Your Voice for Edmonton Mill Woods

New Blog, New Party

2010-02-21T20:17:00.000-08:00

I officially left the Wildrose Alliance Party back on August 28, 2009 when I notified the WAP that I cancelled my membership. For some reason WAP refuses to remove me from their membership list as I still get calls to come out and help build a constituency association for them.

I became interim leader of the Alberta Party on August 29, 2009 and was succeeded by Edwin Erickson on January 6, 2010. I am currently the Edmonton Regional Director for the Alberta Party. I am currently building constituency associations for the Edmonton Region and if you wish to help please contact me or the Alberta Party.

You can visit the new Big Listen event that Alberta Party has at www.albertaparty.ca. You can follow me on my new blog at www.robs-two-bits.blogspot.com.

Thank You

2008-03-03T22:11:00.000-08:00

It has been a fun campaign and it was a wonderful experience.

I just want to thank all those who support me and the Wildrose Alliance and all those who took the time to contact me.

The election is over but a new day starts tomorrow. Our Party was only a few weeks old when the election was called and we did surprisingly well compared to the established parties. Over the next few years the Wildrose Alliance Party will continue to grow with the support Albertans who want a transparent, responsible and representative government.

I am planning a Regional meeting here in Edmonton in about two weeks. If you are interested please contact me so I can send you information. I will be posting details of the meeting later this week.

Looking Back

2008-03-02T21:50:00.000-08:00

It has been an exciting few weeks. I have met many people and I have learned the issues that concern the constituents of Edmonton Mill Woods.

Tomorrow, I am spending time with my family and relaxing after a long four weeks. When the polls close I will be with my wife, children and fellow candidates at the campaign office.

Please vote, as this is your chance to be heard.

Thank you.

The Rally

2008-02-27T22:37:00.001-08:00

Today was a big day for the Wildrose Alliance Party here in Edmonton. A strong showing came out in support of our new Party. Global TV and the Edmonton Journal came out and covered the event. Even yours truly was on Global TV tonight being interviewed.

I like to thank everyone who came out to this event. I would like to thank my wife and fellow candidate Krista Leddy for organizing this rally. I spoke with many people and a strong message I got was they are liking what they are seeing what our Party has to offer.

Our Party is looking for new ways to get the message out. Some candidates in our Party decided to make new campaign signs out of old campaign signs, candidate John Baloun has the most creative campaign sign on his van and new energy from candidates like Brian Dell.

The Rant from Breakfast Television

2008-02-27T22:13:00.000-08:00

This morning Edmonton Mill Woods candidates had the opportunity to deliver a 1 minute message to their constituents on Breakfast Television on CityTV.

Like my campaign I decided to something very different and unexpected. I knew that most of the candidates would go up and tell why everyone should vote for them. I on the other hand decided to get people out to vote by ranting.

Here is my rant as best I can remember:

It is time to stand up Alberta.

It is time for action.

Our provincial government has failed us.

The opposition parties has failed us.

I know what it is like to wait six hours in an emergency waiting room just to see a doctor.

My children attend a public school and I know first hand how stretched school resources are, how over crowded classrooms are and how overworked our teachers are.

Our provincial government has no plan.

Our provincial opposition parties are more interested political grandstanding and photo-ops.

On March 3rd I implore you to stand up and vote.

Be heard because if you don't stand for somethin, then you will fall for anything.

Thank-you.

Ed Stelmach is getting Desperate

2008-02-27T16:51:00.000-08:00

Just heard on 630 CHED News that Ed Stelmach is telling Albertans that a vote for the Wildrose Alliance is a vote for the Liberals.

Funny, last night Brad Smith of the Alberta Liberal Party said that a vote for the Wildrose Alliance and the Green Party was basically the same as spoiling your ballot.

I am tired of political parties telling me who I should vote for. I am tired of the scare tactics, mud slinging and the down right arrogance that the Liberals and PC's are using. We are all grown ups and we are all capable of making a decision on our own. All I ask from any voter is that they vote.

Big Wildrose Alliance Rally Tonight

2008-02-27T16:47:00.000-08:00

We're having a rally, and we want you to come!

Wednesday, February 27 beginning at 7pm

#106A, 2603 Hewes Way
(in the mirrored professional building east of Mill Woods Transit Center)

Meet the candidates! Discuss the issues! Tell us what you want from your MLA!

The Big Push before the Election

2008-02-25T21:25:00.001-08:00

With the election just around the corner Krista and I are pulling all the stops.

Our Campaign Mobile with TURBO BOOST.

Me using my ability to stick to walls to clean old campaign signs easier.

New larger than life campaign signs.

New Campaign Office that makes all this possible.

We're having a rally, and we want you to come!

Wednesday, February 27 beginning at 7pm

#106A, 2603 Hewes Way
(in the mirrored professional building east of Mill Woods Transit Center)

Meet the candidates! Discuss the issues! Tell us what you want from your MLA!

Campaign Trail Update

2008-02-23T07:39:00.001-08:00

Both Krista and I will be at our new campaign workshop today. We will be making campaign signs and getting the place ready for a Wildrose Alliance Rally for February 27th, more details to come very soon.

If you want to stop by to visit please do.

So if you want to help out today, we'll be at #106A, 2603 Hewes Way. The office is in the back of the building.

Leaders Debate

2008-02-21T21:27:00.001-08:00

(Picture From CBC)

What a busy day.

First, my wife Krista Leddy and I had to wake the family up early this morning to go to CityTV. Krista was one of six candidates of Edmonton Ellerslie who were featured on Breakfast Television. I think she was the best speaker of the group.

Second, My wife and I tried our best to run a campaign while still maintaining our normal lives. I had to go to work and she has to take the kids to school, feed the dog, run errands, meet campaign staff, do lunchroom supervision, feed the dog, get groceries and get me from work so we can go to the leaders debate at CBC studio. I just like that stay at home parents should be paid as it is a lot of work to keep a household running.

Lastly, take the whole family to the CBC studio and watch the leaders debate for ninety minutes. Hardest part was keeping the kids entertained during that time.

The debate was OK and I think Paul Hinman did an excellent job as well as Brian Mason. Kevin Taft and Ed Stelmach I felt were the worst. Brian Mason came out swinging but Kevin Taft was forcing that "I am a caring leader" look a little too hard. Ed Stelmach would like you to think he just got elected 14 months ago and he is cleaning up someone else's mess but in fact was part of the problem as a Klein cabinet minister. Paul Hinman was too stiff in the beginning but settled into the debate after the first segment.

The most fun of the debate was being part of the audience at the CBC studio. I sat with the Green Party of Alberta, who were a great bunch of people, who made some good points of how all four leaders did not address the issue of our environment well enough.

My overall impression tonight is that the Liberals do not make a good opposition, the NDP plan would bankrupt the province without solving our current issues, the PC's are using the old fear tactic to scare voters into believing the economic boom would end and jobs would be lost without proving any of the statistics they have. As for the Wildrose Alliance Party we stood out on the principle that we want to give the people of Alberta the right to choose for themselves.

I created another survey to see which leader your thought did the best in tonight's leaders debate.

Growing Support

2008-02-20T20:34:00.001-08:00

I am surprised at the grassroots support that I am finding in both Edmonton Mill Woods and Edmonton Ellerslie. My phone has not stopped ringing, lots of emails coming in and lots of people wanting to help out. I now have a sign crew who will go out to put a sign on a lawn should anyone want one (hint hint) and I even have volunteers who want to come door knocking with me.

When I started this campaign it was just me and my family and now it is much bigger thanks to everyone who stepped up to help. I could not have gotten this far without you.

Campaign Trail News.

Tomorrow morning at 7:10am on Breakfast Television on CityTV, my wife Krista Leddy will participate in an all candidates forum for Edmonton Ellerslie. I will be on Breakfast Television on February 27th at 7:10am.

The Edmonton Examiner this week is featuring the candidates for Edmonton Mill Woods. I just like to say all the articles of the candidates were good and that my last name is "Leddy" not "Ledding."

Happy Family Day

2008-02-18T14:56:00.000-08:00

Today I am taking time off from the campaign trail and spending time with my family. Happy Family Day.

A BIG Thank You

2008-02-18T14:31:00.000-08:00

I just want to thank everyone who took the time to answer the door and signed my nomination papers.

This past week I spent a few hours each day knocking on doors and asking people to sign my nomination papers as required by Alberta Elections. As part of the process to run for MLA I must register myself as a candidate with Alberta Elections and then fill out my nomination papers which includes a $500.00 processing fee, collection of 25 signatures of voters who live in the riding and a nomination endorsement from my party leader.

Today I took my family to the Returning Officer's office to file my papers and to be listed as the first Wildrose Alliance Party candidate for Edmonton Mill Woods.

Now I have to knock on more doors.

New Surveys

2008-02-18T14:08:00.000-08:00

I started an online survey on my blog to see what issues concerned Albertans this election. The issues I listed on my survey were health care, education, oil royalties, crime, democratic reform and other. Top issue was democratic reform along with oil royalties and crime issues coming in a close second.

I added five new surveys this week to look at the issues of democratic reform, oil royalties, provincial police and election signs (I added election signs in as I am tired of running over my competitors campaign sings that blown onto the road).

If you have any questions or concerns please contact me.

Grassroots In Mill Woods/Ellerslie

2008-02-17T20:23:00.000-08:00

Wildrose taps party's grassroots

Small, committed group of volunteers shoulders most of the work

Archie McLean, The Edmonton Journal

Published: 4:01 am

EDMONTON - The busiest living room in Edmonton might be Robert and Krista Leddy's in Mill Woods.

In addition to housing their three kids, one dog and six birds, it's also the makeshift campaign office for their two Wildrose Alliance Party campaigns.

"Let's just say the living room looks well lived in," said Krista, running in Edmonton-Ellerslie.

Despite the momentum generated from their founding merger last month, the Wildrose Alliance campaign has started slowly in the capital region. The party has few signs, small budgets and a tiny but committed group of volunteers.

Leader Paul Hinman has no plans to visit the city until Wednesday. Still, he and local candidates like the Leddys are optimistic about their chances in the March 3 election.

"The people we're meeting are very excited," Hinman said. "Their biggest concern is that we need to get the message out, they're not hearing it."

Hinman insists he is not snubbing the region by arriving so late in the campaign, it's just that he can't be everywhere at once.

"It's just a matter of logistics," he said. "We're just stretched thin, trying to do the best we can. You can only do so much, and I've got to work my riding as well -- nothing's a cake walk for us."

Indeed, Hinman won his seat in 2004 by several hundred votes and the Conservatives badly want to win it back.

Krista Leddy said she's not concerned at all about Hinman's absence.

"We're grassroots," said Leddy, whose husband is running in Edmonton-Mill Woods. "We're not based around our leader. We're based around candidates representing Albertans. We're representing our ridings."

Chaldeans Mensah, a political science professor at Grant MacEwan College, said the Wildrose performance so far in Edmonton has been disappointing.

"They seem to be focused more on southern Alberta and Calgary," Mensah said. "I think the party is limiting its political area and its political outreach."

Mensah said the party's policies -- particularly their call for status quo on royalties, a provincial police force and Alberta pensions -- doesn't match well with most voters.

"Their message is pretty much restricted to a very narrow section of the population," Mensah said.

The party polls at about five per cent provincewide, somewhat less in Edmonton. But candidates here believe their message of change and fiscal responsibility is cutting through the clutter of the campaign.

The Leddys' homemade signs are actually recycled from last election -- an environmental choice.

Robert Guylan, the Wildrose candidate in Edmonton-Meadowlark, is skipping signs altogether. He thinks they only yield superficial votes, which he's not interested in. Instead, he's talking to voters one on one.

"My volunteers are my voters," he said.

Guylan hopes a word-of-mouth campaign will propel him into the legislature.

Krista Leddy, up against two strong candidates in Liberal Bharat Agnihotri and Conservative Naresh Bardwaj, is realistic about her chances in Edmonton-Ellerslie.

Her goal, she says, is to show that voters are tired of the status quo.

"I would love to take a big chunk of the vote -- enough to show that, 'Hey, people want something different.' "

amclean@thejournal.canwest.com

© The Edmonton Journal 2008

Wildrose Alliance Party Platform Announced

2008-02-09T23:07:00.000-08:00

Campaign Kick Off Remarks by
Paul Hinman, Leader Wildrose Alliance Party February 09, 2008

Let me begin by saying thank you to all you who've traveled, from across the province, to brave the cold today.
There is a hunger in this province right now - a longing for something new that we haven't seen in years. And whenever I stop and think about it, I'm reminded of what got me into public service in the first place.
I am reminded of my grandfather the Hon. E. W. Hinman, who served as Provincial Treasurer in the Earnest C. Manning government, he taught me that: even from humble beginnings, if you have a dream, no matter how big – if you put your heart and soul into it – it can come true.

everywhere our team has been - whether it’s Red Deer or Edmonton, Grimshaw or Calgary - we've been welcomed by the same humbling, inspiring crowds we have here today.

In the same period of time Stelmach’s promises have totaled $1.3 billion. Both Stelmach and Taft think that Albertans will fall for the old trick of buying your votes with your money. It won’t work. Albertans can see through that.
For a lot of people, it's the first political event of their lifetime.

I know that it is tough for young people to get ahead in this economy and that is why we need a Wildrose Alliance government to restore confidence with the Alberta people.

And my friends that is exactly what we are going to do.

diners and community halls — they don’t expect government to solve all their problems.
They know they have to work hard to get ahead — and they want to. They expect a government that supports free enterprise, believes in the dignity of working people, and has compassion for those that fall through the cracks.
That’s what the Alberta Advantage is all about.

Ed Stelmach doesn’t get it and because of that we can’t afford the risk of sending him back to the Premiers office.
Twenty three days from now, the men and women of Alberta will cast there ballots – and let their voices be heard – in an election that will set Alberta’s course in the 21st century.

Today, there are too many families without doctors.
Right here in Calgary, a quarter of a million residents do not have a family doctor.
Ed Stelmach doesn’t have what it takes to get the job done for Alberta even his own MLA Arthur Kent in an article today agrees with – we do and we will get results for Albertan families.

Today, we have a government that brought forward a royalty program that cost conventional oil and gas industry 10 - 20,000 jobs late last year. These are the little people folks they aren’t the big fish in down town Calgary … these are the front line workers who are being hurt.

There policies are causing the royalty pie to shrink. This is why we are having an election before the budget was reveled to Albertans. At the rate Stelmach is spending with all his promises there is no way he will be able to balance the budget. It is a bunch of bunk.
Well I have news for you Ed: You cannot hide your lack of leadership and your failed vision behind a bunch of empty promises.
Albertans know better and they won’t fall for it.

The bottom line: The stakes for Alberta’s families – for Alberta’s future – couldn’t be higher. And we simply can’t afford to roll the dice.
Our children can’t afford it - our seniors can’t afford it and Alberta’s working families can’t afford it.
The choices in this election are very clear.

Will we continue down the road we are on for another four years, or will we stand up for the values that we believe in?
Will we give Ed Stelmach back the keys to the Premiers office – so he can continue to move Alberta backward in stead of forward?
In the Alberta the Wildrose Alliance envisions, the answers to these questions are clear.

First, we will reform government and restore accountability
By eliminating waste, duplication and red tape
We will put the power back in the hands of Albertans through meaningful electoral reform including: MLA recall, fixed election dates and citizen initiatives via referendums

We will make government more efficient by holding bureaucracy accountable through mandated annual independent audits; we will trim the size of Cabinet to 12 members and eliminate pork-barrel spending all together.
Leaving more of your hard earned money where it should be: in your pocket
By raising the basic tax exemption to $20,000 this will leave more money in all Albertan pocket but has the greatest effect on lower income families.

We will reduce corporate taxes from 10% to 8%, Albertans will finally have a government that understands what meaningful tax relief is all about. This was part of the PC plan that we bought into last time that they never implemented.
And, for those Albertans who care for their dependents in times of medical crisis or other, we will allow income splitting because in
Alberta we shouldn’t punish families for taking care of one another

industry. We have to have an equitable royalty framework in place to ensure outside investment into our province. To illustrate the impact of the current royalty plan from Mr. Stelmach the mineral lease sales in January this year as oppose to last year are down 200 million dollars. That is in one month, folks. We cannot allow this trend to continue.

We will eliminate Health Care Premiums in our first 30 days in government because we believe enough is enough
We see Alberta as a place where businesses invest because of a well-educated and well-prepared workforce and because they are assured that neither taxes nor regulation will be unreasonable. We pride ourselves in Alberta where handshake deals are still honored.

Thirdly, we will invest in our communities
By establishing stable, reliable, and unconditional municipal funding and allow service delivery at the local and community level wherever possible.

will cover the basic needs of individuals allowing them to retire with dignity.
Finally, we will dramatically improve our health and education systems in this province

We believe all Albertans should have timely and affordable access to healthcare
– that means being able to actually have a doctor in this province.

As part of our universal health care plan, we will implement a pilot program in one of the smaller health regions that will be modeled after funding follow the patients rather than the per capita funding currently in place today. We want healthcare providers to get paid for the services they give to the customers.

By doing this we will give health regions more control over where money is spent, increase accessibility and reduce wait times once and for all then end up leaving our province.

We will also provide significant debt relief to those medical professionals who train in Alberta and commit to practicing for a period of at least five years.

We believe that in order for Alberta to aggressively compete in a 21st century economy – we need to have the best schools and the best education system that is the envy of the world.

We would also implement a pilot project where funding follows the student.
This will result in reduced class sizes, increased funding and give parents a real choice in the schools for which they send their children.

My friends, Ed Stelmach’s days are numbered.

We're going to run a campaign that will move this province forward, not back.
And we're going to talk straight to the Albertan people. We are not going to make empty promises like those of Stelmach, Taft, and Mason.

We will not be buying your votes with your money.

In times of historic challenges, Albertan’s deserve to hear the truth and hear it in plain and simple language.
And in this campaign, we're going to bring people together, in the great tradition of true conservatism because now we need leaders, more than ever before, leaders who will put the interests of all our people first.

Together, we're going to march forward.

Forward with a new vision.

We will do better. And we will do it together.

That's our platform.

We are not promising what we cannot deliver.

We are firm in our intent, we're clear in our purpose; we're mustering the resources, building the nucleus, and drawing the support of people from all across Alberta.

Get ready Alberta, because a new chapter in the proud history of our province is about to begin and you can help make it happen right here right now.

Thank you very much.

An interesting 24 hours.

2008-02-09T10:46:00.000-08:00

Now I know how a 24 year old university student feels like.

Environmentally Friendly Campaign Signs

2008-02-08T23:40:00.000-08:00

Going into this campaign I wanted to be environmentally friendly and not add to the sign pollution that irritates most Albertans.

My wife Krista Leddy, candidate for Edmonton Ellerslie, and I are making our own signs out of old 2004 Alberta Alliance campaign signs at our shared campaign office (our living room).

To reduce sign pollution my wife and I will not be placing of our campaign signs on any public property. All our signs will be on private property for those who requested one.

Due to raising enough funds to pay for our registration and nomination fees to Elections Alberta I will not be handing out any brochures this election. If you want to contact me please e-mail me at robert-leddy@hotmail.com or on my cell 903-0878.

Stelmach's Climate Policy

2008-01-29T13:23:00.000-08:00

Do you ever get the feeling that fear tactics are how politicians try to get what they want? I remember the oil companies threatening to leave Alberta should the energy royalties be increased. I sure we all heard the threat that this would affect Alberta's booming economy should new projects be canceled and jobs lost.

Now our Premier faced with an upcoming election eventually raised energy royalties which we would eventually collect in 2009. Albertans were told by the Premier found a balance that would be acceptable for both Albertans and oil industries.

The Alberta government has neglected to create an effective climate plan to reduce greenhouse gases which are being generated from the oil industries which affect all Canadians. With an election to be called within days the government of Alberta released a climate plan based heavily on carbon-capture technology that will see increases in greenhouse gases for the next 12 years.

Today in the Edmonton Journal Premier Stelmach has now started defending his government's climate plan by advising other premiers that should Alberta impose drastic emissions cuts it would be harmful to both Alberta and the rest of Canada. Should the oil sands shut down it would cause job losses across the nation and no one wants that.

Does this sound familiar?

Below is the article from the Edmonton Journal:

Drastic emissions cuts would hurt nation, Stelmach warns premiers conference
Not a 'beat up Alberta' meeting: Yukon leader
Jason Fekete, Calgary Herald; Canwest News Service
Published: 1:30 am

VANCOUVER - Premier Ed Stelmach went on a climate-change offensive Monday at a premiers meeting in Vancouver, warning provincial leaders and critics of his new greenhouse gas strategy that more aggressive targets would cripple the Canadian economy.

Stelmach stole the show on the first of two days of talks, as the embattled Alberta premier fended off criticism over his government's new climate-change strategy that won't result in absolute greenhouse gas reductions until 2020.

He also was the target of environmental groups that protested outside the conference, and came under fire for leaving the two-day meeting early to return to Alberta.
A protester dressed as a polar bear holds a sign outside the premiers and territorial leaders meeting on Monday.
A protester dressed as a polar bear holds a sign outside the premiers and territorial leaders meeting on Monday.

Stelmach warned that implementing dramatic emissions reductions in Alberta similar to those called for by the Kyoto Protocol and some provinces would have a devastating domino effect across Canada.

"The economy of Canada is dependent, in large part, on the economy in the province of Alberta. So if we were to race everyone and immediately reduce greenhouse gas emissions, that would mean a total shutdown -- a total shutdown -- of the oilsands," Stelmach told the media.

"If that happens, not only will it be significant job losses across the country, it's jobs in the Maritimes, it's contracts in Quebec and in Ontario -- and that is what (premiers) talked about. I'm not saying this in a boastful way, it's fact."

Whether they like it or not, his provincial and territorial colleagues seem to agree with Stelmach's economic assessment and were hesitant to take a shot at Alberta's greenhouse gas targets.

"It has to be a balanced approach towards the growth of the economy," said New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham, the current chairman of group of premiers, known as the Council of the Federation. "This wasn't a meeting that centred around a number of premiers ganging up on other premiers with different points of view."

Yukon Premier Dennis Fentie agreed, noting economic spinoffs from Alberta benefit all of Canada.

"This is a climate-change conference, not a beat-up-Alberta conference," Fentie said. "But this issue is of great concern to northerners."

Nevertheless, a handful of premiers have urged Stelmach to pursue more aggressive short-term targets considering Alberta is Canada's largest greenhouse gas emitter.

Quebec Premier Jean Charest said all provinces must do more to fight climate change, but argued there's inherent obligations that should go with Alberta and Canada being one of the world's great energy superpowers.

