The Edmonton Oilers, the widely-despised local hockey squadron, continue to make a lot of news for a team that missed the playoffs. After lucking into the No. 1 draft pick, on Friday the Oilers named former Boston Bruin GM Peter Chiarelli as their major domo of hockey operations. With Bob
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In This Corner: Stuff Happens, week 14: Oilers get lucky; Hillary hits the road.
The “big story” this week is one that may have long-term implications. Of course, I’m talking about the Edmonton Oilers literally defying the odds and winning the no. 1 NHL draft pick for 2015. This is a big deal because the kid who will be the no. 1 pick, Connor
Continue readingIn This Corner: Stuff Happens, week 14: And they’re off! But why?
This week, Premier Jim Prentice called his uncalled-for election. The question remains, why? The election — a year ahead of the lawful election date — has no validity. The PCs have a majority that any government in Canada, or the world, would kill for (and in some countries, that’s exactly
Continue readingIn This Corner: Why good polls may be bad for the Rachel Notley Party
In the first week of the Unnecessary Election of 2015, the big story has been the polling numbers. The media, desperate to find something to report on in the early going, has fixated on the numbers which show the Rachel Notley Party with shockingly high numbers. The stats are so
Continue readingIn This Corner: Stuff happens, week 13: Election? What election?; this week in atrocities.
There was plenty of speculation amongst the political class about when Premier Grim Jim Prentice would call his (illegal) election. Monday came and went with no word. Then came the polls — suddenly the Wildrose was on the rise, and the polls were giving the budget the thumbs down. So
Continue readingIn This Corner: Stuff happens, week 12: Prentice sets the stage; Smith shut down; no future in Future Shop
The story this week in Alberta is The Greatest Budget Ever Sold. After weeks of Grim Jim Prentice telling us that the sky was falling, and it was falling on your head, his government delivered a budget that was full of cuts and tax increases. But it was full of
Continue readingIn This Corner: Stuff happens, week 11: A bridge too bent; freedom for cable subscribers
The bendy-bendy portion of Edmonton’s newest bridge. Here in Edmonton, the city is in the process of rebuilding a major bridge into the downtown. It’s the 102 Avenue bridge, which I wrote about so lovingly a while back. I’m sure you remember that, right? Of course you do. Last Sunday
Continue readingIn This Corner: Stuff happens, week 10: Jim gives in; Taber gets trashed.
As soon as the legislature resumed on Tuesday, the Prentice government did a complete about-face in its opposition to gay-straight alliances in schools, introducing amendments to Bill 10 to allow the alliances when requested. The Bill 10 kerfuffle was a self-inflicted wound that Prentice has now stitched up, hoping there
Continue readingIn This Corner: Stuff happens, week 9: Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the dumbest of them all?
The halo over Jim Prentice is getting more and more tarnished. Prentice, who has been on a PR offensive over his upcoming budget and unnecessary and illegal election, put his foot in it on CBC Radio on Thursday. Prentice told listeners that when it comes to Alberta’s economic woes, everyone
Continue readingIn This Corner: When did we become ruled by ‘being prudent’?
Once upon a time, if we had a decision to make that might have some consequences, we would consult with trusted advisors. It might be your parents, a religious leader, law enforcement people, or a politician. (HA! That last one was a joke; we have never trusted politicians.) Today, however,
Continue readingIn This Corner: Stuff happens, week 8: Alberta election assured; Harper spins terrorism
It’s gloom and doom in Alberta these days, what with falling oil prices and all. Time to tighten the belts, Premier Jim Prentice says, because we’re going to be billions of dollars short in the ol’ piggy bank. Hmmm…. so how come the government is predicting a $465-million surplus for
Continue readingIn This Corner: Stuff happens, week 7: The return of premiums; a Canadian dog has its day.
The Prentice government continues to float trial balloons. Not long ago, it was a sales tax. Now, it’s the return of health care premiums. The government says most Albertans are in favour of bringing back premiums, which has to be complete BS. Health care premiums mean nothing to the wealthy,
Continue readingIn This Corner: And the winners will be ….
When I was a kid, on Academy Awards night I’d always have to go to bed before the winner was announced. This was a very long time ago; movies had sound, but not always colour. Even if I had to go to bed, I’d sit at the top of the
Continue readingIn This Corner: Stuff Happens, week 6: All about Eve; Sun sets on Sun News.
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau was all smiles on Monday when announcing that Ontario PC MP Eve Adams was crossing the floor to his party. But the news gave hims critics a new opportunity to question his judgement. Adams has more baggage than Samsonite; she has done so much underhanded and/or
Continue readingIn This Corner: Letter from a 100-year-old man.
My uncle Rolland, the last of the five Tougas brothers of Edmonton which included my dad, turned 100 last year. I get occasional letters from him, more so since dad’s passing two years ago. Rolland and dad wrote each other regularly, but they never spoke on the phone. That’s because
Continue readingIn This Corner: Stuff Happens, week 5: Death and the supreme court; the comeback of measles.
The big story of the week was a Supreme Court decision allowing physician-assisted deaths in certain cases. Polls have shown Canadians solidly in favour of allowing Canadians to die with dignity when all hope is lost, but politicians have treated the issue the same way they’ve treated the abortion issue
Continue readingIn This Corner: A message from Our Conservative Government.
This week, I received via Canada Post a handy little booklet from my ever-smiling Member of Parliament, Rona Ambrose. It’s called a Tax Tips Guide, subtitled Helping You and Your Family Save More, a 15-page (!) booklet of tax tips from the federal government, outlining how I can save money
Continue readingIn This Corner: Stuff Happens, week 4: Musical MLA chairs; Apple has a very, very good year; Greece goes rogue.
Will the last MLA out of the Alberta legislature please turn out the lights? Resignation fever swept the Legislature on this week, as another six MLAs announced they were not going to run in the next election. Most notable was the resignation of Liberal leader Raj Sherman, who announced on
Continue readingIn This Corner: Stuff Happens, Week 3: A Mountie mourned; a politician quits; a football deflates.
Following the utterly pointless shootings of two RCMP officers in St. Albert, the question was asked: why was Shawn Rehn, the killer, walking free? It’s a good question. Rehn was a longtime scumbag, having served prison time for various misdeeds. He should have served more time, probably, but didn’t. He
Continue readingIn This Corner: Stuff Happens, Week 2. Target misses the mark, Roxy razed.
The big story of the week in Canada was the departure, with its tail between its legs, of U.S. retail giant Target. The purveyor of so-called ‘cheap chic’ clothing is a big hit in the U.S., but its venture into Canada was a disaster of New Coke proportions. Empty shelves,
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