In the provincial election campaign last spring, Premier Alison Redford promised to change the character of Alberta. With the recent announcement Alberta will now join the ranks of indebted provinces, she has delivered.
Of course, Premier Redford did not openly campaign on the idea of taking on debt to push through pet projects and pay for corporate welfare.
Alberta has held the distinction of being the only debt-free province in Canada since the days of Ralph Klein, who deservedly received the Order of Canada recently for his wise stewardship of the province.
Finance Minister Doug Horner says it’s no different than a family taking a mortgage on a house. He’s wrong for two reasons. First, people pay their own way on a mortgage. With provincial debt, it’s the taxpayer who pays. Also, unlike a home, roads and bridges are not saleable assets. The house comparison just doesn’t hold water.
Premier Redford’s return to debt will dig a hole into which she will throw our children and grandchildren’s futures. It’s just not right.
In the coming months and years, Mr. Horner and Premier Redford will claim to have a balanced operating budget, all the while incurring massive debt on infrastructure. They’re counting on Albertans not being smart enough to see through the fog.
The out-of-touch PC government does not know how to prioritize its spending.
There have been some exciting times in this sitting of the Alberta Legislature including debating into the wee hours of the morning to present amendments to the Education Act, presenting amendments to the Whistleblower Act and calling the PC government to task concerning illegal expense claims, illegal donations to the PC party and so much more.
During the election, Wildrose asked where the PCs would come up the money to follow through on the whole list of promises the premier had made. We had to wait till now to find out but the premier finally answered: our children will pay. With this poor fiscal decision, the premier has followed through on her intentions to change the character of Alberta – for the worse.
As MLA for Lacombe-Ponoka, I look forward to hearing from you. Please contact my office at #101 4892 46 Street, Lacombe, AB T4L 2B4 or 403 782 7725 or email at lacombe.ponoka@assembly.ab.ca