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CALGARY — As the collapse of oil prices continues and the province’s economic crisis deepens, Albertans are losing their fervour for balancing the books.

A new Mainstreet Research/Postmedia poll suggests 62 per cent of Albertans no longer think balancing the books is a priority — up from 52 per cent last October. But nearly 70 per cent of Albertans believe the federal government should provide financial assistance to their provincial government.

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“I’m not surprised at all that people are saying, ‘Look, whatever we have to do to generate employment … until oil prices come back, let’s do it and let’s worry about balancing the books a little bit later,'” said Quito Maggi, president of Mainstreet Research. “Right now people are hurting.”

Albertans were asked if the NDP government should balance the books before 2019-20 “even if it has to raise taxes or cut services.” Only 15 per cent said yes; 23 per cent they were not sure.