If Rex Tillerson, the former head of ExxonMobil and Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, taught a class on pipeline strategy Brian Jean would be stuck at the front of the room wearing a dunce cap and Rachel Notley would be excused because she already knows this stuff. Conservative
Continue readingTag: Ric McIver
daveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Four Opposition Leaders United on Panel Boycott
While it has become common to watch the leaders of Alberta’s one Liberal and three Conservative opposition parties vote together against the New Democratic Party government in the Legislative Assembly, it is not everyday that those leaders hold a joint… Continue Reading →
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Floor Crossing! What to make of Tory MLA Sandra Jansen joining the NDP?
Progressive Conservative Calgary-North West MLA Sandra Jansen took to the podium with Premier Rachel Notley this afternoon to announce that she is crossing the floor to join the governing New Democratic Party Caucus. It would have been hard to imagine only one year ago that we… Continue Reading →
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Both women in the race to lead the Alberta PC Party drop out; one cites harassment and intimidation
PHOTOS: Sandra Jansen, MLA for Calgary-North West, who dropped out of the race to lead the Alberta PCs yesterday. Below: Donna Kennedy-Glans, former Calgary MLA, who did the same thing; political strategist Stephen Carter; PC candidate Jason Kenney. The story is not likely to get the attention it deserves amid
Continue readingAlberta Politics: This just in from Elections Alberta: New Democrats out-raise Wildrose Party and PCs combined in 3rd Quarter
ILLUSTRATIONS: The Alberta fund-raising horse race. From left to right, Wildrose leader Brian Jean, NDP Leader and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and PC interim Leader Ric McIver. Below: The real Ms. Notley, Mr. Jean, Mr. McIver and PC leadership contender Jason Kenney. Never mind the gloomy mainstream narrative – Alberta’s
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Alberta Tories pray ‘third time’s a charm’ as their effort to recover their party’s missing mojo begins today
PHOTOS: Ever wonder what happened to Hazel? Do you still think Father Knows Best? Did you love Donna Reed? Will Alberta’s PCs decide to try to take us Forward to the Fifties … in Jim Prentice’s car? That’s The $64,000 Question! Below: Declared PC leadership candidates Richard Starke, Jason Kenney,
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Meet Alberta PC leadership candidate Richard Starke: thoughtful, centrist, kind to animals … and thus probably doomed
PHOTOS: Vermilion-Lloydminster Progressive Conservative MLA Richard Starke, looking appealingly Clint-Eastwood-like in this official portrait from his website, announced yesterday he is seeking the leadership of the Alberta PC Party. Below: NDP Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt, another member of the Legislative Squeeze Box Caucus, and former Speaker Gene Zwozdesky, a
Continue readingAlberta Politics: NDP moves to end secret Klein-era scheme to offload corporate losses on the public – the opposition, predictably, screams
PHOTOS: Deputy Premier Sarah Hoffman, a photo that wasn’t taken yesterday, obviously, but has the advantage of having been taken by your blogger. Below: Wildrose electricity and renewables critic Don MacIntyre, Progressive Conservative interim Leader…
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Appointment of environmentalist Tzeporah Berman sparks Wildrose hysteria – here’s why
PHOTOS: Environmentalist Tzeporah Berman, whose appointment to the Alberta Government’s climate panel prompted a full-scale freak-out by the province’s right, which, apparently, sees her as, well, an Orc. Below the Orc: B.C. Premier Christy Clark a…
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Coming Soon: A federal by-election in Calgary-Midnapore
Jason Kenney said last week that he will resign as the Member of Parliament for Calgary-Midnapore when the Progressive Conservative Party leadership campaign officially starts on October 1, 2016. He is expected to spend the summer months campaignin…
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Conservatives nominate candidate in Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner
Glen Motz will be the Conservative Party of Canada candidate in the upcoming federal by-election in the riding of Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner. Mr. Motz defeated five other men, including former Wildrose Party leader and Cardston-Taber-Warner MLA Paul…
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Time for parties of the Canadian and Alberta right to deal with the violent extremists in their midst
PHOTOS: Nigel Farage, leader of the extremist U.K. Independence Party, at the 2013 Manning Conference in Ottawa. That’s former Australian prime minister John Howard with his back to the camera, for what it’s worth. Below: The target picturing Alber…
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Responding to Orlando
Can we talk about that which cannot be named? On June 12 forty-nine people were massacred at a nightclub in Orlando. Alberta’s political leaders expressed their horror at the senseless slaughter. All but one of the politicians recognized that the … Continue reading →
Alberta Politics: Government’s dismissal of Crown corporation’s board indicates NDP is paying attention to Alberta’s ABC sector
PHOTOS: Alberta Agriculture Minister Oneil Carlier seen walking through an angry crowd of Bill 6 protesters last fall, chatting with participants. Below: Brad Klak, suspended president of Alberta’s Crown-owned Agriculture Financial Services Corporati…
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Wildrose Party’s half-hearted apology to Ontario premier doesn’t mean much
PHOTOS: Wildrose Party Finance Critic and chief Legislative greeter Derek Fildebrandt, demonstrating a typical attitude. Below: Shocked and appalled critics Naheed Nenshi, mayor of Calgary, David Swann, Alberta Liberal leader, Greg Clark, Alberta Party…
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Who wants to lead Alberta’s PC Party?
A surprisingly strong turnout of 1,001 registered participants at last weekend’s Progressive Conservative Party annual general meeting in Red Deer gave party stalwarts a glimmer of hope for the third-place party but there remain some signific…
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Votaries of right-wing unity gather in Red Deer, vote to form yet another conservative party
PHOTOS: Progressive Conservative interim Leader Ric McIver and Wildrose Leader Brian Jean in a rare recent moment of amity at, but of course, the Manning Centre’s Ottawa beanfest for right wingers in February 2016. This snapshot, the only one of its …
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Don’t blame loudmouth extremist Craig Chandler for PC Leader Ric McIver’s troubles – they’re all his own
PHOTOS: Tory Dream Team, 2014 edition. From left to right, Jim Prentice, Ric McIver and Thomas Lukaszuk. You’ve got to admit, from the perspective of 2016, Mr. Lukaszuk is lookin’ pretty good, and not just because of the orange tie! Below: Extreme …
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: Alberta PCs to debate leadership changes, including delegated conventions
Activists from Alberta’s Progressive Conservative Party will be electing executive officers and debating amendments to their organization’s constituency at an annual general meeting on May 7, 2016 in Red Deer. After 44 years as government,…
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Where’s the beef? Alberta’s cattle industry is only getting what it ordered from Earls
PHOTOS: Where’s the beef? Not in Alberta, if this province’s beef industry can do anything about it. One thing this story has nothing to do with is small-time ranchers like the guy on the steer or independent restaurants like the one run by the mom…
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