Richard Hub Hughes-Political Blogger The BC Liberals scored a surprise upset and were re-elected as the government of BC on May 14th, 2013 Since that time members, supporters and pundits along with some current and former MLA’s have been speaking up questioning the so called middle of the road positioning,
Continue readingTag: michael ignatieff
Alberta Diary: Count on it: Alberta’s doctors got more than the government’s press release indicates
Dr. Michael Giuffre jots down the Alberta Medical Association’s wish list before yesterday’s agreement with the provincial government. Actual AMA negotiators may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne, Advanced Education Minister Thomas Lukaszuk. It will take a while to sort out what really happened in
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Justin Trudeau: Too Sexy For His Shirt, Too Sexy For Canada?
The only thing more predictable than Justin Trudeau’s win in the Liberal leadership race was that it would be followed by Conservative attack ads. For those curious what the sequel to “Not a Leader” and “Just Visiting” would look like, the wait is over: It should come as no surprise
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Rae’s Day
Every political commentator loves to say “timing is everything in politics”, and every Canadian political commentator loves to say that Bob Rae never had good timing. He had the misfortune of becoming Premier before he was ready to govern, and had the misfortune of governing during a recession. His “second
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Morning Links
This and that to start the new year. – Lynn Stuart Parramore discusses the dangers of needless means-testing for basic social benefits: When I spoke to Joseph Stiglitz, he discussed the idea that “means-testing is mean.” Programs like Medicare and Social Security, he explained, are matters of political economy. They
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Canada’s Greatest Losers
Last week, Martha Hall Findlay and Karen McCrimmon declared their candidacies for the Liberal leadership race. This week, George Takach has taken the plunge. I’ve posted one blog interview with David Merner, and will have others with David Bertschi and Alex Burton next week. Deborah Coyne, meanwhile, has already released more fresh ideas than we’ve seen from Stephen Harper during his entire tenure as Prime Minister. These are seven very different candidates with seven very different messages, but the one … →
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On questionable advice
Shorter Zach Paikin:In order to avoid the fate of the Ignatieff Libs, the NDP should totally abandon any principles and re-run Ignatieff’s “we stand for nothing, but at least we’re not that guy!” campaign.
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Anonymous comments? Dean Del Mastro’s right: there oughtta be a law!
A young member of the Tory Online Rage Machine (TORM) composes a mean Tweet using talking points from Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office. TORM operatives may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: The unfortunate Dean Del Mastro. It’s hard not to feel a pang of sympathy for Dean Del Mastro,
Continue readingPop The Stack: You’re Wrong Adam Goldenberg
Adam Goldenberg has an opinion on strategic campaigning and he is off base in so many ways. Green party leader Elizabeth May has suggested that her party and the NDP refrain from running candidates in the Etobicoke Centre by-election. But Mr. Goldenberg says: Elections are not primarily about picking winners and losers.
Continue readingPop The Stack: You’re Wrong Adam Goldenberg
Adam Goldenberg has an opinion on strategic campaigning and he is off base in so many ways. Green party leader Elizabeth May has suggested that her party and the NDP refrain from running candidates in the Etobicoke Centre by-election. But Mr. Goldenberg says: Elections are not primarily about picking winners and losers.
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: what happens after prime minister harper? prime minister redford? prime minister mulcair?
TweetWith the start of Stampede season came the latest round of gossip and predictions about what the future might hold for Calgary MLA and Alberta’s Premier Alison Redford. Earlier this week in a column in the Edmonton Journal, Graham Thomson speculated that Premier Redford’s next political challenge could be the
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Politics ain’t beanbag: Stephen Harper is attacking the most vulnerable Canadians
Politics ain’t beanbag, people, and it’s not NERF ball either. But Liberal leaders Michael Ignatieff and Stephane Dion both played it that way, so it was easy for Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Reform Party bullyboys to walk all over them. As for Paul Martin, that guy’s own Liberal
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: ndp and liberals searching for a pulse on the prairies.
Tweet You can be forgiven if you missed it. Hundreds of Liberals from across Alberta gathered in Edmonton last weekend for the biennial meeting of the Liberal Party of Canada in Alberta. Bob Rae Speakers and guests at the weekend conference included interim Liberal leader Bob Rae, Scarborough-Agincourt MP Jim
Continue readingcenterandleft: Mulcair’s Center Squeeze
Most New Democrats – probably all New Democrats – genuinely dislike Steven Harper. With good reason, he’s muzzled scientists, bullied unions, abandoned the impoverished, given tax breaks to the largest corporations, all things that stir up democratic socialists. Yet, their newly minted leader was not only represented the Quebec Liberal Party in the Quebec National […]
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Wildrose offers same old same old as Alison Redford’s fitted up for the Iggy treatment
Former federal Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff stands in front of the Reform-o-Con propaganda steamroller moments before it lurched forward. Flattened federal politicians may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: The real Dr. Ignatieff; Alison Redford. Does anyone remember Iggy? I couldn’t help but recall former federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: the definition of silly season. is this what “change” looks like?
The wheels came off the Progressive Conservative election campaign this week. If you are looking for a definition of “silly season” the first week of Alberta’s 2012 provincial election fits the bill. Despite major policy announcements from each of the main political parties this week, the campaign is being reported
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: i missed the orange wave.
Around 1:30 am on May 2, 2011, I returned to Edmonton after a month travelling across the vast continent of Australia. That day also happened to be Election Day in Canada. On a social media detox while I was out of the country and suffering from severe jet lag from
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Michael Ignatieff on Syria
The former Liberal leader and professor has a thoughtful article analyzing the situation in Syria with an interesting solution to the problem of Bashar al-Assad’s demonic destruction of his people. Recommend this Post
Continue readingCanadian Soapbox: Enough with the attack ads already, we get it….
Okay, okay…Canadians from coast to coast to coast should finally understand by now. There is one, and only one person who is fit to serve as this nation’s Prime Minister. That person is Stephen Harper, message received. Stephane Dion wasn’t worth the risk, Michael Ignatieff was only in it for
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Thomas Walkom highlights the lesson we should draw from the economic devastation caused by the shutdown of an Electro-Motive plant which was supposed to serve as a poster child for corporate giveaways: Using tax breaks to encourage domestic production is a standard prescription.
Continue reading