Long road of debt ahead, urgent detour required

Rob on the road to Cameron Lake, Waterton Lakes National Park

Rob Bernshaw, Comment

Are we going back on the long road to massive debt that this province is currently off of (except for the deficit rest stop)?  If we do get on that long lonely road once more, when will we be able to get off it once again without more trial and tribulation placed on the shoulders of us taxpayers?


Here in Alberta the current government has rewritten the catchphrase “The devil made me do it”,  made famous by Flip Wilson’s character Geraldine Jones, who was always coming up with this excuse that she had no control over her own actions and therefore appeased and justified to herself and others her lack of accountability, judgment and fiscal stewardship. The statement “The devil made me do it” allowed her the perception that all was well in her world of debt, high spending and use of other peoples money.

The continual habit this current government has of calling a rose by another name has now rephrased the term “The devil made me do it” to the false perception that “The World Economy made us do it”, not the exact words of our current Alberta Premier, but paraphrased to fit the topic at hand.

Here are the exact words that she said:  “For us, it’s about reality. Reality is that the economic down-turn has gone in a way that nobody expected it to.”

This writer, as is many other Albertans, wonders what reality this current government is living in, as it sure does not seem to be the same reality that us taxpayers are currently living in.  According to other statements from this current Alberta Premier, we are in tune with the times, justifying her position and pointing to the woes that the federal government deficit will be larger than expected.

With the many laughs that Flip Wilson brought his viewers over the years it is great to see that the character Geraldine Jones is still alive and well in bringing comedy to the world stage of today.


Some background on Flip Wilson

Clerow Wilson, Jr. (December 8, 1933 – November 25, 1998), known professionally as Flip Wilson, was an American comedian and actor. In the early 1970s, Wilson hosted his own weekly variety series, The Flip Wilson Show. The series earned Wilson a Golden Globe and two Emmy Awards.[1]
In January 1972, Time magazine featured Wilson's image on their cover and named him "TV's first black superstar".
Wilson's characters included Reverend Leroy, materialistic pastor of the "Church of What’s Happening Now", and his most popular character, Geraldine Jones, always referring to boyfriend 'Killer' and whose line "The devil made me do it" became a national catchphrase.
     ~source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip_Wilson

For your viewing pleasure  here is a performance by  Flip Wilson:

Any similarities to political figures past, present or future is purely coincidental and in the mind of the viewers and listeners of a classic Flip Wilson performance.

Is it truly the collapse of economies around the world that has pushed this government back through debt's door? Or  is it lack of responsible fiscal stewardship of our tax dollars? Was the collapse of world economies truly the smoking gun that pushed them into that decision? Why would we as a province pay with debt what we have been paying for with cash for so long? Are we as a society so much part of the want generation that fiscal responsibility  and common sense is thrown out with the bath water? Where did this ludicrous debt scheme at the expense of common sense and responsible fiscal stewardship come from, if not already there during the last Alberta Provincial election and now recently brought to the light of day?

It is truly amazing the backward logic that is coming out of the mouths of our current elected representatives here in Alberta. How long is this current Alberta government going to cruise along the lush banks of the longest river in the world, ‘de Nile’?

Has this current government lost the concept of “for whom the bell tolls” and when it will toll the death knell of economic freedom with the chain and anchor of burdensome debt?

All of us are on the same boat and without a true fiscal stewardship rudder will float aimlessly amidst the sea of debt that has caused so much despair and consternation in many countries around the world. It is not debt that will bring us forward but the rudder of fiscal stewardship and responsibility that this current government needs to show in order to weather the debt storm raging around us.

Currently Alberta is an island amidst the roiling see of debt and the collapse of many countries and their economies around our wonderful world. There are riots in the streets amidst high unemployment and layoffs. In order to maintain that oasis of stability in the eye of of the current storm of massive debt, we as taxpayers need to decry loud and clear the outrageous illogical and backward thinking of this current government. Why is it perceived that going backwards into debt will bring us forward to a better future?

Premier Ralph Klein during his reign got us out of debt through massive measures that some of us liked and some disliked but the end result was that we are currently out of debt(even though we as a Province currently have approximately $3 billion in deficit).

As the richest province in Canada with a population of 3,847,119  as of April 1, 2012 according to the Alberta Quarterly Population report.

Total Revenue (millions of dollars)
2010-11    Actual
Personal income tax   7,631
Corporate income tax  3,334
Other tax revenue     3,629
Non-renewable
Resource revenue      8,428
Federal transfers     5,025
Investment income     2,360
Other revenue         4,627
Total Revenue        35,034
~source: www.finance.alberta.ca/publications/budget/.../fiscal-plan-revenue.pdf

This province brings in over $30 billion in revenue every year a low population compared to other provinces such as British Columbia where in the lower mainland alone has almost the same population as all of Alberta.

The Lower Mainland is a name commonly applied to the region surrounding and including Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. As of 2011, 2,590,921 people (59% of British Columbia's total population), lived in the region; sixteen of the province's thirty most populous municipalities are located there.
~source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Mainland

Why is this current government avoiding the truth that we are out of debt and daring to tempt fate by going back into debt when there is plenty of revenue coming into the richest province around? Does this current government want to tie our hands by this illogical reasoning of going into debt to become more fiscally responsible stewards of our tax dollars?

Where is the fiscal stewardship of this current government and why are they placing the blame at the feet of others for lack of responsibility on their part in the world that they are currently living in?

Do we Albertans truly see a need for getting back into debt as a means to accomplish the goals and promises made in order for this current government to get reelected once again in the April 2012 Alberta Provincial election?  How many times over this current governments regime are we going to allow ourselves to be fooled again even when we have the opportunities to institute change in the status quo?

When will we as taxpayers and Albertans quit being fooled by the flashing lights and feel good promises of people that are supposed to be there for us? When will this current government own up to the fact that we are not currently in debt and nor do we need to get back into the debt bed as other countries are currently in?

It is our money and we need to write our MLA’s and this current government to express our concerns over the recent decision to plunge us once again into the black hole of debt that will end up who knows where?

Related link to Alberta Legislature in order to contact your MLA regarding this very important issue to all of us taxpayers:  www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?p=mla_home

PS: This writer lives within his means and pays cash and is happy doing so. Why can’t this current government do the same?

Note: The opinions expressed by columnists and letter writers are theirs and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Pincher Creek Voice.