The rebellion that now has United Conservative Party Premier Jason Kenney looking as if his career is on the ropes is strongly reminiscent of the circumstances that brought Progressive Conservative Party premier Alison Redford’s political career to an end in 2014.
Ironically, both feature the “Sky Palace” as a powerful symbol of a premier’s arrogance, entitlement and disconnection from the lives of ordinary Albertans, not to mention the electoral fears of their own MLAs.
Both started in the populist wing of the province’s conservative movement, which found expression in Ms. Redford’s day as the Wildrose Party, an entity that had a real chance to grab power, and is driven today by a sub-group of former Wildrose MLAs in Mr. Kenney’s not-very-united Conservative Party.
Mr. Kenney’s news conference yesterday, ostensibly called to announce a referendum on Canada’s constitutionally entrenched equalization system and to serve as a platform for a quick apology for the premier’s boozy pandemic patio dinner last week, reminded me of Ms. Redford’s last efforts to change the channel on the scandals that engulfed her premiership.
To give Ms. Redford her due, though, at her news conference on March 11, 2014, eight days before she said she was resigning, she announced something of real substance – a $600-million light rapid transit extension for Edmonton.
The referendum announced by Mr. Kenney is essentially a meaningless stunt, originally conceived as a way to motivate the UCP base in Calgary to come out and vote against Mayor Naheed Nenshi in the Oct. 18 municipal election. With Mr. Nenshi no longer in the race and Mr. Kenney suffering a serious crisis of his own making, it was ready to stand in as a distraction to deflect some of the heat.
There was a whiff of panic both times as a governing Conservative party with a comfortable majority came to terms with what it could do about a problem premier who polling indicated threatened their comfortable future.
But as Ms. Redford discovered and Mr. Kenney may be learning, changing the channel not easy to do when significant parts of your own caucus have decided you may be a mortal threat to their political survival.
So yesterday, Mr. Kenney touted the referendum as a way for Albertans to “finally get a chance to tell the federal government that they’ve had enough of the unfair equalization program.” He forgot to mention he was part of the Conservative federal cabinet that cooked up and passed the current equalization formula.
He also tried to make the case that the referendum could result in real constitutional change. Experts contacted by the CBC dismissed this as nonsense, suggesting the referendum has zero chance of influencing meaningful change.
Nor does it speak well for the premier’s circumstances that he and Justice Minister Kaycee Madu had to rely for news conference backup on a couple of lightweight backbenchers who served on his so-called “Fair Deal” Panel last year.
Tany Yao, MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo, is best known nowadays for his mid-pandemic winter holiday in Mexico, where he apparently turned off his mobile phone and didn’t notice the premier’s orders for him to report back to Alberta. Banff-Kananiskis MLA Miranda Rosin is renowned for declaring the pandemic over in November 2020 in a mail-out to constituents.
As for the apology for the Sky Palace patio party, during which Mr. Kenney did admit that he and the three senior ministers at the event atop the Sky Palace broke some COVID-19 restrictions, the tone was perfunctory, the apology had that no-apology quality, and the time devoted to it was short, less than four minutes.
“For the past 16 months I have tried hard to observe the public health rules,” the premier said. “I thought it’s important for me to lead by example. But I have to admit, I haven’t always done that, perfectly.”
“I regret the perception this has created,” he said. (Emphasis added.) “Quite frankly, when somebody said, ‘Are you sure you should you be doing this, this was in public view,’ my response was, ‘Yes! We’re allowed to follow the rules’…”
But, he said later, “we have to set a higher example, a higher threshold of conduct, and so I want sincerely to apologize to my colleagues and to Albertans for letting you down.”
“I sincerely regret the decision at we made,” he went on, adding with a little smirk, “I just won’t be doing any social gatherings until we get into Phase 3…”
All the while, there were a few reporters waiting on the line, loaded for bear and not much interested in asking questions about the referendum scheme.
Questions begin at 21:50 in the Youtube recording, and the grilling Mr. Kenney received is telling.
