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The Jim Prentice Tories were having a tough time selling Albertans on the advantage of a sales tax, so it appears they’ve latched onto another partial remedy for the province’s budget troubles — an income tax masquerading as health-care premiums.

And get this — in a rich bit of political theatre, Finance Minister Robin Campbell says the idea of reintroducing health-care premiums comes from Albertans themselves. The clear inference is that the government can’t be blamed if the unpopular fees make a return in the new budget; it’s Albertans’ idea.

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“I’m keen on it because Albertans have said they want to do it,” Campbell said this week, suggesting the premiums could form part of the income tax system. “Albertans have been very clear as I’ve gone across the province that they understand they should be paying something for health care.”

These Albertans must be the same mysterious souls that Alison Redford used to channel to justify dubious decisions during her ill-fated stint as premier. Chat with your colleagues and friends, and you’re hard-pressed to find support for health-care premiums, but here Campbell is touring the province, bumping into all sorts of characters clamouring to pay more in taxes.