Alberta Election Debate Tonight, Apr 23 6:15-8PM

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by molly

Good point, Forest! I think schools need to spend a bit more wisely also. Recently an elementary school in Calgary had about 60 laptops stolen, which the media stated had an estimated value of $75K. What is that? Are these kids using Macs?? It seems to me that students and schools may have to learn that they can't have everything. And as far as all these new students...developers of all these new subdivisons need to be made to build schools to supply all the kids moving into them.

Don't complain about housing prices if you want a land developer throwing schools up.

[russ]

Originally Posted by raab

From what I've learned of the WRP they want a two tier health system. Is this correct from the WRP supporters? If not how are they going to fix the long term care bed problem in this province? I'm genuinely concerned by some of their platform because it doesn't add up. I've opened my self up to all parties again seeing as I don't have to vote for someone I EXTREMELY dislike now if I'm voting WR, but I want to see a concrete plan. The NDP's have that even though it includes spending more money on infrastructure.

If you think we don't have two tier health already you're sadly mistaken.

[Badgerbadger]

Originally Posted by Suka

It's really too bad you Wildrose naysayers couldn't have been here last night and listened to our local mla Drew Barnes speak at our bbq.

He laid everything out, point by point listing all the unbelieveable monetary waste and complete lack of care over taxpayer money he's seen by the pcs as an mla.

Quite frankly the amount of money just simply thrown away by the pc's is such that I doubt many cuts will even be needed. The pc's unfettered and uncaring monetary waste is literally unbelievable. Hopefully it comes out in the campaign.

Fiscal conservatives and social libertarians, that's what Wildrose is.

You ndp supporters need to actually read the ndp's platform. If you did you'd be behind Wildrose.

I would hope he brings these things to the light of day ASAP. That kind of fiscal mismanagement, combined with his obvious solutions would go a long way at the moment.

[Matt_H]

Originally Posted by Badgerbadger

I would hope he brings these things to the light of day ASAP. That kind of fiscal mismanagement, combined with his obvious solutions would go a long way at the moment.

According to the PC's(for what its worth) the Wildrose will need to find $29 billion over five years to fund their platform: $20 billion in unfunded infrastructure and $9 billion in new spending promises.
http://realitycheckalberta.com/

[Badgerbadger]

Originally Posted by Forest Techer

I was wondering about this. There are 35000 teachers in alberta. So each teacher gets 1/3 of a kid more this year?

There are over 2000 schools in alberta. That's 6 kids more per school. Which probably average out to having 5+ grades per school? Soooo 1 extra kid per grade?

The money/kids thing is a red herring. How much should we pay? What are other districts getting for their money? What's alberta getting?
If I paid you 2x more than I should of last year, then don't increase it this year even though you now have 12000 more students it doesn't mean there isn't funding...

Not saying that this is the case just that 12000 kids blah blah is half the equation. This whole baseline budgeting thing is a great way to vacuum our money up without showing any value.

The system is already stretched. Classes are already large.

1/3 more kid per teacher may not sound like much, but I'm sure you're familiar with the phrases "death by 1000 cuts" and "the straw that broke the camels back".

In personal terms, why don't you work 5 minutes more for your employer per day, for free? Why not just take a 1% income tax increase? Neither of those is much, so it shouldn't really be much of an issue to you. Oh, and how about you do another 5 minutes for free next year, and another the year after that? And give 1% more of your income each year? It's not much.

Right?

[Badgerbadger]

Originally Posted by molly

Agree! And, whatever happened to proper debating rules? The mods were not strong enough to keep Notley's constant interruptions at bay, nor were they effective in cutting her off when her time was up. If Prentice had continually interrupted her, he would have been called rude and a bully.

That said, I was a WR member until last summer and did not renew my membership. I have not had any emails from them regarding this election. NOR have we received any promo material in the mail from our candidate. Or the NDP candidate! In fact, the NDP candidate did not bother to contribute to a two page feature in the High River Times...impressive.

