Alberta budget news

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Ok, we can hope that people do things that are responsible? How about we hope that people don't abuse the health care system, or when they get injuries to get deal with it knowing that the cost of burdening the system likely isn't worth it?

People are definately not responsible in Alberta so why stop at PST? We should get the govenrment to pick our mate for us, tell us how to think, act and behave.

[Red]

Originally Posted by darklord700

Why should we pay sales tax just because other provinces do? We certainly don't get the $8 a day day care like Quebec does here.

**** Quoted the wrong post. Please forgive me darklord. ****

Because without the so called "Alberta Advantage" no one would want to move here.
People come here for the money not the nice weather.

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Ok, we can hope that people do things that are responsible? How about we hope that people don't abuse the health care system, or when they get injuries to get deal with it knowing that the cost of burdening the system likely isn't worth it?

Or, that we expect people to save all of the gains they're making from artificially low taxes removing the need for a sovereign wealth fund (as you suggest).

Considering that these recommendations exist in a fantasy they're not worthy to even consider.

I agree. We definitely need government to save people from themselves. They are just too stupid otherwise.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by fotze

All I know, they better not raise booze prices!!

Sadly that is probably one of the taxes they will look at first.

[Azure]

Oh, and highly doubt all the oil will be gone even when my kids are grown. And I don't even have kids yet.

If anything, we'll have developed new technologies to extract the oil we know is there, but can't count as being part of the reserves yet.

[killer_carlson]

I dont agree that services will disappear if the budget is balanced. Non profits or private business will step in. I think the services are very important, but i dont think the government is best suited to provide them.

This debate is not an all or nothing scenario, no matter what Redford suggests.

[Dan02]

I used to think that it was pretty cool Alberta had a flat tax system rather then a progressive system. Now I think it's pretty stupid. It would be nice to avoid a PST type tax but maybe it's inevitable.

Though I also think we need to reign in compensation for public sector employees as they seem to be getting a bit out of wack with similar positions around the country outside alberta.

[Jacks]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle7935772/

Alberta’s new fiscal framework could include infrastructure debt, the issuing of bonds, cutting doctors’ pay and, one day, a potential sales tax, Premier Alison Redford said as she begins to reveal details of her looming budget.
In a call with party supporters Monday evening, Ms. Redford ruled out tax increases for this budget but left the door open to a “conversation” on taxes coming up. She didn’t rule out a PST – Alberta currently doesn’t have one, and it’s long been considered politically untouchable – but said the government would first look for any savings it could find.
“It’s been a really important part of the conversation that I think Albertans have started to have, whether we’re talking about healthcare premiums or sales taxes, and I think there’s a place for that conversation,”

Not even close to what she was saying 9 months ago.

Ms. Redford also told callers that Alberta is getting less and less for its oil, saying the price is about $45 to $55. The differential between the North American benchmark price – about $96 on Monday – and the lower Alberta price is wider than averages of recent years, but not as bad as Ms. Redford told her party’s members. Alberta still receives about $64 per barrel based on Monday’s prices, and the price differential is roughly the same as it was during last year’s election, during which she laid out several spending pledges.

Does anybody have any facts to dispute this or is Allison lying again?

[Dion]

Outcome of doctor talks may lead to health premiums, Redford suggests

"We know that doctors earn between 20 and 29 per cent more in Alberta than they do across the country," said Redford.

"Quite frankly, before I start asking Albertans to pay health care premiums, I want to make sure that we're getting the best deal possible with our doctors.

"At the end of the day, I think that's really where we start to save some money with respect to things like health care."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmont...ence-call.html

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Jacks

Does anybody have any facts to dispute this or is Allison lying again?

Article is talking about Edmonton prices still being decent. Look how much of our royalties in the province come from light oil, versus bitumen and heavies.

WCS is trading at the quoted $45-55/bbl, while in April it was in the $70 range.

Not only does the province get less royalties because the prices are depressed, but they also get a smaller % of that lower price, as royalty % rates go down as prices do. So instead of getting (say) 15% on $70, they're getting 10% on $50.
This summer, gas prices were so low the government was lucky to be getting 1% royalties.

