Redford blames economy for deficit
Opposition says it’s skewed priorities
The provincial government faces significant restraints in what it can afford to do — such as guaranteeing seniors in longterm care facilities more than one bath a week — because of the current financial crunch, Premier Alison Redford said Thursday.
But as the fall sitting of the legislature came to a close, opposition parties said it was Tory mismanagement and skewed priorities that are the problem.
Speaking to reporters in Edmonton, Redford said the higher-than-projected deficit constrains the government in areas such as new contracts for doctors and teachers, or the introduction of a new bathing policy for seniors and people with disabilities in long-term care facilities.
“We’re able to maintain the services that are in place now and that’s very important, but as we move forward over the next six months, we have significant deficit issues to deal with,” she said.
“So before we start willynilly having the premier pronounce on this issue or that issue, we have to look back on what Albertans said in the election. What they said is, be thoughtful and long-term and decide how you can strategically change the system so it’s better.”
How many baths or showers long-term care residents receive has become a major issue for opposition parties. The government said hygiene plans are drawn up for individual residents in consultation with their caregivers, but acknowledges some residents want to be bathed or showered more frequently than resources allow.
Redford noted the government has pledged to review its policy but said the long-term care system itself needs to be thoroughly overhauled and improved.
“It’s not ever going to be a matter of simply putting more money into the system. I’ve a lot of confidence that with what we have in place now, that people are taken very good care of,” she said.
Much of the fall legislative sitting has been dominated by controversies, including the expenses of politicians and government officials.
Liberal Leader Raj Sherman — who raised the bathing issue in question period Thursday — said he was shocked the premier wouldn’t respond to his plea to give seniors the gift of two baths a week this Christmas.
“In her mind, bathing our parents and grandparents is willy nilly while subsidizing corporate welfare carries on and she can take first-class flights at $12,000, sip $100 champagnes and wines late at night, and bill the taxpayer. She has got no problem with that but she has a problem with bathing our parents and grandparents?”
Alberta’s February budget projected an $886-million deficit. In its recent mid-year projections, however, that figure has ballooned to an estimated $2.3 billion to $3 billion.
The government blames the growing red ink on the price differential Alberta oil faces because of limited access to world markets. But it’s taking heat for plans to borrow for capital projects while balancing only its operating budget.
Wildrose leader Danielle Smith said the province will be in debt by 2014 because it will have used up its savings and can’t rein in spending.
She said former premier Ed Stelmach was pushed out of office by his caucus because he couldn’t balance the budget, but Redford is prepared to break her pledge to balance the books next year.
“This newfangled language that she is using postelection of only saying she promised to run an operating surplus is just simply not the case,” said Smith.
“She is trying to do some fancy footwork to try to convince Albertans that what she is promising today is what she promised a year ago. It’s just not the case.”
Smith said it would cost about $25-a-week per senior in long-term care to provide them a second bath a week.
NDP Leader Brian Mason said Redford has made many “willy-nilly decisions” and the government’s financial problems are only going to get worse because of the pricey Tory promises in the spring election.
“Quite frankly they won’t be able to borrow their way out of it. In fact, I believe they are heading into a situation where they will very likely be having to cut program expenditures in order to try to solve the province’s financial problem,” he said.
The government faces the prospect of job action by the Alberta Medical Association, which won’t return to the bargaining table until Health Minister Fred Horne rescinds the contract he imposed in November.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association appealed to Redford last week to approve an agreement proposed by the union that had been previously rejected by Education Minister Jeff Johnson.
While the ATA said it was “disengaging” from provincial talks, a meeting is planned with Johnson on Friday.