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Finance Policy
We need a long-term financial plan to mitigate the boom and bust cycles of our resource driven economy.
We believe in spending on the core programs of health and education. Investing in a healthy and educated population is a key element in ensuring continued economic growth and prosperity.
We will ensure that future generations of Albertan will be able to enjoy the wealth of our province’s resources by limiting annual spending increases and building a robust savings plan.
We would perform an independent value-for-dollar audit to eliminate wasteful and unnecessary spending practices.
- We believe in the same basic financial principles that a household would use. You don’t spend beyond your means, you upgrade your house when you have the money to do so but you don’t jeopardize saving for your retirement when things get tough.
- The Finance Minister is using money from the savings account to balance the cheque book at the end of every month while at the same time ignoring the mounting credit card bill. This irresponsible management must stop.
- We believe that capital spending should be scaled back from the government’s current plan. Alberta can still spend more than the national average on infrastructure without draining the Sustainability Fund in less than two years
- There is too much wasteful spending by these so-called fiscal conservatives. To address this we would perform an independent value-for-dollar audit so that taxpayers get the best possible value for our money. We need to stop the wasteful spending habits of this government.
- We believe in savings. Alberta is fortunate to have a wealth of natural resources, but we also have the responsibility to ensure the wealth is carried into the future through a revitalized Heritage Fund. This will not only show fairness to future generations but will also help to alleviate the boom and bust cycles our province experiences from depending too heavily on non-renewable resource revenue.
Finance Responses & Questions
16 February 2012
MacDonald says PC government hiding the truth about its take from VLTs and slot machines
Edmonton – Finance Critic Hugh MacDonald says the government is taking a larger percentage of the cash played by Albertans in video lottery terminals (VLTs) and slot machine revenues than it claims, creating the illusion that the odds of winning are far better than they truly are.
09 February 2012
Alberta Liberals offer budget honesty while PCs hide behind a coward’s budget
Edmonton – Official Opposition Leader Raj Sherman says Alberta Liberals are being honest about their fiscal plans for Alberta, while today’s budget reveals Premier Redford is trying to please everyone with a pre-election spending spree and unrealistically high revenue predictions.
08 February 2012
Statement from Kent Hehr on balancing the budget
Mr. Hehr: What has been lost in the conversation regarding the Alberta Liberal platform is that we will probably balance the budget. Let’s think about this for a second, not think about left or right but simply what is best for today and for tomorrow.
01 February 2012
The Warlords of Alberta, Part Three: County of Camrose
In Alberta, important public servants such as city councillors, school boards and university officials are routinely invited to donate taxpayer money or participate in partisan political fundraisers for the governing Progressive Conservative Party. These public servants feel immense pressure to comply for fear of losing provincial government support for their communities. In effect, powerful government MLAs are acting as warlords, intimidating local officials to toe the party line.
27 January 2012
The Warlords of Alberta, Part Two: Big Lakes
In Alberta, important public servants such as city councillors, school boards and university officials are routinely invited to donate taxpayer money or participate in partisan political fundraisers for the governing Progressive Conservative Party. These public servants feel immense pressure to comply for fear of losing provincial government support for their communities. In effect, powerful government MLAs are acting as warlords, intimidating local officials to toe the party line.
13 January 2012
MacDonald asks Elections Alberta to investigate additional alleged illegal contributions to PCs
Edmonton – Official Opposition Finance Critic Hugh MacDonald has provided Elections Alberta head Brian Fjeldheim with documentation showing that municipal officials across Alberta have used taxpayer dollars to attend partisan Progressive Conservative fundraising events or otherwise contribute to partisan PC activities.
06 December 2011
PC Party Benefit Plan Trust, continued (December 5)
Mr. MacDonald: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again to the Premier: how much has been paid out in income to top up the Premier’s salary in the last four years by the Progressive Conservative Party through the leader’s benefit plan trust scheme?
02 December 2011
Taxpayers deserve to know what their premier earns
Edmonton – Official Opposition Finance Critic Hugh MacDonald says taxpayers have a right to know how much extra taxpayer-subsidized salary the Progressive Conservative party has paid its premiers over the years.
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Alberta Liberal Caucus Office
Reception
2nd Floor Legislature Annex,
9718 - 107 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5K1E4
phone: 780.427.2292
fax: 780.427.3697
liberal.correspondence@assembly.ab.ca