Back in Oman

Arrived in Oman late Thursday evening, February 11th.

We came through Frankfurt and a storm that closed a load of airports in the Netherlands and Russia. We were delayed 2 hours on our departure to Oman and had to de-ice the wings. The take-off was a little scary as the plane swerved on the runway during acceleration for the take-off.

Landed in Oman to 20 degree temp. at midnight, daytime temp. 25 degrees and bright blue sky.

I am able to pick up all the local media in Alberta so will stay in touch with politics in the Province. I just heard the sound of Neil and Tony saying "oh goood"!

Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa

Those of us properly educated by the Jesuits will understand the title.

I am of course including the scribe from my alma mater in Winnipeg, St. Paul’s College, the eminent Rick Bell.

It was Rick who got it right about the budget in his February 7th column, ‘Budget fear called scare tactics’

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/columnists/rick_bell/2010/02/06/12774941.html

So now he deserves the right to gloat in today's column, ‘Tories pick from the magic money tree’.

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/columnists/rick_bell/2010/02/09/12812701.html

However, let's not forgot some ultimate truths;
1. There is only one source of revenue in Alberta and that's the people of Alberta and all of the jiggery-pokery around the spending is buying us back with our money.
2. This Government has a revenue problem, created when they re-jigged the progressive tax structure and introduced a flat tax regime. That gave us a revenue short-fall of 5.6 billion dollars in revenue since it's introduction (supported by economists such as Greg Flanagan).
3. The majority of Albertans exist in the political centre and the Tories seem to have woken up to that fact. I have been stressing since October of last year for the opposition Liberals to find and play in the centre, it may be too late for them.
4. The Tories, with this budget, are saying to Danielle Smith, "bring it on".
5. Finally, I owe Joseph Lougheed a beer, his choice where and when.

Let the political games begin.

PS: Where's Guy Boutilier, did my sources let me down on this one? I think perhaps he's having to wait now that the budget confused everyone in Alberta.

PPS: I leave for Oman in the Gulf Region of the Middle East today, returning at the end of March. Next Blog from there!

Budget Day in Alberta

With apologies to the Groundhog,

"If Ted Morton remains the Finance Minister will we have 6 more years of financial mismanagement."

Today is budget day and as predicted by this Blogger it's cut, slash and burn day in Alberta.

This Government cannot manage our finances so we need to suffer, almost religious in nature wouldn't you say?

There are alternatives, for instance a scenario brought forth by Greg Flanagan, the eminent Alberta economist in the Edmonton Journal article , 'Revenue the real problem
Now's the time to dip into 'rainy-day' fund, avoid raising taxes', offers a solution, see the link below.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/story_print.html?id=2516693&sponsor=

Others have offered solutions such as Dr. Avalon Roberts' initiative for a 'value for money audit' prior to any reduction of front line services, but I'm afraid it's all about cuts for this Minister and this Government.

Ted Morton sees Health Care, Education and Social Services as expense items on a balance sheet rather than investment in people. So when 2 + 2 needs to = 4 rather than look into the future for solutions they will revert to the past and fall back on 'the Klein Revolution' or as it was called 'the New Zealand Experiment". Incidentally, New Zealand considered the experiment a colossal failure.

And so it goes.....

PS: Budget Day is also Crossing Day for Guy Boutilier. Watch for Danielle Smith, the Wildrose Crossing Guard in action today.

CBC The House Discusses Alberta Politics

A challenge to all the young Libs who called me this week to comment on positions I've taken in the past few months.

This is worth listening to;

CBC The House Goes to Alberta

http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/thehouse_20100206_27104.mp3

Is the CBC wrong?

Am I wrong?

I welcome your comments.

The Liberals Have Their Chance to Make it Right (sorry Centre)

I'm not ready to make nice
I'm not ready to back down
I'm still mad as hell and
I don't have time to go round and round and round
Courtesy of the Dixie Chicks

I've been asked to give the Liberals a chance and here it is;


http://www.calgaryherald.com/story_print.html?id=2516474&sponsor=

However, as expressed in the Braid article, they need to get it correct this time. They need to talk to Albertans about issues Albertans want to talk about.

It can be done on Energy as we've seen recently with the Taylor release on a new direction for the Party. This was signed off by the Caucus.

Now we need to produce similar documents on Health Care, Education and Agriculture if we are to become relevant to ALbertans.

WE WILL SEE!

Stelmach Gets a Message from the Energy Sector

In recent meetings with folks from the energy sector, Stelmach gets a clear message on royalties;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvx_1f2kgmw&feature=related

Will he respond when he announces the Competitive Review?

Wildrose May Try to Disrupt Budget Day!

Rumour has it that Guy Boutilier, the Independent MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo, will announce his intention to sit with the Wildrose on Budget Day, February 9th, in an attempt to disrupt the Government media agenda.

Since my experience with the Leader of the Wildrose Danielle Smith is "it's all about me", it stands to reason she will try to steal the light form the Government on Budget Day as she has been out of the media too long for her liking.

The stream of mediocre announcements will continue until the people of Alberta get bored with the Wildrose being silent on issues and all about flash, or should I say their idea of flash.