Alberta Inflation Relief Act

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by FortMac

Don't tax any hours over 40hrs a week. That would help out.

That would leave out around 80 percent of the workforce.

At least acording to The Alberta Federation of Labor it would.
They say only about 20 percent of the workforce regularly work overtime.

I'm sure you know, most retail workers, factory workers, and service industry workers seldom work overtime. And of course no part time employees do.

I tried to add a link to the AFL web page but it wouldn't work.

[I’d rather be outdoors]

Originally Posted by MountainTi

Ralph bucks were his way of giving back to Albertans when Alberta was enjoying it's greatest prosperity ever due to high natural gas (not oil) prices and subsequent royalties. I have a hard time believing it was about "buying" votes. Alberta was swimming in cash like no other time ever. That money was even paying a chunk of your natural gas bill every month due to the high cost to heat your home.
Why shouldn't the government subsidize our power bills a little bit now. After all, it's natural gas feeding those generating stations (thanks again Nut(job)ly.
Royalties are pouring in from high oil prices (resulting in high gas at the pump prices) once again. Nice gesture dumping the provincial fuel tax.
Pretty nice seeing some benefit being a citizen in a resource rich province.

If people are pizzed off about that....I've heard real estate is cheap on the liberal east coast

I’ve seen more BC, Ont, & Que, plates this year than ever before. No doubt some could be displaced residents looking for that affordable home they got priced out of thanks to the lieberals. Not a bad thing, welcome to Alberta! Just remember to leave the woke chit in the province you came from and we’ll get along just fine.

[bessiedog]

Fortmac

That’s a fantastic idea!!!


So……. Why can’t we get better ideas that’s Dannydollarz…?

I can’t understand guys here supporting bad policy ‘just cause it’s our team..?’

Even ‘Ford guys’ won’t support Pintos …..

[Bushrat]

Perhaps Danielle could rescind the Kenny gov'ts 2020 change to statutory holidays. Apparently the law that used to say " if you worked the day before a stat holiday OR the Day after a stat holiday you were entitled to a paid day off", i.e. what used to be a long weekend. New law apparently says if the holiday falls on a non scheduled work day like a Saturday or Sunday for those that work Monday to Friday they are not entitled to statutory holiday pay nor are they entitled to an extra day off to make it a long weekend. This year Christmas day and New Years day both fall on a Sunday, the employee is not entitled to Statutory holiday pay nor are they entitled to an extra day off, i.e. a long weekend.

This was done sneakily by the gov't over two years ago with little or no announcement or media coverage. Owners of the company I work for just figured this out and announced it to all employees last week, many other employers are learning of it also, there will be a lot of disappointed people this "Holiday Season"

From our Company email in reply to questions in regard to the reasoning for their announcement:

"Do I have to pay all employees for stat holidays in Alberta?

Most employees qualify if the stat holiday falls on a regular workday or the employee works the holiday that is not a regular day of work. That means each employee that qualifies for stat holiday pay, we must pay them on time and accurately.

If the holiday falls on a regular work day and the employee does not work, they get paid at least their average daily wage. If the employee works on the holiday which is also a regular day of work, the employee is entitled to a rate of 1.5 times their regular wage plus their average daily wage. Or if the employee works on the holiday, they may opt to receive their regular rate for the hours worked plus a day off in the future where they will receive wages of their average daily rate for that day off.

What happens when the holiday falls on a non regular work day? If the employee does not work, they are not eligible for stat holiday pay nor do they get an extra day off. If they do work, they receive 1.5time their regular wage for hours worked but not their daily average pay."

Thanks Kenny....

[KC1]

Originally Posted by MountainTi

By blowing up hospitals health care was in better shape? God bless Ralph but he put us way behind in little things like infrastructure and health care, but it did get us out of debt. The province was flush with cash because of record high royalties from natural gas, and to a lesser extent light sweet crude. Royalties from heavy oils at the time was a pittance. Problem was Alberta was booming and people were flocking here and infrastructure, health care, ect...has never caught up. Now we're paying for it.

Alberta has a new windfall from heavy oil with the newly adjusted royalty rates and of course high prices once again so the government is giving back, same as last time, and it's just vote buying lol
Was Kenney vote buying when he dropped the provincial taxes on gas?

Little info on bitumen royalties and how much it's helping Alberta
https://www.reuters.com/world/americ...er-2022-02-16/


As has been mentioned before, if the left are triggered, she must be doing something right

Agreed
If the left are triggered, she must be doing something right.

[does it ALL outdoors]

Originally Posted by FortMac

There is no labour shortage, it's a Wage shortage.

Spot on..


There are LOTS of companies trying to pay guys working camp jobs with a 3 week hitch in the low $20's for unskilled help. That kind of job you basically have to dedicate your whole life to some of these jobs with long hitches, trying to pay a guy $22 an hour just doesn't cut it and thats when they have a "labor shortage" and try and import workers from abroad.

