Alberta.. We Don't Got No Spending Problem

Mentors for Current Alberta PC Government..

Like the old joke about the drunk, so goes Alberta's financial picture:

"Spending problem?  We don't got no spending problem.  We collect money and then we spend it.

No problem."

Yesterday, Lloyd Snelgrove is proudly telling the press that the Province has reduced it's deficit by $1.3 billion, and that "The fiscal results are promising and all indications certainly point in positive directions."

Cue big smile and a congratulatory pat on his own back.

Problem is, firstly, the reduction in the deficit has nothing to due with prudent management, as he suggests.

As Brian Mason pointed out, with some wit, the government is to be congratulated "on the rise of international oil prices" for improving Alberta's bottom line.

As Snelgrove sort of neglects to explain, a "drop" in our deficit doesn't mean our budget is balanced - it means, due to rising oil prices, we're not overspending, AS MUCH, as we were.

During the booming current economy in Alberta, we're still spending $3.4 billion than we're bringing in.

And praying for higher oil prices yet.

The problem?  Well, we're the highest spending province in Canada, per capita, with the exception of Newfoundland.

And in fairness, Newfoundland hasn't been rolling in money for decades like Alberta has, so they might just need to spend a little bit more to catch up.

And now we watch the leadership race in the P.C. party, and in that race we will take our cue as to whether or not the government has learned anything in the last several years - I'm betting they haven't.

The choices are basically three:

Move forward with a truer "conservative" agenda, bring spending in line with other Provinces, and, well, act "conservatively" - Ted Morton.

Stay where we are, a government infiltrated with Liberals who couldn't get elected as Liberals, so they called themselves "conservative" and then went about spending tax dollars, and creating more and more legislation to tell us how to live our lives, like.. well..  "Liberals" - Allison Redford, et al.

Move backwards, to that mythical time in yester year, when Cabinet Ministers could dole out contracts to their former executive assistants with impunity, and still get rewarded with a plumb government job in Washington, D.C. - Gary Mar.

Will the party show themselves to be even remotely "conservative"?

Time will tell.  I would like to see Morton win - and will be buying a membership to help that along - but I'm thinking that there are way too many Libservatives in the PC Party to let that happen.

Go ahead, PC Party of Alberta - prove me and every other holder of a Wild Rose Alliance membership wrong.