TweetThe Wildrose Party raised more than the long-governing Progressive Conservatives in last year’s party fundraising, according to Elections Alberta financial disclosure reports released last week. The financial reports show Danielle Smith‘s Wildrose Party raised $2,690,710 compared to the $2,206,419 raised by Premier Alison Redford‘s Progressive Conservatives. The gap between the
Continue readingTag: Alberta Politics
The Ranting Canadian: The unholy trinity of the Alberta tarsands industry,…
The unholy trinity of the Alberta tarsands industry, the Conservative Party and the right-wing media has gone all-out in its attacks on Neil Young for his stance against their destructive policies and actions. One thing that these corporate wolves and subservient sheep overlook is that, of course, Neil Young
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Battles in the ’Burbs: Independent St. Albert MP Brent Rathgeber eyes formation of party as fund-raising vehicle
Independent MP Brent Rathgeber with machine gun, looking as if he could use some closer supervision, takes aim at the CBC. (Joke.) And, yes, that is Jack Layton with the other one. Below: Teddy Roosevelt. (That’s enough politicians with firearms! – Ed.) ST. ALBERT, Alberta Edmonton-St. Albert Member of Parliament
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: He’s in: Ron Liepert challenges Rob Anders in Calgary Signal Hill
TweetFormer provincial cabinet minister and MLA Ron Liepert officially announced in a statement this morning his intentions to seek the Conservative Party of Canada nomination in the newly redistributed Calgary Signal Hill riding. Mr. Liepert’s candidacy has been widely suspected since the “timetodobetter.ca” group announced it would support a candidate
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Neil Young, the oil sands and shifting political loyalties in Fort McMurray
TweetPundits from across the country are waxing and waning over comments made by rock n’ roll icon Neil Young about Canada’s oil sands. Mr. Young’s inarticulate criticisms of the oil sands (and comparing Fort McMurray to Hiroshima) have not helped the discussion around the impact of natural resource development in Canada, but he does
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Deputy minister testifies officials prepared anti-labour Bill 46 ‘proactively’ long before cabinet asked for it
AUPE President Guy Smith speaks with the media after Friday’s session of the Alberta Labour Relations Board hearing. Below: Deputy Minister of the Executive Council Peter Watson; AUPE lawyer William Rigutto. It’s probably too much to hope the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees can persuade the Alberta Labour Relations Board
Continue readingAlberta Diary: In four letters, Brian Jean, the Crossword King of Parliament Hill, has Q-U-I-T
How Brian Jean may have started to see himself after whiling away too many hours on Parliament Hill over the decade. Amateur psychologizing by blog authors is unlikely to resemble the actual mental state of real Parliamentarians. Below: The real Mr. Jean, who announced yesterday he is quitting his job
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Fort McMurray MP Brian Jean resigns
TweetFort McMurray-Athabasca Conservative Member of Parliament Brian Jean announced his resignation today in a written statement to the media. Mr. Jean was first elected in 2004. He was re-elected in 2011 with 71.8% of the vote. His departure will trigger a second federal by-election in Alberta in 2014. In late
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Criminal employers are employers too, Alberta government spokesman says, but illegal strikes are still illegal
If feeding your employees to lions is outlawed, then only outlaws would be able to feed their employees to lions! Or is that the other way around? Whatever. In Alberta, we don’t think it would be fair to criminal employers either way. We also don’t think it’s fair not to
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: A dozen Alberta MLAs worth watching in 2014
TweetBecause politics is unpredictable, forecasting the future can be a tricky business for pundits, but here is a list of a dozen Alberta MLAs worth watching in 2014. Manmeet Bhullar (Calgary-Greenway): An up and comer in the PC ranks, Mr. Bhullar was rewarded for his time as the competent Service
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Fear & Loathing in Calgary Signal Hill: rumble on the right breaks out in Calgary
Your blogger in 2011 with Ron Liepert, Alberta’s former Worst Provincial Cabinet Minister. Below: Calgary West Member of Parliament Rob Anders, Canada’s worst MP, with his friend and supporter, Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Coming soon to the new federal riding of Calgary Signal Hill: fear and loathing on the campaign
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Ron Liepert versus Rob Anders: the next PC-Wildrose proxy war?
TweetWill former provincial cabinet minister Ron Liepert make the jump into federal politics? With the launch of the TimeToDoBetter.ca website today, rumours began to spread that the former two-term Calgary-West Progressive Conservative MLA turned consultant could challenge ultra-conservative Rob Anders for the Conservative Party nomination in the new Calgary Signal
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Craig Chandler Asked To Run For Alberta PCs?
He says he’s been:From here. A weird smell to this. Alison Redford won last time by rejecting teh crazies. Can’t see her embracing them any time soon. PS. Here’s my entire Craig Chandler file.
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Fred Horne’s flu-jab count: thoughtful response to a health problem or quick fix to a political crisis?
Albertans line up for flu shots at Bonnie Doon Mall in Edmonton yesterday. Actual vaccination lines may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Heath Minister and de facto Alberta health Services chief executive Fred Horne. Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne, who nowadays doubles as the unofficial chief executive officer of
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Redford Tories big international travellers in January 2014
TweetAlberta’s Progressive Conservative MLAs are kicking off another year of international travel as Premier Alison Redford, cabinet ministers and backbenchers check their luggage and rack up the air mile points with flights touching down at all points across the globe. Departing on January 9, Ms. Redford will circle the globe
Continue readingAlberta Diary: The Top 13 from 2013: Alberta Diary borne ever upward on wings of far-right loons
Ron Paul, the crazy uncle of the American right, surrounded by grinning acolytes at the 2013 conference of the Manning Centre for Undermining Democracy in Ottawa. Putting Dr. Paul here worked before, so maybe it’ll work again! Below: For New Year’s Eve, we show Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who says
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Who are the Top MLAs of 2013?
TweetIt has become tradition on this blog at the end of each year that I publish a list of Members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta who have been the best and most notable of the past year. This year was the first time I struggled to compile a list.
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Alberta’s 13 most under-reported political news stories of 2013
Another aircraft takes off from Fort McMurray International Aerodrome loaded with CO2 captured from Alberta’s Athabasca bitumen sands. The gas will be stored in the basements of Russian buildings as part of a deal worked out through the province’s $2-billion “carbon capture” program. Actual Alberta carbon capture boondoggles may not
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Alberta politics 2013: Big City Mayors
TweetA generational shift in Edmonton Framed as a lacklustre and uneventful campaign, local media and many mainstream pundits missed one of the most important stories of this year’s mayoral election in Edmonton. The city’s crusty local establishment has lamented for years about the constant stream of locally-raised young talent choosing
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noël! Feliz Navidad!
TweetWherever you find yourself these this week, I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy your time in the warm company of family and friends. Merry Christmas. As is annual tradition, some of Alberta’s leading politicians delivered their seasonal greetings through online video this week. Tweet
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