Lin Gackle needs another lesson in economics. The Fraser Institute report that Mr. Voss referred to in his initial letter noted 78,733 public sector jobs were created between 2014 and 2018, a 21.5 per cent increase in federal, provincial and municipal jobs, many in support of the Alberta government, while 46,267 private and self employed jobs simply disappeared from Alberta’s economy. As late as Feb. 8, 2019, Statistics Canada reported an additional 16,000 Alberta job loses, most of them full time. All of these job losses can be directly attributed to provincial business bankruptcies and international corporations leaving the province due to the combined Notley/Trudeau disastrous economic and taxation policies affecting Alberta.
The Fraser report did not specify exactly how many Alberta provincial public sector jobs were created during that socialist government’s disastrous four years in office, but the increase moved provincial public sector employment from 19.5 per cent to 23.2 per cent, higher than it has ever been. Notley disingenuously bragged about it, neglecting to explain that government sector jobs do not generate wealth. Voss was challenging NDP candidate Durrell’s comment that a “job is a job?” Mr. Durrell’s comment illustrated just how little he (and most NDP candidates), knew about taxpaying, wealth-generating economies.
Regardless of what level of government created these 78,733 jobs, the main point is that public sector jobs are a cost to taxpayers and nothing more. Although public sector employees pay income tax, they contribute absolutely nothing to the direct wealth of a province or a country. A perfect example was Notleys public service employee hiring to administer the re-distribution of an environmentally ineffective carbon tax that did nothing but cost Alberta families and businesses an unnecessary expense.
In contrast, every private sector job adds to the productivity of a business or corporation, including those self employed. Not only does the private sector employee pay taxes, but the business for which he or she works pays business or corporate tax. I challenge Ms. Gackle to tell me when any government department paid tax?
The unemployment rate in Edmonton currently stands at some 7 per cent, in Calgary about 7.6 per cent and Alberta’s overall rate is about 7.3 cent, higher than it’s ever been in Alberta. If these public sector jobs were such a contributing factor to Alberta’s economy, can Ms. Gackle explain why it was necessary for the Notley/Trudeau cabal to continue to borrow money while Alberta’s economy went down the toilet? Public sector job increases do in fact expand the insidious creep of Socialism and demands that whenever possible, public sector government services should be privatized.
There can be no doubt that during the next four years Mr. Kenney must slowly reduce or eliminate unproductive public sector jobs that accomplish nothing but increase Alberta’s debt and deficit, while at the same time develop and implement economic policies that will encourage business and corporations to re-invest in Alberta.
If Ms. Gackle (or anyone else) would like to challenge these facts, you know where I am.
L. Leugner
