Alberta Election
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bootlegga @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 8:47 am
Yogi Yogi:
bootlegga bootlegga:
DrCaleb DrCaleb:
I'd 'do' Smith (because she's a hottie), but that's not enough reason to vote for her. Besides, I never vote along party lines, I vote based on who represents me best.
Mr. Horner is a decent guy. I liked the way he carried himself during the leadership race. A class act.
He grew up around here, and his dad was a well known local Doctor, and both are well respected in the community. WR or the NDP or the Liberals might put a better candidate out, but so far it's not looking good.
Mr. Horner is a decent guy. I liked the way he carried himself during the leadership race. A class act.
He grew up around here, and his dad was a well known local Doctor, and both are well respected in the community. WR or the NDP or the Liberals might put a better candidate out, but so far it's not looking good.
He's nice in person too - and not just to voters, but regular people as well. I worked at the Legislature and got to know a lot of MLAs (from all the parties), many of whom are really nice, down to earth people, although there are a couple of real weirdos too.
WTH.! Voting for someone because they are nice!!! That's what has gotten us into our current mess!
No, the fact that our largest trading partner has gone into a massive double dip recession is what put the brakes on our economy - funny, most conservatives here will give Harper a pass because of it, but not Redford or Stelmach.
Yogi @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:05 am
[Quote Boots]**No, the fact that our largest trading partner has gone into a massive double dip recession is what put the brakes on our economy - funny, most conservatives here will give Harper a pass because of it, but not Redford or Stelmach.**
Certainly I agree with this statement. To a point.
When there is no money comming in, there should be no money going out. Or limited to 'basic needs'.
As far as Harper goes, I cut the man no quarter. He just happens to be 'the best of the worst' of our federal choices!
DrCaleb @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:16 am
Yogi Yogi:
..Alberta Wildrose party promises to reinvigorate nest-egg Heritage Trust Fund
By The Canadian Press | The Canadian Press – 18 hours ago
..
.
OKOTOKS, Alta. - The Wildrose party says the Progressive Conservatives are squandering Alberta's petro-billions on perks and pet projects, moving the province dangerously close to the precipice should oil prices tank once again.
"Alberta families know the difference between a want and a need," Wildrose leader Danielle Smith said Tuesday while outlining the party's financial platform in her home constituency of Highwood, just south of Calgary.
"Unfortunately, the Redford PCs have completely lost the ability to make that distinction.
"They're only interested in what matters to them (with) things like getting paid to be on committees that never have meetings, extravagant severance packages and huge pay hikes for them and their pals."
Despite the price of oil — the wellspring of Alberta's economy — hovering around US$100 barrel, the Tories under Premier Alison Redford withdrew $3.7 billion from the Sustainability Fund this year to cover off a record $40 billion in spending.
The province has been running multibillion-dollar deficits for the last four years, regularly transferring money over from the savings fund to prevent incurring long-term debt.
By The Canadian Press | The Canadian Press – 18 hours ago
..
.
OKOTOKS, Alta. - The Wildrose party says the Progressive Conservatives are squandering Alberta's petro-billions on perks and pet projects, moving the province dangerously close to the precipice should oil prices tank once again.
"Alberta families know the difference between a want and a need," Wildrose leader Danielle Smith said Tuesday while outlining the party's financial platform in her home constituency of Highwood, just south of Calgary.
"Unfortunately, the Redford PCs have completely lost the ability to make that distinction.
"They're only interested in what matters to them (with) things like getting paid to be on committees that never have meetings, extravagant severance packages and huge pay hikes for them and their pals."
Despite the price of oil — the wellspring of Alberta's economy — hovering around US$100 barrel, the Tories under Premier Alison Redford withdrew $3.7 billion from the Sustainability Fund this year to cover off a record $40 billion in spending.
The province has been running multibillion-dollar deficits for the last four years, regularly transferring money over from the savings fund to prevent incurring long-term debt.