Just about every company I've ever worked for tries paying peanuts for unskilled basic labor help and call it a lack of worker problem, when in fact the problem is they don't want to compensate their employees properly for dedicating their lives to their jobs.

I get it, unskilled labor doesn't usually pay a kings ransom, nor should it. But low 20's just doesn't cut it. Then they can't figure out why guys are lazy and don't learn, miss work or work hard. They are on a constant state of training new guys just for them to quit 2 months later when they find a job that pays a little more.

Good help isn't cheap, and cheap help isn't good.

Amazing how many billion and multi, multi million dollar multi national companies just cant figure that out.

[brslk]

So shes gonna spend her way out of inflation. Not to mention the buying of votes...

Shes about as mentally stable as she is Cherokee

[Big Sky]

Keg River, I was asking about the indexing of the first item on the list, the one that gives $600 in payouts over six months for each senior and child under the age of 18 in households with a yearly income less than $180,000.
I don't believe that benefit is indexed.

Back to our regular scheduled programming.

From The Edmonton Journal
https://edmontonjournal.com/news/pol...flation-relief

In response to questions from reporters about why many Albertans, including those who are single making minimum wage, won’t be eligible for the six $100 payments, Jones said the need is higher for families with kids, seniors and vulnerable Albertans.

If Minister Jones had of said 'low income families' and 'low income seniors' his statement might have some validity. I still can't believe that families and retirees earning just under $180000 are receiving a benefit.

Just how well off would a retired seniors couple making $179000 be? Consider this.
A retired couple could get about $45000 in OAS/CPP. The balance of $134000 would come from pensions and investments. People without defined benefit pensions would need millions of dollars in order to generate that kind of investment income. People with defined benefit pensions would still need significant savings in order to generate the shortfall.
Why do these people need gov't handouts?

And guess who is paying for their handout. I'm sure that single people in their twenties who make minimum wage are happy to help out rich retirees.

This program is so f-ed up. IMO it should be indexed to your income with a cutoff of 1.5x median salary. Helping out low and middle income earners is fine. Giving gov't handouts to people who are well off is nothing but an attempt to buy peoples' votes.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Big Sky

Just how well off would a retired seniors couple making $179000 be?

They would be a whole lot better off then the wife and I.

Our household income, (combined pensions) is less then $40,000 a year, net.

And I would add, we don't need any government assistance.

We have no other income and yet we live pretty comfortably on just our pensions.

But we are a lot better off then some seniors we know.
Several of our retired neighbors have household incomes of less then $30,000 per year.

Crasy thing is, we just got a notice saying we owe $2,000 more in taxes then we paid.

Now they want to hand out money to people making $180,000 a year!

That makes no sense at all.

[Rvsask]

Originally Posted by does it ALL outdoors

Spot on..


There are LOTS of companies trying to pay guys working camp jobs with a 3 week hitch in the low $20's for unskilled help. That kind of job you basically have to dedicate your whole life to some of these jobs with long hitches, trying to pay a guy $22 an hour just doesn't cut it and thats when they have a "labor shortage" and try and import workers from abroad.

Just about every company I've ever worked for tries paying peanuts for unskilled basic labor help and call it a lack of worker problem, when in fact the problem is they don't want to compensate their employees properly for dedicating their lives to their jobs.

I get it, unskilled labor doesn't usually pay a kings ransom, nor should it. But low 20's just doesn't cut it. Then they can't figure out why guys are lazy and don't learn, miss work or work hard. They are on a constant state of training new guys just for them to quit 2 months later when they find a job that pays a little more.

Good help isn't cheap, and cheap help isn't good.

Amazing how many billion and multi, multi million dollar multi national companies just cant figure that out.

No doubt!! It’s amazing to me that so many people get on the trickle down economics train when CEO s are making millions and millions and the guys and gals are doing the grunt work and barely surviving. My 18 year old just moved home from 3 months working on a farm, I’d way rather he take the rest of whitetail season off than make him go to work right away earning bugger all from some multi million dollar operation.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Rvsask

No doubt!! It’s amazing to me that so many people get on the trickle down economics train when CEO s are making millions and millions and the guys and gals are doing the grunt work and barely surviving. My 18 year old just moved home from 3 months working on a farm, I’d way rather he take the rest of whitetail season off than make him go to work right away earning bugger all from some multi million dollar operation.

Leave the grunt work to the 16 year olds. By 18 kids should be half way up the corporate ladder in those multi million dollar operations, cause really, 2 years experience should get you there. Should know everything by then and have paid their dues and will then be well deserving of that 6 figure income. Should hit CEO by 25-30 and making the millions and millions


Sure do wish things would have worked like that when I was a kid. Working hard sucked

[Talking moose]

The entry lvl labourers where I’m at make 150k/year.
Not to shabby if your stepping foot from high school into the work force.

