Doug O’Halloran, a pillar of the labour movement in Alberta and one of Canada’s last old-style union leaders, died peacefully yesterday. Mr. O’Halloran, who was 66, succumbed to cancer after a long illness. “It is fitting that he chose to leave us on Thanksgiving, a day for celebrating the two things he valued most: family […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Those elusive Liberals of Edmonton Strathcona: Where did Mainstreet’s pollsters find them?
Volunteers for NDP candidate Heather McPherson’s campaign in the federal Edmonton-Strathcona riding are asking themselves, where the heck are those mobs of Liberal voters one pollster claims to have identified in the riding? Door-knocking in 2019 in the progressive-leaning riding on the south side of the North Saskatchewan River feels much the same as it […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Alberta Government opts to use sophomoric sarcastic tweets to counter visit by teenaged environmental activist
Apparently uncertain how to respond to news Greta Thunberg will soon visit Alberta, the Kenney Government seems to have opted for adolescent sarcasm as an appropriate counter to the 16-year-Old Swedish environmental activist’s message. “We trust that Ms. Thunberg will recognize Alberta’s leading human rights and environmental standards,” said Premier Jason Kenney’s spokesperson, Christine Myatt, […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Greta Thunberg heads for Wild Rose Country: first chance for the UCP’s War Roomers to mess up big time!
Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish activist who seems to have turned the world upside down by mobilizing young people to do something about global climate change, tweeted last night that she is on her way to Alberta. At this is written, while there was lots of excited chatter on social media, no one here in […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Want to bust your Alberta union? Your government will give you one hour’s free legal advice!
Credit where credit is due, the Kenney Government’s new Employee Labour Relations Support Program does answer questions from union members who write in and ask them. Leastways, the nascent Bust-Your-Union Line that was announced by United Conservative Party Labour Minister Jason Copping on Oct. 1 did respond to my query about how it was different from […]
Posted inBestsellers
Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments leads Audreys Books Edmonton Fiction Bestsellers List for week ended Oct. 6
Here are the lists of the top 10 fiction and non-fiction titles sold in Edmonton during the week ended Oct. 6, 2019. The lists are compiled by Audreys Books and provided by the Book Publishers Association of Alberta. EDMONTON FICTION BESTSELLERS 1. The Testaments – Margaret Atwood 2. The Eater of Dreams – Kat Cameron * 3. The […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Alberta’s UCP Government sets up Energy War Room as private corporation to dodge freedom of information requests
It turns out the so-called Canadian Energy Centre, as the Kenney Government’s $30-million subsidized lobbying campaign for the petroleum industry is now to be known, has been set up as a private corporation. Previously commonly referred to by both friends and foes as the Energy War Room, the new corporation is supposedly intended to target […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Tom Olsen and the Wreckage: Jason Kenney’s ‘War Room’ is going to need more than just hurtin’ songs!
Former journalist Tom Olsen, for much of the past decade a self employed PR man who rarely strayed far from the gravitational field of Conservative power in Alberta, was named yesterday by Energy Minister Sonya Savage as the successful candidate to lead the United Conservative Party’s “War Room.” Perhaps Mr. Olsen was the only candidate […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
There was actually something new in the leader’s debate Monday — alas, it’s not a good thing
The United States’ two-party political setup may not be much of a template for actual democracy, but at least it has lots of potential for interesting leaders’ debates. A televised leaders’ debate in a vibrant multi-party democracy like Canada? Not so much. For one thing, you have to invite the leaders of far-right fringe parties […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
What was Rachel Notley suggesting when she said she’s not committed to voting for Jagmeet Singh’s New Democrats?
Responding to former Alberta NDP premier Rachel Notley’s remark last week that she hasn’t committed to voting for Jagmeet Singh’s New Democrats in her own federal riding, a young Albertan named Reakash Walters tweeted from Ontario: “I have never felt so out of touch from Alberta politics than right at this moment.” Well, you don’t […]
Posted inCanadian Politics
Environmental Defence study concludes Canada’s emissions would soar if CAPP’s wish list were granted
Research published this morning by Environmental Defence Canada concludes adoption of the powerful Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers lobby group’s election wish list would increase Canadian greenhouse gas emissions by 116 million tonnes of CO² by 2030. “In that scenario, Canada’s oil and gas sector would be emitting 311 million tonnes, making emissions from that […]
Posted inBestsellers
A Better Man, by Louise Penny, remains atop Audreys Books Edmonton Fiction Bestseller List for week ended Sept. 29
ere are the lists of the top 10 fiction and non-fiction titles sold in Edmonton during the week ended Sept. 29, 2019. The lists are compiled by Audreys Books and provided by the Book Publishers Association of Alberta. EDMONTON FICTION BESTSELLERS 1. A Better Man – Louise Penny 2. Akin – Emma Donoghue 3. All the Wrong Places […]