election date

[LennyR]

One of the things i always default to is , in my own mind i wonder how quick the people who are employed by crown corps or municipal govts and similar would find employment with same wage same benefits in the private sector. Obviously the country/city/countys need people , but it sometimes seems this sector of population is more postured to cause their positions to be better compensated thru political action rather than hustle and hard work.

 

[teamgreen]

Your quote ,

I have a board of trustees that are paid to manage my money that I put into my pension, why should I government (Finance Minister) have any say over the state of my money?

You are a civil servant and that’s great ?
But don’t you think the above statement is a bit arrogant?
I have ????
Don’t you mean we the tax payer have ?

Yes, I HAVE a board of trustees, I pay them to manage my money just like you pay an investment advisor. You as a taxpayer do not directly pay my pension board. And if you really want to nit pick spelling and language, Imdoo’n is likely going to vote at a pole, and I’m interested in knowing which type (telephone maybe). I put money into a pension account which is then managed by professionals. The Finance Minister had (a recent change by the NDP Gov) this under his portfolio, which means he could have changed my pension rules, effectively changing how my money in my account is managed.
If you have $100,000 in a savings account at a bank for retirement making 3% interest, and the elected MLA from Brooks says he is going to change your interest rate on that account to 1%, when you were getting 3%, you are fine with that?

I believe recent polls had Kenny at 52-54%. Amazes me that not higher, he will easily clean up on seats though. Not a slam dunk, look at the idiots in Calgary that voted Nenshi in. And Edmonton in recent poll was 43% Ndp, 36 ucp.

fyi Ralph was a great premier, debt free and paid citizens dividends. I can’t think of much Notley suddenly has done better than he did, “alberta set back many years in education” what the heck does that mean? Suddenly alberta schools colleges and universities were putting out substandard grads? I don’t think so.

I don't think you understand the education system. Would you like to have one teacher for every 20 students? 40 students? Maybe kids only go to school for half days, then they can pay teachers for 20 hours a week, saving the taxpayer money.

Yep Ralph sucked hey ??

http://www.debtclock.ca/provincial-debtclocks/alberta/alberta-s-debt/

Never said that. Ralph came in and was open with his plan and thats why he was elected. He changed the way the province was ran. He said he would cut public sector jobs and infrastructure spending, which he did. I received a Ralph bucks cheque and promptly cashed it for beer money, I was 23 years old. In hindsight, that money would have been much better invested back into the services that he had cut.

One of the things i always default to is , in my own mind i wonder how quick the people who are employed by crown corps or municipal govts and similar would find employment with same wage same benefits in the private sector. Obviously the country/city/countys need people , but it sometimes seems this sector of population is more postured to cause their positions to be better compensated thru political action rather than hustle and hard work.

My wage and benefits is in no way changed by political action. I am a unionized worker and we use the cost of living index as our primary means for wage increases. I have many friends who cleaned up working in Oil and Gas through the 2000s while I made drastically less. Some of them now struggle to make the same income as the energy sector is not doing well. I make the same wage that has just been increased for cost of living. Sometimes I get a 1% increase a year, sometimes its 1.75%. I can't walk into my bosses office and demand a raise.

 

[Cyle]

Yes, I HAVE a board of trustees, I pay them to manage my money just like you pay an investment advisor. I put money into a pension account which is then managed by professionals. The Finance Minister had (a recent change by the NDP Gov) this under his portfolio, which means he could have changed my pension rules, effectively changing how my money in my account is managed.
If you have $100,000 in a savings account at a bank for retirement making 3% interest, and the elected MLA from Brooks says he is going to change your interest rate on that account to 1%, when you were getting 3%, you are fine with that?



I don't think you understand the education system. Would you like to have one teacher for every 20 students? 40 students? Maybe kids only go to school for half days, then they can pay teachers for 20 hours a week, saving the taxpayer money.



Never said that. Ralph came in and was open with his plan and thats why he was elected. He changed the way the province was ran. He said he would cut public sector jobs and infrastructure spending, which he did. I received a Ralph bucks cheque and promptly cashed it for beer money, I was 23 years old. In hindsight, that money would have been much better invested back into the services that he had cut.



My wage and benefits is in no way changed by political action. I am a unionized worker and we use the cost of living index as our primary means for wage increases. I have many friends who cleaned up working in Oil and Gas through the 2000s while I made drastically less. Some of them now struggle to make the same income as the energy sector is not doing well. I make the same wage that has just been increased for cost of living. Sometimes I get a 1% increase a year, sometimes its 1.75%. I can't walk into my bosses office and demand a raise.

