Alberta politics election thread 2

Agree with the 2 previous posts

NorthReport wrote:

Notley has pledged to raise the minimum wage to $15 in Alberta within 3 years  - what's not to like?

 

http://calgaryherald.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-notleys-overreach

It was already in the platform. Alberta's current minimum wage is 10.20 an hour, lower than any other province or territory except the NWT. It will be interesting to see if this helps or hurts the momemtum. 

Policywonk wrote:

Rokossovsky wrote:

josh wrote:

nicky wrote:

Unreal numbers in latest poll. NDP leading 44 to 20 to 19. 

 

http://1abvote.ca/poll-ndp-in-a-qualified-lead-while-math-indicates-clos...

This poll has the NDP ahead in all regions. That seems a stretch, but even if they are in a close three way fight outside of Edmonton and Calgary that would be more than enough for a strong majority. I would like to see collaborating polls though.

 

if we tally up the “potential holds” at this point, discounting for the momentum and growth of the NDP, we can estimate that they are currently 6 to 10 seats behind the PCs (given the current regional splits) – assuming that the Wildrose take about 15 to 20 seats in rural Alberta and suburban Calgary, and Greg Clark lands Calgary Elbow. . . .  Further, there is a circumstance that the NDP can win the popular vote by a massive margin and yet come in third. With lots of potentially close ridings, and the massive, efficient PC GOTV effort to be unleashed there many more chapters to play out over the course of this last week.

 

I think there will be great concern as to the legitimacy of the electoral proces if the NDP gets 44% of the vote, and comes in third.

IF (and that's a big if) this poll were correct, and holds until voting day, the NDP is ahead in all regions. Given the split on the right (again if the poll is correct and the NDP is ahead in all regions), it would mean a landslide. However I'm taking it with quite a few grains of salt. A lot can change in a week.

Excellent - staying focused on your own priorities!!!

Rachel Notley says priorities are job creation, education and health careNotley addressed royalty reviews, taxation, budgeting errors and pipelines in pair of interviews

CBC News Posted: Apr 29, 2015 10:23 AM MT Last Updated: Apr 29, 2015 10:23 AM MT

"Really, we've been trying to focus on the good parts of our policy in terms of our focus on job creation, on protecting our education and improving our health care. But that being said, you know, I think there's been a lot of ... fearmongering by the Tories about what might happen should we be elected," NDP Leader Rachel Notley said Wednesday. (CBC)

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/elections/alberta-votes/rachel-notley-says-priori...

 

Shame on Prentice trying to pass Mintz off as some neutral unbiased economist when he sits on Imperial Oil's Board of Directors!

Best interests of Albertans, or big oil?

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/Opinion+Best+interests+Albertans/...

A bit dated but relevant

Health levy meets with thumbs down from critics.Calgary, AB, Canada / News Talk 770 (CHQR)Tony KingMarch 25, 2015 06:51 am

Opposition parties and health care lobby groups are unimpressed after Premier Jim Prentice warned of a health care levy in Thursday’s Alberta budget.

 

 

http://www.newstalk770.com/2015/03/25/health-levy-meets-with-thumbs-down...

Wildrose appears far from dead

Last Dec. 17 Danielle Smith and eight other Wildrose MLAs strode over to the Progressive Conservative side of the legislature carpet – all harsh words previously uttered between the defectors and their former foe were now inoperative. The news stunned Alberta’s political observers. Coming after two Wildrose floor crossings three weeks earlier (following which Danielle had vowed there would be no further defections), the excited talk was that Wildrose was likely finished. Yet with less than a week left in the current election campaign it is apparent that Premier Prentice’s gambit to unite the right has not succeeded. The plastic politician show played poorly. No more Wildrosers jumped ship, the beleaguered crew rallied, and since the election writ dropped Wildrose has battled on effectively.