A question asked by Dean Bennett of the Canadian Press, the reporter who coined the name “Sky Palace” back when it was to be a private residence for Ms. Redford, illustrates the mood of the Press Gallery: “You were gaslighting, premier. You did it, and now, you’re going to apologize today, not because it’s wrong but because you’re facing a mini revolt in your cabinet and caucus. Is that true, sir?”
Mr. Kenney said it wasn’t.
Former Wildrose leader returns to the fray, assails premier
Also yesterday, former Wildrose leader Brian Jean stepped back into the fray, shouting in ALL-CAPS in a Facebook Post that “for the good of the UCP, for the good of Alberta, it is time for Jason Kenney to resign.”
It’s hard to agree with everything Mr. Jean had to say, especially his hyperbolic predictions of catastrophe for Alberta if the NDP led by Opposition Leader Rachel Notley returns to power, but he got this part right: “This government likes to fight too much. Too often they are fighting Albertans for no reason other than the government’s poor attitude.
“The Premier seems to think that everyone who isn’t 100% loyal to Jason Kenney is an enemy of this government. This brutal attitude has migrated its way into the political staff who still support Kenney and many of his ministers. It leaves you with the impression that many people at the top levels of this government don’t actually like Albertans.”
Mr. Jean said he recently commissioned a poll that “shows that the NDP would win a resounding majority government if an election were held right now. They would win all the seats in Edmonton and area, they would win all but a handful of seats in Calgary and they would split the rest of the province with the UCP.”
Referendum call – good for the gander, why not for the goose?
Meanwhile, Edmonton public school board trustee Michael Janz, now a candidate for Edmonton City Council in Ward papastew, had some fun with the premier’s referendum scheme.
In a news release sent to media last night, Mr. Janz said he will introduce a motion calling on Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson to add two plebiscite questions to the ballot in the Edmonton municipal and Senate elections.
One would ask Edmontonians if they think the province should eliminate its education funding equalization formula, which results in fewer dollars going to Edmonton students.
The other would give the city’s voters the opportunity to reject the province’s controversial kindergarten–to–Grade 6 curriculum and demand a rewrite.
“We’re not asking for a special deal, just a fair deal,” Mr. Janz said, mimicking the premier’s pitch. “Jason Kenney’s equalization program is not fair for children. Despite their promise to maintain or increase funding for education, they have instead introduced a new formula that punishes growing Edmonton Schools. We expect 2,700 new students next year without one additional dollar to educate them.”
“School boards across Alberta have refused to pilot the draft K-6 curriculum, but the minister remains intent on implementation,” he added. “Edmontonians will finally have the opportunity to be heard.”
Mr. Janz will give notice of his motion at today’s school board meeting.
Perhaps Kenney thought being Premier meant never having to say you’re sorry. Well, not exactly. His former boss Harper did have an aversion for saying sorry too, but was generally more cautious in not screwing up quite so spectacularly. It is as if Alberta right wingers believe they can still get away with anything and still stay in power, whereas the Federal ones are not so deluded.
I suspect it took the threat of more MLAs and Ministers resigning to finally drag a half hearted apology out of Kenney. However, like the Redford era, I wonder if anything has been learned or will be forgotten from all of this. Mr. Jean’s comments about Kenney were quite insightful, but he really should stick to just commenting about what he knows about best.
A forced apology can seem perfunctory and insincere. I am not sure if the delay is due to stubborn pride, political miscalculation or some combination of both In any event, I am not sure at this point an apology can still repair the damage for Kenney, or if that moment has now passed Perhaps, the good news is he now has a better idea of who his enemies in his own party are. The bad news is that after this drawn out saga the list has become longer.
“He forgot to mention he was part of the Conservative federal cabinet that cooked up and passed the current equalization formula.”
Exactly, but what else would you expect from a pathological liar? He relies on no one checking his blather for facts.
We watched the cringeworthy “apology” about the patio fandango on the news. Only when there was no other choice but to stop lying did kenney admit he lied about breaking his own rules, but no big deal, eh? “Sorry about that” doesn’t cut the mustard.
If he ever gets to the national stage, where people not pathologically addicted to oil and Jesus and rewritten history inhabit the countryside, he’s a sitting duck for being ridiculed. Smarmy unctuous pr*ck out for himself is all he is. And to hell with everyone else.
