Martha, Henry, and Ed

Common sense from the common folks. And one thing you don't do is threaten Albertans with "we will get up and leave", cause you will get told "git up and go", "we can do it ourselves". It's an Alberta attitude of self reliance that the right wing likes to lay claim to, except when the shoe is on the other foot.

More Albertans support Premier Ed Stelmach's royalties strategy than do not, but his plan has fallen short of many people's expectations and may have created a "lose-lose" situation for the rookie Tory leader, a new poll indicates.

As the debate simmers, the online poll conducted by Leger Marketing shows most Albertans -- 61 per cent -- believe the oil and gas industry overinflated the negative consequences that higher royalties would have on the sector.

"The program fell short for many Albertans," Tremblay said.

The poll indicates many Albertans are skeptical of industry warnings, with six in 10 respondents agreeing the oil and gas industry overinflated the negative fallout from higher royalties. And just 38 per cent of people polled believe the new royalty regime will create job losses in Alberta, while 46 per cent do not.

As for the threat that the oilpatch will withdraw investment, about one-third agreed, but slightly more than half didn't buy it -- although the numbers show more Calgarians remain concerned than people in other areas of the province.

Only 28 per cent of Albertans agreed Stelmach's decision will have a negative effect on them or their families, either through work or through investments, while 52 per cent disagreed.

However, only 37 per cent of the people surveyed said Stelmach's decision will have a positive effect on them or their family through improved government spending on programs or infrastrastructure, while 39 per cent do not.

The poll of 804 Albertans, fielded from Friday to this Monday, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Also see Enlightened Savage for his take on this poll.

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The Autumn Of Our Discontent

It appears that the Alberta Advantage is not all it is trumped up to be. At least to Martha and Henry. I guess we are all malcontents now.

a portrait of disquiet reflected in a new Harris-Decima survey of western Canadians conducted for The Canadian Press.

The online survey looked at the attitudes of 1,400 westerners, but found the most angst and unhappiness in Alberta, the province that leads the nation in growth and per capita wealth.

One in four Alberta respondents said they found people in the province generally grumpier and less civil compared with two years ago.

And despite multibillion-dollar budget surpluses and a provincewide construction boom to try to accommodate the teeming inflow of newcomers:

-24 per cent said the post-secondary education has worsened.

-28 per cent said grade-school education has deteriorated.

-51 per cent said their community has not improved or, in some cases, even worsened.

-70 per cent said there has been no improvement in their family's health and well-being.

The survey, conducted Sept. 10-12, is considered accurate within 2.6 percentage points 19 times out of 20. When just the 350 Alberta respondents are counted, the sampling error is plus or minus 5.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

So I guess a Fall/Winter election is not a good idea for Prince Eddie.

Don't Let Big Oil Set Our Royalty Rates make sure Ed hears from you

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Stelmach Dooms Tory

Farmer Ed steps into a political cow pie. He is going to show up in the big T.O. and announce the joys of rapacious capitalism in Alberta. Yep the hick from the sticks is showing up in the middle of the Ontario Provincial Election. Just the kinda help John Tory needs from his fellow Conservative.

Premier Ed Stelmach will travel to Toronto later this month to tout Alberta's contribution to the Canadian economy.

"I'll also leave a message about what we're doing with respect to the work we're doing on the environment," Stelmach said Wednesday.

The premier said he will attempt to drive home the message that Alberta's boom is Canada's boom, a theme he has told national audiences before.

Stelmach will spend Sept. 24 and 25 in the city and deliver a lunch-hour speech to the Empire Club on the 25th.

Bet this engagement gets postponed till a later date. Wagering may begin now.

Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach is being criticized from within his own ranks for agreeing to make a speech in Toronto during the Ontario election campaign.

A senior cabinet minister, who did not want to be identified, says there's no way the premier should make the Sept. 25 speech to the Empire Club, especially if it bashes Ontario.

"This is a mistake," said the minister as he left a three-day caucus planning session. "He shouldn't have agreed to deliver this speech."

But a Stelmach spokesman says the premier never hesitated to accept the speech when the invitation was extended by the Empire Club.

The Alberta Advantage will be John Tory's disadvantage.

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