By this time tomorrow it will all be over, Jim Prentice, the premier-designate, will have unveiled his new cabinet. Mr Prentice, the proverbial “new broom”, promised to sweep clean a cabinet larded with MLAs, who have enjoyed the unique privilege that comes with 43 years of uncontested power, and replace
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Susan on the Soapbox: The Tory Airplane Scandal–Excuses, Excuses
“I am optimistic that your review will assist in securing Albertans’ continued confidence in their government and trust in their elected officials.”—Premier Redford’s letter to the Auditor General requesting a review of her compliance with the Travel and Expense policy, Mar 4, 2014 Ms Redford Ms Redford’s optimism quickly turned
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Alberta’s Rogue Politics and Politicians
Is Alison Redford a rogue politician or does she belong to a rogue party? A rogue is a dishonest or unprincipled man (or woman), a scoundrel, villain, miscreant, reprobate, good-for-nothing, ne’re-do-well, wretch, louse, crook. The word “rogue” entered the lexicon of Alberta politics after Auditor General Merwan Saher reviewed Alison
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Mr Hancock’s Cockamamie Apology
“I’m truly sorry that we allowed government to become a distraction from the vital work we’re doing on issues that matter to Albertans.”— Premier Dave Hancock to PC party supporters, May 1, 2014 Bill Clinton apologised for slavery, Tony Blair apologised for the Irish potato famine, Pope John Paul II
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: The Progressive Conservatives Prepare for War–Really!
“Our organization cannot lose the grassroots donation battle to our opposition if we hope to win the war in 2016.”—Ron Renaud, PC Chief Financial Officer Win the war in 2016??? The “war” metaphor Before we get sucked into the “war” metaphor let’s pause and consider what George Orwell taught us—thought
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Redford and Mandela: Hypocrisy and Hope (Part 2)
“He would continually bring people back to the table. That was his greatest strength”—Ms Redford on Nelson Mandela* Sadly, Ms Redford never learned how to bring “people back to the table” here in Alberta. So she resorted to the meat hammer—ramming through Bill 46 for force a “settlement” on the
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Redford and Mandela: Hypocrisy Meets Hope and Learns Nothing
The Redford government’s capacity for hypocrisy knows no bounds. In the same week that Redford’s PC government passed two corrosive pieces of anti-labour legislation, Ms Redford reflected on what she’d learned as a young lawyer working with Nelson Mandela to reform South Africa’s legal system. Nelson Mandela “He taught me
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: The Auditor General’s Report: Alberta’s “Enron” Moment
God bless Merwan Saher, Alberta’s Auditor General! He grabbed the government by the scruff of the neck and gave it a shake for dragging us into the abyss of “Enron” accounting. Sadly, the government refuses to budge and opaque financial reporting will continue. Merwan Saher has been a government auditor
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Budget 2013 (If you want to play with the Big Boys, you play by Big Boy Rules)
“Opening new markets across Canada and around the world has become job one for this government.”—Finance Minister Horner on the 2013 Budget priorities, Alberta Hansard p1440. That simple sentence tells you all you need to know about Budget 2013 and how your tax dollars are going to be spent in
Continue readingcalgaryliberal.com: Ms. Redford’s Fudget-Budget: Not Open, Not Transparent, and Definitely Not What She Promised
Ms. Redford’s expectation that the price of oil would stay high (we’re currently hitting a nine-month low for oil), her spending promises be fulfilled, and that a PC government would be a stable choice for Albertans, has fallen flat. She ran on the regular non-Conservative spending sprees — even where
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