In recent meetings with folks from the energy sector, Stelmach gets a clear message on royalties;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvx_1f2kgmw&feature=related
Will he respond when he announces the Competitive Review?
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Wildrose May Try to Disrupt Budget Day!
Rumour has it that Guy Boutilier, the Independent MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo, will announce his intention to sit with the Wildrose on Budget Day, February 9th, in an attempt to disrupt the Government media agenda.
Since my experience with the Leader of the Wildrose Danielle Smith is "it's all about me", it stands to reason she will try to steal the light form the Government on Budget Day as she has been out of the media too long for her liking.
The stream of mediocre announcements will continue until the people of Alberta get bored with the Wildrose being silent on issues and all about flash, or should I say their idea of flash.
Since my experience with the Leader of the Wildrose Danielle Smith is "it's all about me", it stands to reason she will try to steal the light form the Government on Budget Day as she has been out of the media too long for her liking.
The stream of mediocre announcements will continue until the people of Alberta get bored with the Wildrose being silent on issues and all about flash, or should I say their idea of flash.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Stelmach Government Mean Spirited
As Kent Hehr and Dave Taylor, both MLAs from The Alberta Liberal Party pointed out today;
The Stelmach Government is cutting funding to Albertans with developmental disabilities in a callous move to balance the budget on the backs of the disadvantaged in our Province.
More than 11 million dollars is being chopped from assistance given to people suffering from conditions such as autism, Down syndrome and fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
Instead of changing his Cabinet, in a weak attempt to win the next election, Premier Ed Stelmach should have changed his Government’s attitude and reached out to those disabled Albertans who need a hand up not a hand out.
That would have demonstrated compassion and real leadership.
The cuts implemented by the Stelmach Government are mean spirited. Albertans use this funding for daily needs and a quality of life the rest of us take for granted.
This Government sees health care, education and social services as expense items on a balance sheet rather than investments in Albertans.
If this Government had not mismanaged our economy there would be plenty of funding for all Albertans living in the richest jurisdiction in North America.
This Government should ensure that persons involved in the Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) program receive the funding necessary for quality services and the quality of life they have a right to.
These cuts will harm the quality of life of Albertans like Kimberly Evanosko, Sarah Mah and Corey Prevost.
Kimberly is 25 and suffers from tuberous sclerosis and Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), which together have resulted in various medical issues and intellectual disabilities.
Kimberly receives residential support and although she can work she requires extra support in the work place. The organizations which assist her had their funding cut, and have been notified to expect further cuts in the upcoming budget.
Corey Prevost suffers from severe cerebral palsy, which has left him a quadriplegic with a developmental disability. He is non-verbal, and is dependent on his caregivers for everything. His mother, Teena Prevost, said “we just found these good services for Corey, and now here we are shortly after, worried that his supports and quality of life will be placed in jeopardy.”
Sarah Mau is affected by a genetic defect, Trisomy 18, which means that she requires one-on-one care, 24/7. During the day she is cared for by the Universal Rehabilitation Service Agency, and receives in-home respite care 4 hours a week.
Please tell the Stelmach Government to cease and desist funding cuts!
The Stelmach Government is cutting funding to Albertans with developmental disabilities in a callous move to balance the budget on the backs of the disadvantaged in our Province.
More than 11 million dollars is being chopped from assistance given to people suffering from conditions such as autism, Down syndrome and fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
Instead of changing his Cabinet, in a weak attempt to win the next election, Premier Ed Stelmach should have changed his Government’s attitude and reached out to those disabled Albertans who need a hand up not a hand out.
That would have demonstrated compassion and real leadership.
The cuts implemented by the Stelmach Government are mean spirited. Albertans use this funding for daily needs and a quality of life the rest of us take for granted.
This Government sees health care, education and social services as expense items on a balance sheet rather than investments in Albertans.
If this Government had not mismanaged our economy there would be plenty of funding for all Albertans living in the richest jurisdiction in North America.
This Government should ensure that persons involved in the Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) program receive the funding necessary for quality services and the quality of life they have a right to.
These cuts will harm the quality of life of Albertans like Kimberly Evanosko, Sarah Mah and Corey Prevost.
Kimberly is 25 and suffers from tuberous sclerosis and Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), which together have resulted in various medical issues and intellectual disabilities.
Kimberly receives residential support and although she can work she requires extra support in the work place. The organizations which assist her had their funding cut, and have been notified to expect further cuts in the upcoming budget.
Corey Prevost suffers from severe cerebral palsy, which has left him a quadriplegic with a developmental disability. He is non-verbal, and is dependent on his caregivers for everything. His mother, Teena Prevost, said “we just found these good services for Corey, and now here we are shortly after, worried that his supports and quality of life will be placed in jeopardy.”
Sarah Mau is affected by a genetic defect, Trisomy 18, which means that she requires one-on-one care, 24/7. During the day she is cared for by the Universal Rehabilitation Service Agency, and receives in-home respite care 4 hours a week.
Please tell the Stelmach Government to cease and desist funding cuts!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Taylor Energy Policy
The Alberta Liberal Party begins to discuss issues Albertans are interested in.
The new energy policy hits the mark. The document as presented;
Our relationship with the oil and gas industry is vital. Alberta’s oil and gas resources belong to the people of Alberta, and we rely on the industry to develop those resources. The oil and gas industry is the backbone of Alberta’s economy. With that in mind, over the last several months we have consulted in detail with members of the oil and gas industry. We have offered proposals, we have asked for suggestions, and we have listened to their advice.
The Principles
Our consultations have led us to five principles:
One
That the health of the Alberta economy is inextricably tied to the health of the energy
industry.
Two
That the Alberta Liberals view the energy industry as a positive force in Alberta.
Three.
That the energy industry requires certainty, sustainability, consistency and effectiveness in regulation and policy.
Four
That energy policy and royalty rates should be determined in consultation with the industry, be based in fact, and be competitive.
Five
That a responsible government and the Alberta energy industry will work together to be good stewards of the environment.
Defining the Process
We believe the process of developing sound energy policy must include the following:
• both industry and all other interested and affected parties must be consulted on an ongoing basis and at every stage of policy development, and their perspectives taken seriously
• policy must reflect an understanding of the industry’s need for an adequate return on investment, that reflects the level of risk undertaken.
• policy must reflect an understanding of the industry’s need for stability, certainty and the need to be competitive on a global scale
• policy must balance the recognition of the importance of a healthy energy industry with that of taking responsibility for climate and the environment
• policy must commit industry, government and the people of Alberta in partnership to continuous improvement in clean energy, conservation, and reduction of our environmental footprint
• policy and regulations must be effective, efficient, consistent, and based in fact
Royalties and Resource Revenues
• Government will sit down with the energy industry and the financial industry to define a process for setting royalties that are competitive and allow for a return on investment.
• This determination will take into account the full spectrum of government revenue generated by the energy industry
• We would consider using the royalty system to incentivize lower environmental impact behaviours.
Regulatory Reform
• We would have a simplified regulatory system with a quicker, more effective process.
• We would ensure that the resources in the ERCB are deployed to the maximum effect.
• We would institute a one-window approach to approvals, permits, inspections and so on.
• We would improve co-ordination on oil and gas matters between the ERCB, Alberta Environment, Alberta Energy and Sustainable Resource Development, and also with the Federal Government and First Nations.
Infrastructure
• Where infrastructure is demonstrably related to industry activity, we would work with industry to determine their appropriate funding contribution.
Distinctions Within the Oil and Gas Sector
Conventional Gas
• We would take into account the mature state of Alberta’s conventional gas reserves in designing its royalties and incentives with the goal of preserving the ongoing viability of the sector for as long as possible
• One option we would consider is to start royalties low, raising them as risk is reduced and costs come down, and then reducing them as production wanes to encourage protracted development.
Unconventional Gas: Tight Gas, Shale Gas, Coal Bed Methane (CBM)
• We would rework royalties on unconventional gas so that government is not
maximizing its “take” on the front end, when development costs are the highest.
• We also recognize the need to be competitive with other jurisdictions, while being careful not to get caught in a race to the bottom.
• To better enable development of unconventional natural gas resources in northwest Alberta, we would ensure that the appropriate infrastructure is in place, either by directly building it with public funding, or by incentivizing industry to do so privately.
Conventional Oil
• Recognizing the costs of further development, we would institute a royalty system and a simplified regulatory process that encourages the horizontal multi-stage fracturing needed to unlock both tight oil and a lot of unrecovered conventional oil
• We would provide strong and continued support for systems to distribute and use carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery.
• We would consider applying drilling credits as an incentive for both tight oil and conventional oil investment.
Oil Sands
• Contracts will be honoured for their duration, with the intention of reviewing and improving licenses at times of renewal.
• Conditions of license will be used to promote best practices and optimal development
• We would sit down with industry to remove the cap on royalties at the top end of oil prices (over $120 a barrel).
Adding Value, Adding Markets
• We believe that adding value is important, and our target would be that current proportions of Alberta-based bitumen upgrading are at least maintained as oil sands development grows.
• We would undertake a detailed study of Alberta’s petrochemical sector to identify capacity, potential for expansion, technology needs, capital availability, and market opportunities.
• We would work with British Columbia to prioritize the west-coast pipeline project, particularly the environmental approvals.
• We would make this project a point of particular emphasis at the federal level.
What if Alberta’s Oil Sands Could Produce the Cleanest Oil in the World?
• We see this as a Race-to-the-Moon-scale quest to discover, develop, and apply the technologies that will unlock the oil from the sands in a carbon-free or carbon-reduced, environmentally-sustainably, earth-friendly way
• We would revive the Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority, a specific body that revolutionized oil sands development before, and will do so again.
• We would implement a 2 to 3 cent per barrel levy on bitumen production to fund the expansion of R & D spending [Climate change points to be included once determined independently]
The new energy policy hits the mark. The document as presented;
Our relationship with the oil and gas industry is vital. Alberta’s oil and gas resources belong to the people of Alberta, and we rely on the industry to develop those resources. The oil and gas industry is the backbone of Alberta’s economy. With that in mind, over the last several months we have consulted in detail with members of the oil and gas industry. We have offered proposals, we have asked for suggestions, and we have listened to their advice.
The Principles
Our consultations have led us to five principles:
One
That the health of the Alberta economy is inextricably tied to the health of the energy
industry.
Two
That the Alberta Liberals view the energy industry as a positive force in Alberta.
Three.
That the energy industry requires certainty, sustainability, consistency and effectiveness in regulation and policy.
Four
That energy policy and royalty rates should be determined in consultation with the industry, be based in fact, and be competitive.
Five
That a responsible government and the Alberta energy industry will work together to be good stewards of the environment.
Defining the Process
We believe the process of developing sound energy policy must include the following:
• both industry and all other interested and affected parties must be consulted on an ongoing basis and at every stage of policy development, and their perspectives taken seriously
• policy must reflect an understanding of the industry’s need for an adequate return on investment, that reflects the level of risk undertaken.
• policy must reflect an understanding of the industry’s need for stability, certainty and the need to be competitive on a global scale
• policy must balance the recognition of the importance of a healthy energy industry with that of taking responsibility for climate and the environment
• policy must commit industry, government and the people of Alberta in partnership to continuous improvement in clean energy, conservation, and reduction of our environmental footprint
• policy and regulations must be effective, efficient, consistent, and based in fact
Royalties and Resource Revenues
• Government will sit down with the energy industry and the financial industry to define a process for setting royalties that are competitive and allow for a return on investment.
• This determination will take into account the full spectrum of government revenue generated by the energy industry
• We would consider using the royalty system to incentivize lower environmental impact behaviours.
Regulatory Reform
• We would have a simplified regulatory system with a quicker, more effective process.
• We would ensure that the resources in the ERCB are deployed to the maximum effect.
• We would institute a one-window approach to approvals, permits, inspections and so on.
• We would improve co-ordination on oil and gas matters between the ERCB, Alberta Environment, Alberta Energy and Sustainable Resource Development, and also with the Federal Government and First Nations.
Infrastructure
• Where infrastructure is demonstrably related to industry activity, we would work with industry to determine their appropriate funding contribution.
