In Alberta the question is not about whether the Workers Compensation Board is going to be PRIVATIZED. It is a done deal ! The big question here, is when will the Government move to open free-market competition to WCB- Alberta monopoly stranglehold.

In Alberta the philosophy is that privatization is a cure all, to all that ails any Government run agencies. This remarkably includes, the very social fabric that holds society together.

The burning question in Alberta is what form of privatization will the Workers Compensation Board evolve into? And which province of Canada will be next.

I believe by the very actions, our Government has taken thus far, it is prepared to open the door to outright competition of the WCB-Alberta.

Although there are some major Legislative hurdles and problems that have to be overcome, such as repealing the Carte\Blanche and the exclusive legal jurisdiction that the WCB relishes in.

Public perception will be another problem, where the spin doctors will be put out in full force in try to snow the public into supporting and buying into this hidden agenda.

The wake up call should go to the WCB employees and their hierarchy, that their job security is significantly at risk.The WCB is obviously resistant to giving up its stranglehold on the market

One should be aware that Bill # 16, which gave the WCB awesome powers, where even the Auditor General from the Government side, had grave concerns of creating a potentially out of control agency which would be above reproach. (Carte Blanche)

In Fact this Bill # 16 was passed in June of 1995. What is remarkable about this Bill is that the Minister responsible for the WCB was the author of the Bill, which the Government backed. Amazingly, there was no major opposition to this Bill, especially, and in particular from unions and Injured Workers associations. This Bill for all intense purposes setup a private organization, better called privatization.

So the rally cry is going out across Canada to the ramifications of this Alberta experience that could snowball to a province near you.

So please join us, while there is still time to stop this experiment in its infancy. UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL.

What has evolved os the corporate name called the "WCB- Alberta which purportedly calls itself a non-profit mutual insurance corporation."

In Fact the WCB-Alberta is its own entity, where it has free rein in its business, where it can extort as much money as it wants from employers. Not to be out done it can steal money or not pay out entitlements that are due to VICTIMS OF WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS.

Only in Alberta could legalized racketeering and Mafia tactics be used against the employee and employers of Alberta.

Then to add insult onto injury is the WCB revictimizing both parties by suggesting that this is in the best interests of the policy holders and in turn calling them "customers."

The WCB can't help, but make profits (money pit) so it tries to hide its profits in fictitious Occupational Diseases Reserves Funds, Rate and Stabilization Reserve Funds, so-called Government repayment loans, premium rate reductions of 54%, incentive rebates to employers and not to be out done has allowed over billing of hundreds of thousands of dollars to for profit service providers and the list goes on!

This for profit, Government- agency, is run by the board of directors with ultimate control over all WCB matters with a "safety clause" that the Government suggested in case of a disaster, would revert back to the Government, if it failed to balance its books and that it is viable without Government funding. Which is almost impossible to do, when considering what was previously mentioned above.

There is no UNIVERSAL COVERAGE AND ASSESSMENT IN ALBERTA. It seems that the multinational business in Alberta are only paying token amounts of money in the private deals with WCB to not expose them on the exception lists of non-payers. It is the small business who are paying the lions share of the fund.

The WCB board of directors are still being controlled by the Government appointment, thus far. The Government in its infinite wisdom relinquished all control over the operations of the WCB.

In turn WCB-Alberta has thrown the Meredith Principle right out the window. Where it intentionally only mentions one side of this principle and that is the employer funding. One only has to look as far as the 5 Year Strategic Plan 1999-2003 that the mandate has drastically been altered and broadened, even WCB so called core business has changed. See SUPERIOR HEALTH CARE AND VOCATIONAL OUTCOMES.

DISABILITY MANAGEMENT, which means to cope with, then claims is focus is on prevention of accidents without any commitment or focus on the Injured Workers, which is it's very reason for being created .

The Government created it's own monster (WCB) which in it's present form is nothing less than a SELF SERVING DICTATORSHIP.

We the victims of workplace accidents are like sheep being led off to slaughter !

                                 

Contrary to the misinformation and spin doctoring of myths where the WCB-Alberta suggests "it has always purchased and paid directly for any services an Injured Worker required."

The true test of WCB's blatant mishandling of Injured Workers, is where the rubber meets the road, and in reality, it is so prevalent that the WCB issues are one of the most pronounced problems that MLA's in Alberta deal with.

To add to the corrupt practises is the WCB's significant OFF LOADING onto the Alberta taxpayers system, where the WCB has a systematic denial (blanket denials) of the 20% of chronic claims, that would have cost 80% of the costs. This highly offensive and unethical practise have but pressures on an already burdened services such as; Alberta Health, EI, CPP, AISH and whats left of outreach programs that have help the walking wounded. (Injured Workers)

Which is the lesser of two evils? Returning power back to the Government or opening WCB up to free enterprise???

The last word goes to the Billionaire financier, George Soros who is revered in the stock market for his shrewd dealing where he has bankrupted businesses and even entire countries. But yet this man is quote in defence of our social frame work as stating; "WE CAN HAVE A MARKET ECONOMY BUT WE CANNOT HAVE A MARKET SOCIETY."