He began by saying that the trouble with the notion of economic diversification is it is rarely defined as a precise goal. What is it that the government is trying to achieve? Is it more “good jobs” or less economic volatility or less volatility in government revenue, or in economic output? Should not government policy aim to support economic activities where Alberta has a clear comparative advantage? Citing recent research by Robert Mansell which examines a measure of labour market diversity, Alberta by one measure is more diversified than Ontario and Quebec. However, other measures show that in terms of GDP volatility or employment volatility, Alberta is closer to other resource provinces such as B.C., Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador.