It’s the final days before Stelmach’s leadership showdown and sources have confirmed that Fast Eddie’s team is feverishly working the phones to ensure the boss is not dethroned a la King Ralph.
PC MLA’s have been sternly instructed to "lay down the law" to their constituency delegates. All 15 had better cast ballots endorsing the Leader or they can kiss their cushy government contracts good-bye. That message is getting through loud and clear, but will he reach the magic 70s threshold or fall short, it’s going to be close.
What of all the whispers that former leadership hopeful, Jim Dinning is quietly mounting a comeback? Dinning, of course, is denying it and publicly expressing his love and support for the Premier. He was followed by the former #1, Peter Lougheed and the other would-be Premier, Ted Morton.
Sources are insisting Dinning is true to his word and will not run. Lougheed had his time in the sun, but then there’s Morty. The issue is not that he finally joined the chorus in favour of Stelmach, but that he took sooooo long to do it and, in fact was the last to jump on the bandwagon. The hot “street talk” is that snortin’ Morton still has a skeleton crew on standby to kick start a campaign if Red Deer becomes a Dear Rear Fiasco.
Of course the Alliance is already fundraising and planning strategy with its new leader, Missy Smith.
But are the NDs and the Libs ready to kick a little butt if the Alberta political structure explodes?
This could be one of the most wide open provincial elections in the past 2 decades. If the economy continues to struggle, deep cuts to essential services continue and we continue with a lame duck Premier. There could be a dreaded "double dip” down and that’s the direction falling oil & gas prices will take the Tories!
Stay Tuned, only 6 more sleeps!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The Holy PC Trilogy Speaks
We had the right timing but the wrong politician when we told you on the last blog..." It's been a bad couple of weeks for Fast Eddie Stelmach and it looks like the next few won't be any better”. It’s Michael Ignatieff that is a dead man walking with the latest Ipsos Reid poll showing he and his fellow Federal Libs at just 25% support among Canadians. That's LESS than former leader Stephane Dion and the lowest showing since 1867...Confederation !!!!
After dithering and then appearing to back down from his threat to force a general election during the month of October, Ignatieff continues to dance the Ottawa two step on this critical issue. Since the late summer he has managed to lose support among voters and gave the Conservatives a big lead in Ontario. The poll suggests Harper would win more seats in Canada's biggest province and is close to pulling out a majority government. On the bright side Mikey has no where to go but up.
As for the Gentleman Politician-Farmer from Northern Alberta, none other than former Stelmach rival Jim Dinning publicly endorsed the Premier and told party members..."Don't you dare"...give him a spanking at the November leadership review. Jimbo's logic is that Fast Eddie won the largest electoral majority in the Free World...70 of 83 seats...and dissing the leader would harm the party and the Government as it deals with substantial economic and social issues. Well Jimmy, maybe the leader shares some blame for these issues taking the province down a black hole...do ya think? Also, Jim one has to wonder what interest you may have in the passing of Bill 50 creating unusual bedfellows always has an ulterior motive, hmmmmmmmm.
Dinning was joined by the former God of Alberta...sorry...former Premier Peter Lougheed who also voiced his strong support.. Apparently, Ted Morton the other ex-leadership candidate will complete the trilogy by joining the Stelmach chorus later this week. The Father, the Son and the Oh My God.
Jim's parting advice to Stelmach is to deliver this simple message to rebel party members..."It's time for hardball politics"...
That's a suggestion that should also become the mantra of Alberta Liberals if they want any chance to chop down the mighty PC oak.
After dithering and then appearing to back down from his threat to force a general election during the month of October, Ignatieff continues to dance the Ottawa two step on this critical issue. Since the late summer he has managed to lose support among voters and gave the Conservatives a big lead in Ontario. The poll suggests Harper would win more seats in Canada's biggest province and is close to pulling out a majority government. On the bright side Mikey has no where to go but up.
As for the Gentleman Politician-Farmer from Northern Alberta, none other than former Stelmach rival Jim Dinning publicly endorsed the Premier and told party members..."Don't you dare"...give him a spanking at the November leadership review. Jimbo's logic is that Fast Eddie won the largest electoral majority in the Free World...70 of 83 seats...and dissing the leader would harm the party and the Government as it deals with substantial economic and social issues. Well Jimmy, maybe the leader shares some blame for these issues taking the province down a black hole...do ya think? Also, Jim one has to wonder what interest you may have in the passing of Bill 50 creating unusual bedfellows always has an ulterior motive, hmmmmmmmm.
Dinning was joined by the former God of Alberta...sorry...former Premier Peter Lougheed who also voiced his strong support.. Apparently, Ted Morton the other ex-leadership candidate will complete the trilogy by joining the Stelmach chorus later this week. The Father, the Son and the Oh My God.
