Monday 24 April 2017

Photo Radar: A Strange Argument

After three long weeks of local, national and even international speculation over Jason Kenney's comments about notifying parents should their children join GSAs, he has reemerged as only an unelected provincial representative can; on social media.  Tuesday, Jason Kenney released a video weighing in on the all-encompassing topic of photo radar.

That last bit might be news.  Photo radar has certainly been in the news over the years and in fact has been brought up by others, including an ex-radar operator in Edmonton as recently as 2015.  To the best of my knowledge, it isn't exactly a relevant political party issue that is begging for someone to take the lead on, but hey, it got people talking. 

Is photo radar a tax grab?  A solid argument could be made that it allows for lower taxes for everyone. To begin with, it is a much less expensive way to encourage order than an officer standing on every corner.   And I doubt Kenney is advocating for spending additional funds on people, benefits and police vehicles.  Is being stopped by a police officer instead of receiving an emotionless photo of your vehicle speeding through a photo radar zone better?  After receiving a ticket on Saturday morning, I can say, no, it didn't make me feel better.

If the municipalities were to remove photo radar, where would the additional income come from?  According to one article, the City of Edmonton brought in $34,500,000 in revenue from photo radar in 2015.  That revenue is not added to the city's general revenue but is earmarked for traffic safety initiatives,  Signs cost money, traffic lights cost money, policing costs money.  Where would the money come from if not from photo radar?  The province (all Albertans) or the city (all Edmontonians)?  Does it make sense to remove a revenue stream from people who break the law and add it instead to law-abiding citizens?  It's a strange argument to make. 

There is another aspect to photo radar as well.  Does it make a difference?  There are two photo radar locations I drive through quite regularly in Calgary.  Both are at heavy traffic intersections and both have high risks of collisions.  Remember those cute signs of a car with a dent that said "high collision area"?   Personally, I remember it's a photo radar location better than a high risk area and I know I take better care.  According to an article from this year, since photo radar was handed over to the City of Edmonton in 2013, serious injuries are on the decline.  Deaths are also declining but there was an uptick in 2015 that skews the graph. 2016 numbers show an overall decline within the last decade.  

Calling photo radar a "tax grab" simply makes no sense.  Although there is a fee associated with breaking the law, the only people who pay that fee are those who actually break the law.  The last one I received was in 2013, so yes, I did pay a photo radar ticket four years ago but not since.  I do, however, pay income taxes every hour that I work.  I also pay GST when I buy things and I pay a carbon tax as well.  These are things I pay because they're charged in addition to regular things I buy or do.  Those are taxes.  Everyone pays them. The good news is there's no legal ramification for not speeding and it's not nearly as difficult as avoiding taxes. 

Friday 7 April 2017

AB Liberals: A Leadership Race Announcement

At 7:15 am on Wednesday morning, the 5th of April, I received a forwarded message inviting me to a get-together on the 6th at Aloft in Calgary where  Kerry Cundal was going to make an announcement. For the past week and a half, the upcoming leadership race has received a fair amount of attention since Nolan Crouse, previously running in an uncontested race, suddenly withdrew.  On March 29, 17 there were only two days remaining for potential candidates to register and Crouse's withdrawal, which he stated was for reasons which "would be kept private", had some of us politically obsessed individuals scratching their heads.  Speculation swiftly circulated that two individuals, David Khan and Kerry Cundal, may be putting their names forward in Crouse's stead.

David Khan made his announcement on March 31, but Kerry, while she admitted to registering, said she had not yet decided if she was going to run.  Announcing an announcement, with only three days until the leadership debate, suggested it was an invitation to a campaign launch, but what would I know?   I hadn't started attending events for the PC Leadership Race until the final months so this was my first one and I was really looking forward to starting at the very beginning.  It is also worth noting this race is scheduled for a whirlwind three months rather than six as the new party leader is expected to be announced June 4, 2017.

I was going to meet up with a friend before the event so we could drive in together.  Unfortunately he pulled a Michael Scott and let his GPS guide him to a location much farther than the "two minutes" from his turn that I had instructed.  I checked a mental map and figured the middle from where he ended up would be Aloft so we met there instead.

We were welcomed by a couple of people from Kerry's team and they directed us to the pool where the event was being held.  We weren't early and there were already around 20 people in the room.  Considering it was 7:30 at night, the light in the room made it feel as if it was around mid-day.  This wasn't a problem until afterwards when I had the stark realization that it was nearing 11:00 pm on a work night and still had an hour drive back home.

Kerry Cundal - Liberal Leadership Candidate 
There were people with cameras and a steady stream of enthusiasts still arriving behind us.  We purchased some drinks and claimed a cocktail table while eyeing up the appetizer trays that lined both sides of the room.  I may joke that I attend for the food but it's also completely true.

The first person to stop by and chat was a woman from Calgary via Ontario.  She told us it was a very different feeling supporting the liberals in Alberta as opposed to what she was used to.  "The party has such a strong following" in Ontario she said.  She asked whether we thought the party had a chance provincially (which seemed like a strange question to ask at a Liberal Party event).

One person at our table was from BC and we talked about the difference between political parties in other provinces.  She had trouble with the PC party "big tent" idea since in Ontario, a Liberal, apparently, is a Liberal and doesn't belong to a PC party.  In Alberta, as we know, it used to be different.

