Alberta - Shadow Cabinet and Redford's New Chief of Staff

On Monday, Alberta Premier Alison Redford announced  a change in Chief of Staff, Farouk Adatia.  He replaces Stephen Carter,  who served as Redford's Chief of Staff for the past six months. Earlier this year Adatia failed to win the PC party's nomination for Calgary-Hawkwood.  His annual salary is expected to be $264,000.  A nice reward for the Calgary lawyer. 

"As a lawyer specializing in corporate and commercial law and as a volunteer leader with deep ties to the community, Farouk's experience and values are reflective of a new government focused on building an even better Alberta,"said Redford.

Isn't that what voters were appalled at during the election, the PC dynasty rewarding crony's with plumb jobs?  Regardless, voters get the government they deserve.  Meanwhile the pressure has been on after a fatal accident on Highway 63, which killed seven people.  While Doug Horner responded, Premier Redford said she would answer some letters regarding concerns over twinning of the highway when she returns from vacation next week.  Will it be more excuses? 

Meanwhile there was an education session for the newly elected MLAs in the legislature.  The session is intended to introduce new members to the procedures and obviously give some helpful advice.  Former Speaker Ken Kowalski, urged MLAs to be civil and to turn down the rhetoric.  He said that one can disagree with the other side, but can still work with them.  Civility is certainly something that would be desired.  Albertans want their MLAs to get things done. 

Official Opposition Leader, Danielle Smith, used the occasion to introduce her shadow cabinet. 

“Wildrose campaigned on the slogan ‘new ideas that put Albertans first’, and more than one-third of Albertans rallied to that cause,” said Smith, noting that Wildrose earned more votes than any other opposition party in Alberta history on April 23.

Among the major critic roles, Rob Anderson and Heather Forsyth will return to their chief critic portfolios of Finance and Health, respectively. Anderson will also return as House Leader. Bruce McAllister (Chestermere-Rocky View) will be Education Critic, Kerry Towle (Innisfail-Sylvan Lake) will be Seniors Critic and Whip, Shayne Saskiw (Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills) will be Critic for Justice and Solicitor General, and Jason Hale (Strathmore-Brooks) will serve as Energy Critic.

“While we will not needlessly oppose the Redford PCs, we intend to use our role as Official Opposition to ensure that Albertans’ voices are clearly heard in the Alberta Legislature,” Smith said.   Wildrose Website

Premier Alison Redford is expected to announce her new cabinet next week, with a legislature session starting on May 16th.  The session should include the throne speech and will hopefully deal with the Highway 63 issue prior to breaking for the summer. 

With a large official opposition, it should no longer be business as usual. 

Alberta - Convenient Release of Mar Ethics Report

The Alberta government chose a Friday afternoon to release the results of the Ethics report on Gary Mar.  Even though the information was apparently available well ahead of the election on April 23rd. 

During the campaign it was reported that Mar had been reinstated to his position by Redford’s deputy minister, Peter Watson, well before the televised Leaders’ debate.  At the time, the PC campaign and Redford insisted they had seen nothing of the report despite the close connections with the Premier’s office.

Gary Mar, who faced Redford during the Progressive Conservative Party Leadership campaign an lost in the third ballot, was handpicked by Redford as the Alberta envoy to Asia in Hong Kong.  He was   investigated after auctioning off a trip to his Hong Kong government office at a personal fundraiser earlier this year organized to help him pay off PC leadership debts. The trip reportedly fetched $20,000.

Alison Redford suspended Mar without pay and ordered and ethics investigation.  She referred the investigation to the Deputy Minister of Executive Council, Peter Watson, who is responsible for administering the Code of Conduct and Ethics for the Public Service which applies to senior officials in the Government of Alberta.  He apparently hired an independent investigator and legal advice. 

