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…
Ken Hughes
Redford’s Christmas cabinet shuffle
TweetAs reported yesterday on this blog, rumours that Ms. Redford would shuffle her cabinet before the Christmas break began to intensify this week. Today, those rumours proved to be true.…
A Christmas cabinet shuffle in Alberta?
TweetWith the Legislative Assembly’s fall sitting coming to an end, can some Progressive Conservative MLAs expect an early Christmas present from their leader, Premier Alison Redford? Nearly half-way through the…
More chaos at top of Alberta Health Services: CEO out after 1 month; 2-headed replacement found
Is this the management model in the Alberta Health Services executive suite? Actual Alberta health ministers or AHS administrators may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: AHS Administrator John Cowell,…
Who’s the boss? Fred Horne and Stephen Lockwood spar over AHS performance pay.
Tweet“Regardless of how people feel about the decision of the AHS board, I don’t think anybody would want me or a colleague to interfere with the terms of their employment…
AHS Chair Stephen Lockwood to Health Minister Horne on executive bonuses: ‘Drop dead, Fred!’
Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne: it’s hard to imagine how he can come out of this fight with Alberta Health Services Chair Stephen Lockwood not looking foolish or weak. Below:…
Ironies abound in Alberta’s agitated politics as Alison Redford cranks up the postage meter
How Albertans should see Progressive Conservative and Wildrose policies and procedures. Below: The clever Wildrose Facebook attack on PC Premier Alison Redford’s faintly unsavoury taxpayer-funded mail out, which makes it…
AHS chair to politicians: Do as I say, not as I do!
10-4 Good Buddy! Why is Stephen Lockwood, above, getting to drive this truck, while Chris Eagle’s got the airbrakes ticket? Just wondering. Senior Alberta Health Services officials may not appear…
Controversial Ottawa Tory operative now working for Wildrose Opposition.
TweetThe westward migration of Central Canada-based political operatives continues. Controversial former Ottawa Conservative staffer Sébastien Togneri is now employed as the Caucus Whip Coordinator for Danielle Smith‘s Wildrose Official Opposition.…
The real reason upgrading bitumen in Alberta ‘doesn’t make sense’
A bitumen processing plant near Fort McMurray, back in the day. Below: An actual bitumen bubble. The government of Alberta is “desperate” to get the province’s bitumen resources to market,…
Three investigations kick-off 2013 in Alberta politics.
TweetDespite winning a large majority in last spring’s provincial election, Alberta’s long-governing Progressive Conservatives had a rough ride in the media and on the floor of the Assembly last year.…
The Alberta Apocalypto: The world as you know it is about to end! Again…
Alberta Finance Minister Doug Horner gets ready to make a sacrifice to placate the mighty and angry Deficit God. Alberta politicians, not to mention the Legislative complex, may not be…
new alberta health services chairperson’s tory and wildrose connections.
TweetThe President and Co-CEO of a billion dollar oil and gas transportation and trucking company headquartered in Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith‘s Highwood constituency has been appointed as the new…
It’s semi-official… the Enbridge Northern Gateway project is kaput!
Enbridge Inc., as seen and described by the U.S. National Transportation Board. Below: Federal Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair, Alberta Opposition Leader Danielle Smith and B.C. Opposition Leader Christie Clark. No!…
albertans in the dark after rolling power blackouts.
TweetRolling power blackouts yesterday across Alberta have some politicians raising questions about the accountability of privately-operated electrical utility companies. The blackouts also reignited the long-standing debate over the construction of…
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…
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…