In response to Mr. Spiller’s letter of Aug. 2. I fail to see any connection between Ralph Klein’s Premiership and the carbon tax. Mr. Klein retired in 2006 and if anyone can be blamed for the mismanagement of Alberta’s finances, it was the Stelmach, Redford and now the motley Notleys and their associated bands of tax thieves. Our Heritage Trust fund currently sits at approximately $17.5 billion and the Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCO), the crown corporation that manages the fund shamelessly lost .1 per cent of this total in the first three months of fiscal year 2017-2018 for a disgusting total return for the period of only one per cent, while Alberta’s finance minister praised its performance? If citizens managed their investments like this, they’d be living in cardboard boxes. This is precisely why crown corporations shouldn’t exist. They are taxpayer supported and apparently answer to no one. As for mismanaging finances, the Notley government has put Alberta’s debt at almost $71 billion with annual interest payments of $3.5 billion! Mr. Spiller has great admiration for the Parkland Institute. In its promotional materials, it shamelessly uses the term “tar sands” when referring to heavy oil operations, confirming its environmentalist position regarding Alberta’s oil industry. Its board of directors is dominated by socialist environmentalist university professors whose salaries are paid by Alberta taxpayers and the programs the Institute promotes defend everything the Notley government supports. For Spiller to say the Institute is non-partisan is deceptive if not a complete falsehood. This is why no one should trust anything Alberta universities present and why thinking Albertans should do their own research to determine for themselves both sides of important public questions. Finally, his rant of Mr. Klein sounded more like hatred than criticism and I will respond to Mr. Spiller by saying that in the opinion of many Albertans, next to Peter Lougheed, Klein was one of our best premiers. He was a pragmatist, not an ideologue. He offered up both conservative and liberal philosophies depending on the situation. His stand that government has no “business in business” is a philosophy that more politicians should heed and he should be commended for privatizing many public services. He was instrumental in making efforts at diversifying Alberta’s economy including expanding oil sands operations and approving the Alberta Pacific Forest Industries pulp mill that operates successfully today. In fact, this company was nominated as one of Canada’s top employers for young people this year. Reducing Alberta’s oversized (and unnecessary) public service was another achievement and he will always be the champion of those Albertans who believe that unnecessary debt hurts everyone contrary to what is happening in Edmonton (and Canada) today. Mr. Klein brought in reforms that made Alberta’s economy the envy of Canada with the Alberta Advantage. God only knows that has disappeared! Ralph Klein definitely made mistakes, but I challenge anyone to tell me of another politician anywhere in Canada who would admit his or her mistakes and then apologize? I know of none. Mr. Spiller, I’ll complete my list of Klein accomplishments if you wish to hear them; give me a call. L. Leugner
