Doesn’t it seem a little early for the foreboding political attacks on Alison Redford? Or is the Wildrose afraid of being out-Danielled?Admittedly, I’m not completely up on Alberta politics but it seems like it would be very tough to make the case on d…
Continue readingTag: Alberta
Terahertz: The end of “parental rights” in Alberta?
More good news out of Alberta, premier-elect Alison Redford is hinting that she may reverse the most controversial bits of Bill 44. The bill was an overdue amendment to Alberta’s Human Rights Act, which added sexual orientation to the list of protections. However, sensing there might be a social conservative revolt to the idea that […]
Continue readingThe Progressive Right: Where’s that Firewall?
Toronto needs to give its head a shake and throw out these university-educated, latte-sipping, cultural elitists, and tell them to stay out of Alberta’s politics! Where’s that firewall?[CTV, National Citizens Coalition bashes Redford’s victory]A Toront…
Continue readingTerahertz: Alison Redford pulls a Christy Clark
In a huge upset win last night, Alison Redford pulled ahead of favourite Gary Mar to win the Progressive Conservative leadership and became the next premier of Alberta. Mar was a powerful minister in Ralph Klein’s cabinet and had hoped to used that connection to his advantage. Nearly the entire PC caucus had endorsed Mar. […]
Continue reading350 or bust: Dear Mr. Harper
Canada’s Prime Minister Harper has been receiving messages about halting the expansion of the Alberta tar sands from far and wide this week. First, it was the 400 Canadians who gathered on Parliament Hill this past Monday, 200 of whom put thems…
Continue readingThe Progressive Economics Forum: C. D. Howe Shills for Oil Companies
The C. D. Howe Institute is out this morning with a press release entitled, “Raising Oil and Gas Royalties Does Not Benefit Provincial Coffers.” A complete analysis of the accompanying 30-page paper – featuring many graphs, tables and regressions – will take time. But here is my initial take. Background The Institute correctly notes that […]
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: CTV Spins the Daily Show for Tarsands and Farmed Fish
I finally got around to watching the Labour Day episode of the Daily Show, a repeat from August 18, 2011. Its first segment was about Warren Buffett’s New York Times editorial about why the rich should be paying more in taxes. But CTV chose to air two commercials directly before the Daily Show: pure spin […]
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: The great consumer sellout
Michael Geist raises a good point about the lack of discussion of digital issues in Ontario’s provincial election. But it’s worth wondering whether Canada’s Western provinces are even able to have the debate which Geist rightly sees as vital:Copyright …
Continue reading350 or bust: First Nations Women Arrested For Protesting Hydrolic Fracking On Their Land, Charged with “Intimidation”
lle-Máijá Apiniskim Tailfeathers, one of the women arrested this weekend for peacefully protesting the plan to “frack” on Blood Reserve land, released this statement yesterday: On September 9, 2011, we gathered peacefully on the road lead…
Continue readingSlap Upside The Head: Calgary Mayor Leads Pride Parade For First Time
Calgary may not have the reputation of being a particularly tolerant city, but that perception change sooner than one might think. For one, Calgarians elected a surprisingly progressive mayor last year. Naheed Nenshi won by a comfortable margin thanks in large to an active youth vote, assembled into action via social media. And now, from […]
Continue readingthe reeves report: Belated Review: ‘Ethical Oil’ by Ezra Levant
Dear Ezra Levant, Oh, Ezra. High off the success of your influential book Shakedown that targets the gross injustices perpetrated by Canada’s various Human Rights Commissions, you have written a book that doesn’t so much detail why oil from Alberta is ‘ethical’ per se (as your title supposes), so much as you have written a … Continue reading »
DeSmogBlog - Clearing the PR Pollution that Clouds Climate Science: New West Partnership Includes CAPP Lobbyists in Fracking Policy Development
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The British Columbia Ministry of Energy was designated a “lead agency” in a backroom collaboration with Alberta and Saskatchewan to address water concerns for the provin…
Continue readingsomecanuckchick dot com: Lubicon Cree First Nation not consulted before Plains Midstream Canada given OK to restart
Plains Midstream Canada no longer provides web updates regarding the percentage of oil that has been recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak site. [ Article ] Plains Midstream Canada has only recovered 49% of the 4.5 million litres of oil from the Rainbow Pipeline leak site; however, Plains Midstream Canada
Continue readingsomecanuckchick dot com: Plains Midstream Canada given final OK to restart Rainbow Pipeline
Plains Midstream Canada has been given the final OK to restart the Rainbow Pipeline. Almost 4 months after the largest Alberta pipeline discharge in 36 years, and less than 30 days after the Energy Resources Conservation Board says it received a formal request from Plains Midstream Canada to restart Rainbow
Continue readingSlap Upside The Head: Calgary Mom Launches Anti-Homophobia Campaign
A Calgary mom has launched a new anti-homophobia campaign that will be gracing various public transit vessels in the city starting this September. The campaign was originally conceived after a mother, who wishes to only be identified as Grace, became fed up with the harassment her teenage daughter has had to endure. Having worked on […]
Continue reading350 or bust: The Radicals Are The People Who Are Fundamentally Altering The Composition Of The Atmosphere
From Tar Sands Action, an update on Day 4 of the two-week action in Washington DC against the Keystone XL pipeline project: Montana residents and Hollywood stars will be featured at Day 4 of the Tar Sands Action at the White House. The proposed Keyston…
Continue readingDeSmogBlog - Clearing the PR Pollution that Clouds Climate Science: Permit to Pollute: Dodging New Law, Agency Approves Alberta Coal Plant
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In Alberta, coal was first mined near Edmonton as early as 1850, and commercial coal operations took off in 1874. After the coal rush where hundreds of mines popped up across the pr…
Continue readingCalgaryLiberal: (1) The Challenge: Liberals are everywhere in Alberta–just not all with us: The Four Challenges to the Alberta Liberal Party
There are challenges to the Alberta Liberal Party forming government in Alberta. In this series of posts I’ll write about some of the challenges that Liberals face in this province and some solutions to them. (1) The Challenge: Liberals are every…
Continue readingCanadian Progressive World: Double Standards And Chauvinism In The Nycole Turmel Affair
For over a week now, politicians, the media and pundits have relentlessly sniped interim NDP leader Nycole Turmel for her past association with the Bloc Quebecois. To them, it’s not enough Turmel canceled her membership with the Quebec separatist…
Continue readingSlap Upside The Head: PR Campaign Uses Gays To Clean Up Tar Sands Image
Well, here’s a very special way to have your struggle for equality used by large corporations! The Alberta tar sands, condemned internationally as one of the most harmful environmental projects in human history, is having some understandable difficulties with its public image. Presenting the sands as an environmentally responsible project or merely downplaying its harm is […]
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