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Copyright 1997 The Calgary Herald. Reprinted with permission of The Calgary Herald. Permission to download from this page is denied.

QUESTION:

Iíd like you to respond to the thesis of Kevin Taft, in his book Shredding the Public Interest, that spending was being controlled under the government of Don Getty in the late '80s and early '90s

Calgary Herald 97-03-06 page 11

New Democrat Leader Pam Barrett:

All Albertans must thank Mr. Taft for the service he has done them. His book is an outstanding example of moral courage, which is so lacking in the Klein government.

As a career civil servant and Conservative, Mr. Taft could have taken the easy way out and retired quietly without drawing attention to the government's attempt to cover up the real economic conditions we faced three years ago. But instead, Mr. Taft took the high road and voiced not only his outrage but that of thousands of other Albertans. Albertans were not consulted on the cuts that the Klein government insisted on inflicting on us. Cuts that not only were unnecessary, as Mr. Taft shows in his book, but were done without "a vision or a plan" as Klein admitted last December.

The Getty government, which Ralph Klein was part of, was slashing public services while subsidizing their business friends. The Klein government has continued this policy, subsidizing its corporate friends at twice the national average. The "Alberta Advantage" is only for select Albertans, not for all of us.

For the past three years, we have had surpluses, not deficits. Just a week ago, the conservative business magazine, The Economist, concluded that "the Klein revolution was unnecessary." We couldn't agree more.

Premier Ralph Klein, Tories: The facts are simple: in 1992-93, we were spending more than we were earning in revenues. Alberta spend $16.8 billion and our revenues were only 13.5 billion - a deficit of $3.3 billion. And nine years of deficits left Alberta with an $11.8-billion net debt. Financial experts-like the auditor general, the province's Financial Review Commission and the bond-rating agencies-agreed we had a spending problem and that it needed to be fixed.

We had to do something. If the government had let program spending grow and we still had the same revenues, Alberta's annual deficit would have grown to $5 billion by 1996-97. Our net debt would have grown to $23.4 billion - six times our current net debt - and interest payments for this debt would be $2.1 billion.

In the last election, we told Albertans we would get our fiscal house in order. Albertans agreed. We have brought in three balanced budgets and we have eliminated deficits. Now, by paying down our debt, we are freeing up hundreds of millions in debt-interest payments. These savings can now be reinvested in those priorities important to Albertans: health, education and seniors.

Liberal Leader Grant Mitchell:

Alberta Liberals have always supported the need for government to balance the provincial budget and live within its means. Kevin Taft's book makes a valid argument about provincial government spending patterns. Taft illustrates that the Klein government, under the framework of a four-year plan to balance the budget, had flexibility to evaluate the impact of its harsh expenditure reductions on health care, education and seniors programs. Unfortunately, the Klein government proceeded to "slash and burn" our health-care and education systems and seniors programs in a headlong pursuit to eliminate the deficit, without an evaluation of the impact on people.

Alberta Liberals have presented a three-year fiscal plan, called A Balanced Approach, that will repair the damage caused by the Klein government's "cut-too-fast, too-deep" approach to fiscal planning. We are committed to promoting people, rather than simply the financial bottom line.

Alberta Liberals will make the investments required to keep our health-care system Canadian and within medicare; to provide a quality education for our children that will prepare them to compete successfully in the global economy of the 21st century; and to acknowledge the contributions our seniors have made in building this great province.

Social Credit Leader Randy Thorsteinson:

As a businessman, husband and father, I understand that you cannot spend more money than you bring in. Mr. Taft makes some interesting arguments in his book and I believe that they need to be investigated. But, perhaps more importantly, we need to look ahead. Perhaps the item of most concern to me has been the secrecy of both Mr. Klein and Mr. Getty I have never felt that we have been told the truth. Therefore, a Social Credit government would do the following:

(1) Enact real freedom of information legislation, letting the people of Alberta have access to the details of the government.

(2) Enact right of recall and citizen's initiative legislation making the politicians more responsive.

(3) Make the government open and honest.

People must have faith in their government. Mr. Taft's book demonstrates that there is a lack of trust in Alberta today. A Social Credit government will open the government to all Albertans, hiding nothing. Only then will we be able to restore the trust that is required.

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