"There's a reverse side to that coin," Charest said. "If Canada is one of the world's energy superpowers, then we should also be one of the world's energy efficiency superpowers."

A handful of premiers -- including Newfoundland's Danny Williams and Manitoba's Gary Doer -- said they would prefer to see more aggressive short-term targets from Alberta. Williams said premiers must be careful not to slay the "golden goose" of the Canadian economy, but noted "the Alberta government is going to have to come around" and accelerate its targets.

Stelmach flew into Vancouver on Monday for a day of meetings and jetted back home the same day. He decided against attending today's climate-change forum hosted by B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell. Instead, Environment Minister Rob Renner will represent Alberta at the meeting, which will focus on adapting to climate-change challenges.

Stelmach's climate-change policy, released last week, would allow Alberta's emissions to continue rising until 2020 and strives for emissions reductions of 14 per cent (below 2005 levels) by 2050.

B.C.'s premier -- whose plan calls for emissions to be cut 33 per cent below current levels by 2020 -- said each province will tackle climate change in its own way, but noted some plans will prove more successful than others.

"If we wait for unanimity, we paralyze ourselves into inaction," Campbell said. "You lead by example and others follow."

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty urged the federal government to introduce national climate-change standards for such things as a cap-and-trade program and tailpipe emissions.

© The Edmonton Journal 2008

Fundraiser Gala for Link Byfield

2008-01-27T14:49:00.000-08:00

Make a difference in this election.

Fundraiser Gala for Link Byfield

Link Byfield will run as candidate for the Wildrose Alliance, the new provincial party gaining media attention across Canada.

Come help launch his campaign for a seat in the Alberta Legislature.

Ramada Hotel on Kingsway Ave. and 119 St.
Tuesday, Feb 5, 2008
Reception 6 p.m.
Buffet Supper 7 p.m.
Over by 8:30 p.m.
Price $100

Program

Host: Gordon Wusyk, Predictable Futures Inc.

Welcome address by Paul Hinman, MLA,
Leader of the Wildrose Alliance party

Introduction of the Candidate by Ted Byfield

Speech: "A new and better course for Albertans" by Link Byfield

To participate in this exciting Tuesday evening, please reply to Gail Docksteader at GailDocksteader@ccfd.ca, or call her at 780-960-9382. She'll handle the details.

Look what the media are already saying
about the Wildrose Alliance

Globe and Mail: "The Wildrose Alliance might be the start of Alberta's Next Big Thing. This is a province, after all, that spawned the CCF, United Farmers and Reform."

Calgary Herald: "The name is brilliant. This new party, for one thing, instantly has its name on every licence plate in the province. You can't buy that kind of name recognition."

Financial Post: "Alberta's controversial oil and gas royalty debacle could be Ed Stelmach's Achilles heel in a provincial election expected in March, particularly now that there's a new Conservative alternative in Alberta."

Calgary Sun: "Link Byfield, who would be a senator if the votes of Albertans counted, says the Wildrose Alliance doesn't have to go very far right to be where most Albertans put themselves -- believing ‘in smaller government that doesn't crowd them too much’."

Now on Facebook

2008-01-22T21:47:00.001-08:00

As I get many phone calls from supporters, party officials and from Paul Hinman himself it is apparent that an election is about to be called. At this time I am in party building mode where I am in charge of looking for quality candidates to run in the Edmonton region as well as raise funds.

I took some personal time to create a facebook account. I am still new to facebook but it is fun and somewhat informative as I came across an "I Hate Ed Stelmach" facebook group (which I for the record I am not a part of).

Again the point of my facebook account is to promote the Wildrose Alliance Party, political discussion and to communicate with people. The rules I set out in the facebook are the same this blog.

Wildrose Alliance Party

2008-01-19T19:07:00.000-08:00

It is official. The Wildrose Party and the Alberta Alliance Party has formed into a new a stronger party called the Wildrose Alliance Party. Rob James is our president and Paul Hinman is our leader. We have a lot of work to do and if anyone is interested please contact me. A time for a new tomorrow for Albertans starts now.

Below is an article about the merger from the Canadian Press.

New right-wing Wildrose Alliance Party formed out of two familiar old ones

CALGARY - There's a new face on Alberta's political scene, made up of a couple familiar old ones.

The right-wing Alberta Alliance and Wildrose Parties have agreed to merge into a single entity called the Wildrose Alliance Party.

"The merger has been approved," said newly installed president Rob James after the Saturday meeting.

Paul Hinman, former leader of the Alliance Party and its only sitting MLA, will be the new party's leader.

With an election call from Premier Ed Stelmach's governing Conservatives expected within weeks, with a vote to be held in March, James admits the fledgling party has a lot of work to do. A platform has to be quickly developed and approved by the party membership, James said.

"This is truly a grassroots party."

Candidates have to be found as well, and James admits the party probably won't be able to run a full slate of 83 in the next election.

"I don't know whether that will be the objective," he said. "We recognize we have to have realistic expectations."

James said the Wildrose Alliance will try and carve out space to the right of the governing Tories during the coming election. He said the fact so many Conservative voters didn't turn out during recent byelections suggests that people are looking for someone new to support.

"Those are typically Conservative voters and conservative Albertans who feel they have been disenfranchised," said James, who managed the Tories' southern Alberta campaign in the 2001 provincial election.

About 200 people from across Alberta attended the meeting at a Calgary hotel Saturday.

Ousted Tory candidate Craig Chandler, who won the Calgary Egmont riding late last year only to have his nomination rejected by Premier Ed Stelmach, unsuccessfully attempted to be elected the newly born party's director. Chandler said he will run as an independent in the next election.

In the 2004 election, parties to the right of the Tories garnered about 12 per cent of the popular vote.

The Alberta Alliance party managed to elect Hinman in the southern Alberta riding of Cardston-Taber-Warner.

However, the Alliance came fifth in a byelection last June in the Drumheller riding.

Red Deer Town Hall Meeting January 21st

2008-01-18T22:10:00.000-08:00

Alberta Alliance True Conservative Tour

Paul Hinman listening at Town Hall in Red Deer

Alberta Alliance leader and MLA Paul Hinman, is touring the province so he can talk and learn from Albertans. He is concerned with how the current government only listens to what they want to hear. This inattention is costing jobs and damaging our future. Especially worrying has been the recent attacks by the provincial government on the oil and gas industries. It is estimate that 40% of Alberta economy is directly or indirectly reliant on these resources. The increase royalty rates will hurt everyone in this province.

For this reason, he is hosting a Town Hall Forum at the North Hill Inn in Red Deer at 7:30pm on January 21st. Mr. Hinman will be speaking about importance of returning to the true conservative economics that made Alberta so successful. Duane Mather, President and CEO of the drilling company, Nabors Canada and John A. Murdoch, CEO and Director of Madison Energy will be speaking and fielding questions on issues surrounding the oil and gas industry.

It will also be a historic time for the Alberta Alliance, as two days prior, on January 19; the Alliance is set to merge with the Wildrose party to unite the right in Alberta. The new Wildrose Alliance will be ready to contest seats in the upcoming provincial election.

Hinman and the Alliance want to hear the stories of every Albertan. The best solutions and most successful ideas come from the people on the ground not a few government appointed elites.

For more information

Paul Hinman

Leader, Alberta Alliance

Cell 403-393-2003

Jonathon Iverson

Alliance Opposition

Office 780-427-6598

Other scheduled Town Halls
All times at 7:30 pm

Jan. 23
Fahler
Club Alouette

Jan. 24
Grande Prairie
Quality INN

Jan. 25
Fairview
Dunvegan Motor INN

edstelmach.ca

2008-01-10T20:37:00.000-08:00

When I first heard of "Mr Nice Guy" Ed Stelmach threatening to sue an university student over ownership of a web domain I was shocked. Something such as this could have been simple as negotiating a price for the domain name "edstelmach.ca" and paying it.

When I first got into politics I learned that when an election is about to be called buy the domain for your riding and your name to avoid embarrassing situations like Ed Stemalch now finds himself in. During elections some zealous party supporter may try to link your name to a porn site or something that could show that you and your team were sloppy and disorganized.

In regards to "edstelmach.ca" this was not the case and our Premier could have shown he has a thicker skin and a little more wisdom if he wants another mandate from the people of Alberta.

Below is an article from Graham Thompson of the Edmonton Journal.

Stelmach the bully in this web prank
By calling his lawyer to threaten blogger, premier is getting the wrong kind of publicity
Graham Thomson, The Edmonton Journal
Published: 2:04 am

It is David and Goliath, say observers.

It certainly appears that way at first glance. But look a little closer and it seems more like Abbott and Costello. Or Laurel and Hardy.

The dispute between Premier Ed Stelmach and a financially strapped university student, David Cournoyer, is shaping up to be a bit of a farce -- with Stelmach playing the clueless and bullying straight man to Cournoyer's droll joker.

Admittedly, Cournoyer didn't feel much like laughing when he received a letter last month from Stelmach's lawyer threatening to sue the 24-year-old University of Alberta student over use of the domain name "edstelmach.ca."

"I was speechless," says Cournoyer who bought the domain name for $14 last April as a bit of a lark.

Cournoyer had used the name to link to his blog page on Alberta politics. Later, in a flash of inspired political satire, he changed the link so that anyone typing in the domain name was directed to the Wikipedia page for Harry Strom, the hapless -- and last -- Social Credit premier of Alberta.

It was the gentlest of pranks, clever and amusing.

But that is not how Stelmach saw it.

His lawyer fired off the threatening letter which had this opening line: "We act as counsel for Premier Ed Stelmach in the matter of the misappropriation of his personality."

Cournoyer may have at first been speechless but it didn't take him long to come up with a punchline: "I'm really not sure where Ed Stelmach's personality is, but I certainly didn't take it."

Ba-da-bing.

It's a line Cournoyer used in a dozen news interviews this week and illustrates the sense of humour that has made his regular political blog one of the most popular in the province.

News of the premier's threatening letter has made headlines across the country and has given Cournoyer's web page -- daveberta.ca -- more publicity than he could ever afford to buy. He is the toast of the media, appearing on radio, television and newspapers. He's even been invited as the guest speaker at the Wetaskiwin Rotary Club.

A struggling 24-year-old university student has done what nobody else has been able to do -- make nice-guy Ed Stelmach look like a bully. He has gotten so far under Stelmach's skin the premier should have seen a dermatologist, not a lawyer.

Cournoyer is not a total political neophyte. He is proudly partisan and is a former communications co-ordinator for the Alberta Liberal Party. The Liberals, by the way, say they had nothing to do with Cournoyer's satirical poke at Stelmach.

Interestingly, Cournoyer's biggest supporters come from some unlikely places.

Ken Chapman -- an Edmonton lawyer, longtime Tory, and regular blogger -- posted comforting comments on his own web page: "This stunt by Dave is pure prank and while it may be technically 'offensive' such a breach is at the level of a petty trespass and not an identity theft. This is the 21st century equivalent of renting the billboard right above your competition's campaign office at election time."

Even right-wing journalist Ezra Levant, who publishes Western Standard which is about as far from a liberal publication as you can get without leaving the face of the planet, offered this comment on his web page: "Stelmach has looked foolish twice already -- first by not registering his own domain name, then by threatening a little blogger with a lawsuit. His third humiliation will be the most spectacular: losing his case, having to pay Cournoyer's legal costs, and having yet another round of media coverage."Some might think that Cournoyer is simply "cyber-squatting," unjustly profiting from the use of someone's identity online. However, Cournoyer is not raking in any money. He figures he's made about $70 selling ads on the page. The page is mainly a prank, poking fun at Stelmach.

It's understandable why Stelmach wants the domain name back, especially with a provincial election expected to be called in a month or so. Afterall, it's bad enough that Cournoyer has linked Stelmach's domain name to Harry Strom. He might do worse and link it to Kevin Taft.

Cournoyer understands Stelmach's reasons for wanting his name back, but not his tactics.

"Though I am still surprised that the 150-staffed Public Affairs Bureau failed to complete the simple task of registering a $14 domain name, I am even more surprised that Premier Ed Stelmach's first reaction in this situation was to threaten to sue a 24-year-old blogger and debt-ridden University of Alberta student," said Cournoyer.

He said he would have been more amenable to handing over the domain name if Stelmach had simply asked nicely for it. Stelmach, who's on vacation, hasn't called, but on Wednesday afternoon Stelmach's chief of staff, Ron Glenn, did.

He phoned Cournoyer and asked if there was some way to amicably settle the issue. As I write this Cournoyer said he'd think about it.

In the meantime, Stelmach will have to live with the misappropriation of his personality. At least we now know where it went. Ba-da-bing.

gthomson@thejournal.canwest.com

Wildrose Alliance

2008-01-02T13:36:00.000-08:00

As many of you have heard that the Wildrose Party and the Alberta Alliance Party had decided to join forces for this upcoming provincial election. I for one am excited that both sides have come to an agreement to work together and offer Albertans an alternative choice.

I am interested in what you have to say about this merger of two similar political parties.

If you want to know more about the merger please visit www.albertaalliance.ca or www.wildroseparty.ca.

Happy Holidays

2007-12-21T20:41:00.000-08:00

Seasons Greetings and Happy Holidays from your Alberta Alliance Candidate.

I volunteered to play Santa Claus at a local school this year. I met with children and handed out candy canes. I had lots of fun and the kids really enjoyed it.

Remember to take time to enjoy the season and have lots of fun with your family and friends.

I look forward to seeing all of you next year.

New AAP President of the Captial Region

2007-12-04T20:50:00.000-08:00

It is now official that I am the Alberta Alliance Party President of the Capital Region. In the past I have served as vice president on the regional board where I developed websites, communications and constituency associations.

At this time I am looking for people who are interested in being candidates, work on constituency boards and develop a grassroots approach to Alberta politics.

If you have any questions please contact me.

Results from Alberta Alliance Townhall Meeting

2007-11-30T22:14:00.000-08:00

I spoke with Alberta Alliance president Randy Thorsteinson about the results from the townhall meeting on November 27th. Randy had this to reply:

"The townhall meeting in Calgary was a huge success. There were over 100 people in the audience. This was an excellent turnout because Calgary had been hit with its first real storm of the season and a normally 10-15 minute trip was taking 45 – 50 minutes."

"There was tremendous participation from the audience. Each of the speakers resonated well with the audience. Most of the people were new to the party and a large percentage bought memberships."

The AAP plans to host a similar townhall meeting in the new year to allow the residents of Edmonton to voice their concerns.

Alberta Alliance Town Hall Meeting - Calgary

2007-11-25T12:41:00.000-08:00

Concerned about Alberta and its future?

The Alberta Alliance is and we would like to meet you!

We invite you to attend a Town Hall style meeting in Calgary

Location
Blackfoot Inn - Heritage Room
5940 Blackfoot Trail, S.E.
Calgary, AB.

Date
Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Time
7:00 PM

Speakers
Duane Mather, President and CEO of Nabors Canada

John Murdoch, President and CEO of Madison Energy

Paul Hinman, MLA and Leader of the Alberta Alliance Party

The Alberta Alliance was founded on grassroots principles, we welcome all to attend. You will learn more about our party, in particular our stance on the Royalty Review. Members of our provincial council and future candidates will also be in attendance. We look forward to meeting you and sharing our vision for our province’s future.

We would also like to welcome our many new members and thank them for their generous donations.

Through them this event and the advertising have been made possible. Listen for our radio advertising on QR77, starting on Monday.

albertaalliance.ca

Suite 3, 1303 44 Ave NE - Calgary, AB - T2E 6L5

(403) 769-0992 - Toll Free: 1-888-262-1888

Delia Gray Gala

2007-11-17T20:14:00.000-08:00

Collins said the Delia Gray Gala is a way for people to remember the late Delia Gray, "who was a special lady to the Métis Nation. We often referred to her as the matriarch of the Métis Nation of Alberta. She was our first provincial Elder, so we honor her memory by carrying on the tradition for her love of education, her love for dance, and her love for visiting. We try to combine all of these traditions during the week-long celebrations," she said.

Above excerpt from Sweetgrass, December 8, 2003, Métis community celebrates its culture and history by Yvonne Irene Gladue,

This year's Delia Gray Gala was one outstanding. I have attended each Delia Gray Gala since it was first started in 2000 the year after her passing away. Each year this Gala has grown bigger and bigger with the Metis Nation of Alberta.

At the first dinner we remembered Delia Gray and all her accomplishments within the Metis Nation of Alberta and created the Delia Gray Scholarship which was awarded to Delia's great grandchildren. This scholarship is for any post-secondary student of Metis or aboriginal descent in any field of study and two are awarded every year.

Now seven years later the Delia Gray Gala has grown to where we recognize Metis Matriarchs in Alberta and now the creation of two new scholarships which are the Pearl Calahasen Scholarship and the Art L'Horondelle Scholarship.

It is amazing to see the work Metis Nation of Alberta has done over the past seven years. Membership in the Metis Nation in Alberta has grown from 10,000 to 45,000, Metis people being recognized for their contributions to promote the Metis culture in our society, youth programs such as Metis dancing and Internship programs and increase scholarship programs for Metis peoples.

Delia Gray would have been proud at all the work the Metis Nation of Alberta has done for the Metis peoples of Alberta. I miss her greatly as she was an inspiration to me and my family.

Alberta Alliance Stance on Alberta Teachers Pension

2007-11-16T08:15:00.000-08:00

Here is a message from the Randy Thorsteinson President of the Alberta Alliance Party.

November 15, 2007

Yesterday the Ed Stelmach government announced that it would be providing $2.1 Billion Dollars to Alberta teachers in additional pension contributions from the taxpayers of Alberta.

In an agreement reached with the Alberta Teachers Association executive the Ed Stelmach government agreed to the following:

An additional $2.1 Billion Dollar pension contribution that was until this agreement an obligation of teachers as per a 1992 agreement in which Alberta taxpayers had already agreed to pay $4.2 Billion Dollars (2/3 of the total) towards teachers unfunded pension amount. The Stelmach government has increased taxpayers obligation to a total of $6.3 Billion Dollars with the latest agreement. This additional contribution works out to almost $ 62,000.00 for every one of Alberta's 34,000 teachers. (1)

In addition, the Stelmach government agreed to guaranteed wage increases that will increase the average salary of Alberta teachers from $67,836.00 to $86,830.00 in the next five years, a $19,000.00 (28%) increase. (2)

Lastly, the Stelmach government has agreed to give each of Alberta's 34,000 teachers a $1,500.00 signing bonus for supporting the agreement, an early Christmas present if you will at a cost of over $50 Million Dollars.

In this agreement a teacher earning the average teacher salary in Alberta will receive:

- $62,000.00 in pension contributions.

- $19,000.00 in salary increases in the next five years.

- $1,500.00 signing bonus.

For a total of $82,500.00.

Alberta Taxpayers will receive:

- An agreement by teachers not to strike in the next five years.

- The bill for all of this.

- We will still pay 50% of all future contributions made to the Teachers Pension Fund following this agreement. This is not the end or a final amount.

I have several problems with this agreement.

First is the cost. Alberta taxpayers will now have to pay another $2.1 Billion Dollars in addition to the $4.3 Billion Dollars that we already committed to in an agreement signed in 1992. Alberta taxpayers agreed to pay two thirds of the contributions and the teachers would pay one third. This new agreement allows the teachers out of the agreement.

Second, I believe that both parties need to honour the commitments they have made in this agreement. The government agreed to pay $4.3 Billion Dollars and they should have done so by now, they haven't and they should have done it in the last few years when the Provincial coffers were overflowing and they had the cash to do it. They should do it immediately - honour their commitments. The same applies to teachers; they should honour their commitments.

At our policy convention just weeks ago the party passed the following resolution:

"An Alberta Alliance Government will ensure that all commitments made in the 1992 Memorandum of Understanding with the Alberta Teachers Association regarding unfunded pension liabilities will be fulfilled by both sides."

Third, Ed Stelmach has never faced the people of Alberta to get a mandate for this type of massive commitment on behalf of taxpayers. Shouldn't taxpayers get to decide an issue as large as this? Since it is taxpayer money that he is committing shouldn't we get to decide as well. Ed Stelmach should not sign this agreement until after the next provincial election. Alberta's teachers get to vote to approve the agreement, shouldn't the rest of us have that same right, after all we are paying for it.

Fourth, the benefit to Albertans is supposed to be that there will not be a teachers strike in the next five years. Scott Hennig the Alberta Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said it best:

"Clearly, the Stelmach government must feel a province-wide teachers' strike during the next election would hurt his changes of re-election....

Historically, major teacher strikes are few and far between in Alberta, averaging one every ten-years or so. Clearly the biggest beneficiaries of labour peace are politicians. Plus, if the government is concerned about teacher strikes interfering with the education of Alberta students, they can do what 37 of the 50 US states have done and ban them."

The long and short of it is that we have an incompetent government that can't solve challenges without throwing money at it. They are spending money like drunken sailors, the difference is drunken sailors spend their own money.

It is time for a change in government. It is getting clearer every day; it is time for the Alberta Alliance.

Best Regards,

Randy Thorsteinson
President
Alberta Alliance Party

Sources

(1) Alberta Teachers Association

(2) Alberta Teachers Association
http://www.teachers.ab.ca/Issues+In+Education/Ongoing+Issues/Teacher+Salaries.htm

Government of Alberta
http://education.alberta.ca/department/news/current/november/20071115.aspx

Alberta Average Weekly Earnings Index
http://www.albertaindex.com/content/

Alberta Liberals Caught Again

2007-11-15T13:59:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder why the Alberta Liberals (ALP) cannot gain popular support while th PC party deflates like a balloon? The ALP has no intergerty as they get caught up in their false accusations.

I remember on April 4, 2007 ALP MLA Agnihotri was kicked out of the legislature for impugning the integrity of the premier and leadership contenders in his cabinet. Mr Agnihotri refused to appologize as he felt his questions were valid and planned to sit outside the legislature to make a point, On April 5th Mr Agnihotri appologised and took his seat.

Now Mr Taft claims that the PC government was falsifying reports in regards to royalties that has cost Albertans billions. Only problem was that there was no proof that had happened. What did happen was the Klein government did not adjust the royalty program for our non-renewable resources back in 2004 where we could had gotten more in royalties. Were reports falsified? No. Were Albertans deceived? Yes, by a failed leader of the opposition that did nothing during the Klein era who was forced to withdraw his remarks and appologize for his misconduct.

Below is the article by Neil Waugh of the Edmonton Sun:

Taft in mighty weird world
After going on and on about lost royalty revenue, Liberal leader reminded of letter

By NEIL WAUGH, EDMONTON SUN

In the midst of the tsunami of righteous indignation that only Alberta Liberal leader Kevin Taft can whip up over foregone royalties, a curious letter washes up on the legislature beach.