When queried about the report, during the election campaign, Redford said she was not aware of any report.  Then just a few days after the election, on a Friday, the report is released, with the following findings:

• The wording of the invitation was changed when concerns were raised to make it clear that the dinner was a private affair
• Mr. Mar was not involved in the direct solicitation of funds from the dinner
• The funds raised from the dinner did not relate to the discharge of Mr. Mar's duties in public office;
• None of the funds raised from the dinner would be paid to Mr. Mar
• No information was conveyed to attendees that was not freely available to the public
• No special access was provided to or expected by the winner of a trip to Hong Kong auctioned at the dinner

The investigation found that there was no conflict of interest and Mar is returning to his duties in Hong Kong.

Obviously Alison Redford wanted to avoid any controversy and criticism during the election.  The Wildrose Party was quick to respond.  Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith commented on the report and said that the transaction involving Mr. Mar does not pass the smell test.

 “Regardless of the report, this transaction involving Mr. Mar doesn’t pass the smell test,” Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith said. “Ms. Redford should force Mr. Mar to repay the $20,000 as a condition of remaining on the job.” Source Wildrose Party

Wildrose MLA Rob Anderson criticized Redford for fumbling the Mar file from the start by keeping the report behind closed doors and by handing out a patronage posting in the first place.

“Redford is building a reputation of wanting to keep the public in the dark, whether it’s her time as Justice Minister creating laws that shroud illegal donation investigations into secrecy, or punting important issues until after the election,” Anderson said.  “It’s time to hold an open and transparent competitive process for international offices instead of continuing on with the PC pattern of giving plum patronage postings to party officials.”

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, in all likelihood it's a duck. 

Last Word on the Alberta Election

The National Post published an article this morning, which analyzed the Alberta election outcome.  The article characterized a defeat for the Wildrose Party.  Gaining 16 seats over the last election and gaining 34% support can hardly be categorized as a defeat. 

Personally I would not characterize the Wildrose Party as having been defeated in the election, other than the expectations raised by faulty polls.  The Wildrose Party received 34% of the popular vote, which is 10% less than the PC Party.   Many of the ridings were extremely close elections.  The big losers were Alberta's Liberal Party and the New Democrats, which ended up in the Redford tent. 
At the end of the day, Redford has some promises to keep, which are well beyond the budget she passed prior to the election.  Having gained 16 seats in this election can easily be characterized as a win for the Wildrose Party.  The party, as the official opposition, can at the least keep Redford accountable, on fiscal responsibility, property rights, transmission lines and a myriad of smaller issues that should have been discussed during this election but were hi-jacked by conscience issues that were settled a couple of decades ago. 

Smith was right not to throw those candidates under the bus.  It may have cost her a few seats, but the principle of free speech was protected.  It should perhaps have been settled during the AGM, but unfortunately it wasn't.  Such is hindsight in politics. 

There is no doubt that Alison Redford ran a well oiled campaign, with the full force of the Alberta PC apparatus behind her.  Her success, however, will depend how she handles her promises.  Those have to result in reducing waiting lists, better care for seniors and an improving economy.  How she handles big oil and the environment will be another measure.  In any case, the people of Alberta have spoken and one can only hope that Alison Redford indeed changes the negative image of her PC party.  Continuing with the old arrogant ways will not help her.    

Profile of a Wildrose Supporter

During the past week much has been made of conscience issues and allegations of bigotry against the Wildrose Party.  The national media has gone as far as describing the Wildrose Party almost as anti-Canadian.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Being conservative doesn't make you a bigot, nor does it make you anti-Canadian.

This author is an immigrant from Germany, who spend the first 13 years of his life in the post World War II rubble.  Like Raj Sherman, he came to Canada at the age of 13, not a good time in  your life to come to a new country.  For those that think life was a bed of roses in the late 50s and 60s in Canada as a German kid, think again.  The political correctness that exists today, went completely the other way.  It had to be dealt with or you were destroyed.

In any case the author spend 35 years in the Canadian military and started his career in Edmonton.  In the following 35 years he returned to Edmonton on two postings, the last in 1988.  In total he has spend 30 years in Alberta.  In the interim he had the honour of living across Canada, including trips to the territories Alert Bay and as far north as Thule, Greenland.  He has also seen hate and bigots around the world.  They come in in every shape, size and race.  Hate is not a pretty picture. 

