Posted inAlberta Politics

Is just talking about restricting diluted bitumen in pipelines an unconstitutional impediment to trade?

PHOTOS: Some of the Fathers of Confederation looking, well, fatherly. Below: Steely eyed Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, B.C. Premier John Horgan, and would-be premier Jason Kenney. In case you missed it, a new constitutional doctrine seems to be developing in Alberta. To wit: the idea that creating business uncertainty violates Section 121 of the Constitution […]

Posted inCanadian Politics

He’s no bot, but Russia’s social media and press guy in Canada manages to stir up controversy just the same

PHOTOS: Kirill Kalinin, Press Secretary of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Ottawa, in a reception room of the Soviet-era structure on Charlotte Street. Below: An image shot last week of the exterior of the Embassy, built in 1956 after the original building on the site burned down; the Embassy’s replica of the flag […]

Posted inAlberta Politics

Is the decade-long Brian Mulroney rehabilitation project finally paying off … for his daughter?

PHOTOS: Caroline Mulroney (Photo: Wikimedia Commons). Below: Former Canadian Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney in his heyday (Photo: Wikimedia Commons), lobbyist Robin Sears, conservative godfather Preston Manning, and Ontario Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne. It’s now been more than a decade since Stephen Harper ordered all members of his government’s Parliamentary caucus to sever their ties […]

Posted inAlberta Politics

Judge lifts publication ban; former UCP MLA Don MacIntyre named as accused in sexual assault case

PHOTOS: The Legislative Assembly’s portrait of former United Conservative Party MLA Don MacIntyre. Below: UCP Leader Jason Kenney, who issued a statement today on the charges against Mr. MacIntyre. OTTAWA Thanks to the ruling of a judge in Red Deer, it can now be reported that former United Conservative Party MLA Don MacIntyre is the […]

Posted inAlberta Politics

The Alberta NDP’s Sour Grapes Strategy will only strengthen Coastal B.C.’s nearly universal opposition to pipelines

PHOTOS: Grape vines grow in B.C.’s beautiful Okanagan Valley, one of the prime wine producing regions of the world (Photo: Kelowna Wine & Cuisine Flickr, Creative Commons). Below: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, B.C. Premier John Horgan, and Alberta Opposition Leader Jason Kenney. With Alberta’s Sour Grapes Strategy, the official boycott of wine from British Columbia […]

Posted inAlberta Politics

Groundhog Day 2018: Liberty Conservative ‘Didsbury Derek’ dispatched into deepest darkness

PHOTOS: Derek Fildebrandt as he hoped to be perceived when he went hunting in rural Alberta (photo grabbed from his Facebook account). It didn’t work out as planned. Below: Mr. Fildebrandt as he appeared around the Alberta Legislature, United Conservative Party Leader Jason Kenney, and former UCP Caucus member Don MacIntyre (Photo: David Dodge, Green […]

Posted inAlberta Politics

Why Alberta’s NDP would likely prefer a Liberal government in Victoria and B.C.’s NDP just might prefer the UCP in Edmonton

PHOTOS: Yoga enthusiasts on the lawn of the B.C. Legislature in Victoria, probably focusing the energy of the cosmos to make Alberta’s bitumen go away. Below: The Alberta Legislature in Edmonton at about the same time of year. There’s nobody on the lawn because it’s too darned cold. Below the lovely architecture, a steely-eyed Alberta […]

Posted inAlberta Politics

Forgotten amid pipeline war brouhaha, new study details failure of Oilsands Big Five to control emissions

PHOTOS: There’s no Plan B! And Alberta’s five largest oilsands producers have set no targets let alone taken action to get their emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. (Illustration: Parkland Institute.) Below: Parkland researcher and study author Ian Hussey (Photo: Parkland Institute), Parkland researcher David Janzen (Photo: Facebook), Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and […]

Posted inAlberta Politics

The bitumen hits the fan in Alberta and Ottawa as British Columbia moves to restrict pipeline and rail flow

PHOTOS: B.C. Environment Minister George Heyman, foreground, with members of his environment and climate change strategy council last fall (Photo: Province of British Columbia). Below: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and B.C. Premier John Horgan (Photo: Wikimedia Commons). I’m not going to try to go all legal scholarly on you, dear […]