In welcoming his former opponents aboard the Good Ship Tory, the premier possibly remembered an earlier experience that seemingly augured smooth sailing. In 2003, he had been a supporter of the federal Progressive Conservative Party when it voted to merge with the Canadian Alliance. The newly minted Conservative Party of Canada prospered. A little more than two years later it became the government, and the then MP Jim Prentice was made a cabinet minister. But there were significant differences between the 2003 merger and last December’s quickie coat turning. Back in 2003, the federal PCs were going nowhere, a party still in tatters after its post-Mulroney shredding a decade earlier. In contrast, Wildrose has been on the build from its formation in 2008, was actually predicted to win Alberta’s 2012 election, and held together after its surprise defeat. Another difference is that the 2003 union of the federal right involved open debate and votes on both sides. By contrast, the first time Wildrose members learned of Danielle’s deal with Premier Jim came when he and the floor crossers were exchanging hosannas that long ago day in December.

The biggest threat to Wildrose now may be last minute strategic voting, with Wildrose supporters deciding to hold their noses and cast ballots for the Prentice team to keep out Red Rachel, while Liberal Party adherents anxious to bar Wildrose from power but recognizing their own party’s present infirmity vote instead for the burgeoning NDP. But memories of Allison and the Sky Palace will likely merge with resentment at Premier Prentice’s attempted gutting of Wildrose to ensure that a solid core of Wildrose votes will remain. After all, should Prentice and the Tories begin to crumble in this election, Wildrose is the heir apparent on the right. But this leads to a bit of apocalypse now thinking – what if enough people in the province have become convinced that it is time for the PCs to go? Hard to believe, but seemingly solid dynasties can crumble fast. In 1993, federal PC support eroded steadily over Kim Campbell’s ill-fated campaign, but no commentators I recall predicted that a governing party with a vast majority would be burned back to only two elected members.

http://www.stalbertgazette.com/article/20150429/SAG0903/304299996/-1/sag...

Court considering bid to open case between Jonathan Denis and estranged wife to the public

 

http://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/court-considering-bid-to-open-cas...

You know you are in trouble when you start attacking the media.  

Sure let's focus on the economy - how many Albertans have lost their jobs in the last few months?

Prentice calls on voters, media to focus on economy, not PC controversies

http://www.canada.com/news/politics/Prentice+calls+voters+media+focus+ec...

Alberta Tories diverted by family quarrel as election day nears

http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/don-braid-alberta-tories-diver...

How the smooth sailing to a 13th PC majority in Alberta went off course  

http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/dan-arnold-how-the-smooth-sail...

Top 70 political donors in Alberta:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/donations/table.html

... not putting all their eggs in one basket either. In fact, the donations to the Liberals rather than Wildrose are significant. Perhaps it is because Wildrose has more of a base among people who actually have to live with sour gas, dirty water and the other effects of the oil industry.

 

It's not over yet!  Just watch what big money and control of the press can do.

Just how scary is Rachel Notley?

Are you scared yet? Get ready. The ooga-booga campaign is just beginning.

The only play left for the Progressive Conservatives is to frighten Albertans with the spectre of an NDP government, in hopes that right-side voters will switch from Wildrose back to their traditional home.

That’s their road to the 13th PC majority in a row. And it could work on May 5, even though NDP Leader Rachel Notley actually appears to be ahead.

Or rather, it can work because she seems to be ahead.

The prospect of the NDP winning the most seats is just the wedge the PCs need to give second life to a campaign that seemed almost dead.

http://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/braid-just-how-scary-is-rachel-no...

The extent of the shift towards renewable energy is seen in the following statement from the United Nations Environment (UNEP) 2015 Report:

"Renewable energy technologies excluding large hydro made up 48% of the net power capacity added worldwide in 2014, the third successive year in which this figure has been above 40%." (http://apps.unep.org/publications/pmtdocuments/-Global_trends_in_renewab...)

Meanwhile the Cons remain dinosaurs sinking in the tarsands.

 Here are more details from the UNEP report.

 

Quote:

 

Global investment in renewable power and fuels (excluding large hydro-electric projects) was $270.2 billion in 2014, nearly 17% higher than the previous year.  ...

The trend last year was, arguably, even more impressive than it would seem from the investment numbers, because a record number capacity of wind and solar photovoltaic power was installed, at about 95GW. ...

A key feature of 2014 was the continuing spread of renewable energy to new markets. Investment in developing countries, at $131.3 billion, was up 36% on the previous year and came the closest ever to overhauling the total for developed economies, at $138.9 billion, up just 3% on the year. Indonesia, Chile, Mexico, Kenya, South Africa and Turkey were all in the billion-dollar-plus club in 2014 in terms of investment in renewables, and others such as Jordan, Uruguay, Panama, the Philippines and Myanmar were in the $500 million to $1 billion range. ...