This background to point out that the author is a proud Canadian, now a proud Albertan who also is proud of his ethnic heritage.  Contrary to popular belief, Alberta is not full of backwoods bigoted hillbillies.  Far from it.  Albertans are hard working individuals that want their government to work for them and not mislead them.  Honesty is still valued here.  We also don't need a national agenda to tell us what our character should be.  We are just fine.

The  majority of us believe and support the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  We realize that the abortion and gay issues are settled and the majority want to move on.  On the same token we believe in freedom of speech, fiscal responsibility and hard work.

It's time to get off the bandwagon.  While Alberta's future is being decided today.  the national media need  not worry.  We are federalists and realize that we need to share some of our resource wealth.  On the same token whoever leads Alberta, is also expected to stand up for the province.  This is no different from other provincial leaders.  Brad Wall, Saskatchewan's Conservative Premier stood up to Stephen Harper's federal conservatives when it came to his province and rightfully so. 

To this author, a  long time PC voter, who decided not to vote in the last election because their was no alternative, Alison Redford did not appear believable.  Redford would do whatever it took to get elected.  While sitting under the Conservative label, she IMHO is a Progressive and not a centre right politician the national media tries to label her as.

In summary, if there were a Wildrose victory today, Alberta will not be regressive.  The hand of time will not be turned back and none of the conscience issues will be reversed or legislated on.  The fear mongering can  stop.  While the Wildrose Party may be an upstart party, it has no shortage of well seasoned political advisers.  So the question today is, "Do you want to stick with the status quo that hasn't worked or start with some fresh ideas.  The choice is yours.  Today you're voting for a new Chief Executive Officer in a $41 Billion enterprise.

Alberta Election - The Last Word - Wildrose set for Sweeping Majority - Poll

Despite the influx of the national media, in an attempt to change the outcome of the Alberta election, Albertans seem to have thumbed their nose at progressives in Toronto and Ottawa.  Danielle Smith and her Wildrose Party are set for a sweeping majority on Monday, according to a Forum Project Inc poll conducted late Saturday. The results of this latest poll confirm the findings of a Sun News poll published on Friday. 

The poll, which shows the Wildrose Party with 41%  over Alison Redford's Progressive Conservatives with 32%, while the NDP has 13% and the Liberals at 10%.  The NDP and Liberals are strongest in Edmonton, where they are at 23% and 14% respectively.

The Forum Project Inc poll was conducted with a total of 2010 responses gathered Saturday evening by automated phone response.  

The polling firm president Lorne Bozinoff said that the win is enough for Wildrose to capture 62 of the province's 87 seats.

“We expect to welcome a new majority government to the provincial scene on Monday night,”

Alison Redford's approach was that she wanted to change the character of Alberta.  Most Albertans think that the province's character is just fine.  In addition to this there have been attempts to fear monger against the Wildrose Party, almost to the point that it was described as scary and intolerant.  Yet Redford had enough problems in her own party.

 Despite passing a provincial budget prior to the election, Redford has made all kinds of additional promises and the list keeps piling on.  The question is how it would all get paid for.  Excessive spending has consequences.  One only need to look south of the border to the U.S. with its $16 Trillion and growing deficit.  Sooner or later the chickens come home to roost. 

Alberta is headed for change.  A change that returns the province to fiscal responsibility, property rights and free speech.   A change that will be refreshing.

Wildrose Leads in New Poll - Addresses Tolerance and Bigotry

According to a Sun News Poll, the Wildrose Party has a ten point lead over the Progressive Conservative Party, which would indicate that the Wildrose Party is heading for a victory.  The poll has the  Wildrose Party at 41%, the Progressive Conservatives  at 31%, the Liberals 11% and the  NDP at  12%.  In  Calgary the Wildrose Party leads the Progressive Conservatives  44%  to 29%, while in Edmonton the Progressive Conservatives have a seven point lead at 36% to 29%.  

