PHOTOS: Rachel Notley smiles moments after learning she was about to become Alberta’s first NDP Premier on the evening of May 5, 2015. Below: Part of the crowd on hand for the swearing in of the NDP Cabinet on the steps of the Legislature on May 24, 2015, and flames yesterday over the city of […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
St. Albert Catholic school board has spent more than $367,000 to defend firing of transgender teacher
PHOTOS: Transgender teacher Jan Buterman (Metro Newspapers photo). Below: Duncan Kinney of Progress Alberta, the former Pope Benedict, and David Keohane, Superintendent of Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools. ST. ALBERT, Alberta The St. Albert Catholic school board has spent at least $367,188 of taxpayer money to keep a transgender former teacher named Jan Buterman from […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Go figure! Votaries of right-wing unity gather in Red Deer, vote to form yet another Alberta conservative party
PHOTOS: Progressive Conservative interim Leader Ric McIver and Wildrose Leader Brian Jean in a rare recent moment of amity at, but of course, the Manning Centre’s Ottawa beanfest for right wingers in February 2016. This snapshot, the only one of its kind I’ve ever seen, was published by Postmedia. Below: Wildrose spokesperson Jason Nixon, perennial […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Don’t blame loudmouth extremist Craig Chandler for PC Leader Ric McIver’s troubles – they’re all his own
PHOTOS: Tory Dream Team, 2014 edition. From left to right, Jim Prentice, Ric McIver and Thomas Lukaszuk. You’ve got to admit, from the perspective of 2016, Mr. Lukaszuk is lookin’ pretty good, and not just because of the orange tie! Below: Extreme social conservative Craig Chandler, Mr. Chandler’s offending Facebook remark (clip created by Ed […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Where’s the beef? Alberta’s cattle industry is only getting what it ordered from Earls
PHOTOS: Where’s the beef? Not in Alberta, if this province’s beef industry can do anything about it. One thing this story has nothing to do with is small-time ranchers like the guy on the steer or independent restaurants like the one run by the mom and pop below. The former picture belongs to the Golden […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Insightful Parkland Institute study of how media covers workplace injuries helps put yesterday’s tragedy in perspective
PHOTO: An Alberta Occupational Health and Safety officer on the job. (Government of Alberta illustration.) Below: Athabasca University labour relations professors Bob Barnetson and Jason Foster, authors of a new study on how media coverage distorts our understanding of workplace injuries in Alberta. Today is the International Day of Mourning for workers killed and injured […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Preston Manning is now publicly, openly at the centre of Alberta’s latest ‘unite-the-right’ effort
PHOTOS: The Ambassadors reimagined. Actual unite-the-righters appearing with Preston Manning may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: The real Preston Manning, Wildrose Opposition Leader Brian Jean, “united alternative” Ambassador Rick Orman, and Alberta Prosperity Fund President Barry McNamar. Despite being asked none too diplomatically last February by Wildrose Opposition Leader Brian Jean to take his […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Shakeup? Lobby firms launch new publications to compete in a previously comfortable niche under the dome
PHOTOS: Glimpses of two lobby firms’ new publications about Alberta’s government. Below: Lobbyist, lawyer and former Wildrose MLA Shayne Saskiw, journalist Samantha Power, lobbyist and former Stelmach political advisor Elan MacDonald, and lobbyist and former NDP communications director Brookes Merritt. At least two new lobbying firms now active in Alberta’s capital have introduced legislative newsletters […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Same old same old at the CPC: The Conservative boss hasn’t gone crazy, and he may even be the same guy …
PHOTOS: The Conservative Party of Canada is still singin’ the same old tune – Stephen Harper’s. (CBC photo.) Below: Senator Mike Duffy, former Conservative cabinet member Jason Kenney, Manitoba Tory MP Candice Bergen, Ontario Court Judge Charles Vaillancourt and Alberta #Kudatah advocate George Clark. It’s tempting, hearing former federal Conservative cabinet heavy Jason Kenney urging […]
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A Thought for Will Shakespeare on the 23rd of April, 2016
Four hundred years ago today, Old Will Did shuffle off his mortal coil; itself, The one young Hamlet noted with a chill, That can’t be sidestepped by collected wealth. The point’s established clearly, the last word Will not be left to you, no matter who You are; a grubby blogger or the Bard, It really […]
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Alberta Advanced Education Ministry now maintaining close watch on Athabasca University
PHOTOS: A recent newspaper ad seeking a new board chair for Athabasca University. Below: Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt at the Legislature on Budget Day; Athabasca MLA Colin Piquette; and Athabasca University interim President Peter MacKinnon (CBC photo). When we last talked about the Athabasca University saga on March 3, the distance-education institution based in […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Ric McIver’s tantrum and return to the House explained: In Alberta, being a Tory means never having to say you’re sorry!
PHOTOS: Interim Tory Leader Ric McIver, mid tantrum, tells Alberta Speaker Bob Wanner he’s not sitting down until he gets his way! Below: Mr. Wanner, looking appropriately annoyed; the notorious Dr. Benjamin Spock; and an advertisement for Brylcreem, just one of the many terrible things North American liberals keep having to answer for. Bottom: My […]