Siding with the conservative majority
Re: “Lougheed’s wisom wasn’t followed by succeeding Conservative premiers,” Dec. 10 How could so many Albertans be wrong? We have much to learn from Peter Mueller’s wisdom; he teaches us that millions of voters from the past were not making wise decisions and Albertans were bribed. Mueller says: “PC governments selfservingly bought the voting public through artificially low taxes and the absence of a sales tax.” Rachel Notley has not implemented a sales tax. Peter, is she trying to buy our vote?
Mueller admits that comparing Alberta to Norway is “apples and oranges,” yet he uses the comparison. He never brings up the taxation levels and socialist policies of Norway when discussing how wonderful they are, because he is a fan of socialism, similar to the Marxist party supporters who were at the last Alberta NDP convention.
Now Mueller wants to compare Alberta to Alaska. American states are far more autonomous than Canadian provinces; for example several states have legalized marijuana, yet marijuana remains illegal in the U.S. federally. In contrast the Canadian government imposes marijuana on the provinces. B.C. buys fuel from Washington state made from Alaskan oil; shipped within sight of Victoria, on the same waters that Albertans are told they can not use. Yes, Alaska has many advantages over Alberta.
I do understand equalization is in the Canadian constitution; however the politicized, ever-changing formula is not part of the constitution and that is the real issue. Next year Quebec will get a $1.4 billion increase in transfer payments, the same year as the federal election; coincidence? Someone has to fund $7 per day daycare, low tuition and the subsidized electric power rates that Quebec enjoys, might as well be Alberta. Quebec is forecasting a $3 billion surplus, while Premier Rachel Notley is overspending by $9.1 billion. How bad would it have to get in Alberta, for our tax dollars to get invested in Alberta projects rather than Quebec? I can only imagine what creative legislation Trudeau would implement if Alberta had trillions of dollars in a bank account.
Mr. Mueller, I’ll agree to disagree; you continue to believe in socialist utopia with government controlling every aspect of your life, I’ll side with the 52 per cent of Albertans that voted for conservative parties in the last election.
Mike Somerville Medicine Hat