What does NDP Alberta Premier-Elect Rachel Notley need to do now?

Policywonk wrote:

Glenl wrote:

Ms Notley ran on jobs, amongst other things. This is Alberta, who should she be talking to if not the oil patch ( which isn't just the tar sands by the way). It's rigs that move out of the province not tar sand projects, they're kinda stuck in place. Avoiding unnecessary knee jerk reactions and causing additional layoffs is what I would expect her to focus on for a week or so.

One of the things maybe. But she will have much to do before the transition. Has anyone given a thought to who might be in her cabinet and who might be speaker?  

I suggested Brian Mason as Speaker on another thread.

Maybe Shannon Phillips as Minister of Finance? Wikipedia says she is an economic policy analyst.

Unionist wrote: "I'm not sure if you've noticed the fate of every single NDP government that shits on workers just as soon as the workers have swept them to power (that includes unionized workers, impoverished workers, unemployed workers)."

NEXT...

When it comes to cabinet, regional balance is probably going to be the most important consideration given the historical limitation of the NDP to core Edmonton. I suspect the Finance Minister will be from corporate Calgary (Joe Ceci), which is the largest city and a tough nut for the NDP. Shannon Phillips is a shoe-in for cabinet. I suspect Medicine Hat's MLA is getting a top job, and it would be tough not to include Red Deer. MLAs that push more to Edmonton's suburbs would a wise move.

The few MLAs with experience like Brian Mason, are going to be needed for their leadership in the party. I think he would make a great House Leader (essentially the Premier of/in the Lege). Serious consideration needs to be given to who will be party whip and caucus chair. Notley needs her very best political hands there.

voice of the damned wrote:

Well, the Manitoba NDP has won four majorites in a row. I guess we can conclude that Doer and Selinger have been running an unwaveringly pro-worker government for the past sixteen years?

Well not quite that extreme. But yeah. Unlike Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia, they at least didn't tear up negotiated collective agreements and break legal strikes.

I agree with jas.  They need to be prepared.  I suspect they will have some strategists who were around from the Rae era (or who have studied it).  The interview I linked to above seemed to show that Notley is prepared for the business backlash.  While not sounding aggressive, she clearly indicated her intention to review royalties, indicating that Albertans, and not the oil barons, are the owners of the resources.  In doing so she also invoked the memory of Lougheed, which is a good PR move.  I'm confident she won't be a pushover.

Not to be misunderstood. I approve of raising royalties, ending sterilizations, instituting a Bill Of Rights, and allowing dirty movies as much as the next guy.

bagkitty wrote:

Of the 53 NDP MLAs elected, 24 are women (approx 45%) - there was a tie (and will be a recount) in Calgary Glenmore and the recount could easily see this change to 54 New Democrats and 25 female NDP MLAs. Not exactly parity, but it close enough to parity to reach out and touch it. There is more to celebrate than merely the good fortunes of one party...

That is very good news.

6079_Smith_W wrote:

ikosmos wrote:

By the time they might see the benefit of Prop Rep they're back in Opposition and unable to pass any laws.

Considering that prop rep in this election would have left them in a minority position, I'm quite happy letting them have a free rein to implement some of their policies before they tackle that one.

Besides, as it was in B.C., it is a matter best decided by referendum.

I like a majority because there are fewer excuses available.

When Jean Charest was elected Premier in 2003, his platform included implementing proportional representation, recommended by the Estates-General on the Reform of Democratic Institutions (which voted 90% for MMP). The other two parties agreed. So he immediately appointed a Minister for Democratc Reform. But then the process slipped into low gear. The caucus debated (and degraded) the model until 15 December 2004 when the draft bill was presented to the National Assembly. Hearings did not begin until, on 15 June 2005, the National Assembly appointed a Select Committee, which began its proceedings on 1 November 2005, assisted by an eight-member Citizens’ Committee. Public consultations were held across Quebec beginning in January 2006 to April. The Select Committee sent the bill back to the drawing boards to make it more proportional. But the momentum had been lost.

Moral: even if you really want PR, some of your backbenchers won't. "What will happen to my seat?" So you have to start with a Minister in charge, right away. Rachel Notley has no mandate to introduce PR, since she didn't campaign on it (unlike what Mulcair is now doing.)

