Happy 147th birthday, my fellow Canadians. I hope you’re enjoying the day by spending time with the family, maybe going to the lake, attending various Canada Day celebrations, etc. Me? I’m going to work. One way for millions to celebrate the birth of the dominion is to go shopping, and
Continue readingTag: Pierre Trudeau
Alberta Diary: The boss has gone crazy! He’s giving away new uniforms! And at only $4.5 million, they’re practically free!
Canadian soldiers will once again be clad in uniforms like these. If that doesn’t scare the hell out of Vladimir Putin, the guy’s got ice in his veins! Below: A typical naval officer in his cool new brass loops, armed with a naval thingy; what he’d be wearing if he
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On greatness
Plenty of commentators have pointed to Dean Beeby’s report on public consultations about Canada’s most inspiring people as evidence that Stephen Harper and his Cons couldn’t be much further from the mark. And that point is fair enough on its own. But it’s worth noting something else as well: respondents
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: Clearly Liberalism is Not Dead Though Conservatism May be On Life Support
When Stephen Harper was with the Reformers, promoting an American style conservative movement, he mocked Canada’s historic Conservative Party, because they boasted to be descended from Sir John A. MacDonald. “So what!” he said. Recently the Harper government conducted a poll to determine the top ten Canadians who inspired us.
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: A federal by-election in Cowboy Country
TweetEarlier this week, I wrote about the interesting by-election in Fort McMurray-Athabasca, today I look at the other federal by-election in Alberta that will take place on June 30, 2014. Situated on the eastern slopes of of the Rocky Mountains, the Conservative machine appears strong in southern Alberta’s Macleod riding. Although growth
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Canada’s New Government Turns 8
Today marks the 8th anniversary of Stephen Harper’s election as Prime Minister. At the time, a lot of Liberals figured they could turn him into Joe Clark after a quick leadership change. Yet, by this time next year, Harper will have passed Louis St. Laurent, Robert Borden, and Brian Mulroney,
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Why I voted for Jim Coutts in 1984 and probably would again, a lesson in retail politics
Jim Coutts, son of the Great Plains and, as long-time principal secretary to Liberal prime minister Pierre Trudeau, once said to be the second most powerful person in Canada. (University of Lethbridge photo.) Below: The Lancaster bomber arrives in Nanton, inconveniently huge, but still too small to house a roadside
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Of Just Societies and Aboriginal Affairs
Many years ago, when I was but a small child, Pierre Trudeau spoke of a “Just Society”. It is a noble, if somewhat lofty and abstract goal. The Just Society will be one in which the rights of minorities will be safe from the whims of intolerant majorities. The Just
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Don’t go cryptic on me, man! Marking 100 years of crosswords with seven letters across
Dave’s Alberta Politics Puzzler: try to solve it if you dare! Click on the image for a larger copy. Below: Crossword inventor Arthur Wynne, MP Brian Jean. Today is the 100th anniversary of the invention of the crossword puzzle. That may explain why Brian Jean, the Conservative MP for Fort
Continue readingAlberta Diary: He haunts us still: ‘Welcome to the 1980s’
Welcome to the 1980s, everybody. Above, Pierre Trudeau, saying just that. Below: Justin Trudeau, embracing victorious Liberal candidate Emmanuel Douburg last night in Montreal’s Bourassa riding. (Montreal Gazette photo.) “Well, welcome to the 1980s!” He haunts us still. I don’t know about you, but I could almost hear Pierre Trudeau’s
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Oh Dear Me
Our friend, the Salamander, left a comment that got me thinking. He asked what John A., were he alive today, would have said about Stephen Harper? That brought to mind a much more recent prime ministerial heavyweight. Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Can you imagine, had he not been lost
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: The ghosts of senate reform haunt the Harper Conservatives
TweetThe ghosts of Senate reform will haunt Prime Minister Stephen Harper as his party establishment gathers in Calgary on Halloween to discuss and debate party policy. After more than seven years in office, Mr. Harper’s Conservatives have accomplished little on the issue of reforming the Canadian Senate. Who would have
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Campaign Diary Volume 5: Praise, political priorities and poetry
Yours Truly visiting the Texas House of Representatives in the State Capitol building in Austin, Texas – and thinking about what to say to Ryan Hastman on EdmontionPolitics.com. Below: The author with LBJ, sort of, and looking particularly fierce for the benefit of our Texan hosts. Last week, just as
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Canada Day Quiz
We all know him as “Justin Trudeau’s father” today, but there was a time when Pierre was just a lowly Justice Minister, needing 4 ballots to win the party’s leadership. Test your political skills with this 10-question quiz about the present – and the past – of Canadian politics. 1.
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory: lessons from B.C. for NDPers everywhere
Just to set the mood, it’s Left-Leaning B.C. Premiers Day on Alberta Diary. Here’s your blogger with some former NDP premiers from that province – Dave Barrett above, Mike Harcourt and Ujjal Dosanjh below. No one can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory quite like the New Democrats in
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Canada has always been at war with Eurasia
RB Bennett was one of Canada’s most popular Prime Ministers, to the point where average Canadians would name their buggies after him. We found out last week that the Harper Conservatives will be leading a review of the way Canadian history is taught in schools. We don’t yet have word
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: “Just watch me”: Justin Trudeau on whether he can beat Stephen Harper
By: Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive: Liberal leadership front-runner Justin Trudeau wants you to be assured that he can beat Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the ballot. During a flight from Halifax to Ottawa Tuesday evening, a fellow passenger send him a note with the question: “Can you really beat Harper?” Trudeau responded
Continue readingAlberta Diary: What’s wrong with the Alberta Medical Association’s message? A technical primer
The executive of the Alberta Medical Association, shown here, may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: the offending advertisement. With contract talks between the Alberta Medical Association and the provincial government back on again, after a fashion, a polling firm is out there now trolling to see how voters are
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Hockey-starved Canucks pray for brawl as Peter Van Loan channels Darrel Stinson
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien gets up close and personal with a protester. Below: NDP leader Thomas Mulcair, Tory chuck-a-bub Peter Van Loan, Liberal Fuddle-Duddler Pierre Trudeau, New Democrat Nathan Cullen, known for his gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability. Maybe I’ve just spent too much time
Continue readingTrashy's World: Yup. The cool.
It’s gone for good. A tip of the Trashy tuque to Facebook’s Meanwhile in Canada for this chuckle! (4) Trashy, Ottawa, Ontario
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