Province	Législature	Session	Type de discours	Date du discours	Locuteur	Fonction du locuteur	Parti politique
Alberta	23e 	2e 	Discours du budget	24 février 1994	M. James (Jim) Dinning	Trésorier provincial	PC


Mr. Dinning: Mr. Speaker, with Budget '94 Alberta has turned the corner on balancing the budget. We are more than halfway to the objective of living within our means. We're taking the steps required to becoming the first debt-free province in Canada, and we will do it without increased taxes and without a sales tax. With Budget '94 we are sticking to the tough course we set last May, a course that was endorsed by Albertans in the June 15 election, a course that will see us balance the budget by 1996- 97, a course that will see us sticking to Albertans' priorities, maintaining essential programs in education and health, continuing our attack on waste and duplication, and building on the Alberta advantage to make our province the best place to live, work, and raise our families. 

Albertans know that we have chosen a tough course. They know that these next few years will not be easy ones for any of us. There will be temptations to give in and take the easy way out, but that's not the Alberta way. The Alberta way is to do the right thing, live within our means, pay off our debts so that we don't pass them on to our children and our grandchildren. We make the changes now, and we don't put off the inevitable.

Albertans know that we must get on with the job, but they have also made it clear that they have some principles that they want us to stick to, principles that reflect their values and the things that they hold dear. First, they want government to get back to basics, to provide a good basic level of service with no frills. Second, they want government to balance the budget by cutting spending, not by increasing taxes or borrowing more money. As Premier Klein said on January 17, this government should be able to live on 11 and a half billion dollars a year. We can provide quality services and live within our means. Third, Albertans want to see government put its house in order and know where it's going. They've said, "Be clear about your plans, tell us what you're going to do, and get on with the job." Finally, Albertans said, "Be fair; don't hurt the little guy." They said: "We're all prepared to do our fair share. It's government's job to make sure that the sacrifices we make are shared fairly."

We've listened and now we have acted. Mr. Speaker, Budget '94 reduces Alberta's deficit by 37 percent over last year. It drops government spending on programs by over $950 million. Budget '94 maintains our priority on education, on health, and on social services. It expands our attack on waste and duplication to the entire public sector, and Budget '94 includes no tax increases for Albertans.

In this past year, the first of our balanced budget plan, we focused on getting our own house in order. We reduced program spending by $830 million and cut the consolidated deficit by $941 million. We saved over $130 million by getting rid of waste and duplication. We reduced the size and the cost of government, reduced salaries for Members of the Legislative Assembly, for cabinet ministers, and for senior civil servants by 5 percent. We got rid of pensions for MLAs. We released quarterly financial reports to keep Albertans well informed and up to date about the state of the province's finances.

With Budget '94, Mr. Speaker, we're moving to the next stage, turning our attention to the future. Today, for the first time in Alberta's history, Ralph Klein's government is tabling a comprehensive business plan and individual business plans for departments and agencies. Since the June election we've reviewed every aspect of government's programs and services. We've asked the tough questions. What is the goal that we must achieve, and how do we get there? What are the essentials that government must do, and for those essentials how can we achieve better results and spend less money? In short, how can we become a low-cost provider of high- quality programs?

While much of the focus has been on cuts in spending, it's important to emphasize -- and I want to say it over and over, Mr. Speaker; you'll hear me in the days ahead -- that our goal is not simply to balance the budget. Balancing the budget is only a means to the end. The goal is a better future for Alberta. That's the prize at the end of this journey: a debt-free future for our children, education and health programs that meet our high standards, the strongest economy in Canada with low taxes, with jobs, and with prosperity for all Albertans.

The prize comes with a price tag. In other times and with other governments the price would have been higher taxes, but that's not going to happen in Alberta. We won't promise a better future and then hand taxpayers the bill. We will reach the goal, and we will do it without increasing taxes.

The price for securing Alberta's future is not taxes but fundamental change and renewal. In some ways it's more difficult than simply handing over the money and saying, "Keep doing things the same old way." Those days are over, Mr. Speaker. We cannot secure a better future for our children if we cling to a traditional education system that burdens us with administration rather than one that fills us with pride about the results our children achieve. We cannot secure a better future if we keep funding a sickness care system, putting more and more money into hospitals, rather than one that gives responsibility to communities and focuses on the health needs and well-being of Albertans. We cannot secure a better future if we simply keep handing out checks to people rather than giving them the skills they need to look after themselves and their children. 

