And they’re off…
You can tell we’re midway through a provincial election campaign when everywhere, it seems – even though most parties have nailed a fiscal responsibility plank to their platform – those hoping for a new government job are more than happy to throw money around as the April 23 election day approaches.
School dollars, Danielle dollars, health dollars, post-secondary dollars, family clinic dollars, transportation dollars…
It’s all well and good that provincial parties have identified the above key areas as those where spending needs to occur. The problem is, the billions they’re proposing to suddenly throw around to correct perceived problems and shortages – are ours. It doesn’t grow on trees, as they say, it comes out of our pockets.
In the end, the promise of throwing money around should a given party be handed power is no more and no less than vote buying. The unwritten promise is, “Hand us power and we’ll make it worth your while.”
Funny thing is, over the past few years there has been growing concern about health care, but little has been done to reduce hospital waits or create more long-term beds. The cost of post-secondary education has been increasing, calls have gone out for increased or improved pubic transportation, and now concerns have been raised about Alberta Health taking over ambulance services.
Little was done over the past provincial government term, or two, or three, to address these problems but now, apparently, all problems can be remedied simply by throwing taxpayer dollars at them.
Parks – do more with less?
Speaking of dollars, it’s interesting that, despite the fact Parks Canada has been saddled with a mandate to increase tourism numbers by two per cent a year, the federal institution is now also being saddled with millions of dollars in cutbacks – to the point of asking employees to take voluntary layoffs as a cost-cutting measure.
If the goal remains to increase tourism visits, after layoffs, who will be working to increase those numbers? Because Banff National Park is the most likely location to actually see a two per cent increase, will cuts be made in other areas while Banff staff avoid the axe?
Might we see the armed contingent of wardens reduced, allowing poachers and ne’er do wells to have their way in BNP? Would science programs be further cut? We’ve already seen what happens to caribou when their numbers are allowed to dwindle to the point where a tiny herd is wiped out in one avalanche.
Would those who require assistance in the backcountry be left to their own devices should public safety specialists get the chop? Or would paperwork pile up to Rocky Mountain levels by canning those manning desks in many departments?
We loved the official word on the issue of volunteer layoffs from media type Natalie Fay, by way of email – “During this time of analysis, we are in regular communication with our employees to keep them informed on matters that concern them. Until this time of analysis is complete, we have nothing further to add.”
Thanks for the clarification. That nicely fits with the Harper government’s communications plan – don’t say anything to anybody about anything. If you ignore something, it’s not a problem.
One wonders if the Parks budget is being slashed, along with other federal departments, to pile up dollars to pay for the F-35 fighter planes nobody needs, nobody knows the cost of, and for which nobody followed any protocols for their procurement.
