|
|
By David Climenhaga, on May 17, 2013, at 2:46 am Your blogger with CBC investigative reporter Charles Rusnell. Below: Edmonton-Manning MLA Peter Sandhu; Mr. Sandhu with Alison Redford in a Tory Party photo grabbed from the Daveberta.ca blog. The photo-bomber is Calgary-Fort MLA Wayne Cao.
You’d think it would be easy to run a petroleum-soaked, cash-rich jurisdiction like Alberta, but a day seldom seems to pass out here on the western edge of the Great Plains without our governing Progressive Conservative Party suffering another pratfall or embarrassment.
But how many Albertans know that so many of these scandals bedevilling our permanent governing party have been uncovered by the same (Read more…)
By David Climenhaga, on March 1, 2013, at 2:14 am
Conservative icon Tom Flanagan’s defining moment. Below: Dr. Flanagan in happier times; the six signatories of the Alberta separatist Firewall Manifesto; Richard Nixon saying goodbye during his 1952 Checkers speech. Unlike Dr. Flanagan’s likely career trajectory, Mr. Nixon came back.
Who could have predicted that yesterday would be the pope’s last day on the job?
I speak, of course, of Professor Tom Flanagan, spiritual leader of the neoconservative movement in Canada.
Well, Dr. Flanagan is the neocon pope no more, having uttered the astonishing opinion at a seminar the previous evening in the deep-south Alberta city of Lethbridge that
. . . → Read More: Alberta Diary: Tom Flanagan, neoconservative spiritual leader, consigned to utter darkness
By David Climenhaga, on February 27, 2013, at 1:42 am The trading pit: Is this what Alberta Education Minister Jeff Johnson sees when he thinks of the Alberta Teachers Association? Actual Alberta schoolteachers may not be exactly as illustrated. Then again, these days … Below: Mr. Johnson and ATA President Carol Henderson.
OK, Alberta Education Minister Jeff Johnson’s bizarre attempt to bluff the province’s 35,000 unionized schoolteachers into signing a contract has failed. Now what?
One week ago, Mr. Johnson mailed the president of the Alberta Teachers Association and the Chair of the Alberta School Boards Association a rambling letter setting out the government’s latest bargaining demands in what’s turned
. . . → Read More: Alberta Diary: Education minister’s bluff called by apoplectic schoolteachers! Now what?
By daveberta, on February 15, 2013, at 10:11 am TweetFree from the tight leash of party discipline, three former Finance Ministers are giving plenty of advice to Premier Alison Redford and Finance Minister Doug Horner. Ted Morton, the former two-term Tory MLA from Foothills-Rockyview and two-time Tory leadership candidate who served as Finance Minister from 2010 to 2011, penned an opinion-editiorial in Wednesday’s Calgary [...]
By bigcitylib, on February 7, 2013, at 7:15 am A new poll has found 61 per cent of B.C. residents oppose Enbridge’s proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, while support is at 35 per cent.
And the Insights West online survey found opponents of the project are more entrenched – 38 per cent are strongly opposed, compared to just 11 per cent who strongly support the new route for crude oil across northwestern B.C. to Kitimat.
The full results can be found here. Meanwhile Alberta separatist Ted Morton ponders measures that, if taken, could lead to a civil war in this country. So, yeah, to say they could “backfire”
By David Climenhaga, on January 17, 2013, at 1:22 am They kissed us once. Will they kiss us again? Alas, in Alberta right now, there’s no way to be cert- cert- certain. Alison Redford chats with a typical Alberta voter last spring – although, Alberta politicians and their supporters may not turn out to be exactly as illustrated. Below: The real Ms. Redford, Finance Minister Doug Horner.
Here in 14 words is the conundrum that faces the Progressive Conservative government of Alberta Premier Alison Redford: you can be progressive, or you can be conservative, but you can’t be both.
So which is it?
