Last Friday I received, after much delay and a number of phone calls to prove I am who I say I am (which was really me just saying "this is me!"), I received my Ralph bucks. For those of you unfamiliar with this, the government of Alberta decided that every living person - man, woman and child, of Alberta was to receive $400 tax free, due to the growth of the economy. There was one catch, you had to be a resident of Alberta by September 1, 2005. I became a resident, three different times, August 1st, when I started paying rent on my apartment, August 4th, when I landed and started working and August 27th, when I switched my driver's licence over. All three under the timeline.
Now I wasn't expecting this windfall, just thought if I get it, then great, if I don't, no loss. After the cheques started arriving in February, I heard from a number of people who had received them. Then I read about a young man who moved here as of August 31st and received his cheque. Well, I thought, if this guy is going to get $400, then certainly, I, an Ottawa man out west, deserve this money as well. I phoned the government of Alberta, and with my best Grampa Simpson, declared "gimme, gimme, gimme..." I was told that they didn't have a record of me in Alberta, and I told them that I moved here in August. I was told how sorry they were and that the 'cheque is in the mail'. After a month, I called to find out where it was mailed to, they told me then I should receive it in the next couple of weeks - and I did!
Before I received it though, I started to read some letters to the editor in the Calgary Sun (which for readers of the Ottawa Sun, you pretty much know where I'm going). There were a couple of irate people, who were upset that "deadbeats" like myself have just moved here and now I was getting the same money as them. I should be shoved aside, I should be forced to walk the Red Mile naked, I should be forced to eat my Sens hat (or Leafs, Habs, whatever) - there is on way "freeloaders" like this should share in this wealth. Well, that caught my attention. While I agree, that long standing Albertans have a little different view than say, one Ottawa man out west, but here's something for them to chaw on:
Moving to this wonderful provience:
$1900 for moving furniture
$900 for moving car
$850 for flights, looking for apartment and moving
$68 for driving licence
$69 for changing of car plate
$1250 for safety of said car
$895 cleaning deposit on apartment
$200 for hotel for first two nights in town
$264 for Alberta Health Care
$44 a month for said health care starting May
Total: $6396 - $2500 moving expenses = $3896 it still cost me to move to Alberta.
So I don't deserve $400?
To the gentleman, who referred to someone like me as a "freeloader" - Get Stuffed!
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
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