Thursday, November 2, 2023
MERIDIAN SOURCE
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What is retirement any way? MIDWEST MINUTE VERN McCLELLAND
I bet I get asked “So Vern, when are you going to retire?” at least once per week. Well, let me confess; I am 68 years old and don’t plan on exiting the stage any time soon. Frankly, I would sooner wear out than rust out. It’s not that there aren’t a few things I would like to do yet in life, but shifting into a lower gear or neutral certainly isn’t one of them. So, I have taken to saying to whoever asks that I am actively working on “stepping back, not away.” I am blessed with being in business with both my sons, so our
mutual goal is to ensure a smooth transition of the family enterprises between generations. It’s already happened on the farm where responsibilities were initially shared but are now clearly under Scott’s management, and within the next year or two, it will become obvious Grant will be leading our group’s real estate practice. But sitting and listening to people my age complaining about how bored they are? Not a chance. Lord willing and health permitting, I hope to have a few productive years left in me, so I see the next stage as an opportunity to focus on activities I enjoy. More travel, sure! Some additional time on a couple of core hob-
bies, you bet! Giving back to my community through volunteering at something meaningful, of course. I might even attempt to write a book, LOL. But I also think there is still some fuel in the tank for doing what I love best in my work, helping others with their own transitions. I am encouraged by others who have taken a similar path before me. One good friend, a lawyer, is now providing specialized consulting services to his colleagues. Another, who sold his business for a significant reward, uses his skill set to lead a faithbased organization. This trend is called “rewiring,” shifting energy to something more meaningful in your
File Photo life and ignoring the concept of retirement. I also believe it will be necessary for younger generations to realize their financial wellbeing is in their own hands and should not
rely on the government. My last observation; aging doesn’t creep up on you, it comes faster in the end. Vern McClelland is an associate broker with RE/MAX of Lloy-
dminster and an active partner in his family’s livestock operation. Comments on this article are welcome either by emailing vernmcclelland@remax.net or calling 306-821-0611.
Trudeau punishing Albertans this Autumn: Op-Ed
File Photo KRIS SIMS SPECIAL TO THE SOURCE
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The colder weather is here. Albertans are making dinners and heating our homes against the chill this Autumn. Nourishing and normal things, such as preparing a holiday meal and staying warm, are now financially punishable offences. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s two carbon taxes make driving to work, buying food and heating our homes cost much more. As one of the
Trudeau government consultants who drafted the legislation stated, the carbon tax is meant to “punish the poor behaviour of using fossil fuels.” The first carbon tax adds 14 cents per litre of gasoline and 17 cents per litre of diesel. This costs about $10 extra to fill up a minivan and about $16 extra to fill up a pickup truck. The carbon tax on diesel costs truckers about $160 extra to fill up the tanks on big-rig trucks. The second carbon tax is a government
fuel regulation that fines companies for the carbon in fuels. Those costs are passed down to drivers at the pump. Trudeau fashioned his second carbon after British Columbia’s. B.C. drivers have been paying two carbon taxes for years, and it’s a key reason why they pay the highest fuel prices in North America, usually hovering at about $2 per litre. Trudeau wants to make Vancouver gas prices as commonly Canadian as maple syrup. Trudeau imposed his second carbon tax this Canada Day. It’s not clear yet how much the second carbon tax costs for a litre of gasoline and diesel in Alberta. In Atlantic Canada, the second carbon tax tacks an extra four to eight cents per litre of fuel. That big tax bill is only getting bigger because Trudeau is cranking up his carbon tax every year for the next seven years. By 2030, Trudeau’s two carbon taxes will cost an extra 55 cents per litre of gasoline and 77 cents per litre of diesel, plus GST. Filling up a big rig
truck with diesel will cost about $760 extra. In seven years, aver-
age Albertans will pay more than $3,300 per year because of
Trudeau’s two carbon taxes even after rebates.
