The Alison Redford transgressions thread. Update- Redford quits.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

It makes me wonder... would it be cheaper to pay these guys private sector large company CEO type cash?

1) They would probably be less likely to pull all these expense stunts when they can afford their own plane anyway
2) They would ideally be much more competent at running a large organization, and the savings and benefits they would bring would easily far outweigh their compensation

I'd say no to both.

A person that's a CEO of a large company, would go crazy working in a government environment like that. Plus the roadblocks to fiscal success in government are far more massive then they are in the public service.

If you upped the salaries you would still get the same boobs in office and you would still get the same scammers in office. If you bought in high level executive types you might get people that can actually manipulate or play the system better then the people in their currrently.

Personally I think that no one should be allowed to make elected official a career. There should be a incentive to make it temporary as possible (10 year limit). Give the people the incentive to create goals, get them done and get out.

There are too many lifetime bureaucrats that get in, and then follow a strategy of doing next to nothing so that they can continue to be re-elected.

[monkeyman]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

It makes me wonder... would it be cheaper to pay these guys private sector large company CEO type cash?

1) They would probably be less likely to pull all these expense stunts when they can afford their own plane anyway
2) They would ideally be much more competent at running a large organization, and the savings and benefits they would bring would easily far outweigh their compensation

Sounds like a mob shakedown to me. pay us more money or we can't help you if someone comes in and steals your stuff...
I really don't want to start paying our politicians to act morally and do the right thing, we need to weed these people out of office.

I doubt it would make a difference anyway. The number one rule of money, the more you have, the more you spend and the more you need.
It's not like these guys are scraping by, they are compensated well and their pensions will ensure they continue to be compensated much better and much longer than many Albertans.
Bottom line, this is a character issue, and bad character won't be weeded out with money.

[GP_Matt]

What if we setup a system where every candidate had to submit their campaign promises during the election. After their term limit is up (8 years or so) they have to sit down in front of an independent panel who reviews their platform and their actions over their term in office. If they achieved everything they promised they get a big fat pension. If they achieved less then they have to justify their reasons. The quality of their reasoning will affect what percentage of their pension they get to keep. If they made promises that were unattainable (and they should have known that) they get nothing.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

What if we setup a system where every candidate had to submit their campaign promises during the election. After their term limit is up (8 years or so) they have to sit down in front of an independent panel who reviews their platform and their actions over their term in office. If they achieved everything they promised they get a big fat pension. If they achieved less then they have to justify their reasons. The quality of their reasoning will affect what percentage of their pension they get to keep. If they made promises that were unattainable (and they should have known that) they get nothing.

Isn't that what the voters are supposed to do?

Do we really need another body or panel for that? or should the citizens just take it upon themselves to practice their right to vote?

As it stands right now, Politicians count on voters not doing their home work and not bothering to vote.

[GP_Matt]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Isn't that what the voters are supposed to do?

Do we really need another body or panel for that? or should the citizens just take it upon themselves to practice their right to vote?

As it stands right now, Politicians count on voters not doing their home work and not bothering to vote.

We can vote based on their promises, but we have no control on if they keep them other than not voting for them again.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

What if we setup a system where every candidate had to submit their campaign promises during the election. After their term limit is up (8 years or so) they have to sit down in front of an independent panel who reviews their platform and their actions over their term in office. If they achieved everything they promised they get a big fat pension. If they achieved less then they have to justify their reasons. The quality of their reasoning will affect what percentage of their pension they get to keep. If they made promises that were unattainable (and they should have known that) they get nothing.

Well, something that black and white might be tough as there's plenty of reasons why a politician might not be able to achieve their campaign promises, that may not be their fault. Especially when it comes to issues liked to the economy. But I would be in favor of some sort of system that encourages or enforces greater accountability.

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Isn't that what the voters are supposed to do?

Do we really need another body or panel for that? or should the citizens just take it upon themselves to practice their right to vote?

As it stands right now, Politicians count on voters not doing their home work and not bothering to vote.

