I have had to rebuild my WordPress site. The rebuilding is currently in progress. Please excuse the mess and the absence of more recent posts.
Continue readingAuthor: atypicalalbertan
Hello world!
Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!
Continue readingHow Much are we Subsidizing Private Education?
I have been actively involved lately in plenty of discussion about the public funding of private education that we do in Alberta. I don’t believe that we should be providing any public funds to private education. If you decide that the public system is not for you, that’s fine, then you should pay for it … Continue reading How Much are we Subsidizing Private Education? →
Continue readingRACHEL NOTLEY’S CABINET
NDP Caucus 2012-15, credit: rabble.ca Later today at a public celebration on the legislature grounds, Alberta’s new NDP government will be sworn in. With a large number of inexperienced MLAs elected, many are suggesting that the NDP doesn’t have a strong group for cabinet. The announcement earlier this week that the cabinet would only have … Continue reading RACHEL NOTLEY’S CABINET →
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 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 readingFLAT TAX MATH YIELDS A T-BIRD
Here’s some interesting math for you. Between 2011 and 2014, Alberta Premier Jim Prentice was a Vice-President for CIBC, with a salary “reportedly over $2 million.” In Ontario, his 2013 provincial income taxes would have been calculated using a progressively increasing tax rate that topped out at 13.16% on income over $509,000. The provincial tax deducted from his … Continue reading FLAT TAX MATH YIELDS A T-BIRD →
Continue reading9 WAYS ALBERTA SHOULD MANAGE RESOURCES BETTER
Sometime toward the end of November, the Alberta government will release their 2nd quarter fiscal update. Finance Minister Robin Campbell will likely tell us that the second quarter was another good quarter but that the good news is coming to an end and the 1st quarter projection of a $3 Billion bonus will be revised. The reason of course … Continue reading 9 WAYS ALBERTA SHOULD MANAGE RESOURCES BETTER →
Continue readingREVISITED: 7 THINGS TO WATCH IN ALBERTA BYELECTIONS
Last week, I wrote about the 7 things to watch in the four October 27th by-elections and now that the results are in, I thought I would revisit the questions. 1. How many ridings will the PCs hold? Premier Jim Prentice (credit: Dave Cournoyer) The PC’s go 4 for 4! Despite the fact that these … Continue reading REVISITED: 7 THINGS TO WATCH IN ALBERTA BYELECTIONS →
Continue reading7 THINGS TO WATCH IN ALBERTA BY-ELECTIONS
By-elections are being held in four ridings across Alberta on October 27th. This mini-election, of sorts, is needed to elect Premier Jim Prentice and two of his cabinet ministers to the legislative assembly. More importantly, the four races will serve as a weather vane in the rapidly shifting winds of politics in Alberta today. We shouldn’t … Continue reading 7 THINGS TO WATCH IN ALBERTA BY-ELECTIONS →
Continue readingWHAT’S THE STATUS OF THE PC’S 2012 MANDATE
So, you’re a former capital region mayor, who was popular as mayor, has good progressive credentials and now finds themselves on the inside of provincial government. You might be looking in the mirror today, thinking about the health portfolio and wondering how the world unfolded to put you where you are today. If this is you, then you’re not alone. … Continue reading WHAT’S THE STATUS OF THE PC’S 2012 MANDATE →
Continue readingSaving for a rainy day
The tragedy of recent historic flooding in Southern Alberta has had a profound impact on us. As an Edmontonian who spends a good deal of time in Calgary, my heart goes out to those who have been affected. Encouragingly, the Alberta spirit lives on and Calgarians will demonstrate resiliency as the rest of us demonstrate … Continue reading Saving for a rainy day →
Continue readingCabinet Speculation
Hey, I’m awful at predictions, but why not speculate on cabinet postings. Premier Alison Redford has discussed the possibility of some repositioning of portfolios and the possibility of a downsize to cabinet. It is quite likely that we will see 20 ministers in the cabinet including the Premier. As far as responsibility juggling, we could … Continue reading Cabinet Speculation →
Continue readingWildrose Voters got Cold Feet
In the days after Alberta’s engaging general election for the 28th legislature, everyone is talking about the polls – specifically how wrong they were. And while they did not accurately predict the outcome of the election, it is hard to suggest that the methodology was wrong. The polls, regardless of method employed, were pretty consistent with each … Continue reading Wildrose Voters got Cold Feet →
Continue readingElection Predictions and Ridings to Watch
Today is election day in Alberta and quite a day it will be. I am guaranteed to be glued to my television screen and interweb module well into the wee hours of the morning. I suspect that it will be late before we know who the premier will be and whether they will have a … Continue reading Election Predictions and Ridings to Watch →
Continue readingWill recall remain a priority for a Wildrose government?
Democratic reform is a popular part of opposition party platforms, especially for populist parties who are trying to toss out a long standing party in power that is seen to have accountability issues. And so it goes for the 2012 Alberta general election. The Wildrose party is attempting to push aside the Progressive Conservatives whom … Continue reading Will recall remain a priority for a Wildrose government? →
Continue readingWhy I am eating my ballot.
With one week to go in the Alberta general election campaign, I’m wondering what you perceive the biggest issues to be. Perhaps it is F-35 fighter jets, maybe it is the abolition of the gun registry, the omnibus crime bill, perhaps it is public service cuts related to food safety inspectors or the CBC. …So, … Continue reading Why I am eating my ballot. →
Continue reading180 degrees.
180 degrees. About face. Alison Redford may have been called a flip flopper before, but this time it was a complete polar turn around. To be fair, I see nothing wrong with flip flopping. We all make mistakes and we all make decisions without necessarily considering the complete information. Reversing a decision simply means that … Continue reading 180 degrees. →
Continue readingLiberals release poll, continue with bold moves
The Alberta Liberals carried on day two of the provincial election campaign with another bold move. After suggesting that they had the best day one of the parties, I risk coming across as partisan when I suggest that they take the cake again for day two. The big bang came from releasing internal poll results … Continue reading Liberals release poll, continue with bold moves →
Continue readingHotel stunt wins day one for Sherman
An election campaign is upon us and that means that each day will be filled with announcements, attacks, ideas, stunts and mistakes. It makes for an interesting time as Albertans spend 4 weeks discussing a wide variety of public policy issues (in theory). With so little surprise as to the day the campaign would start … Continue reading Hotel stunt wins day one for Sherman →
Continue reading