The problem that confronts Ms. Redford’s PCs
. . . → Read More: Alberta Diary: The Redford Tories’ conundrum: Progressive reason versus Conservative passion
By David Climenhaga, on January 1, 2013, at 2:08 pm The Dagny Taggarts, a synchronized skating team from Ottawa get ready to do their popular routine, “Where Is John Galt?” Defence Minister Joan Crockatt is in the front row, second from right. Below: Senator Tom Flanagan; U of C economics student Kim Jong-un, in full Calgary drag; Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk, ecstatic for his boss; and Nobel Prize winner Raj Sherman with the author. Actual events may not turn out exactly as predicted.
Why wait for 2013’s headlines when you can read them here on Alberta Dairy right now? In a spirit of transparency bordering on clairvoyance, Alberta Diary
. . . → Read More: Alberta Diary: Why wait? Read 2013’s shocking political headlines right now on Alberta Diary!
By david, on November 25, 2012, at 2:04 pm Pastor Allan Hunsperger in exile, as seen by the Wildrose Party’s leadership. Below: Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith (mean photo by Dave Cournoyer); the real Allan Hunsperger; party strategist Tom Flanagan; Wildrose House Leader Rob Anderson. Despite an amusing Pierre Poutine moment before it started, the Wildrose Party’s one-day annual general meeting in Edmonton yesterday seems … . . . → Read More: Alberta Diary: Wildrose leader to Albertans: You’re gullible and stupid!
By david, on October 21, 2012, at 2:28 am Alison Redford speaks to the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees’ convention in Edmonton yesterday. (AUPE photo.) Below: Ms. Redford with AUPE President Guy Smith. Is she trying to build an alliance with public service unions?
It’s tempting to say Alberta Premier Alison Redford walked boldly into the lions’ den yesterday and emerged unscathed – whether or not what she found there resembled a room full of pussycats.
There are certainly those in some corners of the labour movement who will think Premier Redford’s welcome to the annual convention of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, the 80,000-member public service
. . . → Read More: Alberta Diary: Alberta Premier Alison Redford gets warm reception in union lions’ den
By daveberta, on October 1, 2012, at 11:30 pm Tweet“The Redford government spent more than half a million dollars on its trip to the London Olympics earlier this year, including about $113,000 in hotel rooms that were not used…” – Edmonton Journal reporter Keith Gerein According to the Journal, the $518,280 trip sent 29 Albertans to London including Tory Premier Alison Redford, Culture Minister [...]
By calgarygrit, on September 11, 2012, at 9:21 am The most Twitter followers AND a theme song? John Ivison is right – this race is over.
It’s no “Ted Morton is the Man“, but The Justin Trudeau Song is kind of catchy.
By daveberta, on August 31, 2012, at 10:09 am Tweet Elections Alberta has released the financial disclosure forms submitted by candidates who ran in the April 2012 provincial election and some of the disclosure forms reveal some interesting information about how much money was fundraised and spent during the campaign. The money spent by candidates and political parties in Alberta elections are nowhere near [...]
By david, on August 16, 2012, at 1:57 am Norwegian rats have their eyes on Alberta! It’s time to root them out, and their pipeline hating, royalty demanding, revolutionary pals! And where’s the AHS Plague Plan? And why does Norwegian crude cost so much? Below: More warnings, plus Verlyn Olson.
I don’t know about you, but a lot of Albertans are surely going to have trouble sleeping tonight when they realize their province is no longer rat free. Presumably a sales tax could be next!
This has been a lousy couple of summer weeks for Premier Alison Redford’s government, what with all the health executive pension plans and whatnot
. . . → Read More: Alberta Diary: Rats! Alberta has ’em … and not just the kind Ed Stelmach warned us about
By david, on July 20, 2012, at 1:41 am 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 the livin’ is easy – especially if you’re Alberta Premier Alison Redford.
Indeed, it’s hard to imagine a more congenial political climate than the one Ms. Redford and her Progressive Conservative government now find themselves enjoying this summer.
Not quite three months have passed since Ms. Redford’s unexpected but decisive
. . . → Read More: Alberta Diary: It’s summertime, and the livin’ is easy – especially if you’re Alison Redford
By david, on June 29, 2012, at 2:14 am Cock of the walk: Everybody wanted to talk to Ted Morton on June 26, 2011. His message to then-premier Ed Stelmach: Balance the budget or else. (Calgary Herald photo.) Below: Alison Redford, Rob Anderson.
