Size of Government

**Workers - Pressure not hostility:** It would be really awesome if every Albertan has a union at their workplace.

      But be relieved that every workplace does not have a boss like Jason Kenny. Government workers are ordinary human beings and no different from the general public but they are being "coached" by their unions to be "defensive" against political attacks like the conservatives "slash and burn". Sure the government has some fat to be trimmed, but instead of cutting the fat, politicians cut the body, because they don't know how to cut the fat from the flesh. This leads to a cycle of "distrust and defense" among the union-led workers finally a culture of "I don't give a f\*\*\*" sets in permanently. Any newly joined worker is taken into the "fold" by peer pressure. Facts make it obvious. Alberta government workers took the largest (14.4) sick days in Canada. Compare that to the private sector where people take only 5.7 sick days a year. **Agreed that the government is supposed to be the best employer but since there is no owner, it should not be taken advantage of.**

## Economy

If not watched, political parties may award government positions as a "prize". There may be four prizes, (1) Minister with portfolio, (2) Minister without portfolio, (3) committee chairs and (4) political staff positions. Ignoring the possibility of cronies being given bureaucratic positions and as board members.

The left (NDP) on the other hand screws the top bosses of the public sector pressurizing them to lower their salaries when it is they who are responsible for bringing in the results. Some of them have been reported leaving the public sector, not sure if it was because of the remuneration.

* The president of the WCB earns close to a million dollars ($907,848.69 in 2018)
* The president of the Alberta Electrical System Operator close to a million dollars ($937533.62 in 2018)
* The CFO of SAIT earned close to $1.5 million dollars (1477568.24 in 2016)

The top 10 CEOs in the private sector earn almost $1 Million a month. Typical CEOs salary in the private sector is about $8 Million

 There are three items to the size of the government.

1. Political machinery (Ministers and their staff on government payroll)
2. Executives of Public Sector (CEOS and top management)
3. Workers in the Public Sector.

Things are supposed to improve over time. However, the size of the government only gets larger and larger. If there are two people who suck money out of the common man, they are (1) Government, (2) The Capitalist. By outrageously pricing their products, services and entrenching and making themselves inaccessible so that nobody will question but just pretend to ignore and pay up and go.

## Size of Government

### Political Machinery

To run any operation we only need two types of people (1) Administrators, (2) Workers. But the government has layers and layers of people. Ignoring that the possibility that these may be cronies offered "plum" positions but still no question is being asked, and the NDP as the official opposition is supposed to ask these questions.

For e.g. the current UCP government lead by Jason Kenny as an associate minister for "red tape reduction". There are also "committees", currently there are 5 committees the committee chairs alone rake $45,000 a year.

### Current Situation

**Further Reduction Possible:** Including Jason Kenny there 26 Ministers and Associate Ministers in Alberta Cabinet. There is a "liaison with the Canadian Armed Forces" and there is also an associated minister for "red tape reduction". A minster without a portfolio costs an additional $2,250 per month and a minster with a portfolio costs about an additional $5,000 a month, or $15,000 a month. Though it is appreciated that the UCP cabinet took a 5% pay cut, that is just a smokescreen, and behind the smokescreen is just a $600 reduction per MLA per month. Not a big expense reduction considering the $4 Billion monthly expense the government runs.

 The UCP government led by Jason Kenny is a high-cost low delivery government. Spending to make a political point by setting up ineffective, namesake war rooms and million-dollar inquiries , spending without a return on investments

### Our Position

It could be argued that everything costs high in Alberta, so the cost of government is the highest in Canada. But how come the highest-paid government is the lowest delivering government? At $16,666 per person, Alberta is the highest per capita expenses in Canada yet has the highest unemployment rate in Canada, a whopping 7.8%. And its been going on for years, irrespective if it is the Notley Government or Kenny's Government.

Alberta has the highest GDP in Canada at $74,342.79 per person. This does not make sense. A province that earns high and spends high yet there are many people who are unemployed? So who is making the money then?

The size of the government should be a function of revenue, and as revenue falls cost of government should also fall. In a recession, the first person to take the hit should be the government.

1. ↑ https://calgaryherald.com/news/alberta-public-sector-union-bracing-for-up-to-5900-government-job-cuts/wcm/63dfaccf-760d-4a88-b038-bdf632962e94
2. ↑ https://globalnews.ca/news/5837361/alberta-government-workers-sick-days-canada-taxpayers-federation/
3. ↑ **https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=463456FD47A76-093A-BA46-FB5D3A8EB8A1C6FC**
4. ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/top-public-sector-earners-revealed-in-annual-alberta-sunshine-list-1.5197850
5. ↑ https://www.wcb.ab.ca/about-wcb/company-information/compensation-disclosure.html
6. ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-corporate-pay-ceo-cpr-harrison-encana-shaw-ccpa-1.3919713
7. ↑ https://globalnews.ca/news/3870082/huge-gains-few-risks-report-slams-canadas-ceo-pay-model/
8. ↑ https://www.moneytalksnews.com/19-of-the-most-outrageously-overpriced-products/
9. ↑ https://medicinehatnews.com/commentary/opinions/2019/12/14/opinion-energy-war-room-an-expensive-joke-at-best/
10. ↑ https://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/kenney-government-launches-inquiry-into-foreign-funded-meddling-in-albertas-energy-sector
11. ↑ https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-631-x/11-631-x2018003-eng.htm