Allison in Wonderland

[ASRG]

Last night Premier Allison Redford spent $55,000 of our money to inform us things aren't so rosy in Alberta after all. It seems that after 10 years of spending like drunken sailors the bills have come due?......and we need to have a "conversation" about what in the hell are we going to do!
Okay.....here's two suggestions:
-Fire Evan Berger from his "sweetheart" job. The job that was created out of thin air, with no actual job description!
-Scrap the newly created "Property Rights Advocate Office". It was never needed or wanted. After Bill 2, the Responsible Energy Development Act, there is absolutely no need for this office....because we really don't have any property rights left!

Right there are two suggestions that should save a couple of $ millions!

[burnt]

Well if you like, we could send you our dear Dalton McGuinty . . .

[wd40]

I grew up with the word "statesman" or "stateswoman" if you like.
That word's been re-defined or totally removed from our vocabulary.

[grassfarmer]

For more fairy stories you can read the results of their
budget consultation. Go to:

http://finance.alberta.ca/business/budget/dollarsand
sense.html

click on "What we heard - read the full report"

Pages 49-51 refer to agriculture and resource
development. If they follow the things they have
written up as priorities I'll eat my hat.

[smcgrath76]

I would suggest instead of tackling property rights to reduce the cost of doing business for a volatile oil industry,
a few simple things they could consider...
Being tough and responsible with spending (Evan Berger would be just the start)
Putting some $ in saving (god forbid) to counteract oil price changes
Consider a hedging strategy with oil/gas
Invest in education and sustainable energy with their energy $ to create an economy that is more than one dimensional

I am not sure we live in a culture anymore that is comfortable with short term pain for collective long term gain, so
I doubt we will ever see this kind of thing. The attitude seems to be let's spend it all ($ and natural resources)
before our kids/grandkids can get their grubby paws on it.

[wilagro]

That "Budget Consultation" by the 6000 Albertans was a farce. Seems to me the conclusions of the process pretty well follow the PC policy line and the consultation by this small number of participants was just window dressing and a PR stunt.

[ASRG]

wilagro....you just have to pick the right ones to consult....like Tom?