News

Around Red Deer May 19th – May 22nd

Published

8 years ago

7 minute read

4:38 pm – The Highway 12/21 Regional Water Services Commission held a groundbreaking ceremony at the Mirror Community Hall today to celebrate the Mirror to Bashaw portion of the Highway 12/21 Regional Water Line. Read More.

3:12 pm – The Lacombe Police Service is seeking the public’s assistance in locating 14 year old, Rayona Steele. Rayona is considered as a runaway and was last seen in Lacombe on May 15, 2017. When last seen she was with her Rottweiler dog, “Tank”, that may still be travelling with her. Rayona Steele is described as: · Caucasian · 5’3” tall · 119 lbs · Red hair with purple ends · Blue eyes. Contact the Lacombe Police Service at 403-782-3279 if you know where she is.

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12:26 pm – RCMP have arrested a man and woman in possession of a large quantity of stolen identification documents after a traffic stop in the Town of Sylvan Lake. Read More.

12:17 pm – Innisfail RCMP are looking into a suspicious incident involving a young student outside John Wilson Elementary School. Read More.

11:46 am – Red Deer property owners can expect to receive their 2017 property tax notices in the mail in the next few days. Read More.

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11:01 am – Strong social and family relationships and good mental health are among the goals of programs chosen to receive funding from Red Deer & District Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) for the next three years. Read More.

10:56 am – Earl Dreeshen, Member of Parliament for Red Deer – Mountain View will be speaking to Bill C-46 An Act to amend the Criminal Code (offences relating to conveyances) in the House of Commons today. The Bill deals with proposed changes to impaired driving laws. The speech will take place at approximately 11:30 AM Mountain Time and will be broadcast on CPAC and available online at www.parlvu.parl.gc.ca

10:50 am – The Town of Innisfail has provided an update on it’s search for a new C.A.O.. Read More.

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10:44 am – Just in time for the Victoria Day long weekend, the Town of Innisfail’s new RV Dump Station opens today! Details here.

10:38 am – 48th Avenue construction gets underway in Sylvan Lake on Tuesday, May 23rd. Read More.

10:26 am – As part of the Broadway Avenue/Highway 2A realignment project in Blackfalds, all trees in the area are scheduled to be mulched in the next week. Read More.

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10:07 am – Don’t forget, Red Deer’s Public Market gets underway for another season on Saturday! Read More.

10:00 am – The Woody’s RV Marathon is taking place in Red Deer this Sunday! Details Here.

9:46 am – Transit riders make note of the Transit Schedule changes in Red Deer County this Victoria Day long weekend. Details here.

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9:41 am – Canada Post has converted all Rural Route addresses in Red Deer County to the 9-1-1 Municipal Address. Read More.

9:37 am – Plenty to do around the City of Red Deer this weekend. Find out more.

9:31 am – It’s another busy weekend at Red Deer’s Westerner Park. The Hunting Hills High School Graduation May 19th, Parkland Arabian Horse Show May 19-21 and YC Alberta on Saturday, May 20th. Details Here.

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9:22 am – RCMP are investigating a robbery at the Tarmack Liquor Store in Rocky Mountain House that occurred on May 14th 2017. Suspects left with an unknown number of liquor bottles. Read More.

9:11 am – Starting Tuesday, May 23rd, parking will be limited in Great Chief Park for the next month while the parking lots are being paved. Read More.

9:07 am – Construction of the 67 Street and Johnstone Drive roundabout and surrounding roadways will resume next week. As a result, there will be traffic impacts in the area. Read More.

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9:00 am – Rocky Mountain House RCMP are happy to report that Waylon Frencheater has been located safe and unharmed. Police would like to thank the public for their assistance in this matter.

8:56 am – Rimbey RCMP are asking for the public’s assistance to identify a person of interest in the investigation of a minivan theft from the Rimbey Best Western on April 23. Read More.

8:50 am – Heads up Red Deer drivers, there are some road closures planned throughout the City starting on Tuesday, May 23rd. Read More.

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8:43 am – The May long weekend kicks off summer, and an increase in drownings in the province. As a result, the Life Saving Society has water safety tips for Albertans before this holiday weekend. Read More.

8:10 am – A ground breaking ceremony will take place at the Mirror Community Hall today to mark the official start of construction on the Mirror to Bashaw Water Transmission Line. The event starts at 2:00 pm and is being hosted by the Highway 12/21 Regional Water Services Commission. Dignitaries attending the event include:

Blaine Calkins, MP, Red Deer-Lacombe
Ron Orr, MLA, Lacombe-Ponoka
Brenda Knight, Highway 12/21 Commission Chairperson
Todd Simenson, Regional Leader, Stantec Consulting Ltd.

8:01 am – It’s Graduation Day for Grade 12 students at Red Deer’s Hunting Hills High School! The Ceremony starts at 11:00 am at the Centrium & Pavillion in Westerner Park, with the Grand March and Banquet starting at 6:00 pm. Read More.

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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.