Mr. Speaker, we can secure a better future for Alberta. There is a better way, a way to make the best use of the tremendous resources that we do have, building on Alberta's competitive advantage and creating an environment where people can live and prosper. Our plans lay out the better way. A better way means being clear about what government must do, focusing on doing it better, and making sure that everything government does contributes to the goal of securing a better future for Alberta. 

The plan spells out the five core businesses for government. Firstly, investing in people and ideas. That means education for our children and adults. It means research and development. Secondly, building a strong, sustainable, prosperous province. That means building on the Alberta advantage to generate wealth and job growth. Thirdly, providing essential services for the health and well-being of Albertans. That's quality health care for
Albertans and basic family and social services support. Fourth is maintaining a quality system of roads and highways, telecommunications and utilities. That means maintaining our infrastructure and preparing for a high-tech future of information superhighways and fiber optics. Fifth and last is providing law, order, and good government. That means protecting the safety and the security of Albertans, providing a positive working environment, and open, accountable, government. Those are the essentials. All of government's efforts will be focused on those five core businesses. 

A better way is the Klein government's plan for the future. It spells out our vision, our goals, and our objectives. It describes the actions and strategies to be taken and the results we expect to achieve. Individual department business plans back this up with detailed actions and performance measures all directed at doing a better job in our core businesses.

We're laying out our agenda for change and renewal, an agenda that's unique in Canada, an agenda that says to Albertans: this is what we're going to do for the next three years, this is how much money we're going to spend, and these are the results we expect to achieve and be accountable for. For those Albertans who so rightly say, "We want to know what you're going to do to reach the goal and balance the budget, and we want to be reassured that you're not going too far," this plan provides them with that road map. There will still be changes and adjustments as we go along. No plan should be written in stone, but overall this is the plan that we will follow.

Before I turn to the highlights of Budget '94, I want to set the context by looking at Alberta's economy. A strong and thriving economy is essential for the future security of this province. It provides jobs for Albertans. It creates opportunities for Alberta businesses. It provides resources to pay for priority programs and infrastructure. It provides hope for today and renewal for future generations. The backbone of Alberta's economy is our people, hardworking and productive Albertans with ideas, with determination and drive. Albertans and the Alberta advantage are the keys to economic growth and future prosperity.

There are positive signs that Alberta's economic strategy is producing solid results. The Alberta economy grew by an estimated 3.4 percent in 1993, stronger than the 3 percent forecast in the May budget. Alberta's economy has outperformed Canada's for the last four years, and in the words of the Conference Board of Canada: our economy is firing on all cylinders. Our growth was led by record natural gas sales to the United States and a dramatic recovery in energy industry activity. Over 7, 200 wells were drilled in 1993, the highest level since 1986. Net farm income in 1993 was $840 million, well above the previous 10-year average of $500 million. The livestock industry had a banner year as well. Manufacturing shipments led by forest products and metals and machinery grew by nearly 10 percent to over $21 billion. Consumer spending also improved. Alberta continues to lead Canada with the highest per capita retail sales in the country. Alberta was open for business in 1993. Over 21,000 new businesses were incorporated, the largest number since 1981. New jobs are being created. Alberta's unemployment rate in January was 9.3 percent, the second lowest among all of the provinces. But, Mr. Speaker, it's not yet low enough.

Alberta continues to have the highest investment per capita among all of the provinces, one-third more than the Canadian average. Over $16.3 billion was invested in our province last year. Looking ahead to 1994, Alberta's economy is forecast to grow by 2.8 percent. Exports of oil and gas are again expected to lead economic activity in 1994, and the manufacturing sector will put in a strong performance. Net realized farm income is expected to reach a record $1.1 billion.

On the other hand, slower investment growth and fiscal restraint are expected to dampen our growth this year. Let's be very clear. Yes, growth will be slower this year than it would have been if we had not acted to reduce spending. We estimate that spending cuts could reduce the rate of economic growth by up to one-half of 1 percent in 1994, but the Alberta economy will continue to grow, and there will be gains in employment. In the longer term, economic growth is projected to average 3 and a half percent from 1995 through to 1997.

Mr. Speaker, it comes down to a choice between two actions: cutting spending or raising taxes. Both actions have a negative impact on the economy in the short run, but raising taxes is much worse over the long term. Higher taxes slow economic growth by damaging incentives to work and to invest, and raising taxes hurts the future prosperity of Albertans. The people of Alberta know that, and they've made their choice very clear: don't raise taxes.

