EDMONTON, AB (August 19, 2015): With a barrel of Alberta oil now worth less than a case of beer, the NDP government must move away from their risky, ideological experiments that will drive jobs out of Alberta, the Wildrose Official Opposition said today.
“Albertans are worried about being able to pay their bills, making sure their kids are ready for school, but above all that they will still have good paying jobs by the end of the year,” Wildrose Leader Brian Jean said. “We need calm, moderate and sensible leadership that will defend Alberta jobs. Instead, all we are getting from the NDP government are risky economic ideas that couldn’t come at a worse time. They are putting tens of thousands of jobs at risk.”
The price of a barrel of Western Canada Select (WCS), the benchmark for most of the oil Alberta sells sits at $31 today.
Wildrose has highlighted several policies that need to be either reversed or slowed down to protect Alberta jobs:
· Royalty Review;
· 50 per cent increase to minimum wage;
· Increase to business taxes;
· Increase to personal taxes including dividend taxes;
· Exploring Climate Change Panel policy options to 1) implement a carbon tax on everyone and everything, or 2) implement cap-and-trade proposals that would transfer wealth from Alberta to Ontario and Quebec.
“Now is not the time to levy economic experiments on the back of Albertans. It’s time for optimism, hope and firm leadership that shows Alberta will bounce back,” Wildrose Jobs Shadow Minister Grant Hunter said. “Sadly, all of these policies are sending the wrong message to our energy industry and job-creators right across the province.”