Somewhere in my collection of flotsam and jetsam of old newspaper clippings from my youth, I have the famous Edmonton Journal paper from the day after the Progressive Conservatives, under Peter Lougheed, finally toppled the Social Credit dynasty. The headline, written in massive type in true Tory blue, read: “Now!
Continue readingAuthor: mauricetougas
In This Corner: Thomas Lukaszuk, world’s most expensive relationship counsellor.
OK, I have about a million questions about the Thomas Lukaszuk $20,000 phone bill scandal. Or maybe about seven. First, the background. It was revealed this week that Lukaszuk, the soon-to-be third place finisher in the anemic PC leadership race, rang up a $20,000 phone bill while on a personal trip
Continue readingIn This Corner: Ode to the bridge to somewhere: a mini-memoir
I went for lunch today with my old pal Bruce Miller. I chose the Original Joe’s on 102 Avenue because a) it’s relatively cheap and good (I always have a wrap, which is enough food for today’s AND tomorrow’s lunch), and b) I wanted to see the gaping hole where
Continue readingIn This Corner: The Fringe: Edmonton’s holiest sacred cow.
Every city has its sacred cows, institutions that are so established and so revered, that they are beyond genuine criticism. Edmonton has more than its share. The folk fest is invariably praised to the skies, regardless of the quality of its lineup. The Heritage Festival is always lauded despite the
Continue readingIn This Corner: Time to stop beating on Alison Redford … she’s already dead.
There’s an episode of The Simpsons where Homer becomes a Krusty the Klown impersonator for hire. At the opening of a new Krusty Burger, he savagely attacks the Krusty Burger version of the Hamburgler for stealing Krusty Burgers. Watching the beating, a child in the crowd says “Stop! He’s already
Continue readingIn This Corner: Woe Canada: When the CFL tried to conquer the USA. A book review.
Considering how long the venerable Canadian Football League has been around, remarkably little has been written about its turbulent history. That lack of information makes End Zones & Border Wars all that much more of a delight for fans of the seemingly indestructible league. End Zones & Border Wars, by
Continue readingIn This Corner: Let’s all ruin Russia. Join the Boycott Russian Vodka movement!
The Russia of 2014 isn’t really a whole lot different than the USSR of 1964. In some ways, it’s worse. In the bad old days, the Communist Party leaders had to concern themselves about keeping the party elite happy, and there was always the chance of getting a sickle in
Continue readingIn This Corner: By the way, the PCs are electing our new premier. Just thought you should know.
As a respected member of the blogosphere (or at least a member of the blogosphere), I feel it is my obligation to comment on the ‘race’ to be the next leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta, who will also become our next premier. You will be forgiven if
Continue readingIn This Corner: How the PCs bungled the license plate design contest.
How does a government botch something as simple as changing your provincial license plate? Apparently, it’s a lot easier than it seems, because our moribund PC government has done exactly that. You may have heard that the province has decided to jettison its ages old ‘Wild Rose Country’, white-and-red license
Continue readingIn This Corner: Is Eugenie Bouchard for real?
By now, even if you’re not a tennis fan, or a sports fan, or even an oscillating fan (sorry, terrible joke; it’s hot in my house and I just happened to look up at a fan), you’ve probably heard of Eugenie Bouchard. In case you haven’t, here’s the scoop: Eugenie
Continue readingIn This Corner: Dear Canada: It’s time to upgrade our greatests lists.
Happy 147th birthday, my fellow Canadians. I hope you’re enjoying the day by spending time with the family, maybe going to the lake, attending various Canada Day celebrations, etc. Me? I’m going to work. One way for millions to celebrate the birth of the dominion is to go shopping, and
Continue readingIn This Corner: Sunnis versus Shi’ites explained … sort of.
By now, you’ve probably hear about some ruckus in Iran. Or maybe Iraq. Yes, that’s it, Iraq. I always get those two confused. And if you think that’s confusing, just wait until I get to today’s topic, the difference between Shi’ites and Sunnis. You may be asking yourself, ‘Why the
Continue readingIn This Corner: The good, the bad and the really ugly sides of soccer.
This month, two-thirds of the world is enraptured watching the World Cup. The other third of the world is complaining about how much they hate soccer. Being a good Canadian, I can understand both sides of the debate. I like soccer, and I’ve watched an inordinate number of World Cup
Continue readingIn This Corner: Everything I’ve taught my sons: a Father’s Day tribute to me
Hey, everybody, it’s Father’s Day! I feel I have to remind you, my minimal readership, of this fact. Father’s Day has always been the distant, definitely poorer relative of Mother’s Day. I don’t know who created Father’s Day (the tie makers’ cartel is a good bet), but I’m guessing it
Continue readingIn This Corner: Watching Moncton, remembering Mayerthorpe. And why we still love the RCMP.
While watching the coverage today of the funeral of the three Mounties killed in Moncton, I was transported back to those bleak days in March 2005, when little Mayorthorpe was in the same situation. I was an MLA during those shocking days, and I was fortunate enough to have been
Continue readingIn This Corner: Why does the media care what’s trending on Twitter?
While I was watching TV news coverage of the Moncton nightmare, I often heard the reporters talking, in terms of near awe, that #Moncton or #prayforMoncton was trending on Twitter. This made me think, “Who cares?” Apparently, the increasingly understaffed and/or lazy news media thinks this is a big deal.
Continue readingIn This Corner: The Dionne Quintuplets: Little Girls Lost in the Harsh Glare of Fame
mauricetougas: Photos from Life magazine of the Dionne Quints, born 80 years ago today. And my blog on the girls at http://wp.me/p17bGN-mt Originally posted on LIFE: This week marks the 80th birthday of the Dionne Quintuplets — five identical sisters born prematurely in a small village in Ontario, Canada, in
Continue readingIn This Corner: Introducing The Idiot Historian, and happy birthday to Cecile and Annette Dionne.
Wednesday marks the 80th anniversary of the beginning of one of the most amazing, uplifting and ultimately tragic stories in Canadian history. Let’s see if the lazy Canadian media, so terrible at telling Canadians stories about Canada, takes notice. On May 28th, 1934, in Corbeil, Ont., in a tiny farmhouse,
Continue readingIn This Corner: Random thoughts, from Jian to Tim to Louis C.K.
Welcome to the long weekend, everyone. Or, as those of us who toil in retail call it, the weekend. For your long weekend enjoyment (?), I have for you a collection of not ready for prime time blog items. None of these items quite have the gravitas to become fully-fledged
Continue readingIn This Corner: Alberta: Land of milk and money.
Alberta is truly a land of wonders. For example, I wonder what kind of thinking went into giving whopping six-figure salaries to public servants? Alberta is awash in examples of staggering salaries — and jaw dropping severance packages — given to government higher ups. Let’s start up north, Fort McMoney
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