Sunshine, low taxes make Alberta perfect

Fain · January 21, 2008

DELETED by moderator

"Sunshine, low taxes make Alberta perfect" -- Jack M. Mintz, Financial Post Published: Thursday, January 10, 2008

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Best place to work in Canada in my opinion. The biggest incentive being that the government let's you keep more of the money YOU MAKE.

Edited January 22, 2008 by Charles Anthony
copyright violation

fellowtraveller · January 22, 2008

The auhtor of this piece will soon discover that Calgary is prone to bouts of sudden, extreme weather too.

WCN · January 22, 2008

When you come to Calgary and get a high paying job I'm sure you'll be happy :lol: . Now ask some of those people who are struggling to pay high rent and manage a busy life.

Fain · January 22, 2008

When you come to Calgary and get a high paying job I'm sure you'll be happy . Now ask some of those people who are struggling to pay high rent and manage a busy life.

You sound like a pessimist. I made enough in 3 1/2 months to pay rent and 8 months of school in ontario and have my fun out there. There's alot of hype about the rent.

Trust me, rent is a piece of cake.

WCN · January 22, 2008

You sound like a pessimist. I made enough in 3 1/2 months to pay rent and 8 months of school in ontario and have my fun out there. There's alot of hype about the rent.
Trust me, rent is a piece of cake.

Guess I've been reading to many of those horror stories in the news. With regards to the orginal post content, well its a very interesting time in Alberta since so much money has poured into the government the past few years and yet we have so many problems. The author of the article doesn't mention the huge billion dollar infrastructure deficit which is really impacting Albertans daily lives both urban and rural. Healthcare spending is another problem with healthcare boards facing deficits in the millions. So it makes you wonder whether we will see radical changes in Alberta in the next decade (expanding private healthcare, more P3 projects, a reopening of the royaltie debate, or more taxes (example: toll roads, higher water rates, other taxes)) or even a differen't political landscape.

geoffrey · January 24, 2008

The author of the article doesn't mention the huge billion dollar infrastructure deficit which is really impacting Albertans daily lives both urban and rural.

Every province has that same issue. We haven't had anyone die in a bridge collapse yet, ask your Quebec friends about that one.

Healthcare spending is another problem with healthcare boards facing deficits in the millions.

Alberta spends much more on health per capita than any other province. The problem is Tommy Douglas socialist medicine, not how much money is being thrown at a ugly public sector beast.

So it makes you wonder whether we will see radical changes in Alberta in the next decade (expanding private healthcare, more P3 projects, a reopening of the royaltie debate, or more taxes (example: toll roads, higher water rates, other taxes)) or even a differen't political landscape.

All of these issues are positive IMO, other than the higher taxes, which will never fly here.

Edited January 24, 2008 by geoffrey

WCN · January 28, 2008

Every province has that same issue. We haven't had anyone die in a bridge collapse yet, ask your Quebec friends about that one.

Yeah, but not every province has such growth problems like Alberta and we are also seeing some of the effects of the cutbacks from the 1990's. But I guess that's the tradeoff we made years ago (balence the budget and paydown debt instead of investing in social programs and infrastructure).

Alberta spends much more on health per capita than any other province. The problem is Tommy Douglas socialist medicine, not how much money is being thrown at a ugly public sector beast.

I agree with you there but you won't see any reform in the short run (as Don Martin wrote I believe recently, if Ralph Klein couldn't reform health care no one can). It should be interesting in ten years what the situation will be in terms of healthcare spending and policy. In my opinion we might see a divide in the general population in Alberta with people like me and you (the young populace) asking why so much money is being spent on the program while the older populace (the boomers) demand high spending to keep the status quo. Either way, change is certain in my opinion.

All of these issues are positive IMO, other than the higher taxes, which will never fly here.

I still think higher taxes may be on the way. With the need for new roads and transit we will see those in power look for ways to pay for it (just ask Bronco).