On March 17, 2014, following Premier Redford’s tearful introduction of her daughter Sarah to the Legislative Assembly, the ND Opposition leader Brian Mason rose to ask the Premier a critical question:* “I regret having to ask this question, but it must be asked. To the Premier: do you have enough
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daveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Phone poll suggests NDP MLA testing waters for leadership bid?
TweetIs there an undeclared race underway to become leader of the Alberta NDP? An interactive voice response poll calling Albertans on February 11 suggests there just might be. The automated phone poll conducted by the Toronto-based Research House began with innocuous questions aimed at gaging opinions about the current Progressive Conservative government
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: What a year 2014 has been in Alberta politics!
Tweet This year was a tumultuous time in Alberta politics. What does 2015 have in store for Albertans? December 20, 2014 Story by: Dirk Pranter, Edmonton Journal-Sun Building the next Alberta With the new year just weeks away, speculation is rampant Albertans could go to the polls early next year, less than four
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Alberta politics 2013: The NDP Wildrose alliance
TweetPerhaps one of the most unexpected developments in Alberta politics in 2013 was the emergence of the informal alliance between the New Democratic Party and the Wildrose Official Opposition. It was not uncommon in 2013 to see NDP and Wildrose MLAs working together, or tackling the same issues during Question
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: One Dead Fish or More Big Ideas? The Quality of Debate in Redford’s Government
Premier Redford complains bitterly about the quality of debate in the Legislature; apparently we need more “big ideas” and less “parochial debate”.* However her Environmental Minister continues to provide fatuous explanations for why it took nineteen days to issue an Environmental Protection Order in connection with the largest coal mining
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Alison Redford’s Vision for Alberta–”Trust Industry” (gulp)
Brian Mason (NDP) is right. The only way to find out what’s going on in Alison Redford’s head is to pay to attend a function in her honour. Glenbow Museum So on Monday night, Mr Soapbox and I were milling about at the Glenbow Museum, debating about whether to sneak
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Nomination races begin for federal election 2015
TweetThere are 705 days until Monday, October 19, 2015, when the next Canadian federal election is scheduled to be held. With less than two years until Canadians choose who will serve as Members of Parliament and with new electoral boundaries coming into effect at the next election, candidates across Alberta
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: The Trouble with Hubris: Doug Griffiths’ Bill 28 goes into Freefall
Like Icarus, strapping on wings of feathers and wax, Municipal Affairs Minister Griffiths attempted to glide Bill 28 Modernizing Regional Governance Act through the Legislature. It sparked an uproar among municipal officials and disintegrated under the Oppositions’ scrutiny. Griffiths and the Premier responded to the crash and burn with a
Continue readingAlberta Diary: U of A counters Redford Government whims by skimming institutes’ donations
Why send guys like these when you can just skim the cash right off the top? Actual employees of the University of Alberta Accounting department may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: U of A President Indira Samarasekera. Well, I don’t suppose you can accuse the University of Alberta of
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: The ghosts of senate reform haunt the Harper Conservatives
TweetThe ghosts of Senate reform will haunt Prime Minister Stephen Harper as his party establishment gathers in Calgary on Halloween to discuss and debate party policy. After more than seven years in office, Mr. Harper’s Conservatives have accomplished little on the issue of reforming the Canadian Senate. Who would have
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Ceremonial Speech to Chamber starts session, sitting or whatever: Some Honourable Members, ‘Arf! Arf!’
Heather Forsyth, who after years in the Alberta Legislature has suffered significant hearing loss, and Quill, the topic of the most interesting Alberta news story of the day. Tout le monde Alberta news media were busily explaining yesterday afternoon that a new session of the Alberta Legislature had commenced at
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Wildrose can grow from Tory seeds of doubt
TweetDo you drain a Lake of Fire or do you dam it? Whatever it takes, Wildrose Party activists are expected to moderate the tone of their policies at their weekend policy convention in the booming central Alberta city of Red Deer. A delicate and sometimes shaky coalition of libertarians and
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: The Smith vs Mason Debate: An Enlightening Evening
“Tonight we will witness a debate of Epic Proportions! “In the Right Corner, the Freedom Fighter—Danielle Smith!!! In the Left Corner, the Protector of the People—Brian Mason!!!” Mount Royal University was hosting the ninth and final debate between Wildrose leader, Danielle Smith, and NDP leader, Brian Mason. We expected to
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Alberta Liberals on the move, still searching for direction
TweetTo the sound of muted fanfare, the Alberta Liberal Party is holding its annual policy convention tomorrow in Calgary. Attempting to revive a faded brand, the Liberals plan to tackle a series of controversial topics that they hope will set them apart from Alberta’s other political parties. After hosting pre-convention
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: A Dead Cat Bounce: Redford’s Approval Rating Up to 32%
It’s called a “dead cat bounce”. It’s based on the premise that even a dead cat bounces when it slips off a 12th floor balcony and lands on the sidewalk (contrary to popular belief most sky-diving cats aren’t lucky enough to land in a rose bush). Skydiving cat (really) This
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Strange political bedfellows are conjuring more than entertainment in Alberta
A poster advertising last night’s NDP-Wildrose leaders’ debate at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Below: Odd couple Brian Mason and Danielle Smith, captured in electrons by Dave Cournoyer of the Daveberta.ca blog. Alberta New Democratic Party Leader Brian Mason and Wildrose Party Leader Danielle Smith debated each other at
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Mason vs Smith: Wildrose and NDP leaders on province-wide debate tour
TweetThree years before the next provincial election, a public debate tour might not be where you would expect to find the leaders of two political parties. Breaking convention, Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith and Alberta NDP leader Brian Mason are joining forces to bring provincial politics to college and university
Continue readingAlberta Diary: 70-plus AHS VPs over the side: Alberta doesn’t reinvent the health care system – sort of…
Another visually riveting moment in the history of Alberta Health Services – from left to right, CEO Chris Eagle, Health Minister Fred Horne and just-appointed Deputy Health Minister Janet Davidson at yesterday’s news conference in Edmonton, exactly as illustrated. Below: NDP Leader Brian Mason speaks for the opposition; new AHS
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Politics with your Folk
TweetFor this political junkie, one of the small highlights of attending Edmonton’s Folk Music Festival each year is flipping through the $5 programme book to sneak a look at the political ads placed in the programme guide. The political ads are always from politicians sitting in the political centre or left
Continue readingAlberta Diary: The optics of politics in Alberta, or how to stay focused and in the picture…
Your blogger with the premier of Alberta. Somewhere below: Your blogger with a person who very well could be the next premier of Alberta. Or not. ST. ALBERT There’s something to be said for getting along with people even if you don’t agree with them. Seriously, you can get stuff
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