The Rise of the West: What Next?

Younger, bigger, richer. Canada's West is growing - and it has more clout than ever before - from Maclean's magazine

TORONTO , Jan. 14 /CNW/ - Consider the statistics: Three of the top five cities in Canada with the highest immigrant population are in the West. In 2006, Calgary had as many corporate head offices as Montreal . The West overall had 144 head offices (to Toronto's 177). In 2008, the West's combined GDP outstripped that of Ontario for the first-but probably not the last-time. By 2031, Statistics Canada projects the West will have nearly a third of the population of Canada ( Quebec , as little as 20 per cent). What will this mean for the West and Canada-politically, economically, socially?

In this week's issue of Maclean's - and in a special round-table discussion in Calgary on Wednesday, Jan. 20-columnists Paul Wells and Andrew Coyne , two of Canada's most astute political journalists, delve into the far-reaching implications of this remarkable shift west, with a focus on Alberta and the Prairies.

Turn to the pages of Maclean's for more - on newsstands now. Or, attend the "In Conversation With Maclean's" round-table discussion as Coyne and Wells lead a discussion with guests including Lloyd Axworthy, The University of Winnipeg president; Rob Anderson , Alberta MLA; and Lindsay Blackett , Minister of Alberta's Culture and Community Spirit; Nancy Heppner , Minister of Environment, Government of Saskatchewan and Melissa Blake , Mayor, Fort McMurray, Alta.

    
    In Conversation With Maclean's - Calgary event

    What:     "The West IS In: Now What?" A round-table discussion
    Where:    Theatre Junction GRAND, 608 - 1st St. SW, Calgary
    When:     Wednesday, Jan. 20, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
    Tickets:  $15 to $20. Visit www.macleans.ca/inconversation

    Moderator:   CPAC's Peter Van Dusen
    Sponsor:     CPAC, which will be airing the discussion live

    Panellists:

    Melissa Blake, Mayor, Fort McMurray, Alta.
    Rob Anderson, Alberta MLA
    Lindsay Blackett, Minister of Alberta's Culture and Community Spirit
    Lloyd Axworthy, President, The University of Winnipeg
    Nancy Heppner, Minister of Environment, Government of Saskatchewan
    

In Conversation with Maclean's is a four-city series. Watch the first two round-table discussions, Our Democracy is Broken: How Do We Fix It? and Afghanistan: Noble Fight or Lost Cause? on video-on-demand on CPAC.ca.

About Maclean's:

Maclean's is Canada's only national weekly current affairs magazine. Maclean's enlightens, engages and entertains 2.4 million readers with strong investigative reporting and exclusive stories from leading journalists in the fields of international affairs, social issues, national politics, business and culture. Visit www.macleans.ca

For further information: Louise Leger, [phone], [email protected]