Notley said Thursday’s meeting was partly to strategize on how the two provinces can sell the project to the rest of Canada.
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Premier Rachel Notley made the comments while speaking with reports after a meeting with New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant Thursday morning, with the Energy East pipeline a big part of their discussions.
The NDP leader says not doing so would require deep and devastating cuts in public services.
“We agree the Energy East pipeline is in the best interest of all Canadians because it’s the safest and most economical method to move oil and gas to market and because it would create more jobs and refining in Canada”, Notley said.
Notley will be in Calgary to discuss construction of a new cancer centre.
Construction is expected to begin in 2017 and be completed by 2024.
“These are a few of our core principles, especially in these hard economic times”, Westhead said.
Dominion Lending Centres says confronted with a choice between austerity and stimulus in the face of economic weakness and burgeoning red ink, the NDP government has chosen a middle of the road approach-boosting infrastructure, job support and social spending while raising taxes and fees moderately while putting a lid on future spending.
“When you’re on an exceptionally rocky and bumpy economic road you need shock absorbers”.
It projects $34 billion in capital spending over the next five years.
The government intends to keep hiring to a minimum, but doesn’t plan to drastically reduce service levels in key areas such as health and education.
With low resource prices sucking $6 billion out of Alberta’s bottom line this year, Ceci delivered a budget with a $6.1-billion deficit.
The government’s savings fund will be depleted next fiscal year, when the province also plans to start borrowing to pay salaries and everyday expenses.
Fildebrandt notes that the government, starting next year, will be taking out debt just to pay for day-to-day operations. That will no longer be an option come next year as the government plans to use up the money left in the fund. By 2017-18, capital debt is forecast to hit $31.7 billion. A downgrade would trigger even higher borrowing costs. It would limit government debt to 15% of nominal gross domestic product, which is GDP not adjusted for inflation.
“We’re talking about not only replacing failing infrastructure, but expanding for the needs of our community”, he said.
“There is quite a robust infrastructure plan and I look forward to details on how that will play out in the riding”, he said.
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Sherry Cooper, chief economist with Dominion Lending Centres, said the province’s credit rating is not going to be downgraded due to the budget.
