Will the last person to leave Jasper please turn out the lights? A view of Beauvert Lake, near the Jasper townsite, as the sun sets. Below: Anchors Aweigh! There’ll be nothing at all like this for the good people of Jasper from their Conservative MP, Rob Merrifield. Rob who? Where’s
Continue readingTag: Wildrose Party
David Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Assessing Alison Redford and Danielle Smith: one minute you’re a hero and the next you’re a bum!
Wellington rallies his troops during the Battle of Waterloo. “The nearest run thing you ever saw in your life.” Below: I think you’ve all seen enough photos of Alison Redford and Danielle Smith, so here are Wellington and Harold Wilson. All things being equal, if Alison Redford’s party had emerged
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Thank You Link Byfield
…one of the Wildrose party’s “trouble” candidates: As a personal note, Joanne and I are thrilled to have met so many fine new friends. Together we can all be proud that we fought a clean campaign, we almost won, and we will win next time. And I’m sure Alison Redford
Continue readingTrashy's World: Friday miscellany…
… no particular theme edition… ================================================================================== A big problem with social media is that it gives idiots, racists, bigots, misogynists, etc., a tool to spew their ignorant venom. And such was the case the other night after Joel Ward scored in OT to knock the Bruins put of the NHL
Continue readingFive of Five: Morton, Hinman and Some Bickering
The last pre-election message on Ted Morton’s website: To our Supporters: Thank you for supporting me and the PC Party—a party that has madeAlbertathe best place to work, to live and to raise a family. As your MLA for Chestermere-Rocky View, I will work for you to keep it that
Continue readingWildrose Voters got Cold Feet
In the days after Alberta’s engaging general election for the 28th legislature, everyone is talking about the polls – specifically how wrong they were. And while they did not accurately predict the outcome of the election, it is hard to suggest that the methodology was wrong. The polls, regardless of method employed,
Continue readingWildrose Voters got Cold Feet
In the days after Alberta’s engaging general election for the 28th legislature, everyone is talking about the polls – specifically how wrong they were. And while they did not accurately predict the outcome of the election, it is hard to suggest that the methodology was wrong. The polls, regardless of method employed, were pretty consistent with each … Continue reading Wildrose Voters got Cold Feet →
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Why the Wildrose Party is not long for this world
The Wildrose Party Whip gets ready to get the Opposition caucus under control. Alberta politicians may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Danielle Smith, Tom Flanagan, Joe Anglin, Dr. Gilles Tourette. The Wildrose phenomenon will disappear from the Alberta political scene almost as quickly as the party’s leader took a
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Shift happens, but not this fast – trying to understand Alberta’s wonky polls
Shift happens: An Alberta pollster runs down the road looking for a crowd of Albertans to survey. Nothing in sight, however. Below: Premier Alison Redford and Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith. Whatever went wrong with those notorious pre-election Alberta public opinion polls, it’s not, as many pollsters now appear to be
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: Deconstructing the Wildrose Effect
So what happened in Alberta’s election yesterday, other than people telling pollsters that they want change, then chickening out when it came time to mark an X. The Politics, Re-spun crew deconstructs the Wildrose effect here: Are you surprised that the Wildrose Party did not win? No. Discontent polls well,
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Wildrose defeat shows the limits of social conservatism in Canada
Alberta is Canada’s most right leaning province. The Wildrose party is a further right splitting of the long dominant right leaning party in Alberta. If there is anywhere that the most extreme socially conservative positions are going to be uttered, it is from the Wildrose party. However, if we look
Continue readingAlbertans reject retreat
During her concession speech last night, Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith stated that Albertans just needed more time to get to know her party. In fact, that was why Wild Rose lost so surprisingly—Albertans got to know her party. Midway through the campaign, Wildrose was sailing. At 40 per cent
Continue readingRed Tory v.3.0.3: A Red Tory Victory in Alberta!
Well, go figure. Who would have thought that a resurgence of the “Red Tory” political brand would occur in, of all places, Alberta? For weeks now, right-wing pundits across the land have been viciously excoriating the Alberta PCs for being “Red Tories” and for having drifted so far to the
Continue readingdjkelly.ca: #abvote Predictions
What’s an election without a couple of predictions? And to avoid any of that “I said that would happen!”/”No you didn’t!” stuff I thought I’d write down a few of mine. (And instead revel in the multiple “Boy, was that guy way off!” that will no doubt come my way.) So
Continue readingRed Tory v.3.0.3: Time for a Change
After four continuous decades in power during which time the ruling Progressive Conservative party was virtually unchallenged in any serious fashion, is it any wonder that so many Albertans are apparently now so eager for a change? Given the inevitable “throw the bums out” impetus amongst the normally feckless electorate
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Another Day, Another Wildrose Kook
In a news release, the Buddhist Society says [Wildrose candidate John] Oplanich then violated its tranquility “through bullying, intimidation and threats.” As well as directly criticizing the Buddhist faith, threatening to call the RCMP, and warning about funding the Society receives through the government. Looks like they’re still going to
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: It’s election day and Alison Redford’s hole card is all she has left: Is it an ace or is it junk?
Alberta Premier Alison Redford, not exactly as illustrated notwithstanding the Stetsons, has only one good card left to play. Is it an ace, or is it junk? We’ll find out tonight. Below: The real Ms. Redford and Danielle Smith. As Albertans head to the polls today with large numbers of
Continue readingDavid Climenhaga's Alberta Diary: Why and how the Wildrose ‘wait time guarantee’ adds up to two-tier health care
Don’t expect the quality of health care in Alberta to improve because of a “wait-time guarantee” – unless you can pay. If you, dear reader, are one of the thousands of Albertans who has come to the conclusion the Wildrose Party’s health care wait-time guarantee sounds like a pretty good
Continue readingWill recall remain a priority for a Wildrose government?
Democratic reform is a popular part of opposition party platforms, especially for populist parties who are trying to toss out a long standing party in power that is seen to have accountability issues. And so it goes for the 2012 Alberta general election. The Wildrose party is attempting to push aside the Progressive Conservatives whom … Continue reading Will recall remain a priority for a Wildrose government? →
Continue readingWill recall remain a priority for a Wildrose government?
Democratic reform is a popular part of opposition party platforms, especially for populist parties who are trying to toss out a long standing party in power that is seen to have accountability issues. And so it goes for the 2012 Alberta general election. The Wildrose party is attempting to push
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