Albertans won’t be fooled again, says NDP’s Deron Bilous

February 10, 2012

The Throne Speech and Budget show that the Conservative government continues to lure voters with grand promises now - only to stick them with the bill later.

The Tories must take those voters for granted if they think this contradictory rhetoric will go unnoticed. The Throne Speech indicated that Alberta has to start diversifying its sources of revenue since oil money won't last forever.

Yesterday, the first Tory budget showed this will soon be another of their long list of broken promises. There is no plan to diversify revenue sources – to find new ways to properly fund our hospitals and schools.

There is simply the same, tired old Tory trick – pray for another boom and rely on resource revenue.

The only difference this time is that, as well as shipping our oil out of the province, they plan to ship out good jobs by refusing to refine oilsands bitumen here. Under this Tory ‘plan,’ Albertans are doomed to stay on the boom-bust rollercoaster ride that has hurt so many of us before – that has left our hospital emergency rooms overflowing and our classrooms overcrowded, as revenues dwindle when oil prices fall and they begin to slash spending.

The Tory message is simple: ‘Trust us – again!’

But after more than 40 years, Albertans are waking up. Their patience and their trust have worn thin. Time after time, they have seen Conservative governments promise big – and cut deep whenever it suited them.

This upsets me.  I hope it makes you upset too! Upset enough to demand an effective voice for Albertans.

I want people to know that Alberta doesn't have to settle for a government that takes votes or resources for granted.  The good news is that change IS possible. That change is being driven by Alberta’s NDP.

Find out more at the site for your NDP Opposition.