The thing is you don't really understand how expense the benefits are. Use to contract work from the AB government years ago at $70/hr per guy regardless of skill level (have 1 supervisor with 3-4 laborers generally). They said it was cheaper then hiring full-time permanent employees at $25/hr by the time they factored in benefits, pension, etc etc and the biggest factor was every time a new boss came in they'd change everything up. So while you may not see the cost reflected in the your pay check, I can assure you it's costing taxpayers an astronomical amount. I remember there was some high up prick who bought a big a$$ desk that wouldn't fit in a door in the legislature so instead of common sense saying buy a different one, nope take the door out and spend thousands to fit it in there of taxpayer dollars. If I still had that gig I would be retired by now from the money I was pulling in it was that lucrative. In my experience of working for them for about 6 years I would bet they could cut their workforce in half in many areas and see no harmful effects. Many people have no real job, it's just one fabricated to make them seem useful. But ask them? They are SO busy, so many meetings and all this other BS. It's astounding. There is a few good employees who know it and just put up with it and do a good job, but few and far between. I lost count how many times there would be 4-6 government employees supervising something not very important, sometimes for hours.

I almost left numerous times because the amount of money wasted was sickening, but one guy who was dealing with it put it point blank, if you don't do it someone else will, you're not going to change how they do things. There was days where I had guys show up and not do one SECOND of work, thousands of dollars completely wasted. They didn't want anything more done for the season, but they had to spend their entire budget so they could ask for more next year.

 

[Cyle]

I'm not a huge fan of Kenney, but I will vote for anyone or anything to get rid of Notley. It's the least evil. Not like it could be worse then the last 4 years. I wish Jean had won, but anythings better then what we have now.

 

[Cat401]

I for one will be not be voting for the UCP. Kenney wants be be like Klein, and I don't believe that it will work. Klein cut all public sector jobs, and set this province back many years in education, infrastructure and health care. Klein pulled it off as we were in a very different economic state. I truly believe that Kenney cannot pull it off. As a municipal employee, the trickle down effect will crush this province.
He cannot get rid of the carbon tax. He can get rid of the provincial one that the province has some control over, but the federal one will just replace it and then we have no control.
He has said he is going to reverse all of the NDP changes to workers rights. Most of those things were years in the works by labour groups and industry, so that will not help anyone.
Why reverse the legislation for public service pensions? I have a board of trustees that are paid to manage my money that I put into my pension, why should I government (Finance Minister) have any say over the state of my money?
The leader was a failure in federal politics, so what makes him qualified for provincial?

Are you starring in a UCP commercial? I am actually not happy with the current situation Alberta is in, but I don’t understand how the UCP will change it. I have never heard a plan come from the UCP leadership. All I’ve heard is lip service, “make Alberta great again”.
And for the record, I have always been and voted conservative.

One question for you teamgreen ......Are you truly ok with the way the NDP's have been spending like drunken sailors with no intent to balance the budget.....you are ok with this???


(sorry...no disrespect to any drunken sailors out there.....)

but the song does has a catchy tune......

What shall we do with a drunken sailor,
What shall we do with a drunken sailor,
What shall we do with a drunken sailor,
Early in the morning?

 

[skegpro]

How is my vote paid for with tax payer money exactly? Because Im a civil servant? If thats the case I hand you the keys to my house, truck, snowmobile, because yes, municipal tax payer do pay my salary. Along with road workers, nurses, teachers, water and utilities workers, sanitation workers, police officers, administrative assistants, military, police, doctors. I could go on.

Yep, exactly.

Nutley's husband is the head of a bunch of labour unions and the NDP bends over backwards to accommodate them.

You vote to better your situation, and I can respect that.

But.

If these government's don't take their foot off the neck's of the people who actually fund these government's then there will eventually be major cutbacks in the private sector.

Aka your job.

 

[Cat401]

Yep, exactly.

Nutley's husband is the head of a bunch of labour unions and the NDP bends over backwards to accommodate them.

You vote to better your situation, and I can respect that.

But.

If these government's don't take their foot off the neck's of the people who actually fund these government's then there will eventually be major cutbacks in the private sector.

