Say it ain’t so! Giant Redford Tory electoral machine crushes everything in its path! Even the ship of state! (Stephen Carter’s electoral schemes may not be exactly as illustrated.) Below: Alison Redford, Tom “Firewall” Flanagan. As predicted more than once in this space, a methodologically trustworthy public opinion poll has
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David Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: What – and who – is behind last week’s University of Calgary public sector pay fairy tale?
Ken Boessenkool and Ben Eisen consider their latest fairy tale. Alberta public policy commentators may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Tom Flanagan directs the Wildrose Party’s campaign while the Alberta media looks on. A similar caveat applies to this image. Below that: Mr. Eisen and Mr. Boessenkool as they
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Second Forum poll shows Wildrose still soaring: Press 1 if you believe it, Press 2, if you have your doubts…
A Forum Research Inc. spokesperson counts up support for Alberta’s far-right Wildrose Party. Below: Forum President Lorne Bozinoff. Well, that’s one strategy for establishing your polling credibility: If you come up with a poll that other pollsters, bloggers and the usual complainers dismiss as an outlier, do another one that
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Ex-MLA Shiraz Shariff gives Redford favourite Ken Hughes the bum’s rush in Tory nomination battle
Ken Hughes, back in the day as chair of the Alberta Health Services Board. He’s now Alberta’s newest unemployed person. Below: Shiraz Shariff, Joey Oberhoffner. As the beloved Scottish poet Rabbie Burns so famously observed, “the best-laid plans o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley.” The best-laid plans o’ mice,
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Time to loosen up and let federal NDP Quebec caucus learn in public – out here in Alberta
The Liberal Party rises from the dead? Not going to happen. Even Justin Trudeau doesn’t look like the guy with his hand in the air. If you want to skid the Harper Conservatives, it’s NDP you’re going to have to ask to do the job. Below: Lise St. Denis. The
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Liberal Conservative appoints conservative Liberals to battle progressive conservatives, true conservatives
I’m with him… Conservative Alberta Liberal Leader Raj Sherman with his new chief of staff, Jonathan Huckabay. Below: Jeff Melland, from his Facebook page. Earlier today, Alberta Liberal Leader Raj Sherman emailed out a press release announcing big changes to his staff. Key among these were the additions of Jeff
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Tories who tout Internet lawbreaker must remember: what’s good for the goose…
Your blogger with Minister of State of Making Canada Way More Democratic, Really, Tim Uppal. Pssst! Tim! Dump that election reporting law, would ya? Below: Paul Bryan, Victoria Times Colonist picture snatched off the Internet. What should you do when good legislation is introduced by bad political parties? It’s hard
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Never Mind Northern Gateway, Keystone XL remains the main objective of Canada’s pipeline propagandists
A Canadian lobbyist ratchets up the pressure on the Obama Administration to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline. Meanwhile, foreign celebrities boost the morale of radical Hollywood environmentalists as they prepare to interfere in Canadian affairs. Government and corporate officials and environmental radicals may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Joe
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Never Mind Northern Gateway, Keystone XL remains the main objective of Canada’s pipeline propagandists
A Canadian lobbyist ratchets up the pressure on the Obama Administration to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline. Meanwhile, foreign celebrities boost the morale of radical Hollywood environmentalists as they prepare to interfere in Canadian affairs. Government and corporate officials and environmental radicals may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Joe
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Federal Liberal adoption of Alberta Liberal voting rule is sure end badly
Your blogger with Alberta Liberal Leader Raj Sherman. Below: Federal Liberal Leader Bob Rae. If he loses his seat in the next provincial election, will Alberta Liberal Leader Raj Sherman run for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada?He can if he wants, if the timing works out. And
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Will only NDP and Wildrose mount full slates to challenge Alison Redford this spring?
Alison Redford: Why is this woman smiling? Why not? Below: NDP Leader Brian Mason: the next leader of the Opposition? Even with Alberta Premier Alison Redford in a mood to tarry just a little and not call an election until after her government has passed its first budget, only one
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Ground Zero of the Cold War is right in Stephen Harper’s ’hood
Your blogger gets ready to go through the door at Ground Zero of the Cold War. Since Igor Gouzenko is no longer in residence, he thought he might look for law-abiding gun owners. (Joke.) Below: Igor Gouzenko and a couple of shots of the dingy building on Somerset Street. The
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Guest Post: Niki Ashton is young, but formidable, a future force to be reckoned with in the NDP
Niki Ashton at the City Arts Centre last night. Below: Post author Olav Rokne. Business forced me to be in our nation’s capital when Niki Ashton, the latest candidate for the leadership of the New Democratic Party to visit Edmonton, spoke at the City Arts Centre in Old Strathcona last
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: The last insignificant link between the Calgary Herald and downtown Calgary will fall soon … but so what?
Brian Brennan, at left, accepting a piece of paper from a copy boy. Your blogger remembers that haircut, and thinks he had one a lot like it himself. As for the copy boy? That’s Roman Cooney, now VP of Communications for Alberta Health Services. Below: Brennan today. It seems that
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Celebrating a royal birthday in our nation’s capital as the greenest threat since the Fenians looms
Your blogger with the King, in livelier times. Below, Prime Minister Stephen Harper (“Old Dickery”), at left, meets with his majesty. Kings and prime ministers may not be exactly as illustrated. OTTAWA With our Canadian government’s new emphasis on all things royal, I’m deeply regretful to have to report that
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Is political gun violence on Canada’s agenda too, thanks to Stephen Harper’s Conservatives?
Sarah Palin’s notorious “target” chart. Below: Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in 2008; Ms. Palin herself; mug shot of Jared Lee Loughner. Last year’s North American political news cycle began horribly and tragically on this day with the attempted assassination of Arizona Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and the murder of six
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: First impressions: No false steps that matter for NDP candidate Thomas Mulcair
Your blogger yesterday in a future vanity wall picture with NDP leadership candidate Thomas Mulcair. Thomas Mulcair turned in a virtually faultless performance in Edmonton last night, proving once again that the federal Opposition New Democratic Party is attracting top-quality candidates as it completes its sad duty to replace Jack
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Re-regulating electricity – a great issue for the Alberta New Democrats
An Alberta voter contemplates what’s likely to happen to electricity prices if “deregulation” continues. Below: Brian Mason, Dilbert. Don’t feel guilty if you don’t understand Alberta’s shocking electricity prices. You’re not supposed to. Sales of electricity in Alberta are now managed through what Dilbert calls a “confusopoly.” It’s a system
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Glenn Taylor quits his day job – now he has a few weeks to save the Alberta Party
Your blogger with Alberta Party Leader Glenn Taylor just after his election last May. Mr. Taylor’s election, that is. All your blogger’s ever been elected as is a “local legend.” Below: Robin Campbell, Barry Madsen. With an election looming, it’s nice to see that Alberta Party Leader Glenn Taylor has
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: They said WHAT? What is to be done about Sun Media?
Sun Media: Not your father’s unbiased journalism. Note the ad at the bottom of the page. Below: The Super Snipe. What a car! So buy one from another dealer; more irresponsible innuendo, juxtaposition in a Sun Media paper. On New Year’s Eve, without justification or evidence, Sun Media newspapers published
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