Alberta
I have produced a video of the hamlet of New Norway from the air using my DJI Mini2 drone. It's one in a series of drone videos I am producing of the various hamlets and villages in the Camrose county.
The Alberta oilsands are considered either a blessing or curse by various individuals and/or groups around the globe. Many who side with a climate change agenda consider the oilsands as a blight on and/or threat to the planet. Those who think well of the oilsands see the vast potential for what is the largest oil reserve on the planet. Although it is being done, the process of converting the bitumen contained in the oilsands to fuel is difficult, energy-intensive and expensive. For that reason, Alberta is focusing upon and investing in research and development to convert material in Alberta’s oilsands into non-fuel products, including asphalt, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, polyurethanes, and controlled-release fertilizers.
- Missing millions? The Government of Alberta is seeking the rightful owners of $154 million in unclaimed money and property. A registry includes lost, abandoned, or forgotten funds, such as cash, cheques, money orders, and more, often linked to unclaimed deposits or inactive accounts. In 2023, the registry successfully returned $1.4 million to 650 people. Nearly 350,000 items remain unclaimed, including one worth over $850,000. Albertans can check for unclaimed property online. If not claimed within 10 years, the funds go to the government’s general revenue fund.
- Alberta will deploy two new teams of sheriffs to support rural policing across the province. Based in Calgary and Edmonton, these teams of eight sheriffs will assist rural police and the RCMP upon request. Unlike other sheriffs who handle large-scale crimes, these teams will address smaller-scale criminal activities such as break-ins and fuel thefts. The initiative, costing $2.1 million annually, aims to mitigate the impact of the 400 RCMP vacancies in Alberta.
- The Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede Rodeo is coming up, and together with our friends at the Medicine Hat Utilities Ratepayer Association, Project Confederation, and Common Sense Medicine Hat, we're hosting a breakfast. On Saturday from 8:00 am to 11:00 am, we'll be at the Tori Plaza Parking Lot helping to serve a free breakfast. In addition to a Western Breakfast of pancakes, sausage and hash browns, there will be Thai specialties from the Thai Orchid Room. The breakfast is free, but we will be accepting food donations in support of the Root Cellar Food Bank. Please RSVP here so we know how many to prepare for. If you’re not in Medicine Hat, don’t worry, we’re coming to Lethbridge and Edmonton in August!
IT COULD COST YOU YOUR TEETH
Western alienation has been a theme present in the political landscape of Alberta since before the province was established in 1905.
In fact, quarrels with the federal government were the staple ingredients of long political careers for two of the most prominent figures in the history of Alberta - Senator James Alexander Lougheed and Prime Minister R.B. Bennett.
Even then, the concept that Alberta was a colony of the federal government - a province not considered on equal footing to the more senior members of confederation in Ontario, Quebec or the maritimes - was common amongst frontier settlers.
Not much has changed since then.
So, to say that Alberta has a tenuous relationship with the federal government is an understatement.
We have been mistreated by Ottawa for generations.
The breakdown in federal-provincial relations often stems from fiscal imbalances littered throughout federal-provincial agreements that - in almost every case - take more money from Alberta taxpayers to fund said program than are actually spent on the program in the province.
Not only that, the programs are often bureaucratic nightmares.
In Alberta, hearing the phrase “we’re from Ottawa and we’re here to help” evokes memories of nightmarish federal programs - like equalization - that just take from Alberta and leave us with nothing - sometimes even flat broke.
Take childcare.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal Liberal-NDP alliance decided that Ottawa was in the best position to provide childcare services for the entire country at $10 per day.
In order to reach the $10 per day price tag, the federal government - according to Trudeau and his minions - had to nationalize the program.
That has turned out to be a disaster - both for the woes of a failing government and for those in need of childcare services.
Families are being turned away.
Operators are frustrated with the lack of information coming from government sources.
They are speaking out.
“It’s heartbreaking to turn families away, ” said New Brighton Child Care operator Fiona Pursell.
“If we think we can do it for $10 a day when you can’t get a coffee and a muffin for $10 a day, we’re delusional,” said Krystal Churcher, chair of a child-care providers group.
The Alberta government has been forced to step in, offering an additional grant to childcare operators - up to $6,000 per space.
Yes - in spite of the fact that the federal government is taxing us for nationalized childcare, the provincial government is having to fill in funding gaps.
Now, Ottawa has decided the next area of provincial jurisdiction they want to wander into is dental care.
Ottawa is coming for our teeth now.
This one is just as ambitious as the child care plan, so buckle in if you want to get your teeth whitened anytime soon.
The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), introduced earlier this year, is another expensive federal initiative aiming to provide dental care subsidies to Canadians without dental benefits - with an adjusted household income of less than $90,000 annually.
Nationalized dental care is a key component of the Liberal-NDP supply-and-confidence agreement which keeps Trudeau in power.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who has been aggressively blocking federal intrusions into provincial jurisdiction, wrote a letter to Trudeau seeking to negotiate an unconditional agreement for Alberta’s share of federal dental funding.
She aims to use this funding to expand coverage to a greater number of low-income Albertans.
She pointed out - rightly - that health care is provincial jurisdiction and Ottawa - once again - is infringing on that jurisdiction.
