Monday, July 23, 2012

The Politics and Finance of Alberta and Alberta Oil.

By 2020 (8 years time) Albertans will have lost $45,138,240,000.00  (Billions) if you continue with the WRP and Conservatives! Speaking to Conservatives; did you sign up for a 45 billion dollar pay out to oil companies while your schools and health care disappear?

We loose on 3 fronts.
1. royalty not collected
2.taxes not collected on income properly due the domestic producers.
3. the loss to our economy as lost disposable incomes suffered by all concerned.

Oil is sold to the parent companies in the US at 75% of the market price.  Shorting the value of the oil crossing the border gives the oil companies an automatic 25% more profit into their accounts  at Alberta Taxpayers expense.   Note also, this is 25% of the earnings we do not collect taxes on as promised by the Cons.  This has been going on for years and in the press throughout.

The Conservatives cannot argue against the fact they are giving taxpayer dollars directly to the oil regime!   These billions going south every day means that oil pays no taxes on them on either side of the border.

Canadian producers have often complained about this huge discount but,  to no avail. 

Our present production is at 307,000 barrels per day. BC and Saskatchewan both sell their oil at Market value,  at a rate of 20% taken on USD .  That means that 61,400 barrels per day of that oil belongs to Alberta taxpayers and we are receiving none; zilch!

Recent figures of 1.037 million barrels per day in conventional oil produced more than triples the figures published here moving them up by 3 time!   That puts the losses to this province up over 8 billion dollars a year    Report on 1 million bbls per day production now.

Valued at 100.00 US per barrel is $6,140,000 USD per day we are being shorted. Extended that is 2.242 Billion dollars per year ripped from Alberta economy!
Alberta Treasury is shorted 448 million dollars in taxes on that amount plus 2.242 billion dollars US in royalty not collected  !  We are presently robbed of more than 2.690  billion dollars a year!

Figures released by the Government to Reuters News Agency indicate an increased output to 512,000 barrels per day by 2020 of which, if we had a decent Government in place, 102,000 barrels would belong to the people of Alberta.   That is Oil is said to be worth 150.00 per barrel at that point in time a very low estimate! 

That is $76,800,000 US dollars per day (5 billion dollars a year!) will be pulled out of the Alberta economy of which  if we continue with   Conservative type Governments!  Alberta will be loosing taxes on that amount being about 15,360,000 dollars US.  

At that time the amount we will be shorted  on royalty not collected and taxes not collect is $5,015,360,000 dollars per year!

Keep in mind here the Alberta Taxpayers have paid for every cent of the building of these plants!  Taxpayers even paid the finance charges!   This is not a huge capital investment by industry as they would have you believe. It is however a major rip of of Alberta's resources! 

In the course of their improvements tar sands companies have built a huge capacity for the generation of electricity surplus  to their needs; available for sale to the US or the  Alberta energy market.  They want Alberta Taxpayers to pay for these lines.  That is the push on power lines.

We are totally exploited in our electrical power.  Every summer without fail the power companies advance our power bills simply sighting "hot weather".  Just as regular California runs out of electrical power and we export to California to meet these summer demands.  Our prices go up, not because of use but to ramp up the prices our companies can charge selling in California. This is all part of the indirect taxation scheme so firmly in place.

The oil industry, way ahead in this rip off, know full well at some point Albertans are going to count  their losses and put in a Government who will look after  the people of Alberta.  They want to have the oil out of this province  before that time and are ramping up production to achieve that goal.  Resist pipelines and other export projects; keep the oil in Alberta until we can change the Government!

The tar sands are estimated to contain 1.7 trillion barrels (270×109 m3) of bitumen in-place, but only 10% of this number was economically recoverable at 2006 technologies and prices.

If the oil companies and Conservatives can rip off that 10% before a government change they are totally happy.   Once that 10% is gone, the price of production ramps up the profit  returns  will drop off supporting an argument finally "we can't afford it"   We have new paid in full plants starting to operate next year.  We will receive nothing from these plants and our contracts read that we are entitled to 25 when the plants are paid.