Can it be less than two years since Ted Morton, then Alberta’s steely-eyed finance minister and hard-right fiscal hawk, was poised to become premier himself?
Readers with long memories will recall how Dr. Morton had in January 2011 just stuck the knife into then-premier Ed Stelmach. Dr. Morton wanted a painfully instant balanced budget that Mr. Stelmach was too smart or too humane to accept.
. . . → Read More: Alberta Diary: With Alberta’s budget all but balanced, where’s Ted Morton now that we don’t need him?
By daveberta, on June 20, 2012, at 1:01 am Tweet
In light of yesterday’s embarrassing missive by federal cabinet minister Jason Kenney about Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk, the race to become the Conservative Party candidate in the yet to be called Calgary-Centre by-election may get more interesting. Suggestions that the by-election could be defined by the deep schism between federal Conservatives (many of whom support the Wildrose Party) and the long-governing provincial Progressive Conservatives may soon become a reality in the lead up to the Conservative Party nomination.
Three in. The Conservative nomination contest.
Alderman John Mar
Conservative political pundit and former Calgary Herald editor Joan Crockatt
. . . → Read More: daveberta.ca – Alberta politics blog: did jason kenney deepen the conservative divide in calgary-centre?
By daveberta, on June 1, 2012, at 1:01 am Tweet
Premier Alison Redford is attending the 2012 Bilderberg Group conference.
There are no shortage of internet conspiracy theories about the mysterious Bilderberg Group conference, but now Alberta Premier Alison Redford will know the truth about the invite-only private annual meeting of the world’s top neo-liberal financial, business, and political elites.
Premier Redford has been invited the the event, which is being held in Virginia from May 31 to June 3. Only a small group of Canadian political leaders have been invited to attend, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, former Prime Ministers Jean Chretien and Paul Martin, and
. . . → Read More: daveberta.ca – Alberta politics blog: alison redford attends the bilderberg. thomas mulcair visits the oilsands.
By daveberta, on April 30, 2012, at 1:01 am When Alberta’s Legislative Assembly reconvenes in the next few months, for the first time since 1982 the title of Official Opposition will given to a caucus of MLA’s representing a party other than the New Democrats or the Liberals. Following the April 23 general election, seventeen Wildrose Party MLA’s were elected, creating the largest Official Opposition caucus since 1997 (when eighteen Liberal MLA’s were elected).
Wildrose MLA's Heather Forsyth, leader Danielle Smith, and Rob Anderson in January 2010.
Aside from high-profile leader Danielle Smith, who was elected in Highwood, most Albertans would probably respond with blank stares
. . . → Read More: daveberta.ca – Alberta politics blog: who are they? meet alberta’s wildrose official opposition.
By Robert McBean, on April 27, 2012, at 3:40 am The last pre-election message on Ted Morton’s website:
To our Supporters:
Thank you for supporting me and the PC Party—a party that has madeAlbertathe best place to work, to live and to raise a family. As your MLA for Chestermere-Rocky View, I will work for you to keep it that way.
I wasn’t really sure if that was a premature victory speech or an awkwardly worded appeal to get out the vote
By David J. Climenhaga, on April 26, 2012, at 2:33 am The Wildrose Party Whip gets ready to get the Opposition caucus under control. Alberta politicians may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Danielle Smith, Tom Flanagan, Joe Anglin, Dr. Gilles Tourette.
The Wildrose phenomenon will disappear from the Alberta political scene almost as quickly as the party’s leader took a powder after her concession speech at the golf club in Okotoks on Tuesday night.
Sure, we’ve all heard the promises about what a great opposition the Wildrose Party is going to make, how well leader Danielle Smith did to build it out of nothing in jig time, and how
. . . → Read More: David Climenhaga’s Alberta Diary: Why the Wildrose Party is not long for this world
By daveberta, on April 24, 2012, at 10:54 am Alberta Election Results 2012
What was expected to be the most exciting provincial election in history of our province turned out to be a continuation of the 41-year old Progressive Conservative dynasty. The pollsters, the media, and the pundits (including this blogger) appear to have completely misjudged the electoral climate in the final days of the election.
