News

Around Red Deer March 22nd…..

Published

8 years ago

6 minute read

5:01 pm – The City of Red Deer is pleased that the Federal Budget announced on Wednesday will continue with stable Gas Tax funding for municipalities but is also hoping to benefit from Infrastructure Investments. Read More.

2:39 pm – Red Deer RCMP have arrested numerous people wanted on outstanding warrants. They were arrested between March 15th – 21st. They include 29 year old Daniel Wade Shields, 24 year old Rickell Jessica Frenchman, 27 year old Kayla Marie Cecka, 22 year old Kyla Joy Harter, 25 year old Matthew Robert McKinney, 20 year old Courtney Darlene Reid, 40 year old Brandy Christine Carl, 25 year old Nicholas Dale Krock and 46 year old James Mitchell. Read More.

1:13 pm – The Red Deer Catholic Regional School District has amended it’s Three Year Capital Plan. This, after Alberta Education’s school projects announcement on March 21st that indicates St. Patrick’s Community School will receive funding for modernization and has now been removed from this plan. Priority #1. Our Lady of the Rosary 8 classroom addition. #2. A new 6-9 middle school in Red Deer. #3. A new K-5 school in Red Deer. #4. A new K-5 French Immersion school in Red Deer. #5. A new K-5 school in Sylvan Lake.

12:48 pm – Red Deerians are being encouraged to turn off the lights for Earth Hour Saturday night! Read More.

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12:19 pm – Members of the public are invited to join the Red Deer College Board of Governors, President & CEO Joel Ward and special guest, Minister of Advanced Education Marlin Schmidt on Wednesday, March 29th from 5 – 6 pm as RDC’s new Board Chair is introduced. A report on the College’s contributions to central Alberta will also be presented. A reception is to follow in the Arts Centre Foyer.

11:54 – The Honourable David Eggen, Minister of Education, will visit St. Patrick’s Community School in Red Deer this Saturday, March 25 at 1:00 p.m. to discuss the new modernization project. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Minister Eggen announced funding to modernize St. Patrick’s Community School on March 21st. This comes as exceptional news as the school has been operating at 130% capacity. The school is one of seven in the province to undergo modernization. This modernization will provide improvements to the school including functional upgrades to ensure students have access to effective and modern learning environments. The Minister will visit with the school Principal, Senior Administration and Trustees.

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11:16 am – Red Deer RCMP are looking for a missing woman. Read More.

10:59 am – On Friday, March 24 at 7:00 AM, Red Deer County road bans will come into effect. With the recent warmer conditions, Red Deer County Operations staff have implemented road bans on many different County roadways, excluding all industrial and commercial subdivisions. Gravel roadways will be banned on an as-needed basis. For a complete listing of effected roads, go to www.rdcounty.ca or contact Red Deer County at 403.350.2150.

10:23 am – Rocky Mountain House RCMP are looking for an assault suspect possibly on the O’Chiese First Nation. Read More.

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10:09 am – Improvements to Main Street in Lacombe will soon be underway. Here, the City’s Engineering Services Manager Jordan Thompson provides a brief overview of the upcoming 2017 Main Street Improvements project:

9:54 am – The Red Deer Regional Catholic School Board received an update Tuesday regarding their current capital projects. St. Marguerite Bourgeoys School Work is progressing in the last stage of the project. This work is expected to be completed by the end of March. St. Gregory the Great Catholic School Ceiling grid has started on the second floor, painting is occurring in all areas, gym floor hardwood is starting in April and all other work is progressing on schedule. The school is scheduled to be completed at the end of May. St. Joseph High School Construction is complete other than some seasonal deficiencies which will be addressed in the spring. Our Lady of the Rosary Modular relocation is currently out for tender with results expected by the end of this month. St. Elizabeth Seton Modular relocation will be going out to tender shortly. Father Henri Voisin Modular addition planning has begun. ABC School, as part of the P3 contract, will deal with all aspects of this project.

9:32 am – The Red Deer College Men’s and Women’s Curling teams are competing in Camrose for a national title over the next few days. The University of Alberta (Augustana) will host the event from March 22nd to 25th at the Rose City Curling Club.

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Broken ‘equalization’ program bad for all provinces

Published on November 21, 2024

Todayville

From the Fraser Institute

By Alex Whalen and Tegan Hill

Back in the summer at a meeting in Halifax, several provincial premiers discussed a lawsuit meant to force the federal government to make changes to Canada’s equalization program. The suit—filed by Newfoundland and Labrador and backed by British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta—effectively argues that the current formula isn’t fair. But while the question of “fairness” can be subjective, its clear the equalization program is broken.

In theory, the program equalizes the ability of provinces to deliver reasonably comparable services at a reasonably comparable level of taxation. Any province’s ability to pay is based on its “fiscal capacity”—that is, its ability to raise revenue.

