TweetEducation Minister Jeff Johnson dispatched a letter to the Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) and the Alberta School Boards Association yesterday threatening salary cuts if a new contract is not agreed to before the provincial budget is released on March 7, 2013. Minister Johnson’s statement was made the same day that Premier
Continue readingTag: Thomas Lukaszuk
Alberta Diary: One single Alberta government bargaining agency is likely to end badly for Redford PCs
Premier Alison Redford, in lab coat, centre, and her Progressive Conservative cabinet get ready to bring Consolidated Bargaining to life. Actual Alberta politicians may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Albert Einstein, the well-known genius, and Charles Darwin, who gave us the idea for the Political Darwin Awards. Chances are
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Taxpayers and students have a right to know what’s happening at Athabasca University
Athabasca University from the air, with the town of Athabasca in the background. Below: Former VP Academic Margaret Haughey, President Frits Pannekoek and former VP IT Brian Stewart. What the heck is going on at Athabasca University? It was revealed to the university’s faculty earlier this week that four senior
Continue readingAlberta Diary: President’s memo cites executive reshuffle at Athabasca University
Athabasca University – safe for the moment, president says. Major executive changes have been made at Athabasca University, with the departure of several senior executives widely rumoured among university staff today. In an email to faculty sent early this afternoon, Athabasca University President Frits Pannekoek tried to reassure employees about
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Are Athabasca University’s days numbered?
TweetIs Athabasca University coming to an end? Government and institution officials say no, but sources say discussions are taking place that could alter the services provided by Alberta’s online distance learning university, including a potential merger with the University of Alberta. With a looming provincial budget and post-secondary institutions preparing
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Two rookies turfed from Tory cabinet.
TweetIn an unexpected move, Premier Alison Redford shuffled two rookie cabinet ministers out of her cabinet yesterday morning. Advanced Education & Enterprise Minister Stephen Khan (MLA St. Albert) and Tourism Minister Christine Cusanelli (MLA Calgary-Currie) were both appointed to cabinet in May 2012. Mr. Khan’s time in cabinet was largely seen
Continue readingAlberta Diary: ‘Leading thinkers’ to set Alberta’s new economic course lickety-split – and you’re not invited
Premier Alison Redford eyeballs an uninvited visitor to the province’s economic summit. Without the password, you’re not getting in. Below, Premier Redford and Deputy Premier Tom Lukaszuk present their bona fides at the door. Actual Alberta politicians may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below them: The premier’s communications director, Stefan
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Why wait? Read 2013’s shocking political headlines right now on Alberta Diary!
The Dagny Taggarts, a synchronized skating team from Ottawa get ready to do their popular routine, “Where Is John Galt?” Defence Minister Joan Crockatt is in the front row, second from right. Below: Senator Tom Flanagan; U of C economics student Kim Jong-un, in full Calgary drag; Deputy Premier Thomas
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Who are Alberta’s top MLAs of 2012?
TweetIt has become tradition on this blog that near the end of each year I publish a list of Members of Alberta’s Legislative Assembly who have been the best, worst, or most notable of the past year. Each year’s list has taken a different form and focus (see 2010 and
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics: Map: Alberta cabinet ministers catch the international travel bug.
Tweet“The Redford government spent more than half a million dollars on its trip to the London Olympics earlier this year, including about $113,000 in hotel rooms that were not used…” – Edmonton Journal reporter Keith Gerein According to the Journal, the $518,280 trip sent 29 Albertans to London including Tory
Continue readingAlberta Diary: The Annals of Alberta Labour Relations: Redford Government goes boldly where no Tory’s gone before
Some of the AUPE members who work at the Revera Riverbend facility in Edmonton, which ended yesterday when the Alberta government imposed a first-contract binding arbitration process and ordered an end to the strike. (AUPE Photo.) Below: Former AUPE President Dan MacLennan hams it up with former premier Ralph Klein.
Continue readingAlberta Diary: It’s summertime, and the livin’ is easy – especially if you’re Alison Redford
It’s just one long summer vacation for Alberta’s Tory family. Premier Alison Redford, possibly not exactly as illustrated, can be seen in the front seat of the Edsel at left. Below: The Wildrose Party on their way to summer school at Chestermere Slough; Kelley Charlebois; Thomas Lukaszuk. It’s summertime, and
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Thomas Lukaszuk Apologizes
…for tasteless FB Post: From here. And really that should be the end of it. Everyone says stuff that’s dumb, esp. on The Internet. Usually, just admitting that what you’ve said is dumb and saying sorry is the cure. Always worked for me, anyhow. Mr. Lukaszuk, the blogosphere forgives you…this
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Landslide Jokes, Like Jokes About Assassinating Politicians, Tend Not To Be Funny
Maybe he is one after all. This post was, incidentally, totally ripped off from here. PS. To be clear, this is not the slide that killed those people. Its the one that stranded all these people (now, thankfully, set loose again).
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: calgary stampede: the greatest political show on earth.
TweetThe Greatest Show on Earth, also known as the Calgary Stampede, kicked-off celebrating its 100th anniversary this weekend. Between the chuck wagons and rodeo clowns, politicians off all stripes will drop into Calgary over the next week to kiss babies and grill pancakes. Twitter was, well, atwitter with chatter comparing
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: The trouble with A-Bombs: if the blast doesn’t get you, the fallout just might
A typical Canadian reads the news from the Ottawa Press Gallery while Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney sends another email in the background. Below: Wildrose Party House Leader Rob Anderson; former federal PC leaders Joe Clark and Peter MacKay discuss the interesting pod marked “Return to Preston Manning” they
Continue readingAlberta Diary: The trouble with A-Bombs: if the blast doesn’t get you, the fallout just might
A typical Canadian reads the news from the Ottawa Press Gallery while Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney sends another email in the background. Below: Wildrose Party House Leader Rob Anderson; former federal PC leaders Joe Clark and Peter MacKay discuss the interesting pod marked “Return to Preston Manning” they
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Alberta Silly Season starts with fallout from Jason Kenney’s A-Bomb blast
Federal Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, centre, with Public Safety Minister Victor Toews, left, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, right, get ready to assure members of their party’s Alberta caucus they’ll be protected from a*****e visitors from their home province. Actual federal Tory ministers may not appear exactly as
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Alberta Silly Season starts with fallout from Jason Kenney’s A-Bomb blast
Federal Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, centre, with Public Safety Minister Victor Toews, left, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, right, get ready to assure members of their party’s Alberta caucus they’ll be protected from a*****e visitors from their home province. Actual federal Tory ministers may not appear exactly as
Continue readingdaveberta.ca - Alberta politics blog: did jason kenney deepen the conservative divide in calgary-centre?
Tweet In light of yesterday’s embarrassing missive by federal cabinet minister Jason Kenney about Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk, the race to become the Conservative Party candidate in the yet to be called Calgary-Centre by-election may get more interesting. Suggestions that the by-election could be defined by the deep schism between
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