It's a sensible thought, and one we should try to achieve, but probably as likely as a land of chocolate and rainbows. One, which you said right in your post, a lot of voters don't bother. And while the people on this board are pretty informed, none of us have a magic wand that we could wave to make the voting public more like us. I guess there are small things society and the government can do, but they never really show much fruit other than a bump here or there. Plus, the government seems to be part of the problem anyway. Isn't the CPC battling with Elections Canada over things of this very issue right now? Regardless, it just isn't going to change, you can't force people to care, and there'll always be stupid people too.

Secondly, which is another problem here for this very example, is that often there doesn't seem to be a better alternative. As it stands today, I would not vote Wildrose. I just wouldn't. I am open to voting for them, and depending on how they campaign this time around, I could. I really want to in fact. But unless they can reign in a bit of the ultra right wing bat-poop crazy, and show me a budget plan that actually makes a little bit of sense, I just can't so it. You may disagree with me and people like me, but these are valid concerns, and it doesn't even all come down to one issue or scandal. There are a lot of us, who just feel there is no other alternative. Well, I feel the Liberals are worth a shot, but there's going to be even less support for that, and I probably feel the way about people not voting for them, as Wildrose supporters do for people not wanting to support them. So it does go both ways.

So a little extra accountability measures wouldn't bug me at all, I'd be all for it. Hell, the argument is often made that we're getting to a point where politicians aren't paid enough to really attract the quality people. If that's so, ramp up their salaries, but keep them accountable. Pensions can be lost, benefits can be axed, people can lose their jobs.

[Resolute 14]

She finally resigned as MLA. Good riddance.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmont...-mla-1.2728747

All that is left now is the police investigation.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

She finally resigned as MLA. Good riddance.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmont...-mla-1.2728747

All that is left now is the police investigation.

Former Alberta premier Alison Redford is resigning as MLA for Calgary-Elbow "to start the next chapter of my life."

In a perfect world the next chapter of her life would involve some jail time. That's not going to happen but it would be nice if she had to pay back some of the taxpayer money she stole.

[Slava]

I feel a little bad for the Wildrose this morning. Once the license plate vote is finished they'll have almost nothing to talk about anymore.

[WilsonFourTwo]

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/08...-in-hindsight/

“I recognize mistakes were made along the way. In hindsight, there were many things I would have done differently,” she said. “That said, I accept responsibility for all the decisions I have made.”

----

So she's going to take responsibility, eh? Great. I'm looking forward to having thousands of dollars returned, cooperation with a police investigation, and *finally* explain what she's been up to for the past three months while collecting a government paycheque.

Of course, that's probably not what Ms. Redford means by "take responsibility". She may just mean "Here's a sound bite, where can I collect my next cheque?"

"Taking Responsibility" doesn't mean jack sh*t if you don't actually take responsibility....

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Slava

I feel a little bad for the Wildrose this morning. Once the license plate vote is finished they'll have almost nothing to talk about anymore.

Right on cue. Slava, you have basically become nothing more than a troll with your constant efforts to deflect every topic about the bad things the PCs do into attacks on Wildrose.

Grow up.

[Voodooman]

As is typical, she quit, but pretty much deflected taking any real responsibility, instead blaming the entire province for not being smart enough to understand her vision.

From her statement...

"That is a reality and a dilemma in public life. It is necessary to be bold and confident, but there is always reluctance to look ahead and to face challenges as well as opportunities. It is easier to look back, to what we know and understand. Moving forward is more difficult, particularly in a province as blessed as Alberta.

The work I am returning to now helped me see the world as a place where one should always aspire to do the right thing. I was appointed by the United Nations as one of the Four International Election Commissioners to administer Afghanistan's first parliamentary election. I have had assignments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Namibia, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and the Philippines. I had the privilege of working in many places where people had a choice to look forward or to look back. For them, the past offered no solutions, no prospects for a better quality of life. Whether they liked it or not, they had to embrace change, believe in the future, and find a way to make it better than the past."

God, what a self-centered, ignorant bitch. Even resigning in scandal, she can't help but pat herself on the back. I swear, if I saw her in person, I'd use many bad words, but one very bad word in particular.

[Lil Pedro]

Originally Posted by Voodooman

As is typical, she quit, but pretty much deflected taking any real responsibility, instead blaming the entire province for not being smart enough to understand her vision.

