Politics Archives - Page 12 of 12

30Oct

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Opinion/Research, Politics

Let’s Just Take a Deep Breath- Opinion

Our political leaders, both provincial and federal, need to take a deep breath. Premiers Kenny and Moe specifically need to reset their expectations after the rather surprising election victory by Trudeau built on the wings of Canada’s unfair “first-past-the-post” system. Yes Alberta, and to a lesser extent, Saskatchewan, have endured over four years of lousy economic performance. However, unemployment increases and declining investment are due mainly to our economy’s being hostage to internationally determined oil and gas prices, not Ottawa’s policies. Political leaders in this province have talked for decades about “getting off the energy roller coaster.” Common lore – “give us another oil boom and we promise not to piss it away again” has not seemed to penetrate our political leaders’...

Environmental liabilities… will not go away

26Apr

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Environment, Financial Institutions, Politics

Environmental liabilities… will not go away

Alberta Liabilities Disclosure Project (ALDP) On 5 April, the ALDP held a news conference to raise awareness about the scope and scale of the orphan well issue in the Province of Alberta. According to its website, the ALDP "is an independent and non-partisan initiative pushing for accurate and transparent government level data pertaining to Alberta's oil and gas liabilities." This initiative, of which I am a participant, is aimed at making oil and gas environmental liabilities an issue during the recent provincial election. While media outlets such as The Globe and Mail, National Observer and Postmedia shared information about the initiative, political parties -other than the Alberta party's David Khan and Dr. David Swann, did not click on the bait. Regan BoychukSource: National...

22Apr

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Politics

Election 2019- Analysis (Part 1)

Highlights (Revised 25 April 2019) UCP dominant in rural Alberta, CalgarySecondary parties lose seatsKenney's vision relies on strong business backingRegulatory reform will have its challenges Alberta Government Logo Overview of Results Elections Alberta results to 19 April at 17 :14:34 shows 7,326 of 7,326 polls reporting. Political PartyVotes-SeatsPercentAlberta Party170,872 - 09.1%Alberta Independence Party13,481- 00.7%Liberal Party of Alberta18,457 -01.0%New Democratic Party615,428 -2432.7%Freedom Conservative Party9,856 -00.5%United Conservative Party1,030,560 - 6354.8%Alberta Advantage Party5,619- 00.3%Green Party of Alberta7,687-0 0.4% Source: https://results.elections.ab.ca/wtResultsPGE.htm Last Updated: April 19, 2019 - 17:14:34 The UCP received a ...

Journey to obsession: a sales tax for Alberta (Part 1)

29Mar

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Budget, Government Finances, Politics

Journey to obsession: a sales tax for Alberta (Part 1)

The following is a draft of the preface for the unnamed as yet book title about a sales tax for Alberta- hopefully forthcoming in the summer of 2019. The following is a personal set of experiences related to the sales tax discussion that is not included in the book. It's the story of my interest, then obsession, about the rationale for Alberta adopting a sales tax.. One of my initiatives at the Institute for Public Economics (UofA) when I became Director was to initiate a policy analysis publication. The first endeavour, (of three), was a paper by Dr. Ergete Ferede of MacEwan University. The paper, entitled “The Response of Tax Bases to the Business Cycle: The Case for Alberta,” looked at the volatility of certain tax sources, including a PST. I vividly remember the following fro...

27Mar

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Politics

Election 2019- Week One Recap

It was a challenging week for UCP leader Jason Kenney. Kenney has battled questions about his knowledge of alleged arrangements made between members of his staff and those staffers supporting the run of Jeff Callaway. This has been especially trying for Kenney who continued to roll out major platform pledges. In addition, two UCP candidates have resigned due to past social media posts. jason KenneySource: Facebook Meanwhile, Premier Rachel Notley used the fraught UCP leadership fight as a cudgel to attack Kenney's credibility and trust-worthiness to hold office. Ms. Notley is the NDP's greatest asset and election literature relegates the NDP's logo and font to miniscule dimensions compared to her name or the constituency candidate's name. The incumbent is running against the chall...

25Mar

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Budget, Politics

Alberta’s Fiscal Dilemma

Excerpt from forthcoming book of essays about an Alberta sales tax. Legislature Building Alberta’s fiscal dilemma, which has vexed provincial politicians since 1905, is the public’s expectation that governments will provide a high level of services and maintain low taxes. Services in the early years were basic education, roads, railways, telephones, relief, public buildings, and irrigation canals. Today government services include health care and a variety of programs for corporations such as small business, farmers, oil and gas investment incentives, and special-needs Albertans. Other functions critical to the modern state involve regulation of marketplace behaviour, electricity markets, food, the environment, financial services, labour relations, and building public infrastructur...

7Oct

By albertarecessionwatchNo Comments

Economic Data, Politics

Oil’s Deep State

Originally posted 7 October 2017 Kevin Taft's new book Oil's Deep State, sub-titled "How the petroleum industry undermines democracy and stops action on global warming- in Alberta and in Ottawa," was released on 26 September to a large audience at the UofA's TELUS Centre. The book launch was sponsored by the Parkland Institute and Alberta Views newsmagazine. The book is a "must read" for anyone who is interested in Alberta politics and society. (more…)

13Jun

By albertarecessionwatchNo Comments

Politics

My time at Alberta NDP convention

On June 10-12, I attended my very first party convention in Calgary witnessing an historic meeting after over 110 years of right leaning governments. This is not to say that during some mandates, the governing party introduced radical legislation- for instance during the early mandates of the United Farmers of Alberta (1921-1935), Social Credit (1935-1971), and the Progressive Conservatives (1971-2015). All political parties in government become more conservative over time- seemingly more interested in remaining in power than shaking the boat. My initial impressions at the event were as follows: First the convention was well organized and classy (at the Hyatt Regency no less!). And unlike the NDP convention in Edmonton held earlier this year, controversy was avoided. Second, as Don Brai...