We are optimistic that Alberta's economy will respond positively, and we're not alone in that optimism. Economists across Canada, representatives of key financial institutions, and businessmen and women right here in Alberta are saying that this province is leading the way in responsible fiscal management. Alberta will become the best place in Canada to invest and do business, and that means more jobs and lasting jobs for Albertans.

Now for the details about this year's budget. With Budget '94 we are more than halfway to balancing the budget. Budget '94 contains no tax increases, no new taxes, and no sales tax. This year's consolidated deficit will be $918 million lower than in '93-94, a reduction of 37 percent. At $1.55 billion Alberta's consolidated deficit for this year will be $250 million lower than the limits set out in the Deficit Elimination Act. Alberta's deficit for '94 will be $1.86 billion less than the actual deficit just 24 months earlier, a reduction of 55 percent. 

For Budget '94 this year's priority is the reform and restructuring of priority services and programs to better focus them on the customer, meeting Albertans' needs. Spending targets for each government department reflect the priorities of Albertans. Operating spending on health, education, and social services will total $8.1 billion. Combined with debt servicing costs, spending on these essential programs consumes 83 percent -- 83 percent -- of the government's revenues this year. Spending on all other programs of the government will be reduced to $2.9 billion. In 1994-95 the public service will be reduced by nearly 1,800 positions. Total program operating spending will be reduced by $956 million. Total revenue is estimated at $11.4 billion, $91 million less than in '93-94.
 
Budget '94 continues the practice of using conservative resource revenue forecasts. The resource revenue number used for budget purposes is the five-year average of the actual revenues from '88-89 to 1992-93. 

Targeting waste and duplication continues to be a priority in Budget '94. Within government, business plans step up our efforts to get rid of extras and concentrate on the basics. This year we're expanding our focus to the entire public sector, asking the tough, basic questions. Do we need 140 school boards in Alberta? Do we need hundreds of hospital and health unit boards? Do we need layers of administration in school systems, hospitals, colleges, and our universities? The answer is no. There is a better way. By getting rid of waste and duplication, we can focus our efforts where we need them the most: in the classroom, in the community, at the hospital bed, or in the home.

Total provincial capital spending is budgeted at $683 million. Only essential maintenance projects and those projects already under way will proceed. Funding for health care projects will be based on recommendations from an independent review conducted through the health planning process. In addition, Budget '94 includes $179 million in operating grants for infrastructure to municipalities and other organizations. This includes funding for the provincial share of the national infrastructure program for this year. Total spending by all three levels of government will be $515 million over the term of this program.

Together, Mr. Speaker, these highlights show that the Klein government is keeping to its promises. We said that we would stick to the plan, reduce spending and attack the deficit, and that's exactly what we've done. Our third quarter report for '93-94 shows that we will actually spend less than our budget for the first time in six years.

Nineteen ninety-four is going to be a year of change for Alberta, for Canada, and around the world. The January Report on Business calls 1994 the decade's year of transition. New governments have been granted an opportunity to embrace the new requirements of accountability, integrity, and a willingness to bravely experiment with untested and potentially valuable ideas. Nowhere could that be more the case than right here in Alberta. As one newspaper puts it, "We're going to see more change in the next three years than we've seen in the last three decades." 

With that change comes uncertainty and some questioning. People ask us: "Do you have to move so quickly? Can't we take more time?" We've even heard suggestions that as a government we're overstating the seriousness of the deficit problem.

Let's be clear about this, Mr. Speaker. Alberta has one of the highest deficits per capita among all of the provinces. We must take action now so that Alberta's deficit does not become a tax that we pass on to our children and our grandchildren, an unbearable price they will have to pay for the overspending of their parents. Taking hard and fast action on the deficit as part of a deliberate four-year plan may be painful, but it pays off in straight dollars and good sense. Achieving a deficit $250 million below the Deficit Elimination Act this year will save $15 million in debt servicing costs every year forever, $15 million that Albertans would much rather see us spend on educating their children and helping families in need or even reducing taxes. Now, isn't that a novel idea, colleagues? With a combination of low taxes, low interest rates, the low dollar, and low inflation, we're in a strong position to take tough action now to tackle the root cause of the deficit problem: spending more than we get in revenues.

