Saskatchewan

[ivbinconned]

A New Vision For Saskatchewan

Over the course of the past few years, it has become painfully obvious that the people of Saskatchewan face a bleak and uncertain future unless things change. Our infrastructure is crumbling, our health-care system is failing, our agriculture sector is struggling, and the demands on publicly-funded services are growing. At the same time, our population is aging, our young people and entrepreneurs are leaving, and we have the highest dependency ratio in Canada. So, who will be left to pick up the tab?

We are strapped for cash to improve health care, education and roadways, but the bureaucrats and politicians seem to have plenty of money to spend on potato sheds, bingo halls and land title systems. We watch our young people leave the province in search of opportunity, while crown corporations sink our investment capital into dubious projects around the world. And we have a justice system that prosecutes innocent people and puts farmers in jail for selling their own grain, but fails to hold public officials accountable for their actions. What kind of message does that send to the world?

Although we may blame our situation on the incompetence and, perhaps, deceitfulness of the present government, it's really not their fault. After all, the core of the problem goes back seventy years to the

Regina Manifesto, which proclaimed, in part, that the CCF would eradicate capitalism and replace it with a program of socialized planning. Fourteen years later, in 1947, Tommy Douglas had a vision. In it, he saw industry going west to Alberta, service and distribution trades going east to Manitoba, and Saskatchewan remaining focused on exporting raw agricultural products. At that time, he also foresaw that our young people would leave, there would be no population growth, rural areas would be de-populated, and an aging population would place an increasing burden on government programs. And while we may not be totally rid of capitalism, Tommy's vision has certainly become a reality.

Considering the economic and demographic challenges we are facing today, is it not obvious that we need a new vision for the future – a new plan for Saskatchewan. So, where is it?

With an election looming just around the corner no one wants to talk about our growing dependency on government, or the need to eliminate impediments to investment and growth. Rather than putting forth new ideas, all we hear is how one political party will be better managers than another, our central planners will be better than yours, we will spend Ottawa’s transfer (welfare) payment better than you, and, we will bring a little less socialism to government. There is no mention of how serious the provincial financial position is. No one tells us how we are going to pay six hundred million plus dollars in annual interest on the provincial debt - and find money to fix our deteriorating infrastructure (sewer, water, roads). No one is discussing immigration, the shortage of skilled workers, or an exit strategy for our aging farm population. Instead, we are bombarded with feel good messages and propaganda about “growing Saskatchewan” and our “wide open future”.

History has shown, many times over, that simply replacing the party in power does not bring about meaningful change. So, If will we choose our next government on the basis of who provides the best "feel good" message, isn't status quo what we should expect? If, on the other hand, if we demand leadership, vision and purpose, should we not expect more?



KEN DILLEN

[carebear300]

Well said Ken!!!!! In order for Sask. to prosper new ideas and concepts will have to be embraced. As for the election propoganda that has been floating around polluting our air, it is just the usual hot air. Lots of sparkle and glitter but very little substance it just never seems to change.

[cowman]

It seems to me that in Saskatchewan you're damned if you do and damned if you don't! Obviously the NDP isn't getting the job done but what's the alternative? Hermanson? I'm sorry if I might offend you but he reminds me of a sleazy used car salesman! A lot of BS and no real meat?
Actually we have close to the same situation in Alberta. A good salesman(Klein) with no substance! It is true that we are doing okay because of all the oil and gas revenue...but I might suggest Calvert would look pretty good too if he had all that money to blow!
Tommy Douglas was a man of vision. Maybe he was a little outside the box but he wasn't a lightweight! How come all we seem to have anymore are lightweights? What happened to men like Douglas, Aberhart and Manning who stood up to the feds and had a vision for the west?

[ivbinconned]

Cowman; back in those days we didn't have the CRTC. Local papers and radio stations were locally owned with many owners running for those parties.
But with todays editorial control and the smear tactics used by our national media the result is group think or shutup.
If you think and talk out side the box your branded. The result...we become sheep!
This was Prestons mistake, as soon as he had a solid group of MP's behind him he should have faced the true fact that throughout all of history power has never been known to give itself up and that going to Ottawa with cap in hand to ask for fairness was a pipe dream.
The mutations and turmoil of the reform movement the past few years was predictable. It was the manifistation of the undieniable fact that they can not point to one thing of significance that they have accomplished in 16 years.
But once they have seats they must try and justify there exsistance and keep alterating the game plan. And hopefully keep our false hopes up.
When will the West face reality?

[cowman]

You are sure right about the Reform party. They had a chance to be a solid western block but could never form a national party. To go national they had to appeal to eastern voters thus giving up what the west needed. I do believe they did us more harm than good by deluding the people into thinking there was a way to get a fair deal without separation.
Now that they are back in the Eastern conservative fold there is absolutely no reason to vote for them. We need a strong western leader to stand up and begin the process of leaving! If Alberta starts the ball rolling with the CCP thing and getting rid of the federal police etc. hopefully the others will follow. The fact of the matter is Alberta, BC, Sask.,and Manitoba would be much better off as a separate country. Alberta alone won't make it! The Americans would swallow us up in a matter of years. We need our own independent country!