Here is the mechanics of the Alberta Royalty program.   The total disaster which brings us to this point in time.


The Conservatives are following the plan laid down by Ralph Klein.  They haven't deviated from it at all, regardless of who stands up as premier!   This is why their current tour asking public opinion about health care is worth nothing and will change nothing.

The Wild Rose Party was/is a small right wing group of extremists who caught the Oil Industry eye.  Harper supported them totally throwing his seasoned election types into the WRP as managers during the elections.

The Wild Rose have worked on their extreme positions  for years constantly deluding the people in the LDS church prevalent across southern Alberta.   Their cornerstone  is doing away with the Balance of payments program and they deliberately ignore Alberta's experience with the program.  Their argument is now and always has been "the oil belongs to the oil companies; left wing types are trying to take it away"

Alberta received equalization payments until  1947 and again from 1957 to 1965.  We got our share of the program when we needed it!  It is a Canadian solution so both Harper and the WRP want to end it.
  
Oil and Harper supported them on the net and in finances and  bannered them as the Ugly Sister of Conservative politics. It worked!   We now have a total circus of nutters for an official opposition.

The Alberta Party is still lurking in the background having no policy or platforms saying they will be whatever Albertans want them to be.  Always taking studies and never committing.  They too have the interest of the oil industry and will be left extremists  depending on what is needed to destabilize the vote in Alberta.  As in no time before us, it is imperative the Liberals and the NDP start working together!

Albertans are led to believe  a change in Government will  damage their employment  and careers.  Nothing could be further from the truth!  With the additional hundreds of billions of dollars in our economy the employment  would be better with far more choices having a massive support for education.

I will cover that in a new post. Cut and paste link into your browser:
http://albertathedetails.blogspot.com/2012/08/alberta-putting-aside-fear-what-do-we.html


Saturday, June 16, 2012

BC looking forward to Private Power, Alberta Style - Again.

Alberta was mostly developed when the Cons decided to privatize it through a very complex set up.
To get control of all the power lines,Ralph Klein took them over from communities with the reason of distributing money for computer labs in schools. As it was, towns that collected revenue from power lines had more revenue to work with than those who did not.

Once they had control, they passed a bill separating the power generators from the Power Line owners. Individuals owning the power lines could select to buy power from the generators. This little move towards privatization cost Alberta Taxpayers some 7 billion dollars at the time.

The power generation was registered with the Provincial Government who in turn sold Power Purchase Options (PPAs) to individuals.

At the time natural gas was horribly expensive so power sales from natural gas generation were low. Not sold they were picked up by LIFco.,and insurance company, and the parent company of General Life who Mazankowski was president of.

Now, with gas low and more gas generation coming on board, these same options would be worth a great deal of money all ripped directly from the Taxpayers of this province.

Another example was the owners of Alberta News Print company buying PPAs from the generator who supplied their plant with electricity.  This creates a situation where high priced electricity puts coin in the owners pockets while the plant takes a hit. Curious eh?

Other power (PPA) was sold to Edmonton and Calgary known as EPCOR and ENMAX. The so called market created allows these to cities (arms length from the boards of course) to charge pretty much what ever they want for the electricity. It is called Indirect Taxation.

The Federal Liberals were hounded to make a National Energy Policy encompassing control of Electricity.  Even ATCO lobbied for it.  The Conservatives rejected it totally until they have a Conservative Majority in place across the country and can push forward their Conservative Agenda.

Keep in mind, the trust is for getting more money for exported power and opening more export markets.
The thing to consider, do you want this in the hands of private industry which may or may not have an office in BC? Or, would you rather have it stay in the ownership of the province and collect the profits and expenses directly into provincial coffers?
In Alberta, Klein put in the rule all power lines would be paid equally by all citizens in the province. (Remember funding schools)
Now, it has progressed so the business base in Alberta and the citizens in the province pay for power lines built into the Tar Sands for the purpose of Exporting power to California via Montana.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Mulclair 100% correct; where are the Liberals?

Mulcair is 100% correct!  Artificially inflated is an understatement not an exaggeration!  We collect nothing for royalty while we pay for their transmission lines, roads and water! 

