TweetA short few months ago, it almost felt inevitable that the Wildrose Party would sweep into a majority government at the next election. They were up in the polls and the long-time governing Progressive Conservatives looked corrupt, broken and battered. But over the past few weeks, it appears the Official Opposition
Continue readingAuthor: daveberta
daveberta.ca - Alberta politics: The least interesting part of Legislative Session: The Throne Speech
TweetEvery year, political watchers gather at the Alberta Legislature for the pomp and circumstance of the Speech from the Throne, hoping to get a glimpse of a political agenda. And every year they are sorely disappointed at the Throne Speech’s lack of detail. Yesterday’s Throne Speech, delivered by elderly Lieutenant
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Alberta Politics Roundup – Eve of Fall Sitting
TweetFall Legislative Session November 17, 2014 will mark the start of the first legislative session for new Premier Jim Prentice, Health Minister Stephen Mandel and Education Minister Gordon Dirks. The 43-year old governing Progressive Conservatives have promised to introduce new laws focusing on property rights and ‘ending entitlements’ for their MLAs. This will
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Prentice victory lap to leave Redford legacy in the dust at Banff PC AGM
TweetPremier Jim Prentice is warming up for a victory lap as Progressive Conservatives loyalists gather at the posh Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel for the party’s annual general meeting on November 14 and 15, 2014. Mr. Prentice will join the convention basking in the glow of an impressive first two months as Premier and
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Limping Alberta Liberals face more financial troubles
Tweet Did Liberal leader Raj Sherman break Alberta’s political donations limits when making donations to his own party? The Calgary Herald is reporting that Dr. Sherman may have exceeded the $15,000 limit for donations three times in the past four years and donated double the limit this year through corporations he
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Sleepy Yellowhead by-election set for November 17
TweetA big Conservative win is inevitable in this rural Alberta riding When recently resigned Conservative Member of Parliament Rob Merrifield was appointed by Premier Jim Prentice as Alberta’s Representative in Washington D.C., many political watchers in Alberta were caught by surprise. It was known that the MP was spending an increasing amount of time lobbying
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Look who’s running in 2016: Alberta Election nominations
TweetWith the four provincial by-elections over, the focus will soon turn back to nominating candidates to stand in Alberta’s next general election. The next election is scheduled to be held sometime between March 1 and May 31, 2016, but can be called earlier if premier requests the Lieutenant Governor to issue a writ of election.
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: What Civil War? Wildrose MLAs rally behind Danielle Smith
TweetIn a move designed to quash any further internal party dissent, Wildrose MLAs rallied around their leader yesterday by unanimously requesting their party’s executive committee cancel a leadership review that Danielle Smith requested last week. The sign of caucus unity came shortly after Sundre-Rocky Mountain House-Rimbey MLA Joe Anglin announced he was leaving the Official
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Joe Anglin fires opening shot in Wildrose Civil War
TweetCiting a “civil war” within the Wildrose Party, MLA Joe Anglin has decided to leave the Official Opposition caucus to sit as an Independent MLA. Mr. Anglin said in a Facebook message posted this morning that he did so in advance of today’s caucus meeting, where leader Danielle Smith was
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Wildrose leader faces Rocky [Mountain House] challenges and leadership review
TweetReacting to her party’s poor results in four provincial by-elections held this week, Wildrose leader Danielle Smith announced that she will face a leadership review at her party’s annual convention on November 14 and 15, 2014 in Red Deer. This is a smart move by the official opposition leader, as a solid
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Wildrose needs to be more than the Anti-Redford Party
TweetPCs sweep four by-elections, NDP and Alberta Party make gains Disgraced former premier Alison Redford gave Albertans a convincing reason to vote Wildrose, but Danielle Smith‘s official opposition needs to find a new strategy to defeat Premier Jim Prentice‘s Progressive Conservative. This appears to be the case as Alberta’s Progressive Conservatives celebrate their candidates
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Will by-election losses teach Alberta’s progressive parties basic math?
TweetFast forward to 10:00 p.m. on October 27, 2014. The ballots have been counted in Alberta’s four provincial by-elections and the two main conservative parties – the governing Progressive Conservatives and official opposition Wildrose Party – have taken the largest share of the votes. Once again the handful of “progressive” opposition political
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: What’s at stake in the four Oct. 27 by-elections?
TweetWith less than two days left in Alberta’s mini-election, voters will head to the polls on the morning of October 27, 2014 to cast their ballots in by-elections being held in Calgary-Elbow, Calgary-Foothills, Calgary-West and Edmonton-Whitemud. As these mid-term elections approach, what is at stake for Alberta’s political parties? Progressive Conservatives
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Politics gets NIMBY in the Edmonton-Whitemud by-election
TweetThe phrase “all politics is local” has been used many times to describe voters who might shy away from trying to restructure health care or environmental policy but are passionate about potholes or saving the park down their street. This phrase appears to be particularily reflective of the Edmonton-Whitemud by-election, where former
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: The NDP are Ready for Rachel… are Albertans?
TweetWith 70% of the 3,589 votes cast, Edmonton-Strathcona MLA Rachel Notley was selected as the next leader of Alberta’s New Democratic Party. Ms. Notley defeated Edmonton-Calder MLA David Eggen, who earned 28% of the vote, and union activist Rod Loyola, with 2%. Ms. Notley is an articulate and passionate advocate for social
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Alberta NDP use strange voting system to select new leader
TweetOn October 18, 2014 Alberta’s New Democratic Party will choose a replacement for retiring leader Brian Mason, who has held the position since 2004. The three candidates seeking the leadership are Edmonton-Strathcona MLA Rachel Notley, Edmonton-Calder MLA David Eggen and Edmonton-Ellerslie candidate Rod Loyola. This is the Alberta NDP’s first foray
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: By-Election Round-up: 11 days until the mini-election
TweetThere are now eleven days left until voters cast their ballots in four provincial by-elections on October 27. Prentice a no-show in Calgary-Foothills He is the Premier of Alberta and he does not have a seat in the Legislature, but Jim Prentice was the only Calgary-Foothills by-election candidate to skip last night’s all-candidates forum organized by the Edgemont
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Sources: MLA David Xiao disqualified from federal Conservative nomination
TweetA Progressive Conservative MLA is appealing a decision by a Conservative Party of Canada committee to disqualify him as a nomination candidate in the newly created Edmonton-West federal riding, according to reliable sources. It remains unclear why the committee chose to disqualify Edmonton-McClung MLA David Xiao, who announced his entry into the contest in
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Yellowhead federal by-election called for November 17
TweetProviding a distraction from the four provincial by-elections currently being held in Alberta, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today that federal by-elections will be held in Ontario’s Whitby-Oshawa riding and Alberta’s Yellowhead riding. The Yellowhead by-election is triggered by the resignation of five-term Conservative Member of Parliament Rob Merrifield, who was
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Can the opposition win any of the 4 by-elections?
TweetCan the opposition parties win any of the four provincial by-elections being held on October 27, 2014? The by-election votes will take place in four urban constituencies that were considered safe for the Progressive Conservatives in the 2012 election. With a change in provincial leadership and a volatile political environment, these by-elections do provide
Continue reading