Brian Jean? Well, honestly, he cannot speak logically in public any time I’ve heard him, and is a bit of a ranter. Who knows if he’s a decent guy? A leader? Hmm. And the rest of the UCP MLAs worried about their nice little sinecure coming to an end don’t strike me as being the sharpest knives in the drawer. Hand-picked by kenney to show him in his best light is about the best you can say of them.
This is really all you need to know:
“Mr. Kenney touted the referendum as a way for Albertans to “finally get a chance to tell the federal government that they’ve had enough of the unfair equalization program.” He forgot to mention he was part of the Conservative federal cabinet that cooked up and passed the current equalization formula.”
Kenney asking Albertans to vote against Kenney !
The head honcho of the UCP party got caught, and is now offering the weakest of apologies for defying the Covid-19 rules he and the UCP gave Albertans to follow. While there are some UCP MLAs who spoke out against the Sky Palace pretend work event, it can be seen from two different angles. These UCP MLAs are showing the UCP are divided. Or they are trying to save the UCP’s hindquarters from being kicked from angry Albertans. Dr. Deena Hinshaw has been manipulated so much by the UCP, that she won’t even condemn the Sky Palace fiasco. The Covid-19 matter in Alberta isn’t over yet. It’s likely, due to the UCP’s bungling on this issue before, that cases will shoot right back up. Alberta will be back where it was before, leading the nation, and even the continent with the per capita amount of Covid-19 cases. This will happen very quickly.
The equalization payment issue by the premier of Alberta, (that title he has is still in question) is another diversionary tactic to deflect from the UCP’s poor performance. It is also a coincidence, that it has been brought up, because the UCP have done a lousy job of looking after Alberta’s finances. In fact, the conservative devotees in Alberta were fed that same lie by Ralph Klein, that Alberta sent money to Ottawa. Brian Jean also fed that lie to Albertans. That never happened. The Alberta PCs did so many whopping shenanigans, that left Alberta in the poorhouse. This started when they blatantly disregarded what Peter Lougheed was doing right for Alberta, by not collecting the proper oil royalty rates, collecting proper corporate tax rates, and doing so many other pricey blunders. $575 billion has been lost from getting the worst oil royalty rates. $260 billion, and likely more, is what Albertans have to ante up to rectify the damages these oil companies were allowed to get away with making. $150 billion, and quite likely more, has been lost from having abysmal tax policies, including the flat tax, and very bad corporate tax rates. There have also been many other pricey blunders, that cost Albertans so much money over the years. Billions upon billions were lost. What have the UCP done? Much of the same, with more very pricey shenanigans. As an example, the UCP had corporate tax cuts that were $10 billion. These corporate tax cuts were supposed to spur employment and investment, but the trickle down economics success idea, turned out to be a big failure, as history has shown in other jurisdictions of the globe, such as in the state of Kansas, in America. Less money in Alberta’s coffers. As a reflex action, and a foolish one at that, the UCP cries that Ottawa owes Alberta money, due to some imbalanced funding system, which is malarkey. The UCP has done a whole lot more than $10 billion, as far as expensive shenanigans go. The premier of Alberta, (and Brian Jean were in the CPC) and they had a role in creating the present equalization payment system Canada now has. Why is he upset about a system that he conjured up? Is his memory that short? In conclusion, Albertans were basically duped by the UCP, fed a bunch of lies, and Albertans have to live with the consequences, which will be very hard to do.
You nailed it: “In conclusion, Albertans were basically duped by the UCP, fed a bunch of lies, and Albertans have to live with the consequences, which will be very hard to do.” What you failed to add is that Albertans are so easily duped -over and over again. By any measure, Premier Redford is head and character above the dilettante in the office today: She is educated, he is a drop out, she has a profession, he is opportunist wannabe, she is a parent and struggled through some challenges, she is at the core a decent person, he is vile/evil, she did the right thing for Albertans in the end, he does whatever profits him and bolsters his ego. If Premier Redford is remembered for one thing it will be her increase to AISH recipients, he will be remembered for nothing but failure, scorched earth, and and even bigger stain on Alberta right wing . She stood up to stand down, he is kid in a candy store stuffing his pockets. In conclusion, Albertans have been duped (again).
