STANDING UP FOR ALBERTANS - Brian Jean
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STANDING UP
FOR ALBERTANS
Standing Up for Albertans 1
A United Conservative
government led by Brian Jean
will be here to stand up for
Albertans.
Brian will:
Hold a referendum on equalization to
get the federal government to the table
to negotiate a fairer deal for Alberta
across the board
Continue to push the current NDP
government to take the next round of
equalization negotiations seriously
Push for EI reform so Albertans are treated
fairly
Send a constitutional reference question to the
Supreme Court for a decision on the validity of
including resource royalties in the equalization
formula
Fight for pipelines in all directions to get our
products to market and benefit all of Canada
2 Standing Up for Albertans
For the past two years, the NDP has allowed Albertans to be treated unfairly by the
federal government and has failed to stand up for the interests of ordinary Alberta
families.
The Trudeau Liberals have blocked pipelines, raised taxes on our energy sector
and mused openly about phasing out our oil sands industry. The BC NDP are now
threatening to try and block Transmountain pipeline expansion. Other jurisdictions
continue to attack our way of life as they benefit from billions of dollars in subsidies
paid for by Albertans.
It’s time we have leadership that is a clear voice for our
province and stands up for Albertans!
Albertans believe in being good neighbours, but they are tired of being ripped off
every year by an unfair equalization and transfer system. Albertans are happy to pay
their fair share to run the federal government. Unfortunately, because the federal
government meddles in so many provincial areas, Albertans are paying more than
their fair share in many ways when they send in their taxes.
A report released by the former Wildrose Caucus outlined that Albertans pay on
average $24 billion more per year than what they get back in transfers or services
from the federal government. The full report can be read at www.fairequalization.ca.
Given the benefits Alberta gives to all of Canada, it’s time
Albertans start getting the respect they deserve.
Standing Up for Albertans 3
STANDING UP
FOR ALBERTA
4 Standing Up for Albertans
STANDING UP
FOR ALBERTA
Continue to push the NDP to take the next round of
equalization negotiations seriously
◊ It is likely the 2019 equalization deal will be renegotiated before the election
◊ Brian used his motion 509 in 2016 to call on the government to produce an
equalization report and outline our position; it was voted down
◊ Brian convened a panel of experts who put a 20-page report with
recommendations together last fall
Standing Up for Albertans 5
Hold a referendum on equalization to get the federal
government to the table to negotiate a fairer deal for Alberta
across the board
◊ Whether it is equalization, CPP, EI, Canada Health Transfers Canada Social
Transfer, infrastructure, or a myriad of other ways, Albertans are paying the
freight for other provinces billions at a time – sometimes straight to other
provincial governments as with Equalization and the health and social
transfers
◊ In return we get constant opposition to our interests, especially regarding
pipelines and our energy sector where much of this shared wealth originates,
and mounting deficits combined with mediocre services of our own
◊ As Dr. Ted Morton has pointed out, a clear majority on a clear question
compels the federal government to negotiate a constitutional matter with a
province, and it is no different with equalization
◊ Since the NDP have shown no interest in being proactive for the next
renegotiation, with this referendum we could get the federal government
to the table to relieve at least some of the unfairness to Albertans in
Equalization and other transfers and spending
6 Standing Up for Albertans
Send a constitutional reference question to the Supreme
Court for a decision on the validity of including resource
royalties in the equalization formula
◊ Dr. Morton also pointed out that since royalties fall under provincial
jurisdiction, and are the sale of an asset as opposed to a source of taxation,
they should not be factored into the federal fiscal capacity formula
◊ Peter Lougheed succeeded in using this to overturn a portion of Trudeau Sr.’s
National Energy Program: Brian Jean will take on Trudeau Jr. using the same
means
Standing Up for Albertans 7
Push for EI reform so Albertans are treated fairly
◊ Alberta’s entrepreneurial spirit has meant a higher level of employment,
which means a higher proportion of people paying premiums
◊ For years and years we have been subsidizing EI to the tune of billions per
year
◊ This, despite the fact the rules are set up so that those in chronically
underemployed regions are encouraged to remain underproductive by being
offered benefits for longer periods with less qualifying hours
◊ This injustice was laid bare when Albertans hit hard times in the last few
years and couldn’t qualify or received fewer benefits because of where they
live
8 Standing Up for Albertans
Fight for Pipelines in all directions to get our products to
market and benefit all of Canada
◊ Whether it is playing hardball with the new BC NDP government to ensure
the Kinder Morgan pipeline is actually built, or lobbying eastern Canadians
on the merits of Energy East, or working with the U.S. to get Keystone XL
completed, Brian will make market access through pipelines a priority
◊ MLA Todd Loewen succeeded in forcing the NDP to pass a motion in the
Legislature calling on Trudeau to end his ideological tanker moratorium on
BC’s coast so a northern route pipeline might also be made possible
◊ Albertans and Canadians lose out on billions each year because we are forced
to sell our energy products at a discount, often by more expensive rail,
because we do not have adequate pipelines built
◊ MLA Prasad Panda also passed a motion calling on the federal government
to get Energy East approved so we are not importing millions of barrels of oil
from dictatorships rather than using ethical Alberta oil
◊ Brian will proudly tell the tale of Alberta’s world-leading energy sector
instead of apologizing for the environmentally and socially responsible way
we extract our plentiful resources
◊ Brian will also fight to maintain the effectiveness and autonomy of the
National Energy Board, and push to keep it based out of Calgary where it
belongs
Standing Up for Albertans 9You can also read