Distinctions Within the Oil and Gas Sector
Conventional Gas
• We would take into account the mature state of Alberta’s conventional gas reserves in designing its royalties and incentives with the goal of preserving the ongoing viability of the sector for as long as possible
• One option we would consider is to start royalties low, raising them as risk is reduced and costs come down, and then reducing them as production wanes to encourage protracted development.
Unconventional Gas: Tight Gas, Shale Gas, Coal Bed Methane (CBM)
• We would rework royalties on unconventional gas so that government is not
maximizing its “take” on the front end, when development costs are the highest.
• We also recognize the need to be competitive with other jurisdictions, while being careful not to get caught in a race to the bottom.
• To better enable development of unconventional natural gas resources in northwest Alberta, we would ensure that the appropriate infrastructure is in place, either by directly building it with public funding, or by incentivizing industry to do so privately.
Conventional Oil
• Recognizing the costs of further development, we would institute a royalty system and a simplified regulatory process that encourages the horizontal multi-stage fracturing needed to unlock both tight oil and a lot of unrecovered conventional oil
• We would provide strong and continued support for systems to distribute and use carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery.
• We would consider applying drilling credits as an incentive for both tight oil and conventional oil investment.
Oil Sands
• Contracts will be honoured for their duration, with the intention of reviewing and improving licenses at times of renewal.
• Conditions of license will be used to promote best practices and optimal development
• We would sit down with industry to remove the cap on royalties at the top end of oil prices (over $120 a barrel).
Adding Value, Adding Markets
• We believe that adding value is important, and our target would be that current proportions of Alberta-based bitumen upgrading are at least maintained as oil sands development grows.
• We would undertake a detailed study of Alberta’s petrochemical sector to identify capacity, potential for expansion, technology needs, capital availability, and market opportunities.
• We would work with British Columbia to prioritize the west-coast pipeline project, particularly the environmental approvals.
• We would make this project a point of particular emphasis at the federal level.
What if Alberta’s Oil Sands Could Produce the Cleanest Oil in the World?
• We see this as a Race-to-the-Moon-scale quest to discover, develop, and apply the technologies that will unlock the oil from the sands in a carbon-free or carbon-reduced, environmentally-sustainably, earth-friendly way
• We would revive the Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority, a specific body that revolutionized oil sands development before, and will do so again.
• We would implement a 2 to 3 cent per barrel levy on bitumen production to fund the expansion of R & D spending [Climate change points to be included once determined independently]
Sunday, January 24, 2010
QR 770 Interview - Food For Thought
This interview took place Wednesday, January 21st.
http://dev.cpted.net/lovett.mp3
All comments welcome!
http://dev.cpted.net/lovett.
All comments welcome!
How to Shoot Yourself in Both Feet
Just when you thought it was safe to go outside as an Alberta Liberal, we get this;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZNe5fDyRhU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZNe5fDyRhU
Friday, January 15, 2010
So, you think you know where you stand, politically.
Think again.
The result from this short test may surprise you and give you some food for thought. You'll be asked just 10 questions, and then it instantly tells you where you stand politically.
It shows your position as a red dot on a "political map" so you'll see exactly where you score.
Click on the link below...
http://www.theadvocates.org/quizp/index.html
Think again.
The result from this short test may surprise you and give you some food for thought. You'll be asked just 10 questions, and then it instantly tells you where you stand politically.
It shows your position as a red dot on a "political map" so you'll see exactly where you score.
Click on the link below...
http://www.theadvocates.org/quizp/index.html
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The Captain of the Titanic Has Made His Move!
Premier Ed Stelmach has received news that there is an iceberg ahead. He has assembled his gurus and has made the momentous decision; the iceberg will move.
Initially, this Government thought the iceberg would simply melt. However, given the advice from their friends on the extreme right, Ms Smith and the Wildrose, that there is no science to support Global Warming; they have come to the conclusion that the iceberg cannot melt. While this caused them some concern, they now realize option two is acceptable; the iceberg will move.
With this in mind they will announce, most probably today, that the deck chairs on the Titanic have been successfully shuffled.
The Cabinet Shuffle we've all been waiting for (yawn) will look something like this;
1. Ron Liepert, having successfully screwed over the Health Care portfolio, will now move to Energy. The sector will be given all they ask for so he can then join them for drinks at the Pete Club. With this move Albertans will no longer need to worry about Health Care in Alberta: they will have to move to BC or Saskatchewan since they have no jobs in Alberta.
2. Ted Morton will be given a major economic portfolio; either Finance or Treasury Board. He will be able to practise the Reagan Economics he learned from south of the border. We witness the last signal to the moderates in the Tory Caucus that the move to protect their right flank from the Wildrose has begun in earnest. This will result in Health Care, Education and Social Services being treated as an expense to be cut dramatically rather than an investment to be embraced as a future requirement; a healthy, educated population.
Following this they announce a Throne Speech for February 4th and a budget for February 9th. The budget will show that finances aren't as bad as people might think (thank heaven the gas price was up for a while). After this they will steal from Stephen Harper and prorogue the Legislature by mid-March declaring all is well and good in Alberta.
They now look down the road and see their options as;
Option #1
Since they have accomplished everything they have promised us (in their minds), they will call an early election. Not a good decision since even this group can read the tea leaves and see that the voter is not very happy with their mismanagement of everything. They will be advised that this anger will translate into Wildrose support, even though the Wildrose stands for nothing at present the voter will choose Tweedle Dumb over Tweedle Dumber.
Option # 2
By proroguing the Legislature they "get outta Dodge" and can "re-calibrate", making the voter realize they are the best option and should be allowed to continue to mismanage the Province, while cutting the hell out of all that is sacred to Albertans.
Option # 3
Sorry Ed, all out of options.
Response from the Opposition;
New Democrats
We are morally outraged. Let's organize some town halls.
Liberals
They can't do that, can they? Let's all get ready to shake our fist at them.
Wildrose
How do we eat at the trough? Do we have to use our hands?
One Person's Opinion
Initially, this Government thought the iceberg would simply melt. However, given the advice from their friends on the extreme right, Ms Smith and the Wildrose, that there is no science to support Global Warming; they have come to the conclusion that the iceberg cannot melt. While this caused them some concern, they now realize option two is acceptable; the iceberg will move.
