How Truth Dies
The UCP leadership race just began and already we’re being asked to choose between two conflicting versions of the truth. Jason Kenney says Brian Jean is a poor financial manager…
Alberta Health Care
What Does a “Free Enterprise” Leader Look Like?
Jason Kenney promises to return Alberta to prosperity if Albertans vote for his Wildrose/PC “free enterprise” party. Given the paucity of information around what his “free enterprise” party stands for,…
Never mind the evidence! Full speed ahead! An expert unpacks Alberta’s unending experiment in health care staffing
PHOTOS: Nursing professional responsibility advisor Joshua Bergman addresses UNA’s annual general meeting in Edmonton Wednesday (Dave Cournoyer photo). Below: Conservative premier Ralph Klein, whose government began the province’s long experiment…
The K-Bro Linen Flap
Would someone snap a wet towel at the Opposition please? The Opposition is upset because Sarah Hoffman, the Health Minister, wants to see a business case on alternatives before she…
How the Conservatives Spun Murray Edwards and Vicki Kaminski
This week the conservatives spun Murray Edwards’ decision to move to England and Vicki Kaminski’s decision to leave Alberta Health Services for a job in Australia to convince Albertans to…
Albertans will soon be able to ‘tap’ for ambulance service with new smartphone app
PHOTO: An artist’s rendering of what one of a new TAP-ulanceRX emergency care vehicle might look like. TAP-ulance Premium emergency vehicles will resemble conventional ambulances but offer a higher grade…
Five Resolutions for Rachel Notley
Ms Soapbox’s first round of New Year’s resolutions for a politician (Alison Redford) were ignored, but she’s a persistent soul and will try again. This time she’s prepared five resolutions…
Jim Prentice’s Budget: The Not-So-Subtle Language of Money
“There is no fortress so strong that money cannot take it.” — Cicero On Mar 24, 2015 Jim Prentice sent Albertans a message of such heartless cynicism that only the…
The Interview We Wish We Had With Premier Prentice on Budget 2015
“I believe we show who we are, and how much we care, by what we do.”—Stephen Harper, Canada’s prime minister In his March 24 “State of the Province Address” Mr…
Laurie Blakeman Takes a Symbolic Step…in the Wrong Direction
Crikey! On Friday Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman announced that she’ll be running as a candidate for the Liberals, the Alberta Party and the Greens in the upcoming election… …and on…
Mr Prentice: Premier or CEO?
“We have to do more with less. That will apply across the board. It will have to apply to the very good work , it will have to apply to…
The Sonic Boom: How Alberta Became an “Offshore Business” in the Pathology Market
Why does Stephen Mandel, the newly minted Minister of Health, think it’s a good idea for Alberta taxpayers to support the lifestyles of wealthy Australian businessmen who earn more than…
194 ABCs and Why They Matter
The other day on the campaign trail I met a Bearded Dragon. He was curled up in the arms of a little girl, blinking sleepily in the afternoon sun. He…
Jim Prentice’s First Week in Office–Straight out of the Corporate Playbook
“As of this moment, Alberta is under new management.” — Jim Prentice, 16th Premier of Alberta* Transition. There’s nothing more unsettling; no, strike that, nerve-wracking, for an organization than a…
How a “Fiscally Conservative” Government Facing a $20 Billion Debt Delivers on its Promises
“Tonight, we begin the work of advancing and protecting sound, conservative fiscal principles.” —Future Premier Jim Prentice, victory speech, Sept 6, 2014 It hasn’t escaped Ms Soapbox’s notice that the…
The Carpay Decision and a Canary
One can’t help but feel Dr Allen’s pain. In fact many of us have felt Dr Allen’s pain, although not to such a debilitating degree. Dr Allen is a 36…
The Buck Stops Here — Privacy 101 for Minister Horne — A guest blog by lawyer Brian Thiessen
Susan on the Soapbox welcomes her first guest blogger. Employment and privacy lawyer Brian Thiessen has a few words to say about a privacy breach that impacts 620,000 Albertans. The…
Wolves and Rabbits: The $3 billion RFP for Lab Services
I was slogging through Alberta Health Service’s Request For Proposals (RFP) for a 15 year $3 billion contract to provide lab services in the Edmonton area when the words of…
Running with Scissors: Another AHS CEO Bites the Dust
It’s like running with scissors. It’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt. On Oct 17, 2013, Duncan Campbell took over as interim CEO of Alberta Health Services,…