It comes at a time when Alberta NDP Leader Brian Mason is having a ball roasting Taft on his own political barbecue.

"There's a bigger secret," Mason boomed in the legislature this week. "And that's where the Liberals actually stand on royalties."

Which is a fair question, even though Taft has been using up his entire allotment of question period rockets since the fall session began to pound the ruling Tories with allegations of the missing billions.

Taft has a track record of locking onto an issue long after it becomes obsessive. He was at it again yesterday.

He keeps claiming that the Stelmach Tories - even though it was the Klein Tories he is talking about - were "deliberately misleading the people of Alberta."

Then he picked up the pace, asking Energy Minister Mel Knight if he had a "personal and legal responsibility" to make sure his annual reports are accurate.

"Or is telling the truth simply a policy decision," Taft spat.

It was at this point that House Speaker Ken Kowalski jumped in and accused Taft of using "very, very strong innuendo."

This earned Taft a trip to the Speaker's woodshed, which I'll get into later.

The point that the Liberals have been trying to make in the legislature, without much luck, is that somehow, somewhere $6 billion in royalties went missing, mainly because then-energy minister Greg Melchin didn't act on recommendations by the energy-crats and tweak royalty rates in 2003-04.

Instead the PCs waited until this fall to act on most of the recommendations of the premier's independent review panel and goose the royalty take by $1.4 billion by 2009.

Under Kevin Taft's New Math, that's a massive loss.

Then Knight pointed out that during the same year Melchin's boat allegedly sprung a big leak, the government took in $15 billion in royalty revenues and $2 billion in oil and gas lease sales. The government then turned around and pumped $4.3 billion back in capital spending.

"I'll tell you what's misleading," Knight snapped.

He's clearly got a point.

Even more confusing is why Taft and the Liberals are so reluctant to get into what's happening now that the royalty framework has been announced and remain so focused about what went on in the past.

Remember this is clearly the Kevin Taft Show, hogging almost his entire alloted time on cable TV and the daily legislature webcast while the rest of his caucus act as wallpaper.

That's when the letter showed up, and the reason why Brian Mason is smiling.

It's from Mel Knight and sent on Oct. 15 to "Dr. Kevin Taft," 10 days before Stelmach released his Building Tomorrow response to the independent panel's royalty hiking report.

"I am certain we can agree that this is the most important piece of business facing our province today" because of the "immediate and long term effect" it will have on Alberta's future, Knight told the Liberal leader.

He talked about doing "due diligence" and "gathering feedback."

Then he invited Taft inside the tent to provide "specific comments on each of the recommendations."

But he also warned the Liberal leader to make his comments "at your earliest convenience" because the response will be coming out "in short order."

Taft did finally comment on the report a short 48 hours before Stelmach's response came out.

But as to Mel's reasonable and polite letter, "nothing, none, no response," was how the energy minister put it in the legislature, while Taft was accusing him of "deceiving" and "betraying the trust" of Albertans.

And that's when Kowalski lowered the boom.

"This is a responsible place," the speaker scolded. "This is not a schoolyard or a hockey rink."

Then Kowalski ruled Taft had to withdraw his comments and apologize.

It's getting mighty weird.

Remembering Delia Gray

2007-11-14T20:19:00.000-08:00

As Metis Week continues I would like to share a personal moment with you all about a proud Metis Matriarch of Alberta.

I first met Delia Gray about 12 years ago. I found her to be a remarkable woman who was very kind and who would tell me stories about her life as a Metis woman. Over the years I would visit her often and accompany her to functions where she would perform the opening prayer.

I was most honored when Delia attended my wedding and performed the lords prayer in Cree at the reception. My wife and I would take our children over to visit her almost every Sunday until she passed away in November 1999.

Delia was a great woman and a good friend. I will miss her stories of her childhood when she had tb and later as a wife and mother and later as a matriarch. I am honored to attend the Deila Gray Gala each year which I get to remember her and her good work with her family and friends.

A Time to Remember

2007-11-11T21:31:00.001-08:00

I took my children to the Butterdome Remembrance Day ceremony to meet the veterans who are serving, had served and remember those who did not make it back home. I wanted my children to learn and remember that the freedoms we have were earned and protected by men and women who had the courage to serve and a desire to make a better world.

I personally have family who had served and died in the line of duty as well as friends who are currently serving now. It is not a glorious job nor is it easy but they do it with valor.

I am proud to be a Canadian and I am proud to be at the Butterdome today with my family to honor and remember those brave men and women.

Paul Hinman's response to Stelmach's crime prevention

2007-11-07T21:32:00.000-08:00

Alberta Alliance Opposition

Release

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Premier’s crime announcements treat symptoms but miss the big picture.

Families and communities are the real source of crime prevention.

While he appreciates the sentiment behind the provincial government’s latest announcements on crime prevention, Alberta Alliance leader Paul Hinman feels that, in many ways, Premier Stelmach has missed the mark. “Fixing the justice system and putting more police on the streets are important goals,” he says, “but most of what was announced yesterday was treating symptoms, not addressing the root of the problem. Real crime prevention comes from our families and our communities. If we want long term and substantive solutions, we must strengthen those bedrock institutions and protect them from attack.”

The government’s Crime Reduction and Safe Communities Task Force officially presented 31 recommendations on Tuesday. With great fanfare, the Premier announced full acceptance of 20 of them. “Unfortunately, 10 of the 11 recommendations that were not fully accepted came in the area of crime prevention,” points out the Alberta Alliance leader. “Stelmach is looking for the quick fixes, the elections promises. The recommendations he has picked to implement, while important, are the flashy and immediate ones. Despite all his talk of the future, the long term recommendations have been pushed to the side.”

Hinman points to a few examples. “Recommendations 23 (Establish an ongoing mechanism for municipalities to provide input into provincial policing priorities) and 24 (Encourage all municipalities to develop and implement a safe communities strategy,) are measures that would recognize and support the importance of our local communities in the fight against crime. Unfortunately, the government stamped them with the ‘Agree in Principle’ label, code word for ‘we will do nothing.’”

Recommendation 28 (Expand the current tax deduction for charitable contributions to include time spent on volunteer activities) was rejected with the “Further Study Needed” label attached. “Charitable and volunteer activities are so important in preventing our children from getting into crime in the first place,” explained the Alliance leader. “To reject greater support for those efforts is very short sighted. A better way would be to adopt the Alliance position of allowing an income deduction, for tax purposes, of 5% of donations to accredited charitable organizations.”

Finally, Paul Hinman worries about the creation of the Safe Communities Secretariat, another government department, also announced Tuesday. The Secretariat is supposed to oversee ministries and coordinate the government’s response to crime. “What we don’t need is the cost and inefficiency of a new government department. If anything, we need to download more decision-making to the communities and police forces that are closest to the problems.”

“Making communities sustainable and vibrant, supporting volunteer activities and strengthen and protecting Alberta families should be a huge part of making this province safer,” says Hinman in conclusion. “If they are really thinking about the future, the government should be focused on efforts in those areas in conjunction with policing and justice.”

For more information

Paul Hinman

Leader, Alliance Opposition

Cell 403-393-2003

Jonathon Iverson

Alliance Opposition

Office 780-644-7195

______________________________________________________________________

Alberta’s Alliance Opposition

401 Legislature Annex, 9718 – 107 Street, Edmonton, AB T5K 1E4

Ed should have called an election

2007-11-06T20:38:00.000-08:00

What an interesting question period of the fall legislature here in Alberta. Here I was hoping that the three main parities would actually would accomplish something but instead added five more weeks of a pretend election campaign. All three main parties had a chance to do something but act as clueless as they had been for the past thirteen years.

For the official Opposition we get to see how Alberta Liberal leader Taft act like a leader defending the rights for all Albertans but has little to show for it. What has the Alberta Liberals (ALP) actually done for Albertans? Have they kept the governing PC's in check? No. Have they been able to make any dent in the Housing , infrastructure and royalty crisis? No. Last time the APL was effective was when they were in power which is getting closer to about a hundred years ago. For weeks I read about the NDP putting pressure on the PC's on issues of EUB spying on public and the royalty debate but the Liberals come in when the battle is almost over to say they did something. Now we have Taft relentlessly attacking Premier Stelmach of his handling of the royalty issue and but has done little him self except try to distance his party from the Federal Liberals.

The NDP already know that Albertans will not vote them into power come next election but they will probably gain a few seats. Knowing this NDP leader Mason will do anything to slam his rivals the ALP and the PC's. The problem of the NDP was they are quick to jump on a band wagon such as rent controls and high increase in royalties for Albertans but appears to not have done their homework. Rent Controls may have made it easier for people to pay rents but would discourage investors in the rental industry as they would be hampered by rising costs and no way to make a modest profit which would result in even less affordable housing. The same could be said for the extreme increase of royalties. If we demand more than the 20% increase by the royalty panel then oil companies would cut back, loss of jobs would result and we get less revenue for our resources and be plunged back recession.

The PC's are in election mode but they are not ready to call one. Premier Stelamach fumbled the ball on housing, EUB spying on land owners and now the royalties. Stelmach would have us believe that the boom was his government's design when we know they had no plan for many years. Stelmach would have you believe that he was just elected to the government last December and not years ago when he was a cabinet minister for former Premier Ralph Klein. Stelmach wants us to believe he that Klein was a tyrant who did what he wanted while Stelmach did nothing to stand up for Albertans. Now for five weeks I will get to read pseudo election adds in the paper telling me how he delivered on his internal leadership election campaign which only party members could vote on.

These next five weeks we Albertans will get to listen how the PC government did not collect more money for Albertans and how Stelmach delivered on his promise to PC party members who voted for him last fall. All parties are in election mode this fall sitting of the legislature and all we get is grandstanding by political parties who are looking for a photo opportunity.

New AAP Candidate

2007-11-03T15:11:00.001-07:00

On October 30th the Alberta Alliance Party gained a new candidate. Here is the breaking news from the Central Peace Signal and the Fairview Post:

Dale Lueken has thrown his hat in the ring once again for the Dunvegan-Central Peace candidacy.
The Alberta Alliance candidate came close last election to knocking off MLA Hector Goudreau and hopes this time to come through for the people of the area. “In the last three years, I’ve had Paul (Hinman) come up and help people in this riding with certain issues or just even a phone call,” said Lueken. “I can see that it’s actually not that hard to get back to people and to help people. You have to remember what you’re there for. I think our representative doesn’t do that,” said Lueken.
Alberta Alliance leader Paul Hinman is encouraged by Lueken’s decision to run again. He said the party needs more people like him to take on the current government. “I’m grateful for Dale. Economically, it won’t be great for him to run because he has a great business going. But he’s concerned for his kids and he’s concerned for the future of Alberta. We need more people like Dale,” said Hinman.
The Alliance aren’t sure when Premier Stelmach will call an election, but are lining up candidates throughout the province to hopefully increase their presence in the Legislature.
Leuken’s local platform will focus on providing a voice for the people, he said. The present MLA is more a representative for the government than for the people who elected him, he said. He believes the PCs have lost sight of their mandate.

“It goes back to accountability,” said Leuken, adding that if voters aren’t offered an alternative they “just throw their hands in the air and say the status quo is good enough.”
Asked if he believes he has as good a chance in an election, Lueken replied, “if I work as hard as I did or harder.”

Coffee Talk

2007-11-02T22:16:00.001-07:00

I had an opportunity yesterday to spend some time and talk to a constituent in my riding. Our conversation started off on general topics of weather and how Halloween went but then I asked a simple question in regards to politics.

What do you base your vote on?

Their reply was simple and straight forward which was they would vote conservative. I asked do you vote on party policies, platforms or any specific issues that matter to you most. They replied they always voted conservative and they were too busy to read the news or go online.

I asked when the election is called and a candidate shows up at your door what would you ask them?

The lady I spoke to said she would ask that more money would given to people with disabilities such as her self.

The woman I had coffee with has been in a wheelchair for about 25 years. She is given an money from the government of Alberta for home care which is used to pay for home care attendants to visit her, bath her, cook and clean for her and help her with her medical needs. Originally she went through an agency that allotted 25 hours of home care for her per week. After a few years of this she decided to hire her own nursing staff so she can get more nursing hours which increased to 45 hours per week. One problem did occur was the boom and the labour shortage.

Before the boom she had hired her home care attendants at $12/hour which was good pay for the day but with an economic boom, a labour shortage and increased inflation $12/hour does not attract people to that kind of work. Most employers can hire staff starting at $12/hour with benefits. She now has to compete with the private sector and that is a losing battle.

Family members are not allowed to be hired as staff due provincial regulations. The provincial government does believe that the family is the cornerstone of our society but will only pay for strangers to take care of our loved ones. Now family members could get paid by the government but that is only approved when special conditions are met.

I told her that when a candidate does come to her home to ask that question and see how the person answers that question.

Happy Halloween

2007-10-31T20:14:00.001-07:00

I would just like to wish everyone a Happy Halloween.

The PC Plan

2007-10-30T21:40:00.001-07:00

Well, Premier Stelmach actually did something. He came out with a plan where we Albertans would eventually get more for our natural resources. Now I heard from many people who are neither happy or upset of what our Premier came up with for royalties.

Would the boom continue or will there be mass layoffs as profits would eventually be reduced? Would we Albertans see any increase in the cost of oil and gas in the long term? Would our government actually have steps in place to ensure that they collect the royalties that should have been paid to us under current agreements? Do we care?

I care. These resources belong to us and we should get our fair share. I understand that our government made agreements with businesses to develop our resources so we may get royalty payments that would boost our economy. These agreements were made in good faith and those agreements should be honored as it does help build confidence for investors for a stable market. Premier Stelmach could have come up with something better for Albertans to get their fair share but what we got was what we got.

The PC government has aknowledged that they had no plan for the future of Alberta and now we see a province with no housing that is affordable, infrastructure that is collaspsing, health care that needs a doctor and loss of confidence in our elected officials.

We trusted our government to be there for us and to fight for our interests but now we have a government that has no idea how to fix a mess they created. Our budget was taking all non-renewable resources and throw money at all our problems then actually plan to eliminate those problems.

Now I have to ask should we give our government more money when they have a track record of not keeping our best interests first? I would like to see Ed Stelmach come up with reforms that would put checks and balances that would ensure we have a transparent, responsible and represented government.

Plan or Election Speech

2007-10-24T21:17:00.001-07:00

What is Premier Stelmach planning? Most I got from Premier Stelmach's speech was a vague plan for Alberta's future and another delay in what our government's response to the royalty review panel's recommendations.

All in all this has the smell of a late fall election. I hope tomorrow's announcement has better news than what we got today.

Ed Ed Ed

2007-10-22T20:17:00.001-07:00

Like most people I am tired of threats from oil companies and people who feel that we had not got our fair share of royalties. Anyone can claim what they want our government to do but I am not too opptomistic as Premier Stelmach has dropped the ball more than once.

I do not envy they job that our premier has to do but it is his decision to make. It is issues like royalties, housing and healthcare that will show Albertans if our leader has what it takes to lead this province.

I have mixed feelings about the royalty rates. Who would be better with the $2 Billion extra each year? Oil companies that are already rich or our government that has a poor track record of accountability.

I would like to hear from our premier a detailed plan on our royalties and a solid plan for Alberta's future.

Victoria Cross Memorial Park Fund Raiser

2007-10-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

I attended a meeting for the Remembrance Day Parade that will be held at the U of A Butter Dome this past week and came across a special fundraiser. I met both Ron Evans and Marian Youngs who are part of the Victoria Cross Memorial Monument Society.

The above two Legion members will have their hair cut off during the Jasper Place Branch #255 October 29, 2007 General Meeting. All donations will be used to support the building of the monument in Victoria Monument Park. Also, Marian Youngs' hair will be donated to the Cancer Society to create a wig for an individual.

To find more information about this project you can visit www.vcpark.ca.

Bitumen Tax

2007-10-17T20:58:00.000-07:00

The royalty review debate has its pros and cons but the key essential is to explore different options that are available to us. Today in the Edmonton Journal I came across the an idea for bitumen tax which I found interesting and will add more fuel to this debate. Below is the article:

Why Alberta needs a new tax on bitumen
Under the existing royalty regime, Albertans can wait more than 20 years before they see a dime of revenue from their non-renewable resources. Worse, the current system provides no incentive for orderly, sustainable development and bringing projects in on budget
Pedro van Meurs, Edmonton Journal

The royalty review panel proposes to create an oilsands severance tax, or simply a "bitumen tax." This tax, based on my testimony to the panel, is an important and integral part of the panel's recommendations.

Having lived and worked in Alberta for 16 years and having managed a small oil company here, I care deeply about the future of the province.

I believe it is important for the Stelmach government to create a new vision for oilsands development based on new policies.

This new vision is not shared by the oilsands division of the provincial department of energy.

What is the bitumen tax?

The bitumen tax will be paid by all oilsands producers based on the value of the bitumen at the time of production. The base royalties and net-profit share are deductible for bitumen tax purposes. Therefore, companies which already pay a significant net-profit-sharing royalty will pay less bitumen tax.

The panel proposes that the bitumen tax rate would start at one per cent when the West Texas Intermediate price of oil is $ 40 Cdn per barrel. The rate rises by 0.1 per cent for every dollar increase in the oil price.

With today's oil price at $86 per barrel, the bitumen tax rate would be 5.6 per cent. The maximum rate of nine per cent would be reached when oil hits $120 per barrel. Note that the tax rate is based on West Texas Intermediate and the bitumen tax itself is based on the bitumen values.

The bitumen tax would bring in an additional $600 million from oilsands production (if oil prices average $70 Cdn per barrel) in 2008, increasing to $1.2 billion by 2016. Every year thereafter, Alberta will automatically collect higher bitumen tax revenues as prices and production go up.

Therefore, adopting the bitumen tax means securing the future for Alberta for generations to come.

OTTAWA NOT AFFECTED

Another point is that the bitumen tax is not deductible for federal corporate income tax purposes. This is an advantage, because this means that the federal government is not impacted by changes in the rate. This makes it easier for Alberta to set its own fiscal policies.

The industry is bitterly opposed to the bitumen tax. This is understandable. The oilsands industry does not want to assume a higher share of the cost overrun risks and does not want to pay a higher share to government.

POLICY #1: PROMOTE 100 YEARS OF SUSTAINABLE OILSANDS DEVELOPMENT

Alberta has more than 140 billion barrels of recoverable oilsands. Alberta needs a policy of sustainable oilsands development aimed at maximizing the value of this resource and minimizing negative environmental and economic impacts.

The uncontrolled boom in oilsands development has damaged the non-oil sectors of Alberta's economy. It has also caused significant losses in future oilsands revenues through excessive cost increases.

If costs go up, the profit share goes down. For every dollar of cost overrun during construction, Alberta loses 40 to 50 cents in royalty and tax revenues.

Alberta has already lost and will continue to lose billions of dollars in future net-profit-sharing revenues as a result of rampant local cost inflation. These losses are in addition to the $2 billion per year shortfall the panel said occurs because royalties have not kept pace with changes in the resource base and world energy markets.

However, the losses will not stop there.

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers says projects to be constructed in the future may be as much as 25 per cent more expensive than the most expensive projects I assumed in my economic analysis.

It is easy to do a reality check on this. If construction on the projects mentioned by CAPP would begin in 2008, the first payments of the net-profit share would not be received until 2030 as a result of these excessive costs, at average price forecasts.

CAPP promotes projects that:

- Do not provide any significant revenues to Alberta for the next 20 years;

- Would create even greater local cost inflation, resulting in further billion-dollar revenue losses from existing oilsands plants;

- Would cause further disruption of the local non-oil economy;

- And cause significant environmental problems in terms of water use and CO2 emissions.

It seems that CAPP failed to determine whether Albertans are interested in such a mindless pursuit of unhappiness.

Alberta oilsands developments need to be put on a more sustainable growth path. This can be done by slowing the approval of oilsands projects. And it can be done even more effectively using market forces, by introducing the bitumen tax, because this prevents excessively costly projects from being started.

The provincial energy department says its policy is not to play a role in managing the rate of oilsands development through bitumen taxes or otherwise.

This policy must change.

Alberta Energy's stated objective is to maximize government revenues from petroleum developments. A hands-off policy with respect to the rate of oilsands development means that every time the oil prices increase, even more costly projects will be launched, causing higher local cost increases and reducing further the revenues from net-profit shares from existing projects. In other words, a hands-off policy actually minimizes the revenues from oilsands developments.

Norway's petroleum fund was created by a profit-based hydrocarbon tax, for the benefit of all 4.6 million Norwegians. It has now reached $317 billion. Norwegians understood that the first priority of a profit-based tax system is to protect the profits from being eroded by rampant local cost inflation. Therefore, Norway has controlled the rate of oil and gas development.

Norway's Petroleum Directorate states: "Our vision is a sustainable petroleum industry for the next hundred years based on a co-operative approach to knowledge and technology." Why not adopt such a vision for Alberta?

POLICY #2: PREDICTABLE AND CERTAIN REVENUES FROM OILSANDS

Over the next decade, the share of revenues from oilsands is estimated to double from 25 per cent to 50 per cent. In 20 years, the vast majority of petroleum revenues in Alberta will most likely be derived from oilsands.

Under the current oilsands royalty system, most of the revenues come from the 25-per-cent net-profit share. It should be emphasized that the so-called net-profit share is not a share of accounting profits -- it is far less. The share only applies after companies have completely recovered all their capital and operating costs, as well as a minimum rate of return equal to the long term bond rate on all costs (called "payout"). This means that payments to the province begin many years after the company starts to produce bitumen.

Government revenues from this net-profit share are unpredictable. They depend on volatile bitumen prices and unforeseeable cost developments.

Even after payout, companies can reduce the net-profit share to zero by expanding their projects and starting the cycles of cost recovery and rate of return allowance over again.

As oilsands revenues become more predominant, it will be impossible to manage Alberta's finances properly in such an environment of unpredictability. Therefore, Alberta should not only receive a higher share of the oilsands wealth, but also a more predictable and certain share. The bitumen tax achieves this objective.

As explained above, the base royalties and net-profit share are deductible for bitumen tax purposes. If the net-profit-sharing revenues are low, the bitumen tax will automatically rise. The bitumen tax therefore helps stabilize Alberta's oilsands revenues.

Alberta Energy says it is not its policy to increase the certainty of oilsands revenues and promote revenue stabilization. It argues that unpredictable revenues from oilsands can be managed through a stabilization fund.

I disagree. Stabilization funds have been tried by many governments over the years. Except for Norway, I do not know of a jurisdiction where such a fund has worked satisfactorily.

Alberta's fiscal system should be designed to make the management of the provincial economy easier, not more difficult.

