Alberta budget news

[chemgear]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...-proposal.html

Alberta teachers have rejected the latest deal for a four-year provincewide contract proposed by Education Minister Jeff Johnson.

Alberta Teachers’ Association president Carol Henderson called the offer "unacceptable."

"In financial terms, it is actually worse for teachers than what he proposed in December," she said in a release.

[yads]

Originally Posted by chemgear

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...-proposal.html

Alberta teachers have rejected the latest deal for a four-year provincewide contract proposed by Education Minister Jeff Johnson.

Alberta Teachers’ Association president Carol Henderson called the offer "unacceptable."

"In financial terms, it is actually worse for teachers than what he proposed in December," she said in a release.

Hmm, maybe they should have taken the money and ran. Newsflash, sometimes offers get worse.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by darklord700

Redford's admission of spending problem is a positive sign. But she doesn't seem to have a clear understanding of numbers. One day, it's bitumen bubbles and it's reliance on cyclical resource revenue. Her job is to manage it and not to frivolously spend taxpayer's money before thinking it through. I can count a few instances that she spent before she though.
Money to the hundreds of millions to the teachers union, firefighter union, $400 increase of AHIS and building of clinics.

Now she has finally realized that money doesn't grow on tree and taxpayer's wallet is not hers to fulfill her socialist dream.

Redford is forced to admit "HER" spending problem thanks to the press for calling her out.

Those are your problems - raising AISH and building medical clinics? Supporting the severely disabled is great, not having someone living in poverty because they have a disability that prevents them from working isn't a socialist dream, it is basic human decency... and even then it isn't as though people are getting wealthy living on AISH - they are receiving $1,588 dollars a month. Look at the rent in places like Calgary, the majority of places would have 2/3erds of income going to rent alone - and that isn't for anything fancy, that would be for a one bedroom apartment.

In terms of Alberta's spending problems, I can understand that we are paying the public service very well and that there are some restructuring of contracts that is required but to say that AISH is the problem is pretty heartless.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

In terms of Alberta's spending problems, I can understand that we are paying the public service very well and that there are some restructuring of contracts that is required but to say that AISH is the problem is pretty heartless.

I blame Redford's frivolous spending not on the increase of AISH alone but the fact that she doesn't understand we, including the government, must live within our means.

If you give the disabled more, you are giving the seniors, school children or sick patient less. Redford once said she wanted everyone in Alberta to do well. Such is a grant but childish notion. There isn't one society in the history of where everyone did well. You could have in one society a bigger proportion of people do well than another society. That's my anti-socialist's bleeding heart sentiment rant.

Last year this time, Redford was spending taxpayer's monies like a drunken sailor. Now, I give her credit for at least coming to her senses that she doens't have a bottomless wallet and tough choices will have to be made. And that's what the politicians are paid to do.

[Jacks]

Tories Refuse CTF Entry to Budget Lockup
http://www.taxpayer.com/news-release...-budget-lockup

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) was informed Monday by Finance Minister Doug Horner’s office that for the first time in 20 years, it would be denied entry to the stakeholder budget lockup on March 7th.

Since its creation in 1990, the CTF has always provided pre-budget recommendations and participated in the budget lockup as the largest taxpayer advocacy group in the country – representing thousands of Albertans. The lockup allows stakeholders to study the budget in order to provide insight and reaction to the media on a fair footing with opposition parties and the government.

”Not letting the CTF see the numbers won’t make the numbers any better. Hiding from critics won’t make us go away,” said CTF-Alberta Director Derek Fildebrandt.

WTF is wrong with these people? no wonder their approval ratings are in freefall.

[CaptainCrunch]

The Tories are running around with their hands over their ears yelling "LA LA LA LA"

This is their mess, they have to find a way out of it, and whatever way they do it is going to destroy their credibility. This is a party in shambles public relations wise, and my guess is that Redford will take it in the shoulder blades by her own party before the next election.

Now she's got her unions at war with her, the very unions that delivered her to power.

Just because you're a lawyer and worked for the UN it doesn't make you smart, there's nothing smart about Redford.

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

The Tories are running around with their hands over their ears yelling "LA LA LA LA"

This is their mess, they have to find a way out of it, and whatever way they do it is going to destroy their credibility. This is a party in shambles public relations wise, and my guess is that Redford will take it in the shoulder blades by her own party before the next election.

Now she's got her unions at war with her, the very unions that delivered her to power.