With this in mind they will announce, most probably today, that the deck chairs on the Titanic have been successfully shuffled.
The Cabinet Shuffle we've all been waiting for (yawn) will look something like this;
1. Ron Liepert, having successfully screwed over the Health Care portfolio, will now move to Energy. The sector will be given all they ask for so he can then join them for drinks at the Pete Club. With this move Albertans will no longer need to worry about Health Care in Alberta: they will have to move to BC or Saskatchewan since they have no jobs in Alberta.
2. Ted Morton will be given a major economic portfolio; either Finance or Treasury Board. He will be able to practise the Reagan Economics he learned from south of the border. We witness the last signal to the moderates in the Tory Caucus that the move to protect their right flank from the Wildrose has begun in earnest. This will result in Health Care, Education and Social Services being treated as an expense to be cut dramatically rather than an investment to be embraced as a future requirement; a healthy, educated population.
Following this they announce a Throne Speech for February 4th and a budget for February 9th. The budget will show that finances aren't as bad as people might think (thank heaven the gas price was up for a while). After this they will steal from Stephen Harper and prorogue the Legislature by mid-March declaring all is well and good in Alberta.
They now look down the road and see their options as;
Option #1
Since they have accomplished everything they have promised us (in their minds), they will call an early election. Not a good decision since even this group can read the tea leaves and see that the voter is not very happy with their mismanagement of everything. They will be advised that this anger will translate into Wildrose support, even though the Wildrose stands for nothing at present the voter will choose Tweedle Dumb over Tweedle Dumber.
Option # 2
By proroguing the Legislature they "get outta Dodge" and can "re-calibrate", making the voter realize they are the best option and should be allowed to continue to mismanage the Province, while cutting the hell out of all that is sacred to Albertans.
Option # 3
Sorry Ed, all out of options.
Response from the Opposition;
New Democrats
We are morally outraged. Let's organize some town halls.
Liberals
They can't do that, can they? Let's all get ready to shake our fist at them.
Wildrose
How do we eat at the trough? Do we have to use our hands?
One Person's Opinion
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Taking a break from politics
Off for the weekend, was able to find a room at the last minute.
http://www.sycuanresort.com
Wait, did I say a weekend away from politics?
Sorry, in San Diego with my Iraqi friends from the early stages of the protest against the US invasions of Iraq so there will be politics.
Update when I return as they are just back from Iraq.
Stay tuned!
http://www.sycuanresort.com
Wait, did I say a weekend away from politics?
Sorry, in San Diego with my Iraqi friends from the early stages of the protest against the US invasions of Iraq so there will be politics.
Update when I return as they are just back from Iraq.
Stay tuned!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Former Liberal says party facing bleak prospects
http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alberta/2010/01/06/12362206-sun.html
I can only hope that my comments and rants are getting through to the people that need to hear and act.
We are missing so much by not grabbing the centre where the majority of Albertans reside.
I can only hope that my comments and rants are getting through to the people that need to hear and act.
We are missing so much by not grabbing the centre where the majority of Albertans reside.
Monday, January 4, 2010
The Sky is Falling in Alberta Politics
Two no-name PCs (Progressive Conservatives) bolt to the TCs (True Conservatives) and the media is agog.
It's the end of the political world as we know it!
Never in the history of Alberta has this ever happened and so what!
Rob Anderson and Heather Forsyth, both self described conservatives, social conservative, fiscal conservatives, who cares, conservatives non-the-less decide their time at the political trough provided by Alberta taxpayers is in jeopardy and something must be done. Obviously, they figure out that under Stelmach they cannot win their seats so off they go to what they determine will be a haven that will keep them in the feeding frenzy they are accustomed to.
The point is they leave the Conservatives to join the conservatives and the media world is in a frenzy.
Are provincial politics so moribund in Alberta that we come down to this; the only excitement is watching Conservatives become conservatives. As my daughter would say OMG!
Meanwhile, the Alberta Liberals as the Official Opposition (for the time being), sit blithely by saying little. I saw nothing on either their Caucus or their Party website. Do they not understand that they are culpable?
I suppose that's a rhetorical question!
It's the end of the political world as we know it!
Never in the history of Alberta has this ever happened and so what!
Rob Anderson and Heather Forsyth, both self described conservatives, social conservative, fiscal conservatives, who cares, conservatives non-the-less decide their time at the political trough provided by Alberta taxpayers is in jeopardy and something must be done. Obviously, they figure out that under Stelmach they cannot win their seats so off they go to what they determine will be a haven that will keep them in the feeding frenzy they are accustomed to.
The point is they leave the Conservatives to join the conservatives and the media world is in a frenzy.
Are provincial politics so moribund in Alberta that we come down to this; the only excitement is watching Conservatives become conservatives. As my daughter would say OMG!
Meanwhile, the Alberta Liberals as the Official Opposition (for the time being), sit blithely by saying little. I saw nothing on either their Caucus or their Party website. Do they not understand that they are culpable?
I suppose that's a rhetorical question!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
My History with the Alberta Liberal Party - Part IX
June 2007 to December 2009
I was in the Sultanate of Oman for both the ’08 provincial and federal campaigns dealing with the ole prostate problem. It all ended well and a 100% recovery thanks to good care in Canada and Oman.
The final chapter of my involvement with the Alberta Liberal Party came with the by-election in Calgary-Glenmore.
The by-election was necessitated when Ron Stevens resigned and was immediately appointed an Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench judge not being satisfied with pocketing our money as an MLA and a Cabinet Minister and he now needed more of our asset as a judge.
After the nomination for the Liberal Party was convened and Dr. Avalon Roberts won the day I was asked by Brendan Dunphy to consider managing her campaign. I must admit at first glance I didn’t like her chances but every time we met my respect and admiration for her grew and finally I felt she was a brilliant candidate and we could win this. I thank Brendan for getting me involved.
Once again we had a terrific campaign team with too many to mention but there was Ruth Huber organizing people and delivering every time.
