Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s personal online troll is moving on. It can’t be because he was an embarrassment. Matt Wolf’s been an embarrassment as long as he’s worked in Alberta. Matt Wolf’s most famous tweet, published just before the fourth wave of COVID-19 hit Alberta (Photo: Screenshot of Twitter). It
Continue readingTag: Jason Kenney
Alberta Politics: Could history repeat itself and leave Alberta taxpayers on the hook for Jason Kenney’s legal defence against defamation suit?
Two decades ago, Alberta taxpayers found themselves on the hook for more than $730,000 to settle a defamation suit against Stockwell Day, who had been an MLA when he wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper in Red Deer that damaged the reputation of a lawyer in that
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Environmental groups tell Jason Kenney to apologize and retract by next Tuesday or meet them in court
A coalition of Canadian environmental groups has thrown down the gauntlet, challenging Premier Jason Kenney to a legal duel over his serial claims his government’s so-called “Public Inquiry into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns” proves they spread misinformation about Alberta’s fossil fuel industry. Rather than using epees or sabres in mortal combat,
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Good news about COVID vaccine for kids? Never mind that! Jason Kenney has a rant about David Suzuki
Jason Kenney actually had some good news to impart yesterday – that the rollout of Pfizer’s pediatric COVID-19 vaccine will commence in Alberta on Friday. Instead, Alberta’s premier spent most of his time at the microphone at an afternoon news conference about the vaccine delivering an unhinged diatribe about environmentalist
Continue readingAlberta Politics: What is it about environmentalist and scholar David Suzuki that makes Alberta Conservatives lose their minds?
What is it about David Suzuki that makes Alberta’s Conservatives lose their minds? On Saturday, the high-profile Vancouver-based scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster spoke at a protest in Victoria where he warned of the possibility of violence if politicians keep failing to act against climate change. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney (Photo:
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Alberta’s UCP may not be all that united, but Jason Kenney’s position is more secure than it was a week ago
The agenda for the final day of the United Conservative Party annual general meeting yesterday showed “Catholic and Protestant Service” at 9 a.m., followed by election readiness training for the rest of the day. Presumably delegates who took part in the devotions prayed hard for providence to smile on their
Continue readingThe Daveberta Podcast: Episode 81: Taking ideas and turning them into action. An interview with City Councillor Michael Janz.
Newly elected Edmonton City Councillor Michael Janz joins the Daveberta Podcast to talk about the recent municipal election, his experiences during his first month on City Council, what he hopes to accomplish in the years ahead, and how ordinary Edmontonians can have an impact on decisions at City Hall. We
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Jason Kenney’s Last AGM
A political party’s AGM tells you a lot about the party. What we learned after the UCP AGM is the UCP’s big tent isn’t big enough to hold all its members. But first a quick recap relating to the small matter of Jason Kenney’s leadership review. The proposal to make
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Jason Kenney’s keynote didn’t amount to much beyond the usual bromides and braggadocio
Jason Kenney’s keynote speech at the United Conservative Party’s annual general meeting yesterday didn’t amount to much more than the usual Conservative bromides, empty promises, and unjustified braggadocio. Typical headlines for the day’s efforts emphasized the unity theme: “Alberta premier urges unity among UCP members ahead of April leadership review,”
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Interesting times for Jason Kenney: Premier’s loyalists fail to block motion to defang rebel constituency associations
The motion that would have quickly solved Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s most pressing political problem failed to pass last night at the United Conservative Party’s annual general meeting near Calgary. The constitutional amendment proposed by the Edmonton-North West UCP constituency association, which is headed by Premier Kenney’s communications manager, would
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Return of the Talking Head
I appeared on CTV’s News at 5 with Matt Young today, around 24:00 in this show. And of course, there were a few points I didn’t make in the process, most notably this: pathetic though it is that Scott Moe’s plan for Saskatchewan “autonomy” is copied from Jason Kenney, it’s
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Expecting a battle royale over Jason Kenney’s fate at this weekend’s UCP annual general meeting? Don’t bet on it!
Whatever happens to Alberta Premier Jason Kenney in the weeks and months ahead, the smart money’s on him winning every fight at the United Conservative Party annual general meeting that starts tonight near Calgary. So don’t get your hopes up that the AGM will turn into a battle royale that’ll
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Does spat between once-simpatico columnist and Jason Kenney signal the end of the road for Alberta’s premier?
Et tu, Brute? Was political columnist Rick Bell’s news conference question yesterday about allegations of cash being funnelled from political action committees to Jason Kenney’s supporters in advance of this weekend’s United Conservative Party annual general meeting a sign the end is near for Alberta’s increasingly unpopular premier? Alberta Premier
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: There Is No Such Thing As A "True Conservative"
In his column for yesterday’s National Post, John Robson opines that the problems that Jason Kenney and Erin O’Toole are having with the electorate are because they aren’t being “Real Conservatives” (or “Conservative Enough”). No, Mr. Robson, that isn’t it at all. Perhaps it’s escaped your notice in the
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Alberta signs on to federal child care deal its premier once mocked as ‘9-to-5, urban, government and union-run institutional daycare’
Premier Jason Kenney didn’t look all that cheerful at yesterday’s announcement Alberta had finally signed on to participate in the Trudeau Government’s national $10-a-day-child-care program. While the premier fidgeted in the background, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the other federal Liberal politicians at the morning news conference in Edmonton seemed
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Rest in Peace, ‘Grassroots Guarantee’ – Jason Kenney’s famous promise is gone with the wind
You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but, as Abraham Lincoln is reputed to have observed, you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. Back in the summer of 2017, when he stood up
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: The Department of Education: The Nazis were good people too (or some such BS)
This week we learned that in 2020 the Dept of Education published a document recommending that teachers discussing Nazi atrocities also include material showing the Nazi’s policies strengthened Germany’s economy. Why? Because it’s important from a diversity and respect perspective to “reveal both the positive and negative behaviors and attitudes
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Brian Jean, the Bonnie Prince Charlie of the Alberta conservative movement, takes up residence in Jason Kenney’s head
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney insists his former leadership rival Brian Jean’s planned palace coup to snatch away the crown of the United Conservative Party isn’t about to distract him from his duty to restore Alberta’s swagger. But despite tweeting his agreement Wednesday with a fatuous National Post article claiming “Alberta’s
Continue readingAlberta Politics: That office drinking scandal? Just never mind! Jason Kenney launches job program update in Calgary pub
No wonder they call it the Liquor Cabinet! You’d think it might have occurred to someone in the United Conservative Party strategic brain trust to factor former agriculture minister Devin Dreeshen’s very recent, very public troubles with office drinking into the equation when they decided to hold a news conference
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Government or Frat House? Either Way Kenney Can’t Lead
Ariella Kimmel, former chief of staff to Jobs Minister Doug Schweitzer, filed a lawsuit this spring alleging the Premier’s office fostered a “poisoned work environment,” it failed to address her concerns about the sexual harassment of another employee, and she’d been fired for raising it. She’s suing for just under
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