She also pointed out that the program was not developed in collaboration with the provincial and territorial governments.
She says the province will opt out of nationalized dental care.
Meanwhile, newly installed Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi seems keen on signing up to any and all federal agreements that come along:
“I will very happily make a deal with anybody if that deal helps Albertans,” said the former Mayor.
“I will make deals on clean electricity regulations that make sense for Alberta. I’ll make deals on federal transfers and on social programs.”
Whether the deal “makes sense for Alberta” would presumably be determined by Trudeau and Nenshi though, rather than by Albertans themselves.
Instead of distancing himself from the extremely unpopular Justin Trudeau, Nenshi appears to be prepared to embrace him.
Nenshi’s close relationship with Trudeau was a common theme in his Mayoralty - even earning him the moniker “Trudeau’s Mayor.”
But, Trudeau’s unpopularity is far higher now than it was when Nenshi was Mayor.
Last Monday’s by-election loss in Toronto-St. Paul’s, in the heart of “Fortress Toronto,” a long-time Liberal seat fell to a Conservative challenger.
It is entirely possible that in sixteen months there will be a change in government.
It’s even starting to look possible that Trudeau won’t even last that long, as the Liberal patronage machine begins to panic.
That means that the Alberta government needs to be prepared to negotiate with a federal government that may be more respectful of provincial jurisdiction than the current government.
All federal-provincial agreements will need to be looked at with a fine tooth comb - especially when it comes to finances.
That also presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to finally negotiate our way to fairness.
We might never get this chance again, before it’s too late to fix it.
We have questions.
How much are Albertans paying in taxes for each national program?
How much is that national program spending in Alberta?
How much is the Alberta government paying to cover shortfalls in federal funding in those programs?
The Alberta government can’t be blindly walking into unbalanced funding agreements that violate provincial jurisdiction - even if Nenshi says we should.
We must be prepared to stand our ground.
We must be prepared to defend our provinces’ interests.
When I read Lorne Gunter's take on Alberta's 2023-24 fiscal year surplus of $4.3 billion surplus I was reminded of the phrase "Let them eat cake" which is said to have been spoken by Marie Antoinette upon being told that the peasants had no bread.
Much of Albert's $4.3 billion surplus comes from the 13 cents/litre gasoline tax imposed upon the people when they fill up their vehicles. The $4.3 billion surplus belongs to the people (peasants/hoi polloi) who have been eating cake and at the very least would appreciate some ice cream to go with their cake (removal of the gas tax).
Premier Smith - I'd like 2 scoops, 1 pistachio & 1 salted caramel. Thank You.
Former mayor of Calgary, Naheed Nenshi has become the new leader of the Alberta NDP. Nenshi becomes the first leader from Calgary and he won in landslide garnering about 86 per cent of the vote on the first ballot. Nenshi used the opportunity to denounce Danielle Smith's UCP as small minded and that the movement created is an example of what is possible when we stop thinking small and start thinking big,
It will be interesting to hear of Nenshi's big plans for Alberta are and if any of them are similar to those of the WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM which Nenshi is a member of.
- The Legislature won't be sitting due to a scheduled constituency week. Sittings will resume on Tuesday, May 24th, after the long weekend.
- The Select Special Information and Privacy Commissioner Search Committee meets twice this week. The first meeting is this morning from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. On Wednesday, the Committee meets at the same time. No agenda has been posted for either meeting yet.
- The results of the United Conservative Party leadership race are expected on Wednesday. Jason Kenney, whose leadership is up for review, has vowed to remain at the helm of the party as long as he receives 50%+1.
Two Edmonton pastors have been convicted of six counts of obstructing a public health inspector in March and June of 2021. A sentencing hearing is set for May 25 and because the Public Health Act increased penalties in 2021 first-time violators face a maximum fine of $100,000 and $500,000 for subsequent offences.
#Alberta'sPublicHealthAct, #ChurchintheVine#, #publichealthinspector,#TraceyandRobertFortin
- After a two-week hiatus, the Legislature will be sitting for morning, afternoon, and evening sessions Tuesday and Wednesday, but only for morning and afternoon sessions on Thursday. When business gets underway on Tuesday, the Assembly will consider Bill 2, the Financial Statutes Amendment Act (2022) and Bill 10, the Health Professions (Protecting Women and Girls) Amendment Act (2022).
- Committees will be busy this week. On Tuesday, from 8:00 am to 10:00 am, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts will meet to consider the Ministry of Municipal Affairs Annual Report as well as the Committee’s own annual report. On Thursday, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, the Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Public Bills will meet to discuss Bill 204 (the Anti-Racism Act) as well as Bill 205 (the Human Tissue and Organ Donation (Mandatory Referral) Amendment Act, 2022). Finally, the Select Special Information and Privacy Commissioner Search Committee will meet on Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. No agenda has been posted for this meeting yet.
- A bounty on wild pigs is now available in Alberta. The government is paying $75 dollars per boar, as well as asking Albertans to report any sightings or signs of the animals. The bounty program will be administered by participating municipalities. So far, Stettler County and the Municipal District of Peace have signed on.
#Alberta, #Legislature, #assembly, #Bill2, #Bill10, #Bill204, #Bill205