Opposition leaders in Alberta are calling on Premier Jim Prentice to apologize after saying that Albertans need to “look in the mirror” if they want to know who is responsible for the province’s fiscal crisis.
Prentice made the comments during a radio interview where he claimed that all Albertans have had the “best of everything” for too long.
"In terms of who is responsible, we all need only look in the mirror," Prentice told the radio show. "All of us have had the best of everything and have not had to pay for what it costs.
"Collectively, we got into this as Albertans, and collectively we're going to get out of it, and everybody is going to have to shoulder some share of the responsibility."
Wildrose leader Heather Forsyth said she was shocked at Prentice’s comments.
“Quite frankly, at a time where many Albertans are hearing of job losses, are seeing the value of their homes go down, and are just worried about making ends meet, Mr. Prentice’s comments of blaming Albertans for being at fault for the PC government's gross fiscal mismanagements shows how deeply this PC government is out of touch,” Forsyth said.
“Today, we are demanding an apology on behalf of Albertans and on behalf of the Wildrose for Mr. Prentice’s condescending comments. We would think at this time, we would see better leadership.”
The sentiment was echoed by NDP leader Rachel Notley.
“I think that is a profoundly insulting comment to all Albertans,” she said.
“If Jim Prentice were to look in the mirror what he would see is the leader of a very tired, 43-year-old government. A government that is completely, and totally, and solely responsible for the fiscal crisis that we are in right now.
“We are calling on Jim Prentice to issue an apology to Albertans for the profoundly insulting statement that he made and to take responsibility for his record and for his government records.”
Notley also called the comments arrogant.
“These guys are the ones that have been at the controls. These guys are the ones that have made the decisions. It is their decisions that put us here. How dare they blame the families that are struggling to make ends meet under the circumstances that these guys have created?
“If this is what the premier will say to Albertans now, six weeks before an election, heaven forbid what he is going to say to Albertans after the election if they give them a four year mandate. I would be troubled and worried about where we are going.”
The hashtag #PrenticeblamesAlbertans has been trending and includes sarcastic comments and memes.
In many tweets, Albertans sarcastically blame themselves for everything from the demise of the dinosaurs to the blown play call that cost the Seattle Seahawks the Super Bowl.
Others say Prentice is right on, given that Albertans have voted to keep the Progressive Conservative party in power for more than 40 years.
Prentice’s Press Secretary released a statement this afternoon to address the controversy. In the statement, Emily Woods indicates that the government if preparing to lay out a long-term financial plan that will fix the province’s financial problems “for good”. The budget will be released on March 26.
With files from The Canadian Press, CTV Calgary