The bolded part is not quite true. Klien himself started siphoning off the interest earned by the Heritage fund, so that his cuts wouldn't have to be deeper than they were. $1.2 billion goes a long way in the budget. It was Steady Eddie who started re-directing the Heritage interest back to the fund, and into the rainy day fund that we've been paying for the defiecits for the past few years. Finance even hired a farily large team to direct the Heritage fund investments to produce better than market returns, even during the economic downturn.
I'd like to see where Smith is going to come up with $1.2 - $1.4 billion a year first to replace that income, before I'd vote based on that promise.
Yogi @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:37 am
DrCaleb DrCaleb:
Yogi Yogi:
..Alberta Wildrose party promises to reinvigorate nest-egg Heritage Trust Fund
By The Canadian Press | The Canadian Press – 18 hours ago
..
.
OKOTOKS, Alta. - The Wildrose party says the Progressive Conservatives are squandering Alberta's petro-billions on perks and pet projects, moving the province dangerously close to the precipice should oil prices tank once again.
"Alberta families know the difference between a want and a need," Wildrose leader Danielle Smith said Tuesday while outlining the party's financial platform in her home constituency of Highwood, just south of Calgary.
"Unfortunately, the Redford PCs have completely lost the ability to make that distinction.
"They're only interested in what matters to them (with) things like getting paid to be on committees that never have meetings, extravagant severance packages and huge pay hikes for them and their pals."
Despite the price of oil — the wellspring of Alberta's economy — hovering around US$100 barrel, the Tories under Premier Alison Redford withdrew $3.7 billion from the Sustainability Fund this year to cover off a record $40 billion in spending.
The province has been running multibillion-dollar deficits for the last four years, regularly transferring money over from the savings fund to prevent incurring long-term debt.
By The Canadian Press | The Canadian Press – 18 hours ago
..
.
OKOTOKS, Alta. - The Wildrose party says the Progressive Conservatives are squandering Alberta's petro-billions on perks and pet projects, moving the province dangerously close to the precipice should oil prices tank once again.
"Alberta families know the difference between a want and a need," Wildrose leader Danielle Smith said Tuesday while outlining the party's financial platform in her home constituency of Highwood, just south of Calgary.
"Unfortunately, the Redford PCs have completely lost the ability to make that distinction.
"They're only interested in what matters to them (with) things like getting paid to be on committees that never have meetings, extravagant severance packages and huge pay hikes for them and their pals."
Despite the price of oil — the wellspring of Alberta's economy — hovering around US$100 barrel, the Tories under Premier Alison Redford withdrew $3.7 billion from the Sustainability Fund this year to cover off a record $40 billion in spending.
The province has been running multibillion-dollar deficits for the last four years, regularly transferring money over from the savings fund to prevent incurring long-term debt.
The bolded part is not quite true. Klien himself started siphoning off the interest earned by the Heritage fund, so that his cuts wouldn't have to be deeper than they were. $1.2 billion goes a long way in the budget. It was Steady Eddie who started re-directing the Heritage interest back to the fund, and into the rainy day fund that we've been paying for the defiecits for the past few years. Finance even hired a farily large team to direct the Heritage fund investments to produce better than market returns, even during the economic downturn.
I'd like to see where Smith is going to come up with $1.2 - $1.4 billion a year first to replace that income, before I'd vote based on that promise.
I've got myself a 'wait and see' attitude, but I think Smith is going to find the money via 'Ecomomics 101'. That being-unlike the tories- 'When you are unemployed and have run out of savings it is just common sense not to start using your credit cards so that you can continue living in the lifestyle which you have become accustomed to!
Albertans under PC rule can continue on eating steak & lobster......for a while longer. In reality, we should be chowing down on weenies& beans for a while!
bootlegga @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:31 am
Yogi Yogi:
Boots Boots:
**No, the fact that our largest trading partner has gone into a massive double dip recession is what put the brakes on our economy - funny, most conservatives here will give Harper a pass because of it, but not Redford or Stelmach.**
Certainly I agree with this statement. To a point.
When there is no money comming in, there should be no money going out. Or limited to 'basic needs'.
As far as Harper goes, I cut the man no quarter. He just happens to be 'the best of the worst' of our federal choices!
