Photo: Alberta Party leader Greg Clark on the campaign trail in Calgary-Elbow in 2014. Source: Twitter. In the latest shakeup in Alberta politics, Greg Clark announced last Friday that he would resign as leader of the Alberta Party at the party’s upcoming annual general meeting on November 18, 2017. Clark
Continue readingTag: Gordon Dirks
daveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: The PC Party’s Christmas gift to the NDP
A defamation lawsuit wrapped with a big bow. Any hope Alberta’s Progressive Conservative Party had of making the story of Sandra Jansen’s harassment go away is long gone as a political operative working for Jason Kenney’s leadership campaign has launched… Continue Reading →
Continue readingAlberta Politics: A ‘merger’ between the Alberta Party and the Progressive Conservatives? Unlikely
PHOTOS: A meeting of the Alberta Party’s “Big Listen,” circa 2010. Actual Alberta Party coffee parties may not have appeared exactly as illustrated. Below: Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark, former leaders Sue Huff and Glenn Taylor, and PC Party President Katherine O’Neill (from Facebook). Don’t bet the farm on a
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Alberta Politics This Week: Affordable Childcare, Kenney’s Conspiracies and ‘hysterical political correctness’
“Future Ready” with full stomachs and affordable daycare http://daveberta.ca/wp-admin/post-new.phpThe Alberta NDP government’s awkwardly branded “Future Ready” campaign includes some pretty good policy initiatives. Premier Rachel Notley unveiled this week that the government plans to fund healthy breakfasts for low-income students in primary… Continue Reading →
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Former Alberta PC MLA Alana DeLong running as a Liberal in BC election
A former Alberta MLA has been nominated to run in the upcoming British Columbia provincial election for the Liberal Party. Alana DeLong, who served as the Progressive Conservative MLA for Calgary-Bow from 2001 to 2015, has been nominated as a… Continue Reading →
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Jason Kenney makes it official with fresh-faced extras and unattributed tribute to the Nixon Era
PHOTOS: A screen grab from yesterday’s video feed of Jason Kenney announcing his candidacy for the leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party in Calgary. Immediately behind him is Caitlyn Madliner, who has prominently figured in anti-PC…
Continue readingAlberta Politics: The Annals of the Alberta Party: A mystery created, a mystery solved
PHOTOS: Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark, the party’s sole MLA in the Alberta Legislature. Below: Then-Wildrose leader Danielle Smith during the campaign leading up to the October 2014 “mini-election” and Alberta Party President Pat Cochrane (phot…
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta Politics: 12 races I’m watching on Election Night in Alberta
With all the polls showing the 43-year long governing Progressive Conservatives trailing the NDP and Wildrose across the province, there could be a race to watch in every constituency in Alberta when the provincial election polls close at 8:00 p.m. tonight. Here are 12 races that… Continue Reading →
Continue readingIMPORTANT RACES TO WATCH AND MY PREDICTIONS
It is election day in Alberta and before I have anything else to say, I have this important thing to say: VOTE! It will only take a few minutes but it is fundamentally important to our province. Before the campaign started, many pundits were predicting a strong PC majority and very low voter turnout. But, … Continue reading IMPORTANT RACES TO WATCH AND MY PREDICTIONS →
Continue readingImportant Races to Watch and My Predictions
It is election day in Alberta and before I have anything else to say, I have this important thing to say: VOTE! It will only take a few minutes but it is fundamentally important to our province. Before the campaign started, many pundits were predicting a strong PC majority and
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta Politics: Notley wins the debate. Now it’s time to manage expectations
Last night’s leader’s debate was the biggest opportunity for Progressive Conservative leader Jim Prentice to knock NDP leader Rachel Notley off-balance. Since the start of the campaign, the PC Party has focused most of its attacks on Wildrose leader Brian Jean, who has proven… Continue Reading →
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta Politics: Alberta Election Week 1: The Economy and Corporate Tax confusion
Recent polls show a three-way contest between the Progressive Conservatives, New Democratic and Wildrose Parties, but with 24 days left in Alberta’s provincial election, a lot can change. Here is a quick review of what the politicians were saying and political… Continue Reading →
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta Politics: Top 10 moments in Alberta Politics in 2014
TweetIn my nearly ten years writing about politics in Alberta on this blog, 2014 was easily the most exciting. The sheer number of scandals, controversies, fumbles and resignations made for new content on a daily basis. If I had the time and resources, I could have easily written three or four posts
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: A Dozen Alberta MLAs worth watching in 2015
TweetAs 2014 reminded us, politics can be an extraordinarily unpredictable and forecasting the future can be a tricky business for political pundits. Aside from the obvious choice of Premier Jim Prentice, here is a list of a dozen Alberta MLAs worth watching in 2015. Rob Anderson (Airdrie): The outspoken rookie MLA left
Continue readingAlberta Diary: The Santa Clause: A holiday gift of biting humour from Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley
NDP Leader Rachel Notley, helping to improve the New Democrats’ game in Alberta. Below: Education Minister Gordon Dirks, restored Tory MLA Peter Sandhu and former PC cabinet minister Evan Berger; Alberta Premier Jim Prentice. No one can say Rachel Notley hasn’t upped the Alberta NDP’s game since she was elected
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Insufficient data, bad planning and so-con overreach help explain Prentice Government’s gay-straight-alliance gong show
Led by Premier Jim Prentice, members of the PC cabinet try to get away from the issue of gay-straight alliances in Alberta schools. Actual Alberta politicians may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: The real Mr. Prentice, Edmonton-Centre MLA Laurie Blakeman and caucus rebel Thomas Lukaszuk. The spectacular incompetence exhibited
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: A timeline of Alberta’s Gay-Straight Alliance debate
TweetIt is sometimes amazing how quickly one political issue can transform and dominate the debate. This week’s raging debate about allowing Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA) in Alberta schools has twisted and turned so many times, it has become difficult to figure out who is in and out of the closet on this
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Bill 10 gong show’s bungled effort to pander to PC Party’s worst elements proves Jim Prentice is no political superman
Alberta Premier Jim Prentice, as he appeared to almost everyone until yesterday, except there are no ships here in Alberta, which is why we need all those pipelines. Below: Education Minister Gordon Dirks; humiliated PC MLA Sandra Jansen, official sponsor of Bill 10; and Liberal MLA and Bill 202 sponsor
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: What if politicians could stop school kids from starting clubs?
TweetWhat does it look like when a politician tries to build his credibility among social conservative voters? We found out this week when Premier Jim Prentice sideswiped Edmonton-Centre Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman’s private members bill – Bill 202: Safe and Inclusive Schools Statutes Amendment Act, 2014 – that would allow students
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Maneuver to derail Alberta gay-straight alliance bill shows Prentice Tories will tolerate bullying for political gain
Laurie Blakeman, veteran Alberta Liberal MLA for Edmonton-Centre, flanked by a couple of her friends at the 2014 Edmonton Pride Parade. Below: Premier Jim Prentice and Education Minister Gordon Dirks. By choosing yesterday to put the right of citizens to use their religious beliefs as an excuse for bigotry on
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