Alberta forecasts record $4.7B deficit in budget

[ToadBrother]

I'm not sure there's any point to 'blaming' politicians or politics for the deficit budget. Obviously, it's reduced income from the oil industry, for the same reason the auto companies are in trouble.

Silly to blame politicians for the global economic meltdown, imo.

Doesn't matter what party they are, they are all in the same pickle.

Still, few provinces... nay... make that jurisdictions in the Industrialized World have had the capacity over the last two decades to build up a sizable pile of money to weather even the most serious recessions as Alberta. They've been making money hand-over-fist for over a decade, but the sheer lack of will and imagination of Klein and his government pretty much saw it all pi$$ed away. The colossal stupidity of the Conservatives was hidden by a combination of record-high oil prices and an electorate so busy navel-gazing and being bought off.

I feel for Alberta to some extent, but they are very much the author of their misfortunes. They had the capacity to weather the storm, but blew it.

[Hydraboss]

Geez, you don't think Alberta being in deficit has anything to do with the net $18 billion we sent to Ottawa in 2008? We sent $36.3 billion and received about half of that back in federal transfers and services.

The "Left Wing Eddie" Stelmach government caused this freakin' mess, and it will take a true conservative-minded government to put it back the way it should be. Or seperation. That would fix it just as fast.

[ToadBrother]

Geez, you don't think Alberta being in deficit has anything to do with the net $18 billion we sent to Ottawa in 2008? We sent $36.3 billion and received about half of that back in federal transfers and services.

The "Left Wing Eddie" Stelmach government caused this freakin' mess, and it will take a true conservative-minded government to put it back the way it should be. Or seperation. That would fix it just as fast.

And now we'll get the same standard far right-wing mumbo jumbo from the people unwilling to see that their economy is based on the fragile structure of oil prices. It must be Stelmach's fault, or the Federal Government's fault, or even all the rest of Canada's fault. Anything other than admit that Alberta was governed by a inebriated moron named Ralph Klein, who could squawk the appropriate conservative sounds to please his equally moronic following, but ultimately was still just a moron.

There are no smart Conservatives in Alberta. There probably aren't even any real Conservatives in Alberta. There are a lot of people raised on a diet of "Blame the Feds", who hold some pseudo-Libertarian beliefs and who gullible enough to repeat the kind of idiotic trash you just wrote, but who don't have the presence of mind to understand that Alberta's fortunes are tied almost entirely to something which is completely beyond its control.

[Hydraboss]

Wow! That's really insightful of you.

First of all, Klein (the early years) had the balls to do what had to be done. Cut everything.

Second, the feds f*cked Alberta and continue to do so. You saying it ain't so doesn't make it true.

Third, Stelmach IS an idiot. He spends like an NDP'er and has a thought process like a borderline mental retard.

unwilling to see that their economy is based on the fragile structure of oil prices

Alberta's fortunes are tied almost entirely to something which is completely beyond its control

You must mean something like the fragile financial state of the United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia? Our economy would be be $18,000,000,000 ahead today just from 2008 if it weren't for us paying for the rest of Canada.

So, please, continue to speak about that which you obviously have no knowledge. I have news for you: the economy of Canada in 2009 will be based on

the fragile structure of oil prices

in Alberta.

[Molly]

Mcguinty's number was $22 billion per annum from Ontario. I figure it's the price we pay for being part of a nation.

(I can see it now--- the landlocked nation of Alberta, 3.5 million lonely souls- 2.5, if all the Saskatchewanians go home- operating on the principle of 'every man for himself', all that overwrought insularity and obstructive grumpiness fully expressed... A ch-ch-ch-charming place to visit. )

[Smallc]

Mcguinty's number was $22 billion per annum from Ontario. I figure it's the price we pay for being part of a nation.

(I can see it now--- the landlocked nation of Alberta, 3.5 million lonely souls- 2.5, if all the Saskatchewanians go home- operating on the principle of 'every man for himself', all that overwrought insularity and obstructive grumpiness fully expressed... A ch-ch-ch-charming place to visit. )

$22B sounds about right. I also respect your commitment to this country. As for your description of a sovereign Alberta..... I loled.

[ToadBrother]

Mcguinty's number was $22 billion per annum from Ontario. I figure it's the price we pay for being part of a nation.

(I can see it now--- the landlocked nation of Alberta, 3.5 million lonely souls- 2.5, if all the Saskatchewanians go home- operating on the principle of 'every man for himself', all that overwrought insularity and obstructive grumpiness fully expressed... A ch-ch-ch-charming place to visit. )

I think Albertans are like Germans and Americans; on their own, not a bad bunch, but a get group together and brrrr....