POLICY #3: PROMOTE EFFICIENT, LOW COST OILSANDS OPERATIONS

The current net-profit-share system encourages inefficient operations. Every time costs go up, companies pay less profit share and pay it later.

A bitumen tax would correct this problem because it is based on the gross bitumen value of the production, regardless of whether companies are inefficient or efficient. With a bitumen tax, the risk of cost overruns is borne by the investors. This is fair because ordinary Albertans are in no position to influence a project's costs.

Alberta Energy's policy is to focus on economic rent collection from oilsands, based on sharing a percentage of this economic rent. This means promoting higher after-payout profit shares, rather than bitumen taxes.

This policy also should be changed. Creating higher profit shares means higher subsidies to inefficient operators. It does not make sense to encourage the development of the most expensive and inefficient projects right now.

POLICY #4: CREATE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

A level playing field means that all investors are subject to exactly the same fiscal terms. This is fair to all companies and promotes transparency and competition.

The bitumen tax must be paid equally by all producers. Therefore, it maintains a level playing field.

By 2009, Alberta will, for the first time, reach a level playing field for all producers, because Suncor and Syncrude will join the generic system of 25 per cent net-profit share based on bitumen prices. It should be a very important policy objective of Alberta to maintain the level playing field from 2009 onwards.

Therefore, I do not agree with the panel's proposal to increase the net-profit-sharing rate to 33 per cent. This would destroy the level playing field again, because Suncor and Syncrude would continue to pay only 25 per cent as a result of their agreements with the Crown, which would be grandfathered.

I favour keeping the 25-per-cent net- profit share unchanged for everyone, and increasing the bitumen tax.

ALTERNATIVES TO THE BITUMEN TAX

A variety of alternatives to increase government revenues from oilsands are possible, but not recommended.

A base royalty starting at three per cent and increasing with oil prices has some of the same advantages as the bitumen tax. However, the bitumen tax is far superior because of its revenue stabilization features, its non-deductibility from federal taxes and its ability to promote sustainable growth and create a level playing field.

Tristone Capital has proposed a three-per-cent minimum base royalty, instead of the current one per cent. I agree that this is a fair minimum rate, but it should be a minimum two-per-cent bitumen tax rate in addition to the one-per-cent base royalty rate. The bitumen tax rate should be increased above prices of $50 Cdn per barrel.

Tristone's proposal would increase the base royalty only after payout is achieved. For the high-cost projects that CAPP predicts, this additional royalty would not be paid for 20 years. For existing projects, the scale starts at a price of $70 Cdn. This is so high that it does not provide a fair share to Albertans.

Changes to the net-profit-sharing system are also an option. However, such changes make the oilsands revenues even more unpredictable and provide even stronger support for inefficient companies.

A bitumen tax is essential for the future of Alberta for generations to come.

The question is:

- Will Premier Ed Stelmach have the vision to create a sustainable future for Alberta oilsands and accept a substantive bitumen tax,

- Or will he cave in to the unjustified threats of the oil industry and accept a proposal similar to the one developed by the petroleum industry through Tristone Capital.

Pedro Van Meurs is an international royalty expert who was hired by the Alberta government to advise the royalty review panel.

He recently worked with the Alaska government to increase its royalties

Vote for a Change

2007-10-14T22:01:00.000-07:00

I found it interesting that the incumbents in this civic election are debating pay raises, affordable housing and infrastructure. These issues are not new but the past city council dropped the ball and now they feel they need a raise.

Should the persons doing the job of running our city decide that a pay raise should be decided by them and not by the people. Elected officials are not above our society and should not act like they are. Pay raises for elected officials should be decided by the people on the ballot on election day. A government during an election would be reviewed by the public and come election day get another mandate of the people or be replaced. A progressive government would put this issue out in front and on the ballot. By putting a pay raise issue on the ballot you would have a larger turn out on election day.

The affordable housing and infrastructure issues face by our province was not a problem that happened overnight. For the past three years provincial opposition parties have been telling the governing PC party that a boom was coming and that housing and infrastructure would need to be planned for. The boom came and now this issues are a big problem that neither the provincial government or Edmonton City government has been able to handle. Where was our mayor and city council three years ago when we need plans to ensure that there was enough housing instead of creating a tent city or debating about a new hockey arena downtown when we cannot afford an interchange on 23rd Ave to reduce traffic.

All in all we Edmontonians need to decide if we want the same old style of government that has dropped the ball on issues such as affordable housing and infrastructure or do we vote for something better. I do not think that our current elected officials deserve a pay raise until they improve the quality of their work first. I for one would like to see issues like pay raises for elected officials be on the ballot at election time. This would be one step in which the people can voice their concerns to the government on how they been governed.

A message from Paul Hinman

2007-10-05T19:40:00.001-07:00

Alberta Alliance Opposition

Paul Hinman, Leader

Friday, October 05, 2007

A call to action for Alberta’s future

We need to act now! Rigs are leaving this province as you read this.

On October 17, workers from oil, gas and related industries will be marching on the Legislature in Edmonton. They will tell Premier Stelmach how badly crippled Alberta will be if the Royalty Review is pushed through. As leader of the Alberta Alliance, I urge you to join them. The Grassroots Oilworkers Rally will begin at 11:00am when hundreds of workers, their families and other Albertans, who understand the importance of this industry, will stand up and say no to the Royalty Review Report.

The rally is organized by Derrick Jacobson from one of the hundreds of small oil and gas related companies in this province. Employees of these companies know the industry and know how badly things can go for all families in the province. Every Albertan must do something. Action on this is critical if we want to protect our prosperity.

We want Alberta to win. With hockey season upon, let’s think of the oil and gas industry as Alberta’s economic best player. Benching it through higher royalties might be seen as fair but in the end, the whole team will suffer. And as much as we love hockey, this is a bigger game. This is the prosperity of our province and livelihood of our families.

Let’s talk, not in terms of dollars, but in terms of jobs lost. The misconception is that government can always take a bigger piece of the pie. We need to know how many families will be without pay checks if the government implements the recommendations. The larger companies will downsize and many small businesses may be forced to close their doors.

We can see and feel our connection to the oil and gas industry. Every Albertan is linked, through family, through friends, through customers, through tax revenue. We must get the word out: this is not just about big industry, it is about Alberta’s economy, yours and mine.

Bill Hunter’s Report is well written political propaganda and has enflamed the lowest emotions of Albertans. We need to combat those feelings of envy with an energizing campaign. I am looking forward to the rally at the Legislature on October 17. The Alberta Alliance is also organizing a coordinated effort to fight against the Royalty Review and it needs support. We have set up a website www.protectourprosperity.com and it will be available over the weekend. There will be an election soon and Albertans need MLAs that understand and speak up for the province’s future. Your time, talents and resources are needed to make that happen.

Please call or email me at 780-644-7195 or paul.hinman@assembly.ab.ca. For more information on the Grassroots Oilworkers Rally, visit

http://www.quattroenergy.ca/Royalty.html or contact Derrick Jacobson at derrick.j@shaw.ca or 403-828-7242

Thank you,

Paul Hinman,

MLA and Leader of the Alberta Alliance

Alberta Alliance Fall Conference 2007 Reminder

2007-10-04T20:12:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder about our fall Policy & Constitution Conference which is coming up in just a few weeks.

From Health Care to Education, Infrastructure to the Economy, we have cutting edge ideas that would solve the problems of today while creating a solid foundation for the future. Even though we have a wide selection of ideas and solutions we can't become complacent, we must always find new and better ways to build a better Alberta. It is time for us to come together again and brainstorm even more ideas to share with Albertans.

The dates for the conference are November 2 and 3, 2007 in Red Deer at the Red Deer Lodge.

Friday Nov. 2 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Constitution Renewal

Saturday Nov. 3 10:00 am - 4:30 pm Policy Conference

Red Deer Lodge
4311 - 49th Avenue
Red Deer, Alberta

I encourage each and every one of you to attend and participate. I also encourage you to share your ideas with us in advance so we can properly organize the agenda for the sessions. We will be breaking the conference up by topic such as Health Care, Education, etc.

If you would like a registration form for the conference just e-mail Randy Thorsteinson at ABAlliancePresident@shaw.ca and he will make sure that you get the information.

We are very appreciative of the ideas that have come in so far to improve our policies and our constitution. There are solid ideas that will truly take Alberta to the next level.

AAP has set up a separate, dedicated e-mail address for your ideas. If you have any recommendations for new policy ideas or changes to our party constitution please send them to:

Alliance Ideas: allianceideas@shaw.ca

The AAP values your ideas and dedication to building a better Alberta. Together we can come up with real solutions that will be appealing to Albertans and solve the problems in Alberta today.

Alberta Alliance Survey

2007-10-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

I received an e-mail from David Strong of the Alberta Alliance Party to pass a survey the Party had develop. I took the survey and was impressed by the questions the AAP asked. Please take the time to take the survey and be honest. Below is the message from David Strong:

My name is David Strong and I work for Paul Hinman in the Alberta Opposition office. Our team has developed a survey trying to find out what Albertans feel the most important issues are in Alberta. We believe it is critical to inform Albertans of the creative solutions that the Alberta Alliance offers for their concerns.

To connect to the survey please us the link below:

http://albertaalliance.ca/survey/index.php?sid=1
<http://albertaalliance.ca/survey/index.php?sid=1>

Thank you so much,

David T. Strong

Alberta Alliance Opposition

Telephone: 644-7195

Fax: 644-7196

Email: david.strong@assembly.ab.ca <david.strong@assembly.ab.ca>

A Message From My Constituency President

2007-09-29T20:45:00.000-07:00

Dear Neighbors,

We believe that elected representatives are to serve honestly, ethically, and with concern for all; that their duty to their electors supersedes their obligations to any political party; and that government must be open and accountable to the people and in addition we believe that government must be fiscally prudent.

Moreover we believe that government should be "representative" which means serving the evolving need of a growing province by truly governing by the dictates of the majority of its citizens. Not "responsible government" that acts on its own initiatives and if you as citizens don't approve the decisions, then your only course of action is to remove them at their "end of term".

For the most part this province has had a fine history of citizen involvement in government by action where and when leadership and direction needed change. Change has never been more needed than now. Alberta Alliance offers the truly responsible avenue of change.

We are continually faced with the reality that the present government is not "acting" but "reacting" and that to take action on the simple solutions calls for the overused statement "that such an initiative would be a significant administrative burden".

This type of "stonewalling" of our requests is now apparent to all persons in all "walks of life". As one citizen recently put it together for himself ..."an excuse for not doing something that is in the best interests of the public".

We have either had this experience ourselves or intimately know someone else that has. It is severely damaging our legitimate right to life, safety, liberty, privacy, freedoms of speech and expression with accompanying fear that suppression has now become common place; especially when responsible values get in the way of certain governing interest groups.

As fundamental conservative values must be re established we are now forming teams of dedicated representative candidates in our Alberta constituencies that will provide the "grass roots" change that the public is daily asking for.

They ask for it in such simple statements as "we didn't voice our disapproval because we trusted our representatives and their health and other programs to protect us ... but that doesn't seem to be happening ...". Well ALLIANCE WANTS TO MAKE THAT PROTECTION HAPPEN ... AGAIN! AND AGAIN! AND AGAIN! When it does then we can provide the environment that we want both morally and ethically for our children and grandchildren.

With our candidate for Edmonton Mill Woods in place, we encourage your support of Robert Leddy. Not only support him but encourage him, speak with him, seek his advice with your personal views and problem areas. You will find a energetic and sympathetic advocate for this constituency.

We ask that you wish us well and give us your support in the next election.

Robert McLoughry
President.

Alberta Alliance Oil Royalty Review

2007-09-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

I have noticed that the media likes to focus on the government and the official opposition for what is happening at the legislature. When you read the newspaper you will see the PC's and Liberals criticize each other with a dash of NDP for flavor. What happened to the fourth party to be voted into the legislature? Why is the Alberta Alliance treated like an independent MLA?

I asked my leader Paul Hinman to provide the Alberta Alliance's position on the oil royalties which he was happy to provide.

Alberta Alliance Response to the Report of the Royalty Review Panel.

Summary

Keeping in line with Chairman Hunter's warning that the report must be accepted in full or not at all, the Alliance Party rejects the Report of the Panel.

The Alliance Party has the following comments regarding the Report.

1. The panel did not follow the first term of reference given to them from the Finance Minister which was, "How Alberta's royalty system compares to other oil and gas producing jurisdictions, taking into account investment economics, and industry returns and risks in Alberta." The panel answers this question by talking about Alberta's royalties without mentioning what kind of return investors receive in Alberta. From our review, we cannot see where any effort was made to measure the rate of return of Alberta's oil and gas producers and explorers. To the contrary, the panel in its own words states that "Costs are not an argument for or against a particular finding of a fair royalty level" (Page 37). Costs in Canada are very relevant as our oilfield workers and tradesmen and women are well paid compared to many jurisdictions mentioned in the report. In some of the countries used to compare the government rate of take, rig workers earn less than a thousand dollars per month. Our environmental regulations are more stringent than most countries in the world (as they should be) and this costs money also. To suggest that costs can be controlled by good management in a booming economy is an absolute lack of understanding of the current state of the oil and gas industry.

2. The Report seems to discount in a rather flippant way, and fails to differentiate between, the effect of capital dollars invested versus the overall economy of Alberta and Canada. The main health of the Alberta economy comes from new capital and not just reinvestment of cash flow from Canadian oil and gas companies. Do we think that 140 billion dollars of investment in the oil sands are going to come from the cash flow of companies? Failure to demonstrate good rates of return will lead to the inability of companies to raise additional capital for reinvestment. The report does not mention the downturn of that capital investment, already being experienced today in Alberta. In conventional oil and gas, this has resulted in an estimated 10,000 people being laid off in the service industry. To scare away additional capital could result in layoffs tenfold higher than currently being experienced. We have seen that movie in the past and we do not want to see it again. We must retain a favorable investment climate for our future well being.

3. We have heard plenty of rhetoric from the Liberals, NDP and the left wing MLAs of the PC Party about the average royalty rate dropping to 19%. However, nobody in government seems to take the time to explain to Albertans that our revenue from the oil and gas royalties and leases has gone from $6.5 billion in the fiscal year 01-02 to $12.5 billion in 06-07. The report also does not consider other revenue streams that have resulted from the oil and gas industry under the current royalty structure. Corporate and personal tax incomes have also both increased since 2001. In the last fiscal year, the personal tax revenue jumped from $4.6 billion to $7.5 billion, for example. When estimates say that oil and gas drive 35% to 50% of this province's economy, these tax revenues should have been considered by the panel. Albertans have been served well by the current structure of the conventional oil and gas industry.

4. The panel has recommended an increase of 56% for conventional oil royalties and an additional 16% for natural gas royalties. The Panel does its best to sell this increase with a break to low producing wells but fails to recognize a basic fundamental of how the conventional oil and gas industry works. The good wells drilled pay for the poor wells drilled. Raising royalty rates to 50% maximum on good wells will cause companies to change their risk profiles and drill fewer wells. When wells are drilled that will never pay for themselves due to low productivity, it does not matter what royalty rates are, the well is an economic failure. The low royalty rates are in place just to keep the good wells producing and contributing to the overall economy of Alberta. The good wells pay for the poor wells.

5. The Alliance Party understands that oil sands, being a relatively new industry that is just being proved economically viable, will always require some adjustment up or down. We believe that industry understands this also. The key is to not kill the goose that is laying the golden eggs for Albertans. We saw what happened in 1982 with the National Energy Program and thinking the industry could withstand large tax increases. Albertans were subject to severe economic hardships that took years to recover from. We cannot go there again.

6. It should be noted that in the fall of 2006 a total of $700 million was clawed back from the industry by the removal of the Alberta Royalty Tax Credit (ARTC) and Low Producer and Well Reactivation programs.

7. We were also disappointed that the report did not take the initiative to compare oil sands mining with other low margin mining projects in the world. It should be noted that in Alberta, like oil sands, coal mined for electricity generation is also a low-margin product mined in pit operations. Coal royalties give a rather paltry 11 million dollars per year to the Government of Alberta. The most probable reason for this number being so low is the political liability that would come with increasing Alberta's take of coal royalties due to a resultant increase in electricity costs for consumers.

8. Finally, it is disturbing that the report did not seem to seriously consider the possible repercussions of raising royalty rates. The panel despite making firm predictions in other areas, refuses to take a position on how investors will react to royalty hikes. It also takes a dismissive tone when mentioning those who did predict consequences for Alberta if rates go up. In order to judge the panel's findings and the government's response to them, the people of Alberta deserve more balanced information.

Alliance Recommendations

1. Before it even considers royalty changes, the government needs to get its current royalty house in order. One of the findings of the panel often ignored in the media was that the government's understanding and maintenance of the current royalty system is incomplete and flawed. Evan Chrapko, one of panel members has been quoted as saying about the current royalty accounting structure, "we have record-keeping that works for Third World countries in the 1960s." This need to be rectified before we can move forward.

2. Leave the conventional oil and gas royalty system as is. We are in a basin that consistently yields smaller and smaller pool discoveries. The cost per barrel of finding these pools is increasing. We must accept that Alberta is at a disadvantage regarding potential discoveries in conventional oil and gas and work to remain competitive in attracting capital.

3. We should not break deals currently in place without consultation with the industry. The report suggests that it is common place for governments to change deals with companies around the world. The Alliance Party suggests that we should be what Albertans want us to be and that is deal-keepers. We can make changes only through consultation with those who are investing and Albertans themselves. Albertans want Alberta to be known as trustworthy. This is not just a moral obligation but a practical financial one. International investors will certainly think twice about putting money into this province if they know their deals with the government aren't worth the paper they are printed on.

4. After consultation and with contribution from industry, increase oil sands royalties on the front end by 1% in a progressive four year phase-in. When fully phased in, this would result in an increase of $292 million per year by 2010 and $438 million per year by 2016 when bitumen production will have risen to three million barrels per day (based on $40 per barrel bitumen.) The phase in period will give industry proper time to adjust for the increased burden. The 1% would continue after projects payout as well, in essence be a Gross Overriding Royalty.

The Alliance Party is convinced that if the report in its current form is implemented that it will result in catastrophic consequences for all Albertans through our collective connection to the oil and gas industry.

Other Alliance Points of Contention with the Report

The panel had no mandate to suggest what should be done with the additional two billion dollars it suggests the government should grab. It is the underlying belief of the Alliance Party that money in the hands of business and people is far better spent than in the hands of government. The PC government over the past several years has demonstrated that clearly. Most industry profits are reinvested in more drilling or paid out to shareholders. It is well understood that primary dollars such as oil and gas industry profits will have a five to seven times multiplier in growing the economy of Alberta. Why not turn the two billion into 14 billion rather than allow the government to waste money on projects that will only increase costs to taxpayers?

We feel that the Alberta Department of Energy has performed in line with the expectations given to them by the Government of Alberta. Any changes should be in who the government is and not by adding more departments and ministries as suggested by the panel.

In comparing Alberta with some of the states in America, little recognition is given to distance from markets and the harsh climate we must build and design for, in Alberta.

The report regrettably does not acknowledge the fact that the Alberta oil sands are unique in this world and should be treated so, rather than being compared to some heavy oil projects in the world.

The report makes a large number of comparisons to countries where dictatorships and communism are the rule. Alberta is a free market society and should not be compared to any state-owned companies or industries.

Regrettably the report does not compare the Marginal Effective Tax Rate (METR) in percent to the mining business, which is what the oil sands are.

The report intentionally leaves out municipal taxes as stated on Page 32. The terms of reference specifically instruct the panel to include taxes in the review.

The report talks about the importance of stability but then suggests a radical change to the royalty system. Industry has said they can accept some small changes. Why create an atmosphere of instability?

Presentations to the panel suggested satisfaction with conventional oil and gas royalties yet the panel suggests a 16% increase in gas royalties and a 56% increase in oil royalties. Why?

Alberta's average size of gas pool discoveries is 1.7 BCF since 1994, while the global average is 490 BCF. This in itself should explain why we have to have more competitive royalty rates to attract investment.

Alberta's average size oil pool discovery since 1994 is 0.3 million barrels, while the world average is just over 100 million barrels. Once again, why do we compare our royalty rates with these giants?

The report recommends an increase of 50% of the Freehold Mineral Tax from an average payable currently of 4% to 6%. This is a tax on 50,000 mineral Freeholders in the province. This is a tax, off the top, on people and companies who own the oil and gas below the ground. Should this be taxed at all?

The report claims that oil sands costs are largely a management issue. This shows a total lack of understanding of how business works during a commodity boom economy. Plenty of socialists think this can be controlled but then Albertans will miss out on the upside of the commodity cycle.

Let's keep Alberta on top

For more information contact: Paul Hinman, Leader of the Alberta Alliance
(403) 393-2003

Friends of Grant

2007-09-24T21:53:00.000-07:00

I received this email from the friends of Grant and found it very interesting how our provincial government can make errors and not fix the problems. I am sympathetic to our veterans as they have chose to protect our way of life with their lives and society seems to treat them unfairly.

James Sexsmith is another example of a veteran who served his country loyally but when the landlords raised rents as a result to the Premier Stelmach's plan of raising rents once a year put Mr Sexsmith in a situation of being unable afford his rent.

Below is the email that was sent to me.

Veterans have already served and, in some cases, fought to protect this country – they shouldn’t have to fight again to receive a fair pension in order to live with dignity.

DEPRIVED OF PENSION

FORMER SOLDIER BATTLES CANADA’s RICHEST PROVINCE

Grant McLean, a senior manager with the Alberta provincial government and a former Mayor of the City of Airdrie is frustrated at the discrepancy in how the government treats its employees how MLAs treat themselves. Two and a half years ago Alberta MLAs voted themselves a liberal severance package. McLean is bitter that an Alberta provincial government error cost him nearly fifteen years on his pension. He is frustrated at the government’s denial and stalling tactics being used in the hope that he will go away.

Back in 1982 Grant McLean was an officer in Canada’s Regular Force with over 14 years service. He has served abroad on both NATO and United Nations peacekeeping duties with the Royal 22e Regiment, the Van Doos and with 1er Commando as well as the regimental headquarters of the Canadian Airborne Regiment. In 1973 he attended the US Army Ranger course and was selected as an Honour Graduate. McLean could have continued his career for another two decades with reasonable prospects for promotion.

Instead, McLean decided to apply for employment with the Government of Alberta in the provincial correctional system. After a couple of interviews he was offered a job as a Deputy Director at Spy Hill Jail, also known as the Calgary Correctional Centre.

With over 14 years service in Canada’s military, McLean had accumulated a considerable pension interest. During his interviews for the prison job he enquired whether he could transfer his military pension rights over to the provincial plan. The province’s letter offering McLean employment assured him he could transfer his pension over. McLean quit the army to take up the provincial job.