[Rvsask]

Originally Posted by MountainTi

Leave the grunt work to the 16 year olds. By 18 kids should be half way up the corporate ladder in those multi million dollar operations, cause really, 2 years experience should get you there. Should know everything by then and have paid their dues and will then be well deserving of that 6 figure income. Should hit CEO by 25-30 and making the millions and millions


Sure do wish things would have worked like that when I was a kid. Working hard sucked

Lol
Not even the least surprised you took it out of context. The point isn’t the garbage work, it’s the garbage wage. Things are good when gas costs $1.50 a litre and a jug of milk is six bucks?? Yet, people expect some kid to come work for them to make enough money to drive to and from work. LOL
Working hard did suck but Cripes man, I made almost as much in 1993 loading rail cars with canary seed bags from a local company, as many multi million dollar corporations want to pay their labourers today.

[Rvsask]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

The entry lvl labourers where I’m at make 150k/year.
Not to shabby if your stepping foot from high school into the work force.

Where is this and what is the job? Interested in looking it up and shipping a kid out. Not even joking, if this is the case he can exceed his parents combined income, please tell us more.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Rvsask

Lol
Not even the least surprised you took it out of context. The point isn’t the garbage work, it’s the garbage wage. Things are good when gas costs $1.50 a litre and a jug of milk is six bucks?? Yet, people expect some kid to come work for them to make enough money to drive to and from work. LOL
Working hard did suck but Cripes man, I made almost as much in 1993 loading rail cars with canary seed bags from a local company, as many multi million dollar corporations want to pay their labourers today.

Get on a rig then. Leasehand is $32/hr. Is that enough for an 18 year old with a grade 12?

[Rvsask]

Yeah, that seems quite fair. I will guess with wage offerings like that, those companies won’t be suffering from shortages as much as the ones trying to pay $20.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by Rvsask

Where is this and what is the job? Interested in looking it up and shipping a kid out. Not even joking, if this is the case he can exceed his parents combined income, please tell us more.

Pipelining in northern bc. I’ve worked trans mountain and coastal gas link. Currently sitting in Jasper finishing up and back to kitimat in January. Ledcor is just one of the companies that hire a lot of labourers. Labourers start at 32 an hour with retention bonuses, loa, camp bonuses, travel pay, etc. It’s good money
He’s gonna work a minimum of 84 hrs a week.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Rvsask

Yeah, that seems quite fair. I will guess with wage offerings like that, those companies won’t be suffering from shortages as much as the ones trying to pay $20.

With the increase in pay the perks go away. Hard and dirty work, living in a camp in the middle of nowhere for long stretches, half your shift working nights, driller yelling at you when you're not pulling your weight or screwing up.

Knowing what I know now, I'd say stay in school. Those million dollar ceo's have an education

[mac1983]

$32/HR for an entry level position.

Just for having a pulse and showing up.

Pipelining and the Rigs. Excellant work for a young feller.

And a couple dollar rebate in Dany Dollars is the end of the world?

We have bigger worries in Ottawa than here in Alberta.

[Mavrick]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Pipelining in northern bc. I’ve worked trans mountain and coastal gas link. Currently sitting in Jasper finishing up and back to kitimat in January. Ledcor is just one of the companies that hire a lot of labourers. Labourers start at 32 an hour with retention bonuses, loa, camp bonuses, travel pay, etc. It’s good money
He’s gonna work a minimum of 84 hrs a week.

Did this for 10 years after I finished my apprenticeship. It’s was a grind to keep going after 5 , but I stuck with it for another 5. It set me up for life and put me in charge of me. Then started my own business and never answered to the man again. It’s there when your young, but it can be a hard row at times.

[jstubbs]

Originally Posted by Big Sky

Minister Jones had of said 'low income families' and 'low income seniors' his statement might have some validity. I still can't believe that families and retirees earning just under $180000 are receiving a benefit.

Just how well off would a retired seniors couple making $179000 be? Consider this.
A retired couple could get about $45000 in OAS/CPP. The balance of $134000 would come from pensions and investments. People without defined benefit pensions would need millions of dollars in order to generate that kind of investment income. People with defined benefit pensions would still need significant savings in order to generate the shortfall.
Why do these people need gov't handouts?

And guess who is paying for their handout. I'm sure that single people in their twenties who make minimum wage are happy to help out rich retirees.

This program is so f-ed up. IMO it should be indexed to your income with a cutoff of 1.5x median salary. Helping out low and middle income earners is fine. Giving gov't handouts to people who are well off is nothing but an attempt to buy peoples' votes.

Or how about the wealthy seniors who earn some small OAS/CPP that places them well below $180k/year? I can name numerous seniors that I know personally who are quite well off, big seven figure retirement savings fund, own their own home, spend all winter in Arizona, who qualify for the benefit to my understanding. That is the demographic who arguably needs this money the very least.

