The Conservative party is proposing a "middle class" tax cut as a major plank in their federal election platform. Today the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives released their analysis of the Conservative plan. Click here for highlights or read the entire report (six pages and very readable) by clicking here.

Stephen Harper has taken a page from the Klein government in calling this a "middle class" tax cut. When Klein sold his tax cut program back in 2001 (aka the "flat tax") he too called it a "middle class" tax cut which would also eliminate thousands of the poorest Albertan's from the tax rolls altogether. Remember the line - Ralph listens, Ralph cares.

What neither Klein then, nor Harper now go out of their way to explain is that these tax cuts overwhelmingly benefit the well-to-do. For example, under Harper's proposals, the 36% of all Canadian families with incomes over $70,000/year would receive 82.7% of the tax cut dollars and of these, the 7% of families with incomes over $150,000/year would receive 28% of the total benefit. Families making $150,000/year and over will get to put on average, $3363 extra in their jeans each year. Families making $70,000/year or less get to keep on average about $240. The Alberta Flat Tax scheme was even more beneficial to the wealthy. Click here for a refresher on the Alberta Flat Tax.

The second part of the sham is when conservative governments need to make up the revenue lost due to the tax cuts. Budgets have to be balanced in these days of fiscal responsibility. This is always done by introducing user fees, healthcare premium hikes and the like; never by hiking taxes. The well-to-do happily pay the additional $1000 or so a year out of their few thousand a year in tax savings. They are still well ahead of the game. Those with incomes under $70,000/year who only averaged $240 in tax cuts start looking for ways to find an additional $760 to cover these additional costs.

A constant theme of this election is how young Canadians feel disenfranchised and find no compelling reasons to vote. Well think about this young Canadians, particularly the vast majority of you who are well down on the income scale. You can be sure that those Canadians who are well-off understand how many dollars a year these conservative tax cuts deliver to them. They didn't get to be well-off by being stupid. For sure they will be voting and they will be making sure that their spouse, kids and perhaps even the cat, dog and guppies will be voting. Voter turnout amongst these folks will be 110% as they say in the sports pages. Guaranteed. Need a reason to vote? This is it.

All Canadians, and particularly young Canadians, need to see this bogus "middle class" tax cut sham for what it is and vote accordingly.

In a high profile announcement at the Alberta Legislature , Learning Minister Lyle Oberg and Klein Kollege President Conrad Black today announced the rollout of an introductory course in Ralphanomics - the economic theory based on the unique mathematical notions of Alberta Premier Ralph Klein.

"Albertan don't understand squat about adding and subtracting and stuff like that" said the Minister. "How can we possibly expect them to understand complex economic issues like why it is good for taxpayer dollars to go be given to American-owned packing plants. We need to give them the tools to understand these things."
To teach the course, the Kollege has enlisted none-other than the Alberta Finance Minister Pat Nelson, (shown here with two really big graphs), as she is the only person in the Klein cabinet who pretends to understand the Premier when it comes to mathematical manipulation.

In a prepared statement Ms. Nelson said "The Premier has honed his skills through many years of filling out expense accounts. While the ordinary person may think this is a straight-forward process, things can get pretty complex when it comes to rationalizing a $1097 tip for concierge and maid services. Mr Klein is an acknowledged genius in this little-known facet of economics."

The Alberta Government has contracted with the Online Education division of Ralph's World to deliver this education to Albertans across the province through the internet. The first module, entitled "Trickle Down - How flowing taxpayer dollars to American-owned packing plants benefits Albertans and their children" will be available as soon as the Finance Minister can get her head around it.

Stay tuned.

The support given to Federal Liberal Anne McLennan by twelve Progressive Conservatives in Alberta is telling. See article in June 10th Globe & Mail for details. Also telling is the immediate reaction from a group of provincial Conservatives who sent an open letter to Premier Ralph Klein, calling on him to denounce those party members who are offering her support. "Not only is it against our Conservative principles, but it is quite likely this could also have dire consequences for our support in the upcoming provincial election," said the letter, signed by Ken Suitor from Athabasca and other Conservatives.

There is a very different philosophy between what could be called the Stephen Harper/Ralph Klein brand of conservative and that represented by the older Joe Clark/Peter Lougheed brand - the kind that would support Ms. McLennan. The new conservative offers a seductive message which runs something like this.

We believe in:
- privatization of public services such as healthcare, education, etc. and user fees to pay for them This allows us to have:
- less government involvement in the delivery of public services which enables us to deliver:
- lower taxes which lets you the people put more money in your own pockets which then provides you with:
- individual choice about how to spend your money.

