1 March 2008

It’s time for a new government, Taft tells Calgary rally

Several hundred enthusiastic supporters turned out today to hear Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft deliver one strong message: Alberta needs a new government.

“It’s time,” said Taft. “We’ve been saying it through this entire campaign, and on Monday—together—we will translate those words into action: It’s time for a new government.”

“Ed Stelmach expects Albertans to wait four years for the end of health care premiums. He expects Albertans to wait until 2050 before taking serious steps to address climate change. When it comes to affordable housing, he expects us to wait. When it comes to spiralling electricity and auto insurance rates, he expects us to wait. … And when it comes to hospital emergency rooms and surgical procedures, he really expects us to wait.”

“Well, we’ve had enough waiting. We’ve had 37 years of waiting. We need a new government.”

“On Tuesday morning, we will wake up to the Next Alberta. We’ll wake up to a province where public health care is stronger than ever, where we lead the planet in protecting the environment, where we protect jobs and the economy, where we make our communities safer, and where we save and invest our money for the future.”

“We’ll wake up to a new government. An Alberta Liberal government.”

“Ed Stelmach himself was quoted yesterday saying that the Liberals will be successful. We agree.”

“We will be successful because of all the ways we’re different from the Tories. Alberta has changed. The world has changed, but Ed Stelmach and the Tory government have not. Like Rip Van Winkel, they’ve been asleep for decades. It’s time to move on, Alberta! We need a new government!”

Taft told the enthusiastic crowd that the Alberta Liberals are the only party in this election poised to form a new government that acts on Albertans’ needs and priorities.

“Our opponents know what the people and the experts have been saying,” said Taft. “The Alberta Liberals are the strongest on the environment, we’re the strongest on health care, we’re the strongest on education, we’re the strongest on jobs and the economy, we’re the strongest on saving for the future. Not the Greens, not the NDP.”

“Not the Conservatives.”

On top of that, Taft reminded the crowd of the Alberta Liberal commitment to Calgary and Alberta.

Taft said the Alberta Liberals will:

• Build the long-delayed new facility for the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, along with the South Health Campus.
• Get the South West Calgary Ring Road built.
• Establish Mount Royal University.
• Create a new royalty regime that gives Albertans their fair share while also protecting jobs, the environment and the economy.
• Build schools in the Calgary communities that need them—without resorting to P3s—and protect and improve the schools we already have.
• Enact a big cities charter, giving Calgary the constitutional power it needs to chart its own course.
• Bring the Legislature back to Albertans. It belongs to them.

“Nothing changes unless we change government,” said Taft. “Albertans have a chance to change the future.”

“It’s time for the next Alberta – it’s time for a new government.”

1 March 2008

It’s time for a new government, says Kevin Taft

Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft told Red Deer and Central Albertan residents today that after 37 years of Tory rule, it’s time for a new government.

“On the 26th day of this election campaign, I’m here to talk about the need for change – for the next Alberta,” said Taft. “I’m here to talk about the need for a government that listens to citizens, instead of tuning them out.”

“It’s time for a government that will listen to its people, that will put money back into education and health care, that will spend wisely and save wisely, that will protect our environment,” said Taft. “After 37 years of Tory rule, it’s time for a change so we can get the job done right.”

Taft says an Alberta Liberal government will support the upgrading of the Red Deer Airport, protect the Red Deer River basin, boost affordable housing and reduce homelessness, put more police officers on the street, and ensure that government agencies are accountable, transparent and fair. 

The Alberta Liberals will also provide Red Deer residents with better access to their legislators by taking the Legislative Assembly on the road for two weeks each year to a different community outside Edmonton.

“The people of Red Deer have been taken for granted for far too long – it’s time for this region to regain its voice in the provincial Legislature,” said Taft. “You have a chance to shape the foundations of this province by voting for a new government.”

Taft notes that the Alberta Liberal platform has been getting solid reviews all over the province. The Alberta Medical Association gave our health care policies top marks out of all the other parties, and the Conservation Voters of Alberta said our environment platform is the strongest.

“Nothing changes unless we change government,” said Taft. “Albertans have a chance to send a message, to change the future.”

