Dear Editor:
There are at least two questions that Albertans need answered regarding the government’s royalty give-away.
First, is it worthwhile to sacrifice $785 million per year in royalty revenue so that the Progressive Conservatives can govern for another term and keep the Wildrose Alliance at bay? Maybe it’s a prudent investment, for if the Wildrose Alliance gained power, they would probably give away much more of Albertan’s wealth.
But it is a capitulation to the multinational oil and gas companies that took over the fringe party and infused it with funds. Then they installed a pretty puppet who travelled throughout the province and convinced a considerable portion of the populace that all our ills were due to the increase in royalty rates. This scared the PC premier and cabinet who realized that they could lose their cushy jobs in the next election. So thus we have the royalty retreat.
Secondly, should Albertans forego $785 million per year in royalty revenue to create 13,000 jobs? This comes to over $60,000 per job. Wouldn’t it be better just to have a lottery among all the unemployed and low-income Albertans, giving 13,000 winners an income of $60,000 per year? At least this money would stay in Alberta instead of being given to the multinational investors, many of whom are foreigners.
Perhaps a better alternative would be to put this capital into an investment fund that would enable Alberta-owned oil and gas companies to develop our resources and keep the wealth in Alberta.
Len Skowronski,
leader,
Alberta Social Credit Party