But she can still start the ball rolling by having a minister for democratic reform. She should.

Does PR mean adopting a system under which a Wildrose/PR alignment would have won a majority? No. More voters will vote if they have more choices. The breakdown of the votes cast would likely be quite different too. By my calculations, detailed here, an NDP-Liberal-Alberta Party coalition would have held 47 seats, more than the alternative PC/Wildrose coalition with 40.

Lots of experienced people in Manitoba that want out.

Quite frankly I think energy, environment, employment, and economic issues are what people want to hear about. Notley has said the Tar sands are a "black eye". More of this.

If the not the very first thing, then at least an extremely high priority, would be to get forensic auditors in to determine what the real state of the province's finances are... as opposed to the spin that has been coming out of Edmonton for years. The NDP in opposition had always been been extremely critical of the PCs "pulling the numbers out of their nether regions" - this is not going to be a particularly easy job, and the orgy of paper shredding the outgoing government has been indulging itself in is not going to help matters. They are going to have to go back quite a ways too... some of the "surprise" announcements as to the state of the treasury under Klein still defy rational explanation. I do not know if such an audit is going to result in criminal charges as happened in Saskatchewan when Romanow's NDP took over from Devine's Tories... given the level of entitlement demonstrated by the Alberta PC elite and the longevity of their dynasty, I would not be shocked to see criminal charges. I also think it is important that Notley's new government be prepared to call in auditors and, if necessary, legal authorities from the outside if it turns out that entitlement has crossed over to fraud...  they should be prepared in advance, and should make every effort to ensure they cannot be accused of adding a partisan spin to an audit or subsequent legal action.

Nonetheless people are going to want answers about the future, as well as punishment of the corrupt.

Problem is in regard to auditors is that the financial crisis since 2008 (mostly US) has shown that so called objective auditors are not necessarily trustworthy either. [Deloitte et al]

Just as the PC and the political right in Alberta can rely upon certain economic interests, it would be nice to see the Alberta NDP do something extremely radical for a change. We all know how NDP regimes [often] act as a kind of anchor or brake to social activism once in power, effectively cutting themselves off from key supporters. I mean, instead of demobilizing activists and the left, actually mobilizing same.  Mind you, this is more of a long term strategy for the left, in [u]moving politics to the left more permanently,[/u] that doesn't necessarily benefit only the NDP, and, frankly, I expect the NDP to be indistinguishable from Liberals and Tories on this. I mean politically selfish and unable to transcend what those of us on the "extreme left" call parliamentary cretinism. But one can hope.

What does Premier-elect Notley need to do?

#1.  When the Legislature is recalled, choose a Speaker from the WildRose caucus, since she will need the other 3 NDP M.L.A.s as Cabinet members.

#2.  See if someone with cabinet eperience from another provincal NDP government who is from Alberta would be willing to run in the by-election in Prentice's seat.  I don't know if such a person exits, but a potential cabinet member could help win the riding.

#3.  Tell the people of Alberta in no uncertain terms that she is going to learn from the mistakes of Bob Rae, and not repeat them.

takeitslowly wrote:

and the NDP government in N.S?

Oh, right!

#4.  Be prepared for the Opposition to lie through their teeth to get elected!

Looks like the Globe and Mail editorial board agrees with you, Pebbles.

[url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/editorials/notley-should-sei... should seize the moment and get the bucks out of Alberta politics[/url]

Quote:

There are a lot of people in Alberta and elsewhere wondering what Rachel Notley, the province’s incoming NDP premier, will do first. Raise corporate taxes? Order a review of the oil-industry royalty regime? Restore funding to health care and education that was cut by her predecessor?

There are plenty of choices. Most are controversial. But if she wants to hit the ground running and do the one thing that voters on both the left and right can agree on, she doesn’t have to look any further than her election promise to reform the province’s political donation rules.

In Alberta, corporations, unions and individuals can donate up to $30,000 to each party in an election year, and $15,000 in non-election years. They can also give $2,000 to a candidate and up to a total of $10,000 to different candidates in one party. Not to mention another $2,000 to any one constituency association, to a maximum of $5,000 per party.