Whoops! After McLean had left his military career and went to the provincial pension people he was told no can do. It turned out that contrary to what McLean had been assured in writing, there was no arrangement between the Province of Alberta and Canada’s Department of National Defence for transferring pensions.

This left McLean without pension build up for a decade and a half of his life, making for a considerably reduced pension when he retires. And all because he relied on an incorrect assurance by the provincial government’s employment officer that his pension would be transferable.

The goof occurred even though provincial personnel departments had directives and mechanisms in place to avoid such mix-ups. McLean has been fighting since 1982 to get the provincial government to right this wrong and credit him for his earlier pensionable service without success. The provincial government refused to budge. McLean even heard that one bureaucrat said, “So we made a mistake, let him sue us.”

Finally, in 1999, McLean did just that and initiated legal action against the government. The lawsuit has been slowly wending its way through the legal system and has yet to go before a judge. For the government’s battery of lawyers, McLean’s claim represents just another case. For McLean it’s his quality of life for his retirement years and a loss of 29% of his pension.

Court actions are costly and time consuming. McLean’s case clogs an already overloaded court system while costing Alberta taxpayers money to defend an unjust refusal. Why can the government not accept the consequences of the erroneous advice it gave Grant McLean over two decades back? Why can the government not admit its error and allow him to put his military pension credits into the provincial plan?

Where do Alberta’s incumbent and aspiring MLA’s stand on the government’s tight fisted stance towards McLean? After all, didn’t they vote in favour of generous severance package for themselves? Shouldn’t some of this generous spirit be bestowed upon McLean? He isn’t, after all, asking for a handout, merely to be allowed to transfer pension rights he had already earned, and which the provincial government assured him that he could transfer when they offered him a job.

McLean is sensitive to the issue of politicians cushioning their departure from politics. He has previously been involved in the political process at municipal, provincial and federal levels. From 1986 to 1992 he was Mayor of the City of Airdrie, being elected by acclamation for his second term. In that job among other things he spearheaded a campaign for a province-wide 911 emergency call system.

In some cases, government lawyers will vigorously defend a legal matter for fear of encouraging a fold of similar claims. McLean’s case appears to be a peculiar one so why is the government dragging its feet here?

McLean’s health has deteriorated in the past year and a group of friends have now taken up his cause. In the past few months, a number of them will be picketing on his behalf at the Alberta Legislature and various constituency offices. Given an opportunity, the Friends of Grant McLean will ask MLA’s where they stand on McLean’s issue. For some of them, it should make for some fancy footwork in a game of political dodgeball that has frustrated and embittered McLean.

We would also be most appreciative if you would contact Alberta’s Premier, Ed Stelmach by e-mail or phone and advise him of your concerns with his government’s treatment of Grant. Mr Stelmach can be reached at fortsaskatchewan.vegreville@assembly.ab.ca Within Alberta you can phone toll free at 310-0000 and then dial (780) 427-2251. Please ask why the Alberta government is not prepared to try to help resolve this issue without bogging down our already overloaded court system even further.

For more detailed information please check out our website by typing in the address box of your internet access (not search engine) at www.friendsofgrant.com . We can be reached by phone at (780) 265-6660.

Comparing Environmental Policies

2007-09-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

Our environment will be one of the most critical issues facing all political parties this coming election. As the federal government continues to stall and delay on how we should protect and clean our environment it will fall to the provincial governments to do the job.

In a previous post I compared the Alberta Alliance Party (AAP) against the Wildrose Party (WRP) on democratic reform policies. In this post I am continuing a comparison of those two political parties but I decided to include the Alberta Green Party (GPA) to this as they are a party who has a strong focus on the environment.

I reviewed the the policies of all three parties and found them quite interesting.

Now the GPA has about five percent of popular support and in the last few years has forced the environment issue to the political forefront. Given the detail of their environmental policy and goals I do not believe they can accomplish all that they preach. If the GPA were to put all these policies in practice we could see our economic growth stop in the first five years. To make these policies even work the GPA would have to implement them gradually over the next thirty years.

The WRP claims to have the undecided vote at 37% in their favor but their environmental policies are non-existent as they have no policy. The WRP has a list of environmental policies proposals but if they were passed it would have Albertans believe that all the work from scientists around the world for the last many years that has now been accepted by governments as fact would no longer be credible. Should the WRP be government they would create their own commission to study climate change based on the work of the scientists they approve. I already know this will not work as this will put Alberta against the federal government who will implement an environmental policy that would be forced on us.

The environmental policies of the AAP are more detailed than the WRP but are more open to adjust to the needs of our economy and lifestyles. Like the GPA the AAP has policies for air, water and environmental conservation and protection but unlike the GPA our policies are more flexible. This flexibility would allow an AAP government to work with our different industries to come to a workable plan that would hinder Alberta's growth but to allow it to flourish.

Below are the environmental policies for the AAP, GPA and the WRP:

Alberta Alliance Environment Policies

Air Quality

An Alberta Alliance Government will research methods to improve indoor air quality to develop standards that ensure health is not compromised by the use of energy efficient potentially harmful materials.

Clean Water

An Alberta Alliance Government will institute a Clean Drinking Water Act. The Act will create a designated lead agency under the Ministry of Environment with responsibility for province-wide standards, monitoring and enforcement. The Clean Drinking Water Act will:
1. Ban the dumping of untreated waste & sewage into waterways.
2. Create incentives for water conservation such as providing assistance for municipalities to modernize water delivery systems to metered user- pay systems.
3. Conduct an inventory of all groundwater and bodies of water.
4. Develop and implement strategies for cleaning up polluted bodies of water.
An Alberta Alliance Government will encourage conservation of water taken from lakes or rivers for agricultural, industrial and domestic purposes.
An Alberta Alliance Government will impose strict regulations on all effluent producing industries and ensure that the costs of water treatment and purification are borne by the polluter.

Conservation

An Alberta Alliance Government will recognize the value of parks to society and protect these areas from intrusive activities.
An Alberta Alliance Government will establish balanced ecological reserves in Alberta.
An Alberta Alliance Government will actively oppose the implementation of the Kyoto accord.
An Alberta Alliance Government will not adhere or enforce restrictions and/or quotas outlined in the Kyoto Protocol that are deemed to have a negative impact on the Alberta economy.
An Alberta Alliance Government will ban wild animal trade, whole or in parts, that threatens the natural wildlife populations.
An Alberta Alliance Government will require governments to meet high environmental standards in their procurement, recycling and construction operations.
An Alberta Alliance Government will ensure the environmental laws and regulations are reasonable, sensible and have a relationship to reality and common sense.
An Alberta Alliance Government will allow private prosecutions against companies or individuals who have allegedly damaged the environment.
An Alberta Alliance Government will rehabilitate sites which have contaminated soils and vigorously pursue legal claims against those originally responsible for the contamination.
An Alberta Alliance Government will recognize the vital contributions Conservation Officers make to our province and will work with them to ensure that they are properly screened, trained and equipped to the greatest possible extent to ensure their safety while carrying out their duties.
An Alberta Alliance Government will conserve Alberta's environment while balancing economic development opportunities in the province's future.

Protection

An Alberta Alliance Government will establish an Alberta environmental ombudsman.
An Alberta Alliance Government will require Ecological Impact Assessments for all large projects. Particularity those projects in sensitive areas or that involve unproven technologies or that generate significant public concern.
An Alberta Alliance Government will have elected Ecological Impact Assessments Review Panels by the citizens of Alberta. The panel will have local representation and the power to approve, change or halt any project they review.
An Alberta Alliance Government will require that Ecological Impact Assessments be all encompassing in terms of the environment and the people affected by each project and include the cumulative effect of related projects.
An Alberta Alliance Government will study the concept of environmentally sensitive zoning.
An Alberta Alliance Government will strive to eliminate toxins from our environment.

Alberta Green Party Environment Policies

Preamble: Environment - The future of all life on the planet is endangered by our disregard for the health of the environment. All the Earth's systems are interconnected and all species, of animals and plants must coexist. We must preserve the Earth's ecosystems to sustain our own wellbeing. We must begin to Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. We will expect Albertans to diligently work to protect the environment and thus provide for their children's future.

A. General

1. Critical areas such as waterways will be subject to legislation regardless of whether it is publicly or privately owned.

B. Air

1. The Alberta Green Party will create and enforce a "Clean Air Act" for Alberta.

2. We will propose and support initiatives which will end production of all ozonedepleting chemicals.

3. We will support any measures necessary to reduce and ultimately eliminate the causes of global warming, including stabilization of atmospheric CO2 by carbon taxes if necessary.

4. We will encourage the use of public transportation, car pooling, bicycling, and walking, in order to reduce urban air pollution.

5. We will look for ways to improve indoor air quality standards and ensure that health is not compromised by the use of energy efficient but harmful materials.

C. Water

1. We will decommission the Oldman Dam as recommended by the Federal Government Environmental Impact Assessment.

2. We will encourage water conservation by placing an appropriate value treatment and distribution on water taken from lakes or rivers for agricultural, industrial, or domestic purposes.

3. We will impose strict regulations on all effluent producing industries, and ensure that the costs of water treatment or purification are borne by the polluter.

4. We will oppose any plan to divert water to the United States.

5. We will take steps to stay within the AB/SK apportionment agreement.

6. We will seek an apportionment agreement with BC on the rivers we share.

7. We will invest in researching better irrigation methods.

8. We will support irrigation methods which are more in tune with the natural world.

9. The GPA will increase monitoring of water quality and watershed impacts.

10. The GPA will limit the movement of water from one watershed to another.

11. The GPA will license the use of all water (above and below ground) for the protection of the watershed and water table.

12. The GPA will review current license agreements and ensure that future water use is based on a triple bottom line analysis

13. The GPA will increase monitoring of water quality and watershed impacts. The lack of long-term environmental planning for industrial development, decreased funding of monitoring programs, and political interference in environmental research, is endangering our freshwaters and forests.

14. The GPA will ensure that water is properly monitored in the Province.

15. The GPA will ensure that water supplies are properly inventoried in the Province.

16. The GPA will ensure that water consumption and other water statistics are publicly available to all Albertans.

17. We will put a moratorium on coal bed methane test sites until contamination and wellhead issues have been resolved.

18. There will be no drilling in protected areas such as Whaleback under a GPA government.

19. The resources of the current forest management and soil conservation areas will be consolidated into a bio-regional watershed, soil and water conservation board.

20. We will invest in action to tree the banks of existing irrigation canals.

21. We will create a project under the Alberta Research Council that would study weather modification and make recommendations based on the whole of Alberta's interests.

22. The costs for above research will be attributed to those who would modify weather for profit.

23. The River Basins System will be expanded to include forest management and soil conservation.

24. We will commence studies to evaluate the water holding ability and productive capacity of the soil.

25. Soil preservation and rehabilitation will become part of a targeted program including watershed and forestry conservation.

26. We will oppose the pricing of water.

27. We will commission a study on the extent of water pollution in Alberta, and the cost of clean-up.

28. We will support the development of buildings and industry that would allow water to be used more than once before leaving a building; e.g. grey water recycling and rain collection.

29. A program of incentives will be set into place to allow homes and industry to retrofit for water recycling.

30. GPA will reduce overall water use in government buildings by at least 50%.

31. Above reductions will be done as part of demonstration projects to show Albertans how water can be conserved. Work will be done through local educational institutions to train workers in new methods of building.

D. Ecological Impact Assessments

1. We will require Ecological Impact Assessments (EIA) for all large projects, projects in particularly sensitive areas, projects that involve unproven technologies, and any projects which generate significant public concern. EIA are part of the cost of doing business and will be paid for by the project proponents. Provision will be made for dividing the cost of EIAs among groups of similar projects.

2. We will require that EIAs be all encompassing in terms of the environment and the people affected by each project, and include the cumulative effect of related projects.

3. We will require that EIA review panels be elected by the citizens of Alberta, have local representation, and have the power to approve, change, or halt any project they review.

E. Wilderness

1. We will introduce policies that will protect animals and plants in the wild, recognizing that they have a right to exist for their own sake and not for their perceived value to people.

2. We will ensure that in the future there will be no net loss of wilderness in Alberta.

3. We will establish a series of wilderness preserves in which there will be little or no human impact.

4. We will recognize the value of parks to society and adhere to the intent of the Parks Act to protect these areas from intrusive activities until the protected lands act is in effect.

5. We will phase out all game ranching and game farming in Alberta.

6. We will ban any trade in wild animals or wild animal parts which could constitute a threat to natural wildlife populations.

7. We will place a 5 year moratorium on the hunting of any endangered or at risk species including big horn sheep, woodland caribou and mountain goats.

8. Top of the food chain predators will be preserved. The AGP will place a 5 year moratorium on the hunting of grizzly bears, cougar, lynx and wolves.

9. The AGP will make decisions about hunting licenses and fishing catch limits which will include as priority considerations preservation and genetic diversity.

F. Energy

Preamble: the use of non-polluting energy is essential to the security of the environment. Conservation of all sources of energy is vital to the future well being of the province. Modifications to human lifestyles which increase energy efficiency will support conservation.

1. We will encourage efforts to produce energy from renewable and non-polluting sources such as wind, sun, and biomass.

2. We will take the lead in encouraging all energy producers to see the long term need to conserve energy and to set realistic prices.

3. We will support education and research into energy-efficient homes, businesses, and government offices.

4. We will require that building and land use planning codes have high standards of energy conservation, including the energy used in making components and transporting them to a building site.

5. We will encourage small power producers to install power generation units which use renewable energy, and ensure that the electrical grid system buys surpluses at reasonable rates.

6. We will encourage recovery of waste energy through co-generation, such as providing heat for buildings from cooling water at power plants.

7. We consider the negative impacts of the nuclear power industry to outweigh its benefits and we will reject nuclear power as a viable option for energy in Alberta.

8. We will change the mandate of the EUB, to include protection of society and the environment, including the power to fine companies who pollute beyond legislated levels.

9. Funding for energy generation research will be realigned to focus on achieving sustainable energy production in the province of Alberta.

G. Industry

1. The Alberta Green Party would ensure the clean up of existing abandoned industry sites.

2. The Alberta Green Party would enact an "environmental recovery bond" for all new or expanded industrial sites to be refunded in part or in whole based on site cleanup cost. Cleanup will include closure of all access routes abandoned by industry at completion of resource harvest.

H. Sustainable resources

1. We will take steps to ensure that the vital resource of the genetic diversity of plants and animals is preserved and protected.

2. In order to ensure long term management the objective is resource augmentation over time. Resource measures need to be linked to leaving the same amount or better for our children as are currently available.

3. The AGP will enact a Protected Lands Act with:
i. Provincial Protected Lands will be managed by the Bioregional Management Boards which will be comprised of stakeholders from the affected communities including the publicly elected members;
ii. 12% of Alberta land will be designated as protected. This figure will protect river headwaters and wildlife corridors. This figure includes buffer zones but does not include Federal Parks. Current Provincial protected lands are 4.2% of Alberta;
iii. Protection designations will vary from total "wilderness protection" to primarily recreational areas;
iv. Part of this protected area will include the Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y) corridor to ensure the survival of animal species. The Alberta Green Party is committed to the Y2Y project;
v. The Protected Areas officers will be given the authority and resources to enforce the legislation;
vi. All decisions regarding designations will be made with public participation; smithereens will be a moratorium placed on privatization and development of Alberta's government campgrounds. All private maintenance agreements will be reviewed by the local Bioregional Management Board;
viii. There will be a moratorium placed on park fee increases. The GPA will consider the elimination of Provincial Park fees for Alberta Residents so that we can all access our provincial heritage.

4. The Protected Lands Act will designate:
i. Which land will be protected;
ii. A clear long term plan so that land users know what to expect;
iii. Clear articulation of the purpose of the designations (why are we protecting a particular land);
iv. The uses allowed in each protected designation e.g. wilderness, recreation, hunting, fishing, logging;
v. The land designations will be consolidated to facilitate clear enunciation of rules and enforcement by all stakeholders.

I. Grass

Preamble: currently residential lawn grass is the 3rd largest form of agriculture in North America by land area. It is the greatest consumer of resources. There are more labour hours, pesticides, gas and electricity used on its maintenance than any other area of agriculture. Improvement of grassland will benefit society as a whole.
1. Grass cultivators would be encouraged to phase out grasses that are non-drought resistant over a 10-year period. The encouragement would take the form of a consumption tax on high maintenance cost grass and a tax reduction on better adapted grass

Wildrose Party Environment Policies

Provincial Review of Climate Science
Be it resolved, that the Wildrose Party of Alberta establish a Provincial Royal Commission to study the science of global warming.

Provincial Review of Climate Science
Be it resolved, that the Wildrose Party support a provincial government review, informed by scientists of accepted credentials, to examine how to mitigate the anticipated effects of climate change in Alberta.

Liability for Malicious Environmental Lawsuits
Be it resolved, that the Wildrose Party supports legislation that would allow claimants to seek compensation from members of environmental groups where it has been proven harm was caused malicious or deliberate misstatements, or physical harm.

Climate science balance in Alberta schools
Be it resolved, that the Wild Rose Party will ensure a balanced approach if the climate change debate is to be taught in Alberta schools.

Alberta Alliance Speaks Out Against PC Patronage

2007-09-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

Continuing from the Edmonton Journal's article "Tories Stack Alberta Boards", that exposed how the PC party had put card carrying party members and supporters onto public boards, I for one am not surprised as this was the part of party politics for any government. How do you keep your political supporters happy and keep your party in power if you do not put them in positions of influence. Remember when Premier Stelmach was criticized for creating all party committees just to quell his fellow MLA's who did not make it into his cabinet in the name of transparency and honesty?

It is time for Albertans to make a stand. Stand up and be heard. If we do not send a clear message to this government that this type of party favoritism does not end then the PC party will continue to do what they want. I for one am tired of the one party province that has been in power for far to long that does not listen to the people. This is why I am running for office so that the people of Alberta will have a responsible, representative, honest and transparent government that is answerable to the people.

Below is the Alberta Alliance Party response to this PC patronage story that was printed on September 16th in the Edmonton Journal. Attached to this is a breakdown of how many card carrying PC members are on the public boards in Alberta.

"However, my biggest point is not that they are conservative minded people but that they are are members of the Progressive Conservative party. Prior to the leadership election the provincial Tories averaged about 5,000 members per year. It is disproportionate to have the majority of people on the 100 Alberta agencies, boards and commissions be members of the Tories. It is pure political patronage. We believe in ending political patronage. They have become no different than the federal Liberals.

We will make it a point to come up with concrete, detailed policies for the November policy / constitution conference. We want to end the political patronage that is rampant in this province."

Randy Thorsteinson

President
Alberta Alliance Party

Edmonton Journal

Published: Sunday, September 16

Here's a list of 100 Alberta government agencies, boards and commissions, plus task forces and provincial judicial appointments, and the number of Progressive Conservative party members appointed to each one.

AGENCIES, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS		MEMBERS	TORIES
Energy and Utilities Board		9	2
Family Supports for Children with Disabilities Appeal Board		7	2
Premier's Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities		8	5
Seniors Advisory Council		10	8
Strategic Tourism Marketing Council		18	7
Southern Alberta Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD)		6	2
Northwest Alta PDD		7	6
Edmonton PDD		6	1
Central PDD		9	4
Northeast PDD		7	5
Calgary PDD		7	3
HEALTH AUTHORITIES
Chinook Health Authority		12	7
David Thompson		15	11
East Central RHA		12	9
Northern Lights RHA		12	7
Palliser Health Authority		13	7
Peace Country RHA		13	13
Calgary Health Region		13	7
Aspen RHA		14	11
Capital Health RHA		14	8
OTHER HEALTH BOARDS
Alberta Cancer Board		10	5
AADAC		10	7
Public Health Appeal Board		4	2
Health Advisory Board		9	3
Health Quality Council		8	4
Alta Mental Health Board		9	4
Health Facilities Review Board		12	8
COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES
Red Deer College		6	3
Portage College		7	5
SAIT		10	3
U of A		10	5
U of C		8	3
U of L		9	4
Northern Lakes College		7	3
Olds College		7	3
Grant MacEwan		7	3
Mount Royal College		10	5
NAIT		12	8
Athabasca U		11	6
Lethbridge College		7	4
Grande Prairie College		9	3
Bow Valley College		6	1
Norquest College		11	4
Keyano College		7	2
Alta College of Art Design		10	0
Medicine Hat College		7	4
OTHER BOARDS
Alta Human Rights Commission		7	3
Alberta Sports, Recreation and Parks Foundation		11	6
Northern Alberta Development Council		10	9
Workers Compensation Board		4	3
Alberta Securities Commission		13	2
Auto Insurance Rate Board		9	2
ATB Financial		13	9
Alta Order of Excellence Council		6	6
Alta Insurance Council		2	1
Life Insurance Council		1	1
General Insurance Council		2	0
Credit Union Depost Guarantee Corporation	Corporation	8	4
Student Finance Board		6	3
Occupational H&S Council		2	1
Health Disciplines Board		5	1
Criminal Injuries Review Board		6	2
CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES AUTHORITIES
Central Alta Child and Family Services Authority (CFSA)		15	2
Southeast CFSA		8	3
Metis Settlements CFSA		7	2
North Central CFSA		9	3
Northeast Alta CFSA		7	1
Northwest Alta CFSA		13	4
Southwest Alta CFSA		8	1
East Central FCSA		7	3
Edmonton CFSA		14	0
Calgary Child and Family Services		11	3
AGRICULTURE AND OTHERS
Ag Financial Services Corp		8	2
Ag Products Marketing Council Tribunal		11	7
Child, Youth and Family Enhancement		6	1
Family Supports for Children with Disabilities		7	1
Alberta Grain Commission		11	8
Alberta Economic Dev Authority		60	29
Transportation Safety Board		30	13
Municipal Government Board		27	3
Environmental Appeals Board		8	3
Alta Foundation of the Arts		10	6
Alta Heritage Resource Found.		8	4
Alta Research Council		8	3
Credit Counselling Services of Alta 5		5	1
Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission		7	6
Rural Alberta's Development Fund		12	6
Alta Law Enforcement Review Bd		8	4
Alta Fatality Review Board		3	3
Alberta Review Board		8	1
Natural Resources Compensation Board		4	1
Alta Surface Rights Board		9	2
Campus Alberta Quality Council		11	1
Alta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research		8	3
Alberta Forestry Research Inst		11	5
Alberta Agric Research Inst		7	4
Alberta Energy Research Inst		9	2
Alberta Life Sciences Inst		10	4
Social Care Facilities Review Committee		11	7
Alberta Science and Research Authority		19	9
JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS
Provincial Court Judges		108	4
TASK FORCES
Alta Affordable Housing Task Force		16	3
Royalty Review Panel		6	1
Value-added Task Force		7	3
Crime Reduction Task Force		9	3
Crystal Meth Task Force		12	7
ABC Task Force		3	2
Financial Investment PAC		5	1
Pension Task Force		3	1
Learning Commission		8	5

PC Patronage

2007-09-16T20:56:00.000-07:00

Patronage has been the cornerstone of any political party. When a party becomes a government they will soon place all their friends into nice jobs. The longer these parties are in power the more they will hand out. We have seen this with the Federal Liberals with what they thought was entitlement. Even the CPC is under scrutiny for the hiring of some of their party supporters to government posts. Why do we think that the PC Party that has been in power for 36 years would be any different.

