October 4, 2005
THE OTHER RED STATE:
Calgary continues to woo our young people (Bob Hughes, October 04, 2005, The Leader-Post)
I have been to the promised land. And, nobody gave me $400 at either crossing of the provincial border. When I passed from Saskatchewan to Alberta, nothing really changed. The sun did not suddenly shine brighter. The rolling hills were empty of trees, or anything resembling green, on either side of the border. There is no Lone Tree Road here. The wind was ripping on both sides. And no matter where you were, the people were complaining fiercely about the tug of war the gas companies continually play with our wallets.In the dawn of a Thursday morning, I hit the road for Calgary, and eight hours later arrived, having quite enjoyed twinned highway all the way, which, until just recently, the government of Saskatchewan didn't realize was necessary. The Tommy Douglas era is alive in Saskatchewan. Not until the bodies kept piling up on the single-lane highway around Gull Lake did the government finally react to growing pressure from distraught family members and weary ambulance drivers and agree to twin the highway known as The Saskatchewan Death Trap. As everybody knows, Saskatchewan does not like to change anything.
The only drawback to a twinned highway is, twice as many young people can leave Saskatchewan at the same time, which, we are told is still happening.
I went to Calgary to visit my oldest son, who is 22 years old, who is studying at Mount Royal College, who works part-time at Visions, who owns and operates his own lawn-care company. I doubt that he will ever return here to live. Calgary is the kind of town I think he thrives in. It is a young city on the move, growing at a rapid rate, a place where fortunes are made and lost daily, a city where the sky is the limit and there are so many choices. What has Calgary got that Saskatchewan hasn't? Our young people, that's what, professionals and electricians and carpenters.
Posted by Orrin Judd at October 4, 2005 8:17 PM
54 20' of fight!
Posted by: JAB at October 4, 2005 10:21 PMsorry, 54 40'
Posted by: JAB at October 4, 2005 10:22 PMNo need to fight. As in my moviecript (The Last Prime Minister), just offer each Albertan - man. woman and child - one million dollors (U.S.) to join as the 51st State, and they will - after some consideration, like 10 minutes!
It would be repaid within a few years, considering the amount of taxes from the oil fields and individual citizens and oher small businesses that would now be directed to Washington instead of that bottomless pit of Ottawa.
Posted by: obc at October 5, 2005 12:43 AMobc:
Since that plan would cost over US$ 3 trillion, perhaps we should lower the potential windfall to US$ 250,000 each, payable over ten years, which would only be about US$ 80 billion a year - quite do-able.
Also, before formally making the offer, we should do some market research.
The people of Alberta might join the Union willingly enough for the equivalent of a big new car or truck per household.
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at October 5, 2005 4:00 AM
obc - We can get thrice as many Mexicans for free. And they don't have a history of lobbying for national health insurance.
Posted by: pj at October 5, 2005 7:00 AMMichael:
Hi, my name is Peter and I sell used Maritime provinces. Have I got a deal to offer you.
Posted by: Peter B at October 5, 2005 7:02 AMPeter b:
I'm still guffawing! LOL!!!!!!
Michael:
I did not say it would be tax free! In fact, it would elevate their total incomes to a level that would raise their tax rate even for their usual annual income.
Posted by: obc at October 5, 2005 9:55 AMpj:
If they want to keep it, it would become State Health Insurance, but don't be surprised if they scrap it altogether, lower taxes accordingly and invite BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHIELD in to handle private insurance again.
The national health care plan has not been a smashing success, despite the lies the socialists up here have spread - unless you never get sick, of course.
Posted by: obc at October 5, 2005 10:00 AMJAB: It's 54° 40' or fight.
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at October 5, 2005 10:41 AMJAB:
...which Robert here sees as a yellow, cowardly slogan crafted by historical proto-liberals. He thinks there should have been no choice.
Posted by: Peter B at October 5, 2005 11:31 AMA few financial enticements to the Hudson Bay Company and the stars & stripes would be flying over the great white north today.
Posted by: Dave W. at October 5, 2005 2:06 PMpj;
In Alberta we pay our healthcare as an insurance anyway. Its simply a provincially owned insurance company, with Blue Cross available if you wish to top up the coverage.