We had an excellent run and came within 200 plus votes of winning a very Conservative seat and when squeezed for reasons why we lost they were as follows;
1. Ignatieff mused about a fall election which voters did not want and the doors started to say “you Liberals, we don’t need an election”. We are lumped together with the feds and if he had only stayed quiet until September 15th, who knows. Our polling showed a decline in support after he spoke.
2. Voters did not understand what the Provincial Liberals stood for.
3. The doors did not know or understand Dr. Swann even though he was a tireless campaigner, there was no recognition.
After the by-election I traveled to Oman and from there offered to once again organize the provincial constituencies and once again was rejected.
I resigned from any organizational capacity December 21st, 2009.
Presently, I am contemplating my future…
I was in the Sultanate of Oman for both the ’08 provincial and federal campaigns dealing with the ole prostate problem. It all ended well and a 100% recovery thanks to good care in Canada and Oman.
The final chapter of my involvement with the Alberta Liberal Party came with the by-election in Calgary-Glenmore.
The by-election was necessitated when Ron Stevens resigned and was immediately appointed an Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench judge not being satisfied with pocketing our money as an MLA and a Cabinet Minister and he now needed more of our asset as a judge.
After the nomination for the Liberal Party was convened and Dr. Avalon Roberts won the day I was asked by Brendan Dunphy to consider managing her campaign. I must admit at first glance I didn’t like her chances but every time we met my respect and admiration for her grew and finally I felt she was a brilliant candidate and we could win this. I thank Brendan for getting me involved.
Once again we had a terrific campaign team with too many to mention but there was Ruth Huber organizing people and delivering every time.
We had an excellent run and came within 200 plus votes of winning a very Conservative seat and when squeezed for reasons why we lost they were as follows;
1. Ignatieff mused about a fall election which voters did not want and the doors started to say “you Liberals, we don’t need an election”. We are lumped together with the feds and if he had only stayed quiet until September 15th, who knows. Our polling showed a decline in support after he spoke.
2. Voters did not understand what the Provincial Liberals stood for.
3. The doors did not know or understand Dr. Swann even though he was a tireless campaigner, there was no recognition.
After the by-election I traveled to Oman and from there offered to once again organize the provincial constituencies and once again was rejected.
I resigned from any organizational capacity December 21st, 2009.
Presently, I am contemplating my future…
My History with the Alberta Liberal Party - Part VIII
November 2004 to June 2007
After the Taylor campaign I assisted Dave with the organization of the Currie constituency and wrote a letter to Kevin Taft June ’05 offering to assist with provincial constituency organization and advised him I could and would put a team together to retire the debt and no response until October ’05 when he basically blew me off.
The 2006 federal election was held on January 23, 2006. I managed the campaign for Jennifer Pollock in Calgary West against Rob Anders, welcome to Alberta.
The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes: up from 29.6% in the 2004 election. The election resulted in a minority government led by the Conservative Party with Stephen Harper becoming the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada.
Meanwhile in Alberta provincial politics Ralph Klein resigns from the Premier’s position.
Prior to the 2004 election, Klein had stated his intention to serve only one more term in office. Pressure mounted on Klein to set a firm date and, following such a request from party executive director Peter Elzinga, Klein announced on March 14, 2006, that he will be tendering his resignation on October 31, 2007. He subsequently stated that his resignation would take effect in early 2008 after a successor is chosen at the party's leadership election.
Klein announced his timetable days before party delegates were to vote in a review of his leadership on March 31, 2006. The drawn-out schedule for his retirement, along with his announcement that any cabinet minister who wished to run for leader must resign by June 2006, generated a large degree of controversy, including criticism from cabinet minister Lyle Oberg who was subsequently fired from cabinet and suspended from caucus.
When the leadership review ballot was held, Klein won the support of only 55% of delegates, down from the 90% level of support he had won at previous reviews and far lower than the 75% Klein felt he needed in order to continue. The result was described as a "crushing blow" to Klein's leadership.
In the weeks prior to the vote, Klein had said he would resign immediately if he did not win the leadership review by a "substantial" margin. In the hours following the vote, Klein released a statement thanking delegates for their support and saying he would take several days to consider his future.
"Given the results of this vote, I intend to meet with party officials and my staff to discuss my next step," he said. "I will do this as quickly as possible and announce a decision about my future shortly”.
At a press conference on April 4th, 2006, Klein announced that as a result of the lukewarm vote for his continued leadership he would submit a letter in September to Alberta's Progressive Conservative Party urging them to convene a leadership contest. Klein said he would resign as party leader and Premier after a successor was named, and would assist the new leader in their transition to Premier.
Klein officially handed in his resignation as party leader on September 20, 2006, officially kicking off the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party leadership race. However, Klein remained premier until the new PC Leader, Ed Stelmach, assumed office on December 14, 2006. He resigned his seat in the legislature on January 15, 2007.
Klein’s resignation resulted in a by-election call for June 12th, 2007 in his constituency of Calgary-Elbow.
Craig Cheffins decided to run as the Liberal candidate and asked me to manage his campaign which I readily agreed to having come close to winning Elbow in ’97 I relished the thought of winning the seat.
We had a terrific candidate an excellent campaign team and of course the power of Ruth Huber. What we didn’t have was any bump from the provincial Party, so we ran almost as an Independent.
We did have the support of Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier who took on Premier Stelmach in a Calgary versus the Province battle creating a positive effect for our campaign.
We won and Calgary-Elbow was represented by a Liberal. A pattern was extended, Sheldon was the first Liberal in Calgary-Buffalo, Dave was the first Liberal in Calgary-Currie and now Craig, the first Liberal in Calgary-Elbow.
What you can't do with a great team and a terrific candidate…
After the Taylor campaign I assisted Dave with the organization of the Currie constituency and wrote a letter to Kevin Taft June ’05 offering to assist with provincial constituency organization and advised him I could and would put a team together to retire the debt and no response until October ’05 when he basically blew me off.
The 2006 federal election was held on January 23, 2006. I managed the campaign for Jennifer Pollock in Calgary West against Rob Anders, welcome to Alberta.
The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes: up from 29.6% in the 2004 election. The election resulted in a minority government led by the Conservative Party with Stephen Harper becoming the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada.