[GP_Matt]

Originally Posted by Dion

Outcome of doctor talks may lead to health premiums, Redford suggests

Did anyone else hear her new radio ad this morning.
It mentioned asking the doctors to forgo a raise this year and how they were the highest paid in the country. Then the comment that a health premium would be brought back if the doctors didn't give in.
Contrast this to the ad they were running in the fall detailing how the government was paying the doctors so much to make sure that we had the best doctors and health care in the country.

Which one is it?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

Did anyone else hear her new radio ad this morning.
It mentioned asking the doctors to forgo a raise this year and how they were the highest paid in the country. Then the comment that a health premium would be brought back if the doctors didn't give in.
Contrast this to the ad they were running in the fall detailing how the government was paying the doctors so much to make sure that we had the best doctors and health care in the country.

Which one is it?

If Redford is serious then maybe she should start by have her MLA's give back that raise they voted for themselves. That way she wouldn't look like a hypocrite by asking doctors to forgo a raise.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Dion

If Redford is serious then maybe she should start by have her MLA's give back that raise they voted for themselves. That way she wouldn't look like a hypocrite by asking doctors to forgo a raise.

lol.

Oh you.

[nik-]

honestly, we used to have health care premiums in the very recent past. If it's such a big deal, just bring them back. I'm not really interested in having doctors take a pay cut.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

lol.

Oh you.

What's so funny about asking our leaders to lead by example?

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by nik-

honestly, we used to have health care premiums in the very recent past. If it's such a big deal, just bring them back. I'm not really interested in having doctors take a pay cut.

Or, we could offer doctors an easy way to supplement their income while increasing the efficiency and outcomes of the health care systems.

It's worked in Quebec, Ontario, Switzerland and France.

But remember, private health care is EEEEVIL!

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

Or, we could offer doctors an easy way to supplement their income while increasing the efficiency and outcomes of the health care systems.

It's worked in Quebec, Ontario, Switzerland and France.

But remember, private health care is EEEEVIL!

So what you're saying is, Alberta Provincial Doctors now qualify for a subsidized taxi license to make up for a lost part of their income?

And they say Albertans only care about themselves...

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

So what you're saying is, Alberta Provincial Doctors now qualify for a subsidized taxi license to make up for a lost part of their income?

And they say Albertans only care about themselves...

We really do need more taxi licenses.

Maybe the gov't could give every practicing doctor a province wide taxi plate to rent out, that way the doctor's get more income, and the province gets more desperately needed taxis.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Article is talking about Edmonton prices still being decent. Look how much of our royalties in the province come from light oil, versus bitumen and heavies.

WCS is trading at the quoted $45-55/bbl, while in April it was in the $70 range.

You can save the eye rolling, I was asking a serious question. Do you have any data to back up what you are saying?

On one side we have the opposition and some media saying the price differential is almost the same. On the other side we have the PC's (and you) saying it is drastically different.

Baytex's website lists historical pricing:
http://www.baytex.ab.ca/files/pdf/Op...ary%202013.pdf
Year & % difference from WTI
2005 - 36.3%
2006 - 32.5%
2007 - 30.8%
2008 - 22.4%
2009 - 16.1%
2010 - 17.9%
2011 - 18.1%
2012 - 22.2%

Q1 2012 Heavy Oil Pricing Update - April 2012
http://www.baytex.ab.ca/files/pdf/Op...g%20Update.pdf
WTI - $102.93/bbl
WCS Benchmark - $81.51/bbl
Differencial $21.42 = 20.7%

Q4 2012 Heavy Oil Pricing Update - January 2013
http://www.baytex.ab.ca/files/pdf/Op...g%20Update.pdf
WTI - 88.18/bbl
WCS Benchmark $70.07/bbl
Differencial $18.11 = 20.5%

Are those numbers wrong?

[Azure]

The flat tax isn't the problem. The percentage is though.