TENET: I know that Albertans are easily fooled, again and again.
Anonymous: brilliant as usual. The UCP policy on pretty much everything seems to echo this ad on climate change from Australia.
https://youtu.be/6BmbvTvFQ3g
ANON: Here are some latest developments that would ire the UCP.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/06/09/2244216/0/en/Canada-s-largest-oil-sands-producers-announce-unprecedented-alliance-to-achieve-net-zero-greenhouse-gas-emissions.html
https://financialpost.com/commodities/energy/oil-gas/enbridge-sells-quebec-gas-distributor-stake-for-940-million
Anonymous: Regarding the link about net-zero from the collective of Tar Sands producers. I’m not sure carbon capture and storage is much more than green-washing. After all what this means is throwing away some 85% of the energy in the coal/tar/oil/gas as wasted heat and claiming the balance is net-zero. TransAlta spent almost one billion on this some years ago on a coal fired electrical plant. It went from 40% efficient down to less than 15%. To their credit they did not take the other billion Stelmach put on the table because the basic physics meant it could never be made economic. In the late 1970s there was a similar CCS project at a sour gas plant NW of Calgary that showed dubious results about its sustainability. I doubt this new bunch will find some magic bullet to overcome the basic thermodynamic limitations in CCS. This idea seems to be something fossil-captured governments around the world love to embrace.
PS: I also very much enjoy your observations.
ANON: The hits just keep on coming to the UCP, and Albertans end up paying for it.
https://financialpost.com/commodities/energy/oil-gas/tc-energy-terminates-keystone-xl-pipeline-project
A referendum with no likelihood of influencing anything. Is this grand gesture of political masturbation kenney’s legacy before he begins imitating Mike Duffy at the conservative banquet trough. Good riddance!
“…this grand gesture of political masturbation…”
AP comments are always a good read; some days even better than others. Thanks, Mark.
Apologizing about a lack of personal regard to follow public restrictions is so out of character for Kenney. But then jumping into a distraction over equalization is the Kenney we all know and hate.
Missed you, little buddy.
Of course, it’s laughable that Kenney is saying a referendum is just the ticket to shove Ottawa around. Sure. Sure. And whose army is going to help?
Unless Kenney is going to go on about that Maclean’s cover article about The Resistance is still a thing, this is just going to be another sad comedy.
Then David Staples writes a fawning piece praising Kenney’s wisdom and courage, and we’ll return to slapstick again.
We have reached the craziest of times in Kenney’s term, as he continues to lie and attempts to deflect from his self inflicted blunders. Really, who can believe a word he says?? That he would say he had the infamous “budget” Jameson’s bottle since his 30th birthday was another whopper. He cannot keep up with his own lies, that now own him.
Kudos to Dean Bennett who remains vigilant with his meaningful questions and refuses to be cowed by the blustering premier. It’s time for the press to be in actual attendance at these pressers again, masked and ready to push back on the nonsense that has evolved in the current two questions system, which has allowed the premier (his flunkies and CMOH) to have the final say and advantage.
Has anyone heard what time the next Kenney PC will be held? You know the one, held at a landscaping company in an industrial park on the edge of the city, near a sex shop, a crematorium and a jail. “Make Alberta Rake Again”.
How could anyone expect a sincere apology from a man who cheated to become leader of the UCP, lied to purloin the premiership, stole the Teachers’ pension fund, gambled away Albertan’s money and downplayed the pandemic?
I think that some good for Canada will come out of this Kenney train wreck.
I have always held the belief that Alberta was just a short stepping stone to the winning the Federal Conservative leadership. It became more real as O’Toole et al have stumbled along.
Kenney, much to his chagrin, will no longer be able to enter this leadership contest as the hero of Alberta. Not even close. The baggage that he will carry from his disastrous time in Alberta should either prevent him from running altogether or substantially reduce his support and his chances of being successful.
