Article Summary
A Time to Reap: Re-investing In Alberta's Public Services
Report by Parkland InstituteThe Parkland Institute's Committee on Alberta's Finances prepared this report. The authors contend the Alberta government is stuck in yesterday’s rhetoric of debt crisis. Rather than making earnest reinvestments in public programs, the authors assert that the provincial government seems more concerned with maintaining low taxes. According to the authors’ study, this plan of action has created instabilities in Alberta’s financial predictions and is less progressive than in the past. Furthermore, they posit “the government appears to see public services not as worthwhile in their own right, but rather as a ‘Greenfield’ for private ‘entrepreneurs.’” For example, they express concern about the government’s continued focus on P3s (public-private partnerships).
The authors caution that the public interest could be placed at risk while the province’s abundant wealth will be focused on private profit-making or empire building. They present statistics regarding Alberta’s economy, fiscal situation, health, education, social service expenditures, as well as homelessness, hunger, and food bank usage. They also present many recommendations that, they contend, would improve the lives of Albertans. They conclude that while the province’s most affluent can purchase services in private markets, lower- and middle-income earners rely on good public health care, education, and social services. Moreover, in the authors’ view, good and affordable public services make for a civil society – which is why they must be maintained, protected, and have a genuine reinvestment.
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Policy Publication Details
| Author(s): | Parkland Institute; | ||
| Publisher: | Parkland Institute [ Visit Website ] | ||
| Year Published: | 2004; | Publisher Type: | Research Institute |
| Publicly Available: | Yes | Research Focus: | Provincial; |
| Registration Required: | No | Language: | English |
| Payment Required: | No | Publication Format: | Adobe PDF |
Subjects / Categories:
Policy Articles / Fiscal & Budgetary / Federal & Provincial Budget
Policy Articles / Regional & Sectoral / Non-profit sector
Policy Articles / Economy / Provincial Economy
Policy Articles / Economy / Provincial Economy / 2004
Policy Articles / Fiscal & Budgetary / Federal & Provincial Budget / 2004
Policy Articles / Regional & Sectoral / Non-profit sector / 2004
Policy Articles / Economy
Policy Articles / Fiscal & Budgetary
Policy Articles / Regional & Sectoral
Keywords / Tags:
Alberta government; debt crisis rhetoric; public program reinvestment; low taxes; private investment; private services; public private partnerships; profit-making; empire building; health care; education; social services; homelessness; Albertans;