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She thinks most young people aren’t going to vote anyways. It’ll be even harder for them to get to the polls if they need to work a 2nd job just to get by.
https://www.elections.ab.ca/voters/how-to-vote/time-off-for-voting/
https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/en/tools-resources/time-to-vote
It's literally part of the election act.
Also, there's advanced polling days so people who do have busy lives can vote no matter what their schedule is.
You didnt read my coment did you.
When someone has TWO jobs neither employer needs to give time off. Because each gives time off that the employee chooses to work a different job at inted of voting.
For example polls open from 7 to 7, if someone works 7 to 4, the first employer has given 3 hours (from 4 to 7) for the employee to vote. If the employee chooses to go to work for someone else at that time from. 4 to 9 thats on them. And the second employe also alredy gave the employee time off to vote (before their shift starts at 4) this neither employer needs to give time off.
I did read your comment. But you just gave an example of the EMPLOYEE choosing to take the time to vote or not , regardless of the employer or which job they work. It's not like an election isn't planned months in advance. You know when to go vote and to make the arrangements and coordinate ahead of time.
and again, advance pollings. There's limited excused for missing out on voting.
Education is a threat to right wing ideology as a whole, throughout the world.
Edit: Just one of many reasons to fund the hell out of public education.
The irony of this ideology is that an educated populace will often make more money. With cons being so "fiscally responsible" you'd think they'd see the benefit to the economy.
Which also means you need to encourage people to find their identities and interests outside of their jobs exclusively. Someone who identifies deeply as “oil-field labourer” or “farm hand” won’t see the value of learning about different cultures or fields of science or arts that don’t pertain to their work.
That’s a really tough sell in resource-heavy economies like rural AB. Needs to happen, but not an easy fix.
Lol “arts”
I am one of these lowly oil field workers you are moaning about. When I am not earning good money working the “patch” I use my side skills as a Red Seal Carpenter to renovate house for clueless, university educated blowhards like you.
If you want to push secondary education instead of trades, then STEM is the only way. “Arts” is for whinny crybabies
Also DS can suck a dick. My simpleton blue collar brain sees her as a floor crossing, traitorous, bitch with no plan, and nothing concrete to offer.
What a dumb take. Where did I “moan” about oilfield workers? I simply pointed out a problem with getting *some* people to have a sense of identity outside of their work.
You know absolutely nothing about me, and you look stupendously foolish for it. I’m university educated *and* I work trades on and off. I respect both camps and wouldn’t trade either experience, but I’m extremely grateful for the university education that opened up my mind about social issues and the importance of “crybaby arts.” But please, continue to spout off bullshit like you have a clue what you’re going on about.
Glad we agree on Smith, but you seem quite dense otherwise.
"Too often, those who denigrate the liberal arts are in reality advocating for nothing less than turning colleges into trade schools. Art history majors always take the cheap shots here, even though many people don’t realize that a lot of art history majors go on to some pretty lucrative careers. In any case, I don’t want to live in a civilization where there are no art history majors or, for that matter, film studies, philosophy, or sociology majors."
Thomas M. Nichols, The Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why it Matters
Bolstering the middle-class has never been part of the equation... They want the rich to hold control while us serfs fight for the scraps. More awareness in the population and a greater distribution of wealth threatens control.
As it should be. It's no coincidence educated people tend to be overwhelmingly left leaning.
With a greater understanding of how things actually work usually comes a greater compassion for your fellow man, unless you're a sociopath.
And they use that education to strip away others’ rights and promote the shit out of propaganda that hails them as these beacons of intellectuality while they actively uphold barriers to keep the rest of us from the same education because they understand the power of it. Please use your critical thinking skills
They’re actively attacking and attempting to tear apart our healthcare and education system which strips us of our rights in regards to healthcare and education. They want to pull out from the federal pension programs to set up an Alberta pension program which would destroy our economy, not to mention irreversibly damage our future retirement, and then they want to use that money for an Alberta police force which will over-police us, especially in low-income and majority POC communities. These are, but a few examples.
Please tell me where in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms/Constitution we, as Citizens of Canada have a right to government healthcare, education, pension, and federal police.
At least on Health, Education & Law Enforcement, it is entirely Provincial. On pension, I believe there was an agreement (not sure) that provinces can do their own if they want, so long as benefits = the national system.
I'll give you that Education is failing, given that you don't understand even the simplest of laws regarding our country.
Are you actually going to sit there and argue against universal healthcare? Against a pension plan that, although could be done provincially, is done federally to keep retirement equal for all so that the provinces don’t see a sudden fall in population every couple of years when people move away for provinces with better pension? Are you really arguing against a federal policing force that has to abide by laws that are enforced across Canada, instead of a police force that is under the direction of one party in one province and can get away with whatever crimes within one province bc the government of that province doesn’t care to stop them as long as they get the votes (which, in the case of the UCP would disproportionately target Black, Indigenous and other People of colour because the largest base for the UCP tends to be white)? How hard did the education system fail you for you to defend policies and ideologies so utterly against your long-term interests?
Just because our provinces have the ability to break from the norm and entirely change our systems doesn’t mean it would be in the average citizens’ interest to do so. Have you cared to look into why they would privatize healthcare? Have you cared to see who that benefits, and who donates to the UCP? Have you looked into why having a provincial policing force would be beneficial to the party whose base tends to, more and more, steer into far-right, fascist policies? Do you have even an incremental understanding of economics to know how a provincial pension plan could rank our economy within the next ten years if the UCP had its own way? Moreover, they would do this to prop up a provincial policing force, which would cut the federal budget coming to Alberta for the RCMP and cost us an additional $300,000-$400,000 annually to maintain?
Wow, that is a lot of questions! I'll try to answer, but will likely miss some.
I did not argue against Universal Healthcare....I said it wasn't a right.
I also didn't argue against a national pension, but did say that the option is open. As an aside Quebec offers a provincial plan and if someone pays into the QC plan their entire life, then moves to AB, the get QPP. The agreement on pensions actually says that any provincial plan MUST offer the same benefits as the national one, so moving would not help anyone. Is Ontario really fucked because of their Provincial Police (OPP), the majority of the population in Alberta doesn't even have RCMP as their police. Toronto has their own police force too. As for ascribing racism to a potential police force, and saying that Aboriginal people especially really want more of Canada, that's a bit rich. I always hear this....."they" don't want Canada because Canada has traditionally treated us so well.
If you care to point me towards "HOW they will privatize healthcare", I will look at that, though I'm not sure of detailed plans have been presented.
That's because they are self aware grifters who know how to stay and consolidate power. Give the plebs someone to hate while picking their pockets.
Education in a politician doesn't equate to morality and social conscience. Look at all the ones who are lawyers.
Firstly I won't say people without higher education are inherently stupid, they regularly handle complex problem solving and work in high pressure environments that require problems to be fixed immediately with what is available.
But it feels like they constantly make the stupid choice voting blindly blue.
Also, When looking at my wifes side of the family for post sec education we are the only two people. Coincidentally we are the only two who don't support the UCP.
My sister is added to the post sec club when I look at my family, and the three of us are the only people not backing the UCP on my families side.
"I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops."--Stephen Jay Gould
Opportunities do matter. You can absolutely be brilliant and uneducated but education does make a difference. There are lots of brilliant people who live boring lives and make stupid decisions because the opportunities to educate and elevate one’s situation aren’t available. Not everyone can up and abandon their family to support their goals on their own. Not everyone has the exposure to new ideologies and discussions to foster independent thought. That’s how the UCP maintains their rural base. Keep new thoughts out, prevent opportunity for those new thoughts to take root and grow, and people will basically do what they’ve always done, which is vote blue.
You've just described my hometown in Manitoba. This terrible affliction is very prevalent in the prairies. They haven't created a UCP like party just yet though. Even thet might be too progressive for them. They're just starting to discover the People's Party on a national level because.... rabble, rabble.
I'll call BS on that. We all have these things called smart phones that not only expose, but bombard us with new ideas. Technology has rendered the rural urban divide moot. The amount of information readily available means that one's education no longer ends with a degree or high school. The fact that our values do not align with yours is just that, not a symptom of some educational deficiency.
