Wildrose Alliance MLA Introduces Fiscal Accountability Act

EDMONTON, AB (February 24, 2010):  Today, Wildrose Alliance MLA Rob Anderson (Airdrie-Chestermere) introduced Bill 204 (the Fiscal Accountability Amendment Act, 2010) to limit excessive and out of control government spending.

"Albertans, young and old alike, will be left to pay the bills that this PC government is piling up," stated Anderson. "There is nothing compassionate, responsible or conservative about plunging ourselves and our kids back into debt and risking the prospect of massive cuts to key social programs because they are unable to shut down the all-you-can-eat spending buffet."

Highlights of Anderson's private members' bill include limiting year-over-year increases in government spending to either the rate of inflation plus population growth or the average per-capita spending of Canada's remaining nine provinces.

"Several Alberta Chamber of Commerce chapters, the Taxpayers' Federation, Canadian Federation for Independent Business, Fraser Institute and multiple financial policy experts have repeatedly recommended this piece of legislation as a cornerstone of a responsible fiscal plan for the province," said Anderson.

On February 9, 2010, Finance Minister Ted Morton unveiled a budget with a true deficit of $7.5 billion. Morton's budget is not expected to end the PC government's deficits for at least three years.

"The Wildrose Alliance Caucus has offered a detailed plan to eliminate the provincial deficit in two years and get us back on the right financial track without cutting frontline social programs," concluded Anderson. "It's time that Premier Stelmach and Finance Minister Morton stop talking like fiscally responsible conservatives and start acting like it."