With sharply rising oil and natural gas prices, the province of alberta is booming. It is anticipated that this year’s provincial surplus will be in the vicinity of $8-billion.
Last month, Premier Ralph Klein announced his government’s plans for dealing with the expected surplus funds. One third of the surplus will be spent on current government programs and services. another third will be invested for the future in such entities as the Heritage Trust Fund, and the remaining third of the surplus will be returned to the taxpayers from whence the money came. Rebates will be in the amount of $400.00 and it is proposed that a cheque will go out to every person who was resident in alberta in September and who has filed a 2004 income tax return. The requirement of having filed last year’s tax return has caused a flurry of activities amongst late filers. Children of those who are eligible will also receive $400.
The Canada West Foundation conducted a survey to find out what albertans think about Klein’s plans for the surplus. The result of the poll indicates that the government seems to be out of touch with the views of ordinary albertans.
Only 14 per cent of respondents agreed that the residents of the province should receive a $400 refund on their taxes. Over one third of those polled (37 per cent) thought that the money should be spent on government programs and services. and when those who were contacted were asked about the equal three-way split, only 16 per cent thought that greater weight should be given to the rebate portion of the plan. This compared to 26 per cent who thought that more money should be devoted to spending while 29 per cent approved of the proposed split of the surplus.
The survey also gave respondents 11 spending options and asked them to rate them as excellent, good, not very good or poor. an overwhelming 94 per cent of those polled rated increased spending on hospitals and health care as either excellent or good.
The Canada West Foundation’s poll does not bode well for conservatism in Canada. It is a fairly basic principle of fiscal conservatism that the government does not have any money (although governments occasionally make money such as Ontario does by selling liquor). Generally speaking, the money that governments have is the money that they manage to take from their constituents. Most conservatives understand that there are some things that the government must do; some examples being defense, foreign policy and build roads and transit systems. But real conservatives believe that when it comes to most things, people know how to spend their own money better than government does. after all, how many individuals would pay Quebec advertising agencies for doing nothing or pay for David Dingwall’s chewing gum?
The survey, assuming that it is an accurate reflection of the views of albertans, casts doubt on the future of conservatism in Canada. after all, alberta is the birthplace of the Reform Party and the most conservative province in the country. But if more people would rather have surplus funds spent by the government rather than be returned to them, it does not bode well for conservatism. If the rugged individuals in Western Canada think that the government can spend their money better than they can, the future of a real federal conservative party does not appear to be promising.
It all boils down to health care and albertans seem as dependent on government run health care as Ontario, Quebec and the rest of Canada is. The fact that there is currently no major federal party that espouses conservative views or principles (simply wanting lower taxes doesn’t count; Paul Martin has been known to lower taxes). The Supreme Court of Canada gave the Conservative Party of Canada an opening to discuss two-tiered delivery of medical services that was previously thought to be political suicide in Canada. Even after the decision, the Conservative Party’s policy on health care remained identical to that of the Liberals, except of course for the fact that the Tories could deliver it better, faster, better, cheaper, etc. It appears that the notion by giving up your life for your country by dying while on a waiting list is not going to disappear any time soon.
a couple of weeks ago, the National Post ran a series of articles that asked if conservatism in Canada is dead. Perhaps they should have pondered whether it ever really existed in the first place.