Government deficits are illegal in Alberta, and will continue to be under a Stelmach government.(h/t DR)Finance Minister Lyle Oberg, Budget Speech, April 19, 2007Tumbling energy prices are pushing energy-rich Alberta towards a deficit in the upcoming year - a huge turnaround for a province with 15 surplus budgets in a row.Canadian Press, December 17, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
police prepare arrest warrants on charges of illegal deficits.
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I'm going to perform a citizens' arrest on Iris Evans.
ReplyDeleteYou either cut or use a touch of the sustainability fund. Duh.
ReplyDeleteCutting expenditures in this province isn't the utter lunacy it is considered in some strange parts of this country.
tjk is sadly right. As awesome as it would be to see police break into the Leg to arrest Evans, they'll likely either kill our services or tap into the savings funds. Of course, the Liberals have long been on side with cutting spending since Decore...
ReplyDeleteha. ha. Entertaining post, Dave.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who is not politically involved I have found the rhetoric of financial responsibility in Alberta increasingly ridiculous over the past 15 years. A drunk monkey could run a government with the surpluses we've had. Maybe a recession will force the "Conservatives" to cut some of the stupid spending theyve been doing.
"Of course, the Liberals have long been on side with cutting spending since Decore..."
ReplyDelete*Albertans* have long been on side with cutting spending since Decore...
It will be a great day when the police drag these crooks off to jail. Same goes for the crooks in Ottawa.
ReplyDeleteDo we still have a Heritage Fund?
ReplyDeleteIan: I do not think I'm sadly right; I'm thankfully right that we exist within a political climate that does not consider a slight reduction in government spending on certain things to be the coming of the apocalypse.
ReplyDeleteWhen "services" become entitlements; problems begin.
"When "services" become entitlements; problems begin."
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way about Lloyd Snelgrove.
when governments feel a sense of entitlement, problems begin....
ReplyDeleteWhat was that? The sound of handcuffs closing around Ed "Pig Farmer" Stelmach's wrists?
ReplyDelete....
To quote the "word verification" shown before posting this comment, this could be deliciously "curessic".
Now I have one more reason to really look forward to spring!
ReplyDeleteSo, let me understand Werner.. to refer to someone as a "pig farmer" is a term of derision or insult.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder the Liberal party in Alberta continues to toil in obscurity and will continue to do so during my lifetime. Ignorant so-called "intelligencia" in Alberta like you are exactly what is wrong with "Liberals".
For those of you who haven't bothered to check Werner out.. here's his short bio..
"Werner Patels is a freelance translator, interpreter and writer in Calgary, Alberta. He holds degrees in translation/languages and political science. As one of the last few defenders and guardians of common sense"
In other words, he contributes nothing of real value to society, but criticizes and demeans farmers.
Nice.
..and oh, by the way, I believe that our governmen does need to get spending under control, which to this point hasn't happened.. but what will go with that will be an opposition (as it is) that doesn't constantly demand more spending as well..
ReplyDelete"However, Ms. Evans said, tapping into savings is a last resort, and in the coming weeks she will seek to identify unnecessary expenditures. “This came upon us so quickly,” she said. “Rather than looking to our savings, we'll be looking first to see whether or not our spending can change in any way that helps.”
ReplyDeleteFrom todays Globe and Mail
How about:
#1 unnecessary expenditure - 37% secret raises for Ms Evans and her buddies?
Ok.. so just to prove that this "ignorant Tory" considers criticism with an open mind, I've looked over Werner's blog in some greater detail, and probably to call him a "Liberal" is unfair.. and certainly, it is incorrect to say that translating provides "nothing of value".. so, if I'm going to throw it, guess I should take it.. mea culpa.
ReplyDeleteMy point, however.. is that "high thinkers".. I think I can call Werner that.. who dismiss people or make fun of those who get their hands dirty.. ignore the reality that just because you don't have a University degree doesn't make you "less than".. and I am sensitive to Mr. Stelmach. I have had the good fortune to sit down and have lunch and dinner at his table on a few occasions, and he is a man who is working hard to do what he thinks is right, is a man who is much deeper and brighter than people know.. and while you may disagree with his politics, for a man "of the earth" to work hard and rise to become the Premier of the greatest Province in Canada.. well, he should not be dismissed by any thinking Canadian as "less than" because he actaully got his hands dirty while making his living before politics.
Cheering for a recession now, are we? Just like your federal cousins.
ReplyDeleteNo, you're right Rob. Translators in Alberta contribute nothing to society. And since by "society" in Alberta you mean entitled adult children at the helm who will do anything to bend over for American oil companies, then true we don't need translators. After all, our benevolent American overlords speak English.
ReplyDeleteUh.. yeah.. right Ryan. Oh, I see you're occupation is "non-profit".
ReplyDeleteOut of curiousity.. what political supporters are the highest contributors to charity in North America? (Hint: They tend to support free enterprise)..
And, again, what is an "entitled adult child"? Are you talking about people like, well, moi?
Yes - this entitled child was born to two hard-working union member parents of very modest means who grew up on very small farms in southern Alberta and the south Okanagan.. or maybe you're talking about Mr. Stelmach.. who did attend University, but had to quit to go help his parents run their farm before later going into politics..
Who are these "entitled adult children" you speak of?
Oh - and while complaining of Alberta business, well, consider that our teachers and nurses are the highest paid in Canada.. and ask, "How do we do that? Do we do that from the massive taxes paid by, oh, people involved in the non-profit industry?"
I have already acknowledged my own error relative to making an overly broad statement regarding Werner.. but am I to assume you, like Werner, have some derision for people who support their families by getting their hands dirty?
..oh, and btw, go read what Michael Ignatieff thinks about smug Canadians who enjoy the sport of attacking everything American..
ReplyDeleteRoblaw:
ReplyDeleteI don't think there are many among the Alberta opposition who would hold Stelmach's rural background against him (Patels isn't exactly a credible indicator of opposition sentiment in the province).
I think your comment is much more indicative of the PC membership's inclination to portray its opposition as effete, intellectual elites, completely unfamiliar with the travails of the province's romanticized "working class" than it is of any pretension of said opposition.