jimwhitelaw.com

A Nov 24 Edmonton Journal article has the headline "Alberta Jobless Numbers Soar" and quotes a StatsCan report showing that a total of 71,900 Albertans received EI in Sept 2009, a 25% increase from Aug 2009.

• Journal Article
  
• Original StatsCan Report

But if we look at the StatsCan overall employment data for Alberta in Sept 2009, we see a very different picture of the changes from Aug to Sept 2009:

• Alberta saw population growth of 6200 people.
• Number of people "employed" in Alberta grew by 3000.
• Number of people "unemployed" in Alberta dropped by 5800 people. 
  
• Alberta's overall employment rate was unchanged at 68.8%, the second highest of any Province.

StatsCan Sept 2009 Labour Force Survey

So what we actually have is an increase in the number of people on EI and NOT a soaring increase in the number of people who are jobless in Alberta. You spin me right 'round baby, right 'round.