Yesterday, I was on the radio chatting about the year that was and the year that’s coming, and the host asked me what was on my Christmas wish-list for Alberta politics. Predictably, I’ve come up with my real answer a day late. Santa, I want a functioning public health system.
This year in Alberta was definitely a disaster, under Danielle Smith and the UCP. It's a continuation of where they were before. They made Albertans foot the bill for a shiny new hockey arena for Calgary, so they could get votes in that city. $1.2 billion is flushed down the drain. $80 million squandered on Tylenot. Nationalizing Dynalife, at an unknown cost. Preston Manning was gifted $253,000, and a $2 million expense account, to make a Covid-19 report that is very out of touch with reality. The most expensive power rates in Canada, thanks to economic witholding. More tax cuts, that will deplete the province of much needed revenue, in the onset of collapsing oil prices. Carbon capture and storage is being pursued, despite Danielle Smith being in staunch opposition to it before. Rewarding has been Conservative politicians to redo AHS. Promoting the risky APP, that was left off of the provincial election campaign on purpose. A fruitless trip to Dubai. More coal companies are suing the provincial government for close to $11 billion, because of backtracking on contract agreements with them. Eroding democracy with Bill 8. Breaking ethics rules. Bullying municipal politicians. Inadequate response to Covid-19. Making poverty in Alberta grow. Letting the environment suffer. More senseless fights with the federal government, to detract from the UCP's numerous failures. This is quite the naughty list for the UCP. One Christmas wish that I'd like is that the UCP are gone from power. People didn't realize how much better the NDP were.
RStar is another blunder from the UCP. $20 billion is being squandered on it. The gas tax break is way beyond $1 billion. Inadequate Legislature sittings. Lie after lie, with Danielle Smith. Fighting with the federal government, instead of working with them. Cutting red tape, which led to the second largest E-Coli outbreak in Canada's history, making so many children suffer. There are so many things that make the naughty list for the UCP. I just hope this is the last time the UCP are in power. We definitely were better off with Rachel Notley.
Are we surprised, not at all. This government lead by Smith has governed by deceit even before they were elected. We were shocked by the weekly proclamations requiring walk backs before the election. The difference now is the govt stands behind everything she utters. They are still planning to legislate everything that most Albertans didn't want, and refused to campaign on. Only to claim they were given the mandate to go ahead when elected. I doubt Smith sees Albertans' as her priority, more like an obsessive obstacle who are feeling their security evaporating like methane from abandoned wells.
Thank you for this newsletter which is exactly as I am feeling. In 2024 we need to really start protesting this gov’t and its draconian policies. I feel that across Alberta and especially in Edmonton we must come out every week like we did back in the Klein Bill 11 days. We helped to make him blink. We must do it again with Premier Smith.
Another excellent article Lisa. This wish really makes one hope Santa is real. But Danielle Smith's stocking is hung in the Legislature with care, hoping her new legislation will grift her and her party this year ... and every year after. The health of their bank account is all matters. A lobbyist knows their master - and its not the people of AB.
I too wish for a functional health care system, and am grateful I no longer have to work in it.
A second wish would be a big lump of coal in Danielle Smith's and Adriana La grange's stockings this Christmas. Except the UCP likes coal, so maybe it wouldn't be seen as a bad thing.
This is my statement...WTF....and is there anything that can be done legally and yes they are attempting to kill citizens . Are we a third world country .
I agree. The premiere flies too much by the seat of her jeans!
I have interacted with AHS 811 for 2 potentially serious issues. In October they referred to ER at Foothills. Last week they said, "Do not go to emergency. We will get you a Zoom call with a family doc" The visit to ER took cum 4.5 hrs. The Zoom with the Dr. took cum 1.5 hrs. SO I think 811 is working so Danielle please DO NOT Eff with it! PLEASE
Okay, everyone on this blog, especially its owner, take note of this “anonymous”. He is obviously a disruption agent. He is implying things I did not say and clearly do not support. He or she is very likely being paid by precisely these “phony conservatives” he talks about.
I quote; “As with anywhere else in Canada, they need to forget about NDP as a vehicle for change. They need to form a new political party committed to popular socialism and to actually gaining power. They also need to grow the backbone to be able to protect each other, which is especially important in Alberta.”
So what is so striking to me in this post is the "public" part of the health message - almost as if some of the things we associate with individualized care also depend on communitarian actions, like vaccinations. If only there were some Canadian tradition of community-oriented spirit within the public sphere - but I am reliably told that Red Tories are dead, and Agrarian Socialists disappeared with the Crow Rate. Tant pis.
Hello,Lisa Young. I also do a substack blog. I am not trying to maker money out of it. I just like having it. One advantage of it is that when I want to comment on something, I do not have to keep rewriting stuff I have already written. https://adultsincharge.blog/2023/12/17/the-alberta-syndrome/
I grew up in Alberta. I escaped, but I still have relatives there, visit occasionally, and follow the politics. I say that a big part of the problem with Alberta is there is never an effective opposition to the crypto nazi weirdos who have ruined the province for nearly a century. I do not understand this attachment to the useless NDP.