Meanwhile in Alberta provincial politics Ralph Klein resigns from the Premier’s position.
Prior to the 2004 election, Klein had stated his intention to serve only one more term in office. Pressure mounted on Klein to set a firm date and, following such a request from party executive director Peter Elzinga, Klein announced on March 14, 2006, that he will be tendering his resignation on October 31, 2007. He subsequently stated that his resignation would take effect in early 2008 after a successor is chosen at the party's leadership election.
Klein announced his timetable days before party delegates were to vote in a review of his leadership on March 31, 2006. The drawn-out schedule for his retirement, along with his announcement that any cabinet minister who wished to run for leader must resign by June 2006, generated a large degree of controversy, including criticism from cabinet minister Lyle Oberg who was subsequently fired from cabinet and suspended from caucus.
When the leadership review ballot was held, Klein won the support of only 55% of delegates, down from the 90% level of support he had won at previous reviews and far lower than the 75% Klein felt he needed in order to continue. The result was described as a "crushing blow" to Klein's leadership.
In the weeks prior to the vote, Klein had said he would resign immediately if he did not win the leadership review by a "substantial" margin. In the hours following the vote, Klein released a statement thanking delegates for their support and saying he would take several days to consider his future.
"Given the results of this vote, I intend to meet with party officials and my staff to discuss my next step," he said. "I will do this as quickly as possible and announce a decision about my future shortly”.
At a press conference on April 4th, 2006, Klein announced that as a result of the lukewarm vote for his continued leadership he would submit a letter in September to Alberta's Progressive Conservative Party urging them to convene a leadership contest. Klein said he would resign as party leader and Premier after a successor was named, and would assist the new leader in their transition to Premier.
Klein officially handed in his resignation as party leader on September 20, 2006, officially kicking off the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party leadership race. However, Klein remained premier until the new PC Leader, Ed Stelmach, assumed office on December 14, 2006. He resigned his seat in the legislature on January 15, 2007.
Klein’s resignation resulted in a by-election call for June 12th, 2007 in his constituency of Calgary-Elbow.
Craig Cheffins decided to run as the Liberal candidate and asked me to manage his campaign which I readily agreed to having come close to winning Elbow in ’97 I relished the thought of winning the seat.
We had a terrific candidate an excellent campaign team and of course the power of Ruth Huber. What we didn’t have was any bump from the provincial Party, so we ran almost as an Independent.
We did have the support of Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier who took on Premier Stelmach in a Calgary versus the Province battle creating a positive effect for our campaign.
We won and Calgary-Elbow was represented by a Liberal. A pattern was extended, Sheldon was the first Liberal in Calgary-Buffalo, Dave was the first Liberal in Calgary-Currie and now Craig, the first Liberal in Calgary-Elbow.
What you can't do with a great team and a terrific candidate…
My History with the Alberta Liberal Party - Part VII
June 1997 to November 2004
A good deal of this period was taken up with my Iraq involvement which I reported on earlier.
I did manage to create some mayhem in Alberta politics in the 2000 federal election held on November 27th, 2000. I supported and assisted Joe Clark in his Calgary Centre victory over the Canadian Alliance Party. I wanted to drive a stake through the heart of the Alliance Party in Calgary. My first option was to run for the Liberals but after the Liberal organizers messed with my nomination I contacted Maureen McTeer, flew to Ottawa for tea at the Chateau Laurier and conspired to get Joe elected.
I had 2 goals; One, to get Joe elected, Two, to ensure the Liberals did not get 10% of the vote as punishment for messing with my desire to run in “my town”. Incidentally, Joe won by more than 4,000 votes and the Liberals received 9.83%.
I did very little in the Alberta general election of 2001 held on March 12th, 2001 due to time spent in Iraq. The Conservative Party, led by Ralph Klein, won a strong majority. In addition to increasing its share of the popular vote to almost 62%, the PC Party won a majority of seats in Edmonton for the first time since 1982. They ran on the slogan “Ralph’s Team” and nobody could name the Tory candidates.
The Liberals lost 11 seats and ran up a large debt and the leader, Nancy MacBeth, was defeated in her own constituency.
The NDs, led by Raj Pannu, hoped to make gains at the expense of the Liberals in Edmonton and replace them as the official opposition. This did not materialize, but the party did manage to maintain its share of the popular vote and its two seats in the legislature. The NDs attempted to attract young voters with the slogan, "Raj against the Machine".
The right-wing Alberta First Party, contesting its first election, failed to win any seats or come close. The Social Credit Party, led by James Albers, was unable to build on its moderate success in the 1997 election, and sank back into obscurity.
In the 2004 federal election held on June 28th, 2004, I managed the campaign for Cathy McClusky in Calgary Centre-North coming 2nd but losing to Jim Prentice who was later to become a Cabinet Minister.
In the Alberta general election of 2004 held on November 22, 2004 I managed Dave Taylor’s first political campaign. We defeated the Tory incumbent and Calgary Currie is still represented by a Liberal.
The election was called on October 25, 2004. Premier Ralph Klein decided to go to the polls earlier than the legislated deadline of March 2006. This election was held in conjunction with the Alberta Senate nominee election, 2004.
When the election was called, it was expected to be anticlimactic, with Klein cruising to his fourth straight majority.
Shortly after the drop of the writs, Klein's mother died and all parties suspended their campaigns for several days. After the campaign resumed, Klein avoided making any policy announcements and attended few events. One commentator called it "Kleinfeld: the campaign about nothing" (a reference to the television sitcom Seinfeld). The Liberal Party, which had hoped to hold onto the five seats it had and regain the two seats that it had lost to resignations, began to pick up momentum and became far more optimistic.
In the end, the Conservatives were re-elected, despite losing 11 seats and 15% of the popular vote. The Liberals more than doubled their seats by electing 17 MLA's on election night while dominating Edmonton, and making strong inroads in Calgary. The NDs held on to their two seats and gained two more, all in Edmonton. The Conservatives swept rural Alberta except for one seat that went to the Alberta Alliance, which placed second in a number of rural ridings. The Green Party gained in the popular vote, jumping from 0.3% in the 2001 election to 2.8%, and placed third in some places. Also placing second in the riding of Drayton Valley-Calmar ahead of the Liberals, It was unable to win any seats, however. Social Credit placed third in a number of ridings, and its leader tied for second in Rocky Mountain House. The Conservative, Liberal and NDP leaders all easily held onto their own seats.
