Today marks the eighth anniversary of the death of Ralph Klein, so we can expect Conservatives in media, social and otherwise, to strive mightily today to outdo one another with improbable panegyrics to the man. The memory of Mr. Klein, who was premier from Dec. 14, 1992, to Dec. 14,
Continue readingTag: Alberta Conservatives
Alberta Politics: AlbertaPolitics.ca: still here after 11 years writing about Canada’s most interesting provincial political scene
Today marks the 11th anniversary of the first post published on this blog, known at the time as St. Albert Diary. And thank God for that, since I’m in a post-Christmas funk with barely an idea in my head about what to write next. By the standards of the Internet,
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Hugh MacDonald, four-term Edmonton MLA and scourge of Tory governments, quietly resurfaces
With an election in the wind, it’s always worth remembering there’s life after politics. Consider Hugh MacDonald, once renowned as Alberta’s hardest-working MLA. The former Alberta Liberal Party stalwart served four terms as MLA for Edmonton-Gold Bar and certainly would have been elected to a fifth had he chosen to
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Blasphemy, Alberta style – former Liberal opposition leader sees clouded future for Alberta and its oil industry
PHOTOS: Kevin Taft, leader of the Opposition Liberal Party in the Alberta Legislature from 2004 to 2008, shortly before his book launch at the University of Alberta last night. Below: Former Edmonton Journal senior editor Sheila Pratt, who shared the stage with Dr. Taft. It was blasphemy, Alberta style! Last
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Thank you, Ralph! While Alberta awaits the Green Apocalypse, Norwegian version of Heritage Fund hits $1-trillion US
PHOTOS: A Norwegian oil rig in the North Sea. (Photo: Norsk Teknisk Museum, Wikimedia Commons.) Below: The late Alberta premier Peter Lougheed, who founded the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund; the late Alberta premier Ralph Klein, who gave every one of us Albertans enough money to buy an iPod and
Continue readingSlap Upside The Head: Alberta’s Progressive Conservatives Finally Acknowledge Their Progressive Side
Alberta Premier Alison Redford took part in Edmonton’s annual Pride parade earlier this month, making her the province’s first premier to ever participate in a Pride event. While this might seem awfully late compared to other provinces, it’s actually a pretty big deal for Alberta. When I left Alberta in
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: National Post poll bad news for Alberta Tories … in the unlikely event it’s right
A word of advice, boys: don’t bet all your kibbles on the results of a one-day demon-dialer poll! Alberta political analysts or the chances they take may not be exactly as illustrated. Toronto’s National Post – or, as I prefer to think of it, the National Pest – states in
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Listen up, people! Hear the entire mystery push-poll for yourself
Your Voice Alberta pollsters somewhere in Alberta get ready to call you with the latest information about Alison Redford. Alberta push-pollers, of course, may not be exactly as illustrated. Click below and hear the push poll for yourself: Push-Pol…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Wildrose leader nails the problem – but not the solution – with Calgary’s shortage of health professionals
The “Calgary South Health Campus” rises from a field in Calgary’s southeast corner. Below: Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith, Tory Health Minister Fred Horne, radio host Dave Rutherford. I just hate to agree with Danielle Smith.Regular readers of th…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Never mind the media narrative… the real fight’s between the NDP and the Wildrose!
NDP supporters in the streets of Edmonton. Caution, Alberta crowds may not be exactly as illustrated, and neither may Alberta polls. Below: Brian Mason; Queen Victoria and Prime Minister William Gladstone – cabinet making was always tough.A poll by c…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Alison Redford’s premiership wrong-footed on Day 2 by brutal Calgary Sun story
The Calgary Sun’s front page Saturday morning. Below: Sun columnist Rick Bell; Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi; a technician demonstrates the proper procedure for handling a typical Sun story.Has former Alberta premier Ed Stelmach’s bad luck rubbed off…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Alison Redford sworn in as premier and … uh … that’s all for now
Alison Redford, the 14th premier of Alberta, raises her right hand and promises to be different from the last Conservative premier. Below, she greets well-wishers as she leaves the Legislature with her family.Now that Alison Redford has been safely swo…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Will Gary Mar reinvent the Alberta Tories? Fat chance!
Gary Mar at the wheel of the new, improved, “reinvented” Alberta Conservative Party. Alberta politicians and the parties they lead may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Mr. Mar, Ralph Klein and a Tory electoral strategist speaking with an A…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Where will Gary run? A good question to ask on the campaign trail…
Conservative front-runner Gary Mar may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Mr. Mar announcing his plans to run for Tory leader on March 17 in Edmonton; Ron Liepert, looking very much as if he didn’t want to be photographed, at Mr. Mar’s annou…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: The ‘Freddy Lee’ Loser Factor: Albertans plain didn’t like a sneak
Finalists Gary Mar, Alison Redford and Doug Horner. The remaining Alberta Progressive Conservative candidates are, well, pretty much exactly as illustrated! Below: Dr. Freddy Lee Morton.Never mind the winner. Yeah, Calgary lawyer Gary Mar got way more …
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: The Strange Case of Dr. Morton and Mr. Lee … not to mention that of Mr. Sparrow
Dr. Morton and Mr. Lee. Note that Alberta political aspirants may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Ryan Sparrow with some guy on a plane; the real Freddy Lee.Having been accused of getting up to something with a real government of Alberta email ac…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Ted Morton says everybody does it? Well, stand up straight Alberta, and listen to your mother!
Do what your mama tells you! Below: My Mom, circa 1937; Ted Morton; Charles Rusnell.It’s been a few hours now since a CBC investigative reporter revealed that front-running Conservative leadership candidate Ted Morton used a fake name on a real gover…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: The Canadian Federation of Independent Business: another AstroTurf organization attacking the interests of its own members
Alberta small businesses: not helped by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Below: The CFIB’s Dan Kelly, the CLC’s Ken Georgetti.Why does the so-called Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses push a far-right agenda that benefits…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: A half dozen harsh truths about Alberta politics in the summer of 2011
Alberta political analysts discuss the results of the latest Environics poll of voter intentions, although perhaps not exactly as illustrated. Below: Brian Mason, as likely to be Opposition leader as … Danielle Smith (David Cournoyer photo).Now that …
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Ted Morton can 4GEDIT, this vanity plate idea is just 2DUM2LV
Ted Morton’s vanity plate idea, photo grabbed from the Calgary Herald, which won’t mind because they’ve been attracting readers by linking to my blog. Below: New Hampshire vanity plate: “Live free or die,” Freddy Lee Morton with gun. Holy Cow…
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