ALBERTA DEFICIT-ELIMINATION AGENDA - HOW HAVE SENIORS FARED

In June 1993, the newly elected Progressive Conservative government of Alberta headed by Ralph Klein initiated a three-year deficit-eliminat ion plan focussing exclusively on expenditure reductions. Despite the rapid implementation of this plan over the next three years, most Albe rtans did not find subsequent changes in government services and the s hift of costs to the consumer to be consequential. Senior citizens, ho wever, differ in a number of significant ways from the general populat ion. Direct reductions in benefits, as well as cost-of-living increase s and increases in other costs, combined to create a larger impact for seniors. A case study of one middle-income senior couple illustrates this point. This paper indicates that a more in-depth appraisal of the potential impact of social policy changes on vulnerable groups should be undertaken in other jurisdictions prior to the adoption of such fi scal-reform plans.