We’ve been so focused on Jason Kenney’s public rhetoric that we didn’t see him transform the Progressive Conservatives and Wildrose MLAs into a bunch of hush puppies ready to recite whatever speaking notes he gives them. The transformation took less than two years. This probably says more about the integrity
Continue readingTag: wildrose
Babel-on-the-Bay: Could Chantal Hébert be so diabolical?
Is it whimsy or a diabolical intent? Is Toronto Star political guru Chantal Hébert really that devious? She recently proposed that Rona Ambrose, the federal interim leader for the Conservatives as the ideal person to step in and take over the reins of the combined provincial Conservatives in Alberta. That
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Sandra Jansen is right, there are Progressive Conservatives in Alberta
Yippee! Sandra Jansen just confirmed she’s running for the leadership of Alberta’s Progressive Conservative party. This is good news because her campaign will test Jason Kenney’s assertion that there’s no such thing as a progressive conservative. Kenney is peddling the line that there are only two kinds of people in
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Who should govern in times of significant disruption?
Chris Kutarna says this is the best time in history to be alive. We’re healthier, wealthier and better educated than at any other time in history…so why are we so miserable? Kutarna is a Fellow at the Oxford Martin School … Continue reading →
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Elections Alberta releases Calgary-Greenway by-election campaign financials
Elections Alberta has released initial campaign finance disclosures from the March 22, 2016 by-election in the Calgary-Greenway constituency. The by-election was held following the death of PC MLA Manmeet Bhullar, who had represented the area in the …
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: What the 2nd quarter fundraising results mean for Alberta’s political parties
Elections Alberta released the results of this year’s second quarter of fundraising for provincial political parties this week. Following the release of the disclosures I took a closer look at last quarter’s results and what they could m…
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Let’s Make Alberta Great Again: Elect Donald Trump!
Donald Trump’s scary lead in the Republican nominee race led Ms Soapbox to wonder whether The Donald’s promise to Make America Great Again! with a mishmash of protectionist, racist ideas grafted to a fiscally conservative and socially conservative platform would … Continue reading →
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Excuse me, your ideology is showing
When conservative politicians run out of meaningful things to say about Alberta’s NDP government they whip out the “ideology” card and last week’s debate featuring candidates vying for the seat left vacant by Jim “all-or-nothing” Prentice was no exception. The Wildrose candidate, Prasad Panda, accused the NDP of carrying out
Continue readingA. Picazo: As Some Fight To “Take Alberta Back,” Others Work To Move It Forward
In 1954, when the U.S. Senate voted to censure Wisconsin Republican Joseph R. McCarthy, a man whose motivations were deemed “evil and unmatched in malice,” it closed the book on a particularly shameful chapter of American politics; One marked by relentless character assassinations, vicious demagoguery, and incessant partisan witch hunts.
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 readingSusan on the Soapbox: The Prentice Campaign: How NOT to Frame the Debate
Frank Luntz, famed political consultant to the Republican Party, said when it comes to political hot buttons “those who define the debate will determine the outcome.* Given the mess Mr Prentice has made of the “Team Prentice” campaign he may want to give Mr Luntz a call. Mr Prentice defined
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Prentice Drops the “E” Word on Day One
Extremist: /ɛkˈstriːmɪst/ noun, chiefly derogatory: A person who holds extreme political or religious views, especially one who advocates illegal, violent or other extreme action—Oxford dictionary Hysterical rhetoric Of all the bonehead things Premier Prentice could have said in his campaign kick-off speech, warning Albertans to beware of “extreme ideas or
Continue readingThe Liberal Scarf: Good article on "vetting" and opposition research – don’t embarrass the team
Wanted to share this post by former Alberta NDP candidate Marc Power discussing the political vetting process for candidates. As someone who used to do exactly the kind of opposition research Mr. Power talks about in the post, I found it an interesting perspective. Mr. Power also talks about how important the
Continue readingThe Liberal Scarf: Good article on "vetting" and opposition research – don’t embarrass the team
Wanted to share this post by former Alberta NDP candidate Marc Power discussing the political vetting process for candidates. As someone who used to do exactly the kind of opposition research Mr. Power talks about in the post, I found it an i…
Continue readingThe Liberal Scarf: Good article on "vetting" and opposition research – don’t embarrass the team
Wanted to share this post by former Alberta NDP candidate Marc Power discussing the political vetting process for candidates. As someone who used to do exactly the kind of opposition research Mr. Power talks about in the post, I found it an interesting perspective. Mr. Power also talks about how important the
Continue readingMY MLA? OL’ WHAZHIZFACE?
I have a question for you, dear reader. What factor was the biggest factor that drove your voting decision in the 2012 Alberta election? Did you base your vote on a platform, a leader, a party, a local candidate or was it a combination of two or more factors? The 2011 Canadian Election Study asked … Continue reading MY MLA? OL’ WHAZHIZFACE? →
Continue readingMy MLA? Ol’ Whazhizface?
I have a question for you, dear reader. What factor was the biggest factor that drove your voting decision in the 2012 Alberta election? Did you base your vote on a platform, a leader, a party, a local candidate or was it a combination of two or more factors? The
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Danielle Smith Betrayed the Wildrose; Jim Prentice Betrayed the Rest of Us
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” —Abraham Lincoln Premier Prentice gave every member of his caucus a copy of Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals. No doubt to help them “decide” whether to let Danielle Smith, the
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Danielle Smith’s Leadership Review: A Game of Power
“No one wants less power; everyone wants more.”—Robert Greene Danielle Smith, leader of the Wildrose party, put her leadership on the line after failing to capture any seats in the four Alberta by-elections. Her leadership review was to take place in mid-November, well ahead of the leadership review scheduled to
Continue reading