Alberta's $8,000,000,000.00 Deficit

[TSXCman]

Originally Posted by The Goon

Maybe we should all give back that $400 from a couple of years ago.

Hah, my comment exactly

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by TSXCman

Hah, my comment exactly

Meh, I put it to much better use than Special Ed could have...

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by peter12

I'm really hoping something interesting comes out of this Wildrose Alliance renewal. I don't know any of the people involved, but I do know that some other initiatives are taking place down here in Calgary with the intention of upsetting the PCs next election.

Danielle Smith seems promising. How promising I haven't decided yet, but she's caught my attention at least. WRA is certainly going to have to do better than Hinman to have any success.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

Danielle Smith seems promising. How promising I haven't decided yet, but she's caught my attention at least. WRA is certainly going to have to do better than Hinman to have any success.

Well instead of waiting to see what happens, why don't you buy a membership and vote for the leader of your choice? It's only $10. Have a say yourself.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by MJM

The truth about Alberta's economy is that it's probably the worse off of any region with similar mineral properties of any developped country in the world. Years and years, and years of prosperity and absolutely NOTHING to show for it other than inflated housing prices and inflated wages.

I always get a kick of the hardcore Albertans here banging their prosperity drum. All it takes is a one year of a recession in this Province and it almost reverts to a third world country. You'd think that given the commodity driven economy that Alberta would be prepared in the fluctuation of oil/gas prices. Hell no! Spend, spend, spend, and than there is the gimmie, gimmie, gimmie of the people (you know, the as an Albertan i'm entitled to make 70K a year and have the biggest truck in the lot even though I have no education or seviceable skills ). There's no happy medium here. Why not level things out instead of continously shifting from end of the economic spectrum to the other?

I love this Province, love the City of Calgary, but i'm getting closer and closer to punching my ticket out. I'd rather be a little worse off in another Province with a lot more security in my job/social service, than live here and live like a Rock Star for 5 years and than spend the next 5 constantly worrying if I'm going to have a job or have to take cut backs because no one within in the government or the population in general is willing to reign things in when the going is good.

This whole rant is completely off-base and does not reflect reality. On pretty much all economic measures, Alberta exceeds every other province, even now. Some of the reported doom and gloom numbers only look so ghastly because year over year statisitics show a large percentage drop off. What a year-over-year percentage statistic doesn't tell you is that even this year's number is still larger than other provinces, it's only a large dropoff from last year because last year was astronomically high for any jurisdiction. Take government spending per capita. I bet even if you reduced spending by 8 billion a year this province would still be spending more than any other per capita. Just like even now Alberta still boasts the largest GDP per capita of any province (That's hardly NOTHING). It's not like this place turned into a moonscape wasteland overnight.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

It's not like this place turned into a moonscape wasteland overnight.

Funny you say that, some environmentalists would argue that it has.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

Danielle Smith seems promising. How promising I haven't decided yet, but she's caught my attention at least. WRA is certainly going to have to do better than Hinman to have any success.

Recent letters to the Calgary Herald:

If Danielle Smith, leadership candidate for the Wildrose Alliance, wants to enlighten voters as to her political agenda through the party name, may we suggest MAFIA--Made-in-Alberta Fraser Institute Association.

Dave And Sara Knight,
Calgary

Has the Herald become the cheerleading voice of the Danielle Smith candidacy? Five opinion columns so far. Smith wants to lead a party, without a seat, and which garnered about two per cent of the eligible vote just two years ago. The Herald is giving her the buildup and status of a political heavyweight poised to seriously fight for the premiership of the province.

Toni Crane,
Calgary

[LChoy]

Originally Posted by Old Yeller

Hmmm I'm in post-secondary education and we have a 0% funding increase the next 2 years... no cut backs yet but most people are nervous.

Are you in Edmonton as well? I know people in Advanced Ed but never thought how many Government Ministries that CP has infiltrated until now.
Our Ministry is in wait and see mode. Should be interesting to hear Iris Evan's economic update tomorrow

[FlamesAddiction]

Does this mean Alberta will get equalization payments? How does that work?

(And yes, I should know that already... )

[peter12]

Originally Posted by troutman

Recent letters to the Calgary Herald:

If Danielle Smith, leadership candidate for the Wildrose Alliance, wants to enlighten voters as to her political agenda through the party name, may we suggest MAFIA--Made-in-Alberta Fraser Institute Association.

Dave And Sara Knight,
Calgary

Has the Herald become the cheerleading voice of the Danielle Smith candidacy? Five opinion columns so far. Smith wants to lead a party, without a seat, and which garnered about two per cent of the eligible vote just two years ago. The Herald is giving her the buildup and status of a political heavyweight poised to seriously fight for the premiership of the province.

Toni Crane,
Calgary

What do you have against a young, educated and urban woman? Experience isn't really an issue given the current lot that are in office.

[jammies]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

What happened? I thought you were so much smarter than us?

Sincerely,

~ The Maritimes

We used to be, then all those immigrants from out East moved here and screwed with the demographics.

I even have a neighbor now who - get this - voted Liberal last election. Oh, the humanity!

[Azure]

I also trace the root of the problem back to Klein cutting too much in order to balance the budget.

While he was on the right track, he went too much on the extreme.

But, it doesn't help to say that now. Hindsight is 20/20.

Anyways, so I was wondering. Who voted for Farmer Ed? Because I sure didn't.

[Ozy_Flame]

I guess it's safe to say we're not getting Ralph bucks again anytime soon?

This is what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket (oil), and squeeze every last bit of yolk out cause you can't figure out when you're full (royalty schemes).

Another blunder by the Conservative government, one in a long line of blunders that will, hopefully, get either some better leadership in that party or get the Liberals in power. I think David Swann would make an excellent premier.

BTW, I didn't vote for Stelmach. Hellz no!

[VladtheImpaler]

I have never voted in a provincial election, I either bear all the blame or no blame, depending on your perspective.

[LChoy]

I'm a little young to be offered early retirement
Maybe by letting some of the top heavy management level go, that'll open spots in the future for me

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I guess it's safe to say we're not getting Ralph bucks again anytime soon?

This is what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket (oil), and squeeze every last bit of yolk out cause you can't figure out when you're full (royalty schemes).

Another blunder by the Conservative government, one in a long line of blunders that will, hopefully, get either some better leadership in that party or get the Liberals in power. I think David Swann would make an excellent premier.

BTW, I didn't vote for Stelmach. Hellz no!

Swann is my MLA, I went to a Speech Q/A thing - he is an a$$ who has no chance to win anything more than 20 seats.

I didnt vote for unsteady, but instead I chose not to vote as the other 2 partys are just a joke. I will have look at WRA more closely, so long as they tone down the religious fever they might work.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

I didnt vote for unsteady, but instead I chose not to vote as the other 2 partys are just a joke. I will have look at WRA more closely, so long as they tone down the religious fever they might work.

Wow, I don't think I could. Any party that is that far right wing where they start spouting of religious crap has instantly nullified my vote.

[Azure]

The tories are spouting religious crap?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Azure

The tories are spouting religious crap?

I think he was talking about the WRA?

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Slava

I think he was talking about the WRA?

Yeah, i was talking about the WRA.