The surprising turnaround by the Prentice Government on gay-straight alliances in publicly funded schools is certainly a victory for common sense and the common decency of most Albertans. But the government’s unexpected decision to permit the passage on March 10 of legislation requiring all schools to let GSAs operate on school property if students felt […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Call the cops and clear the air: the PC Party cannot investigate accusations of criminality against its own member
PHOTOS: It’s time to pick up the phone and call in the cops. Below: Former Prentice cabinet member Naresh Bhardwaj, former Alberta premier Alison Redford, former Calgary Police chief Rick Hanson. Sorry, but it’s time to call in the police to investigate the bribery accusations against an MLA who was until last Friday a junior […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Guest Post: 44 years and counting … Alvin Finkel asks, Can Alberta’s Tories be stopped?
ILLUSTRATIONS: Election time in Alberta. Actual Progressive Conservative strategists and Alberta voters may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Retired Athabasca University history professor Alvin Finkel. A few months ago, I offered Alvin Finkel and a few other folks I respect the opportunity to write guest posts from time to time on what was then […]
Posted inCanadian Politics
Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander delivers a troubling speech on Ukraine
PHOTOS: Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander begins his address to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in Toronto on Feb. 22 (Screenshot from Youtube video). Below: Andriy Parubiy, deputy chairperson of the Ukrainian parliament, meets Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson in Ottawa; retired Canadian diplomats Paul Heinbecker and Jeremy Kinsman. One of the principal talking […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Will it take a miracle to elect New Democrat Marie Renaud as St. Albert’s MLA? Maybe, but you just never can tell …
PHOTOS: NDP candidate Marie Renaud at yesterday’s St. Albert constituency association meeting. Below: Constituency association president Andrew Traynor and St. Albert Progressive Conservative MLA Stephen Khan. ST. ALBERT, Alberta Miracles do happen, or something close to them, Marie Renaud said Saturday at a remarkably well-attended Alberta New Democratic Party meeting in St. Albert’s community recreation […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Prentice had little choice but to skid cabinet member accused of bribery for now
PHOTOS: Edmonton-Ellerslie MLA Naresh Bhardwaj has left the Prentice cabinet while the party investigates accusations he offered a $10,000 bribe to a challenger for his riding’s PC nomination. Below: NDP Leader Rachel Notley and departing Wildrose MLA Shayne Saskiw. Under the circumstances, Premier Jim Prentice had little choice Friday but to ask Naresh Bhardwaj, associate […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Unite-the-left pot starts to boil in Alberta, whether progressive parties like it or not
PHOTOS: Edmonton-Centre Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman holds up a mirror to the Progressive Conservative Party’s cracked austerity policies at a recent demonstration. Yesterday she announced she’d be running for three parties at the same time. BELOW: Brian Singh of 1abvote.ca, Calgary Centre Conservative MP Joan Crockatt and her federal Liberal challenger, Kent Hehr. Efforts to […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Why Taber smells like agricultural products and Ottawa smells like roses
PHOTOS: Helloo, Farm Boy! Welcome to Taber, Alberta, sin city of the southern plains, a place obviously badly in need of correction (1988 photo by Harry Palmer found on the Internet). Below: the Taber sugar beet refinery; a truck selling Taber corn. Taber gets the ridicule and Ottawa gets the glory. What’s with that? To […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
What really matters to the Prentice Government? Market fundamentalism is pivotal, social conservatism is not
PHOTOS: “This round, Jim, just bob and weave. No freakin’ mirrors!” Strategists from the Premier’s Office and Navigator Ltd. advise Premier Jim Prentice, centre, on today’s second go-round in the Legislature. Actual Alberta politicians and their advisors may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Education Minister Gordon Dirks and human rights promoter Laurie Blakeman. The […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
That early election: what if Premier Jim Prentice doesn’t do what everyone expects?
PHOTOS: Politics is a high-stakes poker game. So, is Alberta Premier Jim Prentice, at right, still peeking at his cards, or just sleeping? Actual Alberta politicians may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: A poker-faced real Mr. Prentice and former premier Ralph Klein. Alberta’s Legislature resumes sitting today, and the widespread expectation is that the […]
Posted inCanadian Politics
Circumstances of Canadian soldier’s death in Iraq strongly suggest Harper Government is lying to us
PHOTOS: A U.S. soldier uses a lightweight laser range-finding device to help “paint” targets for bomber aircraft in this posed Stars & Stripes photo. Below: Canadian Defence Minister Jason Kenney. The circumstances surrounding the death of a Canadian special-forces soldier in Iraq are important because they strongly suggest the Harper Government has been lying to […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Alberta’s mirror meme: Premier Jim Prentice could have avoided it just by being more like Ralph
PHOTOS: Scenes from yesterday’s mirror-meme rally at the Legislature, including shots of NDP Finance Critic and former leader Brian Mason in full flight, above, and Alberta Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman, below him. So much for Jim Prentice taking the advice to be like Ralph! One of the notable things about Ralph Klein was his ability […]