Phendrana Drifts

I don't know a lot about health policy but I do know a simple equation that is important to discuss: public health spending + private health spending = total health spending. To add to this equation (and come close to exhausting my knowledge of math) I also know this: total health spending > too damn much.

A lot of the debate and sound and fury on the subject comes on re-balancing the first equation in the name of the second equation. Without wading too far into that balance of private vs. public (I support public health care) I will say that it is that total we have to tackle as a society. How? Being healthier silly.

You will note in my post on the budget I applauded the tax increase on tobacco. But higher taxes isn't the only policy piece of encouraging healthier choices when it comes to tobacco - the market alone won't encourage people to do what we want, and as was pointed out to me, if the taxes go too high, people will just smuggle them en masse.

Without enraging the libertarian in me (and it is in there, hating speed limits especially) I do think more needs to be done. Banning smoking in places where people work seems like a natural step - and while it is selfish of me to say, I can't tell you how much more I enjoy going to a bar now that people don't smoke inside here in Edmonton. Such a ban will of course be controversial, which is one of the magic words according to Sir Humphrey Appleby that causes a politician to eschew the policy, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good policy step. For the curious, according to illustrious yet fictional Permanent Secretary the magic words to get a politician to adopt a policy is: quick, simple, cheap and popular. The opposites are: lengthy, complicated, expensive and controversial. The killer is "courageous". A smoking ban? Well, it is quick, simple and relatively cheap. The question remains is it popular? It is in my household.

Labels: alberta politics

To make up for the Flames losing yesterday, the universe began making its amends by providing a good attempt at a perfect day. New Pokemon games? Check. Big victory at work? Check. Big personal success at work? Check. Finished painting my model tank? Check. Big improvement at volunteer job? Check. Going to Hooters for a victory pint? Check. Sunshine? Check - +20 later on this week.

Does it make up for it - no. But it is a good start.

As I doubt there is a good way to go, I guess double overtime is not the worst way to lose a round in the playoffs. But it sure stings. Go Ottawa go!

Labels: hockey

Yesterday afternoon was certainly a disappointment, but from all accounts the Flames played better than games one and two even if the score didn't reflect that. But I'm feeling much more confident about tonight, and if Calgary is successful, back to Detroit for game seven.

Labels: hockey

Last night the Calgary Flames beat the Detroit Red Wings, a clear signal the Dr. Lyle Oberg's budget was a success. Why was it a success? Well everyone may have their own reasons for calling it a win, but here are some of mine.

The Good:

Higher tobacco taxes - a superb move, one that I whole heartedly endorse. I could stand to see them go a bit higher, but this is a fantastic start. I know Minister of Health Dave Hancock has some other great policy coming down the pipe to curb tobacco use in our society, so this measure will be a good step along side that.
The creation of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation - an arms length crown corporation to manage $70 billion of assets and allow those assets to be invested more in Alberta and avoid political interference.
Lots of funding to municipalities - cities and communities need more money, and it was the key promise that separated Ed from his competitors in the PC leadership race and it is good to see him make good on that promise.
Ending poor budgeting - this budget is not going to produce a runaway unbudgeted surplus (or a runaway unbudgeted deficit) because its using realistic numbers. And it is a balanced budget, which Albertans are beginning to take for granted, but I'm still glad to see it.
A unbudgeted surplus policy - if there is a windfall, we're know where we are putting it.
Nearly half a billion for affordable housing - very few public policy issues in Alberta are as hot as this one, and at the core, everyone needs a home they can afford, and this will get us closer to dealing with the problem.

The Bad (nothing is perfect):

K-12 education funding is lower than I thought it would be - I know Alberta's K-12 system is the best in the world, but in a province with 5% inflation, you need additional funds to get the job done.

The Interesting:

$18 billion of infrastructure - that's a lot. A whole big bunch of construction in an environment where everyone who builds buildings is already working overtime. But Alberta needs new infrastructure, there is no way around that.

Labels: alberta politics

Despite the fact that by then the Calgary Flames should be getting ready to finish who ever they fight in the second round of the playoffs I am preparing myself for the next Alberta PC AGM. And it should be a great time, way better than the bizarreness that was last year's - I mean after the climax of the vote, what was there to do? I grant you, the Saltlik was a pretty good time - I can't wait to actually have an impact on policy and the running of my political party. People talk about the heady days of the mid-nineties when the Progressive Conservative party listened to the grassroots of the party, and I figure this is my chance for that same feeling. Not that I always trust the grassroots, but that is a different story.