Despite allegations and a smear campaign to paint the Wildrose Party and its supporters as intolerant and as bigots,  both by the PC Party and Raj Sherman, Liberal Party Leader, who characterized the Wildrose as biots and the PCs at Bullies, there has been little impact in the mind of the voters overall.  The biggest change was probably in the City of Edmonton, which is considered more liberal than Calgary. 

On the campaign trail today, Danielle Smith addressed the issue of intolerance an bigotry head on.  She insisted that the Wildrose Party would not suffer bigots.

"I'm leading a party that is open to all races, beliefs, and religions, and I unequivocally reject and denounce these charges against me or my party." 

"Let me be perfectly clear, a Wildrose government will not tolerate discrimination against any individual based on their ethnicity, religion, beliefs, background, sexual orientation, or disability, period.

Wildrose has laid out a very clear, practical, and affordable plan for Alberta over the course of the campaign, while the increasingly desperate PCs have run up a $7-billion tab of unbudgeted campaign promises.  But this election will also be a historic choice between the Redford PCs' plan to change our character to satisfy someone else's idea of who we should be, and a new Wildrose government that will uphold the traditions of tolerance and individual freedom that have been hallmarks of Alberta's character for over a century."

Danielle Smith addressed these issues early on in the campaign when she gave her stance on conscience issues.  She stated that the was pro-choice an pro-gay marriage, and issue that has been long settled across Canada and during a forum at CBC Edmonton yesterday 19 April she referred to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, reminding the audience and viewers that those are already protected.

On Wednesday 11 April,  Smith said when her party elected a leader it was clear to them that they elected a pro-choice, pro-gay marriage candidate.

 "When our members elected me they knew they were electing a candidate that was pro-choice and pro-gay marriage.  The only way we're going to be able to become a mainstream, big-tent conservative party capable of forming government is to focus on the issues that matter to Albertans. If I am elected premier, a Wildrose government will not be legislating in areas of morality."  More Here

Danielle Smith couldn't make this more clear.  These issues are nothing but a diversion from the real issues.

The fact is that the Redford Tories have run their course and their leader has been  unable to connect with every day Albertans.  Albertans don't want a flip flopping bureaucrat.  They want a leader. 

I Never thought I'd Vote PC - What will they think of Next

This is an interesting video, which, according to a group of young people, is not associated to a particular party.  The video asks those on the left and centre left to vote for the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party. 

While the PC party says it has nothing to do with the video, Alison Redford said she hoped people would vote PC.  That sounds like a desperate move by a party that has led Alberta for 41 years.  One thing is clear this is no longer the party of Ralph Klein.

Leaders of the NDP and Liberal Party of Alberta urged voters to stick with their initial parties and not vote strategically. 

The complete election campaign has gone off message and is now concentrating on controversial remarks made by members of both the Alison Redford's Tories and the Wildrose Party.  Even the mayors of Alberta's two largest cities have weighed in.

Time to get back on the issues.

Alberta Election - A Wildrose Majority is Possible

A poll conducted by Return on Insight, which surveyed 800 Albertans on the 13th and 14th April, shows if an election were held today, the Wildrose Party could form a majority government with 48 of 87 seats in the legislature.   The first column shows the result of the poll, while the second set of numbers shows a possible seat projection. 

 
Date             ABP     EGRN     LIB     NDP     PC     WR     OTH  
2012/04/14     1            -            11         9        36       43     -              Poll


Date            ABP     LIB     NDP     PC     WR     OTH
2012/04/14                1         4         34       48                                     Seat Projection


The Wildrose Party leads with 43 per cent followed by the PCs at 36 per cent, the Liberals at 11 per cent, the NDP at nine per cent and the Alberta Party at one per cent. The poll suggests that the real battleground will be in the cities.   In Calgary, the Tories have a slim four-point lead over Wildrose at 45 per cent support to 41 per cent.  In Edmonton, it's the Wildrose Party with a slight lead of 37 per cent to 31 per cent.