Renewables faced challenges as 2015 began – notably from policy uncertainty in markets such as the US and the UK, retroactive policy changes in countries such as Italy and Romania, and concerns about grid access for small-scale solar in Japan and some US states. The most daunting challenge was, at first sight, the impact of the 50%-plus collapse in the oil price in the second half of last year. However, although the oil price is likely to dampen investor confidence in parts of the sector, such as solar in oil-exporting countries, and biofuels, in most parts of the world, oil and renewables do not compete for power investment dollars. Wind and solar sectors should be able to carry on flourishing, particularly if they continue to cut costs per MWh.

The cost-cutting achieved to date helped to ensure strong momentum for both those technologies in 2014. Overall investment in solar was up 29% to $149.6 billion, while that in wind advanced 11% to a record $99.5 billion.

The biggest locations for renewable energy investment last year were, predictably, the established markets in major economies – with China far out in front at $83.3 billion, a record number and 39% ahead of 2013. In second place came the US, at $38.3 billion, up 7% on the year but still well below its all-time high, reached in 2011. Third came Japan, at $35.7 billion, a tenth higher than in 2013 and its biggest total ever. India was up 14% at $7.4 billion, and Brazil 93% higher, at $7.6 billion.

[/quote]

 

NorthReport wrote:

Rachel needs to stay in Calgary right up until Sunday and go after the PC mismanagement - compare Norway to Alberta's heritage fund, and then have a huge rally in Edmonton on Sunday nite. 

The media shouls start asking Prentice if he will accept that the party who wins the most number of seats will form the government

I completely disagree with the idea of saying the NDP should govern just becuase it has the most seats if it does not have majority support in the legislature. I do not accept that the party with the most seats necessarily should govern.

We should respect the basis of parliamentary democracy. If the WR and the PC parties want to get back together and form a coalition -- this is something we should respect. If either of them think they can negotiate with the NDP some agreed program that is fine too. But there is no damn way I am going to support New Democrats being hypocritical about this point. The idea that the biggest party should govern alone is a Liberal and Conservative talking point that we should not endorse just because it is convenient.

NR please withdraw that very bad idea.

Just disgusting behaviour by Prentice -Albertans are being thrown out of work and he is giving tax breaks to the mutli-nationals.

Primed for Change: Alberta Voters Flock to NDP

Corporate-friendly spring budget was final straw for angry electorate.

For the first time in his life, Edmonton resident Duncan Wojtaszek will not cast a ballot for the Progressive Conservatives. A former constituency association president for Edmonton-Meadowlark, Wojtaszek, 36, has worked on the leadership campaigns of former premiers Dave Hancock and Ed Stelmach. But as the May 5 provincial election approaches, his vote, his money and his lawn are dedicated to Rachel Notley's New Democrats.

"By no means am I calling myself a dyed-in-the-wool New Democrat. I'm not a party member," says Wojtaszek. "Part of it is just an alignment that I wasn't going to vote PC, which is the first choice I made."

Wojtaszek is not alone.

 

http://thetyee.ca/News/2015/04/30/Alberta-Voters-NDP/?utm_source=editor-...

Alberta Premier Jim Prentice would love it if we paid no attention to scandals behind Toryland curtain  

The premier suggests we start focusing on what he says is important stuff.

It is a tall order.

You see, a lot of people don’t like Toryland.

Even a lot of folks who vote PC don’t like Toryland.

They don’t like the stink and there’s been so much stink when something happens that’s stinky it gets our attention.

When we smell some more of it we say: “Aha! There it is. Must be Toryland.”

Toryland has seen more than its fair share of idiots who have mismanaged our money and liars who haven’t come clean with the truth.

Then there’s the seemingly endless conga line of the entitled, shameless about taking Albertans for a ride, hoping no one gets wise while their sizable snouts are taking their turn at the trough.

Of course, an individual outrage passes but every new whiff of the stink erodes confidence in those who have presided over Toryland.

Then came Premier Prentice.

Remember back not so many months ago when Prentice rocked in the polls undoing a few of the latest stunts Toryland pulled.