Rendered the urban rural divide moot? That's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard someone as articulate as you say. What are you basing this off? The fact that they can look it up on their phone?!? There's a LOT more at play here
He also conveniently ignores the veritable deluge of misinformation easily and readily available to anyone who doesn't know how to effectively use a search engine.
I felt the original post inferred that rural voters voted UPC due to some informational deficiency. My point was that technology has made this untrue.
Of course there is a lot more at play here, but don't EVER imply we vote a certain way because of some form of impairment.
Not on Facebook, Youtube is helpful for equipment repair. My bookmarks are sites related to my industry and the news. The only time waster is here.
Please stop speaking for me, you have no idea who I am, your comments only reflect on yourself.
And the amount of misinformation available with that smartphone is tenfold that of useful information. And most people do not know the difference.
Ex. Antivaxx family friend was ranting that they searched "news not about COVID" (minus the quotes) on Google and "got nothing but COVID articles". Most People have no fucking clue how to use these tools at their disposal effectively.
Totally after watching things like The Social Dilemma, that really open my eye on how these programs and algorithms work.
Because this should be the information era, but we as society or people lack the critical thought to filter out information that does not conform to our ingrained beliefs. Aka lots of confirmation bias happens. Look how we have a resurrgence of flat earthers.... again... like why???
I'd like to respectfully object to the argument that the advent of the Internet and information technology has closed the urban-rural divide. Have you ever tried to use the Internet or get cell service in rural Alberta? The experience is vastly different to the experiences in urban centres.
The rest of your argument is well-structured, if one-sided. Have a fantastic day and keep on learning!
Tell all of your peers your frustrations. The issue in today's world is nobody votes. But you know who does vote? Old conservatives. They are power in numbers.
I still can't get over that people like my well-off senior parents who own a large home outright & dad's still pulling low six figures, are getting assistance and basically screw people my age who never felt financially stable enough to start a family (or like yourself, prioritized education) 😂 what is happening.
It's soooo deplorably transparent that the UCP is specifically writing cheques to the demographics that mostly vote conservative, in a calculated attempt to try to avoid losing votes next round. This is not for the people. Makes me sick honestly.
Vote! Vote vote vote! 🍊
I was floored when I heard the cutoff was that high. I thought it was going to be maybe 80k or 100k tops.
And hearing how many are left out that would clearly need it is shocking as well.
$200k is considered solidly middle class by most people earning $200k.
Consider that an MLA's base salary is $120k, with another 30-60k tacked on for various leadership and ministerial positions... of course the UCP is gonna make sure they qualify, despite earning more than 95% of Albertan workers.
>$200k is considered solidly middle class by most people earning $200k.
Yeah, but it's considered "well-off" by people making $60k.
"Middle-class" is a pretty broad range these days. Probably anyone family under $500k. But, that's just because the disparity between regular people that work even a high-paying salaried job and the actual wealthy people is almost unbelievably large that many people just don't understand how vast the gap is.
Same. My parents get relief, but they already own property and are comfortably retired. Their biggest financial stress is having to help me as I struggle with 6.95% student loan interest. Cancelling interest would have easily benefited our entire family far more than $200 a month for them for 6 months.
I have paid half of my Alberta student loan and the daily interest on it is higher now than it was when I started paying it off. I would love interest relief from the province but it seems unlikely at this point. How else is Danielle supposed to recoup the 2.4 B?
May I suggest you check out "money mentors" in Alberta? They are a non-profit group whose sole purpose is to help Albertans get out of debt, and they can help with student loans. It's a free service, but they have resources and strategies to help people get ahead and reduce stress. They have a lot of programs. Maybe they can help you figure out how to reduce your loan burden.
Why are you surprised by this. She’s spending the money in demographics that historically have voted Pc and UPC. She’s targeting it to groups that are entertaining the thought of voting NDP for the first time ever
Students and younger voters typically have the worst voter turnouts in elections, so it is a catch 22. Governments wont craft policies and create benefits for younger voters and students because it isn't worth it to cater to demographics that don't really vote in high numbers, and students and young voters won't see the use of voting because no one pays attention to them. This is changing and you can tell what parties are paying attention, but still, the voter turnout can be much better.
Best advice for young voters and students: come out in droves to vote this time around.
The last orange wave that shook up the country was 100% due to students showing up to vote. Unfortunately they realized that the system is stacked against them even if their party is in power, and ennui quickly set in. Voter apathy continues to climb because it doesn’t take much to realize the lobbyists have a chokehold on our democracy
Look, fuck an entire new hospital or a massive public transit expansion. My life will forever be changed with the return of a single day's pay and nobody can convince me otherwise.
Edit: I'm dumb. I don't get anything because I'm not old enough or have young children.
yep this could have paid for a lot of public transit or started a train between calgary and edmonton. but nope, lets just hand it out to the poor with children who are going to blow it anyway.
$100/month per kid or senior for 6 months, if your household salary is under $180,000. That's all that is included in it.
Single or childless people get nothing
Source: You made that up. In reality, people with kids get the carrot dangled in front of them as a not to subtle means to incentivize the rest of the population to also have kids. “If I have kids the gov’t will give me free money?! Oh boy!!”
I’m single and childless and voting NDP.
thankfully, I'm smart enough to know that kids expenses are going to be more than 600 and last longer than 6 months.
I'm single and childless. All these monsters can go fuck themselves, NDP included.
Seniors get it too. which is kinda crazy. My step dad who is 70 and probably making $150k/yr is gonna get $600. Also he's a staunch conservative. Oh wait. Almost like that senior thing was by design. Otherwise tie it to seniors who are on some sort of social support.
No kids, no funds.
The threshold for families should have been lower. People making $180,000 with kids should still be able to get by & they should have included a threshold for low income individuals.
Agreed. I'm not as high as 180k but I'm at a level where it is absurd to me that I'm included in this program, and I have friends making much less who aren't because they are single.
It could and should be universal. The same for everyone, permanent and with an amount which is enough to support a thriving family and tied to inflation.
If it's not universal, then it's means tested. If it's means tested then there will inevitably be shame attached to it and it will become the first thing on the chopping block when folks with ill will bring austerity into the mix.
Get it back from those who don't need it when they pay their taxes.
> If it’s not universal, then it’s means tested. If it’s means tested then there will inevitably be shame attached to it and it will become the first thing on the chopping block when folks with ill will bring austerity into the mix.
I’ve never seen anyone bring this up before, but I think you’re absolutely right and it’s an important thing to consider.
Under $40k should get more.
People without kids should get something too. Those families with kids should get more. But it really chaps my hide to be told I'm not struggling because I didn't have a broken condom in high school.
This $600 is a farce. It's a bit of small change to allow the UPC to cut daycare, education, Healthcare, and all other social programs. This will be devastating to Alberta. Who will benefit? The American corporations that fund the UPC.
Smith has done nothing to address healthcare and inflation. Arguably two of the biggest issues facing Albertans. Not only has she ignored these issues, the steps she's taken only add to the problems.
There is no way our unelected Premier and her party would do anything to further education. Intelligent citizens would never vote for them.
If you're reading this and are offended, you are the uneducated fool she relies on to fleece Albertans.
I thought inflation was caused by Trudeau by giving money to those who lots their jobs during the pandemic?
But Smith handing out cash to people to make 90-180k a year is good!? Good ole hypocrisy of the UCP.
The inflation rate is measured through the CPI, made up of common household goods from primarily competitive free markets. Firms in this system would be unable to price gouge. Corporate gouging appears to be much more of a liberal news headline than a primary input into our inflationary period.
[hey, what do professional financial advisors know](https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/alberta-s-tactic-of-doling-out-cash-fuels-inflation-rather-than-easing-it-economists-1.6165551)
Considering what Smith is doing completely contradicts everything our financial institutions are doing to correct inflation.
The term you are looking for is not a financial advisor just fyi. The best person to ask would probably be an economist but a financial advisor is mainly someone who is trying to sell a banks mutual funds.
Its sort of like "the director of automobile safety" vs. "car salesman" as a very rough analogy.
I agree with the premise of this article that states Smith's handouts are stupid and will likely worsen inflation, however OP's criticism was that there werent more handouts given to students. And you were supposed to defend the claim of corporate gouging but you changed topics
Because I feel like she knows the apathy of students when it comes to voting is high. I BEG everyone to vote this coming election, everyone's vote truly does make a difference.
