Albertans pay the bills. Every dime the government spends belongs to the people who earned it. And when those dimes turn into hundreds, thousands, or millions, the least taxpayers deserve is the truth about where it all goes.But now, in a quiet, Friday-afternoon-before-a-long-weekend maneuver — the sort of timing politicians use when they don’t want you to notice — the Alberta government has scrapped its policy of posting itemized expense receipts online. For over a decade, if a politician or senior bureaucrat spent more than $100 of your money, they had to post the receipt for all to see. That’s not just common sense — that’s basic accountability.With the stroke of a pen, the Smith government has turned a proactive transparency system into a scavenger hunt. Want to know what your elected officials spent at a dinner meeting? Or which hotel they stayed in during a conference? Now you’ll have to file a freedom of information request, pay a fee, and wait weeks — or months — for a heavily redacted answer..Christian artist Sean Feucht’s Alberta legislature concert to proceed.That’s not openness. That’s obstruction.Kris Sims from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is right. This looks like the government has something to hide. And if they don’t, why act like they do? Do they not remember the $16 orange juice scandal in Ottawa? Or the six-figure beef Wellington debacle in federal air travel catering? Those outrages came to light because the details were public. In Alberta, until last week, the policy protected us from those kinds of abuses — or at least made them harder to pull off..CTF demands Alberta reverse move to hide expense receipts.It’s easy to see why politicians would prefer to work in the shadows. Sunshine makes people behave. Darkness invites mischief. A government that knows its expenses will be scrutinized is a government that thinks twice before ordering that second bottle of wine on the taxpayer’s tab..Premier Smith promised Albertans a government that respects taxpayers. Yet this change is the exact opposite. It erodes public trust, which is already worn thin in this province after years of broken promises and political gamesmanship. Albertans don’t care about partisan spin — they care about whether the people in charge are good stewards of their money.The timing of this decision couldn’t be worse. Inflation is squeezing families. Taxes and fees keep climbing. Everyday Albertans are forced to account for every penny in their budgets — so why should the politicians spending millions get to hide theirs?Transparency isn’t a perk governments hand out when it’s convenient. It’s a duty. A non-negotiable part of governing in a free society. Alberta’s old policy set a standard the rest of the country could follow. Scrapping it sends a chilling message: “We’ll tell you what we want, when we want, and you can’t do much about it.”.CARPAY: Alberta can leave Canada, without court approval.That’s unacceptable.Premier Smith should remember that it’s not her money. It’s ours. If she truly believes in accountable, responsible government, she’ll reverse this decision immediately and reinstate full public posting of all receipts. The public deserves to know how their hard earned dollars are being spent — without jumping through bureaucratic hoops.Sunlight keeps politicians honest. It’s time for the premier to open the blinds.
