Posted inAlberta Politics

Message to the Wildrose Party: The NDP won and you’re going to need breakfast!

PHOTOS: The Wild Rose Breakfast Special. Just one of the many compensations of getting an early start on your day. Below: Infrastructure Minister and NDP House Leader Brian Mason, the NDP’s point man on early rising legislators; Wildrose Leader Brian Jean; and Interim Conservative Party of Canada Leader Rona Ambrose, whose literary preferences include Ayn […]

Posted inAlberta Politics, Media

So long, Suns? Frank Magazine says Postmedia will merge dailies in Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa

PHOTOS: The Edmonton Journal Building in downtown Edmonton, home to both the Edmonton Journal and  the Edmonton Sun. At least until March … Below: A sign of the (end) times? “Front counter service closed,” says a sign in the foyer of the Edmonton Journal Building in downtown Edmonton. Below that: Margo Goodhand, Edmonton Journal editor-in-chief. […]

Posted inAlberta Politics, Canadian Politics

It’s official: the Harper Government’s approach to petro-diplomacy was a spectacular flop

PHOTOS: The White House, home of the Most Powerful Person, etc. Below: Stephen Harper, one of the architects of Canada’s Bitumen bullying export policy, the fruits of which are now apparent; Barack Obama, President of the United States. The office of the President of the United States may not be what it once was, but […]

Posted inAlberta Politics, Canadian Politics

Rona Ambrose, disciplined Harper loyalist, Ayn Rand enthusiast, to lead the Opposition

PHOTOS: A typical constituent of Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose searches their Sturgeon River-Parkland riding northwest of Edmonton for a sign of his MP. Actual constituents of this Alberta MP may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: Ms. Ambrose herself (CBC Photo) and Ms. Ambrose’s favourite author. Well, nobody in the shrunken Parliamentary ranks of […]

Posted inAlberta Politics

Rachel Notley sticks to her fiscal guns at ‘state of the province speech’ to Edmonton Chamber of Commerce

PHOTO: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley addressing the Alberta Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Alberta NDP Premier Rachel Notley yesterday continued a tradition of “state of the province speeches” to chamber of commerce audiences long beloved by the province’s Progressive Conservative premiers. PC premier Jim Prentice gave the last one to the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce in […]

Posted inAlberta Politics, Canadian Politics

Brown shoes may not make it, but Justin Trudeau’s cabinet choices seem pretty sound

PHOTOS: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, members of his cabinet and ordinary Canadians walk toward the swearing-in ceremony yesterday morning at Government House in Ottawa. (Vancouver Observer photo.) Below: Mr. Trudeau’s father, Pierre Trudeau, making the same walk with members of his new cabinet down the same driveway in 1968. Below them: Alberta cabinet members Kent […]

Posted inAlberta Politics

What’s with that Wildrose leadership review? (Inquiring Albertans want to know!)

PHOTOS: Wildrose Opposition Leader Brian Jean with the kind of cow a guy doesn’t have to get up at 4 in the morning to milk. (Photo grabbed from Wildrose.ca.) Below: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, Wildrose Finance Critic Derek Fildebrandt, Alberta Chambers of Commerce President Ken Kobly and former Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith (Dave Cournoyer photo). […]

Posted inAlberta Politics

Wildrose leader advocates a return to deep cuts and deep freezes for public services and public employees

PHOTOS: Opposition Leader Brian Jean holds forth on public jobs and public services during his Oct. 30 interview with the CBC. (Screenshot.) Below: Is this Mr. Jean’s idea of the future of Alberta’s public services? Below that: NDP Finance Minister Joe Ceci. Wildrose Leader Brian Jean is starting to sketch out his party’s policies in […]

Posted inAlberta Politics

Start work at 9 in the morning? Never! Alberta’s Wildrose picks another great hill to die on

PHOTOS: You want me to be at the Legislature when? A young Brian Jean contemplates the horrors of a future under an NDP government. Younger versions of Alberta political leaders may not have appeared exactly as illustrated. Below: The real Mr. Jean as he appears today; NDP Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Brian Mason; Wildrose House […]

Posted inAlberta Politics

Scary news for Halloween: Never mind Harper Derangement Syndrome; Notley Derangement Syndrome is a real thing!

PHOTOS: Deficit rode a pale horse … as seen by some Albertans in the skies over Edmonton. Below: Rachel Notley, and Pierre and Justin Trudeau, who are all thought by sufferers of various forms of conservative delusional personality disorder to have economic superpowers. Below them: Two guys who for some reason love being photographed with […]

Posted inAlberta Politics

Alberta Budget 2015: You’d almost think Rachel Notley’s NDP has concluded its job is to govern this province!

PHOTOS: Alberta Finance Minister Joe Ceci answers reporters’ questions after delivering the NDP’s first Budget Speech in the Alberta Legislature yesterday. (CBC Photo) Below: Wildrose Opposition Leader Brian Jean and Finance Critic Derek Fildebrandt also answer questions – but only from reporters who aren’t on the Wildrose Party’s Enemies List. Below that: One of Mr. […]

Posted inAlberta Politics

Reaction to this afternoon’s Budget Speech is bound to be completely predictable

ILLUSTRATIONS: A mosaic planned for some future Legislature renovation showing the Opposition and Government positions on the budget. Below: A scene from the Kabuki theatre in which actors portraying Premier Rachel Notley and Finance Minister Joe Ceci contemplate the books left them by the PC government … or something. Below that: Finance Minister Joe Ceci […]