Just because you're a lawyer and worked for the UN it doesn't make you smart, there's nothing smart about Redford.

I bet those stinkin' unions delivered her to law scholl and to that fancy pants UN position! We don't need your book smarts n' latte sippin' around here, Nanny Redford! Yahooooooooo!

[Makarov]

To clarify my point, graduating from law school, being appointed Queen's Counsel, being chosen to advise the UN on constitutional reform issues in Africa, and being elected as Premier of Alberta are all pretty strong indicators of very high intelligence (although not necessarily indicators of being a good Premier.) To suggest otherwise is absurd.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Makarov

I bet those stinkin' unions delivered her to law scholl and to that fancy pants UN position! We don't need your book smarts n' latte sippin' around here, Nanny Redford! Yahooooooooo!

Go back and take a look at how she got the leadership vote, she pandered to the unions who joined the vote enmasse.

She's pretty much shown that she's useless as a premiere, and a party leader, and there's a stench of cronyism and corruption to her as well.

Its great that she went to law school and the UN, but that doesn't neccessarily make a person smart, it gives them an education.

I've met some blistering morons who have multiple degrees but have a problem with theoretical versus actual.

It has nothing to do with sipping latte's and every thing to do with being worthless.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Makarov

being elected as Premier of Alberta are all pretty strong indicators of very high intelligence (although not necessarily indicators of being a good Premier.) To suggest otherwise is absurd.

A Harvard graduate has higher intelligence than Bill Gates who dropped out of Harvard, but what does it prove?

Redford is far from being stupid but the way she acted so far makes me think she doesn't have high EQ.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by darklord700

A Harvard graduate has higher intelligence than Bill Gates who dropped out of Harvard, but what does it prove?

Redford is far from being stupid but the way she acted so far makes me think she doesn't have high EQ.

Obviously quoted for irony.

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by darklord700

A Harvard graduate has higher intelligence than Bill Gates who dropped out of Harvard, but what does it prove?

Redford is far from being stupid but the way she acted so far makes me think she doesn't have high EQ.

Well, I diagree with your first statement. Bill Gates has demonstrated, in many ways, that he is a very intelligent person. Graduating from Harvard happens to be just a different way of demonstrating one's intelligence.

In any event, I was simply responding to a post stating that she isn't intelligent. That is a ridiculous statement imo. She may well have other shortcomings that make her a bad premier.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Obviously quoted for irony.

I think he meant EQ, not IQ.

Possible relevant uses of EQ here include:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_quotient

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encephalization_quotient

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Makarov

In any event, I was simply responding to a post stating that she isn't intelligent. That is a ridiculous statement imo.

Redford might have great intellectual capabilities but she hasn't acted in an intelligent way in politics. Like locking out Canadian Taxpayer Federation from the budget lockup, what good would it do to the government?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Jacks

Tories Refuse CTF Entry to Budget Lockup
http://www.taxpayer.com/news-release...-budget-lockup


WTF is wrong with these people? no wonder their approval ratings are in freefall.

Any other special interest groups that you'd like to see get access?

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Makarov

To clarify my point, graduating from law school, being appointed Queen's Counsel, being chosen to advise the UN on constitutional reform issues in Africa, and being elected as Premier of Alberta are all pretty strong indicators of very high intelligence (although not necessarily indicators of being a good Premier.) To suggest otherwise is absurd.

She's smart and I like her ideology but she is an absolutely terrible politician.

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

She's smart and I like her ideology but she is an absolutely terrible politician.

I agree with that assessment.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Slava

Any other special interest groups that you'd like to see get access?

Special interest group?

It's a non-profit citizens coalition that watches and reports on government spending in order too see if tax money is being spent wisely by the very people that are using....citizens money.

If that's a "special interest" group, then EVERYONE in Canada is a "special interest".

Hilarious.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Special interest group?

It's a non-profit citizens coalition that watches and reports on government spending in order too see if tax money is being spent wisely by the very people that are using....citizens money.

If that's a "special interest" group, then EVERYONE in Canada is a "special interest".

Hilarious.

They're a pure special interest group, along with the PGIB, CFIB and many others. Where do they get their mandate from? I have no idea why they would need to be in the lock-up to begin with? I'm sure we can hear their comments just fine along with everyone else after the budget is tabled.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Slava

Any other special interest groups that you'd like to see get access?

Yes. Every "special interest group" that has been welcome for the last 20 years but is now excluded because they don't spew Redford's line of BS.