Opinion

Now that 2008 is behind us and in the books, maybe we should all take a minute to thank the Creator for another year because if you’re reading this, you’ve obviously survived disease, famine, war, crime, Alberta’s highways and a host of other nasty things.

An optimist stays up to see the New Year in. A pessimist waits to make sure the old one leaves. - Bill Vaughan Each new day is a blank page in the diary of your life. The secret of success is in turning that diary into the best story you possibly can. - Douglas Pagels

Hardly a day goes by anymore without reading or hearing about another tragedy that has struck someone or a group of people somewhere on this planet. Be it through war, crime, disease or accidental, it seems every day brings news of yet another terrible incident.

We’ve had it pretty good in this province. In fact, very good. We have the lowest overall taxes in Canada, including no sales tax, and as of January 1st – no health care premiums. We also have among the highest, if not the absolute highest paid teachers, doctors, nurses and other government employees.

In light of the media storm surrounding the events that took place in Ottawa last week regarding the possible formation of a new federal government made up of various factions from the opposition parties of the Liberals and New Democrats with the support of the Bloc Quebecois, some of the more interesting viewing on television was the reaction from voters across the country, most specifically the reaction from Albertans.

There’s an old Chinese saying that suggests: “May you live in interesting times.” Thankfully, we don’t have to live in China, but when it comes to the political situation at the federal level in Canada, these indeed, are interesting times.

When an election is called, do you break into cold sweats? Have trouble eating? Just can’t seem to get out of bed on Election Day? No? Didn’t think so. Apparently you are not suffering from what some people refer to as “voter fatigue.”

I don’t know where you were or what you were doing last Tuesday morning, but here’s hoping you attended one of the many Remembrance Day ceremonies held in the area to commemorate the tremendous sacrifices made by Canadians throughout our history to preserve our freedom.

While the recent drop in the price of natural gas and oil may help ease the pocketbook-pain of motorists and homeowners, it is going to inflict pain on the provincial treasury. The reason is quite simple – the lower the price of oil and natural gas, the less money the government collects.

Around a year ago, a high-ranking provincial government representative told the Rimbey Review that Highway 20 from Sylvan Lake in the south, past Bentley, around here on the bypass, and by Bluffton, Winfield and Breton, and all the way up to Alsike in the north, was the second busiest single-lane highway in the province.