[carebear300]

Well cowman western separation has always made sense to me but lately I am wondering if even we westerners could get along. Right now it seems not meaning to offend anyone that the only ideas worth anything have to be thought of in Alberta. In fact it seems to me that there isn't a whole lot of difference in the attitude of Albertans than Americans. I think diversity in ideas helps to come up with a good final plan or idea. Just my opinion though.

[cowman]

Carebear: Don't shoot all the dogs just because one of them has fleas! Not everyone in Alberta loves Ralph Klein!
There is a growing resentment in Alberta to the "Alberta Advantage" which in reality means an advantage for the wealthy! Which is what the PC government is really all about. Always were always will be.
All common men, wherever they may be, want the same things. Justice, a fair deal for all, and the right to earn a living and raise their families. It is true our Tory government has taken us
far from these ideals. That we continue to elect them with no real opposition does not speak well for us.
While I would never call myself a socialist I can admire a man like Tommy Douglas for his convictions and I can definitely agree with some of his ideas. His basic idea of medi-care was a good one! Unfortunately greed and profit have overshadowed that good intention. I support his idea that no one should be homeless or not have enough to eat. We are our brothers keeper!
Alberta also once had a government of principle! It was called Social Credit. The national power elite certainly did not want a socially responsible government...one that believed that ALL citizens should share in the wealth...therefore they smeared it and did everything in their power to destroy it! And succeeded.
To become a new country and keep the old corrupt parties running the show would not accomplish much. We need a new western party not the same old pack of thieves! A party that would stand up for the Saskatchewan farmer, the Alberta oilman, the BC logger! And not the Toronto banker!

[ivbinconned]

Cowman; I would disagree with you that Douglas was a man of vision and his basic idea of medicare was a "good" one.
In my opinion he was a man of division and like a true socalist was blind to the nature of man. Socalist's always practice the art of denying reality. If my memory serves me correctly in another thread some time ago you asked if the medicare sytem ever economizes like the rest of the world when times are tight. Well this might interest you.
In 2001 Alberta health ate up 29.06% of your provincial budget! If the same revenue and Health care spending trends continue, by the time your grandson's, born today, reach the age of 22, your health budget will eat up 100% of provincial revenues.
Douglas was a visionary...I think not.

[cowman]

Now I never said where we ended up was where we should be!
The "basic" idea of medi-care was that everyone would have basic medical care. I am sure you would agree with that premise?
I don't believe children should die just because their parents don't have any money. I don't believe old people should live in pain because they don't have enough to pay the doctor. I don't believe a man should lose everything he worked for because he needs a heart operation.
Am I wrong to think this way? Does that make me a socialist?
Tommy Douglas was a minister. He believed in helping his fellow man. I may not agree with all he said but I do believe we are here to be more than money making machines! We do have a duty to our fellow man!
Now if you don't subscribe to that theory then that is your right and you can exercise that right by voting for whoever. I do believe that some day we will be asked what we did for our fellow man and I'd like to be able to answer"The best I could".

[ivbinconned]

Cowman; I think we are on the same side here. You described Douglas as a man of “vision”, and that, is what I contest. “Vision” implies that he could see into the future, or know the eventual outcome.
My argument is that he could more accurately be described as a “visionary” or as Webster’s puts it “a person whose ideas, plans etc. are impractical, too idealistic, or fantastic.
The figures about Alberta’s health budget suggest he was not a man of vision. He did not calculate human nature. He believed that the state could do it all, and do it well!

Just imagine, or visualize what it would be like if governments and certain unions ran grocery stores!! After all food is so vital for human survival only they should be allowed to run farms, grocery stores, and the delivery system. Imagine what a roast would cost, or a head of lettuce. And just to be sure that we know who feeds us, rationing would seem right.

My wife had an appointment yesterday with a doctor and if government was managing the food care system this is how it might happen. First she would have had to wait 6 months to see the butcher. The butcher is a nice guy and can give her what she needs immediately, however he can not, even though the hunger pains are strong she will have to wait 18 months because the government can only afford to dole out the roasts at a given speed and we will just have to go hungry…. until the money can catch up to the need. Even though the taxes we pay in a month should pay for the procedure.

Lets not confuse Medicare… with medical care, they are not one in the same. There are many models around the world that are “delivering” much better than ours. The accepted view, that our man made system is sacred, and only government can solve the problems…I reject.

An old cowboy I new once described our medicare system this way… “When the vet comes to my yard and does a c-section on a heifer…guess who gets the bill? ME, the owner!” Then he said, “When I go see the doctor, guess who gets the bill…..