The MacKinnon report states that many Alberta doctors make, on average, 35 per cent more, about $107,000, than the average in other provinces.

Thursdays fiscal update was sobering. A deficit of $24.2 billion is forecast for this fiscal year $16.8 billion higher than originally estimated in February only weeks before the World Health Organization declared on March 11 that COVID-19 was a global pandemic.

Prior to COVID, things were looking good for Alberta. According to government figures, economic activity grew by two per cent from the previous year, rig activity was up 14 per cent, oil production was up six per cent, exports were up 19 per cent and there were increases in retail, vehicle and housing sales.

Then, Alberta was hit with a triple whammy.

In March, an OPEC dispute hit oil prices very hard and, by April, with massive demand destruction due to the global pandemic and economic shutdown, we saw negative prices, said Toews.

This massive collapse in energy prices had no precedent. Bond markets were effectively inaccessible.

The world has changed dramatically and all of our expectations have changed everywhere, but in the public sector.

A new Canadian think-tank, SecondStreet.org, filed freedom-of-information requests asking governments across the country a simple question: When was the last time you cut employee pay?

The federal government which is anticipating a $343-billion deficit this year stated: Our sector officials indicated that there is no data or any information that indicates that there has ever been a negotiated pay reduction. SecondStreet.org confirmed with the feds that there have also never been any legislated pay reductions.

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Corbella: Facts and fairness show public sector workers should have their pay cut - Calgary Herald