It is refreshing to see our new provincial government getting down to the business of governance. The electorate deserves no less.
The results of the April 23 election clearly highlighted the frustrations of the citizens with the defeat of an autocratic political cabal that had clung to power for far too long. The people of the province are looking forward to a collaborative government where the primary responsibility of the political leaders is to provide good governance to all citizens, after all that is their only responsibility. Nowhere will you find legislation that provides for allegiance to the “party” as a prerequisite for good governance, transparency and openness.
We have faith in our politicians and share the conviction of many of our fellow citizens who proclaim changes, for the sake of humanity, have to be made.
It is disturbing that the electorate has not seen any attempt to reconcile the stated objectives of the former government with the final outcomes at the time they were voted out of office. One would expect that ruling governments would provide an annual work plan and an accountability report. The electorate is asking, for example, what is the financial position of the province? How much money do we owe, and to whom? How much of the $366 million in infrastructure money has been allocated and to what initiatives?
Does our current financial position and our current commitments place the new government and the taxpayers in a tenuous position? Has the bulk of the infrastructure money already been allocated to long-term projects by the previous government? For how many years into the future will the financial arrangements entered into by the former government hamper the budgetary process?
Have our future financial, social and economic growth prospects been compromised? Where are the work plans and the accountability reports? The electorate is entitled to a full accounting.
Who and where are we as a political entity?
Wayne Carver,
Longcreek
