PHOTOS: A Chinook arch moves across the sky of Calgary in 2007, bringing warmer temperatures and, for some people, headaches. The same kind of thing happens in politics. Below: NDP Calgary-Foothills candidate Bob Hawkesworth, Conservative Blair Houston and Wildroser Prasad Panda. So, what happens if the Alberta NDP wins the Calgary-Foothills by-election on Sept. 3, […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Give a thought to Alberta’s approaching budget day: there’s little to gain and plenty to lose from ‘debt free’ government
PHOTOS: Former premier Ralph Klein, now elevated to sainthood by the neoliberal cargo cult, celebrating the retirement of Alberta’s debt in 2004, never mind the mess the infrastructure was in. Below: Alberta Finance Minister Joe Ceci, Canadian economist Jim Stanford and Wildrose Finance Critic Derek Fildebrandt, with, bottom, his old debt-trailer. Anyone remember Ralph Klein’s […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Desperate measures for desperate times: Eighty years ago today, Bible Billy had a plan to pay …
PHOTOS: The Edmonton Bulletin reports the stunning result of the Aug. 22, 1935, Alberta general election. It’s striking to observe how well-written and informative the Bulletin’s coverage was, compared to the quality of the prose in the popular press 80 years later. Below: Social Credit premier William Aberhart, British economist John Maynard Keynes and Alberta […]
Posted inMedia
Code Crossover: How long before the Edmonton Journal and the Edmonton Sun are merged?
ILLUSTRATIONS: Sun Journal, or Journal Sun? Hyphen or no hyphen? Broadsheet or tabloid? Now that Journal subscribers are being pitched the Sunday Sun, and the two papers’ staffs will soon be working at the same address, amalgamation is only a matter of time. With apologies to the Lewiston, Maine, Sun Journal, whose front page I […]
Posted inCanadian Politics
The #AngryCon: he learned those attitudes about the media from the party he supports
PHOTOS: A screen shot of the man identified by the Toronto Star as Earl Cowan at the moment he informs a reporter she’s a lying piece of … something. Below: Tory operative Fred DeLorey and Toronto Star columnist Heather Mallick. I have to confess I felt the tiniest bit of empathy for the aged Harper […]
Posted inCanadian Politics
Jason Kenney sails close to the wind on Anti-Terrorism Act at picnic visit
PHOTOS: Liberal candidate Adam Vaughan’s photo of the Kurdish Peace and Cultural Festival in Toronto Saturday, with an image of PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan visible in the background. (Grabbed from Twitter.) Below: Defence Minister Jason Kenney, who bragged about being at the event, and Mr. Vaughan. Jason Kenney, who notwithstanding the dissolution of the House […]
Posted inCanadian Politics
Is there enough Orange Wave left in Alberta to propel more Dippers to Ottawa?
ILLUSTRATIONS: A typical Alberta conservative voter, with orange hair, flirts with NDP leader Thomas Mulcair while Prime Minister Stephan Harper, in the background, tries to warn her to stop. Actual Alberta political figures may not appear exactly as illustrated. With apologies to Normal Rockwell. Below: Alberta political commentator Duane Bratt. Could there be enough momentum […]
Posted inCanadian Politics
Craig B. Chandler: He’s baaaack (in Ontario)! And he’s gonna get Linda McQuaig … elected!
PHOTOS: A screen grab of Craig B. Chandler telling immigrants to Alberta to vote Conservative or get lost back in 2007. Below: NDP Toronto Centre candidate Linda McQuaig. Brace yourselves, Toronto! Craig B. Chandler’s heading your way to campaign against Linda McQuaig, the NDP’s candidate in the Toronto Centre riding, who is notorious here in […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
The Sonic privatization mystery: what were the Tories thinking?
PHOTOS: More medical lab techs examining specimens, still not illustrated exactly as they’re likely to appear nowadays. Below: Progressive Conservative health ministers Gary Mar, Iris Evans, Stephen Mandel and Fred Horne, every one a would-be privatizer and every one in a picture personally snapped by your blogger. Viewed with 20/20 hindsight, a Frequently-Asked-Questions document published […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Notley Government channels Lougheed to protect Alberta jobs and services, dumps medical lab privatization ‘experiment’
PHOTOS: Medical lab techs examine a specimen, perhaps appearing not exactly as illustrated nowadays. Below: Alberta NDP Health Minister Sarah Hoffman, former PC health minister Stephen Mandel, Alberta Health Services CEO Vickie Kaminski and long-ago Conservative premier Peter Lougheed. In a bombshell move reminiscent of Peter Lougheed’s 1974 takeover of Pacific Western Airlines, Rachel Notley’s […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Medical transport is an essential service, and properly so – it’s time to start treating it like one
PHOTOS: Medical air transport – an essential service too important to be left to private insurers and their ilk. Below: Amy and Amelia Savill (CTV News) and Alberta Health spokesperson Timothy Wilson (Linkedin). So now we need to buy medical-travel insurance when we travel inside Canada? Who knew? Certainly not Amy Savill of High Prairie, […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Between a rock and a hard place in Calgary-Foothills, foundering PCs’ second-best hope is an NDP victory on Sept. 3
PHOTOS: Oh, Jimmy! Here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten us into! Former Alberta premier Jim Prentice gets ready to climb onto his bus and lit out for the territories. (Photo actually taken before the election by Dave Cournoyer, used with permission.) Below: Calgary-Foothills by-election candidates and possible candidates Bob Hawkesworth, NDP; Kathy MacDonald, Wildrose; Janet […]