Dollars and Sense: Another PC whitewash

EDMONTON, AB (November 1, 2012): The PC government’s predetermined Dollars and Sense budget survey results present a false choice to Albertans and will only be used to justify further wasteful spending, the Wildrose Official Opposition said today. 

The results, based on non-scientific input gathered online and during government-run consultations in October, claim to report that Albertans prioritize health care and education spending over balancing the budget. Wildrose Official Opposition Leader Danielle Smith says the Dollars and Sense survey is a classic example of the PCs engineering a public relations exercise to arrive at a predetermined outcome. 

“It’s not difficult to see where they’re going with this,” Smith said. “They’ve manufactured these results and now they’re going to spin them to justify bigger deficits and more debt. Albertans want government to live within its means and Wildrose believes we can have both – a balanced budget and top notch public services.” 

The results also stand in sharp contrast to a recent scientific poll of Albertans. When asked what should be done if this year’s budget deficit is larger than forecasted, 45% want cuts to spending and/or services and just 7% wanted a bigger deficit and more debt. 

Wildrose Finance Critic Rob Anderson said the government survey’s trumped up results are intended to clear the path for the PCs to blow through what’s left of Alberta’s savings and take the province back into debt.

 “It’s funny they didn’t campaign on that,” Anderson said. “They campaigned on balancing the budget because they know that’s what Albertans want. Wildrose believes in prioritizing spending on key services like health care and education but eliminating wasteful spending on corporate welfare and perks for PC insiders.” 

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Danielle Smith
Highwood
Danielle Smith was elected on April 23, 2012 as the MLA for Highwood, and acts as Leader of the Official Opposition and Wildrose International, Intergovernmental Relations Aboriginal Relations; Cities; and Executive Council critics.

 
 

Rob Anderson
Airdrie
Rob Anderson was first elected on March 3, 2008 as the MLA for Airdrie-Chestermere, and acts as the Wildrose Finance critic and House Leader.