An election is around the corner ans we demand better and now is the time to get it. You have the power to change how we are to be governed. Get involved and vote for a party that has a policy that will end party patronage and allow fair hiring for provincial boards.

Below is the article from the Edmonton Journal reporting the PC party stacking of provincial boards and a message from Alberta Alliance Party President Randy Thorsteinson.

"In todays Edmonton Journal Darcy Henton & Jason Markusoff have done an amazing amount of research and have provided the facts to back up what most of us have believed for many years - the Tories have been stacking the 100 provincial boards with their members. I believe it is for two reasons: reward their supporters and ensure that the majority of the boards will follow the government line. It is another reason that after 36 years of Tory government in Alberta we need to replace this government. They have taken over virtually every aspect of government and community involvement across the province. It is an abuse of power and they need to be replaced."

Randy Thorsteinson
President
Alberta Alliance Party

Tories stack Alberta boards

The Edmonton Journal

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Journal reporters Darcy Henton and Jason Markusoff analyzed the membership of 100 Alberta agencies, boards and commissions -- known as Alberta's ABCs -- and discovered a disproportionately large number of card-carrying, high-profile Tories.

Something unites the 13 appointed board members of the Peace Country Health Region -- and it's not just a stated commitment to fiscal responsibility and improving health care in Alberta's northwest.

They're all card-carrying members of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta.

With former Tory cabinet minister Marv Moore at the helm and another former MLA sitting on that all-PC board, the region stands out in an Edmonton Journal investigation of high-ranking Tories and government cronies serving on provincial boards. But scores of others are just as stacked.

The Conservatives have drawn criticism in the past over blatant patronage appointments, but The Journal probe, which analyzed the composition of 100 government agencies, boards and commissions, reveals just how far the party's influence reaches into the everyday lives of Albertans.

It shows that the province's most influential boards are loaded with Tories -- constituency executives, former candidates or key members of the party's powerful provincial executive.

Even the current president of the Tory party, Margaret Mrazek, chairs a government-appointed board -- the Alberta Fatality Review Board.

"That's called politics," says Alf Savage, a former party president who chairs the Auto Insurance Rate Board and serves on the Municipal Government Board. "In many cases you want the people you know -- and they're the people you know."

Keith Brownsey, who teaches political science at Calgary's Mount Royal College, is not impressed.

"The party has become the province, and it's a real slap in the face of democracy. It demonstrates that if people want to be appointed to these boards they have to become a card-carrying Conservative," he says. "We hope the government has appointed people of competence, but you have to question that when some of these boards are so overwhelmingly stacked with partisan individuals."

Premier Ed Stelmach's cabinet appointed Mrazek to the three-member Fatality Review Board in April as she was campaigning for the party presidency, which she won two weeks later.

She bristled when asked if she thought there might be a conflict of interest in serving on the board while being party president.

"They're totally different," Mrazek said. "I sit there as a member of the fatality review committee reviewing cases that are presented to us, as a lawyer. It has nothing to do with the PC party.

"I'm concerned that that's even being raised. I find that very offensive."

Moore didn't realize that every single member of his Peace Country Health Region board was a member of the same political party. But he says his government affiliation hasn't stopped him from standing up for the health concerns of northern Albertans.

He just does it respectfully.

"You don't do your health authority any good by bad-mouthing somebody in government," he says. "I state the facts about funding and our position, but I certainly don't go out of the way to criticize individuals. I'm a member of the Progressive Conservative Party, but I would do the same if it was some other government."

In Peace Country, the revelation of the health board's make-up is unsettling to some residents, unremarkable to others. After all, Alberta has been under Tory rule for the last 36 years.

But that doesn't mean they all like it.

Retired Peace River social worker Joan Wahl isn't critical of the individuals who serve, but she is dismayed they represent only one political ideology.

"I think the people on these boards have the best interests of the people they serve at heart," the 68-year-old says.

"The only problem is you don't have people with differing perspectives. I know I see things very differently from a very right-wing Conservative."

The Journal compared the "public" board membership lists against the names of Tory aides, organizers, politicians and candidates. It also matched those board members against the 60,000 names on PC party lists for 2002 to September 2006 -- a list that predates last fall's leadership campaign, when the party swelled with instant members of all political stripes.

The results?

Of the 100 boards, 44 -- including all nine health regions, some post-secondary schools and ATB Financial -- were at least half comprised of PC-connected directors, with 448 of the 983 board positions held by PC members. Another 15 were held by senior government officials.

That means while PC members made up about three per cent of Alberta's electorate of approximately two million people, they held 46 per cent -- nearly half -- of the board posts.

The names of current Alberta Liberal executives did not appear on any of the boards examined by The Journal.

'Threat to democracy'

Earlier this year, Stelmach announced a review of ABCs -- agencies, boards and commissions. A three-member panel, chaired by former Energy and Utilities Board chair Neil McCrank, is expected to report in October.

The premier says he will wait for the report to decide what changes might be required, but he is not alarmed by the number of Tory members on key provincial boards.

"If we were to rule out all Conservative affiliation -- anybody who might have a Progressive Conservative membership -- we would rule out an awful lot of people who have the skill sets to sit on boards and agencies," Stelmach said in an interview.

The boards include groups tasked to oversee massive taxpayer-funded budgets -- including some in excess of $2.5 billion -- and set policies that affect thousands of civil servants and dozens of public programs. They deal with everything from workers' compensation and liquor-licence inspections to cancer-treatment initiatives and living allowances for Albertans with developmental disabilities.

Although some positions come with no compensation, they include generous expense accounts. Some provide remuneration of up to $500 a day for attendance at meetings.

And even without pay, board posts afford members considerable public influence, and invariably appear on their curriculum vitae.

The partisan board members, and the politicians who selected them, argue that appointments are based on merit rather than favours, and that political involvement shouldn't necessarily exclude qualified people.

But many people affected by board decisions worry how much sway these unelected public representatives have.

A spokesman for Friends of Medicare expressed alarm that the boards of every health region in the province -- boards that at one time were partially elected -- are so Tory top-heavy.

The group, which opposed the Klein government's push toward privatized health care, wants Alberta's auditor-general to investigate the impact patronage appointments may have upon the delivery of health services.

"We certainly think it should be probed," says Jack Goldberg, the group's chair. "We've always favoured elected boards and we've been vehemently opposed to the decision to stop the elections."

Auditor General Fred Dunn noted in his 2004-05 annual report that many boards "deliver significant services to, or protect, Albertans." But critics say the number of Tories on the public bodies raises questions about which master they serve: the government or the people.

Bruce Uditsky, CEO of the Alberta Association for Community Living, said the provincial boards for persons with developmental disabilities once included families of disabled Albertans, but many are now heavily dominated by appointed Tories.

"We know these boards are really responsible to government," he says. "We don't have any illusions that they are somehow really responsible to the community."

Liberal Leader Kevin Taft calls the depth of patronage on provincial bodies "a genuine threat to democracy."

"I think this should alarm every citizen in this province. The government and all of these organizations should not be run as a private club. These boards, first and foremost, should be made up of the most qualified people -- not the most politically connected."

Taft says it means that when a Tory-dominated board makes a poor decision, it is more likely to be covered up than aired publicly. "I think the public realizes it's time to drain this swamp."

Alliance Leader Paul Hinman says the Tories seem to abhor dissent on its boards, but says dissent is a necessary ingredient to good government.

"Dissenters make good organizations better and they bring down poor organizations quicker," he said.

Occasionally, the ruling Conservatives nominate retired opposition members for agency work. Former Liberal leader Ken Nicol was named last year to the board of the $100-million Rural Alberta's Development Fund, while former NDP head Pam Barrett served briefly on the Alberta Foundation for the Arts board in 2001.

Barrett said the board, which allocates cultural grants, never seemed overly sympathetic to the government line when she served on it -- but she was alarmed to learn that it is now chaired by the 2007 Tory convention organizer and that six of the 10 members are Tories, including two past government MLAs.

"It sounds to me like it's become a political machine, not like an arts support machine," Barrett said.

Selection process slammed

The Journal found that boards with a more formalized recruiting process have relatively few Tory card holders on them. Alberta's 10 Child and Family Services Authorities, which regulate day-care centres and handle foster placements and adoptions, have a rigorous, months-long board recruitment process.

The Alberta government also has a system in place that is supposed to ensure a fair process for recruitment to most of its other boards.

A directive introduced by former premier Ralph Klein in 1993 called on ministers to set up independent review panels to interview and vet candidates for each vacancy on dozens of top boards and prepare a short list for a minister's final decision. The process was tweaked further last year, at the urging of the auditor general.

But the recruitment directive is still only a guideline, and it's up to a cabinet minister's discretion whether to follow the process, says government spokesman Trevor Coloumbe.

As for those short lists drawn up by an ad-hoc review panel? "The minister can decide to not accept the recommendations and go his or her own way," Coloumbe says.

The auditor general says that's not good enough. "We would prefer to see the guidelines as being more than discretionary," Dunn says. "We'd like to see the guidelines viewed as leading practices that should be followed."

The process was far less formal last September when former government services minister George VanderBurg asked his riding PC association president, Dale Johnson, to consider serving on the board of Credit Counselling Services of Alberta, an agency that advises Albertans on debt problems and financial decisions.

Johnson submitted his resume, ministry staff were suitably impressed with his farming and small-business background and VanderBurg authorized the appointment through March 2009.

"I asked him to help us out -- it wasn't a very sought-after board position," says VanderBurg, now a backbench MLA for Whitecourt-Ste. Anne. The three-year position comes with no compensation, involves few meetings and drew little interest.

"If he's got the experience and the knowledge to sit on the board, why should he be excluded?"

NDP leader Brian Mason says there's a reason why patronage appointments continue in the face of recommendations from the provincial auditor general to improve practices.

"The Alberta Tory patronage system is designed to keep the Conservatives in power -- not to provide good services to the people of Alberta."

Retired Taber-area farmer and Tory party member Roy Reti, who sits on the Chinook Health Region board, says he's not bound to follow party lines when it's time to vote on health issues in the region.

If it came down to supporting the government or supporting the people in his health region, he says his loyalties lie with the people.

"I have never been one to favour anything the PCs have done simply because I am a member of the party or because I bought a membership," he said.

"It never affected the way I would look at an issue on the board.

"You attend the PC dinners and the PC golf tournaments so you get heard, so the MLAs know who you are and what you represent."

Carmen Ewing had no idea that she was the only director on the 10-member Northern Alberta Development Council that hasn't bought a Tory membership -- and she's not entirely comfortable with it.

"I would prefer to see a variety of political stripes sitting around a table because I think you can't all be able to say yes," said Ewing, mayor of the northwestern Alberta village of Girouxville.

jmarkusoff@thejournal.canwest.com

dhenton@thejournal.canwest.com

- - -

NO TICKET TO PROSPERITY

Working on an Alberta agency, board or commission may have its privileges, but it isn't a ticket to prosperity. Some appointments provide an honorarium while others pay expenses. For health authorities, it's between $134 and $350 per day for members, based on hours worked, and up to $492 daily for chairs. On the Peace Country Health board, Moore earned $42,000 in 2005-06, while most others members earned around $15,000, including additional allowances and benefits. At Capital Health, chair Neil Wilkinson -- an admitted fan of former premier Ralph Klein, under whom he was first selected -- earned $79,000 for 2005-06, the last year for which figures are available.

SOURCE: Alberta Government

- - -

A TORY TOP 40

The Journal has examined 100 Alberta agencies, boards and commissions and compared the names of the people appointed to serve on the boards to a recent membership list of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Association.

Here are the top 40 boards with the highest percentages of card-carrying Conservatives serving on them.

Health boards and regions

- Peace Country Health Region: 13 Tories / 13-member board

- East Central Health: 9 Tories / 12-member board

- Capital Health: 8 Tories / 14-member board

- Calgary Health: 7 Tories / 13-member board

- Aspen Health Region: 11 Tories / 14-member board

- David Thompson Health: 11 Tories / 15-member board

- Chinook Health: 7 Tories / 12-member board

- Northern Lights Health: 7 Tories / 12-member board

- Palliser Health Region: 7 Tories / 13-member board

- Alberta Cancer Board: 5 Tories / 10-member board

- Health Quality Council: 4 Tories / 8-member board

- Public Health Appeal Board: 2 Tories / 4-member board

- Health Facilities Review Board: 8 Tories / 12-member board

Post-secondary Institutions

- Northern Alberta Institute of Technology: 8 Tories / 12-member board

- Portage College: 5 Tories / 7-member board

- Lethbridge College: 4 Tories / 7-member board

- Athabasca University: 6 Tories / 11-member board

- Red Deer College: 3 Tories / 6-member board

- Mount Royal College: 5 Tories / 10-member board

financial

- ATB Financial: 9 Tories / 13-member board

- Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corp.: 4 Tories / 8-member board

addictions and disabilities

- Premier's Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities: 5 Tories / 8-member board

- Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission: 7 Tories / 10-member board

- Crystal Meth Task Force: 7 Tories / 12-member board

- Northwest Alberta Persons with Developmental Disabilities: 6 Tories / 7-member board

Agriculture

- Alberta Grain Commission: 8 Tories / 11-member board

- Agriculture Products Marketing Council: 7 Tories / 11-member board

- Alberta Agriculture Research Institute: 4 Tories / 7-member board

Other

- Seniors Advisory Council: 8 Tories / 10-member board

- Northern Alberta Development Council: 9 Tories / 10-member board

- Worker's Compensation Board: 3 Tories / 4-member board

- Alberta Foundation of the Arts: 6 Tories / 10-member board

- Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission: 6 Tories / 7-member board

- Alberta Economic Development Authority: 29 Tories / 60-member board

- Alberta Order of Excellence Council: 6 Tories / 6-member board

- Social Care Facilities Review Commission: 7 Tories / 11-member board

- Alberta Science and Research Authority: 9 Tories / 19-member board

- Northeast PDD Board: 5 Tories / 7-member board

- Alberta Fatality Review Board: 3 Tories / 3-member board

- Rural Alberta's Development Fund: 6 Tories / 12-member board

Provincial Hunting Day?

2007-09-15T21:40:00.001-07:00

When I heard the news release about Albert's provincial hunting day I swore I was still in bed and having a bad dream. Then my wife emailed me the news release from the Sun:

Bag a moose for road safety!

By BROOKES MERRITT, SUN MEDIA

Albertans can reduce highway collisions by killing more deer and moose, according to Ted Morton.

That's one of the ways Alberta's Minister of Sustainable Resource Development tried to sex-up hunting yesterday, as he announced Sept. 22 as the province's first official "Hunting Day."

"Hunting also helps with reducing vehicle collisions," Morton said in a press release.

WORRIES

He worries Alberta is "losing the next generation of hunters to television, computers and shopping malls." And so he's created Provincial Hunting Day.

Its goal? To "give young Albertans the opportunity to experience the outdoors and build a greater respect for wildlife.

"Provincial Hunting Day ... (will) educate Albertans about the important role hunting plays in wildlife management and conservation," Morton said.

He goes on to say that a day dedicated to killing game animals "will help change the negative perception held by some non-hunters."

Ministry spokesman Darcy Whiteside said Morton's comments were directed to rural populations for whom "animal collisions are quite high."

He admitted Morton's comments may have struck a better chord if they'd focused on the financial benefits of hunting, which sees money raised from the sale of hunting tags reinvested in animal and land conservation.

"But we specifically wanted to address a different aspect of hunting. We're always talking about conservation," he said.

"The fact is the most dangerous animal in the province is the moose, which usually kills at least one family per year in collisions. It's rare for a Grizzly to kill someone. And deer contribute to an alarming cost of vehicle repairs."

REMINDED

Whiteside also reminded urban residents who might snicker at Morton's comments that conservation groups such Hunters for Tomorrow, Ducks Unlimited and Alberta Fish and Wildlife are among the recipients of game hunting revenues.

Those funds also go into the provinces hunters education program, which recently celebrated its one million-graduate milestone, Whiteside said.

Again I thought I was having a bad dream or this was a sick joke but I was awake and this was no joke. Ted Morton wants us to go out and kill more animals to make our roads safer and to expand the culture of hunting to the next generation. There are just too many things wrong with this public statement from our government.

Society is evolving and interests do change. A hundred years ago there was a lager farming population than urban but as time changed we see cities expanding onto the best farm land of the province and forcing farmers to find jobs in the city.

Moose is the most dangerous animal in Alberta? Get real. Since when have you heard "run for it, that moose has tasted human blood" or "a moose would sooner try to kill you so it is ok to shoot them". I took hunter education in school and I know how dangerous a large animal can be to a person which would be the same if you asked any rancher how safe a horse or cow is when it charges. When you are in the wild you are in the animals home and that there are risks of animal attacks.

Making highways safer would force all drivers to take drivers education. I took drivers education and the rule for highway driving was do not exceed the speed limit and keep an eye on the road. When driving try not to be distracted and at night be careful of animals crossing the road. What's next, Ted Morton will say it is ok to shoot the mountain goats in Jasper to ensure that we are safe on the roads?

With our economic boom we will be destroying more animal habitats by making cities larger, building more roads and increased demands for raw resources. With more people coming to our province looking for a job and a home will put more people on our roads. If we want to conserve wildlife we should drive more carefully on our roads.

I am not against hunting as it is our cultural heritage but when I want to go out and enjoy the outdoors then I would go for a walk or a hike. If I want to shoot an animal for food then I would go hunting. If I want to sleep in the outdoors then I go camping.

I expected better from my government than this garbage.

Less Threats from Big Oil

2007-09-11T20:21:00.000-07:00

When I am at work I like to read the Edmonton Journal (only because my company does not subscribe to any other paper) and I like to read the letters from readers to various past articles. I found a letter by Dan Eggert of Sherwood Park in response to "ExxonMobil warns Alberta: 'Be very careful' before raising royalty rates, chairman says in Calgary," The Journal, Sept 8, 2007, to be insightful as our government and society has lost its goals and ideals. What is the future for Alberta? What is the five and ten year plans that the PC government has laid out for society besides relying on non-renewable energy revenues to keep spending more money than what we can save.

Here is the letter from the Edmonton Journal printed on September 11th:

It was discouraging to Rex Tillerson, chairman of the world's largest oil company, come to Alberta to incite fear.
Most offensive was his suggestion that all Albertans are interested in is economic growth.
It is important that we remember that economic growth is a means to an end, not the end itself. We should strive for happy and healthy communities. If growth gets us there, great. If not, we need to ask ourselves how we can get there.
We've been fortunate to have economic prosperity and looking back, as Tillerson suggests, has that brought us everything we've wanted?
That's the public debate we should be having and I encourage our provincial political, community and business leaders to start making that the focus, rather than assuming economic growth is the answer to all of our questions.
As a society, we must not blame big business for all our problems; the oil giants are simply responding to our demands for their goods. The responsibility for healthy lifestyles is as much our responsibility as it is business/government. We must look at our individual lifestyles and ask if they're sustainable not whether the economy is sustainable.
It's time for our government to take a principled stand on its vision for the province, because right now it's waffling.
If the government of Alberta stands strong, regardless of the pressure being placed on it by big business, I'll back it. If not, then it's time to give the Alberta Liberals a chance.

Personally I would prefer an Alberta Alliance government instead of an Alberta Liberal government but that was not the main point of this letter. What Albertans really need is not more threats from big business but to stop and think about what is the"end" that we want to build to. I realize the we need economic growth but how to do this with little impact to our environment, maintain provincial infrastructure, build healthy and safe communities? How do we do this with nobody being left behind or forgotten?

When I was growing up I was told respect your elders, go outside and play, do your best at school and that family comes first. Today our elders are sent to homes and visited rarely, we sit online in front of a computer or watch T.V., force our kids into overcrowded classrooms in schools that are falling apart and parents spend less time with their children because of work due to increased cost of living. What "end" are we trying to achieve? As Dan Eggert wrote we need to look at our lifestyles and ask if they are sustainable and our government to take a principled stand on its vision.

Alberta Alliance Fall Convention

2007-09-09T15:41:00.000-07:00

The Alberta Alliance Party is getting into gear for the next election and we need your help. I just received a Party email from Party President Randy Thorsteinson announcing the fall convention.

"The major reason that the Stelmach Tories are sliding so rapidly in the polls is that it has become clear that they are totally out of ideas, they simply don't know what to do. In contrast the Alberta Alliance has creative solutions for most of the challenges in Alberta today. From Health Care to Education, Infrastructure to the Economy, we have cutting edge ideas that would solve the problems of today while creating a solid foundation for the future. Even though we have a wide selection of ideas and solutions we cannot become complacent, we must always find new and better ways to build a better Alberta. It is time for us to come together again and brainstorm even more ideas to share with Albertans."

"Just a reminder that we have a fall conference focused on Policy and revising our party Constitution. The dates for that have been set for November 2 and 3, 2007 in Red Deer at the Red Deer Lodge.

Friday Nov. 2 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Constitution Renewal

Saturday Nov. 3 10:00 am - 4:30 p.m. Policy Conference

Red Deer Lodge
4311 - 49th Avenue
Red Deer, Alberta"

"We encourage each and every one of you to attend and participate. We also encourage you to share your ideas with us in advance so we can properly organize the agenda for the sessions. We will be breaking the conference up by topic such as Health Care, Education, etc."

"I have set up a separate, dedicated e-mail address for your ideas. If you have any recommendations for new policy ideas or changes to our party constitution please send them to:

Alliance Ideas: allianceideas@shaw.ca"

"We value your ideas and dedication to building a better Alberta. Together we can come up with real solutions that will be appealing to Albertans and solve the problems in Alberta today."

I am encouraging all Albertans to take the time to participate and submit ideas. Please visit our Party website at www.albertaalliance.ca to view our policy and constitution. It is time that your voice is heard.

Policy Comparisons : Democratic Reform

2007-09-01T22:13:00.001-07:00

The Wildrose Party (WRP)released their policy proposals for resolution at their party's founding assembly in October 2007. I checked their policy proposals and tried to compare it to their current list of actual polices from their website. Unfortunately the WRP does not have any party polices published on their website at this time. I decided to compare it against the Alberta Alliance Party's (AAP) published policies that you can read or download from the Party website www.albertaalliance.ca. In this post I am comparing the democratic reform polices of both the WRP and AAP.