The Conservative Juggernaut continues...
A good deal of this period was taken up with my Iraq involvement which I reported on earlier.
I did manage to create some mayhem in Alberta politics in the 2000 federal election held on November 27th, 2000. I supported and assisted Joe Clark in his Calgary Centre victory over the Canadian Alliance Party. I wanted to drive a stake through the heart of the Alliance Party in Calgary. My first option was to run for the Liberals but after the Liberal organizers messed with my nomination I contacted Maureen McTeer, flew to Ottawa for tea at the Chateau Laurier and conspired to get Joe elected.
I had 2 goals; One, to get Joe elected, Two, to ensure the Liberals did not get 10% of the vote as punishment for messing with my desire to run in “my town”. Incidentally, Joe won by more than 4,000 votes and the Liberals received 9.83%.
I did very little in the Alberta general election of 2001 held on March 12th, 2001 due to time spent in Iraq. The Conservative Party, led by Ralph Klein, won a strong majority. In addition to increasing its share of the popular vote to almost 62%, the PC Party won a majority of seats in Edmonton for the first time since 1982. They ran on the slogan “Ralph’s Team” and nobody could name the Tory candidates.
The Liberals lost 11 seats and ran up a large debt and the leader, Nancy MacBeth, was defeated in her own constituency.
The NDs, led by Raj Pannu, hoped to make gains at the expense of the Liberals in Edmonton and replace them as the official opposition. This did not materialize, but the party did manage to maintain its share of the popular vote and its two seats in the legislature. The NDs attempted to attract young voters with the slogan, "Raj against the Machine".
The right-wing Alberta First Party, contesting its first election, failed to win any seats or come close. The Social Credit Party, led by James Albers, was unable to build on its moderate success in the 1997 election, and sank back into obscurity.
In the 2004 federal election held on June 28th, 2004, I managed the campaign for Cathy McClusky in Calgary Centre-North coming 2nd but losing to Jim Prentice who was later to become a Cabinet Minister.
In the Alberta general election of 2004 held on November 22, 2004 I managed Dave Taylor’s first political campaign. We defeated the Tory incumbent and Calgary Currie is still represented by a Liberal.
The election was called on October 25, 2004. Premier Ralph Klein decided to go to the polls earlier than the legislated deadline of March 2006. This election was held in conjunction with the Alberta Senate nominee election, 2004.
When the election was called, it was expected to be anticlimactic, with Klein cruising to his fourth straight majority.
Shortly after the drop of the writs, Klein's mother died and all parties suspended their campaigns for several days. After the campaign resumed, Klein avoided making any policy announcements and attended few events. One commentator called it "Kleinfeld: the campaign about nothing" (a reference to the television sitcom Seinfeld). The Liberal Party, which had hoped to hold onto the five seats it had and regain the two seats that it had lost to resignations, began to pick up momentum and became far more optimistic.
In the end, the Conservatives were re-elected, despite losing 11 seats and 15% of the popular vote. The Liberals more than doubled their seats by electing 17 MLA's on election night while dominating Edmonton, and making strong inroads in Calgary. The NDs held on to their two seats and gained two more, all in Edmonton. The Conservatives swept rural Alberta except for one seat that went to the Alberta Alliance, which placed second in a number of rural ridings. The Green Party gained in the popular vote, jumping from 0.3% in the 2001 election to 2.8%, and placed third in some places. Also placing second in the riding of Drayton Valley-Calmar ahead of the Liberals, It was unable to win any seats, however. Social Credit placed third in a number of ridings, and its leader tied for second in Rocky Mountain House. The Conservative, Liberal and NDP leaders all easily held onto their own seats.
The Conservative Juggernaut continues...
Friday, January 1, 2010
My History with the Alberta Liberal Party - Part VI
October 1993 to June 1997
The1997 provincial general election was held on March 11th, 1997.
The Provincial Liberal Leader, Grant Mitchell personally requested that I manage the campaign of Dr. Harold Swanson. Dr. Swanson had run against Klein in the nomination meeting for the Elbow Tories and came close to defeating him. Still very much interested in publicly discussing Klein’s attack on Health Care, Harold was persuaded to run as the Liberal candidate against Klein in Calgary-Elbow.
This was the 3rd time I took on Rod Love and the first time I was up against Al Hallman, Klein’s manager. We ran a very successful campaign on a shoe string budget (spending 10% of Ralph’s budget) and held the biggest political theatre event in years when we debated Klein at the North Glenmore Park Community Centre. We came within reach of defeating Klein and at the very least we scared the hell out of his organization. What we did do was show the Provincial Liberals that a solid campaign organization could produce positive results.
This was Klein's second election as leader of the Conservatives and was considerably more successful than his first. The PCs won over half the popular vote, and 63 of the 83 seats in the legislature.
The Alberta Liberal Party of Grant Mitchell lost about 7% of the popular vote it had won in the 1993 election and was reduced from 32 members to 18. Pam Barrett led the NDP back into the legislature with two seats (both in Edmonton), despite winning an even smaller share of the popular vote than in 1993.
The 1997 provincial election was followed closely by a federal election on June 2nd. In the ’97 federal election I was asked by David Smith, now Senator Smith, to find a candidate for Calgary Centre. I determined that Bev Longstaff would be the best person so I arranged a meeting at her Aldermanic offices and we discussed the matter at length. She agreed to be the candidate and I agreed to manage the campaign. However, the Party had different ideas and after a successful nomination meeting I was advised that my participation was not required. Longstaff lost the ’97 federal campaign by a little more than 3,000 votes, a campaign I never would have lost.
My first-hand experience with the culture of defeat in Alberta Liberal politics…
The1997 provincial general election was held on March 11th, 1997.