Jim's parting advice to Stelmach is to deliver this simple message to rebel party members..."It's time for hardball politics"...
That's a suggestion that should also become the mantra of Alberta Liberals if they want any chance to chop down the mighty PC oak.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
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.
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.
My Kingdom for a Poll
In a poll from the October 24th Calgary Herald, when asked, Do you agree with Calgary Liberal organizer Donn Lovett’s statement with respect to the Alberta Liberals?
722 readers cast a vote; 78% supported my position.
When Danielle Smith won the Leadership of the Wildrose Alliance Party she received 77% of the vote.
Now it's up to Ed Stelmach to see if he can beat my numbers with his vote taking place November 7th.
Vote early, vote often in the new POLL.
722 readers cast a vote; 78% supported my position.
When Danielle Smith won the Leadership of the Wildrose Alliance Party she received 77% of the vote.
Now it's up to Ed Stelmach to see if he can beat my numbers with his vote taking place November 7th.
Vote early, vote often in the new POLL.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Socreds By Any Other Name
Preston Manning says the Stelmach Government could be toppled in the next election. That’s a shot for his late father, Ernest Manning, whose 38 year Social Credit dynasty was ended by Peter Lougheed and the Tories in ’71.
Then we had the 38 year Tory dynasty. Social Credit (Wildrose Alliance, Reform, Alliance, whatever) want their place back in the Pantheon of Alberta Politics.
Don Braid called Smith an “enthusiastic and convincing speaker” and Stelmach “worst speaker and public communicator in a major political job in Canada”.
Ex MLAs Ernie Isley and Lyle Oberg have publicly jumped on the dump Stelmach band wagon. There goes Rural and Northern Alberta down the drain, and to the right.
Will Stelmach get the same support from his party that Smith got from her party come November, not a chance!
Then we had the 38 year Tory dynasty. Social Credit (Wildrose Alliance, Reform, Alliance, whatever) want their place back in the Pantheon of Alberta Politics.
Don Braid called Smith an “enthusiastic and convincing speaker” and Stelmach “worst speaker and public communicator in a major political job in Canada”.
Ex MLAs Ernie Isley and Lyle Oberg have publicly jumped on the dump Stelmach band wagon. There goes Rural and Northern Alberta down the drain, and to the right.
Will Stelmach get the same support from his party that Smith got from her party come November, not a chance!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The Future of Alberta Politics - One Person's Opinion
After viewing the outcome and the aftermath of the recent Glenmore by-election it became abundantly clear that the Alberta Liberal Party was handed an opportunity even greater than the Decore years. The Party was offered a chance to pull itself up, dust itself off and get back into the game.
It would require a plan, a plan yours truly offered immediately following the by-election. The plan was to gain the centre of the political spectrum in Alberta.
This would require a strategy, a strategy I am still waiting to see.
My crystal ball told me politics in Alberta would evolve as follows;
The Wildrose Alliance Party of Alberta
Having elected Paul Hinman in Calgary Glenmore and with the upcoming immanent leadership victory of Danielle Smith (now confirmed), Alberta would have an official neo-conservative, social conservative party or as they like to refer to themselves as the TC (true conservative) Party. They have no place to exist except on the far right.
The Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta
They are in a schizophrenic nightmare, not even able to organize to get to work on Tuesdays. Since they have no respect, nor fear of the Alberta Liberal Party, they will see their threat coming from the right in the form of the Wildrose Alliance Party.
There adjustment will be to move further and further right resulting in huge cuts to programs will little desire to raise taxes. Albertans will suffer under this scenario far worse than in the Klein years of the early 90s. They have their leadership review in November and sources tell me the sharks are circling the sinking ship.
We have to wait until November 7th, 2009 to see how small a percentage of support Stelmach receives. The outcome will be determined by Party insiders who suggest numbers like 70% and 80% are not enough and then we have the Joe Clark factor of 2/3 support not being enough.
Tremendous political instability exists here.
The Alberta Liberal Party
They need to gain the centre. This space is larger than any other and occupied by most of the voters of Alberta with no one in control. Hence we see 40% voter turnouts and a disdain for all parties. The secret is how to get there because only the Liberals can go there.
First, the Party needs to change the Leader. Before we go off on a tangent, I mean the public persona not the physical person. Dr. Swann needs to be much more aggressive, more available to the media and with a firm centrist message, not an easy task.
Second, the Party needs to change Caucus communication immediately if not sooner. The Alberta Liberal Party is not taken seriously by the media as my sources tell me repeatedly.
