Regional planning in Alberta since 1993, pretty much exactly as illustrated. Below: A rare photo of Ralph Klein and Steve West, grabbed from the Internet. “Limits to growth on horizon,” proclaimed the main headline on yesterday’s print edition of…
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David Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Never mind unions – let’s cast a little light on the darkest corporate corners!
Time to cast a little light in capitalism’s darkest corners? Below: Jim Stanford, Russ Hiebert.All the usual suspects clamouring for unions to be required by law to publicly reveal their financial accounts ought to be careful what they wish for. They…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Sure, Gary Mar’s $264,576 Asian sinecure is sweet, but does it come with severance?
Gary Mar stands in Hong Kong and gazes back toward Alberta. Albertan politicians-in-exile may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Mr. Mar as others see him; Rick Orman aboard business jet with plate of fruit.Word that Gary Mar is about to be sent…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Occupy Edmonton: Up to 1,000 protest corporate greed and income inequality in Edmonton
The Edmonton Journal estimated that “up to 1,000” people marched through the city’s chilly streets yesterday afternoon to join the rest of the world in protest against corporate thievery and outrageous income inequality. Here are a few shots from…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Redford Tories have good news and bad news for government union’s president
AUPE President Guy Smith with some of the approximately 1,000 demonstrators who gathered at the Alberta Legislature yesterday afternoon to protest against privatization talk by Premier Alison Redford. Below: Former AUPE President Dan MacLennan talking …
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Cheap shots: how a good crop can get you far in politics!
The Alberta Liberal Party website in context. Below, a detail from the site, your blogger’s shot of the same event, shots of the U.S. Courthouse in Manhattan, from various angles. Back in the day in the newspaper business, the staff of the Photo Desk u…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Redford’s Rocky Mountain Cabinet Horror Show: We’re doing the time warp again!
Premier Alison Redford and members of her new cabinet in a Transylvanian Tory Time Warp. Ron Liepert is at right. Alberta premiers and their cabinets may not be exactly as illustrated, here or during their campaigns. Below left: Ms. Redford, centre, at…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Never mind the media narrative… the real fight’s between the NDP and the Wildrose!
NDP supporters in the streets of Edmonton. Caution, Alberta crowds may not be exactly as illustrated, and neither may Alberta polls. Below: Brian Mason; Queen Victoria and Prime Minister William Gladstone – cabinet making was always tough.A poll by c…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Whatever became of the investigation into the PC Party’s purloined list?
The Tory membership list, purloined again! Alberta Conservative campaign strategists may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Premier Alison Redford; PC Party President Bill Smith.Now that the Alberta Progressive Conservatives have chosen a new leader…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Brian Brennan’s Leaving Dublin: From Ireland to the Calgary Herald strike and beyond
Leaving Dublin…A good memoir is no easy thing to write, and I can tell you that without ever having bothered to read one before.I mean, really, why would I read someone’s memoirs, for crying out loud, when there are stacks of mysteries, police proc…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Alison Redford’s premiership wrong-footed on Day 2 by brutal Calgary Sun story
The Calgary Sun’s front page Saturday morning. Below: Sun columnist Rick Bell; Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi; a technician demonstrates the proper procedure for handling a typical Sun story.Has former Alberta premier Ed Stelmach’s bad luck rubbed off…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Alison Redford sworn in as premier and … uh … that’s all for now
Alison Redford, the 14th premier of Alberta, raises her right hand and promises to be different from the last Conservative premier. Below, she greets well-wishers as she leaves the Legislature with her family.Now that Alison Redford has been safely swo…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Creepy Wildrose attack ads set the tone as Alison Redford prepares to be sworn in as Alberta premier
Wildrose Integrity? The Wildrose Party’s creepy video attack on premier-designate Alison Redford.Honeymoon? What honeymoon?Alison Redford was elected leader of Alberta’s governing Progressive Conservative Party in a vote announced in the wee hours …
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Viva Manitoba? Much news of latest Orange Wave fails to reach Alberta
Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger in Winnipeg in June. The icon to his left indicates women voters, who were obviously paying attention. Leastways, the people have spoken and he is still premier. Below: Former Manitoba premier Gary Doer with some guy, a F…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: The Redford Files: ‘Cabinet speculation continues’ – well, duh!
Your blogger, figuring out who will be named to Alison Redford’s cabinet next week. Alberta bloggers may not be exactly as illustrated, and their self-referential jokes may not be all that funny.Moving on to the “second-day lead,” the Edmonton Jo…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Three lessons that can’t be drawn from Alison Redford’s election – but will be anyway
Alison Redford shouts to make herself heard over the din Sunday morning after news of her victory had been announced. She can now expect people to simmer down and listen carefully whenever she speaks. Below: the media myth-making machine machinating. T…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Six lessons to draw from Alison Redford’s victory
Alison Redford surrounded by media and supporters in the wee hours of this morning. Below: Gar Mar gives his concession speech, AHS Chair Ken Hughes.Alison Redford’s victory this morning in the race to lead the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party …
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Surprise! Alberta Tories pick Alison Redford as leader and next premier
Alison Redford meets the press a little after 1:30 this morning at Edmonton’s Northlands Centre. Below: Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says farewell this morning.Word didn’t arrive until the wee hours of this morning, but Alberta’s Progressive Conservativ…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Alberta could do much worse than have Alison Redford as premier – and tomorrow it probably will
Alison Redford during Thursday’s TV debate. (Edmonton Journal photo.) Below: The other Iron Lady.If television debates mattered, Alison Redford would win the Alberta Progressive Conservative leadership vote tomorrow hands down.She certainly turned in…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Gary Mar’s TV double-dip debate: You’re ALL right! It’s sleazy AND it’s business as usual!
Front-running Alberta Conservative leadership candidate Gary Mar shows no worry about the fact his challengers complained of his past double-dipping activities during last night’s TV debate. Alberta politicians may not appear exactly as illustrated. …
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