Premier Alison Redford and an aide, at right, look on as Progressive Conservative caucus coup plotters try to remember if the signal to make their move is “Toga! Toga! Toga!” or “Tory! Tory! Tory!” Actual Alberta politicians may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Rumoured Redford replacements Gary Mar, Stephen Mandel
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daveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Alberta politics 2013: Big City Mayors
TweetA generational shift in Edmonton Framed as a lacklustre and uneventful campaign, local media and many mainstream pundits missed one of the most important stories of this year’s mayoral election in Edmonton. The city’s crusty local establishment has lamented for years about the constant stream of locally-raised young talent choosing
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Why I am supporting Don Iveson for mayor
TweetEdmonton has adopted a more ambitious attitude since Stephen Mandel became Mayor in 2004. I voted for Mr. Mandel in that election because he embodied an exciting and forward-looking change that contrasted sharply with the past decade of mediocre leadership. In many ways, I feel the same way about Don
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Mayoral election a race between Don Iveson and Kerry Diotte
TweetIt has become clear to this political watcher that Edmonton’s mayoral election has become a race between two candidates with distinct competing visions for Edmonton. And those two candidates are Don Iveson and Kerry Diotte. Don Iveson has positioned himself as the candidate who is looking beyond the status-quo and
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: PC Party tries to use mayor candidates as headliners for fundraiser
TweetIn a strange departure from the non-partisan politics of civic elections, it appeared for a moment today that three main candidates in Edmonton’s mayoral election were headlining a fundraiser for a Progressive Conservative Party constituency association. Municipal Affairs Minister Doug Griffiths was even slated as its host. Once the event
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Nomination Day: Edmonton civic election official starts today
TweetDedicated citizens across Alberta will gather this morning in town halls and community centres to submit their nomination forms to become official candidates in this year’s municipal elections. In the capital city, the excitement is taking place at Edmonton’s downtown City Hall. With three-term Mayor Stephen Mandel not seeking re-election,
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: #yegvote Google Hangout with Steven Dollansky
Tweet After a week-long break from the world of political writing and social media, I was happy to return just in time for yesterday’s sixth edition of the #yegvote Google Hangout. This week, Ryan Hastman and I were joined by guest Steven Dollansky, who sat in for Mack Male, who
Continue readingLeftist Jab: Edmonton Sun Successfully Trolls National Post
Edmonton mayor Stephen Mandel is too busy to know what he’s talking about The Edmonton Sun, a bottom feeding tabloid, majestically trolled National Post columnists Chris Selley and Jonathan Kay. Earlier this week in his “Full Pundit” column that comments on commentary from the commentariat, Chris Selley poked fun at
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Don Iveson brings new energy to Edmonton’s mayoral election.
TweetCouncillor Don Iveson announced his candidacy for mayor this week, rounding out the list of the most likely candidates expected to run for Mayor of Edmonton this year. Councillor Iveson has represented south Edmonton on city council for two terms and is well-known as an advocate of sustainability and smart
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Karen Leibovici launches Mandel 2013 campaign
TweetCouncillor Karen Leibovici launched her campaign for mayor of Edmonton at a press conference this morning at the CKUA building in downtown Edmonton. The four-term city councillor kicked-off her campaign by delivering a speech that sounded as if it should have been delivered by outgoing Mayor Stephen Mandel, had he
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Mandel’s retirement kicks-off Edmonton’s first open mayoral race in 45 years.
TweetEdmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel‘s announcement yesterday that he will not seek re-election in the October 21, 2013 election has made way for our city’s first real open mayoral contest in 45 years. Over those 45 years, Mandel is only the second Edmonton Mayor to leave on his own terms. In 1988,
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Kerry Diotte to launch run for Mayor of Edmonton?
TweetEdmonton City Council’s resident contrarian Kerry Diotte is holding a press conference this afternoon to announce his political future. In the wake of yesterday’s “final” vote on the proposed downtown arena project, it is expected that the former Edmonton Sun columnist could launch his campaign for Mayor today. Photos leaked
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Will Downtown Arena funding be issue #1 in Edmonton’s municipal elections?
TweetScrambling to fill $55 million in missing funding for the proposed Katz Group downtown arena, City Councillors voted last week to postpone any final vote on financing the project. Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel won the support of enough Capital Region politicians last week to potentially secure an extra $25 million
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Dave Colburn: How to save inner-city schools from suburban sprawl.
TweetBy Dave Colburn When the Edmonton Public School Board ended its two year moratorium on school closures in Nov. 2012 it generated a good deal of public discussion. Parents and communities wanted to know what this new world would mean for schools with falling enrolment. People speculated on whether this
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Leaked photos: Kerry Diotte’s mayoral campaign outed?
TweetHas Councillor Kerry Diotte‘s Mayoral ambitions been outed? Famous Edmonton-based photographer Con Boland posted these portraits of Councillor Diotte on his Facebook page today. Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel has yet to announce whether he will seek a fourth term in office. Tweet
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Bad planning: Edmonton Arena funding and Calgary urban sprawl.
TweetWhile too much media attention was focused this week on the fate of a statue of a hockey player who left Edmonton twenty-five years ago for sunny southern California (and piles of money), City Council desperately tried to draw up a Plan B (or Plan C) to fund the proposed downtown arena.
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Tories versus Wildrose: Year One in Alberta’s new political game.
TweetOn April 23, 2012, Alberta’s most hotly contested election in decades culminated with the re-election of the twelfth consecutive Progressive Conservative majority government since 1971. Despite holding the large majority elected MLAs, the popular vote showed Albertans were closely divided between Alison Redford‘s Tories who finished with 44% compared to
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Fake tuition freeze flops after Redford’s $147 million budget cut.
Tweet“We’ve been very clear that we will not be balancing the budget on the backs of students,” Premier Alison Redford told the media at a press conference yesterday. This statement is only partially true. The provincial government is not balancing the budget this year. Gathered to re-announced what Deputy Premier
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Can Stephen Mandel save Alberta’s Tories from a Wildrose win in 2016?
TweetFacing internal strife after a rough spring of budget cuts and deflating bitumen bubbles, Premier Alison Redford is desperately searching for political wins that will win-over Albertans in advance of the Progressive Conservatives mandatory leadership review in November. When the Premier and her entourage hit the road for their summer Winnebago tour, they will
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Can Stephen Mandel save Alberta’s Tories from a Wildrose win in 2016?
TweetFacing internal strife after a rough spring of budget cuts and deflating bitumen bubbles, Premier Alison Redford is desperately searching for political wins that will win-over Albertans in advance of the Progressive Conservatives mandatory leadership review in November. When the Premier and her entourage hit the road for their summer Winnebago tour, they will
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