The Provincial Liberal Leader, Grant Mitchell personally requested that I manage the campaign of Dr. Harold Swanson. Dr. Swanson had run against Klein in the nomination meeting for the Elbow Tories and came close to defeating him. Still very much interested in publicly discussing Klein’s attack on Health Care, Harold was persuaded to run as the Liberal candidate against Klein in Calgary-Elbow.
This was the 3rd time I took on Rod Love and the first time I was up against Al Hallman, Klein’s manager. We ran a very successful campaign on a shoe string budget (spending 10% of Ralph’s budget) and held the biggest political theatre event in years when we debated Klein at the North Glenmore Park Community Centre. We came within reach of defeating Klein and at the very least we scared the hell out of his organization. What we did do was show the Provincial Liberals that a solid campaign organization could produce positive results.
This was Klein's second election as leader of the Conservatives and was considerably more successful than his first. The PCs won over half the popular vote, and 63 of the 83 seats in the legislature.
The Alberta Liberal Party of Grant Mitchell lost about 7% of the popular vote it had won in the 1993 election and was reduced from 32 members to 18. Pam Barrett led the NDP back into the legislature with two seats (both in Edmonton), despite winning an even smaller share of the popular vote than in 1993.
The 1997 provincial election was followed closely by a federal election on June 2nd. In the ’97 federal election I was asked by David Smith, now Senator Smith, to find a candidate for Calgary Centre. I determined that Bev Longstaff would be the best person so I arranged a meeting at her Aldermanic offices and we discussed the matter at length. She agreed to be the candidate and I agreed to manage the campaign. However, the Party had different ideas and after a successful nomination meeting I was advised that my participation was not required. Longstaff lost the ’97 federal campaign by a little more than 3,000 votes, a campaign I never would have lost.
My first-hand experience with the culture of defeat in Alberta Liberal politics…
My History with the Alberta Liberal Party - Part V
July 1992 to October 1993
I was still heavily involved in Party organization during this period. I worked on the Calgary Buffalo campaign and we won Buffalo for a 4th consecutive time.
The 1993 provincial general election was held on June 15th, 1993. The Liberal Party was led by Laurence Decore, a former mayor of Edmonton. Despite being the smallest of the three parties in the legislature, the Liberals made major gains by criticizing the Conservatives' fiscal responsibility, the province's rapidly rising debt, and the government's involvement in the private sector which resulted in some companies defaulting on government loans.
Don Getty resigned as provincial premier 1n 1992 after polls showed that he would not win re-election. The party chose former Calgary mayor Ralph Klein to succeed Getty. Klein campaigned for the leadership in part by making arguments similar to Decore's. He favoured a near-immediate balancing of the provincial budget and rapid debt repayment thereafter, and declared his government "out of the business of business". By the time Klein dropped the writs, his party had regained the lead on polls.
Decore, facing a Premier with whom he agreed on many issues, argued that the Progressive Conservative party had no moral authority left on the issues on which Klein was campaigning. There were several televised debates; however viewership was low since it coincided with the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals.
Klein's efforts were successful in reinvigorating the Conservatives from certain defeat and they retained a solid majority in the legislature for its seventh consecutive term in government. The Conservatives increased its share of the popular vote marginally, and lost eight seats in the legislature.
The Liberals capitalized on the stagnant PC vote and the collapse of the NDP. Opposition to the PC government coalesced around Decore and the Liberals; they managed to win almost 40% of the popular vote and 32 seats in the legislature, including every seat in Edmonton. They formed what still stands as the largest opposition caucus in Alberta history. To the surprise of many, Decore stepped down as Liberal leader not long after the election, supposedly being pressured to resign by party insiders who felt that he missed the chance to form the government. The Liberals still eat their young.
The New Democrats went down to defeat by being shut out of the legislature for the first time since 1967 as the anti-PC vote consolidated around the Liberals.
The Federal election was held on October 25th, 1993 and I managed the Bob Blair campaign in Calgary Centre, taking the Party from a distant 4th and 11% of the vote in ’88 to a close second and more than 30% of the vote.
Surprising what can be done for the Liberals in Calgary...
I was still heavily involved in Party organization during this period. I worked on the Calgary Buffalo campaign and we won Buffalo for a 4th consecutive time.
The 1993 provincial general election was held on June 15th, 1993. The Liberal Party was led by Laurence Decore, a former mayor of Edmonton. Despite being the smallest of the three parties in the legislature, the Liberals made major gains by criticizing the Conservatives' fiscal responsibility, the province's rapidly rising debt, and the government's involvement in the private sector which resulted in some companies defaulting on government loans.
Don Getty resigned as provincial premier 1n 1992 after polls showed that he would not win re-election. The party chose former Calgary mayor Ralph Klein to succeed Getty. Klein campaigned for the leadership in part by making arguments similar to Decore's. He favoured a near-immediate balancing of the provincial budget and rapid debt repayment thereafter, and declared his government "out of the business of business". By the time Klein dropped the writs, his party had regained the lead on polls.
Decore, facing a Premier with whom he agreed on many issues, argued that the Progressive Conservative party had no moral authority left on the issues on which Klein was campaigning. There were several televised debates; however viewership was low since it coincided with the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals.
Klein's efforts were successful in reinvigorating the Conservatives from certain defeat and they retained a solid majority in the legislature for its seventh consecutive term in government. The Conservatives increased its share of the popular vote marginally, and lost eight seats in the legislature.
The Liberals capitalized on the stagnant PC vote and the collapse of the NDP. Opposition to the PC government coalesced around Decore and the Liberals; they managed to win almost 40% of the popular vote and 32 seats in the legislature, including every seat in Edmonton. They formed what still stands as the largest opposition caucus in Alberta history. To the surprise of many, Decore stepped down as Liberal leader not long after the election, supposedly being pressured to resign by party insiders who felt that he missed the chance to form the government. The Liberals still eat their young.
The New Democrats went down to defeat by being shut out of the legislature for the first time since 1967 as the anti-PC vote consolidated around the Liberals.
The Federal election was held on October 25th, 1993 and I managed the Bob Blair campaign in Calgary Centre, taking the Party from a distant 4th and 11% of the vote in ’88 to a close second and more than 30% of the vote.
Surprising what can be done for the Liberals in Calgary...
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