26 February 2008

Alberta Liberals to Restore Accountability to Legislature

Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft spoke to more than 350 Calgarians from many walks of life at his leader’s dinner this evening about the opportunity for change on March 3rd.

As the lack of leadership and direction of the Tories becomes more apparent each day, Taft said Albertans are recognizing that after 37 years of one-party rule, it’s time for a change.

“Albertans have an opportunity to make history in this election. People are going to be hearing that it’s all about risk. But it’s really about opportunity,” Taft said.

“A change of government would bring some fresh perspectives on the problems the Tories have shown they just aren’t up to solving.

“The Alberta Liberals will work with Albertans to the fix the health care labour shortage. We’ll increase capacity in our post-secondary institutions. We’ll create a new fiscal and royalty regime that looks at the big picture, including the environment, jobs and the economy.”

But Taft said the most pressing need for change is to stop the Tories from continuing to squander Alberta’s vast potential.

“Since 1971, the Tories have plowed through nearly $200 billion in non-renewable resource revenue. Almost all of it is gone. Alaska and Norway have piled up their savings, but our Heritage Fund would barely finance this government for six months.”

The Alberta Liberals, with a real plan for the future, will save 30% of all non-renewable resource revenue and position Alberta as a leader in Canada and around the world.

“We will help make Alberta the new centre of the country for business and the economy, for education, for arts and culture, for science and innovation.

“We have a great team. We are ready to govern. It’s time for a change to get the job done right,” Taft said.

Jack Kenny, an Alberta senior who attended the dinner, said Taft was right on.

“Kevin Taft has shown himself to be the leader Alberta needs. As a senior, I find the Alberta Liberals are the only party that seniors in this province can trust,” Kenny said.

Calgary-based lawyer Chima Nkemdirim agreed: “Kevin Taft is the one leader who recognizes the unmatched potential of this province and has an action plan for reaching that potential. I’m convinced that Kevin Taft and the Alberta Liberals are ready to govern.”

Carole Oliver, a former public school trustee and Alberta Liberal candidate in Calgary Fort, also lauded Taft.

“As a former school trustee, I can tell you that Kevin Taft is the only leader with a comprehensive plan for education that provides our children with the resources they need to succeed in life,” Oliver said.

The dinner, scheduled months ago, became an important election event when it happened to fall within the campaign period.

26 February 2008

Alberta Liberals will fund new cancer centre in Edmonton

Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft committed $650 million today to renovating and expanding the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton.

“This Tory government made an empty promise in 2005 to expand Alberta’s cancer facilities,” said Taft. “It’s time to follow through on that commitment.”

The Alberta Liberals will support plans for expanding and redeveloping the current Cross Cancer Institute to expand cancer services for Edmonton and northern Alberta. The total project will cost $650 million over three years.

“The Stelmach government spends more per capita than Ontario, yet in this province people are still waiting days for a bed in the emergency room, and major health facilities like the Cross Cancer Institute are operating over capacity,” said Taft. “Despite all the money that this province spends, our health care system is still in crisis mode.”

“The Alberta Liberals have a plan that will bring concrete, positive change to the health care system.”

“It’s time to recommit to excellent, sustainable, accessible public health care for Albertans, and to a healthier future.”

Funding for the expansion and redevelopment of the Cross Cancer Institute will come from the Sustainability Fund. While it was originally established as a $2.5 billion fund to cover the cost of emergencies and disasters, the Tories have allowed it to balloon into a $7.7 billion slush fund.

Today’s commitment is in addition to the funding announcement made last Friday, but still falls within the available surplus in the Sustainability Fund, which has already been set aside from current budgets.

The Alberta Liberal Plan reallocates to Albertans’ priorities, spends already set-aside funds on Albertans’ urgent needs, and increases investment in a resource revenue savings plan.

“It’s time to start spending on the priorities of Albertans, not the priorities of the Tory party,” said Taft. “After 37 years, the Stelmach government has stopped listening to its citizens – it’s time to change that.”

