“It’s like we’ve become House of Cards,” is how one Progressive Conservative Party member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, described their party’s candidate nomination process. With a rush of nomination contests being held in advance of a spring provincial election in Alberta,… Continue Reading →
Continue readingTag: Kelley Charlebois
daveberta.ca - Alberta politics: PC Party: Oh Albertans, give us one more chance (we want you back)
TweetIn 1971, The Jackson 5 were topping the billboard charts and Peter Lougheed‘s Progressive Conservatives were just starting what has become an uninterrupted 43-year reign as Alberta’s governing party. Recent messaging from the PC Party have certainly drawn inspiration from the band’s famous song – I Want You Back – as the PC Party
Continue readingAlberta Diary: The boss has gone crazy! He’s giving away PC Party memberships! And this time, it’s no joke!
Tory leadership frontrunner Jim Prentice: Yeah! That’s it! I’ll give away memberships! Below: Candidates Ric McIver and Thomas Lukaszuk. Holy Cow! Not only does Alberta Tory leadership frontrunner Jim Prentice admit his campaign has been giving away free memberships, but he says the idea’s OK with him and he intends
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Once a Tory leadership front-runner, Gary Mar reaches out from Asia to haunt Alberta’s Progressive Conservatives
Brian Mulroney, right, famously responds to the claim made by John Turner, left, that he had “no option” but approve Pierre Trudeau’s patronage appointments. Below: Gary Mar in 2011. Advice to Jim Prentice: If, in some future pre-election leaders’ debate someone asks you about Gary Mar’s 2013 compensation package, don’t
Continue readingAlberta Diary: PC finances: looks like Armageddon for Tories and Wildrose Apocalypse for the rest of us
Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith, on horseback, gazes at all that remains of Alberta’s once-mighty Alberta Progressive Conservative dynasty. Actual Alberta politicians may not appear quite so metaphorically. Below: PC Party Executive Director Kelley Charlebois. We can probably thank former Alberta premier Alison Redford for breaking the spine of the
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Worst political strategy ever: Alison Redford put on probation by Tory party big shots
Alberta Premier Alison Redford, as her party used to see her. (In the background, an ecstatic Thomas Lukaszuk.) Sad to say, this is another example of actual politicians not appearing exactly as illustrated. Below: Alison Redford, as Cruella de Vil, the way her party sees her now. Below her: Red
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Alberta Tories confused about illegal donations.
TweetCaught having accepted 45 prohibited donations from municipalities and publicly-funded institutions since 2009, the Progressive Conservative Association spent the past few days sending mixed messages whether it would or already had repaid the full amount of illegals funds as requested by Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer . Party officials previously stated
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Fair or not, Opposition targets Katz donation(s) as symbol of Tory sleaze
Caesar repudiates Pompeia: “You’re outta here!” Below: Danielle Smith and Alison Redford. The Wildrose Party strategy for defeating the Progressive Conservative government of Premier Alison Redford when the next election rolls around in 2016 is a variation of the right-wing party’s plan when it came close to winning earlier this
Continue readingAlberta Diary: It’s summertime, and the livin’ is easy – especially if you’re Alison Redford
It’s just one long summer vacation for Alberta’s Tory family. Premier Alison Redford, possibly not exactly as illustrated, can be seen in the front seat of the Edsel at left. Below: The Wildrose Party on their way to summer school at Chestermere Slough; Kelley Charlebois; Thomas Lukaszuk. It’s summertime, and
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: What’s the matter with Gary Mar? The guy just can’t stay out of hot water!
Gary Mar: Now in state of suspension, he’s probably not smiling all that much. Below: the unforthcoming Rick Orman, private citizen. What’s the matter with Gary? Gary Mar’s a smart guy, brilliant even. Last year, he came that close to becoming the premier of Alberta. Despite the disappointment the former
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: What’s up with Calgary West Progressive Conservative nomination? Rematch, appointment or what?
Surprise winner Shiraz Shariff sends favourite Ken Hughes out of the ring in Round 1 of the Calgary West PC nomination battle on Jan. 21. Alberta political candidates may not appear exactly as illustrated. Now it appears that a rematch may be in the offing. Below: Ken Hughes, Shiraz Shariff
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Who shot Shariff? More lessons in democracy, Alberta-style
Shiraz Shariff works the phone in his Calgary office yesterday afternoon. Below: interim PC Executive Director Kelley Charlebois; former AHS Chair Ken Hughes; outgoing Calgary-West MLA Ron Liepert. The Alberta Progressive Conservative Party has now given the bum’s rush to Shiraz Shariff, the 30-year party supporter and former MLA who
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: redford’s ‘change from within’ is a nice slogan, but when you take a closer look…
Despite the narrative of “change from within” that was made popular after the October 1 leadership vote, the wave of change has not spilled far into the Progressive Conservative ranks since Alison Redford was elected into her new role one month ago. – The Globe & Mail is reporting that the controversial Kelley Charlebois is […]
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Gary Mar’s TV double-dip debate: You’re ALL right! It’s sleazy AND it’s business as usual!
Front-running Alberta Conservative leadership candidate Gary Mar shows no worry about the fact his challengers complained of his past double-dipping activities during last night’s TV debate. Alberta politicians may not appear exactly as illustrated. …
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: old boys club? gary mar is entitled to his entitlements.
Beating off criticisms that he represents the “Old Boys Club” of Alberta’s Progressive Conservative Party, leadership front-runner Gary Mar‘s campaign has been helped with a public plea from his former executive assistant and current campaign volunteer to leave him alone! Mr. Mar’s former EA happens to be none other than Kelley Charlebois. Albertans may remember […]
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: The Top Ten reasons to worry about Premier Gary Mar
Gary Mar exactly as he appeared at a recent Conservative leadership forum, as some guy looks on. Your blogger is on the road, has limited Internet access and needs to keep it short…. so, perhaps we can explore this theme in greater detail soon. P…
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