Unofficial Results PC: 61 Wildrose: 17 Liberal: 5 NDP: 4
It appears that the PC Party call to moderate voters to vote strategically to block the Wildrose Party from forming government was successful in Calgary, Edmonton, and northern Alberta.
. . . → Read More: daveberta.ca – Alberta politics blog: the day after: alberta election analysis.
By David J. Climenhaga, on April 24, 2012, at 3:29 am Danielle Smith, leader of the upstart Wildrose Party celebrates her… Wait! That’s not Danielle! That’s Alison Redford! (Reuters Photo, snatched from the Internet.) Remember: Alberta political winners may not always be exactly as illustrated by the media and the pollsters. Below: The real Danielle Smith.
’Tis late and the CBC’s pancake makeup weighs heavy on your blogger’s face. As all the world must surely know by now, Alberta Premier Alison Redford’s hole card turned out to be an ace yesterday and Alberta’s 41-year Progressive Conservative dynasty will live a little longer, perhaps a lot longer.
So today there is
. . . → Read More: David Climenhaga’s Alberta Diary: Top Ten Losers and Winners of the Alberta Election
By daveberta, on April 22, 2012, at 12:00 pm We have received more than 100 entries for the joint Daveberta and CalgaryGrit Great Alberta Election pool and have entered these predictions into a state of the art spreadsheet to discover some interesting predictions for tomorrow’s vote.
Alberta election pool seat count prediction: Averages (from CalgaryGrit.ca)
The average of the seat count predictions would see Danielle Smith’s Wildrose Party form a minority government with 42 of the 87 seats in the Assembly. The Progressive Conservatives would hold on to 37 (down from 72 in the 2008 election), the NDP would become the third largest party in the Assembly with
. . . → Read More: daveberta.ca – Alberta politics blog: predicting alberta’s election results.
By daveberta, on April 19, 2012, at 6:31 pm Who will run the show after April 23?
On Monday, Albertans will go to the polls in what is already being dubbed a “historic” election. The outcome is uncertain, so why not gaze into your crystal ball and enter the Daveberta and CalgaryGrit election pool. It is simple enough – predict the seat totals for each party and answer 10 bonus questions. Everyone gets 87 points minus one point for each seat you are off per party, plus two points per correct bonus question.
Robert Vollman has generously donated the following political book prize packs (shipping extra, unless we
. . . → Read More: daveberta.ca – Alberta politics blog: the great alberta election pool.
By calgarygrit, on April 19, 2012, at 6:30 pm On Monday, Albertans will go to the polls in what is already being dubbed a “historic” election. The outcome is uncertain, so why not gaze into your crystal ball and enter the Daveberta and CalgaryGrit election pool.
It’s simple enough – predict the seat totals for each party and answer 10 bonus questions. Everyone gets 87 points minus one point for each seat you’re off per party, plus two points per correct bonus question.
Robert Vollman has generously donated the following political book prize packs (shipping extra, unless we can arrange a pick-up in Calgary or Toronto):
1.
. . . → Read More: CalgaryGrit: Alberta Election Pool
|
|
Alberta Diary: Why wait? Read 2013’s shocking political headlines right now on Alberta Diary!
The Dagny Taggarts, a synchronized skating team from Ottawa get ready to do their popular routine, “Where Is John Galt?” Defence Minister Joan Crockatt is in the front row, second from right. Below: Senator Tom Flanagan; U of C economics student Kim Jong-un, in full Calgary drag; Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk, ecstatic for his boss; and Nobel Prize winner Raj Sherman with the author. Actual events may not turn out exactly as predicted.
Why wait for 2013’s headlines when you can read them here on Alberta Dairy right now? In a spirit of transparency bordering on clairvoyance, Alberta Diary
. . . → Read More: Alberta Diary: Why wait? Read 2013’s shocking political headlines right now on Alberta Diary!