PHOTOS: Wildrose Party Finance Critic Derek Fildebrandt going rogue at Rebel Media’s Calgary anti-everything rally last Sunday (CBC photo). Below: Progressive Conservative leadership candidate Jason Kenney as imagined for this story’s rather labored metaphor. (They said I couldn’t do it. Actual PC leadership contenders may not appear exactly as illustrated.)
Continue readingAuthor: David Climenhaga
Alberta Politics: Topp spin: Alberta premier’s departing chief of staff gives his final report to media with an eye to history
PHOTOS: Brian Topp, Premier Rachel Notley’s departing chief of staff. Below: Mr. Topp’s replacement, John Heaney; Jim Rutkowski, appointed Principal Secretary in the premier’s office; he replaces Anne McGrath, who becomes executive director of the Premier’s Southern Alberta Office in Calgary; and former southern office ED Bob Hawkesworth. It would
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Audreys Books Edmonton Best-Seller List to appear here and on Daveberta.ca
Elimination of local arts news coverage in Edmonton newspapers means the Audreys Books weekly bestseller list has found itself without a home. As a result, my colleague Dave Cournoyer at Daveberta.ca and I were delighted to offer Audreys Books and the Book Publishers Association of Alberta a home on our
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Former B.C. NDP premier’s pro-pipeline sentiments boost Rachel Notley’s ‘social license’ strategy
PHOTOS: One of the few photos your blogger could find of Dan Miller (found on the Internet, original source unknown). Below: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, B.C. NDP Leader John Horgan and B.C. Premier Christy Clark (from the Canadian Encyclopedia). There’s more evidence out of British Columbia this week that Rachel
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Death threats, a noose on a hockey stick, opponents kicked out … Calgary Rebel Media rally was another goon show
PHOTOS: They say a photo is worth a thousand words. This one, taken at Ezra Levant’s Rebel Media rally in Calgary yesterday, certainly speaks for itself. Obviously, not all the NDP supporters were successfully purged from the meeting. Below: Chris Alexander, Mr. Levant and Kellie Leitch. Mr. Aleander and Ms.
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Jason Kenney states his support for public funding of home-schooling, parents’ right to veto sex education, and more
PHOTOS: Jason Kenney … he’s got some thoughts on education and we thought you might like to know what they are (CBC photo). Below: Alberta Education Minister David Eggen, Progress Alberta Executive Director Duncan Kinney and defiant Pastor Brian Coldwell of Parents for Choice in Education. Where does Jason Kenney
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Calculating St. Albert City Councillors’ meeting attendance – from best to worst
PHOTOS: St. Albert City Council. From left to right: Bob Russell, Sheena Hughes, Tim Osborne, Nolan Crouse, Wes Brodhead, Cam MacKay and Cathy Heron (City of St. Albert photo). Below: A few shots from the author’s personal collection, which includes Mayor Crouse at one of the many community events he
Continue readingAlberta Politics: ‘Oh, there you go Bradsplaining again!’ Like it or not, Brads from Saskatchewan just can’t control their Bradsplaining
PHOTOS: Federal Conservative leadership candidate and Bradsplainer Brad Trost shows he’s hip to the jive with this newfangled technology stuff. (Photo from BradTrost.ca.) Below: Brad Wall, another well-known Bradsplainer, Bradsplaining, and blogger word-coiner Dave Cournoyer, kitted out to observe one of Rebel Media’s rallies. Uh-oh! We’re about to be “Bradsplained”!
