[Rathji]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

I'm confused, there's plenty of literature out there debating public services. Health Care, the biggest spending single spending item in every province, is compared endlessly by Universities, think tanks, and media. The Canadian Institute for Healthcare Information would be the best I can think of off the top of my head.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is constantly doing provincial comparisons in public spending. Some excellent analysis there.

I don't know, which is why I asked if there was some sort of index for these things that made them comparable. I am glad Universities debate Health Care, and the taxpayers federation are doing provincial comparisons, but unless there is some conclusion related to level of public service as a function of per captia dollars spent, it doesn't help you make your point. If there is such a stat or study that you could provide somewhere that shows that your claim that Alberta isn't efficient in this regard, then I would gladly change my position.

Even if there is, that doesn't change the fact that per captia spending by itself is a near meaningless stat by itself.

But quite likely the average Albertan can make a good general comparision. Public service spending has basically doubled over the past 10 years, has service in any of our public services increased much, or at all? Alberta has, on a per capita basis, hugely outspend every other province over that decade, yet are our programs the envy of every Canadian?

I don't know, I don't live another province at the same time as being in Alberta, nor do I consume every single service that the province has to offer. No one does.