That’s a lot of money. Contrast that to federal government rules. Unions and corporations aren’t allowed to make political donations. Only individuals can. And the maximum donation to each party, candidate and constituency association is $1,500.

The other big difference is that Ottawa sets spending limits during election campaigns. In Alberta, you can spend as much as you want to get elected. It’s the only province to allow this.

Ottawa’s rules were designed to keep big money out of elected politics. Alberta’s rules are designed to keep it in. Ms. Notley has called the system “ridiculous.” It is. She and the Leader of the Opposition, Brian Jean of the Wildrose Party, both want to end corporate and union contributions. They haven’t said whether they would set limits on individual donations, or whether they would set spending maximums during election campaigns.

But between the two of them, they can make Alberta a more democratic place by ensuring money from large and powerful interests has less of an influence on elected officials.

The SNP just elected a 20-year old woman by the name of Black who sounded perfectly competent to run any ministry at all. I am sure there are similar young men and women in the Alberta caucus of the NDP, however my news sources are much more biased to learning about the SNP than the Alberta NDP.

Please do not be biased against young people. They are just as smart as you are.

Wilf Day wrote:

Rachel's cabinet: Alberta has 20 ministries, but the last cabinet doubled up four of them, and then added three associate ministers back, for 19.

Some have doubted whether Rachel has the talent for a cabinet. Here's 18 good names.

BRIAN MASON Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood. 61, city councillor 1989 – 2000, MLA since 2000, leader before Rachel.

DAVID EGGEN Edmonton-Calder. 52; from 1990 to 2004, David taught at a number of Edmonton public schools. Then MLA, except Executive Director of Friends of Medicare from 2008 to 2012.  

DERON BILOUS Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview. 39. For five years, he taught English and Social Studies, and mentored students at Edmonton’s Inner City High School. MLA since 2012.

JOE CECI Calgary-Fort. MSW, 57, spent 15 years as a community worker. City Councillor 1995-2010. Now manages a Public Policy program for a local non-profit organization.

COLIN PIQUETTE Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater, 45, Bachelor’s degree in political science and Master’s degree in adult education, Former professor of ethics and law, insurance agent in family business. President of the Boyle & District Chamber of Commerce. Son of former NDP MLA Leo Piquette, a third-generation Franco-Albertan.

KATHLEEN GANLEY Calgary-Buffalo, 37, labour and employment lawyer in Calgary. She primarily represents employees and unions.

SHANNON PHILLIPS Lethbridge-West.  39, MA in Political Science. After graduating, she worked with Jack Layton and the federal NDP as well as at the Alberta Legislature with the NDP opposition. Moved to Lethbridge in 2006 and worked in journalism and as a consultant before taking a position as an economic policy analyst.

SARAH HOFFMAN Edmonton-Glenora. 34, Chair, Edmonton Public School Board (2012-2014), Vice Chair, Edmonton Public School Board (2010-2012), MEd (2008), Research Director: Alberta’s NDP Caucus (2007-2011), Research Assistant: University of Alberta (2005-2007), Researcher – Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association (2002-2004).

ANNIE MCKITRICK Sherwood Park. 63. MEd and Diploma in Public Sector Management and a Bachelor Degree in Ecology. For five years she managed a national research institute at the University of Victoria exploring the contribution of the not-for-profit sector, co-operatives, and credit unions to local community economic development and social well-being; has spent forty years working with municipalities, provincial government, post-secondary institutions and not-for-profit organizations.

DR. BOB TURNER Edmonton-Whitemud. 66, retired professor of Medicine and Oncology at the University of Alberta, was Director of Clinical Hematology at the University of Alberta Hospital, and as Medical Director of the Canadian Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service.

LORI SIGURDSON Edmonton-Riverview, 54, MSW, manager for professional affairs for the Alberta College of Social Work, instructor at both the University of Calgary and MacEwan University, vice president of Public Interest Alberta, hockey mom.

KAREN MCPHERSON Calgary-Mackay-Nose Hill. 49; IT professional and a business analyst for over two decades, lived in Calgary for over twenty years, with a six year gap living and working in the United Kingdom and the United States.

BOB WANNER Medicine Hat. 65. MBA. former commissioner of public services at the City of Medicine Hat and currently works as a professional mediator .