This year in Alberta was definitely a disaster, under Danielle Smith and the UCP. It's a continuation of where they were before. They made Albertans foot the bill for a shiny new hockey arena for Calgary, so they could get votes in that city. $1.2 billion is flushed down the drain. $80 million squandered on Tylenot. Nationalizing Dynalife, at an unknown cost. Preston Manning was gifted $253,000, and a $2 million expense account, to make a Covid-19 report that is very out of touch with reality. The most expensive power rates in Canada, thanks to economic witholding. More tax cuts, that will deplete the province of much needed revenue, in the onset of collapsing oil prices. Carbon capture and storage is being pursued, despite Danielle Smith being in staunch opposition to it before. Rewarding has been Conservative politicians to redo AHS. Promoting the risky APP, that was left off of the provincial election campaign on purpose. A fruitless trip to Dubai. More coal companies are suing the provincial government for close to $11 billion, because of backtracking on contract agreements with them. Eroding democracy with Bill 8. Breaking ethics rules. Bullying municipal politicians. Inadequate response to Covid-19. Making poverty in Alberta grow. Letting the environment suffer. More senseless fights with the federal government, to detract from the UCP's numerous failures. This is quite the naughty list for the UCP. One Christmas wish that I'd like is that the UCP are gone from power. People didn't realize how much better the NDP were.
RStar is another blunder from the UCP. $20 billion is being squandered on it. The gas tax break is way beyond $1 billion. Inadequate Legislature sittings. Lie after lie, with Danielle Smith. Fighting with the federal government, instead of working with them. Cutting red tape, which led to the second largest E-Coli outbreak in Canada's history, making so many children suffer. There are so many things that make the naughty list for the UCP. I just hope this is the last time the UCP are in power. We definitely were better off with Rachel Notley.
Are we surprised, not at all. This government lead by Smith has governed by deceit even before they were elected. We were shocked by the weekly proclamations requiring walk backs before the election. The difference now is the govt stands behind everything she utters. They are still planning to legislate everything that most Albertans didn't want, and refused to campaign on. Only to claim they were given the mandate to go ahead when elected. I doubt Smith sees Albertans' as her priority, more like an obsessive obstacle who are feeling their security evaporating like methane from abandoned wells.
Thank you for this newsletter which is exactly as I am feeling. In 2024 we need to really start protesting this gov’t and its draconian policies. I feel that across Alberta and especially in Edmonton we must come out every week like we did back in the Klein Bill 11 days. We helped to make him blink. We must do it again with Premier Smith.
Another excellent article Lisa. This wish really makes one hope Santa is real. But Danielle Smith's stocking is hung in the Legislature with care, hoping her new legislation will grift her and her party this year ... and every year after. The health of their bank account is all matters. A lobbyist knows their master - and its not the people of AB.
I too wish for a functional health care system, and am grateful I no longer have to work in it.
A second wish would be a big lump of coal in Danielle Smith's and Adriana La grange's stockings this Christmas. Except the UCP likes coal, so maybe it wouldn't be seen as a bad thing.
One more thing Lisa thank you for being our health minister . Sure would like to know tho if these ministers are vaccinated
This is my statement...WTF....and is there anything that can be done legally and yes they are attempting to kill citizens . Are we a third world country .
I agree. The premiere flies too much by the seat of her jeans!
I have interacted with AHS 811 for 2 potentially serious issues. In October they referred to ER at Foothills. Last week they said, "Do not go to emergency. We will get you a Zoom call with a family doc" The visit to ER took cum 4.5 hrs. The Zoom with the Dr. took cum 1.5 hrs. SO I think 811 is working so Danielle please DO NOT Eff with it! PLEASE
Okay, everyone on this blog, especially its owner, take note of this “anonymous”. He is obviously a disruption agent. He is implying things I did not say and clearly do not support. He or she is very likely being paid by precisely these “phony conservatives” he talks about.
Go and read my freaking post at https://adultsincharge.blog/2023/12/17/the-alberta-syndrome/
I quote; “As with anywhere else in Canada, they need to forget about NDP as a vehicle for change. They need to form a new political party committed to popular socialism and to actually gaining power. They also need to grow the backbone to be able to protect each other, which is especially important in Alberta.”
I note that life expectancy has been on the decline since approx 2012. About 2016 nationally.
Whatever they are doing in Albaturda and we in Canada is counter-productive.
Thanks for the walk in the incongruities of public health care in Ab. Be as healthy as you can & minimize use of healthcare is my takeaway.
I am Jack's complete lack of surprise
So what is so striking to me in this post is the "public" part of the health message - almost as if some of the things we associate with individualized care also depend on communitarian actions, like vaccinations. If only there were some Canadian tradition of community-oriented spirit within the public sphere - but I am reliably told that Red Tories are dead, and Agrarian Socialists disappeared with the Crow Rate. Tant pis.
Hello,Lisa Young. I also do a substack blog. I am not trying to maker money out of it. I just like having it. One advantage of it is that when I want to comment on something, I do not have to keep rewriting stuff I have already written. https://adultsincharge.blog/2023/12/17/the-alberta-syndrome/
I grew up in Alberta. I escaped, but I still have relatives there, visit occasionally, and follow the politics. I say that a big part of the problem with Alberta is there is never an effective opposition to the crypto nazi weirdos who have ruined the province for nearly a century. I do not understand this attachment to the useless NDP.
A mistake; should have linked to the substack version https://timrourke.substack.com/p/the-alberta-syndrome