Under their Action Plan for health, announced earlier in the campaign, the Alberta Liberals will also work with post-secondary institutions to increase training capacity for health care professionals and expand the health care workforce.

“We can’t open more facilities and increase beds without the doctors and nurses to run them,” said Taft. “The Tories laid off a whole generation of nurses in the 1990s. And they let the number of graduating nurses in Alberta fall by half. They created the current crisis in staffing not by neglect, but by slashing and burning an excellent public health system.”

The Alberta Liberals will also reduce waiting times, address overcrowding in emergency rooms and ensure there are enough staff to accommodate patient need through initiatives such as the establishment of Community Health Centres. The centres would give patients convenient access to physicians.

“Nowhere else on the planet do we have such incredible opportunity as in Alberta – yet the Stelmach Tories are letting that opportunity slip through their fingers,” said Taft.

“It’s time for a change.  Let’s get the job done right.”

24 February 2008

Kevin Taft, Alberta Liberals continue to work hard as campaign’s final week approaches

With Albertans heading to the polls in eight days, Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft says his party will continue to work hard to gets its policies out to Albertans.

The Alberta Liberals made some major announcements this week, including promises to boost the wages of child care workers and build a new cancer centre in Calgary. They also released the costing details of the Alberta Liberal platform, which outlined plans to reallocate current spending towards the priorities of Albertans.

“The Stelmach government spends more than any government in Canada, but still doesn’t deliver on the priorities of Albertans,” said Taft. “People are still waiting days for surgery or for a bed in the emergency room, and many schools are still badly in need of repair. We spend 35 per cent more per capita than Ontario, yet we get far less.”

“Our health care system is in constant crisis mode. Gridlock eats up more and more time of commuters in Calgary and Edmonton. Post-secondary tuition is among the highest in the country, and qualified students can’t get into universities or colleges because of a shortage of space.”

“Under our plan, we’ll reallocate current spending to make sure we’re getting the most for every dollar spent, and that we’re spending on the priorities of the people of this province.”

“The Tories run the most bloated, spend-happy government in Canada. We don’t need to spend more, we need to spend smarter.”

“We don’t need $14 million a year for government spin doctors in the Public Affairs Bureau, and we don’t need to give away $60 million a year to the horseracing industry. That’s money we will spend on the properly budgeted, reviewed and legislated priorities of the people of Alberta.”

Taft said that many people along the campaign trail have talked to him about the importance of investing in Alberta’s future.

“More Albertans are realizing we can’t afford to let the Tories squander our heritage any longer. How many billions have flowed through the government’s coffers since the start of the boom, and what do we have to show for it?”

“The Alberta Liberals are the only party with a real plan for investing in Alberta’s future, through setting aside a portion of our annual resource revenues.”

The week was also highlighted by the Leaders’ Debate on Thursday. Commentators described Taft’s debate as premier-like, displaying a commanding grasp of the issues and a clear vision for the future. Taft spoke off-the-cuff from notes, while Stelmach stuck to his media team’s script.

Polling trends released recently by Insight newsletter show PC support at 40 per cent and falling, while Alberta Liberal support is at 30 per cent and rising.

“All across this province, people have been telling me it’s time for change. Not with the same tired Stelmach Tories, but with a party that has the vision and the leadership to create permanent prosperity.”

“The Alberta Liberals have a plan to get the job done right.”

24 February 2008

Alberta Liberals commit $800 million to Calgary Ring Road

Kevin Taft and an Alberta Liberal government will commit $800 million towards the construction of the South West Calgary Ring Road.

“The Stelmach Tories have been dithering on the construction of this crucial infrastructure for too long,” said Taft. “If a government isn’t meeting the basic needs of its citizens, then what on earth is it good for?”

Taft said the current government’s repeated delays on getting the ring road built are another indicator of a government that has stopped listening to its citizens.