As a Canadian, I see this as the silver lining to a very dark cloud.
It might not have been Kenney’s most disingenuous presser, but I think it was easily his most pathetic.
His opening volley, his proposed referendum on federal equalization, was fired on a trajectory high enough to distract, over the heads of most of his support (erstwhile, tepid, or other)—but if some of the lower shot penetrated through ears, it would be into heads empty of constitutional law which totally precludes Albertans or anybody else from tinkering with the 1982 Constitution Act (which Kenney, the constitutional expert, even mentioned by name).
It’s possible the referendum timing was intended to beggar Calgary Mayor Nenshi’s expected re-election bid, maybe even that the Mayor announced he will not be running this fall precisely to foil this attempted sabotage, but equalization has been an Alberta beef for a long time—it just died down a little when Stephen Harper’s Conservative government of which Kenney was a cabinet minister (both were Alberta MPs) set the new formula for actually maintaining it. If all Kenny’s got in his arsenal is stuff like this and a lame promise to open up Alberta for Stampede, Covid be damned, he’s got serious trouble.
But reporters present did not dwell on the poor health of the United Conservative Party as they might have—that appears to be safe for another day. Rather they laid in on K-Boy’s second topic, a gallingly insincere ‘apology’ in which every point was attached to an excuse of some kind. His repeated mention of dining “in the open” or fully “in public” was intended to show how he and his dinner guests were so confident of their compliance with safe distancing rules everybody else has to observe—even though it was photographed clandestinely with a telephoto lens at a very safe distance while the subjects dined—not safely distanced or masked— atop the “Sky Palace” tower where all present assumed they wouldn’t be seen. But Kenney did apologize in a quick sentence —before diving back into disingenuousness. All in all, it was easily the worst presser ever.
The apology did not have the abject quality sincere ones should. It couldn’t have, not preceded by such high-flying tripe as equalization, or followed, point by point, with the-dog-ate-my-homework excuses. It might have been a turning point the UCP badly needs, now halfway through its maiden mandate. Instead, the wounds of recent caucus criticisms presented former Wildrose leader Brian Jean (whom K-Boy cheated out of the leadership of the newly-formed UCP) with the perfect opportunity to rub in some salt. The fact that the NDP Opposition would thrash the UCP if an election were held today was sufficient premise for Jean to call for Kenney’s resignation. That had to sting: another volley from the Wildrose half of Kenney’s supposedly “united” conservative party.
As we watch with gleeful “horror” at the Republican Party tearing itself apart after the disastrous Trump term, the UCP equivalent to the GOP’s caucus chair (in the House of Representatives where the third-ranking party member, Liz Chaney, was fired for rejecting Trump’s “stolen election” lie) has joined in the criticisms of premier Kenney. How can anyone not diagnose the UCP as very unhealthy?
With just two years left, a time when most governing parties have successfully put the difficult policies behind them and start cruising towards the next election with confidence and plenty of cookies for their constituents, the UCP appears beset with problems, within and without, and all we can see is Kenney: having already disappointed the Wexiteers, and now the Wildrose faction, he looks pretty bad right now.
I get the feeling—from over the mountains where Covid numbers are dropping on the Big Island like a stone—that most Albertans, particularly urban Albertans, have resigned to hunkering down much like most Americans did during the final two years of Trump’s single term. I think that’s good: they’re safer that way. And the future looks bright ahead. Minus one premier, of course. Yet it even remains doubtful that that subtraction could save this severely rent party.
Things won’t be easy, but if Albertans can get through Covid and Kenney, they can surely transition and diversify their economy. The UCP episode has been a complete and total bust. With K-Boy as leader, I can’t see it succeeding.
Good luck, my Alberta friends. And stay safe: only two years to go!
With a tip ‘o the hat to Rick Mercer who originally brought the correct perspective to this nonsense …
Perhaps the referendum could seek to change Kenney’s name to Doris Day. 😉
It’s quit obvious that Kenney is trying to hide the horrible financial mess he is creating by trying to take the ignorant minds off him and put it on equalization payments by trying to blame it on Ottawa. But it’s not working the majority of Albertans and Canadians are not buying it.
