Toronto Spadina MP Chrystia Freeland, a Liberal, after speaking at the University of Alberta Faculty Club last week. Below: Eleanor Olszewski, nominated Liberal candidate in the federal Edmonton Strathcona riding; Linda Duncan, NDP MP for Edmonton Strathcona. Last Wednesday night, during an engaging talk at the University of Alberta Faculty
Continue readingTag: Linda Duncan
daveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Parties gear up for federal election 2015 – Alberta nominations update
TweetAside from recent updates about Kent Hehr running in Calgary-Centre and Darshan Kang running in Calgary-Skyview, it has been a while since I have published an update to accompany the list of candidate nominations for the next federal election, expected to be held in 2015. So, without further ado, let me present you
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Be there or be square: When pride goes mainstream, is just being there enough?
Riders from the Gay Rodeo welcome Edmontonians to the New West yesterday! Scenes from Edmonton’s Pride Parade below: Alberta Premier Dave Hancock, left, and Edmonton City Councillor Scott McKeen, right, with a parade participant; Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson on his bicycle with his kids; a couple of parade participants trying
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Nomination battles in Edmonton-Wetaskiwin, Griesbach
TweetWhat happens when three federal ridings become one? South of Edmonton, large portions of the Wetaskiwin, Edmonton-Leduc and Edmonton-Mill Woods-Beaumont ridings have been merged into the new Edmonton-Wetaskiwin riding. The three Conservative MPs representing the area have chosen not to run against each other for their party’s nomination in the new
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Underdog Liberal has a shot in Fort McMurray-Athabasca by-election
TweetFour federal by-elections will be held across Canada on June 30, 2014, including in Alberta’s Macleod and Fort McMurray-Athabasca ridings made vacant by the retirements of Conservative Members of Parliament Ted Menzies and Brian Jean months ago. While most general elections in Alberta can be counted on to result in broad Conservative sweeps, Albertans
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Laurie Hawn to retire, blowing Edmonton-Centre race wide open
TweetEdmonton-Centre Conservative Member of Parliament Laurie Hawn has decided to retire when the next election is called, according to the latest column by the Edmonton Sun’s Lorne Gunter. The retired Air Force lieutenant-colonel first entered politics in 2004, running unsuccessfully against Liberal MP and Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan. Mr. Hawn defeated Ms. McLellan in
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Battles in the ’Burbs: Independent St. Albert MP Brent Rathgeber eyes formation of party as fund-raising vehicle
Independent MP Brent Rathgeber with machine gun, looking as if he could use some closer supervision, takes aim at the CBC. (Joke.) And, yes, that is Jack Layton with the other one. Below: Teddy Roosevelt. (That’s enough politicians with firearms! – Ed.) ST. ALBERT, Alberta Edmonton-St. Albert Member of Parliament
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Rising Tory interest in St. Albert-Edmonton nomination could set the stage for something completely different!
Ryan Hastman’s business card, handed out at last weekend’s Conservative Convention in Calgary. Below: Mr. Hastman, Independent MP Brent Rathgeber, competing Tory candidate Michael Cooper and the other side of Mr. Hastman’s card. ST. ALBERT, Alberta There’s a new candidate in the race for the Conservative Party of Canada’s nomination
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 readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: University students and staff rally against Advanced Education cuts.
TweetHundreds of students and staff from the University of Alberta marched to the Alberta Legislature yesterday to protest the 7% cut to the Advanced Education budget. Students and staff were joined by Liberal leader Raj Sherman, NDP MLA Rachel Notley, and NDP MP Linda Duncan. In response to the provincial
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Liberals cringe and Conservatives jeer at David McGuinty’s anti-Alberta rant.
TweetComments made yesterday by Ontario Liberal Member of Parliament David McGuinty undoubtably triggered a collective “W^@* THE F#*%” moment in Calgary-Centre Liberal candidate Harvey Locke‘s by-election campaign headquarters. The …
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Undemocratic impulses? Who ya gonna call? Not Jimmy Carter!
When it comes to ensuring the integrity of foreign elections, take it from Alberta Diary, Jimmy Carter is outstanding in the field. Below: Alberta MP Linda Duncan and Ukrainian President Viktor F. Yanukovich. By the sound of it, the international observers of Sunday’s Ukrainian parliamentary elections did manage to catch
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: How Alberta’s federal politicians voted on Motion 312.
TweetThis week, Members of Parliament in Ottawa voted on Motion 312, which if passed could have re-opened a divisive debate about a woman’s right to make decisions concerning her own body. Thankfully, Motion 312 was defeated 203-91 votes, but it remains disappointing that in this modern age one-third of federal MPs stood
Continue readingAlberta Diary: If Alberta’s Tories loved Peter Lougheed so much, why do they have so little to say about him?
Linda Duncan at the Alberta NDP’s 50th annual convention over the weekend. Below: Ralph Goodale, Peter Lougheed. We have 28 federal electoral districts in Alberta of which 27 elected members of the Conservative Party of Canada. Of those 27 Conservative MPs, one has since been kicked out of caucus for
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: fifty years of alberta ndp.
TweetNew Democrats from across Alberta have gathered in Edmonton this weekend to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their party’s founding. Attendees at this weekend’s annual convention will hear from NDP leader Brian Mason, MLAs Rachel Notley, Deron Bilous, and David Eggen, Member of Parliament Linda Duncan, and federal NDP leader Thomas Mulcair.
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Can a ‘progressive’ win in Calgary-Centre? It is not impossible, but it might not be very likely.
TweetCan the online campaign 1 Calgary Centre succeed in its goal to unite (or crowd-surf) progressive voters behind one candidate in the impending Calgary-Centre by-election? It is not impossible, but it is improbable. The existence of a Naheed Nenshi, Linda Duncan, or Chima Nkemdirim style of candidate who progressive voters could unite behind could
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Mystery story: is there an opposition candidate who can win the Calgary Centre by-election?
Your blogger with David Swann: Remember, when the author of this blog appears in a picture with a politician, it does not necessarily imply an endorsement. (That’s enough photos with politicians for one week, thanks – ed.) Below: Likely Conservative winner Joan Crockatt, Edmonton Strathcona NDP MP Linda Duncan and
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: federal riding boundaries being readjusted in alberta.
Tweet How will Alberta’s federal riding boundaries be altered? Likely unbeknownst to most Canadians, commissions have been struck across the country and tasked with redrawing our federal electoral boundaries in advance of the expected 2015 general election. The process of electoral redistribution, which is done every decade, accounts for population
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: life after dutch disease: thomas mulcair to visit alberta on may 31.
Tweet Thomas Mulcair After weeks of warring words about the economic influence of Western Canadian oilsands development on the crumbling Central Canadian manufacturing sector, NDP leader Thomas Mulcair will visit Alberta on May 31 to meet with business and political leaders. This will be Mr. Mulcair’s first visit to Alberta
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Parks Canada carnage sideswipes Jasper with nary a peep from local Tory MP
Will the last person to leave Jasper please turn out the lights? A view of Beauvert Lake, near the Jasper townsite, as the sun sets. Below: Anchors Aweigh! There’ll be nothing at all like this for the good people of Jasper from their Conservative MP, Rob Merrifield. Rob who? Where’s
Continue reading