“It’s time for the next Alberta – it’s time for a new government.”

29 February 2008

Alberta Liberal government will get Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo the representation it deserves

Kevin Taft committed today to increasing representation in Alberta’s legislature for the people of Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo.

Taft made the announcement as he finished off a day-long visit to northern Alberta communities today.

Taft said the Alberta Liberals will ensure Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo get the number of MLAs they deserve, whether that is two or three.

“This region needs voices in the legislature that represent the scale and strength of the area,” said Taft.

“Fort McMurray has been struggling to keep up with the rapid pace of growth for years,” said Taft. “Schools are deteriorating, highway driving conditions are unsafe, a major shortage of health professionals is causing a strain on health services, and the shortage of affordable housing has reached a crisis. A pipeline goes out of this region, and a garden hose brings government services back.”

“Fort McMurray is a thriving economic hub of this province, and residents deserve to be represented,” said Taft.

Taft said the strains on the public services and on the infrastructure of Fort McMurray are caused by the government’s failure to plan for the economic boom.

“This region is a prime example of how the Tories’ lack of planning has let Albertans down,” said Taft. “Because the Tories didn’t properly plan for development, we have a region that is bursting at the seams and playing catch up on all major infrastructure projects.”

Earlier in the day, Taft also visited the Wabasca-Desmarais area, where he talked to residents about Alberta Liberal plans to address shortages of health care professionals, to expand Friendship Centres and re-instate a provincial government department dedicated to Aboriginal Affairs, among other initiatives.

Throughout the day, Taft spoke to northern Alberta residents about the need for better planning and predictable, sustainable funding to allow communities to keep up with the pace of growth.

Taft said increased representation for Fort McMurray in the provincial Legislature will allow the region to address critical, long-neglected needs, and will ensure that the area can be better equipped to keep up with the pace of growth.

Taft said the Alberta Liberals will improve the quality of life for Northern Albertans by also:

• Responsibly managing the pace of oil sands development, based on a cumulative environmental impacts framework.
• Supporting value added growth in Alberta to a sustainable level. Instead of sending bitumen out of the country like Ed Stelmach’s government, the Alberta Liberals will partner with neighbouring provinces for upgrading.
• Ensuring adequate funding for rural health services to reflect the special challenges and higher costs of delivering those services in sparsely population regions.
• Implementing a comprehensive baseline health study of the residents of Fort Chipewyan and surrounding areas to assess the extent and cause of any environment-based health concerns.
• Conducting health impact assessments for all new major developments.
• Requiring mandatory watershed management planning and creating a provincial inventory of water.
• Increasing the number of affordable housing units and protecting renters from exorbitant increases.
• Creating a land-use strategy to balance industrial interests with those of communities and the environment.
• Reinstating a government ministry devoted to Aboriginal Affairs and doubling provincial funding for Friendship Centres.
• Super-charging post-secondary institutions, including Fort McMurray’s Keyano College.

“This government has had the gas pedal to the floor for 10 years, and it is time to ease up a bit and deal with the problems that Albertans are facing due to this overheated economy,” said Taft. “It’s not a matter of touching the brakes – it’s about driving the speed limit, to enable healthy, productive communities to keep up with and benefit from this growth.”

“Fort McMurray residents shouldn’t have to suffer any longer for this government’s failure to plan,” said Taft. “It’s time for a new government. We need a new government.”

29 February 2008

Kevin Taft visits Northern Alberta

Alberta Liberals will widen Highway 40, commit $81 million for new hospital in Grande Prairie

Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft is in Northern Alberta today, visiting the communities of Grande Cache, Grande Prairie, Wabasca-Desmaris and Fort McMurray.

“People here say that a pipeline goes out and a garden hose comes back. Industrial activity in this area generates massive wealth for the entire province, but Northern Albertans are left holding the bag as they deal with the strains of a booming economy,” Taft said.

“The Tories have done nothing to solve the affordable housing crisis, fix health care or protect the environment. With the same old government, Northern Albertans will keep suffering from the same old problems. It’s time for a change — we need a new government.”