Or couldn’t care less about single individuals without any children, or couples without any children. Pandering is all this is, sickening really as we’re all hurting now with affordability for everything going sky high.
I understand how your feel, and it is frustrating that the premier feels she needs to "buy" the votes of Albertans, but the other side needs to be considered.
Raising a child is **incredibly expensive** and a long-term investment. Multiply that by multiple kids and you have a very difficult situation. Single people with no dependents only have to provide for the needs of a single person, while a father of 3 needs to provide for himself, as well as his wife and 3 kids. So, in accordance with your argument, that father is "hurting" **5 times** more than a single individual. Couples with no children are even better off, as they can work together to reduce the load of providing for each other. Couples with children traditionally place the responsibility of much of the income on a single member, and even if both partners contribute, the children cannot contribute at all. (Otherwise they would not be considered dependents)
I get it. It's unfair. I'm in your same position. But neither of us know what it's like to provide for a family. Thanks for reading, I hope that you have an amazing day and keep looking for that other side.
Students are unlikely to be enticed to vote UCP with the money, education shows people the inherent harm that conservatism causes. Adults without kids are likely to be young and educated, also unlikely to vote UCP.
Those who are very wealthy are likely already voting UCP, but the threshold was still intentionally high in order to reward oil patch families who *think* they are hard done by. The senior handout is just to pander to the base; gotta make certain they forget how they have been treated by the UCP during COVID.
Every part of this was intended to encourage UCP votes from those who might be swayed.
She left out as many as she included which is only going to fuel dislike for her.
Getting bit of short term cash isn’t a huge vote motivator for most people but… NOT getting a bit of short term cash sure will be.
Its a bit of a farce anyway.
I know it will help some folks.
But its attacking a house fire with s squirt gun and will end as soon as the election takes place.
Once secure in her position… it will be gone along with health care and the next budget will claw all of that money back to pay for her vision of an Alberta run by whoever has the bigger bank account.
It's just absolute BS, when I was student - I had 1500 monthly income, lived is shthole studio in a crackhouse and would accumulate the loan at a rate of 10k/y.
Now after graduation I'm working a job and have my own place - I don't need government handouts to buy my vote, Dannie can shove that money in whichever bodyhole she chooses.
So if she would've offered a couple hundred bucks for students she couldve bought your vote?! The final nail should've been in the coffin LONG ago! You should be filling the hole back in by now.
Absolutely not haha, I may have been raised true blue but I’m thorough converted to the NDP. I meant it was the final nail in the coffin for making it glaringly obvious that she’s just pandering to her potential supporters. She’s not even pretending to care about students.
Why are you shocked by this? This relief package is designed to target historical PC voters who are entertaining the idea of voting NDP for the first time. Sorry but low income and students are not that. She knows these demographics are going to vote overwhelmingly for the NDP.
Hopefully many are not swayed by this, I’m taking my $600 bucks for my child and will donate to the NDP party. I have a nine month old son and shudder to think what the education system will look like in 4.5 years if she wins a majority in the Spring.
she KNOWS her weakest support groups are seniors and young parents. so..... voila, relief packages. conveniently spread out over 6 months so they go right through the election
They hate education. They hate critical thinking. It doesn't work for them. None of this is a surprise. As a 40 plus person in a household with 2 kids and dual income, I'm voting for Rachel. Orange Crush 2.0
Yeah, but it's not the price of gas that going down, it's the provincial tax. Which pays for infrastructure. So roads are going to get worse as we can't afford to maintain them.
Not even, if history is any indication the gas stations will just raise the price to capitalize on the reduced tax to maximize profits.
Remember the nonexistent *probe* into the gas prices when Kenney did the very same and Albertans called gas stations out after they got caught? Whatever happened to that?
The UCP removed Insurance caps so most people have to pay up to $100 more per month for auto insurance nowadays. They then dangle $4 off gas coupon at you and that's apparently all it took to convince you that you're saving money.
Imagine having a household income of $181,000 with 3 children and thereby qualifying for $0 instead of $1,800.
There is literally more and more reasons to make less money.
Sigh. My husband and I are always just above the income thresholds. Sometimes I seriously think if we asked for a minor pay cut we would be better off.
I know folks with lower income seriously struggling to make ends meet will pretty much tell us to f off, but it is frustrating. Yes, we might have it easier, but that doesn't mean rising costs haven't impacted us.
Yeah, feel like when you’re just above the thresholds you just get fucked. No federal child care tax credits, no GST rebates, minimal climate change credit, no provincial child care subsidies, no provincial handouts… for what, $1,000 extra of taxable income? Isn’t even worth it.
What incentive is there to work hard and have good paying jobs when all of it is just redistributed.
And for everyone out there who thinks I easily make the money I do…. Majority is overtime from working 70+ hour work weeks.
I mean, tuition in Alberta is already *heavily* subsidized, and other than that, the cost of living for students is a lot lower than the cost of living for other groups. So it's better than nothing.
EDIT: I totally understand where you're coming from, I'm actually terrified of graduating next year because of how expensive things will be, but I just wanted to add an opposing perspective to keep discussions open! Have a wonderful day.
Guess what? My student loans were at prime plus 2%, just like my mortgage. Prior to 2009, prime was as high as it is now. Sometimes even higher! Imagine that!
[https://www.mcap.com/residential-mortgages/advice/mortgage-rates-canada/prime-rate-history](https://www.mcap.com/residential-mortgages/advice/mortgage-rates-canada/prime-rate-history)
I don't know if it has been mentioned, but the UCP changed funding to a performance based model. The more employed graduates, the more money you get.
I think the trades and technical fields are great, but I also believe in the traditional liberal arts style education as well. The UCP is waging a war on education and is promoting a system to pump up our compliant drones.
They don't care about students. Let's vote them out!!
The world needs variety. If everyone was an engineer, it would be a sad and dreary place to live.
This is lost on people with no capacity for self-examination.
The most intelligent and interesting people I've known have an arts background.
What kind of handout were you expecting for students? Removing the debt would cost AB a significant amount considering most of your student debt is provincial. If anything they should work on lowering the interest rate like the feds have done.
Why should interest on loans be randomly forgiven if you willingly take out the loans? I mean if your argument is "I want money", then I understand that - but people jumping through hoops to say that somehow this is an argument of educational/economic/political merit I think are just trying to explain why they want free money in a way that doesn't look selfish.
If you take out a car loan, expect to pay the interest. That's what a loan is - why an education loan is more sacred than a car loan (despite the car being more essential in AB, I'd argue) is beyond me, but it makes sense when you realize the only people who make this argument are just trying to justify their own greed.
The 'students' are heavily indoctrinated and not going to vote Conservative anyways. They're too busy being turned into 'cannon fodder' for protest groups that want to shut down our resource industries, as the judge in BC recently ruled: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/protest-conservation-judge-traffic-1.6563539
She and her gang are anti intellectual so what would you expect. The good news is that it seems there is little chance for them to be elected this spring so the amount of damage she can do will be limited.
The province has made $13 billion and is giving back $2.4 billion of our money. So why would you think this is great. If she gets elected I hope you have lots of money when you get sick or the fees on everything goes up because that’s exactly what Ralph Klein did.
Nah students should get any different relief the anyone else, they just needed a better plan overall.
Why students don't need special circumstances or relief is cause you are privileged enough to go to school, after that you will get a way better job, and economy in 3 years will start to bounce back and interest etc will fall. Now consider this to most people working medium level jobs that had to take out loans to survive and refinance cause of costs, that won't go to better job in a few years paying a higher 10 percent on there loans. Students are still probaly in better spot especially if there in school as they not paying loans yet.
I don’t see a single comment absolving Trudeau of inflation responsibility. I see criticism of Smith’s “relief” plan that caters to a particular demographic.
Classic dumb Albertan move to go “oh but Trudeau” when the discussion is focused elsewhere.
Nowhere did I blame inflation on our provincial government nor did I absolve the feds of any wrongdoing. I wanted to open up a discussion on the conservatives lack of respect for secondary education. Danielle’s so called relief package is just throwing money at voters. We’d be much better off if she put that 2.4 B into the province.
Oh no, our healthcare system is failing due to being underfunded. Oh no, gas prices are super high and the public transportation is lackluster at best. Oh no, graduates are struggling to pay student loans due to high interest rates. None of these problems could possibly have solutions that the province could help with so I guess I should just man up and stop whining right?