The second person we talked to was another woman from Calgary, but a long-time resident.  I was really interested in her opinion because she said she wasn't really politically engaged but came with a friend. Unfortunately my questions came too fast and furiously and she asked, somewhat disapprovingly, if I was a reporter.  That was awkward.

People began to clap and our attention was drawn to the balcony overlooking the pool.  Kerry had arrived and she was talking with reporters upstairs.  I have to say I was caught up in the anticipation of the moment.  While the event's existence pointed to her announcing she would run, I wasn't making any assumptions.  What I had heard around the water coolers was that her announcement would be especially worthwhile.

She was introduced and took the microphone at the front end of the pool room.  She began with an acknowledgement to our gathering on Treaty 7 land and told us she had only just flown back from Ottawa earlier in the day.  She said she was looking forward to the coffee and meetings over the next few months and she was no stranger to hard work.  Hard work, she said, was what she was expecting on this campaign.  Then she got straight down to business: "We need to bring the centre together for 2019."

Back in 2015 I remember a twitter account named "Liberals for Greg Clark".  For all I know, it was even their account but I've been thinking of it since.  Was she talking about the new centre now that the PC Party had abandoned it? Was she talking about a coalition or unification?  I wish I could answer those questions but she didn't elaborate during the rest of the speech.

She's lived around the province.  I couldn't keep up with all of the places she'd lived but I did catch Grande Prairie, St. Albert, Sylvan Lake and Calgary.  "Most of us came from small town Alberta" she told us and I could relate to that. She said she was committed to service and committed to certain principles like "the rule of law for everyone".  "Feminism is not cancer" she declared and offered a firm "no thank you" to the politics of Jason Kenney and Brian Jean.

"The NDP have good policies" she said "but they aren't getting the job done.  They need more fiscal responsibility" and she doesn't see that happening. "This is not about titles or labels, this is about Alberta: Alberta matters."  She talked about how we were looking at an election with the NDP on one side, the Conservatives on the other and the Liberals should be taking advantage of it; not sitting on the sidelines.  She wants to connect with progressives who care about our finances and she hopes David Khan joins in. "The Liberal Party has good principles, good people with smart ideas and good policy" she said "policy that doesn't belong in a drawer, it belongs in the legislature."

It sounded like those in the room agreed with her as their applause was frequent and their cheering was loud.  We talked with a few more people throughout the rest of the evening and they were bolder in their vision: they are interested in a united centre to take to the polls in 2019.  Somehow, Alberta politics just became even more interesting.

D.





Monday 3 April 2017

Wildrose: Whose Side of the Wall are They Really On?

On March 29, 2017, someone from Whitecap Resources in Calgary provided a letter they'd received from Brad Wall to the Canadian Press.  That letter was an advertisement of what benefits would be awaiting Whitecap Resources should they decide to pack up their Calgary operations and relocate to Saskatchewan.  While some considered it standard poaching, others suggested it could also be a breach of current trade agreements.  

Brian Jean, Leader of the Wildrose Party
Obviously, there are those of us in Alberta who are not exactly thrilled with the idea that our neighbour is attempting to steal Alberta jobs but some of us weren't exactly Wall fans to begin with.  What about people who were Wall fans?  The ones who peppered their commentary with adulation for "Alberta's Other Premier"?  Well, they're still on his side. Why shouldn't they be? 

If Alberta-based companies pick up and move to Saskatchewan, the official opposition will have the one thing they don't have yet: evidence.  Certainly, there have been job losses in Alberta from an oil free-fall but that happened in Saskatchewan and Newfoundland as well; under a Conservative and Liberal government, respectively.  What the official opposition desperately needs is evidence but what Alberta needs is someone who has our back here at home.

Instead of defending Alberta jobs while in Saskatchewan on Mar. 31, 2017, Prasad Panda, MLA for Calgary-Foothills blamed Notley for attacking "everyone (in Alberta) with tax increases" (though he didn't mention Premier Wall's recent tax increase).  In a video posted to Facebook last week, Brian Jean says he doesn't "want to tolerate other provinces being a better place to invest than Alberta" (but apparently, he will).  Even during question period today, Derek Fildebrandt said that although he thinks Brad Wall violated the New West Partnership agreement, he wonders if the NDP didn't start the fight by imposing increased rates on imported beer. Those are just the recent comments but this anti-Alberta behaviour has been going on for months.

Contrary to this Wildrose narrative, Alberta's corporate tax structure, lack of a PST and lower personal income taxes still make it a better place to invest for businesses. The Wildrose seem to be firmly against encouraging business to stay, doing almost as good a job recommending that businesses seek greener pastures as Brad Wall. 

Brad Wall is pouring salt on the wound of a city and an economy that is still feeling the sting of low oil prices.  Is it unexpected? Hardly.  Ever since the NDP was elected, Mr. Wall has been campaigning in Alberta; especially for oil investment.

Back in June of 2016, Wall was already on his business development tour of Alberta speaking to the Calgary Petroleum Club members.  He was more subtle than he has been since but the goal was the same.  I'm all for having a hero but I think it's time the Wildrose stop cheerleading for Brad Wall and start supporting those who should really matter to a party vying for government: Albertans.