News

Red Deer Shooting, Severe T-Storm Watch, Gospel Music Celebration

Published

7 years ago

6 minute read

3:42 pm – Penhold Fire crews were called out to a potential gas leak at an apartment building on Fleming Avenue around 1:30 pm Thursday afternoon. Five people were evacuated but were eventually allowed to go back in once there were no H2S readings confirmed.

3:32 pm – Wetaskiwin RCMP are investigating a stabbing that resulted in the suspects from Maskwacis fleeing from police and driving into the side of a brick building. A 32-year-old Wetaskiwin man sustained two stab wounds to his back. Read More.

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3:29 pm – An Order in Council at the Alberta Legislature on Wednesday, July 12th, dissolved the Village of Botha east of Stetttler. As a result, the former area of the village will now be designated as a hamlet and become part of the County of Stettler No. 6, effective September 1, 2017.

3:22 pm – Alberta Government officials say a private courier’s van was stolen on June 23rd that had mail to be delivered in Red Deer. Read More.

3:17 pm – Lacombe County and the Town of Blackfalds celebrated the official commissioning of the new Rescue / Pumper unit Wednesday night and invited the community to get a close-up look at the new fire truck. Read More.

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12:01 pm – The Town of Sylvan Lake is hosting a fun and unique event this August Long Weekend. Are you brave enough to take part? Read More.

11:39 am – Check out the Blackfalds Community Market at the Multi-Plex Arena Parking lot today from 4 – 7 pm! Read More.

11:18 am – Due to repeated misuse and vandalism, the Burnt Lake Recycling Facility will be closing. If you wish to drop off your recycled goods you may do so at the Horn Hill Waste Transfer Station. Read More.

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10:56 am – Minister of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Oneil Carlier will address the delegates of the Agriculture Service Board at a Pancake breakfast in Olds on Friday, July 14th. The 2017 ASB Tour is a jointly hosted tour of innovative agriculture in Red Deer County and Mountain View County. The tour began July 11th and wraps up on July 14th. It includes tours of various farming operations and tourism locations in both counties, as well as impressive ag-related demonstrations and discussions at Olds College. Hundreds of Ag Service Board delegates from across the Province will be in attendance during the 4 day event.

10:44 am – Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has deployed 125 firefighters and support staff, five air tankers, two birddog planes and 3,000 lengths of hose to British Columbia to help with the wildfire efforts. Also, Alberta RCMP are sending 40 members from the Special Tactical Operations unit. Read More.

10:36 am – More than 350 Alberta Health Services (AHS) ground ambulances will soon be equipped with power stretchers and load systems to help reduce injuries for paramedics. Read More.

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10:30 am – A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for the Red Deer Region today. Details Here.

10:25 am – Red Deer RCMP are investigating a targeted shooting that sent a man to hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg, and are looking for public assistance to identify the two men who dropped him off at the hospital shortly before 8 pm Tuesday night. Read More.

10:20 am – A Red Deer man faces charges after he assaulted a Community Peace Officer in downtown Red Deer Wednesday evening, fled on foot and was located after a police dog track. Read More.

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10:06 am – The Bard on Bower returns for it’s 7th season of live Shakespearean Frolic tonight! Read More.

9:58 am – Sunshine and live tunes on the Ross Street Patio today! Enjoy, you deserve it! Details Here.

9:46 am – A Canadian Gospel Music Celebration gets underway at Red Deer’s Westerner Park today for the next three days! Details Here.

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9:38 am – Lots of construction throughout Red Deer today. Avoid the traffic delays by knowing where the current road closures are!

9:30 am – Some parts of Red Deer’s Westpark neighbourhood have Boil Water Advisories in place today, including some addresses on Welton Crescent and Waghorn Close. Read More.

9:25 am – Air Quality Advisories remain in place for areas to the west and north of Red Deer today, while some areas to the south are under Heat Warnings. Read More.

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Business

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.