Recently Redford announced still another billion of taxpayer dollars is going into the cleanup of the tar sands; oil pays nothing.  This brought a ho hum from the Alberta public!.

And what about the plan to use pensions to finance a toll road (highway63)  into Fort Mc Murray?  Are you going to wait for 20 years to find out your pension fund was poorly invested so your returns are not what they expected?

As I said throughout the past election we cannot afford any more of this prosperity!

Because of this, profits are certainly higher than they should be for the industry while the province remains operating on broke; stealing pensions to make up the short fall.  

As far as the disregard for the environment; totally correct.  The policy has been and remains "If you can't see it; it doesn't exist so, don't worry about it"  When satellite pictures showed up Mildred lake like they did, this view changed somewhat not because of policy changes but because of what could be seen!

Rig water trucks still operate with impunity in recreation lakes around the province.

The 5 western premiers are the founding members of the PNWER GROUP http://albertathedetails.blogspot.com/2010/12/canada-is-under-seige-from-within.html

This group will have orchestrated their response to Mulclair.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Mulcair lays the facts bare; Where are the Liberals?

Mulcair is 100% correct!  Artificially inflated is an understatement not an exaggeration!  We collect nothing for royalty while we pay for their transmission lines, roads and water! 

Recently Redford announced still another billion of taxpayer dollars is going into the cleanup of the tar sands; oil pays nothing.  This brought a ho hum from the Alberta public!.

And what about the plan to use pensions to finance a toll road (highway63)  into Fort McMurray?  Are you going to wait for 20 years to find out your pension fund was poorly invested so your returns are not what they expected?

As I said throughout the past election we cannot afford any more of this prosperity!

Because of this, profits are certainly higher than they should be for the industry while the province remains operating on broke; stealing pensions to make up the short fall.  

As far as the disregard for the environment; totally correct.  The policy has been and remains "If you can't see it; it doesn't exist so, don't worry about it"  When satellite pictures showed up Mildred lake like they did, this view changed somewhat not because of policy changes but because of what could be seen!

Rig water trucks still operate with impunity in recreation lakes around the province.

The 5 western premiers are the founding members of the PNWER GROUP http://albertathedetails.blogspot.com/2010/12/canada-is-under-seige-from-within.html

This group will have orchestrated their response to Mulclair.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Conservative Election Plans Solid!

The Conservatives have struck on a new plan to ensure they are elected over the next dozen years or more!

The Conservative Financiers dumped large cash into the almost invisible Wild Rose Party to put up a second party of their choosing and control on the voting agenda.  Either vote Conservatives or for their Ugly Sister, the Wild Rose Party.

They hope for a close contest and they don't really care which one wins. Vote Strategically to beat one or the other will be the call, time and again!

This is in Line with Harper's majority win. At the 11th hour they came up with "THE NDP WILL BE YOUR NEXT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: VOTE STRATEGICALLY!

A minority Government in any province or Federal would derail Harper's dreams of empire!
It proves to be working!

What we need to overcome this great piece of logistical planning is for the NDP and the Liberals to make a new party. In levity I suggest "The Northern Democratic Party" it may be enough for that Turkey Brian Mason to think of someone other than himself.

If we can do this in the next two years, Vote Strategically will do away with the Conservatives.

If we can't; I fear we will in for reruns of the past two elections.

We have the Alberta Party in the wings; little hoopla and less about what they stand for. Left or right depending on what is needed to kick in the Strategic vote.

A change of Government or a Minority Government would put hundreds of billions of dollars back into the Alberta Treasury and industry would go onward unimpeded.

More than two-thirds of all oil-sands production in Canada is owned by foreign entities, sending a majority of the industry's profits out of the country.  There are more Americans working in Alberta's oil industry than there are Canadians!   Why would you not want to change these numbers?








Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Alberta Liberals; a profile in courage.

“If by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead
and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone
who cares about the welfare of the people-their health, their housing, their
schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties-someone who
believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our
policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal", then I'm
proud to say I'm a "Liberal.”
John F. Kennedy, http://www.goodreads.com/work/...