Results of the  poll are accurate to within plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Alberta Election - The Week in Review

As the Alberta election campaign moves into the final week, it appears that this election will be Danielle Smith's to lose.  With only one week in the campaign left to go, the Wildrose Party has a healthy lead over the incumbent Progressive Conservative Party.  In some polls the Wildrose Party leads by 17 percentage points. 

While the parties rolled out their platforms, the debate, held on April 12th, seemed to be a defining factor.  While Alison Redford appeared stiff and almost rattled near the end of the debate, Danielle Smith seemed to connect with voters, with her no nonsense approach to many issues.  The attempts to demonize her because of conscience issues and lack of experience did not resonate. 

Here is a review of issues discussed thus far in the campaign:

Wildrose Announces Accountabilty Act and MLA Pay  April 9th

Race is Tightening - Leger Poll April 10th

Are Conscience Issues Bogus? April 11th

Liberals Reveal Carbon Levy Plan April 11th

Wildrose Leader Stance on Abortion-Gay Rights April 12th

Alberta Leader's Debate - No Clear Winner April 13th

Voters Declare Danielle Smith Debate Winner

 On  the campaign trail on Friday, Alsion Redford promised to introduce legislation that would make Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) a claimable condition under the Workmen's Compensation Board.  The problem is that this condition is already claimable, according to Wildrose leader Danielle Smith.  Sometimes it pays to do your homework before putting your mouth in motion.  

Danielle Smith also committed to call a full public inquiry into physician intimidation, a measure supported by the New Democrats and Liberals.   

As the campaign winds down toward the election on April 23rd, there should still be a number of surprises.  Alison Redford will have to go full out to try and overcome the impression Albertans have of her.  She comes across as a bureaucrat, who knows best and gives the impression that she leads by committee.   

The Progressive Conservative Party is no longer the party of Ralph Klein, in fact it has almost made a 360 degree turn.  Support in Edmonton is divided evenly between Redford and Smith, while the majority support Danielle Smith in Calgary.  Smith appears to lead in rural Alberta as well.  

Stay tuned.

 

Alberta Election: Race is Tightening - Leger Poll

A Leger Marketing poll conducted Easter weekend suggests that the race between the Wildrose Party and the Progressive Conservative party is tightening.  The poll commissioned by the Edmonton Journal and Calgary Herald suggests that  60% of Albertans are satisfied with Alison Redford's Progressive Conservatives.  The poll finds that if an election were held today, Albertans would vote 37% Conservative, 34% Wildrose, 12% Liberal, 11% New Democrats and 2% for the Alberta Party.

The results can be seen as a statistical tie.  The governing Tories hold a formidable lead in Edmonton, while there is an intense battle in Calgary.  While the Progressive Conservatives lost considerable ground prior to the Easter weekend, based on physician intimidation, the "Do Nothing Committee," which collected $1000 a month for 39 months, it appears that the raising of social conscience issues has helped the Conservatives.

A recent blogger survey on abortion received a contentious answer from the Wildrose Party Chief of Staff.  The statement read:

“The legalities of abortion fall under federal jurisdiction. We respect that Albertans view social issues differently, which is why Wildrose would immediately introduce legislation allowing citizens to put issues like abortion to a citizen-initiated referendum.”

Wildrose Party leader, Danielle Smith later clarified the the statement:

 “Citizen initiative is and has always been an important part of the Wildrose platform.  However, any initiative must first be vetted by a federally-appointed judge to determine whether or not it is constitutional.”

Despite the neck to neck race, the Tories have dropped significantly since polls conducted just two months ago, when the Tories were at 53% and the Wildrose was at 16%.

The telephone poll surveyed 1215 voters over four days during the Easter weekend. 

It would appear that much is at stake during the Leadership Debate on April 12th.  The debate will be broadcast throughout Alberta from 6:30 to 8:00pm.