Wildrose Party
News release
Edmonton, AB (March 2, 2017):
Today’s Throne Speech from the NDP government is more of the same tired and failed agenda that has led to one of the worst economic records in Alberta’s history and has left Albertans struggling after two straight years of massive tax hikes in the midst of recession, the Wildrose Official Opposition said today.
For the past two years, Albertans have been hammered with personal and business tax increases, increased red tape, caps in our oil sands, job-killing coal shut downs, risky experiments in our electricity grid, record debt and deficits and the largest tax increase in Alberta’s history through a new carbon tax that will cost families $2,500 per year and has already increased the price of everything.
“The NDP is trying to claim that the government understands its core responsibility is to make life better for Albertans but have just spent two years making a bad situation much, much worse,” Wildrose Leader Brian Jean said. “Today, the NDP had a chance to change course in the best interests of Albertans, but they failed. Their tax agenda has made Albertans poorer, their budget has hurt future generations, they’ve driven investment out of our economy and they are limiting Alberta’s full economic potential.”
Alberta has seen 45,700 full time jobs lost since they introduced their last budget including 24,000 full time jobs in January.
Nowhere in the Throne Speech was there mention of Keystone XL, a pipeline that will bring significant economic benefits for Albertans. Neither was there a mention of a serious plan to tackle crime and create safe communities.
Jean said it’s laughable the NDP are trying to claim they are making life more affordable and protecting consumers through the agenda laid out today.
“If the government was serious about protecting consumers, they would introduce legislation repealing the carbon tax,” Jean said. “The fact is, Albertans have seen their heating bills spike, they’ve seen their cost of living increase as a direct result of this government’s policies and they are just making things worse.”