TweetIn 1971, The Jackson 5 were topping the billboard charts and Peter Lougheed‘s Progressive Conservatives were just starting what has become an uninterrupted 43-year reign as Alberta’s governing party. Recent messaging from the PC Party have certainly drawn inspiration from the band’s famous song – I Want You Back – as the PC Party
Continue readingTag: Alberta Politics
Alberta Diary: Sure you can run in my riding! With friends like Neil Brown, does Jim Prentice need enemies?
Neil Brown interviewed by a reporter – Darcy Henton of the Calgary Herald, not Matt Dykstra of the Edmonton Sun – on the day the Tory caucus gave Alison Redford her “work plan.” Not long after that they skidded her. Below: PC leadership candidate Jim Prentice. With friends like Neil
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Have the PCs sold only 23,700 memberships? If so, it’s bad news for frontrunner Jim Prentice no matter how you slice it!
Jim Prentice tries to figure out what to do about his incredible shrinking party. Actual potential Progressive Conservative leaders may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: the real Mr. Prentice, plus candidates Ric McIver and Thomas Lukaszuk. An intriguing rumour – impossible for an outsider to verify – did the
Continue readingAlberta Diary: The boss has gone crazy! He’s giving away PC Party memberships! And this time, it’s no joke!
Tory leadership frontrunner Jim Prentice: Yeah! That’s it! I’ll give away memberships! Below: Candidates Ric McIver and Thomas Lukaszuk. Holy Cow! Not only does Alberta Tory leadership frontrunner Jim Prentice admit his campaign has been giving away free memberships, but he says the idea’s OK with him and he intends
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Whiny e-pistle notwithstanding, Finance Minister Doug Horner a candidate for high jump
Finance Minister Doug Horner on his Alberta politics Most Wanted card. Below: The real Mr. Horner; Hamilton Burger, “incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial!” Sgt. Shultz: “I see nothing!” If you want evidence the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party is done like dinner – with or without former federal cabinet minister Jim Prentice
Continue readingAlberta Diary: A picture of Tories gone gray: How much will Albertans spend on oil portraits of Alison Redford and Dave Hancock?
Premier pro tempore Dave Hancock’s official portrait imagined. Actual Legislative Building paintings may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Ed Stelmach as seen by Tunde Vari; Ralph Klein by Xin Yu Zheng; your blogger by Ryn Climenhaga. “I love scandals about other people, but scandals about myself don’t interest me.
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Blogosphere heaves sigh of relief: ‘Canada’s Worst MP’ Rob Anders is back, for now anyway
Rob Anders in his second most famous pose, the most famous with his eyes open, with 4.5-litre hat plus circa-.45 revolver. Mr. Anders is thought to be Canada’s Worst MP and hopes to keep it that way. Below: Bow River Conservative candidates Rolly Ashdown and Martin Shields. Rob Anders to
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Let’s hear a big welcome for Preston Manning, a fresh new voice in Canadian satirical writing!
Preston Manning admonishes the Children of Alberta for abandoning the principles of Social Credit. Actual right-wing patriarchs may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: The real Mr. Manning and, speaking of patriarchs, the sainted Ernest Manning, Ron Paul, the crazy uncle of the American right, and Ukip Leader Nigel Farage. “Cancer
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Alison’s Albertan airplanes and architecture: Who knew? No one, it turns out!
A search for a member of Alison Redford’s cabinet or caucus who knew what was going on in the premier’s office might look something like this. Nothing like this is necessary in Alberta, though, because no one knew anything. It’s hardly necessary to say that real Alberta Tories may not
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 readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: #pcldr Flashback: Alison Redford 2011: Why I want to be Premier of Alberta
TweetWith today’s release of Auditor General Merwan Saher‘s report on Alison Redford‘s travel habits, and as Premier Dave Hancock, leadership frontrunner Jim Prentice and Progressive Conservative MLAs desperately try to distance themselves from their former leader, it is important that we look back to a more optimistic time. During the
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Hurricane Redford shook Alberta to its foundations – the place may never be the same!
Her era drawing to a close, Alison Redford is sent out of a Progressive Conservative Caucus meeting on March 13 while Tory MLAs argue over her fate. Below: Premier Dave Hancock; Tory leadership aspirant Thomas Lukaszuk. Former premier Alison Redford signed off from public life in Alberta yesterday morning with
Continue readingAlberta Diary: The scary thing about Alison Redford’s resignation this morning: it just might work for the decrepit Tories!
Former premier Alison Redford with your blogger in, as they say, happier times. The reaction to former Alberta premier Alison Redford’s resignation as Calgary-Elbow MLA this morning among Opposition politicians was universal and predictable. To wit: the problems with the 43-year-old Progressive Conservative Dynasty are bigger than just Ms. Redford’s
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Alison Redford resigns as MLA for Calgary-Elbow
TweetOne-hundred and thirty-six days after Alison Redford was forced to resign as Premier of Alberta, she has announced that she will resign as the MLA for Calgary-Elbow. Through an opinion-editorial published in the Edmonton Journal and Calgary Herald, the former premier defended her record as premier and refused to apologize
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Guest post: When you talk to ‘Middle Alberta,’ NDP leadership candidates, talk about money!
John Ashton, author of today’s guest post. Below: Rachel Notley, David Eggen and Rod Loyola. Alberta’s NDP made it official today with the close of nominations: there are three candidates in the race to succeed Brian Mason as the leader of the province’s New Democrats, in alphabetical order, David Eggen,
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Alberta NDP should embrace an Urban Agenda
TweetToday is the deadline to enter the Alberta New Democratic Party leadership race. With 3 candidates having already entered the race, Edmonton-Calder MLA David Eggen, Edmonton-Strathcona MLA Rachel Notley and labour activist Rod Loyola, the Alberta NDP are having their first contested leadership race since 1996. Advice I would offer to the next leader
Continue readingAlberta Diary: The #PCldr Files: Who is the best Tory choice for the coming Wildrose Apocalypse?
Your blogger with PC leadership candidate Thomas Lukaszuk. We’re not usually as friendly as this picture makes us look – especially on Twitter. Below: Tory leadership frontrunner Jim Prentice, candidate Ric McIver and the late federal NDP leader Jack Layton. What Alberta’s foundering Progressive Conservative dynasty needs to do now
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: On conscience-based medical exemptions
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario is currently reviewing its Human Rights Code policy on conscience-based exemptions for medical professionals, and their effect on access to medical services. This review was sparked by a number of news reports of doctors in Ontario and Alberta refusing to prescribe birth
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Goodbye? The future looks bleak for the Alberta Liberals
TweetIt has been a long time since things have looked good for the Alberta Liberals. The provincial party has been teetering on the verge of the political abyss for years but lately the future looks especially bleak. Recent announcements that popular Calgary Liberal MLAs Kent Hehr and Darshan Kang are moving
Continue readingAlberta Diary: The Calgary perp walk: it’s a routine disgrace, and it’s about time someone spoke up about it
Angela Davis does the “perp walk” after her arrest in New York City in 1970. The “perp walk” – discredited, but still popular with the Calgary media and Calgary Police Service – is designed to make the suspect look guilty. Ms. Davis was acquitted by a jury just the same.
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