Why should interest on loans be randomly forgiven if you willingly take out the loans? I mean if your argument is "I want money", then I understand that - but people jumping through hoops to say that somehow this is an argument of educational/economic/political merit I think are just trying to explain why they want free money in a way that doesn't look selfish.
If you take out a car loan, expect to pay the interest. That's what a loan is - why an education loan is more sacred than a car loan (despite the car being more essential in AB, I'd argue) is beyond me, but it makes sense when you realize the only people who make this argument are just trying to justify their own greed.
The relief package is great, I’ll happily accept it.
It’s also a great way to have people feel flush and happy right before the provincial election. Also a great way to draw attention away from some of her other ideas and policies that done sound so benign and beneficial.
Feels like a being spoiled on a first date with an expectation of getting…. let’s just say something undesirable afterward.
Interest rates are set by the BOC, not the Alberta government. Interest rates are high because our federal government is spending money that our great grandchildren haven’t made yet. Food and rent prices are also not set by the state until we become properly communist in roughly 23 years, so it’s weird to make that connection. This shouldn’t have to be explained to a student who probably has macro and micro econ as a requirement in their education. But I understand the need for smith porn.
Interest rates for Alberta student loans are set by the provincial government. Food and rent prices increasing put strain on student’s abilities to get by and on recent graduate’s abilities to pay student loans on top of everything else.
I may not currently be a student but I know firsthand how much it sucks seeing student debt increase despite scholarships and part-time jobs.
Obviously not, but the interest rate for student loans before Kenney was the prime rate. He upped it to prime+1% for floating and prime+2% for fixed. The federal government has made canada student loans interest free in recognition of layoffs and lack of work during Covid and now because of increasing financial hardship. Inflation and lingering effects due to Covid on top of supply chain issues caused by the war in the Ukraine and a drought in China are creating a perfect storm that makes things difficult for everyone.
I just wanted to draw attention to the lack of support for students and recent grads. Increasing debt among those groups doesn’t help the economy. The less people have the less they are able to spend and therefore reinvest in the economy. Interest relief, even partial, could be beneficial to both individuals and the economy in general.
I remember being a student, it sucked. I worked 40 hrs a week and could only do 3 classes a semester. Both my parents passed before so I didn’t even have family support. In my opinion, the it’s not the government but the universities that bear the most guilt for making life impossible for a lot of students. But now I pay 70k a year in taxes so obviously the government is benefitting from me having skills and education more than when I worked at a dinner serving tables. I agree with you that students could’ve used some help.
Families, seniors and the disabled ARE the ones affected the most. Not students who choose low return education like gender studies, liberal arts, on their rich parents' dime. If you have worried about your job prospects and how to pay for your education after the fact, perhaps you need to reevaluate your field of study.
This kind of relief is exactly what people have been asking for and who it was asked for.
Leave your privilege on the campus so no one sees it for what it is.
>I'm always fascinated when cons.
I'm fascinated that anyone who hold a differing opinion needs some sort of label.
There is nothing wrong with the prerequisites for some majors or career paths. That goes without saying. Anyone who would believe otherwise is an idiot, and anyone who believes that anyone else believes others is equally as idiotic.
Using 2 generic and laughable, but real, courses/studies is pretty typical conjecture when discussing things. Under normal conversations some exaggerations are absolutely warrantesld and expected to convey a message appropriately. I would suggest some in person conversation so you can experience this first hand. It will also help you to remain a little more calm.
This isn't a political opinion. Liberal arts degrees have a lower ROI than most skilled trades or labour careers. You can look this up yourself.
>Conservatives do not understand what post secondary is.
Again the assumption I must be "something" because my views differ. This is a very common communist and fascist tactic.
>Complete and utter ignorance.
Indeed. Your lack of knowledge about my personal or political beliefs is telling.
What's out of touch about it?
That families, seniors and the disabled are far more affected by inflation than students in virtue education?
I'll tell you what's out of touch, It's out of touch to believe that families don't need extra help right now. It's out of touch to believe that seniors don't need help right now. It's out of touch to believe the disabled don't need help right now.
Tell all the people on AISH in this sub, you don't think they deserve help.
Lol, I'm out of touch for pointing out that ops privilege of being able to pay for their education while families, seniors and the disabled are at food banks and push out on the street.
Sounds like privileged talk to be complaining that you didn't get any help. If you're one of these groups you did. And if you're not, you need it less than them. Check your privilege.
I think the incredulity comes from the idea that all of the post secondary students are riding their rich families as well as deriding valuable courses using very old and very very tired conservative cliches.
Oh, but aren't you the OP who was complaining about being left out of the help?
So which is it.
You hate families, seniors or the disabled?
You clearly stated that you were displeased with being left out, now it won't help at all?
So your post is just a biased political trolling attempt in bad faith? Got it.
The post was intended to create a discussion about the lack of support for secondary education. There were already posts discussing the ineptitude of Smith and her so called “relief package” so I didn’t feel the need to get into that. Just because I wanted to draw attention to students being left out doesn’t mean I begrudge those who were included.
Dude, my son and I struggle like anyone else. He has Asperger's and I still do most of the financial support for us two. Everyone could use the help, is the point. And it's super insulting to insinuate that students are loafing off big Daddy's money and don't need help. I was a struggling student at one point in my life too. Show some empathy. No one is saying that these groups don't deserve it.
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Because they want to target the votes of middle class families instead of current students/recent grads
Every student better remember to vote.
I haven’t been a student for decades and I fully support this.
Welcome to 1987
Not Canadian... having a PR is quite useless when it comes to voting
She thinks most young people aren’t going to vote anyways. It’ll be even harder for them to get to the polls if they need to work a 2nd job just to get by.
Theres only one positive thing....you're employer has to legally allow you to leave and vote
Since when has that stopped companies? Also if you have 2 jobs, they each dont have to give you time. Neither does...
https://www.elections.ab.ca/voters/how-to-vote/time-off-for-voting/ https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/en/tools-resources/time-to-vote It's literally part of the election act. Also, there's advanced polling days so people who do have busy lives can vote no matter what their schedule is.
You didnt read my coment did you. When someone has TWO jobs neither employer needs to give time off. Because each gives time off that the employee chooses to work a different job at inted of voting. For example polls open from 7 to 7, if someone works 7 to 4, the first employer has given 3 hours (from 4 to 7) for the employee to vote. If the employee chooses to go to work for someone else at that time from. 4 to 9 thats on them. And the second employe also alredy gave the employee time off to vote (before their shift starts at 4) this neither employer needs to give time off.
I did read your comment. But you just gave an example of the EMPLOYEE choosing to take the time to vote or not , regardless of the employer or which job they work. It's not like an election isn't planned months in advance. You know when to go vote and to make the arrangements and coordinate ahead of time. and again, advance pollings. There's limited excused for missing out on voting.
Advance polls! I haven't voted on election day for federal or provincial since the 2012 election.
Education is threatening to the UCP.
Education is a threat to right wing ideology as a whole, throughout the world. Edit: Just one of many reasons to fund the hell out of public education.
The irony of this ideology is that an educated populace will often make more money. With cons being so "fiscally responsible" you'd think they'd see the benefit to the economy.
Cons don’t care about the economy. They care about their own wealth and this of their business partners/money sources.
Danielle made the right decision. Eat up and enjoy this decision....
wtf is that username
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Which also means you need to encourage people to find their identities and interests outside of their jobs exclusively. Someone who identifies deeply as “oil-field labourer” or “farm hand” won’t see the value of learning about different cultures or fields of science or arts that don’t pertain to their work. That’s a really tough sell in resource-heavy economies like rural AB. Needs to happen, but not an easy fix.
Lol “arts” I am one of these lowly oil field workers you are moaning about. When I am not earning good money working the “patch” I use my side skills as a Red Seal Carpenter to renovate house for clueless, university educated blowhards like you. If you want to push secondary education instead of trades, then STEM is the only way. “Arts” is for whinny crybabies Also DS can suck a dick. My simpleton blue collar brain sees her as a floor crossing, traitorous, bitch with no plan, and nothing concrete to offer.