It was the tip of the iceberg, low hanging fruit it was called.

Selling the provincial government planes, scrapping the stupid licence plate scheme — gripes the premier heard when running for PC leader.

But even these obvious and small measures in the grand scheme of things met with rousing approval.

“Attaboy, Jim! You show him, Jim!”

Prentice was the new broom sweeping out the Toryland closet.

But we don’t hear much from the broom anymore.

We hear about budget plans and how the NDP are the Orange Menace leading us to the gates of hell if not the Lake of Fire.

http://www.calgarysun.com/2015/04/30/alberta-premier-jim-prentice-would-...

Flood classrooms cost extra $8.5 million, had defects, took longer

The Tory government signed an untendered $18-million deal for modular classrooms in the wake of the 2013 floods with a firm that had never built one before because the company promised it could have all 54 units ready for the start of school just seven weeks later.

But a Herald investigation based on hundreds of documents obtained through a freedom of information request shows Enzo Developments Ltd. missed its deadline by months after struggling to find financing, got the province to pay $1.7 million for extras, and delivered a defective product that Alberta taxpayers will have to pay to repair.

A cost analysis shows the government might have saved an estimated $8.5 million — or over 70 per cent of the project’s final cost — if it had used its tendered supplier instead.

A source familiar with the project negotiations says flood-displaced children in High River and Calgary could also have been back in proper classrooms sooner if the government had opted instead to use the company it had already selected through a competitive process.

http://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/flood-classrooms-cost-extra-8-5-m...

Alberta election 2015: Can you imagine an NDP province?

Our Unconventional Panel weighs in on what a Notley government would look like

"Oh he's scared. He's talking trash now," said Andrew Phung, a Calgary actor.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-election-2015-can-you-imag...

Good! 

Notley says she's encouraged by polls but not banking on them

http://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/notley-says-shes-encouraged-by-po...

Nor should she. According to that economist article 20 percent are still undecided.

And remember how accurate the polls were in the last election.

Another PC screwup

Rogue election sign damages fence, frustrates owner

'We kind of felt like it was vandalism, what they did to our property'

http://www.cbc.ca/news/elections/alberta-votes/rogue-election-sign-damag...

Prentice pitches platitudes in bid to protect dynasty: 

The Alberta PC leader has not really varied message despite worry inside the party.

For a man who may have badly miscalculated the level of anger among Alberta voters, Jim Prentice is carrying a curiously empty satchel with him in the final days of the campaign.

In his dark suit and cowboy boots, he brings only platitudes about free enterprise, he preaches stability and he pitches optimism, even if his body language looks a little grim.

Most curious of all, he is still trying to sell a budget that has sparked much of the anger, probably because he can’t do anything about three other wellsprings of anger, his early election call, his role in a massive political floor-crossing last winter and a couple of tone deaf comments which betray an elitism and arrogance.

Yes, he is trying to raise fear about an NDP surge under Rachel Notley, but even there, his heart doesn’t seem in it — the best he can do is call Notley’s lack of support for an already discredited Northern Gateway pipeline “totally unacceptable.’’

He tosses in some bromides about lost jobs and uncertainty, but he’s hardly breathing anti-socialist fire.

He does, however, have a prescription to change the channel when he is asked about issues no leader wants to deal with on the eve of a vote — a noisy disqualified candidate crying foul, an incumbent convicted of soliciting a prostitute who was not disqualified and a resigned attorney-general in a messy court case with his estranged former Miss Universe Alberta wife.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/04/30/prentice-pitches-platitude...

Norway now has $1 trillion in its fund.

It's absolutely disgusting what has happened to the Heritage Fund under successive right-wing Conservative governments in Alberta

Right-wingers are good money managers my ass - what a shame to have sold out Albertan's future like that.

What happened to Alberta’s cash stash: The life and death of the province’s rainy-day fund

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/alberta/what-happened-to-albertas-ca...

Arthur Cramer wrote:

Angie Klien endorses the NDP to end the domination of the "Fat Cats". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBvHLKOevM&featre=share. This is also, NOT, good for Le Dauphin! I am loving this. Read em' and weap Liberals on this board!

 

Here is the link fixed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBvHLKiOevM