Is There A Doctor In The House?

It's been a bad couple of weeks for Fast Eddie Stelmach and it looks like the next few won't be much better.

First, Ex-King Ralph and his former kitchen cabinet came out swinging. Klein threw down the gauntlet to the Premier claiming he needs at least 70% support from the leadership review to keep the job. Then, Hal Walker apparently is circulating an open letter among Tory supporters denouncing current fiscal policies including the re-jigged royalty structure. Finally, campaign consigliere Al Hallman went public with an outright demand the Leader take a one way hike back to the farm.

Rod Love is mysteriously quiet, but he is telling a select few to stay by their phones and not book any Phoenix golf junkets over the next 2 months.

There's going to be a lot of action through till Christmas if the Red Deer results are less than stellar. Alberta Liberals should be ready.

Now, the PMO may be piling on. Harper apparently is strongly suggesting his Alberta MP's stay wide and clear of the November shindig lest they get caught in the crossfire.

Rumours abound that his closest confidant and the most powerful member of the Federal Cabinet is lusting after the Premier's Legislative armchair. Calgary MP Jim Prentice apparently has what's left of the Joe Clark campaign team at his disposal, according to Don Martin, just waiting for the word to kick into gear.

Stelmach hears the footsteps and may be ready to make some changes according to a prominent Cowtown energy analyst who believes there will be yet another re-re-jigged royalty package announced BEFORE the end of this year.

He's also calling for a huge rebound in Natural Gas prices which would put the Provincial Treasury back in the black in late 2010 and salvage the Premier's promise of an economic recovery.

Of course that would also help pull the Vulcan Visionary's political bacon out of the fire should he take the plunge at the ballot box in the spring of 2011?

However, the priority is to get through the November vote with just a couple of flesh wounds. Stelmach will be lucky to only lose a finger perhaps a couple of toes. But, it still stings.

Calling Dr Swann you're needed in surgery. It’s time to sharpen the scalpel.