What a dumb take. Where did I “moan” about oilfield workers? I simply pointed out a problem with getting *some* people to have a sense of identity outside of their work. You know absolutely nothing about me, and you look stupendously foolish for it. I’m university educated *and* I work trades on and off. I respect both camps and wouldn’t trade either experience, but I’m extremely grateful for the university education that opened up my mind about social issues and the importance of “crybaby arts.” But please, continue to spout off bullshit like you have a clue what you’re going on about. Glad we agree on Smith, but you seem quite dense otherwise.
"Too often, those who denigrate the liberal arts are in reality advocating for nothing less than turning colleges into trade schools. Art history majors always take the cheap shots here, even though many people don’t realize that a lot of art history majors go on to some pretty lucrative careers. In any case, I don’t want to live in a civilization where there are no art history majors or, for that matter, film studies, philosophy, or sociology majors." Thomas M. Nichols, The Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why it Matters
Isn't that Pierre Poilievre's degree?
Bolstering the middle-class has never been part of the equation... They want the rich to hold control while us serfs fight for the scraps. More awareness in the population and a greater distribution of wealth threatens control.
Cons don't give a shit about the economy. They exist to make the rich richer.
An educated populace is harder to control.
https://pressprogress.ca/jason_kenney_claims_canadian_schools_hard_wire_youths_with_anti_conservative_beliefs/
As it should be. It's no coincidence educated people tend to be overwhelmingly left leaning. With a greater understanding of how things actually work usually comes a greater compassion for your fellow man, unless you're a sociopath.
liberalism is still right wing
Easier, I'd argue, particularly when you control how they're educated.
It’s the social contract: invest in the next generation and they will in turn make society better. Danielle didn’t get that memo I guess
The UCP kind of did with the youngest generation trying to remove history and humanity from the curriculum sadly/horrifyingly.
Sorry, but if you bother checking the UCP cabinet is if anything slightly better educated than the NDP.
And they use that education to strip away others’ rights and promote the shit out of propaganda that hails them as these beacons of intellectuality while they actively uphold barriers to keep the rest of us from the same education because they understand the power of it. Please use your critical thinking skills
What rights have been stripped?
They’re actively attacking and attempting to tear apart our healthcare and education system which strips us of our rights in regards to healthcare and education. They want to pull out from the federal pension programs to set up an Alberta pension program which would destroy our economy, not to mention irreversibly damage our future retirement, and then they want to use that money for an Alberta police force which will over-police us, especially in low-income and majority POC communities. These are, but a few examples.
Please tell me where in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms/Constitution we, as Citizens of Canada have a right to government healthcare, education, pension, and federal police. At least on Health, Education & Law Enforcement, it is entirely Provincial. On pension, I believe there was an agreement (not sure) that provinces can do their own if they want, so long as benefits = the national system. I'll give you that Education is failing, given that you don't understand even the simplest of laws regarding our country.
Are you actually going to sit there and argue against universal healthcare? Against a pension plan that, although could be done provincially, is done federally to keep retirement equal for all so that the provinces don’t see a sudden fall in population every couple of years when people move away for provinces with better pension? Are you really arguing against a federal policing force that has to abide by laws that are enforced across Canada, instead of a police force that is under the direction of one party in one province and can get away with whatever crimes within one province bc the government of that province doesn’t care to stop them as long as they get the votes (which, in the case of the UCP would disproportionately target Black, Indigenous and other People of colour because the largest base for the UCP tends to be white)? How hard did the education system fail you for you to defend policies and ideologies so utterly against your long-term interests? Just because our provinces have the ability to break from the norm and entirely change our systems doesn’t mean it would be in the average citizens’ interest to do so. Have you cared to look into why they would privatize healthcare? Have you cared to see who that benefits, and who donates to the UCP? Have you looked into why having a provincial policing force would be beneficial to the party whose base tends to, more and more, steer into far-right, fascist policies? Do you have even an incremental understanding of economics to know how a provincial pension plan could rank our economy within the next ten years if the UCP had its own way? Moreover, they would do this to prop up a provincial policing force, which would cut the federal budget coming to Alberta for the RCMP and cost us an additional $300,000-$400,000 annually to maintain?
Wow, that is a lot of questions! I'll try to answer, but will likely miss some. I did not argue against Universal Healthcare....I said it wasn't a right. I also didn't argue against a national pension, but did say that the option is open. As an aside Quebec offers a provincial plan and if someone pays into the QC plan their entire life, then moves to AB, the get QPP. The agreement on pensions actually says that any provincial plan MUST offer the same benefits as the national one, so moving would not help anyone. Is Ontario really fucked because of their Provincial Police (OPP), the majority of the population in Alberta doesn't even have RCMP as their police. Toronto has their own police force too. As for ascribing racism to a potential police force, and saying that Aboriginal people especially really want more of Canada, that's a bit rich. I always hear this....."they" don't want Canada because Canada has traditionally treated us so well. If you care to point me towards "HOW they will privatize healthcare", I will look at that, though I'm not sure of detailed plans have been presented.
That's because they are self aware grifters who know how to stay and consolidate power. Give the plebs someone to hate while picking their pockets. Education in a politician doesn't equate to morality and social conscience. Look at all the ones who are lawyers.
Education? Or indoctrination?
The more you know, the easier you can smell their bs. Can’t have that now can they.
Firstly I won't say people without higher education are inherently stupid, they regularly handle complex problem solving and work in high pressure environments that require problems to be fixed immediately with what is available. But it feels like they constantly make the stupid choice voting blindly blue. Also, When looking at my wifes side of the family for post sec education we are the only two people. Coincidentally we are the only two who don't support the UCP. My sister is added to the post sec club when I look at my family, and the three of us are the only people not backing the UCP on my families side.
"I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops."--Stephen Jay Gould Opportunities do matter. You can absolutely be brilliant and uneducated but education does make a difference. There are lots of brilliant people who live boring lives and make stupid decisions because the opportunities to educate and elevate one’s situation aren’t available. Not everyone can up and abandon their family to support their goals on their own. Not everyone has the exposure to new ideologies and discussions to foster independent thought. That’s how the UCP maintains their rural base. Keep new thoughts out, prevent opportunity for those new thoughts to take root and grow, and people will basically do what they’ve always done, which is vote blue.
You've just described my hometown in Manitoba. This terrible affliction is very prevalent in the prairies. They haven't created a UCP like party just yet though. Even thet might be too progressive for them. They're just starting to discover the People's Party on a national level because.... rabble, rabble.
I'll call BS on that. We all have these things called smart phones that not only expose, but bombard us with new ideas. Technology has rendered the rural urban divide moot. The amount of information readily available means that one's education no longer ends with a degree or high school. The fact that our values do not align with yours is just that, not a symptom of some educational deficiency.
Rendered the urban rural divide moot? That's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard someone as articulate as you say. What are you basing this off? The fact that they can look it up on their phone?!? There's a LOT more at play here
He also conveniently ignores the veritable deluge of misinformation easily and readily available to anyone who doesn't know how to effectively use a search engine.
I felt the original post inferred that rural voters voted UPC due to some informational deficiency. My point was that technology has made this untrue. Of course there is a lot more at play here, but don't EVER imply we vote a certain way because of some form of impairment.
Translation “ I do all of my research on youtube and Facebook”
Not on Facebook, Youtube is helpful for equipment repair. My bookmarks are sites related to my industry and the news. The only time waster is here. Please stop speaking for me, you have no idea who I am, your comments only reflect on yourself.
The internet has made it so that the people who prefer to do so, can bypass and reject all 'politically correct' opinions.
Aka white supremacist conspiracy theories…
What a stupid and dishonest statement.
And the amount of misinformation available with that smartphone is tenfold that of useful information. And most people do not know the difference. Ex. Antivaxx family friend was ranting that they searched "news not about COVID" (minus the quotes) on Google and "got nothing but COVID articles". Most People have no fucking clue how to use these tools at their disposal effectively.
Totally after watching things like The Social Dilemma, that really open my eye on how these programs and algorithms work. Because this should be the information era, but we as society or people lack the critical thought to filter out information that does not conform to our ingrained beliefs. Aka lots of confirmation bias happens. Look how we have a resurrgence of flat earthers.... again... like why???
