PCs have mad money to burn
By NEIL WAUGH -- Edmonton Sun

Once again all of Ralph Klein's worries are little ones. Or so he hopes. The premier came out of the weekly Tory caucus meeting yesterday with a big smile on his face.

Although it's hard to figure out why he was smiling, considering what was discussed.

"The big-picture items are still on the agenda," Klein insisted, talking about outrageous power bills, sky-high auto insurance premiums and natural gas rates.

"We're still working through them and they are going to be addressed in due course," the premier said, even though the power bill hassle has been plaguing the government for nearly two years.

Klein's gas pains may have been solved with the recent rebate program that Energy Minister Murray Smith was forced to implement. Expect to hear soon about a power bill ombudsman.

And even though up to a quarter of a billion bucks will be carved out of the sustainability fund for the rebates, happy days are here again.

The insurance issue is supposed to be on the agenda at the very next caucus meeting. The premier is on the record as wanting to at least match the rates the Saskatchewan government insurance company is offering in what's becoming known as the Saskatchewan Advantage.

It's a promise that I rather doubt the Tories are willing or able to keep.

Next week will see the official release of the dubious and pricey learning commission report. In reality, it's the government's final surrender to the Alberta Teachers Association following the 2002 teacher strikes, which forced the 74-member PC caucus to back down like whipped puppies.

"We have a whole lot of fiscal issues as to what we're going to do relative to our strategic plan and business planning," Klein said.

What kind of fiscal issues, Ralph?

"It's anticipated that the surplus is going to be larger than the amount we're required to put into the sustainability fund," the premier whooped.

In her first-quarter update that goes back to July 1, Finance Minister Pat Nelson predicted a $1.7-billion boost in oil and gas royalties over what was forecast in the budget. Back then, the surplus was expected to exceed the rainy day fund's $2.5-billion cap by $900 million.

Now it appears the amount of mad money the PCs have at their disposal this year is going to top that.

By a couple of billion, Ralph?

"A little bit," the premier winked back.

Then he got down to carving up the pie, even before it's actually gone into the oven.

"Is it going to be a debt paydown?" he wondered.

"Is it going to be tax reduction?" he continued.

"Is it going to be invested in one-time infrastructure?" he added.

Or is it going to be the incredible possibility of "a combination of all three?"

There's going to be money to burn. Or at least what's left of it after the province's privileged special interests, farmers, doctors, teachers and nurses, get their cow subsidies and fat wage settlements. But that's for a future debate.

The most pressing item on the agenda yesterday was the homeless situation in Calgary, which everyone knows is the centre of the Alberta Tory universe.

"We're going to have to deal with this situation," Klein vowed about the number of panhandlers apparently pestering the downtown oil company suits.

"We aren't insensitive to the needs of the homeless," Klein said, obviously still hurting from his midnight visit to an Edmonton homeless shelter.

But at least the premier realized his impending spending spree has limitations: "There's one thing I've learned in politics. You can make some of the people happy some of the time. And you can make all of the people happy some of the time. But you never make all of the people happy all of the time."

And certainly one of the saddest cowgirls at Ralph's Rodeo has to be his finance minister. In last spring's budget speech, Pat Nelson vowed: "The days of unpredictable, uncertain budgets are over.

"The roller coaster puts everyone on edge," Nelson said. "And the ride has to end."

But not before Ralph takes one more trip.