One thing you can count on is that the United Conservative Party never gives up on a bad idea. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith (Photo: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr). Take the notion of dumping the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and setting up an Alberta provincial police force, for example. Very unpopular. So you
Continue readingTag: Mike Ellis
Alberta Politics: With UCP support, police chief’s solution to homeless crisis moves ahead, whether Edmonton city council likes it or not
Edmonton’s police chief and the UCP ministers there to support him on his plan to clear Edmonton’s parks and avenues of hundreds of tents housing homeless people seemed antagonistic, annoyed and agitated at yesterday’s government news conference. Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi (Photo: David J. Climenhaga). This is evident if you
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Edmonton mayor to ask city councillors to declare housing and homelessness emergency on Monday, ruffling UCP feathers
In a blog post published yesterday, Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said he has called a special meeting of City Council Monday to ask for a declaration of a housing and homelessness emergency in the city. Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi (Photo: David J. Climenhaga). The United Conservative Party Government was clearly
Continue readingAlberta Politics: ‘Specialized Prosecution Unit’ will work only in Calgary and Edmonton, Deputy Premier Mike Ellis tells talk-show caller
Thanks to yesterday’s airing of the Global News/Corus Entertainment Your Province, Your Premier radio show, we now have a little more insight into the United Conservative Party’s plan to create a “specialized prosecution unit to address deteriorating safety in Alberta’s major urban centres.” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith (Photo: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr).
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Embarrassed by premier’s telephone tête-à-tête with extremist facing criminal charges, UCP retreats to its safe space: Law ’n’ Order rhetoric
Sounding a mite panicked by the negative public response to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s willingness to bend rules to help political allies in trouble with the law, the United Conservative Party has retreated to its ideological safe space: Law ’n’ Order, with a side of dog-whistles and urban crime stereotypes.
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Happy Thanksgiving…?
I was composing a short Happy Thanksgiving blog when a UCP government press release appeared in my inbox. Today is World Mental Health Day and Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Mike Ellis, said “Right now it might seem like a lot of things are out of our
Continue readingThe Daveberta Podcast: 63: Defending Alberta Parks
Annalise Klingbeil joins the Daveberta Podcast to discuss the latest developments in United Conservative Party government’s plans to close and privatize more than 160 provincial parks and recreation areas. We also discuss the mixed-messaging about the COVID-19 pandemic that Albertans are hearing from Premier Jason Kenney and his cabinet ministers
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Odds-on favourites for disaster … ‘Jimmy the Geek’ sets Vegas odds for the UCP MLAs most likely to resign next
Now that Alberta’s Opposition United Conservative Party has been around for a year – it’s first anniversary was on Sunday – we note that the right-wing party has seen the resignation of no fewer than six of its MLAs for various reasons in its first year of operation. In fairness,
Continue readingAlberta Politics: UCP rural crime proposal sure sounds like a call to bring deadly U.S.-style ‘stand-your-ground’ laws to Canada
I’m sure the United Conservative Party will say I’m wrong, so can somebody please explain to me how the UCP’s rural crime “task force” proposal to let rural property owners defend themselves and their property with firearms is not the same as the stand-your-ground” laws in the United States that
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Alberta Candidate Nomination Update: Pitt bests Millions in Airdrie-East, Michael Connolly moves to Calgary-Varsity, and more.
Photo: Calgary-West MLA Mike Ellis and Airdrie MLA Angela Pitt were greeting party members outside the nomination voting station in the Town and Country Centre in Airdrie on July 20, 2018. (Source: Dave Cournoyer) Despite indications of a dogfight in Airdrie-East, United Conservative Party members voted overwhelmingly to choose incumbent
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: UCP MLAs rush to help Angela Pitt in nomination fight against Sportsnet commentator Roger Millions
Photo: Angela Pitt and Wildrose Party leader Brian Jean during the 2015 election. It looks like Angela Pitt is in trouble. The first-term MLA from Airdrie is facing a stiff challenge for the United Conservative Party nomination in the newly redrawn Airdrie-East district. As first reported on this blog on
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Alberta Candidate Nomination Update: NDPer Stephanie McLean retiring, Mike Nickel runs for UCP nomination, UCP MLAs face challengers
The big nomination news since my last update was the announcement by Stephanie McLean that she was withdrawing from the New Democratic Party nomination contest in Calgary-Varsity. McLean is Minister of Status of Women and Minister of Service Alberta and is the second NDP MLA to announced plans not to seek re-election
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Monday Night Candidate Nomination Update
Here are some of the latest updates to the list of candidates running for party nominations ahead of Alberta’s expected 2019 provincial general election: Airdrie-Cochrane: Airdrie realtor Mauri Stiff is seeking the United Conservative Party nomination. Banff-Kananaskis – Miranda Rosin and restaurant owner Scott Winograd are seeking the UCP nomination. Calgary-Acadia
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Abandon hope, all UCP who enter here? Ted Byfield may have opened the gates to Lake of Fire 2.0
PHOTOS: Social conservative publisher and ideologue Ted Byfield (Photo: Screenshot of Youtube Video). Below: United Conservative Party Leader Jason Kenney, NDP Education Minister David Eggen, and Calgary-West UCP MLA Mike Ellis (Photo: Screenshot of CBC broadcast). It’s fair to suggest Ted Byfield always dreamed of being able to direct Alberta’s
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Jason Kenney and the Secret Gay-Straight Alliance Agenda
Despite pledging to build a big tent conservative party, Jason Kenney and his United Conservative Party MLAs appear to be doing their best this week to define themselves as the voice of social conservatism in Alberta. While I was convinced this new Conservative party would be disciplined enough to avoid
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Jason Kenney assigns United Conservative Party caucus critic roles; Brian Jean is so far out he’s practically in orbit!
PHOTOS: Brian Jean, looking as if he’s contemplating his future. Truth be told, your blogger has no idea what Mr. Jean was thinking about in this photo grabbed from his still-functioning Facebook page. Below: United Conservative Party House Leader Jason Nixon, Deputy UCP Leader Leela Aheer, and former interim UCP
Continue readingAlberta Politics: What makes sense for pill presses in Alberta doesn’t make sense for firearms: Discuss
PHOTOS: An illegal pill press, with illegal firearms (Australian Broadcasting Corporation photo). Below: Progressive Conservative MLA Mike Ellis and NDP MLA Deb Drever (Edmonton Journal photo). Hmmmm… Canada’s conservative parties – first among t…
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Who wants to lead Alberta’s PC Party?
A surprisingly strong turnout of 1,001 registered participants at last weekend’s Progressive Conservative Party annual general meeting in Red Deer gave party stalwarts a glimmer of hope for the third-place party but there remain some signific…
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Ours is smaller than yours! With 2 Sky Palace killers and 9 members, PC shadow cabinet outdoes Notley Cabinet … sort of
The PC Alberta Drum Band. It’s not this bad, but close enough. Below: Grant Notley, Raj Pannu and Brian Mason. HALIFAX, N.S. Well, we have to give them this much: the Alberta Progressive Conservatives have managed to produce a shadow cabinet even smaller than Premier Rachel Notley’s minimalist ministry! Not
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta Politics: The tough road ahead for Alberta’s opposition PC Party
When Members of Alberta’s Legislative Assembly gather on June 11 to choose a new Speaker, the seating chart will be unlike anything Albertans have seen in this province’s 110 year history. Premier Rachel Notley‘s New Democrats will occupy the majority of the… Continue Reading →
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