EDMONTON, AB (August 30, 2011): Victims of crime have become the latest casualty of the current government’s inability to prioritize and control spending, the Wildrose Caucus said today.

Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith said that poor fiscal management by the current government has allowed victims to suffer and that a Wildrose government would instead focus on big ticket items that Albertans can live without.

“It’s appalling that victim resolution has been thrown on the PC chopping block,” Smith said. “There is plenty of low-hanging fruit if the government is going to make cuts like carbon capture and storage, new MLA offices and the Alberta Enterprise Corporation. Severance for an outgoing minister usually costs more than the restorative justice program. It makes no sense to swing the axe at victims of crime.”

The government claims that cuts are necessary because the Alberta economy is going through tough times. However, oil prices have skyrocketed this year, breaching the critical $100/barrel mark (more than double the prices seen in 2009 when oil hovered in the $30s) and recent oil and gas land sales are at near-record levels.

“Blaming the economy for bad decisions is pathetic,” said Rob Anderson, the Wildrose Finance critic. “This government has a spending problem and is totally unable to differentiate between needs and wants. For some reason there is money available for MLA raises and golden-parachutes but not even a basic safety net for the families of murder victims. This kind of short-sighted nickel-and-dime cutting while spending an astounding $340 million on a new museum shows a complete lack of good fiscal judgement.”

The Wildrose Caucus stands for free enterprise, less government, increased personal freedom and democracy.

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For further information or to arrange an interview, media are invited to contact:

Brock Harrison

Director of Communications, Wildrose Caucus

Ph: 780-399-2890