[Pathfinder76]

I just keep asking myself. What would Rachael do?

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Big Sky

Keg River, I was asking about the indexing of the first item on the list, the one that gives $600 in payouts over six months for each senior and child under the age of 18 in households with a yearly income less than $180,000.
I don't believe that benefit is indexed.

Back to our regular scheduled programming.

From The Edmonton Journal
https://edmontonjournal.com/news/pol...flation-relief



If Minister Jones had of said 'low income families' and 'low income seniors' his statement might have some validity. I still can't believe that families and retirees earning just under $180000 are receiving a benefit.

Just how well off would a retired seniors couple making $179000 be? Consider this.
A retired couple could get about $45000 in OAS/CPP. The balance of $134000 would come from pensions and investments. People without defined benefit pensions would need millions of dollars in order to generate that kind of investment income. People with defined benefit pensions would still need significant savings in order to generate the shortfall.
Why do these people need gov't handouts?

And guess who is paying for their handout. I'm sure that single people in their twenties who make minimum wage are happy to help out rich retirees.

This program is so f-ed up. IMO it should be indexed to your income with a cutoff of 1.5x median salary. Helping out low and middle income earners is fine. Giving gov't handouts to people who are well off is nothing but an attempt to buy peoples' votes.

Perhaps you should look at how much those "well off" retirees paid in taxes over their working career. Some of them paid millions in taxes over a 35-40 year career, and didn't use any more infrastructure/benefits than people that made far less used. And their tax money went to infrastructure that benefited those people in their twenties. So in fact, they are just getting some of the money that they paid in taxes back.

[Mavrick]

If DS uses my tax money to buy votes and keeps the NDP out of power in this province. She can have it.

I’m sure I would pay much more if Notley got the throne again.

And who knows maybe if she buys her way in, she can do some good, we know the other one can only do harm.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Mavrick

If DS uses my tax money to buy votes and keeps the NDP out of power in this province. She can have it.

I’m sure I would pay much more if Notley got the throne again.

And who knows maybe if she buys her way in, she can do some good, we know the other one can only do harm.

Exactly, Notley will attack industry, increase taxes, spend even more , and of course increase our debt while doing it. That is what the NDP does.

[jstubbs]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Perhaps you should look at how much those "well off" retirees paid in taxes over their working career. Some of them paid millions in taxes over a 35-40 year career, and didn't use any more infrastructure/benefits than people that made far less used. And their tax money went to infrastructure that benefited those people in their twenties. So in fact, they are just getting some of the money that they paid in taxes back.

The same retirees who used infrastructure and services paid for by their parent’s generation? Did you settle up with them in your 20s for what they had paid into the system? What if a retiree incurred millions in medical costs throughout their life time, more than what they contributed, are they now not deserving because they didn’t contribute more than what they cost the system?

Unfortunately, taxation in society isn’t set up to be equitable, but to help provide for the greater good of society (even if that isn’t always the outcome). If you truly are a proper fiscal conservative who believes in low taxation, low spending, and low debt—you would be disgusted by this asinine spending program. You can send your $600 back to the Alberta Government. See here: https://www.alberta.ca/about-making-payments-tra.aspx

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by jstubbs

The same retirees who used infrastructure and services paid for by their parent’s generation? Did you settle up with them in your 20s for what they had paid into the system? What if a retiree incurred millions in medical costs throughout their life time, more than what they contributed, are they now not deserving because they didn’t contribute more than what they cost the system?

Unfortunately, taxation in society isn’t set up to be equitable, but to help provide for the greater good of society (even if that isn’t always the outcome). If you truly are a proper fiscal conservative who believes in low taxation, low spending, and low debt—you would be disgusted by this asinine spending program. You can send your $600 back to the Alberta Government. See here: https://www.alberta.ca/about-making-payments-tra.aspx

I would rather see the spending reduced, but if some people are going to get handouts, I don't have a problem with everyone that paid into the system getting some back.
Personally, I believe that the only way that we can get rid of Trudeau, is if a lot of Canadians suffer because of the actions of his government. It may sound harsh, but that is what it will take to make some people realize what all of the handouts and attacks on western industry are doing to Canada. Until some people have to choose between heat, shelter and food, they won't think before they vote for green initiatives, and giving away billions to foreign countries.

[Trochu]

I have no issue with people who worked hard/took risks/made sacrifices/etc. and have done well for themselves getting some of their own money back from the government.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Trochu

I have no issue with people who worked hard/took risks/made sacrifices/etc. and have done well for themselves getting some of their own money back from the government.

Exactly my point!

[JohninAB]

Originally Posted by Trochu

I have no issue with people who worked hard/took risks/made sacrifices/etc. and have done well for themselves getting some of their own money back from the government.

Hear! Hear!