Quote:
Originally posted by FlamesAddiction+May 1 2005, 01:38 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (FlamesAddiction @ May 1 2005, 01:38 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Thunderball@May 1 2005, 07:21 PM
To be fair... Alberta churned out something much different that socialism in the 1930s... (I am aware that the CCF had their first meeting in Calgary, but they formed in Regina) The Social Credit party, even though the word 'Social' is in there was a VERY VERY right wing party, which resembles the Alberta Alliance more than the NDP. Their big thing was key government control over certain things while encouraging the free market ad nauseum. Most prevalent of this was the Alberta Treasury Branch, which gave people fair loans, since the Canadian banks interest rates bordered on usury at the time. The goal was to kickstart capitalism again, not to become socialized. The CCF model of actual socialism never caught on in Alberta. UFA of Alberta was also a fairly right wing party that focused on laissez-faire while providing support for farmers on years where hard work wasn't enough.
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Socialism was a catch word back in those days. Many right wing parties used it. I'm aware of that.
But go back further.
The United Farmers of Alberta and the Society of Equity both formed shortly after Alberta became a province and were bother soicalist parties at the time that promoted social welfare in Alberta. And back then, people in Alberta seemed to have no problem with the federal government advertising for foreign investment and settlement in Alberta, and they had no problem with the federal government propping up Alberta and handing out grants. That was all Canadian land, and the only reason why people were settled there was because the Canadian government financial drove the process.
Now that Alberta is well established, people want to take the ball and go home. Be a team player. Don't be the Val Bure of Canada. [/b][/quote]
I did go far back enough to consider the UFA... in fact, from day one, Albertans have been opposed to "Canadian" interference... They were held back from buying cheaper (and in many cases higher quality)American goods because of the National Policy. The only good thing the Federal Gov't brought to the West was the NWMP, and even they were supposed to be an assimilation force to keep us from going American. Furthermore, the CP Rail held Alberta over a barrel many a year. The government wasn't even free from federal meddling in resources till 1930 despite their efforts to free themselves from it. In fact, judging from everything I've heard and read, Alberta has never wanted federal money, and federal interference, nor did they receive in any great amount, especially compared to any other province or territory in Canada.
Society of Equity were never a prevalent force, and UFA of Alberta stood for United Farmers of America... a noted socially right, economically balanced special interest group turned political party... and even then, they didn't last that long by Alberta standards. Alberta's first governments were Liberal, and they disappeared not because they were not getting enough federal monies, but because they couldn't be trusted. Conservatives too.
Back to the present, I think its important to say that the Federal Gov't should help out the provinces if/when they catch a snag, I mean its our money they take before, during and after anyway... if they weren't there, the Provincial government would be taking some of that money for use as relief in the future.
I think if you add it up, Alberta received next to nothing in any sort of federal relief, nothing that couldn't have been handled locally with less federal taxation, seizure of royalty and Central Canada-centric laws (National Policy and National Energy Policy for instance). That data is hard to find, but what we can find easily enough is from 1960 to present, Alberta had given almost $350 billion in transfers with no return, even during rough economic times. During the early 70s and mid 80s, Alberta was getting beaten economically, and yet was still a net contributor.