April 23 2012: Alberta Provincial Election

[darklord700]

Smith is not in hiding, it's just the recording time is too early.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Alber...991/story.html

[Senator Clay Davis]

Stating an unargued fact by anyone with any knowledge of the world economy is spin? China and India have growing middle classes who want more goods like....cars? And as far as I know, cars require gas, which requires oil....

Smith recently cancelled a pair of morning TV studio interviews with CTV and Global, but said the stations were not being accommodating to her need for sleep.


“They are not being very accommodating, unfortunately,” she said. “I have asked them four different times when I might be able to go in and do a pre-record or if they could push one of the interviews back a little. Sorry, I’m only human, I do need five hours sleep a night.”

Absolutely pathetic. Pre-recorded so she can better control the answers of course. Live like memorex could be a debacle for her, so pre-record it and lessen the odds.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by darklord700

I'm amazed by your ability to spin it the way you wanted. However, Redford has since taken down this video for whatever reasons.

How is that spin? You apparently have a grasp on the oil and gas industry, so tell me where you think we should be focusing? Surely you understand why Albertans want Northern Gateway built?

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Yes, the electorate should clearly be electing its government on the basis of an advertising executive's choice in stock footage for campaign advertisements.

Indeed it should. Redford is the captain of the team and if the team does not even know that Alberta is land locked, then there is a major problem in perception as to how Redford leads and who she hires.

You can tell me all you want that people should base their opinions solely on the platforms presented....but perception is a big part of how people form opinions.

[Makarov]

Some interesting numbers:

Contrary to popular belief, Alberta’s government spending has not soared. In fact, relative to the size of our economy, Alberta spends less than any other province.
There has been a long-term decline in spending as a portion of the Alberta economy. In 1989, provincial spending was more than 20 per cent of Alberta’s GDP. By 2008, it had dropped to 12 per cent.

SOURCE: http://jointogetheralberta.ca/conten...ing-has-shrunk

(Note: the source appears to be a public union advocacy website, but they source their numbers to Statistics Canada).

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by Slava

WTF are you talking about? The Liberals have costed out their entire plan and the number balance. That's the thing about numbers though: they're plain to see. You can have a peek and see exactly where the Liberal plan balances and exactly why the Wildrose plan leaves all of this out.

I understand that the Wildrose says they'll balance the budget. HOW? Its all smoke and mirrors.

I reviewed the Liberal numbers and it's all based on smoke and mirrors as well. They've projected an increase of a billion dollars in corporate taxes but failed to account for how many businesses will close or leave Alberta because of the change. They've assumed cancelling private school funding will save over 50 million but they've never explained where or how these students will go to school instead, nor accounted for the rush to public funded schools. They haven't explained how they will pay for expanding distance learning for post secondary.

Just because they make up some numbers that suit their means doesn't make them real. The Liberals will likely run a deficit based on their current assumptions, which are just smoke and mirrors.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by darklord700

Smith is not in hiding, it's just the recording time is too early.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Alber...991/story.html

Thats pathetic. I might not get to bed until 11, so I can't do an interview at 7:30?

If I pulled that with clients I'd be out of a job. These damn elitists.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

I reviewed the Liberal numbers and it's all based on smoke and mirrors as well. They've projected an increase of a billion dollars in corporate taxes but failed to account for how many businesses will close or leave Alberta because of the change. They've assumed cancelling private school funding will save over 50 million but they've never explained where or how these students will go to school instead, nor accounted for the rush to public funded schools. They haven't explained how they will pay for expanding distance learning for post secondary.

Just because they make up some numbers that suit their means doesn't make them real. The Liberals will likely run a deficit based on their current assumptions, which are just smoke and mirrors.

Again, how will the Wildrose make up the $200-$600M? Just answer that one without mentioning how bad anyone else is. Let the merits of the glorious and magical Wildrose plan stand on its own merit.

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Has it disappeared into nothing? Or has it helped to produce the most prosperous province in Canada?

How do you quantify 'prosperous'?

I don't think we have the best healthcare in Canada, education system in Canada, or infrastructure.

We might spend the most, but measurable outcomes aren't much better than most provinces. I don't think that's a badge we should wear proudly.

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by Slava

Again, how will the Wildrose make up the $200-$600M? Just answer that one without mentioning how bad anyone else is. Let the merits of the glorious and magical Wildrose plan stand on its own merit.

It already does, you're the only one pretending it doesnt.

The liberals say they will cut the carbon storage plan by half to 1 billion. The Wildrose will cut it all, to save 1.5 billion.

Balanced.

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by redforever

Indeed it should. Redford is the captain of the team and if the team does not even know that Alberta is land locked, then there is a major problem in perception as to how Redford leads and who she hires.

Right, so you are suggesting that Alison Redford, lawyer, Queen's Counsel, technical adviser on constitutional and legal reform to the European Union, appointed as one of four International Election Commissioners to administer Afghanistan's first parliamentary elections, etc., etc., does not even know that Alberta is land locked.

Originally Posted by redforever

You can tell me all you want that people should base their opinions solely on the platforms presented....but perception is a big part of how people form opinions.

Confirmation bias (and I am just as guilty of this as other people) is also a big part of how people interpret information.

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Some interesting numbers:



SOURCE: http://jointogetheralberta.ca/conten...ing-has-shrunk

(Note: the source appears to be a public union advocacy website, but they source their numbers to Statistics Canada).

