Redford defends mail-out costs
Brochure on austerity budget cost $350,000
EDMONTON — The Redford government is under fire for its decision to spend $350,000 of taxpayers’ money to mail a glossy budget brochure to all Alberta households, two months after the 2013 budget was introduced.
Premier Alison Redford, who made a rare visit to the legislature press gallery Tuesday to personally deliver the first copies of the brochure, said she believes it’s important for Albertans to have the correct information on her government’s fiscal plans.
“We wanted to make sure we’re accountable to Albertans for the decisions that we make,” the premier said in an interview.
Later in the legislature, Redford defended the brochure from attacks, saying she was more concerned about being judged by Albertans than the opposition.
“We’re proud of the fact we’re going to deliver the fact-based document to 1.2 million households this week,” she said.
Finance Minister Doug Horner added: “We do not apologize for communicating to Albertans the information that Albertans want to know.”
The premier’s office said the eight-page budget brochure will be delivered by Canada Post to 1.2 million Alberta households over the next two weeks at a cost of 29 cents per home.
But opposition party leaders say the brochure, titled simply Report to Taxpayers, is a waste of money that would have been better spent continuing services and programs that the budget cut.
“I think this looks like a PC election campaign brochure,” said Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith. “The difference is it is being paid for by taxpayers.”
Smith said the premier doesn’t know the difference between legitimate government activity and partisan political activity.
“We have a premier who is desperately afraid of losing confidence from her party in her leadership vote in the fall and she is pulling out all of the stops, including using taxpayers’ money to send out political propaganda,” she said.
Smith said the money spent on the brochure could have funded a safe house that was providing support to those who were being sexually exploited.
She noted the brochure touts the Tory plans to invest $15 billion in new infrastructure, but doesn’t mention the government is plunging the province back in debt to do that.
The colourful brochure includes a list of “key accomplishments,” a snapshot of the province’s $38-billion operational spending plan, a picture of Redford holding a young girl and a message from the premier.
It also features various testimonials from a doctor, entrepreneur and the president of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce.
Liberal Leader Raj Sherman said using taxpayer dollars to campaign is “shameful.”
“That money would be better spent for seniors, for education, for the vulnerable,” he said.
NDPLeader Brian Mason said Redford is trying to get the nose of the Tory airplane up before it hits the landing strip in November during a mandatory leadership review.
“This has a lot to do with the premier’s campaign, which is
This has a lot to do with the premier’s campaign, which is now in full swing … GARY MASON NDP LEADER
now in full swing, to win the leadership review in November,” he said.
Both Mason and Smith complained the government used PC party colours for the brochure cover, but the premier’s office insisted the shades of blue and orange chosen are official provincial colours.
The government’s March 7 budget forecasts a $2-billion deficit and sees 12 of 18 ministries take budget cuts, while borrowing $4.3 billion for capital projects.
Polling has suggested most Albertans don’t like the hold-the-line budget, which was passed two weeks ago, and don’t believe the “bitumen bubble” scenario it was based on.
The premier has said the province will face a $6.2-billion shortfall in resource revenue as a result of the discounted price Alberta producers are getting for their bitumen due to a lack of pipeline capacity and a glut of oil in the U.S. Midwest.
A survey last month by Leger Marketing found the Tories with 29 per cent support among decided voters, compared with 37 per cent for the Wildrose.
It also said 65 per cent of Albertans don’t believe the government’s “bitumen bubble argument,” 60 per cent don’t like the budget and 74 per cent don’t believe the government is handling the province’s resources wisely.
Mount Royal University political science professor Keith Brownsey said the Tories are obviously trying to sell a poorly received budget to Albertans and party members in advance of the leadership review.
“It’s a mess of a budget and they are trying to make up for it,” he said. “Alison Redford is simply trying to shore up support within the party.”