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Alberta

What Now?

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Results of the 2019 federal election are in, with the Liberal party winning the most seats.

However you wish to look at it though, Canadians are the biggest losers. This PM should have been investigated before the election for obstruction of justice and awaiting a trial and likely a conviction.

Now the RCMP won’t be allowed to take any further steps, the Admiral Norman and SNC Lavalin scandals will vanish. We will be right back to the same old game of corruption and lies all for the sake of power.

Albertans in particular who have been suffering from enhanced economic warfare waged upon us by Ottawa for the past cycle understand all too well that the pain will only intensify now. Trudeau has offered us up as the sacrifice, and will continue his massive deficit spending ways. The equalization formula was locked in for five years, so four more to go my friends.

Eastern jurisdictions that were promised all manner of free stuff, will eagerly await the further plunder of Albertans and take those dollars with an attitude of entitlement and arrogance. Trudeau was actively campaigning against Albertans interests in his home province, so we know where we stand already.

I believe that there is no possibility to fix the system of government in Canada, so that it could become what it was supposed to be. Pierre Trudeau started Canada down this path, and his son picked up the baton and ran with it.

Political parties also sold out for power. All parties use the equalization formula to curry favor in Quebec and the maritime provinces. They understand that the prosperity of Albertans is the price they must pay to increase odds of winning or staying in power. Equalization sounds like a nice concept, but it has been corrupted into a tool for plunder and used against those with little political power, meaning us.

Now we must change our focus and shed the fears of what if. We need to stand up and create a new future, one of prosperity and freedom. Self determination is not something we ask the government to give us, it’s something we have within us, and all we need to do is stand up for ourselves and force the government to adhere to our will.

We need to create our own constitution that guarantees our rights as individuals, and that treats us all as equals. No more divisive identity politics, only Albertans working together to make things right.

Our new constitution must ensure that the government remains accountable and responsible to the people. There must be checks and balances to government power so that we don’t see a repetition of what’s happening to Canada.

One of the best things about creating something new is that we don’t have to bargain with anyone else about what our future will look like. We can decide what it will be, and make it happen. We have the right people, strong agriculture and resource sectors; but perhaps more importantly though, we have a culture of getting the job done.

There are those who fear something new and those who have been hesitant to speak up in support of Independence, but I think after tonight many of these reluctant ones will join us in the struggle to free Alberta.

This is a pivotal moment, and I think will make for exciting reading someday in history books. One day people will read about how when Alberta became a nation, and how Albertans stood up for their freedom.

I say it’s long overdue, but now is the time to make our new nation. This won’t just happen on it’s own though, we must take responsibility and make it happen.

Responsibility is the price for Freedom. Freedom will give us Opportunity and that will drive a period of Prosperity like we’ve never seen before. We do this not only for our future prosperity, but for our children and grandchildren.

Click here to see Norman Wiehe’s next post “The Day After”

Norm Wiebe is a local Financial Advisor and political policy enthusiast. He and his wife Lera, live in Red Deer with their two children. Norm uses facebook to promote ideas, so look for him there. https://www.facebook.com/norman.wiebe

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Alberta

Red Deer Justice Centre Grand Opening: Building access to justice for Albertans

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The new Red Deer Justice Centre will help Albertans resolve their legal matters faster.

Albertans deserve to have access to a fair, accessible and transparent justice system. Modernizing Alberta’s courthouse infrastructure will help make sure Alberta’s justice system runs efficiently and meets the needs of the province’s growing population.

Alberta’s government has invested $191 million to build the new Red Deer Justice Centre, increasing the number of courtrooms from eight to 12, allowing more cases to be heard at one time.

“Modern, accessible courthouses and streamlined services not only strengthen our justice
system – they build safer, stronger communities across the province. Investing in the new Red Deer Justice Centre is vital to helping our justice system operate more efficiently, and will give people in Red Deer and across central Alberta better access to justice.”

Mickey Amery, Minister of Justice and Attorney General

Government of Alberta and Judiciary representatives with special guests at the Red Deer Justice Centre plaque unveiling event April 22, 2025.

