Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Slava

OTPP had/has exposure there and people aren’t happy!

AIMCO is pretty well regarded and most of the people who don’t like them base it on political views more than anything concrete. We had discussions on here about them taking over the LAPP and such a year or two ago. At the point the concern was too much exposure to energy, IIRC. I’m guessing that concern isn’t going to come up now though!

Don’t get me wrong though. The APP is stupid because the only reason to go that route is basically “Quebec does it” and “taking Ottawa out of Alberta”. I don’t agree with either of those two angles. I also think that CPPIB does just fine and why do we need our own infrastructure set for this, when there’s nothing wrong with the current system?

The OTPP investment was something like 0.05% of their holdings. Obviously it blew up in their face, but makes sense to take on some risky bets to stay diversified.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Slava

Sure, I get that. It’s just not how things work though. Like you might have hated Stephen Harper, or detest Justin Trudeau, or both. It has no bearing on CPP. AIMCO still did their job when the NDP was in power and if the NDP wins the next election, they’ll keep doing their thing.

Wouldn't it be a bit more risky in the sense that the same party has governed in Alberta for like 60 years (minus the one NDP term). So much more likely to slant in that direction with appointees.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Wouldn't it be a bit more risky in the sense that the same party has governed in Alberta for like 60 years (minus the one NDP term). So much more likely to slant in that direction with appointees.

AIMCO hires their own staff though. It’s not like Smith picks her neighbour because she likes him/her and they have no qualifications or anything. Asset management is strictly regulated and there’s a lot of oversight. You can’t just decide today that you’re starting to manage other peoples money, and that’s definitely not the case for a huge pension manager.

[Finger Cookin]

Payroll withholdings are currently remitted to the Receiver General. If an APP is adopted in Alberta, tax and EI would still go the receiver general and APP would go to wherever. How long before squawking about "Why is Alberta Tax being sent to Ottawa" and the Alberta tax amount gets split off as well? So two different tax deductions showing on every pay, two remittances being sent to different levels of governments every pay.

How is this business friendly? Especially to small businesses?

APP is a ####ing stupid idea.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

Payroll withholdings are currently remitted to the Receiver General. If an APP is adopted in Alberta, tax and EI would still go the receiver general and APP would go to wherever. How long before squawking about "Why is Alberta Tax being sent to Ottawa" before that gets split off as well? So two different tax deductions showing on every pay, two remittances being sent to different levels of governments every pay.

How is this business friendly? Especially to small businesses?

APP is a ####ing stupid idea.

If you went with the Quebec model the federal government would pay Alberta to collect taxes on its behalf so you would still have a single entity. Jobs would be moved to Alberta from Quebec as a result.

The APP is about 20 years late. We missed our best demographic advantage. I’m not sure switching now is worth losing the federal underwriting of it were it to underperform.

[Finger Cookin]

I'm thoroughly confused now, especially why tax arrangements between Ottawa and Alberta would impact jobs in Quebec?

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by GGG

If you went with the Quebec model the federal government would pay Alberta to collect taxes on its behalf so you would still have a single entity. Jobs would be moved to Alberta from Quebec as a result.

The APP is about 20 years late. We missed our best demographic advantage. I’m not sure switching now is worth losing the federal underwriting of it were it to underperform.

Quebec doesn’t have a single entity. You have to file separately with Revenue Canada and Revenu Quebec. Not letting Quebec collect federal income taxes has been one those sticking points ever since Revenu Quebec was created.

Not sure why they’d let Alberta do it if they don’t let Quebec.

[Fuzz]

I think a lot of these things comes down to do you want to be Albertan, or Canadian? I, for one, want to be Canadian, and I don't see any advantages in weakening our Federal relationship and power to "strengthen" the Alberta portion.

[Yikes]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I think a lot of these things comes down to do you want to be Albertan, or Canadian? I, for one, want to be Canadian, and I don't see any advantages in weakening our Federal relationship and power to "strengthen" the Alberta portion.

Alberta finds a way to take control of OUR CPP and this boy WILL leave the Province.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Yikes

Haha....very good.

I've made the same mistake countless times myself so I just try and have a little fun with it.

Vote UPC not UCP!!

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

Quebec doesn’t have a single entity. You have to file separately with Revenue Canada and Revenu Quebec. Not letting Quebec collect federal income taxes has been one those sticking points ever since Revenu Quebec was created.

Not sure why they’d let Alberta do it if they don’t let Quebec.

Oops your right, I thought they gave quebec those powers in the last round.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by GGG

Oops your right

Clean it up GGG

[Fuzz]

In an interview with the Western Standard, Smith maintained that "I think the experts let us down, so I'm not interested in taking any advice from them."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...646784?cmp=rss

"I'm not interested in taking any advice from experts" isn't exactly the type of person you want in charge of your sandwich assembly, let alone a premier. Good grief.