This all sounds pretty positive and you can hear these themes repeated over and over. Who can question more money in your pocket or freedom of choice? As for privatization, both sides of the debate can point to reports from one think tank or another to prove their points so Martha and Henry tend to view the privatization debate as a wash.

Let's look for Canadian success stories of the new conservatism. The Klein government has being operating this way ever since the cuts to government spending ten years ago in 1994. They would point to a booming Alberta economy as proof of their approach. However, this is a bit like a lottery winner of $10 million dollars buying a new house and cars for all the kids and declaring that his financial astuteness was the reason for his success. The reality in Alberta is that about a third of all government expenses are funded by lottery winnings, also known as oil and gas royalties. The oil is there by good luck, not good planning. Running a province gets a whole lot easier when you can just buy your way out of problems. Remember the electricity rebate cheques?

Mike Harris tried the same approach in Ontario where there wasn't any resource lottery winnings to clean up the messes caused by less government. Remember Walkerton? Mike Harris and his conservative party is gone. Clearly not a success.

Now Stephen Harper is asking us to follow the same approach nationally. Like Klein, his platform calls for a middle class tax cut. Also like Klein's tax cut, the largest beneficiaries of the tax cuts are those in our society with the highest incomes, not the middle class. Billboards proclaiming "We promise huge tax cuts for our well-to-do supporters" however is not good politics. Best to bill it as a middle class tax cut.

The problem is, unlike Alberta, the Federal Government doesn't have resource lottery money to draw on. The cost will be borne by the taxpayer one way or another, showing up eventually as some combination of new user fees and reduced services. The tax cuts will remain in place because raising taxes is political suicide for any party. (Witness the flack the Liberals in Ontario are taking trying to clean up after Mike Harris).
This will result in an ever-increasing burden for most Canadians.

The old Alberta Tories didn't cut taxes. And the reason many of them don't support Stephen Harper now is because they know he can't afford a tax cut.

Long time loyal conservative supporters, and in Alberta that's the majority of us, need to understand the fundamental differences between the conservatives of yesterday and those wearing the conservative brand today. They are not at all the same thing.

This was received from a group of severely normal Marthas from Southern Alberta who seem a tiny bit upset. Here's what they sent.

June 8 is the start of a revolution! Join in...

Martha's Monthly is a grassroots non-partisan political action movement aiming to have input into policy-making at the provincial level in Alberta. Using the idea of St John's (Newfoundland) Status of Women Council’s "Feminism Fits" we will send a monthly mailout to you about a certain topic in Alberta. If you wish to participate you will find a sample e-letter attached to which you add your name, address and phone number and then e-mail directly to the premier, the Opposition leader, the ND leader, and us. We track how many letters get sent on the one day (the 8th of the month) and we let media outlets know. Ralph Klein wants to hear from "the Marthas and the Henrys" of Alberta and we think it is about time he heard from some Marthas who have a problem with high car insurance rates, a flat tax, the lowest per capita spending in Canada, large classrooms, low welfare rates, lack of affordable childcare, increasing tuition costs, deregulated electricity, the lowest minimum wage in Canada, crumbling infrastructure, and billions of dollars of surplus!

June's topic is Accountability. Here is the video clip from CBC that shows Premier Klein's behaviour when he appeared before the Public Accounts committee for the first time in 10 years in May 2004:
http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/05/05/canada/KleinAccts_040505

His boorish answers to MLA Laurie Blakeman's request for a receipt were well publicized but it seemed to overshadow the issue at heart...accountability. Mr. Klein is a public official and he was being asked to produce a document that should be provided, one which he carried in his pocket, and one which the Public Accounts Committee should request. The public still does not have access to records of questionable travel before April 1, 2004. Mr. Klein is willing to let the public see expenses after April 1. Why not those from before? In any other province the public would have access to these as a matter of course. Albertans deserve to be treated better.

Let Mr. Klein know how you feel about it. Email the attached letter to him at premier@gov.ab.ca. CC it to Dr. Kevin Taft, Official Opposition leader at edmonton.riverview@assembly.ab.ca, Dr. Raj Pannu, leader of the New Democrats at edmonton.strathcona@assembly.ab.ca and us at marthasmonthly@yahoo.ca

We hope you will participate and pass this forward this email to other "Marthas and Henrys" in Alberta. We are aiming for 200 emails to go to Mr. Klein's office on June 8, 2004. Watch for the next Martha's Monthly on July 8th. Topics are being gathered. To add your voice email us at marthasmonthly@yahoo.ca.

Here is a copy of their first letter for you to copy, paste, and send to Mr. Klein.