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Alberta Election 2012 - 11th hour.

Alberta is the pinnacle of Harper's  and the US Republicans rush to Empire!  Harper and the 5 western premiers have made a club in the USA to keep away from prying eyes http://albertathedetails.blogspot.com/2010/12/canada-is-under-seige-from-within.html

Forever backed by the Fraser Institute, a Right Wing "think tank" that has more US Republican members than Canadians of whom Harper was their poster boy prior to his first term in office, they feel the fix is in.

On a startling recovery in Alberta, the Alberta Liberals, themselves right wing have changed the political landscape showing Albertans a list of actual wins against the Conservatives years of cuts and moral disasters all warped out of shape  in the name of private industry.

Raj Sherman, a physician and surgeon in Alberta has thrown down the gauntlet to the cult following the Conservatives have built up through years of tailored lies and misdirection’s.

He states they will do away with the Alberta Medial Authority which grew out of the Capital Health Authority, a US company better suited to managing HMOs. 

The Authority is the cornerstone of privatization and installing a US health care system in Alberta.  This same Authority owns outright the hospitals and all the equipment in and associated with Health care in Alberta.

They can sell outright, for any price they choose to any person or parties they choose without public disclosure and without checking with the Legislature.  The latter in place to present an Arm's Length scenario for the politicians which we know is simply not true.

If Alberta steps up to the plate and chooses to protect their kids futures and salvage something of their inheritance by voting in the Alberta Liberals, it will put the kill on Health Care change in Canada in the foreseeable future and totally dismantle Harper's dreams of empire.

Whether or not Alberta people can overcome the ongoing lies of the past and the present and do something for their families and their province remains to be seen.

If the do put in a Liberal Government for just 1 session the people of this province would not allow another conservative government in, in our lifetime!

The Conservatives and Wild Rose are in total agreement and on side with the Oil Companies in their move that put more Illegal Americans working in Alberta than Albertans!  It was compounded by  the Lawyers in Edmonton who explained they had not tried to hire Albertans.

They have froze University  funding at 1986 levels forcing up tuition.  Dr. Sherman says he will eliminate or reduce tuition in this province to make university available to anyone who has the marks!

This is a stark difference from the Conservative who cut support for University at the high school level forcing 2 generations of kids into trade schools while hiring our degrees from across the ocean.  This is simply wrong!

That is neither the WRP or Cons plan to change anything!

Health Care Index


Apr 16, 2012
Canada Health Care very inexpensive when compared . .... This health authority can sell any hospital or equity in their control for any amount of money without checking with the legislature or getting further approval! This is ...
Aug 05, 2011
The Canadian health-care system may be plagued by countless stories of lengthy wait times and crowded emergency rooms, but a new study shows the amount of time and money spent on administrative duties is a fraction of ...
Feb 12, 2006
HEALTHCARE The myth of un-sustainable and the Premier's privatization agenda: The un-sustainability myth began early in the 1970s when a group of people recognized the baby boom of the 50s was going to cause an ...
Apr 19, 2011
Iggy said he would Convene a First Ministers meet within 60 days of being elected. The First Ministers is ruled by the 5 western and territorial leaders all Conservative. I say no First Ministers meet until after provincial elections!


Apr 08, 2011
Conservatives are saying our health care is going to hell in a basket; Canadian Republicans working to install a multi payer system in Canada; the same system that is bankrupting the US! The US the republicans are trying to ...
May 06, 2006
This is an American Article by Americans! May 5, 2006 Op-Ed Columnist Our Sick Society By PAUL KRUGMAN Is being an American bad for your health? That's the apparent implication of a study just published in The Journal ...
Oct 08, 2008
Canada Health Care very inexpensive when compared ... July (1) ... Canada Health Care- What are Legitimate Costs? Health Care Platform by Conservatives is a lie! ... Alberta Health Care Less expensive than the US ver.
Sep 10, 2009
Canada Health Care very inexpensive when compared ... July (1) ... Canada Health Care- What are Legitimate Costs? Health Care Platform by Conservatives is a lie! ... Alberta Health Care Less expensive than the US ver.