Continue readingAlberta Politics: A ‘merger’ between the Alberta Party and the Progressive Conservatives? Unlikely
PHOTOS: A meeting of the Alberta Party’s “Big Listen,” circa 2010. Actual Alberta Party coffee parties may not have appeared exactly as illustrated. Below: Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark, former leaders Sue Huff and Glenn Taylor, and PC Party President Katherine O’Neill (from Facebook). Don’t bet the farm on a
Continue readingAlberta Politics: They can still feel shame! Conservative leaders duck and cover in wake of Saturday’s disgraceful display
PHOTOS: Chris Alexander, at the moment the chant of “lock her up” began from the right-wing mob at the Alberta Legislature Saturday. Does this look to you like a man who is “shocked, taken aback, mortified even”? Me neither. Below: Michael Chong, Deepak Obhrai, Rona Ambrose and Brian Jean, all
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Con gong show at the Legislature had plenty to make Albertans wonder about their opposition parties
PHOTOS: Anybody recognize the clowns with the yellow signs? Inquiring minds want to know … and they say they’re prepared to pay good money to find out! (Duncan Kinney photo, grabbed from Twitter.) Below: Ezra Levant, whose Rebel Media organized Saturday’s demonstration at the Alberta Legislature, which failed to leave
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Now for something completely different: The Climenhaga podcast, as transmitted by the sensational, sinister Minister Faust
PHOTOS: David Climenhaga yaks … and yaks and yaks and yaks … about Turmoil in the Tories! Art work by Malcolm Azania. Below, Mr. Azania, also known by his nom de plume, Minister Faust (from Twitter). I am the first to admit I am not a podcasting kind of guy
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Wildrose defence of Christian home schooling group unravels on news of operators’ big salaries
PHOTOS: The Trinity Christian private school in Cold Lake. Court documents indicate its principal was paid $322,813 over three years. One news report says it currently has 13 students. Below: Ken Noster, board chair and administrator of Wisdom Home Schooling Society, his wife Marlane Noster, and Trinity School principal Richard
Continue readingAlberta Politics: The Pipeline File: NDP’s ‘social license’ approach worked where Conservative shouting failed, it’s that simple
PHOTOS: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Kananaskis, Alberta, in April 2016 (photo by Chris Schwarz, Government of Alberta). Below: Anti-pipeline demonstrators in British Columbia (Rabble photo by Alyse Kotyk). They may not find it reassuring that Alberta conservatives are praying for their success. Without
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Backstory to purloined party list whodunit hints Wildrose civil war may be brewing
PHOTOS: Veterans of the Wildrose Caucus civil wars get together in 2046 to compare their experiences. Actual aged Wildrose MLAs are unlikely to appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Wildrose Leader Brian Jean (CBC photo), his party’s finance critic, Derek Fildebrandt, and former Wildrose House leader Rob Anderson reading his confession
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Breaking news: Wildrose Edmonton office burgled, computers stolen, membership data being misused, Brian jean says
In an email to supporters sent late Sunday with the bland subject line “A Wildrose Update,” Opposition Leader Brian Jean drops a bombshell with the revelation someone broke into the party’s Edmonton office several weeks ago, stole two laptop computers and tried unsuccessfully to walk off with the party’s server.
Continue readingAlberta Politics: I come to bury Castro, not to praise him: unpacking conservative fury at PM Justin Trudeau’s condolences
PHOTOS: Fidel Castrol in his heyday. Mr. Castro died Friday at 90. Below: An affectionate Havana scene … “Viva Fidel por siempre;” Margaret Trudeau, Mr. Castro and Pierre Trudeau in 1976; King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who died at 90 last year; Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Before I start, let’s
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Robo-gaffe: What do you do when caller-ID says it’s a PC on the line and you get the NDP?
PHOTOS: The offending caller ID message (photo found on Twitter). Below: Edmonton-Castle Downs NDP MLA Nicole Goehring, former Edmonton-Castle Downs Progressive Conservative MLA Thomas Lukaszuk and NDP Caucus Outreach Director Garret Spelliscy. Memo to politicians: Make sure – really, really sure – that when you send out a robo-call alerting
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Bygone bleats: Ray Speaker speaks again, while your blogger still awaits his letter
PHOTOS: Past and present at the Alberta Legislature. Progressive Conservative campaign vehicles may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Former MLAs Ray Speaker, a Social Crediter and Progressive Conservative, Tory Steve West, New Democrat Ed Ewasiuk, and Conservative Ted Morton, the worst premier Alberta never had. Below them, Calgary MLA
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Smoke-Free Alberta asks: Why hasn’t all of the Smoking Reduction Act been enacted?
PHOTOS: Water pipes and flavoured tobacco … Why has Alberta legislation outlawing them not been enacted? There are no secret political messages in this picture, by the way. Below: Alberta Health Minister Sarah Hoffman, NDP MLA Sandra Jansen, and Edmonton Journal Editor Mark Iype. A letter Monday from the Campaign
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