Here it is again, a new year. One must question whether anything is going to be different or if it is going to be another year of same old same old…

Living in the communist province, little is different today than it was yesterday. We still don’t have rent control. We still have starving people on the streets of the richest province in the country. The government in all it’s collective wisdom is still forging ahead with an unnecessary art gallery, a completely wasteful face-lift for a transit station, and plans for a new rink for the Oilers. Perhaps that new rink should be put on hold until the team earns it.

Being January 1st, all the government’s new edicts have dropped. The G.S.T. has dropped another percent, leaving us back in the position of dealing with pennies when ordering an extra-large coffee at Tim Horton’s. The dumbest tax ever incorporated is now the dumbest tax the government could cut. Fiscally, it is a poor decision. Regardless of whether the conservatives are keeping their election promises or not, if there was ever a time to not keep a promise this is it. We know without a doubt that other taxes will rise to cover this cut.

Albertan smokers are now the most legislated smokers in the country. The government, listening to less than 1/3 of all studies has, in its infinite desire to pander to the minority, made it illegal to partake in a currently legal activity pretty much anywhere but in your own home, in your car or hiding down a back alley. Thank you my government for making law abiding citizens more hated than the criminals. I have a solution to this issue, of course it would require more than three people to agree to something, which is impossible in Alberta. What if every smoker in the province decided to pick a day and light up in every mall, restaurant, parkade and government building in the province. Upon receipt of the inevitable ticket, everyone heads to the courthouse and pleads not guilty. I am more than willing to pay the fine just to jam up the entire provincial court system with frivolous legal action undertaken to control law abiding citizens.

Welcome to 2008 in Alberta. It seems more like 1984 put off by a few years. Let’s hope we don’t become one of the hungry, homeless, or rent abused in this province. No one would know because anyone who should care will be too busy looking at over-rated art work and riding the LRT from the newly renovated Churchill station while thinking of new ways to opppress the masses.
Happy New Year Everyone.