According to Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, he was so sure his government would win its challenge of the federal government’s carbon-mitigation law that he never gave it a second thought, let alone plan what to do if the Supreme Court of Canada thought otherwise. Gee, it just seemed like a
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Alberta Politics: Former PC MLA Mike Allen, a man with a controversial past, to seek mayor’s office in Fort McMurray
Former Progressive Conservative MLA Mike Allen, a man who’s been the subject of some interesting stories in recent Alberta political history, announced Tuesday he plans to run for mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, which in practical terms means mayor of Fort McMurray. Nowadays, the former music store
Continue readingAlberta Politics: The short, unhappy reign of Alison Redford nevertheless showed a better Alberta was possible – and still is
Seven years ago today, Alison Redford resigned as premier of Alberta. Her rise and fall were swift. Unexpectedly chosen to replace the departing Progressive Conservative premier, Ed Stelmach, in the wee hours of Oct. 2, 2011, she was sworn in six days later. She survived an election the PCs had
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Facing stark choice on COVID-19 response, Alberta delays third phase of reopening plan and blames Ottawa for all its troubles
Cornered by an upswing in the rate of COVID-19 cases and a frightening rise in cases of the more infectious B117 variant, Alberta’s United Conservative Party Government was forced yesterday to shelve its plan to move immediately into the third phase of its reopening. Under the circumstances, a return to
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Another poll shows Alberta’s NDP ahead of the faltering United Conservative Party
A new Viewpoint Alberta poll released yesterday shows the Alberta NDP leading the United Conservative Party strongly and, significantly, suggests the New Democrats are picking up support directly from disillusioned UCP voters. The joint project of the University of Alberta and University of Saskatchewan shows support for the Alberta NDP
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Two bad polls in one day for Alberta’s UCP don’t tell us what will happen in 2023, but suggest some interesting possibilities
Two bad new polls in one day for the United Conservative Party do not guarantee NDP Opposition Leader Rachel Notley will return to power in 2023 or that we will soon see the back of Premier Jason Kenney. Still, they suggest some interesting possibilities. Opposition Leader and former premier Rachel
Continue readingAlberta Politics: UCP explains away Jason Kenney’s lost $1.3-billion KXL gamble by lumping it into ‘historic’ infrastructure budget
If you’ve been wondering how the United Conservative Party Government would explain that $1.3 billion gifted for nothing to TC Energy Corp. as a result of Premier Jason Kenney’s foolish bet Donald Trump would win last November’s U.S. presidential election, you need wonder no more. They’ve lumped it into the
Continue readingThe Daveberta Podcast: Episode 70: Who was the most unpopular Premier in Alberta history?
We dive into our mailbag and answer some great questions sent in by Daveberta Podcast listeners. From the possibility of a United Conservative Party leadership review to Premier Jason Kenney’s new health care-friendly talking points to the Alberta Party leadership to the unpopularity of premiers Richard Reid and John Brownlee,
Continue readingAlberta Politics: ASIRT won’t do to investigate Lethbridge Police spying on NDP MLA; a judicial inquiry is required
ASIRT may be an OK place to start the investigation into the concerted effort by the Lethbridge Police Service to spy on Shannon Phillips, a local woman who just happened to be the environment minister in the NDP Government that led Alberta from 2015 to 2019. The Alberta Serious Incident
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Yes, there’s trouble in Kenneyland – but not yet the kind Alberta’s unlikable Conservative premier can’t survive
It’s obvious there’s trouble in Kenneyland. But is there enough trouble to unseat Alberta’s suddenly unpopular premier? Progressive blogger Dave Cournoyer, on the job (Photo: David J. Climenhaga). There’s certainly plenty of buzz about that on social media these days. The chitchat about Premier Jason Kenney’s difficulties with his own
Continue readingAlberta Politics: No fiscal reckoning for health care – just yet, anyway – Alberta premier tells largely news-free news conference
O Budget, where is thy fiscal sting? O Premier, where is thy fiscal victory? From 2016, when he first cast his eyes on Alberta provincial politics, until a few weeks ago when his polls slipped into the basement, the words “fiscal discipline” and “fiscal reckoning” were often on Premier Jason
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Alberta Budget 2021 hot take: Sweeter language, same old ‘fiscal reckoning,’ and no path to balance
When Finance Minister Travis Toews got up on his hind legs in the Alberta Legislature to read his 2021 Budget Speech Thursday afternoon, there wasn’t as much tough talk about the coming “fiscal reckoning” as Albertans are accustomed to. Instead of the kind of language the United Conservative Party
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Unsustainable Alberta: Don’t expect the UCP to pay any attention to the Business Council of Alberta in tomorrow’s budget
It’s Alberta Budget Day tomorrow. Finance Minister Travis Toews will table a budget at an afternoon pop-up meeting of the Legislature. Then United Conservative Party MLAs will run like hell for their ridings and hunker down until the Legislature’s business resumes on March 8. Alberta’s pop-up Legislature will open for
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Our annual Family Day toast to Don Getty, whose best-known achievement was one for the ages
The winters around here are long. Even with social media Canadians need a February holiday. Come to think of it, given what the Internet has turned into in the few years since it arrived on the scene with such promise, we need a February long weekend even more than we
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Nazeem Muhajarine discusses the importance of a response to the coronavirus which recognizes how a virus can change course and pose new threats. But Scott Schmidt notes that Alberta – like Saskatchewan and Ontario – is insistent on staying the course even
Continue readingThe Daveberta Podcast: Episode 68: The 1976 Coal Policy and stopping open-pit mining in Alberta’s Rockies
Kevin Van Tighem joins the Daveberta Podcast to discuss one of the biggest issues in Alberta politics today – the expansion of open-pit coal mining in the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains. Kevin explains how the 1976 Coal Policy protected larges swaths of the Rocky Mountains from open-pit coal
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Conspiracy theories are for losers: What does this tell us about Jason Kenney’s UCP?
Are Jason Kenney and the United Conservative Party nuts? I mean, are they actually nuts, going down the rabbit hole of bizarre and unsubstantiated conspiracy theories like some of their Republican brethren in the United States? Former Alberta premier Rachel Notley, now leader of the Opposition in the provincial Legislature
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Assailed for their own scandals and bungles, Alberta’s UCP doubles down on bashing Justin Trudeau as distraction
Facing mounting public anger over a truckload of scandals and bungles, Premier Jason Kenney’s United Conservative Party Government has doubled-down on its favourite fight-back strategy: rancorous attacks on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Yesterday’s daily COVID-19 briefing was only the latest example of the how the UCP strategic brain trust thinks
Continue readingAlberta Politics: NDP to ask UCP cabinet to release risk analysis and full documentation of Premier Jason Kenney’s $7.5-billion Keystone XL deal
Opposition NDP members plan to make an emergency motion on Tuesday at a meeting of the Legislature’s Public Accounts Committee calling for full-disclosure of Premier Jason Kenney’s $7.5-billion Keystone XL Pipeline deal last March. Technically, the motion will urge the United Conservative Party Cabinet to waive its privilege and release
Continue readingAlberta Politics: NDP leads UCP in 2020 fund-raising totals, significantly in the fourth quarter and marginally over the year
Alberta’s Opposition New Democratic Party noticeably out-raised the United Conservative Party in the fourth quarter of 2020, $2.3 million to $1.9 million, according to figures released yesterday by Elections Alberta. This left the NDP slightly ahead in donations for the full year as well, $5.06 million compared with $5.05 million.
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