta would giveON a challenge in that category.  But really that is a Western/First World value--our whole economy is predicated upon it/

I was just perusing the cbc forums and someone opined that perhaps the conservatives invented the Wildrose party to force the centrist or left-leaning voters to vote Conservative. Of course, this could be a wild paranoic assumption, but there could also be some truth to that, given the uncanny connections (Danielle Smith is a Harper protegee and other members have links  and can claim provenance to the  C party as well). Allegedly, this election will be a bellweather for the conservatives to discern which way public opinion leans and to ramp up their "numbers".

Truth or BS? If it's true, you're right to vote with your conscious rather than feel you don't have a choice -- I agree with Chemgal now.

Anyway, if there's any truth to the idea, it's a Devil's bargain. Alberta voters deserve better.

i've been following the wildrose thing a bit and i've been chuckling because the media stories i read aboot it remind me of being at the monkey house :3

ninjafaery, I highly doubt that, as they are splitting the right wing vote.  I doubt that it will get the NDP supporters here to vote PC.  I guess we'll see tonight though.

Why does it matter if it's true or not?  If someone supports wildrose, they should vote wildrose, unless they personally feel that their vote will count for more if they vote PC.  Same thing for those who support the PC, liberal, NDP, etc. parties.

I guess we'll never know. That's the problem with politics and the tendency for all parties to do what it takes to win votes, is part and parcel of that. That's why they exist.

I do strongly agree that those who are behind the platform of any party should vote accordingly.

Initial counts are fluctuating between a tie with WR & PCs and the PCs in the lead, righ tnow 32 to 17.  When I last checked, nothing was up for my riding but it looks like a bunch of updates just happened.

Personally, I'll be suprised if the WR win this one.  I think ultimately Alberta still has 'PC values'.

Results for my area - NDP has a huge percentage lead, by more than 40% (and 63% of the votes).  It's still really early, but I think NDP has it here.  Like I said, the WR party won't affect the results here, other than possibly decreasing the number of PC votes.

The first declared seat goes to the PCs.  I don't get why anything is declared this early on, but they are probably correct.

It's been called - NDP in my area and PC majority.

Since it's just me tonight I'll wait for the official results before commenting here more.

I saw 60 PCS  19 wildrose 4 Liberal and 4 NDP-gone is the sea of Tory blue-thank goodness but 19 wildrose??? My mind boggles!

I

Thank you Alberta!

You cared enough to vote in unprecedented numbers and gave me hope that Alberta Values are less hard right than many had believed -- including myself. Landslide! (PC 67 and WR 19?). I'm sooooo relieved.

Good on ya.

I wonder how fae vote?

I'd guess the Sidhe vote conservative...

Kelpies vote whatever will bring them the most meals...

Pookah vote anarchist?  Libertarian?

I pulled a few beards and whispered in a few sleepy ears. Fae are Anarchists. They adore mischief.