It must be election time! The federal spending announcements are piling up like presents under Alberta's Christmas tree (and it's only July!). Except those presents from the government are being paid for with our money -- money we don't have. The taxpayer Visa card is being racked up with transit and curling club improvements and cathedral renovations.

Our federal debt stands at over $616 billion and counting, so the spending announcements will indeed mean a more painful peek at the visa bill when we actually decide to give it an honest look.

Ottawa is throwing money all over the country. For a real-time tracker of the spending announcements, David Akin's @Ottawaspends Twitter account is a great resource. 

For Albertans, as of July 31, here's a handy list of federal spending announcements in our province (most, but not all, in Conservative ridings), from most to least recent, just within the last month:

Bar-U-Ranch Historic Site in High River: $4,000,000
Pool upgrade in Leduc: $250,000
Au Zone Technologies Ltd in Calgary: $150,000
Phil-Com Plastics in Edmonton: $2,200,000
Canada Day Celebrations in Mannville: $29,200
Garrison Curling Club in Calgary: $120,000
Shaganappi Community Centre in Calgary: $20,000
Solar Panels on Community Hill in Calgary: $24,740
Marda Loop Community Centre in Calgary: $77,039
Great Northern Power Corporation in Calgary: $2,772,000
Emercor Ltd. in Claresholm: $300,000
Carbon Engineering Ltd. in Calgary: $1,268,050
Cantega Technologies Inc. in Edmonton: $1,253,534
Western Canadian Microbiome Centre in Calgary: $9,900,000
PK Event Services in Calgary: $300,000
Nanalysis Corporation in Calgary: $496,150
Intelliview Technologies Inc. in Calgary: $500,000
Innovative Trauma Care Inc. in Edmonton: $2,250,000
Stoney Trail Reconstruction in Calgary: $582,900,000
TEC Edmonton to market to Latin America: $1,200,000
Resurface Willow Ridge outdoor rink in Calgary: $16,469
Hawkwood Community Hall in Calgary: $15,683
Ukranian Youth Centre Revitalization in Calgary: $70,000
Tuscany Tennis Courts in Calgary: $115,600
Silver Springs Community Centre in Calgary: $61,844
North Haven Community League Hall in Calgary: $28,412
Norfolk Housing Community meeting space in Calgary: $25,100
Montgomery Community Centre in Calgary: $240,220
Prestwick Common Spray Park in Calgary: $215,000
Upgrade to McKenzie Lake Community Hall in Calgary: $29,958
Haysboro Community Association in Calgary: $26,850
Elboya Heights Community Hall in Calgary: $187,000
Edgemont Community rink in Calgary: $98,100
Korean Association Community Hall in Calgary: $38,050
Upgrade to Calgary Jewish Community Centre: $500,000
Outdoor rink in Calgary: $188,877
Restoration of Hillhurst Cottage School in Calgary: $17,600
Surface Medical in Calgary: $220,300
Panamerican Junior Athletics in Edmonton: $250,000
Seniors Housing in Clairmont: $9,800,000
Library upgrades in Lethbridge: $500,000
Galt Canal headgate structure in Magrath: $100,000
Lethbridge Family Service: $86,786
Josaphat cathedral in Edmonton: $50,100
Ukranian Youth Community Complex in Edmonton: $300,100
Legion renovations in Okotoks: $12,000
Light tower at rodeo grounds in Okotoks: $9,268
Community hall upgrades in Okotoks: $50,000
Black Diamond Pathway System in Okotoks: $78,298
Chinatown Multicultural Centre in Edmonton: $242,810
Money for Legion/Hall of Fame in Red Deer: $339,831
Money for rinks and ball diamonds in Fort McMurray: $533,401
Green line LRT transit funding in Calgary: $1,530,000,000
Goldring in Edmonton: $120,900
Culture Days in Vermillion: $10,600
National Music Centre in Calgary: $34,000
National Track League Competition in Edmonton: $400,000
New field house and volleyball courts in Medicine Hat: $10,000,000
Synthetic biology maker in Lethbridge: $1,100,000
Museum Society in Red Deer: $64,974

July Alberta Total: $2,166,188,844

What a delightful Christmas in July this would be, if only we weren't stuck with the bill.