Mr. Speaker, I have to comment here about the federal budget we saw just two days ago. The contrast is dramatic. The Liberal government in Ottawa is putting off the inevitable in the hopes that things will simply get better: going slow, making small changes, launching task forces and studies and in the meantime increasing spending by $3 billion this year and increasing the horrendous debt burden for all of us, such that three years from now Canada will be $100 billion more in debt. Going slow may be comforting to some, but it's a house of cards built on false hopes. There is no way of avoiding the tough decisions. Next year, when the studies are done and those tough decisions are still facing the federal government, we in Alberta will be only the smallest step away from the best announcement we're going to make: a balanced budget in '96-97. 

Taking quick and decisive action has positioned us to see that the prize is within our grasp. Albertans now know that by staying the course, we'll balance the budget, we'll maintain our quality of life, and we'll continue to have the lowest taxes in Canada. That remarkably powerful combination makes us unique in Canada and gives Alberta and Albertans a real advantage.

Mr. Speaker, with the tabling of three-year business plans and spending targets, Budget '94 cannot be considered in isolation. Albertans said, "Don't just tell us what you're going to do a year at a time; look ahead and show us the road map." That's exactly what we're doing. The changes I'm outlining today will take place not just in '94-95 but over the course of the next three years.

As part of our plan, action will be taken in all five of the core businesses of government, but in order to support Albertans' top priorities of education, health, and social services, we've had to make much tougher decisions in other areas of government spending: areas such as agriculture, municipal affairs, transportation, and yes, the environment. Spending reductions to be made as part of our four-year plan on programs other than the top priorities will be as high as 47 percent and will average over 28 percent. That's close to double the savings in the priority programs. Actions to be taken in areas other than the big four priority areas are a balance between initiatives to help create the climate for continued growth and decisions which reduce spending and pare government down to the essentials.

In economic development a new global business plan, an Asia Pacific business strategy, a Mexico trade and tourism strategy, and a hot lead investor program are new initiatives to put Alberta businesses on the world stage, where they've proven they can compete and succeed. At the same time, direct financial assistance to business will be reduced. Overall spending on Economic Development and Tourism will be reduced by over 30 percent by '96-97.

In agriculture we will work with the industry to diversify and increase value-added products and to improve the industry's ability to access domestic and world markets. We will take advantage of new opportunities to expand our export markets in Japan, Mexico, Ukraine, and Russia. Farm income support will shift from commodity specific programs to a new whole farm income approach consistent with our GATT obligations. 

Farm input cost subsidies will be reduced. Effective midnight tonight the 2 cent per litre Alberta farm fuel distribution allowance grant on gasoline will be eliminated, and the grant on diesel fuel will be reduced from 8 cents to 6 cents per litre. The full 9-cent tax exemption remains in place on both fuels. The resulting savings to the province will be over $28 million. As previously announced, the Alberta Crow benefit offset program will be eliminated on March 31. With these and other changes, total government net spending on agriculture will go down by 23 and a half percent by '96-97.

Grants to municipalities will be reduced substantially, and our efforts will be directed at improving efficiency and providing more flexibility. Four provincial programs are being brought under the umbrella of a new unconditional grant program. The municipal assistance grant, the urban parks operating grant, the municipal transit operating assistance grant, and the municipal police assistance grant will all be combined. The focus of the family and community support services grants will continue to be on programs to foster and promote the well-being of Albertans. But administration of the grants will be changed to a single unconditional grant allowing municipalities and locally elected, accountable municipal politicians to set at-home priorities on how these funds can meet their communities' needs, Mr. Speaker. This government trusts municipal elected people.

Budget '94 includes the creation of a new environmental protection and enhancement fund to cover the costs of extraordinary environmental emergencies. Funding will come from increased royalties and user fees for the use of the province's natural resources. At the same time, major changes in the Department of Environmental Protection will lead to a reduction of 30 percent in total spending by '96-97.

Further steps will be taken in Budget '94 to increase efficiency by reducing the number of government funds and agencies. Thirteen government funds will be abolished. As announced by the Minister of Energy, the Energy Resources Conservation Board and the Public Utilities Board will be amalgamated into a new Alberta energy and utilities board. Three other agencies will be merged within the Department of Energy.

The Alberta royalty tax credit will continue, but the program's benefits will be reduced as part of the government's restraint program. Effective January 1, 1995, the maximum benefit will be reduced by 20 percent.

In transportation our emphasis will shift away from new construction to the maintenance of existing roads and highways. By '96-97 we will be able to get the job done with almost 28 percent less money.

