Alberta to have $11.6 Billion surplus

[NuclearFart]

And they couldnt afford a pay raise for those 4 doctors?

[llama64]

Guarantee it's just going to get thrown in some stupid "heritage fund" while all governmental services in Alberta continue to go down the drain.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by fotze

Wow. I bet they squander it as always. I say put the entire amount in the bank and keep doing so for the next 10 years. These are rudimentary calcs upcoming.

Let it ride. Put it down on black on the roulette wheel - double or nothing.

[Resolute 14]

We should start buying the federal debt. Then once the oil runs out, we can just sit back and collect interest on what the Feds are paying. Let Trudeau's legacy work for us rather than against us.

[Muta]

I wonder what the international community would think of us if we spent that on chocolate bars. 11.6 billion chocolate bars would be quite the colossal waste of money, but definitely an outstanding feat if attempted.

Screw the Heritage fund, or stocks or whatever boring option we do with that cash. I want my driveway paved in gold, covered by the rest of your taxpaying dollars. Then, I want my $200,000 cheque in the mail that I should get every year as a portion of that surplus so that I may fill my car for another week.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

We should start buying the federal debt. Then once the oil runs out, we can just sit back and collect interest on what the Feds are paying. Let Trudeau's legacy work for us rather than against us.

I'd love to see that collection call

Some un named Alberta Employee - "Is the Prime Minister in"

Prime Minister - "Who may I ask is calling"

AE - "Its the Alberta first collection agency, is the prime minister in sir"

Prime Minister - "He not here, this is housekeeper"

AE - "Look, I know its you Mr Prime Minister, and we want our money"

PM - "Look I put the cheque for this months payment in the mail last week"

AE - "We've been through this before sir, and everytime you run out and drop a post dated cheque from some African country after you've lied to us"

PM - "Look I need to make arrang . . . "

AE - "That time is passed, I need to confirm your address so that we can send some of our associates to your home to pick up some collateral to secure your severe debt"

PM - "I don't have anything"

AE - "Sir, we're taking the Rideau Canal, please have it waiting for us when we get there"

PM - "You can't do that"

AE - "Thanks and have a nice day" click

[Ozy_Flame]

I say there are four things that should be done with that money:

1) Get more doctors in the province, and open up more hospital beds. STAT.

2) Put some of it in the Heritage Fund, or another high-interest savings account.

3) Subsidize and/or give tax breaks to artists (musicians, painters, filmmakers, etc.) to get artists to STAY in the province and let them thrive. This is working wondrously in Ireland, let's try it out here.

4) DIVERSIFY. Start investing in non-resource dependent industries, such as high-tech, new media, and more finance / insurance.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by fotze

One of these things is not like the other. Girlfriend/family member in the arts?

Alright, you got me - every one of my family members (including myself) is a musician, and my sister is a struggling choral singer trying to make a living in Calgary. So yeah, my bias is coming out. I also vote Liberal though, does that justify any of it? haha...

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I say there are four things that should be done with that money:

1) Get more doctors in the province, and open up more hospital beds. STAT.

2) Put some of it in the Heritage Fund, or another high-interest savings account.

3) Subsidize and/or give tax breaks to artists (musicians, painters, filmmakers, etc.) to get artists to STAY in the province and let them thrive. This is working wondrously in Ireland, let's try it out here.

4) DIVERSIFY. Start investing in non-resource dependent industries, such as high-tech, new media, and more finance / insurance.

I especially like point number three, but without repairing some schools there wont be anyone left to create the art to begin with.

[JD]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

4) DIVERSIFY. Start investing in non-resource dependent industries, such as high-tech, new media, and more finance / insurance.

Good idea, but all those things you mention would target energy companies as their largest clients.

What we could use is more secondary industry like manufacturing, and when I say that, manufacturing things other than coiled tubing injectors, pumps, valves, pressure vessels, etc... actually I'm having a hard time thinking of anything that wouldn't automatically pander to the oil industry to gain their business.

On another note, I have a buddy doing his residency in Michigan right now, and desperately wants to work in Calgary. He was born and raised here, but chose to do his schooling in other places. Ironically, the government has set up numerous hurdles for him jump just to come home and work as a doctor here. Even though he KNOWS he can make more in the US as a doctor, he wants to come here and work, but apparently it's been made difficult for him to do so.

These are the types of things that need to improve in our system. Simply throwing more money at the problem is not a good solution, and I'm afraid that this surplus will result in just that, again. Aren't we already spending more per capita on health care than any other region?

[CaptainCrunch]

Three out of the four I'm fine with, but I'm not to interested in the Artists one, I think other things take huge priority over tax breaks for artists.

[Wookie]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Three out of the four I'm fine with, but I'm not to interested in the Artists one, I think other things take huge priority over tax breaks for artists.

Tax breaks for artists? HAHA,
The cost of working that policy out would be more expensive than the taxes that are taken in

[CaramonLS]

You filthy artists would probably spend half the money on drugs for "creative inspiration" anyways.

Funding denied.

[burn_baby_burn]

Scrap the 10 cent fuel tax. With fuel prices rising, 10 cents almost feels like a drop in the bucket. Would be a good gesture anyway. Alberta giving back.

[Dan02]

I personally like the idea of putting a large chunk away to help sustain the province once the wells start to dry up.

[Ghost in the attic]

Largest surplus ever PRE-royalty hike. Good thing they raised royalites to 50% for 2009. Lets drive that investment out of the province!!

Way to go stelmach, you tool.

[CaptainCrunch]

I think we should tax 6 billion dollars of that surplus and build or fund a private military. Those Sask people are getting uppity, and we need the resources that they have, we also need a buffer space to protect us from those s in Manitoba who would like nothing better then to attack our way of life and steal out hockey team.

Then we should invest the rest in collectible action figures.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

We should start buying the federal debt. Then once the oil runs out, we can just sit back and collect interest on what the Feds are paying. Let Trudeau's legacy work for us rather than against us.

Thats actually a good idea.

I like what fotze said about putting 'some' of it into the bank and collecting interest.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I say there are four things that should be done with that money:

1) Get more doctors in the province, and open up more hospital beds. STAT.

2) Put some of it in the Heritage Fund, or another high-interest savings account.

3) Subsidize and/or give tax breaks to artists (musicians, painters, filmmakers, etc.) to get artists to STAY in the province and let them thrive. This is working wondrously in Ireland, let's try it out here.

4) DIVERSIFY. Start investing in non-resource dependent industries, such as high-tech, new media, and more finance / insurance.

Again....agreed with all 4.

Also, build another university in Red Deer....and possibly one in Calgary. Get even more people to come here for school and stay when they're done.

[Azure]

We should invest 10 billion into a missile defense system so we can start taking out targets in Ottawa when the Federal Government comes and tries to steal our money.