The Newsy Neighbour
January Issue #111
Article provided by: Leela Sharon Aheer
Hello Newsy Neighbour Readers! I hope all of you
enjoyed the festive season without too much damage to your waistlines! I met
many of you at various Christmas events and enjoyed many productive
conversations. Fun ones too, as it is always a treat to attend the various
Christmas concerts put on by our schools. Seeing the absolute joy on the faces
of all the “cutie patooties” in their elf, moose, reindeer, snowman, etc.
costumes reminds us all of what really matters in life: our families and our
friends. I hope you all have a happy and healthy new year.
As we enter 2017, there is some positive news on the
oil price front. Unfortunately, our NDP Government keeps passing ideological
legislation that will see much of the benefits exported to other jurisdictions.
The Carbon Tax, the Oil Sands Emissions Limit Act, the Renewable Energy Act and
the Electric Utilities Amendment Act could be called the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
for the Alberta Advantage” as they ensure that:
1. Our
industry will be less competitive. Our jobs and prosperity will be exported to
other jurisdictions with lower environmental standards. The International
Energy Agency predicts that oil demand will continue to increase until at least
2040. Too bad the NDP doesn’t want us to share in the wealth this could bring.
A Fraser Institute report estimates that the Emissions Cap alone will result in
lost production totalling between 150 and 250 Billion Dollars to the Alberta
economy. Think of all the schools, hospitals, infrastructure and opportunities
for you and your children this lost money could buy you.
2. The
average Albertan will be paying much more in taxes and fees to satisfy the
NDP’s ideological experiments.
3. Your
children will be faced with paying off massive debts. Debt servicing means that
your tax dollars will be paying bankers, not providing necessary services.
Please let us know what you think of this, if you are
able to block out the 24/7 propaganda ads from the Government paid for with
borrowed money.
Speaking of expanding waistlines, there is a risk you
may be tempted in January at the second annual Newsy Neighbour Best in Business
Awards Gala. This year’s event goes January 21 at the Strathmore Civic Centre. Aleesha,
Denise, the rest of the Newsy Neighbour team and Yours Truly are huge
supporters of local business. Why? It JUST MAKES SENSE! I’ve said this before
but it is worth repeating. Local business people are your neighbours. Their
children go to school with yours. Their business taxes pay for many of the
services that make your communities great places to live and raise a family.
Local businesses know that happy customers are repeat customers. When you shop
local, everybody wins! Last year’s Gala was a huge success and I hope to see
you at this year’s as the local businesses that went the “extra mile” and
received your votes are honoured. The food was great last year and what the
heck, there’s always February to honour those New Year’s resolutions! See the
Newsy Neighbour website for tickets; I’ve already bought mine.
One more political note. I have been blessed with a
new challenge as the Shadow Minister for Education and for Status of Women. It
was a privilege to serve you as the Shadow Minister for Energy and the
relationships I made and the respect I have for our Energy Sector and the great
Albertans that work in it will never leave me. I will continue to report to you
on energy issues as well as my new portfolios and I look forward to hearing
from you on any issues of concern. It is your views that inform and inspire me in
the Legislature. We have many challenges but I firmly believe that Albertans
make this the greatest province in the greatest country in the world and we
will overcome them. I am honoured to serve you.
Leela Sharon Aheer, MLA
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