What do you love about living in Alberta?

November 5th, 2005, 10:39 PM

For those that live here, what do you love about Alberta and what do you despise.

Despite being liberally inclined, i do like our defiant political spirit out here...even if i think Ralph Klein is a goober, i do admire him cuz he spits when you say don't spit, he jumps when you say don't jump..and for no other reason than you asked.

I think in general, i like our defiant nature out here. It's almost like a rite of passage.

I like how we tend to be proactive on things. I know I am generalizing, but when you think that we saw the foresight to take steps to improve our economy..and now we are reaping the rewards. We did not wait for the federal government to tell us what needed to be done. We do not want handouts.

I like how you can drive for hours in Alberta and see changing scenery, often oversecting eachother. (example..you can see huge mountains in the distant despite driving on flat land).

I like how we give the impression of being the rough and tumble, rednecked defiant hicks, yet you will not find nicer, more caring, more tolerant people than those in Alberta. I think its one of those great perceptions that are so far off the mark. Yes, we have a stonger religious fundamentalism out here. But that does not mean that we won't stop to help anyone out. Or open our doors to our neighbours.

I like how we don't need to have anyone define us. We are who we are. Deal. We don't need validation from anyone else to make us feel good about ourselves.

November 5th, 2005, 10:45 PM

I do hate with a passion these things.

I hate drivers out here. Rude ignorant jerks.

I hate dry colds and dry heats. No..it does not feel better. Does it feel good to stick your head in an oven or your freezer?

I hate how some whine because they don't get their way politically and threaten seperation.

I hate how this province spends so much money on tourism and all the pictures you see are of Banff, Jasper of the mountains along the way. Those areas make up so little of the province. Mountains are not an Albertan exclusive. In the meantime, when they do show tourist pics of alberta, its always of a hillbilly rodeo guy on a bucking horse. Always. There is way more to Alberta than mountains and rodeos..although i like rodeos and love cowboys best.

December 8th, 2005, 11:39 AM

I've heard the opposite about Alberta drivers. I was working with this Quebec guy and he was literally shocked that people in Alberta would wave and let other people in and stuff like that.

Why not threaten seperation. Alberta has basically been snubbed and abused by Ottawa. Alberta's voice is not heard and will never be heard. We do what ontario says. I would love to see a seperate alberta.

I'm sure these people have done their market research on this sorta stuff. When people come here they basically wanna see the mountains and then go check out some western cowboy stuff. If that what they want then why not advertise it?

I always thought kananaskis was neglected a little bit. I think its far better than banff.

December 8th, 2005, 12:01 PM

You must realize the fellow above is living in Edmonton. I've spend a few years there...It's not that the drivers are stupid, but they're rude, selfish, and ignorant. Outside of Edmonton such as Calgary, Red deer, Ft. Mcmurray, and Athabasca...and now I assume Medicine Hat also, the drivers are much more tolerable...and civil.

In PEI here, the drivers are quite considerate, but they're as Dumb as a coathanger. I don't know what's worse.

December 8th, 2005, 12:13 PM

I haven't really spent to much time in edmonton. I wasn't aware of the driving situation there.

February 6th, 2006, 04:22 PM

Just came back from a 21 day visit from Edmonton and I love the people who are always so friendly and pleasant the drivers can't ask for a better bunch!
What more could I say except I want to move but the pay wages in my line of work(group home,mentally challenged) is way lower than here in Ontario. Construction for my husband I would say the pay is a lot more! Didn't see to many poor people(meaning begging on the streets). Maybe am wrong but everyone seems so happy!
Soup

February 8th, 2006, 12:52 PM

I love the dry heat. If I head to the coast in the summer, I can't function, I move from one point of shade to another.
I love looking at the fields in the summer the green and yellow squares dotted across the horizon. I love that I can drive nearly 100 miles without having to take a corner. I love that I could keep showering my province with praise all day.

Edmonton suffers from the worst drivers in Canada. Driving in rush hour is akin to running the gauntlet somedays, especially after it snows.

February 8th, 2006, 01:06 PM

I miss the dryness too.

February 8th, 2006, 02:09 PM

If there was one thing I could change about Alberta it would be the lack of moisture. I would prefer a bit more humidity as the climate here is very dry, and its becomes a problem for me because I wear contact lenses. That and the lack of huge natural lakes..........

February 8th, 2006, 02:10 PM

Cant complain about the sunshine though!!

February 8th, 2006, 02:41 PM

folks who think alberta drivers are bad haven't lived elsewher.

I moved to Alberta beause I'm a hiking and outdoor nut. I love Nature and Calgary is the perfect jumping off point for the mountains to the West and the badlands to the East.

Now that I've live here a while I like the optimism and prosperity. 'Life is good' and this is hilighted when I 'go home' and encounter a whole different philosophy.

What don't I like? There's a lot of development and some folks here seem to worship at the altar of 'progress' for the sake of progress.

On the positive side I enjoy the atmosphere of individual freedom. Albertans are less hung up as individuals and in the press on political correctness and so on. I spent some time in Vancouver and get a kick out of their so-called 'progressive' city that is tied in knots over not offending anyone to prove some false sense of enlightenment.

February 19th, 2006, 05:59 AM

I like running in the River Valley of Edmonton in the summer....the girls take the twins for a walk....eh? eh?

February 23rd, 2006, 11:37 PM

What I like about Alberta is MONEY and lots of it. I have never lived so good. It can give the small guy hope of making it big if he has any ambition in life. Even the Street people are living good. In Alberta you can get a Job on the drilling Rigs starting at $27.00 Per hour accomadations paid for.Then if you work your way up to a Oilfield Consultant you can make 1300.00 per day. I can't complain about Alberta!

February 24th, 2006, 12:49 AM

My good friend has an 18 year old son just out of high school. Actually he just started college this fall......however he was just offerd a job..starting pay around 75 grand...not bad for an 18 year old.

.....my son, well he worked up in McMurray for over a year to save up money for college.....that all he needed was a year of hard labor and now he has no problems paying for school and his apartment

February 24th, 2006, 01:00 AM

not to mention the relatively cheap housing compared to Toronto or Vancouver (exception being ft mac). The housing situation has changed over the last 10 years, avg home was under 200g early 90's....now its well into 300s....but still finding a decent job is not hard. Even labor here is not the "blue collar drag" its is considered in other parts of canada....its good money.

March 9th, 2006, 10:47 PM

no doubt, downtown vancouver scares the heck outta me....last time i was down there, i was asked by a man in a dress if i wanted a "sexual favor".....no joke.....this happend on a busy streetcorner too

.....lets just say that i am out of place in a city like vancouver

March 11th, 2006, 01:21 PM

I love how Ralph shares the wealth with the prosperity checks. It should be a once a year type deal rather then once every few years since Alberta is filled with cash.

June 19th, 2006, 09:21 PM

My wife and I are moving to Medicine Hat July 15th. I have been to Alberta many many times and love the overall everything... I like prairies over the mountains - big sky is amazing. We are sick of the attitude in Ontario, we just moved to Toronto from Strathroy and absolutely can't stand Toronto... if you think Edmonton is bad ... try heading west on the 401 from Don Valley to Milton at evening rush hour... and if that ain't bad enough - navigate younge street anyday of the week.

Medinine Hat is a beautiful city with all the amenities! So... it'll be like the ol settlin days for us... except my mustang is painted black.