In areas that are considered internal to government, departments such as public works, Treasury, personnel, and public affairs, spending reductions will be substantial, ranging as high as 42 percent in the Treasury Department.

A significant impact of these spending reductions will be felt by Alberta's public servants. Nearly 1,800 positions will be eliminated across government this year. By the time the budget is balanced, we expect employment in the public service to be about 27,500 positions, a reduction of 20 percent from 1992-93. For permanent employees who lose their jobs because of restructuring, we will provide fair severance packages, counseling, and training programs. These are capable and talented people who will find new opportunities for work, for running their own businesses, or for going back to school for retraining. 

For those public servants who will continue to serve Albertans, we offer clarity of purpose. The changes we are making will strip away the rules and regulations that stifle initiative and creativity. New ideas, innovation, and rewards for success are what the future offers to these hardworking Albertans.

Mr. Speaker, our focus in the so-called other areas of government spending during the four-year plan will be to reduce spending, improve efficiency, and pare down government services to the essentials. In health, education, and social services our objective is to reform and restructure programs and services, to focus them on getting the very best value for the money we're spending. Premier Klein talked about many of these changes in his January 17 talk with Albertans. With Budget '94 our essential people programs will receive 72 percent of all government program spending.

In basic education we will spend $1.84 billion this year. Combined with property taxes to support education, Albertans will spend a total of $ 3 billion on basic education in '94-95. That's $5,600 for every child in school and $168,000 for a classroom of 30 students. By '96-97 our reforms will allow us to deliver high standards of education for 12.4 percent less money.

Government will spend $3.77 billion on health in '94-95. Major changes are in store for our health system over the next three years, changes that reflect the changing health needs of Albertans. By '96-97 spending on health will be reduced by 18 percent.

This year $1.16 billion will be spent to support postsecondary education and training. Priority will be placed on improving accessibility and preparing young people for the demands of the work force. Over the four-year plan spending on postsecondary education will be reduced by 15.8 percent.

Finally, for social services we will spend $1.43 billion in '94-95. Changes to the supports for independence program are shifting the focus to active re-employment. Spending on employment initiatives as part of this program will increase by 36 percent in '94-95. By '96-97 we will reduce overall spending in Family and Social Services by 19.3 percent and maintain our priority on providing services to those who need them the most.

This year we will spend over $8 billion to operate those four essential areas of health, education, postsecondary education, and social services. By 1996-97 we will still be spending $7.7 billion. If we spend those dollars right, if we cut administration and not the people who provide the direct services, if we change the way we deliver programs and not stick with tradition, there is absolutely no reason why we can't give Albertans exactly what they want and expect: excellent education, quality health care, and basic support for people and families in need. 

Mr. Speaker, with Budget '94 we are making changes to programs for our senior citizens. In the past we have provided extensive programs for all seniors regardless of their ability to pay. About $1.1 billion was spent on these programs dedicated to seniors in '92-93. The fact is that we simply can no longer afford to provide all these services free of charge to all seniors. We asked Alberta seniors: what should the priorities be for your benefit programs? They told us that seniors who can afford it are willing to pay their share. They also said, "Streamline the administration so we don't have to go from one office to another trying to sort out the benefits that we're eligible for," and most of all they said, "Protect the lower income seniors."

We're taking their advice. Today we are introducing a new coordinated grant program for seniors. It's based on six key principles. First, low-income seniors must be protected. Secondly, seniors' benefits and administration must be simplified and moved to a one-window approach to make it easier for seniors to access the support they need. Thirdly, those who can afford to pay for shelter and health care premiums should pay for them. Fourthly, benefit rates should be fair and based on a senior's income, not a means test. Fifthly, any changes and their impact on seniors must be carefully monitored. Last but not least, consultation with seniors must take place so that the program can be made more effective and responsive to their needs.

The new Alberta seniors benefit program will bring together five existing programs: the Alberta assured income program, the property tax reduction program, the senior citizens renter assistance program, the extended health benefit plan, and the exemption from health care premiums. The result will be a single program delivered by one department. Seniors will be able to go to one office, call one number, and talk to one person to get the assistance they need. Low-income seniors will see increased benefits, and those who can afford to pay will be asked to pay a fair share. Eligibility for benefits will be determined by seniors' income: how much they receive each year from old age security, from their pensions, and from income on their investments.
Mr. Speaker, this is an important change in seniors' programs, and we want to do it right. We've laid out the principles and the targets. Now we want to ensure that the program is effective and responds to seniors' concerns. An extensive consultation process will begin immediately. My colleague Gary Mar, the Minister of Community Development, will lead this process. A toll-free number is already in place for seniors who want information or want to express their opinions on this program. Information will be mailed directly to every senior in the province, and discussions will be held in seniors' centers, lodges, and community centers. We'll ask seniors to participate in workshops to be held in the weeks ahead.

