Hillary Rodham Clinton was in Calgary last week to give the keynote address at a breakfast meeting of 2500 Calgarians who paid about $500 to hear her speak. Luckily my friend, the Zen Banker, invited me to attend as her guest. Hillary is like the Chloe Diamond—brilliant, mesmerizing, multifaceted and
Continue readingTag: Redford
Susan on the Soapbox: The Edelman Trust Barometer: Who do you trust?
The 2014 Edelman Trust Barometer is here and it’s good news—unless you work in government or business in which case you’re facing what Edelman delicately calls “a significant trust deficit”. Edelman is a global public relations company that surveys trust levels across 27 countries by asking the public who they
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Where are the Ethical Lawyers?
In the last three months Albertans have witnessed a shocking display of raw power. The Redford government calls it “delivering the responsible change Albertans voted for.” The rest of us call it the abuse of majority power to crush the rights of environmentalists, land owners and labour unions. Black November
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Minister Bhullar’s Revelation: 741 Children Die in Government Care
Last week Human Services Minister Manmeet Bhullar made a shocking announcement—741 children died in government foster homes or other forms of government care since 1999. This is 13 times higher than the 56 reported by the government in its annual reports and five times higher than the 145 uncovered by
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: The Progressive Conservatives Prepare for War–Really!
“Our organization cannot lose the grassroots donation battle to our opposition if we hope to win the war in 2016.”—Ron Renaud, PC Chief Financial Officer Win the war in 2016??? The “war” metaphor Before we get sucked into the “war” metaphor let’s pause and consider what George Orwell taught us—thought
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Wolves and Rabbits: The $3 billion RFP for Lab Services
I was slogging through Alberta Health Service’s Request For Proposals (RFP) for a 15 year $3 billion contract to provide lab services in the Edmonton area when the words of a former boss popped to mind…The world is divided into wolves and rabbits. Wolves or rabbits? Care to guess what
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Redford’s Performance Appraisal: The Building Alberta Plan
Alison Redford’s performance appraisal document landed on my doorstep a week ago. It’s called “The Building Alberta Plan 2013 Edition”. In the real world a CEO undergoes an annual performance appraisal with the Compensation Committee of the board of directors. If a CEO presented Redford’s Plan to the Comp Committee
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: The Assault On Organized Labour In Canada
In Alberta, the Redford Government just passed one of the most offensive and blatant attacks on labour that we have ever seen. It is uniquely focused on the civil service unions in the province, but that does little to ameliorate the degree of wrong that Bills 45 and 46 represent
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Redford and Mandela: Hypocrisy and Hope (Part 2)
“He would continually bring people back to the table. That was his greatest strength”—Ms Redford on Nelson Mandela* Sadly, Ms Redford never learned how to bring “people back to the table” here in Alberta. So she resorted to the meat hammer—ramming through Bill 46 for force a “settlement” on the
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Redford and Mandela: Hypocrisy Meets Hope and Learns Nothing
The Redford government’s capacity for hypocrisy knows no bounds. In the same week that Redford’s PC government passed two corrosive pieces of anti-labour legislation, Ms Redford reflected on what she’d learned as a young lawyer working with Nelson Mandela to reform South Africa’s legal system. Nelson Mandela “He taught me
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: 145 Children Die in Government Care; but 89 Don’t Count
“WHEREAS the Government of Alberta recognizes that children and youth are our greatest resource…blah blah blah”—Child and Youth Advocate Act One hundred and forty five children died in government care since 1999. The government reported 56 deaths. The rest sank below the radar because they were the result of
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Alberta Bills 45 and 46
Others have spoke very eloquently about the problems with Bills 45 and 46. What I want to bring to readers’ attention is how the Redford Government is abusing not just legislative procedure, but democracy itself. It is not unusual for this government to limit debate on bills. What is unusual
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: One Dead Fish or More Big Ideas? The Quality of Debate in Redford’s Government
Premier Redford complains bitterly about the quality of debate in the Legislature; apparently we need more “big ideas” and less “parochial debate”.* However her Environmental Minister continues to provide fatuous explanations for why it took nineteen days to issue an Environmental Protection Order in connection with the largest coal mining
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Why Ms Redford will be Confirmed as PC Leader: The Wikipedia Factor
The pundits say Ms Redford will be confirmed as PC party leader. They’re right, but not for the reasons they think. Here’s why: The party cannot endure another leadership campaign. True, the skirmish between PC leadership candidates (he’s an idiot, no she’s an idiot) would present the Opposition with useful
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Alison Redford’s Vision for Alberta–”Trust Industry” (gulp)
Brian Mason (NDP) is right. The only way to find out what’s going on in Alison Redford’s head is to pay to attend a function in her honour. Glenbow Museum So on Monday night, Mr Soapbox and I were milling about at the Glenbow Museum, debating about whether to sneak
Continue readingLeft Over: BC is Sold Out Again: Christy & Allison
Northern Gateway Pipeline Pricetag: Enbridge CEO Lauds Alberta-B.C. Deal, Updating Price CP | By Lauren Krugel, The Canadian PressPosted: 11/06/2013 11:20 am EST | Updated: 11/06/2013 4:02 pm EST I applaud the NDP for standing against the encroachment and destruction of a pipeline, and the only reason Crusty got elected is that she made noises
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: McQueen’s Damage Control Strategy: The Erosion of Natural Justice Continues
“It is incredibly irresponsible and I think they’re trapped in an extremely ineffective strategy of damage control.” — Rachel Notley NDP MLA* Environment Minister McQueen is back from her European junket. She’s had a few days to consider Justice Marceau’s decision which flayed her department for refusing to allow an
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Does Redford’s “Prerogative” Trump the Law?
When a Queen’s Bench justice compares Redford’s government to the corrupt regime of former Quebec premier Maurice Duplessis you know you’ve hit rock bottom. Justice Marceau made the damning comment in his ruling that the Redford government violated the principles of natural justice by refusing to allow an environmental coalition
Continue readingThe Cracked Crystal Ball II: Alberta’s Sales Tax Phobia
Ever since I was a child growing up, Alberta has made a big deal about how we don’t have a sales tax. Back in the day, when resource revenues were perhaps more predictable because the markets didn’t move as fast as they do now, perhaps that was a good thing.
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: A Dead Cat Bounce: Redford’s Approval Rating Up to 32%
It’s called a “dead cat bounce”. It’s based on the premise that even a dead cat bounces when it slips off a 12th floor balcony and lands on the sidewalk (contrary to popular belief most sky-diving cats aren’t lucky enough to land in a rose bush). Skydiving cat (really) This
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