In 2009, I asked Premier Ed Stelmach how he was planning on balancing the budget after natural gas prices fell and the province began running a deficit. I received a vague answer that our province would be "'back in black by 2012". At that time I was not happy with the answer but I was content to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Since that time, and two budgets later, no action has been taken to address the fact that the province is running historic deficits. Serious action needs to be taken to get the Province’s finances in order. Dishearteningly our current government has displayed no interest in doing do.

Our province made a lot of sacrifices in balancing previous budgets after many years of spending billions and accumulating large debts. Deficits lead to two things - debt and higher taxes. You have to service debt and that leads to less money being spent on Albertans and more money needing to be raised just to deliver the same or lesser services. You have to pay for that increased cost of debt service somehow and it either means cutting back or raising taxes. No one wants to see this province become as burdened by debt as it was in the 1980s and the early 1990s which is why we have to act now.

The tipping point for me came the summer of 2010. I was at a Progressive Conservative meeting and the Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky was speaking. I had a chance to ask him a question that I consider to be of crucial importance in Alberta. I asked how, when our health system is struggling and it's already over 44% of our provincial budget, are we going to cope with the demands and costs of an aging population which needs more health care?

The only answer I received was "we're going to try to do more prevention". The Health Minister did not address how we would satisfy the needs of our ageing population over the next 5 - 15 years. Hoping fewer people require health care is not a serious answer to our health care system’s problems. If you have been listening to the news, you will agree that the current state of our healthcare needs a lot of attention. Without good health, where would we be?

These experiences led me to one unavoidable conclusion:  The Progressive Conservatives do not have a plan.

Since then, I have had the pleasure of meeting Danielle Smith, the leader of the Wildrose Alliance Party and hearing her speak on several occasions. She has discussed the need to get our budget in order and put forth proposals to do so. She has addressed health care, calling for funding to follow patients so that hospitals receive money for each person they treat, not just a block grant. She has also called for more autonomy for local hospitals to operate as best suits local conditions not those determined by a central board. This province needs a new government and a new direction to face the challenges of out times. I'm convinced that the Wildrose Party has a plan to deal with the issues facing this Province.

Where can I find out more?

www.wildrose.ca

If you have questions, please contact me at:

Telephone: (780) 809-1326

Email: chris@chrisbataluk.com

I invite you to take every opportunity you have to hear Danielle Smith's views and plans for our province. You will most likely be just as excited as I am to be part of her team.

WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR FROM YOU

Please support the Wildrose Alliance and consider becoming a member.