A land of the free - There's only one good reason to justify Alberta's separation from Canada...

The Western Standard - Canada ^ | November 14, 2005 | Pierre Lemieux

[Victoria Delsoul]

It's a good article, but I noticed the writer fails to mention Ralph Klein's name, except once with regards to Stephane Dion's vacuous comments, "Nowhere in the world is the specter of secession raised with regard to an international protocol on the environment, or a wheat board, or a firearm registry program."

He makes a good point here:

There is no valid economic objection to Alberta's becoming an independent country. The province already ranks 8th in GDP per capita among the 60 U.S. states and Canadian provinces (the next province is Ontario, in the 44th slot). Oil is not the main cause of wealth in Alberta. There is no oil in Switzerland, there was none in Hong Kong, and oil does not prevent poverty in Nigeria. The main cause of Albertan wealth is less government intervention and expenditure.

And all this just didn't happen by accident, but it was due to Ralph Klein and his Conservative government who for four consecutive times have won elections in a landslide, making the Province of Alberta the envy of the whole country. Alberta is debt free right now thanks to Klein who has eliminated the $23 billion debt Alberta had, and as I read a short time ago, everyone in Alberta -man, woman and child- is getting a $400.00 bonus check in the mail. The secret of his government: low taxes, less government intervention, fiscal accountability and policies that promote growth and business investments.

The end of Albertans will come the day they decide to elect a Liberal.

[Alberta's Child]

Very good point.

I may be wrong about this, but the cash "rebate" paid to Albertans was put in place to make up for the huge increase in utility costs to consumers under the de-regulated energy market that allows U.S. buyers to drive up the cost of natural gas from Alberta.

When I lived up there, my last two utility bills -- combined gas and electric -- were something like $11 apiece!

[Victoria Delsoul]

Oh, I didn't know that. I thought it was a gift due to their prosperity, and the fact that they're debt free.

[Alberta's Child]

Yes, in a way. The fact that they're debt-free is what gave the provincial government the extra cash to make those payments. Up until a couple of years ago, the extra revenue from oil and gas operations on provincial lands was used to pay down the debt. Now that the debt is paid off, they use it for these "rebates."

[Victoria Delsoul]

That's why I like to be around you, AC. You're so good.

[Alberta's Child]

LOL -- Thanks.

Maybe sometimes I am. ;-)