On March 3, all court services in Red Deer began operating out of the new justice centre. The new justice centre has 12 courtrooms fully built and equipped with video-conference equipment to allow witnesses to attend remotely if they cannot travel, and vulnerable witnesses to testify from outside the courtroom.

The new justice centre also has spaces for people taking alternative approaches to the traditional courtroom trial process, with the three new suites for judicial dispute resolution services, a specific suite for other dispute resolution services, such as family mediation and civil mediation, and a new Indigenous courtroom with dedicated venting for smudging purposes.

“We are very excited about this new courthouse for central Alberta. Investing in the places where people seek justice shows respect for the rights of all Albertans. The Red Deer Justice Centre fills a significant infrastructure need for this rapidly growing part of the province. It is also an important symbol of the rule of law, meaning that none of us are above the law, and there is an independent judiciary to decide disputes. This is essential for a healthy functioning democracy.”

Ritu Khullar, chief justice of Alberta

“Public safety and access to justice go hand in hand. With this investment in the new Red Deer Justice Centre, Alberta’s government is ensuring that communities are safer, legal matters are resolved more efficiently and all Albertans get the support they need.”

Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services

“This state-of-the-art facility will serve the people of Red Deer and surrounding communities for generations. Our team at Infrastructure is incredibly proud of the work done to plan, design and build this project. I want to thank everyone, at all levels, who helped make this project a reality.”

Martin Long, Minister of Infrastructure

Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.

Quick facts

  • The new Red Deer Justice Centre is 312,000 sq ft (29,000 m2). (The old courthouse is 98,780 sq ft (9,177 m2)).
  • The approved project funding for the Red Deer Justice Centre is about $191 million.
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Alberta

CPP another example of Albertans’ outsized contribution to Canada

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From the Fraser Institute

By Tegan Hill

Amid the economic uncertainty fuelled by Trump’s trade war, its perhaps more important than ever to understand Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and its outsized contribution to programs such as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).

From 1981 to 2022, Albertan’s net contribution to the CPP—meaning the amount Albertans paid into the program over and above what retirees in Alberta received in CPP payments—was $53.6 billion. In 2022 (the latest year of available data), Albertans’ net contribution to the CPP was $3.0 billion.

During that same period (1981 to 2022), British Columbia was the only other province where residents paid more into the CPP than retirees received in benefits—and Alberta’s contribution was six times greater than B.C.’s contribution. Put differently, residents in seven out of the nine provinces that participate in the CPP (Quebec has its own plan) receive more back in benefits than they contribute to the program.

Albertans pay an outsized contribution to federal and national programs, including the CPP because of the province’s relatively high rates of employment, higher average incomes and younger population (i.e. more workers pay into the CPP and less retirees take from it).

Put simply, Albertan workers have been helping fund the retirement of Canadians from coast to coast for decades, and without Alberta, the CPP would look much different.

How different?

If Alberta withdrew from the CPP and established its own standalone provincial pension plan, Alberta workers would receive the same retirement benefits but at a lower cost (i.e. lower CPP contribution rate deducted from our paycheques) than other Canadians, while the contribution rate—essentially the CPP tax rate—to fund the program would likely need to increase for the rest of the country to maintain the same benefits.

And given current demographic projections, immigration patterns and Alberta’s long history of leading the provinces in economic growth, Albertan workers will likely continue to pay more into the CPP than Albertan retirees get back from it.

Therefore, considering Alberta’s crucial role in national programs, the next federal government—whoever that may be—should undo and prevent policies that negatively impact the province and Albertans ability to contribute to Canada. Think of Bill C-69 (which imposes complex, uncertain and onerous review requirements on major energy projects), Bill C-48 (which bans large oil tankers off B.C.’s northern coast and limits access to Asian markets), an arbitrary cap on oil and gas emissions, numerous other “net-zero” targets, and so on.

Canada faces serious economic challenges, including a trade war with the United States. In times like this, it’s important to remember Alberta’s crucial role in the federation and the outsized contributions of Alberta workers to the wellbeing of Canadians across the country.

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