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PC government out of ideas

Joining a lawsuit against tobacco companies while simultaneously collecting millions in cigarette taxes.

Joining a lawsuit against tobacco companies while simultaneously collecting millions in cigarette taxes.

Amendments to allow information sharing between Alberta Finance and Enterprise and Alberta Energy to support efficient administration of both fuel tax and renewable fuel programs and allow for the reduction of reporting burden for the industry.

Introducing an Alberta Health Act to establish over arching principles to guide the medical system.

Hold on to your hat folks, these are just some of the big ideas the Progressive Conservative provincial government is pursuing.

Meanwhile, Alberta’s Finance Minister Ted Morton is attempting to gently poo-poo a real, transformative policy.

Airdrie-Chestermere MLA Rob Anderson is continuing his push to see any government spending increases tied to Alberta’s future inflation and population increases (see story on page seven).

After years of massive spending increases, responsible for driving Alberta into its largest deficit in history, Anderson wisely wants to rein in this runaway government.

Anderson’s idea isn’t the Klein revolution. It’s not massive spending cuts resulting in the closure of hospitals and firing on public servants.

Instead, it is a responsible first step towards balancing the provincial budget, ensuring that we don’t have to fire half of our teachers and nurses in the future.

But, the truth is this isn’t entirely Anderson’s idea. In fact, Morton himself has campaigned for similar restriction on spending growth. But, as we know, he also once supported fixed election dates, term limits for premiers, starting an Alberta pension plan, a provincial police force and other real substantive policies.

Now he’s stuck toeing-the-line in a government bereft of ideas.

Leaders have ideas. Morton is the closest thing the PC party has had to leadership since Klein put his government on autopilot. If Morton is running out of ideas, or running away from them as the case may be, it is clear the PC party is adrift.

Out of leaders. Out of ideas. Out of money. Almost out of time.




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