Members of Alison Redford’s brain trust plan the latest hashtags in the Twitter war with AUPE … No! Wait! That’s Bob MacNamara telling LBJ about his plans for the war in Vietnam! What the hey? Below: That rude info-graphic; Red House Chief of Staff Farouk Adatia; White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough. Opposition political […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Back to the future? Private-client opinion polls said to show big shift toward Alberta’s Wildrose Party
The future belongs, the future belongs, the future belongs to us… Peter Lougheed preaches to the converted in Calgary not long before the 1971 provincial election. After 42 years and counting, is there really another seismic shift under way in Alberta, or just more blundering by pollsters? Below: Mr. Lougheed not long after the 1971 […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Deputy Health Minister Janet Davidson’s compensation: glaring omission in Alberta Sunshine List coverage explained
Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne with Janet Davidson shortly after he announced her appointment as Deputy Minister in September 2013. Below: Service Alberta Deputy Minister Jay Ramotar; Lord Black of Crossharbour in his role as honourary lieutenant colonel of the Governor General’s Foot Guards. And the top paid Alberta civil servant is … not even […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Alberta’s ‘Sunshine List’ – let a little light shine in … but only a little, and only where we want it
Alberta’s ‘Sunshine List’ – mostly moonshine? Below: Premier Alison Redford. Today’s the day the government of Alberta is supposed to publish its “Sunshine List” of its supposedly most highly paid civil servants.It’s not appeared yet – so, it being a Friday and all, it’ll probably show up at about 4:45 p.m.*The official idea of this […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Appeal Court says Labour Relations Board must consider AUPE call for ‘excluded’ civil servants to be part of union
Yes Premier! Alberta Premier Alison Redford, right, tells an unhappy deputy minister some of his staff may have to join AUPE! Actual Alberta officials elected and otherwise may not appear exactly as illustrated. The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees moved a small step closer today to its never-quite-openly stated goal of reaching 100,000 members thanks […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Oh to be a fly on the cabinet room wall today! Court grants stay on application against AUPE of Bill 46 until Valentine’s Day
Steam vents from the cabinet room at the Alberta Legislature. Actual eruptions of Tory fury may not be exactly as illustrated – and, actually, that’s the Lieutenant Governor’s office. Well, whatever, it’s better than a file shot of the law courts sign! Below: AUPE President Guy Smith. Who wouldn’t want to be a fly on […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
CFIB members please post: ‘Money from public sector wages & pensions NOT wanted here!’
CFIB AstroTurf technicians roll out part of their campaign against improved pensions for Canadians, a plan certain to harm the group’s naïve supporters. Below: A suggested sign for the windows of CFIB-member businesses. Whew! That was a close one! We almost improved the Canada Pension Plan! So says the so-called Canadian Federation of Independent Business. […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Alberta government ponders ‘options’ as independent arbitrator overturns firing of jail guards who took part in illegal strike
AUPE Correctional Officers rally at the picket line outside the Edmonton Remand Centre during their illegal strike in June 2013. Below: Arbitrator Andy Sims; former deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk, as imagined by Sun Media; AUPE President Guy Smith. An independent arbitrator has overturned the firing of four Correctional Officers who took part in the illegal […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Still hoping for a ‘deal’ with AUPE, Alberta Deputy Premier Dave Hancock has a Seinfeld moment
Deputy Premier Dave Hancock holds forth in the Legislature this morning as a few bored reporters half-heartedly listen. Below: Comedian Jerry Seinfeld, who could have written Mr. Hancock’s script; former Reform Party and now former SIRC chair Chuck Strahl. With nothing to report in “negotiations” between the government of Alberta and the Alberta Union of […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
About those 620,000 missing patient files: the timing’s interesting but the accountability’s a bigger deal
Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne: He’s outraged about those 620,000 missing patient files. Below: Privacy Commissioner Jill Clayton. She’s looking in to it. Now, everyone go back to sleep. Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne claims to be outraged he’s only just learned the personal health records of 620,000 Albertans were on a laptop computer that […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
Dunderdale’s departure relocates Redford deeper in premiers’ popularity sub-basement
Getting to know you… Getting to know all about you. Not necessarily a good thing with certain dancing partners! There’s just no way actual Canadian premiers, no matter whom they’re dancing with, ever look this good! Below: unpopular dance partners Alison Redford, premier of Alberta, Greg Selinger of Manitoba and all-but-departed Kathy Dunderdale of Newfoundland. […]
Posted inAlberta Politics
The ‘Petroleum Party’ in full cry about Neil Young: what are they afraid of? Not what Northwestern Alberta doctors fear
Neil Young: Giving as good as he’s been getting during an all-out attack by the Petroleum Party. Below: Dr. John O’Connor, vilified by the hirelings, toadies and pet legislators of the petroleum industry; Edmonton Journal reporter Sheila Pratt. Here in Alberta, the Petroleum Party dominates everything – the federal government, the provincial government, the government […]