Third, the Party needs to take an aggressive stance towards reorganization on the ground and so far this seems to be the area given most attention. Unfortunately, without the other changes this will not succeed.
The Alberta NDP
The have a firm grip on the left, not interested in moving off that position and constantly willing to call the Liberals a right wing party which can only help move the Alberta Liberal Party more to the centre.
One Person's Opinion
It would require a plan, a plan yours truly offered immediately following the by-election. The plan was to gain the centre of the political spectrum in Alberta.
This would require a strategy, a strategy I am still waiting to see.
My crystal ball told me politics in Alberta would evolve as follows;
The Wildrose Alliance Party of Alberta
Having elected Paul Hinman in Calgary Glenmore and with the upcoming immanent leadership victory of Danielle Smith (now confirmed), Alberta would have an official neo-conservative, social conservative party or as they like to refer to themselves as the TC (true conservative) Party. They have no place to exist except on the far right.
The Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta
They are in a schizophrenic nightmare, not even able to organize to get to work on Tuesdays. Since they have no respect, nor fear of the Alberta Liberal Party, they will see their threat coming from the right in the form of the Wildrose Alliance Party.
There adjustment will be to move further and further right resulting in huge cuts to programs will little desire to raise taxes. Albertans will suffer under this scenario far worse than in the Klein years of the early 90s. They have their leadership review in November and sources tell me the sharks are circling the sinking ship.
We have to wait until November 7th, 2009 to see how small a percentage of support Stelmach receives. The outcome will be determined by Party insiders who suggest numbers like 70% and 80% are not enough and then we have the Joe Clark factor of 2/3 support not being enough.
Tremendous political instability exists here.
The Alberta Liberal Party
They need to gain the centre. This space is larger than any other and occupied by most of the voters of Alberta with no one in control. Hence we see 40% voter turnouts and a disdain for all parties. The secret is how to get there because only the Liberals can go there.
First, the Party needs to change the Leader. Before we go off on a tangent, I mean the public persona not the physical person. Dr. Swann needs to be much more aggressive, more available to the media and with a firm centrist message, not an easy task.
Second, the Party needs to change Caucus communication immediately if not sooner. The Alberta Liberal Party is not taken seriously by the media as my sources tell me repeatedly.
Third, the Party needs to take an aggressive stance towards reorganization on the ground and so far this seems to be the area given most attention. Unfortunately, without the other changes this will not succeed.
The Alberta NDP
The have a firm grip on the left, not interested in moving off that position and constantly willing to call the Liberals a right wing party which can only help move the Alberta Liberal Party more to the centre.
One Person's Opinion
Wild about the Wildrose
So now we have Danielle Smith to lead us out of the wilderness that is Alberta Provincial Politics. Her background with the ever popular and centrist organization, the Frazer Institute, should have prepared her properly to lead us, albeit from a neo-conservative and social conservative perspective.
She will be fully apprised of the need to properly support and fund Public Health Care in Alberta through her association with the Frazer Institute.
Also, her time spent on the Public School Board will have prepared her for the necessary proper funding required for Public Education in Alberta. Forgetting the fact that while on the Public Board she was in violation of the Alberta School Act, having not attended the required meetings.
SCHOOL ACT
Disqualification of trustees
82 (1) A person is disqualified from remaining as a trustee of a board if that person;
(h) absents himself or herself, without being authorized by a resolution of the board to do so, from 3 consecutive regular meetings of the board, unless the person’s absence is due to illness and the person provides evidence of that illness in the form of a medical certificate respecting the period of the person’s absence;
Combined with her colleague, Paul Hinman, who seems to have a callous disregard for the Elections Act of Alberta, as displayed in the recent Glenmore by-election, we appear to have a Party with a disdain for the law.
It will be interesting to see how they respond to the rules of a Parliamentary system.
She will be fully apprised of the need to properly support and fund Public Health Care in Alberta through her association with the Frazer Institute.
Also, her time spent on the Public School Board will have prepared her for the necessary proper funding required for Public Education in Alberta. Forgetting the fact that while on the Public Board she was in violation of the Alberta School Act, having not attended the required meetings.
SCHOOL ACT
Disqualification of trustees
82 (1) A person is disqualified from remaining as a trustee of a board if that person;
(h) absents himself or herself, without being authorized by a resolution of the board to do so, from 3 consecutive regular meetings of the board, unless the person’s absence is due to illness and the person provides evidence of that illness in the form of a medical certificate respecting the period of the person’s absence;
Combined with her colleague, Paul Hinman, who seems to have a callous disregard for the Elections Act of Alberta, as displayed in the recent Glenmore by-election, we appear to have a Party with a disdain for the law.
It will be interesting to see how they respond to the rules of a Parliamentary system.
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