The agenda seems a little, well, spartan for the moment, but I figure the organizers are expecting for a secret, special guest speaker to wow them. Well, if in likely a concurrent session with that speaker, I am also speaking - Why sit at the kid's table? Youth and the Alberta PC party, or something like that. But the other sessions (I have some knowledge not available on the web yet) also look fantastic. And the resolutions seem very solid too.

But more interesting than speakers or policy will be the feeling, the mood. And that is something that doesn't quite get planned, nor can it be explained adequately in a newspaper column or in a twelve second soundbyte. Hopefully I'll be in a writing mood that weekend.

Labels: alberta politics

I honestly meant to do a recap after each game, but I missed the first two games by in large for various reasons (dinners and complete lack of sight) but with my new found eyes, I watched my team win! Go Flames Go!

Labels: hockey

It is a horrible thing that has happened. So tragic and unnecessary.

After two days with the emergency glasses and then another with no sight (yes even the emergency pair did not hold up to being stepped on) I have glasses again! And hey, the weather improved to boot.

Labels: inane

Today Green Party leader Elizabeth May and Liberal Party leader St�phane Dion announced their deal not to run a candidate in either person's riding, making Peter MacKay more vulnerable in his Central Nova riding. But the thing that got me was Dion's quote that this was putting "progress ahead of partisanship." Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a purely (and crass) partisan play, producing the ability to unseat a very important and high-level cabinet minister and make the Liberals seem both more cooperative and environmentally friendly (both of which are ranking high on voters minds these days). Why Peter MacKay? Because not running a Liberal in Calgary Southwest does little to damage MP Stephen Harper. MacKay was simply next on the Liberal list of "man, who do I wish we could defeat..."

Now, I don't think the move is as short-sighted on Dion's part as those Liberals who are saying "Not running a candidate in MacKay's riding is truly the stupidest thing that a group of people who wrote the book on stupid things have done yet. Dion still thinks he's at the convention brokering deals. He better realize elections are one ballot.� It does accomplish many partisan goals, and I think Dion is slightly more electable today than he was yesterday, reeling from Belinda's announcement. But it is an extremely short-term gain that puts Dion in a corner of possibly never running a candidate against May - if she's capable and amazing enough today, I have trouble imagining Dion getting out of doing it in the future. Also, I would hate to be a member of the Central Nova Liberal Riding Association - at least Newmarket-Aurora got to have a Liberal MP in Belinda, even if she was a candidate for the Conservative Party leadership just a year earlier.

I wonder how the Greens feel about this - I imagine they are ecstatic at coming even closer to electing an MP - but they will almost forever be aligned with the Liberals, something which many Canadians, even Joe Comuzzi are eager to be doing the opposite of.

If Dion were really serious about ensuring May win, giving up a safe Liberal Toronto seat would at least not smack so obviously of partisanship.

Labels: federal politics

We're still missing spring - there isn't a lot of snow, but the ground is rather covered and it has nothing in common with barbeque season.

Labels: inane

Finally. Top to bottom. It took four days, although there were breaks. For example, to sleep. Seriously, it wasn't that it was messy (we do pick up after ourselves), but we had some furniture to construct and new places to put stuff. And through no action of their own, my team has made the playoffs.

Labels: inane

In today's CBC news online, Allie found this gem: Stones guitarist Richards claims he snorted Dad's ashes. When she told me, I couldn't believe it. I said it must be a hoax, to be found on someone's myspace profile or an old Geocities page. But sure enough, CBC. Yikes. And gross. And weird. And I love the Stones and Richards as much as anyone.

Labels: inane, stones

In a bizarre twist in the hockey world, the New Jersey Devils, currently competing to be the number one team in the Eastern Conference, fired their coach, Claude Julien yesterday. Why? I can't figure this one out at all. Lou Lamoriello, the man named the second best general manager by The Hockey News, has pulled quite the bizarre stunt. He has replaced the coach of the Devils before in circumstances that would other coaches being hailed as saviours, but this one isn't after a string of bad losses or any outward sign of problems. Weird.

The Calgary Flames have a chance to wrap up their clinching of a playoff spot tonight... I'm on, as daveberta would say, on tenterhooks.

Labels: hockey

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