“This is the same government that blew up a hospital in this city and has delayed for a decade on building a new one. It’s the same government that has dithered on building badly needed schools, and failed to shorten waiting times in our hospitals by training more health professionals.”

“It’s time to end the wasteful spending habits of this government. Albertans deserve a government that spends on Albertans’ priorities.”

Funding for the Calgary Ring Road was included in the costing announcement the Alberta Liberals made last Friday. It falls within the Alberta Liberal plan for partnering more closely with cities, and giving them access to secure and predictable funding for major infrastructure.

“The Alberta Liberals are committed to doing public business in public,” said Taft. “The Tories will carry on in their typical way of making deals behind closed doors, then bringing spending decisions to the Legislature after the fact.”

“This is unacceptable. Even poker players have their chips on the table. The Alberta Liberals will be accountable to Albertans by making major decisions in public, and by properly resourcing those decisions.”

Taft said the Alberta Liberals will work closely with the Tsuu T’ina Nation to reach agreement on using the Nation’s land for a portion of the ring road. 

“We will be approaching this discussion in good faith, and with an understanding of the importance of this land to the Tsuu T’ina Nation. The Alberta Liberal Party is committed to reaching an agreement that benefits everyone. We’re going to proceed with respect and equity.”

“Resourcing this priority is a demonstration that we’re serious about getting a ring road built.”

As described in Friday’s platform costing announcement by the Alberta Liberals, the $800 million will come from the Sustainability Fund, which was originally intended as a $2.5 billion contingency fund in case of a natural disaster or other emergency. The Tories have been using the Sustainability Fund as a convenient way to stash extra surplus dollars outside of proper legislative control, and it now stands at $7.7 billion.

“The higher price to pay here is in not acting,” said Taft. “The real cost is in the untold hours that Calgarians will spend locked in traffic, when they could be at home with their families, or at work contributing to the economy. The cost is also in rising greenhouse gas emissions as hundreds of cars sit idle in traffic.”

“The Alberta Liberals have a plan that will get the job done right for a change. We’re ready to get to work on addressing Albertans’ needs and priorities.”

23 February 2008

Alberta Liberals would help Edmonton get the 23rd Avenue interchange built

South Edmonton traffic flow a chronic problem ignored by PCs, Edmonton-Rutherford’s Rick Miller says

Traffic flow in Edmonton’s south side has been paralyzed for years, and the Alberta Liberals are the only party with a plan to do anything about it.

The Alberta Liberals will invest $1.05 billion more than the PCs in Alberta’s crumbling infrastructure if elected. Of that, the party is committed to investing up to $130 million to help the City of Edmonton get the 23rd Avenue interchange built, thus freeing up the City to invest into other essential municipal projects like LRT expansion and Quesnell Bridge improvements.

“Ed Stelmach had an opportunity to get the job done right and get Edmonton’s traffic moving when he was Ralph Klein’s infrastructure minister,” said Alberta Liberal Edmonton-Rutherford candidate Rick Miller, the party’s shadow finance minister in the last Legislature running for re-election.

“Instead, Klein did nothing, Stelmach did nothing, Dave Hancock did nothing. The PCs did nothing. They knew what needed to be done, and they did nothing,” Miller said. “The south end of the city has been struggling with traffic snarls for the better part of a decade as a result. It’s time to get the job done right.”

Local residents and city councilors have been asking for the province to step in on this essential infrastructure project, one that is critical to the economic well-being of Edmonton and the whole province.

“Edmontonians are well aware that the Stelmach PCs have let them down not only on this project, but on properly supporting our health care system and the professionals who make it work, post-secondary education and training, auto insurance and protecting the environment,” Miller said. “The Alberta Liberals are ready to take the leadership this province needs to go from a government on auto-pilot to a government with energy, priorities and vision.”

“If Ed Stelmach wants this election to be a referendum on his government’s record, south Edmonton residents will certainly judge him on his inaction on the 23rd Avenue interchange.”