From her statement...

"That is a reality and a dilemma in public life. It is necessary to be bold and confident, but there is always reluctance to look ahead and to face challenges as well as opportunities. It is easier to look back, to what we know and understand. Moving forward is more difficult, particularly in a province as blessed as Alberta.

The work I am returning to now helped me see the world as a place where one should always aspire to do the right thing. I was appointed by the United Nations as one of the Four International Election Commissioners to administer Afghanistan's first parliamentary election. I have had assignments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Namibia, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and the Philippines. I had the privilege of working in many places where people had a choice to look forward or to look back. For them, the past offered no solutions, no prospects for a better quality of life. Whether they liked it or not, they had to embrace change, believe in the future, and find a way to make it better than the past."

God, what a self-centered, ignorant bitch. Even resigning in scandal, she can't help but pat herself on the back. I swear, if I saw her in person, I'd use many bad words, but one very bad word in particular.

I'm shocked she didn't give a shout out to her daughter in that statement.

[manwiches]

I would love to see them strip her of her pension.

I sincerely hope she never finds decent paying job ever again. She deserves to work well past old age, and never have the opportunity to retire. That would just be a small fraction of what she's stolen from taxpayers.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Voodooman

God, what a self-centered, ignorant bitch. Even resigning in scandal, she can't help but pat herself on the back. I swear, if I saw her in person, I'd use many bad words, but one very bad word in particular.

The reason she got to go to those 3rd world countries mostly was because she was a white woman from Canada. I suggest she go back to those places if she wanted to enjoy her elitist lifestyle again.

[Ducay]

Surprised FirstLady hasn't returned to WR toll; today is like their Christmas.

Sadly, tomorrow will be Boxing Day and then the world will go on with them being a rural far-right party. I can take solace in that Calgary and Edmonton hold the power, and they lean further left.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Right on cue. Slava, you have basically become nothing more than a troll with your constant efforts to deflect every topic about the bad things the PCs do into attacks on Wildrose.

Grow up.

Oh really? You mean like on the last page where I said the fake passengers were indefensible? Its not that I troll these topics at all; instead you ignore some of the posts like that and cherry pick which posts to quote. Its almost like you do that to avoid any sign that we might actually agree on something!

[old-fart]

Originally Posted by Voodooman

As is typical, she quit, but pretty much deflected taking any real responsibility, instead blaming the entire province for not being smart enough to understand her vision.

From her statement...

"That is a reality and a dilemma in public life. It is necessary to be bold and confident, but there is always reluctance to look ahead and to face challenges as well as opportunities. It is easier to look back, to what we know and understand. Moving forward is more difficult, particularly in a province as blessed as Alberta.

The work I am returning to now helped me see the world as a place where one should always aspire to do the right thing. I was appointed by the United Nations as one of the Four International Election Commissioners to administer Afghanistan's first parliamentary election. I have had assignments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Namibia, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and the Philippines. I had the privilege of working in many places where people had a choice to look forward or to look back. For them, the past offered no solutions, no prospects for a better quality of life. Whether they liked it or not, they had to embrace change, believe in the future, and find a way to make it better than the past."

God, what a self-centered, ignorant bitch. Even resigning in scandal, she can't help but pat herself on the back. I swear, if I saw her in person, I'd use many bad words, but one very bad word in particular.

See You Next Tuesday.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Surprised FirstLady hasn't returned to WR toll; today is like their Christmas.

I'd be surprised if she ever came back (at least not with the same account). She burned all her bridges here during the last municipal election with her and her husband's ridiculous antics.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Right on cue. Slava, you have basically become nothing more than a troll with your constant efforts to deflect every topic about the bad things the PCs do into attacks on Wildrose.

Grow up.

He has a point, the Wildrose has been hammering away on the same issue for the past year, now that their main talking point is gone, especially so far ahead of an election, what are they left to talk about? My guess is that secretly the WR strategists are pissed at these recent developments. They are left to find something that resonates with the public to the same degree as corrupt politician. That will be hard, if not impossible to do.

To talk about a political parties fortunes isn't a troll, stop being so defensive and grow up.