The Honourable Ralph Klein
Premier of Alberta
307 Legislature Bldg
10800 97 Ave
Edmonton, AB
T5K 2B7

June 8, 2004


Dear Premier Klein:


I am writing to you as one of the women involved in Martha’s Monthly. You often refer to us common Albertans as the “Marthas and the Henrys” and you say you listen to what we have to say. We are pleased about that and so we have decided to write you on the 8th of each month with our comments on what we see as important in our province.

This month, our inaugural month, we wanted to let you know our disappointment with you during your appearance in front of the Public Accounts Committee in early May. Much has been made of your behaviour towards Ms. Blakeman, and though that was unnecessary and reminiscent of schoolyard bullies the world over, what I am upset about is deeper than your behaviour. I am concerned that after many years in office you have begun to behave as though Albertans are not entitled to have public officials who are accountable to their electorate. Why are your travel expenses not public information? Why are you making them available from April 1 onward but not retroactively?

Mr. Klein, I work hard for my income. I am willing to pay my fair share of taxes, just like every other Martha and Henry in the province, but I am unwilling to see you spend my money on expensive trips, meals, and golf holidays. This is not a legitimate business expense, as you claimed. It is lavish and unnecessary. When I travel to meetings I use car pools, public transportation, and other forms of economical transportation. I think you should too. If you need a jet plane or a car service then prove it. And show me, and the rest of the Marthas out here, how much it cost me to let you have that service. Open your books Mr. Klein. We expect accountability from you.

Sincerely,


Your name
Your address
Your city and postal code

Hmmmmm. The natives appear restless.

Lorne Gunter's column in Friday's Edmonton Journal ("Hectic-voter day will burn Liberals") unwittingly points out a critical philosophical difference between the Conservative and Liberal federal parties. On the subject of pre-abortion counselling, Conservative Rob Merrifield mused that all women should undergo mandatory counselling before having an abortion. Gunter erroneously concludes that Paul Martin says the same thing when he says "I think you should always refer to counselling before a woman goes ahead with an abortion." Merrifield thinks there should be a law enforcing counselling; Martin thinks women should seriously consider it. Must versus should.

There's a big difference Lorne, and it points out a fundamental difference between the parties. Conservatives like to have laws to make people do what they, the Conservative party, think is right. Liberals like to convince people to do what they, the individual, thinks is right.

The latest in a series of articles taken from Freddie's Diary.

BUDGET HITS HARD, SENIORS SAY
Cathy Lord, March 23, 2002, EJ

Alberta Council on Aging Executive Secretary, Peggy Fleet says, "seniors are very angry, very upset and a lot of them are scared about what the budget is going to mean to them." "They are getting hit from every direction. It is going to be absolutely devastating to senior single women,. A lot of them don't have company pensions so they are living off the basic Canada Pension, Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement."

About 82,000 seniors will pay a 30% health care premium hike despite a promise from the government in 1996 that premiums for seniors would not rise. The budget scrapped the $24 million Extended Health Benefits program, which covered some eyeglass and dental costs for seniors regardless of income. About $9.2 million will be transferred to the Seniors Department for a new benefit program targeted at low income seniors. Regional health authorities will pick up the rest.

New Democrat Leader Raj Pannu said there are 70 hikes in taxes and user fees in the budget, which "imposes a terrible burden on seniors and average families. The government snatched away seniors' eye and dental benefits, while public subsides to the horse racing industry doubled and millionaire owners of professional hockey teams benefit from a special tax. Talk about twisted priorities," said Pannu.

Details of the new benefit have yet to be worked out, but only people who are eligible for the Alberta seniors Benefit program will be covered, said department spokeswoman, Jan Berkowski. Annual income thresholds for that program are $18,440 or less for single seniors and $27,925 or less for couples.

Liberal senior's critic Laurie Blakeman said the government is risking seniors' long term health by pushing them into poverty and whittling away benefits.

EXTENDED HEALTH BENEFITS AT A GLANCE
Coverage ends March 31, 2002
• All seniors were eligible regardless of income
• About 160,000 seniors and their dependents used the program every year
• Provided 25 to 30% coverage for services such as routine dental care, eyeglasses (once every three years), dentures (once every five years) and denture relines (once every two years)
• $24 million program, of which two thirds was spent on denture and dental services and one-third on optical
• New $9.2 million program will assist only low-income seniors eligible for the Alberta Seniors Benefit program.

SENIORS DON'T RATE
March, 2002, Jim Fraser, EJ

So Ralph Klein has hit seniors again despite a previous cabinet decree that health-care premiums would not rise for seniors. In the previous slashing, seniors took the brunt of cutbacks. Elimination of rent subsidies and increased prescription costs amounted to a major decrease in seniors' net income.

We now face a 30% increase in premiums and elimination of other benefits. How are we going to cope with that? Ralph recently gave himself a large increase in salary and separation allowance. To hell with seniors, let them suffer.