“We all want to blame somebody for the circumstances that we are in,” Prentice said. “But the bottom line is we’ve had the highest cost and the best public services in the country, and we haven’t built, basically, a revenue model that sustains them.”...
...“In terms of who is responsible, we all need only look in the mirror, right. Basically all of us have had the best of everything and have not had to pay for what it costs,” he added...
...Wildrose critic Drew Barnes said he’s amazed the premier would blame all Albertans for the fiscal crisis since the Progressive Conservatives have been in power uninterrupted since...
...NDP critic Brian Mason said the PC government gave up billions of dollars in revenues by chopping corporate taxes by about a third a decade ago and by moving away from a progressive income tax system to a 10 per cent flat tax.
“I’m appalled that he would talk to Albertans like that, when it’s his government that’s made all of these key decisions all along,” said Mason.
“It’s a transparent effort to avoid accountability — and to blame the very people who are going to be hurt by his government’s incompetence is breathtaking.”
My take is that the Premier is half right and completely tone deaf. Of course it's his own party's (43 years of) failed policies that are to blame, but we are the idiots that keep voting for those same short sighted policies over and over.
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My take is that the Premier is half right and completely tone deaf. Of course it's his own party's (43 years of) failed policies that are to blame, but we are the idiots that keep voting for those same short sighted policies over and over.
Speak for yourself, I voted for Kodos
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He only has to look at his own governments policies and the absolute overspending based on oil royalties and revenues.
It doesn't take a mathematician to calculate the average price of oil over 10 years, 20 years, etc. and base monetary policies on this. It's only very recent since it was part of their tax income at the provincial level on royalties.
Finally, the fiscal spending isn't showing up in infrastructure and services. Edmonton roadways, etc are falling apart. The healthcare system is in major need of re-vamp. Hospitals are under funded and not as he describes.
The scary part is he can say whatever he wants because there is no opposition at this point.
I'd say (outside of one Premier) there has been a severe lack of leadership from that office over the past few decades. I hate these town halls they are setting up; just lead dammit! Sometimes a leader has to tell people a tough pill needs to be swallowed.
He is right that Albertans are to blame. You keep voting in losers because of party he/she is affiliated with and you get stuck with the province being run by losers.
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PC's have really annoyed me with their corruption, but he is willing to talk about the harsh reality, instead of lying to us.
Good for him, I loved this comment.
I don't understand how people can be offended by this at all, I am just clueless. You voted for the other party - too bad.
All Albertans are able to take advantage of the positives of being Albertan, and are responsible for the negatives as well, no matter who governs.
This actually really sucks for me, I vote against PC simply because I believe one party shall not govern for this long.... I think I need to vote PC if he keeps this up.
Prentice has done enough fear mongering, scapegoating and fore-shadowing....time for him to show some leadership and tell us his plan
People more affluent with provincial politics can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe his plan will be represented in the budget his government is working to release.
These comments are also timed to lead up to the major collective bargaining negotiations between the public employee unions and publicly funded employers (e.g. AUPE and University of Calgary). Prentice is trying to use this rhetoric to paint the public sector employees as being overpaid, even though public employees earn less, on average, than their private sector colleagues.
All this whilst funding to public institutions is cut - best services indeed...
Prentice Blames Albertans
