“Sometimes we feel sorry for ourselves and that’s exactly what we need to do, for a while. It’s real, honest, and often warranted, too, because life is not fair.” Calgary psychologist Donna Sales on how we can best cope with the downturn. And how, “visiting self-pity for a while is okay, but we can’t stay there.”

“We need to embrace the new normal now. Alberta’s deficit is soaring, thousands and thousands of people have lost their jobs, and we are at risk of falling into a self-perpetuating funk of economic and social stagnation if we don’t start acting soon.” Doug Kirby on some ideas from a recent forum, on how we in Calgary can start shaping our future.

"It is ridiculous that we are not building pipelines to the East and West Coasts. The vast majority of Canadians know that it is short-sighted and poorly thought out, but at least part of the reason for that is Alberta’s own lack of selling itself over the past twenty plus years. We got fat, we got lazy and we quit selling,” George Brookman on what Alberta needs to do next.

While Edmonton is the media darling of late, if you examine the 'battle of two city centres' from an urban design perspective, Calgary might actually be winning. Richard White on the race between Alberta's two biggest cities as they try to outdesign each other.

“Enter my generation, the first in 60 years that sees vehicles as a luxury instead of a necessity.” Willem Klumpenhouwer on how demographic change gives us a chance to redesign our city.