Thread by @Hell_Berta

It’s funny how @jkenney and the @Alberta_UCP backtracks about the budget!

Kenney ditching the balanced budget narrative real quick UCPers expected the NDP to perform miracles Premier Jason Kenney says the novel coronavirus outbreak is hammering Albertas economy & may force his government to abandon its core election promise to balance the books by 2023

It does appear based on all evidence right now that there is a significant global economic downturn beginning right now Kenney said Friday at an announcement in Morinville, Alta.

"We Albertans are not an island. It is frustrating after five years of economic decline and stagnation, just as I think we were ready to see significant growth in 2020, to see this global downturn from the coronavirus."

Asked if the outbreak could affect his promise to balance the budget within two years, he replied: "If there is a major, prolonged global downturn, that would obviously affect our plan to get to balance in that time frame."

Balancing the budget in their first term was one of the top commitments from Kenney's United Conservatives in last April's election.

The UCP defeated Rachel Notley's NDP by promising better management, more jobs and economic growth.

But Alberta has lost thousands more jobs while waiting for new pipeline projects to come on line.

Notley, now Opposition leader, said while the COVID-19 outbreak has had an impact, reality is simply coming home to roost for the United Conservatives.

Jason Kenney's plan to balance the budget by 2022-23 was always based on a collection of fantasy numbers Notley said @ the legislature

It looks 2me like hes going to try to use this particular set of circumstances as a cover that he introduced a budget that was not attainable.

"Let's be clear: they've introduced two budgets with deficits that are larger than the last budget that we actually delivered."

Alberta's deficit is $7.5 billion this year and is projected to be $6.8 billion in 2020-21.

The budget introduced last week is based on West Texas Intermediate, the North American benchmark for oil, averaging US$58 a barrel. It's currently sitting around $42 a barrel. Every one dollar reduction takes $200 million out of Alberta's budget.

Kenney said his government will manage the situation by continuing to keep spending flat on health and education, by trying to find savings, and by reducing operational spending.

"All we can do is manage what is within our control," said Kenney. "This is why it's particularly important that we continue on the path of fiscal responsibility."

The NDP said the government is making a difficult situation worse by not funding for growth & inflation in health & education.

The government has said there is no money for teacher salary increases, is looking for wage and benefit cuts from nurses, and is bringing in changes to

the way doctors are paid. Physicians have said the new rules will makes it difficult for rural and family practices to continue, which will force more patients into already-crowded emergency wards.

Albertans pay the lowest overall taxes in Canada and have no sales tax.

Kenney has rejected any kind of tax increase saying it would be selfdefeating in a fragile economy

finance critic Shannon Phillips said the government needs 2 reverse course on its corporate income tax cut 2 eight per cent The decrease is sucking billions out of the bottom line

#ableg #abgov #abpoli #UCPcorruption #abbudget @UnitedNurses @Hell_Berta @abndpcaucus @AlbertaLiberals @GreenPartyAB #saveourprovince #saveoureducation #saveourhealthcare #saveourfrontlineworkers #saveourteachers #saveourdoctors #saveournurses @RachelNotley @SPhillipsAB