Apr 08, 2011
Conservatives are saying our health care is going to hell in a basket; Canadian Republicans working to install a multi payer system in Canada; the same system that is bankrupting the US! The US the republicans are trying to ...
May 06, 2006
This is an American Article by Americans! May 5, 2006 Op-Ed Columnist Our Sick Society By PAUL KRUGMAN Is being an American bad for your health? That's the apparent implication of a study just published in The Journal ...
Oct 08, 2008
Canada Health Care very inexpensive when compared ... July (1) ... Canada Health Care- What are Legitimate Costs? Health Care Platform by Conservatives is a lie! ... Alberta Health Care Less expensive than the US ver.
Sep 10, 2009
Canada Health Care very inexpensive when compared ... July (1) ... Canada Health Care- What are Legitimate Costs? Health Care Platform by Conservatives is a lie! ... Alberta Health Care Less expensive than the US ver.



Jul 07, 2009
The Alberta Gazette leaves the notation "more changes- new document to be produced shortly)" This is really bad for Albertans. When will you see Conservative for what it is and vote otherwise? Contract or self-insurance plan ...
Nov 13, 2008
Canada Health Care very inexpensive when compared ... July (1) ... Canada Health Care- What are Legitimate Costs? Health Care Platform by Conservatives is a lie! ... Alberta Health Care Less expensive than the US ver.
Oct 01, 2006
Canada Health Care very inexpensive when compared ... July (1) ... Canada Health Care- What are Legitimate Costs? Health Care Platform by Conservatives is a lie! ... Alberta Health Care Less expensive than the US ver.
Apr 13, 2007
Canada Health Care very inexpensive when compared ... July (1) ... Canada Health Care- What are Legitimate Costs? Health Care Platform by Conservatives is a lie! ... Alberta Health Care Less expensive than the US ver.


Dec 19, 2010
Recent changes to the Health Authority did more than moving the Health Care from Capital Health to the more aggressive Regional Health Authorities! When this transition was done, the title for the hospitals moved away from ...
Nov 18, 2010
Privatized COD type Health Care has long been the holy grail of the Conservative Party. They are dug in to put Alberta on a US system, like it or not. And, the Alberta Conservatives are no exception; they consider themselves ...
Dec 03, 2010
Dr. Terri Jackson, a professor in the University of Alberta's faculty of medicine and dentistry who has a doctoral degree in health policy writes in her extensive letter, how conservative governments around the world “break trust ...
Dec 22, 2010
We can readily see that the U.S. has worse life expectancy, infant mortality rates, and obesity rates that Canada, yet pays more for these relatively poorer outcomes. Canada is clearly better…right? Posted by John at 1:28 PM ...



Mar 10, 2006
The Minister has managed to give me a cut and paste of her news release but even so, it is something to dwell on. Still no details means they don't know what they can get away with. Light up their emails and phones! Mr. John ...
May 25, 2010
Llano wrote: Networc Health = Health Resource Centre was deadheaded by Doc Stephen Miller who used to be head of orthopedic sugary at the FootHills Hospital. Dr Stephen Miller owned Columbia Health which was the ...
Nov 08, 2006
Hello, The following column, by Parkland Research Director Diana Gibson, was written in response to an article written last week by Preston Manning and Mark Milke advocating private health insurance. Diana's column ...
Oct 12, 2009
Alberta's health system is governed by a complex web of legislation, regulation and contractual agreements. Some of our legislation dates back to the early 1900s and has become a barrier to improved care and innovation.


Nov 05, 2007
In answer to enquiries regarding health care privatization: Yes, the health regions are private companies and run like private companies. You will find the Minister of Health will avoid entering into any conversation regarding a ...
Dec 14, 2006
December 14, 2006. Conservatives Remain Silent on Wait Time Guarantee OTTAWA – The minority Conservative Government has shown no leadership on the issue of a national wait times guarantee, and no intention to ...
Jul 06, 2009
Alberta is setting the stage to introduce health coverage cuts , Alberta has artificially increased the health care costs of Alberta Health by building multi million dollar hospitals that remain vacant and by flipping the name of the ...
Mar 18, 2010
Dear Gene, Premier Stelmach, and Members of the Legislative Assembly, As a tax payer and a voter I wish to address Health Care Issues, have some questions I would like answered, some information and some opinions on ...