Mr. Speaker, seniors have made and continue to make a tremendous contribution to this province. Our goal is to make sure that they continue to get the benefits they need to lead secure and dignified lives. We'll do that by redirecting benefits to those who need them the most, ensuring that low-income seniors are protected, and most of all by listening to seniors and working with them to make this program work and work well.

I said earlier that the price of a secure future for Alberta was change and renewal. Renewal and restructuring is the major theme of Budget '94, and within the Alberta government that process of renewal is well under way. The objective is simple: to find a better way, a better way of delivering quality services at a cost we can all afford. To copy a Texas phrase: Albertans don't want bigger government; they don't necessarily want smaller government; what they want is better government. Better government is what Albertans will get.

Albertans are fortunate to have a public service of dedicated, thoughtful, and innovative people, people who know how to do the job better. As Ted Gaebler of Reinventing Government puts it: we have good people trapped in bad systems. Our objectives will be to get rid of those bad systems, to listen to the ideas of our own people, and reward those who have excellent ideas, ideas that get good results and make real improvements. We will put in place a new pay system, productivity plus, to recognize and reward public servants whose ideas lead to significant improvements in productivity.

Business plans highlight many of those new ideas. They spell out the specific actions planned by each department to deliver better service. Business plans also signal a new focus on results and performance measures. As one of my colleagues says: "It's not enough to say we're going to change the way we do business. We want proof that our strategies are working and producing the results we want."

Before I go on, Mr. Speaker, I want to pay tribute to a man seated in your gallery. Donald Salmon is our Auditor General, and he's retiring next month after 35 years of public service to the people of Alberta. On your behalf and on behalf of all members of the Assembly and all Albertans I want to thank Mr. Salmon for his significant contribution to the province.

In his last report the Auditor General said that government departments and agencies are generally not assessing and reporting on their effectiveness. That means there's very little public information on what was intended and what was actually achieved as a result of spending public money. It reflects an old view about how governments work, a view that says, "As long as money is being spent, government is looking after the problem, and something good must be happening." Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, it's a view that some people still hold to be true. But as the Auditor General so correctly points out, spending money is no guarantee of results.

Albertans expect that government resources will be directed to programs that work, that achieve the results we set out to achieve. They deserve to know how we measure the performance of government programs and the progress we are making. They deserve to have information so they can judge our actions and hold us accountable for the results.
Business plans take the first step in outlining expected results and the measures we'll use to assess our progress. In some cases results and performance measures are well developed, clear, and easy to understand. In others work on performance measures is just beginning.

This is a new business for us. It's a new business for most of the public sector. We have a lot of work left to do before we have clear benchmarks and targets for government programs. But that's our goal, Mr. Speaker: specific and tangible performance measurement clearly spelled out and reported on regularly to Albertans. Future annual business plans will move us closer to that goal.

Those are the highlights of Budget '94 and our comprehensive plans for the next three years. Mr. Speaker, as a government we did not embark on this difficult course because we thought it would make us popular, nor did we underestimate how difficult it would be for all Albertans and for us as their government. We chose this course because we know Albertans. We know their pride. We know their strengths. We know their will and their determination. We know Albertans prefer to do the right thing rather than taking the easy way out. We know Albertans, and we've chosen the toughest course.

We've chosen to get rid of deficits once and for all, not slowly, not a little bit at a time but decisively and completely. We've chosen to renew and restructure education and health so that Albertans and their children get the programs they need at a price we can all afford. We've chosen to keep our eyes firmly on the future. To quote one of my favourite philosophers, Yogi Berra, "The future ain't what it used to be." He's right. Alberta's future isn't going to be a replica of the past; it's going to be better.

We've set the course, we know the destination, and with Budget '94 we've turned the corner. We're more than halfway there. When we succeed, when we reach the destination, people across Alberta and across Canada, people around the world are going to say, "Albertans have done it, taken the tough course, stuck to it, and made their province not just a better place but the best."

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.