This year, equalization payments will total a projected $25.3 billion with all provinces except B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan to receive some money. Whether due to higher incomes, higher employment or other factors, these three provinces have a greater ability to collect government revenue so they will not receive equalization.

However, contrary to the intent of the program, as recently as 2021, equalization program costs increased despite a decline in the fiscal capacity of oil-producing provinces such as Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador. In other words, the fiscal capacity gap among provinces was shrinking, yet recipient provinces still received a larger equalization payment.

Why? Because a “fixed-growth rule,” introduced by the Harper government in 2009, ensures that payments grow roughly in line with the economy—even if the gap between richer and poorer provinces shrinks. The result? Total equalization payments (before adjusting for inflation) increased by 19 per cent between 2015/16 and 2020/21 despite the gap in fiscal capacities between provinces shrinking during this time.

Moreover, the structure of the equalization program is also causing problems, even for recipient provinces, because it generates strong disincentives to natural resource development and the resulting economic growth because the program “claws back” equalization dollars when provinces raise revenue from natural resource development. Despite some changes to reduce this problem, one study estimated that a recipient province wishing to increase its natural resource revenues by a modest 10 per cent could face up to a 97 per cent claw back in equalization payments.

Put simply, provinces that generally do not receive equalization such as Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan have been punished for developing their resources, whereas recipient provinces such as Quebec and in the Maritimes have been rewarded for not developing theirs.

Finally, the current program design also encourages recipient provinces to maintain high personal and business income tax rates. While higher tax rates can reduce the incentive to work, invest and be productive, they also raise the national standard average tax rate, which is used in the equalization allocation formula. Therefore, provinces are incentivized to maintain high and economically damaging tax rates to maximize equalization payments.

Unless premiers push for reforms that will improve economic incentives and contain program costs, all provinces—recipient and non-recipient—will suffer the consequences.

Authors:

Alex Whalen and Tegan Hill

National

Liberals, NDP admit closed-door meetings took place in attempt to delay Canada’s next election

Published on November 12, 2024

Todayville

From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

Pushing back the date would preserve the pensions of some of the MPs who could be voted out of office in October 2025.

Aides to the cabinet of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that MPs from the Liberal and New Democratic Party (NDP) did indeed hold closed-door “briefings” to rewrite Canada’s elections laws so that they could push back the date of the next election.

The closed-door talks between the NDP and Liberals confirmed the aides included a revision that would guarantee some of its 28 MPs, including three of Trudeau’s cabinet members, would get a pension.

Allen Sutherland, who serves as the assistant cabinet secretary, testified before the House of Commons affairs committee that the changes to the Elections Act were discussed in the meetings.

“We attended a meeting where the substance of that proposal was discussed,” he said, adding that his “understanding is the briefing was primarily oral.”

According to Sutherland, as reported by Blacklock’s Reporter, it was only NDP and Liberal MPs who attended the secret meetings regarding changes to Canada’s Elections Act via Bill C-65, An Act to Amend the Canada Elections Act before the bill was introduced in March.

As reported by LifeSiteNews before, the Liberals were hoping to delay the 2025 federal election by a few days in what many see as a stunt to secure pensions for MPs who are projected to lose their seats. Approximately 80 MPs would qualify for pensions should they sit as MPs until at least October 27, 2025, which is the newly proposed election date. The election date is currently set for October 20, 2025.

Sutherland noted when asked by Conservative MP Luc Berthold that he recalled little from the meetings, but he did confirm he attended “two meetings of that kind.”

“Didn’t you find it unusual that a discussion about amending the Elections Act included only two political parties and excluded the others?” Berthold asked.

Sutherland responded, “It’s important to understand what my role was in those meetings which was simply to provide background information.”

“My role was to provide information,” replied Sutherland, who added he could not provide the exact dates of the meetings.

MPs must serve at least six years to qualify for a pension that pays $77,900 a year. Should an election be called today, many MPs would fall short of reaching the six years, hence Bill C-65 was introduced by the Liberals and NDP.

The Liberals have claimed that pushing back the next election date is not over pensions but due to “trying to observe religious holidays,” as noted by Liberal MP Mark Gerretsen.

“Conservatives voted against this bill,” Berthold said, as they are “confident of winning re-election. We don’t need this change.”

Trudeau’s popularity is at a all-time low, but he has refused to step down as PM, call an early election, or even step aside as Liberal Party leader.

As for the amendments to elections laws, they come after months of polling in favour of the Conservative Party under the leadership of Pierre Poilievre.

A recent poll found that 70 percent of Canadians believe the country is “broken” as Trudeau focuses on less critical issues. Similarly, in January, most Canadians reported that they are worse off financially since Trudeau took office.

Additionally, a January poll showed that 46 percent of Canadians expressed a desire for the federal election to take place sooner rather than the latest mandated date in the fall of 2025.