BRUCE HINKLEY Wetaskwin-Camrose. 66, B Ed, M Ed, 15 years of school administration experience, and 15 years as a classroom teacher.

CRAIG COOLAHAN Calgary-Klein. 44; degrees in English and Journalism, 6 years as a technical writer for a utility company, then in 2012 Business Representative for the United Utility Workers’ Association. On executive of Alberta Federation of Labour.

BARB MILLER Red Deer-South, 56, ”local steward at Canada Safeway for UFCW 401, president of the Red Deer and District Labour Council and sits on the executive council of the Alberta Federation of Labour.”

IRFAN SABIR Calgary-McCall, 38, lawyer with aboriginal law firm, born in Kashmir, degree in Economics from University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, lived in Calgary since 2004, degree in Social Work and Law from the University of Calgary.

MARG MCCUAIG-BOYD Dunvegan-Central Peace-Notley, 62, educator, Bachelor’s degree in Education, Master's in Administration and Leadership, teacher and administrator with Peace River School Division for more than 20 years; vice president, Fairview Campus with Grande Prairie Regional College (GPRC), left GPRC in June 2013, now consulting.

That includes 7 from Edmonton, 5 Calgary, 2 North, 2 Central, and 2 South. Ten men, eight women, so adding Rachel makes nine women of 19. Not sure if she has any aboriginal-identity MLAs.

Here are three more capable people, a surplus of Edmonton males:

RICHARD FEEHAN Edmonton-Rutherford, 55, University instructor in Faculty of Social Work. Previously program director of the Edmonton Social Planning Council and vice president of Edmonton’s Catholic Social Services. 

MARLIN SCHMIDT Edmonton-Gold Bar, 36, Master's degree in hydrogeology, specializes in remediating contaminated sites. A proud public servant, Marlin has worked for the past six years for Alberta Environment, protecting the soil and groundwater of our province for future generations. Prior to that, Marlin worked in the upstream oil and gas industry as an environmental consultant. Ran in 2012.

DAVID SHEPHERD Edmonton-Centre, 41, BA in Professional Communications, communications professional: public service positions facilitating public understanding of government policy and services; most recently City of Edmonton’s LRT Design and Construction department.

And there are lots more interesting and talented MLAs who are likely good prospects, if I knew more about them than their campaign bios. Look at these telented women.

MARIE RENAUD St. Albert, 50, 4 years experience as Executive Director of LoSeCa Foundation, a community based organization that supports people with developmental disabilities, born in Quebec but has lived most of her adult life in Alberta.

NICOLE GOEHRING Edmonton-Castle Downs, 38, social worker, graduated from Grant MacEwan University’s Social Work Program in 1999. worked in various positions in the realm of social work within the private sector, public and Catholic education systems, and Alberta Human Services. 

CHRISTINA GRAY Edmonton-Mill Woods, 36, Software Development Project Manager, ran in 2008, applied degree in psychology. Previously she was a software developer for a family-owned small business and a computer programming instructor for a local technical school, past Chair of the Edmonton Transit System Advisory Board.

DENISE WOOLLARD Edmonton-Mill Creek, 68, Master's degree in Education, was teacher and education psychologist in northern and central Alberta, now a university facilitator at the University of Alberta, supporting student teachers.

DANIELLE LARIVEE Lesser Slave Lake, 41, public health nurse. President of the United Nurses of Alberta Local in Slave Lake. 

 

I would bet more than half of these will be in the cabinet. It's not just a question of competance but of regional representation (and I would expect close to gender parity, simply because there are probably as many competant women as competant men). It is good that so many were elected both in Calgary and outside of Edmonton and Calgary. A number of portfolios will be minefields though. And it will be interesting to see how she structures her cabinet. 

Time to google Brian Topp's reputation as chief of staff to Roy Romanow.

This appointment reminds me of Obama's first term where he just appointed a bunch of electioneering hacks to the top executive jobs. The rest is history.

It also shows how Notley is content to insulate herself with the good old boys crew from the (often discredited) NDP governments she used to work with: meet the new boss, just like the old boss.

She should move the legislature to Drumheller to make room for all the political dinosaurs, and their skeletons, that Topp's appointment cues in.