Vote in a Conservative government and the people take to the streets in   
   protest pretty darned quickly.  Doug Ford won't make it into a second term;   
   nor will Jason Kenney.  Their tactic of balancing the books is to give major   
   tax breaks to corporations    
   and major wage cuts to the average working stiffs... or cut their jobs   
   altogether.  Only those working in the tar sands deserve to have jobs. . .   
   _______________________________________________   
   CBC News · Posted: Dec 01, 2019   
      
   Alberta premier asks public sector for collaboration amid talk of general   
   strike   
      
   Premier Jason Kenney urges unions to consider province's economy   
      
      
   Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says threats of a general strike by public sector   
   workers will not go over well with Albertans, and he's asking unions to take a   
   step back and look at the province's economy.   
      
   "I would plead with them to take a look at the general economic fiscal   
   situation of this province," Kenney said at a news conference on Sunday.   
      
   "I do not think something like a general strike ... when we're in the fifth   
   year of economic decline will be well-received by Albertans who pay the bills."   
      
       [implying public servants haven't been paying those bills  ï   
   ¾Í¡à¹�̯͡à¹�ï´¿           
      
   Kenney made his remarks one day after hundreds of teachers, nurses and other   
   public sector workers protested outside of the Calgary Airport Westin Hotel   
   where Kenney's United Conservative Party was holding its annual general   
   meeting.   
      
   On Friday, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, the United Nurses of   
   Alberta and the Health Sciences Association of Alberta were told to expect the   
   loss of more than 7,000 jobs by 2023 as the government tries to balance the   
   budget.   
      
   Protesters outside the hotel chanted about a general strike Saturday. Kenney   
   briefly remarked on the demonstration during his speech at the UCP AGM   
   Saturday night.   
      
   "I'm reminded of what Premier Ralph [Klein] used to say," he said. "If a day   
   goes by and there's not a protest, I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong."   
      
   Kenney was more serious in his news conference on Sunday, saying he wanted to   
   have a collaborative, not confrontational, relationship with public sector   
   unions, suggesting that job loss numbers could be mitigated if negotiators   
   moderated their salary    
   expectations.   
      
   Some unions have asked for increases of eight per cent, he said.   
      
   Kenney called the current cuts "a modest program of fiscal restraint" and   
   accused the NDP Official Opposition of exaggerating what his government is   
   trying to do.   
      
   "They're making this out to be like the arrival of the apocalypse," Kenney   
   said.   
      
   "This is ridiculous. This is, by modern Canadian fiscal standards, one of the   
   most modest periods of fiscal restraint. And so I just wish everybody would be   
   a little more objective in their language around this."   
   Questions about abortion, conscience rights   
      
   Kenney's news conference capped the three-day UCP AGM, the second since the   
   party formed in July 2017 following the unification of the Wildrose and   
   Progressive Conservative parties, and the first since the party won a majority   
   government in April.   
      
   Kenney and his government have faced critics who say they are pandering to the   
   social conservative elements of the party on issues such issues school choice,   
   parental rights, abortion and conscience rights for health-care providers.   
      
   Health Minister Tyler Shandro and Education Minister Adriana LaGrange took on   
   some politically sensitive questions about Christian schools, abortion and   
   conscience rights during a session on Sunday morning that allowed members to   
   ask questions of Kenney    
   and his cabinet.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)