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Our speaker Brian Jean
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Brian’s talk:
- Know many of you … see we are not that scary and amongst you know
- Wonderful to be hear (speaking to people who give more than they get)
- A couple of years ago people thought politics in Alberta was boring … not so
- Then, government did not interfere too much, things changed 8 years ago then in a big way 18 months ago.
- Gather input from all corners of the province.
- More interest in politics than ever before.
- Politics and policies change because they do matter … as they potentially affect the province’s ability to attract investment, which in turn can affect the ability of the government to pay for essentials such as Health Care and Education.
- Their ideas for a better Alberta include the following:
- They believe Alberta can and will come back stronger than before.
- Alberta provides opportunity for all as well as taking care of the most vulnerable.
- Alberta can be world leaders, not only in economic growth and fiscal prudence (so important) but in encouraging a spirit of neighbourliness.
- Challenges faced today: massive layoffs, unemployment in Calgary higher than any major city in the country at 9.5% and will likely top 10% and go higher, housing sales are down, bankruptcies up, food bank use is up, everyone feels it (neighbours, family, business bottom lines).
- Causes of the problems are beyond our control, however, job of government in challenging economic times is should be that “no further harm should be done.”
- His view and view of Wildrose Party that the policies of all levels of government (yes, he means Alberta’s NDP and Ottawa’s Liberals) are making a difficult situation much worse.
- Provincially, we have seen business and individual taxes increase, legal battles against Alberta owned power company and in a few months the introduction of a new carbon tax. All of which will add even more costs to every town, city, family, business, and charity.
- An example is the Calgary Food Bank believes the carbon tax will cost them an additional $31,000 annual in waste costs.
- Small businesses will be affected by the rise in the minimum wage (50% over the full implementation period). Alberta’s minimum wage was already the highest in Canada.
- The Wildrose Party does not believe in taxing and regulating business out of business is a way to help them.
- Compare Alberta to Saskatchewan (facing the same energy industry challenges) but for political reasons their energy industry is on the rise. Good public policy there.
- Ottawa’s changes to the regulatory process have caused further delays and a lot more uncertainty.
- The carbon tax will hinder our ability to compete with companies in those jurisdictions not introducing it.
- Pipeline lack of support will likely (other than the twinning of the Trans Mountain pipeline) lead to no action, thus continuing to hold Alberta’s oil landlocked.
- How do we move towards a better situation?
- Reverse, repeal, and review every government decision from the last year that make life more difficult for Albertans. Wildrose will repeal NDP carbon tax. Alberta should be talking with other provinces that oppose the carbon tax and tell Ottawa that we won’t take it anymore.
- Alberta should do all that it can to mitigate the damage the carbon tax will do Alberta families.
- We need to stay competitive! Editor’s note: Ms. Notley, Mr. Trudeau … are you listening?
- Tax reductions are needed across the board to grow our economy to pay for our needed public services (Health Care and Education). This will renew the Alberta Advantage and spur the entrepreneurial spirit to create opportunity.
- Provide stability back into the electricity grid by sticking to the federal guidelines for coal plant shutdowns, and encouraging smart economical renewable and natural gas investment, or retrofit with clean coal technology. Practical solutions.
- Overly ambitious and unclear plans (Editor’s note: with respect to their eco-activist energy agenda) of both levels of government are causing further uncertainty. Investors are not coming to Alberta.
- Wildrose pledges to open inter-provincial trade and be fierce advocates on the national level for free trades deals as they are positive for our economy and our people.
- Wildrose pledges to shake down the deficit, set a clear target for returning to having balanced books to ensure sustainability of our essential public services.
- Our government is 20% more expensive than BC’s. We spend $8B more than BC.
- Fiscal sustainability is essential but will take some time.
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