Prentice Running Against His Own Budget

Jim Prentice is flip flopping on one of his own measures in his budget.

 The Tories tabled Budget 2015 just a few weeks ago and PC leader Jim Prentice is now backtracking on one of the key, cost saving elements in his proposal.
Last month, the Tories said they would slash the tax credit Albertans get for donating to charity and the result would be a savings of about $90M a year.
The government had originally said Albertans could only claim a 12.75 percent credit on donations over $200, which was down from 21 percent.

Says he's had a change of heart after "hearing from Albertans"

 “Hearing from Albertans during this campaign, it’s become clear that this choice was more than simply unpopular,” Prentice said in a news release. “Rather, Albertans have told me it was seen as contrary to our values as Albertans.”
Prentice says they will leave the rate the same and that the reversal wouldn’t impact the timeline for balancing the budget.

Come on. Did he not hear from Albertans before the budget and this unnecessary?    

On another note, Prentice's campaign bus got rear ended yesterday by his own security detail.

PIE-GATE!

What's this campaign coming to?  Wildrose candidate, Rick Strankman,  had to apologize and take down a poster asking "Bring Your Wife's Pie" for an auction to fundraise for his re-election
 campaign.

 Some calling it harmless while others called it "sexist" 

NDP Leader Rachel Notley took a lighter approach, answering questions about the poster with a laugh.
“I think Mr. Strankman has some perhaps out-of-date assumptions about who does the cooking where,” she said.

“I would say that perhaps it’s clear he has a sweet tooth, but he needs a wisdom tooth.”

 I think it is a rural vs urban thing but it is so ridiculous that this would even be an issue.  So stupid!  Desperation to make the Wildrose look bad.    Hey, makes me want to bake pies this weekend! Cheers!

Calgary Flames Play Off Run Distract From Election Campaign?

As the election campaign that nobody wanted, progresses, the Calgary Flames are in the playoffs since 2009.   Will  these playoffs be a distraction for voters from the election? 

  One thing both pollsters and politicians can agree upon is to not make calls on game nights.
"We won't halt calling, but we will go around it ... because it can produce a lot of anger if you call in the middle of a hockey game," says Cameron. 
"And when people are really excited about hockey they're paying attention to that and they're irritated by talking about politics."

By the way the Flames won game one last night against the Vancouver Canucks, 2-1.  Go Flames!

Wildrose Economic Plan

 

 Leader Brian Jean presented the Wildrose's economic plan today.  They claim they can balance the provincial budget by 2017 without raising taxes.

“Our plan is sensible, modest, protects families from dangerous PC tax increases and restores jobs, growth and prosperity,” Jean said.  “We will show real leadership from the top, trim PC waste and entitlements and shrink the size of government without hurting front line services.”
Highlights of the budget plan include:
-  Reduce Government of Alberta (GoA) managerial ranks by 33 per cent
- Reduce AHS managers and consultants by 50 per cent
-  Reduce GoA travel, advertising and conference budgets by 50 per cent
-  Limit public executive pay
- Roll back Cabinet and MLA pay raises and reduce expenses
-  Eliminate corporate grant subsidies
-  Reinstate the 3-year salary freeze on remaining managers in GoA
The spending reductions will result in an immediate $2.2 billion in savings for this budget year, and $3.5 billion by 2017-18.

That's a much better plan than the PC's tax hikes, spending sprees, and borrowing and putting us deep into debt.
The PC slogan is "Choose Alberta's Future."  With Prentice and the PCs Alberta's future will  be that we turn into Ontario in short order.  I don't want that future.  I want a smaller government. The only party that we have a chance at a smaller government is Wildrose.
 

 

And It Begins!

Premier Jim Prentice dropped the writ this morning for really an unnecessary election that is going to cost the Alberta taxpayer $28 million. We go to the polls May 5. We had a fixed election date sort of.  We were originally supposed to go to the polls sometime in the  spring of 2016.  So much for that!

 Why is he calling an election now?  He claims he needs a mandate to implement his plan for Alberta but I think he wanted to catch the opposition primarily the Wildrose Party unprepared  since there has been some upheaval with all the defections before Christmas and just choosing a new leader in Brian Jean.  I could be wrong but I have a feeling voter turnout will be low as usual. 

I have become so disheartened by politics in Alberta lately so I don't know if I am going to and vote.  I want here what the new Wildrose leader has to say before I decide for sure. I do wish Brian Jean and all the candidates, volunteers etc. of the Wildrose Party the best of luck!