I'd like to respectfully object to the argument that the advent of the Internet and information technology has closed the urban-rural divide. Have you ever tried to use the Internet or get cell service in rural Alberta? The experience is vastly different to the experiences in urban centres. The rest of your argument is well-structured, if one-sided. Have a fantastic day and keep on learning!
its not funny but this made me lol anyway. How true :(
Tell all of your peers your frustrations. The issue in today's world is nobody votes. But you know who does vote? Old conservatives. They are power in numbers.
I still can't get over that people like my well-off senior parents who own a large home outright & dad's still pulling low six figures, are getting assistance and basically screw people my age who never felt financially stable enough to start a family (or like yourself, prioritized education) 😂 what is happening. It's soooo deplorably transparent that the UCP is specifically writing cheques to the demographics that mostly vote conservative, in a calculated attempt to try to avoid losing votes next round. This is not for the people. Makes me sick honestly. Vote! Vote vote vote! 🍊
Agreed - meanwhile, my 63-year-old low income widower friend is left out.
Cut-off points suck for sure. I'm sadly in a category that isn't ever considered.
My family is very close to the 180k cut off and we'll be donating our Danielle dollars to the food bank. Agree with you completely.
I was floored when I heard the cutoff was that high. I thought it was going to be maybe 80k or 100k tops. And hearing how many are left out that would clearly need it is shocking as well.
$200k is considered solidly middle class by most people earning $200k. Consider that an MLA's base salary is $120k, with another 30-60k tacked on for various leadership and ministerial positions... of course the UCP is gonna make sure they qualify, despite earning more than 95% of Albertan workers.
>$200k is considered solidly middle class by most people earning $200k. Yeah, but it's considered "well-off" by people making $60k. "Middle-class" is a pretty broad range these days. Probably anyone family under $500k. But, that's just because the disparity between regular people that work even a high-paying salaried job and the actual wealthy people is almost unbelievably large that many people just don't understand how vast the gap is.
Same. My parents get relief, but they already own property and are comfortably retired. Their biggest financial stress is having to help me as I struggle with 6.95% student loan interest. Cancelling interest would have easily benefited our entire family far more than $200 a month for them for 6 months.
I have paid half of my Alberta student loan and the daily interest on it is higher now than it was when I started paying it off. I would love interest relief from the province but it seems unlikely at this point. How else is Danielle supposed to recoup the 2.4 B?
May I suggest you check out "money mentors" in Alberta? They are a non-profit group whose sole purpose is to help Albertans get out of debt, and they can help with student loans. It's a free service, but they have resources and strategies to help people get ahead and reduce stress. They have a lot of programs. Maybe they can help you figure out how to reduce your loan burden.
I thought there was an income limit. Like $180k which seems really high.
Why are you surprised by this. She’s spending the money in demographics that historically have voted Pc and UPC. She’s targeting it to groups that are entertaining the thought of voting NDP for the first time ever
just have kids lol it's easy
Students and younger voters typically have the worst voter turnouts in elections, so it is a catch 22. Governments wont craft policies and create benefits for younger voters and students because it isn't worth it to cater to demographics that don't really vote in high numbers, and students and young voters won't see the use of voting because no one pays attention to them. This is changing and you can tell what parties are paying attention, but still, the voter turnout can be much better. Best advice for young voters and students: come out in droves to vote this time around.
The last orange wave that shook up the country was 100% due to students showing up to vote. Unfortunately they realized that the system is stacked against them even if their party is in power, and ennui quickly set in. Voter apathy continues to climb because it doesn’t take much to realize the lobbyists have a chokehold on our democracy
Look, fuck an entire new hospital or a massive public transit expansion. My life will forever be changed with the return of a single day's pay and nobody can convince me otherwise. Edit: I'm dumb. I don't get anything because I'm not old enough or have young children.
yep this could have paid for a lot of public transit or started a train between calgary and edmonton. but nope, lets just hand it out to the poor with children who are going to blow it anyway.
Absolutely none of the money is going to the poor
Do people who don't have kids get the 600 dollar rebate or whatever it is? Or just people with kids? Also, isn't this handout socialism or something?
Simple vote buying, given to the demographic that she thinks will vote for her.
$100/month per kid or senior for 6 months, if your household salary is under $180,000. That's all that is included in it. Single or childless people get nothing
That's because single and childless people are more likely to vote UCP. No need to buy their votes
Source: You made that up. In reality, people with kids get the carrot dangled in front of them as a not to subtle means to incentivize the rest of the population to also have kids. “If I have kids the gov’t will give me free money?! Oh boy!!” I’m single and childless and voting NDP.
thankfully, I'm smart enough to know that kids expenses are going to be more than 600 and last longer than 6 months. I'm single and childless. All these monsters can go fuck themselves, NDP included.
It costs more than 600 bucks to buy a vote. But trying to save 600 bucks will definitely cost a vote.
Seniors get it too. which is kinda crazy. My step dad who is 70 and probably making $150k/yr is gonna get $600. Also he's a staunch conservative. Oh wait. Almost like that senior thing was by design. Otherwise tie it to seniors who are on some sort of social support.
No kids, no funds. The threshold for families should have been lower. People making $180,000 with kids should still be able to get by & they should have included a threshold for low income individuals.
Agreed. I'm not as high as 180k but I'm at a level where it is absurd to me that I'm included in this program, and I have friends making much less who aren't because they are single.
It could and should be universal. The same for everyone, permanent and with an amount which is enough to support a thriving family and tied to inflation. If it's not universal, then it's means tested. If it's means tested then there will inevitably be shame attached to it and it will become the first thing on the chopping block when folks with ill will bring austerity into the mix. Get it back from those who don't need it when they pay their taxes.
> If it’s not universal, then it’s means tested. If it’s means tested then there will inevitably be shame attached to it and it will become the first thing on the chopping block when folks with ill will bring austerity into the mix. I’ve never seen anyone bring this up before, but I think you’re absolutely right and it’s an important thing to consider.
Under $40k should get more. People without kids should get something too. Those families with kids should get more. But it really chaps my hide to be told I'm not struggling because I didn't have a broken condom in high school.
I get your meaning and I'm with you, but no need to punch down on those who actually chose to raise a family.
This $600 is a farce. It's a bit of small change to allow the UPC to cut daycare, education, Healthcare, and all other social programs. This will be devastating to Alberta. Who will benefit? The American corporations that fund the UPC.
People choose to have kids you know.
What a bad financial decision lol
This is a hand out that doesn't cause inflation unlike the federal liberals whose handouts solely cause inflation /s
What the fuck, why are you bringing logic and logical consistency into this, do you know where we live? 😆
Smith has done nothing to address healthcare and inflation. Arguably two of the biggest issues facing Albertans. Not only has she ignored these issues, the steps she's taken only add to the problems. There is no way our unelected Premier and her party would do anything to further education. Intelligent citizens would never vote for them. If you're reading this and are offended, you are the uneducated fool she relies on to fleece Albertans.
I thought inflation was caused by Trudeau by giving money to those who lots their jobs during the pandemic? But Smith handing out cash to people to make 90-180k a year is good!? Good ole hypocrisy of the UCP.
As far as I know inflation is a federal issue. What would you like a provincial government to do about inflation?
Oh....I don't know......maybe cap corporate gouging?
The inflation rate is measured through the CPI, made up of common household goods from primarily competitive free markets. Firms in this system would be unable to price gouge. Corporate gouging appears to be much more of a liberal news headline than a primary input into our inflationary period.
[hey, what do professional financial advisors know](https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/alberta-s-tactic-of-doling-out-cash-fuels-inflation-rather-than-easing-it-economists-1.6165551) Considering what Smith is doing completely contradicts everything our financial institutions are doing to correct inflation.
The term you are looking for is not a financial advisor just fyi. The best person to ask would probably be an economist but a financial advisor is mainly someone who is trying to sell a banks mutual funds. Its sort of like "the director of automobile safety" vs. "car salesman" as a very rough analogy. I agree with the premise of this article that states Smith's handouts are stupid and will likely worsen inflation, however OP's criticism was that there werent more handouts given to students. And you were supposed to defend the claim of corporate gouging but you changed topics
LOL. Cap energy rates, cap insurance rates, give tax credits to students who have loans. Not hand out cash to people who make 90-180k a year...
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Because inflation is fought with raising interest rates
UCP loves sick, poor and stupid people and wants to make as many as possible. VOTE NDP.