Interestingly, Prentice was interrupting everyone more than Notley was. Your perception is skewed.

[Badgerbadger]

Originally Posted by CBintheNorth

"No-one else has a plan. The NDP has a plan."

The supporters of this Statement make me laugh. They all have a plan. And some of them actually add up! (some are off by a billion or so, in case you missed that part).

My own personal opinion is that there is a ton of waste right now within AHS and the Govt of Ab (as well as others). Throwing more money at a wasteful situation begets nothing but more waste.

The party who is going to try and clean that mess up first, and then move forward, gets my vote.

Math is so hard that the PC's are off by $7billion this year!

[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by Badgerbadger

Math is so hard that the PC's are off by $7billion this year!

I never said theirs was better.

[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by raab

From what I've learned of the WRP they want a two tier health system. Is this correct from the WRP supporters? If not how are they going to fix the long term care bed problem in this province? I'm genuinely concerned by some of their platform because it doesn't add up. I've opened my self up to all parties again seeing as I don't have to vote for someone I EXTREMELY dislike now if I'm voting WR, but I want to see a concrete plan. The NDP's have that even though it includes spending more money on infrastructure.

It appears you need reminding that your opinion means nothing me.
Please stop addressing my comments as they are intended for people that WANT to live here.

[Redfrog]

Originally Posted by Matt_H

According to the PC's(for what its worth) the Wildrose will need to find $29 billion over five years to fund their platform: $20 billion in unfunded infrastructure and $9 billion in new spending promises.
http://realitycheckalberta.com/

And the PCs would know all about managing finances That's why Alberta is in such fine shape.

wait till they get tossed and the WRP do a paul harvey on them.

[Redfrog]

Originally Posted by Badgerbadger

The system is already stretched. Classes are already large.

1/3 more kid per teacher may not sound like much, but I'm sure you're familiar with the phrases "death by 1000 cuts" and "the straw that broke the camels back".

In personal terms, why don't you work 5 minutes more for your employer per day, for free? Why not just take a 1% income tax increase? Neither of those is much, so it shouldn't really be much of an issue to you. Oh, and how about you do another 5 minutes for free next year, and another the year after that? And give 1% more of your income each year? It's not much.

Right?

You mean vote NDP.

[Badgerbadger]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

You mean vote NDP.

Well, that's what I will do.

I liked the Lougheed PC's.

[Redfrog]

Originally Posted by Badgerbadger

Well, that's what I will do.

I liked the Lougheed PC's.

Long gone.I thought everyone knew that.

[molly]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

Don't complain about housing prices if you want a land developer throwing schools up.

I wasn't complaining about housing prices...But I am pretty sure that folks with kids would pay extra to ensure they have a school. Whatever happened to the Public-Private Partnerships that were created to deal with infrastructure projects like this?

[amosfella]

Originally Posted by molly

I wasn't complaining about housing prices...But I am pretty sure that folks with kids would pay extra to ensure they have a school. Whatever happened to the Public-Private Partnerships that were created to deal with infrastructure projects like this?

The public got so stretched that they wouldn't pay a decent return to the private to make it worth the privates' while to enter into a partnership...

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by molly

I wasn't complaining about housing prices...But I am pretty sure that folks with kids would pay extra to ensure they have a school. Whatever happened to the Public-Private Partnerships that were created to deal with infrastructure projects like this?

I know you're not complaining. That's probably because you bought when I did- pre massive house price inflation. Folks with kids are having a tough time getting in the market as it is. The lot costs if schools were thrown in would drive that cost up substantially. I believe our problem is a govt waste problem. Not a big bad land Dev problem.
Sorry for the derail.

[Redfrog]

Originally Posted by molly

I wasn't complaining about housing prices...But I am pretty sure that folks with kids would pay extra to ensure they have a school. Whatever happened to the Public-Private Partnerships that were created to deal with infrastructure projects like this?

PCs tossed them out. They had a palace to build and hockey arena and planes to fly.