We know that Equalization payments are based on what a province is capable of producing in the way of taxes and other revenues and with Alberta’s massive oil base that these phony conservatives have been giving away I doubt Canadians are going to be dumb enough to think we deserve any handouts from the rest of Canada. We certainly didn’t need them when Lougheed was running the show properly.
ALAN K. SPILLER: You certainly have it correct!
So our man Jason of a short line of Jason’s, is playing what he thinks are fish. I’ll be the last to tell you! People are not fish! My people were late to the land grab. They arrived in the post time after the first best war time around 1919. Even they now wonder (after buying their neighbour’s original homestead land) at why they work for seed and machinery. How many family farms have been propped up to be destroyed by conservative policies! Now. Take a moment. Apply a metric. Tell me. How many non corporate controlled family farms are left? Show a number. I do miss farmer what’s his name! https://youtu.be/HTMvtII8Elk
Harper and Kenney designed the current Provincial Equalization program.
Kenney came west and sold it to Albertans as a good thing.
That was then, this is now. So now, it is the worst disaster since the Titanic.
Kenney needs a diversion (more like a miracle). This is not it. ALberta voters may not be smart, but they are certainly not as stupid as Kenney hopes they are.
I can’t google anything:
jason kenney equalization
Feb. 6, 2006 – Nov. 4, 2015
https://www.google.com/search?q=jason+kenney+equalization&client=ubuntu&channel=fs&tbs=cdr:1,cd_min:2/6/2006,cd_max:11/4/2015&ei=a9zAYNGCMsri-gSotrOwCg&start=10&sa=N&ved=2ahUKEwiR5PCa7YrxAhVKsZ4KHSjbDKYQ8NMDegQIARA_&biw=1529&bih=876
I am just leaving this here so KD might listen to it. This is my Canada! The most most pure and sweet honey of a voice. Just like KD! https://youtu.be/TBzyo0lY_As?t=28
I am just leaving this here so KD might listen to it. This is my Canada! The most most pure and sweet honey of a voice. Just like KD! https://youtu.be/vyzYUAPcURE?t=63
Just a side note to Mr. dancing shoes aka Brian Jean’s reappearance in the press. He feels the premier’s ” poor attitude is motivating huge numbers of Albertans to hold their nose and reluctantly support the NDP”. Another insult to the electorate! This is from another two bit tory who would demean voters rather than actually make a statement of intent, or surprise us all for goodness sake, and actually say just something thoughtful and meaningful.
My breath is constantly held when downwind of conservatives. All types of cons. The PC type, UCP type, Reform type, CPC type, WCC type, Wexit type, PPC type , CHP type and all other similarly aligned twilight zone dwelling groups and individuals of the nutjob variety.
A paraphrased quote from Brian Jean just before the 2015 election: “Polls are showing that we are likely to have an NDP government after the election. And I don’t think that’s what the people of Alberta want.”
So evidently he didn’t get the connection between public opinion polls and public opinion. Oy.
My hope of hopes is that Kenney maintains the same senior political advisors and the same communications team that he has had for the past two years. Keep it up boys and girls.
And I hope they keep telling Kenney, hour after hour, day after day, and in every way, what a true genius he really is, what a natural populist leader he is. And that despite that false poll data he really does have the support of all Albertans. Plus of course that the real problem is the right wing media and of course Mr. Trudeau and Mr. Horgan. The votes will understand and will vote him in with an increased majority. Then he can really put those nasty Wildrosers in their place.
This reminds me of the punch line where a woman and her lover had just had sex and the woman asks “what shall we call the baby?” The man holds up the condom he used and “says if he gets out of this let’s call him Houdini “.
All I’ll say about Kenney’s crocodile-tears apology is, the man’s performance would be pathetic if it wasn’t so disgusting.