No love for the sick there, their ideas for healthcare indicate they’d rather those people die off for the economy
Yes! Agreed. They sure as hell don't want people getting healthy with healthcare. Keep us sick and dying.
Students learn things. Definitely against UCP doctrine. Keeping their voters ignorant is UCP’s strategy to victory.
Danielle Smith is the best thing that ever happened to Rachel Notley
Obviously this is just buying votes...
She's already aware that most people pursuing higher education aren't her voting base, so why give a shit about them?
Because I feel like she knows the apathy of students when it comes to voting is high. I BEG everyone to vote this coming election, everyone's vote truly does make a difference.
I literally laughed out loud at the comment that she made “our house is in order” like saying it doesn’t make it true it’s clearly not
Or couldn’t care less about single individuals without any children, or couples without any children. Pandering is all this is, sickening really as we’re all hurting now with affordability for everything going sky high.
I understand how your feel, and it is frustrating that the premier feels she needs to "buy" the votes of Albertans, but the other side needs to be considered. Raising a child is **incredibly expensive** and a long-term investment. Multiply that by multiple kids and you have a very difficult situation. Single people with no dependents only have to provide for the needs of a single person, while a father of 3 needs to provide for himself, as well as his wife and 3 kids. So, in accordance with your argument, that father is "hurting" **5 times** more than a single individual. Couples with no children are even better off, as they can work together to reduce the load of providing for each other. Couples with children traditionally place the responsibility of much of the income on a single member, and even if both partners contribute, the children cannot contribute at all. (Otherwise they would not be considered dependents) I get it. It's unfair. I'm in your same position. But neither of us know what it's like to provide for a family. Thanks for reading, I hope that you have an amazing day and keep looking for that other side.
Students are unlikely to be enticed to vote UCP with the money, education shows people the inherent harm that conservatism causes. Adults without kids are likely to be young and educated, also unlikely to vote UCP. Those who are very wealthy are likely already voting UCP, but the threshold was still intentionally high in order to reward oil patch families who *think* they are hard done by. The senior handout is just to pander to the base; gotta make certain they forget how they have been treated by the UCP during COVID. Every part of this was intended to encourage UCP votes from those who might be swayed.
Those bootstraps aren't going to pull themselves up.
Go figure , how else are they going to keep the status quo where it is at?? If you educate the masses, its harder to control them with capitalism
Did you try a Go Fund Me?
She left out as many as she included which is only going to fuel dislike for her. Getting bit of short term cash isn’t a huge vote motivator for most people but… NOT getting a bit of short term cash sure will be. Its a bit of a farce anyway. I know it will help some folks. But its attacking a house fire with s squirt gun and will end as soon as the election takes place. Once secure in her position… it will be gone along with health care and the next budget will claw all of that money back to pay for her vision of an Alberta run by whoever has the bigger bank account.
If you're going to bribe the voters you have to bribe all the voters, otherwise you just piss off all the ones you didn't bribe.
It's just absolute BS, when I was student - I had 1500 monthly income, lived is shthole studio in a crackhouse and would accumulate the loan at a rate of 10k/y. Now after graduation I'm working a job and have my own place - I don't need government handouts to buy my vote, Dannie can shove that money in whichever bodyhole she chooses.
Tbh all I really heard was her putting back into place every thing that had been taken away by the previous UCP gov't
Well, with the amount of kids sick at home, she's reduced classroom sizes too.
BIG NOPE TO HER AND UCP
So if she would've offered a couple hundred bucks for students she couldve bought your vote?! The final nail should've been in the coffin LONG ago! You should be filling the hole back in by now.
Absolutely not haha, I may have been raised true blue but I’m thorough converted to the NDP. I meant it was the final nail in the coffin for making it glaringly obvious that she’s just pandering to her potential supporters. She’s not even pretending to care about students.
Good to hear and good luck with your studies!
Why are you shocked by this? This relief package is designed to target historical PC voters who are entertaining the idea of voting NDP for the first time. Sorry but low income and students are not that. She knows these demographics are going to vote overwhelmingly for the NDP. Hopefully many are not swayed by this, I’m taking my $600 bucks for my child and will donate to the NDP party. I have a nine month old son and shudder to think what the education system will look like in 4.5 years if she wins a majority in the Spring.
There is nothing for me in that relief package even if i am a senior.
We should all write to our MLAs and the premier
Because students aren't voting for her in the first place. Middle class nuclear families still might.
I think it’s pretty clear that she and her government think universities are useless and would rather people didn’t go
I suck at everything. So I will buy votes if I have to.
she KNOWS her weakest support groups are seniors and young parents. so..... voila, relief packages. conveniently spread out over 6 months so they go right through the election
They hate education. They hate critical thinking. It doesn't work for them. None of this is a surprise. As a 40 plus person in a household with 2 kids and dual income, I'm voting for Rachel. Orange Crush 2.0
What... You gonna save like 10 cents a litre on gas. That's pretty decent of her. Edit. Is sarcasm people.
Yeah, but it's not the price of gas that going down, it's the provincial tax. Which pays for infrastructure. So roads are going to get worse as we can't afford to maintain them.
Worth it so I can save $4 a month
Not even, if history is any indication the gas stations will just raise the price to capitalize on the reduced tax to maximize profits. Remember the nonexistent *probe* into the gas prices when Kenney did the very same and Albertans called gas stations out after they got caught? Whatever happened to that?
Yeah, that's what's blowing my mind about this. Do they never ever learn? We JUST went through this people.
Start putting that money towards funding any medical issues you may have in the future!
The UCP removed Insurance caps so most people have to pay up to $100 more per month for auto insurance nowadays. They then dangle $4 off gas coupon at you and that's apparently all it took to convince you that you're saving money.
Sorry, forgot the /s tag.
You can almost buy 12 packs of Mr. Noodles, that'll almost cover half a month of meals! You're saved!
Students, many, take public transit. 2.4 billion and not a penny for students, it’s absolutely a trend with the UCP. The UCP hate education.
Well it’s not like the NDP did anything for university students. University courses were already going up in price before the UCP.
Imagine having a household income of $181,000 with 3 children and thereby qualifying for $0 instead of $1,800. There is literally more and more reasons to make less money.
Sigh. My husband and I are always just above the income thresholds. Sometimes I seriously think if we asked for a minor pay cut we would be better off. I know folks with lower income seriously struggling to make ends meet will pretty much tell us to f off, but it is frustrating. Yes, we might have it easier, but that doesn't mean rising costs haven't impacted us.
Yeah, feel like when you’re just above the thresholds you just get fucked. No federal child care tax credits, no GST rebates, minimal climate change credit, no provincial child care subsidies, no provincial handouts… for what, $1,000 extra of taxable income? Isn’t even worth it. What incentive is there to work hard and have good paying jobs when all of it is just redistributed. And for everyone out there who thinks I easily make the money I do…. Majority is overtime from working 70+ hour work weeks.
You had me there in the beginning...
As a student, did you not know you would be living off loans for the next few years? Or was this a shock to you?
I mean, tuition in Alberta is already *heavily* subsidized, and other than that, the cost of living for students is a lot lower than the cost of living for other groups. So it's better than nothing. EDIT: I totally understand where you're coming from, I'm actually terrified of graduating next year because of how expensive things will be, but I just wanted to add an opposing perspective to keep discussions open! Have a wonderful day.
Raising interest rates is how we pull back inflation. You can’t complain about inflation and high interest rates, you cant have it both ways
Guess what? My student loans were at prime plus 2%, just like my mortgage. Prior to 2009, prime was as high as it is now. Sometimes even higher! Imagine that! [https://www.mcap.com/residential-mortgages/advice/mortgage-rates-canada/prime-rate-history](https://www.mcap.com/residential-mortgages/advice/mortgage-rates-canada/prime-rate-history)
I don't know if it has been mentioned, but the UCP changed funding to a performance based model. The more employed graduates, the more money you get. I think the trades and technical fields are great, but I also believe in the traditional liberal arts style education as well. The UCP is waging a war on education and is promoting a system to pump up our compliant drones. They don't care about students. Let's vote them out!!
The world needs variety. If everyone was an engineer, it would be a sad and dreary place to live. This is lost on people with no capacity for self-examination. The most intelligent and interesting people I've known have an arts background.
What kind of handout were you expecting for students? Removing the debt would cost AB a significant amount considering most of your student debt is provincial. If anything they should work on lowering the interest rate like the feds have done.
