
Suicide rate in Alberta up 30% in wake of mass oilpatch layoffs - buserror
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/calgary/suicide-rate-alberta-increase-layoffs-1.3353662
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iokevins
The article states the numbers: year-over-year, for the six month period of
January to June: 252 (2014); versus 327 (2015, +75). It continues: "In an
average year, there are 500, according to the Centre for Suicide Prevention."

Curious about the larger context; do global oil prices represents the primary
factor, for the mass oilpatch layoffs? Does the recession represent a
temporary boom/bust cycle? Heart goes out to those affected.

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mrbrt68
A large factor for this is the current provincial government that was recently
elected (New Democratic Party (NDP)). Their current policies of implementing
carbon taxes and increasing corporate taxes in the energy sector when a lot of
companies are already hurting can be argued for redirecting the already slim
investments to other markets.

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toomuchtodo
That's a minor factor compared to the enormous global oil glut with Saudi
Arabia pumping flat out, and OPEC turning into a free for all two days ago.

TL;DR China has slowed down, and oil producers are playing musical chairs so
as to not be left holding any oil when demand is gone.

