TweetEarlier this week, I wrote about the interesting by-election in Fort McMurray-Athabasca, today I look at the other federal by-election in Alberta that will take place on June 30, 2014. Situated on the eastern slopes of of the Rocky Mountains, the Conservative machine appears strong in southern Alberta’s Macleod riding. Although growth
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daveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Underdog Liberal has a shot in Fort McMurray-Athabasca by-election
TweetFour federal by-elections will be held across Canada on June 30, 2014, including in Alberta’s Macleod and Fort McMurray-Athabasca ridings made vacant by the retirements of Conservative Members of Parliament Ted Menzies and Brian Jean months ago. While most general elections in Alberta can be counted on to result in broad Conservative sweeps, Albertans
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Conservatives spar for safe Alberta ridings
TweetWhile the epic battle between Rob Anders and Ron Liepert in Calgary-Signal Hill was entertaining to watch, preparation for the next federal election has sparked nomination contests in ridings across the province. And with two by-elections expected to be called within weeks, federal political parties are lining up their candidates for the
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: By-election update: Conservatives choose Barlow for Macleod, Liberal MPs invade Alberta
TweetJohn Barlow was chosen as the Conservative Party candidate last night in the Macleod riding. With a by-election expected to be called soon, Mr. Barlow defeated three other candidates – Melissa Mathieson, Phil Rowland and Scott Wagner – to win the nomination. During the campaign, Mr. Barlow faced severe opposition
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Will any Calgary Grits be going to Ottawa in 2015?
Nenshi made history in 2010. His Chief of Staff might do the same in 2015. We’ve all heard the jokes. When Calgary was hit with flooding in 2005, the Calgary Herald ran a delicious cartoon showing a giant ark being loaded up at the Stampede grounds, and Noah lamenting that,
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Big names running for federal party nominations in Alberta
TweetThere has been plenty of activity this week as candidates from all political parties put forward their names to run in Canada’s next federal election, scheduled to be held in October 2015. Wooing voters and potential candidates alike, both New Democratic Party leader Thomas Mulcair and Liberal Party leader Justin
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Ron Liepert versus Rob Anders: the next PC-Wildrose proxy war?
TweetWill former provincial cabinet minister Ron Liepert make the jump into federal politics? With the launch of the TimeToDoBetter.ca website today, rumours began to spread that the former two-term Calgary-West Progressive Conservative MLA turned consultant could challenge ultra-conservative Rob Anders for the Conservative Party nomination in the new Calgary Signal
Continue readingcalgaryliberal.com: The brutal lessons of 2013.
2013 has been a rather tough year for this blogger. I ran for the Vice Presidency of the Alberta Liberal Party and was unsuccessful. Quite quickly I found I had little support in Edmonton and that I had to work harder to earn the trust of people. It was truly a
Continue readingcalgaryliberal.com: So I’ve Been Nominated –
Samara — a non-partisan group focused on involving more people into the political process — has nominated yours truly for its Everyday Political Citizen Project. As a young man of 22 years who has been involved in all three levels of politics as a volunteer, writing this blog for the
Continue readingcalgaryliberal.com: What’s Next?
Don’t gloat. Don’t lose that smile. Don’t get distracted. The real goal is the election in 2015. The NDP have been pushed aside. In the 2012 byelection in Calgary-Centre the NDP went down to 2%, and in Labrador they were moved aside in today’s byelection. The Conservatives have been somewhat
Continue readingcalgaryliberal.com: The Death of the Green Party of Canada
Either after the upcoming federal election, or the one after, the Green Party of Canada will fade away from existence. Firstly, its fundamental reason for existence has been taken on by other parties. Preston Manning, arch-conservative of the Conservative Party of Canada and head of the Manning Centre for Democracy,
Continue readingcalgaryliberal.com: 2013 is the Alberta Liberal’s year to shine
The Alberta Liberals are under attack. The Liberals are being assailed from every party from every corner of this province. The march to the middle has been of pronounced presence by almost every political faction in Alberta. The NDP have made open moves toward Liberal voters, campaigning hard in long held
Continue readingThe Equivocator: Lessons for the Liberals from the Calgary-Centre by-election
Harvey Locke ran a great campaign in Calgary-Centre taking a strong second place. and keeping the Conservatives under 40% in the so-called “Conservative heartland” is nothing to sneeze at. I am proud of the campaign the Liberals ran in all … Continue reading →
Continue readingcalgaryliberal.com: Calgary-Centre: The Day After
It has been a wonder of a campaign. For the Harvey Locke campaign the Liberals doubled their support from 2011 (going from 17% to 32%) and sent a message that Calgarians were willing to give the Liberals a crack at representing them. It was a 4% spread…
Continue readingA BCer in Toronto: Taking stock of yesterday’s by-elections
The media love a good narrative, and once they decide on a narrative they’ll do anything to force events into their box, whether the events fit inside that box. Right now, one of their favourite narratives is that the Liberal Party is dying. Sadly for them, we refuse to go.
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Old Habits Die Hard
In all my years blogging about Calgary politics, I never thought “Liberals blow by-election” is a story I’d have to write. “Liberals lose” is a common headline for a party that hasn’t won a seat in Calgary since 1968, during the height of Trudeaumania (the first round of Trudeaumania that is). But while some Liberals have come down with “candidate’s disease” over the years (symptoms include house hunting in Ottawa), the reality is the Liberal Party is never even in … →
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On post-mortems
Alice offers up the definitive analysis of last night’s federal by-elections, and I won’t go over too much of the same territory. But I’ll quickly add a few observations for each party – as everybody looks to have some reason for concern.And yes, I inc…
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Battleground Calgary Centre
Voters in Durham, Victoria, and Calgary Centre head to the polls tonight in what were originally pegged as three “safe” by-elections. The story appears to be following the script in Durham and Victoria but, unexpectedly, Calgary Centre has become the riding to watch. When Lee Richardson resigned from Parliament last spring, no one could have fathomed the type of bizarro world we’d find ourselves in, with the Tories on the ropes, the Greens attacking the Liberals, and two-year old comments … →
Continue readingcalgaryliberal.com: Three Reasons You Should Vote for Harvey Locke
A lot of talk has been made of strategic voting in the last week. While Harvey Locke does have the best chance (see this poll for the latest information and Locke’s appeal here) there is something to be said about him as a candidate. There is no…
Continue readingcalgaryliberal.com: 10,000 Doors in One Day — Calgary-Centre: It’s Close.
It’s close. Yesterday the Harvey Locke team in Calgary-Centre ID untold numbers of voters and knocked on 10,000 doors. The race is close in Calgary-Centre and, for the first time in almost 40 years, a Liberal might be sent to Ottawa from Calgary….
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