First part of this post will be democratic reform issues that both parties have policies addressing.

Provincial Constitution

Wildrose Party Proposed Policy:

* A Provincial Constitution
Be it resolved that, the Province of Alberta is 100 years past in age. Still we do not have our own written and ratified Alberta Constitution putting limits on the Provincial Governments power or capacity. This would be the most exciting and democratic thing that we as Albertans could bestow upon ourselves and our posterity. The Consent of the Governed.

* A Provincial Constitution
The party Executive proposes 65a be reworded as follows:
Be it resolved, that the Wildrose Party introduce a Constitution for Alberta, which will include respect for regional interests, and guarantee the fundamental political freedoms of all Albertans, including property rights.

Alberta Alliance Policy:

* An Alberta Alliance Government will institute a Provincial Constitution under which all people would be equal. The province would be bound by the provisions of the Provincial Constitution during any future Federal Constitutional negotiations.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will determine the content of the Provincial Constitution through a democratic process including a constituent assembly of elected participants. The proposed content would be brought to the people of Alberta in a referendum for ratification.

Electoral Reform:

Wildrose Party Proposed Policy:

* Fixed dates for elections
Be it resolved, that the Wildrose Party supports a system of fixed dates for provincial elections, and not the current system where elections are called at any time at the option of the government in power.

* Citizens Assembly on democratic reform
Be it resolved, that the Wildrose Party urge the Legislature to convene a Citizens Assembly (on the B.C. model) to recommend new methods of democratic consultation and deliberation on major issues, such as Referendum, Initiative, Recall, and Citizens Assemblies.

Alberta Alliance Policy:

* An Alberta Alliance Government will institute fixed election dates for all elected officials in Alberta. MLA's will be elected to a four (4) year term. The Legislative Assembly will be able to call a vote of non-confidence at any time.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will institute a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform to assess all possible models for electing MLA's, including preferential ballots, proportional representation and our current electoral system. If the assembly recommends changes to the current electoral system the proposed changes will be put to a province-wide referendum.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will set the maximum number of terms that a Premier can serve to two consecutive four-year terms.

Government Reform

Wildrose Party Proposed Policy:

* Oversight of MLA Pay

Be it resolved, that the Wildrose Party will advocate or enact a repeal of the “severance” plan, and introduce a formula whereby voters raise, lower, or leave MLA pay the same at election time.

Alberta Alliance Policy:

* An Alberta Alliance Government will establish an independent agency to determine the salaries and benefits of elected governmental officials and senior civil servants and to ensure that appointments to government tribunals, boards and senior civil service are conducted through an open, qualification-based process. The independent agency will also be able to dismiss appointees when just cause to do so exists.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will invite all Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and Members of Parliament from Alberta to an annual conference to publicly identify and explore solutions to Alberta's concerns.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will ensure that MLA pension plans, transition allowances and severance packages are consistent with those in private industry.

Federalism

Wildrose Party Proposed Policy:

* Adopt the principles of the Calgary Congress

Be it resolved, that the Wildrose Party adopt as its federal position the Statement and Resolutions of the Calgary Congress, 2006.

STATEMENT of the Calgary Congress:

"We believe in one Canada; with many Provinces; and a Federal Parliament beside. Where each Province, accountable for its own and to its own, governs free of federal interference within its assigned areas of responsibility.

"We believe that Ottawa’s current practices of governance and wealth transfer are intolerable and pernicious, and should end now.

"We believe that Constitutional and conventional checks and balances should be made a more meaningful part of our political life.

"With these beliefs we submit these resolutions, considered and adopted by a majority of the Calgary Congress convened in Calgary, September, 2006."

RESOLUTIONS:

1. Canada needs re-balancing of power and responsibilities in our federation in conformation with our constitution.

2A. Provinces should be fully responsible for their own internal social and economic future.
2B. The primary mandate of an elected Senate should be to represent and protect provincial interests, powers and responsibilities.
2C. Effective counterbalances should be established to prevent the Courts from centralizing powers and expanding the meaning of Charter rights.

* Challenge the federal spending power in court
Be it resolved, that the Wildrose Party of Alberta advocates and will lobby the Alberta government to launch a Supreme Court challenge of the constitutionality of Ottawa's taxing and spending in areas assigned "exclusively" to provinces by Section 92 of Canada's Constitution.

* The cost of the federal system to Albertans
Be it resolved, that the Wildrose Party appoint a competent working group to assess the net cost of the federal system to Albertans, and to investigate and recommend constitutional means to reduce this cost in ways that would strengthen Canada's economic productivity.

* Oppose federal equalization
Be it resolved, that the Wildrose Party of Alberta be opposed to the continuation of Equalization Payments between Provinces currently administered by the Federal Government.

Alberta Alliance Policy:

* An Alberta Alliance Government will support respect and cooperation between the federal and provincial governments.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will defend Alberta against intrusions by the federal government by protecting the property, legal, constitutional and democratic rights of Albertans.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will work to thwart proposed or implemented federal legislation that contradicts Alberta Alliance principles.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will advocate for a reformed Canadian Senate that has equal representation elected from each province and effective parliamentary powers. Through
"Triple-E" Senate reform, the equality of all Canadians will be enhanced by ensuring that representation by population is balanced with the need for equal provincial representation.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will create serious consideration to the "Triple E" Senate reform proposal on a national level by holding a provincial referendum on Senate reform.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will recognize Alberta elected Senators to the Federal Senate. It need not recognize any federally appointed Senators.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will balance the representation between urban and rural centers in Alberta by instituting a Provincial Triple E Senate. Provincial Senators will be elected by the people from five equal electoral regions and have real effective powers.

Equality

Wildrose Party Proposed Policy:

*Alberta identity
Be it resolved, that the Wildrose Party will recognize that Canadians in the province of Alberta are first and foremost Albertans, with combined ethnic backgrounds that form a uniquely distinct Alberta culture.

Alberta Alliance Policy:

* An Alberta Alliance Government will recognize that all Canadians have equal rights, privileges and responsibilities.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will oppose the entrenchment by law of any recognizable group, as a "Distinct or Unique Society" with special privileges and exceptional rights not available to other Canadians. Equality of all citizens is the very essence of democracy and should not be compromised.

Referenda

Wildrose Party Proposed Policy:

* Binding citizens initiatives
Be it resolved, that the Wildrose Party of Alberta will implement binding citizen initiative referendums upon receipt of 5% of the previous elections' votes.

Alberta Alliance Policy:

* An Alberta Alliance Government will institute legislation allowing the citizens of Alberta to call for a referendum or initiative on a matter of significant public concern upon the presentation of a petition signed by at least 5% of the total voting population of Alberta.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will call a referendum on any matter which it deems is of significant public concern.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will be bound by the outcome of a referendum that is called regarding a piece of pending legislation.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will only use Section 33 (the Notwithstanding Clause) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, with the consent of the Alberta people in a referendum.

Conflict of Interest

Wildrose Party Proposed Policy:

* Establishment of a Public Ombudsman’s Office
Be it resolved, that the Alberta government set up and staff an Alberta Ombudsman’s office whereby citizens may appeal an unsatisfactory resolution of all complaints against any government agency, self-regulated profession, industry or society. The resulting resolution shall be binding on all parties unless that finding is eligible to be heard in a court of law, which will then be the final binding authority. Further, that it be required that every publicly registered corporation, society and professional organization be required to be registered with this Ombudsman’s office and be required to abide by the rules and regulations defined by it.

Alberta Alliance Policy:

* An Alberta Alliance Government will institute strict conflict of interest guidelines facilitated through the Provincial Ethics Commissionerís office.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will select an independent Ethics Commissioner via a multi-party committee. The commissioner will report directly to the Legislative Assembly.

At first glance that the Wildrose Party is trying to re-invent the wheel as many of their policy proposals are similar to the Alberta Alliance Party. Unfortunately the Wildrose Party was short on policy proposals and having no official policy shows that this party is lacking any credibility on democratic reform. The second part of this post is the democratic issues that Wildrose Party did not address.

Cabinet

* An Alberta Alliance Government will reduce the size of the Provincial Cabinet to twelve members. Specifically; Premier, Agriculture, Attorney General, Economic Development, Education, Environment, Finance, Health, Inter-governmental Affairs, Municipal Affairs, Solicitor General and Transportation.

Patronage

* An Alberta Alliance Government will restore professional, non-partisan public service by instituting Merit Employment Legislation that is based on merit and not political patronage.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will institute an impartial confirmation process for the appointment of senior bureaucrats, crown corporation heads and high level government appointees to ensure that the appointments are based upon qualifications and/or relevant experience.

Legislative Dates

* An Alberta Alliance Government will establish set dates for Throne Speeches, Budget Announcements, Legislative Sessions and other important legislative occurrences.

Constitutional Reform

* An Alberta Alliance Government will support the popular ratification of all Constitutional Amendments by a simple majority vote in at least two-thirds of the provinces (including the Territories) representing at least 50% of the country's population in a national referendum.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will agree with the terms of the Federal Clarity Act. That is any province seeking separation from Canada must first hold a referendum of the people of the province. The referendum question must be free of ambiguity and clear in the support it achieves for the result to be taken as the democratic will and expression of the will of the people to enter into negotiations that lead to secession.

Vote of Non Confidence

* An Alberta Alliance Government will require the passing of a proclaimed vote of non-confidence to cause the defeat of the government. The defeat of any other bill will only cause the defeat of the bill; not the defeat of the government.

Accountability

* An Alberta Alliance Government will implement a computerized voting system in the Legislature to instantly tabulate and record votes into the Hansard. The media would be able to report each MLAís voting record.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will hold open Cabinet meetings, at least once a month, which will be broadcast live over the Internet and could be televised.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will give all government MLAs a meaningful new role in policy development and service planning through a new system of decision-making.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will give all MLAs and citizens a better voice in government through active Legislative committees.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will support representative democracy. All MLAs will be free to express their constituent's views even when those views are contrary to the Alberta Alliance views.

Free Votes in Caucus and Legislature

* An Alberta Alliance Government will institute free votes in the Legislative Assembly. MLAs will be encouraged to vote according to the dictates of their conscience or the expressed indications of their constituents.
* The Alberta Alliance Caucus has only free votes. The caucus position is determined by a simple majority vote of the caucus.

Representative Democracy

* An Alberta Alliance Government will be accountable to the people of Alberta by recognizing that Members of the Legislative Assembly are first and foremost responsible to their constituents.
* An Alberta Alliance Government will institute the right of recall of elected officials.

Freedom of Information

* An Alberta Alliance Government will institute an open and comprehensive Freedom of Information Act.

Commissions / Boards

* An Alberta Alliance Government will institute elections for all provincial boards and commissions every four years to be held in conjunction with the provincial general elections.

In the end the Alberta Alliance Party has more to offer in terms of policy than the Wildrose Party (WRP). At this time there is no policy for the WRP and these proposed polices may not be accepted at their founding meeting in October 2007. I read the entire WRP policy proposals and was unnerved that no rational was provided as to why these proposals were being formed. When I represented the federal riding of Edmonton Mill Woods Beaumont at the first CPC convention in Montreal I was given a policy proposal package that contained the rational for all policies to be debated. If the WRP wants to be the next government then they will need a stronger p0licy in place by the next election. To read the complete WRP proposes policies got to www.wildroseparty.ca.

Rubber Stamp

2007-08-27T22:10:00.001-07:00

Everyone knows that there will be a provincial election soon, well except maybe those who are living in caves, and with the provincial support of the PC government dropping faster then ever we now see a government that appears to be listening to its people.

The Stelmach government had anounced that a $350 million surplus had became available and there was plans to put more money into crumbling public buildings and aging infrastructure. Alberta school boards will share an extra $97 million to put towards school infrastructure. Now no school board will say "no" to the money but what they would like to see is sustainable long term planning by our government so that school boards can actually plan renovations and modernize classrooms. Since education was cut back thirteen years ago some school repair projects have have been listed as a priority for the past eight years. Why is unanticipated surpluses being used to fund needed infrastructure projects. Where was our government's planning?

Our provincial government is using an old election trick. You know like how our roads are repaired every three years when there is a municipal election. I have been in politics a long time and every politician will tell you that voters have short memories. When an election is around the corner and support for our government is dwindling then these surpluses are found and that money is rubber stamped to be spent on those hot button issues. This is done so that candidates of the government while door knocking during an election can tell you what they have done for you to gain your support and most importantly your vote.

Our Privacy

2007-08-22T20:09:00.001-07:00

When it comes down to it privacy is a right that should not be violated. Even our law enforcement has no right to breach our privacy unless they have just cause. Why does such government organizations like the Alberta Energy and Utility Board (AEUB) and political parties such as the Wildrose Party (WRP), who were recently caught violating our privacy rights, feel they were above the Alberta Personal Information Protection Act.

On June 18, 2007 we all woke up to find out that the AEUB had hired private investigators to infiltrate landowners and forward all information gained, like conference call pass codes and background information on landowners and their protest tactics, for security reasons. Since when did landowners who practice their constitutional rights puts them in the same category as criminals or terrorists? Now the AEUB claims that extra security was required based on that some landowners actions at a previous meeting, which some protesters got physical, was needed to keep the meeting in Rimbey civil. Farmers were not allowed to be in the courtroom where the hearing was taking place but were compelled to watch the proceedings on closed-circuit TV from the Rimbey rec centre, with private security guards, provincial sheriffs and RCMP present. How much more security is required when that much visible security was present. I was glad to hear that this breach of public trust is currently being investigated and I agree with NDP leader Brian Mason that "heads must roll."

Now the WRP is currently seeking people to join their cause but like most new political parties have crossed a few ethical lines. Alberta Alliance members were contacted via email on August 21, 2007 by the the WRP to solicit donations and new memberships which was signed by three high profile defectors of the Alberta Alliance Party (AAP): (i) former Interim Leader Eleanor Maroes, (ii) former VP Communications Marilyn Burns, and (iii) former Edmonton Region President Phil Gamache. It has appeared that the WRP has an older copy of the AAP membership list and had decided to use it in an attempt to hurt the AAP. I know that gaining another political party's membership list is an old trick used by political parties both federal and provincial but how can a party say they have our best interests in mind, that they are honest and have integrity when they can easily cross the line of the privacy of the members of another party. When I join a political party I give them my personal information in the understanding that this information will be used for party purposes and not to be given out just to anyone. I do not want emails, letters or phone calls from other political organizations unless I request it and I certainly do not want my identity stolen. When three former high profile members sign such a document means there has been a breach of public trust and they are endorsing this. I know that there will be no public outcry about this and I doubt the AAP leader Paul Hinman will state heads must roll but enough is enough. Political parties should be compliant of the Alberta Personal Information Protection Act and should not use unethical tactics such as the WRP did.

Privacy is a very important right in today's society. When a government body such as the AEUB breaches public trust an example must be made and the same should be for any organization who thinks that privacy laws do not matter to them. I know in the business world that companies rely on having an excellent reputation to do business and should their company mishandles any customer's personal information could result in a lawsuit, heavy fines and negative media coverage which could ruin a company. Individuals wishing to make a complaint about the improper handling of their personal information by a private-sector organization operating in Alberta should contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for Alberta by phoning 1-888-878-4044 or visit the Commissioner's web site at www.oipc.ab.ca for more information.

The Alberta Alliance Needs You.

2007-08-17T22:13:00.000-07:00

The Alberta Alliance Party (AAP) is looking for people who want a fair, honest, responsible, and a representative democratic government. You do not have to commit large amounts of time and money for this to happen. You can take positions on constituency and regional boards, volunteer on policy/constitution committees, or become a candidate. The AAP is looking for your involvement to keep our Party attuned to what Albertans want from their government.

In the Capital Region alone we have room on our constituency boards and the more diversity on theses boards will only make them stronger. I have served on these boards with people who were young as twenty to as old as seventy. Everyone at the board represents their constituency and help in tasks as organizing meetings, fund raising, finding volunteers and create and distribute newsletters. The back bone to any political party is at the constituency level as this is where people will meet, discuss politics and express the views of its membership to the rest of the Party.

For any political party to stand out in Alberta it will require a policy and constitution that reflects the views of Albertans and demonstrates that a party is fair and democratic. Political Parties get their policy and constitutions amendments via a Party Annual General meetings. In order to have any policy or constitutional additions or changes to be voted on by the Party membership it will have to come from people volunteering their time in their constituencies to develop them. Sub-committees will meet and discuss all policy and constitutional ideas submitted by their members of the Party and develop those ideas to be presented to the Party's Policy and Constitution Vice Presidents.

Do you want to make a difference? Do you think you can handle the concerns of the people of your constituency and represent them in the legislature? Do you like to kiss babies and shake hands? Are you a reliable, dependable, honest and responsible person? If you answered yes to all these questions then you would make an excellent MLA. A political party can have the best policies and election platform but without any candidates to represent that Party then all that work done by their constituencies would be lost. The candidate will have to spend the most time and effort to get elected but by being in the public eye people will listen to what you have to say.

The AAP wants to run a full slate of candidates again next election and to do this we need you. We need you to help in any way possible either as board member of a constituency, volunteers on policy and constitutional sub-committees or in any way possible. If you are interested in building a better Alberta then contact me or the AAP at www.albertaalliance.ca.

No one should be left behind.

2007-08-14T22:20:00.001-07:00

No one in Canada should ever be left behind. No one should die alone far from their family and friends because the provincial governments and federal government bureaucracy could not decided on who should pay the bill. When I read the article about native toddler who died while both federal and provincial government bickered ,by Margaret Munro, I was angered that "who" should pay the bill caused undue suffering to a child and his family when such documents as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms exist to prevent this kind of discrimination.

Here is the article in its entirety:

Governments bickered while native toddler died, journal says
Margaret Munro, CanWest News Service
Published: Monday, August 13

A native child from northern Manitoba spent two years unnecessarily in a Winnipeg hospital where he died 500 kilometres from his family because of "warring bureaucrats," says a scathing editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

It was "discrimination pure and simple," says the editorial, which recommends the federal and provincial governments be sued if they continue to put "financial and jurisdictional battles" ahead of the needs of native children.

The editorial, to be published Tuesday, is the latest salvo in a campaign to help disabled native children and their families "frequently caught in this bureaucratic nightmare." Native groups hope it will prompt Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice to step in to prevent the heart-wrenching separations.

The editorial by Dr. Noni MacDonald, CMAJ public health editor, and Amir Attaran, a lawyer at the University of Ottawa, highlights the case of a boy identified as "Jordan," who was born on the Norway House Cree Nation Reserve in northern Manitoba in 1999.

Jordan had a rare neuromuscular disorder and was referred to Winnipeg for treatment. As his illness progressed, they say "he became wheelchair-bound, ventilator dependent and unable to speak."

In 2001, hospital caregivers wanted to discharge Jordan to specialized foster care near his home reserve - the option both his physicians and family agreed was best, say MacDonald and Attaran.

"Then, the bureaucrats ruined it," they say. "The federal and Manitoba governments could not agree on who was financially responsible for Jordan's care. Bickering erupted; over foster care, transportation to clinic - even over tiny items, like a showerhead. For over two years, warring bureaucrats left no stone unthrown."

Jordan "languished" in hospital as the bickering continued. The "intergovernmental dispute only stopped" when he died "far from his family and community," say MacDonald and Attaran.

Mike Muswagon, a Norway House Cree Nation band councillor, said Jordan's family was "shattered" by the tragedy. "That little guy never set foot on mother earth," Muswagon says.

MacDonald and Attaran say the case violated both the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which forbids discrimination.

"Many of the services Jordan needed would be paid for without question for a white Manitoban, or off-reserve aboriginal resident," they say. "It was Jordan's living on-reserve that caused the bureaucracy to choke. That is discrimination pure and simple."

The case is not an isolated one.

Muswagon says 37 profoundly disabled Cree children in Norway House, a community of about 6,000 people at the north end of Lake Winnipeg, are now at the centre of a jurisdictional battle. The federal and provincial governments refuse to pay for speech and physiotherapy for children suffering a range of disorders, including autism and Down syndrome, or respite care for the families.

Muswagon says the band has stepped in to pay for some of the services, but he says the federal and provincial governments are responsible for health care and should finance the services, which are available to disabled children in other Canadian communities.

MacDonald and Attaran say "geography is no excuse for the pusillanimous, inequitable distribution of wealth, such that advanced care exists only in the south and First Nations children, parents and communities endure psychological and cultural stress to access it."

The CMAJ editorial provides welcome support to native groups and communities, which for years have been calling on governments to put children's need first. It is estimated that in Manitoba alone there are close to 1,000 First Nations children with severe disabilities, and many do not receive the care they need.

Muswagon is calling on Prentice to endorse "Jordan's principle," which aims to end discrimination against ill and disabled First Nation's children. When jurisdictional disputes arise over services for a status Indian child that are available to other Canadian children, Jordan's principle requires the government agency of first contact to pay for the services without disruption. A dispute mechanism would sort out funding issues.

The Manitoba government has agreed to adopt the principle if the federal government follows suit. Federal bureaucrats have balked, saying they don't have the authority to make a commitment, says Muswagon, who hopes to meet with Prentice later this month.

Deirdra McCracken, Prentice's press secretary, said the minister was not available Monday to comment. Bureaucrats at Health Canada and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada are aware of the issue and are looking into it, she said.

McCracken would not confirm whether Prentice plans to meet with native groups to discuss Jordan's principle.

I know this is a case that has happened in Manitoba but it is a reminder that it can happen here. When growing up I was always told that in Canada we have a one tier health care system in which everyone is treated equally but when you look at it we have at least three tiers, one for those who can pay, one for those who cannot and one those who are First Nation.

I have volunteered with the Ben Calf Robe Society and its Head Start - Mother Earth and Me Preschool program for a few years. I saw first hand how the Metis and the First Nations peoples have been discriminated by our governments and society for years but I also saw a group of people who have a rich and beautiful culture. I worked with these children and staff and was amazed at just at how proud of who they are and how open they were to me to teach me their beliefs and culture.

There is no reason why such atrocities like Jordan's should happen in our country. If Prime Minister Harper's New Canadian Government has to "dither" on who is responsible for paying First Nations health care expenses then they are no better than the federal Liberals as these types of problems should have been fixed years ago. Provincial governments should show the federal government who has more class and pay these bills up front and then argue latter with their federal counterparts about who owes who.

No one should ever be left behind no matter who they are. No one should be made to suffer because it costs too much money. No one has more rights then the next person.

