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Ralph Klein has gone and it is time to retire Ralph's World. Thanks to all of you who have supported this venture by contributing material and through your comments. It has been fun.
Should we get another blog underway? Let me know your thoughts by e-mailing me at johnnyslow@gmail.com.
John Slow
January 1, 2007
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Ralphamatics
For those that doubt that Premier Klein could be that confused about health care costs, here is the interchange from Hansard between Mr. Klein, Premier of Alberta, Mr. Mason, Leader of the NDP, and Ms. Blakeman, Liberal Health Critic. Comments in red are mine.
ALBERTA LEGISLATURE SESSION
Thursday February 23/06, 1:30 pm
Question Period:-
Mr. Mason: Why is this Premier keeping the government’s plans for private two-tier healthcare secret until after the upcoming vote on his leadership?
Mr. Klein: “. . . I’ll tell you what the problem is. Here’s the original ask: Chinook health region 19.8 percent , that’s 10.9 billion: Pallister 18.6 percent, that’s 1.8 billion. . . . Without going through the whole list the total is $100.6 billion - 100.6 billion this year alone - and they have no solution other than spend, spend, and spend more.”
Mr., Mason: “If the third ways is so controversial . . . what do you think normal Albertans will think about it?
Mr. Klein: “I’ll tell you what normal Albertans will think about it. Normal Albertans will think that $100. 6 billion is . . . (interjections) Well they don’t think it's much - $100.6 billion - and the NDs don’t think it’s much. Well their sense of money is a lot different than mine, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Mason: “ . . . why doesn’t he (the Premier) do the right thing and back away from this plans for private, two-tier medicine in this province until he gets a mandate from the people?
Mr. Klein: “I would challenge the media to ask the Official Opposition if they have any solutions or if the opposition thinks that $100.6 billion is acceptable annually.
Ms. Blakeman: “. . . was it the health ministers meeting with your federal cousins that halted the Premier’s reforms?
Mr. Klein : “Well at least we have some federal cousins that are at least honest. Remember Adscam . . . (goes on to put all Liberals down etc.) . . . I apologize, the figure is only $10 billion, not a hundred billion. Only $10 billion. But they still don’t have any solutions. (note it is actually more like $1.6 billion)
Ms. Blakeman: “. . . the Premier already has the Liberal document called Toward a Healthy Future, so he can look there for suggestions. . .
Mr. Klein: “. . I’d like to see that. I don’t recall ever receiving a copy. Maybe I have a copy. I want to see some specific solutions that are going to achieve two things: one, increase access, and number two, bring costs in line with the rate of inflation.
$100.6 billion ===> $10.6 billion ===> $1.6 billion in an afternoon.
See Pesky Decimal Points for further details.
ALBERTA LEGISLATURE SESSION
Thursday February 23/06, 1:30 pm
Question Period:-
Mr. Mason: Why is this Premier keeping the government’s plans for private two-tier healthcare secret until after the upcoming vote on his leadership?
Mr. Klein: “. . . I’ll tell you what the problem is. Here’s the original ask: Chinook health region 19.8 percent , that’s 10.9 billion: Pallister 18.6 percent, that’s 1.8 billion. . . . Without going through the whole list the total is $100.6 billion - 100.6 billion this year alone - and they have no solution other than spend, spend, and spend more.”
Mr., Mason: “If the third ways is so controversial . . . what do you think normal Albertans will think about it?
Mr. Klein: “I’ll tell you what normal Albertans will think about it. Normal Albertans will think that $100. 6 billion is . . . (interjections) Well they don’t think it's much - $100.6 billion - and the NDs don’t think it’s much. Well their sense of money is a lot different than mine, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Mason: “ . . . why doesn’t he (the Premier) do the right thing and back away from this plans for private, two-tier medicine in this province until he gets a mandate from the people?
Mr. Klein: “I would challenge the media to ask the Official Opposition if they have any solutions or if the opposition thinks that $100.6 billion is acceptable annually.
Ms. Blakeman: “. . . was it the health ministers meeting with your federal cousins that halted the Premier’s reforms?
Mr. Klein : “Well at least we have some federal cousins that are at least honest. Remember Adscam . . . (goes on to put all Liberals down etc.) . . . I apologize, the figure is only $10 billion, not a hundred billion. Only $10 billion. But they still don’t have any solutions. (note it is actually more like $1.6 billion)
Ms. Blakeman: “. . . the Premier already has the Liberal document called Toward a Healthy Future, so he can look there for suggestions. . .
Mr. Klein: “. . I’d like to see that. I don’t recall ever receiving a copy. Maybe I have a copy. I want to see some specific solutions that are going to achieve two things: one, increase access, and number two, bring costs in line with the rate of inflation.
$100.6 billion ===> $10.6 billion ===> $1.6 billion in an afternoon.
See Pesky Decimal Points for further details.
