The more something changes...
February 21, 2008 | 08:00 AM
Loralee Edwards
In the Calgary Herald or Sun the other day it said "It's disconcerting that a startling number of Canadians would rather vote for a U.S. presidential candidate than have a say in electing our next prime minister."
I suppose it IS disconcerting — but is it really a surprise? As I said in an earlier blog, at least the race in the United States is promising a bit of "change" — in candidates if nothing else. Most of us in Alberta are disenchanted with the absence of change here.
Although seriously, is it just me or did the PCs steal the NDP play book in order to try to keep their reign? They seem to be promising many of the things that the NDP has been saying for years and years: provide free health care, affordable post-secondary education, and affordable child and elder care…AND fairly tax the oil companies.
Side note here… for all of you that are saying that thousands of jobs are at stake if the oil companies are more fairly taxed…are you kidding me? Do you actually think "they" are going to close shop for a few billion dollars? No way! Do you KNOW how much they are making?!
The Calgary Herald said: "...Tories were stung last year by reports from the a royalty review panel and from the provincial auditor general that stated inaction and ineptitude by politicians and energy bureaucrats led to the government collecting billions of dollars less than what it should have from oil companies.
“The panel said taxpayers were being shortchanged about $2 billion a year in royalties and Stelmach has since promised to up the province's take by $1.4 billion."
Comments: (1)
"They" are not going to close up shop, but they are going to spend less money in Alberta if the royalty changes remain intact. In the end it is working Albertans that will be negatively impacted but the oil companies will remain profitable.
Posted February 21, 2008 11:47 AM