April 23 2012: Alberta Provincial Election

[Flamenspiel]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

...The problem is that we all demand things we don't want to pay for and instead of holding ourselves accountable we hold governments accountable.

Ok so you don't think governments should be held accountable? Thats what an election is for. Its a job review of the current regime, and the fact is that considering the wealth of Alberta, this province is a mess.

Someone needs to be taken to task for that.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Slava

That is pretty interesting. There are some hard decisions there and its not simple to get rid of that deficit without increasing taxes.

It's actually pretty damning how stupid the 2% GST cut was to the federal budget. That plus a 10% across the board government program cut (Which is significantly more than just a haircut) plus raising the OAS age to 67 gets you within a stones throw of a balanced budget without other tax hikes. Combined with economic growth a budget like that would improve Canada's Debt to GDP numbers despite being still a 'deficit.'

It's funny how non-finance types get all pissy about deficits and fail to realize that as an economy grows the absolute quantum of debt can increase too (ie deficits) while actually improving credit metrics. In fact in the US their best hope for the next decade is to reduce the deficit (not eliminate it) enough that growth starts to push down the debt-GDP ratio.

[darklord700]

http://www.wildrose.ca/feature/wildr...e-family-pack/

More election meat from WR. $2,000 child tax credit ($200 in tax credit) for each child under the age of 18. They are the party who puts family and not their party cronies first.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Obvious troll is obvious.

You mean the name anybodybutpc is not a protest against Superstore?

[Bertuzzied]

Wow I must have really hated Farmer Ed to actually consider voting for the Wildrose Party. Thank God Smith and her crazy Redford Hates Alberta speech woke me up.

[Regular_John]

You know, the rational side of me thinks the Wild Rose needs to pull back on the constant hyperbole attacks against the PC's/Redford, but there's part of me that wants to see just how far they can take it, just for the train wreck effect.

"Today we're making a pledge to small businesses, which is why I'm in this pet store, because the Wild Rose Party loves animals. Not like Allison Redford and the PC's who we suspect enjoy eating live puppies at their caucus meetings. You're either with the Wild Rose, or you hate puppies."

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Thank God Smith and her crazy Redford Hates Alberta speech woke me up.

You don't mind the Smith supports hookers and drunk drivers talk though?

They should both apologize for the personal smears and be done with it.

[GP_Matt]

Sound bytes are pretty hard to predict/control, but I think that we will see the Wildrose run a pretty clean campaign with very little in the way of negative advertising. (Past transgressions aside)
That isn't to say that they won't point out the P.C. record but more that they will avoid the kind of out of context ads that often run attacking individuals without providing advancing the debate.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by Hatter

First Lady,

Also, does Danielle Smith have any plans on visiting the area during the campaign?

Here you go:

https://www.facebook.com/events/2668...nvited&__adt=2

COME HEAR DANIELLE SMITH, LEADER OF THE WILDROSE PARTY SPEAK! THIS IS GOING TO BE AN AWESOME EVENT AND YOU WONT WANT TO MISS OUT!!!
DOORS OPEN AT 4PM
RALLY AT 5PM
WILDROSE CAMPAIGN OFFICE 1027 SOUTHRAILWAY STREET

[First Lady]

No news link yet, but Redford announcement today contains following:

- instructing all MLAs return 100% of "do nothing committee" pay or they won't be in her caucus.
- immediately suspending the "transition" allowances.


Not sure how she can do the latter one.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by First Lady

No news link yet, but Redford announcement today contains following:

- instructing all MLAs return 100% of "do nothing committee" pay or they won't be in her caucus.
- immediately suspending the "transition" allowances.


Not sure how she can do the latter one.

Gary Bobrovitz seems to be confused by the term "exclusive" :P

Gary Bobrovitz
‏ @garybtvnews
GLOBAL EXCLUSIVE:Premier Redford orders: MLA transition allowance ends today-Details on Global TV #ableg #abvote

[Jacks]

There might be a caucus revolt mid election.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by First Lady

No news link yet, but Redford announcement today contains following:

- instructing all MLAs return 100% of "do nothing committee" pay or they won't be in her caucus.

Nice try but too little too late. In the grand scheme of things, $1000/month wasn't a big deal. But this exposed the greed and self-entitlement of those Tories when they wouldn't voluntarily return those monies.

If I were Redford, I would sweep it under the door and hope no one would remember. This battle's already lost and there's no point lingering.

[First Lady]

Braid: Redford “Expects” her MLAs to Give Back the Money – But Will it Buy Back the Votes?

The panicky PCs have a new campaign message: “Okay, voters, you dropped us 20 points in the polls so here’s your damn money back.”

Continue reading

[First Lady]

In a press release from the PC war room, Redford said: "All Progressive Conservative MLAs will be expected to pay back every penny of money received from the Committee that has not met since 2008. Any MLAs who do not will not have a place in my Caucus.

"Further, the overly generous transition allowances paid to retiring MLAs are suspended from this day forward and I will not accept a transition allowance, win, lose or draw."

http://www.ffwdweekly.com/calgary-bl...ensation-1010/

[Jacks]

The lush severance packages are also “suspended from this day” and Redford promises not to accept one. But her power over retiring MLAs is unclear. These things are actually decided by the legislature.

As much as I despise these severance packages you can't go back retroactively and cut peoples pay. You can't force MLA's to pay back money they earned legally and you can't take away severance that has been earned under existing law. This stinks of a desperate campaign that is in full panic mode. Wonder how many MLA's will tell her to stuff it?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by darklord700

http://www.wildrose.ca/feature/wildr...e-family-pack/

More election meat from WR. $2,000 child tax credit ($200 in tax credit) for each child under the age of 18. They are the party who puts family and not their party cronies first.

Great. So now not only are they cutting services but they're implementing the worst and most inefficient way to save people money on taxes. Where in the world is this money coming from?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Jacks

As much as I despise these severance packages you can't go back retroactively and cut peoples pay. You can't force MLA's to pay back money they earned legally and you can't take away severance that has been earned under existing law. This stinks of a desperate campaign that is in full panic mode. Wonder how many MLA's will tell her to stuff it?

But you think they can pay money back for committee money? That was legally earned. Something doesn't add up there.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Slava

But you think they can pay money back for committee money? That was legally earned. Something doesn't add up there.

I don't know if they can voluntarily pay it back or not but you certainly can't force then to pay it back.

Did I say they could pay it back?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Jacks

I don't know if they can voluntarily pay it back or not but you certainly can't force then to pay it back.

Did I say they could pay it back?

You certainly seem to have implied that they ought to have paid this back.

The removal of these transition payments is from now on, so its not needed to be paid back. It means that if an MLA loses the election there is no allowance paid (assuming Redford wins, I guess). She also says that if she loses she won't take the allowance. Its actually a big concession on her part.