In Grande Cache, Taft said, “You shouldn’t have to risk your life every time you use Highway 40. The Tories’ three-year capital plan does not include Highway 40 improvements. Yet Stelmach said during this campaign that it does — it sounds like typical Tory project management: promise repeatedly, never deliver. An Alberta Liberal government needs to look under the hood to find the government’s estimates, but we will improve and widen Highway 40.”

Taft recommitted today to an additional $81 million towards building a new hospital in Grande Prairie. This funding was included in the Alberta Liberal costing announcement of February 22.

“Accessibility woes have plagued the health care system in Grande Prairie for too long. A new hospital has been needed here for a long time, and we’ll provide the funding to get this vital project completed,” Taft said.

“Our platform has been getting solid reviews all over the province. The Alberta Medical Association gave our health care policies top marks out of all the other parties, and the Conservation Voters of Alberta said our environment platform is the strongest. Protect the environment and you protect the economy. And, we’re the only party to have released a platform on K-12 education,” Taft said.

The Alberta Liberals will improve the quality of life for Northern Albertans by also:

• Increasing the number of affordable housing units and protect renters from exorbitant increases.
• Creating a land-use strategy to balance industrial interests with those of communities and the environment.
• Reinstating a government ministry devoted exclusively to Aboriginal Affairs and doubling provincial funding for Friendship Centres.
• Ensuring adequate funding for rural health services to reflect the higher costs of delivering health care in rural areas.
• Working closely with industry and forest-area communities to make sure forestry remains a vital, thriving part of Alberta.
• Protecting Northern Alberta’s water by requiring watershed management planning and creating a provincial inventory of surface and ground water.
• Super-charging Alberta’s post-secondary institutions, including Grande Prairie Regional College.

28 February 2008

Alberta Liberals commit to a moratorium on school closures

Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft committed today to placing a three-year moratorium on school closures to review the flawed school closure process.

“Too many schools are needlessly or prematurely closed, which has a huge impact on families, students and teachers,” said Taft. “The Alberta Liberals will ensure that we can develop an improved process that works for both parents and school board trustees.”

Speaking outside an Edmonton school, Taft said the Alberta Liberals will build on their reputation as “the education party” by addressing long-neglected needs in the education system and providing students with the tools they need for the best education possible.

“The Alberta Liberals have always supported the valuable role that schools play in their neighbourhoods,” said Taft. “One of the key initiatives in our platform is to enable a ‘community schools’ program. By allowing schools to be converted into centres offering health care, after-school care and social services, we will not only be supporting our students, teachers and parents, we will be supporting our communities.”

Taft said the Alberta Liberal Action Plan for Education will start by honouring the deal to fund the unfunded portion of the teacher’s pension fund.

The plan will also eliminate school fees for essential school supplies.

“Parents and students shouldn’t be forced to fundraise for basics like text books and paper,” said Taft. “The Alberta Liberals will ensure that our students have the resources they need for the best education possible, and that our teachers are supported in their incredibly valuable work.”

“Alberta spends more per capita than almost any other province, yet thousands of children are going to school hungry, our infrastructure is so deteriorated that school roofs are leaking or in danger of caving in, and the high school graduation rate is among the lowest in the country,” said Taft. “This is unacceptable. Our students will form the next Alberta, and if we don’t help them to get the best education possible, then we are squandering our future.”

All of the funding for education was included in the Alberta Liberal Party’s costing announcement last Friday. Through a Core Program Review and better use of the Sustainability Fund, the Alberta Liberals will reallocate $255 million in operating funding to support public education and over $500 million in capital dollars to get needed schools built in Calgary, Edmonton and other communities across the province.

The plan will also help to put at-risk children on a path to success, through initiatives such as:

• Introducing a province-wide school nutrition program so that children at risk of hunger have a healthy meal each day.
• Establishing a full-day kindergarten program and a junior kindergarten program, starting with at-risk children.
• Reducing class sizes, working towards the Alberta Learning Commission’s target ratios for class sizes.

“The Alberta Liberals will make sure that every child has the tools they need to do their best in school, regardless of their economic background,” said Taft. “This plan will help to ensure our students are able to achieve the brightest future possible.”