Brian Jean’s sudden reappearance isn’t cause for celebration, either. He was reasonably effective at high dudgeon while Opposition leader, but he was opposing the slightly-less-right Old Tories. (He went to full-on outrage while opposing Notley’s NDP, of course.) Still, his comments on Kenney’s attitude are exactly right—Kenney equates the government, and Alberta, with himself. Any attack on ANY—Kenney, government, or Alberta—is a personal attack on Kenney himself. That doesn’t make Brian Jean much better, though. Another Harper retread, his only advantage over Kenney is that Brian Jean moved to Alberta so young (age 4, according to Wikipedia) that he can be considered a home-grown Albertan.
But then there’s Michael Janz—intelligent, hard-working, seems like a nice guy. If nothing else, he’s got a sense of humour. I hope his referendum questions go ahead, it’s the perfect answer to Kenney’s arrogant gaslighting.
It’s interesting that Premier Crying & Screaming Midget has revealed that Alberta is below first-dose targets, with thousands of appointment going empty. Efforts are underway to bump up the numbers, but it looks like whoever is still left to take the vaccine doesn’t want it.
Looks like Kenney’s endless efforts to downplay the pandemic, then to impose barely enforced restrictions, then half-heartedly enforced restrictions has tired out Alberta. Now, he’s threatening to move the province back to Stage 1 and delay reopening.
The gaslighting and non-stop lying has taken its toll on the public trust. Antivaxxers are emboldened to never take the vaccine, while those that oppose all restrictions are just waiting to smash Kenney’s hopes and dreams.
Will the Calgary Stampede happen? Yes. It will happen, with the vaccination numbers or without. It will be a first-rate shite show and an impressive superspreader event.
Seems Albertans are willing to court disaster just to send Kenney packing.
I’m looking forward to the showdown where the Angry & Screaming Midget blows his cool and yells, “It’s always been better in Ontario!”
You don’t need to be a genius to figure out that since Ralph Klein these phoney conservatives have been nothing but Reformers and don’t give a damn about anyone other than themselves and their rich friends. The purpose of looking after the rich is to buy votes , just like Ralph Klein did.
One of the first things Kenney did was to eliminate the NDPs restrictions on donations so we knew what he was planning . This guy is a real weasel and will do anything to keep living off taxpayers money. He has now belonged to three different political parties and there is certainly nothing conservative about him.
We have watched Reformers Stephen Harper, Preston Manning, Brian Jean, Daniele Smith, Jim Prentice and Andrew Scheer all get defeated in elections and not one of them has been smart enough to suggest the obvious , we should be following Lougheed’s example of collecting proper royalties and taxes and running this province properly. Their lie “ We don’t have a revenue problem, only a spending problem” isn’t being believed anymore. People have finally realized they were being treated like morons.
Mr. Spiller: I don’t believe Jim Prentice was ever a Reformer. DJC
Looked him up on Wikipedia. He joined the old federal PC Party in 1976 — which, if memory serves, was the year Joe Clark was elected PC Leader. In 1986 he ran for the provincial PCs in Calgary Mountain View & lost to the NDP’s Bob Hawkesworth. In the early 90s he had a back-office job in the federal PC Party office.
Then, in 2002, “Prentice first ran for Parliament as the nominated Progressive Conservative candidate in a spring by-election in the riding of Calgary Southwest that followed the retirement of Preston Manning as the riding’s Member of Parliament (MP). When newly elected Canadian Alliance leader Stephen Harper replaced nominated CA candidate Ezra Levant in the by-election, Prentice withdrew from the race, following common practice to allow a party leader to win a seat uncontested” [from the Wikipedia article]. He contested the federal PC leadership in 2003 as a supporter of the “United Alternative” movement, but lost on the 4th ballot to Peter MacKay, who opposed the UA (but went on later that year to merge the PCs with the Canadian Alliance anyway).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Prentice
So, while he may have become a supporter of the “unite the right” idea in the early years of this century, he was never truly a Reformer.
No wonder Jason Kenney calls Jameson “budget” whiskey. His alleged favorite restaurant allegedly serves $55 alleged hamburgers. Allegedly. Makes one remember what happens to politicians who expense $16 orange juice.
Next up: show us the expense account details. Blowing $1.3B on a pipe dream doesn’t make fiscal CON-servatives quite as angry as racking up the tab on overpriced orange juice.