Aka your job.

somebody has to take the bull by the horns and be fiscally responsible........can't spend your way out of debt

 

[teamgreen]

The thing is you don't really understand how expense the benefits are. Use to contract work from the AB government years ago at $70/hr per guy regardless of skill level (have 1 supervisor with 3-4 laborers generally). They said it was cheaper then hiring full-time permanent employees at $25/hr by the time they factored in benefits, pension, etc etc and the biggest factor was every time a new boss came in they'd change everything up. So while you may not see the cost reflected in the your pay check, I can assure you it's costing taxpayers an astronomical amount. I remember there was some high up prick who bought a big a$$ desk that wouldn't fit in a door in the legislature so instead of common sense saying buy a different one, nope take the door out and spend thousands to fit it in there of taxpayer dollars. If I still had that gig I would be retired by now from the money I was pulling in it was that lucrative. In my experience of working for them for about 6 years I would bet they could cut their workforce in half in many areas and see no harmful effects. Many people have no real job, it's just one fabricated to make them seem useful. But ask them? They are SO busy, so many meetings and all this other BS. It's astounding. There is a few good employees who know it and just put up with it and do a good job, but few and far between. I lost count how many times there would be 4-6 government employees supervising something not very important, sometimes for hours.

I almost left numerous times because the amount of money wasted was sickening, but one guy who was dealing with it put it point blank, if you don't do it someone else will, you're not going to change how they do things. There was days where I had guys show up and not do one SECOND of work, thousands of dollars completely wasted. They didn't want anything more done for the season, but they had to spend their entire budget so they could ask for more next year.

Full time employees are not cheap. I make $45/hr plus benefits, training, etc. And my position is an insurance policy. You can dissolve my position and you will end up paying more annually in insurance. I can't comment on having expensive desks, as i don't have one. I have expensive fire truck, almost a million bucks, but its price is factored over the many years it is expected to make it out the door reliably. I would be curious to know what the current provincial government spends, but thats hours of looking through budgets and annual reports.

One question for you teamgreen ......Are you truly ok with the way the NDP's have been spending like drunken sailors with no intent to balance the budget.....you are ok with this???

I do have an issue with the NDPs spending. And they never promised a balanced budget, not as an election promise or anywhere. Its very common knowledge that the NDP is a social-democrat party and spends money on social programs, healthcare, and education. Is it a way to balance a budget, sh*t no.
Lets dumb it down to a personal level. The NDP is attempting to make the house nicer so its worth more in the end. The UCP(not that they have given much info on their platform, so I will assume based on history) will turn the water off so the house value may stay the same, but the toilets don't flush. Both are bad ideas.
Until someone can come forward and control spending, maintain infrastructure, healthcare and education, nothing will be fixed. Personally, I choose to spend and pay the interest, maintain the social and educational programs until the economy picks up a bit, and then hopefully someone can come in with a plan and reduce the growing debt that we are in.

 

[Summitric]

Full time employees are not cheap. I make $45/hr plus benefits, training, etc. And my position is an insurance policy. You can dissolve my position and you will end up paying more annually in insurance. I can't comment on having expensive desks, as i don't have one. I have expensive fire truck, almost a million bucks, but its price is factored over the many years it is expected to make it out the door reliably. I would be curious to know what the current provincial government spends, but thats hours of looking through budgets and annual reports.



I do have an issue with the NDPs spending. And they never promised a balanced budget, not as an election promise or anywhere. Its very common knowledge that the NDP is a social-democrat party and spends money on social programs, healthcare, and education. Is it a way to balance a budget, sh*t no.
Lets dumb it down to a personal level. The NDP is attempting to make the house nicer so its worth more in the end. The UCP(not that they have given much info on their platform, so I will assume based on history) will turn the water off so the house value may stay the same, but the toilets don't flush. Both are bad ideas.
Until someone can come forward and control spending, maintain infrastructure, healthcare and education, nothing will be fixed. Personally, I choose to spend and pay the interest, maintain the social and educational programs until the economy picks up a bit, and then hopefully someone can come in with a plan and reduce the growing debt that we are in.

did you know the NDPee have already borrowed $2.9billion in 2019 ??? that is absurd!!! Healthcare is extremely top-end heavy -- waiting periods for knee and hip replacement is over a year now(I know, I've been waiting a year now!!!), which is the worse it has ever been. Why make the biggest government in Canada when we are 4th in population?

 

[teamgreen]

did you know the NDPee have already borrowed $2.9billion in 2019 ??? that is absurd!!! Healthcare is extremely top-end heavy -- waiting periods for knee and hip replacement is over a year now(I know, I've been waiting a year now!!!), which is the worse it has ever been. Why make the biggest government in Canada when we are 4th in population?

I am well aware of the spending. But on the flip side, and I have to go off history, the UCP will cut healthcare spending. So what will your wait time potentially be?