What is with the WCB

2007-08-13T21:00:00.001-07:00

I was appalled when I read the article by Jeremy Loome regarding Richard Falks WCB woes and the apparent lack interest by our PC Government in to doing anything about it. Here is the article in its entirety:

Evans 'betrays' worker
Gets WCB to draft letter refusing help

By JEREMY LOOME, LEGISLATURE BUREAU

He expected Employment Minister Iris Evans would help him in his battle with the Workers' Compensation Board, and instead Richard Falk is left feeling betrayed.

Now Falk wonders who to trust, after Evans instead got the WCB to draft her letter refusing to help him - and she's not the first Conservative government minister to have pulled the move, despite the WCB being an arm's-length public body.

Falk wrote to the WCB asking for help in getting a doctor to release notes relevant to his claim, as required under the Workers' Compensation Act, and sent a copy of the letter to Evans.

Internal WCB correspondence obtained under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act shows that a month later, Evans sent the letter to the WCB, the very group with whom Falk is fighting, requesting it draft her response.

Its government relations department took 30 minutes to do so. Copies of the draft from the WCB to Evans and the final letter mailed to Falk by Evans are identical.

"I am the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation legislation and the president and CEO and the WCB board of directors are in direct control of the day-to-day operations of the business," Evans "wrote."

In fact, under its legislated mandate, the WCB is supposed to be independent of government. That means Evans has a lot of explaining to do for being in bed with the agency at all, said NDP critic Ray Martin.

"This is outrageous behaviour on the part of a government minister. She not only ignores the fact that the WCB is supposed to operate independently of government, but she uses the WCB to draft a letter explaining why she can't help someone who is injured," said Martin.

Evans would not talk to Sun Media about the case. However, spokesman Lorelei Fiset-Cassidy said the minister considers the WCB's role in drafting the letter "irrelevant."

"The information on any particular file is held by that public body, and therefore she needs in order to respond appropriately to gather information from that public body," said Fiset-Cassidy.

If Evans wasn't confident in what the WCB said in the letter, and that she wasn't taking sides in the dispute, she wouldn't have signed it, said Fiset-Cassidy.

Falk, now living in Coquitlam, B.C., has been fighting for his medical records for years, after being granted full compensation for his back injuries in 2002, only to have them withdrawn with little explanation months later.

Falk concedes that after years of fighting the WCB and the government, he's not sure who to believe anymore.

The extensive documentation Falk received under Freedom of Information shows former employment minister Clint Dunford also got an opinion from the WCB before refusing to help Falk.

"He tells me on the phone that this should be a 10-minute fix, that there's no way I should be going through this. And then I get a letter from him saying he can't help. And then I find that's because he's been given advice by the WCB that he doesn't have to help me."

The agency a few years ago was slammed by a former judge's inquiry for going out of its way to reject claims. That panel recommended the government review all cases back as far as 1986. The government promised to do so, but has consistently reneged.

A Sun Media investigation last year revealed internal cases of financial mismanagement, potential financial fraud and an internal bonus policy that rewarded staff for closing cases by certain dates.

As this boom continues we will have a large number of workers who will be injured on the job. How many of them will have legitimate injuries that the WCB will reject? How much money will the WCB will earn for closing these cases early? Our Premier Stelmach when elected promised that he would would make the government more transparent but has failed to take off the protective shipping plastic off the glass. This article shows us just how thirty years of power has left our government fat, lazy and toothless.

Given the state of our economy and cost of living our workers need to know that their government will be there for them. Families are finding it hard to afford a home and pay for basic needs due to PC inaction and non-planning for the future. How many working families can survive on a single income while their loved one fights for compensation from the WCB?
What is the magic number do we have to reach before Ed Stelmach and his government looks into cleaning up the WCB and make it do what it was suppose to do? We need a government that will stand up for Albertans making sure such organizations like the WCB are honest and fair.

I wonder if the the WCB drafts the response for the government to tell us that any inquiry on the WCB has been rejected?

An interesting question from the Watcher

2007-08-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

I received an interesting question from a blogger called the Watcher who has asked me to clarify my position with Alberta Alliance Party by posting a comment on this blog and on the blog www.albertaalliancewatch.blogspot.com. I did comment on both blogs but felt that an explanation would be needed for my past post about the Wildrose Party and the Watcher's blog.

I have been reading the Watcher's blog for some time now and for those who do read that blog will quickly realize that it is not a friendly blog about the Alberta Alliance Party. I do find some of the Watcher's posts interesting and well written but I do not always agree with what has been posted. I respect what the Watcher has posted as I believe in free speech and that it should be encouraged. It is refreshing to to see someone interested in politics and is willing to provide a different view to a printed story written by professional reporters.

As for my last post about the Wildrose Party I believe that come next election Albertans need as many choices as possible as the Liberals. NDP, Alberta Party and Social Credit have done very little in the Alberta political landscape over the past thirty years. I know that the Alberta Alliance's policy is strong and will be stronger after our policy convention later this year. I know that the Wildrose Party will be competition next election but so will the Alberta Alliance. People should not be afraid of competition in politics as it will only make those parties work harder to give Albertans what they need which is a strong, responsible, honest and represented government. If we try to stop other political parties from forming then we would be no better than the other parties who are already corrupt.

People should put an effort in to make politics in Alberta more responsible, honest and represented for Albertans. You have to do more than just not vote or spoiling your ballot during election time to protest what your government did over the past four years. You need to get out and be heard and get involved because if you do not then those in power will continue to do as they want and not be accountable. Start a blog, talk politics with your family and friends, start a peaceful protest, start a petition, write a letter to your elected official or start a political party and get involved. I got involved and I have no regrets.

Wildrose Party

2007-08-04T21:51:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows that the Alberta PC Party is in decline and there are a lot of contenders for the crown. I have had the chance to meet with representatives of the new Wildrose Party of Alberta who are interested in competing for a chance for the top spot. At this time the Wildrose Party is trying to get 7000 signatures from Albertans to officially register this new Party for the next election.

I strongly encourage people to sign the petition to register this Party. You do not have to join or vote for the Wildrose Party if you do not want to but you would be recognizing this Party's right to exist and to allow your fellow Albertans a choice in the next election.

How to help:

Contact Sharon Maclise (Vice President) today, info@wildroseparty.ca and tell her if you can join the volunteer signature brigade.

Even if you can't, print a blank sign-up sheet from www.wildroseparty.ca (on the left-hand menu, click on "petition form"), and get a few friends to sign it. Every signature helps.

If you have already started sheets but haven't finished, mail them back now (the party address is at the bottom of the sheet). They don't have to be full -- even one or two names are enough.

Provincial Committees

2007-08-04T21:11:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered what the PC multi-party advisory committee on Growth Pressures have been doing? I was shocked to find out that this committee that taxpayers are paying for has yet to do anything. Here is an excerpt from the Edmonton Sun:

Wed, August 1, 2007
Province's committee on growth pressures a bust?
Yet to meet 5-months after it formed

By JEREMY LOOME, Legislature Bureau

When Ed Stelmach took over as premier, he promised transparency and multi-party advisory committees.

But what if the committees never meet?

That’s the case with the legislature’s Standing Policy Committee on Growth Pressures which, despite the province being awash in growth-related problems such as homelessness, increased violent crime and labour shortages, hasn’t met in the five months it has existed.

Did Premier Stelmach just create these advisory committees for show in order to justify the extra pay he would give to his party members and create the illusion of keeping his leadership promise of transparency for people? The PC Government has lost touch with the people and it is time for a new party to be the government.

Click on the title to see the Sun article in its entirety.

Government is in control. Do Not Panic.

2007-07-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

Ever get the feeling that our provincial government hopes that people would just shut up and do as they are told? That if something goes wrong do not tell anyone but continue on as if nothing has happened? Just pay your taxes and vote PC because because who else will take care of you?

In the last month we have seen PC support constantly slip as Premier Stelmach shows us just how easy it is to govern the wealthiest province in Canada. Albertans needed a government that would deal with the mess, such as, housing, health care and infrastructure, that the PC government under Premier Klein had created by not planning for the future. What we got was a new Premier that everyone calls "honest" and is a "nice guy" but what he has not been called is a "good leader" or "problem solver" or "the guy who gets the job done".

The housing issue was only addressed by the Premier (where Stelmach commented that he was not aware of the issue) after months of media attention showing at first a $400.00 extra a month increases in rent to $1000.00 extra. Some papers stopped printing those articles as the $2000.00 per month rent increases made better stories.

An overheated economy has driven the costs of construction so high that the only good advice the government was told was delay Capital projects until they become more affordable. Our government gives us a budget high in spending and continues all Capital Projects because they could not decide which projects were more important. End result we have another budget that puts little money into out Heritage Fund and uses most of our non-renewable resource revenue. Still everything goes up in price and the average Albertans income cannot keep up with the increased costs for basic living.

First our PC government was going to create a two-tier health care system for those who can afford and for those who cannot. We were told that by our government that health care was too expensive and that private for profit health care was the only choice but due to public outrage the "Third Way" was scrapped. What is the state of our health care in Alberta? What has the PC government done to it while we have been distracted with the "Tent City" and the Energy Utility Board's hiring of private investigators to spy on people?

The only thing the PC government has in their favor is that most of there support did not switch their vote to another party yet. Last bi-election only showed that the the support did not show up to vote. The opposition parties have to make it their priority to get their message to the people as an election is coming and that candidates need to be knocking on a lot of doors.

David Swanson

2007-07-18T21:15:00.000-07:00

I had the fortunate opportunity to catch Dr David Swann Liberal MLA and Environment Critic on 6:30 CHED Radio who was commenting on the poor status of rivers in Alberta. Personally I found the interview quite interesting as the Solicitor General had found four of the six major rivers in Alberta to be in extreme poor quality. Poor quality meaning that these rivers have very low oxygen levels, low water levels and you cannot eat the fish you catch. Of course the PC Government has increased development in the oil sector but has yet to put in effective legislation to protect the environment.

What turned this excellent interview into a shameless plug for Kevin Taft and his Alberta Liberals was when Mr Swann was asked what we needed to do as Albertans to change this environmental disaster. Mr Swann's response was that we needed to vote in a Liberal Government under the leadership of Kevin Taft. No mention of what policies the Liberals have put forward or what protests and demonstrations planned to get the people behind them to force the PC Government to put our environment in the forefront during this massive oil and development boom. Here we have another politician who will back the Party line and not stray no matter what his constituents say.

What would have been nice to hear is an Environment Critic to put forth real ideas on how we can protect the environment. When a politician can only put forth Party rhetoric when asked a serious question means that their Party has no clue how to fix this problem as well.

Calgary-Elbow Bi Election Forum

2007-06-04T16:36:00.000-07:00

I just received an e-mail notice from our Party candidate Jane Greydanus in Calgary-Elbow. There will be a public forum:

Location: St. Andrew’s United Church

924 Heritage Dr. SW (west of Elbow Dr.)

Date: June 6, 2007 (this Wednesday)

Time: 7:00 PM

Moderator: Bill McFarlane

Party supporters we need you to attend this meeting so we can show the media and the other candidates just how strong the Alberta Alliance really is in Calgary. The media has already reported that the PC Party are in decline in this riding and there is little support for the NDP or the Liberals. Most conservative voters would rather vote for an alternative conservative party candidate than for a Stelmach PC.

The top four candidates (that includes Jane) did a CBC radio interview this morning.

http://cbc.ca/calgary/media/audio/eyeopener/20070604ELBOW_FO.ram

You will need Real Player installed to listen to it

Results from Town Hall Meeting

2007-05-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

I attended the Housing Crisis Town Hall Meeting hosted by the Alberta Liberal Party this evening. First of all I was disappointed that this meeting was just showboating by the Liberal party and that it offered no real results or solutions.

My first impression that this issue was not taken seriously by the Liberals was the location of the meeting which was one of the smallest rooms at the South Edmonton Alliance Church. This room could not hold more than forty people and was not easy to get in or out.

During this meeting the Liberal MLA's told us we were in a housing crisis and that they have no short term or long term solutions. We were informed that they tried their hardest like participating in committees, demonstrations and all night special sessions but due to our democratic system nothing could be done. How could we make a difference? Call and write to your MLA. These our our MLA's and we were told they could do nothing. Hold a demonstration at the Legislative Grounds but who can afford to leave work and protest when our cost of living is through the roof and getting worse.

When the meeting was turned to the public for questions all we heard were horror stories and hardships from concerned citizens. What could our expert panel of speakers offer? Not much. No comfort and no direction.

What I got from this meeting was that this issue is serious and that we need a plan now. We need housing now and not tomorrow. We are in a emergency situation as long as this boom continues. What we need is less lip service and more action.

Seniors Housing Meeting May 17, 2007

2007-05-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

I spoke with Jim Sexsmith after reading about his meeting with Housing Minister Ray Danyluk and Service Alberta Minister Lloyd Snelgrove titled "Relent on rent controls, Tories urged" in the Journal on May 9th. Mr Sexsmith felt that after this meeting that the Tory Government gave nothing but lip service to all who attended and is now urging everyone to get involved and pressure this government to ensure that seniors, people on AISH and low income families are not force to beg on the streets to survive.

I have studied both sides of this debate but I feel that raising someones rent almost double was just too much for people to bear and government should step in. It is nice that we are in an economic boom but most wages have not increased and the cost of basic necessities such as rent/housing costs, food, utilities and clothing have. It is nice that there are all these employment opportunities but when people have to work more than one job to support themselves and their families shows that when a boom is out of control it quickly becomes a burden that is increasingly harder to bear.

I encourage everyone to come out to the Seniors Housing Meeting on May 17th at 7:00 PM at the South Edmonton Alliance Church located at 6508 - 31 Ave NW Edmonton AB.

Remember that those who do not stand up for something will fall for anything.

Future for young Albertans

2007-05-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

The reason I got involved with provincial politics was to help create a better future for our children. I watched our health-care and education deminish under the Tory government for years. Now I get to watch how people are faced with low wages and rising costs in housing, food and utilities and our government does little to stop it. I see chance to enrich a childs life being traded in by many families in order to keep their head above water.

We are the role models for the next generation. We have to stand up and say enough is enough. We should be looking at protecting our environment, ease the pressure off working families to allow more together time to raise our children right and do the right thing that may cost our super heated economy to slow down and allow people to have a place to live without being gouged.

Budget

2007-04-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

The first Stelmach budget was not as spectacular as we were led to believe and left much to be desired. Here we have announced to us by the Finance Minister Lyle Oberg that the Tory Government plans to spend $33 billion dollars but with the increased spending still managed to leave out spending on environment and AISH. Mr Oberg claims that we are catching up due to the neglect by the previous Premier Klein's Government trying to pay down the provincial debt.

For the past 17 years Albertans watched the Klein Tory Government cut programs and lower our standard of life in order to save us Billions of dollars due to poor planning from past conservative governments. We watched our health-care and education programs along with infrastructure which left Albertans with less qualified staff to take care of us and the buildings we are using are now overcrowded and in desperate need of repair. Classrooms are overcrowded and wait times for proper health-care increased and there appears to be no plan or end in sight as long as the Tories are in power.

This boom has hurt Alberta more and more as there was no plan for it by this Tory Government who could not think past its goal of eliminating the debt. If this government had five years ago started a plan to ensure that there was enough housing, schools, health-care and invested in infrastructure we could have coasted through this boom and not stressed our resources and drive up costs. The best Oberg could announce was that the government was planning to throw more money at the problem which will have the same effect as gas on fire. The billions of dollars we saved are now being spent which could and probably would lead us back into debt again as we are still using non-renewable resource revenues to pay for our programs.

Has environment been addressed by this government? No, as there was no decrease in the oil sands development which will rip out all raw materials and export out of the province to be refined and sold back at market price.

Has people on fixed incomes like AISH and seniors even thought about? Well yes but the increase of $50.00 to people on AISH per month does not help when price for basic needs like food, shelter and clothes keep going up.

This budget does not make life better for Albertans as again we are overspending and no plan was given to ease the strain of the boom. Next election we need to change this government as the Tories have no plan and lost touch with Albertans.

Some Parties Don't Change

2007-04-15T21:21:00.000-07:00

Every time before a new budget by our provincial government we get rumors and vague promises of how our tax dollar would be spent. This was no different with the Stelmach government announcing that the PC's would like to set up a fund for infrastructure at a fundraiser at the Edmonton Shaw Conference Centre.

Sounds to good to be true? Well it was, as Premier Stelmach also announced that night at that fund raiser that he urges Edmontonians to elect more PC party members in order to get better results for their communities as was written in the Edmonton Journal on April 13/07. When Stelmach won the PC leadership race last December, many people saw the power of the province move from Calgary to rural Alberta which made Calgarians who benefited from the Klein era uneasy. Edmontonians felt we were short changed by the PC government for years as we tend to elect Liberals and NDP. Now the new leader of the PC government has announced that Edmontonians would only benefit from this government if they support the PC party.

What is the future for Edmonton? Our future is simple by the PC party standards which is our communities would continue to suffer should we elect anyone other than PC. This is why I want to be your MLA. I want to put a stop to unfair treatment of Albertans who voice a different opinion than that of the government. We should not be held hostage to by the PC government for proper funding of our infrastructure, health care and education.

Liberal Apology

2007-04-06T15:16:00.000-07:00

Any conservative on April 4th would have been happy to read in the Edmonton Sun how the Liberal Party of Alberta would now be short one member in the Alberta Legislature. MLA Bharat Agnihotri was asked to leave the Legislature due to his disrespectful comments to the Tory Government. Mr Agnihotri was asked three times to apologise for impugning the integrity of the premier and leadership contenders in his cabinet before he was asked to leave. Outside the Legislature Mr Agnihotri told reporters "he won't immediately apologise because he thinks his question was valid."

On April 5th in the Edmonton Journal reports how the "Liberals keep up pressure on the provincial lottery grants" but reports of how Mr Agnihotri apologised to the Legislature. Mr Agnihotri claims he apologised out of pressure from his constituents who wanted him at work instead of playing the "victim" of Tory politics.

What happened to not apologising immediately and standing up to the Tory Government? On April 4th the Liberals looked strong and defiant but now after one day they look toothless and weak as they were not able to back what they did in the Legislature. I watched the video (www.edmontonjournal.com) of Mr Agnihotri apologising to the Legislature and the Tory Government and I saw a man who used this stunt as a media ploy to earn votes come next election. Is this the future that the Liberals would give Albertans should they form government? Liberals who do one thing to get your vote and next day do the exact opposite to keep their salary.

A MLA has to listen to their constituents and be their voice in the Legislature. MLA's represent the best of their constituency and should conduct themselves in a professional an courteous manner at all times. Mr Agnihotri failed his constituents by making allegations on the integrity of the premier and leadership contenders in his cabinet that he could not prove and then get himself kicked out of the Legislature. Mr Agnihotri could have put pressure on the Tory government by acting like a real MLA, force a review of the lottery grants and not be kicked out of the Legislature.

Alberta Alliance AGM 2007

2007-04-01T14:13:00.000-07:00

If you have been reading the newspaper you may have noticed that not much was written about what had happen at the Alberta Alliance AGM on March 24th. The Alberta Alliance Party has been a little too quiet these last two years and the provincial council has done little. Our Leader Paul Hinman has been working very hard for this Party and his constituents during this time but he was only one man.

When I joined this Party last year and decided to be your candidate for the Edmonton Mill Woods constituency I was not too impressed at what had been accomplished since the past provincial election but what I did see was a Party that had lots of potential and fresh new ideas that could make a real difference in provincial politics. Alberta Alliance will bring a new era for Albertans.

First order of business was to see if we as a Party should consider continuing discussions with the Alberta Party in regards of merging the two parties. Arguments were heard on both the "yes" and "no" sides. The "no" side believes that the Alberta Party for the past twenty years but has done little in provincial politics. The "yes" argued that by combining resources we could present a stronger Alberta Alliance Party to Albertans. The members attending the AGM voted in favour to continue these talks.

Second order of business was the election of the provincial executive. After a close vote Randy Thorsteinson was elected as the new president of the Party. For those of you who do not know Randy Thorsteinson he was the former leader of this Party during the last provincial election. Randy promises that he would not neglect this party as past Party presidents have.

Jane Graydanus our CFO reported that the Party was in the black. This was a result in cost saving measures implemented last year with the move of our office from Red Deer to Calgary, new fund raising efforts and increased donations to the party. Our Party was now in position for the two by-elections and would be in great position by the next provincial election.

John Williams MP of Edmonton St Albert was our guest speaker and spoke mainly of the need for accountability in politics. In Mr. Williams opinion the government of Alberta was needing accountability as the former Klein government had little during the past fourteen years. For far too long the Alberta PC's had made policy and passed laws by using a rubber-stamp method in the legislature and not allow the opposition parties any real chance to debate the bills. Premier Ed Stelmach has started the process of accountability but has yet to put in any real measures to guarantee it such as the loop holes in the lobbyist registry.

At every AGM the membership in attendance was given the duty to vote on new policy and constitution amendments. This AGM was different as the membership felt that little notice was given to all the membership to be involved in a grassroots approach. The membership had voted in favour and put a demand on this provincial executive to establish a time line in which notice would be given to all membership to get involved and submit amendments to both the policy and constitution by a deadline and have a special committee review all amendments received and present them to the membership at a fall policy convention this year.

In the end the AGM was a success as there was a new provincial executive elected, possible merger with the Alberta Party and the membership taking the initiative to have our constitution and policy reviewed, amended and ratified at a policy convention. Paul Hinman is no longer alone as the membership has stood up and is willing to work hard to put this Party forward by the next provincial election.

Alberta Alliance AGM Social 2007

2007-03-26T21:19:00.000-07:00

Good food.

Great discussions.

I attended the Alberta Alliance AGM Social on March 23rd at the "Stirling Room" at Tom Goodchild's Moose Factory. I was amazed at how many people showed up at this function. As most people know that the Alberta Alliance had just started a few years ago and it is not as big political party of the likes of thee Alberta Liberals or the Alberta PC's but we are growing. The turn out to this event was great and I was able to meet with members from around the province and delegates from the Alberta Party.

What I found out from this meeting that there were a lot of small "c" conservatives with great ideas but were tired of the corruption and control of the Alberta PC Party. There was talk of a possible merger of the Alberta Alliance and Alberta Party that would create a larger and stronger Party in the next election. There were discussions on how we could offer real choices to Albertans from health care to democratic reform.

At the end of the evening when I left the social I felt that the AGM on March 24th was going to be productive and put this Party on the political map.

Greetings

2007-03-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Alberta Alliance Mill Woods candidate blog site. The purpose of this site is for political discussion. I am interested in your ideas and comments on how we can make the province of Alberta a better place. Should you share your ideas and comments I do ask that you keep it civil and constructive and that any vulgar language will not be accepted.