A time to reap : Re-investing in Alberta's public services

Finally, the Throne Speech “confirmed the government’s ongoing commitment to the fiscal principles of the Sustainability Fund, and to continued debt reduction.” Parkland Institute welcomes the government’s stated intent to reinvest substantially in Alberta’s education system. [...] The government often appears stuck in yesterday’s rhetoric of a debt crisis, too willing to engage in pitched battles with its civil servants, teachers, and nurses; disregarding of the needs of municipalities; and unresponsive to the plight of the poor and homelessness. [...] The premier in his recent address in February announced that the spending limit had been raised to $4 billion, with the extra $500 million going to “Alberta’s top two priorities: education and health.”12 While remaining supportive of the idea of a sustainability fund, Parkland Institute is concerned the fund may be used by the government as a means of sheltering surpluses, thus avoiding investment [...] Unfortunately, the low minimum wage in Alberta is used both to suppress the wages of the working poor and as a lever for lowering the rates of the non-working poor, whom research has consistently shown tend disproportionately to be women and/or the elderly.26 24 Note: These are standard rates, but many By any measure, the situation of Alberta’s less fortunate today is provinces have special rates. [...] In Calgary in 2002, the Northwest Territories is $6.50 and $7.00 number of homeless was counted at 1737, up 34 percent from the beyond the NWT Highway System for adults; and $6.00, rising to $6.50 beyond the NWT last count in 2000.