That's the thing, it is limited to basic needs - health care and education simply cost a fortune. Health care is more than a third of the entire budget! Education ain't much cheaper. Toss in the lowest taxes in Canada and it costs us $40 billion. Smith and her bunch can tell you that we are over spending, but the simple fact is that even the necessities cost money. Stelmach or Redford could have re-instated the monthly health care fee and cut the deficit in half, but lord knows how much Albertans would have screamed at that.
The problem for our government is that Albertans want limited spending while at the same time demanding the best in services and you can't have it both ways - it's either great services or little spending.
I don't know about you, but I'd prefer to spend a little more and get the best, instead of gutting the civil service and relying on private corporations (as Smith would prefer) to provide necessary services.
andyt @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:35 am
Wow. In BC healthcare is almost 50 percent of the budget. We must run a much tighter ship than you do. Of course maybe that's because of all those freaking Alberta retirees that come to BC. Maybe it's time Alberta kicked in some towards our health care costs.
Yogi @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:14 am
bootlegga bootlegga:
Yogi Yogi:
Boots Boots:
**No, the fact that our largest trading partner has gone into a massive double dip recession is what put the brakes on our economy - funny, most conservatives here will give Harper a pass because of it, but not Redford or Stelmach.**
Certainly I agree with this statement. To a point.
When there is no money comming in, there should be no money going out. Or limited to 'basic needs'.
As far as Harper goes, I cut the man no quarter. He just happens to be 'the best of the worst' of our federal choices!
That's the thing, it is limited to basic needs - health care and education simply cost a fortune. Health care is more than a third of the entire budget! Education ain't much cheaper. Toss in the lowest taxes in Canada and it costs us $40 billion. Smith and her bunch can tell you that we are over spending, but the simple fact is that even the necessities cost money. Stelmach or Redford could have re-instated the monthly health care fee and cut the deficit in half, but lord knows how much Albertans would have screamed at that.
The problem for our government is that Albertans want limited spending while at the same time demanding the best in services and you can't have it both ways - it's either great services or little spending.
I don't know about you, but I'd prefer to spend a little more and get the best, instead of gutting the civil service and relying on private corporations (as Smith would prefer) to provide necessary services.
Let the screaming begin! I'm all for cutting ALL unnecessary spending until the budget is comfortably back in the black. Of course, the cuts have to begin at the top. Serious cuts to benefits, pensions, perks etc. All unnecessary snivel-servants go too! There is no denying that some serious cuts/savings can be had there as well. Slash and burn, right across the board!
andyt @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:23 am
Health care and education are the big expenditures. I doubt if you can get the doctors to take a pay cut. Certainly in BC they seem to have a lot of power. What you save in healthcare costs by having a younger population, you probably have to spend in extra education costs.
You want to have a surplus for govt, privatize health care. Education too.
DrCaleb @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:56 am
Obvious troll is obvious.
bootlegga @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:05 pm
Yogi Yogi:
bootlegga bootlegga:
Yogi Yogi:
Certainly I agree with this statement. To a point.
When there is no money comming in, there should be no money going out. Or limited to 'basic needs'.
As far as Harper goes, I cut the man no quarter. He just happens to be 'the best of the worst' of our federal choices!
When there is no money comming in, there should be no money going out. Or limited to 'basic needs'.
As far as Harper goes, I cut the man no quarter. He just happens to be 'the best of the worst' of our federal choices!
That's the thing, it is limited to basic needs - health care and education simply cost a fortune. Health care is more than a third of the entire budget! Education ain't much cheaper. Toss in the lowest taxes in Canada and it costs us $40 billion. Smith and her bunch can tell you that we are over spending, but the simple fact is that even the necessities cost money. Stelmach or Redford could have re-instated the monthly health care fee and cut the deficit in half, but lord knows how much Albertans would have screamed at that.
The problem for our government is that Albertans want limited spending while at the same time demanding the best in services and you can't have it both ways - it's either great services or little spending.
I don't know about you, but I'd prefer to spend a little more and get the best, instead of gutting the civil service and relying on private corporations (as Smith would prefer) to provide necessary services.