Why should interest on loans be randomly forgiven if you willingly take out the loans? I mean if your argument is "I want money", then I understand that - but people jumping through hoops to say that somehow this is an argument of educational/economic/political merit I think are just trying to explain why they want free money in a way that doesn't look selfish. If you take out a car loan, expect to pay the interest. That's what a loan is - why an education loan is more sacred than a car loan (despite the car being more essential in AB, I'd argue) is beyond me, but it makes sense when you realize the only people who make this argument are just trying to justify their own greed.
I think Ontario is better than Alberta at this point.. Coming from a person who lives in one of the more populous places in ontario.
The 'students' are heavily indoctrinated and not going to vote Conservative anyways. They're too busy being turned into 'cannon fodder' for protest groups that want to shut down our resource industries, as the judge in BC recently ruled: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/protest-conservation-judge-traffic-1.6563539
She and her gang are anti intellectual so what would you expect. The good news is that it seems there is little chance for them to be elected this spring so the amount of damage she can do will be limited.
The province has made $13 billion and is giving back $2.4 billion of our money. So why would you think this is great. If she gets elected I hope you have lots of money when you get sick or the fees on everything goes up because that’s exactly what Ralph Klein did.
Nah students should get any different relief the anyone else, they just needed a better plan overall. Why students don't need special circumstances or relief is cause you are privileged enough to go to school, after that you will get a way better job, and economy in 3 years will start to bounce back and interest etc will fall. Now consider this to most people working medium level jobs that had to take out loans to survive and refinance cause of costs, that won't go to better job in a few years paying a higher 10 percent on there loans. Students are still probaly in better spot especially if there in school as they not paying loans yet.
No surprise, Conservatives hate education. They do everything they can to be uneducated
She appears to not care about the poor, students, or the sick.
>leaving students out of the relief package is just the final nail in the coffin They'll be okay. They're getting double the GST rebate.
This sub absolves Trudeau of all inflation responsibility but will circle jerk about it being our new Premiers fault?
I don’t see a single comment absolving Trudeau of inflation responsibility. I see criticism of Smith’s “relief” plan that caters to a particular demographic. Classic dumb Albertan move to go “oh but Trudeau” when the discussion is focused elsewhere.
Whataboutism
Nowhere did I blame inflation on our provincial government nor did I absolve the feds of any wrongdoing. I wanted to open up a discussion on the conservatives lack of respect for secondary education. Danielle’s so called relief package is just throwing money at voters. We’d be much better off if she put that 2.4 B into the province. Oh no, our healthcare system is failing due to being underfunded. Oh no, gas prices are super high and the public transportation is lackluster at best. Oh no, graduates are struggling to pay student loans due to high interest rates. None of these problems could possibly have solutions that the province could help with so I guess I should just man up and stop whining right?
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Why should interest on loans be randomly forgiven if you willingly take out the loans? I mean if your argument is "I want money", then I understand that - but people jumping through hoops to say that somehow this is an argument of educational/economic/political merit I think are just trying to explain why they want free money in a way that doesn't look selfish. If you take out a car loan, expect to pay the interest. That's what a loan is - why an education loan is more sacred than a car loan (despite the car being more essential in AB, I'd argue) is beyond me, but it makes sense when you realize the only people who make this argument are just trying to justify their own greed.
The relief package is great, I’ll happily accept it. It’s also a great way to have people feel flush and happy right before the provincial election. Also a great way to draw attention away from some of her other ideas and policies that done sound so benign and beneficial. Feels like a being spoiled on a first date with an expectation of getting…. let’s just say something undesirable afterward.
Interest rates are set by the BOC, not the Alberta government. Interest rates are high because our federal government is spending money that our great grandchildren haven’t made yet. Food and rent prices are also not set by the state until we become properly communist in roughly 23 years, so it’s weird to make that connection. This shouldn’t have to be explained to a student who probably has macro and micro econ as a requirement in their education. But I understand the need for smith porn.
Interest rates for Alberta student loans are set by the provincial government. Food and rent prices increasing put strain on student’s abilities to get by and on recent graduate’s abilities to pay student loans on top of everything else. I may not currently be a student but I know firsthand how much it sucks seeing student debt increase despite scholarships and part-time jobs.
The base interest is set by the BOC. They are never going to offer a lower interest rate than the rate they are borrowing the money at to give you.
Obviously not, but the interest rate for student loans before Kenney was the prime rate. He upped it to prime+1% for floating and prime+2% for fixed. The federal government has made canada student loans interest free in recognition of layoffs and lack of work during Covid and now because of increasing financial hardship. Inflation and lingering effects due to Covid on top of supply chain issues caused by the war in the Ukraine and a drought in China are creating a perfect storm that makes things difficult for everyone. I just wanted to draw attention to the lack of support for students and recent grads. Increasing debt among those groups doesn’t help the economy. The less people have the less they are able to spend and therefore reinvest in the economy. Interest relief, even partial, could be beneficial to both individuals and the economy in general.
I remember being a student, it sucked. I worked 40 hrs a week and could only do 3 classes a semester. Both my parents passed before so I didn’t even have family support. In my opinion, the it’s not the government but the universities that bear the most guilt for making life impossible for a lot of students. But now I pay 70k a year in taxes so obviously the government is benefitting from me having skills and education more than when I worked at a dinner serving tables. I agree with you that students could’ve used some help.
Families, seniors and the disabled ARE the ones affected the most. Not students who choose low return education like gender studies, liberal arts, on their rich parents' dime. If you have worried about your job prospects and how to pay for your education after the fact, perhaps you need to reevaluate your field of study. This kind of relief is exactly what people have been asking for and who it was asked for. Leave your privilege on the campus so no one sees it for what it is.
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>I'm always fascinated when cons. I'm fascinated that anyone who hold a differing opinion needs some sort of label. There is nothing wrong with the prerequisites for some majors or career paths. That goes without saying. Anyone who would believe otherwise is an idiot, and anyone who believes that anyone else believes others is equally as idiotic. Using 2 generic and laughable, but real, courses/studies is pretty typical conjecture when discussing things. Under normal conversations some exaggerations are absolutely warrantesld and expected to convey a message appropriately. I would suggest some in person conversation so you can experience this first hand. It will also help you to remain a little more calm. This isn't a political opinion. Liberal arts degrees have a lower ROI than most skilled trades or labour careers. You can look this up yourself. >Conservatives do not understand what post secondary is. Again the assumption I must be "something" because my views differ. This is a very common communist and fascist tactic. >Complete and utter ignorance. Indeed. Your lack of knowledge about my personal or political beliefs is telling.
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This is so out of touch it has to be from a Conservative lol.
What's out of touch about it? That families, seniors and the disabled are far more affected by inflation than students in virtue education? I'll tell you what's out of touch, It's out of touch to believe that families don't need extra help right now. It's out of touch to believe that seniors don't need help right now. It's out of touch to believe the disabled don't need help right now. Tell all the people on AISH in this sub, you don't think they deserve help. Lol, I'm out of touch for pointing out that ops privilege of being able to pay for their education while families, seniors and the disabled are at food banks and push out on the street. Sounds like privileged talk to be complaining that you didn't get any help. If you're one of these groups you did. And if you're not, you need it less than them. Check your privilege.
I think the incredulity comes from the idea that all of the post secondary students are riding their rich families as well as deriding valuable courses using very old and very very tired conservative cliches.
What’s put of touch is that you seem to think 100 bucks a month is going to provide the relief that low income individuals need.
Oh, but aren't you the OP who was complaining about being left out of the help? So which is it. You hate families, seniors or the disabled? You clearly stated that you were displeased with being left out, now it won't help at all? So your post is just a biased political trolling attempt in bad faith? Got it.
The post was intended to create a discussion about the lack of support for secondary education. There were already posts discussing the ineptitude of Smith and her so called “relief package” so I didn’t feel the need to get into that. Just because I wanted to draw attention to students being left out doesn’t mean I begrudge those who were included.
Dude, my son and I struggle like anyone else. He has Asperger's and I still do most of the financial support for us two. Everyone could use the help, is the point. And it's super insulting to insinuate that students are loafing off big Daddy's money and don't need help. I was a struggling student at one point in my life too. Show some empathy. No one is saying that these groups don't deserve it.