Everybody in the room yesterday at the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing in Washington, D.C., knew perfectly well the United States is never going to stop buying Saudi Arabian “dictator oil,” and why. Three amigos: Democrat in Name Only Joe Manchin, at left, cuddles up with his
Continue readingTag: Jason Kenney
Susan on the Soapbox: Kenney’s Insulin Pump Debacle
On May 2, the Kenney government announced it would avail diabetic Albertans of newer, more technologically advanced insulin pumps. Then 10 days later it announced it was “pausing” this decision to allow for more consultation. The decision and its reversal happened so quickly it was like a snippet of time-lapse
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Kenney Government seeks ‘a unicorn’ to solve health care crisis – what it needs is more nurses
There was a whiff of desperation in the air at Jason Kenney’s health care news conference yesterday morning, which had been touted in advance to journalists as “an update on priority work to build health system capacity and add more critical care beds for Albertans.” Health Minister Jason Copping at
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Confident Jason Kenney will jet off to Washington the day before UCP says if he gets to keep his job as Alberta premier
It seemed like a strangely bold move yesterday for Jason Kenney to announce he’ll be jetting off to Washington, D.C., to testify to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and National Resources the day before his United Conservative Party announces whether its members have voted to let him stay on
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Alberta premier prematurely celebrates court’s view Ottawa’s environmental assessment law is unconstitutional
Jason Kenney and his allies in the United Conservative Party are noisily celebrating the Alberta Court of Appeal’s opinion yesterday that the federal government’s environmental assessment law is unconstitutional, and who can blame them? Alberta Premier Jason Kenney (Photo: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr). The 4-1 opinion in the Alberta government’s reference case
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Possible unpopular opinion: Premier’s communications director should be paid for his COVID isolation expenses
If Premier Jason Kenney’s executive director of communications followed all the rules when he expensed his stay in an Edmonton hotel and claimed meal allowances after a positive COVID test while on a business trip, he shouldn’t have been asked to pay back the $1,400. NDP Opposition Critic Christina Gray
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: More on Kenney’s Leadership Review (God, it never ends)
Have you noticed how corrupt and mediocre our government has become? Yesterday we learned that Elections Alberta is investigating the bulk buying of UCP memberships—4,000 new memberships were purchased by six credit cards sometime before March 19—this was roughly two weeks before Bill 81, The Elections Statutes Amendment Act (2021)
Continue readingAlberta Politics: 4,000 UCP memberships bought with six credit cards? Dodgy practice, legal or not, likely to come back to bite Jason Kenney
It might have seemed like a good idea when the Kenney Government passed legislation last year allowing bulk purchases of party memberships, but it was probably inevitable that an idea that dodgy would cause trouble for the United Conservative Party sooner or later. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney (Photo: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr).
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Jason Kenney attempts to show he’s still relevant with risible legal intervention in Emergencies Act challenges
What’s that annoying buzz? Justice Minister Tyler Shandro, the latest occupant of Alberta’s revolving-door justice minister’s office (Photo: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr). It’s too early in the reluctant Alberta springtime for it to be a fly trapped between the blind and the window. And we’re too far away from Havana for it
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Let’s Talk About Insurance
While Jason Kenney is running all over the province trying to convince UCP members he’s there for them, the actions of his government in the House last week tell a different story. But before we go there, let’s play a game. I’ll say a word and you say the first
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Sweet Home Alberda? Jason Kenney, the Rodney Dangerfield of Canada, holds forth on pipelines, petroleum, and Pawliver
Jason Kenney is the Rodney Dangerfield of Canadian politics – he don’t get no respect! Right-wing American podcaster Josh Holmes (Photo: Podchaser.com). Alberta’s premier went to Washington, D.C. He wanted to see someone important. But when he got there, no one was home. At least, by the sound of it,
Continue readingAlberta Politics: A party divided against itself cannot stand – especially when so many members can’t stand their leader
A house divided against itself cannot stand. That goes for political parties too, I daresay. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney (Photo: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr). And I’d say the United Conservative Party led by Jason Kenney is getting perilously close to the point it’s so divided against itself that if nothing changes it’ll
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Liz Szabo discusses how improved ventilation has plenty of additional benefits beyond limiting the spread of COVID – making it the COVID policy equivalent of the familiar image: – Meanwhile, the Globe and Mail’s editorial board writes that there’s no excuse for pretending
Continue readingAlberta Politics: With Jason Kenney seemingly foundering, Alberta’s No. 2 Jason, Nixon, finds himself in the spotlight
With Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s survival in the ongoing United Conservative Party leadership review vote far from assured, the spotlight was bound to shift onto some of his more obvious potential replacements. How tall is he? Taller than his former Wildrose MLA colleague Kerry Towle, that’s for sure (Photo: David
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Jason Kenney tells ‘Alberta at Work’ news conference a spectre is haunting Alberta – the spectre of public auto insurance!
Did Alberta Premier Jason Kenney just win the next Alberta election for the NDP? Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides (Photo: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr). This is a serious question, people. Responding to a question about Alberta’s escalating auto instance premiums yesterday from Postmedia political columnist Rick Bell at news conference on another
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – William Haseltine writes about the long-lasting and severe cognitive effects of long COVID, while Danny Altmann discusses the urgency of developing effective treatment given the reality that vaccines do little to prevent it. Katherine Wu warns that the U.S. is rapidly losing any
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Enjoy the reflected glow, Premier Kenney, visiting U.S. Senator Joe Manchin likely has a short shelf life remaining
Alberta Conservatives should enjoy basking in the glow cast by Joe Manchin while they can – the visiting U.S. Senator likely has a short shelf life remaining as “the key swing vote in the U.S. Senate,” as Premier Jason Kenney put it at a news conference in Calgary yesterday. Not
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Dr Yiu is fired, Jason Kenney is “Under Review”
Two people were fired this week. Dr Yiu was fired without cause on Apr 4. Jason Kenney is being ‘fired’ in slow motion, his dismissal will be confirmed on May 18, 2022 when the mail-in ballots are counted, or a year later on May 29, 2023 when the results of
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Alberta Premier Jason Kenney lays out his case to keep his job to small crowd of carefully curated supporters
If he is to survive politically, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney must thread a needle – appeasing enough of his United Conservative Party’s base to keep his job without frightening so much of the electorate he loses the next election. Mr. Kenney during his remarks (Photo: Screenshot of UCP video). That
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Don’t change horses in mid-stream! Rebellious UCP members get dire warning on eve of Jason Kenney’s leadership vote
This week, the campaign brain trust for Alberta’s beleaguered premier managed to find 19 old Tory MLAs willing to sign their names to an open letter begging United Conservative Party members not to vote to change horses in mid-stream.* The first question a lot of Albertans asked when the letter
Continue reading