What a strange way to quantify spending. Why should we pay double for the same services just because the price of oil went up?

Have more = Spend more....?

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

How do you quantify 'prosperous'?

I don't think we have the best healthcare in Canada, education system in Canada, or infrastructure.

We might spend the most, but measurable outcomes aren't much better than most provinces. I don't think that's a badge we should wear proudly.

Well, I'm not sure that its fair to judge the effect of money invested into things like healthcare and education after only 5 years. It takes time for those sorts of investments to show results.

[redforever]

[QUOTE=Makarov;3668059]Right, so you are suggesting that Alison Redford, lawyer, Queen's Counsel, technical adviser on constitutional and legal reform to the European Union, appointed as one of four International Election Commissioners to administer Afghanistan's first parliamentary elections, etc., etc., does not even know that Alberta is land locked.

No I am not, but I am telling you that if she hires a team that does not know that fact, or if the PC party has hired a team that does not know that fact, that it makes Redford look as bad as the team.

When you surround yourself with incompetence, you look incompetent in return.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

How do you quantify 'prosperous'?

I don't think we have the best healthcare in Canada, education system in Canada, or infrastructure.

We might spend the most, but measurable outcomes aren't much better than most provinces. I don't think that's a badge we should wear proudly.

The health care system has rotted for a long time, and its not due to the budget dollars. The whole system really needs to be torn apart and rebuilt.

If there's been a major failure of any government is that there is a belief that if you throw enough money at something the problem dissapears.

Instead it becomes a conflicted buerocratic nightmare that can never be untangled.

the front end delivery of services has been paralyzed and slaughtered by the back end administrative costs.

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

What a strange way to quantify spending. Why should we pay double for the same services just because the price of oil went up?

Have more = Spend more....?

Some more relevant statistics that explain why things cost more in Alberta:

Alberta
Average Hourly Wages, 2000 - 2011

Data Source: Statistics Canada, 2011 Labour Force Survey

1. 2. Alberta’s average hourly wage rate increased by 42 cents in 2011 to $25.47.

1. 1. 
      
   2. Alberta has had the highest average hourly wage rate in Canada since 2006.

Source: http://www.employment.alberta.ca/doc...et-Outlook.pdf

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Well, I'm not sure that its fair to judge the effect of money invested into things like healthcare and education after only 5 years. It takes time for those sorts of investments to show results.

We're not talking about 5 years here though, we're talking about a lot longer then that.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

It already does, you're the only one pretending it doesnt.

The liberals say they will cut the carbon storage plan by half to 1 billion. The Wildrose will cut it all, to save 1.5 billion.

Balanced.

There is no pretending. The reality is that the numbers don't work; point blank. Feel free to pull out a calculator and show how they possibly could.

The bottomline for that CCS figure is that the Wildrose is relying on that being $2B. Its not, and as a result of that and other tax credit promises and spending hikes that they've commited to the numbers don't work.

If their fairytale figures won't work today, how will it possibly work once they get into office and have the actual figures to deal with?

I do think its funny though that now you (and you alone btw) are now saying that the figure for CCS is only $1.5B. Eventually you can get that figure down to where everyone else sees it, which is closer to $500-$800M. You'll note that I gave them $800M as savings and they were still out by about $200M....but I'm sure that you read that and just failed to mention it here.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

How do you quantify 'prosperous'?

I don't think we have the best healthcare in Canada, education system in Canada, or infrastructure.

We might spend the most, but measurable outcomes aren't much better than most provinces. I don't think that's a badge we should wear proudly.

You might be wrong on that one.

http://oncampus.macleans.ca/educatio...tem-is-better/

[GP_Matt]

Originally Posted by Slava

LOL! The ALP is the only party proposing to cut the number of MLAs down to 67. Are you ready to vote for an actual fiscal conservative now, or still sticking with the window dressing of the Wildrose?

I believe I have said it before in this forum, but if not here goes.

I do like some aspects of the Liberal platform, but I also dislike several parts of their platform.

On Health
I like their long term care plans and the elimination of the super board (Also WRA plan).

On education
I don't like the preschool/daycare plans. I am bothered by the idea of making the single income households subsidize the daycare costs for dual income households. Ending school fees is also a WRA policy. I strongly dislike the idea forgiving tuition debt. If two students take the same courses and one of them works part time and during the summers to graduate debt free, why should his taxes go to support the second student who spent his summers traveling? As a student I earned enough money to cover tuition and expenses while getting free rent at home, if this policy was in place I would have maxed out the student loans and invested the money knowing that the government would pay back my loan.

On foreign credentials
I don't like the push to speed up the recognition. I think this is the wrong approach and instead they should concentrate on getting the applicants to file when they first apply for immigration.

Consumer Protection
I am concerned how much it will cost to have builders guarantee the energy efficiency of a new house. If it is cheap then I think the number will be meaningless but if it is in depth then I fear the cost. Either way, I question the value. For the warranty period, Alberta New Home Warranty is already more comprehensive than the Canada New Home Warranty so I am not sure of the need. Condo's may be a different story so I won't comment on them.

Voting system
I am not sure what I think about instant run-off elections but think it should be done as a referendum and not a small policy not in the platform of a party.

Taxes
I don't like the progressive tax or the increased tax rate on large businesses. Why are small businesses so special that they should pay a quarter of the tax rate of big businesses?