HUGH'S POLICY

  PUBLIC HEALTH CARE

Hugh believes there needs to be more accountability and fairness in the health care system of our province.

He will continue to support a strong, publicly-funded and publicly-delivered health care system.   In order to begin to resolve the many issues we face in the health care system, he would propose several measures.

He would establish a system of 5 health regions and 2 independent boards, the Alberta Cancer Board and the Alberta Mental Health Board.  After several years of centralization, it is apparent that our present structure does not work to provide the health services which  Albertans desire and require.

He would like to expand the public delivery of continuing care services rather than depending on private operators to fill the need that clearly exists for Alberta seniors.  He would also ensure that the nursing home standards in this province are appropriate and rigorously enforced by implementing random independent inspections of all nursing homes.

ENVIRONMENT

On the environment, we must take action to ensure clean air and water for future generations.  Hugh says that polluters must pay, not taxpayers.

PROPERTY RIGHTS

The centralizing trend we have seen in health care under the present government is also apparent with respect to Property Rights.  Hugh would repeal Bills 19, 36 and 50.

Hugh has raised concerns in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta over Bill 19 which became law in May 2009 as The Land Assembly Project Area Act.  While this Act seems harmless and benign on the surface, it is flawed.  The government has consistently bungled the management of its relationship with private land owners.  It never widely consulted with citizens of Alberta before introducing this legislation which may not provide proper compensation for acquiring land. Hugh challenged the government on its process.

Hugh has also challenged the government on Bill 36 and Bill 50. Bill 50 would see the building of $14 billion in transmission lines for the sale of electricity to the United States.  This Bill became law in October 2009. The government justifies placing the whole burden of the cost of these transmission lines on the Alberta taxpayer by claiming these lines are necessary to keep the lights on in Alberta!  The truth was revealed in a leaked cable between the American Ambassador to Canada and Murray Smith, Alberta’s minister of energy who later became our representative in Washington.  In May of this year, Hugh stated frankly that “it's clear… the provincial Tory government has for years been promoting electricity exports to the U.S.” but needed additional transmission lines to make it happen.

PUBLIC EDUCATION

We must nurture the young through education. The greatest natural resource we have in Alberta is our people. Yet, this very resource is being put into jeopardy by the present government which is not ensuring that our children receive the best education possible.

In its February budget, the present government set education spending at $6.2 billion, a sum covering the provincially negotiated wage increase of 4.5% for teachers.  However, it did not cover increases in costs of programs that are more costly this year than last because of the increase in inflation.   The government attempted to blame the teachers for cuts in educational programs by accepting a wage increase the government itself negotiated.  All of these cuts in education and particularly, cuts to programs and teachers, could be prevented by an additional $100 million.

What is worse, the government has now announced that next year’s deficit will be $1.3 billion lower than anticipated.  Why not take $100 million from this unexpected money and give it to school boards to preserve the educational system we have?  The government refuses to consider this option, yet it gave $1 billion more to the fossil fuel sector for drilling stimulus initiatives. 

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS

The government is equally misguided with respect to its policies regarding municipal governments.  We need to provide stable, long-term funding for municipalities to create efficient local planning.  

The Municipal Sustainability Initiative is one way we currently fund municipalities.  Originally, it was intended as a ten year, $11.3 billion program.  Yet, in the first 5 years of this 10 year program, less than one third of the money has been received by municipalities.   In addition, this money has fluctuated from year to year, thus making long-term planning difficult.  Such funding is always welcome, but ask the question:  Is there a better way to provide stable, predictable funding to municipalities?

In Hugh’s view, there is!

Municipalities are funded in part through the “Property Tax Rate”.  This year, approximately $1.6 billion was collected for educational purposes as part of our “Property Tax” throughout the whole province.

Hugh proposes that the $1.6 billion collected through the educational portion of property taxes remain with the municipalities which collect it. This stable and predictable source of revenue would allow mayors and councillors to plan well ahead. This source of funding is important for towns, cities and municipalities since there are no political strings attached and local citizens will be making the decisions regarding the  projects on which to spend this infrastructure money.

Hugh insists that other municipal grant programs such as Transportation grants, the Gas Tax Fund, Green Trip and Sustainable Investment Funding for smaller communities would all remain in place. 

In allowing municipalities to keep the school tax portion of their property taxes, Hugh would fund education from K to grade 12 from General Revenues while maintaining the constitutional rights of both Public and Separate School Boards to tax.  The decision to impose new taxes and the reason for them would be the prerogative of the local citizens through their school boards.

There is much to do in this province.  Hugh dedicates himself to working with you and other Albertans in creating a fiscally sound, but more caring community in which to live and raise our families.

THE PARTY’S NOT OVER! 

JOIN THE MACDONALD DRIVE

For more information visit Hugh’s website at  www.votehugh.ca

Campaign Office:  1066 Capilano Mall

Telephone:  780-757-2787 or 780-566-7575