Why is Smith offside with public opinion on COVID? It is not about trying to win an election. Her decision to re-litigate COVID is a major factor why the UCP is trailing the NDP in the poll and why her approval rating trails NDP leader Rachel Notley.

It is not because of partisanship. Sixty-one per cent of those who intend to vote for the UCP in 2023 believed that COVID restrictions were too strict, but that means that 37 per cent of UCP supporters felt that COVID restrictions were appropriate or not strict enough.

In addition, just half of UCP supporters said that the government should trust the down-to-earth thinking of ordinary people over experts. So Smith is not pursuing a wildly popular policy within her own party. Her party is internally divided.

A better explanation for Smith's opposition to COVID restrictions and vaccines is that she firmly believes it. Her personal behaviour, radio show, newsletters, and social media posts — prior to her renewed political career — demonstrate that Smith is absolutely convinced that the experts have been misleading people about COVID.

What a moron.

[Yikes]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...646784?cmp=rss

"I'm not interested in taking any advice from experts" isn't exactly the type of person you want in charge of your sandwich assembly, let alone a premier. Good grief.



What a moron.

She was going off the rails on her radio show just before they finally canned her. Maybe she thinks that the management of Covid is to blame for her business failures? Dunno, but she has a real chip on her shoulder re: Covid. Personally I would not hire her to manage a daycare let alone the Province.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Yikes

She was going off the rails on her radio show just before they finally canned her. Maybe she thinks that the management of Covid is to blame for her business failures? Dunno, but she has a real chip on her shoulder re: Covid. Personally I would not hire her to manage a daycare let alone the Province.

Even if you support her covid views, how do you trust a person who has no faith in experts, just because they gave her an answer she doesn't like? Maybe if you are some sort of super genius you can get away with disregarding experts(which, I mean, come on, of course she isn't) but otherwise the sign of a good leader is who they a surround themselves with and listen to.

I caught a few minutes of her on QR77 and she said something along the lines of "if you want to wear a mask AND are vulnerable and you think it will protect you, go ahead". There are so many things wrong with that sentence. She should be encouraging anyone to wear a mask if they are concerned about getting sick this fall. Which is exactly what the experts are saying. Masking would reduce healthcare burdens, increase economic productivity by reduced sick time, and reduce government costs and healthcare backlogs. Exactly the sort of thing a real Conservative would want. She's such a hazard to us. Don't be fooled, she isn't a Conservative at all.

[Yikes]

Originally Posted by fuzz

even if you support her covid views, how do you trust a person who has no faith in experts, just because they gave her an answer she doesn't like? Maybe if you are some sort of super genius you can get away with disregarding experts(which, i mean, come on, of course she isn't) but otherwise the sign of a good leader is who they a surround themselves with and listen to.

I caught a few minutes of her on qr77 and she said something along the lines of "if you want to wear a mask and are vulnerable and you think it will protect you, go ahead". There are so many things wrong with that sentence. She should be encouraging anyone to wear a mask if they are concerned about getting sick this fall. Which is exactly what the experts are saying. She's such a hazard to us.

100%

[dsavillian]

My in laws are long term conservative voters, at both the federal and provincial level. One of them has an immediate relative that is a sitting MP in the CPC. They live in small town Alberta in a riding that has voted conservative for as long as it has existed.

They just told me that they are voting NDP next election.


It's only one data point, but I never thought they'd ever vote NDP. I figured that maybe they'd stay home and abstain instead of voting, but never that they'd flip completely.

[Geraldsh]

Originally Posted by dsavillian

My in laws are long term conservative voters, at both the federal and provincial level. One of them has an immediate relative that is a sitting MP in the CPC. They live in small town Alberta in a riding that has voted conservative for as long as it has existed.

They just told me that they are voting NDP next election.


It's only one data point, but I never thought they'd ever vote NDP. I figured that maybe they'd stay home and abstain instead of voting, but never that they'd flip completely.

A little thank you note to Danielle would be nice.

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by Yoho

Wait till you see what she has in store for you if she wins and has her way.

So much winning!

https://twitter.com/user/status/1592196257283715072

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by dsavillian

My in laws are long term conservative voters, at both the federal and provincial level. One of them has an immediate relative that is a sitting MP in the CPC. They live in small town Alberta in a riding that has voted conservative for as long as it has existed.

They just told me that they are voting NDP next election.


It's only one data point, but I never thought they'd ever vote NDP. I figured that maybe they'd stay home and abstain instead of voting, but never that they'd flip completely.

Looks like they are not alone in their small town Alberta riding...

https://twitter.com/user/status/1592197126532247553