Feb 12, 2006
This exert from the Alberta Gazette outlines the changes made to the Alberta Health Care Act. This change is dramatic and was done in the Conservatives usual back handed; back room rules agenda. The necessary papers ...
Sep 01, 2009
Alberta Conservatives have declared their intention to change the Canada Health Act in order to de-list health services. Meanwhile they have legislation in place to allow US Health Care Companies to sell insurance in Alberta ...
Feb 16, 2006
The Conservative health privatization is in deep trouble. The public are now aware! Who would have guessed Harper would be champion of the "soft sell" with BS like the limited use like up grading hip replacement and ...
Dec 21, 2008
When Mr. Liepert cut the universal drug coverage for seniors he said “Money is not the object”. It is true; Alberta's money has never been the object of concern for this Government! They are driven wholly and totally by a narrow ...

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Alberta Election 2012 - What costs?

I'm very sure we cannot afford to vote for either the PCs or the WRP!

Eastern press is warming  up water exports.  Their papers are floating  the idea we will pay 1000.00 per month for our water use!    Raj and the Liberals say they will pull the water allotments back into the provincial ownership. 

For the past 10 years the Cons (some of them now in WR flock) have given oil companies twice and three times the water allotments they asked for.  Now,those same companies are selling the excess back to communities the most recent being a 1 million dollar purchase by the town so they could have drinking water!

The Cons are pushing a NAFTA agreement on bulk water export. Under NAFTA rules we cannot charge the Americans more for water than we pay ourselves. So, up go the prices!  Under cons or WRP the profits end up in insider hands while the bills for the pipeline come to the taxpayers.

Not so well known however is NAFTA does not concern it's self with regional anomalies!  That is Alberta as a region does not have to increase water prices! If one industry took advantage over a US counter part NAFTA would be involved.

We are paying the highest electricity charges in Canada and the system is set so the Government can put up export lines into the tar sands at taxpayer expense.  Another hundred or so dollars a month out of your pocket.

Because they made a public display of stopping power line builds doesn't mean for a minuet they are not going to build them.  I am very sure they are!  They want a US market!

Our power-lines and generation was the Alberta Advantage; now it is gone!  Companies left Alberta for Ontario and Minnesota. Gone!

Raj and the Liberals say they will cap electricity charges!  This will allow you to work on a budget in your home; keep your lights on while opening the door to new business which both the WRP and Cons are against as it gives oil competition for the labor market.  As it is now oil and the Conservatives and WRP can run a 8% unemployed figure to discourage labor unrest.  Strike breaking its called. Of interest Lennon called capitalism Corporate Communism and it couldn't operate unless it had 10% unemployment.  His numbers are off but the idea remains true.     You cannot afford any more WRP/Cons good deals!

Redford and Smith are both talking building new clinics; a news grabber on something that means nothing to us. Whether it is 30 or 150 clinics, there are no physicians to staff them!  This is reminiscent of Lougheed elections where he pumped out prototypical hospitals every election, some of which never opened and caused remote people to take salary cuts because they were not considered isolated as they had a non functioning  hospital in their community.

It does however work for the Republican agenda!  Spend millions of taxpayer dollars on Clinics, sell the clinics to US health corporations for a hundred dollars who in turn will staff them, once a month for half a day.

The Health Authority can sell those clinics for any amount they want and they do not have to explain to anyone nor make a public disclosure!  This is what they do!

Raj and the Alberta Liberals will dismantle the Health Authority and go back to the local board system!  This puts the kill on private health care in Alberta and in Canada!

While you are budgeting your home,  set aside another 3000.00 a year for a private school in your neighborhood.  The Cons continue to build 3P financed schools that are too small for their neighborhood.  This means they will be overfilled in short order and families will be encouraged towards private schools for relief at many times the price for  public schooling.

