Richard Nixon after his overwhelming 1972 re-election victory. Below: George McGovern, Alison Redford. Here in Alberta’s icy capital, the winter of 2012 is starting to feel like the summer of ’73. If you’re an Alberta Progressive Conservative, this is not a good thing. Let me explain. In the spring and summer of 1972, Richard Nixon, …
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Accidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – Linda McQuaig is hopeful that Quebec’s student protests against tuition hikes might remind many Canadians that we can do more than just meekly accept austerity and inequality: What seems to particularly gall some English Canadian commentators is the fact that the Quebec
Continue readingIn This Corner: Let the pushback begin: Wildrose in the crosshairs
Albertans pay little attention to politics at the best of times. Even during elections, the public shows little interest until about two weeks before the vote. Well, here we are, about two weeks before the vote. Let the real campaign begin. For the crafty, well-financed and nasty Wildrose party, the
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Ambiguous Wildrose abortion statements emerge as NDP support jumps in Edmonton
Wildrose Apocalypse? Abortion chatter sparks new fears about Wildrose as poll shows NDP mini-surge in Edmonton. Below: NDP Leader Brian Mason. Are residents of the Edmonton region, as disgusted with the antics of the long-ruling Progressive Conservatives as other Albertans, starting to have second thoughts about far-right Wildrose Party’s largely
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Wildrose strategists snarl at media to keep their overextended bubble unpricked
A bubble of Wildrose Party support hovers over Edmonton Journal political columnist Graham Thomson. Actual Alberta political writers may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: The real Mr. Thomson; Dave Cournoyer. Sitting atop an unexpectedly huge bubble of public support with only three weeks to go before Alberta’s provincial election,
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Does ‘Daveberta’ blog author have a secret evangelical agenda?
Is that Daveberta.ca author Dave Cournoyer in this advert for Christian radio station Shine FM? Say it ain’t so! Below: A prototypical Christian rocker. While we wait nervously for the election call, ask yourself this: Does Dave Cournoyer, author of the Daveberta.ca blog, have a secret evangelical agenda? I know
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Lloyd Snelgrove’s Dinner with Danielle: far-right desperation or another Wildrose exodus?
Phone camera photo? Former Stelmach right-hand man Lloyd Snelgrove spotted with Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith in Calgary brewpub! Alberta politicians may not be exactly as illustrated. Below, the real Mr. Snelgrove (caught without his trademark goatee) and the real Ms. Smith. With election fever gripping the province and the far-right
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Glenn Taylor quits his day job – now he has a few weeks to save the Alberta Party
Your blogger with Alberta Party Leader Glenn Taylor just after his election last May. Mr. Taylor’s election, that is. All your blogger’s ever been elected as is a “local legend.” Below: Robin Campbell, Barry Madsen. With an election looming, it’s nice to see that Alberta Party Leader Glenn Taylor has
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Prognosis looks bleak for faltering Alberta Party
Chima Nkemdirim: his decision to work for Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi was a serious loss for the Alberta Party. Below: Mr. Nenshi, Alberta Premier Alison Redford and Alberta Party Leader Glenn Taylor. The two worst things that have happened to the Alberta Party are, in this order, Naheed Nenshi and
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Future bleak for Alberta liberals; among progressive parties, only NDP has momentum
The Alberta Liberals: running out of gas and running out of road? Below: Liberal Leader Raj Sherman, NDP Leader Brian Mason, NDP candidates Shannon Phillips and Deron Bilous. If you want a useful yardstick of the relative health of Alberta’s opposition parties, you need look no further than the number
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Happy Halloween: The Mystery of the Missing Museum and what Edmonton needs to tell the Tories
Looking for the money: The typical Albertan, and the Albertosaurus, above, may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Federal Tories never offered more than $30 million to Edmonton museum project, says MP Laurie Hawn … whoops, the latest Conservative …
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: The Canadian Federation of Independent Business: another AstroTurf organization attacking the interests of its own members
Alberta small businesses: not helped by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Below: The CFIB’s Dan Kelly, the CLC’s Ken Georgetti.Why does the so-called Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses push a far-right agenda that benefits…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: No new candidates join Tory leadership race; Calgary not destroyed by earthquake again today!
The Alberta Tory leadership candidates, from left to right: Doug Horner, Gary Mar, Doug Griffiths, Ted Morton and Rick Orman. Alison Redford can be glimpsed crossing the street in the background. Real Conservative candidates may not actually resemble H…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Internet buzz predicts Speaker Ken Kowalski’s imminent retirement
Your blogger lectures Speaker Ken Kowalski on something or other at the Alberta Legislature as one of Mr. Kowalski’s aides desperately searches for an avenue of escape. Below: Link Byfield, Lloyd Bertschi.As Alberta Speaker Ken Kowalski might say aft…
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Is the Wildrose Alliance’s loony fringe finally beginning to emerge at nomination meetings?
The Wildrose Alliance waits at the crossing (in the Buick, not the train). Below: Cory Morgan.It’s been said here that the biggest problem Danielle Smith’s Wildrose Alliance would ever have is the kind of candidates the right-wing party attracts.Ms…
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