It's the responsibility of every MLA to represent the people that voted for them. To try and have their ideas put into practice. If you're in the opposition party, yes a lot of that is going to entail fundamental disagreements, but it's still their job to offer up solutions that would make their constituents happy. At some point, these people need to agree on things, and all the divisive politicking does is drive the government further apart on issues, and put wedges in between the people who support either side, when it really should be about finding out what we can agree on and getting stuff done.
So what if the NDP came out tomorrow and said they are dropping all royalty rates to zero, make corporate tax 5%, and introducing flat tax for all individuals? The opposition is suppose to just oppose that because they're the other team?
Everyone up there is supposed to be working to help make Alberta better. And you can certainly argue that Notley and the NDP may not be doing that, but are the other parties helping anything by offering nothing to the contrary? How is any sort of compromise supposed to take place in that environment? Neither side is ever going to get exactly what they want, their are always going to be bits and pieces in every policy that get negotiated on, but you still have to negotiate, and in order to do that, you have to offer your own solutions.
People voted these individuals in to represent their views, not to sit their with their fingers in their ears calling the otherside a stupid-head while offering no alternatives.
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The only time that the opposition really does anything like what you've talked about is either when they present a bill of their own, to get it on the record that its their idea, or during things like opposition days.
Hey I think it would be awesome if a private member of the opposition submitted a votible opposition budget. Of course it would be voted down, by the government in place, but it they adopted any part of the so called voted down budget then you could point to that in an election campaign.
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This is exactly how it should work. If they want to be electable (again, the idea that this is only reason to offer solutions personally offends me. That includes the NDP. The election is over, it's time to work together to provide solutions that help Albertans. Not their own future campaigns), shouldn't they be doing so by showing that they have good ideas, and not by trying to show how bad the other side is? Again, if you want the logical conclusion of that type of politics look to the south of us and ask yourself if that's what you want. A bunch of s*** tossing with little substance from either side except from people that many would consider radicals.
You're an intelligent person. You can't seriously rather have your team fling crap for the next 4 years than have them offer up actual solutions.
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Lets put this into a scenario that works.
The government submits a budget that's utterly stupid. I as the loyal leader of the opposition go to the government and say, this is what I would do to fix it. The government fixes it, its a better budget. Then during the next campaign the Notley Government basically says, We your government balanced the budget or did these positive things, so 4 more years 4 more years.
So I respond with a sad "But it was my idea". To which the Notely government says, yeah we took your idea and made it a NDP solution.
Congratulations, you've just fisted your party.
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As much as many seem to want it to be, this is not a game. Outside of the "utterly stupid" initial budget, what you described above is exactly what I would like to happen, yes. Because it's not supposed to be about what will help you get elected in 4 years, it's supposed to be about helping the people who voted for you. This type of stance actually infuriates me. This isn't a damn sport with a trophy to be won, this is public SERVICE.