3P financing means the title can be moved from one party to the next like any house that is financed.   Perhaps, depending on your luck you will have to move your kid to another school or trailer as the one they have been going to is now a private school.

Our kids that make it to university are doomed to debt that is near crippling between book costs and tuition.  We are paying the highest in Canada.  This is because the Cons/WRP want your kids in trade schools which are among the lowest priced in Canada!

It is very plain that neither of these parties want your kids to go to University!  Better they bask in the Ignorance of Danielle Smith who obviously finds comfort in Stockwell Day council.

Chances are very good you will not have the 6,000 to 10,000 dollars you need to put your kids into University for their first year!

Raj and the Alberta Liberals will work to reduce tuition or possibly even remove tuition making a secondary education a real possibility for every Albertan.

We cannot afford still another PC or WRP Government!


Sunday, April 15, 2012

Alberta Election 2012

If Alberta chooses a Liberal Government this time around it will completely derail Harper's dreams of empire and chances are we can get back to normal politics rather quickly.

Tar sands projects are nearly paid for.  We are entitled to 25% royalty.  If  we vote in the WRP or Cons we will see no part of that royalty! Both parties are funded by oil and oil doesn't care which one wins.

Here are the remarkable Liberal platform effects if we put them in. 
On the Environment:
A proper, honest evaluation of the political worth of an environmental fight in the middle of an election is a lost cause!  While saying this (more or less) they quickly acknowledge we must do something meaningful or risk losing our industry!
That is as honest and pragmatic view as I have seen in the election comments!

On Capping Electrical Rates Charged:
Sherman says he will cap electrical rates charged!  When our utilities were turned over to the cities, Electricity in particular, it was the start of indirect taxation by this Government  . This is the one single thing that killed Alberta's attempts to diversify industry! 

In hind sight would say it was part of the plan to channel workers into the oil industry away from other opportunities which falls in line with their education butchery of the same time.

Our electrical resource was the cornerstone of Alberta's success, the so called "Alberta Advantage" When it was turned into an alternate tax source for cities, (Indirect Taxation) other industries left Alberta in droves! Most to Ontario but some to Minnesota. Gone!
A stable priced system would court new industry!

Do away with Health Authorities and go back to Regional Boards.
Raj moving away from that monstrosity the Health Authority is an exciting concept and very meaningful!

This health authority can sell any hospital or equity in their control for any amount of money  without checking with the legislature or getting further approval!  This is the cornerstone to the Conservative/WRP privatization goal!  Redford's promise for 130 clinics is hollow; built with taxpayer money they will be handed off to private industry at pennies on the dollar of value.  Likewise, new hospitals built.  This is exactly what they have done in the past.

We pay this monstrosity more in just severance packages that we paid to all the regional health boards in total. This also serves to drive up healthcare costs to make a so called too expensive program easier to sell.
 and (On the left side of the page search "Health Care" for some interesting reading)
The point is the Health Authorities own outright the hospitals. And, they were owned by the hospital boards prior to this.

The door is open, the stage is set to sell off our hospitals to private industry for any price they choose. They answer to no one!

If you vote in either the WRP or the Cons you are putting yourself on a very slippery slope! Both parties and the Federal Conservatives are all hooked solidly to the US Republican Party here:
and with the Fraser Institute (Harper was their poster boy) who have more American Republican Members than Canadian.

Add to this the WRP ongoing support for the Alberta Firewall and all the existing  legislation which is all written with the condition the Government cannot beheld responsible for anything and we have a real mess!

Albertans stuck on Conservative or WRP have no grasp of the danger they are putting their families in! You cannot keep voting WRP/conservative time and again and expect different outcomes than what we have.

Things are not good in Alberta! We are in crisis!

I continue to support the Liberal party; for very good reason!

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Albert Public School System is on the Ropes!

The Conservatives have been moving towards a Private School system for the last decade.   The Wild Rose say today they will do away with school fees!  Indeed; the public system will be gone!  Both the Wild Rose and Conservative parties are advocating big cuts to expense, all coming out of your pockets by direct payment or by adding to the payroll costs.  As in everything, both parties are on the same page.

