Here, expanding on this post as to the importance of a functioning federal system as a means of counterbalancing regional declines – and the forces working to limit anything of the sort in Canada. For further reading…– Frances Russell also laments the Harper firewall model based on the need for
Continue readingTag: Alison Redford
David Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Pride Festival’s political participants a positive sign of the times
Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith is imagined being welcomed to Saturday’s Edmonton Pride Festival as Premier Alison Redford and Deputy Premier Tom Lukaszuk, at left, look on. In the event, Alberta political leaders may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: former politician Doug Elniski, cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead and so-con MP
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: illegal donations continue to dog alberta’s tories.
Tweet Another case of illegal donations to the PC Party has been relvealed. In the weeks leading to the election call earlier this year, it appeared that a series of illegal donations collected by Alberta’s Progressive Conservative Association could become a defining issue of the campaign. The donations, made public through
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Lee Richardson: Alberta Ambassador to the Mulcair Government? Or what?
Alberta Premier Alison Redford speaks with Principal Secretary Lee Richardson while Chief of Staff Farouk Adatia looks on. Alberta officials, elected and not so elected, may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Mr. Richardson and Mr. Adatia. So what exactly is a principal secretary, anyway? And why does Alberta Premier
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: wildrose party fundraising letter channels american televangelist and “faith healer.”
Tweet In a post-election fundraising letter sent to supporters (at least southern Alberta), Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith boasts of her party’s strong showing in the April 23 election and admits that her party “might need some time to prove to Albertans that they are a government in waiting.” Like
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: alison redford attends the bilderberg. thomas mulcair visits the oilsands.
Tweet Premier Alison Redford is attending the 2012 Bilderberg Group conference. There are no shortage of internet conspiracy theories about the mysterious Bilderberg Group conference, but now Alberta Premier Alison Redford will know the truth about the invite-only private annual meeting of the world’s top neo-liberal financial, business, and political
Continue readingCANADIAN PROGRESSIVE WORLD: Canadians Attending The Bilderberg 2012 Meeting
Editor’s note: In the past, Bilderbergers kept the list of conference participants secret. Now they publish the list on their “official” website. The list of participants to this year’s conference, taking place in Chantilly, Virginia, USA, from May 31 … Continue reading →
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: lee richardson resigns, calgary-centre by-election could be a conservative proxy war.
Tweet Recently resigned MP Lee Richardson, soon to be Principal Secretary to Premier Alison Redford. (Photo from 5of7 on Flickr) After a bitterly fought provincial election campaign drove a deep rift into Alberta’s conservative movement between the moderate institutional Progressive Conservatives and the ideologically-driven Wildrose Party, a federal by-election in Calgary may
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: After the Big Zero, the Alberta Party awaits the Big Goodbye
Your blogger with Dave Taylor, back in 2010. Below: Glenn Taylor, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi and Chima Nkemdirim. While it’s true former Alberta Party MLA Dave Taylor never crossed a bridge he couldn’t burn, the political experiment he was part of is likely finished all on its own without his
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: is there any life left in the [alberta] party?
Tweet The Alberta Party's former Acting-Leader Sue Huff and MLA Dave Taylor on January 2011. The only person to sit as an Alberta Party MLA in the Legislative Assembly, former Calgary-Currie MLA Dave Taylor, published some thoughts on his website about the future of that party. Having decided to retire
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: The 100th Calgary Stampede: real men don’t kill horses for fun
A chuckwagon race in 1924 – then and now, unquestionably exiting and unquestionably cruel. Time for it to stop. Below: Alberta Premier Alison Redford and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, both looking fashionably butch in their cowboy duds. There’s no doubt about it: chuckwagon races are as exciting as hell. There’s
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: murky waters ahead for alberta’s liberal party.
Tweet Raj Sherman delivers his leadership victory speech as leadership chair Josipa Petrunic, and candidates Laurie Blakeman, Hugh MacDonald, and Bruce Payne look on (September 2011). The Alberta Liberals will be holding a vote to affirm or oppose the continued leadership of Raj Sherman on June 16 at the Whitehorn
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Mulcair Takes on the West
What started out as musings on the health of Ontario’s manufacturing sector has quickly escalated into a full fledged war of words between Tom Mulcair and the western Premiers. It’s an important shift in the dialogue, because going to war with the West is a lot different than going to
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Zwozdesky’s in, Kowalski’s out and all’s right with the Tory universe
Gene Zwozdesky, Alberta’s new Speaker, with your blogger and a Speech from the Throne … though not today’s. This compliment may come out sounding a little more backhanded than intended, but the Alberta Legislature could have done a lot worse than choose someone like Gene Zwozdesky to wear the Speaker’s
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Alberta MLAs get down to work – sort of – later today
Bill 1? It’s a secret! Alberta MLAs may not be exactly as illustrated. It’s great work if you can find it! The first session of the 28th Legislature of Alberta opens later today and will sit for … hold onto your hats, people … all of six days. In their
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Tories train their intellectual big guns on Tom Mulcair: if Rex Murphy fails, there’s always Don Cherry!
Prime Minister Stephen Harper (clutching the balloon, centre) sets off his attack on Opposition Leader Tom Mulcair, who is illustrated standing in the background. Beep-beep! Actual federal politicians may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Tory big guns Rex Murphy and Don Cherry, plus former Tory big gun Norman Spector,
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Add ‘Dutch Disease’ to climate change as real phenomena denied by Stephen Harper’s neo-Conmen
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, above right, presents his petroleum-development policy package to members of his oil patch caucus. Industry-financed Western politicians may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: the real Mr. Harper and Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair. If the Alberta and federal governments’ mismanagement of oil sands development were not
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: life after dutch disease: thomas mulcair to visit alberta on may 31.
Tweet Thomas Mulcair After weeks of warring words about the economic influence of Western Canadian oilsands development on the crumbling Central Canadian manufacturing sector, NDP leader Thomas Mulcair will visit Alberta on May 31 to meet with business and political leaders. This will be Mr. Mulcair’s first visit to Alberta
Continue readingImpolitical: Redford on Mulcair
A popular, recently re-elected Redford speaks in a manner that is non-partisan, clear and likable on the dust-up that has escalated this week over Mulcair’s “Dutch Disease” comments. Contrast it with Mulcair’s posture yesterday and on a level of visuals alone, it’s not difficult to see how this week has
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Rx for high Alberta health care costs: Not what the doctors ordered!
Alberta ponders how to increase physician productivity – house calls? Below: Health Minister Fred Horne, Alberta Medical Association President Linda Slocombe. Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne’s musings he just might join Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty in declaring war on physicians’ fees is proof the chickens continue to come home to
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