After the Big Zero, the Alberta Party awaits the Big Goodbye
Your blogger with Dave Taylor, back in 2010. Below: Glenn Taylor, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi and Chima Nkemdirim. While it’s true former Alberta Party MLA Dave Taylor never crossed a…
David J. Climenhaga
Zwozdesky’s in, Kowalski’s out and all’s right with the Tory universe
Gene Zwozdesky, Alberta’s new Speaker, with your blogger and a Speech from the Throne … though not today’s. This compliment may come out sounding a little more backhanded than intended,…
Alberta MLAs get down to work – sort of – later today
Bill 1? It’s a secret! Alberta MLAs may not be exactly as illustrated. It’s great work if you can find it! The first session of the 28th Legislature of Alberta…
Tories train their intellectual big guns on Tom Mulcair: if Rex Murphy fails, there’s always Don Cherry!
Prime Minister Stephen Harper (clutching the balloon, centre) sets off his attack on Opposition Leader Tom Mulcair, who is illustrated standing in the background. Beep-beep! Actual federal politicians may not…
Add ‘Dutch Disease’ to climate change as real phenomena denied by Stephen Harper’s neo-Conmen
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, above right, presents his petroleum-development policy package to members of his oil patch caucus. Industry-financed Western politicians may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: the real…
Opportunistic Conservative attack on green charities highlights tax abuses by Tory cronies
Charity: Right-wing think tanks and Ducks Unlimited are most certainly not exactly as illustrated. Below: Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and National Revenue Minister Gail Shea. Supporters of the Harper Government’s…
Rx for high Alberta health care costs: Not what the doctors ordered!
Alberta ponders how to increase physician productivity – house calls? Below: Health Minister Fred Horne, Alberta Medical Association President Linda Slocombe. Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne’s musings he just might…
Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel channels Henny Youngman: ‘Take my Opposition leader … Please!’
Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel and your blogger at a much warmer meeting than the one Wildrose Party Leader Danielle Smith had with His Honour yesterday. The guy with the cigarette…
What kind of message will Alison Redford send Stephen Harper in the next federal election?
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Calgary West MP Rob Anders plot the destruction of Alberta Premier Alison Redford and her Progressive Conservative Party. Warning: neo-Con Alberta politicians may not have…
The other shoe: Why the Globe’s ‘temporary leaves’ are likely to become permanent for some
One of the Globe and Mail’s senior copy editors writes a headline while a Pagemasters NA trainee looks on. Globe editors may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Globe Publisher…
A leaky paywall won’t keep the Globe and Mail afloat
Newspaper readers like these guys just don’t exist any more. Below: Globe and Mail Publisher Phillip Crawley, a typical Globe reader, who may not be exactly as illustrated. According to…
From the Annals of Diplomacy: Stephen Harper fires a Cannon at the Parisians
Prime Minister Stephen Harper fires a Cannon at the Parisians. Defeated Canadian politicians on their way to cushy appointments abroad may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Lawrence Cannon, François…
Alberta: Confederation’s biggest kid starts whining at first hint of opposition
“Put ’em up, put ’em up! I’ll fight you with one paw tied behind my back,” former Alberta premier Ed Stelmach tells Dalton McGuinty and Thomas Mulcair as Alberta Premier…
Everything new is old again in Alison Redford’s first post-election cabinet
Where’s Waldo? Yesterday’s official cabinet swearing-in photo. Who is missing? With roughly 40 per cent of its members new to a cabinet role – and 15 per cent of them…
Today’s cabinet appointments likely to disappoint Alberta’s ‘strategic’ voters
“What was I thinking?” A progressive Alberta elector contemplates what he’s wrought by voting “strategically” for the Redford Conservatives. Alberta voters may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Premier Redford.…
Black is the new Red: Why Stephen & Jason love Conrad more than they love Canadians
Powerful symbolism, no matter how you look at it: Lord and Lady Black. Below: Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Let’s be honest with ourselves, Canadians. Did any of us ever truly…
An Open Letter about Rob Ford to the City of Toronto, from the Rest of Canada
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, a political figure so big he has his own gravitational field! Toronto politicians may not appear exactly as illustrated. Dear Toronto: It’s time we had a…
Parks Canada carnage sideswipes Jasper with nary a peep from local Tory MP
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…
Jack Major’s wise counsel too sensible to be adopted in neo-conned Alberta
Premier Alison Redford contemplates Justice Jack Major’s recommendations on MLA compensation. Actual Alberta politicians may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Justice Jack Major. Former Supreme Court Justice Jack Major’s…