 

[Summitric]

I am well aware of the spending. But on the flip side, and I have to go off history, the UCP will cut healthcare spending. So what will your wait time potentially be?

omg... Kenney has already said its not a slash and burn. Quit hiding behind the union, and read and listen and think for yourself …. he has already acknowledged that healthcare is top-end heavy and that is where it will be trimmed

 

[Cat401]

Full time employees are not cheap. I make $45/hr plus benefits, training, etc. And my position is an insurance policy. You can dissolve my position and you will end up paying more annually in insurance. I can't comment on having expensive desks, as i don't have one. I have expensive fire truck, almost a million bucks, but its price is factored over the many years it is expected to make it out the door reliably. I would be curious to know what the current provincial government spends, but thats hours of looking through budgets and annual reports.



I do have an issue with the NDPs spending. And they never promised a balanced budget, not as an election promise or anywhere. Its very common knowledge that the NDP is a social-democrat party and spends money on social programs, healthcare, and education. Is it a way to balance a budget, sh*t no.
Lets dumb it down to a personal level. The NDP is attempting to make the house nicer so its worth more in the end. The UCP(not that they have given much info on their platform, so I will assume based on history) will turn the water off so the house value may stay the same, but the toilets don't flush. Both are bad ideas.
Until someone can come forward and control spending, maintain infrastructure, healthcare and education, nothing will be fixed. Personally, I choose to spend and pay the interest, maintain the social and educational programs until the economy picks up a bit, and then hopefully someone can come in with a plan and reduce the growing debt that we are in.

I am well aware of the spending. But on the flip side, and I have to go off history, the UCP will cut healthcare spending. So what will your wait time potentially be?

omg... Kenney has already said its not a slash and burn. Quit hiding behind the union, and read and listen and think for yourself …. he has already acknowledged that healthcare is top-end heavy and that is where it will be trimmed

TeamGreen...I hope you reconsider.....
I am not totally sold on Jason Kenney, the person, but we (the Province) cannot sustain the reckless NDP spending

I truly respect you having the balls to come on this site and stick up for the NDP but I really hope you reconsider........

 

[teamgreen]

omg... Kenney has already said its not a slash and burn. Quit hiding behind the union, and read and listen and think for yourself …. he has already acknowledged that healthcare is top-end heavy and that is where it will be trimmed

I actually read and listen for myself. Its amazing the information that can be found in newspapers, and I don't mean the Calgary Sun. And some information can also be found on the television.

There is a reason why people are concerned for facilities such as the Calgary Cancer Centre. They know the history of Jason Kenney.

 

[Cyle]

I am well aware of the spending. But on the flip side, and I have to go off history, the UCP will cut healthcare spending. So what will your wait time potentially be?

Healthcare spending should be cut, we spend way too much on it now. But it shouldn't be at the cost of lesser case, it should be by making the system more efficient. The care that is given for the amount it costs is way out of line.

 

[pfi572]

Healthcare spending should be cut, we spend way too much on it now. But it shouldn't be at the cost of lesser case, it should be by making the system more efficient. The care that is given for the amount it costs is way out of line.

Welcome to unions .

 

[Summitric]

Healthcare spending should be cut, we spend way too much on it now. But it shouldn't be at the cost of lesser case, it should be by making the system more efficient. The care that is given for the amount it costs is way out of line.

EXACTLY.... make it more efficient, not BIGGER, like the NDPee have done

NDP have given us the most expensive $healthcare to citizen in Canada and one of the worst "bangs for the buck" in Canada

 

[eclipse1966]

100% agree on this. As an unfortunate regular user of the healthcare it blows my mind the waste that takes place. I have said this many times but can you imagine the billions we would save alone if we can go directly to a specialist instead of going to our GP first then to the specialist. If I have a problem with my foot, I feel I should be able to go to a podiatrist directly for care. Thats just one example.

Healthcare spending should be cut, we spend way too much on it now. But it shouldn't be at the cost of lesser case, it should be by making the system more efficient. The care that is given for the amount it costs is way out of line.

 

[skegpro]

I actually read and listen for myself. Its amazing the information that can be found in newspapers, and I don't mean the Calgary Sun. And some information can also be found on the television.

There is a reason why people are concerned for facilities such as the Calgary Cancer Centre. They know the history of Jason Kenney.

Yes Jason Kenny is gonna shut down Cancer Hospitals.
Lol

https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/nelson-its-desperation-time-for-notley-government

 

[imdoo'n]

Yes Jason Kenny is gonna shut down Cancer Hospitals.
Lol

https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/nelson-its-desperation-time-for-notley-government

yup i heard somrething like that also, will not let patients in unless they have cancer. the SOB!!!! just not right.

 

[imdoo'n]

well i see there may be a new pole to vote at? wonder if it is North or South of the last one? lol.