Over the past decade the Conservatives have trained Albertans by having them direct their school taxes to a school of their choice.  As in a Private School System if you changed your mind, the money stayed with the first school of your choice.  Now, Albertans think this is just the way it’s done!

The Conservatives continue to build schools on the P3 plans.  This makes them private properties which can be bought and sold at will. These same schools are routinely built too small.  At some point very soon parents will have to make choices on where to send their kids or should they stay in the overcrowded school.  You will be very surprised and feel lucky when a new, private school opens near you.

A broader easier routine was legislated to start private schools and a curriculum that could be changed by those same schools. “What is the drawback?” you may ask.

Private schools have the option of cherry picking students as well as excluding those who do not meet their self determined bench marks.  This allows them to score higher on achievement tests and then propaganda think tanks can then falsely claim that private schools are better, more efficient etc.

This serves to gut the public system that accepts all students but the increasing proportion of the remaining students do not have the same opportunities in many cases as those in private and religious schools.  That way poor schools can get punished and claims can be made that teachers are in it for themselves, that that is the fault of their strong unions.

Drive past the Webber Academy and have a browse at their palatial grounds, gates and all.  Go to their website and look at the prices they charge, strict admission but they still collect 70% of the money of public schools.  That 70% garnish could be used to provide support services to special needs students and to students and their family who are in crisis for whatever reason.

In the view of one experienced teacher:  In my teaching experiences, there was no support for families in crisis when 10 year olds brought vodka coolers in their water bottles or  when 10 year old girls were picked up for hooking in their communities.

The argument is that these schools are giving parents choices, and isn't it a great province??? 

All schools are not equal yet the financing model is equal.  Social programs have been gutted and the tough on crime agenda proponents are waiting in the tall grasses to get aroused and pounce on many of these disadvantaged kids and haul their sorry butts to jail. 

Then they can get the education that they missed in their youth.  What a system we have!

Private schools cost a great deal more than do public schools thereby reducing the cost of Government.

And if you are still with me, some very disturbing history.
Fifteen years ago the Alberta Conservatives took advise they could not build big business because we were not graduating sufficient degrees.

Acting on this, they frozen University spending at 1986 level where they remain now.  They cut all support for preparing for University Education  at the High School levels.  Senior Matriculation was done away with.

At the same time, they increased funding for trade schools and reduced the entrance marks required to get in.

They chose instead to hire degrees from abroad and commit our kids to labor and blue color like it or not!

By these smooth moves they took away all choice of advanced education from more than a generation of people resulting in our oil industry being staffed at senior levels by foreigners leaving our kids to think "what if"
 

Sunday, April 01, 2012

Wile Rose Party Rare Photo Opp.





Above is a rare photo.  The Wild Rose Party and Conservatives demonstrating their party policy with the White Dog while the shy Black/white dog represents the Province of Alberta.

She is surrounded by Rlaph  Klein drop outs, Rick Orman who is still a Oil Company lobbyist and don't forget Harper's boy Tom Flanagan and Preston's boy Cliff Fryers.

Certainly there can be no doubt on their policies or what they have in mind for this Province!
   

Water Exports - Peace River - Weatherford Project.

The Conservative Government has a fully mechanical engineered project sitting on their shelf from the 1980s.  It is as valid today as when it was paid for.

This is the Weatherford project, the design being to move up to 2/3rds of the flow of the Peace River into the USA! 

The project has 8 large electrical lift stations in it, each one using the power of a large city.  This is immense and under this Government's direction will be handled by private industry and paid for by the Alberta Taxpayers.

For those of  you in southern Alberta; the St. Mary's system and involved in the Western Irrigation District; Did you sign up for this?

Mike Cardinal reworked the Western Irrigation board while he was selling off Crown Grazing Lands on the East Slope of the Rockies to the Agra Food Industry.  Rules of water ownership run First in Line, First in Time and these properties are where all of our ground water used for drinking originates!

http://albertathedetails.blogspot.ca/2012/03/alberta-water-privatization-index.html

This was a huge change to the board and restricted voting rights to those people only with property on the St Marys shore.
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