Let the screaming begin! I'm all for cutting ALL unnecessary spending until the budget is comfortably back in the black. Of course, the cuts have to begin at the top. Serious cuts to benefits, pensions, perks etc. All unnecessary snivel-servants go too! There is no denying that some serious cuts/savings can be had there as well. Slash and burn, right across the board!
My bet is one of the first things Smith would do is re-instate the health care premium. It wouldn't bother me too much, but I have no doubt it would be a nail in her coffin.
The key is deciding what's 'unnecessary'. What is unnecessary to you may be critical to other people - based on your posting history, you probably wouldn't care about cuts to education - but that would affect millions of Albertans.
Regarding the rest of your suggestions, they already happened back in 2009 - pay increases, perks, benefits for ALL civil servants were cut - they even had a two year hiring freeze - resulting in hundreds of positions left empty.
peck420 @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:14 pm
Step one (from the Premier's perspective):
Stop accepting pay until deficit is gone.
Will it even make a difference on the ledgers? Probably not.
Will it set the tone for the Province? Absolutely.
I think we could all agree that it is easier to follow a leader that leads from the front.
Unsound @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:17 pm
bootlegga bootlegga:
His constituency office is next to Richard's Pub - I stumbled across it a year ago when I used the car wash in that strip mall.
Good old Richards. Had a few good nights there in days gone past. Well, I assume they were good nights... a little fuzzy on the details.
I tried using that carwash couple weeks ago. Busy place. Ended up turning around and leaving.
andyt @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:18 pm
bootlegga bootlegga:
Yogi Yogi:
bootlegga bootlegga:
That's the thing, it is limited to basic needs - health care and education simply cost a fortune. Health care is more than a third of the entire budget! Education ain't much cheaper. Toss in the lowest taxes in Canada and it costs us $40 billion. Smith and her bunch can tell you that we are over spending, but the simple fact is that even the necessities cost money. Stelmach or Redford could have re-instated the monthly health care fee and cut the deficit in half, but lord knows how much Albertans would have screamed at that.
The problem for our government is that Albertans want limited spending while at the same time demanding the best in services and you can't have it both ways - it's either great services or little spending.
I don't know about you, but I'd prefer to spend a little more and get the best, instead of gutting the civil service and relying on private corporations (as Smith would prefer) to provide necessary services.
Let the screaming begin! I'm all for cutting ALL unnecessary spending until the budget is comfortably back in the black. Of course, the cuts have to begin at the top. Serious cuts to benefits, pensions, perks etc. All unnecessary snivel-servants go too! There is no denying that some serious cuts/savings can be had there as well. Slash and burn, right across the board!
My bet is one of the first things Smith would do is re-instate the health care premium. It wouldn't bother me too much, but I have no doubt it would be a nail in her coffin.
The key is deciding what's 'unnecessary'. What is unnecessary to you may be critical to other people - based on your posting history, you probably wouldn't care about cuts to education - but that would affect millions of Albertans.
Regarding the rest of your suggestions, they already happened back in 2009 - pay increases, perks, benefits for ALL civil servants were cut - they even had a two year hiring freeze - resulting in hundreds of positions left empty.
I just don`t get the healthcare premium. It`s a regressive tax that`s expensive to administer. Just raise income taxes the same amount as would be brought in with the medicare premium. Or, you know, maybe tax the oil industry the required amount.
DrCaleb @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:13 pm
peck420 peck420:
Step one (from the Premier's perspective):
Stop accepting pay until deficit is gone.
Will it even make a difference on the ledgers? Probably not.
Will it set the tone for the Province? Absolutely.
I think we could all agree that it is easier to follow a leader that leads from the front.
Stop accepting pay until deficit is gone.
Will it even make a difference on the ledgers? Probably not.
Will it set the tone for the Province? Absolutely.
I think we could all agree that it is easier to follow a leader that leads from the front.
Agreed.
DrCaleb @ Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:14 pm
andyt andyt:
I just don`t get the healthcare premium. It`s a regressive tax that`s expensive to administer. Just raise income taxes the same amount as would be brought in with the medicare premium. Or, you know, maybe tax the oil industry the required amount.
Healthcare premiums affect everyone equally. Income tax has deductions that may not raise revenue by the expected and predictable amount.
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